HouseParty: Bertolli® Al Fresco Taste of Tuscany Party with Creamy Basil Alfredo #BertolliAlFrescoTasteOfTuscany

As Summer approaches, I tend to get as busy as I do when it’s holiday time (November and December). It’s that six month mark I call, when changes start taking place, projects get started and making dinner needs simplification. The barbecues start getting prepped early in Spring here in Southern California because we have pleasant weather most time of the year. This means I so welcome kitchen help. I still want a meal that is healthy and leaves my family and friends full and happy.

In comes Bertolli, changing things up by adding more to their sauce line. Forget about the red and think about white base sauces that come with new flavors to welcome the new season. A white sauce is not something we enjoy (at least here) as I we usually make red based sauces. I am always looking for a way to use my overabundance of tomatoes, so that means I am always making tomato-y sauces! They are great but it can easily create a rut. I have come up with Greek style, South American to Italian “red sauces” that I think my family is on to me! When Bertolli came up with the Al Fresco Taste of Tuscany Party and I saw Basil…..well, say no more.

Retail Price Point: $1.99 for a 15 ounce jar at Target. They are currently on sale at Target from the regular $2.25 price point. You can also find Bertolli and other selections at Von’s, Stater Bros., Albertson’s and other major stores.

Basil for Days!

Simple Ingredients

Ingredients: Water, Cream, Butter (Cream, Salt), Soybean Oil, basil, Modified Corn Starch, Parmesan Cheese (Cultured Part-Skim Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Enzyme Modified Egg Yolk, Sherry Wine, Salt, Whey, Natural Flavors, Yeast Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Garlic Powder.

Verdict:
I like easy but I ask a lot from it. I also want a meal that is well liked and not filled with the bad ingredients. In other words, I don’t want my family picking up that I am using a jarred sauce. There is nothing wrong with sauces out of a jar and you can find brands that keep the sauce honest. In this home, jarred sauces are called “cheater sauces”. Okay, the family is a little spoiled but I prefer they welcome the better foods and if the sauce makes the cut, it also gets welcomed in the pantry. Bertolli’s Creamy Basil Alfredo is very simple to prepare. You just pour, reheat and serve. You can easily make it part of your meal or the meal itself by making it a main dish. For this occasion, I wanted to get maximum benefit out of the jar and the one jar needed to yield enough servings, so everyone could try it. I open the jar and the smell is pleasant and inviting. You have a nice milk and cream base that is followed up with the aroma of herbs, basil of course being the predominant one. Being that my basil plant was attacked by squirrels last year, my 5 year old plant never returned. I also welcomed the basil plant seeds that Houseparty and Bertolli included. I use to fear frost or excessive heat damaging my basil plant, never thinking a Squirrel with gourmet tastes would go nutty for an herb! With the amount of basil packed into this creamy Alfredo jar, my passion for basil and craving will definitely be satisfied. I opted for ricotta and spinach filled raviolis and made this my starter dish. I tend to now fry my raviolis in butter and olive oil.  This method not only gives the pasta a firmer texture but also that golden buttery taste that everyone seems to love. I warmed the sauce and other than adding some parm and a fresh slice of a baby heirloom tomato, the Bertolli Creamy Alfredo sauce was doing all the talking here.

And, the talking it did. I never have enjoyed a jarred cream based sauce. They always broke when heated and/or had an off taste. This one does not! The Creamy Basil Alfredo from Bertolli stayed whole when heated and did not have an odd after taste. You just taste cream, butter, some cheesy notes and the basil. That is all. The sauce does not overwhelm what you are eating. The tomato gave the ravioli that fresh kick but because it’s mild in flavor, it played well with the sauce. The acidic properties played like a balsamic would, but mild enough to not just kill the entire plating. The spinach in the ricotta filling was made for a basil pairing, so Bertolli made a simple dish that much better. Some guests added a crack of pepper to top, so you can really make the Creamy Basil Alfredo sauce from Bertolli make any dish work and to your liking. No one even asked if the sauce was jarred any I was asked how I made it because so many tend to rush the process and end up with a broken sauce. I told them I would print out the recipe because it’s on-line. I shared a coupon after for my guests to use but I was not letting the cat out of the bag on this one from the start!  I also love that everyone was gifted a Basil plant to grow at home, just watch out for those squirrels who think basil flavored acorns are the it dish this season!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Connect with Bertolli at:

• Online
• Link to Product Page
• Target currently has the Creamy Basil Alfredo on Sale
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• #BertolliSauceParty  #BertolliAlFrescoTasteOfTuscany #HouseParty #Sponsored

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Bertolli and HouseParty.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Advertisement

Kozy Shack: Indulgent Recipe Puddings #Review #KozyShack

Who doesn’t love puddings? I happen to be a huge fan and even make pudding based pies, cakes and treats because puddings go beyond the cup!

BzzAgent sent me two coupons to try the new Kozy Shack Indulgent Recipe Pudding cups that come in three flavors:

• Dark Chocolate
• Chocolate Truffle
• Salted Caramel
• Vanilla Bean

 

The new Kozy Shack Indulgent Recipe cups is making an already liked food more likable! Made with real ingredients and the recipe is very simple when it comes to easily grabbing an already made and ready to serve dessert or treat, straight from the fridge. I went out to hunt for Dark Chocolate because being a caramel lover, that flavor was already on my “must-get” list. After visiting a few stores and not finding the dark chocolate, I went with trying the Chocolate Truffle variety instead.

• Verdict on Chocolate Truffle:
  My family and I enjoy pudding and maybe because I make the dessert from scratch, we have been spoiled. I was left craving chocolate after trying this version. The chocolate flavor is not intense and the product is smooth, but not velvety in texture. Almost kind of like to much gelatin and/or thickener was added. I turn the package around and not only was a color an indication that there was not enough chocolate, the ingredient list reflected such (i.e. Tapioca starch before chocolate and sugar before chocolate too). I felt it was too sweet to even take a second spoonful, as did my husband, so we passed but felt the product could be saved.

 

Ingredients:
Reduced Fat Milk, Sugar, Cream, Modified Tapioca Starch, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Contains Less than 2% of Natural Flavors, Salt, Carrageenan, Maltodextrin.

Retail Price Point: From $2.76 to $3.75 at most stores. Each cup is about 200 calories per serving and each container comes with 4 individual cups.

• Verdict on Salted Caramel:
  This is my go to flavor from coffees, treats, baked goods, to just enjoying Fleur de Sel Caramel. We open the cup and take a taste, it’s more butterscotch than caramel and the salted versus sweetness that makes salted caramel be that buttery goodness is not present. This one again is sweeter but think of it like a vanilla butterscotch variety and then your taste buds get the idea. It may be missing the salted caramel notes, but we found it better than a pudding that says chocolate and is then lacking the key component.

Ingredients:
Reduced Fat Milk, Cream, Brown Sugar, Modified Tapioca Starch, Contains Less than 2% of Caramel Color, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Carrageenan, Maltodextrin.

Final Verdict:

I don’t like to just dispose of food and especially when I see potential.  Each of these cups have about 23 grams of sugar alone and are thick in texture…….so my brain thought why not make a mug cake.  Calories wise a mug cake would be 2 servings to share and the sugar problem would not be an issue. I used 1 teaspoon of Cake flour (I use an unbleached variety) and a pinch of Baking Soda.  Combine product and start by microwaving the cup for 1 minute and then 30 second intervals until the batter begins to bubble and rise.  I kept checking because I did not want it bubbling over and it took three 30 second intervals to achieve the desired texture I wanted, something molten lava cake-ish! 🙂 Allow the cake to completely cool before enjoying and it’s not only because it’s nuclear hot but so the cake can set.  I used a stoneware based mug because it retains heat best and is microwave safe.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

The final product was not as sweet and we could enjoy the pudding cakes!  I feel the product has potential but if I want pudding as-is, I would not be indulging in this variety mainly because of it being too sugary to enjoy.  There are many Belgium chocolate based puddings that are silky and most importantly, so much chocolate that it drowns every loving taste bud! That is what I want in a pudding 🙂

 

Connect with Kozy Shack at:

• Online
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Kozy Shack and BzzAgent.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

 

 

Modern Table: Bean Pastas and Meal Kits #Review #ModernTableMeals

 

Modern Table has been a guest on my blog before and it’s one of those products I tried and still continue to purchase today. We all eat them both in cold and warm dishes because it’s a great alternative to pasta that I really don’t see it as just a substitute. The noodles have flavor because they are bean based. I admit there are even times I make a pasta salad and add the Modern Table noodles along with semolina flour based pasta! Yes, that is how good they are.

I was sent another sampling of the newest products released by Modern Table:

• Confetti Bean Pasta
• Lentil Penne
• Mixed Lentil Penne
• Homestyle Mac and Cheese Meal Kit
• Pesto Meal Kit

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I have at times deconstructed the meal kits to just get to the bean pasta, so this was a welcoming site. Finally, the pasta alone will be sold. There is a lot of benefits when it comes to Modern Table’s meal kits and bean pastas. For starters:

• Modern Table does not use GMO based ingredients (non-gmo)
• Their products are Gluten Free (except for the Teriyaki Meal kit)
• Dairy Free (Southwest and Teriyaki Meal kits, plus the Bean Pastas)
• Vegetarian Friendly
• Packing a protein punch like no other pasta because they are bean based, so you also have an excellent source of fiber.
• No artificial colors or preservatives
• This is real food with no gimmicks!

Verdict-
Taste means everything in this home because I don’t believe eating healthy means you should sacrifice flavor. It’s actually the opposite! Fresh meals that provide a good source of protein and vegetables should be packed with flavor and enjoyable to consume. Modern Table shares this same theory because we find their products amazing. You are also not limited! You can add fresh vegetables to even meats to the meals and customize them to fit your needs and/or cravings. I have over time learned to not boil the pasta as long as listed in the directions because we prefer a more al dente’ texture. The bean pastas lend themselves to many creations. Many times I have been in a hurry and need a filling meal that is also quick to make. I add a handful of the pasta to a roasted Red Bell pepper and Tomato soap and it creates one delicious meal in less than 12 minutes. I think it takes me more time to make the accompanying sides like toasting a slice of bread for dunking. There are times where I want a Pasta Primavera and use everything from eggplants, frozen organic veggies, to kale to bump up the flavors and I’m also a veggie junkie.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

The possibilities are endless with Modern Table and their new bean pasta bags mean I can just pour from the bag versus picking the pasta out from the kits. The Pesto meal kit goes great with grilled shrimp.  The new Mac & Cheese meal kit is my ultimate favorite from the meal kits. It’s cheesy and has real white cheddar…….it just takes Mac & Cheese to whole another level! I added pancetta to mine and I don’t think I can go back to Mac from a box again.

Find the Modern Table Kit that fits your Cravings or Pick-up a Bean Pasta Bag at:

• On-line
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• #ModernTableMeals #MomsMeet

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Modern Table Meals.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Boots: No7 Beautiful Skin Normal/Oily Night Cream #Review #No7BeautifulSkin

When it comes to beauty creams, sometimes you want just a simple moisturizer and I tend to add one after using serums and lighter textured formulas. My skin is temperamental and can’t make up it’s mind, so some days my T-zone will be oily and other days normal. I tend to always purchase products that will satisfy both because I am not buying a cream just for my T-zone that may or may not be used ever day.

Ingredients (as listed on the website)-

Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylparaben, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium PCA, Zinc PCA, Xanthan Gum, Ethylparaben, Alcohol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tetrasodium EDTA, Magnesium PCA, T-Butyl Alcohol, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Distillate, Dimethicone, Potassium Hydroxide, Dipropylene Glycol, Manganese PCA, Simethicone, Potassium Sorbate.

Retail Price Point- $14,24 for a 1.69 ounce jar via Target

Verdict:

I am a fan of Boots products and No 7 is part of that family brand. I received a sample of the No 7 Beautiful Skin care line, which offers night creams for all types of skin (i.e. oily, dry, normal, ect.) and is also hypoallergenic. This is a simple cream that is lightweight in texture but provides enough moisture for the (hopefully) 8 hours you will be sleeping. The moisturizer helps rebalance oil production while you rest, so you don’t wake up an oily mess and at the same time nourishes. Oily skin is not fought by depleting it because then your pores will kick in on over drive, and produce more of the stuff you don’t desire (oil!). Skin is funny that way. The Boots No 7 skin night cream I found to be the perfect simple moisturizer that does not have anti-aging properties but addresses my everyday needs like a too shiny chin!

Connect with Boots No7 and find the products that fit your Skin’s needs at:

• On-line
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• YouTube
• #No7BeautifulSkin #Influenster #FiestaVoxBox

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Boots No 7 via Influenster. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

The Modern Table Meals: Delicious and Healthy meals made Easy #Review #ModernTableMeals

I rarely cook out of a box or canned goods, and I consider that a good thing. If I need to open anything canned, it’s usually to make quick bean based side dishes, like black beans for Cuban meals, pinto for Mexican night, and so forth. I even making a kicking Italian salad with Quinoa, white kidney beans and garbanzos! I just try to make everything from scratch so I can control how much sodium, protein, to just avoiding preservatives and dyes when possible. Yes, it drives me crazy knowing I could sometimes really appreciate making a quick meal in 20 minutes or less and not have to dedicate the weekend to making meals for the week. I just tell myself….we are worth the hassle of eating better.

When I saw Modern Table Meals at Target, I just walked away and never thought about them again. It’s just another pasta dish with fake-o ingredients I thought to myself. The next week I saw them again and saw the bubble with the protein count listed (17 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber, per serving!). I stopped. Again, thinking I know everything, I imagined some soy or whey protein mixed in with whole grains and more corn based products, to make a meal. Again, I was so wrong so before I dug this hole any deeper…..I decided to just read, absorb and see what Modern Table Meals is all about,

My parcel arrives with 4 beautiful bags, a bag to store everything in, a wooden spoon with some serious nice weight and quality, oh and coupons galore! I’m starting to love them even though I wrongly judged a book by it’s cover here (insert foot in mouth).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Modern Table has 4 delicious Meals to satisfy every craving:

• Southwest Red Lentil Rotini
• Mediterranean Green Lentil Rotini
• Teriyaki White Bean & Broccoli Noodles
• Italian Red Lentil Penne

See, what makes the magic? Beans!! Legumes!! Whatever you call them, the **sparkle** of protein and real food comes from gorgeous pastas and noodles that are bean based.

I’m all for eating healthy and practice Meatless Mondays that get moved around during the week (rarely is it on an actual Monday), but the point is it takes place at least once a week and if not two. So, good only goes so far in my book. I eat kale but I like the flavor, so when kale became the “It Food to Eat”, I had to hit a few stores to find 2 great stalks because everyone was juicing and pulverizing the heck out of them. My point is, I have to enjoy the meal beyond the numbers and healthy is not a reason alone food should not taste spectacular.

I started by making the Mediterranean Green Lentil Rotini. I open the bag and notice the veggies are dehydrated but retained shape and their beautiful color. Best looking dehydrated green onion I ever saw! It was just perfect in shape (not just turned into green dust) that I found myself squeezing the veggies to see how they looked and felt. Yes, I’m “that girl” that touches the produce before bagging it and I admit I sniff Pineapple bottoms too! 🙂

I read the instructions and everything is so easy to do. You just boil the bean pasta, whisk the sauces with water and/or oils, then toss and add the topping included. Everything in the bag contains no artificial colors or preservatives. Modern Table Meals took a shelf-stable product (i.e. beans) and just made it better and something a long time coming.

Cooking the Meal:  As with everything, I made the product as instructed to see how it performs just out of the bag.  I followed the directions and noticed that just 10 minutes had lapsed and I’m 75% done with cooking dinner.  I felt like I forgot or missed something.  You know like when you went out on a shopping trip and made it out of the store with good timing……yeah, I knew I forgot something.  Retraced my steps and nope!  This is too easy!  Five minutes later and I try to make my insanity justifiable by noticing I forgot to cut open the topping bag (see, I did forget something).  I top the dish and begin plating.  I took out “insurance” on this meal by making it a side dish.  I figured it’s better being safe than sorry and paired it with veggies and Naan Herb bread that I topped with left-over roasted chicken, goat cheese and an olive medley.  It was Mediterranean enough and the chicken needed eating.

Pasta and Veggies boiling

Sauce (so goooood!).

Everything combined, along with the topper sprinkled on top

Taste Test: Just by the sniff-test, I am starting to regret having made other food but then sometimes things smell better than they taste.  I taste the pesto sauce and I am already wanting to save some for later separately because it’s so good.  I can believe I just added water to make this!  Then comes tasting the pasta alone because if it tastes bad, I’m saving the sauce for another meal.  I forgot the pasta was bean based because the texture is desirable.  I expected a floppy noodle or one that just disintegrates into odd pieces even though you never bit.  Not this guy! It tasted like a flavored pasta shape, sort of like it belonged with the three color pastas you find at the market.  So far, so good!  I toss everything and then sprinkle.  I have a taste before serving because why dirty the dish if I won’t be eating it…….I serve myself more than what a side dish called for!  I must admit at one point I mixed my veggies into the pasta because I wanted everything to have that wonderful flavor.  The sauce tastes real and the package tells me there is all this good stuff and none of the bad, but this tastes real like in homemade fresh.  It does not taste like anything I ever had out of a box.  I tell myself that I was always right about Modern Table Meals because things out of box are horrible, but these come out of b-a-g! See, I was right all along 😉

 

I can’t wait to try and share all the other ones!

Connect with Modern Table Meals at:

• On-line
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• #ModernTableMeals

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Modern Table Meals.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

 

Swaggable: Sia Botanics Desert Aloe and Jojoba Cream

I’m always game to try any new moisturizer because even though I have many, I like and use on a daily basis, I am chasing that dragon, the one that is going to take me to the new and better moisturizer! You bet when Swaggable offered me this opportunity, I snapped it up in a heart beat.

Sia Botanics is company which produces several nature-based products, with “natural” as their approach to skin care. I like that they have several collections that target your needs, whether they are age related, to problems that stem from dryness, even to combination skin. Each line creates a regimen that is right for you, so there is not a “one size fits all” mentality at Sia Botanics. The cream I received is from the Desert Aloe and Jojoba collection.

The Desert Aloe and Jojoba collection features:

• Desert Aloe & Jojoba Cream Cleanser for $16.00
• Desert Aloe & Jojoba Moisture Mask for 19.00
• Desert Aloe & Jojoba Scrub for $18.00
• Desert Aloe & Jojoba Cream for $18.00
• You may also purchase the set above for the Desert Aloe & Jojoba Dry Skin Collection at $71.00
• or the Travel set that is a great way to test a brand for $19.00

The Desert Aloe and Jojoba cream takes aloe and amps up it’s benefits. The cream is for mature skin that is dry to severely dry. I know as we age we do not produce enough moisture, but I can see this cream being good at any age if you have dry spots or areas you wish to add more moisture to. I tried the cream on my face and liked that it dries to a matte finish and left no residue or oily shine for others to see. I did not find the formula to be heavy. I did like that though it was light, it did keep my under eye are soft and supple. I applied foundation 30 minutes later and did not have any issues resulting from the cream during application or hours later.

I am a fan of Aloe and use it both in gel form to naturally derived from the succulent itself. I find that it never irritates my skin and always provides enough moisture to quench a sunburn, or just those areas you want moisture minus the grease. I’m always happy and satisfied with the results and the Sia Botanics cream delivered in moisture and not just oiliness that my skin never absorbs. The cream also contains Jojoba Esther, Desert Aloe, Evening Primrose Oil and Vitamin E. I use Vitamin E around my eye area and it always responds well so this is a cream that I would use to target certain areas of my face, however it would not be moisturizer that I would apply all over. I was satisfied with the results!

Find the Sia Botanics Collection that suits you best at: http://www.siabotanics.com/default.asp

I received the above product free of charge from Swaggable. I am not obligated in providing a positive/favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product, which may differ from yours.

New Tree Hut Soothing Foot Cream in Aloe and Peppermint

Part # 2 of this Wonderful Tree Hut Experience:

We experienced the exfoliation and now comes the moisturizing, as the new skin you resurfaced needs to be nourished, and this is where Tree Hut’s Soothing Foot cream in Aloe and Peppermint comes in.

The cream has a fresh minty scent that is lighter than what I experienced with the Exfoliating Foot Scrub. This is a good thing because I don’t want everyone to be hit by a mint wave when they go near me. I am one of those girls that wears heels, sandals, toe peeking shoes but dislikes a greasy foot left by many lotions and moisturizers. The last thing I want to leave in a shoe is residue of any kind or worse, have a foot that does not stay in place while I walk. I have to look like I know what I am doing in these heels! Many times I tend to cheat and only moisturize areas that will be seen to avoid the residue dilemma. I then come home and have to do a “sock treatment” so the rest of my foot not only resembles the rest of my cheater parts, but so it gets moisturized. In comes this new moisturizer that feels like velvet when you apply it and since my hands benefited from Tree Hut’s exfoliate, I was going to do the greasy test before venturing my footy into a heel or shoe of any kind.

Greasy Test Report–
Okay, after 15 minutes I forgot as I needed to type and catch up on e-mails and it was not until an hour later that I recalled why I smelled so nice. Yes, the lotion did hypnotize me it seems but my keyboard more importantly did not have paw marks. No grease or residue left behind. I had a date that evening and that meant I’m wearing a pair of my nicer heels and I did not slide, or feel like a film was suffocating my foot. My toes in these heels peek out at the tip and not only did they look pretty, they looked like I take care of them on a regular basis NOT showing evidence of my previous cheating ways. I got home and the inside of my heel was as it should be, clean and I remind you this is Summer so if anything was going to be left behind, it would have been on that very hot evening. I showered and felt my feet, which felt soft and nice……still looking pretty and like I have been taking care of them for weeks, not just one mid-afternoon.

The above alone makes me happy I found a lotion that nourishes without the muck. Then comes that feeling of fear, like “Do not stop making this lotion Tree Hut!” I’m a recovering foot lotion cheater that now has had a taste of the other side and I don’t want to go back!

Like many of Tree Hut’s products, this soothing cream contains Certified Organic Shea Butter, Aloe Vera and Natural Peppermint Oil. The cream nourishes and not only provides visible results like I stated above, but your feet (and my hands) were provided with a source of vitamins and minerals. You get a soft cooling effect that feels nice after the warm exfoliating effect but not an unwelcoming cold that over lingers. Think freshness!

• Product Retails for about $4.88 for a 5.8 ounce bottle

Benefits listed from Tree Hut:

• Certified Organic Shea Butter: skin repairing & moisturizing, anti-aging, promotes elasticity
• Aloe Vera: Nature’s soothing moisturizer
• Peppermint Oil: Moisurizes skin
• Paraben Free and No DMDM
• Made in the USA
• Do not test on animals

Please visit Tree Hut to get more information.

Visit Facebook and become a fan!

Via Twitter, where you can follow as they have promotions:! #TreeHut

Or via Pinterest, where many happy hands and feet reunite:

The above products were provided free of charge by Tree Hut.  I am not obligated to provide a positive/favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the brand and products, which may differ from yours.

Swaggable: Tree Hut Renewing Hand Cream in Moroccan Rose

Let me begin and get straight to the point, the scent of this lotion is intoxicating but in like it smells “sooooo good” such a way. My package arrived today and I think this is one of the few items that I have blogged and shared within 24 hours from receiving. I don’t even think it’s been 12 hours! My bottle was slightly opened in the package, however it was so little that spilled and occurred recent, because it had not even dried. It smelled like a love note would smell. I have over 40 varieties of roses across our property and I have purchased and been gifted several rose scented items because of my obvious love for them. Double Delight is a variety known for it’s scent and beauty, thus the name but rarely does a product that claims to smell like a flower does. I have tried candles, perfumes, even scented paper and it all smells the same like that over commercialized fake rose smell. Desiccated and more like a dry rose would smell than a live one.

This product smells like roses but living ones! Not over perfume-y but captured those subtle sweet tea notes with a hint of warmth the Shea butter and Moroccan Argan Nut oil provides. Perfection and finally because I have no idea what took so long. I have to admit that I took the bottle out, cleaned it up, washed my hands and applied. In less than 2 minutes I smelled girly :). I went outside to meet my Husband and he was helping me cultivate some African Irises, which I want to transplant but that is whole another story. I stand by him and he says the Irises smell so nice this afternoon and then I hold my wrist out and ask him to sniff…..I get a what is that? Followed by, “you smell good”. Don’t want to know if I smelled “un-good” before! I don’t like to admit but even the doggy followed me around sniffing at my steps so we have a Husband and Doggy approved product in case you had concerns.

Does it work as great as it smells?

YES!!!!! The product combines Organic Shea Butter and Natural Moroccan Argan Nut oils, that create a smooth texture but zero oiliness. The cream also contain Rose Hip Oil, known for it’s natural anti-aging properties.  This product is labeled as a renewing hand cream and it did moisturize, plus soothed the rougher edges of my hands and palms. I sometimes (most of the time) do not wear gloves and mean to but when I get the clippers in my hands, to pruning I shall go. Between the roses nicking me, the clippers wearing and causing blisters and calluses, I admit my hands are not too girly looking. I then cook and that causes me to over wash my hands, which leads to over dryness. They really never get a break because when they are dry, they are typing like right now. I want a product that moisturizes, allows my skin to breathe and also does not leave greasy marks on my keyboard. I have gone through many brands and so far only Aveeno sort of but not just there satisfied the quota. Well, Tree Hut does and makes me smell so good. The scent is therapeutic and not pungent because I do suffer from allergies and the last thing I need is a headache. I also like that the formula feels light on the hands and disperses in the same manner…..very easily and a little is needed. I recommend you squeeze the bottle lightly if you are just applying to hands because the bottle likes to burp more than is needed.

You can find Tree Hut’s products at CVS,Target, Amazon, Ulta and various other locations. Please visit http://www.treehutshea.com/ and you can click the “Where to Buy” button.  You can also connect with Tree Hut via Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/TreeHut or via Twitter at: https://twitter.com/Tree_Hut . I am a fan and will be seeking out their other items.

I received the above products free of charge from Swaggable. I am not obligated in providing a positive/favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with a product, which may differ from yours.