Bringing a Bit of That "Beach Feeling" Down Home Thanks to @Influenster and My #SurfsUpVoxBox!

WooHoo, this is my second VoxBox from Influenster.com, and this campaign's theme is, #SurfsUpVoxBox. I've been spending time out at the pool, so I was really ready for this:

...the unboxing...or unvoxing...or unvoxboxing...

(it's fun to be an Influenster from @Influenster)

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The wonderful goodies that I received in this box were:
 Coupons for Jamba Juice Smoothie Kits:

um...YUM!!!

I am so tickled, I want ALL the flavors! All you have to do is add juice and blend. Easy-Peasey. They are fat-free and gluten-free, you get 100% daily value of vitamin C AND they contain one FULL serving of fruit. BUT, the fun doesn't end there, they also have them in new dairy free Fruit and Veggie Smoothies, so that means even the lactose-intolerant folks don't have to miss out! Jamba Juice Smoothies, yippee and YUM!!! (#jambajuice for more info on Twitter, or go to facebook.com/jambaathomesmoothie)

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Next, Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration After Sun Lotion:

Soothing, smoothing summery-scented must-have after sun lotion!

First of all, this lotion smells AMAZING! The fragrance is listed as "Coconut Papaya" but even that doesn't describe how wonderful this Hawaiian Tropic elixir, I mean lotion is. I want to smell like this all the time, all year 'round! I already use Hawaiian Tropic Tanning Oil whenever I sun because I'm hooked on the formulas and scents, so this one is just another to add to my Hawaiian Tropic love-addiction! About the way the lotion feels on the skin: it goes on soooo smooth, and yet doesn't leave a greasy residue at all, just a soothing, moisturizing feel. It has aloe in it, and you will see "ribbons" of gel and lotion (some kind of magic, I suspect) that makes my skin feel happy and loved. 

(#EscapewithHT on Twitter or facebook.com/hawaiiantropic for more info)

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SinfulColors Professional Nail Polish (mine came in the shade, "Aqua")

(My daughter has prettier hands and longer nails than me, so I'm using her nails in this photo; thanks, hun!) Brushes on smoothly and well-pigmented at a great price!

  Don't let the name fool you! You can get this guilt-free for only around $1.99 as of this writing. Walgreen's carries it I know for sure, it's surprisingly good quality at a very affordable price. You know how you're in the store, you buy a color you like, you get it home, begin painting your nails and it either takes about 4 coats to get even close to the shade, or it just needs to stay in the bottle, because that's the only way it looks good? That's not the case with this Sinful Colors Professional Nail Polish, it is richly pigmented, and goes on smooth and full the first time, making a second coat optional. I always like to use 2 coats of nail polish, so in the photo above you see the results after just 2 coats. It's a winner, and between my daughters and I, I imagine we'll end up getting a bottle in every shade! It's a bargain! (#SinfulColors @SinfulColors_NP on Twitter or facebook.com/SinfulColors for more info)

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First Aid Shot Therapy

Works Fast!

This is an NSAID pain reliever in a liquid single dose (shot). The two main ingredients are 500mg of Choline Salicylate and 65mg of Caffeine. I was anxious to try this, because my shoulders and back have been bothering me a lot. I tried this, (the flavor is mildly sweet with a bit of medicine-y aftertaste but not bad) and within around 15 minutes, (it did work pretty FAST, and I like fast when it comes to pain-relief), it was as I was getting these photos gathered to upload to my blog, I realized that my pain wasn't distracting me like it can sometimes do. Instead, I felt only mildly aware of my soreness (I have chronic pain) but it wasn't the "in-yer-face" kind of pain anymore. For me, this was a success, and I now have a new formula that I can add to my pain-fighting small arsenal (which before consisted of only aspirin and extra strength acetaminophen, as prescription pain relievers scare me and I'd rather tough it out than worry about 15 different side effects from prescription pain meds!) I checked out their site, and you can get it at a number of places, including Amazon.com, Walgreens, 7-11 stores and several others. First Aid Shot Therapy Pain Relief is something I definitely want to keep on hand! (#FASTRelief #contest @firstaidshot #firstaidshot on Twitter and facebook.com/FirstAidShotTherapy for more info)
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Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Shampoo & Conditioner

Feel and smell like a "beach babe" after using this!

This stuff smells like the beach for real! It reminds me of all the suntan lotion smells, predominately fresh coconut, with that salty ocean smell on a soft warm breeze sort of beach trip. Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Shampoo and Conditioners are both Sulfate-free, with Sea Kelp Extract and Coconut Oil... It's a bunch easier to get those beachy, simpler to "scrunch" waves into your tousled and textured tresses, but with the added moisture that hair needs to stay healthy exposed to surf, sun, wind or whatever elements come your way while air-drying and scrunching...all of the great beachy atmosphere, except without the creepy 2-sizes-too-small-Speedo-wearing sketchy-actin' guy that keeps trying to move his towel closer to your's; yeah, you know the one I'm talkin' about! Anyway, getting texture and moisture is easier with NYM Beach Babe Shampoo and Conditioner! (#NYMBeachBabe and @NYMBrands on Twitter and facebook.com/NYMBrands for more info)

Hair says: Woah, bruh, we don't need no beach!!! (Yes, my hair is somewhat illiterate)

Just as I supposed I would, I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every product that was in my #SurfsUpVoxBox, which I received complimentary from Influenster.com for testing and reviewing purposes. I am never, ever, ever under any sort of obligation to give a favorable review for a product I do not like, all opinions are strictly my own based on my own experience with them. I simply have not received one thing yet from a VoxBox that I haven't liked and enjoyed very much. I am not shy with my opinions, and if I don't like something, I am not shy to say so ;P

~Finally, a BIG THANK YOU to the good folks at Influenster.com, @InfluensterVox , @Influenster for the awesome #SurfsUpVoxBox , and to Jamba Juice, Hawaiian Tropic, First Aid Shot Therapy, SinfulColors and NYMBrands for the opportunity to experience these pretty terrific products for myself! Thanks so much as well to you, the reader for giving me the chance to tell you about it!~
 

Have a question, comment or suggestion? I'd love to hear from you, leave a comment below!

You Win This Time, Slick

Being a BzzAgent is Fun!"

Frankly, upon opening the package of the new Schick Hydro Silk Sensitive Care razor, I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of blades, FIVE in all. I wondered what I had signed up for, and wasn't sure if I'd survive the testing of this product. However, after reading (through my fearful tears) the accompanying literature printed on the outside and inside the box, I told my family I loved them, and with my newly acquired instrument of mass (hair only, I hoped) destruction, took the long walk to the shower, being the brave BzzAgent soldier that I am.
 

The BEST Shave I've Ever Had!"



One of the first things that I noticed, (other than the five glaringly shiny blades), was the handle. The handle has an almost squishy gel-like covering that gives me the most excellent grip in water, with a hole at the top of it before the blade-head, which I found is the perfect place to rest my forefinger for even more control. I found that to be a very nice touch and rather comforting given my present trepidation. After lathering up, I took my shaver down from the handy-dandy suction cupped shower razor holder, (which was included with the razor, also a fantastic feature), held my breath, and began shaving my leg. I was absolutely amazed (and relieved) at how smoothly this glided along, there was no drag or tugging sensation, no prickling or scraping, and best of all, no blood or pain! I thought maybe I had missed something, maybe there was a fine clear sheath of some sort covering the blades, and I had to touch my leg where i had shaved to see if it was actually shaving. I felt nothing but very smooth, slick, hairless, fully-intact skin, softer than it had felt in a long while, although I always shaved daily (but that other razor is only a mere 2 wimpy blades, reserved only for the scaredy-cats, beginners, or uninformed). I scoff at that razorling, bah!

Being neither a beginner or uninformed, and most certainly not a scaredy-cat (anymore), I don't see how I can possibly go back to a substandard, plain old skin-scraping two-bladed tired razor again. Shaving my legs (and underarms) was uneventful as far as nicks, scrapes or cuts, but hugely eventful in that it took less swipes with the razor (it got all the hair at each first stroke, no going back over a second time), gliding effortlessly leaving only silky, hairless skin pampered with the shaver's built-in hypoallergenic shea butter-infused serum strips at the top and bottom of the blade head. Elated to find my shaving experience to be the best I've had in (let's just say, a lot of) years, determined to never settle for anything less ever again, I realized the clever, clever way that Schick works. You see, they are out to rule the world, (shaving world, that is), by offering the best razor to be found, and once you try it -(it only takes one little time)- you will refuse to waste another precious minute using anything other than this wonderfully clean and close shaving little doozie. You win this time, Slick, this time...

~Um, call me, Schick Hydro Silk Razor Sensitive Care people-- I love you.~

Thank you to BzzAgent.com for providing (free of charge to me in exchange for using this product for myself and giving an honest evaluation and review of) this super-duper-fantastic Schick Hydro Silk Sensitive Care razor kit, including a voucher for a free bottle of Skintimate Shave Gel (which I have not yet gotten to go to the store to redeem) as well as coupons for $4 off the future purchase price of this most fabulous razor. The plan worked, I'm hooked.

I Love You, "Out of Milk Shopping List"--You Just Made My Life a WholeLot Easier

Oh, WOW! Making lists and shopping just got tons easier (and therefore simplified a portion of my life) since I found this app, Out of Milk Shopping List, which is available for Android and iPhone. It has so many features, I won't list them all, just the ones that I'm grooving on most right now:

First, the speech-to-text feature for shopping and to do lists is very quick and accurate, and such a time-saver for slow-as-molasses, texting-challenged people such as me. If you don't mind texting, you can do that too, (you strange little bird) ;-P

Next, is the built-in bar code scanner. Let me begin by saying I've tried at least three separate scanners for my smartphone, and none of them came close to working, no matter how still I held them, how focused I had the codes in view, or how long I held my breath. So, you can imagine my surprise when ~jaded me~ tapped the app's scanner on a bottle of Lipton Diet Green Citrus Tea. Before I could even line it up properly or focus it, the scanner had already scanned it and integrated it into my list! I proceeded to scan a ridiculous amount of items (like a crazed child with a new toy) from my kitchen, laundry area and even some a barcode on a My Little Pony box, and it was able to accurately record it all for me amazingly fast. Then, realizing I had just added so many items to my current shopping list, I had to move a BUNCH of stuff to the archived list section after playing with this new toy later--but, that was insanely easy, too!

Finally, I checked out the local grocery deals portion of this app after typing in the zip code I'd be shopping in, and got several different stores with loads of sale items listed alphabetically. There's just a plethora of helpful things this does that really helps me do my list-making and shopping stuff so much easier and more efficient...

Best of all, it's FREE!

If this app was a person, we'd so hang out together...

There are other features that this app offers that I haven't even delved into yet, so be sure to check it out. I would, but I NEED TO GO SCAN STUFF, because I CAN!!!!

You can find it on the Google Play store site, or just go to their website, here : http://www.outofmilk.com/ and have a deliriously fun time speaking and scanning random (oh, and useful) items into your own lists!!! :D

Very Helpful (and FUN) Grammar Help From Grammar Girl

We've recently gotten some Grammar Girl series Kindle books by Mignon Fogerty, and I have to say, I'll be buying some more as they are needed. Not only do I find that they are written concisely in an easy to understand way, but also the friendly and often humorous writing style is very engaging to not only me, but also my high schooler, who typically prefers math over reading and grammar. I just caught her this evening during her leisure time reading (and even giggling here and there) through one of the Grammar Girl books, and taking notes, get this: because she ENJOYS the Grammar Girl books that much! I'm sold. 'Nuff said :D

My Experience With Green Mountain Fair Trade Certified Coffee ThroughBzzAgent

I had joined BzzAgent.com (a fun-spirited social marketing/word of mouth company) a little while back, and have only recently been involved in my first campaign with them as a BzzAgent. I was sent 3 two packs of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified K-Cups in the "Three Continent Blend" Extra Bold flavor, some great coupons to share with others toward a new Keurig machine, and some informational materials:

See Kelly Clarkson, there on the packaging? She's more than just a pretty face with a great voice, she's a socially-conscious celebrity with a refreshing down-home heart. She's also a three-time Grammy Award winner and a Green Mountain spokesperson with great taste in coffee and causes, such as spreading the word about the importance of buying Fair Trade Certified coffee. Before I give my synopsis of the meaning of Green Mountain coffee's Fair Trade Certifed coffees, I encourage you to take a few moments and watch the two YouTube videos below and see the farmers faces that grow and harvest these wonderful beans, and hear from the communities that are now able to give an education to their children, thanks to the movement of Fair Trade:
Kelly Clarkson Learns About Fair Trade:

Kelly Clarkson in Peru, Meeting the Farmers and Communities Involved With Fair Trade:

Those videos touched my heart! It made me realize how important it is to choose Fair Trade Certified coffee (and now that I've had Green Mountain's coffee, I'm pretty much a coffee snob to any other kind now ;)

*I snub all other coffees, now...thanks a lot, BzzAgent ;)*

In short, when I choose Green Mountain Fair Trade Certified coffee, I am choosing to buy from a brand that has made a commitment to always give the farmers a fair price for their beans, and always with a guaranteed minimum. Green Mountain's choice to do this gives farmers better choices: choices that include being able to afford their children an education, their families a better way of life, and their communities a way of moving forward in a positive direction. Choosing Green Mountain Fair Trade Certified coffee is a simple choice that I can make that gives other people in other communites around the world better choices! It's simple: I get a consistently great, high-quality cup of coffee, and the farmers who grow these beans consistently get a fair price for their crops! It's a no brainer.

My particular flavor that I was sent, Green Mountain "Three Continent Blend, Extra Bold" was spot-on for superb flavor, strength, smootheness, and absolutely no bitterness. Because I prefer stronger coffees, I have often had to deal with a certain amount of bitterness, but was delighted to find that there was none with this. Prior to adding my usual creamer, I tried it black first, to get a fuller sense of the actual taste of the coffee, and it was very good by itself. With my creamer, it couldn't have gotten any better, it was just so delicious, cup after cup. My daughter, who I made a cup for as well, said it was the best she's had yet. Looks like we are both hooked on this brand and flavor now!

Below is what came in my BzzKit:

                     My first-ever BzzAgent campaign!                     

My first Green Mountain Coffee K-Cup in my Keurig:

...Brewing...(The rich warm aroma filled my kitchen delightfully!)

I cannot tell you HOW HARD it was for me to take these pictures before trying the coffee, the anticipation was brutal:

Green Mountain Fair Trade Certified coffee is a winner in our home!

I was surprised how rich (and smooth) coffee can truly be, and got quite an education on the importance of Fair Trade. It's such a good feeling to know that when I purchase Fair Trade Certified Green Mountain coffee, I'm helping others around the world. To sum it up, every delicious cup I help myself to helps others around the world, and that is a wonderful thing!

BzzAgent

BzzAgent is a social marketing company that is free to join that allows members to receive invitations to try new products, then share their experiences with friends and family, as well as on various social sites and blogs. I recently became a member and have been invited to try Green Mountain Fair Trade Certified Coffee. This is called a "campaign" and the shipment of this product and related materials is called a "BzzKit." I'm truly excited to try this brand of coffee, as I am a champion coffee drinker!

I am expecting my first "BzzKit" to arrive this week, and will be reviewing the product and posting photos of everything, so be sure to check back if you want to get the 'scoop' about Green Mountatin Coffee and learn more about what it means when something is "Fair Trade Certified."

Meanwhile, if you want to check out BzzAgent and see if it's a good fit for you, click here.