Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara

I receive Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara, as a complimentary sample for being a member of Influenster for reviewing purposes. This product is not yet available to the public in the US, but will be hitting shelves soon.

Facts:
Available in Black and Extreme Black
Contains Procapil®, Keratin and Antioxidants

What they say: 
Rimmel's first mascara and lash treatment in one that works both instantly, and overtime With Grow-Lash Complex. Instantly up to 80% visibly longer looking lashes. Up to 117% visibly longer looking lashes after 30 days of use.

What I say:

I have sensitive eyes when it comes to mascara so I am always hesitant to try new brands. After a few times of wearing this I am sold, it didn't make my eyes itch like other brands I have used and it looks great. There was no clumping and my lashes were not as hard as nails after applying. 
The applicator brush seems to cover most of the lashes without having to get into awkward positions that I have had to maneuver myself into in the past.  I look forward to continuing to use the product so I can vouch for its promise of visibly longer lashes due to its new grow formula.


Would I recommend:
Yes, it's a great product and it should be hitting the US market soon. 

New York Color Clear lip gloss

I receieved a complimentary tube of New York Color Liquid Lipshine from Influenster for testing and reviewing purposes.

Facts:

• ~$2.50 for a .24 fl oz tube available in 10 shades
• Vitamin E formula provides shine and moisturizing feel

What They Say:

Pure pigments, 3D-effect shine

Lips feel moisturized

Creamy and soft texture

Non-sticky

 

Have you heard the gossip? There’s a new gloss in town! NYC New York Color Liquid Lip Shine is getting headlines with seriously high-drama color at a seriously low price. Pure pigments give a 3-D effect that’s off-the-charts glossy. Tons of hot new shades, from preppy nudes to bold statement hues – all for less than your weekly fashion magazine.

 

What I Say:

I got #574 City's Clear, Liquid Lipshine so I guess as far as color reviewing goes there is not much to say. except that I probably would have choosen an actual color if I had gone to the store to pick this out myself. I like Big Apple Spice as the color I would have most likely bought.

The application was smooth and easy and the gloss had a faint scent of vanilla.

Since I tested clear there is really no need to post a picture as the only thing you might notice is the shine and gloss on my lips anyway. 

I would recommend this to women or girls that want to add a color to their lips without using an actual lipstick or are just looking for a tint of color instead of an overall coverage.

  

Palmolive Fresh Infusions

I received Palmolive Fresh Infusions, which is a liquid dish soap, as a complimentary sample for being a member of Influenster for reviewing purposes.

 

The Facts:

• Comes in three naturally inspired fragrances: Lime Basil, Lemon Thyme, & Ginger White Tea

• ~$3 a bottle at local stores

What They Say:
Just like the best recipes, the freshest scents & elegant simplicity are what inspire us in the kitchen. Taking cues from nature, we created inviting, naturally inspired fragrance blends - and combined them with the sparkling clean you've always trusted from Palmolive® dish liquid. Infuse your kitchen with freshness.

What I Say:
First thing that I noticed when I got these was the nice looking bottle that shwed the nice colors of each of the three new soaps off beautifully. I opened each bottle to inhale the new scents to see if they were as fragrant and natural as they have been hyped to be.  Each one was nice in its own way, though I liked one a bit less than the others. But the real test was not how each soap smelled but if it could clean a sink full of dirty dishes.

Let me just say that I HATE to do dishes by hand but as you might know some things just cannot go into the dishwasher, I have no idea why I have items that fit that description but it seems that I do and that they are the dishes that for some reason get used the most often (agitated sigh). In any case I fill my sink with hot water and add a little bit of one of the soaps, causing some fragrant bubbles to appear. I load a few dishes in and let them sit for a minute while I attend to my kiddo. When I finally make it back to the sink and dive into the task the grime comes off quick and easily leaving behind only a great smell and a happy woman.

I have since tried the other two scents as well both with similar results.  My favorite is the Lime Basil though it seems my hubby is partial to Lemon Thyme when he does the dishes. Lets just say his bottle is a lot fuller than mine is.

Energy Sheets Dissolvable Strips

My sister received Energy Sheets as a complimentary sample in her College Voxbox 2012 for reviewing purpose from Influenster and fitting all the criteria in a VoxBox challenge. As with all her VoxBox items she has allowed me to test and review the items for my blog.

Facts:

~$5.95 for a pack of 10

Energy Sheets® contain Vitamins E, B5, B6 and B12. 2 Energy Sheets® contain caffeine comparable to a cup of the leading premium coffee. Sheets® have no sugar, no calories, require no water, are fast-acting and taste great!

A serving of Energy Sheets® contains 50mg of caffeine. 2 Energy Sheets® are comparable to a cup of the leading premium coffee.

Energy Sheets® come in Cinnamon Rush®, Berry Blast® and Mint Boost®. Be on the lookout for more delicious flavors soon!


What they say:
Sheets® solve problems! Sheets® are paper-thin, individually wrapped pocket-sized strips. No cans. No bottles. Simply place on tongue and your problem dissolves. 
Sheets® are packed with nutrients/vitamins and other active ingredients that, when placed on tongue, will begin to dissolve allowing for easy digestion.

What I say:
I tried the Mint Boost flavor of Sheets. After a long day at the office, combined with a cold and a crazy three year old I could use a boost of energy. Similar in size to the Listerine Strips of days past I was ready for anything.

I figured that the taste could not be nearly as revolting as most energy drinks that are on the market these days.

Taste: Minty and refreshing but with a weird aftertaste. Luckily aftertaste only lasted a minute or two after the strip was completely dissolved.
Energy Level: I felt a little more alert than before taking these but not overly so. Though I do have a tendency to not be affected by medicines and the like so that could always be the cause.
Dissolvability: took longer than I expected for it to dissolve. Says that they dissolve in seconds but it took at least a minute each time I tried them.


Recommend: Sure. Much better than some of the other options.


Want to try them yourself? Get 20% off now until Dec 31, 2012 at SheetsBrand.com when you enter promo code "sheetsinf" at checkout.

Necco Wafers

My sister received Necco Wafers in new tropical flavors as a complimentary sample in her College Voxbox 2012 for reviewing purpose from Influenster and fitting all the criteria in a VoxBox challenge. As with all her VoxBox items she has allowed me to test and review the items for my blog.

Facts:
NECCO® Wafers are made from the same recipe Oliver Chase used back in 1847 on his way to pioneering America’s candy industry.

New Tropical roll: Coconut, Passion Fruit, Strawberry, Lime, Banana and Mango

Each Classic roll includes eight delicious fat-free flavors: orange, lemon, lime, clove, chocolate, cinnamon, licorice and wintergreen.

All NECCO® Wafers are fat-free and gluten free, and contain no high-fructose corn syrup.

What they say:

Necco has introduced a new delicious candy item to be hitting store shelves soon! A tropical version of the famous Necco Wafer will feature such exotic favors as Coconut, Passion Fruit, Strawberry, Lime, Banana and Mango.

The crunchy, sugary wafers will be sure to take your mouth to exotic places while you indulge on the many tropical tastes.

What I say:

I really like the new taste of these classic candies. though I am not a big fan of the consistency. Necco Wafers are generally kind of chalky in texture and can leave a weird feeling in your mouth as most people are not used to it.  They would be perfect for my niece though who has a gluten and dairy allergy and thus has a difficult time finding candy she can eat.- Might just have to make sure that she has no allergies to any of the flavors.

Might Recommend

EnerGel-X Pen

My sister received a EnerGel-X Pen as a complimentary sample in her College Voxbox 2012 for reviewing purpose from Influenster and fitting all the criteria in a VoxBox challenge. As with all her VoxBox items she has allowed me to test and review the items for my blog.

Facts:

You can buy 1, 4, 5 or 12 in a pack.
0.5mm tip produces fine lines
0.7mm tip produces medium lines
Part of the Pentel Recycology line and made of 84% recycled plastic
Available ink colors include:
0.5mm: Black, Red and Blue
0.7mm: Black, Red, Blue, Green, Orange, Sky Blue, Pink and Violet

Refillable with ANY EnerGel Refill

What they say:

High performance ink technology combines the best qualities of liquid and gel ink for a super-smooth writing experience

Gel ink dries so fast even left-handed writers love it - no smears, no smudges, no globs
Maximum comfort and control with latex-free grip


Drawn w one of my black pens



What I say:

I use these pens at work and love them.
The ink flows freely but does not blot. I prefer to use black though I do not have a preference between fine and medium.
A great pen for a great price and since you can buy in several color inks you can personalize your writing.

New York Color Glitter Eyeliner Pencil

My sister received New York Color Glitter Eyeliner Pencil as a complimentary sample in her College Voxbox 2012 for reviewing purpose from Influenster and fitting all the criteria in a VoxBox challenge. As with all her VoxBox items she has allowed me to test and review the items for my blog.

Facts:
Comes in 4 colors (Showtime Black, Starry Blue Sky, Paparazzi Purple, and Glitterazzi Brown)
One pencil ~$2.49
KEY INGREDIENTS: Vitamins C & E

What they say:
Missing the spark? Get it out there with NYC New York Color Show Time Glitter Eyeliner Pencils. Create jewel-encrusted eye looks with these long-wearing glitter-infused rich colors. No doubt you will be dazzling!

BENEFITS:
Long wearing
Metallic sparkling effect
Smooth and creamy formula
Does not smudge

Non-draggy

Provides a precise line

Dermatologist tested

What I say:

The liner which I received in the Showtime Black went on easily and fairly smooth.

Though difficult to see in the photo, you can see the glitter in person.

The eyeliner stayed put all through the day and night.
Though I sometimes have issues with eye makeup causing my eyes to itch I had no problems with this product.
I would recommend.

 

Dino Lingo

I watched a complimentary Dino Lingo foreign language video clip through Influenster. You can watch a clip too, click HERE.

Facts:
Dino Lingo website
Dino Lingo features six adorable and colorful dinosaurs to make target languages more imaginative and age appropriate.
Dino Lingo for Kids is a language set where cartoon dinosaurs introduce the most common 200 words of a target language. This language set consists of 5 DVDs, each DVD focused on specific learning topics. Colors, numbers, family, animals, food, fruit and vegetables, vehicles, body parts, clothes, nature and verbs and actions After watching our videos several times, most small children can easily name everyday objects and understand basic phrases such as "Hello", "What is this?" in their target language.  Won the 'Influential Parents Award' in 2010 and 2011 in education category. Dino Lingo language learning programs are most effective for children up to 7 years of age and anybody interested in learning the basics of a new language.

What they Say:
"Language learning programs for kids"

Dino Lingo is an interactive language learning program for children. Fueled by a child's own imagination, kids learn a new language through interactive teaching techniques that incorporate play and storytelling and
encourage your child to start speaking it almost immediately.

Dino Lingo is ideal for fostering a toddler's cognitive development.

What I Say:

• Kiddo and I watched the German language video.
• Having taken German in high school and college I easily understood the video. It was so colorful and fun that Kiddo (who just turned 3) loved it too. 

NYC Individual Eyes

The compact of New York Color Individual Eyes eyeshadow was a complimentary sample the I received from Influenster for testing and reviewing purposes.

Facts:
Available for $4.99 in six different compact shades, some of which are eye color specific.

What They Say:

Discover NYC New York Color IndividualEyes Custom Compact, the all-in-one compact with everything you need for a complete eye look: primer, illuminator, applicator and complementing shadows. With four colors, specially coordinated to intensify and enhance your eye color, you can create a look as individual as you are. Make your eyes pop

Color glides on smoothly, evenly and really lasts

Ultra silky texture

Long-lasting, pigment-rich color provides all-day wear

What I Say:

My sample color was Dark Shadow, which was a white, two grays and one black shades.

After reading the directions as to how and where the colors are suppose to be applied, I was prepared.

After a few minutes I was all made up. Considering that these are colors I don't normally wear I thought I did pretty well at following the directions and applying the eyeshadow. I even got several complements from my coworkers.

I think I will try another shades NYC has available. Perhaps browns, navy and purples which what I normally wear.

NYC New York Color IndividualEyes Custom Compact

Spin Pin

The Goody Spin Pin was a complimentary sample the I received from Influenster for testing and reviewing purposes.

Facts:
Available in light and dark hair colors to blend in with your hair.
Can get Spin Pins in 2 sizes
2 Pins are in each box and cost ~$5-7 depending on the store.

What They Say:
The Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin allows you to easily achieve three chic updo styles. Simply twirl your hair up and spin the two Spin Pins in for a perfect undone bun, side bun or double bun!
• Includes easy-to-follow three step instructions for achieving a professionally perfect undone bun, side bun or double bun.. Here is an instructional video.
• Does the work of 20 bobbies

First Bun w Spin Pin

What I say:

This was the first thing I tried after opening my Beauty Blogger Box. After reading the directions I thought I was ready to put my hair up.

After a few failed attempts I was successful even though my hair is just shoulder length, and the model's in the video had longer hair. I continued to use these for several days after and the more I used them, the better my hair stayed up in the bun, so I guess practice makes perfect.

I really liked the Spin Pins, once I got the hang of them, and I think that I will go and buy some more.

Once I got a chance to look at their website I notice that they also sell Mini Spin Pins, which are more ideal for shorter hair or fine hair. Perhaps this should be the next purchase.

Not your Mothers Smooth Moves

I received a complimentary tube of Not Your Mother's Smooth Moves from Influnster for testing and reviewing purposes.

The Facts:
Infused with Coconut and Silk Extract
$6 for 4oz tube

What they say:
Not Your Mother’s offers essential hairstyling products with only the best ingredients and technologies for a truly cool and unique style. Your style might come from the streets, the magazines you read or straight from the Catwalk. Trends fade, but true style never will. Confidence, creativity and class will always be in fashion. Dare to experiment with new styles, get inspired and embrace your own personal fabulousness. Don't follow others, make your own statement. Stand out, be different, and embrace your style with Not Your Mother's.

What I say:
The product smelled great (kinda like coconut) when I opened the tube. The cream was not greasy or sticky and was easy to work through my damp hair. After brushing and drying it, my hair was straight with great volume, no frizz and felt soft to the touch.

Visit their site: http://www.nymbrands.com/

Bath and Body Works Pumpkin Cupcake Mini Candle

I received a Mini candle for testing and reviewing purposes from Influenster. The scent I got was Pumpkin Cupcake.

Mini Candle and Coupon

The Facts:

Slatkin & Company Candles sell at Bath and Body Works.

14.5oz Candle w 3 Wicks cost $19.50
7.5oz Medium Candle cost $12.50

4oz Small Candle cost $10

1.3 oz Mini Candle cost $3.50

There are about +40 fragrances, but not all fragrances come in all the candle sizes mentioned above and some fragrances are seasonal.

What they Say:

Elegant glass containers

Highly fragranced candle exclusively developed and tested by our team of Home Fragrance experts, including the world's best master perfumers

Made using the highest concentration of fragrance oils, an exclusive blend of vegetable wax and lead-free wicks for optimal performance

3-wick candle burns approximately 30 to 45 hours and includes a elegant silver lid to keep your fave fragrance fresh, while adding a touch of décor.

7.5 oz candle burns approximately 30 hours

4 oz. candle burns approximately 20 to 30 hours and includes a elegant silver lid to keep your fave fragrance fresh, while adding a touch of décor.

1.3 oz. candle burns 10 to 15 hours

Actual Pumpkin Cupcake I made

What I say:

I could smell the lovely scent of this whenever I opened the Voxbox. I noticed this candle right away and saw the name, "Pumpkin Cupcake".  Since I recently made Pumpkin Cupcakes I feel like I have a pretty good idea of how they smelled and I was not disappointed. The scent instantly reminds me of fall and Thanksgiving.  As I love fall and the scents that it brings, I was eager to light it.  After lighting it the wonderful smell emanated throughout the room. Even after putting out the flame I could smell the lingering scents of the candle.

Because I liked it so much I decided to use the coupon for $10 off of a 3 Wick (up to 5). Which I received in my box to buy a larger version. Unfortunately when I got online to make this purchase they did not have any candles in the Pumpkin Cupcake. Due to this issue I felt slightly cheated, how dare they get me to try a product and then not offer it up for purchase when I like it??? Perhaps they only offer this scent in the stores, which make me made because I am not driving over an hour just to buy a candle that I like, I will buy the cheaper version at my local store instead. I do a good portion of my holiday shopping online due to the lack of options in my small town.

In any caseI guess I got over it, because I did order 3 other fragrances. Upon receiving my order I removed each of the lids and was blown away by the wonderful fragrances of each. I have not burned any of them, as they were supposed to be Christmas presents for others, but now I think I will keep them and get those people something else.

For those of you who want to try a mini candle for yourselves Bath and Body Works has on offer on their Facebook page for a free mini candle. It's an in store only offer and is running from Oct 26-28th, 2012. You must click on the offer and have the voucher sent to your email. You can either present the email or show them the voucher on your phone to receive the candle.

Influenster Beauty Blogger Vox Box 2012

Wo Hoo! I managed to snag the Influenster Beauty Blogger Vox Box 2012, which was full of all kinds of goodies. Here is the list of complimentary items that were included in my VoxBox, which I will be reviewed.

Goody Spin Pins To see my review please click HERE.

Eboost in Orange - This was sent in the Naturals Vox Box a month or two ago. To see my review please click HERE.

New York Color Eyeshadow in Dark Shadows click HERE for review

Not Your Mother's Smooth Moves Frizz Control Hair Cream click HERE for review.

Bath and Body Works Pumpkin Cupcake Candle. Click HERE for review.

Kiss Ever Pro Eyelashes please click HERE for review.

If you haven't joined Influenster yet you should. Its quick, easy and free to join and you get to try a lot of awesome products.

Influenster

If you have been reading my blog then you may have noticed that I refer to Influenster a lot. If you haven't checked it out or tried it yet then I strongly urge you to do so.   They have just updated their site and have come up with a lot of new things. I am still exploring but here is the gist of it.

After registering for the site, which is free you are ready to get started.
You pick a badge that has to do with your life, IE: Mom Badge
In this Badge you will find different things you can do to earn the badge and points. The more points you have the better chance to get free stuff.

Such things include :

• Filling out a survey 
• Blogging
• Writing a product review
• Asking and answering questions
• Uploading a picture
• Tweeting or facebooking something

All in all it only takes a few minutes to do most of these and the products that they send you to test is worth it. I love hearing that I will be receiving a Voxbox. The anticipation of what all might be included reminds me of a kid waiting to see what Santa is bringing. 

I recently received the 2012 Naturals VoxBox full of all kinds of goodies (all of which are reviewed or being reviews for this blog). This included: Eboost, Lypsyl, CleanWell and several other things.

If you have any questions or would like to request an invite to join Influenster yourself let me know.