Influenster Goodies: Hair Care Herbal Essences biorenew

Hey folks so photos first for a change.  This is a quick post until I use the product.  Influenster sent me a new full size set of biorenew from Herbal Essences.  I haven't sniffed them yet but I was hoping for something that looked less heavy which to me means not a flower scent cause they are usually stronger.  I'll tell you how I like it and about the scent later. 

Product Review: Just Be Carefree!

This post is overdue but with the end of the semester and beginning of summer school (tomorrow) I've been a little tied up.  So as I'm mentioned to you before I sometimes get products for free from Influenster to review honestly.  It's a good gig and has introduced me to a few new products I love and wouldn't have known about otherwise.  Well, they sent me a sample of Carefree panty liners about six weeks ago which I can admit to being a little hesitant to try out.  I'm familiar with Carefree and they make good products but Always are my people lol.  When I received the box I have to say that hesitation grew.  The box was TINY which meant the product would likely be small as well.  Granted I'm on a weight loss kick but I kind of like having a liner that covers more than the dead center of my underwear which is why I have stuck with Always as they have an extra long liner that accommodates the rounder behind legion. 

This is the size of the liner when it's sealed--which hey is great because you can tuck it in your purse easily.  I was nervous to put it politely and that nervousness didn't diminish when I opened up the liner.

The next two photos are of the liner on it's on and next to my normal liners.

But I'm a trooper and after shaking my head in disbelief for a day or so I tried them out.  Due to the aforementioned weight loss they were an ok fit in my size 6 undies, not at all great in the size 7s.  They held up well over the course of the day and were kind of unobtrusive which I guess is the point of them.  I don't know if I like them enough to forgo the Always liners at least not in their current size and thickness.  A little more length and padding and this would be a great go to product.

Influenster Moment: Neutrogena Hydro Boost

Howdy everyone.  I am late on this as with everything thanks to that week of crappy illness.  I received a sample of Neutrogena Hydro Boost to review from Influenster.com.  Y'all know I love the free stuff and Influenster so this was a win for me from jump.

I wasn't sure how big the box would be but when I opened the box up the first thing  I saw was this card.  For some reason I was being stupid or slow or something because even the image of the water didn't make me think of how the product would feel when I put it on my face.

The packaging itself is cute.  Pretty sturdy which I would know because I accidentally dropped it.  I followed the directions on the package and waited until I washed my face and went through my normal routine before I put this on my face as its more of a moisturizer finishing kind of step.  The product looks much thicker than it actually is when you apply it.

It looks more like water now that I'm looking at the photo again.  I mean the color not the texture.  It looked smooth and it smells great so I was excited about what it would feel like on my face.  Initially it felt kinda oily which was weird.  I think I just wasn't anticipating that it would be so slick on my face.  Immediately after that though my face felt like it was a little tighter and my skin was a little smoother.  The only thing that was a downside to the product for me as compared to my Clinique product was there's no SPF listed as being part of the product.  I'm not outside all day so it's not as crucial but it would definitely make a good product better.  You don't need very much of it to cover your face which is also a plusand it does feel very intensely moisturizing.  However, if you don't like strong--albeit pleasant--smells this could be a negative for you.  It mostly disappeared by the time I was done with my first class about four hours after I put it on but if you are hypersensitive to smells that could be a long time.  This could be an ideal winter product though because my skin never felt dry while this was on and the winter wind can be a bear.

All in all this is a good moisturizer and if you don't need an SPF rating on it you should definitely give it a shot.

Influenster Loves Me

Ok so maybe that's a reach but after qualifying for their Freeman Beauty VoxBox and not being able to find it here or in the city closest to me I was frustrated and let them know.  Today I got a box of both of the products I could have gotten and I heart them both.  As always Influenster provides products free as long as we review them.  Look over in my side bar if you have never heard of them and click the purple button.  Always full size products and they are normally things you are interested in with some that will expose you to new things.

So I got a bottle of the exfoliating cream and the moisturizer as well.  I'm a sucker for a good exfoliation so that is my favorite so far but I know I wouldn't have to do that as much if I moisturized better all over so I need to step up my game with that as well.  Both smell fantastic though really.  Nothing overpowering, almost powder like.  I love it, not sure if others will but it's a nice clean light scent.  Be sure to check it out if you can find it nearby.

The Joys of Wash Day

So it's been a month since I did more than flexi set and finger combed my hair. And I had honestly forgotten how much I enjoy wetting my hair.  My hair and I are still in the honeymoon stage as I am just four weeks post.  It does what I want and soaks up things easily.  I prepooed last night which was good cause I was kinda looking like Mufasa before I added the conditioners to my hair and oil to my scalp.  And my old container of Moroccan Oil conditioner has bit the dust.

 Me right after the prepoo was applied cause yeah Mufasa would have been jealous of my mane.

I woke up ridiculously early considering I had no one to celebrate with so I ate an odd breakfast, put my chicken in the buttermilk brine and an hour or so later I got in the shower and rinsed out my hair.  I deep conditioned with my Dr. Miracle's for about 40 minutes and then rinsed it all out.  This is me after about an hour of t-shirt drying.

I have decided to air dry and then do a slight wavy bump to mimic my vacation hair.  Tying down the edges till then.  I also did a face mask but I think the shiny I'm seeing on my cheeks is lighting more than anything.  Regardless I need to take better care of my skin again since I have finally managed to get my water intake up again.

And because my stylist was way late the last time I went in she gave me a good bag of stuff.  I decided to use the It's a 10 spray along with the Macadamia Healing Oil in place of the TW mist that I normally start the LOC off with.  The It's a 10 felt amazing and I'm kind of wishing I had just stopped there to see how it worked on it's own without the MHO.

Really hair felt good at each stage of washing.  Not too much in the way in hair loss and detangled like my combs were warm knives moving through butter.  I am truly loving my hair again.

And totally random, I finally found a reasonable, to me anyway, deal on a t-shirt quilt via Living Social.  Project Repat is running a special with them right now.  It looks like the lap quilt is sold out but the other two are still in play.  Add RADDAD to the process and you can save 15 percent.  Click HERE if you want to check it out.

Goodies from Influenster

This may not be a REAL post because it's going to be sharing goodies from my new gift box which normally has nothing to do with hair but in this box actually does and in one of the best ways too. While not the box I was anticipating initially, too much demand not enough boxes it happens, this is a pretty cool VoxBox as well.

 This photo is of the entire unboxed package of goodies.  I always seem to end up with random nail polish colors but hey the polish is nice lol.

 This is a new clay infused fabric masque from Montagne Jeunnesse.  I really love them.  The masques are usually nice and purifying without being super perfume laced and creepy.  This sample is called Crushed Artic Cloudberries.  It will be my present to myself after I'm done with the grading.

 This is the only miss in the box for me.  I love a good healthy treat and have been turned on to some good snacks through Influenster but the Soyjoy did not make me remotely happy.  I don't really like fruit in my chocolate.  It should offend the chocolate Gods on some level to be so muddled up.  The bar itself was fine, the fruit not so much.

This polish is very vibrant green.  Sally Hensen makes fantastic polish and it coats well even if it's not my best shade lol.  It's okay I'll play with it when I see my nieces who will think it's Ninja Turtle green and be fascinated.

The two best items for me in this box are the Dry Shampoo from Not Your Mother's Clean Freak brand.  I haven't needed to use it YET because I'm so freshly out of the beauty show but seriously this may refresh the funk that the sweat can create when I'm working out.  I'll update you on that progress.

But absolutely the best part of the box has been the Goody Quik Style Dry Fit head band.  One of the things I hate about working out is how much the sweat pours from my head down into my eyes and just makes me a great big old mess.  I've used this band three times now and so far my face sweats yes but there's no downpour from my scalp.  It also keeps the sweat off my neck as much too.  And while I was original a little shocked at the bright pink trim I noticed it matched my sneakers and made me feel more coordinated.  I know there's that Keep Your Do head scarf but that feels like I should be tying my hair down for bed even if it works great it's not the aesthetic I'm going for when I get sweaty.  Plus I'm pretty sure when I look like it's time for bed I am more likely to go to bed.  Anyway if you wanted my best endorsement for anything in this box it would definitely be this head band.

There you go.  Updates from the newest cute little purple box of goodies.

All of the products reviewed were provided by Influenster for the purpose of giving honest feedback.

Summer VoxBox LOVE!!

Okay everyone this is a semi sponsored review in that everything I was given was free for me to use thanks to Influenster.com whom I heart more than they know right now.  For a bit of your time after you get a box you get products to use, keep and be honest about.  Since I just got it yesterday I'm mostly going to show you photos of what the box contained and will do more detailed reviews later on each product.

 This card always means I get goodies

 The other shades available in the nail polish I was given

 Goody's Hair Ties

 BB Cream in Light to Medium from Olay,

Love the smell and it blends well with my skin

 Yeah for teacher lady who will be on her feet

My actual shade of polish, I love reds

I Can Control The Universe with My Mind

Well not at all really and I'm sorry if you're now disappointed by my whole fake out mind control thing.  Not really though cause if you think a short brown woman has the power to rearrange the world with her mind you should probably be looking for Oprah and not me.  Anyhoo, I was hoping to hear from the realtor today and I did so we're going to keep pushing on the two most reasonably priced houses for now and see what our options are.  She's been fantastic and I will have to give her a gift and/or recommend her to everyone looking for a place to live.

Then I found out through my normal blog hopping that I won a giveaway that Lauren at Filing Jointly and Lauren of Origami Owl hosted a few weeks ago.  I went exploring on the site and think I have found an adorable collection of charms and things to put together.  I may have to pay a little extra but that's because I'm including everyone in my family in the piece (mom, dad, brother, sis in law and nieces plus me of course).  It may depend on how big the charm needs to be in order to hold all of those smaller charms.  Totally rocks to win stuff unexpectedly especially when it's so pretty.  Part of my brain is saying but what if you get married and have babies?  Well I guess I can make one for that new family too.  But right now my family is pretty set.

Boo hiss looks like the Heat won another championship but as the NBA is fading in my line of sight more and more each year I guess it really doesn't matter.

Hair updates coming this weekend when I stop being lazy and wash it instead of just moisturizing it.

I watched mom buy a honking big tv, what did you do today?

Today started out great and it's kinda wrapping up that way but let me just say the middle made me want to hit people.  I actually went to bed before midnight last night and I slept THROUGH the night.  I didn't wake up till about 7:30 and that was for a potty break.  I stayed up after 8 for some unknown reason but it felt good to not be going to sleep at six in the morning.

I knew I was going to take mom to the store because if I didn't I'd hear whining from here to eternity about how I NEVER (read not the minute she wants to go) take her anywhere (read everywhere under the freaking sun).  Her tantrum started with the trip to the neighborhood market instead of the big Wal-mart and I mean she seriously got out of the car muttering about how they never have what she wants (what she wants usually doesn't actually exist in reality by the way) and never price match anything (and that's never in that it's been so long since she went into neighborhood market she forgot they do it readily).  After that excursion was done it was off to another small chain grocery store--cause she didn't try to price match anything at the neighborhood market--for bacon.  She came out with bacon, fruit, muffins and other crap I couldn't easily detect.  I needed to see if I could find a purse box that I made for my linesisters previously because one went to a bad address and was either tossed or kept but it wasn't returned.  Hobby Lobby let me down so I was ready to pull out and head home before someone wanted fast food.  Before I could even get to the road though she saw a store that just advertised tvs for sale that she remembered as we passed the sign.  I should have said no but since I'm home so much right now I really don't like fighting.  Of course she beelined for the most ridiculously large one and after hemming and hawing and being lied to by the salesman about what smart tvs do and how cable is going to magically disappear in 5 years she purchased a tv that will occupy my living room.  That's not a pun it's freaking huge.  You could serve dinner for six on that thing.  She tried to offer me the 50 inch model--that isn't really 50 inches I don't think--for my room.  Yes we have a 50 inch tv and she wanted yet a bigger one. I said no like I had the previous 12 times it's been offered.  That will have to hang out in her room with her.  I moved the Wii back into my room and I doubt it's returning to the living room because now there's no room for it and I really don't want to support what I see as a ridiculous waste of money.

I'm sure I didn't mention it but I have a new phone interview on Monday.  I'm trying to decide if I want to dye my hair since technically it's on the computer not the phone.  I'm going to share some snaps of my gray, well as much as this camera will capture.  The roots are much more salt and pepper than the length of course but I'm mostly okay with it.  Mom thinks it makes me look older than 37 and that people don't want to hire old people.  I don't look old enough to fall into old people lol but I'll take your feedback.  I'm probably going to see my hairdresser before my next trip for a wash and set.  I'm going to keep on my relaxer schedule.  Despite the up and down part of the day I came home to another round of goodies from Ferrero Rocher and Influenster since I had been such a good blogger during that campaign last fall.  I super love these things when they are cold.  So the other sleeves--yeah I finished one decompressing so sue me lol--are going into the freezer.

Eboost Review--Quickie Ish

Ok so this is the last of the reviews for the Holiday VoxBox I got from Influenster.com.  Eboost looks like a fancy packet of Crystal light honestly.  The packet is just big enough to add to a small ish bottle of matter (about 12 ounces) and then it bubbles up or effervesces for a while before you drink it.  I let it sit a little over five minutes and it was just clear and happy pink lemonade at that point.  I figured since I'd been sick a good pick me up would be fantastic.  And it would be, but this is not it.  There's an odd aftertaste that I really can't explain.  I'd say it was like cold medicine but after having so much of that in the last few days I'm sure that's not the flavor.  It's almost like the fake sugar taste when the packets were first released but I haven't had those in a while either so I can't nail it exactly.  If that taste could be eliminated I'm sure I'd like it more.  The lemonade flavor is tangy and a little tart which I like but this aftertaste keeps it from being something I'm likely going to finish or go purchase.  Another flavor may not have as strong as an aftertaste but this right here is a no go for me.

Overall, I'm glad I was chosen for the VoxBox.  The nails, brush, lip shine, face mask and oatmeal were great big hits.  The shoes were good but run into the same issue for me, found a cute pair or two but my style is so weird and precise what I'm looking for is hard to find online and in stores without paying a mint for.  And this eboost, just not a good flavor thing.  But hey six out of seven is GREAT since it was a total surprise to get it and what would be in it.

Another quickie--KISS Nails Review

So the KISS nails are an adorable pattern and I really wanted to like them a whole whole lot.  But applying them was odd even for me.  All the slicks were too long which is supposed to be rectified by filing down the strips to hit your nails.  I may have been impatient but they didn't seem stiff enough to file at all let alone with my cute baby file that was included in the package.  I do have to give them credit though they were wide enough for my nails and covered them well but it felt like it would need more of a clip down not a file.  Great patterns and rather affordable so if you're not a mani/pedi girl and want something cute to adorn your nails or to match a hot outfit these would be your go to products.  Especially if you have aren't easily frustrated lol.

Holiday VoxBox--Influenster LOVES me

Okay love may be overly dramatic.  I don't think Influenster knows me well enough to love me but it likes me a lot.  Today my third box from them arrived and I have to say it's a good mix of things considering how weird I am.  I'll be honest and say there's only one thing I won't personally use in the box and that's the oatmeal.  I really hate oatmeal.  But thankfully I live with someone that loves it and she has promised to give me a stellar review once she gobbles it all up.  I'm going to show you photos of everything right now and whenever I use the products in the box I'll be sure to give each their own review.  And after each photo I'll let you know what something is.  I did try the lip gloss and loved it.  It's shiny and moist without making your lips look like WOOOOOO stare at me.

 Welcome Card from Influenster

 Coupon from Sole Society--have to sign up and I was feeling lazy so haven't done this one yet but can't beat 25 bucks off.

 Goody Quickstyle Half Brush with Microfiber to pull water off your hair when it's being tending to post wash

 Eboost energy supplement in Pink Lemonade Flavor and Montagne Jeunesse Face Mask in Fruit Smoothie

 NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine in Nude and Kiss Nail dress for your nails

The Real Medleys Oatmeal from Quaker Oats.  Looks good.

The lovely card explaining all the goodies which you may be able to see clearly

Marvelous Mail Monday the Redux

Today wasn't actually a bad day save the fact that it's freaking freezing and I need to read two chapters for the class I'm teaching tomorrow with absolutely NO desire to do so.  I stayed on schedule, saw most of my clients, grabbed two more cds from the library--no illegal downloading for this girl lol, and when the mail man showed up he brought me more stuff to love.

First up a new vox box from Influenster.  I will be honest in say I was a little underwhelmed when I opened the box because I haven't had a Ferrero Rocher anything in like a month of Sundays.  I gave a sleeve to mom and then cracked open one of the remaining two.  Oh in tiny chocolatey heaven right now.  Since it's so cold out they were almost frozen and so delicious.  The box is totally cute even though my bow fell off.  Granted it would have probably fallen off with the repeated opening and closing of said box but it's a pretty box I'll probably keep after the candy has disappeared.

I also got my necklace from Shabby Apple.  The chain is a little shorter than I like to wear but I love the stone so it's a win regardless.

And I got my Despair 2013 calendars.  Hope those Mayans are wrong or that's a waste of money.

I also picked up my new glasses which is making everything really sharp and clear and now I'm kinda pissed that I didn't get some last year.  I hate that first hour or two that you have on new glasses and feel like good Lord was I really that blind before.  And for those that are maybe NOT having the best day head over to Filing Jointly..finally and please enjoy the photos and laugh your touchie off.