MaskIT Review!

I have a pretty awesome review for you guys tonight that I've been really excited about lately!!! This product is from a new company called MaskIT! They make a super cool and new, discreet, environmentally friendly way to dispose of your used tampons/pads! I am basically in love with this idea, even though I don't really have periods that often right now due to my birth control... I know that's TMI.. but it's truth. There's lots of people who do though, so I was really really beyond excited to share this one!! Here are some photos to start off with!

A Full picture of the various sizes and packages you can choose from!

MaskIT was kind enough to send me a ton of different samples in their various sizes. Here are some of the options you can choose from:

18 Pack for Pads, Wrappers, and Applicators

One thing I really, really like about their packaging is that each packet says what it is for. MaskIT makes different sizes, so they say on the package what they're for. This one in particular is a larger sized MaskIT that is for Pads. They also have a smaller size for tampons.

3 Pack for Pads, Wrappers, and Applicators

26 Pack and 5 Pack for Tampons

I also really like that they have smaller sizes that would be suitable for your purse, or for travel. I definitely will be throwing a pack of these in my purse. I really really like the idea of these. Honestly, who wants to see someone elses sanitary products when you're out in public and you have to go in the bathroom. They may be in that little silver trashcan... but still. They're oftentimes overflowing, and I feel bad for the janitors that have to clean them. If just EVERYONE would use MaskITs this would literally solve this problem.... uh... forever. lol

People should always buy these with their tampons and especially pads. Or maybe they should just come with them in the first place. Here's how they actually work!

Instructions!

They're really easy to use and I love that you just put your hand in so you don't have to touch anything nasty. I'm sorry but it is totally gross to take out a tampon in the first place. So this is totally great!

A first look at a MaskIT. Step one: Pull out your MaskIT!

Step 2: Put your hand in and make a glove.

Step 3: Pull out tampon or take off pad using the MaskIT as a glove.

Step 4: This is the only tricky part.. But its easy. I used the business card just because I didn't want to use a tampon. lol Invert the pouch so that the sticky strip is on the outside of the bag, making it ready to close.

Step 5: Pull the strip, revealing the sticky part and close your MaskIT. Throw it away!

Wham Bam Thank you Ma'am Now your sanitary products are ready to throw away and never to be seen by prying eyes, janitors, children who are like what the heck is this bloody mess, or anyone else!

I really really love these. First, because my dog likes to get tampons out of the trash and this will prevent her from doing so and I will no longer have to find nasty presents all over the place. Second, because of the public restroom dilemma I spoke about above. Third because they're compostable and environmentally friendly in general and I'm always looking for products like that! They prevent leaking and odor as well, so that's another plus!!! These are seriously awesome, and I will definitely continue using them from now on!!!

If you'd like to find out more about MaskIT or purchase some for yourself, you can CLICK HERE to check them out!!

Happy Masking!

xX Ashley C.

**Note: I received these complimentary for review, but as always my opinions are 100% honest and unbiased. **

Madison Reed Root Touch Up Kit Review!!

Hey Ladies!! I don't know if you remember, but a while back I posted about one of my new favorite companies, Madison Reed!! They send out HIGH QUALITY at-home hair dye kits and have recently added a new product to their line; They're Root Touch-Up Kit.

I usually wait awhile between dyes so my hair has a chance to heal up after being bleached and fried, so I figured this would be an excellent product for me to test! I was lucky enough to receive a sample to review and share with you guys so here it is! It's also designed to cover up any of your greys that might be showing through between dyes!!! It comes in a purple super portable compact with a nice little mirror like shown above and is so CUTE!

Here's my actual kit I received. It also comes with a little carrying pouch which is a nice touch. Madison Reed has the best packaging. They really take pride in their products!

My hair is currently dyed blonde from being very naturally dark brown, so honestly, it was a little bit hard to review it on my hair. I ordered the light brown shade and while it doesn't lighten my roots to the color I really needed them to be, if you have actual light brown hair it would work perfectly. I will say that these kits cover greys like a BOSS! I've used my kit on my husband as well as my cousin's husband, both of which have light brown hair with lots of greys showing through and they were GONE. We were basically amazed!!! This product is amazing and unlike regular dye, it is a powder and washes out between uses. It also kind of works like a dry shampoo and soaks up excess oil and leaves your hair nice and volumized. If they'd come out with a few more colors I think this product would be sheer perfection!!

And here's the shade I chose in light brown.Seems a teensy bit dark.

And ingredients!

Here's a really nice before and after shot courtesy of Madison Reed. It REALLY does work this well!

And here is how you apply it:

Essentially you just brush it on like makeup for your hair! Easy Peasy!

So yeah! If you're in between dyes, or frequently find yourself stressing out about grey hairs showing, then you should DEFINITELY check out this product, as well as their regular dyes and gloss kits! This is an AMAZING company with high-quality products that you can tell they have really put care into designing and making work great! You can purchase the Root Touch-Up Kit in 8 different shades HERE for $29.95!

Here's my after photo after doing the left side you can see in the picture. While it obviously didn't turn my hair blonde since I picked light brown, you can tell a different that it made my brassiness go away and makes my hair fade to blonde much better! I'm kicking myself now for not ordering the blonde color!!

One final thought: I've been a member of Madison Reed's affiliate program for awhile now, and honestly it's the one I've made the most money off of and the one that in my opinion, has the most incentives. From free products to try, to randomly bonuses for posts, to affiliate referral bonuses, I HIGHLY recommend you join them and become an affiliate too if you're interested in this kind of thing. They just recently added a color glossing kit to their line so I'm sure they will have some good sample posts for that coming up soon!!! If you're interested in becoming an affiliate for Madison Reed like me, it's totally FREE, and you can sign up using my link HERE and I would appreciate it times a million!! I've never had an affiliate company work with my so hands on to make sure I'm successful like they do! Thanks Char from their affiliate team for being awesome!!!

Later!

xX Ashley C.

*Note: This post contains affiliate links.*

InstaNatural Youth Express Eye Serum Review!

I recently was given the opportunity to try out a great eye serum from Instanatural. If you've been reading for awhile, then you know that I'm a BIG fan of their products, and this one is no exception to the great ones I've already tried! Here's a photo for your reference:

Key Ingredients:

+ Vitamin C
+ Plant Stem Cells
+ Astaxanthin
+ Kojic Acid
+ Passionflower
+ Caffeine
+ Hyaluronic Acid
+ Niacinamide
+ Matrixyl 3000

As you can see, this serum has TONS of awesome, good for your skin ingredients in it. I really enjoy it. My favorite thing about it is that after you apply it, it makes your eyes feel more awake and like... super charged and invigorated. I think it might be the caffeine. It also makes my dark circles completely nonexistent. I'd definitely buy this over and over again. The ONLY thing I don't really love about it is that it is a BRIGHT neon orange color. If you don't rub it in completely then you'll be left with a bright orange neon looking weird circle under your eyes... so be careful and you'll be okay!

If you'd like to find out more about this product, CLICK HERE!

Xx Ashley C.

*I received this product complimentary for review.*

Gymboree Red Balloon Sale! Up to 75% off!

Hey guys! I have another end of the year sale for you just in case you're interested! Right now Gymboree is hosting their Big Red Balloon Sale and you can get up to 75% off! When my daughter was younger I shopped at Gymboree ALL THE TIME and really love them! Here's the details!

Offer: Gymboree Big Red Balloon Semi-Annual Sale: Up to 75% off
Valid: For a limited time, while supplies last

Make sure and check it out!! And if you'd like to sign up to work with Gymboree and become an affiliate you can CLICK HERE!

Xx Ashley C.

*This post contains affiliate links.*

HelloFlo Signature Period Kit Review + Tis the Season Giveaway Hop!!

Recently I was given the opportunity to review a Signature Period kit from Hello Flo! They offer a kit that you can order every month that contains everything you might possibly need for your time of the month needs. Here's a picture of everything you might receive in your box, and what I got in mine:

So if you are a regular reader of my blog, you already know that I kind of LOVE subscription boxes. They're basically my favorite thing ever to get because I like surprises, and I hate going to the store. I especially hate buying tampons and pads, and my husband does even more, so this is a pretty awesome solution for me.

What did I get?

• 1 Box Regular Tampax Pearl Tampons
• 1 Box Always Infinity Pads
• 1 sample package of Olay makeup remover wipes (I LOVE THESE)
• 1 sample package of feminine wipe things
• 1 package of blood orange candies (LOL I just realized this is totally appropriate)
• 1 jar of shea butter lotion (unscented, but highly moisturizing)
• 2 hairties (the twistband kind, I usually just wear them as bracelets)
• Mint chapstick (LOVE IT)
• A zippy pouch for my purse
• A really cool fabric box to organize everything in

Overall, I'm really pleased with the kit I received. The extras you get every month can vary according to HelloFlo, but I really like the extras I got. The candies taste awesome, and I love the shea butter lotion and lipbalm.

You can purchase these kits for $29.95 on Amazon HERE.

ALSO I'm giving away a kit as part of the Tis the Season Giveaway Hop!!! If you'd like the chance to try one of these fabulous kits out for yourself, you can enter below!! And make sure and enter everyone else's giveaways too!! :)

This is open from now until 12/23 at 11:59 EST and is open to US only at this time. GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Welcome to the 'Tis the Season Giveaways Hop, brought to you by The Hopping Bloggers & Up All Night Blogging! We are a group of bloggers that specialize in giveaway hops - so stay with us and you will have many chances to win some amazing prizes! Each blogger participating in this hop has a giveaway with a prize value of at least $15 - and some are much more than that! Be sure to visit them all - there is no limit to how many prizes you can win! Good Luck and Have Fun!

Xx Ashley C.

** I was provided this kit for my honest opinion and review.**

Body Merry Retinol Surge Moisturizer Review!

Tonight I'm bringing you a review of a great moisturizer that I was given the chance to try out. It's from a company called Body Merry that makes a line of skincare products. I have reviewed some things for them in the past, which you can find HERE and HERE. :)
Here is their Retinol Surge Moisturizer:

Price: $23.49

This is the first Retinol based moisturizer I've ever used. It contains a ton of awesome ingredients like 2.5% retinol, hyaluronic acid, green tea, and vitamins e and b6! Since retinol can be a little drying when you first start using it, these extra ingredients really help to make sure your face doesn't freak out and dry out after you start using it. I love any moisturizer that contains green tea, as it leaves my face feeling super refreshed.

According to Body Merry, this moisturizer can help to revive the youth to your skin! It can help to even out your skin tone, and visibly reduce the signs of aging. Hyaluronic acid is added to provide a boost of moisture to your skin, which like I said before, my winter skin really needs right now. It is supposed to leave your skin feeling plump, younger, and refreshed. 

Overall, I really enjoy this product. It doesn't really have a scent to it, which is really great if you have sensitive skin on your face like I do. It leaves my face feeling super refreshed, and definitely tighter and younger. I can't wait to see what it does for my skin after long term use! The container is also quite large, so I expect this will last me at LEAST 6 months. 

If you'd like to find out more about this great product CLICK HERE. 

Xx Ashley C.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Sweetsation Therapy Bio'Sensiya Rejuvenating Nighttime Serum Review!

This evening I have a review of a GREAT nighttime serum for you. I've been looking for a good serum for night use for awhile now, as it's rare that I see them available to try and review! This Rejuvenating Multivitamin Nighttime Serum is from a company called Sweetsation Therapy, and it is GREAT!

A picture for your reference:

Price: $32.00

First of all, this bottle of serum is MASSIVE! You don't have to use that much of it either to cover your whole face, so it will last a long long time, making it well worth the price. Here's a rundown of the product:

• This serum contains Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, as well as Hyaluronic acid and Ferulic acid.This is a POTENT serum and each vitamin has awesome benefits for your skin. Vitamin A helps your skin pigmentation, texture, and tone, and can also be helpful for acne. Vitamin C is added because it's a powerful antioxidant, and can make your skin tighter, and look significantly younger over time. Ferulic acid is added because it's a great stabilizer for Vitamin C and also has great antioxidant properties. Hyaluronic acid is known for being a GREAT moisturizer, and I find it really helps with my winter dryness. Vitamin D helps prevent moisture loss, so all of these great ingredients can stay put!!

This serum has a really nice, tea like smell to it. It smells kind of like you would expect a Vitamin C serum to smell. I use it like I would a regular Vitamin C serum, after I've cleansed my face and before a night time moisturizer. I really enjoy this serum, and have noticed a little bit of improvement with dryness and my acne. I could see how this would really tighten your skin up after long term use. I actually haven't seen a serum yet that had this many awesome ingredients all at once, and I really love it.

I highly recommend this to anyone looking to add a nighttime serum to their skincare regime, and if you'd like to find out more you can check them out on Amazon HERE!

Later!

Xx Ashley C.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Oleavine Beauty Kojac Sponge Review!

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try out a Kojac sponge with activated Charcoal from Oleavine Beauty. I LOVE kojac sponges and was super excited to try it out!
Here's a photo for your reference:

If you've never tried a Kojac sponge before, or don't know what they are here's some info. These sponges are 100% natural and made from kojac fibers. They are super gentle on your skin and super soft once wet. They provide an excellent way to gently exfoliate your face without harsh fibers or chemicals. This sponge contains activated charcoal, which helps to remove all the toxins and excess oils from your face. I LOVE charcoal products so this is awesome for me. You can also use these with OR without soap. 

This product really stands out to me because it's so large. It has a really nice teardrop shape to it that makes it easy to hold, but has a small end so you can still clean the areas around your eyes and nose with ease. All the other Kojac sponges I've tried have been ALOT smaller, and I like this bigger one ALOT better. I usually use mine with some kind of cleanser and it makes them foam up really really well and does SO much better at cleaning my face than just using my hands alone. It does an amazing job at gently exfoliating my face and would definitely be a great product for you to try if you've never tried one of these amazing sponges before!

For more information or to purchase, you can CLICK HERE!

Xx Ashley C.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Kiss Me Organics Ceremonial Grade Matcha Review!

I don't know about you, but I LOVE Matcha. Ever since I worked at Starbucks years ago, I've been obsessed with making Green Tea Lattes and frappuccinos with Matcha. It makes for a stronger, better tasting latte in my opinion vs steeped green tea, and has so many health benefits! I was given the opportunity to try and review this Organic Ceremonial Grade Matcha powder from Kiss Me Organics, and here are my thoughts!

Price: $28 for Ceremonial Grade $25 for Culinary

This matcha powder comes in the cutest little tin. It comes sealed in a little package and I just dumped it into the tin and it's adorable. I decided to make a hot green tea latte with my matcha. As for taste, you can definitely tell it's a high quality powder. It doesn't taste cheap like some of the powders I've tried that are made in China. It has a smooth, not powdery or overpowering taste to it that I really enjoyed. 

Kiss Me Organics provides high quality, first harvest matcha powder that is imported from Japan. It contains 137x the antioxidants than steeped green tea and has TONS of health benefits. It does contain caffeine, but isn't overpowering. It is also stated that it is supposed to help boost your metabolism, as green tea is often used for weight loss. :) PLUS it can also help your skin! What more could you want from a tea?!

The directions state to mix like 1 tsp with 3 oz of water then add more to taste. I ended up using quite a bit of matcha powder to get the desired taste I needed for this latte. Overall, I liked it, but I did have a little bit of trouble getting it to dissolve all the way. The first time I tried to just whisk it in, as per the directions, but was left with little green clumps, so I switched it over to my Jax shaker bottle. Once I did that I reheated it for like 30 seconds and shook the hell out of it to get it smooth. I wish it were easier to get it dissolved, but overall I like this powder and will definitely be using it again.

I make my green tea lattes with matcha powder, sugar, hot water, and milk. This one had whip cream on top because I was feeling fancy. I just add everything to taste. :)

If you'd like to find out more about this matcha, or purchase, CLICK HERE!

Anyone else LOVE matcha?! 

Xx Ashley C.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Instanatural Vitamin C Toner and Dead Sea Mud Mask Review!

Most of you who have been reading for awhile already know that Instanatural is one of my all time favorite all natural skincare lines. They provide high quality, all natural products that I have never been disappointed with. Tonight I bring you a review of two of their newer products which I absolutely LOVE, their Vitamin C toner and Dead Sea Mud Mask!

Up first, Vitamin C Toner!

Price $17.49

Okay so first of all, I might be a little biased, because I love any and all toners. BUT this one is different. Never have I ever ever seen or used a toner than comes in a spray form. This seriously makes it SO SO SO much easier to use this stuff. Usually when I use toners I'm like UGH 1. Cotton Ball, 2. CRAP too much, 3. Ring out cotton ball on face. 4. Toner dripping everywhere. WELL this is like the solution for me. You just spray it on your cleansed face and THEN grab your cotton ball and remove all the nasty junk off your face! SOLVED!

Aside from packaging, this product is all around wonderful in general. It's supposed to tighten your pores, and I genuinely believe that with regular use it does. My skin seems less oily overall, and has WAY less blackheads than usual. It also kind of doubles as a Vitamin C serum, so when I use this I don't even really feel like I necessarily need to use mine, leaving me more time to use other products on my face. The added Vitamin C to this toner works as an anti-aging agent for your face, boosting collagen and leaving your face feeling refreshed and tighter than when you started. Witch Hazel is added for it's astringent properties, making this the PERFECT, yes perfect, toner. OH, and it kind of smells like Orange Juice too. :)

If you'd like to find out more about this product, CLICK HERE.

UP NEXT, Instanatural's Dead Sea Mud Mask!

Price: $25.95

I love mud masks, and I love reviewing them, so I was pretty excited when I found out Instanatural had launched one. This mud mask comes in a HUGE container, for a pretty good price. It has a nice consistency to it, and isn't heavily scented like some of the mud masks I've tried out. Here's some ridiculous pictures of me with it on:

When this mask is completely dry, you simply wash it off. I think I left mine on a little bit too long so I had to kind of scrub the hell out of my face with a Kojac sponge to get it off. :) But that's okay. It left my face feeling SUPER clean, refreshed, and awesome. I love mud masks. :) Especially all natural ones. Dead sea mud has all kinds of awesome minerals in it that are great for your face. These kids of masks can help with acne, blackheads, and all around yucky skin. I'm probably going to use this like once a week for the next month or so to see how it helps out my complexion.

If you'd like to find out more about this one, you can click HERE! Again, I highly highly recommend you try out this company! They have EXCELLENT customer service coupled with EXCELLENT products. You will not be disappointed!

More reviews later tonight, once Ryan stops watching football on my computer!

Xx Ashley C.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Adovia 100% Natural Sulfur Soap Review!

Tonight I'm reviewing like the best soap for my face I've ever ever used. Hands down. First, I love Adovia. I've tried lots of their skincare products, and I've never ever found anything I didn't like. This Sulfur soap is great.

Typically, I don't use soaps for my face that come in the form of a bar, however I tried this one and it's excellent. It leaves my face feeling cleaner than any other soap, literally ANY OTHER soap, I've ever used in my life, and dried up any acne I had within days. My husband and I both have been using this soap for a few weeks now, and we have both seen great results. It doesn't leave your skin dry and needing moisturizer either, like most bar soaps. I find I don't even really need to necessarily use one. You just feel... Clean. It's great!

A note about the product: This soap is made for people who have acne and oily skin and is not recommended for anyone with dry, sensitive skin. I did notice that it's an oil killer, so if you have dry skin I imagine it would cause some serious peeling. I've used it on my face, however you can use it on your body as well. I bet it would really help with body acne too!

If you suffer from acne and excess oil on your face, I definitely recommend you check this one out! CLICK HERE to find more information!

Xx Ashley C.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Julep Black Friday Deal!!!

So this year, Julep apparently is bringing back their $1 polish deal for Black Friday!! There are five $1 polishes to choose from, so head on over and check out what they've got!!! They have tons of great Black Friday deals on the site right now, so if you're thinking about trying Julep and never have before, now is the time!! :D OR if you are just addicted to Julep, and want to add a color you've never tried before to your collection, there's that too!
*This offer lasts through the weekend and ends 11/30 at 11:59 PST.

Use code "ONE" at checkout to get one for a dollar!

Here's the polishes they have included in this offer:

• Lupita: Classic with a Twist - Ripe Rhubarb Creme
• 
• Jillian: Classic with a Twist - Deep Eggplant with Bronze Molten
• 
• Alex: Boho Glam - Regal Purple Microglitter
• 
• Roc Solid: It Girl - Vintage Military Creme
• 
• Frances: Boho Glam - Celery Green Creme
• 

My person favorite is Alex. I don't have that one, and I LOVE purple glitter anything! It looks great!

As for the other item you pick to get your soon to be polished hands on a $1 polish, I personally recommend picking up THIS:

Julep Gem Collection 2014 - ON SALE for $49.99!

Happy Shopping!

Xx Ashley C.