Product Review: Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment

Hey guys!

Today I'm going to be reviewing the Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment. This product retails for $38 at Sephora, ULTA, and tarte.com.

I was so excited to try this eye cream ever since Leesha, aka xsparkage, had mentioned that she loved it. I had seen her video right around the time I was shopping around for a new eye cream and trusted her judgement since I've been enjoying her honest reviews for years. The price point is honestly not too crazy for a good quality eye cream, so I went ahead and ordered it.

I started using it as soon as it arrived in the mail. I like the consistency, it feels similar to the touch as many other eye creams. I noticed it had a slight shimmer in it, probably to help with distracting from dark circles. 

In the end, I liked how it felt on my skin. It was moisturizing but not too heavy. However, I ended up not being a fan of the overall product since after using it for a solid month, I saw no real results. Therefore, I ended up returning it - thankfully, Sephora is GREAT about returns and exchanges!

Image provided by Sephora.com

Let me know if you guys have had better experiences with this eye treatment or have a favorite eye cream you swear by - I'm still on the never ending hunt for my holy grail! ;)

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Product Review: St. Ives Oatmeal Scrub + Mask

Hey there!

Today I'm going to reviewing the St. Ives Oatmeal Scrub + Mask courtesy of the recent St. Ives VoxBox I received from Influenster.

I've always been a big fan of the St. Ives scrubs. The apricot scrub is a tried and true favorite for many people - although I like to use it on my entire body every now and then for a spa-like experience. I wouldn't recommend that scrub in particular for your face, as it's too rough but thankfully this oatmeal scrub is the perfect formula for a face scrub.

This scrub/mask comes in two sizes - 6 oz. for $3.89 and 9 oz. for $4.99 at Target. Other drugstores may vary slightly in price. I received the 6 oz. size in my voxbox, which is honestly plenty since I like to use scrubs and masks only 1-2 times a week, so it doesn't dry out my skin or make my face have a negative reaction.

I'm going to be honest and say I've only used this as a scrub, not a mask. The texture is very creamy and milky and seems like a great scrub to me, not so much a mask. They claim you can use it as both by applying it and massaging off for a scrub effect, while you apply to your face and leave it for 5-7 minutes before rinsing off for a mask effect.

I can safely say I love this as a scrub, though. It has hands down turned into one of my favorites, for sure. I enjoy using it 1-2 times a week while I'm in the shower after a long day of work or wearing makeup. It refreshed my skin, moisturizes like no other (probably the oatmeal formula) and makes my skin look and feel softer and more radiant. It's just so good.

It claims to soften skin and smooth away dryness and I can say that there's no way it doesn't live up to those claims. It has a gentle exfoliation, so it's a great first scrub to try, especially good for sensitive skin types. It's also formulated without paragons, hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, and non-comedogenic. Talk about the good stuff.

I feel like you just can't go wrong with this scrub. It doesn't have terrible ingredients. It's easily accessible and affordable. It makes your skin look and feel super smooth and clean. It's just all around awesome.

Screenshot of product from Target.com

I hope this review was helpful to you whether you're a long time St. Ives lover or here to discover a new product fave! Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

Product Review: Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer in "Monoi Oil"

Hey guys!

A few months ago, I received my TENTH Influenster VoxBox! I KNOW - can you believe it?! I'm seriously so flattered.

You can find this specific product here - at $7 for a 10 oz lotion at Target, it's a bit of a steep price (compared to my typical 20oz lotions for $5 at the drugstore) but well worth it since you don't have to use much product to get super soft legs, or wherever you choose to soften up.

This product took a little getting used to for me. The consistency is more watery than a traditional lotion and you have to remember to apply directly after the shower on your wet legs. I have such a  tendency to quickly dry off my entire body since I hate being cold after the shower, but I've had to get into the routine of drying off half of my body, applying the moisturizer to my wet legs, then patting my legs dry. Patting is very important to remember - you want to feel mostly dry without wiping the lotion off entirely.

After I pat my legs off, I find the moisturizer leaves a bit of a residue for a good hour or two - you know, that feeling that something is applied to your legs. It's not super smooth, it's not super sticky...just there. Don't get me wrong, this moisturizer definitely makes my legs look and feel smoother almost instantly. It's just an odd texture to feel when it's wet and once it's dried.

As far as scent goes, it's a light, fresh, floral scent. I'm more of a heavy, sticky sweet scent kind of gal, but it's not a terrible scent for someone who prefers the complete opposite. I appreciate the "fluffy" light scent every once in a while. However, they do have coconut oil scent which I'm sure if amazing, although I haven't tried it yet.

I am not a person to apply lotion everyday. I wish I was, but I can't seem to get into the habit. However, I need to apply something moisturizing after shaving my legs or else they start to get red and itchy. That only started happening a few years ago, but it's a weird reaction that's stuck with me it seems. That's when using this comes into play. I used to always have to use hair conditioner while in the shower, as well as apply a thick layer of any lotion to my legs after they dried after getting out of the shower. With this innovation, I'm able to only use this and not get that weird reaction. Thumbs up for me!!

Screenshot from Target.com

I hope this review was helpful for those of you on the hunt for fun, new products to try! I've had fun working with this moisturizer over the traditional lotions lately.

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

St. Ives Influenster VoxBox Overview

Helloooooooo!

Because I was lucky enough to receive not one, but TWO VoxBoxes from Influenster in the same DAY (crazy, right?!) I figured that meant two back-to-back blog posts going over what I was lucky enough to receive.

Here's a peak into what I received in the St. Ives VoxBox:

• St. Ives Even & Bright Pink Lemon & Mandarin Orange Body Wash
• Retails for $2.99 for a 13.5oz bottle or $4.89 for a 24oz bottle
• Not a fan at all for citrus scents, so this was enjoyed by my mother instead
• St. Ives Refresh & Revive Pear Nectar & Soy Body Lotion
• Retails for $4.99 for a 21oz bottle
• Also not a fan of the scent of this, so my mother gladly took this as well
• St. Ives Nourish & Soothe Oatmeal Scrub + Mask
• Retails for $3.99-$4.79 for a 6oz bottle or $4.99-5.79 for a 10oz bottle
• OMG IN LOOOOOOOOOVE with this product. Definitely doing an in-depth review soon!

Check out the video above for a hands-on look into what I received inside this box!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and be sure to look out for the in-depth review of the oatmeal scrub/mask either on here or my YouTube channel - you won't want to miss it!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*I received this VoxBox courtesy of Influenster for review purposes*

Influenster Jingle VoxBox Overview

Hey guys!

It's been a while since I've appeared on the blog front, hasn't it? Well, fear not! I'm back! I've got some awesome blog posts for you guys in the next couple months so keep a look out for them coming soon!

For now, I wanted to give you a quick run down on what I got in the Jingle VoxBox from Influenster around Christmas time 2015. 

Here's a list of what I received this time around:

• Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream (1 oz):
• Full size retails for $8.99-15.99 each
• Biscoff Cookies:
• 250g size retails for $2.99 each
• Ore-Ida Tater Tots:
• Full size bag retails for $3.99 (I received a coupon to get a pack at the store for free - these didn't come directly in the box)
• Hallmark Itty Bittys:
• Starting at $6.95 (I received Rapunzel - there's many characters)
• NYC City Proof 24HR Waterproof Eyeliner:
• Retails for $3.99 each
• KISS True Volume Lashes:
• Each pair retails for $3.99
• KISS Strip Lash Adhesive with Aloe:
• Each tube retails for $3.99
• Pure Ice Nail Polish:
• Each bottle retails for $1.97 each at Walmart

Please keep in mind: If you're looking for more information or my opinions on the items listed above, I plan to review them at length after I use them a bit more. Stay tuned!

Be sure to check out the video above to see the things I received in this VoxBox in action!

I hope you guys enjoyed my first blog post of 2016 - can't wait to see you back here for more content soon!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*Items were sent to me from Influenster for review purposes*

Product Review: Dessange Oleo Miracle Collection

Hey guys!

Today I'll be reviewing the Dessange hair care system I was lucky enough to receive in my latest VoxBox thanks to Influenster!

I received 3 different items in this box:

• Dessange Replenishing Shampoo
• Dessange Replenishing Conditioner
• Dessange Replenishing Oil

Here's a breakdown of the pros & cons, as usual:

PROS

• After using consistently, my hair feels and looks noticeably smoother, softer, and shinier.
• Feels clean after each use.
• I can go longer than usual in between washes, which I found interesting.
• Doesn't weigh down hair from moisture.
• Hair feels moisturized after using.

CONS

• Has a noticeable "mature" smell - meaning, I think of my Great Aunt when I smell these products.
• Higher price tag for being a product found at the drugstore. (I'll break this down below)

The shampoo and conditioner retail for $9.99 while the oil retails for $11.99. These prices are based on target.com. Like I said, the prices for these individual products are a bit steeper compared to other drugstore shampoos, conditioners, and oils. However, I believe it's justified since these are much better quality than said brands.

One thing I wanted to mention was the shampoo is 8.5oz while the conditioner is 6.7oz. I tend to use more shampoo than conditioner in an attempt to clean my hair thoroughly and avoid weighing it down from too much conditioner. Although the conditioner doesn't weigh my hair down in this system, I still like to wash my hair the same way. Therefore, I feel the products will run out at the same time which is convenient.

Another thing I wanted to mention is the colors of the actual products. The shampoo is an oily feeling orange while the conditioner is a moisturizing feeling off-white color. The oil however, is clear. I just found it interesting that the shampoo and oil have the same type of feel but completely different colors.

In a typical week, I wash my hair every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Sundays are my day to deep condition my hair as well. On the days I don't wash my hair in the shower, I keep it up and in a hair cap to keep dry then follow the shower by using dry shampoo to keep oil from building up. I find this system helps my hair maintain moisture, softness, and smoothness longer. I use the shampoo and conditioner once in the shower, then follow by using 1-2 pumps of the oil all throughout my hair after the shower.

Overall, I really enjoy these products. I'm really considering buying them again, despite the steeper price tag because of the great benefits they give to my hair. I haven't had as good of hair days as I have using this system in a long time! It's truly is a miracle when I can say this system alone has single-handedly dramatically improved my frizzy hair.

I hope you guys enjoyed this review and found it helpful! Make sure to watch the video below to check out my unboxing of the collection!

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren

*Products featured in this review were sent to me for review purposes from Influenster*

Product Review: LUSH Golden Egg Bath Bomb

Hey guys!

I just finished enjoying a relaxing spa night complete with a LUSH Mask of Magnaminty Face Mask, L'oreal Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm (hair masque), the Yankee Candle Marshmallow Chicks candle lit while reading the amazing #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso.

Oh...and let's not forget the LUSH Golden Egg Bath Bomb.

LUSH Golden Egg Bath Bomb

So after using this bath bomb for the first time, I wanted to review it as I had some pros and cons that I wanted to share with you guys interested in making this purchase before they disappear after Easter.

Their website calls this scent a "creamy honey-toffee luxury", which definitely fits the sweet scent description accurately. Here's the rest of the description off of the official LUSH website:

"You can stop hunting for eggs, because the hunt ends here! This spectacular invention has combined a Bath Bomb and a Luxury Bath Melt to create (drumroll please…) the Bath Bomb Melt! Its creamy, moisturizing cocoa butter exterior encases a fizzy Bath Bomb center, and the whole egg is dusted in a delicate golden luster. Even better? It has the classic honey-toffee fragrance of our best-selling Honey I Washed The Kids soap."

Here's a quick breakdown of the pros and cons:

PROS:

• Smells great (classic LUSH smell - if you like this, you'll love the smell this leaves!)
• Leaves a beautiful golden shimmer on your body, even after washing with body wash afterwards.
• Leaves your body feeling SUPER moisturized and soft.
• Nice moisturizing foam coating - this foam coating on the top of the bath water ensured that my skin would lock in the moisturizing effect from using this bath bomb, as all LUSH bath bombs are known for.
• Beautiful shimmer distributed throughout the bath water.
• Leaves a lingering scent on your body, even after using body wash and body lotion.

CONS:

• Doesn't break up easily like other bath bombs - after the overlay of gold shimmer soaked into the bath water, I had to physically sit under the faucet and break up the bath bomb under the running, hot water to have it distribute into the rest of the bathtub.
• Yellow bath water - maybe it's just a con to me, but sitting in yellow bath water isn't the most pleasant of sights.

I hope this quick review gave you a better look into how this specific bath bomb works and if it's the right purchase for you.

Keep in mind you can purchase this at LUSH stores or on their website for $8.95 for a 3.8oz one time use bath bomb.

Remember to have a positive day! :)

Hugs,
Lauren