Starting My Summer with Hawaiian Tropic® Silk Hydration™ Weightless Lotion Sunscreen

One of the items at the top of my summer necessity list is sunscreen. My skin burns easily and I rarely leave home without it on in the summer time. But wearing sunscreen generally means smelling like sunscreen, and that I do not like.

The Hawaiian Tropic® Silk Hydration™ Weightless Lotion Sunscreen is definitely a solution to the scent dilemma. This sunscreen smells amazing! One sniff and you can't help but think of the joys of tropical vacation. It also is really light weight and absobs well into my skin. It keeps me smelling great all day and so it combines the benefits of a sunscreen with the luxury of a scented lotion.

Next comes the question of whether or not 

Hawaiian Tropic® Silk Hydration™ Weightless Lotion Sunscreen works well as a sunscreen. I tried it several time for my daily outside activities, but my sister and I put it to the ultimate test this past weekend. 

We headed out on vacation to Yellowstone National Park, and added my Hawaiian Tropic® Silk Hydration™ Weightless Lotion Sunscreen to our day pack. We spent the entire day in the sun, seeing beautiful sights and other than reapplying our sunscreen at lunch time we didn't have to worry about getting burned. 

We looked great and smelled great while seeing some beautiful scenery.  The only drawback that we found is that it makes your face a bit shiny when applied to the face, so you almost need a separate sunscreen for your face. So as long as I wear a facial moisturizer with a good SPF, I can use Hawaiian Tropic® Silk Hydration™ Weightless Lotion Sunscreen for my daily sun protection.

**The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Product samples and program incentives were received as compensation for this product review. Product testing and review were performed in compliance with guidelines provided by Crowdtap and the Hawaiian Tropic® crowd**

Truvía® Nectar: A Lot of Sweet with Little Guilt

I have a sweet tooth. I love sweet foods, snacks, and deserts. I have been trying to lose some weight, but it's hard to fight against my cravings for something sweet. But now, thanks to the new Truvía® Nectar blend, I can satisfy my sweet tooth while cutting calories.

This new Truvía® product is a blend of honey and stevia lead extract that packs a huge sweet punch with only half the calories of sugar. It's so sweet that you don't have to use as much either. I tried Truvía® Nectar in a few different ways and all my results were yummy.

The first recipe that I tried was a yogurt parfait. I layered plain yogurt, granola, sliced strawberries, and Truvía® Nectar twice in my bowl and then dug in. It was AMAZING! The Truvía® Nectar offset the plainness of the yogurt and the sourness of the strawberries and helped keep my breakfast healthy.

Next I took a spin on a classic peanut butter and honey sandwich and replaced the honey with Truvía® Nectar. I made one sandwich for myself, and then I made some for my kids so they could try it too. My kids didn't even notice the difference. I got just a little bit of the stevia aftertaste when I licked off the knife (bad manners, I know, but it was sticky and sweet and I didn't want to let it go to waste) but I didn't notice it at all with the sandwich.

My final test of this product was the biggest hit of all. I simply drizzled a little bit of
Truvía® Nectar on a slice of buttered toast and added it to our family breakfast. The Nectar added the perfect amount of sweetness to the toast without overdoing it. My kids loved it too, and now they think that Truvía® Nectar should be part of our breakfast every day.

Now that I've discovered this delicious, low calorie sweetener, I am looking forward to repeats of these yummy meals and to trying it in other recipes as well. So thanks,
Truvía®, for helping me find a way to satisfy my craving for sweet things while keeping my calories low!


**The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Product samples and program incentives were received as compensation for this product review. Product testing and review were performed in compliance with guidelines provided by Crowdtap and Truvía®**

Finding Strength & Style with Garnier

Just like Jo, from the book Little Women, I have always felt that my hair is my one true beauty. It is long, it is thick, and it is unbelievably difficult to maintain. But the random comments that I get from both friends and strangers about how nice it looks and the satisfaction that I get when I'm having a good hair day keeps me motivated to keep my hair healthy and looking beautiful. To reach this goal, I am always looking to find just the right product that will help me keep my hair strong, smooth, healthy, and manageable while also keeping the sensitive skin of my scalp happy. It's hard to find a product that meets all these criteria, so when #Crowdtap and @GarnierUSA gave me an opportunity to try a couple of hair products to help strengthen my hair and a hairspray to help me tame my mane, I jumped at the chance.

Garnier claims that their Garnier Fructis Grow Strong fortifying shampoo and conditioner will make your hair healthier and 10X stronger than other shampoos and conditioners. I put this claim to the test and had mixed results. I really liked the shampoo. It seemed to do a satisfactory job cleaning my hair. The shampoo wasn't too heavy, it lathered well, and left my hair feeling clean after rinsing. I like how it made my hair feel, but it definitely needs a conditioner afterwards. I wasn't as impressed with the conditioner. It spread through my hair okay, but it rinsed out a little too clean, without leaving enough residue behind to help smooth and detangle my hair. Because of this, I had to add a leave-in conditioner to make my hair more manageable. Despite this, I haven't completely counted it out, because after using this combo twice, my hair does feel healthier. So, I would possibly consider purchasing a full-sized product to see what the effects of these products would be over time.

Having strong and healthy hair isn't always enough when it comes to styling your hair. Sometimes you need a little help to give your hair a special look, and getting the perfect hairstyle isn't always easy. It takes inspiration, coordination, and a way to keep it in place. That's where Garnier Fructis Sheer Set Ultra Strong Hold hairspray comes in. 

A nice little combination of two fishtail braids tied in a knot looks nice and simple, but getting it to stay in place can be a real pain in the neck. You can use a bunch of hairpins to get the look you want, but generally they wiggle out during the day and my hair is left looking wild and crazy.  I decided that this would be a great way to test my sample of Garnier Fructis Sheer Set Ultra Strong Hold hairspray. I styled my hair, sprayed it in place, and then went about my day. I noticed one thing immediately, my hair didn't look like it had been sprayed in place, and it didn't leave any sticky residue left behind. It ended up keeping my hair looking great all day long, and when I brushed it out before bed, it didn't feel like it had been sprayed. 

The next day, I tried another hairstyle. This time twists pulled back into a simple bun. I also got the rest of my hair damp and added some Garnier Fructis Sheer Set Ultra Strong Hold hairspray to see if it would help tame my crazy, wavy hair. I loved the result of this hairstyle and it helped keep my hair more manageable all day long.

The final test came on day three. I pulled my hair back into a pony tail, sprayed the top to reduce fly-aways, then braided my hair to keep it out the way. I liked this hair style just as much as the other two. By this time, I was definitely a fan of this new hairspray. I liked it's smell, it didn't leave a sticky residue behind, and I didn't have to wash my hair the next day before I could style it again. The Garnier Fructis Sheer Set Ultra Strong Hold hairspray has definitely become my go-to styling product.

**The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Product samples and program incentives were received as compensation for this product review. Product testing and review were performed in compliance with guidelines provided by Crowdtap and Garnier.**

AVEENO® ULTRA-CALMING® Skin Care: My Solution for Sensitive Skin

Having sensitive skin is no fun at all. You can't use everyday skincare products and you have to be careful what types of makeup you wear. After having three kids, and as I've gotten older, my skin's sensitivity has increased. This has made it hard for me to find products that will work for my skin that also fit into my average person budget. So, I teamed up with #Crowdtap and #Aveeno and gave two of the products from their ULTRA-CALMING® skin care line a try.

First I tried the AVEENO® ULTRA-CALMING® MAKEUP REMOVING WIPES. When I opened the package and removed a wipe, I noticed that the scent was nice, but not overbearing. As I cleaned my face, the wipe did an amazing job removing my makeup without drying out or irritating my skin. It didn't seem to leave any makeup residue behind, and I was impressed with how well makeup and dirt stuck to the wipe as I gently cleaned my face. Once I was done, my face felt clean, moist, and soothed, instead of irritated - like it usually does after using makeup removing products.

The next product that I tried was the AVEENO® ULTRA-CALMING® NOURISHING NIGHT CREAM. This night cream was exactly what I have been looking for. I had just finished sampling another night cream that had irritated my skin and clogged up my pores, so it wasn't hard for me to notice the benefits of this product. First of all, it has the same gentle, soothing smell that the makeup removing wipes have. When I put it on my face, it immediately soothed and freshened up my skin. It absorbed into my skin quickly, without feeling heavy. I then went to bed and waited to see what the results would be in the morning.

The next morning my skin was still happy with the AVEENO® ULTRA-CALMING® NOURISHING NIGHT CREAM. My skin felt amazing! It wasn't dry or irritated at all. I've been using this cream nightly for over a week now and my skin still loves it. My skin feels smoother, healthier, and looks less red and irritated all the time. I like being able to look in the mirror in the morning and be pleased with what I see. Thanks AVEENO® for making products for people like me!

**The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Product samples and program incentives were received as compensation for this product review. Product testing and review were performed in compliance with guidelines provided by Crowdtap and AVEENO®.**

Johnsonville Grillers: Family Friendly Grilling

I have three little kids. They don't like traditional hamburgers, and they aren't old enough to enjoy a nice grilled steak, so sometimes it seems like too much work to pull out the grill to prepare our dinner. But with the help of #Crowdtap and a sample opportunity from #Johnsonville, I may have found the solution for a simple, yet delicious, grilled meal for our little family of five.

It all started out with a package of Swiss Cheese & Mushroom Johnsonville Grillers. My husband and I wanted to try them for ourselves, and our oldest son wanted to try them too, but my girls decided they wanted their standard hot dogs. So we fired up the grill, grilled the flavored pork patties and a few hot dogs, sliced some watermelon, and got read for a yummy dinner. But before I took my first bite and tried a Johnsonville Griller for the first time, I wanted to add some artistry to make our simple meal of meat look more like a healthy and balanced meal.

I started with the freshly cooked patties, added a bun, a few toppings, condiments, and a slice of watermelon, and here was the delicious result:

My son wasn't quite up for all the additions, so here was my solution to his desire to just see how the patty tasted:

We were all impressed with the final result of our Swiss Cheese & Mushroom patties. They were perfectly seasoned and we didn't need to add any additional seasoning to them at all. Their texture was different than I anticipated, more like a bratwurst than a hamburger, but their flavor was unique and delicious. I liked my meal all dressed up in it's sandwich form and my son enjoyed just his patty in all it's simplicity. My husband, who is rather particular when it comes to his meat, was also impressed and told me that he would like to try them again. 

So, the next time we are itching to fire up the grill for just our little family, we will definitely consider  having Johnsonville Grillers on the menu.

**The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Product samples and program incentives were received as compensation for this product review. Product testing and review were performed in compliance with guidelines provided by Crowdtap and Johnsonville.**