Sampleicious Pot Luck: The Search for the Perfect Moisturizer Part 3 and More

As I've mentioned in the past, I love Sephora and love getting all of their free samples when I order something on their website. I've gathered quite the collection of samples but haven't been proactive about actually sampling the products. Sometimes you just need the right motivation to step aside from your daily routine and actually try new products. Now my first few "Sampleicious" reviews were specifically on moisturizers and were from a sample set that I purchased so the samples were "deluxe" samples which means they are bigger and will actually last a week or two. Most of my samples are little packets that are good for 1 or 2 uses. This does make it tougher to actualy get a gauge of if the product works or not but it's still great to feel the consistency, get a whiff of the scent, etc.

Above I mentioned finding the right motivation to actually try some of these samples. My motivation stems from cold weather, super dry skin, and one of those crazy people that won't leave you alone at the mall. I'm sure the end of that sentence needs a little explaining. I know all the ladies know what I'm talking about. When you're walking through the mall and a woman or man approaches you asking to see your nails. They might start by giving you a sample of lotion and if you take it, they have you hooked. Because I've been through this before, I usually don't take the sample or make eye contact with these people because they're very nice and I don't want to be rude but I don't want what they're selling and once they have you hooked they won't leave you alone. Well they caught me on a day when I was on a mission to try and find men's white flip flops the last weekend in October. Obviously this was a tough task and I was very distracted trying to decide what stores to look in and I made the mistake of taking the sample. The woman had baited and hooked me and because I didn't want to be rude, I let her reel me in. I told her right away, I already have that nail buffer thing they say is so magical and I honestly never use the thing. I thought I could get rid of her quickly because I thought that's all they were selling. Much to my suprise, she had a back up plan. Before I knew it, she had my sleeve rolled up and was rubbing dead see minerals on my wrist showing me how it slothed off dead skin cells and how moisturizer doesn't work properly without exfoliating your face twice a week. Now if I had some extra money, she may have gotten me, especially after she kept bringing the price down (never take the first offer from these people!) but I didn't so she wasted her time. However, she did plant the seed in my mind that I needed some sort of facial scrub so that my moisturizer would work properly. Especially since I am in the process of finding a new moisturizer, I want to give each sample a fair test on a fresh face.

So there was my motivation. I sifted through my samples to see if I had any facial scrub, mask, peel or exfoliant and came across Kate Somerville Exfolikate. I immediately started running the warm water, read the directions and began making circular motions with the grainy green substance all over my face. It burned a little and my face was red after rinsing but that was to be expected after rubbing a harsh substance in circular motions on your skin and the redness and stinging sensation didn't last long. Ultimately my face felt fresher and moisturizer ready after using this product. This product is very pricey, you can get .5 oz for $19 but for the full 5 oz size product, it's $175! I need to keep looking for an exfoliant because this is way out of my price range but since you are only supposed to use it twice a week, I'm sure a full size once would last you a while! Below is the fitting description from Sephora.com:

ExfoliKate® Intensive Exfoliating Treatment

What it is:
A dual action exfoliation method.
What it is formulated to do:
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate® Intensive Exfoliating Treatment is Kate's top-selling product, and the next best thing to seeing Kate in the Clinic! Treat yourself to this at-home facial for fantastic, instant results. This signature formula works both physically and enzymatically to deliver safe, dramatic results in one application. It effectively combats acne and blackheads, reduces discoloration, and polishes skin for a smooth complexion. Welcome to healthy skin, a healthy glow, and a healthy you!
What else you need to know:
This expert formula harnesses the power of fruit enzymes to clarify skin by removing dead cells and eliminating bacteria. It is ideal for all skin types, except sensitive skin.

After sampling the exfoliant, I needed a moisturizer to finish my at home facial. I thought I had grabbed one but I actually had a similar looking sample that was an eye cream. I decided to try that first. It was Ole Henriksen Visual Truth Eye Cream. I believe an eye cream is one of those products that you feel better using, but I'm not sure how easy it is to see the results. Eye creams are probably more for long term use to save your eyes from wrinkles than instant visualization. Either way, this one felt nice on my skin and you only need to use a very tiny bit since the eye area is small so the sample actually lasted me all weekend. The one issue I had with this eye cream was I tried to put it on before bed one night and got a little in my eye, my eyes were watering for like 20 minutes it burned so bad. So be careful and don't put this product on when tired where you might make a mistake and get some on the inside of your eye. It's $45 for .5 oz but the eye area is small so this should last you a long time.

Visual Truth Eye Creme

Acting as a second skin this extra rich eye creme utilizes powerful humectants to bind moisture to the cells as it provides intense free radical protection to help prevent further damage. It instantly provides lift and resiliency to the delicate tissue surrounding the eyes, promoting elasticity and muscle tone to keep wrinkles at bay.

After using the eye cream, I popped open the matching moisturizer. This one is Ole Henriksen Express the Truth. This moisturizer felt really good on my face. I think it had an advantage because I had just exfoliated so any moisturizer may have felt great after that. This one does not have an SPF so it may not be what I was looking for but while marked unscented, it has a very pleasant scent to it and includes ingrediants such as African Red Tea and Vitamin C which appeal to me. It's $65 for 1.7 oz so it is quite pricey but again you don't need a lot per use even though you're covering your whole face.

Moisturizer # 3:

Ole Henriksen Express The Truth, $65 for 1.7 oz 

This truly superior antioxidant moisturizer helps your skin resist the formation of new wrinkles as it works through the night to repair existing fine lines and wrinkles. This ultra hydrating rich texture creme is packed with nature's most powerful antioxidants like ester C and African red tea to help to calm and soothe the skin as well as fight off environmental aggressors and free radical damage. Dry skin will be hydrated, lifted, and protected utilizing a synergy of ingredients like all natural macadamia nut oil, a deeply nourishing extract that works to repair skin during the night and polylysine, a unique all-natural peptide that greatly improves skins elasticity and muscle tone which inhibit deep wrinkles from forming.

The final sample I tried this past weekend was Laura Geller Lip Strip Cooling Sugar Scrub. I always have issues with dry or chapped lips so I'm addicted to trying any new lip products, especially ones that promise softer smoother lips. In the past I've used Mary Kay's Satin Lip Set and I used to be a big fan of it but I think I'm ready to see what else is out there. I've been saving this sample for a while now and I was finally ready to take the plunge. The one mistake I made was trying it after putting moisturizer on my face. A lip scrub can get a little messy around the edges so it's best to wait to put any products on your face until after using the scrub so you don't have moisturizer running down your chin. Aside from that minor mistake, I was very pleased with the scrub. You need very little so a small pot of this would last a long time. You just rub circular motions on your lips with the scrub and then rinse with warm water. My lips definitely felt softer after 1 use so I can imagine it would be even better using this product on a regular basis. Now the weird thing is, I am pretty sure I got this sample from Sephora where I get all my samples, but they don't seem to sell the brand or at least not anymore. After some googling, I did find this product at QVC, Amazon and Macy's along with some other sites ranging from $15-$19 for a 1 oz pot. Below is a description from QVC.

Laura Geller Lip Strip

Why is it different: This delicious formula blends cosmetic quality Brazilian sugar, a natural and mild exfoliant that smoothes and soothes, with peppermint and spearmint oils, which provide an invigorating, cooling sensation without irritation, in a creamy base. Loaded with lubricating butters, this soothing and effective treatment will help to smooth away dry, flaky skin on lips. Plus, it's so natural, you can actually lick it off!



Fall in Love with Pumpkins

Fall is definitely my favorite season. There are just so many things to love about it! From the crisp cool weather to the colorful falling leaves, fall is full of fun little surprises. One of the best surprises of all is the variety of pumpkin flavored options that places carry during this very festive season. It started small, I drove by Shady Brook Farm one day to see a sign that said "Pumpkin Ice Cream in 1 day!" Needless to say the idea of Pumpkin Ice cream intrigued me and I decided I must make a trip back a couple days later, pleased to find the sign now read "Pumpkin Ice Cream is Here."

Well apparently Pumpkin Ice Cream is a gateway drug because shortly after that I was buying Pumpkin Spice coffee for my k-cup machine and enjoying Pumpkin pancakes from IHOP. That's not to mention sampling the many pumpkin beers that are out there between beer samplers at the Hulmeville Inn and my beer loving boyfriend Gary buying bottles from his work. So somewhere between stuffing my face with pumpkin pancakes and guzzling down Pumpkin Spice coffee to start my day, I decided it would be a fun goal this fall to try as many pumpkin flavored items as possible. So far here's what I've accomplished:

Item: Uncle Dave's Gourmet Pumpkin Ice Cream
Where to find: Shady Brook Farm, Yardley, PA

I honestly didn't know what to expect when I saw the sign for Pumpkin Ice Cream, I just knew that I wanted to try it! It definitely did not disappoint. It was delicious and creamy and had a perfect pumpkin taste to it! It wasn't trying too hard to be something it's not. I shared a regular with Gary but I probably could have enjoyed a whole one myself! I think I remember seeing some pumpkin ice cream at the grocery store so I'd be interested to compare. If that fails, I may have to get a quart from Shady Brook Farm to take home while it's still available!

Item: Green Mountain Coffee Pumpkin Spice K-Cups
Where to find: I purchased mine at Kohl's but you can probably find it most places K-Cups are sold

I think Pumpkin Spice Coffee is one of the most cliche yet delicious pumpkin flavored items that you can find during this wonderful season. I bet if Family Feud asked you to name something that comes in a pumpkin flavor not including pie, coffee or latte would be the number 1 answer! I think almost everyone who's cared to has tried Starbucks Pumpkin Spiced Latte or is at least aware of its' existence. The best part about these k-cups is delicious pumpkin spiced coffee right at home! It's more affordable AND you don't have to get up extra early to stop and get coffee on your way to work.

Item: Pumpkin Pancakes
Where to find: IHOP

What's not to love? Pumpkins? Good! Pancakes? Goood! Pumpkin Pancakes? Fantastic! IHOP is pretty much amazing and I love their seasonal pancake options. I hope to make it back at least one more time for another tasty stack of these pumpkin treats before the season is over. I am also looking forweard to their gingerbread pancakes though!

Item: Pumpkin Spice Cappuccino and Pumpkin Muffin
Where to find: Wawa

As I mentioned above, pumpkin flavored hot beverages are quite cliche when it comes to seasonal specialties in the Fall. Fortunately, cliche doesn't really matter when something tastes amazing and the Pumpkin Spice Cappuccino from Wawa is no exception. I decided to try one of these after reading how good it was on a friend's Facebook status. Since that first taste, I've had quite a few of these suckers thanks to there being a Wawa on every corner around where I live and the fact that they're super affordable! During one of my many recent Wawa trips, I also decided to try a Pumpkin Muffin which I saw in their fresh bakery box. The muffin wasn't anything special, but it was tasty. I hear Dunkin Donuts has an awesome pumpkin muffin but the one time I tried to get one they were out.

Item: Pumpkin Spiced Latte, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin & Pumpkin Scone
Where to find: Starbucks

Again you really can't mention pumpkin anything without thinking of Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks. Starbucks used to be my go to place for my pumpkin spice fix each fall until I discovered a whole new world of pumpkin possibilites out there. Even though I've had it before, I decided I still needed to notch off this classic from my growing pumpkin belt loop. The "growing" can have multiple meanings for instance, my growing list of pumpkin options or my growing waistline from trying all of these pumpkin treats! While there I saw two delicious pumpkin baked goods so I purchased them both. A pumpkin cream cheese muffin and a pumpkin scone. I chose the scone to have with my latte and decided to save the muffin for breakfast. The latte was good, pretty much what I remembered however having tried it after the Pumpkin Spice Cappicuno from Wawa, I have to say the Wawa one is better, hands down! It's half the price and has double the flavor! As for the scone, it might quite possibly be the best thing I've ever tasted! If not, it definitely wins for best pumpkin flavored anything and it's only $1.99. The pumpkin cream cheese muffin was ok, similar to the Wawa one, it was nothing special. Mine was a day old so it wasn't fresh but I feel like I still got the general idea of it. Based on their website, Starbucks also has pumpkin bread that I need to try as well as their pumpkin spice iced latte and creme frappacino.

Item: Pumpkin Iced Coffee
Where to find: Dunkin Donuts

These days when you're talking about coffee, it'd be hard to imagine Dunkin Donuts not coming up in conversation. I mean it's in their catch phrase "America Runs on Dunkin" and it's the truth! I think about 95% of the time I see someone at work have a coffee cup, it's from DD. And who can blame America for "running on Dunkin?" They have truly branded themselves as an affordable beverage option that has something for everyone. From iced to frozen to hot, they have a plethera of flavors and choices for beverages and their food options go way beyond donuts. I originally stopped by to try that Pumpkin Muffin I'd heard was so tasty only to find an empty bin behind the sign. I glanced around noticing an empty bin behind the pumpkin donut sign as well. I half heartedly asked the worker if they had any pretty much expecting the "we're all out" answer I received. I was about to walk away empty handed when I realized that they most likely had some pumpkin coffee options for me to try. I decided on a Pumpkin Iced Coffee which I proceeded to suck down like it was going out of style! I also ended up trying their pumpkin muffin which was delicious! I liked it better than the Wawa and Starbucks pumpkin muffins that I tried.

Item: Philadelphia Cream Cheese Pumpkin Spice Flavor
Where to find: I found it at Giant but I'm sure other grocery stores have it as well

Ok so I'm sure you'd be shocked to know it after reading this blog, but fall isn't all about pumpkins! I know, I know but it's true. Crispy, tart apples are also a fall favorite. There's fresh apple barrels being sold on the side of the road and hot apple cider and all that jazz. Wondering what this has to do with Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese? While doing some grocery shopping, I came upon a package of Thomas': Season's Best Apple Cinnamon bagels. Thinking they sounded scrumptious, I scooped them up and ran over to check out the cream cheese situation. This was going to be one of those impulse buys as I was on my way to the register so I was in a hurry. First thing I see in the cream cheese isle is the pumpkin flavor so I of course get caught in a major delimma. In my mind the two wouldn't mix very well so I was going to have to choose. With little debate I of course ultimately chose the pumpkin cream cheese, grabbed a bag of (much cheaper) Giant brand bagels and headed to the register. Thinking back on it, trying the two together may have actually tasted good, but you can't live in the past. The Pumpkin cream cheese is delicious and I have no regrets!

Item: Pumpkin Spice Liqueur
Where to find: Total Wine & More in Cherry Hill, NJ - or other liquor stores

Since my boyfriend works at a beer, wine and liquor store, I decided to ask him what kind of pumpkin alcohol they had other than beer. He bought me a bottle of "Pumpkin Liquor." There were two recipes on the back, one for an Autumn Russian and one for a Pumpkin Martini. I decided to try the Autumn Russian, it is basically a White Russian with Pumpkin Liqeur added. We had airplane bottles of vodka and a Kahlua knockoff so it was perfect. We also didn't have any cream so we used milk instead. It was still delicious and was a really cool color with the dark Kahlua and bright orange color combining in the glass. I later tried this drink again using pre-made White Russian drinks so it was much easier and had the exact ingrediants. I haven't tried the Pumpkin Martini but have a little left so I might do that. I think it's pretty much just vodka and the Pumpkin Liquer shaken over ice and strained into a martini glass.

Item: Kelloggs Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts (Limited Edition)
Where to Find: Target, I also see them on Amazon but at $10 for a box of 12, that seems a little pricey!

I didn't personally find these in a store but was told they were sold at Target in Fredericksburg, VA so I had my mom pick me up a couple boxes. These were delicious! They are exactly what you'd expect, poptarts with pumpkin pie flavored filling and they were awesome! I wish I could find more but haven't seen them at any of the stores I shop at around my apt. They are Limited Edition so if you find a box, buy them!

Item: Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Where to find: I tried it at Soup & Taco in Fredericksburg, VA but I'm sure multiple restaurants have it in the fall

If you enjoy creme brulee and you enjoy pumpkin flavored goodness, then you're going to love pumpkin creme brulee! It is absolutely delicious! The best part about creme brulee is tapping it and hearing that crackling sound. It's one of those simple joys in life. Has anyone ever seen the movie Amelie? Enough said. The one I had was a little burnt on top but it was still delicious. I think regular creme brulee can be a little boring aside from the sugary crackling top part so I enjoy trying any new twists and flavors on the classic dessert.

Item: Pumpkin Cupcake with Pumpkin Icing
Where to find: I tried mine at Colonial Cupcakes in Fredericksburg, VA, I also bought a mix at World Market that I haven't made yet

This cupcake was very tasty. At $3 each it better have been! It is similar to pumpkin spiced bread if you've tried that but the fact that the icing was pumpkin flavored as well made it extra delicious! I look forward to making my own pumpkin cupcakes with the mix from World Market. I also bought a Pumpkin Spiced Soup and bar of Pumpkin Spiced soap there.

Item: Pumpkin Pie
Where to find: My mom purchased our Thanksgiving pumpkin pie from Costco this year.

Of course classic pumpkin pie is a must on Thanksgiving! There are tons of different recipes and ways to try it. This year my mom went the Costco route. While it wasn't homemade, it was still delicious and we topped it off with some homemade whipped cream!

If anyone knows of any other pumpkin flavored items I can try and where to find them, please let me know! And also let me know if you tried any of the items mentioned above and how you liked them. I hope you fall in love with pumpkins as much as I did this season :-)

See also: Fall in Love with Pumpkins 2k11

New Fun & Easy Drink Recipe!

Like any normal girl, I enjoy a fun, fruity frozen drink every once in a while, especially on a hot summer day! I love trying new drink recipes but sometimes they can include a lot of ingrediants which can be expensive! The other day I visited First Energy Stadium in Reading, PA for the first time. I love baseball and am trying to visit as many ballparks as I can. This being my first time at this stadium, I wanted to walk around and explore everything they had to offer as well as try some specialty food and drinks they had to offer. In our wandering around the stadium, my friend and I walked by this sign:

Being a huge fan of mango, pomegranate and slushies I was sold! It was very hot outside and these drinks sounded extra appealing! The biggest decision I had to make was which flavor I wanted. Because I'd already had some ice cream that night, I decided to go with Pomegranate as Mango can sometimes be a little too sweet.

While I'm sure either choice would have been fabulous, the pomegranate definitely didn't disappoint! It was delicious and refreshing. A little pricey for what it was ($6.50) but not bad for ballpark prices where a bottled beer is $5.25. It also came complete with an umbrella and lei so that's always fun!

Now here's the exciting part: this drink is super easy to make at home!

Drink: Mike's Pomegranate Punch Slushy (can easily be made in other flavors)

Ingrediants:

1 bottle of Mike's Pomegranate Punch (or any Mike's flavored drink)
Ice
Blender or Margarita Machine

Directions:
1) Pour bottle of Mike's into blender
2) Add Ice
3) Blend until smooth
4) Pour into cup, add straw, umbrella and enjoy!

As stated in the title of this blog, fun and easy but quite tasty! I'm not a big fan of the Mike's/Smirnoff Ice type drink by itself but as a frozen drink they're quite refreshing!

Sample-icious: The Search for the Perfect Moisturizer Part 2

In review of my first blog searching for the perfect moisturizer: My current moisturizer doesn't include an SPF which I’ve read is an important component to have in a daily face cream so I decided I wanted to test the waters to see if there was something else out there. That way if you’re not at an outdoor event where you would consciously put sunscreen on such as the beach or a picnic, you still have some protection. Along with some various free samples I’ve stocked up on, I also bought a Moisturizer Sampler from Sephora that had sample tubes of various best sellers. I’m starting to try them one by one to see if I am ready to make the leap into changing my daily moisturizer. The first one I tried was Korres Wild-Rose 24 Hour Moisturizer. I really liked it although I felt it was a little pricey at $35 for 1.4 oz and it also the full size product comes in a pot where I prefer a tube or pump. I liked it enough though that it's definitely on my list of possibilities. Once I finished my sample tube of that, I decided to try a Bliss product next.



Moisturizer # 2:

Bliss Best of Skintentions® Daily Moisturizer SPF 15, price $35 for 1.7 oz

Looking completely from a product information standpoint, Bliss's Best of Skintentions® Moisturizer is an imporvement upon the Korres Wild Rose Moisturizer. While both products are $35, the Bliss one does include a little more for the money (a whole .2 oz more), comes in a tube as opposed to a pot and has a higher SPF at 15 compared to SPF 6. While all of these "improvements" are fine and dandy, that's also where they end.

Similar to wine tasting, aside from the description, the first impression you get of a moisturizer is smell and Bliss fails immediately. It has a strange scent to it, not sure how to describe it but it's definitely more simlar to a sunscreen than a moisturizer. One of those smells you would put up with on the beach so your face won't fry off but wouldn't want to experience on a daily basis. It's a smell you'd expect with SPF 50 but definitely too strong for a SPF 15. The next thing you notice about a moisturizer is the texture and feel of it on your fingers first and then how smoothly it applies to your face. This one felt a little thicker than I would like for a moisturizer inbetween my fingers and felt almost griddy when applying it to my face. Everytime I put it on I had to check in the mirror five times to make sure I had rubbed it in all the way. It wasn't crazy thick, but just enough that I know it's not right for me.

The description on Sephora's website reads:

"Bliss Best of Skintentions® is a moisturizer on a mission to provide beautifully healthy skin—today, tomorrow, and beyond. Invest in your complexion with this formula's powerful sun and antioxidant protection, essential illuminating phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids that work together to keep your skin safe and smooth"

While this description sounds appealing and may have encouraged me to buy the product blindly, after using the sample, I definitely don't think it fits. My skin definitely does not feel healthier by using it and honestly the smell alone probably would keep me away from every buying it. I have only used it a few times so I can't say for sure that it wouldn't improve your skin over time but my initial experiences with it were all negative. I honestly can't tell much of a difference feeling my face before and after using the product which to me means it doesn't do much as a moisturizer.

Final say: While it might be right for someone else, this product is not right for me! It will not go on my list of possibilites for the perfect moisturizer. Korres Wild-Rose 24 Hour Moisturizer is still in the lead!

New Obsession: Lip Balm Status

So I'm in love. As I mentioned in my first "Sample-icious" blog, I am obsessed with Sephora and all their great samples. Well as a Sephora Beauty Insider, I get emails from Sephora and whether it be a new product or a special offer code, more often than not the emails will include some enticing tid bit to get me on sephora.com. This time it was their special 5 free samples with any order instead of the usual 3 free samples. Once I picked out my 5 samples, I had to find something to order. I always check their weekly specials first to see if they have any good deals, which they always do! Right away Pangea Lip Balm for $6 popped out at me. Since lip balm is an every day necessity, I'm addicted to trying new ones. I was already intrigued by the $6 lip balm (normally $12) but the fact that it was organic and lavender sealed the deal. So once it arrived in the mail, I was definitely not let down! I was pleasantly surprised at the size of it, sometimes things that you order online can be tiny but this was bigger than a normal tube of chapstick and when I opened the cap, the lavender smell was very pleasing, not overwhelming at all. Also, when I rubbed it on my lips, it made them feel very soft and smooth. Some lip balms can be waxy or leave a residue but this one doesn't at all. I have fallen in love with this product, so much so that I had to blog about it right away. I hope this is the first of many sticks I will purchase although knowing me, I'll still try any new lip balm that catches my eye whether it be on sephora.com or while browsing Wal-mart, Target or some other store.

Arts and Crafts Status: Centerpiece Making 101

Project: Candy Stick Centerpiece
Needed Supplies:
-Circus Hard Candy Sticks - 7 inches long, 3/8 diameter - I used 16 per centerpiece
-Ribbon to tie around candy sticks: Any color/type of ribbon you would like to use to make bows for candy sticks
-Vase: A 4-6 inch tall vase works best, square shaped
-Shredded Cellaphane or mylar: Used to fill the vase
-Ribbon to go around vase: A thicker ribbon to wrap around the vase, 2-3 colors ideal

So I am totally an event planner at heart. Anyone who knows me knows that I simply cannot resist a good theme. If an event or holiday has any potential to be themed, I will find it. This includes decorating my apartment, my clothing and accessories...I even used to get my braces ruberbands colored to match whatever holiday took place that month: orange and black for October, red and green for Christmas, etc. And it's not just holidays, I once had a Snake Island themed party which included a showing of snake island, fake rubber snakes everywhere, luau themed plates, cups, leis, and snake bite drinks! And this was for 5 people! Imagine how much fun I'd have planning a big event! While I'm not planning the event, my brother is having a second wedding reception that is going to be Virginia Tech Hokie themed. Him and his wife were married in Montana in March and not a lot of people from our family and friends could make the trip so they are holding a reception in Virginia to celebrate their marriage with my brother's family and friends who couldn't make the original wedding. Wanting to help, I voluteered my creativity and labor to make the centerpieces for the tables. My mom didn't want to purchase expensive floral arrangements so I went straight to work on finding ideas that didn't include flowers or not too many. On E!'s The Girls Next Door, Bridget thew Kendra a candy themed baby shower and made really cool candy centerpieces for the event. Thinking back on this I looked up different ideas for candy centerpieces. After showing my mom my ideas, we agreed on one made of candy sticks. This way the centerpieces double as a little take home gift as everyone can take a candy stick. Practical and tasty! I observed some pictures of some samples and got straight to work on finding the products I needed to complete my task.

Shopping for Supplies:
I started by tracking down the proper candy sticks as they would be the main component of my centerpieces. Because I specifically wanted orange and maroon colored candy sticks, I knew I needed to look online as old fashioned candy sticks are hard to find in stores these days and if found, color choices are most likely limited. I came across a website CandyWarehouse.com. I originally came across regular old fashioned candy sticks which are 5 inches tall and 1/4 inch in diameter. At first I thought they were perfect because looking at the Butterscotch flavor, it looks orange and maroon, the two colors I was looking for wrapped up in 1 stick!

After thinking about it though, I realized that these might be a little too small. At the bottom of the website, it came up with a suggestion of things you might also like: Circus Hard Candy Sticks. These were 7 inches long and 3/8 inches in diameter, a much better option to fill up a vase for a centerpiece. The only problem: I didn't see my orange and maroon butterscotch stick. There was a butter rum that had potential but instead I decided on two flavors, orange cream and black cherry.

I went ahead and placed the order along with the small butterscotch ones, figuring I could add in some small ones to fill out the centerpieces. The next day we received a call saying the orange cream were out of stock and might not be back in for 6 weeks! That was too long but luckily there was an orange flavor that would work. Candy sticks, check. Ultimately when the candy sticks arrived, the butterscoth ones were yellow and maroon so I ended up not being able to use them. They didn't match the color in the picture at all! Next I needed to work on getting ribbon, shredded cellaphane, and vases. I knew that my centerpieces were going to be Virginia Tech themed so I wanted to get Virginia Tech Ribbon to wrap around the vases. I googled Hokie Ribbon and came across a 3 ribbon pack from CampusEmporium.com. The 3 ribbon pack included Hokie Ribbon, Orange Ribbon, and Maroon ribbon, a strand of each.

This would have been perfect except that it only included 24" of each color which would have been too expensive considering I was making 12 centerpieces. Just the Hokie Ribbon was 3 yards for only $2 more so this was definitely a better deal. I figured I could find some 3 yard rolls of orange and maroon ribbon at a craft store.

So I went ahead and ordered two rolls of the Hokie ribbon from the website and moved onto the next step: the rest of the ribbon and the vases. I found the vases at AC Moore. They were angled as opposed to perfectly square but the price comparison was enough that I went ahead and purchased the angled ones. The only real issue is measuring the ribbon to go around the vases is a little harder. I also purchased 6 rolls of a sheer orange ribbon and six of a sheer burgandy which was the closest to maroon I could find at Michael's. After making 6 centerpieces I did end up having to go back and get 6 more rolls of each. I also purchased a couple rolls of thicker orange and maroon ribbon to wrap around the vases with the hokie ribbon. I also purchased 6 bags of shimmery white/clear shredded cellophane.
Steps:
1. First I measured out what size I wanted the pieces of ribbon to be to make the bows that were going to go around the candy sticks. After some trial and error, I picked a good length and cut pieces or orange and maroon ribbon until I had a nice pile.
2. Next I counted out 16 candy sticks, 8 black cherry and 8 orange for my first centerpiece.
3. Then I took a vase and filled it about half full of shredded cellophane. I used about half a bag for each centerpiece.
4. I then one by one began to tie a bow around each candy stick. I used orange ribbon to tie bows around the black cherry candy sticks and maroon ribbon to tie bows around the orange candy sticks. I liked the contrast doing it this way. You could have done the opposite and had all orange and all maroon but I didn't.
5. As I tied the bows I placed the candy sticks in the vase and tried to go every other one with the colors until the vase was full.
6. Finally I measured out the Hokie ribbon along with the thicker orange and maroon ribbon to go around the vase. At first I got it where I wanted it by using scotch tape. That of course didn't hold and looked tacky in the back. I then made a couple just using a dot of hot glue on each end of the ribbon. This way made the ribbon stick out a little in some spots so I started doing a line of hot glue across the whole piece of ribbon and slowly glued each piece around the entire vase. I decided to make some where the orange ribbon was on top, Hokie in the middle, and maroon on the bottom and others with the maroon ribbon on top, Hokie in the middle and orange on the bottom.

Above is a picture of the centerpiece on the table. I made little cards with pictures of the bride and groom along with their contact information for everyone to take. We displayed the cards in a circle around the centerpiece and it looked nice. A few have been taken once this picture was snapped.

All in all this project is a little time consuming but turned out well. It is also a little pricey once you add up all of the materials but it serves as a centerpiece and a take home gift since people can take the candy sticks home with them after the reception.

Sample-icious: The Search for the Perfect Moisturizer

Fact: People love free stuff. Trust me I know. I work in Minor League Baseball and anytime we have a giveaway, people go crazy for it! Being a human being, I can't say I'm much different. And as a female, free samples are one of our favoirte things! A long time ago when I found out that if you order online at Sephora, you can get 3 free samples with every order, I was instantly hooked! It's funny because if you know me, you probably know that I'm the type of girl that doesn't care much about my appearance on a day to day basis. Sure I shower, brush my teeth and comb my hair but I definitely choose sleep over any sort of rigid morning beauty routine. I'm always arriving places with a wet head and a naked face. However, if I actually have time, say on a Saturday off or before going out at night, I turn into any other girl, going the full hair, makeup and lotion routine. So while it can be rare, I still love sampling all sorts of products and investing in the ones I find worthwhile. Through all of my shopoholic ordering on Sephora.com, I've accumulated quite a collection of samples and haven't truly had the time to try them all out. I hope to change that in the near future and will post my thoughts and reviews on here.

Everybody Mosturizes:

Even someone such as myself who doesn't have much of a daily beauty routine beyond the basics needs a reliable mositurizer. One day a few years ago, I was going on an interview in New York City and of course I was crazy early because I didn't want to get lost in the big city. I noticed that my face was really dry that day so I wondered into a Sephora on my way to the interview. I wasn't looking to spend a lot of money because I just needed a dab to swipe on my face. I found a small bottle of Clinque Dramatically Different Moisturizer. After using it, I fell in love, bought a full size bottle and that became my go to face lotion ever since. Recently I decided I wanted to test the waters to see if there was something else out there. As much as I love my Dramatically Different Moisturizer, it doesn’t include an SPF which I’ve read is an important component to have in a daily face cream. That way if you’re not at an outdoor event where you would consciously put sunscreen on such as the beach or a picnic, you still have some protection. Along with some various free samples I’ve stocked up on, I also bought a Moisturizer Sampler from Sephora that had sample tubes of various best sellers. I’m starting to try them one by one to see if I am ready to make the leap into changing my daily moisturizer.

Moisturizer #1:


Korres Wild-Rose 24 Hour Moisturizer SPF 6, price $35 for 1.4 oz

The first one I decided to try was Korres Wild-Rose 24 Hour Moisturizer. While the sample came in a tube, it appears that the full size product comes in a jar. That may hold me back slightly just because I’m not a big fan of using products that come in a pot or jar. When I dip my fingers in, I always get lotion or lip balm stuck in my finger nails when using products that come packaged in this way. If I really loved it though, I suppose I would still get it. It has an SPF of 6 which isn’t much, but I think is perfect for a daily moisturizer. It’s $35 for 1.4 oz which is a little expensive but we will see how it compares to other similar products.

From the first time I used this product, I was a big fan. When you squirt it on your finger (remember the sample did come in a tube even if the full size product doesn’t), you instantly smell a light rose scent that is very pleasant but wouldn’t overwhelm your perfume, body spray or body lotion. It also has a light feel to it which is perfect for a moisturizer. You definitely don’t want a heavy face lotion that feels like a mud mask when you put it on. The Korres Wild-Rose was very easy to apply and rub in and it leaves your face feeling smooth and soft. The description on Sephora’s website reads:

"An extraordinary, 24-hour intensive moisturizer for normal and dry skin, Wild Rose has a rich, yet light texture and a unique blossom scent, plus whitening wild rose oil and an SPF 6 to help prevent brown spots caused by sun damage."

I agree that this is an accurate portrayal of the product and would definitely recommend it to anyone interested. The sample only got me through a few days, but I think it was enough to put it on my list of maybes. I’m excited to try more of my samples and eventually choose my next daily moisturizer!