My Purse Essentials

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BeHealthyforEveryPartofLife #CollectiveBias

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is already next week? I really can't. It always feels like time moves faster the closer to the end of the year it gets. I don't think the time change helps much either. Though I love stuffing my face with endless amounts of turkey and copious heaps of pie, what I'm most looking forward to is my birthday! It's after Thanksgiving and I can't wait to celebrate with friends.

I've already started thinking about what we could do, where we could eat, and what exactly I'll be packing in my purse.

I tend to carry so many things in my purse with me that I may have been referred to as a Bag Lady at one time or another. But I think we can all agree that carrying around a Mary Poppins bag can be a pain. So, I've made a handy-dandy list of all the great things I can carry around with me...in even my smallest of bags.

1.) ChapStick Total Hydration - This stuff is great! I'm a sucker for coconut so that's the one I chose, but they have different flavors. All of them are 100% natural and instantly smooths and moisturizes. It feels great. Not too sticky, mushy, or gloopy. It's the perfect ChapStick for this wintery weather (though here we're still in the 80s).

2.) Centrum VitaMints - I'm sure you've heard of Centrum vitamins before but have you heard of their new VitaMints?  VitaMints are adult multivitamins with a refreshingly minty taste you can enjoy any time of day with or without food or water. I love these because it's a 2-for-1 product. They're perfect to enjoy as an after dinner mint and you'll feel better knowing that you got your vitamins in for the day. Win, win!

3.) Advil Tablet Vial - With the colder weather inevitably comes the winter cold/flu season. I always carry some Advil around because nothing's stronger, longer lasting or better on your tough aches and pains than Advil, and nothing works on more pains than Advil (among OTC pain relievers). The vial is perfect for keeping those little round tablets in without taking up too much space. I actually found these in the travel section of WalMart. Perfect.

4.) Emergen-C Immune+ Chewables - Back to that whole cold/flu thing - you're going to want to keep your immune system up so you don't end up in bed sleeping instead of out conquering the world. These chewables are perfect because you don't need water to take them. I got the Orange Blast flavor because I always associate oranges with being healthy. These chewables allow for More Healthy Days, More Healthy Nights.

5.) Bobby Pins - I always have bobby pins on me, even when my hair is down. It's just something I keep in my purse because you never know when you want your bangs to stay out of your face.
6.) Plasters - You never know when you're going to need a plaster. Sometimes it's a paper cut or a hang nail and other times you're wearing those shoes you haven't quite broken in yet. Either way, you'll be glad you have them.
7.) Compact Mirror - They're perfect for checking your lipstick or making sure you don't have spinach in your teeth. I take one with me everywhere I go.




The great thing about all the things I usually keep in my purse is that I can find them easily at WalMart. Don't you just love how WalMart has everything? The Advil was in the travel section but everything else was by the Pharmacy aisles.

What do you have in your purse? Any of these make your list? Be sure to check out Pfizer so you can see what products will help you Be Healthy for Every Part of Life. Then come back and let me know which made the cut.

Oz Naturals - Broad Spectrum Tinted Sunscreen

*This product was received complimentary from BrandBacker but all opinions are my own.*


I've told you before that protection from the sun's UV rays is an important step in having healthy, young-looking skin. There is no easier and better way to make sure that your skin has the protection it needs. It's a little thing called sunscreen.

Sunscreen helps to block out those bad UV rays. Of course, like anything else, there are many different kinds. The one I'll be talking about today is made by Oz Naturals.

Oz Naturals use only natural and organic active ingredients in their products. If you're worried about what weird/gross things go into your skin you can feel safe knowing that by buying Oz Naturals, you're not getting anything that will do damage to your body.

This particular sunscreen is tinted to a medium brown. I would never have thought to buy a tinted sunscreen. I mean, what's the point? But after using it, I realize it's totally awesome. It blends into your skin flawlessly. You can't even tell that it was there before. No more of those embarrassing white marks that you forget to rub in properly.

You can also wear this sunscreen everyday. Why? Because it has no smell! Well, at least very little. But it goes away after a while. I love sunscreen that I can use in the winter without thinking about coconuts and sand. There is nothing sadder than daydreaming about sunshine when it's freezing cold.

Anyway, back to the sunscreen: let me ask you, what's the most important thing you want from a sunscreen?

That's right. For it not to be oily.

Let me tell you, this sunscreen is perfect! It doesn't leave your skin oily or greasy at all. It's like a lotion. After you rub it in, you can't even tell you put it on.

This sunscreen is three for three. It's got all the things I look for in a good UV blocker: no/light smell, non-oily, and bonus! it rubs flawlessly into your medium brown skin.

Winner winner!

You can buy this product on Amazon via the link below. If you decide to give it a try - let me know what you think!

Buy the sunscreen here from Amazon!

Dessange VoxBox Review

I received my third Influenster VoxBox recently and I was pleasantly surprised with its contents. I actually made a video of my unboxing which you can view below.

It's been a couple of weeks that I've been using the entire Oleo Collection so I feel good giving my opinion on this system.


First, let's get the prices out of the way. These babies are not cheap.



Dessange Paris Oleo Miracle Replenishing Shampoo - 24.23


Dessange Paris Oleo Miracle Replenishing Conditioner - 24.95


Dessange Paris Oleo Miracle Replenishing Oil  - 24.39



You're looking at a total of $73.57 if you were to buy the entire system from Amazon.

Now I want to say that I am a cheapskate. I don't spend 25$ on my hair care products. Mostly because I have to use so much of it that the money versus amount of uses just isn't worth it. I'm not adverse to paying $10 - $15 for some good products but I also have a very temperamental scalp. It flakes really easily with most shampoos and conditioners.

So under normal circumstances I would have never bought this complete system but I'm so glad that I was given a chance to try it out.

This stuff totally works.

I found that my hair was less tangled, more easy to manage, and felt ten times as soft as it usually does.

As I mentioned in the video, I'm not a fan of the scent but it's not so off-putting that I couldn't use it. I really wish it came in another scent...but oh well.

The shampoo lathers really well, rinses clean and easily. The conditioner is really thick. It's almost like a hair mask. I was scared that it would leave my hair heavy with product. The first time it did but I think it's because I didn't wash all of the product out. As easy as the shampoo is to rinse, the conditioner is a bit trickier. It is so thick that you will have to stand underneath the shower and make sure that all of it is completely rinsed off before getting out. I use mousse to style my hair but wanted to incorporate the oil into it while it was damp to see if it would help. I didn't notice any real difference to my style after it air dried but when I used the oil to smooth fly-aways and tame the ends, it really worked its magic.


I'm really happy I got this product because it seems to have undid a lot of damage that my hair has from my hothot environment. Unfortunately I wouldn't buy this again on a regular basis.

I am already almost out of the conditioner so that, to me, is way too expensive a product.
The shampoo will probably last me another month or two, if I switch it out with another shampoo on other days. I might buy this once a year and use it every so often when I feel the need to revitalize my hair. The oil, even though it's the smallest of all the bottles really is where you get the most bang for your buck. You only need a drop or two for your entire head so it will last you quite a long time. I can see myself buying this to keep my ends from splitting and to tame my fly-aways without the added weight of another product. But then again there are a lot of oils coming out on the market and I know that the Dove Dry Oil Nourishing Treatment works as well and it's half the price.


If you have seriously damaged hair and a great job where dropping 75$ for hair products ain't no thang...then go for it. It really does work and I'm sure that if you continue using it, you'll have super pretty commercial-ready hair. If you're on a budget opt for the oil - works well and will last a while.


Let me know if you received this box, if you tried it out, and what YOUR opinions were on it. I'd love to hear about your experience.

Frosty VoxBox Review

I received my second Influenster box a few months ago and have just now found the time to review everything in the box. I was so excited to receive this box because it was bigger than my Caliente VoxBox and when I opened it, I saw that there were nothing but full-sized products! 

So first: the Good Stuff. 

Rimmel Eye Makeup Remover  - 7.49

I love this stuff. I use to buy this stuff all the time at Ulta. (But now I just use coconut oil.) It's easy on your eyes, even sensitive ones, and it takes off ALL THE MAKEUP. Even if it's waterproof. It's a big bottle and you only need a little bit so it lasts a long time. Just dab a bit on a cotton ball or washcloth, gently rub your eyes and voila! I would highly recommend this product for anyone.



Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Liner -4.49

Though I wear a hoodie and jeans to work I'm trying to make my style more 50s, so cateyes are my everyday makeup. I have three different kinds of liquid eyeliner floating around for just that purpose. I never would use a pencil for it. But I saw on social media some girls getting some really kick ass lines and I decided to try it. I couldn't believe how much I loved it. It can be tricky at first to get a thin line (you do need your own sharpener) but once you get the hang of it...it's amazing. I loved the true black color and the fact that it's waterproof. My eyes tend to water with the wind which means I mess with them a bit but even after a full day of work there was barely any smudging. I used this eyeliner for both the top and bottom lids and couldn't be happier. I will definitely be buying twenty more of these when I'm done with mine. They're cheap and work great! 

McCormick Gourmet Collection Thyme

I have been cooking a lot more lately and I've really been trying to delve into different spices and flavors. Thyme is nothing new but I never tire of it. It can really kick up a boring old boneless, skinless chicken breast and some potatoes. Which is exactly what I used it for. 

Thyme is also delicious in soups, spaghetti, and even on eggs. It's great. And I love that I got a whole bottle of it! 

Next: The Eh. 

No. 7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED Sachet (Full Size - 22.99)

I mentioned earlier that I only got full-sized items but I forgot about this. This was a trial size. The serum is supposed to reduce the look of lines and wrinkles in two weeks. I didn't hate this...but with such a small size I didn't notice any difference to my skin. I liked that it didn't have much of a smell, wasn't oily or greasy, and wasn't heavy allowing you to use it at night or in the morning underneath your makeup. I wouldn't buy this anytime soon. Maybe when I get older?

NYC Expert Last Lipcolor - Sugar Plum - 1.99 

This isn't the color I received. The one I got was Sugar Plum and it was a nude/brown color which I hated. I'm brown - all it did was wash me out. Butttt! I did like the way it glided, stayed on, and the price! I gave the lipstick to my mum but I will probably by this lipstick in another color because it really is a great lipstick overall. I always have a hard time liking lipsticks that I get sent for free or in packs because, for the most part, they're for cool skin tones and I just end up giving them away. 

Ecotools Full Volume Styler Hairbrush - 10.99

I use EcoTools makeup brushes so I was thrilled to get this full-sized round brush in my box. Until I realized I didn't know how to use it. I have thick, curly, frizzy hair and when I tried it all it did was make my hair...bigger and triangular. Also, from what I've seen round brushes are used with blow dryers for volume and I NEVER blow dry my hair. Ain't nobody got time for that. I'm a wash and let it air-dry girl. I'm hoping that when I start doing fancier vintage hairstyles, a la victory rolls, this brush will come in handy. For now, it sits unused. 

Finally: the bad. Or in this case, the gross.

Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea - Price Not Stated 

I'm a coffee girl through and through. I absolutely hate drinking hot tea. I hate drinking green tea. And I don't drink things that are supposed to be caffeinated but aren't. So this was an all around loser for me. I gave the pack to my mom (and the coupon - it came with a coupon which was cool). She said it tasted like a normal peppermint tea. She liked it. I'm sure if you like green tea and peppermint - you will too.  

Fruit Vines Cherry Bites Bag - 1.79 

These just didn't do it for me. They tasted gummy, were hard to chew, and I'm sorry to say not as flavorful as Twizzlers. These are the candy you'd give to the kids you hate when they come trick-or-treating. 

So that's it ladies and gents. Did you get this box? What were you faves? Your hates? Is there something I should give another try? 

*I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes but all opinions are my own.*

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Review

Because I loved the essie nail wraps so much I decided to give Sally Hansen's Salon Effects a try. I found them on sale so I grabbed as many designs as I could which included:

Red My Tulips 

Glitz Blitz 

Laced Up 

The Bold Rush 

I Love Lacey

Horse A Round

I didn't want to wait until some special event to wear them so I put them on that night while watching The Fault in Our Stars (again!).

The kit comes with 16 nail strips, a file and buffer in one, and a cuticle stick.

Firstly you're supposed to file any jagged edges, take off any old nail polish, wash, dry, and run some acetone over your nails before you begin.

These strips come in two little cases that remind me of contact lenses. Each set has 8 strips. Unlike essie's, these have two slightly different ends. You pick the end that will match your nail shape better. The ones I tried were the Horse A Round so the reverse French tip did look slightly different on each end - one wider and the other narrower.

The strip comes with a film of plastic that you take off and does nothing except keep the design on the strip from messing up.

To put them onto your nail you have to take off the back film and adhere them to your nails.

When you get them right where you want them, you press down and then run the cuticle stick over them to seal them in place.

 Then taking one side of the file you file them over your nail and they tear off.

I found these to be very similar to the essie ones. They are able to stretch a bit so that you get full coverage on your nail but if you do it too much you'll mess up the design or tear them. It sounds great but it's hard to do so I just left them as they were as opposed to trying to stretch them.

The side of the file it says to use isn't a true file. It didn't have that rough sandpaper you'd associate with a file and because of this, it was a lot harder to file off the excess. When I tried using the true file side it tore the strip and was much too rough for it.

After I finished, I had to admit that they looked pretty good. I only ended up tearing one and just used a different strip instead.

I found them to be comparable to the essie sleek stick nail wraps and I'm happy with their result. Even after a few days of wear they were holding up really well. Some of my tips were starting to chip but it wasn't anything too bad.

I only paid a dollar for each of these, but it seems that they start out at about 8.59$. I would pay full price for them for a special occasion.

Have you used these before? What's your favorite design? Have any tips or tricks for making them stay longer?

Caliente Vox Box Review

This past June I signed up for Influenster. Influenster allows you to sign up, sync up your social media accounts, and post reviews on tons of products. The more you interact online, on their website, and within your own social circle, the higher your Impact Score goes. Every so often they'll send you a survey to see if you could be a qualifier for a VoxBox. A VoxBox is a box of free goodies that you get to sample and do reviews on.

You can look at my Influenster profile here! 

A couple of months ago I received my first VoxBox from them.

Caliente VoxBox! 

When I first opened the box I was pleasantly surprised to see just how many samples they put in there as well as the type of stuff in there.


I know I've reviewed some things in their own separate post but I figured that I should review them all here as well.



KISS Gel FANTASY - 7.99$

Visit the KISS website here. 

You can read my full review here.
I got these nails in Freshen Up which has a black french tip with silver glitter. I really liked the way they looked on. They come with both adhesive tabs and a tube of glue. I found that the tabs did not work as long or as well as the glue did. I suggest that if you live in a humid climate, skip the tabs and go straight for the glue. The upside is that the nails themselves are really durable. You can easily get two or three wears out of them. I would definitely purchase them again but probably only for a special occasion.


Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Ultra Radiance Lotion Sunscreen - 9.99$

Visit the Hawaiian Tropic website here.

You can read my full review here.
I never wore sunscreen everyday because I hated the way it made my skin oily and my body smell like I'd just come in from a swim at the Y. But this stuff has definitely changed my mind about it. It goes on just like lotion - non-greasy, non-oily, and absorbs very quickly. It has some subtle glitter that gives you a golden glow in the sunlight. It doesn't smell overwhelmingly like sunscreen. Sunscreen is super important for your skin and if you have tattoos it'll help them stay brighter and vivid longer. I'm still using my sample bottle but I will definitely be getting a full-sized one when I'm out.


Kellogg's Rice Krispie Treats Blasted Smores - 2.99$ 

You can visit the Kellogg's website here.

I absolutely love Rice Krispies Treats but I usually make them myself. I find that adding extra marshmallows makes them even better. Though these don't taste like homemade they're not bad. The added chocolate and graham cracker is the perfect summertime treat since it mixes two of the best desserts into one. If you want to skip out on making them from scratch, go ahead and buy these.


Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Nourishing Treatment - 12.99$ 

Visit the Dove website here.

I've always had dry, coarse, curly hair. Lately I've been trying to take better care of it with weekly deep or hot oil treatments. The fact that the Texas sun and heat is sweltering means that my hair is always a bit damaged even though I don't use any heat to style it. My favorite oil is coconut oil since it smells great, but it's not the best for using on your hair when you're going to go out. This dry oil works really well for my tips which is basically the only place I put it. Each morning I'll take a tinytiny bit and rub it onto my ends. It leaves them feeling more supple and less frizzy. I don't know if I'll go out and buy the full-sized version though. I might try other brands first.


Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exofliant - 22.10$

Visit the Paula's Choice website here.

My skin care routine is embarrassingly simple. I use a mix of sunflower oil and caster oil to take off my makeup and cleanse at night. Then in the morning I use Cetaphil to freshen up. That's it. I'm lucky that I don't get blemishes very often but when I do I use Burt's Bees to target spot. So, I admittedly haven't been using this every day like I should. I found that when I use it before putting on my makeup it leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean. When I use it at night I find that it does take off some leftover makeup residue. The best thing is that it doesn't smell. At. All. With all the things I use that have fragrance it is amazing to find something devoid of it. The reviews online seem to love it. But at such a high price for something I won't routinely use I'm going to skip it and stick to what I know.

Have you used any of these? Was there something you were interested in and have a question that I didn't answer? Leave a comment and I'll be happy to help.

*I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes but all opinions are my own.*