My First Influenster VoxBox Review

A few months ago I joined this website called Influenster, which allows you to get free samples in exchange for your honest reviews of the products. You are ranked or graded (or something) based on your online presence, and you can qualify for different badges based on your interests and lifestyle. I have a friend who tried it and liked it, so I thought I'd give it a go, because who doesn't like free stuff! 

This is actually my second VoxBox (what the product packages are called); my first one was from Sargento and gave me a coupon for free cheese and a very nice insulated lunchbox. I ate the cheese before I remembered I was supposed to review it...oops.

So onto my current VoxBox. When I got the email that I was being sent a new VoxBox, I had a good laugh over the theme of this box. It's called the VowVoxBox and is supposed to be "specially designed for brides-to-be, bridesmaids, wedding guests and wedding crashers." I guess Influester, like the rest of society, assumes that because I'm in my 20s I obviously must be either getting married or attending a bazillion weddings, as if I have nothing better to do with my time. On the contrary, the next wedding I'm set to attend is not until next May, and my friends and I are much more concerned with earning our PharmDs than our marriage licenses. But nevertheless, five out of the 6 products I received were actually quite useful (and not wedding themed)! So onto my free stuff!

Influenster VowVoxBox - aka Box o' Free Stuff

First up we have Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Nail Polish in Barracuda. It's no secret that I LOVE nail polish! I have over 100 polishes, but this one was surprisingly not a shade I already owned. I have one other light blue that is more purple toned, while Barracuda is a true sky blue. This is also my first experience with the CSM formula, which is supposed to be able to go without base coat or top coat. 

It dried pretty glossy. The formula did require 3 coats
to make it even though.

It held up pretty well over two long work days (pharmacy is very hard on the nails). My only problem with this polish was the dry time. It took FOREVER to dry on my nails, even with my Zoya quick dry drops. 

Next up we have a Tide To Go pen. I don't think I need to say much about this product, since you've probably already used one. I have one that lives in my purse, one in my laundry room, and I'll be putting this one in my white coat on rotations. I love these for removing the inevitable coffee stains that end up on my white coat. 

The third product I received was Pure Silk shave cream in raspberry mist scent. I normally use hair conditioner or lotion to shave instead of a dedicated shave cream. I used this to shave my legs this morning before going to the pool, and my legs are quite "silky," no irritation or dryness. The texture of this shave cream was not at all what I expected. Most of the shaving products I've used in the past were gels that turned foamy as you spread them on your legs. The Pure Silk shave cream comes out of the can as a very stiff, almost dry foam. So that was a surprise. Not sure how I feel about it.

Extra fluffy shave cream

Up next is the Ecotools Pure Complexion Facial Sponge. It is a natural fiber sponge made from the Konjac plant. I haven't actually used this yet, but it seems like it would be good for gentle exfoliation.

This next product was a huge surprise to find in my VoxBox. That there is a full size container of Olay Regenerist Luminous Moisturizer! Full. Size. Do you know how expensive this stuff normally is??? Because I do. And I can't afford it. And yet here I got some for free! Thanks Influenster!

$$$$

The claim to fame of this particular Olay product is to fade dark spots and tone the skin over 8 weeks. I've got enough product to last me that long so we will see how that goes. I don't have a lot of dark spots, but whatever. The moisturizer has a nice light scent and a really thick consistency. It goes on smoothly and seems to absorb pretty fast. It is a heavier moisturizer so I would use it at night rather than under makeup during the day.

And it's so pretty!

The last product isn't even really a product, and made me roll my eyes so hard they almost got stuck in the back of my head. It's a card with a coupon code on it for creating a wedding website on Riley and Grey. They seem to be a boutique wedding website company, in case you want your wedding site with a side of "extra fancy." No thanks, Influenster - I'll pass.

Overall, this VoxBox was a pretty good set of products. I am hoping my next box includes something edible - I really like free food. But free anything is good with me! Can't wait for my next one!

Kristin's Off Month - brought to you by the color RED

I made it to my off month alive!!! Woohoo!! I am so thankful to have some time to rest and decompress from rotations before going back at it in July. Once I got back from Knoxville, the first thing I wanted to do was kick of my off month by making a bit of a change.

And by a bit of a change, I mean a very drastic change

And now, some background music, courtesy of the one and only Bette Midler...

Ten points to Gryffindor for whoever knows how it is I know this song.

Answer at the bottom!

I've wanted to dye my hair for many years, but never actually got around to it until now. I went to my stylist, Melissa, and said something along the lines of "I want you to make my hair the most unnatural shade of red that is physically possible." Five hours, two attempts and a mix of every color red dye in the salon later, I achieved my own personal hair nirvana.

Attack of the selfies!

 *insert hallelujah chorus here*

Melissa curled my hair so beautifully and
I'll never ever be able to replicate it again.

 *a light shines down from heaven to illuminate my new locks*

With my natural curl

Seriously though, I am IN LOVE with my new hair! IN. LOVE. And so is everyone else apparently - so many random strangers have stopped me to compliment my hair. I feel so glamourous, like I am a princess (Ariel, of course)! I want to dress up and put on make up all the time, which is very much different from how I normally am. 

I wish I could keep this hair forever! But alas, I'm only going to have this for a month. It's not an especially "professional" hair color (although the pharmacists I work think it's within the realm of professional-ness), so I'll be dyeing it back to its normal brown at the end of the month. Even if I felt I could keep it, the upkeep would be more expensive and time consuming than I could afford. Someday when I have a real income, maybe I will be able to bring it back, or try another color. But for now, I will enjoy it immensely.

In other news, my parents and I tried out a new restaurant called Tart that opened in the Cooper-Young area last month. If you are in Memphis and have not been to Tart yet, you need to drop whatever you are doing and go there NOW! It is a French-bistro-style restaurant, bakery, and coffee shop that serves breakfast, lunch/dinner, pastries, and of course tartes. 

Cherry tart, croissant, and cafe au lait

My mom's tuna nicoise salad

Everything we tried was beautiful and delicious. I had a piece of cherry tart, which was kind of like a flan, and a croissant, which were both fantastic. My mom got a nicoise salad that looked like something out of a gourmet magazine, and my dad got an heirloom tomato salad that I neglected to take a picture of. My parents also got a piece of apricot tart and a chocolate croissant.

Having a good hair day because it hadn't rained yet.

There's really no where in Memphis like Tart, and in the month that it has been open it has been getting a ton of well-earned good buzz. They are still adding things to the menu (the cherry tart I tried was new that day) and will begin hosting community classes in the future, so I can't wait to see what they do! I will definitely be back again! 

It has been raining off and on for the past several days, which has been rather unpleasant, and will continue raining for the foreseeable future. Today at work we had a particularly big downpour, and when we left for the day, we walked out the front door and saw THIS:

I had to take a panorama to get the whole thing in. Everyone was outside taking pictures.

This picture doesn't even do the (double) rainbow justice. It glowed. It was brighter than any rainbow I have ever seen. You could clearly see every single color, even the usually elusive blues and purples. It was breath-taking, and such a blessing after a long, rainy day. The sunset was equally stunning.

What a beautiful creation God has made! Let us rejoice and be glad!

****************************************************************

Answer to where the song came from: ADPi Sing 2009! I was a red crayon and this was the red crayons' song!