Influenster Violet Voxbox--FIRST IMPRESSIONS!

**DISCLAIMER- I received all products complimentary from Influenster!!!!!!**

**THIS IS MY OWN OPINION. PLEASE DO NOT SOLELY BASE YOUR OWN OPINIONS OR CHOICES BASED ON THIS POST.**

Hello again! As you can tell from the title, I was lucky enough to be chosen to receive another INFLUENSTER VOXBOX!!!!! My last box was several months ago, and let me tell you, I was so excited to be chosen for this! Originally, I was chosen for the Rose Voxbox, but instead received the Violet!!

So far, I have not tried out any of the products, only opened the box, and did a first impressions/unboxing video for Youtube. But, I figured I would write about the products here as well. If you want to check out that Youtube video, go here: MandaDandaMakeup- Influenster Violet Voxbox....Anywho, let me tell you, I am STOKED about the products in this box, and cannot wait to try them all out.

Here is what I received in my box:

Sally Hansen Triple Shine Nail Color in 'Dive In'

Banana flavored SoyJoy bar

Montagne Jeunesse Clay Infused Mud Masque in 'Dead Sea Mud Spa'

Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Dry Shampoo

Goody Athletique Headband 

















**All of the photos were found on Google Images**

I am extremely pleased with all the products I received! I LOVE the whole Not Your Mother's brand, and everything I have tried from them in the past has been great. And dry shampoo is one of my must-haves!! The Goody headband is really soft, and the color I received (same dark gray as in the photo above) will go with a lot of things. I love Sally Hansen products, and the blue color I got is amazing!! Will be painting my nails with that asap! I have tried SoyJoy before, and I love them, can't wait to try the banana! And lastly, I ADORE mud masks! My skin has been really dry and irritated since the cold weather has set in, so I could really use a boost! PLUS MJ is completely cruelty free and vegetarian friendly! c:

I will be doing another post once I have tried out all the products, and hopefully will have my own photos to post! Check back soon!

Ispy (MyGlam) vs. Birchbox- the age old battle

**WARNING: THIS IS MY OWN OPINION. PLEASE DO NOT SOLELY BASE YOUR OWN OPINIONS OR CHOICES BASED ON THIS POST.**

Hello all!

If you're like me, you have fallen madly in love with the new beauty subscription craze!!
The first one I ever heard about was Glossybox, and was bummed that they didn't ship to the US (at the time).
However, now there are dozens to choose from!!!!!! Beauty Bar, Julep Maven, Sample Society, Beauty Box 5... the options are endless for whatever your price range and makeup interests are!

Two of the more popular ones are the Ipsy MyGlam bags and Birchbox. I am subscribed to both service currently.

They are both $10 per month, offer bonuses to subscribers and include some full-size products as well. 
But, if you have to choose, which way do you go?!

This is my list of comparisons, and pros/cons of each. You can choose for yourself!!!

1. Birchbox items come in a (if you're like me) reusable brown box every month with pretty pink tissue paper inside. Ipsy, on the other hand, comes in a different makeup bag every month. So, on top of the 4-5 products you recieve, you also get a new makeup bag every month!!!!

2. Birchbox allows you to leave feedback on products you recieve each month to earn points!! Each review is worth 10 points, and once you reach 100 points, you have earned $10. Those points can be redeemed for products in the Birchbox shop!!!! Also, each dollar you spend in the shop earns you 1 point. So basically, just giving your opinion earns you free, full-size products.
Ipsy gives you the chance to be active in their community (both on their website and facebook) giving feedback and creating looks. Active members often recieve a BONUS in their bags (for example, some people recieved a full size Urban Decay eyeshadow last month). 

3. For every friend you get to join Birchbox, you will get 50 points at the end of their first month! 
Currently, Ipsy is offering either an Urban Decay eyeshadow or a bracelet if you refer 2 friends (while supplies last).

4. Birchbox delivery is super fast! At least it is to me. I have never had any issues with getting my box on time. Ipsy sometimes uses DHL shipping instead of USPS, and when mine is sent DHL, it takes an extra 3-4 days to recieve my bag. Also, due to Ipsy's popularity at the moment, a lot of bags have been drastically delayed this month (not mine personally) and even the tracking numbers don't work. 

5. Both have pretty epic customer service. My 2nd Birchbox came and one of my products was spilled in the box. Although they could not replace the product for me, they did give me 100 free points (so basically a free 10 bucks!) 
Ipsy has also been nothing but amazing. I had an issue with my credit card expiring, but all I had to do was email them and they fixed it personally instead of me having to change all my info on their website.Currently, Ipsy is backed up with emails (again, they're really popular right now), but they have been nothing but gracious in keeping us informed about their delays.

6. Currently, Birchbox has new subbers on a waiting list. When I was waitlisted, it only took about a month for me to be able to join. Not sure of the wait time right now.
Ipsy is open for new subscribers right now, but they have said it won't last long. They also often waitlist new people.

7. Both Birchbox and Ipsy offer a survey on their website you can fill out in order to personalize what you get every month. For example, they ask your preferences on certain things as well as your personal features (skin type, eye color) so you get things you want and can use. 

8. Birchbox sends out a HUGE variety of products, so pretty much no one gets the same box (its based on the surveys talked about in #7). Ipsy subbers all get basically the same products, just different colors or scents. 

9. Ipsy offers sneek peaks every month of the products (and since everyone mostly gets the same things, you'll know what to expect before it even ships). Birchbox puts out videos on their youtube about what you MIGHT get (only some products are discussed, usually I don't get any of what they talk about).

10. Last but most importantly- the products. Overall, IN MY OPINION, Ipsy has WAY better products. If you love makeup, Ipsy is for you. They also send out more full-size products than Birchbox. Birchbox sends out a better variety (skincare, food, makeup, nailpolish, etc) than Ipsy though.

Overall, if you want the most for your $10 each month, go for Ipsy. If you want a bigger variety, go for Birchbox! Both are pretty amazing.

Review: Skinnygirl Daily on-the-go bars

Okay, I have to admit something. When I got this in my Influenster VoxBox, I wasn't really thinking I was even going to try this bar. I immediately thought "hey, my mom would love this!"

Well, I'm glad I didn't give it to her, haha. I'm such a great daughter, right?

I threw it in my purse, and there it stayed for a couple of weeks. Until one day, I was at work, and was desperate for something to eat!
I rummaged through my bag, and found the on-the-go bar. By the way, the one I received was the coconut and peanut butter (which is one of the major reasons why I didn't want to even try it, I am not a fan of coconut!).

So, I decided to try it. How bad could it be? NOT AT ALL!
I actually REALLY enjoyed the bar!! It was delicious! And, it curbed my hunger until dinner time (nearly 6 hours).

The only thing that I don't really like, is the price. I've seen them in stores, and a box of 5 bars is nearly $10. Although they are extremely good, I don't think I could ever bring myself to pay THAT much. Skinnygirl on amazon.com also sells them, but for even pricier!
(http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_hpc?_encoding=UTF8&field-brandtextbin=SKINNYGIRL&node=3760901)
Overall, one bar is about $2, and that seems insane to me, although the size of the bar is pretty big compared to, say, a Quaker granola bar.

All in all, I really enjoyed the on-the-go bar that Influenster sent me. It was extremely tasty, and helped keep me from getting hungry again until my next meal. The only real downfall is the price of a whole box.

Old Navy

Hello all!

So, I went to Old Navy today. And, I honestly have never been a fan of their clothes. I don't know why, but when I was younger, I refused to go in there.
Well, I love their jeans. I bought a pair from Gabriel Brother's (if you don't know what that is, it's a discount store where bigger stores send their old or slightly irregular stuff and they sell it for cheaper) and I wear them all the time! I decided I wanted to go check them out today!!

I didn't end up buying anything, but I mentally spent a TON of money. They have adorable stuff out for spring right now.
Here's a few of the items I fell in love with:

--Crew Sweater- http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=92180&vid=1&pid=522276002
--Open-Knit Linen-Blend Hooded Top- http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=79757&vid=1&pid=387157022
--Tab-Sleeve Crew-Neck Sweater- http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=79757&vid=1&pid=384900042
--Fit and Flare Tee dress- http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=79750&vid=1&pid=387523012
--Jersey Tank dress- http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=79750&vid=1&pid=387521032
--Canvas raincoat- http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=84244&vid=1&pid=387158032
--The Rockstar Super Skinny jeans- http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=88295&vid=1&pid=730770772
--Cropped Boyfriend Skinny jeans- http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=88295&vid=1&pid=330696062
--V-Neck Slub knit t-shirt- http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=91260&vid=1&pid=387787062
--Canvas boat shoes- http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=92388&vid=1&pid=385975122

There was a lot more, but I don't remember now! If you're looking to vamp up your spring wardrobe, check out Old Navy! They have a lot of good sales right now, too. Both online and in store c:

Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response Review

Again, another product I was sent by Influenster for free (read the disclaimer on my post about Olay).

Let me just tell you, and I understand this is just a deodorant. But, if you have the same problem I do with sweating constantly under stress and when doing a lot of physical activity- keep reading.

I'm a bargain shopper, but I sweat a lot and it doesn't smell nice when I do! So, I have to keep reapplying deodorant throughout the day to keep dry and fresh. There is NO WAY I am going to let someone smell my armpit funk! I'd rather go out without makeup on first!!I have a big problem with smells (maybe because I have a really awesome nose and can smell things from miles away!) so keeping myself smelling awesome is something I am dedicated to.

When I received this product in my VoxBox, I was like, 'okay cool. let's try this'. And it just so happened that my first REAL day of my new job was that next morning!
I opened it up and smelled it first of all, and was blown away by how awesome it was!!! It was a nice light citrusy scent- very fresh!!!
I was stressed out about trying to do all this new work stuff on my own, so of course I was sweating like crazy all day!!! But when I was, I didn't smell any funk!!! Only the awesome scent of this product!!!
I even brought it with me to work, just in case it didn't hold up to my challenging pits!! But I didn't need to reapply at all!!!!
When I was ready for a shower that night, I could still smell the awesome scent!!!
The best part? I was dry, and no weird stains on my work uniform!!!!

Needless to say, although this is more expensive then what I normally buy, it's worth it! It's going to last me longer because I don't have to reapply 2-3 times a day, and it actually works!!!

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing sea salt spray REVIEW

THIS STUFF IS SERIOUSLY AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Again, I was sent this in my Influenster Sweetheart VoxBox for free (read the disclaimer on my last blog post, please) and I adore it.

I have really thick hair, and even though it's cut short, I still have a problem getting products to really do anything for my hair. But, Not Your Mother's is an amazing brand.
I had seen some of their products in stores before, but never thought of buying them (so again, thank you Influenster for sending me this!). I am in love.

The sea salt texturizing spray gives my hair that 'I just walked on the beach' look. When my hair is dry, it looks sassy and wind-whipped. My hair is naturally straight, so this spray gives me a nice gentle wave look. It's great for a night out if you want your hair to have an awesome, sexy wave to it!!

Oh, and can we talk about the smell? IT'S FABULOUS! And it lingers on your hair all day!!! If you like people to stop and say 'wow, you smell amazing!' this product is for you!!!

So, how do I use this stuff? Well, after I wash or wet my hair, I towel dry it as much as possible. Usually, I am left with a damp, crazy mess on my head. I spray the NYM's all over my hair, and rub it in with my hands. I let it sit for a few mins in my craziness. Then, I brush and style my hair as normal. It dries naturally into a beautiful, wavy masterpiece.
Now, my sister also uses this. However, she will blowdry her hair after applying the product. It gives your hair an even bigger wave and more volume. It works better for her, because she has longer, less thick hair-so it doesn't turn into a huge afro like mine would if I did this!!

Anyways, if you're looking for a nice-smelling, effective product to bring awesome volume and texture to your hair, NOT YOUR MOTHER'S is for you c:

Olay Fresh Effects Va-Va-Vivid cleansing system REVIEW

I recieved the Olay Fresh Effects Va-Va-Vivid cleansing system for free through Influenster a few weeks ago. I was so excited to try this product, so I started using it that night before bed. And let me tell you, it has made a major difference in my skin!!!

BEFORE I START, LET ME JUST ADD:: EVEN THOUGH I WAS SENT THIS FOR 100% FREE, THIS IS MY HONEST REVIEW. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH INFLUENSTER, THEY (or the companies involved) DO NOT PAY ME OR COMPENSATE ME FOR POSITIVE REVIEWS. THEY SEND THESE PRODUCTS IN ORDER TO GET PEOPLE TO TRY NEW THINGS, SHARE WITH THEIR FRIENDS, AND GIVE HONEST FEEDBACK ABOUT THEIR THOUGHTS.

A little back story on me. My dads side of the family ALL have major skin problems. My dad is almost 60 years old and STILL gets acne and breakouts. So, my skin has never been great. In middle in highschool, I was constantly breaking out. My mom spent hundreds on skin clearing products, and nothing worked.
When I got college age, my skin got a little better. No more awful acne breakouts, but the occasional enormous pimple, blackheads and extremely large pores!!! And being as lazy as I am about keeping up with skincare, I never kept to any regimine, so my skin was never perfect.
So anyway, I decided since this is similar to the Clarisonic system, and I've been wanting to invest in it, I would give this a good go.

I use the system everynight before bed, after removing my eye and face makeup with my makeup remover wipes.
And let me tell you- it has made a HUGE difference. I have had maybe one pimple since I started using it, and my blackheads and pores have diminished as well. I no longer have to use the Benefit pore cream every morning!!!! Which is great because although it works, it's expensive.
Anyways, I am extremelt greatful for Olay and Influenster for sending me this system. It not only has cleared my skin, it's also easy to use, leaves my skin smooth and feeling clean, and it smells amazing!!!
If you have troubled skin, or even just want to feel clean and fresh after washing your face- go buy this!!
I have seen it at Target, WalMart and on Amazon.com. It's not expensive either!!!!!
--Amanda