Vitacost: Beauty Reviews- Kiss My Face Pore Shrink, MyChelle Brightening Serum, & VeriaID Lotion

When you think of Vitacost, what do you imagine? Do you imagine a website filled with Vitamins? NO, that isn’t what VItacost is. Vitacost is a website that has nothing but natural products. They offer a huge variety of name brand (as well as their own brand) of natural skin care, hair care, vitamins, Baby & Kid care, Pet supplies, and more.

I was excited to get my three items of choice from the Vitacost website. This time around I chose all skincare products. The 2013 school year is about to start and we are about to have our family pictures made. I want my skin to look and feel silky and spectacular! 

The first item I chose was the Kiss My Face Pore Shrink Deep Cleansing Mask. I have always had trouble with really oily skin and huge pores. There has only been a select few products (need I mention that they are expensive) that have helped with the oil AND the pore size.

I’ve been using this for only about 2 weeks and I can already tell a huge difference in the amount of oil that is on my skin. Usually I have to wash my face 3 times a day and limit the makeup I wear in the summer. Makeup breaks me out because it adds to the oil, so I’ve been using either CC or BB Creams here lately.

This has helped me be able to wear regular makeup! This is perfect because like I said we are about to have a photo shoot and I do NOT want oily skin. I don’t want to look shiny or have acne popping out because of the oil. How embarrassing would that be?

All of the ingredients are natural and work together SO awesomely! It helps to minimize pores, control acne and sebum, and increase your circulation as the clay formula absorbs excess oil. The abundance of soothing and moisturizing ingredients means that Pore Shrink will not over dry the skin, but will help control oil production.

• Bentonite and Kaolin Clay formula absorbs excess oil

• Organic Aloe Vera and Chamomile soothe skin and reduce inflammation

• Detoxifying ingredients kill bacteria that cause break outs

The mask is a light purple color and smells like a lavender/mint mix. You put this on after your face has already been cleansed. You do NOT substitute this for your face cleaner, and don’t use it more than 3 times a week. I love the feeling it gives, it instantly soothes and has a cool tingle (like a product with menthol).

As it’s drying (you leave it on until it’s completely dry) you’ll notice your face becoming stiff. You’ll feel like that until it’s completely dry and you wash it off with warm/hot water. I then follow up with an exfoliating wash, toner, and moisturizer to complete the process.

I use an exfoliation cleanser after so that all the dirt and impurities that the mask pulls out is washed off. My face and pores feel so refreshed after I use this mask. I am definitely falling in love with it! I can’t believe how clean my pores look now. I have seen them become smaller, but not too much- it’s only been two weeks.

My skin looks tighter, brighter, and the texture has vastly improved. I couldn’t ask for a better mask! Organic, cheap, and REALLY works!

Buy it: Kiss My Face Pore Shrink Deep Cleansing Mask $8.32

The next item that I chose was also facial skincare, of course! I got the MyChelle Apple Brightening Cream.

• Reduce dark spots in just six short weeks
• Slow down the skins' biological clock with antioxidant-rich renovage
• This cream uses power-packed apple plant stem cells

This brightening cream is so rich and luxurious. It is thick and makes my skin feel so silky and lustrous after! It’s made with apple plant stem cells and daisy flower extract, to help tone and re-texturize skin.

I could tell immediately after opening the jar that it was made with apples even if it is the stem cells. It smells like applesauce or apple juice, YUM!  This cream uses power-packed apple plant stem cells to delay the natural aging process and trigger cell regeneration for a smooth, luminous complexion. It goes on very smoothly, sinks in pretty quickly, and isn’t sticky at all.

You use this after you’ve cleansed, toned, moisturized, and whatever else. This is used both day and night and is the last step, except in the morning. You put this under your sunblock in the morning, so it’s next to last.

Although I do not yet have dark spots or age spots, I will very shortly I’m sure. I tan on average 4 days a week. So, I know the spots are just one short turn away from appearing. I am trying to stop it from happening before it happens.

So, the MyChelle Apple Brightening Cream was absolutely perfect for me! It is a satiny light lotion cream. It isn’t thick enough to be considered a cream, yet it isn’t runny either. I only need a very small amount to get my entire face and neck. This jar is certain to last awhile in my house!

Just after the first week, I could already tell a huge difference in my complexion. My skin seemed more radiant and moisturized. It just seemed to “dew” up my face, yet not in an oily way. It smells so wonderful and this is definitely that we all need in our skin care regimen!

Buy It: MyChelle Apple Brightening Cream $27.99

Directions
For a lustrous and even-toned complexion, apply a quarter-size amount to face and neck AM and PM after cleansing, applying serums and misting. Follow with sun protection.For best results, use the entire Apple Brightening Series.

The third and last product that I received was the Veria ID Innerdosha™ VATA dosha Utterly Quenched Hand & Body Lotion.

Although I have oily facial skin, it’s the exact opposite with the rest of my body. 10x worse, especially since I’ve been going to the tanning bed on a regular basis. For your skin to hold a tan not only for a longer period of time, but for it to accept the extreme depth of tanning- your skin needs to be hydrated.

That’s where this lotion comes in. I’ve been using this to keep my skin hydrated since it came in the mail. It does an awesome job! It isn’t greasy and doesn’t leave any oily residue behind like some lotions do. It has a very feminine flowery smell to it, yet it isn’t overwhelming to those that are sensitive to smells.

It’s a very rich lotion without it being too thick like a body body. I love the consistency because it also isn’t runny. It’s PERFECT! I can apply this lotion to my hands and not worry that my keyboard or smartphone is going to be all oily with smears.

It sinks right in to the skin without a hitch! I’m pretty sure my skin has fallen in pure lust with this lotion!

Buy it: Veria ID Innerdosha™ VATA dosha Utterly Quenched Hand & Body Lotion $9.09

 

About Vitacost

If you’re tired of deciding between a good bargain and a good product, you’ll be happy to know that Vitacost.com offers savings up to 50% off retail on the healthy products you want and need, including vitamins, supplements, health foods, sports nutrition products, bath & beauty favorites, even home and pet products. Vitacost.com carries nearly 40,000 different healthy products. OK, so that’s not really endless, but it sure seems that way. Those products come from nearly 2,000 leading brands, including high-quality Vitacost brand products.

Connect with Vitacost: Subscribe to their newsletter Newsletter and connect with their social media: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest.

 

Jessica Renee

Gift Giving the Easy Way With Ziftit

If you would like to make gift getting or giving easier, you should definitely check out Ziftit. Zitfit is a new way to get and give gifts! After your friends sign up, you can find them.. see what they like and chip in on getting it for them (with other friends) or by yourself. Same thing goes for getting gifts. You can put your wishlist on there for your wedding party, anniversary, birthday, or Christmas.. that way there isn't any guess work into giving or getting gifts! Everybody is happy, everybody wins!

Sign up here

 

Jessica Renee

Motivate Your Kids to Read with BookBoard

I have been a reader for as long as I can remember. Even when I was in first grade, I remember that I loved the excitement of opening a book and starting a new adventure. When I got into fourth grade, I was 2nd place in my entire school for reading level and reading the most books. My love for reading still continues. I bet I read more than 4-5 books a week. Bookboard can help your kids become interested in reading!


When you make reading fun, your kids will automatically want to learn. If you also throw positive reinforcement in there, they’ll want to learn even more. Perhaps a sticker of their choosing for every book they complete. After they get so many (depends on their age) they can turn the stickers into a present. A new DVD, a trip to the zoo, a toy? It’s all up to you, and them of course.

With BookBoard, it’s even easier to get them interested in reading. You can install the app on your Ipad and let them read away! Long trips, waiting at the dr, office, or just at home. There are over 400 books to unlock on Bookboard!
The Library..
We were always going to library on a weekly basis. My kids enjoy choosing their books, reading them with me, and returning them for more. Now, we don’t have to wait for our weekly trip to the library with so many different books at our fingertips!

I love once we signed up, I could create each of my kids their very own ID, with their nicknames and cute little icons beside their names to represent them. For each book they complete on Bookboards they unlock more books and earn personal achievements! That’s even more exciting than a sticker system!

I love that there is such a wide variety of books. Of course, boys and girls will like SOME similar books, but they also differ. It is more than likely that my son will love to read something with dinosaurs, airplanes, or cars, while my daughter would pick something like the Bernstein bears, Dora, or fairies.

Owning every single book that your child is interested in isn’t possible. That’s the reason we were always lending from the library even when they were very young. We did accidentally misplace one book, and another got juice on it from a spilled drink inside a backpack. With Bookboard, you don’t have to worry about paying for books to own or even if they get misplaced if they are owned by the library.

You should definitely check out their Top 15 Books of June 2013. These are books picked out by kids just like yours. These are the 15 top read books of last year, and there is a vast variety of different books. Learning about bullies, trucks, zoo’s, being fair, and more!

They even have a huge list of non-fiction books. I always try and throw a couple of the nonfiction in my kids reading list every week. So that they are learning about the world too. There are panda books, alphabet books, music and more!

About BookBoard
Designed to motivate your kids to read, Bookboard offers a digital library subscription with over 400 books for kids up to age 12 to discover, unlock, and collect.  The service grows with kids’ reading level and interests, and reinforces the experience of story time that instills a love of reading in kids.
This post was sponsored on behalf of BookBoard, all opinions are my own.

Sign up on the BookBoard Website

Thanks,

Jessica

Keep Track of Business Contacts, sales, emails and More with Insightly

Having and managing a small business is no easy task. The time and hard work that is put into gaining new customers is the hardest part. Most companies spend tons of time and money gaining customers, no business much less a small one wants to lose customers.

Making a customer happy is the main goal. If they buy something, they are happy with your products/services and the way you handled customer service.. they will always come back. In most cases, these happy customers also refer in more customers.

HOW can you make your customers happy?

Communication, is the first step. Customers have questions, and they want to be reassured that their questions are going to be answered. They want to know if they have a problem, that they can effectively get ahold of your company and the problem is going to be resolved.

Insightly helps you effectively manage your contacts and emails. You can import your contacts in various ways; email, Excel, Outlook, and more! You can effectively look up a contact and email them back without sorting through a million other contacts. it will not only save you time, but you’ll be able to email your customers or business partner within seconds!

Insightly also gives you your own personal email mailbox. It will let you forward your emails with your customers or business partners, or even your suppliers to your Insightly mailbox. That way when you log-in to your account, everything is there. Everything you and that certain customer talked about.. that way you have updated records of everything right within reach!

What makes it even easier is the search feature. If you need to search for a certain customer to let them know their order is running behind. If you need to ask a certain question about an order.. just search for your customers name and it’s there! How easy is that?

Need to buy more fabric, ribbon, thread? Need to search a certain website for supplies? Need to get a certain order done within a very fast time period? Insightly also has a “task” tab. This is what I need most besides email import and searching. My to-list for my small business needs to be located within the same page as everything else, so it’s right in front of me. Keep organized and connected with Insightly!

Are you a small business owner that has a variety of projects running or that you need to begin at the same time? Insightly has a project tab as well. It even gives you the option of importing or exporting from Excel. If you have a list saved in Excel, it will take you no time to get up and running!

Do you have business partners? Or a Virtual Assistant? Invite them to your insightly. You can share the emails, the contacts, the tasks, and everything else. Of course, you can limit what they see. If you just want to share the projects with them? You can!

The best thing about Insightly? IT’S absolutely free! There is a paid version that will give you more features, more options, and certain things a free version can’t of course.

 

Features

• Integration with Google Apps & Gmail
• Integration with Outlook 2013/Office 365
• Mobile Access on iOS and Android
• Contact Management
• Opportunity & Pipeline Management
• Task Management
• Reports

Get it! You can sign up for Insightly for FREE!

Jessica Renee

 

Use Shark Products for More Cleaner Carpets and Air

Two products from Shark allow you to deep clean carpets, hard surface floors, stairs and more with minimal effort and superior cleaning power.

The unbelievably lightweight Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away Vacuum never loses suction, even with the dust cup full. The unit houses three cleaning units: a powerful upright vacuum, a lift-away vacuum for portable cleaning, and a canister vacuum.

The cyclonic sucking power of this vacuum impresses even professional cleaners. The unique Anti-Allergen Complete Seal technology traps virtually all allergens and dust inside the vacuum with a series of three washable filters.

The Rotator Professional Lift-Away features swivel steering to cruise around furniture legs easily. The entire package comes with a Five-Year Manufacturer’s warranty. Customer reviews rave about the quiet operation, even with the brush roll in operation. The ease of assembly pleases many customers, especially since no tools are required. If you are buying online be sure to check Shark coupon codes to score best savings.

The Rotator Professional Lift-Away Vacuum comes with pet power brush, an extendable flexible crevice tool, and more. One user of the pet tool remarked, “There is dog hair in there from a dog I haven’t had for two years!”

The Shark Rotator Professional even features a variable suction ring, which allows users to reduce suction power for vacuuming delicate items. On the vacuum base, the suction on the Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Off helps propel the entire unit.

Complement the Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Off vacuum with the Shark Sonic Duo Cleaning System for the ultimate clean floor experience. The Shark Sonic Duo offers the first system to clean both carpets and hard surface floors. It removes stuck on dirt and soils deep in the carpets using the revolutionary Sonic Trap and Remove Technology system.

It uses a variety of scrubbing speeds, reusable pads, and environmentally friendly cleaning solutions to allow users to customize their cleaning. The cleaning solution is completely safe for pets and people but cleans and polishes hard floor surfaces impeccably.

The Trap and Remove Technology solution penetrates deep into the carpet and clings to the ground-in dirt. As the solution dries, it unlocks dirt from the carpet fibers. Simply vacuum the unlocked dirt away when it has dried. On hard surface floors, the Shark Sonic Duo scrubs 1000 times per minute. It uses dual scrubbing action combined with the Wood and Hard Floor Cleaning Solution to remove grime and stuck-on dirt.

Airglide Maneuverability lets the Shark Sonic Duo move effortlessly across the floor. Use it on any sealed hard surface floor including hardwood, tile, stone and vinyl. It leaves no streaky, sticky residue behind on the floors. The Shark Sonic Duo Cleaning System leaves carpets and rugs cleaner, with fewer odors year-round.

 

Jessica Renee

Back to School Bash Sponsor- Kohl’s. One Stop Shop for School Shopping! “Kids Shoes Review”

The 2013 School year is here. The summer has flown by without me even knowing it. It doesn’t seem like Aidan’s been out of Kindergarten for an entire 2 months. He has though, and now heading into first grade. Adisyn, my baby girl, is starting preschool. This Mama is going to be an empty nester during the day, I will cry the first week- I KNOW it!

Kohl’s is a One Stop Shop for Back to School! They have EVERYTHING your child needs for that first day back. The best thing about it is that they have everything for your kindergartener as well as your older kids as well.

They have a HUGE selection of School Shoes, that aren’t only fashionable but also affordable. Those two words don’t get mixed around too much- stylish and don’t cost an arm and a leg. Even your “picky” teen will agree!

They have more ways to shop then one, You can shop by gender, the type of shoe you’re looking for, or by brand. What’s even better is after you’ve chosen what you’re looking for you can sort them by price! They are having a major blow-out on shoes, starting at $7!

 

The Shoes•

I always get my kids closed toe tie up shoes because they are still little. They have to have shoes that won’t come off on the playground or during gym. I had a blast looking through the website at all the shoes. They had so many brands to look through.

Aidan♠

I ended up getting Aidan a pair of Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Street Mid-Top Shoes.

Both of the kids’ shoes came VERY quickly ordered from the website, within 3-4 days! If you order more than one pair (or more than one item), everything still comes shipped in the same box. I thought that was pretty cool.

These shoes come in 12-6, my son wears a 1 (he’s 6). I absolutely love the dynamic yellow mixed with the black. It just looks so dynamic and calls attention to them. Of course, I’ve always been a fan of Converse. They know how to make simplicity look amazing.

They ARE built not only for comfort but also built to last. They have a padded tongue and collar, so that I know he is comfortable during the entire school day. I absolutely loved how both pair of shoes I received had the laces already in the shoes!

The Converse shoes, however, DO not require tying, My son can just slip these on in the morning before school. This will make my morning ten times easier, because I’ll have to get two kids ready, snacks and backpacks together, and 2 separate buses to wait on.

You CAN fix these so that they can be tied. I WILL tie them on the days he has P.E. so that it will make it easier for him to run at full speed. The outsole is rubber so it gets awesome traction no matter what he’s walking on; linoleum, concrete, or tile.

The outer (upper) part of these shoes are made out of canvas. This makes it easier for his feet to get air and be able to breath. Last year when he would come in from school, I’d change him into play clothes and GOSH his feet stunk. It was because he sit there all day, played on the playground, and had P.E. without his feet getting any air.

Doesn’t he just look so adorable? He loves his new shoes! He can’t wait to start school so he can wear his shoes and show his “new” friends that he hasn’t even met yet.. LOL.

I overheard him talking to my daughter. He said “Adi, I’m cool and you’re not. Cool is black shoes and you have pink on your shoes.” Okay, apparently a first grader thinks he knows what it means to be “cool” LOL.

Buy them: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Street Mid-Top Shoes $32.99

Adisyn♥

I ended up getting Adisyn the Jumping Beans® Athletic Shoes.

My little Diva absolutely adores these shoes. AS soon as she seen them in the box she wanted to wear them. I let her wear them around the house for a little while, so she could get used to how they feel. I swear, she didn’t want to take them off.

They are so adorable. They look tie die on soles, mixed with blue and pink. She wears a lot of both blue and pink, so they are the perfect shoes for her. They are made in Size 11-3, she wears an 11 (she’s 4).

These shoes are sure to get a lot of use. She is PURE energy, all the time. Running, playing, jumping, skipping, hopping, and any other adjective you could think of. She is balled up energy, and I’m sure these shoes can hold their fill

They are very high quality made shoes! They have mesh lining on the top of the shoes and are interlaced on the sides. The mesh lining wicks away moisture. This is awesome because I don’t know how many times it rained last year before school and my sons socks would get a little wet.

The insides of the shoes are comfortable and they have a padded footbed. They fit her feet perfectly. There’s a little room to grow but not too much that she is going to trip over her shoes! She is excited to be starting school this year, I woke up this morning and she already had both school shoes and a school outfit on!

Aidan is so funny. He tried to close his eyes, cross them, or something silly EVERY time! They are fun, energetic kids and I’m glad they both have a pair of shoes that will definitely keep up with them this year.. now only if this Mama could

Buy them: Jumping Beans® Athletic Shoes $20 (Reduced from $40!)

AND..

 

FREE shipping everyday! AND right now they are also having a get $10 Kohl’s cash for every $50 spent!

What do you think about their shoes? Have you done your back to school shopping yet?

Did you all know about the huge selection of brands, prices, and sizes?

Connect with Kohl’s online:

Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest

 

Jessica Renee

Fun Way to Stop Summer Learning Loss for K-2nd Grade: PowerMyLearning

Summer is has been in FULL summer mode for awhile now. Relaxing, hanging out, and swimming is ALL that has been crossing my kids minds. It’s been really REALLY hot this summer.. can you say HUMID?

Have you ever heard OR experienced summer slide? Where you forget stuff you learned the previous year DURING the summer? Kids who do not continue with educational activities over the summer tend to lose an average of 2.6 months of academic growth, that’s a LOT!

PowerMyLearning is here to help you and your kids prevent that Summer Slide in a very fun and interactive way! PowerMyLearning is an absolutely free website with everything your K-2nd grader needs to stay at their learning level (and go even further if they wanted).

My son had a blast because it consisted of FUN. It is like playing a game to him, he  doesn’t “look” at it like a learning experience. He just thinks he is playing (and he is), but it’s purely educational as well. It’s an amazing concept, integrating learning through fun. This is how I teach my kids anyway. If they feel FORCED to stare at a page, they’ll get bored. Why not make it fun so they remember?

it’s really cool because you can add as many children (when you sign up as a parent) as you want. It’s awesome that within 1 second you can link their school by searching your zip code! Of course, my daughter is only in preschool—so maybe I’ll sign her up next year (or this year if she does well). She’s a fast learner.

We were basically focusing on the Math programs. Aidan did really good this year with his letters, learning sounds of the letters.  He can count to 100 but he has trouble adding and subtracting. With PowerMyLearning, he gets to choose which activity he likes and collect points when he finishes those activities!

There are tons of games to choose from. Here are some he played and really enjoyed!

Kids Adding Objects ~ Time to practice addition!

Interactive 100 Square ~ Play with these interactive squares to see interesting patterns.

Apple picking PBS~ Counting with Curious George and his friend Jumpy

There are more than 30 different math games for the K-2 grade level

PowerMyLearning is a free web-based platform designed for K-12 students, parents, and educators. The platform makes thousands of the best online learning activities easily accessible and usable in one trusted place.

Check out PowerMyLearning on social media for the latest updates!

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Disclosure~ This is a sponsored post on behalf of PowerMyLearning

 

-Jessica Renee