Caress Fresh Collection

Have you ever found a product that you fell in love with and every time you go to the store you buy one more? And then another? And maybe one more? Well that is exactly what happened to me with Caress! I was picked by Influenster to try out the new Caress Fresh Collection body wash. The three new scents in the collection are Emerald Rush, Aqua Sparkle, and Juicy Escape. I received the scent Emerald Rush and oh my goodness the smell is amazing! The liquid lathers very quickly with minimal water and leaves the skin feeling like a baby's skin. It felt absolutely amazing!

After testing Emerald Rush, I bought Aqua Sparkle, Burnt Brown Sugar and Karite Butter, and Twilight Black Orchid.

I have replaced my Tone body wash with Caress. I catch my husband using the new ones. Pretty soon our regular soap will be replaced... hmmm... I wonder how he would feel about that?

If you are looking for a new body wash, or you want to try one that is awesome... go and buy one of the Caress Fresh Collection body washes. You will not regret it!

Thank you Influenster and Caress for my Emerald Rush!


XOXO
Qttie1

"I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

Ipsy September Bag

Hello Lovelies… I’m back! Between my aunt’s wedding, vacation, and a promotion at work… things have been crazy! I have a LOT of catching up to do! Today I am focusing on my September Ipsy bag.

The theme this month is Street Style. OMG, I LOVE everything about this bag! When I first saw the picture of the makeup bag, I was not impressed. When I received it on Saturday, I completely changed my mind. It is sooo rocker chic! It’s a nice soft, silver bag with small silver studs… very edgy and cute.

Now for the products:

Pacifica – 7 Free Nail Polish in Red Red Wine

This was the product that I could not wait to try. I love nail polishes and I have liked every Pacifica product that I have gotten, so I was really excited to get this product! Let me tell you that I was NOT disappointed! The color (Red Red Wine) is absolutely GORGEOUS! Perfect for the fall and winter seasons. This Pacifica nail polish has a nice consistency and applies very smoothly and beautifully, it does not clump up at all. I definitely recommend the Pacifica brand, especially their nail polishes. Red Red Wine has become one of my favorite polishes of all time!

Cailyn – Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss in 08 Love Affair

Who doesn’t love lip glosses? This was the second product that I reached for in my bag. There were 2 colors available, Basic Instinct (a peachy nude) and Love Affair (a dark red), and I am sooo happy that I received Love Affair. This gloss looks great with my Pacifica Red Red Wine nail polish! This Cailyn lip gloss just glides on the lips. It is not sticky or thick, which is great and sometimes rare to find in a gloss... it feels very smooth on the lips! Cailyn’s another brand that I have been very happy with and I will definitely keep buying.

Nourish Organic – Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser

Nourish Organic is 100% natural and USDA certified organic. How awesome is that? This face cleanser has 3 main ingredients:

                Aloe vera, which cleans the skin without drying or irritating it

                Cucumber, which hydrates, soothes, and replenishes the skin

                Watercress, which protects the skin from stress and fatigue because of the antioxidants in it.

I like the ingredients for the cleanser and I like the brand (I have a Nourish Organic moisturizer that I really like). I just feel that after a day of wearing makeup, it doesn’t feel like it is really cleansing my face as good as other cleansers. It is a light and mild cleanser that I feel is great to use to wash my face in the mornings when I want something light. Overall, it is still a good product.

Crown Brush – Infinity Shadow/ Crease Duet Brush

I love makeup brushes. I don’t think that you can ever have enough of them! This brush is made up of synthetic fibers and is very easy to use. The bristles are nice and soft and pick up just the right amount of shadow for application. I have brushes that either pick up too much product or not enough and this one is perfect. I also love the dual ends so I can travel with just one brush for my eyes!

I have never heard of the Crown Brush brand and I am happy that Ipsy introduced me to it, I may have to buy some more products from them! Their website has a nice variety of brushes, but they also sell makeup (which remind me of BH Cosmetics), makeup tools, and cosmetic cases. It’s worth it to check their site and products out.

Alterna Haircare – Caviar CC Cream 10-in-1 Complete Correction

This is the only product that I have not tried yet. This is a hair product that you leave in after you wash and towel dry your hair. You can use it on its own or before styling it. Here are the 10 benefits that they list for using this product:

1.       Moisture

2.       Shine

3.       Smoothness

4.       Softness

5.       UV Protection

6.       Manageability

7.       Strength

8.       Anti-breakage

9.       Heat Protection

10.   Light Hold.

These are some great benefits and I cannot wait to try it out! The Caviar CC Cream has a nice, thick texture that is a little sticky, but smells amazing. I will let you all know my thoughts after I use it.

All in all, I am very happy with my September Ipsy bag! The 4 products that I tried I will definitely use up.  Great job once again, Ipsy! I can’t wait for October’s bag!

If you would like to join Ipsy, click here.

What was your favorite product?

Was there a product that you wish you had received, but didn’t?

Xoxo

Qttie1

Ipsy June Bag

The preparation for summer continued in Ipsy’s June bag themed Pretty in Paradise. The products offered are perfect for the hot summer nights and vacation time.  I thought that the bag was very cute, but I don’t like the placement of the zipper! It’s hard to place some products in there (for example pencil eyeliners).

Now for the products:

Be A Bombshell - Lash Out Mascara

Ipsy introduced me to the Be A Bombshell brand and I have enjoyed each one of their products that I have received. I am just tired of getting mascaras! I am actually looking to trade this with a friend.

This mascara is supposed to lengthen your lashes and give them a full and feathered look. Be A Bombshell recommends users to apply 2-3 coats for a dramatic look.

Nicka K New York - Shimmer Eyeliner in Green

I fell in love with this eyeliner! This Nicka K liner is great because it glides on easily (and pretty thin) AND it’s water proof AND smudge proof! Once you get it on, it is not coming off. I had a hard time removing it with eye makeup remover! So this is perfect for the hot summer nights or for a pool party.

Ipsy subscribers received the liners in the colors blue or green. I was very happy to get it in green because I already have a few blue liners. The green is bright and shiny and is great to wear on a date night or any day during the summer. I am very happy with this product.

NYX - Butter Gloss in Apple Strudel

NYX is another brand that I have been very happy with ALL of their products, so any bag with a NYX product is going to be a great! I had heard of the NYX Butter Lipsticks on Jaclyn Hill’s YouTube channel (if you don’t know who she is, you have to check out her videos… she’s amazing!) and I have been wanting to try the lipsticks and glosses ever since. I don’t know why I haven’t tried them before! These glosses apply so soft that it feels like silky butter (hmmmm)! Plus they smell great!

I received the gloss in Apple Strudel, which is a very light pinkish/peachy color and it is very glossy. NYX has a great color selection so you must go out and try them!

clariSea - Sea Salt Solutions Rapid Detox Charcoal Exfoliant

Oh how I was looking forward to trying out this product! This is a sea salt (from the Pacific Ocean), charcoal exfoliant that is supposed to clear up impurities and brighten your skin. The directions say to blend a small amount with water or use your wet hands and gently scrub your face. Imagine taking big pieces of sea salt and rubbing it all over your face… just picture it… sounds like it would hurt, right?... that is EXACTLY how it felt! It’s like they took sea salt, dyed it, and threw it in a container and said that this would be great for your skin. Not only did my face hurt (and yes I was very gentle with the scrubbing) it was red for a while! This is not a product that I recommend or that I would try ever again.

Dove - Pure Care Dry Oil Nourishing Treatment with African Macadamia Oil

I was excited to get this product, but I have not used it. I am planning to use it this weekend when I straighten my hair again.

I love Dove because it is a trusted brand, affordable, and you can purchase it just about anywhere. This oil is supposed to make your hair 5 times silkier without making it greasy or oily. The oil also smells great! I can’t wait to try it out.

Overall, I was happy with my Ipsy bag.  I would give it a 3.5 out of 5… I removed half a point for the mascara (which is probably great, but I have received sooooo many mascaras from Ipsy) and a full point for the clariSea. All the bags can’t be perfect!

Have you ever received a product that you did not like? What was the product? What did you not like about it?

What was your favorite product from the June bag?

If you are interested in joining Ipsy, click here.

Until next time!

xoxo

Qttie1

Ipsy May Bag

Ipsy’s May bag was themed: Beauty’s Fresh Picks. All of the products that I received are great to use year round, but for me it felt like it was a “get ready for summer” bag! All of the products reminded me of summer… sunblock, curly hair cream, and products to take care of my skin! The bag itself is very cute.  It is a light canvas bag with green leaves on one side. This has become one of my favorite Ipsy bags!

What did I get?  Just these great products:

Hang Ten - Classic Sport SPF 50

What is the first thing you need when summer approaches? Sunblock!  I love the smell of sunblock.  It reminds me of when I was a little girl and during the summer my parents would pack up the car and we would meet the rest of the family at the beach and spend the whole day enjoying the sun, water, food, and of course a good game of balloon fighting! So yes, I was happy to get sunblock. This SPF 50 sunblock from Hang Ten is paraben free, fragrance free (it has the natural sunblock scent), non-greasy, and is lightweight. This is one of the BEST sunblocks that I have every tried!

Pacifica - Mineral Eye Shadow Duo in Moonbeam & Unicorn

I love the Pacifica brand. I learned about it through Ipsy and now my local Target sells it. Pacifica has a lot of great products so of course I love the mineral eyeshadow duo that I received in my bag. I received the duo in #2, which is Moonbeam & Unicorn… a nice light purple and a shimmery pearl. The shadows are nicely pigmented and are great for a date night on vacation.

And… how cool is it that the duo was customized just for Ipsy?!?!

derma e - Microdermabrasion Scrub

I have received a few face scrubs from Ipsy, but this is the first microdermabrasion scrub and I LOVE it! This derma e product received a lot of great reviews from the subscribers that received it. This exfoliator is cruelty free, paraben free, and 100% vegan! It helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines AND it left my skin feeling incredibly silky and smooth! I will definitely be purchasing this when I run out of my deluxe sample.

Eva NYC - Rock-a-Wave Curl Cream

I was excited to finally receive a product for my curly hair! I have been straightening my hair a lot and I feel that I needed to take a break from it. Let the curls come out!

This Eva NYC curl cream has argan oil and keravis protein. I took it with me on my beach vacation and I couldn’t believe that it gave me the smooth beautiful curls that I miss!

Lulu Blossom - Dreamsicle Body Balm

I was a little iffy about this product, but I was very happy to get it in my bag after I tried it out. This body balm has shea butter, which nourishes the skin. As the cute Lulu Blossom tin container says, it is great for the cuticles, cracked hands, feet, and elbows, AND you can apply a small amount to control those pesky frizzies in your hair! It’s summer (and Florida) so I’m pretty much living in cute flip flops and sandals so this is great for my feet. Another product that is definitely worth purchasing!

Oh… I almost forgot. I received an e-mail from Ipsy apologizing for sending me a repeat item in my April bag (the eyeshadow brush, which I was very happy with). In the e-mail they said that I could pick whether I wanted an extra item in my May bag or get extra points… I picked the extra item.  I received the Avene Thermal Spring Water. This spray soothes inflammation, itching, redness, general sensitivity, and protects and purifies the skin. I have not tried this product yet, but will do so soon (I should have taken it on vacation!).

This was another great bag that I will give a 5 out of 5! I enjoyed all of the products that I received and I will definitely be using them all up! I highly recommend each product and would purchase each and every one of them. Plus, the bag is adorable!

Thanks Ipsy for another great bag!

What did you think of your May bag?

What was your favorite product?

If you would like to subscribe to Ipsy, click here.

xoxo

Qttie1

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths

I received the new Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths in my Viva VoxBox. I received these complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. Before I go into the Cleansing Cloths, I want to give you a little background on my experience with Cetaphil before I received the Viva VoxBox. I was introduced to the Cetaphil brand about 10 years ago by my mother. My parents went to Mexico to celebrate one of their anniversaries and my mother wound up getting an allergic reaction to the sun (can you believe that? AND while on vacation!). When she got back to the states and saw her dermatologist, he recommended for her to start using Cetaphil soap. Of course I got curious and decided to try it out for myself. I went out and got the Cetaphil liquid soap and fell in love with the brand! I used it on and of, but for the past 5 years I have been using the liquid soap to clean my face every morning.  This is a brand that I highly recommend to everyone.

When I saw that I was receiving the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths and that this was a new product from Cetaphil, I was beyond excited! The packaging is great… and I love that the packet has a plastic lid to keep the cloths moisturized. The cloths are extremely soft, so it feels nice on your skin when you are using it. Don’t let their softness fool you, they remove all of the dirt and makeup from your face. I wear the Too Faced waterproof eyeliner, which can be pretty stubborn to remove, but these wipes remove it instantly! While I am on the subject of eyeliners and eye makeup, these cleansing cloths are ophthalmologist tested… so I have used them to remove my eye makeup while wearing my contacts! No irritation, no problems! Another great thing about the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths is that they do not leave your skin greasy. With other cleansing cloths that I have used, I have had to wash my face with a cleanser because the cloths have left my face all greasy. These cloths leave your face clean and clear, where after a long night you can go to sleep right after using them... which is great! 

I now have two Cetaphil products that I use daily, the liquid soap in the morning to clean my face before starting my day and the cleansing wipes in the evening to end my day.

If I had to rate the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths, I would give it a 5 out of 5. The brand makes absolutely amazing products and this is definitely one of them. They’re soft, feel great on the skin, they’re great for gentle and sensitive skin, and they do a wonderful job. This is one of those products that every person should have in their house… so go out and buy it!

Check Cetaphil out on their website: www.cetaphil.com

Xoxo

Qttie1

Montagne Jeunesse Manuka Honey Peel Off

I have been hearing about Montagne Jeunesse and how great their peel off masks are, but have not tried it out until I received one complimentary from Influenster. I have seen them at Walmart and I believe I heard that you can find them at Kmart. I get picky when I put something on my skin, especially my face, because I am afraid of getting a reaction, but this mask is wonderful! I received the Manuka Honey Peel Off mask in my Viva VoxBox for testing purposes. This mask is made from Manuka Honey, which I found out is a natural anti-bacterial cleanser and with Jasmine, which are perfect for combination and oily skin.

Applying the mask was a little messy, but the end result was great. To apply, you cleanse your face with warm water, squeeze the sticky, gel-like substance in your hands and apply to your face, then wait 20 minutes until the mask dries, and then you peel it off. Taadah… you are done! The mask removes the dead skin and impurities and your face is left feeling moisturized, silky smooth, and glowing! The Manuka Honey and Jasmine works wonders on the skin.

This is the Manuka Honey Peel Off that I received from Influenster.

It can be a little messy, but soooo worth it!

This will probably the only time I will post a picture without makeup.

Not the best pic because I was sick!

I have been looking for a peel off mask and this is definitely the brand that I will be using from now on And for the price of $2.49, you can’t beat it! They have a nice selection of face masks with natural ingredients, which are worth a try. So, go out, try it, and let me know what you think.

You can check out Montagne Jeunesse on the following sites:

www.montagnejeunesse.com

https://www.facebook.com/montagnejeunesseusa

https://twitter.com/MontagneJeuness

www.pinterest.com/montagnejeuness

**I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.**

xoxo

Qttie1

Influenster Viva VoxBox

Hello Lovelies!

I was one of the lucky people chosen to receive the Viva VoxBox from Influenster. I get really excited when I am picked for one because honestly, who doesn't like to receive free products? I love to test products and tell everyone my findings… good or bad. Like all of the VoxBoxes, the Viva VoxBox had some truly amazing products in it. I received all of these products complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster.

Influenster is a community of people who like to give their opinions on products. Active members receive VoxBoxes with products that we test, review, and share our experiences.  If you are interested in joining, please let me know and I can send you an invitation.

When you receive a VoxBox and first open it, you receive a card from Influenster with the name of the VoxBox and a list of the products included with a short description and the retail price. Once you receive the box, you have to go the Influenster website to check in your box. After the box is checked in… the fun part starts… you get to try out all of the products and fulfill the tasks listed on the site (which is pretty much telling all of your friends and family on Facebook Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and blog what you think of the products and showing off your goodies). Then each brand has a list of challenges, which can lead to winning more products from that brand.  Cool, right? Each VoxBox also has a Twitter party that gets other Influensters together to discuss what they thought about each product. These Twitter parties are a lot of fun, but very fast paced. It’s nice to interact with other Influensters and meet new ones. Towards the end of the VoxBox period, each member has to fill out a questionnaire, failure to do so eliminates you from getting future boxes… so remember to do the survey!

Onto the Viva VoxBox! As I mentioned before, the Viva VoxBox has some amazing products! All from brands that I have heard of before (some of which I already use). I was happy with all of the products and highly recommend them.

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer Cocoa Radiant

Who hasn't used a Vaseline product in the past? From moisturizes for the body to moisturizers for the lips (which I currently use and carry in my everyday makeup bag)… I have been using Vaseline products for as long as I can remember. I have been seeing the commercial for the Vaseline Spray & Go since the product came out (you know, the one where the girl sprays her body, rubs it, and then gets dressed really quick?) and kept wondering if it really works as quick as they say. The answer… yes, it does! This is perfect for the on-the-go person. Spray up on one side of your body, spray down the other side, rub it in real quick and you are ready. It is as simple as that! I love it!

Vaseline Spray & Go contains pure cocoa butter that leaves your skin with a glow and feeling soft and healthy. And applying cocoa butter helps with the appearance of scars.

The retail value of the Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer Cocoa Radiant is $7.99 for a 6.5 oz. can. It says that you can get up to 30 uses in a can (depends on the condition of your skin). It is definitely worth the price and I will be purchasing it when I have used mine all up.

You can check all of Vaseline's products on their site: www.vaseline.us

  

Pure Ice Nail Polish

Pure Ice polishes are exclusive to Walmart. The base coat I use is from this brand and I have found that it works better than some other base coats that I have used. Pure Ice has a great line of trendy colors at an incredible price. As long as you wear a base coat and a top coat, your manicure will last you 5-7 days (or more).

You know how much I love nail polishes, so this was the first products that I used! We received to polishes in the Viva VoxBox, After Hours and It’s Complicated (love the names). After Hours is beautiful, shiny hot pink that looks wonderful for manicures and pedicures. It’s Complicate is a cool multi-colored and multi-dimensional glitter polish. When wearing it, it looks like you have little rhinestones of silver, green, blue, pink, and purple. It looks great on top of other polishes!

The retail value of each Pure Ice nail polish is $1.69. You definitely cannot beat the price!

Check out Pure Ice on their Facebook page: Official Pure Ice.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths

Cetaphil is another one of those brands that I love (I will be writing a separate blog on this) so I was extremely happy to see that it was included in the Viva VoxBox. I couldn't wait to use these cleansing cloths and I was not disappointed! These cleansing cloths are dermatologist developed and tested. The cloths remove your makeup quickly and leave your skin feeling soft and clean. Now that I have found these cleansing cloths, I will be replacing the ones that I was purchasing. I highly recommend these, especially for those of you with sensitive skin. 

The retail value of the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths is $5.99 for a pack 25.

Here is the link to Cetaphil's website: www.cetaphil.com.

NYC New York Color City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Color

Lippies!  Yes!!!!

I have not used an NYC product in a while and after receiving the NYC Twistable Lip Color… I will definitely be using it again. The NYC New York Color City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Colors come in 12 different colors and they combine the velvety feeling of a balm with the long wearing color of a lipstick (about 6 hours). I received the color South Berry Ferry and the color is incredibly gorgeous! The lippy is highly pigmented and goes on soft and smooth. A little goes a long way with this chubby stick. After trying on South Ferry Berry, I have bought 3 more! They are not expensive, but they look and feel like they are.

The retail value of the NYC New York Color City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Color is $2.99!

Take a look at all of the great makeup NYC has to offer on their page: newyorkcolor.com.

Montagne Jeunesse Clay Spas

Do not ask me to pronounce the name! The name may be hard to pronounce, but the product is AH-MAZ-ING and very easy to use!!!! This is one of those products that I have heard of and have been extremely tempted to purchase, but for whatever reason I never did. When I saw that it was in the Viva VoxBox, I got really excited. The face masks are natural bamboo fabric masks with clay and that leave your skin feeling absolutely incredible.  Montagne Jeunesse has a nice selection of face masks. This is another product that feels like it is expensive, but is totally affordable. If you have not tried them, you have to!

The retail value of the Montagne Jeunesse Clay Spas mask is $2.49

Checkout the different products from Montagne Jeunesse: www.montagnejeunesse.com.

Shell Fuel Rewards Network Card

The Shell Fuel Rewards Network Card is a free card that allows members to receive savings when you purchase specially marked products in the convenience store, car washes, and auto services at Shell Stations. Who doesn't like saving on gas? So, this card is definitely worth getting.

This card is completely free. You can go to the their website site to sign up: www.fuelrewards.com.

The Viva VoxBox was such an amazing box! If you have not tried any of these products, you definitely have to. They were all easy to use, effective, and completely worth the price.

Thank you very much Influenster for picking me to test all of the incredible products.

If you are interested in joining, please let me know.

Have a great day!

xoxo

Qttie1