Go Vox Box GO!

I received a HUGE box of goodies from Influenster and it's hard to even say where to start about it all. Check it out!

I'll go through everything shown and then some. It really was a ton of awesome stuff, although a tad bit overwhelming at first.

Aqua Spa Relax Body Creme

The body creme is amazing. The scent is light and relaxing. It makes my legs feel soooooo smooth. If I have any complaints it's that it is a bit thick and that made it hard to apply. A tiny bit of the body creme definitely went a LONG way. All in all, I'm thrilled with this addition to the box and I will most likely buy more Aqua Spa products.

My score: A

ProFoot Triad Orthotic

The orthotic inserts were easy to use and super comfortable. The packaging could have been a bit easier to open though. I'm not sure why companies want to make things harder to open than Fort Knox. Overall, I'm not a fan of inserts in shoes as I think they take up too much space. These only take up space at the heel area which was nice. They were on par with other inserts I've tried in the past, but I doubt I would buy them again because inserts are not something I typically buy.

My score: B

ProFoot Pedi-Rock

At home I have pumice stones and a PedEgg. When I received the Pedi-Rock I was excited because my PedEgg desperately needs new blades. Instead of ordering new blades I set out to try the Pedi-Rock. I would say it's more like a pumice stone than a PedEgg in how it works. I was able to get similar results to my PedEgg, but it took a lot more time. The Pedi-Rock was easier and more comfortable to use than my pumice stone. My biggest complaint is that it's really large and my hands are not. It was hard to hold it comfortably for as long as it needed to be used to smooth my feet and get sandal ready.I will continue using it and I would buy it before a pumice stone.

My score: B+

Playtex Sport

I typically use the exact same type of tampon every month, Tampax Pearl. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever even tried the Playtex brand before so I was interested to try these when they arrived. Obviously, I had to wait for that time of the month to arrive before I could try these out. Finally, it did and here's what I've found. The applicators are easier to use, but they are bright pink. There is no hiding them in the trash can. The pack I received was scented and I prefer unscented, however, the scent was so light it wasn't even noticeable and it didn't cause any irritation. The absorbancy was similar to the regular Tampax Pearl tampons. Overall, I prefer the Pearls. I have a hard time getting past the bright pink color of the applicator because I have a lot of boys in my house and I would prefer not to use a neon sign to announce my period.

My score: B

Vitamin Shoppe Next Step Shakes

The Next Step shakes came in three varieties and with a really cool shake bottle to mix them up properly before you drink them. That makes it a snap to mix one up on the go. The flavors were nice and the shakes mixed smoothly and kept me full for a few hours. I struggle to replace meals with shakes though because food is amazing and I found myself still craving other things to eat so I'm not sure these would be a smart choice for me. If you have better willpower, I would recommend giving them a try.

My score: A

Muller Yogurts

I tried the Muller Corner yogurt and I liked that the fruit was kept separately from the yogurt. My usual yogurt brand mixes the two together and sometimes that makes the yogurt watery. This kept it perfectly creamy and smooth. The strawberry flavor was good. I wish they had a strawberry banana available. I don't have any complaints overall.

My score: A

All products complimentary from Influenster.

Colgate Optic White

Today's review is all about Colgate Optic White teeth whitening system. When I received the box complimentary from Influenster it contained a Colgate Optic White toothbrush with whitening gel and a small tube of Colgate Optic White toothpaste.

I'll admit that I was hesitant to try it at first because previous whiting systems have caused my teeth to become extremely sensitive and to hurt... badly. However, after a week of using the Colgate Optic White system I was pleasantly surprised to find that it didn't hurt at all!

Overall, I would give the Colgate Optic White system a A-. I enjoyed the toothbrush and the toothpaste flavor was okay. My breath stayed fresh for the day. However, the instructions for the whitening gel were very brief and a bit confusing and I found it to be a bit messy. Now for the results: I wasn't sure how much of a difference I could tell in my teeth before and after in person, but I took a picture before I started using it and a second picture 2 weeks later. Check it out!

As you can see there's a fairly noticeable difference! All in all, I will continue using it and I would recommend it to others. Slightly unclear directions and a little mess are acceptable when I get whitening results without pain.

All products complimentary from Influenster.

Suave Kids Styling Gel - Review

If you've been waiting to hear about our Suave experiences you'll be happy to know this post is about one of them. We received the Suave Kids Styling Gel from influenster to try and review. My youngest is our fashion guru so he insisted on being the first to try it out.

We tried the cool ocean blast scent. Initially I was worried that it would be an overly strong scent. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is pretty subtle, but still nice. Jams loved it since he smelled a bit more like Dad. He put the gel in himself and he was thrilled with the results.

As you can see it spiked his hair up easily enough. It doesn't last forever, but you wouldn't expect a kids hair gel to last that long. Overall, it smelled nice and worked well enough. The boys are happy to have their own hair gel to use. We'll probably buy it again.

All products complimentary from Influenster.

Braun Forehead Thermometer - Review

I received a Braun Forehead Thermometer from influenster for testing purposes and it could not have arrived at a more convenient time. My youngest was feeling ill so I pulled it straight out of the box to start testing. We've used forehead thermometers for many years and we have another on hand. Here is my experience comparing the two thermometers.

My older thermometer has been dropped a few times and I'm sure that's affected it's working ability. I took his temperature three times with each thermometer and my own just for the sake of testing (I'll admit it was a bit fun too). My older thermometer had a slightly different temperature each time and was a full degree lower than the Braun thermometer. The Braun thermometer showed the same temperature within 0.1 of a degree each time.

The older thermometer is surprisingly heavy and fairly awkward to use. You have to position the person's head in just the right way while standing behind them to get a reading. The Braun thermometer was much lighter and we were able to use it easily without having to move a sick child into a different position.

My favorite part of the Braun Forehead Thermometer is the back light. It turns bright green if the temperature is in the safe zone, yellow if a fever is developing, orange at a slightly higher fever, and red when the temperature is getting high. This made checking my son's temperature in the middle of the night quick and easy. I didn't even have to wake him up to turn the light on.

This picture shows the back light some, but the flash washed it out a bit. It is much bright in person.

Another great feature is that it remembers the last temperature taken so you can quickly compare.

The only downsides I found were small. There is a cap that goes over the top of the thermometer to protect it. We found that it doesn't stay on well at all so it really won't do much good. Also, it takes more time and effort to turn on than our older one. The older one was one button and instantly it was ready. This one has a power button and a separate button to push to take the temperature. It also takes a few seconds to be ready.

All in all the Braun Thermometer is now our go-to at home and the older one has been relegated to a drawer as a backup.



I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Suave Hair Products - Review

We received a Vox Box from Influenster with 3 of Suave's current hair line. The first, Suave Professionals Keratin Infused Dry Shampoo, is being reviewed below. Check back later to hear about the kid's gel and the men's balm!

First, I want to say that I have been on a quest for a GREAT dry shampoo for YEARS! It seems almost impossible to find one that doesn't leave a gross feel, doesn't clog instantly, or isn't completely overpriced. So initially when I received this product I was both excited and skeptical. However, I gave t a try and I'll admit it works as well as the $30 powder I have. Check out the before and after:

The before shows my hair one day after washing. The roots are super oily. It's lifeless and almost slicked back looking. Unfortunately, my hair gets oily incredibly easily and usually it looks oily only hours after I wash it. I try to wash it every other day (daily washing makes my hair way too dry).

The issue I've been struggling with is what do I do on the off days or those super cold winter days when I just don't have time to wash and dry it?

I've tried various expensive powders and cheaper powders. the main issue with powders is that they are messy. No matter how careful I am a residue of powder seems to coat everything in the bathroom. YUCK!

I've also tried a few sprays. The liquid like sprays never seem to do anything and the powder sprays just seem to clog constantly. The Suave dry shampoo is a spray. I figured the chances were slim that it would work without clogging. I was wrong. I've used it a few times now and no clogs. It sprays on easily and once rubbed/brushed through as you can see it looks great! It took all of the oiliness out of my hair and make it look freshly washed and dried. However, there are still a few cons. First, if you have really dark hair it may lighten it slightly since the powder is white. Second, it has a really strong perfume smell. If you just use a tiny bit that shouldn't be too big of a deal though. Overall, I'll definitely be buying this product in the future for my dry shampoo needs and I have to admit I'm thrilled to finally find something affordable that works for my needs.