09 Feb 2016
by linettefm
in Decorating, Food, Living, Product testing, Review, Uncategorized
Tags: #ChocolateSticks, #ValentinesDayGifts, 1 Tin Pirouline Chocolate Hazelnut Rolled Wafers, 1.6 oz Elmers Heart Shaped Box with Assorted Filled Chocolates, Amazon, Amazon deals, Amazon Gifts, ASIN: B019GBVAAC, aunts, Candles, Candy & Chocolate Gifts, Chocolate and Hazelnut, Chocolate and Hazelnut Pirouline Sticks, Chocolates, Gift Ideas under $20, Gifts under $16, girlfriends, grandmothers and daughters, Grocery & Gourmet Food, Heart Shape White Chocolate Heart Shaped Scented Candle, heart shaped candle, Holiday Gifts, moms, Pirouline Wafers, Pirouline with metal tin, Review, Scented Candles, sisters, UPC: 635682026910, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Economical Gifts, Valentine's Day for Her, Valentine's Day Gift Ideas, Valentine's Day Gift Sets, Valentine's Gift for Her: Pirouline Chocolate Sticks with Chocolate Cake Heart Scented Candle and Heart Box with Assorted Chocolates, Wife


Every Valentine’s Day, as much as I love chocolate, I will admit the typical a dozen roses and chocolate treat gets a little ordinary. I don’t desire jewelry and what I do desire, is something left to remember the holiday from. A holiday that has gotten ridiculously expensive. Plus, I like my roses with roots attached, so I can plant them and enjoy them all year around.

When I was offered to review the Valentine’s gift set with Pirouline Chocolate and more, I admit I was intrigued. Why? Because it’s a little of everything and from the girl who hasn’t finished her Christmas chocolates yet, this is ideal for me. The set comes with:
- A metal tin with lid, filled with Pirouline Chocolate Sticks that is reusable and adorable.
- A candle that is a dark chocolate cupcake, filled with a heart shaped white chocolate center. The candle smells like a delicious chocolate cake but comes with zero calories. Just light it and enjoy it time and time again.
- You also don’t miss out as the set includes a mini heart shaped boxed filled with five individual chocolates, and this is a perfect amount for me. You also have a keepsake heart shape boxed that you can reuse. The outer box (lid) is decorated with a red roses motif.

Retail Price Point: The entire set is $15.95 via Amazon and if you have Prime membership, that is the total cost with delivery included. You can even include a gift message via Amazon to be included with the parcel.

Verdict:
There is no going out to stores and having to pick 3 items and then pay shipping if your loved one is far away or if that day you will be working, so that means Valentine’s Day gets put on hold. The set covers all bases by still being filled with chocolate but allowing the gift to leave a little memento behind. The candle is utterly fragrant that I found without lighting it, it still fills the living room with a delectable chocolaty scent, so I can keep it as-is and use it time and time again. I have done this where a candle never gets lit and becomes a decor item because the scent lasts, plus some things are just too cute to melt. The candle comes in a clear box, so you can opt to showcase it in the box, take it out and even store it back again for the coming year or a special date night at home. The Pirouline Chocolate Sticks came with only a few cracked but none had crumbled! They are filled with Chocolate Hazelnut and go perfect with coffee or munch them like I do straight out of the tin. The five chocolates came in perfect condition. None were melted, cracked or aged. Something that has happened in prior years where a heart shaped box was filled with dry and old chocolates, these were perfect and are made by Elmer Chocolates. Yes, the gift is economical but still makes the one gifted feel warm and fuzzy and that is truly what you want in the end from a gift. The person to know you thought of them and that is what matters!
Connect with Practical Therapies at:
- Amazon
- #ValentinesDayGifts #ChocolateSticks
I received the above product(s) free of charge from Practical Therapy (Amazon). 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.

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03 Feb 2016
by linettefm
in Beauty, Coupon, Electronics, Gadgets, Grooming, Health and Beauty, Product testing, Review, Tools, Uncategorized
Tags: #PMD, #PMDBeauty, #PMDPretty, #PMDSkin, acne. clearer skin, Age Sciences Inc., aging skin, Aluminum oxide, Aluminum oxide discs, Beauty devices, Beauty Tools, beauty units, blemishes, boosting collagen production, collagen production, Costco, elastin, elastin production, Exfoliate, Exfoliating, fine lines and wrinkles, firmer skin for the entire body, five different levels of exfoliation, Hypoallergenic, Improves acne and blemishes, improves skin, improves skin's appearance, Microdermabrasion, Microdermabrasion devices, Personal Microderm for Men, PMD device, PMD Device Coupons, PMD device discount codes, PMD device Promo Codes, PMD Discs, PMD Personal Microderm, PMD Personal Microderm – International, PMD Personal Microderm Plus, PMD Personal Microderm Pro, PMD Personal Microderm Pro – International, PMD Plus & Daily Regeneration System, PMD Review, promotes new cell growth and breaks up adipose tissue, resulting in smoother, scars, Sephora, Skin, skin care, Skincare, smoother skin, Ulta, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Gift Ideas


The new year means I am keeping with the trend of trying at home beauty related devices, to see if they deliver better results. I have tried so far laser and a glass unit that was more cumbersome as time went on. So far, laser has been the technology that I feel has delivered visible results at a lower price point than what you get at a spa facility or even out of several jars of beauty creams!

My new unit is from PMD, a company that makes several Microdermabrasion devices and also has a skincare line. I have seen these units at Ulta, Sephora to even Costco. At Costco, the PMD representative allowed me to handle the unit and see how it worked, which is always a plus because the other beauty stores have the unit as an “on-line only” purchase. I noticed the unit was easy to handle, ergonomic in shape, which made it easy to maneuver and even though the abrasion technology used has a spinning motion, the unit did not vibrate so much that it made it awkward to hold. The technology used makes sure the user is able to just focus on the skin, versus a device that sometimes can be unwieldy. So, I had already a positive mindset when it came to using PMD tools. My only question was, does it work? Will I see a difference that justifies ownership and investing in refills? Hey, I get upset when fragrance refills get changed and I they expect me to buy all new units!

I did not want this to be like printers of the past, where the ink makes you never, ever want to print in color and only printing in “fast-econo mode” when you print anything else, because a refill breaks the bank. Not bringing in another machine into this house that makes me feel guilty for using it! I first looked at refills and that fear was easily put to rest. Each disc is easily differentiated by a color coding system:
The cost was something I had to do a double-take because it was actually (dislike using this word) cheap, so let us say cost effective :). I know. I wanted an excuse before the unit was out of the box to convince myself that exfoliating was something that I was doing fine with by using a mask and/or scrub. Six individual refills costs $20.00. Okay, but what does that bring to the table? Well, one disc has a lifespan of 3 to 4 treatments. You do one treatment a week……..well, this is actually cheaper than my scrub that I use every 3 days, not counting the daily one! What the heck! I had to redo the math and somehow PMD found a way to not “get you” with the refills like so many other companies tend to do. This is why I do not use my facial scrubber machine because I do not want to kill the rechargeable battery and/or buy another refill. In the end, I am trying to make my face scrubber last longer by not using it! Yeah, no logic in that!
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Retail Price Point: The starting price for PMD tools (units) start at $159.00 and go as high as $199.00. Visit here to compare the devices and the differences, plus see what tools suites your needs best.
So, I am past the refill fear and get this, this device requires no charging or batteries. As I was reading the manual, I plugged in the device thinking I would get somewhere in the manual while reading it, where it would state how long to charge for, or unplug when whatever light turns green. I had a laughing moment when I read you just plug it in and go. Okay, PMD……you are making me like you!
Verdict:
It all comes down to results. Is PMD going to give my skin same like results that I can’t achieve cheaper via another method. This is how I break down what products stay and what products go in our home. It’s all about what they bring to the table. PMD discs use aluminium oxide crystals and I started really reading about the material and what it can do. The aluminum oxide crystals are hypoallergenic, so already a plus because there is no chemical or ingredient like in a scrub that may irritate the skin. So, that already takes that worry out of the equation and also no beads that are not only harmful to the environment but also plumbing. The ability for the disc to not grow or spread bacteria is important, because when we exfoliate or do Microdermabrasion procedures at home, we are causing the skin to open (i.e. minor damage) in order for it to heal and resurface a new layer of skin that has a better appearance. You are not going to yield great results if a product has fragrance or welcomes bacteria to the party! There is no scrubbing here, the device just glides (once over each section of the skin) and does all the work. The user is key and that means be mindful that you pass only once over each treated area and the PMD device does all the work. This unit can also be used for the face and body, and again easy as the discs clearly tell you what and where they can be used. I like having that option and choice! The PMD device also helps circulation, so your skin will increase collagen production and help the skin look plumper and healthier over time. So, this is more than just discs removing dead skin, this is a total skincare system!
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Final Verdict:
I did as instructed and removed all products that could irritate or really were being replaced by what PMD’s system does for you. Check! No retinol, no acids, no peels, no anything and just allowing PMD be what my skin depends on and getting use to the idea of only using this unit once a week and nothing in between but a good moisturizing regimen to pick up the rest. Doing less in the beauty world is always welcoming but when you have habits and someone tells you do this once a week and you will be more better than fine, like your skin will look and feel better…….well, you get suspicious (or at least I do). I had a few bumps from using a new hair spray, which were beginning to sort of emerge but not fully on the sides of my forehead. I did the PMD treatment and I was done quickly after doing my practice run a few days before that only made sure I got the hang of it, but that I would not experience irritation. I just softly pulled my skin taught where needed and the PMD device did all the work. I was finished with my face in 5 to 7 minutes. No masks or peels take that little time and it was odd not worrying about cracking a mud mask by laughing and not talking for 20 to 25 minutes. The feeling on my face felt like when I do an aspirin mask, that fresh and clean feeling but not over dry. Day three, my pimples submerge. Like with any beauty treatment, this is something I brought to the party and I wanted to see how PMD would deal with it. Hey, I get breakouts here and there and I need a system that knows this and not have a rule that my face has to be 100% clear to use it because it might as well go hang out with the face scrubber! Week two comes by, and my pimples never fully went all angry on me. I always get 2 or 3 when they come out what I call in “island formation” that are going to be pests. No pests and I did not pick (man, that was hard), but I did not want to pick at my face and blame PMD for the ouch. Again, I do another treatment and you can see my skin gets a little red but within one hour the redness is gone and I do the treatment at night. This is something I always did to allow my skin to calm down. My pimples do not get white heads or clog up. You know how when a pimple pops but then wants to do it again 3 days later (when it gathered more bacteria making buddies)? That did not happen. Healing happened. They did not over peel as I stayed away from anything that would hurry the turn-over process up and cause irritation to the “good skin”. Then I noticed when entering week three, that the pimples I had in week one is all the pimples I have dealt with. The non-pimpled skin is smoother and softer, but remains pimple free. My skin is not missing the daily scrub, masks, peels, and you name it. I then noticed when ending week three that my skin has improved dramatically. I took pictures and I have no scars I will have to work with. Just little peeling skin where the pimple was but no pimple revisiting and I just used one disc to do all this. One disc, only once a week and no battery to charge! That means my one disc costs about $3.50 ($3.33 to be exact) and that is all it took for almost a month’s worth of treatments. This is also the disc price with no coupons as PMD advertises on the site discounts to add that usually take 20% to 25% off, so the deal can be sweetened! The sweeter part is my face. I love it! Scars do come off on me from acne because I thankfully do not get deep ones but it takes 2 months to lighten them up to the point you can’t see them. The PMD device made sure not only did I not develop scar making marks (blemishes, zits, blackheads, white heads, pimples, bumps of unknown origin, ect.) but started to race up my healing periods. I am done with scrubs that tend to over dry my skin and the discs PMD offers means I can just change discs as the weather changes because this means my skin is more sensitive in the Winter months when it is cold. No new scrub I need to get that then will rot under the sink until I need it again 1 year later! The PMD works with your skin, not you needing to work for it!
This Valentine’s Day show your skin some love and Connect with PMD at:
- Go to here (www.GetPMD.com/save) to subscribe and save 15%, plus get a limited lifetime warranty.
- Use Code HEART20 to save 20% on your next order of replacement discs.
- Use code: LovePMD to save on Pink Pro and Pink PMD.
I received the above product(s) free of charge from PMD Skincare. 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.
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17 Jan 2016
by linettefm
in Baking, Cooking, Food, Home, Product testing, Review, Tomoson Product Reviews
Tags: #kitchenhearts, amazon kitchen products, ASIN: B0195D777Q, Baking, Better Baking. Easy Clean-Up, Butter Cookies, convection baking, cookie, Cookie Sheets, cookies, cooking, Dark Chocolate, desserts, Easy Baking, FDA approved Silicone, kitchen, kitchen products, Macarons, non-stick, Parchment Paper Alternatives, Pastries, roasting, Silicone Baking Mats, silicone mats, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

I do more baking than anyone I know. As a result, I’ve got a wealth of tools to assist me and I’m always on the lookout for something new and innovative to help me along. Over the years I’ve graduated from wax papers and sprays to parchment and silicone mats. If you’ve used one, you know they quickly become indispensable. But Kitchen Hearts had something I’ve yet to try: A ROUND silicone pizza mat!! Oh, baby!

Silicone mats are probably one of the most versatile tools in a kitchen. They can be used for a multitude of things, and be used hundreds of times before needing to be replaced. From a splatter-catcher in the oven, to making french fries, cookies, macaroons, or biscuits, there’s almost no limit to the goodies one can make on a silicone mat. They clean up with a little warm soapy water, need no oils or sprays to be non-stick, and virtually nothing sticks to them. Fats and oils bead up, and little crispy bits fall right away. They are also oven safe up to 475 degrees, so the limit is really your imagination!
Ideally. Sadly, 9″ Kitchen Hearts Pizza mat came with a critical defect. See, silicone mats are almost just that: silicone. The silicone, however, encases a fiberglass mesh weave that gives the mats some tensile strength and help to hold it’s shape better. But when you puncture the silicone, the fiberglass is exposed and it’s time to toss the mat, both for health and safety reasons. And my round mat had exposed fiberglass all around the outside edge. Not only would that let water in and ruin the mat, but it’s unsafe. One should never consume the fibers from fibergalss, and putting a sticky dough on exposed fibers a sure-fire way to do just that. So I didn’t even get to try it, sadly. The large mat (a now-standard half-sheet 16.5″ x 11.6″ size) did not have these issues. I may contact the company about this because I’m really hoping to a new tool in my kitchen!
Connect with Kitchen Hearts:

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Kitchen Hearts. 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.

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09 Feb 2015
by linettefm
in Beauty, Health and Beauty, Home, Product testing, Review, Styling, Uncategorized
Tags: #hairdryer, 2015 Hair Products, 2200 Watts, Allure, Allure blow dryer, Allure Hair Dryer, Amazon, Amazon Beauty Products, Amazon Codes, Amazon Hair Products, Amazon Promos, ASIN: B00SKQFT4I, attachment, beauty, beauty products, blow dryer, Blow dryers, blow out, blowout, blowouts, Bouncy Curls, Ceramic Tourmaline Technology, Curlers, curling, curls, curly hair, fashion, Gift Ideas, Great Gifts, great starter kit, hair, hair care, Hair Control products, Hair do's, hair dryer, hair dryers, Hair looks, Hair rods, hair styles, Hair tools, haircare, health and beauty, home, Lightweight, Product testing, Professional 5-in-1 Curling Iron, Professional 5-in-1 Curling Iron – Hair Curler – Curlz (Black) by Xtava TM, Review, shut-off safety function, SKU: B00P2PKATE, Styling, Styling products, styling tools, Styling Units, Tight Curls, Tomoson Product Reviews, UPC: 616320999261, Valentine's, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Gift Ideas, Valentine's Day gifts, Volume, Waves, Wavy hair, Xtava, Xtava Hair, Xtava: ALLURE 2200W Tourmaline Ionic Ceramic Professional Hair Dryer


Last week, I shared the Xtava Professional 5-in-1 Curling Iron and this week I’m sharing another one of Xtava’s products, the Allure Hair dryer. You will notice if you visit Xtava’s website, their hair dryer line is really what put the company on the map and this one is no different!
The Allure hair dryer is light in weight but powerful. You have 2200 watts that delivers air quickly in both heat and cold options. Power does not mean this blow dryer will not be kind or gentle to your hair either. The Allure hair dryer uses Tourmaline Ionic Ceramic technology, meaning you get even heat distribution and the ceramic is gentle on your hair’s cuticle. The negative ionic technology also prevents frizz to build-up, giving your final do’s that smooth and very desired shiny appearance. The above technology is also perfect with all the new hair oils hitting the market because you will achieve ultimate penetration meaning you will reap all the benefits quicker and better.
The Xtava Allure features:
- A Ultra Lightweight housing for better control
- Triple Baked Tourmaline Ionic Ceramic
- 2 Speeds with 3 Heat setting modes.
- A “Cold Burst” Button to aid with styling and setting
- Concentrator Nozzle is also included
- The “filter” easily removes on back for cleaning when needed
- 1 year manufacture warranty
- Card for up to 50% off (with code) to their site
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I tried the Xtava Allure hair dryer for 1 week to get an idea how well it performs. I was surprised how quickly the element delivered heat and the burst of air is that perfect flow where you can still control your hair while it’s drying. My hair’s length is at my waist and I have a lot of hair, which is fine to medium in texture but dense when it comes to amount. I was happy at the 5 minutes mark with the quickness in drying time and softness in feel. By 7 minutes, my hair was dry and ready for me to style. I did not experience any frizz or static from the dryer, which is a major plus for me because “dandelion head” is yet a look to catch on! On the second use, I used my typical leave-in mix of oils (2 drops of Argan oil with a small dollop of Living Proof Perfect Hair Day). I achieved great results and my hair was super smooth in feel and it had that natural gloss you get when you get that perfect blow out. I was satisfied with the performance of Xtava’s Allure hair dryer! The box comes with everything you need from the attachment…..you just need a hair brush and you are set.

Retail Price Point: $34.00 via Amazon and $30 via Xtava’s website

The only Con I could Find:
The “cool shot/burst” button pinches when you use it or if your finger tends to slide up. It also caught my hair once but I knew enough to not pull, so I did not lose any strands or caused any damage. The button is really not a button or a rocker switch, it’s made from the plastic frame the dryer is made from. A button shape is molded but the movement is made from the cut-out in the plastic’s frame. My only worries is durability with this button due to the fact plastic can only bend back and forth so often before breaking and/or cracking. Not a biggie but worth mentioning because it does pinch your skin when you use it and especially soft skin that you get from just showering or bathing. I don’t use this option often, so for me it would be insignificant when thinking of overall use or performance.
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Xtava Insert
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Insert has directions, care instructions and more
Connect with Xtava’s Great Styling Products at:
I received the above product(s) free of charge from Xtava. 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.

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09 Feb 2015
by linettefm
in Baking, Family, Food, Home, Product testing, Review, Uncategorized
Tags: #macaronmat, Amazon Coupons, amazon kitchen products, Amazon Promos, ASIN: B00NI68DKC, Baking, Better Baking. Easy Clean-Up, Butter Cookies, convection baking, cookie, Cookie Sheets, cookies, cooking, Dark Chocolate, desserts, Easy Baking, FDA approved Silicone, Ganache, Heart Shaped Cookies, kitchen, kitchen products, Lifetime Guarantee, Macarons, non-stick, Parchment Paper, Parchment Paper Alternatives, Pastries, roasting, SB-SM-Mac, Silicone Baking Mats, silicone mats, Simple Baker, The Simple Baker, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Desserts, Valentine's Day Gift Ideas



Being a baker means I need products I can count on and a multi-tasker is a must in my kitchen. The Simple Baker does everything my expensive silicone baking mats do, plus as much as I did not appreciate the circle pattern at first, I became to really like the convince it provided. My cookies never touched each other, so I have to admit I’m not the best spacer I thought I was!
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The mat yielded the same results as my french branded mat and clean-up was a cinch. The mat cleans up instantly with a little soapy water and I just fill the sink 1/4 way up, make some bubbles and suds on top of the mat and this I find is the most gentle way to clean the mat with no sponge and/or sink brush needed. I simply roll the Simple Baker mat (without creating fold or creases) and use a silicone band to keep it in place.
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I wanted to test the silicone mat out with by making dark chocolate ganache cookies. The cookies are a butter base recipe and I tried both round shapes and heart shapes when baking. My baking time was adjusted, as these silicone mats provide even baking, which tends to accelerate the baking but produces what I call the “perfect cookie”. You get a soft flaky texture on the inside with a cookie top crust that stays in place and only crumbles until you take a bite.
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Dark Chocolate Ganache Filling
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Cookies in all shapes can be baked
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Perfect results every time!
Retail Price Point: $17.97 via Amazon

The Simple Baker Mat will save you money in the long run and pay for itself. I use parchment paper and that gets costly over time and can be a wasteful expense. These silicone mats are reusable, do not hold odors, and are also safe because they are non-toxic. The silicone used is food-grade quality and no need to add extra fats or oils to make them non-stick……their finish stays non-stick time and time again!
Connect with The Simple Baker at:
I received the above product(s) free of charge from The Simple Baker. 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.

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06 Feb 2015
by linettefm
in Beauty, Drinks, Fashion, Food, Fruits and Veggies, Health and Beauty, Influenster, Product Samples, Product testing, Review, Samples, Styling, Uncategorized
Tags: #Celestial Seasonings, #FrostyVoxBox, #GetAdvanced, #LoveMyECOhairbrush, #McCormickGourmet, #SweetSide, beauty, Brush, brushes, Candy Cane Lane, Celestial Teas, Cosmetics, dry herbs, Dry Thyme, Eco Tools, economical beauty, EcoTools, Eye liners, eye make-up remover, eyeliner, Eyes, foods, Frosty Vox Box, Fruit Vines, hair, hair brushes, Hair tools, herbal teas, Herbs, Influenster Vox Boxes, Kajal, kohl, lips, Lipsticks, Long Hair, make up, McCormick, McCormick Gourmet, No7, NYC Expert Lip, NYC lipstick, NYC New York Color, peppermint, Red Vines, Rimmel, Rimmel London, Sugar Plum, SugarPlum, Target EcoTools, Tea, Thyme, Ulta, Valentine's Day Gift Ideas, Vox Box, VoxBox

I was very excited again to get a VoxBox from Influenster. There is never a box that does not contain a new item to new brands I have never tried. This box was a beauty and food themed box, which really sums up the holiday season. The Frosty Vox Box really brought a little bit of everything from several very know brands:
Was very generous and gave us two products to try out that go hand-in-hand, the Gentle Eye Make-up Remover and the ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal eyeliner. Both products are reasonably priced and that is welcomed after the holiday splurges. What I like about the line is that their beauty items always exceed expectations and they allow me to keep up with whatever new fashion trend and/or look is in, but still be able to keep the lights on!
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Even with the nude colors being in, we still need lipstick and sometimes things get too pale or plain. NYC fixes that by adding a touch of color with their Expert Last Lip line in Sugar Plum. The Sugar Plum color is rosy but also sheer, with a hint of shine but thankfully not super glossy. The last thing you want to do is look back at every picture you took in Winter and your lips are blinding everyone. With Valentine’s Day approaching, this color again fits perfectly with the season……so not just a one holiday and done product.

This is my first time using this line and I was happy that the brush kept my locks nice and smooth, did not create static and was gentle enough to not break or stress my hair. The brush has a nice handle for easy hold and also is nicely balanced, which is appreciated when I do a ponytail look. What I like is how easy it is to clean because even though I use a low amount of leave-in products, the oils I do use can cause our hair tools to create build-up. Dirty bristles is not an issue with this brush!

- No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Advanced Sachet
I was so happy when I saw this brand included and before the box arrived. My happiness sort of faded when I noticed this was not even a deluxe sample, but more of a packet with maybe 2 uses if I am lucky. Two uses does not mean I can be fair or even really know about performance. I may be able to share my opinion about the texture, and this product does have a light feel and quickly absorbs. Unfortunately, that is all I can share because results take work and time, plus I’m always willing to give it to a beauty product but that also means I need a little more than 2 applications. 🙂

- Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea
Just when I thought I was peppermint and pumpkin out with the holidays, this shows me that a tea can make the difference. This tastes like true peppermint with it’s subtle and refreshing notes, that not only soothe but also calm me perfectly before bedtime. Being decaffeinated allows me to enjoy this selection of herbal tea anytime I want and still get a good snooze in.

I grow our own thyme but sometimes the cold snap we get decides I did not need that plant, so I always have thyme in dry form. I also like to add dry ingredients with fresh ones because the flavor profile does change and even sometimes is preferred over the fresh (i.e. oregano) kind. This jar arrived and I was happy to have more thyme and then looked at my thyme and even though it was not an aged bottle, my thyme was lacking that nice color, aroma and started to feel ashamed about how pretty the McCormick Gourmet one looked so I set it free and left this new bottle in it’s stead.

Not all can be winners and this was one again taught me all because it says cherry, it does not mean even 1% of a real cherry is in it. Not the juice, I would have even been happy with cherry skin at this point but these vines are fruit lacking and sugar is all they bring. I even chuckled when it came to vitamins and everything was 0%. I know it’s candy and even for some a snack, but let me sin with something at least partially real. I think the cherry needs an asterisk or maybe it should be called wanna-be cherry or sugar vines. It has no preservatives but then again there is nothing real to preserve!

Final Verdict-
Influenster always delivers an array of products that make me re-look at what I buy, own or even want. I brought economical beauty brands back into the mix and just like my clothes, my fashion looks now are like my beauty products……in all price ranges! I’m happier this way and that is really what matters. These Vox Boxes are always a hit even when I get some so-so products because trying is really the only way to know and share with others! Thank you again Influenster for another Vox Box experience!
- #FrostyVoxBox
- #GetAdvanced
- #Rimmel
- #SugarPlum
- #CelestialTea
- #LoveMyECOhairbrush
- #McCormickGourmet
- #SweetSide
I received the above product(s) free of charge from 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.
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31 Jan 2015
by linettefm
in Beauty, Fashion, Health and Beauty, Home, Product testing, Review, Styling, Tomoson Product Reviews, Uncategorized
Tags: #Curler5in1, 0.3"/0.75" (tapers down), 0.7"/1" (tapers down), 0.75"/0.75", 1"/1", 1.25"/1.25", 2015 Hair Products, 360 degree Swivel cord, 410 degrees maximum, 5 different ceramic barrels, 5-year Warranty, Amazon, Amazon Beauty Products, Amazon Codes, Amazon Hair Products, Amazon Promos, ASIN: B00RFY3C2C, beauty, Bouncy Curls, Ceramic Tourmaline Technology, Curlers, curling, Curling Irons, curls, curly hair, Gift Ideas, Great Gifts, hair, hair care, Hair Curlers, hair iron, Hair Irons, Hair looks, Hair rods, hair styles, Hair tools, haircare, home, Irons, Model #XA0041, Model No. XA0041, Professional 5-in-1 Curling Iron, Professional 5-in-1 Curling Iron – Hair Curler – Curlz (Black) by Xtava TM, shut-off safety function, SKU: B00RFY3C2C, Styling products, styling tools, Styling Units, Tight Curls, UPC: 616320999193, Valentine's Day Gift Ideas, Valentine's Day gifts, Waves, Wavy hair, Xtava, Xtava Hair, Xtava's 5-in-1 curling, Xtava: Professional 5-in-1 Curling Iron


With all the hair wands, curlers, rods, irons and so forth, I went from having my hair care items stored under the sink, then assigned a drawer to them, to later having a shelf in the closet dedicated to them. I’m about to move them into a box until Xtava’s 5-in-1 curling iron arrived!

Xtava was the answer to my needs and their 5-in-1 professional curling iron does it all and then some. The best part, everything attaches to a singular wand. Think of it like having a drill and you would not buy a drill to go with just one drill bit…..that would be silly even though that is exactly what I did with my styling tools.
Xtava’s 5-in-1 curling iron, Model #XA0041 Features:
- One wand
- 5 different ceramic barrels
- 1.25″/1.25″
- 1″/1″
- 0.7″/1″ (tapers down)
- 0.75″/0.75″
- 0.3″/0.75″ (tapers down)
- Ceramic Tourmaline Technology
- 360 degree Swivel cord, which is a comfortable 8 feet in length
- Shut-off safety function in case you get busy and forget
- Also a nice storage bag to keep everything again in one place and easy to grab

The 5 barrels vary in sizes from the larger one producing nice bouncy waves, to the one after giving you tighter curls. You then move on down to smaller circumferences, which allows you to add detail, volume, and nothings gets missed. You can style any length of hair and Xtava’s 5-in-1 curling iron can handle it all. This is perfect for me because I like to change how I wear my hair and that means my needs change by my hair-do. I was able to comfortably curl my hair quickly and safely, with ease and produce a style that I was absolutely delighted with. I don’t have to make excuses now on why I don’t have time and/or want to curl my hair, because Xtava’s 5-in-1 curling iron could handle my very long strands with care and what was best…..super quick and this was for a full hair down style. I was done in 10 minutes!

Retail Price Point: $39.99 via Xtava and also available on Amazon
The wands easily connect with a simple twist on and stay in place (locked) until you are finished. I found them easy to use and change while styling. The barrels of each attachment are smooth and flawless, so no hairs were pulled or yanked on while I used the product. The heat output is nice and has a maximum temperature of 410 degrees. The output seems to depend on the size of the attachment you use and the unit does not allow for heat temperature selection, so you go by “time curling” when styling. Once plugged in, you can begin styling in 2 minutes! Told you it was fast. Also, the unit comes with a 5-year warranty because Xtava stands by it’s products.
Instructions with promo card
Promo Card
Code included for up to 50% off
Final Verdict:
Probably one of my shortest verdict’s and to the point, I now have this one iron because it replaced and added more than what I had before. I just have a flat iron and my blow dryers, so back to the drawer where I can use them regularly they go! One very happy girl and this would make an perfect Valentine’s Day gift!
Connect with Xtava’s Great Styling Products at:
I received the above product(s) free of charge from Xtava. 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.

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