~Influenster Varsity Voxbox 2013 Unboxing~

My new beauty video is live! I unboxed my new program from Influenster, the Varsity Voxbox, on camera! I love everything in it and they're all things I would and have use! So useful! Keep your eye open for blog reviews on some of these!

Tuesday Tidbits

I just got back to my room a few minutes ago- I have been go go go all day! Class, then showing up super early for physical therapy and having an appointment for almost an hour, and then another class!

This week I seem to be starting all of my weekly post series- last night was Monday Night Musings, which you can read here. Today is Tuesday Tidbits, instead of Tuesday Troubles like my blogging idol, RamblingsofASuburbanMom.com, did today, since last night's post was kind of more complain-y, and two in a row of those would just be obnoxious.

So here are my tidbits for so far this Tuesday! Enjoy!

~I posted about how my friend group and I went out to dinner for Miranda's birthday last night, and here's an artsy picture I took when we were at the bus stop, waiting in the freezing cold (I quite liked it): 

~I did super well in physical therapy today. It was my first time going to the on-campus office, and can I just point out how disturbing it was that they have a "Wall of Pain" with pictures of bruises that look like galaxies, and something that looked like a gunshot wound?!!?

Anyways, they had me putting weight on my bum foot, and by the time I left, I could almost walk on it without my Aircast boot, and walk with the help of my crutches and the boot. When I got to my room, I could actually limp a little on my heel when I was wearing the boot. This is super exciting, because all I want is to be able to walk again! Being so co-dependent and helpless is driving me crazy!!!

~On another note....I'm pretty sure that all of the Public Safety officers that drive me to all of my classes think my name is Ella...not Elle. Awk. I thought they all just had weird accents and said my name weird, but now when I call to ask for a ride they're like "oh, this must be Ella!" So I just say yes because it's just too late to correct them now without me looking really dumb. Whoops. Cringe.

~I have so many videos to film, and it will probably only be light for another two hours! I should probably get ready or something, or just edit some older video files I have just hanging out in my iMovie to make up for the upload gap. BTW I'll be uploading my newest Voxbox unboxing video in about an hour, so I'll post it RIGHT HERE when it's up so you can all check it out! It's one of my favorites to date- and then I'll have all of the products to blog about, because my posts won't be spoilers anymore (: I'll also have to update my post with my complete list of Influenster programs- so much to do, so much to do!

~I haven't had any caffeine so far today, and didn't have any yesterday (which eventually resulted in a mild headache, but I couldn't take anything for it because I had already taken Ibuprofen for my foot/ankle! arghh >:( ) I should really get on that...but half the battle is always choosing what to drink, since I have such a hoard of K-cups and coffee grounds and tea bags by now. I'm not complaining at all though, this is like heaven for a caffeine lover like myself <3 I have lots to do in real life and on the Internet today, so I'd better get that coffee pumpin' in me! 

~I always forget about eBates! Miranda was just about to order things online from Sephora, and then I told her to check out eBates first! I can do another post kind of explaining it sometime, but basically you get a percentage of cash back when you shop online, and a lot of times they have coupon codes or codes for free products, in Sephora's case. You can check it out here.

I hope you guys enjoyed - if you want to do this post too and put your link in the comments, I would be more than happy to check it out! It can be like a mini link-up until I figure out the technology to do a real bull blown one!

Thank you all for reading! What kind of post should I do next? I've really got the bloggin' bug this week!

xox, Elle
MissGlamBam.com
Youtube Beauty Guru & Blogger

FTC: This post includes a referral link. This is not sponsored post and I'm not being paid or told to talk about the website.

My Influenster Programs: Up-To-Date List

Hey guys!
It has occurred to me that I do a lot of Influenster programs, and every time I do a video or blogpost about a new one, I always have a million links of all my previous programs to go collect and post. Instead, I thought I would just post them all in chronological order, putting all the related videos and blogposts together for each program, and update it every time I'm in a new one (I'll put a "last updated" date at the bottom so you'll know how recent this was re-done).

I explain Influenster in a lot of my videos, but it's basically a company that sends out free boxes to people that are active on social media to test out and review- kind of like a rewarding subscription box that you don't have to pay for.

I've enjoyed every program I've been in, and I hope you enjoy testing out and reviewing all of the products in them with me! Let's start my journey~

1. Love Voxbox 2012
This one came out in March 2012 and was my first ever box. It took me so long to edit the unboxing video that I never uploaded it, but I might in the future. If I do, I'll update this and sneak it in here, because it was truly a great box and probably one of my favorites to date. However, I did do a review on one product that was in this box:

And here's a follow up blogpost that I made after I took them off- be careful ladies!

2. Summer Beauty Voxbox 2012
This one came out in July of 2012 I believe, and was another great box. I discovered my current favorite shampoo and conditioner from the brand Clear through this box, and purchase them to this day. I did edit this video, but for some reason never wanted to upload it either. I want to in the future, just so you guys can refer to it, plus unboxings are always fun, right? *I finally uploaded it as a Throwback Thursday! Here it is:

3. Beauty Blogger Voxbox
This box was sent out in fall of 2012 (I uploaded my video in October). There was a lot of competition for it, so I was super honored to get into this program! The products were truly great and very diverse. Watch my unboxing here:

Here are all of the reviews I did on the products in this box on my blog:
Kinky Moves
Bath & Body Works Candle
Goody Spin Pin
NYC Custom Eyes Eyeshadow Palette
Kiss Ever Pro Lashes

4. Palmolive Fresh Infusions
This was a non-beauty box, and here's my unboxing video:

And here's the review on the product that I did on my blog! 

5. Aveeno Active Naturals
Back to doing beauty boxes! This one had just 1 product in it, and here's my review video!

And here's the follow up review I did on my blog! 

6. Choose Sargento Cheese
I got chosen for this box right after I signed up for a food badge on the Influenster website- dang they are quick! I'm also a cheese-aholic, so I wouldn't mind doing another one of these....here's my video about it!  (just click)

(Blogger never lets me embed that specific video for some reason)
It came out in September 2013 and was a fun time!
Click here to go to my blog review about the product.

7. Varsity Voxbox
They did one of these last year, but I'm super excited to be on board for this one! It came out in mid October 2013, and is the program I'm currently enrolled in. I'll post my blog reviews soon!
Unboxing video:

Last updated: 11/5/13

Review: Sargento Cheese Snacks (Influenster Voxbox item)

Hi everyone! 

Recently I signed up for the Chowhound badge on their site, and soon after, Influenster sent me a voucher for a free Sargento cheese snack pack, and a $1 off coupon for another one. Watch my unboxing haul, that I uploaded to my second channel (where I always upload videos about my Influenster Voxboxes unless they're beauty related, in which case they'll be on my main beauty channel!). You can watch it here so you know what the heck I'm talking about for this review! (I couldn't get it to embed, wahh :/ )

It took me forever to get to a grocery store (sigh, #collegeprobs), but when I finally did, I picked up the Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar snacks. You get 12 sticks, that are 60 calories each, in a pack that was about $4.50 at my grocery store, which is kind of pricey, but I'd been reading good reviews on the Influenster site, so I was pumped to try them nonetheless.

Now, I'm a little weird with my cheese- I only recently have really gotten to like it, and the only types I really like enough to buy sticks of it are sharp cheddar, so I was in luck that these were still there! My grocery store didn't have that great a selection- Sargento snacks also come in Thins now, which are thin sandwich slices, and all sorts of other shapes including string cheese, but I only saw these and the mozzarella ones at my Stop & Shop. Oh well, I was still happy. 

Anyways, I've been trying these sticks in about a billion different types of snacks- above, I just melted some into some Tostitos Scoops for perfect little bite-size nachos. I also melted some onto some Clubhouse crackers last night after cutting the snacks into little strips, popped it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, and they were soooo good I went back and made seconds!

The cheese, because it's low fat, is a harder consistency than what you would expect- most other cheeses are soft and more gooey (says my dad, who I had taste test one of these so I would have more opinions to blog about. He really liked them...I'm a little nervous for the rest of my population of these, while he's around and they're in the fridge!) They melt as well as other cheeses though, and the packaging, although a little tricky to open at times, makes it totally portable and perfect for on-the-go protein. They're really high in calcium and protein, and are promoted as being a healthy snack. 

About, if not more than, half of my bag is already gone because I've been trying them out like crazy. They're not very salty, so in some combinations they're a little hard to taste, but they definitely have a sharpness to them. I really do like them, even though I'm SUPER picky with the sharpness of my cheeses. Here's another combo I tried the other day- 

I melted just one stick onto already half-toasted wheat bread, after I cut it up into cubes. After it was melted, I just spread it all over the bread like it was butter, and had it for breakfast with some sliced apples. I've been posting a lot of these snack ideas on my new Pinterest board, called Nutrition, and have been really inspired by it and a few other things lately to start snacking and eating more healthy. Check it out, and feel free to follow, repin, and like my posts, since I've been posting on there often: http://www.pinterest.com/elleohelle88/nutrition/

Overall, these have a great flavor, the packaging and sizes are a really great idea, and I like them a lot for making snacks! They're pretty good for you too, which makes them a snack that rests lightly on your conscience. I love my cheese, and I think these are really good, which is saying a lot! They're kind of pricey, but worth it overall. I really do #ChooseSargentoCheese! These are a great product and *surprisingly* I'll probably continue to buy them when I get the chance in the future! (I just wish they were sold at CVS so I have access to them on campus, and not just when I come home! Bottom line: get these for sale in more places, Sargento!)

Hope you guys enjoyed this post! Here are some other Influenster videos, in case you're interested as to what the whole thing is about! Hmm...I'll have to do a blog post all about it in the future, now that I'm getting back into the habit of using my blog! Let me know in the comments or on Twitter if you'd be interested in that, and let me know if you'd like an invite! I believe I have 3 left...?

 

Thank you all so much for reading! I'm really glad that you found my blog and took the time to read my review. Have you tried Sargento snacks? Do you use Influenster? Let me know!

xox Elle

Disclaimer: This was product was sent to me for review purposes from Influenster. All opinions are honest and my own. I was not otherwise compensated for this review. 

Influenster Voxbox: Palmolive Fresh Infusions Review!

Hi beauties! 

Influenster contacted me a few weeks ago with another Voxbox I had qualified for- this time it was something completely non-beauty related, but that's okay with me! This voxbox included a brand new product from Palmolive- their entire Fresh Infusions dish soap collection! That's right- I got not one bottle, but all three: Ginger White Tea, Lemon Thyme, and Lime Basil! Influenster also sent 5 $1.50 off coupons for these puppies, some of which I've been giving out to friends, and I might send some in the prize boxes for my giveaway winners. The idea behind sending all three was that I would keep two, and give one away to a friend (which I did- both my mom and I didn't care for the scent of the Lime Basil dish soap, but as I look at other reviews and videos done by gurus who also got this box, that one seems to be the popular favorite! Weird! She was very excited to get such a cute bottle, but I haven't heard back about how she's liked it so far.)

If you want to see what these gorgeous dish soaps look like, then watch my First Impressions/ Unboxing video I just uploaded to my second channel! 

Anyways, onto the review!

These smell amazing, as I could tell from right out of the box. I'm not a huge citrus-scent person at ALL, but I really do like the Lemon Thyme one. It smells fresh and clean, and these dish soaps could get you out of a winter funk in seconds. What a great way to experience aromatherapy AND get your dishes clean!

 I do have to say that the Ginger White Tea, in the pink bottle (well, naturally!) is my favorite of them all. The bottle on our kitchen sink is already 2/3 of the way gone because my mom and I have been hitting it up so often! The bottles contain 16 ounces and will last through a lot of loads.

Besides the smell, which is my favorite part, they also come in adorable bottles. They're kind of crystallized-looking, with an easy to pop off top, and they have gorgeous floral and herbal designs on the front. 

They do more than smell good and look pretty on your shelf though- even though my family typically buys Dawn because we haven't always been super-impressed with the quality of Palmolive dish soaps (although we love how often they go on sale at the local CVS), my mom and I were very happy with the cleaning power these had. They definitely packed a punch and made our usually-cloudy crystal glasses exceptionally shiny. They got off hard-to-remove food marginally well- it takes a lot of scrubbing and rinsing, but they will get the job done. They clean well and if you put them under running water to fill up a dish tub to soak dishes in, they foam and bubble up quickly and nicely. 

Overall, we were very impressed with these, and the under $3 price point is amazing as well. The coupons they gave us are equal to half off, so I'm sure we will be repurchasing these (well, the yellow and pink bottles at least) as soon as we run out. 

The only real downside is that they are only available at Walmart for the time being (as far as I know). I usually like to get my dish soap at the drugstore or another supermarket, since our Walmart is a drive away, but you can also order online. Just to show you the price and the options available, I'll put a link to them on the Walmart website- this is NOT an affiliate link, just an easy access for my readers. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Palmolive-Concentrated-Ginger-White-Tea-Dish-Liquid-16-fl-oz/21637497

Thank you Influenster for letting me and my family test these out, and thank you all for reading! 

xox Elle

Bath + Body Works Mini Candle Reviews!

It's FAAAAALL, which means beautiful fall scents are filling my bedroom! With Influenster sending me a free mini B & BW mini candle of Black Pepper Bergamot, and the website giving away mini candles for free w/ a $25 purchase (I was stocking up on hand sanitizers and gifts for friends!), I have lots to talk about!

Not my picture. Thanks Google!

BPB- This is the one I got from Influenster, and let me say- if my future husband wore this scent as a cologne, I would never be unhappy! It smells like a manly, musky scent- my favorite kind (remember how I buy all the B & BW men's scents as hand sanitizers? and how Yankee Candle's Mountain Lodge, another manly musky scent, is my YC favorite?). The color really throws you off but once you ignore it and the strange title that left me a little confused as to what to expect, then you will be thrown into a magical scent-tastic wonderland. I really will love this for fall AND winter- that deep comforting scent doesn't only scream fall to me. The mini size is adorable, and even though the plastic lid makes me a little nervous, the glass container has been holding up well for me.

Not my picture.

Leaves- Okay, okay, I crossed over to the dark side and bought the ever so popular and over-discussed Leaves scent. This is the one I got for free off the website (let me just say that B & BW takes FOREVER in the mail! Granted there was a hurricane going on at the time, but I ordered from Urban Decay.com on the same day and that box came about a week earlier), but I think you can buy them a la carte for about $3, or 2/$5. Well worth it, in my opinion. I burnt this for about half an hour before I went to bed one night, and I was in such a happy place with this smell in my nose. 30 minutes and there was barely a dent in the wax, which shows how long this candle will truly be able to burn for! Even if you just leave the plastic lid off and put it on a dresser somewhere, the scent will fill the room. I've had mine open for at least two weeks now and my whole room still smells like it! 

Don't be misled by the title- I was expecting an earthy scent that would actually smell like, you know, leaves!? Psssst, that would be a great idea for a future scent, B & BW. Anyways, it's actually a sweet smell- kind of a mix of pumpkins and cloves and cinnamon and other seasonal spices, so a more appropriate name in my opinion would be "Autumnal Spice." It's really sweet and will make you feel like a little kid in a log cabin drinking clove spice tea- talk about the ultimate comfort!

Thanks for reading my review. Be sure to get in touch with me with any questions or comment below to join the conversation!

xox Elle