Friday, January 11, 2013

Freeman Face Masks Review!

Face masks are great beauty products weather they are clay, mud, peel-off, or even chocolate. They enhance your skin with good-for-you ingredients that make your skin brighter, smoother and cleaner. Now, I've personally tried a few different kinds of facial masks ranging from homemade recipes to drugstore brands. Some of it was nice and some of my own concoctions turned out kinda stinky  :}

But my favorite ones are the Freeman Feeling Beautiful Face Masks. They are amazing. My favorites from the entire line are the Acai Facial Purifying Clay Mask, Avocado & Oatmeal Facial Clay Mask, and the Chocolate & Strawberry Facial Clay Mask.



Pros:
  • Affordable. $3.99 each (6 fl oz)
  • They smell great. None of them have a chemical-like stink, they smell fruity and delicious. 
  • Work amazingly on skin. Leaves my face feeling soft and rejuvenated.
  • The product in the bottle lasts bc you don't need too much for each use.
Cons:
  • The squeezy tube packaging can get a little messy so make sure to close the caps tightly!

Overall, after each use I fall even more in love with these guys. They are so inexpensive compared to other face masks in the market. But the main thing is that they work wonderfully. There is a noticeable difference on my face after I wash off the product, like a dewy softness. I have never had a bad skin reaction to the ones i've tried and I plan on trying some of the newer ones too! 

Purchase them online here or at any local drugstore/beauty supply store.

Disclaimer: All products shown and mentioned were bought with my own money, this is not a sponsored post. All opinions and views are my own. 

-HiRA

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Palmolive Fresh Infusions Dish Washing Soap Review!

Doing the dishes is one chore I hate. It's messy, its gross, and it drys/burns my hands. But it's something that must be done anyway or my family would have to eat on paper plates for the rest of our lives. 0.o

When I buy dish soap of any kind, there's a few main things I check for:
-Anti-Bacterial
-Natural ingredients (irritate the skin less)
-Fresh scent
-Easy to handle bottle
-Removes grease and food build up easily
-Decent price

So, recently I got an opportunity from Influenster.com to try out a new product line from Palmolive (complimentary). YAY! After taking a qualifying survey I received a box of goodies in my mailbox. Included were three dish washing liquids from the new Palmolive Fresh Infusions line. 



Above from left to right: Lemon Thyme, Ginger White Tea & Lime Basil. 


These guys are absolutely incredible. I first made the mistake of using too much on my sponge, note to self, a little goes a long way with these. They bubble up and fight through the grease with ease. I've currently been loving the Ginger White Tea bottle. My dishes are clean and they smell good. I hate it when the scent of old food lingers on cups and plates. Its disgusting, even if the dish is actually clean. Ginger White Tea has a soft floral scent while Lime Basil smells like citrus and Lemon thyme gives off hints of lemon. Each of them work effectively and get the job done. 


New sleek packaging and fresh scents make dish washing a happier chore.


Besides the new look, I honestly am impressed with how well these dish liquids work. With tougher residue, I allow my pots and pans to soak in the soapy water for about 10 min, right after the gunk just washes off. Palmolive dish soaps always pass all my requirements (listed above) and are very gentle on my hands. These are also very affordable at $2.99 and can be found at your local Walmart and Target. Check em' out! 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Bath & Body Works 3 Wick Candles Review!

Is it just me or is there a candle epidemic going on right now? I feel like I have been left out on all the candle loving madness with everyone raving about their favorite scents/brands. Every You-tube haul video I watch has candles of some sort in it. So I thought fine, I shall have to see for myself about this candle hooplah. And to be honest, I have always loved the way candles burn, probably more than the scent some give off. Its the way the little fire dances while coating the burned wick. Turn out the lights, and watch that magnificent candle burn. Did I pretend I was living in the 18th century, yea okay sometimes. But that's not where I'm going with this.

I decided to go ahead and buy some candles, the big fat fat fat ones. In this case, from Bath and Body Works. I have heard countless amazing things about the candles from B&BW, specifically the 3 wick candles. So I purchased two: Peach Bellini and Caribbean Escape. Yes, its winter time but I don't really like the holiday scents and what not. The nose likes what the nose likes. And these 3 wick candles were my very first ever from any store/brand/company. Ever. Yup. 

So here are a collection of my thoughts after burning Caribbean Escape for the first time:

The candle in the jar smells like heaven. (Without burning). The wicks smell kinda funky, should wicks even smell like anything? (After burning)



The candle burned relatively evenly. The three wicks really helped to melt a deep layer of wax enough to allow the scent to cover the entire room. I've used smaller candles before, but they never gave off this much of a scent. I mentioned the wicks having a strange smell, well that faded after the second time I lit my candle. Maybe it was just me. Either way, I loved this scent, smells like a tropical Hawaiian breeze. Amazingness!




Here the candle was being lit for the very first time. The wax began to pool after about 3 minutes  and the scent followed right after. Tip: Allow the wax to melt into a complete circle. This will allow the candle to burn evenly each time, and it won't look lumpy.




So I burned this little guy for about 3 hours. Bits of the wicks fell into the melted wax, but that's okay. By now, my room was filled with the delicious aroma of coconuts and mangoes.  And the scent lingered for quite some time after I blew the flames out. Very nice. 




The wicks made this weird popping noise when I first lit them, and after I blew out the little fires, I noticed that they formed this tree-like shape. I have never seen that on a candle before. Must be something on the coating of the wick. Didn't affect the candle in anyway. 




Overall, I loved this candle! I was impressed by the scent through, and the lastingness of it. I have yet to burn Peach Bellini, but I'm definitely going to repurchase Caribbean Escape for sure. The  B&BW three wick candles are great quality and sturdy. These also make a really amazing gift. 




I went and bought two more candles recently: Beach Cabana and another Caribbean escape. And then I saw these pretty "candle covers." (Mine were $5 each) They are made from a thin metal material and slip right around the candle. It makes my candle look so cute and the metal reflects off the flames and shines, which is really cool to look at. 


So yea, im obsessed with these candles now. And the best part is that these are actually very affordable. Each candle retails for about $20. However, Bath and Body Works has a 2 for $20 sale on candles every now and then. That sale combined with a $10 off $30 coupon, makes these a great deal. Buy two candles and two metal "candle covers" for just $20 plus tax (with coupon). That's like getting the covers for free! 

Note: The coupon can be found on B&BW Facebook page, or just sign up for the newsletters to get coupons and promos straight in your inbox!


Disclaimer: All products shown and mentioned were bought with my own money, this is not a sponsored post. All opinions and views are my own. 

-HiRA

Monday, December 10, 2012

Influenster Relaunch!


Hey everyone!

So many of you guys have probably already heard of Influenster. It's a great program/website where you can read and write reviews, learn about new products and join a community where everyone has a voice. The best part? Every now and then, there is a themed box of goodies given out to a limited number of recipients filled with products to try out. FREE!

Its so simple to join, just head to Influenster.com and request an invite. Or just ask in the comments below and I'd be happy to send you one. After you are all signed up, set up your profile and begin the tasks. Start by taking surveys, writing a few reviews, making a video, and adding all your social media influences. If you are a Youtuber, add your link to your channel, likewise if you are a blogger. The goal of Influenster is to use your power of social interaction to increase your Influenster score. Love something, hate it, tell 'em about it!

Your job is easy, just stay active within the community, and before you know it, you will qualify for a VoxBox (freebie box). To do so, you gatta earn badges. There are lifestyle badges, relating to mommies, college students, blushing brides, animal lovers, health nuts, do good-ers and more. Then there are expert badges, relating to subjects and issues you are more enveloped in. Earn the badges, increase your score, be rewarded with a box filled with free goodies! Get the idea?

So far, I've gotten the Summer Beauty VoxBox 2012. It was so wonderful, I even did a video review about it. Check it out :







Whether you love to use Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, Youtube, have a website, or have a blog, Influenster is for you. If your already a member, you know what i'm talking about. If not, you don't know what your missing! : D


-HiRA

Save Money On College Textbooks!


So, for many college students out there, like myself, the fall semester is finally over. HOOPLAH! 

But the school year is only half way through. -_- One of the most expensive things about college is the books. Even when you buy them used, they can easily cost around $50 -$100 and beyond. This is simply ridiculous. I remember my first year, first semester, I spent about $500 on books alone and they were USED. Tuition is bad enough and that depends on whether your in-state or out-of-state. So I decided to look into some ways to make my out-of-pocket expense a little cheaper. Here is a list of tips I found that were useful to me:

1) Book Waiver: If you are getting any financial aid for tuition, ask about a book waiver. This could be in a form of a check or credit on your student account that can be used towards the cost of books. My school had this option available. It would be money taken from my financial aid refund and could only be used in a specific bookstore. From my experience, there are some pros and cons to the book waiver. The biggest pro is that money would be available to me automatically. All I had to do was go to the specified bookstore and checkout using my school I.D. My problem was that my books were too darn expensive in that bookstore and I knew I could find them cheaper online. The biggest con of the book waiver was that I could not use it on online markets outside of the specified bookstore and its online store. So, I ended up not using my book waiver at all. Financially, that was the best option for me, because I bought all my books online for much cheaper and later received my financial aid refund, so everything balanced out. However, for many students, buying books straight from the school store is a huge time/stress saver. Keep in mind that the book waiver depends on your school, and to learn more about it contact your school's financial aid office.

2) Shop Online: The online markets are probably my favorite place to buy books for school. With all the coupon codes, promotions, and free shipping options, you can easily get your books for a lot cheaper than in traditional bookstores. The main issue is that there is a vast amount of places to search and its a huge time consumer. My solution: Bigwords.com  This site is a serious life saver! All you have to do is plug in the isbn, title or author of the book your looking for. The site will ask you if your looking to buy/rent or sell a copy. This is great if you have a long list of books because you can add them all at once and the site will do all the work for you. The books will be put into a "backpack" and then the website will find the cheapest possible price (or combination price) within hundreds (maybe more) of online book retailers. This includes but is not limited to, Amazon, half.com, barnesandnoble.com, and more. Also, Bigwords.com has a wonderful filter option, where you can control the condition, digital copies, rentals, and even international editions. My favorite feature on this site is that it finds ways for me to score free shipping or a discount of some kind. I've been using this site for a while now, and many times a coupon code will appear beneath the book price. If not, they show you the standard shipping amount anyway. This is great stuff when you are on a budget. I wish I had discovered this website sooner, it made my life a lot easier!

*ALSO, right now www.bigwords.com is having a sweepstakes to win an iPad Mini! Click to enter: http://blazonapp.com/r/2031-1DgGt7tP90

3) Rent Don't Buy: Renting my books is an option I considered for the first time this year. I always bought my books thinking I would just sell them to someone else. But, that means I have to keep the book in worthy condition so someone will take it off my hands. Easier said than done. So I thought to give renting a try. So far its been a good experience. I started with Bigwords.com to find the books I needed, and chose the site that had the cheapest renting option. In fact, all of my books were cheaper rented than bought. Making me one happy camper. :) I put the corresponding orders in and received my books within  three weeks. Each book was from a different rental site, but they were all in decent condition with clear instructions included on the return process. My biggest fear was that  I would forget to return the book on time, because it has to be mailed back to the company. But I was relived to find that when the time came close for returns, the companies began to send me e-mail remainders. * Happy Dance * No late fees for me. Since my semester is over, i'm going to ship back all my books (for free!) this week. Each company allows you to make an account on the corresponding website where the book was purchased. There, you can track the book, extend the rent time, print a return label, or even buy the copy if you end up needing it longer. Good stuff. Just follow the instructions for returns clearly and rentals can be somewhat of a great alternative to buying books. They are there when you need them, and you just send 'em back when your done. I spent about $200 for this past semester on books. From my usual $500, I saved a huge amount, and that's mainly due to renting my books.

*Rental companies I can vouch for: collegebookrenter.comTextbooksRus.com, chegg.com

4) Buy From Former Students: If your the kind of person that is hesitant about buying books online  because your afraid they wont arrive on time or you just waited till the last minute to get them, you have two other options. First, you could just spend the crazy amount of money and get them from the school store right away. Or, you could find someone on campus who might be selling the copy your looking for, for less. Try to look at bulletin boards around campus to see if anyone has put up a 'for sale' sign on books. They usually include some kind of contact information as well. Also, use social sites like Facebook and find a page/group that may be dedicated to buying and selling books within the student community at your school. My school has that set up, and all I have to do is ask if someone is selling what I want. Usually someone comments on my post within a day or two. Most of the time I am able to lower the price of the book just by asking. This is also a great opportunity to ask a student who has used the book and or taken the class about the subject matter. You can discuss prices, where to meet to buy the book, and learn more about the class and the instructor too. Also ask for some study tips particular to that class, for example, ask about study guides or what chapters in the book were most helpful, etc. I've used this option a few times and have got to meet some interesting people along the way.

5) Borrow/Library: Now this option can be great but can also be a disappointment. Either way, it doesn't hurt to look into the school library and local library catalog  Sometimes you might hit the jackpot! I try to work with this option if all else fails. As a college student, you have lots of things going on at the same time, and library books are usually due faster than rented books. Therefore, I try my best to make sure I keep track of all my books. Even then, constantly getting the book renewed is a hassle. So, I use the library more for literature books, or study guides, if I can find them. As for the giant textbooks, I try not rely on the library for them. However, the idea of borrowing books is still fantastic. Ask friends or family members who might have taken that class/course, if they still have the book laying around. If they don't need it, your golden! Just remember to check the edition, every few years the books are updated and newer editions are required for the course. Other than that, this is a fairly decent option.

6) Sell Them When Your Done: Lastly, don't forget to sell your books if you have any left over that you don't need anymore. If they are still in great condition, try selling them on the Amazon book marketplace. At the start of the new semester, you might sell your book right away. Or consider selling it to a fellow student. Put up a sign on a board in campus about your book(s). Or even mention it on a post on your school's Facebook page for buying/selling books (if you have one). Or even rent it out! If your not using it for the semester anyway, and you know someone who needs it, just set a decent price on the book, get paid and lend it. This is a good option if you think that somewhere along the way, you might need the book in the future. So go ahead and rent it out, and gather some cash, instead of dust on the book which would have sat on your shelf anyway.


: D I hope this list helps anyone who reads it. These are completely my opinions and words from my experiences. I am not a financial adviser or affiliated with any of the companies or websites mentioned. If you still have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. To all the students out there, enjoy your winter break and have a safe holiday. When the next semester begins, I hope you  have found a few ideas here on how to save a little dough. Good luck :)

-HiRA

Sunday, December 9, 2012


Hey All :D

Welcome! I'm Hira, a broke college student with too much time on her hands. I spend my days shopping while looking for some crazy good deals. My friends know me as the crazy coupon lady, but hey its only because I'm good at what I do :) Livin in Chicago, I find myself lost in all the craziness of the city. From shopping to food to college life, I welcome you to my personal journey, documented in the interwebs. Follow me here as I share my secrets about great restaurants in the city, tips for having a great college experience and learning how to shop online and in-store while saving a bundle. Thanks for reading and remember every penny counts(ss)!

-HiRA