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Prospurly January 2017 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: bath salts, boxes, hair masks, oils, pictures, products, prospurly, reviews, sprays, subscriptions, teas, tooth powders

04 May 2017

Well then… since spring break, I’ve been awful at doing any reviews, so let’s get the first box from this year out there!

Prospurly is just under $45 per box (with code for 10% off your subscription – use my referral links from this post) and comes with artisan foods, bath & body items, home products, and other sustainably crafted items. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you free boxes.

Beach Organics Bath Salts First Light – As always, I will save these to soak in when I have my own (more comfortable) bathtub to use. I like that these are a combo of Himalayan and Dead Sea salts – sounds super fancy.

From Molly With Love White Sage Smudge Spray – Can someone explain what a smudge spray is? Well, whatever the case, this a good way to cleanse the air of odors. It makes a very handy room spray, though apparently it doubles as a body spray.

Sakari Botanicals Juniper Oil – A massage oil or cooking oil in one? Now that’s new. I definitely thought it was a facial oil and put it in with my bathroom products. Good to know I can ingest it too.

St. Tropica Coconut Hot Oil Hair Mask – I’ve been meaning to use this for ages! My hair could use a boost and I look forward to a hair mask, which I haven’t done before.

The Brothers Apothecary Winter Immunitea – This blend of herbs is great for a soothing cup at night when I need to relax. I haven’t cracked it open yet since I haven’t felt like hot tea as much recently, but it will be very useful in the cooler months.

Frau Fowler Tooth Powder – It’s so strange having this slightly salty powder for toothpaste, which you don’t rinse out after spitting out. I like to use it at night before I go to bed so in the morning I can have a more traditional minty mouth wake-up.

This was a handy box with great products that I will enjoy using. What do you think of this month’s 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!]

Prospurly December 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: body sprays, boxes, face washes, food, oils, pictures, products, reviews, soaps, spices, subscriptions

05 March 2017

I can’t believe I’m a quarter behind already… next weekend kicks off our spring break! And here I am trying to close out the year’s reviews still. Let’s get to it!

Nature’s Skin Nutrition ancient bath milk in Vanilla Noel – Ah, the sweet vanilla scent (with a hint of something medicinal perhaps?). This smells fabulous and I could absolutely bathe in it every day. I don’t like using the bath at my apartment, so this will have to wait until I move back to my own place.

Dr. Jacobs Naturals castile soap in peppermint and almond honey – Castile soap is so versatile! You can use these for cleaning your body, face, hair, or even clothes. I love how this soap is gentle enough for all uses and won’t strip skin of its natural oils.

The Brothers Apothecary Ancient Mulling Spices – Ooo this is the ideal winter drink. I need to get myself some cider and brew this next time I want something a bit more sweet or fragrant than tea.

Foxes & Ferns lavender room & body spray – Now I’ve got to say, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a room AND body spray in one before. Since this works as a toner, that’s the use I’d prefer to keep it for. I have plenty of other sprays and oils for the room, but I’m a sucker for toner.

Menagerie Tea & Earth cleanser – Ok, I was about to say this reminds me of the face wash I’m using right now… so I went to compare them and it turns out it’s the same thing! The formulas may be slightly different but it’s essentially the very face wash I got back in March 2016. I enjoy the scent and the soothing feeling of this cleanser. I do wish it was a little less runny and lathered up more though. This little bottle will be great for me to use in my travel bag.

Be ME Solutions Guardian Immunity oil – Behind that brown wrapper is the true label for this bottle. The outside wrap contains instructions on how to use this oil to prevent illness or help with healing. The consistency is a bit gooier than I expected and there’s a nice minty scent. It’s not too cooling, which I like since I’m very sensitive to that. I’m surprised it said to rub some on your feet too – is that a way to help with illness? And could it really be so powerful as to prevent me from getting sick? It’s the perfect time for me to try since I’ve been feeling juuust short of under the weather recently.

Dr. Jacobs Naturals Citrus Crush Cocktail loofah exfoliating castile soap – I love the delightful scent of this soap! It’s the perfect one to use in the shower to make me feel revitalized and fresh. I don’t really see where the loofah is though – I’m guessing they mean the small bits in the soap that help exfoliate? I was hoping to find a loofah in the middle of the soap, like some I made recently for my roommates!

I am going to enjoy every single item in this box. It’s full of all the kinds of things I enjoy trying! What do you think of this month’s box?

Julep Coveted

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, julep, pictures, reviews, subscriptions

21 February 2017

The #Coveted collection is a delightful box of a dozen of 2015’s favorite polish colors.

Julep ranges from just under $25 to $40 per box based on tier (or as discounted as just under $20 to $35 per box when prepaid three at a time) and comes with combinations of nail polish colors, skincare products, and beauty products (depending on your style profile choice). They offer plenty of upgrade and add-on options too. Boxes are sent monthly unless you choose to skip. You also have the option of gifting your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you $15 store credit per referral.

[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.]

Prospurly November 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: bath soaks, boxes, cards, cleansers, food, oils, pictures, products, prospurly, reviews, snacks, subscriptions, teas

29 January 2017

Where does the time go?? I feel like there is so much to do and not enough time to do it all. We’re already about to start our fourth week of classes, which feels so far into the program (yet also so far from the end of the semester). If I want to get caught up with these reviews, I’m going to have to post more frequently!

Prospurly greeting cards – These are nice little thank you cards that can be used when gifting something to someone. Since they didn’t come in envelopes, I’d tape/tie them to a present and use them that way, rather than on their per se (unless it’s a small thank you meant for a professor or something like that). I appreciate that they are printed on recycled card stock.

St. Fiacre’s Farm Coastal Cranberry Spice tea – Now this smells like a great tea, but I need to be careful with the cranberry because it is quite strong. I have liked pairing this with a plain green/black/oolong tea so there’s a stronger base, otherwise it can be quite tart. I wish the spice part came out heavier in the flavor – it smells great but doesn’t contribute to taste as much.

Oak Street Soap White Tea & Ginger bubble bar – Oh my, .how I love the smell of this! It’s so very refreshing and clean-smelling. I kind of like it as an air freshener. My apartment bathtub just isn’t that conducive to bubble baths, so I haven’t used it yet and will probably wait until I have my nice big tub back home.

Foxes & Ferns Rosey facial cleanser – I definitely expected this to be a toner and was surprised that you wipe it on your face with a cotton pad like one, but then you’re supposed to rinse your face. It was very cooling and felt good on my skin. It’s a great way to cleanse the skin right before bed, as I’ve just done.

Nature’s Skin Nutrition Winter Chest Rub – As expected, this chest rub has a menthol scent that helps clear the airways. I haven’t gotten sick since my Utah trip, so I haven’t needed it yet, but I’ll keep it handy whenever I need to open my stuffy nose. Although, am I supposed to use to prevent a cold too?

Neelu Kaur Amrit Nectar of the Divine oil – This is such a unique scent that I can’t place. It’s more on the earthy side but I don’t know how to describe it. I like rolling on oils like this to help me relax before sleep. It has a nice metal roller ball that is cold upon application and adds a little zing to the experience.

This was a nice box that I’ve made good use of! I really enjoyed the variety of scents. What do you think of this month’s box?

Prospurly October 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, candles, food, jams, jewelry, lotions, mists, necklaces, reviews, skincare, sprays, subscriptions

09 January 2017

My goal is to get caught up with these reviews by spring… I’m thinking this semester will offer me more time! So far it’s been nice, but I’ve only done one day of classes, so we’ll see how it pans out.

Momoko Therapeutics Orange Spice aromatherapy mist – Ahh, the sweet spicy scent of orange and cloves comes through strong with this one. It’s a great room spray when I want to feel like the holidays are here. It makes me think of those basket arrangements with the dried plants, which often have a similar smell. What a great way to freshen a room in a natural way!

Loverin Crafts Pumpkin Souffle natural soy candle – Whoa, this candle packs a punch! It has a very rich pumpkin scent that would certainly warm a room. I like that it’s a soy candle for a clean burn and that they will take the tins back for a discount on your next candle! After all, I can only reuse so many of these tins…

Chakra Love Sacral Chakra Aventurine necklace – This is a very earthy type of jewelry that generally isn’t my style, so I’ll either hang it up as decoration or find someone who will appreciate it more. I guess it’s supposed to bring self-gratification and enhance emotions, sensuality, and movement.

smashed! Boozy Jams Pear Whiskey + Garam Masala spread – I know the whiskey part of this will not appeal to me, so I hope one of my roommates will like using this jam. It’s such a different style that I’m curious what it will smell and taste like.

Ruby Rain Organics Nourishing Lotion Bar – Since this is sealed, I don’t want to open it until I’m ready to use it. It has a scent using lavender, frankincense, and myrrh, which should be quite interesting. I think this will be great to keep in the car when I need a little lotion and don’t want a mess.

This definitely felt like a fall box, though I wish they’d included more items. Why does jewelry always seem to be worth so much? I’m glad they don’t come often, because I much prefer skincare, home goods, and the like. What do you think of this month’s box?

Prospurly September 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: aromatherapy, bath soaks, boxes, cards, lip balms, lip scrubs, pictures, products, recipes, reviews, shea butters, skincare, subscriptions, sugars

04 December 2016

So much for getting caught up, eh? I can’t even believe it’s been this long and I have all these boxes to review. Let’s get to it then!

Prospurly recipe cards – These are simple little cards with room for ingredients on the front and directions on the back. I never had the habit of making recipe cards, but I might take some of my all-time favorite family dishes and write them down (though Chinese people don’t exactly use measurements when cooking — at least not my mom!).

Triple XXX newspaper and Vanilla Sugar – Lol, the newspaper is so weird that I don’t get it. It’s talking all about beavers and their oppression. While I know it’s being cheeky, I don’t see the connection with vanilla… anyway, I’ve never seen vanilla sugar before but I think it’s quite cool. What a great way to add extra flavor and sweetener without going crazy on the sugar. I think a little bit of this will add a good amount of fragrance. I don’t quite know what to use it for since I rarely use sugar. I guess next time I bake!

Native Nectar Stress Relief Therapeutic Oil – This is definitely a soothing scent. I think the ylang ylang combined with lemon really gives it a unique earthy yet slightly tart aroma. I like applying it to my wrists and inhaling.

LB Love Organics LipLove Orange Cream lip balm – I like having these types of light lip balms around for when I want to prevent chapped lips but not add any color. This one has been in my bag for school so I can apply it throughout the day. It’s very mild and hardly smells.

LB Love Organics vanilla mint lip scrub – This smells just like a peppermint patty! Delicious. It’s gently cooling on the lips and a great little ritual to treat my lips. Afterwards, I don’t even need lip balm since the oils from this can act in lieu of one.

Body Brewed Whipped Shea Butter in Sweet Orange + Clary Sage – What a nice thick whipped butter with a special scent. It’s also light on the fragrance so it’s not overpowering. This little tub is perfect for bringing on a trip when I need to be able to lotion my body and don’t want to bring a large bottle of lotion.

Native Nectar Sleepy Time Salt Soak – I’ve only bathed once since starting school and I don’t really have the opportunity to, but I hope to more when I go back to VA for the holidays. I have a growing pile of bath products to use, so I might not get to this one for a little while but it looks super cool!

I’m happy with everything that came in this box and I look forward to trying each of the items. What do you think of this month’s box?

Prospurly August 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: aromatherapy, bars, bath soak, body oils, boxes, candles, cards, facial toners, food, organic, pictures, pills, prospurly, reviews, roll-on, snacks, subscriptions, tablets

28 October 2016

Well, I seem perpetually two months behind on these reviews now… but with much of my recruiting behind me and things getting into a different rhythm, I hope to pay a little more attention to my blogging. We’ll see how well that works out. 🙂

Botanical Love Notes – How adorable are these? They have chamomile, calendula, and lavender. I feel like framing these in one of those three-panel frames rather than actually writing in them and giving them away. I may choose to use them eventually, but I like them as art for the moment.

Foxes & Ferns organic bath tea in Relaxation (bonus item) – One of these came back in May and I haven’t used it yet since I haven’t had a chance to take a bath, but it sure makes for a nice aromatherapy sachet. I will have to make sure I try it out when I’m back home in Virginia this winter. It’ll be fabulous!

Healthforce Superfoods Spirulina Manna – They recommend 15-25 tablets a day?! Wow, it seems so strange to consume so much of this stuff. I’ll try throwing a few in my food or something since it has a pretty strong seaweed-like scent. I could certainly use a health boost after all this time eating poorly.

Foxes & Ferns Lavender Love beeswax candle – This is a super cute candle with lavender buds in the wax and the bottom half of the jar dipped in gold. It’s such a wonderful decoration on the shelf that I don’t want to burn it just yet.

Atlas Cedarwood + Jojoba Oil roll-on – This is meant to be used to calm and purify. The woodsy scent combined with a hint of citrus (or something refreshing) is a really cool calming fragrance. It’s very unique and definitely not something I’ve smelled before. When I close my eyes it sort of reminds me of pine…

Angel Face Botanicals Grace antioxidant facial toner – Ah, I love facial toners. This one sprays wonderfully to create a nice mist on my face. It’s soothing and I’m a fan of the use of white tea. It feels fantastic and I can easily see this becoming my new fav.

Seva Amazon rainforest body oil – The first thing I noticed with this was the Off the Mat Into the World logo — I worked with a woman who is involved with that group! Totally awesome. This is a jar with a pump head, which will be fun to use. It has a light oil and seed sort of scent to it and absorbs well into the skin. This is the perfect kind of thing to use in the drier months to keep skin soft.

gomacro macro bar in cashew caramel – This little bar is very soft and chewy, which I like. It has a hint of nuttiness but is generally just sweet in my mouth. I like the smaller size since I don’t typically enjoy bars, but this is one I feel I can finish. If I decide to try bars in the future, I’ll definitely keep this in mind.

This was another fun box with some items I’m very interested in and others that I’m venturing out of my comfort zone for. I think that’s great! What do you think of this month’s box?

Prospurly July 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: bath bombs, body sprays, books, boxes, facial steams, hair masks, pictures, prospurly, reviews, seeds, spices, subscriptions, towels

13 September 2016

Still playing catch-up here… this is a look at the July box, which I’ve had for some time. I’m hoping my schedule will allow me gaps on the weekend to get back into a rhythm with blogging.

Essential Oils for Beauty, Wellness, and the Home book – This will be a great resource for me as I explore different types of home remedies. It’s full of recipes for all sorts of things ranging from digestive health remedies to kitchen cleaning to personal care.

St. Tropica Coconut Hot Oil Hair Mask – I look forward to trying this out on my hair soon, since it’s been a bit dry. I’ve never tried hot oil before, so this should be interesting! I’ll have to dig out a shower cap from my hotel soaps stash.

Masala Mama Chicken Jardaloo spice kit – For now, I have no time to cook, so I’ll have to table this until I get some more time. I look forward to having a little cooking party sometime to try this out though!

Lotus Naturals After Sun Body Spray – I’ve had some activities recently that were out in the sun and I should have tried this after. I’ll put it out so I remember next time I’m out in the sun, which I’m sure will happen somewhat regularly now that I’m back in LA.

feedingsmiles Divine Facial Steam – This smells fabulous and I kind of want to make tea from it, but I’ll resist and use it for steaming my face as recommended. I look forward to taking some time to pamper myself with this and a face mask.

Wildflower seed bombs (bonus item) – I’d gotten this before and it looks like they included it as a bonus item this time. I think I might go get a little pot to plant these in. Or maybe I’ll throw one in the yard when I’m visiting my parents next time!

SudsBucket island punch bath bomb bundle – How cute is this packaging?! It looks like little peas in a pod and I love that I get a little face/hand towel as part of the bundle. These smell amazing and I can’t stop sniffing them.

MyChelle Refining Sugar Cleanser – I’m a fan of this brand and I’ve been using this cleanser at home, so this will make a great travel companion.

I’m pleased with the variety of products and I’m happily incorporating them into my life, one by one. What do you think of this month’s box?

Julep September 2016 Collection review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, cremes, julep, lip liners, lipsticks, lotions, makeup, maven, pictures, reviews, subscriptions

05 September 2016

Julep is celebrating 5 years! I’ve been with them since December 2013, after resisting the temptation for a long time. I’m happy to say I’ve been a Maven for more than half of their existence now, so I couldn’t resist getting this celebratory box.

julep maven september 2016 collection box contents

September 2016’s collection of Cheers to Five Years! box

julep september 2016 collection products open

no limits Luxe Hydrating Creme, Cheers to Five Years! Lipstick Mini Trio, get in line Invisible Lip Liner

julep september 2016 collection card and mini lipstick trio

Quote card and Cheers to Five Years! Lipstick Mini Trio

julep september 2016 collection card and note from ceo card

The September 2016 Collection cards.

get in line Invisible Lip Liner
How cool is this?! This lip liner applies on clear so you can use it with any lipstick and prevent bleeding/feathering issues. I think this is fantastic since I don’t have to worry about having different shades and if I apply it a little off, nobody would ever know. I’m not the greatest at drawing lines on my face and this allows me a pretty generous margin of error.

no limits Luxe Hydrating Creme
Ok, I have to admit I got this purely for the cool design. You press on the big round button and the lotion starts oozing out from the small circle! How fun is that? The formulation is also great for hydrating without leaving a residue. It feels great on my dry elbows! I got this as an add-on to the box that I used points to redeem.

Cheers to Five Years! Lipstick Mini Trio
This adorable set has three bright shades – bubbly, fizz, and pop. They all sound very champagne-esque and celebratory, don’t they? I’d say that’s appropriate for the occasion. 🙂 The consistency of these are wonderful and apparently you don’t need lip liner with it.

Happy anniversary to Julep! I had fun with this box and I love the continued innovation they have for a variety of beauty products. My skin has never been happier and I look forward to what else they’ll surprise us with in the years to come.

Join as a Julep Maven to get polishes and/or beauty products sent to you monthly! Use code FREEBOX or FREEMAVEN to get the first box free (you pay shipping).

Prospurly June 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, face masks, oils, olive oil, pictures, prospurly, reviews, subscriptions, vinegar

27 August 2016

Well, I got this box while I was out in China and then things have been so hectic with school that I never got around to reviewing it… so here it is! I’ve already had the July box for a month and the August one is on its way, so hopefully I’ll get those up quickly.

Mr. G’z La Jarra Spanish EVOO – The timing of this was perfect, since I was able to bring the olive oil and vinegar with me to my new apartment. The olive oil is a rich flavor that’s perfect for dipping bread in. Mmm, mmm! Now I can enjoy these flavors at home, which is great.

Mr. G’z Balsamic Vinegar – This vinegar is tart with some sweetness, which is quite nice. They suggest trying it on ice cream and I can actually see how that would taste good. If I ever get ice cream, I’ll have to try it. For now, I must go get some bread so I can enjoy them.

Lotus Naturals Dreamscape oil – I’ve never had a lucid dream, though I’ve gotten close to thinking that a dream was a dream while I was in it. I don’t know how this is supposed to help dream recall, but that sounds intriguing. I won’t be trying it until I feel more rested, since whenever I have dreams I don’t sleep well.

Bubbles and Botanicals Dear Aphrodite Bentonite Clay Mask – I’m always happy to have clay masks, since they help bring out toxins and clear pores. The powder formula should be really good for my oily skin.

SimpliMandi Brighten Up skin brightening serum – I’ve never been sensitive to dark spots and I don’t know if that’s because I don’t have them or I don’t notice them. I’ll use this for fun, but I don’t know if I’ll notice any changes!

SimpliMandi Honey Butter gentle mask + exfoliator – Ooo how fun – this mask sounds exotic and nice. It’ll be a nice thing to slather on on the weekend.

I look forward to trying all of these. I’ve got some products I’m still using, but I’ll get around to opening these eventually. What do you think of this month’s box?

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((little fat notebook))

Prospurly January 2017 review

Prospurly December 2016 review

Julep Coveted

Prospurly November 2016 review

Prospurly October 2016 review

Prospurly September 2016 review

Prospurly August 2016 review

Prospurly July 2016 review

Julep September 2016 Collection review

Prospurly June 2016 review

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