Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Friday, March 23, 2018

BarkBox March Academy of Fine Arfs

Guess what's here? March's BarkBox! Usually my box arrives in the middle to later part of the month, but nonetheless I am always excited when it arrives. Unfortunately, this month's order got a little messed up, since not all of the items were inside the box. What's great is that once I contacted customer support, they immediately took care of the situation and sent me not only the two bags of treats I was supposed to get, but a third one as well! Since I have started BarkBox, all the communication I've had with their staff has been beyond helpful and friendly. After contacting them, the treats arrived only one week later. To my surprise today, I received yet another box of treats with an email apologizing for the mishap, bringing us to a total of 5 bags of treats. Expect Rylee and Miah to gain a few pounds and have happy tummies (LOL)!

I am beyond excited for this months theme, which is Fine Arts, or as they say "Fine Arfs." This is definitely one of my favorite themes yet, since I attended an Art College and having art be a huge part of my life growing up. I absolutely appreciate the detailed, innovative toy and treat designs. Just as usual, I unpacked the box on the floor with my dogs to let them get fully immersed in the experience. Rylee immediately took to the Bob Toss toy and ran away with it. Respectively, Miah our Beligan Shepherd took Vincent Van Squirrel and started throwing it around.



BarkBox is more than just a couple of dog toys and treats put into a box: these are curated with every intention to surprise, amuse and please you and your dogs. Every box contains at least 2 toys, 2 treat bags and a chew. Inside are:

Food:
Starry Bites- Chicken Dog Treats (x2)
Masterpiece Morsels- Lamb & Fruit Dog Treats
Painters Pallet- Pork, Blueberries & Carrot Dog Treats
The Great Wave- Fish Recipe with Cheese & Turmeric
Happy Howie's Beef 11" Woof Stix

Toys:
Vincent Van Squirrel
Bob Toss Squirrel

I will note that my boyfriend said that they missed the opportunity to make Vincent a gopher, making him "Vincent Van Gopher." Either way, it's still cute! 


My dogs both went crazy for everything inside! I let them have at the toys and watched them both take one from the other and try intensely to take out the squeakers. Also included with the toys is an automated text to communicate with the artist squirrels, making for a fun little interactive experience. To try it out, text BOB or VINCENT to 79987.



I love reading the dog treat bags while my dogs enjoy the contents inside! What I like most is that the treats are made in the USA and grain free, which is perfect for Miah's allergies. Overall, they both went crazy over their new toys and treats. I had chosen the chewer box for more durable toys, and always have to monitor when they do chew, since they love to rip them open within a matter of minutes. However, it's taken several sessions for them to destroy the toys I get from BarkBox. Down the road I may invest in the Heavy Chewer package, but for right now this is working out great. Plus, I can always contact BarkBox about an item that didn't work out and they will replace it, free of charge! I can't wait to see what's in store for next month!
 




I cannot rave enough about BarkBox since 10% of all profits go to animal shelters, and you can find and reorder anything from toys to treats on their website. Interested? Sign up now and get the first month FREE on any multi-month plan! Click here to get started! 



Check out more photos here
BarkBox March 2018 Academy of Fine Arfs


This post is not sponsored by BarkBox. Just wanted to share my experience.

#BarkBox #BarkBoxDay #finearfs #academyoffinearfs #dog #natural #dogtreats #grainfree #dogtoys #barkboxday #bark #barkboxtoys #cute #art #squirrel #vincentvangogh #bobross #painting #paint #pallet #materpiece #jackpom #mutt #pupper #dogfoodie #plushtoy #squeakytoy #wheatfree #grainfree #madeinusa @barkbox 


Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Influenster Champ VoxBox One


I am beyond thankful that I was chosen to receive a Influenster's VoxBox by simply being a member of their amazing community. I am delightful to share with you all the goodies I received. #InfluensterChamp

What's Inside 
Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit




I have never professionally waxed anything before, but I have used other waxing products that turned me off of waxing due to skin irritation and such. However, I was really excited to give Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Strip a try. Even as a waxing novice, the instructions were pretty self-explanatory, but it never hurts to go over them thoroughly to get the best experience.

Prepare strips by warming them and gently rubbing between the hands before peeling the double-sided strip apart. Now that you have two strips, press them on firmly in the direction of the hair growth. Once you’re ready, pull the strip off very quickly in the opposite direction of hair growth. To make things easier, stretch out the skin with your other hand so it’s taut for a closer pull of those fine hairs.

I honestly was preparing for the worst, but it really wasn’t that bad at all. Barely felt like anything and it easily removed even the smallest of baby hairs! I have mainly used these on my upper lips and only need to do it once every so often. That said, I could see using these for a close waxing of your brows, maybe cutting the strips long-ways for more precision. Other recommend areas you could use these wax strips include the chin, bikini area, and tummy. My skin was a little red after removing, but that was short-lived and I had no lingering pain or discoloration. Nor did I experience clogging pores or acne issues, which is a primary concern of mine.

Overall, my experience has continued to be positive and effective in removing stubborn little hairs from my face. Plus, in addition to the 18 wax strips in the kit, you get 4 Finishing Wipes to remove the sticky residue, lessen irritation, and prevent ingrown hairs with Azulene Oil (an anti-inflammatory).




This isn’t my first time using Degree MotionSense, but this is my first time using Active Shield with an antibacterial protection to stop the breakdown of bacteria and eliminate odors. I normally use clinical strength deodorant since it’s has always been effective for me. However, I decided to give this deodorant a fair trial and have been using it every day whether I am working, exercising, or stressing over school work. I work with little children, so I am always on the go and I need a deodorant that can truly combat sweat and odors. I found that after grueling hours of chasing little ones, my deodorant was still on and you could faintly smell the product.

The invisible solid has yet to leave any noticeable residue on my scrubs. There is a barely-there fresh scent, so if you are sensitive I would recommend this one since does not have a strong fragrance like the Peach or Berry Degree deodorants. I also love the design of the stick because it gave me something that I could fully hold onto and reach under my shirt. Overall, it has been highly effective at eliminating odors during my work hours, although for my sanity I always love reapplying deodorant after working for those just-in-case moments, but it’s not really a necessity.




I used to love and use only pencil eyeliners until I mastered the liquid liners. Now, other than using pencils for under-eye and smudged looks, I rarely turn to them for my everyday use. My skin is overly oily all the time and I fear like with most pencil liners that the line will only last for so long before it fades, smears or disappears. I love a lot of Maybelline products, so I was excited to give their Unstoppable Mechanical Eyeliner Pencil a go, in the shade Onxy (701).

I love the size of the pencil; just right to fit in a small case with enough product to last a long time. There is no sharpener in case you were curious, and you may be surprised to know I have seen pencils like this come with one. However, the tip comes already in a pointed shape to start with, at a nice width that creates an average size line. I haven’t been able to create a thinner line without compromising the saturation of the color on the lid though.

The Onyx black is not as opaque as I would like it to be and shows a little bit of transparency. I found out that after applying my initial line, I waited a bit and went over again to boost the saturation, so it is buildable. This liner claims to be smudge-resistant, but that’s only after you let it set. Even then, it is not fool-proof, as throughout the day it wears away easily. This pencil is easy to find and affordable, so it's great in a pinch, but not something I would use regularly. 




I am extremely hard on my nails and I need a polish that keeps up with how tough I can be with my hands. Normally polish doesn’t last as long as I would like before it starts to chip away. This is not my first time using Sally Hansen nail polish, but the first using their Xtreme Wear product. It gives me the impression that this will last longer than an average polish.

The color I received was 445 Violet Voltage, and it’s a deeper lilac. The purple shade is beautiful, very saturated and makes me want to try their other colors. I personally found that with the application brush it was easy to swipe and evenly coat each nail. It's also not patchy or clumpy at all. Dry time seemed fairly quick between coats, and I applied 2 coats as recommend to achieve most coverage. Instantly, I felt as if my nails were stronger than without any nail polish, so that gave me hope this would last quite some time. After a couple days my nails have held up, and only after the fourth day did they show any signs of chipping, which is a win in my book.

Overall, this is a trusted brand that delivers a strong, long-lasting polish with vibrant color and shine for at-home manicures. The only pitfall is the harsh chemical smell, but that's not unusual for polishes. 


Influenster is a great community that allows you to discover new products and read honest reviews shared by their insightful members. Also by being active and helping others with questions and reviews, you get chances to be selected for VoxBoxes. These are generous boxes delivered to your door containing products from top brands for testing purposes. To get started sign up here, completely fill out your profile and start sharing!




Thank you Influenster



This is a sponsored blog; Influenster provided VoxBox and all products to review as a member of Influenster.


#Influenster #VoxBox #review #complimentary #contest #thankyou #influencer #influensterchamp @sally_hansen #maybelline #sallyhansen #nailpolish @unileverusa @maybelline #eyeliner #waxstrip #beauty #beautyblogger #beautybox #unilever #degree #motionsense #beautygram #deodorant #manicure #nails #beauty #nailsofinstagram #sallyhansen #hardasnails #hardasnailsxtremewear #445violetvoltage #purple #reviewer #blogger #maybelline #discover #opinion  +Influenster 

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Influenster Tinsel VoxBox




Ringing the New Year with Influenster's Tinsel VoxBox. I am delightful to share with you all the goodies I received.

What's Inside 
Vera Wang Embrace Green Tea & Pear Blossom
Nautica Blue Sail
Eva NYC Forget Me Knot Dry Conditioner
Eva NYC Freshen Up Dry Shampoo




Lets dive right in! The first little sample I received was the Vera Wang Embrace fragrance. It has a very natural and slightly fruity scent. Reminds me of spring and literally smells like rose petals up close. This is a relaxing fragrance that I could see wearing on a daily basis. This is the perfect scent for my workplace since it’s not too strong for our strict rules. I like to apply this right after I shower or after using lotion so that my skin soaks up the scent. It’s subtle enough that no one out of arm’s length can smell it. Reasonably affordable fragrance around twenty dollars for a full 1.0 oz at and half the price for the .33 oz rollerball at Walgreens.



Nautica Blue Sail
I gave the sample to my boyfriend and he loved the fresh, clean scent that is subtle enough to wear all day long in any setting. He said it had a cooling sensation once applied. I notice when he wears it, but you have to be in arms length, which I like since it's not over powering.


Eva NYC Forget Me Knot Dry Conditioner
Let me start off by saying I absolutely love this Dry Conditioner, not only for the fact that smells beyond amazing, but I love the way it freshens up my hair after a long day too. Normally after work I have to shower to revitalize my hair, otherwise it’s completely dried out and frazzled. The conditioner feels great and I love that it’s able to detangle my long, stubborn hair. Just the smell of the product sold me, since it’s a prominent, sweet fragrance. I applied mid-length to ends and worked it in with my fingers, which left my hair moisturized, but not greasy. I actually love that you can purchase this size of can because I can easily leave it in my purse. This pairs wonderfully with the Freshen Up Dry Shampoo since one tackles your roots and the other conditions the ends, allowing for fresh hair between washes.




Eva NYC Freshen Up Dry Shampoo
This dry shampoo is great! It’s my first time using any Eva NYC and I am impressed. Not only is the packaging vibrant and fun, but compact as well, so I can keep it my purse or bag. The fragrance of the dry shampoo is energetic, fruity and sweet and I absolutely love the way it lingers on my hair afterwards. However, if you are sensitive to powerful scents this might not be the product for you. 

I thoroughly put this to the test since it had been two days since I last shampooed my hair. My roots look weighted and slick, but after applying a decent amount of dry shampoo, my roots started to lift and look as if they were washed. Finally, I loved how this revived my roots, and paired with Eva NYC Forget Me Knot Dry Conditioner it’s as if I had just washed my hair.



This is my first time hearing of the Luscious brand, and I received a full complimentary Pout Maker Lip Contour Crayon for review. It has definite shelf appeal with the fun, youthful design and a name like Pout Maker. The crayon itself has a good weight and carries a lot of product, which seems like a steal considering the relatively low price. It’s easy to hold onto while you line and fill your lips. As for the formula, it doesn’t glide as smoothly as I expected and is a little tacky the first 20 seconds after applying, but after it settles, it’s as if you can’t feel it at all. It’s almost completely transfer proof and only budges after eating a meal, but leaves my drinking cups free of prints.

I’ve also worn this for an entire day and only need to reapply a little here and there. The color Perky I can only describe as burnt sienna, a reddish-brown. With ingredients like Argan Oil, my lips feel comforted and not completely dried out like other mattes can do to them. Don’t forget that this features a built-in sharpener, which I didn’t even realize until I checked out the website. Lastly, I love that this brand is cruelty and paraben free and vegan.
Gold Bond Ultimate Radiance Renewal lotion is a decadently thick lotion that nourishes your skin instantly. I have several things working against my skin on a daily basis: it’s winter and completely dry out, and since I work with children I am constantly washing my hands. Sometimes I have to clean with bleach, so my hands are in constant need of immediate revival. Now, I keep this lotion at work and it has been a life saver!
The scent is light and sweet, but not overwhelming. The lotion is creamy, feels instantly nourishing when applying, and I love that my hands don’t feel oily after. I love the longevity as well, but I can’t resist to apply more throughout the day. I’m not exactly sure how it exfoliates, but it certainly does and I have noticed improvement with cracking, the feel, and appearance of my hands. Gold Bond Ultimate Radiance Renewal is a definite must have for harsh winter months!



I was excited to make baked goods with Country Crock Unsalted Buttery Sticks for this holiday season. I love that these are easy to use whenever, with no need to wait for it to soften. Unsalted butter is perfect for recipes that have a specific amount of salt required, so you can be precise and not worry about how much salt the butter contains and whether it’ll ruin whatever you’re making. I used a couple of butter sticks to make chocolate chip cookies, and they turned out perfect and delicious. This is also great if you are looking to cut down on sodium, whether cooking, baking or spreading. Overall, the butter is easy to use and tastes delicious.

Given that the unsalted sticks were so good, there was no hesitation to try out Country Crock Salted Buttery Sticks for our everyday use. The salted kind is what you turn to for practically everything, for instance adding it to your bread or pasta. Salt is a preservative, so these sticks will have longer shelf life. I love that you don’t have to wait for it to warm up right out of the fridge to begin using it for baking. The texture is smooth, glides easily and tastes wonderful.

Just keep in mind that if you’re using this with a recipe that calls for salt you may want to add less, or none at all, because the butter already has it. I love buying sticks when I know I will need a certain amount of butter, because it makes it easy that the wrapping paper shows the measurements. Overall it makes cooking easier and is very versatile, without lacking any flavor.



My next adventure took me to Hautelook, a shopping experience that offers top brands in both women's and men's fashion from clothes, jewelry, toys for your children to home goods and offers them at discounts from 50 to 75% off. Every day starting at 8 a.m. Pacific they curate new events that are only available for a limited time. This gives an opportunity for everyone to afford high-end items, which I especially like since it's great for my teacher budget.

BarkBox is a monthly subscription box for your pooches. Offering curated boxes based on monthly theme that include 2 innovative toys, 2 all-natural bags of treats, and a chew toy. They have extremely adorable themes such as Throwbark Thursday that may include Rollerblade toys or old controllers making it not only fun for your dog, but for you as well! They always include a unique hashtag for the theme so you can share your experience with others on social.



In my Tinsel VoxBox I received a super soft Taco dog toy from Petplay.com that my little jack-pom mix Rylee went crazy over. I absolutely love that the contents lettuce, cheese, sauce and meat are removable making it extra fun for your pupper to rip it off over and over again. Just like any other non-destructible toy I monitor my dogs play, because she is a crazy chewer she can easily rip out squeakers making it potentially a hazard. So once she has ripped enough to get the squeakers out I throw them away and the toy is free to be out all the time. Since she absolutely loves the toy and so do I, we're considering trying out the subscription box for both of our dogs. 



I love masking a couple times per week, usually targeting specific areas. I was excited to try 7th Heaven Charcoal Peel-Off Mask for the first time. I’ve heard only good things about these masks and absolutely love using anything with charcoal to tackle my ongoing acne problem. This was a really fun experience since I love getting my hands a little messy, but I could see using a brush to make application easier. I find that you must work quickly and in specific areas before you move to the next, because it does tend to become tacky and stick to itself, pulling off if you go back over it. I think there is more than enough product to cover entire face and it spreads easily. 

The formula is a lot lighter than I expected, as for some reason I thought it was going to be creamier, but this was more on the watery side. I love the cooling sensation and the tightness as it settles. I was curious to see how this was going to peel off since it was so thin, but to my surprise it mostly peeled off easily all in one go. During the peeling process, this mask looks terrifying, so you can use it for some good scares on your loved ones as well. For the remnants left behind, I used a toner to remove and followed up with some moisturizer. I absolutely loved how refreshed, clean and tight my skin felt.


Influenster Tinsel VoxBox 2017/2018


Influenster is a great community that allows you to discover new products and read honest reviews shared by their insightful members. Also by being active and helping others with questions and reviews, you get chances to be selected for VoxBoxes. These are generous boxes delivered to your door containing products from top brands for testing purposes. To get started sign up here, completely fill out your profile and start sharing!


Thank you Influenster



This is a sponsored blog; Influenster provided Tinsel VoxBox and all products to review as a member of Influenster.


#Influenster #VoxBox #TinselVoxBox #Tinsel #VoxBox #review #CountryCrock #EvaNYC #Hair #haircare #VeraWang #Embrace #Fragrance #Nautica #NauticaBlue #Cologne #DryShampoo #DryConditioner #LusciousCosmetics #Poutmaker #Lip #GoldBond #Lotion #Hautelook #shopping #BarkBox #dogs #puppers #7thheaven #facemasks #charcoal #complimentary #contest #peelinghappy #WhenWeBake #MyHauteHoliday #RadiantWomen #EvaNextDayHair  #VeraWangEmbraceXTinsel +Influenster