Sugar 'n Spice Vox Box Review

                                         

Hi everybody! I know I'm a little late on this review but better late than never right!! I received the Sugar 'n Spice Vox Box from Influenster for free. Influenster is a free program where you occasionally get products to test and review if they find that you qualify for the box. It is well worth looking into if you like to try and test out new products. 

Now onto the review...

Nectresse: Natural no Calorie Sweetener

I normally only use sweetener for coffee. So I do apologize that this review wont entail using this sweetener as a sugar substitute in baking. I don't really use any sugar substitute in my baked goods, for that there is nothing like the real thing. I mainly used this sweetener in my iced coffee. I am very familiar with the Splenda brand and product as that is the artificial sweetener that I normally use in my coffee. First and foremost, let me just say that I normally use 2 splenda in my coffee, that is usually enough to sweeten it up. However, when using the Nectresse, I found that even with 2 packets it did not sweeten as well as regular Splenda. In fact, I believe that the reason that was, was because it just did not dissolve as well into the coffee and a lot of it sunk to the bottom of the cup. On the plus side though, it did not have too much of an aftertaste, but I still probably would not go out of my way for this product, as I love the regular Splenda for my daily coffee. It is a nice substitute if you are looking for a more natural alternative to Splenda or other sweeteners. 

Pros:

• 100% natural, made from the Monk Fruit
• Widely available at local Supermarkest & BJs
• Zero Calories

Cons:

• Does not dissolve well into cold beverages, sinks to the bottom of the cup
• Not a great taste

BelVita Breakfast Biscuits: Cinnamon Brown Sugar

First off, let me just say that I really enjoyed the BelVita Biscuits. This particular flavor that I was sent tasted like a toasted waffle with maple syrup and a hint of cinnamon. It was very light and pleasant. The biscuits are thin, so they are easy to bite into. They are not too sweet. They make a nice on the go breakfast. In each packet, there are 4 biscuits which was surprising, as I was only expecting 2. They were also surprisingly filling. I would really recommend these for those that are looking for a convenient, on the go, breakfast substitute. 

Pros:

• Filling
• Tasty
• Great breakfast substitute
• Nice Crisp Crunch
• Widely Available at your local Supermarket.
• Variety of Flavors: Golden Oat, Blueberry, Apple Cinnamon, Cinnamon Brown Sugar, Chocolate

Cons:

• I got nothing

Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes

I have really been making good use out of these Oil Controlling Towelettes. I have used them for the most part as a facial toner substitute when I travel. This product really works wonders on improving the look and feel of my skin. It is effective at picking up whatever leftover traces of makeup or oil I have on my face after washing, and leaves the skin feeling refreshed and clean. The only aspect of this product that I did not like is the strong medicinal smell, which is the witch-hazel. But, that is a small price to pay for a surprisingly great product. 

Pros:

• Great for travel
• Cleanses face well
• Removes excess dirt and oil without drying skin
• Improves the appearance of skin
• Price: $5.74 for a box of 20 towelettes. (Prices may vary)

Cons:

• I have currently only seen this at my local Rite-Aid, but I am sure you can find this brand at mass retailers, such as Target & Walmart.
• I personally cannot take the strong Witch Hazel smell.

Colgate Optic White Toothpaste & Mouthwash

I have been using the mouthwash in combination with the toothpaste for a week and have seen great results. These products together are very effective. My only complaint is the taste of the mouthwash, it's not your traditional mint flavor, and like other whitening mouth washes it leaves some residual in your mouth. In addition, I should mention that in the box I also received the Colgate 360 Optic White Toothbrush. However, I did not review this product because I use a Sonicare toothbrush. 

Pros:

• Effective
• Saw results in only 1 week of using both the mouthwash & toothpaste combined.

Cons:

• I did not like the flavor of the mouthwash

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer: Total Moisture

This moisturizer is an interesting concept. It provides for a continuous spray, not to mention it's on the cool side when you spray it on your skin, which provides a great wake up early in the morning. The spray does deliver a nice amount of moisturizer to your skin but it is difficult to use it on other portions of your body, like your back, etc. For those areas, you have to spray it in your hands and apply it like a regular moisturizer. So, it's not as convenient as they market it. In addition, I didn't find the formula to be out of this world moisturizing, but it does provide a good enough level of moisture to last the day. Otherwise the product concept is fun, and makes moisturizing a little more interesting than than usual.

Pros:

• Provides continuous spray
• Moisturizing
• Cool & Refreshing to the skin
• Light Scent

Cons:

• Not good for moisturizing your back and other hard to spray areas

Overall, I enjoyed everything sent to me in this Sugar n' Spice Vox box, thank you Influenster!

Stay Beautiful!!

Love,

Helen

Sony Bluetooth Wireless Mobile Speaker System - Influenster

First off, let me just say, Thank you Influenster & Sony for sending me this adorable little speaker for me to test out and review!! I am extremely grateful! Just in case you all don't know, Influenster is free to sign up and after completing some surveys and writing some reviews, you can qualify for different vox boxes. Not everyone will qualify for the same box, but if you are a good fit for the box they have, you will be notified. It really is a great program, and you have nothing to lose by signing up. If you like to test and try new products, then this is the place for you.

Now on to the review...

Accessories - USB Cable & Carrying Bag

I received this speaker for free from Influenster for me to test out and review. Let's begin with the simple fact that this speaker is just down right adorable. It is the size of a tennis ball and fits nicely in the palm of your hand. It has a little weight to it, and a rubber/silicone ring on the bottom that provides good grip on many surfaces, so you don't have to worry about it tipping over or rolling around on a breezy day.  It comes with a USB cable for charging, and a little carrying bag (super convenient!!).

Front

Back

I must admit that I am not a fan of charging items from my laptop, so a simple solution is that if you have an iPhone/iPod just use the plug for charging your speaker. Also, even if you don't have an iPhone/iPod you can just buy a plug with a USB slot (the technical term escapes me at the moment, but you get the idea!).

Right Side - Mircophone & Speaker Phone Control

Left Side - Volume Controls

The battery lasts for about 3 hours of straight usage, which isn't bad at all. In addition, this speaker can be used as a speaker phone for iPhone or other smartphones. The microphone is fairly clear and you don't have to be standing on top of it for the other person on the other end to hear you clearly. I must admit though that I have used this with an iPad during FaceTime and it did not go very well, the person on the other end found that the microphone & sound quality was not very good and that the iPad microphone and speaker was better.  I don't know why the speaker had better quality on a regular call from an iPhone versus FaceTime on an iPad, but it just did. Just in case any of you were wondering.

The sound quality is good when using it to play music, but on the highest volume setting it does get a little bit distorted, but at the same time does get pretty loud compared to my iPhone speaker.

Top

Bottom

Furthermore, pairing this device with my iPhone was simple. All I had to do was turn on my Bluetooth, and then slide the button, located on the bottom of the speaker, to the far right and hold it for a few seconds for my iPhone to recognize the device and then I just proceeded to connect it and that was it. Easy-Peasy! Now, I do understand that paring this speaker with an NFC enabled device is much easier, but I do not have an NFC device, so I really cannot share any experience with that.

Overall, I was very pleased with this speaker. I do see myself using this more regularly for the speaker phone feature because it's nice to be hands free around the house. But I also see it's benefits for taking it out for an outdoor picnic in the park, or the many outdoor gatherings that many of you will have this summer.

Quick Facts:

• Travel friendly
• Comes with Carrying Case
• Comes with USB cable for charging
• 3+ battery life
• Rechargeable
• Bluetooth & NFC compatible
• Easy to Connect & Use
• Speaker Phone Feature
• Comes in 3 colors: Black, White & Pink
• Price: $69.99

For more information on this product, please visit your local Sony Store or the Sony Website. I hope you found this review helpful!! :)

Stay Beautiful!

Love,

Helen

Adventures in Lush - Episode 1: Northern Lights Soap

At the end of 2012 I finally decided to dive into LUSH. I know many people who have tried and loved this brand and so I decided I wanted to get in on the fun. I picked up a variety of products from their After Christmas sale which I will be reviewing through out the rest of the year (yeah...all I can say is, Thank Goodness for Christmas Money!!). I decided to call my Lush review series "Adventures in Lush" and review each product separately as I use them.

The first product I tried was the Northern Lights soap, which was a Lush Holiday Soap, so we'll see if they bring it back next year. Here's what Lush had to say about it: (from the Lush Times) "Did you know that on dark, crisp, cold nights you can see the Northern Lights in your bathroom? Well, only if you've been to LUSH and stocked up on this startlingly refreshing cypress, lime and pine scented neon soap! Your favorite seasonal soap last Christmas, Northern Lights is back again to lather up and soften your skin this winter."

I was so excited to try this soap, not only because it is gorgeous to look at, but because of it's nice fresh pine-forest scent. Upon receiving my block of Northern Lights, I decided to cut my soap into small chunks so I can fit them in the little square Lush Tin. Also, I thought by having them in small chunks I would be able to change up the different soaps that I purchased. What can I say, I like variety in my shower routine.

LUSH - Northern Lights

Northern Lights, has a piney almost Mr. Clean-ish smell to it; which to me was not offensive at all, in fact it was pretty fresh smelling to me. The soap was a little crumbly and the lather was close to non-existent. But it did wash well and rinse well. The scent did not linger on the skin.

Aesthetically and scent wise it is a nice soap, but it's minimal or lack of lather left little to be desired. Would I purchase again? Probably not. I wasn't a fan of the crumbling & lacking of lather.

Pros:

• Lasts a Long Time.
• Scent: Nice Fresh clean - piney scent
• Pretty to look at
• Washes well - Leaves No residue on the skin

Cons:

• Price: $7.95 for 3.5oz - It is pricey, and for what you are getting I did not find that it was worth it, especially since it crumbles which makes it a little more difficult to use up completely
• Crumbles
• Wasteful
• Little to No Lather
• Scent does not linger
• Leaves skin feeling a little tight & dry after shower

TIP: Don't cut this particular soap too thin; otherwise it will crumble faster.

Have any of you tried the Northern Lights soap? Did you have a similar problem?

I hope you all will enjoy this series, and let me know what Lush Products you would recommend or any that you would like me to review!!

Stay Beautiful!!

Love,

Helen

BzzAgent: MorningStar Farms - Original Sausage Patties & Spicy Black Bean Burger

Hi everyone! Sorry for my month long absence from the blog & youtube, but you know how life goes. Today, I'm doing a BzzAgent review on MorningStar Frozen Food tiems. As a BzzAgent I sometimes receive free products or coupons to purchase products to review them. BzzAgent is free to join, and if you like to try new things, sign up!

This particular campaign was for Morning Star Frozen Food items, I received a coupon for a free box, and several other coupons to share with others.  I just thought I should mention, that I am by no means a vegetarian nor do I plan on ever becoming one by choice, but it is nice to know that there are healthier alternatives out there for us meat lovers without too much sacrifice involved.

This has not been my first experience with items like this, I have tried Boca and GardenBurger each which I have my favorites in. They are nice alternatives to heavy meat based burgers and with less of the guilt. I like them for the taste and convenience. I was introduced to them through a vegetarian friend of mine back in college and I found them so yummy, I got them from time to time.

Now, on to the review...

MorningStar Farms: Original Sausage Patties

Here's what MorningStar has to say: (taken from the MorningStar website) Our juicy, bestselling veggie sausage patties are seasoned with a savory breakfast blend of herbs and spices. MorningStar Veggie Breakfast Sausage Patties contain 77% less fat than cooked pork sausage. Cooked pork sausage patties contain 13g total fat per serving (38g). MorningStar Veggie Breakfast Sausage Patties contain 3g total fat per serving (38g).

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical at first, that they had veggie sausage patties. I was really expecting the worst, but I was definitely more than pleasantly surprised.  I cooked these up in a skillet on the stove, and as you cook them they really do smell like sausage without that greasy heavy smell, and it still manages to make your mouth water. These patties are pretty small, smaller than the palm of my hand. For 80 calories that's pretty tiny! This has a mild sausage taste, and it is not heavy. It does have a different consistency than a regular sausage patty, which is to be expected. Also, it can be a little on the dry side, but nothing that is really unpleasant. These patties are nicely seasoned and have a good flavor to them. This is not a bad "vegetarian" alternative to sausage. It doesn't leave you feeling gross and greasy after eating it. I did find that this was on the pricey side at $5.79 for a box of 6 small patties.

How I like them: I ate this sausage patty like I would any other, with a fried egg and a slice of cheddar cheese on whole wheat toast. Of course, I ate 2 patties at one time, which I guess defeated the whole purpose, but OH WELL!! hehehe. I must admit it is a delicious alternative.

Pros:

• Nicely seasoned
• Does taste like the real thing
• Not greasy, like regular sausage
• Vegetarian

Cons:

• Price: $5.79 for a box with 6
• Different texture than regular sausage (but this is to be expected)
• Can be a little dry

MorningStar Farms: Spicy Black Bean Burger

Here's what MorningStar has to say: (taken from the MorningStar website) These bestselling, veggie burgers are made with black beans, roasted corn, brown rice and chili pepper for a little kick. MorningStar Farms Spicy Black Bean Burgers contain 73% less fat than regular ground beef. Regular ground beef contains 15g total fat per serving (67g). MorningStar Farms Spicy Black Bean Burgers contain 4g total fat per seving (67g).

After having such a great experience with the sausage patties, I ventured into the burgers. I went ahead and purchased the Spicy Black Bean Burger. I must admit that in comparison to the sausage, this fell flat for me. The patty is very thin and dry. This does have a nice flavor to it, you do get a bit of spice mixed with some black beans and the sweetness of the corn kernels. I have to admit, although it was tasty, it was far from my favorite of the 2. It is a nice alternative to a heavy greasy burger, but I am not sure I will find myself reaching for these again.

How I like them: I prepared this one in the microwave and put it over whole wheat toast with a slice of cheddar cheese. This is also nice on top of some rice or a salad.

Pros:

• Not that spicy
• Tasty flavorful - has a 'Santa Fe' style flavor to it.

Cons:

• Price: $5.79 for a box with 4 patties
• Different texture than a regular meat patty
• Thin Patty
• Dry

Overall, I thought that these MorningStar items were overpriced for what you are getting. The price is one of the reasons that I will probably not repurchase these. However, I must admit I really did love the flavor of the Sausage Patties, and I may make an exception for these if they ever go on sale at my local grocery. On that note, flavor wise, these are nice, not greasy, and lighter alternatives to the originals. I would say if you are wanting to make the switch, these patties may make the transitions easier, or if you want to have 1 vegetarian day a week, definitely give these a try. 

Let me know if any of you have tried any MorningStar Farms products, and how you liked them?

Stay Beautiful!!

Love,

Helen

Influenster - Palmolive Fresh Infusions Dish Soap

Hey everyone! About 1 month ago I received 3 bottles of Palmolive Fresh Infusions for free for review from Influenster. This is a new launch from Palmolive, and it comes in 3 scents: Ginger White Tea (Peach scent with a hint of sharp ginger), Lime Basil (Sweet candy lime scent), and Lemon Thyme (Lemon Scent, a little like cleaning chemicals).

Top -> Bottom: Lemon Thyme, Lime Basil, Ginger White Tea

Here is what Palmolive has to say about it: (taken from the Walmart website) Just like the best recipes, the freshest scents and elegant simplicity are what inspire people in the kitchen. Taking cues from nature, Palmolive created inviting, naturally inspired fragrance blends and combined them with the sparkling clean you've always trusted from Palmolive dish liquid

• Fresh Infusions
• Naturally Inspired
• Sparkling Clean
• Phosphate Free
• Kosher

When I received this box, I was pretty excited to change up my dish soap routine with these fresh smelling soaps. The scent of these are very light and refreshing. The formula is a little on the watery side for being "concentrated", and I felt like I had to use more of it to get the same cleaning effect as other thicker formulas. With that said, I also noticed that I went through 1 bottle in a little less than a month, which is pretty quick for me.

Pros:

• Fresh Scent
• Phosphate Free
• Effective: picks up greasy well
• Price: $2.69

Cons:

• Formula is a little watery compared to some other dish soap brands
• Have to use more than other dish soap: Since the formula is so thin, I find that the I go through the bottle very quickly, each bottle lasted a little less than a month
• Availability: I have seen them on online websites, but I have yet to see them in stores.

Overall, although this dish soap is affordable, it is not the best I have ever used. I think it's really the thin formula that I find to be the biggest down side, because I just seem to go through it a lot faster than other thicker formula dish soaps. It was nice to switch it up, but I do not think I would have purchased these on my own.

Stay Beautiful!

Love,

Helen

Cuticle Care & Norwegian Formula Hand Cream by Neutrogena (BzzAgent)

Hi everyone! As you all know, I am a BzzAgent, and I received a full size tube of Norwegian Formula Hand Cream by Neutrogena and some samples that I shared with my friends and family. As a BzzAgent, I received these items for free for review.

To be honest, this campaign could not have been better timed. It has been bitterly cold here in NYC, and as a result come dry hands, also it does not help that I very seldom remember to put on my gloves before I leave the house. The result of this cold weather has been some uncomfortably dry hands. So dry, that I'm afraid my skin may crack from the dryness.

For my fellow nail polish addicts out there it is a well known fact that, after applying and removing nail polish,  sometimes your poor cuticles may suffer from it. This is where moisturizing comes in handy. Keeping your cuticles moisturized is key to keeping them looking healthy and in the winter months, to keep from cracking and bleeding on you if they get too dry. This is where hand cream comes into play. Today, specifically, I'm going to demo the Norwegian Formula Hand Cream by Neutrogena.

To help along your cuticles during the winter months it is important that after you have done your manicure and your nails are completely dry that you apply a hand cream. Specifically targeting and massaging into the cuticle area and the skin around your nail bed.

Step 1: Hand Cream right out of the Tube onto my poor dry hands.

Step 2: Hand Cream starts to turn white after beggining to massage into the skin.

Step 3: Moisturized hands and cuticles. (I have Color Club's Halo Hues Cherubic on my nails - See Review Here)

Doing this not only moisturizes your hands, leaving them looking soft, and touchable, but it also prevents the  sometimes painful and "not so pleasant to look at" dry and cracked cuticles.

After that note...Now on to the product review!

The claims: (taken from the website) "...delivers effective relief for dry, chapped hands. This clinically proven, highly concentrated formula rapidly heals dry hands. It noticeably improves the look and feel of your skin. Hands feel soft and smooth after just one application:

• Long-lasting
• Glycerin-rich
• Concentrated
• Available in Original and Fragrance-free."

This hand cream has the consistency of a Vaseline when first out of the tube, but once it is massaged into the hands it turns into a white cream. It feels likes a second skin that you are putting on. Like a barrier of moisture against the cold. It is fairly moisturizing, but it does leave a little bit of a film on your hands. In that respect, this may not be for everyone. The moisturizing effect however did not last long at all on my hands, in fact, a few minutes after application my hands began to feel a bit dry again. For more information on Neutrogena products, check out their Facebook Page.

Pros:

• Moisturizing effect is average
• Comes in a fragrance free version
• Availability: drugstore, target, walmart, and other retailers.
• Convenient purse size
• Price: $4.99 - $6.99

Cons:

• Moisturizing effect is not long lasting
• Heavy vaseline like consistency - this may not be for everyone
• Takes a few minutes until it is absorbed into the skin

Overall, I found this hand-cream to be okay. I did not find the moisturizing effect to be long lasting, nor did I really see any "healing" quality to the product. This cream is nothing out of the ordinary. Probably the highlight to this product is that it is a nice small purse size and fragrance free, for those that are sensitive to scents.

What hand cream do you use and love?

Let me know in a comment down below. Stay Beautiful!

Love,

Helen

L'Oreal Colour Caresse Shine Stain: Rose On & On, Coral Tattoo

Colour Caresse Shine Stain (Top to Bottom): Coral Tattoo, Rose On & On

Rose On & On

Coral Tattoo

After watching a number of YouTube videos, I decided that I had to have these. I recently picked up the New! L'Oreal Colour Caresse Shine Stains in Rose On and On and Coral Tattoo. There are 12 colors in this collection. They are said to be a great dupe for the YSL Glossy Stains, which I do not own, but have always been curious about. I just could not bring myself to pay the price tag on those YSL glosses. So, when these bad boys came out, I jumped on them.

Rose On & On: (184)

Rose On & On: L->R 1-3 coats (no flash)

Rose On & On: L->R 1-3 coats (flash)

A nice cool pink color with a bit of shimmer running through it. You can nicely layer this color to build it up to a deeper pink. This has a gorgeous shimmering gloss finish. It is a little on the sheer side, even with 3 coats, but this did not pose a problem for me. However, this does mean that this color will not look exactly the same on everyone.

Left column: No Flash / Right column: Flash
Top -> Bottom: 1-3 coats

Coral Tattoo: (188)

Coral Tattoo: L->R 1-3 coats (no flash)

Coral Tattoo: L->R 1-3 coats (no flash)

This is more of an orange than a coral. There is no shimmer in this one, which is good since this color is so pigmented and glossy to begin with. It is a beautiful bold lip after 3 coats. I prefer it built up. Although this is also a bit on the sheer side, it is not nearly as sheer as Rose On and On, and with 3 coats it will probably show up very nicely even on the most pigmented lips.

Left column: No Flash / Right column: Flash
Top -> Bottom: 1-3 coats

Pros:

• Floral Scent
• Cooling on the lip
• Packaging: A sleek gold packaging, & closes tightly; which is good. 
• Moisturizing
• Glossy finish
• Pigmented
• Stain: leaves a beautiful stain to the lips 
• Build-able: I usually put on 3 coats (letting each coat dry a bit before applying the other)
• Long Wearing: lasted a good 6 hours on me.
• Applies smoothly - no need to prep lips with balm

Cons:

• Availability: they are available in drugstores, but in the displays I have seen there are only 2 of each color, it's frustrating.
• Mildly tacky - but not heavy, because they are water-based. 
• Price: $7.99-$9.99 (price varies) - a little on the pricey side for only .21 fl. oz. (Still less than those YSL glossy stains!!)

I liked these so much, that although they are on the pricey side, I do plan on picking up Endless Red for myself and the Coral Tattoo for a friend because she absolutely adored it. I am going to hold off until my local drugstore has another buy one get one 50% sale, also, you can get coupons from the L'Oreal website. If you are curious about these, don't hesitate to at least try one, you will not regret it.

Let me know if you have picked these up and what you think about them? Leave a comment, photos, or a link to your blog post down below.

Stay Beautiful!!

Love,

Helen