Influenster Keurig 2.0 VoxBox Review

Hello friends! It's been a few months seen I had an Influester VoxBox to share with you, but today I've got an especially cool one! Recently I was sent the brand new Keurig 2.0 to try out and review! I am sure most of you are already at least aware of what Keurigs are, but basically they are coffee brewers in which you use single-serving K-cups to brew all sorts of different types of coffee easily. You can also brew other sorts of hot drinks (with the right K-cup, of course): hot chocolate, apple cider, tea, and probably more! I already had a Keurig before this actually (and was totally obsessed with it, lol) - so let's see what makes the 2.0 so new and different!

The main difference from the original Keurig to the 2.0 is of course that it now can brew K-carafes instead of just K-cups! The machine comes with a carafe (see in the bottom right of pic above) that you just stick under the brewer like a coffee cup, use a K-carafe pod, and it will make a pot of coffee with 3-5 cups! (You select on the super cool touchscreen how much you want to make).

size difference of K-carafe vs. K-cup

Unfortunately, there is another main difference that bothered me quite a bit when I first discovered it. The Keurig 2.0 uses DRM technology in the labels. This is so that the machine can read the label to match the best brewing settings for each individual drink. HOWEVER, it also means that any coffee pod that does not have that DRM tech in the label won't work with the machine at all - it won't brew it (this includes both unofficial, non-Keurig pods, as well as old, pre-2.0 K-cups). Since I already had a Keurig (and with it, a LOT of official K-cups) I ended up with a bunch of pods that became unusable to me in my new machine :\ I ended up giving my old machine to my sister (and with it all the old pods) but it still was kind of annoying when I realized this.

K-carafe, new K-cup, old K-cup (must have "Keurig Brewed"
ring around cup to work in 2.0)

Anyway, other than those, here are a few observations I have about the new 2.0:

Pros
- Quite a few K-cups and K-carafes are included with the machine! (see below pic)
- The water tank lights up! You can pick blue, red, or green, I believe. A little silly but exciting :)
- You can brew plain hot water by just opening and closing the pod-holder without inserting a pod.
- The touch screen is pretty cool :)

all the K-cups/carafes included with the machine - it's a lot!

Cons
- Again, the DRM preventing use of old K-cups. Kind of a bummer.
- The water purifier that goes in the water tank was difficult to assemble. I had to get help, lol.
- I can't seem to make the hot water function work - it says it makes 6oz, but I usually can only get 2-3oz out (typically has old coffee grounds in it too, no matter how many 'cleaning cycles' I do).

Anyway, overall it is a pretty cool machine. Someone new to Keurig would not be bothered about not being able to use old K-cups obviously - and I have gotten over it at this point (helps that I had something to do with them besides just tossing them - I guess I could have just kept both machines on my counter til I used them up, but it's not like I have an abundance of counter space) but I thought it was very important to share this observation here, since it was not something I had initially realized myself.

If you are interested in learning more about the Keurig 2.0, check out their website or Facebook for more info!

Have a lovely day! ♥
 

~These product(s) were provided for an honest review by me from Influenster~

Influenster Go VoxBox Review

Hey friends! Today I have the Influenster Go VoxBox to share with you! As you probably know by now , Influenster is an awesome program where they send you boxes of free stuff to try and out and review. Each box is curated around a specific theme, and this one was designed with exercise on the mind! This is particularly great for me, because I have lately been a bit of an exercise fiend (never would have pictured myself the type that, like, needs to run every day, but such is life, always a mystery) so I was excited to play with this box :)

Warm-up:
First up I have several items to share with you that are more used for preparation for exercise -- or really, just to go with an overall healthy lifestyle in general. My favorite was The Vitamin Shoppe Next Step shaker. I thought the design was clever -- it's not shown, but it has a shaker inside to help make mixing the Next Step Fit n Full Protein Shakes easier, which I thought was nice. I'm not big on protein shakes, but I do like the idea in theory - super low-cal (140 for the packet which makes an 8-oz drink) and 14 grams of protein! I have said this before, but high protein is my #1 diet rule because it is the only way I can keep from being super hangry all the time. I did have a hard time mixing though... I used the Mixed Berry mix (pictured in shaker) but no matter how hard I shook, it still had a ton of unappetizing powder clumps, which made a taste test a little difficult. It smelled divine though! Perhaps I was doing something wrong, but it was a bit of a bummer because I would love a new way to cut calories without starving to death.

I was also sent Blue Diamond Blueberry Flavored Almonds, which were much less disappointing. I really like almonds, they are a great healthy snack, and the blueberry flavoring was a nice way to shake it up a little. I don't remember the exact nutrition for this packaging, but I looked online and it seems like 1oz/28g (aka about 24 almonds) is 160 calories and 5g of protein. Again, with the protein.. :) but since that is super important to me, I like that it is there. Not the highest protein bang for your buck, but much better than lots of other crunchy snacks, many of which have 0g.

Treadmill time:
Next up is my favorite and likely to be most used item of the box - the Profoot Triad Orthotic. This is an insert for your running shoes so that your foot is more cushioned to help avoid pain when walking running. It came with a tiny little adhesive to stick to the inside of your shoe, which was nice (although it was extremely sticky - I flubbed it at first and upon reposition attempt, it actually ripped out a little bit of the insert!). It is also 3/4 the length of your shoe, to prevent your foot from feeling crowded. I thought this insert worked very well. Like I said, I am currently in the routine of running on the treadmill every night, so it is important for me to make sure I prevent any pain/injuries that I can, and I thought this insert did the job nicely.

Also included was Playtex Sport Fresh Balance, which I have reviewed already here.

Cool down:
Lastly, we have what I like to think as the "spa" portion of the post -- how to get back to feeling human after working out makes you all sweaty and stinky and gross. The Profoot Pedi Rock is kind of like a stress ball -- shaped so that it is easy to grip -- and you just rub it on your heel to  reduce calluses and roughness, etc. I was surprised that after scrubbing for only a few seconds my heels did feel noticeably smoother! Also included were the Aqua Spa Bath Salts, in a lovely lavender scent. Bath salts are something that I always love to use when I find myself in possession of them, but never think to buy them for myself - so I was thrilled with these! I really love the scent especially, very relaxing.

And that is that! I really enjoyed this box -- it reminded me how much I love to belong to the exercise club, lol. And it was great that the products included encompassed not just actively-exercising time, but preparation and for afterward as well! I definitely see myself using some of these (hello, Aqua Spa bath salts) in the future.

relevant to post, I think

Have a fantastic day!

~These products were provided for an honest review by me from Influenster.

Influenster Uni VoxBox Review

Hi friends! Today I have a bunch of lovely products to share with you that I was sent to review from Influenster for their Uni VoxBox! As many of you know, the VoxBox program is where you get sent several items based on a certain theme to try out and share with your followers -- and as a college student, Influenster chose me for this college-themed one :) On to the goodies!

 First off is Red Rose Real Tea Water Enhancer in Blackcurrant Raspberry. This was pretty easy to make, just squirt some of the syrupy stuff into a glass of water, mix it, and voila! I wasn't sure how much to put in, but when the water looked the way it looks in my picture, it was pretty tasty -- yummy berry flavor, slightly sweet, and at only 5 calories I am happy!

 
Next is Playtex Sport Fresh Balance tampons. The packaging on these is super girly and cute -- look, the applicator is pink! They are scented, a light fresh floral scent, which was unexpected but nice. Honestly these tampons are kind of small, smaller than what I typically use, so they are less absorbent and need changing more often, but on a lighter day they work great!

 Next up is Pilot Acroball Purewhite, a nice ballpoint pen with black ink. Honestly nothing terribly special about it, but a nice pen! I have used the Pilot FriXion pens exclusively since I reviewed them for another VoxBox -- Pilot pens are great!

cropped out: (Hello f)riends! :) <3

 Next up is Broadway Nails imPress Press-on Manicure. These are cute little press-on nails -- just make sure your nail is clean and dry, take the plastic tab off the back of the nail, and press it on. They come in several different sizes, which is nice as well. Also, the packaging (stored in a nail polish bottle that snaps open) is super cute! The "short length" nails were a bit too little for my nail beds even with trimmed nails, and my nails are super curved so they didn't really lay down flat either. They stuck on quite well though, and I really liked the design! Would love to try "long length" ones and see if they work better for me.

Next is NYC New York Color Expert Last Lip Color in Forever Fuschia and Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in 010 Light Porcelain.

 The foundation was too light for my skin tone, which is probably my fault -- Influenster did ask me ahead of time which color I wanted, and since my skin is super light and I usually need the lightest color, I just went for the lightest one. However, the consistency and application was lovely -- it really does feel mousse-y, almost sponge-y -- very light! I would definitely use this if it was the right color.

maybe my skin is more yellow-leaning and this is a bit too pink?
Not sure.

 The lipstick is a really pretty color! Very pigmented, applied very easily. I don't wear lipstick, especially bright lipstick, hardly ever (is hard to be a beauty blogger in college sometimes when everyone around me rocks the sweatpants and no makeup look nearly every day, alas) but I could see myself wearing this color on the right occasion for sure. Since it is so pigmented, it does kind of stain -- I removed it with a makeup wipe, but my lips were still noticeably pink even after complete removal for a couple hours, so just keep that in mind.

 I am certainly no makeup blogger (...yet) so hopefully my swatches are adequate... in the interest of an informative review I included a pic of me wearing both of these products (and nothing else except some mascara) so you can see what they look like on. The foundation made me a little ghostly but I do like that pink!

And that is that! I really enjoyed getting a chance to use all these products -- they were all great, and I definitely recommend checking them out!

Have a lovely day! ♥

~These products were provided for an honest review by me from Influenster.

Influenster Varsity VoxBox Review

Hello all! I cannot believe how long it has been since I last had a post for you - 3 weeks, wow! Suffice to say life has been very busy and blogging has fallen a bit to the side - but don't worry, I am still here, and hoping to have plenty of holiday mani posts for you in the next month :)

For today I have the Influenster Varsity VoxBox to review for you. I am sure most of you know of Influenster by now, and how they put together fun boxes full of products tailored to fit your interests and then send them out for a bunch of people to test and review. The Varsity Voxbox of course has a lot of products that I find really useful as a college student - to find out what they are and how I liked them, keep on reading!

Since of course PTR is a nail blog, what better place to start than with the nail strips included in the kit? Kiss Nail Dress nail strips are pretty easy in theory to put on - stick on the strips, fold them over, and then use the included nail file to file off the extra. I did have a hard time getting these to lie completely flat against my nail without wrinkles, but I did like the blingy effect! This was my first attempt with nail strips, so I can only get better with practice. Below is a how-to for how to apply the strips - just click to enlarge the image!

 Second up, my favorite product of the box - NYC New York Color Big Bold Plumping & Shine Lip Gloss! This is a lip gloss, and the first plumper I've tried. I got it in the shade "Pleasantly Plump Pink" and it was a bit of a neutral/bubblegum shade. When I applied it was a little tacky/sticky but not too bad, and definitely had that tingly feeling of plumpers I've heard about. I don't know if it made my lips that much plumper but I did like it!

without gloss

with gloss

Next up is Airheads Xtremes Bite, which are yummy gummy sweet-and-sour candies. Really enjoyed these! I don't love fruity candy a lot, I find it to be a little bit of sugar overkill, so the sour is a nice balance to that.

I couldn't help it, lol

Next is Tide Pods! These are delightful little pods of detergent that act as both detergent, stain remover and brightener. I have actually been using these forever, ever since I started doing my own laundry regularly in fact! I find the pod shape to be super convenient and it makes doing laundry very easy. These ones in particular had a light springy scent - very pleasant!

Lastly, Clearasil Daily Clear Refreshing Superfruit Wash is a raspberry/cranberry scented face wash. I used this a few times and found it quite pleasant. It is salicylic acid-based, as opposed to benzoyl peroxide (those are the two main ingredients usually used in acne medication as far as I know). I enjoyed the chance to try out a new face wash - always looking for the new trick to achieve and maintain flawless skin!

Overall this was a great mix of products and I am glad I got to review them for you! Influenster never lets me down in introducing me to cool new stuff to try out :)

Hope to have more mani posts up for you guys soon!

Have a fantastic day!♥

~These products were provided for an honest review by me from Influenster~

Influenster Lifeway Kefir Smoothie Review

Hi guys! I was asked to participate in the Influenster Lifeway program this summer - which meant I was provided with some delicious smoothies that I will be reviewing for you guys today!

First of all, you may be asking.. "what is kefir anyway?" That is an excellent question - I can best explain it as a super probiotic-packed yogurt-like beverage.. which is not really that great of a description, so I instead will turn to the experts themselves, as transcribed on the back of the bottle:

Kefir is the smooth, tart, and refreshing cousin of yogurt, and its roots can be traced back more than 2000 years. Originating in the Caucasus Mountains of Europe where people live well past 100 years, the word kefir is though to have been derived from the Turkish word "keif" for "good feelings", probably due to the sense of well-being experienced after drinking it.

It appears from perusing their website that Lifeway has multiple products made from kefir, but I was only able to find the smoothie drink in the health food section of my grocery store (I was given vouchers for free products and had to pick them out myself, since it wouldn't be that practical to send dairy products through the mail in 90*+ weather - or any weather, really).

I ended up picking out four different flavors - strawberry banana, mango, vanilla, and chocolate (chocolate not pictured above). I ended up enjoying them quite a bit! The consistency was on par with other yogurt drinks (I remember having my fair share of drinkable yogurts when I was younger); thick but easily drinkable. The taste was quite good - tasted just like a yogurt in the matching flavor of the drink, though it was a little sharper and had a little zing. My favorite was by far strawberry banana (which has since become a staple on my grocery shopping list actually - it's delicious!) though vanilla was quite nice also. I never got a chance to try mango actually - my mom must have liked it because she finished it off without me :) I will say I was disappointed with the chocolate - the chocolate flavoring didn't blend very well with the tartness of the kefir I don't think, and it didn't taste the greatest. But I've never loved chocolate yogurt anyway, so it's possible someone who did would feel differently.

Nutrition-wise it was pretty good - 140 calories for a cup, with 11 grams of protein. A glass is pretty filling so it makes for a good snack, and I love that it is high in protein - ever since I started eating better about a year ago I have made it a point to have a high-protein diet to keep from being hungry, so this fits into my dietary needs nicely.

Overall I was fairly pleased with Lifeway Kefir smoothies! Like I said, these days I always make sure there is a bottle of strawberry banana in the fridge :) Would definitely be interested in trying out some of their other products if they ever make it into my grocery store!

To check out Lifeway be sure to visit their website and Facebook!

Have a fantastic day!♥

~These products were provided for an honest review by me from Influenster~

Influenster Sweetheart VoxBox - Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray

Hey guys, here's the first product post for my Influenster Sweetheart VoxBox! 

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray is a texturizing spray that mimics the feel and look of hair after a fun-in-the-sun day at the beach, soaking up ocean spray. Here's the official info:

• Not Your Mother's BeachBabe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray Rock a sexy beach look even on those days you're not at the beach! Infused with natural Dead Sea salt and sea kelp, Beach Babe helps create voluminous texturized and wind-swept waves.

 This spray really does feel like you are spritzing ocean spray directly onto your hair! It's funny, I accidentally "tasted the air" a bit while spraying, and it totally tasted just like salt water. Now, while that is obviously the calling card of this product, it can also be why someone might not like it... it is recommended to use this damp hair for best results, and I definitely agree! I had a couple of really cute hair days using that method (that I unfortunately do not have a picture of). It can be kind of a bummer, though, to take your nice clean hair and then immediately make it dull and kind of dirty-feeling with this spray. Of course, I tend not to use anything on my hair, so maybe I'm just not used to it. It does make a nice beachy wave though! I apologize for the terrible photos below (no one else around to take them for me, alas):

before spray, my straightened hair

immediately after spraying and a little tousling

20 minutes after spraying; held in clip to help waviness

It really does have that beachy effect! Makes me super excited to go to Hawaii next month (like I wasn't excited already, lol) If the texture doesn't bother you and you like this look, definitely check it out!

If you'd like to check out Not Your Mother's visit here!
If you'd like to check out Beach Babe visit here!

Have a great day! ♥

~These products were provided for an honest review by me from Influenster~

Influenster Sweetheart VoxBox - Skinnygirl Daily On-The-Go Bars

Hey guys, here's my third product post for my Influenster Sweetheart VoxBox! 

Skinnygirl Daily On-The-Go Bars are yummy nutritious power bars that make for a great meal or snack on the go! Here's the official info:

• Skinnygirl Daily On-The-Go Bars 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 and MORE fiber, LESS sugar and FEWER carbs! These bars are the perfect indulgent treat for individuals looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

 This bar was crazy tasty! I was planning on taking some nice detailed taster's notes for you all, but my bar disappeared before I remembered to do that :) I got the Coco-nut with Peanut Butter flavor. The bar actually tasted like it was made of fresh coconut -- I don't think it was, but it crunched and had the same consistency of coconut, and there was a whole lot of coconut taste! And then it was drizzled with and coated in yummy peanut butter. It was very, very tasty. :)

The one thing that threw me a bit here was "only 180 calories" --to be honest, I am on a bit of a strict diet, and I don't tend to think of 180 calories as exactly a small amount (here is the nutrition info for those interested). For a meal replacement, sure, but I didn't really find this nearly filling enough to replace a meal completely. And as a snack, 180 is a little much (to me). However, I'm sure most people don't count their calories quite like I do, so that is not a concern for everyone. And if you are willing to think of it as a treat (to indulge in) then it's fine -- and it is certainly yummy enough to count as dessert! Now I want another...

.

To check out Skinnygirl visit here!

Have a great day! ♥

~These products were provided for an honest review by me from Influenster~

Influenster Sweetheart VoxBox - Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response

Hey guys, here's the second product post for my Influenster Sweetheart VoxBox! 

Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response is a special creamy deodorant that is supposed to provide extra-special protection against stress-based sweating. Here is the official info:

• Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response Did you know there are three causes of sweat -- heat, movement, and stress? Stress sweat comes from a different gland, so it actually smells the worst. Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response in Serene Citrus is uniquely formulated to protect you from all three causes of sweat, especially stress sweat. It's proven 4x more effective at protecting against stress-induced underarm wetness protection required of an ordinary antiperspirant. 

 I have to start out by saying that the scent of this deodorant is absolutely divine! I was a bit floored the first time I caught a whiff, wondering if I somehow had a new amazing perfume or something that was causing such a lovely smell. It is incredibly strong, too. Of course, if you don't like scented deodorants you might be turned off by that, but I love it!

I must confess, however, that I didn't find this product to be a whole lot better at controlling underarm wetness. I actually tend to sweat quite a bit (over time I have come to the conclusion that it is simply because I walk to campus too fast, which causes me to sweat more) but I didn't really notice this deodorant fixing that problem any more so than my usual deodorant. Regarding stress, I also had to give a presentation that I was quite worried about while testing this product, and unfortunately I did experience a little perspiring prior to my presentation (it went fine though! haha) It still did fine at controlling... odor though! I didn't have any problem with that while using this product :)

I really do love the scent for this and it works as well as any deodorant even if I didn't notice it to be particularly better, so definitely do check it out for the scent alone! I seriously reapply it occasionally just to get a whiff of the citrus yumminess... it really is that great :)

 To check out Secret be sure to visit here!

Have a great day! ♥

~These products were provided for an honest review by me from Influenster~

Influenster Sweetheart VoxBox - Olay Fresh Effects

Hey guys, here's the first product post for my Influenster Sweetheart VoxBox!
 
Olay Fresh Effects Powered Contour Cleansing System and Olay Fresh Effects Shine Minimizing Cleanser came together in a cute little boxed set. Here's the official info I got on these two products:

• Olay Fresh Effects Powered Contour Cleansing System A vibrating, tri-tip 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.
• Olay Fresh Effects Shine Minimizing Cleanser 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.

I have used these products together a couple times, and I think they offer a great face-cleansing experience at a really affordable price! The facewash comes out a kind of matte silver and has a really nice clean scent that I like quite a lot. I was especially interested in how the brush would feel against my face, since the bristles are kind of rubbery instead of fibrous. It was actually quite nice! My skin is quite delicate, but it didn't make my skin red like I thought it might.

To use these two together, just put a dab of soap on the brush and press the button, then move the brush around your face slowly. Don't rub, though, or it might hurt your skin! The vibration of the brush is enough to cleanse your skin. Also make sure to wet your face and the brush first.

I have to be honest and say that I have already used my Clairsonic for a couple years and probably prefer it still, but this is definitely a great alternative! It is hard to tell which works "better" because obviously I still don't have flawless pores (alas) using either, but I do prefer the fibrous brush of the Clairsonic over this rubbery one. However, it is nicer than I thought, and I definitely plan on using it in the future when I travel, since it is a lot more compact and travel-friendly. And if the Clairsonic is a bit more than you can swing, definitely grab one of these!

To check out Olay Fresh effects visit here!
To buy this product visit here or check out Amazon!

Have a great day! ♥

~These products were provided for an honest review by me from Influenster~