Influenster Makeover

Wow, I guess I haven't updated in a while. I have lots of new products to share and review, but school has been keeping me pretty busy.
Anyways, Influenster has just redone their entire website. I liked the idea of influenster before, and I got lots of amazing products from them, but their site wasn't done as well as it could have been. However, their new makeover has completely made up for that.
I love their new site! It is filled with lots of great things. You can now review items on their site, including both items that you received through previous voxbox programs, and items you decide to try out. When you do this, you increase your influenster score and your expert badge scores. Your overall influenster score is important and decides your overall influenster experience. Your badge scores are also important. You can increase your scores by writing reviews, answering questions, and when people like your reviews. Also, share things on your social networking accounts and your number will go up.
I like that this site is now very inclusive and interactive. Now you can ask a question and find out what someone thinks about a specific part of a product, rather than solely their over-all review.
If you haven't check out influenster, ask for an invite, and invite your friends. The more influential your friends are, the higher your influenster score is and the more likely you are to get amazing voxboxes!

Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color: Review

     I have seen the Magnetic Nail Color around for a couple of months now and have finally given it a try, after receiving the product in my Summer Vox Box from Influenster. While this nail color looks as if you spent a while creating a fun, 3D nail design, it only takes minutes!

     I followed the directions, which tells you to apply a base coat on all of your nails and then go back and, nail by nail, paint the nail and hold the magnet (which is included on the top of the bottle) over the nail for about 10 seconds. After I did this, I did not see much of a design, at least not like I saw in the pictures. While this is normal, I was a little disappointed. However, just a day later, the design from the magnet has turned out rather nicely, and I love it. 

     I have the color in Indigo and it appears to be a matte indigo with a dark purple/blue in it from holding the magnet over the nails. I really like the way it looks. The directions are very easy to follow, and while the magnet was a little hard to use at first, I got used to it after the first couple of nails and found it easy to use. The design is also even across all 10 nails, which is something I questioned before trying this product. 

This is a fun look that is perfect for back to school, a day at the mall, or even the beach.

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for free through the influenster vox box program. I did not buy this product, nor am I affiliated with the products or brands mentioned above. All opinions are my own, honest opinions, of which I am not being paid for. 

NYC Smooth Skin Liquid Makeup

I was looking for a new foundation a while back and came across the NYC. line in my local drugstore. I have tried their nail polish and mascara and have always liked what I have used, so I decided to try the foundation.
The NYC Smooth Skin Liquid Makeup comes in a round bottle, so it is more sanitary than other products out there. I really like the packaging, but the product is a little thick so it was hard to get out at first. I shook the bottle well, tapped on the bottle, and did several other things as I tried to get the product out of the bottle. After a couple of uses it was easier to get out and after a couple weeks of use, I have yet to have another problem.
This foundation contains vitamins A and E and is said to be a "Lightweight, blendable formula for buildable, flawless coverage". I have found this to be true. It is a great foundation for the summer because it doesn't feel heavy on my face. It is also easy to blend without being too oily or too watery.
The coloring of this product is great. Since there are not samples in my local stores, I had to eye-ball it. The color in the bottle is very similar to what it will look like out of the bottle. It looks very natural on my skin.
One thing I have found is that NYC Smooth Skin Liquid Makeup does not give wonderful coverage and it can be a little drying. If you are breaking out a little, you will need to use a good concealer to get rid of redness. I have found this product to be great to create the appearance smoother skin, though. After using it for several weeks, my face did not look as healthy, so make sure you use a good moisturizer.
It looks like the bottle will last me a long time. I was a little skeptical of the staying power and the coverage because of the price, but this is one of my new favorite foundations. I have pretty sensitive skin, and this product has worked really well for me over the past few weeks. It lasts all day and covers my face nicely. 
Overall, I like this foundation. It's not too oily, it's not too obvious you are wearing foundation, and it lasts a long time. This product retails for around $3, but the price says nothing about the quality of this product. There are only six available shades, according to NYC's website, but if you can find a shade that works for you, I would recommend trying it if you are on a budget or want to try something different. However, if you break out easily or need heavy coverage, I would try something else first.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with this company nor am I being paid to review the products mentioned.  I purchased this product with my own money and this is my own, honest opinion.

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen

     It's the heat of the summer and I have finally found my favorite summer must have! Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen is one of my favorite sunscreens, as of recently. I have tried just about every sunscreen I have seen and I have never been completely happy with 99% of them. They all seem too runny, they don't smell too great, or they don't provide the proper protection for my skin.

     I have pretty fair skin. When I go out in the sun I burn instead of tan. Because of this, I am always trying new sunscreens. I always had a problem with them getting in my eyes, contributing to breakouts, or my face burned. However, all of this stopped once I tried Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen.

     This is the creamiest, most moisturizing sunscreen I have used. According to Hawaiian Tropic, this sunscreen "Nourishes and papers skin while providing broad spectrum UVA and UVB protections, and 12-hour moisturization when out in the sun". It has a great consistency that works well for my combination skin. I have used this a lot on my face, and I love it most for that. It also has a wonderful smell. While it does smell like sunscreen, it is not overpowering and it also smells tropical. When I apply it, those around me can smell that there is sunscreen around, but it goes away after a while. 

     I also really love the packaging of this sunscreen. It comes in a pretty, see-through bottle, showing the brown and tan sunscreen. Although the bottle looks nicer than most sunscreens out there, it does not mean that ease of use is compromised. The sunscreen is very easy to get out of the bottle. The nozzle on the top and the creamy consistency the sunscreen in the bottle until you squeeze it. 

     I am overly excited with this new sunscreen. My face has even gotten a tan since using it! I usually apply it after a couple of hours, but it has also protected my skin really well. I have only tried SPF 30 but SPF 12 and 50 are also available. I plan on buying this product and recommend it to anyone who goes outside, whether it is to play a sport, go to the beach, or just walk around. This product retails at $8.99 for a 6 oz bottle at most major retail stores.

Disclaimer: This product was to me for free through the Influenster vox box program. I did not buy this product, nor am I affiliated with the products or brands mentioned above. All opinions are my own, honest opinions, of which I am not being paid for.

Summer Beauty Vox Box: Initial Thoughts

I received my second Influenster Vox Box a couple days ago and am excited to use all of the products in the box. If you don't know what influenster is, you can go to their site or read my blog explaining it. In the box is sunscreen, feminine hygiene products, a snack bar, nail polish, hand creme`, shampoo, and conditioner. I have not yet used these products. These are only my initial thoughts.
Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30: I am really excited to try this sunscreen. I received SPF 30 which will be great to carry around in my purse. This doesn't have a strong sunscreen scent, but rather a coconut scent, which I love. I also like the consistency of the product.
Tampax and Always Radiant Collection: This comes with a variety of products that comes in "Designer packaging and wrappers". I think this a new product so I haven't heard much about it.

Influenster Summer Beauty VoxBox

Quaker Soft Bakes Bar in Banana Nut Bread:  I will not be able to try out this product because it contains almonds. I am going to give it to my sister to try and will have her write a review or tell me what she thinks of it. It looks healthy as it contains fiber and vitamins. It is also small enough to fit in a purse for a quick snack. I may purchase this in another flavor.
Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color:  I have been wanting to try this out for a while, so I was excited about receiving this product to try. I got the color 906 Iconic Indigo, which looks like a pretty, grey/purple/blue color. I've seen this in stores and the pictures next to it look fun for summer and it doesn't seem to difficult. I've liked all of the Sally Hansen products I've tried in the past, so I'm expecting this to be a great product as well.
Sally Hansen Nails and Cuticles Hand Creme`:  This is a 24 hour moisture hand creme I am excited to try. I have been looking for something like this, so I received it in great timing. I can't explain the exact smell, but I really like it. It is a little tropical. I think it's something with a hint of coconut but also a little bit of orange. 
Clean Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy:  I have seen this line in stores, but have yet to try them so I'm excited to see how I like it. It says "Feed Scalp. Stronger, more beautiful hair in 7 days". If it does as it says, I will probably repurchase this product. The scent is a little strong and smells like soap, to me. The bottles look pretty and it says this product contains 10 vitamins and nutrients. 

Those are all of the products I received in my Summer Beauty Vox Box. I am excited to try all of the products I received and will start posting reviews of each product as soon as I use them long enough.

Disclaimer: These products were sent to me for free through the influenster vox box program. I did not buy this product, nor am I affiliated with the products or brands mentioned above. All opinions are my own, honest opinions, of which I am not being paid for.

Influenster

I have been apart of influenster since this past December and I love the program. I received my first VoxBox around May and just received my second one. I have been reviewing products from the boxes and decided to explain what Influenster is, in case you don't already know.
Influenster is a site that sends you products to review. It is completely free and all you have to do is review the products you receive. To sign up is go to influenster.com. You can signup  through facebook or by email. Once you do this, you can start earning badges. There is a variety of badges, from social media badges to a beauty badge to a mom,cat, and dog badge. This site is really for anyone. You want to earn as many badges as possible and be active because it will increase your chances of getting a VoxBox. Once you get a VoxBox, you can earn special badges for those products by logging in and following the directions they have posted.
Now, you may be asking, "What is a VoxBox?". VoxBox is the name of the boxes you receive the products in. They have several different products, which vary depending on who the box is geared for. Both of my VoxBoxes have been beauty VoxBoxes so I have received things like nail polish, sunscreen, makeup, chapstick, and snack bars. All you have to do is fill out a survey if you prequalify for a VoxBox and then try and review the products if you are picked.
I really like Influenster and the idea of VoxBoxes. Everyone always says "If it's too good to be true, then it probably is", but I have not had a problem with Influenster. They are also easy to contact. If you have a problem with something, you will most likely get a quick response via their twitter, @influenster. 


1) Sign up at Influenster.com
2) Validate your email
3) Earn badges and wait for your first VoxBox!


Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with this company. This is my own, honest opinion, of which I do not get paid for.

Keurig Brew Over Ice

This isn't really beauty related, but I like tea and drinks that are easy to make, so when I received the Keurig Brew Over Ice package from BzzAgent, I was really excited.
If you don't know what Keurig is, it is a machine that quickly makes a beverage for you. I always thought of it was a coffee maker, but it also makes tea, hot chocolate, chi tea, and cider. There is a very larger variety of flavors offered, but I had never tried it because I'm not a huge coffee person.

My family has been using Keurig for a while, but this was my first time using it, myself. I think Keurig is great. It is fast and easy to use. It is great for people who are always on the go. It is also a cheaper way to have your coffee or tea fix. I think I figured out it is about $0.50 per cup, compared to something that would be 4 or 5 times the price if you were to purchase a cup of coffee or tea.
The only K-Cup I liked out of the 4 was the half-and-half, which is half black tea and half lemonade. I really liked this one and will probably purchase it again.
I did not like the sweet tea and the coffees. It was my first time having sweet tea, so I'm sure it's just that I don't like sweet tea, because my family really liked it. I also am not a coffee person, so the coffees were too strong for me.
I will definitely purchase Brew Over Ice products in teas that I like, such as the half-and-half. It is a great drink the enjoy in the summer heat and easier to make than any tea I've had.

Disclaimer: The K-Cups mentioned in this review were sent to me for free through BzzAgent. I did not buy anything other than the Keurig itself, nor am I affiliated with this product or other brands mentioned. All opinions are my own, honest opinions, of which I am not being paid for.

Dr. Scholl's For Her Ball of Foot Cushions Review

Influenster recently sent me Dr.Scholl's For Her Ball of Foot Cushions to try and review, and I found them to be useful and comfortable.
I'm never one who usually goes out to buy products like this, unless they are for running shoes, but I'm glad I received this product because my view on them has changed. They were really comfortable and made my heels more practical. I usually get a pain in the ball of my foot after wearing heels for a couple of hours, and these did the trick.
According to Dr.Scholl's site, this product:

• Helps prevent ball of foot pain
• Immediate Massaging Gel™ comfort for the ball of your foot
• Only ball of foot product made with unique FabuSTEP^®gel
• Prevents toe scrunch
• Stays firmly in place
• Removable without damage to your shoes
• Discreetly fits all women's shoes

Available in:

• One size fits all

Designed to fit:

• All women's shoes

I have found all of these to be true. They may not be great for shoes that show the sole, but that is just a guess, as I did not try this myself. They were also easy to remove, yet they stayed in my shoes when I needed them to. I have never tried any other product for the ball of my foot prior to this, so I have nothing to compare this product to, but I was impressed with the comfort they added.
Overall, I would recommend this product for woman who go out often and wear heels. This is a great and cheaper product to improve comfort in your favorite pair of heels you can never wear because of foot pain.
Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for free through the influenster vox box program. I did not buy this product, nor am I affiliated with the product or any other brands mentioned in this blog.

Sheer Cover Review

I recently received the Sheer Cover Duo Concealer from Influenster's Vox Box Program and have been testing it out to review. This was the perfect addition to the Spring Beauty Vox Box because I was in the market for a new concealer and I found exactly what I was looking for.

I have sensitive skin so I usually stick to brands I am familiar with but decided to give this a try. I have been using this product for about a month and I have not had a problem with it. It's also easy to use and it blends nicely. This product is great for college students, because it takes almost no time to apply and it lasts a long time, which is great for those all-nighters.

The one downside to this product is the packaging. I am not rough with my products and I store them nicely, yet this container broke about 3 weeks after using it. I was a little disappointed because before this, I considered this product to be perfect. The container still closes so it's not a huge problem, but that is something to be cautious about when using this product. 

When using this product, I apply foundation, then the sheer cover concealer, and then a setting powder. I used it under my eyes or on blemishes, and it works great. 

I have found that Sheer Cover does exactly what it staters: "Sheer Cover® Concealer is perfect for all skin types and tones.  Our concealer is a customer favorite offering a custom blend for the various shades on your face and covers up imperfections.  It not only covers up the look of dark circles, blemishes, redness and age spots, it also moisturizes with Jojoba and Allantoin. 

It instantly conceals blemishes, dark spots, hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone – we’ve got life’s little imperfections covered!"

I am excited to try the other Sheer Cover products and highly recommend the duo concealer!

If you want more information, you find it on the Sheer Cover website. It is $29.95 for the concealer (non-member price) and $29.95 for the introductory system, which also include duo concealer. 

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for free through the influenster vox box program. I did not buy this product, nor am I affiliated with the product or any other brands mentioned in this blog. 

Sally Hansen Salon Effects

Sally Hansen Salon Effects is a product that gives the effect of a manicure without having to spend time going to a salon or doing it yourself. These nail strips are advertised as having "No dry time", lasting up to 10 days, and they remove "easily with nail polish remover". I have found that all of these are true-my nails dried quickly, they lasted several days, and they came off easily when trying to remove, but they did not come off before that.
These nail stickers come in 40 different patterns and colors, many of which I love. They have everything from a solid pink to "Girl Power" which is a floral design. Some of them are loud designs and some of them are good for formal events. I was sent the color "Frock Star" from Influenster, which is a dark rainbow sparkle color. I loved this design because it was so much easier to apply than your basic sparkle nail polish. When I paint my nails and add sparkles to them it usually takes a while because I have to use several coats to get the coverage I want.

Frock Star

Sally Hansen Salon Effects are easy to apply and you can do it quickly. These are great for people who are always on the go because you can carry them in your purse or keep them in your car and quickly apply them. Salon Effects is also great for statement nails. I painted 4 of my nails a solid color and used the "Frock Star" salon effects on my ring finger.
When I first applied it, it was a little hard to put on and get the excess polish off, but I quickly got the hang of it. There are extra nail strips put in the package in case you have this problem too. There are clear instructions that help you learn how to apply these.
Overall, I really liked this product. I would definitely recommend this product and I can't wait to try their other designs and colors.
You can buy this product at drug store chains, national merchandise stores, and food stores.


Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for free through the influenster vox box program. I did not buy this product and I am not affiliated with the product or any other brands mentioned in this blog.

Photo Credit: Sally Hansen Salon Effects

B&BW Fine Fragrance Mist: Japanese Cherry Blossom (Review)

     I love Bath & Body Works Products so when I received this in my Influenster Vox Box I was more than excited. I received this product in the scent of Japanese Cherry Blossom, which was actually one of my favorite scents a couple of years ago until I discovered some of their newer items.

     Bath & Body Works has revamped the look of their products. The new fine fragrance bottle looks more exactly as the title states: a fine fragrance, where as before it looked like any other body mist. The bottle also has a picture worked onto the bottle, which adds a nice touch. I give the bottle a 5/5.
    The fragrance itself is not my favorite, but it's okay. I would buy this product if my two favorites were out of stock. Japanese Cherry Blossom is a little heavy for my liking, but if you like flowery and stronger fragrances, this would be a great choice! I have also found that it does not stay on for too long. I would suggest buying the travel size bottles sold at B&BW and carry it around with you if you want this fragrance to last longer. I would rate the actual fragrance a 3/5.
    Overall, I love the fine fragrance mist from Bath and Body Works. I have tried one other scent, Paris Amour, and love it-it is actually my go to, everyday fragrance. I have used this product several times, using a few squirts each time, and I have yet to make a dent in the bottle! I will definitely be buying more of Bath and Body Works' fine fragrance mists and would recommend them to anyone looking for a fragrance that will not break the bank but is still a great product that will last a long time.

If you want to look at the Japanese Cherry Blossom fine fragrance, you can see it here.

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for free through the influenster vox box program. I did not buy this product and I am not affiliated with the product or any other brands mentioned in this blog.
Photo Credit: Bath & Body Works