A while back I gave you the best info I had at the time regarding sites that offer product testing opportunities to Canadians in this post. There aren't that many, and even the ones that are available don't give out many opportunities, likely due to the fact that there are few of them and many of us, so it's slim pickings. The one exception to this rule is BzzAgent. Their campaigns are numerous and getting an invite is a sure thing as long as you keep your surveys up to date and you bzz about the campaigns they do give you, like you're supposed to. They have some really interesting ones: food, alcohol, books, beauty, personal care, pet food, kids toys... really the list could go on and on. Here are the Bzz campaigns I've been thrilled to be involved in - I'm sure you've heard me ranting and raving about these products here on my blog and on Instagram, Google+, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Make sure you follow me for all the latest updates and coupons when I get them! For my full review of the Pantene Pro-V Ultimate 10 campaign, please click here. For my full review of the Sawmill Creek Wines campaign, please click here. For my full review of the Clairol Nice 'N Easy campaign, please click here. For my full review of the Secret Outlast Clear Gel campaign, please click here. It's been a good year - four campaigns is not too shabby! It's nice to get free stuff, and this year thanks to BzzAgent and the good people at Pantene, Sawmill Creek, Clairol and Secret, I received shampoo, conditioner, BB creme, hair colour, deodorant, and two bottles of wine.
Here's hoping for an even better 2015!
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Got my newest Bzz Campaign going - Secret Clear Gel Deodorant in Ooh-La-La Lavender scent. So let me start off by telling you that I was not really that excited about this one. I have tried gel deodorants before and was always sorely disappointed. The messy application, the sticky feel, poor odor and wetness protection and my absolute favorite - flapping my arms for twenty minutes trying to get it to dry. Let's just say that 100% of the gel deodorants I have tried in the past went into the trash after only a few uses. I'm a solid kinda girl, and since they've been coming out with better deodorants that will not leave white marks, I surely thought that a solid girl I would stay. I was wrong. The first thing I did was smell it. It's always the first thing I do with everything, because scent is very important to me and if it's the least bit overpowering or 'perfumey' back on the shelf it goes. I do generally pick out the powder or lavender scents, so this one is right up my alley. The scent is soft and dreamy, like you were walking by an open window with lavender drying on the sill and a light breeze just happened to blow the right way. I would stop to inhale and enjoy. That is how I felt when I smelled this deodorant. The scent lingers, too. All day long I get a nice little hit of lavender when I move around. I can't really smell most deodorants after a few hours of wear, and for this one to be consistent really blew me away. It wasn't really strong in the morning, okay in the afternoon and practically gone in the evening - it stayed the same all through the day well past bedtime! Just a click or two is definitely enough to get you through the day. And it dries fast! The first time I applied it I resigned myself to the flapping and the waiting, but then I realized that while I had switched over to the other underarm, the first was already dry! Not even sticky or tacky, dry and ready to go. Impressive. The other thing I was really taken aback by was the fact that it actually works! I really felt drier and fresher all day, and as I mentioned before, it really outdoes itself on the whole longevity thing. I still felt fresh while I was crawling into bed, a full 15 hours after I put it on. Product Rating: 5 smiles out of 5 Product Website: www.secret.com Product Type: deodorant Would I purchase?: yes Would I recommend?: yes Clear Gel deodorant was sent free by the good people at BzzAgent and Secret. All opinions expressed in this blog are my own, unbiased after testing the product. The product was offered free of charge with the expectation of an honest review within this blog, favorable or otherwise
Back in late October I received my Clairol Nice 'N Easy BzzKit. Since I wanted to enjoy my pink hair for a little while longer, I decided to wait until there were about three weeks left in the campaign before I used the colour. I did actually colour my hair Natural Mahogany Black quite some time ago, but since the battery in my notebook died, I haven't gotten around to reviewing it here. Now that I am up and running again, I present my thoughts and observations while I shifted a shade... or three! Let's start at the beginning. According to their website: I received the #2BG/126 Natural Mahogany Black shade (we did have a choice, they didn't just send whatever they felt like) and I prefer to go bold when I colour. Here are my package contents: Colour blend formula Colour blend activator Instructions One pair of gloves CC Colorseal conditioner I do have to gripe about the gloves. I would gladly pay a few extra cents for a decent pair of gloves in the box. Unfortunately, this is far from unusual. I usually just use my own latex gloves - they fit better, don't tear and offer better use of my fingers. Seriously, how much would it actually cost a huge company to put better gloves in the box? I bought a box of 50 pairs of latex for $5. I understand that some people are allergic to latex and can't use them, but maybe rubber or something? Look into it, Clairol, please. The colour was surprisingly easy to mix and use. I had no issues with waste, mess or spills. The odor is not unpleasant at first, but does get progressively worse. However, it is not as bad as some, quite manageable in a well-ventilated room. I have to say that the formula itself is a little too watery. I had some serious issues with it dripping down my face. The last thing you want to see when you're applying black hair dye is drips on your face! It did come off easily with a wet towel, so that disaster was averted. When I was ready to rinse it out, there was a lot along the hairline that I did not see, but even after being on my skin for 45 minutes, it easily washed off while I was rinsing the product out of my hair in the shower. That is a definite plus. As you can see, there is not a whole lot of mess to clean up when you're done. Excellent. I did get a little splash on my counter and actually did not notice it until about a half hour later. Good news, though, it did come off. I would not recommend tempting the gods because I did not catch all of it at that time, and the splatter that I found an hour later kinda came off, but not really. I stink at selfies, but here are some 'before' pictures, so you can see what kind of a mountain Clairol Nice 'N Easy had to scale with my hair. First, lots of grey. I told everyone who would listen that I was going for the Bride of Frankenstein look. Then there was the pink and the blonde. Plus the length. I have pretty long hair. So did this one box of hair colour solve all my hair woes? Well, picture number one shows you that the grey coverage was pretty darn good. I have a few stragglers, but since I am no expert, I'm going to guess that I missed those. Photo number two shows just how pretty those mahogany tones really are. The third one shows the length - and coverage. I'd also like to point out that this shade really is very natural looking, not at all stark and shocking the way black dye usually is. Overall, I'd like to point out that this one box did ALL my hair, which is quite impressive. It also covered all the different colours in my hair and now looks like one consistent shade. I have to admit that I was not expecting that. I was pleasantly surprised. Finally, just to let you know, the colour rinsed out easily and hair loss was normal - not too crazy. The CC colourseal conditioner smells amazing, a little like almonds, and they give you a really generous amount. I used it three times before I ran out. My hair feels soft and looks shiny and healthy and natural. Product Rating: 4.5 smiles out of 5 Product Website: www.clairol.com Product Type: hair care Would I purchase?: yes Would I recommend?: yes Nice 'N Easy hair colour with Colorblend Technology were sent free by the good people at BzzAgent and Clairol. All opinions expressed in this blog are my own, unbiased after testing the product. The product was offered free of charge with the expectation of an honest review within this blog, favorable or otherwise
The wonderful people at Sawmill Creek Wines and BzzAgent sent me a new campaign a couple of weeks ago to try out their wines. Awesome, right? They sent me a $25 gift card to buy some wine at the Wine Rack and let you all know what I thought. To see my Welcome Kit for this campaign, click here. First of all, the selection Sawmill Creek offers is pretty amazing. I went to the Wine Rack website to figure out which one I'd like to try, thinking it would most likely be a Chardonnay or Merlot. Once I saw the selection, my mind started working. What if I not only drank it, but made something with it also? So I looked further than the usual and settled on a bottle of Autumn Blush and one of Riesling. The Autumn Blush has a regular price of $14.95 and the Riesling of $16.00 for 1500ml. I was kicking myself a little when I went in on Friday because I had missed the sale last week where the Riesling was only $13.95. 1500ml is no small bottle, either, so I ended up paying $5.95 out of pocket for both after using the $25 gift card BzzAgent sent me. Sawmill Creek offers not only multiple varieties of wine for you to enjoy (along with the ones I've already mentioned, they also offer Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Select White and Shiraz), they also offer multiple sizes. Many varieties come in sizes ranging from 1000ml in a bottle or tetra, a 1500ml bottle and a 4000ml cask (or box, to us laypeople). Their prices are excellent, considering a 1500ml bottle of Riesling will only cost you $16.00. Now that I've given you the details, we're going to get to the good stuff. I hear you ask, what did you make with your wine? Well, the first thing I wanted to make was a sangria. I had some friends over on Saturday and was excited to make something pretty. I got my inspiration from Gimme Some Oven, a website I have bookmarked so I can return to frequently for inspiration, because she has some really great ideas. For my sangria recipe, click here. I got the 5L glass dispenser at Kitchen Stuff Plus on sale for $14.99! I decided to use the Riesling as part of a vinaigrette for a lovely apple and fennel salad we had with seared scallops. The inspiration for that recipe came from the Wine Rack website. For my Seared Scallops recipe, click here. Now to the actual wine tasting! I did drink some of the actual wine straight from the bottle without embellishments (unless you count my glass as an embellishment!). I am no sommelier, so I won't be able to tell you about subtle citrus undertones or flowery accents with oak aftertastes. I can tell you that the Autumn Blush was delicious. It had a lovely slight fruity flavour. It was light and very easy to drink with no dry mouth aftertaste. I enjoy drinking blush for all of these reasons. This campaign would have been great in the summer months, as this would be a terrific wine for an outdoor bbq. Shrimp, mint & grapefruit skewers come to mind as a perfect meal to have with this wine. I think this is a great value for a nice light wine that pairs well with fresh foods and is delicious in a sangria. I had really high expectations for the Riesling. It is really one of my favorite wines and the good ones have a fantastic full bodied fruity flavor. Sawmill Creek did not disappoint me. As I was making dinner I poured myself a glass to enjoy. I admit that I chill all my wine, be it red, white or somewhere in between. Usually I add some gingerale also because warm wine out of the bottle just doesn't do it for me. In this case I had taken the bottle out of the cupboard for the vinaigrette and poured my glass as it was. You know, it was delicious even at room temperature. I was so surprised. After I chilled it overnight and had another glass after work today it was even better. Truly light, refreshing with a slight citrus flavor, this wine is definitely easy to drink. All told, I'm extremely happy to have had the opportunity to try out Sawmill Creek wines. It's not a brand I would have tried on my own because I generally shop at the LCBO, whereas this brand is only available at Wine Rack. Now that I've tried the Autumn Blush and Riesling, I can tell you that I am willing to make the trip to Wine Rack to purchase this wine more often. Between the satisfying flavors and the excellent price point, not to mention how beautiful the new labeling is and the excellent choice in sizes, Sawmill Creek has found a new fan! Sorry folks, no coupons came with this campaign! Product Rating: 5 smiles out of 5 Product Website: www.sawmillcreekwines.com Product Type: wine Would I purchase?: absolutely Would I recommend?: absolutely Sawmill Creek Autumn Blush and Riesling were purchased using a $25.00 giftcard sent free by the good people at BzzAgent and Sawmill Creek. All opinions expressed in this blog are my own, unbiased after testing the product. The product was offered free of charge with the expectation of an honest review within this blog, favorable or otherwise
Since I received this beautiful (and large!) bottle of Riesling to try out from the good people at Sawmill Creek and BzzAgent, I wanted to do more than just sample it. I wanted to use it in a way that I haven't before. With my bottle of Autumn Blush I made a really delicious sangria (see recipe here) and thought I'd 'cook' something with this one. he Riesling is in the vinaigrette and you probably wouldn't be able to differentiate between using a Riesling or a Chardonnay, but the end result was delicious and I suggest that if you are going to make this you give Sawmill Creek a try. To see what I received in my Sawmill Creek BzzKit click here. Scroll down all the way past the pictures for the ingredients list and full directions. The first step is to make the vinaigrette - I wanted it to cool while I was getting the rest made. Slice up your shallot, grind some peppercorns and bring to a boil with your Riesling. Let it boil for about 15-20 minutes, until it reduces slightly. Remove from heat, let cool a few minutes (have a glass of wine during that time... I did) then whisk in the oil, vinegar, salt and mustard. Put it in a plastic container, seal it and place it in the fridge while you make the slaw, for want of a better word. Squirt the lemon juice into your bowl of cold water and as you julienne your apples, place them into the water. This is not really done for flavoring (although they may take on a slight lemony taste), it's really just a little trick to keep your apples from going brown. Leave them in the water while you slice up your fennel into thin strips. Place your fennel, apple and pomegranate seeds into a bowl and place in the refrigerator. The scallops will cook fast - so you want everything ready to go once they start sizzling. One of my large burners on my stove is not working, so I have to make do. That is why I decided to buy pre-cooked tiger shrimp. I defrosted them and placed them in the oven on low to allow them to warm up while I got the scallops cooked. If you're doing the same, place them in the oven at about 200 deg just before you start the scallops and remove them as soon as you're done. That way they will not be overcooked and rubbery. Scallops: I put way too much oil and had the pan way too hot, so I was getting sprayed by hot oil all over the place. However, after just a few minutes... Flip over the scallops and see golden perfection. Just a few more minutes on this side and remove them from the heat. Toss your slaw with your vinaigrette and divide between four plates. Top with scallops and shrimp. Serve with a glass of Riesling & enjoy! Full Recipe - Serves 4: INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup Sawmill Creek Riesling 1 tsp ground pepper 1 large shallot, sliced 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 tsp Himalayan salt 1 granny smith apple juice of 1/2 lemon 2 cups cold water 1/2 head large fennel 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds 1 pkg shrimp 1 pkg scallops olive oil salt DIRECTIONS: 1. In a small pot bring Riesling, shallots and pepper to a boil. Let boil for about 15-20 minutes until slightly reduced. Remove from heat. 2. Once slightly cooled, whisk in vinegar, mustard, salt and olive oil. Place into a plastic container and let cool in the fridge. 3. Squeeze lemon juice into a bowl containing the cold water. 4. Julienne apple, placing strips into cold water to prevent browning. 5. Thinly slice fennel. 6. Drain apple strips and place in a new bowl along with fennel and pomegranate seeds. Refrigerate. 7. Rinse and drain shrimp and place in a shallow bowl. Set oven to 200 deg and slowly warm shrimp while preparing scallops. 8. Rinse and drain scallops. Place about a tbsp of olive oil into a pan and once hot (medium-high heat), place the scallops in a single layer. 9. Fry scallops for about 3 minutes, flip and turn off burner. Leave frying in pan for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with salt. 10. Toss fennel, apple and pomegranate seeds with vinaigrette and distribute evenly among 4 plates. Top with shrimp and scallops and serve immediately. The bottle of Riesling was offered free of charge from the good people at Sawmill Creek Wines and BzzAgent with the expectation of an honest review, favorable or otherwise.
Woo-Hoo is right! The kit arrived super early this time, as the campaign doesn't really get under way until October 31st. They haven't even announced any hashtags yet! I'm really glad that I'll have a little while longer to enjoy my fuchsia hair colour and then I'm shifting a shade to 'Natural Mahogany Black'. I haven't had all my hair all the same colour in over a year, so it'll be a nice change. Here's a screenshot of my campaign welcome: I am getting lots of campaigns lately - thanks BzzAgent! Getting stuff free is awesome, and the products I've been getting to try out have been really great, especially for my hair! Become a BzzAgent yourself to get your very own campaigns - it's free (you don't even pay shipping) and all you have to do is try out the products they send you and be honest about what you think about it. Here's a link to my blog with information on this and other great sites that offer product testing opportunities: Canadian testing sites Luckily I have some time before this campaign goes live, so stay tuned for the unveiling of the new me courtesy of the fine folks at Clairol Nice 'n Easy and BzzAgent. Click here to get a printable $2.00 coupon so you can shift your own shade!
I got a lovely bottle of Sawmill Creek Autumn Blush for a BzzAgent campaign and decided to do something fun with it. I drew inspiration from a recipe I found on (where else?) Pinterest. The colours in Gimme Some Oven's Rainbow Sangria were so striking and inviting that I just had to try something like that for myself. Unfortunately, my photos are never as beautiful as the ones on Pinterest, but I was really happy with the way this turned out, pretty to look at and delicious to drink. I used this 5L glass dispenser I got on sale for $14.99 at Kitchen Stuff Plus. The recipe below has quantities to fill this container. If yours is smaller, adjust quantities as you see fit. For the raspberries and grapes (or any other fruit that you will not peel) I recommend you buy organic or at the very least wash them with soap and water to get as much of the pesticides off as possible. Remember that they will be sitting in a liquid that you will be ingesting for quite some time. Remember, you can use any kind of fruit that you like - pineapples would probably be really nice in this, but I'm allergic to them so I can't add them. Also, I suggest that you wash and prep the grapes the night before and freeze them. They will keep your sangria cold without watering down your drink. INGREDIENTS 1 bottle Sawmill Creek Autumn Blush wine (1500 ml) 1/2 cup organic honey 2 cups Sprite (or 7-Up or Gingerale) 6 kiwis, peeled and sliced 4 navel oranges, peeled and chopped into chunks 3 meyer lemons, peeled and chopped 2 pints raspberries 1 pomegranate, seeded 1 bag black seedless grapes DIRECTIONS 1. In a large container (not the serving jug), combine the honey, pop and wine and stir well. 2. In your dispenser, layer your fruit: grapes, kiwi, oranges, lemons, raspberries and pomegranate seeds. 3. Pour wine mixture over your fruit and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavours to meld. Final step: Enjoy! The bottle of Autumn Blush was offered free of charge from the good people at Sawmill Creek Wines and BzzAgent with the expectation of an honest review, favorable or otherwise. Being a BzzAgent definitely has it's perks - and I received a big one in my mailbox today! I was very excited to get the invite to participate in the Sawmill Creek Wines campaign. I had really hoped to receive my BzzKit prior to the Thanksgiving long weekend, but today is as good a day as any. So how did my kit look? I received a nice little information brochure and an even nicer little $25.00 gift card to purchase some bottles of Sawmill Creek wines to taste. They're sold exclusively at The Wine Rack stores in Ontario, and I looked up their selection while I was waiting for my kit. They had quite a few different types of wines available, and I do believe I'll be putting in a little extra cash of my own to try more than one type. Stay tuned... I'll post in the next couple of days my opinion on these wines. I'll probably give you a few posts, and you may have to wait for the weekend for those! Here's a screenshot of my Campaign Welcome!
I have a terrible time finding products that work with my hair. My hair is the worst combination of all the things you could possibly find wrong with hair. It's dry and full of static at the ends, oily at the roots, falls out when I wash, condition, or brush it, and tangles if you just look at it. Let's just say I've tried my fair share of hair products over the years. Some have been okay, some pretty good and others just made one problem or another worse. Thanks to BzzAgent and the fine folks at Pantene, I received a free, full-sized set of Pantene's new Pro-V line, Ultimate 10 to try out in exchange for my opinion. On Tuesday I received a 375ml bottle of shampoo, a 375ml bottle of conditioner and a 151ml bottle of BB creme and was so excited to try it out that I put two pumps of the BB creme into my dry hair right away. First off - this stuff smells amazing! I mention every time I post a review that scent is incredibly important to me. I have a sensitivity to it, and if it's really strong I get headaches and if it's really bad, my lungs burn. As soon as the BB creme came out of the tube, there was a very pleasant aroma, light, flowery and not overpowering. My hair is pretty long, so I used two pumps, one on each side and worked it into my hair. The creme is not greasy and worked into my hair well, and I didn't feel the need to go wash my hands after. There was really no effect right away, but when I ran my hand through my hair about five minutes later it already felt softer, smoother and there were no tangles. What I said earlier about my hair tangling was no exaggeration - my hair really does tangle constantly. That I could still run my fingers through my hair was a good sign. The fragrance also lingers - I got to smell it every time I moved my head. By the time I went to bed I was really, really surprised... no tangles! You have no idea how happy that made me. I cannot remember the last time I was able to run my fingers through my hair without encountering a rat's nest. This BB creme is truly amazing! This morning I washed and conditioned before using the BB creme. The shampoo lathered well and I did not have to use a whole lot - less than the size of a quarter. The scent is very light, as was the conditioner, which is good, because when every product you use smells strong, it's just too much. The shampoo rinsed out easily and my hair felt pretty good prior to conditioning. I used a dollop a little bigger than a quarter of the conditioner and worked it into my hair, leaving it in while I showered. Being able to use just a little is really important - I have long hair and some types of product need way too much to be effective at all. I don't want to go broke making my hair manageable. When I rinsed, I am sad to say that I did have considerable hair loss. Unfortunately this happens with 99% of all conditioners I use. It rinsed out very well with minimal effort and felt really soft, even at this stage. I towel-dried my hair, applied 2 pumps of the BB creme and brushed out my hair. Usually I do not brush my hair when wet - first off, it's nearly impossible thanks to the tangles and secondly, I lose so much hair that I don't want to start my day off in tears. This morning my hair was easily brushed. The hair loss was less than usual, but still there. All day my hair felt so soft, silky and clean. I absolutely loved it. On my drive home I did the ultimate tangle test - I drove with my windows down. Just to put this in perspective for you, when I do this, I usually have to tear my hair into sections and brush it out that way - it's pretty much knitted itself into a really, really ugly hat. That did not happen today. I came home and ran my fingers through my hair. A few tangles, but OMG, if nothing else, this feeling is worth the price. All told - my verdict is that this system is pretty amazing. For people who don't have the hair fall issue, this is definitely for you. I'm going to try using just the shampoo and creme and maybe if I skip the conditioner I can still use this product. The BB creme, however, is the best product I've ever used. This is something I would definitely recommend to everyone and it's going to be a regular in my hair care routine from now on. You can't really see much difference in the top before/after pictures, but in the bottom close-up, I think you can tell how dull my hair looks before, shiny and smoother after. Remember, these afters were taken after a full day of work and a drive home with the windows down - without brushing. Just so you know - Pantene Pro-V Ultimate 10 is a new line of hair care products formulated to give you these ten benefits in one bottle: Repair for Rough Hair, Strength Against Damage, Silky Softness, Brilliant Shine, Smoothing, Moisture, Frizz Control, Heat Protection, Manageability, Tamed Flyaways Get your $2.00 off Pantene products coupon by clicking here. Product Rating: 5 smiles out of 5 (I'd give the BB a 10!) Product Website: www.pantene.com Product Type: shampoo, conditioner, BB creme Would I purchase?: absolutely Would I recommend?: absolutely Pantene Ultimate 10 Shampoo, Conditioner and BB Creme were sent free by the good people at BzzAgent and Pantene. All opinions expressed in this blog are my own, unbiased after testing the product. The product was offered free of charge with the expectation of an honest review within this blog, favorable or otherwise
So last time I gave you a list of websites that offer free stuff for free. This post deals with sites that offer product testing. Although you do get free stuff (no sample sizes here!), you are required to test out the product for a specified amount of time, then log into your account and answer a survey and/or give a review of the product. Items I have personally been sent to test include toys, household cleaners, food and beauty products. Some products sent are new to the market, so you'll be among the first to try it out, and some you'll already recognize - the client wants direct feedback regarding a product already out there. The surveys can be really short (about 15 minutes) or longer (survey + reviews required), but here's the thing, you received the product for free, the least you can do is give them a half hour of your time to let them know how the product fared. Always be honest! If you loved the product, let them know. If it fell apart or gave you diarrhea, let them know that also. And try to be descriptive... don't just give one word answers. With most of these sites I've listed, if you don't answer the surveys or give them the proper amount of participation, you won't receive any more opportunities. Remember that there are thousands of people who are more than happy to get that item, test it and then let the world know their opinion. A note if you blog or before you share your thoughts on social media - check the fine print. It may be necessary to report to the place that sent you the sample prior to any other posts. Even if it isn't, it's just good practice to give them your premier thoughts - then move on to your friends, family and followers. Without further ado, I present (in no particular order) the following (as usual, all links open a new window) sites: Bzz Agent - Sign up, fill in your profile and get ready to answer LOADS of questions about pretty much anything and everything. On the plus side, the "surveys" that must be filled out on the site are only between 1-4 questions long, so even though it looks like a crazy amount of surveys, they are done pretty quickly. Once you're done with that, you need to keep checking back for more surveys to answer and to get to know your way around the site. Once you get chosen (based on your profile and survey answers), you'll receive your BzzKit in the mail - and the campaign begins! You'll either receive a product gratis or a coupon for whichever product you'll be buzzing about. The coupon gets you the item free and I believe that they are issued whenever you have to buzz about food or other perishables that cannot be mailed directly. One campaign of mine was for yogurt and the other for pork, so I received coupons. You'll also receive a kit giving you tips on how to spread the word once you've tested the product and coupons to give out to friends, family and whoever else you want. You'll have to report back about the different ways you're engaging others in conversations about your product. Even if you didn't like the product or it didn't work well for you, they want your honesty at all times. Be Free For Me - Great site for those who have food allergies. Sign up and fill out a few simple questions. They'll email you coupons and mail you samples every now and then of new food products geared toward those who suffer from allergies and/or celiac disease to test out and give your honest opinion. Parent Tested Parent Approved- Sign up for testing opportunities if you have kids at home. You have to be available to pick up the product(s) you'll test at their Concord, Ontario office. They are actually a US company, so be aware that any contests you see on their blog (congrats-a-thons) or Facebook page are only open to US residents. Canadians are only eligible for the product testing. Fill out your profile and one for your child(ren) and wait for an email when you get matched up with a product. Readers Digest - Fill out a form, answer a few short questions and if they match you up with an opportunity to test a new product for them, you'll get an email. Pretty easy and straightforward. And come on, who hasn't heard of the Readers Digest Magazine? Influenster - This one is a little weird. I signed up for it very recently and really can't make a whole lot of sense out of it. The premise is that you sign up, write a bunch of reviews, get your 'influence' score up and hopefully qualify for a Vox Box full of full sized products to test. Apparently they have recently done a makeover of the site, because all the info I have managed to glean from the web on how best to qualify for a box seems to give me advice on things that don't seem to be on the site (maybe I just can't find it?) any longer. I spent a lot of time writing reviews of movies that came out 15 years ago and products that have been out forever. I also had to refresh the selection numerous times before I even found something I'd heard of. Suffice it to say I have not received anything from this site, but it's worth a try as people DO get these boxes, they sent a batch out earlier this month and I have found YouTube videos from May and March of this year of people unveiling their boxes. Home Tester Club - Just sign up, fill out some info and wait. They'll send you an email to let you know when they have a product to send you for testing. I have received quite a few items from this one to try out. Once you test out the product for the specified amount of time, just head on over to the site, log in and fill out a survey with your comments and a brief review of the product. They'll also send you an email with a direct link to your survey around the time your review is due. Product Testing Services - Sign up and wait for an email invite to participate. You'll get a screener email first, then if you qualify you'll get details about the project. Note: So far I have only received invites to join survey panels, which I think are a complete waste of my time and energy. You may have more luck. Beta Test Beauty - Along the same lines as the previous entries on this list, you sign up, fill out a basic questionnaire and wait for word that you've been selected to test out new products. This one is focused on higher-end beauty products and pays between $10-$20 for each survey completed (and you get to keep the product). I have been signed up for this one for quite a while and haven't heard anything from them. Perhaps they did not like my questionnaire answers (I do not spend $250 on beauty products each month and I don't lie about it), I don't know. However, an online search trying to see what testers have previously received got me nowhere - lots of people are using the beta test beauty title, but the items are from other (US-only) companies, but again, can't get anything if you don't try, right? Parents Canada - This one is affiliated with Disney. Fill out a questionnaire and sign up and wait for email invites, same as most. You'll get to keep the product you test, as with all the others, and they also do draws to win other items that have already been tested by others (leftovers maybe?). Chick Advisor - This one requires some work. You sign up, fill out your basic questionnaire and then you need to review products you have already tried out (at least 5) to show that you're serious and willing to let people know your opinion on the products you use. Once you're active enough, you can begin to apply for products they have available for testing. You need to actively check the website for the offers and apply. If you're chosen, they'll let you know by email. You can also follow them on Facebook or Twitter to find out when they have new testing products available. That's it for the product testing websites I have found (and belong to) which offer product testing to Canadians. They're real and I do not get any sort of referral points or gifts if you click my links.
Again, thank you for visiting, if you know of a great (legitimate) product testing site which includes Canadians, leave it in the comments section. Feel free to forward a link to this blog to your friends - let's all enjoy the free! |
AuthorHi! I'm Sonja and I'm glad you're here! I'm happy to share some recipes and gardening tips with you while I let you know about great (or not so great) products, services, and media I encounter. Visit my online shop at MysteriousDragonfyre.com
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