DOUBLE Conscious Box unboxing! April 2013, Classic!

Now, I know what you may be thinking, "Why are you unboxing TWO of the same Conscious boxes?".

Well...that would be because I purchased my first  box for a month, and then a few weeks later received a free one for hosting that giveaway on my site! I personally thought that having two boxes ordered, I would receive one this month, and one next month, which is what I was hoping for. Instead, I got 2 Classic Boxes this month, Box 1 and Box 6, so at least I had some difference, and they weren't both exactly the same (even though they only differenced by 4 products). Now I really like this program, I think it's awesome for those who are Organic and all Natural lovers, and people who are health nuts as well. I, myself, am not though. I still thought this program would appeal to me, because I love new products, but I just found some of the items in here to be a little...weird. I do not think I will continue on with my subscription, as I'd rather not pay $19.95 a month for a box of stuff I most likely won't use. It was a good tryout box, but however not a good permanent one for me. At least not right now anyways, maybe in the future I will get more healthier, and more organic, but as for right now I could care less. (And don't get me wrong, I love helping out the planet, I go out and pick trash up, cans and bottles as well.) I'm also not saying that Conscious Box sucks, because it's far from it. I just feel that for my personality, and what I like and don't like, it's not good for me. I have a friend that would probably LOVE it because she's a hippy! :)

Conscious Box is a monthly subscription box where for $19.95 you can get a box delivered to your doorstep with all natural and organic products inside for you to try out!

These are my boxes...I have now confused them so we'll call the top one Box 1 and the second Box 2.

These are the products I received in my first box (Minus the Celestial Seasonings Blackberry Pomegranate Tea...my mom snatched both out of my boxes.)

The first product I received was

Sappo Hill All Vegetable Oil Glyceryne Creme Soap in Almond. This is a Cruelty-Free, Vegan Handcrafted, Phthalate Free, Paraben Free and Gluten Free hand soap! That is a lot of free! The smell is SO delicious and reminds me of Almond Bearclaws or Almond Paste. I have yet to actually try this out though! This does not give a size on it, but while looking on their website, they have a "guest size" that is .9 oz which is what I would assume this to be, for $.70

Seventh Generation Mandarin Refreshing Facial Cleansing Cloth! This comes with 1 6.2"x7.8" cloth. On the back of the packaging it says "Everything your skin needs, nothing it doesn't." I've tried Seventh Generation baby wipes (which I sometimes use for cleaning of my hands, face, ect." and I loved them! I think the Seventh Generation brand is awesome. In this box it also came with a coupon for $1.50 off any personal care product. This of course is to wipe down your face and neck to clean from dirt, oil and makeup. You can purchase a 30 count package of these wipes for $5.99 on their site, making this an approximate $.20 sample.

Next I have a sample of Body Lotion from totlogic, which to me makes no sense. I mean, I'm personally going to use it, I love any type of body lotion, but I don't have a baby or toddler for that matter. I have no use for baby products, which you will see in another item in my box. Things like this really turns me off of the box...I think the boxes should be more tailored to you. This is a Gentle Formula, Natural & Light Scented Body Lotion. On the back of the package it says that all Totlogic products are eco-friendly,colorant free, & Naturally scented. I also received a card talking about their other products such as Bedbug Logic (ew), Lice Logic, and Bark Logic. This is a .24 fl. oz. sample size, and I, being the non-braniac I am when it comes to math, can not calculate how much this sample would be, so I'll just let you know a full sized, 8 0z product is $18.00. That is EXPENSIVE! It comes to $2.25 an OUNCE. So I would figure it to be an approximate value of $.60

Coromega Omega 3 + Vitamin D3 Squeeze. It's basically a tropical orange flavored Omega 3 + Vitamin D3 squeezey packet syrup mixture. Vitamin D3 promotes calcium absorption and bone health, heart health, and overall health and nutrition, while Omega 3 promotes cardiovascular health, joint health, brain and eye health. This is one product that I'm looking forward to using, but then again, I don't care for vitamin or medicine samples because you usually only get a days worth, and you can't tell if it really will work in a day. You can purchase a 30 count box of these for $14.99 making this sample worth approximately $.49 

This next product is definitely a product I can't wait to use! This is Safonique Lavender Sea with Pure Essential Oils Laundry Detergent! Look at this bottle! It's awesome! The label says that it's "The Revolution of Laundry Detergent. Best in Clean- Best in Green". On the back it states that it works with all water temperatures, it's safe for all washable and activewear fabrics, and it eliminates unpleasant odors. It's also phosphate free, biodegradable, septic system safe, free of synthetic dyes & perfumes, fragranced only with pure essential oils, all-natural deep cleaning borax, and the company does NO animal testing, so all of you animal rights activists can rock on with this laundry detergent :) It's good to mention that it's also HYPOALLERGENIC!!! Another thing to mention, it's CHEAP! You can pick up a 50 oz bag (the sample is 4 oz) for $5.97! The 50 oz bag contains enough detergent to do 32 loads. The price puts this sample at $.48. The bottle says there are 2 loads worth in it, so it's $.24 a load! :)

This is another product I will NOT be using. 100% All Natural Whey in Rich Vanilla from the brand MRM. This is hormone free, antibiotic free and BSE free...but why would I want it? I'm not looking to gain muscle, nor am I looking for more protein. I will most likely be giving this to my Brother-In-Law. This is a $2.99 sample...one in which I would rather just have the $3.

Here we have Q Speed Fast Melt CoQ10. It's a "delicious orange-flavored tablet that dissolves in your mouth in seconds." and all I can think of is Metamucil for some reason... This little tablet supports Heart Health, enhances Cellular Energy Production, supports exercise performance, and published clinical data? I didn't know tablets could write data. (I guess it's SUPPORTED by published clinical data?...I don't know, I'm very confused by this.) Anyways, this comes with 2 tablets, in which it says to take 1-2 a day. I'm not sure if I'm going to be using this because it has Sorbitol in it, and I'm intolerant to that.

This is Spirulina Natural Green Superfood for Longevity. What? I have no idea what this is. So off to Google I go...OKAY! Cool, this is to fight stress and to optimize health. But, if you look at the bottom in the purple banner, it says 6 Tablets/ ONE DAY SUPPLY! What on Earth?! I'm not sure how I feel about taking 6 tablets in one day...not because it's a lot, but because I'd end up forgetting them as well. While looking up information on Earthrise's website, I see that it promotes immune health, protects heart & brain from oxidative stress, promotes a healthy inflammatory response, and is a powerful antioxidant protection. On their website, you can purchase a bottle of 90 tablets for $10.99 which makes this sample packet a $.72 sample.

Here is the Happy Squeeze Coco Orange Mango Coconut Milk. This is a "fruit smoothie blended with coconut milk for a delicious, creamy texture that's great for an on the go snack." I can't stand the texture of fruit smoothies, and the texture of this turned me off. I think the flavor is wonderful, it's very fruity and delicious, but the texture gets to me. I had my mom try, and she said the same thing. I also find the packaging a little weird, it's kind of odd to sip a thickish drink through this pouch. I'm not a coconut milk drinker, so I would have rather had the super acai, white grape and apple one. You can purchase a 6 Pack of these on Amazon for $10.69 and $5 shipping, which gives this sample an approximate value of $1.76.

Second to last is one of the dumbest things I received in this box. Sorry for the negativity, but I'm serious. This is NurturMe Plump Peas Dried Organic Babyfood in a convenient pouch. I'm not sure why I would want this, or why this would be put into every box. I do not have a baby or toddler, or would want this myself, however I'm very curious to see what this looks like, so I might open one up (I got 2). You can mix this packet with water, breastmilk or formula. 1 pouch is the equivalent to a 2.5 oz jar. You can purchase an 8 pack of these "plump peas" for $10.00 making this sample a $1.25 value.

Lastly, for Box 1, we have Organic Food Bar Chocolate Covered Active Greens. What a mixture huh? This has a BOATLOAD of things inside of it, including: organic almond butter, organic dates, organic premium blue agave nectar, organic brown rice protein, organic biodynamic raisins (what the heck are biodynamic raisins?), organic bio sprouts, flax, organic wheat grass juice powder, organic barley grass juice powder, organic sesame seeds, organic spirulina, organic blueberry, organic raspberry, organic broccolli sprouts, organic beet and carrot juice, all covered in chocolate! What in the heck?! That doesn't even SOUND appetizing. I tried it, as you can see in the picture, and I got to be honest, it wasn't half bad. I don't think I would eat them, but it wasn't as gross as it sounds. It has an off-putting texture, it's very dry and health foody (nice wording, huh?). They run about $3.29 for a 2.4 oz bar. This is a .88 oz bar, so, with my awesome math skills, I figured it out to be about a $1.50 sample value. That's probably completely wrong, but oh well, I hate math...

This box has a total of  $11.93!!! Basically I got ripped off $.07. The box costs $19.95...$12 of that is for the box, the rest is shipping. I didn't even REACH the $12 for the box.

Now onto box two..in which I will only be posting 4 pictures. Well...5 including the one I will post of my entire box.

Box 2, look  familiar? BECAUSE IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME THING! :(

I received the following from above:

• TotLogic Body Lotion- $.60


• Q Speed CoQ10- $1.24


• Seventh Generation Facial Wipe- $.20


• NurturMe- $1.25


• MRM Whey- $2.99


• Natural Spirulina- $.72


• Organic Food Bar Active Greens- $1.50


• Celestial Seasonings Tea- $.36


• Omega 3- $.49

The first new item I got was another laundry detergent:



 

Ecos Lavender Certified Organic Essential Oil All Natural Laundry Detergent with Coconut Oil based Fabric Softener by Earth Friendly Products. This product deep cleans and guards colors! It smells SO delicious! I can't wait to use this. This detergent is 4-Dioxane free, Phosphate, Formaldehyde and Petrochemical free, safe in all temperatures, kind to sensitive skin, plant based, septic safe and bio-degradable! You can purchase a 50 fl oz. bottle for $7.99, rendering this sample $.60 for it's 4 fl oz size. This is a two load bottle.

Next I have Vitamineral Green from Health Force Super Foods. I was very confused when I got this in my box, and was about to pass it off. Instead I was intrigued and wanted to learn more, so I whipped out the handy booklet that was in my box, and read that it had multiple purposes. This product supports detoxification, kidney, liver, blood, bones, colon, circulation, digestion and more. I'm very excited to have gotten this because I have colon/digestion problems, so I'm interested in trying this. This is something that I would have never looked twice at in stores, but because it's been presented to me, I might have found a product that could help me. On Health Force Super Foods website, this trial container, which is 20 grams, retails for $2.95.



 

This is my favorite item I received between the two boxes! I'm a lip product junkie, so this Lafes Lip Balm in Winter Mint was perfect to receive! I can't explain how amazing this is. It's 100% all natural, of course, and makes my lips tingle, which is one of my favorite things for lip products to do! I love the feeling, they make them feel cold and moisturized. This little tin is valued at $3.49 and is full sized of course! This is one of the products I can see myself repurchasing.



Last, but certainly not least, is another favorite of mine. This is GoGo Squeez AppleApple Applesauce on the go. I've already had this, so I know I love it. But who DOESN'T like apple sauce?! I purchase these from Walmart on occasion! This is simply applesauce in a squeeze pouch, and unlike the Coconut one I got above, this one is easier and better textured of course. You can purchase these on Amazon for $16.18 for a package of 12, making this sample about $1.38.

 

Overall, I was more pleased with the second boxes 4 different products than the first box. I just found that this box was really not for me, and I'd rather use the money to get something I actually would use, maybe like Birchbox, or something. I think it's a good deal for when they have sales (such as buying a gift subscription for $1.95).

Although I personally don't find the box appealing to me, I'm still going to reccommend it to people who enjoy all natural and organic products.

 

To purchase your own Conscious Box subscription:

ConsciousBox.com

 

Smiley 360 Mission: Campbell's Go Soup!

Hello! I'm here to bring you another website that I use to get products to do reviews! This one is Smiley 360. This is my 3rd mission from them, and my 1st with this new blog. Previously, I had received Orajel Cold Sore swabs, and Wicked Cool Tom's of Maine toothpaste. I will be presenting my missions to you all when I receive them through this site like I do with BzzAgent and Influenster!

Smiley 360 is another awesome program that you join and receive free products to review and give your opinion on. The link will be below if you decide you want to try this out for yourself. This mission was for the new Campbell's Go Soup! I received a few fun items as well as my soup and coupons!



 

This is the kit I received! I'm sorry for the crappy quality in these pictures, for some reason, my camera couldn't pick up the colors very well. I believe this was because of the contrast between the lights I'm using, and the orange/white colors of the products. Anyways, as you can see, I received a "thought bubble" paddle, a package of Campbell's Go Soup, a card that explains what to do with all of my stuff, temporary mustache tattoos, and coupons! :) I, of course, was very happy with this package.



 

This is the first thing I got when I opened my box. It's just a card stating the rules of being a Smiley member, and on the back it had some stuff to do with all of my fun items, yadda yadda yadda.

Next, I of course got the Go Soup! This one is in Spicy Chorizo & Pulled Chicken with Black Beans. What a mixture, but to be honest, I had no idea what Chorizo is, so I had to Google it. It's basically smoked sausage, which had I known that, I might not have opted for this one, but who knows, it might be good! I still haven't tried this yet, because I have been very sick for the past week and haven't really had an appetite. I have tried another version of Campbell's Go Soup in Coconut Curry with Chicken and Shitake Mushrooms, and couldn't even stomach the first bite. It was SO gross, gave it to my mom to try, and she thought the same thing, so hopefully this one will be better and give be a better perception of these soups.

This particular soup, according to Campbell's website, which will be linked bellow, has "Thick slices of spicy sausage with sweet corn, black beans and juicy ribbons of pulled chicken." Which, actually, sounds VERY appealing.

I also received an awesome Thought Bubble paddle! I got excited because I thought it was dry erasable at first, but it isn't. It's still awesome though! This is just a fun little extra thrown in to get you posting pictures about your soup. With being sick and all, I decided not to personally take a picture of myself with it, so I had a little guest help me out, and that will be posted below.

Another fun item were these temporary mustache tattoos! I love these! My mom had recently bought some of these for my nieces and I (we're only 9 years difference between me and my oldest one) and we had SO much fun with them, so I'm happy to have more! They came in: The Doc, The Villain, The Wrestler, The Chief, The Strongman, The Barber, The Investigator and The Anchorman. Once again, this was just a fun item put in to help with the mission.

Lastly, I received 10, $2.00/1 coupons! HOLY CRAP! That's so awesome, because around where I live, they usually go on sale for 2/$3.00. I plan on giving a few to my grandmother and sister. These were an AWESOME addition to the package.

 

Now, here is my buddy helping me with my photo! This is Teddy Bearschi from the New England Pawtriots. (Omfg, I'm so corny, but seriously.) He was a birthday present one year from my grandparents when I was deep into Build-A-Bear, he's one of the very few I still have left that I hold close to my heart. Yes, a 20 year old girl can STILL have stuffed animals, don't judge! I realize now that he's supposed to be holding the sign with his other paw, but I'm not thinking clearly with this cold, so I do what I can, and I was too lazy to retake it :)

 

Smiley360.com

Campbellsgo.com

 

 

 

 

 

Social Media Site Update!

Hello All! This is just a quick Social Media update!

I recently created a Facebook page for people to "like", it's www.Facebook.com/Polishmaniacs

I also created a Twitter for people to follow, it's www.Twitter.com/Polishmaniacs 

If you don't know already, I've had a YouTube account as well, it's www.Youtube.com/Polishmaniacs

 

Thank you all for your continued support! :)

CONSCIOUS BOX GIVEAWAY ENDS 4/05!

Yes, you read the title right! I was contacted by the awesome CONSCIOUS box to do a giveaway right here on my blog! I'm so beyond blessed to be able to do this! A background on Conscious Box:

Conscious Box is a monthly subscription box that helps you to discover the purest, healthiest natural products in the world from the most ethical companies!

"Conscious Box has created an easy, fun way to discover new favorites! The Conscious Box subscription is a monthly delivery of pure and sustainable products that are handpicked from businesses that care for the planet—just like you! We selectively choose our products, only allowing the purest companies working toward the most ethical goals. Each month, you meet 10-20 of these companies right at your doorstep! (It's like a birthday, every month!)

As you discover new favorites, Conscious Box makes it fun (and rewarding!) to leave reviews and ratings so businesses can improve their product, packaging, and business as a whole. We place YOU at the core of helping natural products go from good to great! Earning points along the way, you're then able to apply savings to your favorite products. Simply choose how many points you'd like to spend and boom! You're on your way to enjoying your favorite product at a fresh, low price." -ConsciousBox.com

This is a highly affordable box considering what you receive in it each month. For $19.95 a month, including shipping, you receive a nicely packaged box and 10-20 "samples" of products. Now I put the word samples in quotation marks because most of the time, these are NICE sized samples, not the random samples you get in the mail. These could be deluxe samples, or even better FULL sized products!

I'm excited that I will be receiving my first Conscious Box in the next month, but I can tell you that this is an AWESOME service. I've been watching review videos, and unboxings on Youtube and have only heard absolutely positive things about this program.

Another awesome thing about them is that you earn points that can be applied towards purchases of full sized products, sort of like Birch Box points.

In your box you can receive items that range from Health & Beauty, to food, to non-toxic home goods (and who DOESN'T want healthier cleaning products, fragrances ect.)

Now of course, you're wondering "what are you giving away?". Well, I'm giving away a FREE 3-Month Conscious Box subscription (A $59 VALUE)!! AWESOME!

Some things to do before entering the contest:

• Please head on over to www.ConsciousBox.com and create a FREE profile!


• Then head over to www.Facebook.com/ConsciousBox and let them know you've entered the PolishManiacs giveaway!


• Share their Facebook Page with your friends and family!


• PLEASE subscribe to my blog! :) Thank you!

Click Below to go to RaffleCopter and enter this AWESOME giveaway!:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you can't wait to enter the contest, you can get 25% off of your order with the code "LOVELIFE" at checkout! How awesome is that!?

This contest ends 4/05!

Thank you SO much to Conscious Box for allowing me to do my FIRST giveaway on my blog!

www.ConsciousBox.com

www.Facebook.com/ConsciousBox

www.Facebook.com/Polishmaniacs

www.Twitter.com/PolishManiacs

Olay Fresh Effects Va-Va-Vivid!

It's that time again! I'm here with my fourth and final review of an item I received in a recent VoxBox! As usual,  I’m part of the Influenster group where you get a chance to receive VoxBoxes that contain products that you get to try out and review. I recently was chosen to be apart of the Sweet-Heart VoxBox, and inside of it I received the Olay Fresh Effects Va-Va-Vivid contour power cleansing brush!

This is the kit I got in my box! :) It comes with the contour cleansing brush, and a little sample tube of Shine-Shine Go Away! I've saved the best product for last because I'm absolutely IN LOVE with this cleanser/cream. Everything about it is fantastic. I've been wanting this for EVER (well...since I saw the commercials/ads for it). I had it on my "to buy" list, but just didn't have the money to get it. I then got accepted into the Sweet-Heart VoxBox, and almost had a heart attack when I saw I was getting this in it! I was so so so so so happy! :) Now, I have very oily/shiny skin and HUGE pores, so I was hoping that this could possibly take care of both problems, and it has so far!

This is the brush, and boy is this thing TINY! I was expecting a bigger brush, but this is smaller than the palm of my hand. Granted, I have big hands, but still. No matter what the size, it stills packs a POWERFUL cleanse. I was very shocked by the amount of vibration that this little brush gave off. It's much more powerful than the Neutrogena Wave that I had tried before (that claimed to do the exact same things as this), and this only runs off of 1 AAA battery! It's like a mini earthquake for your face, but instead of causing problems, it breaks the gunk out and allows your skin to be normal again! The bristles are rubber, and I feel that it gets deeper into my face than something with nylon bristles. I also think this will help keep the brush longer as they won't flare out and get flat. The card that we received in our box says the Contour brush is:

"A vibrating, tri-tip facial cleansing brush that packs some punch! This battery-powered device reaches deep into contours, liberating skin from dirt, oil and makeup in hard-to-reach places for a clean that is 400% better than basic cleansing."

The triangle tip on the brush really does help you get into "hard-to-reach" places. It's PERFECT for getting the creases of your nose, around your eyebrows, and above your upper lip. It's so much better than those circular cleansing brushes that are only good for a big area of your face. It's also awesome for getting near your ear lobe, because when I clean with this system, I go hard and get every spot from my neck up!

I like that this brush is easy to use, can be used in the shower (just not submerged in water) and is compact! It's easy to store for traveling, which I tend to go to my grandparents house every weekend to spend time with them, and taking it is a breeze. One extremely minor thing is that the "Olay" name label has wiped off of my brush...which stinks, but of course it doesn't affect the product, so it's not a big deal.

This cleanser, Shine, Shine Go Away! is AWESOME! First off...the color is freakin' metallic silver! Like what?! That's ridiculously cool, I've never seen a color like that. I'm a nerd, and it reminds me of Bender from Futurama...why? I have no idea.

In the Va-Va-Vivid kit, you receive a small trial tube of this cleanser which is 0.68 FL OZ. as you can see in the picture. The awesome part is, is that you only need a pea sized amount on your brush in order to start cleaning your face, so this trial sized tube has lasted me almost two weeks and still going. Now I really find that this cleanser has dramatically reduced the size of my pores, as I have huge pores which have resulted in plenty of blackheads on my nose because they become clogged up, or however the science of pores and acne work. I know they will not completely diminish within two weeks, but by continuing to use this product, I sure hope they go away nicely.  The card reads:

"All the purifying power of a mask with the fresh feel of a daily cleanser. This face wash gently lathers and reaches deep into skin to help reduce the appearance of pores."

One thing that I really like in a cleanser is the lather. If one doesn't lather enough, to me it doesn't feel that it's working all that great. This one is like taking cream, putting it on your face, and having it turn into pure foam, and I love it! I love the feeling that it gives me when I have a freshly clean face. Nothing works better than this cleanser and the brush together, and I'm looking forward to purchasing more of it. Of course, you can use the brush with any cleanser, but I'm really loving this one.


Overall I feel that Olay has yet again impressed me big time.  I feel anyone with larger pores, acne, or even girls who wear makeup everyday, needs a product to clean the gunk out and make everything smooth. The cost of this product, although I received it for free, is well worth it x10. This kit retails for $12.99 (a steal!) and can be found at mass retailers (Target, Walmart ect.) and drugstores. This can also be purchased on Amazon.com.

Big thank you to Influenster and Olay for bringing me this AWESOME product to test and review!



 

www.olayfresheffects.com

www.influenster.com

www.amazon.com

 

 

Zoya Pixie Dust Collection Spring 2013 Swatches & Review!

A few weeks ago, I received the new Pixie Dust collection from Zoya! I was so happy to get this in the mail, and quickly began to swatch them. I however got side tracked with being sick, going places without my computer, and also birthdays/spending time with family. So here we are, a few weeks later, ready to get into the post! Better late than never, right? Right.

So for those who DON'T know, Zoya came out with a NEW line of polish called Pixie Dust! This polish is a matte, glitter based polish that dries textured, like sand. They're similar to OPI's new polish Liquid Sand that were introduced in the Mariah Carey collection. If you google OPI's polish, and compare them, you can see the differences. From Zoya's website:

"Infused with magic and wonder! The latest "must-have" nail polish finish - textured, matte and sparkling! This newly developed formula is sure to captivate with a magical sparkle and sugary finish like no other. The color experts at Zoya have created six, long-wearing stunners for the introduction of this enchanting look."

Here are the beautiful colors. From left to right- Godiva, Dahlia, Chyna, Vespa, London, Nyx.

The first color I have for you today is Godiva:

This is a beautiful beige color, very neutral. The way that the polish dries, makes it perfect for a sand design on your nails (can not WAIT for the summer!). Zoya describes it as a "Soft nude with a sugared sparkle".

This color is very thin/sheer in it's first coat. It becomes opaque within 2 coats, but I would wear 3 because you can still see my nail line in certain light. This picture (and all of the swatches) have no top coat on the first two nails, and you can see the "sugared sparkle" that Zoya describes. The last two fingers have 1 coat of NYC Extra Shine top coat. I personally think it looks BEAUTIFUL with the top coat, but also like it without it.

This color's texture isn't really bothersome, and I really like the formula. It dries super quick, and it's very easy to remove. Being a textured polish, I figured it would have been hard to remove, but this color was quite easy. I didn't have a good time removing it with some of the other colors unfortunately.

Next is Dahlia:

This a gorgeous true black color with some silver glitter/sparkle in it. I love this, and it reminds me a lot of Blaze from their 2012 Christmas Collection "Ornate". Zoya describes it as a "black beauty with a sugared sparkle".

This polish goes on extremely perfect. It's smooth and glides right on your nails. This polish isn't thin or sheer, and is fully opaque in 2 coats. The first 2 nails are without top coat, as you can see the "sugared" effect again, the last two fingers have 1 coat of NYC top coat. This is another color that looks GORGEOUS with top coat! I love that these polishes are versatile and can be worn with or without top coat, and both styles yield a different look completely.

This picture shows the sugar effect perfectly :) Dahlia's texture was mildly bothersome to me, but not enough to make me want to take it off. The color's formula for me seemed a little thick, but did not affect the polish. It's a super quick drying polish, and removes very easily for a textured/dark polish.

The next color is Chyna:



This is a beautiful-ish (see below) ruby red with some beautiful gold glitter. Zoya describes it as a "red dazzle with sugared sparkle".  I'm very mixed about this color as you will read below.

For me, this color irritated the ever living piss out of me. Everything about it just irked me. It goes on smooth, is opaque in just one coat (I did 2 for the pics though), but without the top coat, this polish turned me off SO bad! I thought that it came off as just a matted glitter, which I know is basically what it is, but it's different than the others. It doesn't have that "sugared" effect that Zoya claims on this one. I have a polish from L.A. Colors called Red Glitter, and it's EXACTLY like this when it dries (minus the overbearingly annoying texture). I personally think it looks so ugly without a top coat, and the texture of the polish drives me CRAZY! This one has to be the worst of them all, it makes me cringe even thinking about it. The only way I would wear this is if I had the top coat over it (in which it's gorgeous and not bothersome, and it's the last two fingers in this picture of course).

I really enjoy the polish with the top coat on. The formula was thick, and seemed different than the others. It removed TERRIBLY and stained my fingers, which was quite annoying. It took so long just to remove the polish, I had to stop halfway through and take a break be cause my fingers and hands were sore.

Now we have Vespa:

Vespa is a gorgeous mint green color, and for anyone who knows me, they know I'm in LOVE  with mint green. This a little on the dirty side of mint, rather than the mint green polishes we see today, but it's still gorgeous nonetheless. Zoya, of course, describes it as a "Mint kiss with a sugared sparkle". How good does that sound? Mint...sugar...sparkle...delicious.

This gorgeous polish goes on very smoothly! The formula is perfect, but it's still sheer with the first coat. I did two for the picture, and would probably do three when I wore it out. This is the only color that I like without a top coat. I find that putting the top coat on it really dulls the color, and makes it dark and dingy almost. I love how you can see the severe color difference in this picture.

Vespa's texture didn't really bother me. I wore this the longest (seeings as it was the last I swatched) but I also wore it the longest because I could deal with the texture. Once again, this is a VERY quick drying polish, and removes very easily.

Another polish is London:



London is a beautiful concrete gray shade with gorgeous silver shimmer. Zoya describes it as a "fog gray with a sugared sparkle". To be honest, I'm not quite sure how they got "fog" gray...I always thought fog was grayish white...



London is a beautiful color that goes on SUPER smooth! It's a glider, and is sheer with the first coat. This color definitely needs 2 coats or more to become fully opaque. With the top coat on, it makes it almost like a grayish green color, almost like a darker version of Plankton from Spongebob.

The formula for this polish is very thin. As I said before, it did go on super smoothly though, which is good for a thin polish. The texture wasn't that annoying, but it did still bother me a little. Quick drying, and it had a somewhat easy removal. It was hard to get through to the actual nail, but once I did it came off a little easier.

The last polish I have for you today is Nyx:



Nyx is a GORGEOUS, absolutely GORGEOUS grayish blue color. It reminds me of periwinkle as well, which is one of my favorite colors. And how ironic...I'm looking at what Zoya describes it as, and they describe it as a "perfect periwinkle with a sugared sparkle". How nice :) I love it!

Once agan, this polish goes on perfectly, it wasn't hard to spread across the nail at all. One of the downfalls of this polish is that it's very sheer. I needed 3 coats to take the picture because my nail line kept showing through. I think it's gorgeous both with and without topcoat.



Nyx's formula is very thin. The texture for this polish really wasn't overbearing, I was able to paint them, go to sleep, and not wake up in the middle of the night trying to figure out ways I could stop my nails from rubbing up against my clothing and blankets like I had to do with Chyna.

Overall, I really tried to like this collection, I really did. I think the look is fantastic, I think it's unique and ingenious, but the texture ruins it for me. I'm very sensitive to touch, and just the thought of these polishes rubbing up against my clothing gives me goosebumps. Some of the colors, like Godiva and Vespa are ones I could find myself wearing more than Chyna. I most likely will end up putting that in a give away pile, wearing it only with a top coat or giving it to a friend. I find that the texture of these are way too crazy for the first couple days, but I either have gotten used to them after that, or the texture dies down from wear and tear because they become more bearable. I know I will wear these most certainly with the top coats on, not only do I love the look, but it keeps me from getting goosebumps all the time :)

*I was sent these polishes for review purposes*

Zoya Pixie Dust

Zoya.com

Skinnygirl Daily On-The-Go Bars; Coco-Nut W/ Peanut Butter

I'm back with the third installment of what I got in my Sweet-Heart VoxBox! The fourth and final post for this box will be up in a little while. As always, I’m part of the Influenster group where you get a chance to receive VoxBoxes that contain products that you get to try out and review. I recently was chosen to be apart of the Sweet-Heart VoxBox, and inside of it I received Skinnygirl Daily On-The-Go Bar in Coco-Nut with Peanut Butter!

This is the bar I received. Unfortunately, this is the only picture I have...because I was too stupid to take a picture of what the bar actually looked like, because I scoffed it down almost immediately. I have to say...the bar was delicious! I'm a huge "bar" person, I love granola bars, breakfast bars, fruit bars, anything! They're perfect for On-The-Go (as the name suggests), snacks, breakfast, or just because you want to eat something. According to the card that I received in my VoxBox:

"With only 180 calories per bar, you can enjoy Skinnygirl Daily On-The-Go bars guilt-free. The bars are natural, kosher, and high in fiber. All bars now have MORE protein & MORE fiber, LESS sugar & FEWER carbs! These bars are the perfect indulgent treat for individuals looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle."

This bar, like I said, is delicious. The flavor is perfect, I could taste the Coconut and the peanut butter, and the combo tasted awesome. Another thing I liked about the bar was that it had bits of almonds in it, which gave it a nice crunch. I let my mom try the bar as well, and she said she couldn't really taste the peanut butter. Although I feel that this bar is delicious, I don't think I would eat it for the "180 calories" or even buy it at the price it's going for. It's a suggested retail value of $9.99 for a box of 5 bars, and to me, that's very expensive. I'd rather stick to my Quaker Oats granola bars.

Big thanks to Influenster and Skinnygirl for the product! :)



 

Influenster.com

Skinnygirldaily.com

Skinnygirl Daily Influenster Page