I love feeling strong (and being strong). It’s rewarding when I can surprise people with how strong I am and what I’m capable of. Growing up, I was pretty good at picking up athletic skills. I sprinted well, climbed most things, and learned to swim with little effort. I remember back in 8th or 9th grade when I could do the flexed arm hang for ages. One of my favorite parts of track practice was when we did weights. Cardio has never been my thing. As a voracious reader, I learned to carry 30+ books to the car on a weekly basis. As a good Chinese kid, I always helped my mom carry most of the groceries in the house. My personal challenge was to do it all in one trip, which usually meant a good 5 bags per hand. When I went back to China for a year in 3rd grade, I was able to outrun even the 6th graders. In more recent years I just like the confidence I get when I can do something that people doubt my body is capable of, like carrying my 6-foot something friend pictured here. I’d rather be able to do that than run a marathon, personally. I think it also gives me more confidence to travel alone, since people never think I can hit/punch/kick as hard as I can, so I can surprise them if I needed to defend myself. One thing I love about yoga is that it builds my strength. My favorite pose? Plank! And overall I think your body just feels better when you’re strong, which is a great way to live.
Posts Tagged ‘health’
365great Day 321: strength
Homegrown Collective December 2013 review
While I was away for the holiday break, I got my Homegrown Collective GREENBOX for December and I was itching to get my hands on it! I finally did this week, but didn’t have daylight to take pictures so I got up early yesterday to snap these shots on the freezing cold porch. Can’t wait til we’re at the condo and I can easily get good lighting indoors.
The Homegrown Collective GREENBOX is $39 per box + $9 shipping (or as discounted as $429 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with fun and easy projects to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program you can apply to join.
Project #1, oregano oil: I just love everything I learn from each month’s box. I had no idea oregano was such a powerful plant! And I certainly didn’t know essential oils are THAT potent. Just one or two drops for that bottle? Wow, this cure will last a long time. I’m totally going to have Panda try this since he just got sick and tends to be more prone to illness in general. Of course I shall be taking it too so I can ensure I don’t catch anything! Is it just me or is that amber dropper bottle just adorable? I assume you drop some on your tongue but I’ll have to make sure how to use it best. In researching, I discovered it’s great ingested or topically – it can help everything from respiratory issues to acne (OMG I NEED THAT PRONTO). If it helps with my breakouts I will be thrilled.
Project #2, herbal tinctures: A tincture?? Another completely new concept for me. At first I thought I was supposed to get all three herbs but then on the last info sheet you see that you get either the echinacea and elderberry OR the St. John’s Wort. All these herbs sound great, so really trying any of them would be cool. I’m cautious about the alcoholic content here since I don’t drink and I have no idea what 80-100 proof alcohol means. But since you only need a fraction of a teaspoon I think it’s much like taking some cough syrup.
Project #3, eucalyptus vapor cups: So cool (literally too right?)!! I have shower bombs and never really knew what it’d take to make them. I’m so excited about this one, though I might wait til we move to the condo to make them. I can just see myself using the kitchen there having a blast! I also love those little baking tins, which will be so fun to use to make chocolate cups and maybe even little cupcake things in the future. One of the side bonuses of HGC is the awesome tools and jars and accessories you get, which can be reused for plenty of things.
And a quick roundup of the amazing box, with some info on essential oils. What a fantastic way to start off the new year healthy all naturally! What are your thoughts on the last box of 2013? If you want in, be sure to sign up for your own Homegrown Collective boxes soon to get the January one (and beyond).
[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!]
Blissmobox: Bliss de Toilette
Been awhile since I’ve posted up my Blissmobox stuff! I want to get them all up just so it’s all out there. This one was the April one and I chose the Bliss de Toilette option because I always like getting skincare and I wasn’t feeling the snack box.
blissmobox is just under $25 per month with shipping (or as discounted as just under $120 for 6 months) and comes with eco-friendly products in themes like beauty, snacks, home, pets, and more. Each month you choose from two or three themes, or skip if none of them appeal to you. They do not offer a referral program.
I liked the name of this box, so I decided to try it. It was an ok box for me – I didn’t like that the only full-sized product was a repeat from the March blissomobox I’d just gotten! I even wrote about it because I contacted their customer support about it and did NOT get the kind of resolution I was looking for. Oh well, I guess you can’t win it all. If I’d gotten a different box for March and hadn’t already seen the lotion, this box would have been alright for me.
Softwater Soapworks, Lemongrass soap – This is a really cute little handmade soap bar that makes for a perfect item to be used in a guest bathroom. I have a bunch of soap bars I have yet to use so this will be saved for that queue or I might share it with someone if they ever come over to visit and want a soap bar to use. I love that this soap is vegan with very simple ingredients. I wish I could make soap like this too! I’ll have to try it out one day.
NATU, Liberating Shampoo & Reawakening Conditioner – I don’t often need shampoo and conditioner samples since I either have full sizes at home or travel sizes at hotels, but when I get these I want to save them for a time I’d need them. Sooo they end up not getting used for awhile usually. I like the names they use for these and how they’re free of all the crazy chemicals that hair care products are often laden with.
Antho, organic serum – This little bottle can go quite a long way since it doesn’t take much oil to get the job done. It has a light herby scent and is super healing for dry skin. I like what I see from this brand and I’ll have to add them to my list of brands to try more products from. I actually can’t find this product on their site, so I wonder if I would even be able to get more of it.
Skin Salvy, unscented lip repair lip balm – I find myself using a whole lot more lip balm now that I’m living out east, so it’s always good to have more. I haven’t opened this one yet since I have many tubes open, but I’m sure I will get around to it soon. At this rate I’m going to go through 3-4 tubes this winter! That’s more than I’ve used for years… but hey, I’m really trying to avoid chapped or dry lips.
Earth Science, Daily Sun Defense Lotion SPF 15+ – Well, I do like that this is a giant bottle of lotion. Great for slathering on to keep my skin hydrated all through the cold months. It feels good and doesn’t have a scent so it’s good for guys to use too. I just wish I hadn’t already gotten one! I would have loved to try another product from this company, or a lotion from another brand.
Golden Earth, aromatherapy perfumes from nature in euphoria – I’m not into perfumes, but since this is an aromatherapy scent I’m thinking of dabbing it on my temples and wrists to relax with after yoga or during meditation. This rose and jasmine blend is supposed to inspire happiness, creativity and a sense of well-being – perfect! Who doesn’t want some of that, right? I might even try putting a few drops on my yoga mat so I get a whiff of it as I do my yoga practice.
100% Pure, green apple nourishing body cream – I’ve stashed this away for when I need a super portable bit of lotion. I’m such a hoarder! I have a bunch of these packets but only one in this scent so I almost don’t want to open it… just not yet!! I like the simplicity of this brand and I’d enjoy a full size of one of their lotions if I didn’t already have way more lotions than I need. I also have a scrub from them I need to try!
If you’d like more info on these brands, you can click below to enlarge the photo and read more.
Yuzen Winter 2013 edition (November-January) review
Here’s the Yuzen winter box review that I meant to get out on Friday! I brought the box to work in the hopes of snapping some pictures during the day, but I got so swamped and distracted with other stuff that I didn’t find time until after sunset. I completely forgot to get individual product photos (and I didn’t want to take the time since I was trying to get that one project completed). Still, I think you can get a good sense of what it’s like and then you can tune in to the video when it’s up on Yuzen’s YouTube channel! I’ll try to get better pictures if I get a chance.
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.
Click on the pictures for the full sizes so you can enjoy all the details! You can even zoom in to read all the messaging.
sanitas – Moisture Mist: Like the serum that we got from this brand in fall box, this is from the Moisturize line. I’m a fan of mists and I’ve been using my two NYR ones pretty regularly. I’m going to save this one til my current ones run out but if it’s anything like the serum, I’m sure it’ll be rich and hydrating.
SpaRitual – nail lacquer in Golden Rule: This is a perfect polish for the holidays! You can layer it with all kinds of nail colors and it looks great. Put some on over bright red nails for a really fun party-ready look, or have some fun like I did and go with more crazy colors like orange. I’m loving my growing collection of SR nail lacquers – the bottles are adorable and a great size and of course the brand itself rocks a 5-free + vegan formula.
Pino – Facial Tissue Mask in Milk & Honey: I have a ton of masks, but none of them are milk and honey! This sounds sooo soothing that I just want to take a bath and then mask up. I’m saving this for when my skin needs a really calming influence. It seems like a lot and I wonder if I could even use it twice. From what I could feel through the packaging, it’s very thick so I think a little will go a long way with this one.
Level Naturals – Grapefruit Bergamot Soy Candle: I love this scent! It’s so wonderfully sweet and citrusy. The small tin makes it ideal for travel, though I doubt the hotel would be happy if I tried to light it in my room. Soy candles are amazing, burning ever so clean that I get all the fun of candles without worrying about getting a scratchy throat from the particles in the air. I wish that Level actually sold this size, because it is beyond adorable.
Jurlique – Rose Hand Cream: I’ve been using a lot more hand creams and lotions lately since every time I go to the restroom at work, I come back with slightly dry hands. My backlog is going down slowly and this will have to wait at the end of that line for now. I’m a bit surprised at their price point ($25 for a 40 mL tube) so unless it works miracles, I probably won’t be buying this anytime soon. I do enjoy being able to try it out though!
Sun Cups – Dark Chocolate Mint cups: I’m hesitant to try these because on the one hand I love dark chocolate but on the other hand I’m very sensitive to mint in chocolate and I’m very picky about what kind of peanut butter flavor I enjoy. I’ll take them with me to work this week and use them as a pick-me-up in the afternoon. They make a great little snack and I’m sure plenty of people love dark chocolate, mint, and peanut butter. I’m just a weirdo.
TARA Aromatherapy – Roll-On Lotion in Stress Relief: I’ve had some trouble getting this to roll out just yet, but I do like the cooling and refreshing sensation I get from the rolling of the ball and the scent. I expected it to be more like a liquid, so I wonder if there’s a strategy to getting it out. I figure if I just roll it around enough it’ll eventually start dispensing. I like doing this whenever I need a little extra oomph (or if my idle hands just want to do something).
Jane Iredale – 24-Karat Gold Dust in Gold: I never thought this would be the type of thing I’d use, but as I read all the suggestions, I find myself looking forward to trying them. A dash in my lotion, a sprinkle in my hair… I like the subtle shine I can get without getting too crazy, so I’ll be experimenting with this dust quite a bit. This is such a fun product to play around with and once again, having gold glittery things is so festive for the holidays.
Kerstin Florian – Fuß Balm: Don’t neglect your feet like I often do. Balms like these are just what we need in the cold months to protect our feet. It’s all too easy to get dry heels or achy soles. For this very reason, I’ve gotten a couple of foot products in the past few months and (I feel like I sing this song every time) I’ll test out this one once those are depleted! This brand is completely new to me and I can’t wait to see how it works for me.
And this rounds out 2013! I can hardly believe that the next Yuzen box will be arriving in 2014… it sounds so far away yet it’ll be upon us way too soon. I’ve definitely enjoyed the seasonal changes in products chosen and I look forward to what the spring box will bring. Jen and Ted did a great job once again and I am thrilled to have this growing supply of products that I may never have tried if it weren’t for subscription boxes.
What do you think of this box? Have you tried Yuzen yet? If not, what are you waiting for?!
*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).
365great Day 224: yoga
For the longest time I meant to take yoga classes and when I finally did, it did not disappoint. It’s amazing how something so simple, slow, and low-key could work you out so well. Yoga builds strength while somehow making you more limber. You can practice it just about anywhere and when you’ve gotten good you can do all kinds of cool poses like this one my friend’s holding. Yoga is also very much about your mind and I’ve always found it to be a peaceful activity that is relaxing yet rejuvenating. Through precise, controlled movements and deep, careful breaths, I manage to improve a bit each time. I can get a great workout in without ever breaking a sweat!
365great Day 200: loofahs
I love loofahs. If you don’t decide to eat them you can just let them dry out and boom, you’ve got yourself a wonderful exfoliating sponge. Not only can you wash your skin with it, it makes for a perfect sponge to clean dishes with. So take your pick on how you choose to use it and then when you’re done just bury it in the ground! A beautifully natural tool for bath and kitchen that will compost away and create no waste when it’s time to get a new one. You can even save the seeds from them to plant yourself for a never-ending supply. Now that’s a great thing.
Blissmobox: Spring Picnic
This was the March box and I chose the Spring Picnic one because I had already gotten the Skin’n’Hair Care box and I didn’t need cleaning supplies. It had also been quite some time since I’d gotten a food theme from them, so I decided to take a break from my beauty binge.
blissmobox is just under $25 per month with shipping (or as discounted as just under $120 for 6 months) and comes with eco-friendly products in themes like beauty, snacks, home, pets, and more. Each month you choose from two or three themes, or skip if none of them appeal to you. They do not offer a referral program.
I totally sucked at taking pictures for these items so I’ll just show you the overall box and share one product picture. I’d go back and take pictures of what I have but they’re not at this location.
Dang, Toasted Coconut Chips – Ok, I had to lead with these coconut chips. They are so freakin’ addicting. In fact, now that I am reminded of them I’m totally going out and buying some more. This is the one product photo I do have to share so you can see what the flakes look like. These are bits that are on the smaller size, but you get the idea. It’s so hard to describe this snack – it’s a little sweet and you can feel the coconut oil a bit as you’re eating it, but it’s not greasy. I love the fragrance and the crunchiness that is super crisp. You’ve really got to go try these. I’m developing more and more of a taste for coconut stuff and this product really makes me a coconut fan.
KIND, Dark Chocolate & Cranberry Clusters – These clusters are hard and crisp, so they’d be great with some yogurt. I actually did buy some yogurt cups to eat them with, but I tend to like softer granola so I didn’t end up eating much. The flavor was good but the texture was too hard for my preference. It’s one of those snacks I can feel grinding in my stomach so I can only eat a little at a time.
KIND Plus, Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein bars – Oh, these look yummy but I’m just not that into peanut butter. I gave them to my dad to eat and I haven’t seen them since so I’m pretty sure they were enjoyed. 🙂 I do want to try their other bars sometime.
Earth Science, Daily Sun Defense Lotion SPF 15+ – This is a nice hefty bottle of lotion that will be great for use on the entire body whenever you’re going outside. I haven’t opened it let since I have so many lotions, but I do look forward to slathering this on after a shower. It’s definitely something I’ll use more in the warmer months so it is currently stowed away.
FoodShouldTasteGood, Sweet Potato tortilla chips – I was really looking forward to these chips, but found them to be somewhat greasy. I didn’t like the texture too much and the taste was very notable. Still, I’d give them another try and I just discovered they have a new Kimchi flavor, which I’m super curious about.
CleanWell, All-Natural Hand Sanitizing Wipes – Hand wipes are super handy to have in a purse or car. You never know when you might not be able to wash your hands and you want to clean them of something. These are a win in my book! I love that they’re all natural and disinfecting.
The snacks in this box were good to try even if I didn’t like them all and I’m so glad the Dang chips were in there because they just rock. I can definitely see these items being brought along for a picnic, along with some fresh food. What do you think of these items?
Yuzen Fall 2013 edition (August-October) review
Yay it’s Yuzen fall time! I’m glad that the weather is still acting like it’s summer since I haven’t gotten enough of the warm days just yet. But hey if fall has to come then what better way than with a lovely Yuzen box? 🙂 I got this before my UK trip but didn’t have time to review it until now. As you can see, the lighting on my pictures got worse and worse as I lost sunlight. Ah, the new challenges of working away from home. So are you ready?! Here are the wonderful products from the August-October box (unboxing video coming).
Yuzen is now $33 per quarter (it was $26 before but now they started including more products with the seasonal frequency) and each comes with around 7 or 8 eco-friendly beauty, skincare, food/snacks, and home products. Boxes are sent quarterly (Feb, May, Aug, and Nov) 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.
*Disclosure: As a super fan, I was invited to be the Yuzen Ambassador to help them spread the word about their brand. Starting with the October box, I began to receive them 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).
This is the first time they’re using the new packaging, so I wanted to show you that first.
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.
Verve Organics – soul sister scrub: I love me a scrub! This is the first one I’ve gotten that is dry like this, so that was a change. They have large grains of sugar so you can rub and rub and rub. I wasn’t sure what to do with it – put some in my hand and get it wet or get the area I want to rub wet and start scrubbing. It was a new experience for me and I really enjoyed the nutty sweet scent. I do wish it was a little more held together by something liquid since it was hard to keep the grains from just falling away unused.
COOLA Suncare – face spf 20 unscented: I’ve used their cucumber facial sunscreen from one of the earlier Yuzen boxes and I have a similar sample of the rose scented sunscreen from Ipsy, so it’s nice to have the unscented as well. I’m keeping this sealed until I’ve worked through more of my current sunscreens (which I’m not very good at doing since I always forget to apply them). If it’s anything like the cucumber one, then I will like it because it absorbs really well for a light layer that doesn’t grease up my skin.
Ajara Ayurvedic Beauty – Tridoshic Bath Tea: This smells really healing! It’s such a pretty combination of flowers and plants that it’s a shame all of that is hidden in a muslin bag. I love that everything is organic and it’s all plants that I recognize. I just took a tea bath recently so I’m not quite ready to use this one, but if I ever have a long day where I need some healing, this will be my first choice.
Torie & Howard – blood orange & honey hard candy: Yes! How could you go wrong with blood orange and honey in a candy? Make it organic and it’s even better. I appreciate the individually-wrapped pieces since I was afraid I’d find one giant clump of hard candy (you know what I’m talking about). I love the packaging and the tin can is very well made. It’s not hard to open yet the lid doesn’t fall off. Great design right there. The candies have a cute little TH imprint on them and you can throw a few pieces anywhere you want them handy, or just take the whole tin along. 🙂
Juice Beauty – Green Apple Peel Sensitive: I have the Blemish Clearing version of the peel so I did a side by side comparison on my face. One half was covered with my original one and one half was covered with this one. At first the Sensitive one tingled more than the Blemish Clearing one, but then it soothed while the BC one continued to feel warm and tingle a bit. The formula for this one is milkier/creamier, which might be part of the soothing action. It smelled creamier to me too.
Acure – argan cell stimulating body wash: I really need to try a different scent from Acure! In the January Yuzen box we got the shampoo and conditioner in almond scent, which I found just didn’t suit my fragrance preference. This body wash also smells like that so I’m going to have to pass on it and have Panda try it for me. I do like the concept of argan stem cells, though I have no clue what that means. I’m also just a little obsessed with sea buckthorn after the Sibu product in the December Yuzen box, so I wish I liked this scent.
sanitas – Vita-Rich Serum: Part of their Moisturize line of products, this is a super rich serum. A single squirt was way too much for my face so it really packs a punch. I think two drops would have been more than enough for my entire face, so you can imagine that this would last a long time! Since I accidentally over-applied I had to rub it in for quite awhile. It still left my face a bit shiny since I couldn’t absorb all that, so definitely be careful when dispensing it. This is probably best used at night for your bedtime routine.
Sphatika – Rose Cleansing Foam: Ok, this already wins because it’s a foaming dispenser. I get such a kick out of these and I really enjoy washing my face with pre-foamed cleansers. Elixir of quartz crystal sounds super fancy but of course is something I know nothing about. Nonetheless, I liked this product and found it to be very soothing. It’s supposed to be gentle enough for babies so that makes sense! Apparently the Bulgarian Rose Oil they use is rare (and hey I’ve never heard of it, so it must not be that common).
Sphatika – Vitamin A Night Creme: If you didn’t get the foaming wash then you would have gotten this Sphatika product instead. It’s a rich night creme with a nice light scent I can’t quite place. I enjoyed the slightly flowery slightly herbal smell of it and found it to be very relaxing. It’s anti-aging too, which is a nice bonus. I’m so glad I got to try both Sphatika products! Being a Yuzen Ambassador rocks. 😀
What a lovely healing box we got this time around, perfect for the transition to fall. These products offer more protection for your skin as the seasons change and your skin adjusts to colder weather (unless of course you live in a tropical or desert region!). I really get a sense of warmth from this set of products that’s totally fitting for the change to autumn. I also love the new box design! The inner box is now going to house my nail polish collection and I’m sure I will find many uses as I accrue them.
Did you get this Yuzen box? Which version did you receive? What was your favorite product?
Blissmobox: Splendid Spa
This was a special offer box for Valentine’s (yeah, yeah it was ages ago… I’m getting close to caught up!) and I chose the Splendid Spa one because I wanted to treat myself. I’d seen this offered before and I didn’t get it, so this was perfect. At the $20 price point, I felt like it was a decent deal.
There were four boxes on sale for the Valentine’s blissmobox special.
I got an even better deal when they accidentally sent out a different box (Skin’n’Hair Care) and then had some customer services issues that ultimately led to me getting refunded. I can’t remember the details, but there was quite a bit of confusion and ultimately I still got what I wanted though I almost didn’t receive this box.
Choice Organic Teas, Jasmine Green Tea – I’ve got a major backlog in tea, so these are still neatly packaged waiting for me to break them in. I do enjoy the fragrance of jasmine tea and these will be great to bring along when I’m traveling. I love that they’re organic since the flavor probably tastes better that way. I’m also considering keeping these as a gift or to use as part of a giveaway basket eventually.
hellomellow, energy shifting spray in relax – Misting myself is so much fun! A little spray of this on my face is perfect to help soothe me. I tried to use it to help me sleep but that didn’t work out so well, so I think this is best suited for a refresher in the daytime when I want a little bit of calming scent. This is a brand I’ve long been interested in and I definitely want to try out more of their line.
Level Naturals, Shower Bomb – Wow, so minty! These will definitely wake you right up and help unclog any stuffed noses. Sometimes I like to get a whiff of them just to clear up my sinuses. I’ve been saving them to use when I start work and need to wake up early in the morning! I really feel like half would be plenty for a shower, so I’m going to get a good 8 showers out of this.
ScentsbyEilena, Nail Rescue – At first I thought the card was for this product since it was stuck to it, but it turns out that it was an info card for hellomellow, so ignore the background in the picture! This is sealed so I didn’t want to open it until I’ve used up some of my cuticle oil. It’s a very small brand that I think might no longer be in business unfortunately. I’ve never understood what healthy vs. unhealthy cuticles look like so I can never tell if these things work.
Olive Remedy, cuticle cream – Hmm, interesting that they chose to include two cuticle creams in one box! I mean, how much could one person possibly use? I think the concept of this one is really cool, using olive oil for their main ingredient. That’s new to me since I generally think of it as something you eat or perhaps rub into your hair. Apparently it’s great for sensitive skin though, so even babies could use it! Not that their cuticles need any conditioning…
Dream Water, Snoozeberry – I think this might have been the very first Dream Water I received. Since then I’ve gotten many from various boxes and I think I still have 4 more to drink. They’ll come in useful as I try to recover from jetlag and get into work mode. I’ve found that one bottle feels like a lot and I only drank 3/4 when I tried it. I’ll force myself to guzzle the whole thing this weekend and see if it knocks me out or what.
Normally there’d be more info on these brands, but this time there was just a welcome message.