The Long Winters in NYC

I have never been one to have favorites.  I have such a wide variety of tastes and interests, it is nearly impossible for me to boil everything down to one single favorite of anything.  There is, however, one notable exception to my no favorites rule.  I absolutely have a favorite band, and I am 100% proud to admit that my favorite band ever is The Long Winters.

Which is odd, considering I just discovered them within the last 16 months.  You see, the band last released an album in 2006.  Back in 2006, I was too wrapped up in MySpace and listening to Dashboard Confessional to realize that there was so much more out there.  I probably *did* encounter The Long Winters somewhere along the way, and I was too engulfed in bad relationship bitterness to realize their greatness.  Luckily, last summer, John Roderick opened for Jonathon Coulton in Pittsburgh, and Hubby and I became instant fans (here is a hint, pay attention to opening bands, it pays off).

Over the next months, I devoured every bit of The Long Winters music I could get my hands one, and became a full fledged fangirl.  If only I had learned about them back when they were touring regularly!  Then, the most amazing thing happened.  The band's record label, Barsuk Records, announced that they were celebrating their 15 year anniversary.  Part of the celebration would include a reunion of The Long Winters, to play their album When I Pretend to Fall.  Alas, most of the shows were going to be on the West Coast.  Makes sense, since the band calls Seattle home.  But then, my luck changed, and a New York show was announced.  And I miraculously convinced Hubby to go to the show.

It was a whirlwind trip (more about that in the next post) that resulted in 23 hours actually spent in NYC, 7 of those at the concert venue.  The show was part of the CMJ music festival.  The venue was the Bowery Ballroom.  There were 5 (yes 5) bands performing before The Long Winters.  We watched them all: Promised Land Sound, Otka Logue, Kan Wakan, Reuben and the Dark, and Eleanor Friedberger.  For us the most notable was Kan Wakan.  Within the first 5 seconds of their set, Hubby shouted to me "I am sold!".  We both were; the sound was sensual and mesmerizing.

  We bought the band's EP later in the night.

 I also was converted as a fan for Reuben and the Dark.    

Not only are these guys easy on the eyes, their rich warm harmonies are easy on the soul.  

But of course, the draw for us was The Long Winters.  And it was every bit as amazing as I anticipated it would be.  The crowd was a mix of old fans back from early touring days and newer fans like us.  But we all knew that this show would be nothing short of greatness.  John Roderick and Sean Nelson have a playful chemistry on stage, and it just quickly became apparent that they were loving every minute of what they were doing.  John Roderick is one of the few performers who not only sounds better with age, but sounds better live than on studio recordings.  His voice is so sumptuous (almost as much so as his beard), it feels like a warm blanket wrapped around you.  Although I love the whole When I Pretend to Fall album, my least favorite song is one titled Blanket Hog.  Yet John made it sound so beautiful that night, I can no longer do anything but love the song.

There were so many awesome moments to the show: John rocking out at the end of Scared Straight, experiencing Cinnamon (my favorite song) live for the second time, hearing John and Sean get good-natured heckling by the crowd (and each other) and giving it right back, the band calling out a couple who tried to sneak out at the last song.  It was nothing short of magic and perfection.

The thing I like the best about this band is they know exactly who they are.  When you encounter John Roderick and Sean Nelson, you know exactly what to expect.  They are purposeful with their lives, and make no apologies for themselves.  I find that incredibly brave, and it inspires me to live that way as well.  Anyone who was surprised that John needed to tune his guitar multiple times, or that he was going to give us the finger a few times that night, or that John would get so lost in the music that he would close his eyes for long periods of time, well, they are not true fans, or they are not paying attention.  

This was, most likely, a once in a lifetime opportunity for me.  Seeing the band reunited, playing their album all the way through in order for the first time ever.  I hope and pray that the band does release a new album soon, and then does a tour for it.  And I hope that tour comes somewhere near Pittsburgh, or at least a day's train ride away.  Because even though we did not sleep for about 48 hours, and were too dead tired to try to stay and meet the band afterward (seriously, I almost passed out during the encore), the concert, and the entire trip, was everything I hoped for and more.  And I would do it all over again.

So, the moral of the story is always check out the openers.  You just might find your new favorite.  

You can see all my photos from the opening bands here, and all the photos from The Long Winters set here. Some of them a a bit blurry but they still capture the energy and emotion of the night, plus it is hard for me to delete any photo of them no matter how blurry.  Imagine what I could have accomplished with a professional grade camera!

In The Big City: John Hodgman at the Rex Theater

Ever since Hubby and I have been together, we have been big fans of John Hodgman.  In fact, as we were driving to our honeymoon in New York, Hubby read excerpts of one of Hodgman's books aloud to me.  Because that is what nerds do to show their love.  They share nerd culture.

As we have gotten older, and more comfortably entrenched in nerd culture, we have come to an even deeper appreciation of Hodgman's genius, through his books, his recently released Netflix special "Ragnarok", and his amazing podcast, Judge John Hodgman.  About a year ago, I vowed that the next time he came within a reasonable driving distance, I was going to see his live show.  That item got checked off the bucket list this past weekend.

The minute I learned Hodgman was coming to Pittsburgh, I bought tickets.  I then spent 3 months fretting about Hubby's work schedule to insure that he could attend with me (it all worked out).  By the time the big day arrived, I was so excited I could not shut up about it.  I was tweeting and facebooking like a maniac.

We got to the show about 30 minutes before the door opened, and already a line had formed.  This was going to be amazing.  When we got inside, our diligence paid off with second row seats on the right aisle.  Sweet.  The show opened with a 30 minute set by local comedienne Gab Bonesso.  Hubby was familiar with her work, but this was my introduction to Gab.  She did a great job, and it was wonderful to be able to support a local artist.  If you have a chance to see her live, take it, you will not be disappointed.

Then, the big event.  Hodgman took the stage, and for the next hour and a half, I was in heaven.  I knew the show was going to be good, but it totally blew away all my expectations.  I saw a whole new side to Hodgman, and I do not just mean the part where he stripped to his skivvies (more on that in a bit).  I saw a much more relaxed, casual side to him, and I have to say, my love and admiration for him grew.  He talked a little bit about Pittsburgh, some outdated cultural references, a very amusing tale of his recent speaking engagement on April 20th (my birthday woot woot), some amazing stories about his "cats" and even a song or two.

  During his set, I was consciously aware that I was experiencing pure joy.  This is not an exaggeration, I literally paused and realized how happy this show was making me, and said a silent word of thanks, just for being alive to experience it.

The highlight of the show was when Hodgman stripped down to his boxer briefs, donned a dress, and did a bit in character as Ayn Rand.  It was so amazing, and given the fact that one of our dogs' middle name is Rand after this same woman, I suspect it was the highlight of the night for Hubby.  He laughed so hard, and it made me so happy to hear him having a great time.

There were two moments of the night that melted my Pittsburgh loving, media nerd, fangirl heart.  The first moment was when Hodgman ended the show by singing the classic Mr. Rogers closing song, "It's Such a Good Feeling".  The ENTIRE audience sang (and snapped when appropriate) along with him, and it was one of those moments of perfection you only experience when seeing a live performance.  I was kicking myself for not recording it, still am.

After the show, I snuck up to the stage and asked Hodgman if I could have the paper he used for the cultural references bit, and he graciously obliged.  I clutched it in my hand, and we waited in line for the meet and greet, so that I could get it autographed.  When we finally got up to him, Hodgman said "Oh, hello again.  I am John".  I responded "Hi, I am Tiffany, and this is my husband, Steve".  Then the second heart melting moment happened.  Hodgman responded with "Oh, the Harkleroads."

::blink blink::

HOLY CRAP HE KNEW WHO WE WERE.   Turns out he had seen all the support we were both throwing his way on Twitter.  And then, he thanked us for said support.  I was so blown away and flustered that we forgot to get a photo with him.  He proceeded to sign the paper he had given me, and chatted for a few minutes.

Not only was John Hodgman a hilarious and engaging performer, he was humble and gracious.  If I could sum up the entire night in one word, it would be, without a doubt, "magical".

Go support live shows by both local and nationally touring artists.  It is an experience unlike any other.

View the rest of my photos from that night here.

Influenster Review: Q-tips Precision Tips

Q-tips have long been a staple in my house.  The are handy for so many things.  Hygiene, cut or scrape cleaning, medication application, make-up and nail polish, and that is just to name a few.

Thanks to Influenster and the "Something Blue" VoxBox, I was able to try a new Q-tip product, the Q-tips Precision Tips.  As you can see in the photo below, the ends of these swabs are tapered to a point.  This allows, as the name would suggest, more precision.  I feel like these are a beauty must item!  I wear contact lenses, and my eyes often water.  Typically, this happens about 2 minutes after I complete my eye make-up. If I blot with a tissue or towel, I end up making a bigger mess of my eyes, and possibly damaging the sensitive skin in the eye area, or getting bits of paper in my actual eye.  This is where I have found the Precision Tips to be a lifesaver!  They allow me to clean up any smudges quickly and gently.  They also work for actual application of make-up products.  I have found that they allow me to apply a thinner line of eyeliner, even sometimes using eyeshadow to do it.  All in all, I find this to be a really useful product.

Tonight, I decided to use my Precision Tips to have a little fun.  As of today, the Pittsburgh Pirates are in 1st place in the MLB.  For a team that cannot manage a winning season for more years than I can count, this is a HUGE deal.  So, I celebrated by giving myself a baseball themed manicure.  I am not very good with painting my nails, but the Precision Tips helped a lot.  I was able to use them to create my design, as well as clean up some of the messy parts where I colored outside the lines.  My nails look far from perfect, but thanks to Q-tips Precision Tips, they look pretty fantastic.

Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary of Influenster for the purposes of testing.

Influenster Review: Radiant With AVEENO Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream

You know how there are brands out there that you just know are high quality?  You know that you can trust their products, and they never let you down?  Well, for me, one of those brands is AVEENO.  Because I have skin that is really sensitive, I have used various AVEENO products over the years.  Body bars, oatmeal baths, cleansers, moisturizers, you name it.  When I found out I had a chance to try a new AVEENO product, I was really excited.

 

As part of the Influenster program, I was selected to try the AVEENO Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream.  I am a big fan of night creams for several reasons.  First off it forces me to take off my make up.  I have a terrible habit of sleeping in my make up, which is terrible for my skin.  In order to moisturize, I first must cleanse.  So, the whole process is making my skin healthier.  Secondly, night moisturizer helps keep my skin soft and smooth.  I moisturise during the day after I cleanse, and doing the same thing at night just makes sure my skin remains clean and nourished as I sleep.

Some of the amazing things about AVEENO Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream include the fact that it is oil free, which means my face left moist but not greasy; it contains B3 and soy complex to help nourish my skin; it helps even my skin tone and reduce blotchiness, which is problematic for me; it works at night, so I am getting real beauty sleep!

In terms of products, AVEENO is a brand I consider to be cost effective.  Priced moderately and available in most drug stores and departmental retailers, AVEENO Positively Radiant is available to a lot of women.

I am really pleased with the results so far, and I know the more I use the Intensive Night Cream, the better the results will be.  I use the Positively Radiant at night, and still look radiant in the morning.

Maybe this cream will inspire my unconscious and motivate me to pursue a radiant dream.  My radiant dream? To finally write a book.  What would your radiant dream be?

Disclosure Statement:  I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.   

In the Big City: Madama Butterfly

This week, I had the good fortune to win tickets to one of the Pittsburgh Opera's performances of "Madama Butterfly".  It had been many years since I last saw the Pittsburgh Opera, and I had never seen a full performance of this particular opera, so I was over the moon.

"Madama Butterfly" is the story of a young Japanese woman, whose name is Cio-Cio San, but who is affectionately called Butterfly.  Butterfly has fallen in love with an American Naval officer, B.F. Pinkerton.  The marriage broker has arranged a marriage between the two.  To Butterfly, this marriage is a new beginning; she flees from her past as a geisha and embraces a new identity as a wife, an American, and a Christian.  As she rejects her culture and her religion, her family, in turn, rejects her.  But she fears not, for she has love.  However, Pinkerton's view of the marriage is not so steadfast; he sees this as a temporary folly, to sate his desire, until the time when he can have a real marriage to an American wife.

Pinkerton leaves Butterfly, and three years pass.  Butterfly is now poor, and has no family support.  Her only supporter is Suzuki, one of the servants.  In Japan, marital abandonment is tantamount to divorce, but Butterfly refuses to lose hope.  She is certain her husband will return.  Butterfly is visited my the American consul, Sharpless, who tries to tell her Pinkerton will not return to her.  Butterfly stresses that her husband will return, for, you see, he has a son.  Sharpless leaves, without telling Butterfly the truth.  Soon, Butterfly spies Pinkerton's ship in the harbor.  She waits for him to come to her.

Eventually, Pinkerton does come, but not for Butterfly.  Pinkerton, with his "real, American wife" in tow, has come to take custody of his child.  When Butterfly learns this, she is devastated.  She now has nothing.  No family, no husband, no child.  She has lost her will to live, and, after sending her son to play, she commits suicide.  As she lay dying, Pinkerton cries out her name.

The staging of the opera was simply beautiful.  The set was simple with clean lines, which allowed the beauty of the story to be the main focus.  Similarly, the costumes, while beautiful, were understated.  The actual stage aspect that struck me was the gorgeous lighting.  At times, I found myself watching the shadows of the actors projected by the stagelights; the effect was quite haunting.  I also was bewitched by the use of colored lights to convey different emotions.  Red for rage and the heartbreak of Butterfly's death.  The colors of moonrise and sunrise to signify Butterfly's hope for Pinkerton's return.  There were also a few moments that left me breathless, including a moment in Act II when flower petals fell from above as Butterfly and Suzuki decorate the house for Pinkerton's return.

What can I say about the music, other than it was phenomenal.  The orchestra and singers worked in perfect harmony, and the result was magic.  Particularly impressive was Roger Honeywell, a last minute replacement for Pinkerton.  He stepped in to replace an ill cast member, having not sung the role in 14 months.  He was wonderful.  But the stars of the show were Maria Luigia Borsi as Butterfly, and Mika Shigematsu as Suzuki. The depths of the emotion conveyed by both women left me shattered.

After the show, I stayed for the Meet the Artist session.  What a treasure this was.  I loved hearing more about all of the artists, and I have to say, Maria Luigia Borsi is simply enchanting.  Listening to her speak about her love of opera as a child was nearly as beautiful as listening to her sing.  Maria confessed that she cries every time she sings Butterfly.  I am not surprised, for she left me in tears as well.

A note of particular interest: during Act II and Act III the Pittsburgh Opera's general director, Christopher Hahn, was seated just in front of me.  Watching him watch the performance was an amazing opportunity to see the impact of this performance on someone who has spent his life around the opera.  He was as enamored as I was; that is the power of this show.  The Pittsburgh Opera has much to be proud of.

There are two shows left, and I encourage you, if you can, to attend one.  Be sure, also, to check the gorgeous photos on the Pittsburgh Opera Facebook page, and the videos, not only of some performances, but of the Meet the Artist session, on the Pittsburgh Opera YouTube Channel.

Disclosure: I won the tickets to the show from a contest on another blog.  I was not compensated for this review, nor was I asked by the Pittsburgh Opera to write a review.  I simply wanted to share the beauty of this performance with my readers.

Review: Magic BB Cream from L'Oreal

I recently had an opportunity to try the new Magic BB Cream from L'Oreal.  I started wearing makeup in junior high school, and back then the prevailing mentality was that if you were going to wear makeup, you needed to wear foundation to protect your skin.  Beauty products have changed a lot over the years, mostly for the better, and now, we have options regarding what type of coverage we want.  Because my skin has an uneven tone and color, I most often still opt for a light foundation.  It just helps me get a more even look.  However, because my skin is so dry, it almost always looks like I am wearing makeup.  I am never able to achieve that dewy, fresh faced look.  This product really appealed to me, in the hopes that I could finally get that look.

Magic BB Cream says it primes, perfects, hydrates, and corrects.  Sadly, I found it lacking in all those areas.  If something is a primer, to me, that says it can be worn under regular foundation.  However, when I tried this, my makeup looked very thick and caked on.  I only used a small amount of the Magic BB cream, as well as a small amount of foundation, but it still looked like I was wearing stage makeup, not a good look.  Since the product claims to hydrate, I also tried using it without first moisturizing my skin; once again, the results were disastrous.  My skin looked so dry, and the pigment in the Magic BB cream was concentrated on those areas of dry skin, so again, I looked like I was wearing a lot of makeup, despite the fact that this is a minimal coverage products.

I found that the best way for me to use this product is by first moisturizing my skin as I normally would, then using Magic BB cream in place of foundation.  However, those claims to perfect and correct were also a let down to me, so I need to use spot corrector and undereye concealer, as well as powder.  And the results?  Well, they look the same as when I wear foundation.  The big difference is I feel like I am not wearing makeup at all.  And that is certainly a plus.

I think one of the reasons I ran into so many problems is that I chose the wrong color of Magic BB cream.  I have fair skin; I always use a fair foundation and the lightest concealer.  So, it stood to reason that I would need the lightest shade of Magic BB cream.  When I opened it to use it, however, the cream is nearly white. It is very light, and I think that is the reason it fails to even my skin tone and cover up imperfections.  While this is no fault of the product itself, consumers to need to be aware how very light (white really) the shade is in order to properly match their skin tones.

In summary, I think this product has a lot of potential for some women, but I just do not think it was a great match for me.  I think L'Oreal foundation is probably better suited to my coverage needs than the Magic BB Cream.

Note: I received a complimentary product courtesy of  SheSpeaks and L'Oréal for review purposes.  All opinions are honest and original.

Influenster Review: Palmolive Fresh Infusions

As I mentioned, I recently got a chance to try out Palmolive Fresh Infusions thanks to Influenster and Palmolive.  I received 3 bottles, each a different scent: Ginger White Tea, Lemon Thyme, and Lime Basil.  Upon initial inspection, each bottle smelled fantastic.  The scents are light, and clean smelling, and do not smell artificial.

I shared a bottle with my friend Erin.  The scent she chose was the Lime Basil.  She was super excited, and really seems to like it.  Like me, Erin cooks a lot, so she ends up washing a lot of dishes.  This soap can really perk up this unpleasant task.  She was also excited that the soap matched her kitchen, which is a soft lime green color.  I think that the Lime Basil scent smells a little like Lime Lifesavers, and Erin agreed!

I also got some coupons to share with my friends, which I was excited about.  In fact, one of my friends on Facebook was so excited about the Fresh Infusions picture I posted, I sent her some coupons in the mail!  It was really fun to be able to share this product in a tangible way!

While I like all three scents, I have to admit the Lemon Thyme scent is my favorite for a lot of reasons.  When I was a kid, the dish soap we always had our house was lemon scented, so the Lemon Thyme scent reminded me of my childhood and happy memories in our family kitchen.  The Lemon Thyme scent is so bright and sunny, it has really helped pep up my mood on these cold, dreary winter days we have been having lately.  Everything about these scents is bright and uplifting (and make me crave summertime!).

In terms of performance, I really thought the Fresh Infusions did a great job.  My dishes are clean, with no residue.  Also, true to Palmolive form, the product is really gentle on my hands.  I wash a lot of dishes, so between the hot water and the cold winter weather, my hands can get cracked and sore.  Palmolive Fresh Infusions does a great job of keeping my hands soft and moisturized.  With this product, I was able to tackle my dirty dishes, with no gloves necessary!

The product is reasonably priced, and is available at WalMart, which is pretty convenient!  All in all, I am really happy that I got to try Palmolive Fresh Infusions and share it with my friends!

Disclaimer: I received a complementary sample from Influenster for the purposes of testing and reviewing the product.  All opinions are original and honest.

Influenster First Impressions: Palmolive Fresh Infusions

A few weeks ago, I received a VoxBox from Influenster and Palmolive, containing 3 bottles of the new Palmolive Fresh Infusions dish soap.  You can watch me open the box in this video:

Initial Impressions:

• My first reactions to the different scents were, wow, these smell great!  

• As part of the Influenster review process, we were encouraged to share a bottle with a friend, and I really loved that aspect of the campaign.  It was fun to share a new product with someone else in a real, tangible way.

• I thought the bottles were bright colored and fun looking, and I was excited to try the dish soap out (full review in the next post!).

• Palmolive is a brand known for being gentle on your hands, so I was also curious to see if this new product would be as gentle as the older products had been.

• We were given coupons to share with friends, so I was excited about that, as some of my friends already use  Fresh Infusions and love them!

After gathering my first impressions, the only thing left to do was use the product for a while and see how it went!

Influenster Review: NYC Liquid Lipshine

Yesterday, I received a package from Influenster, because I had been selected to receive a product from NYC New York Color.  I really like NYC makeup, I have several of their products in my makeup bag.  The makeup looks nice, and is very affordable.

When I opened my package, I was excited to see that I had received a tube of clear Liquid Lipshine.  Anyone who has had a chance to peek in my purse will tell you that I love lip products.  I love them so much, I now keep a little makeup pouch full of lip products in my purse.  I am not ashamed to admit it contains about 25 lip products, including lipsticks, stains, glosses, and liners.  That is some serious pucker power in that pouch.  So, the Liquid Lipshine was the PERFECT product for me to get to try.

I even decided to get adventurous and record a video review.

In summary, this product is affordable, smells great, looks great, and pairs well with other lip products.  Sounds like a win all the way around.  And, I can tell you, after the video, I did not need to reapply the product until I drank a cup of hot chocolate 3 hours later.  Had I not had anything to drink, I think I would have gotten even longer wear out of it

You can bet that this will be staying in my lip product collection!

This product was provided courtesy of Influenster and NCY for the purposes of reviewing.  All opinions are honest and original.

Review: Torani Syrups

I am a big coffee person, particularly when it comes to flavored coffee.  Two years ago, I switched from a regular coffee maker to a Keurig, which was a smart decision in my opinion.  The only downside is sometimes the flavors I crave are not available in K-cups, particularly in decaf coffee.  I have been trying to cut my caffeine intake, so good decaf is a must for me.  The best solution to this need is flavored syrups.

I was given an opportunity to try two of the holiday flavors from Torani Syrups recently, so of course I jumped at the chance.  The flavors I got to try were Pumpkin Pie and Vanilla Bean.  While both were delicious, the Pumpkin Pie was my personal favorite.

What I like best about these syrups is they are so versatile; they can be used in so much more than making flavored coffees and lattes (though they are delicious in those).  I am not much of a drinker, but I imagine these syrups could be used to make some delicious mixed drinks.  Mix the Pumpkin Pie syrup with some Whipped Cream Vodka, and I bet it would be delicious!  For chocolate lovers, mix it with your hot cocoa for a little extra kick.  To cure a super sweet tooth, mix it with some ice cream, milk, and crushed graham crackers for an amazing Pumpkin Pie milkshake (and maybe even spike it with some of that Whipped Cream Vodka I mentioned!)

I tried to get really creative, and I actually used they syrup, along with some pumpkin butter,  to flavor some Pumpkin Pie scones, which we all snacked on Thanksgiving morning.  They were a big hit!  The Pumpkin Pie flavor, though delicious, is strong, and not one I would want all year round.  But that is what makes holiday flavors so special.  Each year, come October, I want to make pretty much everything pumpkin flavored, so this is perfect.  The Vanilla Bean is a flavor I could see myself using all year round, even to make iced coffees in the summer.

In short, I was really impressed with the quality of these syrups.  Torani syrups are the ones used by my all time favorite coffee shop in Pittsburgh, so it comes as no surprise to me that I love them for use in my own home as well.

This post was sponsored by SheSpeaks and Torani.  They provided me with the product in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are honest and original.

Influenster Makeover

Many loyal readers may have noticed that I did quite a few reviews of products I received in my Naturals Voxbox from Influenster.  But some of my readers may not be aware of what Influenster actually is.

Influenster is a community of people with active online lives, using various forms of social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, G+, Instagram, YouTube, etc.), as well as active offline social lives, to talk about products and organizations of all kinds.  Once you become an active part of this community, you can qualify for perks and reward programs.  The most coveted program is the VoxBox program, where influential community members receive themed boxes of products, like my Naturals VoxBox.  Some of the other recent themed boxes have included boxes for moms, brides, and Latinas.  When you get a box, the idea is that you try the products out, review them, and interact with other members of the community to talk about what is good or bad about the products.  It is a really fun way to let your voice be heard, all while discovering great new products!

Recently, the Influenster site underwent a huge makeover.  At first, things were a little shaky.  It seemed like the new site launched before certain parts were finished, almost like a soft roll out, and there were a lot of bugs.  But, kudos to the Influenster team for patiently address all questions and concerns, many of which were posed by angry or frustrated members (myself included).  As the days passed, more and more of the parts of the site were up and running, with most of the bugs fixed.  I think the frustration of the members just goes to show how eager we all were to jump in with both feet, because we really do love Influenster!

Under the new revamp, you get an overall score, and the opportunity to unlock various badges based on your interests.  Some of those badges are "expert" badges, where you get subscores.  These scores are entirely based on the activities you do on the site, and help determine your eligibility for future programs.  Since this is a new part of the site, we are all still learning how it works, but trust me, it is exciting to see your scores go up!

The highest compliment to any site is that we invite our friends to try it out.  Each Influenster member is given 5 invitations to start.  All five of mine have already been sent.  Clearly, I love Influenster and want to share it with my friends.  If you have never heard of Influenster, you should try it out.

A word to the wise, though.  Do not go there just expecting to get free "stuff".  In order to qualify for programs, you have to be an active member of the community.  I was a member for many months before qualifying for the Naturals Voxbox.  But it really was worth it.  It was really fun trying new products and sharing my thoughts with other members.

I hope new programs on the site continue to roll out.  I also hope I get more invitations soon, as well as the ability to unlock more expert badges.  Clearly, you can tell I am hooked.  Try it, you might get hooked too!

Remember you can view photos of my Naturals Voxbox contents here, and I started a board for it on Pinterest as well!

Naturals Voxbox Review: The Original Dish Drying Mat

Although we do own a dishwasher, we rarely use it.  I feel like it rarely gets the dishes all that clean, and I often end up rewashing them.  That ends up wasting water.  As a result, we almost always hand wash our dishes.  And since I cook a lot, we have a lot of dishes.  Often, we have more dishes than will fit in our dish drainer.   While you can set the dishes on the counter, they do not drain properly, and the counter gets soaked with water.

Enter the Original Dish Drying Mat.

Made of high absorbency microfiber, the Original Dish Drying Mat is a much better solution than dish towels.  It absorbs much more water, while cushioning the dishes.  The mat can be machine washed, and folds up for easy storage.  And it just looks nice.

I tried the mat out with the items that take up too much space in our drainer: bowls, cups, and mugs.  The mat fit conveniently on the counter, and the dishes sat securely on the mat while drying.  The manufacturer suggests that you allow the mat to fully dry between uses.  I wonder if the mat will take on a sour smell, the way wet dish towels tend to do.  It will take more uses to determine.  If the mat does start to smell, it can be machine washed.  I imagine you would not want to use fabric softener on it, however, as that may reduce its absorbency.

So far, I am quite pleased with my Original Dish Drying Mat.


See all my Naturals Voxbox photos on Flickr and my Naturals Voxbox board on Pinterest!

Disclaimer: I received a complementary sample from Influenster for the purposes of testing and reviewing the product.  All opinions are original and honest.

Naturals Voxbox Review: Country Life Maxi Hair supplement

Anyone who knows me knows that I change my hair a lot.  Usually, that change involves changing the color. So sometimes my hair needs a little TLC.  While special shampoos can help, I have found it best to try to improve my hair from the inside out.  That usually means eating a healthy diet and drinking lots of water.  But now, there is something else that can help: Country Life Maxi Hair .

These dietary supplements can help improve the overall health of your hair, skin, and nails.  Two tablets are taken each day.  I tend to take mine in the morning, first thing, with a large glass of water.  Like any supplements, the pills are pretty big, and not exactly pleasant tasting, but with a good drink of water, I never have any trouble.  At a cost of about $17.99 a bottle, the cost is comparable to other supplements, and these can be found in most stores that carry vitamins and supplements.

Over the course of the few weeks I have been taking the supplements, I have noticed a few things.  My hair tends to grow fast, so I have not seen a significant increase in the rate of hair growth.  However, my hair does seem stronger, and more of my natural curl is apparent.  Also, I have a tendency to lose a lot of hair with each washing/combing, and I have noticed a reduction in the amount of hair lost since starting the supplement.  But by far, the greatest change has been in my fingernails.  They are growing so much faster now, and are stronger.  They split and break significantly less that they did before I started the supplements.

The only negative side effect I have seen is that the color of my urine changed to a bright fluorescent yellow.  I know that it sounds a bit odd, and kind of gross, but it could be alarming to someone not prepared for it, so I thought I would mention it.  Increasing my water intake helped reduce this.  Other than that, I have only seen positive results from this supplement.

See all my Naturals Voxbox photos on Flickr and my Naturals Voxbox board on Pinterest!

Disclaimer: I received a complementary sample from Influenster for the purposes of testing and reviewing the product.  All opinions are original and honest.

Naturals Voxbox Review: CleanWell Natural Hand Sanitizer Wipes

Many times, we get our hands a little messy, and we do not have easy access to soap and water.  Increasingly, hand wipes and bottles of sanitizing gel have become purse staples.  I know myself that I currently have two or three little purse sized bottles of hand sanitizer.  However, sometimes the alcohol in those gels leaves my hands feeling sticky, or dries them out, especially this time of year.  Which is why I was excited to learn about CleanWell Natural Hand Sanitizing Wipes.

CleanWell uses the power of thyme oil to help sanitize hands in a natural way free of harsh chemicals. I love that these wipes are free of alcohol.  When I tried the wipes, at first the smell seemed a bit strong, but once I used the wipe on my hands, the smell became less overpowering, and had a nice clean and fresh smell to them.  The wipes left my hands feeling soft, not at all dry or sticky.  The best word I can us to describe these wipes is refreshing.

I have very sensitive skin, and these wipes not only did not irritate my hands, but on the contrary seemed to help soothe them.   I also appreciate that these products were not tested on animals.  The individually wrapped wipes are great for carrying in your purse, and the ingredients are so gentle they can be used on children.  I can imagine these would be perfect for wiping down things like shopping cart handles to help prevent the spread of germs.

All in all, I found this product to be a great natural alternative.

To learn more, find CleanWell on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

See all my Naturals Voxbox photos on Flickr and my Naturals Voxbox board on Pinterest!

Disclaimer: I received a complementary sample from Influenster for the purposes of testing and reviewing the product.  All opinions are original and honest.

Naturals VoxBox Review: EBOOST

So many of us have crazy busy lives, running here and there, multitasking, phone in hand constantly.  And sometimes we just need a little extra bit of energy, pep, vim and vigor.  Often, drinks that increase energy can lead to a crash, or the jitters, or are packed with sugar and calories.  Just when you think you have to compromise, or simply lack energy, you get a little boost.  An EBOOST to be exact.

EBOOST is a natural energy boosting drink that also serves to boost mood, immunity, and focus.  It is chock full of vitamins like C, D, and B-12, is made with green tea, and best of all is naturally sweetened with Stevia.  But, how does it taste, and more importantly, does it work?

I had a chance to sample the orange flavor.  First thing I noticed was that the packet was a convenient single serve size, great for carrying in your purse.  It easily mixed into a glass of water, and I liked the fresh orange smell (it did not have a fake citrus smell, which made me happy).  I tentatively took a sip, not sure what I was getting myself into, and was pleasantly surprised.

I found the taste to be actually refreshing.  The orange flavor was just right, not to strong, not too weak, and did not taste overly artificial.  It was not sickeningly sweet, nor did it have a bitter aftertaste.  In short, it tasted like a healthier, more natural version of the orange drink that we got in school as kids.  I easily finished the glass in a few minutes.

I tried this on a day when I had a lot of errands and plans for the day.  The weather was dreary and had be dragging, so I thought this was the perfect time to get a boost.  I found I easily had the pep in my step to make it through the entire day without feeling tired.  I never felt like I had a crash, the way I often do on energy drinks.

My favorite thing about the drink was that it did not hurt my stomach.  Often, with energy drinks packed full of caffeine, they hurt my stomach and cause me to feel jittery.  Neither of these things occurred when I tried EBOOST.

All in all I was very pleased with the results of EBOOST, and think it makes for a great alternative to sugary energy drinks.

To learn more, find EBOOST on Facebook and Twitter.

See all my Naturals Voxbox photos on Flickr and my Naturals Voxbox board on Pinterest!

Disclaimer: I received a complementary sample from Influenster for the purposes of testing and reviewing the product.  All opinions are original and honest.

Naturals VoxBox Review: LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisturize

One of my least favorite things about the cooler weather of autumn and winter is the fact that my lips get dry and cracked.  I have always been obsessed with lipstick, gloss, and balms (seriously, I carry at least 20 lip products in my purse at all times), but when my lips are cracked and sore, it hurts to wear any pretty products on my lips.

The solution to this is Lypsyl.  Lypsyl is an intense lip moisturizer made out of Swedish beeswax.  Which means it is a natural product.  As more and more consumers become conscious of what we put in and on our bodies, it is wonderful to have a natural product for your lips.  The product is also made with shea butter and coconut oil, which means is smells great.  And best of all, it is not tested on animals.

I am loving so much about this product.  It goes on nice and smooth, without making my lips feel greasy.  I feel like the moisture is really sealed into my lips, and they feel soft and supple all day long.  I use the balm as part of my daily beauty routine, as well as carry it in my purse.  I will say, I rarely need to reapply, because the balm works so well all day long.

One of my favorite aspects of the balm is the shape.  The tube is an oval shape, and I feel like it really covers my lips better and with much less mess or waste than traditionally round shaped balms.  And the balm is pushed up in the tube by a little slide on the side in the shape of a bee, a truly cute added detail.

Retailing at around $3 a tube, I think this product is extremely affordable.  And for that price you are getting a product that feels like luxury.  And who would not like a little luxury for her lips?

To learn more, find Lypsyl on Facebook and Twitter.

See all my Naturals Voxbox photos on Flickr and my Naturals Voxbox board on Pinterest!

Disclaimer: I received a complementary sample from Influenster for the purposes of testing and reviewing the product.  All opinions are original and honest.

Influenster Naturals Vox Box

A while back, I heard about this thing called Influenster, which is a community where women can share information, and serve as a testing panel for different products.  I was immediately intrigued, and signed up.  You complete different questionnaires about your preferences and lifestyles, so that they can match you up with the correct testing panels for products.  When selected for a panel, they send you things called Vox Boxes, which are boxes full of products to try.  I recently was selected to be a tester of the Naturals Vox Box, which was going to be full of all natural products to try.

Yesterday, after much anticipation, I received my Naturals Vox Box!

Over the course of the month, I will be trying and reviewing all my products from my Naturals Vox Box, so stay tuned!  I will be continuing to add photos of the products to a special flickr photo set too, so check it often!

Disclaimer: I  received each product compliments of Influenster for testing purposes.

Birchbox Favorite Review: stila sparkle liquid eyeliner

This month, the Birchbox was inspired by Gossip Girl.  I have never watched that show, so a lot of the "wow" factor on the box was lost on me.  It was just any other Birchbox as far as I was concerned.  But I knew what my favorite product was going to be as soon as I opened the box.  Hands down, I was most excited about the eyeliner from stila.

The shade that I received was called Flash, and it was sort of a glittery gold color.  While this was probably not the best shade for my eye color, I tried it out, and was pretty happy with the results.

First off, the eyeliner is waterproof.  This is a huge bonus for me, since I have eye allergies.  There is nothing I hate more than freshly applied eye makeup smearing because my eyes start watering.  The eyeliner went on very easily, and I was able to control the applicator easily to determine if I wanted a subtle, thin line or a bolder, thicker line.  While the eyeliner is glittery and shimmery, it is very subtle, so it works well with a matte eyeshadow as well as a more glittery eyeshadow.

All in all I am extremely happy with this product.  The sample was a full size eyeliner, making the cost of this month's box a total bargain.

Review: Frosted Mini Wheat Little Bites, Cinnamon Roll flavor

Lately, I have been trying to eat lean protein for breakfast.  That means egg whites and greek yogurt.  While both delicious, these can get a little boring for breakfast.  Once in a while, I just want a bowl of cereal that tastes like it is bad for me, but in reality is not.  Enter Frosted Mini Wheats.

This is a cereal brand that I have enjoyed for a long time.  They make several different flavors, and frosted wheat is not that bad, considering it is a great source of fiber.  Food purists might not like the amount of sugar in the frosted wheats, but all in all, not an awful choice for a once in a while breakfast treat.  So, when I learned there were Cinnamon Roll flavored Mini Wheats, I knew I had to try them.  Cinnamon Roll flavored stuff has been a recent obsession, so that I get the flavor of a comforting treat without the fat.

I did not realize the difference between Mini Wheats and Mini Wheat Little Bites until I saw them.  These are much tinier than regular Mini Wheats, hence the slight name difference.  Were the Minis not mini enough? Otherwise, these are your standard Mini Wheats.  They look a little like straw, but I truly think they are tasty.

Nutritionally, they are not awful, but higher in calories and carbs than I would like.  However, a great source of fiber and very low fat.  So, for a once in a while thing, once again, not awful.  My biggest complaint is the serving size, which is 47 biscuits.  Really?  You could not have just made it half a cup?  For people who are a little OCD about precise serving sizes, it is a major pain to sit there and count out 47 biscuits each time I want to make sure I am getting a correct serving size.  It is a major flaw as far as I am concerned.

Taste wise, these were good, not fantastic, but good.  But between the annoying serving size and the amount of calories and carbs, I am not sure this would be a staple in my pantry.  I think there are better, healthier, easier options out there. And if I were going to splurge with carbs for mini wheats, I would probably do it on the blueberry ones.

I reviewed this product as part of the Amazon Vine program.


 

Birchbox Favorite Review: amika Obliphica Nourishing Mask

Loyal readers will remember that I like to change my hair.  A lot.  Different colors, different cuts, I am never scared of taking a risk.  It is only hair, it will grow back, right?  Well all this experimentation can cause a bit of stress on my hair.  Which is why I am always looking for great products to help my hair destress.

Birchbox really delivered this month, with the sample of amika Obliphica Nourishing Mask.  The mask is a weekly deep treatment; there is a difference after one use, and multiple uses helps to strengthen the hair.  It contains Morrocan Oil, which is so good for your hair, and smells completely amazing!  I was really excited that the sample contained enough for about 4 applications.

After the first application, I did indeed notice that my hair felt silkier, and had less fly aways.  Now I have used it three times, and last Saturday I had one of the best hair days I have had in months.  My hair feels stronger, it tangles less, and is more manageable.

I think this is a fantastic product, and love that Birchbox allowed me the opportunity to try it.