Influenster Review: Dr. Scholl's® Active Series®

Woohoo! Another product courtesy of Influenster for me to try and out and review! This product, the   Dr. Scholl's® Active Series® insole is right up my alley. No, I am not a gym-rat or a runner or really all that athletic at all -- but I am on my feet all day as an elementary teacher! I also walk in the evenings, after-school, to help release stress and keep my body healthy.

At the beginning of the school year, I invested in very comfy and lightweight pair of shoes (not going to mention the brand here as this review is about the insoles, but they are some pretty kick-butt shoes) to keep my feet happy. When I received the insoles, I wasn't sure how much happier they could make my feet. Let me tell you, they are happily surprised with the result! Fitting the insoles to my shoes was easy. Direction are on the package and very simple to follow. I slipped the insoles in and away we went. The first day I noticed how much better my arches felt! One thing about my fancy-dancy shoes is the lack of arch support. These insoles really helped keep my arches supported and conformed nicely to the rest of my foot. Even walking at a brisk pace, these insoles didn't get sweaty or smelly and I loved the extra, yet gentle, support.

Overall, I am very pleased with these insoles and would recommend them to a friend. Easy to use, lightweight with gentle support... a match made in heaven for my tired tootsies!

Influenster: Palmolive® soft touch™

As part of my Palmolive Soft Touch VoxBox from Influenster, I received two bottles of Palmolive Soft Touch, one for me and one to share with a friend. Pretty cool, right? In my VoxBox, I was sent the creamy pink Vitamin E (which I kept) and the cooling green Aloe (which I shared with my friend, Shannon). I was immediately drawn to the Vitamin E as I was doubtful that something so creamy and moisturizing for my hands could give me squeaky clean dishes. I was up for the challenge to see if it lived up to the catch phrase: Palmolive is Tough on Grease, Soft on Hands.

I have been using the Vitamin E Soft Touch for several weeks and it has definitely passed the test. Even my husband doesn't complain about using it for the tough stuck on greasy pots and pans. I had been using the Palmolive Antibacterial line and wanted to switch to something less harsh on my skin. Seems as though I have found my replacement. My hands are genuinely softer and I am not noticing any difference in the cleaning power of the soap. Though the soap has a creamy texture, after a few scrubs it rinses clean and leaves me with squeaky clean dishes. Overall, I am very satisfied with this product!

If you would like to try the new Palmolive® soft touch™, you can definitely find them at your local Walmart, or read more about the product on the Palmolive® website or Influenster review page.

Influenster Spring VoxBox: Tastykake® Kandy Bar Kakes

As part of the much anticipated Spring Fever VoxBox from Influenster, I received a complementary sample of Tastykake Kandy Bar Kake. There are several flavors and I received the S'mores style made with real Hershey's cocoa. Perfect for summer, I unwrapped that buddy and enjoyed it after dinner one night, sitting out under the stars in my backyard.

Here is the outside wrapper:

Now before I post the unwrapped photo, a little caveat that I do live in Florida and this VoxBox sat all day in the mailbox before I was able to pick it up and bring it home. I'm sure the ones from the grocery store will be much more appealing.

Unfortunately not a winner on presentation but the taste was sweet and cake-like.  I wanted to love this Tastykake product but the taste of S'mores did not shine through for me. It was delicious and definitely satisfied my sweet tooth but I was disappointed that the flavor of marshmallow was not present in the creamy filling as stated in the wrapper and the chocolate was just 'ok'. I'm tempted to purchase these at my local Publix and give it another go as I reeeeallly wanted to like them. Maybe I got a bum kake? Who knows. If you had a different experience with your Tastykake Kandy Bar Kake product, please post and let me know!


The Tasty Baking Company, founded in 1914 and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is one of the country’s leading bakers of snack cakes, pies, cookies, and donuts. As a subsidiary of Flowers Foods, the company has bakery facilities in Philadelphia and Oxford, Pa. that offer more than 100 products under the Tastykake brand name. Celebrated for their freshness and quality ingredients, the Tastykake line includes such classics as Krimpets, Kandy Kakes, Juniors, and Kreamies. For more information on Tasty Baking Company, visit The Tastykake website.

Baking with Nectresse

As part of the Influenster Sugar and Spice VoxBox challenge, I was invited to try baking some of my favorites using Nectresse sweetener. I figured this was a perfect time to recreate one of my all time almost guilt free recipes, The Double Chocolate Flourless Muffin.

What a perfect recipe to use a sugar substitute! 

With Nectresse, the trick is to use 1/4 the amount when substituting for sugar. This recipe calls for 1 cup sugar, so I only used 1/4 cup of Nectresse. With less solid ingredients in the  recipe now, I had to be careful when adding my wet so the consistency would be the same. I added the water last, and found I didn't quite use the entire amount.

While baking they smelled delicious! I pulled them out, let them cool and then we tried them. My kids couldn't taste a difference and I don't think I really noticed one either!

Here is a link to the orginal recipe. ENJOY!

Influenster Review: Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes

Have oily skin? Check! Need a quick refresher in the middle of a hot and humid Florida day? Sure do! Ever have a late night and need something that will strip all that party-fun off your face as quickly and gently as possible? You bet!

Enter Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes. I received these as part of my Influenster Sugar & Spice Vox Box to try out and review. I love all-natural products and have the perfect skin for these oil-controlling towelettes. The ingredients are simple and as stated on the  Dickinson web-site: "Dickinson’s Original Witch Hazel natural skin care products are your solution to healthier skin. 100% natural, Witch Hazel gently removes oils and impurities leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated without harsh or confusing ingredients contained in other toners. " A great company that has been around since the 1800's and as tested and reviewed by me,  they make a great product.

Here are some photos of me using the product after a sweaty day at the beach:

Getting all the sweat and sun-block off...

All clean!

And of course, the after photo of the Towelette:

It doesn't even look like I am wearing makeup in the first photo but you can see the towelette took EVERYTHING off, even my mascara. After cleansing, I added a little moisturizer, since my skin felt dried out from the salty ocean air. Normally, I cleanse with the towelette and then climb into bed. Done! Nothing could be easier and gentler on my skin.

 My overall take on Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes? Fantastic for on-the-go people with oily-prone skin. Yes, people.  Who says these have to be 'ladies only'?  There is no perfumy scent, so these towelettes would be great for a dude who is all about taking care of his complexion. Having them prepackaged is great for on the go, but not great for the environment. This is one of the few reasons I hesitate to use them every night. I will admit I keep one in my purse and used one as a refresher before landing after a long day of air travel. Very handy, all-natural, super clean-feeling little packets!

Next Up from the Sugar & Spice Vox Box: Colgate Optic White

I can be a brand snob. There are some things that I am stubborn about and will not change my habits on said thing. One of these is toothpaste.

I grew up on Colgate. We were a Colgate family and never deviated from that routine. Toothbrushes were another matter: they came free from the dentist! Toothpaste was a choice, and that choice was always Colgate. When I saw there was a dental regime in the VoxBox, I was so pleased that it was from a brand I already have my heart set on, because it makes this task so much easier and pleasant!

The Colgate Optic White System

 The products I received included the Colgate Optic White toothpaste, Optic White oral rinse (mouthwash) and a special Optic White toothbrush.

Let's start with the toothpaste: It is plain ole' white toothpaste to the naked eye but if you look deeper it is packed with ultra-whitening peroxide and high levels of teeth protecting fluoride. It has a mild taste and instantly foams in the mouth. When I'm done brushing my mouth feels clean and not ravaged like some harsh whitening toothpastes tend to do.

The toothbrush has fancy polishing cups that complement the paste and is meant to speed the whitening process.  It has twice the whitening action by removing both deep and surface stains.  I have a small mouth and the brush is huge. Unfortunately, this was not a good match for me but I'm sure others will enjoy the brush. I wish they made it in a compact size for me so I could really give it a try and see if it lives up to the hype.

The Optic White mouthwash claims that the "dynamic foaming action reaches hard-to-brush places, helping to whiten teeth (by removing surface stains) and freshen breath." It is alcohol-free which is fantastic (no mouth-on-fire feeling!) and is gentle to the mouth. It is chock-full of peroxide to clean teeth and provide the fresh foamy feeling and it also tastes like it is full of peroxide. I liked the mouthwash but the taste was a little off-putting. I guess if I had to choose between slight chemical taste and mouth-on-fire, I choose the peroxide taste.

Overall, I enjoyed being able to try the new Optic White system from Colgate. The toothpaste is a keeper but the toothbrush was just not made for me and the mouthwash needs a little more flavor to make it a keeper in my bathroom. Thanks to Influenster for giving me the opportunity to have a beautifully whiter smile :) Check out more reviews at the Influenster Review Page!

Have you ever tried taking a photo of yourself in a mirror while brushing your teeth? Yeah, not so easy...or attractive.

Easter dinner... kinda sorta?

This year for Easter, we decided to invite my in-laws for dinner and have a simple-yet delicious- dinner. My MIL had a turkey in the freezer she was willing to part with, but I am so over turkey and the weather is quite warm here in Florida so I politely declined and suggested we grill out! It was going to be a beautiful day for a bbq so I prepped this tasty marinade the night before so the pork loin cuts would be deliciously juicy off the grill.

Asian inspired pork marinade

Combine all in a large freezer bag and marinade pork flat in fridge overnight, flipping bag over once:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup raw honey
2tbsp olive oil
2tbsp thai sweet chili sauce
1tbsp ginger
1tbsp red curry powder (or any you have on hand)
1 clove garlic
3 green onions, minced
Sriracha sauce to taste
Splash of sesame oil (it is potent so a little goes a long way)

Cilantro would have been a tasty addition but I didn't have any on hand. Boo, me.

The next day, I prepped everything else for dinner and in the midst of it all, the youngest Brick came down with a wicked fever and all bets were off. Mr. Brick took half of the chops down to my MIL and we grilled ours later, sans in-laws, for dinner.  I meant to take an after photo, but sick babies trump all. We grilled them 3 minutes a side and then rested on low until internal was 145 on the meat thermometer.  Totally moist and full of flavor. This is one we will do again. Enjoy!

First VoxBox Review: BelVita Breakfast Biscuit

It's Saturday morning and the perfect time to test out one of the promotional items from the Influenster Sugar & Spice VoxBox: Nabisco's BelVita Cinnamon and Brown Sugar Breakfast Biscuits.

There are four Cinnamon and Brown Sugar biscuits to a package. When I first sat at the kitchen table with my family -- kids and Mr. B with cheesy scrambled eggs, toast and turkey sausage -- I thought, how is this going to be breakfast?! I read up on the product and the BelVita website lists some food pairings that complement the biscuits and create a healthy, well-balanced breakfast. So, I pulled out a Greek yogurt from the fridge, sliced up a juicy pear and poured a cup of tea and tore open the package of BelVita breakfast biscuits.

It was definitely a change-up of a breakfast for me. I don't eat eggs so I wasn't wishing I could trade plates with anyone else at the table, but the amount of food in front of me looked pitiful. The biscuits are tasty but dry. Thankfully I had tea and the juicy pears to get the crumbly bites down into my tummy. Breakfast was over in no time flat and I worried that this wouldn't be enough to get me through my busy morning of fruit and veggie shopping at the Farmer's Market (in the rain, blah!) Anyhow, to keep it short and sweet, I made in through the morning without any hunger pains and lasted until I arrived home with bags full of produce, just in time for lunch.

Nutritionally the BelVita Breakfast Biscuits look like vitamin-rich cookies. There is a very high amount of carbs (obviously) and 10grams of sugar seems like a lot for something that is only part of a breakfast. On the plus side, when reading the ingredients, I can understand what every component is. No HFCS, no weird sugar-substitutes (aside: one of my pet-peeves is sorbitol hidden in everyday items. YUCK!) and lots of whole grains and fiber. Overall first impression? The BelVita Breakfast Biscuit is a handy breakfast alternative to keep in the pantry but definitely not part of my everyday breakfast menu.

Preview of the Influenster Sugar and Spice VoxBox

Well, it finally arrived: my very first VoxBox from Influenster!

After a bit of a wait and a do-over on the email tracking number (no, I don't live in Oklahoma, guys!) I opened up my mailbox and there was my sparkly orange VoxBox. I immediately brought it home and cracked that baby open.

Here is what I discovered inside:

Sugar 'N Spice, indeed!

Now that it is here, I have a busy few weeks of testing everything out and documenting my experiences with each brand. I am trying hard to contain my excitement and not rip into everything willy-nilly; there has to be a method to my madness, right? I will admit that I did try out the Vaseline Spray & Go that afternoon after taking a shower. It has been hella dry here in a Florida and my skin is not used to this insane lack of humidity. Sure, we don't have any yucky snow but that doesn't mean I should settle with an ashy complexion!

Check back later for reviews and links to video demos of the products in this awesome VoxBox.