Posts Tagged ‘boxes’

Petit Vour November 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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This month, they teamed up with The Little Foxes to curate the box. As always, I like how the combination of items can account for a good portion of a given day’s routine.

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 november 2014 box with au naturale creme concealer & eye shadow, french girl mineral lip tint, caru skincare facial serum, earthbody skincare body oil, and info card with natural givers theme petit vour november 2014 box info card with item details

Au Naturale Organic Creme Concealer in Beige and Eye Shadow in Palma – I was really confused when I first opened this, because there was a tube that looked like mascara and a tub that could be any creme. Once I actually opened the products and read the part of the info card on either side for both items, it made a lot more sense. The eye shadow comes in a long tube much like lipstick would. That’ll make it easy to apply without irritating my eyes! The shade is somewhere between bronze and gold, which makes for a nice metallic color that won’t stand out too much (just the way I like it). The concealer is too light for my skin tone, but since I tried it already I’ll see if it can still be helpful when merged with my foundation.

French Girl Organics Mineral Lip Tint in Cerise – I’m actually just using up my Keeki lip shimmer, which has the same fun oval tube as this. The tint on this is a bit darker and it has a sweet and minty smell to it. It’s a lot like that lip shimmer as well as the Burt’s Bees ones I’ve had, but it smells better – kind of like a macaron. It’s a great formula that is hydrating and applies smoothly. I see this easily being my next go-to lip balm!

Caru Skincare Co Rose Facial Serum – As far as serums go, these oil types with the dripper bottle are by far my favorite. My skin is so soft, supple, and nourished after applying this serum. I can definitely smell the rose and something else that I can’t place. I’m not crazy about the scent but I think the ingredients will be awesome for my complexion. I think their Immortelle Facial Serum would be awesome and the best fit for my preferences and skincare needs.

Earthbody Sacred Skincare Dream Body Oil – The scent of this oil is fantastic – just the kind of soothing fragrance I’d relax and fall asleep to. Now is the perfect time for body oils, which is what I’ve switched to applying after my showers. There’s nothing quite as restorative for the skin and so little covers a lot of skin. I’m really curious about their day spa and might treat myself to that experience the next time in SF with time to explore.

I enjoyed trying the products from this box and I’ll be keeping them all. The body oil and lip tint are right up my alley. I use both types of products regularly! What 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!]

A shelter for Smokey

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog,Tags: , , , , , , ,
1

Panda’s been wanting to create a little hideaway shelter for Smokey to use whenever she wants to get away from light and noise. She likes to go sit in our closets sometimes when the outside stuff gets to be too much. We decided to cut a hole into a cardboard box we have that she can crawl into. We put shredded packing paper on the bottom to make it more enticing and hopefully she’ll like it!

plated cardboard box with circle marked for cutting

We used an old box and traced a circle where we’d cut a hole.

cat sitting in cardboard box with white tissue paper padding

Smokey waited nearby in one of her many other boxes.

cat sitting watching cardboard box being cut

As the cutting began, she moved closer for a better view.

circular hole cut into side of cardboard box and cat staring at it

All done! Time to set it up.

cat sitting by card board box cat shelter

She was hesitant to try it out.

cat paw and tail hanging out of hole in cardboard box cat shelter

We eventually convinced her to go in for a whirl.

cat squeezing out of hole in cardboard box shelter

But then she came right out. I guess we’ll see if she takes to it.

Treatsie November 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , ,
1

With the season cooling down, I’m happy to see more chocolates appearing again! The November Treatsie box came with a great treat for starting off the day and chocolates for any time.

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!

treatsie november 2014 box contents with fixx chocolates chelle's bar, megpies blueberry tart, and alcove chocolates in fleur de sel, mimosa, and red velvet

fixx chocolates chelle’s cashew nougat bar: I was apprehensive about this at first after reading is was inspired by a Snickers bar’s flavor and contents. I’ve never been a fan of those, so I was wondering how I’d like this, good as it looked. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. The dark chocolate casing is rich and wonderful, with just the right kind of hardness. The inside with the nougat and caramel is sweet and soft, not at all like the icky Snickers. I could actually do with some more cashews since there was hardly any and some crunch would have been nice. This luxury bar may be made of similar ingredients, but it is soooo much better.

Megpies Blueberry Tart: I could instantly smell the butteriness of these the moment I opened them. I thought at first that there were two and I tried prying the crust apart only to realize my mistake. Luckily, it took just a bite or two to cover up that accident. 😉 This is a great dessert or breakfast item and the crust is somewhat like a croissant. I love the blueberry flavoring both inside and on top. I’m a fan.

Alcove Chocolate Fleur de Sel, Mimosa, and Red Velvet bars: Funny enough, my favorite was the mimosa, despite never having had a mimosa before. I guess I’m into that citrus and chocolate pairing, though the bar is a bit sweet so I’d definitely want to have it with something to even out the sugar rush. The textures of the chocolates are all smooth and crisp, which I like. The salt granules in the fleur de sel hit me in little pockets and then blended with the dark chocolate for a stronger dark chocolate sensation. The red velvet is softer, probably because it’s milk chocolate and boy does that flavor pack a punch! If you like your chocolates strong and intensely flavored, these are great. I need to pair them with something more bland and eating on them on their own is overwhelming.

This was a lovely box with more surprises than I expected. Some I liked more than I thought I would and some I didn’t prefer as much. Still, it’s a fantastic selection of products I’m glad I tried. What products do you like best from this box? 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 November: Hawaii Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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This is the first true repeat theme that they’ve done, so of course I was curious to see how much overlap it would have with the previous box. I personally don’t feel this was as good as the first box and especially having received that one, this was rather disappointing. Even just looking at it without considering what I had previously, I didn’t feel like the value and variety were there. I guess I prefer boxes with more smaller items versus a larger-ticket item or some medium ones. I’m starting to carefully evaluate the value I perceive I’m gaining from these boxes to decide how much longer I’ll stay with them. Another box or two that are under par might make me end my subscription, but for now I’m really intrigued with the possibilities for next month’s box.

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.

escape monthly november hawaii box products showing escape monthly november hawaii box info card escape monthly november hawaii box info card opened with details of products included(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

Everything here was new to me, so that was great for introducing me to different items. I like that some of them went full out with the British look while others are just products you might go for any day as you shop around.

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Maui – Well, at the least it’s good that they didn’t send the same guidebook. Last time I got the Big Island and this time I have Maui, which are perfect since so far I’ve only been to Oahu. With all that new territory still waiting for me to explore, both of the guidebooks I have will be useful.

Hawaiian Host Kona Glazed Macadamia nuts – As always, I’m not into nuts (though macadamia nuts are at least tolerable and even enjoyable at times). What really kills this for me is the coffee flavoring, so I’ve passed it on to Panda for him to eat. I doubt another flavor would have persuaded me otherwise anyway though.

Hawaiian Rainforest Naturals Stress Release Bath Crystals – This was the only entirely new brand to show up and I think it’s pretty cool. I love bath stuff, so this will be great for my next bath when I’m looking to soak away the stress. This pouch is gently sweet and almost reminiscent of baby powder. I find it wonderful that the ingredients are responsibly sourced from the Hawaiian rainforest and I’d love to go there on my next trip. I’m curious what flower essences went into this one, which would have been a nice thing to outline along with the directions for use.

Royal Hawaiian Orchards Kona Coffee Banana Macadamia Crunch – Again with the coffee flavor! I think with one, that should have been enough for this box and they should have included a different flavor. I would have been fine with receiving the same flavor I did with the last box (papaya lime) since that was pretty unique and tasty. Unfortunately, I can’t stand coffee flavored stuff, so this has been put in Panda’s pile as well. Pity.

Honey Girl Organics Face & Eye Creme and Night Creme – This is the exact same thing from the last box. I wish they’d included any other products from this line, since I would have been happy to try those, but I don’t want repeats of the same items! I sure hope someone would want to trade for this. I’ve barely even used the first set since I have so many other products I’m using too.

Personal Paradise Noni Papaya Pineapple shampoo – We received this brand in the last box, but I like that we get to try their shampoo this time. I like how they have very tropically-inspired scents and I’m looking forward to how my hair will smell after this one. I like the packaging for this brand and I like the lotion that I got in the other box, which I’ve already used up. Now this is how to repeat a brand across different boxes.

Personal Paradise Noni Papaya Pineapple body lotion – This lotion is definitely a lighter scent than the coconut lime one I got in the original Hawaii box, but I like it as well. It’s so refreshing and the lotion is a great consistency. It absorbs into my skin really well and softens my hands right away! I’ll totally be using this until it’s completely empty too, just like the other tube I had. I’m glad I get to try another one of their lovely scents.

seashell lei  – The bonus item was again a lei, though a different design. I like the use of some cowry shells to change up the pattern and I’ll add this to my growing collection of seashell leis from Hawaii.

Well, it was an ok box, but I was to feel more excited about what I’m getting. I think something with koa wood would have been cool, like the bookmark I’d bought on my recent trip to Hawaii. What’s your impression of this Hawaii Escape Monthly box? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): MYESCAPE or YULETIDE for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

escape monthly november hawaii box info card back with preview of next month's box theme of europe

To round up the year is a more general theme, with all sorts of possibilities! I look forward to some European delights. This will help me decide if I should actively consider cancelling this subscription or if I should continue on for awhile. Bring on the good 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!]

Beauty Box 5 November 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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I was a bit amused that some of these items would have been handy for my trip last week. Too bad I didn’t get them before leaving! Oh well, now I have some goodies for my next travel destination. I like that they did a little more for the skincare, hair care, and “tools” stuff, with no make-up item. For someone like me who doesn’t use much make-up, I’m good with getting them less frequently and receiving more products I’ll happily use.

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.

november 2014 beauty box 5 contents beauty box 5 november 2014 information card

Afterfeather Refillable Travel Bottle: I was considering getting a travel bottle when I wanted to transport my Hawaiian red shrimp back home. I had bought them as a travel set packed for plane trips, but would have to put them in checked luggage, which I was worried about. Going forth I might just bring the empty bottle on trips for unforeseen uses. Or maybe I’ll put some shampoo in there. I like that this brand is eco-conscious and this item is a great reusable one.

DenTek Floss Picks + Case: This little case is adorable and an easy way to bring floss picks on trips. I think that will be particularly useful for Panda, since he actually flosses, but I’m hoping it’ll motivate me to floss a bit too. I’m totally throwing this in my toiletry bag for future travel.

HASK Macadamia Oil Revitalizing Shine Hair Treatment: This is perfect for the dryness of winter. It smells nice, a subtle sweetness with a bit of nuttiness, and is a thick-ish oil formula. I always forget to do hair masks in the shower, so I much prefer a treatment like this that I can quickly apply before heading out for the day.

Laura Ashley Body Butter in Coconut Lime: I first got into this scent with the  shea butters I received. This one smells great too, though it’s lighter. The formula is also more lightweight – there’s like more wetness to it as I apply it. I might save this for the spring and trips where I need to have a smaller tub of body butter for my carry-on.

Dove Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash: This little body wash is also perfectly travel-sized. I can certainly bring that along for a trip or offer it in the guest bathroom whenever we have people over (like my parents, who are coming for Thanksgiving week!). I like having small bottles so I can use just what I need and not have to carry all this extra with me. If I use it for guests, it’s great for them to not have to bring their own items and also not feel like they are using some of our partially-used products.

The “gracefully grounded” theme is month is all about more practical items to take care of yourself. I’m all about that! This will set us off on a great start for healthy skin, hair, and teeth. Which items do you want from this 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!]

Homegrown Collective October 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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This mysterious package seemed to have gotten lost along the way, but it finally made it to me when we were out in Hawaii. I was really excited to get it and finally see what it had in store. I’m loving how useful all of this is.

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.

inside of carbon & clay homegrown collective box with the info sheets on the inner lid contents of the homegrown collective october 2014 box with carbon & clay theme

Project #1, activated charcoal: It seems quite strange to brush teeth with charcoal powder, but I’ll trust them on this one… as soon as I work up the nerves to not freak out that my mouth is black and foaming. I wonder what it will taste like. I’ll have to take a picture of my teeth now (certainly a lot more yellow than they used to be back in my teenage years) and compare after however many number of brushes with this craziness. As for the face mask, I’m far more comfortable with putting charcoal on my face. I love using soaps with it and I’m pretty sure some of the face masks I’ve tried have contained it, so I hope this one is a good formula for me!

the homegrown collective october 2014 project activated charcoal info card the homegrown collective october 2014 products for activated charcoal

Project #2, pacific sea salt: How cool! Smoking my own sea salt?! Where do they come up with these fascinating ideas? I do not have a grill, but Panda does have a set of grilling tools he got as a reward from work, so perhaps these should be compelling reasons for us to get a grill. I’ll have to see what (if any) are allowed in our community, or perhaps there’s a public one somewhere that I can use for a  few hours. That could be a fun thing to do come spring – picnic & grilling! I love how this is an edible project, which is pretty unique so far.

the homegrown collective october 2014 project pacific sea salt info card the homegrown collective october 2014 products for pacific sea salt

Project #3, bentonite clay: While we’ve received bentonite clay beforeqqqqqqqqqq`qqq`, I’m happy that they included new ways of using it for very different purposes. I’ll definitely try it in the bath (I hate those bath soaks that stain the tub, so since this isn’t supposed to stain, that would be awesome) and on my hair and skin too! The recipe for hair is perfect for the coming cold, as hair will dry out more and probably get brittle without intense treatment.

the homegrown collective october 2014 project bentonite clay info card the homegrown collective october 2014 products for bentonite clay

I’m always impressed with the themes that they come up and the creativity they have to offer all types of projects, from personal care to home care and more. I’ve yet to be disappointed by anything from this company, which is just fantastic. It’s totally up my alley both as an environmentally-conscious person and a new homeowner! Now I just need to actually get off my lazy weekend butt and start doing these projects. I even put together a list of what I need to do (and it is plentiful). I should set a goal of doing one each week…

the homegrown collective october 2014 carbon & clay info card

If you want in on this cool stuff, subscribe to the Homegrown Collective now! Your home, your family, and your health will thank you for it.

[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 Winter 2014 edition review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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I somehow totally missed posting up the fall box (maybe I’ll still do it for posterity). I received the winter box about two weeks ago, got the videos filmed, and you can watch it on Yuzen’s YouTube channel! Here for the blog version of the unboxing is my post. 🙂

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 november-january 2014 winter box open with brown lid, card with welcome message, and teal tissue paper yuzen november-january 2014 winter box open with teal tissue paper and piece of yuzen paper yuzen november-january 2014 winter box contents laid out

AcureBrightening Facial Scrub: This has become a brand I know and love. The facial treatment I got in the Spring box is one of my favorite products. I’m not ready to open the seal on this one just yet, but I’m excited since I can’t get enough of scrubs. Use code YUZENSCRUB for 20% off at Acure.

JJ’s Sweets CocomelsDark Chocolate Covered Cocomels with Sea Salt: These are totally luxurious. One is enough to satisfy me, which almost never happens. There’s so much intensity going on with these that I like savoring a single piece. Yum! Use code YUZEN14 by 12/31/14 for 15% off at Cocomels.

Cowgirl Skincareextreme c serum: This brand knows how to take care of skin that’s been exposed to the elements. This serum will be perfect for the winter. I look forward to protecting my face and keeping it from roughing out. Use code YUZEN14 by 1/31/15 for 20% off at Cowgirl.

Salus – Shower Bombs in Eucalyptus and Lemongrass: These made the box smell fabulous! I get overzealous using shower bombs so I’ll likely burn through one in a single shower. If they’re not meant for a single shower, I should would like sizes that are one-time use. Then I don’t have to worry about saving part of it. Use code yuzen20 by 1/31/15 for 20% off at Salus.

Essence of ValiSleep essential oil concentrate: You know, I haven’t tried this yet even though I’ve had a sample for nearly two years! Granted, it’s been sitting thousands of miles away most of the time… Well now I get a chance to actually try it. I’ve been having moderate sleep problems lately, so it’d be great to get some help. Use code yuzen by 3/15/15 for 20% off at Essence of Vali.

Zents – Mandarin ultra rich shea butter soap: Another brand I’m totally happy to receive. I’ve tried their bath salts in the Mandarin scent and they were nice. I’d probably love anything mandarin-scented (or even flavored!). I’m currently working through a giant bar of soap, so this will have to wait. Use code YUZEN by 12/31/14 for 20% at Zents.

Jurlique – Herbal Recovery Eye Cream: So fancy with the eye cream. I’m trying to build the habit of using eye cream, but I always forget. I’m excited to have this to soothe my eye area, if I ever get around to actually using it as part of my regimen.

The high quality and curation keeps on coming! I always appreciate the variety of products included too – it’s a little bit of everything wrapped into a gorgeous box. Which products do you want to try most?

yuzen november-january 2014 winter box info card inside listing brands in boxyuzen november-january 2014 winter box info card back side listing brands in box yuzen november-january 2014 winter box offer cards frontyuzen november-january 2014 winter box offer cards back

*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). 🙂

Escape Monthly October: London Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Alright, London time! I can hardly believe it’s been a year since we went there, so I’m certainly happy to get products from there. I hope to learn some good spots to hit up next time we go there. In the mean time, products from across the pond are a welcome sight and I look forward to try them all.

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.

escape monthly october london box products showingescape monthly october london box info card escape monthly october london box info card opened with details of products included(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

Everything here was new to me, so that was great for introducing me to different items. I like that some of them went full out with the British look while others are just products you might go for any day as you shop around.

Here’s what came in the box:

Rick Steves’ Pocket London – I’m sure Panda and I can make good use of this guide next time we venture to London. I’ve never looked at a guide for London, so it should be fun to read about some hidden gems and go find those. I wonder if they chose this brand because Moon Handbooks doesn’t offer a general guide to London (instead they appear to have the guide to living abroad there).

Walkers’ Nonsuch English Creamy Toffees – I love candy like this and the flavor of this was yummy. Nice and chewy without being so soft it gets stuck all over your teeth. It’s basically like eating a caramel candy and I’m a huge fan of those. I wonder if this is related to Walkers the brand that’s the British version of Lays.

Hill Biscuits Custard Creams – I’m saving these for a rainy day, when I want a sweet snack to go with my tea. It just seems like it’d be a good companion for that sort of thing. I did bring them with my on my travels in case I want to eat them on the plane. They’d make a nice snack in flight when I get hungry.

Orico Rush Hour Vibrant Dry Body Oil – Good thing they put these in plastic baggies, because one of them leaked in transit. Luckily, it was all contained in the pouch and was just enough to permeate the label, but not create much of a mess. This is excellent timing as the weather gets cold and my skin dries more quickly. I’ve switched my lotioning to body butters and oils, so this fits right in to my routine.

Soapsmith soap samples – I always enjoy a little bit of soap and I look forward to using these. For some reason it feels really satisfying to finish a bar of soap, so these will certainly offer me that satisfaction faster. The scents are pretty strong and I like how refreshing it is to get a whiff of them. I expect they’ll foam well, which is always entertaining.

English Tea Gifts London English Breakfast tea caddy – What a cute container! I’ll have to think of how to reuse it when I drink up the tea. I generally prefer green teas rather than the darker teas the Brits like. I never really learned to add milk and sugar to my tea, so these are rather bitter. I might just try to lightly brew them (or this would make an excellent gift for someone).

London Taxi diecast – Panda got all excited when he saw this. It’s right up his alley along with toys, trinkets, and random collectibles. I think we should get him a bookshelf to showcase his little collections and we can add this mini taxi! I remember my first impression of a taxi just like this when I arrived in Scotland. I marveled at how much space we had in there, luggage and all.

Corkers Pork Sausage and English Mustard crisps  – These made a good snack, though I’d definitely opt for another flavor. The meat flavor thing seems popular in the UK, but it’s a bit strong and salty for me. Or maybe it’s overwhelming with intense umami sensation. I did like the texture of these a lot so the whole sunflower oil thing works for me. I also happen to love Hula Hoops, which are snacks they cook with sunflower oil too. It gives a crisper, crunchier finish.

I’m a fan of all the food items provided as well as the body products. The miniature diecast is cool for display, but I don’t know what to do with it. I would have been interested in something like that that also can serve a purpose. Perhaps as a little container or pencil sharpener or something. What’s your favorite from this London Escape Monthly box? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): RICOESCAPE, CARIBBEAN, or LONDON for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

Next up is Hawaii (again). Funny since I’ll actually be in Hawaii right before this box is shipped. It’s been just over a year since they previously did a Hawaii box and this is the first repeat theme, so I expect a new set of items to show me even more of what the islands have to offer. Either way, I do believe I’ll enjoy the products. There’s all sorts of goodness in the middle of the Pacific!

escape monthly october london box info card back with preview of next month's box theme of hawaii

[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!]

Petit Vour October 2014 review

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

Just in time for Halloween came some thrilling items for the October box! I was amused that the order I pulled out the items in happened to match exactly to the order the items are listed on the info card. Spooky coincidence? 😉

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 october 2014 box with pacificia devocean natural lipstick, forager botanicals natural eau de perfume, flo + theo body butter, sw basics makeup remover, and info card with beauty thrillers theme petit vour october 2014 box info card with item details

Pacifica Devocean Natural Lipstick in tenderness – This was exciting because I’d seen the emails from Pacifica about them and was definitely curious to try. What a great discovery when I found one lurking in my box this month! It’s creamy and hydrating, but I’ve learned I can’t apply them when my lips are chapping or they amplify that look. I like this neutral shade, but was surprised to find it’s actually more pigmented than I thought (based on the shade rubbing off on my mug). On my lips, it blends in well, so this must be similar to what my natural shade is.

Flo + Theo Body Butter in Lemon Orchard – First of all, I love that this tub is filled to the brim. I applaud them for including as much product as the container would allow. Second, I just love the scent. It’s refreshing and soothing – just what I want when I’m applying this to my skin. The consistency is super thick and it’s firmly packed in there, so just a little bit of rubbing melts enough on my fingers to really get into my dry skin. I can definitely use this to keep my elbows nice and soft all winter long.

Forager Botanicals Natural Eau de Perfume in Woodland – Maybe I don’t understand perfume, but this is a tiny vial and it was only about half full! They could have gone for 2/3 full to make me happy. I don’t wear perfume, so I guess ultimately it doesn’t matter how much there is, but still. The scent is pretty light when I tried a little bit. It’s a nice warm, subtle woody scent that reminds me of a fragrant Chinese wood that you’d find in an antique shop or something. This is what I think of when I’m reminded of my grandma, Buddhist temples, and other sacred/important Asian things. It’s pretty calming for me, so I might just use it for aromatherapy.

S.W. Basics Makeup Remover – I haven’t tried this as a makeup remover yet since I haven’t been wearing makeup, I can see it being great at dissolving away whatever you might have on. I did rub a drop or two on my face, since it can also be a light moisturizer after removing makeup. It feels good and my face is certainly not going to dry out! It makes my skin super soft too, which is awesome. This bottle will last me for awhile and I’m glad that so little can give me plenty of coverage.

While I wasn’t sure about the perfume at first, now I think I’ll keep all these items for my own use. Most of them were immediate hits! I’m really enjoying this subscription and it’s so awesome that all these brands offer such eco-friendly items. 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!]

Love With Food Monster Mash October 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , ,
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This box was better than the last, though it still didn’t blow me away. The graphics for the card were cute as always, but I found many of the snacks to be ho-hum.

Love With Food is $12 per box (or as discounted as $120 for an entire year, with an option in between) and comes with 8 or more snack products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards products or boxes.

contents of october 2014 love with food box including eight snacks info card with details for october 2014 love with food snacks back of october 2014 love with food box info card(click to enlarge and read messaging)

I didn’t feel like the treats were particularly monstery or fallish, but whatever. I don’t need them to have a theme. My favorite so far has been the Calbee Snapea Crisps that were surprisingly easy to power through way too quickly. Before I knew it, the whole bag was empty and then I saw them at Costco and decided to get a bag. I might get sick of green peas after that, but I liked the light crunch and saltiness of this snack. The Surf Sweets jelly beans were very sweet. Veeeery sweet. I can probably eat only 3-4 at a time. The flavors were nice, but I could have done with a less concentrated sugar taste. I’ve also tried the Flamous Falafel Chips, which are strangely salty – just a hint – and then not. My taste buds were confused. The J&M Cheese Straws were not the sort of taste or texture I like. They reminded me of shortbread, yet were strongly cheesy. I couldn’t finish the bag.

I’m very hesitant about the rest. Justin’s Honey Almond Nut Butter and Chocolate Almond Nut Butter hit a bunch of things I’m not usually a fan of: almond anything, nuts, and [insert nut] butter. Sooo I’m not even sure if I should try them. Perhaps I should give them to a coworker and have a taste, since I at least like honey and chocolate. The Clairesquares Buttery Shortbread Square looks super dense and heavy. I feel like it’d be great for when I’m starving, but boy does it look rich. I’ll have to tread carefully. Finally, the NutryVitta Bananinha bar combines two other things I don’t generally eat: bars and bananas. I might try it for breakfast one of these days when I’m really hungry, or for an afternoon snack. I doubt I can eat more than one or two bites at a time though.

I’m glad there were no repeats of products again. I definitely discovered at least one treat I’d eat again, but the rest have proven to be a bit of an adventure for me. What’s your favorite from this 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 at the special offer price and wanted to share what I got!]

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