Products & Reviews

I reviewed this product awhile back after receiving a few samples of John Frieda's Full Repair, Full Body Shampoo and Conditioner. I am usually a huge John Frieda fan, but not so much with this product. It is supposed to "weightlessly repair hair to restore full style"... well I don't know about all that, I just know that after using it a few times I didn't like it much. It left my hair a bit greasy looking and it didn't smell very good. My hair didn't look healthy or "repaired." So, when it comes to John Frieda's Full Repair I'm gonna say, pass... spend your money on something else! I personally like Pantene Pro-V's Split End Repair cream, it's more like a leave in conditioner and it works way better than this stuff! Check out my review of it here !

Check out all the samples that were given out in the Summer 2012 Target Beauty Bag! Target gives these bags out a few times a year, so if you want to be sure and catch the next one check back in regularly as I will post it on this blog and my facebook page as soon as I hear about it! You can also like, follow, +1, etc the freebie blogs in my links section (to the right) for info on great samples everyday!!! Enjoy!

Everywhere I look I see nail art! My friends post the latest mani-art from their trips to the nail salon on facebook, celebs post theirs in magazines, companies are mass producing and marketing expensive "nail art polishes" with small brushes that are supposed to be easier to make designs with, or "nail art pens" that you can draw decorations with.  The polishes are going for $8 - $14+ a piece and the pens the same, and the ones I tried were low quality polishes and the pens dried out very quickly!  Free handed "wild-side zebra stripes" in pure ICE platinum & electric! pure ICE platinum  tipped with electric! My cheap solution (shown in video above) : buy pure ICE nail polish for about $1 from wal-mart (shown in various pictures in this post), it works great and they have a ton of colors and finishes. Then take the brush out and cut half of the bristles off so you have a thin brush that is perfect for small detailed nail art and des

The Product So unless you've been hiding out under a rock with no internet or tv access, you've probably seen advertisements for Clear, the new line of shampoos and conditioners that claim we've all been going at hair care the wrong way, and that the most important component to beautiful hair is a nourished scalp.  On their website  and in their ads they claim that the "Nutrium 10" in their products "nourishes the scalp, creating the right foundation for strong, beautiful hair" which is supposedly noticeable after only 7 days of use.  Now if you really think about that it doesn't make any sense.  If the goal is to nourish the scalp so that it will in turn begin to produce healthy hair, how will your hair be healthy and have less breakage  after only 7 days ? Because all the damage already done to your hair is still there, right?  Well, I did find one or two places that do mention that it nourishes hair (see below, center of imag

This is a video review/ tutorial (kinda) of my summer make-up must haves! Garnier BB Cream, a tinted moisturizer with SPF 15 (which I previously reviewed here ), and L'Oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes mascara... add an eyeliner of your choice and you have all you need for a light, natural, low maintenance summer look!  Make sure to check in with my NEW  facebook page for the latest updates on giveaways and freebies!  Our future giveaway: We will hopefully get to have a BornPrettyStore giveaway soon if we get 10 people to use our special promo code "MK5W21" for 5% off any purchase made before Dec. 30, 2012!!! So if you need some new  eyeliner  go check out their selection and prices!     Also, please feel free to let me know what you think about my new venture into the realm of video... I know I'm kinda an odd duck, but hopefully that's okay ;) Hope you all enjoy!

Check out my very first video review... kinda odd being in front of a camera instead of behind a keyboard, but I'm adjusting. Working on the not blabbering so much (I've always been a big talker) and making silly faces all the time (which happens when you're around mainly kids all day, every day lol).  I got this freebie a while back from the Pantene facebook page, follow myfreeproductsamples.com  or any of the others in my links section to keep up with great giveaways like this!!!  Anyway, hope you all enjoy!  

Update:  Use special promo code "MK5W21" when you check out to get 5% off all purchases made before Dec. 30, 2012! Once this code has been used 10 times BPS will be hosting a giveaway with us, so check back soon, or follow us via e-mail, facebook, G+, or twitter... Can't wait to see what they're going to be giving away!!! I've written blogs before about Born Pretty Store . I absolutely love the massive selection of beauty products they have at whole sale rates! They have everything from feather hair extensions  (the kind you get at a salon) to nail art products that give you salon quality results for a fraction of the price! 12 color nail art striping tape set $8.99 You can have some of the latest fads in nail art right now for next to nothing, and the best part is that these products can be used for more than one manicure! My absolute favorite new nail art trend is line designs!  My mom thinks it's because I'm a math geek, but who knows ;)  I

My NY Yankees Fragrance Samples! There were some pluses and minuses with the NY Yankees  Fragrance samples  sent out.  Something I would consider a good thing was that they were not the samples with the little cloth inside (where the sample container is usually foil).  The reason this is good is because those type of samples never smell like  fragrance  to me, they just smell like rubbing alcohol. I have no idea why that is, my only conclusion is that alcohol has to be added for some reason with that type of sample process.   I would have, of course, loved a larger sample, for instance, the small vials that Dove body splash and Burberry Body have given out in the past, because then you have a chance to actually wear the fragrance for a few days and see if you like it. But what can I say? At least I could actually smell these! New York Yankees For Her Image Source: Fragrantica This has a very unique smell. It's a little sweet, but rustic and slightly fruity a

Expo: authentic video reviews, opinions and insights about products and brands : 'via Blog this' If you are willing to put in the work, i.e. post video reviews of products, you can earn free full sized products to review at expotv.com ! So, this could be a great way to get freebies! I saw on the Garnier Facebook page that a bunch of people from this site had gotten full sized Garnier Ultra Lift 2 in 1 Serum + Moisturizer ($14.99) for FREE!!!! Not too shabby for a few minutes of your time, right?!

Recent studies have show that air indoors can become more polluted and can contain more harsh chemicals and allergens than outside air. You don't have to take my word for it, check out what the EPA , WHO , Medline , Wiki , and DHS have to say about it. This is a disturbing fact, considering we spend most of our lives indoors.  While there are many factors and causes, one that can easily be isolated and eliminated is your cleaning products! Kinda scary to think that the products you are using to try to keep your family safe from harmful germs and bacteria could actually be problematic! Not something any mom wants to hear! So I have decided to start a * Green  Product of the Week* review! This will be a weekly review of products that are eco-friendly, toxin free, safe, and work just as well or better than the stuff you are using now!!! Most of you probably don't know how I came into this  green  cleaning know-how, but a few years ago my friend and I started an eco-friendl

I wasn't lucky enough to get invited into the Garnier B.B. Cream Bzz Campaign or to get a sample, but after I started reading everyone's great reviews I knew I had to try it myself. So, a few weeks back I bought the light/ medium shade on sale at CVS. For those of you who are not familiar with this product I'll give you a little background... B.B. Cream is a tinted moisturizer with SPF 15.  It is actually a very nice, medium weight moisturizer that's fast absorbing and contains mineral pigment (similar to what's in mineral powders). If you're not up on all the mineral powder facts, they say that mineral powder/ pigment is safe on skin, doesn't clog pores, and is actually good for your skin.  You can even sleep in it, though it's not recommended to do so regularly. My opinion : If you've read my other skin care reviews, you know I'm VERY picky about moisturizers... My skin is somewhat sensitive and combination dry/ oily, so it's reall

So a while back I sent out for this, Aero Shot , sample and today I finally used it.  I was exhausted this morning after hardly sleeping last night.  So before heading off to the Red Hawks baseball game today I took a "shot" of Aero Shot, a breathable energy supplement.  It was very easy to use, just open the package (shown above, left), then remove the plastic wrap that holds the Areo Shot together, then you just pull it apart and breath it into your mouth and swallow it, as shown in the pictures below (sorry they're so cheesy, but I couldn't think of a better way to show how it worked). Mine's lime flavored, but it doesn't have much taste.  Each shot contains 20 mg of niacin, 2mg of vitamin B6, 6mcg of vitamin B12, and 100mg of caffeine, which is about the same amount of caffeine as a large cup of coffee. Aero Shots also come in green apple and raspberry flavors and they are coming out with a chocolate line later this month, which will consist of ch

RewardsGold.com is a great little site that allows you to earn points by answering very short surveys/ product reviews, which you can use to get a variety of magazines free for one year, with no obligation to continue the subscription past that year.  The best thing is that the surveys are generally only around 5-10 questions and completing 1 survey and inviting 2 friends (you can invite the same 2 people multiple times) will usually give you enough points for a 1 year magazine subscription! RewardsGold.com has 1 year subscriptions to At Home, Outside,  W , Wine Spectator, AFAR , Cigar Aficionado, Forbes , Golf Week,  Martha Stewart Living ,  26 issues of Barron's , 26 or 39 weeks of the Wall Street Journal , 25 weeks of The Economist,  2 years of Smart Money ,  and more,   as well as various audio books.  Click here to see the list of all the rewards available from RewardGold.com Some other magazines that often offer free subscriptions are:  Working Mother, American Baby,

I recently used a coupon  (expired) from my Coupons.com Gallery  to purchase a box of apple cinnamon belVita Breakfast Biscuits.  The box comes with 5 packets with each containing 4 breakfast biscuits.  Now they're not actually what I would consider biscuits, they're more like a cross between a cookie, a cracker, and a granola bar. I had a hard time finding these at the store because they weren't in the cereal isle, which confused me as they are "breakfast biscuits," but I did finally find them in the cookie isle , which seems a bit out of place to me (if only I could control and organize the world lol).  Each packet is one serving and contains 20g of whole grains, 3g of fiber, 3g of protein, and also contain 10% of the daily suggested serving of  Iron, B1, B2, B6, and Niacin (% based on 2,000 cal diet);  so this proves to be a good source of energy (B Vitamins help convert food to energy) and Fiber! The best part is that each packet is only 2

My delicious Crystal Light Appletini Mocktail! Crystal Light is currently launching quite a few new products, which is something we can all be excited about, and I'll tell you why (of course ;) Many of you, like myself, probably saw the launch of this new product on The Celebrity Apprentice , when the teams were tasked with throwing a summer themed party for Crystal Light Mocktails!  While watching that episode I instantly thought that mocktails sounded like a great idea for spring/ summer parties, but with only 5 calories and aspartame, I was a little skeptical about how these new drinks would actually taste.  So when the opportunity arose to sample the Appletini flavored mocktail, through  Crystal Light's Facebook page , I immediately signed up. Once I tried the drink, I was amazed at how great it tasted!!! It didn't have that nasty aspartame aftertaste that most diet drinks have.  Another thing I really liked is that the mocktails come in pitcher sized packets th

So, as you probably already know, I seek out lots of free samples. A great thing about samples is, obviously,  that you can try products before you pay for them; but another great thing is they come with high value coupons (usually $2+ off)!! Well, today I went to Wal-mart and used coupons from my samples and from Coupons.com  and saved over $20!!! I know that some people think coupons are a huge time-suck, but in reality, when you use high value coupons, you don't have to use many to save a lot!!! Plus, when I use coupons I still comparison shop, so if I can get something cheaper that's a different brand without a coupon, I'll do that and save the coupon for a sale or something.   This site's  Coupons.com Coupon Gallery makes it really easy for you to just "clip" and print coupons you will actually use, right from my blog! Most of their coupons are around $1 off, so it's easy to save BIG! How much did Coupons.com save you? Let me know! &

For those of you who are still skeptical, I just want to offer you a little proof of all the free samples, offers, and coupons that are available! If you are interested in cashing in on these offers I highly recommend following  My Free Product Samples  and/or  Freebies~Samples~Deals .  Also, for free full size products I recommend becoming a  Bzz Agent , and joining  CrowdTap  and  House Party ! Pic 1 :  These are some of the free FULL SIZED products I have gotten from Bzz Agent, CrowdTap, House Party, and various sweepstakes! In addition to what is shown I also got Just Dance 3 and Just Dance Kids 2 for Xbox 360... plus a ton of coupons! Pic 2 :  These are various freebies and a huge stack of coupons (on the right) I received as a result of following the freebie sites previously mentioned. Pic 3 : These are some of the samples of lotions, perfume, oral hygiene products, feminine hygiene products, and energy drinks I've received in the past year. Pic

If you're looking to make a customized card for your dad this Father's Day, I have just the place!   Treat.com  is having a special offer for new customers. You can get a free card when you use the promo code FREETREAT.   The "Daddy-O's" image is the front of the card I made for my Pops. (I think I'm safe posting it here because I'm pretty sure my dad doesn't read this lol.) They have lots of designs to choose from and you can add pictures to the inside too! Another great thing is that the inside text is totally customizable as well but, starting off, they have a generic inside written so if you don't like to write, or can't think of what to say, there's something there! They also have non-picture cards, so there's something for everyone! And they can mail it directly to your dad for the price of a stamp, or they can mail it to you for free!

Our review of shows returning this summer, that you just can't miss! I've seen a bunch of reviews, listing the "top shows of the summer" and in my opinion, no one got it right! So as an avid tv fan, I'm gonna set the record straight, with my Summer 2012 Watch List.   Sci Fi - Must Sees Game of Thrones (Sundays on HBO) Since season two premiered in March, it's not technically a "summer show," however, since it is my favorite show of all time and it will be airing in the summer, I'm going to list it anyway! If you aren't tuning into to HBO every Sunday for this show, you are crazy! This show has everything you could ask for.  It's set in a mystical-medieval type land, it's got sword fighting, kings, wars, great characters, and a supernatural element. Fans of The Tutors, Kings, Merlin, Spartacus, Rome, Camelot, and The Borgias , should check this show out!  True Blood (June 10 - 9pm ET on HBO) Of course, HBO&

First, I'd like to thank Cher from My Free Product Samples for posting about this new site/ app! The idea behind Trymbl is to let the users sample the products they are interested in buying, for free (don't take my word for it, watch the video at the end of this post :)  So, no more buying shampoo and finding out it smells stronger than you can handle... No more buying ten moisturizers before you find one that is right for you... No more wasting a ton of money on things you only use once! Now you might be thinking "what's so different about this site/ app? There are tons of product samples out there now, and plenty of sites that tell you how to get them!" Well, Trymbl takes the idea of sampling and pushes it further. If you see a product on the shelf that you are interested in, you can scan the bar code and get a sample sent to you (ideally).  That's not all though, you can also pull up reviews of the product that other Trymbl members have posted,