Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs

I received this product complimentary from Influenster and Sally Hansen for testing purposes.

Today I'm reviewing one of Sally Hansen's newer products, Airbrush Legs. Unlike self-tanners, which is what I thought this product would be, Airbrush Legs is more like makeup foundation for your legs.

I have to be honest - the idea of that didn't really excite me. I had heard about a similar product years ago. I didn't have a use for it then, but I knew someone who did and bought it. It was horrible. Dark, sticky, streaky, and it LOOKED painted on. So I went into this with kind of a "meh" attitude. I also went into this thinking I had no reason to use this product. I (thankfully) don't have any noticeable veins or blemishes on my legs.

As I went to try it I looked down at my legs and realized I DO have a reason to use it. I won't get into how and why (let's just say midi skirt + three hours of sun = not a good idea). I have a tan line running horizontally across my legs. Now, this happened a while ago, so it's actually not noticeable to others anymore, but I can still tell it's there. So I decided the test would be making that tan line go away.

And guess what? It did. Granted, it was a faint line, but the cream went on so smoothly that it's completely gone. The color of the cream matched the slightly-darker part of my legs almost perfectly. You couldn't tell there was "makeup" on my legs. It covered without looking like paint. You were seeing skin, not plastic-looking skin. Also, it was very light. It didn't feel sticky, greasy, or smell bad. It felt like I was putting lotion on my legs.

Until I start seeing more noticeable imperfections on my legs, or, you know, get a super-weird tan again, I probably won't use this product in the near future. However, if you have something you're self-conscious about I'd definitely recommend it. If you're looking for something to make your legs darker, then this product isn't for you. Go with the self-tanner.

Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs comes in a spray or cream in 5 different shades. It retails for around $11 and can be found at stores like Target and Ulta.

Zep Microwave Miracle Cleaner

I received this product complimentary from Zep and Crowdtap.

For those who follow this blog, all two of you out there (hi people!) you know my reviews are pretty positive. You may think I make up positive reviews because companies send me free items. Trust me when I say all of my reviews are honest - no matter what the outcome. And today should be proof of that.

I tried Zep products last year and was impressed with them, especially their degreaser. So when I was selected to receive their microwave cleaner I was really excited. If it worked anything like their other products, I'd be very happy. 

The instructions are easy enough. Spray thoroughly inside the microwave, turn the microwave on for 1-2 minutes, then let cool and wipe it off. No problem. Only, there is. The product turns into foam, and you can't really "spray" it. It just kind of foams out thinly near the nozzle. This made getting the foam to the top and back of my microwave extremely difficult, especially since I have an over-range microwave. 

I turned the microwave on and waited. When it was done, I let it cool for a few seconds and then wiped with a paper towel. It did look cleaner - but no cleaner than my usual products. In fact, I had to go back in with my regular cleaner and clean up the mess. Here is a before and after.

Before

After

Please note - in the second picture the glass tray has been removed.

Since I had to go back with my regular product, this made double work for me. I was so upset this product didn't live up to the rest of the Zep products I've tried.

Another very, VERY important note. Be really careful with this product. As I mentioned, my microwave is above my stove. When I first "sprayed" the product some of it fell on my stove. I wiped it up thoroughly. However, it ended up clogging my gas stove and long story short, the gas company had to be called because we smelled gas and feared a leak. Thankfully, it was not dangerous, but it definitely scared us. The technician's first question was if we had used a cleaning product on it. So...please take that into consideration when using.

Anyway, as much as I love the Zep family of products, I do not recommend their microwave cleaner.

DESSANGE Paris Oleo Miracle Replenishing System

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I received full-sized bottles of DESSANGE Paris Oleo Miracle Replenishing shampoo, conditioner, and oil from Influenster last week and tried the products over the weekend.

The pros - I absolutely LOVE the scent. It's difficult to explain, but it's a sweet, woodsy scent that smells natural - not soapy or perfumy. I also love the way it lathered, and especially how soft the lather was. It didn't feel harsh as some other shampoos do. It was very silky going on.

I let my hair air dry after using all three of the products, and after it was completely dry my hair felt very soft. It looked shiny too.

The cons - First of all, disclaimer - I have VERY thick hair, and a lot of it. What may not work for me may work for you if you have hair of a different texture and length. But this was my experience.

Even with using the conditioner and oil, I experienced many more flyaways than usual. More than I experienced in dry winter months. Even after using my straightener, they were still there, which I found very odd.

Next, the oil did indeed make my hair soft - but it also made the top part of my head look oily. Oddly enough, it didn't FEEL oily, but it looked like I hadn't even washed that part. I washed it a second day, using the shampoo and conditioner and skipping the oil, and though I still had the same amount of flyaways, the oily problem was gone.

The third issue I had was the price. As mentioned above, I received all the items for free. But each item, which can be found at Target, range from $9.99 to $11.99 (as of March 16, 2015). If you want the entire set, you will pay $31.97. Though pricey, it would be understandable if the bottles were larger. But at a little over 8 ounces for the shampoo, I just can't see myself spending that much for a product that doesn't properly manage my hair. I HAVE spent more on hair care, but I saw incredible results from those products.

If your main concern is dry hair, then I would definitely give this system a try. It could work for you. I wish it had worked better for me.

My hair after not using the oil. Shiny, but lots of flyaways.

Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf GreenTea

Image from www.celestialseasonings.com

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Celestial Seasonings has dozens of flavors, but I had never tried their Candy Cane Lane variety. I like that it is decaf so I can have it any time of day. 

As much as I love candy canes, I didn't really care for the taste in my tea (I'm weird like that). It's a bit too much for me. I could taste hints of cinnamon, which I like, and possibly some of vanilla as well. But the scent will definitely remind you of Christmas.

Unfortunately, this is only available seasonally, so try it out next year and if you like it, stock up!

Influenster Frosty Voxbox

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Influenster sent me a bunch of goodies to try out as part of their Frosty Voxbox. Here is a short review on each of the items.

-Rimmel Gentle Eye Make Up Remover - Honestly don't use a lot of eye make up so I don't see myself investing in it, but I loved that it wasn't sticky or oily and did the job it was supposed to do.
-Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner - If I ever do use eyeliner, I will go with this one. It was smooth and bold, but didn't make me look like a raccoon.
-NYC New York Color Expert Last Lip Color (Sugar Plum) - Great color, smooth application, and - surprisingly - great scent for a lipstick!
-Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Decaf Greek Tea - A little too much candy cane for my taste, but if you're a candy cane fanatic, go for it.
-Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Advanced - Loved this serum. Great, light application, and much cheaper than other comparable serums.
-McCormick Gourmet All Natural Thyme - Yum. Tasted very fresh. Goes great with lemon chicken.
-Fruit Vines Bites (Strawberry) - Not a huge fan. Tastes like licorice, which I don't particularly care for.
-EcoTools Sleek and Shine Finisher - Great brush. I have very wavy and thick hair, and this brush was able to tame it with minimal snags.

Thanks again, Influenster, for selecting me to try out these products! =)

Rimmel Gentle Eye Make Up Remover

Photo via us.rimmellondon.com

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I have to preface this review by saying -  I don't wear a lot of make up. I use lipstick every day, but only put on foundation and eye make up on special occasions. And I only wear clear mascara when I wear mascara at all, so please know your results may vary from what I experienced.

I used this product to remove eye shadow and eye liner from my eyes. The first thing I noticed was that it didn't feel oily going on. After a few rubs with my cotton pad, everything came off, and I was able to open my eyes without any stinging sensation. It was lightweight and gave me a very clean feeling, and worked so much better than a make up towelette alone.

For more information you can go here

Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Serum

Photo credit: us.boots.com

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I've tried three separate serums in the past year and, quite honestly, have been a fan of them all. They each seemed to have their own "thing" that set them apart from each other. This remained the case with Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Serum.
The biggest difference - the price. The other serums I tried retailed between $40 and $65. Boots No7 Serum retails for a little over $20. That's a huge difference, especially for something you use every day.
But quality-wise, this ranked right up there with the expensive serums. It had a very light, fresh feeling going on, with no noticeable scent. It felt very clean and not sticky or oily whatsoever.
You can find more information on Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Serum here

Brookside Dark Chocolate Crunchy Clusters

*Special thanks to Crowdtap and Brookside Chocolates for providing me this complimentary package.

I have to start off by admitting - I'm one of those rare, crazy people who don't particularly care for chocolate mixed with fruit. So, when I got these Brookside Crunchy Clusters I was actually weary about trying them. But I did, and was pleasantly surprised.
To begin with, I liked the size. You could easily pop them in your mouth, but they weren't so tiny you would want to eat more than one or two at a time.

Before tasting the berries themselves, I tasted the crispy multigrains. The texture, mixed with the dark chocolate, was wonderful. But when I got to the middle I tasted the berry. The taste, mixed in with the chocolate and grains, was actually very good, and I loved the mixture of the three textures together as well. However, I found the berries to be a bit gummy and sticky. Was I expecting a fresh berry from the produce aisle? No. But I wasn't expecting something that was so sticky either.
As mentioned, I received the 5 oz. product for free. But after doing some research, I found a 23 oz. bag retails for $12 or more. A 7 oz. bag retails for a little under $5 locally. 
If you love fruit and chocolate together give them a try. And check out Brookside's web site to see all the flavors they offer.