Brita LongLast Filter Review

Hey there! Long time no speak. I received another free VoxBox from Influenster and inside was the Brita LongLast Filter. Let me tell you about it!

First, it fits pretty much every Brita filter. There's nothing worse than trying to find the exact filter you need.

Second, using it is a breeze. You just unwrap it, place in your Brita Filter (no pre-soaking needed). Then you just discard the first three pitchers (so your filter is functioning the best it can). Then you just add more water and let it filter to enjoy your first glass of fresh clean water!

Third, it removes some harsh chemicals from the water, like chlorine, lead and mercury. It can also remove asbestos.

Forth, you can use the water from this pitcher to fill your reusable water bottle instead of buying expensive disposable water bottles. Those water bottles take up valuable land fill space and can actually be harmful to your health.

And fifth, this filter only needs to be replaced two times a year, which saves you money and time!

I hope you enjoyed my review!

#BritaLongLast #contest +Influenster

Country Crock Butter Spread!

I received a coupon for this product complementary from Influenster for testing and review purposes. All opinions are my own. I used this butter for a few recipes, one including homemade french bread (which came out amazing). I also use this in place of butter for toast or frying eggs for breakfast. It's spreadable right out of the fridge. I like how there's no hydrogenated vegetable oils in this spread, which is a concern for me (I am a biochemistry major and nutrition minor in college so I know all about them, and they're scary!). I would love to use this spread to make cookies at some point!

Ore-Ida Totchos

I received a complimentary coupon from Influenster for a free bag of Ore-Ida Tater Tots. Of course I snagged these up. I live by myself and don't cook meals for more than one person too often, so meals that I make are pretty simple. But that's okay, sometimes when you make things too complicated things get out of hand. A few simple ingredients can really make something taste amazing. So, following this theme, I decided to make myself a little tater tots snack! I don't do anything too special, but this is great for picky eaters (kids!) or people are just looking for something quick and easy, yet still very delicious! Here's what I did.

I cooked about half the bag of tater tots according to package directions. Once they were nice and crispy, I took them out of the oven. I let them cool slightly, and then graded some extra sharp Vermont cheddar cheese on top and let that melt. I then added some ketchup on top. A sprinkle of salt, and you're done! It's so simple, yet SO good.

For more Ore-Ida Totcho recipes, visit the Kraft Recipes Totchos Hub.

 #OreIdaTotchos #Contest

Cetaphil® Moisturizing Cream - AMAZING!!

I received Cetaphil® Moisturizing Cream complimentary from Influenster for testing and review purposes. This isn't the first time I've seen/used Cetaphil products. I can say that this stuff is amazing. It's super creamy and moisturizing, but it doesn't make my skin all oily and nasty like some moisturizers do. I definitely avoid those oily products as I don't want to get acne. I want to buy this moisturizer in the larger containers because I like it so much. I was so happy to receive the sample in my Jingle Vox Box from Influenster. Thank you Influenster and Cetaphil for keeping my skin moisturized this cold winter in Vermont.

#Cheerphil and #sponsored

St. Ives helps me #LiveRadiantly!

I recently received the Campus VoxBox from Influenster for testing purposes. One of the items included was the St. Ives® Blemish Control Apricot Scrub. First of all, it smells AMAZING. It has such a nice subtle apricot scent which makes it super pleasant to use. However most importantly, it feels so cleansing on my face. The light abrasion cleans my skin and pores so nicely. I can definitely feel a difference on my face in terms of acne breakouts and overall softness. I really recommend this product to anyone who has skin issues, especially issues with ache!

I feel healthy and beautiful when I clean my face with St. Ives® Blemish Control Apricot Scrub, and I live radiantly!

Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Intense ADVANCED #GetADVANCED:

I put it on my face after showering in the morning. It isn't sticky/gross, it goes on smooth and feels moisturizing and clean on my skin. It seems to tighten it a little. Throughout the day my skin continues to feel smooth and moisturized which is good for the cold days in Vermont. I will continue to keep using for sure!

Celestial Seasonings Taste Test #CelestialTea

I received this complementary from Influenster for testing and review purposes.

Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea Review:

I am not really a tea person, never really have been. However, the first thing I want to mention is that the tea bag smelled wonderful. It had a great minty flavor which I love. I didn't add anything else to the tea besides the actual tea bag. The flavor is okay, the minty flavor makes it seem like I am drinking tea after I just brushed my teeth. Not saying that's bad, it's just what it reminds me of. I don't necessarily dislike it, but it's just kinda blah. Nothing great. but like I said, I'm not a tea person so you can't really go by my opinion too much.

No7 Protect & Perfect Advanced Serums - 8 Women, 4 Weeks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SErFiNitgWE&utm_source=influenster

@BootsBeautyUSA @Influenster #GetAdvanced #contest

#FrostyVoxBox Products Review!

I received all of these products complementary from Influenster for testing review purposes. These opinions are my own.
Rimmel Gentle Eye Makeup Remover #Rimmel: I had on eye liner, mascara and eye shadow. I poured a little bit on to a cotton facial pad. I rubbed it on my eyes. I have to be careful with eye products since I wear contacts. This solution didn't burn my eyes at all. It felt smooth and comfortable. That was a huge bonus. The best part however is that my makeup came off with a few swipes of each eye. The skin around my eyes didn't feel gross, or kind of funky like some of the other makeup remover towelettes I've tried. Plus it didn't have a smell so that was really nice. I'm really glad I got such a large sample bottle of this product - I'm excited to keep using it!

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner #Rimmel: The second product I received was eyeliner. Unfortunately I wasn't able to test this product because the cap came off in shipping and the pen rubbed all over the box. So there's nothing left (that's above the edge) to use for mascara. I'm sad this happened. :(

NYC New York Color Expert Last Lip Color #SugarPlum: This lipstick is wonderful! I love the shade. At first it seemed too purple for my taste, but it is pretty subtle once it's on my lips. But it definitely is noticeable! It's a beautiful shade and goes well with my light skin and dark hair. Plus it feels smooth on my lips!

Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea #CelestialTea: I am not really a tea person, never really have been. However, the first thing I want to mention is that the tea bag smelled wonderful. It had a great minty flavor which I love. I didn't add anything else to the tea besides the actual tea bag. The flavor is okay, the minty flavor makes it seem like I am drinking tea after I just brushed my teeth. Not saying that's bad, it's just what it reminds me of. I don't necessarily dislike it, but it's just kinda blah. Nothing great. but like I said, I'm not a tea person so you can't really go by my opinion too much.

Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Intense ADVANCED #GetADVANCED: I put it on my face after showering in the morning. It isn't sticky/gross, it goes on smooth and feels moisturizing and clean on my skin. It seems to tighten it a little. I will continue to keep using!

McCormick Gourmet All Natural Thyme #McCormickGourmet: I used this Thyme to marinate/cook a salmon fillet. It added a lot of really good flavor to the salmon! It was a nice touch! I served it with a dill dipping sauce, sweet potatoes and cucumber. I highly recommend the thyme, as well as McCormick in general. I love their spices!

Fruit Vines Bites in Strawberry Flavor #SweetSide" These are good! They are chewy but not so much so that it gets stuck to your teeth. They kind of remind of of Twizzlers, but I don't like Twizzlers so they are better I guess! They are a cute size for just snacking on, and I like that they're made without preservatives!

Ecotools Sleek and Shine Finisher Hairbrush #LoveMyEcoHairBrush: This brush is good! I have thick hair so it was a little hard to brush at times, but not a huge deal. I think it helped my hair dry faster when I was blowdrying it since there are slots in the back for air to go through. If I had thinner hair I think this brush would seem a lot better to me.

Rimmel Gentle Eye Makeup Remover and Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Review

I received this product complementary from Influenster for testing and review purposes. #Rimmel

First I tried the eye makeup remover. I had on eye liner, mascara and eye shadow. I poured a little bit on to a cotton facial pad. I rubbed it on my eyes. I have to be careful with eye products since I wear contacts. This solution didn't burn my eyes at all. It felt smooth and comfortable. That was a huge bonus. The best part however is that my makeup came off with a few swipes of each eye. The skin around my eyes didn't feel gross, or kind of funky like some of the other makeup remover towelettes I've tried. Plus it didn't have a smell so that was really nice. I'm really glad I got such a large sample bottle of this product - I'm excited to keep using it!

The second product I received was eyeliner. Unfortunately I wasn't able to test this product because the cap came off in shipping and the pen rubbed all over the box. So there's nothing left (that's above the edge) to use for mascara. I'm sad this happened. :(

Review of #GoPROFOOT products from Influenster

I received the orthotic inserts and pedi rock from Influenster complementary for testing purposes. The pedi rock is nice, it smooths out rough/dry skin on my feet, which can be a problem for me. The inserts were neat too, they weren't full length so my toes didn't get crowded. They were comfy and supportive. The price is nice too, they're only $5 at some stores!

Got my GoVoxBox!!!

Hey everyone! I got another Influenster VoxBox (free for testing purposes) last week and I just opened it yesterday. I was on a cruise so I got home last night. First of all, I was surprised on how big the box was! It was huge!! The first VoxBox I got was smaller, but the items were still cool. This box is awesome. I'll take you through the things that came with it.

• PROFOOT Triad Orthotic
• PROFOOT Pedi-Rock
• Playtex Sport Fresh Balance tampons
• Blue Diamond Fruit Flavored Almonds
• Muller Coupon for a free yogurt product
• Aqua Spa Relax Collection (Bath Soak)
• 3 The Vitamin Shoppe Next Step Fit N' Full Shakes
• The Vitamin Shoppe Next Step 20 ounce Jaxx Shaker Cup

The last two items were not on the card that came with the box. I'm super excited to try all of these things. All are something I'm interested. I have used/received the tampons before but everything else is new to me. I will do reviews on these products later. I will also be making a video for YouTube explaining the box and showing the pictures. I will embed the link here when it's up.

Cruising Soon!

In exactly 18 days from the time I'm writing this post (4:30 EST), I will be setting sail on Norwegian Cruise Line's new ship, the Norwegian Breakaway! This ship is huge, it's over 1000 feet long, holds 4000+ passengers and 1600 crew members, and has the largest water park at sea. Yes, I said water park. See those slides? Oh yeah!

We set sail to Bermuda out of NYC on May 11. We like to sail out of Boston or New York so we can drive instead of flying. We actually drive to a city outside NYC, park at the train station, and take the train to Grand Central Station, then a cab to the terminal.

An inside stateroom.

We got a great price on this cruise, about $423 per person (excluding taxes, which are about $190 per person) and $50 credit to spend on board. This price put us at the lowest category of inside staterooms, but upgrades to better categories are likely, sometimes people even get upgraded to suites! We haven't gotten our room assignment yet despite being less than 3 weeks away from departure. 

If you've never been on a cruise before, let me start by saying that they are awesome. You get to spend 7 days aboard a floating city, with all the food you could dream of, awesome entertainment, and you get to go to a beautiful, warm location. Can you imagine doing this any other way? Plane tickets alone are hundreds, plus hotels, plus paying for each meal, and paying to go to shows. And you get to go to the beach while you're there. It's literally the best invention ever, if I do say so myself.

If you have been on a cruise before, you may have been on other cruise likes. If that's the case, you may remember that you are assigned a specific time to eat dinner and you must sit at a certain table with other people whom you don't know. On NCL, you can go eat when you want, where you want, and as much as you want. It's great because there is so much going on, you can decide how you plan (or don't plan) your day's activities and find some time to eat when you can. With scheduled eating times, things aren't always at the right time, or you simply aren't hungry!

Let's talk more about the food on board. There are many places where you can eat for FREE on board. There is the Garden Cafe, which is a huge buffet style eating setting. The variety is endless all day long. You grab a plate, stack it high, and sit inside or out by the pool if you want. There is another free spot to eat out on the pool deck, usually a deck or two above the pool deck, where burgers, hot dogs, and fries are served. Often on the pool deck a barbecue where more food is served!

There are also "sit down" restaurants on board, free of charge, where you can order from a menu and be served. The food is great here too and some places are more formal than others. On the Breakaway, the Manhattan Room even has a dance floor and a stage! Dinner AND a show? Wow! There is also a "restaurant" on board, O'Sheehans, that's open 24/7. Have a craving at 3am for some chicken wings? No problem! You cannot go hungry on this ship. It's impossible.

If you're feeling a little fancier and have some extra cash to spend, you can eat at what they call specialty restaurants, such as a steak house or an Italian restaurant. Prices range from $10-$30, but these meals are generally more high quality and often kid-free, so people can eat in peace a little more. On our upcoming cruise, we purchased the Ultimate Dining Package (I'm going to refer to it as the UDP from now on.), where for $119, you can eat at any specialty restaurant for free too. There are a few exceptions, such as places with a A La Carte, such as the Sushi bar, but that's okay with us. Reservations at these specialty restaurants are required, but with the UDP we can eat at 5pm in the steak restaurant, and head over to the Italian Restaurant at 8pm if we want.

Now that your tummy is full, let's go see some shows! On the first night, there is a Cirque Du Soleil show, with a circus theme! This show isn't free, but those who purchase the UDP get free admission on the first night of the cruise. This show is under a "tent", to give the circus feel. Dinner is included. There are also a couple other Broadway style shows, as well as the cast of Second City to make you laugh until you pee. (And I'm not joking). There are also comedians and singers on board!

I think that's enough for now. I will be back later to talk about the activities and amenities on board. For now, go do some research on this ship yourself, you will be amazed. Thanks for listening - let me know if you have any questions about cruising. I am only 19 years old and this is my 6th cruise. ;)

Going to Bermuda!!!

Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that I am going to Bermuda in May! I am so excited!

My favorite, classic go-to look! Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation.

I got excited about wearing this, so I took a selfie. I also put on some red lipstick.

 

Then I put on some fake nails

Then I put on a cute shirt, do my hair all cute, yet casual, put on my liquid foundation, and out the door I go!

#StayMatteSwitch and @RimmelLondonUS.

I received all of these products complementary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Expert Last Lip Color (Forever Fuchsia) Review

I got this lipstick complementary from Influenster for testing purposes.

This shade is very pink, it really makes my lips POP.

I like the packing, it's simple yet really cute!

May I also say it actually smells really good.......?

When I put this on for the first time I didn't need much. It was pretty concentrated. It didn't feel greasy or gross either, it actually was very moisturizing. I didn't find myself needed to apply chapstick to hydrate my lips again. I would definitely use this brand again, maybe in a less subtle shade, however.

Playtex® Sport® Fresh Balance™ Tampon Review

I got a box of these from Influenster for testing purposes. I had my period a week or so after I got the box, so I was able to try them out!

First, let me start off by saying the packing was super cute, and oddly enough they smelled really good.

They are easy to use and are like any other tampon I've used. They had good absorbency!

The tampon itself was a little different than the ones I normally use. The cotton was all one piece, rather than having spaces every so often to separate. It's hard to explain but if you know what I'm talking about then +1 for you. :)

I would definitely buy these again, however I often just buy what's on sale, as I am not brand specific.

#PlayOn
@PlaytexSportandGentleGlide and@Influenster!

Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation

I received this product from Influenster for testing purposes. I got the light ivory shade, which is perfect for my skin tone! It's so creamy and smooth. It has great coverage and it evened out my skin tone! I was also impressed that it didn't make my hands all gross after I rubbed it on. My face is actually quite soft from it too, it seems to lock in moisture! It doesn't feel heavy or caked on, which is awesome. I feel so natural! I would definitely buy this product myself, I really like it!

Q-tips® Precision Tips

These Q-tips are great for fine detail work. They are great if you get them wet a little and rub the areas you want to clean. Under the eyes, or around the lips are where I use them.

http://www.qtips.com/

Secret Outlast Clear Gel

I hate white marks on clothing, and I know I'm not alone. Fortunately, Secret's deodorant saves mes, plus it actually works, so it's a win win!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W32RHWByrGY