Brain Wallop

Please note that while I received this product for free from Smiley360, these opinions are completely my own! Normally I use dollar store shavers because it's the cheapest. They aren't horrible, but they aren't the greatest either. I would find myself having to make pass after pass to be able to get a close, smooth shave. When I got the opportunity to try the Soleil Balance, I was a bit skeptical. I had tried razors in the past that claimed to have moisturizers on them, and they tended to really do nothing.  When I got the razor, it came in a nice two pack, so I was happy about that. The first time I used it, I initially used some soap as shaving cream as I normally do, but I noticed it was sudsing up a lot more than normal. I decided to give it a real test and try the other side with just the razor sans anything. I was surprised at how well it actually lathered. It has 5 blades that bends to get into the spots that I can get nicks on the most l...

Am in love with the SweetTARTS Soft & Chewy Ropes. I'm a sucker for Twizzlers, so when Smiley360 gave me the opportunity to tries these, I hopped on board and received the Cherry Punch flavor. They taste fantastic.  The outside tastes like a normal cherry flavored rope candy, but the inside is filled with a tangy Cherry Punch filling. And unlike other rope candies, they are not tough or waxy, just a chewy, smooth texture with a nice kick. They come in a pack of 8, and are only 45 calories per rope to boot. Definitely worth getting again! Please note that while I received this product for free from Smiley360, the opinions are my own.

So recently, I was chosen for Smiley360's " Kikkoman Juicy Bird Project ". In this we were to brine a chicken or turkey using Kikkoman Soy Sauce. Although I received these items to review for free, this is entirely my own opinion. I also apologize ahead of time for my usually horrible pictures as my cell phone has trouble in low light. I think it's time to start using a proper camera! "Experience the taste of umami in your meals with Kikkoman Soy Sauce . Try cooking with this dynamic sauce in traditional Asian dishes, mainstream American foods, classic Mediterranean dishes, Caribbean cuisine, or even to brine poultry." I've never brined poultry before, so I was excited to participate. I received not only 2 coupons for a free bottle of Kikkoman Soy Sauce, but a 5 gallon brining bucket as well. First, here's the recipe that was recommended: Kikkoman Chicken Brine Recipe Ingredients 2 cups Kikkoman Soy Sauce 2 Gallons water 1...

Another review for the amazing BzzAgent website for Kashi Hummus Crisps . As always, although I was provided this product for free, this is my own opinion. I was really excited to be able to try this. I am a HUGE hummus fan. I really can't get enough of the stuff. So when BzzAgent sent me an e-mail about the campaign, I jumped at a chance to participate. As always, some information about the product first. Kashi Hummus Crisps are air-poppped chickpea crisps that are made without partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial anything. They have at least 5g of whole grain, 3g of fiber and 3g of protein. What is even more fantastic is that the serving size is 27 chips! And only 120 calories for that 27! Can you believe it? Compare that to most chips out there (I'm looking at YOU, Doritos!) that only have a serving size of 11 chips for more calories! So it's an all around healthy snack. The Kashi Hummus Crisps that I got were the Sea S...

Another review for the amazing BzzAgent website for Special K Nourish. As always, although I was provided this product for free, this is my own opinion. I was actually really excited to be able to try these. Ever since I started losing weight, I've been eating a lot of hot cereal and nutritional bars. I really like Special K's other products, and was hoping that I would be adding something new to my breakfast/lunch routine. First, let's go over the facts about Special K Nourish. The hot cereal is made with a multi-grain blend of quinoa, oats, barley and wheat. It's packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins A, C and E. It's only 190 calories and comes in Cranberry Almond, Maple Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Raisin Pecan. Each cup comes with a section filled with nuts or fruit to mix in after cooking. The bars are between 160-180 calories and come in Lemon Twist, Cranberry Almond and Dark Chocolate Nut. So on to the good and bad. The good? I love the idea of...

Another review for the wonderful Smiley360 website, this time for Centrum Flavor Burst vitamins. As usual, although I was provided this product for free, this is my own opinion. I'm definitely not a vitamin person. I have to take quite a bit of pills for medical reasons, and I just couldn't stand taking more. I also have a problem where pills sometimes get stuck in my throat and I have a hard time with that. However, I also want to keep healthy and I know one of the best ways to get my daily intake is to take a multi-vitamin. So when I heard about Centrum Flavor Burst chews, I was pretty excited to try it. The flavor is actually really good. I have to say I was expecting it to be chalky and not that great, kind of like how chewable vitamins were when I was a kid. Not these. They reminded me of a grape gumball and didn't have any chalky texture or bad aftertaste, which was great. A serving size is 4 chews (they are not sugar free), and here is a nutritional brea...

So anyone who knows me knows that I am beyond not fit. With problems with depression and anxiety, I've barely left the house for months, let alone this chair at times. Basically, I feel like a blob that happens to have somewhat working appendages. I've been wanting to exercise and learn to eat properly, but always put it off. Not to mention several bad events happened back to back and I was eating more food than ever because it was comforting. I was spending all day sitting in my computer chair and spending most of my days playing video games, watching videos, sleeping... trying to do everything to distract me from my feelings and keeping them bottled up. Of course, this would only last for a week or so before I'd go through a break down and spend the whole day just crying. I've been seeing on tv, the internet and other places how exercise can greatly help with anxiety to help get out some of that energy that it produces and help focus your mind on something else. Yes...

A few days ago, I received a package from Smiley360 for their Campbell's Slow Kettle Style Soup . As usual, although I was provided this product for free, but this is my own opinion. The free sample I received had the Southwest Style Chicken Chili (with Black Beans and and Sweet Corn). The box also included a bunch of $2.00 off coupons, a pair of really comfy socks, and card explaining the mission. I'm not a big soup eater, but I am crazy about chili. It's time to put this one to the test! The instructions give you the option to cook on stovetop or microwave, and I chose microwave. They also advised to cover it with plastic wrap, but since I've had issues with that in the past (it popping off even with a hole to vent and soup getting everywhere), I just used a paper towel. No mess whatsoever. The taste of this is really good, and doesn't taste like how a lot of canned soup tastes. The soup is nice and thick, with a bold flavor and a bit of a kick to it...

I've been painting my nails since I was a kid off and on, but it wasn't until recently that I finally started getting into nail care, polish and designs. I really want to show off the amazing polishes I find and designs I do, so I'm joining the multitude of blogs that also do so. I know there are others that do it way better than me, but it's something I love! I never heard of holographic polishes until recently, and sadly a lot of the places that did make them (I'm looking at you, OPI!) have discontinued them. So far the only one's I've tried are the Layla brand ones (which are about $15 a bottle) and Color Club (which are about $7). A little while ago, we got Eternal Beauty from the 2013 Color Club Halo Hues holographic collection and I've been so excited to get to try it! Holy holos, Batman! Eternal Beauty is a dark not quite purple but not quite lavender color. What's wonderful about it is that it doesn't matter what light you a...

 Here's my reveiw for the Nescafé Memento. A quick note: This package, including samples and coupons, was sent to me by BzzAgent as one of their advertising campaigns. However, this is my own blog and my own opinion on the product. I rarely use instant coffee. I've always been the type who had to have it properly brewed. One who worshiped her Keurig. I just always counted it among those things you use if you ran out of stuff to brew and couldn't swing by a coffee shop. When I received the BzzAgent e-mail to try Nescafé Memento, I figured I would give it a shot, but I was very skeptical. Monitor not included. Now on the box, there is the typical packaging that you see a lot of times for coffee. A nice hot cup with foam. I was actually surprised that, there was actually foam there! It wasn't as much as you would get from a coffeehouse, but the fact there was any was impressive. According to the box, it uses real nonfat milk that is infused with airy bu...

I'm a member of a place called Smiley360 that lets people try products and then post reviews, tell friends, etc. It's a great way for companies to get feedback from others, and it's nice knowing that your opinion is actually being listened to! One of the campaigns that popped up was for 5-hour Energy. I've always been pretty iffy about energy drinks, since nothing really seems to have an effect on me. I usually love getting 1.25 liter bottles of Diet Coke (regular Coca-Cola is too sugary for my tastes), and the caffeine difference between them is negligible. But I love testing things out and figured this was a good way to see how it affects me, and also to give some feedback. So with that said, on to reviewing! (Note: We do receive compensation for these reviews. We accrue "smileys" and those help us get into other campaigns, and there is a link at the end to vote for me to win a $500 5-hour Energy 'Treat Yourself' Visa Gift Card. This will not, h...