Posts Tagged ‘products’

Ipsy Mystery Glam Bag review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The Ipsy mystery bag I got with my ipsyPoints finally arrived and it was ok for me. I’m not super impressed, but I definitely appreciate what I got and the value for the points.

Ipsy is $10 per glam bag and comes with 5 or so beauty/skincare products. Bags are sent monthly with no option to skip. There’s usually a waitlist to get the subscription. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free products like this bag!

ipsypoints mystery bag items including coastal scents medium shadow brush, pop beauty eye shadow trio in naturally bare, klorane smoothing and relaxing eye patches, starlooks eyeliner in amethyst, and pacifica indian coconut nectar body butter

Coastal Scents Medium Shadow Brush – As a fan of tools, this was a nice item to receive, even if I don’t know how/when to use it. I’ll try it out with some different products and see how I prefer to use it. I would have given this choice an A+ had it not been for the fact that the info card it comes with is clearly meant for when this was sent out to some folks earlier this year. The discount code on the back expired May 6th, though I wonder if they kept it active?

Pop Beauty Eye Shadow Trio in Naturally Bare – Totally going up for trade. Eye shadow palettes will never get used up in this girl’s stash, so I’ll see if anybody else out there would like to get it. The colors are nude enough that it wouldn’t look super obvious if I did use them, but why go through the effort when I’d rather not put stuff on my eyes?

Klorane Smoothing and relaxing eye patches – I like this brand for its gentleness. I just know these will not cause irritation and I can trust them on my eyes no matter how sensitive. The next time I am not well-rested, these will be put to the test. I look forward to it!

Starlooks eyeliner in Amethyst – I’m not surprised that there’s a repeat item for me here, but I’m glad it’s just one. I wasn’t sure I’d even use the first one I got, but I ended up caving because I love purple and amethyst so much. Every now and then I’ll add a little sparkle to my eyes with this eye pencil, using it like a very sheer eye shadow. It’s going to take me a lifetime to use up just one though, so this shall go up for trade eventually.

Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Body Butter – Yes! I have a mild obsession with Pacifica, but I also refuse to buy their stuff just yet, so anything I get from subscriptions is appreciated. While there are plenty of other scents I would like to try more, I love how this one reminds me of summer, vacation, and relaxation. Who wouldn’t want that in a bottle? The mailbox got really hot the day this bag arrived and the bottle was super pliable, but it’s ok now and I hope the formula wasn’t affected.

I certainly wasn’t thrilled about the bag they chose to use, so that’ll go up for trade. I like the one I have enough to use it, but I really don’t care for a second. Overall I’m pleased with the value from the bag but I’m glad to have unsubscribed. One thing I didn’t like is that they made me confirm I wanted to unsubscribe no less than 4 times! And was it the fourth or fifth time that they made me receive an email and click a link in there to confirm again?! What an awful experience to end on. Irregardless, they just haven’t been hitting the mark enough, so it’s time to let other brands divert my attention. Stay tuned to my eDivv shop for these trades to eventually get added.

[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 earned this bag with points and wanted to share what I got!]

Petit Vour August 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Time for Beauty 101 this month. I could have used a bit of help with the eye pencil and face cleanser/mask. The tips that were included on the card were nice!

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 august 2014 box with beauty without cruelty eye pencil, earth body cleanser and mask, harvey prince fragrance, mi-me lip butter, rosemira body butter, and info card with beauty 101 theme petit vour august 2014 box info card with item details

Beauty Without Cruelty Natural Mineral Eye Defining Pencil in Black – I don’t really know how to use this. It applies well on my hand, but when I try to use it on my eyes, I can’t seem to get it to make a mark. Perhaps it’s that outer layer being all new and stuff? The point was super sharp and now that I’ve dulled it a little, it’s a bit softer but still not coming off easily.

Earth Body Brighten Cleanser & Mask for Age Defense – This is cool! I like the powder form that allows you to get more bang for the amount. In that sense, it’s a really generous sample. It smells earthy, a bit like clay and herbs. I tried mixing it with water in my palm, but found applying it to my face after wasn’t so easy. Next time I’ll try wetting my face and rubbing a bit of the powder on. It feels nice and my skin is so soft after that!

Harvey Prince fragrance in Journey – Wow, they sure like this brand. This is already the third time they’ve been included. I’m not a fan of this scent – it’s too strong for my preferences. It does smell rather exotic and is a great blend of spices and flowery tones. I wouldn’t wear this kind of fragrance so I’ll be trading it.

Mi-Me Tangerine Hydrating Lip Butter – What adorable packaging. The lip balm tube fits perfectly into a little test tube. This is truly a lip butter that just melts onto your lips and is so soft and hydrating like no other. The tangerine scent is wonderful and I like that this is just the kind of item I can keep with me to always save me from chapped lips.

Rosemira Organics Sweet Coconut Body Butter – Hmm, this is a really small sample size, especially for a body butter. I could understand if it was for the face, but this would not really give me more than a use or two for my body. It’s super buttery and a little does go a long way, but what a tiny container! It’s funny, I don’t smell the coconut part but the sweetness and citrus-y scent makes it through. I do enjoy the scent a lot.

I only plan on trading one item this time and I’m glad to see five items again, even if one sample was way small. The variety of items is always nice. What items do you find most intriguing?

[This post mentions a referral program. Signing up and emailing contact@petitvour.com to say I referred you helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Julep August 2014: The Wanderlust Collection review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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I skipped July’s box, so this was the next one I received after the Memorial Day mystery box I got about two months ago. This review is a long time coming – I’ve been sitting on the box for two weeks, but when I got it, an item was missing. I emailed them about it and got a replacement sent out – and then I saw they’d sent to the wrong address (the billing one that I haven’t used for months!). So I emailed again and they sent me another one, this one to the correct location. So finally, I have the full box to share.

While I liked the colors of this collection for their vibrance, when I saw the Happy Mani-versary special edition being offered for Julep’s 3rd birthday, I couldn’t resist. It offered this cool cleaning tool that will really help with my polishing efforts (I’m a big sucker for tools) and the Ta Da! Quick Drops I’ve had on my wishlist, PLUS a bonus polish shade that is just purple enough for me to want. The nail and cuticle serum is a nice extra to have along with everything else, though I already have one.

Julep is just under $20 per box and comes with 2 nail polish colors and a beauty product, 3 nail polish colors, or 2 beauty products (depending on your style profile choice). They offer plenty of upgrade and add-on options too. Boxes are sent monthly unless you choose to skip (skips are earned every six months for subscribers Dec 18th, 2013 and later). You also have the option of gifting your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free boxes.

julep maven anniversary exclusive august 2014 wanderlust collection box contents

August’s Anniversary Exclusive Happy Mani-versary Wanderlust Collection box

julep mighty nail & cuticle serum, queen anne polish, ta da quick dry drops, and cleanup tool

Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum
Queen Anne polish
Ta Da! Quick Dry Drops
cleanup tool

Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum: I’ve tested this before so I might just trade it. I still have a lot of the original left, but maybe it’ll be good to have the next one ready.

Queen Anne polish: I probably don’t need any more purple polishes, but I can’t help it! This is a festive, sparkly polish that is very befitting a birthday.

Ta Da! Quick Dry Drops: This smells a bit like aromatherapy and it’s so fun to drop them on your nails. I think it works quite well! It’s not instant, but it’s pretty fast.

cleanup tool: One of the main reasons for getting this box and now I’ll have two due to the shipping fluke! It was smaller than I expected, but a nice sturdy metal and perfect size for handling.

julep wanderlust collection card and quote card

The Wanderlust Collection and quote cards.

julep gel eye glider eyeliner info card, discount offer card, refer friends card, and julep app info card

The info cards.

I’m very happy with the items in the box and the value of the combination. It’s even better that I ended up getting an extra cleanup tool out of it, which I might gift or trade. I kind of wish I’d gotten some of the polishes, but I really can’t use up that much nail polish so I’ll console myself by painting my nails with that I do have. The bonus item is a nice screen cleaner that I’ll totally have to use. I’ve already downloaded the Julep app for use and I’m glad I have an easier way to making sure I don’t forget to skip a month.

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!]

Beauty Box 5 August 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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This box didn’t wow me, but it had some solid items to try. I’ll keep it around for a bit longer before deciding when I might want to cancel it. I’m accumulating a whole lot of product and I really need to get to using them more!

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.

august 2014 beauty box 5 contents beauty box 5 august 2014 information card

Purlisse pur-protect SPF 30 sunscreen: This feels much like your typical lotion and smells a bit like baby powder. Certainly not the icky sunscreen we’ve all encountered, so that’s nice. I can’t tell its effectiveness with just a little use so far, but time will tell with that.

La Fresh Travel Lite Oil-Free Makeup Remover Wipes: I’m a big fan of La Fresh and I’ve bought a ton of their various wipes and even body oils. This is perfect little travel pack I’m going to bring with me on my vacations. I love wiping off everything from my face either at the end of a day (when I’m too lazy to wash) or in the morning, to help freshen up and wake up.

Nanacoco Lip Gloss in First Kiss: I like the flat angled applicator for this. The formula is more on the gooey side, so when I tried to apply just a little for less pop, it didn’t go so well. The second time around I used it normally and got great color. Lesson learned: go big and bright, or go home. I thought I wouldn’t really use this, but you know, the pink actually isn’t as in your face as I was afraid it would be.

Novex Brazilian Keratin Professional Hair Food Therapy: I haven’t had time to try this out yet, since ideally you’d keep it on for 25 minutes, shower cap and all. I’m always up for a deep conditioning treatment for my hair though! I just don’t seem to get the sort of glossiness that all those commercials talk about. I sure will keep trying and the Brazilians know what they’re doing, right?

Style Essentials Nail Polish: I’m not sure how I feel about this color. It’s a decent polish, but there’s nothing exciting about it. I think a more summery color would have been gold or blue glitter. I’ll probably make use of this more for nail art in the future.

This theme was “radiant & remarkable” and indeed, these items would bring out the radiance. Remarkable though? Not as much for me. What do you think about 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!]

Ipsy August 2014: Beauty Schooled review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Ipsy can be so unpredictable with its hits and misses. This month I really enjoyed it, just as I’ve been contemplating cancelling. I’m still going to unsubscribe as soon as I get the free product I redeemed with my points. It turned out perfectly because I had nearly 1500 points and felt bad wasting 500 of them since most products are 1000 points. Luckily, when I went to check this time, there was a free mystery bag available for 1500 points! I just had to earn some more to get me to 1500 and I was able to claim it. I’m excited to see what it offers.

screenshot of ipsy mystery bag offer for 1500 points and account with 1500 points

Boom. Redeem that!

Ipsy is $10 per glam bag and comes with 5 or so beauty/skincare products. Bags are sent monthly with no option to skip. There’s usually a waitlist to get the subscription. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free products.

ipsy august 2014 bag items with card including absolute new york you're the balm lip balm in grape, coastal scents forever blush duo samples in fresh and elegant, dr. brandt pores no more primer, lord & berry kohl eye pencil, and urban decay perversion mascara

Absolute New York You’re the Balm lip balm in Grape – This is quite a large tin that will last for ages. The purple color is fantastic and there’s a little bit of glitter in there too. I like the lightness of the grape scent, though I wish I could smell or taste it more when it was on my lips. This responds well to body heat and begins to melt into a hydrating sort of gloss. A little dab was enough to spread on my lips.

Coastal Scents Forever Blush duo samples in Fresh & Elegant – Again, why do I ever get blush when I indicated NO interest? And these are pretty small samples. Oh well, going in my trade bucket.

Dr. Brandt pores no more pore refiner primer – I totally expected this to be clear, but it has a nude tint to it. It applies well and certainly does the job of mattifying. I’m not sure if the pore refining is supposed to help heal my skin over time or if it’s just to reduce the appearance of pores when it’s on. If it’s the latter, then it did a good job. I’d consider getting this if I ever run out of the current primer tubes I have.

Lord & Berry kajal kohl eye pencil – Oh, this is fabulous. I just used a little on my lower lid to help make it look like I actually had some sort of lash action going there. It was so easy to apply and felt great. Certainly didn’t irritate my inner eye and felt perfectly fine. I’m a fan and I’d totally get this again if I ever find I actually manage to use up the endless supply of eye liners I have already.

Urban Decay Perversion mascara – For statement lashes, this will be my choice. Sometimes I want my lashes to stand out more and this one gets the job done. It does get dry after a day of use though, and I’m forgetful and rub my face a lot, so I kind of ended up with raccoon eyes later in the day. Got to be careful with that. The packaging on this is sick too. Totally slick, elegant, and cool.

This almost makes me consider keeping my subscription, but I really don’t need to keep accumulating products. I’d like to focus on actually using them for awhile. One day I’ll update my eDivv shop and put in the blush samples.

[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 bag and wanted to share what I got!]

Homegrown Collective July 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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Seriously? Just when I thought the Homegrown Collective boxes couldn’t possibly be cooler, they blow me away again. I mean this is insane – this box has to be the pinnacle of what I want in my home right now. Perfection!

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 diy summer essential home detox homegrown collective box with the info sheets on the inner lid contents of the homegrown collective july 2014 box with diy summer essential home detox theme

Project #1, essential DIY air freshener: I’m so happy that they included a nice stainless steel spray bottle. It feels fancier than a normal plastic one and it’s nice and light. They included four lovely essential oils to choose from. I’ll try the lemongrass first since I like more citrus-based scents and I currently have a really nice Mandarin orange scented spray. This one’s easy-peasy!

the homegrown collective july 2014 project essential diy air freshener info card the homegrown collective july 2014 products for essential diy air freshener

Project #2, essential DIY aromatherapy oil diffusers: My greatest obsession when it comes to helping a room smell a certain way. For months, I was super cheap and refused to buy the $11-13 bottles at Target. Then the one I want disappeared from the shelves and I was so sad. I eventually got super lucky and found one after weeks of searching. Since then, I’ve loosened up on getting reed diffusers I like, lest I miss out again. This is made all the better with this fantastic little glass jar! How freakin’ adorable is that?

the homegrown collective july 2014 project essential diy aromatherapy oil diffusers info card the homegrown collective july 2014 products for essential diy aromatherapy oil diffusers

Project #3, essential oil DIY candle: Candles are classic and a great way to affect the ambiance in addition to the scent of a room. I enjoy the clean burn of soy wax and I look forward to trying the different scents. This project is the more complicated one in the box, but it’s still very simple. It’ll be fun to create my own little candles and play around with the scents.

the homegrown collective july 2014 project essential oil diy candle info card the homegrown collective july 2014 products for essential oil diy candle

For my recent focus on making our home more homey, these make the perfect projects. I’m a fan of all these types of products and why not make my own? It’ll bring a smile to my face every time I use them. 🙂

the homegrown collective july 2014 essential oils info card

Go ahead, subscribe to the Homegrown Collective now! You’re not going to want to miss out on these wonderful boxes.

[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!]

Tax free weekend scores

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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For the first three days of August this year, Virginia stores had tax free promos for school supplies and clothing. It’s an official August Sales Tax Holiday every year in the state, apparently. Panda and I thought it would be a great opportunity for us to go try to find some of the shoes and clothes I’ve been trying to get more of. While initially the plan was to go to Dulles Town Center, we decided to go check out the Leesburg Outlet. That turned out to be a great decision and I found so much stuff that we had no need to shop further after browsing those stores. For the first time ever, I actually enjoyed shopping (and Panda didn’t! It’s like we reversed roles). I guess it was because I went with a purpose: I needed some new flats and jackets.

What a fruitful day! Check out some pics:

girl stretching hands out towards giant hibiscus flower larger than both hands

Wow, I want my own!

charlotte russe black and gold tiger sandals

I was tempted, but they’re not ones I’d get around to wearing much.

shopping bags lined up after trip to outlet

Charlotte Russe, American Eagle, IZOD, J.Crew, and Bass & Co bags lined up. I used the little red Target bag as a purse.

j.crew marley ballet flats in cabernet and black

First stop was J.Crew, where I found these super comfy ballet flats! I’d never bought from this store before and I almost got black patent leather wedges too – also very comfortable. I hope I don’t regret not getting them.

g.h. bass & co shoes elizabeth in fuchsia and sophia in yellow

Next up was a store I was not familiar with – Bass & Co. They had these fun shoes on clearance and I decided to spring for more playful shoes for cheap!

cat sticking face into new shoes enjoying the smell

“Mmmmmm new shoe smell.” (as she stuffs her face in there)

izod jackets mixed media in teal and diamond check fleece in black

As we passed by IZOD, a jacket on the rack outside caught my attention. The teal color is fun and the thermal sleeves are different! I then came across the other style and almost got the blue before trying the black. Who knew golf gear would provide the perfect jackets for me?

american eagle outfitters loose knit sweater jackets

A peek inside AE led to two discoveries of nice, loose sweater jackets.

charlotte russe palmer embossed round toe two strap flats in cam, lace pointy toe ballet flats in black, and blazers in neon orange, purple, and blue

And finally, I spent a good hour in Charlotte Russe trying on jackets and shoes. I had a gift card from a previous return that I needed to use and I found a ton of things I wanted! I now have wonderful black and tan flats to choose from, as well as an assortment of cool blazers.

I’m pretty much set with what I want now, so I’ll only need to buy things that really catch my eye. That’s the stage I’m at with dresses too. It feels great to finally have some of the items I’ve been searching stores for, so I no longer have to think about shopping. Today was an anomaly and I actually wasn’t too tired/grumpy from shopping, PLUS I found a bunch of stuff. Usually I get bored an hour in and never even find something I want. I’m so happy to have gotten this all out of the way in one day!

Petit Vour July 2014 review

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

Ready to Set Sail with some Summer Loves? I think both of those are the theme this month and they coordinated with a blogger to choose these items.

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 july 2014 box with lvx nail lacquer, modern minerals eye shadow, pelle beauty facial oil, schmidt's natural deodorant, and info card with summer loves set sail theme contents of petit vour july 2014 box removed from packaging petit vour july 2014 box info card with item details

LVX 5-free Nail Lacquer in Lolli – I’ve heard about this brand a lot and I’d love to try it, but this just not my shade. Way too light pink for me. I’ll have to trade it and hopefully I get a chance to try a different shade. The lid on mine is loose so I wonder if this is an issue with the design of the cap for this brand. I guess we’ll see when I try another one!

Modern Minerals Shimmer Eye Shadow in ANJU – This is a fun metallic shade that I might have tried if it weren’t for another eye shadow I play around with. Since I use so little and rarely apply any at all, it’s just not practical to open this too. I’m not sure how I’d apply it though – do I need a brush? Do I just use my finger? This could be a nice shimmer to use on my chest for added effect. Holiday party, anyone?

Pelle Beauty Facial Oil in Nourish – Whoa, applying an oil to my face before makeup? Now that sounds interesting. I’ve been using a cleansing oil to clean my face, but I rinse it off and pat dry before putting on toner, BB cream, etc. At first I was disappointed with the tiny bottle (cute as it is), but now that I read more about it, the highly concentrated formula isn’t diluted with water like many other products. That makes total sense and a drop on each cheek is enough. I think I smell rose in there, or something nice and soothing.

Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant in Lavender + Sage – This is so perfect. It’s the first time I’m getting a product like this from a box, so I could certainly use a deodorant! I’m skeptical of most because of the crazy chemicals and I don’t really sweat so I find I don’t need it. However, this makes me feel good about applying deodorant, so I’ve been enjoying using it. It’s pretty solid, so it does take some rubbing to start melting it enough to get it on my fingers. The scent is amazing and it absorbs so well. I spend the day with a happy secret protecting my underarms and I love it.

I am always impressed with the quality of the products that Petit Vour includes. While this time I won’t be using all the items, I can still appreciate what they chose for us. Which product would you want to try most?

[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!]

Escape Monthly July: India Box Review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Tempted as I was to get the bonus box with even more goodies from India, I didn’t want to spend any more money. I’m certainly pleased with this box, which felt pretty authentic and got the seal of approval from one of my Indian friends for products that she’d enjoy. If you sprang for the luxe box that was offered for India, do let me know when you review it! I’d love to see what else they found.

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. Each box comes with a Moon Handbooks guide for that region. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a lovely recurring referral commission program.

escape monthly july india box products showing escape monthly july india box info card against blue and white chevron background escape monthly july india box info card opened with details of products included(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

This box even smelled of Indian influences. Must be the sandalwood.

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Taj Mahal Delhi & Jaipur– I’ve never been to India, so when I get a chance, this will certainly be very useful. I’ve got to admit, I’ve never been super attracted to going there because of the heat I imagine in the region. I just see myself being beaten by the sun the whole time, trudging along. Is India really as hot as I think? I’ll have to see…

Saffron Road Korma simmer sauce – I got this brand before, but a different sauce flavor, so I’m looking forward to trying both. My info sheet talks about the Tikka Masala flavor, which I actually have. My box came with the korma instead, which is completely new to me. My friend tells me it’s fabulous though. This will be an easy way to cook some meat with tons of flavor!

Pure Indian Foods organic ghee – I’ve never heard of ghee before, but it smells so rich! Just like caramel or toffee. I don’t usually cook with butter, so I’ll have to find some recipes that call for it and try this fun product that’s apparently quite healthy for you.

Nemat International Amber & Sandalwood fragrances – This small tube of sandalwood packs a punch! It totally reminds me of Asia and even kind of makes me think of my grandmother. I love getting a whiff of that. The amber scent is so light that I can hardly smell a thing. They recommend meditating with it, which I totally need to try.

Banyan Botanicals Organic Healthy Hair Oil – Hmm, I’m totally reminded of food when I smell this oil. Kind of strange, but not a big deal! It’s a really nice oil that isn’t all greasy feeling and I’m hoping it not only makes my hair appear healthier, but promotes hair growth. I would like to try growing out my hair, but I always get impatient when it’s a couple inches past my shoulder because it gets dry.

Banyan Botanicals Peppermint soap – Ooo, this peppermint soap is the perfect thing to refresh and cool down your body with. I loved inhaling the minty scent and I know that it’ll tingle a little when I use it. I’m very sensitive to the cooling sensation of mint. Just what I like to think of on hot, muggy days.

Masala Pop Chai Masala popcorn – Whoa, what a unique taste. I like that this popcorn has a nice strong flavor yet it’s not too sweet. A popcorn made with tea? So cool. While I’m still not big into popcorn, this one is a lovely change from the usual kettle corn you might find.

Maya Kaimal Kashmiri Curry – Another great sauce to try! Now cooking can be as easy as chopping up some meat and veggies and pouring in this sauce. I like that it’s tomato-based and I’m very curious how the whole nutmeg flavor plays in. I totally have to saute some eggplant and try it with this. I’m inspired to get back to home-cooked meals more often.

Gouri Puja bindis – What gorgeous little bindis! I am coordinating with my coworker to come in with bindis together one of these days. They’re so fun and beautiful and the perfect bonus item in the box this month. Love it!

This was truly a box where I felt like I escaped to India and learned about the country. I’m into everything offered too! How do you like this India Escape Monthly box? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): INDIAESCAPE or PARISESCAPE for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

Next month in August, we’re going to Paris!!! I can’t wait for that, since I’ve had an unofficial love affair with France since middle school.

escape monthly july india box info card back with preview of next month's box theme of paris

[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!]

New furniture!

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses,Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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I’m so excited about the newest additions to our home – a (real) TV stand and a dresser! Panda and I got a chance to put everything together today, so I feel super accomplished.

pieces of tv stand furniture before assembly

I came home from volunteering to find Panda starting to put together the TV stand.

box for tv stand

We got it on Brookstone’s website because we had a Groupon to use.

instructions for building tv stand and nearly finished product

The instructions were stapled on the right corner. Who does that??

new tv stand with tv and cable box set up

Yay, new TV stand all done! Now the other table that came with our sofas can actually be used as a table.

box for room essentials black 4-drawer dresser from target

Next up was the dresser we got at Target for like 40% off.

pieces of dresser in open box

This was sooo heavy we just let the pieces slide as we opened the box.

cat sitting on pieces for dresser yawning impatiently

Smokey was already impatient for her new playhouse, aka the drawers.

sides of drawer put together

Pushing together those drawer pieces.

pile of screws, dowels, cams, and other hardware for dresser

That’s a lot of screws and cams and whatnot.

cat sitting in newly built drawer for dresser

As soon as we had the drawers made, Smokey made sure to test them out.

cat sleeping in corner of drawer with face squished

Soon enough, she was passed out in another drawer. Must mean they passed QC!

adding drawers glides to side of dresser wall

Things got a little confusing when we started adding the drawer glides.

frame of dresser created and cat sitting on upside down drawer nearby

We were getting close and Smokey decided she needed to try the support of the drawer from the underside.

black 4-drawer dresser newly assembled but with one brown drawer

Alright, dresser! It wasn’t until we put the drawers in that I realized one of them didn’t quite match… looks like I’ll be calling for a replacement piece.

cat laying in open dresser drawer

We’ve designated one drawer for Smokey’s enjoyment and I finally get to move my underwear from a suitcase to a drawer!!

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