Crowdtap and the #DOAC Crew Atlantic City Sampling

As part of an awesome sampling done by Crowdtap, I had the opportunity yesterday to visit Atlantic City and "DO AC" the way it's meant to be done. However, due to Murphy's Law and certain other planning discrepancies...things didn't quite go as planned, but we still managed to get a nice taste of AC.

Courtesy of Crowdtap, the sampling came along with a 1 night's stay at Harrah's Resort in the Marina section of Atlantic City, an adorable little flip-flop bottle opener keychain, a DO AC Swag Bag which was available for pickup at the Crowdtap/DO AC cocktail party at the H2O Bar in the Golden Nugget, and passes to ride the small Jitney buses around the island and make the most of the evening.

The boyfriend and I started our day off early and headed out to hit the beach around 9am on Monday morning. Being in Pennsylvania, it's about a 2 hour ride to AC, and we wanted to have plenty of time to soak up the sun before checking in to the hotel. We got in to AC around 11am, found excellent and affordable parking at Harrah's sister casino The Showboat, and made our way on foot to the beach and boards. I say "made our way on foot", but really the Showboat's parking area is only about a block and a half from the beach, so our adventurous walking journey was, in reality, about 10 minutes at a leisurely pace.

From this vantage point on the beach, we were right next to the landmark and historic Steel Pier. AC boasts the oldest boardwalk in the country, and Steel Pier has been entertaining families since 1898, first as a theatre, then as an amusement park. As we relaxed on the beach, we were able to watch the rides on the pier and enjoy the festivities from a relaxing afar.

(Not a bad view!)

After spending the day on the beach, we packed up and headed out to our hotel at around 2:15pm to get ready for our 3pm check in. I had the mind to do a little research on the hotel beforehand, and many TripAdvisor reviewers said the check-in lines were on the long side, so we made sure to get there early as to miss the afternoon rush. 

Even with our early arrival...our wait in the check-in line was around 1 hour. Luckily, Harrah's Resort is a gorgeous place, and I loved walking through the casino area to get to the grand lobby. As you walk around Harrah's, you'll see stores, cafes, casino games, families, and plenty of super friendly Harrah's staff. 

However, it was at this point when things started to not go as planned. 

After the hour-long check-in line, we were at the desk and ready to check in. Now, I will preface this by saying that I know my own temptations, and I know how to most responsibly control them, so I do not own a high-limit credit card. I do have a major credit card, but I keep my credit line at a very-low level to ensure I can keep excellent credit without getting sucked into an interest-filled debt hole. What I wasn't aware of was, at Harrah's, in order to check in, guests are required to have a credit card with at least $100 available for hold as a security deposit, and if a debit card is used, the account should have at least $200 to be held. Unfortunately, to ready ourselves for our trip, we took most of our cash out of the debit accounts, and my credit account didn't have the $100 for holding (the credit line doesn't have much more than that, anyway), and we were turned away. We offered to give cash as a security deposit, since we had plenty of that, but to no avail. Not enough credit/debit = no room. 

After driving two hours and getting turned away at our hotel...we were pretty disappointed.  We debated on what to do, and then decided to try to get a cheap room someplace else (since we were in the area already anyway), and if we couldn't do that, we'd just head home. We did find somewhere to stay at a neighboring shore point, but we certainly didn't get the AC experience we were so excited for; we were unable to attend the H2O cocktail party (due to lack of shower/place to change), no swag bag, and no Jitney rides. 

To sum up, I do wish I knew of the deposit requirements and amounts, so I could have cleared my credit card account in preparation, or left cash in my checking to cover the necessary holding. However, I will say, that the staff at Harrah's were very nice, and the resort casino was gorgeous. 

Even though things didn't work out exactly as planned, we still had a very nice time in AC. Thanks again to Crowdtap for this exciting opportunity, even if we didn't get the chance to experience it fully, and I'd highly recommend a summer full of #DOAC! 

I was able to #DOAC thanks to Crowdtap, and if you're interested in becoming part of the #DOACCrew, check them out today at Crowdtap to get tappin'! 

Boots Botanics Ionic Clay Mask #powerofplants

I'd like to take a minute to give my favorite product from the Influenster J'Adore Vox Box a little spotlight of its own. This mask left my skin feeling completely cleansed and totally conditioned, and it was actually as easy to apply as it was to rinse off, which I found very surprising considering my past experiences with different clay masks! 

When putting this mask on, I first washed my face to present a blank canvas and allow all of the botanical  goodness to enter my pores. The consistency of this mask is a bit thinner than I'm used to, but this aspect actually really added to the ease of application. 

When applying the mask I put a small amount on 2 fingers and start with the apples of my cheeks. Bringing the product down towards my chin, I covered the cheek area and made almost a mask beard with the application. After these areas were finished, I then started on my nose, and  brought the product up the bridge and onto the forehead, connecting the forehead area down the temple and back down to the apples of my cheeks. 

I like to use these products as an all over pampering experience, so I'll typically put the mask on before getting into a hot bubble bath. I tend to leave the mask on for a little longer than the 10 minutes that the bottle suggests, and I'll rinse off after about 20 minutes or so. The directions call for a wiping off of the mask, but I found a quick rinse was far more sufficient, didn't dirty up a towel, and helped my skin to feel cleaner after the fact. 

Once the mask is rinsed off I finish up with a little moisturizer, and my skin is left soft, clean, and glowing from the nutrients this mask so graciously offers!

I will most certainly be buying this mask again, especially now that I've seen the botanical benefits. When I say that this is my favorite mask I have ever used, not only am I not exaggerating, but this is based on using over 10-15 different brands of facial mask. Boots, by far, gets my gold seal of approval!

Thanks again to Influenster for including this excellent product in the J'Adore Vox Box, and allowing me the opportunity to try it free! Never underestimate the #PowerOfPlants!

Introducing the J'Adore Vox Box Courtesy of Influenster!

Unfortunately, I tore into this Vox Box quicker than I could take a picture, so the image above is thanks to Influenster's own Instagram! 

First and foremost, this was a Valentine's Day themed box filled with goodies to eat, to drink, to wear, and to pamper, giving Influensters a fully delightful Valentine's Day experience. What caught my eye first was the Boots Botanics Clay Mask, as something of a mask connoisseur, I was really excited to see how this product matched up with others I've used. 

The Boots mask wound up being my absolute favorite product of the entire box, and it was hands down the most incredible mask I've ever used. With a slightly thinner consistency, it was really easy to apply and get on evenly, something that I've struggled with when using other masks in the past. When the product dries, it doesn't feel bizarre, or alien, or itchy, it actually feel comfortable. Because of this, I wasn't sure the product was working, but after rinsing off I could really see just how well it worked. The rinsing process was as easy as the application process, and all of the product rinsed off easy and clean even after fully drying. 

The only complaint I have with the Boots mask product is that it did leave something of a mess in my sink, and cleanup was a little difficult. 

My next most well-loved product was the FULL pound of Hershey's Kisses! In pink, silver, and red foil, this box surprised me with a huge bag of some of the greatest treats ever to exist. Classic, delicious, and as expected, this bag did not last long! 

A set of natural looking Kiss lashes was also included, and although false lashes aren't really my thing, these would be my first choice. They look real and have a really soft pleasant feel, but they still provide the drama one would seek when wearing lashes! 

For hair, John Freda's Frizz Ease 3 Day Straight Iron serum was in the box, and this too wasn't a product I would normally use. With very straight hair, I don't have much need for a flat iron or straightening product, but I did try the product a couple of times to investigate its quality. Like any other John Freda product I've used, it was a really stellar product and I could see it working wonderfully for those with naturally curly hair looking for a straight style. 

Lastly, included in my box, was the little packets of Red Rose Tea. In Creme Caramel and Lemon Chiffon, these teas put a whole new spin on freshly brewed hot tea. The Creme Caramel was really a stand out product for me, and I loved it with a little bit of actual cream and sugar! 

Thanks again to Influenster for allowing me to try this entire box of great products for free!

Dr. Scholl's® For Her Cozy Cushions

Also as part of the Rose Vox Box program through Influenster I got to try these nifty little cozy cushions, a brand new product by Dr. Scholl's For Her. These Cozy Cushions are insoles made for the cold weather months, which in Pennsylvania are certainly abundant!

The insole is covered in a fuzzy and super warm almost faux sheepskin like material that really retains heat while keeping moisture at bay, and these insoles provide a double benefit with the cushion-y support they also provide. In short, it's a supportive and soft insole that also keeps you toasty toasty warm!

When I first received the package, I was curious as to how these would fit my shoes, as they were HUGE. However, once I opened them up I saw that they were completely sizable, and all you have to do is cut along the line that shows your shoe size. The process was beyond easy, and I had my fuzzy new size 7 insoles ready to wear in no time at all!

The first pair of shoes I tried these insoles in were my Tom's Shoes Desert Wedges, and I found that the insoles was a little too wide, and caused my foot to sit a little too high for these particular shoes; Although they were rather cozy and comfy after I put them in!

I decided to opt for a shoe that was a little wider naturally, so I chose my sturdy black lace-up Nike boots. These are the boots I'm typically in if there's dreaded snow on the ground, so I figured that these would be the perfect vessels in which to tuck in my cozy cushions. Needless to say, I was correct. For boots, these insoles are now an absolute must, and they really breathed new life into an old trustworthy pair of boots for me. Whether you plant to tromp through the snow, or walk from your car and back, it's incredible how much warmer and more comfortable your cold weather shoes will be with the addition of these insoles.

These insoles can be found anywhere from $9-$12 at your standard big box stores like Target or Walmart, and they really make a great investment in any pair of shoes. However, if a shoe fits a bit tighter naturally, these insoles could prove to be a bit too wide, but they can be cut smaller at any time! 

Thanks to Influenster for allowing me the opportunity to try these insoles for free!

Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara by Rimmel London

As part of the Rose Vox Box program from Influenster, I was lucky enough to try the new Scandaleyes Retro Glam mascara by Rimmel London that freshly hit store shelves just last month in November. I'm a big time mascara gal, and I have a collection that could make Twiggy herself jealous, so I was beyond eager to try this hot off the press product.

Upon first use, I noticed that the brush was SUPER effective, and it coated each lash perfectly for a super dramatic fanned out look. I adore retro styles, and I though that the look I was able to achieve with this mascara fit the bill perfectly. For a truly retro feel, I did an extra coat (or three) on the corners of my lashes, and I was able to achieve a "cat eye" like appearance without spending a half hour fighting with an unsteady hand and liquid liner brush!

The only downside I found to the mascara, however, was that it seemed to dry out much too fast. The first two or three weeks of using the product was incredible...but after that I started noticing the clumps, or "mascara boogers" as I so affectionately like to call them. Getting the same smooth fan that I was able to achieve got more and more difficult after that initial few-week honeymoon period, and after about a month I found the product to be close to unusable.

However, this mascara only retails for around $10, and can be found at all your major drug stores, so it's not necessarily difficult to replace. For the look I was able to get for the first few weeks of use, I will most likely purchase this mascara to use again in the future, because you just can't find that type of drama with a mascara that's this affordable on the regular!


Thanks to Influenster for allowing me to try this product free!

Intense Healing With Curel

 

Courtesy of BzzAgent, I was lucky enough to receive Curel's Intensive Healing Cream around the end of September. Mind you, I have horrible dry hands from fall into winter, it's an annual event so predictable you could set your watch to it. They have so affectionately been called "Dragon Hands" "Alligator Hands" and "Ew." for quite some time now, and although everyone just loves a pet name...I do not love this dryness. 

Immediately upon trying the cream, I noticed that it soaked in nicely. This was fantastic in two ways:

1. Greasy hands are not fun, and dropping things isn't my idea of a good time.
2. I knew it was actually going INTO my skin, not resting on top of it. 

It's hard for me to find creams that really soak in there, so experiencing that was great development.

After a few weeks of use, I did notice that the skin on my hands was far less dry and far more comfortable, but it was still early in the season, and I wasn't going to get my hopes COMPLETELY up.

Once November welcomed itself in, and the weather was steadily pretty chilly up here in Pennsylvania I let myself believe in the Intensive Healing. Throughout plenty of bitter cold days and nights, and a few especially chilly cold snaps, my hands are still going strong. There is no sign of the chapping coming back, and I don't have to worry starting a fire each time I rub my palms together.

I was fortunate enough to try this product free through BzzAgent, but it can be found at Walmart, Target, and just about any drugstore for around $9.99-$11.99 for a nicely sized 16oz pot. Mind you, the pot will last you forever, and you may even be able to pass it on to future generations as something of an heirloom piece, because so little goes such a long way.

Thanks again to BzzAgent for allowing me the opportunity to try this product free! If you're interested in becoming a BzzAgent, check it out here: BzzAgent


#GotItFree #ImABzzAgent

Dr. Scholl's Active Series For Her

Compliments of Influenster, I recently had the opportunity to try the new Dr. Scholl's Active Series insoles. These insoles are meant for sneakers and making physical activity a bit more comfortable by way of excellent support.

The one thing that I noticed, and loved, immediately after receiving these insoles is the triple support they offer; your entire foot is completely covered! From the ball, to the arch, to the heel, nothing was left out in terms of support. I placed these insoles in my sneakers after receiving them, and I was ready to go!

I have Nike sneakers, nothing fancy or special about them, and I use them to do my daily walks or hikes. I'm not much of a runner, I do run on occasion, but it's certainly not my favorite means of physical activity, and I'm much more of a walker and hiker instead. The first time I used these insoles I was going on a hike through some park trails down the road from my house, and I immediately noticed the excellent arch support. I never realized how poor the arch support was in these shoes until I used the insoles, and the added comfort was extraordinary!

My next significant discovery came the following day. After a rigorous hike, my lower back and hamstrings are usually pretty sore, and I often wake up a bit wobbly that next morning. Nope, not with these insoles. All of my typical aches and pains were a distant memory, and when I awoke the next morning, I felt zero pain or discomfort in any of my leg or back muscles! My weak knees, sore hamstrings, and achy lower back were nowhere to be found, and I could've jumped out of bed and straight  back onto the trail if I wanted to!

All in all, these are excellent insoles, and I'd highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys a bit of exercise with not a shred of discomfort either during or after the fact. You can find these handy little products in Walgreen's or Walmart and the price can range from $19.97-$24.99, which in my opinion is pocket change for the results they provide!

Again, thank you to Influenster for allowing me the opportunity to try yet another excellent product for free!