ImPRESS Press On Manicure

I recently received another VoxBox full of goodies from Influenster.  This time it was the Mom Vox Box.  I received all of the products from them completely FREE for testing purposes.  If you haven't heard about them, check out their website.  You simply sign up, create a profile, take some surveys that earn you "badges" describing your lifestyle, then sit back and wait until they offer you a VoxBox.  Upon receiving your box, all you have to do is test out all of the products inside and then share your opinions with Influenster.  It's really easy and a fun way to try out new products that you might not have purchased.  Here's a photo of my Mom VoxBox:

One of the first items from my VoxBox that I tried was the ImPress Press On Manicure by Broadway. 

I was really excited that these came in my VoxBox because they aren't something I would normally buy just to try out.  I was extremely skeptical that these would even work at all.  Any press-on nails I've ever tried (especially that use their own adhesive, no nail glue) might stay on for an hour or two and then they start falling off as soon as you try to do anything with your hands.  Aside from that, my nails are pretty wide and have very little arch, so I have never been able to use artificial nails because they pull up on my nail beds and cause me extreme pain. 

My nails came in a nice lilac color (it might be Velvet Rope?  I can't believe I tossed the package without looking!).  They are a nice shorter length, and they are not super thick like a lot of artificial nails.  I also noticed that they are very flexible.  The adhesive on the nails is like a sticky gel, and there is a plastic covering that you peel off of the adhesive before sticking them on.  They are numbered by size, and there are 12 different sizes in the package, with 2 of each size (so 24 nails total).  They are pretty simple to apply - they come with an alcohol pad to clean your nail surface, and then you just press them into place.

My nails:

A few things I didn't like about the nails:

-While they are thinner than most artificial nails, I think they're still too thick.

-The edges were a little sharp/rough.

-I had a hard time peeling the plastic off of the adhesive, and it kept tearing and sticking to the gel.  It got on my nerves.

-For the price, I wish you could get more than one set of nails out of these, but you really can't.  The leftovers are pretty much useless.

What I loved about the nails:
-Of course, no drying time!
-The shine on the nails was really nice.

-They come in 36 different colors/patterns.  Lots of variety!

-They did NOT hurt my nails!  Not even a little bit.  :)

-They actually stayed on longer than I thought they would.  I applied them Thursday evening, and they lasted until Saturday afternoon.  I worked all day on Friday and I couldn't believe they didn't come off at work. 

-When it was time to take them off, they came off easily and didn't leave any crud on my nails. 

You can buy imPress Manicure at CVS, Rite Aid, Duane Reade, KMart, Walgreens, and Walmart. For a full list of online and in-store retailers, visit imPressManicure.com, where you can download an exclusive coupon and virtually try on all the colors and patterns!

Their suggested price is $5.99 for solid colors and $7.99 for patterns.  For me, this is too expensive to use very often but worth it for a special occasion or just a once in a while thing.  Overall, I think for press-on nails they are really nice and I'm glad I got to try them for free!  Thank you Influenster.



Delicious Coconut Cream Pie Recipe

Coconut cream pie is one of my very favorite summer desserts.  I had never made one before until just recently, and it turned out so yummy that I wanted to share the recipe.  (This is NOT my recipe, I found it on www.myrecipes.com, at this link).

This is my finished pie:

Coconut Cream Pie

Crust:
1/2 (15 ounce) package of refrigerated pie crusts

Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups half and half (I used 2% milk, and it worked)
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons of butter
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
vanilla

Whipped Cream Topping:
2 cups of heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
Toasted coconut for garnish

Fit 1 piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp. Prick bottom and sides of piecrust with a fork. Bake according to package directions for a one-crust pie.  (*I used a packaged graham cracker crust pie because I couldn't find quite what I needed.  It turned out fine I thought, so you could really use either*). 

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in a heavy saucepan. Whisk together half-and-half and egg yolks. Gradually whisk egg mixture into sugar mixture; bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat.  (*I didn't have any half-and-half because I forgot to buy any!  I used 2% milk and I thought it worked fine.  Might have been even better with the half-and-half?*). 

Stir in butter, 1 cup coconut, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap, placing plastic wrap directly on filling in pan; let stand 30 minutes. Spoon custard mixture into prepared crust, cover and chill 30 minutes or until set.

Beat whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, beating until soft peaks form. Spread or pipe whipped cream over pie filling. Garnish, if desired. (*This made quite a bit more whipped cream than I needed.  I couldn't find any toasted coconut at the store.  I put a small amount of shredded coconut in a small nonstick skillet and tossed it around on medium heat until it was browned*). 

Bic Soleil Savvy Razors

Have you seen these yet?! 

Bic has a new women's disposable razor called Soleil Savvy. 

 

I'm currently trying this razor for free compliments of Bic and BzzAgent (they send me lots of fun stuff to try, check them out!). 

The Soleil Savvy is not like other disposable razors.  Instead of purchasing a whole pack of complete razors, each Soleil Savvy razor comes with one disposable handle and four refillable blade cartridges:

So here's my honest opinion:  As far as a disposable razor goes (which is all I use), they shave just fine.  I am usually not extremely picky about my razors except that I do like for them to have at least 3 blades (Soleil Savvy has 3), and not irritate my skin (it doesn't).  While I have absolutely no complaints about it,there really isn't anything particularly special about it to me.  One of their major selling points seems to be the fact that you don't have to purchase "pricey refills", but I tend to think that $7-8 for a four pack of disposable razors, though not overpriced, is in no way a bargain. 

The reason that I do think this product was a good idea is that reduces waste!  I think it's great that you won't need to throw all those handles away.  It totally makes sense that you should only need to replace the blade when it gets dull.  Being "green" is not a requirement for me when I purchase beauty products, but it's a nice bonus. 

Overall I think it's a good product and worth purchasing. 



CeraVe Renewing Lotion

Yesterday I got a box in the mail containing an 8oz bottle of CeraVe Renewing Lotion.  I was pretty psyched about this!  I don't even recall requesting any type of sample, or winning any contest.  There was nothing inside indicating why I had received this.  Oh well, I'm absolutely not complaining!

I'm not familiar with the brand at all.  I have never used any of their products before, and I have never heard anything, good or bad, about them.  Apparently, the new Renewing Lotion has salicylic acid and is supposed to smooth out bumpy, uneven textured skin.  From what I read online, I picture the red bumps that some people can get on their arms, etc.  Like this common condition:

(Apparently called Keratosis Pilaris (thanks, Google) and described here on Wikipedia). 

I don't have this problem.  What I do have are some pretty awful feet.  They are rough, cracked, peeling, and dry.  No amount of filing them with my stainless steel scraper thing seems to help.  I recently went to Las Vegas on vacation and walked for literally miles in a pair of rubber flip flops after dragging myself up and down the strip in a pair of heels.  It's hard to describe the abuse my feet took on this trip.  I ended up with blisters on the balls of my feet, among other places.  The thicker skin on the balls of my feet is still peeling and I'm pretty sure it's going to take forever to heal. 

Last night after my shower I used the Renewing Lotion on my arms, legs, and feet.  It feels really nice and isn't greasy at all.  It is unscented.  You can tell it is a good quality moisturizing lotion. 

This morning, I am really impressed at how much it has helped my feet!  They are actually really soft.  Most moisturizers would have 'worn off' by now, and I'd be back to rough skin, but right now my feet feel like I put lotion on them ten minutes ago.  The peeling is less noticeable too. 

I am definitely going to keep using this.  I can't wait to see how my feet feel after a few days.  I bet it will also do wonders for the dry, chapped skin I get in the winter.  At $12.97 for a 12 oz bottle (WalMart), I think it's worth the price and then some!

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara and Lash Enhancer

I recently picked up a tube of Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara and Lash Enhancer in Black Shimmer at WalMart for about $5.  I had honestly never heard of it before, but I was looking for something new since my regular mascara wasn't in stock. 

According to the package, the Grow Luscious is not only a mascara but a lash enhancer.  I wonder what this really means.  I went to their website to get more specifics about what the product is supposed to actually do, and this is what I found:

-Lash enhancing formula complements the natural growth cycle of your lashes, improving their overall appearance and conditioning with each use
-Get lashes that look instantly longer and lusher and will also grow stronger day after day
-Oversized lash-extending brush
-Ophthalmologist tested

I have been using the mascara for about three weeks and I will say that I don't think I have lost as many lashes as I normally would.  On an average day, between scrubbing my makeup off and fussing with my eyelashes if a contact lens is bothering me, I would say I lose maybe 3-5 lashes.  Sometimes more.  I definitely think this number has decreased significantly.  Coincidence?  Maybe...

After applying, of course my lashes look longer and "lusher".  I think pretty much any decent mascara can accomplish that.

The brush is FAT.  It is a bristly brush, and by that I mean it isn't made of silicone or plastic whatever it is that a lot of new mascara brushes are made of... I hate those things.  So far, I haven't tried one that I liked.  And I do prefer a thicker brush, but I think this one is almost too fat.  I have a hard time applying the mascara to my lower lashes without getting it all over my face. 

It hasn't irritated my eyes, but nothing really does, so I can't comment on that.

I also bought the non-waterproof type, so I can't comment on that either.

I prefer black mascara, but I went with the black shimmer for fun (it also comes in black, blackest black, and blackened brown).  I was a little disappointed in that respect - I can't see a bit of shimmer in the mascara.  The color is fine, just not anything special.

I haven't had any issues with it flaking off, or smudging, or anything like that, so overall I would say I like the mascara (I don't LOVE it).  I do really like the fact that I'm not losing as many eyelashes, and that alone might be enough to make me buy it again. 

Febreze Set & Refresh

Candles, plug-ins, reed diffusers, sprays, scented oil warmers, potpourri...  You name it, I've tried it!  I have a fetish for things that smell good and there's nothing I love more than walking into a house that smells noticeably GOOD.  Not just clean, but fruity, or floral, or maybe like cinnamon or freshly baked cookies. 

Recently I was having a get-together at my house and wanted something to make the living room smell good.  I do burn candles and have some plug-ins, but I wanted something more.  I was at WalMart and found these little Febreze Set & Refresh air fresheners.  I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much - kind of like those little wax cones that you get for $1 and twist off the top to expose the scent.. they last for a day or two and then they're dead.  The Set & Refresh were pretty cheap, around $2 for the unit with 1 scent cartridge (around $4 for a package of refills), so I decided to go ahead and try one. 

Basically the Set & Refresh is a little plastic, crescent-shaped holder with a base.  You just slide the scent cartridge inside until it clicks.  If you want more scent, you can pull the base out, or leave it the way it is for more subtle scent.  I haven't needed to replace the cartridge yet, so I'm not sure how easy it is to remove, or if there's any mess involved. 

I want one of these things for every room in my house!  It has been sitting in my living room for about a month now, and I can STILL smell it.  Unfortunately, I don't remember what scent I bought, and some seem to have better reviews than others, but I think it's something along the lines of tropical/fruity.  It's not so strong that it's overpowering, but it's really noticeable when you walk in the door.  I can't believe how well it has worked for the price I paid!  I went out and bought another one for the bathroom, and it's even better since the bathroom is so small.  The second one I bought has a floral scent, and I like it too.  There are scratch and sniff stickers on each package so you can sort of tell before you buy it if you like it or not. 

I will definitely be purchasing refills for these.  I can't believe I had never heard of them before!

Private Selection Brand - BzzCampaign

BzzAgent has really been showing me love lately!  Currently I'm involved in three BzzCampaigns:

1. The Dr. Scholl's inserts I just posted about
2. A really exciting one where I got two free books for my Kindle, The Hangman's Daughter and The Dark Monk
3. Private Selection Taste of Summer - this one involes FOOD!  :)

If you've never heard of Private Selection brand, it is sold exclusively at Kroger stores, but it is a "premium/gourmet" brand.  Prior to the campaign, I had tried a few of their products (one being the olive oil that I'm currently using and love).  They are modestly priced, though not the cheapest thing on the shelf, and generally I have found to be pretty good quality products.

The BzzKit we received contained an actual bag of sea salt and black pepper flavored kettle chips, and coupons for a free pie, a free package of angus ground beef, $1.50 off of a pint of ice cream, and lots of 20% off coupons to share with friends. 

The chips were so-so; I love kettle chips and loved the texture and crunch of these, but I just wasn't into the flavor.  I plan to try another kind.  So far, I have not been able to find the pies at my Kroger store.  The ice cream was actually on sale for $1.50, so I got it for free, too.  I chose black raspberry and dark chocolate ice cream, and it was  d e l i c i o u s.  Even my husband liked it.  Great texture, especially for a store brand - there are big brand name ice creams that don't measure up to this, in my opinion.  I'll buy it again!  Finally, I purchased a package of the angus ground beef.  I used it for hamburgers, and I really was so impressed with the consistency of the meat.  Normally, when I buy ground beef, I feel like it is really stiff and hard to work with, it seems overprocessed and a little gross.  This ground beef was extremely soft and had a texture like actual meat you might grind at home, if you do that sort of thing.  It really wasn't any more expensive than other ground beef, I thought, so I would definitely purchase it again.  I have been really impressed with the brand.

So in case you missed my previous posts, BzzAgent is a really easy-to-use website where you sign up, take a few surveys, and then sit back and wait to be invited to a campaign that suits you.  Occasionally you'll be asked to take a new survey as new companies prepare to launch campaigns, but it's nothing too time-consuming.  If you receive a product, you're asked to share your opinions and a coupon or two with friends, and report back to BzzAgent about your "Bzz".  Super easy, and actually pretty rewarding... try it out!  ;)