I have received my 2nd VoxBox since joining Influenster!  If you’ve not yet signed up for Influenster, you totally should!  You take a few simple surveys (not even surveys really – just completing information about yourself like whether you have a YouTube account and would be willing to share a video of yourself opening a VoxBox or whether or not you interact with others on a daily basis, that kind of thing).  When you qualify for a VoxBox, you’ll receive a notification via email.  Shortly thereafter, you’ll receive a box filled with goodies for you to keep, try and give your feedback on.  Fun, right!?

So, this time, I received the Mom VoxBox.  And, I loved it!  Here’s what I received in my box:

Quaker Soft Baked Oatmeal Cookie
This was the first thing I tried! (Duh! hehe)  I was really very surprised by how flavorful and homemade it tasted.  At 170 calories each, I wouldn’t want to eat more than one for a quick snack and I don’t think they’re filling enough for a breakfast but it was definitely tasty.  Of course, it is made with wheat, soy, milk and that dreaded egg… so it’s a no-buy for our household anyway.  I had to wait until baby girl was in bed to sneak it as a late night snack.  But, if allergies aren’t holding you back – I’m sure your family would love these soft, crumbly cookies!  You can buy a box of 6 for around $2.69 in most places.

imPRESS Press-On Manicure by Broadway Nails
This was the second item I tried and I have mixed feelings on them.  I have always known press on nails to look very fake and to pop off way too easily so I didn’t have any kind of unrealistic hopes when I tried them on. 

They were very easy to apply – though you may need to do some strategic planning about which nails to apply last.  It can get a little tricky once you start getting all your nails on!  I had to remove one to straighten it out and it did provide quite a bit of resistance but not so much that it hurt to remove it.  It went back on with no problem, but it was the first to pop off the next day.  I also found if you cover a bit of your cuticle, those will be the first to pop off as well. 

The package states they can last up to a week.  Maybe… if you are sleeping for a week.  The first set lasted me about a day and a half before I decided to remove them because I was tired of replacing them.  However, I had still planned on giving them a positive review because for just $5.99-$7.99, you can grab yourself a full set of professional looking nails for a night out or a special occasion!  And, that is exactly what I did!

I had a wedding to go to this past weekend and wanted to look my best but didn’t want to pay $30+ for a full set of nails that would take 2 hours to put on (I don’t have that kind of time!) and may last two weeks but then require another $30+ and another hour or so for maintenance.  So, I swung by CVS, picked up some beautiful hot pink nails and put them on that morning!  Sadly, they kept popping off all day… at the restaurant, at the store (one went flying at the cashier… embarrassing!!) and at home. 

I don’t know what the difference was between the first set and the second.  Perhaps it was because I was out in the heat more with the second set or perhaps I had lotion on my nails.  Maybe a quick swipe of rubbing alcohol across each nail would have been a good idea.  Either way, the entire set was off and in the trash before the wedding.  The only good thing I can say about that set, then was that they come in this cute little fingernail polish-like bottle that flips open so you can carry extras with you.  Because you’ll need them!  They did look great while they lasted though!

Stash Tea Superfruits Tea Sampler & Nektar Sweetener

Okay, I have already tried the Stash Green Tea and unfortunately, I’m just not a big fan of green tea.  But, these were the “Superfruits” so I went through the varieties offered and picked out the one I thought I’d not like least of all.  I chose the Blueberry Superfruit.  It is a caffeine free herbal tea.  Strike 2.  I want my caffeine! hehe  Still, I made myself a cup.

While I was waiting for the water to heat up, I checked out these little packets of sweetener that came with the tea.  It’s called Nektar and it’s basically little honey granules.  How awesome is that?!  It’s honey… without the mess!  Oh, if only I could find a way to use this on my kids’ chicken nuggets!  ha!  Anyway, I dipped a moistened finger in the packet and yep – it’s honey!  Very tasty, too, I might add.  Genius idea!

After my water was hot enough for the tea, I tasted it without the Nektar first and wow – it wasn’t gross!  I poured a packet of Nektar in and it supplied just the right about of sweetness.  You know – I drank almost that entire cup of tea?!  So, I was wrong… I admit it.  I now like Stash Tea.  Or, at least the Blueberry Superfruit (even if it is sans caffeine).  In fact, I plan to enjoy another cup tonight!  Luckily, this sample box has 3 packets of each flavor.  There are 6 flavors in all: Acai Berry Herbal, Blueberry Superfruit Herbal, Yumberry Blackcurrant Herbal, Goji Berry Green, Mangosteen Green, and Pomegranate Raspberry Green.  Who knows?  I may even try one of those, too!

Ivory Bar Soap

Now, I’ve been a fan of Ivory since I was little.  I had sensitive skin and if I remember right, it was the only soap my mother could use on me.  I know it is the only soap my niece could use when she was younger.  It is very gentle, smells great and cleans well! 

What I didn’t know were how many uses there are for Ivory Bar Soap!  Did you know you can use it to make your own liquid soap, as a laundry detergent or as an instant make-up brush cleanser?  Check out Influenster’s post on for instructions on these ideas plus ideas on how to make fun crafts for the kids with Ivory!

Oh!  And, check out the fun soap carvings Ivory has listed on their Facebook page, including this whale!  I’m not very artsy and would likely end up doing what they say NOT to do in step 3 but this does look like a fun project!

DenTek Comfort Clean & Fun Flossers

I love these things!  They are effective, comfortable to use and convenient!  They make helping my children floss so much simpler, too!  I can’t exactly fit my hands in their tiny little mouths to floss for them (nor would I want to!) but having just the right amount of floss stretched out between two points makes helping them easy and nearly fuss-free!  Another ingenious idea, if you ask me! 

The Original Dish Drying Mat

This is the one thing from my VoxBox I have not yet used.  I use my dishwasher for almost everything.  But, I do plan to use it for when we clean and dry items that are not dishwasher friendly.  You can find it at Bed, Bath & Beyond for just $4.99 and is said to have multiple uses in addition to being a drying mat for dishes or delicate stemware.  They suggest placing it under your kitchen appliances such as your mixer or blender to help protect your counter top from scratches.  The mat can be folded and stored easily and is machine washable.  It is said to be able to hold 4 times its weight in water!

So, there you have it!  All of my VoxBox goodies and what I thought of them!  Have you tried any of these products?  I’d love to hear your thoughts also.  Please let me know in the comments below!