I'm a Degree Drier... #Influenster #TryDry

Press Sample.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

I don't remember when I started using deodorant/antiperspirant, but it was a loong time ago.  I seem to recall that I started with roll-ons, which were very wet and sticky in their day.  I remember when we were first married, my husband used to use a spray deodorant, but it was also very wet.  In those days, you applied, then you did a little dance with your arms in the air.  We didn't "put our hands in the air like we just didn't care."  We did it to keep our clothes from sticking to our armpits! Now, there's a new kind of spray!

Getting #PUR Water With #Influenster

Press Sample.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

It's "Strange Stuff Saturday" again, where the topic is beauty-adjacent.  Well, I think drinking water is definitely a part of being healthy and beautiful, and I'm always trying to drink more, though the siren song of booze and soft drinks is often sweeter than the call of the tap.  When Influenster asked me if I was interested in trying out a PUR water filter, I was pretty stoked, because tastier water means I'll drink more water, right?

Lots of Love from Influenster! #XOVoxBox

Products provided for review.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

Every now and then, I fill out a survey from Influenster, and sometimes, they send me a little box with things to try and tell you about.  This time, I was lucky enough to receive the XOVoxBox, filled with all kinds of things to try!

Influenster Spring VoxBox!

Hello, Fireflies!

I was lucky enough to be selected to receive a Spring VoxBox from Influenster.  I had such a ball playing with most of these things, and I can't wait to tell you about them!

Fudge Urban Mousse - #FindItAtTarget

Hello, Fireflies!

There's this cool program called Influenster, where they judge you on how influential they think you are, and in what areas of interest.  If you pass their tests (e.g. "What is your favorite color," "What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?") then they might give you something to try out and talk about.

I was pretty excited to get a #FindItAtTarget box, because I love Target.  The husband and I even have date nights there. Yeah, I know how lame that sounds, but really, it's insanely romantic and sweet.  We are so not newlyweds anymore.

So, this was what came in my Target box:  Fudge Urban Iced Raspberry and Vanilla Styling Mousse.

Wow, I haven't used mousse in a looong time.  Like maybe the 80's.  Things have changed.  For one, look at this cool dispenser.  It looks like a crazy, spiky, toothy mouth. 

I thought that the mousse would smell, oh, I don't know, like raspberry and vanilla?  Nope.  It didn't smell much at all.  It had a little of that chemical smell from the aerator, but it was very faint.  Nothing like the stinky mousses of my youth.

Ooh, fluffy!

I have a lot of thick, curly hair, so there was no way that just mousse would handle it, but I went minimal.  Instead of my usual oils and curling cream, I went with a light spritz of hair oil and a couple of handfuls of the mousse.

Quiz Question - is this pix taken from my front or my back?

Peek-a-boo!  That's my Cousin It impression! 

I'm just not ready to give up my oils and creams, but this would work really well for someone with a little less hair.  I like that it didn't smell strongly (though I was hoping for some of the namesake scents).  And, best of all, it's stocked at my fave place - Target!

What's your favorite Target find?

Stay Tuned! At 9 am Eastern, my #NailArtForNubs post goes live!

Something Different Sunday - Lifeway Kefir Smoothie #LWaySummer

Hello, Fireflies!

I have a strange post for you today.  Sometimes, as a Beauty Blogger, I get to try some cool stuff.  Usually makeup or beauty products.

But, beauty doesn't only come from slathering stuff on your face, it often... wait for it... comes From Within.

I got to try Lifeway Kefir Probiotic Cultured Milk Smoothie through Influenster VoxBox!

Spring Fever Voxbox - Part II #SpringVoxBox

Are you ready to see some more cool stuff that came in the Influenster Spring Fever VoxBox?

Secret.  Whose secret?  No secret here, I'm proud of this nail art.  Lookie:

It's a gel, it dries clear, smells pretty nice without being too strong.  Says it works for 48 hours, but who goes that long without reapplying?  I'm more like a 12-hour at best kinda girl.  So, I didn't test the limits of the 48 hours.

I really love when I get a box of samples and one is so completely useful like this.  I've been using it every day, and I still like it.

And, if you're curious, the base mani is with Revlon Dreamer with Whimsical on top, and the nail art was done with PeriPera BL606 (turquoise), Julep Donna (dark teal), Illamasqua Muse (medium teal), and a silver nail art striper.

Next up is Osis+ Gelastic by Schwarzkopf.  It's a clear, very thick super-hold gel.  Smells pretty good.  I put several tablespoon-sized dollops in my wet hair and combed it through.

By the way, the mani is A-England Rose Bower with silver nail art striper.

I will admit, I don't use gel that often anymore.  I have thick, curly hair, and growing up, gel was the only thing that could give me some semblance of control.  And, it always dried crunchy and made my hair look wet all day. 

My hair was still a little crunchy, but I could break up some of the crunch and still have curls when it dried.  Unfortunately, they didn't last very long.  After spending about 4 hours talking with my friends in an air-conditioned room, my curls started to fall and separate.  For about $18 a bottle, I expect more.  Perhaps it just isn't made for hair as heavy as mine is.  I usually use a curl cream rather than gel, nowadays. 

This is before..  I didn't take an after!

One product you may have noticed was in the VoxBox picture but I haven't mentioned yet is the TastyKake.  There are no pictures of a TastyKake mani holding the treats.  It didn't last long enough.

I will say that I love peanut butter, but I usually don't like peanut butter desserts.  I buy a few of the Reeses Eggs at Easter, I have PB&J sandwiches, put a little peanut butter with a banana.  I don't like Peanut Butter ice cream or pie - they're usually too rich.  This cake was just right.  Just enough filling:cake ratio.  And the best part?  The coating.  But not just the coating.  It's the process of eating the coating - nibbling off little chunks and peeling all the coating off before eating the cake.

And, because I'm an adult, no one can tell me not to play with my food.  I can eat it any. way. I. want.

If you'd like more information about Influenster, you can find them on Facebook or on Twitter @InfluensterVox . If you'd like more information about Secret, please visit the Facebook page of their makers, Proctor & Gamble.  Here's the Facebook page for Osis, if you'd like to visit them, and TastyKake has a page, too.

Spring Fever Voxbox - Part I #SpringVoxBox

I am so excited to tell you about my Influenster Spring Fever Voxbox! Today is part one of all the coolness.

First up, the Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicure in Space Cadet.

Pretty cool, huh?  There is gold glitter that flashes when you move your hands, too.  To put these on, I just removed the backing, like pulling off a piece of tape, and stuck it on.  That's it.

The major complaint I've heard about these nails is that they're too small for many of the bloggers.  Well, here's one time my teeny nubbins have come in handy.  These fit me perfectly.  Here's a side view where you can see that they lay nice, and not too thick. You can see some of the gold shimmer, too.

Here's the only problem I had - my nails are thin and a little bendy, so there was a gap in between the Impress nails and my own.  I was worried about the possibility of moisture or dirt getting stuck in there.  Also, it's hard to tell from the pix, but the ends were a little rough.  I just took a nail file to them to smooth them out.

I would definitely wear these for a fun outing, or when I didn't have time for a full mani.  They were so easy, and they stuck really well.  And, they're affordable, at $5.99 - $7.99 a set. I couldn't do a longevity test, though... such is the life of a nail blogger!  Gotta change that polish!

Next up, NYC New York Color Applelicious Glossy Lip Balm in Big Apple Red.

See?  I had to change my polish to match my awesome new lip balm.  (This is WingDust Zambezi Sunset with a silver nail art striper)

You may notice that the top of my balm is a little mangled.  *hangs head in shame*  I took my BRAND NEW lip balm, used it once, and then I accidentally left it on my car's dashboard while I had dinner.  In Florida.  In summer.  When I went to use it after dinner, it kinda smushed.

The good news is that once I brought it inside, it solidified very nicely again.  The cute apple on top is deformed, but the balm is good to go!

I thought this balm had great color payoff, especially for the price ($2.99).  I was expecting sheer with a little tint, but this actually gave my lips a nice color!  And, it felt nice, not sticky or gooey.  It is a balm, so it doesn't last that long, but it is very moisturizing.

What do you think?  I'm impressed so far!  I'll have some more reviews and nail art tomorrow, too!

If you'd like more information about Influenster, you can find them on Facebook or on Twitter @InfluensterVox .  You can find Broadway Nails on Facebook, too.  NYC New York Color has a Facebook page as well.