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Escape Monthly August: Napa Valley Box Review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: baths, boxes, candles, cookies, escape monthly, face masks, food, gift cards, lip balms, loofahs, lotions, napa valley, pictures, products, reviews, scrubs, skincare, snacks, soaps, subscriptions, travel

28 August 2013

Woo hoo! I got the very first Escape Monthly box last week and it turned out great. When I heard the destination for this box would be Napa, I was a bit concerned it might be too focused on wine. Since I don’t drink, that wouldn’t make a very fun box for me. Luckily, it had a great mix of food, skincare, relaxation products, and travel info. I had to rush off before I could get proper pictures of all the products, but here’s an idea of what it all looked like:

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.

(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

I love that they really took the time to write out messaging that fits with their theme and explain how each product can contribute to your experience of this destination. The variety is great, though I think another snack item might have been nice since the products were rather spa-heavy. Still, I liked that there were bath items, skincare items, household items, a food item, a drink item, and of course a tour book of the region. I definitely feel a lot more prepared for what Napa Valley has to offer and I am definitely set for creating a relaxing experience in the comfort of my own home!

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Napa & Sonoma – A very handy thing to have when preparing a trip to the region!
Napa Valley Wine Soap – How cool is this? Made with grapeseed oil and local products – perfectly incorporating relaxation with the wineries.
all natural loofah bath sponge – I’ve wanted to have one of these for ages and kept telling myself I’d grow them, but now I don’t have to!
deluxe floating bath candles (set of 2) – Pretty little flower candles in my favorite color… you know I’ll be making good use of them. I feel so motivated to take a bath.
100% Pure Juicy Sugar Body Scrub – Yes, yes yes! I love trying out this brand and I can’t get enough of scrubs.
Cookie Zen Cookie & Cork Pairing – Well, I’ll skip the wine part and jump straight to the munching on cookies part!
7th Heaven natural face masks – Another brand I’ve been interested in so I can’t wait to use this mask. I’ve been meaning to use masks more!
Mixture Luscious lip balm – I’m looking forward to smelling what scent this is. Lip balms are always useful and I’ll probably throw this in a purse or car so I can have it handy.
mystery soap – So when I get back to my box, I will check on the brand, but there was actually another soap in this box. It was a smaller bar of soap and might be the bonus item mentioned in the info card.
Suki lotion sample – This is a brand I learned about through Yuzen and I’m always happy to try their products. Adding this to my samples baggie that I’m working through!
$50 NakedWines.com gift card – Here’s the wine portion of the theme! I won’t be using it but for those looking to create that Napa experience this would certainly help. If you’d like the code let me know and I can share it with you. Terms do apply so I’ll let you know about those if you’re interested.

My favorite product is the 100% Pure Juicy Sugar Body Scrub, which combines my love of scrubs with my fascination with 100% Pure, which I’ve received sample lotions of before. I can’t wait to try it out when I get a chance! I’m also really happy that there was a loofah included since that’s just the type of bonus accessory item I was hoping for. I’ve gotten tons of food and beauty products from subscriptions and I always appreciate when I get an item that works well with them but is more of a tool. It allows me to enjoy my products that much more!

Did you get an Escape Monthly box? What do you think of their introductory Napa Valley destination box? If you’re interested in signing up, they’re still offering 20% off for the lifetime of your subscription with code ESCAPENOW. Oh! And each month some lucky subscriber wins a trip to the destination!! How amazing is that?? 🙂

[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!]

Graze snacks (two more boxes)

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, food, graze box, healthy, nutrition, opinion, pictures, reviews, snacks, subscriptions

25 August 2013

It’s been awhile since I last wrote about the Graze boxes I’ve been getting! I’m knee-deep in them now and have slowed down my deliveries to anywhere from 2-4 weeks. I’m starting to get bored of them so I think I might discontinue my subscription (or keep pushing back deliveries).

Graze is $5 per delivery (you choose the frequency of deliveries) and comes with four pre-proportioned, nutritionally-balanced snacks. Choose from the regular nibblebox or the low calorie caloriecounterbox with a default frequency of every 2 or 4 weeks. You can always increase or decrease the weeks between deliveries to fit your needs, thereby effectively “skipping” weeks as you please. They offer a referral code and link program that gives your referral their 1st and 5th boxes free and earns you $1 off your next box (or you can choose to donate it).

Here are boxes 5 and 6 that I received:

my fifth graze box with fruit & seed flapjack, eton mess, herby bread basket, and eleanor's apple crumble

My fifth Graze box with nutritional info.

The Fruit & Seed Flapjack came before I realized I just don’t like flapjacks that much. I’ve since chosen trash for all the variations so I don’t get them. These are still sitting around waiting to be eaten. I might end up putting them out for the birds and squirrels to nibble on. Or, if I can convince Panda to take them to work as a snack that would work too! Verdict: TRASH.

Eton Mess has these super fun little meringue bites. I love how crisp and fluffy they are. The almond slices are a nice way to offset the sweetness of the rest of this snack. I wouldn’t go crazy over these but I’d definitely munch on it every once and awhile. Verdict: TRY.

Oh yes, now this is what I’m talking about. The Herby Bread Basket has crunchy bits of bread and it’s a savory selection. I love a good salty snack (that does not involve nuts) and I love bread, so this is a good combo of those two things. This is not my favorite of the salty snacks but it’s one I’m always happy to eat. Verdict: LIKE.

It’s funny, I don’t generally like dried apple but I find the super soft texture of these to be fun to chew versus those crisp bags of dried apple slices. Eleanor’s Apple Crumble pairs the soft apple with crunchy almonds and chewy raisins for a wide range of textures. This one can get a bit sweet for me, but I can see myself eating it infrequently. Verdict: TRY.

my fifth graze box with mississippi bbq pistachios, tropical daiquiri, my thai, and poached pear

My sixth Graze box with nutritional info.

You know, I can’t quite remembering eating the Mississippi BBQ Pistachios. I’ve never been super into pistachios but I will eat them so this was one of those that’s enjoyable enough. I do like the unique flavor since I usually just have plain pistachios. Verdict: TRY.

I actually liked the Tropical Daiquiri more than I expected. It seems that I can really get into this whole dried fruit thing. Still, I don’t want to get it too often. Verdict: TRY.

I got the My Thai in my first box and I still enjoy it. I’m a sucker for the crunchy soy and the sauce! Verdict: LOVE.

The Poached Pear is a nice mix of soft and crunchy bits. It’s a nice sweet/fragrant snack but I’m just not that into nuts. I’ll give it a chance though! Pumpkin seeds are supposed to be good for you right? Verdict: TRY.

Blissmobox: Skin Essentials

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: beauty, blissmobox, body wash, conditioner, eco-friendly, eye creams, facial creams, facial lotions, green, health, pictures, products, reviews, samples, shampoo, soaps

22 August 2013

Ok, so I’ve been holding off on reviewing this box because I couldn’t find pictures for it… and then a few weeks ago I realized I don’t remember receiving it at all. Oy! It just so happened at around this time I had gotten two other blissmoboxes and then I lost track of how many I was supposed to receive. Then I went home, where I had this box sent and I had a bunch of mail to go through and somehow this one fell through the cracks. Luckily, my mom was able to hunt it down for me! So here we go…

the choices for february's blissmobox: snack favorites (deluxe value), skin essentials, and baking & pantry favorites (deluxe value)

The three choices for the February blissmobox.

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.

This was the February box and I chose the Skin Essentials one because I was really in the mood for some pampering skincare products. I started to move away from the food selections once I really got into trying all types of cleansers and washes and creams and lotions.

Weleda, Wild Rose Smoothing Facial Lotion – I’m so happy I got this! I have been wishing for some Weleda to try out. I saw a really cool sample pack they sell at Whole Foods and ever since I’ve been curious about this brand. This all-natural product has no synthetic preservatives, fragrances, or chemicals. I can definitely feel good about putting this on my face. I’m not a huge fan of rose-scented skincare, but I do like how this feels so I’m going to have to try out their other products. It absorbs really well and is really refreshing to apply. This particular one helps target fine lines, but I don’t have that issue yet so I think their Iris Hydrating Facial Lotion might be a better fit for me.

Episencial, Soothing Cream – This is perfect for me and all my skin issues lately even though it appears to be a baby-focused brand. I’m going to try this on my burn that still itches a bit at times. I love how gentle it is so you can use it on babies too (lol it actually says for ages 0-150!). Seems like a great thing for diaper rash and other such conditions. It’s even got probiotics, which I’ve never seen in a cream before. I don’t want to open it just yet since I have a few other products for similar uses, but I’m looking forward to testing it. With calendula, I’m sure that it will be plenty effective for healing and soothing. It’s vegan, phthatlate-free, petrochemical-free, paraben-free, gluten-free, and cruelty-free.

Fisika, Ash-Bay Laurel soap – This looks so fascinating, with its unique gray shade and ingredients like ash and laurel. Those aren’t ones I commonly see and I really look forward to sampling this soap. It will help exfoliate your skin so it’s perfect for rough patches. The ash softens water, the laurel essential oil fights premature aging, and the lavender is antiseptic. Seems like this is great for cleaning not just your body! It’s also paraben-, petrochemical-, and phthalate-free.

Nature’s Gate, Grape Seed Eye Cream – I’ll be saving this for future use as well, though I did try a little bit. Feels great and I couldn’t smell anything so it should be good for those sensitive to fragrances. I really like the packaging – it just feels good to use. It has amazing ingredients like white tea, olive, aloe, argan, flaxseed, blackberry, and of course grape seed oil. It’s free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, fragrances (ah I was right about that!), PEDs, petrolatum, and animal byproducts.

Nature’s Gate, Biotin Strengthening Shampoo + Biotin Strengthening Conditioner + Velvet Moisture Açai Body Wash samples – These are some nice samples. I’m not going to use them just yet since they’d be perfect on the road and I currently have a ton of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash to use up. They’re all sulfate free, which is a big thing these days. In addition, they are free of parabens, phthalates, and cruelty (among other things). What they do have is a whole lot of oils that are great for your hair and skin and a bunch of vitamins for boosting the health of your hair and skin. I’m still a huge fan of solid shampoo, conditioner, and soap, so I’ll just use these up but probably won’t buy them.

I liked this box a lot since I get to try plenty of cool brands that I’d be interested in learning more about and it covers all your skin needs, ranging from body to face. The products cover a wide range of skin needs as well, with everything from new skin to aging skin. What do you think about this box?

If you’d like more info on these brands, you can click below to enlarge the photo and read more.

Yuzen Spring 2013 edition (February – April) review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: bath salts, beauty, body scrub, chocolate, eco-friendly, facial masks, food, green, health, lipstick, parfum, perfume, pictures, products, repair creme, review, skincare, snacks, truffles, yuzen

20 August 2013

The fall box is on its way and many people have received them, but I happen to be leaving before it gets delivered to me so I can’t open it until after my vacation. Sad times! Let’s cheer me up by reviewing the spring box!

Yuzen is $26 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.

*Disclosure: As a super fan, I was invited to be the Yuzen Ambassador to help them spread the word about their brand. Starting with the October box, I began to receive them 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).

collage of unboxed spring 2013 yuzen boxes

Two of the variations you could have received.

Click on the pictures for the full sizes so you can enjoy all the details of each product! You can even zoom in to read all the messaging.

red flower – italian blood orange little flower candle: Back in the October box, we were first introduced to red flower with their cream and wash. Then in December we got a super cute ocean candle. This time around I got the blood orange once, which is a scent I really enjoy. I lost track of how many hours it lasted me, but it definitely meets the 15 hour burn time that is advertised. That’s pretty awesome for such a small little candle. I really enjoyed using this and it was a nice little size to even bring on a trip.

Nova Monda – truffles: Nom! Truffles always feel like such a luxurious treat and the texture of these was divine. The heart-shaped one was cacao nib and the other one was sea salt flavored. Both were delicious in their own way and the cacao nibs and sea salt grains offered a nice little bit of crunch to the otherwise smooth and creamy treats. These were super cute and tasty!

Juara – Avocado Banana Moisture Mask: Avocado and banana in a face mask? Yes please! I mean if I wasn’t so lazy I’d try to make this myself, but hey since it’s already here… I enjoy using this mask – it gives me a warming sensation on my face that is really soothing and I feel great after rinsing it off. My skin is always soft and super hydrated afterwards. For some with more sensitive skin, you might not like the slight tingling but otherwise I think anyone would enjoy this mask.

Kneipp – Deep Sleep Mineral Bath Salt: I really enjoy the smell of these, which is quite relaxing. I don’t understand why they’re so blue though – is there a reason for that? I barely need a tablespoon of these salts to dye my bath water blue. I haven’t tried to see how well it helps me fall asleep, but I like it just because it’s a fun bath product. It’s interesting how I rarely take baths (maybe once every other year at best) but I love bath products. I mean, I almost never use them so what’s the fuss right? I guess I’m just weird like that. But hey, once we’re in the new condo I definitely want to take more baths.

Spa Technologies – Marine Repair Cream: This facial cream is lovely! It feels great, smells great, and makes my skin supple. It’s not greasy and absorbs well, which makes me feel refreshed and protected all in one. I really enjoy using this, though the price point is scary. I don’t know if I could ever spring for something so pricey, but maybe as a treat to myself one day… the good news is my current samples will last me awhile!

Jane Iredale – Lippies including Just Kissed Lip Plumper in Tokyo, Just Kissed Lip & Cheek Stain, and LipDrink: These are adorable!! They are an excellent size, perfect for traveling with and there’s plenty to see if you like them or not. I don’t wear lipstick so I only tried it once for a special occasion and it was nice. Can’t tell if my lips were plumped or not, but I wasn’t paying attention. I don’t really stain my lips or cheeks so I haven’t used the stain much either. Maybe I’ll start trying it since I want to look good at work. As for the LipDrink… I didn’t feel like it was very moisturizing. Granted, I only tried it once so maybe I just caught my lips on a bad day.

Naturopathica – Espresso Mud Body Scrub OR Oat Facial Polish: [don’t have closeup pictures, oops] I really enjoy Naturopathica! I won a set of facial products from them because I was introduced to their brand by Yuzen. That’s pretty awesome because I never would have known to enter otherwise. You would have gotten one of these items in your box, depending on how early or late you subscribed and got your box. The scrub is kind of hilarious to use because of the mess I make in the shower. As I scrub myself (particularly my back), bits and pieces of it go flying every which way. Next thing I know it looks like I am rinsing off the evidence of a mud wrestling competition! The oat polish is suuuper moisturizing and feels great on my face. The beads are large and I enjoy knowing they’re scrubbing away at my skin. My face is always soft after using that.

EOV – Eau de Parfum: [another product I forgot to get closeups for] I’m not a perfume person, so I haven’t tried this sample, but it’s a typical trial size vial. It’s a warm scent for those of you who like a bit more floral and citrus scent. This one will be added to my trade list for anyone who might be interested in trying it. I get plenty of scents from all the skincare products I use and I see no need to throw on even more smells. I don’t want to walk around oozing fragrance so I just skip perfumes altogether.

As always, an excellent box introducing me to so many new brands and amazing products. I can’t wait to see what the fall box has in store! This will have to tide me over until I am able to open up my boxes next week. Yuzen always puts a smile on my face. 🙂

Juice Beauty Organics to Clear Skin kit review

laelene Posted in reviews，Tags: acne, cleansers, juice beauty, moisturizers, oily skin, peels, products, reviews, serums, skincare

18 August 2013

Last week I officially completed one month on my new Juice Beauty regimen. I thought I’d share my thoughts on their products and how they worked for me. I got the 30-day kit and it included the Blemish Clearing Cleanser (4 oz), Blemish Clearing Serum (1 oz), Oil-Free Moisturizer (1 oz), Green Apple Blemish Clearing Peel (0.25 oz), and eco-bamboo washcloth. I used the cleanser morning and night, then applied the serum and moisturizer. At least twice a week I put on a layer of the peel and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Sometimes I used the washcloth to pat my face dry and a few times I used it to actually wash my face with the cleanser. I figured that’d give me a deeper clean since it’d be sort of exfoliating.

Overall I found the products to be nice to use, with light scents. A side benefit was that I actually motivated to use these products and stuck to the schedule. I’m pretty bad about consistently washing my face. I definitely enjoyed the cleanser and serum, but I felt like the moisturizer left my face a bit shiny, which was odd since it’s oil-free. I liked how the peel was not harsh though I can’t really tell if it helped or if the cleanser was already effective enough. I will have to try testing that next! I can’t say my skin cleared up, but I did notice that the overall condition of my skin was “calmer” if that makes sense. I still got a pimple here and there, but they were nowhere near as large as previous ones and they went away faster than usual.

I haven’t even managed to use half of the products so these sizes can actually last 2 months! I would definitely consider repurchasing the cleanser, serum, and peel, but not the moisturizer. I’d rather use a moisturizer that works better for my skin and doesn’t leave a shine. I do love how all of these products are so gentle, yet mostly effective. I didn’t have to resort to crazy harsh chemicals that would dry out my skin like many products I used in my teens. I love that it is an organic solution for acne-prone skin like mine. I want to try out some of their other products as well, like the Blemish Clearing Mask, Blemish Be Gone spot treatment, and Blemish Clearing Powder.

Conscious Box August review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, breakfast, digestion, drinks, food, pills, reviews, snacks, soap, subscriptions, supplements, tea

16 August 2013

Alright, here’s my 4th box of the 6 free ones I won. This time there was no info sheet again so I’m wondering if last month was just an exception?

Conscious Box is just under $20 per box (or as discounted as just over $203 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with many samples from about a dozen brands. Choose from their Classic, Vegan, or Gluten-free box. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program.

This month the imagery was bright and warm, exactly what I associate with August. It’s actually quite cool here in the DC area, which is surprising for this time of year. I want more heat before summer’s out!! If you’d like to watch the video of the unboxing, you can check that out too.

I’ve tried the Sneakz drink before and it was ok but not something I’d get, so this time I’m chilling it to see if it tastes better than at room temp. I’m horrible at taking supplements and boosting my health that way, so the Amazing Grass raw reserve, MRM veggie protein, Nordic Naturals omega-3 jellies, Ultima replenisher, MRM Digest-All, Herbal Zap immune support, and Allimax pills will all be great to try. I’ve had the Stash tea before and I enjoy just about any type of tea so I’ll definitely drink that. The happytot bars will be perfect to bring to my new job for a boost in the mid-afternoon. I’m attending training this coming Monday/Tuesday so I will pack these! I’m not a morning person and I almost never eat breakfast (it jump-starts my metabolism and makes me hungrier throughout the day) so I’ll probably have the Barbara’s Snackimal cereal and Country Choice oatmeal as snacks as well. Or, they might be given to Panda for his morning meal. This time around there was a lot of food! The only non-food item is the cute little Actz Cosmetics soap that is banana scented. I’ve never had skincare smell like banana before and I love it!

What did you receive in your Conscious Box this month? Would you enjoy what came in my box?

Ipsy August 2013: Glamour Academy

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: bags, bb cream, boxes, facial scrub, ipsy, jojoba charcoal, lash booster, lip balms, makeup, mascara, michael todd, nail polish, nailtini, noya, pacifica, pictures, pixi, products, reviews, subscriptions, vanilla

14 August 2013

Lookie at what arrived yesterday! I checked my mail late in the day and I wish I had gone earlier so I could play around with my new stuff but hey it’s all good. Soon after this great surprise, I received the offer letter for the job I really wanted, making it an awesome day. 🙂

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.

Noya Lip Balm in Vanilla – keep. It was either Noya lip balm or Urban Decay lipstick and since I don’t wear lipstick, this works perfectly. I have plenty of lip products at the moment so I won’t start using it just yet but it smells yummy! I’ve never heard of this brand before but I like what I’ve seen so far, since it appears they have natural products. That’s a company I can get behind for sure.

Pixi Lash Booster Mascara – keep. This comes at a good time, since I’ve been thinking about using some mascara here and there and I only have one with me. I can’t quite remember where that one is most of the time so it’s always nice to have a backup! I’ve never tried Pixi before so I’m also curious about this brand and how its products work. I’ve seen them at Target and considered purchasing but haven’t yet.

Pacifica BB Cream – keep. I keep hearing great things about Pacifica and they seem to have a really loyal following. I want to try their body butter when I get a chance, but I’m happy to get their BB cream in the mean time. I’ve been on a BB binge as of late, trying sooo many brands to see what works best for me.

Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub – keep. YES!! I was really hoping I’d get this rather than the pumpkin face mask. I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin and I looove anything with charcoal. I’m also a major sucker for scrubs of any kind and jojoba beads feel really good.

Nailtini Nail Polish in Mai Tai – keep. I didn’t get this in last month’s bag, so I’m happy to get it this time around. I’ve never tried Nailtini and I like how it applies. This color is fun, vibrant, and warm, which is great for summertime. I like it!

That’s right people, this is the first bag where I’m not trading a single item! IpsyMatch seems to have worked (or just by dumb luck I got exactly what I wanted) this time around and I’m very pleased. What do you think of these products? What did you receive in your Ipsy bag?

Influenster Sunkissed VoxBox

laelene Posted in reviews，Tags: bb cream, dr scholl's, elastic bands, experience, free stuff, fresh effects, gel tech, goody, hair ties, high heels, influenster, insoles, nail polish, olay, opinions, products, reviews, sinfulshine

10 August 2013

Wow, I completely forgot to write a post about my Sunkissed VoxBox from Influenster! In my mind, I had done it awhile ago but now that I do a search apparently that was just in my head. So it may be belated, but here it is now: my thoughts on the products that came for free in my lovely VoxBox. This was definitely my favorite box from them since it contained items in various categories and it was all stuff I’d use. In fact, some of them were on my list of things to try!

The SunVoxBox contents!

collage of goody ouchless ribbon elastics 5 piece

Goody Ouchless Ribbon Elastics (5 pieces)

I’m so glad I got to try these! I’d made some of my own and always wanted to compare them with a brand name’s version. Turns out mine are a softer elastic, so depending on your preferences, you might like one of the other better. I enjoy this set of colors and I’m curious to see what other color options they have.

collage of olay fresh effects bb cream in light to medium

Olay Fresh Effects {BB Cream!} in Light to Medium with SPF 15

This smells FABULOUS. Oh my gosh. It’s a wonderfully fragrant scent that makes me feel refreshed after putting this one. The coverage is definitely light and meant to help give an overall smoother look, but not hide all those blemishes. I like pairing this with my Physician’s Formula BB Powder because it gives me a bit of a shiny finish and I like to matte it down.

SinfulShine with Gel Tech Nail Polish in Set The Mood

I was thrilled to receive this nail polish because I’ve been curious about gel polishes but didn’t want to deal with their complexity. This gives a wonderful shine without needing a top coat and just one layer gives you the result shown above! I love the shade I got too, which is a beautiful blue-green/deep teal.

collage of dr. scholl's for her high heel insoles for women's sizes 6-10

Dr. Scholl’s For Her High Heel Insoles (Women’s Sizes 6-10)

Perfect for that interview I had earlier this week. I’m so glad I had these to use so I could comfortably stand in my heels. They have a wonderful bump to create a foot arch for you and ensure your feet aren’t too flat. Definitely something I will use for any future high heel needs.

Blissmobox: Summer Beauty

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: beauty, blissmobox, body polishes, dream water, eco-friendly, facial cleansers, green, health, home, lip balms, lotions, pictures, products, reviews, sleeping aid

06 August 2013

Yay look at what came in the mail a few days ago! This is the July blissmobox, themed Summer Beauty. I had actually missed out on June because I wanted a box that was sold out by the time I went to choose. I decided to do my very first skipped month, which brought me to now. July would have been my last box (my subscription was from July 2012-June 2013, with a bonus month thrown in when I had some customer service issues) but now August will be!

the choices for june's blissmobox: summer snacks, baking & pantry favorites ii (deluxe value), cleaning favorites, and beauty favorites (deluxe value)

The four choices for the June blissmobox. Can you guess the one I wanted?

the choices for july's blissmobox: savory snacks and summer beauty

The two choices for the July blissmobox.

I went with Summer Beauty not only because of my new obsession with skincare products, but because I didn’t want nuts or popcorn or bars, which seemed to be what the snack theme would include. I like crackers, chips, cookies, candy, chocolate… 😛 I was surprised to find it fit into my tiny mailbox and that it was suuuper heavy! Looks like they rid this one of any packing material and let the items keep each other in place, which was nice.

Own Skin Health, Anti-Aging Rejuvenating Cleanser – Wow, this is one giant bottle! This would last me for ages. I’m still debating if I want to use it since I don’t really need anti-aging benefits at this point and I have a ton of facial cleansers I’m working through. I’ll keep it brand new and consider put it on my trade list. Own is a brand I’ve been interested in so I’m glad to be getting their products. I’m curious how this non-foaming cleanser works, since I’m used to (and love) foaming ones. Even ones that aren’t foaming ones seem to foam when I use them. I’ll keep it in my queue for now and see how I feel later.

Own Skin Health, Dual Protecting Day Lotion sample – This lotion smells ever so lightly of that sunscreen scent, in a nice way. It’s a nice thick formula that’s not drippy and absorbs superbly into your skin. I can see this being a perfect lotion to use when you’re going out and exposing yourself to UV rays. It definitely feels like you’re being protected, unlike with some other products I have that have SPF, but make me wonder if they’re effective. I would absolutely consider purchasing the full size of this lotion when I start running out of lotions. Once again, it’s one of those products that I have so much of right now that I can’t justify getting more.

Trillium Organics, Lemon Ginger Body Polish – Oooo I’m so excited about this! I adore scrubs, whether for your face, body, hands or feet. I currently have all of those! This is a super adorable size too and perfect to bring on travels. I might break and open this before I use up my current scrubs because I’m such a sucker for these things. I really want to try it out right away! I also want to get some of their other products to test out.

Le Buchette, Pucker Up Peppermint Lip Fix – I thought it was funny how they filled up the lip balm over the edges of tube so it had that sort of mushroom cap. I’ve never seen that before! This is a nice cooling peppermint lip balm and I was glad to see it’s good for dry lips, cold sores, and burning lips! Pretty much anything that can hurt your lips can be prevented/healed with this lip balm. I started using it right away to ward off any lip issues. The balm is very sticky and I couldn’t glide it on my lips at first. It has since gotten smoother, but is still more of a sticky formula.

Dream Water, Sleep Naturally Nighttime Nectar – I’ve got a few of these lying around now, from various subscription boxes. I’m going to try one out tonight for the first time since I want to get to sleep earlier than usual for an interview tomorrow morning! I always have trouble falling asleep at night unless it’s way into the wee hours of the morning, so let’s hope that Dream Water comes to my rescue. 🙂

Better Life, Cool Calm Collected Citrus Mint – What a refreshing lotion! The mint is very soothing and this is a great lotion to use on a hot day to help cool you down. It does apply a bit sticky on my skin so I’m not sure I’d get more. Plus, I’m pretty sensitive to mint and I already started to feel cold from the little bit I used on my hands and arms. I do love what I see on their site and it kind of reminds me of Method with their cleaning products. When I move to our new home I might want to get some cleaning supplies from Better Life.

Greek Island Labs, Joint Mud sample – Missing. So I guess they forgot to throw in that sample for my bag, which is no big deal, but it would have been nice to get! I’m going to see if they can remember to add it in to my next box, if they still have samples left.

If you’d like more info on these brands, you can click below to enlarge the photo and read more.

Yuzen January 2013 edition

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: argan oil, aromatherapy, beauty, bubble bath, chocolate, conditioner, eco-friendly, facial creams, food, green, health, lip balms, pictures, products, reviews, shampoo, skincare, snacks, yuzen

04 August 2013

Getting closer to finishing this game of catch-up! Here’s the January box, which was the last monthly box that Yuzen sent. In February they started the seasonal boxes sent out every three months, with a favorites box showcasing some of the items from previous boxes as a separate gift option. They tend to sell out quickly of all box varieties, so sign up quickly if you’re interested!

Yuzen is $26 per month (but will be changing to quarterly as of the next box) and comes with around 7 or 8 eco-friendly beauty, skincare, food/snacks, and home products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. Sometimes there’s a waitlist to get the subscription. They do not offer a referral program.

This time around the box was so full that it was nearly bursting at the seams! Look at how mine was bulging with goodness. 🙂 I didn’t get a chance to get individual pictures of everything, so I’ve included what I have.

Click on the pictures for the full sizes so you can enjoy all the details of each product! You can even zoom in to read all the messaging.

sweetriot – flavor 65: Let’s start with the wonderful little snack! These dark chocolate-covered cacao nibs are 65% dark chocolate and amazingly crunchy. They’re the perfect treat to pop when you want something nice and crispy, chocolatey, and delicious! The tube doesn’t look like much, but just a few of these nibs is more satisfying than you’d expect for eating so little. I love the 65% taste that’s not too bitter and still a bit sweet. These taste like a high-quality product and I’d try their other products too. I was nearly done with them when I discovered the cute little “fortune” note inside! This company’s got personality. 🙂

Tilvee – Lavender Lemon Lip Balm: I have a ton of lip products so I haven’t tried this yet but I’m excited to. I loved the healing balm that came in the August Yuzen box and I’d be happy with any of the Tilvee line! I like both lavender and lemon, so I can imagine this would make my lips feel great and smell/taste quite lovely too. I’m working through my current stash of lip balms and will pop this one open ASAP!

Pangea Organics – Italian Red Mandarin with Rose Facial Cream: Pangea is a brand I’m fascinated with and I’m glad to get to try their products. Similar to my lip balm dilemma, I have a looot of facial creams I need to use up, so I’ve kept this one sealed to be as fresh as possible when I do start using it. I’m curious how strong the rose will factor in, since I generally don’t like that fragrance (except real roses on bushes), so hopefully it’s mostly the mandarin scent that comes through! I’m starting to think I might have sensitive skin so this would be great to try.

Essence of Vali – Sleep essential oil concentrate: This little vial is an essential oil blend that’s supposed to help you get to sleep and be more comforted during stressful times. Apparently it’s so powerful/effective that you just put one drop on your pillowcase! I sure wish I brought this out east with me because I’ve had trouble sleeping at night and I’d love to see how effective this might be. At first I thought it was a perfume sample, and I nearly dismissed it, but once I learned more I found it’s definitely something I’d put to good use if it works!

SheaTerra Organics – Moroccan Argan Oil: I have a large jar of argan oil for my hair, which I’ve been using here and there for ages. However, I’d never tried it on my skin before and this adorable little bottle with its dropper cap makes me want to dot oil on all my rough skin and rub away! Then again, I don’t really much rough skin these days since I’ve been taking better care of my body. Still, I enjoy rubbing this on and it almost doesn’t have a scent – just a faint kind of herby smell if you take a good hard whiff.

Acure Organics – moroccan argan oil + argan stem cell shampoo & moroccan argan oil + argan stem cell conditioner: I’m not really into almond-scented things and unfortunately this is no exception. I tried the products once or twice but couldn’t stand the smell so I haven’t used them since and I was too busy being distracted by the smell to know if it actually worked any better than my current hair products. Plus, since I only used them twice I don’t know if I would have noticed a difference or if I’d need a few more washes to get a good idea. Whatever the case, I’m going to have to pass this on to my family and get their feedback. I’m sure they don’t mind the almond smell!

Aromafloria – Stress Less Foaming Bubble Bath: So this is what was making the box bulge so much! A nice GIANT bottle of bubble bath that I cannot wait to try out in the new condo someday. I can’t remember the last time I took a bubble bath, but I’d love to and the tub I’m going to get is nice and large, with plenty of room for bubbles to foam up without overflowing. Lavender, chamomile, and sage all sound so soothing and nice that I’m sure it be a perfectly relaxing scent. I’m eager to find out just how well this foams up when I put it to the test.

And there you go, the January box, with so many fantastic products to promote relaxation, destressing, and keeping your skin in tip-top shape.

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