#FeelingBeautifulin5 (VoxBox Review)

So the folks over at Influenster must have known that I was a new mom when making up their most recent product campaign. Or at the least, they knew I needed a little destress/pampering/"me" time. I think I sang a little happy song in my head when I got the email that I'd been chosen for this VoxBox... a collection of 5 (yes, FIVE) different facial masks.

It's a little bit of bliss for this tired momma.

About 10 days ago, I received 5 of the @FreemanBeauty Masks to sample, which has been a real treat. I received the Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask, the Charcoal and Black Sugar Polishing Mask, the Cucumber Peel-Off Mask, the Honeydew & Chamomile Facial Sleeping Mask, and the Coffee & Chai Energizing Paper Eye Mask.

I have tried out 4 of the 5 masks and would love to tell you about my experience with them. I can easily say this has been my favorite VoxBox to try and review!

The first I tried was the Honeydew and Chamomile Facial Sleeping Mask. It promises to deeply hydrate overnight and leave skin silky and smooth. You apply it on a clean face, go to bed, and rinse it off in the morning. Personal opinion: Meh. It feels good going on, smells heavily of honeydew (so if you love it, awesome... if not, stay away!), leaves a little tackiness to the skin overnight and didn't seem to make a substantial difference the next morning. I was glad it didn't leave any noticeable residue on my pillow. I think this product would be better suited for someone who has drier skin (mine is on the oily side).

Secondly, I tried the Coffee and Chai Energizing Paper Eye Mask, because if anyone needs to de-puff, reduce dark circles, and invigorate the eye area, it's the mom who's running after a 2 year old and nursing a 2 month old. Because I love you, I've included a post shower, no makeup, hair in a towel, before & after picture. Feast your eyes on this:

Can anyone see the red superhero mask I'm wearing in the "After" shots? It only got worse as time went on... in about 30 minutes, I was super red. There should be a note on the package that says "Do not use this product if you have someplace to be within the next 1.5 hours." About an hour after I removed the mask, the redness dissipated and left me with the same bags and eye circles that I was rocking pre-mask. Personal Opinion: Leave it.

Next, I tried the Cucumber Peel Off Mask. Up until this point, I'd only tried the light-duty masks, but this guy (and the remaining two) promised to remove dirt, impurities and dead skin cells. Bring it on!!!  This stuff was super thick and sticky and had a light cucumber scent. After applying, you let it dry and then peel it off. The package stated it would take 5-7 minutes, but after 20, I noticed there were still some sticky areas. However when it dried.... that's when the fun began. Did you ever smear Elmer's glue on your palms, let it dry, and peel it off??? This mask was the same consistency! It made the little 4th grader inside of me very happy to peel and pick it all away. It was pretty fun and my skin was smoother and a little brighter after using. Personal Opinion: I'd use this again.

Lastly, I have tried the Charcoal and Black Sugar Polishing Mask. I have yet to try the Avocado and Oatmeal Clay Mask, so I obviously can't review it quite yet. The Charcoal mask has definitely been my favorite so far. The activated charcoal is supposed to draw out excess oil while the sugar polishes away dead cells and debris. The consistency is thick and gel-like with sugar added, so it's not the easiest to apply. I basically had to put a little on my fingers and pat it exactly where I wanted it. There was a little warming sensation while it sat for 5-7 minutes and after "polishing" for 1-2 additional minutes, I rinsed it off to reveal smooth and glowy skin. It wasn't overly drying or too harsh. Personal Opinion: I'd enjoy using this again.

I'm looking forward to giving the last mask a try here in the next day or two. You can find this brand at Ulta and at Walmart and the price point is very reasonable. I'm seriously considering getting a full sized tube of the Charcoal and Black Sugar Polishing Mask. Many many thanks to @Influenster for giving this stretched-thin mom a few moments of pampering.

Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

A Jamberry Review

One of my dearest and most-loved friends, Holly,  recently became a Jamberry consultant. Have you heard of Jamberry? The nail wrap? It's like nail polish that you put on like a sticker, but don't be fooled, it's nothing like the stick-on nails you tried out at that birthday party when you were 8 years old. These are sophisticated, easy to use, and long lasting nail products. Holly was awesome enough to send me a set of wraps for free in exchange for an unbiased review of the product.

For starters, it took me FOREVER to pick out only one wrap design. It's an understatement to say they have tons of different designs. Plus, you can design your own nails making the possibilities absolutely endless. Not only does Jamberry make nail wraps (for kiddos also!), but they make nail polishes as well.

I ended up deciding on a nice fall-ish gray base with metallic gold accents called Urban Lights.  Personally, I'm not quite bold enough for some of the prints they offer, although I love the idea of combining a graphic print on an accent nail with a solid color wrap on the other nails (next time...). I was really pleased initially with the look of the wrap when I received it. Plus, a single sheet of wraps allows for 2 manicures and a pedicure! If I were going down the street to my usual nail place, that would cost me $80! FYI, each sheet of wraps will cost you about $15.

Applying the wraps well takes a little bit of practice, but after watching a few youTube videos and hearing from Holly what has worked for her, I chose to do the cold application with the assistance of a plastic bag. The claim is that they require zero drying time versus traditional nail polish, and while it's true that the wraps are obviously not the same as liquid, the time it took me to apply both hands was comparable to applying 3 layers of polish with drying time. I'm sure with additional practice, it would take less time to apply. It's really important to have an orange stick, a heat source, and a good nail file on hand when you're applying a wrap. Unfortunately I did not use an orange stick, nor did I have a good quality nail file (what kind of a girl am I?!) and I think it negatively affected my application. I learned later that the wraps with metallic accents are the thickest and most difficult wraps to apply. Regardless, here's some photos of my work:

Note: All photos with the exception of this one are Jamberry stock photos, provided to me by Holly.

Despite my less than perfect first timer application, the wraps lasted 14 days, with the exception of my left index fingernail wrap which came off on day 13 while I was trying to put Isaac's shoe on. With as much as I do with my hands on a day to day basis, it was pretty wild to see such a random task take down the wrap after nearly 2 weeks with no issues. I had to remove the remaining wraps on day 14, and it felt like they would've easily last several more days. There was minimal wear & tear around the tips of the fingers that I use the most, but that was always easily fixable with a nail file and some minor trimming.

Final verdict: I'd totally use these again! I love having color on my nails and this makes applying and maintenance really easy. I got tons of compliments on my nails while I was wearing the wraps. They lasted through several work days as well as washing dishes, folding clothes, playing in the dirt with my boy, yard work, and all the other everyday mom tasks. I feel like it's also important to mention that I painted my toenails with my wraps on and there was no interruption in the wrap while I was handling nail polish remover. I'll probably wait and use the remaining manicure's worth of wraps just before we go out of town next week so I have a fresh set of nails for our big trip and my first baby shower! Yay!

If this seems like something you'd like to try, visit Holly's Jamberry site! If you buy 3 wraps, you get the fourth wrap for free, which is great for mixing and matching OR great for stocking stuffers! Less than 2 months before Christmas folks!

Vlog-O-Hollic: Episode 2

Here goes with Vlog #2. As a side note, none of these reviews (including the first) are sponsored. All these opinions are my own and I have not been compensated in any way.

Vlog-a-hollic?

Ohhhh shoot.

If writing about my life wasn't vulnerable enough already, it's about to get REAL in here.... Feast your eyes on my very first vlog. Check it out:

(FYI: I didn't get compensated for the review, it's just what I really thought about this product. Boscia doesn't know me from Adam.)