Garnier Fructis Hydra-Recharge Line

I received these products through BzzAgent. I have used Garnier Fructis products in the past and have a love-hate relationship. More like a love-likebutwouldnotbuyagain relationship. The latter is what I experienced with this product. The smell, texture, lather, packaging and price are all tops in my book, but the most important part of the product, the results, fell short.

Using the shampoo along with the two conditioners in the Hydra-Recharge line I felt like the products added moisture to  my hair but the poof and volume was out of control. Having thick hair, the "weightless" feature of the products is not something that draws me in. I really would LIKE to have a product that weighs my hair down so it is not so crazy.

That being said, this product is probably awesome for a lot of people, but if you have thick, poofy and curly hair like me, then you probably want something that will add a little weight to your hair. Maybe not.

UNREAL Candy is UNbelievably Good!

Recently I have had the chance to try UNREAL candy with the help of BzzAgent.

UNREAL is a completely new idea in the candy world. Their tagline is "Candy Unjunked", and that is bascially what it is. UNREAL is taking REAL, natural ingredients and making delicious candy that isn't pumped with artificial ingredients, sugars and fat! I have to say, I only have tried the Peanut Butter Cups, but those were enough for me to be won over. I'm converted. I never realized how unnatural the peanut butter was in those Reese's cups until I tasted the UNREAL cups.

Best part is there are 5 varieties that could be compared to Peanut M&Ms, M&Ms, Snickers, Milky Way and Reese's. So whatever your favorite guilty pleasure is, there is something to satisfy it in a healthier way.



Next time your sweet tooth starts to tingle, try an UNREAL candy instead. You won't feel nearly as bad for caving. (:

Nat

Ristorante Pizza by Dr. Oetker = Delicious!

Yummy yummy yummy.

That's all I was thinking when eating up my first slice of Ristorante Frozen Pizza from Dr. Oetker. Now I'm not just saying this to promote a product. As a BzzAgent I'm required to be completely honest when I spread the Bzz about a product and this is my honest opinion even though I did get coupons to try the pizza for free.



I am 1/2 Italian and my Uncles/Aunts/Grandparent's etc. have owned and still own several Italian restaurants and pizzerias in New Jersey so I KNOW what I'm talking about when I say that is good pizza. I typically don't buy frozen pizza since I can get fresh pizza from any of the above restaurants, but I decided to give Ristorante pizza a shot and it is amazing.

My favorite part is how crispy the thin crust comes out. The key to getting the crispy crust is putting the pizza directly on the oven rack. Then we usually put a piece of foil on the bottom rack to catch and drippings. So far I have tried three different kinds, Spinaci, Vegetale and Speciale. I love saying those words since I'm currently taking Italian II at college and can actually pronounce them correctly haha.

Spinaci has lots of spinach, mozzarella and a garlic sauce.
Vegetale is loaded is tomates, peppers, onions, chilies and sour cream sauce.
Speciale is perfect for meat lovers with pepperoni, cooked ham and spices.

It is hard to pick a favorite since they were all really good but I think my favorite is the Vegetale or Spinaci one. I love pizzas with vegetables on them, it gives a little extra crunch.

As you can tell by the description the pizzas are not your typical cheese and red sauce. They are unique, thin crust, and just like fresh pizza. They are on the smaller side. As a main dish I'd say one pizza is good for no more than two people although the serving size is 1/3. If you're feeling like pizza but don't want to go out, buy some Ristorante Pizza! Another thing to note is that this pizza is a famous frozen pizza of Italy itself.

Don't argue with Italians! You'll never win haha. (;

Let me know if you try it. I believe they are only on northeast coast right now, but I could be wrong. See if you're grocery store is on the list here: http://www.oetker.us/en/faq/wheretobuy

Talk to you soon!
Natalie

Are you Smarterer?

BzzAgent sent me a BzzCampaign a little while ago and I thought I'd share it with you all! It's a neat site called Smarterer where you take tests to determine how savvy you are with all kinds of sites. For example, click here to find out what you Facebook IQ! (: Then post it to your Facebook to challenge your friends.

Let me know what your score is!

Talk to you all soon,
Natalie

The Little Black Box

Image from thelittleblackboxes.com

For all the details on how to get your own little black box check out http://www.thelittleblackboxes.com (:

I've been wanting to order a little black box for the longest time and this month I finally did! I can surely say I'm hooked, they are so much fun and very worth it! Stay tuned for possible reviews and pictures on the products I received but for now I'll post all the links to the companies that provided samples in the April black box (:

Easter Pin:  Jodi's Craft Emporium
Trivial Pursuit Notepad: Thistlecraft Designs
Green and Clear Crystal Earrings: Earwings and Things
Earpins: Strega Jewellry
Purple Bead Earrings: Bead Lightning
Laser Cut Flower and Leaves: SundrySupply
Orange Plumeria Hairpin: Ms. Formaldehyde
Lavender Bliss Lip Balm: Angelic Soaps & Gifts
Green Origami Heart Hairpin: Nerdette Romance
Cherry Refillable Notepad: Rags + Bones
Dollhouse Eyeshadow: Minna Cosmetics
Handspun Thread: Dragonflylotus Designs
Thicker Handspun Yarn: Midnightsky Fibers
2 Body Butters with Shea: TLC Naturals
Winter Blend Shea Butter Cream: Deesse Boutiques
Vetiver Scented Bath Salt: Spalicity Explicity 4u
Easty Goody Bag: My Dream Party.com
Soaps and Body Powder: Healthy Options of Days Gone By

Overall, I would say it is worth the $20, wouldn't you!?



Love,
Natalie

CoverGirl's New NatureLuxe Foundation and Gloss Balm

 

Images from covergirl.com

The latest BzzCampaign I signed up for was the CoverGirl NatureLuxe campaign! BzzAgent sent me the products to try out and give my honest opinion to friends and family. So that is what I'm going to do! (: This new line of products from CoverGirl is really clever. I love how they are showing that they use natural items in their products so it is actually good for you!

Liquid Silk Foundation:
I would rate this product 3 out of 5 stars on my terms.

1 star: for doing what it is intende in covering my blemishes and evening out my skin tone
1 star: for the creaminess and ease of application. Went on really smooth!
1 star: for using jojoba, cucumber extract, and other natural ingredients! Woohoo!
Minus 1 star: for being too heavy for my oily skin
Minus 1 star: for being the wrong color - technically MY fault but yeah.

Gloss Balm:
I would rate this product 5 out of 5 stars!

1 star: for being glossy with being sticky!
1 star: for being available in 16 shades!
1 star: for having SPF 15 in it. I love that about lip products, it is great for the Spring and Summer!
1 star: for being sheer but giving just enough tinge of color to make your lips look luscious!
1 star: for being super moisturizing and smelling good!

Definitely check out the gloss balm if anything, it is a must have for any purse (:



Love,
Natalie

The Home Stretch!

Just a few more weeks and it will be summer break once again! It makes me wonder how I survived high school, which didn't get out until near the end of June! This coming break is going to be EXTRA exciting though because the first week I'm done with school is my 21st birthday!!! I've definitely been waiting for this day to come for a long time. It seems there is always some kind of age limit for everything up until you are 21. I'm going to have a fun birthday week that is for certain.

With the last few weeks of classes comes 50 tons of stress as well though! I'm going to think of ways to try and beat the stress and I'll make a new blog post or video about them soon. (:

For now, leave your best stress-busting tips below and I might mention you in my next blog or video!
Also, follow me on twitter for quick communication and updates! http://www.twitter.com/NatBeeDreaming

Love,
Natalie

Sick Before Vacation!

So Saturday I will be going with my boyfriend and his family on a much needed vacation! (: I am so excited and so thankful. One problem, I GOT SICK! Nothing major (knock on wood), just a cold, but it is super annoying having to blow my nose a hundred times a day and feel like I'm going to sneeze every 5 minutes. Sigh... I just took Dayquil an hour ago, so far, nothing.

If anyone has any good get better quick remedies please let me know on here or Twitter! I'd love the advice. Is anyone else going on vacation anytime soon? Leave a comment to this post!

Talk to you soon,
Natalie

New Years Resolutions 2011

Yet again I've been neglecting my little blog over here.  So here is a post to kick off the new year! My new years resolutions! I wanted to write a blog specifically stating each one that way I can always be reminded of them and so will all of my followers. If you want you can tweet me or comment throughout the year checking up on me. (:

1. Get in shape and make healthier choices.
Yes, I know this is the number one resolution that people make every year, but I know I can do this! Last year I did it for two straight months and I felt and looked better than ever, then I had some issues in my life that gave me an excuse to revert back to comfort eating and being lazy. I never got the inspiration to really kick it back into gear so this year I'm at it again!

My favorite way to do this is to have a breakfast smoothie every morning, have a healthy lunch, and then eat whatever my family cooks for dinner. If I go out, I just make stick to the better options, although I never really restrict myself If I want something that isn't the best. I just don't eat a lot of it and don't do it often.


As for exercise, I am starting the Couch to 5K plan again! Yay! For all the information about this 9 week running plan follow this link: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
Along with this I work out on the Total Gym in our house five days a week and do pilates using the Ana Caban DVDs by Gaiam three times a week.

2. Sleep more

This doesn't mean sleep late. What this resolution means is to get to sleep earlier and wake up earlier. I want to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night though. I'm tired of going to bed at 2 or 3 and waking up at 11 or 12. (Yes, winter break has got me into this bad bad habit!)

3. Make more videos on my YouTube channel.

I feel like I neglected my YouTube big time in 2010. The whole middle of the year (Spring/Summer) I stopped making videos and I truly missed it! To make up for this I want to make a lot more videos this year and have them more consistent instead of 2 one week, none the next and one the week after that.

4. Go to church more.

I'm Roman Catholic and I love my faith and going to mass and being an active member of the church community. This past Summer and Fall I've missed so many Sunday masses that I just feel terrible about it. I really want to get back to my church and closer to God. <3

5. Write in my journal more.

I love looking back at my old journals from middle and high school. There are tons of poems, doodles, and real emotions poured into them that I forget even existed until I flip back through them and read a little. I know these years of my life are truly precious when I'm learning and discovering new things about myself and the world around me. I don't want to forget what I feel and the memories from this age so I really want to get back into consistently writing in my journal.


6. Pay off my credit card

I made the common mistake of charging part of my college tuition on my credit card. Then I charged more stuff on there and yeah, let's just say there's more money on that thing then I have in my bank account. So what do I need to do this year? PAY IT OFF! Then I want to burn that thing and never see it again! Those things are evil. In the meantime I have my dad holding the card in his lockbox that way I can't use it I can only make payments on it. I plan to make payments on it twice a month with each paycheck I get that way I will have it payed off by the end of the year. If I get a better job with better money I can even have it paid off by the end of summer! That would be great! (:

Okay! So those are all my new years resolutions! I know with the help of my friends, family and wonderful boyfriend (pictured below!) I can stick to them!

<3 (: LOVE!

Okay that is all for now. Sorry this is so long and probably no one will read it, but like I said before this is also a great reminder to myself of my goals for this year and I need to stick to them. (:

Let me know what your resolutions are in the comments!
Also, follow me on twitter if you aren't already.
http://www.twitter.com/NatBeeDreaming

~*~Natalie~*~

I'm Back!

Last month I got back into my YouTube groove and this month I am bringing my blog back to life! I have big plans for this little blog in the coming months. Ideally I would like to try and build my own website and keep it updated consistently. If you have any suggestions, questions or comments for me please leave them in the comments below.

Alternatively, if you have an important question or business inquiry please email me at natalie@nataliebeedreaming.com

In the meantime, here is a picture of me when I was in preschool. Little Natalie! What do you think, do I look the same? Even a little bit? Haha.

Talk to you all very soon!
Natalie

My New Years Resolution: Healthy Fitness Plan

Okay so here is my whole New Years Resolution plan typed out although the video is probably easier to watch and understand haha!

So first off I start off by making sure I have a "Fitness Journal". At first I was just using a notebook as my fitness journal but I recently bought a cute decorated composition notebook. You can also decorate one yourself with inspirational pictures on the front. I think having a cute journal to write down all your fitness and health goals really makes you see updating it as fun and not work.

I set up my journal in a couple ways.
1. On the first page I always write my goals and reasons why I am doing this. I also write my starting measurements. This could be anything that you really want to focus on. I'm not really concerned with losing weight but I always like to take my weight anyway. Then I measure my resting heart rate. Then the measure parts of my body such as waist, hips, right thigh, left thigh, chest, you can measure your arms (biceps).

2. After that first page or two I start each day by writing the date, and then the week I'm on since I started the changes, and the day since I started. So my first day I wrote "Monday, January 4, 2010. Week 1 Day 1"

Then for each day I write "Excercise:" and then write whatever type of exercise or workout I did that day. After that I write "Diet:" and update as I go through the day "Breakfast: Nutritional shake w/ 4 strawberries and 1/2 banana" etc. Usually I write down calories if I know them because one day I realized that I ate way too many and another day I realized I ate only 1100 calories and going below 1200 calories consistently leads to an eating disorder and that is really bad. So be careful.

3. After Exercise and Diet I usually take some time at the end of the day to look over my day and write just a little note in the journal about how I feel I did that day, accomplished, disappointed, comfortable, excited, etc. Anything really.

I always drink however much water I feel I need throughout the day. I probably don't drink enough but as long as I feel hydrated I'm okay. Otherwise I would say 8 glasses of water a day is what most people say is good for you.

As for exercising, I don't like to push myself too hard either. When I do, I end up giving up early. So if you haven't seen my video yet go watch I tell you what I do! It's called the Couch to 5K program. It's for those of us who are not active or athletic and want to start running. I always hated running in middle school and high school so this really has helped so far! I'm on the end of week 4 right now and it is a 9 week program. The website is http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml they give you the information on how to do it!

You are supposed to run 3 times a week with a day of rest in between. So on those days of rest I try to cross-train. I do pilates which is great! I love it! I just bought a DVD from the bookstore called "5 Day Fit Pilates" I would really recommend it! Any Pilates dvd with the instructor "Ana Caban" is great. I love her dvds! You can also get them online from Gaiam.com or amazon, etc. If you have the money you can even take classes at the gym.

For diet I don't like many breakfast foods so I drink a nutritional breakfast shake from herbalife every morning. They are actually really delicious! The recipe for the shake I make is 1 cup of orange juice, 4 strawberries (frozen or non), 1/2 banana, and 2 tablespoons of the French Vanilla herbalife shake mix. Mix it up in a blender and then add 7 ice cubes and it is like buying a strawberry banana smoothie from the mall! Yummy! You can get the shake mix and lots of other great healthy products at http://www.shopherbalife.com/vickya

Then for the rest of the day I really don't have any specific diet I just know to watch my calorie intake and make healthy choices.

I LOVE the website http://www.hungry-girl.com there are some AWESOME recipes on there that are low fat and low cal. Also there are two Hungry Girl books that I want to get so you can check those out too!

Okay so I hope this helps some people! (:
<3 Natalie

3 FREE Zoya Hot Lips Glossy Lip Balms!

Hey everyone! Long time no video or blog post!

So I just wanted to get on here and let you all know about the newest promotion Zoya is graciously having that they extended until Sunday November 15th! If you go on there site for the Hot Lips, you can pick any three color glosses, add them to your cart, and then enter the code LIPS at checkout and it will instantly subtract the cost of all three glosses! Get them for free! All you have to pay is shipping and handling. It is $6.95 but it is still a great deal! It is almost like you're paying for the price of one and getting three. I have only heard good things about these glosses (which are also therapy for you lips as well!), so check them out (:

For more info on the promo:
http://zoyanailpolish.blogspot.com/2009/11/breaking-news-zoya-hot-lips-promo.html

Have a great weekend!