Boots Botanics Ionic Clay Mask #powerofplants

A while back, I had received the Boots Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask complimentary from Influenster in the J’Adore Vox Box for testing purposes. Having struggled with stubborn blackheads for years, I was eager to try this out.

Since it states that it was developed with Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, I figured the ingredient list should be pretty good, an that I’d have no issues with it. Afterall, oceanic minerals and willow bark extract sounded like a pretty good combination.

---

Ingredients

sea silt (natural oceanic clay), aqua (water), potassium sorbate, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, salix nigra (willow) bark extract

Looks pretty good, right? Well, according to the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate is an antimicrobial preservative that works by forming formaldehyde in cosmetics products. I don't particularly feel comfortable with using anything that releases formaldehyde. So, I won't be using this again. EWG also states that this ingredient, as well as potassium sorbate, could aggravate allergies.

Personally, I’ve had no allergic reactions or other skin problems while using this product. My mother has also used it with no problems.

You can also find the ratings and info for the entire list of ingredients of this mask by clicking the link below.

Boots Botanics Ionic Shine Away Clay Mask

Strangely, EWG list some different ingredients than what is on the packaging. Not sure what that is about.

---

Packaging

The mask that I received came in a 100g (3.5 US Oz.) squeeze tube with a screw-on lid. Lifting the back panel provides the instructions and ingredient information.

---

Smell

It has a very light, fresh scent with a slight bit of muddiness to it. It’s barely noticeable at all.

---

Texture / Consistency

Before you squirt any of this out, shake the tube first. Otherwise, you may end up with watery mask splatted everywhere. This may be a weird comparison, but it’s kind of the consistency of a slushie, not too watery and not too thick, with a slight grit to it. As long as you have it mixed up well, it’ll stay on your face just fine, and spreads well.

---

Experience

This mask seems to dry quicker than others I’ve tried. However, it takes longer to dry around the areas that are oily/where there are blocked pores. I think it works well to help soak up extra oil, without leaving the skin dry. The little dots from my blackheads are still visible, even when the mask is dry, so I know it’s working on them. It didn’t get rid of them, but I think it may have made them a little less noticeable.

It tends to stick in my face cloth a bit, and a good rinsing is needed to get all of it off before using the cloth to wipe the rest of it off my face. I prefer to have a damp cloth to clean off face masks first, then give my face a good rinse. This way, I don’t have to worry about anything getting near my eyes, as they’re rather sensitive.

This mask has left both my mother’s face and mine nice and soft. We both like it, but I just don’t like all of what’s in the ingredient list….

---

Opinion

Overall, this mask is a pretty good product, if you’re willing to overlook the information that EWG provides about some of the ingredients. Due to some of the information from there, I wouldn’t recommend it for those with allergies or sensitive skin, although I haven’t had any problems. I would like to keep using it to see if it can fully get rid of my blackheads, but I’m not willing to deal with the ingredients that I’m uncomfortable with.

 

 

FTC Statement: This clay mask was complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. No compensation has been accepted for this post, and no affiliate links have been included. Affiliate links are, however, present in my sidebars. This has not affected the opinions within this review, and complies with FTC standards.

Review–Red Rose Simply Indulgent Tea

To my delight, Influenster included samples of Red Rose Simply Indulgent Teas in the J’adore Vox Box that I received. I had actually been checking out this tea brand, the day before I knew I’d be getting it in a Vox Box. How did I find out about them? Browsing Instagram, of course!

I had come across some figurines on Instagram, and learned that they came in Red Rose Tea. They only come in the 100ct Black Tea boxes, though, but you can send in UPC codes to get them anyway. They have some really cute little nautical figurines right now.

Anyway, their Simply Indulgent line of teas has loads of flavors that I’d love to try. Anyone willing to send me more samples for reviews?

I was sent three of the Crème Caramel and one of the Lemon Chiffon complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. The Lemon Chiffon one is decaffeinated, while the Crème Caramel one is regular.

---

Ingredients

The ingredients weren't listed on the packets that I received, and I couldn't find them on the Red Rose Tea site. So, I did a little research and found the ingredient lists on Amazon.

Crème Caramel Ingredients: black tea, natural crème caramel flavor, natural caramel flavor

Lemon Chiffon Ingredients: decaffeinated black tea, natural lemon chiffon flavor, lemon peel

Hurray for these teas being 100% natural, but the ingredient lists still leave me wondering what all is in them. Natural flavoring is kind of vague, in my opinion. Since they have a sweet aftertaste, I wonder if there’s licorice in them… (No, not like the candy. Licorice is actually just a sweet plant. The flavoring you’re probably thinking of comes either from anise or fruits.)

---

Smell / Taste

Crème Caramel – After getting this tea bag out of the packet, I was SO excited to try this tea! If you’ve ever had homemade Thai Ice Tea, it smells so much like it. I wasn’t picking up much of the caramel smell, but it was more present once the hot water hit the tea bag. I think I had myself a little too built up on the idea of it being exactly like Thai Ice Tea, because I was slightly disappointed. However, keep in mind that Thai Ice Tea does have a decent amount of actual cream in it. The taste was still fairly creamy, and left the sweet aftertaste of cream on my tongue. It was a little tricky trying to detect the caramel, as it was pretty light. This was without honey or any other type of sweetener.

I took the other two packets over to my mother’s house, so we could have a cup together. She also enjoyed the smell of it, and was very impressed with it, after the first sip. I have to say, with some honey added in, I was definitely more impressed. The honey helped bring out more of the caramel flavor that I was looking for. And, we both agreed that, had I never had Thai Ice Tea before, I would probably be addicted to this tea. And, so, the hunt was on to find a box of this.

FYI Red Rose Tea has a store locator on their site. If you’re like me, and they don’t actually sell in your state, you can order online and still get $2 off. I’m not sure how long it lasts, but the coupon code is: 313038

Lemon Chiffon – This smell surprisingly similar to the Crème Caramel tea bag, with a very slight hint of lemon. Like the Crème Caramel, though, the lemon scent came through more during steeping. It has the same sort of sweet, creamy aftertaste that lingers, and a nice lemony zing to it. I really like this one, but I’m not sure I’m too happy about it being decaffeinated. There is some controversy as to whether or not decaffeinated products, like tea and coffee, are safe for your health. So, although I really like this one, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with getting it again.

---

Opinion

Both flavors are wonderful, and are accurate to their names. Despite their lovely flavors, I do have to pick on them a bit. I’d really like to see the Lemon Chiffon in a regular version, in addition to the decaffeinated version. And, the fact that the ingredient lists are a little vague does bug me a little. At least it does say that the ingredients are 100% natural. However, natural doesn’t necessarily mean organic. They do have some teas that are specifically labeled as organic, though.

And….. I really wish this brand would be available for purchase in my state! Please? Pretty please?

 

 

 

FTC Statement: The Red Rose Teas were provided to me free of charge by Influenster for testing purposes. No compensation has been accepted for this post, and no affiliate links have been used. Affiliate links are present, however, in my sidebars. This has not affected the opinions within this post, and complies with FTC standards.

Chocolate Octopi Recipe

In the J’Adore VoxBox from Influenster, I received a big bag of milk chocolate Hershey’s Kisses in colorful, Valentine’s-themed foil. I wanted to do something fun with them, but I couldn’t quite figure out what. Then, while I was eating blackberries, it hit me. Why not make chocolate octopi with blackberry centers?

This is a super easy and versatile recipe. I’m actually not sure if I should even be calling this a recipe…. Maybe I should have said that it’s a guide? I don’t know. Let’s just get down to the details on how to make these, shall we?

---

You Will Need

• about 30 kisses, give or take a couple (Or, y’know, whatever chocolate you want, in a decent amount. It really doesn’t matter what chocolate you use.)
• Fred and Friends Coolamari Ice Mold (You can get one off Amazon, if you can’t find one in stores. )
• filling (I used 4 of the smallest blackberries in the pack that I bought. You can use blueberries, fresh mint, some kind of gooey stuff like jelly… Nothing is set in stone here. Let your creativity flow!)
• bowl
• spoon
• chopstick, or something else small to help "paint" the inside of the molds
• another bowl of hot water (Or you can just carefully melt the first bowl in the microwave, and skip the hot water bowl, or use a double-boiler.)

---

How to Make Choc-topi!

1. Gather about 30 Hershey’s Kisses and get those all unwrapped and stick those in microwave-safe bowl. If you’re using some other chocolate, just eyeball the amount and chop/break it into little pieces into the bowl. Depending on what filling you’re going to use, you may need more or less chocolate.
2. Stick the bowl of chocolate in the microwave and stir about every 30 seconds until it melts. Or, you can place another bowl of hot water underneath it to let it melt. There’s also the double-boiler method.
3. Once the chocolate is melted, pour a little in each section of the mold and use your chopstick or whatever to paint it up the sides and coat the sections.
• If you’re going to use something like jelly or peanut butter in the center, work on gradually building up the outer layer of chocolate of the octopi to make sure they don’t break when you pop them out of the mold.
• If you’re just putting in something solid, like a berry, pour a little more chocolate in each section and stick the berry right in the middle of each.
• Fill the rest of the way, then tap to remove air bubbles.
4. Fridge time! I didn’t have any luck with these setting up on the counter. So, into the fridge for a chill they went! Leave them in for at least half an hour to make sure they’ve solidified properly.
5. This is the most stressful part. Popping these guys out without damaging the tentacles can be rather tricky. What you want to do is carefully peel the silicone away from the tentacles, gradually working your way around each octopus. Once the tentacles of all the octopi are loose, then you can push on the top of the mold to free the octopi. There’s a certain “s” tentacle that breaks on me almost every time. If that happens to you, just “glue” it back on with some warm chocolate.

 

Enjoy!

 

Disclosure: The Hershey’s Kisses mentioned in this post were provided to me complimentary by Influenster for testing purposes. The mold was purchased by my husband a while back. No compensation has been accepted for this post, and no affiliate links have been used. However, there are affiliate links in my sidebars.

Influenster J’Adore Vox Box

My Influenster J’Adore Vox Box has arrived! The large, pink box came filled with a bunch of Valentine’s Day-ish goodies. A little late for Valentine’s Day, but oh well.

Included in this box are 3 packets of Red Rose Simply Indulgent Tea Crème Caramel and 1 Lemon Chiffon, KISS Looks So Natural Lashes, Boots Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask, a bag of Milk Chocolate Hershey’s Kisses, and John Frieda 3-Day Straight Flat Iron Spray. Some Influenster members were sent Vaseline Men Spray Lotion for their guy to try out. I’m kind of wondering why I wasn’t sent any, as I did state on the qualifying survey that my husband would be willing to try it and take photos. Oh, well.

Really excited to try the tea! The lashes look beautiful, and I really hope I can get them on. I’m terrible with fake lashes… I’ll probably try the mask and spray with my mom, and I already have plans for the kisses. Keep an eye out here for recipes and reviews! I’ll also be linking them up below, as I complete them.

• Filled Chocolate Octopi Recipe
• Red Rose Tea Review
• Boots Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask Review

Review: Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer

And we’ve come to the last product review in my Influenster Jolly VoxBox! Along with the NYC eyeshadow, I was given Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in Luna to complete my makeover for the new year. I had used Rimmel when I was a young teenager, but I hadn’t used it since. So, I was curious to see if the quality had gotten any better.

The Show Off Lip Lacquer is marketed by Rimmel as “the end of color as you know it!”, and is designed to have the pigmentation of a lipstick, while having a satiny gloss. Sounds like a pretty good product to try, huh?

It comes in 13 shades, which you can actually click on to see on a model. That’s kind of nice, but I don’t find it accurate. Maybe it’s the way my screen displays colors, but Luna doesn’t show up as the quite the same color on the site.

Actually, what I have looks like a combination of the Luna that they display and the color on the far right. It’s not that nude-looking. It’s kind of coral-y.

---

Color

Luna isn’t the most flattering shade. It’s a sort of peachy/orange pink color, and it just didn’t work for me. I have pale skin, green eyes, and dark auburn hair. It really didn’t look good, and I know a lot of other Influenster members that didn’t like the color either.

The pigmentation is pretty good and covers in one coat. It does seem to gather more in any creases that you may have in your lips, though. I’ve also noticed that the brush tends to leave stroke marks, and it’s easy to pull it out of the tube with too much product on it. Sometimes it’ll come out with one of those little DQ-type swirl tips that I have to wipe off. I did that for this photo, just so it wouldn’t made the rim of the tube look messy, since you can just wipe some of it back in the tube. There’s a small ring inside that helps catch most excess before you pull it out, though.

---

Packaging

I have one major gripe about the packaging; there’s no ingredient list printed on it! The first thing I look for when deciding whether or not to buy a product is not present anywhere on this. I thought companies were required to print their ingredient lists on packaging no matter what?

Above is the only info listed on the packaging, aside from the color labeled on the UPC code.

---

Ingredients

RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, TRIISOSTEARYL CITRATE, SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, OZOKERITE, KAOLIN, STEARALKONIUM HECTORITE, CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE, PROPYLENE CARBONATE, PHENOXYETHANOL, SILICA, PARFUM/FRAGRANCE, ASCORBYL PALMITATE, SERICA /SILK POWDER/POUDRE DE SOIE, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN, TOCOPHEROL, ETHYLPARABEN, RETINYL PALMITATE, TIN OXIDE. [May Contain/
Peut Contenir/+/-: MICA, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), D&C RED NO. 7 CALCIUM LAKE (CI 15850), D&C RED NO. 6 BARIUM LAKE (CI 15850), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), FD&C YELLOW NO. 5 ALUMINUM LAKE (CI 19140), D&C RED NO. 27 ALUMINUM LAKE (CI 45410), D&C RED NO. 33 ALUMINUM LAKE (CI 17200),
FD&C BLUE NO. 1 ALUMINUM LAKE (CI 42090), FD&C YELLOW NO. 6 ALUMINUM LAKE (CI 15985), CARMINE (CI 75470)].

First of all, I had to go to the manufacturer’s website to actually find out what the ingredient list is. It wasn’t printed on the package, and actually doesn’t appear on the US version of the site. When you click the “i” for info, it’ll take you to their UK version, which is called “Apocalips” instead of “Show Off”, but Rimmel did confirm via a Twitter response that these are the same item and the ingredient list is the same.

I’m not pleased with the presence of parabens, among other ingredients. If you have sensitive skin or allergies, you may want to stay away from this. Phenoxyethanol is a know skin and allergen irritant. After searching the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database for the rest of the ingredients in the list, I came across a rating of the actual product with all the ingredient ratings listed in one place. It did not score very well at all. Click “Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer Luna” to see the entire list of ingredients with ratings and health concerns. 

So, aside from testing this for the review, I will not be using this again, and I do not recommend it to others. I do encourage you to click each ingredient and check it out for yourself, or to click on the product review on EWG to go through the whole list in one go.

---

Smell / Taste

I’ve noticed a slight smell, but no taste. It’s a very light, fake candy watermelon kind of smell. Although I’ve seen other Influenster members complain about it having a “chemical” or “plastic” smell, it smells just like the fake watermelon flavoring that’s used for candy.

---

Consistency

I find this product to be somewhere in between lipstick and lip gloss. It’s highly-pigmented and glossy, but not sticky or thick-feeling. It seems to be moisturizing, but I did not want to properly test it out for the long term to see how it performs over a few days. I got rid of this, after I made all my notes for the review.

Longevity

Expect it to last maybe two or three hours before having to reapply it. If you kiss anyone or put anything to your mouth, about half of it will probably come off. Below is what it looked like after kissing my arm. It’s like having spaghetti sauce on your lips; some of it will stay on, but it’ll make a mess on whatever your lips touch.

And that was just a light smooch on my arm on the left. That’s a lot of product to come off. I’ve smooshed this all over my husband for a kiss test, and this did not pass. Also, he was none too pleased with me after. He promptly went to go clean the “lip gunk” off his face.

---

Opinion

I really wasn’t impressed with this product at all. The lack of an ingredient list on the packaging was my first turn off, then the color and what I found while researching the ingredients, along with how it performed. Even if the ingredients were totally safe and all-natural, I don’t think I’d keep it or buy another. I just don’t like the way the color settles, and that so much of it comes off. Cleaning that off a glass or a significant other really isn’t my cup of tea, nor is it my husband’s, who avoided me like the plague the next day of testing.

So, thank you to Influenster for the oppurtunity to try this out. I’m sorry I couldn’t give it a better rating, but I have to be honest.

 

 

FTC Statement: I received this product for free for testing purposes. No affiliate links have been used in this particular post, but they are present in my sidebars.This has not affected the opinions within the review, and complies with FTC standards.

Review: Duck Tape Ducklings Mini Rolls

When Influenster put up the list of what was going to be in the Jolly VoxBox, I was excited to see something from Duck Tape. I hadn't actually seen the Mini Ducklings before, so I popped over to their site. After looking at the patterns, I couldn't wait to see what I'd get.

A little roll of Blue Surf Flower arrived. You can see that, along with the other colors/patterns available, as of 1/28/2014, below.

I was pretty happy with what I was sent. To me, it’s a decently versatile pattern and pretty neutral in terms of looking feminine or masculine. My first project was to fix up my ugly old phone. It’s been with me for a long time, and has been through a lot. It really deserved a makeover. So, I set to work with my tape, scissors, and a craft knife and went to work.

In my opinion, it turned out really nicely. The new “skin” I gave my phone has been wearing nicely. Haven’t had any tears, scratches, loose tape, or sticky edges to deal with. It’s still as perfect as the day I made it over, which was probably about a month ago or so.

Also part of this makeover was my hot pink iPod. My husband had gotten it for free, and I’ve loved it, but pink really isn’t me. So, I taped it up! Woo! And… I may have gone a little overboard making lots of little bows. (You can find the bow tutorial on Duck Tape’s website, along with other craft tutorials.)

I’m definitely impressed with the adhesion, durability, and ease of crafting with this tape. This was the first time I’ve used Duct Tape to make anything. I have to admit, it’s actually pretty addicting.

With all this crafting and the reviewing that I needed to get done, I wanted a little buddy to keep me company. And so, Squeak was born…and then he ate all of our cheese….

Then, I decided he needed feet, and he scurried up my toffee can and ate all that, too. Bad, Squeak! Bad! Oh… How can I stay mad at that cute little face? Okay, I forgive you. ♥ Let’s make a star!

So, he helped me with his tiny paws to make this little beauty for the Christmas tree. If anyone is interested in a tutorial for the star, let me know!

And, I know I need to work on a tutorial for Squeak. He’ll get a little brother soon, since I’ll basically have to make another mouse to explain it. Squeak was totally freehand, no pattern.

Anyway, thank you so much, Influenster! I loved my Duck Tape Duckling Mini Roll, and I may have to get some other colors for Squeak’s siblings to come. (｡◕ ∀ ◕｡)

 

       

 

FTC Statement: I received this product for free for testing purposes. No affiliate links have been used in this particular post, however, they are in my sidebars. This has not affected the opinions within the review, and complies with FTC standards.

Review: Skinny Cow Divine Filled Chocolates Peanut Butter Crème

When I found out that I was getting some Skinny Cow candies in my Jolly VoxBox from Influenster, I wasn’t really sure what I was going to get. The cheat sheet that gave me a preview of what was on the way literally just said “Skinny Cow Candy”. Much to my husband’s delight, my package contained a complimentary box of Divine Filled Chocolates Peanut Butter Crème for testing purposes.

I can’t say he volunteered to be a guinea pig, so much as he just claimed the whole box as his own, the moment I opened my mouth as to what it was. He loves peanut butter, especially in combination with chocolate. So, I kind of figured these would get a pretty good rating from him.

---

The Basic Rundown

The box that I received contained 6 pouches, each with three candies inside. If you want something that you can easily slide in your desk/purse/bag/etc for snack time, the pouch is pretty flat and about the size of a Hershey’s bar, as of 1/24/2014 (Including the date because they seem to keep getting smaller, along with other candy bars.)

Below are the nutrition facts that are listed. You can also find these for various Skinny Cow products on the Skinny Cow site.

I’ve seen nothing about being gluten-free, and Nestle, to my knowledge, does not use GMO-free ingredients. So, that’s something to keep in mind. Also, artificial flavoring and coloring have been used in this, and TBHQ has various studies (according to Wikipedia) that link it to being a possible carcinogen and possibly associated with stomach tumors. This isn’t something that bothers my husband, but I don’t think I’ll be eating anymore of these.

---

Taste Test

Although my husband claimed most of these, I did get a couple to sample for testing. We both agree that the chocolate is smooth, not waxy at all, and that the peanut butter is very creamy, almost kind of gooey. It’s not really the consistency that I would expect from peanut butter.

Compared to the popular Reese Peanut Butter Cups, there’s a definite difference. If you love Reese, you may not be too fond of these. The peanut butter is sweeter, and the consistency is much different. However, I will say that it’s better than Reese knockoffs, since a lot of companies like to make peanut butter cups, usually with waxy chocolate...

Personally, I thought they were okay, but they weren’t quite my thing. My husband finished the rest of the box in only a couple nights, though. When asked if he’d want me to buy him another box, he told me to go ahead.

---

Opinion

My husband and I have two very different opinions on these. On the one hand, he loves them and doesn’t really care too much about the ingredients. On the other hand, I’m becoming more ingredient-conscious each day, and I just don’t feel comfortable eating these, along with the fact that the taste just isn’t my thing. I’m not too big on peanut butter and, if I’m going to eat junk food, I’d rather go for Reese.

If you want to try a box, I’ve seen them at Target. They had a lot of the candies in the back on clearance. I think they started out around $3-something and were marked down to something like $2.76 or something. Not bad. I mean, you’re going to pay more than that just for 6 single candy bars.

P.S. If there’s any other reviewers out there that want to join Influenster, hit my contact page up and I’ll send you an invite! ♥

 

 

FTC Statement: I received this product for free for testing purposes from Influenster on behalf of Skinny Cow. No affiliate links have been used in this particular post, although they are present in my sidebars. This has not affected the opinions within the review, and complies with FTC standards.

Review: NYC HD Color Trio

I actually found out that I qualified for an Influenster Jolly VoxBox before I knew what was in it. When they put up the list of products/company info, I was surprised to see that they were going to be sending me an NYC HD Color Trio to test out. Of course, I was eager to see what colors I’d be getting.

Turns out, I was sent #781 Long Beach Sands to review. It’s a lovely color palette; neutral and light for a more natural look. Since it’s the kind of colors that I would wear on a daily basis, I was excited to try it out.

---

Packaging

The packaging is pretty simple, and provides almost everything you need. There are instructions on how to best apply the eye shadows, company info, a detailed ingredients list, and a double-sided foam applicator along with the eye shadows in a nice compact-style case. The only thing that’s missing is a little mirror.

I don’t have anything to complain about with the case. The lid stays secure, even when the case is jostled around in my rather full purse; no surprise powdery mess to worry about. The plastic that it’s made of seems rather sturdy. Also,all of the shadows are set in place well. None of them have come loose.

---

Ingredients

talc, mica, synthetic fluorphlogopite, dimethicone, polymethyl methacrylate, cetyl dimethicone, aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, zinc stearate, hydrogenated polydecene, silica, alumina, methylparaben, propylparaben, camellia sinensis leaf extract, glycine soja (soybean) oil, tocopheryl acetate, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, retinyl palmitate, tin oxide [May contain: iron oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI77499), ultramarines (CI 77007), titanium dioxide (CI 77891), FD&C Blue No. 1 Aluminum Lake (CI 42090), FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminum Lake (CI 16035), D&C Black No. 2 (CI 77266), FD&C Yellow No. 5  Aluminum Lake (CI 19140), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Carmine (CI 75470), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510)]

Remember, the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database is your friend, when trying to choose the safest cosmetics. After a while of researching, you’ll start to see commonly-used ingredients to look out for. All ingredient info pages have been linked to. Just click the grey text to take you there in a new tab.

I have to say, I’m not too pleased with the ingredients. Just glancing at it, the main thing that stood out was the parabens. EWG lists them as a high concern for endocrine disruption. In other words, they've been shown to mimic estrogen and cause potential hormone disruptions. Propylparaben is the worst of the two. The next ingredient that I generally keep an eye out for is dimethicone, which also isn’t that good for you.

As a whole, most of the ingredients are rated with a low to moderate concern. Since there’s no phenoxyethanol, I would assume that it wouldn’t cause problems for those with sensitive skin or allergies. However, everyone is different. So, I can’t say that for sure. I haven’t been able to test it on my eyes, due to recovering from health issues, but it’s caused no adverse reactions on my arm.

---

Colors

You can easily find swatches of the actual colors on NYC’s website. The eye that you see is just instructions on how to apply the trio. This is also printed on the label. You’ll find it when you peel it up, as shown in the photograph earlier in the review.

The colors on the eye below are from the West Vintage trio. Unfortunately the colors on the demo eye don’t change as you click on the various trios. However, accurate swatches of the colors, like the one below, do show up when you hover over the trios.

 

I love the colors in this trio, but they’re a little too close to my skin tone. The third one matches my skin tone almost perfectly, and looks like it just adds a little shimmer to my natural color. The first shade shows up bright and clean, and the second leaves a light cocoa powder sort of color

Due to pre-existing eye health issues, I haven’t been able to test these eye shadows for longevity and wear. I’m sorry. I know that’s a large part of cosmetics reviews, but my eye is still recovering from conjunctivitis. Since I’m not too comfortable with the ingredient list, I will not be updating with self photos and wear experience, as I will be re-purposing these shadows for an art project instead. I know it’s not the same, but at least you can see how it looks on my arm, and on the eye that I drew.

---

Tips

Although the directions for applying the shadows does look nice, I prefer to highlight my eyes in a different way. When doing my makeup, I generally swipe a shade like the third over my entire lid, run the second shade along the contours of my eye socket to deepen the look, and finish off with a lighter shade, like the first, to brighten up the inner corners of my eyes.

Another method I like is along the same lines, but I like to put the lightest shade on the middle of my eye and gently blend it out, so there’s a bit of a highlight. This seems to make them look a bit larger.

I would demo these looks, but my eye health isn’t quite up to that yet.

---

Conclusion

It’s an alright trio of shadows. The colors and coverage are nice, when tested and my arm and on paper. However, I’m not overly impressed with the ingredient list. I’m sorry that I can’t give a more detailed review of how long it wears and if it creases, but my body is pretty sensitive still and, like I said, I just don’t want to chance things since I’m still recovering from the aftermath of eye health issues.

Thank you to Influenster for letting me review this for free. If there’s anyone who is looking for an invite to Influenster. Let me know!

 

 

FTC Statement: This product was provided to And The Dreaming Moon… free of charge for testing purposes. No compensation has been accepted. This has not affected the opinions within the review, and complies with FTC statements.

Review: Puffs Plus Lotion

If you saw my post about the unboxing of my Jolly VoxBox from Influenster, you probably recognize this little pack of Puffs. Yep, I received this festive little travel-size pack of tissues just in time for cold season around here. Trust me. They’ve been put to good use.

I have to admit, I’m not big on tissues with lotion. So, I had someone else test them out. Besides, he needed them way more than me. Poor guy…

Each of these little packs comes with 10 2-ply tissues. It’s a good amount of tissues that should keep you covered while you’re out and about, while also being small enough to easily fit in your pocket or purse. There’s an easy-open little flap, and the ingredients for the lotion are printed on the side. You’ll also find the company contact info printed on the side.

---

Ingredients

mineral oil, cetearyl alcohol, paraffin, steareth-2, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, tocopheryl acetate, and butyrospermum parka (shea) butter

I have to say, the ingredient list isn’t too bad. Most of the ingredients rank pretty well on the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. However, steareth-2 shows up as a level 3 moderate hazard with high concerns for contamination and low concerns for ecotoxicology and organ system toxicity. EWG shows similar concerns for tocopheryl acetate.

---

Opinion

I was told that these were nice and soft, and were great while they lasted. There was less irritation than with plain tissues, too. For a man on the go with a cold that just won’t quit, these are really a handy thing to have.

Although I can’t really say anything about them myself, I’m glad they helped. Many thanks to Influenster and Puffs from the both of us!

 

FTC Statement: The Puffs Plus Lotion pack was provided to And The Dreaming Moon… free of charge by Influenster in exchange for an honest opinion. No further compensation has been accepted. This has not affected the opinions within the review, and complies with FTC statements.

The Jolly VoxBox

Yes, my first VoxBox from Influenster arrived today! This is just a little sneak peek of some of the items that you’ll be seeing reviewed here soon, and my impressions so far. For those who haven’t heard of Influenster, it’s a great resource for reviews and info on various products. Plus, the more you participate, the more likely you are to get some free goodies.

I earned a free Jolly VoxBox from a Twitter party a few months ago. An email came last week for me to fill out the survey for it, which was just to enter my mailing address. Got that done, and another email was sent saying that I was in and that I’d get an email with a tracking code. Much to my surprise, the mailman knocked at my door earlier this evening with my package already. I never received an email with a tracking number (Nope, not in my inbox or spam.), so I wasn’t really expecting it.

Anyway, it’s smaller than I expected, but it was packed! I got a full box of Skinny Cow candies that my husband has already claimed for himself (He’s more a peanut butter lover than me.), Rimmel London Show Off Lip Lacquer, NYC New York Color HD Color Trio Eye Shadow, a Ducklings Mini Roll, and a travel pack of Puffs.

So far, I can say that the candies, tape, and tissues are on my good list. Unfortunately, the makeup is on my I-don’t-want-that-stuff-near-me list… I checked out the ingredients, and they’re not so great. Lots of parabens, amongst other things I’ll be looking up on the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to see if they’re safe.

Well, that’s it for now. G’night, my lovely night owls!

• Review: Puffs Plus Lotion
• Review: NYC HD Color Trio
• Review: Skinny Cow Divine Chocolates Peanut Butter Crème
• Review: Duck Tape Ducklings Mini Roll
• Review: Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer

 

 

FTC Statement: The Jolly VoxBox was provided to And The Dreaming Moon… for free. All opinions expressed in this post are my own, and have not been affected in any way. No affiliate links have been used in this particular post.