Posts Tagged ‘sprays’

Escape Monthly June: Las Vegas Box Review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

Alright! I’ve been sitting on this box for two weeks (oops) but here’s my review. Panda and I are both teetotalers who aren’t into the party scene, so when we go to Vegas it’s about the sights, shows, and food. I think this box offered a nice balance between the party side of things and the getaway side of things. I’m glad to see they didn’t just focus on one aspect of Vegas.

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 june las vegas box products showing escape monthly june las vegas box info card against blue and white chevron background escape monthly june las vegas box info card opened with details of products included escape monthly june las vegas box products extra details(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

At first I thought I didn’t get the bonus item and I was super bummed, but then I found it hiding against the side of the box! Is it strange that a little thing like that made my day brighter?

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Nevada – I’m keeping this one handy since Panda and I will be going to Las Vegas next month. I’m definitely planning on doing a helicopter ride over to the Grand Canyon this time around, since that’s the one thing I haven’t gotten a chance to do that’s been on my list for ages. Other than that, we’ll see what this guidebook has to offer.

Tahoe Toffee – Anyone who went to college in California or Nevada probably went to Lake Tahoe for some skiing/snowboarding at some point! I know I certainly did (my only time on the slopes so far, actually). It’s lovely to see a brand from that area and it’s a mighty fine toffee they make. When I first saw it, I thought there was a corner missing since from the back, it looked like it was supposed to be a big triangle. When I turned it around, I found out it’s the shape of Nevada, haha!

New York New York clipped casino playing cards – What a simple and unique gift item. I happened to get ones used at the New York New York casino, which I’ve been to many a time (though not to gamble). I’ve been thinking about reviving a game of Snerds with Panda – it was a card game we played all summer as Orientation Counselors at UCLA. Looks like I have my chance now!

Las Vegas shot glass – Even though I don’t drink, I have this thing with shot glasses and mini alcohol bottles. When I was traveling Europe, there were just so many cute ones to get that I have a small collection, so this is a perfect addition! I recently read someone mentioning it’s the perfect portion for drinking water with your daily pills… so if I ever need to take pills, I will certainly keep that in mind. 😉 Note that this is NOT dishwasher safe, so be careful with it and hand wash!

glass die wine stopper – Is it just me or does this remind you of a wedding gift? It might be the white and silver coloring of the packaging. Or it might be the hearts. I don’t have wine to stop, but I really like the look of this glass die so I’ll see if I can find a use for it. If not, my dad or Panda’s brother might have a use for these!

3Girls Holistic Calming Mist spray – This is a nice large bottle of calming mist that sprays perfectly finely, for a nice thin layer of mist. I love that it’s organic and vegan, with very simple ingredients like lavender, chamomile, ylang ylang, and vanilla essential oils. It smells sweet and tart, like a summer garden brimming with flowers.

Iadora Charcoal Body Scrub – Ooo, I can’t wait to use this when my body scrub supply goes down a bit. I’ve had charcoal soap, but never a scrub, so this is fantastic! They’ve got some large salt granules that will provide a super exfoliating scrubbing experience. The oils like to sit at the bottom of the tub, so I flipped it over to allow the drier bits on top to get soaked again.

Vegas nail file – This was the bonus item I thought I didn’t get. Yay for finding it somewhat hidden. 🙂 I don’t really file my nails, so I will keep this as a nice Vegas item until I decide to put it to use. Now that I say that, I kind of want to use it right away!

I’m a big fan of the items for relaxation and enjoyment in this box and whatever I won’t use will make a wonderful gift. What do you like best in this Las Vegas Escape Monthly box? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): INDIAESCAPE or VEGASESCAPE for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

July’s destination is India!! I’ve never been there, but I have some good friends who have been or are from there so I can’t wait to see what I’ll get and whether they approve. This time around they offered a deluxe box as well ($150 for $69.95), since there are so many items they wanted to share. I’m very tempted but I need to cut back on my spending so I hope I don’t regret not springing for it (or maybe they’ll have extras once I see what it comes with).

escape monthly june las vegas box info card back with preview of next month's box theme of india

[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 June 2014: Pretty In Paradise review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Here comes the second artist-partnered design for an Ipsy bag. I like the tropical look and the colors, though I don’t know if they make sense together. Still, I’m a fan! The products they matched me with were hit and miss. I’ll surely be trying to trade some.

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 june 2014 bag items with card including marc anthony dream waves beach spray, nyx butter gloss in eclair, be a bombshell lash out mascara, dermadoctor dd cream, and nicka k shimmer eyeliner in green

Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray – This smells like summer with some sort of coconut-y influence. I’m still working on how to get a good beach wave look that works for my hair. It seemed quite effective at helping me get more volume and that tousled effect, but then I have a tendency to run my hands through my hair and it kind of defeats the purpose. Still, I shall use this and spruce up my hair a little this summer!

NYX butter gloss in Éclair – I’m definitely into lip glosses, so I’m glad to have this one. It’s a nice smooth consistency that applies a nice thin layer. Not too shiny, a little bit sticky, and quite moisturizing. Good lip product to keep around, but I don’t know if I’d buy it myself. There are just so many choices out there.

be a… bombshell lash out mascara – I have so many tubes of mascara now I practically need to apply it all day every day to make a dent in using them. It’s a pretty standard-looking type in terms of the brush and thickness/goopiness of the mascara. When I took a look, I also happened to sniff it and I didn’t like that smell, so I’m going to trade this. Other than that I wouldn’t mind keeping it around for my own use.

DERMAdoctor DD cream – Much as I’ve hoped these creams would be sufficient on their own, I find that I still need to help it along with some powder. They just don’t provide enough coverage for my breakouts and also leave my skin rather shiny. I’m a sucker for these items even though they don’t exactly work for me. Still, they provide a nice base upon which I can apply my powder, so I’m definitely testing this over time to see how it holds up against the other half dozen or so BB/CC/DD creams I’ve tried.

Nicka K New York Shimmer Eyeliner in Green – Wow, green eyeliner?! Intense. Not something I’d go for and certainly something I’ll be trading. What a very bold selection to go with. This is the first non-nail polish I’ve received from this brand and I won’t be using it.

This month the items were an ok fit for me overall. I liked about half the items, but there always seem to be other products they offered that would have made much more sense for me. Does IpsyMatch ever consistently work?? If you want to trade for any of my items, check out my eDivv shop don’t be discouraged if I don’t reply to divvys at first. Sometimes I need a hiatus and until they offer a “vacation mode” I don’t have a way to let other traders know when I’m taking a break.

[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!]

Yuzen Summer 2014 edition review

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

It always seems like I sit on my Yuzen boxes for a long time before I finally get the review out. Don’t know why that keeps happening, so I’m finally getting this done before summer is truly upon us! I filmed the video for this a week and a half ago and it should be showing up on Yuzen’s YouTube channel in a few days. But hey, you get to see what comes in the box here!

Yuzen is $33 per quarter (with boxes sent Feb, May, Aug, and Nov) and comes with around 7 or 8 eco-friendly beauty, skincare, food/snacks, and home products. Boxes are sent quarterly with no option to skip, but you can get one-time gift boxes too. Sometimes there’s a waitlist to get the subscription. They do not offer a referral program.

unboxed summer 2014 yuzen box with contents shown

ShamanutiSeaweed Toner: I’m a huge fan of sprays and mists, so this toner is just fantastic. It has a light scent that is wonderfully relaxing and has a very soothing effect. I like how it’s ocean-inspired with the kelp they use. Some great skincare comes from the ocean! I did accidentally overspray myself at first because one push of this sends out a lot of product. I learned to hold it at a much further distance to get better coverage. Use code yuzenlove by 8/31/14 for 20% off at Shamanuti.

Kerstin FlorianLavender Body Spray: Wow, this was a major surprise when I tried it. I thought it’d just be a normal spray, but what I got was a sheen of ultra-moisturizing amazingness. A gentle rub into the skin and felt soft and smooth. This is fabulous! I love how the spray head allows me to quickly moisturize my skin with a spray and swipe. That’s all it takes to absorb and heal my skin. I’m very impressed. Use code ZEN20 by 9/30/14 for 20% at Kerstin Florian (restrictions apply).

KneippHerbal Bath in Lavender: What a relaxing bath additive. Lavender is the perfect choice for a bath and this bottle of concentrated goodness promises a most excellent bathing experience. Of course I still need to get around to drawing a bath in the first place… I’ll probably end up doing that within the week, since I’ve been so drained and I could use a good soak. Just smelling it in the bottle is helping ease my mind already. Use code Yuzen14 by 12/31/14 for 10% off the full size product at Kneipp.

MyChelle  Ultimate Lash and Brow Serum: I like this brand and I certainly like the idea of increasing my lash length. This is a small tube, but I’m sure it will last quite some time since you barely need any each time. I’ve applied it to my lashes and I hope it works! It doesn’t smell or feel like anything, though it did tingle a bit when it was drying. The consistency is liquidy enough to come on easily and we’ll just have to wait and see for results. Use code YUZEN25 by 2/1/15 for 25% off at MyChelle.

Aromaflagefragrance & insect repellent: Ok, this has got to be the most unique thing I’ve seen! Taking a fragrance (aka perfume) and making it an insect repellent too? What a brilliant way to make something I’d never care for (perfume) into something I’d actually consider! The scent is very special, with a warmth and citrusy notes. When the bugs start coming, I’m totally using this as my insect repellent. I mean, who wants to go out smelling like bug spray, right? Might as well disguise myself as a fine lady with this scent. It smells more down-to-earth than your typical perfume fluff too. 🙂 Use code Yuzen2014 by 7/31/14 for 15% at Aromaflage.

Hugo NaturalsVanilla & Sweet Orange soap: This is a brand and scent I’ve tried, not as a soap, but as a lotion. Funny enough, that was the same box I got my first taste of MyChelle from too. This is a generous full size bar that will last me ages! I’m saving it until my current soap is done so it doesn’t lose any of its scent or go through too many cycles of drying out and getting wet. I like the sweet scent of this bar that’s perfect for cleaning my body and giving me a fresh smell. Use code VSO20 by 8/31/14 for 20% at Hugo Naturals.

Sencha NaturalsPink Dragonfruit mints: How random that just after receiving these, I was in a store and saw them being sold! Was it just that I had never paid attention before? Granted, it was a completely new store I was in at the time. Whatever the case, funny timing. I love the leaf shapes they use and that they incorporate green tea to help with bacteria (and of course give you some antioxidants). This flavor is sweet with a mint that comes later and lingers nicely. Use code YUZEN15 by 7/31/14 for 15% off at Sencha Naturals.

I definitely feel more prepared for the warmer months, what with insect repellent and super healing products for my skin. And hey, I might just get some longer lashes too! What items are you most interested in from this box?

*Disclosure: As a super fan, I was invited to be the Yuzen Ambassador to help them spread the word about their brand. I now receive the boxes for free. I was not compensated otherwise and all opinions are my own, irregardless of my relation to Yuzen. I just happen to think they’re awesome (as does everyone else I’ve heard from). 🙂

Homegrown Collective January 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
4

This weekend, I got the first Homegrown Collective GREENBOX of the year! When I first saw the theme of DIY Detoxify, I thought juice cleanse and I was skeptical, but as it turns out, I love this box too (big surprise there, haha – I’ve loved all their boxes!). Also, I’d like to mention how insanely good they are at packing these things… I never know how everything fits back in once I unpack them. Lucky for me, I don’t have to do that part. 😛

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.

the homegrown collective january 2014 box with small shipping label

Hehe, I was totally amused by the mini label – is that a new thing?

inside of homegrown collective box with the info sheets on the inner lid and white homegrown collective sticker on brown paper wrapping

They have a pretty new logo that they started using.

contents of the homegrown collective january 2014 box with diy detoxify inside and out theme

Project #1, dandelion leaf herbal tea: I always thought you could do something with those dandelions in the yard and lookie here! What a fantastic way to enjoy what is commonly viewed as an annoying weed. I’m totally trying this at work as soon as we have the hot water machine again. I wonder how it tastes. I can’t imagine it’d be sweet, so maybe a bit tart or bitter? For whatever reason, that’s what I’d expect dandelion to taste like, but I’ll find out soon enough.

the homegrown collective january 2014 project dandelion leaf herbal tea info card the homegrown collective january 2014 products for dandelion leaf herbal tea

Project #2, dead sea salts & lavender fizzing bath soaks: Ooo yes, FIZZING! Seriously, who wouldn’t like a little bubbling in their bath soak? It makes things so much more interesting and entertaining. I absolutely must go to the Dead Sea at some point to float in it myself, but until then, I’m glad I have some salts from there to enjoy the detoxing effects. This is like a science experiment and beauty treatment all in one. And being a nerdy gal, I love both those things!! It was fun to watch the pouch floating around as it sizzled, then sink when the fizz was gone.

the homegrown collective january 2014 project dead sea salts and lavender fizzing bath soaks info card the homegrown collective january 2014 products for dead sea salts and lavender fizzing bath soaks

Project #3, bentonite clay & rosewater mask: Ok, I have an unhealthy obsession with masks. I don’t use them nearly as much as I’d like, but I’ll almost always get them anyway. I don’t know why I love them so much, but I can’t help it and I’m thrilled with mixing my own! I’ve never heard of bentonite clay, but I think most types of clay are pretty awesome (like when I discovered kaolin clay). This one sounds fascinating with its electrical charges and whatnot. I really liked spraying on the rose water to keep the mask on for longer without the tightening getting too crazy. Feels (and smells) lovely!

the homegrown collective january 2014 project bentonite clay and rosewater mask info card the homegrown collective january 2014 products for bentonite clay and rosewater mask

Then came the final info card talking about all the great detoxing going on with this box:

the homegrown collective january 2014 detoxify inside and out info card

marketing info cards from the homegrown collective january 2014 box

Here are the marketing materials that came with the box.

back of marketing info cards from the homegrown collective january 2014 box

And the backsides with all the info.

What are you waiting for? Subscribe to the Homegrown Collective so you can stop being all jealous of my awesome stuff. 😉

[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!]

365great Day 304: sprays

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , ,
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365great challenge day 304: spraysWhoever invented spray tops is pretty genius. Perhaps it was inspired by our sneezes, which often produce a fine mist of sorts and more evenly distributes particles across an area. Splashing liquid on yourself versus misting it over yourself is such a different experience. Sprays just feel better and help cover more area with less stuff. They’re so refreshing and fun to use with just about any sort of light liquid. For the most part, I use it for beauty and skincare purposes, but it can be useful in the kitchen too. I’d love to try those new spray-on lotions someday to see if they are more effective than globbing on lotion the way we do now. Even with the cleaning fluid with our windshield wipers, you’ll find sprays are the perfect way to cover a larger area more finely. In general, they’re a great way to get more bang for your buck!

Blissmobox: Splendid Spa

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

This was a special offer box for Valentine’s (yeah, yeah it was ages ago… I’m getting close to caught up!) and I chose the Splendid Spa one because I wanted to treat myself. I’d seen this offered before and I didn’t get it, so this was perfect. At the $20 price point, I felt like it was a decent deal.

blissmobox valentine's day sale box choices splendid spa & relaxation and night lovin' blissmobox valentine's day sale box choices naturally his and fair trade favoritesThere were four boxes on sale for the Valentine’s blissmobox special.

I got an even better deal when they accidentally sent out a different box (Skin’n’Hair Care) and then had some customer services issues that ultimately led to me getting refunded. I can’t remember the details, but there was quite a bit of confusion and ultimately I still got what I wanted though I almost didn’t receive this box.opened blissmobox valentine's 2013 special deal with contents displayed

collage of choice organic teas box of twenty included in valentine's 2013 blissmoboxChoice Organic Teas, Jasmine Green Tea – I’ve got a major backlog in tea, so these are still neatly packaged waiting for me to break them in. I do enjoy the fragrance of jasmine tea and these will be great to bring along when I’m traveling. I love that they’re organic since the flavor probably tastes better that way. I’m also considering keeping these as a gift or to use as part of a giveaway basket eventually.

collage of hellomellow energy shifting spray in relax included in valentine's 2013 blissmoboxhellomellow, energy shifting spray in relax – Misting myself is so much fun! A little spray of this on my face is perfect to help soothe me. I tried to use it to help me sleep but that didn’t work out so well, so I think this is best suited for a refresher in the daytime when I want a little bit of calming scent. This is a brand I’ve long been interested in and I definitely want to try out more of their line.

collage of level naturals shower bombs box of four included in valentine's 2013 blissmoboxLevel Naturals, Shower Bomb – Wow, so minty! These will definitely wake you right up and help unclog any stuffed noses. Sometimes I like to get a whiff of them just to clear up my sinuses. I’ve been saving them to use when I start work and need to wake up early in the morning! I really feel like half would be plenty for a shower, so I’m going to get a good 8 showers out of this.

tin of scentsbyeilena nail rescue cuticle creamScentsbyEilena, Nail Rescue – At first I thought the card was for this product since it was stuck to it, but it turns out that it was an info card for hellomellow, so ignore the background in the picture! This is sealed so I didn’t want to open it until I’ve used up some of my cuticle oil. It’s a very small brand that I think might no longer be in business unfortunately. I’ve never understood what healthy vs. unhealthy cuticles look like so I can never tell if these things work.

collage of olive remedy cuticle cream included in valentine's 2013 blissmoboxOlive Remedy, cuticle cream – Hmm, interesting that they chose to include two cuticle creams in one box! I mean, how much could one person possibly use? I think the concept of this one is really cool, using olive oil for their main ingredient. That’s new to me since I generally think of it as something you eat or perhaps rub into your hair. Apparently it’s great for sensitive skin though, so even babies could use it! Not that their cuticles need any conditioning…

collage of dream water sleep aid in snoozeberry included in valentine's 2013 blissmoboxDream Water, Snoozeberry – I think this might have been the very first Dream Water I received. Since then I’ve gotten many from various boxes and I think I still have 4 more to drink. They’ll come in useful as I try to recover from jetlag and get into work mode. I’ve found that one bottle feels like a lot and I only drank 3/4 when I tried it. I’ll force myself to guzzle the whole thing this weekend and see if it knocks me out or what.

Normally there’d be more info on these brands, but this time there was just a welcome message.

blissmobox splendid spa & relaxation info sheet

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