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Julep June 2014: The Three Wishes Collection review

laelene Post in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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I guess I’m pretty consistently a cross between a Boho Glam and a Bombshell. With this shiny collection, I opted for the Bombshell profile colors because of the purple hues. I love all things purple! This time I had a tough time since I loved the colors of It Girl too, which included a stardust finish – my fav sort of finish. I was curious about the new oxygen nail product though, so I got that. I also decided to add the creativity kit so I can have some fun with the Plie Wand doing nail art.

Julep is just under $20 per box and comes with 2 nail polish colors and a beauty product, 3 nail polish colors, or 2 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 (skips are earned every six months for subscribers Dec 18th, 2013 and later). You also have the option of gifting your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free boxes.

julep maven bombshell june 2014 three wishes collection box contents

June’s Bombshell Three Wishes Collection box with Plié Wand Creativity Kit

julep oxygen technology info card, discount offer card, and quote card

The info cards.

julep oxygen smoothing base coat

Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat
Smokey was super interested in this technology. It’s quite the matte finish.

set of julep polishes in colette and sera

The Bombshell profile came with Colette and Sera, both nice purple hues.

julep plié wand creativity kit

Plié Wand Creativity Kit
Let my inner artist shine!

I’m still getting the hang of the tools and my first try at nail art with them came out ok, but it’s very simple. I’m sure I’ll get better! The base coat I’m not used to using, so I probably wouldn’t get it again, but it’s great for creating a matte finish to work from. Overall the value of this box was not as high as to me as I would have hoped, but I do like what I got.

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).

[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!]

Yuzen Summer 2014 edition review

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

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

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

unboxed summer 2014 yuzen box with contents shown

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Petit Vour April 2014 review

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

I feel super pampered from this box. It’s oozing luxury though the theme is Boheme Beauty. Perhaps it’s referring to the less mainstream products?

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!).

petit vour april 2014 box info card with boheme beauty theme contents of petit vour april 2014 box with jane scrivner skin elixir, lily lolo pressed mineral eye shadow quad in smoky rose, harvey prince yogini eau de parfum, and kimberly parry sea organics creamy cleanser

Jane Scrivner Skin Elixir – I like the herbal smell to this oil. It makes me feel like I’m healing my skin and it absorbs to make my skin super soft. It’s so weird to put oil on my face though, so I’ll use this sparingly.

Lily Lolo Mineral Eye Shadow Quad – What a nice full size product. It comes in a nice white compact and this Smoky Rose set includes a white, rose pink, brown, and deep chocolate. I’d have fun with this if I use eye shadow, but since I don’t I’ll trade this.

Harvey Prince Yogini eau de parfum – I don’t know anything about perfumes and they generally smell similar to me, so this reminds me other perfumes I’ve smelled. It’s a nice-sized bottle with a roll-on ball, which is the type of applicator I like. However, I don’t wear perfume, so this is another trade item for me.

Kimberly Parry Sea Orga1nics – I can definitely smell the sea influence in this cleanser and it’s nice. I love how this one foams up as you rub it. Feels really gentle and luxurious. Definitely a keeper!

Well, this time there was a little more on the beauty side of things versus skincare/body care so two of the items are types I don’t use. I think it’s great that they included two full size items though. What’s your favorite item in 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!]

Julep May 2014: The Fresh Twist Collection review

laelene Post in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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It was a tough choice between my default profile of Boho Glam and the fun bright colors of the Bombshell profile, but ultimately I decided to stick with Boho Glam. Sort of wanted both! Many moons ago, I decided to contribute to the crowdfunding for the Plie Wand that came out this month and I was happy to receive it.

Julep is just under $20 per box and comes with 2 nail polish colors and a beauty product, 3 nail polish colors, or 2 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 (skips are earned every six months for subscribers Dec 18th, 2013 and later). You also have the option of gifting your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free boxes.

julep plie wand crowdfunding thank you card

Aww a nice thank you note.

julep referral card, discount offer card, fresh twist info card, and plie wand info card

Some of the info cards.

julep quote card and brilliance glycolic hand scrub info card

Their hand scrub gets a new name.

julep plie wand info card unfolded

Everything you need to know about the Plie Wand usage and maintenance!

julep maven boho glam may 2014 fresh twist collection box contents

May’s Boho Glam Fresh Twist Collection box

julep plie wand nail polishing tool and extra cap and brush

The Plie Wand and extra cap and brush. Works really well!!

I’m really happy with this box and feel like I got a great value even without the bonus polish. I’m really glad to have the extra cap and brush, though I don’t think I really need the brush part since the wand works quite well for me as is. At first I thought those brushes were superfluous, but then I read the card and it turns out they’re shorter than the ones you’d find on a polish. Now I regret not getting the fun dotting and striping tools, so when I get a chance I’ll have to add them to another order. 🙂

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).

[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!]

Easter holiday

laelene Post in lifestyle glimpses,Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
0

For the first time in my life, I got Good Friday and Earth Day off (what a fabulously quirky company I work at) so Panda and I planned a little vacation for this weekend. I took Monday off so I’d have 5 days and his schedule is so odd with his travel that I’m not sure if he had to take any days off. Since he got solicited to sit in a timeshare presentation awhile back, we decided to schedule that for this little Easter break we’d be getting. The location we’d chosen was Myrtle Beach, because it’s about as far as we can drive in a reasonable time and we’d enjoyed it the first time we went. The timeshare offer was only for 2 nights, so we planned to spend a night in Charleston to explore a new place while we were at it.

As it turns out, he couldn’t make it back until the night of the first day of our trip (when we were supposed to be in Charleston), so we headed out in the middle of the night. He flew in at 5 pm, took care of some business, and we napped until midnight or so. We then crawled up and made sure Smokey had enough food and water laid out. I scooped her litter one last time to ensure the freshest box possible and we were off at 1 in the morning. We talked along the drive for the first two hours as it rained all through the night. I started to get tired between 3 and 4 and finally decided to sleep. I kept waking up paranoid that Panda would be too tired to drive, so I always asked him how he was doing before crashing again. We made a pit stop at a Chick-fil-a right as it was opening at 6:30 and I felt much better after eating. As it was getting brighter, I woke up again and finally felt somewhat refreshed. I offered to drive and took over for the last hour and something that it took for us to reach our first destination: Middleton Place.

green tree-lined road with little sky showing

As, such wonderful greenery!

panorama of middleton place near charleston south carolina

Welcome to Middleton Place!

small section of green rice paddy at middleton place

They have a mini rice paddy to give you a sense of what it’s like.

alligator laying on grass of bank and head of other alligator peeking out of water

Alligators were just chillin’! Can you spot the one in the water?

kneeling in front of giant bush of white and pink flowers

They usually have tons of flowers, but most didn’t survive the storm from the previous night.

crowd of kids and parents gearing up for easter egg hunt at middleton place

They were hosting multiple Easter egg hunts for kids that morning.

giant stork walking on path at middleton place

That stork calmly walked around like it owned the place.

brown water buffalo standing by water looking up

Was this water buffalo gazing up at the sky?

brown goat sitting on tree stump

When I first saw this goat, I thought it might be fake.

family of black momma pig and three baby piglets

Momma pig had some babies!

black piglet sniffing person's hand

This piglet was so hungry it tried to eat my finger.

brown and white water buffalo pair drinking water and staring

Getting stared down by the water buffalo.

brown and white water buffalo pair nuzzling

Aww look at them nuzzling.

group of different fowl including chickens, roosters, and geese

Such a pretty variety of birds on the farm.

petting farm cat walking on picnic table

Farm cats are always so bold.

giant white rabbit in cage with brown one behind it

Bunny rabbits for Easter! And check out my speckled egg nails. 🙂

peacock walking around farm near people

Peacocks just roamed around.

male peacock grooming feathers

A lady thought that this peacock grooming would actually spread his tail out.

male peacock with feathers spread out to groom himself

Such brilliant colors. Too bad this guy had no competition on the farm to give him a reason to show us his plumage.

white tents at middleton place for wedding

We were asked if we were the couple getting married here today. Do I look dressed for a wedding?! 😛

giant oak tree on middleton place property

A very large oak with plenty of character, even after some major branches fell.

pair of swans sitting in water by edge eating grass

As we headed out, we tracked down the swans.

two 2-piece meals of fried chicken with sides at bojangles

For lunch, we had Bojangles. We still prefer Popeye’s.

black and white bird flying in for piece of bread on ground

When I saw birds, I happily busted out the old bread I brought to feed animals on the trip.

parking lot in midst of trees with no paved roads or painted lines

The parking lots for the plantations were basically part of the forest.

charleston tea plantation america's only tea garden

The only place in America you’ll find them growing, harvesting, and making tea! Bigelow owns this one.

fields of tea plants and giant machine for harvesting tea leaves

Fields and fields of tea bushes that just look like a regular plant.

close-up of tea leaves of camellia sinensis bush

This my friends, is what you start with when you want a nice cup of tea.

horse-drawn cart with tour of charleston

Time to swing by downtown Charleston! Of course the first thing we see is a horse-drawn tour.

fragrance room at colonial candle store in charleston

At Colonial Candle, they had Fragrance Rooms where you could experience a candle.

fried green tomatoes atop bed of corn covered with cheese and sweet and sour sauce

For dinner, I tried fried green tomatoes for the first time. YUM

view of myrtle beach area inland from patricia grand hotel 16th floor

We arrive in Myrtle Beach and get a room at the Patricia Grand.

shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, hush puppies, and she crab soup at mr. fish

Lunch the next day consisted of all sorts of creamy options.

sea salt scrub made by fishermen in restroom of mr. fish restaurant

In the restroom they had a fabulous salt scrub that I almost wanted to buy.

store of all purple things at broadway at the beach in myrtle beach

Out to the Barefoot Landing area and I had to check out the Purpleologist.

wall of racks and racks of globe candles with many designs

Walking by another store, I saw someone making candles so I went in.

round candle with starfish and lionfish design

I loved the intricate look to them!

lady holdking candle while carving into it

I wanted a UCLA one, so the lady made it on the spot.

blue and yellow ucla globe candle hand carved

Check out that beauty! The yellow part will glow when I light it.

The final morning, I woke up just as the sun was rising.

The final morning, I woke up just as the sun was rising.

people down on beach and chairs with tents laid out

By the time we headed out, people were roaming the beach. I had no idea those crescent things became wind-blocking tent things!

flipped car on side of road

Along the drive home, we happened upon quite the accident. Yikes!

Petit Vour March 2014 review

laelene Post in general blog,Tags: , , , , , , ,
4

My very first Petit Vour box arrived! I like what I see and will keep them around for awhile.

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!).

contents of petit vour march 2014 box with laface lotion, lotus wei serum, icon oil, ncla nail wraps and nail file, and california naturel skincare set

Laface Hydrating & Firming Body Lotion – This applies pretty well, but I’m not really into the scent. My skin does feel really good after applying it and it’s noticably softer and more hydrated. I’d have to use it more to see if there are any firming effects.

Lotus Wei Balancing Serum – Sweet! I’ve had other Lotus Wei products, but not the serum yet and I love serums. This scent is very calming and it’s supposed to promote inner peace. It applies a bit greasy, but very little goes a long way and I just kept rubbing it in. There’s a slightly cooling sensation on more delicate skin.

I.C.O.N. India Oil – Oh wow, this smells nice. There’s something very cultural feeling about it and I enjoyed getting the dryness out of my hair. I’ll have to make more use of this during the rest of these dry months. Feels great!

NCLA Nail Wraps & nail file – Well, these are… bold. I’ve never tried nail wraps before, so I sure hope I can apply them ok. I definitely appreciate getting the nail file too, since I don’t usually use them and would not have access to one. I think I’ll have fun with these even if they’re totally not my style. I never knew you’re supposed to apply clear nail polish first! Good thing I read the instructions.

California Naturel Skincare Set – The packaging on this is super cool, but then it opens to three little samples. Still pretty cool, but I thought it might be more exciting. There’s a cleansing gel, balancing complex, and nourishing cream. The gel is for all skin types and cleansed pretty well. Didn’t notice anything particularly different about it. The complex is for combination to oily skin and it immediately helped with my oily face. It’s quite watery but I love it! Finally, the cream is for dry to normal skin and I wasn’t a huge fan of the scent. Pretty good at moisturizing though.

What do you think of 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!]

Julep March 2014: The Riviera Collection review

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

This time when the selection period began, I was ready. A quick look at the profiles revealed that I much preferred the beauty products over the nail polishes, so I opted for the Modern Beauty option that includes two beauty items, with no polish. I then browsed the add-on options and decided to get a polish in Princess Grace. I was fascinated by the lip products that came with this month’s box, so I just couldn’t pass them up.

Julep is just under $20 per box and comes with 2 nail polish colors and a beauty product, 3 nail polish colors, or 2 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 (skips are earned every six months for subscribers Dec 18th, 2013 and later). You also have the option of gifting your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free boxes.

julep maven modern beauty march 2014 riviera collection box contents

March’s Modern Beauty Riviera Collection box

julep luxury lipcare buff lip scrub and luxe lip conditioning treatment information card

The info card with details on the lip scrub and conditioning treatment.

julep lip products offer card, referral card, and candy stick info card

Back of the info card with a discount offer on lip products.

julep luxe lip conditioning treatment

The Luxe Lip Conditioning Treatment is hydrating and smells kind of coconuty. The metal tip is cooling and soothing.

julep buff lip scrub pen

The Buff Lip Scrub Pen is a lightly sweet smelling scrub with tiny crystals. I actually liked keeping in on after use to keep lips soft and moist.

julep polish in princess grace

I chose this as an add-on because it looked more vibrant orange than the corals I have, which are slightly more peachy/pink.

I do like the products, but I’m not sure about the price. I mean, $20 for two lip products? That’s pretty steep and actual prices if you buy them separately are even higher. In a way, I guess it’s good I got them in my Maven box, since that’s one of the better deals, but I probably wouldn’t repurchase unless they were heavily discounted. I do like both products and will use them.

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).

[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!]

Julep February Secret Store: Rosa & Clean Slate review

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

When Julep’s February secret store opened up, I took a look at what they were offering and immediately wanted the Rosa amethyst glitter shade from the Birthstone collection. Not only is it Panda’s birthstone, it’s my favorite color. I also took advantage of a 50% off code I had that was to expire soon and got the Clean Slate Conditioning Nail Polish Remover & Pump.

Julep offers a secret store collection to Mavens (subscribers) for a limited time each month. The store contains first access to limited edition items and special sale prices.

julep maven secret store february 2014 selected products including rosa amethyst polish and clean slate nail polish remover with pump

Rosa and Clean Slate from February’s Secret Store

julep polish in rosa, an amethyst glitter for february from birthstone collection

This gorgeous purple glitter, Rosa, is the February shade of the Birthstone Collection.

It’s kind of hard to see the shade on the black background, but it’s a wonderful purple that is blue-ish at times. The gold cap makes it look a lot cooler but it still looks good on the nails. I did find the ratio of glitter to polish made it hard to apply this polish with just one or two coats (unless they were very thick). The glitter bits got dispersed very easily and I wanted a more dense concentration of them.

julep clean slate acetone-free conditioning nail polish remover with pump

I decided to restock on this nail polish remover at half the price.

I got this in a trade awhile ago and noticed that my supply was running low. Since I had a coupon code to use, I decided to get this since it’s one of the most effective nail polish removers I’ve used! It helped get off some hard to remove glitter polishes far easier than I expected. Plus, the pump design is really cool and makes me feel all professional.

Become 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).

[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!]

Yuzen Spring 2014 edition review

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

Aww, it’s finally Yuzen time again! I actually got it over a week ago, but with the move and filming the video for them, I kept forgetting to get still pictures. This lovely box for the spring provides a wonderful assortment of products for treating yourself. They smell great and feel wonderful too. I’m ready for all this snow to finally end and feel like spring is on its way! The box I’m showing here came in a red organza bag and has white tissue paper for Valentine’s. If you get this later in the quarter, you’ll probably receive the spring one with a white organza bag and yellow/lime green tissue paper. That’s what you’ll see in the video I filmed for Yuzen’s YouTube channel, which will be up soon. 🙂

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

yuzen box with white flowers on aqua background and spring info card

Beautiful red coloring that works for spring AND Valentine’s.

yuzen spring 2014 box info card inside

Info about the products in the spring box.

yuzen spring 2014 box info card back

And the last couple of brands included.

unboxed spring 2014 yuzen box with contents shown

I see myself taking an enriching bath and then nourishing myself afterward.

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.

Lotus Wei – Infinite Love Mist: So very suitable for the month of love. I actually have this mist already, from way back in the early days of Yuzen. It’s a sweet scent with a hint of tartness, which makes sense since it’s a blend of mandarin, rose, and honey. These are meant to be sprayed around to surround you with the type of scent that will enhance your experience of love for yourself and those around you. You can use it as a pillow mist, spray it as you enter a room, or just spray it around your body. Inhale, relax, and feel the love! Use code YUZEN by 4/30/14 for 20% off at Lotus Wei.

Acure – Radical Resurfacing Facial Treatment: I am pretty excited about this product, if it can help even out my skin! I have acne scars and some random dark spots that plague me, so I’m hoping this will help. I’ve never heard of lemon probiotic or chlorella growth factor, but I do believe plants have powerful abilities to heal and harnessing that certainly sounds good. I’ve heard of natural remedies using lemon to brighten skin, so this probably works similarly. At the very least it feels so hydrating and smells sort of tangy like ginger. I’m loving this as a moisturizer on its own, even though it goes on under one. Use code YUZENLOVE for 25% at Acure.

sumbodysum fizzer: This large block of fizzing fun is in their Coconut Cream scent (though I don’t know if they were sending out other variations too). I tested a small piece and it fizzes very well! Can’t wait to incorporate this into a bath. My skin felt great after using the water with the fizz in it and I loved the light scent it left! It’s not too strong on the coconut, but definitely gives you a tropical feel. I think you’re supposed to use the whole one in the bath, but I’ll probably split it up between a few uses. I’m loving this! Use code Yuzen2 by 5/1/14 for 20% off at sumbody.

sumbody – bath melt: I broke off a quarter of this to use in my bath this weekend and I enjoyed the use of goat milk in their Milky Rich variation. It reminded me of a luxurious bar of chocolate and I was almost tempted to eat it! Inside the foil you’ll find a little piece of paper telling you more about the product and how to use it (they had one for the fizzer too). It took some swirling of the water to get this dissolved and then I could see the oils that were released. It was almost like taking a milk bath, which I’m sure my skin was happy about. Use code Yuzen2 by 5/1/14 for 20% off at sumbody.

SranromCalm Down Hand Cream: Anything inspired by Thailand has got to be good. This lotion is thicker than most, but not quite a body butter. The lemongrass and lime scent is so refreshing and soothing all at once. I love it! It’s very enriching and perfect to combat the dryness that winter brought on. I got a good laugh when I saw the scent name of Calm Down, because I tell Panda to do that all the time. When I showed him, he had a chuckle too and I think I’m going to give him a tube to use. He worries too much and needs some calming! Use code YUZEN20 for 20% at Sranrom.

Sranrom – Compassion candle: I’m really enjoying all the refreshing scents in this box, like this lemongrass, lemon, and spearmint candle! It’s beautifully made and smells wonderful. I used it while soaking in a bath and it was a great calming prescence. It burns cleanly and comes in such a cute little glass container! What a lovely way to enhance the mood in any room. Use code YUZEN20 for 20% at Sranrom.

Balanced GuruBalm Me Up Body Balm: I was surprised at how solid this body balm is when I first opened it. It’s actually quite soft though, and melts with your body heat. It’s a very strong tangy scented product that is super buttery. It’s absolutely wonderful for your elbows, knees, and other rough patches of skin. Just a thin layer took away all trace of dry skin for me. I can see this being perfect for getting through the cold months, though the scent can get overwhelming for me so I can only use a little bit at a time. Use code YUZEN by 4/30/14 for 20% off at Balanced Guru.

ChocoloveCherries & Almonds in Dark Chocolate: I just got my first intro to Chocolove in my Escape Monthly box and what do you know, it’s showing up here too! This flavor is just what you’d want around Valentine’s and I enjoyed it, but I’ve got to admit I’m not a huge fan of anything other than fresh, ripe cherries. Nevertheless, the chocolate is delicious and they have plenty of amazing flavors to choose from! Definitely a brand that I’ll keep my eye out for when I’m out shopping.

essioaromatherapy shower kit: Finally, there’s a discount code for Essio’s aromatherapy for the shower. It’s a little arm contraption that you put on your showerhead and then you swap in little pods with different essential oil aromatherapy scents. I met the founder at a LOHAS event that I was helping Yuzen out at and I liked the idea, but was not at a point in my life where I was treating myself to such luxuries. However, I’m thinking that now might be the time, since I’ve really gotten into skincare and taking care of my body. Thankfully, I have until June to decide on this! Use code YUZEN20 by 6/30/14 for 20% off at Essio.

So there you go, a lovely way to kick off spring by healing your skin from a tough winter’s beating. What did you like most in this box?

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

Homegrown Collective January 2014 review

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

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

the homegrown collective january 2014 box with small shipping label

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

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

They have a pretty new logo that they started using.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the homegrown collective january 2014 detoxify inside and out info card

marketing info cards from the homegrown collective january 2014 box

Here are the marketing materials that came with the box.

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

And the backsides with all the info.

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

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

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