Sunday, December 27, 2015

Influenster Voxbox review: The Jinglebox from December 2015

copyright Durhamonthecheap - Itty Bittys are really cute and high quality from Hallmark!
 I love to get Influenster Voxboxes because they always contain a nice mix of products, many of which I am not familiar with. And this Jingle voxbox was no different. Even though I knew some of the products, such as a Kiss lashes and the Biscoff cookies as well as Cetaphil. The Hallmark Itty Bittys were a discovery as was the nail polish - but they matched my favorite color. I love green nail polish. Have a look at the pictures as well as my video unboxing the goodies to see what products were included. Maybe you find something that you are interested in too!
copyright Durhamonthecheap - love the Kiss products, easy to apply and stay on for hours!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - I love these cookies because they have a nice buttery taste.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - Cetaphil is always good in the winter to help with dry skin.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - a nice minty green color, which is perfect for spring!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - some eyeliner pencil in Dark Brown from NYC - really high quality product!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - a coupon for some free tater tots - always welcome
 Overall, another great box from Influenster and just in time for the holidays! Thanks to Influenster for bringing some great new products my way as well as some of our family favorites - the tater tots from Ore Ida are always a big hit!

Disclaimer: I received all free product for testing. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Friday, December 25, 2015

Product Review: The new AVEENO Absolutely Ageless line with moiturizer, night cream and serum

I received from Crowdtap and Aveeno as sample collection of the new Aveeno series Absolutely Ageless, which consisted of a full product for the Intensive Renewal Serum as well as good size samples for the night cream and daily moisturizer.  I have been using the samples now for about a week and love the experience. Since I got a full size product for the serum, I have been sharing that product with the mother, who also thinks the Aveeno Absolutely Ageless is fantastic.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - the whole series of Absolutely Ageless Aveeno products through Crowdtap.
 Great to get to try a whole series of new products and simply applying each product once a day made my skin feel younger. I saw the fine lines around the eyes get harder to detect and also my skin was feeling more toned.
copyright Durhamonthecheap - you can see in the close-up  the benefits of the Absolutely Ageless Aveeno products
 Overall, this was a great experience and Aveeno has added a number of great products and a nice option for women who seek a skincare treatments that helps with anti-aging effects.
copyright Durhamonthecheap - love the night cream from the Absolutely Ageless series - skin treatment in your sleep.

Disclaimer: As a member of the Crowdtap AVEENO® rewards program, AVEENO® sent me a sample of its AVEENO® Absolutely Ageless™ Intensive Renewal Serum, Night Cream, and Daily Moisturizer to sample and review.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Book Review: Last Act: The Final Years and Emerging Legacy of Ronald Reagan by Craig Shirley

Clearly the author is a fan of the late president, arguing that his presidency had a significant impact on the political landscape and changed how both parties look today. You can probably find as many political pundits arguing that conservatives under Reagan were much less pronounced in their religious tendencies and argued more politics than church. But that is a debate that is beyond the scope of this review. Did Reagan have an influence on the USA that was long-lasting? yes, it was he who was president during the Glasnost time that led to the wall coming down. Movements such as the Solidarity movement may have had a harder time sustaining itself and bringing down communism had a different president been in the White House that was not as expressive in its opposition to communist leadership in Eastern Europe. Reagan formed a strong bond with Mrs. Thatcher, another outspoken anti-communist, and their combined leadership certainly strengthened the forces for democracy in Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, the man had is faults and Reagan as a president was not without errors.

available on amazon.com
But he at the core a very genuine human being and I find that to be most important takeaway from this book. We get to know Reagan as a person, in his private home, during retirement and fighting against an incurable disease. The author manages to tell us about the person of Ronald Reagan, at times blurred by an admiration of the person, but still anecdotes from the life of the late president will entertain many readers who lives through the 80s and admired Reagan as a president or simply his style of politics. This is an opportunity to get to know the president as a person and maybe understand why so many people, from both sides of the political aisle, if not admire him, but find him a decent human being.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this post is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Crowdtap sampling: COOL MINT LISTERINE® Antiseptic Mouthwash!

Through Crowdtap I was provided with a sample of a new mouthwash by Listerine - their Cool Mint flavor is excellent in cleaning your mouth, leaving your breath fresh and ensuring gum health. As the name indicated, the flavor is fresh and it does make your mouth feel refreshed, which is great after a meal when like me you have to meet with clients and need that additional assurance that you well prepped and ready.
copyright Durhamonthecheap - Listerine in the bathroom, an essential part of our dental hygiene routine!

copyright Durhamonthecheap -my mother was the lucky person who got to try out Listerine Cool Mint, she is happy!
 I had my mother sample the mouthwash and she loved it after only a few days of use. She is now regularly using mouthwash, usually about twice a day, and feels that her mouth feels fresh the whole day.




Disclaimer: I received a product in exchange for sampling and an honest review. The opinion expressed in this post is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Mascarpone torta available at Aldi again this week - starting today!

If you live in the Durham, NC area - Aldi is having this Mascarpone torta again for sale. Not often available as a weekly special, but so worth going to Aldi just for this phenomenal cake.
See my earlier blog post about it:
http://durhamonthecheap.blogspot.com/2012/02/aldi-special-until-this-coming-tuesday.html

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Crowdtap sampling: AVEENO® SKIN RELIEF GENTLE SCENT™ Lotion and/or Body Wash

copyright Durhamonthecheap - my mother happy with the Skin Relief samples from Aveeno!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - my mother has been using the samples regularly and loves them!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - my mother showing the body wash sample!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - my mother applying the Aveeno Skin Relief lotion!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - my mother making sure that Aveeno protects her forehead, which tends to have dry skin!
My mother loved the bodywash in particular because it contained coconut and she continues to use the product. I went out and bought her a regular size product because we swear by the effects of coconut oil on skin and so finding a product that contains coconut ensures to us that the product will help with dry skin relief. In addition, the lack of an obvious scent to the product is good for users such as my mother that loves to regularly use perfume.


Disclaimer: I received free samples from Crowdtap to use and in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this blog is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.