Product Reviews - Pocketful of Joules

5 Favs Friday: Winter Weather Helpers

Did you know that more people click through to read posts that have a number in their titles? I read that somewhere, so I decided to try it for myself.

Actually, I don’t even know if that’s true or if I made it up in my head one day and decided that it sounded like a real fact. Or maybe I just read that little tidbit in about 8,903 blog posts about how to get more people to come visit your blog. Which is kind of DUMB because they manipulated me into coming to THEIR blog by posting about how to catch my own people…

Anyways, back to the point.
Winter sucks.

Everyone is complaining about how incredibly cold it is this winter and every part of me feels the wrath of the cold. Dry skin, hair full of static, a heating bill that makes me piddle my pants a little… all things that cause me to click over to cruise websites and stare at them with longing.

You’re having winter hate fantasies too, right?

So I figured I’d share the 5 things that are helping my body survive the winter:

Please note: While this blog post is not sponsored by anyone and is truly just a list of my absolute favorite products, there are Amazon Affiliate links in this post. So if you decided to click through to Amazon to purchase any item I’ve linked, I will make a tiny commission on that sale. Commission money goes towards running this site and keeping my marshmallow cabinet stocked. However, THAT is not why I am writing this post. Just wanted to make sure we are clear!

#1. Lip Saver eos Sweet Mint Organic Lip Balm Sphere: $5 – 6
I have a confession to make… I’ve been a Chapstick girl for probably 30 years. THIRTY years of blind devotion to Chapstick. And not just ANY Chapstick… I only liked the medicated menthol version that made my lips a little tingly like I just kissed my husband for the first time. Although I’ve certainly bought lots of other kinds of lip balm, gloss, goop and sticks, I would ALWAYS have a tube of good ol’ Chapstick on me. ALWAYS. So imagine my surprised when I purchased an EOS lip balm on a whim and it suddenly became my go-to lip slicker. I started with the sweet mint and branched out to the Honeysuckle Honeydew when I got one for Christmas. They are creamy and tasty and keep my winter ravaged lips nice and kissable all day long. LOVE them!

#2. Skin Saver Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula with Vitamin E, 13.5 fl oz (400 ml): $5.19
I’ve talked about my love for this lotion before and even though I literally have a bin of various lotions living in my linen closet, this one is the best. The BEST! I get super dry skin in the winter (and just normally dry skin the rest of the year) and this is the ONLY lotion that can bring me back from looking like The Thing in just one application. Oh yeah, and it smells so good that my dog immediately comes over to lick my leg when I’m smoothing it on. Which I guess could be an added benefit if you like dog slobber.

#3. Hand Saver O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Cream, 3.4 oz.:$6.99
This is a recent purchase that I made earlier this year and it has CHANGED MY LIFE. I somehow don’t have the gene that reminds me to put gloves on when going outside, so within a minute or two of winter beginning my hands get super dry. THAT quick. My knuckles get red and sore, and a papercut seems to last for 4 weeks. While at Joann’s one day I saw this little green tub and picked it up on a whim, thinking it would be good for my husband to try (his hands are 17 times worse than mine). I used it that night and it was like Hermione fixed them up with her wand… they were smooth like a baby’s bottom. And I have a baby, so I know how smooth those booty’s really are. Ever since, I’ve been recommending this hand cream to everyone I know. I thought it was kind of expensive when I bought it, but the Amazon price is much cheaper!

#4. Hair Saver Pantene Pro-V Expert Collection Advanced Keratin Repair Conditioner 8.4 Fl Oz:$7.97
My hair is long, it has been dyed more times that I can even count and I don’t get the chance to get it cut very often. However, every time I do stop by for a shearing my stylist is amazed at how healthy it is. I pretend that I use those $30 conditioners that they sell at the salon, but in reality I’ve been using this one from Pantene for YEARS. I slather it on my hair while in the shower and let it sit for a couple minutes and it does WONDERS for making my hair healthy, soft and shiny. I usually buy mine at Target or the grocery store.

#5. Face Saver Origins A Perfect World SPF25: $41.00
Yes, $41 is a lot to pay for face moisturizer when you can pick some up at Target for less than $10. However, I truly believe when it comes to face lotion that you get what you pay for. This is touted as being an “age-defense moisturizer with White Tea” and has a built-in SPF 25. I’ve been using this for years and swear that some fine lines that I was growing are GONE. Also, this is one of those products where a little truly does go a long way and one jar will last me about a year with a daily application. The best part is, with other face lotions I’d have to put something heavier on some parts of my face that tend to get dry and flaky in the winter, but with this lotion I can use it year-round and it’s PERFECT. So yeah, obliterating fine lines + SPF + keeping my face soft = totally worth the price for me.

There you go, my top 5 fav’s for winter. Are any of these items on your favorites list? Do you have something not listed that you think I should check out? Tell me in the comments!

Disclosure: Pocketful of Joules is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Challenging Myself with a DietBet

Okay guys, I’ve decided to put my money where my mouth is and try out this DietBet thing that I’ve been hearing so much about.

Oh, you haven’t been hearing about it?

In a nutshell, DietBet is an online game where you bet money that you will lose a certain amount of weight within a certain amount of time. There is DietBet 4 (losing 4% in 4 weeks) and DietBet 10 (losing 10% in 6 months), with lots of different Bets to choose from.

When the Bet starts, you submit pictures with code words to prove your starting weight. Then, after the designated amount of time, you submit more pictures with code words for your ending weight (the pictures are confidential). All the winners who reach their goals get to split the total amount of money that was in the pot.

There is also a social media aspect to the Bet, with a chance to interact with other people in your game. It looks like people share diet plans, fitness plans and also encourage each other. So that sounds kind of nice!

I decided to do DietBet 4 with celebrity trainers Heidi & Chris Powell. When I signed up earlier today, there were 609 players with over $18,000 in the pot. The game starts in 7 days, with my first weigh-in scheduled for 1/26 – 1/27 and my final weigh-in on either 2/25 or 2/26.

You may be wondering WHY I decided to do a DietBet when I JUST said that one of my goals for 2014 wasn’t to lose a certain amount of weight, but to make a workout habit. Well, STARTING the workout habit is really hard. Here it is January 20^th and I haven’t REALLY even began my new habit. Also, weight just kind of keeps creeping on… Luckily I didn’t really gain anything over the holidays, but I certainly didn’t lose anything either.

So I figured why not try this to give myself a kick in the pants into the New Year?

By giving myself a set time period and an actual exact goal, I’m hoping that it will keep me on track. While I won’t be disclosing my exact weight for the Bet, I will say that my goal of losing 4% means I need to lose between 6 – 8 pounds. Since I’ve heard that 2 pounds a week is a “normal” dieting goal, I’ve decided to stick with that.

If you’re as intrigued by the DietBet as I am, you can join the game that I’m trying out. In fact, I welcome anyone on this Bet to link up with me as friends so that we can cheer each other on! I put my profile under Pocketful of Joules so that I’d be easy to find.

I’ll probably post an update or two about how the DietBet is going over the next few weeks and I will definitely post a wrap up when it’s all over with! Is there anything else you’d like to know about how the Bet works that I should look into?

Have you done a DietBet before? If so, did you win or lose money? Are you going to join in on the Bet so we can cheer each other on?

Reviewing the Wantable Intimates Box

Can you believe it is the end of our Fashion week already? After getting some awesome deals at Twice and then using some…um, DESCRIPTIVE words for this month’s Stitch Fix order, I’m happy to move on to something a little more intimate.

And by intimate, I mean intimates.

Don’t be a perv. I won’t be posting pictures of me trying on lingerie. Not gonna happen. So if that is why you stopped by, mosey along Mr. or Ms. Perv Pervy Pants.

What I AM going to do is show you what I got in this month’s Wantable Intimates box!

Wantable actually has three different subscription boxes you can choose from: Makeup, Accessories or Intimates. I would actually love any of their boxes, but I decided to try out the intimates box because I’m currently lacking in the “camis + panties + socks + more” side of things.

Instead of just sending everyone a random assortment of stuff, there is a fun quiz that gauges your preferences in each of their categories of clothing and color preferences. I indicated on my preferences that I love: loungewear, tanks, tights/leggings, socks, “fun and flirty” looks, “pretty and polished” looks and neutrals. I liked: accessories, pantis, camis, shapewear, soft bras and brights. I would have actually disliked soft bras, but that wasn’t an option. My only dislike was hosiery, because I NEVER wear hosiery. EVER.

I was really, really hoping for a tank top that I could use for layering. I’m actually still using tank tops I bought from Target’s maternity line when I was pregnant with Jack. Um…I’m going to guess that goes under NOT sexy. I was also hoping for a pair or two of socks, because for some reason I’m at that point where all of my socks (except my running socks) feel super tight and uncomfortable at the same time. Weird.

The cost of the Wantable Intimates box is $36 if you subscribe (monthly boxes, you can cancel at any time) or $40 for a one time box. Each box will include 4 – 5 premium essentials that are handpicked to “perfectly match your preferences.”

So, I filled out the forms and within a few days a box arrived at my door.

You’ve got to love the “Hello, Knockout” note, right?! Here’s what I got:

First up, a soft bra. Hmm… I actually HATE soft bras and only used them when I was pregnant and couldn’t stand to be flopping around all over the place. I tried this one on and YUP, hate it.

Black panties… okay, these are right up my alley. I mean, a girl has to step it up from cotton panties every so often, right? And these are cute and have a fun little heart charm too. Let’s call these a win!

Ok, I really want to be that girl who wears something like this to sleep in and then wakes up looking beautifully tousled like Gisele to make my family homemade pancakes on a weekday. I’m not that girl. I’m a flannel pajama pants and t-shirt kind of girl who wakes up looking like a hot-mess with bangs all over the darn place. This slip is really pretty and even pretty comfortable, but it’s not quite sexy enough to be enticing to wear. Also, it really clings to my tummy… and frankly self-conscious isn’t sexy. This will probably live in the bottom of my drawer until I decide to try and wear it on a hot summer night. Then, I might wear it for an hour or two before I twist out of it and throw it across the room while I’m dead asleep.

I’m in love. You already know that I’m a HUGE fan of fleece-lined tights. Well, these are the QUEENS of fleece-lined tights. The waist-band is nice and thick, which means it lays flat on your tummy without rolling or bunching. Also, there are NO SEAMS! My fleece-lined tights from Target have two seams up my backside and one up my middle that always cut into my skin. If I’m hard at work and staring at the computer for a while, when I stand up my butt will actually HURT from the seams being pressed into me for so long. Having NO seams is a WONDER! These are soft, thick, totally opaque… they are quite simply fleecy goodness. LOVE THEM!

All in all, I really liked the Wantable Intimates box experience and I’d love to receive one from my husband for Valentine’s Day. Or our anniversary. Or the week before we go on a vacation. Actually, this would be the perfect thing to be surprised with any time.

Now that I think about it, this would also be an awesome gift for a bride-to-be! Not for the wedding, but for one of the pre-wedding showers. You can give her a pretty card with a gift certificate in there and she can set it up so that she gets exactly her style and size of gifts. Love it!

Something really cool about the Wantable box is that if you don’t like anything in your box you can return it and get your money back. They will even send you a shipping label! I don’t know of ANY other subscription box that lets you do that. Or, if you’re like me and you like a couple items but don’t really like the other two items, they do partial returns.

Here’s their partial return policy: If a customer is looking for a partial return, refunds are assessed based on the individual MSRPs of the items and the total amount you paid for the box, $40. If the total value of the items you choose to keep exceeds $40.00, your partial return will not be approved for refund. If the total retail value of the items you choose to keep is less than $40.00, you will receive the difference back.

I think that this is kind of genius. The fear for many subscription boxes is that you want to be surprised with something awesome for your $40… but then when you don’t like it as much as you thought, you’re just kind of bitter that you wasted the money. Well, here you get the surprise AND a chance to make it right if it doesn’t fully please you. Wantable is SO awesome that they’re actually going to exchange the two pieces that I wasn’t that crazy about. So cross your fingers that I get an cool tank top and/or a pair of snazzy socks!

What do you think, would you love a Wantable Intimates box from your sweetie? Or would you just want to order one for yourself so you get exactly what you want? Do you agree that this will be an awesome bridal shower gift?

Disclaimer: Wantable provided me with my own Wantable Intimates box to review for no cost to me. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own. If you choose to purchase a box using my special referral link, I will receive a small referral bonus toward future Wantable purchases. Thank you to anyone who uses my special link and supports my shopping addiction.