Free Sample Freak Holiday Gift Guide

Product Review: Beyond the Shaker, Premium Gourmet Salt: I am one lucky woman because my husband is an incredible cook! I never put an extreme amount of thought into spices, seasonings, etc. until I met my husband. Now…figuring out what spices, etc. to use is my favorite part of cooking. Normally I season and hubby cooks. It’s a team effort! We got the chance to try out Beyond the Shaker’s most popular flavors: Windy City Celery, Citrus Basil and Hot Habanero Blend. I was very anxious to try these salts out…I went to the store and bought some steaks and vegetables. We ate SO good! The salts added the perfect flavor! Our steaks were flavorful all the way through and the vegetables were so good my kids ate seconds and then thirds!!! We tried some of the salts on Chicken the next night and it was amazing!!!  I loved the colors that the salts added to our meal! I was actually a little hesitant at first about the Hot Habanero Blend but it was perfect. It gives you the great flavor you’d expect but doesn’t set your mouth on fire, haha. The jars that the salts come in are Italian glass and very attractive to have sitting in your kitchen!

Product Description:

• premium ingredients from organic, sustainable and local suppliers
• all ingredients are natural, no anti-caking agents
• each salt blend was exclusively crafted by a chef at an acclaimed mid-west restaurant after a year of research and development, and rigorous taste tasting
• only use naturally occurring, unrefined sea salts as a base
• all salts are hand blended by our salt chef in small batches to ensure the freshest flavors possible
• packaging is very unique as our jars are imported exclusively by Beyond the Shaker from an Italian glass manufacturer

Price: ONLY $8.99-$13.99

Buy This Product: Beyond the Shaker

(I was provided with this product at no cost to do a review, my thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Product Review: Listerine Whitening plus Restoring Fluoride Rinse: I’m not so sure if you’d give this as a Valentine’s Day Gift, however you might want to get it for yourself before your big Valentine’s Day date! I was anxious to review this product because I recently did a review for a different whitening mouthwash, we’ll call it Product X. Product X did whiten my teeth slowly, however the peroxide taste and “bubbling” that stayed in my mouth afterward was not very pleasant. Listerine Whitening plus Restoring Fluoride Rinse not only whitens your teeth, it restores enamel, strengthens your teeth, kills your “bad breath” and helps prevent tooth decay. It comes in a Cool Mint Flavor that leaves your mouth feeling clean and fresh!!!

Price: $9.69 on Amazon, Varies at stores

Buy This Product: 32 oz bottle, $9.69

(I was provided with this product at no cost to do a review, my thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Product Review: You might remember the Scandle Candle review from my last Holiday Gift Guide. Well, there are two NEW limited edition scents in just in time for Valentine’s Day, Chocolate Dipped Strawberry and Cupid’s Wings! This is such a HOT Valentine’s Day gift that it is out of stock..BUT don’t worry, they will be restocked next week AND you can go ahead and order now to ensure that you’ll get one! I imagine they’ll sell out again pretty quick! Personally, I adored the new scent Chocolate Dipped Strawberry. There is one thing though…it makes you hungry, haha.

Product Description:

Need a reminder about the Scandle Candle? The Scandle Body Massage Candle burns slightly two (2) degrees above normal body heat! It may burn like a candle BUT it’s really body oil/lotion. The soy candles melt down into a fantastic massage oil that is not only relaxing but is great for your skin!!!

Price: $12.95-$21.95

Buy This Product: Travel Tin’s are $12.95, Refillable Ceramic Candles are $21.95

(I was provided with this product at no cost to do a review, my thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Product Review: One thing that I can’t stand about the winter is dry skin! It’s funny because I don’t remember ever having dry skin before, but the past few winters I have noticed it most in my hands. Seed Body Lotion is so soothing on your hands and it really moisturizes my skin! Besides the body lotion, Seed also offers Body Bar Soap and a shampoo and conditioning bar! I love the Body Soap Bar, it is full of refined pomegranate, apricot and strawberry seeds. It smells great and the seeds in it make it great for gently exfoliating! My husband is in love with the Shampoo and Conditioning Bar. I don’t know why…but he has no problem washing his hair with just a bar of soap. I am always telling him he needs to use conditioner! The bar is perfect because it’s quick and it gets the job done. I washed my kids hair with it last night too. It was super easy to wash my sons hair…a little tougher on my daughters. It’s hard to wash long hair with a bar. I did notice how thick her hair felt afterward though. That part I loved because she has such fine hair.

Product Description:

• In our search for the most potent ingredients to enhance your daily body care ritual, we found the answer inside a tiny seed. How ironic. A grape seed is an amazing source of powerful antioxidants! We enhanced our grape seed oil enriched formulas using all natural ingredients – so your body can feel the power of nature. Enrich yourself with Seed now, and be at your natural best for a long time to come.

Price: under $20 each

Buy This Product: SEED, The Power of Nature

(I was provided with this product at no cost to do a review, my thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Product Review: Cylinder Triangle Earrings: Claudia Endler Designs has some amazing jewelry. Each piece has a purely classic look! I got the Cylinder Triangle Earrings and I really enjoy them. I can wear them with a “dressy” outfit and I can wear them with jeans and a cute top! They are modern, yet simple earrings, I love the bright shine they have to them as well. Also, they are so lightweight that it doesn’t even feel like you are wearing earrings!

About Claudia Endler:

• Claudia’s designs have received critical acclaim, including prestigious design awards and nominations, as well as a spot on My Fox L.A.’s Jewelry Designer Hot List and Colored Stone magazine’s Favorite Designer. Her designs occupy the private collections of some of L.A.’s top cultural leaders, including museum curators, architects, gallery directors, artists, and other jewelry designers.

Product Description:

• These textured silver cylinders form a triangle on a chain. Suspended on leaver back earrings. (Allow 7 days production time)

Price: $50.00

Buy This Product: ClaudiaEndler.com

(I was provided with this product at no cost to do a review, my thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Product Review: Fuzzy Picture Frame, Animal Print Hand Mirror: These are great gifts for any teen or tween! You might remember a product review I did a while back with this same company, Artistic Sensations. I reviewed a fuzzy lunchbox and my daughter is still using it! You can imagine the damage a 5 year old can do to a toy/product….the fuzzy lunchbox is still perfectly intact and has yet to shed it’s “fuzziness”.

I got the chance to work with Artistic Sensations again for my Valentine’s Day Gift Guide and I was thrilled. I am usually iffy about buying items like this because you just never know. You don’t know if it’s going to lose it’s gems in a few days, how securely it is made, etc. I will say that I am a believer in Artistic Sensations, I have yet to have a problem with their products!

I’m giving my daughter the Fuzzy Picture Frame and the Hand Mirror to my daughter on Valentine’s Day. She will be so excited! You can really give these to girls of any age…even a daughter whom might be in a college.

Product Description:

• Hand Mirror: Covered in animal-print fur, it’s also available with stones and marabou feather bordering, you won’t be able to put this down!
• Fuzzy Picture Frame: Available in pink & brown jaguar, leopard, lavender fur, pink & white lynx, and pink & black zebra, all with or without stones.

Price: Mirror: starts at $20, Frame: starts at $15

Buy:  This Product: Artistic Sensations

(I was provided with this product at no cost to do a review, my thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Product Review: Love Pendant, This is a simple and elegant necklace. The chain is very dainty, if you choose to wear this as an everyday necklace, I might switch it to a thicker chain. I do really like this necklace, you can wear it with anything. I also really like the circle pendant as it stands for infinity. This could be a great gift for any girl. I think this necklace would be really pretty on my daughter. 

Product Description:

• Sterling silver 18 inch necklace with sterling silver Love Circle
• Handmade in the USA

Price: $48

Buy This Product: Reden Jewelery

(I was provided with this product at no cost to do a review, my thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Product Review: Park 19 Cookies of Saratoga: Let me just share this with you…Hubby and I tried a variety of cookies from Park19..after we ate a few cookies I sat on the couch so fulfilled I almost fell asleep! HaHa, this thought actually ran thru my head ladies…”Who needs a date when you have Park19 Cookies?!” Whether you have a Valentine or not…you should really just get these cookies. In fact, I think that should be their new motto: Who needs a date when you have Park19 Cookies?! My question…How on earth do they make something so darn tasty???

Product Description:

“Three Ways to Say I Love You” Give your sweetie the ultimate sweet treat, a Valentine’s Day sampling from Park 19 Cookies. This selection offers four each of the Valentine’s Day flavors: Chocolate Covered Strawberry, Strawberry Dark Chocolate Chunk, Strawberry White Chocolate Chip (<—my FAVORITE!!!) and comes beautifully packaged in our special red gift box with hearts tissue paper.

Price: Dozen (4 Chocolate Covered Strawberry, 4 Strawberry Dark Chocolate Chunk, 4 Strawberry White Chocolate Chip) $17.99

Buy This Product: Park 19 Cookies

(I was provided with this product at no cost to do a review, my thoughts and opinions are my own.)

*Warning: This post is intended for those 18 & Older*

Product Review: Fork Me, Spoon Me: The Sensual Cookbook. Don’t you just love the name?! This book is filled with different edible aphrodisiacs! From ginger, mango, vanilla, wine, the list goes on and on! The different ingredients and recipes make for an appetizing good time. You can make entire meals, drinks, desserts and more to ensure a “yumm & fun” night with your loved one!

Product Description:

• Created by Master of Gastronomy and leading aphrodisiac foods authority, Amy Reiley, Fork Me, Spoon Me: the sensual cookbook celebrates the power to cook up passion with recipes for your favorite natural aphrodisiac ingredients, including almonds, vanilla, rosemary, mint, chocolate, chile, ginger, mango, peaches, saffron and figs. Get cooking with sensual recipes like Chocolate Smothered Brie, Moist Mango Meatloaf, Honey Almond Home-Cured Snapper and even drink recipes from Ginger Mojitos to a classic White Peach Bellini.

Price: $13.95

Buy This Product: ON SALE for only $11.16 on Amazon

(I was provided with this product at no cost to do a review, my thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Product Review: Ten Thousand Villages: Scrunchy Silk Scarf: It’s an absolutely gorgeous hand made scarf. This is something that you can wear during any season; it is very light and comfortable. Scarves are becoming more and more popular, I bet I have seen more people wearing scarves this year that I have probably ever! Here’s another bonus…you can wear this scarf with just about anything. The colors in it are very easy to match to. It’s actually a bit lighter than what you see pictured above. It’s got three pastel colors woven together included: pink, tan and cream.

About Ten Thousand Villages: Ten Thousand Villages is an exceptional source for unique handmade gifts, jewelry, home decor, art and sculpture. textiles, serve ware and personal accessories representing the diverse cultures of artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. One of the world’s largest fair trade organizations and a founding member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), the company strives to improve the livelihood of tens of thousands of disadvantaged artisans in 38 countries.

Product Description:

Scrunchy, stretchy, silky, fun. Scrunchy silk scarf in pastel shades of pink, tan and cream is a textured pleasure to touch and see.

This scarf is handwoven by weavers at the Phulia scarf workshop. This fair trade workshop employs 50 families of weavers.

• Silk
• Dry clean
• 48Lx56Lx5W inches
• Made in India

Price: $48.00

Buy This Product: Ten Thousand Villages

(I was provided with this product at no cost to do a review, my thoughts and opinions are my own.)