traceymconley
Member Since: February 28, 2017Reviews
Pop Shoppe Hard Cream Soda
Wow, we spotted these a few days ago in the Liquor Store and I had to try one. AMAZING! Pop Shoppe Hard Cream Soda is a vodka drink that tastes like, you guessed it, Cream Soda or specifically, Pop Shoppe Cream Soda. Apparently Pop Shoppe used... +
Wow, we spotted these a few days ago in the Liquor Store and I had to try one. AMAZING!
Pop Shoppe Hard Cream Soda is a vodka drink that tastes like, you guessed it, Cream Soda or specifically, Pop Shoppe Cream Soda. Apparently Pop Shoppe used to be a big deal in the 70's and was a store where you would go and shop for various flavours of pop. I guess Cream Soda was one of the most popular so now it's an alcoholic (7%) drink.
These are incredibly easy to drink. You can taste the vodka (or at least detect that there is alcohol in these) but it is so smooth and subtle that you do need to be mindful that it's not just regular pop!
The one negative is that these are very sweet so undoubtedly have a lot of sugar. If you don't like sweet things or are avoiding sugar, don't go for this product. I also wouldn't necessarily sit and drink a bunch of these, if anything, all the sweetness is bound to make you feel sick!
Overall I thought this was a great product to have sometimes for summer, easy drinking and yummy!
-
Jergens Natural Glow Face Daily Moisturizer
I never let my face get tanned by the sun but I do like to start some form of fake tanning each spring. In between going for VersaSpa sessions one of the products I like to use on my face is the Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer. I find this... +
I never let my face get tanned by the sun but I do like to start some form of fake tanning each spring. In between going for VersaSpa sessions one of the products I like to use on my face is the Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer.
I find this product goes on nicely; for me anyway it smooths on without any drag or heaviness and doesn't leave my face feeling sticky or tacky. It's fairly moisturizing although in my opinion it doesn't make my skin feel quite as soft and hydrated as other purely moisturizing products have. But the moisturizing it does do is more than adequate. I wonder if someone with very dry skin might not like the product as much.
In terms of colour, I've normally used the Fair to Medium version. It does build up to what I would call a healthy glow in a couple of days. I wouldn't say you look like you've been on vacation but it does take away that pasty, winter blah look. I've never had a problem with any streaking; I think as long as you are careful about making sure you put it all over your face you won't have any issues. I've been leery of using the medium to tan version as I'm pretty light skin toned but I think I will give it a try this year to see if it gives me a more dramatic look that is still not fake looking. Regarding longevity, this is a product that seems to reach a maximum point. After that, you'll want to keep using it to maintain your colour as I have noticed it can fade pretty quickly if you don't.
The product does have some of that fake tanner smell that these types of products all seem to have. It's not excessive though, I've definitely used body products for example that smell worse. All in all, I think this is a good product for home, self-tanning that does a nice job of adding some colour that looks natural and not orangey. It's reasonably priced (around $8-$10) and in my opinion a bottle lasts a reasonable amount of time (I might buy 2 over the summer).
-
Clairol Age Defy Expert Collection Hair Colour
A couple of weeks ago I decided I wanted to lighten my hair a bit as I had a lot of buildup of colour (resulting in very dark, nearly black ends), and wanted to remove that and start over. After a couple of rounds of hair colour remover I had a... +
A couple of weeks ago I decided I wanted to lighten my hair a bit as I had a lot of buildup of colour (resulting in very dark, nearly black ends), and wanted to remove that and start over. After a couple of rounds of hair colour remover I had a lighter, reddish base to work from but wow, my hair felt terrible (as you'd expect after basically bleaching it to death!)
That's where the Clairol Age Defy comes in. i actually didn't choose this product for it's grey coverage (although I have had some greys showing up since my early 20's!) but I DID choose it because of its apparent ability to soften, recondition and otherwise repair breakage and I was hoping it would work on my damaged hair the same way it was supposed to work on aged hair.
Happily, it really has! Not only did it mellow out my hair colour (I chose colour 5W, Medium Chocolate Brown and ended up with a nice mid level brown red shade) it definitely softened my hair and reduced the frizz and appearance of damage a LOT! I was really impressed with the quality of my hair after using this product. It was soft, shiny and didn't feel damaged at all. I LOVE that it comes with a protective lotion that you put on your ends and dry spots before colouring, I really think this makes all the difference and was a lifesaver for my poor hair.
I definitely recommend this brand for anyone that has coloured their hair a lot, has a lot of damage or frizz or other hair concerns even beyond those the product was made for. I've been so happy with its performance and will definitely be using this brand again.
-
NIVEA 3-in-1 Micellar Water
I received the Nivea 3-in-1 Micellar Water along with the Nivea 2-in-1 Moisturizing Primer ChickAdvisor sent for review and have recently started using it regularly. So far I'm loving it! I find with a lot of drug store type brands you are often... +
I received the Nivea 3-in-1 Micellar Water along with the Nivea 2-in-1 Moisturizing Primer ChickAdvisor sent for review and have recently started using it regularly. So far I'm loving it!
I find with a lot of drug store type brands you are often left with a tightness on the skin; this was definitely not the case with this product. In fact I'm finding this product very refreshing. I love that it is not highly scented (often products that are strongly scented are irritating). You really don't need to use very much for it to be effective either. A couple of small squirts does an amazing job at removing my makeup and leaving my skin feeling smooth and refreshed. It does take a little more to remove all my eye makeup (if I've done a full eye) but I figure that is pretty par for the course. I was also pleased that it genuinely did not hurt my eyes, I've tried other makeup remover products that were supposed to be gentle on the eyes but actually did sting a bit.
I won't lie, I wasn't expecting this product to be both effective at makeup removal and moisturizing but it really has done what it says it will and has made me a believer. Although I haven't tried any other types of Micellar Water, I think I will probably buy another bottle once this bottle runs out as it has definitely performed!
Pros
Really is gentle
no tightness on skin
skin does feel smooth and soft after use
no skin or eye irritation
inexpensive option
Cons
I haven't found any yet!
-
PC Melt in the Middle Cod Cakes
We noticed this item on sale for $4.99 at our Real Canadian Superstore and decided to try it as we love seafood. These are delicious! Each box contains 2 nice, thick cod cakes. The cakes themselves are made of cod, potato and seasonings and the... +
We noticed this item on sale for $4.99 at our Real Canadian Superstore and decided to try it as we love seafood.
These are delicious! Each box contains 2 nice, thick cod cakes. The cakes themselves are made of cod, potato and seasonings and the outside crisps up nicely in the oven. Inside is a rich, creamy delicious sauce filling that is lemon dill flavoured (and apparently is cheese based). Each cake comes in at 280 calories which isn't bad for something that seems so decadent. I won't lie, the serving is probably not going to be enough if you have a big appetite; some people may want to have 2 cakes to themselves. Having said that, they are pretty substantial so if you pair them with a nice salad or some sides you will be more than satisfied!
I look at these as grown up fish sticks; the sauce in the middle and the seasoning in the breading really take these up a notch. I bet kids would like these too as they are not excessively seasoned (they are by no means spicy) and cod is a nice, mild fish.
Finally, these are sustainably sourced so you can feel good about using this product! Not only will I buy these again, I already have!
-
Olivieri Skillet Gnocchi
Olivieri Skillet Gnocchi was on sale and I had a coupon so I decided to give it a try. I chose the plain variety, there is also a cheese version. If you're someone who has made fresh gnocchi or enjoy ordering it fresh in a restaurant, you're going... +
Olivieri Skillet Gnocchi was on sale and I had a coupon so I decided to give it a try. I chose the plain variety, there is also a cheese version.
If you're someone who has made fresh gnocchi or enjoy ordering it fresh in a restaurant, you're going to notice that this product isn't exactly like that. It IS convenience food after all. But, it's not bad as a quick way to get something on the table quickly, something that is a little different than the usual.
Gnocchi isn't pasta as some people think although it does seem quite like a soft pasta; it's made out of potatoes. These are basically cooked already, you are just frying them up to both heat the product and put a little crisp on them. Where you can make these shine is in your choice of topping. I have had them now with a rose sauce, fried mushrooms and onions, with an alfredo sauce (and bacon) and with an avocado pistachio pesto. Be creative, these are very mild and subtle in flavour and similar to pasta really serve as a vehicle to hold sauce!
If you haven't had Gnocchi before you will probably like these if you like potatoes and you like pasta that is softer in texture because as I mentioned, that is what these are reminiscent of. I imagine these are good with just a straight tomato sauce and cheese as well as even with just a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and a sprinkling of parmesan or other hard cheese. The Olivieri website also has some recipe ideas.
They aren't gourmet but for a convenience food product I enjoyed them and will buy them again!
-
Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Lavande Perfume
I chose this product as one of the free samples with my last Sephora order and am now planning to purchase the full size product! Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Lavande is exactly that, a floral with a predominantly Lavender scent. It's a very feminine... +
I chose this product as one of the free samples with my last Sephora order and am now planning to purchase the full size product!
Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Lavande is exactly that, a floral with a predominantly Lavender scent. It's a very feminine fragrance, light but not too light, it's definitely not like some of the really sharp, fruity floral fragrances out there right now. I'd call it almost an old-fashioned sort of scent; I think this might be because of the very soft floral fragrance but I do think it's appropriate for a range of ages. I don't consider it an "old lady" fragrance but I could see that someone might think it's close to one. I do detect a subtle, woodsiness to this, like a light sandalwood type finish as it sits on my skin. It does mellow out to an almost powdery scented floral, I like this though as it doesn't hit you over the head.
The quality I like might be its negative as well though. Although it does seem quite potent when you first put it on, I didn't find this had quite as much staying power as I'd like. Having said that, I'm such a fan of anything lavender that I'm quite a fan anyway!
If you are looking for a scent that is soft and pretty and different from most others, give this a try!
-
Tarte Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint - Birthday Suit
I received the Tarte Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Birthday Suit as my birthday gift from Sephora and immediately fell in love! What an amazing neutral/nude colour. I have fair skin and this shade is a lovely mid-tone brown skewing pink... +
I received the Tarte Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Birthday Suit as my birthday gift from Sephora and immediately fell in love!
What an amazing neutral/nude colour. I have fair skin and this shade is a lovely mid-tone brown skewing pink. Calling it creamy is spot on, it feels nice and light on the lips but retains a softer creamy feel than most matte products do (I find once they dry my lips feel tight and look too dried out.) This product seems to have found the perfect formula, achieving a great matte look without that dryness occurring.
It has about average longevity for a matte product but not quite as long as a really dry matte lipstick; I think that might be the tradeoff for not feeling so dry. So yes, it does tend to wear off quicker than other mattes I've used. A decent lip primer will help with that a bit.
I definitely recommend this product and colour for most skin tones (probably light to somewhat olive toned). You may not like it as much if your skin is fairly dark as it likely won't give you any real enhancement to your normal lip colour. If like me you aren't a fan of the super dry matte products but DO like the matte look, give this one a try. I'll be purchasing the full size tube as soon as my gift tube runs out!
-
Maybelline New York Great Lash Mascara
The one I always go back to! I think by now everyone is familiar with this mascara in its bright pink tube! It's a real workhorse; goes on great, not clumpy, lasts FOREVER and most importantly, makes your lashes look amazing. It's... +
The one I always go back to!
I think by now everyone is familiar with this mascara in its bright pink tube! It's a real workhorse; goes on great, not clumpy, lasts FOREVER and most importantly, makes your lashes look amazing. It's straight-forward, perfect brush design hits the mark. There's a reason I keep coming back to this one and that's simply because it really works. It's also one of the brands that are genuinely affordable.
I love trying new products so I've tried a variety of new mascaras as they have come out and none of them seem to measure up. They either clump, have poor brush design, smudge...I could go on. Great Lash is just that, great. It is probably the number one item in my cosmetics bag that has a permanent home!
-
Maybelline New York Baby Lips Lip Balm
I really like the Baby Lips line of lip balms. I don't find them to be quite as moisturizing as some of the more straight-forward lip balms available on the market, but I think of them as a product that I use in conjunction with my lipstick or... +
I really like the Baby Lips line of lip balms. I don't find them to be quite as moisturizing as some of the more straight-forward lip balms available on the market, but I think of them as a product that I use in conjunction with my lipstick or lipgloss, and for that purpose they are ideal. I do think my lips are softer after use.
The colours are quite subtle, so if you are using these on their own you will still get a nice little hint of colour (unless you use clear!). I find the smell of this product so pleasant; it's not sweet and sickly like some lip balms can be but is just soft and not offensive. Texture wise I find Baby Lips to be very smooth going on; not sticky or tacky. It does seem to absorb quite quickly so I find I do reapply somewhat often. But as I mentioned, I tend to use it over lipstick and it gives a nice. moisturizing sheen, especially with some of my more matte lipsticks.
If you are looking for something exclusively for severely dry, cracked lips I don't think this is the perfect product choice. But as a complementary beauty product I really like these!
-
Looking for more?
Check out our other review websites:
