Blossom VoxBox

I received the Blossom VoxBox from Influenster earlier this month, and I figured I'd give myself time to try everything at leisure before posting my review, which is why it wasn't up here sooner. As always with any VoxBox that I post from Influenster, I received all of these items free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. The post is not sponsored by Influenster or any of the companies who participated by adding their products to this box. Let's get started!

I wasn't quite sure what the Blossom VoxBox was when I found out that I was selected to get one, so I opted to wait and be surprised. Here's what I got in my box:

1. Beanitos Bean Chips in Chipotle BBQ & Original Black Bean, $3.49

When I saw these were bean chips, I was not intrigued. lol I don't eat beans often and I'm not really a fan of black beans, so I didn't think they'd taste good at all. But I did like all the health benefits that the chips boasted and that the ingredients were all natural, so I went ahead and tried them. The nutritional info on the back lists these chips as being gluten, MSG, sodium, They ended up tasting great, at least to me. The original flavor was my favorite of the two; they had a subtle taste with only a hint of black bean at the end. The chipotle bbq reminded me of a less greasy Lay's Barbecue chip with a finish of cayenne or chili powder. It left a heat behind that wasn't overwhelming, but it did mix quite well with the barbecue. The bean taste wasn't strong in this chip either. I think they would both be good chips to eat alongside a burger. I figure I'll get all the good stuff with the chips so that I can get a pass on eating the burger. It balances out. LOL

2. Bear Naked Granola in Sea Salt Caramel Apple & Coconut Almond Curry, $10.49 for 12oz.

I've never had loose granola before, and while I was excited to try the caramel apple version, I did not share the same excitement for the curry granola. The caramel apple has bits of dried apple and pieces of caramel mixed into the loose oats, and the almond curry has bits of shaved coconut slices and almond pieces mixed in with the oats. I absolutely loved the caramel apple. It reminded me of the apple oatmeal and granola bars I used to eat when I was a kid and it tasted great. The curry granola, however, not so much. I don't think curry should be combined with granola. At first the taste is slightly sweet, but then the heat of the curry hits and for me, it just didn't mix well with the oats and coconut. That would explain the significant difference in the amounts I have in the bags. lol

3. Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs in Medium, $13.99

My legs are darker than the shade of Airbrush Legs I was given so I wasn't able to get a full idea of how it would work for me, but when I tried it out I noticed a difference in the texture of my legs. The leg without the makeup felt normal and soft, but the one with it felt a bit rougher, sort of how my skin feels when I apply self-tanners or bronzing lotions. The leg makeup did give my leg more of a uniform complexion and after awhile I forgot it was there. It blended in well and disguised the smaller marks on my leg, and it didn't feel sweaty or greasy after a couple of hours. The only complaint I have with the product itself was how parched it made my leg feel. If it had the effect on my skin of a lotion then this would be great. I'm open to trying this again with the shade that matches my skintone.

4. Clairol Hair Food Root Cleansing Shampoo in Strawberry and Ginger, $9.99

On average I wash my hair about once or twice a week; I usually use my conditioner as a leave-in because it helps to keep my hair from drying out or becoming unmanageable between washes. My hair is very dry and weak in general, so I try not to go overboard with washing it or using heat on it. When I do wash it though, I need a shampoo that removes all built-up products or oils and fully cleanses without drying out my hair. The first time I washed my hair with this I noticed that after rinsing my hair, it felt a bit stripped and brittle, so I had to apply the leave-in to put some of the oils back. The second time, I didn't use the leave-in and proceeded as normal; it felt very stripped at first and very tangled. Once it was dried it did feel clean, especially at the root, but it fully exposed how dried out my ends were, and those parts are still prone to tangling even when dry. My hair doesn't feel weighted down per se, but it's kinda got the helmet effect going on--it's not flat, it brought out some of the waves at my roots, but it's not moving. I love the scent though and ends aside, I do like how my hair feels. It feels clean, but it also feels drier and much more brittle. It's gotten good reviews from other bloggers who've tried it and while I did see some of the benefits, I think maybe it just mixes badly with how damaged my hair already is or the texture it already had. I'm going to use it again LOL, just not without my leave-in afterward.

5. NYC 24-hr Eyeshadow in Brooklyn Mocha, $2.99

I've never tried any NYC products before, save for the dual-color eyeliners, so I was excited to try this. I really liked that it was a twist-up crayon. I swatched this on my hand first and I was expecting it to be a shimmery sand, but it actually looks more gray. I applied it over a primer on one eye and left the other eye naked, and that's where I noticed the difference. On the primed eye the color was darker, a bit more intense and smokier. On the naked eye, it was lighter, there was more of a shimmery finish, and the color blended out a little easier. I love the color by itself, but it also mixes well with other colors, makes for a slammin' smokey eye, and would probably be a good base if you'd like a little bit of shimmer to peek out from underneath darker eyeshadows. This is easily one of my favorite products in the box. 

6. Australian Gold Sunscreen in SPF 30, $7.99 for 8oz.

This is a great sunscreen. I don't know that it replaces my other two favorites just yet, but it's right up there. The scent is very summery but doesn't have that irritating sunscreen smell or feel to it. The formula isn't as thick as old school sunscreens, it rubs in very well and it doesn't leave the skin looking or feeling greasy. It makes your skin look moisturized and dewy, and I liked that as well. I applied it before leaving on a midday walk last weekend and when I got back, I had a tan but my skin wasn't as dried out as it normally is when I leave without sunscreen. My skin wasn't leathery or chafed and still felt moisturized. It's also supposed to be water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, so if you're going to spend a couple of hours out by the pool or at a water park, this would be a good sunscreen to take along with you. The size of the bottle that I received makes it very portable, the top doesn't easily come off so it won't spill in your bag, and you won't need to drown your skin in it; you can mix it in with your lotion to get it to stretch. I liked this sunscreen a lot. 

7. Nasoya Pasta Zero Pasta, $2.29

I haven't been able to get to the store to buy sauce for this pasta yet, but let me tell you that I was not intrigued by this when I first saw it in the bag. lol It was delivered very securely though, it was in a bubble wrapped container and that was placed into a Ziploc bag, so I appreciate that I didn't receive noodle juice (lol) drenched all over everything. These noodles are supposed to be cooked in a skillet, then you can add whatever sauces you'd like and eat. When I try this, I'll update the post. 

Extras:

Besides the fact sheet I got on all of the products in the box, I also had coupons for Beanitos and Hair Food products, and an invitation to post some how-to or inspiration tips in order to receive a $25 eBay gift card. I much prefer when I get fact sheets with my boxes; after I review them initially I tend to forget about where I got them, and the fact cards help me keep track. 

The Blossom VoxBox is by far one of the better boxes I received from Influenster, and I'm beyond appreciative that I was selected for this box. I got a couple of new alternatives for healthy snacks, and with this new goal of mine to workout and start being more aware of what I eat, a couple of those snacks couldn't have come at a better time. Thanks again to Influenster for including me in this box and Happy Memorial Day!

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Carefree VoxBox

I hadn't received a VoxBox from Influenster since sometime last year, so when I found out I was in last month's Carefree VoxBox it was quite a surprise. I hadn't even entered it; I was just selected for it so when I got the email, I was like, "Wha?" lol Now as with any box you'll see from Influenster on this site, all products reviewed were sent to me for free in exchange for an unbiased review. None of these posts are sponsored by Influenster or any of the participating companies; all thoughts and opinions are my own. Well, with that disclaimer out of the way, let's get started!

When I first received this box, I was a bit unsure of how to post this and give a personal experience without veering into TMI Lane, but I'm going to try to maneuver around it. As a reader, I don't want to read about the graphic details of someone's flow so I won't cross that line now that I'm on the other side of the matter. Anyway, here is what came in my box:

Simple and to the point, right? lol As you can see, I received a small box of 20 regular unscented Acti-Fresh Carefree liners. These are intended for light to regular flow but aren't meant to take the place of a more durable feminine product, so I wouldn't use them alone unless you're just dealing with minor spotting. I was a little skeptical of them since they didn't have wings and I learned my lesson with wingless products the hard way (and if you've ever had to get a pad from the nurse's office in middle or high school, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that you learned this lesson the hard way too lol) a long time ago, so at first I was like, "Nah, kid. I'm not trying these." But when my dear friends Cramp and Flo made their way into town a couple days after said statement and I had errands to run throughout their visit (so I couldn't hole up in bed and pray for a swift death like I was planning to do), I figured it was the Almighty's way of telling me to do my job and stop whining. 

There are a few reasons why I don't bother with pads, one of the main reasons being that I don't find them comfortable at all. I always feel like I'm wearing a diaper and I have the biggest fear of people being able to see it through whatever bottoms I'm wearing. LOL Liners are okay for the most part, but I hardly ever wear them anymore so I never gave it too much thought. Fortunately, these aren't the fear-inducing liners of old and as a result, my experience with them was quite pleasant. 

Pros:

--Very compact & easily disposable

--Relatively crinkle-free packaging

--Thin but absorbent

--Durable and sturdy

--Unscented but still has odor control

Cons:

None that I can think of!

I'm hoping this is the first and last time I have to put a picture
of a pad up on this blog. LOL

My thoughts:

I'm not really one for liners but if I were to start wearing them again, I'd go with these. The size, as you can see in the pic, is very small, so it'll fit in a small pocket or even a small purse with no problem. Because it's so small, disposal is a snap. One thing I like about this liner is that the wrapper is one of the crinkle-free ones, so you can put it in your pocket and walk around with it without that tell-tale crinkling sound. When I first saw them, I wondered how they would hold anything in because they were so small, but they're surprisingly absorbent. They're durable and sturdy despite having no wings for extra security so there's no fear of them falling and slipping down your leg (or is that just a fear of mine? LOL I saw it happen to a girl once at school, became traumatized, and developed a fear at irrational levels of it happening to me), and it molds to your body so well that you forget you're even wearing it. I would say that a con would be that these don't have wings since those are the ones I prefer, but they're very secure, so I didn't miss them. Scented items of that nature tend to irritate my skin, so I usually stay away from them. Even though these liners are unscented, they still have a fresh, clean smell to them with odor control properties. It's a very subtle scent but it does work. I was very pleased with how they worked and I'm open to trying them again. 

Overall, I liked the Carefree box and as always, am appreciative to Influenster for giving me something new to review. I'm not in a terribly large hurry to review anything quite like this again as I worry about toeing that line of TMI lol, but I appreciated the challenge of trying to review something that I initially wasn't too keen to talk about. If you're in the market for a solid liner, try out the Carefree Acti-Fresh liners; despite not being a fan in general, I have absolutely no complaints with these.

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Beauty Review: Influenster Surf's Up VoxBox

I don't think I've mentioned this before, but I'm a member of a site called Influenster, which helps you to unlock brand and product badges, provide reviews on brands and products, and receive boxes for review. As you unlock more badges, you qualify for more complimentary products and boxes. Sometime in June I qualified to receive the Surf's Up VoxBox in exchange for a review on all of the products in the box. I would have mentioned that I received these from Influenster regardless, but policy lists that I have to include that I received these free of charge for testing and review so there ya go. Here's what I got: 

1. Jamba Juice Smoothie Kit, $2.99--$3.49

I've heard of this smoothie brand but I've never had one before. You receive a coupon in your box to go redeem at your local grocer but there isn't one in my local area, so unfortunately I couldn't try this out. If you've had a Jamba Juice smoothie before though, did I miss out on anything?

2. Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration After Sun in Coconut Papaya, 2oz./$2.99 or 8oz./$8.99

I used this on my shoulders and arms after a couple hours out and about, and it did make my skin feel more moisturized after coming back in. During the summer, exposed skin, my arms, shoulders and feet in particular, tend to take on a leathery appearance the longer that I'm outside because my skin dries out so quickly. The weird thing about the majority of my skin is that even when it's dry, it still feels soft. lol Anywho, within minutes of applying it, my skin looked hydrated, moisturized and felt a little smoother to the touch. Another thing I liked about it is that regardless of the temperature the bottle is in, it's still cooling on the skin. I really like the scent. It has a light, summery/beachy sort of smell to it, if that makes any sense. It's not very heavy but it does perfume the skin for a little while after application. It looks kinda like toothpaste and it's not watery although it does tend to be a little sticky until it fully dries. 

3. First Aid Shot Therapy, $2.99

I never knew that NSAIDS existed in liquid form or I probably would have tried them sooner. I have a really tough time swallowing pills so I usually have to take my medicine crushed with some water. Technically, I'm not supposed to take NSAIDS because I have asthma and a few stomach issues that cause me some intestinal distress when I take them, but I also suffer from hellacious migraines so I have to go with the lesser evil and deal with the stomachache so I can get rid of the headache. These little liquid shots boast 500mg of NSAID power combined with 65mg caffeine as a fast acting pain reliever. I tried this during one of those hellacious headaches earlier after reading some reviews about it online, which came in handy with prepping me for the taste. Most of the complaints with this product were taste related, so I wondered, "How bad can it be?" I smelled it and it reminded me of the berry flavored sparkling waters, and when I initially tasted it it reminded me of the same, but the aftertaste is a bitch. I've been burping for a couple of hours and the taste is still there. Unfortunately, so is the headache. But since I have to take 1000mg ibuprofen per headache and sometimes that isn't enough and I have to take another 1000mg dose four hours later, I kind of figured that this wouldn't work for me. I also noticed that about 45 mins after drinking a bit of it, I got a burst of jitters that lasted for about 10 mins. So if you aren't prone to jitteriness or don't have as high a tolerance for ibuprofen as I do, then this will probably work for you. I get where they were going with this product, I do. And I don't hate it, it just didn't work for me because my tolerance is too high. And it tastes awful. LOL

4. Sinful Colors Polish in Firefly, $1.99

This looked kind of bright in the bottle and at first I was a little intimidated to wear it. I don't mind my bright polishes, especially during summer, but just from experience I know that many yellow polishes tend to wash out my skin and make it look a little ashy around the cuticles. This one thankfully looks okay on my skin but I think it looks better with multiple coats. It looks like a mix of mustard and sunshine LOL and the color intensifies as the number of coats increases. Let me know if you'd like me to include photos of how it looks after one and two coats. There is subtle sparkling in this polish, but if you like really glittery polish I'd suggest adding a separate glitter topcoat. The shade had to grow on me and I probably wouldn't wear it on all of my fingers, but I kinda dig it. The first time I painted my nails with this shade, I went up to 3 coats but even with a topcoat it chipped fairly easily. I wasn't crazy about the brush; it tended to hold extra polish and make my nails look kind of clumpy. These last two things are more so brand complaints; I've been buying Sinful Colors polishes for a couple of years now and the majority of these polishes have the same kind of brush and chip pretty quickly. I do think this is a pretty color for summer, but only if you like bright polishes and don't mind reapplying in a couple of days.

5. CoverGirl Bombshell Curvaceous by LashBlast Mascara, $9.49--$11.99

The first time I tried this, I wasn't impressed at all. I like my lashes long, with borderline spider leg vibes, and this didn't do it for me. It didn't even elongate my lashes the way I liked. One thing I did like was that the step 1 base wasn't that white formula that I've had with a lot of the 2 step mascaras; sometimes that white base made my lashes look powdery even after I'd applied a couple coats of the actual mascara. I didn't have that problem here. I was wearing a pretty sweet cat eye the day I tried it out though lol, but the line was rather thick so I figured that the eyeliner detracted a bit from how my lashes looked. I tried it out again on a day that I was wearing just mascara and it did work, but I still felt a little underwhelmed from all the hype I'd heard about it.

In short, I liked my Surf's Up VoxBox. I thought it had a lot of fun things for summer, everything was easily portable, and the retail price for all of these products wasn't expensive at all. Despite my experience with the Bombshell mascara, I've heard a lot of positive reviews so I'm open to trying it again. I appreciate the thought that Influenster put into this box and trying to make sure that the box really screamed 'summer' as all of these products are lightweight, colorful (whether it be with the actual color or the packaging), and easy to use. 

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