Posts Tagged ‘lip balms’

Beauty Box 5 December 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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This was a great box that covered the essential face and nail care needs. I’ll be keeping all the items and I even started using some already.

Beauty Box 5 is $12 per box (or as discounted as $99 for an entire year, with an option in between) and comes with 5 cosmetic products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. You also have the option of buying it as a gift your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards products or boxes.

december 2014 beauty box 5 contents beauty box 5 december 2014 information card

Body Drench Lip Drench lip balm in Pomegranate: I just love the scent of this. It’s a bit tart and is sort of like a sweeter cherry. It’s super hydrating and a great lip balm to have in these cold months. My lips stay soft for hours it feels fantastic. While I enjoy the candy one we got awhile back, I’m liking this one even more.

Absolute! Nail Polish Remover Pads in Peach: These little pads are so small and thin, but they pack a punch. They’re great at getting nail polish off AND making my nails feel nourished afterwards. I’m a huge fan already. They sort of remind me La Fresh’s acetone-free nail polish wipes, which are pretty amazing. I just wish they were a little larger in diameter so it was easier to grab on and wipe.

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Moisturizer: I like this brand, so I’m happy to get this moisturizer to try. I don’t want to open it just yet so I use some of the other ones I have, but for future travel I’d throw this in my bag to use on my trip.

Nanacoco nail polish in Sapphire: They must really like this brand, since they’ve included their polish before. I wasn’t sure if I needed another glitter, but then I gave it a try layering it over that polish from the previous box and I love the winter wonderland feel it gives me. So perfect for winter. The varied glitter sizes and colors offer extra dimension to spruce up any nail!

Lucky Brand Lucky Number 6 fragrance: Well, every now and then I might want to have a perfume handy, so I’ll keep this. I also happen to like the packaging, which reminds me of cherry blossoms. The scent itself is very warm and floral. Generally something more mature for a gala or something.

The “merry & bright” theme is month is all about more practical items to take care of yourself. I’m all about that! This will set us off on a great start for healthy skin, hair, and teeth. Which items do you want from this box?

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Empties: Tree Hut, Physician’s Formula, Joyful Bath Co, NYC New York Color, Juice Beauty

laelene Posted in reviews,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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I’ve been meaning to put together some empties posts for a long time, but somehow it hasn’t happened yet. Here we go with the very first one! I’ll share five items that I’ve completely used up and what I thought of each. This is a really varied batch, with everything from skincare to beauty to bath. Each happens to have been a hit with me, though I promise I won’t only share what I liked in future posts.

empty tree hut shea body butter in coconut lime containerTree Hut Shea Body Butter in Coconut Lime

This little tub came in a blissmobox and my opinion of it is still as great as the first impression. The scent is just fantastic and tropical without being crazy sweet like some scents. It lasted me a long time since it doesn’t take much to get great results. I’m a huge fan of this body butter and I was pleased to receive it also in one of my Beauty Box 5 boxes! The tub is also a really nice size for repurposing. I’ve since put some homemade body scrub in it. I would absolutely buy this and try the other scents too.

empty physician's formula bb powder container with used brushPhysician’s Formula BB Powder in Medium/Deep

I got a free sample of this and I’m so glad I did because it’s now my must-have powder. In fact, I didn’t use much on my face before but now that I’ve used this, I can’t stop. I get great results with nice coverage for my face, especially paired with my BB cream. I’ve already bought another one and am nearly done with that one too. When they had the buy one get one sale at Target, I really should have jumped on that. Here’s to hoping they offer something similar for the upcoming holiday sales. I wish it had better staying power though. I always forget to not touch my face, so midway through the day a lot of this has been rubbed off, especially on my giant breakouts. I use my own brush instead of the one that it comes with, since the flat line was making strange patterns on my face.

joyful bath co oatsy floatsie tagJoyful Bath Co soap in Oatsy Floatsie

I bought this back at Green Festival DC 2012 and I’m really glad I did. This lavender and oatmeal soap is so soothing and relaxing. I love how much it foams when I use it, yet it doesn’t dry out my skin. There are also chunks in it that make it kind of like a massaging bar too. I will definitely look for this at Whole Foods if I ever run low on soap (which might take awhile). This is my favorite of the soaps that Joyful Bath makes, so I’ll probably get the same rather than try a different formula.

empty nyc new york color applelicious lip balm tubeNYC New York Color Applelicious Lip Balm in Big Apple Red

This came in a VoxBox and it quickly became my go-to lip balm. It’s so moisturizing and smells amazing, plus it gives my lips an extra boost of red that isn’t overwhelming. I like a more subtle look. The added detail of the apple shape in the center is brilliant and made me smile every time. What a fun product! If I didn’t have a plethora of other lip items to use, I would have already gotten more of this in the other shades and flavors.

empty juice beauty blemish clearing cleanser bottleJuice Beauty Blemish Clearing Cleanser

I purchased this as part of a set and it’s the only product I consistently used so far. Not that I don’t like what came in the kit, but there are plenty more serums and lotions I like to use. Finding a cleanser I like is much harder, so this was great to have. I liked how it was a bit slippery (slimy, even) and had a nice scent. Some cleansers are so gentle I wonder if they’re working whereas some are harsher and can’t be used regularly. This one was nicely in the middle, which made me go for it most times I washed my face. That’s a great sign. I just wish it clearly got rid of my acne. It certainly helped at first, but then I didn’t see any improvement in my breakouts. Still, it beats out most others I’ve tried for my acne.

Have you tried any of these items? What did you think? And what empties do you have to share?

Ipsy August 2014: Beauty Schooled review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Ipsy can be so unpredictable with its hits and misses. This month I really enjoyed it, just as I’ve been contemplating cancelling. I’m still going to unsubscribe as soon as I get the free product I redeemed with my points. It turned out perfectly because I had nearly 1500 points and felt bad wasting 500 of them since most products are 1000 points. Luckily, when I went to check this time, there was a free mystery bag available for 1500 points! I just had to earn some more to get me to 1500 and I was able to claim it. I’m excited to see what it offers.

screenshot of ipsy mystery bag offer for 1500 points and account with 1500 points

Boom. Redeem that!

Ipsy is $10 per glam bag and comes with 5 or so beauty/skincare products. Bags are sent monthly with no option to skip. There’s usually a waitlist to get the subscription. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free products.

ipsy august 2014 bag items with card including absolute new york you're the balm lip balm in grape, coastal scents forever blush duo samples in fresh and elegant, dr. brandt pores no more primer, lord & berry kohl eye pencil, and urban decay perversion mascara

Absolute New York You’re the Balm lip balm in Grape – This is quite a large tin that will last for ages. The purple color is fantastic and there’s a little bit of glitter in there too. I like the lightness of the grape scent, though I wish I could smell or taste it more when it was on my lips. This responds well to body heat and begins to melt into a hydrating sort of gloss. A little dab was enough to spread on my lips.

Coastal Scents Forever Blush duo samples in Fresh & Elegant – Again, why do I ever get blush when I indicated NO interest? And these are pretty small samples. Oh well, going in my trade bucket.

Dr. Brandt pores no more pore refiner primer – I totally expected this to be clear, but it has a nude tint to it. It applies well and certainly does the job of mattifying. I’m not sure if the pore refining is supposed to help heal my skin over time or if it’s just to reduce the appearance of pores when it’s on. If it’s the latter, then it did a good job. I’d consider getting this if I ever run out of the current primer tubes I have.

Lord & Berry kajal kohl eye pencil – Oh, this is fabulous. I just used a little on my lower lid to help make it look like I actually had some sort of lash action going there. It was so easy to apply and felt great. Certainly didn’t irritate my inner eye and felt perfectly fine. I’m a fan and I’d totally get this again if I ever find I actually manage to use up the endless supply of eye liners I have already.

Urban Decay Perversion mascara – For statement lashes, this will be my choice. Sometimes I want my lashes to stand out more and this one gets the job done. It does get dry after a day of use though, and I’m forgetful and rub my face a lot, so I kind of ended up with raccoon eyes later in the day. Got to be careful with that. The packaging on this is sick too. Totally slick, elegant, and cool.

This almost makes me consider keeping my subscription, but I really don’t need to keep accumulating products. I’d like to focus on actually using them for awhile. One day I’ll update my eDivv shop and put in the blush samples.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this bag and wanted to share what I got!]

Beauty Box 5 July 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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I’ve been testing out this box for a few months and overall I’ve liked it enough to keep it, so I’m thinking of using it to replace my Ipsy subscription. Lately it’s been up and down with Ipsy, so I want to use up my bonus points to redeem a free item and then cancel it.

Beauty Box 5 is $12 per box (or as discounted as $99 for an entire year, with an option in between) and comes with 5 cosmetic products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. You also have the option of buying it as a gift your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards products or boxes.

july 2014 beauty box 5 contents beauty box 5 july 2014 information card beauty box 5 july product cards

Revlon Bold Lacquer mascara: We just got a mascara in last month’s box so I’ve got plenty of this product and will probably save this for use a little later. Perhaps I should apply mascara daily, since my stash is growing far faster than I can keep up with using. I pretty much use mascara a few times a year and that’s it. Part of the problem is that some of them wear down and give me raccoon eyes. We’ll see how this one does.

HASK Argan Oil hair treatment: I’m going to treat myself to this along with a bath sometime in the near future. I don’t have many hair masks, so this is a great product to try, especially since my hair dries out pretty easily. I don’t have the silkiest hair, but it does a decent job of staying conditioned. Am I supposed to use a hair mask frequently to maintain that sort of shine? Will this really last for two weeks of shine? We shall see…

Body Drench Candy Licious lip balm in Red Licorice: I love these smaller tubes of lip balm – they’re adorable! The flavor is spot on and tastes very much like licorice. I’m not a huge fan of that flavor, but I’m fine with a little bit of it on my lips so I’ll definitely be using this up. The bright red tint is a fun color that adds a pop without being in your face.

Anna Naturals Glowing Mama scrub: First of all, this smells luscious. Kind of reminds me of my favorite facial exfoliating product, derma e’s microdermabrasion. It also feels so wonderful as I’m scrubbing it – my fingers glide around and the granules are rough enough to feel satisfying but not too large. I love it. I’m glad it wasn’t the sort of oatmeal-y or almond-y scent I thought it would have; it’s more refreshing than that!

Starlooks lip liner in Tipsy: I don’t use lip liner, so this is going in my trade pile. I have some other Starlooks items, which I like, particularly a glitter eyeliner that I use sort of like a light eyeshadow. I put a little on the corners of my eyes and smudge it in to brighten them and give a fun glittery effect.

The variety of items made for a very useful set of complementing items. I’ve got my eyes, lips, hair, and skin covered here! I won’t use all the items, but nearly all of them will get opened eventually. The “defining moments” theme was pretty vague so just about any products would have worked for it. What’s your favorite item in this box?

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Ipsy May 2014: Fresh Picks review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Ok, Ipsy is back in my good graces with this one. I love the cute little bag and the products are some of the better fits for me. I’d use all but one! I didn’t peek at all this month, so everything was a complete surprise and I am quite pleased. Yay for feeling excited about a bag again!

Ipsy is $10 per glam bag and comes with 5 or so beauty/skincare products. Bags are sent monthly with no option to skip. There’s usually a waitlist to get the subscription. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free products.

ipsy may 2014 bag items with card including derma e microdermabrasion scrub, hang ten classic sport spf 50, eva nyc therapy session hair mask, olive lips refreshing rosemary lip balm, and pacifica mineral eyeshadow duo in moonbeam and unicorn

derma e microdermabrasion scrub – Ooo! I had no idea this would be back in circulation and I’m so glad it is because I love it. I didn’t get this the last time it was offered and I actually wanted it so bad I got it in a trade, but I’m perfectly happy receiving it and having another one to use. I love the citrus scent, the little scrubby beads, and the creamy texture. I have been made a big fan of derma e and I look forward to trying some of their other products when I finally use up my current skincare items.

Hang Ten Classic Sport SPF 50 – The packaging on this is cute and retro. I’m liking the neon look, which totally reminds me of LA and summer. It’s the more liquidy type of sunscreen and it doesn’t smell like sunscreen when I first put it on, but as I rub it in I get a little more of that scent that reminds me of childhood summers. After rubbing it in, it’s a little sticky and gives my skin a little sheen to it. This is perfect to bring in my bag or leave in the car so I can apply it whenever.

eva nyc therapy session hair mask – I like the light scent of this and I’m definitely appreciating the size of the tube! It’s really refreshing to receive an item that isn’t your usual beauty product, since I’m really up to my neck in lotions, cleansers, soaps, creams, etc. A hair mask on the other hand, is just what I need to add to my collection! This is a very rich, creamy formula that is like a thicker conditioner. I can’t wait to try it out!

Olive Lips Refreshing Rosemary Moisturizing Lip Balm – Oh wow, olive and rosemary? How wonderfully different from other lip balms. I’m not super into the scent, but it’s not bad either. This is super moisturizing to keep those lips from drying out. I find the little tube to be great; it’s adorable and a better fit for the size of my lips. I like keeping a tube in just about every place I might be for awhile, so I could always use another one to place in one of my many spots.

Pacifica Mineral Eyeshadow Duo in Moonbeam & Unicorn – I’m tempted to try this out because they’re just beautiful. You can’t tell from the picture, but the left half (moonbeam, I presume) is this deep purple and the right half (unicorn, then?) is a gorgeous white with gold flecks! Totally fun and just the kind of shades I like. But alas, I just don’t use eyeshadow, so should I just trade it instead? I might have to sit on this awhile. I mean, everyone loves Pacifica so I’m sure I can trade it off, but maybe I should just give it a go myself.

I think in general the theme this month really offered itself to types of products I like more. I’d love to see this trend continue, with fresh products that aren’t the typical boring makeup stuff. If you want to trade for any of my items, check out my eDivv shop.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this bag and wanted to share what I got!]

Homegrown Collective February 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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I’m so thrilled about this GREENBOX! Honey is such an awesome theme and this one also incorporates beeswax. Not only are there items for your skin, there’s a really cool wood project too.

The Homegrown Collective GREENBOX is $39 per box + $9 shipping (or as discounted as $429 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with fun and easy projects to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program you can apply to join.

inside of honey how sweet it is homegrown collective box with the info sheets on the inner lid contents of the homegrown collective february 2014 box with honey how sweet it is theme

Project #1, honey lip balm: This sounds lip-lickingly good. Honey in my lip balm seems like a great idea for soothing, creamy stuff. The honey dipper is so cute! I’m not sure if I want to get it all sticky and wet. For the tubes, I’m thinking I can decorate them and make my own blinged out versions. Sharpies and gems at the ready!

the homegrown collective february 2014 project honey lip balm info card the homegrown collective february 2014 products for honey lip balm

Project #2, honey sugar face scrub: What a simple, wonderful scrub. I’ve known that honey is good for killing bacteria and I could certainly use that for the acne on my face. It’s a strange sensation to put something so gooey on my face and it’s amusing that it’s such a sweet concoction. I’m a sucker for a scrub!

the homegrown collective february 2014 project honey sugar face scrub info card the homegrown collective february 2014 products for honey sugar face scrub

Project #3, beeswax wood butter: Now that I have a home, I am always looking out for ways to add personality to it with home goods. Coasters are certainly a welcome project to make and having a wood butter to help care for wood is fantastic. I’m looking forward to polishing things up! [update: check out the completed project!]

the homegrown collective february 2014 project beeswax wood butter info card the homegrown collective february 2014 products for honey wood butter

Then there’s the info card explaining the bee theme for this box:

the homegrown collective february 2014 honey how sweet it is info card

If you want some of these kinds of projects for yourself, subscribe to the Homegrown Collective now!

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Blissmobox: Winter Beauty

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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The final blissmobox. As I mentioned recently, I never got the last one I was supposed to receive, so I contacted customer service and they eventually agreed to send me one of the variations they have now. It was a toss up between Winter Beauty and Blissmo Beauty for me (the other option was a snack-themed one). I went with Winter Beauty hoping for more rich, hydrating, healing skincare. This was my last blissmo box and I think it was the February one, but I’m really out of touch with their cycle so it might have been from the Jan selections.

blissmobox is just under $25 per month with shipping (or as discounted as just under $120 for 6 months) and comes with eco-friendly products in themes like beauty, snacks, home, pets, and more. Each month you choose from two or three themes, or skip if none of them appeal to you. They do not offer a referral program.

opened blissmobox february 2014 with contents displayed

Yes To Blueberries, Age Refresh Eye Firming Treatment – I’ve been fascinated by this brand and I’m always happy to get their products, but I don’t know if I really need eye treatment stuff so I think I’ll put this in my samples pile to share with people I trade with. It’s hard to believe that this packet is fully 1/5th of the regular size they sell! I bet it’d last quite a long time.

Nature’s GateBiotin Strengthening Conditioner – I already got this in last February’s Skin Essentials box and it was pretty good. However, I am confused as to why they only included the conditioner this time… would it have been so much trouble to have at least the shampoo again, if not the body wash as well? I mean, isn’t conditioner more effective combined with shampoo? It’s disappointing to get just the single sample here.

Joyful Bath Co, Oatsy Floatsie bath soap – I love this soap and have another sample sitting around somewhere. I’d bought the full size previously and used that all up. I love how well it suds and it smells wonderfully of lavender. When I use up some of the other soaps I have around now, I’m definitely going to look at getting another one of these. I believe you can even find them in Whole Foods now! I love perusing the bath section of stores.

Choice Teas, Organic Breathing Space – I could definitely use some caffeine-free tea. This seems like a great one to have when you’re feeling a little under the weather or need a pick-me-up on a cold day. Like with the hair care sample, I wish they hadn’t given just one little packet. Another flavor or a trio of this same flavor would have made a far greater punch here.

Calolea, Glycerine & Olive Oil Complexion Bar – Ok, I was not impressed at first, but once I read about how great this soap is I’m looking forward to using it. Plus, I sniffed it and it’s such a lovely clean, fresh, but not too strong scent. This is hypoallergenic and is supposed to be good for your complexion. I certainly need something like that! It’s gentle and they even recommend using it for men when they’re shaving. So useful! And with olive oil, I’m sure it won’t dry me out.

ellovi, lip butter – Pure and simple, just a few ingredients (six, to be exact). It’s a cute little lip butter with nothing extra in it to complicate things. I happen to love the oval shape for lip balms, which applies faster and really gets those corners well. I like to have lip balms available everywhere, since you never know where your lips will feel dry, so this will find a happy home in a pocket, on a counter, or maybe even in the car.

Mee Beauty, Bee Kissed honey & beeswax lip balm – Ooo, a lip balm infused with honey! That’s pretty new to me and a fun way to draw in the bee theme. Once again, I’ll find a place for this so I can keep my lips well taken care of. I like how there’s not a strong scent to this. I’m sure I could even convince Panda to use this for his winter lips.

This time there was no info card and I wish there was some “wow” factor. While I do like some of the new brands here, I feel like they could have been a bit more generous with the samples.

Beauty Box 5 January 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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I received my very first Beauty Box 5 today! They were offering a deal of a free January box for getting their 3-month tier pricing ($30 total) and I was able to snag the deal while supplies lasted. That’s a wonderful deal!

Beauty Box 5 is $12 per box (or as discounted as $99 for an entire year, with an option in between) and comes with 5 cosmetic products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. You also have the option of buying it as a gift your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards products or boxes.

beauty box five held up by hand

The box was smaller than I imagined!

january 2014 beauty box 5 contents

Yes, I got purple gloves!!

beauty box 5 january 2014 information card

Info on the products with prices of their full sizes.

h2o+ Sea Lotus Body Wash: This unisex body gel smells fresh and clean. I actually like how it smells through the bottle more than straight up, so I hope that the scent that permeates is what would linger on my skin.

Nubar Vanilla Cuticle Oil: Mmm, this lovely vanilla scented cuticle oil smells wonderful! It feels great and absorbed well. I can definitely see this being very healing and good for your skin.

Swissco Bath & Shower Exfoliating Gloves: Woo hoo! Out of all the colors possible, I got the very one I would enjoy the most. Love that. I’m a huge fan of tools for beauty and skincare, so I’ll be appreciating these the next chance I get. I’ll put some of that body wash on and scrub down with them.

Jergens Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer: I’ve seen Jergens around all the time, but never tried it! I really like the scent of this lotion, which is slightly sweet and very calming. It’s a lighter formula than many others, which makes it absorb super fast. I can never have enough travel size lotions and this will definitely go with me on my next trip.

Epic Blend Hemp Coconut Lip Balm: I’m always hesitant when I first see anything with hemp, but then I talk myself down and try it anyway. The combination of hemp and coconut is interesting in a way I can’t quite pinpoint. The lip balm glides right on and leaves my lips well-protected. A good staple item to have.

That Awkward Moment Compact Mirror: This was a bonus item and suuuch good timing – I was just about to take a compact to work to keep at my desk. Now I have one on hand to bring in on Monday. In the mean time I’ve had fun goofing off and talking to Panda by looking at his reflection in the mirror. 😛

What do you think of the items in this box? Sign up for Beauty Box 5 if you’re interested!

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Ipsy January 2014: 19 Reasons review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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I just received my first Ipsy bag for 2014 and I’ve got to say I’m rather underwhelmed. The bag design makes me think of airports and all their reminders of what you can and cannot bring through security. I got an eye shadow yet again (how many times is this going to happen even though I indicated NO interest in eye products??). The thing I’m most interested in is actually the Proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads – if they work.

Ipsy is $10 per glam bag and comes with 5 or so beauty/skincare products. Bags are sent monthly with no option to skip. There’s usually a waitlist to get the subscription. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free products.

ipsy january 2014 bag items with card including sexyhair soy tri-wheat leave-in conditioner, skiin soothing & smoothing eye cream, malin+goetz mojito lip balm, elizabeth mott smooth shadow creamy eye pencil in penny, and proactiv+ mark fading padsI didn’t get the theme this month. Is there some significance to the number 19? Maybe they just ran out of ideas.

sexyhair soy tri-wheat leave in conditioner – At first I thought they’d sent me a repeat product, but a more careful look made it clear that I had previously received a hair spray before and this time it was a leave-in conditioner. I’m totally cool with that and will definitely give this a try. I haven’t used a spray-on conditioner, so this will be cool (especially after I just wrote about how I love sprays and the way it distributes more finely). I don’t usually use a leave-in conditioner but I probably should since my hair needs some help retaining a conditioned appearance.

skiin Soothing & Smoothing Eye Cream – I don’t use eye creams so I’m going to try to trade this. It’s a pretty good size for an eye cream and would last quite awhile! I have plenty of unused ones though, so if someone else is interested in this I might as well try to get something I’ll get around to using. I’ve never heard of this brand and I’d like to try something of theirs another time.

(malin+goetz) mojito lip balm – This is a pretty cool product with a unique flavor. Can’t say I’ve ever had a mojito-flavored anything before. There’s a lightly refreshing taste to it and it comes out in a clear, somewhat gooey liquid form. I can see it being very effective in keeping the cold air from drying out your lips. It’s slightly more sticky than lip balm but not quite as shiny or sticky as lip gloss.

Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow creamy eye pencil in Penny – I have nothing against the brand, but since the product is an eye pencil, I was disappointed to get it. The color is a coppery shade that looks nice. Still, I’m totally going to put it up for trade along with almost every other eye liner and pencil and shadow I’ve gotten. I wish Ipsy would really cut back on sending me those products. I don’t know how else to make it clear on my profile that I don’t use them!!

proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads – The most intriguing products of the bunch! My acne problem has seemed to calm down a bit as my body shifts focus to fight whatever illness or infection I might have contracted, but I still have awful scars. I’m really hoping these work because I could really use something to get this acne issue under control. I really thought things would have gotten better by now! Why don’t they warn you that acne problems last long past your teens??

If you’re interested in a trade, let me know and check out what else I have up on my FSOT list.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this bag and wanted to share what I got!]

Escape Monthly October: Hawaii Box Review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
2

Ah, as the weather cools down, it’s a great time to think of warmer escapes. This month’s Escape Monthly theme is Hawaii and it’s a nice way to get your mind off the coming winter months. Too bad I didn’t win the trip as well, but Panda and I might just vacation there again next year anyway!

Escape Monthly is just under $40 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – see end of post) and comes with a variety of food, home, skincare items themed around a city. Each box comes with a Moon Handbooks guide for that region. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a lovely recurring referral commission program.

escape monthly october hawaii box products showing

escape monthly october hawaii box info card against blue and white chevron background

escape monthly october hawaii box info card opened with details of products included(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

I think we can all agree that Hawaii is a pretty fantastic place. Those who have been want to return and those who haven’t have it on their bucket list! Luckily, I’ve been twice in my life and had great memories both times. This box covered some great items made locally and definitely highlighted more tropical flavors. I like the range of products included! Totally feeling that island vibe.

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Big Island of Hawai’i – This is perfect for a future trip, since so far I’ve only ever been to Oahu and the next trip to Hawaii will definitely be to another island. When I decide to go check out the Big Island, I’ll be well-prepared. There’s some great information in here and I love that there’s a section for honeymooners so Panda and I know what we can do for a romantic vacation.

Royal Hawaiian Orchards Papaya Lime Macadamia Crunch – I generally find some tropical fruits like mango and papaya to be too strong for me, so I was skeptical of this snack even though it looks fab. After tasting it, I can’t say that I’d want more but it was interesting to try. The lime did help quell some of the papaya but overall the flavor mashing was still too strong for me. Plus, they’re nutty and I’m not much of a nut fan as it is.

gentle scrub facial buff – Oftentimes, these fun products are one of my favorite items in the box and this is no exception. I totally need a facial buff pad like this to help work away my acne scars and help prevent buildup for future breakouts. Absolutely love it and I’ll be using it the shower when I wash my face.

Personal Paradise Coconut Lime body lotion – This lotion smells wonderful and absorbs well. I’m totally going to be using it after I wash my hands. It absolutely reminds me of being out in Hawaii and I enjoy the scent that wafts up after I apply it.

Tub & Scrub Hawaiian bath salts in Oregon Rain – Haha, was it purposeful that they went with the Oregon Rain scent? I wonder if that’s a coincidence or if they meant to tie it in to the previous box’s theme. Whatever the case, it smells refreshing and soothing all at once. I’m drawing up a bath right now to go try it out! Can’t wait. 🙂

Alaea Hawaiian Sea Salt – Freakin’ adorable packaging makes this cool already. It’s so cute I almost can’t bear to open it… but I will eventually. I’ll try it out next time we cook and then I’ve got to find a way to repurpose the jar once I’ve used it up. I’m a sucker for good packaging.

Tiesta Tea Immunity Maui Mango – This is actually a tisane rather than a true tea, since all ingredients are just fruit and flower parts, with no actual caffeine content. It looks really fun but I’m hesitant to open it to try since it has mango and I’m just not into that flavor. However, the pineapple and orange might mask much of that flavor so I’m curious how it’d taste. I’ll probably try it eventually.

seashell lei – This is a cute little necklace that will be decoration somewhere. I don’t have much use for it, but I’ll keep it around and bring it out for any tropical themed needs in the future.

Honey Girl Organics Face & Eye Creme and Night Creme – I totally saw these when I was out in Hawaii and was super curious about the brand! I’m really glad I get to try them out now. The face & eye creme is really rich and thick. I’d probably use it more at night. The night creme is fascinating… it kind of melts with your body heat and seems greasy but is like this layer of softness. It feels really healing!

Ostara Organics lip balm in Cuppa Java – Well, since this is supposed to be a coffee scent, I’m going to save it for someone else. I don’t drink coffee and I’m not a fan of the smell, but there certainly are plenty of people who do like it. In fact, maybe I can give this to Panda since he needs to use more lip balm especially as the winter approaches.

Ola body butter in Coconut – I didn’t want to break the seal on this one just yet, but I’m totally using it this winter. It seems like the perfect product to keep my skin hydrated in the bitter cold. I love the size too, which is easily portable and will last me for quite a few uses. Funny how a tropical thing can be so fitting for very non-tropical conditions.

Hawaiian Host Dark Chocolate Covered Macadamias – Mmm, yummy! This is a nice snack with rich flavors, just enough sweetness, and a wonderful crunch. It’s a great way of highlighting macadamia nuts in a delicious treat. I’d totally eat more of these.

So what do you think of this Escape Monthly box? Have you been to Hawaii before? If you want Escape Monthly for yourself, sign up, and try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): ESCAPENOW for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription, TROPICALESCAPE for 20% off, GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

And a preview of next month:

escape monthly october hawaii box info card back with preview of next month's box theme of vermont

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just won this box and wanted to share what I got!]

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