Keep Cozy this Season in Old Navy Sweaters!

I got an awesome surprise in the mail a little over a week ago from my friends over at Crowdtap and Old Navy! I was invited to be part of a 'Sample and Share' in which I (along with a friend) was able to go to Old Navy and we were each able to pick a sweater of our choice!

Here's our mission!

My friend Megan and I had time early Friday morning, so we decided to beat the rush hour traffic and head out then. The store was so nice and quiet which made our shopping even more fun!

Once we arrived in the store, we headed to the left and I immediately noticed these really bold, sweater-cardigans! They completely caught my eye all the way from across the store. The ones with the fair-isle print came in both camel and charcoal, and I chose the charcoal and headed to the dressing room.  The sweater itself is on the larger side, and is pretty long. It's also very thick and heavy, fits perfectly, and I know it's going to be a great addition to my wardrobe!

Women's Fair-Isle Cardis

As I was trying on my clothing, Megan also found herself a sweater! She chose the Women's V-Neck Sweater in Alpaca. It's a super soft sweater, and it can be perfect for layering, or wearing as is! 

Women's V-Neck Sweaters

On my search for sweaters, I also found this Women's V-Neck Softest Sweater, which I wound up purchasing. It's a really nice material that isn't too thick or too thin! I absolutely loved the way it fit, and it's another great addition to my wardrobe.

Women's V-Neck Softest Sweaters

 The Old Navy we went to had such a big selection of sweaters! Nearly everything we looked at online (prior to our in-store shopping) was available in the store! The staff were also polite and helpful! Thanks again to Crowdtap and Old Navy for this opportunity!

Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this review were given to me by Crowdtap, but all opinions are mine.

EBOOST

Included in my Naturals VoxBox from Influenster was a packed of Eboost.

Eboost is a natural, no-crash, effervescent energy boost powder that you can mix with water. Overall, I enjoyed it. Although I didn't like the flavour too much (I thought it was slightly gritty and off-tasting), it did notice a change in my alertness. There was also no crash (yay!).

What I really liked was that it has "green tea, vitamins and super nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin D and B-12" and it's sweetened with Stevia (my favorite type of sweetener!). Compared to other energy drink alternatives, I'd much rather drink this (I can actually pronounce the ingredients in this product!).

I think in the future, I'd like to try a different flavour instead. Eboost also comes in Pink Lemonade, Acai Pomegranate, and Super Berry flavours.

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Eboost

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Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this review were given to me by Influenster, but all opinions are mine.

LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisturizer

Included in my Naturals VoxBox from Influenster was a tube of LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisturizer.

I am IN LOVE with this lip LypMoisturizer! I tried it about a year ago, and loved everything about it!

Some great things about it are:

• this stuff LASTS! It goes on your lips pretty thick and coats them really well, ensuring that they'll be protected. I don't even need to apply it very often because of it's lasting power
• it also works so well! In the winter especially, I get extremely chapped lips. One of my nighttime routines is to apply lip moisturizer. If my lips were cracked and dry at night, one application of this and by the morning, they feel soft and full
• the packaging is absolutely great! It has a nice countered tube, which makes it easy to apply. The tube of product is also countered/shaped differently from most lip moisturizers, but this one actually makes it easier to apply, as it is a bit shaped to your lips
• there's a little bee on the 'slider' that pushes the lip moisturizer up, which I thought was a really cute touch!
• It's made from "pure Swedish beeswax and an advanced blend of natural botanicals, ultra-rich moisturizers, and therapeutic ingredients", all of which help your lips!

Would I purchase this again? 

• Definitely! There's not a single thing I dislike about this product, and it works better than nearly any other lip moisturizer I've ever tried!

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LypSyl

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The Original™ Dish Drying Mat

Included in my Naturals VoxBox from Influenster was The Original™ Dish Drying Mat.

I really wanted to like this product because the idea of it seemed pretty nifty! A super absorbent mat? Awesome!

The problem I had was that although the utensils sitting on the mat did dry up, the mat itself would remain wet for what felt like forever. It just never properly dried, and it sat there, soaked. On top of that, it took up valuable counter space (I live in a NY suburb, so the little kitchen counter space I have is very important!).  I did like the fact that it was machine washable, so if it ever got dirty, you could just toss it in the washer.

Overall, I didn't really like the mat. If they came out with a refresh in which the mat dried up more quickly, I'd like to try it. I think I might use it as a floor mat for our foyer when our dog comes in during a rainy day. It'll probably help his paws dry up, but it won't get too drenched!

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The Original Dish Drying Mat

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Cleanwell Individual Hand Sanitizer Wipes

Included in my Naturals VoxBox from Influenster was a Cleanwell Individual Hand Sanitizer Wipe.

Germs are gross... yuck.

You touch tons of really gross things all day long, and then you might sit down to eat and your hands aren't clean. But what's great about these are how convenient they are! You can toss one into your child's lunch box (like I did), or in your purse. Perfect for those surprise moments when you can't properly wash your hands.

What's even better is that they don't have any alcohol or benzalkonium chloride, so they won't dry our your skin or irritate it like other hand sanitizers might do. Also, they don't have any harsh smells which might irritate you. CleanWell prides itself on a natural formula that includes thyme oil, so it's safe. But even though it's a natural product, it still kills germs! The brand is also cruelty free and doesn't test on animals.

Cleanwell also offers other types of hand sanitizers (not just wipes). I've purchased these Orange-Vanilla spray sanitizers as well (they smell really good)

In conclusion, would I purchase these again? Definitely (I already stocked up on a few)! They're convenient for both me and my children, and the idea of not sanitizing my hands grosses me out!

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CleanWell

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Naturals VoxBox

Guess who recently qualified for Influenster's Naturals VoxBox?

ME!

I've been testing and trying out these products, and I'll tell you what I think about them!

Included were:

• The Original Dish Drying Mat
• LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisterizer
• Eboost effervescent powder
• Cleanwell Individual Hand Sanitizer Wipes
• Geodeo Deodorant
• Nectresse Sweetener
• Country Life Maxi-Hair 

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Influenster!

The package I received from Influenster!
I ate the LaraBar before I took this picture, whoops!

Hey guys! Just writing to tell you all that Influenster just did a whole new website relaunch! They've completely redone their website (nice layout!), and allowed members to review more than just the products they receive in their voxboxes. The thing is that you have to be invited in order to join! Feel free to comment below and ask questions(or for an invite)!

Click here to check out:

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My posts about Influenster

Original post:


Ok, now imagine my surprise when I opened the mail box yesterday and found this package in there! Look at how many products come inside! (Even my husband was surprised they sent so many!)

The company is Influenster and they are a "trendsetter community" in which you "use your influence to qualify for complimentary PRODUCT SHIPMENTS, REWARDS & DEALS fit for your lifestyle. The more active you are, the more perks you get!". Basically you get packages full of really cool products for you to test out, review and recommend to your friends!

You sign up on their website (it's free) and tell them a little about yourself, (your name, a username/password, and email address). Then, you click on the badges that fit you best. You can sign up for all of the Influence badges, and up to 5 Lifestyle badges (choose what relates to you the most). THAT'S IT!

Every once in a while, Influenster will send you an email asking you if you'd like to participate in the next set of products to test out, called a VoxBox. People are chosen based on their badges and their demographics.
Then, you wait till the mail rolls in, receive your products, test them, write reviews on them, and tell your friends about them!

The image shown at the top of this post was for their Holiday VoxBox that I qualified for! More posts and reviews on this particular box will follow in the next week.

Sound interested? Click here to register!

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Old Navy Crowdtap Cardi Party!

Over the summer, I was selected for Crowdtap + Old Navy's Hosted Party in which I was to receive coupons for both myself and a friend to purchase bathing suits! Unfortunately, there was an issue with the postal service and I never received the party pack. Luckily, Crowdtap responded back to me and told me I'd be placed on a priority list for the next Old Navy Hosted Party, which happened to be this Cardi Party!

In my Party Kit, I received an information guide as well as coupons to share with three additional friends (including myself!) to purchase one regular priced scarf, skirt, and cardigan!

Our Style Council coupons!

I decided to invite three of my closest friends for a girls night out! We planned that we'd go shopping for new outfits, courtesy of Old Navy, and then go out to dinner.

Everyone came over to my house and we drove to Old Navy together. First we started out with the skirts, as they were the first product we found! Then, we moved onto the cardigans and scarfs.

Megan picked out:

Women's Fold Over Jersey Skirt

Women's Button-Front Stretch Cardis

Scarf

Susana chose:

Women's Jersey Pencil Skirts

Women's Button-Front Stretch Cardis

Scarf

Julie picked:

Women's Pencil Skirt

Women's Button-Front Stretch Cardis

Scarf

And my selections were:

Women's Jersey Maxi Skirt

I had first chosen this skirt and loved it, but when it came time to pay, the coupon didn't apply to this skirt :( I wound up buying it anyway, and using the coupon towards this skirt:

Women's Fold Over Jersey Skirt

Women's Button-Front Stretch Cardis

Scarf

and since we were choosing entire outfits for our dinner, we decided to buy shoes and extra accessories as well! We found a bunch of cute shoes (both flats and boots), as well as handbags and jewelry. I also wound up purchasing a few pairs of brightly colored skinny jeans because I was feeling adventurous!

In regards to the cardigan/scarf/skirt selections, we weren't too pleased. There were only four types of skirts in the entire store (the fold over jersey skirt, the pencil skirt, a cord skirt, and the maxi skirt which wasn't eligible for the coupon). The cardigan selection was also pretty small. Although there were a ton of varieties in color/print, there was only one style in the store (the cardigans themselves are really nice and soft though). The scarf selection was humongous, though! There was everything from sheer types, to more full/fluffy kinds in a huge variety of colors and prints.

The first employee I told about the Cardi Party from the Old Navy Style Council had never heard about the program. The cashier was extremely surprised at our savings!

Thanks again to my friends for coming along, and to Crowdtap and Old Navy for allowing us to have this awesome girls night out!

Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this review were given to me by Crowdtap, but all opinions are mine.

Woolite® Extra Dark Care Sample and Share

I was selected to sample and share Woolite's Extra Dark Care laundry detergent! Now most people think of Woolite as a product to use only on denim, delicates and dark clothes, but it can actually be used on all types of clothes!

In my party kit, I was given 10 samples of Woolite that came with a little description of the new product and a coupon for a future purchase.

Lots of samples to share!

I gave out most of my samples to coworkers. Our dress code requires us to wear mostly darks, so this product would be perfect to use on that! I also tend to wear jeans as my 'weekend' clothes, so I used my (large!) sample on both my work clothes, and my favorite pair of jeans.

Fading is a huge issue with any type of dark clothing, and you really start to notice it the more often you wash your clothes. To have a detergent that prevents fading (and ultimately increases the life span of my clothes) is awesome!

The instructions on the sample were simple enough, and didn't require anything different than regular detergents.

After about a week, I spoke to the friends I gave samples to, to hear their opinion on the product. A few people told me their clothes felt softer, and their dark clothes had less pilling than usual! Since there was only one sample, we couldn't really tell if the detergent would prevent fading in the long run (although I have used other Woolite products in the past and definitely noticed less fading than with regular detergent). A few people also told me they liked the smell of their clothes after as well!

Inside the individual sample kit was a coupon for Woolite, which I'll be using the next time I buy my groceries.

Thanks to Crowdtap and Woolite for providing me with this opportunity!

The complimentary products mentioned in this review were provided to me by Crowdtap. All opinions are mine.

Dino Lingo

Another product included in my Mom VoxBox from Influenster was a Dino Lingo dvd, which is a language learning program for children.

The program comes in 31 different languages, and uses animated dinosaurs to introduce children to 200 common words and phrases.

I watched the dvd along with my children, and I thought that although the graphics weren't the best (and although I could overlook that), the sound quality wasn't up to par. In order to learn to speak a language, you need to correctly hear the pronunciation of words. This dvd's sound quality was sub-par, and I had difficulty understanding/hearing what the characters said, never mind trying to repeat it. There also wasn't any translation of what the characters were saying, which made understanding a little difficult. My children said they prefer their language lessons (spanish and french) that they receive in school.


The program retails for $99.95 (plus S&H) on their website, Dino Lingo, and comes with 5 dvds, 100 flash cards, 1 poster, 1 calendar, and 1 picture dictionary booklet.

You can try a free lesson online here.

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Dino Lingo

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The Many Used of Ivory

I received a bar of Ivory soap in my Mom VoxBox from Influenster. In one of the emails we received, it stated the many ways that Ivory can be used. I was actually pretty surprised by some of them!

You can actually use the product in a multitude of ways!

• Body cleanser 
• Facial cleanser
• Clothes Stain remover
• Laundry Flakes (you can take an unused cheese grater to make the flakes!)
• Soap Carving Project
• Liquid hand soap

The best part about Ivory is that it's 99.44% pure (anyone remember the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory quote,"Ninety-nine, forty-four, one hundred percent pure" as he opened the lock?)

With my bar, I used half of it as a facial and body cleanser. I love how gentle the soap feels on my skin, although it does dry it out a bit. The scent is also pleasant and mild.
With the other half, I've saved it for a project for the children. You can place the bar soap in the microwave, and heat it up. Watch what happens! (Guaranteed to 'wow' the kids!)





A 10 pack of Ivory bar soap retails for about $4.49, (which makes it one of the least expensive bar soaps on a per ounce basis! wow! I'll definitely be buying this in the future)

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Ivory

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Quaker Soft Baked Oatmeal Cookies

Included in my Mom VoxBox from Influenster was one Quaker Soft Baked Oatmeal Cookie!

I had tried these previously when Quaker Oatmeal had a sample sign up sheet on their Facebook page.

I don't have anything negative to say about these; I mean, who doesn't LOVE a cookie? These are packaged in a single serving size (1 cookie, but it is a pretty large cookie), and they come in five flavours (Raisin, Apples and Cinnamon, Banana Nut, Chocolate Almond, and Cranberry and Yogurt). They're very soft cookies and have 170 calories per serving, perfect for a snack, and great to toss in a lunchbox or purse. They also have 6g of fat, 27g of carbs, 4g of fiber and 2g of protein.

Also, you can put them in the microwave (make sure to take them out of the packaging first!!) and heat them up for a warm, soft cookie taste!

Quaker Soft Baked Oatmeal cookies retail at $2.69 for a box of 6 and can be found at most major retailers (I spotted some at Walmart).

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Quaker Oatmeal Soft Baked Cookies

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Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this review were given to me by Influenster, but all opinions are mine.