Review on the Cosmo VoxBox 2012 from Influenster

I was so psyched when Influenster sent me the email saying that I had been chosen for a Cosmo Voxbox a couple of weeks ago. Being chosen for something like this is really rare, so I had to read the email twice to realize it wasn't a joke! It seemed to take forever for the package to get to me, though.

I waited...and waited.. and waited some more. I got the email almost a week and a half before the package actually came in. Now, do I blame Influenster? Nah, it probably got eaten in the mail out here, so it's all fine. And now onto the good stuff!

This is the box. I nearly squealed when I saw the razor. I absolutely love Gillette's razors, and I always lose my dumb handle. It gets expensive after a while, so I often resort to the more disposable ones. At first glance, I almost turned up my nose at the chocolate. Sea salt? Really? Blegh.

The most exciting thing about it was the perfume. I love new perfumes, fer srs. And the pens, oh the pens. I hate erasable pens with a passion and would have never bought them on my own. This box changed my mind on so many things.

I have nothing but good things to say about the razor. Gillette is my absolute go-to razor for my legs. The blades are sharp (I've cut myself on them plenty of times) and they last forever as long as you store and dry  them properly. I did not know, however, that all the cartridges fit on the same handle. This actually makes my life a LOT easier. I hate having to buy a new handle just to try a new kind of razor head. Fantastic as always, Gillette!

The sea salt chocolate and the pens. The chocolate is from Ghirardelli, and I must say that I am a huge fan of their chocolate to begin with. I was really wary at trying this out, but surprisingly it is amazing! It's a very creamy milk chocolate, and the almonds are not big enough to be a bother in the teeth. The saltiness is very muted. There are some times where I could almost taste it, but then it was gone. All in all, a delicious and different approach to chocolate. I will definitely be making a purchase in the future.

The pens. Oh, erasable pens. We've all been there. Those cheap pens you get and think 'hey, these things are awesome! It's like a pen and a pencil in one'. Then you are terribly mistaken because not only do they NOT write, but the scribbles you do happen to write do not erase. It's an enraging cycle. These are the FriXion pens by Pilot, and man, do they up the bar on erasable pens. I love them. They write smoothly, and they erase cleanly. I put the black one to the test by doodling on my notes in class, and not only did it make beautiful doodles, but it also erased it so well, I couldn't even tell what I had drawn before. Fantastic pens. They'll probably be my go-to pen from now on.

I was probably most excited about the Bath and Body Works Forever Red perfume. I've heard very good things about it from my mom, who absolutely loves anything BBW. It's a lovely floral scent, and a little goes a very long way. That .25oz bottle will last me for a while...or maybe not. I've been using it every day.

All in all, it was a FANTASTIC Voxbox, and I really hope to get another one in the future. The products were great, and I even changed my mind on two of them. Everything here gets an A+!

Moisturizing Monday: A Review on Skin Care Products

I don't know about any of you, but I have the hardest time finding a moisturizer for my skin. For the longest, I was of the opinion that I didn't need one. My face was oily enough as it is without rubbing something on my face that was going to make it even moreso.



Oh, was I wrong.

I've had two lovely babies in the last two years, and aside from what pregnancy does to the torso, it does wonderful and terrible things to the skin as well. I had flawless skin when I was pregnant (thank you, hormones), but while my skin looked wonderful, it felt like sandpaper. Oily sandpaper. No matter how hard I scrubbed my face or wore a mask, I just couldn't get that silky skin feeling back.

Once I started doing some research, I realized that the only option I had was a good moisturizer. And so the search was on.

Let me tell you...it sucked. I did research, watched countless videos on youtube, read a thousand blogs, and I just couldn't find a moisturizer that fit me. (Granted, I did go cheap. Probably should have started around the mid-grade stuff, but hey, it's a learning experience.)

Then I came across this:

I am kind of 'eh' on Clean and Clear, first of all. Not that they aren't a great company, but their products just didn't do it for my acne-prone skin in highschool. Thus, I have a slight hatred aversion to their products. But, it was a great price, so I tried it.



Holy crap! Where'd my thumb go? I have stubby freak fingers here.

If I didn't have a scaly dragon face, I'm am pretty sure this product would have worked for me. When I used it, it didn't leave me feeling bogged down with product. It's light, airy, and leaves a slight tingle to the skin that is very refreshing. All in all, I'd say this is a great product for someone who doesn't need the insane moisturizing that I seem to need.

I stayed with the Clean and Clear for a couple of weeks, but after watching a vlog on RoC skin care, I decided to bite the bullet and purchase a more expensive moisturizer in hopes that it could work miracles. This is the one I got:

Deep wrinkle, you say? Oh, yes, because my husband so jokingly pointed out that I had a wrinkle on my forehead from squinching (yes, I just made up a word. Feel free to use it as you wish) when I read. I didn't believe him, but when I looked in the mirror a while later, I realized he was right! He has no idea what he has done....

Anyway. Aside from the deep wrinkle, I chose this particular formula because it came with a free eye cream. The results? Magic. Like unicorns and enchanted wardrobes. This moisturizer completely transformed my skin in a week. Scaly dry skin is gone, and it is replaced by soft skin. I don't think I will ever use anything else. RoC just got themselves a new customer.

The only thing bad I have to say about this product is it is a bit pricey. A little over $20 for the tube which I know is expensive for a lot of people (including me. ESPECIALLY me.) But I am now a firm believer in saving up for good skincare products. This tube will last me for a while, and it came with a second product, which makes me feel just a tad bit better about buying it.



 

 

 

 

 





Foundation Review: L'Oreal's True Match Super Blendable Makeup

First, I would like to welcome you to the new and improved blog! I know it's kind of inconvenient switching like this, but I wanted everything to do with the blog on one account so I could properly manage. If you are a new subscriber, then welcome! Thanks for dropping by.

Now, onto the review!

I was wandering around Wallgreens the other day, and I decided to try out this foundation since the one I was using just wasn't cutting it. I get paler in the winter (is it even possible? I'm marshmallow colored as it is), and my Rimmel made me look like an Oompa Loompa. Bah. So, of course, I have to get the palest color they have (see below). Only ghosts and vampires have paler skin.

And fairy princesses. Because if you are immortal and sparkle, you are a fairy princess. I know because I have played one before.

Where was I? Oh, yes. The foundation. I am always wary for trying a new foundation because I cannot afford the fancy ones in department stores. Having babies limits my budget on certain things, so I have to guess as to which one will look best. The 'oh my god, are you for real?!' pale, or the 'they don't even make that shade' white. Seriously. Most new foundations I try make me look orange because, as I found out from L'Oreal, I'm a cool tone. Apparently every single foundation I have ever put on my face is a warm tone.

Go figure.

I was so afraid that it wasn't going to smooth right, or it wasn't going to cover my giganic pores (yes, I have them. On my nose. It's the most horrific thing ever and they just won't go away. Hopefully none of you have to live with these pot holes like I do). I usually try for a total or medium coverage, and this stuff looked really thin in the bottle. I also have oily skin, ridiculously oily, but this said oil free so I decided to trust it.

You know that giddy feeling you get when you buy something new? You just can't wait to get it home and try it out no matter what else is happening? Yeah, that's me. With one toddler hanging on my leg begging me to pick her up, and a small infant expressing her displeasure at not being the center of attention, I dragged my leg (with toddler) down the hallway so I could wash my face and try on this new foundation.

Result? I love it. It is really thin coming out of the bottle, hence blendable in the title, but it covers more than I thought it would, and I don't look like a ghost wearing a spray tan.

Pretty smooth, even with the terrible picture and lighting in the room. It is probably the best foundation I have ever put on my face (and I have put plenty on it). Also, at the $8 price tag, it's a steal for the quality.

Would I buy it again? Oh, yes. It may well be my go-to foundation from this point forward. It is light, doesn't seem to clog my pores, and matches my skintone perfectly. It gets an A in my book.


Grade: A+
Mom-friendly? Yes, price and convenience (I think I spelled that right) in one stop.


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