Darling Vox Box

Ah yes, Influenster included me in their Darling Vox Box and I am so happy they did ! This box was truly fantastic, one of my favorites really. Ready to read about the products ?!

First I will start with the Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask
It retails for $14.99 at CVS or Ulta. It can be used as a deep conditioning mask,you would leave it in your hair for 20 minutes if you were going to use it this way OR you can use it as everyday conditioner. I chose to use it as every day conditioner. This stuff made my hair incredibly soft, easy to comb even when there are lots of knots from when I let the kids play with my hair. a little bit goes a long way even in with my thick hair. The only thing I do not like is the scent, it's not a big deal since it does not linger. 

Next up was a chocolate treat for me. It was the Duncan Hines Perfect for 1- Chocolate Lovers Cake.This retails for $2.50 for a box of two cakes. The cake was so easy to prepare, you could choose your liquid, I opted for milk and you just mix it with the already packaged dry ingredients. Be sure to mix in the mug you plan on using so there is less mess and dishes. Oh and let's be safe and use a microwave safe mug !! A minute later you have a warm cake. You can then top it with whatever your cake loving heart desires.

The next items were for my girls; We got Baby Gentle Moisture Tearless shampoo and wash - retails for $5.99 along with the Baby Gentle Moisture Baby Lotion which also retails for $5.99 from Live Clean. What I love about these two products here are the amazing ingredients which include certified organic botanicals of chamomile, lavender and aloe. It was nice and gentle on their skin which is quite sensitive especially Gina's. And it smells so good and it is soothing. The lotion was not greasy at all and sunk right into the skin. I used both the shampoo and lotion on myself I was pleased with how soft my hair was, it felt like I never ever used product in it.


I also received a coupon for a free 15oz Country Crock Buttery Spread. Retail value is $1.81-2.99. Now I used to buy Country Crock all the time and use it in everything. Then I learned about a terrible ingredient called palm oil, which is used in this spread. It is not gross or a chemical but it puts Gorillas at risk of becoming endangered, by harvesting palm oil it destroys their habitat and they are just left to die. I cannot buy a product not just this one but any product knowing it has palm oil in it. I did use my coupon so I could complete my tasks for the vox box though. I have always bought the calcium one but stumbled upon the "churn style "so that is what I went with. It is delicious, creamy and packed with flavor. It even makes toast taste good. It is especially good on veggies and for cooking fish with.

So far I have liked everything out of this box right ? Well there is one thing that did not go over too well with me; Nature's Bounty Energy Gummies retail for $7.99. They are supposed to converse the food you eat into energy with it's unique blend of herbs. I took it in the morning with my coffee followed by breakfast and felt no different so I tried taking them with breakfast. Honestly I feel like it was just a gimmicky thing. I did try posting an honest review on their website and it was not approved ! 

I saved the best product for last..drumroll please......Vichy Mineral 89 Hyaluronic Acid Face Moisturizer retails for $29.50. The texture on this is like velvet and sinks right into my face. It gives me this lovely glow which is great since I do not wear makeup often during the week. And it still works great when I do wear makeup acting as a primer. A little goes a long way, this tiny vial lasted about 3 weeks. I do plan on getting a full size bottle. I have boughten many moisturizers in my day, from Indie vendors, to drug stores to department stores and this right here is a winner. 

I am truly thankful to be part of the Influenster community. Every product you read about I received for free, and all the opinions and thoughts are mine and only mine ! 

Sweet Dreams

I know I haven't been here lately, and once again I apologize ! But I have not been sleeping. And ironically enough the name of this post is Sweet Dreams, lol. The baby is still waking up at night to eat and my goodness it is catching up with me. At this point my eyes are suck in and my bags have bags.

I am getting off track here. Recently I was selected by Influenster to test out the Vicks Sweet Dreams Cool Mist Humidifier. Good golly I love this thing !! I have been using it for a week straight now and it replaced my old humidifier. My house is drafty so I have to keep the heat up around 70 which makes the air so dry, which means I need a cool mist humidifier every night. My old one made a lot of noise, well not a lot it just sounded like a fan, a little white noise if you will. Also the old one required a filter that required to be changed a lot which got expensive. With the Vicks humidifier there is no filter required, it's quiet ( although I like white noise but I run a fan as well, again off track ) it turns off by itself when the water tank is empty, and the feature I personally love the absolute most besides being filter free is you can use Vicks vapor pads in this bad boy. When you get sick and all yucky and stuffy there is a slot to slide a pad in and you get that comforting and familiar Vicks smell that opens up the good ol nasal passage. 

My daughters' favorite feature on this humidifier is the pictures it projects on the ceiling. There are three scenes to choose from; jungle, ocean or stars and lets say you chose stars every 30-60 seconds ( I never stopped to count how long ) the colors or scene changes in the theme ) it makes a nice night light. I only wish it had a timer on it. 

All in all I am in love. There is nothing to dislike. I fill up the water tank about every 2-3 days and there have been no leaks whatsoever. I was given this humidifier for free in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Ready for another Voxbox ?

I was lucky enough to get chosen for another Voxbox by Influenster, this one was the Wellness Voxbox.  There were lots of goodies and they were full sized, well most of them were. The best part it was all free all Influenster wants is my honest to goodness opinion.

I received the following:
Olay Active Botanicals Refreshing Gel Cleanser retails for $5.99
I really liked that cleanser, it removed my makeup nicely made my skin feel fantastic. I had my daughter 4 months ago and since then my skin has been oily, after using the cleanser it seemed to help calm that issue down a bit. A little bit of the cleanser goes a long way. Just be careful when using this, it hurts if you get it in your eye !

I also got Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer retails for $7.99
I really wish I could say I loved this or even liked this product but I didn't. To me it was messy. You use it after you get out of the shower before you dry off. Maybe I was using too much who knows. I also feel that it is a bit greasy and sits on your skin. Just not a fan sadly.

Next up is Attitude Hair Care retails for $9.99
I received the Color Protective shampoo and a small sample of their dish soap. I will start with the shampoo: It is made without any cancer causing chemicals which is wonderful so the price tag is low in my opinion. I am not thrilled about the scent but it does it's job. My hair feels clean, it has nice bounce to it and it's not dull looking. Will I buy this after I am done the bottle, yes I will.
I mentioned I received a sample of Attitude dish soap...OH my ...I love this stuff !! It cleaned grease off a pan with ease, the scent was pleasant and it bubbled up nicely. It did not make my hands dry either. I will be hunting this dish soap down for sure.

Now up is Colgate Enamel Health Mouthwash retails for $2.99
I am already a fan of Colgate, I think their products are well priced and work well. I like this mouthwash because of the taste, it is not too harsh tasting like certain other brands ( you know which I am talking about, right ?? ) I was also informed that my enamel is wearing down so I need all the help I can get.

Last but not least I got a packet of Urgent Ache and Pain Relief to go retails for $1.39
This is a great product for on the go, perfect to keep in your purse, wallet, diaper bag..you get the picture. You do not need water in order to take this since it's not a pill it's a powder which dissolves quickly. It is aspirin with a shot of caffeine, that is perfect for headaches. It worked quickly for me.

I was really happy with this box, and enjoyed reviewing it. I hope to get to review more boxes soon !

The Bella Vox Box

I received this box literally the day before I went in for my induction from Influenster, needless to say this review is well past it's due date (no pun intended) .  I got all these items for free in exchange for my honest to goodness opinion. 

First up in this wonderful box was an EcoTools Complexion Collection Mattifying Finish Brush, it retails for $8.99. I do love this brush and you cannot go wrong for the price, it feels and performs like a high end brush. I use it to touch up those pesky dark circles from lack of sleep now a days !

I got Dove dark chocolate covered blueberries these yummy delights range from $1.88-2.69. These are good, very good. And you know what they say dark chocolate is good for your heart and it contains fruit so snack away my friends. My three year old also liked these, she likes anything that involves both blueberries and chocolate.

Next up Not Your Mother's Déjà Vu Do Style Extender (travel size) $9.00 for a full size bottle

I took this with me to the hospital when I had the baby. This product smells so good, it's apple and berry scented. It's meant to be used as a style primer and extender, I used it to tame frizzy bed head. I do plan in using it once again when I straighten my hair. 

I got Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara by Kate Moss, it retails for $6.99. The mascara wand is a funky shape that's what gave my lashes all it's volume. It didn't smudge or clump. I was quite happy with the performance and I am normally pretty fussy when it comes to mascara. I hate spider lashes and clumps  neither happened. Good job Kate Moss !

Also by Kate Moss I received Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick, it retails for $5.49. The color was not for me by any means, it made me look paler but I will still post the picture. The lipstick definetly had staying power, I tried wiping it off when I saw what it looked like on me and it would not budge, lol. The lipstick was not drying and didn't feel heavy or sticky. I would buy this but in a different color. 

Lastly for actual products I got Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs, it retails for $13.99. This lotion went on easy enough but it just was not for me only because it's time consuming, least to a mom if two little ones it is. 

I received a coupon code for Club W wine which was buy two bottles receive one free. The bottles start at $13.00. I have not tried their wines so I cannot tell you what I think of them or how their service is. 

That is all I got in my Bella Vox Box from Influenster. I really enjoyed these products and cannot wait till my next box ! 

Chocolate and Peanut Butter...enough said

Seriously that is the best combination, in my eyes at least. Influenster recently  sent me the Reeses Peanut Butter and chocolate spread to try and review. It was good timing too, I am FINALLY feeling better after months of morning sickness and sluggishness. 

Naturally the first thing I did was stick a spoon in it and gave it a good taste, it is so delicious plain on it's on. Then I headed to Pinterest to see what other peanut butter chocolate concoctions were being done. I had it spread on an english muffin with cut up banana, I used it on top of a waffle instead of syrup, I also spread it on fruit such as strawberries and of course bananas. And are you ready for it....I used it to make an ice cream sundae ( that was my favorite use for it ) It's good on graham crackers and next time I make bacon I am going to dip it in this spread. 

This is a fantastic spread and I highly recommend you seek it out especially if you love the chocolate and peanut butter combo ! 

Flu season is around the corner

Summer is over and we are into fall we all know what comes next...Winter. Blah, winter is my least favorite season and with everyone being cooped up with no fresh air and colder temps it usually brings around colds and the dreaded flu.
Sorry for sounding like a Debbie Downer !

Luckily I was chosen by Influenster to try out the new Braun No Touch forehead thermometer ! With a 2 year old this thing is a blessing. I do not have to fight with her and it does not go in an unmentionable place. However she does think its a toy so it stays high up. It's quick to use, easy and efficient. Quick is important with a 2 year old who is very busy ! It was easy enough for me to use on myself as well not awkward at all. 

All in all I am quite happy with this thermometer and it came at a perfect time. It only requires two batteries which it comes with when you buy it. And it is accurate, that is THE most important aspect of it. Would I purchase this if it were not given to me...YES ! Take a peak at my picture of me taking my daughter's temp, excuse the jammies and messy hair.

 "I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

TLC VoxBox

I got a surprise in the mail this month from Influenster, it was the TLC VoxBox for Moms ! How excited was I ? Yup super excited, I love getting mail especially when it's not bills. I love packages even more. 

Want to know what was inside, of course you do otherwise you would not be reading this. I got the following;

Neosporin to go- Anyone that has a child needs this in their purse, diaper bag, car, bicycle basket, you catch my drift you just need it. Kids fall and you need to clean their scrapes, give it a little squirt of this, slap a band aid on and call it a day.

A coupon for Breyers Gelato Indulgences- The coupon was to get any flavor of my choose, I went with tiramisu and oh my word this is the BEST gelato I have had in a long time. It was the perfect texture, the flavor was spot on. I am hooked. It was just as good at the stuff you can get in the North End of Boston ( aka Little Italy ) 

Ivory Bar Soap- Personally I am not a bar of soap user so I used it on my toddler. It was gentle enough for her and she loved the fact that it floated. She actually thought it was a boat ! It was cute. And she does have real toy boats in the tub, I do not want you thinking I make her play with soap only or something !!

Avon Anew Reversalist Express Wrinkle Soother- Hmmm I do not have much to say about this. I really with I loved it but I am indifferent about it really. I tried it a couple times but did not notice a difference really.

Puffs to go with Lotion- Great tissues to have in your purse. They do not break and can take a beating. They do not leave your nose raw, trust me they were put through the ultimate test at a wake/funeral. 

Shell Fuel Rewards Card- This little card is going to come in handy when we go on our road trip. You use it at Shell gas stations to save money at the pump however you can also rack up points while dining and shopping online, how many other gas reward cards do you know of like that ?! 

Overall I am VERY happy with this VoxBox and so glad to be part of Influenster Nation ! 

Disclosure: I received all of these products for free and all opinions are mine. 

Goodies

I was a lucky recipient on the mama vox box from Influenster ! This program is wonderful and this has been my third campaign. Here is what I got;

Belvita Soft Baked Breakfast Biscuit in wild berries. It was really good, pairs well with tea and portable which for me is now important. I can stash some on the bus or my purse and even Gina's diaper bag.

Dr. Scholl's For Her Comfort Insoles. I have used these in the past in heels and they rock ! Normally my balls hurt after wearing heels, of my feet that is. I slipped a pair of these insoles um my heels and they cushion the balls of your feet. NYC new black gorgeous heeled boots are screaming for these.

Pond's Luminous Finish BB+ Cream
I am pretty picky when it comes to makeup, and I like to make sure I am taking care of it as well. With this BB cream it leaves my skin looking flawless and hides those little imperfections. The + is that it keeps working after being put on to target dark spits on my skins surface helping them fade away over time. So far so good.

Last but not least I got Annie's microwavable rice pasta & cheddar gluten free cup. I love Annie's anyway so being sent one of these was an added bonus. I wasn't so sure about the rice pasta's texture...I have this thing with textures but Gina sure loved it and we have already bought some more.

I am looking forward to my next vox box !