29 May 2010

Dunkin' Turbo

[I don't drink coffee, so I had some guests of mine try this sample for me.]

Rating:  7 (6+8)

Taster #1:  It's pretty good...a darker roast than the usual Dunkin' Donuts coffee.
Taster #2:  Good tasting and smooth...a stronger roast than most coffee but not too strong.

28 May 2010

Maxwell House Vanilla Caramel Latte

Rating:  1

I was very disappointed to not like this sample, but it fell extremely short of my expectations.  I made the Vanilla Caramel Latte using a little bit less than 8 oz. of warm milk, as directed on the package.  After making the drink, I found the milk to be very overwhelming compared to the proposed flavor of the mix.  I was completely unable to taste the vanilla, and the "caramel" flavor came across as very sweet but unidentifiable as caramel.  I'm not sure if adding less milk would have done anything to alleviate the problem, as the drink was too sweet even as the vanilla flavor disappeared.

I am not the world's biggest coffee drinker, but I normally don't mind drinking it so long as there is another flavor involved- my personal preference for that being vanilla.  Because of this, I was terribly disappointed with Maxwell House Vanilla Caramel Latte.

Sunsilk Hydra TLC line

Rating:  3

I've used the Hydra TLC 24/7 Creme in the past, but this was my first experience using the shampoo or the conditioner.

I have to say, I was less than impressed.  The shampoo lathered up nicely, but that is just about the only good thing I have to say.  The conditioner was very greasy and I had an impossible time trying to rinse it out of my hair.  Even though I spent longer than normal trying to rinse out the conditioner, my hair felt greasy and worse after my shower than before.

I used the 24/7 Creme on its own this time (normally, I use it in addition to mousse and hairspray).  Without the hairspray to harden my hair, I found the gel to be oily, and it formed an uncomfortable residue on my head.  I was forced to pull my hair back into a ponytail because the 24/7 Creme managed to turn my wavy hair into unattractive clumps.  Even brushing out my hair did nothing to alleviate the problem.

I would recommend the 24/7 Creme for use with other hair styling products, but I would steer away from the Hydra TLC Shampoo and Conditioner.

25 May 2010

John Frieda Root Awakening line

Rating:  7

For the past 2 years, I have used almost exclusively Herbal Essences shampoos and conditioners, but I am always open to trying new brands.  When I saw that John Frieda samples were available, I jumped at the opportunity since I have sampled John Frieda products in the past and loved what they did for my hair.

Because my hair is naturally very thick and bushy, I was apprehensive about trying Root Awakening, thinking that it would add too much volume to my hair.  Although it did add some volume to my hair, it was controlled and actually gave my normally frizzy hair some nice dimension.  In addition, I don't normally add product to my hair unless I want to leave it down.  However, with John Frieda Root Awakening, I felt comfortable brushing my hair out after I put in the lotion, and my ponytail stayed set and controlled all day!

I was not a fan of the shampoo and conditioner scent, which reminded me of a combination of mint and menthol.  Though I normally use scented shampoos, the mint was too strong and seemed to act only as a scent; it did nothing to refresh my scalp.  Unfortunately, this was a big negative for me, and would be the deciding factor in my choice to purchase the line in the future.  The lotion was not scented (or at least, not as strongly so that I did not notice).  Since that probably did more for my hair than the shampoo or conditioner, I feel safe saying that you can achieve a high level of control and volume using your normal shampoo and conditioner and finishing with a product from John Frieda Root Awakening.

23 May 2010

Eucerin Daily Skin Balance Skin-Fortifying Body Lotion

Rating:  9


This lotion has overcome many downfalls of other body lotions.  It isn't oily or greasy when you put it on.  Instead, it moisturizes your skin and quickly relieves any itchiness caused by dryness.  Its light fragrance adds another dimension of freshness, but is not very overpowering.


As someone who rarely uses body lotions, I was pleased with Eucerin Daily Skin Balance Skin-Fortifying Body Lotion. My main problem with body lotions in general has been their oiliness when applying them to my skin. I dislike feeling clean and refreshed immediately after getting out of the shower and then feeling greasy again after putting on lotion. The Eucerin lotion dried quickly and left me feeling even more refreshed because of its appealing scent.


In addition, a little bit goes a long way. I was able to use one small sample-sized pouch to adequately apply lotion to both of my legs.


A personal preference of mine is unscented lotion, so that I can use a body mist (or something similar) as a fragrance instead. Other than that, I loved how Eucerin Daily Skin Balance Skin-Fortifying Body Lotion made my skin feel!

20 May 2010

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Extreme Cheese Explosion

Rating:  5

In terms of macaroni and cheese, this is not at the top of my list.  The cheese sauce was flavorful, but it was too intense and made the dish difficult to eat.  Even with the addition of extra milk and butter, the cheese flavor was very overpowering.  After letting the dish cool for a while (so that it was nearly at room temperature), the cheese flavor became milder, but of course most people want to eat macaroni and cheese when it's hot.  Be prepared to be overwhelmed by a very sharp cheese flavor if you eat this macaroni and cheese.

The pasta was neither the traditional elbow nor shell shape.  Instead, it used radiatore pasta, which held onto the cheese sauce better than the traditional shapes would.  I did not mind the pasta shape itself- in fact, I appreciated the novelty of it- but since I was not a fan of the cheese sauce, the extra sauce that stayed with the noodle was not appetizing to me.

19 May 2010

Wheat Thins Sun Dried Tomato and Basil

Rating:  8

As someone who's not normally a fan of Wheat Thins, these really hit the mark.

The basil taste was hard to distinguish from the tomato, but the overall flavor was reminiscent of pizza- yum!  The crackers had a nice crisp to them, and every cracker in the package was covered in seasoning.  They were by no means lacking in taste.  A handful of these crackers would be a filling mid-morning snack or a great alternative to chips at your next get-together.  The one problem that I did have was that the flavor tends to get overpowering if you eat too many in a row- so make sure you have a drink handy to refresh your mouth.

17 May 2010

Philly Cheesesteak Pretzel

Rating:  7

The Philly Cheesesteak pretzel is exactly what it sounds like- fresh pretzel dough filled with cheesesteak.  Unlike a pretzel dog, where the meat sticks out the end of the pretzel, the Cheesesteak Pretzel is completely enclosed, making it a lot less messy to eat than a regular cheesesteak.

The pretzel dough was fresh and had a nice crispy outside while the inside remained soft.  However, I was looking for it to be saltier, more like an actual pretzel.  Instead, they have designed it to be a secondary player to the cheesesteak and just act as a carrier.

The cheesesteak itself was very moist and flavorful.  It had a slightly peppery flavor, which was a nice touch.  There could have been more cheese inside to make it like a real cheesesteak, but flavor-wise, the cheese was not missed.  I put ketchup on mine, and that definitely complimented the overall flavor.

The Philly Cheesesteak Pretzel is the perfect size for a filling snack; however, it is not suitable to be a full meal like a cheesesteak would be.

On Monday, May 24, you can try a Philly Cheesesteak Pretzel for free at any Philly Pretzel Factory location.

14 May 2010

Just getting started...

I'm a fan of free samples (I mean seriously- who doesn't like free things?) and so I've decided to start a blog where I will post reviews of anything free that I get.  Whether it's books, hair products, food, or anything else, I will review it here!  Hopefully this will become a useful venue to find out information about products I've tried so you can try them for yourself!  I will try and post about twice per week, depending on how many things I get in the mail.