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Men’s Lifestyle Blogger

I Love Raw Sugar (products?)

Posted on February 3, 2021

I’m sure by now you all know that I’m an electrician during the day and content creator at all other times! As soon as I get home from the job site I immediately pop in the shower to wash off the grime from the day. And let me tell you, some days I can get really grimy LOL

For the past 2 years my body wash and soap of choice has been the Raw Sugar Men’s products. I first discovered it at Target and immediately fell in love. I actually started out using only their Body Wash because I was never really a bar of soap kinda guy, but since then that’s definitely changed for me.

The Raw Sugar Men’s Citrus + Blue Agave Body Wash smells so good. It’s like they captured the scent of clean in a bottle and as soon as I start scrubbing my body, I immediately start feeling fresh. It’s deep cleaning, but also hydrating, which I need because I’m out in the elements a lot, so I need a body wash that’s not going to dry my already dry skin out! There’s no sulfates and parabens, and it’s gentle for dry skin. I love it. Even though it’s part of their men’s line my wife loves it and uses it too.

So honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever used a bar of soap in the shower until recently! Is that weird? I’ve just always preferred body wash to a bar. However, lately, I’m kinda obsessed with using the Raw Sugar Men’s Soap Bar. I get such a good lather with it! And check out my images – look at those little nubs on one side. They work great for keeping a good grip on the bar and you get a nice little massage on your bod when you lather 🙂 The bar I have now is a mix of Eucalyptus + Cedar Leaf and again, it smells so good, without being too strong of a scent. It’s also hydrating, which is amazing because a lot of other soap bar brands seem to dry me out – I honestly think that’s why I originally stopped using bars. But Raw Sugar convinced me to switch back and I’m official a bar of soap kinda guy!

I tend to switch back and forth between their body wash and the bar of soap so I get the best of both worlds. I just love their products and definitely want to try the Black Coconut + Sea Salt bar next! Doesn’t that sound yummy? If you’ve never tried Raw Sugar Living products before, you definitely need to try them out. They are officially my go-to for shower products and I always just feel so soft and fresh after each wash! My wife loves it too, and she loves the scent of their product on her hubby. 🙂

The Raw Sugar Initiative makes the world a cleaner, healthier place. Visit RawSugarLiving.com to learn more.

The Most Important Thing I Learned from my Financial Advisor

Posted on August 24, 2020

There’s never really a bad time to start thinking about your future and getting your finances in order. Obviously it’s better to start earlier rather than later in life, and I’m happy my wife and I really started taking initiative when we did. I’ve always been a decent saver, but I’m also a pretty good spender LOL. I partnered up with Northwestern Mutual to share my experience meeting with one of their financial advisors, and I must say, in the few meetings we had, I learned a lot and accomplished a lot!

Before our initial meeting, my wife and I worked on filling out a spreadsheet that our advisor gave us. We input all of our expenses, as well as our income. At this step it’s definitely best to try and be as detailed as possible. It’s crazy how much you spend in a month when you add up everything outside of monthly bills as well! You have to think about it all – food, gas, entertainment, dining out, family activities, etc. – boy does it add up! When you have your first meeting with your advisor, they break it all down for you, and let you know what you have left at the end of each month and/or year. We also discussed our financial goals and if we were planning on making any big purchases such as a home, car, wedding, etc. I don’t know why, but previously when I thought about monthly expenses I really only thought about monthly bills, but that’s only a portion of it, you have to think about where all your money is going each month! It’s really good to get you thinking about it and getting it all down on a spreadsheet as a visual.

For us, our main objective of our meeting was to know how we were doing financially. We wanted to make an investment and do some home improvements but we were nervous to spend the money if we weren’t in a good place financially. I mean, we felt like we were in a good place, but we really wanted a professional financial advisor to confirm what we were feeling because we really didn’t know. So that’s why we were so excited to have our first meeting with Northwestern Mutual. We wanted to accomplish certain goals, but needed a little guidance and confirmation. Finances are usually a weird thing to talk about and get advice on from other people, so being able to talk to a professional who we knew was going to keep everything confidential and work with us to make the best possible financial decisions definitely made us feel more comfortable.

During our meetings, our Northwestern Mutual Financial Advisor spoke to us about different kinds of life insurance, college savings for Nate, possible ways to invest, and why it’s so important to not just have money sitting in a bank account depreciating in value and to make your money work for you. This was honestly one of the biggest take-aways for us and really blew our mind! We thought we were doing the right thing by trying to stack up as much money as possible and just have it safely sitting in savings. Little did we know, it would be way more wise and beneficial to keep it in a money market, investment, or a life insurance policy. We are always so nervous about losing our hard earned money, so we didn’t want to touch it, but by trying to be safe and keep it in a savings account, that’s exactly what we were doing. That’s my free little tidbit for today! 🙂 You’ll have to meet with your own Northwestern Mutual Financial Advisor to review your personal finances and see what works best for you. Since we do like to stay on the safer side, we are currently just trying to keep enough in our savings to keep ourselves afloat for a year, which is actually still 6 months more than suggested, but we still feel better being cautious and moving the rest of our money somewhere more beneficial!

We left our meeting with our advisor feeling really good. She had confirmed that the steps we had taken up until this point were good and we were in a good financial place considering all of our expenses. With our discussion she confirmed that we would be able to make some home improvements and some investments. From that meeting until now, we really feel like we accomplished a lot! We ended up buying a new bedroom set (which we have wanted for years now), we opened up a 529 college savings plan for Nate, my wife and I both got life insurance, we made a monetary investment, and we finally moved forward with our front deck project that is now just about complete and that we are totally in love with! We spend so much more time in the front of our house now and feel guilt-free about spending the money on the project, because we know we are making the right moves with our finances!

Now that we’re in August of this crazy year we’re having, and despite the pandemic, we’ve accomplished a lot. Now it’s time to get back to saving for a bit, and then we’ll revisit our next round of goals at our next Northwestern Mutual meeting. Hopefully the next home improvement will be our siding 🙂

I really recommend anyone to set up a meeting with one of their advisors. It’s a smart move to let a professional tell you what you could be doing better to get the most out of your hard-earned money. Even from just the few meetings I had, I feel much more knowledgeable on the potential of financial growth and definitely now know that just having money sit in a savings account is not a wise financial decision. #ad

This blog post was sponsored by Northwestern Mutual

Home Reviews

Dyson V11 Torque Drive

Posted on August 15, 2020

Like most people, during the summer my family and I LOVE being outside! Whether it’s hanging by the pool, or just sitting on the back deck relaxing, or having a drink, or entertaining, or having a bbq, we love spending as much time as we can outside. And ever since we got our deck redone last year and have new outdoor furniture, we want to be out there even more.

With all the trees around my house I always have leaves and other debris falling on the deck and on our furniture (annoying!). So before we lay out, sit out, or cook out, we always tidy up beforehand because it just looks nicer and feels nicer! Just like inside the house, I want convenience and ease to make cleaning quick and simple so I can get to my pina colada as soon as possible LOL. That’s why I love being able to just grab my Dyson V11 Torque Drive and just swoop around, hit the deck and cushions, and throw it right back on the charger. So quick and easy!

I love the LCD screen on the back that tells me the battery life. You can switch between the 3 power settings: eco, auto, and boost and choose the right power that you need for whatever mess you’re cleaning up. I love this feature! The overall suction is incredible and I love all of the attachments it comes with. The crevice tool attachment might be one of my faves. I use it behind the furniture cushions, under my baseboard heaters in the house, under and between my seats in my car, and pretty much anywhere I can’t get to normally. So good! I have these chaise lounge chairs that always seem to build up debris right where you sit because of the crack from where they fold, and this tool also works perfectly here because it sucks the little leaf pieces right up! It’s so crazy, but I get this weird satisfaction using this little powerful vacuum and watching the debris disappear in seconds. Even my son love using it! LOL

I just love the Dyson brand all around. They have such incredible and high-tech appliances that look as good as they function. I love when appliances look sleek! So we still have the Dyson V10 which we decided to bring upstairs in our house and we will keep this Dyson V11 Torque Drive downstairs. I can’t say enough how easy these vacuums make our life. Instead of having to lug out this big vacuum and only get to vacuuming once a week because it just feels like a huge inconvenience, this family vacuums at least once a day. It’s just so quick and easy! Between Nate’s crumbs when he sneaks snacks in his room, our carpeted stairs that always seem to get dust and hair stuck to them, the dirt that gets tracked into our home right by the front door, and of course our outdoor space that is exposed to the most debris, we easily use our vacuum multiple times a day, and don’t mind doing so. Our Dyson V11 is quick, it’s easy, it works amazing and it looks cool!

Family Reviews Style

My Family’s Favorite Ice Cream

Posted on August 2, 2020

When it comes to sweets, my family doesn’t play around…we love them! And it’s no surprise that ice cream is one of our absolute favorite things to eat. We all seem to have very different taste when it comes to ice cream, but my wife and son are more likely to agree on a flavor. They usually go for the classics, but I’m more likely to want something a little different!

I love ice cream so much that when I pop one of those pints open it’s honestly so hard for me to stop – I usually end up finishing it in one sitting, or come pretty close LOL don’t judge! Halo Top Creamery is one of my go-to ice cream brands. Besides their great flavor options, the fact that they are all 370 calories or less per pint is amazing! It’s a light ice cream, and you would never even know it. This way I can finish the entire pint if I desire 🙂 and only have a third amount of the calories than I would with another brand. I just don’t feel as guilty eating the entire pint when it’s my Halo Top!

We recently introduced Nate to the brand and I was nervous at first, because he’s super particular with his ice cream and usually only eats 1 or 2 specific flavors and brands, but the first day he tried it he loved it. He liked how creamy and smooth it was, and I must agree…something about Halo Top’s ice cream is just creamier and I love that. His favorite flavor so far is the Cookies & Cream, mine is the Jelly Donut flavor, and my wife loves the Sea Salt Caramel. We each tend to always grab our fave flavors but then end up sharing once we’re snacking at home.

Since I entered my thirties, I’ve definitely noticed that I can’t just eat junk as much as I used to like when I was younger, and it’s much harder to keep the weight off if I’m not watching what I eat and working out during the week. But it’s a struggle! It’s hard to constantly keep that clean-eating routine all week, and then you have that mid-week day (especially during the hot summer), when you just want a cold, yummy treat. I mean how can I deprive myself from ice cream after coming home from a hard day’s work?! I’ll come home, go for a dip in the pool, then be outside playing with Nate and he finally says to me “Daddy, let’s have some ice cream!” That’s when the internal struggle begins. Should I? Shouldn’t I? Should I just wait for the weekend when I’m allowed to have my sweets and snacks? It’s no fun having to think this way, so I decided there should be a fine balance with everything and I was going to stop “shoulding” myself. With Halo Top Creamery the answer’s easy. I have the ice cream with my boy and enjoy my summer day! Whether I eat a few spoonfuls or the entire pint I honestly do not feel guilty about it at all, and it’s so darn good and it hits the spot and fulfills that weekday craving of mine!

I feel like the little voice in my head telling me “you should be doing this” or “you should be doing that” appears far too often. Besides my mid-week ice cream cravings, I’ll get the guilt of feeling like I should be doing yard work instead of enjoying the pool, or I should be cleaning the house and being productive instead of enjoying a lazy morning in bed, or Nate should really have dinner first before he has some ice cream. I was happy to be a part of the Halo Top Creamery “StopShouldingYouself” campaign and throw that little voice in my head out the window! LOL And in doing so I’ve come to learn that if I do just what I feel like doing in that moment, life is that much more enjoyable. I’ll get to the yard work eventually – I always do. The house will get cleaned when I’m in the mood to clean, and if Nate wants a little Halo Top before dinner, so what, what’s the difference what order he eats his food in as long as he eats it?!

When you stop “shoulding” yourself I feel like you can actually be more productive and these little moments of the unexpected can make life that much more exciting and enjoyable. Plus, when I’m actually in the mood to do yard work (and there are times when I am in the mood!) then I’m more likely to not be so miserable doing it and the entire project gets done, instead of starting something when I’m just not feeling it. It actually in-turn makes me more productive when I do things on my own internal time and when I’m ready and in the mood! Like right now, it’s lunch time and I should probably have my grilled chicken that I made for lunch, but it’s 90 degrees out and all I want to do is go sit on my back deck for 20 minutes and have some spoonfuls of my wife’s Halo Top Sea Salt Caramel! LOL So I’m going to! #stopshouldingyourself

Reviews Style

My 5 Minute Grey Cover-Up

Posted on April 23, 2020

This year is the first year that I’m starting to really feel older. I’m turning 40 in September and I’m starting to notice my body changing. Aches and pains just don’t go away like they used to, it feels harder to stay in shape, and my appearance is changing. Wrinkles are starting to be more prominent and the greys continue to come in! Just like I have a diet and skincare regimen to prevent wrinkles and unwanted weight gain, I also started a regimen to keep the grey away.

There’s nothing wrong with aging, but that doesn’t mean that if there are things that are changing that you’re not happy with, and you have the ability to change them, that you shouldn’t. I partnered up with Cremo to try out and share with you how their Hair & Beard Dye works!

Most of my grey hair is in my beard, and the few greys that I do have on my head I actually don’t mind as much. For some reason the greys in my beard seem to have a mind of their own LOL They’re more coarse, they don’t tame as easily and they tend to make my beard look less cleaned up and more chaotic, so I had to find a simple solution for these guys. The best thing about the Cremo Hair & Beard Dye is how easy and quick it is to use. You literally just clip on the applicator, shake it, apply, wait 5 minutes, and rinse! There’s no mixing, no need for gloves, and it’s just all around super easy. I find that for any of my grooming routines if it’s not convenient, then I’m not going to follow through with it. For my beard, I just painted the foam on with the included brush, and that was it. The bottle comes with enough so that there is a bunch left over so I can just keep reusing it as necessary. They also have a bunch of different colors to choose from to find your best color match. I used the #10 Deep Brown Color and it was perfect.

I’m so glad I got to try this product out because again, it was so quick and easy. I really dig the results and even my wife, who thought she liked the grey hairs, thought it looked better after it was dyed. I definitely looked younger and by covering up the greys my beard as whole just looked more cleaned up and almost as if it was freshly trimmed – but it wasn’t, it just now had a nice even color tone, that aided in that groomed up look!

Reviews Style

Trimming Down for Summer

Posted on April 6, 2020

Over the past few months, I’ve been growing out my beard. I tend to do that a lot during the winter months, and it was coming in quite nicely if I do say so myself! I think I tend to get bored with the scruff, so I grow it in to switch up my look, and then eventually I get bored of the beard, so I end up shaving it back down.

With the warmer weather right around the corner, it was finally time to shave it down. Sometimes I feel like the full beard makes me look heavy in the face and honestly, once it gets this long, it just feels so itchy to me. Not sure how all those guys with super long beards do it! I recently partnered up with Panasonic to try out their Panasonic Precision Wet/Dry Beard & Hair Trimmer – EG-GB42, and it couldn’t have come at a better time since I recently dropped my other trimmer and shattered it…and, I’ve been itching (literally) to shave my beard down for some time now.

The trimmer cut really well and honestly, my favorite part might be the all-in-one adjustable clip. You can just turn the dial to adjust the length of the cut, and you don’t need to worry about swapping out different clips for different lengths, and in my case, losing them – because I would always misplace mine! It also makes storing the trimmer so much easier, since there are less pieces required. Come to think of it, this might be the perfect trimmer for travel as well! You can use it on either wet or dry hair, it’s compact and not too bulky, and again, it doesn’t require all of those different sized attachments. Normally my wife wouldn’t approve of me leaving my trimmer out because she hates clutter LOL, but because of its black, sleek design I just leave it plugged into its charging dock on the wall, and it’s so convenient. I love it!

If you’re looking for a new trimmer to try out, click here and try my fave!

This post is in collaboration with @GroomedByPanasonic however all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Home Reviews

Valentine’s Day Ideas With Goodsey

Posted on February 10, 2020

It’s February and that means Valentines day is coming (in 5 days actually!)! I love Valentine’s day. It’s just another day that you can really devote to showing your loved ones how much they mean to you. Now that doesn’t mean it’s all about spending a bunch of money on them, but instead it’s more about the thought you put into the day…as it always should be. I have always made sure to make Valentine’s Day special for my wife, but now that we have my son Nate, I know I have to make it special for both of them. I actually made the mistake of thinking my son was not into Valentines day last year and didn’t really get him anything special and he was devastated. My wife and I felt horrible, because here my little 6 year old son was picking out something special for the both of us at his school store (which obviously melted our hearts) and we didn’t get him anything. I’m not sure why but we just didn’t think he would’ve been into it but we were wrong. He was upset but after talking to him he understood and let us off the hook. Now we know this year we have to make it extra special for him!

For me when I’m shopping for Nate and my wife I always try to think about what they’re into and things I know they are going to like. My wife has never really been into roses or flowers. She appreciates them, but I know it’s really just the fact that I thought of her, not really the actual flowers that excite her. I usually let Nathan pick out her gift because I know that whatever she gets from him the actual gift will have meaning to her and will not just get pushed aside and be forgotten about, and it won’t just be flowers that are so short-lived. For that reason I love jewelry as a gift! It doesn’t always have to be something expensive. Get what you can afford and if there’s thought behind it, I’m sure it will make someone’s day. I actually even love getting jewelry myself especially from my wife and son. Every time you wear that piece, you will think of the person who gave it to you. And when you get older, maybe you will end up passing it down to someone else and you can share the story of who gave it to you and where you were at that time and how it made you feel when you got it. For all of these reasons, jewelry is one of my favorite gifts to give and get! Nate seems to be following my footsteps when it comes to the gifting department because lately that’s all he ever thinks of buying myself, my wife or his grandparents. It’s too cute actually.

This year we used the Goodsey Valentine’s Gift Finder to find the perfect gift for mommy. Nate and I sat together and scrolled until he found something he knew mommy would love. He went with the Black Love Rose Gold Necklace. I didn’t want to point it out because I knew he wanted to be the one to pick it out but I was actually eyeing the same necklace hoping he would pick it and he did! My wife and I also found some cute items for Nate this year. For him, we couldn’t resist the Deluxe Emoji Gift Box – this kid loves emoji’s and has a serious sweet tooth! He also loves all kinds of dogs and puppies and loves to snuggle so the Valentine Puppy Pillow was perfect. We know we’ll get some awww’s and hugs from him for this one!

I partnered up with Goodsey and fellow blogger Tiffany (@tiffanyallison7 on IG) to hear what some of our followers were buying their loved ones, what they were hoping to get themselves, and some ideas of what others had planned for Valentine’s Day this year. The answers were across the board! In terms of what people wanted this year…candy & chocolates are always a fave, the obvious one flowers, anything with thought behind it, and a relaxing night with a loved one or even alone were the top answers. Sounds like some people could use some gifts in the pampering department! I found some cute and unique gifts from the Goodsey website to hit each of these categories!

FLOWERS: Maybe don’t go with the typical bouquet this year, instead opt for something cute and different! I love how pretty this Seeded Paper Flower and Herb Set is, AND the fact that you can plant all of the items and watch the flowers and herbs grow! This gift is super cute from a kid to a grandparent, to a mom, or from hubby to wifey. So different!

SWEET TOOTH: Everyone loves something sweet & yummy – at least everyone in my family does! I love how V-Day festive this Deluxe Valentine’s Assortment is. All the little bite-sized pieces and toppings just scream Valentine’s Day. These sweet treats are sure to make anyone smile no matter their age! I love giving sweets and treats as a gift. It’s not just that they get to enjoy something delicious, but you can share it with them and enjoy it together…which is what valentine’s day is all about!

THOUGHTFUL: Maybe the gift is meant to be used to aid in the ambiance of the Valentine’s Day festivities. I love this I Heart Cheese & Cracker Serving Board. I can just see setting this up with your significant other’s favorite snacks, whether it’s cheese and crackers, fruits, all the ingredients for some yummy s’mores and of course with a side bottle of your favorite wine. Sounds like a romantic time to me!

PAMPERING: Surprisingly some people responded that they wanted a relaxing evening at home alone – hey no problem with that! Everyone can use that quiet alone time. Whether you’re buying for your significant other or even yourself, I say have a little spa day at home. This Cherry Blossom Spa Gift Set is the perfect gift for anyone whose in need of some self pampering, or the perfect gift to give someone who could use a little me time!

GUYS: I’m not sure how many guys really care about getting anything too big on Valentine’s Day but I could think of at least 5 guys right now, and even some girls, who would appreciate the Craft Beer Flight Beverage Sampler as a cool gift!

Hey, and if the budget doesn’t allow for any gifts this year, the perfect card that shows you took the time out to go find the perfect way to express your love is honestly all that’s needed.

Aside from the gift and card giving, Valentine’s Day is all about using that one day to do something a little more special together than you normally would. Again this doesn’t mean that you have to spend a ton of money. It just means you have to make it special! For my family it has now become a tradition that we go away skiing for Valentine’s Day. It’s something that we all love to do together and honestly just makes it really feel special that we’re enjoying something we love together as a family. I love the idea of getting away with your loved ones! From the Instagram poll, that was one of the top mentioned answers and I’m all for it! If you’re both active, maybe go for a hike or a bike ride, or go rock climbing…as long as you’re both having fun together. You can also keep it simple. One of my favorite memories of my wife and I spending Valentine’s day together was before my son was born and we had said we weren’t going to spend a lot of money because we were saving for a house and thinking about having a baby. My wife used to LOVE Taco Bell so I got home before her and set up a bunch of candles, some roses, rented a movie (when you actually went to Blockbuster), and set up a romantic picnic on the living room floor (Taco Bell and all) and she LOVED it! Haha It’s all about spending time together and trying to think of ways to make the other person feel special knowing you know what makes them happy. No matter what you do, just be there in the moment. Maybe again, it’s something as simple as spending the night in and getting take-out or going out to eat but definitely agreeing to leaving the phone at home so you’re just focused on each other!

Some other top suggestions when Tiffany and I asked our followers on Instagram what they had planned for Valentine’s Day was: a weekend away, yummy food (I’m all for that!), a romantic dinner at home, a ring for your significant other, family time (same here!), and for others….alone time or nothing at all!

To some it’s just another day, but for me, I do like to put in a little extra effort no matter how big or small, just to show my love and appreciation for the ones that matter most to me. Hoping my family and I can continue our tradition this year and make it skiing again this Valentine’s Day weekend! If you’re in need of a last minute gift for someone, there’s still time! Check our the Goodsey website. They have unique gifts for him, her and the kiddos too. Whether you’re spending it with someone or alone, I hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Reviews Style

Current Mood: Happy Socks!

Posted on November 27, 2019

This blog post was sponsored by Zappos, but all opinions, styling, photos and write-up are my own!

By now you probably know me and that I’m known for going sockless with a lot of my looks…even in winter! But, when I do rock socks, it’s usually not for comfort or warmth LOL but instead to add a little something to my outfit! So, if I’m going to rock a pair of socks, I want them to have a little something extra: a cool design, fun colors, texture, a pattern…you get the point!

My go-to brand when I’m in need of fun, colorful & funky socks? Happy Socks! They’re known for having fun & colorful sock selections in super cool and vibrant patterns and have so many different ones to choose from! They also do really cool Limited Edition sock collabs like their Beatles and Rolling Stone socks with their iconic graphics…gotta love that famous tongue!

I’m always drawn to classic designs, patterns and icons, and it was love at first sight when I saw these Smiley Heart Happy Socks! I love the bold red heart pattern with the touch of the cheeky smiles again the contrasting sock color. I think I tend to gravitate towards bold simplistic patterns when it comes to socks, rather than overly busy and colorful…but that’s just me! That’s why these were right up my alley and I immediately knew what pieces I was going to rock with them!

I feel like some might normally think to only want to rock these during Valentine’s day, but I’m all for the love & smiles all year long. Honestly, this kind of pattern is so in right now and is the kind of classic icon that just doesn’t get played out. I mean, check out my sneakers! It was only right that I played up the heart icon with these. I kept the rest of my outfit simple but had to bring out that red! I’m digging this casual street look with these Happy Socks! I also grabbed this same pair in the red because I just loved the pattern so much, but my wife already snagged them from me! 🙂

If you head to Zappos.com you’ll find so many different Happy Sock styles to choose from! They have them for men, women, and kids. And even have some fun gift sets to pick up for the holidays. Do you shop on Zappos? I do all the time. I can’t resist a website with multiple product categories, tons of styles to choose from, 24/7 customer service and free shipping and returns. It’s nice to be able to shop for the entire family and not have to worry about being stuck with merchandise because you didn’t return it in time (ummm hello 365 day return policy)! You honestly can’t beat that!

What do you think of how I styled my look with my new Happy Socks? Head to my Instagram page @BlueCollarPrep and let me know!

Reviews Style

Skincare & Hydration With Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Line

Posted on November 1, 2019

Thanks to my wife schooling me on the importance of face care and me starting to notice the effects of aging, I’ve been pretty good with keeping up a routine of taking care of my skin. There are so many different products to use out there, so I always like to try and stick with brands I know I can trust. Neutrogena® is probably one of the first skincare brands I was ever really familiar with growing up and to me, they kind of feel like the OG of the skincare game! Over the years, I’ve always had at least had one product of theirs in my bathroom, and I know my wife uses some of their products, as well as their make-up, so it’s always been a go-to brand for my family. So, I was really excited to get to try out some new products from their new Hydro Boost line!

During the month of November, get a $10 rewards Visa when you spend $30 or more (excluding tax) on participating Neutrogena® products in one transaction. Click here for full offer details!

During summer months, I’m either working outside or beach & pool-side with the family, and during winter months, I’m usually working outside or skiing with the family. So, between the sun and the cold it can really beat up and dry out my skin. What I really like the most about the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost Collection is that the products have purified hyaluronic acid in them, which is meant to really replenish the water in your skin and refresh & rehydrate it. I think for most men, including myself, that’s what our skin is probably lacking the most…moisture and softness.

My current routine starts every morning using the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost City Shield Eye Serum. Not sure if this is weird or not, but I don’t wash my face in the mornings because my skin tends to be on the dryer side. So when I wake up, I like to keep the little bit of natural oils I have intact. However, I wake up with puffy eyes and the wrinkles around my eyes are definitely more prominent in the mornings—so this serum is perfect for moisturizing this sensitive part of my face. It helps smooth out my crows feet and under-eye lines, and it just helps add some life to my tired eyes in the morning. I love how lightweight it is! Nothing’s worse than putting on an eye cream that feels heavy and sticky on your eyelid! This is the one product I actually use twice a day. I use it both in the morning and at night before bed, and I love that it both treats and protects the sensitive skin around my eyes. I’ve used other eye creams before that may have been too potent because they left the skin around my eyes red & irritated, but this one from Neutrogena is amazing and a keeper. I love how refreshing this little bottle looks too…so pretty!

Since I only wash my face once a day, I do so usually right when I get home from work in the shower, or right before bed, and that’s when I use the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost Exfoliating Cleanser. I actually only started using exfoliating cleansers these past few years, as I never really liked how a gritty cleanser felt on my face. However, this one has such a super fine texture. I can barely feel the exfoliating elements, but I feel it just enough where I know it’s getting deep down in those pores to really deep clean. I really like the fact that it exfoliates my skin and removes all the dirt and oil but also leaves my skin feeling super soft and refreshed. My wife just started using it as well and even though she usually prefers a really gritty cleanser, she loves how small the little scrubbers are and how they really feel like they’re getting in and cleaning that hard-to-get area around the nose. We both really love that is works hard but is gentle and leaves behind a soft and polished face.

After I wash my face, I immediately moisturize with the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost Gel Cream and again with the eye serum around the eyes. I’m trying to keep this area as moisturized and taken care of as possible since this is definitely where my age is starting to show the most! I like to use the gel cream at night to help prevent waking up with a dry forehead. My forehead is one of my problem areas when it comes to dry skin, and it’s probably why I have most of my wrinkles in that area—I have them there and between my eyes. So, I make sure I get both of those areas as moisturized as possible so when I wake up, they’re usually not as defined.

So far, I am really loving using these 3 products from the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost line. I love the refreshing blue color of their packaging, the lightweight texture and feeling of each of the products, and the way my skin feels after using them in conjunction with each other. They say water is the best thing for your skin, so it only makes sense that my skincare products aid in increasing my skin’s hydration as well as locking it all in! My wife and I are both such fans of the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost line and even though our skin is completely different (mine is dry and her’s is oily), it works perfectly for both of us. I’m happy to have found a skincare routine that works for me from a brand I know and trust and is the #1 dermatologist recommended skincare brand. I love Neutrogena® and will definitely be introducing my son to it soon enough!

Family Reviews

Undercover Nuggets

Posted on September 10, 2019

This post has been sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m constantly striving to live a healthier lifestyle and find new foods to buy that will help and actually taste good. My family loves to eat but unfortunately, we tend to forget about the vegetables. During the week, there are very few meals that Nate and I can share because trying to get a 7 year old or a picky wife to eat healthy with me is no easy task! So, it’s sad to say, getting my son to learn how to eat healthy has been a struggle for me. I know I’m not the only one out there because I remember my mother trying to get me to eat my veggies and let’s be honest, what kid is really into it?

That’s why I’m so happy I was introduced to these new Raised & Rooted™ Nuggets that we got from our local ACME. They’re crafted with pea protein and are a great way to feed my family with a familiar flavor. Instead of meat, they are a plant-based alternative. They are the perfect way to get Nate to eat some more vegetables! I mean, who doesn’t like nuggets?! The Raised & Rooted™ Nuggets honestly taste just like regular chicken nuggets! I was shocked that right out of the oven, they were as crispy as dropping them in a fryer—and nuggets are always better crispy. Nate is big into nuggets and couldn’t wait to try these. He loved the crunch and loved the flavor. We never told Nathan they weren’t chicken, and he still doesn’t have any idea that he’s eating a pea-based nugget. 🙂 Plus, after trying them, he told me these were his favorite “chicken” nuggets. Score! So happy I found another way to sneak some veggies into Nate’s diet.

Now, I can finally sit down with Nate and have a meal where we are both eating the same food. And I can also get my protein and fiber. Plus, I don’t have to spend hours cooking it up. I can just grab a bag from the frozen foods aisle when we do our weekly shopping at ACME. We love ACME. I love using their mobile app, and I feel like I always seem to find and get the best deals whenever we shop there. If you’re looking for ways to switch up your current diet by adding in some more veggies, I highly recommend these. My kid still thinks he’s eating “chicken.” Try them now at your local ACME and save!

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