One Dollar Zone Haul!! Is This Store Better Than Dollar Tree??!!!

                      

Hi friends! In Philly a new dollar store opened called One Dollar Zone, so you know since I am a Dollar Tree addict, I had to try it out! I shared a haul on my Youtube channel of all the recent finds from Dollar Zone, so be sure to check that out.

I wanted to come here and share more information, incase you're looking for a review and don't know if you should go there or just stick to Dollar Tree.

I've been to Dollar Zone since it's recent opening and each time I go I'm able to find new cool items. The store is stocked well and it's obvious that it was put together nicely and with some thought. I never heard of this store before, but when I searched google they had a legit website and look to be opening a ton of new stores. From what I can see it looks like a East Coast dollar store, but since my West Coast love have 99cents only I ain't mad at it.

The items they sold looked to be a mix of closeouts and china based items. It was clear that a lot of the jewelry was super cheap and had a fast fashion feel. They had great items like glass wear but their party section was for sure lacking. They basically have zero makeup, but I did find some amazing makeup brushes that I LOVE! If you asked me, I'd sayOne Dollar Zone is amazing for house-hold items and crafting. The crafting section blew DT out the water. They had so many of the small craft items, you use and it was a good mix. They had meal prep containers, food storage containers but no organizations bins. They even sell clothes!

The cashiers can be slow and they stuffed 20 bucks worth of stuff in 1 plastic bag, so I make sure to take my reusable bag in when I shop.

In closing, I love the store. I think it's a great addition to Dollar Tree and they really feel like they may give DT a run for their money. They had some great brand names but had amazing off brand finds, they I never see at DT. I'm totally hooked and will add this to my list if places to check out often. If you live in the area or see one opening near you, give it a try!

SELFIE STICK REVIEW AND WHY ITS A GAME CHANGER

Hi guys! This Christmas the selfie stick was a very popular 'gag' gift, we all have that one person that loves to take a selfie. Well, that selfie pole is one of the best things I've brought since starting Youtube. 

I searched Amazon and found the AFUNTA Extended pole with 1/4 in screw. The screw allows you to use it with your camera or go pro and it comes with the attachment you need to use with your phone. The selfie stick comes with a Bluetooth remote shutter, which you just pair to your phone and BOOM! Say bye bye to having to reach for that button! 




The pole is  monopod extended pole, it feels nicely made, had grip on the handle so it'll be harder to drop, has the arm strap and for only $11.50 I think it's worth every penny!



Since I started Vlogging I find that holding the camera or iPhone to get everything in the frame can be really hard. I like that I can hold the pole and capture everything! I know lots of ladies have been telling me how popular these are at Disney World, and I can see why! Now mom can be in the picture too! We are usually the ones behind the camera or you have to ask a stranger! You can fit it in your purse and when you want everyone in the photo or video just use your selfie stick.

Here's the camera shown in the video. It's the Canon Sx150is and I've had it for a few years. It's a great introductory camera, especially when your learning to shoot in manual. I hope to upgrade this year to a new Sony camera.
 
I promise you, it's not as silly as it sounds! It's a great idea and I'm so happy that I decided to buy it. It shipped quickly from Amazon and was exactly as described. So get ready guys because your going to see more Vlogging and photos of this mama!

My Skincare Routine and Dark Spot Corrector

Proactive is a product that I've used off and on for years. I've never been able to find a product that clears up and even out my skin tone as well as Proactive. Me as well as my skin, tend to get tired of products after a while. But this is one Product I need to make a staple if I want great skin. I have oily, breakout prone skin with some redness. Even if you only have oily skin Proactive will work wonders for you as well. If your unfamiliar with Proactive, its a 3 step system that's used twice a day.

Step 1 is the Cleanser, which has little beads that exfoilate every wash. This helps get rid of dirt and oil, while making my skin super soft. My face always feel so clean after I wash my face
Step 2 is the toner, this is a pretty standard toner. The only positive I have is it doesn't burn.
Step 3 is the Repairing Lotion, this is the lotion that helps treat and prevent any breakouts. It contains benzol proxide which is the only acne product that works on my skin. This is applied to the entire face.
These are the 3 main steps. I use an additional 3 products that are just as important.
First, the Refining Mask. I use it 1-2 per week, it helps absorbs the oil and dry up any breakout. It reminds me of a clay based mask, which is essential for oily skin. You can use the Refining Mask as an overnight spot treatment as well.Even if you don't try Proactive I highly recommend trying this mask.

Second, the Dark Spot Corrector. This is used twice a day after the Repairing Lotion. I didn't believe this would lighten my discoloration, but it did! They haven't gone away, but have been lightened drastically. This product is bomb!
Lastly, the Green Tea Moisturizer. I use this last, after all the other products are absorbed into the skin. I try to wait at least ten minutes before applying moisturizer because layering too many products can make them peel. So make sure its completely absorbed. This is a nice moisturizer, I wouldn't purchase it because there are others out that I like much better.
I think Proactive is a great system, and I highly recommend giving it a try. Proactive has a variety of other great products as well. I would suggest buying from a mall, and staying away from the online "club" Proactive offers. For me, its just easier to buy as I need it and not have them doing monthly debits.

Girl Talk: Spicing Up Your Love Life

I was recently asked to do a review on the a website. As soon as heard the name I was like HUH? The name of the website it Edens Fantasy's, it's an adult store that has a wide variety of items. The girl I spoke with Jenn, was super nice and said they had a ton of bath and body products. That's the reason why I decided to check it out. To be honest "adult store" make me a little uncomfortable. I think of a grimy building, with no windows, and a huge neon sign with flashing lights. Not the type of place I wanna go to. But I think every relationship needs a little spicing up, and this is definitely the place where you can buy the spicing up ((discreetly)). The website is nicely put together and there are a variety of different categories. You can go right to the Bath section and skip all the other stuff if you want to try any of their products.

I decided not to get anything crazy, but I might just have to next time. I picked the Dona by Jo Body Wash in Blue Lotus. It's a superfruit & aphrodisiac-infused body wash. The body wash is great for sensitive skin and is cruelty-free! This is a major plus, as I'm seeing more and more people being conscientious of using cruelty-free products. 

There are 6 different scents, but with names like camu camu it's a little difficult to know what scent you'll like. The blue lotus smells fresh and clean, with a touch of an aroma therapy smell. 

I hate Bath and Body Works body wash. The fragrance it too strong, and I never feel clean after using them. I've used Dove Exfoliating Body Wash for the last 8 years and have not been disappointed. To me this body wash is in between the Dove and Bath and Body Works. It has a light fragrance, but makes your skin feel clean. This hasn't taken the place of my Dove body wash, but I like to switch between the two. As for the aphrodisiac part, I haven't noticed any difference! That's fine with me, the body wash it's self is great!

$9.99 at EdenFantasys

The last product I picked was the Pure Instinct Attractant Cologne. This is a combination of natural pheromones and rare oils. I heard about pheromones when I worked at Sephora years ago. Dr. Perricone make the Synergy Anti-Aging Aromatic which costs around $250.00. It's said to make you more confident and clam and in turn make you more attractive to the opposite sex! Since then I've been wanting to try it, so I decided get this one. I thought that it was going to be some gimmick and probably smell like crap.

I was so pleasantly surprised when I put it on and smelled it. I kept saying "this smells really good", I couldn't believe how good it smelled. The product says that people who wore this aroma noticed an elevated confidence, enhanced mood, and awakened senses. I can honestly agree with all of those things. I don't feel like I'm more appealing to the opposite sex, but I just love the way I smell when I wear this. I've worn it every day for the last week.

The only negative I have is, it doesn't last all day. After a couple hours, I can't smell it. The smell is sweet and clean, and I love it! Honestly, I would highly recommend this, as a great alternative to your perfume. I sometimes wear both this and perfume and they smell great together.

$11.99 at EdenFantasys

You can add it to your bath water, which gives the water a nice scent and leaves your skin soft and smooth.

I think Edensfantasys.com is a great store, that has something for everyone. The items are well priced and the shipping is quick (which I love because I'm impatient). You should go check it out and see what you can get to spice up your sexy time!


                                                  




                                                    If your interested in doing a review for your blog, click the link below. 

Trend Alert Tuesday: Makeup Setting Spray!

Hi Friends! I hope you had an amazing weekend, I got to see my sister and her family. It was really nice. This weeks Trend Alert Tuesday is Makeup Setting Sprays! I decided to talk about make up setting sprays because this weekend I brought Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Setting Spray. The reason I tried it was, throughout my day my under eye concealer tends to settle in my creases. I wanted something that would set my foundation and concealer, I asked the sales person for a sample of the Makeup Forever HD Setting Powder, and of course he convinced me to get the setting spray. I heard so many great reviews on it, so I decided to get it. I have tried others a couple other brands so I want to share my thoughts on all of them. Every one's skin is different, I have oily skin, so what might work for me might not work for you!

Urban Decay All Nighter $29.00- This product has a ton for positive reviews so I was pretty excited to try it. Sadly I felt like it did nothing, except give my skin a refreshed feeling. My under eye concealer still creased and my make up looked no different then it normally would. They do have version that for oily skin, and perhaps I should have tried that one, but for $29.00 I was not satisfied at all. I wear a MAC Prep and Prime which helps my  makeup stay on all day, so the UD didn't do anything special. Maybe if you don't wear a primer this product would do what the primer does. Who knows! All I know is, I took it back and got my $29.00 back!

MAC Fix Plus $19.00- I would highly recommend this setting spray. This is such a versatile product and can be used in a number of different ways. It can be used as a mixing medium, if you have wet to dry shadows you can spray this on your brush in place of water. The other use would be a setting spray. If your using powder products, you can tend to have that powdery look. (I have this issue on my forehead.) If you spray this on you face it can help reduce the powdery appearance, leaving your skin radiant and dewy. This is a good product to have on hand.

Evian Facial Spray $19.00 for a set of 3- This product is very similar to the MAC Fix Plus, except cheaper. It has multiple uses, it can set your makeup and give a radiant look to your skin, it refreshes, and is a mixing medium for pigments and shadows. If you don’t want to spend the money on the MAC product, go for this one. Evian Facial Spray is said to remove perspiration and harmful salt and chlorine, as well as re hydrates sun-burn. This is for sure going to be a staple in my beach/pool bag! They even have travel sizes, so you can keep one in your purse. When you feel sweaty and gross, this is the perfect refresher. I wet my foundation brush with this spray when I want a more sheer coverage. You can take your normal full coverage foundation, and make it lighter just by moistening your brush with this facial spray. This is great for the hot summer months when a face full of foundation just isn't practical.


I hope you guys try one of these setting sprays in the warmer months to come. If you have any suggestions on something I didn't mention please leave it in the comments below! Thanks ladies!

Trend Alert Tuesday: Monthly Subscription Websites

Hi friends, Welcome Back to another Trend Alert Tuesday! This weeks trend is Subscription Websites. I feel like all I hear about now are these monthly subscription websites. They have make-up, clothes, shoes, beauty, and even undies! Holy cow they’re killing me with all this. I have to admit that I haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet, but some have caught my eye. Others seem to get a ton of positive feedback, while others have a ton of negative. If you’re not familiar with how these work, you sign up for free, then do the survey so they can find your style (not all do this, but most) then each month you can pick from your showroom which item you like. Others send you 3-5 sample size products to try. The prices range from 10.00-80.00, and shipping dates vary. You can cancel at any time, or with some you don’t have to buy anything that month if you don’t want to. Here are the ones that have received positive reviews, that I would try.

Shoemint

All the shoes are manufactured by Steve Madden and tend to have that similar look. You get a number of different shoes to choose from that are selected for your style. They have a wide variety of style, and some are super cute! I loved all the shoes that they picked for me, but what I didn’t like was the price. I believe it was an about $80.00 for a pair of shoes. For me, that’s too high to spend on a pair of shoes that I don’t get to try on before buying. Other people have brought from Shoemint and love the shoes.Most people say the shoes seem to be great quality. If you like trendy styles and don’t mind spending that much, I would say try this. They always have discounts available for you first purchase, so look online for coupon codes

Just Fab

This is the same exact style as Shoemint, but with a price of $40.00. This site was created by Kimora Lee Simons. I believe Just Fab automatically ships 1 pair of shoes to you each month, and if you don’t like your pick you just send them back. My co-worker uses this website and she says that she likes it because it gives her a chance to get shoes she wouldn’t normally pick out for herself.

Birchbox

Birchbox sends deluxe sample size products each month for about $10.00. This is an automatic ship, and you don’t normally get to choose what you get. They normally send 1 full size product, but this isn’t always. I’ve seen a ton of girls who love what they get each month. Prior samples have been Essie nail polish, Tarte lip stain, and other full size products. To me $10.00 seems like a fair price to pay for samples of products to try. There was a waiting list when I went to join, so I’m guessing it’s pretty popular.

Little Black Bag

 This is a new subscription site that I’ve seen, and I really like the concept.. You get 3 high end products that total a value of $100. It could be jewelry, make-up, home products, handbags, and other similar products. Each month you choose 1 of your items. The other two are picked randomly for you. If you pick a more expensive item, your other two will be smaller items. You then get to see everything in your bag, and if you don’t want what they chose, you can try to trade with the other people on the site. The reviews have said that this is a fun way to try and get everything you want. You have 1 week to try and trade, then your little black bag is shipped. I think this site cost $60.00 per month, but remember you’re getting full size, higher end products.

I’m only going to tell you about one site that has received a number of negative reviews.

My Glam Bag

I personally haven’t tried this site, but most of the girls I know that have subscribed, ended up cancelling a couple months after. They were not happy with the product samples they received for a number of months. 

I hope this gives you some in site on the world of subscription sites. It can be so confusing and at times seem like a scam, but if you go with the right site you can get some great products at a steal. If you have any sites that you think are positive or negative, please share in the comments.

Perfectly Imperfect: Garnier BB Cream Review

The Garnier BB cream is a product I've been excited to try. The reviews online are split, either you love it or you hate. Not everyone is looking for same look, so I think you should first ask yourself, “How do I want your foundation to look?" My answer would be; I want a flawless looks that covers and brightens. I personally tend to go for a more full coverage foundation. I have occasional breakouts, redness, and discoloration. My face can be a hot mess, especially during the colder months since I’m lighter and have no tan. A tan helps to hide these imperfections, so I can wear a lighter coverage foundation. I don't always have to wear full coverage foundation; I have no problem leaving the house without make-up. For this reason, I love the Garnier BB Cream.

Now that I'm a working mama, the weekends are all about family. If we aren't taking a walk, at the playground, or running errands, we're at home chasing Baby B around the house acting like kids ourselves. I like to be comfortable and not have to spend much time getting ready. On the days that I go to work it takes me about 1 hour to get completely ready. I try not to take that long on the weekends I can instead be spending time with my little maniac (nor will be allow it). I like to apply my usual MAC prep and prime, Garnier BB cream, concealer, powder, mascara, and sometimes eyeliner. That's about half of what I wear during the week. It takes about 15 minutes to do, it looks natural and effortless

The pros: Gives your skin a bright and radiant glow

                Lightweight

                Inexpensive

                SPF 15

                 Can double as a primer.

The cons: The smell is too strong

                Can start to look oily and little dirty by the end of the day

                Needs at least 1 more color option

                

The coverage does what it says. It evens out your skin tone, brightens, hydrates, and I'm not too sure about the renewing. 3 out of 4 ain't bad! The product is light weight, so you feel like you’re only wearing moisturizer. While it still evens out your skin tones and gives a healthy glow. If you have some areas where you feel like you need a little more coverage, just apply a little concealer over top. It retails for around $12.00 at any drugstore. To me that’s a reasonable price, plus you can always find deals and coupons. The some higher end BB Creams can retail for more than $25.00. In my pros I said that you can wear the BB cream as a primer. I didn't know about this until a girl on The Nest said it (Thanks GoDawg). I tried it, and really liked it. It gave my skin a radiant glow, which my foundation doesn't normally do. So if you’re not a fan of the product, try it under your foundation, you might like it.

As for the cons, the smell is way too much! I'm not sure if all the Garnier skin care products have this, but I tried one of their moisturizer and it had the same exact smell. I would prefer anything going on my face not to have a fragrance. By the end of the day I started to notice that the products started to make my face look dirty. I don't know if it oxidized weirdly on my skin, but let me know if that happened to you. If you have oily skin, you are going to have to touch up with powder.  Since the product hydrates, it can over hydrate us ladies with oily skin. Now to the shades, or should I say lack thereof. The color matched fine with my complexion. I have an olive complexion, so anyone darker then me might have issues. I know the Asian BB creams come in even lighter shades, and they don't make darker shades, but I wish Garnier would have tried to accommodate everyone.

So to wrap up this extremely long review, I like the product for what it is, a drugstore BB Cream. It's priced well, works well, but isn't made for all skin tones. If you want to try this product, keep in mind that you aren't buying something to mask all your imperfections. It's meant to even and brightens, but it lightweight and has sheer coverage. I think women with aging skin will love this product because it won't set into any fine lines or wrinkles. It's hydrating is women with dry skin will love what it does. If you have discoloration, it will give you more even skin tone. 

It's perfect for the gym, the beach, moms on the go,  younger girls who are just starting to wear make-up, days when you don't want to do a whole lot, or women with aging skin.

I took pictures to show you how it looks from start to finish. I hope I don't scare you too bad with the lovely no make-up shots! I'm perfectly imperfect :)

The left side has the BB cream. The skin without any product. Can you see how red and blotchy my skin looks.

BB cream on the left/ bare skin on the right (eeek I look TERRIBLE)

Here I wearing BB Cream on the entire face. I also filled in my brows

Same as above

This is the final look. I added concealer to my under eyes, around my noses, and to my spots.  I have bronzer and blush on my cheeks, Light sweep of eyeshadow, Liquid liner, and mascara. I did a pink lip as well.

You can still see some imperfections, but it only takes me about 15 minutes and I'm done.  

It's up to you how much extra make-up you want to add. I suggest you add something so your face so doesn't look as flat. if you add color to your cheeks and mascara to your eyes, those features will pop.

*** I was given this product to review. This is 100% my honest opinion. If you want to review products like this, become a bzzagent like me. Here's the link if you'd like**

New Drugstore Makeup Review!!!

Right now there's a lot of talk about drugstore make-up products. I want to give you my thoughts on the ones I've brought. I first want to say that I've tried all different make-up brands,  but always liked higher end makeup. Not because I'm a make up snob, just because the color payoff was a lot better. Over the past couple months drugstore make up brands have come out with a bunch of new products. The ones that I've tried I've surprisingly loved.

1. Revlon Lip Butters- They are a mix between a lipstick, lip gloss, and chapstick. They glide on so smooth and feel super light. The color payoff for some can be too sheer, but Red Velvet is amazing. It's a dark red that's amazing.

2. Maybelline Color Tattoos 24hr Cream Gel Eyeshadow- This product is comparable to the MAC paint pots, which I know a ton of people use. It's an eyeshadow that can be worn as a base or by it's self. I absolutely love my MAC paint pot in Soft Ochre. But I was very surprised at how well these worked. I only used Tough as Taupe, it worked as a great base, went on smoothly, and lasted all day. They did come out with some bright colors, which aren't my style, but would be great for some bright eye looks. I will be buying more of these.

3. Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer- For a drugstore concealer it's okay, but I do think it tends to fade as the day goes on. It glides on nicely, and the coverage is OK.I don't think this is something I would re buy. I have pretty dark circles some days, so I basically need paint!

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4. Loreal Colour Balm- I only tried one color and ended up returning it. These lipsticks have the same concept as the Lip Butters, with none of the color payoff. I was underwhelmed to say the least. The color was nude, but barely showed up on my lips. I would not re-buy this product at all.

I also want to share two drugstore foundations that are new but I love and highly recommend. Maybelline Fit Foundation and Dream Mousse Liquid are two of the best foundations I've found. I've re brought both of these and couldn't be happier with the way my skin looks when I wear them. The Fit Foundation gives your skin a dewy finish with a lighter coverage. The Dream Liquid Mousse is a heavier foundation but gives  the best coverage. I've had girls tell me how nice my skin looks when I have this on. I truly believe these two foundations are great foundations, drugstore or not.

I hope you all had an amazing weekend! I sure did!!!

Fekkai Hair Product Review!

I have another review for you guys, and this time it's hair care. Fekkai is a great salon style brand, that's has made there products available in drugstores. Like all my reviews I try the products for a couple weeks before giving my opinion. Not only did I use it on myself but I've been using it on my Baby B. I'm bi-racial and have coarse hair, so I tend to use hair care products for African American hair. I also don't wash my everyday, just because my hair takes a long time to blow out and my hair will get too dry from washing too often. The Glossing Shampoo and Conditioner left my hair so soft and easy to comb through. I comb my hair out in the shower first, and I could have done this with the shampoo alone. I received a sample size Glossing Cream that I applied to my hair before blow drying. I was so happy with how shiny and healthy my hair looked after blow drying and straighting. The Glossing Cream was voted Best of Sephora 2008 and there are a ton of great reviews online. So many different hair types can use the Fekkai hair care line, there's something for everyone. The only con that I have is my hair did feel a little bit more dry then usual. The price point is about $10 for Glossing Cream and $12 for the Glossing Shampoo and Conditioner. They have products for all hair types, as well as color treated hair. I told you that I also used the shampoo and conditioner on Baby B, I saw the best results on his hair. Since using the products, his hair has began to grow longer. It made is hair soft and gave it a healthy shine. I was so excited when I saw his hair starting to grow. I normally would just wash his hair with the Johnson Bedtime Bath. His hair would grow a little bit, but  his hair was still thin an had some bald spot. Now his hair looks thicker and his bald spots are filling in. Say BYE BYE to my bald baby! The only con for him was, if I got the shampoo in your eyes it can burned. It broke my heart the first time he cried because the soap got in his eyes. I can't wait to try the hair mask, which is a deep conditioning treatment. I recommend  trying a hair mask ladies, you will love the way your hair feels. All together I'm very satisfied with the Fekkai brand. You shouldn't have to go out of your way to get your beauty needs, now that Fekkai is available at most drugstores and supermarkets, it's makes life a little easier. Fekkai is a great brand, that's reasonably price and easily accessible.





I received these products to review. All opinions are my own.I haven't been asked to say anything. I stand  behind this product because I believe it's a good brand!