Quaker Soft Baked Banana Nut Bar

Even though we all heard it before “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, somehow of the other between the never ending emails to my mile long to do list I can never make time to have a wholesome meal. Although, I do have tradition to start my Monday mid – morning while checking emails with an everything bagel smothered with cream cheese. As delicious as it is, I usually can’t finish the bagel and all I can think of is “Where can I go to take a nap?!” When I tasted this banana nut bar, I was in love. Not only is it convenient, it can be eaten right out of the package or warmed up in the microwave. Being the lazy bum I am, I wolfed it down right out of the wrapper. The banana nut bread was soft, moist and just plain delicious. Apart of the great taste, it was a lot healthier than my bagel. It is packed with 5 grams of fiber, one fifth of the daily B vitamins and has 6 grams of proteins. It kept me well satisfied till lunch, I was surprised I didn’t start raiding the office vending machine. I would love to say it tastes as good as the homemade version but this was my first time having banana nut bread [which by the way, where has this little piece of heaven been hiding?!] and my cooking is horrid and I wouldn’t wish my worst enemy to try my cooking.

** Disclaimer - I received a complimentary sample for testing and to review the product from Influenster.  Receiving this sample had no impact on my review of this product and these views are my own. **

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion

Photo Credit - Hawaiian Tropic

This sweet smelling sunscreen goes on smoothly and doesn’t leave a greasy residue. I love how it had a sweet tropical smell and not heavy chemical odor like other sunscreens.  It has hydrating silk ribbons that moisturize your skin while protecting you from the sun. It is packed with nourishing antioxidants and exotic botanical extracts. When I first applied this product to my face it stung a bit which eventually went away after three uses.  It could be that my face is just a bit sensitive to new products. I didn’t have that problem when I applied it to my body.  While the skin ribbons did moisturize my skin during application, I noticed it faded away after three to four hours. Overall, I think it is good buy for a drugstore sunscreen. 

** Disclaimer - I received a complimentary sample for testing and to review the product from Influenster.  Receiving this sample had no impact on my review of this product and these views are my own. **

LaRocca 24k C-Gold Reparative Primer

This primer is, literally in fact, liquid gold for my face. I love how smooth and soft my face feels after applying this primer. This non greasy primer goes on smoothly like butter and was instantly absorbed into the skin. The LaRocca Skincare 24-K C-Gold Reparative Primer is made with 24K colloidal gold, Vitamin C and provides SPF protection.  The lightweight gel smooths, brightens, firms and reduces the damage occuring when sun worshipping. I got tons of compliments from friends asking what I was using on my face.  I just laugh and say “liquid gold”. Overall, I am in love with this primer. I would buy enough to coat my entire body in it but sadly with the $90 price tag, it will be a splurge for special occasions only.

Neutrogena Visibly Bright Daily Facial Cleanser

Photo Credit - Neutrogena

The daily facial cleanser promises to make dull, tired skin into bright and refreshed skin within 4 uses. The formula is infused with soy, vitamin c and citrus antioxidants.  The facial cleanser is non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic and oil free. My face felt soft and fresh, but it is usually that way after I finish washing my face anyways. I didn’t notice any of the brightening effects of the facial cleanser. My only qualm is that facial cleanser doesn’t lather well.

Kelly Teegarden Organics Vitality Rose and Cucumber Eye Cream

Photo Credit - Drugstore.com

The Kelly Teegarden Organic Vitality Rose and Cucumber Eye Cream is packed with extracts and essential oils. The eye cream promises to soothe, reduce puffiness and dark circles.  I have been using the product for 3 months, and the skin around my eyes did become softer and a tad smoother.  The lightweight formula goes on smoothly and not greasy. 

Softsoap Pure Cashmere Hydrating Body Wash

Photo Credit - Walgreens

This soft flowery scented body wash is a great drugstore buy.  The body wash was hydrating and left my skin moisturized for the whole day.  The formula is thick and creamy and lathered very well. The body wash is packed with cashmere extract and moisturizing cream. While my skin felt clean and soft, I would still recommend following up with a lotion.

Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake Shower Gel, Shampoo and Bubble Bath

Photo Source - Sephora

The soft scented shower gel smelled like vanilla cake batter. The scent did not last long after leaving the bottle, which was very disappointing. The shower gel did moisturize the skin but the lather was quite poor. It is a nice calorie free way to treat yourself.

Sephora Super Supreme Body Butter

Photo Credit - Sephora

I recently bought this for my trip to Amsterdam. Usually, my skin has a habit of acting up every time I am on vacation trying to look pretty. Not this time! Good bye dry scaly skin and hello smooth, soft baby skin! I love how moisturized it left my skin.  The body butter was thick and was absorbed quickly. I was especially in love with the fact that my skin didn’t feel sticky after application. I like how the butter was packed with HydroSenn+,  shea, illipe and mango butters. I will definitely stock up on this and use it through the year.

Burt’s Bees – Pink Blossom Tinted lip balm

Photo Source - Burt's Bees

As a fan of Burt’s Bees’ lip balms, I wanted to try their tinted version.   The tinted lip balm left a soft wash of color. I would recommend exfoliating and keeping your lips soft otherwise the color will build up on the excess skin [that sounds so gross..and actually it looks gross too] Although, the lip balm provided some color, it didn’t  make my lips soft or hydrated. Which after all what is the point of a lip balm if it doesn’t keep your lips soft.

Yves Rocher Jardins du Monde Brazilian Watermelon

Photo Credit - Yves Rocher

I love this Jolly Ranch scented body wash. At first, I thought it would be too strong and come off as childish. But boy was I wrong! The sweet sophisticated scent softly lingered throughout the day. I wore this on a date and my date couldn’t stop trying to sniff me. Of course, he was a bit creepy and I tried moving away but I could see why he was infatuated with the scent and how soft my skin felt. The body gel provided a nice lather and was moisturizing. All in all, I would put this in my regular rotation for body wash.

Sex in the City Body Lotion

I came across this lotion when I was cleaning my room. I am not even sure how I got it.  The scent was atrocious and the lotion was runny. It was however very moisturizing and non-greasy.   I would probably not use it again, unless it was free. Then again I would use almost anything if it was free.

Nu – Pore : Fresh Aloe Collagen Essence Mask

I love using a weekly facial mask. My friend raves about this mask and gave me one for Christmas. I can see why she loves it. The premoistened mask can be used three ways a] on a warm day, you can stick it in the fridge b] on cold day, you can submerge the packet in hot water c] or the lazy person way [I did it this way], by just opening the packet and using it.  When I first removed the mask, my face felt tight, but it slowly went away and my skin felt soft and smooth. The mask is packed with vitamin E, Collagen and aloe.

Folded

Unfolded. It was dripping wet.

Burt’s Bees – Watermelon Lip Shimmer

Photo Credit - Burt's Bees

As an avid fan of both Burt’s Bees and their lip balms, I couldn’t wait to try their much lauded lip shimmer. It is packed with vitamin E, beeswax, sunflower and coconut oil. The lip shimmer gave a pretty sheer wash of color and left a bit of shimmer behind. Although, it didn’t provide enough moisture and my lips felt dry after 15 minutes or so after application. I love the color and how it nicely brightens up my face with color but I might have to use a lip balm under this shimmer so my lip doesn’t dry up.

Essie Luxeffects Nail Polish top coat – Set in Stones

Photo Source - Ulta.com

I love doing my nails. I find it very relaxing and it’s a way to pamper myself without spending a fortune. I have tried many top coats, some with glitter and some without glitter but most of them don’t work very well.  This top coat added a nice multidimensional look when I wore it on top of another color and it looks great when I wear it by its own. I like how Essie formulates their nail polish without the use of DBP, toluene, and how it’s formaldehyde-free.