Fill your life with Messy Laughter

Preggers by Therafirm Support Band! Initial Thoughts

2014-06-18T07:38:00.004-07:00

I received my first product to review from the MommiesFirst Council yesterday! I was pretty Excited to tear into the box!, I have previously purchased a few "Belly Bands" that I haven't used much this pregnancy as I had thought they were just for extending the wear of your pre-pregnancy clothing and I have basically been living in skirts and dress for the last 25 weeks so haven't really needed them, The ones I had previously are not if I understand correctly actual "Compression" wear though, so I am excited to try this product as I have reached the stage of my pregnancy where my back is getting sore and by the end of the day I am feeling quite a bit of pressure on my belly.

I will be reviewing this product in stages, today's review will focus on my initial thoughts right out of the box.

Packaging was efficient and eye catching, and right out of the box the product seemed of good quality. The box also included a little book with some information, though that information was not specifically regarding the support band, and was more geared towards the other products in the line, which I have to say was a little disappointing, but even a trip to their website garnered me very little information regarding this specific product, I think getting so further information out there as to the benefits of this product would help this company.

A closer examination of the product, shows that the top and the bottom each have a diffrent band, one thicker and one thinner, BUT neither the box, product or booklet, indicate which is the top of the bottom, so I made an educated guess and wiggled my pregnancy self into the garment, and then finished getting dressed. I can definitely tell that I am wearing the band, but I haven't had it on long enough to tell whether or not that will bother me at some point today, but I will offer in that the product is pretty seamless under my clothing, Upon my arrival to work I visted the website of the company, and discovered at least according to the picture on there, my educated guess was wrong and I was wearing it upside down ;), so off to the bathroom I go to change it around (Which of course will require me to get almost naked in the bathroom at work which might be a little weird) It would have been nice to have some indication of which way was up.

Captain Amazing stared wearing a compression sleeve on his ankles last year for playing sports so I may sit him down tonight and talk about his experiences, though I know it definitely helps him.

Stay tuned I will be reviewing the effectiveness of this product once I have had enough time to test it out. In the meantime here is a link, if you want to check it out yourself :)

http://www.rupreggers.com/support-garments/support-bands.html

M.

MommiesFirst Council Member!

2014-06-04T13:28:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased to announce that I have been selected to be apart of the MommiesFirst Council!

http://mommiesfirst.com/pages/the-mommiesfirst-council

This opportunity will allow me to review and rate products for both pregnant women and moms which will be featured both on the MommiesFirst website and in upcoming MommiesFirst monthly boxes.

I have already been selected for my first product which is an item for my pregnancy!! I can't wait to review it and share with you all!!

365 Days of Blog Posts, Day 1

2014-01-01T21:21:00.001-08:00

I have decided that I would really really like to push myself to be a better blogger this year and really try and chronicle our upcoming year as we deal with trying to conceive and hopefully pregnancy, buying our first home along with product reviews and maybe recipes as usual.

Welcome to 2014 readers! I look forward to sharing this year with you!!

December 2013 Wantable Intimates review

2013-12-11T09:45:00.000-08:00

One of the beauty bloggers I follow recently posted that for Cyber Monday Wantable was offering a 2 for 1 deal, on new subscriptions, I have been secretly interested in trying out their new "intimates box" but hesitant to pull the trigger after the initial Canadian launch fiasco see link to post below

http://messylaughter.blogspot.ca/2013/06/wantable-new-subscription-box-open-to.html

I wasn't really overly impressed with the Jewelry box as I felt value for my money was lacking and cancelled after that first box (I still have not worn 2 of the 4 pieces and I only wore the other 2 once or twice), But I have been eyeing reviews of the Intimates box since its launch and coveting the pieces, though reviews are hard to judge as I am never sure if they send well known or popular bloggers better stuff than the average joe (Which I am) but decided that 2 boxes for the price of 1 would still be a great deal even if I disliked half of what I received.

Before I get into my review let me give you a little run down of how Wantable works

When you sign up for Wantable you get to pick your type of subscription, they offer a Make Up, Accessory and Intimates boxes, They then offer a quiz to determine your preferences and sizes (I was a bit concerned about the size issue, as I have been burned before with the panty subscriptions), its a great but simple quiz, and each month you can adjust it to further customize your boxes.

The cost for US subscribers is $36 USD, with Free shipping, but since I am Canadian, I pay extra for shipping AND because the value of the box is over the duty free limit, they charge a small customs fee, which I think is a fabulous idea, as some other U.S based subscriptions have left me with huge! customs charges (ahem FANCY) so my total cost was $45.26 and let me tell you it was worth EVERY PENNY!!

Looking at reviews there was one product I was really really hoping to receive

The Muk Luk Slipper Sock/Boot (Value $35-44) http://muk-luks.com/

(INSERT IMAGE)

I love love love these, and can see myself wearing them all winter and even in the fall!, super cozy!!

Bella + Canvas Fleece Straight Leg Sweatpant (Value $34) http://www.bella.com

These are great, they are a little on the large side for me, but have a draw string, so I can work with that, I love being cozy and comfy at home, so these will defenitly get worn AND not being black, they won't show dog hair!!

PACT -Tomato Farm Stripe Crew Sock (Value reg $10, on sale for $4) http://www.wearpact.com

I received a gift pack of PACT socks last year from Golden Tote and I still love them, these socks are GREAT! They are super soft organic cotton, and I love the fact this is a company with a purpose, you can learn more about them here

http://www.wearpact.com/good-source/

AND I currently have a cart full from their website, I am thinking of pulling the trigger on.

Coobie Soft Bra - (Value $22) http://shopcoobie.com/shop?c=coobie-bras-full-size

This bra was nice, I was not fully blown away as I tend to need a bit of "support" and I think the large size lacked that, I should have gotten a medium (I have since updated by preferences on Wantable)

This one is the closest I could find on their website, its not exact though. Looking at the Cobbie website could also make me go broke LOL

All in all the value was just over $100, not including potential taxes and shipping so I am very pleased with my box and am really really looking forward to next month's box, and because of the sale it will only cost me shipping and duty! so less than $12 dollars (still kinda sneak a free box should be just that a free box)

If your interested in checking this subscription out, feel free to use my link

https://www.wantable.com/invite/pJ-YYCUX6kc

I paid for this box, from funds of my own, I was in no way compensated for my review.

Nutrience Natural & Grain Free Pet Foods Bzz Campaign

2013-10-02T12:16:00.002-07:00

I received my BzzKit in the mail yesterday for this campaign and I honestly am blown away by how generous it was.

I received

2 different types of food, in 200g Sample Packs

1 Coupon for a free bag

5 Coupons to Share for $5 off a bag

1 Customer Loyalty tracker for buy 10 get 1 free

And quite a bit of literature regarding the food and its benefits!

I immediately opened one of the sample bags and looked at the product, I did smell it, but stopped myself from going as far as "tasting it" LOL, I did however pour some into the cats bowl for her to enjoy!, she tucked right in and seemed to enjoy it but I think further testing will be required so I will update this review later on.

Grain Free Products tend to be more pricey then, regular pet foods, which if your pet's breed is subject to grain allergies can definitely be worth the money or even required if you pet has a grain allergy

I grabbed some prices for this product from the PetCetera website and they are as follows

Dog

2.5Kg $24.99
5kg $39.99
13.5kg $69.99

Cat

2.5kg $27.99
5 kg $44.99

I feed my bulldogs an all grain free limited ingredient diet, due to the fact that they are a breed that is known for having grain allergies and I do find that Nutrience is more expensive then my current brand Natural Balance, but I will have to wait and see if the benefits out weight the cost difference

Nutrience's website offers several comparisons of their brand against similar brands, though unfortunately not my regular brand, but you can click the link below to check out how your pets food stacks up!

http://parachutedev.ca/nutrience-parallax/compare-dog/index.php

Once my cat has a chance to try out the food in depth and I can gauge her reaction I will update this review!

Justfab Review! September 2013

2013-10-02T11:32:00.001-07:00

I just got notified that my recent Justfab order got delivered! I am very sad to be at work at the moment as I would much rather be at home digging into the boxes! Will Update the Post with actual pictures and my thoughts once I get home! I ordered these boots during the B1G1 sale both are called "Bryce" and are currently sold out, I got both and Shipping for $48.90.

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Another Golden Tote Post!

2013-10-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

The October Tote was released for sale and despite the fact that I was trying to NOT buy one LOL I got suckered in to buying one as a few of the items just where SCREAMING "BUY ME"

I went with the $149, tote (plus $25 Shipping) which gives you 6 to 7 items of which I get to choose 2, as I feel this is the most BANG for my buck (up to a $600 value)

My first Choice was the item that made me check out the sale in the first place

I am a sucker for these kinds of sweaters, paired with a shirt and boots this is my go to outfit of winter! This will also work with my lulu's for a more casual look

I chose this simple but work appropriate dress (again leggings, tights or nylons with boots! )as my second choice.

The other 4-5 items will all be chosen for me by the team at golden tote, based on my style profile, I am very excited and can't wait to see what I get!

Did you order from the October sale yet? Check out!

http://www.goldentote.com/

Sample Source! New Samples Available!

2013-10-01T10:06:00.001-07:00

"Try before you buy!"

https://www.samplesource.com/

New samples are up and running right now, I was able to pick 13 of the 17 samples (a few were sold out) and I got a six months subscription to Canadian Living!

2013 Fall Television Line Up! Pt. 1.

2013-09-26T11:30:00.002-07:00

Whoo Hoo! I love when new television series debut and my old favorites come back!

With the advent of the PVR I find that I watch practically NO commercials so I didn't get to see alot of advertising for the new fall line up aside from The Originals! which is a spin off of one of my daughter and I's favorite shows The Vampire Diaries!

Perusing the new offering this fall season here

http://www.tvguide.com/special/fall-preview/new-shows.aspx

I noted a few that off the bat seem interesting

Almost Human (Fox Prem: Nov 4)

Haven't watched this yet obviously since it hasn't premiered but this show comes to us from JJ Abrams (Fringe) and is described as a Futuristic Cop Drama about humans paired with Androids. I look forward to giving this one a watch as I think Karl Urban is kind of a hottie!

The Black List (NBC Pre: Sept 23) -

Well my review of this show is sort of so-so, I will be giving it another chance next week, but I really wasn't impressed, I felt that the show was a bit confusing as to the direction it was going and instead of allowing the audience to get involved in the characters and potential direction they just went straight to mysterious situations. Megan Boone plays a recent graduate profiler from Quantico (Liz Keen), who appears to have a happy home, life we see her interacting with her husband and discover they are wanting to adopt a baby, on her supposed first day of work she wakes up late and rushes out the door only to be picked up and flown to a top secret high profile prisoner holding facility, where we meet James Spader's Character "Red" who is a former government agent that went rogue and has now turned himself in with vital information about a terrorist plot that he will only give to New Agent Liz Keen, Red advises there is a plot to kidnap a high ranking military official's daughter, so the FBI swoops in on the daughter and pickers her up to keep her safe, but during transport the terrorist attack the multi vehicle convoy and make off with the child, THIS is a bit far fetched as the ambush by the "terrorist's" is very well planned out and executed, which brings to mind the question if the FBI hadn't have picked up the child to keep her safe would the terrorist's have been able to kidnap her? How did the terrorists know the route the FBI was going to take? and get into position so quickly since obviously their first plan went awry? After the ambush we see Agent Keen arrive at home to a house filled with balloons and she quickly realizes that they have been approved for adoption and happily rushes through the house to find her husband, but in the dining room she discovers him bloody and tied to a chair, before she can touch him, the main "Terrorist" comes out of nowhere and stabs her husband again and interrogates her as to how she "knew about him and the plan" after she doesn't answer he stabs her husband again and leaves, we see her calling for an ambulance, shortly thereafter she storms into the hotel where they are keeping Red and tries to interrogate him for information about how the terrorist found her house and why he would stab her husband, she then stabs Red in the neck and leaves. While recovering the hospital from his wound Red escapes and meets with the Terrorist and who discloses that RED ordered the Terrorist to visit Keens house and Stab her husband, THIS is where I am confused, so is Red on the bad guys side? or does he want to help Keen catch him and retrieve the little girl? Since Red's information led to the FBI moving the girl which allowed the terrorists to kidnap her along with his friendliness with the terrorist and the fact he ordered the hit on Keens husband, it stands to reason he is working with them not against them. Red then digs out the tracker the FBI planted in his body and gives it to the terrorist to lead the FBI on a merry chance and to ultimately lead to his certain death when they catch him. AGAIN why would the terrorist take the chip and ultimately face off with the FBI leading to his death if he wasn't working WITH Red? Keen tracks the little girl to the Zoo and discovers that the little girl is strapped to a Chemical bomb that is set to go off in less that 3 mins, Red advises her by telephone that he has a friend on his way to "Help", within seconds a man rushes over mumbling in a foreign language and disarms the bomb and runs off with it, Agent Keen wants to follow to retrieve the deadly chemical weapon but Red shows up and stops her and advises that it was payment for disarming the bomb, we then see Red back in custody giving the FBI information that there is many more "Blacklist" criminals out there that he can lead them to if they meet his demands, Flash to Agent Keen at home ripping up the blood stained carpet to find a box filled with cash, passports and guns all in her "husbands" name and the show ends with her walking into the holding cell of Red and looking at him and his reply "you just found out some interesting things about your husband didn't you" Again I really didn't think this was a logical scene and I guess it was the producer's idea to leave us wanting more but it really just put me off, but I promise to give it at least one more try.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox Prem: Sept 17)

I have watched both the pilot and the followup and honestly, I laughed ALOT! We found this show to be shot in sort of an "The Office" type format, and the cast which includes Andy Samberg, Terry Crews, Joe Lo Truglio and various other funny people, has been so far well written and entertaining.

The premise of the show is the inner workings of a detective unit in New York, with Andy Samberg playing the lead, A cop who "plays by his own rules, Andre Braughner who I don't recall ever seeing in a comedic role before as his new Captain trying to whip the unit into shape, Terry Crews plays a cop that is currently on desk duty as the recent birth of his twin daughters has caused him to fear everything, and a supporting cast that really allows for a great half hour . The humor is a mix of clean and dirty I hope that the writers keep giving us smart, funny and entertaining scripts.

Dracula (NBC Prem: Oct 25)

I heard of this show over the summer and I am patiently waiting for it to debut (well as patient as I can LOL) This is a reinvention of the old Dracula Myth starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Dracula in Victorian London, I am really hoping for good things out of this as I love Jonathan Rhys Meyers and I love Vampires!

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (ABC Prem: Sept 24) - Currently PVR'd will update once I have had a chance to watch.

Stay Tuned for Part 2

And another new Bzz Campaign!

2013-09-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

I received another invite today for a new Bzz Agent Campaign, that's TWO in a month (guess it pays to keep on top of your surveys and to participate!)

This Campaign is for a product called NetiRinse, now I have heard of Neti Pots before to help with since and congestion, but never tried one, so I am extremely excited to get the chance especially since cold season is upon us!

This Campaign starts October 9th, so stay tuned!

New BzzAgent Campaign invite!

2013-09-20T15:14:00.001-07:00

A New Campaign for Bzz Agents! This campaign is to try healthy grain free pet food, you have 2 options 1 for dogs and 1 for cats, I have chosed to give this product a try for my cat, as I am a little more particular of our dogs food, being as they are bulldogs and have a high incidence of food allergys.

Campaign Starts on October 3rd!, Stay Tuned!

Crest Pro Health

2013-09-05T11:31:00.003-07:00

Back at the end of June, I received an invitation to the Bzz Agent Campaign for Crest Pro Health and I have not been using the products for almost 2 months so I thought I would share my opinion with you!

In My BzzKit, I received the following

a) 500 ML Pro Health Multi Protection Alcohol Free Mouth Wash (not full size)
b) 85 ML Profresh Toothpaste
c) Oral B Pro Heath Tooth Brush

500 ML Pro Health Multi Protection Alcohol Free Mouth Wash

Our household uses mouthwash like it is going out of style, and this mouth wash will definitely replace our normal old standby Scope, in fact I have already bought a full size bottle (great deal at shoppers). My initial thoughts on this product was that even though it contains no alcohol, it had some serious germ killing power, my mouth felt fresh and clean even when doing a quick rinse not accompanied by a tooth brushing, but when combined with a tooth brushing these products provided hours of a fresh clean feeling that lasted much longer than I expected.

Final thoughts A- (Taste was a bit strong) will be repurchasing.

Profresh Tooth Paste

I enjoyed the taste of this toothpaste and it wasn't gritty which I find can be an issue with some brands, I feel after using this product for almost 2 months that it does a great job of getting my teeth clean, and I have noticed a small amount of whitening and a definite decrease in sensitivity over the course of use.

Final thoughts B+ (wish it whitened more) will be repurchasing at least once more.

Oral B Pro Heath Tooth Brush

Not much to say about this one, I gave it to my daughter to try as I have a Oral B electric that I can't live without, its a good quality tooth brush, with a good bristle strength.

Have you tried the Crest Pro Health Line? If you are looking to try it P&G BrandSaver has coupons available, Save $4.50 when you buy 3 Pro Heath products!

I am a BzzAgent, these products were provided to me to review at a small cost to myself ($1.00).

Retail Therapy - Second Boohoo Order!

2013-07-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

I made another Boohoo order---I know totally violated my no-buy but I really really needed some retail therapy :)

Again shipping took a week and I actually got three items for $30 (a.k.a wicked deal) from their 70% off Sale.

I have really been trying to add some color to my wardrobe and get out of my safe comfy blacks and grays, so my first choice was

I know your thinking but its grey!! LOL but actually I wasn't able to find an image of the coral, because its sold out on boohoos website. but I took a quick shot (not in natural light) to give you an idea

My Second Item is a work shirt (which I am in desperate need of)

It ended up fitting a little large than I normally would have picked for myself, but after a few minutes I actually think it will be perfect!

And of course! another Maxi Dress!

Look at all the pretty colors!!

have you made any great shopping hauls lately?

July 2013 Ipsy Glam Rooms now available!

2013-07-12T07:43:00.003-07:00

The Ipsy Glam Rooms just came up and this is what I will be receiving this month

I am really happy with almost everything and am looking forward to trying the products except the Nailtini Polish as I am almost 100% Sure I already received this exact color from ipsy a few months ago :( SAD FACE but for $15 dollars I think the rest of the bag is a great value! I am actually really looking forward to the Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Spray, I will do reviews of the products once I receive my bag.

What are you most excited to receive? Not an Ipsy subscriber? My referrer link is below if you want to give it a try.

http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-h9k7wodagqn21j0v

Shoppers 20X The Points- Saturday July 13!

2013-07-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

Heads up this Saturday head over to your local Shoppers Drugmart to take part in a 20X Event (When you spend $50) and don't forget to maximize your points by purchasing a Shoppers Giftcard (you get normal points for this) and then use it to pay for your items (and get 20X the points on that :)

Whats on your list for 20x?

New Bzz Campaign - Crest Pro-Health !

2013-07-11T10:59:00.001-07:00

Another great campaign opportunity from Bzzagent, featuring Crest's new Pro-Health line of products!, due to Canadian Law, Bzzagent must charge for this campaign because of the medicinal ingredients in the products, but it was only a $1. and Bzzagent is donating all funds to the Dress for Success Program (another reason to love this company)

I am pretty excited about this one, did you get your invite? Not a Bzzagent? go check it out! www.bzzagent.com

WWW.BOOHOO.COM ....is the BOMB!

2013-06-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

I have heard lots and lots of talk in my beauty groups about ASOS, which is a UK online retailer that offers clothes, shoes and accessories at a very very reasonable cost, ships free and as long as you keep your order total low, you don't get hit with duties, but in all my browsing I really haven't found anything I love on that site that wasn't over $100.00, but with my recent obsession with Maxi Dresses (for hiding those unsightly love handles!) I knew I had to hunt some down, so I took to google to find some reasonably priced fun ones for summer! I came across another UK retailer that offers free shipping over $25 and promises no duties if your order is under $18 which is actually harder than it sounds on that website and is a pain since you need $25 to get the free shipping but I got a little excited last Friday (the 14th) and made an order for this dress priced at $30, I figured I could test the waters to see if I would get charged duty for $30
* Picture Direct from Boohoo.com
I then got even more "outta control" and ordered this one as a separate order, again it was $30
* Picture Direct from Boohoo.com

They advertise delivery in 7 to 14 working days, after hastily making these purchases I ended up checking out their Facebook and noted that quite a few customers had been making inquiries regarding their order and the fact that they had been hit with duties, long shipping waits, and items being delivered direct to a customs house instead of home delivery, a quick web search also showed that some peeps have had delivery being attempted and then the item being sent back to the UK without a second try.............my heart broke a little inside as I had been really really excited. But I figured this is what happens when you jump in without So I settled into wait and since I was having it delivered to my office I kept a little stash of cash in my desk in case of duties. I received notice on Sunday (the 16th) that my items had shipped and I looked at the tracking on Monday after I returned to work and my order showed an expected delivery date of Friday (the 21st) and I though "yeah right" not after everything I had read, I checked my tracking this morning and low and behold it ACTUALLY was supposed to be delivered today! and with our morning mail .....there were my much longed for Maxi Dresses! my next pleasant surprise was that there where no duties or additional charges whatsoever! My guess is that I think some of the other orders had not been broken down into separate purchases to avoid duty?

I tried one on in the bathroom at work as I was a bit nervous about the sizing, Boohoo shows you the UK sizing and the Canadian equivalent when you make your order, but still when you are shopping online at a retailer without having had a chance to try their product before it can be a bit nerve wracking and again I was amazed at the Fit and the Quality of the dress, I ordered a size up from my normal which translates in to a 14 UK ( talk about an ego bruiser!!) and other than it being a little loose in the hip area which for me is okay as that was a plus when it comes to Maxi Dresses while I wait for this 20 pds to melt off me...... LOL I think these will be very comfortable to wear! The quality was a bit better than I had expected, they should last for a few summers (I guess I will have to confirm after I wash them) and the only problem I have now, is I pledged myself to a three month no buy so I have to wait to make another order!!

For a Limited Time they have 25% off for Canadians, code is 25CAN use it at checkout! I recommend!!

Stunner of the Month!

2013-06-11T08:11:00.000-07:00

Back at the beginning of May I was browsing MUT, and came across some girls discussing a monthly sunglass sub, and since I have cancelled all of my beauty subs except 1 due to either not being impressed or the OVERLOAD of product I now have after less than a year of being a subscriber and the idea of monthly subs still makes my little heart flutter! I have been branching out into other more lifestyle orientated subs like Popsugar.

Stunner of the Month is $9 a month plus an additional $5.49, shipping to Canada, which may seem like a fair bit for "Fashion" sunglasses but I thought it would be fun to try over the summer since I have recently gotten into the whole sunglasses as a fashion accessory instead of a way to see in the sun LOL thanks to Captain Amazing. I have always been that person that either loses or breaks sunglasses in quick order but almost 2 years ago when I bought Captain Amazing an expensive pair of sunglasses for Christmas I picked myself up a pair of Guess Glasses at 50% Off and have managed to not only keep them but keep them in good condition, since then I also added a pair of London Fog Aviators from the House of Harlow (Thanks Pop Sugar!) so I thought this would be a fun and inexpensive way to grow my collection of "Stunners" and if I end up not liking them then I can always gift them or throw them in my camping gear!

This sub Ships twice a month depending on when you sign up, I signed up I think around the 12th of May but was not charged until the 23rd of May ( Just under $13 dollars, and I do not remember using a promo code) which was pretty much the beginning of the week that they shipped. Once I saw the charge on my card I took a peak into my account to see if I could jog my memory as to when they would ship and was surprised to have an option to "Rate My Stunners" which of course contained a picture of the Stunners I was to receive, and I gotta say I was not really in love with what I saw, I received a shipping notification on the 30th day of May and my Stunners arrived yesterday on the 10th, which was just over a week for shipping, which isn't bad as my american beauty subs take TWICE that to get to me.

The Packaging was nice and kept the Glasses from being damaged and they also came with a fabric classes "Bag" I really can't call it a case LOL, I also received a key chain miniature screwdriver set, that I think is amazingly useful!

Now that I have them in my hands I have to say that they are kind of growing on me and I can see wearing them to the beach and what not, what do you think?

If you want to give them a try, use the code trystunner for your first month free

https://www.stunnerofthemonth.com/

International Delights Iced Coffee Product Review

2013-06-11T07:24:00.001-07:00

I recently was invited to participate in a newly launched BzzCampaign for a new product being marketed by International Delight (The people who give us those AMAZING coffee Creamers) and with Summer fast approaching (or is it here?) this is a perfect Summer beverage.

The Bzzkit I received contained 9 FPC's, 3 for me and 6 to share! I also received some Branded Tumblers which I use almost daily so this kit was really one of the most amazing that I have received lately from BzzAgent.

I picked up the Mocha flavor first, as I really am a fan of Tim Horton Ice Cap and this could be a very cost effective and certainly more convenient substitution for my favorite summer treat! I have tried this product in several different ways

a) Simply over Ice - Delish!
b) Over Ice with Vodka......again a new favorite
c) Blended with Ice and Bananas --- I cannot tell you how awesome this is, I am not sure that a word exists yet!

On to the nitty gritty, Per 8 oz Serving the regular Iced Coffee (They are coming out with light versions yay!!)
has 160 Calories, 58 mg of caffeine and 2.5 grams of fat, which all in all won't break your bank if you track calories like I do, and still serves to satisfy my need for caffeine AND my sweet tooth! The cost (if I had not have had the FPC) at Walmart was $4.00 which is just a tiny bit more than regular milk and the carton is quite generously sized.

A Quick peak at the ID website http://www.internationaldelight.com/ gives you a place to check out their current products and upcoming launches. It also has a recipe section and apparently coupons! though I haven't been able to get that to work for me as it doesn't like my postal code :( If you manage it please let me know!

I give this product a 8.5 right now the quality of the beverage is great, its cost effective AND convenient, once the new flavors launch I think that would move up to a 9.5 as I love variety!, I notice on their website that they are also launching a to-go format in individual sized bottles, which I think for anyone who enjoy's the Starbucks version (at a much higher cost) would be a great replacement!

Have you tried International Delights Iced Coffee yet? IF so share your recipes with me!!

Wantable, New Subscription box open to Canadians

2013-06-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

With the demise of 2 out of the 3 solely Canadian Beauty Subscription boxes, we have been sort of getting short changed on the Subscription options compared to our brethren to the south. Wantable is a U.S based sub that has been around since I think fall of 2012, they offer both a "Beauty" box and a "Jewelry" box. A few months ago they announced that they were expanding their shipping area to Canada (Yay!!)

Wantable has an extensive survey to help "Customize" your box and you can fiddle with it for previous boxes if you feel like they didn't quite hit the mark. I think this is an amazing feature, but I have my doubts how sustainable this feature will be as their subscriber base increases.

Wantable promoted the launch of their Canadian shipping with the fact that they would offer the first box free (plus Shipping/Handling and Duties) to new Canadian Subscribers, I know your thinking AMAZING right, but after an overwhelming (I assume) response from us Canadian gals, they actually ended up with two options.

1) the first 1000 peoples to subscribe would pay for the box and shipping/handling and duties (Approx $47) and get refunded $36.00

2) The balance of the people that signed up during the offer period, would get the same but instead of a refund they would get credit towards the next months box.

Luckily for me I was in the group 1, now being as I have accumulated an abundance of product, I choose the Jewelry box, I was very excited when I first made my order but as spoilers started to roll in on the BBS group on facebook, my excitement lessened a fair bit as the pieces people received seems cheap and junky, so when I finally received my package I was pleasantly surprised a the contents.

Now don't get me wrong, I was not really jumping for joy either, the quality of the pieces is equivalent to Ardene or Claire's and for a monthly price of $47.00, I could pick up a large quantity of pieces that I pick out myself at Ardene's or Claire's.

Now its possible that with the large new amount of subscribers that the quality went down this month to accommodate so I am willing to give them another shot.

The Beauty boxes all looked great though!

Have you checked out Wantable? what did you get? Have an interest in checking them out?

My Referral Link is below.

https://www.wantable.com/invite/pJ-YYCUX6kc

I paid for this box out of my own funds, and was in no way compensated for the review.

Eyes Lips Face -Mystery Bag

2013-03-11T17:11:00.001-07:00

I have heard plenty of good things about E.L.F (eyes lips face) and I have also heard plenty of bad things but the products are so cheap if you order 5 things and only end up liking one, you are still most likely coming out ahead due to how dirt cheap everything is.

I have done plenty of my version of "Window Shopping" on the E.L.F website, which means I frequently browse and fill up my cart, but I have been very hesitant to pull the trigger as it almost seems to good to be true that you can get decent quality beauty items at those prices and the shipping cost to canadas winds up being around 17 dollars which can cut into the savings, though if you pay using paypal that cost goes down to around 7 dollars.

Recently I recieved an email offering a Mystery Bag of e.l.f products free with a minimum purchase of $20, and we all know how much I love a mystery bag so of course I decided to swallow my hatred cof shipping charges and give it a try.

For my order I purchased

1. Eyelash Curler ($1)
2. Slant Tweezer ($1) darn it I bought 1 before and forgot it was in my cart lol at least it was just a buck
3.Eyelash and brow wand ($1) I really wanted to try applying Coconut Oil to my lashes at night, I have heard good things
4. Stipple brush ($3)-not sure what product I will use this for yet, but I am building my Brush Collection
5.Small Brush Holder ($5) they were out of stock on the large on, but thats on my list!
6. Blemish Kit - Shear ($8) this is a minerial "concealer" with medicinal ingredients to help zits say good bye faster
7. Maximum Coverage Concealer-oil free-sand ($3) I have heard mixed reviews but looking forward to trying it.
8. Make up Remover Cleansing Cloths ($3 )
9. 5 Piece Duo Eyeshadow Collection -Day ($5)

So all in all I spent 28 dollars plus tax and shipping which depending on how the products work maybe an amazing deal! I will be posting a review at the end of the week after I have a change to try all the products.

On to the good stuff - The Mystery Bag!

The mystery bag was huge!

1. Vanilla sugar cookie lotion wipes
2.Misty mauve eye primer
2. Defining eye brush
3. Glitter gloss in golden glitz,
4. Hypershine in flirt,
5. Glitter shadow in night owl,
6. Body shimmer in blazing bronze
7. a lipstain
8. Hand Sanitizer trio

Product Overload :) and only 1 item is destined for the swap bin so far!

Have you ordered a Mystery Bag from E.L.F?

Glymm - February 2013 - Epic fail!

2013-03-08T15:01:00.000-08:00

I am not sure if you are aware of all the drama surrounding this sub lately, but I had decided to cancel my membership with Glymm in January due to the quality of the products being sent, changes to the terms of service without notice, 2 price increases in a 6 month period, some subscribers have been told by VISA while they were doing chargebacks that the company is bankrupt and a SLEW of other things and this was supposed to be my second to last bag with Glymm as by the time I finally connected with their customer service, after sending two emails, I had already been charged for March as well since they charge a month ahead though they changed their shipping to the very end of the month from the beginning so you actually get charged twice before receiving the first bag :( Today being the 8th of March I have not even seen a tracking notice for the February bag, so I decided to contact both their customer care by email AND their FB as it seems posting on their facebook generates a faster response.

This was my facebook post keep in mind I was very careful to avoid the term "You" and instead use "Glymm" so that it would not seem like a personal attack on their Facebook Staff but my frustration with the company as a whole

I am still waiting for my February bag, I have not even received a shipping notification yet, THIS is exactly what I talked about with customer service when I cancelled, as I was worried that since I cancelled my sub, Glymm would "conveniently" FORGET to send me the bags that I have already PAID FOR, I was assured by Glymm Customer Service that I would received a February and March bag since I have paid for them, your customer service is a complete joke, and I really hope you guys don't wonder why you cannot keep subscribers? I have also sent an email to your CS team, but it looks likes like I will have to do a charge back with my credit card company since you guys have decided not to provide me with the service I have paid for almost three months ago now"

They responded to me on FB within a half an hour

Melissa Mayer - Your box has been shipped, please private message us or email member services if you have not received it. We send all members bag that have been paid for no one is ever forgotten. We kindly ask that you speak to us in a respectful tone as member services does everything possible to help all members. Thank you.

to which I posted

Glymm I am pretty sure that my posts clearly states that I have not received it along with the fact that I have already emailed customer service, so would you like me to email it again? I am confused about the tone that you refer to? I was simply stating my feelings as to how "Respectfully" I have been treated? I have paid for a service that Glymm has not provided to me how is that "Respectful" in the least? The terms of service that I signed up for have been repeatedly been violated by Glymm, which is why I cancelled as there is a total and complete lack of respect for us as subscribers. So if you think I should apologize for being slightly upset about being lied to (if my package has been shipped where is my shipping notice? or a tracking number?) and paying for items in January that according to the terms of service should have been mailed in early February until Glymm changed it at the last minute, and that now in March I still have not received ? Or the fact that I have paid for in Glymm's words

"Glymm works to ensure that samples are luxury and deluxe sized, meaning that they offer multiple uses so that you can really see the benefits of the product over a longer period of time. Also, each sample is hand-picked in accordance to your beauty profile. So eliminate the randomness of in-store samples and try the products you really would buy to actively improve your beauty regime!"

and what I have actually received have been dried up tiny products that I cannot use. Then I respectfully refuse

Can you tell I am slightly pissed ? this months bag is I know from spoilers: repeat samples, a gross brown eye shadow and a UV GEL polish for professional use only (and you need to have a UV light for setting it) so its not the product that I care about, its the point of the thing, they have a terrible business model, horrible customer service, they lie to their subscribers, sell products they do not have in stock which causes MONTHS of Shipping delays for Store Orders until people ask for their money back and are they are just down right sneaky..............

THEN it turns out my bag was delivered today while I am at work, so I feel a little chagrined about my rant, but not too much since everything I said was true, I paid for February's Bag on January 1 expecting it to arrive at the beginning of February as per my terms of service implied, when the day came and went that they were supposed to have all bags mailed out they quietly posted to their facebook that their shipping dates would now be the last day of the month, which for people who do not check facebook everyday or don not even have a facebook that was useless, as I didn't even see it and I am on facebook for hours a day! so I was charged January 1 for the Feb Glymm Bag, February 1 for the March Glymm Bag AND if I had not have cancelled I would have been charged again March 1 for the April and all while not having received a thing from them.

I am glad that this months bag which should arrive in April will be my last and final experience with this company.

Golden Tote February Sale!

2013-03-07T08:28:00.001-08:00

This time when the sale rolled I wasn't too in love with the large tote choices, but one of the items from the smaller tote intrigued me.

So I grabbed the smaller tote for the first time! My Shipping notice was received on February 15th and my tote finally arrived a little later than normal on March 6th, and for the first time I wasn't over the moon impressed with my tote.

I picked the thin blue and grey hoodie shown above (pic from Golden Tote) as my choice, and I have to say I am in LOVE with this item, I have had my tote for 36 hours and already worn it twice. The fit was amazing and it is super soft!, I wore it to the movies on Tuesday with jeans and then again yesterday with a pair of comfy pants, it looks great with either option and it is light enough that I will enjoy wearing it in the spring and summer months on those blustery days. <3 <3 <3

I only received one other clothing item which is within the guidelines of the service, but it was one of the choices from the larger tote. I have just used the picture from the Golden Tote Website, although the one I received was an emerald color (yay for the Pantone color of the year) so its on trend, but my feeling is that I really hadn't wanted any of the items from the larger tote or I would have ordered it. I haven't tried it on yet, as I am trying to work up the nerve, it is not something I would pick out for myself as it seems boxy to me and my frame does not need to look boxy, but the idea of a boxy shift with some lace detailing is growing on me, it may look cute with a pencil skirt and a cardigan?

I think I would have much preferred an item from the larger totes extras, they received scarves, a basic layering tank and a lace bralet. In my tote I also got some more hair ties, the ones made from a elastic that are not supposed to wreck your hair, I love them and can never have enough and a bottle of nail polish, which as you know I am already swimming in (Plus it sorta seems like an afterthought, it wasn't on trend color wise or anything) these items were just "fun" extras.

The smaller tote is $49.00 plus a $20.00 shipping charge (it actually costs them more than that to ship a tote to Canada, around $30 or $40, so I have a sneaking suspicion that this charge may rise soon), but I had a $15.00 credit so this tote ended up costing me $54.00, I am not sure that for me personally the value was there, I definitely do not think I would have been happy if it had cost me almost $70.00, This was my third order from Golden Tote with all of my other totes I have been ecstatic and felt that I definitely got more than what I paid for, I am not entirely sure if that is just how the smaller tote works as it was my first time ordering one, but I also kind of felt that the girls over at Golden Tote were not 100% dedicated to the February sale, with all the other things they have going on.

I realize that the last part of my review sounded pretty negative, but that does not mean I am done with Golden Tote by any means, in fact I am looking forward to the next sale as the concept is something I am really in love with and I have discovered a variety of items that I would not have chosen for myself but now wear on a regular basis.

The girls over at Golden Tote have been working on a website overhaul, which is expected to allow for more customization of totes, originally supposed to launch on February 28, but I think has been delayed along with the March sale till March 11. They have posted some AMAZING spoiler pics from their next tote, so I am quietly sitting on my hands waiting for it to begin. P.S it also looks like this month they will be offering an accessory tote as well! So my credit card better watch out!!

Here is a link to their facebook if you would like to check it out!

www.facebook.com/pages/Golden-Tote/135947516506384

and if you have any interest in trying it out, my referral link is below (no obligation to use it though)

http://mybuzzlink.com/bee/offer.htm?aId=1013&cIval=30&tt!pID=1723&tt!bD=1291592_1&overrideLanding=aHR0cDovL2dvbGRlbnRvdGUuY29tP3R0IXBJRD0xNzIzJnR0IWJEPTEyOTE1OTJfMQ%3D%3D

Bathing suit season is sneaking up on us!

2013-03-05T08:39:00.000-08:00

Since I am on a health/Diet kick in preparation for beach/Swimsuit season, I have been keeping an eye out for great swim suits. I have found a few companies I would love to try online, but being as I have such a problem finding swim suits I have been a little gunshy about ordering anything. Then I came across this picture of Selena Gomez ( I Know, but it was on TMZ so don't hate!!)

I am in LOVE with this swim suit, it is classy and very old school Hollywood Glam, I am not sure if it would work for my top heavy figure, but I would love to track one down and try it on!!.

My 1st Starlooks Box

2013-03-05T08:35:00.001-08:00

I first heard about Starlooks though one of the girls on the beauty groups I frequent on Facebook. Starlooks is a make up line that offers a monthly sub of their own products for a cost of approx $19.50 including shipping, I have approximated the cost due to the fact that it is an U.S. sub and since the conversion rate changes a little the price can either go a little up or a little down. This month was my first month and it was also a Lauren Clark Special Edition, and I have to say WOW, when I opened the mailer envelop I found this very cute little pink box. Inside the box I already knew what I would find since I cannot seem to stay away from spoilers but I am still very very impressed both with the products and the quality.

The Picture is terrible I know, that is one of my new resolutions to work on!!

Contents: (All pricing will be direct from the Starlooks website)

1. Lip Liner - Tipsy ($8.00)

This lip liner, went on very smoothly and was a great color for summer, I am not usually a lip person, but I definitely think that I will use this product to give my lips some color, and this may start a new trend for my beauty routine.

2. HD Fluid Blush - Cheeky Luscious ($14.00)

This wasn't a huge container but as I found out yesterday a tiny little bit of this goes an extremely long way, in fact I was a tad terrified. A small bead was enough to give both cheeks a healthy glow. The Color Pay off was amazing, I applied using my fingers to dab and blend.

3. Lip Gloss - Pink Oasis ($11.00)

I haven't tried this product yet, but just looking at it in the container does not really impress me color wise, I will swatch when I get home, but I think this is going into my swap pile.

4. Infinity Pot Liner: Satin - Princess Diaries ($15.00)

This is my favorite product out of the bunch, I am not sure I would ever use it as a liner, but while looking at spoilers on MUT, one of the girls has used this as an all over cream shadow and it looked amazing, so I gave it a try yesterday, I just used my finger to apply, though I would love to find a tool to use, so will be going to Shoppers today, as I do not like the idea of sticking my fingers in the pot to apply, yes my fingers are clean but it just sort of gives me the willies. Looking at the starlooks website, I may just need to order this in EVERY color ;)

Total Value of the box $48 U.S if purchased separately, and I paid $19.50 CA, this may be up there with Ipsy as being my new favorite sub, and I look forward to trying more products from this company

Have you tried Starlooks?