Calvin Klein Eternity Now

Hello again! I received a few more freebies from Influenster, so I'm bringing you this brief blog to review the products. I was selected to receive the Eternity Now VoxBox, which included a sample of both the men's and women's fragrances from the new Eternity Now line. While I can't speak to the men's fragrance, I can tell you that the women's fragrance is ok, but nothing to write home about.

The fragrance is described on the Nordstrom website as "a bright, addictive floral fragrance filled with succulent fruits and radiant flowers, enveloped in a soft cashmere veil." It is a very light scent and, while I found it nice, I was disappointed by the lasting power of the product. I got a couple hours of wear out of this product, but that is totally not enough from a $46.00 perfume! So, while I am grateful for this sample, I will not be purchasing the item myself.

Covergirl: My "Glow" To Brand

In my most recent VoxBox from Influenster, I received two free products from Covergirl: the Outlast Stay Luminous Foundation and the Outlast Lipstick in Magnetic Mauve. I was excited to try these products; read below to see how it all turned out.

Covergirl Outlast Lipstick--I received a full-sized tube of this lipstick in the color Magnetic Mauve. While the lipstick was damaged a bit in transit, I was able to salvage most of it. I must say that I love the color! While I don't find this lipstick particularly long-wearing, I do love the creamy formula.

Covergirl Outlast Stay Luminous Foundation--I should have known from the "luminous" in the product name that this foundation was not going to work for me. I have combination/oily skin, so anything "luminous" or "dewy" is usually off limits. However, I decided to give it a try. The application was great and the color match was spot on (I received color 820: Creamy Natural). The finish looked great immediately after application, but it began to break down after only a few hours. My pores were highly visible, which is not cute at all! I will be passing this product on to someone with dry skin. Even though it didn't work on my skin type, I really think it would look great on someone else. As a side note, I absolutely love the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous Foundation, which is geared more towards oily skin. I think that the Luminous would be just as amazing for someone with dry skin as the Stay Fabulous is for me and my oily skin!

Quick shot of me rocking both products. The coverage on the foundation is great, but, once again, it's just not meant for my skin type. The color of the lipstick is amazing and really works with my skin tone. What do you think?

Review of Indeed Labs nanoblur

In my most recent VoxBox from Influenster, I received a free tube of nanoblur by Indeed Labs. I was excited to try this product; read below to see how it all turned out.

This skin finisher is supposed to give an air-brushed finish to the skin. However, it completely confused me! If using a liquid foundation, you were supposed to put this product on AFTER the foundation; if using power, you were supposed to put it on BEFORE. I tried using it both ways, and neither worked for me. With liquid foundation, the product was highly visible and caused my makeup to be very blotchy. With powder foundation, the overall finish was very uneven. The only way that it made my skin look decent was when I used it by itself, but I need at least foundation to cover my discolorations and blemishes! Hopefully someone out there was able to make this product work, because I sure couldn't! While I had high hopes for this, I was sadly disappointed.

@Influenster @indeedlabs #nanoblurred #contest #gotitfree #voxbox #idovoxbox

A Review of the I Do VoxBox from Influenster

I've been out of the country for over a month, but I was delighted to learn that I had an Influenster VoxBox waiting on me when I returned home. For those of you who don't know, I am part of the Influenster Nation, which means that companies send me things to try out and review for them. All of the products are free for me to keep; all I have to do is give my honest opinion of the products I use. Here is a quick overview of the goodies I received in this VoxBox!

The Good:

1. Neutrogena Hand Cream--I have used this stuff before, so I knew exactly what to expect from this amazing little bottle. It is a very thick, moisturizing cream that works on even the driest skin. Just the tiniest bit will work for a large area of skin, so this 2 oz. container is going to last a long time. If you plan on using this, just be aware that it is very thick, so you may only want to use it at night!

2. Covergirl Outlast Lipstick--I received a full-sized tube of this lipstick in the color Magnetic Mauve. While the lipstick was damaged a bit in transit, I was able to salvage most of it. I must say that I love the color! While I don't find this lipstick particularly long-wearing, I do love the creamy formula.

3. URGENTRx Ache & Pain Relief Powder--Not much can go wrong with pain medicine. The powder was a lemon-lime flavor which was ok, but I was impressed with how quickly the product worked. I may buy a few of these to keep in my purse!

The OK:

1. Skinnygirl Tasty Nutrition Bars--I received the Lemon Swirl flavor, and I'm not crazy about lemon. While the bar itself was ok, I was shocked to learn that the retail price for these bars is $4.99 each! No way would I pay that much for this bar!

2. Sahale Snacks Grab & Go--This were pretty good, but I felt they lacked a very distinctive flavor. Not a bad snack for $1.39.

3. Covergirl Outlast Stay Luminous Foundation--I should have known from the "luminous" in the product name that this foundation was not going to work for me. I have combination/oily skin, so anything "luminous" or "dewy" is usually off limits. However, I decided to give it a try. The application was great and the color match was spot on (I received color 820: Creamy Natural). The finish looked great immediately after application, but it began to break down after only a few hours. My pores were highly visible, which is not cute at all! I will be passing this product on to someone with dry skin. Even though it didn't work on my skin type, I really think it would look great on someone else.

The Confusing:

1. Indeed Labs nanoblur--This skin finisher is supposed to give an air-brushed finish to the skin. However, it completely confused me! If using a liquid foundation, you were supposed to put this product on AFTER the foundation; if using power, you were supposed to put it on BEFORE. I tried using it both ways, and neither worked for me. With liquid foundation, the product was highly visible and caused my makeup to be very blotchy. With powder foundation, the overall finish was very uneven. The only way that it made my skin look decent was when I used it by itself, but I need at least foundation to cover my discolorations and blemishes! Hopefully someone out there was able to make this product work, because I sure couldn't! While I had high hopes for this, I was sadly disappointed.

In conclusion, I got some really neat things to try with this I Do VoxBox. Even though there were some hits and misses, it's always fun to experiment with new products. A big thank you to Influenster for selecting me for this box and for all the companies who supplied the products to Influenster. If you have any questions about any of the products I have reviewed here, be sure to ask me below!

Temptations Treats Snacky Mouse Review

Hello everyone! I'm back again with another Influenster review! This time, I got to work on this review with my cats...well, more specifically, one of my cats. More on that later.

Here is the Snacky Mouse in all its glory! Cute little feller, isn't it? The idea is that the treats are placed inside the mouse (which has openings all around its midsection). The cat hits the mouse, which causes the treats to come out. The mouse remains standing because the base is basically a Weeble. If you don't remember Weebles, check out this video.

It's a good idea, and my cats really enjoyed it. My older cat, Sasha, tired of the whole process, but not Salem. Check out his Cat Vs. Mouse skills in this video.

Sorry that there isn't a cute picture to go with this video. Apparently youtube does not like short videos. Anyway, this is a cute little toy that does its job. Cats will be entertained, as well as be able to give themselves a tasty treat. Just be sure you don't give them too many at once!

Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Green Tea

If you're looking at the title of this blog and wondering why on earth I'm reviewing a type of tea, let me explain. I belong to the "Influenster Nation," if you didn't already know. Basically, this means that I get neat little boxes of goodies to review from time to time, and this lovely tea was included with the aptly titled "Frosty VoxBox." However, I do feel that this item does fall under the beauty category since being relaxed goes a long way towards helping your overall demeanor, as well as the tension lines and wrinkles in your face. So I actually should be thanking Influenster for helping me branch out a little bit! Now, without further ado, let's get down to business.

Isn't this such a cozy little photo? Drinking tea (or coffee) and reading are two of my favorite pastimes, especially in the winter months. I am a fan of Celestial Seasonings Victorian Earl Grey tea, but flavored teas have never really been my thing. A few have been nice, but I don't think I've ever repurchased a flavored tea. Also, I'm not a big fan of peppermint at all, which is another reason for my being shocked concerning my reaction to this tea. I really liked it! It has a very light tea flavor when compared to regular Earl Grey, and the peppermint is subtle enough to enhance the overall tea experience (instead of being overpowering, like peppermint tends to be). I added a small amount of sugar and milk, which I do when drinking Earl Grey as well. Overall, this is a very good holiday tea which does a nice job of relaxing the mind and body. I think the aroma of the peppermint adds a lot to the relaxing properties of this tea. I highly recommend this tea as a tasty holiday treat to help you unwind after the hustle and bustle of the season!

Clear Proof Acne System

Hello everyone! So I've been gone a while, but I promise to try to get back in the swing of blogging. This review is based on some products that I got free to test from Influenster, a great site which sends out products for review. This is the second physical box that I have received from Influenster, but I have also participated in what they call "virtual boxes" as well. If you haven't already, you should really check them  out!

Once upon a time, I used to sell Mary Kay. However, I was thrilled to see that the products included with this special VoxBox were completely new to me. I remember when Velocity was the acne line that Mary Kay had, and, while it smelled great, it was a little drying on my skin. Given that, I had some preexisting notions about this new acne system. However, I thought it was worth a shot.

I think the best way to present this review is to break it down one item at a time. This way you can see what I liked and didn't like about each item.

Clear Proof Clarifying Cleansing Gel
This gel cleanser is pretty standard as far as acne treatment. It is a clear gel which lathers well; it also has no scent, which is better than having the harsh chemical odor that some acne washes can have. With 2% salicylic acid, it can be a little drying, and it tingles if left on the skin too long. It does the job, but watch out if you are a little on the dry side.




 
Clear Proof Blemish Control Toner
Well, this is a toner...what else can I say? I've never really been too big on any toner. In fact, this is usually a step I skip. Once again, the 2% salicylic acid can be drying, but I'm assuming that most people will use this only when needed (which is what I did). While it claims to be exfoliating, I'm not sure how much of that I saw. It has a nice lemony scent though!

Clear Proof Acne Treatment Gel
This gel treatment is said to prevent new pimples from forming, as well as fading older acne scars. I am pleased to say that both of these claims were true, in my experience! There is no scent to this gel. It is white in color, but goes on clear. I felt a slight tingle a little bit after application, but after that, I was fine. The active ingredient is 5% benzoyl peroxide; however, I did not find this as drying as the previous two products.

Clear Proof Oil-Free Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Skin
HOLY GRAIL STATUS!!! I must say, this is the shining star of the whole system for me! Moisturizers have always made my acne worse, even so-called oil-free varieties. However, this one really works! Not only did it alleviate all dryness I was feeling from the active acne ingredients contained in the other items in the system, but it also left my skin feeling better than ever. It seems almost too thin to moisturize, but don't let that fool you. It absorbs into your skin super quickly, leaving a wonderful feeling behind. I even started using it in the mornings instead of a primer. Oh yeah, it's that good!

Final Verdict
Overall, these products work well together to make a great acne system. While testing them, I had an allergic reaction to some medication, but these products were mild enough to continue using during that breakout as well. In fact, my breakout cleared up much faster than normal and all the spots have since faded into nothingness. If you've been struggling to find a good acne system, give this a try. Hopefully, you'll like it as much as I did.



Oh, and just because you probably want to see my results, here is a before and after picture after only two weeks of use. This was prior to my horrendous breakout from my medicine, but I think you'll get the idea. Until next time! :)