Merry Christmas and a Violet VoxBox Review!

Merry Christmas everyone!!! I was finally able to squeeze in some time to blog my review on the Violet Voxbox i received from Influenster a few weeks ago. Long story short (who am i kidding the story is never short with me) I had guests from New Zealand and Chicago and then a family member had surgery and I was basically a mom, maid, chauffer and caretaker all while having a full time job. Let me tell you I do not think being a mom is easy whatsoever! You get ZERO sleep. It's also very hard to be a people pleaser and get gifts for everyone on your list when your running around all the time.

Anyways on to my review!!!

This is what i received in my Violet Voxbox- also posted on my IG @misslada:

My Box:

The VioletVoxBox GOODIES!

My reviews:

1. Not Your Mothers Clean Freak Dry Shampoo:

So I am not a huge fan of dry shampooing.. I just have to wash my hair everyday otherwise i feel dirty. However i love using dry shampoo for days my hair feels flat and i need a little "oomph" to my do. You get me?

The ONLY dry shampoo I've liked before this one is Paul Mitchell Dry Wash. (You need to try this if you're a dry shampooer BTW)

Anyways i love that i finally tried a drugstore dry shampoo and actually enjoyed using it. The smell is "Fresh" and it leaves my hair with lots of volume!

I can only imagine what it does for people that need to aborb oil.

Final thoughts: Thumbs up since I know I'll be making this a staple in my bathroom. Yay drugstore products that work!

2. Goody Athletique Quick Dry hair band

I gave this one a test run and cycle..haha. I put it on threw my hair in a bun and went to the gym!

So background first. I have tried so many brands of headbands since I need these for yoga (have to keep those sweaty strands out of your face). I use headbands to keep my hair off my face, avoid pimples caused by sweat running down my face and so i can look cute (well sometimes).

I completely recommend this product if you workout, practice yoga or anything that makes you sweaty.  Although i wasn't a total fan of the color.. I did love that

1. It kept the long strands off my face.

2. Kept my ears warm on the way to the gym

3. It's not tight! The head wraps at the back of your neck and you can easily adjust and  customize to the size and tightness you need. I didn't notice i had it on till i had to go shower. Now that's impressive for a headband!

Overall: Thumbs up! YAY Goody! I will repurchase- in diff colors of course.

3. MJ Clay Spa Mask

Alright, Spa time! When i saw i got a face mask i freaked because I just LOVE Spa Masks. I love the ones from LUSH Cosmetics all the way to the ones at Target that are $1-2.

This spa mask is the kind you actually fold out and place on your face. Please note picture above.

What I did: I put on the mask for 15 minutes after a warm shower. Rinsed my face with warm water and pat dry with a soft towel.

Results: a beautiful soft, clean face with a GLOW.

AND...wait hold on. I had two breakouts a week or so ago and they had dried up and looked just terrible. However, after this mask.. the dryness just came off after i pat my face dry.

My overall thoughts: If i can purchase this reasonably under $3- then I'm down. Anything more then i would rather go to Lush. This is a GREAT product of you like the actual masks and don't want to deal with placing product on your face.

4. SoyJoy Banana Flavor

If you follow me on Twitter you know I go through seasonal phases with meal/snack replacement bars. I had seen Soyjoy at several supermarkets but was always hesitant to try them. To be honest, I'm just not a huge fan of SOY. I think it tastes great but I always feel moody when i have too much soy.

I decided to try this anyway.

Although it's not my favorite bar- I did enjoy it! Yes, the bana flavor was actually pretty appetizing. Now beware, this bar does not look that appetizing but it's actually pretty good. It wasn't dry ( even though it looked dry) and it was super fruity!

Overall thoughts: Thanks but no thanks? I liked it. I probably won't repurchase UNLESS i saw an interesting flavor or if I'm at an airport. Again, this is mainly due to the fact that I don't like putting soy in my body.

5. Triple Shine Sally Hansen Nail Polish- color: Reef-Raf

The picture above is from Influensters site, however i did try this product at the hospital. I personally LOVE Sally Hansen nail polishes so my review could be biased?

1. I did like the color i received- it was a bright, neony, coral-pink color.
2. I did apply a few (2-3) coats to get the full color payoff.
3. Very shiny and neony! Great color for summer!
4. The other colors in this line look fun for summer as well.
5. I saw the price on this- which is around $5 and I didn't make a purchase.

Okay, so yes it's a great polish and yes $5 is not that expensive. However I think that Sally Hansen should stick to the $3-$4 range.

To be honest my favorite polish from the Sally Hansen line is the Hard as Nails Xtreme wear. They are less than $3 and i love the colors they have. Esp the lilac! It's a staple in my polish collection. In fact i have purchased backups.'

Overall review: Great polish, Great formula and color. Price needs to go down so I can make the purchase. :)

All in all I am super glad i got chosen for this box and aside from the Soyjoy I was truly surprised by how much i enjoyed everything and am Excited to make purchases on most of these products. I hope my reviews helped you make a decision on spending your dollars on these great drugstore finds! :)

Please let me know if you've tried these products and what your thoughts are and if you like these types of reviews. I would love to know!

Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. All images are my own except the Not your mother's clean freak and Sally Hansen.

Neiman Marcus + Target Collaboration

Wasn't sure how many of you were as obssessed with the Neiman Marcus- target collab as i was but... Target has the ENTIRE collection on 70% off!

Finally got the remainder of the items i wanted without breaking the bank.

I still want to go back and buy more but i really don't think that's a great start to the new year.. ahem spending more money.

I'll update you all on what i bought tonight!

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1. Altuzarra Double Old Fashioned Glasses- set of 4 = $14.99 - Probably my most WANTED item from the whole collection :)

Originally $49.99 ( no way was i going to pay that.. had to order online since most stores sold out- wonder why.. they are BEAUTIFUL!)

2. Alice + Olivia Luggage = $53.99 originally 179.99

( online purchase since this was sold out in stores.. HOWEVER.. i got FREE SHIPPING and i actually need a carry on and i plan to travel this year :)) SUPER cute!

3. DVF JEWELRY BOX $14.99 originally $49.99 - sadly this may be a return, i did look through all of the boxes and thought this was the best one however i came home and saw a part of the lid had a chunk missing. Guess something hapned in shipping or the top is plainly cheap. :( i LOVE the inside though so i may make this work. sadly i only have a few days to think about it since all these products have to be returned by January 5th..

4. Rag and Bone shot glasses! $10.. ORIGINALLY $20- CURRENT PRICE: $5.99

love these... even though i am only using them as decoration right now.

5. Clothing- i have this theory that when clothing items from Designers hit Target.. at a cheaper price, they are never a good quality. Although i found cute items, including the Marc Jacobs scarf.. i found that the material was so thin it was falling apart. so i passed. Everything else has lived up and is beautiful.

To be honest i would have purchased all these items whether they were brand name or not solely based on the appearance of the items.

If you did shop the Neiman Marcus + Target collab products be sure you return any items you dont want to keep by January 5th 2013! Otherwise they won't refund the full amount you originally paid for..

Did you purchase anything from the line? if so tell me which product and if you paid full price. i would love to hear what you thought about this collaboration!

Keep it classy recessionista's!

xoxo missLada

Eating out without Breaking the Bank

I have always been the girl that saved money when eating out. Well.. in high school that is. But once i got to college and started going out with friends more often- i learned to really keep my food budget in check.- As a result i always had money to go out with friends!

Here are some ways that I've learned to save and still be able to go out with friends:

1. Eating before you go out: This helps you make healthier choices because that way you aren't thiniking aboutfilling your stomach and actually think about the taste of the food
2. Getting a box to go : Getting a to go box for a large portion helps you plan your next meal- and that's one less meal you have to cook or buy! Not only do you save time and money- but eating in smaller portions keeps your waistline in check also!
3. Groupon/Living Social/ Daily Deals: I've said it before- i have a separate email account for all these sites i use. I get daily updates on restaurants. Whether it's studio movie grill or that new restaurant I've wanted to try. Sometimes even bakeries.. I snag a 2 for one deal and use that next time i go out with friends. This is a great idea for those of you who pick up every other tab- do not do this on a first date but for those of you in relationships- the guys always love when u pick up a tab here and there.
4. Restaurant.com- I've used this just as much as I've used Groupon. In fact i used this on an anniversary dinner. I have found great restaurants this way too! You purchase a certificate for let's say a couple bucks and you get a certificate to use at a restaurant. What's great about restaurant.com is that you can find codes online to purchase these certificates. I still have 4 that i purchased all for less than $2. They are saving me at least $25-30 per check. :) Total dealeo!
5. Social-Media: Using Social Media to find specials is great. i don't know how many times in colege i got on twitter to find out deals for lunch. My favorite restaurants around school always had specials during the week. This is a great way to enjoy  your favorite restaurants and snag a deal on the meals you enjoy without breaking the bank.
6. Google- Last but not least- i like to ask my friends and Google the restaurant before i decide to go. I have learned to refuse to go to restaurants where i don't enjoy the food. Bad food is the worst. Reading a review or 10 can save you not only money but also a night of indigestion. Looking at menus before i go out helps me have an idea about what i want to order so I don't order some random dish. I never order salads- the are always very pricy compared to the other menu options and never fill me up. I almost always go for an appetizer or burger. Something like that i know I'll enjoy yet is filling for it's value.
7. Skip the dessert: although lately several restaurants have mini desserts available for a few bucks- i have been always the one who declined the dessert- even when my waiter was hot and the dessert menu was making my mouth water.. I'll grab a mint and call it a day.You can get a whole cake and have coffee or tea for half that cost- for all your friends. If you do order dessert- split it with a friend. How many of us actually have room for all that cake anyway? :)
8. Cash: I'm really awful at this one- but having cash when you go out with friends will help you split the bill and pay your part without having to pay for other people's large portions or worst their pricey drinks. I can't say enough how many times i got screwed over by ordering a appetizer and water and had to pay part of my friends beers and steaks. Having some extra cash would've definitely saved me money in the long haul.

Sticking with these few rules has always helped me stay in budget and always have money to go out! Don't let a few bad mistakes rule your life as a recessionista- you can always find a way to afford to go out. Hope you found this advice useful!

Let me know if you have any other ideas!

xoxo miss lada