Prayers for West, TX and Boston, MA

This is not one of my regular blog post but I thought that I would put this out there. I am praying for those that were affected by the fertilizer plant exploding in West, TX and also my prayers are going out to those that were affected by the Boston Bombing. I pray not only for the victims but their families, friends as well as those in the rescue processes in both states. As I have sat here and watched the news, I have watched two cities come together to overcome these tragedies and it gives me hope that perhaps the world is not all bad as it sometimes seems to be.
Watching the people of Boston come together, people opening their homes up for strangers who couldn't return to their hotel room, random people helping strangers who were hurt and injured during the bombing, gives me hope for the future.  My heart goes out to the victims that lost their lives to this and I feel that there were blessings that the death toll was not what it could have been. My prayers also go out to the families who have loved ones that are still in the hospitals and I wish them a quick and steady recovery.
Watching the news coverage this morning of the explosion in West, TX, my prayers and thoughts go out to that community and its inhabitants as well. Just as in Boston, this small town has come together and every person is ready to help their neighbor which again gives me hope.
Watching these two communities come together just gives me such hope that the world is not as bad, or dark, as it seems at times and that perhaps we can all come together to make it a better place, not only when tragedies such as these happen. So I applaud the people of these communities, and those that are willing to help them in any way they can. It really does give me hope for the future. Again my prayers and thoughts go out to all of the people that were affected in these tragedies.

Specialty VoxBox from Influenster!

So I finally got my Specialty VoxBox from Influenster and I am more than pleasantly surprised with it. I got this VoxBox when one of my tweets was chosen during one of Influenster's Twitter Parties for The Taste. Which if any of you have never been to an Influenster Twitter Party...then you are missing out on an awesome thing. And if anyone reads this and my other previous post about Influenster and you still haven't joined the site yet, then what are you waiting for!? I for one am glad that I have become a part of the Influenster Community and I wish I would have done it sooner.

But anyway let's get to what was in this Specialty VoxBox shall we? The products in this VoxBox were the most popular of all the brands that were given out in previous VoxBoxes. I recognize a few of these products as I have received them in my previous two VoxBoxes. The others, while I have seen them and I have heard of their brand but I have yet to try out the products. So I will be happy to try out these new products and give my thoughts and reviews of them in later blog posts. In this blog post however I will list the products that I received, what size I received and how much they are for the full-sized product.

The products I received:

- 1 Packet of EBOOST in Natural Acai Pomegranate Flavor. One pack is .25 oz and is good for only one use. The full size of this product comes in a box of 20 and costs about $28.00 on EBOOST.com

- Garden Botanika Lash Primer. This product is 0.25 oz and is full-sized. The cost of this product is $11.00 on gardenbotanika.com

- Tropical Necco Wafers. This product is 2.02 oz and is a full-sized product. The cost of this product ranges between $1.59 to $1.97. It all depends on where you purchase this product.

- imPRESS Press-On Manicure. This product is full-sized and the pattern that I received is D110 Lil Drumr Grl. This product cost ranges from $5.99 to $6.49. Again it depends on where you purchase this product.

- Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion/Sunscreen: Broad Spectrum SPF 30. This product is 2 FL OZ so this is not a full sized product but it is still a nice travel sized product. The full-sized product cost ranges between $4-6.00, again it all depends on where you purchase this item.

- NYC Show Time Glitter Eyeliner Pencil. This product is full sized and costs about $3.

- Softsoap Coconut Scrub Soap Bar. This product is full sized and costs about $4.

Again I would like to say that I did not purchase any of these products but I received them free from Influenster. I am not being paid anything for my review and my reviews will be honest and fair to these products. So be on the lookout for more reviews coming up within the next two weeks!

Updated Review for - Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray

Now as I stated in my previous review of this product, my hair just seems to despise ever hair spray known to mankind. Well, it used to despise hair spray until Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray. This hair spray, what more can I say about it other than it is honestly the best hair spray that I have had the pleasure of using in a long time. So I want to thank Influenster and Not Your Mother (NYM Brands) for sending this in the SweetHeart VoxBox!
Okay first of all, I would like to warn all you girls...get ready for compliments! This spray will get you compliment after compliment about your hair. I know for my style of hair, which is frizzy, thick and naturally curly, it is hard for me to find products that actually work. And living in the south, does not help my frizzy hair in the least. But this hair spray actually does work to tame my hair which I am very happy with if I must say. I am very satisfied with the results from this spray and I can't wait to try out more of this brand.
I have tried it on my hair when it is dry and when it wet. And personally speaking I like the results more when my hair is wet. I wish I would have thought ahead and took a picture before I posted this review in order to show the results. But perhaps I shall post a picture later. I love the way that it makes my hair look like I've just gotten home from a day of swimming and beach fun! The smell isn't overpowering in the least and it is a long lasting scent. It really does remind me of the beach! When I put it on my hair when its wet, it not only tames my frizzy, thick hair but it also gives it this wet beach look that most girls would spend hundreds of dollars at salons in order to attain. And I got it from this hair spray and a comb!
I have not only recommended this hair spray to friends but to my family as well and they all love it! I love getting compliments from random people who asked me who did my hair and I love their faces when I tell them I did it myself! So keep up the good work NYM Brands! i look forward to seeing what you guys come out with next!

Updated Review - SkinnyGirl Daily On-The-Go Bar

Okay, I admit it. I am a snacker! Yes that's right I snack and I am not ashamed! : ) But seriously, the SkinnyGirl Daily On-The-Go Bar are just...amazing and so delicious! I literally have become addicted to these things but in a good way. Instead of going for that donut or something like that, I grab one of my SkinnyGirl Bars and I'm good to go. I have even substituted a big breakfast for one of these bars. I first received one of these bars in an Influenster VoxBox at the end of February, which by the way,  thank you Influenster and thank you SkinnyGirl!
I have never heard of this brand before but I was eager to try it cause I mean it just looked delicious. And I was so right! It really was delicious. The flavor that I received was the CoCo-Nut with Peanut Butter and I must say that that one is my complete favorite! And honestly, I don't even like coconut but this I completely love. It doesn't have a really big overpowering taste of coconut to it and the peanut butter just compliments it perfectly. There is only one thing that I have to complain about with this bar...I cannot find them in any of my stores! : ( Makes me sad, even though I can order them from the site which is just as awesome but I would really like to buy them from a store so I don't have to wait for them to arrive in the mail! I'm hoping that they will be available in my stores really soon cause I would love to be able to stock up on these delicious bars, especially with summer just around the corner and you know a girl has to look on the beach. So SkinnyGirl, go ahead and give yourselves a pat on the back for this wonderful, delicious and healthy bar and keep the flavors coming! I can't wait to try out more of your products as well!

Updated Review - Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response

Okay, so as some of you know I got this product free from Influenster at the end of February from their SweetHeart VoxBox. While I did a quick review of it, I thought that I would do an updated review of this product as I have been using it for almost 2 months.
I love this deodorant! It is now the only one I use and I have recommended it to my family and friends. This scent is not overpowering at all and unlike most deodorants, this scent does not fade at all during the day. I have gone for nearly 8 hours before I even noticed that the scent was beginning to fade. Also, I love how it protects against nasty sweat, which if any of you live in the south like me then you understand the importance of this. The south can get down-right hot and humid during the summer months and it is unrelenting. As a southern girl myself, finding a deodorant that not only smelled wonderful but kept me from sweating all day was like finding the holy grail. This deodorant just outdoes itself in everything and I thank Secret for coming out with this. I have already repurchased it quite a few times so I don't run out! Another reason why I love this deodorant is that it does not cost as much as one would think. Sure it costs just a tiny bit more than regular deodorant but you have to think of what all you're getting in this product. Not only are you getting a long-lasting, great smelling deodorant but you are also getting something that will help you keep cool even under stress. And I can guarantee that it does work very well under stressful situations and from what I have noticed it does respond to your body going into any kind of stress. So to me the price for this product is worth it and I will continue to repurchase this product for a long time or until Secret comes out with an even greater product ((**wink-wink** Secret)).

First Impression of Olay Fresh Effects {Long Live Moisture!} Satin Finish Lotion

For those who are new to this blog and haven't read my previous post, I am lucky enough be a member of the Influenster Community. If you do not know what Influenster is, please read previous post where I explain what Influenster is and how anyone can join.
I was also lucky enough to receive their SweetHeart VoxBox in February. It was in this VoxBox that I discovered one of my newest, and one of my favorite, products ever. The Olay Fresh Effects Va-Va-Vivid Cleansing System. I have already reviewed this product many times, so I encourage you to read my previous blogs as I really do love this product. Well, about a week ago I was contacted through Twitter that Olay was going to be sending me something in the mail. I was so excited! I couldn't wait to get it and try it out. I received the Olay Fresh Effects {Long Live Moisture!} Satin Finish Lotion a few days ago. A full size at that! I also received a manicure set that I have been making wonderful use of. I wanted to tell Olay thank you for sending me these gift and that you have gained yet another fan of a product. I have tried out this satin finish lotion for a few days and I have just one thing to say.......How did I go so long in life without using this product?!? This product is simply wonderful and the name does it great justice. It really is a satin finish and I have added it to my daily morning routine permanently. I use it after I use the Olay Fresh Effects Va-Va-Vivid Cleansing system with the Shine Shine Go Away Cleanser. These two work perfectly together! The cleansing system works itself deep into my pores to clean out not only dirt but oil as well, which is just plan awesome cause I am cursed with oily skin. Plus I live in the south...and we all know how the humid it can get down here. Definitely not good on the skin. After I use the cleansing system, I squirt about two pumps of the satin lotion, which I have found is all I need as this product goes a long way. ((Another plus for you Olay :) )) I then rub it between my finger tips and massage it into my face and neck in circular motions. And just from using it these past few days, I can already tell a difference in how my skin looks. While my skin did glow after using the Va-Va-Vivid, it seems to just glow more after I added the lotion to my routine. Everyone that I see asks me what I've been doing, that my skin is practically glowing. So be prepared Olay, I'm sending more customers your way! Another thing that I love about this product is that it is oil-free and it doesn't make my face shine like other lotions/moisturizers do. Well I think that is about it for this first impression, I will be posting another review in about a week or two after using this product to give another review of it and how it stands up in this humid southern climate. But so far, it is working wonderfully. Olay, you've done it again! Another brilliant product! So give yourselves a pat on the back and a clap cause your products are the best that I have ever tried in a long time and that makes me happy to finally find products that not only work this well but ones that are at a reasonable price!

My Morning/Night Routine Featuring Olay Fresh Effects

So I've been planning on doing this blog for literally a month now. And I am so happy that I've finally gotten the time to actually sit down and write this. I can't believe its taken me a month to get this all together but one of the reasons why it took me so long was that I changed some things in my routine and I wanted to make sure that there were no bad effects from them. I am happy to say that I have never loved my day/night routine more than I love it now. So let's get this blog started shall we? I will also be including prices and such information about each product and where I buy them.

Okay this is the first product I use during my night routine. I only use this at night because it just works better that way for me. But you can use it anytime. This is an Apricot Scrub and I use it nightly when I take a shower. I use this in the shower cause it tends to be a bit messy when rinsing it off and I prefer it not to get on my clothes. I use only a pea sized amount and I work it into my face for about 5-7 minutes. This is an off brand of the St. Ives Apricot Scrub that I buy from a local store, Dollar General. Now I have tried both of them and to be completely honest I really can't tell a difference. They both do the same thing and both do a great job. I love that it is oil-free, cause my skin itself is oily enough so it doesn't need any help with oils. :) The product itself is sort of thick and contains small beads that get down deep into the skin to not only get rid of the dirt but the oil as well. The price of this also makes me love the product even more. While the St. Ives Apricot Scrub cost about $4-$5, I pay $2.50 for this product at my local Dollar General. So if anyone uses, or has thought about using, an Apricot Scrub then I highly recommend this one. It really does work fantastic and plus it comes at such a cheap price. Also I should mention that its not just a facial scrub but it can also be used as a body scrub. But I prefer to use it solely for a facial scrub myself.

Next, I use my Crest 3D White Arctic Fresh Toothpaste and of course I use this in both my day and night routine. I usually brush my teeth for about 2-5 minutes every day and every night. Gotta keep those teeth clean. :) I prefer this 3D White toothpaste in comparison to the others because it does not have an overpowering mint flavor to it. The others that I have tried were too strong for me to handle so I was very happy when Crest came out with this one and even more happy that it was not as strong as the others have been. It still does the same wonderful job of whitening my teeth to a shine and getting rid of stains that I used to only been able to get rid of when I went to the dentist. And another thing that I love is that even though it is a whitening toothpaste, it is completely safe for enamel and will not damage it at all. When I purchase this toothpaste, I purchase it from Target in the twin-pack that runs a little over $5. I find this not only saves me money but also cuts down on my trips back and forth to Target which saves me on gas usage.

This is one the newest products that I have recently began using about a month ago. This is the Crest Pro-Health Complete Mouthwash. I use this product every morning and night for about 1 to 3 minutes. Now, I used to use the Listerine mouthwash as it was the easiest one that I could get to at the time but I found that I did not like it at all. It was WAY to strong for me. I mentioned it to a friend of mine and she suggest this as her dentist suggested it to her. And I found that I loved it. It has Fluoride and is alcohol free, which means that it doesn't have that harsh burn that many mouthwashes do. Now I know that I have some of you wondering why I use the 3D White Toothpaste but I don't use the 3D White Mouthwash. The answer is very simple...the price. I simply cannot afford the 3D White Mouthwash as I admit I am kinda frugal with my money and I don't feel that I need to spend $7-$8 on mouthwash. This mouthwash works wonderfully and has 6 benefits to using this. The benefits are: rebuilds teeth enamel, helps prevent cavities, cleans teeth and gums, kills bad breath germs, freshens breath and no burn of alcohol. I purchase this product at Target as well and it costs me about $3-$4, it depends on if there is a sale or if I have a coupon for it.

Now this product, oh this wonderful product. This I got for free from Influenster in the SweetHeart VoxBox and I literally want to hug not only Influenster but also Olay themselves. This product started out as just a morning routine product but it quickly worked its way into my night routine as well. My skin is very sensitive that I thought I would have negative effects from introducing this product to my routine but I am happy to say that my skin absolutely LOVES this product. I literally have not felt my face feel this smooth, clean and so oil-free since I was a child. I get so many compliments about how my skin looks now from my family all the time now. They tell me that my skin now has such a healthy glow to it that it just brightens their day. The cleanser itself can be used alone but I use it with the power brush. The brush itself is triangle which works wonders for using around the nose area and the T-zone. As I said, I use this every morning and night now, especially now since I live in the south and its starting to get a lot warmer during the day. I place the cleanser, which I use the Shine Shine Go Away Cleanser, directly onto the brush after I wet both the brush and my face thoroughly. Oh I should mention that I use luke-warm water so that my pores become open for a much deeper cleanse. I then turn on the brush, as it does vibrate which helps to cleanse then skin on an even deeper level. I start first by working the cleanser into my T-zone and then working in circular motions I work it all over my face. I keep doing this for about 5-10 minutes. I literally love doing this part of my routine and one day I found that I had been doing it for about 20 minutes it felt so good. It really is one of the best products that I have used in a long time and I am happy to say that I will be continuing using this product in the long run. I did not have to purchase the cleansing power brush but I did do a bit of research on where it can be found. And since the brush itself comes with a 20 mL tube of this cleanser, which I used up so I had to go out and purchase a full sized one. I found this system at Target for the best price. The whole system, which is the brush and the 20 mL tube of the cleanser, keep in mind that they make different cleansers as well as a BB Cream, will cost about $13, which is not bad at all. The full size of the cleanser, which is 150 mL; which is a lot of product costs about $6. Which compared to other facial cleansers is not bad at all. I highly recommend this product and I give many kudos to Olay for coming out with this product. I just have one thing to ask of Olay. Can you guys come out with a travel-sized tube of the cleanser? Basically the one that comes with the whole system but is sold by itself. That would be totally awesome cause that way, instead of taking the full cleanser on trips and vacations; one can take the travel-sized one. And if they already have a travel-sized one, then please can someone let me know where I can find it! Thanks! Also as a side-note, I think that the whole cleansing system would make a great gift for any occasion, whether it be Christmas, Birthdays, etc. For example, my sister is graduating high school next month and I'm going to get her the cleansing system to take with her when she goes to college to live in the dorms. So I mean they really do make great gifts.

The next product that I use, but I should mention that I use this before I do the Olay Fresh Effects is the Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes from Simple. I love Simple products and these facial wipes are by far my favorite. I use these nightly after a long day and they are just a way to just let my skin relax and cool down after a stressful day. The wipes themselves are not rough at all but are very smooth and soft to the touch. Another reason why I love Simple products is that there is no chemical smell to them at all, which my skin is so sensitive that it hates anything with harsh chemicals in it. ((Not the Olay Fresh Effects System though. My skin LOVES it)) I just wipe my face down with this before I use my Olay Fresh Effects System for a deeper clean. I get this product from Target or Wal-Mart, depending on which one I find it at first as they tend to get sold out quickly. The price for this runs about $4-$5 which is not bad as you get 25 wipes. And since I use mine once a day, mine lasts me about a month.

 The next products I use are all by Simple, cause as I said my skin is very sensitive and these work really well for me. I use the Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll On every morning and night, in order to treat my dark under eyes. Yes, I am cursed with the same dark under eyes that many of us women suffer from. I must say though, that this product has helped my lighten them up over the past few months that I have been using it. I am very satisfied with this product and while it does cost around $10 at Wal-Mart and Target it is well worth the price to me. Cause you don't need to use a lot of product in order for it to work for you. Next in the Simple line that I use is the Vital Vitamin Day Cream SPF 15. Now this product runs about $10 at Wal-Mart and Target as well but let me tell you a little of this goes a long way. I don't use that much at all when I use it in the mornings. I literally just quickly dab my finger on the top of the cream and that is all the product I need. It covers my entire face and my neck perfectly and smoothly. It does not make my face feel oily or make it shiny at all. I also use the Simple Vital Vitamin Night Cream as well before I go to bed. Now this is the exact same price as the day cream and it goes a long way as well. It really doesn't take much at all for it to get the job done and I know for a fact that my skin is loving this just as much as the Fresh Effects. I should mention that I use both creams after I have used the Fresh Effects cause my pores are still open so it allows the product to work better.

And the last two products that I use are from LUSH. They are the Sweet Lips Lip Scrub and the None of Your Beeswax Vegan Lip Balm. Now I have never tried LUSH products until last December when I was in New Orleans for a few days. This is mostly due to the fact that the LUSH I went to was literally the closest one to me. But I am so glad that I found these products. The Sweet Lips Lip Scrub is just amazing and tastes like chocolate. It helps gets rid of my chapped lips, so I use this every morning and night. Now I will admit that the price itself is a bit pricey, $10. Which I must admit almost put me off of this product cause it is such a small container but it really is worth it. The product itself lasts about a year and since I use it twice a day I am pretty sure that I can use this product in a year. Now onto the None of Your Beeswax Vegan Lip Balm. Now they do have different flavors and some that are tinted as well but I preferred this one myself as it seemed to be the most moisturizing for my lips. The cost of this product is about $8, again a bit pricey but totally worth it. As again with this product, it does last a year so you don't have to repurchase it as much. But if you use it more often than I do, which is only 2x a day you might need to repurchase it more often.

Well that's it for this blog. I hope you all enjoyed reading about my morning/night routine. I am happy to announce that I will be posting another blog within the next week or so about The Taste Specialty VoxBox that I was lucky enough to receive from Influenster. So be on the lookout for that! And thank you Influenster!