I finally received my College VoxBox from Influenster in the mail today! I felt really lucky and relieved to get one, because it means that I must be doing something right with my reviews. :) Influenster is a reviewing community made up of members that review certain items or companies through their website. Occasionally, they will put together a themed box and will choose a lucky few thousand (out of many thousands) of Influensters to receive and review the box absolutely free. The catch, of course, is that they want you to review the items in the box and take surveys on them and things like that. I don't know the specifics yet since I haven't gone through the process, but I will be sure to update as soon as I do. It does take a little work to receive a box. I had been pre-qualified for the Beauty Blogger VoxBox, which was the one that had been sent out right before the College VoxBox, but sadly, I did not make the cut back then. I had a lot of time to do more reviews though since then (both on my blog and on the site), so that probably helped quite a bit! I'm not really too sure how they choose people, as I'm sure the survey plays a big role in who receives one in the end also. If you'd like to see a more detailed review of how Influenster works, you can refer to my previous post here. Nevertheless, I am happy that I finally got one and that all my hard work is paying off!
So let's just get on with the unboxing, yes? (Notice that the pictures are better? Yes, that's my new Samsung Galaxy SIII. Uhhhh huh.)
I really love that they put the prices of the full size product.
The pen I got though, was the Pentel R.S.V.P fine in black. ~$1.25
Makes it easier for me so that I don't have to look for them myself. :)
The value of this box was ~$17.70.
The five fabulous goodies that I got to review!
Broadway Nails ImPress Press-on Manicure Nails:
I've actually never used press-on nails before, so this would be my very first time.
I'm trying to save it for an occasion where I could use fancy snake-pattern nails so I will be sure to update when I do! I will most likely apply them this Saturday when we go to SD for the Chargers vs. Ravens game. I probably would pick a more feminine, sweeter pattern, and not something so bold as snake skin, but hey, try something new!
.: Update - I totally put this on during the car ride on the way to San Diego. I had to cut my nails the night before (really short) so that I could make sure my real nails weren't peeking out from underneath. The most difficult and longest part of the process was trying to find the perfect sizes to put on my natural nail beds. After that was done, it took no longer than 5 minutes tops to clean my nails and put them on. Really quick! And I did a lot of pressing after that to make sure they stayed on. I was able to go a whole day with them on, being really careful not to do anything to disturb them too much. They held on pretty strong until I took a shower, then the one on my right thumb started to come off (since my right thumb nail bed is really messed up; lots of grooves), so I just ended up taking all of them off, since there wasn't another size that could replace that one. Overall, they would be great for special occasions but I wouldn't depend on them for a long-lasting mani. At $8 for a pattern, my boyfriend said he would definitely buy them for me. I will probably use them at an upcoming event since they're so easy to use and last pretty well throughout the day. See pics below!:.
You can also see me rockin' my NYC New York Color Showtime Glitter Eyeliner Pencil in this one.
Pentel R.S.V.P Ballpoint 0.7mm Pen in Black:
I've actually had these when I was younger and I believe I liked them. I just prefer a thicker line now, so my favorite pens when I do use them are the Paper Mate Profile 1.4mm Pens. They come in nice colors too. The line from the R.S.V.P. pen is much thinner, but still smooth. I will still put this to good use! A graduate student can never have too many pens. I have a couple classmates who can attest to that!
Tropical Necco Wafers:
I actually don't remember having Necco Wafers when I was younger, but I know they've been around for quite a while. The Tropical flavor did just come out though and includes coconut, passion fruit, strawberry, lime, banana, and mango (if you can't read the tiny print in my picture). My favorite would have to be the coconut and strawberry, but that's just a personal preference. It has a creaminess (in taste) to it. I don't like banana, so I didn't try that one, but my boyfriend was pleasantly pleased with it. It has a chalky consistency, but it's still palatable. I would purchase this in the store if I saw it at the checkout line. I probably wouldn't have if I wasn't able to try it through my VoxBox, so I appreciate the opportunity to try something new I probably wouldn't have on my own. The only criticism I have about it is that the packaging could be done better so I could slide the wafers out by pushing the outside of the wrapper (like you can do with lifesavers). It was a tiny bit of a hassle to have to unwrap the wrapping around the wafer and touch it with my fingers to get it out. I was in the casino when I was eating these, and you know, at the casino, you don't wanna be touching your food and eating without sanitizing or washing your hands first.
Energy Sheets in Mint Boost:
These got bad reviews on the Influenster site when I looked, so I was expecting the worst when I popped it into my mouth. I decided to have one after a bowl of seafood corn chowder at the casino (see pic below). It reminded me of those Listerine strips that were really big back in the day, but "softer" and more squishy in texture rather than being a film you just pull out. So I popped one in my mouth, and it definitely does overwhelm you with minty-ness. It's pretty strong. So strong that I couldn't even taste the meal I just had a few minutes before, but I'm guessing it freshened my breath pretty well. In terms of the "energy" part of it, I did feel pretty awake after popping one on my tongue, but that could have just been the kick from the strong peppermint taste. I did feel a bit of a caffeine buzz from it, but I'm not sure how long that lasted. I'd probably have to test it again during class to see if it really helps. The casino isn't really a place where you feel sleepy. So I will update once that happens! I definitely wouldn't give it an F or a D though... maybe a C or a B (if it does what it says it does), but marks off for the strong peppermint taste... it's just too much. For me, at least. :/
.: Update - They do seem to work during class. There's quite a bit of caffeine in these sheets, 50 mg, to be exact, which is more than what a Coke has (34 mg). I popped two in today, one in the morning, and one in the afternoon, and they did seem to help me stay alert during lecture. I've also gotten used to the taste now, so I would probably purchase these once or twice, but at $6 for a pack of 10, it's a bit pricey. It wouldn't be something I'd put on my "regular buy" list. If it was less expensive, I would consider using it regularly instead of my Starbucks (don't judge me, they're delicious). So I would definitely rate it a B+ now. It would get an A if they were cheaper. I'd maybe pay $2 for a box, but seeing as I have to use two sheets a day, even that's a bit of money. They do freshen your breath up nicely though. :) :.
NYC New York Color Show Time Glitter Eye-liner Pencil in Show-Time Black:
Haven't gotten a chance to try this out yet, and I'm not sure how big of a fan of glitter eyeliner I would be, but we'll see. I'm glad it came in black because I'm definitely not a fan of bright colored eyeliners as I really don't go out enough to get away with that anymore, and I'm not really that much of a bright color-wearing girl, but I will definitely update when I try this, which will probably be this weekend.
.: Update - I was able to wear this on the car ride to San Diego (see pics above under Impress Press-on Nails), and I felt it was a little rougher in texture when I applied it. It might have just been due to it being completely new out of the package or because of the glitter, but once I got it going, it went on a little softer and smoother. I really liked the color and the glitter was cute, but the staying power wasn't that great. I think it's just because I have hooded eyelids, but they were smudging a lot on the upper part of my eyelid. I probably wouldn't use it for all-day wear again but it might be cute for going out to dinner. I wouldn't wear it out dancing though since it seemed to come off really easily, even with primer potion on. :.
Final Thoughts
I am really happy with my College VoxBox! It came with a lot of cool products that I would actually put to use, and of course, how can you complain when it was free? But honestly, I am happy that I got the chance to try all these great products. I was one of the privileged 5000 Influensters who got the College VoxBox, so I'm excited that I did. I will always keep my reviews unbiased though, even if I receive a product for free, because the integrity of the reviewer (in my opinion) is honesty. I read a LOT of reviews and I have to trust that the people who say they love a product or service really does and isn't being bribed to say that they do. If you like doing reviews and are pretty active on social media, I would definitely recommend trying out Influenster in the chances that you get to review a few products from a VoxBox, as you would stand a good chance at getting one.
If you'd like to become an Influenster, just message me through my facebook page, or twitter with your email and I'll be happy to send over an invitation! As of right now, I have 3 remaining, and I will update as they go. Even if I run out, you can always find people with invitations on Influenster's facebook page.
As always, thanks for reading! And have a happy thanksgiving!
TheRxNina
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