Product testing sites

I'm sure by reading my post you know that I am a member of a lot of product testing sites.  I can't lie they are very addicting. It's so exciting waiting for the mailman to see what freebies he brings for the day. I can't stand days when I don't get mail. With some of the sites the better you do, the more free products you receive. I have made friends with some amazing people in the process so I know we all feel the same way. One thing is unanimous we all strive to get better.  

Product testing sites are also a great way for you discover new things that you may not have tried on your own.  I wanted to share some of the tips that I picked up from others as well as some that I discovered on my own. I will also share links to some of my favorite Word of mouth sites. Hopefully these tips will also help you discover products you love. 

Chances are if you are selected to test a product you are or have used a similar product. Say you've been chosen to test foundation.  You put it on and you think it's perfect so that's great. You use it for  few days even weeks and it's time to write your review. A tip I have learned is try your old one again. This will give you and idea of why it is better than the one you were using before. You can also try your current brand on one side of your face and the one you are testing on the other. This is a great way to compare coverage. The same is true for anything you are testing. You can use a cleaning product on one side of the counter and a your usual on the other side, then take a paper towel and see if they are equally clean. 

When you are writing a review one thing I try to do is think of what I would want to know before I buy a product. I also think of why I loved the product. I also try to notice smell, constancy, color, different aspect of the product. You could love a product but not love the constancy or love the smell but not like the product. It's also easier if you think of it as having a conversation with a friend.

Then there's the dreaded this product is terrible. As much as I hate writing bad reviews it happens, nobody likes everything. When that time comes I always try to find something positive about the product. I also try to keep in mind that I may have not liked the product but someone else will. I like to keep them informed about why I didn't like it but not bash the product.  

I hope you find this post useful. If you have any other tips let me know. 

Here is is a list of some of my favorite product testing site: 


Bzzagent 
I have gotten so many amazing things from this site.  You test the product, share your opinion with your friends and social media, then write a report. 

Influenster 
Your score on this site has a lot to do with your social media activity. You have to request a invite then be very active on their site as well to get a voxbox. But when you do get one all of that hard work is worth. It is a box of random products to test and review. Then you can win other products by being the most creative and original while sharing the products on your social media. 

Smiley360
This site has a lot of different products to test. It is also a site where you share with your friends, on social media, then do a report for Smiley. 

Arm & Hammer Advance Whitening Toothpaste

I remember when I was young I mixed baking soda with my toothpaste because it is a whitening agent but  man did it taste terrible plus it was a little gritty at first. When I was chosen to try Arm and Hammer Advance Whitening from Smiley360 I wasn't really sure what to expect. when I first tried it I hated the way it tasted it was just like I remembered. The only difference as was it wasn't the texture of my homemade baking soda toothpaste. I was using another whitening toothpaste before this so my teeth were not in desperate NEED of whitening. BUT I had a huge stain on my front tooth that is now almost gone. I did recently quit smoking so this may have helped but Arm and Hammer also played a part.

I didn't want to stop using it but I couldn't take the taste for much longer. That statement may sound a little dramatic but I have been a faithful user of Colgate because it's the only toothpaste that I like the taste. So this is what I tried, I put a dab of my normal Colgate Total and dab of Arm and Hammer on my toothbrush. This works great for me. I walked out the other night and my husband said wow your breath smells nice. This has been working great for a few days now. I get the benefit of Arm and Hammer and the taste is not unbearable to me.

I received this product for free from Smiley360, I was given no additional compensation for this post. 

My thoughts on lip balm

There's Chapstick and countless others, scented, unscented, tinted and not tinted. Most of use some type of lip balm but with so many out there which ones do you chose. I use lip balm constantly truthfully I call them all chapstick so if I start talking about chapstick keep in mind I don't mean that particular brand. I was a long time user of Carmex and it works great but I found myself wiping it off after a few minutes because it gets sticky and gooey and I hated that feeling.

I tried the plan Nieva Lip care which sells for around $2.99 a tube and I liked it it worked great without the sticky nasty feeling. The plan one is fine but I tried the Olive Oil and Lemon and I didn't like the smell at all. It smells funny but thankfully doesn't taste like it smells.  Neither of them are tinted so they are just lip balms. Thankfully the Nivea does not go on green.  I would have gone back to the original Nieva but then I tried NYC Applelicious.

NYC New York Color Appleicious sells for around $2.99 a tube and it comes in 10 different shades. It is a tinted balm and smells fantastic plus it is made with lots great ingredients like Shea Butter, Jojoba and Avocado Oil so it makes your lips feel fantastic. There is no sticky residue and although the color makes it more appealing to wear when you are out and about.  Just because it's tinted it doesn't mean you can't wear it when you are in your PJs or even before going bed. I really love the way this makes my lips feel soft and smooth. The smell is a plus it smells so much like candy it might make you hungry.

I also was given Lancome Baume in Love I thought it was a lipstick and I freaked out. As you can see the color is BRIGHT pink, almost blinding. Thankfully it does not go on that way, this one is clear when applied. It comes in a few other colors which do not go on clear and they sell for $26.00. Why would you pay $26.00 for a lip balm my first though was "that is CRAZY?" Does it work any better than the $3.00? What could possibly be so different? In my opinion there is NOTHING different about this lip "baume" it does nothing that the others do not and it does not make your lips look any better than the others.




I do believe in splurging if it's worth it but I would NOT pay $26.00 for something I could get for $3.00, I'll save my money and buy other things. I can think of lots things I can get for the remaining $23.00. Do you think lip balms are worth splurging on? What is your favorite lip balm?

alwaysblabbing SwapHop

Do you love freebies? Do you do a lot of product testing? Do you love everything you try or even buy? I you are like me the answer to the first 2 questions is yes but the answer to the last question is a big NO. How could you love everything you test or buy? Do you wish there was something to do with all the stuff you don't want? I've been thinking about starting a swap party (or whatever you want to call it).  I know this is not an original idea but I have not found a place to post what I want to swap. I have lots of things from Ipsy and other sites that I just won't use. Most of them are brand new some of them have been swatched.  I have everything from shampoo and conditioner to nail strips. 

If enough people are interested I think we could have lots of fun with this. Who knows swapping may be more fun then shopping. This is how it will work:  I will post pictures of what I want to swap, you can post your pictures, and leave a contact email address. Someone will decide what they want and tell you what they have to swap. If you are interested make the arrangements, if not start bargaining. 

 If you are interested leave a comment below and let me know.  Serious inquiries only.  Don't forget to follow alwaysblabbing on Facebook where I will post updates.  Only gently used items, almost empty items are not acceptable and will cause you to be disqualified from all of the fun.  If you have any questions feel free to email me at alwaysblabbing@hotmail.com

NYC Appleicious Glossy Lip Balm



App, app, appleicious so delicious make them boys go loco.... Oh wait sorry I got sidetracked a little. Appleicious lip balm by NYC may not make the boys go loco but it might make you want to sing because you will will have smoother and softer lips. I always use lip balm so I keep one in my purse, desk, and nights stand because I HATE when my lips feel dry or cracked.  So, as you can imagine I have tried a lot of lip balms, Carmex works but is super sticky after a little while and I have to wipe it off. I can't stand that sticky goop on my mouth.

In my Spring Fever VoxBox got NYC NewYork Color Appleicious, a tinted lip balm, in Big Apple Red.  Obviously the color is red but it's not a lot of color just a pretty tint that leaves a nice shine on your lips. I love that is smells a little like candy and it goes on smooth and it doesn't leave that nasty sticky residue. Although a color to my lip balm was never a necessity it's a nice touch.



This is the lip balm, isn't it cute?

With key ingredients such as Trio of Shea Butter, Jojoba and Avocado Oil your lips feel smoother and softer after the first time you use it. I use my Applelicious lip balm all day even though it's tinted I still find myself putting it on before I go to bed. Makes for a sweet good night kiss plus I love the way my lips feel so much softer. 

It sells for around $2.99 at WalMart or you local drug store which is around the same price as some other lip balms and there are nine other colors available.

I received this product free from Influenster but the opinion is all mine.



Dickinson Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes

I received a box of Dickerson's Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes they sell for $5.99 for a 20 count box. You can find it at your favorite local drug store.  I was very excited to try these because mid-day my forehead starts to shine almost as bright as a light bulb. I apply powder but it never makes it go away. I can't stand that oily look so this was something that I thought would be very useful and I couldn't wait to try them.  



Excitedly I ripped open one of the individual packets, the first thing I noticed was the towelette is nice size, it also is pretty thick and with it being individually wrapped it stays very moist. Witch Hazel can be used in so many different ways I wasn't sure how to work the towelettes into my skin care regimen.  I started using them in the afternoon after my toner and on lazy days I used them as a make-up remover wipe.  Then I followed with my regular moisturizer and eye cream.  I have seen where others replaced their toner with these wipes. I'm sure there is no wrong way to use them, whatever fits your lifestyle best. They are great to bring with you to the beach, gym, or on your morning run to refresh your face.


When I first open the wipes the smell was not my favorite but after a few uses I started to get used to it.  I love the way it makes my face feel cool after using it reminds me of an old toner I used when I was a teenager. After a few uses I saw the bags and dark circles under my eyes starting to go away and my face did not shine like a light bulb mid-day.

So what are the perks of Dickinsons Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes? They make my face feel cool and refreshed, they have lessened the appearance of the bags and dark circles under my eyes, they have stopped the mid-day light bulb on my forehead, and they are very portable. The only con is the smell but I got over that quickly.  Plus Pintrest has tons of great uses for witch hazel, it's good for sunburn, diaper rashes, and insect bites.

Overall I think these get an 8/10 and I would purchase these again.  I would also like to try other products from this line.  Check out the Dickinsons website for products and skin care tips.

I received a box of in my SugarNSpice VoxBox complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. The product was free to try but the opinion expressed in this post are all mine and I was given no additional compensation for it. 





Suave vs L'Oreal Styling Oil

What is hair oil? what does it do? These oils are said to heal, banish frizz, condition, and protect hair while adding shine without weighing hair down. To me that was a wow factor because I have to use three to four products to get protection, conditioning, and less frizz so trying a hair oil was a must for me although I never knew it until I was chosen to test one.  There was a little part of me that was very afraid to use the oil because my scalp is naturally oily while my ends are dry but I am pleased to let you know neither of the oils in this post made my hair oily or greasy.

Now if you are anything thing like me once you have decided to try a hair oil your shopping trip goes like this. You are standing down the shampoo isle looking at all the different brands thinking which one is a good one? You grab one or two and there's the little voice in your head that says "but wait this one is half the price of the other one". You're skeptical of buying the less expensive one because you have been burned before. You know the one -- the bottle says "compared to" but it doesn't work anything like that the other one. How do you know? You went back and purchased the more expensive one because you weren't getting the desired results. Although we all know its worth the extra cost if works better there is always that thought... but what if the less expensive product really does work the same?

Lots of people believe the more you pay the better the quality of the product but is that isn't always true. I tried both the L'Oreal Eversleek Precious oil sold for $12.99 and Suave Moroccan oil sold for $6.99 both are intended to cut frizz and add shine. The instructions are almost identical, dispense two pumps in your palm and rub them together then rub evenly through damp hair avoiding the roots. You can use one spray of both in dry hair as a frizz serum.  I thought it would be fun to compare. So going with most people's thinking the L'Oreal would be better right? Lets see.

When I was chosen by All You to test Suave Moroccan Infusion styling oil I was very excited. I couldn't wait to see how it worked. The first thing I noticed is the Suave has a nice consistency but is not very thick and applies very nicely. The minute I put the Suave in my hand I notched the smell was amazing but it's not overpowering. There have been days when I can still smell it in my hair hours after application and that is a huge plus to me. I have noticed an extreme amount of shine and my hair is super soft after using. I have also noticed less frizz with the Suave and my hair was not weighed down.  I would give the Suave an 9/10 on quality and a 9/10 for effectiveness I really like product.

Then I got the  L'Oreal Eversleek Precious oil treatment in a compensation package for a product testing I completed through the L'Oreal consumer test panel. The L'Oreal is a very thick consistency but does apply very nicely. The smell is pleasant but not very strong. I have noticed less frizz, my hair is super soft, and has a nice shine. I also noticed that my hair is not super wavy if I let it air dry plus my hair was not weighed down. I would give it an 9/10 on quality 9/10 on effectiveness so I really like the L'Oreal oil as well.

So my opinion is there is not a clear winner in this case they are both very effective and do what they claim. The Suave Moroccan oil smells amazing while the L'Oreal has a pleasant smell but in this case I would not spend the extra for L'Oreal because the Suave is great and does exactly what I wanted it to do. With less expensive brands stepping up their game sometimes you can get quality effective products at a lower costs.

Stay tuned for more vs I will have a lot more coming. If this review was helpful, leave me a message. If you have used a different type of styling oil that you loved let me know.

                        Like alwaysblabbing on  FaceBook for the inside scoop on the best product testing sites and contest that are coming soon.

Holiday VoxBox

I knew the Influenster Holiday VoxBox 2012 was being released last week and I was very bummed that I was not chosen to take the pre-survey. Then a few days ago I was I was very confused because the Holiday VoxBox badge popped up under my fun file. When I asked on FaceBook I was told that all of the boxes were taken so I figured it was just some type of glitch that the badge was there. Then under "mandatory tasks" it said "Check in box" which confused me even more. Talk about a wonderful surprise when I came home Christmas Eve and there was a Holiday Voxbox waiting on my doorstep. So unlike Influenster no pre-survey, no confirmation e-mail, and no opt-in email but I am in no way complaining.
I can't figure out what I am more excited to try because every thing in the box is amazing. Here is a list of what was included in my box
Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal +: $1.79 per cup
NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine: $2.40 - Color Nude York City 582
Kiss Nail Dress: $6.99 28 strips in Princess
EBOOST: $28.00 for box of 20 effervescent powders, $39.00 for box of 30 effervescent powders, $39.00 for box of 12 shots - Pink Lemonade Flavor
Goody Quickstyle Brush $11.99 -- Half round styler with super absorbent microfiber bristles that removes up to 30% of water as you style.
Sole Society $25.00 off my first purchase - if you can see the picture I already can't decide between the red or black strappy heals. I haven't even pulled up the website so I will have a hard time picking one pair.
Montagne Jeunesse Face Mask under $2.00 - Clean up Mud Nettoyage profond Argile-Nettoyante

Those of you who are not familiar with Influenster it is it is a social site where you can do reviews, ask and answer questions about products, earn badges, and possibly try products for free ie: a voxbox. All of the products I listed were complimentary for testing purposes. Once I have had a chance to review these amazing products I will write a full review of each one seperately.

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes