influenster voxbox reviews

hi guys! i'm bringing you incredibly belated influenster* voxbox reviews today. i did complete tasks as required by influenster, but these didn't require blogging, so i never did it during their campaigns. anyway, here's the past several voxboxes that i'd received and my thoughts! ~Lindsay

1. eva nyc mane magic 10 in 1 primer -- i remember this smelling really good like all of their other products, but i don't think i liked the feel of this product in my hair. i typically used this on damp hair and let it air dry.
2. impress nails -- i didn't get to wear these yet since i wear acrylics these days, but you guys know i love this brand of press-ons!
3. crest gum & enamel repair toothpaste -- i honestly don't remember what the status on this one was.
4. shea moisture bamboo charcoal hydrating gelee moisturizer -- honestly, i didn't like the first one enough to open the second. it was alright, but there was something that i didn't like about it. and sorry for being so vague, but it's been a while and i honestly don't remember.
5. completely bare completely smooth moisturizing no-bump shave gel -- this was good while using, but the moisturizing aspect of it was kind of a joke for me. i guess there weren't any bumps after i used this product, but it wasn't anything i'd go out of my way to find.

1. barkbox grinch & max's antler -- woof woof was pretty unamused by both of these, but she was an old lady and not interested at all.
2. gold bond cracked skin relief fill & protect cream -- i did not like the feel of this. it was incredibly thick and felt like applying vaseline, but it didn't really dry down at a rate that i would have liked. it just made my hands feel really greasy and gross.
3. masque bar black gold peel of mask -- honestly, it's been so long, that i don't even remember how this went.
4. not your mother's royal honey & kalahari desert melon dry shampoo -- this smells sooo good. it's pretty effective and doesn't leave white powdery marks in your hair.

huda beauty resting boss face setting spray -- this is a really great product, if you can get over the incredibly strong scent. whenever i do use this, i do not douse myself in this stuff because of the scent. i spray it a few times in the air and move my face into the mist. it did make my makeup last all day, but be aware of this product because it does contain alcohol, which will dry you out.

1. kat von d true portrait foundation in 021 -- this is a new favorite foundation. and it's going to be great once baby comes along because it's quick drying and easy to apply. i started applying it with my fingers, but for the sake of not having to wash my hands over and over, i started dispensing it onto a palette and dabbing a kabuki brush into it. you do have to make sure you moisturize real well and/or use pore-filling primers because it will cling to or fill places you didn't know existed. otherwise this is a great foundation and i've already repurchased it.
2. ultra ink liner -- i'm not huge on felt-tip liners these days. i like the formula, but something about the tip on this one, i don't like or gravitate toward. i do try using this occasionally, but...eh. (now, her tattoo liner...that's where it's at!)
3. go big or go home mascara -- i didn't think i'd like this as much as i do. after finishing out my previous mascara, i've been exclusively using this one, and i really like it.

review: loreal elvive extraordinary oil

hi guys! sometime in december, i was chosen to receive another influenster* voxbox!! this one contained a new hair oil from loreal! ~Lindsay-chan ^.~

This stuff’s great! I’ve had it for about a month, used daily, and look how much I’ve used! #Complimentary product, received for review from @Influenster. #LOrealHair #ElviveRevive #Proofin1Use #Contest

A post shared by LindsayCH (@lindsaydamodel) on Jan 6, 2018 at 2:05pm PST

i really enjoyed using this product. one of the claims was that you'd notice a difference in a day or something..? and i wouldn't say that was the case for me, but maybe after two days i did. one of the things that i liked about this product was that it was up to par with some of the more costly leave-in products that i have been using lately. i literally didn't notice a difference, and i mean this in a positive and good way. whenever i don't use leave-in products, my hair feels very coarse and dry and gets frizzy more easily. something to note too about this product, i was consistently using this daily for about a month and a half, which was about the length of the contest period. by the way, the contest period has already ended but i wanted to make its own post anyway. this is saying a lot, since lately, i've been rotating my leave-in products. another thing i liked about this product was that there is no noticeable or strong scent. hair products typically have some kind of scent to them and sometimes they bother me, but this one did not! i also liked how lightweight this oil felt, in comparison to other hair oils i used in the past. it spread quickly and evenly. the packaging, while being typical of most loreal hair products, was good. i also appreciated the pump cap which made it super easy to measurably dispense.  i typically used 6-8 pumps on wet hair, about chin-down and air dried. i had absolutely no problems with this product and would consider purchasing it again when the need arises. disclosure: I WAS NOT COMPENSATED FOR THIS POST, HOWEVER I DID RECEIVE SAMPLES FOR MY REVIEW. ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND NOT INFLUENCED IN ANY WAY.

*Affiliate Link.

influenster #SproutVoxBox review

 

hi guys! i was chosen yet again to receive an influenster* voxbox!! this box contains a few 'healthy', 'natural', or 'earth friendly' products. and today, i bring you my review! ~Lindsay-chan ^.~

1. curate dark & tempting snack bar -- this was a very interesting snack bar. i was kind of unsure about the flavor combo, but it really worked together. the taste was great, the figs were sweet, and there was some tanginess from the orange peel and balsamic vinegar. and texturally, it crumbled a bit due to the nuts and quinoa. overall, i enjoyed this.
   repurchase? maybe
2. clairol hair food moisture shampoo & conditioner -- i've said this many a time on here, moisturizing shampoos and i don't get along. but this one was an exception somehow. usually moisturizing shampoos make me super oily-greasy within a few hours. i did not have that issue whatsoever with this product. the conditioner was like any other that i like using, made my hair soft and shiny. scent-wise, both the shampoo & conditioner had a light, unoffensive smell.
   repurchase? probably not
3. ecos laundry detergent in magnolia & lily -- first and foremost, i'm pretty biased against this brand. my in-laws keep buying this stuff (in lavender from sams club) because it's dye free and natural and whatever the hell. me personally (and teh paul), i cannot stand using their detergent, ever. our clothes don't smell, look, or feel clean when using that stuff. when using the lavender detergent on heavily soiled clothing, the clothes don't feel clean, and still reek. so before even trying this i wasn't too sure about it. knowing that this detergent does not work well with heavily soiled or super sweaty clothes and intentionally used it on lightly soiled clothing. this detergent had a light floral fragrance when sniffing it directly. after using it, our clothes felt clean but didn't smell like anything (not a 'clean laundry scent' you get from other detergents).
   repurchase? hells no
4. orgain organic protein powder in vanilla bean -- you guys, i'm such a fitness junkie that needs protien powder with every workout. LOL. yeah right. so i haven't had many other protein powders prior to this one, but this was ok. i'm not sure i could have distinguished it as vanilla bean vs regular vanilla..... but anyway. as far as its benefits, i can't say for sure that i got much out of it, aside from feeling a bit full after drinking it...mixed in whole milk because i'm a fatty. ^___^
   repurchase? no
5. eatsmart snacks garlic hummus three bean tortilla chips -- these were pretty good. eaten plain, there was a fairly strong garlic flavor, not so much hummus exactly... and we tried it with medium salsa and it was as if i was using a regular tortilla chip, couldn't detect that it was flavored. texturally, it was about the same as regular tortilla chips.
   repurchase? nah

disclosure: I WAS NOT COMPENSATED FOR THIS POST, HOWEVER I DID RECEIVE SAMPLES FOR MY REVIEW. ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND NOT INFLUENCED IN ANY WAY.

*Affiliate Link.

review: influenster target dry spray voxbox

 

hi guys! this took me forever and a day to throw together, but here we go! at the end of january, i received another influenster* voxbox containing two dry deodorant sprays from dove. and now i'm finally making my review of them! ~Lindsay-chan ^.~
dove [women's] dry spray in cool essentials

1. this is actually my second dove spray deodorant, the first being the "beauty finish" one, which i purchased on the idea that i liked the solid deodorant of that scent and never tried spray deodorant before, so why not give it a shot? and i wasn't super happy with it, partially because the scent wasn't the same. the deodorant lasted well throughout the day, but....
2. the major issue i have, which i'm not sure if this is for all aerosol body sprays or just the dove spray deodorants -- is that i'm having major reactions to the aerosol-ness of them. like i can't even be in the same room i used it in until it airs out. the aerosol-y smell it leaves makes it difficult to breathe or just makes me want to gag. does that make sense..? probably not, but that's been my problem while using both of my dove spray deodorants and teh paul using his. even putting clothes on and then spraying it on under clothing did not help. it alleviated some of the gag-reflex issue, but i still had to close off any rooms we used it in until the smell dissipated.
3. which brings us to the "cool essentials" flavor. i didn't have any issues with the scent, i thought that it was nice and fresh. it did not make me think of cucumbers as the photo kind of implies. it did last very well throughout the day (the scent and keeping me dry), but i can't say for sure that this will hold up well in the summer months, especially in louisiana heat and humidity. but for the cooler months, it's not too bad.
4. repurchase? no

dove men+care dry spray in extra fresh

1. on one of the occasions that target offered men's 'beauty' boxes, they included dove men's "clean comfort" dry spray. teh paul was reluctant to use it at first, but eventually it grew on him to the point where he repurchased another to take on his italy trip last summer, and later the solid version of this scent. 
2. the "extra fresh" scent, i'm not as much of a fan of. i feel like the scent fades super fast and it's not anything special. he's ok with either of these scents--i guess because he's a guy and doesn't really care, and 'yay free deodorant', so he hasn't really said much about this one.
3. repurchase? maybe, but more likely the clean comfort scent

#trydry #target

disclosure: I WAS NOT COMPENSATED FOR THIS POST, HOWEVER I DID RECEIVE A SAMPLE FOR MY REVIEW. ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND NOT INFLUENCED IN ANY WAY. ---- and not only that, i purchased a men's and woman's dove spray deodorant for us to try prior to receiving these.

*Affiliate Link.

first impressions: influenster covergirl voxbox

 

hi! i got another influenster* voxbox in the mail!! this time i get to try out covergirl's new mascara and liquid eyeliner that will be in stores sometime this month! so exciting! ~Lindsay-chan ^.~

before

liner (thin side)

mascara

1. super sizer mascara in very black -- i'm a mascara hoarder. i have sooo many that i've bought or samples just sitting in a drawer waiting to be loved, but i gotta try this one first hahaha. anyway, this mascara is actually pretty nice. the wand is a little tricky because you must twirl it while running it through your lashes to get the volumized effect. if you don't, it looks like any ordinary lengthening mascara. additionally, this wand is tapered so that the tip is thicker than the bottom, so it is easy to get it on your skin if you aren't careful. i also had another mishap while trying to use this...i stabbed myself in the eye...so yeah, wet mascara all over. anyway, the "400% corner to corner volume" claim is a maybe, but i'm not sure...at least 200% is what i'm seeing, with certainty.
1. initial verdict: try it if you're interested.
2. intensify me eyeliner in intense black -- this is really interesting, it has a flat tip that can create either a thick or thin line depending on how you hold it. in theory, it sounds great. in practice, omg it was scary. i'm not sure if it was because this is so brand new or whatever, but the formula is super wet and as you can see in my swatches, it bled a bit. the same was the case on my lids--it was difficult getting the line perfectly even because of the bleeding. also, i used the thin side of the pen. i'm scared to use the thick side because i'm used to relatively thinner lines, and using the thin side came out thicker than i was expecting. while this tip is relatively stiff and flexible enough, it's still difficult to use because of the angle you have to hold the pen to get the most precise you can get it. also, as you can see, i had great difficulty (wah! a rhyme!) making a wing with this tip. i gave up and it looks awful. for a little bit, this liner was burning my eyes, but as it sits there, it's ok. i also didn't have any transfer issues, but because of my hooded eyes, i just made sure to let it dry before letting it get in contact with the upper part of my lids. when i was messing with the swatches on my arm, i rubbed at them and it came off relatively easily--which is kind of annoying because i tend to rub at the outer corners of my eyes a lot, and smearing. bleh! and now i know this sounds gross, but i was lazy and basically used spit and it came off my arm easily. so i'm going to say that the "comes off easily with soap and water" claim is valid. regardless, this product is not something for me.
1. initial verdict: NO. stay away!

#lashfame #intensifyme

disclosure: I WAS NOT COMPENSATED FOR THIS POST, HOWEVER I DID RECEIVE A SAMPLE FOR MY REVIEW. ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND NOT INFLUENCED IN ANY WAY.

*Affiliate Link.

review: influenster #FrostyVoxBox

 

hi guys! today, i bring you my review of my influenster* #frostyvoxbox! ~Lindsay-chan ^.~ [click here for the impressions post]

coupons also included in the box, but not photographed below:
$0.55 off a celestial seasonings box of tea
$2 off boots no7 protect & perfect advanced or intense advanced serum at target

 
black liner, sugar plum lipstick
 
left: black liner (waterline) & sugar plum lipstick
 

• beauty
1. rimmel london (see review post)
1. gentle eye makeup remover -- this isn't the worst product i've ever tried, but it's pretty sad when a product cannot remove makeup from the same brand.
   repurchase? hells no.
2. scandalEyes kohl kajal eye liner in black -- this is still my favorite pencil for the waterline!
   repurchase? absolutely
2. nyc color expert last lip color in sugar plum -- i actually enjoyed this lipstick. the formula is nice and i love the color on me. lasting power is kinda meh, but that's to be expected. it didn't transfer onto my teeth when i talked or smiled. i still don't like the cherry-ish scent, but it is forgiven, and i might look into purchasing more.
   repurchase? probably
3. boots no7 protect & perfect advanced serum -- i really enjoyed using this serum. compared to most serums i've tried, my face feels super sticky and looks shiny after using them. this one applies more like a lotion and dries matte. i think it's great for using under makeup in that respect. i'm not super keen on the scent, but it's bearable and dissipates within a few minutes.
   repurchase? maybe
4. ecotools styler+ shine finisher hair brush -- this brush sucks at its job. yeah it's winter and its dryer outside..but this is nola and it's humid. this brush did not "fight" static, it created it! it was awful. this brush didn't feel all that special or particularly gentle. and it was kinda annoying and painful when a few strands of hair got caught in the ferrule (metal piece connecting the handle to the paddle).
• i typically air dry my hair so i'm not sure, but i think the ecovent design thingy is something beneficial while blow drying? i'm not sure.
  recommended? absolutely not!
• food:
1. celestial seasonings candy cane lane decaf green tea -- this tea is so yums. every time i've gone to the grocery store (here and back home), i have not found it. i'm soo sad. i may have to amazon some......... anyway, just opening the packet and smelling the dry tea, it was super yummy. i love not straight green tea. like all the blends, yes. straight-up green tea, blehhh. you can't tell it's green tea because of the near overwhelming peppermint taste. but that's ok, because that's how i likes it!
   repurchase? yes!
2. mccormick gourmet all natural thyme -- i still think thyme is thyme. and apparently i've already been using this brand and variety of thyme for some time --hah, see what i did there?!-- but dried herbs are dried herbs..?
   repurchase? well i use thyme..and mccormick seems to be the only brand of thyme that is sold here...
3. red vines fruit vines bites in strawberry -- this were only ok. they're pretty terrible for your teeth and they're the worst choice for those with braces. this stuff got stuck in my permanent retainer and ugh was it annoying. they are "super soft" but the texture's still really weird. it's not like a gummy and it's not like a usual licorice that you can buy in the grocery stores. this is more like a european style licorice that you can get at like world market or something (haribo-esque?). the flavor was ok. it wasn't your typical artificial strawberry--i'm not really sure how to explain it... anyway, i didn't like these at all.
   repurchase? no

#rimmel #sugarplum #sweetside #getadvanced #celestialtea #mccormickgourmet #lovemyecohairbrush #frostyvoxbox

disclosure:
I WAS NOT COMPENSATED FOR THIS POST, HOWEVER I DID RECEIVE A SAMPLE FOR MY REVIEW. ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND NOT INFLUENCED IN ANY WAY.

*Affiliate Link.

review: influenster #frostyvoxbox rimmel london products

 

hi guys!! today i bring you a review of two #rimmel products that were included in my influenster* #frostyvoxbox. ~Lindsay-chan ^.~

[link to initial impressions post]

first, we'll start of with an oldie but goodie that you guys know i already love. the scandalEyes waterproof kohl kajal eyeliner pencil in black.

top: my first one, bottom: the unfortunately broken tipped one from influenster

the price:

~$3-4 pending on where you go and if it is on sale

the verdict:

this is probably my favorite line of waterliner pencils. i love the nude for brightening, and the black for darker looks. i typically do not use these on the eyelid or in the lower lashline; i pretty much exclusively use them in the waterline because they stay pretty solid all day and they're awesome. i've been using mine pretty much every day since i've discovered them.

the other product i received is the gentle eye makeup remover, which i have never purchased before but was interested in trying.

the price:

~$3-4 pending on where you go and if it is on sale

packaging: 

the bottle is a soft, squeezable plastic with one of those caps that squeeze bottles generally have..? how am i supposed to explain this..... >.> you guys get what i mean...... 

product & use:
this product is water based, no oil based, and claims to remove waterproof makeup.

i think it is best to apply this product with a cotton ball or cotton pad. generally for eye makeup removers, i hold the cotton pad on my eye for a bit before rubbing it in, in efforts to let the remover sink in and remove everything effectively.

my experience: 

honestly, after the first use i knew how i felt about this product. for my impressions post when i first opened the box, i swatched both the eyeliner and the lipstick. when i used this remover to take the swatches off, the lipstick came off in one quick swipe. the eyeliner swatch on the other hand, took about five minutes of scrubbing to remove. and it still didn't fully come off. what. an eye makeup remover that doesn't remove. what the hell.

i tried using this on my eyes and it kinda pulled everything off but not really. i had a fairly simple eye look and it wasn't packed on, thick or heavy. and it kinda got most of it. i turned into a panda afterward, and my eyeliner or mascara or something was still caught up all in my lower lashline. no bueno.

the verdict: 

NO. just say NO. if you're like me and you like wearing long-wearing *waterproof* products..this does not do the job. this is water based, not oil-based. so yes, it is gentle. but the freaking rimmel eye makeup remover can't even remove rimmel eyeliner! who came up with this?

disclosure:

I WAS NOT COMPENSATED FOR THIS POST, HOWEVER I DID RECEIVE A SAMPLE FOR MY REVIEW. ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND NOT INFLUENCED IN ANY WAY.

*Affiliate Link.