The #JAdoreVoxBox Helps Me Find My Kind Of Indulgence

Momma Told Me: In ribbons and curls.

The definition of feminine is certainly one that is tested more and more each day. Half of the time you'll find me in pajama short and a baggy t-shirt of 'his' lounging around the house. However, when I go out, sometimes I like to turn heads as well, and sometimes I'm satisfied just being comfortable in my jeans and a tank. You don't have to deck yourself in the color pink and wear frilly things to make a statement of femininity, but the media does tend to have their own concepts of the idea, don't they? I received yet another collection of goodies to sample from +Influenster in my #JAdoreVoxBox, and some of them pushed my boundaries of frilly, while others were certain to speak to a woman of any heart.

It's no secret that I'm a tea addict, so I was only left longing for more when a single brew pouch of Red Rose Simple Indulgent Lemon Chiffon tea wound it's way into my cup, erm, hands. I grew up with a lot of brands of tea, from Bigelow to Lipton and value names in between, but was no familiar with the Red rose brand. Thankfully this is a travesty that has been righted, as I sat down to #SimplyIndulge in a steaming cup of Lemon Chiffon, decaf, black tea. Not only was this naturally flavored tea blend decaffeinated, but it had a wonderful depth of flavor and natural sweetness that truly made it a guilt free indulgence (and ever gal needs a few of those, right?) Jay referred to the flavor as 'a sweet lemon shortbread cookie' and really took to the tea, consuming the majority of my mug. With a wide range of naturally sweet flavors like Cinnamon Bun and Peach Cobbler in the Red Rose Simply Indulgent collection, I'll definitely be stocking up on more soon!

Influenster must know me personally, because they sent me a Valentine's love letter that couldn't have been better suited in the Boots Botanic Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask. I may have tried more masks than teas in my lifetime (and that's saying something), so I didn't wait a day to slather some of this cool mineral-rich concoction on my face. The mask itself was thinner than I'd expected and I promptly closed the container to give it a good shake. Afterwards, it still dispensed a little thin, which turned out to be a good thing for easy coverage and product value. I had no trouble with the mask adhering to my skin, nor drying, and found it surprisingly easy to rinse off, even at the hairline. My skin was immediately more vibrant and soft, without being dried out (as some clay based masks can do). It's amazing what the #powerofplants can do!

Then we have the product that made this girl a little uncomfortable; #KISSlashes, Looks So Natural false lashes. Now, I haven't dabbled with falsies since I was a little girl playing Pretty, Pretty, Princess, so these immediately intimidated me, whilst intriguing me. The feather-soft lashes with the tapered ends did indeed look natural, but the thought of gluing them to my lids was a bit scary. None-the-less I persevered in the name of good journalism and let my eyes be the guinea pig for every woman curious, but too afraid to try.

As it turns out, the experience was much less of an inconvenience as I'd imagined. A small adhesive bottle was includes, which went from blue to semi-translucent in 30 seconds of application, to let the wearer know it was ready for application. A clean lid is a must for proper adhesion, so put your #KISS lashes on before applying makeup. The lashes were a bit long, even for my big eyes, so be sure to trim them before applying, if necessary. I found my left eye more tricky than the first, right, eye- but that was sue to spacial recognition as I worked the corner of the falsies along my own lash line. The end result was fairly comfortable to wear (though long enough to sweep against my glasses), and a photo perfect natural lash that could be enhanced with my own mascara (to blend in my own lashes), and even re-used again.

There were two final products in my J'Adore Vox Box, one of them that truly didn't require any 'testing,' and a second that is being tested by a girlfriend for me. The Frizz Ease 3-Day Straight Flat Iron Spray from John Frieda helps extend straightening efforts for up to three days, even in humid weather. My hair will naturally dry a frizzy, wavy, mess, but drys pin straight with a blow dryer, so I felt this wasn't the best fir for my locks. I have since been told that it is actually a 'lifesaver' product that uses Keratin to strengthen locks from heat treatments, while helping hold styles successfully up to two days. My 'informant' has also told me that the product is a little slick to apply, and benefits from a fine tooth comb, and reminds that the effects only last from one cleansing to the next, but the product is dry shampoo friendly.

When it came to the large Family Size bag of Hershey's Kisses, milk chocolate, that seemed to have busted open en route (even the Vox Box couldn't wait to get it's hands on these little kisses), no testing was needed. I still have fond memories of playing checkers with my father, as a young girl, in which the 'red' kisses were hugs, and the 'black' kisses were, well, kisses. It was the most delicious game I've ever played, and I still crack a smile to see these little foil wrapped confections today.

What Daughter Says: Find your own sense of pampering, and indulge.

Explore The #JollyVoxBox For The Good, The Bad, And The Lovely @InfluensterVox

Momma Told Me: You never know, until you try....

I think it's no secret that I get to try some pretty awesome things, thanks to my incredibly loud mouth, and all who decide to listen to it on my social networks. You also know I'm hopelessly addicted to 'Of The Month' style subscription boxes, in which the recipient enjoys a carefully curated box of goodies, spanning a particular topic, in exchange for a monthly fee. Well, Influenster is kind of like that, minus the subscription fee, and the regularity. Think of it as a way for companies to connect with interested consumers, exchanging full size products, for their genuine, honest buzz. I say genuine, which you all know if my number one mantra when blogging, because they really mean genuine; they want to hear the Good, the Bad, and the Lovely. Now, I don't know the top secret metrics involved with which members actually get which box; you initially receive and invite, and if you respond fast enough, you're in. But, somehow, I got on the 'list' for the #JollyVoxBox, which just so happened to arrive a few days before the big holiday this season.

I love opening my +Influenster Vox Box, not only is the box itself always beautifully vibrant and colorful, but the easy to digest card laying directly on top tell me exactly what I'm about to try, and precisely how much it costs, retail. The Jolly Vox Box was full of an interesting assortment of full size products from well known brands such as Rimmel London, Puffs, Duck Brand, and Skinny Cow. I have to admit, with a name like 'Jolly' Vox Box, I was expecting some tinsel colored nail lacquer and candy canes; I was pleasantly surprised to find some of the season's hottest best kept beauty secrets and must haves. Let's go through them one-by-one as I share my thoughts.

First up with the Rimmel London #ShowOffLipLacquer in #401, Aurora, a deep blush hue in a smoldering semi-translucent .18 oz tube with a simple sponge wand applicator. The product itself is somewhere between a lipstick and a gloss, almost a heavy stain in wear, and has an initially strong melted lipstick odor that might turn some off. I like that the package tapers from black to translucent, offering a genuine view of the color inside, and the sponge is more than large enough for a single swipe application. While the lacquer was initially tacky, it did not settle as sticky and would make a great layering tool over a neutral lipstick base. The biggest downfall, for me, was that this vibrant color seemed to wear off quickly within a few hours, from drinking or simple talking. In all, I am an avid Rimmel London fan, and the brand is known for value, but I'm not certain I would continue to buy into Show Off Lacquer for the $5.49-$5.99 price point.

The second beauty find of this Vox Box was the new N.Y.C. HD Color Trio Eye Shadow, made by Coty brands (which also owns Rimmel London). With a retail price at $2.99, the 781 Long Beach Sands palette I received was season appropriate but a little pale for my skin tone, which is quite fair. The three neutral hues, which remind me of shimmery champagne variations offer a base, crease, and highlight hue with included application, sponge, wand. The colors wear creamy and vibrant, but really play well with other shades from my existing collection. What I liked most about the HD Color Trio was the suggested application uses for each pot, and the vibrant lustrous finish upon application. I liked using the narrow application brush for highlighting my lower lids.

One the more utilitarian side of the holidays was a product I use year-round in my glove compartment and purse for emergency makeup touch-ups and pet traveling messes. The Puffs Ultra Soft and Strong Plus Lotion To-Go (a mouthful, right) Tissues package featured 10 2-Ply durable and soft tissues for all purposes. Wrapped in a decorated, print, slide out packaging, these are the perfect side for stashing on the go and make a great stocking stuffer at just $.49/package. This time of year I often buy them in large multi-packs for the upcoming months, but was especially surprised to learn these To-Go packs now features Puff Plus Lotion. While the lotion isn't great for cleaning my glasses, as I sometimes use them, they are extra soothing during cold and flu season.

A fun and slightly funky find included #MiniDucklings Duck Brand Mini Rolls, which retail for $2-3 at chains nationwide. It's no secret I'm a Duck Brand addict, and use this adhesive tape to decorate and repair countless items all year. I particularly like to use Mini Rolls to spruce up my brown box parcels, which I have to use to ship my presents to family back East. Having the extra colorful and festive prints around the labels let my recipients know something extra special is inside. These Mini Rolls are about 1" wide and come in fun prints, like the Hawaiian one shown above. I used mine to dress up a 'Warm Wishes' label on one of Jay's gifts, get it? They're also, incidentally, great for repairing tears in wrapping!

Last, but not least, was a product that easily transitions into the New Year spirit, Skinny Cow Chocolate Divines with Peanut Butter Filling. These 3 piece packages are just 130 calories and impressively big on flavor. I've had Skinny Cow products before and found them to be a little less than satisfying, but these were more than I could eat in a sitting; they were quite sweet! The only gripe I have is that the 'peanut butter' texture was a bit grainy, like the chocolate and read more like a caramel to me. Regardless, I will be reaching for these instead of holiday candy leftovers, throughout the coming weeks.

What Daughter Says: Explore some affordable new additions to your Winter routine, you might be pleasantly surprised!

@InfluensterVox: The New Colgate #SlimSoft Brush Provides Maximum Power, Gently

*** As an Influenster network member I received a Colgate #SlimSoft VoxBox in exchange for my honest feedback on various social media channels. No further compensation was provided. All photos below are copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2013.

Momma Told Me: Beauty can be painful.

I'm here today to defend tooth brushing. 

Some say it isn't glamorous- but I often argue it's one of the most crucial steps in a woman's daily beauty routine. Sure, there was a time when I was a child where I'd get caught chewing on my brush to pass the time until Momma's timer went off. But things have changed. My relationship with my brush has evolved since then. We've grown tight. Well, actually, we've grown slimmer, together.

Your smile is statistically shown to be the most likely attribute to catch any prospective client, employer, or mate's attention first. What does your smile say about you? There are a few things I simply cannot start my 'day' without; making my bed, taking a shower, and brushing my teeth. Why? Because I simply don't feel right flashing my pearly whites while my mouth feels dingy. I am hyper sensitive to even the smallest morsel of food and debris wedged between a tooth or gum. I will sit and pick at it until I'm certain the offending speck is gone- and that's not very sexy, is it?

In April I had a long overdue procedure to remove an 'extra' tooth I had growing under one of my Anterior Cuspids. I'd known about it since I'd had my Wisdom Teeth removed in high school, but had elected to forgo the additional procedure at the time, of fear of how much it would cost my parents. Flash forward 8 years and the bugger is pressing up against a nerve- it was time to go! I digress; this procedure left a rather big hole under two of my teeth, and involved the displacement of my gums temporarily, requiring excess healing. To put it bluntly, I was in need of a new, softer, yet still just as effective, toothbrush. Out went my old Colgate companion, and so began the search for a new one. I'd always used 'Hard' head brushes in the past, so transitioning to a 'Soft' head brush was very concerning for me. I simply didn't feel as though my mouth was getting as clean.

When #InfluensterVox informed me they wanted to send me the latest Colgate oral care technology to review I was intrigued. Not only did the new #SlimSoft Gliding Tip (also made in Pro Tip) brush offer improved reach and targeted efficacy, but the ergonomic design was far less intimidating than my current manual brush. Colgate SlimSoft is a big deal for what it does and doesn't have; 17x slimmed bristles and 35% more bristles overall. That means a unique tactile experience when brushing, and a positively radiant fresh smile. The brush hardly looks worthy of doing cartwheels; there are no bendy head gimmicks, no fancy patterns of colored bristles, no replacement head indicators- it's about as plain as a brush can get (visually).

However, when paired with Colgate Total Advanced toothpaste, I enjoy a gentle cleaning massage that is pleasantly tingly. My gums, which are still sensitive easily accepted this new routine without complain. After my first use I noticed that my mouth felt fresh, longer, and I had significantly less 'picking' at me teeth through the afternoon. In fact, instead of reaching for a toothpick, I prefer to go to my #SlimSoft, and simply brush my teeth again, after a harsh meal.

Ultimately, I am most surprised as to how powerful the brushing experience feels, while still utilizing soft, flexible bristles. These thinner bristles reach between my teeth (which are tight even to floss), and deep along my gums for maximum plaque removal that makes brushing a vital part of my beauty routine again. After all, when your mouth feels fresh, you can't help but want to flash a beautiful smile!

What Daughter Says: Don't let your oral care routine step on your toes. Choose a gentle brush, with extra power to deep clean, for a beautiful smile.