Real Product Reviews | Rodan and Fields Lash Boost

Hey there, people! Long time, no talk.

As most of you know, I love to support other women who are doing the MLM thing, because I know that it's not a get rich quick thing. It takes a lot of time and work, and I will support that. Plus, let's be real - I like to know if that crap actually works.

Enter Rodan and Fields. I have about a billion people on my Facebook friends list who sell Rodan and Fields, and I see the before and after pictures ALL the FREAKIN' TIME. I've always wondered about it, and finally decided to try it. I'm going to give some backstory, so if you're not interested in that part and just want the completely unbiased review of Rodan and Fields Lash Boost (I paid for my lash boost serum with my own money, I am not receiving any compensation for doing this review, and I am 100% honest in this review), feel free to scroll down to the divider line. 

Backstory: In August of 2016, I decided to invest in lash extensions. I say invest because that sh** is not cheap. I think after all was said and done, I spent $120ish on a full set that was supposed to last 2-3 weeks. I loved having extensions.... until they started falling out. In the sense of full disclosure, I am part of the problem. When the extensions started falling off my lashes and into my eyeballs, I rubbed, picked, and just couldn't leave my eyes alone. This caused my real lashes to fall off right along with the extensions. I WAS BALD - I HAD NO EYELASHES LEFT!!! 

I started wearing falsies while my lashes grew back, and the habit stuck. I wore false eyelashes every. damn. day. for eight months. I started seeing stuff about R+F Lash Boost going around Facebook, but knew how much the skincare regimens were, so I didn't even think about trying it. Eventually it got to the point where I was considering extensions again ($$$$$), but knew that they'd ruin my stubby little eyelashes, so I decided to reach out to a consultant. And... here we are.
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THE REVIEW

Pros:
- Rodan and Fields Lash Boost is simple to apply. It's pretty fool-proof, really. Just swipe it on your lash line like eyeliner.
- A small amount of the product goes a long way.
- The product works on eyebrows as well as eyelashes.
- The results. I'll post a picture of my 8 week results (sorry for the crap-tastic quality). I think they speak for themselves - worth every penny.
- The shipping is fast - in an Amazon Prime world, I think fast shipping from an MLM company is an incredibly desirable thing.
- The return policy. If I had not gotten the results that I wanted, Rodan and Fields has a great return policy. The return policy is actually the reason I decided to invest in this product. Speaking of investments... let's talk about the cons, okay? 

Cons: 
- Price. Holy friggin' price tag. We are talking $150 (PLUS tax and shipping) for 5 mL of product. That's $30 per mL. Now, I've already said that this is worth every penny, and I do believe that, but OUCH! The price makes my cheapskate heart hurt.
- You have to continue using the product to maintain your results. Which means spending $150 on your lashes every 3-4 months.
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THE VERDICT
If you have short, stubby, thin lashes that need help, I highly recommend Rodan + Fields Lash Boost Serum. It really does work, and it works well. I started seeing results after just four weeks! And now, at 8 weeks, I feel like my lashes have doubled in length and increased in volume, also. So... go ahead and go get some!

Treat Yo' Self

So. If you know me, you know that I am a total advocate of moms taking time for themselves regularly, because if mama's gone crazy, well... then, heaven help us all. Or maybe that's just how it is in my house? Either way, I know that I personally need time to myself, and one of my favorite ways to escape the harsh realities of life is to head downstairs, lock myself in the bathroom, turn on the TV, and enjoy a nice warm bath while binge-watching my latest show on Netflix. An essential part of my bath-time routine is throwing a bath bomb into the tub.

Now, I love Lush as much as the next girl, but I have to admit that, since becoming a mom, I have a special place in my heart for other moms who bust their butts to help support their families. A lot of those moms sell handmade products to do so, and wouldn't ya know it - bath bombs are one of those things! So when I was asked by a friend to do a review of Bath Sorbet's bath products, I was so excited!

I received my box with two bath bombs (Frozen and Heavenly) and one bath truffle. I was so excited - these things were so pretty! Over the next week and a half, I used each product, and I have to tell you - I loved them!!

Now, I know some people might be like, "WTF is so great about a bath bomb? What is a bath bomb? What does a bath bomb do??" Well, let me change your life. HA! First of all, bath bombs are way fun to watch as they fizz and turn your bath water pretty colors, but that's not all they do.
Bath bombs are packed with lots of ingredients that are amazing for your skin. Every time I hop out of a bath where I've used a bath bomb, my skin is left feeling soft and silky smooth. If you love a little shimmer, some of Bath Sorbet's bath bombs even have a little glitter in them, so you'll walk away feeling like a superstar. In addition to leaving your skin ultra moisturized and soft, these puppies make your bathroom smell AH-MAZING.

So moral of the story is this - if you need some you time and you have a bathtub, head over to Bath Sorbet and get yourself some bath bombs! If you buy five or more, they are only $4 each, which is an amazing deal.

In Real Life | Real Product Reviews | Norwex

Happy Tuesday!

Sorry I missed yesterday's post - I totally spaced it over the weekend, so it didn't get put together in time. Anyway, this week's real product review is Norwex!

If you haven't heard of Norwex, I pulled this little blurb from the "about" section of their website:

"Our purpose is simple but powerful: The idea that working together, with trust, integrity and honesty as our core values and radically reducing chemicals in our homes as our mission, we can improve the world around us." 

Basically, Norwex produces cleaning products with no chemicals. I was totally skeptical at first, but after attending a Norwex party and watching numerous demonstration videos (like this one), I was hooked. I had to try this stuff. I went ahead and ordered the basic household package. I ended up winning a makeup removal cloth,  and my mom gifted me a bathroom scrub mitt. I have also used so many more products, but I thought I would review the few that I actually own (and just let you know that I haven't used anything from Norwex that I didn't want for myself).

First up: The basic household package (more specifically, the envirocloth)

 I LOVE my envirocloth. I will never use another washcloth in my kitchen (or anywhere, really) again. It makes me sad when my envirocloth is in the washing machine. I use this thing for everything. I wipe my table and counters off with it, I clean my stove with it, I wipe the floor with it, I wash my windows and mirrors with it (combined with the glass cloth). It is seriously a must-have and I honestly don't know how I lived without it. See the picture above? Cleaning my microwave literally took me less than a minute. I know the envirocloth might seem a little pricey, but it is worth every single penny. I'm actually going to order another one so that I don't feel sad when mine is in the wash.

Next up: the makeup removal cloth

I don't actually have photos of before and afters for this one because I haven't worn makeup since before I decided to review Norwex this week, and there was no way I was going to lather my face in makeup just to take it off ten seconds later. Anyway, the cloth works great at taking off your makeup from the day. It actually works better than most makeup removers I've tried, and doesn't leave that greasy residue. I love it.

Finally: the bathroom scrub mitt

This is actually one of the only Norwex products I've tried that I will tell you you can probably live without. Don't get me wrong - it works so well! BUT... it's not perfect (as you can see from my disgusting before and after photos of my nasty shower... GROSS). It holds a ton of water, and that really bothers me when I'm trying to scrub at something - I don't like feeling the squishiness of excess water. Other than that, it does a good job of scrubbing. It really is no match for some good old bleach and icky chemical cleaner, though (although the whole point of Norwex is getting those icky chemicals out of your house).

Other products I have used and would recommend: the kitchen cloth, body cloth, and mop.

The final Verdict: YES. If you are worried about having harmful chemicals in your home that may not even be truly getting rid of all those icky germs, then you need Norwex. I cannot recommend these products enough. I haven't had to buy cleaners in forever - I just don't use them anymore. I don't worry about Elsie getting into my "cleaning" cabinet, because all it is is a couple of washcloths. It has made such a difference having a safe way to clean my home. An added bonus? Elsie can help.

Have you used Norwex products? What did you think? 

In Real Life | Real Product Reviews | LulaRoe Clothing

Happy Monday!!!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. I'm back with my real product reviews, and this week I'm talking about clothing company LulaRoe. 

***UPDATE**** It's December 2016, and I feel like I have quite a bit to add to this post. Since this post, I have added 7 pairs of leggings, 4 madisons, 2 Carly dresses, a Julia dress, and a Cassie skirt to my LuLaRoe "stash." I have, for the time being, taken a "time-out" from purchasing leggings because I feel that they are having some issues with quality control. I have had three pairs of leggings get holes in them, and while the consultants were fabulous and replaced the product at no cost, I feel that $25 is far too much to spend for clothing that rips in a matter of hours. I will say, though, that I continue to love my skirts and dresses, as I have not seen any issues with them as far as quality, and they have all been worn multiple times. If you choose to invest in LuLaRoe, I cannot, at this time, in good conscience, recommend that you purchase their leggings. ********

I have three pairs of their leggings, one of their "Cassie" skirts, four "Irma" shirts, and one "Randy" tee, so I think I'm in a pretty good position to give an honest review!! I even got some input from my friend Ali, who owns everything I own plus some different skirts/dresses.

Anyway, here's a photo of some of the items I own.

Let me say one thing - I am a cheapskate. Especially when it comes to leggings. I mean, who wants to spend $25 on a pair of leggings? Not me. At least... not the pre-LulaRoe me. These things are AMAZING. They are the freaking softest, most comfortable leggings that I have ever worn in my entire life, and I'm not kidding. If I could live in these pants and never take them off, I would be so happy! They are amazing and I LOVE them.

As far as shirts to go with my leggings... I adore the Irma. It is a long, tunic length tee that has total butt coverage, so I have no problem being a clothing sinner and wearing my leggings as pants. I can even bend over to touch my toes without my butt showing when wearing one of these, so... I chalk that up as a win.

The Randy. It's a comfortable tee, but I feel that it is overpriced for what it is. I will not be buying another. I can get the same thing for about $10 less at a local boutique in town, so I'll stick to that.

I felt the same way about the Cassie skirt as I do about the Randy tee. It's nice, but overpriced (in my opinion). I can get virtually the same thing for about half the price, so unless it's super discounted, I'm not going to buy another. I will say, though, that I love the girl's Cassie. I think it is sooo cute, and it's really hard to find a cute little pencil skirt anywhere else that will fit Elsie. So... there's that. I do think that it is a ridiculous amount of money to spend on clothing for a 2-year-old, though, so... yeah. 

Anyway, here is what Ali has to say about LulaRoe if you don't want to take my word for it.


"I LOVE LulaRoe! I was introduced to them in November last year and was super skeptical but after getting my first shirt from them (a Randy tee) I fell in love with the softness and comfort of the shirts. My friend ended up selling LulaRoe for a few months and I bought so much from her after a couple successful online parties and I adore it all! I have 5 pairs of leggings (I totally prefer the new yoga band FYI), 3 skirts (a Madison and Lola and Cassie) 3 Randy tees, 4 Irmas, 1 Amelia dress and 1 Nicole dress. Plus I LOVED the cute little girls clothes so I HAD to get my little Aurora a little girls Cassie skirt and she looks so cute! I love that they are American made and some of the softest clothes I’ve ever owned in my life. So versatile and lots of fun patterns to choose from! While they are a touch expensive I’ve always believed spoiling yourself a little to have a few quality clothes is worth it to spend a little more."

Have you tried LulaRoe's clothing? What did you think? 

In Real Life | Real Product Reviews | doTERRA Essential Oils

Well, hello! This week marks the start of my In Real Life | Real Product Reviews series on this here blog. I'm going to kick this series off with a real review of doTERRA Essential Oils. There's really no reason this product is coming first besides the fact that it was the easiest accessible one when I wanted to take pictures. 

I'm going to be reviewing the oils I use most often, and then give you a review of the product and brand as a whole (all from a consumer point of view - I have no intentions of pouring hours and hours of research into each product to give you some scientific review that you could go look up yourself). 

These are the oils I'll be reviewing: 

Peppermint: I LOVE this oil when my kids have a fever. I was so skeptical that putting a stupid drop of oil on my baby's foot could really bring down a fever, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I first put some coconut oil on my hand so that it melts, then a tiny drop of peppermint, then I rub the mixture onto baby's feet. Granted, I generally combine this measure with some medicine, but this has worked when we haven't had any medicine and I didn't feel like driving to Walgreen's at 1:00 in the morning.

Lavender: This is my go-to oil. Teething baby? Use lavender. Baby has a rash? Use lavender. Baby won't sleep? Use lavender. Have a burn? Use lavender. Have a mosquito bite? Use lavender. SERIOUSLY, people! This stuff works! Look up all the ways you can use lavender and you are sure to be surprised. I could probably write a blog post on this oil alone! It is what I'd call a miracle oil.

Melaleuca (aka tea tree oil): Canker sores. They suck. You also get them a lot if your baby enjoys head-butting you in the mouth. Melaleuca gets rid of those puppies, and it gets rid of them within a couple days. It tastes like crap, but it works, and that's the important thing. 

Serenity: This is actually an oil blend. I personally LOVE it. It is really great for calming Callum down and helping him sleep. I've only used it on him, but from what I've seen, it works for him. Will it work for everyone? I have no clue. I've used it on myself, too, but, as a sleep-deprived person who falls asleep within 10 seconds of laying down, I really don't know if I could give a fair assessment of it when used on me. HA!

Breathe: This is another oil blend, and it is a necessity in our house, especially during the cold winter months. I diffuse this oil when one of us is stuffy, and I also apply it topically to the chest before bedtime. It is AMAZING. I cannot say enough about how effective this oil is! Its purpose is pretty self-explanatory (uh... just look at the name of the blend). Whenever one of us is congested, it is a miracle-worker. 

I've told you about the oils I use regularly, but let me tell you really quickly about a few in my stash that do not work for us and that I would not recommend. 

TerraShield: This stuff is supposed to be a bug repellent. Ummm. It's not. It's more like a, "COME FEAST ON ME!" oil. I swear it made me a bug magnet the few times I've used it.

Slim and Sassy: I didn't really notice this oil doing anything for my waistline. Granted, it tastes like poopy diapers, so I only used it a few times. Maybe if you can stomach it, it will work, but it just didn't for me.

PastTense: As someone who suffers frequent migraines & tension headaches, I was so excited to try this oil blend that is supposed to give relief. Suffice it to say, I was totally disappointed. This oil does nothing for me - if anything, it makes things worse because the smell is strong and I'm pissed that it's not working, so I'm even more tense and stressed than I was before I used it.

ANYWAY. That's my review of doTERRA essential oils! I think it's all about finding the products here that work for you. Not every oil is going to work for every person, so I think it's a good idea to find a rep in your area and get samples before you buy anything.

Have you used doTERRA Essential Oils? What oils do you and your family use? What oils have you tried? Did they work for you? Share your thoughts - I'd love to feature them!! 

In Real Life | Real Product Reviews

So.

I said I'd be getting back to this blogging thing and I wasn't kidding! About a week ago, I asked what sorts of blog posts people would be interested in seeing. I got a lot of great suggestions, and I am so excited to work all of them in. My sister-in-law came up with one that I want to make a regular feature, though. I'm going to call these posts "In Real Life | Real Product Reviews."
MLMs are everywhere. Chances are, you have either been part of an MLM or you know someone who has. I, for one, have had a TON of contact with a TON of different MLMs and products. It's always really iffy if these products actually work or if they are just really hyped up. I've compiled a list of companies/products I've tried and want to review.

Products I've used and will be reviewing:

There's also a list below of products that I haven't tried but would be willing to. If you're involved with one of the products I haven't tried and would like me to do a REAL review (I will not sugarcoat anything, folks), just shoot me an email! I would be happy to put your product to the test.

Products I have not tried: 

I'm sure there are a multitude of other products I haven't tried, but those two were really the only two I could think of. I am VERY skeptical of both of the products that I haven't tried, so it would be interesting to try them. We'll see. ANYWAY, let me know what you guys would like to know about the products I HAVE tried, and I'll answer any and all questions in my reviews! :)

Junk in the Trunk

... of my car. And my house. I swear, the longer I live in a place, the more things pile up and the more junk I accumulate (is anyone else like this? Bueller.... Bueller...)

(Oooh.... This is a sponsored post, by the way. Everything in here is my opinion, blah, blah... you know, the good stuff)

Anyway. You wanna know the number one item of "junk" that I have somehow managed to acquire plenty of? CDs. I have hundreds of CDs just laying around the house. Sometimes I swear I hear them when everything else is quiet. They're whispering, "Play me, Alyx. Listen to my horrible mid-90's songs. You know you want to shake it to 'The Thong Song.' Or 'Wannabe' - that's a good one, too!"

Do I ever listen to them? No. Instead, I just try to find some little nook or cranny to shove them into. Basically... my house is full of nooks and crannies, and those nooks and crannies are filled with old CDs that will probably never again see the light of day.

You know what I should be doing with these poor, abandoned discs, though? Giving them a new home. And because I like money (who doesn't?!), I feel like I should get some kind of reward for taking these CDs out of their misery. 

Enter Music Magpie. You guys, this site is brilliant!! Not only can I sell those poor, poor CDs... but I can sell my husband's old games (you know, the ones he just HAD to have, but then played once or twice?) and DVDs. The best part? It's free. Free money, people!! It's like money is growing on a CD/DVD/game tree of junk that's made your home its growing space.

I kid you not - they will even offer you money for this gem:

It's okay, I danced, too. 

Crazy hair... DON'T CARE!

HIIII!!!! 

Hope you all are having a fabulous Tuesday. Just think - we're one day closer to the weekend! That's a win for everyone.

Anyway. Today I want to talk to you about hair. You're probably thinking something along the lines of, who the heck are you to blog about hair? In practically every picture I have ever seen of you, your hair is pulled back into a crappy ponytail. 

Touche, my friend - tou-freaking-che.

I'm sure you're just dying to know what I could possibly have to say on the subject of hair, aren't you? Well, it's your lucky day, because I am going to tell you right....

meow. 

A few weeks ago, I was asked to do a review of a Misikko Hana Pro 1" Flat Iron. As a person who has crazy (read: craptastic) hair exactly 98.73% of the time, I was absolutely ecstatic. I thought, HEY! Now I can go out in public with my hair down and straight! What a victory! As someone who has only owned a total of two flat irons in her entire adult life, I was pretty dang excited to receive this totally rockin' one from Misikko.

Can you imagine my surprise when I got this beautiful package delivered to my door?! It was not just a flat iron - it was a brush, a cooling mat, some bubble bath roses, some makeup, hand sanitizer, and a Christmas ornament. I was flabbergasted. I thought, either this flat iron is a piece of poop, or these people just have amazing customer service. I'll give you a hint - it's the second option.

Don't believe me? Here's the proof.

Yeah - that took me less than 10 minutes. And now we have a happy Alyx who chants "Straight hair... DON'T CARE!!" instead of what I used to grumble. And maybe, just maybe, I look like one of those people who puts effort into their appearance. But probably not.

I am one of THOSE People... but at least my Teeth are White? Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips

You guys. 

First of all, can I please get a freakin' AMEN that Monday is over? Oh, that horrible, awful day on which people like me run over their own mailboxes. 

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Yes, you read that correctly. I would show you a picture, but I am so ashamed of myself it's not even funny. I mean, I have a friend who's hit five parked cars. I no longer have the right to make fun of her, because let's be serious... who runs over their own mailbox? Hits, maybe... but runs over? 

I'm blaming it on the pregnancy. I find that this baby is very easy to blame for all of my misdeeds. 

Dear Baby, 

If you are reading this 10 years from now.... I'm really sorry that you are my scapegoat. Really. I love you, you little rascal. 

Love, 

Your scatter-brained-totally-absent-minded-mommy-who-needs-to-learn-how-to-use-a-rearview-mirror-and-wash-the-back-windshield-of-her-car-that-is-now-in-the-shop-getting-a-new-fuel-tank

On the bright side.... (pun intended) my teeth could blind a bat. Oh, wait... bats are already blind. You know what I mean, though - these puppies are WHITE, all thanks to Influenster and Crest 3D White Whitestrips.

Sorry for the webcam quality... :/

I've used whitening products before - mouthwashes, whitestrips, every whitening toothpaste there is - you name it, I've probably tried it. I think just about the only thing I haven't done is go to the dentist to get them bleached. I was actually on the verge of doing that, though, when I was notified by Influenster that I had qualified to receive and review Crest 3D White Whitestrips Professional Effects. I was so flippin' stoked. I think the thing I care most about concerning my appearance is my teeth and my smile.

Let me tell you what, folks - now that I've used these things, I would gladly shell out $30 for them. The cheapskate in me always avoided them at the store because I thought they were too expensive. I was wrong. They are amazing, and worth every penny. They don't hurt your teeth, bother your gums, or leave a nasty film. In only 30 minutes a day for 20 days, your teeth will be sparkly white.

I even saw results after 5 days. It's insane. If you're looking for a whitening product that works, choose this one. I give Crest 3D White Whitestrips Professional Effects an A because, as the good ole people at Crest say, "If you're not whitening, you're yellowing." 

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No A+, because that is reserved for a laser that will make my teeth sparkly white for the rest of my life.

**The opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own. My words can't be bought, yo! 

Hey There, Four-Eyes!

Hi friends!!! 


It's the weekend, and I hope you all are having a great one so far!!

Anyway, today I wanted to talk about glasses - you know, the things that make you look like a nerd.

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Or a sexy schmexy librarian.

[insert imaginary picture here - I avoided googling this out of fear for what I may find]

Or a hipster.

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Or a nerdy, hipsterish, sexy librarian.

Anyway. I am one of the few people in the world who does not need corrective lenses, even though I think I'd look awesome in a pair of specs/ eyeglasses/ nerd goggles/ whatever you want to call them.

Ha. Totally kidding. BUT if you wear glasses, I have a little site I want to share with you - GlassesUSA.com.

"What is Glasses USA," you ask (because maybe the picture above is blurry and you need a pair of glasses)? Well, it is a little piece of hipster/nerd/librarian heaven where you can buy glasses online! You can even try them on virtually (in case you couldn't tell, that's how I got two of the pics above)!

If you're a cheap-o like myself, have no fear - there are definitely cheap eyeglasses to be found (and by cheap I mean inexpensive, not crappy)!!

So if you're in the market for some glasses, check out Glasses USA! I even have a nifty discount for you guys!!

For 10%off any order, use the code Blog10 at checkout!! 

Yay glasses, and Happy Weekend!! 

*This post was sponsored by Glasses USA. ALL opinions in this blog post are 100% my own.

Favorite Things Friday

Heyyy guys!! 


First things first - I'm over at Shane's blog today with a nifty little post.


So it's finally Friday, and all I can think of is that stupid Rebecca Black song. What's that? You want it stuck in your head, too? Okay.

Now that you're singing along (and probably hate me), let's get to the business at hand - Favorite Things Friday. I'm not a huge jewelry wearer, but recently I have come across a few favorite jewelry places that I love. 

1. Anjolee Jewelry. I actually found Anjolee through Kym's blog, and fell in love! I was even more excited when they offered to send me some beautiful hoop earrings to review! I wore the earrings below to my job review, and I'm convinced that that's the reason I got a second interview. Okay, that's a total lie, but I know they looked good with my professional gear!! They weren't heavy, and they were nice enough to go fancy, but not too nice to go casual. 

If you're not an earring type of girl, they have beautiful bracelets (or if you're trying to send the hint to your man, they have some amazing bridal sets, too)! Here's a picture of the beauties Anjolee sent me: 

2. Amethyst Lime Tree. One of Mike's good friends from high school just opened an etsy shop last week! I saw photos of her jewelry on Facebook and loved it! Don't just take my word for it, though - go to her shop and look for yourself!

3. Forever 21's Jewelry. This is not a new thing for me - I just really love it!! There is not a thing there that is overpriced - it's all affordable and so cute! It's especially good if you want something trendy but don't want to spend too much moolah!!

4. LalaCrystal. I just found this etsy shop today while browsing, and am in love! I was instantly drawn to it because of the bird theme - so cute.

5. Art Inspired Gifts. This etsy shop is awesome! It's another one that I just recently found. Browse around - you won't regret it!!

Have a good Friday!!