Trying to live a healthy/eco friendly lifestyle can be challenging and extremely expensive. But thanks to Influenster, a website where you can try out products for free and review them, I got a little taste of this lifestyle. If you would like to join me on Influenster, click HERE for my referral link.

This healthy and eco friendly box of goodies from Influenster was called the Sprout Voxbox. I am not too sure why I qualified for this box, but I sure am happy I did! When I first saw that I was receiving this box, I was a little perplexed. What did different brands of shampoo/conditioner, chips, protein powder, snack bar, and laundry detergent, have in common? Then it clicked, they were all eco-friendly and healthy products!

Inside my Sprout Voxbox I received the following products:

• Clairol Hair Food Honey Apricot Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner
• Eatsmart Three Bean Spicy Black Bean Tortilla Chips
• Ecos Hypoallergenic Magnolia and Lily Laundry Detergent
• Orgain Organic Vanilla Bean Protein Powder
• Curate Dark and Tempting Balsamic Fig and Hazelnut Bar

When I saw the Clairol Hair Food Honey Apricot Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner in the Sprout Voxbox, I was extremely excited. I had heard a lot of good things about Hair Food products, and it was on my list of hair products to try. Now that I've tried it, I now see and understand all the hype. First off, the shampoo smells amazing! I really loved the honey apricot scent, however the conditioner did not have as rich as a smell as the shampoo did. With the shampoo, a little amount goes a long way. It will get all sudsy and feel amazing in your hair, but sadly the conditioner did not have the same effect. With my hair type, I always end up needing to use more conditioner than shampoo in order to get soft brilliant hair. Both the shampoo and conditioner will feel amazing and give you softer and shinier hair.

My absolute favorite item in the Sprout Voxbox was the Eatsmart Three Bean Spicy Black Bean Tortilla Chips. Not only are these chips a delicious snack they are also a guilt free tortilla chip. One serving contains 14g of whole grains and 2g of fiber, plus they are gluten-free and made with non-GMO ingredients. These chips are great to snack on alone, especially if you want something crunchy with a spicy kick. Or if you want to indulge, pair these chips with salsa, guacamole or even a queso dip. Honestly I want to buy another bag of these chips so I can make some guilt free nachos. These chips are great for all the health conscious eaters out there who want or need something spicy in their life.

You know you are officially becoming a real adult when you get excited about getting a new kind of laundry detergent... Because I was so excited to see the Ecos Hypoallergenic Magnolia and Lily Laundry Detergent in my Sprout Voxbox. The magnolia and lily scent smells really good, and it makes your clothes smell very fresh and clean. The sample was enough for one of my giant loads and what I really loved about this detergent is that a little goes a long way. Once the entire sample was poured into the washing machine the water got all sudsy. Most of the liquid detergents I generally use do not get as sudsy and tend to be watered down. This one did not! It cleaned my clothes a lot better than my normal detergent. Plus I love how the Ecos detergent came with built in fabric softener, my clothes were super soft when they came out of the wash.

Every once and a while, I like to make a shake or smoothie for a quick and filling breakfast. So getting to try the Orgain Organic Vanilla Bean Protein Powder was a great opportunity, especially since I have never tried protein powder before. Since I have never had a protein shake, I was not quite sure what to expect. I used the vanilla bean flavored powder to make a shake, and I paired it some whole milk and ice and blended it. Overall, it tasted okay. It was not a strong vanilla taste but it was not bad at all. I would get little chunks of powder in every occasional sip, but that was probably my fault for not blending it very well. What I really loved about this protein powder is that it is made from organic plant protein, so it is vegetarian and vegan friendly. It is also dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO. If I try this powder again, I think I would want to try the chocolate flavor next.

And the last item in the Sprout Voxbox was the Curate Dark and Tempting Balsamic Fig and Hazelnut Bar. Honestly, I was not a huge fan of this snack/granola bar. This flavor has too much going on. The combination of the balsamic vinegar, mission figs, hazelnuts, sunflower kernels, quinoa, almond butter, whole oats, brown sugar and orange is overwhelming. The taste is odd and it is very dry. This flavor is the perfect bar to eat while you're on a diet because it will suppress your appetite. However, I really love the idea behind the Curate brand, they're made with real food ingredients to create a filling and healthy snack. This flavor was not a big success for me, but maybe one of their other flavors will be a lot tamer for my tastebuds.

There you have it, those were all the products in my Sprout Voxbox. Thank you Influenster for the opportunity to try out some of these goodies! Influnester sent me these items free of charge to test and provide feedback, and all of these opinions are my own honest feedback. I was somewhat heathy and more eco savvy for one day. Who knows maybe this is the start of a lifestyle change?!

Until next time.

If you're anything like me, you're most likely daydreaming about traveling around the world or mentally preparing your next vacation. Well, for all the makeup lovers out there with a case of wanderlust, ipsy's May Glam Bag was made especially with you in mind.

In honor of the "Destination Chic" theme for the month of May, I decided to take my Glam Bag on my latest trip to New York City! And yes I did test every product while I was on vacation!

Out of all the Glam Bags I have received from ipsy this one was the most cohesive. The Glam Bag itself was made perfectly for traveling. The print was bright and had famous landmarks from all over the world, like the Statue of Liberty and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Plus the bag was on the bigger side, so you could fit all, or almost all, of you beauty products. And for the first time in forever the products inside the bag went with the theme! Well for the most part... But even the promo card that comes along with Glam Bag fit perfectly with the theme, it was an actual postcard! You could even mail back the postcard to ipsy and tell them where you were from and what products you liked inside your Glam Bag.

Inside my Glam Bag were the following products:

• Mellow Cosmetics Creamy Matte Lipstick in Nude
• Eva NYC Hungry Hair Oil Treatment
• Jersey Shore Cosmetics Lavender Moisture Rich Balm
• AURORA Gel Effect Nail Polish in Safety Orange
• Smashbox Cosmetics X-Rated Mascara

I was happy to find the Mellow Cosmetics Creamy Matte Lipstick in Nude because I always love to pack a lipstick or two when I go on vacation. Normally, I am not a huge fan of nude shades, but this one surprised me. This nude has pink undertones, perfect for my complexion, and it is a flattering color. It's not too dark and not too light. This matte lipstick is long lasting, has an amazing texture, and is also very hydrating. It is the perfect lipstick to take on vacation because of its every day color and hydrating quality. Bringing a lipstick that dries out your lips when you're traveling is no fun at all. Plus, a nude shade that compliments your complexion or even a hydrating matte lipstick can be tricky to find, I lucked out with the Mellow Matte Lipstick.

Whenever I'm traveling, I always like to bring extra hair products just in case. Why you ask? Well who knows how some hotels' shampoo or conditioner will work on my hair. You'll always find shampoo, conditioner, hair oil, hair cream, or hairsprays in my travel bag. And now I have a new hair oil to add to my collection, the Eva NYC Hungry Hair Oil Treatment. This hair oil has a great formula loaded with with Argan Oil, which has the vitamins A & E and omegas 3, 6, and 9 that your hair needs to be healthy and strong. It also has Keravis Protein, which will strengthen your hair and protect your hair from heat damage. The only downside to this particular hair oil is that if you put too much on your hair, it will get greasy. But on the upside, a little oil will go a long ways plus it smells really good!

Wherever you go, lip balm is essential to carry around, you never know when or where your lips will get chapped. So the Jersey Shore Cosmetics Lavender Moisture Rich Balm ideally was a great addition to the Destination Chic Glam Bag! One can never have enough lip balm! However, I was not a huge fan of this lip balm. The scent and taste of the lavender is really strong. But, it does keep your lips soft and moisturized. And it does feel very good on the lips. Another thing I really do not like about this lip balm is the price. On the Jersey Shores Cosmetics website, this lip balm costs $10. That price for a lip balm is kind of outrageous. I can't imagine paying $10 for a little lip balm, especially when you can purchase an Eos or Maybelline Baby Lips lip balm for a significantly cheaper price.

The day has come, I finally got a repeat offender in one of my Glam Bags. Last October I received the AURORA Gel Effect Nail Polish in Inky Dinky, and what did I receive this month? The AURORA Gel Effect Nail Polish in Safety Orange of course. If you want to read my previous review on the nail polish, check out that blog post here. Personally when I travel, I do not pack nail polish, in fact I like to get a pedicure before a vacation. And if I have time, maybe I will paint my nails before hand. So before my trip to New York City, I used the AURORA nail polish to paint my nails. This time, I buffed and filled my nails before painting them and that helped the nail polish stay on maybe a day longer than last time. The bright orange is a gorgeous color but the formula does not last for long and will chip easily.

Whenever I'm traveling or on the go, I like to stick a mini/travel size mascara in my purse. I can't tell you how many times I have forgotten to pack mascara in my suitcase and then rejoice when I remember I keep a spare in my purse. I received a mini version of the Smashbox Cosmetics X-Rated Mascara in my Destination Chic Glam Bag. Finding a mini version product from a high end brand like Smashbox in one of the Glam Bags always makes me excited and happy, because these are the products I want to try and I will most likely buy. What I love most about this mascara is the brush itself. Let's be honest, the mascara itself is very creamy and can smudge very easily. But with the brush the mascara becomes flawless and gives you gorgeous long lashes.

Overall, I would give this Glam Bag 3.5 stars out of 5. Not too shabby, but also not that great. The big win in this Glam Bag was the cohesiveness with the theme and the products. Sure one or two did not fit well, but for the most part this was the most cohesive theme ipsy has ever done within the past two years I have been a member. The big standouts in this bag were the lipstick, the hair oil and the mascara. Can't wait to see what is in store for the June Rebel Rebel Glam Bag!

Until next time.

The temperature is heating up and that can only mean one thing, summer is just around the corner. But there are a few places in the world where summer is the season year round. One place that comes to mind is Miami, especially Miami Beach.

If you are from or familiar with Miami you would know that Miami and Miami Beach are two separate cities. Miami is the main land while Miami Beach is one long island. Most of the main attractions that tourists want to see are in Miami Beach (aka South Beach), but Downtown Miami is growing thanks to the hipster and fashionista movements in the Wynwood and Design districts, as well as all the success of the sports teams like the Heat and Marlins.

But if you plan on visiting Miami and staying for only a short amount of time, don't worry about missing out. Start with the basics and most importantly you must see South Beach. If you go to Miami and do not step foot in South Beach, did you really go to Miami? Here are some of the attractions you have to see and do, especially if it is your first time there.

Go To The Beach! Miami Beach has some of the best beaches in the United States. The sand is white, and so soft, it feels like your feet are walking on powder. The water is a bright blue, that kind of bright blue you fantasize about in the middle of winter. To make it even better the water is also the perfect temperature, not too warm and not too cold. The temperature in Miami is always hot and it can get very muggy, so the best place to spend your time is on the beach. Air conditioning may feel nice, but a dip in the Atlantic Ocean is much more refreshing. Everyone goes to South Beach for their beach time in Miami, especially if their hotel is inland. So if the beach is your main priority check out Mid Beach. It's not as crowded as South Beach and just as nice, plus some hotels are significantly cheaper. You can find a great deal for a hotel on the ocean in Mid Beach.

Shop or Eat at Lincoln Road. Some locals will call this Lincoln Road Mall, but it is nothing like your standard American mall. It is an outdoor road filled with all your favorite stores and a variety of restaurants to try! There are several fruit stands and venders to check out and see as well. If you want to do a little souvenir shopping, Lincoln Road is your best bet. It is also a great place to spend the day, walk around and do some people watching. There's always something interesting going on at Lincoln Road.

Take a Stroll Through the Art Deco Historic District. If you love to admire bright and brilliant architecture from the 1920s-1940s, then the Art Deco Historic District should be on the top of your list. There are over 800 historic buildings with a variety of architectural styles. The pastel colored buildings shine bright at night with all their neon signs. Admire all the historic and one of a kind architecture, snap a couple pictures, and maybe grab a drink at one of the famous hotels in this ever popular district!

South Beach is the perfect destination for a little rest and relaxation with some excitement on the side. It has a little bit of everything, an fun urban city with tropical beaches. The weather is gorgeous, the people are friendly, and the city is colorful. It's easy to fall in love with this city. Then again, what's not to love?

Until next time.