Free Tanger Outlet $10 Gift Card (Facebook account required)

You have to go to Facebook and like Tanger Outlet on their homepage here and then a pop up will be visible for a $10 GC to Tanger Outlet. The GC is printable and must be redeemed by 3/14/12.

new Walgreens skin care line - Simple (sensitive skin experts)

I recently participated in the program by shespeaks.com to determine how Walgreens was handling a new product line for skincare called "Simple" that is a major seller in Europe, particular the U.K. As a reward for my participation and the honest feedback, I received today a full size sample of "Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash". The additional information provided by shespeaks indicates that the facial wash:

• cleanses and nourishes skin
• is 100% soap free
• has the added vitamins: Pro-Vitamin B5 and Vitamin E
• contains skin-loving ingredient: Bisabolol

If you are like me you go Bisabolol and wonder what this component is actually doing.  Wikipedia can always help and the information about the compound is actually pretty interesting. Turns out that Bisabolol is an alcohol that forms the primary constituent of the essential oil of German chamomile. So I am thinking that it must be good for you  because I had to drink a lot of chamomile tea whenever I had a sore throat since it was supposed to help reduce inflammation. Bisabolol has a weak floral aroma and can be used in fragrances. I tested the moisturizing facial wash and did not notice any scent. Next the Wikipedia entry explains that Bisabolol has been used for hundreds of years in cosmetics because of its perceived skin healing properties. Remember the chamomile tea, the anti-inflammatory use must be true and not just a way for my mom to convince me to drink herbal tea. Confirmed by Wikipedia again where it states that Bisabolol is known to have anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.

So it seems that the Simple skincare line at least based on the ingredients combines natural compounds with vitamins to form skincare products for sensitive skin. I used the facial wash this evening and my skin was not irritated at all and felt nice and smooth afterwards.

Below is a picture of the content of the package I received today. The tube is a good size and shespeaks was nice enough to include a print out listing additional Simple products. Simple also has a Smoothing Facial Scrub as well as a Hydrating Light Moisturizer.

If you are interested in trying out the Simple skincare line, just stop by your nearest Walgreens!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - content of the box received from shespeaks, including free Simple skincare product

Disclaimer: As part of the Simple blog project, I received a full size product from the Simple skincare line in exchange for an honest review. Any opinions expressed are solely my own and have not been influenced by any third party or shespeaks. Any financial or other reward I may have received has not influenced the opinions voiced in this blog.

Smarterer - test your knowledge online on fun topics from social networking to computer software

Smarterer is a fun way to test your knowledge online. You go to their homepage here, create an account to login and select a topic that interests you or in which you want to learn more. I started to test my knowledge on bzzagent.com, the company that first introduced me to smarterer through one of their campaigns, and yes I learned some more stuff about the bzzagent. Even though I have been affiliated with bzzagent for years, I did not know when precisely the company was founded or the background of the CEO.
I then went on to select powerpoint as the next topic because even though I regularly use powerpoint for presentations, I figured that I can maybe make my presentations more interesting once I fully appreciate the potential that powerpoint has. I rarely take the time during the work to just play around with an application, unless I need to figure out how to do something. So taking tests using smarterer is a fun way to learn some more about standard office programs that may prove useful in the long run.
Another area in which smarterer offers online tests is social networking. You can test your knowledge on Twitter and Facebook. Everyone is concerned about privacy and security on social networking sites, so that is where I plan to head next. I wonder what interesting pieces of information I can pick up in a test on Facebook - maybe even how to turn off the timeline feature for good!

Allure Sample: Vichy Normaderm

Today I received a package with three small samples from Vichy Normaderm through an Allure giveaway.
Vichy Laboratories has won several awards from Allure, including the "Allure Best of Beauty Award" and "Fitness Beauty Award" for their acne and sun care products.
Below is a picture of the box and contents, like all product samples through Allure it was very nicely packaged and contained a card with additional information about the products.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - contents of the Allure Expert sample package for Vichy Laboratories

About the products from the Triple Action Anti-Acne line, Allure wrote the following to explain the win for the Vichy Laboratories products: "Vichy Normaderm Triple Action Anti-Acne Hydrating Lotion scares away blemishes with salicylic and glycolic acids, and it mattifies, so makeup stays just where it should."

The product description for the lotion states the following:
TheTriple Action Anti-Acne Hydrating Lotion ($22.50, 1.7 fl. oz.) combines Salicylic Acid, Lipo Hydroxy Acid (LHA) and Glycolic Acid, all powerful micro-exfoliators to clear skin from blemishes and blackheads and tighten pores. Its unique formula is oil-free, and provides  24-hour hydration while mattifying skin. The result is a lotion with demonstrated efficacy on breakouts and delivers healthier-looking skin in just one week.


I had no idea that Vichy laboratories has been in existence since 1931; they celebrate 80 years of skincare expertise. In the USA, Vichy Laboratories products are available at CVS and Walgreens.

You can find out more about Vichy Laboratories on their homepage here.

Free Redbox Rental on 3/8/12 - code Thanks2U

Tomorrow, Redbox is giving away a free rental for a DVD at any of their locations. Just select the movie and when you are ready to check-out, enter code THANKS2U to have no charges applied for the first night. If you keep the movie a second night or longer, the normal rental charges will apply!


In celebration of their 2 Billion rentals, Redbox is running this one day promotion.

conditions:
Valid for a 1-day DVD rental at kiosk on 3/8/12 only (expires at 11:59:59 p.m. CT).
Limit: 1 code per transaction, regardless of # of rentals. 1 time use of code only. Code valid at kiosk only for a 1-day standard DVD rental or a discount worth the value of the standard DVD daily rental rate off the first night's daily rental fee for a Blu-ray Disc® or video game. Not valid online, via app, or for prior rentals. 

giveaway from a fellow blogger - Cravebox February contest

A fellow blogger has a nice giveaway from the Cravebox theme. If you go to Christi's Reviews here, you can enter to win a selection of the February Cravebox. It is also an opportunity to learn about the Cravebox program that allows you for a discount price of $10 to get a nice selection of products.
So head on over to Cristi's blog and see if you can win the following items:

•  packet of e-boost 
• Amore Pacific Cleansing foam 
•  FULL SIZE Mereadesso face + neck toning gel 

Good luck!

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream - new bzzcampaign

I just found out this week that I will be testing a new product from Garnier called Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream. It is a B. B. cream that will give you a luminous glow and comes in two different shade from light to a darker skin tone. For those who are by now wondering what B. B. cream is - it stands for blemish balm and is a cover up for small blemishes that evens out the skin tone and provides a luminous glow at the same time. 

I have not tried out the product myself, but I use routinely other Garnier products and they never disappoint. A nice added touch, although in these days of skin cancer awareness, it also comes with SPF15 UV protection.  

I can not wait to try out the product. The website for the new product is here.