Influenster Holiday VoxBox 2012

Here is the unboxing video of my Influenster Holiday VoxBox, Christmas came early! 

Reviews to follow soon as I try out all of the products! 

Influenster Beauty Blogger VoxBox 2012!

Hi everyone! I just received my first ever Influenster VoxBox after joining on October 1st and I'm so excited! It's the Beauty Blogger 2012 VoxBox and I took a video while opening up the box with baby earlier, check it out! Product reviews to come shortly!

Here's what's inside:

EBOOST packet

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pins

Bath & Body Works (White Barn Candle Co) mini candle in Nutmeg & Spice

NYC New York Color IndividualEyes Custom Compact

Kiss Ever Pro Lashes Starter Kit

Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream

Boots No. 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion 

Boots No. 7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream

Can't wait to try everything out, I'll get started tonight! xo

March 2012 Birchbox

Well, I couldn't resist jumping on the Birchbox bandwagon, and I'm so glad I did! What a fun box this month! I'm hooked already =) 

 

In this month's box I received:

Traditions by Nick Chavez Yucca Shampooing Cream (Retail $20.00 for 200mL)
A traditional Native American hair remedy, yucca root boosts shine levels and fortifies each follicle, preventing excess hair loss. Wild yam encourages healthy hair growth, while the mildest dose of peppermint oil will leave your scalp tingly and refreshed. I adore the scent of this stuff!!

Boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens ($10.00 for 100 pack)
The speckled sheets are made with linen fibers from the abaca tree plant, which is native to the Philippines. Infused with green tea, which is rich in natural antioxidants, the sheets instantly absorb oily shine (and you can see the trace evidence with your own eyes). I love Boscia products, and these are no exception!

Grandma Stelle's Hand Wash (Retail $20.00 for 400mL)
It’s made with botanical extracts, including verbena and thyme, which will leave your hands softer than they’ve felt in years. It smells great too!

Color Club Neon Nail Polish in Lava Lamp (Retail $8.00 for 0.5 oz)
They come in seven neon shades that channel the decade’s exuberant vibe: think mod girls, painted buses, and the advent of color TV. The Lava Lamp color isn't something I'd normally buy, it's a bright fluorescent orange...but it looks cute on the toes for spring!

stila Smoky Eye Shadow sample trio (Retail $45.00 for 3 colors)
These long-lasting shadows are made of finely pressed pigments that go on super smoothly. The formula is designed to be applied dry or wet, so you get double the use out of every compact. I love the color combination, it makes for a perfect smoky eye!!

Kusmi Tea Paris - I Love My Detox Tea (Retail $21.95 for 24 tea bags)
Sourced from China, the premium green tea in this blend is full of antioxidants that boost your immunity. Maté, an Amazonian plant renowned for its medicinal powers, flushes out the impurities in your system, while lemongrass aides your digestive system.

Garnier Skin Renew Clinical Dark Spot Corrector

Check out the new Garnier Skin Renew Clinical Dark Spot Corrector which targets dark spots, age spots and acne marks. This daily moisturizer with Vitamin C acts quickly but gently to break apart dark spots. See your spots fade with the Virtual Spot Corrector at www.garnierusa.com/darkspot and get that perfect glow—just in time for the holidays!

These are a few of my favorite things...

I'm often asked opinions on what my favorite beauty products are so I thought I would compile a little list! Granted, I haven't tried every little thing out there...but I've tried a lot! Thanks to my Glambassador role with Glamour Magazine, I've been trying tons of stuff I may not have tried on my own, and I'm loving a lot of it! As you'll see, there's a good mix of department store and drugstore pricepoints. Here are some of my all-time faves:

Facial Cleanser - Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel is an awesome sulfate-free cleansing gel! I have tried A LOT of cleansers, I'm really particular about getting a good clean feeling without leaving my skin greasy or too dried out. Boscia does the job!

Shampoo/Conditioner for Color-Treated Hair (Salon) - Pureology Hydrate is sulfate-free, hydrating, AND smells great, need I say more? Okay, but at $20+ for each bottle, it's a bit of an indulgence!

Shampoo/Conditioner for Color-Treated Hair (Drugstore) - L'Oreal Paris EverPure is a new line of sulfate-free hair products that so far I am loving! They smell great and leave my hair feeling soft and wonderful!

Hair Straightening System - Japanese Straightening! I've been doing it for probably 6 or 7 years and I get a good 10 months of lovely straight manageable hair out of it! I've tried the Brazilian Blowout too and although great for a couple of weeks, it faded out much quicker. If you're in the San Diego area and want a free consultation and estimate, call my awesome miracle-worker hairdresser Carole at 619-295-5796 and tell her I sent you! She's located in Mission Valley and is awesome!

Body Wash - Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel, it just smells SO DARN GOOD! =)

Anti-Aging Serum - Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum, I was able to try this out thanks to Glamour and immediately noticed a decrease in fine lines around my eyes and mouth. Compared to higher-end serums, the $24 price tag isn't too shabby!

Eye Cream - StriVectin SD Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles combats wrinkles, puffiness AND dark circles. I've searched far and wide for an eye cream that actually works and I love this stuff. Thank goodness a little goes a long way, it makes the $59 cost not seem so bad. Amazon sometimes carries it for a lot less!

Facial Moisturizer - Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Moisturizer with Cooling Hydration is lightweight, moisturizes well, has a clean fresh smell AND provides 7 anti-aging benefits! I look forward to trying their other moisturizers that contain sunscreen though, because this one doesn't so I'll only wear it when I'll be indoors or at nighttime =)

Body Lotion - Bath & Body Works Tahiti, Sweetie Body Lotion...OMG this stuff smells so good, it takes me away to a tropical place every time I put it on!

Primer - Benefit Cosmetics "That Gal" Brightening Face Primer is lightweight and has a pink tint to help even out skintone, making skin appear brighter and smoother. It's pricey considering the quantity you're getting ($28 for 0.37oz), so I'm currently on a mission to try out some other products that may be more cost effective! Stay tuned!

Concealer Estee Lauder Double Wear!! I've long battled with under eye circles and struggled with finding a concealer that provided good coverage but didn't feel or look cakey. This stuff feels light, goes on very easily and provides great coverage!

Foundation/Powder - MAC Studio Fix has been a fave of mine for years. I just can't do the foundation thing, but don't want bare skin, so this is a nice compromise for me. It has decent coverage but feels weightless on the skin!

Lash Enhancer - L'Oreal Paris Lash Boosting Serum, you don't need to spend a million dollars on Latisse (or risk turning your green eyes brown!), just spend $15 at Target and get a great product that really delivers! I noticed an increase in the length, quantity and thickness of my lashes within weeks of twice-daily use. I'm now using once a day and still loving the results!

Mascara - Maybelline Great Lash After not using this stuff since probably like 7th grade, I was sent a tube by Glamour and realized sometimes expensive doesn't mean better! Great Lash adds volume, separates the lashes and is glob-free! No tarantulas! It's my new-old fave!

Lip Gloss - MAC LipGlass is a hands down winner here, I own 40 tubes at the moment and am loving Pink Poodle as well as several of the Dazzleglass colors. This stuff has serious staying power allowing for long-lasting wear! It's a little sticky for some, but I dig it nonetheless =)

Nail Polish - SEPHORA by OPI in Metro Chic. It's just awesome. I've never gotten so many compliments on a nail color, EVER! Pretty much every single day someone tells me how much they love my nail color...and it might be the first time in history that I use up a whole bottle of nail polish!

There you have it! Any suggestions anyone would like to add to the list?