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Posts Tagged ‘influenster’

Curel Itch Defense

laelene Posted in reviews，Tags: free stuff, influenster, products, reviews, samples

05 November 2015

In my latest Influenster box, I got a chance to try Curel’s Itch Defense Moisturizing Spray and Body Wash. I get dry skin especially in the winter, when I like taking hotter showers. It gets rather uncomfortable when that dry skin itches, so these are excellent products to help combat that.

The spray: I was really excited about this because I think spraying on lotion just seems like so much fun! I don’t know if it’s just the one I got, but the nozzle tends to get stuck for me so that kind of takes the fun out of it. I’ve got to press exactly down to get the spray going, or else it seems to get caught on something and nothing comes out. Other than that, it’s great! I find it easy to rub in and get great coverage very quickly. The cooling effect when it sprays on also helps accentuate the soothing feeling. I think I can smell a hint of citrus in there – it’s very subtle and light, which I like. And most importantly, it hydrates well to keep my skin from drying out and feeling itchy again.

The body wash: Now I was pleasantly surprised with this one because I usually don’t care for body washes. However, this one is really nice and also instantly soothes as you rub it in. I don’t know what they put in it, but it works! I wish I’d gotten a larger bottle to try just so it can last me longer. Wouldn’t it be cool if this was a spray-on foam? Now that would be fun to use.

Combine the two and you are well on your way to never experiencing itching again! I’m happy with both products and glad I got to try them. Sometimes I get rashes and red bumps on my skin, so I’m hoping they’ll help prevent or at least heal those skin conditions faster the next time they crop up.

[I received this product free for testing purposes. All opinions expressed are my own.]

Tide PODS Plus Febreze review

laelene Posted in reviews，Tags: chores, home, influenster, laundry, pictures, reviews, tide pods

24 April 2015

I’ve tried a different type of Tide Pod before, which was fun in itself. This new Febreze version is even better! I love the colors and upon opening the pack, you immediately get that refreshing scent. You just have to be careful if you have kids or pets, in case they mistake these adorable pods for a treat. Be sure to store them away from reach and sealed in the resealable package!

I’m typically not motivated to do laundry, so I try to get large loads ready to maximize the effort each time. It’s always so messy trying to measure out the amount of detergent to use and I end up with a sticky cap and detergent drawer. I love that these pods not only take out the guesswork, but the mess too. All I have to is drop one in a load and set the machine to go! My clothes come out smelling amazing and it lingers on the clothes, keeping that fresh feel over many wears. In fact, I went out once and thought that the restaurant was using a special perfume, but then I realized the whiff I got was my own clothing’s Febreze scent.

I don’t think these could be any more convenient and I’d love to see them start to offer other Febreze fragrances to spice things up. I’m totally grabbing these in the aisle whenever I need more detergent for my washing needs. Why make laundry more complicated than it needs to be?

[I received these products free from Influenster for testing purposes. All opinions are my own.]

Influenster XOVoxBox

laelene Posted in reviews，Tags: colgate optic white, influenster, john frieda, pictures, products, reviews, samples, skinfix, tide pods, toothbrush, toothpaste, voxbox, whitening pen

03 April 2015

It’s been awhile, but I finally qualified for another VoxBox! Shipping got a bit delayed, but thankfully they also extended the active period for reviews to accommodate. For awhile I was concerned mine got lost along the way, but then it finally showed up a few weeks ago. 🙂

As always, I got a wonderful box full of products that I enjoyed. Some I will definitely buy again, some I might not, but I liked trying them all.

Colgate Optic White Platinum toothpaste – We’ve used other Colgate Optic products before, but not quite this exact one. I like their tube design that allows us to stand the toothpaste up – it saves on counter space! This felt warm at first and then more minty with further brushing. I like it

Colgate Optic White toothbrush with built-in whitening pen – I’m always happy to get another toothbrush and these bristles feel good. The whitening pen in the handle is a handy design that makes it easier to remember to whiten after brushing. I did find the tip to be rather odd, with the texture that made the paste come out on my teeth in small globs. I like that I don’t have to worry about removing it from my teeth after a certain period. I didn’t notice a huge change in my teeth, but they did seem glossier/brighter after a few uses.

Skinfix Hand Repair Cream – This is a really great healing lotion for whenever my skin desperately needs deep hydration. I get these weird red bumps on my fingers sometimes, which I think are an allergic reaction (typically to frozen cardboard, like the ones for housing goods in the freezer). My fingers itch a lot when that happens and I’m keeping this handy for those situations, to help soothe and heal my skin.

Tide Pods with Febreze – I just love how convenient these are! Throw one in, no muss no fuss, and your clothes come out smelling fresher than clean. I love that there’s no risk of a sticky mess and no need for measuring. What a great solution. They dissolve perfectly and leave no trace at the end, except the lingering Febreze scent. I’ll definitely be using these as my go-to for my laundry needs.

John Frieda 7 Day Volume – So the instructions say to use a blow dryer, but I’m not in that habit so I wanted to see what would happen if I styled my hair normally (which means letting it air dry). I do feel there was a bit more volume to my hair, but nothing super obvious that would scare people away. I’ll have to leave it in longer and try this whole blow drying thing another time.

John Frieda Beach Blonde collection of shampoo, conditioner, and sea salt spray – I like the mint in the shampoo and conditioner! It offers a nice scent that is fresh and sweet. I haven’t noticed them performing differently than my standard hair care products, though the conditioner is more subtle and doesn’t over-slick my hair. The spray has a coconut scent that is oh so tropical. It gives great texture and a bit of tousling helps to give that ocean air-blown hair.

What’s your favorite item in this #XOVoxBox?

[I received these products free for testing purposes. All opinions are my own.]

AdoreMe Lorelei lingerie set review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, free stuff, influenster, intimates, lingerie, pictures, products, reviews, subscriptions, underwear

07 March 2015

I was pretty excited to be offered a chance to try AdoreMe for free, thanks to Influenster. I qualified for their XO VoxBox, which included a free lingerie offer from AdoreMe! I quickly set up a VIP account and started browsing for what I wanted. I ultimately settled on the Lorelei set, which includes a lacy black and blue push-up plunge bra and hipster undies (or the option of bikini undies).

AdoreMe is just under $40 per store credit for intimates, sleepwear, or swimwear. Credits are charged monthly unless you choose to skip (which is very easy to do). Each month, bra and panty sets available in your size are selected for you in the showroom. You can always get other items at their VIP pricing of $40-50. They offer a referral program that earns you money towards purchases. Use my referral link to get your first outfit for $25!

It came quickly in this black box.

inside of adoreme box with sketch of lingerie items and products wrapped in pink and red tissue paper

I loved the drawing on the inside!

inside of adoreme box with definition of adore printed

Great choice of word.

adoreme lorelei lingerie set of black and blue lacy push-up plunge bra and hipster panties

The Lorelei push-up plunge bra and hipster panties.

Lorelei Push-Up

VIP: $39.⁹⁵/SET (Regular: $49.⁹⁵/SET)

62 reviews, 4.5 stars

Push-up plunge
Underwired
Double row hook & eye closure
Fully adjustable straps
Nylon / Spandex / Polyester
Matching bra & panty

Anything is possible with a little sparkle! And the latest addition to our designer collection proves just that. Our midnight black and blue Lorelei push-up is irresistibly sexy and you’ll love the dramatic lace embellishments. Complete this look with a string bikini or hipster, both featuring rhinestone-dotted lace.

Ok, so at this angle the undies look disproportionately larger, but don’t worry – they look great on. Check out the pictures of them on the models and you’ll see. I like their use of lace to make it from a bikini shape to the hipster look. It’s a bit of extra coverage without completely obscuring the area. Demure! The lace could have been a bit softer, but that might be fixed with the first wash. The fit was perfect and they felt great.

As for the bra, I love the look, but with plunge style might not be so fitting for me. I wore a v-neck and felt like something was going to show at any point each time I leaned over. Plus, I felt a bit of a draft, which I’m totally not used to. Ah, the challenges of a small bust. Still, this is great for when I feel more daring and of course it’s not even an issue if I don’t pair it with a low neckline. Typically I’m a t-shirt bra sort of gal, so it’s nice to have a more intricate, fancy bra for when I feel like dressing it up.

I’ve enjoyed my experience with AdoreMe so far and I even managed to win first place in one of their weekly contests! It’s basically like the game of 2048, but with underwear icons. I happen to be quite good at 2048 (I’ve achieved the 4096 tile a few times), so it wasn’t too hard to sweep the win. I love that each game played is also money towards a charity. I plan on using my winnings towards some casual sleepwear or a swimsuit set. They have some adorable options!

The pamphlets and such that came with the box.

December Favorites 2013

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: autumnfall, books, cats, clothing, favorites, influenster, ipsy, julep, missy, panda, pictures, products, reading, reviews, weather

31 January 2014

I nearly forgot to get this together before the month was over! Oh boy, it’s already time to think about Jan favs and I’m still putting together the Dec ones…

1. home ownership – As of Dec 13th, 2013, we officially became homeowners. The keys were handed to us and since then we’ve been slowly planning the move. Meanwhile, all our neighbors are in and everyone is wondering when we’ll finally get into this condo they keep hearing about. 😛

2. VitaBath lotion – I got this in my Influenster Rose VoxBox in the fall and boy do I love it! I’ve been using it frequently after showers and I absolutely adore the lightly sweet scent that is also cooling and fresh. Even with frequent usage, I’ve barely used up a quarter of it and it’s wonderful how long it’s lasting me.

3. Julep – I finally caved and got Julep when they came out with a mystery box I couldn’t resist. I was totally impressed by it and will definitely get more, plus I’ve subscribed as a Maven to get some new nail polish colors every now and then. I actually really like the beauty products that Julep makes and will use my subscription as a way to explore them.

4. Wrapp deals – When I first found these shoes, I took that picture to remember to look for something similar. Then I got a great Wrapp gift card deal for something like $12 at Charlotte Russe (which cost me and Panda nothing to send to each other) so I ended up getting that exact style of shoe for a fantastic price. I only take advantage of the free offers in the app, which saves me a good amount.

5. sweaters – Well, my first proper winter in over a decade prompted me to go out and buy some sweaters to wear. I was also goaded on by Autumnfall, who laughed when I showed her what I considered to be a sweater, all proud that I finally bought one. I’ve since gotten ones that even she can’t dismiss as not “real” sweaters. 😛

6. reading – For that period when my life was a hot mess of confusion, I escaped into reading again. My childhood was filled with books and it was nice to get back into it. I hadn’t read fiction in many years, whenever that 4th Harry Potter book came out. I was surprised that I blew through the 50 Shades series the way I did (I thought I’d long since lost patience for fiction since it’s not a business book that I can learn a ton from).

7. wireless mouse – The touchpad on my new laptop gets wonky at times (kind of often). Thankfully, a wireless mouse makes it easy to move the mouse around and strains my fingers, hands, and wrists less. I’m rather particular about the feel of the mouse and I’m glad I found this one for my personal use. I even have a blog post drafted for my pickiness when it comes to this and what I look for in the perfect mouse.

8. red lips – I went through a few weeks when I experimented with bright red lips. It was fun, bold, and playful. I even tried making lip prints like this one on Panda’s cheek. Prior to getting that red lip crayon in my November Ipsy bag, I probably only used red lipstick twice before. Now I’m much more comfortable with something attention-grabbing like that, but usually only at night, special events, and the weekends. Still not a normal thing for me.

9. cat time – Going home for the holidays and spending time with Missy again was amazing. I can’t wait to settle enough to bring her over here. Having a cat around calms me and gives me something relaxing to do whenever I’m home. There shall be no ennui when I can cuddle with my kitty or play around with her. I absolutely love waking up to a cat on my chest or next to my legs, though I may never want to get up for work (or anything else) again.

10. snow – This was before the intense polar vortex/arctic chill madness. It was exciting to get snow again and get to sit by the window and watch it fall down. I’d be happy to get stranded indoors for a few days from a snowstorm so long as I have heat and food. 🙂

Oops, I left out a picture from frolicking at the beach, but I had a whole blog post on that so you can check them out. Returning to Los Angeles was wonderful and a much-need reprieve from everything else. What did you find to be your favorites in December?

Influenster Rose VoxBox

laelene Posted in reviews，Tags: beauty, biscuits, chocolates, dr scholl's, free stuff, influenster, insoles, lotions, mascara, nail polish, pictures, products, samples, snacks, voxbox

16 November 2013

For a long time, I’d been waiting to receive this Influenster VoxBox. Day after day I’d be disappointed when it wasn’t in the mail. Finally, I decided to check my old emails and found that there was a tracking link I’d totally missed back when they sent it out. According to that, my package had been delivered on Nov. 1st! Yet here I was two weeks later with no sign of it… I called the rental office since they receive packages that won’t fit in the mailbox and thankfully, my package was there with them. All this time of waiting when I could have been enjoying it! I miss the days when the post lady left a slip so I’d know there was a package to go pick up. Usually we get a notification slip from the office if we haven’t picked up the package in a few days, but that somehow slipped me by as well. Sooo let’s dig right in!

contents of influenster rose voxbox with vitabath lotion, dr scholl's cozy cushions, rimmel mascara, kiss gradation nail polish kit, lindor chocolates, and belvita biscuits

The Rose VoxBox. These Influenster boxes keep getting better!

I’m pretty excited about this box. Just like the Sunkissed VoxBox, I’m interested in every single item here! I love the variety of products to explore and some of these products are quite novel to me.

Vitabath Spa Day Cucumber & White Tea hydrating lotion – Anything with white tea and I’m in. I love the light refreshing scent of this lotion and its nice rich texture. Perfect for keeping the whole body nourished during the winter months. This is a large bottle that will last for quite awhile! It really does give me a great relaxing spa feel and I can’t stop smelling my skin. 😛 It’s wonderful!

Dr. Scholl’s For Her Cozy Cushions – Omg when I saw this I was so amused! I had no idea Dr. Scholl’s makes insoles like this (or that something like this existed at all). They’re the best thing you could ask for in boots and other winter wear. When I get my boots from home this Thanksgiving, I’m totally putting these in. This is amazing! I can’t wait to try them out and make boot-wearing so much more comfortable.

Rimmel Retro Glam mascara – I’ve never tried Rimmel products before and I’m looking forward to trying out this fun mascara. I have some others I want to work through first, but I might still open it before those are used up. I don’t use mascara nearly enough to get to it anytime soon, so maybe I should start wearing it daily.

Kiss Gradation polishes – Ah so cool!! I have done a two-tone gradation myself before but nothing quite as fancy as this three-tone one. The colors are a bit bold for my normal wear, but I’ll try them out on my toes and for a holiday party or other special event. Very starry night or wintery sort of feel with this look!

Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffles – Classic chocolate treat. Always a win in my book! I enjoy Lindor truffles, so I wish they’d included more. That cute little container only includes one ball! Certainly not enough for my sweet tooth.

belVita blueberry breakfast biscuits – I’ve had these in previous boxes and I enjoy them! I should probably actually buy some to snack on. I love that they’re sweet and crunchy for a satisfying burst of flavor when you munch on them. Probably a better way to start the day than with cereal (or, in my case, nothing).

What do you think of the #RoseVoxBox?

Influenster Sunkissed VoxBox

laelene Posted in reviews，Tags: bb cream, dr scholl's, elastic bands, experience, free stuff, fresh effects, gel tech, goody, hair ties, high heels, influenster, insoles, nail polish, olay, opinions, products, reviews, sinfulshine

10 August 2013

Wow, I completely forgot to write a post about my Sunkissed VoxBox from Influenster! In my mind, I had done it awhile ago but now that I do a search apparently that was just in my head. So it may be belated, but here it is now: my thoughts on the products that came for free in my lovely VoxBox. This was definitely my favorite box from them since it contained items in various categories and it was all stuff I’d use. In fact, some of them were on my list of things to try!

The SunVoxBox contents!

collage of goody ouchless ribbon elastics 5 piece

Goody Ouchless Ribbon Elastics (5 pieces)

I’m so glad I got to try these! I’d made some of my own and always wanted to compare them with a brand name’s version. Turns out mine are a softer elastic, so depending on your preferences, you might like one of the other better. I enjoy this set of colors and I’m curious to see what other color options they have.

collage of olay fresh effects bb cream in light to medium

Olay Fresh Effects {BB Cream!} in Light to Medium with SPF 15

This smells FABULOUS. Oh my gosh. It’s a wonderfully fragrant scent that makes me feel refreshed after putting this one. The coverage is definitely light and meant to help give an overall smoother look, but not hide all those blemishes. I like pairing this with my Physician’s Formula BB Powder because it gives me a bit of a shiny finish and I like to matte it down.

SinfulShine with Gel Tech Nail Polish in Set The Mood

I was thrilled to receive this nail polish because I’ve been curious about gel polishes but didn’t want to deal with their complexity. This gives a wonderful shine without needing a top coat and just one layer gives you the result shown above! I love the shade I got too, which is a beautiful blue-green/deep teal.

collage of dr. scholl's for her high heel insoles for women's sizes 6-10

Dr. Scholl’s For Her High Heel Insoles (Women’s Sizes 6-10)

Perfect for that interview I had earlier this week. I’m so glad I had these to use so I could comfortably stand in my heels. They have a wonderful bump to create a foot arch for you and ensure your feet aren’t too flat. Definitely something I will use for any future high heel needs.

June Favorites 2013

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: beauty, cat toys, clothing, collage, favorites, graze box, influenster, juice beauty, lip balm, lip gloss, pictures, skincare, spring sing, swapping, trading, ucla, voxbox

24 July 2013

I’ve been meaning to put together my June favorites for quite some time, but I kept putting it off because I wanted to try creating a cool professional-looking collage with Polyvore. Alas, many of the items didn’t come with pictures or had ones I didn’t like, so I decided to just make my own collage with Picasa. I can always try again next month, right? So anyway, here are some of the things that I really loved using/doing throughout the month of June.

1. NYC New York Color Glossy Lip Balm – This came in my Influenster Spring VoxBox and I’ve been using it frequently! I love the light apple scent, the slanted design, and the cute apple design creating a two-toned lip balm. It’s my go-to lip product now and I’ll definitely look out for another one when I finish this one. I’ll probably go for a slightly more subtle color though, since every time I put this on, Panda can tell and I don’t want it to be that obvious!

2. swaps/trades – My newest addiction, thanks to Ipsy, is trading or swapping products. It all started when I decided to subscribe to Ipsy, but found that they sent me my least favorite color nail polish. In the hopes of trading it for the purple one I so desired, I began to explore trade forums and groups. I also had a ton of things from other subscription boxes as well as items I’ve accumulated that I didn’t plan on using, so I decided to create a trade list. Now I’ve done over a dozen swaps and I’m loving all the products I get to try!

3. Spring Sing tank top – When I heard that there was going to be Spring Sing apparel, I got pretty excited. I’m a sucker for anything branded with UCLA-related stuff (<3 my alma mater!) and I didn’t have a Spring Sing item. Then I saw it and fell in love even more! I love the design and that it’s a tank top. It didn’t look so great on the racks, but gosh once you put it on it’s perfect! I just had to get it when I was at UCLA for Alumni Day and I have been wearing it all the time. It’s exactly what I needed for lounging around on the hot summer days. I hope they keep making more designs each year so I can start up a collection. 😉

4. Juice Beauty lip gloss & hydrating mist – I believe it was through subscription box bloggers that I first learned about Juice Beauty. Something about the brand caught my eye and they quickly made it on to my wishlist. When I found out that Juice Beauty lip gloss was being offered in the May Ipsy bag, I really hoped I would get it! Unfortunately that didn’t happen, but I did manage to get it in a trade. It smells wonderful and goes on well. It’s not too gooey and just the right amount of glossy. Then there’s the hydrating mist, which I thought would be nice to have whenever my skin needed a little freshening boost. There’s something very relaxing about spraying yourself (particularly your face) with a gentle, soothing mist.

5. SeabuckWonders facial cleanser & cream – I won these from a blogger’s giveaway and I’m really glad I got to try them! I love a nice scrub and you need so little of this one to cleanse your face that this will last me a long time. I’m also fascinated by design and the spout of the facial cream is so cool! I love the way it pumps out the cream and you barely need to press it to get plenty for your entire face. I was already obsessed with sea buckthorn products and this has just fueled the interest.

6. & 7. Cat It Design Senses feeding maze & play circuit – Once I got my Amazon gift card for participating in a focus group, I immediately ordered these two cat toys for my furries. The feeding maze is fun because it makes your cat work for their dry food and you can change the difficulty to help control portions. Unfortunately it seems that their overall laziness is not enough to overcome their hunger so they stopped using it after a few days. The play circuit can be assembled into a circle or other squiggly shapes and Missy has really enjoyed playing with it. It’s nice for her to have something to be active with indoors so hopefully she doesn’t go out as much.

8. reusing Graze containers – For a long time, I’ve needed something I could place tea bags on (or in) in between steeps. Once I started getting Graze boxes, I found that they made the perfect little container! I could place my tea bag there without worrying about it staining something, drink my cup of tea, then reuse the bag for more steeps! It was just the right size to hold the tea bag without being too large. Then I started to use some of them for my solid shampoo and conditioner bars, as well as soaps. Once my bars start breaking into little pieces, I keep them all in a Graze container so they don’t go to waste. I love it!

So those are some of the things I’ve enjoyed most in June. Stay tuned for a new July list once the month is over! Have you tried any of my favorites too? What would your June list consist of?

In the mail: kitty toys, free stuff, and the SunVoxBox

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: bb cream, bb powder, beauty, cats, food, free stuff, in the mail, influenster, iphone, nomorerack, physician's formula, pictures, products, skincare, swaps, technology, toys, trades, voxbox, winnings

24 June 2013

In addition to the subscription boxes and trades I already mentioned receiving, here’s what’s been filling up my mailbox!

I did a review of this external battery and charging accessories I got from nomorerack so you can read more there. When I first got this I was concerned whether it’d be some knock-off brand that is shoddy work that won’t last, but I’m happy to report that while the packaging is “meh” the item itself and its performance are great.

Since I was given an Amazon gift card as part of a focus group (mentioned in this post), I decided to splurge on my cats and get them these fun toys. One is a feeder where the cats need to paw around through the holes to push the food so it falls through the holes in each level until it is caught at the bottom. I’ve included a video below at the end of the post so you can see Missy at work! She really enjoyed it at first but I think both cats are lazy now and just wait for their daily wet food feeding to get them through the day. Maybe if they are desperate enough they will learn to use this properly. At least I know they aren’t overeating now, right?

The other item is a pretty standard track with ball that you can piece together in many configurations. Once again, this is something Missy has enjoyed and will play with, but Molly kind of just looks at it and walks away. Alas, Molly is like 14 and declawed, so it makes sense she wouldn’t want to play with this. At least Missy likes it!

I got a couple of random samples that I had requested from various sites, including a sanitary pad, L’Oreal’s Revitalift Miracle Blur finishing cream, and Pampers sensitive wipes. I’m always on the lookout for free samples to help me find products that I want to adopt into my life! That’s probably why I love subscription boxes so much. 🙂

A long time ago, I entered to receive a free BB powder from Physician’s Formula. This was similar to the first contest I entered (which I wrote a tutorial about), but suddenly there were a lot more people contending. When I went to submit the form, it froze on me and I never got a success message, so I crossed my fingers hoping I was one of the lucky 1000, but I didn’t count on it. Then just a few days ago, what shows up in my mail but this?! I was pretty thrilled since I’m obsessed with trying BB creams and I’ve never seen a BB powder. Can’t wait to test it!

I already wrote about my previous trades, so here’s just a quick look at the last trade I got. A bunch of lovely samples that I am looking forward to trying. I sent over some L’Occitane stuff and a set of Angry Birds lip balms that I had in exchange for these.

And finally, my Influenster Sunkissed VoxBox, which I’m sure I will write about coming up. I am very happy with everything I got and I am so thrilled to try them out!

cat eating from food maze from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

Influenster Spring Fever VoxBox

laelene Posted in reviews，Tags: free stuff, influenster, products, reviews, voxbox

01 June 2013

After a very long wait, I finally received my Influenster Spring VoxBox yesterday! It included five items ranging from hair care to lip gloss to a snack and it came in a cute little box. Check it out: