Garnier ULTRA-LIFT TRANSFORMER

I'd posted last month about receiving some goodies from Target.This particular moisturizer I was prepared to use and review but I didn't expect it to WOW me. And yet, it did!

I have combination to oily skin, and a lot of anti-aging stuff is a little too moisturizing for me. This stuff is FABULOUS. The first time I tried it, I was doing a trans-Pacific (Is that even a thing? I've only ever heard of trans-Atlantic before..) flight and wanted some SPF during a layover/run through an airport. The sample they'd sent was teeny tiny and perfect for flying. So I tried it. It smelled nice, which is always a plus. It didn't feel greasy. And it was kind of a BB or CC cream in that it went from white to.. whatever color blended into my skin. It was oddly satisfying.

Since I returned to work I've been wearing this almost daily, when I can find it in the pile on my bathroom sink. I really like it. It gives.. not coverage, but just a hint of some color to even out my complexion. It's really nice. When I use the lazy girl way and "wash" my face with a wipe, there's a yellowish tint left behind from the moisturizer. I am half Asian so yellowish isn't weird to me.

The retail value is about $17 which is on the pricey side for drugstore moisturizers, but I'd spring for it in lieu of my normal splurges which can be upwards of $50. 10/10 would buy full-size!

Josie Maran Bear Naked Nail Wipes

Hey charming! I got a little goody from Sephora today. :)

Josie Maran Bear Naked Nail Wipes are a great find. For my job, I'm required to keep kind of boring fingernails. Definitely short, which is my preference to begin with. But they have to "complement" my skin tone, which is interpreted in way too many ways. The easy way is to just have them look natural and avoid all questions. I used to enjoy frequent trips to the nail salon to get a fresh coat of OPI GelColor in Bubble Bath, my all-time fave. But since I've been overseas it's become a little tricker and I'm having to learn to do my own nails. Luckily it's hard to tell how bad I suck using such natural shades. 

Still, it's fun to put on a coat of color for the weekend. It's usually hell on my nails and especially my cuticles to just use the regular acetone, so once I heard good things about this Josie Maran product, I was quick to put in an order.

The box says:

These portable 3-in-1 nail wipes remove nail polish, repair dry cuticles, and promote healthy nails--naturally. Acetone-free and grapefruit scented, Bear Naked Nail Wipes are infused with organic Argan Oil to moisturize cuticles and support nail growth.

Acetone-free? Sounds like hippie stuff that isn't going to remove nail polish. But it got my CND Vinylux Weekly Nail Polish off without a problem. The light scent is pleasant, and neither overpowering nor long-lasting. The wipes are tiny and thin which are troubling initially. But I got my fingernails and toenails taken care of with only one. They had an oily residue-no doubt the Argan oil mentioned on the box. I actually quite like them. Especially with winter on the horizon and my crazy handwashing habits, a little extra TLC where I can get it is welcome. I'm definitely excited to see if they do in fact give love to my nails in addition to removing polish. If so, I'm likely to take better care of my nails and keep a nice home manicure going instead of letting it go and go and go until I look like a homeless hooker below the wrists.

Fried Rice

I went for fried rice today. The very first restaurant I visited when I got to this duty station was a ramen place just off base. But I don't go there for ramen. In fact, I've never eaten ramen. I know, I know.. worst tourist ever. I get excited when I find American food.

Anyways, this place has THE BEST fried rice! Hngggg.

You walk in and there's a vending machine by the front door.

You put in your yen, pick out your food/drink, and out pops a ticket (or multiple if you got a few things) with your order. Then you have a seat and the staff comes to greet you, bring you water, and take your ticket. For my particular order, they ask what flavor. I think the fried rice comes in garlic, soy sauce, and curry flavors? I've had garlic-which is delicious but a little strong, and the soy sauce-which is my favorite.

It comes to the table in this cast iron thingamajig.

Omg my mouth is watering again looking at the photos. You take your spoon and mix the egg (which is raw at this point) and all the goodies.

Until it looks something like this...

And then you go to town with the chopsticks! YUM!

Just wanted to share some noms. One of the few things I'm not afraid to eat out in town.

And I have to say, I'm a picky eater but I have tried a lot. My mother is from an Asian country and I've experience my share of non-American foods. I just happen to know my palate is very simple and very white bread. Very American! Which makes this duty station less fun for me than someone with an exciting food life. But it is what you make it. And this rice makes it okay! :P

The Bella-Vita Zari Ii in Nude Patent

I am ever on the search for the perfect pair of shoes. My feet, unfortunately, do not cooperate. I always say I have HUUUUGE feet but the reality is that I have an oddly-shaped foot which creates a difficult fit. It's much easier for me to just go for the giant shoes instead of putting in the elbow grease to find a great-looking pair that comes in the right width. Yep, that's the key for me, kids. I need wide shoes. I own up to size 10 shoes because the ball of my foot doesn't fit into normal people widths. Also my feet are about a half size different from one another which is quite annoying.

Today I got these lovelies which have me pretty satisfied. They still give me a bit of the heel-slippage when I walk which makes me a tiny bit suspicious that my feet are even smaller than the 8.5 that I bought (8.5 WW to be exact. YIKES.) but I am going to try some heel inserts and see if that does the trick.

I like pretty much everything about these shoes though. Nude, which may just be my favorite color for shoes and.. well a lot of things. The flesh tone elongates the legs and looks fabulous in a dress or skirt or pants or anything. These are a little different with a black sole and thick-ish heel. The shape is just fabulous and I'm excited to take these puppies for a spin. Patent isn't my favorite because I think that a matte color is more versatile, but I think these will work nicely for my needs. I already have my eye on a Ralph Lauren LBD hanging on my garment rack to go with this pair.

PrettyFit-The Prepared Pack

PrettyFit provides active women with the best nutritional supplements, healthy snacks, workout gear and more through monthly packs chosen by top fitness professionals. Expert trainers include their best workouts, recipes, and tips to maximize the benefit of the products inside every pack.

I just got my first PrettyFit shipment, The Prepared Pack. I'd been on their website before and was excited about the possibility of a monthly kick in the butt to slip on my running shoes or hit the gym. 

When I created an account, however, I was a little disappointed to discover the address form didn't allow for an APO/FPO option. Damn this duty station! Cue my clenched fist. I emailed customer service and was pleasantly greeted with a solution: simply create the account with my Stateside address and then log in and change it before placing my order. Ta da! It worked! $50.00 later I was all set to receive The Prepared Pack, touted as "everything you need for the perfect workout."

Upon making my payment I immediately received a congratulatory email. Every time I send money to the internet I am celebrated by all people except maybe my husband. I'm quite the hero. Or the mad shopper. Anyways this was the 24th and the email said they'd ship my pack out towards the end of the month. Damn. I mean, here we are, within a week of next month and I'm already getting my first pack. Sweet!

So the first rolls around and I haven't received a shipment notification yet. Sad face. I shouldn't have been so excited! I reach out to customer service once again and I'm informed that since my order was right on the cusp of the change in shipping dates I'd be getting my pack later than expected. Boo. Hiss. I was displeased because first of all, I had my heart set on RIGHT NOW for the shipping and second of all, the next month's pack looks awesome and I don't want the Prepared Pack instead-that is soooo Ginelle circa last month. The rep, Alex*, apologized and gave me $5 off my next order, plus they (damn those gender-neutral names!) put in an additional order for me for the new month's pack so I'd be all set up with goodies. Phew! I had expected the additional $50 charge anyways so that was no big. And $5 off isn't much but it was a nice gesture. The final email between us was the fourth, where I'd been told that I would get automated emails with tracking information for both boxes in short order. Celebrate good times, c'mon!
The twelfth (I didn't realize how odd that word looked spelled out!) I receive my Prepared Pack. Sans notification! That's okay, I was just excited to get it. I checked on the website the next day and I saw that tracking information was available in a weird format. Weird to me, anyways. Instead of having a tracking number, it looks like the site just updates itself with new information from USPS. It seems to have the same exact info as the USPS site. It appears that this pack shipped out the day that I got the last email from Alex (the 4th) and got to me on the 12th. Only eight days for shipping; not too shabby here at my duty station in Never Never Land.


The contents of this box were not obvious upon first inspection. No company logos or special packaging common among subscription boxes. I cracked that baby open and was greeted with purple tissue paper (FOR GIRLS, DUH!) and a big 'ol shipment of goodies. You can see from the picture above what was included in the Prepared Pack.

The Uplift Pre-Workout by NLA for Her in Guava Passion ($34.99) is the big ticket item in this pack. Okay I love me some pre-workout. I love getting all pumped up and excited for happy hour at the bar. I also love taking pre-workout and cleaning house. I'm a sick individual. I've certainly never tried out a pre-workout that's marketed directly to women** but I guess that comes with the territory of ordering a fitness subscription called PrettyFit instead of a JackedPack. Which I also considered.

The Dual Shaker Cup by Hydra Cup ($11.99) is an interesting little guy. My shaker cup was hot pink instead of purple as shown on the site (the only difference between what I received and the site). I love the way it looks, and I'm excited to put it to use since I let my last shaker get moldy on accident and was too grossed out to try to clean it. Odd, how at one time I had a billion shakers and then I was down to zero, mixing my protein in a red Solo cup with a fork. The bigger they are the harder they fall.

Mine looks just like this except it says "STRONG is sexy."

The bottles of Fill Shake and Go by About Time ($3.49) were an intriguing new idea. Portable protein without the need for even my own moldy shaker. No need to wash one out afterwards and get moldy, either. Can you tell I'm sad that I got my last one moldy? All you need is some water or milk (I use water) and you're good to go. I think my preference would be servings of protein in a little foil pack but I was excited to try these. The vanilla was.. not my favorite. I've tried tons of protein and I'm aware they aren't supposed to taste like dessert. But this one was hard to swallow. I've always hated the way vanilla protein looks by itself, like watered down milk or something. I tend to mix my vanilla into smoothies with instant coffee or frozen fruit or something. But this one I just mixed up at work for a quick snack and it was meh. I wouldn't buy it. I also see on the About Time website that they have this product in Birthday Cake. Um, PrettyFit why didn't I get Birthday Cake flavor? WHYYY?

WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME, BIRTHDAY CAKE FLAVOR?

The Granola Clusters by About Time ($3.99) were delicious. I didn't know how I would feel about them but I really like them. My only gripe is that the pouch had two servings. It's a small, snack-sized pouch. I have a ridiculous personal outrage for food/drink being in what looks like one serving but actually being more than one. I have a secret fantasy that every food came already prepackaged in single servings. I know, I know, people who love the environment hate me. But you know what? I like to eat snacks. I like to eat everything. Sometimes a barrier is all I need to realize I've already had my share. Anyways besides the silly serving size thing, these were good. I'd totally buy them. Of course for $4 a pop, they're a little pricey. But a good source of protein so maybe it balances out.

The SK Energy Shots ($2.99) were  an interesting inclusion in this package. I like energy drinks, though I know they're awful for a myriad of reasons. The energy shot takes all the fun out of getting an ice cold heart-attack-in-a-can but they often have similar payoffs. This was no letdown. The Strawberry Lemonade flavor smelled good and was just a tad tart. It wasn't hard to swallow like some energy shots which taste like feet. I'm looking at you, Five Hour Energy. Near-instant caffeine burst and no crash later in the day. Thumbs up. More than once I've made the change of heart to go for a run or hit the squat rack after work because of the right dose of caffeine. I'd say 7/10 would buy.

The BCAA+G RELOAD™ Natural | Post-Workout Recovery Sample by MRM ($2.99) was a welcome sample for me. I'm new-ish to the BCAA game. I've used pills and a few different mixables but I've never heard of MRM before. I'm a little bummed I got two of the same flavor (watermelon) but I checked the company site and they only have two flavors to begin with.

The Protein Packed Trail Mix by GourmetNut ($2.99) was a product I was chomping at the bit to review! I love trail mix! Love love love trail mix! When I first joined the military and went to Boot Camp, one of the few bright spots in those few grueling months was that I somehow managed to get my grubby little recruit hands on trail mix on a few different occasions. Hnnggg.

The PrettyFit Drawstring Backpack ($7.99) Self explanatory. And a nice little baby to hold all my new goodies.

The PrettyFit Workout Log ($2.99) I do keep track of my lifts, my measurements, my run times, etc. This notebook isn't anything special as it's blank lined inside and not very many pages. But the emptiness is just waiting for my creative juices to flow and pen the perfect workout log. I can do it!

So the total retail value of this pack was about about $84. Not too bad. Not the highest value subscription box I've ever gotten, but definitely a useful one. I get a lot of boxes that I-quite frankly-don't need. Jewelry, accessories, panties, candles, lord knows what else.. random ass stuff that I can live without. But workout/fitness-related stuff is a good one for me. I 'd ordered a Bulu Box once upon a time and was kind of disappointed. There was a decent mix of samples but it felt like I was paying for stuff I should have gotten for free. Anyways I can't wait to see the next pack from PrettyFit. They've kept me hooked for at least one more. :)

*I just did some not-so-ninja creeping on LinkedIn and it seems possible that this Alex character is the Co-Founder/CEO at PrettyFit. Is it possible? Am I a crazy stalker? I was just trying to figure out if my rep was male or female but... who knows. I could be way off base, it's not like Alex is an obscure name or anything. I'm a weirdo.

**Come to think of it, I did get something for chicks last year from GNC. It was GenetixHD Iso Define in Berry Sorbet and it was fucking delicious. I think I primarily used it post-workout, though, and I was happy it had CLA as I used to take it in pill form. I wasn't even aware there were drinkable forms of it. Also it tasted awesome. Awesome awesome. I should get me some more of that...

REVIEW: Smashbox Full Exposure Travel Palette

I recently purchased the travel-size Smashbox Full Exposure palette. I was VERY excited to receive this. It had a decent price tag of $22 which I felt was fair for being a seemingly perfect portable neutrals palette. I expected to be able to build day and night looks however the mood strikes.

The first thing I notice when I open it is that it is TINY. I could carry it in a pocket if I wanted. (I wouldn't, but I COULD.) It's very slim which excites me because in a few days I'm taking a loooong international flight and packing as light as possible is always my focus.

At first glance, it seems pretty nice. From left to right you see warm to cool colors, sparkly shades on top and matte on the bottom.

I thought the matte shades were decent. Nothing special, they didn't have that buttery texture I expected from Smashbox. The shimmer shades, though... I do not like them. With the exception of the third from the left (light tan with gold/silver pearl), they are AWFUL. I can't even call them eyeshadows, they're like crappy glitter with ridiculous fallout. I tried them wet and dry, didn't matter. They suck. I'm not returning it because I really did need a portable little neutrals palette but if I could go back in time, I wouldn't buy it again.

Positives: mattes are okay, soooo portable, not too expensive

Negatives: not high quality powders, shimmer shades are crappy glitter and not pigmented, case flimsy

0/10 would buy again.

I will use it begrudgingly. I'm not likely to use most of the shimmer shades. What a waste! Also, if you were wondering, they're not the same size pans as in the full-size. They're smaller, which is okay with me, I wanted something tiny. But for the price tag and the quality, I expected SOMETHING better than what I got.

BOOOOO Smashbox! You can do better!

NINJA EDIT: Okay, I'm returning this. This is a travesty. I expect much higher quality from Smashbox. I will be returning it and possibly going for an Urban Decay or Too Faced neutrals palette to replace it. I say again, BOO SMASHBOX.

REVIEW: Shredz Fat Burner

So it's challenging to give an in-depth review on a product when I only received a packet with 2 pills, but I'm willing to share my experience nonetheless.

SHREDZ® Fat Burner is a gluten-free thermogenic with naturally found ingredients that helps deliver clean energy, intense mental focus, and get you ripped and lean.
Ingredients like Vitamin B5, Green Tea Extract and Cayenne Pepper Extract help raise the body’s internal temperature to burn fat at a constant rate and provide benefits like:

• Melt Fat

• Get Lean

• Clean Energy

• No Jitters

• Increased focus

EACH BOTTLE OF SHREDZ® FAT BURNER CONTAINS SIXTY (60) CAPSULES OF OUR PROPRIETARY FAT BURNING FORMULA DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO CREATE RESULTS.

I had intended to take it as a pre-workout at around 4:30 AM before I hit the gym and went to work. But I had a difficultly rallying myself enough to get out of bed on time and by the time I got out the door I had to work. So instead, I took it on my way out (thinking I was still going to have time to go to the gym), and then again about 6 hours later before I *did* get my workout in. I had the pill on an empty stomach both times and I liked it. I was alert and not at all hungry. As a pre-workout, I definitely felt hotter in my face when I was working out. I don't think I felt a push to do more or harder, but for just sitting around like I was before the gym, it felt alright. With a $60 price tag (for a month's worth if you take two per day) I doubt I'd purchase it. I do feel like it was an effective appetite suppressant but I've got enough willpower for that on my own.

Take that as you will. For me? I will not be purchasing the full-size of this product. But I would take more samples if they came my way, just for the teeny little boost.

Buy Shredz Fat Burner HERE.

REVIEW: Simple Being Slimming Smoothie

I'm always looking for ways to increase my protein intake. I am just terrible at getting it from my diet. Ideally I would nom on steaks and chicken and bacon every meal, but I just don't have the time to organize that. My job takes me to weird locations in the world where I don't always have access to the food I want. I'm lucky to see eggs a few times per week. The easiest thing to provide people? Carbs. So don't worry, I get plenty of calories from carbohydrates. Too damn many if you ask me. Or my waistline.

I recently got a sample of the Simple Being Slimming Smoothie in Vanilla Bean (it also comes in Chocolate Truffle) which came in a convenient little "portion pack." So this product sells for either $50 in a tub (28 servings) or $40 for a box of 12 portion packs. Obviously you get a better deal in the tub, but honestly I'm not completely opposed to the packs as it would be a very convenient way to carry it around if I wanted to pre-fill my shaker with water and just add it in when I'm ready.

I had intended to actually make a smoothie with this but due to the craziness of work I ended up taking it as breakfast after lifting this morning. It was pretty tasty as far as protein goes. It wasn't chalky, it mixed easily with cold water. It was gross-looking, kind of a milky weird ick. I would like to try it blended with frozen fruit or instant coffee and ice! I'm surprised at its nutrition, actually. 110 calories per serving, 26 g protein, 1 g carb, 0 g fat. Huh. Now I'm not looking for a low-fat protein in the least, but the low carb is nice. Plus the lack of fat makes it a lower calorie option so that's a win.

My go-to protein boasts 6 g less protein, 4.5 g more carbs, and 1.75 g more fat. And a heftier price tag. 10/10 would buy the tub and give it a shot. :)

RECOMMENDED!

Simple Being Slimming Smoothie Tub HERE

I got married

This is just a quick post to say: we did it! We got married and it was a beautiful moment with almost-tears, lots of smiles, and even some laughter thanks to our witnesses and their crazy kids. I am so happy we did the simple courthouse thing for now-we've got too much going on to organize a big ceremony, but all of our loved ones will be invited to a big blowout reception to party in our honor when things settle down.

In the meantime, I'm back overseas after what feels like days of airline travel. I miss my husband. And you know what? It doesn't feel even a little weird to call him that. TOTALLY NORMAL. :)

New HUM Vitamins Woo Hoo!! Plus a coupon code for $10 off your first box :)

So I've been working on a couple of bottles from Hum Nutrition and I've been very satisfied with the results.

Their boxes and website are just plain adorable.

My latest order is for the 28 Cleanse, which is a two-bottle set: one AM and one PM. 
From the site: 

Feeling out of sync? In need of a physical spring cleaning?
Flush out unwanted toxins and hit the reset button. 
We combined the Who’s Who of the botanical world to support your liver, bowel, kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system and skin in our Cleanse 28 formula. Cleanse 28 comprises a bespoke morning and evening formula. The A.M. formula contains extracts of artichoke, yellow dock red root, burdock, dandelion and more, while the P.M formula for the evening comprises flax, red raspberry, marshmallow, rhubarb, fennel, ginger and peppermint.

I mean, damn. You had me at marshmallow. But seriously, let's give this a try! Next time I place an order, I'm going back for the Red Carpet. My hair and nails and skin have been super happy since I took that!

Take two 30 minutes before breakfast.

Take two an hour AFTER dinner. 

Okay the suggested use for the pm version is a little weird. I hope i don't forget! 

Are you ready to try Hum for yourself? Head to their website HERE and enter code F5C86 to receive $10 off your first order! :) And don't say I never gave you a gift! ;P

Unboxing: My first BULU Box and FREE Download from YogaDownload.com :)

Look it, look it! Ain't it purdy?!
So the box is cute and it makes me happy. WAY TO MOTIVATE ME, CARDBOARD BOX!

So lets take a little looksie at my very first Bulu Box! Truth be told, I didn't have high hopes for this box based on the reviews I've seen. But since I'm in the market for a fitness subscription box, I thought I should try it before I knock it. Also it's pretty inexpensive compared to others I've been checking out. Alright, let's do this!

Here's our first peek underneath the orange tissue paper.

They let you pick three samples and then they pick 2-3 additional ones for you. My picks were the Simple Being Sleep Beans because.. they're called Sleepy Beans. That just sounds very appealing to an exhausted person like myself haha!

It says  to take 1 or 2 capsules before bedtime with water. We'll see how this goes. I see 1 mg of melatonin on the ingredients. I've taken that before because my little sister is OBSESSED with the stuff, but I felt like it gave me crazy vivid dreams. Not necessarily nightmares but the excitement while I was sleeping made me feel like I didn't get any rest. I'm still excited to try out these beans. If for no other reason than that they are called Sleepy Beans lol.

My next choice was another Simple Being product: Slimming Smoothie portion pack in Vanilla Bean.

26g protein/1g carb/0g fat. Fantastic. Honestly, I have been just AWFUL about getting protein into my diet even though I've been lifting weights. And I do like smoothies in my little bullet-style blender. This says to mix with 6-8 oz water, milk, or beverage high in carbs. It's vanilla so I may blend it with some frozen strawberries or instant coffee and ice. Can't wait to try it!

Next up: Shredz

Now honestly, how much can you tell about this type of product with a sample? Not much. But, I can probably tell if I feel some kind of extra energy or buzz from it, which it what I typically feel with fat burners. They tend to be stimulants which is how they burn fat or kill appetite. I'll give this a shot Friday before I lift. It says 1 capsule with breakfast and 1 in the afternoon or preworkout. Well I workout at 5am fasted so... maybe I can just take it two days in a row? Maybe one tomorrow morning and one Friday? I'll let you know!

Alright. Now for my extras. They give 2-3 and I got 3 woo hoo!

So the first thing I see is Dream Water

This excites me in the same way as the Sleepy Beans. What about it sounds bad? Drink me and have rest! A win! The bottle says to have a drink 30 minutes before bed to get some restful sleep. This also has melatonin although it doesn't say exactly how much on the bottle because it's listed as an ingredient in the "SleepStat" blend. So... we'll give it a shot soon. The thing about the sleep aids is I refuse to try them if I have to be up in less than 8 hours. So as soon as I get in bed soon enough, I'm trying them. Also, I've got a new app on my phone that tracks my sleep patterns and it may just collect some interesting data for us about these sleep aids :)

Next surprise is Raw Meal Vanilla Spiced Chai. It looks like a protein shake situation. I seem to have misplaced the picture. It looks like a square. Mix half a packet with 8 oz of water for 155 cal/2g fat/17g protein/16g carbs. Alright so it's decent in the protein department but also high in carbs, at least compared the the stuff I buy specifically for protein. Still, it's an interesting option. The packaging looks like the hippie stuff you find at natural food marts run by communes lol.

Finally, N.O.-XPLODE. This I know about, I learned about it when I used to work at a gym.

It's a pre-workout with lots of caffeine in it. SCORE! I would have been happy with a box of just this! That's not true, but I do like trying pre-workouts and I love caffeine because I HAVE AN ADDICTION, SIR! And it's watermelon. The last watermelon thing I had was SciVation Xtend. It was delicious. I'm excited to try this! WOOT!

Alrighty so.... overall. Meh. I mean I like most of what I got but not enough to pay for it. These seem like samples that SHOULD be free. Not deluxe size, not enough to try a few times to get a feel for them. And nothing particularly special or valuable. But I will be using everything in the box and I'm glad I gave it a try.

And since YOU gave this post a try, here's a little something for you!

YOGA DOWNLOAD
1 FREE DOWNLOAD with code Bulu1Free during checkout
Enjoy!

Garnier Clean+ Nourishing Cleansing Oil Review

So I just gave this stuff a try and.. I really like it. It works just like the much pricier Dermalogica Precleanse that I've been using for years. You apply it to your completely dry face and massage it into your skin to loosen up whatever is on there: makeup, oil, hydraulic fluid, oatmeal, whatever. I don't pretend to know your whole life story and what crazy things may end up on your face over the course of the day. Then you get some water on your hands and massage it into your now super oily skin to "emulsify" it which basically means to make a mixture out of the oil and water. Then you rinse and it easily rinses clean.

Before I tried the Precleanse I was pretty horrified at the idea of using oil to clean my face but I've had NOTHING but positive experiences. Shoutout to my esthetician! In my teen years I did everything I could to suck the oil out of my face and it didn't help all that much. But now I don't fight against it, I work WITH it and Bam! Instant awesome!

Using a cleansing oil dissolves the crap on my face so that it rinses cleanly away, removing the need for harsher products. I can just rinse, or if I'm in the mood to super clean (or I'm preparing to use an exfoliant or masque or both), I use the oil first and then my regular cleanser. SUPER clean, not super dried out.

I'm not quite sure the difference in quality between this drugstore oil and the spa quality one I've been using. But I'm going to spring for a bottle (I mean $7 vs. $40 why not?!) and I'll see if it has an effect in the long term.

So my quickie review:

It smells nice. It breaks down the junk on my face and waterproof mascara. It does leave a little cloudiness in my eyes, but I've removed my contacts beforehand each time I've used it just in case it did that. I haven't noticed that with Precleanse unless I open my eyes a bunch while I'm using it, but this stuff seemed to seep into my eyeballs. Didn't hurt or irritate at all, things were just blurry for a few moments. Overall, I give it my thumbs up and I can't wait to give this a long-term try!

P.S. The bottle says it's for dry skin. I'm telling you: I have combination-to-oily skin and cleansing oils work wonders! Don't be afraid!!!

Thanks Target and Garnier!

So I got a little surprise in the mail today. :)

Here's the packaging, letting me know that they sent me the Garnier Ultra Lift Transformer Anti-Age Skin Corrector with Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen.The full-size product retails for $16.99 according to the Garnier website. My sample is 0.34 oz (10 mL).

Now I'm trying to understand what this product actually is. I mean it's obvious it's a moisturizer with anti-aging properties. But the website states that application instantly corrects and brightens skintone which leads me to believe it's some kind of BB or CC cream. I'll let you know!

As you can see, my package also included a few other samples and coupons. I got:

-Garnier Fructis Marvelous Oil Deep Nourish 5-Action Hair Elixir, a hair oil treatment for dry, damaged hair, with custom-blended Cupuacu & Brazilnut oil, which nourishes and helps repair. Retails for about $6.
-Garnier Clean+ Nourishing Cleansing Oil. Now I've used cleansing oils a lot in the past, and I LOVE them. My favorite is Dermalogica Precleanse. The retail value of the full-size Garnier product is less than $10 versus the nearly $40 that Precleanse costs. So if I love it.. there's a great chance I'll be switching it up for some time to see how it works in the long term.
-Garnier 5-Second Blur Instant Smoother. This looks to be a primer product. Retails for around $17.

Reviews to come! :)

Subscription Box Nonsense!

It's no secret that I'm a fan of subscription boxes. Fitness, food, fashion.. you name it and I WANT it!

WANTABLE
I've tried all of the Wantable collections. They have Intimates, Makeup, and Accessories. (Coming soon they also have a Fitness collection but the set-up just doesn't appeal to me. You pay $20 up front and get 5 items based on your quiz. The $20 comes out of the price of items if you keep them. Keep 1 item-pay an additional $45, 2 items- $110, 3 items-$136, 4 items-$188, 5 items-$201. And the brands they listed were all brands I've never heard of, so not worth the money to me.) I have been very happy with the Intimates collections. The accessories have been just okay, but I'm incredibly hopeful because I've seen some great reviews. I think I just need to better tweak my customization quiz. And the makeup wasn't for me. If I'm going to get surprise products from lesser-known brands, I don't want to spend $40 a box. Now if they were sending MAC brushes, Urban Decay primers, Smashbox eyeshadows, Dior mascaras...okay then $40 a box is a great deal. But for stuff that looks like it came from a dollar store or someone's garage sale? No. No way.

JULEP MAVEN
I got one box from the Julep Maven subscription. I really disliked the nail colors I got. did love the Body Milk lotion I got, full size! I have seen some great products (not nail color) but I didn't care enough to stay subscribed in case I get them. I am very simple with my nails since I can't usually wear nail color at work anyways. And typically when I want my nails to look pretty I pay someone else to do them. So it's a popular box but not for me. Also Julep was a HEADACHE to unsubscribe from! They don't have a simple button to click online, you have to actually call and speak with someone.

LOVE WITH FOOD
I've gone through a couple of months with Love With Food. This is a cute box, and with a great cause behind it. I'm not in love with it and won't stay subscribed, but not because I don't like it. It's just not something I love so I'm funneling funds elsewhere.

COMING SOON
I have a couple of boxes en route and I'm excited to see them. Bulu Box is a fitness sample box. I don't have high hopes for this one based on reviews, but I like samples and fitness-related ones are right up my alley! And PopSugar Must Have... um, my expectations are SKY HIGH for this one. I am SO DAMN EXCITED for this box!

UP NEXT
My next subscription adventures will come from this list:
Elizabeth & Clarke
StrideBox
PrettyFit

I'm currently debating whether I want to keep trying with Wantable accessories. I'm just so blase about everything I've gotten. I want to LOVE the things I get like I do with the intimates, or like I see in other people's collections. I'm a little jelly :P

Spice Up Your Life: Love With Food September 2014 Unboxing And Coupon Codes!

Their box is just too cute. I <3 bows.

Shake it to the left! Move it to the right! The snacks in this box are about kicking it up a notch, trying new things and adding a little bit of spice to your life. 

Did they just use Spice Girls lyrics on me? Anyways as soon as I cracked open the adorable red box, I could have told you exactly what the theme of this box would be. I don't know if I'm just a big weenie and sensitive to non-bland foods, but the spices knocked me for an icky little loop. But I'm gonna give it a shot. Maybe. Ugh I wish Matt were here, he's much  more open minded about food!

The first look.

Left to right: 

• Hemp Rules Roasted Hemp Seeds by Ziggy Marley Organics
• 5 Spice Caramels by Shotwell Candy Co.
• Rich Chocolate Cookie Thins by Mandy's
• Maruso Ghost Soy Sauce by Maruso 
• Simply So Sweet Chili Tortilla Chips by Way Better Snacks
• Lemon Rosemary Seasoning by Fogg City Spice Co.
• Green Superfood by Amazing Grass
• Churro Kettle Corn by Love With Food

Now just looking at this snack haul, I can't tell you what spicy smell was turning me off so badly when I opened the package. Honestly none of them scream "Sweaty Indian Restaurant Curry" like I imagined when I was first knocked backwards, but something in there is strong enough that it gave me a reaction without opening the individual packages.

Anyways I know A TON of people like to live on the edge with their food, so I'm sure this is going to be a big hit for people who don't suck at life like me. If you are one of those people, see my coupon codes below for you!! :)

20% OFF Maruso Soy use code PSW38JM

15% OFF Caramel use code LOVEWITHFOOD

15% OFF Fusion Gourmet use code 15MCGG including FREE SHIP with purchase of 2+ items and 10% off for a Facebook like!

The bottom line for this box (for me) is that they feed a hungry American child when you purchase a box. 

Coffee-Lovers Protein Drink (and a discount code to try it out!)

I've been adding instant coffee to protein shakes for a couple of years (chocolate whey, sugar-free instant vanilla cappuccino, ice-it's my swole-frap haha). What a find this product is! It's like someone stalked me in my kitchen and stole my faux-Bullet recipes! Check out Click HERE. And be sure to see below for a discount code from Bulu!

10% off a an order of Click in Mocha, Vanilla or Caramel at BuluBox.com. Use Promo Code: CLICK10

FREE Vitamin Gummies with $50 Purchase!

Get Simple Being Daily Personal Vitamin Gummies FREE with any $50 purchase at BuluBox.com. Use Promo Code: 50GUMMIES