Aqua Spa Relax Body Creme

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May 2015 Empties

May tends to be a pretty exciting month, product-wise, because it’s the time of year when we use up our winter beauty staples and get to move on to lighter, more fun summer products. There will be plenty of those to discuss in the coming weeks, but for now let’s take a look at last month’s winners and losers:

  
Aqua Spa Relax Body Creme: I really loved this rich cream. Despite its thick texture it absorbed quickly, left no greasy residue, and kept my skin soft all day. Its lavender and chamomile aroma was quite perfumey when first applied, but it quickly diffused into a much more subtle scent that I really liked. 

Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream: This tiny jar – from my Benefit Advent Calendar – saved my face during the last dry days of spring. When my tinted moisturizer just couldn’t provide enough moisture, I paired it with this thick-but-not-too-thick cream. It kept both dry patches and blemishes away while providing a perfect base for makeup. 

L’Oreal Volume Filler Thickening Shampoo: I found this shampoo incredibly disappointing. Since the ads for it featured Blake Lively, the queen of enviable hair, I was really hoping this shampoo would leave me with luscious locks. Instead it left my hair looking dry and dull, with no shine and a straw-like texture. 

Bliss Grapefruit & Aloe Body Butter: With its fresh citrus scent and rich texture, this body butter became my go-to hand cream throughout the winter and spring. It absorbs quickly and protects hands and cuticles for hours, even through the excessive hand washing of flu season. 

Aussie Moist 3 Minute Miracle: This deep conditioner isn’t new to this blog, and neither is my opinion of it. This is a high quality conditioner that can be used daily or as a weekly treatment. It repairs hair and leaves it silky and shiny without weighing it down. I still swear by it. 

Bliss Multi-‘face’-eted All-in-one Anti-aging Clay Mask: I decided to try this multi-tasking mask last weekend and almost instantly regretted it. It contains 10% glycolic acid, which was so harsh I had to wash it off after four minutes and still ended up with a chemical burn near my lip! Then my skin promptly broke out with several small pimples. Definitely not a fan. 

Whish Shave Cream: I recently wrote about this Birchbox find. I liked it more with every use. It really moisturized my skin and softened hair, leading to a closer-than-usual shave, less irritated skin and smooth legs that stayed that way for almost a week. 

Bath & Body Works Dark Kiss Body Lotion: This medium weight lotion featured a sort of sweet, sort of sultry scent and kept my dry patches in check through the spring. It didn’t clog pores and it gave my skin super soft all day. A perfect lotion for spring and/or fall. 

Beauty Protector Beauty Wash: This shower gel featured a sickeningly sweet scent and though it lathered up richly, it didn’t leave my skin feeling particularly clean. I’m a big fan of Beauty Protector’s hair products, but this body wash is definitely not for me. 

In other news, I finally came to the end of my body lotion stash last month! For those keeping track at home, it took me one year and five months to clean out that collection. So, now that I’m in the market for new lotions, please feel free to leave some recommendations in the comments below!

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Inside Influenster’s #GoVoxBox

voxbox-blogimageIt’s no secret that I’m a lover of all things beauty-related, but what many of you may not know is that I’m very interested in health and fitness as well. So when I found out that I would be receiving Influenster’s Go VoxBox, filled with beauty, health and fitness products, I was beyond excited. Over the past few weeks I’ve been testing and trying each item; I’ve even discovered some new can’t-live-without-it products. Without further ado, here’s a look at the #GoVoxBox.
#GoVoxBox
Muller Greek Corner Yogurt (#MullerQuaker): I had seen commercials for these delicious-looking yogurts and wondered if they were as good as they looked. However, I’m not a fan of Greek yogurt, so I never actually tried one until I received a coupon for a free one from Influenster. I was absolutely blown away. These yogurts are smooth and creamy and the fruit is so delicious. I often find Greek yogurt to be too sour and thick, but that was not the case with these. I have been buying Muller yogurts every week since trying that first one, and I’ve liked every flavor that I’ve tried. A definite winner!

Blue Diamond Blueberry Flavored Almonds (#GetYourGoodGoing): I love almonds, and Blue Diamond is a trusted brand, but I was not a fan of the blueberry flavor. It tasted quite artificial; I prefer my almonds straight up!

The Vitamin Shoppe Next Step Fit N Full Protein Shakes & Jaxx Shaker (#NextStep): I’ve never been much a protein shake kind of girl, so I wasn’t expecting to love these shakes. And while I wouldn’t say that I loved any of them, I did like the chocolate and berry flavors (vanilla was not for me!), and noticed that I was bursting with energy for hours after drinking them. The Jaxx Shaker worked well and didn’t leak, so if you are a protein shake person, I’d recommend it for a way to mix your shakes quickly and take them with you when you go!

Playtex Sport Fresh Balance (#PlayOn): I’ve tried Playtex tampons before, and I’ve always thought they were top-notch, but these were by far the most comfortable tampons I’ve ever used! These are my new go-to.

PROFOOT Pedi-Rock (#GoPROFOOT): This has quickly become part of my regular beauty routine. This soft foot file can be used wet or dry (I prefer wet) to quickly remove rough patches and calluses. I was so impressed with how quick and effective it was that I’ve replaced my old foot scrub with it!

PROFOOT Triad Orthotic (#GoPROFOOT): According to the information that accompanied these shoe inserts, the Triad Orthotic is clinically proven to relieve knee, leg and back pain. Since I’m training to run a 5K, I was excited to try these. I instantly noticed that my knees felt better, specifically when running down steep hills. I also felt that I had more bounce in my stride, and that running uphill felt significantly easier. I’m not sure that these did anything to make my back feel any better, but I think they definitely improved my overall performance.

Aqua Spa Relax Body Crème (#RelaxWithAquaSpa): Another favorite from the box, this hydrating but non-greasy body lotion has a heavenly lavender and chamomile scent and leaves skin silky smooth; I’ve taken to slathering it on my feet and legs after I use my Pedi-Rock! This also makes an excellent pre-bedtime lotion – the soothing scent will lull you to sleep and you’ll wake up feeling soft and refreshed!