Send Me Gluten Free Box Review + Giveaway!

Send me Gluten Free was created for the people of the Gluten Free community who were looking for new products to try that fit their diet needs. While I am not someone who considers themselves to be, 'Gluten Free' I love snacks and trying new brands, and a lot of the times the snacks marked 'Gluten Free' taste great and you can't even tell they have that stamp of GF on there (if that makes sense).

About this monthly subscription:

• Each month you'll get 8-12 new gluten free products! 
• Some products will be full-sized and others may be sample sized! 
• Contents of the box aren't just food based, they can range from food to personal care products to household hold items. All products that support you GF lifestyle!
• Cost is $30 per month if you purchase month to month! 
• Sign up for a yearly subscription and the boxes come down to $20/month (other options available).

With that being said - here's what came in October's box:

1. Mediterranean Snacks Lentil Chips (Sea Salt) $3.49

2. YogaVive Apple Chips (Chocolate) $4.49

3. I Heart Keenwah Quinoa Cluster (Chocolate Sea Salt) $1.50

4. NoGii Paleo Bar (Nuts About Berries) $2.42

5. Coupon for ONE FREE Conte's Pasta GF Product $10.00

6. Nature's Path Organic Granola Bar (Dark Chocolate Chip) $.88

7. Kemnitz Family Kitchen Sample Pack - Couldn't find a value!

8. Primal Pit Paste - $3.95

9. Bonne Maman Preserves (Strawberry) - $.50

10. Country Life CoEnzyme B-Complex Caps & Button - Couldn't find a value!

11. Redd Remedies Supplement - Couldn't find a value!

So, with my research and checking the values of each item (some I couldn't find) the total of the box came to: $27.23!

So with that said with this first box, it doesn't quite equal up to the value of how much you would be paying per month! However, if you purchased a year subscription, the value would be better! 

In my opinion, the price per box is quite high. Maybe it's a better value for someone who is actually GF and may find it difficult to find products that fit their lifestyle. As far as new brands, the only two brands I already knew were Bonne Maman and I Heart Keenwah Quinoa. I may have gotten these in my Love with Food boxes, not really sure. One of my favorite things about these kind of boxes is discovering new brands, so if that's all you care about this is def a great box to explore! 

Sign up here: http://www.sendmeglutenfree.com/category-s/1817.htm and use coupon code BLOG20 at checkout to get 20%!

OR, even better - enter my giveaway down below to win November's box!! 

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Beauty Without Cruelty Lipstick Review

I was fortunate to have been sent a free lipstick and some trial size 'samples' to try out from Beauty Without Cruelty (BWC) - a company, I've never heard about, but am always excited to learn more about and experience.

First, a little information, straight from their website, for those curious about this brand:

Founded by Kathleen Long & Lady Dowding in 1963 (!) who set out to accomplish a goal to manufacture and distribute natural, color cosmetics that were NOT tested on animals nor contain any animal ingredients. With over 40 years to their name, Beauty Without Cruelty has a full line of cruelty-free, vegetarian skin, body, and hair care products made with the finest natural ingredients and aroma-therapeutic essential oils, along with a full line of color cosmetics. 

I think it's amazing how they have been around 40 years now and I'm just hearing about them now! And their website is HUGE! There is so much stuff it's overwhelming.

Here are the products that were so kindly sent to me for review:

I love the scent of Lavender, so I really enjoyed the scents, and the cleanser had a really pleasant Orange citrus scent.

The lipstick I received was in the color Blueberry Coulis. The lipstick was really moisturizing, but a little too moisturizing for me. I prefer my lipsticks to be more of a matte finish, because otherwise I tend to get my lipstick everywhere, so I felt like it was a bit slippery. I loved the color though and found that the packaging was elegant and classic and also recommend it for anyone who enjoys a more moisturized finish or looking for something that's Animal Cruelty Free or/and Vegan! This was my first time venturing down that road, and I am quite pleased. Would love to see what else is out there! ;)

Modern Mom Insiders: Sheer Cover Review!

I decided to try the Sheer Cover products for the first time during a time when I had a full acne breakout! I have acne prone skin, so it's hard to find makeup products that cover my problem spots. I received such an amazing 'starter kit' for this campaign, here's what was inside:

Mineral Foundation

• Sheer Cover Base Perfector Primer  - I was really turned off by the smell of this primer, it's very perfumey and prefer my primers to not have a scent, or maybe it's something I am just not used to! It starts out being really silky smooth, with borderline oily, but dries very silky smooth. I'm terrible though at telling if Primers actually work. I will say that overall my makeup look for the day DID stay on nearly my entire 9 hour work day. The only areas that I noticed that didn't stay was around some acne spots. 
• Sheer Cover Perfect Shade Mineral Foundation - I requested the Light/Medium shade. My biggest issue I had was the coverage. For me, personally, I need a foundation that is going to give me a lot of coverage, especially during my acne breakouts. I don't think this was terrible and the concealer was a great help to covering, but I unfortunately need a lot of coverage! 
• Sheer Cover Concealer & Brighten Trio -  This was probably my favorite thing in the entire set! I LOVED that there were two different shades and a highlighter included in the compact! It really makes things easier and something I would definitely throw into my purse whenever I need to cover up. It covered my acne spots for the most part very well! 

  

  Concealer Trio

• 4 Piece Brush Set - This apparently was a bonus gift, which was awesome because I am always in need of some new brushes! I LOVE the concealer brush. Wasn't a huge fan of the foundation brush, but it's also not the worst thing I have used for foundation. 
• Sheer Cover Sun-Kissed Bronzing Minerals - Honestly, I don't really know much about bronzers. I don't know how to really apply them (makeup newbie?) and when I watch Youtube videos I always think I could never have it look that good. I did really like the shade though, it wasn't something that was too crazy and I thought it worked well for my skin the one time I did try it! I hope that I create a better relationship with bronzers in the future. But, usually bronzers are last on my list of coveted items. 

  

  Bronzer

• Sheer Cover Lengthening Mascara & Lash Extending Fibers -  This worked just okay for me. I wonder if it was the fact that I used Younique's 3D Lash Fiber mascara pretty recently that using any other kind, might have a hard time living up to that one but I wasn't entirely impressed with this. Once again, it wasn't horrible and did give me volume, but nothing to write home to mom about. 

It was way more than I was expecting, but super excited to try it out! I've never really gone too far into mineral based makeup, but am always willing to try. I would give this a 4 out of 5 stars because after looking at the untouched AFTER photo I realized it worked pretty good, better than I thought in person! And, I'm sure, when I don't have an acne breakout, it would work even better, so am willing to try it again when I don't have a gigantic zit on my face. =\

Don't forget to enter to win a Year's Supply of Sheer Cover from ModernMom.com here:

http://www.modernmom.com/contests/sheergiveaway/

Product Review: Make Your Own Gummies Kit + Giveaway!

One time I went to a Twitter party where Glee Gum was one of the sponsored prizes. During that chat, I discovered that they had these "homemade candy kits." I was instantly curious because I love trying new stuff and candy is sort of a whole other food group for me. I was so fortunate that I was able to receive this product free from GleeGum to test out and share my opinions on. 

Now, I have seen Glee Gum before, but had NO idea that they made other things besides GUM! Here's a little information on this homemade candy kits:

Available in Make Your Own Chocolate, Make Your Own Chewing Gum, and Make Your Own Gummies, these activity kits are all-natural, educational, and eco-friendly. With pre-packaged ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, everyone aged 8 and up gets a real kick out of making candy from scratch. Focusing on the history behind and the origin of these candies, each kit is designed to captivate your interest, connect you to the global community, and create something yummy to eat in the process! 

Here's how my experience with this kit went:

The kit comes with 5 packets: sour mix, colored & flavored sugar, powdered seaweed, seaweed, molding starch and of course the instructions to put this kit together! Going into this experiement, I was kind of skeptical, I really had NO clue how a.) seaweed was going to be the secret ingredient b.) it was going to taste c.) and how easy it would be to actually to make this. Could an 8 year old really do this? Nonetheless a 27-year-old like myself?

Step One!

Steps:

Step One says  to Soak the  seaweed (not the powder) in water. No mention of what temperature of water, so I just did cold water.

Step Two is to Choose Your Shapes. I wasn't prepared for this one really went and kind of was stumped on what to select. They DO give a few suggestions, like those refrigerator ABC letters, which surprisingly I had a few left! I had the letter L and A, and I also grabbed this triangle magnet. They also suggest using the back of a tablespoon. 

Step Three!

Step Three!

Step Three is to Make Imprints. Smooth out the molding starch on a plate and place your shapes into the surface. For my huge fingers it was an issue to grab the letters out without messing up the outline. So, eventually I chose more of the magnet triangle shapes because they were the easiest! 

Step Four said to mix the powdered sugar with 1/2 cup water and stir well. Then, add the soaking seaweed into the bowl mixture. 

Step Five is to Heat the mixture for about 2 minutes! I suggest using a larger bowl. I was dumb and did a small bowl and some of it over boiled and I ended up loosing some mixture. Sad face. 

Step Six was to remove the seaweed from the mixture and throw away, because the carrageenan had done it's job! 

Step Six!

Step Seven!

Step Seven was to add the colored sugar packet into the hot mixture and put back into the microwave for another minute!

Step Eight was a difficult one for me. It was to pour the hot mixture into the molds. I tried to pour it but it turned out to be way too blobby, so I ended up not even using the molds and made actual BLOBS of gummies. Was this my error? Or, was it not hot enough? I am not sure! Then pop it into the fridge for 10 minutes! 

Step Eight!

Step Nine was to coat the blobs with the sour mix! And then ALL DONE. You have your very own, homemade gummies to eat and share with friends! Yay!

So, how did they taste? They tasted decent! Of course, I wasn't expecting them to taste like the gummi bears I get in the store that contain god knows what, so if you go into the taste test thinking like that, it will help the situation! I will say that, I, did NOT add the sour mix because for some reason, I forgot it was there, so I am assuming that if I HAD added the sour mix, it would have been even better than what they were, so that was definitely my fault there. I thought this product was SO SO SO fun, and I think a young child would LOVE it. I mean, I am 27 and loved it! I am really curious about the other two kits - Chocolate and Chewing Gum! I think it'd be a fun activity to do with a school aged child because you can learn and go further with the idea of carrageenans! Which I have no clue what are. 

Anyone try any of the other kits? I'm really curious about how those went! Or even if you have tried this Gummie Kit. How was your experience? ;)

 

Thank you to Glee Gum! Follow them on Facebook & Twitter for up to date information, discounts, gift ideas and other goodies! :)

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Purex Insiders: Triple Review!

Wow, have I mentioned how much I LOVE being a Purex Insider? Seriously, in the last month or two I have gotten 3 more products to review. I've been so busy and life has been hectic that I've really slacked on laundry. I get most of my chores like that done on the weekends, but lately my weekends have been consumed with fun activities. So generously, from Purex Insiders, I received the following:

Purex Crystals Fabric Softener Sheets in Lavender Blossom.
Okay, normally...you would never catch me complaining about dryer sheets. I've only used dryer sheets that work really well, have amazing scents and do their job - make fabric softer. When I received the package from these before I even opened I was OVERWHELMED with the smell of these. WOW. Normally Lavender is my kind of smell, but this was way too strong! This did however make for a product that really follows through on their "30 days of long lasting freshness." I'm not really sure if it actually lasted the WHOLE 30 days, but the freshness and scent was there. Thank god for laundry cabinets where I overpowering smell can be smothered a bit.

Purex No Sort for Colors:
In all fairness, I only used this one time since I received it. With that said, I could not really tell a difference! To me, it worked just like any other Purex detergent I've received, so no real complaints there. It's supposed to after Anti-Color Transfer Technology! Sounds real fancy! I guess I may have to come back and update this portion after a few more uses!

Purex Crystals LIMITED EDITION Fabulously Fresh:
My love for these freshness booster beads are never ending. I love all scents and all kinds. So this product worked well. I LOVED the scent. My one complaint is I don't believe the scent lasts for weeks like it says on the bottle, but to me that's not something I necessarily care for. It does what it's supposed to even if it is for a day or two. I also love that they came out with something Limited Edition and would really love it there were more in the future!


Once again, thank you Purex for providing me with these items to product test. I look forward to many more opportunities for other awesome products!

The Purex brand provided me with  these samples in exchange for a product review. However, all opinions expressed here are my own. 

As Seen on TV: Perfect Pancake Pan

Cost: $12.50 on Amazon!

Does it really work?

It's a question I have about ANYTHING that's considered as an "As Seen On TV" product. Of course, I could read many reviews from other people who have purchased it, but I've always wanted to try them out for myself. Sometimes you just don't know if there are legit or being paid to say that. Well, I purchased this product with my own money, so this review is legit!

First up to bat was the Perfect Pancake Pan! Why this one first? Well, I wanted something I could actually use if it worked, since it was my money, I wanted to make sure it was worth it and my son LOVES Pancakes! AND, I am terrible at making pancakes. I mean, making them look pretty. Mine usually turn out to be weird shaped ones, which is totally fine, because you eat them in minutes anyways, but for someone who is a slight perfectionist this product seemed right up my alley.

Here's what this product claims:
-Makes 4 pancakes at the Same Time
-Fast & Easy
-Spatula Free
-No Added Fat
-Four PICTURE PERFECT Pancakes EVERY Time

Let's break it down now...

Makes 4 Pancakes at the Same Time:
Totally true! You can make one, two, three, or four at the same time!

Fast & Easy
Hmm.. I must say the first go at it, where I followed the directions BIT by BIT - it took FOREVER. Of course now, we did not pre-heat the stove. And when the directions said cook on low to medium heat, I put it dab in the middle of low and medium. Seriously waiting for the edges to lightly brown and have numerous bubbles, took over 15 minutes before we could flip it. Maybe that was my error, but by the 2nd go at it, we moved it entirely to the medium level and it sped up and not to mention it was pretty hot by then! Having 4 being made at the same time is a great thing!! Really does speed the process for me who usually does one pancake a time in fear that they will melt together and two small pancakes become one big deformed one.
Spatula Free!
True again! One less dirty dish to clean is always a great thing in this household!

No Added Fat!
Well, the box screams this, but then Step 1 in the directions say to prepare the pan by using oil. So... this claim is a thumbs down for me!

Four PICTURE PERFECT Pancakes Every Time!
Pretty much true. Of course, it all depends on if you have an unsteady hand when you flip the thing, because it can ship the batter and ruin the shape by falling out -it did happen to me, but this is depending on the operator!

Overall, I LOVED this product. It did everything it said besides it being "no added fat".... if you enjoy thick, fluffy pancakes, this product is a great tool. I know my boyfriend prefers them to be on the thin size so we'll really just have to experiment.

 

What was an added bonus for me was the fact that this product makes THE perfect over easy egg. I never made them at home (or had my boyfriend do it) because I was terrible and flipping them and having them bust open. Besides overcooking them a bit and flipping them poorly, they turned out perfect!!

Product Review: Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Spa Mask

Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster.

I finally had down time. Down time from a busy, almost walking 11 month old, and a day off from all the Christmas traveling and visiting family. I don't know what it was, but this year, it just came way too fast and I KNOW that it has something to do with the fact that I had Truman this year. Last January - yes, my son is almost a one year old *weeps* .. But back to the holidays - they came so fast and are already half way done. The last week I had been super stressed. For some reason I could not for the life of me get myself motivated to wrap presents. It was like pulling teeth for me. I contemplated many things: showing up with unwrapped gifts, gift cards or even the easiest, most festive option: gift bags! My last 5 gifts I resorted to gift bags, because I just ran out of time and by Friday when we were scrambling to get all the things packed and make sure we didn't forget anything, I had felt like my head was going to pop off from stress. Sigh. So this product test came with perfect timing, because I was stressed and I needed a moment to just ... relax, even if that meant watching Britney Spears, applying a face mask on and sending scary shots to my friends, like the one on the left. ;) 

As always, I love receiving a Vox Box from Influenster. They are 100% free and have a mixture of fun stuff inside. One of the products in Influenster's Violet Vox Box was the Montagne Jeunesse (Don't ask me how to pronounce it, because I have no clue, so we'll abbreviate to MJ) Dead Sea Mud Spa Mask:

I don't know what my deal was but going into opening this little package, I was envisioning it to be a clay substance, like a cream or something, but then pulled out this:



I don't ever recall using something like this so got excited! I love to try new things and this was new to me! The directions:

1. Cleanse - I had just taken a shower so I had a cleansed face. 
2. Apply - I thought it was kind of fun applying this to my face! I didn't know what to expect so just sort of molded it to shape my face. Here's some lovely and MOST EXCITING photos that I made my boyfriend take!:

3. Relax - For 10-15 minutes and so I set my timer for 12 minutes, because I can never decide! And in those moments of relaxation, I watched I Am Britney Jean. 
4. Massage - What? I had no idea I needed to massage, so I completely skipped this step, oops.
5. Rinse - Check! 

Afterwards, I noticed an immediate change in how my skin felt - silky smooth. No, really! It did! I may or may not have used a face mask from this product line, I don't recall, but for what it was intended to be, it worked and I am pleased. Plus, it smelt AMAZING. 

And a little side note that makes them even more awesome:

Montagne Jeunesse is known by consumers for the premium quality & affordable beauty treats, packed with the most delicious natural ingredients.  Our products are never tested on animals and are manufactured with the minimum impact on all forms of life. Our company ethos is the “Conservation of Energy, Protection of Animals and the Environment.”

Thank you, Influenster & MJ for the chance to try this product out. As a mother, you often don't shop for yourself anymore so this was a great treat! ;)


For more information on MJ, follow them on Twitter, Like them on Facebook and visit their Website!

Product Review: Purex Fabric Softener Sheets

I would say that I joined Purex Insiders back in ...June. I first heard it from Jamie at Vonbeau.com and immediately joined after! I have always been a fan of Purex, mainly because it was affordable but the price didn't affect the quality, and I especially love the gel pacs, it makes going to the laundromat way easier!

I was accepted into my first kit pretty much right away which is awesome! Besides freebie hunting and couponing, I love to do product reviews. Although it doesn't seem like it because this is my first one on this blog, I do! One of my purposes to starting this blog was to review products, particularly "as seen on TV" products, but just have been so consumed with freebie hunting and having a new baby in the house that things just didn't happen! But alas, here is my first product review. As a member of Purex Insiders you are given deadlines to post your blog dates, which for me, someone who works only by procrastination, loves this idea! It's like having fun homework to do! Fun because it was free and because it's a new product to me! Anyways...

Disclaimer: Purex provided me with a sample of Purex Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets in exchange for a product review. However, all the opinions expressed here are my own.

So thrilled. I pray for the day when I will have our
 own washer and dryer.

Getting ready to do it's magic!

When I received the kit I noticed right away on the front in big yellow halo that it was 3X THE FRAGRANCE and that it came in two scents: Mountain Breeze and Sweet Lavender. I would have been equally happy with either of these scents and ended up receiving Mountain Breeze. I will say right off the bat that the brochure that came with the kit STILL smells like the fabric softener sheets. I received this kit about two weeks ago, so I certainly can believe that their new, improved formula with 3x the fragrance is true! Because not only did the brochure stay smelly with Mountain Breeze goodness, so did my clothes!


I would recommend this product to someone who doesn't want to spend a fortune for dryer sheets! At $1.75 a pop anyone can purchase these! My clothes are still smelling weeks later!

And what's even really generous of them, they included 3 coupons for FREE Purex Dryer Sheets for me to giveaway. I have yet to decide on what to do with them and have reached out to them. As a newbie blogger, I don't have any followers and just get the passerbyers, so we will see what happens.

And, lucky for me, I received another package from them today for their laundry bar and stain remover! Yay! I'm so excited to try this because I have never tried one before! Stay tuned... ;)