Bath & Body Works

I totally feel like a kid in a candy store. It starts from the moment I get that post card in the mail inviting me to come pick up my free product with no purchase necessary. Those sly devils know that you're not going to leave the store with just that single product. That's why they also include a % off coupon when you spend a certain $ amount.

So armed with 3 free product coupons, 30% off coupon when you spend $25, their buy 2 get 1 free sale and a $25 gift card I went into this wonderful candy store. This was my score with only $8 out of pocket:
3oz Pink Chiffon Shower Gel ( retails $5 ) Free with coupon
3oz Pink Chiffon Lotion ( retails $5 ) Free with coupon
3oz Pink Chiffon Spray ( retails $5 ) Free with coupon
Pink Chiffon hand sanitizer ( retails $1.75 ) On sale old packing 75% off  $0.44
10oz Sweet On Paris Shower Gel ( retails $11 ) Discontinued 75% off $2.75
8oz Sweet On Paris Body Lotion ( retails $11 ) Discontinued 75% off $2.75
10oz Sweet Pea Shower Gel ( retails $12.50 ) Full price
10oz Sweet Pea Shimmer Mist ( retails $16 ) On sale for $6
8oz Velvet Sugar Triple Moisture Body Cream ( retails $12.50 ) Free with buy 2 get 1 free
10oz Velvet Sugar Shower Gel ( retails $12.50 ) Full price
10oz Velvet Sugar Shimmer Mist ( retails $16 ) On sale for $6
Lemon Kitchen Antibacterial Foaming Hand Soap ( retails $5.50 ) Got free to try with store give away since it's a new scent/product!

Pink Chiffon:
Everything is prettier in Pink Chiffon! This light-as-air pairing of soft pink petals & vanilla chiffon icing expresses the flirty femininity of feeling pretty in pink. Top Notes: Sparkling Pear, Peach Nectar, Wild Berries. Mid Notes: Tiare Flower, Jasmine Petals, Waterlily, Sheer Apple Blossom. Dry Notes: Coconut Milk, Vanilla Orchid, Creamy Sandalwood, Chiffon Musk

Sweet On Paris:
Enticing medley of juicy blackberries, lemon meringue, and creamy vanilla. Inspired by the sweet temptations of a Parisian patisserie. I cant give you details on the notes because it's no longer available and doesn't say on the bottle.

Sweet Pea:
A bright & optimistic fragrance, Sweet Pea is an award-winning mix of juicy raspberries & pear kissed by soft pink petals. Top Notes: Sweet Pea, Watery Pear, Juicy Loganberry, Blackcurrant. Mid Notes: Sheer Freesia, Luscious Raspberry, Pink Peony. Dry Notes: Soft Musk, Plum Woods.

Velvet Sugar:
A tempting blend of red velvet créme swirled with golden plum & sugared musk.Top Notes: Wild Strawberries, White Nectarine, Pear Blossom, Apple Nectar. Mid Notes: Pink Jasmine, Golden Plum, Red Velvet Créme, Dewy Honeysuckle, Freesia. Dry Notes: Golden Amber, Vanilla , Tolu Balsam, Caramel, Bailey Creme, Sugared Musk.

I think between the bodycology & this I am pretty much set until the end of the year!

Bodycology

Today I ventured over to Target and picked up these. I had some BOGO coupons that were about to expire, and I didn't want them to go to waste. If you buy gift sets at the holiday season they tuck them inside so after you've tried the smaller sizes ( 2 fl oz )  you can buy the full size products too ( 16 fl oz ). So I scored this lot of shower gels & sprays for $11.97. You can't beat that! Each product retails for $3.99 which is a steal in itself. There are so many scents to choose from but I picked blackberry vanilla ( self explanatory ), charmed apple ( mixture of apples, pears & lilies ), & sweet love ( whipped cream & roses ).Check out  bodycology for the full list of scents, special offers and store locations.

Glade

I picked these up today FREE thanks to bzzagent! Check out Glade to see what they have to offer!

The first is a customizable plug in. It has a cute decorative cover that is removable. This unit lasts up to 60 days of scent freshness after you plug it into the outlet. It alternates daily between two scents. This one happens to be apple cinnamon & lavender peach blossom. They have 4 different varieties to choose from in their starter kits but many scents to choose in many different  combinations in their refills.  Starter kit retails for $7.59. The refills for this kit are only $4.99.

Secondly are the wax melts. These are wonderful! My absolute favorite feature of these is how they are individually pressed into each square so there is no messy breaking them apart. You just plop one into your warmer, and as it melts it filled the air with such a strong, wonderful scent. Each melt delivers 12 hours of scent, making the entire pack last for 96 hours of freshness. I chose the lavender peach blossom because these are going to be  going into the same room. They have over 22 varieties of scents to choose from.  They retail for $2.99 and contain 8 melts. Warmers are sold separately.

Now Foods

So this is what my morning looks like. I take 1 spirulina pill, 1 super cortisol support, 1 biotin, and 1 multi vitamin ( not pictured ). I drink em down with 16oz of water plus 2 tbsp. of Braggs organic apple cider vinegar.

Spirulina is 100% natural,  nutrient rich superfood that is grown in Hawaii from single-celled freshwater algae and an incredible source of nutrients. It's used as a dietary supplement to provide generous amounts of Beta-Carotene, Vitamin B12, Iron and Chlorophyll. The benefit of taking this is that it's a pure protein and includes 22 essential amino acids, which your body is unable to manufacture. It's been linked to helping those with allergies, asthma, anemia, & even possible cancer prevention. It retails for $15.99 for 200 count of 500mg tabs. You take 6 per day.

Super Cortisol Support is an herbal and nutritional supplement designed to support healthy adrenal function and maintain healthy cortisol levels already within the normal range by managing healthy blood sugar levels. It combines adaptogenic herbs with Chromium, Corosolic Acid and Relora® to help the body manage the negative effects of stress such as excess abdominal fat deposition, overeating, and low energy levels. It retails for $29.99 for 90 count capsules. You take 3 per day.

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin necessary for normal growth and body function.  Biotin is a key regulatory element in gluconeogenesis, fatty acid synthesis, and in the metabolism of some amino acids.  Alongside its role in energy production, Biotin enhances the synthesis of certain proteins.  In addition, Biotin promotes normal immunity and plays a critical role in healthy skin, hair, and nails. It retails for $17.99 for 120 count of 5000mcg capsules. You take 2 per day.

Lets not forget the benefits of ACV too. Braggs is the best brand there is out there in my opinion. Now if you're just starting I suggest you add in an oz or two of something you like... orange juice, regular apple  juice, cranberry juice, ect to help with the flavor. Over time though, you'll get used to it, and come to enjoy it in it's natural state. ACV has so many listed benefits so I'll just name a few:
Weight loss, increased insulin sensitivity, stopping sugar cravings, it's a prebiotic, clears up skin, helps dissolve kidney stones, oxidates the blood to helps with healthy heart functions, it's a potent source of potassium, relief from arthritis, colitis, eczema, heart burn, headaches, insomnia, and the list goes on and on. It's really a natural miracle. You can get a 32oz bottle for $10.99. You will drink about 4 tbsp daily. I split mine up with 32oz of water ( 16oz each serving ).

I do this while making my protein smoothie. I use a scoop of pea protein ( I can't do whey nor casein it makes me so ill... horrible gastro issues ) and I didn't want soy ( no mimicking estrogen/hormones please ) so this was the logical choice. I like this because it's smooth ( not gritty nor chalky ). It adds texture to the smoothie, but not in a bad way. There is no taste to it at all since it's unflavored. I always add Silk unsweetened almond milk, some frozen fruit, and greek yogurt ( I strangely don't have any issues with the greek yogurt even though it's dairy ). This one packs a punch with 24g of protein and only 120 calories. The entire smoothie the way I make it is 320 calories. Perfect way to begin my day.  It retails $24.99 for a 2 lb tub.

I highly suggest buying these items when they are on sale. I bought mine on Amazon for about 30% less than their retail values. Since we are prime members we don't have to pay for 2nd day shipping, nor tax. Totally worth it.

Schick HydroSilk

Look what came in the mail today as part of my new bzzagent campaign! Schick HydroSilk sensitive razor, free Skintimate shaving cream coupon  &  $ coupons! I'm going to be picking up the shaving cream tomorrow. It's supposed to have 5 blades ( just like most men's razors ) for a closer, smoother shave. It also has built in water activated moisturizing serum around the blade. It boasts that you will feel the moisturizing effects for 2 hours past shaving time. It retails for $11.99.  I can not wait to try this razor!

Pond's Towelettes

I participated in an Influenster brand challenge and I won these wet cleansing towelettes. Let me tell you how much I love these. It removes ALL make up, even stubborn waterproof mascara. It leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh. I also use these after I've worked out, and am dripping with sweat so I don't clog my pores. They are extremely gentle and soft too but not so soft that they tear or rip when you're scrubbing. They come in different  varieties ( original, soothing, exfoliating, & luminous ). They retail for $4.99. Available at most drugstores & mass merchandisers.

Weight Loss Tools

Above is my weight loss progression over the last 3 Christmas holidays. 2011 through 2013. There is about an 80lb difference between the photographs. Below are what tools I used to help me achieve my goals.

My Fitness Pal is a website/application that helps keep you accountable for your actions. It suggests how many calories you should be consuming daily based on your activity level. Then you go on to log said calories & activities. I just reached my 435 day on their site. I've learned so much about portion control, calories in vs calories out, and just a multitude of nutrition facts. I also made quite a few friends along the way to give me a great support system. I do not think I would be as effective without them cheering me on and vice versa.
MFP

C25K is another program/application you can use to learn how to run a 5K. I used this in conjunction with the treadmill I bought myself for Christmas 2012. I started off just walking, then trying this program. It helped me learn endurance and strength while running. Also the proper stretching and breathing techniques.
C25K

Once I completed the program above I started using Nike+ Running application on my cellphone.  Now I run 2-4 miles daily depending on whether my goal is speed, or distance. I generally run about 4 days a week. I have yet to officially run a 5K, but I'm hoping 2014 is my year to change that. I'd like to do at least one. This is by far my favorite app. I tried others ( runtastic, runkeeper, ect ). Those others only use gps. This can use either  gps ( for outdoor runs ) or you can turn that off and just do indoor runs. Since I'm more of a treadmill girl, Nike + is the best for me. I really WANT the Fuelband too. My birthday is around the corner... hint hint!
Nike + Run

I have about 15-20lbs to go to finally meet my ultimate goal. I have given myself a soft deadline of March 1, 2014. Fingers crossed I can accomplish that with ease.

Eyes & Lips

I received the NYC HD Color Trio from Influenster in my Jolly Vox Box. The shade they sent is Long Beach Sands. Perfect because I tend to like a slightly shimmery, neutral eye. The retail price is right because it's about $2.99 and available at most drugstore/mega stores.
It goes on pretty smooth and has a great texture, but I feel like it doesn't last even though it promises it does. Even with my using a professional eye shadow primer ( Urban Decay ). I love the color selection, but I wish they had more pigmentation. It's like a wash of color vs being able to truly build. I tried applying it a couple different ways ( wet, dry, with and without primer, with their applicator and with my professional brush set ). Overall I think this is okay, and probably for someone who wants just a light wash of color on their eyelid. I generally like a more dramatic effect, so I wasn't thrilled with this product. Which is too bad because like I said the price is great, and they do have a really nice selection of colors palettes to chose from.
http://newyorkcolor.com/products/eyes/eyeshadow/hd-trio-eye-shadow

I also received the Rimmel Show Off Lip Laquer. The shade they sent is Celestial. I'm not a huge fan of this color though. It's too pink for me. I prefer a more muted lip tone in a nude or even a brighter lip in a red. They do have a ton of color selection though ( 13 shades and counting ), so I can try one of those and I likely will. At first I was unsure about liking the product. I love that it's in a wand form vs a tube/stick. I like that there is a little gloss, but that it's more of a matte finish with a HINT of sheen. It's slightly sticky, but just enough to adhere, not to be bothersome. It has a slight smell of bananas, but it doesn't taste like them ( it doesn't have a taste at all ). It stays put though ( doesn't bleed either which is a problem I have with a lot of drug store lip products ), and it lasted through my drinking my coffee with minimal transfer to the cup. That's a HUGE plus! This product retails for $4.99 which is completely reasonable for a drug store brand.
http://us.rimmellondon.com/node/7248

Puffs Plus Lotion To Go Packs

With cold and flu season happening right now I thought this would be totally appropriate to review. I got a sample of these in my jolly vox box from Influenster. I can not tell you how much I love these. Quick to toss in my purse, the car, the kids' backpacks, and take to go just about anywhere and everywhere. I am still on a mission to find these specific ones in store. I can find the non lotion variety, but the lotion variety is harder to come by. But I NEED the lotion ( que creepy it puts the lotion on the skin or it gets the hose clip ). The lotion is what sets this apart from other tissues. It's soft, gentle, smooth and solid. No sandpaper, or blowing through all over your hands. You  can find the single packs in the $1 bins of most stores by the travel items. I *think* they sell them in multipacks too, but I'm not aware of the cost.