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.**

Garnier SkinActive Miracle Anti-Fatigue Products: Waking Up this Desert Girl's Skin

I grew up in the desert, and was used to the dry summer and winter air. But that was when I was young and my skin didn't know what it was missing. In my 20's I moved to the Midwest and lived there for seven years. My skin loved the humidity and it got used to having a lot more moisture in the air. Then I not only moved back to the high mountain desert climate of Utah, but I turned 30, had my third child, and my hormones decided that all of a sudden my skin was going to start looking its age. That's fine, my skin had been nice to me for quite a while, but now when I look in the mirror I feel like I've aged about five years in last two. I just don't want it to keep aging at this pace or else I'll look fifty before I'm forty. 

So, as I've become more aware of how my skin looks, I've also teamed up several times with #Crowdtap and #Garnier to try some of their skin care products. This time I got to try three products from their Garnier SkinActive Miracle Anti-Fatigue line. I used all three of these products in concert to see if they would help hydrate, nourish, and energize the skin on my face. The Wake-Up Hydra-Gel Moisturizer was my favorite product.

I like how it is a light gel instead of a heavy cream. I applied it to my face first thing in the morning, right after I washed my face. It spread on smoothly, absorbed quickly, and was light enough that I could still wear a sunscreen over it, my face didn't get too oily during the day, and it didn't clog my pores - in my 30's and still worrying about acne :( . It wore well under make-up, and I feel that it met my expectations as a hydrating gel.

The Sleeping Cream, however, was a disappointment. It was too heavy, clogged my pores, and left my face feeling greasy when I woke up in the morning. It also had a fragrance that I didn't really care for. On the other hand, it did a really good job hydrating my skin and helped keep it feeling good all day long. So, yes, the product worked, but I personally just don't care for it.

The third product, the Eye Gel-Cream, is somewhere in the middle. It has smoothed and moisturized the skin under my eyes, but I'm not sure it has worked as well as I would have liked. I still wake up with my eyes a bit puffy and I haven't yet seen any difference in the shadows under my eyes. Overall though the three products, working together, have made a difference in the texture and feel of my skin.

It is hard to tell from these photos, but after nearly two weeks my skin is much softer and smoother. It stays hydrated all day long, and washing my face doesn't dry out my skin as much as it did before. I probably won't use the night cream again after my sample is used up, but I am seriously considering purchasing the morning gel to supplement my skin care routine.

Using what I've learned from these products, and by incorporating those techniques along with products that compliment my skin type, I am determined to keep nourishing and hydrating my skin both day and night. I assume that over time this routine will help maintain the elasticity of my skin. It should hopefully slow the rate at which my skin is aging and help my skin look and feel younger for many years to come.


**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.**

Boost Your Oral Care Routine with ARM & HAMMER™

If you're anything like me, you're always looking for ways to avoid going to the dentist, or at least get as little work done when you do go. Who likes the sound of dental equipment or how it feels in your mouth? My most recent sampling from #Crowdtap ought to help me out with this problem and help reduce the amount of work that I'll need done at my next dental appointment.

My sampling included two ARM & HAMMER™ products: their Truly Radiant™ toothpaste and their 

Spinbrush™ Truly Radiant™ Clean & Fresh Battery-Powered Toothbrush. I received a Spinbrush™ toothbrush and a full-sized toothpaste for myself, and a two travel-sized toothpastes to share with a couple of friends. 

The ARM & HAMMER™ Spinbrush™ Truly Radiant™ Clean & Fresh Battery-Powered Toothbrush is amazing. I've used battery-powered toothbrushes once or twice in the past, but none of them worked as well as this one does. I like how the spinning head polishes my teeth and seems to help clean right down to my gum line. The other part of the brush head moves as well and does a really good job getting in-between my teeth - better than any other toothbrush I've ever used, both electric and manual. In addition to how well this brush cleans my teeth, I like how the toothbrush head can be replaced after it's been worn out and I can replace the batteries when they run down too. After just two weeks of using this toothbrush, I feel like my teeth are the cleanest they've been since my last visit to the dentist.

I have used baking soda as an additive to my toothpaste off and on for years. It seems to do a better job than toothpaste alone to get my teeth feeling nice and clean. The ARM & HAMMER™ Truly Radiant™ Toothpaste combines both the cleaning power of baking soda and the protection of a toothpaste into one product. I like how it leaves my teeth feeling clean for hours, not just for the few minutes after I brush my teeth. It also has a mild, minty taste that leaves a nice fresh aftertaste and helps me feel like my teeth are nice and clean. 

Using the ARM & HAMMER™ Truly Radiant™ Toothpaste in combination with the ARM & HAMMER™ Spinbrush™ Truly Radiant™ Clean & Fresh Battery-Powered Toothbrush has helped my teeth feel clean, fresh, and radiant. These products are going to become a permanent part of my oral health routine. Thanks ARM & HAMMER™ for helping me keep my teeth healthy and clean!

**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 ARM & HAMMER™.**

Rubbermaid® FreshWorks™ Produce Savers Truly Saved My Produce

I am notorious for having produce go bad in my refrigerator. I buy it with every intent to eat it before it goes bad, but more often than not I end up throwing out as much, if not more, than my family manages to consume. I'm hoping that now that I've discovered Rubbermaid® FreshWorks™ Produce Saver containers all that will change.

I received a medium sized Rubbermaid® FreshWorks™ Produce Saver container from #Crowdtap and immediately put it to use. I pulled some blackberries out of the refrigerator and transferred them from their store packaging, where they had started to wilt and dry out, and put them in my new FreshWorks™ container. Once there, I was able to eat a few of them each day and they didn't go bad any faster than before, and maybe even aged slower than normal.

The next thing I needed to do was compare the same type of produce in both the store packaging and in the Rubbermaid® FreshWorks™ Produce Saver container so I could be sure that it really was prolonging the life of my produce. I chose mushrooms, because we eat a lot of them and it would be nice if I could keep more on hand. I purchased two packages, kept one of them in the store packaging and put the other one into the Rubbermaid® FreshWorks™ Produce Saver container, then let them sit in my refrigerator for a week to see what would happen. At the end of a week there wasn't a large visual difference, but there was a big difference when it came to texture. The mushrooms that were kept in the store packaging we soft and a little bit slimy, but the mushrooms that were kept in the Rubbermaid® FreshWorks™ Produce Saver container were firm and definitely fresher.

The next week my local grocery store had raspberries on sale. Raspberries are one of my favorite fruits and I love it when they go on sale, but I can generally only purchase a single package of them because they go bad so fast. This time I purchased two packages of raspberries and did the same thing with them. I kept one package in the store package and the other one in my Rubbermaid® FreshWorks™ Produce Saver container.  

This time the difference after a week in the refrigerator was a bit more obvious. I didn't notice any difference at all in the berries that were kept in the Rubbermaid® FreshWorks™ Produce Saver container. They stayed firm, fresh, and juicy and were just as delicious on Day 7 as they were on Day 1. The berries in the store packaging were a different matter. The berries on top had started to wilt, while the berries on the bottom had gone mushy and they had lost some of their yummy flavor. By this time I was hooked.

On my next trip to Wal-Mart I found the food storage aisle and was very pleased to find the Rubbermaid® FreshWorks™ Produce Saver products. I bought a package with three different sizes, brought them home and proceeded to move my produce from their store packaging so I could enjoy it longer.

Now, if you take a look in my refrigerator, you'll see my Rubbermaid® FreshWorks™ Produce Saver containers filled with a variety of produce, just waiting for me to add it to a recipe or just steal a piece or two for a yummy afternoon snack.

**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 Rubbermaid®.**

Pursuing My Passions thanks to Advil® Film-Coated

I first tried Advil® Film-Coated last December (for my review of the product click HERE), so this isn't as much my review of the product as it is a review of the things that Advil® Film-Coated helps me do. I know I'm not very old, but I'm not in very great shape either, so there are a lot of times when I overdo it and end up with aches and pains. These aches and pains are no fun at all, but  Advil® Film-Coated has helped me overcome them so I can find the things in life that I really love to do and then do them.

I currently have a couple of passions that help make me who I am and that bring joy to my life. First, I coach my son's soccer team. We have weekly practices where I have to demonstrate techniques and skills to the boys, and we have a game each Saturday - and at this age the coaches are the referees - so I'm out on the field, chasing the boys around for a good solid 40 minutes each game. This takes a lot of physical exertion that can leave me aching, but not for long thanks to  Advil® Film-Coated.

Second, I love the outdoors, and that includes both walking or hiking and working in the yard and garden. I live near a mountainside and whenever I can I like to hike it's trails and spend time enjoying the great outdoors. I also love to do the yard work at my house - I have my husband watch the kids so I can have "me time" while I do it - and I help my grandparents plant, maintain, and harvest their various flower and vegetable gardens. All these things bring me closer to nature and fuel my passion, but can leave me reaching for  Advil® Film-Coated to help keep me going when the aches try to stop me.

I also like to make sure that those who are visiting me don't have to suffer from aches or pains either.
So when I received another set of samples of this product from #Crowdtap, I stashed away a couple of samples for me (the sample packs are nice and convenient for my purse and glove box) and then I bundled the others with coupons to share with friends and family who might need pain relief while they're visiting my home. Thanks again Advil® for helping keep myself and my loved ones pain free so we can live life with a passion!


**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 Advil®.**

L’Oreal Paris Advanced Haircare - Extraordinary Oil Curls Product Line

Hair care is something I take seriously. For those of you who don't know, I have long, coarse, really thick hair. It is almost completely straight on top and near my neck (unless I've braided it and then those areas might have a little bit more wavy), super wavy in the middle (so wavy a flat iron doesn't completely straighten it), and prone to dryness and frizz. It's tricky to maintain it, so I'm always looking for products that will make my job a little bit easier. Through #Crowdtap and participation in the L'Oreal Paris Crowd I had an opportunity to try out the new L’Oreal Paris Advanced Haircare Extraordinary Oil CURLS product line to see if these products could help me have #ExtraordinaryHair.

Here is how my hair looked before I started using these products. My ends were really dry and frizzy, and the rest of my hair was kind of shapeless and hard to manage. I started, as per the instructions given to me as part of my product sampling mission, with the Exraordinary Oil Curls Re-Nourish Mask. Following the instructions on the product, I got my hair wet, then worked the product through my hair from roots to ends. The product had an interesting texture, kind of like spreadable margarine, and I had a hard time getting it to work all the way the through my hair. But once I got it spread through, I put it up in a bun and then let it sit in my hair for about 20 minutes. After my time was up I hopped in the shower, rinsed out the mask - which took a while because I had coated my hair really well - and then continued on with the other two products.

After using the mask I used the Extraordinary Oil Curls Shampoo to wash my hair. This product was disappointing to me. It didn't want to lather very well (one of the traits I look for in a good shampoo) and it also didn't rinse out very well. I applied two batches of shampoo (this is normal for me, the first loosens up the oils on my scalp and the second seems to get my hair nice and clean), but even after the second batch my hair still didn't feel clean. I figured that the oils in the product weren't breaking down the oils in my scalp very well, but I figured I'd keep going and see how my hair reacted to this product over time.

Finally, I applied the Extraordinary Oil Curls Conditioner, combed it through my hair to spread it all the way to my ends, and then let it sit on my hair for a few minutes while I finished the rest of my shower. Then I rinsed it out. I was amazed at how it rinsed out well, but still kept my hair feeling moisturized. I then towel dried my hair and then styled it for my first "after" photo.

I then let my hair dry the rest of the way (over night and into the next afternoon - yeah, my thick hair takes forever to dry) and then took a second set of "after" photos. You can see that my ends are much smoother, my wavy hair is much more defined, and my hair isn't frizzy - without the aid of the leave-in treatment that I had to use when I took my "before" photo. I was able to go a normal amount of time before having to wash my hair again (about 5 days) and then I tried the L'Oreal Paris Advanced Haircare Extraordinary Oil Curls Shampoo and Conditioner again.

This time, I was once again disappointed with the shampoo - I will not be using it again for my hair, it just doesn't clean my scalp and even triggered a dandruff breakout - but the conditioner worked great. I liked how smooth the ends of my hair were, and I was even able to try out some fun hair styles that I've been wanting to for a while because my hair was much more manageable than it has been for quite some time.

Overall, I like the concept of this product line, and I will probably use both the hair mask and the conditioner again. The shampoo would probably be fine for someone without an oily, dandruff prone scalp, so I would recommend the product to others if you have super dry hair and scalp. After using these products my hair was more manageable, my wavy hair was more wavy without being weighed down by leave-in treatments, and my frizz is gone, so for the most part, L'Oreal Paris' Advanced Haircare Extraordinary Oil products did their job and helped me have #ExtraordinaryHair!

**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 L'Oreal Paris Crowd.**