BzzAgent: Dr. Scholl's® Massaging Gel® Insoles

Disclaimer: I got this stuff from BzzAgent.com for testing purposes. All of the views expressed are entirely my own.

This could not have come at a more perfect time for me. At Family Video, we stand all day. That is not an exaggeration. Part of good customer service is always being at the ready to help a customer or putting titles away or cleaning. No time to sit and take a break when every copy of Side Effects is sitting on the counter waiting to be put back out for customers. Who needs a rest when there are phone calls to answer and Iron Man titles to find? (Not sarcasm! I genuinely enjoy the fast pace at work!) But my feet would not like to find Iron Man again. They instead would like me to point from my station that Iron Man is in the Prequels/Sequels section as you might imagine what with Iron Man 3 in theaters and all. They would like me to stay put and possibly sit on the floor, hiding from all the movies staring at me from the drop box. No time for that, feet!!! We have customers to serve!! I did have a pair of insole so I was skeptical that these would really do anything for me. Well, lesson learned. Replace your insoles every few months. My feet can now tolerate the 8 hour work days once again. Which is great, because my job isn't one where we stand still. Not much else to say except my feet sure do appreciate the extra cushion in my flats and I will definitely hold on to a coupon to replace my insoles again at the beginning of September!

BzzAgent: Gillette® Venus & Olay™ Razor

Disclaimer: I got this stuff from BzzAgent.com for testing purposes. All of the views expressed are entirely my own.

This is my first time reviewing for BzzAgent and I am very excited! It was extremely easy to be chosen for a campaign and I am so excited about sharing this first one with you!

I'm the freak that can shave dry and not suffer for it. I know, I know you're not supposed to but I usually forget when I'm in the shower and I'm blind in the shower anyways. I've never tried a razor with a built in moisturizer but I've always wanted to because I am so blind. This particular razor comes with the Olay moisture bar and says you don't need a shave cream so I was completely on board with that. I did wet my legs down first and my only thing was the moisture bar was a little gooey feeling. I don't quite know how to describe it but it was like dragging soap along with the razor on my legs. Just something to get used to, I guess. I have to say I am completely impressed with how close the shave was and how soft my legs felt afterwards. The best part is the Venus handles are interchangeable with the razors so if you decide to mix it up, you don't have to get a completely new razor. It also comes with a little holder so it can air dry in the shower. Love that! I definitely plan on repurchasing! Anything that allows me to keep my glasses on is a win for me!

Sample Stash

So here we are. One month into our Sample Stash project. Did you find any favorites? I did! First up, the reviews.

Bath & Body Works 24K Silk Lotion in Japanese Cherry Blossom: I got this while I was working at B&BW. As you can see, it is a lab sample. I haven't quite used up the sample but I will in the next week or two. It has a gold shimmer that is subtle. I have been using it on my legs before I go to work because I've been wearing a lot of skirts and dresses lately. 

PROS: It's more of a gel than a cream which is really nice for application.

CONS: It does not smell like the Japanese cherry blossom I remember. It smells like a gross guy cologne. The gold builds up on your hands, like a lot. You have to wash your hands afterwards.

VERDICT: This one isn't going on my wish list. Sorry B&BW. I just don't think the shimmer is worth it.

Check out this product here.

Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy Total Care Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner: I have psoriasis on my scalp so I was excited to try this one. I got three washes out of these samples so I feel like I got a good feel for the product. Just for reference, I've been using the same shampoo and conditioner for the last 4 years.

PROS: The smell is amazing. I could smell the shampoo and conditioner in my hair even the next day. I really have been having bad patches and this cleared them up. I was really impressed. 

CONS: I don't really have anything negative to say about this.

VERDICT: Yes. Yes. Yes. I will be buying this one as soon as I run out of shampoo. It is great!

Check out this product here.

bareMinerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer for Combination Skin: I have been using Neutrogena moisturizer for years and I've heard good things about bareMinerals. 

PROS: The smell was nice. The texture was fine.

CONS: For $28, it was not much different than my usual moisturizer. It worked fine but there was nothing amazing about it.

VERDICT: Sorry. For $28, no thank you.

Check out this product here.

Now onto this month's products to test. As of right now, I have like 7 sets of samples to test so plan on seeing this a lot.

Crest 3D White Whitestrips Professonal Effects, Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste, Matrix Design Pulse Beach Clay Strong Destructing Mud, DDF Advanced Firming Cream

Link up yours so I can find more wish list stuff, please.

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Influenster Spring Fever: Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS Dust It Hair Mattifying Powder

Disclaimer: I got this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. These opinions are entirely my own.

My last Spring Fever Vox Box review is this product that I can only sort of pronounce. Anyways, I wasn't sure when I first got it how I was going to try this out and then I thought I might use it to give some height to my usual bump. I was playing around with sock buns and couldn't get it right so I tried putting some of the Dust It powder in my pony tail and it gave it enough hold to pull of a beautiful sock bun! I was really impressed with the texture it gave my hair and unlike teasing, it didn't loose texture with handling. I'm excited to see what else I can do with it. Check out my big, pretty sock bun below!

Schwarzkopf Professional products are available at salons and Ulta. You can get Dust It for $23.50. For more information, check out their website here.

To see all of my Influenster Spring Fever Vox Box product reviews, check out this post.

Influenster Spring Fever: Secret Outlast Clear Gel Antiperspirant/Deodorant

Disclaimer: I got this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. These opinions are entirely my own.

I'm about to give you what might be TMI. My family is a bunch of sweaty people. If it is even just a little too hot, we will drip sweat. I've tried every brand of deodorant and antiperspirant on the market. I don't mind being a little sweaty but when you get fancy for recruitment and you have sweat marks on your shirt after three rounds, you become incredibly uncomfortable. Now, I'm not about to tell you my glowing review because I received this for free. Trust me when I say. This left me dry and fresh smelling at Cedar Point in humid, 80 degree heat! I was very impressed. I will repurchase. I reapplied half way through the day and it didn't leave any marks on my shirt. It did what it promised and that's all I ask for from the stuff I test! Thank you, Secret!

Secret Outlast is available in a gel and solid antiperspirant for $4.59 at major retailers. For more information, check out their website here.

To see all of my Influenster Spring Fever Vox Box product reviews, check out this post.

Influenster Spring Fever: NYC New York Color Applelicious Glossy Lip Balm

Disclaimer: I got this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. These opinions are entirely my own.

I have sort of mixed feelings on this one. I love the pigmentation on this and the color is so pretty as you can see in my picture below. (Ignore how pale I am and the sunburn please.) They come in a lot of other colors but I do love the color I got. I wore it a couple times to work to test it out and the texture always surprised me a little bit. It feels a little waxy. It's also supposed to be hydrating but I think I'll stick with my EOS balm. Not that it's not hydrating, it's just not as hydrating as an actual lip balm. Ending on a high note, it has an adorable little apple in the middle so personally, I think it would be a cute gift for a teacher!

NYC New York Color Applelicious Glossy Lip Balm is available in 10 shades at most major drug store chains for $2.99. For more information on the NYC Applelicious Glossy Lip Balms, check out their website here.

To see all of my Influenster Spring Fever Vox Box product reviews, check out this post.

Influenster Spring Fever: Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicure

Disclaimer: I got this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. These opinions are entirely my own.

Here we go with review #2. I was a teeny bit disappointed when I found out it was a press-on manicure. Not that there is anything wrong with press-on manicures. It was just that I was following Influenster's Twitter the whole week before the first boxes were sent out to hear clues on what was in the box and I was sure that we were getting some sort of gel manicure set. But this is still pretty great.

Anyways, this is the Broadway Press-on Manicure. I received "Over the Moon" which is a beautiful gold burgundy marble with hints of purple in the sun. So many customers complimented me on it at work. It would be even better for the fall or winter. I was craving something a little more summer-y. They didn't destroy my nails like other press-on manicures have. They actually peeled off no problem. The product description says they last up to a week. Mine made it about 4 days but they started to pop off so I took all the rest off. It just felt weird only having 8 nails on. They were also a little longer than how I normally wear my nails so they took some getting used to. Overall, no complaints. They worked great and looked fantastic. I plan on purchasing the french tip set for recruitment this fall. They will last just long enough for what I need them for without breaking my budget or looking like crap. Win!

Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicures are available in solids and patterns. They are $5.99 for solid colors and $7.99 for patterns at CVS, CVS, Rite Aid, KMart, Walgreens, Walmart, and more. For more information on the Broadway Nails line of imPRESS Press-on Manicures, check out their website here.

To see all of my Influenster Spring Fever Vox Box product reviews, check out this post.

Influenster Spring Fever: Tastykake® Kandy Bar Kakes

Disclaimer: I got this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. These opinions are entirely my own.

So, review #1 for the Spring Fever Vox Box. I have to say, this might be the one product from the box I could not wait to try no matter what flavor I received. Upon taking the above photo, I immediately ripped it open and devoured. It was so much better than I imagined. I had read some mixed reviews on Influenster's  website about these snack cakes. Mostly that they were crumbly and dry and generic. I disagree completely. The cake was light and soft and so much better than the sponge of most snack cakes. It had a more cake-y texture. The peanut butter frosting was so rich and delicious. My only complaint was there was only one. I wish they were sold here in Michigan. I am seriously considering picking a box up while I'm in Ohio this week. That tasty. I'm thinking they would make some pretty great truffles.

Tastykake Kandy Bar Kakes are available in three flavors: peanut butter, peppermint, and s'mores. They are $4.49 for a family pack or $1.69 for a single serving. For more information on the Tastykake line of snacks, check out their website here.

To see all of my Influenster Spring Fever Vox Box product reviews, check out this post.

Influenster Spring Fever Vox Box

Have you noticed the lack of posts this week? I was anticipating this box to arrive last week and to have all these great reviews to share with you. Instead, it just showed up yesterday so you get treated to a solid 7 days of posts in a row. Let's just jump right in and preview what came in the box!

The whole box

Secret Outlast Clear Gel Antiperspirant/Deodorant - My Review

NYC New York Color Applelicious Glossy Lip Balm in Big Apple Red - My Review

Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-On Manicure in Over the Moon - My Review

Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS Dust It - My Review

Tastykake Kandy Bar Kakes in Peanut Butter - My Review

This time, I also made a video of my unboxing so watch it and let me know what you think!

I received all of these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. All opinions are entirely my own.

Sample Stash

This blog was never started with the intent of becoming a beauty blog. But this blog is about me and what I like and I have this corrupting eye-opening sister who writes a beauty blog. So in the progress of learning about beauty products and becoming obsessed, I have amassed a box of samples. One day, Jessica was wishing for a beauty sample subscription box and we put our heads together and came up with this fun little project. To reduce down our stashes, as well as add to our ever lengthening wish lists, we came up with the Sample Stash Challenge.

Here's the low down.
1. Pick your samples. We're going with 4-6 a month. Like always, do what you want. I'm not your mom.
2. Your post should be a review/first impression of last month's "box." Share what you picked for this month.
3. Link it up with the widget at the end of the post!
Three steps? You can do three steps. So join us, please?

Let's check out what I picked for the merry ol' month of May!

Bath & Body Works 24K Silk Lotion in Japanese Cherry Blossom, Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner, bareMinerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer for Combination Skin

Maybe the worst part of this challenge? It fuels my desire for more samples in my life. Ah, well.

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Kiss Nail Dress in Gown

Note: While this was a great little gift compliments of Kiss for participating in an Influenster Vox Box, all these opinions are mine!

Remember when I got this awesome prize from Kiss? Well, I used them for formal. I thought when else would all these sparkles work other than formal? Plus, check out my hot dress. It was necessary to step everything up a bit. I thought I was going to hate these. I thought they would fall off during formal. Neither of those things happened. They took a fraction of the time of a manicure. I pulled them off with no damage to the nail the next day. I got a million compliments on them! My only tip is these are one event use. If you plan on those pretty little rhinestones lasting through a couple days, you are better off getting a regular manicure. The rhinestones started to pop off the next day. Will I repurchase? Hell yeah! Looking forward to trying Camisole, Lingerie, and 2 Looks Nail Dress in Retro and Eyelet! Thanks to Kiss Nails and Influenster for letting me try these out!

Not going to lie. I'm hot.

My Top Ten

So let's just say for a second all my make up disappeared. Like maybe my alien abduction happens while I'm doing my make up so it all gets left on the space ship. These would be the ten items I would run right out and repurchase. I use most of them every day and they are all great products that I get consistently great results from. So let's jump in.

For Yo Face

Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture with SPF 15: Keeps my face nice and moisturized without causing break outs. This stuff is so light on your skin and it really helps my foundation last a little longer. Check it here.

e.l.f. Powder Brush- I love my sister so much for giving me this. It puts powder on better than anything else I own. I seriously would not mind throwing out any other powder brushes I have. I hardly ever use anything else for powder. Plus $3 is not bad if I ever have to replace it. Check it out here.

Covergirl Clean Liquid Makeup for Normal Skin- I have used this foundation for years. It has a great coverage to it and I love the texture. It also has Noxzema ingredients and is really light. Check it out here.

Physicians Formula Youthful Wear Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Mattifying Face Powder- This was a cast off from my sister and I fell in love with it. It has a little shimmer to it but I don't notice it. It gives my skin a really nice even tone. It also sits really well. I have used Covergirl powder for years but it always looked a little strange and when I started using this powder I realized the texture of the Covergirl powder made it really visible on top of my skin. This blends really well. Check it out here.

For Yo Eyes

Too Faced Natural Eye Palatte- I seriously use this at least 4 times a week. It is so dang pretty. I'm looking at my next Too Faced purchase to be another palatte because it is just so useful! Check it out here.

Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express Mascara- Jessica and I both love this product. I've been using it for as long as I can remember. Jessica and I both have a love for Maybelline products. I'm not sure why I love them so much except maybe that they just make super useful, versitile stuff and they are a drugstore brand.

Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner- Also a product I've used for years. I love the texture and the color. It goes on really well and it's really workable.

For Yo Lips

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter- I have a freaking obsession with these. Let's not even talk about how many I have. They are just amazing.

eos Lip Balm- Another Jessica cast-off. (Are you seeing a pattern here?) I love the waxy texture before I put on lipgloss. It feels like it lasts longer. 

C.O. Bigelow Organics Moisturizing Lip Shine- This is seriously the best gloss ever and they are dumb for discontinuing it. It's so hydrating!

Well there they are. There are a couple others I'd probably repurchase but those would be my top 10 that I would repurchase the exact brands and colors. 

Influenster Beauty Blogger: NYC Prize

Finally FINALLY my NYC prize showed up. It wasn't was I was expecting but after nearly eight weeks of waiting, I was happy to get anything. NYC sent me their Liquid Lip Shine in City's Clear  which isn't terribly exciting but it's nice to have since I don't buy clear gloss. It's got a really nice smooth texture and it's not super gooey or anything. I also really like the applicator. It's more of like a flexible longer version of a regular applicator. There is no tip at the end you have to use. It contours to your lip a bit. I'll definitely continue to use it but NYC is not my favorite brand for lip products so I probably won't repurchase. Enjoy this lovely picture of me running late to meeting.

My Vera Bradley Collection

I am obsessed with Vera Bradley. Can someone explain to me what about it is so addicting? The patterns are beautiful and the colors are always right on trend and I just love all their stuff. I am just obsessed. Jessica asked me to do a post to show my whole collection. I tried to get it all into a picture and then I realized that is a joke. It's too hard and with all the patterns and colors, it was looking crazy. So I made a collage. I have a long wish list and an enabling amazing group of family and friends that know what I love so I'm sure I'll be updating this list soon but still. Luke is even super sweet and supportive. It helps that his sisters and his mom love Vera too. He even took his IPad in and had the girls in the Hallmark store look at my list to pick something. He is pretty cute.

1. Zip ID Case in Symphony in Hues (Gift from the Piersons)

2. Hipster in Baroque

3. All-in-One Wristlet in Twirly Birds Navy

4. Show and Tell in Baroque (Aunt Jennifer's Day Gift 2012)

5. 17" Laptop Sleeve in Lime's Up

6. Large Duffle in Suzani

7. Student Agenda in Paisley Meets Plaid

8. Study Buddy in Paisley Meets Plaid

9. Loop Key Chain in Rhapsody in Blue

10. Mandy in Provencal (Gift from Luke)

11. Turn Lock Wallet in Provencal (Gift from Luke)

12. Mini Hipster in Baroque (Gift from Jessica)

My Make Up Collection

My sister has been pestering me for weeks to do a post about my make up so I am humoring her and doing this post. This is my take on a make up post. I don't follow make up blogs or anything like that so I have no idea what goes into a make up post. If I'm missing something, let me know and I'll update you.

This is where I do my make up. I sit in front of my full length mirror with everything around me. I keep all my samples in my Influenster Beauty Blogger box. I also keep hand sanitizer right in front because I like to sanitize my hands before I do my make up. On top of my Ferrero Rocher box, I have a jar with my brushes and Neutrogena Ultra-Soft Eye Make Up Remover Pads. Those are absolutely amazing by the way. I'll have to do a review some time. Anyways, I have my two Influenster cards over my Thirty-One bag that holds all my make up. Next to that is my straightner and hair dryer.

Face Products

Covergirl Clean Sensitive Skin Pressed Powder- Ivory 205

Covergirl Clean Normal Skin Liquid Foundation- Ivory 105

Mary Kay Acne Treatment Gel

Mary Kay Signature Eye Primer

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Blushes

Covergirl Cheekers- Pretty Peach

Covergirl Cheekers- Natural Twinkle

Ulta Cheek Color- Flush

Liners & Mascaras

Maybelline Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner- Brown

Ulta Duel Ended Eyeliner- Deep Brown & Chocolate

Ulta Duel Ended Eyeliner- Bronze & Black

Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner- Espresso

Ulta Voluptuous Volume Mascara

Maybelline Volum' Express The Colossal Washable- Glam Black

Eyeshadows

Too Faced Natural Eye Neutral Eye Shadow Collection

Ulta Eyeshadow Quad- It Girl

NYC Individual Eyes Custom Compact- Dark Shadows

Maybelline Expertwear Eyeshadow Trio- Impeccable Greys

Ulta Eyeshadow Quad- Bone/Mystique/Espresso/Gold Dust

Ulta Eyeshadow Quad- Silk/Honey Bee/Sapphire/Green Machine

Ulta Eyeshadow- Mink

NYX Eyeshadow- Iced Mocha

NYX Eyeshadow- Flamingo

Lip Products

Ulta Brilliant Lip Gloss- Plush

Ulta Super Shiny Lip Gloss- Illusion

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm with Vitamin E & Peppermint

Ulta Lipstick- Dare to Bare

EOS Lip Balm Smooth Sphere- Summer Fruit

Ulta Super Shiny Lip Gloss- Whisper

Bath and Body Works Liplicious Tasty Lip Color- Peach Daiquiri

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss- Passion Fruit Pop

Bath and Body Works C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries Organics Moisturizing Lip Shine- Raspberry Jam

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter- Cherry Tart

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter- Raspberry Pie 

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter- Strawberry Shortcake

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter- Sweet Tart

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter- Peach Parfait

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter- Berry Smoothie

So now that you've seen my collection, I feel that I must offer up some sort of explanation where most of this comes from. A lot of the Ulta products were gifts with purchase. Quite a bit is either a gift or a hand-me-down from Jessica. Some are even from my parents. And by "gifts", I mean I stole some of it from my mom. Less than half I purchased for myself. Only four of the lip butters were purchased by me in the last year. Everything else is a gift or old. I know I should toss stuff but I don't care that much. So that's my collection. Go check out my sister if you want more informed blogging on make up.

Friday Faves

Is it really Friday again already? Who can tell when every day is homework day?!

1. Saturday with Jessica and Liam

I got a visit from Jessica and Liam on Saturday. We had a blast! We went shopping and Liam got to play with Courtney. I have missed them so much!

2. Rice Pudding

I made some really yummy rice pudding on Sunday. You'll be able to read about it in February. It's so creamy and warm. I just love cuddling up with a bowl as a reward for a long day of trekking through the snow for classes.

3. Valentine's Day

Aren't these ties cool? I'm getting Luke one of these very cool ties with a page on a book of 1942 military chemical warfare. Cyberoptix makes some really cool ties and Luke liked quite a few so it might be my new back up for presents for the boy. 

4. WIVC Training

I spent a lovely hour learning about the Womens Issues Volunteer Corps this week and I can truly say I am so excited by their mission that I can't wait to get involved.

5. Honest Abe

When you're riding the struggle bus and it seems like the week may never get to five faves, you gotta find a mantra to remind yourself that sometimes the walking gets a little slower. The pace this week definitely took a nose dive. But the attitude won't. I most certainly am not ever going backwards.

Influenster Beauty Blogger: Kiss Nails Prize

For everyone who completed the Kiss brand challenge for the Influenster Beauty Blogger Vox Box, Kiss Nails sent out a set of lashes and a set of "nail dresses". It took about a month for it to arrive and I'm still waiting on another brand challenge prize so that is a little disappointing but anyways...

Lashes- Kind of a waste on me. I won't use them. My first experience turned me off to false lashes for a while. I'll probably just give them to someone else.

Nail Dresses- I am excited for these. Instead of doing the whole nail, I'm thinking I might cut them down and make them french tips.