I Won a Prize on Another Blog- Here's my First Impressions

I'm a pretty lucky girl.  I have two awesome and beautiful children, a pretty great husband who (mostly and modestly) indulges my beauty obsession, and a wonderfully crazy and fantastic group of family and friends.  

I also won a HUGE giveaway on another blog, and I would love to tell you all about the prize I won, with my first impressions!

Prize from Undisclosed Blog Contest.  Baby feet and doggies not included.

I'll give an in-depth review of most of these items (not all at once), over the next few weeks, so if you see a favorite item here, or something that you've had your eye on, fear not because OnlyAverageMom has got your back and will tell it all- the good, the bad, and the average. Let me know which products you want me to review first- I aim to please!

Are you ready for some awesomeness?

Zoya Pixie Dust nail polish in Carter, 0.5 oz, $9 retail, available HERE.

This nail polish is the most awesome of all nail polishes.  Seriously, it's gorgeous, and it's texture is amazing.  Carter is a gorgeous purple, and perfect for my friends who are Ravens fans. I gave this to my  best friend T, because it was perfect for her.

 

Swatch of Zoya Pixie Dust in Carter

See?  Absolutely gorgeous.  I think I need to order this for myself, now. I will say, that this didn't last more than a couple days on my nails, but I don't care- I love this shade! I must get more pixie dusts right away.

Zoya Color Lock System, includes two base coats (anchor and get even), top coat (armor), quick dry drops (fast drops), polish thinner (renew), and remover (Remove +); each bottle is 0.5 oz and retails for $9 each; the remover is 8 oz and retails for $9.99 separately.  The set retails for $48, and is available HERE.

Oh my gosh, y'all- THIS is the item I was MOST excited about! I've been eyeing the color lock system for quite a while, but couldn't justify the expense.  I have to say, this set is ABSOLUTELY awesome!! The remover is fantastic- it has a tap-top that twists on- what this does is dose out a perfect amount, and since it locks, it doesn't spill, even if held upside down!  What? I have kids.  Plus I'm super klutzy.  The quick drops are awesome too- these suckers seriously cut down on dry time!  The whole set is awesome, and now I'm sorry I tossed all of my gloopy polishes- I want to try out the Renew as well!

Waxelene Flip Top Tubes, 26g, $4.99 retail each, available HERE. 

I received two of these tubes, and was only expecting one, so that was cool.  If you are wondering (like I was) WHAT exactly Waxelene is, it is basically a petroleum jelly alternative, using soy and beeswax instead of petroleum derivatives.  Waxelene has a sweet smell to it, and applies very creamily.  If you are looking for a natural alternative to petroleum jelly, this might become your next go-to product!

Elegant Touch Nail Art Kit, Iridessa (includes 2 puff bottles of glitter in pink and blue, 50 nail studs, nail art applicator, and 0.17 fl oz of protectant sealant), $9.99 retail value (est)- I could not find this for sale in the US anywhere!; Elegant Touch Envy Wraps, Leopard Pinks (includes 18 wraps and a buffer), $6.99 retail, available HERE; and Elegant Touch French Manicure American Bare Press-On Nails in 144, XS (includes 24 nails, glue and buffer), $6.99 retail, available HERE (except pink instead of bare- couldn't find this exact one anywhere!).  

I love me some nail art, and I was super excited to see these in my box.  I knew the nail art kit was coming, and was happily surprised to see that I was getting the Iridessa kit (I thought it would be a gold and silver kit). This kit is super cute, and Tiny Love had a blast playing with it!  It seems  that this kit has been discontinued, which is a shame.  These are super cute!  

Leopard print is adorable in small doses, and I am excited to try these Envy Wrap nail wraps.  I love how this pack has different shades of pink, and I will definitely give these a try! My one comment on these is, that they are wraps "for fingers and toes", and yet there are only 18 wraps in the package.  One might think that including 2 more wraps would be a better sell...I'm not one who matches my fingers to my toes, but I have a lot of friends who do!
  I've used press on nails before, and have pretty good luck with them.  These, however, are extra short, and are too short for my fingers.  I'll give these to KTweenAngel, and she'll have fun with them.  I've always had long fingers, and I guess that means I have slightly longer nails, too!

Seche Clear basecoat, .5 fl oz, $4.25 retail, available HERE; China Glaze nail lacquer in VIII, .5 fl oz, $4.30 retail, available HERE; Orly Cuticle Therapy Creme, .5 oz, $4.49, available HERE; Tweezerman Tweezerette Tweezers, $5.99 retail, available HERE (except mine are red).

I have heard so many good things about the Seche line, I was seriously excited to see this basecoat in my package.   This base coat is crystal clear and I can't wait to try this out.  I've had some issues with polishes staining my nails, so I'm hoping to find the perfect base coat to help that stop happening.

I have never tried out China Glaze polish before.  I know, I know, it's a crime.  I've heard of the brand- great things, actually, but I've just never purchased a polish from them.  The shade I received, VIII, is an absolutely gorgeous fall color- a deep, blackened purple.  

Swatch of China Glaze in VIII

I've never put a lot of thought into my cuticles before, really.  The Orly Cuticle Therapy Creme is meant to be massaged into cuticles to help promote nail growth, as well as moisturize the skin.  I'll definitely give this a try- my thin, flaky nails can use all the help that they can get!

I'm kind of finicky about my tweezers.  I probably own five or six pairs, and only really use one of them.  I'm excited to try these out, because I am always losing tweezers, and have yet to find the perfect, perfect set to clean up my brows.  I love how these come in a little tube- it's perfect for storage and hopefully will help me to NOT lose these!

Almar Lip Gloss assortment: Dippin' Dots tubs (each are 0.15 oz) in Banana Split, Bubble Gum, and Mint Chocolate; $3.75 retail value for all 3; sets available HERE- $9.99 for 8 glosses; Laffy Taffy Lip gloss (0.09 oz) in Grape; $1.67 retail value; sets available HERE- $9.99 for 6 glosses.

Oh my gosh, these little glosses are SO cute!  The kids immediately swooped in on these, and I'm so happy for them!  We are big suckers for cute packaging here, and these are just too cute!  The little Dippin' Dots tubs are adorable, twist up, and smell great (but taste not so great), and the Laffy Taffy grape gloss smells amazing and is packed full of sparkly glitter.  So, so cute!



Exceptional...because you are perfume samples, 1 mL vial, $0.55 retail value, each.  Full size is available HERE: 3.4 fl oz is $54.99 (and coupon code VCW2T will get you $20 off this item).  Foot file, from fragrancenet.com; no retail value.

I received two of these samples, and was skeptical because fragrances and me just don't get along.  I have such strange allergies, it makes perfume samples an interesting experience, to say the least! The description of Exceptional... Because You Are is "a distinctly feminine fragrance featuring a crisp and elegant introduction, a lightly spiced floral heart and sensual dry down." I'm horrible at describing fragrances  so I'll just say that I don't THINK I am allergic to this, and will give it a try!
  I love foot files, and have an awesome one from OPI.  Tiny Love had so much fun playing with this one, that I gave it to her.  It's cute how the little ones copy the grownups!

Yves Rocher shower gel with organic argan oil, 200 ml, $ 4.00 retail, available HERE; Yves Rocher Intense Color Single Eye Shadow in Peche (Peach) and Bleu Scintillant (Sparkling Blue), each 0.08 oz, $8.00 retail each, available HERE; Yves Rocher Eye Crayon in Mauve ancien (Ancient Mauve) and Anthracite profond (Deep Charcoal), each 0.11 oz, $ 6.00 retail each, available HERE.

I'm excited to check out the Yves Rocher shower gel- I love Argan oil, and what it does for my skin!  This smells super good- I can't wait to see how it feels! 

I love eye shadow, and haven't tried the Yves Rocher line before.  I'll give these a try and let you all know how I like them!

Swatch of Yves Rocher Intense Color Single Eyeshadows in Sparkling Blue and Peach and Eye Pencils in Ancient Mauve and Deep Charcoal

I've recently fallen in LOVE with eye pencils, and have two that I use frequently.  I'm excited to put these to the test!  Unfortunately, both pencils were broken when I received them (the entire tips were broken off, inside the plastic sealed lid), but it was no trouble, really- I just sharpened them to a perfect point!

 Acure Organics Brightening Facial Scrub, 4 oz, $14.99 retail , available HERE; Acure Organics Marula Oil, 1 oz, $15.99 retail, available HERE. 

I love me some facial scrubs, and I am super excited to have this to try out!  I tried this once, quickly, to test it out, and my skin felt SO fresh after using it!  I've done a TINY amount of research on this company, and from what I'm seeing, I LOVE what they stand for- organic, vegan, cruelty and gluten free- plus fair trade certified!  I will be checking their site out and seeing what other goodies I can try!

I've tried Argan oil in my hair, and absolutely loved it.  I'm excited to receive the Marula oil, and see if it does good things to my split dead ends.  This product is supposed to help with dry skin and stretch marks- I will DEFINITELY be testing this out and let you all know what my results are!

Chella Tweezers, $20.00 retail, available HERE; Chella Scissors, $20.00 retail, available HERE; Chella two size sharpener, $5.00 retail, available HERE.

I have been so excited to try these tweezers out, and this was the FIRST thing that I used from my prize box. I've never tried tweezers with this design, and I had high hopes that these would make my brows beautiful...and I was right!  Seriously, I LOVE these tweezers.  Easy to grip, accurate, and beautiful results.
  I have never used brow scissors before, because my brows don't really grow overly long (and the two or three hairs that do aren't unruly or noticeable. I'm either giving these to my husband, or will give them away here.  I'm not sure yet.

 I recently bought a new eye pencil sharpener from Benefit, and I liked it ok.  It gave pencils a rounded point, and I tend to prefer a sharper point on some pencils.  One thing that I wished my Benefit sharpener had, was a lid to catch all of the little shavings!  This sharpener has fulfilled my every wish, and is absolutely perfect!  It sharpens very smoothly, gives a great point on pencils, and contains the mess!  What more could a girl ask for?!

Tiziano wine bottle topper, no retail value.  Visit Tiziano's site HERE.

I'm not a big drinker, but I do like the occasional glass of wine.  This topper is super cute, and will look awesome on my next wine bottle.

MicaBeauty Shimmer Powder in Bronze, 0.1 oz, $14.95 retail, available HERE.

  I already have this shade of the shimmer powder, so I'll be giving this away.  It's a pretty shade, and I'm sure someone will want this!  Because I'm not keeping it, I'll post a swatch from when I reviewed this in the past.

Swatch of MicaBeauty Shimmer Powder in Bronze
 Beautiful color, and great staying power.  You just can't go wrong with that!

Kiss Ever EZ Lashes in 03, with tweezers, $5.99 retail, available HERE.

I love me some lashes, and I'm excited to give these a try.  I don't have lash tweezers that are shaped like this, so I'll definitely be giving these a try!

Puff's Fresh Faces light lavender scent nose & face wipes, 15 pack (2 of them), $1.99 retail each, available HERE.

I saw these in my box, and was excited to try them.  They made my face feel fresh, but didn't remove my eye makeup completely.  I will say, they did NOT burn my eyes when I accidentally caught the edge of my eye with them.  These wipes are made with saline, and the light lavender scent is absolutely perfect.  I use these for Tiny Love's face, and she loves them too!

Sally Hansen Maximum Strength nail treatment, 0.45 fl oz, $5.49 retail, available HERE.

My nails are thin and flaky.  It's a sad fact, and the reason why I used to get my nails professionally done for years and years.  Since I stopped going to the salon (it's been a year now), my nails are short, thin and flaky. I can't wait to try this out and see if it makes a difference!  I would love to have beautiful nails again!

Le Couvent des Minimes Hiker's Foot Healer, 25 ml (0.8 oz), $5.87 retail value.  Full size is 2.6 oz, $19 retail and is available HERE.

I have never heard of this brand before, but I'm excited to give this a try this winter.  I get majorly dry skin on my feet in the winter (likely from my love of flip flops), so this will definitely be put to the test!  I had to google this brand to find the directions- I wish more manufacturers put them on the tubes!

Ahava DeadSea Osmoter Concentrate, 5 ml, $10 retail value.  Full size is 30 ml, retails for $60.00, and is available HERE.

I haven't given this even a cursory try yet, to be honest, because I wasn't exactly sure WHAT this product was for.  I googled it, and I think it's a facial moisturizer, that also can make the skin look younger.  I've give this a try and let you all know what I think!

Flawless Face Blender by Crown Brush, $9.99 retail, available HERE.

I was excited to try this because I had misplaced my Ulta beauty blender.  I tried it out, and it did well for me, although it isn't very dense.  I washed this (as usual!), and it broke immediately while washing.  I wasn't very rough with it, and at the middle where the two bumps come together, it ripped apart.  I guess now I have TWO smaller blenders!
 She also included 3 Tootsie pops in the package, that the kids immediately ate and I was NOT able to photograph.  Tootsie pops are a favorite of mine, so this was very sweet of her.  Pun totally intended.

Total value of my package is $279.65!

I debated a lot before writing this post, because I don't want to start any trouble.  Why would there be trouble, you ask?  The answer is because I'm going to do what I do best- tell the truth.  But, while telling the truth I'm leaving out names and details, because I don't want anyone upset, or sending angry emails/comments because of the potential can of worms I might or might not be opening.  When you are Only Average, you never really know.  If I didn't write this post, I would feel like I was lying to you all, and I don't want to do that either.

The truth is, I won this prize exactly a month before I received it.  If this was from a company, I wouldn't have minded. What bothered me, was that the communication between the contest host and I was...sparse. I am sure she was just very busy, and her kids probably got into the box, and other life stuff happened.  Life happens.  It just does.  I would have just liked to receive an e-mail along the lines of "I haven't forgotten you, it's just crazy here"; this would have been better than telling me that a package was being sent, when, in fact, it wasn't (this happened two or three times).  Maybe it's just me, but I think communication is very important in the blogging business.  This is why I try to reply to every comment, and take reader's suggestions to heart, and send out contest prizes the day after I receive a confirmed address.  The blogger DID apologize for the delay, and said she was sending some extra goodies to make up for it. She was very nice in her emails, and said that this was not the way things normally go for her, and even texted me tracking right from the post office.  Please, don't judge her for MY experience- I'm only telling my side of the story, and what I experienced won't necessarily be YOUR experience.

The truth is, the blog post that listed the prize was edited AFTER the winner was announced.  Items were removed from the prize list.  Things I KNOW were in the prize list (there could be more, but this is what I remember): Skinny Pop popcorn, a half dozen of Bart's cookies, and a They're Real! Mascara from Benefit.  By the time the package was shipped out to me, it's possible the food items would have expired.  The truth is, these items aren't why I entered this contest, but their removal from the blog post seems...shady.  Sadly, I didn't think to screenshot this in time.  Please learn from my mistake, friends.

The truth is, the prize I DID receive isn't what I was supposed to get, exactly.  I'm fine with the substitutions, and I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE my prize.  I'm not complaining, and I don't want any of you to complain about it either.  My only feedback on substitutions is that if you are hosting a giveaway on a blog, and you are going to sub items out (especially if you choose to edit the post, and then still don't send what is on the newly edited list), tell the gift recipient that there was a need for a substitution.  They will likely understand. Items the edited blog post said I would receive, that I didn't are:
IQueen CCC Cream and Portable Vibrating Makeup Puff (I was just kind of curious what this would look like!)
Mineral Hygenics $15 gift card
Acure Organics Oil Control Moisturizer
Acure Organics Lip Balm
Chella Highlighter
Yves Rocher lipstick
It's *possible* that these items were excluded because the box was SO full, but again, just a quick note in the box even would have been nice.  The fact is, I would have given away almost all of these items to a friend- I have a couple who are going through some hard times and this would have given them a smile or two.  

The truth is, even with adding on the extras that were included, this prize pack is not near the advertised value of over $350.  It's *possible* the value of the package was based on the full price, and not "sale" prices, but the pricing I used was what any person could purchase them for, mostly direct from the manufacturer at their regularly advertised price, and not any "special sales".  I know that I won a prize, and that the blogger was doing me a favor in sending me the prize, but then I did her a favor too- I advertised her blog, and helped get her publicity.  That's one of the points of contests, right? Exposure?  It just doesn't sit well with me, and I would not personally enter another contest posted by her again.

Truth is, I'm honored and happy to win a contest, and we have been having a fan-FREAKING-tastic time playing with all of the new goodies!  The girls and I LOVE this prize, and are absolutely thrilled.  I did NOT email the blogger and ask about the substitutions, nor did I mention that I noticed that she edited the blog post.  I just didn't see the point, as I am VERY happy with my prize and I don't want to start any trouble.  I'm not naming the blogger, nor her blog, because I don't want anyone to feel encouraged to contact her about this.  If you DO happen to know of whom I speak, please don't mention it in the comments. Trolls are a fact of the blogging world, and I'd hate for one of my trolls (I do get them, sometimes.  Their comments make me laugh.) or a well-meaning friend to head over there and bring up what is now old news.  I know what happened.  She knows what happened.  In the end, it's all that really matters.

If you would like to see the unboxing of this prize pack, an uncut and unedited video is on my daily vlog, you can see it below (it's pretty early on, and pretty long):

Until next time, my lovelies- stay Average!

Disclaimer: The items in this post were a prize that I won, that was hosted by another blogger.  I did not pay anything for these items, and the links included are not referral links.  I was not asked nor required to review these items by any company, and the opinions in this post are true and my own.  Nothing will ever change that.