The nice folks at Listerine sent me some of their products to review. I was not paid for this review but I was provided the products for free.

First up is Listerine Whitening Gel Toothpaste.

I have to say this is by far the worst tasting toothpaste I have ever tried. It smells like some sort of medicinal ointment, and left my gums a little numb after each use. I tried it for two weeks though and did see a slight whitening of my teeth in that time period. It was not enough for me to get past the taste though.

Next is the Listerine Ultraclean Mouthwash.

This was a winner for me. I remember the old days of the Listerine Mouthwash, and I admit when I tried the toothpaste it reminded me of that medicinal taste.  Not the case with this mouthwash. I really like it, and I do think it keeps my breath fresh and helps with plaque, which I seem to have an issue with. Another added bonus is once I brush my teeth and use this mouthwash, it makes me not want to eat or snack, so it has weight loss benefits too.

Finally I received the Listerine pocket pak.

These breath strips were a winner also for me. I have always been a big fan of the breath strips and these are tasty AND give you the confidence to know that you are not offending anyone with your breath.

So, two out of three of the Listerine products I would definitely recommend. Let me know if you have a whitening toothpaste that you think tastes great and whitens your teeth in the comments section.

I found a free game app that everyone loves in my circle of friends and family. It’s one of those games that will keep you entertained if you are waiting for an appointment, or just bored and want something to do.

The premise is simple enough. You are given four pictures, and the goal is to find the word that each picture has in common.

It’s not complicated but some of these pictures will stump you. The game itself allows you to earn coins with each level you get correctly, so that you build up enough coins to reveal a letter. If that doesn’t work for you, there are plenty of cheat sites out there, just search for them.

Do you have a favorite game app that you always seem to find on your smartphone when you are experiencing that rare, idle time? Let me know yours in the comments section.

I love, love, love Mexican food.  Here’s a great recipe from mytexastoday.com

Date Night Tacos

1. Brown beef and add taco seasoning as directed on package. Let simmer.
2. Chop tomatoes and onions. Place in a small bowl together and toss well.
3. In a baking dish/tray, layer chips evenly all over.
4. Add taco meat, black beans and both kinds of cheeses.
5. Repeat this starting with another layer of chips on top.
6. Place in oven at 350 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes or until all cheeses have melted thoroughly.
7. Once out, top with cilantro, tomato & onions and jalapenos.
8. Add sour cream to center and serve.

For years and years I have used these Professional Red Makeup Sponges to blend in my foundation into my neckline. I was reminded of these handy little things the other day when I was with a friend who had a visible makeup line. Me, being the kind friend I am, gave her the last one of my packet of sponges. My motto has always been: “what your best friends won’t tell you, I always will” . And if you ever see me with a visible foundation line, or a nose hair, or toliet paper on my shoe, PLEASE TELL ME.

Back to the subject. I think I have used these red sponges since high school, and we all know how long that is. And I for some reason only use to blend in foundation. I think I tried before to use on applying or blending the makeup but they just don’t seem to work well. But they do work on making sure you don’t have any transition line showing between the chin and the neck. Promise. And the more you use them, the softer they get. I probably buy a bag of these every few years. I clean them periodically along with my makeup brushes until I just decide I need to grab a new one out of the bag.

The product description is as follows:

• Versatile sponge
• Unique texture
• Gentle exfoliator
• Great for cleansing

Face Secrets Professional Red Makeup Sponges are versatile sponges that are excllent to use for cleansing or makeup applicaton. The unique texture of the sponges allows for flawless application and helps to work as a gentle exfoliator.

So feel free to use for cleaning your skin or exfoliating your skin. Don’t just listen to me. Or do.

The pack of six is only $4, and you can purchase from Sally’s Beauty Supply or amazon.com.