Soapbox, Soap = Hope

First off, thank you Influenster or whoever does your packaging for placing the bottle of Bataua Fruit Shampoo and Conditioner in a plastic baggie because my shampoo leaked a little bit!

Second, Wow. Wow, wow, wow. I am so impressed.

I live in the dry, dessert of ever changing weather that we call - Utah. My scalp has suffered for that. I've never had such issues with dry scalp until the last two years, and its gotten progressively worse. My normal routine is to use a basic shampoo (baby shampoo or Suave), a round of Men's Clear shampoo and then Suave conditioner. Oh, but before that, I use a few tablespoons of coconut oil rubbed into my scalp and left over night, the night before I wash my hair.  Even with all that, and its all pretty tame, my scalp is dry and flaky. To make matters worse I have dark brown hair so its very visible when I have a scalp issue. 

I received this product free for testing purposes from Influenster and Soapbox and I am so impressed. 

I used the shampoo, and decided to forgo the use of the Clear to really give this shampoo a try, and then conditioner. I did leave my hair in a towel longer before using a blow dryer on low heat and running a straightener over my hair. 

That was yesterday morning and, knock on wood, I have not had any flaking or itchiness yet and my hair smells fantastic. Add to that, that with each bottle purchased I am providing an area in need with a month of water and its a win, win. The price point is great too at just $4.99 per bottle, it is currently available at Target and Sam's Club - though I wrote them because I want them at Costco! I will be really interested to see how long these 13.5 oz bottles last but I still think it can't be beat if it helps my dry scalp this much, and for just $4.99 per bottle. 

I'll write more later after I give it a week or two but needless to say, I think I'll be purchasing this product again!

#ModaVoxBox

I was pleasantly surprised to find out I had been selected for another Vox Box from Influenster after just having received one. I don't know the rate at which invitations normally come but, keep them coming, I'm having fun!

I was not entirely sure on what to expect when this box came in because the clues ahead of time seemed to lean towards an all makeup box. That would have been fine for exploring but I have a pretty basic routine because of my schedule and my lack of those girly-girl genes. When I saw this pretty purple, fairly large box on my door step and then picked it up to feel how heavy it was, I was NOT sure what to expect at all but upon opening it there were squeals of excitement at the variety of product in the box.

THE BOX

First Impressions:

Awesome. I'm really excited to try these products out and review them all. 

PRODUCT REVIEWS

Resource Natural Spring Water - 

Nothing fancy, but who doesn't love a bottle of water? We were glad to have it as we were running out the door to celebrate my husbands birthday and dinner was a bit of a drive away. So that is how we #refreshwithresource

Rimmel Lipstick & Lip Liner

I've seen some women got a more neutral color, while I got a very bold and vivid red! I lean more towards a berry color but I loved how moisturizing this lipstick was. Probably more for a really daring night out, or when I just need to feel sassy but a fun color and great formula non-the-less. I'm also not a lip liner girl but this clear, moisturizing formula is sure to keep your lip color from bleeding and thats something I can get behind.

Rimmel Mascara

I received a mascara from another line of Rimmels in my last vox box and I'm still not super impressed. I'm just a Maybelline girl :) I'm not a huge fan of the brush or the formula itself but I'll hang on to it and probably put it in my desk drawer for a day when I'm running late and forget to do mascara before I leave

Hair Food

I received a comment on this photo on Facebook "Do you have to eat it or apply it to each strand of hair to 'feed' the hair? either way its either Yuck, or Tedious!". I'll be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of the name, I feel like they could re-work that some. That being said, it smells AMAZING. Shout out to Influenster as well for placing some tape over the lid so it wouldn't open up and ruin the rest of my box. The formula is deeply moisturizing and I've found it also helps my hair dry quicker. I think that may just be a funny side effect of sorts because its not promised to do that on the packaging. The honey apricot scent truly is amazing in the shower though and for the price ($11 approx.), the amount you need to use to get amazing results I will definitely purchase this again. 

Swiss Miss Simply Cocoa

If this is a thing, I come from a Swiss Miss family and that was the only brand we ever bought. Out here in Utah we have "Stephen's brand" but I'm still true blue to my Swiss Miss so this was a welcome treat. They encourage you to make it with warm milk (my favorite method) and the ingredients are no muss, no fuss- Sugar, Cocoa, Nonfat Milk, Salt and Natural flavor. If I see them come out with a big container of this line as they sell their normal line, I would definitely purchase it! #SwissMissSimplyCocoa  #contest @Influenster.

Puffs SoftPack

Have you ever experienced a 2am sneeze attack or runny nose only to ask for tissues and be pelted in the face with a cardboard box? No more! The soft packaging of the Puffs SoftPack is not only a cute design but face friendly. They price out at about $1.99 per package in your grocery store so while I may not keep one in every room, I will likely purchase one to keep in the bedroom year round. 

Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer

I really dislike greasy lotions and find myself not trusting any one formula outside of my Equate (yup, Walmart) brand cocoa butter lotion BUT I'm a believer in Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer. I keep it in my purse or desk for quick access to a very moisturizing, non greasy formula - perfect for Utah winters! I will definitely be looking to purchase this full size when I run out though for the amount I need to use to get moisture back into my dry skin, it may be a few months. 

Overall Impression:

Not a bad box at all. Some items were useful and I would repurchase, others were simply fun to try. Great job Influenster!

All products were received complimentary from Influenster for testing and reviewing purposes. 

All opinions are my own. 

#VitaVoxBox

It was time to create a blog just for my Influenster account so I wont flood our family blog with posts about product reviews!!

I really loved this Vox Box even though I had two duplicate products - SoftLips Cube and Playtex Tampons. Can never have enough chapstick or tampons especially when you receive them for free through a program like Influenster.

First things first - The box!

This box, as you can see, had a little bit of everything. I'll just start from the top and work my way around.

Playtex Sport Tampons

I don't normally use tampons (read up on a menstrual cup here) and when I do I use OB brand because I like that they are so discreet. This is the second box of Playtex Sport I have gotten from Influenster and honestly, I'm totally okay with it. Free tampons are a win! They can be pricey (which is why I started using the menstrual cup) but are totally necessary if you do not like wearing pads. I really trust the Playtex brand and these do not let me down. They are lightly scented which I think helps keep things fresh downstairs. I've also never had a leak using the Playtex Sport which is essential for comfortability during your period, whether you're playing sports or not! Rating: B+

Bikini Ready Lifestyle Energy Gummies

I was a little hesitant with this product, I do not normally like using energy supplements but I figured there are two in the pack I got why not just give it a try? The are small, about thumbnail size, and contain the same amount of caffeine as 1/4 cup of coffee as well as B vitamins. The aftertaste was not my favorite - it was a little fruity, but a little... bitter maybe? I don't know but it was a little off for me. I also did not get a sudden burst of energy I was hoping for. I had cleaning to do that night, didn't these little gummies know that!! After 30 min or so of them not "working" I got up and started to do some housework and all of a sudden, I got a slight burst of energy that sustained the rest of the work I had to do. Overall, they were okay but I'm not 100% sure I would buy an entire bottle. I would like a bigger sample to try over a period of time but not sure I would buy a bottle myself. I think you can get energy from more natural ways - balancing your meals, regular exercise, taking vitamins, maintaining your blood sure etc. These are also great natural ways to get Bikini Ready without taking a supplement!  Rating: C

Pure Leaf Tea - Lemon

Due to religious beliefs and standards I do not drink teas like this, only herbal teas. I gave it to a coworker instead who I know does drink tea and asked her how she liked it. She prefers a fresh brew to a bottle of tea but said in a crunch it would be okay Rating: C

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Caplet Serum

I really liked this little sample though I was skeptical at first. I am almost 25 and thankfully do not have wrinkles so I figured I would not see any improvement with use of this product. However I did notice it improve my skins texture and radiance. I was pleasantly surprised and will keep using this product to see if there is any more improvement in my skins texture and tone. The full size product is out of my budget at $60 but if it works, and if the product lasts longer than a full month with regular use I may consider purchasing it and using it in a nightly routine. Rating: B+

First Degree Burn Cream

I have not had to use this product yet, thank goodness!, but am glad I will have it if I ever need to. The reviews on it look awesome and I was glad to see Influenster include such a practical product in the box. I keep it in my medicine cabinet but the price is reasonable and I want to buy another few tubes to keep in first aid and 72-hour kits for emergencies. I wish I would have had this product a few years back when I was living in Washington, DC. I was getting ready to go on a first date, straightening my hair in front of a mirror on the floor when I went to get something from the bathroom. I left the straightener on the floor and when I came back stepped on it in such a way that it clamped my foot just below my toes. OUCH!!! I was able to bandage it up and make it to my date but we happened to be walking most of the places we were going (which is typical for DC life). I treated it with a store brand cream but oh, this would have been a dream to have then! Rating: A+ (because I know when I use it, I will love it!)

Softlips Cube in Vanilla Bean

Another repeat product, I have a cube in the pomegranate berry scent from my last vox box BUT I LOVE the Vanilla Bean scent SO much more!! It is the Vanilla scent you know and love from the regular softlips line. I love the shape of the chapstick because it is so easy to find in your purse or drawer - always right at your fingertips. I received a coupon for $1.00 off a Cube so I think I'll go buy the mint chapstick and try that one as well. Rating: A

I received the items in this box complimentary of Influenster - contact me if you'd like to try out Influenster yourself!