This post is sponsored by Tide at Walmart, but all opinions are my own.

Now this is a campaign I can get behind! Did you know that switching to quick and cold washing machine cycles can help the environment? Tide is making a national effort to encourage people to wash their clothes in quick cycles and use cold water through the #QuickColdPledge! Check out these amazing stats:

• There's an up to 80% reduction in energy use when using the quick & cold vs. normal cycles.
• Quick & cold results in a decrease of up to 40% of greenhouse gas emissions.

And  Tide PODS, shown here in the Spring Meadow scent I picked up for a low price at Walmart, are formulated to work well in cold water. While I was not always a cold water user, now use cold only.

Click here to read more

I have a good friend who never has one lick of dog hair in her house! She is a professional groomer so her English Cocker Spaniels are always styled to the max from head to toe. I am not so lucky. My two cats, Darla and Picklzz, are not big fans of being groomed or just plain brushed! And I’ve tried many different types of brushes but they just won’t sit for it. So I have to make sure I keep a vacuum and broom at the ready. And since we are in the dead of summer, they are still shedding for some reason.

If you own a cat or dog, taking care of them is a major part of life but so is keeping your living area clean and hair-free. So I recruited Darla to help me with this story.

I was sent the new MIELE Classic C1 Cat & Dog Vacuum ($649 @ mielestore.com, amazon.com) to try out because let’s face it, beauty comes in all forms and to me, a clean house is just oh, so, beautiful. OK, Darla, let's go! 

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Who doesn’t love a great candle? I’ve been using the battery-operated flameless ones for about a decade, which are perfect because I’m so paranoid of starting a fire. I do admit though, I really do miss a real flame candle, so when I saw the Instagram page of the new company LUCID, I started following them anticipating their launch.

See, their candles look like a real candle with a real flame but they never physically burn down. They use a high grade liquid paraffin, which you pour inside the hollowed out candle body. So only the liquid burns as well as the real wick. No more cleaning up messy wax!

The first thing I thought of when I heard about this brand is my set of candelabras I received from my maternal grandmother from France when I was born. They are made of bronze and crystal and are a huge pain to get the melted wax out of all the nooks and crannies. There are 6 places for tapered candles to go, so I wish these were available a few decades ago as it would have saved me many hours of cleaning over the years. But it's good to know about these now (they call tapered candles, Dinner Candles), so I'll start saving my pennies now!

In addition to the Tapered size, these also come in come two different pillar sizes - 3x4 and 3x6, assorted colors like white, khaki and gray and a slew of designs as well as animals like the one shown here, which is the 3x4 Pillar Candle in Raven. Prices range from $56 to $110 and the liquid is $13.50/33.8oz @ lucidcandle.com. 

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided for review purposes.

Every year my college roommate Jen and I have our annual Holiday Soiree. It’s always the first Saturday of December and I like to think I’ve got it down to a T now that we done it more than a few time. We have it at my house and since Jen knows way more people that I do, the place always gets packed, which I love.

My job is to make the living room and dining room over the top with a tree and decorations and Jen’s is to plan and execute most of the food. Here are some tips to make the night go easier.

• Have a designated area for the coats that is smoke free and pet free. After a certain age, most people don’t want to smell like they were in a bar all night and just because you live life with cat/dog hair all over your clothes doesn’t mean other want to. They will appreciate this extra effort, believe me.
• If you’re serving wine or champagne, use real glasses, I can’t stress the added delight of actually using real glass or stemware to drink it out of. Yes, some might get broken but that’s why you invest in inexpensive ones that won’t be a big deal if they get broken. I picked up a couple of boxes of 12 for $9.99 each at Ross and I only pull them out for this party. I mean, we’re not in college anymore, capiche?

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I know you come here for my write-ups on beauty but every once in a while I come across something in another category that is just so much better than the rest so I just have to share.

Ok, set the scene, you belly up to the kitchen sink to take care of the evenings dishes and like every night, you grab hold of that gross/stinky/disgusting/ insert your own word here, which is growing mold and teaming with bacteria and proceed to spread those germs all over your dishes, cutlery, glasses, not to mention my hands, eww.

So with my conventional sponge, I tried a few things like microwaving it, which I found on Pinterest. But I’m not too sure what I’m heating up and how safe that is so just I tried changing it out more frequently but then I felt wasteful, especially to the wallet.

Then, while flipping through the channels one day, I came across the DEBBIE MEYER GeniusSponge with Scrubber. The GeniusSponge is made of polyurethane and inhibits the growth of anything and can be cleaned in the dishwasher. And they claim that theirs will last 15 times longer than the traditional cellulose sponge not to mention it can suck up more water. So after I retire one from dish washing, I transfer it over to house cleaning.

And no, I’m not being paid to tout this, I’m just an average female that needed something more than those gross sponges I’ve had to suffer with.

Need more reasons to buy? When using the scrubber on eggs or baked on food, the residue will not stick to the sponge! Now I wasn’t used to that the first few times I used it but now I expect it.

Normally a set of 3 sponges cost an average of $3 so yes, @ $27.95/12 sponges or $2.32 per sponge is significantly more than you’re used to paying but since I get more “life” when I use one of these sponges, I think I’m getting a better value, or at least my nose and dishes are. I’m a convert. Get yours @ hsn.com. 

There are a few things about myself that I just know. One is that when I take a trip, I never take enough clothes; I’m an underpacker (that’s a subject for another post). Another thing I know is that if I’m in the car driving and I hear the ding of a new text or a call coming in, it takes everything I have not to sneak a peek. And I know that’s bad. We’ve all heard, “don’t text and drive,” and for the most part people probably don’t but now it seems that we have moved onto the next stage which is just looking at the phone. Like a new message or a Facebook feed. This is called distracted driving. And I know just plain looking at the phone like this is going to get me in trouble one of these days.

I know that the different car insurance companies and other sites have done a lot of studies on this topic here, here, and here and there’s even a website dedicated to it here. I even saw one insurance company asking people to put a red piece of tape around their thumb to show their commitment! Really?? Umm, just no to that.

Clearly no one has the answer so I started doing something I do when I buy McDonald’s French Fries. I know I can’t stop my hands from stuffing a few fries in my mouth here and there on the drive home, so a few years ago I started putting the whole bag of food in my truck so I wouldn’t be tempted. So with this action in mind, I recently started putting my whole purse, including the phone, in the trunk so I wouldn’t be tempted.

And since it’s in the trunk I don’t even hear the phone go “ding” anyway!

So I thought I would see if I can get a few of readers to keep from being distracted when behind the wheel and partake in a #TrunkMyPurse campaign. As in, before you get in the car, put the purse in the trunk, and then be on your way.

And as an incentive, I’m attaching a contest to it! There will be 3 winners – 1 big winner and 2 runner-ups. And believe me, the prizes will be pretty amazing! I’m cleaning out the beauty closet to make way for all the spring and summer releases and all the new, unused, mostly (about 95%) full sized products must go!

Here are just some of the brands I'm giving away - 

Dove, St. Ives, Make Up For Ever, Zuca, Nyx, Pelo-Hair, Happy Hands, CoverGirl, Cailyn Cosmetics, Stila, Benefit Cosmetics, Maybelline, Mary Kay, Sephora, We See Beauty, Emani, Wet n Wild, Aroma Crystal, Estee Lauder, Votre Vu, Gleam by Melanie Mills, Beauty Addicts, Zuca, Spornette, Shiseido, KISS, Pixi Beauty, Bare Escentuals, Reese Roberts Beauty, Beauty 360, Urban Decay, Tarte, Flickable, Truth Vitality, Crown Brush, The Body Shop, Teadora, Redken, Physicians Formula, Tazeka, Shiseido, Nivea

~Just enter below and good luck~ and don't forget to remind yourself to #TruckMyPurse before you get behind the wheel!

Now that's we've passed Daylight Savings Time and are on our way to Spring, I just pulled out my blender. I try to curb the comfort food when the temps go up and drink at least one green shake every day. And the best part is trying out different greens like all the varieties of kale available as well as the supplements I can add to the shake. One ingredient I was recently introduced to for my shakes is cannabinoids or CBD. It’s derived from hemp and contains major vitamins and nutrients like Omegas 3, 6 and 9 found in fish in a bottle.

Studies have shown that CBD promotes increased cognitive functioning so why not give it a shot?!

The one I’ve been using in my shakes is CW Botanicals Hemp Extract in Mint Chocolate Chip and it smells just like the famous Thin Mint cookies!

Here is the recipe I’ve been mixing up with it:

Green Minty Goodness

• 2 Ice cubes
• 1 cup fresh greens
• 1.5 cup banana
• ¼ cup nuts (using Chia Seeds in this one)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp Charlotte’s Web Hemp Extract

And I love the CW Botanicals grows and manufactures their hemp/CBD product all under one helmet. I think it's important to know where the products you use are coming from, right?

Pick up a bottle on their site and they now ship to all 50 states. Check out more about all their hemp-rich products here on their website @ cwbotanicals.com, follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Most people don't know that in 2003 the US Government patented Cannabinoids as Neuro-Protectants and Anti-Oxidents.  This is evidence of the potential power in the use of products derived from the Cannabis plant, such as CBD-Rich Hemp.

CW Botanicals is the only hemp oil derived exclusively from the proprietary CBD-Rich Charlotte's Web™ hemp. CW Botanicals is the exclusive provider of premium Charlotte’s Web™ products made from our proprietary hemp genetics, grown internationally as well as in Colorado. Our products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of CW Botanicals. The opinions and text are all mine.

When it comes to cold temperatures on the east coast, I grew up worshipping the humidifier. As soon as the first frost hit, it came out of the closet and was set up in my bedroom. And to this day I still adore it. And how could I not? It keeps my breathing passages from drying out in the moisture-depleted air and I really think it helps the skin maintain during the months too.

So when I was contacted to see if I wanted to try out the VENTA Air Washer, I jumped at the chance. Not only does it add the right level of moisture to the air you’re breathing but it also cleans the air of allergens, pollution and even germs.

Click here to read more

Still stumped on what to gift your bestie? Or yourself? Here are some more suggestions.

VOTIVO Boxed Glass Soy Wax Candle in Red Currant ($28/6.8oz=60 hr burn time @ dermstore.com) – I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love this Red Currant scent. And a quality candle is always a great gift to yourself or someone else.

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RITUALS Foaming Shower Oil in Organic Rice Milk & Cherry Blossom from the Sakura Spring Collection ($15/6.7oz @ rituals.com and barneys.com) – cherry has always been one of my top favorite scents and this one contains real cherry flower extract. And this cleansing body oil won’t dry the skin out like a regular soap can.

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER Classique Summer Edition EDT ($71/3.3oz @ macys.com) – JPG puts out one of my favorite scents found on a man so I was giddy when this one landed in my mail box. With pungent notes of rose, orange blossom, jasmine and woody lily of the valley, this is sure to become a scent-staple this season. 

COAL AND CANARY Super Powers and Fresh Cut Flowers Candle ($25 @ coalandcanary.com) – ok, picture a huge bouquet of fresh cut flowers … got it? That is exactly what this candle smells like!

L’OCCITANE Peony Perfecting Mist ($24/3.3oz @ loccitane.com) – I’m getting my summer face mists together this month for the upcoming heat and this one is for sure being included. Instead of just using a plain water, why not use one that not only hydrates but smells wonderfully of peonies from the real extract inside?

Disclosure: Samples of these items were provided for review purposes.

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