Fred Meyer/Kroger Rant

Oh Fred Meyer, how I use to love your company, then you went and and died and your family sold your company to Kroger. And that was the end of a great legacy that I was once proud to say I worked at.

First I want to say that I worked at Fred Meyer for about a year. At this point I believe they had been sold to Kroger, but it had not yet gone down hill. I only left to go to school. My mom on the other hand had been their for 17 years. Until they fired her. I will do a different post on this, as its a very hot subject for me.

I still shop at Fred Meyer, even though I hate what they did to my mom. I shop there because my options for affordable groceries is few. Wal-Mart is another one that I shop at despite hating. But today's experience has made me think that I should consider not going to Fred Meyer, at least for cosmetics, any more.

Today I stopped by to pick up just a few items. I decided to stop by the cosmetic department. I was looking for a new nail color. I had seen the perfect color at the $ store but did not have the money at the time. I did not want to drive to the next town over so I figured I would look to see if Fred Meyer, who carries the Wet 'N' Wild (one of my favorites) brand, had the same shade. First let me say that the cosmetic department has not reordered the brands in years. They have been in the same relative spot since I worked there back in 2003-2004. Even when they remodeled the whole store, cosmetics stayed the same. So I was quite shocked when I turned onto the isle I knew Wet 'N' Wild would be. It was not there! Neither was the N.Y.C display that is right before it. Essence was gone to. Believe me I knew this department layout well. It had been the same the last 12 years. So I look from isle to isle and almost did not see the Wet 'N' Wild display. It was half the size and was no longer mostly comprised of Nail Polish. In fact the nail polish was a 1/4 the size it use to be. Knowing I would probably not find the shade at this point I looked anyway. Nope, not there.

So I began to look for N.Y.C. Maybe they had a similar shade. But where was N.Y.C. I turned around and saw the L.A. Color display right across from WNW. I will say I love L.A. Color, but that being said I have tones of them and even if they had the shade I was looking for, I was not going to spend $1.99-$2.99 when I could go across the street to the small $ store (did not have what I saw at the one in the next town) and get it for $1. At that price I might as well drive over to the next town and get what I originally wanted. Any how, there was an employee stocking this isle. She asked me if I was finding everything ok. I said "no, it appears one of my favorite brands has been downsized and no longer has a decent selection of colors (most were in the same shade range, how disapointing) and you no longer seem to even carry the other brand I was looking for." She asked me what brand, and here is where I get a bit pissed.

I told her I was looking for New York Color (N.Y.C). I told her that both it and WNW use to be one isle back on the other end. She very snobbishly, and just plain rudely said "I have been working her for five years. I have never even heard of New York Color." So I advised her the display would have said NYC with New York Color is small letters beneath it. She still insisted they never carried that brand. And asked if I meant L.A Color. So I said no, and that I would not bye that brand there when I can get it for half the price else where, and with a better selection. She said something about the WNW was just the spring set up and they might get more in next season. I thought this odd as this was not typical for them. She said something again about not have ever carried the NYC line. So i just said "I have been shopping here for 18 years, its my go to brand here." And yes I used her same tone and then walked away. I heard her say something along the line of "What ever" as I walked away.

How dare an employee talk to a customer like that. Just because you work there, and have been there for 5 years does not mean you actually know your department and know it well. I can't remember a time when the brands were in a different isle. It use to be the first full isle went N.Y.C, Essence, Wet 'n' Wild, something else and then L.A. Color. Anytime I went into the cosmetic department that was my first stop. I don't care that they moved things, its about time. I don't even care that they no longer have a brand I like, I can go else where for that. But the fact that the employee talked to me in such a manner is appalling. I worked in Customer Service for 6 years. At my last job, of three years, I was a top Customer Service Rep. Believe me when I say I know what good customer service is. I know what an employer expects from their employee. If I had not been in a hurry I would have stopped and spoken with a manager. I would call or email them about it, but I did not get her name. She never turned fully from what she was doing, so I could not see her name tag. That kind of bugged me to. If your going to assist, or even slightly attempt to assist, a customer you stop what your doing and give them your undivided attention.

I will say, I have had worse service at other places. Wal-Mart stores being the top of the bad list, and yes I worked there to. But this experience took me by surprise. And since their selection of my favorite brand is either gone or sub par I think I will use this as a reason to not shop for my cosmetics there anymore. I may have to try Target, though my local store has had a horrid smell to it for well over six months. I already no longer get my cosmetics at Wal-Mart either, simply do to their set up. Maybe I will do a post about that later. For now, I feel better ranting about it and hope that others do not experience what I did.

Dealing with Death: Good bye Aunt Judy

***This is a fairly long, emotional post. This has been written in a time of grief to help me cope with the loss of a loved one. Please excuse typos, as it is hard to correct one's errors when tears are flowing freely. ***

Death.... Death.... Death. No matter how many times one says it, experiences the loss, or how we sugar coat it, death is the end all. Death is the one true equalizer. None of us can escape Deaths cold grasp. Even in life we feel him on our necks and in our hearts when a loved one passes. So what can one say to help a grieving loved one move on from the wake of Death's touch? Nothing. Really the answer is nothing. The pain never truly subsides. Its always there, a small patch of pain that just waits for the right memory to trigger it. And with each passing of a loved one, cherished pet, or even a mere acquaintance that patch of pain grows. The number of triggers increases and we find ourselves dwelling on the pain a little more each time those triggers are met. So how does one cope? How does one help a loved one move forward?

I myself have experienced Death's presence more than I would care for. Then again who has not. As a small child of 12 I welcomed  Death into my home with the decision to put a beloved pet down. To end his suffering. Something to this day I struggle with. Did I make the right choice? Should I have not let him hold on a little longer? As an adult I know I made the right, humane, and ultimately loving choice. He was in pain constantly. Nothing gave him relief. But when that patch of pain is triggered and I weep my tears for him I wonder and doubt my choice. So how did I move on? I was  12 and in the process of moving to an entirely new state. I kept busy. I did not dwell on it. I even got a new pet, but at night when my mind was at rest from the days toils,  tears would flow. They flowed for a long time for my loyal and beloved companion. Even today, when Death graces me and my family once more, I weep too for my Buddy and miss his loud bark as cars passed the house.

I mentioned moving to another state. One of the distractions I had was the first friend I made when moving and sadly would be my first experience in the loss of a humane friend. This young women was so kind to me, though quite odd and a bit of an outcast herself at the time. She was the first to reach out to me. To talk and laugh with me. A familiar face in almost all of my classes that first week of school. I was not merely the new kid to her, but rather a new friend. Unfortunately we grew apart. A small spat over something petty and a friendship was ended. Hard feelings were not had, a couple years time  passed and in high school we were acquaintances. Though not bosom buddies I found my heart breaking when I heard the news of her passing. A sudden deadly illness and Death graced the halls of our small town. A community weeped. That once loner found her people in her few short years of High School, and was loved by many. I did not know how to handle the death of a fellow humane being. Most would say it hurts more than that of a pet, though I have never found that to be the case with me. It was a loss of a life, one I had become use to having around me. And like that it was gone. So many regrets. Why did I not go up to Sarah in the hall last week like I wanted? Why did I not put the squabbles of the past where they belong and reclaim the friendship that welcomed me that first week? I coped with the loss of this acquaintance... no, friend by attending her memorial. By telling the story of how our friendship sparked, and telling of her oddities that made her so enduring to me. This was also the day I finally changed my mind set and decided to find the good in everything. For this day I pledge to not let myself live in regret.I shall regret doing, but never regret not and wondering what would happen if I had.

Prior to Sarah's death I had lost another pet. When we moved, we moved to a farm. And despite the Grandmother, who's farm it was, not wanting me to have a cat, my dad did just that. It was my birthday the same month we moved, just barely a month from the loss of my beloved Buddy. And my father felt I needed a new pet, and as he had always told me I could not have a cat until we moved to a farm, he really didn't care what my Grandmother, his mother, had to say about it. Besides my uncle had moved there to, bringing along his pregnant cat, can you see where this is going? Later that evening my father announced that Abby, my uncles cat, had her kittens. In two months time I got to have one of those fur balls. The only male in the bunch, which I named Angel. Sadly I had only a short year with him. Despite living on a farm, we are not far enough out of the city and there is still a decent amount of traffic on our road. I woke one cold, foggy Saturday morning to my neighbor knocking on our door. He had found my precious Angel in the road. We do not know who hit him, only that his life was gone. This was right before Halloween, though I was breaking inside I told my  parents I wanted everyone to do everything they had planned that day. I did not want to dwell as I had with Buddy. It hurt too much. So we went costume shopping as planned. In honor of my precious little Angel I picked out cat years and a tail and wore his collar around my wrist. Every time the bell jingled my heart leapt as for an instant I thought somehow he had come back to me. He was buried in our back yard and a headstone placed for him. After several months of me staring at his headstone and crying myself to sleep at night, it was decided another cat to fill me heart with love was the best path to take. In April my stubborn Princy Kitty was born. After Sarah's passing, Death would not darken my hallways for a few more years.

After high school I went off to college. I came home for Thanksgiving. I was excited to see my Princy Kitty and my dad's dog, he was the family dog but dad was his person. They went hiking and fishing and even hunting together. He was loyal to my dad and to Buddy, he mopped when Buddy died. As Prince mopped when he died. I got home the day before Thanksgiving. I had been on the bus all night and just wanted to sit, relax and open my mail. The moment I walked in the door Korky wanted my attention. He was hyper, even at his age, and just wanted to say hi. I patted his head but did not play, I kind of ignored him. This brings me sorrow even to this day. I now know Korky was hanging on. He was waiting for me to come home. I was not even home an hour when in the middle of the living room, right in front of me and my parents, Korky let out a howl of pain. His legs shot back. My dad went to him. And I knew before his words left his mouth "I think my dad just died". Than anguish in his voice brings tears to my eyes as I type about it. He loved that dog, as he does all our pets. It hurt us all when he died that day. We did not take him in to be examined but we are sure he had a heart attack. Which, is only fitting for what will come five short years later. We buried him. My dad did not leave a marker and I could not bring myself to be present. I had plans to go to the movies with a friend that day, and I let her drag me out of the house still. For the pain was just to hard to cope with in the moment.  I think Korky is one I never really coped with. I have pushed that pain back to spare myself. Of all my pets, Korky is the hardest to think about and I feel that is because of my regret in not playing with him like he wanted. I miss him. No pet will ever compare to Korky our little hoover.

About a year after graduating high school I would become quite active in my youth group. Much more active than I had been when I was still in school. I made a close friend. I had known her for a bit know but as two adults, especially adults with cars, we could do much more fun things. She was a State Officer for our youth group and an assembly leader for an assembly on the other side of the state. She had moved back to our side but traveled a couple times a month to attend their meetings and events. She did not want to let her girls down. I admired this about her. I even traveled with her about a week before the accident happened. Because of this the night before the accident she attended my assembly's meeting. She encouraged me to apply for a state office and ask our Supreme Inspector (the adult in charge of the youth group in our state) to give me a majority extension. See I would be turning 20 before the term I would serve as a State Officer in would be over. 20 is when our youth group considers us adults and is time to move on. It was a great talk and she gave me many pointers for my letter. When our meeting was over she headed home. The next morning I got up and began to work on a dress I was making for her. I had some questions on how she wanted the color blocking and texted her to call me when she got out of class. I never got a response. A few hours later I found out why. I received a call from my Mother Advisor (adult in charge of local assembly). She asked if I had anyone home with me and if I was sitting. Once she was sure of this she gave me the bad news. Jamie had complained a few days before about a dog playing chicken with the cars on her drive home. They believe she swerved to avoiding hitting that dog, causing her to hit head on into a telephone pole. She died instantly. I take comfort in knowing she felt no pain, though even today my heart breaks as I speak about it. I had just seen her less than 24 hours before, how could she be gone. My friend, my mentor. I honored her memory by sitting down the next day and writing a letter to our supreme inspector. I told her about our trip to the other assembly and our conversation and how she encouraged me to ask for a majority extension. I told her that since my first Grand Assembly I had dreamed of being a Grand Officer (state officer) and how now I wanted it even more. I wanted to do it for Jamie too. At Grand Assembly there is a memorial service each year. To honor the girls and adult advisors who have passed in the last year. Jamie was the focal point. There is a flower ceremony done by the assembly of the girl who has passed. Jamie had two assemblies. I was advised I could partake in the ceremony as well as we had become so very close. I chose not too. I needed to sit with my assembly and be in their arms. I was devastated still. The next day was the announcement of the new years officers. I hope Jamie was watching when Mrs. Brown accepted my request for majority extension and named me Grand Representative to Oregon. The office I wanted, and all because of Jamie and her encouragement. I dedicated myself to my youth group that year, in her memory just as she dedicated herself. Even after majority I dedicated myself as an active adult advisor. In fact I was very active and dedicated every spare moment, that dedication helped me when Death came knocking yet again.

A couple years later I had to miss an event for my youth group. It was imperative that I make a trip down to Portland Oregon. My original home, and a place where my extended family was centered. My grandfather, who I had not seen in years, was quite ill and in the hospital. So I took my mom and pregnant sister on a road trip to see him. It was hard to see him like this but I would like to believe that seeing us helped him in someway. It was not long after this trip that I would be  informed of his passing. We did not make it back down for his funeral, honestly I don't think my mom could have handled it anyway. By this time my nephew had been born and there were plenty of other family issues going on. My grandfather had served and was given a proper salute. I have been told that a recording was sent to my mom. I do not know if she watched it, I know I have not been able to bring myself to do so. I try very hard not to let the first image of him that comes to my mind be the one of him in the hospital. I try to remember the family reunions and the Christmas parties at his house. Sitting on his lap and the cards I got on my birthday every year. I miss my grandfather dearly  and if it had not been for the fact that I had a baby nephew to worry about I am not sure how exactly I would have coped with his passing. I helped with my nephew and I focused on my job. Part of me regrets not being able to make it down for the funeral, but after what happened the following year or so, I think it was for the best.

January 1st 2010. New Year's will never hold the same meaning for me again. It was a rough Christmas. My nephew had been taken from my sister's custody. She was in a treatment facility for drug addiction, and the facility was a 2 hour drive away. I missed quite a bit of my youth group events to take my nephew to visits with my sister. It was the only way for me to see him. Due to lies being told and my father's stubbornness, my nephew was not aloud to be in our home. After my nephew was taken my father only got to see him three times. My sister's birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I myself was battling a deep depression. There were cop shootings going on, the issues my family was having, combined with my job and I just could not see how the world could be the way it was. See, I worked in a call center for a Medicare Insurance company. And we were gearing up for open enrollment period. This meant tones of angry phone calls of people complaining about their premiums going up. And while that is something one should be upset about, I couldn't get out of my head how people could be so upset and ranting about something so meaningless when there were things like cop shooting, school shooting and natural disasters going on. Like I said I had hit a deep depression and was wondering why we were even here on this earth. I cherished the holidays with my family. But that happiness would be short lived. Right after Christmas my dad got sick with the flue. We told him time and time again to go to the doctor, he being the stubborn man that he is, refused to go. I still lived at home, though we have two houses on the property so I was living next door. But I always had dinner with my parents and so constantly was harping on my dad to go to the doctor. On New Years even my dad had seemed to be doing better but my mom said other wise. Then on New years, late in the afternoon I got a panicked call from my mom telling me to get over there now. I walked into my my dad, blue in the face, and my mom desperately trying to administer CPR. I picked up the phone and called 911, but knew in my heart it was too late. My dad had the flue and all the vomiting had dislodged a bit of plaque. According to the coroner my dad had been suffering a heart attack for three days. I lost one of the people in my life that kept me going that day. My whole world crumbled. I held it together for my mom and sister. I called all the family members and gave them the bad news, called his friends and business partners. I took care of my mom's leave of absence  paperwork. I made the final call on decisions at the funeral home. I did everything. I will never forget my sisters screams of pain when I told her, or my grandmother's weeps as I told her that her baby boy had died. We did not have a funeral. We decided cremation was best and had a viewing set up in case my grandmother, who was quite ill, could come up from Arizona to see him one last time. On the last day of the viewing my mother, sister and I all decided to go see him. We decided we did not want to regret not doing so. I now wish I had not. As someone who wanted to get into crime scene investigation when I was younger, I even went to college for a short time with that pursuit in mind, I was quite shocked. I knew in my mind that when I reached out and touched his hand it would be hard and cold, but what I did not know is that knowing and being prepared for it are two separate things. That night I had horrible dreams, all stemming from going to the viewing. Add this to my lack of grieving as I dealt with everything and being a support for my mom, fearing I would loose her to her grief, and you have a recipe for PTSD. Something even six years later I am dealing with. I did not really cope this time when Death came knocking. I continue to just exists. On days like today it is even harder. A day like today happened not even a year after his passing.

After my father died my since of time was obscured for a while. So I do not remember how long after it happened. I was in the kitchen cooking for my fiance when I noticed the wall phone was flashing. We had voicemail. I am still quite angry that this was left on a voice mail and days after it had happened. Especially since the last I had heard she was doing better. My step grandfather, who I will admit I never liked but did take good care of my grandmother, left a message for my mom. My grandmother had passed away. Once again a family member I had not seen in years. We moved to Washington for my father to be closer to her, to be able to help out. But then she had to move to Arizona, some place warm for her ailments. I was not close with my paternal grandmother, but I loved her all the same. I coped with time with the comforting thought that she could finally rest, as my dad was, and would be with her baby boy again. I say baby boy as he was the youngest of her five children. Even today I take comfort in the fact that they are together again and that she is with her late husband who died of cancer when I was quite young, I never got to know him. My father's father, who was not there much as he was growing up, is up there too. I hope that in heaven he has gotten to know his father more then he did here on earth.

Once can experience so much death in their own lives and still have  no clue what to do when death enters the life of a loved one. Not long after I met my husband, a dear family friend of his passed from breast cancer. From what I could see Connie was very loved and had fought quite the battle. But I did not know how to comfort my husband. I attended the memorial with him, stood by his side and held his hand. That is all I really could do. Last year I had to do this all over again. His cousin committed suicide and not long after his grandmother, who he had been quite close with, passed away. I hope he took comfort in the fact that his grandmother, who had severe dementia and Alzheimer's, is now at rest. His cousin is a hard one. This was the first time of really explaining death to my step son. He was quite the trooper though and was loving and supportive to daddy. Though I do not think he can quite comprehend the difference between the two types of death. He cries, but when he sees daddy sad he comforts him. And that is all I can really do for either of them. Hold them, love them and offer to be there however they may need me.

Since my father has passed I have lost my beloved tabby Prince. He was quite old and I knew the time was coming. Though we do not really have closure as he just disappeared one day. Living were we do I choose to think he wandered off to die rather then an wild animal snagged his slowing body. We also lost my sisters loyal companion Bubba. He was rescued by my sister as a pup. Someone had thrown him into the river to drown, she jumped in to save him. He was black lab mix and protector our family. He was the first dog any of us have had since Korky died. He was loyal and so lovable. He had cancer on his front leg joint. When we could no longer manage his pain my sister put him down. I still struggle with this a bit as I was out of town. They didn't wait the 12 hours before I would be home so I did not get to say goodbye. They buried him too before I got home, so I am not quite sure where he is as they left no marker. Another beloved pet I will not be able to visit.

Now, here I am today. Talking about my experience with death and how I have coped. Why? Because Death has darkened our doors once again. My Great Aunt Judy passed. She found too late she had cancer. I have not seen her since before I moved. Well over 16 years. All my memories of her are good. Her place in Colton was where our family like to have get togethers. I remember my sister and I chasing my cousin Chase, yes we chased him because of his name, around her house. One of the uncles had pipped up telling us to stop running in the house before we broke something. Aunt Judy said "aww, they are just kids having fun. They wont harm anything, let the be." I also remember that she would give us extra cookies and things when our parents said we had enough junk food. I do not see those memories clearly, I barely remember her face. If it was not for facebook I do not think I would remember at all what she looked like. But I do remember her loving kindness and the way my mom speaks about her. She is loved and will be missed. So how am I coping with this loss? Crying, and typing. Typing about how death has impacted me.

Each encounter with death has been unique. Each with its own pain, regret, and level of healing. So how does one move on from death? You just do. There is no how to, no instructions and words to teach one to move on. You just do. You do what you need to and let time dull the pain. And when those moments arise you let that scab rip open and the tears flow. Until the day we all meet again.

L'Oreal Paris Vox Box Review

***Products mentioned in this blog were received for free from L'Oreal Paris and Influenster for the purpose of trail and reviewT. All opinions are 100% my own. ***

 Hello and welcome back. Today I would like to share with you this new hair line I started using a couple weeks ago. This is the Advanced Hair Care Extraordinary Oil line from L'Oreal Paris. This line was in the  most recent Influenster Vox Box I received.  The box came with the shampoo, conditioner and Oil serum along with a coupon for $2 off the oil cream, which I later purchased. 

This particular line is meant for dry hair, which I have. I have dry, frizzy, curly and yes damaged hair. With my hair I have to put an after product in if I want to wear my curls. This is just to maintain them and keep them from frizzy all over. Though I then have the issue of my curls being weighed down. To help reduce frizz I limit shampooing my hair to maybe once a week. This way the natural oils can do their job. But at last product builds up and then more shampooing is needed and I am back to were I started. So I straighten my hair most days. This has its good and bad. It may be straight and a bit less frizzy at that point but my hair still looks dry and damaged. And yes I have cut my hair off before to get rid of those damaged ends. However, I hate short hair and am still anything but happy. 

I have tried many brands of shampoo, conditioner, leave ins, deep conditioners. And I never see much difference from one brand to the other. And since my income is limited, I stick with the cheap stuff. You know things like Suave and White Rain. Unless of course I find a better one at the $store or its gifted to me. The price of most name brands is just too out there for nor much difference in performance. Don't get me wrong, some of them are great and the clarifying shampoos are great to use on a limited basis. I have one called Hair Food I love to use once a month to make sure all the products are out of my hair. But my hair is still left frizzy, dry, and honestly just plain scary.

Now in walks this months Vox Box. As soon as I saw it was being shipped out to me I got supper excited. This line is based off oils. OILS! Something that I knew my hair was lacking. And again I have tried others before and been disappointed. I will admit that part of the disappointment could because I could not afford to try the whole line of products because the prices were just outrageous or because I could not find them. So to receive three of the four was amazing and I couldn't wait to try them. In fact I was so excited to try them that I used the oil serum when I straightened my hair that day, before even trying the shampoo.

I opened the serum and oh my! The smell! It was amazing. You can smell the coconut and other oils. If they had a perfume that smelled like this I would buy it too. I used two squirts of the serum in my hair and straightened it as normal. The picture above is about six hours after using it. My hair was softer and shinier then it had been in a long time. It did not feel so dry and did not look it either. And the best part, well besides the smell (did I mentioned I loved the smell :) ), it did not weight my hair down. It was was light as normal.  Ok, it was not my shampooing night but I just had to try the shampoo and see if it did as the bottle claimed. Soft luscious hair in one use.

So in the shower I went an I opened the shampoo and conditioner. Once again... OH MY! The smell was exactly the same as the serum and to die for. It was like a little oasis. The shampoo is a translucent gold brown color, kind of like honey or amber. The conditioner is a yellow color. The shampoo does not lather a ton, which is good. I have read that an ingredient is added to most shampoos to make the luscious lather and that its not really good for your hair. But I will tell you my hair was clean, and it was not stripped like most leave my hair. The condition was great too. Its a cream formula like most. But unlike most its a little looser of a formula. One thing I hate about conditioner is that you have to use way more than your shampoo and you always run out of the matching shampoo before the conditioner. Not this one. I used the same amount as my shampoo. And the amount I used for each was way less then other brands. I let the conditioner sit for a couple minutes before rinsing. I was pleased to find that my hair still had that silky conditioned feel after rinsing. Now it was time to wait for my hair to dry, that would be the real test.

Once my hair was dried I was so pleased with the products I headed to my local Wal-Mart, I really don't like Wal-Mart but when your pinching pennies you go where things are cheapest. I found the last bottle they had of the leave in Oil Cream. And surprise surprise, no price tag or scanner to be seen anywhere. Did I mentioned I do not like Wal-Mart? I saw that shampoo and conditioner were there, for now, and only $3.97. That is not bad for a brand name products. I was expecting them to be at least $5. I did not see a spot for the serum either. So I suspect when the time comes to get more I will have to try Target. Anyway, I purchased the cream with my coupon. I found at the register that the retail price they had it at was $5.97, again not that bad as a discontinued cream I used in the past and loved retailed at $10 (spoiler, this Oil Cream is way better). After my coupon I paid $3.97 and went on my merry way.

Now the shampoo bottle claims that it is meant for daily use. I mentioned before that I only shampoo my hair once, sometimes less, a week. But I wanted to try out all the claims it was making on the face of the bottle. So the next morning I hoped in the shower and shampooed my stubborn tresses once again..... and was shocked!

Ok, so my hair is still a bit damp in this picture. But does this look like the curls of someone who has shampooed their hair two days in the row? Well, ok it may differ from person to person and hair type to hair type, but for me it does not. Normally, at this point, my hair would be so dried out and frizzy that you would think I brushed my curls dry. Oh, also in this picture I used the Oil Cream right after the shower. Literally a pea size amount went through my entire hair while damp and made it even softer than just with the shampoo and conditioner. Now its time to style.

The serum states that it can be used before shampooing to protected your hair or before styling to control and produce shine. Since I straighten my hair most days I figured it would be best to use prior to straightening. Two squirts in my hand, per side of my head, rubbed in my hand and then spread through my hair. I am quite happy with the end results.

My hair has never felt so soft or been so shiny without looking oily. And yes it looks weighed down but that's just because its thin. So when I straighten out my curls it goes flat. If I had more time I would have used different techniques to add volume.

So my overall assessment of the four products shown above? Well, if you have not guessed I love them. I love them so much, which was totally unexpected, that I will be buying them from now one. I think $3.97 for a bottle of shampoo and condition is actually quite reasonable for the results I have gotten. Even the $4.99 price I found online and at other retailers is reasonable to me. I finally found a price for the serum it too is the $5.97 like the cream. Though I suspect online and at other retailers it may be just slightly more. Being as I loved the results and quality of the products, and the small amount needed each time, I feel that this price too is reasonable. Oh, and yes the cream smells just like the other products and the smell alone justifies the price. It does not fade away immediately like others do, so not only does my hair look great but smells clean too.

Thank you for reading. If you would like more info on Influenster and how you to can get Vox Boxes like this one, please follow my link: www.influenster.com/r/1067325 or click on the Influenster widget.

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Welcome!

 "Everything in life starts with one. ONE step, ONE word, ONE decision, ONE inspiration. What is your one?" ~Me

 

Good day and many Butterfly Kisses to you! Thank you for checking out my blog. I must start off by saying that while I am not new to social media, I am quite new to blogging. I have tried it in the past and just didn't keep up with it. However, it has been something on my mind that I have wanted to explore more.

Expect to find a variety of things on this blog. I have many hobbies and interest and love to share them with other people. I also like to review products. Some of them I receive free and review and others I purchase. If I really love them or really hate them I choose to post about them.

Here is a little about myself. I am a wife and a mom. I love animals and have two fur babies Yona and Oreo. I also have three tanks full of fish, mostly guppies. I love to craft. From cross stitch to quilting to painting. Some of my happiest moments are to sit and craft with my kiddo and nephew. And in a few years I can't wait to share that joy with my brand new neice.

I am a stay at home mom. Not really by choice but I do love to spend what time I can with my kiddo, nephew and neice. And being at home allows me to work from home. I do sell some of my crafts and I am an independent distributor for It Works. Working from home has been both a blessing and a curse, but I would not change it. 

That is the basics of me and what I hope to make this blog about. I do hope to have my next couple of blogs up soon. It is a goal of mine to do at least two to three blogs a week. So check back for more. You can also see more of what I do on my Instagram or Facebook accounts. If you are a fellow crafter and see a project that you would like a tutorial for please drop me a line.

See more at:
www.facebook.com/beccal.hinshaw
www.instagram.com/becca_hinshaw