Hapari Swimwear Review ($100 Gift Card Giveaway)

Swimsuit season is finally here, and for some of you, it means buying that teeny bikini you've been eyeing at the mall. For me, however, it means finding a swimsuit that is capable of supporting the "girls" up top, and covering my tummy. I mean, let's face it. After two kids, my body simply isn't what it used to be.

* I received a free product from Hapari in exchange for a review.

Usually, swimsuit shopping is a drag for me, but when I saw Hapari's options, including swim skirts, board shorts, cover-ups, sarongs, and even underwire options, I was actually pretty excited to shop for swimwear. And for me, that is serious business. Oh, and did I mention that they also have swimwear for children?

After an hour or so of going through their super cute swimwear, I finally decided on the Black Plus-Size Tummy Tuk Swim Bottom, the Black Rainbow Plus-Size Sport Tankini Top, and a pair of White Plus-Size Cover Up Board Shorts.

The reason I decided on these three pieces of swimwear was because the Tummy Tuk bottoms would allow me to hide that "belly pooch" that many of us mamas have, and I felt that the tankini, since it was black, would help smooth out my mid-section. The board shorts are simply for cover-up after swimming. They could, might I add, be used to swim in, as they're made from quick-drying fabric.

I placed my order on Tuesday, June 17, and the order arrived on Thursday, June 19, so shipping was incredibly fast. The items were packaged individually, and everything was in great shape.

Upon closer inspection of the suits, I noticed that the detail was quite intricate. The floral Hapari logo was beautifully stitched into the Tummy Tuk swim bottoms and the Cover-Up Board Shorts. There were also small plastic buttons on the board shorts, which, I thought, was a nice added touch.

The tankini top had beautiful, bold, white floral designs, and rainbow-colored diagonal stripes, which turned an otherwise solid black swimsuit into a colorful, vibrant tankini top. On the back, the words "Hapari" were sewn into the fabric.

I've always loved the little details, especially when those details are functional. Remember how I mentioned that when searching for a swimsuit, I need something to "support the girls" (girls meaning breasts, for those of you who don't know)? Well, Hapari has supportive detail down to an art.

 

Above, you can see the built-in bra on the tankini top. You can also see that there is a bit of padding (not too much, might I add) which help add shape your breasts. And as if that weren't enough...

...the pads are actually stitched right into the top! No more worrying about pads slipping around and giving awkward shape to your breasts. Based on the detail of the stitching, these bad boys aren't going anywhere!

The moment of truth was when I tried this swimsuit on. From what I had already seen, I have to admit, I was a bit frightened that it was all too good to be true. Fortunately, that was not the case, and the swimsuit was a perfect fit, and for once in a long time, I actually felt sexy while in swimwear.

 

What I loved the most is that there were no obvious bulges, which have always seemed to accompany every other swimsuit I've purchased. The top itself was very flattering, and helped contained my "extra meat." My boobs weren't falling out or flailing all about which any top-heavy woman can appreciate.

The Tummy Tuk bottoms actually surprised me! Usually, swim bottoms require constant pulling and tugging in order to keep them in place, but not these! Walking, lying out in the sun, and running away from my son who was armed with the hose were no match for these swim bottoms! Not only did they do what they were designed to do (hide that tummy), they also lifted my behind, or lack thereof, quite nicely (hopefully these squats start paying off soon).

The board shorts were exactly what I'd hoped they'd be. They were enough to cover up, while also looking enough like regular shorts to be able to walk into a convenience store after swimming without feeling awkward. Seriously. Because who has time to get their regular clothes back on just to buy a bottle of water--especially after a long day of swimming?

Needless to say, I'm very impressed with the quality, design, and functionality of this swimsuit from Hapari. It's honestly the best swimsuit that I've ever had. With that said, I would recommend this brand to anyone and everyone looking cute, durable, supportive, high-quality swimwear.

And today might just be your lucky day!

I've partnered with this amazing brand to bring you, my awesome readers, a giveaway for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Hapari! The winner will be chosen by July 13, 2014 and will be notified by July 15, 2014. Winner must claim their prize within 48 hours, otherwise, a new winner will be selected. Please read all of the terms of the giveaway!

To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below! Good luck!

* I received a free product from Hapari in exchange for a review.


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Where to Get Free Products to Review

One of the many benefits of being a blogger is getting to try, test, and keep products for review. Providing honest, thorough reviews allows you to help your readers make more informed choices before purchasing certain products. Since I first started blogging back in 2011, I've received dozens of products for review, including Downy Unstopables, Schick Hydro Silk, Breyers® Gelato Indulgences, and UNREAL™ Candy.

I received the aforementioned products from the blogging communities that I participate in. These programs connect brands with bloggers to try, review, and generate buzz about products. Most of these programs require you to apply for the campaign, and you're typically accepted or rejected based upon your blog's stats.

Influenster

I receive most of my products for review from Influenster. Influenster is a blogging community that connects brands with bloggers so that they may try out new products, and spread the word via various social media outlets, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, among others. Recently, I received and reviewed the TLC VoxBox.

Social CallOut

At Social CallOut, you sign up, fill out your CV for your blog, and then start applying for programs. What I like most about Social CallOut is that you're able to pick and choose which campaigns to apply for. For example, if your blog is about beauty and fashion, you can narrow down the "callouts" to only show campaigns in select categories.

Expo

I like Expo because you can apply for "Tryology" programs to review products, or you can simply review products that you already own in exchange for points. You can redeem these points for hundreds of items, including Amazon gift certificates, electronics, household products, food, clothing, and more.

Vocalpoint

This was the first "influencing" community that I joined, and I absolutely love it. The Vocalpoint community is very active, and everyone is incredibly friendly and helpful. You can earn badges (similar to Influenster) for tasks that you complete. The more badges you have, and the more active you are within the community, the higher your chances are to receive products to review, or to be invited to participate in different campaigns.

Alternatively, you may contact companies upfront. For more information on product review pitches, check out my other article entitled, How to Get Free Products to Review on Your Blog.

When pitching companies, you're going to want to have something to show them to prove that you're great at writing reviews. The best way to do this is to review products that you already own. Provide an open and honest opinion about the product, and be as thorough as possible. Some of the products I've reviewed (that I purchased on my own) include John Frieda Precision Foam Color, Fake Bake Flawless (a product I love), Kiss Stick-On Nail Strips, Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U, and Hot Designs Nail Art Pens.

I also review places. So far, I've reviewed Burr Oak Cabin in Glouster, Ohio, and Grand Lake St. Mary's in St. Mary's, Ohio. I feel that there is no limit on what you can review. If you've tried it out, then you have the authority to review it. I've even test and review online work-at-home opportunities on my blog, Freelance Lady.

No matter what your strategy is for getting products to review, you'll need to always have something to show off your skills. Whether it's blog stats, or reviews on products you purchased with your own cash, the experience is what matters.

Breyers® Gelato Indulgences Review #GelatoLove

Triple Chocolate.

My family is a chocolate-loving bunch, so as soon as I saw the Breyers® Gelato Indulgences in Triple Chocolate, I had to have it.

Lucky for me, there was one left. The Breyers® Gelato Indulgences in-store display was completely bare, all except for this one lonely container of Triple Chocolate gelato. I thought to myself, it must be good. Just then, I saw another woman walking up to the freezer that I was eyeballing. No way I was going to let her have my Triple Chocolate! Time stood still...and then I reacted.

I swung the freezer door open, grabbed the container, threw it in my cart, and ran to checkout, with an adrenaline rush similar to the adrenaline created by Black Friday shopping.

Okay, so perhaps I over reacted. Oh well. I mean, got what I wanted.

When I got home, I didn't even unload the groceries before busting out the Breyers® Gelato Indulgences Triple Chocolate. I popped off the lid to reveal both dark and milk chocolate, with white and milk chocolate curls throughout. By this point, I was salivating.

I grabbed my handy ice-cream scoop and plopped two gooey balls of gelato into my bowl, plus two more in a separate bowl for my husband. I snapped a quick photo and prepared myself for the moment of truth. Was it really so good to leave the in-store freezers empty?

I smelled the gelato (I always smell food before I take a bite) and closed my eyes. Mmmmm! Yes! It was good. Perfectly smooth, somewhat of a frozen yogurt consistency. There were creamy swirls of white chocolate sauce that only added to the rich chocolate-y flavor of the gelato itself.

My husband, before taking a bite, remarked that "Gelato usually sucks." Despite this preconceived notion of his, he actually enjoyed Breyers® Gelato Indulgences.

While I was savoring every last bite, his remark made me wonder, What's the difference between gelato and ice cream? Seriously. Why is gelato so soft and smooth on your tongue, whereas ice cream is a bit more dense? Why does ice cream melt faster than gelato?

I honestly thought that "gelato" was simply the Italian word for ice cream--that there was no difference in consistency.

Apparently, I was wrong. While "gelato" is translated to "ice cream," it is not the same thing. Traditional American ice cream is made with heavy cream, and is mostly water, which is what causes it to melt more quickly. Gelato, on the other hand, uses more milk than heavy cream, which is why it has less fat. Gelato also has less air churned into it, as it is churned at a low speed, which gives it the "elastic" consistency that I have now come to love.

Have you tried Breyers® Gelato Indulgences? What did you think?

* I received Breyers® Gelato Indulgences for free for testing purposes via Influenster.

My Influenster #TLCVoxBox Arrived!

On Monday, after three days of anticipation, I finally received my TLC VoxBox via Influenster!

The TLC VoxBox was given out to selected mothers of "Influenster Nation" so that we could try out the products, review them, share our opinion, and generate buzz.

The contents of the TLC VoxBox are as follows:

• Neosporin® Neo To Go!
• Breyers® Gelato Indulgences coupon
• Ivory Bar Soap
• AVON Anew Reversalist Express Wrinkle Smoother
• Puffs to Go
• Shell Fuel Rewards Card

I was most excited about the Neosporin® Neo To Go! because I like to get my kids out of the house often, and those play-dates at the park, and around the pool are almost never "boo-boo" free. And Neo To Go! is a no touch, no sting spray, that's convenient to carry along, everywhere we go. What's even better is that it offers protection from infection and pain relief, all with one swift motion.

The Breyers® was the most favorite product among my household, because we all love our frozen treats, especially the kiddos! This one is going to be a hit!

What I love about the Ivory Bar Soap is that it's not incredibly hard (like other bar soaps) and it's completely free of dyes and heavy fragrances. This is ideal, because sensitive skin seems to be a trend around our home.

As for the AVON Anew, well, I don't have many noticeable wrinkles on my fair-skinned, freckled face, but I did notice a slight line above my brows--probably from my refusal to wear sunglasses as a child, and instead squint my way through the daylight. The AVON Anew made the line even less noticeable, to where I could barely tell that it was even there anymore.

Puffs To Go are a lifesaver, especially for a mom who has a child with moderate seasonal allergies. He doesn't whine and cry about the puffs because they're "as soft as a pillow," and they don't "hurt his nostrils." Win!

Finally, the Shell Fuel Rewards card is fantastic! In a time when gas prices are at an all time high, it never hurts to save a few cents per gallon every now and then. And don't forget, the Shell Rewards card also allows you to save on dining and more. Cha-ching!

All-in-all, I LOVE my TLC VoxBox. It's the first one that I received, and I look forward to future campaigns!

* I received these products complimentary via Influenster for testing purposes.

Rafflecopter Udderly Smooth Giveaway!

Today, I'm sharing with you a giveaway opportunity thanks to Mama C's Secrets 2 Savings. The product is Udderly Smooth and here's what Mama C has to say about it!

I swear I have the worlds driest skin. It is terrible. I am constantly looking for new creams to help with my hands, and especially my feet. So, I was so excited when I was given the chance to try Udderly Smooth. 

Udderly Smooth is made in the USA for over thirty years, Udderly Smooth products contain rich moisturizing ingredients. Not your average moisturizing lotion- Udderly Smooth can be used on Dry Skin, Cracked Skin, for Diabetes Foot Care, as a Facial Moisturizer, as a General Moisturizing Lotion and many other uses.

Pioneered by a Pharmacist, reasonably priced and made in America’s heartland. Use Udderly Smooth daily for smooth, soft skin head to toe.

Look for the lotion with the black and white cow spots. Try it and get Udderly Smooth.

As for the product you ask? Does it work? Oh heck yes, before using this product my feet were embarrassing. I wouldn't wear sandals in public, because I didn't want people seeing my heels especially after the winter. I used the foot cream and put socks on, and over night you could see and feel the difference. 

My husband just loves the hand cream. He suffers from cracking dry skin constantly, and he took a tube with him to work to put in his locker. I definitely give this product and A++!

To find more about this product, please click here. 

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Hot Designs Nail Art Pens Review

Browsing my local Dollar General the other day, I came across Hot Designs Nail Art Pens. If you stay up-to-date with this blog, you know that I am obsessed with all things nail related, so I had to try this product. The kit was $15, which I felt was very reasonable for 6 different shades of nail polish. I purchased the kit with the classic colors, but there was another kit called "Glitz and Glam" that had brighter, more vibrant colors.

The Hot Designs Nail Art Pens kit came with everything you see below, including three double-tubes of nail polish, an instruction pamphlet, and an insert with some tricks and tips.

In the instruction manual, you will find an area of design ideas, along with blank spaces to practice in. I found these things to be very useful, especially in getting the hang of the pen. The tips mentioned that the pen often develops air bubbles, so it's very important in squeezing out as much air as possible before using to prevent a bubble from coming out and bursting all over your nail.

Below is one example of the nail design ideas and step-by-step tutorial.

Now, the coolest part about these nail art brushes is the fact that the cap acts as a nail art pen, and as a regular nail polish brush.

By pulling off the top cap, you get the nail art brush.

Snap the pen cap back on, and unscrew the cap to reveal the actual nail polish brush.

How neat is that?

Now, I tried the actual nail polish brush as a base. I used white. I found the polish to be a nice consistency, bright, and two coats were sufficient enough to cover my nail. The polish had a strong odor, but not unbearable, and it dries rather quickly.

In the following photos, you will see that I removed the white polish and instead, used a base coat of Pure Ice "Happy Hour." This is a coral color. Very bright and pretty for spring. The reason I removed the white polish is because it didn't match my outfit for a bridal shower that I was attending that afternoon.

Once my base coat had dried, I used the nail art pens to create a quilting design on my middle nail, and used it to create a very thin "tip" on the other nails. This is the result.

I'm quite experienced in doing my own nail art, so I didn't have many issues with the Hot Designs Nail Art Pens. There were, however, a few instances where air bubbles would form, but I paid careful attention to the pen tips and removed them from my nail before squeezing out any excess air. Once the air was removed, the pens worked perfectly.

The design that I drew with the pens has lasted for three days so far without any signs of wear. Fantastic!


Before moving along, let's discuss the pros and cons.

Pros

The polish is a nice consistency.
The polish dries rather quickly.
I have good control with the design of the nail art pen.
The colors are vibrant.
The double-tubes are convenient.
The price is very reasonable.
The color is long lasting, and lasts even longer with a clear top coat.

Cons

The odor of the nail polish is very strong.
The actual nail polish brushes seem rather cheap.
The pens often develop air bubbles that you must get rid of prior to use.

As you can see, there are more pros than cons here. You can even kind of cancel out the cons by taking some precautions. For example, if you're sensitive to smells, make sure the area that you're painting your nails in is well-ventilated. If you're not satisfied with the brushes, you can purchase your own nail brushes to use instead. Finally, if you follow the instructions in the pamphlet, the bubbles in the nail art pen should not be a problem for you.

Overall, I love these pens and I am very satisfied with my purchase. I would definitely recommend them to those of you who are just as obsessed with nail art as I am.

Burr Oak Cabin

In 2010, for Carter's third birthday, we planned a summer trip to southeastern Ohio in the area of Hocking Hills. We did our research on potential spots, and finally chose Burr Oak Cabin in Glouster, Ohio. I spoke to the owner of the cabin, who was incredibly cordial, polite, and helpful. She answered all of my questions in a timely manner, and I had absolutely zero problems in setting up our stay. During our stay, we accidentally broke a lamp, and she was kind enough to allow us to send a check in the mail to cover it. She even sent us the prices she had researched on the lamp.

The cabin was only $100 per night, so it fit into our budget, plus it had all the amenities we needed. And when I say "all," I mean all. Once we arrived, we realized that we had over-packed.

From the Burr Oak Cabin website.

The place was accommodating. It fit 6 adults and a 3-year-old comfortably--very comfortably. There were two bedrooms---plus a fully-enclosed back porch with a pull-out sofa bed.

This is the fully-enclosed back porch. It was super comfortable at night.

Carter in the covered back porch. They had crayons, games, toys, and paper readily available!

The living room had plenty of comfortable seating, a DVD player and VCR--plus a small amount of movies for both. There were enough window A/C units to keep the place nice and cool--even though we spent most of our time outdoors. There were alarm clocks in both bedrooms, an ironing board, an iron, bath towels, all the soap and shampoo/conditioner that you need, and even a blow dryer.

Next time, we won't have to pack much at all. And I'm pretty sure there will be a next time.

The kitchen was fully equipped with all appliances, including a microwave. A dining room table was in the open kitchen with seating for five. There were dishes, cookware, utensils, kitchen towels, dish detergent, paper towels, coffee filters, and a coffee maker.

I mean, seriously. What do you have to bring that isn't already there? This place was outstanding! It exceeded our expectations.

Outside, there was a beautiful back deck that overlooked the woods of Burr Oak State Park--you could even see the shimmer of the lake below in between the trees. There was seating for four, plus a table for four. There was a gas grill and an outdoor fire pit, and my favorite outdoor accommodation was of course, the hammock.

Because who doesn't love to just lie around all day?

The deck from the hammock, near the fire pit.



The deck was on a steep hill, overlooking the woods.

 

As if that weren't enough, the cabin is literally right around the corner from Burr Oak State Park. Here, we enjoyed swimming, fishing, canoeing, and boating--the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. We were even able to witness a storm coming in from our canoes--the beauty of nature was just plain incredible. Below, you'll see the lake from our pontoon.

 

These pictures do not do it justice. Rolling hills surrounded us on every side. It was magnificent.

Carter caught his first fish at Burr Oak State Park.

Oh, but wait, there's more! The cabin is only about 45 minutes away from Nelsonville, Ohio, where you can enjoy a scenic train ride and stop at an old log-cabin city from the mid-1800s, complete with an old school house and general store.

This was an old two-story log cabin built in the mid-1800s.

Check out the low roof! This was inside of one of the log cabins.
It was a one bedroom house and the original owners had 9 kids.
Could you imagine?

 

Carter in the one-room school house, wearing a dunce cap.

There were also animals to check out in the little old town, like a boa and a hawk.

Our stay in Glouster, Ohio at Burr Oak Cabin is one of the best memories that I have. I have literally become homesick for this place. I miss the cabin, I miss the woods, but most of all, I just miss the area. There are no photographs that could capture the beauty of this area of Ohio. It's a rare gem, that's for sure. The wildlife, the trees, the peace, the serenity--so many untouched areas. It's amazing, to say the least.

From where we live--near Dayton--it was a two and a half hour drive, but the stay was worth every mile and every gallon of gas.