My 2016 Spring Bloom VoxBox

As we near the end of May and into June, I can definitely say spring is going by fast and summer will be upon us all too soon. The weather is warming up, my nose gets itchy and my eyes water if I don't use Flonase in the morning, and I'm starting to feel comfortable wearing T-shirts and/or a skirt without thick woolly leggings! I got some products from Influenster that are all too perfect for the season and have put them too the test and want to share my thoughts with you all now.

Secret Outlast Deodorant
This is a bit of a weird one but honestly don't we all use deodorant and who wants those nasty pit stains or that weird sour stinky who knows what smell coming off of them? Certainly not me. In general, deodorant lasts me forever so it's hard to get to try a new one but I got a travel size of the Secret Outlast Deodorant in the completely clean scent and it's been working really well. Spring is like the time when it can get warm and dresses and T-shirts are out..basically all the more reasons to wear deodorant. I like how this doesn't mix with my sweat scent like my previous Secret deodorant sometimes did and it really does a good job at keeping me from getting those sweaty pits.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil
I'll start off by saying I've never used a "dry oil" and have only ever really used jojoba oil (once for my hair) and coconut oil (multiple times, also only for my hair). I've never used an oil to moisturize my body or face but have heard of such uses so was interested in trying this product for such purposes in addition to using it on my hair. I wish there were better instructions or directions for this product though because for someone who is new to dry oil or any oil for this matter, they might just apply the oil throughout their hair thinking it would have some shiny/silky effect on their hair and then be left with a greasy head all day.
The full size version of this comes with a spray pump but the sample I received was so small that it was just an open bottle with a screw on cap. This forces you to tilt the bottle and pour the product out which, like any oil or liquid, can cause it to dribble down the bottle and create a bit of a mess - which with oil, is more difficult to clean up then say, water. So already, my first time using this, I had some issues with pouring out the oil and having some of it go on my desk and not my hand. This wouldn't be a problem for the full size of the product which comes with a spray but it is something to keep in mind if you're looking to get a smaller size of this product.
-For the hair: The first time I used this, I poured it into my palms, rubbed it in to distribute it evenly, and combed it through the ends of my hair only. I did not go anywhere near my scalp for fear of a greasy head which was a good thing because my ends definitely looked a bit wet and piece-y for the whole day (signs of oily hair). I didn't use very much product, which means a little bit goes a long way, and the instructions on the website say you can spritz this in your hair
-For the skin: This doesn't leave your hands feeling super oily IF you rub it in completely. So start with only a little amount and rub it in thoroughly; that means MAKE THAT SMALL AMOUNT GO THE DISTANCE. The price is $36 for a full size which okay, isn't off the charts but it is more than the $3 Cerave lotion I usually use right? I think it does a good job at moisturizing my skin and doesn't make me feel all sticky or wet like other lotions do. Your hands will definitely feel different but with lotion your hands feel different too. I think it just takes some time getting used to.
-For the face, I have yet to try mixing this in with my foundation (not sure how oil and makeup go together...) but apparently it's supposed to give you a healthy natural glow. Someone else can try this out I suppose ;)

Sunbelt Bakery Chocolate Chip Bar
I brought this with me on my hike in South Lake Tahoe and ended up eating it back at my hotel when I was doing nothing exciting. Nevertheless, this was delicious. A bit on the sweet side and very similar to a Quaker Chocolate Chip granola bar but thicker. I wouldn't mind buying this again in a 6 pack (vs individually) to have as a healthier snack or dessert option for those days when I'm craving the sweeties.

Not Your Mother's Plump for Joy™
This is a hair thickener which is so great for people like me who have thin limp boring hair. I know how bad teasing your hair is for you so I rarely do it (that and I'm pretty bad at it) so having this was the perfect way to get the volume from teasing, without having to actually go through the teasing process. It's better than hairspray because it doesn't make your hair super crunchy and nasty and well the sample size of this is so perfect for traveling when space is limited and you can only take so much with you!

Cutex Nail Polish Remover

This is kind of amazing for travel because who wants to be lugging around a giant bottle of nail polish remover when they go on vacation right? I'm not even sure TSA would let you bring on a full size nail polish remover bottle and I don't know if there are travel size bottles of nail polish remover. So here we have the solutions - Cutex nail polish remover pads. These are thick pads (they wont just rip on you as you scrub away hard at your nails - trust me I tried with glitter polish) that are completely soaked in nail polish remover so they'll get your nail polish off in no time. The pads are so big that I swear they could do your fingers and toes all with one pad. Definitely one of my favorites. I wonder how long they last unopened though since I'm planning on going to Croatia in about 1.5 months and I don't want these drying out on me! (Which reminds me, even those these have acetone, they're not THAT drying because they have flax seed and other oils combined so it doesn't leave your nails gasping for moisture.

Sinful Colors Nail Polish in Bling it On! Teal Midnight

Because I had my Cutex pads, I was also able to easily try out my new Sinful Colors polish Bling it On! in Teal Midnight. Apparently it's limited edition so if this appeals to you, you better find it quick!
In the above picture, I tried on various combinations and coats of the Teal Midnight nail polish as well as my other Sinful Colors polish, Ingr, which is part of their extra shine collection.
-Index finger: 2 coats Ingr
-Middle finger: 1 coat Ingr + 1 coat Bling It On Teal Midnight
-Ring finger: 2 coats Teal Midnight
-Thumb and pinky: 1 coat Ingr
Both polishes are pretty sheer which isn't a bad thing. You don't need to make super thick coats since they'll go on sheer even if you glob it on so it's better to work with less product, let it sit and then do at least one more coat (probably 3 total would be best). Ingr with 2.5 coats was really great - opaque sea sky blue with fine shimmer (it really makes it look like the ocean). It has a nice glossy and shiny finish too. Teal Midnight is definitely a glitter top coat but it's not PACKED with glitter so if you're really looking for the glitter aspect, I'd suggest putting it on a sponge and then dabbing it onto your nail. I just brushed on the nail polish and would have liked more glitter but it was hard to get the glitter without getting the polish and making a huge glob/mess on my nail. You'll for sure need a clear top coat over Teal Midnight though because you can feel the glitters (that roughness doe). I wouldn't suggest using Teal Midnight on its own because it's way too sheer even with 2-3 coats which is pushing it because you get so much empty sheer nail polish and not enough glitter. This would definitely be perfect though if you just need a hint of glitter to boost your nail game.

Anyways, this is one of my more thorough reviews and I feel like I covered the key aspects and points of each product. I hope it helps you make your decision if you're looking to get any of these products. Please know that even though I got these products for free, all opinions are my 100% true to me. What works for me might not work for you so take everything with a grain of salt! Skin tone, skin type, hair type, etc all factor in to how a product works with you! Well, that's my spiel for the day. Have a wonderful day all you wonderful people reading this :)

A peek at my Frosty VoxBox from Influenster

 

 This winter season I was lucky enough to be chosen to be sent the Frosty VoxBox from Influenster! If you don't know what Influenster is, it's a review site/company that sends out boxes to members to try out different product brands. Each box contains different items and they all have special themes that you, as a member, can earn badges for which will allow you to be considered to be sent those items related to your interest. For example, for a makeup obsessed person like me, I have the Beauty Badge which qualifies me for consideration for makeup Influenster boxes. There's also fitness themed boxes, food themed, travel themed, and more! I would definitely check out Influenster if you're interested or post in the comments below and I can invite you (I think you need an invitation to join).

With that being said, let me share with you the products I received in my Frosty VoxBox!

One of the first things I noticed was the McCornick Gourmet bottle of thyme. I'm no professional chef but I do know that thyme is a super useful dried herb when it comes to cooking. I've used it to season lamb, mashed potatoes, and various other dishes so I was actually pretty excited to see this in my VoxBox. I recently used it for our family Christmas dinner to season our roasted vegetables and it was so good! McCormick is a brand I've grown up with and I think it's one of those "family brands" that have just been around for a while. The glass bottle packaging definitely makes this bottle look more classy and professional than their usual plastic ones. I definitely think I might pick up a few more herbs or dried seasonings from this "gourmet" line by McCormick.

There were two makeup products that came in my Frosty VoxBox. The Rimmel Scandal Eyes waterproof khol kajal liner and the NYC lipstick. Both I've actually been fortunate to have tried as I bought the pencil liner in the nude shade a while back. Everyone on Youtube was raving about how good it was and how it was a dupe for the Stila nude pencil that everyone always used on their waterliner so I thought I'd give it a try and I'm so glad I did. The liner is just the perfect amount of softness without being too soft like the Stila ones which sort of "mush" when you apply too much pressure and tend to smudge. The Rimmel liner is much better and it lasts all day with little to no smudging on my semi-oily eyelids. I don't own the liner in the black shade though so I'm really glad I got it! I'm a bit of an eyeliner junkie and I own more than enough black eyeliners but I always love to try new ones. If you want, I might post a review and comparison of all my favorite (and not so favorite) black pencil liners.

The NYC lipstick came in the shade Sugar Plum and is a beautiful mauve-y color. I previously received the same Expert Last Lip Color by NYC from another Influenster box but it was in a hot pink shade which was definitely a bit intimidating. This color, however, is much more wearable and perfect for the winter season. It's almost like a Kylie Jenner lip color which is that nude-mauve sort of lip color that everyone's been going crazy about. I wore this lip color the other day and found it a little drying but definitely lasting.

Another makeup/beauty related product I received was the Rimmel London makeup remover. I'm definitely happy that I got this in my box because I'm running low on my supply of the "free gift with purchase" makeup removers that I get from Clinque (my mom is a sucker for those deals and they almost always come with a travel size of their makeup remover which is SUPER good by the way and I would highly recommend). I have yet to try the makeup remover from Rimmel though but it's a good large sized bottle that I'm sure will last me for a good long while. I'll update you on my thoughts about the remover and how well it removes fake eyelashes and waterproof makeup!

No7 is a UK brand I believe but I've never actually tried anything from their line so I was a little excited to see a sample of their product in my box. It's a anti-aging serum so I might actually give it to my mom to try but at the same time, I feel like it's a bit hard to review a skincare product based on a small sample since I'm almost positive there is no topical treatment that will instantly cure your aging skin problems in a tiny sample packet. Nevertheless, still excited to see a brand I haven't had much exposure to in my box :)

If I haven't mentioned before, my sister is an absolute tea fanatic. She loves all things tea and tea parties and tea cakes and well anything tea related. She's even started collecting fancy vintage tea cups and been to some nice tea shops. Celestial Seasonings tea is a brand that we've both tried and actually their main company is located in Colorado where one of my cousins works. My cousin actually brought us back limited edition tea flavors that you can only get at the company in Colorado and the one she gave me for Christmas is called "Fast Lane" that apparently has a ton of caffeine for those sleepless college studying nights (not that I actually do that though.. haha). Anyways, just the name "Candy Cane Lane" got me excited and the fact that it's green tea is even better since I loveee green tea. I steeped the tea bag for about 2-3 minutes in a cup of hot water and let me tell you, it was SO good. The candy cane flavor isn't too strong or weird and it adds a nice burst of mint-iness.

Another exciting item I received was the Ecotools hairbrush. I haven't bought a new hair brush in a while so all of mine are getting pretty..well let's just say worn out so this was a long overdue and needed hair brush. The cool thing is that it's sort of rounded which is great for blow-drying hair and it has the nice rounded bristles at the top so it doesn't stab your scalp. I've been using it since I got it and it's great! I don't know if it's any less damaging then a normal hair brush but it doesn't seem to yank out my hairs as much as some of my other ones so maybe that counts haha. It does also seem to make my hair smoother after I shower and brush my hair.

Last but not least... CANDY! This was probably the thing that first caught my eye when I opened my VoxBox because I love anything sweet. I've never actually tried fruit vines though it's by the same brand that makes Red Vines. I opened these up the other day to share with my boyfriend and he loves anything strawberry flavored so he fell in love with them right away. They're gummy type of candies and are the perfect bite size. Plus they aren't too overly sweet and are low in fat if you're on a diet (though I suppose you shouldn't be eating too much candy anyways because of the sugar..). I think I like these better than the regular red vines and would recommend you try these out if you're into the firmer type of fruity gummy candies.

Anyways that's it for my Frosty VoxBox. I hope you guys enjoyed the mini review of everything and have a wonderful new year's eve/new year if I don't post anything before 2015~!





Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. However, all opinions are my honest and true thoughts!

Introducing the GoVoxBox from Influenster

Hi everyone~! Sorry it's been a while since my last post since I've been so caught up with my exams but summer is almost here so I know I just have to push through this last stretch and then it'll be all over! As my fellow Kpop lovers would say "Fighting~!" haha ^__^ Another thing keeping me going is also knowing that my family and I are going to Yellowstone National Park for a road trip right after my last exam! I'm so excited and actually, my GoVoxBox from Influenster couldn't have come at a more perfect time! I was so excited to receive it and it really has a bunch of products that are just perfect for my family road trip!

As you can see, it contains items perfect for any outdoor activities really! A bag of almonds to snack on, a protein shaker bottle (I'VE ALWAYS WANTED ONE OMGOSH NOW I'M PART OF THE COOL FITNESS CLUB LOL <3), protein shakes to keep me fueled throughout the day, tampons in case of ..well you know haha, and even shoe inserts to make sure I can walk the distance! I was also delighted to see the pumice stone because I walk outside barefoot all the time and my heels are just (okay sorry if this is TMI) caked with dead skin. It's so bad that when my foot itches, I really have to dig my nail into my skin because it's so thick that just scratching the surface doesn't get rid of that itch!

Here is the bag of Blue Diamond Almonds in the Blueberry flavor that I received and I am SO excited to try them out! I haven't actually tried them so I can't give my honest opinion yet and I do actually want to save them for my trip, but let me say, they look delicious! I love Blue Diamond almonds in general, ever since I tried their chocolate flavored almonds - SO good! My boyfriend and I were on the Keto diet which is basically a no/extremely low carb and high fat diet and we were allowed to eat nuts in small amounts. One day, my boyfriend was craving chocolate and of course we couldn't actually eat real chocolate so we came upon the Blue Diamond chocolate almonds and they were amazing!! If you haven't tried them out, I definitely suggest them. They're much healthier than the actual chocolate coated or covered almonds that you normally see since it's just like cocoa powder on the surface of the almonds (sort of like how these blueberry almonds are coated in a blueberry powder) but they taste amazing! So I definitely have high hopes for these blueberry flavored almonds and can't wait to try them out. Almonds are the perfect snack for on the go and they really do keep you full because they're high in healthy fats. These blueberry almonds are extra good because they contain Vitamin E, an antioxidant that you know we all need!

As I mentioned before, I was superr excited to try out the Pedi-Rock from Profoot since my feet are just caked with layers of skin. Unfortunately I was sorely disappointed. I used it in the shower to try and remove the layers of dead skin and while I was using, the Pedi-Rock was like falling apart! I mean black beads just kept fall off of it which was quite alarming. It did work in removing some of my dead skin though but no better than an ordinary pumice stone or file so I don't know if I would recommend this really. Super disappointed that I couldn't love this product but it's not that it doesn't work - it's just nothing special. The shoe inserts on the other hand were quite nice. They are surprisingly comfortable when I put them in my running shoes and walked around for the whole day. I don't know how necessary they really are, but if you're looking for a shoe insert, I'd definitely suggest these!

The Next Step Fit n Full Protein shakes that I received were an unexpected but wonderful surprise. I've been struggling with my weight for the past 2-3 years now and I'm always trying to find healthy snacks, meal plans, or meal supplements. I got three different protein mix flavors which included Swiss Chocolate, Rich Vanilla, and Fresh Berries. So far I've only tried Swiss Chocolate (hey this girl was craving her daily chocolate dose) and it was absolutely delicious! I've always been a bit wary of protein shakes because from what my workout guy friends always say, those usually don't taste the best. I know most fitness girls put protein powder in their smoothies and stuff which I usually do too but with these protein mixes, all I need to do is add water and..shake! Such a perfect invention for me since I always have early morning classes and no time to eat breakfast.

The last thing I received in my GoVoxBox was the Aqua Spa Body Creme. Apparently you could have gotten the Aqua Spa Bath Salts but I'm glad I got the Body Creme because my skin is always so dry so I'm always open to trying new more moisturizing lotions. As you can see in the photo, (ignoring my disgustingly old looking hands) the creme is pretty thick but it absorbs into the skin super quickly. It has a distinct scent to it since it's says it contains lavender and chamomile and I can't put my finger on the exact scent but I want to say it smells like shaving cream.. but I feel like it's a man's shaving cream not like the girl kinds that have the nice paradise scents (if you know what I'm talking about haha). If any of you guys have tried this body creme and know what it smells like, pleasee leave a comment down below because it's bugging me that I can't put my finger on the scent! >:(

Oh and last but not least (because I almost missed it haha so I felt it only appropriate to add it at the very end), there was a coupon for Mueller Greek Yogurt. I've heard of the brand and seen it every so often in Target but never tried it but now with the coupon, there's nothing stopping me haha. I love eating Greek yogurt - plain or with fruit - and it's so good for you and keeps your full for a long time~! My favorites include the Honey Greek yogurt by Sunnyside Farms (the name-brand sold by Save Mart and Lucky supermarkets), Trader Joe's Honey Greek yogurt, and the Dannon Oikos Greek yogurt (all their flavors are deliciouus). Maybe the Mueller Greek yogurts will get added to this list haha. I'll definitely let you guys knows if I end up liking it when I get off my lazy bum and go to the grocery market to buy it haha!

Anyways, hope this post wasn't too rambly or long and if you were thinking about purchasing any of these products, I hope this post was able to help you make your decision in some way ^__^ Have a wonderful Memorial Weekend everyone~!

Revealing my UniVoxBox from Influenster!

Okay we all know how much I (and a million other people) love Influenster and you can't blame us! I love being able to try out the latest new products even when it's not makeup. I always get these useful things that I would have never thought to try out but I always end up totally loving! This time I was lucky enough to receive the UniVoxBox which contained all these little goodies to prep a girl for college (hence the "Uni" name!). In my box, I found the following lovely items:

• Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation
• Playtex® Sport® Fresh Balance™ tampons
• Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicure
• Pilot Acroball Pure White Pen
• Red Rose Real Tea Premium Water Enhancers
• NYC New York Color Expert Last Lip Color (in Fushia Fashion)

So of course I need to share my opinion on all of these products, but in no way was I paid or told to say what I'm going to say cause well.. I'm not that good first of all (haha!) and because that wouldn't be fair to you guys .. making you buy bad products?! I wouldn't want that for myself or for anyone so I promise my review are 100% my opinion and full honesty~!

Let's start with my favorite... (can you guess?) .. the Stay Matte foundation by Rimmel London! Woot woot! I've been loving so many products from Rimmel London like their Kate Moss lipsticks (they smell good and have great pigmentation and are super smooth!), pencil liners (comparable to the Urban Decay 24/7 liners - no kidding!), and their Scandal Eyes mascara (just got it and I'm loving it!). The Rimmel London Stay Flawless foundation was actually the first foundation I ever bought because I remember Michelle Phan saying what great coverage it had. If you go on my Youtube channel and check out my older videos, you'll see me using it! I loved that foundation (although after some time I noticed it did oxidize a bit on me) but this Stay Matte one is even better! It goes on super smooth and is so easy to blend into your skin. It gives medium to full coverage without being too cakey looking and gives me a flawless MATTE (hence the name) finish. Even if you have dry skin, this is okay because of the mousse texture and it's great for oily skin because it dries down to a matte finish. If you have super oily skin though you probably will want to still use a translucent oil absorbing powder, but otherwise, I can get away without powdering! I would highly recommend you guys to try this foundation if you're looking for a great drugstore foundation (and it's not just me who's loving it, I've heard a ton of Youtubers talk about how great this foundation is!).

Moving on, I was excited to see the Pilot Acroball pens because all of my pens seem to just be dying or disappearing on me (oh my diminishing free pen supply Q.Q) and these are wayy better than all of my other ones. The ink comes out really smoothly and I love Pilot pens in general so I couldn't complain really! As for the Playtex Sport Fresh Balence tampons, well.. isn't this a strange topic haha. It's hard to really review a tampon although.. I guess if you've ever seen those 25 cent ones in public restrooms, you'd know that the ones you buy are definitely of higher quality haha. Playtex is my go to brand for buying my sanitary products (is that the correct term?) and these ones don't fail my expectations. They do the job and go in and out fine (okay maybe that's a bit awkward haha) so I'll definitely be buying these once I run out!

As for the Red Rose Real Tea Premium Water Enhancer (what a mouthful... or typful..or letterful? LOL), I'd actually never heard of the brand or really the product itself. I mean I know there are ton of water enhancers out there, but the thing is that I loveee water. I don't really understand it when people say water is too bland or boring because I find water to be refreshing! I mean when I'm thirsty, it's water I'm craving! Not juice or sodas (I actually can't drink soda because I can't handle the gas.. TMI probably but it's true) or milk or what not.. WATER! But I know there are tons of people out there who like their fruity drinks and sodas so I can understand the appeal of water enhancers for us weight-conscious girls and guys out there (sigh oh the struggles of loving food and trying to not be fat Q.Q). I like the flavor this adds to my water and it's nice since it's a tea flavor but since I can just add it to my cold water and I don't have to steep it in hot water like normal tea bags, it's perfect for any hot spring or summer day.

Another product I hadn't really had much experience with was the Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicure. These were all the rage for a bunch of nail companies a little while back and the idea of it was super cool but I didn't bother picking any up because I didn't think they would fit my nail right or wouldn't look right. However, my friend had got some for free with a nail polish purchase and tried it out on me and I was pleasantly surprised. I haven't specifically tried the Broadway nail brand press-ons so these were my first pair and they turned out to be super nice! They went on well and easily and fit my nails quite nicely. They also stayed on for some time and didn't fall off so that was quite nice too.I guess the only downside is that you can't "trim" the size down since they're plastic so it might get annoying if you don't like your nails that long!

Lastly, the NYC New York Color Expert Last Lip Color in Fuschia Fashion! All these products have such long names haha my fingers are getting tired! Anyways, this lip color was definitely a bit out there for me. I'm usually a "my lips but better" girl or on my especially daring days I'll go with my red lip butter (I love Candy Apple by Revlon) but fuschia pink .. definitely a new color for me. But I was quite pleased with the way it turned out! It actually didn't look super scary on me and it's definitely perfect for spring and summer! I like pairing this with crop tops and high-waisted shorts or flowy sheer tops because it really just adds to the cool "summer" vibe ^__^ The lip formula is also decent and doesn't settle into my fine lines and the packaging is actually quite nice for NYC!


Okay enough of my rambling and I hope you guys enjoyed this mini review on all the products. Once again I have to thank Influenster for letting me try out these products and share my thoughts with you guys because it gives me something to blog about (haha!) but yea! Have a wonderful day everyone and talk to you soon ~<3

My Influenster Holiday VoxBox!

I recently received my Holiday Voxbox from Influenster and I must say I am LOVING it! If you don't know, Influenster is a totally free website that sends out "boxes" (aka Voxboxes and what not) filled with goodies and products for you to try out and review! The more social networks you have to use to spread the word, the higher your "score" is and the higher score you have, the more products Influenster will send you! I love being a part of Influenster because I've received products that weren't even out on the market yet like the Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara!

I was super excited when I opened up my Holiday Voxbox this time because the first thing I saw was a Skinny Cow box that was the same width and length of the box! It contains six (6) little chocolate treats and mine are filled with peanut butter creme! I'm not sure if everyone gets the same flavor but let me tell you, these are the bomb diggity! I've heard about Skinny Cow from my friend and tried out their caramel clusters, but these are sooo much better! They're basically like a healthier version of a Godiva chocolate (except I don't think Godiva makes chocolates filled with peanut butter filling?) - but they still taste just as good! The Holiday Voxbox also includes Ducktape with a floral Hawaiian type pattern (a little random for the holiday season but I don't mind because who doesn't need a good tape when wrapping presents right? :D), the NYC HD Color Trio Eye Shadow in Long Beach Sands (a nice set of neutrals), a packet of Puffs tissue (great for these colder days and my boyfriend who keeps getting the sniffles), and the Rimmel London Show Off Lip Lacquer in 500 Luna. I definitely freaked out a bit when I saw the Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer, which is also known as the Apocalypse Lip Lacquer in the UK, because so many UK beauty gurus have raved about this product and I've seen what great pigmentation and lasting power it has!! The color I received was more of a neutral shade and I would have liked the red shade, but hey it's free and I can't complain because I've been dying to try this product out since I heard about it. I'm pretty sure it was released in the US at least a month and a half ago but I could never find it when I went to CVS or Target or any other store for that matter /: That's why I'm so grateful and thankful that Influenster and Rimmel allowed me (and other Influensters) to have the opportunity to try out this product!! ^__^

Overall, I'm super duper happy with my 2013 Holiday Voxbox from Influenster. Makeup, chocolate, tissues (a must have in this cold winter time!), and Ducktape for wrapping presents - what more could a girl want? :) I would highly recommend anyone to try out Skinny Cow products if you haven't (they make ice cream bars and sandwiches in addition to chocolate snacks) because they're great for those of us sweet addicts trying to watch our calories. The Rimmel London Show Off Lip Lacquer is also crazzzy good so def pick one up if you can get your hands on it, but the NYC HD Color Trio .. well let's just say after trying out Urban Decay and Smashbox shadows, it's hard to please me when it comes to eyeshadows. I think NYC is a great affordable line and has great nail polishes, but I've never been a fan of their eyeshadows or powders (had a bad experience with a mosaic powder that just completely shattered when I dropped it on CARPETED floor from a height of like 2 feet -_-) and the trio was no exception. The shadows just aren't as pigmented or soft as I would like them to be, but I definitely like the color appearance and idea because a girl can never have enough neutral palettes. I like using all the colors together to create my everyday natural look using the darkest shadow for my liner and the lightest for highlighting the inner corners and browbone and because they aren't as pigmented, they're more forgiving and easier to blend out haha! As for the Puffs tissue, I've been a long fan of Puffs brand tissues because they're always super soft and padded so they're great for those sick days because they won't make your nose all red and dry like the cheapo brands do after you've been blowing your nose all day.The little packets of Puffs are also just perfect to throw in my purse and take anywhere so I don't ever find in a situation where I don't have a tissue!

So that's my short take on the 2013 Holiday Voxbox. I hope you guys enjoyed or found this helpful and try out any of these products (hint hint GO TRY SKINNY COW IT'S SERIOUSLY AMAZING). Do you guys (I mean girls really) know any new products or foods that have come out this holiday that I should try? Please leave me a comment below on what I should try out next~! Love you all and hope you're having a wonderful holidays <3

NYC New York Color Big Bold Gloss Review

Woohoo, once again Influenster swoops in and let's me try a new awesome product. Or well somewhat awesome. I received my Varsity Voxbox a little while back but didn't get to fully try out all the products till now. One of them that I got was the lip gloss by NYC called "Big Bold Gloss". The shade I got was 467, Pleasantly Plump Pink which was a nice peachy pink with some coral hints and shimmer in it. The first thing I noticed when I opened it was how big the applicator is. It's definitely not your average lip gloss doe shaped or footed applicator but more like one you might see on the concealers that are slanted foam brushes that have the product come out from the middle of the applicator? Does that even make sense haha. Anyways, the large applicator isn't too big of a problem for me and my medium sized lips but I can see some problems for people with less full lips. It distributes the product well, but I think I would prefer a typical doe shaped applicator like the Loreal ones as those are better at staying in the lines and precisely outlining your lips.

The product itself is actually quite decent. Normally I'm iffy about NYC makeup products since I had a bad experience with one of their mosaic palettes, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It is a bit gloopy in the tube, but when you apply it on, you can get a nice color coverage without it being too sticky. You definitely need to be careful about putting on too much (which is pretty easy with the large brush) and it's better to smooth everything out by spreading the product around using your lips or fingers (hopefully that doesn't sound too weird -_-). There is also actually a nice sweet vanilla scent that I really liked, but if you're not into fragrances then I wouldn't recommend this. The lipgloss has a nice glossy finish that makes your lips look fuller without being disgusting and sticking to everything and I would recommend ya'll to give it a shot if you're looking at trying a new lip gloss product on the market!

Colgate® SlimSoft Toothbrush Review

Who here has heard of the Colgate SlimSoft toothbrush?! Oh wait.. ME~! Haha but no really, I don't know if this toothbrush has been released to the public but I actually received it from Influenster to test it out and here's my review on it~!

A general picture of what the toothbrush looks like (mine is actually a nice light pink color which I just love:D). As you can tell, the handle, as well as the tooth brush head, have a "slim" design that match its name.

The first thing I noticed about this toothbrush was.. the packaging. And I mean the packaging that held the toothbrush. It was a thin plastic covering, like most toothbrush packages, BUT I don't know if all toothbrushes come in a container like this but it was super hard to open! It had arrows to on the bottom end to push down to pop out the toothbrush but I had to press down super hard to get the toothbrush out! It really hurt my fingers to be honest, but I did eventually get it out so at least I didn't have to whip out my scissors like some of those impossible to open plastic packaging's.

Now onto the real toothbrush review. You can definitely tell it's a "slimsoft" toothbrush because the handle is super thin and the bristles on the toothbrush are also very thin. I don't mind the handle being thin - better thin than thick I suppose but not a big deal. I do enjoy the bristles being thin though because I feel like it actually helps get into the tiny cracks between my teeth. Plus they're super soft, not like the hard ones you get from other toothbrushes or at hotels, which is great for people with sensitive teeth.

Overall, I think this toothbrush is a pretty nice brush and does leave my teeth feeling extra clean, but if you have one that isn't old or doesn't need replacing, then I'd just hold off on this toothbrush until then.

---------------------------UPDATE 2/1/2014--------------------------------

After using this toothbrush for quite some time now (just about 4 months), I have to say I've had a change of heart. While I initially did not notice a huge difference in the toothbrush, when I went back home (and left my Slimsoft toothbrush at my apartment) and used my old toothbrush, I noticed such a difference! It's strange how before I could even use such a stiff, hard, and firm toothbrush because it felt like it wasn't getting into all the nitty gritty cracks of my teeth and it actually hurt brushing my teeth with my old toothbrush! I know it sounds weird but I guess that's really what a difference the fine bristles of the Colgate Slimsoft make! I know I can definitely recommend this toothbrush to my friends with sensitive teeth now but really for anyone. I was lucky enough to receive a few more of the toothbrushes which I, immediately, gave to my parents to use because I wanted them to experience the difference! While I do uphold that you don't HAVE to rush out of your front door and toss your old toothbrush this instant, I would definitely suggest you check the Slimsoft toothbrush the next time you go to the store to buy a new one (which by the way, you're supposed to switch toothbrushes every 3 months!). I promise you won't regret it! ^__^