Garnier Miracle Skin Protector B.B. Cream Review

Garnier Miracle Skin Protector Oil-Free B.B. (Beauty Balm) Cream is the first combination of advanced skincare and mineral pigments to control, treat, and perfect oily skin all at once. Its mineral-enriched formula aims to instantly transform oily skin to deliver a flawless healthy matte finish. Just one tube can deliver what you would normally need from a handful of products. A single application delivers five instant results: controls shine, minimizes pores, evens skin tone, hydrates, and protects with SPF 20 sunscreen. 

Review:  I guess I am a little behind on up and coming beauty products because I had not heard of B.B. products until this opportunity. That being said, now I see them everywhere so you may be wondering how well they work.  I have combination skin and am prone to acne so I was a little worried about the product causing breakouts and a little skeptical that I could forego my morning moisturizer and use this product as both a cream and a foundation. I was very happy with the outcome.

The B.B.  cream is more watery than my current brand of moisturizer and foundation but it worked great. After using it consistently for the past couple of weeks, my skin looks and feels great. I had no problem with breakouts, in fact my skin is clearer than before I started! My skin glowed and had a nice even complexion with no signs of oil.  Now that I am spending more time outside, I am also thrilled that there is SPF protection because I have a really hard time with breakouts when I put sunscreen on my face. I was just getting ready to buy my old foundation but I am going to stick with Garnier Mirable Protector Oil-Free B.B. for now!

After using Garnier BB and before applying any other makeup



I was provided with the above mentioned product as a BzzAgent. All views expressed are my own.

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Good Cook Treasure Hunt is Here!!! Win Amazing Prizes PLUS Batter Bowl Giveaway (4 Winners)!

Update (4/17) -  The popularity of the Hunt has caused some slowing of the Good Cook site. If you experience site slowness or have trouble accessing a page, Good Cook recommends waiting 10-15 minutes before trying again.

What is the Good Cook Touch Treasure Hunt?

The Good Cook Touch Treasure Hunt is for Good Cook customers and select blog readers.  You will search goodcook.com to find random Touch icons that have been posted on select products.  You then visit select blogs to find more Touch icons. Participates who find the more or all of the 112 codes will be entered to win one of three Good Cook Touch grand prize gifts!!  The hunt starts today and ends 5/21! 

Find more codes!! Search for Good Cook Touch Codes on these participating products:

Item 20350 - Fruit Baller
Item 20329 - Trigger Ice Cream Scoop
Item 20309 - Cutting Board, Plastic
Item 20485 - Potholder, Glove with Silicone
Item 20365 - Peeler, Swivel
Item 20454 - Thermometer, Instant Read
Item 20451 - Stainless Steel Whisk
Item 20341 - Measuring Cup, 2 Cup
Item 20345 - Measuring Cups, 5 piece
Item  20441 - Nylon Flex Turner
Item 20430 - 2 Qt Batter Bowl
Item 20446 - Kitchen Shears
Item 20358 - Pizza Cutter
Item 20384 - Bottle Spatula 

Blogger List: You can find even more codes by checking out the other amazing blogs participating in the hunt. You can find more codes and enter to win more awesome prizes!

Save here: During the hunt, all Touch products are 30% off and you can get an extra 10% with the code HUNT.

Win it here!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received promotional items in exchange for participation in this event. All views expressed are my own.

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Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels Among Us Review and Giveaway (3 winners)!

After my father died unexpectedly I had a very difficult period of grief and ended up going to see a bereavement specialist. We had many talks about the after-life, the purpose of life, and dying in general. Then, during one session she asked if I believed in Angels. The truth is, I never really thought about it....and I never really gave it much thought again until I was given the opportunity to review Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels Among Us: 101 Inspirational Stories of Miracles, Faith, and Answered Prayers. This edition of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series focuses on people who have had real-life run-ins with angels. 

The stories are organized into the following angelic-themed chapters:
Miraculous Intervention
Divine Messengers
Answered Prayers
Angels in Disguise
Faith in Action
Angelic Visitors
Healing Touches
Love from Beyond
Angel Guides
Angel Protection

Review: I guess what was keeping me from really believing in angels was the classic vision of a cloaked celestial body with large white wings. In my mind, something like this probably does not exist. What I read in this book, however, made me a believer in a more subtler and believable form of angels.  The stories contained in the book were not only completely believable, but also very touching. I do not have a clear idea of what angels are. I do not know if they are divine creatures or lost loved ones looking out for us, but I feel pretty convinced that they are present in our lives when we need them. This is one of those books that instill hope and also bring a tear (okay, well many tears) to your eyes.  Angels Among Us is definitely one of my favorite Chicken Soup for Souls books to date and I have a feeling I will read some of the stories again when I need a little bit of inspiration or comfort.

Buy it here: Chicken Soup for the Soul books can be found at your local bookstores for $14.95 each. They are also available on Amazon at a discounted price. 

Win it here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. All views expressed are my own. 

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Way Better Snacks Review & Giveaway! (2 Winners)

I have been struggling with my weight since I was pregnant with my daughter. I have tried several different fad diets and ultimately decided that I was no longer going to concern myself with dieting - I needed to make a permanent change to my lifestyle. After watching a few motivational documentaries on nutrition, I made a commitment to myself to stop with the yo-yo dieting and weight loss/gain cycle and to start taking care of myself. The transition was slow, but I have found that I look better and feel better now that I am eating right. And, yes, weight loss did occur. Although my new eating habits involve a lot of fruits and veggies, I cannot deny myself snacks so I was really interested when I learned about Way Better Snacks.

Way Better Snacks offer you all the enjoyment of crunchy chips without the greasy, scientifically processed, and nutritionally void offerings of classic chips.  The chips are made with simple ingredients, perhaps ones you would never think could be so tasty. Broccoli seeds, organic daikon radish seeds, organic chia seeds, organic flax seeds, and organic quinoa are some of the healthy, all-natural ingredients included in these chips. The company uses sprouting which provides increased vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, digestibility, and nutrient absorption. Additionally, Way Better Snacks are:

• Certified Gluten-Free
• Non GMO Project verified
• Kosher
• Vegan
• An excellent source of whole grains
• Low sodium
• Good source of fiber
• Made in the USA

Review: I was given a great selection of Way Better Snacks to try! The Simply Sunny Multi-Grain chips was the first variety my family and I tested out. You might not guess that a chip with a mixture of ingredients such as this would be tasty, but it was really quite delicious. I thought  for sure I would get these all to myself but my kids and husband really loved these as well! They are low sodium, but there was just enough salt to have a real snack-food appeal without all the grease and unhealthy ingredients. I thought that most of the chips tasted pretty similar to each other to include the Simply Unbeatable Blues and the Simply Beyond Black Bean. I thought the Simply Sweet Potato had a unique taste and I could really taste the sweet potato - which you may find strange, but it was actually really delicious. My son and husband enjoyed the Simply So Sweet Chili which had a mild kick to it, but enough of a kick to dissuade me since I don't like anything spicy. Although I should be gravitating toward the No Salt Naked Blues I find it difficult to enjoy a chip without salt since a salt craving is typically why I turn to this type of snack. However, if you don't mind salt-less snacks, it is a yummy choice. I can say that after sampling these snacks, I would agree with their name. They are truly "way better" in so many ways and since my family enjoyed them I will be happy to replace our current unhealthy, greasy potato chips with Way Better Snacks!

Buy it here: You can use the company's store locator to find a retailer near you.

Win it here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway


I was provided with the above mentioned samples in order to facilitate this review. All views expressed are my own.

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Zicam Review and Giveaway!

I love spring, but I hate allergies! While I can't wait to wake up to the sound of birds chirping, it is much more realistic to plan on waking up feeling like my sinuses are going to explode.  There is a record-breaking allergy season predicted (boo!!) so if you are an allergy sufferer like me, plan ahead! If your main symptoms are nasal and/or sinus congestion, you may want to try Zicam. I was personally very grateful to have the opportunity to receive and review this product! 

Zicam Intense Sinus Relief provides fast relief for nasal congestion and sinus pressure along with cooling menthol and eucalyptus. The nasal applicator delivers the specially formulated No-Drip Liquid Nasal Gel to clear nasal passages quickly, shrink swollen membranes, and temporarily relieve sinus congestion and pressure. The gel  formula means it won't drip down the back of the throat (I hate when that happens)! It leaves the nasal passages feeling clear for up to 12 hours.  It is non-drowsy and antihistamine & steroid free.

Review:  My sinuses tend to bother me first thing in the morning and then later in the evening.  When you feel like your face is ready to blow up, you are probably willing to try just about anything.  I had used nasal sprays for colds before but never considered it for allergy use. The menthol sensation was a little bit of a shock to the system, but I was absolutely amazed at how quickly my sinus pressure was relieved with just one squirt in each nostril. It was truly instantaneous that the relief began.  It is designed to be a non-drip formula and while it did not drip down the back of my throat, it did run a bit out of my nose so I would recommend keeping some tissues handy. Not only did it relieve my pressure quickly, but the effect remained all night long! I am very happy with Zicam and wish I would have found it years ago! I recommended it to a coworker of mine and she was so appreciative. She had to leave work early one day because her sinus pressure was so intense but was back the next day thanks to Zicam.

Buy it here: You can find Zicam in mass market retailers, pharmacies, and grocery stores nationwide for an average retail price of $11. Check out the website for coupon savings!

Win it here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

*I was provided with the above mentioned sample in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

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FindCNACLasses.com

Sponsored Post

Have you been considering changing your career but feel like you are too old, don't know how to get started, or don't know where to look for educational opportunities? If you have ever considered a career in the medical field, then you may want to consider becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA). CNAs are in high demand in various settings to include hospitals, hospices, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and even in doctor's offices. 

Becoming a CNA is not as impossible as you may at first think. You can actually take online CNA classes to learn how to provide basic patient care to assist nurses and doctors in overall medical care.  Skills you would learn include taking vital signs, assessing the patient's condition, how to look for signs of a serious medical condition, laboratory sample collection, and more. In addition, you can expect to learn how to assist individuals with activities of daily living such as dressing, bathing, feeding, and transporting/transferring to and from wheelchairs.

If this career choice sounds appealing to you, you can learn more about the field and find out where to locate trainings to help you reach your career goals through FindCNAClasses. The website is very helpful and thorough.  The frequently asked questions sections addresses many of the aspects of the career and associated training. It is a great resource to help you make sure that this is the right career choice for you. You can also take a CNA practice test! The test can be a great study tool if you do take classes but is also a great way to see what skills you will need to learn in order to function as a CNA. If you are not sure about this occupation and want to know more, this is definitely a go-to site for you!

All views expressed are my own.

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Thrive Ice Cream Review

Do you get the recommended amount of nutrients every day? What if you could achieve complete balanced nutrition by eating ice cream? Yes, you read that right! New Thrive is premium ice cream packed with the nutrition you need, containing as much protein as an egg, as much calcium as a cup of milk and as much potassium as a banana. It's perfect for moms of picky eater kids, health-conscious consumers, dieters looking for a guilt-free indulgence, caregivers of difficult-to-feed elderly, and everyone in between.  Available in Homemade Vanilla, Milk Chocolate, Strawberry and Chocolate Fudge flavors, each cup of Thrive contains at least 9 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, 4 different strains of probiotics and 25% of the daily recommended amounts of 24 vitamins and minerals.

Review: My family was almost as excited as they were Christmas morning when the packages of Thrive ice cream arrived. I do not typically have a lot of sweets in the house so it was a real treat to the family and I was happy that there was some nutritional value! Each flavor was really delicious and packed with flavor. My husband and I liked the Milk Chocolate the most as it had a more subtle chocolate flavor than the Chocolate Fudge which was heavier on the chocolate flavor. The Homemade Vanilla had a very classic vanilla taste to it that could be enjoyed alone or with some additional treats or syrup. The Strawberry was quite fruity and delicious as well. 

I liked how they came in individual cups but since I am trying to lose some weight I would only allow myself 1/2 of a container at any given time. Since they are designed to be a meal replacement and nutritional supplement, they are higher on the calories but 1/2 was enough to satisfy my sweet tooth and it stayed at about 125 calories by using this method. They are a bit hard when the come right out of the freezer so we found that if you remove the lid and place the cup in the microwave for 7 seconds, it is perfect. Thrive is easily as tasty as other ice creams but with added nutritional benefits. These are definitely worth trying and would be perfect for anyone who needs supplemental meals.

Buy it here: You can purchase Thrive 2-packs for $1.99 from Thrive's website.

I was provided with the above mentioned samples. All views expressed are my own. 

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