Birchbox March 2014

My first Birchbox! I was so excited about subscribing to Birchbox. Now, to get excited, I had to change my way of thinking. Birchbox is a different type of subscription sample service. They are different because of their point system. Birchbox makes it so easy to accumulate points that it's obvious they want you to purchase full size products, easily for free.

I have only received one box, and have accumulated 70 points from this one box. That is the equivalent of $7 since at 100 points, you can redeem your points in the Birchbox shop for $10. Birchbox only costs $10/month AND I got the samples this month too, which are worth something.

I think that's a really decent box. Here are the details of what I received.

1. Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle-no size
2. Coola Tinted Matte SPF 30 for Face-.17 fl. oz
3. Gilchrist & Soames-1.5 fl. oz
4. Harvey Prince Cherie Blossom-no size
5. Tea Forte minteas-1 pack
6. Ghirardelli Cherry Tango-.375 oz

I am absolutely baffled that some of these items don't list their sizes, but honestly-it's ok. It just makes it hard for me to determine the "value" of this box. The rest the items do add up to the $10 I spent, which is completely reassuring. Here's the thing, some items I get from boxes I just put up right away, haven't even used them to date. I opened and tried every single product in this box on the spot. I was genuinely excited to try everything.

Some mentions about the products I want to make:

The Beauty Protector detangler has a heavenly smell. It smells like Pink Sugar or like cotton candy. I have thick, curly, frizzy hair so I use a detangler. This detangled didn't feel like it provided any conditioning but actually did make it easier to comb through my hair after the shower. A full-size bottle retails for $21.95 in the Birchbox Shop and is exclusive to Birchbox.

The Gilchrist & Soames body lotion mentions that it is used in hotels. I actually think that identifying with hotels is damaging to the brand. It makes me think that the lotion would be a cheap product. When I put this on my hands, after the initial soaking period-in seconds they felt incredibly silky. I was completely pleased with this lotion.

The Ghirardelli chocolate was delectable. I like dark chocolate and this dark chocolate was incredible creamy with the fruity cherry flavor and bits of almonds. This sample did not last long at all.

Beauty Protector Detangler	???
Coola Moisturizer	$3.60
Gilchrist & Soames Lotion	$3.00
Harvey Prince Fragrance	???
Tea Forte Minteas	$3.32
Ghirardelli Chocolate	$0.50
TOTAL	$10.42

This is a low value box but I am still completely satisfied because I know that the Birchbox point system will make it extremely affordable, free even, to pick up full-size items that I know I want. Some people complain about picking their samples, getting items they will never use, or getting items that aren't specifically beauty oriented. For the first two complaints, Birchbox makes it super easy and worth it to cash in your points on items you know you want. For me-all the samples are pretty much extras. The last complaint-I do not understand, there are so many "beauty" boxes. I receive multiple beauty boxes. The extras are very welcome for me as a little something different.

Do you subscribe to Birchbox? Is it worth it to you? What items have you cashed in your points on? If you are thinking about subscribing to Birchbox, I would love it if you used my referral link to subscribe.

XOXO,
The Redheaded Life

Beauty Box 5 March 2014

Beauty Box 5 is always my very first box to get to me every month.  I mean, they are based in Texas and I'm in Oklahoma, it's basically an overnight mail trip.

I was so thrilled about EVERYTHING I got in my Beauty Box 5 this month! I mean look at this! Isn't it incredible!?

1. Jane's Pick All Natural Soaps-???
2. Tree Hut Moisturizing Hand Cream-3oz (full size)
3. Bellapierre Cosmetics Makeup Base-.25 oz (full size)
4. Design Essentials Natural Curl Enhancing Mousse-1.83 fl. oz
5. Swissco Dual-sided Facial Pad-1 ct. (full size

Beauty Box 5 completely nailed it! These might not be the most high value items but everything was great size and incredibly useful. I believe the tropical mango Tree Hut products are across the board incredible. I feel like a got a little extra because I'm pretty sure the tropical mango hand cream is brand new and had a coupon for $0.50 attached to it! I haven't seen any other boxes with this exact product. I got lucky! 

The Bellapierre Cosmetics makeup base is a complete multi purpose product. This can be used as a concealer, illuminator, and eyeshadow primer. This also has an absolutely fabulous mattefying effect on shimmer eyeshadows. The texture is so smooth and buttery and retails for $18.99. I love playing with this stuff!

I was most excited for the Design Essentials Natural Curl Enhancing Mousse. I really feel like BB5 cared and when they had a variation that was tailored for me, they listened to the questions in my sampling profile.

I love bar soaps so I will be doing a product review later for the Jane's Pick All Natural Soap. I think these soaps will be perfect as a shave bar. I can't really put a value on this sample but a 5 oz bar retails for $8.00. Woo hoo!

Now, my favorite part-especially when it turns out like this:

Jane's Pick Soap	???
Tree Hut Hand Cream	$5.29
Bellapierre Cosmetics Base	$18.99
Design Essentials Mousse	$3.90
Swissco Facial Pad	$2.99
TOTAL	$31.71

I loved my March Beauty Box 5. This subscription has been so hit and miss for me though that I'm really nervous the April Box will let me down. Beauty Box 5 had an incredible option for April though which was to replace April's Box with a 60 day supply of 24ClearIt Acne Treatment Kit which is valued at $59.95. What an incredible offer! I don't have acne so this would most likely just dry me which is why I didn't opt in for the treatment but such a good idea and a great alternative!

Beauty Box 5 did release their April sneak peek already and it states that all subscribers will receive a full size Nicka K New York Hydro Lipstick, which retails for $4.99. If you sign up by March 31st, you will get the April box!

Have you been looking for something different? Beauty Box 5 is $12/month and was completely worth it this month. If you want to subscribe to Beauty Box 5, you can use my referral link.

XOXO,

The Redheaded Life

Beauty Army March 2014

Hey guys! I am going  to get back on track. I have been slow on posts because I've been doing some structural blog work. What do you think so far?

Here's my Beauty Army post. Originally, I was really excited about this kit. Of course, I was able to select everything in this box so I knew exactly what it would contain. However, I had a shipping problem where my kit was delayed. I e-mailed their customer service TWICE and never got a reply. I wrote on their Facebook page and got a comment telling me to e-mail customer service. Even though I didn't get a reply, I finally did receive my kit a few days ago.

I selected the maximum amount of samples for my Beauty Army Kit, which is six. I selected:

1. Befine Warming Clay Mask-.34 fl. oz.
2. Phyto 5 Jojaba Shea Butter Face Cream-.17 oz.
3. Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Mask-1 ct.
4. Dermis 8 exfoliating Soap Bar-25 g.
5. Tatcha Blotting Papers-30 ct. (full size)
6. Furlesse Rows-3 ct.

Beauty Army is $12/month and you can always skip a month without deactivating your subscription if none of the month's samples appeal to you. I chose not to skip because I was really excited about the Tatcha blotting papers. I remember seeing blotting papers in middle school and was so impressed with them. Since then though, I haven't heard too much about them. This was a full size pack of papers and covers the cost of the entire kit by themselves.

Befine Mask	$1.70
Phyto 5 Face Cream	$6.21
Montagne Jeunesse Mask	$2.49
Dermis 8 Soap	$1.00
Tatcha Blotting Papers	$12.00
Furlesse Rows	$2.00
TOTAL	$25.40

Here's what I've learned-If you are only excited about one product, it won't feel worth it. The Furlesse Rows are forehead line reducing patches. I don't really have lines though I might have a few smile lines making an appearance. I will eventually use all these products. The face cream sounds really promising. I will tear the blotting papers in half because they are quite large and you can use both sides. I do like bar soap but the sample is teeny tiny. This kit was meh for me. I did receive more that the $12 I paid for the subscription though!

Are you a Beauty Army member? What did you select for your March kit? Are you interested in Beauty Army?

XOXO.

The Redheaded Life

Pacifica Color Quench Lip Tint

Hi all! Have you missed me!? I took a little break to put some ideas together and a piece that I promised and am so excited to write is finally here! Today's post is all about Pacifica's Color Quench Lip Tints!

Let me start off by saying that I have never found a product that I like as much as I like these. I mean I saw them, decided to try them, bought every color,  bought backups of my favorite colors, and now wear every day!

That's a good picture because I know you can read all of the names. There are five different choices. In their Jumbo options-there is one more and it is a white/sheer coconut pearls luminizing lip quench (I have it too). I definitely prefer the smaller size.

These are the most moisturizing products that have ever touched my lips. I often come across things that are so wonderful that I have to wonder why companies don't use a generic basic formula, sort of like a default-this should be the default. Since Pacifica is a 100% vegan-cruelty free brand, I believe these products get their moisturizing effects from their avocado and coconut oils. I'm not kidding, if you need moisture, get these. Who am I kidding? Even if you don't need moisture-GET THESE.

The names they have are delicious sounding. Guess what!? They smell heavenly. Very refreshing, relaxing scents that are not overpowering in the slightest.

Here's the other thing I love about these Lip Quenches:

GLORIOUS, BEAUTIFUL PIGMENT!!! These lip quenches add visible tint to lips! I have swatched these for you in the order of the picture above. The vanilla hibiscus is very sheer and is the furthest left. My favorite is the sugared fig. Second place would go to blood orange.

These lip quenches are incredibly light weight and do not add a sticky, heavy, wax feel to my lips at all-in fact, it doesn't feel like you're wearing anything honestly. I was ready to completely toss all the other moisturizing lip products that I have all together until I realized there was no SPF in these. The SPF is the only bad thing I could ever say about these but that's because as a Redhead, sun protection is a requirement.

I have loved every single product that I have purchased from Pacifica but these are exceptional. My Pacifica watch list now includes an Ultra CC Cream with SPF that they have released a sneak peek of on Facebook! I am so excited. 

You can find these through the Pacifica website where they are $7.00 each. I believe you can also find them in Ulta and on the Ulta website. Both places run special offers every now and then-keep your eye out if you are a deal searcher like myself! Also, both sites participate with Ebates, where you will get cash back on all your purchases!!!

What do you think? Have you ever tried these lip quenches? Will you? Do you have any questions about them?

XOXO,

The Redheaded Life

The Birchbox Plunge with Birchbox Finds

I had been eyeing Birchbox for a long time. In fact, Birchbox was the first subscription service that I had ever heard of. Recently, I had taken Birchbox a little more seriously and found out the details. I created an account a few weeks ago but hadn't signed up for an actual subscription until a few days ago.

I had been hearing a lot about Birchbox's point system! I love point systems that are simple and uncomplicated, every 100 points=$10. You can usually accumulate 100 points with 2 boxes-ideally, each box would contain 5 products. Birchbox is a true sample service because they encourage you to earn and spend points on the products you tried and loved. Here's how I'm thinking about it: $10/month=50 points/month. So, if you shop in the Birchbox store or casually skim for good deals-your boxes could potentially be only $5 because you will constantly get money back from points. Birchbox constantly has shipping and point promotional codes to use in their store.

I recently found a good time to sign up with a promo code. With a monthly subscription, I got 100 points-$10 right off the bat! This paid me back for the first month AND I will still get to review the products I receive.

I already spent the $10. Birchbox releases limited edition boxes of their favorite products. Here's a link to the latest release. Limited Edition Birchbox Finds The box is $18 and contains $55 worth of products so while that is a good deal, I didn't see anything I had to have. I was going to pass on this box until I signed up and received the 100 points. I also found a promo code for free shipping: BBSHOP I was able to purchase this box with my points, enter the promo code for free shipping, and get this box on it's way for $8! Now that is a deal I couldn't walk away from!

Biore 1 Minute Masks	$6.49
Rimmel London Stay Glossy 3D	$4.99
Nivea Kiss of Care & Color	$4.99
John Frieda Frizz Ease Oil Elixir	$8.49
Covergirl  Bombshell Mascara	$8.99
Covergirl Shineshadow	$6.99
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure	$6.48
TOTAL	$47.42

The total is a little bit less than what Birchbox estimates but I'm impressed that it's not a bigger difference. Every single one of these products are full size! If you want to know about any of these Birchbox Finds, leave me a comment! I am a little curious though, did everyone get these exact colors? Essentially, I got a subscription box AND the Limited Edition Birchbox Finds Box for a total of $18! That is the original price of the Birchbox Finds Box by itself! I am pumped.

Typically, people compare Ipsy and Birchbox. After getting more information about the points system, I think the subscriptions are completely different. Even though they are the same price, both have very strong qualities, which go in different directions. I can accumulate points, look for good deals, and keep my eye out for promo codes to get the most out of Birchbox. I could potentially get free products plus my monthly subscription!

If you want to see what Birchbox and their point system has to offer, use my referral link. If you use my link, I will get 50 points and you will not have to wait on an invitation! You can sign up immediately!

What was your experience with Birchbox? Do you use your points? Are you saving them up for something special? Check back later for the review of my first ever Birchbox!

XOXO,
The Redheaded Life

Beauty Box 5 February 2014

Ok, I am finally getting around to these last couple boxes. I suppose it's hard for me to write about them because I am just not too excited about them.

First off, I should say that this box has extremely loyal followers and the majority of their subscribers are pleased month after month. So, this box might just not be my cup of tea. However, I will get a March box to give it a fair shot.

Hmm....Beauty Box 5, what can I say? This box was recommended highly on the internet. It was really hard to find any complaints but I do have a theory about that after this month. I got a couple coupons, I used one. I am waiting for a good sale to use the others. This box is $12 a month and comes in a relatively small box. There are minor variations from subscriber to subscriber. In some unboxings, I noticed that the nail duo color varied and that there were a couple alternatives to the Aveeno body wash.

Okay, can you see what I got? I got some Elizabeth Mott mascara, Aveeno body wash, Rockstar nail caviar duo, John Freida shampoo & conditioner samples, and a couple coupons. I did use the coupon to Mynamenecklace. The coupon was for $10 off with promo code: BEAUTYGIFT The site never charges shipping from what I can see. I did use the coupon so I will include it in my box break down. However, that also means that I can say I paid $26.95 for the box this month. 

I ordered a monogrammed sterling silver bracelet with the coupon. I do really like the bracelet. Monogramming is very "in" right now and getting something personalized for only $14.95 (including shipping) was in fact a good deal in my opinion.

The Rockstar polish duo-the color is cute and pretty but felt like a cheap formula, almost plastic. The caviar is not really my thing. I did try a cute black and teal manicure, but it was ugly so I immediately took it off. Beauty Box 5 made this product the "feature" product this month and it was February's sneak peak. Beauty Box 5 was intentionally misleading concerning this product. These bottles are most definitely full size. However, the printed cards said full size retailed for $14.99. This duo does not cost $14.99. A set of four polishes, four caviars, and a caviar funnel retails for $14.99. Companies trying to be sneaky is really off putting. 

I have received the mascara before through Ipsy and have yet to try it.

The shampoo & conditioner is the volumizing version. My hair needs no extra volume. These were foil samples and there were two of each. In addition to the samples, a $2 off coupon was also attached to each set. So, there was a coupon total of $4 on these samples. I haven't used these coupons so they will not increase the product value for this post.

Here's what my box was worth:

Elizabeth Mott Mascara	$8.48
Rockstar Nail Duo	$3.74
Shampoo & Conditioner	$0.82
Aveeno Body Wash	$0.87
Mynamenecklace	$24.95
TOTAL:	$38.86

With my bracelet, I paid $26.95 for this box and it ended up being worth $38.86. The Mynamenecklace coupon and bracelet really saved this box. I did not get the bracelet with the box, I placed a separate order and waited until the bracelet came in. When it came in, coupon codes for 10% off were included. Those codes were: NOW10 or SAVE10 

Do you want to see a picture of the bracelet? Leave me a comment and I will gladly put it up for you! Do you think you will try this subscription out? If you do, use my referral link. I am not sure what the rewards program is for this box but I'm sure it would benefit me slightly! Until next time!

XOXO,

The Redheaded Life

Ipsy February 2014

How was everyone's Valentine's Day? Mine was pretty good and I was in a great mood all day!

Today's topic of blog is Ipsy! I have been an Ipsy subscriber since August 2013 and this subscription literally makes me feel as if I am multiplying my money. I have been more excited about some products than others but I have never been disappointed.

February's Ipsy glambag theme was, "The Look of Love". It's for Valentine's day, get it? Ok, so kind of comical and not too original but still cute. Being a redhead, I was terrified of a Valentine's theme bag because a Valentine theme makes people think of PINK and RED. I don't know if any of you all know any redheads or are redheads yourselves, but those colors typically make us cringe. So, while the general population of Ipsy subscribers couldn't wait, I was really apprehensive.

Here is what came in my shiny pink bubble envelope:

1. Zoya Nail Polish in Odette-0.5 fl. oz. (full size)
2. Jcat Eyelashes in EL15-1 ct. (full size)
3. City Color Be Matte Blush in Fresh Melon-0.314 oz. (full size)
4. Mally Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Liner in Starshine-0.04 oz (full size)
5. Pop Beauty Pout Plump in Peony Petal-0.14oz (deluxe sample)
6. Ipsy Makeup bag 

I think that's a  pretty good picture. Can you see that blush? Man, that was a scary color for a redhead to pull out of a makeup bag. Some people trade their samples personally through the mail, but not me (I might consider it if I had a good friend who wanted to trade every now and then), I like to see how colors work and play with them. So, I opened it, it smelled really good and my idea is that I can pull this stuff off with a pale lip and a natural eye. Does anyone else have a better idea? How would you make that color work for yourself? I'm excited because I would never buy that color for myself so it'll be fun. However, if I get much more of those colors, I might knock down my quiz to not that adventurous in the makeup realm.

I mention quiz because Ipsy tries to personalize bags but at the same time, make no promises. Honestly since I feel like I'm getting a bag of such worth, I never have a problem handing down some makeup items to good friends. Here's what my Ipsy bag was worth this month:

Zoya Polish	$9.00
Jcat Lashes	$3.99
City Color Blush	$2.99
Mally Liner	$15.00
Pop Gloss	$8.00
Makeup Bag	???
TOTAL:	$38.98

I am most excited about the Zoya polish, I have found that keeping my nails polished makes them so much stronger and Zoya is a brand I have came to appreciate! If you are thinking about ordering some Zoya polish, use code: IPSYZP4 this code is for buy 2, get 1 nail polish and a free 1 oz remover.

As you can see, I definitely got more than I paid for. I love Ipsy and that is why. Now do you understand?  It's an investment that always pays off! Do you want to know more about any of my Ipsy items this month? Leave me a comment and I'll get back to you!

If you would like to join me on ipsy and subscribe to the Glam Bag you could help me out by using my referral link! You will get 4-5 beauty products every month delivered to your door, for just $10!!!

In addition to the products, you will always get a makeup bag! These can accumulate so I'm going to start having to get creative with how I use them! How do you use extra makeup bags that you have accumulated?

XOXO,
The Redheaded Life

Beauty Army February 2014

Happy Valentine's Day! My subscription boxes have all rolled in and I am trying to figure out the order I want to tell you about them. Oh, I think I'll tell you about Beauty Army first because I am thoroughly excited about it! Beauty Army is a fully customizable box, you set up your sampling profile and then you select every single sample you receive. I believe they come up with nine choices, and you pick six! I've only received one box, but for now, I am excited about it! Here's where you can see my kit on Beauty Army's site!

I'll start by telling you what I picked:

1. Amlactin Mosturizing Body Lotion-2 oz.
2. Nelson Argan Oil 7 in 1 Mon-Foaming Shampoo-1 oz.
3. bhcosmectics California Collection-3 mini pans
4. EVERY beauty Makeup Remover Pads-5 ct. but I will cut them in half
5. Remington Suede Head Wraps-2 ct.
6. Vidal Sassoon Repair and Finish Spray-5.07 oz. (full size)

Now I'll show you!

Beauty Army actually has a couple really cool features that are very different from any other subscription service that I have came across. The first of which being that you get to pick your samples! This is really cool, there are a lot of complainers out there and it's nice that Beauty Army actually cares what you want so that you are completely satisfied. Second, they tell you exactly how big each of the samples are when you are picking them. I know some people really enjoy sampling higher end items for the fact that the items are kind of a luxury that most could not regularly afford. Me? I like to get my money's worth, so more than one use out of a sample is what I'm after. Third, you can keep an active subscription and SKIP a month! Don't like what shows up for you? You don't have to pay for a box that month! There is no guess work. I would think that also motivates Beauty Army to get some good sample choices so people actually pick them! Last, the box. See the box that my items are in? The white box with the pink camp inside? So cute. I am totally considering it a bonus item because it is a good size to keep stuff in. and they actually go through great lengths to make sure it gets to you unharmed.

Remember when I wrote about all my current subscription boxes? Well I told you that Beauty Army was $12 a month. Here's what it was worth!

Nelson J Argan Oil 7 in 1	$2.75
Amlactin Moisturizing Lotion	$2.62
Remington Braided Headwraps	$7.25
Every Beauty Remover Pads	$1.29
bhcosmetics California Collection	$3.00
Vidal Sassoon Finish and Repair	$4.00
TOTAL	$20.91

I know these aren't the most high value items but I know I will use every single one of them! I will actually probably use them all up as well! I am satisfied because I got a say in what I wanted. I completely feel like I got my money's worth! The thing that I'm most excited to try is the Nelson Argan Oil 7 in 1. I love multi-purpose items and this specific one is a shampoo, conditioner, detangler, argan oil shine, color sealer, smooth serum, and a pre-styling lotion. All seven of those are things that I would regularly use separately!

If you want to know more about any of these products, leave me a comment! I would recommend that everybody sign up for Beauty Army. There is only one downside, since they are revamping of sorts, there is no referral or rewards program currently. I really believe they are working on one as it says there is one in their FAQ's. In my opinion, Beauty Army is a go! Check it out and let me know what you think! Are you going to subscribe?

XOXO,

The Redheaded Life

Pacifica Products and Promos

*update* The lip quenches are amazing!!! I will review them on their own in the weeks to come!

I got my Ipsy bag! Yay! I know I've mentioned Ipsy before, it's a subscription service that is only $10 and you get 4-5 "samples" from beauty brands every month! I put the word sample in quotations because with Ipsy, a lot of the time you get full-size products that are worth much more than $10 by themselves! I will review and break down my Ipsy bag by price later this month. If you would like to join me on Ipsy and subscribe to the Glam Bag you can by using my referral link! Michelle Phan curates the bags! Check it out!

Ipsy not only sends you samples, the brands they partner with usually offer exclusive promo codes for that month's featured brands! I usually check out the brands searching for extra good deals. I have found several over the course of my subscription, but this month I found one I am particularly giddy about! The brand is Pacifica and they are a 100% Vegan-Cruelty free beauty brand. 

They are currently running a promotion for buy 2, get 1 free lip products. I checked out the lip products and found these tinted lip quench products that are $7.00 a piece. I wasn't convinced that I wanted them so I explored the site a little more and found that if you sign up for the e-mail list, they will send you an offer for a free gift. I put my name on the list and received a promo code for a free Guava Berry lip quench with a purchase of $25 or more! I also noticed that you get a free sample of a solid perfume on orders of $30 or more.  So I decided that was my target: $30! It should also be noted that at $50 you get free shipping.

Here's what the Ipsy/Pacifica offer was this month, 20% off ANY purchase. So with all that knowledge, now we're cooking. I knew I had to get two lip products-which would qualify me for the third, free lip product. The lip quenches are right up my alley in terms of beauty so I added the Coconut Nectar and the Sugared Fig lip quench. I chose the Vanilla Hibiscus lip quench as my free lip product. I needed to spend $16 more to hit my target so I added a Blood Orange Take me there set which included a Blood Orange lip quench, lotion, and a roll-on perfume. I got all five lip quenches! I had a total of $32 in my cart. I chose the Hawaiian Ruby Guava solid perfume free sample, added the promo code for my free guava berry lip quench, and added the Ipsy promo code: ipsy20 for 20% off.

Here's what I got and what it was worth:

CN Lip Quench	$7.00
SF Lip Quench	$7.00
VH Lip Quench	$7.00
GB Lip Quench	$7.00
BO Lip Quench	$9.00
BO Travel Lotion	$7.00
BO Roll-on	$12.00
HRG Solid	$3.00
Shipping	$5.95
TOTAL:	$64.95

Here's what I paid:

Basket Total	$32.00
Free Gift	$0.00
Free Sample	$0.00
ipsy20	$(6.40)
Ebates	$(0.58)
Shipping	$5.95
TOTAL:	$30.97

I got 52% off! My Ebates cash back was finalized (*side note-if you create an Ebates account and make a purchase of $25 or more, you get a $10 gift card of your choice*)! So, the total that I paid went down even more! I wanted to get this up while these promos and discounts are still available.  It's definitely worth a try!

Give it a try! Let me know what you purchase and what coupons work for you! How much did you pay? Make sure you follow this blog for more goodies and deals!

XOXO,
The Redheaded Life

All about Influenster

It's Groundhog Day! However, there's a huge snow storm outside. I think I could've made my own, "Winter is not over" prediction! What does everyone think of the prediction? I'm ok with it! If you can't beat them then join them, right?

While it's the beginning of the month, there's not too much shopping wise going on for me. The stores are packed the first week of the month and while I like people, I'm not too fond of crowds. Today I want to share a little bit about Influenster. I've linked to the about section because it will do a better job of explaining Influenster than I ever could.

I want to tell you about my experience with Influenster. Influenster has multiple different programs throughout the year. They call their programs a Voxbox. I joined Influenster July 10, 2012. Since I have been a part of Influenster, I have participated in three Voxbox programs. These Voxboxes have been:  College Voxbox '12, Slimfast Sexy Summer Voxbox, and the Violet Voxbox. Here's the cool thing, each of the Voxboxes I have received have been packed full of products to try and review through social media outlets and through the Inluenster community itself. You can link your Influenster account to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Foursquare, Pinterest, Youtube, and yep-you guessed it, your personal blog.

I've received pens, candy, press on nails, Slimfast, hair products, hair accessories, make up, nail polish, skincare-all for free, all from Influenster. Now these things all seem pretty relevant to me and my lifestyle. This is the innovative aspect of Influenster. You  complete surveys and gain expert and life style badges based on who you are. Influenster does not waste my time ever. To give you an example, upon joining, I got to choose five expert badges. My expert badges are : Decorator, Tastebud, Mosquito, Eco, and Beauty Queen. Here's a little more information about my badges-decorator is about home decor, tastebud is food and drink, mosquito is camping and outdoor type things, eco is recyclables and green products, and beauty queen is where the make up lovers go. See, I mentioned I had a wide array of interests. Lifestyle badges are unlimited and can range from "I voted badges, to bookworm, to dog lovers.

When you receive products from Influenster, there are very few required tasks. The tasks are to check in your Voxbox when it is received and then after the testing period is complete-do a broad survey on the products you received. However, when you fully utilize Influenster and review the products through the social media channels, your score goes up (which increases the chances to participate in more and more Voxbox programs) and there is an opportunity to win prize packs from the brands tested. I have not won any prizes to date but my fingers are crossed!

Influenster is not for females only. There are badges that are for the men and as you can see, a couple of my badges would also be appealing to men as well as women. In fact, this past November, Influenster had a campaign to attract more male members titled Movember. Influenster is after a broad community so when companies want feedback about their products, Influenster can get into some depth with the proper target market. This is when I might geek out a tiny bit about the marketing aspect of this. It is genius,  I love it and I wish in addition to testing the products, I could see some of the data that Influenster acquires.

If you are interested in joining the Influenster community, I have a few invites-so you can immediately join, otherwise you have to wait on an invitation. You can leave your e-mail in the comments or message it to me somehow since I'm still getting the hang of all this. I encourage you because I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the Influenster nation. You never know what you will get to try out! If you don't want to join, next time I am invited to a Voxbox program I will happily share my experience and the product reviews with you!

XOXO,
The Redheaded Life

      

Get to know me and my blog!

Who's going to gain a legion of loyal followers without establishing a little credibility and sharing about themselves? No one. With that being said, I am dedicating my very first post (hopefully not my last) to that, so here goes nothing. I live in Oklahoma and I do not drive. Therefore, I do a lot of online shopping but I do get out every now and then to see what the brick and mortar has to offer. Usually I am disappointed, but nonetheless, I find some good stuff-things that make me happy. That's why I'm here. I want to share my triumphs with YOU. Yes, you. I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets excited about these things, so I invite you to share with me, as I will share with you.

I graduated college with a B.B.A. in Marketing and have a minor in Professional Sales. That being said, I do not have a lot of money to throw around. I like to make what I do have last and really get the most out of it. I do this by doing a bit of research. I use a couple sites frequently that I will gladly share with you. I will only tell you about three today since there will be plenty of time to share the rest.

The first I will tell you about is Ebates. Ebates has a few commercials so you have probably heard of them but are unsure if they are credible or not. Let me tell you, they are completely legitimate and the whole process is really interesting. Ebates has hundreds of stores that participate with them and if you do a lot of online shopping, it is a community you must be a part of. For every purchase you make, if you complete the purchase through an Ebates link, you get cash back. Essentially, you get paid to shop. They have several different ways to get the cash back such as donate to charity, through paypal, or you can opt for them to send you a check (if your cash back is $5 or more) quarterly. I opt for a big fat check and a few days ago, They gave me the option to immediately redeem for an Amazon e-gift card. Amazon is a site I frequent (I will talk about it shortly), so I took them up on the offer and successfully used the balance on a purchase yesterday.

The next website/store that I want to share my love for is Ulta. Ulta is a beauty store and they are definitely a go to for me due to their coupons, special offers, and rewards program. I have included a link to the earning page of the rewards program. Here's my tip: redeem your rewards at the 250/350/450/etc. balances. Here's why: 100 points=$3.00, which means that every 50 points would be equivalent, to $1.50. However, at the 250 point mark, the reward is $8.00, but when you add it up in 50 point increments, The reward would only be $7.50. You get $0.50 extra if you redeem at 250/350/450, I realize that's not a lot but it is how to maximize Ulta rewards. The entire reward system is consistent with that. It's also worth mentioning the special weeks, birthday months, and promotions where you can take advantage of up to 5X the points.

The last site that I will talk about today is Amazon. Who doesn't love Amazon? Amazon has recently upped their free shipping offer. The offer used to be free shipping on Amazon fulfilled purchases over $25, now the offer is free shipping of Amazon fulfilled purchases over $35 dollars. However, Amazon offers several programs to make purchases even more affordable such as Prime, deals of the day, AND coupons. Yes, Amazon has coupons! With all coupons, some are better than others. Recently, I got 2.00 a Kotex product and got the 24 count wipes for a little over $2.00-shipped, that was a good coupon! Could I have gotten it cheaper? Yes, some people have in fact, by opting in for "subscribe and save" and being Prime members. I am not a prime member, nor have I played around with subscribe and save but the deal I got was good enough for me. I'm not always out for the best deal. If it's a good deal and convenient, I am usually sold.

Hopefully, I have communicated what I want to do. I hope even more, that you enjoy it and are interested enough to give me some opinions, share your stories, share my blog with your friends, and get to know me even more! Stay in touch for good deals, freebies, product testing communities, and subscription boxes. I look forward to next time!

XOXO,
The Redheaded Life