Perdue Oven Ready - Turkey Breast

It's been awhile but I have joined another bzzcampaign. As you know if you have been reading my blog, I get to try products for free or super cheap in exchange for my open and honest opinion on the product.

My most recent product trial was the Perdue Oven Ready products. For my first experience, I selected the Turkey Breast.
The concept of the Purdue Oven Ready product line is that there is no prep work and no clean up. You simply pop them in the oven, cook for the prescribed time and then serve. Clean up is to simply throw the packaging away. This portion of the product worked beautifully and I have absolutely no complaints.
Unfortunately, I was not overly pleased with the actual product in terms of the meet. There were two main issues - the first of which was the seasoning. I did miss the information that indicated that it was seasoned a certain way. I'm not sure what I expected but it wasn't the seasonings that were on the turkey. Now, I am extremely picky about how my food is seasoned. Many other people probably season their turkey in the exact same way.
The other issue was with the texture of the final product. Some bites and portions of it were simply wonderful. They were soft and juicy - just like everyone wants. Unfortunately, there were also parts that were a polar opposite. These bites were dry and tough - just like everyone hates.
Overall, I will be trying some of the other varieties available. However, I don't be trying the turkey breast again.

Fair Trade - Other Flavors

As a member of the Green Mountain Fair Trade Certification Coffee campaign, I have the awesome ability to try great flavors that are close to the source.

At this point I have tried the Blueberry, Colombian, and Vermont Country.Each had my typical sweetener added. Then plain cream for the Blueberry and Vanilla for the Colombian and Vermont Country. The Blueberry was my favorite. The vanilla in the other two were sort of missing something.
Right now, I still have one option that is a non-flavored one. My first experience with that one will be with vanilla cream and my typical sweetener. After that, I have every intention of trying them with another flavor option. I will probably select the plain creamer with those. That way, I'll be able to experience the true flavor of the coffee. After that, I also have a caramel creamer to try. I seriously cannot wait!!!

Don't forget - I'm a bzzagent. As such, I am able to get various products either free or at a reduced cost. In exchange, I provide my honest opinion about the products.

Green Mountain Fair Trade Blueberry

Generally speaking, I'm not a fan of fruit and coffee being mixed together. I'm actually not a fan of anything being mixed together. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I truly enjoyed the blueberry flavor of the fair trade coffee by Green Mountain. I can't wait to try the other flavors and am sure I'll be a return customer from the Blueberry flavor.
I also love that there are fewer middle people in the process. I makes it feel as though you are doing something great without having to put much effort into it. Not only is the quality higher, by having to be processed less, the true workers get more of the financial benefit from the purchase. What is not to love in that situation???

So glad I'm a bzzagent and am able to try these amazing products for free or super low costs!

Diffuser Scent Returns!

After my previous poor review of the oil diffuser that I initially loved, experiences lately I have to retract those statements. Walking by the diffuser this morning, I was able to detect the distinct smell of apple coming from it. I am thrilled by this, as I did not want to be disappointed with this product.
I did clean again so I'm thinking that perhaps by moving it around, it was able to revive it. Whatever it was - I'm thrilled to have the wonderful smell back! Now I'm just hoping that it lasts.

Don't forget - I'm a bzzagent and was able to get this product free to try in exchange for my honest feedback about it.

Lacking smell

As you know, if you have been reading my posts, I have been trying out the Glade Oil Diffuser. Initially I was thrilled with this product. Unfortunately, that love has diminished. I still love the scent, I just wish I could smell it more. Ironic, I know, considering I complained about the overbearing smell of the fragrance mist that I also tried.
It also seems like the oil is being used up quite quickly. In just the short time during which I have been using the product, the oil is already about 1/2 way used up. This seems excessive to me. It also seems like way too much of the oil is in the piece that sucks it up, as touching it results in a large amount of oil on whatever touched it.
I was thinking that it was just me and that I couldn't smell it since I smelled it all the time. However, friends that came over last night were unable to smell it as well. Since they had not been smelling it consistently over the past couple of days, this ruled out that I had just become use to it.
Don't forget - I'm a bzzagent and was able to try this product free of charge.

Glade Oil Diffuser - diffuses odor

I LOVE THE APPLE SCENTED OIL DIFFUSER FROM GLADE EXPRESSIONS!!!
I tried this product this weekend. I wasn't sure what to expect after the less than pleasant experience with the fragrance mist. I am very happy to report that the oil diffuser was a MUCH better experience.
The first thing is to put it together. This is crazy easy, as you simply snap one piece into the other and then put the sides back on so it is a little more decor-friendly.
The smell (I selected Apple for the oil diffuser) was wonderful. It wasn't overpowering and spread nicely throughout the entire area. It also was able to negate the various odors that were from the cleaning products that I had used. Even after hours of use, I was not sick of the smell - unlike when I had used the fragrance mist previously.

I'm a bzzagent. As such, I get to try all sorts of great products for free or drastically reduced costs.

Glade Expressions Mist

I have tried this spray a second time and didn't have much more success with it than I did the first time. I sprayed less and was more careful about making sure that I continuously moved the bottle. Unfortunately, I still experienced where the product hung in pockets. Once again, I was annoyed with the smell after smelling it for just a short time.

In short, I am giving up on the Fragrance Mist - at least in this scent. Depending on product improvements, I may be open to trying other scents.

That being said, I also have the Oil Defuser. I fully intend to try that out now. I selected a different scent for this product so hopefully I like the scent and product better.

Luckily I got both products free for being a bzzagent.

Glade Fragrance Mist

This is one of the latest bzz campaigns that I have had the privileged of being a part of. I was super excited to get the products to try them out. For the fragrance mist, I selected "Cotton & Italian Mandarin". It had a pleasant smell when I sampled it at the store. (Yes, I know you shouldn't do that but how else are you going to know?)
Unfortunately, I didn't love the smell after I had sprayed it around my apartment. It was nice enough at first but then I sort of just got sick of it. It is very possible that I sprayed too much too.
Strangely enough, it also didn't seem to spread out like other products do and like I expected. Instead, there were definite pockets, even in my small living room.
But, I haven't given up hope on this product. I'm going to try it again, spraying a little less. Hopefully that helps some.
Luckily, I got it for free since I'm a bzzagent!

Unreal Candy = Mission Impossible

As you know from reading my previous post, I am part of the campaign for Unreal candy. I received a couple of coupons for the product and attempted to locate them at a store local to me. I was not successful. Then today, I happen to be in a drug store (national chain) and they had them. I was excited until I began looking at the various options. It was a large display that many people had clearly purchased from, as it was partially empty. Unfortunately, the pieces that remained were mashed up and in completely poor shape. Judging from the packaging and way the product felt in the package, it seems they were smushed and damaged by pressure. I also got the impression that they perhaps melted. Unfortunately, this is not a good sign for the candy. It hasn't been overly hot here and none of the traditional candy seemed to have suffered from this. The traditional candy was not all smushed up or anything either.
So, while I am slightly closer to my goal of getting to try this candy, I'm not much closer as the product was what I would consider purchasable.

As you know, I'm a bzzagent and am able to get products for free or for a reduced fee.

Unreal = Unable to find

So I've been invited to another campaign and was super excited about it. Then I received an envelope in the mail for one free pack and a couple of B1G1 coupons. This was a little frustrating since that would require me locate the candy. Not something easy to do in the little Podunk town in which I live. Needless to say, I have not been able to find the candy and therefore not been able to try it. HOWEVER, I am not giving up. I'm going to a larger town this evening and trying a few more stores. Wish me luck!

Still love being a bzzagent and getting to try new products. Just wish it didn't sometimes add this annoying layer of complexity!

Razor Update

First, let me say that I love these razors and will definitely not be going back to any other one. It will have to be pretty awesome for me to change to another one, considering how happy I am with this one. I know that my friends who have tried this razor (thanks to my amazing coupons) feel the same way!
I had a fabulous experience with the first blade. If you read my previous posts, you know that it lasted tons longer than any previous razor blade I have tried.
My second blade seems to have been a bad one. I didn't get nearly the use out of it as the first one. It rusted after just a few days. I was heartbroken thinking that I had not found a new razor after all. I mean - if it was going to rust quicker than the cheaper ones I was use to using, I definitely wasn't going to spend the extra money.
Luckily, I have now gone to a third one. It definitely seems like C2 was a fluke. The current one has been in use longer than the second one. Still just as sharp as it was in the beginning. Still no sign of rust.

I love being a bzzagent and getting to try amazing new products, such as this, for free.

Still loving the razors

I never thought I would be raving over a razor blade. I mean seriously - that isn't something I would normally get excited about. BUT...these are AMAZING. I wondered if maybe the first one was just an amazing fluke and that the others wouldn't last as long and/or rust. They haven't! I'm still only on my second cartridge but I still have zero complaints! I've used it multiple times on my underarms and legs - its still sharp and going strong. I still leave it in the shower - not a single sign of rust anywhere!
So glad I'm a bzzagent and was able to try out this product free of charge!

Shaving Bliss

I love being a bzzagent. Because I am, I was able to try these amazing razors for free. I simply had to provide my honest opinion about my experience.
As such, I can honestly say that I absolutely love these razors. I have lost count of the number of times I have been able to use the same blade. It doesn't dull and doesn't rust. I leave my razors in the shower all the time so rust is a huge issue for me. Not with these!
I have just had to change blades for the first time last night. However, that was completely due to user error. Like an idiot - I had already put deodorant on when I realized that I needed to shave. Being short on time, I simply grabbed the razor and went to it. Big mistake - the deodorant totally clogged up the razor. I'm convinced I would have been able to use it a couple of more times without having done this. But, considering that it has lasted considerably longer than any other razor I have tried, I'm okay with this.

Keratin- waste

I'm a bzzagent. As such, I received this product at no cost to me, in exchange for my honest opinion about my experience with it.

Overall, this product has been a total waste. I followed the instructions completely. I actually had only just done another treatment, so you would have thought that I would have had even better results. It seems that just the opposite has happen. (I did wait more than the required time between applications. But, since the first one should have still been working to straighten my hair, this product should have had an easier time doing so.)
At first it was great. By at first, I mean prior to actually washing my hair the first time. Then after the 2nd washing, it was still tolerable. Now, after repeated washings and 2 days at a water park, I might as well have not even done the treatment at all.
I do still have the conditioner that came with the treatment. However, I am not overly confident that it will be able to salvage my straightening or even make the waves tolerable. We shall see...

Better today than before

Today was a better day in terms of how my scalp has felt. Not once have I felt the need to scrub it with something coarse. This is an improvement over the past couple of days.
I still haven't been able to do the conditioner that came with the treatment. This could be a contributing factor for why it is so coarse at this point. Even running a wide tooth comb through it has become a challenge.
I am at least relieved that I am still experiencing fairly straight hair. I really can't say it has gotten any more wavy than after that second dreaded washing. This has been a real surprise considering that I'm having to wash my hair every night.

Why did I get this product? I'm a bzzagent. As such, I am able to try products free of charge (or at a considerable discount) in exchange for my honest opinion.

BIC Soleil - Most Amazing Razor Ever

I am completely and totally in love with this razor. It has lasted longer than any other disposable razor I have tried in the past. You know that razor from before? The first one? Yeah - I'm still using it. I used it again last night on my legs and underarms. It also has absolutely no rust, even though I have leave it in the shower constantly. Oh, and it still has plenty more uses left in it.
I can't believe how totally and completely amazing these are. I'm pretty sure that I will never use another razor again.
I'm definitely grateful for being a bzzagent. By being able to try this product in exchange for my honest opinion, they definitely gained a new person!

Keratin - scrub my scalp please

Its midday and my scalp feels as though it has about a months worth of oil and dirty built up in it. This is after washing my hair last night and not touching my scalp a single time today. I have actually had my hair pulled up all day, so there is really no excuse for this.
Luckily, I was a bzzagent and received this product for free to try, in exchange for my honest feedback.

Amazing Razor

I have to admit, prior to trying these razors, I thought all razors were pretty much the same. I did prefer the ones that contoured with your body, simply because I felt I was less likely to cut myself. These razors have changed my way of thinking completely.
Yes, I have had to shave my arms more than my legs but so what. It takes all of 2 seconds to shave your underarms in the shower.
Which brings up another thing - they stay sharp and don't rust! So far, I have shaved my legs and my underarms multiple times. This has been with the same razor that stays in the shower. Not only is still giving a close shave, it hasn't shown a single sign of rust! I definitely didn't expect this from a disposable razor!
As someone who travels frequently during the summer, I am disappointed that the placeholder doesn't fit in the empty razor area. I'm terribly worried that I'm going to lose it and there goes the benefit of having it in the first place.
I'm so happy that I am a bzzagent and therefore was given the opportunity to try this razor!

Keratin - Good & Bad

It has been awhile since I applied the keratin to my hair. At this point, I'm definitely in a mixed review type situation. On the whole - my satisfaction is neutral. I really can't say that I am happy or unhappy with the product. The good just does not outweigh the bad, nor the other way around.
For the good - my hair has continued to be straighter than prior to the treatment. My hair is a little less straight than I would like, a less than prior to the second after treatment wash. However, it is not so wavy that I have to spend any prep time on it for a typical day at the office. That being said - if I were going out socially, I would more than likely use the straight iron on it.
For the bad - I definitely have to wash it daily. If I don't, my scalp feels horrible - oily and greasy and just plain dirty. I also have found that my hair is much more coarse that before. It is definitely not silky and smooth as I had expected it to be.

Luckily, I got this product for free by being a bzzagent. As such, I get free products to try in exchange for my candid opinion.

Hairless Some More

Yep, I still love these razors. I can still get away with wearing shorts today even though I have not shaved my legs again since the first time. Anyone a normal distance from me would be unable to see any inappropriate hair on my legs. Looking closely it would be hard as well. If you were run your hands over my legs, you would be able to feel some stubble but nobody is really going to do that on a typical day out and about.
My arms are also hair-free. Remember though, that I did have to shave them a second time. Still, arms don't take that long to shave so even if I still have to do those more frequently, it shouldn't be a big deal.
One thing I did notice though is that the "holder" piece for when you don't have an actual blade attached seems to be a big bigger than the blades. Generally speaking, this isn't a big deal. Some people may not even keep that piece. However, my goal is to keep in and use it during travel in hopes of protecting the prongs of the handle. That being said, I figured it would make sense to place it in the open slot of the cartridge holder after removing that particular blade. No such luck, as it doesn't fit.

Keep in mind - I tried this product free in exchange for my honest and candid opinion. I love being a bzzagent!

Hair Feels Dirty

During the typical week, I generally wash my hair every other night. Last night was the first time I skipped washing my hair, after being able to wash it for the first time after the application. Unfortunately, my hair feel horrible. It feels heavy, dirty, and flat out gross. I will be washing soon - definitely before I actually leave my place to go anywhere today. I'm just thankful that I had off work and didn't have to go in with hair feeling like this.

Please note: I tried this product for free by being a bzzagent.

Shaving Recap

My legs still look great. I was able to wear capri pants today, which would have normally required that I shave again. Today was different, as my legs were fine after checking them. This makes me very happy, as I hate having to shave. If waxing were easier to do myself, I would seriously do it just so that unwanted hair was gone for even longer periods of time.
My underarms were a different story. I did have to shave them again. This surprised me, since my underarms don't typically regrow faster than my legs. (Well, if they do, I never noticed.) But, it was a quick and painless process. Even if I do end up having to shave my underarms more frequently, I will be fine with this as long as I continue to be able to shave without cutting myself.
I also noticed that the razor from before seems to still be in good shape. The blades are still sharp and there is no sign of rust anywhere.
Don't forget - I'm a bzzagent. This allows me to try new products either free or extra cheap.

Keratin - Disappointed

After washing my hair for a second time last night, I allowed it to air dry just as before. It was about 98% dry when I became annoyed with it and had to pull it up into a clip to avoid it getting in my way. This morning I was quite disappointed to find waves in my hair that should still be very straight.
I fully admit that I should not have pulled it up into a clip. However, I do not think that doing so would have made the waves so plentiful or pronounced.

Don't forget - I'm a bzzagent so I get products to try (at little or no cost) in exchange for my opinion.

Hit and Miss Razor

Yes, I like this razor. I particularly like it for my legs. So far, there has been no visible regrowth. This includes what you can see while it is still under the skin.
No, I'm not impressed with the way it does my underarms. I realize that it is two entirely different areas and types of skin, hair, etc. However, my regrowth seems to be in excess of what it typically would be.
Guess what - I'm a bzzagent and got to try this product free in exchange for my honest and candid opinion!

Happy after Wash #1

Last night I washed my hair for the first time after the Smooth 'N Shine Keratin treatment. I admit, I was quite nervous that my hair was going to curl back up afterwards, resulting in just as much time commitment on my hair. I was very pleasantly surprised. My hair was MUCH straighter than after any of the other prior treatments I had done. It didn't require any styling time at all before I was comfortable leaving the house. But, I was also going to work. Had I been going out, I probably would have done some minor touch up work with a flat iron. But, all in all, I'm very happy with how this product has performed so far. I just hope that it continues to make me happy. I'm not 100% convinced it is going to last the full 6 weeks but I sure hope that it does!
How did I get it? I'm a bzzagent. This allows me to receive products free or drastically reduced in exchange for my honest opinion and assessment of them.

BIC Soleil Savvy - Trial One

I did a full test of this product last night while in the shower. First, I love that the product initially has a "holder" instead of the razor being on it while in the package. This somehow feels safer than opening a package with an exposed razor. It also seems like a nice feature for while traveling, as I will be able to use that piece. Not only will this avoid a razor being exposed, it should also protect the holder prongs from being broken off while in transit.
It was wonderful being able to shave and get a close shave without getting cut or giving myself razor burn. I'm notorious for giving myself razor burn, probably because I push hard in an attempt to get a close shave. That being said, it took some getting use to to be able to use it on my ankles since it doesn't have any give to it. It is definitely a totally straight, non-moving razor.
I loved waking up this morning with smooth, hair free legs (both by touch and by sight). I can't wait to see how long this shave actually lasts.

I'm a bzzagent! As such, I get all sorts of cool new products to try free of charge or at crazy discounts. :)

Smooth 'N Shine - Can't wait to Wash

So, it has been a couple of days since I did the treatment. I'm eagerly anticipating the ability to wash my hair tonight for the first time. With the exception of the issues experienced with the actual application, I have been happy with the product. My hair is much straighter them it was with prior products I tried. But, other products seemed to work well prior to that first wash too. I am taking it as a good sign that it is straighter than before though. I also was thrilled that there was no lingering odor with this product. I was very concerned that I would reek for a couple of days, since this typically happens with chemical products. However, I do thing that the extensive number of days required to go without washing my hair was a little hard. The added trouble of not being able to put it in a ponytail didn't help either.

I'm a bzzagent! This means I get to try all sorts of cool new products free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion about them! :)

Smooth 'N Shine - Not Impressed.

I was finally able to complete the treatment this afternoon. So far, I'm less than impressed with the experience. Even though I have done many treatments on my hair, I felt that following the instructions and doing the strand test was in my best interest. It turned out fine and I proceeded with a complete application. The initial step was acceptable. The odor wasn't as bad as the other products I have tried. However, my son still informed me that it smelled bad. I did have an issue with attempting to comb my hair while the product was in it. It ended up taking me a good 10 minutes just to get the comb through it with the product applied. The pulling and tugging eventually resulted in a headache. There was also the issue with the fact that the product irritated my back. I do not have sensitive skin, by any means so this surprised me greatly. I also found it difficult to wash off, as though it was adhering to my skin or something. It was easy enough to rinse the first application from my hair. However, I had an even harder time running the comb through it after rinsing it but before applying step two. After applying step two, my displeasure grew exponentially. I cannot believe how big of a mess this step resulted in. My hair was still difficult to comb (though it was a little easier once the product was applies) and this resulted in a lot of tugging and pulling. It also resulted in a considerably amount of the product being removed. I expected it to be pilled up on the comb. Instead, it ended up dripping all over myself, the floor, and being flung onto the wall and robes that were hanging on the closet door. It was a huge mess that I was not prepared for and I ended up having to shut the bathroom door to keep the mess in the easily cleaned (and non-carpeted) area. Rinsing this step was fine, but again I had difficulty removing it from my skin. This step continued to irritate my skin, even after it should have been completely removed. My hair was no easier to comb once the product was completely removed. This was extremely frustrating, as I am typically able to condition my hair, making combing it a breeze. Blowing my hair dry seemed to take longer than expected. Even after the product was completely removed, combing it was a nightmare. As a result, it did not dry consistently and resulted in random wet spots long after my entire head should have been dry. After blowing it dry, it did seem straighter than normal. However, it was clearly not rod straight like I had expected and hoped. I did break out the flat iron, though I had hoped I wouldn't need to. It seemed as though I had spent quite enough time on my hair considering that I wasn't even planning to go out this evening. Lastly, there is the odor. Previously used products also had an odor. However, it was clearly a chemical odor and was totally expected. This is completely different. Instead of the typical/expected odor of a hair treatment, my hair just smells plain dirty!

And please remember - I got this product 100% free in order to test it. I get lots of great test products this way by being a bzzagent.

Today's the Day

So today is finally the day when I get to try the Keratin Smooth 'N Shine hair treatment. It has been driving me crazy that it has been sitting in my bathroom and there was nothing I could do about it while my hair rested from my last product application. (Which, by the way, was a total bust!)

Keep in mind people - I'm a bzzagent. I got this product (and many more) for free in order to try it/them and report back.

Smooth 'N Shine Keratin

I received this product but have not had a chance to try it yet.  About a week before I received it, I had done another keratin treatment by another company.  I was NOT happy with that treatment, as it did not work on my hair hardly at all.  Now, I am just waiting for the required 2 weeks between treatments before I can try this one.  That being said, you can't wash your hair for 3 days (yes, I already read the instructions).  So, even though my 2 weeks would have been up as of tomorrow, I have plans for a water park this weekend.  No keratin treatments before that!



Wondering how I got this cool new product?  Easy - I'm a bzzagent!  I get all sorts of cool new products to try, absolutely free.