Show & Tell: Influenster's Love VoxBox

A while ago I signed up for Influenster, and last week, you may have seen that I added a new video to my Youtube channel showing off my first Influenster VoxBox.  If you haven't seen it, here's the video:

Unfortunately, the day after I received the box, I went on vacation, and couldn't really try out the products!  So, I've finally gotten around to reviewing the items, and wanted to quick share my results with you:

Gillette Venus & Olay Razor: I've used Venus razors for such a long time, I'm not sure if I've actually used any other kind!  So, I was really quite excited when I saw this in the Influenster Love VoxBox, and couldn't wait to try it out.  It was really quite moisturizing, and felt so good after not being able to shave for a week.  It worked just like my other Venus razors have, so all in all, I was quite pleased with this product.


Kiss Nail Dress: I already mentioned this in my unboxing video, but I really don't like the pattern of stickers I received.  However, after opening the package, I saw there were 18 different sticker styles, some of which would have fit me much better (e.g., KDS09, KDS12, and KDS17) - it was just bad luck that I received one that I didn't really fancy.  So, I decided to try them out on my toes, and they went on really easily.  I even kind of like them a little - still not for me, though - they're too rocker chic!


Stash Tea Herbal Tea Sampler: This is by far my favorite product!  I mentioned the peppermint tea from Stash in a previous Favorites video, and as I try the other flavors included in this particular box, I'm liking Stash as a brand even more.  I haven't gotten through all the flavors, yet, but I believe my favorite so far (aside from peppermint, of course!) has been the Lemon Ginger tea - it has a very nice little bite following the sweetness of the lemon when you drink it.

Ghiradelli Gourmet Milk Creamy Devotion Bar: I'm not the biggest fan of chocolate, though I do like Ghiradelli as a brand.  I like their carmel filled chocolates, and I love the peppermint bark chocolates that they come out with around the holidays!  My parents and my brother tried it, too, so I could give a better review, and the consensus was that it was good - like other Ghiradelli chocolates!

Truvia Natural Sweetener: This wasn't in my box!  I can't really say if I liked this product or not, since I've never tried it. :(

From the Vanity: Spring Nail Polish Picks

It's finally starting to feel like Spring outside, and since I just added a new 'Beauty' tab to my blog, I thought it'd be fun to let you know what I'll be wearing on my nails this Spring!  The polishes I've chosen are, as you can see, all from Essie, which is one of my favorite brands.  These polishes are available so many places, like Walmart and Target, for about $8.00.

The first three are going to be the more trendy polishes, while the last two are more just what I like to wear, but would still go well with some of this season's biggest colors, like the light blues, greens, and pinks, as well as the bright yellows, tangerines, and blues.

The first color I've chosen is Turquoise & Caicos, which Essie describes as a "Flirty and pretty tropical aqua".  It definitely reminds me of clean, ocean water and soft, white sand!  It gives your nails a fun sort of pop, especially when it's paired with lighter pastel colors.  It's definitely brighter than you think!

The second color is Aruba Blue, which is described as a "Frosty, sapphire blue", and looks like an ocean, with just a little bit of sparkle.  This is probably my favorite color of the season, and I've already made a cozy, off the shoulder sweater in this same color as part of my Sweater a Month series.  If I didn't currently have gel nails on, I'd be painting my nails this color right now!

The middle color also reminds me of the ocean, or perhaps like a mermaid's tail, as silly as that sounds.  It is called Trophy Wife, and is described as a "Perfect deep teal pearl".  It's a wonderful combination of both green and blue, and would be perfect for a day on the lake or at the pool.

The next color is Size Matters, which I would wear with lighter pastel colors, for that extra little pop of color, though if you like color blocking, this color would also go well with those yellows and tangerines I mentioned earlier.  It is described as a "Blazing Hot Ruby Red", and I absolutely love it!  Those deep reds and violets are just so pretty to me!

Finally, this last, grey color would go with just about anything, whether pastel or brightly colored, and is called Chinchilly.  This is a very special little polish to me, as I had a very similar color, Sew Psyched, and wasn't sure if I needed another greyish color.  However, Sew Psyched was a little more 'army green' than the soft, cashmere heather that I wanted, which was what Chinchilly was, though it is described as a "Sleek granite grey", which makes it sound much more cold than it is.

As I said, I think all five of these colors would go wonderfully with all of this season's most popular colors, and if you have these or similar colors in your collections, I encourage you to try them out this Spring!

From the Vanity: Kiss Nail Dress

Just before I went on my vacation to Florida, I received a pack of 28 Kiss Nail Dress stickers to try out and review.  I was a bit hesitant about them at first, since I typically like to keep my nails pretty simple, usually sticking to one color.  However, as you can see by the picture I've included, these stickers are anything but plain!

Since I was so hesitant about using them, I waited until I got back to good old Minnesota to try them out, and even then was a bit skeptical about using them on my hands, which everyone would see.  Luckily for me, these stickers are versatile enough to provide a rounded edge for fingers, and a square edge for toes!  So, I decided to give myself a little pedicure, which was definitely needed after spending a week walking around Disney World!

Well, I have to admit, I was really quite surprised with how well they worked.  They applied really easily, and even look kind of cool, if not still a bit more 'rocker chic' than I'm used to.  So, after trying them out, I was satisfied with their performance, but didn't really think I'd purchase them, simply because I wasn't a big fan of the design I had received.  But, that changed when I looked through the nail design booklet that is included with each package, and found some gold ones, which I later looked up on their site, kissnaildress.com.





Aren't they absolutely beautiful?  I don't know that I'm daring enough to use them on each finger, but I think they would be a gorgeous accent nail with just about any color, from deep purple to light turquoise, and if I see them around, I will definitely have to pick some up!

So, how do they work?  Well, it really only takes three simple steps:

1. Choose a sticker that fits your nail, and stick it on your nail.
2. Bend the sticker so that it forms around the nail edge, and either file or clip the excess sticker off.
3. Enjoy for up to ten days!

Another bonus?  They're available at stores like Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens, and retail for $6.99.  If you're like me, and are only going to use them for accent nails, that's not a lot of money for probably 22 manicures! (6 of the stickers are really probably just meant for your big toes!)

From the Vanity: Foundation Routine

I was getting ready to do my first makeup tutorial after watching countless beauty videos on YouTube, and thought I'd film a quick foundation routine.  I really don't have to worry about much as far as my skin goes.  I'm very fair, but I'm not prone to breakouts, and my skin is fairly evenly colored.  I will occasionally get dry patches, but that's all.  

The products I use are as follows:

• Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Lotion
• Too Faced Primed and Poreless
• Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation in Cream Ivory
• Makeup Forever HD Powder
• MAC Well Dressed Blush
• MAC Crystal Avalanche