Get Ready for the January Free Stuff Giveaways at Allure!

It starts tomorrow! Here's a look at what you could win:

Jan 5th: Redken Wind Blown 05

Dry Finishing Spray

Jan 6th: Revlon PhotoReady Prime

 + Anti Shine Balm

Jan 7th: Rituals Zensation 

Foaming Shower Gel

Jan 8th: MD Complete Eye 

Wrinkle Remover

So be sure to go the Allure Free Stuff page at Noon ET each day to submit the form for your chance to win these great products. The first 500 to sign up each day will win! This is a great way to get to try new beauty products.

I'm ready! Who else is ready to win some cool stuff?

So. Here is what i think about....InstaNatural Youth Express Vitamin C Moisturizer AND Advanced Formula Vitamin C Serum #InstaNatural

I was recently given the opportunity to try a couple of products from InstaNatural. I received the Youth Express Vitamin C Moisturizer Advanced Restorative Blend which comes packaged in a 3.4 ounce white pump container with a colorful label. I also received the Advanced Formula Vitamin C Serum which is in a 1 ounce blue dropper bottle with an orange label. If I saw these products in a store, they would definitely catch my attention.

When the box arrived, it was late afternoon so I did not try these products right away. But later that night, when I was getting ready for bed, I was ready to try the products. I washed my face & patted it dry. Then I opened the bottle of Vitamin C Serum & squeezed a bit onto my fingers. It was silky smooth & smelled like orange juice!

I applied it to my face, neck & upper chest. After it dried, which was fairly quickly, I was ready for the moisturizer, I pulled off the top of the container & pumped a bit of the lotion into my hand. It felt light & smooth so I knew it would not feel heavy on my face.

 I applied the Vitamin C Moisturizer to my face & neck. It absorbed quickly & did not feel sticky or heavy on my skin. It has a very subtle scent which I like because I don't want a heavy scent on my face while I'm trying to get to sleep.

I apply both of these products twice each day after I wash my face. I love the way they make my skin feel & these products will be especially beneficial during the colder months ahead when I usually experience the most dryness.

So. Here is what I think about InstaNatural Youth Express Vitamin C Moisturizer: I like that this product has no heavy odor because I don't like heavy scents on my face. I love that it protects against the damaging effects of sun exposure & makes my skin feel healthier. And this product is not just for your face. Use it anywhere you need more moisturizing, even around your eyes. It can be used on all skin types.

And...Here is what I think about InstaNatural Advanced Formula Vitamin C Serum: I love that it smells like orange juice! It goes on smooth & dries quickly. I like that using this before I moisturize helps my skin retain more moisture throughout the day. I especially love it's anti-aging properties because at some point we all have to deal with those pesky little lines & wrinkles.

So. Bottom line. If you are looking for products that will restore healthy skin over time, then you need to try these. They both come with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee Policy & they are made right here in the USA!

Go to their website at www.instanatural.com to see all of their products and be sure to enter your email address to become a Club Member. You'll get 15% off your first purchase on ALL InstaNatural products & much more.

#InstaNatural

This is a sponsored post. I received these products in exchange for my honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I use personally & believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own.

Unboxing.....my #FrostyVoxBox from @Influenster!

I received my #FrostyVoxBox last week from @Influenster & I couldn't wait to open it to see what was in it. I quickly posted a preview of the products but now I'm ready to show you exactly what was in the box.

So here's a reminder of the preview:

My original plan was to video the unboxing, but now I have a cold & all I do is cough so it would be hard for me to get through the unboxing while coughing & hard for you all to understand what I was trying to say. So....moving on to Plan B: photos & product information about everything that I received.

There are 3 food items in the box:

1.  McCormick Gourmet All Natural Thyme in a .62 ounce glass container. Thyme is one of my favorite flavors so I'll be using this really soon.

2.  Fruit Vines Bites by Red Vines. I got the Cherry flavor which is great because my family loves just about anything that tastes like cherries!

3.  Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Green Tea. I can't wait to try this because I love hot teas that are the flavor of the season. 

The rest of the items in this box are beauty products:

4.  Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum. I've heard a lot about Boots products because we've got a lot of friends in the UK, but I've never tried them. Now is my chance!

5.  NYC Expert Last Lip Color in Sugar Plum. This looks like a color that I would choose so I'll be wearing it soon.

6.  Rimmel London Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner. I don't usually wear eyeliner because I'm just not very good at applying it, but I'll give this one a try.

7.  EcoTools Sleek + Shine Finisher hairbrush. This hairbrush is the shape that I already use but mine doesn't have the vents for faster drying. I'm looking forward to using this.
8.  Rimmel London Just Let It Go...Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. The label says that it even removes waterproof mascara so if this works, I'm going to love it.

My favorite products in this box are the McCormick Gourmet All Natural Thyme, the EcoTools Sleek + Shine Finisher hairbrush & the NYC Expert Last Lip Color. I really like everything, but these are what I'm looking forward to trying the most & I'll be trying them out first.

Once I've had a chance to try everything, I'll be back with product reviews.

I received these products for the purpose of testing & review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I use personally & believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own.

Look what I got....My #FrostyVoxBox from Influenster!

I was so excited when my mail carrier rang my doorbell & handed me a bright red box from Influenster. My #FrostyVoxBox had arrived!

I barely got the words "Thank you" and "Have a Merry Christmas" out of my mouth before I shut the door & sat down to open my box of treasures. Look at all of this!

There are 8 products in the box! Along with 5 beauty products there are also 3 food products. This is what I got:

1. Boots No. 7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum + a coupon for $2 off at Target. I received a sachet-sized sample. Retail price: $29.99 for full-size.

2. NYC Expert Last Lip Color in Sugar Plum. Retail price: $1.99.

3. Rimmel London Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. Retail price: $7.49.

4. Rimmel London Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner. Retail price: $4.49.

5. EcoTools Sleek + Shine Finisher Hairbrush. Retail price: $10.99.

6. Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea + coupon for $0.55 off of one box.

7. McCormick Gourmet Thyme. Retail price: $4.79.

8. RedVines Fruit Vines Bites. Retail price: $1.28 - $1.79.

I'm excited to try all of these products. Once I've had a chance to use each of them, I'll be back to let you know what I think.

If you would like to check out Influenster for your chance to receive great products like these, you can do that right here.

I received these products complimentary for the purpose of testing & reviewing. All of the opinions expressed above are 100% my own.

So. Here is what I think about....Camry EL10 Electronic Luggage Scale

We recently returned from a vacation in South Africa. About a month before we left, I started gathering up everything that we would need for our trip. One of the biggest chores when getting ready for a trip like this is packing. We knew that we only wanted to check one bag & that we would each have a carry-on plus our personal item to go in the overhead bins. We did not want to have to pay any overweight bag fees or risk that our carry-on luggage would weigh too much & have to be gate-checked, so I wanted to get a reliable luggage scale.

I started searching on Amazon. I checked out the Customer Reviews for several different luggage scales until I found the Camry luggage scale. It looked like exactly what I wanted & the price was right! So I ordered one.

When I opened the box I was happy to see that the scale seemed quite sturdy. I mean, it was going to have to hold at least 50 pounds (but hopefully less!) so it couldn't just be a piece of plastic junk. The company advertises that it will weigh luggage up to 110 pounds so this scale looked like it would do the trick.

So I opened the battery compartment to peel that little plastic strip off & turn it on. This scale does a lot more than just weigh my bags. It will show the weight in either pounds or kilograms.

And it will show the room temperature in either Centigrade or Farenheit! I've never owned a luggage scale before so I never knew that it would care if I was warm enough or not.

But the real test of this scale would only come once we had packed our bags, weighed them & then checked them at the airport to see what those scales read. So we packed our big bag that was going to be checked at the baggage counter & weighed it. The Camry scale showed that it weighed 44.3 pounds & when we got to the airport baggage check, their luggage scale showed that it weighed 44.7 pounds. Close enough for me!

So. Here is what I think about the Camry EL10 Electronic Luggage Scale: When the scale arrived, my only hope was that it would be accurate to within 5 pounds of what the airport luggage scale would read because my intent was to pack my bag at least 5 pounds lighter than the airline weight allowance. But I was very happy that this scale was actually accurate to within 4/10s of a pound. Or maybe that tag that the ticket agent attached to the handle of our bag weighed 4/10s of a pound. Either way, no overweight baggage fees for us!

So. Bottom line. If you need a luggage scale at a good price that is both sturdy & accurate, this is the one for you.  I definitely recommend this product.

I bought mine from Amazon.com right here.

So. Here is what I think about....Secret Outlast Completely Clean Clear Gel

We all use deodorant, or at least we all should use it! So when I received the Invite from BzzAgent to join the Campaign for Secret Outlast Completely Clean Clear Gel, I joined immediately. I have a couple of favorite deodorants that I use, but I'm always willing to try something new. I mean, how will you ever know if you like a new product if you don't try it? 

When my BzzKit arrived, I opened the box to find a full-sized tube of Secret Outlast plus coupons to share with my friends & family. There were 5 coupons for $1 off of one Gillette Clear Gel Deodorant for the guys & 5 coupons for $1 off of one Secret Outlast, Scent Expressions or Destinations Clear Gel Deodorant for the gals.

I've never used a gel deodorant before so I wasn't sure what to expect. I assumed that it would feel sticky when I applied it & take a long time to dry. I had been using Dove Advanced Care Cucumber & Green Tea and Suave Naturals Soothing Aloe Vera. Both of these products are solid deodorants. So the morning after I received my new product, I took a shower & opened the Secret Outlast to try it for the first time. I twisted until the product came through the holes in the top of the applicator. 

The first thing that I noticed was the scent. It smells really good but I thought it was kind of strong so I was worried that it would overpower any perfume that I might spray on after I got dressed. I applied the deodorant & was surprised that it dried with no stickiness in less than 30 seconds. After I got dressed, I no longer noticed the scent so it did not conflict with my perfume. 

Now to test this deodorant for real! I took it with me on our vacation to South Africa. It's Autumn here in the States, but it's Spring in South Africa so I knew that the warmer weather would be a better test for a deodorant product. I used it every day of our vacation & never had to worry about sweating. It kept me & my clothes dry all day, even when we had some close encounters on our Safari Tour! 

We visited a lot of friends & family while we were in Johannesburg & I told them all about BzzAgent & about my campaign for Secret Outlast. It is not a brand that they are familiar with but they can purchase all of our American brands online. Several of the women that I talked to expressed an interest in trying Secret Outlast & if they can order it on the Amazon website & have it shipped by FedEx or UPS, they would love to try it. If it has to be deliverered by their Postal Service, then they won't be able to order it because their Postal Service has been on strike since January & there has not been any mail service at all this year! And I thought that the USPS has bad customer service!

So. Here is what I think about Secret Outlast Completely Clean Clear Gel: This clear gel deodorant goes on smoothly & dries quickly without being sticky. I never had to worry about sweating & from the beginning of my day until time to go to bed, my clothes stayed dry. The scent is really nice without being overpowering. This product advertises "48 hour odor protection" but I never went that long without reapplying, so I can't confirm that. But it also says "no white marks" & that is true. I never had any deodorant stains or white marks on any of my clothes.

So. Bottom line. This is a great product that will not stain your clothes, will keep you dry all day & smells great. You need to try it. I'm sure you'll like it!

You can check out all of the Secret products HERE & you call follow them on both Facebook HERE & Twitter HERE so that you don't miss any promotions or coupons. Also be sure to check out their Pinterest page HERE & their YouTube Channel HERE.

I received this product free for the purpose of my review. Opinions are 100% my own.

So. Here is what I think about....Chobani Greek Yogurt Oats

I love yogurt but I've never tried the Greek yogurts that I see in my grocery dairy aisle. I had never heard of Chobani Greek Yogurt Oats, but I qualified to sample it for a BzzAgent campaign. I was not sure what to expect but was anxious to give it a try.

When my BzzKit arrived, it contained a coupon for a Free Chobani Oats, a coupon to share with a friend, a cute fold-out brochure & a fridge magnet.

I took my Free coupon when I went grocery shopping the next day. I found the Chobani Oats in the dairy case right next to the regular Chobani Greek yogurt. My store had three flavors so I used my coupon to get one free & then bought the other two so that I could try them all. The only flavor that I didn't find was Cranberry, which is the one that I really wanted to try so I'll continue looking for it.

The next morning I tried the Blueberry flavor. It took a bit of getting used to because I've never had to chew yogurt before! But the blueberry flavor comes through & is really good. Once I was used to the texture I really enjoyed the steel-cut oats in the yogurt. It tasted more like a filling breakfast than having just plain yogurt.

A couple of days later I tried the Apple Cinnamon. I knew I would like it because I love anything with cinnamon. It did not disappoint. It tastes just like a yummy baked apple & it has little bits of apple mixed in with the oats. It is seriously good!

Finally I tried the Banana Maple flavor. This one was awesome! I really like the maple flavor that comes through a bit stronger than the banana flavor. It was like eating a bowl of oatmeal mixed with bananas & drizzled with real maple syrup. I definitely saved the best for last because this flavor is my favorite!

These products are non-GMO, made with no artificial flavors or sweeteners, Gluten-free, no preservatives, Kosher certified, less than 5% lactose & vegetarian friendly. And it contains as much fiber as a packet of instant oatmeal. So this stuff is good for you & it tastes great!

So. Here is what I think about Chobani Greek Yogurt Oats: I love yogurt but had never tried Greek yogurt before. And I had never heard of Greek yogurt mixed with steel-cut oats. The texture was a bit odd at first, but I got used to it really quickly & I really do like it. It's like having yogurt & a bowl of oatmeal all together.My family loves it & my fridge is stocked!

So. Bottom line. This tastes really good & it's really good for you. If you love yogurt & you love oatmeal, then you should try this.

You can go to the Chobani website to see all of their great products, sign up for their newsletter & get recipes. And you can follow them on Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest & YouTube.

I received this product free for the purpose of my review. Opinions are 100% my own.

PS: I'm still looking for the Cranberry flavor. If any of you have found it, please leave a comment & let me know where. Thanks!