New and Improved: Influenster.com

So after hearing about Influenster.com, I rushed to the website to sign up only to be greeted with a wait list. I put my email address in and realized that I had already made an account! Score :) After a quick password recovery, I started poking around. The site looks really neat! You get rewards for reviewing products and sharing this information with your virtual followers. If you have an account on virtually every social network like me, Influenster.com is right up your alley (think of it as a more social Klout.com).

The site itself seems incredibly user friendly (I'm sure this is a huge upgrade, or I wouldn't have stopped using the site in the beginning), and with mini-challenges to complete, there's always something to hold your attention.

WARNING: I recommend not using Influenster while you're at work. It has been pretty detrimental to my productivity today ;) Oh what the hell, check it out anyway!

Homework, nail polish, and chocolate... oh my!

I'm in awe over how quickly this weekend flew by. I guess it doesn't help that I've been parked on the couch watching MTV's Awkward marathon since I woke up. I spent the majority of my Saturday doing school work. I'm finally back in school, taking online graduate classes at UMUC, and it feels great. This is the first time that I have done, dare I say... homework, since 2008.

I spent about four hours writing responses about the play, A Doll's House. That's when my web browser decided to refresh and delete all of my work. After a mini-meltdown, I decided to paint my nails, and try again. My work wasn't as good the second time around, but what can ya do? The color in this picture came from my July Birchbox. The brand is Color Club and the color is Blue-ming. It's definitely a summery color so I'm a little late in the game in deciding to use it now.

After feeling somewhat accomplished for the night, I laid back and waited for B to come home. Knowing that I had a rough day, he surprised me with mango moscato (I love mango flavored ANYTHING) and Godiva chocolate. I think I'll keep him around for a while longer.

I can't believe tomorrow starts another work week already. I'm not ready for this. When is the next holiday again? Columbus Day, where are you?

Revolutionizing Beauty Products As We Know It

My March Birchbox came yesterday and I couldn't wait to open it! After reading so many great reviews of some pretty interesting products, as well as seeing some new products that I've never heard of, I figured the program was well worth $10 a month to sign up.

Fast forward a few weeks, and I finally get to review my first box. Each month's box contains an array of 5-6 samples (some even full-sized). If you like what you see, Birchbox offers every item for purchase directly from their website. In addition, you receive points for every purchase which you can use for free products or even a free month.

So let's see what I got for the month of March :)

First, I got a Color Club nail polish in Age of Aquarius. Color Club polishes are typically super bright and vibrant, and this one is no different. I used the color on my toes today and it's pretty wild... not a color I would have ever chosen on my own, but so far I like it. If it turns out to have pretty good staying power, this may be a brand I'd opt for in the future. This is a "mini" bottle, but it's still a very decent size as far as nail polish goes.

*This polish retails for $8 per bottle.


The first time I heard of Miss Jessie's was when I was poking around on the Birchbox website. The brand caught my eye immediately because they pride themselves on being "the best darn curl cremes period."

I haven't used this product yet. I have to do a little more research to determine if it will even work for me, since I have chemically-straightened hair. On the plus side, it smells amazing -- like a mix of coconuts and pineapples. This is a 2oz sample size that is said to "transform frizzy fros to bodacious, voluminous curls."

We'll see.

*This creme retails for $22 per bottle.


Next, I opened this bottle to smell it before I did anything else. It smells extremely familiar, like a very light musk, but I can't put my finger on it.

This is a 3.3oz bottle of Invigorating Tibetan Shower Cream with Rhubarb by J&E Atkinsons. I haven't showered with this gel yet, but I did wash my hands with it. It leaves a very light and sweet scent, that lasts. This is the kind of scent that makes you feel like you should be in Morocco.

*This shower cream retails for $29 per bottle.


Also in my Birchbox, but not pictured, were two samples of Miss Jessie's Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo ($14), two samples of Miss Jessie's Creme de la Creme Conditioner ($16), two samples of Wei Pomegranate buffing beads ($20), and one vial of Petite Cherie perfume by Annick Goutal Paris ($85). All in all, I am pretty happy with how my first box turned out. I am sure I will use every item at some point, and I didn't receive anything this month that was completely off the wall. Not bad for $10. I'm sure there is still a waiting list to sign up, but if you want to start getting your own Birchboxes every month, click my referral link below!

http://www.birchbox.com?raf=vk16g


Cheers,
T

Cup of Joe

Someone thought it would be funny to give my car a morning jolt of caffeine today.

I however, did not find it as amusing. I sent management a very nice email this morning, and have yet to get a response.

Tick tock tick tock... I cannot wait until this lease is up.

Cheers,
T

Frailty, thy name is Starbucks.

Do you ever have that one seemingly insignificant moment in your day when it makes you stop and think, "Well... my day is going to suck..."? My moment came at about... ohh I'd say 6:36am. I am at my desk at work by 7am every weekday, so I usually never have the time to stop for coffee. Today was an exception. I was craving an iced white mocha, so I made it a point to leave my house at 6:20.



I headed to the local Starbucks, got my coffee, and made it to work around 6:50. I turned my computer on, unwrapped my straw, and took my first sip. Sugar. I got a mouthful of gritty sugar. It tasted like I had faceplanted on the beach with my mouth wide open. I stirred my drink and sipped again. Coffee grounds? Ok, now I wasn't sure if I had sugar OR coffee grounds in my mouth. Quite possibly a combination of the two. I'm not usually big on complaining, and had I tasted my coffee while I was still in the parking lot, I still probably wouldn't have taken it back inside, just to avoid a scene... but seriously? If I'm paying almost $5 for a cup of coffee, it better be the best coffee I've ever tasted in my life. EVERY time.

Cheers,
T