Allure Beauty Box

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I am not a subscriber to the Allure Beauty Box but I got one for FREE last month because I am a member of Allure Beauty Enthusiasts.

So I was super excited to get one because money has been tight around here with Christmas and birthdays. This is my first ever Allure Beauty Box but I have been eyeballing them for MONTHS because I heard so many great things about them!

What makes them so different than other beauty subscription box services is the DELUXE samples. Not the itty bitty, get a taste for it samples, but real size samples of premium and up and coming brands. The box features a variety of categories such as skin care, hair care, and makeup. 

I have yet to try all the samples in the box because I have been sick this past month with an upper respiratory infection and sinus infection so forgive me for not having a thorough review. 

The products I have used in the box are: 

Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk

Mally Volumizing Mascara

Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask

Other items in the box include: 

Spongelle Freesia Pear Body Wash Infused Buffer 

Doucce Freematic Eyeshadow Single in Kristi 

Tatcha Indigo Soothing Silk Body Butter

Let me start off by saying, this box smells AMAZING when you first open it. I seriously just wanted to sniff it all day long. It also comes with a handy book that tells you all about the products inside, ingredients, the retail price, and where to buy it. These products are all hand picked exclusively by editors of Allure Magazine!

Guess what?! It only costs $15 a month!!! Cue the heavenly music! Plus, you can save $5 on your first month. It use to be way more expensive but you really can't beat this deal now. All of their boxes are usually worth $75 or more!

My Review of the Products I Used

So I was so excited about the dry shampoo mainly because I never really experiment with other brands that I have always used. It came at such a perfect time because I was so sick I didn't even want to get out of bed to take a shower! This stuff smells amazing and will not choke you up when you spray it in a small space like a bathroom or small bedroom. Trust me guys, that can be a real deal breaker for me because my boyfriend HATES it! It worked pretty instantly and also provided long lasting results even while tossing and turning on my pillow all day. BONUS: It made my pillow smell great! Was not sticky and also provided a little volume oomph to my hair.

The mascara is pretty good. I loved the bold black it gave my lashes and it didn't clump. It provided great lengthening of my lashes. The downfall to it was that it's not waterproof...WAH WAH! Some people don't care but I have allergies, and on top of being sick, my eyes were watering all the damn time! It wasn't running horribly but enough to annoy me, have to touch it up, and some little flakes were present. A good mascara for when you are just our running brief errands to the grocery store or taking the kids to school...not recommended for a night out or long day at work.

The deep conditioning mask was pretty good. I loved the way it smelled and how it made my hair feel while wet and after drying. You could really feel the moisture locked in while it was wet and after drying my hair was super soft and not frizzy. Frizz is my number one ENEMY with this weird flat, wavy hair thing I have going on. I expected it to be a little thicker coming out of the tube but hey it got the job done and it didn't weigh my hair down or make it greasy later into the night. Actually, for once my hair was not greasy the next morning. Perfect for the dry winter conditions going on right now and I feel like you can use this more than once a week if you really wanted to.

I am so happy I finally got to try this box guys! For real go check out the box, join Allure Beauty Enthusiasts using the above link (it's free) for goodies and more, and please, please check out these products. The links to purchase them are above. Some of these links are affiliates and some aren't. For more information on what that means, check out my Disclosures & Policies page!

Stay Beautiful!!!

A Horrible Razor Experience

UGH, MY NIGHTMARE

So I finally decided not to be a broke bitch and actually buy a pricier razor than my Schick Disposables. It's one of those purchases you always put off because you're afraid of the unknown aka wasting your money. Well, needless to say, my worst leg shaving fears came true. My experience was so horrible I actually felt the need to blog about a damn razor!

Meet Schick Hydro Silk

He's a tricky little fellow. You see, I chose to buy him because he was the more expensive version of what I currently use. My cheap Schick razors actually work pretty well but have a couple tiny flaws that I thought their big brother would probably fix.

I get him in the shower and apply my shaving cream as usual. I begin to shave with him and the first thing I noticed was the only positive thing I can say about this damn thing. He felt so buttery smooth against my leg as I shaved. Yes buttery was the exact word that came to my mind in that moment. I seriously considered I didn't need shaving cream to use this thing.

Then I rinsed my leg off...

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It burned REALLY EFFIN BAD!

Now I wanted a razor that shaved close to the skin but not one that shaved so close that my shins and knees felt like they were on fire! Before you all judge me, I did exfoliate my legs the day before with a coconut scrub and I use lotion everyday!

But wait, there's more...

I decided to continue to my other areas just out of curiosity and because I done threw my old razor away. Let me just tell you, the thing was not made to shave in the downstairs area. The head of the razor was way to big to shave down there and had me in fear I was going to cut myself. Needless to say, I finished that routine half assed.

The last attempt to do this razor any justice was my arm pits. This is probably the thickest hair on my body and usually the most stubborn to completely remove. I said to myself, "Well this razor has like 6 blades on it, so it's got to be the best razor I will ever use to remove my thick dark under arm stubble."

WRONG

It didn't do any better than a razor with 3 or 4 blades. Like c'mon, are you for real? I thought that is why there were more blades. I thought this is what I was spending my hard earned dollars on. I couldn't even tell my boyfriend because I didn't want to hear I told you so!

Lesson of the story, don't bitch about having to buy the cheap-o's.

P.S. Baby you were right ;)

Rocky Mountain Essentials Charcoal Face Mask

(I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. All opinions are of my own.)

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This was my first time using a charcoal mask because I was kind of skeptical on how well it would work on my oily skin and if it would just trap more junk in my pores. I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome because it actually helped my oily skin by taking away the slick feeling of my face and replacing with baby soft skin. It did not dry me out too much and later on in the day I was still oil free and smooth feeling. The mask is super easy to apply and really wasn't as messy as other masks I have tried. Washes off the face very easily. You have to use a washcloth per instructions and after rinsing the washcloth there was still some black residue from the mask but it washed off in the washer. Before using the mask my face had large pores on the chin area and nose. I also had acne on my chin and forehead with white bumpy uneven skin on my cheek bones. While the mask was drying I noticed how it was filling all those pores in and you could actually see them very well. After I rinsed the black heads and pores were completely cleaned out and gone and some bumps were still there but had been softened. It did not shrink my pores but that's something that probably happens over time with weekly use. After the mask I applied the same spot treatment for my acne and moisturizer that I have been using before beginning the mask. This stuff had been working ok but the day after the mask and this same routine my acne was noticeably healed and almost all the way gone which was shocking because I have been trying to tame it for awhile now! This is an awesome product for any one who suffers from acne, pore issues, uneven skin, and oily/combination skin. I really believe it would work for any skin type as well.

New York Biology Eye Gel

(I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. All opinions are of my own.)

               

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I have fine lines around my eye area and some fine lines around my forehead so I not only used this product around my eyes but also on my whole face because the directions suggested I could do that. I tried the product once a day at around noon every day after I got out of the shower for 20 days because these things usually take time to notice a significant difference. First thing I noticed when I first got the product was the convenient opening in the top where the gel came out. It was slightly curved and big enough to wipe a cosmetic pad on it which I thought was an awesome idea since most things like this are just straight up and down pumps. The gel comes out clear and thick but feels like a light lotion or water based gel when applied which I liked since I have oily skin and don't like to feel more oily. The stuff smells really good almost like a melon scent but it's very light and pleasing. It dries/absorbs really quickly and does not leave a sticky feeling behind. I personally noticed a difference right after applying the first time. Almost like it filled in my lines instantly but towards the end of the day it faded back to what it was before. After 20 days of use I personally can see my skin is more plump and youthful looking and it has faded a little but not as much as I had hoped for. I will continue to use it because even the slight difference makes me happy for the price of this product and I know these things can take a long time to notice long term differences.

De La Mar Bath Bomb Set

(Disclosure: I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. All opinions are of my own.)

             

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I guess I'll start with the box it came in which was very beautiful and would make an awesome gift for any occasion. When you open the box you get a big wif of what smells like the rose bomb...very pungent and a little off putting so I was hoping some of the other bomb scents I was looking forward to would smell some what strong as well but not off putting. I chose the Warm Vanilla first because that sounded the most relaxing and I love that smell the most out of all of them. When I threw it in the bath it fizzed at first but a few seconds later kind of stopped and was more like melting. Part of the fun to bath bombs for me is watching them fizz a lot! When I picked it back up to the surface it was fizzing a little but still not as much as I had hoped. It took about 15 to 20 minutes to fully dissolve and at the end it stayed a rock hard quarter sized pebble that I had to play with in my hands to break down. Personally I didn't mind this because it gave me something to do while sitting there but some people might. I did feel it instantly softening my skin with oils which was great because I knew it was at least working. I wish the company would give more of a description of what is used in each and every bomb instead of a general synopsis of a couple ingredients in the description. They didn't send any ingredient list with the bombs. I also wish the Warm Vanilla bomb had more fragrance to it because I honestly didn't smell any vanilla. I am sure I'll be able to smell that Rose one though because like I said it was overwhelming in the box! After my bath my skin was really soft and felt moisturized. It also help calm my itchy dry legs I get during these hot dry summer days. Didn't feel like I needed to put lotion on afterwards which is a huge plus!

Amope Pedi Perfect: Wet & Dry Foot File

(Disclosure: I received this product for free from CrowdTap in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. All opinions are of my own.)

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I really loved the Amope Pedi Perfect Wet and Dry Foot File! It can be used on dry clean feet but also used in the shower for a deeper exfoliation and easier clean up! I love how it does not take any batteries and comes with a charging station that has a USB and a dongle so you can plug it into anything to charge it! It also has two different speeds to interchange at the push of a button. The slower speed worked really well on my feet because they aren't as calloused and dry as my boyfriends who used the higher speed! The only down side to this product is it didn't make a lot of difference on my feet because they aren't so dry and cracked but worked wonders for my boyfriend who wears steel toe boots all day at work and had callouses...NOT ANYMORE!

Del Organics Vitamin C Silkening Serum

(Disclaimer: I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. All opinions are of my own.)

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Product did work to soften my face like it said it would and within the first use I noticed a difference. The smell of the product when applying is not strong but is a strange smell almost like plain oatmeal. Once the product dries or absorbs into the skin you can't smell it anymore. Goes on kind of sticky if you ask me which was surprising because I was kind of expecting it to go on smooth and liquid or lotion like. Because of the sticky application I found myself having to apply way more than the directions said to just to cover my entire face. Not sure if the pump is suppose to dispense in these tiny increments like mine did which is maybe why I had to pump more than the directions asked. The picture I took shows how much came out of the pump after 10 pumps.

Art Naturals Organic Beard & Mustache Oil

(Disclosure: I recieved this product at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. All opinions are of my own and my boyfriends. This post contains an affiliate link.)

      

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This product worked well for the beard and didn't smell like anything if that's what your into! My boyfriend preferred the good smelling kind of beard oils out there! It did help get rid of the dead skin underneath his beard and ease itchiness! If you are on a budget this is for sure on the cheaper side of retailed beard oils.

Thrive DFT by Le-Vel: Derma Fusion Technology

(Disclaimer: I was given this product as a sample from a friend who is a distributor. I was in no way compensated for this review or asked to write one. All opinions are unbiased, honest, and of my own. This post contains a referral link.)

So this was the product out of the whole Thrive line I was the most excited about trying but honestly it fell a little short for me. I have read many reviews on this product before trying where some people swear by it and others say it didn't do anything for them. I know Thrive stresses that all 3 8 week products need to be used together through out the day instead of individually to get maximum results. So with all the back and forth I decided to try it with the other products one day and by itself the next day.

It has all the components of a weight loss and energy supplement in the ingredients and they are all commonly used ingredients but this patch is actually the first of its kind to be used as another way to get those ingredients into your body so there is not a lot of research out there that actually says this form of supplementing actually works.

Using it with the other 2 products in the line I can't really say if it made any difference besides maybe extending the energy benefits the pill gave me so it would last longer or keep me from crashing. It does say you can wear it for up to 24 hours in which I did. Using it by itself I did see a slight difference in my energy levels the next day about 30 minutes after applying and didn't feel like I needed a coffee or was hungry til about mid afternoon/evening. So if you are thinking about buying this I strongly suggest to buy the other 2 products to use with it to get its full potential out of it.

Now this next part was a biggie for me. I have sensitive skin and this did not burn on my arm and was really comfortable to wear. However, taking it off was a nightmare for me personally. I am the kind of girl that dreads ripping off a band-aid or that tape they put on your arm after you get your blood drawn...taking this off was worst than a band-aid but not as bad as the tape but still wasn't to fun to remove. Some people who aren't sensitive might not see this as a problem. After removing, I guess since it was on my skin so well, it did leave a red mark for a few hours. That went away but the sticky stuff around the rim of the patch stayed on my arm for at least 2 showers. Both days I used this I put the patches in different places because I was to afraid to put it on over the irritated area.

In the end I would purchase this again but with the other products and not individually. There are also 2 stronger forms of this patch you can buy and I am actually curious to see how well those would perform alone.

For more information on Thrive, the other steps, product benefit claims, and a detailed break down of the ingredients in this product please check out my other blog post coming soon.

If you would like to check out Thrive's products or purchase them check out their website HERE and create a FREE customer account with no credit card needed unless you choose to purchase. Just for signing up you will get emails on special monthly promotions and discounts.

Thrive Mix by Le-Vel: Premium Lifestyle Mix

(Disclaimer: I was given this product as a sample from a friend who is a distributor. I was in no way compensated for this review or asked to write one. All opinions are unbiased, honest, and of my own. This post contains a referral link.)

Since my journey into healthy supplements began several months ago I have tried MANY shake mixes and have found some pretty disgusting ones, some that were okay, and not to many awesome ones. This by far is one of my FAVORITE drink mixes I have ever tried!

I got to try the Vanilla Thrive Lifestyle Mix (which is Step 2 in the process of the Thrive system) and it was super delicious! It is probably the first mix I have tried that is actually sweet and not chalky textured. Because of this it mixes well with just water and still tastes good or you can mix it with milk or almond milk. I enjoyed it very much in my strawberry blueberry smoothie and it was a yummy substitute for the low fat yogurt I usually put in my smoothies.

I used a Ninja blender to mix my Thrive Mix but you can also use a Blender Bottle and get the same not chunky or chalky result. It satisfied my hunger cravings really well and made me feel like I didn't need a meal for several hours. Although this was a sample and not the full 8 week supply I would for sure drink this every day as an alternative to a meal as part of my weight loss journey without any hesitation.

For more information on Thrive, the other steps, product benefit claims, and a detailed break down of the ingredients in this product please check out my other blog post coming soon.

If you would like to check out Thrive's products or purchase them check out their website HERE and create a FREE customer account with no credit card needed unless you choose to purchase. Just for signing up you will get emails on special monthly promotions and discounts.

Thrive W by Le-Vel: Premium Lifestyle Capsule

(Disclaimer: I was given this product as a sample from a friend who is a distributor. I was in no way compensated for this review or asked to write one. All opinions are unbiased, honest, and of my own. This post contains a referral link.)

I was really pleased with this product out of the other 3 products in the 8 week system. I honestly didn't think this would do anything for me and at first thought of it more like a vitamin supplement of some sort. You have to take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and from what I assume from the directions you don't eat anything after taking but wait until 30-45 minutes have passed and you drink the second step which is the Premium Lifestyle Mix. I wish I had read the directions the night before because I was starving to death that morning lol. 

My desire to eat was somewhat eliminated when the pill started kicking in not even 15 minutes later. All of a sudden I had a burst of energy and felt really good. The best word to describe it, which might sound strange, is optimistic....a happiness and feeling that I can accomplish anything! I immediately started cleaning and I hate cleaning lol! 

Now I must state that the directions do say to take 1 to 2 pills but to begin with one to make sure you can tolerate two. I just went all in and took 2 since I have taken several weight loss supplements in my life and have built somewhat of a tolerance to them. For me personally this was the perfect desired energy boosting affect I was looking for but to someone else this might be too strong so I would suggest taking one if you are new to products like this or don't consume a lot of caffeine.

From what the website and brochure said is that these products work together and that just taking one by itself might not work at all or not give you the desired "experience" you are seeking so I followed all the steps that day to ensure full potential was met. So with that being said it is hard to say how long the pill lasted alone and all I can say is that I felt energized and focused for about 9 hours and that was without one cup of coffee...which is a huge deal for me lol. 

The pill was very easy to swallow and kind of small compared to other similar products out there. Through out the day I did seem to be more thirsty then normal and it does say to drink a lot of water. 

I can't give my honest opinion on the weight loss aspect of it because I only had a sample size and not enough to make a valid decision. But researching the ingredients has given me a better understanding on how, if taken correctly, can help you lose or manage your weight. For sure the energy you get from it will also help you workout longer or motivate you to do so if you don't regularly exercise.

Thrive W also has some pain relieving ingredients in it that I can honestly say worked really well. I have severe and persistent neck and back pain from what I think occurred from the car accident I had a few years ago. I do not take any prescribed medicine for the pain but do take A LOT of Advil and Tylenol every day for it. I did not take any over the counter medications for pain while using this product and I did not start feeling sore til later that night when the product was wearing off.

I was expecting a crash from this product because of how fast and how well it kicked in for me but it never came. I did not get the jitters and when it wore off I did not get irritable I just got sleepy. This is a plus for me because I suffer from anxiety and my brain just rattles on and never shuts off sometimes at night. Made the transition to sleep a lot easier.

For more information on Thrive, the other steps, product benefit claims, and a detailed break down of the ingredients in this product please check out my other blog post coming soon.

If you would like to check out Thrive's products or purchase them check out their website HERE and create a FREE customer account with no credit card needed unless you choose to purchase. Just for signing up you will get emails on special monthly promotions and discounts.