Hey girls and guys! Sorry I've been MIA for a while, I've been busy with finals, moving home from college, and moving into a new house with my family! But I got a really exciting package in the mail today, so I thought I'd share it with you guys and hopefully kick-start this blog again!
My Summer Beauty VoxBox from Influenster finally arrived! For those of you who don't know, Influenster is a free service that sends "VoxBoxes" filled with samples to people who have the most "influence" - from what I've experienced it's pretty easy to earn VoxBoxes if you're active on the site, and you get a lot of cool samples in each box. I'd definitely suggest signing up just to check it out, since it's totally free and you have nothing to lose - give it a try here!
I've received one VoxBox before, the February Love VoxBox, which I really liked (and my birthday is in February, so it felt like an Influenster birthday gift!), but I was really pumped to finally get one that featured beauty products. I was actually really impressed with the products in this box, and a few of them I've actually tried already! I also like how generous the sample sizes are - no little packets here!
The card with all the information on the products - let's get started!
Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30 ($8.99 for 6 oz, available in SPF 12, 30, and 50. Sample size is 2 oz.)
I was really excited when I saw this lotion in my box - I've been seeing it all over drugstores and it looks amazing. The lotion has this really cool swirl effect in the bottle, and it probably has no extra benefit but it looks really neat. It's a combination of a sunscreen and a lotion, so it's supposed to protect you from the sun while ago being moisturizing and non-greasy. I tried applying this when I first saw it and it definitely felt moisturizing, although I'm still going to reach for an actual body lotion if my skin needs hydration. It smells nice - a combination of a fruity, tropical scent and the normal sunscreen scent. I kinda like the sunscreen smell, it reminds me of the beach, but if you don't then this may not be the product for you.
Sally Hansen Nails and Cuticles Hand Creme ($5.99 for a full size bottle, sample size is 1 oz.)
I'm really awful at taking care of my nails and cuticles, so a cuticle cream doesn't really appeal to me, but this does make a really nice hand cream. The product is made with shea butter claims to give "24 hour moisture," which I do kinda doubt, but I applied it on my hands when I first opened the box and they do still feel relatively smooth. The cream has an interesting scent - kinda lemon/citrus-y, which I like. All in all, although I may not use this product on my cuticles a lot, I do like it as a hand cream.
Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color in Red-y Response ($9.99, full size.)
I haven't used this yet so I can't say too much about it but I've been wanting to try these polishes for a while, so I love that we got one in the VoxBoxes! I have one of the nails inc. magnetic polishes, and I really like it, so I can't wait to see how this one works in comparison. The magnetic polish trend is so cool...it's like nail art with minimal effort!
(If you haven't used this type of nail polish before, basically it's a polish with metal particles in it, and you apply a thick coat and then hover the included magnet over your nail to create a neat 3-D pattern effect.)
Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner ($4.99 - $5.99 for 12.7 oz and 12.9 oz bottles, sample size is 3 oz.)
Again, I haven't tested these yet but I've been hearing a lot about the new Clear brand so I'm excited to see how these work in my hair! The sample size is very generous, although the information says "stronger hair is just 7 days" and I don't think I have enough for 7 days - but if it works well, I guess I'll have to spring for the full-size product!
Tampax and Always - Radiant Collection
This sample is another one that really impressed me - it came with a really cute little pouch, two tampons, a pad, and three panty liners. Obviously I haven't been able to test these out yet (it's not exactly something I can use any time I feel like it!), but so far I really like what I've seen. The actual packaging of the products is colorful and fun, although I don't really buy pads of tampons based off of what the packaging looks like. It may attract some people, but it honestly seems a little useless to me. Cute, though. The tampons have plastic applicators, which I know aren't good for the environment but I still prefer them to the cardboard ones - ladies, do you agree? ;] The tampons also have a little resealable flap on them; at first I thought it was to reseal the package if you open but don't use the tampon, which seemed a little unsanitary, but I realized it was actually used to hold waste if you don't have a place to dispose of your waste right away. I love this idea - I've been in countless bathrooms without places to throw out pads or tampons, and no one wants to walk out of the stall carrying an old tampon! Gross! This way you can discretely carry out your waste and throw it out in the garbage can without having to dangle it around. Brilliant!
I was just super impressed with the presentation of the Tampax/Always sample...they included enough samples that you can feel like you really tested everything thoroughly, and the pouch was so cute (I may just use it as a tampon case in my bag!). They also included two $.50 off coupons, and had tons of information and instructions, which I think is really great for any younger girls who may receive this box and not have any experience with using tampons.
The box also came with a snack - the Quaker Soft Baked Bar in Banana Nut Bread ($3.29 for a package of bars). I absolutely hate anything that has to do with bananas...I think their smell, taste, and texture is disgusting. Sooo I didn't eat the bar, but I gave it to my little sister who likes banana, and she was super excited to help me test out products from my VoxBox! The bars have 5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein, so they're definitely a great option for a quick breakfast or a filling snack.
That's all for my Summer Beauty VoxBox - I love that I got the chance to try all of these products, and I think it's really amazing that Influenster sent out so many new products - maybe that's the point, but I still appreciate the thought. Definitely check out Influenster and sign up if you haven't already, and hopefully their future boxes will be just as great!
XOXO, Ally
(Disclaimer - in case it isn't obvious already, Influenster sent me these products to test. I am not getting paid or compensated whatsoever to post about these products and all opinions expressed are 100% my own.)
