The Things I Know

Sometimes I get a thing in a VoxBox from influenster to review and I think “huh, this is kind of cool. I’m glad I could try it out.” Then sometimes I get a thing from Influenster to review and I think “how did I live without these?

The Cutex one step pads are those things. I’m a reformed nail biter which makes me an obsessive nailpolisher. I have replaced my desire to bite my nails with my desire to pick my nailpolish. The second I see imperfection I have to take care of it and achieve a perfect coat again. These are the best for that. They’re not messy, they are loaded with oils and whatnot for healthy nails. My nails don’t feel flimsy and stripped after using them and it’s not messy. Not to mention I’m not terrified of spilling a bottle of acetone all over the place.  

The real deal-maker for me, though is that these are single use packs that cover all your nails and then some. Now I can travel with nail polish remover on business trips without worrying about clients seeing a chipped manicure.

so I received a pair of dry spray deodorant from Target and Influenster to try. I use Dove deodorant regularly, but I usually stick with the stick. 

But there’s a few pros and cons to this stuff here goes:

Pros: 

Goes on Dry - Keeps you dry

Has a nice scent (if you like that kind of thing.)

Spraying is quick and easy

Goes on clear.

When I say, I stayed dry, I meant like until the next day. 

Cons:

Has a scent - if you don’t like that kind of thing it’s strong and it lasts. 

Goes on cold.

Has aluminum in it.

Overall, a good option especially if you’re going out somewhere in a fancy dress - the spray doesn’t leave residue, and keeps me dry so I can rely on not getting it on my clothing. 

I received Australian Gold’s  Lotion Sunscreen, SPF 30 from influenster  thanks @ausgoldspf! 

I have found that with sunscreens there are two general types. One is too light, you can use it as moisturizer under makeup, it’ll help with the day to day, but don’t bother with it on the beach. OR it’s going to be the oil slick lotion that will protect you on the surface of the sun, but you are going to look SUPER greasy and probably breakout from it.

This however, is different.  I’ve been able to wear this when I’ve been going hiking and out and about for long day trips.  IT has let me look like a human being, without grease face, but it’s also kept me VERY protected from the sun.  I appreciate the smell - puts you right on the beach, but it’s also not going to clog your pores.  

I always think of Australian Gold as a tanning oil kind of company but this is some high quality, no grease, protection from the sun that smells like coconut! 

#MKGlam

I received a whole bunch of Mary Kay products for testing from Influenster.

So here’s the quick and dirty - 

1. I love the blush. Just a bit on the apples of your cheeks and you have a soft spring look.  Also, the bronzer is great for some shading (under the cheekbones and along the jaw line)

2. This gel liner is AMAZING - I like to layer it on just along the top, addin a little wing and filling it in. Like drawing a thin triangle past my lid. What I like most about this? It almost makes my lashes look fuller.  I don’t love the eyeshadow here, a bit yellow for me, but it does make for a nice noticeable finish.  

3. The lip color is so pretty! You know how to put lip gloss on, so I’m not going to help you out here but phew - this stuff has some great gloss and a ton of color. Definitely will buy in more colors. 

Received the Mary Kay Vox Box from Influenster for the purpose of reviewing the items inside.  I received the following in the box:

  Mary Kay® Bronzing Powder

Mary Kay® Translucent Loose Powder

Mary Kay® Mineral Cheek Color

Mary Kay® Cream Eye Color in Apricot Twist

Mary Kay® Cream Eye Color/Concealer Brush

Mary Kay® Lash Love® Mascara Mary Kay® Gel Eyeliner with Expandable

Brush Applicator in Jet Black

Mary Kay® NouriShine Plus® Lip Gloss in Mango Tango

I'm going to do a quick fire review of these guys:

Things I love:  Bronzing Powder, Cheek Color, Brushes, Lipgloss, and OMG the Gel Eyeliner in Jet Black.

Things that are cool and I use them: The Loose Powder

Things that are not my favorite: the eyecolor in apricot.

  Most of these things are the same high quality you'd expect from Mary Kay but I will say from the love category, the Gel Liner is amazing.  This stuff comes in a generously sized container when many others I've seen are very tiny. The brush makes it easy to pack up and keep in your bag because it's expandable.  And let me tell you, this is the things my friends want most. At the end of the day when everyone's eyeliner is smudged or worn away this stuff is as perfect as when I applied it and it comes off way easier than liquids.

The eye color - maybe it's the color which is like a yellowish gold that washes me out. Also while it goes on like a cream it dries and stays put. Still there's something very "paint-like" about it that just doesn't work for me.

My latest influenster experience! I really enjoyed this one, the J'Adore Vox Box. 

A quick overview:

1. Hershey Kisses. I mean, do they really need people to review these? They're addicting and delicious. Everyone knows that. If you don't know it, now you do. They're delicious. And addicting. I can't stop eating them. #LoveandKISSES

2.  Boots Botanics Ionic Clay Mask.  I love this stuff. I like masks, but I typically hate the clean up and the stickiness etc. This stuff is really great, it's light, easy, and the feeling afterwards is refreshing and smooth. Not to mention they're doing some cool stuff with Kew Gardens in London, exploring the #PowerofPlants . Very Environmentally Sustainable. I love me some responsible consuming!

3. Frizz Ease - 3 Day Straight.  I will say, I feel like a cheat on this. My hair is SO straight. Like STICK straight. So I don't really need to use this stuff to achieve straightness but I will say that I tested it out and it does help me out with frizziness and smoothness in the days following. It's not hard for me to have a good hair day, as long as I wash it that day. This let's me pull off the straight for a little longer without the cowlick kicking in. #3DayStraightLove

4. Kiss Lashes.  I have said it before. I love love love fake lashes. I have worn them many a night in the city and worked those bitches like you wouldn't believe. But I hate the removal, and I hate the ones that look too thick and plastic to be real. These guys are made to look natural. They're made to give you options about shape and drama, and they're made to be easy.  Success all around. Love them. #KISSLashes

5. Red Rose Tea.  I love tea but I love bitter teas, the type of teas that only tea drinkers like. I drink a lot of tea.  Think of all the times you drink coffee, I'm drinking tea (I'm actually allergic to coffee!) Also, with the exception of the aforementioned Hershey kisses, I don't really have a big sweet tooth. I don't like drinking sweetened teas so I was skeptical of the Red Rose.  I had the Crème Caramel and the Lemon Chiffon. The Crème Caramel is a bit sweet for my taste, but still light and tasty as long as it's hot.  The Lemon Chiffon, now that's something different. It smells AMAZING and it tastes just like lemon cake without the heavy sugary taste.  Really interesting. I'm tempted to try the Peach Cobbler as I love peach and if it's like the Lemon Chiffon, I'm sure it'd be delicious. #SimplyIndulge

  Overall, really excited about my latest vox box.  Definitely opened my eyes to brands I haven't been familiar with. I'm definitely grateful for the reintroduction to Boots products!

Let me know if you want an invite to Influenster to get your own box and items to try!

So let me explain. influenster sent me a gorgeous pair of lashes from KISS products. These things are so natural looking but still give volume and some drama. I’m a girl who loves fake lashes but don’t want to look over the top. These things are great! I use tweezers so that I don’t get them stuck to my fingers and then make sure to run some mascara over to blend them in. Can really wear them anywhere.

I lived in London in high school and fell in LOVE with Boots.  Imagine my surprise when I open my Influenster #JAdoreVoxBox and there is a BOOTS product inside!

I'm partial, I get it. But here's the thing. I've been looking for a mask, an easy mask, that I can do once a week or so that will pull out the impurities and will make my skin feel smoother without drying it out.  This might be the one for me!

It's not thick or bulky like other masks and so I know that the tube will go a long way. It's also REALLY fast drying so mess is minimal.  It has this tightening feeling when it dries that I find really refreshing - that's probably weird right? 

  Anyhow. The hashtag is #PowerofPlants so naturally I had to investigate. One of the main ingredients is Willowbark. Turns out willowbark is quite the nugget of the herb world. It's been used back to Ancient greek times for stomachaches, headaches, and back pain. It has great anti-inflammatory properties and that's what makes it great for your skin. It's great for rosacea, acne, wrinkles. Oh, and it was also used in the development of asprin.  Power of Plants indeed.

I won't be stopping with this mask. I love the idea of a skincare company working with Kew Gardens and botanists to look into the natural healing and healthy options that plants can offer us.  You can find more about this partnership here: http://www.boots.com/en/Botanics-and-the-Royal-Botanic-Garden-Kew_1276608/ 

There's info there about how they're becoming more eco-sustainable in regards to packaging etc. and that's just a bonus.

Things I know about Deodorant:

  1.  I like to smell good so scent is one of the most important things for me in a deodorant.

2. Despite number 1, I don't like to be smelly, or overpowering, or the only thing people can smell so subtlety is also important.

3. Dryness is a big plus, too.

4. I want to wear my deodorant on my armpits - not all over my clothes.

  So when it came to buying deodorant it was not really rocket science.  Keep me smelling fresh, dry, and clear. How hard can it be to find something to do that?  Well, that's not so hard if that's all you want to do, but then I got a sample from #Influenster - #InfluensterVoxBox - #RaiseYourArms - it's the Dove Advanced Care Deodorant with NutirumMoisture.

Now, side note:  I probably spend a good 150-200 on stuff I put on my face. I used Fresh moisturizer with spf protection, Fresh Youth Preserve lotus flower something or other when I go to bed. I take care of my skin...on my face. I'm not shaving my face. I'm shaving my armpits, and 36% of what I lose while shaving is SKIN! Ew. I never knew/thought about it.

  When you put it that way, yea, it makes sense. You should probably think about what you slather on under there.  So I tried this stuff.  It's amazing.  It keeps me dry, it smells great, though not overpowering and there are like a million fragrances. It doesn't rub off on anything. And it's moisturizing. My armpits are all "oh hey thanks." I'm all "oh hey, sorry I forgot about you there."

Also, this is a random note but I was recently admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery. This stuff says it lasts for 48 hours. I was in the hospital for two and a half days and thank god I had this on when I went into the ER because...well, you can imagine.

Things I know, I will be buy this again. But I do love the free sample from Influenster!

My apartment is a wreck.  I have to figure out how to de-clutter, and to give myself more space to create! 

I would post here the list or the site or the resource I'm using to help me declutter but all sites, resources, and lists that are about decluttering are literally all the same. The basic theme is "Stop being lazy and get this shit out of your house."  When I think about it, there aren't any OTHER steps than that.