Final Thoughts on 2016

Hello all!
I decided that I was going to do one last blog post for 2016 and I finally decided that I was going to give my final thoughts on 2016 in general. This is going to include my own personal experiences of 2016 and what I think of 2016 in general. I also am going to include some goals that I want to achieve in 2017.

My personal experiences of 2016 have 3 major events that occurred. Two of them where amazing beyond belief and one almost spiraled me into a depression so let's start with the two happy events first.

First I finally opened up an Etsy shop where I began selling planner supplies. It's still a small Etsy shop but I have got big plans for it in 2017 so I'm really excited to see how much I can make it grow.

And even more amazing event that happened was that I became an aunt! My sister gave birth to a happy bouncing baby boy at the end of June and I am so in love with my little nephew! He's so cute and already has the entire family wrapped around his fingers.

The event that almost spiraled me into a depression took a toll on not only myself but my entire family. My father passed away on Nov. 14 and it hit us all very hard. He had been in ICU for almost an entire month due to liver failure from years of drinking alcohol to excess. For the last 2 months before he was administered into the hospital, he lived with me and I became his main caregiver along with my grandfather and uncle who has down-syndrome. It was hard, I'm not going to lie but it was worth it. Over the years, we've grown apart because he was a man of harsh actions and even harsher words. But in the end, we did make up and bury the hatchet. I was able to tell him that even though I will never forget anything he has said over the years but that I could forgive him. And in fact, I forgave him the moment he said those hurtful things and even forgave him for things he never said out loud; but spoke with this eyes.

Okay that's enough of that because emotions are still raw on that one.

Sadly this year has been horrible when it comes to not only deaths of close family but also of celebrities. I cannot believe that some of my favorite actors, musicians and authors are no long with us. And we seem to be losing more and more every day and I just want 2016 to be over with.

I am so excited for 2017 to come and I can't wait to see what I accomplish in the coming months. I have several goals that I want to achieve and if I'm honest some of the goals aren't just a want but a need. I'll list them below but keep in mind I change my mind like the wind changes direction. But I do want to keep these this year.

My Goals for 2017
1. Lose weight!
2. Expand my Etsy Shop
3. Finish writing at least one book, if not more.
4. Budget better
5. Grow my blogs
6. Spend more time with friends
7. Do things that I say I'm going to do and don't go back on my word.

And that really is all that I have in mind for goals next year. I'm pretty sure that I will add more to my list and that it will grow as the year progresses. But I really do want to achieve all of my goals this year. I just hope that I can cross off a few of these by the end of next year.

Thank you for reading my blog(s). I will list my other blogs below so feel free to check them out!

Until next time!

My Experience as a Caregiver
http://my-experience-as-a-caregiver.blogspot.com/

A Southern Girl's Weight-Loss Journey
http://southern-girl-weight-loss-journey.blogspot.com/

Daily Zenscape
http://dailyzenscape.blogspot.com/

Truvia Nectar Review

This is a liquid sweetener that is made from Stevia sweetener and blended with honey.

I love to use this in my green tea that I make nearly every other day. There is just something about mixing honey with green tea that just makes it extra special. It has the sweetness of Stevia and the added sweetness of the honey so no extra sweetener is needed. I have come to brew my green tea a bit more bitter than usual due to the sweetness that this liquid sweetener adds to my hot drink.

I do recommend this because everyone needs a little honey in their life. Not to mention with the weather getting colder and colder, honey is good for soothing sore throats which comes in handy.

There really isn't much else I can say about this product and once again I apologize for the recent being a little short. I am trying to get back to my old self but with the holidays coming up, it is hard to move past memories that seem so fresh and new. But please bear with me and hopefully with the new year coming in, I can make the reviews much longer and this blog better than ever!

Until Next Time!

Truvia Review

I tried this sweetener a while back but I just never got around to reviewing it for one reason or another. But now that I've recently used it, I was reminded that I had yet to review it.

This sweetener reminds me the most of sugar and for that it makes it easier to use than other sweeteners out there on the market today. It tastes so similar to sugar that I find myself having to double-check myself to make sure that I am actually used it instead of sugar. This makes the transition of removing myself from sugar entirely more easier because my body doesn't crave the familiar taste of sugar when I use this sweetener.

Now I have used other sweeteners alongside this one, in order to get a full comparison of this product and others. And in all honesty, no matter what sweeteners I try, I always find myself coming back to this one. The only one that comes close to taste is the Splenda Naturals, which I just reviewed. I feel that since is has more natural ingredients that out of all the other sweeteners out on the market that it might be the safest, healthier one to use. But for now I'll stick to Truvia every now and then because even though I use Truvia now instead of sugar, I still don't want to overdue it on any sweetener/sugar.

Well that's it for this short review, thank you for reading!

Until Next Time!

Tasty VoxBox Review - Kashi GOLEAN Dark Cocoa Power Plant-Powered Shake

Now I've had my share of powered shakes, especially in the mornings. I really like to have them in the mornings because I just feel like I get the most good out of them if I drink them in the mornings. Not sure how true that is but it motivates me to drink them so I'm not gonna complain at all.

I'm not one to drink cocoa flavored shakes in the mornings, I tend to lean more towards the fruit and veggie flavored ones. I just like the taste of them better in the mornings but I was willing to give this a try.

Now it does have a great taste and it mixes really well with almond milk. It didn't have any chalky residue which made me happy, because that is one thing that I just can't stand in a shake is the chalky residue that gets left behind; even after you mix it. However, I wouldn't have this everyday. For me, it's just too sweet to have everyday but some might like that. I would have this certain shake maybe once a week as a pick-me-up. Especially if I'm going to have a busy day, I feel that this would be the perfect pick-me-up shake to have.

All in all, it was a great shake mix but not one for me to have everyday. I do suggest that you try it yourself as everyone's taste is different so what might not work for me, might work for you.

Well that does it for this review. Keep a lookout for more reviews coming! Thanks for reading!

Until Next Time!

Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

Tasty VoxBox Review - SPLENDA Naturals Stevia Sweetner

Since I've been trying to get healthier lately, I've been turning to sugar alternatives for the few times that I just have to have sugar; such as in my coffee and those few times that I feel like I need in my tea.

I'm not really big on eating sugary drinks anymore like I used to be when I was younger. This especially goes for sweet tea since I live in South, it is a common drink in every household. But as I have gotten older, the need to drink sugary drinks has diminished over the years; which really isn't a bad thing at all. In fact, it is one thing that I'm happy about as I've aged. However, sometimes I do get a craving for a glass of sweet tea and instead of making a big picture; I'll make myself a small glass of it and use a sugar alternative.

So I was happy to get to try SPLENDA Naturals as a replacement for sugar. Now granted, it does have a slight off sugar taste as an aftertaste but it's not bad at all; so you get used to it pretty quickly. I would say it is a great substitute for sugar and since it is made up of natural ingredients, I feel that it is a nicer sugar alternative compared to others out there on the market.

Another short product review but there isn't much one can say about this product, except go out and try it for yourself to see if you like it. Because everyone has their own taste of things.

Until Next Time!

Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

Tasty Voxbox Review - Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce

Image Source: Google

Hello!

Today I'm going to be reviewing Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce that I received in my Tasty VoxBox from Influenster.

I was so happy to get this product in full size and I put it right to use! I am a firm believer that every household needs to have at least one bottle of hot sauce in it at all times and I am so glad that this is the bottle that I have.

I have tried many different hot sauces in the past but I have to say that this is my all time favorite. It has just the right amount of heat to it and it is not overpowering at all; which is great for my grandpa who pretty much hates things that were too hot and spicy.

You can also build up on the heat which is always a great thing since everyone has different taste for hot and spiciness in their food. I also love the fact that they advertise this hot sauce as something that can be used in anything! I look forward to putting that to the test as I cook with it overtime!

The most recent recipe that I used this in was my homemade beef stew.

My Homemade Beef Stew! 

I used just a little in the whole pot and then added it to my bowl since I like mine to be a little extra spicy. Since I already add cayenne pepper to it, I knew that the spiciness was going to be real! And I was right! But it was so good! I'm a true Southern girl and the spicier the better in my opinion!

This was one of the things that I thoroughly enjoyed in my Tasty Voxbox! I can't wait to use this hot sauce in more recipes!

Until Next Time!

Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

Ebates Review

Hello!

Today I'm going to be giving my review of a popular website, Ebates!

Now I've heard of Ebates before but I honestly never gave it any thought at all. Because I have always been told that if something sounds too good to be true, then it's probably not worth your time. So I overlooked this site and went on about my daily life.

However, my interest was peeked a few months ago when Influenster gave out a badge for it where all I had to do was to sign up for it. So I signed up for and after that I pretty much forgot about it. Sad to say that I didn't realize what I was missing out on. So once again I went a few months without acknowledging the website and it's emails.

But as Christmas began to grow closer and I knew I wasn't going out on Black Friday, I decided that perhaps I should look deeper into this website that promises me not only great deals but also promises to pay me back a certain amount of what I spend on my online shopping. So the more I looked into Ebates, the more I began to kick myself for not giving this website a chance earlier. It is literally so easy to do and it is so safe! I can't believe that I didn't give it a chance until now.

If you don't know what Ebates is, it is a website that you sign up for free and they give you a certain amount of Cash Back when you make any online purchase by going through their website. There is an easier way to explain that but I hope that it is understandable. If you want a much clearer explanation, check out the website and look around for yourself; to see if this site is right for you! Which I'm pretty sure it is for everyone!

For instance, right now on Amazon you can get 10% Cash Back when you purchase something from Amazon by going through Ebates so that they can record your purchase. No credit information is taken but you can apply your credit card number, if you wish to make in-store purchases. But if you're like me and you just hate the idea of shopping in a crowded store then online shopping is where you want to be. While I haven't been doing Ebates for a long time and I haven't acquired that much in Cash Back; I know that I will continue to do it and recommend it to others so that they may save as well!

I will link my referral link so that you can sign up for Ebates as well! When you sign up, you get to chose your own reward in the form of a gift card! And also when you recommend it to your friends and have them sign up for it, you get rewarded as well! If you refer 3 friends and they purchase something through Ebates then you can get $75 in Cash Back!

Referral Link: https://www.ebates.com/r/AKERAW3?eeid=28187

Until Next Time! 


Personal Note:
I know that my reviews have been lacking lately and I beg your patience. My father recently passed away, a week before Thanksgiving and it has been a difficult time adjusting to it for my family. While it was expected, we didn't expect him to pass on that soon and it hit all of us hard, especially my elderly grandfather. And I've been pretty much not myself for this entire year and I'm just now getting back to my old self so please be patient with me. The reviews will get better and longer, I promise. I just need some time to get back to my old self. Just wanted to leave a quick note!

Nature's Path - Flax Plus: Pumpkin Flax Granola Review

Hello!

Today I'm going to be reviewing a new granola that I recently tried and found absolutely delicious! Now I'm going to be straight up front, I don't really care for the taste of pumpkin at all. I don't know what it is about it that I don't like but it's just not a flavor that I turn to. But when I saw this product, I was curious because I had tried Nature's Path products before and I loved them; especially their granola. So today I'm going to be reviewing Nature's Path - Flax Plus: Pumpkin Flax Granola.

Image Source: Google

I randomly found this product while shopping for Thanksgiving and threw it into my cart. To which I completely forgot about it until I was searching through my pantry for some granola to snack on. At first I was a bit confused as to why I would get a product that was pumpkin flavor but I guess I wasn't really paying attention to it, no matter.

Now I can differ on how I eat my granola and it literally depends on the time of day that it is. If I eat it early in the morning, I have to have it with some kind of almond milk; no argument about it. However, when it comes to me eating it at night; I tend to eat it by itself as a little crunchy snack. And this is how I ate this granola and I was not disappointed.

Even though they have pumpkin in them, the taste isn't strong at all. I mean I can still taste it but it does not overpower my senses as a lot of other products that contain pumpkin have done in the past. I found myself enjoying  snacking on this that I have put it on my grocery list to get again and I don't say that about every product that I try. There is also a tiny hint of cinnamon that can be found which just makes this granola even better to me!

The granola was so flavorful and filling that I am going to make it an evening snack a few times a week. I just hope that this flavor remains past fall/winter. And yes, like many of Nature's Path products this granola is vegan and gluten-free but please be aware that it does have soy in it for those that have a soy allergy.

Well that's it for this review! Thanks for visiting my blog and if you have any suggestion(s) on what I should try next then please feel free to leave a comment!

Until Next Time!

Tasty Voxbox Product Review - French's Original Crispy Fried Onions

Image Source: Google

Just like Cranberry Sauce and Dressing, French's Crispy Fried Onions are a must have for any Thanksgiving feast. But they even go beyond that!

The most famous way to use these delicious crispy onions are on top of a Green Bean Casserole. Now for how I used mine, I decided to step out of the box when it came to using them this year and I tried something different. Instead of making a Green Bean Casserole this year, I used these in my dressing. It was really simple and it gave my dressing that little extra crunch that it needed. Because I don't know about you but sometimes I want a little bit more of a crunch when it comes to my dressing; I think it tends to be too gummy and moist, depending on who makes it. So I made my dressing as I usually do, on the stove first and then right before I placed it into the oven to brown; I took a couple of small handfuls of French's and crushed them a bit and sprinkled them all over my dressing.

I baked it for a little bit less than 10 minutes because it is cooked fully and I just wanted it to brown a little. And when I brought it out, it smelled so good and it tasted any better! That little extra crunch that French's gave it was perfect! It didn't overpower the dressing at all and worked very well with the other ingredients in the dressing itself.

Since this recipe experiment was a success, it makes me excited to try out more recipes with this product. Thanks Influenster and French's for giving me a chance to try out this product on my dressing!

Well that's it for this review because there really isn't much to say about this product because it really is so good and that I urge everyone who hasn't tried it to try it.

Until Next Time!

Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

TastyVoxbox Product Review - SMARTMADE by Smart Ones

Image Source: Google

In my Tasty Voxbox from Influenster, I received a coupon to get a free SMARTMADE by Smart Ones frozen meal.

Now I'm not a fan of frozen dinners, in fact I stay away from them as much as possible because I love making my food fresh and ready to eat. But when I saw all the different kinds that they had, I was willing to give it a try.

The frozen dinner that I chose was one of their Asian inspired meals which was Orange Sesame Chicken. This frozen meal consisted of breaded chicken tenderloins that are in a zesty sesame orange sauce and accompanied by vegetables and brown rice.

Now I'm going to be honest, when I first opened the box and looked at the contents I wasn't excited about trying it at all. The thing with me and frozen dinners, they just don't look eatable at all. They look like fake food, which some of them are but I'm not going to go into that right now. But I decided to give it the college try, so that I could give my honest opinion about it. After I cooked it, it smelled pretty good but I was still a bit apprehensive about it.

Now it is not something that I would eat everyday, not something that I would eat a few days out of the week to be honest but it was pretty good. I just prefer to cook meals myself but I can see how someone can easily eat these every day. Granted I'm not sure how healthy that would be but considering that they are from Smart Ones, I'm guessing that they are better for you when compared to other companies that make frozen meals.

The chicken was pretty good as were the vegetables and the rice. I wasn't a fan of the zesty sauce but it was alright. I didn't have to add any extra seasoning which was nice because last time I had a frozen dinner, I literally had to almost bath it in pepper just to get it to have some extra seasoning/flavor to it.

So all in all, it was pretty good. I don't think I would buy it again but that's because I'm just not  a fan of frozen dinners. But as far as this one goes it is one of the better ones that I have tried so SMARTMADE/Smart Ones knows that they are doing.

Well that's it for this review. Until Next Time!


Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

TastyVoxbox Product Review - Country Crock Buttery Spread

There really isn't much to be said about Country Crock Buttery Spread. It is something that everyone has tried at least once and more often than not, it is a brand that people will turn to and always have in their fridge.

For me, I have tried other buttery spreads but none of them compare to the taste of Country Crock. I'm not sure what is it but this is the only brand of buttery spread that doesn't taste plastic to me. So I do tend to steer towards this brand more than any others, especially around the holidays where I seem to be cooking meal after meal. So I definitely keep my fridge well stocked with this product.

And like I said there really isn't much that I can say about this product because in the end it all depends on what one is looking for in a buttery spread and how each individual likes the taste of a certain brand. I am also going to be including a recipe that Influenster shared with me in the Tasty Voxbox.

Make It Yours Cookie Recipe
Makes approx. 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients: 
- 1 Cup of Country Crock Buttery Spread
- 1 to 2 Cups of your choice of mix-ins (such as chocolate chips, sprinkles, nuts, dried fruit, etc.)
- 3/4 Cups Packed Brown Sugar
- 3/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tsp. Baking Powder
- 3/4 Tsp. Salt
- 1/4 Tsp. Baking Soda

Directions: 
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, Country Crock, egg, egg yolk and vanilla in large bowl until well mixed.
- Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda until blended (dough will be soft and creamy).
- Add Mix-Ins (such as chocolate chips, sprinkles, nuts, dried fruit, etc.)
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets 3 inches apart.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
- Cool 1 minute on wire rack; remove from baking sheets and cool completely.

Hope you enjoyed this short review and quick recipe! I can't wait to make this for the holidays!

Until Next Time!

Disclaimer: Influenster just sent me this product/coupon for review purposes only. My review is of my own words and is not influenced in any way at all.

What I Got in My Tasty Voxbox from Influenster

Hello!

Today I'm going to share with you what I received in my most recent Voxbox from Influenster. For those of you who don't know what Influenster is, it's a website that is free to join where you can get free products to review via a Voxbox. I've been a member for about 4 years and it keeps getting better and better. I have loved every single product that I received and reviewed. I cannot wait to see what they have coming for 2017.

But enough of that for right now, let's get into what was in my Tasty Voxbox. As always, I will be posting a review of each individual product as I try them out so keep a lookout!

As you can see from the above picture and also from the title, this Voxbox is for food lovers aka foodies! This box was wonderful to get because I happen to receive mine the day before Thanksgiving, the ultimate foodie holiday ever in my opinion; so this voxbox and it's products were well received. Now to get into what all I got in this delicious voxbox! As always I will include how much of the product I got, a brief description of the product and the full price of the product. I will also put each products media accounts for those that are interested.

SPLENDA Naturals Stevia Sweetener
Received: 2 Single Serve Packets w/ Coupon
Cost: $3.99/40 count & $6.99/80 count
A no-calorie natural sweetener that tastes great and helps you say goodbye to sugar. For more information on how the SPLENDA Brand does naturals, visit splenda.com/naturals
Instagram: @Splenda
Facebook: Splenda Facebook
Twitter: @Splenda

Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
Received: Full size/12 oz
Price: $3.49
Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce is made with a premium blend of aged cayenne peppers that add a kick of heat and a whole lot of flavor to your favorite foods. The great taste of Frank's RedHot made it the secret ingredient in the original Buffalo wings created in Buffalo, NY in 1964.
Instagram: @FranksRedHot
Facebook: Frank's RedHot Facebook
Twitter: @FranksRedHot

SMARTMADE
Received: 1 Coupon for 1 Free Product
Price: $3.49 - $3.99
Introducing SMARTMADE by Smart Ones, a new premium range of thirteen delicious meals inspired by you. SMARTMADE meals are made like you make them, using techniques like grilled, roasting and smart swaps, such as white bean puree for cream or couscous for white pasta - just like you do at home.
Instagram: @SmartMadeMeals
Facebook: SMARTMADE

Country Crock Buttery Spread Coupon
Received: 1 Coupon for a free Country Crock Buttery Spread
Price: $1.99 - $3.12
Country Crock buttery spread adds country fresh taste to family recipes and is made with real, simple ingredients like delicious oils, purified water and a pinch of salt.
Instagram: @CountryCrock
Facebook: Country Crock Facebook
Twitter: @CountryCrock

French's Original Crispy Fried Onions
Received: One full size
Price: $3.49
Get the most out of your holiday season this year by eating good and giving back. This holiday season, your purchase of French's Original Crispy Fried Onions will provide 1 million family meals through Feeding America. Whether you're making a traditional Green Bean Casserole or a better version of mashed potatoes with our Crunchy Onion Bacon Potatoes, French's Fried Onions has the solution for you.
Facebook: French's Onions Facebook
Twitter: @Frenchs

Yogi Tea
Received: 2 single use bags (Cinnamon Berry Probiotic Balance & Green Tea Kombucha)
Price: $4.49/16 count
The Yogi collection includes 60 varieties of herbal, green & black teas rich in delicious flavor and healthful purpose.
Instagram: @YogiTea
Facebook: Yogi Tea Facebook
Twitter: @YogiProducts 

Kashi GOLEAN Dark Cocoa Power Plant-Powered Shake
Received: One Shake Packet Mix
Price: $29.99
Fuel an active lifestyle with Kashi's GOLEAN Dark Cocoa Power Plant-Powered Shake that's vegan, gluten-free, Non-GMO verified, and has 21g of plant protein. This isn't just any chocolate shake; it's carefully crafted with high quality Fair Trade dark cocoa to fulfill your deepest chocolate desire while adding whole food nutrition to your favorite smoothie recipe. With a clean, simple ingredient list plus added benefits like probiotics, sprouted legumes and other superfoods this plant powered shake helps support your active life.
Instagram: @Kashi
Facebook: Kashi Facebook
Twitter: @KashiFoods

Well that's all that I got in my Tasty Voxbox! Make sure you keep a lookout for product reviews coming soon! If you are interested in joining Influenster then please feel free to comment below and I can send you an invite via email. I have a few invitations left that I can share!

Until Next Time!

Suave Essentials Body Wash Review

Today's product that I am going to review is the Suave Essentials Body Wash in the scent Ocean Breeze.

Now I have used these produces for years and I will continue to use them because I do like these products. Not only are these products very affordable (around $1.25 @ my local store) but they do compare to other body washes that tend to be a bit more costly.

Now this body wash does take a bit more than other body washes would normally take but it could be because I like a big lather whenever I use it. But even then, one bottle will last me a pretty good bit; about 2 weeks or so. It really does depend because I do switch body washes because I tend to get tired of the same scent day after day. This scent that I recently tried, Ocean Breeze, is said to be comparable to the Bath and Body Works Body Wash in Juniper Breeze. This however, I don't think is fully true. While it does remind me of this scent, the scent from Bath and Body Works has a more stronger scent; and lingers on the skin more than this Suave one.

That's one thing that I don't like about this "cheaper" body wash and I use the word cheaper not in a bad way at all. But I do wish that scent lingered on the skin a bit longer than it does though but for the price that you pay for it, you do get a really great body wash. Especially when I can find it at Dollar Tree so I can save a bit more money on it.

Highly recommend body wash! Definitely one of my favorite body washes and as I stated it really is super affordable!

Until Next Time! 

Splenda Naturals Review

Today I'm going to be reviewing Splenda Naturals, which is pretty new from Splenda or at least I think so; I'm really not sure. After my review, I will be listing some information about this natural sweetener for those that want to know more about it.

Now over the past year, I have pretty much tried to cut back on all sugar which includes Sweet Tea and sugar in my coffee. So after cutting back I tried doing a few sugar substitutes but none of them had the same affect or taste that sugar seemed to have.

Recently I was giving the opportunity to try out this sweetener thanks to Crowdtap and I was beyond excited to try a new sweetener.

The first thing that stood out was that not only did it not have any calories but it was also naturally sweetened and made with Stevia extract. Another thing that I noticed was how it tasted. It doesn't take artifical at all! It takes like sugar only a little less sweet which I admit is actually nice and pleasant. I have tried it in my coffee several times and I find that I enjoy it's taste more than I do regular sugar which is great! I haven't tried it in anything else but I can't wait to.

Well that's all I can say about this product. Now I'm going to include some information about this sweetener.

Conversion Chart
Sugar    Splenda Naturals
2 Tsp    1 Packet
1/4 Cup      6 Packets
1/3 Cup      8 Packets
1 Cup    24 Packets

Nutrition Facts
Calories    0
Total Fat     0g/0%
Sodium    0mg/0%
Total Carbohydrate    2g/1%
Erythritol    2g/
Protein    0g

Until Next Time!

Dickinson's Enhanced Witch Hazel - Hydrating Toner Review

I was really excited to try out this product because I never have tried anything with Witch Hazel in it; so I didn't know what to expect at all when it came to this product. But since it is a hydrating toner and that is what I have been needing then I was more than willing to try it out.

First off, when it comes to the smell I really am not a fan of it at all. I can't really describe it fully but to me it smells like a sour flower, if that makes sense. It has a really unique scent that is for sure but while it is kinda strong, it does fade after you put the product on the cotton-pad.

The product itself is watery but it's not too watery so I don't have a problem with it. I don't know if this is me personally but whenever I first applied it, I felt as if it irritated my skin just a little. But it was just a slight stinging, almost nonexistent and it went as quickly as it seemed to start which was nice.

After trying out this product for the first time, I could already feel the toner affecting my skin. I could feel my skin becoming a bit more tighter, which was an odd feelign but not an unwelcoming one. It just took me a few times trying this product in order for me to get used to the feeling.

My biggest worry with trying out this product was that my skin is very sensitive and even though this product is for sensitive skin; sometimes it doesn't matter to my skin because it will become irritated and turn red in certain areas. This especially affects the skin on my cheeks, my nose and above my eyebrows. However it seems that my worries were misplaced as my skin didn't seem to react at all to this product which made me very happy.

It is recommended that one uses this product every morning and every night but for me I only use it in the morning for now. However I may start uses it for both morning and night. But for right now, I think using it in the mornings is the best for me.

If you haven't tried this product then I do recommend in trying it because it really is a nice product.

Until Next Time!

Curel Hydratherapy Wet Skin Moisturizer Review

Now I was expecting the same result that I got with the Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer but Curel just didn't do it for me. Not that the results weren't good, they were but I just preferred the Jergens Wet Skin to the Curel one.

I just felt like it left residue on my skin and it kinda broke me out in random spots on my arms and legs. I feel that Curel would be good on older, tougher skin so I passed it along to my mom and she loved it. It worked so well with her and she sings it's praises. So I was happy that it worked for her and didn't give her a bad reaction to it.

This doesn't mean that Curel is a bad brand, not at all! It just means that everyone is different and their skin need different types of care. Where it broke me out, it healed her skin and gave it much needed moisture.

So this review is going to be pretty short, but please keep in mind that you can try out this product for yourself to see if it works for you; it just wasn't right for me at all which saddens me cause I was so happy to try it.

Until Next Time!

Jergen's Wet Skin Moisturizer Review

I was able to try out this product free thanks to Crowdtap. I have never tried any product like this before so I was really excited to try it. And I am so glad that I was given the opportunity to try it.

If you don't know what this product is, it is a lotion that you put on right in the shower without drying off! You put a dime worth on each arm and a quarter worth on each leg. I usually end up putting some on my stomach and back but it's only a little, I'd say a bit less than a dime worth. And let me say, INSTANT RESULTS! My skin has never felt softer! Like I have never had a product that worked this quickly before. I have always had rough skin on my elbows and no matter what products I use, it simply wouldn't go away. But I kid you not, after only using this product ONCE; I immediately noticed a difference.

It does feel odd when you first apply this moisturizer. The best way I can explain it is that as soon as it comes into contact with your skin, it literally becomes a water-like substance. It is seriously really cool. Another thing that I like about this product is the scent. It smells like coconut and while I'm not a big fan of coconut, it is a very subtle scent of coconut; so I'm not bothered by it at all. Also the scent just clings to your skin, like for hours and hours after you apply. Oh also, when you dry off don't rub, just pat the areas dry that you have applied this moisturizer. That way it absorbs into your body easier and you don't wipe it off.

I've been using this for about a month and I have really noticed a difference in my skin. In the smoothness of it, even the scent of the moisturizer has seemed to become one with my skin because I randomly will get a whiff of coconut throughout the day; which is awesome because everyone likes to smell good. The bottle is pretty big so I know it will last me for a few more months and when it runs out, I'll just run out and buy some more!

Definitely one of my favorite products of 2016. Which speaking of that, I plan on doing a My 2016 Favorite Products blog post near the end of December so keep an eye out for that; because some of the products that are going to be on it will be products that I haven't reviewed yet! :-)

Until Next Time!

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Intensely Smooth Leave-In Conditioning Cream Review

If you have thick, curly hair that is known to be very frizzy, even after straightening then if you're not familiar with this product; then I highly recommend it!

My hair is not only thick, curly but it's super long and it really does have a mind of it's own. Even when I straighten it, it still becomes frizzy and out of control in just a few hours. I hate that! And I know that I'm not the only one that hates it. It can be so annoying, especially in humid weather; which is very common where I live. I'm so glad that I was given this product as a gift and I was able to try it out. I couldn't believe that I have finally found something that actually works to not only tame my frizz but didn't leave my hair looking greasy and feel weighed down.

Now I don't put it all over my hair because it's really only the last 2 inches of my hair are my main issues with becoming frizzy and unmanageable. So I put maybe a little less than a nickel size worth and it keeps my ends from frizzing all day! I still couldn't believe it even after seeing the result on my own and I have never been so happy to have this product in my hair product collections.

One thing that I have noticed since using this product is that even when I don't use it for a few days after washing my hair, my ends aren't as frizzy as they usually get before I tried out this product. I can't help but wonder if even after washing my hair that it is still helping my hair stay sleek and manageable. Either way, I'm not going to question the results because I don't want them to go away.

I do highly recommend this product along with the other products in the Sleek and Shine line from Garnier Fructis. And once again apologizes for the short review but longer ones are coming soon! Thank you for being patient.

Until Next Time!

Garnier SkinActive Brightening & Smoothing Daily Moisturizer Review

Once again I find myself reviewing a product that has a pretty long name and once again I find myself not minding in the least. When I first tried this product, I admit that I was not a fan of it at all; I felt that instead of being moisturizing that it felt greasy on my skin. I didn't like the way it felt on my skin at all so I didn't use it for a good week. But I decided to try and give it another go since I had already spent the money on it and I wasn't about to let that money go to waste.

So I tried it again and for some reason the second time I used it, I loved it! I don't know if my skin was just having an off day when I first tried or something else. But like I said, after I tried it for the second time I was hooked on this product. It went on smoothly, it didn't feel greasy on my skin at all and it worked miracles for the dry skin that seems to plague me; especially on the sides of my nose, the sides of my cheek and in my eyebrows. I was surprised that this product helped that dry skin so much in all honesty because I have tried several other products before but none seem to have had the result that SkinActive seemed to have. Granted it took about a week of daily use but I immediately noticed the difference. The redness that I was plagued with as well as the dry skin was pretty much gone. So I find myself using this moisturizer daily and becoming more and more hooked on it after every day.

I really shouldn't have doubted this product because Garnier has to be one of my favorite companies that product several of my all-time favorite products that I use consistently in my daily routines, etc. I do highly recommend all of their products and I urge everyone to go out and try this product for themselves to see if they like it.

Again I apologize for the short review but there are personal matters that I have to have most of my attention if not all of it on at the moment. I thank you for understanding and bid your patience a bit longer.

Until Next Time!

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen Review

Today I am going to be reviewing the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen, that is a mouthful but the product is well worth the long name for sure.

Now usually I absolutely hate the smell of sunscreen, can't stand it so I sometimes find myself not happy at all whenever I have to apply it. But with this however, I find myself actually looking forward to putting it on because it just smells so much like coconut and just what you would expect a beach to smell like on a hot summer day. It's also not greasy as compared to other sunscreens that I have tried and a little does indeed go pretty far. The fact that it's weightless, not greasy, has a pleasant scent to it and is SPF 30 makes this sunscreen my all-time favorite one to use.

And just because it's not summer, doesn't mean that you shouldn't be using sunscreen. I know where I live, the sun has been out so much these past two weeks that I've been making sure that I always have my sunscreen on. Granted I do this daily anyway, no matter what the season because I love my skin and I want to keep it healthy and to protect it.

I do suggest that you always wear sunscreen though, cause you can never be too careful and this is one that I highly recommend because when you put it on; it really just feels like you are putting on lotion. And who doesn't like putting on lotion?

Well there's not much else to say about this product and I do apologize for it being so short but as of right now my family is going through some personal things and I find myself stretched for time to do the things that I really enjoy doing. So the next few reviews might be short but please bear with me and hopefully the personal things will work themselves out one way or another.

Until Next Time!