Review - Adovia Sulfur Soap for Acne

I have struggled with acne for as long as I can remember. I've spent more money than I care to think about on various dermatologist appointments, face washes, creams, etc. Unfortunately, my skin is extremely sensitive to harsh chemicals, and even the most gentle prescription cream leaves my face hypersensitive and red. So, after much exploration, my dermatologist resigned me to the fact that the most I could do for my skin is to wash it with plain, unscented bar soap. The plain bar soap worked decently for 5 years or so, but I still continually had acne; just less of it.

I have been trying to switch the products that I use over to all natural products so when I saw that there was an all natural soap that would fix me up for only $10, I knew I had to try it.

I've now been using Adovia's Sulfur Soap for Acne exclusively for the last week and my skin has cleared up dramatically. I no longer have acne around my hairline or jaw. It leaves your skin feeling nice and clean, but not overdry. It is unscented (I was worried that it might have a pungent smell due to the sulfur, but you can't smell it) which is great for a face wash. It comes packed with olive oil to keep your skin from drying out and minerals to combat the acne.

I am so happy that I had the opportunity to try this great product and can't wait to continue to use it for years!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

California Kitchenware Silicone Cupcake Molds Review

I have always been skeptical of silicone baking pans/molds. It seemed to me that it would be a lot easier to use the traditional metal pans than to try something new. These molds made a believer out of me! Before using them I gave them a quick handwash to make sure they were 100% clean and then went to town!

I sprayed half of the molds with a non-stick spray and didn't with the other half (the instructions for the product says it's personal preference, so I wanted to see if there was a difference). Regardless of using nonstick spray the cupcakes just popped right out! No wrestling with the paper wrapper and losing half your cupcake!!! (I can't wait to make cornbread in these because it's notorious for sticking!

I filled the molds 2/3 with batter, like any other cake pan, inside a jelly roll pan, not inside a cupcake pan. Though this made me nervous, the instructions said it was possible without any pan so I wanted to give it a try. It worked out great! (The only thing that I would note is that the batter seemed to expand a bit more outward than a traditional, metal cupcake pan because the silicone expands. It seems like you could put more batter in them than a traditional, metal cupcake pan.)The cupcakes baked super evenly and were moist and delicious not to mention that the looked extremely cute in their brightly-colored molds!

Here's a picture of my finished, decorated cupcakes in their molds.

I was a little nervous about clean-up because it seemed like cleaning 12 individual molds might be a bit tedious. Not at all! As recommended, I filled a bowl with warm, soapy water, and threw them all in then individually ran a sponge over each of them. Voila! They were all perfectly clean.

I can't wait to use them again! For someone who is an avid baker, these things are lifesavers!

Check out my brief review on Amazon.com.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Back on the Horse

Life tends to have a funny way of keeping you from being able to do certain things that you know you need to do. With the things that are expected as part of your daily life, it's hard to always make sure to take care of yourself. I'm ready to make that a priority again and have started to exercise (walks in the evenings) and watch what I'm eating. Though I'm not currently on any particular diet, I am more conscious of what I'm putting into my body, and choosing healthier foods, like salads, over what I really would love to eat, because it's what I need to do to stay the healthiest and happiest me.

I'll be continuing with reviews of different things as I've done in the past and will be posting about my diet changes in the coming days.

First Birchbox!

About a month ago one of my childhood friends posted her first Birchbox on Facebook and I instantly knew I had to have one of my own. If you've not heard of Birchbox yet, you seriously need to check them out. It's a subscription service that costs $10 a month (including shipping) and they send you a small box of beauty samples based on the responses to their questionnaire. There's a short waiting list but it's well worth it.


Here's what I got! I hope you all like it as much as I do!

Box that was inside, as my coworker put it, "A box the most obnoxious color of pink known to man or beast."

 Welcome sheet inside my Birchbox!

First glimpse at my goodies.


















All of my goodies:


Befine Daily Moisturizer
Befine Exfoliating Cleanser
Viva La Juicy Perfume
June Jacobs Perfect Pumpkin Enzyme Polish
ShowStoppers Fashion Tape
Color Club - Age of Aquarius - Nail Polish

ShowStoppers Fashion Tape - $9.99 (24 strips)
 I haven't tried this out yet (I don't wear too much clothing that really requires it) but have had some similar stuff in the past and it works wonders.

Befine Exfoliating Cleanser - $25 (4 oz.)
This stuff is a nice, gentle exfoliator but it doesn't really hold up while you're trying to scrub. By the time I really got going scrubbing, all the sugar had dissolved.


Befine Daily Moisturizer - $25 (1.7 oz.)
You only need a TINY amount of this stuff and it feels smooth on. After using it for a few days my skin started to break out. Not sure if it was caused by the lotion or not.

Color Club - Age of Aquarius - Nail Polish - $8
This color is a little too bright for my nails. I might try it again on my toes but it's just not professional enough to wear to work. I wish they would have sent me the purple or pink version since I would have liked it much better. It has great coverage and dries fairly quickly with two coats.















June Jacobs Perfect Pumpkin Enzyme Polish - $60 (3.8 oz.)
This stuff is AWESOME. Absolutely love it. The smell is amazing. it scrubs wonderfully but not too rough and the particles don't dissolve. Only drawback is the cost. I can't quite rationalize paying $60 for an exfoliator. Maybe I'll use some Birchbox Points to get some money off and purchase it later.













Viva La Juicy Perfume - $69 (1.7 oz.) or $89 (3.4 oz.)
This perfume has a nice, light scent that isn't intrusive. I am usually fairly sensitive to perfumes and it didn't bother me a bit. My only complaint is that it doesn't really have much staying power. I've tried it a few days and within an hour the scent is all but gone.

 

There ya go! That's my first Birchbox! If you're interested in trying it out for yourself, do me a favor and use my referral link so I get some points (maybe I'll be able to try the June Jacobs Polish!) :) Here's the link: https://www.birchbox.com?raf=tdpsc

Jenny Craig - Week 2 Overview

I've come to the realization that it's just too much to keep up with this blog daily to track my food. I'm already doing it in 2 other ways (my planned menu that is written on, and myfitnesspal.com). Sidenote: If you haven't been to myfitnesspal.com yet, hurry. Go. It is fantastic. It's a super robust FREE website that helps you track your food intake and your exercise as well as your weight. Also, it has a really cool feature where when you have entered your foods for the day, you click complete (or something like that) and it tells you that if every day were like this, you would weigh XXX.X lbs in 5 weeks. I think it's a really handy tool.


Back to my point - these blogs will be a bit longer, but will only be posted weekly with a few things posted in between if I'm feeling frisky :)

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Saturday - Day 8
Breakfast: Blueberry Mini Loaf, 2 Clementines
Morning Snack: Skipped because of late breakfast.
Lunch: Turkey Burger, Cucumber/Tomato Salad

Had to add a pic of the Turkey Burger. I must say that I loathe turkey burgers. Typically. I literally cringed and said "oh no" when I read "Turkey Burger" on my menu. Eventually, probably once I've tried everything, I'll trust that most Jenny foods are good and not to rush to judgment. The BBQ sauce that comes with it also scared me a bit, I couldn't imagine having a turkey burger, let alone a turkey burger with BBQ sauce on it. But boy was it ever good. I suppose I'll let Jenny make my meals a bit longer.
Afternoon Snack: Smores Bar, Nonfat Latte
Dinner: Chicken Carbonara with Parmesan Cheese (2 tbsp!), steamed spinach

Okay, I didn't take a ton of pictures, but it might seem like it today. I had to take a pic of the Chicken Carbonara because it was so good. I mean who doesn't like pasta in alfredo sauce with bacon!? It was delicious. I felt like I was cheating. Not to mention that I got to add parmesan cheese. Not just a little parmesan, 2 whole tablespoons full. Hence the feeling of cheating. It was good. No, it was damn good.


Evening Snack: Frozen Yogurt with Raspberries
Exercise: Walking for 40 minutes

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Sunday - Day 9
Breakfast: Blueberry Pancakes & Veggie Sausage with Lite Table Syrup, Tropicana Low Acid Orange Juice (4 oz)
Morning Snack: Anytime Bar, Banana
Lunch: Chicken & Corn Chowder (added Old Bay Seasoning, yum), Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Afternoon Snack: Strawberries, Sargento Reduced Fat Colby Jack Cheese Stick
Dinner: Cheese Ravioli with Parmesan cheese (decided to move up my cheese from my evening snack to have some more parmesan cheese), asparagus

Evening Snack: Cheese Curls (was supposed to have Veggie Chips but I can't stand them, so I swapped them out at my meeting Friday)

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Monday - Day 10
Breakfast: Cheddar Cheese Omelet (yuck), banana, Starbucks Decaf Tall Nonfat One Pump Vanilla Latte, Sargento Reduced Fat Cheese Stick
Morning Snack: Anytime Bar, Strawberries
Lunch: Slice of Margarita Pizza (pre-approved by my coach), Whole Foods Salad
Afternoon Snack: Toffee Cookies
Dinner: Fish & Chips with homemade tartar sauce (made with olive oil mayo), green beans
Evening Snack: Pineapple, 0% Fage Plain Yogurt

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Tuesday - Day 11
Breakfast: Frosted Oats Cereal with Vanilla Rice Milk, Banana
Morning Snack: Anytime Bar, Healthy Harvest Applesauce
Lunch: Spaghetti with Meatballs, Whole Foods salad
Afternoon Snack: Starbucks Tall Decaf Nonfat 1 Pump Vanilla Latte
Dinner: Southwestern Chicken with Rice
Evening Snack: Frozen Yogurt with Fruit


I had a volunteer orientation today so I shuffled my whole menu around. My lunch was not frozen but my dinner was and I wasn't sure when I would be able to eat it so I switched them. Spaghetti was good, Southwestern Chicken with Rice: not so much.

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Wednesday - Day 12
Breakfast: Cranberry Almond Cereal, 1% Milk, Strawberries, Sargento Reduced Fat Cheese Stick
Morning Snack: Anytime Bar
Lunch: Broccoli & Cheese Potato with Whole Foods Salad
Afternoon Snack: Smores Snack Bar
Dinner: Chicken Fajitas with Steamed Spinach
Evening Snack: Frozen Yogurt with Fruit


I was super excited about the Fajitas which were really good. Can't wait to have them again!

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Thursday - Day 13
Breakfast: Honey Oat Bar, Banana
Morning Snack: Anytime Bar, Dole Fruit in Sugar Free Gel
Lunch: Personal Pizza, Whole Foods salad w/red wine vinegar
Dinner: Beef Chili with Beans, Sargento Reduced Fat Cheese Stick, Mixed Vegetables
Evening Snack: Chocolate Cakes, Strawberries, 1% Milk


Okay, here's my new sinful (but not so much) pleasure: Jenny Craig's Chocolate Cakes with some fresh strawberries and a glass of milk. Totally yummy and totally on diet.
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Friday - Day 14
Breakfast: Sunshine Sandwich, Tall 1 Pump Skim Vanilla Latte
Morning Snack: Anytime Bar, 2 Clementines
Lunch: Tuna Salad Kit, Whole Foods Salad
Afternoon Snack: Honey Mustard Pretzels
Dinner: Classico Chicken Parmesan with Parmesan Cheese, Cucumber/Tomato Salad
Evening Snack: 0% Fage Yogurt, Strawberries


The Sunshine Sandwich is good, but I don't care for the sauce that comes with it. The Pretzels are also good but not salty at all which was a bit of a let down.

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Week in Review:
All in all, I think this week went well. I changed things around just a bit and it worked out well for me. At my weekly weigh-in it showed since I lost another 3 lbs. Yay! This week was also super easy to follow with very few complaints. As I mentioned before, if you are looking to track your meals, I highly recommend MyFitnessPal (myfitnesspal.com) as a wonderful resource. They even have a free app! Super convenient.

Day 7 (First Weigh-in)

Since I decided to join Jenny on a Friday, all of my follow-up appointments are on Fridays which means 8:30 a.m. weigh-ins. I'm happy to announce that after one week of Jenny, my weight went down 3.4 lbs. This has got to be the absolute EASIEST "diet" (if you can even call it that) that I've ever tried. Now on to today's meals:

Breakfast:
Breakfast Scramble
Stoneyfield 0% Strawberry Yogurt

The Breakfast Scramble is nothing to write home about. It's a mix of scrambled eggs, cubed potatoes and turkey ham. How on earth you get ham out of turkey, I don't know. This is definitely not my favorite and I don't know that I'm going to be jumping at eating it again.
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Morning Snack:
Anytime Bar
Mixed Fruit
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Lunch:
Chicken Salad Kit with Applesauce
Whole Foods Salad with Balsamic Vinegar

The Chicken Salad Kit is surprisingly good. I was a little worried after my sub-par breakfast that this was going to be a day of bad food but I was pleasantly surprised. It comes with applesauce which, in my opinion, leaves something to be desired. I won't be eating their applesauce again; I'd rather bring my own that I know I like (and is probably better for me anyway since I get the "no sugar added" kind).
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Afternoon Snack:
2 Clementines
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Dinner:

Rising Crust Pizza
Mixed Zucchini & Squash

I was a little afraid of this pizza since it has tofu crumbles on it that are supposed to resemble sausage. Honestly, they don't taste like much of anything. The pizza is definitely good but can't be made in a microwave, so make sure you have access to a toaster oven or regular oven.
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Evening Snack:
Cinnamon Twists
Frozen Yogurt with Mixed Berries

So my kick for frozen yogurt is definitely gearing up. I'm sorry, if I can have cold, creamy, smooth frozen yogurt instead of yucky regular yogurt, I'm going to choose the frozen variety. The Cinnamon Twists are good also - somewhat similar to a crunchy churro.

Jenny Craig - Day 6

Breakfast:
Oatmeal Breakfast Square
Healthy Harvest Granny Smith Applesauce

The breakfast square was good. It was a good-sized portion and similar to a Nutra-Grain bar. It made for a good, quick breakfast on the go.
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Morning Snack:
Anytime Bar (Oatmeal Raisin)

I forgot to bring anything else with me today so I didn't get my fruit with my snack (oops!). I was too focused on getting out quickly today to remember ANYTHING.
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Lunch:
Beef & Cheese Slider
Salad from Whole Foods with Balsamic Vinegar for dressing
Mixed Fruit (Blueberries, Blackberries, Strawberries)

The Beef & Cheese Slider is fantastic. I'm not a huge burger person but it was definitely good and the perfect portion. Can't wait to have it again.
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Afternoon Snack:
Cheese Curls

The Cheese Curls were a rude awakening at first. If you are trying them for the first time, I urge you to not think of them as Cheetos. If you do, you will be sadly disappointed. That being said, after I realized that they were, in fact, not Cheetos, I quite like them.
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Dinner:

Jenny's Chicken Fettuccine with Steamed Broccoli mixed in.

Chicken Fettuccine
Steamed Broccoli
Cucumber/Tomato Salad

This dinner was absolutely awesome. I steamed some broccoli and mixed it in with the fettuccine which was a good Volumetrics trick (For those that don't know, Jenny Craig's "trick" is called Volumetrics. You eat foods that are low in calories but fill you up - which equates to a whole lot of veggies.)
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Evening Snack:
Sargento Reduced Fat Colby Jack Cheese Stick
Frozen Yogurt with Fresh Strawberries

Okay, I've been having a total craving for sweet foods and have also been wanting to try out this new frozen yogurt place. For under 100 calories (if you get the fat free varieties) it completely calmed my sweet tooth and definitely fits in my meal plan. Loving it!