Lifeway kefir smoothie

Hey ladies!
Sorry for my absence, but recently I have moved and it seems like my whole life got on a new track. Anyway... Influenster sent me this cool voucher to try a great brand called lifeway. The voucher was redeemable for any product in the lifeway line. Choices included yogurt, ice cream, smoothies, cheese, etc!

Finally,  after weeks of searching I discovered a lifeway product at a grocery store. Luckily, I learned to keep my voucher handy so I was able o redeem it.  I used mine to purchase  a low fat strawberry kefir. To my surprise it wasn't super chalky, and had a decent taste. Obviously, it wasn't as thought I was sipping a fresh fruit smoothie, but the strawberry flavor was mice.

Overall, I feel this product is great for those on the go; however I feel that the convenience is not applicable for my lifestyle. Personally, I prefer more couture fashion and
Lives

I cannot thank you enough for the amount of support you have showed throughout the past few months. I can only hope someone is there for you as you are for me.  Stay true to yourself!

-camp

VEET EasyWax Electrical Roll-On Kit

Hey everyone! Sorry it's been awhile, but I'm back to review another complimentary product I received from Influenster.  Since summer is here, and I have a boat.. Aka my legs are always exposed I was super excited to see I was going to test the VEET easy wax electrical roll on kit.

The actual device was cute. It reminded me of a deodorant stick, and it cam with a stand to rest in while the device was heating up. My kit also included waxing strips and after wax finishing wipes. I unpackaged everything and got to testing! After reading the instructions, I learned that the wax takes approximately 20-25 mins to heat up so I plugged it in and browsed youtube for awhile. 25 minutes later I checked it, but the wax was still not rolling smoothly, so I let it heat up longer. After about 35 minutes I decided it was good to go! As directed I rolled the wax against the direction that my hair grew. I applied the waxing strip and rubbed it onto my leg. I waited a few minutes ( really I was just mentally preparing for some pain) and pulled in a parallel direction. To my surprise it wasn't very painful, but it also was not very successful at removing much hair. I restock the wax strip, rubbed more then waited until I could tell that the wax was noticeably dry. Tick tick.. Tick tick...Go time. I pulled the srio again, and this time saw much more hair removal. It wasn't perfect, but better than my first attempt.

Personally, I have sensitive skin, so after the first strip I wanted to wait and give my skin a chance to respond to the wax.  Unfortunately, I broke out with a sort if bumpy red rash. I am familiar with the post waxing redness, but this was different. I decided that I should not test the product any further and risk this rash over my entire legs.

To sum my experience up, I was disappointed that I didn't not get to thoroughly test this product. I think with a few more try's I would have found success. I think if you have patience, and are willing to sets aside a chunk of time to wax this product may be right for you. It wasn't as painful as I was expecting, and the neat little wax roller kept the mess to a minimum. I wish my skin cooperated with me but I would love to hear about your experience with this product. Did it work for you??

I hope you are having a great summer!
Xoxo

New Jergens Natural Glow

Hey everyone! I'm back with a new review. Today I will be sharing my thoughts on the new Jergens Natural Glow.  I have used the old formula many times before, and was please with the results but I always hated the strange fake tan smell it had. I was super excited when I saw that this new formula claimed to be "odor free"

Naturally, I couldn't wait to test the new formula. I decided to pick up the light to medium shade since I'm fairly pal from the long New England winter. 

I made sure to use a body scrub in the shower to properly exfoliate my body. This helps to ensure a less streaky application, and better overall performance. My first impression straight from the bottle was that it smelled somewhat like vanilla and sunscreen. I applied it to my body, excluding my face, washed my hands and then the waiting process began. It seemed to take quite awhile (about 15 minutes) for it to dry. I like to make sure the product is completely absorbed before getting dressed to prevent any transfer of color to my clothes.

Next came the real test.. Was the fake tan smell gone?? Drumroll .....nope.  Now don't get me wrong, the smell was greatly improved from the last formula. It was much less noticeable and kept that sort of vanilla undertone. I couldn't sense it all day, but would pick up the scent sporadically. 

Needless to say, although this was not "odor free" as advertised, I was happy with the improvement and will continue to use this product. It leaves me with subtle color, and it doesn't look orange! I prefer using this every few days to give me some color before i spend my summer on our boat getting a real tan! I am also interested to see if the medium to tan shade will show the same improvements. Do you have any recommendations for other self-tan products? What are or experiences with "natural glow"

Xoxo

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner

Hey everyone! I'm back to share a review of a new shampoo and conditioner I recently picked up. While I was browsing my local Target I spotted the Moroccan argan oil shampoo and conditioner from Organix. Since I've tried out a few different argan oils, I wanted to see if this set worked as well as the actual oils I have.

Needless to say I was very disappointed with this combination. Argan oil is know for moisture, and this shampoo/conditioner seemed to strip my hair of any drop of moisture it had. I have dry hair to begin with, but usually right out of the shower It feels soft, refreshed and silky. This was NOT the case with the Organix. Even soaking wet, I could feel how dried out my hair seemed, and it only got worse as time went on. My hair never felt stringy, and it also seemed to weigh it down more than usual.

Being the optimistic person that I am, I wanted to give the new products more than one shower, so I have been using them for about a week, and unfortunately my results have not changed. I got the new larger bottles for around $5.00 each, so although they weren't expensive, I don't want to throw away full products. Slowly, I am working my way through.. Each day hoping I will get a better result. Until then, I try not to think about the sad state my hair is in due to these products :(

Have you tried this shampoo/conditioner combo? Let me know what kind of results it gave you. Also, I've heard good reviews for other lines by Organix...have you had good results with another formula??

Thanks for reading, and I hope everyone gets out and enjoys the beautiful days this time of year!!

Xoxo

Sugar and Spice VoxBox

Hey everyone! So a few weeks ago I received the Sugar and Spice Vox Box from Influenster. If you aren't familiar with Influenster, it is a community to review products and share your opinions of them with others and most importantly, is a lot of fun!. Anyway, on to the products.

First, I received a box of Nectresse. Nectresse is a 100%  natural sweetner made from the extract of the Monk Fruit. It has zero calories, and is made by the same people as Splenda. Now, if you are curious like me you're probably wondering what a monk fruit is, right? Well here you go... The monk fruit 

Anyway, after seeing this odd fruit I was very interested to try out the product. Personally, I am not a regular user of artificial sweeteners but it was a great reason for me to cut up some strawberries. 

Overall, I would say this sweetner is pretty good. A little bit goes a long way, which is always nice, it dissolved well into coffee, and made my strawberries taste delicious! I also like that it comes in small single serve packages. That make it convenient to throw in your purse and instead of someone putting sugar in your coffee, you can add nectresse and save calories!

The next product I received in my vox box was the Dickinsons witch hazel oil controlling towelettes. Again, I had never heard of this brand before but I did some research and found out that it has been around for years and years! The towelettes come in individually wrapped packages, which makes them great for traveling, but I generally do my make-up at home so I think I would have preferred multiple toweleets in a pack to keep in my bathroom. The main draw for these towelettes is, as you guessed it, witch hazel. This is a natural ingredient from a plant native to new england and has many healing properties including calming skin, toning, unclogging pores, controls oils and removes dirt. 

I used the towelettes in the morning after I washed my face with my usual face wash. I liked how much product was saturated into the towelettes, they were super soft and easily large enough for my face. The only downfall was the smell. Witch Hazel has a very distinct smell, which I don't particularly enjoy. I did notice that some of the redness on my cheeks was fading with the use of this product, so I think I can handle the smell to reap the benefits of witch hazel.

Next up was the Colgate Optic White toothpaste, toothbrush, and mouthwash. I had used these products before and know they do provide a whitening effect. The toothpaste is good and minty, but I don't like how foamy and dry it makes my mouth feel. The mouthwash is different than I was expecting. It was not super minty, and didn't give the stinging effect that mouthwash with alcohol gives, but makes my mouth feel clean and refereshed. The tootbrush was nothing notable. I have been using a sonicare brush for years, so switching to a manual toothbrush was rather lackluster for me. 

Next were the Belvita breakfast biscuits. Mine were in cinnamon brown sugar flavor, and they were delicious. These were not your typical breakfast bar type thing, the are very thin and crunchy. I like that they are packed with 19 grams of whole grain ( you can actually see the grains in the biscuit!) and 3g of protein to keep you going through the morning! I was surprised that the two biscuits filled me up, and kept me happy all morning at work. I plan to purchase the apple cinnamon flavor, and see if they are all tasty. 

Finally, and probably my favorite product is the Vaseline Spray and Go Moisturizer. This product is super cool. It is a lotion in a spray bottle and it dries almost instantly! I hate when I get out of the shower, put on lotion then have to wait around before I can put my jeans on. This product eliminates all of the wait time.. you literally spray it on, rub it in and get dressed. Awesome right? It gets better, the stuff is super moisturzing, and leaves my legs silky soft plus it smells good. I got mine in the "Total Moisture" scent. I have been using this product every day and plan to repurchase once it is empty. The product is super convenient and extremely easy to use. I would highly recommend it to anyone!. 

To sum up my Sugar and Spice Vox box I would like to thank Influenster sending me these products for free, and giving me the chance to test them and share my opinions with you! If you have any questions about the products please let me know and I will share as much as I can. Thank you for taking the time to read. 

xoxo

The Taste: Tuesday at 9|8c on ABC

Hi everyone, I wanted to let you in on a new favorite of mine. Generally, this blog is about beauty related things... But I thought I would share something a little different with you today. Recently, I've discovered a new show on ABC called The Taste. It is a competitive cooking show where teams battle against each other to create the best "spoon" each week. The show has 4 great mentors, including Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Ludo Lefebvre, and Brian Malarky. 

What I find interesting about this show is that the judges/mentors really get to interact with the chefs on their team. They can give advice, critique, and sometimes even show anger to their chefs. It's not the typical cooking competition where amateurs prepare dishes, professionals taste them and a winner is chosen.  If you are worried that the food they make is strange or difficult, think again! Last week the chefs theme was a sandwich, and I've been making those for years! It was great to see all the varieties you can come up with, and learn how bread choice affects the taste. 

After two weeks, I have cleared time on Tuesdays to make sure I can watch this awesome show! It airs on ABC at 8est and I definitely recommend watching it. Not only is it entertaining, but it inspires me to cook some great meals and has a great social scene online. 

You can check out the latest episode HERE and be sure to tune in with me Tuesdays at 9/8c on ABC and let me know what you think!

Xoxo
( source ABC The Taste)

Are you an Influenster?

Some of you may have heard about a website called influenster. It is a community which usuers can review products, share information and find new products. On some occasions, qualifying recipients are sent a complimentary box of products to test, review and share. Influenster gives you different tasks to complete. Tasks may include blog posts, Instagram pictures, or even videos. Completing these tasks increases your score, and makes it more likely for you to receive more products to test!

So far I have received one box of products, and it has been a lot of fun to test and complete the challenges. If you are interested, check out influenster HERE!!

I you would like an invite, and plan on being active on the site.. Let me know. It will improve both of our scores!

Xoxo

Maybelline Color Whisper

Hi everyone. Today I'd like to tell you about a fairly new product...Maybelline Color Whispers. This product is Maybelline's long awaited answer to the lip butter craze. The website describes them as "pure color pigments suspended in a weightless gel. No heavy waxes, or oils. Soft, sexy gel-color" Wow, that sounds great, doesn't it?

After a trip to Target I was able to find them. My target had a limited supply, most were light very baby pinkish colors ( not something I'm interested in) but I did find one mauve/ berry color. I picked up my color whisper in shade 80, Made-It Mauve. The package is super cute, and reflects the color inside. The tube is skinner than products like the Revlon lip butters, which I actually like. I find that a skinner product gives me more control during application, and I can get in to the outer parts of my lips without it ending up all over my face.

Now,on to performance. The formula applies super smoothly. It felt silky on my lips, and I found myself rubbing them together, just because it felt nice. It was very light weight, not sticky at all, and left a sort of shiny finish. The pigmentation was as I expected. It was not the color payoff you get with a lipstick, but hey, it's not supposed to be a lipstick! I would say the color whisper has about the same pigmentation as the Revlon Lip Butters.

Another property I liked was that there was absolutely no shimmer or glitter in the product. I find that glitter or shimmer tends to stick to the lips, even after the pigment has faded. That isn't an issue with this product.

Overall, I LOVE the Maybelline Color Whispers. The formula is amazing and feels great on my lips. Keep in mind that if you are looking for all day staying power, or opaque color... This product isn't a stain or lipstick and will not give that to you. On the other hand, if you are looking for hints of color, moisture, and a lightweight formula go get this product right now!!

Have you tried any other shades?? Which is your favorite?
Xoxo

Glamoflauge!

Hi everyone! Today I want to introduce you to a great heavy duty concealer. Glamoflauge is made by Hard Candy, and let me tell you, this stuff can cover jut about ANYTHING! It is so pigmented that even tattoos are no problem for this product.

The formula is very thick, and it comes in a little sanitary squeeze tube. To use this, I squeeze the tiniest amount possible onto my finger and pat it under my eyes to hide those awful dark circles. I will warn you, if you use a lot of this product it will start looking cakey. Start with the smallest amount you can and go from there.

I was surprised to find that the coverage did last all day, despite my bad habits of running my eye area.

I have also mixed a tiny bit of the product with my moisturizer and applied it all over my face for some coverage. It worked well, but I would get a darker shade than your under eye area if you plan to try this.

This product is super affordable (got mine for $6) and it comes with both the liquid and pencil. It has great coverage, you hardly have to use any, and lets be serious.. It has a cute name!

If you've tried glamoflauge, let me know what you think!

Xoxo

Goody QuikStyle Paddle Brush

Hi everyone. Thanks to influenster I was able to test out the Goody QuikStyle paddle brush. This brush is equipped with little pieces of microfiber, aiming to help your hair dry faster. I've been using this brush for about 2 weeks and I am very pleased with it.

Wet hair has to be one of my least favorite things, so I was super excited when this product actually did what it claimed to. On fresh from the shower hair, you can brush it through and the microfiber actually mops up the excess water! I'm not saying do a few sweeps and expect bone dry hair... but I did notice a difference. The design also works great when using a blow dryer. I find that this brush allows the warm air to flow through, rather than block it and as a result dries faster. It also left my hair smooth and soft. I was a bit worried about the microfiber collecting bacteria if it was sitting around soaking wet, but I did some research and found that they were anti-bacterial! It seems like Goody thought of everything when making this brush.

I would definitely suggest checking this out. You can find it for about $12 at drugstores and places like Target or Walmart. Have you tried this brush out? What did you think? If not, what is your favorite brush/comb?

Revlon Lip Butters

Hi everyone. Today's post is about the very well known Revlon Lip Butters. They are a favorite amongst many beauty junkies, including myself. This product is also great for someone just starting to use lip products, or if you are looking to experiment with new shades! The formula is extremely smooth and moisturizing. I find that it glides on easily like a balm, and you don't even need a mirror! The color is pigmented enough so you can apply just one layer for a light flush of color or you could layer and build them up to something more bold. Since this isn't a lipstick you will have to re-apply every few hours, but I think its worth it. 

Pink Truffle is a nice darker mauvey type color. It doesn't have any shimmer, which is nice and has a shiny type finish.

Creme Brulee is a very nude shade. It is a bit on the brownish side, and again has a shiny finish. There is no shimmer, but it reflects light nicely. 

Peach Parfait is my favorite of the Lip Butters I have tried. It is a peachy pink tone with small flecks of shimmer. At first I didn't think I would like the shimmer, but I can't feel it on my lips and the shade is perfect for me.

Tutti Frutti was a brave choice for me. For those of you trying out the orange/coral lip color this is a great choice. It has no shimmer, very buildable and again has a shiny finish.

Berry smoothie is as the name suggests.. a light berry color. It is very wearable, and could be great day or night. This shade does have very finely milled shimmer. I couldn't feel it on my lips, and didn't know until I looked in the tube. 

My final shade is Strawberry Shortcake. This is more of a cool tone pink with no shimmer. It felt a bit thicker than the other shades, and I felt that it was more pigmented with one swipe as opposed to the others which required layering for the same effect. 

Overall, I think the Revlon Lip Butters are a great thing to keep with you just about anywhere. They make my lips feel great, and allow you to wear color without drying out your lips. The product is great, there are many shades to choose from, and the packaging is cute! What more could you ask for?

So, tell me have you tried the Revlon Lip Butters? What is your favorite shade?

xoxo

2013 Glam Bag!

Hey everyone! I hope you are all having a fantastic new year so far. I wanted to share a look into my ipsy Glam Bag with you. I have been subscribed for about a year, and in my opinion, the bags have been getting better and better. Here is what I got in my January 2013 bag!!

   

17fl. oz. Josie Maran 100%Pure Argan Oil 

I was super excited when I saw this generous sample of Argan Oil in this month's bag. Up until now, I had not tried any sort of beauty oils, so naturally I opened this to test as soon as I unloaded the rest of my bag. First, I put a few drops into my hand and rubbed it into my face as a moisturizer. (Keep in mind I had just taken a shower, and had no makeup on.) I waited a minute then felt my face. It was AMAZING!! So soft and smooth. I also applied some of the product to the ends of my hair... same result. Silky smooth. I was also impressed that throughout the day my face didn't get oily, and my hair had no residue. Overall, I am extremely pleased with this product and could definitely see myself re-purchasing it in the future. 

2.5 fl. oz. Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange body butter

Let me start off by saying MMMM Grapefruit! I absolutely love the smell of this body butter. I tried some on my hands quickly. It seemed smooth, fresh and not greasy. The formula wasn't overly thick, but it seemed to be very moisturising. I have only used this once, but was happy with the product. I will continue to test it out. Either way, I couldn't be happier with the scent!

 

SOHO Beauty Crease Brush

Here's one thing I will never complain about receiving in a glam bag.. New brushes! This month I got the crease brush from SOHO Beauty. This one is from their "Get A Grip" line. It has soft, fluffy synthetic bristles and I like how it comes to a slight point for accurate product placement. I haven't tried this out yet, but I'm excited to do so and I will keep you updated!!

.5 fl. oz. Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Frappe

Next was the Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Frappe. This is a pretty nude color. The only other nailtini product I have tried is an overcoat, which I also received in an Ipsy Glam Bag. I was happy with that, so I am looking forward to testing this product. From past experience,  I have found that nude polishes tend to take more coats for adequate coverage. I am looking forward to seeing how this stacks up with other brands. 

1.5 oz. Bigsexyhair Spray & Play Volumizing Hairspray

Big Sexy Hair has always been a great product for me. I have purchased this many times, and I am happy to have gotten a travel size. It is convenient to throw in my purse in case my flyaways get out of control. This doesn't leave my hair crunchy, and has a nice, medium strength hold. On days when my hair feels super flat, this always does the trick to lift it away from my scalp and provide some needed volume. I would definitely suggest this to those of you looking for new hairspray. 

h  This was yet another great Glam Bag from Ipsy. They have really been expanding their brands, and have yet to disappoint me. The bag is great value for only $10.00. If you haven't checked out Ipsy yet, you should go there ASAP. They have a great online community, with plenty of videos, tutorials and helpful members. I hope you guys a have a great day. Let my know what you think of YOUR glam bag. Did you get the same colors/brush as me?

xoxo 

Liquid Lipshine Review

Thanks to influenster I recently received the liquid lip shine from NYC. This was actually my first product from that brand and I was extremely pleased. The applicator was sponge tipped, but unlike others I have tried this brush has a great amount of flexibility. I found this helpful, adding more control to the application process.

As far as color, I received the shade “nude York city”. S suggested it was a sheer, nude gloss. The formula had a pleasant smell and went on smooth. It wasn’t as sticky as I had expected, and as far as staying power goes I don’t expect gloss to last all day.

This product exceed my expectations for an extremely affordable product ( only around $3.00!!) I plan to purchase more colors and even check out more products from n.y.c.

Click here to see a picture of the gloss
hope this was helpful! Let me know about your experience with liquid lip shine!

Xoxo

EBOOST Natural Energy Booster

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Hi everyone. This month I was lucky enough to receive a complimentary box full of products to test from influenster.  Today I was able to try EBOOST Natural Energy Booster in pink lemonade flavor.  

My first impression after reading the label was that this is a healthy way to add some flavor to plain water. Personally, I find it difficult to drink enough water each day and I am always looking for ways to make plain water more interesting.  I received the pink lemonade flavor, and was very excited to try it.

Upon opening the packet I noticed that the product was a white-ish powder. It had a unplesant odor, but that wasn’t a problem seeing as I would be dissolving it in water. I proceeded to pour the contents of my packet into a 12oz of water (as suggested) and shook it up. I braced myself… and took a sip.  Although this wasn’t my favorite pink lemonade drink, I have tasted other all natural  type drinks, and this was much better. The lemonade flavor was not very strong, but could most likely be adjusted depending on the  amount of water you use.

After doing some research, I found out that EBOOST is derived from green tea extracts, which gives you energy without relying on things like taurine. If you are not a big fan of pink lemonade, you could also try natural orange, or acai pomegranate.

Overall, I think this is a great alternative to plain water, and other sugary drinks. I think next time I would use less water, since I prefer a stronger flavor, but I was pleased with this product.

Have you tried EBOOST? What did you think? What other tricks do you have to make water more interesting??

*I was sent this item complimentary from influenster to test and review. Thank you @influenster

2012 Holiday VoxBox

Hi everyone, I hope you are all ready for the upcoming holidays. I just got in from checking the mail and was plesantly surprised to find that my Holiday VoxBox from influenster had arrived! For those of you who don’t know, Influenster is a community to share opinions and thoughts about all sorts of products. It is not limited to beauty, and it allows you to post blogs, videos, photos and reviews in order to boost your “influenster score” The higher your score, the more likely you are to receive free products to test. Here is my first VoxBox!!

My 2012 Holiday VoxBox includes:

1. Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal “Cherry Pistachio” flavor

2. NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine in the color  582 “Nude York City”

3. Kiss Nail Dress in “Babydoll”

4. Eboost powder in “Pink Lemonade”

5. The Goody QuikStyle Paddle Brush

6. Sole Society $25 off your first purchase coupon

I have never tried any of these products, and I am very excited to test everything out. I will keep you posted on my opinions.. so keep checking back for detailed reviews! Merry Christmas 

Check out Influenster here:   http://www.influenster.com