This Month In Nails - March 2014

KISS Gradiation EM0311 Step 1





This is from a set of "ombre" colors I got in the Rose Vox Box from Influenster. My nails are obviously shortish again... it's still a struggle! So I went on the light side. I did enjoy just this color by itself- I think if I put just this over a darker polish, it would be really pretty!


MAC in Stage Red





I picked up this polish at a CCO in Gilroy at the outlets. It is such a beautiful red, and I can't wait to put it on my toes this summer. The formula on this polish is really nice! I did use three coats, but I could have gotten away with two.
The swatches on this suck, I realize. I don't know where all those dings came from, or why I didn't notice it until after the pictures were already taken. This is clearly still a work in progress!


MAC Double Trouble with an accent nail of OPI In True Stefani Fashion





I also picked up Double Trouble from the CCO. I love that it's so dark, but it's still obviously a blue nail polish. And it's such a beautiful shade of blue! The formula was a dream, and this is two coats. I did pay full price ($12.50 each) for these mac polishes and I'm not sure I'll be purchasing again, but they were definitely worth every penny!
The OPI is so gorgeous- it sparkled as much as my wedding band! I think it definitely went well with this dark polish, and I'm excited to try it some more. The formula was a little thick, but I've noticed that to be par for the course with these dense glitter polishes. 


Zoya in Channing



I love this color, but this formula was a little touchy to work with. I also got a nasty dent in my index finger nail. I definitely am going to be trying this out as a pedicure color soon, because I think it would look awesome on my toes. 



Urban Outfitters in Bohemian Summer



 

I stopped by the mall the other day to kill some time, and Urban Outfitters had all their nail polishes on sale for $0.99! This is suppose to be a dupe for the Deborah Lippmann nail polish in Rockin Robin. This is the only one I picked up, but I really like it. The formula took three coats to get opaque. I think it's a great spring color, and the light blue is really flattering on my skin tone.


I did much better about painting my nails this month, and my nails are finally starting to get to a length I love. I am still having some problems with my cuticles and it's my goal in April to stop picking and taking better care of my hands in general.



FTC: Please see above for how polishes were received. Unless stated otherwise, they were purchased by me with my own money. 

The J'Adore VoxBox

I qualified for the Influenster Jadore Vox Box!
From Influenster: A little Valentine from us to you, mon cherie! Filled with trinkets, joy, and a certain je ne sais quoi, the J'adore VoxBox will have you head over heels and whispering tweet nothings.



Here is all that came in my box, and I was pretty excited about a couple of things!




Boots Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask  
Treat your skin to deep cleansing with this mineral-rich clay mask. Designed for use on normal skin, this unscented, hypo-allergenic formula absorbs excess oil and deeply cleanses skin. The oceanic clay exhibits a negative electrical charge, which helps to draw out impurities without overdrying, leaving your skin feeling softer and smoother. 
My Thoughts: I've used this once since receiving this box, and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet. It's a very runny product (I recommend shaking it to thicken it up a bit), and it has Willow Bark, which my skin always seems to have problems with. BUT, I liked the way it felt when it was drying (it didn't make my skin feel super tight like some other masks), and I really felt like it got all the nastiness out of my pores. So, I'm hoping my skin can tolerate the willow bark and I will keep using it. Otherwise, I'll be passing it off to a coworker that expressed interest.



John Frieda Frizz Ease 3-Day Straight Flat Iron Spray
Revolutionary heat-activated formula wraps each strand in long-lasting straightness for up to 3 days (or until your next shampoo if less than 3 days) without weighing hair down. Formula, infused with Keratin, protects against heat damage and blocks frizz making hair glossy, smooth, and swinging with body.
My Thoughts: I received this product once before in my November 2013 New Beauty Test Tube, and I'm going to be doing the same with this one that I did with the other one- passing it off to a friend. I already have straight hair, so it would be useless for me to try this and give it an accurate review.



KISS Looks So Natural Lashes
KISS Looks So Natural Lashes are made with Tapered End Technology so lash strips blend seamlessly with your own lashes, inconspicuously highlighting your eyes- they're so luxuriously light and comfortable, you're forget you're wearing them! Available at Walgreens and CVS Stores Nationwide.
My Thoughts: I'm not a huge wearer of false eyelashes, but these look like they are nice quality and will be good ones. I might give them a try soon, and if I do, I will do a follow up blog post.



Red Rose Simply Indulgent Teas
Red Rose Simply Indulgent Teas deliver rich decadent flavors in a premium black tea blend. Enjoy this indulgence in a cup, with none of the calories and none of the guilt.
My Thoughts: As I've said before, I love tea. I look forward to trying these, though I haven't yet, but they smell amazing. I got mostly the Creme Caramel favor, but was also given the Lemon Chiffon to try. (They also have Cinnamon Streusel, and Peach Cobbler.)



Hershey's Kisses Milk Chocolates
The right words don't always come easily. And sometimes it's impossible to say what you really mean. But give someone Hershey's Kisses Chocolates and you'll instantly say it all.
My Thoughts: This is a FAMILY SIZE BAG of Hershey's Kisses! I love Hershey's Kisses- they're probably up there with my favorite type of candy. So I was really happy to receive this!



Vaseline Men Spray Lotion
New Vaseline Men Spray Lotion is a continuous spray lotion that moisturizes deeply and absorbs in seconds to tackle dryness fast and leave skin feeling great. After application, skin feels instantly moisturized - not sticky or greasy. Vaseline Men Spray Lotion is available in two formulas: Fast Absorbing and Fast Cooling. 
My Thoughts: I had my husband try this, and he is not at all a fan. He doesn't use lotion, and he didn't like the smell when I asked him to try it. I passed this off to my step father-in-law, and he says he is enjoying it, so it's not a total waste.


If you're interested in joining and being active on Influenster to try your hand at receiving boxes, please leave your email here and I will invite you! My score will go up the more you review, but that's the only form of "compensation" I would receive.



FTC: I received all products from Influenster for review purposes.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post contains amazon affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Unboxing/Reviewing the Influenster Rose Vox Box

(I received this box compliments of Influenster to test and review the products inside.)

Hey guys! Today I'm bringing you my unboxing/review of the Influenster Rose Vox Box. For those of you unfamiliar with Influenster, it is a program where you review products, and if you're score gets high enough, they invite you to receive different themed boxes and review what's inside!

You get scored based on different surveys taken, and your expert score. It's quite fun, and this is the fifth box I've received since joining in March of 2012.

The box usually arrives like this, only the size and color depends on what you are reviewing. My themed box was the Rose Vox Box, which is a beauty themed box. I most likely qualified for this box because my Beauty Queen Expert Badge score is an 87.



I was quite excited when I learned that Kiss USA and Rimmel was included in this box. I've never tried a Rimmel mascara, and I'm a fan of some of the Kiss USA products, so I knew I would be pleased.
According to the box badges, I expected to receive something from VitaBath, however, nothing was inside my box. Since this box was free, I'm not complaining! But it is something worth noting.



Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate Truffles (contains 1)
I'm already a pretty big fan of these (I actually had a package in my room!), but it's always nice to get a little treat. If you've never had a Lindt Truffle, but you're a fan of chocolate or candy, I recommend them highly! They are just so creamy and delicious.




Kiss USA Gradiation Kit in Exposure Gold
I've used their fake nails before, and I liked them okay, so I was pretty happy with receiving this. The colors are a beautiful choice for the holidays, and I'm excited to try them out- especially that pretty gold sparkle one! Be on the lookout for this in my nail looks next month!



Rimmel London ScandalEyes Retro Glam in Black
This wasn't a mascara I was familiar with prior to receiving this box, but I've used it a few times now, and overall I like it! The brush is very large and hour-glass shaped, and really does add quite a bit of volume to my lashes. The formula is a little wetter than I prefer, but I'm sure once it dries out a bit, I will love it more.
It reminds me a lot of the Cover Girl Lash Blast, in the way my lashes behave. I'm going to keep using it and see which one I enjoy more.



Dr. Scholl's For Her Cozy Cushions
I'm probably going to be giving these away- the only boots I have are Bear Paws, so they have a built in comfort lining, and these will be too fluffy if I put them in any of my flats. I'm sure they work great, I'm just not going to use them and I'd rather give them away to someone who will.



Belvita Breakfast Biscuit in Blueberry
This was surprisingly delicious and filling. It would be a great mid-morning or late afternoon snack. I definitely want to try the cinnamon ones, but the blueberry flavor was great, too. When I purchase more snacks for work, this will definitely be high on my list to try.


If you're interested in joining and being active on Influenster to try your hand at receiving boxes, please leave your email here and I will invite you! My score will go up the more you review, but that's the only form of "compensation" I would receive.


FTC: I received this box from Influenster to review the products sent. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post contains amazon affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.