Julep April 2016 Collection review

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So I think they stopped naming their collections as of February, since they aren’t clearly labeling them anymore. This month’s was filled with fun, bright colors in a jelly-like finish. They included a white polish to pair with the colors to use underneath and lighten the color. They look great and I’m tempted to collect the whole set.

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.

julep maven april 2016 collection box contents

April 2016’s collection of Brights + Whites box

Green Tea konjac sponge
I don’t know what it is about green tea, but when I see something with it, I gravitate towards it. Between the kaolin clay one that was going to come in my box and the charcoal one I’ve had before, neither could beat out the funky green sponge. I don’t think it makes much of a difference since all those ingredients are great for your skin, but I’m happiest with this one.

Polish colors in Brynn and Brigitte. I waffled between Brynn and Marissa for ages before choosing this more reddish orange hue. Normally I’d go for the purple but this time I wanted something different! I like how Brynn looks both as a gel as well as with the white underneath, which is what I have on now. I got compliments at work today for my bold color that starkly contrasted against the dreary day. (I already have another Brigitte from almost exactly a year ago, but it’s a color that can be used in many ways.)

love your bare face Detoxifying Cleansing Stick
It said to rub this on my hands and then cleanse my face, which was interesting. It was very gentle and smelled nice. I don’t think I put enough on since I didn’t really get a lather. I look forward to combining it with my konjac sponge, which I am waiting to open once I head off to grad school.

julep april 2016 collection card and discount offer card

The April 2016 Collection cards.

julep love your bare face detoxifying cleansing stick and kaolin clay konjac sponge information card

The info card with details on the detoxifying cleansing stick and konjac sponge.

julep april 2016 collection quote card

The April 2016 Collection quote card.

Another great box! I’m very pleased with my newfound flexibility to customize boxes. Now I really get to be picky, though it makes for some hard choices!

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!]

Prospurly March 2016 review

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It was a battle getting the key to work on the mailbox compartment for packages at our place. For some reason the postperson always puts my packages in box #2, which takes about 5 minutes to get open each time. I was then very happy to find this box, which had some heft to it.

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.

prospurly march 2016 box open with products showing prospurly march 2016 info card with intro message on inside of box prospurly march 2016 info card with product details

Tops Malibu Flying Magic Butterfly – How adorable! You wind this up and place it inside a book or card so when someone opens it, a little butterfly shoots out. Make sure you point the butterfly towards the top of the card or book so it doesn’t hit the person. I found it shot out more than flew out, but was really fun to play with.

Essential Living Foods coconut chips – Oh my, what a massive bag of coconut chips! I definitely have to take this to work since I’m still working on the one I got from Yogi Surprise. I can barely remember to eat yogurt for breakfast, much less add these chips to them, so this is going to be slow going. With my colleagues’ help, they can make quick work of these. This was the surprise treat in the box, which seems to be a new thing they’re doing.

Vicara Good Morning essential oil – I’ve never had essential oil with ginger, so this is a unique one for me. It vaguely reminds me of some dishes we cook with ginger, in a good way. It’s not overwhelming as you might think and there’s a warmth to the scent that I wasn’t expecting. I like it!

Menagerie Charcoal face wash – This is fabulous! Tea and charcoal? Just the kind of ingredients I enjoy most. I love how this smells and the very slippery texture it has. It’s fun to use and I definitely need some more charcoal in my life.

Nuun All Day healthy hydration – These are perfect for me to bring to work. Who doesn’t like watching bubbles? Plus I could use a boost in vitamins and hopefully energy too. I haven’t been sleeping well lately so it’s hard to have energy late in the afternoon.

Enchanted Storybook Japanese Cherry Blossom bath bombs – I got a whiff of these as soon as I opened the box for pictures. They have a nice sweetness to them and a gentle fragrance that I enjoy. It’s going to be fun to use these in the bath! They also happen to be my favorite color. 🙂

Enchanted Storybook Japanese Cherry Blossom body butter – I’m not really sure what a body butter vs a lotion should be, but I’m used to body butters being thicker in consistency. Since this is not as thick, I’ll use it more like a lotion. It almost has a perfumey quality to it and I really enjoy smelling my hands after applying it. It absorbs really well and instantly softened my skin.

Crystal’s Candles beeswax votives – You know, I was just reading about how beeswax candles burn clean so this is perfect timing. They’ve got a slow burn and should last awhile. I look forward to using these and I wonder how much of a scent they will give off. We’ll see!

Happy birthday to Prospurly! I wish I’d known about them from the start because I really would have enjoyed it all along. Oh well, I’m happy to have a subscription now! 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!]

Office move

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It’s been a long time since we’ve had a major change at the office and today’s the day that we kicked it off. At 6 PM, everyone had their stuff packed in boxes and the movers began to roll things over to the newly opened section of the office, which has been under renovation for weeks (nearly 3 months). We have officially taken over the entire floor and get to enjoy the new area. Our current space will be closed off for renovations before the big reveal in May, when the entire office will be at its peak. I’ll get to enjoy that for about a month before I head off for business school!

At the end of the day, we went to the new part to start putting together new furniture, arrange desks, and get everyone’s boxes to their place. We have a ton of new meeting rooms and a nice hardwood area where the cafe and event space/theater are. I’ve found my new favorite room, which is a little one that can fit two people and is tucked up right against the window. It’ll be a cozy place for me to do webinars and get away from the mess of people in the main area.

For the next month, we are all going to be crammed into a space that is about half of what we were in. This means that the sales team is no longer in their own area and quite honestly, all of us are dreading the level of noise that means across the entire open office. I’m pretty sure I will seek reprieve in one of the meeting rooms or other public spaces. Or, perhaps I’ll be able to work outside a bit since our wifi signal can sometimes be picked up downstairs in the courtyard.

Tomorrow’s going to be a strange day as we discover a new pattern. I always enjoy some change, so this should be fun. 🙂

Spring sightings

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I feel like spring wants to be here, but winter keeps shoving itself back in the picture here and there. Today was craaaazy windy out! I look forward to things getting warm for good before I head off to grad school, though I’ll miss things like these…

spring hail outside office window from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

double rainbow from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

loud rain on car from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

ladybug on 8th floor window from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

Petit Vour March 2016 review

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PV time already? Alright! I’m very pleased with the items in this box, which are all fresh and feel like spring.

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 2016 box with fresh start theme and info card petit vour march 2016 box info card with item details

Yarok Feed Your Moisture shampoo – I don’t think I’d ever buy shampoo at that price point, but I’m happy to have a sample to use! I can use it in conjunction with other samples from the line that I have yet to try.

Little Barn Apothecary Geranium + White Tea beauty mist – Ooo, a special formula just for PV! I love anything with white tea, so this is awesome. I love facial mists/sprays that I can use after cleansing. They’re so lightweight and fun to use.

suki exfoliate foaming cleanser – This citrus smell reminds me of the derma e microdermabrasion scrub that I love so much. It’s delightful to use and has a bit of foaming action along with exfoliation so you feel extra clean.

lauren b beauty nail polish dual base/top coat – Nice! This will go well with the other bottle we received almost a year ago. I found it to be a bit more runny than my other top coats, but that also seemed to product a very shiny finish that’s quite nice.

I’m a fan of all these products!! These items felt very luxurious to me. 🙂 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!]

Treatsie March 2016 review

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Alright, another box after quite a gap from receiving the first box of the month. It’s been awhile since they included this many brands in a box.

Treatsie is $15 per box + $4.95 shipping and comes with artisan candy from 3-4 brands. That means about 6 or 7 different flavors of treats. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program to earn store credit. Use my referral link and code FRBUCO01 to get double the treats (a purported $40 value) in your first box!

treatsie march 2016 box contents treatsie march 2016 info card

J&M Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies: I looooved their triple chocolate flavor and this one is good too, but can’t beat that. I really enjoy how these are “dry” cookies yet they are not dry in a bad way. They’re still just crumbly enough that it doesn’t feel like you ate a cracker without water.

Quin Candy Dreams Come Chew: These must be similar to Starburst style candies. I found that they had a tendency to stick to the wrapper and melt quite quickly. Very tasty though!

Bees & Beans Honey Bar: Yuuummmm I knew I’d like this as soon as I saw it. Chocolate with caramel and nougat? Oh yes. I wouldn’t mind a little extra crunchiness inside to add to the textures.

B. T. McElrath Chocolatier chocolate bites in Salted Butter Caramel & Dark Chocolate Caramel: Just like before, I loved the firm texture of these. If you like a chocolate with a nice break to it, definitely try these out. I didn’t quite taste the caramel and I generally like the gooeyness of it, but these were tasty nonetheless.

Clairesquares Shortbread & Caramel dark chocolate square: For some reason I thought this was kind of brownie-like, but it’s like a buttery cookie. The shortbread holds together well and gives the bar a rich flavor.

I’m quite pleased with the variety of products and inclusion of a product that’s brand new to me. What do you think of the treats from this box? To get Treatsie, sign up with my link and code FRBUCO01 to get double the treats in your first 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!]

Pie pops for Pi Day

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Last week I was going through emails and saw these adorable pie pops from Treatsie. My friend “Calavera” and I decided we had to make them, so she came over this weekend to make some belated Pi Day treats.

piece of pie crust stuck in glass cup while cutting out circles in pie crust

We used a small glass to cut out the circles in the pie crust.

circular pie crust pieces with leftover material

Extra pie crust that we rolled out and cut until it was all used.

pie crust strips cut and laid out

The other piece of pie crust was cut into long strips and woven.

thin strips of pie crust woven into lattice pattern

Weaving together the pie crust lattice.

cutting circles in pie crust lattice

Once done, we used the same glass to cut out circles on the lattice.

round pieces of pie crust with little bit left over

After cutting, we had minimal waste of the crust.

putting together pie pops with jam and egg wash

Then we got to work putting together the pops, putting jam inside.

pie pops put together and ready for sugar dusting before baking

Almost ready for baking!

adding sugar to pie pops before baking

The final touch, adding some sugar on top.

pie pops in oven baking

And in they go for baking.

heart pie pop leaking jam while baking

The heart one was pumping and “bleeding” everywhere.

finished pie pops laid out on turtle-shaped cutting board

Ta-da! The finished product. We tried carving our initials and making the sand dollar ones, but the lattice ones came out best.

The Ritz-Carlton treatment

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While Panda was away on travel, he got a chance to stay at a Ritz-Carlton property. When he left, he realized that he could not find his power adapter, so he contacted the hotel and they were unable to locate it. Weeks later, he was supposed to return to the property but plans got changed and he had to stay at a different hotel in the area. When the hotel staff found out, they offered to send the replacement adapter they got him and delivered it to his new hotel! Not only that, but he mentioned he wanted to get something from the gift store – a rubber ducky – and they even brought that all wrapped up at no charge. Now this is the type of service I’ve heard of from this establishment and it’s great to see it in action. They made his trip that much better with their extra effort and kindness. 🙂

ritz-carlton gift box with white wrapping paper and red ribbon

The gift box, all nicely wrapped.

ritz-carlton rubber duckies inside box

Turns out they packed two ducks!

ritz-carlton rubber duckies

Now we have these keepsakes from their hotel.

universal converter/world adapter gift from ritz-carlton

And this wonderful replacement adapter for future travels. 🙂

Oh, deer!

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Last year, Panda and I took advantage of National Park Week’s fee free days to get into Shenandoah National Park for free. We spent the whole day driving along Skyline Drive from south to north and enjoyed various views as well as some wildlife. We got a chance to get super close to some deer while up there!

deer running to woods from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

deer eating on hill from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

deer eating by road from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

deer walking up hill from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

I got my husband back!

laelene Post in lifestyle glimpses,Tags: , , , ,
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It’s been 5 long weeks since Panda left me and I finally have him back again. I will never agree to such a long work trip again. It was far too much. I managed to stay relatively sane the first three weeks, but the last two have been much harder. I even gave up on eating properly and didn’t feel like anything, so I ended up resorting to instant ramen, mac & cheese, and frozen pizzas.

Now that he’s back, things are more lively again and the nights aren’t so lonely. I get to enjoy having food prepared for me and having someone to talk to after work. Even the cats get to have someone else to rub up against and spend time with. It’s nice to settle back into home life for awhile, before everything gets uprooted and I move to wherever I need to for my MBA.

I find it interesting that everyone asks me about my husband moving with me (and no, he won’t be). When I tell them, they are all shocked at how we will pass two years apart. I guess it’s more normal for Asian cultures to handle being apart for long periods of time. My parents do it all the time and much of my childhood was spent away from one or both of them. I wonder how many married MBAs go without their spouse. It seems like I will be the exception.

Anyway, I’m excited for the next couple months, where I’ll have a last chance to live this schedule before being engulfed by school. Soon enough there will be trips, orientation, classes, and so much more. I look forward to the change of pace. Turns out I get bored of a regular work schedule and I crave more unpredictability. Until then, I will appreciate having Panda back at home, being a complete family with our cats. 🙂

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