Frugal Midwest

Do you have a nail color/polish addiction? Are you on the lookout for new colors?
Do you want to buy yourself an intro Julep Maven box for $0.01? Read on, and I will tell you how.

I was given a complimentary Julep Bombshell Maven box to review. 

The Julep Bombshell Maven box was packaged beautifully! The time and effort put into the gorgeous presentation makes this perfect to give as a gift, either to others or yourself! Here is how mine was packaged:



My Julep Bombshell Maven box came with:

• Julep Natasha Nail Color - a bright, vibrant, and creamy orange 
• Julep Oscar Nail Color - an ultra sparkly, multi-dimensional gold glitter, with hints of silver glitter too 
• Julep Pedi Creme - to exfoliate, hydrate, and nourish your feet 
• Toe Separators - two, bright pink & white, spongy separators

Julep Nail Color is toxin-free! They have a large variety of fashionable and trendy nail colors to choose from. I'm keeping my eye on Chelsea Bombshell for a future purchase.

My friend and I set out to try Julep Maven Nail Color. We came up with some neat designs too. Take a look; what do you think?

This first photo is my initial design with only one coat of the shimmery Oscar color on top of two coats of Natasha color:


This second photo is my friends (left hand in the picture) and my design (right hand in the picture). This time I had two coats of Oscar on top of two coats of Natasha, sealed with a top coat of clear.


I loved the designs we created!

Tips for coloring your nails with Julep Maven:

• Use a base coat! The Natasha color is so vibrant that if you choose not to do a base coat it may leave your nails with a very slight orange tint after you remove the polish. A base coat will eliminate this. I don't know if all of the colors will do this. But after researching this, it is recommended that you put a base coat on when painting your nails.
• Seal the tip edges of your nails with Julep Maven and your top coat! This will help ensure the color and designs will stay on longer.
• Let those designs and colors dry in between coats. Julep Maven suggests you wait 3 to 5 minutes between coats. A neat trick idea from me: after a minute, run them under some cold water. To me, it seems to help speed up the drying process.
• Have fun, be creative, and enjoy yourself with Julep Maven nail colors!

Do you want to try a Julep Maven box for only pay a penny? You can! They have been kind to offer all of Frugal Midwest's readers one box for a penny!

Buy Julep Maven box for $0.01
Go to their website: Julep Maven
Enter promo code: MAVENINTRO

Do you want to WIN a Julep Maven Intro Box (similar to the one I reviewed)? They have been kind enough to offer this opportunity to one of my readers. How cool is that?
Follow the Rafflecopter instructions to enter today!

Giveaway for US or Canada readers only.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure: I was sent a Julep Maven Intro Box to review and share my findings with my readers; there was no monetary compensation for this review. Opinions and pictures are mine; yours may vary.

Check out what the Fed Ex man just delivered!


Ecover Pomegranate Dish Washing Liquid, Ecover Bathroom Cleaner, and a nicely designed Ecover re-usable bag! These are natural, plant-based cleaning products that I am excited to test out and report my findings to you all! I'm totally pumped up to use these.

Keep your eyes on the blog for my review!

If you want to find out about Ecover, or purchase it, before you read my review, you can:
Read Ecover's Website
Shop Ecover Online
Find Ecover Locally
Follow Ecover on Twitter
"Like" Ecover on Facebook

Disclosure: I was sent these Ecover products to review and share my findings with my readers; there was no monetary compensation for the review. Pictures in this post are mine.

Do you ever have those days where you crawl out of bed and you turn around longing to crawl right back in? How about when you start a grueling task like mowing the lawn, and you just done feel like finishing?

This morning I did! I was slugging along mowing the backyard when I sat down to rest. Foolish mistake! What was I thinking?!? I was tired and came into the house, glanced at my inviting bedroom, and wanted to crawl back into bed. But wait! I can't! I have a to-do list a mile long today!

Think! Quickly! What do I do?

I grabbed a 5-Hour Energy Shot which is Berry flavored that Smiley 360 had sent me to try. Bottoms up! I chugged it down. A short while later I was ready and finished mowing the lawn; I even did a load of laundry!



5-Hour Energy is Sugar Free, contains only 4 calories, offers hours of energy, and doesn't give you the after crash like other energy products.

I haven't felt 'speedy' or jittery. I do feel like my eyelids are open, that I am awake and ready to take on my to-do list with some more energy.

5-Hour Energy is an acquired taste. I do suggest chugging them instead of sipping or drinking slowly; unless of course you drink energy shots or drinks regularly, in which you may enjoy the flavor.

You can purchase these at convenience store, grocery stores, and large retailers just about everywhere. They are sold individually or multi-packs. The bottles designed colorfully, are easy to open, and transportable; just toss one or two in your purse or bag.

I do recommend to 5-Hour Energy to my readers when you need a last minute 'pick me up'.

5-Hour Energy website: www.5hourenergy.com

Disclosure: Smiley 360 sent me two 5-Hour Energy shots to review and share my findings with my readers; there was no monetary compensation for this review. The bottle picture and opinions are mine; yours may vary. 

Axe, a brand that has been solely for men, recently introduced a new product line for the ladies called Axe Anarchy For Her.

Axe describes Anarchy For Her as:

A feminine mix of sparkling fruity notes (apple & blackberry) with soft florals at the heart and a light finish of sandalwood, amber, and vanilla. The fragrance is delicate and fun, designed to be used throughout the day.

Axe Anarchy for Her is sold in a 4 oz. Aerosol Bodyspray; available at most retailers. The suggested retail price is $4.99.

Today I got to try a new-to-me product, Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser & Polish powder.

What is it?
Bar Keepers Friend is an all-purpose cleanser that works on sinks, tile & grout, ceramic bathtubs, toilets, and much more.

How well does it work?
Earlier today I posted my Friday Chatter about cleaning and organizing my kitchen. Cleaning the kitchen sink was on the list to do. As you can see below, my kitchen sink was dirty and it also had developed a tiny spot of rust (near the bottom of the 'F' in Frugal Midwest in this first picture). I was slightly skeptical that it would remove the rust spot.



Five minutes later, and my kitchen sink is SPARKLING clean! Look real close, that tiny rust spot is GONE!


I also used Bar Keepers Friend on my claw-foot ceramic bathtub. It worked fantastic at removing the tub rings and cleaning the rust off the drain.

Oh my, I think I am in LOVE with Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser & Polish! No, I am! I plan on picking up more this weekend! I DO recommend it to my readers!

You can purchase Bar Keepers Friend at Wal-Mart and Hy-Vee; along with other retailers. If you head to their website you can also print a $0.55 coupon!

Website: www.BarKeepersFriend.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/BarKeepersFriend
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/BarKeeperFriend

Do rooms in your house need a new scent? Does your restroom ever have unpleasant odors? Is your pantry kind of musty smelling and needs refreshed? Then Febreze Set & Refresh is for you!

Last night, my family had the opportunity to try Birdseye Steamfresh Chef's Favorite Lightly Sauced Broccoli with Cheese Sauce.

Birdseye Steamfresh Chef's Favorite's are EASY and quick to prepare!
1. Pull the bag out of the freezer.
2. Place the bag face down on a microwave safe plate.
3. Into the microwave oven it goes, times needed are on the back of the bag. Our microwave is small, so the bag took 5 1/2 minutes to cook.
4. Remove it from the microwave and let it stand a couple minutes. Then tear it open at the tear-spot already on the bag.
5. You can serve it from the bag on to plates or pour it into a serving bowl





Some key points about Birdseye Steamfresh Chef's Favorite Lightly Sauced Broccoli with Cheese Sauce:
~ It's a good source of Calcium and Antioxidants
~ All natural
~ No preservatives

While the Birdseye Steamfresh Chef's Favorite is cooking, you can finish the preparation of the rest of the meal.

Here is how I dished up these scrumptious, nutritious vegetables:



I LOVED the broccoli! My kids LOVED the broccoli! I do recommend Birdseye Steamfresh Vegetables to all my readers! It would be good as a side dish or even on top of a potato or some pasta.

One recommendation: purchase TWO bags! We ran out with just one bag for a family of four, and the kids wanted seconds! You can find Birdseye Steamfresh in your local grocery store's freezer section.

Do you like good chocolate? Like the melt-in-your-mouth, creamy milk chocolate kind? I do!

Recently I won some Madelaine Chocolate from Christy's Reviews and More.

Madelaine Chocolate was established in 1949; they are a American family owned and run company, based in New York. Madelaine Chocolate makes and sells a large variety of chocolates for major holidays (like Easter and Christmas), for special occasions (like Mother's Day), and your regular everyday chocolates (like the Gold Milk Chocolate Cigars & Boxed Golf Balls that I was lucky to try).

You can purchase Madelaine Chocolate at various online retails and local retail stores. Check out the locations: HERE

Chocolate 101 (linked) will teach you all about chocolate.

Here is a picture of how my chocolates were packaged when they arrived. They were beautifully packaged!


I received the Gold Cigars Gift Box that is solid milk chocolate and Semi Solid Milk Chocolate Golf Balls.

The Gold Cigars would be perfect for any type of celebration - like Retirement Parties, Bachelor Parties, Birthdays, celebrating the birth of a child, and many more life's events!


The Gold Cigars Solid Milk Chocolate are: smooth, creamy, sweet (not overly, just perfectly sweet), melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Madelaine Chocolate can be VERY addictive, I suggest buying some extras so you do not run out.

I DO recommend Madelaine Chocolate to all my readers, all chocolate lovers, and anyone looking for that perfect gift!

Madelaine Chocolate website: HERE
Follow them on Twitter: HERE
"Like" them on Facebook: HERE (Tell them Frugal Midwest sent you, please)
Find out where you can buy Madelaine Chocolate: HERE

Palmolive Fresh Sponge

I had the opportunity to try Palmolive Fresh Sponge via Influenster.


Palmolive Fresh Sponge's claim:

wash away odor causing residue from sponges and clean dishes to a sparkling shine

My opinion: the scent was out of this world, in a good way! AMAZINGLY FRESH FRUITY SMELLING. I was encouraged to wash dishes more often just so I could smell it, oh, and of course to have clean sparkling dishes! My dish sponge also lasted about a month longer than normal use w/ other dish soaps. It also makes your kitchen smell fantastic!

I DO recommend Palmolive Fresh Sponge to everyone, I give it TWO THUMBS UP!

Suggested retail price is $3.29 for a 25 ounce bottle.

Walmart has the Bissell PowerForce Turbo Bagless Vacuum now priced at $62.92, it was $69.94 - this is BOTH an online price AND the price IN-store! (Walmart is currently the lowest price out there to pair with the rebate)

My last blog post, Bissell Mail-In Rebate, provides the link to a printable Bissell Mail-In Rebate - for this vacuum, you can get $10 back!!!
You end up paying $52.92 after the rebate!!!

Now, with all the dollar sense, HOW WELL DOES IT WORK?
Fantastic! Oh my! I am in love!!! I am BEYOND happy with my vacuum purchase. The power of the suction is beyond par for this price range. It pulled up cat hair and dust bunnies that my other vacuum wouldn't get (and that one wasn't that old!). There's also a HEPA filter, which makes me happy in helping keep the air in our home clean!
I personally HIGHLY recommend this vacuum!!!

Bissell PowerForce Turbo Bagless Upright Vacuum

Who likes to clean toilets? Not me!!! Let me tell you about a product I tried from BzzAgent that makes cleaning toilets a breeze!

Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel

This picture is what is included in the box of Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel. The wand was very easy to snap together. The gel discs are already inside the wand's clear part, so there is no need for you to touch it!


The next step is to remove the snap-on lid off the wand and then press the wand inside your toilet up by the rim. (see my lovely demonstration)


Remove wand from the toilet and you are done!!!
The gel disc stays put by itself. When the toilet is flushed the water will run over the disc and keep it clean and smelling fresh!


Some side notes of Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel:

The first day of use the smell is a bit powerful for those that are sensitive to smells - as for my family, we loved the strength of the smell.

I would be a little concerned if you have toddlers that like to investigate things - as they may see the gel disc in the toilet and what to know what it is and touch it - I don't think that would be a good idea, but definitely might happen. With that said, I don't know that I would recommend it for families with toddlers. But for all other households, I highly recommend Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel!!

I am a BzzAgent member, which is a Word-of-Mouth Program, and I received this product in a SC Johnson Smart Easy Spring Cleaning Kit.

Golden Age Cheese Co. sent me some cheese recently to try.

Based in New York, Golden Age Cheese Co. is a family owned and operated business that started back in 1983. Their mission: to produce the best natural quality cheese.

What I tried:
* Sharp Cheddar Block Cheese
* Plain Cheese Curds (My favorite!)
* Bacon & Chive Cheese Curds
* Cajun Cheese Curds


My thoughts: FANTASTIC!!! Golden Age Cheese makes delicious cheese, hands down! The cheese curds were large in portion size, non-greasy, and creamy. It was very naturally tasting along with being healhty. The Bacon & Chive Curds were bacon packed with a somewhat smoked flavor (maybe from the bacon). These cheese curds would be perfect for snacking on or serving at Graduation Parties/Weddings/More! I sliced the block cheese and used it on cold sandwiches and also grilled cheese - absolutely scrumptious!

Their packaging and shipping process is fast and secure. The cheese came wrapped in insulated bubble wrap with an ice pack to ensure the cheese stays as cold as possible during shipping! Excellent!

I DO recommend Golden Age Cheese - Make sure you check them out with the following links:

www.GoldenAgeCheese.com

Like their Facebook Page: LINK
Follow them on their Twitter Page: LINK
Check out their Blog: LINK
Call them to place an order: (607) 458-5365