A Useful Site

 I once told you about the difficulty I find when face to face with all the product choices available these days. In recent years I have been testing a multitude of samples through such programs as BzzAgent, Influenster, Shopper Army, Chick Advisor and Sample Source.  Even Proctor & Gamble sends out a box of their products from time to time.

I've tried new products in categories from dried pasta to electric toothbrushes. There were many shampoos, face creams and even makeup items like lipstick and mascara. I've been introduced to so many products I might never have discovered otherwise and some of them have become family favourites.

I've discovered that in some cases you really do get what you pay for. John Frieda and Vichy are two companies that I likely never would have gambled my money on. Their products are quiet pricey, but now that I've had samples to try first, I know they are well worth the money. I now have favorite products amoung these brands.

Still, there are new products introduced everyday and the choices are still hard to make in many cases.

In another blog I mentioned the Oral B toothbrush I received from BzzAgent. That post was spotted by a member of the staff at Reviews.com and she reached out to me to see if I would include a mention of their site in that post or some future one. Well, that's an old post and I doubted many people would find it (or would have if I had not mentioned it here) so I didn't really see the point of adding anything there until now.

The thing is, I have now explored their site and decided it might be helpful to some of you in sorting though products to find one that's right for you. It may even help you with your upcoming Christmas purchases. They do extensive research on a wide range of products and name what they feel are the best. They tell you how they reached those conclusions and realize everyone likes different things for their own reasons. They even welcome your input.

The first review I found, of course, was about the electric toothbrushes. The amount of research and effort put into this one review is so extensive it boggled my mind. But it proved to me that this is not just some lone person, like me, with an opinion. Looking further I discovered there is a team of at least 50 people in this company and they really do look into not only products but services as well, before giving an unbiased review.

It is an American company so some of the things just don't apply up here. On the other hand, a great deal of it does and is very helpful. The only thing I can compare this site to is Consumer Reports but the lists of things they review don't often overlap. I suggest you go to https://www.reviews.com/ and check it out for yourself. Decide what type of product you would like to see their top choice for and put it in the search box. Play with it a bit. Decide for yourself if this site will be useful to you in helping you make difficult product choices in the future. I think it is at least a site worth knowing about.



Note: July 17, 2020   Apparently the link about the toothbrushes doesn't exist anymore but I have now been provided with a new one for you to check out, if you care to.   https://www.consumersadvocate.org/electric-toothbrushes

Thanking my Lucky Stars!

Some people are lucky, and some people are not. I spent the majority of my life never winning anything. Well, that's not quite true as I did win a record album from a radio station once when I was a teenager. That got me all excited, but I never did get it. I expected it to arrive in the mail, but perhaps I was supposed to somehow make my way across the city to fetch it. No such luck. I ended up more disappointed than if I had never won it at all.

My youngest son won a Mickey Mouse phone from an Ottawa TV show when he was about 8, and he managed to win a couple of summer camp trips too. I thought he had way more luck than I'd ever had. Perhaps it had just skipped a generation or something.

Things changed for me about 5 years ago when I suddenly had a winning streak. I enter contests on line and was doing rather well.  Then it petered out again and I was actually having bad luck for a while.

This year has been extremely lucky for me so far, though I expect that luck just has to run out any day now.

In February I told you about winning a big basket of goods from the merchants of Almonte. Since then the BzzAgent people sent me an Oral B Genius 8000 electric toothbrush to test. The thing is amazing as it works with my phone's blue tooth and actually teaches me how to do a better job of brushing while it gets my teeth dentist clean. It was worth about $200 but all I had to do was write a review.  I did that but it was nothing compared to the extensive review on electric toothbrushes I later discovered posted on https://www.reviews.com/

 

Of course I managed to score a box of goodies from Sample Source too. That also takes luck and timing. I always count myself lucky when I manage to get one.

Then recently I went to the Shop Local Showcase in Kemptville and, as usual, filled out slips for various draws I found there. I was present when I won one of the hourly prizes. I got a $25 gift card for Hard Stones Grill. Later in the week I got a phone call and found out I had also another basket full of stuff from the Royal LePage realestate booth.  That's almost embarrassing as that's the booth I went to first, when I was trying to discover who had called my name. And before I could even get into Kemptville to pick that up, a new friend, Gary Blake,  presented me with a lovely painting he had done out of appreciation for some little thing that required no reward. Lucky is one thing, but who can believe there would ever be so much of it all at once! It's been an amazing week!

I picked up the basket this past weekend, and it contained two bottles of Wayne Gretsky wine (one red, one white), four jars of Mrs McGarrigle's mustard, a $50 gift card for Heather's Healthy Harvest, another $50 gift certificate for the Brigadoon, and also one for a car wash. The rest of the stuff in the basket had to do with rolling your own sushi. That's not something that is likely to happen in this house, but I'll find someone who will appreciate it.  Maybe it's even you, if you tell me a story about how you do such things at your house or what on earth got you started.  I've had such great luck lately, I think it's time I gave something away.  You deserve a reward for reading this far, or for answering my question on Facebook. Only a couple of my facebook friends have done that so far, so this is your chance to see how I actually win things. I pick contests like this, where the odds are really good as there won't be a huge number entering. I'll pick the winner on June 5, 2017.  I'm sorry, but you will have to be living in Canada to win though I'd love to hear stories from the rest of you too..

Saving Money Everyday with Free Products

A couple of years ago I responded to someone saying "you don't ever get anything for nothing" by posting what I got, for free in the mail, each and every week for about five months. By then I figured I may have convinced them that they were wrong.  Today I've decided to show you the free products I am using daily, in my regular routine. 

I got the shampoo and conditioner from BzzAgent.  I was using Pantene products before but I really like the new Expert line, and find the Age Defy is perfect for me.

 It gives my hair body and shine, and I definitely see an improvement in my hair since I've started using it.  I'll be buying more when this is gone.

The body moisturizer I use came from Yves Rocher, as a bonus when I ordered something else.  It's a full size tube, instead of a tiny packet sample they often send, and I can tell you they will make their money back on me as I think it's the best body lotion I've ever used.

When it comes to my face, I start with Vichy ProEven Dark Spot Corrector (the white tube in the picture), which I got from Chick Advisor. They sent it to me to try. I was then supposed to write a review on the product, and how I liked it.  The time frame I was given was not enough to really see the difference it made in my age spots, so I had put that I likely wouldn't buy it.  I've now changed my mind, and cannot imagine starting my day without it.  I particularly like that I can use any of my regular products over top of it, and it's still effective.

I have a jar of L'Oreal Age perfect that I used daily for a while.  I got it when Glow Magazine chose me to take part in the You Tried It program.  I do like it, but now that the weather is warming up, I may do without moisturizer for the time being, or switch to a lighter formula.

Yves Rocher BB Cream was also sent to me as a bonus.  I've been using it for the past couple of years and so they knew it was something I would like.

I have a tube of the Vichy ProEven Night formula (the blue tube in the picture above)  which was sent to me in error, when they meant to send the previously mentioned product. I use it as part of my evening routine, when I remember. I love the texture of this product, and if I were actually just going to use one of them, this might be the one I'd choose.  It's a clear gel and spreads easily.  You can, if you wish, even put it on thicker for a short period of time, to get the effects more quickly.

For a night cream, I'm still using the StriVectin that also came in the Glow box of things to try before you buy.  I loved this stuff immediately, and checked out the price of it, shortly after I got it. It's really expensive, but it's lasting a lot longer than I'd expected, so that may substantiate the cost when it comes time to replace it. It does something magical to my skin.


Many manufactures offer free products.  All it takes is a few moments to sign up to the various sites, and then jump on the offers when they arrive.


The latest parcel to arrive is from Sample Source.  While some of the samples are....well, sample size, not everything is.  I'm currently testing out the Pronamel toothpaste, from the Sensodyne people.  I do like the way my teeth feel nice smooth after I've brushed.

The VH sauces are good too, as long as you realize these pouches are made for two servings. That's actually perfect for us. I noticed some people got more than one, as their family is bigger than ours.

You can't go wrong with Brookside Chocolate either, though this particular bar has almonds in it, so I'll have to give it to my hubby. He'll be pleased to test that out.

I used the coupon for a free box of Catelli SuperGreens yesterday.  I got Rotini and will make some sort of pasta salad to eat in all this heat.

I'll have to fill out a short survey about how I liked each of the items Sample Source sent me, and whether I've bought more or not. I find that well worth the effort, since I've discovered several things that have become family favourites through Sample Source that I may never have known about otherwise.

Anyway, I think you get the idea.  You can get along quite well using free things if you take a moment to go looking for them.  What are you waiting for?

Sample Source

Have you signed up for a box full of new products from Sample Source yet?  I eagerly look forward to each and every box, as there is always something in there that I add to my list of favorite products.


Many sample boxes these days seem to contain razors of one type or another. This one contained a Schick Hydro 5. The five blades ensure a close, smooth shave, while the built in nutrient enriched shaving gels do away with any chance of irritation.

The Boire Nose Strip is something I may not understand properly. I've tried nose strips in the past and they always appeared to have dark spots on them when you pulled them off, as if you had pulled the dirt out of your pores. This strip clung tightly to the skin and had to be eased off slowly, but I didn't see any difference on either my nose or the strip once it was removed. However, my nose did feel like the top layer of skin had just been peeled off, and I felt the need to moisturize it very soon afterwards, in an attempt to make it feel better. It just continued to sting for quite some time. I'm pretty sure I won't be buying this product, but others may find it does what they wanted it to do.

Jergens Ultra Care Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer, on the other hand,  was exactly what I needed at this time of year. It's non-greasy, absorbs quickly and left my skin silky smooth.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Shampoo lived up to it's name.  Even in my hard water, it produced a luxurious lather.  The companion conditioner didn't make my hair feel thin like many do, but rather it seemed to add body without making it too heavy to hold itself up.

Higgins & Burke Green Tea was a pleasant surprise. I'm definitely a tea drinker but I've never been fond of green teas. This one was not bad. In fact, I actually enjoyed it.  That's really saying something. Though I doubt I'll ever replace my Orange Pekoe, I may consider stocking it for guests.

The Ice Breakers Duos are made by the Hershey company. These were a fruity flavour. I had a sample of minty ones in a previous package, and I much preferred those.  In fact, I intend to buy some of the minty ones soon, to keep in my purse.

There was also a Hershey's Whole Almond bar.  I passed that to my hubby as my body doesn't tolerate almonds. He enjoyed it, he said.

Kelloggs Special K Pastry Crisps are a nice light snack. They have real chocolate that melts on your fingers, which, in my books is a good thing. I found they had an interesting flavour and texture, and would be tempted to pick up some more from time to time.

One of the two products that I really liked out of this batch of samples was the Frizz Ease Secret Weapon, also by John Frieda. I tend to wash my hair most days, just to get it to look good, but a little touch of Frizz Ease and my hair not only perks right up and is good for another day, it also shines so beautifully I'm thinking I'd like that look every day!

Brookside Dark Chocolate Acai with Blueberry is another product I really loved.  OMG these are just incredible!  Such flavour!  I fully intend to hunt down a bag of these as soon as possible. When I take a notion to eat chocolate, a few of these glossette type morsels will satisfy my craving, without causing me to feel guilty. I am satisfied so much more quickly by things that have more flavour. These certainly fit that description.

If you have not signed up for Sample Source, go here and do so now, so you will be on the list to get the next box of goodies.  This program is all about letting you try before you buy. It works for me!

Freebie Friday - Jan 11

It happens every year.  Publishers all decide to compete for your attention by sending all kinds of deals to get you to subscribe to their magazines.  I try hard to resist, but I don't always succeed.

While e-mails with welcome back offers arrived for some, I got actual sample issues from both Prevention Magazine and Good Times.  Good times also included a bookmark, and promised a new watch if I subscribed, and a matching bracelet if I did it quickly.  I think I'll pass as I have plenty of reading material here as it is.

I also received my third and final free issue of Canadian Living.  The Sample Source people gave out free 3 month subscriptions a while back, and now that my last issue has arrive, so has a message offering me the final 9 months of a year's subscription for just $9.  They have a big round ball on the ad saying that's just $9 a copy.  Ha.  They aren't thinking straight.  That's $9 for the entire year, since I didn't have to pay for the first 3 issues at all.  Looking at it that way, it's only 75 cents an issue.  That's a deal that's hard to pass up.  I've been trying all week, but I do love to flip through magazines, and I know I'm never going to get another offer as cheap as that.

Have you looked at the price of magazines on the newsstand lately?  Actually, it's hard to find a price listed on most of them any more.  I think they are ashamed to print it.  You are darn lucky if you can find one as low as $4.99 these days.  A new one I really wanted to try last week cost $15.99, and that's before adding on another couple of bucks for taxes.   That does it.  While I really am trying to cut back on my magazines, I suddenly don't think I can afford to pass up the deal of 9 more months of Canadian Living for just $9....especially now that I've clicked though to the renewal and see that actually includes the taxes!.