As Told By Giselle

All things beauty in one little stop. ***Products sent to me for testing will always be disclosed in the post or tags.

[giselleclaire]

The Slim Fast Advance Nutrition is a very welcome addition in my home! I struggle with over-snacking as well as always picking snacks that are the worst for my diet and waistline, as I believe many of us do. Slim Fast wants to change that and has made it just a little easier for those of us who like our sweet and salty snacks, but just can’t seem to put them down. 

The High Protein Creamy Chocolate (and they mean creamy chocolate!) shake really does curb hunger for about three to four hours. I’ve been working on refinishing a bookcase and did not really want to stop working to eat lunch. I drank the shake before beginning work on the project for the day and did not get hungry until I was all finished! That is pretty major considering I was burning calories scraping and sanding a bookcase, an unusual thing for me.

The 100 Calorie Crisps and Meal Replacement bar were just as delicious and sustaining as the shake. The crisps were nice and crunchy, but without the greasiness of chips. You also have a salty and sweet option. The bar was just like a normal trail mix bar, but more decadent tasting! I kept these treats in my purse for while I was running errands for most of the day. Whenever I finally had a moment to pause or felt like I just had to eat I pulled one out and it gave me the energy to keep going. The snacks never made me feel sluggish, were generously proportioned and actually tasted like some of my favorite snacks! You can’t go wrong with sour cream and onion crisps, milk chocolate shakes, dark chocolate and sea salt bars, or cinnamon bun crisps as flavors! All the snacks were either Lactose and Gluten Free (the shake is both), low in sugar and high in protein (and sometimes fiber). There is literally an option for anyone. If you struggle with diet like I do, give Slim Fast Advance Nutrition a shot! These product

These products were sent to me for testing. All opinions are my own.

[giselleclaire]

This winter I received the Influenster Spice VoxBox. Inside I found an assortment of products that I could not wait to begin testing. And if you are a TLDR kind of person: I loved them!

Included in my package was Botanics Organic Hydrating Day Cream, Foot Petals Give ‘em the Boot Inserts, Sinful Colors SinfulShine Nail Polish with GelTech, Good Health Veggie Straws, SoapBox Shampoo & Conditioner, Yogi Tea, and finally Not Your Mother’s Whip It Up Cream Styling Mousse. 

Overall these products were a huge win for my book. I was astounded I was getting to try so many new items. However there was one product that I ended up being quite disappointed with. The SinfulColors nail polish duo had me so excited when I opened my package but in the end it was a bit of a fail product for me. When I read that it was a gel formulation (my favorite kind) I was all to eager to give it a go. Especially knowing that SinfulColors is such an affordable brand, these particular polishes retailing for only $2.99. I was only disappointed because the polish lasted much less time than even the normal polishes SinfulColors offers. I only had the polish on for a day before the polish began to chip. Thinking I had done something wrong I applied the polish again, making sure to read the directions and start from scratch. But again the polish chipped after half a day! I was so disappointed.

Each of the other products was a standout in my opinion. The Botanics cream was a welcome addition to my daily beauty routine. Since I suffer from dry sensitive skin year round this product has helped my foundation to apply more evenly with less dragging and flaking. This product retails for $12.99. 

The Foot Petals inserts worked perfectly in a pair of boots that I already owned but had bought in a size slightly too large. The boots I had did not quite fit and needed an insert to make them comfortable for long days where I did a lot of walking. The Give ‘em the Boot inserts made my boots fit better and super cushy and snuggly for the cold winter. They retail for $18.95. 

The Good Health Veggie Straws were delicious and made me feel better about snacking after all the heavy holiday food I had been consuming. I equated the taste to french fries that were not as greasy or as heavy. And the best part is you can eat at least 80 straws a serving! These retail at $3.00 for 6.75 oz bags. 

The SoapBox Shampoo and Conditioner were another welcome addition to my beauty routine. I loved both the smell and consistency of these products. The shampoo lathered well and the conditioner is not too runny. I even liked the packaging because the slim cylindrical bottles do not take up too much space in my shower. The best part is the message behind every bottle. SoapBox includes a code on the back so that customers can see where in the world they are sending clean water with their purchase. My bottles helped a village in Thailand. SoapBox retails for $5.99 per 16 oz bottle. This was probably my favorite product to test.

I sampled a delicious Sweet Tangerine Positive Energy tea by Yogi Tea. It was just the thing to warm me up as the season changed from cool to cold. Yogi Tea retails for $4.99 per 16 ct. box. 

And finally the Not Your Mother’s Whip It Up Cream Styling Mousse! This product helped bring volume to my flat hat hair in ways I could not even imagine. I applied it to both wet and dry hair and found the results to be awesome. And even better it did not weigh down my roots with oily residue. I just could not get over how delicious it smelled: vanilla cupcakes or whipped cream! 

All products were sent to me for testing by Influenster. All opinions are my own.

[giselleclaire]

Not Your Mother’s Whip It Up Mousse

I have loved this product from the moment I opened the packaging. If you like non-crispy volume (who doesn’t) that also smells heavenly, than this product is for you.

The mousse is a very light texture that is easily spread through the roots and lengths by just squirting a small amount into the palm of your hand and then rubbing your hands together to coat the finger tips. I used this technique to apply the product to wet hair and definitely felt more voluminous, even without blow drying or back-combing.

My biggest pros are the smell and the non-crunchy texture. In the past, I hated using mousses because they always left my hair crunchy or greasy because they were hard to control and my hair is quite flat and fine. But I have not had those problems with this product. And the smell is that of vanilla cupcakes or homemade whipped cream. It is so tasty smelling I had to stop myself from wanting to eat it! All in all this is a great product if you are in the market for an affordably priced mousse that actually works.

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This product was sent to me for testing. All opinions are my own.

[giselleclaire]

The SKIN-TRANSFORMING Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Foundation

Over the last three weeks I’ve been testing and really loving the Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Foundation! My first pleasant surprise was that it perfectly matched my skin tone. I use the shade 10 Porcelain. After struggling for years with acne, and overcompensating with too much foundation, I finally feel unashamed of my skin. I have dry combination skin so it is often difficult to find a foundation that does not cling to my dry patches and is also pigmented enough to hide my acne and acne scars. I found that this foundation has helped correct my problem areas and keep my skin clear and even! A true miracle! The SuperStay foundation works best on my skin with between one pump to a pump and a half of product applied with a dampened sponge. I also found using my typical primer or a moisturizer underneath my foundation gave it just that bit more of slip to help the coverage go on evenly using a small amount of product. I have seen genuine difference to my skin through the #betterskinchallenge and I could not be more pleased! 

Over time I know this product will continue to impress. It has SPF 20, but does not flashback as far as I can tell, and truly works brilliantly with my skin to allow it to shine through and not look like I’m hiding behind a mask.

This product was sent to me by @Influenster for testing purposes. All opinions are my own.

[giselleclaire]

A New Favorite!

I have been loving this mascara for lengthening, full and soft definition with virtually no clumping. My lashes are very straight so with a quick eyelash curl and one coat of the YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils Mascara I have a nice, dark curl that lasts all day. I tested this product through very humid hot weather and cold, rainy weather and it held up with little flaking or transfer. The most surprising part of this mascara is the scent. It has a pleasant, slightly floral scent that surprisingly did not irritate my sensitive eyes. I wear contacts and was not bothered by the mascara at all. Removal was a bit difficult, but I prefer that because it made sure my mascara lasted all day. The biggest con I have is the price which is very steep for a mascara, but if you are in the market and have the budget for it I would highly recommend picking up a tube!

I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

[giselleclaire]

Celestial Seasonings

This winter, my family enjoyed drinking Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea. While I was sent this product to review, I did not drink it because I felt I would be a poor reviewer as I do not like Peppermint or Green Teas. Instead, I shared this product with my mother who enjoys both. She described the tea as smooth peppermint with a slight vanilla flavor. It was perfect for a cold evening because it was warm and decaffeinated. However the refreshing bouquet also made it the perfect pick me up on an afternoon or morning where you did not want to drink caffeine. 

I was sent this product for review by Influenster. All opinions are my own.

[giselleclaire]

Boots No7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED Serums

This serum is great for those who have very dry skin. It is very hydrating and goes on smoothly. The serum feels rich without being heavy. If you use it around the eyes it does not cause puffiness like some other heavier creams might. Great for day or night application and also makes a smooth base for your foundation!

This product was sent to me for review by Influenster. All opinions are my own.

[giselleclaire]

Influenster Frosty VoxBox

In early December, I received the Frosty VoxBox from Influenster. Above is a picture of all the items included in the package.

The standout products to me included the Fruit Vines Bites, Rimmel Scandal Eyes Kohl Kajal and Gentle Eye Makeup remover. Although I enjoyed the other products as well, I found that these three products were my favorites. The McCormick Thyme and NYC Expert Last Lip color also get honorable mentions because I enjoyed them but did not find that I reached for them often. The lip color in SugarPlum was a bit more brown and metallic for my everyday looks. And I do not cook with thyme often enough. 

The Fruit Vines Bites were probably my favorite products. I ate them all so quickly that I forgot to actually photograph them and review them and was forced to go buy another bag. I will say that they are still very hard to find, unfortunately. They were a big hit with my entire family and I know we will continue to buy these in the future.

I enjoyed the makeup products because I do get quite a lot of use out of them but I found that some of the claims were not true for these products. For instance, I did not find the Kohl Kajal pencil to be waterproof and it was only inky black if you did not smudge it out. The makeup remover solution was perfect for my makeup removal at night but was not an easy solution for removing my waterproof mascara like it claimed, it just was not oily enough to break up the makeup without rubbing and pinching my lashes. 

I was not a huge fan of the Celestial Seasonings tea simply because I do not enjoy Peppermint flavored tea but would definitely recommend other flavors from this brand which I have tried in the past. 

My biggest disappointment was the EcoTools brush, I found it did not help me to dry my hair any faster and did not really penetrate even my thin hair to my scalp. It was not really effective at detangling and I did not notice any added shininess to my hair. Overall, it was kind of a fail.

Hope you enjoyed this review! Thanks to Influenster for sending me these products to review. 

[giselleclaire]

Rimmel London

In early December, I received a Frosty VoxBox from Influenster. I was very excited to get to try some new products. Now that I've tested these for about a month, I'm ready to share.

The Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Kohl Kajal Waterproof Eyeliner and the Rimmel London Gentle Eye Makeup Remover are great products. On their own and together. While I did not find that the Eyeliner was waterproof, it was fairly long-lasting with eye shadow and a base. Without shadow or base, there was some transfer. It was not very black, more of a charcoal, when smoked out and smudged along the lash line, my preferred method of wear with eyeliner pencils. It was great for lining the upper rim and water line, but did need touch ups throughout the day. I found it comfortable to wear with my contacts or without. 

The Rimmel London Gentle Eye Makeup remover was great for removing all my makeup, even beyond my eye makeup. I used it to take off all my face makeup as well. It was very thin in consistency, with no smell or chemicals that caused my sensitive skin irritation. It felt like using water, but with less rubbing. I did find that although it would remove my waterproof mascara, it did require a bit more effort, more rubbing or pinching of the lashes to get the mascara all off. I suppose that is more a testament to my mascara than the makeup remover. Overall, I loved both these products and would recommend them.

I was sent the Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Kohl Kajal Waterproof eyeliner and the Rimmel London Gentle Eye Makeup remover to review by Influenster. 

[giselleclaire]

No7 Protect & Perfect

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SErFiNitgWE&utm_source=influenster

[stormhornets]

who let me adult I can’t adult

[mxsentienthouseplant]

My mom did not sign this permission slip

[encapture-deactivated20190314]

[giselleclaire]

Most popular MAC shades by country

[arthurtweedie-deactivated201512]

What does this mean???

“Face stuff?” I don’t understand. Am I expressive with my facial muscles? Yes, of course! That’s part of my job – it’s called “having charisma,” which is something Dave certainly does not understand. Either way, I know I look better than this when I do “face stuff” so that’s all that matters.

[giselleclaire]

Reasons to meet Arthur Tweedie: Face Stuff

[giselleclaire]

Get Smooth with Gillette Venus Embrace Sensitive!

Thanks to Influenster I have been able to test the new Gillette Venus Embrace Sensitive razors before they have been released to stores. I was at first a little skeptical since I have never seen why a disposable razor should be so expensive. Consider me converted! I am very pleased with the razor and will definitely be repurchasing! The Venus Embrace Sensitive has five razor blades to get even the tiniest hairs, lotion strips to help prevent razor burn (especially on sensitive skin). I am allergic to aloe and despite that being an ingredient in the razor's lotion strip did not find that it irritated my skin at all.

The razor is very easy to use. When you open the packaging you lift the back plastic up and it opens like a lid on a slightly cylindrical container. Inside you will find the razor handle, two razor heads (packaged separately to protect the lotion strips), and a suction cup razor holder to store your razor when not in use. The assembly is also very easy. You simply open one of the razor head packages by lifting the foil off of the front and insert the handle into the designated holes in the razor head. It snaps together, but still has a lot of mobility. There is really no chance of error.

I tried the razor both with and without shaving cream, something I would have never considered in the past. I found that both were comfortable thanks to the movable head, which makes getting all the hairs very easy, but I still prefer to use shaving cream. I do recommend using the suction cup razor holder when you store your razor in the shower. The lotion strip becomes slightly sticky after exposure to water and can leave a residue on shower shelves or products if it touches it. It comes off easily but can be avoided by simply hanging it from the provided suction cup holder. I will also say to be very gentle when first using the razor, it is very sharp and cut me when I first used it because I accidentally dropped it.  

Overall, I would definitely recommend this razor if you are looking for a smoother shave and have sensitive, razor-burn prone skin. Or if you are just looking for a nice disposable razor with a close shave.

[giselleclaire]

Summer Wave Essentials!

I have been loving the Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Shampoo and Conditioner combo. My hair is naturally wavy and frizzy but this product really helps to calm that down to create soft beachy waves, perfect for summer. I also love the smell of these products, it is never overwhelming, it just smells nice. I tend to wash my hair at night with the nymbrands Shampoo and Conditioner, brush it through and then let it air dry overnight. Hope this helps some of you out!

Here is my sister's more problematic curls modeling the combo!

I was sent this product for testing purposes by influenster. All opinions are my own.