Biore + Baking Soda = Fresh!

So I recently received a package from the lovely people over at Influenster to try out (free of charge) two new baking soda products from Biore. I've tried several of Biores products over the years and have always enjoyed them so I was pretty excited about it!

The first product was the Baking Soda Cleansing Scrub. This is a loose powder so you add water to activate it, the more water the softer the product becomes so you can customize the level of gentleness you prefer in a scrub. Heck you can make it so that it doesn't really do much exfoliating if you wanted to. I opted for a mid-ground adding enough water to soften the product but not enough to make it a liquid entirely. I have sensitive skin so I try not to use anything too abrasive on it. Not first things first this felt like a beautiful little cloud on my face. It was sooooo soft and foamy! I started to feel a light tingly sensation which was lovely. I was in heaven! Until it got near my eyes. Now to be fair it says very clearly on the package to avoid contact with eyes but lots of things say that. This one is serious. I didn't get it IN my eye, only near it and it started to feel unpleasant. I also started feeling a bit of a burning sensation near my nostrils. Keep away from your facial orifices! I've tried it several times since, avoiding these sensitive areas and had nothing but a pleasant experience so just be careful and you'll be fine! I DID find that this product was a bit messy (loose powder and all) but I can look past that :)

Second was the Baking Soda Pore Cleanser. I will start by saying that I was put off this product right away because it has... dun dun dun... microbeads. I try to be an environmentalist when I can and so I avoid anything containing these little monsters so I would not have picked this product up off the shelf had I been looking for a new cleanser. That being said, and ignoring the existence of the beads it really is quite a nice cleanser. The beads act as an exfoliant but are still gentle and the cleanser left my face feeling clean and fresh. Again this product warned to avoid contact with eyes but I found that it was much less harsh than the Cleansing Scrub.

So... final thoughts? I'm not sure on I would have picked up either of these products had I seen them on the shelf at the store but I'm glad I got a chance to try them. The Cleansing Scrub at least is something I would buy again despite the mess (like I said it's a little bit of heaven) but I'd still steer clear of the Pore Cleanser if only because of the microbeads.

Thanks Influenster Canada and Biore for giving me the opportunity to try these out!
I have such a blast trying new products!

May 2014 Beauty Box 5 Unboxing Fun!

Yesterday I received my very first Beauty Box 5 subscription in the mail! I've tried a few subscription services before (check out this previous post on subscription services) but I think this is my favorite.

My May 2014 Beauty Box 5

SO as I said this is my first Beauty Box 5 and I was very excited to try it. It is very reasonable priced starting at only $12 a month with free shipping! Boasting 5 beauty product samples per month I thought how can you go wrong. I had seen a bunch of unboxing videos on YouTube and they all seemed pretty good so I went for it! And I was NOT let down! The Official May 2014 box contained five items (TWO full sized products) and mine contained a sixth mysterious full sized product that was not included on the content card... it's actually my favorite item in the box so thank you to whatever magical makeup fairy decided to throw it in for me!

So the contents of my box were as follows:

1. Ban Total Refresh Cooling Body Cloths. Three individual packets. Stay calm and cool! Break out these cloth wipes after the gym, during a long day at work, or before a hot date to ensure you smell fresh and feel smooth! Just unfold and give yourself a quick rub down! These are deodorizing wipes! I tried one out after my morning run and it feels very nice on your skin. Gives a cooling sensation and I definitely felt fresher after using it! The only downside was the smell... kind of a baby powder scent... though I have heard that they come in different scents so definitely worth looking in to. These would be perfect for slipping in your gym bag or your purse for those occasions you just don't have time to run home. Also perfect for road trips! Sitting in a car all day long... can leave you feeling not so fresh. Retail: $2.97 for 10 cloths

2. Harvey Prince Hello perfume sample. This pretty floral is the perfect way to transition from spring to summer! A smile in a bottle, each spritz boasts refreshing notes of mandarin, grapefruit, forsythia and plumeria for a sunny and subtle signature. I would say it's more citrus than floral but a nice scent. When I first put it on I felt it was a bit strong but after an hour or so I was loving the scent. Great for that lovely warm summer weather that's coming... soon... Retail: $55 for 5.7 oz

3. H20 Plus Aqualibrium Marine Cleansing Gel. Put your best face forward! Made with sea salt and energizing amrine botanicals, this oil-free cleans and gently exfoliates while protecting your pretty cheeks from free radicals and environmental damage. It claimes to "foam away impurities" but I didn't experience any foaming action. My face felt squeaky clean afterwards but to be honest I didn't find it to be anything special. Retail: $18 for 120 ml

4. CATTIVA Precisione Eye Liner. Waterproof in Black. Can't live without liner? Waterproof and retractable this pencil is a must have for minimalists and smokey eye queens, delivering smooth, smudge resistant lines. And it's paraben free! The first of the full sized products! I found this liner VERY easy to apply Silky smooth and very dark. Perfect really. Easy to make a nice cat eye effect. I DID find that it could be smudged right after application but if you give it a minute to set it seems to be quite sturdy! Retail: $20

5. MaskerAide Hydrating Facial Sheet Mask. Perfect for a quick lunch-time facial, these hydrating sheet masks are paraben free, vegan friendly and aren't messy at all. Bonus: they're also 100% biodegradable, making them great for your face AND the planet. The second full sized product! Unfortunately I'm not a huge fan of full face masks... I have a hard time getting them to sit properly on my small face as they end up having a lot of extra material which sits awkwardly.Don't get me wrong they DO work. I've tried these kinds of masks from Biore before and my face felt great afterwards but for me it's not worth the hassle. If I'm going to walk around the house looking like a horror show for 15 minuted I'd rather use my favorite clay mask! I DID like the effects of this mask. It smelled amazing, kind of like spices... the oregano and thyme variety... weird I know but I liked it! The mask WAS way to big for my face so the excess material didn't sit nicely it started to make my skin itch after about 10 minutes so I had to remove it.Would not try again. Retail: $5.99 per mask

6. My mystery item! BellaPierre Cosmetics Pigment Pot Eyeshadow in Celebration. A Full sized product! This was by far my favorite item in the box and I'm not sure why I received it but thank you to whoever threw it in! It's a beautiful shimmery rose gold color that will be absolutely perfect for achieving a glowing summer look!I believe it will pair very nicely with the eyeliner ;) Retail: Approximately $15

Here's a swatch of the BellaPierre eyeshadow. So pretty!

Here's the CATTIVA eye liner and BellaPierre eyeshadow working together like a dynamic duo!

So as you can probably tell I was very impressed with my first box and will definitely be continuing my subscription! I mean the eye liner alone covers the entire cost of the box so everything else is just bonus awesomeness!

If you'd like to check it out I filmed my unboxing and posted it to YouTube for your viewing pleasure. Check it out!

Right now Beauty Box 5 has a code for your first box ABSOLUTELY FREE!
Just use code FREEBOX6 when you checkout and you're on your way! No charge, no shipping! Just a really great way to try out something new. So what are you waiting for? Get over there and see for yourself :)

Have you subscribed to beauty Box 5? If so how long have you been subscribing? Have you ever been unsatisfied? I'd love to hear from you guys so comment below and let me know!

Have a great day!

Subscription Services:The Low Down

If you've been around the internet any time in the last few years you've probably come across the term subscription service. There are a wide variety of subscription services including beauty products, foods, crafts, handmade artisanal items, clothing, jewelry and intimates. The common ground is that they're usually sent out on a monthly (or quarterly) basis and they're usually mystery items. If you're anything like me a mystery box full of almost anything is hard to resist... I have a problem. I got into this attraction to the unknown when Modcloth started doing grab bags. If you've never heard of them Modcloth is an online clothing site that sells tons of cute cute clothing and accessories, a lot of it vintage inspired which I love. Every now and then they hold an event called Stylish Surprise where you can pay a discounted price ($10-15 for an apparel item, $10-15 for a pair of shoes, $5 for an accessory) and get a mystery item ranging in value from $20 to over $200! Can't pass that up. I've gotten some duds (obviously left overs from things no one could possibly want) but I've got some beautiful items too! Anywho I digress... I love a good mystery.

So for a taste of what's available out there here are a few options:

For the child try out Kiwi Crate ($19.95), Little Passports ($11.95) and Nerblock Jr. ($13.99) which comes in a Boys theme and Girls theme

For the geek or gamer try out LootCrate ($29.95) or NerdBlock ($28) 

For the crafty person try out WhimseyBox ($15), 

For the foodie try Plated ($60)

For the Eco or Fair Trade Conscious person try out ConsciousBox ($19.95), NatureBox ($19.99) and Fair Treasure ($35)

For the manly man try out Trunk Club ($40), Birchbox Man ($20) and DollarShaveClub ($3)

For the Fashionista try out Wantable's Accessory ($36) or Intimate box ($36), StitchFix ($20)

For the makeup junkie try Birchbox ($10), Wantable's makeup box ($36), Glossybox ($21), Beauty Box 5 ($12) or Julep Maven ($19.99)

For the pet lover try BarkBox ($29)

*please note that not all subscriptions are available in all areas and shipping costs may differ in different countries!

I've had a go at a few different subscription services over the years so I thought I'd give you my two cents. I've tried Julep, which is a nail polish/makeup subscription service. You can get a subscription on a monthly basis ($24.99 per month) or for a three month period which works out to be a bit cheaper ($19.99 per month) with free shipping. The box boasts a $40 value in each months offering. When you enter the site you can take a quiz that will assign you a style profile containing polish colors/makeup you would probably like. There's Classic With a Twist, It Girl, Boho Glam, Bombshell and Modern Beauty, each offering a different combination of polishes and/or makeup. You're never confined to stay with your original profile and can switch things up on a month to month basis based on what you like best! And unlike a lot of other subscription services you know exactly what you're getting each month if you just check the website. Every month the contents of the different style profiles are posted and you have the option to change your mind about what you'd prefer to get which pretty handy.

Style profiles available through the Julep Maven subscription service.

I tried out the It Girl Box and received three polishes: Blake, Claire and Morgan. Blake is a lovely pastel yellow and I loved it at first site. Unfortunately my skin tone didn't feel the same way... I felt it looked very odd on me... almost sickly... so this was a no go right off the bat. Claire is a beautiful sky blue and I adore it to this day. It's one of my only blue polishes and I love it. My favorite out of the box however was Morgan. Purple is by far my favorite color when it comes to pretty much anything (I even had purple hair at one point) so I was most excited about it. I used it a couple times and then it started to become... sludgy... I hadn't left the bottle open or closed it improperly... didn't leave it out in the sun... I stored it as I had all of my other polishes but this one alone turned strange. Extremely disappointed.

Julep colors Blake, Claire and Morgan

It's a neat system but I just found that I didn't really NEED that many polishes. It's also a bit expensive in my opinion. On the bright side you can cancel your subscription any time and you will no longer be charged. If you've purchased a three month subscription however (payment is required up front) you will still receive the remaining boxes in your subscription. Julep's website also has a store where you can purchase any of their lovely products individually or as an add-on to your monthly subscription! Good stuff!

I subscribed to Glossybox for a few months but I found that I ended up getting a lot of similar stuff and again it was a bit pricey. You can subscribe to Glossybox for a one, three, six or twelve month stints starting at $21 per month and free shipping. It comes in a lovely pink box which is really high quality and great for storage once you're done opening. The box provides you with five mystery beauty products every month ranging from makeup, to nail polish, fragrance samples and skin care products. From what I understand Canada and the USA receive different boxes or at least they did when I was subscribed. In my first box I received: Sebastian Trilliance Shampoo and Conditioner (sample size - this was very nice but retailed for about $15/bottle!), Jouviance Rejuvenating Anti-Aging Cream (sample size - nice but sample was too small to see any significant changes), a Zoya nail polish (full size - color was so sheer even three coats was not enough), a ModelCo Lip Duo in Dusk (full size - very nice product though the brownish color was not flattering on me) and a GiletteVenus razor (full size). So three full size products is not bad at all but I didn't really like two of them and the razor... well I always feel odd about getting these in a subscription box because I'd prefer items I haven't tried and a Gilette razor? I think we've all had them. And Glossybox tended to throw one of these drugstore items in with most of the boxes I got... I think the next one contained a Curel hand cream, which was very nice don't get me wrong but you can buy that anywhere.

Previous Glossybox subscription contents.

Overall it IS a good value for what you pay. I just found that I ended up getting a lot of similar products and people who had been subscribed for a longer amount of time said there had been quite a few repeat products so I decided it wasn't for me.

Finally, and a little off track from the others, I tried Loot Crate which is a nerdy/gamer subscription that sends you geeky items in a box every month. You can subscribe to Loot Crate in one, three or six month plans starting at $29.95 per month in Canada (much less expensive in the states).There's a theme every month so you have an IDEA about what you're getting but honestly I was never really satisfied with it. There was usually only one item I was really excited about and I could have gone out and bought that one item for much cheaper than ordering the subscription box. That being said I did end up giving most of the other stuff to friends and family so it's great for collecting stocking stuffer materials for fellow nerds :)  

My first box was themed EQUIP. It came with a digitial subscription to Pure Nintendo Magazine which I never used, an Space Invaders bow tie (which I turned into an amazing hair bow), a towel printed with "Don't Panic and Remember Your Towel (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), some Super Mario themed candy (which came in a cute coin box) and some stickers. Now I LOVED the bow tie and I wear it all the time but everything else? Meh.

My second box was themed MASHUP. It came with a Deadpool/KoolAid Man mashup tee (Deadpool Aid) which was pretty cool, a stylus/pen, a pair of 8-Bit sunglasses, some random candy and some stickers. I liked the shirt and the glasses though they were not necessarily things I would have bought given the option. One awesome thing about LootCrate is that when you sign up they ask you for your shirt size so you actually get a shirt that fits when they include one in a box! Props for that :)

As you can see it's the most expensive box I've tried by far and in the end it wasn't worth it to me for the possibility of one cool item... plus there were always a ton of stickers and decals that I never used... oh well.

Some of the contents of previous Loot Crate boxes.

In the end my advice is that if you see a subscription service you think you might like give it a try! They're generally not that expensive and you can buy one month at a time to try it out. If you don't like what you get not too much damage done and hopefully there was something in there someone you know might like so it doesn't go to waste! Most subscription services offer deals for first time subscribers for a discounted (or in some cases free!) box. So just take a look around!

So what subscriptions have you tried? Were they worth your while or a fizzle?? If you have anything to share please comment below! I'd love to hear from you!

Get your first Julep Box for FREE using code FREEBOX at checkout!

Get your first Beauty Box 5 subscription FREE using code FREEBOX6 at checkout!

Save $3 off a new subscription to LootCrate with Code JuneLoot (or check out their facebook page, they always have a discount code going on)

Save 50% on your first natureBox with code ADDICTION

Venturing into the Influenster Community

I first heard about Influenster through Savealoonie, a Canadian coupon and giveaway site. People had been commenting about how fun the community was and the great opportunities for trying new products so I decided to sign up. I've been a part of community since February 2014. I've submitted tons of reviews and answered tons of questions, even got some great advice for choosing my next undereye concealer! It's a great place for sharing your opinions and learning about what others think of products you want to try out. They cover a wide range of products from beauty to entertainment, food and outdoors and exercise equipment! I had slowly raised my influenster score (based on your participation in the community and your influence points - what social media you connect to and how large your following is) and was waiting with bated breath for my first invitation to participate in the all powerful VoxBox. A box of products sent to a number of community members in order to try and review an assortment of products.

I finally got my very first invitation! I received an email containing a preliminary survey which I completed and a week later I found that I was selected to get a VoxBox! I had qualified for the ImPress Canadian VoxBox which contained two sets of Broadway ImPress press on nails! I received a lovely bright pink set and a nude colored set overlayed with a black lace pattern, very pretty.

I received the colors Holla! (D030) and Control Freak (130) in my ImPress Manicure Canadian VoxBox from Influenster

I really loved the lace patterned nails so I decided to give them first go. The packaging is super cute. There are 24 nails in 12 different sizes available to fir a variety of nails and they come in an adorable resealable container in the shape of a nail polish bottle. You first set out which size nails best fit you then clean your nail surface using the provided prep pad. Apply each nail by first removing the protective layer then aligning the bottom with your cuticle and pressing firmly for several seconds to allow the adhesive to set. It recommends leaving your thumbs for last and I wholeheartedly encourage you to follow this as I forgot, which made applying the nails to my second hand a bit difficult. That's what instructions are for right??

The nails come in an adorable reusable container. How cute is this??

I laid out all of my nails in order before prepping. Make things as easy as possible!

The whole process took me about 5 minutes and the end result was very impressive! It looked great! The only issue I had was that the nails were a bit long for my liking. I use my hand a lot during the day and I found it a bit more difficult to type on my laptop with the nails at their original length. The instructions don't include any tips for shortening the nails once they are applied but I DID  find a tutorial on YouTube from Broadway Nails explaining the process! Super helpful!

So overall I'd have to give this manicure kit an B (downgraded from an A). It's far less expensive than getting a professional manicure and it's going to last a lot longer than if I had just painted my nails. It's a rare day when I don't ruin my nails the day or day after I paint them. Plus I would never be able to give myself such a beautiful print using paint. I'm not going to lie. I'm not a talented nail artist. This product is for those of us that love nail art but haven't really mastered it. I definitely recommend this and I'll definitely be trying it again! I'm going to be keeping my eyes peeled to see what other patterns I can find at my local drug store :)

Final results. I love the pattern! I really hope they last a long time or I'll have to go out and buy more ;)

So what do you think? Have you tried these nails out for yourself? Or do you think you might like to? Have you tried any other press on nails? I'd love to know so leave me a comment below! 

UPDATE! Not 24 hours from the initial application I had a shower and shortly after lost two of the nails. A little disappointed. As this was my first time perhaps I didn't properly set them or left a gap near the cuticle in which water could leak it's way between the press-on and my nail. One upside of this kit is that it comes with 24 nails which means if you're lucky there might be an extra or two in there that will still fit if a nail or two happens to come off. In fact it's pretty easy to trim the nails with a sharp pair of scissors if there's a set that's too wide for a particular nail. I've reapplied two new nails where I lost the originals and all is well! Still a bit disappointed in the staying power considering they are advertised as lasting "up to a week" but we'll see.

*please note that I received this product free of charge from Broadway Nails and Influenster. I am not being reimbursed for providing this review, I only share my opinion so that you might be better informed! Thanks for reading!

Hello and Welcome!

Hello and Welcome!

I've been thinking about starting a blog for quite a while now... but there were so many think to think about. What do I want to write about? I have so many interests! I didn't think I could make a blog interesting enough based on only one of them... but I didn't think anyone would be interested in a blog that's all over the place either. Where do I start? I don't really know much about this kind of thing other than the daily research of reading my favorite blogs... And I certainly have not had an easy time figuring out all of this website formatting business. I'm tech savvy but you don't have to deal with this stuff on a day to day basis!

Then I though, well you're not doing this for anyone else in particular so... who cares if people are bored when you obsess over one thing. Who cares if not everyone likes everything you have to talk about. Are there a lot of people out there that are in to vintage fashion AND RPGs? To be honest I have no idea. But if they're out there I want to find them because that's who I AM and finding like minded people is what this is all about. I'm slowly learning the ins and out of this thing so hang on with me as I hone my skills.

This isn't going to be an organized kind of business to start with but I hope as I keep at it I'll learn a trick or two and things will start to fall into place. If you're interested in fashion or cooking or crafting or video games or geeky shows (Game of Thrones, Dr. WHO, Sherlock) then stick around! There might no always be something new that interests you but then again maybe you'll discover something new :)

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this and I hope you'll join me on my new adventure.

Cheers!

Nola Smiles