Posts Tagged ‘brands’

Treatsie July review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
18 July 2013
0

Yay, my Treatsie July box arrived yesterday! I didn’t get around to checking the mailbox until mid-afternoon on the sweltering day. By the time I opened the package, the cooling pack was soft, but it must have done its job because my treats came in pristine condition!

Treatsie is $15 per box and comes with artisan candy from 3 brands. That usually means 5 or 6 different flavors of treats. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program.

treatsie july box contents with brooklyn hard candy jar, mehlenbacher's taffy sticks, and avenue sweets caramels and nougats

I promptly kicked Panda out of the room where I needed to do filming and made a video of the unboxing. I remember reading that Treatsie (very smartly) does not generally send chocolates in the hottest months since they’re almost guaranteed to melt. However, soft candies like taffy and caramels and hard candies work quite well! They definitely had an excellent, tasty selection.

Also, they just revamped their site and are now offering all these products for sale once you’ve tried them and fallen in love. Excellent move! I mean, while I enjoy trying out new things, I also want to be able to get more of the stuff I liked most! Plus, there are accounts you can manage online now, so if you need to update your address or anything it’s easy as pie. Loving all the upgrades they’re making!

treatsie july box with avenuesweets caramels and nougats

AvenueSweets Almond Nougats, Sea Salt Caramels, & Butter Rum Caramels: These pieces are huge, just the way I like it! Each flavor was vivid and depending on your preferences, you’d probably love each of them for a different reason. My personal favorite was the sea salt flavor – it’s truly divine and I think I might have to order a pound of them. It was rich and creamy and the sea salt was nice and distributed so you never got overwhelmed with a sudden chunk of saltiness. The almond nougat comes in next with its firmer texture and nice chewy consistency. And really the only reason the butter rum was my least favorite is because I don’t drink and I don’t like anything with alcohol. I took a nibble of this and definitely tasted some alcoholic flavoring, which does not appeal to my taste buds at all. However, if you enjoy drinking like so many do, you’d probably love this candy.

treatsie july box with mehlenbacher's taffy sticks

Mehlenbacher’s Taffy in Watermelon & Vanilla Bean: I was surprised at the softness of these taffy sticks – for some reason, I expected them to be firmer. Maybe because of the stick shape? Well anyway, that doesn’t matter because they are fabulous! The vanilla bean is wonderfully fragrant and the watermelon is super sweet – they’re sure to satisfy your sweet tooth! The consistency of the taffy is fantastic and it does a nice stretching when you bite and pull. I did find getting it out of the wrapper a bit of a challenge, so I think I’m going to put them in the fridge for a bit to see if that helps. If had to choose between them, I’d have to say the vanilla bean wins out by the slimmest margin. (Hey Treatsie, if you’re listening – I’d love to see you sell mixed packs so I don’t have to choose! :-D)

treatsie july box with brooklyn hard candy jar

BrooklynHardCandy in Key Lime: Ok first of all, I adore this little jar. I’m not sure how I could reuse it but I totally will. I’m also very happy with the amount of candy in it! I’ve already gone through like 6 pieces and barely made a dent. This will last me! The candy is perfect to suck on and the flavor is sweet and refreshing. I like that it’s not too overwhelming and you can bring this along on trips when you need a sugar boost. Unlike many other candies, you don’t really have to worry about leaving these in the heat – they may stick together a bit, but it’s pretty easy to break them apart. Great for summer road trips!

I’m pacing myself so I don’t inhale the entire box in one day, but it’s hard! Between everything my absolute fav (and this is a tough one) would have to be the sea salt caramel. It’s so rich and wonderful! A veeery close second is the vanilla bean taffy. Yum!

Did you get a Treasie box too? What was your favorite item?

[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!]

365great Day 69: subscription boxes

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , ,
22 May 2013
0

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 69: subscription boxesIt’s been about a year since I first got into subscription boxes and it’s a service I hope to use for a long time. I love how they help you navigate through the waters of whatever you’re not knowledgeable in, whether it’s eco-friendly brands or great ingredients to cook with. I’ve seen ones helping you with your child-rearing efforts, ones that offer something fun and useful for guys, ones that offer a complete set of ingredients to cook a fabulous meal, and so much more. I personally have been exploring a lot of skincare and eco-friendly products, most of which I never would have come across if not for these services. They’ve helped me discover amazing brands that I will likely be using for years to come! How great is that?

Naturopathica skincare regimen

laelene Posted in reviews，Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
16 May 2013
0

Awhile ago, I mentioned the Naturopathica skincare set that I had won. I got the products for normal to oily skin, since I’ve been dealing with breakouts for quite awhile. It includes the Oat Facial Polish, Rosemary Oil-Reducing Moisturizer, Aloe Cleansing Gel, and Plant Stem Cell Serum. The first two you use in the mornings and the last two you use at night. All of these products are really soothing and gentle on your skin. I haven’t been following the regimen strictly, but nonetheless I’ve seen impressive results!

naturopathica holistic health skin care regimen kit for normal to oil skin

naturopathica oat facial polish, rosemary oil-reducing moisturizer, aloe cleansing gel, and plant stem cell serum

First is the Oat Facial Polish, which I actually got a deluxe sample of in my Yuzen Spring box. It is smooth and creamy, with bits of oat and jojoba beads to gently exfoliate your skin. It feels very moisturizing and I swear I can feel it seeping into my skin to hydrate it. After washing my face with it, my skin feels so soft and supple. It’s quite refreshing!

naturopathica rosemary oil-reducing moisturizer swatch on fingerThen there’s the Rosemary Oil-Reducing Moisturizer that is a nice light formula. It also absorbs well into the skin and feels rather healing. It’s apparently an astringent blend, but it doesn’t sting at all! I never knew astringent and gentle could coexist in one product, so this is great. I love the light feeling and how it’s not oily at all – perfect for my combination skin. I use this to prevent my face from overproducing oil and it definitely calms things down.

naturopathica aloe cleansing gel swatch on fingerMy absolute favorite product of the set is the Aloe Cleansing Gel. At first, I didn’t really pay attention to it. It was just a soothing face wash that was calming and gentle on my skin. But then I noticed that I was about to break out one day and after washing with the gel, nothing happened. I have NEVER found a face wash that does that. Amazing! Since then, I’ve been washing my face with it exclusively, since I always seem to have a new breakout about to happen. Now I can actually prevent breakouts with a sulfate-free cleanser. It’s my new holy grail.

naturopathica plant stem cell serum swatch on fingerRounding it all up is the Plant Stem Cell Serum, which is a bit richer and thicker than the moisturizer. It’s organic and meant to slow down the signs of aging. At this point I don’t exactly have wrinkles, age spots, or other signs of aging, so I can’t tell if it’s working. All I know is that it, like all the other Naturopathica products, is smooth and gentle on my skin. It absorbs well and feels great! I feel confident that I’m giving my face some great preventative care when I apply it.

All in all, I am SO glad I was able to try these products. I probably wouldn’t have thought to buy the kit for myself, but now that I’ve tested the products, I am definitely going to be a Naturopathica customer as my current products run out. I’ve got my eye on some of their other items that I’d like to try as well!

365great Day 59: Del Sol

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
12 May 2013
0

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 59: del solI was on a cruise ship when I first encountered Del Sol and I was fascinated by their color-changing products, especially the nail polish. In fact, I bought a bottle of the nail polish as a souvenir. I wanted to get more items, but held back until I came across their store in Myrtle Beach. At that point, I found this cool t-shirt design that I loved, so I got that. I love the look of both the plain outline when I’m indoors and the bright colors when I’m out in the sun. Watching the colors emerge or fade never ceases to entertain me. It’s so much fun! I was given a nice tote bag for the t-shirt purchase, which I proudly carried around the beach. Over the years, I’m sure I will continue to collect a variety of Del Sol products. I love when science can be put to fun use like this! It’s so great.

365great Day 55: TOUS

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , , ,
08 May 2013
0

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 55: tousTOUS is a fun brand of jewelry that often uses their signature teddy bear shape in their designs. It’s pretty cool how creative they get with it sometimes and my ring is my favorite example. This was a gift from Panda for Valentine’s Day and while at first it may look like flower petals wrapping around the Murano crystal, it’s actually the shape of a bear! I absolutely love it because it is so unique and unexpected. Plus, I love the delicate/dainty feel of it. But back to TOUS – they have styles ranging from cute to elegant and most of their pieces manage to incorporate a bear. The versatility yet consistency of their brand is pretty amazing, and I find that’s what makes them great.

Blissmo no more

laelene Posted in general blog, subscriptions，Tags: , , , , , , , ,
07 May 2013
2

It’s coming up on one year since I signed up for an annual subscription for Blissmobox and while I’ve enjoyed some boxes, others have been “meh.” Throughout this time, I’ve had to deal with customer service multiple times due to some issues with their system. They’ve always been helpful and accommodating (albeit slow to reply). But this time, I am NOT happy. The past two boxes I got from them had a repeat product. And not just a small sample or one of many other great products, but one of the main products that make the box actually worth its value! So, I emailed their customer service expecting at least a partial refund of my money, an offer to send a replacement item, or something to try to make up for this transgression. What did I get? “Sorry, but that item was actually a bonus item.”

collage of blissmo march and april boxes

See something familiar in both boxes? Now imagine the right box without the lotion. Would you be happy?

Allow me to vent.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! If they had tried to send the box without that item, I bet you they’d get a ton of unhappy customers complaining! After all, it made up for half the value of the box. How puny and pathetic would the box be otherwise?? It’s sad. So I suggested a compromise: they could give me a prepaid shipping label and I’d send the box back to them, all items intact. I would count the month as “skipped” and we’d move on. What was their reply? We don’t provide prepaid shipping labels.

I’m sorry, what?!!

Maybe my standards of service are too high, but seriously, you can’t give me a shipping label??? That is just unheard of. I mean I understand if you’re just an individual seller like those on eBay, but here you are an established business with plenty of customers and YOU WON’T SEND ME A FREAKIN’ LABEL? It’s not like I just didn’t like the items in the box. I feel cheated that I paid twice for getting THE SAME EXACT PRODUCT when I got this service to get introduced to new ones. I would have been ok if it was the same brand but a different product from their line. But I can handle repurchasing products just fine without you, thank you very much.

They’re not even trying to make it right. All they’re saying is sorry, but we’re not going to help you. That’s what I’m getting from their correspondence anyway. So I guess it’s a good thing my year is almost up, because I am ready to part ways with Blissmo. I never complained before when their boxes weren’t very good and the one time I do have a problem with a box, they won’t do a thing. This kind of “service” isn’t even service. -___- At least this helps me decide my next move, since I wasn’t sure if I should renew my membership. I will take my business elsewhere.

Target Earth Day Haul

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
21 April 2013
1

peek inside target earth day bag with samples from eco-friendly brandsThis morning, we had a little family outing to Target to get the free reusable bags for Earth Day! The good thing about my town is that store traffic is pretty light, so we didn’t have to worry about them running out. Also, ours came with samples! I’m sure plenty of other Targets only passed out bags mostly, especially if they’re in a concentrated area where a ton of people would come running for free snacks/skincare/cleaning products. That’s the one good thing about living in a quiet suburban area – we may not always have the most things in stock or the best sales, but on offers like this we tend to get a sweeter deal (and an easier time getting it). On the right you can see a sneak peek of the goodies we got from our 3 bags.

And here’s a look at everything laid out:

target earth day haul with reusable bag and samples from eco-friendly brands

target bit tote small reusable bag given on earth dayYou can see on average each bag had 4 samples, plus the coupon book. There might have been other samples available, but here’s what we got in our bags, which I think is pretty representative of what was available: 2 Method Smarty Dish Plus dishwasher tablets, 3 Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent samples (good for one large load of laundry each), 3 bags of Annie’s Bunny Grahams (with honey, chocolate, & chocolate chip) made with whole grains, 3 Burt’s Bees Sensitive skincare Daily Moisturizing Cream samples, 1 Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid sample, and three Target coupon booklets with over $44 worth of savings on various eco-conscious brands like the ones shown. Sponsors this year that didn’t have products included were plantbottle, GE, and Neutrogena Naturals.

target bit tote small reusable bag with words made of tiny handprintsThe bags themselves are deemed a “bit tote” because they’re a smaller size and the messaging this year is “each bit counts.” I totally agree with this! People often dismiss efforts to be more green because they think “oh this one time won’t matter” or they wonder “can I really make such a difference?” While we may not see it, the sum of all our little “bits” can add up pretty fast, especially over time. So I hope people become more conscious of this and do a little more each day to conserve, repurpose, reuse, recycle, etc. In addition, with each action we take, we can change our way of thinking and doing so that we become more and more “green” – so I see every small step compounding into bigger and bigger steps for the future.

One final note – I loved that the words were composed of tiny little handprints! Very cute and it goes with the idea that each of us counts. Every bit.

365great Day 35: LUSH

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
18 April 2013
0

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 35: lushI first came across LUSH when I was studying abroad in England. It was love at first smell! I mean, so many of their amazing products look so good you just want to eat them. Plus, they smell lovely and they’re made from natural ingredients. Add to that the fresh and handmade factor and I was totally sold (in theory – I was still to cheap to actually buy anything, much as I wanted). After returning to the US, I sorely regretted not getting that charcoal face soap I’d been eyeing.

A few years later, I was thrilled when they finally opened up shop in the LA area! This time I finally got to use some of their products and it’s always so fun since it feels like something you could just cook up in your own kitchen. Lately I got into solid shampoos and of course, LUSH has those too. I’ve got a lovely bar of that at home that I’ve been using and it’s perfect for travel. LUSH is one of the earlier eco-friendly, socially responsible brands I’d heard of and it still retains a special place in my memories. Their products are pretty great!

365great Day 29: Teatulia

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
12 April 2013
0

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 29: teatuliaFor any tea fans out there, Teatulia is an excellent brand. Not only are they organic with eco-friendly packaging, they grow their tea in Bangladesh and help support the local economy. I love everything from the cool canisters they use to the awesome corn silk pyramid bags to the taste of the tea itself, of course. The canisters are compostable, as are the bags. The pyramid shape of the bags allows for the leaves inside to fully unfurl. Unlike lower quality tea bags, these don’t contain the crushed bits and pieces of the tea leaves so the taste is far superior.

I was first introduced to this brand when I got some in my very first Yuzen box and I have been drinking it ever since. In fact, they’re the only brand of bagged tea that I drink now. You can find them at select Whole Foods, restaurants, or on their website. Sign up for their newsletter for some great deals periodically! It’s great to see a brand so dedicated to doing things right, including running social programs to help the local Bangladeshi. Between the quality of their products, their sustainable values, and their community initiatives, Teatulia is truly great.

What I love about AT&T

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , ,
24 September 2012
0

at&t website countdown to iphone 5 pre-order launchI did a lot of research leading up to the pre-order of my iPhone 5 (I even wrote a full-on how-to about it).  One of the things that I spent time looking into was whether I should stay with AT&T or move to another carrier.  And you know what?  For all the bad rap that AT&T gets, I really think they’re not that bad.  In fact, they’ve got some great selling points that made it easy for me to decide to stick with them for the foreseeable future.  So while a lot of people may have jumped ship, I’m going to remain a loyal customer… which I’ve been, ever since the Cingular days!

First of all, I got scared when I read that Verizon customers would be losing their grandfathered unlimited plans once they went from 3G to 4G LTE.  It hadn’t occurred to me that this could be an issue, so I quickly set about looking up whether the same thing would happen to AT&T customers.  Some online searches didn’t provide the answer, so I called up customer service and spoke to a very nice lady who assured me that it wouldn’t be a problem.  Whew!  AT&T: 1, other carriers: 0.  (Oh, though she did note that I wouldn’t be able to use FaceTime over cellular since that’s only for people with shared data plans… and shared data plans meant forfeiting grandfathered unlimited data plans.  That doesn’t matter to me since I wasn’t planning on using it anyway.)

Secondly, I’ve been so used to being able to talk and surf at the same time that it didn’t even occur to me that others can’t.  I assumed it would just be something you can do across all devices and carriers, but for iPhones, the only US carrier that supports it is AT&T.  I happen to be a huge multi-tasker so I definitely put this feature high on my list of “needs” for my phone service!  After all, if I can’t look something up while talking to someone on the phone, I end up being very inefficient having to call them back or text them a reply.  If nothing else, I love being efficient.

Also, I find that AT&T has a good balance between 3G and 4G LTE coverage areas and the types of plans offered.  To the first point, Sprint I hear has limited coverage so getting a consistent signal on the move might be more challenging.  I took a look at the AT&T 4G LTE coverage map and found great coverage in all the places I’d spend 99% of my time in.  To the second point, Verizon forces new customers to sign up for a shared data plan, which makes no sense to me… explain to me again why I’d need to share data with myself?  Oh, that’s right – I shouldn’t.  Plus, there was the earlier point that you can keep the unlimited data plan if you have it already.

Granted, I don’t really use my phone for phone calls very often, so I don’t usually run into the issues that people complain about with AT&T calls dropping.  As for poor customer service, I find that when you start off the call on the right note, you can almost always get what you were looking for (assuming you’re being reasonable, of course).  In fact, I had a grand time chatting with my customer service rep the last time I was on a call!  And so it is, AT&T is most definitely the best carrier for me.

Oh yeah – one last thing: bonus points for having their site up 12 minutes before midnight for pre-orders.  If I was going to be at my normal billing address the day the phones were being delivered, I totally could have completed my order with them before the Apple Store was even ready.

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