Neutrogena Moisture Smooth Color Stick in Pink Grapefruit review

I am a big fan of Neutrogena products so I was extremely happy when I received a Moisture Smooth Color Stick in Pink Grapefruit in my latest Walmart Beauty Box.  You can see my unboxing post here. I tried it out over the weekend and I was really impressed. It went on smooth and felt lick a really nice lip balm.  The color was a pretty pink and looked really good.  I look forward to seeing how it looks with different color lip liners. This lipstick will most certainly be in heavy rotation.   Below is a swatch.  

Walgreens Haul

Winter & Spring 2016 Walmart Beauty Box Unboxing

The Walmart Beauty Box rarely disappoints; and the winter  2016 box is no exception. Included are a variety of samples that i'm looking forward to. First we have the L'Oreal Paris Advanced Haircare Total Repair 5 Restoring Shampoo and the L'Oreal Paris Advanced Haircare Total Repair 5 Restoring Conditioner .  I've never tried this brand before but I have a few trips coming up so I will give this a try.  Next is the  Ken Paves You Are Beautiful Smoothing Conditioner, Ken Paves You Are Beautiful Smoothing Shampoo and the Ken Paves You Are Beautiful Thick Conditioning Mask. Again another brand I haven't tried before but i'm really excited about the mask.  My hair needs some TLC. Probably the product i'm most excited to try is the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Boosters Facial Cleanser with white tea and vitamin E. I love every Neutrogena product that I have tried especially the face cleansers.  I have high hopes for this new face wash.  On first impressions the scent is amazing.  Also included is the Aussie Mega Hairspray.  This is perfect timing for me since I just finished my hairspray on my last trip.  This is definitely going with me on my upcoming travels. The final sample included in the Winter 2016 box is the NIVEA Soft Moisturizing Creme.  I have bought this creme twice already and I love.  The scent is so delicate and nice.  The texture is soft and deeply moisturizing. This sample will be gone real quick.  Overall i'm really excited about this box and will let you know what I think.  

First things first will you look at this box.  It is so pretty and so was the products inside.  I was so happy when I open this box and saw all of the great items inside.  First up is Colgate's Optic White Platinum Express White Fresh Mint Toothpaste. This is my favorite toothpaste and it really whitens your teeth and leaves your breath feeling fresh. Also inside was Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer with Nourishing Monoi Oil. The idea of using lotion in the shower makes me nervous; I envision putting it on and than proceeding to slip and break my neck.  Death by lotion will be written on my tombstone. I'll still give it a try but if you see no more blog posts from me you'll know what happened. Next up is the Banana Boat SunComfort SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion. With summer coming this will come in handy for all of the trips to the beach.  I'm always searching for great facial cleansers and one of the b est ones I've ever tried is Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. This will definitely be getting used up. I'm really looking forward to trying out the RoC Multi Correxion 5 in 1 Chest, Neck, & Face Cream. I will probably pass the Curel Rough Skin Rescue Lotion since she has really dry skin.  Dove makes really great body was but I have never tried the Dove Dry Oil Moisture Body Wash.  It doesn't really have a scent but sometimes that is good.  I don't like when the scent of my soap interferes with the perfume i'm wearing.   The product I am most excited about in the spring 2016 box is the Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick in the color Pink Grapefruit.  I am a lipstick junkie and this color is beautiful.  **Does Happy Dance**

Movie Review: Criminal

I was lucky enough to score some free passes to screen to the new Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Costner movie Criminal. Let me give you a quick plot synopsis.  Kevin Costner plays a crazy convict who has a deceased CIA agents, played by Ryan Reynolds, memories implanted into his brain so that the CIA can get all of the information the agent had regarding a terrorist. I really enjoyed this movie.  I love movies with lots of action and this one definitely delivered.  I also love smart movies.  Basically a movie that makes me think always makes me love it more and criminal definitely made me think about whether or not this could actually happen.  This movie is in theaters April and I highly recommend that you go see it.

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Book review: First Love by James Patterson

Axi Moore is a "good girl": She studies hard, stays out of the spotlight, and doesn't tell anyone how all she really wants is to run away from it all. The only person she can tell is her best friend, Robinson--who she also happens to be madly in love with. 

When Axi spontaneously invites Robinson to come with her on an impulsive cross-country road trip, she breaks the rules for the first time in her life. But the adventure quickly turns from carefree to out of control after the teens find themselves on the run from the police. And when Robinson suddenly collapses, Axi has to face the truth that this trip might be his last. (Goodreads synopsis) 

Definitely not your typical Patterson book but worth the read. James Patterson dives into the teen fiction arena and scores a win.  The story of Axi and Robinson is a story of romance that is both beautiful and heartbreaking.  Much like real life.  

I enjoyed and was very envious of Axi and Robinson's road trip.  I wish I ad the guts to just jump in the car and see the country.  All though I don't think i'd steal any cars.  

I gave this book four out of five stars. 

Book Review: 11 22 63 by Stephen King

Dallas, 11/22/63: Three shots ring out.
President John F. Kennedy is dead.

Life can turn on a dime—or stumble into the extraordinary, as it does for Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in a Maine town. While grading essays by his GED students, Jake reads a gruesome, enthralling piece penned by janitor Harry Dunning: fifty years ago, Harry somehow survived his father’s sledgehammer slaughter of his entire family. Jake is blown away . . . but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. How? By stepping through a portal in the diner’s storeroom, and into the era of Ike and Elvis, of big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke. . . . Finding himself in warmhearted Jodie, Texas, Jake begins a new life. But all turns in the road lead to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald. The course of history is about to be rewritten . . . and become heart-stoppingly suspenseful. (Goodreads Synopsis)

I am an avid reader of books about JFK and I love time travel fiction.  So obviously this book was one I wanted to read desperately.  I must admit the size of the book scared me. As a result, it took me awhile to get around to reading it.  But I am so glad I finally read it.

 King gives you a great glimpse into the late 1950's and 1960's. I love his details about life during the era,especially his description of how the food tasted and how the towns people interacted with the main character and each other.  The part about the bathrooms in North Carolina was especially good but didn't seem to fit with any other part of the book. The story line about high school in the south during the early 1960's is so good it could have been a book all by his itself.  

I'm sure there are a few inaccuracies but I don't care it was a work of fiction and a great story. I love all of the historical information.  The Kennedy part of the story started slow but that was due to the fact that he had years to wait.  Boy did it pick up in the end though.

I must say I have mixed feelings on the end of the book.  The ending seemed a little dark, scary and extreme.  I will say this I do like that King didn't go with the obvious.  He easily could have played it safe and given us the obvious results of everything being wonderful and perfect.  But he didn't do that.  He made us think and really contemplate what might have been.

I loved this book.  This book is definitely going on my favorites list.  A five star read and highly recommended.