Afrin Nasal Spray

I receive Afrin about 2 weeks ago, through BzzAgents, to try it for free and give my opinion.
 Since it has been very cold here in the valley of the Sun, Arizona, I thought I'd never use it. HA! I though wrong! My immune system does not care if it's 80 or 20 degrees, I got a cold.  I have used nasal spray in the past. It always says not to use it more than 3 days or else, it will take longer to recover, and it's true. When I was pregnant with my last baby, I couldn't breath for 3 months, so nasal spray was my friend, I didn't care if I was "addicted" to it, breathing is kind of part of living, you know, especially when you're breathing for two. But since, I've used it only on rare occasions. I don't think anything works better than this nasal spray. I'd say other brands are comparable, but I hate it when they state that you it is good for 24 hours! If it says good for "this many hours", that only means that if it doesn't last that long, you can't have another dose! Afrin doesn't promise 24 hours, but lets me use it at most twice a day: for me, one little spray in the am lasted me all day, until bedtime where I wanted to breathe again and did one more spray in each nostrils.  After a couple of days, I was down to once a day, then to nothing once my cold was gone. It's idea. It doesn't burn, and there is NOTHING better in life than having that breathing fresh air again feeling! It's better than chocolate smothered deep fried twinkies! For one, no one can find Twinkies anymore and for two, if you can't breathe, you also can't taste anything!

Progresso Recipe Starters

My other Bzz Campaign is for Progresso Recipe Starters.  I chose one flavor and recieved it for free through Bzz Agent.  I chose this one :

They have different types, about 6 or so and you can get recipes here: http://progresso.com/RecipeStarters

I'm not a hamburger helper type of cook, but I love soups, so I thought that I could use this recipe starters to make my soup taste like the Fire roasted soup at Paradise Bakery.  I just used one can, plus an onion, a few celery sticks and a can of tomatoes (freshly canned by ME). Salt and pepper, pressure cooker then mixed with soup mixer.  No brain surgery. It was good soup, nothing much better than what you'd get using a can of tomato sauce with good spices.  I have seen a lot of people making all kinds of stuff with it, but again, I like my own things my own way, so I'd say this product is just not for me.  I don't even know how many stars to give it honestly, because the taste was good and the idea is probably good for the poor imaginative cooks out there.
And no, it was not close to Paradise's soup, but I can't say I spent hours thinking about this recipe, I kinda threw it all out there, which I think is the point of the quick recipe starters.











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Glade Expression Collection

I got another Bzz Campaing invite.  This time, it was for Glade Expression Collection.  I tried both product for free as a Bzz Agent.

I decided to get the pineapple Expression Oil for my house.  It has a wood type diffuser that looks really good with my wood furniture.  It is definitely not an eyesore, I wouldn't say it adds to the decor, but it is for sure much better looking than anything else out there. So I would give it a 5 stars for the aesthetics of it.
Now the smell, which is frankly the most important part of this product...looks is not everything, it's the inside that counts, we all know that :)
I found that it was not strong enough for a big room.  My house has a pretty open floor plan, so the only room where it would have done well would be in the half bathroom downstairs...but I wanted it in a main room.  The pineapple was good, I was just trying to find Cinnamon Apple or close to that, but no one carried that (not Walmart, Target or Kroeger).
Now onto the Fragrance Mist: I did find Cinnamon for that and I did buy more than one because it was a decent price. However, although I just finished the first one and it worked great, my new one does not work and I need to bring it back to the store.
The smell is great and the idea of hiding it behind a white simple container is great. I don't think we should be too embarrassed (as it states on one commercial or add) about seeing a spray in the bathroom, but some picky people who get embarrassed by the fact that poop smells will absolutely enjoy this style.
So 3 stars for both, the style is great, the smell nothing new and the functionality of it was flawed (not powerful enough for a big room for the Diffuser and not working on the Mist)

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Covergirl and Olay

I got to try a new thing on my Bzz agent status: Covergirl and Olay all in one.

It says: Luminous and Radiant looking skin!  I don't know if I was luminous or radiant, frankly, no one has asked me what kind of new make-up I am using!  I didn't notice a difference in my skin, as in less visible wrinkles, but I really wonder if one should use it a while longer before seeing a difference.
So, the low down:

I really love the liquid foundation with the Olay in it. It went on smoothly and knowing it had Olay in it was a nice touch of feeling "healthy".  I still used my regular moisturizer under it, I just could never bring myself to just apply make up on my face without moisturizing first, but I suppose you could.

The powder I got with it was no different from any other powder: it compacted in the case after a few uses and just looked like powder. I used very little, and I still prefer using a brush.

You can find the foundation on amazon http://www.amazon.com/COVERGIRL-Tonerehab-2-In-1-Foundation-Creamy/dp/B0062GZ26S for around $12

The powder at Amazon is about $6, here http://www.amazon.com/COVERGIRL-Olay-Pressed-Powder-Light/dp/B008CC45I6

Of course, you can find them at Walmart, Target, Ulta and all grocery stores.

I don't believe in before and after pictures, frankly, I've seen this on Pinterest 

So you can do anything with make-up on, duh! So to say that Olay and Covergirl make a difference on me, well come to my door early in the am and see for yourself!!!

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Luster Premium White

I receive this product as a Bzz Agent for free, to review it.  Here is my honest opinion on it.
I will really give it a 5 star!!!

I have in the past done home kits and was never impressed by them.  I then have a life time teeth whitening with my dentist, meaning I have a plastic mold of my teeth that I can put in my mouth for a couple of hours, after I put some product on it. It works, but I have a tooth that is way too sensitive to it and it kills for the first few minutes. I got the Luster Premium White product in the mail and was excited to try it.  I took before pictures, but frankly, it is hard to see, because the lighting in my bathroom makes everything yellow.

The pros:
No tooth sensitivity at all.
It works just as well, if not better, than what I got from my dentist.
It takes 2 minutes per session, you can do up to 20 sessions (that is why they say it's a brighter smile in one hour) which would be a pain. The most sessions I did at once was 4. You can break it up in a few days.  I did 10 sessions and it brightened it a few shades.
Very easy and kinda fun with the blue light. Try turning all the light off and do the blue light, freaaaakkkkyyy!!!


The neutral:
I don't have cons, just things that didn't make a plus or minus on my mark.
The toothpaste was just a toothpaste frankly. It doesn't taste very good and the active ingredients in it is the same as all the whitening toothpaste.  I don't use it very much because I like Crest 3D white better for its taste.
You kinda drool while doing the treatment for 2 minutes with your mouth agape, they suggest you put cotton balls by your saliva glands, but yuck!

I checked the price at a grocery store, the cost is $40, the paste is $6.  I wouldn't buy the toothpaste really.  I think the product itself works better that Crest or other whitening strips out there.

Here is my Bzz Kit.  I marked my shade color.

Rinse first

Then paint your teeth.

There is the luster light.

The end.

Private Selection: chips, meat, pie, ice cream!

I recieved many items from Bzzagent to try to Private Selection produce for free.  I shop at Fry's here in Arizona, so that is where I found mine.
1) The Chips:
They were Salt and Pepper Kettle.  They were good, crispy, maybe a bit more greasy than other brands, but not as salty, so that even it out to the same amount of stars.
2)The pie...I hid the box and told everyone it was homemade! If they hadn't opened the trash can and discovered me, I would have gotten away with it too!  Very good, and I actually am NOT a good pie baker!
3)The ice cream. I couldn't find a pint size vanilla (so I bought Breyer's to go with the "homemade pie".  But I got a Lemon Sorbet and didn't share it with anyone. It was fat free and all MINE!  The  dissappointement was the lack of selection.  There were no icecream, only sorbet. I was a little sad because the picture on the coupon look like it would have made even more happy with chocolate than lemon, but oh well.
4) The Angus Ground Beef: I am not a beef person. I didn't want to have hamburgers that day, so I make spaghetti sauce with it.( I might add that I can make a killer sauce, thank you very much). I usually hate the smell of the meat browning first, gag! BUT, this one smelled good, like good meat and not gaggy food.  I didn't mind it at all, and I even LOVED the beef in the sauce (I usually put ground turkey).  So for a vegetarian wannabe like me (I still love BigMacs, so no way I'd give up on meat), this was a great experience!
I know that since Kroger is a store brand, people would avoid it and chose name brand. But it was as good as name brands in my opinion.

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Filippo Berio Olive Oil 5 Stars

I received the Filippo Berio EVOO as a BzzAgent for free.  I have switched to Olive Oil for cooking in the past few years, since it is much healthier and blah blah blah, everyone knows that (and if you don't, then my friends need to watch a little bit more often 20/20, Dateline, 60 minutes and such, duh!). I hardly ever use any other kind, unless it's for cake. EVOO has a strong taste, but I use it in my cooking so it works for many dishes.  This oil was very good. It has a good strong taste for the Mediterranean or Italian in me (hmmm, no I'm Belgian, full bread, but it's okay, don't tell anyone, my blog, my lies!).  My favorite dish to make when I want to taste Olive Oil is Capresse and this oil was great for this.  To tell  you the truth, I don't think I'm a connoisseur enough to judge it compared to the one I bought at Sam's club, but it was good and I'd recommend it!

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Oatmeal Squares

I am a Bzz Agent and received a box to try and give my opinion.
I had tried the Quaker Oatmeal Squares in the past, but I don't buy them very often because since I'm so freaking cheap!  They are usually not the kind that goes on sale but when it does, I stock up.  I really love their taste but I didn't get a chance to eat them much this time because my 5 kids love them more than me! I love that they keep their crunch in milk. Most cereal that type become so mushy after a minute in milk, which is less than appetizing to anyone. I actually like them better as a  snack than a breakfast. I eat them in front of the TV, I've taken some with me for my little ones as snacks instead of fish crackers too.  Great product!

I am a Bzzagent and receive these products for free to try and give my opinion. I have 20% coupons for those interested also :)

I received the wipes, 80ct, two sippy cups and used my coupon to get the training diapers.
First, the wipes.  Although my little guy doesn't need them as much, since thank goodness he is mainly potty trained, except for some night accidents.  However, with 5 kids, living in AZ where they are always barefoot and dirty, we've had plenty of occasions to use them!  I was actually very surprised how strong and sturdy they are.  I do like the fact that they are scent free. I don't think I'd mind the baby smell if I had a little baby, but since my youngest is now 3, this was really good. I've bought name store brand wipes in the past, but they were never as good as these Kroger brand. Very impressed and definitively earning a 5 stars!
The training pants: cute with little fire fighter. Same feature as the pull-ups with the  design that disappear if wet and with the sides that can come off easy. I must give an honest opinion on those and thus must admit that I have no idea on how absorbent they are, because we are being very successful at potty training ;) From the look and feel, it's a 5 star from me too, very comparable to brand names with the same features.
Sippy Cups: this is where I give it a 3 star.  The cup is not insulated for freshness. That is a big no non in a toddler's life.  Because no matter how vigilant of a mother you will be, your child will always find that morning sippy full of milk and take a sip at 6:00pm! With non-insulated cups, he will experience his first taste of sour milk for sure.  The second negative part is the "suction". It is so hard to get anything out of it.  I know younger babies suck pretty hard, but still, the child shouldn't turn blue!
I love the idea of having the tip covered with a lid, but the lid is too hard for a little one to open on their own, which can be frustrating for both sides.
It earn the 3 stars from me for the fun two colors, the lid covering the tip from germs and the hard to misplace valve, due to it's bulk and different shape.
All in all, I'm very happy with their products and will recommend them.
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Goodwill Finds

I love going to Goodwill.  Some days are good, some not as good. I just like to get toys for my kiddos, to complete their collection of Littlest Petshop or Playmobiles or Little People. I scored pretty good today.  All this for $21.  The cameras are digital and they work. It's just fun. I use 20% coupons each time (get them by signing up for their emails). Thursday is dollar days, meaning that everything from a certain color/week is $1.00, but it's hard to find things unless you get there right at 9:30.

It's not like Santa didn't bring enough crap to our house, but really, kids are made to be spoiled a little or a lot.  So I will indulge and spoil them with my Goodwill finds as long as I can (then move onto grandkids, but I have plenty of time to think about that, ahhhhh).