Influenster Relaunch

Influenster is relaunching! If you are not familiar with Influenster it is a site that sends out sample boxes called Vox Boxes for people that are the most influential regarding that specific topic. You can unlock badges, write product reviews and earn free products. I can't really say much more because I  haven't yet been selected for a Vox Box but I hope my lucky day is coming soon. You can also like Influenster on facebook.com to receive more info about upcoming boxes and Influenster. They state that they use your social influence and reward you with prizes.

Little Black Bag Review

Through blog land I learned about a social shopping site called Little Black Bag - it is really a fun concept. For a subscription it is $49.95 per month for a subscription that you can cancel at anytime or $59.95 per month for a one time bag. I opted for the $49.95 option since I can cancel or skip a bag anytime I want. How it works is you choose one item, any item you want on the site! There are new items added every Monday and Thursday and you choose the 1st item and Little Black Bag stylists choose the other 2-3 items. For my 1st bag I was a little confused but I selected a purse worth $65 and they added two extra items in my bag. I traded one of the jewelry pieces for an iPhone case and selected ship my bag. Don't do that! For my second bag I selected a clutch and caught on that the trade is part of the fun. The starting bag:

The dry shampoo is a bonus item and one that everyone seems to want! I even had someone offer an iPhone cover for it. I didn't take it because I am getting an iPhone cover in my first Little Black Bag. I really need a good dry shampoo and am anxious to try it. I did trade the necklace and the bracelet for a variety of different items. My finished bag looks like this:

I have since gotten much better at trading in order to obtain larger bags. The true key is to not get too attached to any one thing that you ever have in your bag. If you decide to try it out and you use my LBB link I'd greatly appreciate it. Little Black Bag rewards you with a free item that is $25ish in value for all referrals.

Lush Haul & Review Body Shop Tea Tree Mask

I grabbed a few things that I have been seeing other bloggers talk about (and love) from Lush. I picked up 2 shampoo bars and the serum. I got the Jumping-Juniper solid shampoo and I chose this over the Seanik solely because of the smell. Both of these bars are for oily hair. I read the reviews and many people say that they suck the moisture right out of your hair. If you use either of these, I'd recommend only using it on your roots and every other day. I really like the bar especially because it works wonders when my scalp is oily. I have been alternating with a moisturizing bar Trichomania which has a nice coconut scent. I also grabbed the Full of Grace serum - please do not leave this anywhere when it is hot. Mine melted so much that I had to freeze it just to get it to resemble a solid. The salesgirl told me that the serum helped when used under a mask. I tried it and honestly, it seemed to allow the Tea Tree Face Mask from The Body Shop to open my pores more than usual. Have you tried any Lush products? What do you think of the products you have tried? I'm not a total convert just yet.


**All items were purchased by me, for me. No payment was received for this review.**

Lip Gloss War - Smashbox vs. Maybelline

Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss is nice, a little sticky which I normally hate but this is tolerable and the price is okay for a Smashbox product. The first time I used it I thought it was going to be trashed because my lips were so dry after the 1st use. I picked it up again a few weeks later and haven't had the same issue so that is nice. The tube is also a more compact size compared to drugstore brands. I actually like this because I tend to keep my lip products in the cell phone pocket of my handbag.

Maybelline Color Sensational Gloss is one I picked up on clearance at my local store for $2.57 solely based on the color and the price. To be honest I didn't expect much but for the low price it was worth a shot. This gloss is not sticky at all, comes in very nice colors and to be honest my only complaint is that the tube is too large to keep in the cell phone pocket.

The winner:  Maybelline Color Sensational Gloss based on price and formula. I will buy the Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss again in the future if the price of the Maybelline Color Sensational Gloss is not discounted so heavily.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Review

I have to say that the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer is an amazing product. I normally don't care much for the feel of a primer on my skin although I know that it is a 'miracle' product. This primer has a subtle tint to it that makes my face look great. I use a little bit on my eye lids and my eye makeup actually lasts all day. This product is wonderful and I highly recommend it.

Rating 8/10 (2 pts off only for the price but it is worth it, I'm just frugal)

Julep Maven

I read a great review over at The Diniwilks about the Julep Maven monthly box. With the code COLOR2012 I was able to order it for a penny. I figured it was worth a try for that price. I can't wait to get the box and see what is inside. The profile that was selected for me based on the quiz was Boho but I opted for the Classic With a Twist since I am a working girl that needs to be professional. Stay tuned for a full review when the box arrives. If you decide to join I'd love it if you'd use this link http://www.julep.com/?r=13526630 for every 2 people that join I'll receive a free month. Thanks!

The Best

Am I the only person that finds it annoying that people call a recipe “the best ___________” ? When there are closer to 7 billion than 6 billion people in the world. Calling a recipe the best sets it up to be one of the worst. If a recipe is truly that amazing a normal name will suffice, in my opinion it may be the best to me and utter trash to you. With the amount of people in the world there is no way for any one recipe  to be the best. The amount of people that do not like brussel sprouts vs. the amount that do is surely an example that it should not have the name “the best hamburger, salad, potatoes, etc.”