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Treatsie March 2015 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: bars, boxes, candies, candy, chocolates, food, lollipops, macaroons, pictures, products, reviews, s'mores, snacks, subscriptions

29 March 2015

This is the first time I ordered an extra item as an add-on to my box this month! Pretty exciting. I’ve been meaning to do that but then it’s so much effort to look for items to add that I just hadn’t gotten around to trying before.

Treatsie is $15 per box + $4.95 shipping and comes with artisan candy from 3-4 brands (I am grandfathered in for $15 for 2-3 brands and fewer items). That means about 6 or 7 different flavors of treats (or 4 or 5 for me). Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program to earn store credit. Use my referral link to get your first box FREE!

Quin Candy Fruit Lollipops in strawberry, cherry, tangerine, lemon: These are nice, light candy lollipops. I had one and I couldn’t tell if it was cherry or strawberry though – it was kind of just sweetness. It was really nice and I did enjoy it. They’re so delicate and cute!

stay. sweet. macs gourmet macaroons in half dipped milk chocolate: I found these to be a nice snack, though more dry than I prefer my food. I certainly could have used more chocolate on them. If you like coconut, this is a good snack. I only like my coconut when it’s super moist (think Almond Joy) so perhaps I’ll have to eat these with some hot chocolate to dip them in.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Co. Millionaire Shortbread: Hmm, I expected more flavor in the bread part. The salt kicked in later, but I was hoping for some butteriness too. The shortbread is also more on the crumbly side whereas I prefer crunchy. I think I also imagined something else that I thought was millionaire shortbread, but maybe that is just a figment of my imagination.

Zingerman’s Candy What the Fudge? bar: This reminds me a bit of a Milky Way bar. It’s a bit grainy and packed with flavor. The large size makes it perfect for sharing or eating over multiple sittings. It can be quite sweet, so I like to drink some water or tea with it.

Viveltre Confections Classic Devotion 7 Layer S’mores jar: This is what I sprung for from the store to take advantage of free shipping with my monthly box. Each month, there are certain items you can add to your cart and pay no shipping on because it comes with your subscription mailing. I’m really glad I got this! I was surprised how much I enjoyed the soft, gooey marshmallow layer in contrast to the firm layer of chocolate. Delicious! The crumbs caused quite a mess though, so be careful where you eat this.

Each item this time was a solid product, but not all of them aligned with my personal preferences. I did like trying them out though. What items look good to you? To get Treatsie, sign up with my link and get your first box free!

[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!]

Escape Monthly March: Australia Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: australia, boxes, pictures, products, reviews, subscriptions, travel

23 March 2015

Ok, it’s like they’re reading my mind (or maybe I’m just interested in too many places that it’s hard to come across a theme I wouldn’t be intrigued by). I mean, Australia?! Yes please! So while I’ve been meaning to cancel my subscription just to cut on costs, I haven’t been able to pull the plug. I love it down under and I couldn’t wait to see what they had in store.

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/region. Each box comes with a guide for that area. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral commission program.

(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

I’m glad that what was included really felt like it was authentic from Australia. I haven’t come across these brands, so I like being introduced to them.

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Living Abroad in Australia – I’m definitely going back to Australia again and hopefully can even live there for awhile, so I’ll keep this handy for when that time comes. I’ve only explored Sydney and the Gold Coast previously; there’s so much more to see!

Australian Gold Face Guard Sunscreen Stick – This is just so fitting! What a nice easy way to apply sunscreen to the face without looking like some pale monster. With so much sunshine in Australia, I’m sure this would be a staple need. Now that spring is coming, we’ll be having lunch outside again and this will come in handy.

Simple Scents Australian soap in Eucalyptus – This is what I smelled as I opened the box and it kind of reminds me of Irish Spring soap. It’s a very refreshing, clean sort of smell that would be great for anybody to use.

clip-on koalas – Oh yes, I’ve definitely gotten these myself before. Can you go to Australia without leaving with one of these clingy little guys? They’re a fun little trinket to have and remind you of the real koalas that you can find there. I think they might also make a good cat toy…

Lucky Country Aussie Style Soft Licorice in Strawberry – Yum! I may not like black licorice, but I can appreciate strawberry and these were so soft and fresh that I wasn’t even sure they are licorice! I really like these.

La Mav Bio-A7 Firming Eye Lotion – I don’t exactly have wrinkles to test this on, but I can say it’s very gentle on the sensitive eye area, and very velvety in texture. It feels nice and luxurious and I love that it’s organic. This is the most high-value item, being an eye product and all.

B’Lure Hibiscus Flower Extract – I wish I’d gotten their original made from butterfly pea, because apparently it changes color from blue to purple to pink with more acidity! How cool is that? It’s like a science experiment in your drink. My hibiscus one does appear more versatile though, with recommended uses including glazes or cream cheese. All the extracts are good for drinks and desserts as a natural sort of food dye. Pretty cool! I’m definitely trying making ice cubes with this, among other things.

I’m pretty pleased with this box, which definitely opened my eyes to some of what Australia has to offer. What products in this Australia Escape Monthly box do you want to have? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): YOURESCAPE or MYESCAPE for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

Next month is Japan, so of course I’m staying on board – who could resist that? I’ll keep my Escape Monthly subscription as long as they continue to choose awesome destinations.

Beauty Box 5 March 2015 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: beauty, beauty box 5, boxes, eye liners, lip glosses, lotions, mascaras, pictures, products, reviews, skincare, subscriptions

21 March 2015

Spring is starting to show its signs and this month they took a spin on the word, with the idea of springing into gear! The nicer weather sure does make the world seem more conquerable.

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.

Eslor Introductory Collection Second Edition: At first glance you might think they sent a repeat from a previous box, but this is a different set of samples from this brand. It’s the second edition, with a cleanser, peeling gel, mask, and cream. I enjoyed their stuff last time, so I look forward to trying these out too.

Elite Therapeutics Rosemary Eucalyptus Body Cream: This is a nice light formula, perfect for warmer months. The scent combination makes it feel super soothing and slightly cooling on the skin. It absorbed really well and left my hands super soft.

Scandalous by Nanacoco Thickening Mascara in Dark Brown: Something about fatty tubes of mascara just appeal to me. It seems more fun, more bold. This is not a volumizing type mascara, but provides a more subtle boldness. Perhaps part of that is the shade, making it less in your face. I think it’s great for day-to-day wear at work!

Styli-Style Line & Seal Twist Mechanical Eye Liner in Brown Glitter: I can’t say I’ve ever had brown glitter eye liner before. I’m curious, but with how little I use these liners, I think it’s best to put this up for trade.

Laugh Out Loud by Nanacoco Lip Gloss in Call Me Babe: This is a nice neutral shade to provide gloss without being too bright. It makes my lips look just moist enough without being obvious that I have lip gloss on! I’m liking the formula, which is not sticky/gooey at all and applies really well.

The “hustle” theme seemed to bring about more mature products, which are quite good for the office environment. Still, I decided it was time to part ways with this subscription – while I like the products, I’m accumulating too much stuff and I feel the fit is not as good as some of the other boxes I get. Since I was on the quarterly plan, I’ll get one more box because my subscription cancellation kicks in. Which products do you like from this month’s box though?

Yogi Surprise March 2015 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, chocolates, clutches, food, incense, lifestyle, music, pictures, products, reviews, snacks, subscriptions, yoga, yogi surprise

17 March 2015

I’m still very much impressed with the product choices in these boxes and I’m glad I decided to subscribe.

Yogi Surprise is just under $36 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – use my referral links from this post) and comes with yoga gear, skincare, food, and other lifestyle products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you free boxes.

Gone Nuts White Chocolate Cacao – Alas, nuts aren’t my thing, but the white chocolate aspect could be good to offset it for me. I have some other pouches to get through first before I try this out, but I’m sure it’s a healthier alternative to many of my snack choices.

Gaiam yoga clutch – I’m a sucker for clutches and this one is totally unlike any others I have. I love that it’s using the scraps of yoga mats, though I wish my color was a little more exciting, maybe even with a bit of a print on the corner or something. Nevertheless, this will be really useful for future yoga classes, since it can house my phone, ring, extra hair ties, and other loose items.

Blessed Blend Whispers of the Trees CD – I can’t wait to throw this on, close my eyes, and let the world melt away. My computer actually doesn’t have a CD drive, so I’ll either have to use Panda’s or listen in the car. I can imagine this being perfect combined with candlelight for a relaxing evening.

Namtso healing incense – This must be the item that took a little longer for them to receive! Looks like it came straight from India and herbs are a nice mild scent. Nothing overwhelming, so when it burns it shouldn’t be too strong. As spring goes into full swing, I can use these while airing out the rooms.

RAD roller – What a fun tool to have. I’m going to be rolling my neck and shoulders every night now! I had fun with this and will have to take some time to read more on recommended use. It smells rather strongly of something that’s similar to paint though, so I’ll have to let it air out and wash it a bit.

Buddha Chocolate Almond Butter cups – I got a sample of this previously and I’m not much into almond or nut butters, so I’ll share this with Panda. Love the idea, just not to my taste.

Again, I’m a total fan of this box and I feel like they’ve been quite well curated. Very fitting for a yogi to have these items and just seeing them makes me feel more calm and peaceful.

Homegrown Collective February 2015 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: beeswax, boxes, face scrubs, home, kitchenware, lip balms, pictures, projects, reviews, subscriptions, utensils, wood butter

15 March 2015

Now this is a theme I’ve seen before. In fact, it was exactly a year ago! I like that the projects are slightly different from the first time around, though I think once my annual subscription is up I’ll have to take a break since I’m starting to see repeats.

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.

Project #1, honey lip balm: This simple recipe for lip balm is all you need for soft lips! I like that there are the tubes and tubs to use. I didn’t realize until later that the essential oils were meant for this one. I have a ton of lip balms, but this might be just the thing I can make for Panda so he doesn’t always complain of dry lips in the winter.

Project #2, honey & sugar scrub: This time around, the sugar was not included. Luckily, I have the bag from last time and raw sugar isn’t hard to find at the supermarket. I think the essential oils could be useful in this as well. I love a good scrub!

Project #3, beeswax wood butter: Sweet! Last time we did wood coasters, which I still use pretty much on a daily basis at home. Now I get some cooking utensils, which will be great for the meals we make. I even used some of the wood butter I made previously on the kitchen cabinets, which helped give them a nice luster (and hopefully be more resist to the steam and oils from our cooking). I’m excited to add these to my collection of tools.

I couldn’t quite understand what the peppers are for and I wasn’t sure about the essential oils until I reviewed the recipes in depth, so I took a picture of these mysterious extras separately. I still don’t see a use for the peppers, but I can use them for other things!

I would have enjoyed these a lot if they were new to me. I do appreciate that it wasn’t identical to the last box of this theme, but some greater variation would also keep me interested. We’ll see how many more repeats come along.

Subscribe to the Homegrown Collective to get your own projects to try. You’ll be going green in no time.

Power Supply Week of Jan 26 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, food, pictures, power supply, reviews, subscriptions

09 March 2015

This was a rather successful week, with plenty of dishes I enjoyed!

Power Supply is around $9.50-$15.50 per meal (when you sign up for a recurring plan – single orders are 5% more) and offers a variety of ready-made meal types, all gluten- and dairy-free. Boxes are sent once or twice weekly (depending on your plan) and you have total control over customization of which meals you get. You can easily switch between plans or choose to skip some weeks. They offer a referral program that earns free meals for referrer and referree.

power supply coconut lime chicken tenders with thai coleslaw paleo lunch meal in box

Mmm, chicken tenders and Thai slaw. Tropical flavors that sounded intriguing!

power supply coconut lime chicken tenders with thai coleslaw paleo lunch meal open

I enjoyed the taste, though next time I will bake the tenders instead of microwaving.

power supply pulled chicken with kansas style bbq sauce, cabbage slaw, and sweet potato fries mixitarian dinner meal in box

Kansas style BBQ? Well this I had to try.

power supply pulled chicken with kansas style bbq sauce, cabbage slaw, and sweet potato fries mixitarian dinner meal open

I liked the BBQ and the sweet potato fries. The flavors mesh well in this dish.

Could it be? I forgot to take a picture of this meal altogether, it seems. I found it to be rather dry and not exciting, so I likely won’t get it again.

power supply charmoula hake with kale, harissa, and tomato salsa mixitarian dinner meal in box

I saw all sorts of strange words so I ordered this just to see what it all meant.

power supply charmoula hake with kale, harissa, and tomato salsa mixitarian dinner meal open

Good flavors, though a bit smelly. Hope my coworkers didn’t mind.

power supply asian martinated pork tenderloin with brown rice and korean cabbage mixitarian lunch meal in box

This one was presented in partnership with Teaism! Pretty cool.

power supply asian martinated pork tenderloin with brown rice and korean cabbage mixitarian lunch meal open

Oh yum, this is right up my alley. Tart cabbage, tender pork, and brown rice for a variety of textures and tastes.

AdoreMe Lorelei lingerie set review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, free stuff, influenster, intimates, lingerie, pictures, products, reviews, subscriptions, underwear

07 March 2015

I was pretty excited to be offered a chance to try AdoreMe for free, thanks to Influenster. I qualified for their XO VoxBox, which included a free lingerie offer from AdoreMe! I quickly set up a VIP account and started browsing for what I wanted. I ultimately settled on the Lorelei set, which includes a lacy black and blue push-up plunge bra and hipster undies (or the option of bikini undies).

AdoreMe is just under $40 per store credit for intimates, sleepwear, or swimwear. Credits are charged monthly unless you choose to skip (which is very easy to do). Each month, bra and panty sets available in your size are selected for you in the showroom. You can always get other items at their VIP pricing of $40-50. They offer a referral program that earns you money towards purchases. Use my referral link to get your first outfit for $25!

It came quickly in this black box.

inside of adoreme box with sketch of lingerie items and products wrapped in pink and red tissue paper

I loved the drawing on the inside!

inside of adoreme box with definition of adore printed

Great choice of word.

adoreme lorelei lingerie set of black and blue lacy push-up plunge bra and hipster panties

The Lorelei push-up plunge bra and hipster panties.

Lorelei Push-Up

VIP: $39.⁹⁵/SET (Regular: $49.⁹⁵/SET)

62 reviews, 4.5 stars

Push-up plunge
Underwired
Double row hook & eye closure
Fully adjustable straps
Nylon / Spandex / Polyester
Matching bra & panty

Anything is possible with a little sparkle! And the latest addition to our designer collection proves just that. Our midnight black and blue Lorelei push-up is irresistibly sexy and you’ll love the dramatic lace embellishments. Complete this look with a string bikini or hipster, both featuring rhinestone-dotted lace.

Ok, so at this angle the undies look disproportionately larger, but don’t worry – they look great on. Check out the pictures of them on the models and you’ll see. I like their use of lace to make it from a bikini shape to the hipster look. It’s a bit of extra coverage without completely obscuring the area. Demure! The lace could have been a bit softer, but that might be fixed with the first wash. The fit was perfect and they felt great.

As for the bra, I love the look, but with plunge style might not be so fitting for me. I wore a v-neck and felt like something was going to show at any point each time I leaned over. Plus, I felt a bit of a draft, which I’m totally not used to. Ah, the challenges of a small bust. Still, this is great for when I feel more daring and of course it’s not even an issue if I don’t pair it with a low neckline. Typically I’m a t-shirt bra sort of gal, so it’s nice to have a more intricate, fancy bra for when I feel like dressing it up.

I’ve enjoyed my experience with AdoreMe so far and I even managed to win first place in one of their weekly contests! It’s basically like the game of 2048, but with underwear icons. I happen to be quite good at 2048 (I’ve achieved the 4096 tile a few times), so it wasn’t too hard to sweep the win. I love that each game played is also money towards a charity. I plan on using my winnings towards some casual sleepwear or a swimsuit set. They have some adorable options!

The pamphlets and such that came with the box.

Treatsie February 2015 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, candies, candy, chocolates, cookies, food, pictures, products, reviews, snacks, subscriptions, toffee, treats, treatsie

03 March 2015

Mmm, goodness these are tasty treats! I tend to like more chocolate, caramel, toffee type candy and this box was chock full of that type of thing.

Carla Hall Petite Cookies: I have no idea how all those cookies could have fit in the container. They were exploding out of it when I opened my box! It was a bit messy, with crumbs everywhere, but at least they’re clean enough. I couldn’t stuff them all back in though so I’m pretty impressed at how much they fit in. I love the little bit of cinnamon that gives these cookies an extra kick. You think you’re getting a normal chocolate chip cookie, but then there’s that bonus taste…

Chocolate Twist Peanut Butter Pretzel Bar: At first I thought this was sort of like a Snickers bar and similar to the fixx chocolate bar. Then I saw it has pretzel, which is definitely different. It is nice and hefty, with a generous portion of caramel. I didn’t really get much of the peanuts or pretzels, though there was definitely a hint of peanut butter flavoring. This is quite a rich bar that is nice and dense. It’ll last me a few more rounds!

Nunu Chocolates Milk Chocolate Lollipop: How sweet! I’m thinking this could also work well as a hot chocolate stirrer, which is my newest obsession. I’ve had a couple of those recently, just by stirring chocolate into milk and it’s so much fun. I might just chow down on this like any other lollipop, or if I run low on the stirrers this will be my backup. 🙂

McFaddy Candy Co Valentine Toffee: Hmm, this totally foreign to me. I’ve never had fruit-flavored toffee! It’s very interesting, with the tartness of the raspberry mixing in with the sweetness of the toffee. Very intriguing. I’m not quite sure what to make of it still.

These were all solid choices and candy I will enjoy, though I still have my favorites from other boxes. Which treats would you like to try? To get Treatsie, sign up with my link and get your first box free!

Petit Vour February 2015 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: beauty, body butters, body scrubs, boxes, fragrances, mascaras, petit vour, pictures, products, reviews, samples, skincare, subscriptions, vegan

01 March 2015

Is it almost spring? This makes me ready for the new season, with fresh products that can make me feel great going out.

Petit Vour is $15 per box (or as much as $30 for international subscribers) and comes with vegan beauty, skincare, and other personal care products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free boxes (email contact@petitvour.com to say I referred you if you sign up!).

Balanced Guru Scrub Me body scrub – I’m really into gritty scrubs, so the texture of this is awesome. The strong coffee smell isn’t my thing and there’s like some minty-ness that hits you too. I can see this being very refreshing and giving you a nice jolt awake.

Ellovi Mint Chocolate body butter – Oh my, this body butter is nice. It melts so easily and spreads the way an oil does. It absorbs quickly into the skin and hydrates well. The mint chocolate smell is fantastic and whimsical!

My Daughter Fragrances in Always Loved – This is a super rosy scent that is warm and sweet. I almost never wear fragrances but I tend to gravitate towards more citrus-inspired ones, so I would have loved to try their Joyful scent instead (orange, lime, grapefruit, jasmine – now that’s what I’m talking about).

Lily Lolo Black Natural Mascara – After many years, I started to wear some mascara again and I’ve not even gone through one tube yet! This one will have to wait. I think this one will be really nice for general daytime wear.

I’ll share the fragrance with anyone who wants it, but I’ll keep and use everything else. I feel like I had just gotten the last box and already another one came. These months are going by fast! What items do you like from this box?

[This post mentions a referral program. Signing up and emailing contact@petitvour.com to say I referred you 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!]

Beauty Box 5 February 2015 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: beauty, beauty box 5, boxes, eye shadows, lip balms, makeup, nail polishes, pictures, products, reviews, skincare, subscriptions

25 February 2015

Wow, has it been another year? I remember getting their last birthday box, which had a very celebratory nail polish set (I felt so, anyway). This time around they included a nice variety to get you ready to party.

Marsk Mineral Eyeshadow in Vanilla Frosting: Aw, how cute. This seems like a lighter version of an eye shadow I already use so it’s going in the trade bucket. Too bad, since it’s a nice dainty tub and looks like a nice bright shade.

Revlon Colorstay Nail Enamel in Spanish Moss: I’m not so keen on the color of this, but I’ll probably try it. After all, I thought the same about a shade of taupe I received and it ended up being one that grew on me. The same could go for this! I don’t choose darker, earthy colors for myself but this could work out well once I try it. It’s a little more runny than I’m used to, but that can help cover the tiny spaces that other polishes don’t get to.

Absolute New York Absolute Love Strawberry Lip Balm: I thought that the other lip balm I’d gotten from this brand was also from BB5, but turns out it was in an Ipsy bag! I also ended up getting the green apple flavor from a trade I did, so I’m pretty well stocked. All the scents are wonderful and the tins are quite large so I’ll be using these for a long time. This one is a bit more on the subtle side.

Avon Big Color Eye Pencil in Natural Vibe: I’m still debating if I’ll open this and use it. I’m not quite sure how – is it similar to eye shadow? If so, I already have a similar creamy color that I’ll never use up. But I’m thinking this could be something I dab under my eyes to help lighten them up. Would that look odd? Maybe I’ll try it.

GlamGlow Youth Mud Tinglexfoliate Treatment: This is the kind of product that’s right up my alley. When I get a chance to enjoy a bath or feel like doing a mask I’ll use this. I wish they could have included one more packet as a bonus!

Another exclamatory theme this month with “hooray!” BB5 is now three and liked the fun colors they used for the paper confetti. This box will be half keep, half trade or so. I would like to see less eye stuff all the time. It’s unfortunate when I have to stock them away for trading. What products do you like most from this month’s box?

First Prev 8 9 10 11 12 Next Last

((little fat notebook))

Treatsie March 2015 review

Escape Monthly March: Australia Box review

Beauty Box 5 March 2015 review

Yogi Surprise March 2015 review

Homegrown Collective February 2015 review

Power Supply Week of Jan 26 review

Coconut Lime Chicken Tenders w/ Thai Coleslaw (SPICY)

Pulled Chicken w/ a Kansas Style BBQ Sauce, Cabbage Slaw & Sweet Potato Fries

Roast Turkey w/ Garlic Cream Spinach, Sage Roasted Squash & Chocolate Almond Cookie

Charmoula Hake w/ Kale, Harissa & Tomato Salsa (SPICY) (NEW)

Asian Marinated Pork Tenderloin w/ Brown Rice & Korean Cabbage

AdoreMe Lorelei lingerie set review

Lorelei Push-Up

Treatsie February 2015 review

Petit Vour February 2015 review

Beauty Box 5 February 2015 review

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laelene

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