Influenster: Sprout Voxbox

I got some great products in my latest Influenster voxbox!

If you've been following my blog for a while, you probably know by now that I often get free product samples from Influenster. My latest voxbox had some exciting new products that I'd never tried before!

The results of my shampoo/conditioner sample!

One of the products was a shampoo and conditioner sample by Hair Food. This was not a brand I was familiar with, but I enjoyed the sample enough that when I was at Target next I bought this brand. I was using a product that I tried as a sample from a previous voxbox, but conveniently I was almost out of shampoo and Target happened to have the Hair Food products on sale. Perfect timing!

I also received a sample of EatSmart chips, which were really good! I’m not a big fan of really spicy salsa so I usually buy mild. However, in this case the CHIPS had a bit of a kick which was a nice compliment to the mild salsa. I could see them being really good with queso or guacamole as well. I didn’t save any for my brothers since I enjoyed them so much, but I could see them really liking a spicy chip to go with the scorch-your-mouth salsa they like. I’ll probably buy these again in the future, although I haven't noticed them at my grocery store. I'll need to look for them next time I go shopping for groceries.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the Curate bar I received, but I’d be willing to try different flavors. I do typically have a granola bar for breakfast during the week, so that’s when I tried this one which was Balsamic Fig and Hazelnut flavor. It was ok, but didn’t make me want to run out and buy a box like I did when I tried a sample of the ? bar from a previous voxbox.

I was somewhat skeptical of the ECOS detergent sample I received, but I was impressed. I usually wash a large load of clothes when I get around to doing laundry, and the sample I received was more than up to the challenge. I’d have to consider the price before deciding whether to buy this in the future, but if it’s comparable to other detergents on the market I would definitely use this product again!

Generally, protein drinks aren’t my thing. However, I tried the Orgain sample I received and enjoyed it! I mixed it up in the blender with a banana, berries, ice, and some milk so it was a bit like a smoothie. I probably won't start buying it since I don't typically drink these, but it was nice for an afternoon snack.

Influenster: St. Ives

Influenster sent me products from one of my favorite companies in my most recent Voxbox! I got St. Ives new Oatmeal Scrub, Even and Bright Pink Lemon and Mandarin Exfoliating Body Wash, and Refresh and Revive Pear Nectar and Soy Body Lotion.

I've used St. Ives off and on for years (I love their Apricot Scrub), so I was excited to give these products a try!

Oatmeal Scrub

I love the Oatmeal Scrub. One thing I've loved about St. Ives' Apricot Scrub is how smooth my skin feels after using it, without feeling dried out. The Oatmeal Scrub has similar results. The exfoliation isn't as harsh and the product is creamier, leaving your skin feeling moisturized.

Even and Bright Exfoliating Body Wash

The Pink Lemon and Mandarin scent is amazing. I also loved how my skin felt silky after using the body wash. My only problem is I don't really use body wash very often, I prefer bar soap. So despite using this a couple of times, I haven't enjoyed it as much as the Oatmeal Scrub.

Refresh and Revive Body Lotion

I also really enjoyed the Pear Nectar and Soy scent. That said, this lotion doesn't cut it for my skin during the winter. Heaters really dry my skin out and I need something that really moisturizes to keep up. However, I'm looking forward to trying this again this summer. Both the scent and the consistency of the lotion should be perfect once the heaters are off and my skin isn't so dry. I'm considering taking it to the office to share with my co-workers!

What are your favorite skincare products?

Influenster: Sally Hansen #AirbrushPerfectLegs Voxbox

My Sally Hansen #airbrushperfectlegs voxbox

I recently received an Influenster Voxbox with Sally Hansen's Airbrush Legs cream. I was a bit suspicious of the product having never used anything like self-tanners or similar products, but with law school starting I had several events where smooth, flawless legs would be a nice perk.

I applied the cream on Saturday evening before going to a mixer at a upscale bar downtown. I wore light-colored capris and it was already evening, so I'm not sure the difference was that noticeable. I wasn't sure I liked the product (it felt like it left a light residue on my skin), but I definitely noticed the difference when I applied it. When I got home I was also impressed to see that the product had not rubbed off onto my pants.

Right leg done, left leg bare

The package directions said to apply the cream (lightly near knees and ankles) and let set before dressing. My first leg was dry before I even finished with the second, but I gave it another couple of minutes before dressing. According to the package the color comes off with soap and water, but since I had another event Sunday afternoon I decided to see how well the product would hold up overnight.

On Sunday I wore a skirt to the reception I had in the afternoon. Since the product didn't rub off or smear overnight I didn't reapply the cream. At the reception I was sitting and talking with a friend and she asked if I was wearing hose! That's pretty impressive.

I did wash the product off after the reception and it came off fairly easy with soap. Overall I'd say this is a great option if you need something to smooth out your skin for an event, but aren't willing to commit to hose. I'm not sure I'm worried enough about my legs looking "airbrushed" to go buy this product, but it works great.

The only other thing I would say is that I didn't worry overly much about blending the cream above my hemline, but if you had seen my thighs the difference between "airbrushed" and natural skin was obvious. If you're planning on wearing this with a bathing suit or want to create a more gradual transition from the cream to your natural skin color you may need to stop closer to your panty line rather than mid-thigh like I did.

Influenster: Loving the #XOVoxbox

It finally arrived!

I finally received my #XOVoxbox from Influenster (it was supposed to come last month, but the poor weather up north slowed the shipping down). I'm pretty excited about everything in it!

While I was waiting on my actual voxbox though, I got free lingerie from AdoreMe (when I signed up for a VIP membership) as part of the voxbox. That deal couldn't have come at a better time since I actually needed a new basic bra.

The lingerie set I received is just what I needed. That said, I'm not overly impressed with the company. The selection of a neutral color lingerie in my size was pretty limited. However, if I had wanted something sexy or impractical for daily wear there was a lot of option. The original coupon code I received didn't work and I never got a response to my customer service query to AdoreMe. Influenster did send me a new code when I (and several other people according to Instagram) made them aware of the faulty code.

The AdoreMe VIP membership means that you sign up to receive a new set of lingerie each month, unless you choose to skip the month which must be done by the 5th. I skipped March since I don't really need to spend money on lingerie monthly, I haven't decided whether I will keep my membership yet.

Also included with the voxbox was a coupon code to Lands End. The code was for $25 off a purchase of $100 or more. Now, I don't shop at Lands End, but I remember my mom used to love their swimsuits. I did go to their website and browse. While most of the items weren't my style they did have quite a few cute clothing options. That said, I don't really have a lot of extra money right now to spend on clothes so I'll have to pass on this code.

In the voxbox were samples of Tide Pods with Febreze, Skinfix Hand Repair Cream, Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Built-in Whitening Pen, Colgate Optic White Express White 3 oz. Toothpaste, John Frieda Beach Blonde Collection (including shampoo, conditioner and sea salt spray) as well as John Frieda Luxurious Volume 7 Day Volume In-Shower Treatment.

I tested the John Frieda products and Skinfix Hand Repair Cream immediately.

Also visible here is my
new Jawbone Up band!

At this time of year my skin and hair are so dry from the weather and the heaters. I love the Skinfix Hand Repair Cream. It really moisturizes your skin without being greasy or having a strong scent. When I need to buy lotion (in the next century) I will definitely consider Skinfix.

The shampoo and conditioner are great too, I love the minty scent and they leave my hair feeling really soft. I'm not in love with the sea salt spray, but I didn't expect to be. The result isn't the style I typically go for and I don't like a lot of leave-in hair products.

Unfortunately the voxbox arrived just a couple days after I had a laundry marathon, so I had to wait a couple weeks to test the Tide Pods. But once I had a collection of dirty laundry again I gave them a go. I've never used the pods before for laundry and the instructions on the packaging were a little vague, but it seems pretty simple. For a small to medium load the directions said to put one pod in the washer and then add the clothes (for large loads you add a second pod). I wasn't sure if I needed to wait for the pod to dissolve before adding the clothes or if it would have made a difference if I added the clothes first like I do with liquid detergent.

I'm not sure I will buy the pods in the future, I like being able to make more specific measurements that using liquid or powder detergent allows. That said, they did a great job and they are do make the laundry smell really nice. I'll definitely enjoy using what's left of the package.

This is the second time I've received Colgate products in a voxbox which is awesome, because who can't use a new toothbrush and a free tube of toothpaste? I haven't used a product specifically marketed as whitening since high school when I used the Crest Whitening Strips (and got whiter teeth before I stopped using them due to increased sensitivity). The Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Built-in Whitening Pen and Colgate Optic White Express White Toothpaste are great. The toothbrush seemed to be really gentle on the gums and you store the whitening pen in the base which is handy.

I received these free products from Influenster, if you haven't checked them out before you should!

Influenster: Herbal Essences Naked Voxbox

Free products from Influenster!

Lately I've noticed my hair seems to be a little dry. Then Influenster sent me a voxbox with samples of Herbal Essences Naked Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner. The box also included a bottle of the dry shampoo from the same line.

I've been using Organix shampoo and Aveda Shampure conditioner recommended by my stylist. So I had my doubts about the Herbal Essences products out-performing my current products.

I must say I was impressed though. After one use of the shampoo and conditioner I noticed the ends of my hair didn't seem as dry and overall my hair seemed less frizzy. I don't use dry shampoo often, but I'm curious to see how it compares to the TRESemme FreshStart dry shampoo I've used before. The samples Influenster sent me have enough product for another 3-5 washes (for long hair), so I'm excited to see what results continued use will bring.

Influenster: Dove Voxbox

My free sample of Dove advanced care deodorant!

I received my third voxbox this month and it included one of my favorites!

I've used Dove deodorant for a while, although not this specific product. The Dove advanced care is supposed to moisturize your underarms as well as helping with odor and perspiration. As you can see on the box the company states that 36% of what you remove by shaving is skin, increasing the need to moisturize the area.

For me that isn't as much of an issue. I chose to start laser hair removal on my underarms last spring. I was wary of the claims about laser hair removal since I attempted it in high school with no lasting results. However, a friend of mine works for Ideal Image and explained that a lot of places that do laser hair removal use the wrong type of laser. The lasers designed for things other than laser hair removal often leave a small part of the hair root which allows the hair to grow back over time. That's likely what happened with my first experience with laser hair removal.

So far my experience with Ideal Image has been great. I only have a few more appointments for my underarms (you have to go back several times every other month or so) and despite the expense so far I've noticed a huge difference which makes it worth it.

All that to say, I haven't had to shave under my arms as often and soon I won't need to at all. So I'm not too worried about the amount of skin removed by shaving. It's still important to moisturize your underarms though, just like you would any other area of your skin. That's what actually got me started using Dove deodorant several years ago.

About five years ago I remember reading an article about how you should moisturize your underarms and it mentioned the skin seeming dry and flaky. Which made me notice the skin around my underarms did seem dry. Dove was one of the products the article mentioned so I decided to give it a try, within a few days I noticed my skin seemed healthier.

For the past few months I've been using Dove cleartone deodorant, which is supposed to help moisturize and even skin tone. I picked up this option because I've always had problems with the skin under my arms being darker. I'm not sure how much of the change was the deodorant and how much is the laser hair removal (my friend mentioned lightened skin tone as a possible side effect), but my underarms seem lighter.

Between the cleartone and the advanced care it did feel like the advanced care sample went on smoother, but I'm not sure I can tell a difference in the protection or how moisturizing the products are. I recommend giving Dove's deodorants a try, I'm so excited I got free sample!

Influenster: Rose Voxbox

I got another box of free products from Influenster a couple weeks ago. Among the awesome items were Belvita breakfast bars, Dr. Scholl's cozy boot pads, Rimmel London mascara, Kiss nail polish and a Lindor chocolate truffle (delicious as usual).

 

Basically the perfect box for the time of year when colder weather and earlier sunsets drives you inside most evenings. 

 

Belvita

I had never tried Belvita bars before and was a little skeptical. The package wasn't large and the bars don't look very appetizing. However, I had them for breakfast with hot tea one morning at work and was very pleasantly surprised. Not only did they keep me full for most of the day but they tasted like cinnamon graham crackers!

 

I mentioned them on Facebook and had several friends comment on how much they love them, I can't believe I had never tried them before. Next time I'm purchasing breakfast bars to keep at my desk I'll probably get a box of these. 

 

Dr. Scholl's

I put the Dr. Scholl's cozy cushions in a pair of dress boots that I wear to work a lot. The boots needed the extra cushioning, but the cozy cushions were even better since they keep my feet toasty even in the bitter cold weather we've had lately. The cushions come in a size 6-10 and you cut them to size based on the lines marked on the bottom. Since I'm a 7 1/2 I had to guess a little, but I likely would have needed to trim them to fit the boots anyway.

 

Rimmel London

The Rimmel London mascara came at the perfect time since I just finished my last tube of mascara. I love the way the mascara makes my lashes long and defined, but it isn't as water resistant as my Mary Kay Lash Love mascara. It smudges easily until it completely dries and I think it would come off if I cried or went swimming with it on. Luckily I don't usually jump in the water when the temperature in 30 degrees. Overall it is a great product, but I would probably purchase a waterproof version.

I had a lot of fun dressing up and doing my eye makeup with the mascara though. It definitely gives my lashes a thicker look and I rarely do more than just mascara and lipstick. However, this product really pops when you add eye liner and shadow as well. 

 

Kiss 

I think the product I had the most fun with was the gold Kiss nail polish. The polish comes in three bottles and you apply it to create a gradient that ends in sequins. My sister and I gave ourselves manicures. It's tricky to create the perfect gradient look like the package shows and I think next time I may use the sequins with a color, with the upcoming holidays red with gold sequins would be very festive.

 

Lindor 

I let my brother enjoy the Lindt Lindor truffle. I've had them before and love them, especially the dark chocolate, but the box came not long after Halloween and I had eaten so many sweets that I knew he'd enjoy it more. Which he did.

 

Overall this was a great selection of products and I love that I got the chance to try them out. If anyone wants a manicure let me know!

Influenster: Colgate Slimsoft

The old and the new!

I recently joined a site named Influenster, it's a great place to get reviews of products and occasionally they even send free products to members for review.

They recently sent me a Colgate Slimsoft toothbrush for review. I was already using a Colgate toothbrush, but I usually choose something with firmer bristles. The slimsoft has soft bristles, but advertises finer bristles that are able to reach areas that regular toothbrushes cannot.

While I don't know if I prefer the softer bristles I do notice a difference with the slimsoft reaching areas that the older toothbrush did not. If you like a toothbrush with softer bristles then I definitely recommend the Colgate Slimsoft.