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Escape Monthly April: Mexico Box Review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, escape monthly, pictures, products, reviews, subscriptions

26 April 2014

Escape Monthly has really gotten good at putting together their boxes. I am always looking forward to what new products I’ll learn about. This was another box heavy on the food items, which is perfectly fine with me. I’m happy to have more snacks and drinks to enjoy!

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.

(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

Everything came carefully wrapped in bubble wrap since there were so many glass items this time! They were all well-protected and came in perfect condition. I’ve already tasted about half the items and I can’t stop sniffing the candle. 😉

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Ixtapa & Zihuatanejo – I’ve never heard of these areas of Mexico and I’m totally intrigued. There are so many cool things to explore and I love the contrast of more local flair and culture with the touristy areas for vacationing. I’m glad they didn’t just go for Mexico City or Cancun or something, but chose a more exotic and lesser-known locale to share.

Ayate Agave Fiber Washcloth – The moment you get this wet the first time, it does a fun shrinking act. I was concerned about the holes being so large, but they totally shrink down once wet and make a perfect handcloth for exfoliating your body. I was surprised at how nice it felt – I kind of expected it to be a little scratchy. Love this and I think I might need to stock up on a few.

Mundet Green Apple & Sangria Senorial sodas – The green apple soda seemed safest, so I tried it first. It’s a nice sweet drink just as you’d expect green apple to be. It had a sort of aftertaste/smell that I couldn’t quite place. Overall still a tasty drink. At first glance, I thought I had gotten some sort of wine with the sangria, but it’s non-alcoholic and just happens to be in a wine bottle sort of shape. It’s much sweeter and I don’t think I could finish the entire thing in one sitting.

Fusion Habanero Heat sea salt – This packaging is just too cute. This is the same type of salt as the Hawaiian-inspired one I got back in the Hawaii box and I hope more keep coming because I’d totally love a collection. I must think of some dish I can cook up using this salt. Maybe I’ll just add it to some chicken and see how that tastes.

Pacifica Mexican Cocoa candle – I’ve never had a Pacifica candle before and I’m thrilled. This smells fantastic – rich and chocolatey with a hint of spice! What a totally appropriate scent to have wafting through the house when I want to think of our neighbors to the south. I will enjoy this for a bit before I start burning it. It’s fun to sniff here and there.

Kopali Fruit Organic Mango – I’m not a mango fan so I’ll be giving these to Panda to eat, or coworkers if he’s not interested. I did get this brand back in a Yuzen box nearly two years ago (my first intro to mulberries) and I like it, so I’d be willing to try their other fruits.

Lucas Mango powder, de la Rosa Pulparindo & de la Rosa marzipan peanut candy – Such playful candies! I’m skipping the mango powder due to the flavor, but I had the two de la Rosa products and they really made me think of this Mexican market in my area back in SoCal. I’ve definitely seen them around and now I’ve tried them too. The Pulparindo is an interesting gritty sort of snack with salty and spicy bits. It definitely isn’t something I’m used to but I do like to nibble on it. The marzipan candy isn’t peanutty like Western peanut candy and I appreciate that. This is a crumbly treat I would actually like to have despite not being a huge fan of peanuts.

This box was nice and warm in the flavors and sense it gave off, just like what I think of down in Mexico. The non-edible items are right up my alley and many of the snacks were nice to try. What items stood out to you in this Mexican Escape Monthly box? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): YOURESCAPE for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

Next month we’re returning stateside to California and I’m really looking forward to what things they can show me right in my own backyard. They’ve already announced one product from Juice Beauty, which is a brand I enjoy using. Looking good!

[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 April 2014: Beauty Rocks review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: beauty, boxes, ipsy, pictures, products, reviews, skincare, subscriptions

16 April 2014

After a disappointing run last month, I was glad to get a bag that was pretty decent this time. The products actually made sense for my preferences for the most part and I can see myself trying all the products if I don’t end up trading the ones I don’t really want.

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.

Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil – This didn’t apply as easily as I’m used to. I had to press harder than with other eye pencils and then I ended up pressing too hard and making a fatty line. I did like the “velvety”ness once it was on, but I don’t know if I could achieve the nice line I’d want to. It was pretty smudge and waterproof at least.

Elizabeth Mott pop! goes the shadow in Champagne – Since I don’t ever use eye shadow, I’ll be saving this for a trade. I love the shiny look of it and I was tempted to touch it just to see what sort of consistency it has, but I resisted. If I don’t manage to trade this, it just might be an eye shadow I’d try out here and there.

Mary Kay at Play jelly lip gloss in Teddy Bare – I’m cool with gooey lip glosses, so I liked this. The nude color is great for a natural look or to go on top of a bolder color. It has pretty awesome staying power, which is nice since I don’t like having to reapply something on my lips all day (and if I don’t, they dry out easily).

dr. brandt microdermabrasion – Well, I’m fascinated with microdermabrasion so I’m really happy I got this. Since it has a seal, I’m going to keep it in my stash while I work through some other scrubs I have. I wonder how it will compare to the derma e microderm scrub that I absolutely love.

St. Tropez Gradual Tan Plus Anti-Aging Multi-Action Face – I’m just not into tanning products, so I shall definitely be putting this up for trade. If I was interested in trying them, this seems like a nice brand to use. I’m sure there are ladies out there who’d love to trade.

It was nice to get a bag with different dimensions and I like that shade of purple, but the design is meh. At least there are products I’m excited about and others I’m moderately interested in this time. If you want to trade for any of my items, check out my eDivv shop.

Julep Speckled for Spring Mystery Box with Kimberly review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: beauty, boxes, julep, mystery box, nail polishes, nails, pictures, products, reviews, subscriptions

15 April 2014

Since my first mystery box (which I loved), I haven’t seen one come across my inbox that truly intrigued me. But then I saw the fun speckled designs for the Speckled for Spring Mystery box and I decided to spring for it (har har). There was one complete mystery one, one with Kimberly (the purple one), and one with Emerson (the blue one). Can you guess which one I got? My favorite color is purple… 😉

Julep mystery boxes are just under $25 per box and come with a mix of polish colors and beauty products. These are one-time orders and do not require a subscription.

julep speckled for spring mystery box contents including lengthening mascara and polishes in kimberly, catrina, lois, farrah, dakota, and karen

A very light box with nearly all nail polish. Not the most spring look.

set of julep polishes in kimberly, catrina, lois, farrah, dakota, and karen

Polish colors in Kimberly, Catrina, Lois, Farrah, Dakota, and Karen. I like the two on either end and the brilliant yellow.

julep boho glam lengthening mascara in espresso brown

Boho Glam Lengthening Mascara in Espresso Brown
My very first brown mascara!

julep boho glam lengthening mascara in espresso brown brush

The brush has firmer bristles than I’m used to. I like the shape, which makes it easier to get onto my shorter lashes.

I’m not very impressed with this box, especially in light of everything I got in my first mystery box. All I got in addition to the polishes was one beauty product. It’s a decent product and I will use it, but the lack of extras combined with the lackluster set of colors leaves me wanting more. I definitely like the speckled Kimberly I chose the box for and I’m cool with Catrina because it’s bright and Karen because the peachy glitter is certainly springy. The other three I’m undecided on. Perhaps next time I will be more careful with my purchase (and I’m certainly going to search for a discount code first, since there was an active one for 30% off that I could have used!!). What do you think of this box?

Estimated value: $108 (Nail Color @ $14 each: $84, Lengthening Mascara $24) or $86.40 at Maven prices (20% off)

Join as a Julep Maven to get polishes sent to you monthly! Use code FREEBOX or FREEMAVEN to get the first box free (you pay shipping).

Kaia Naturals Bamboo Tapioca Beads & Cleansing Cloths review

laelene Posted in reviews，Tags: eco-friendly, green, pictures, products, reviews, skincare

13 April 2014

I’ve been subscribed to Kaia Naturals for awhile and saw a deal from them recently as they promoted their new Bamboo Tapioca Beads product. Since they were offering a sample for $5 and free shipping with the code “tapioca” (now expired from what I’ve seen), I decided to give it a whirl. I’ve been curious about this brand ever since they showed up in a sub box that I do not get.

brown paper envelope from kaia naturals in canada

When I got the quaint package, I was confused for a second before I saw it was from Kaia.

kaia naturals bamboo tapioca beads and juicy bamboo cleansing cloth sample with thank you note

A nice note and sample of the cleansing cloths came with my order.

kaia naturals bamboo tapioca beads sample tube

The little tube of bamboo tapioca beads.

I like the idea of having a powder you can mix when you’re ready to use some. It’s pretty clever to use different liquids as the base so you can get other benefits out of the product. I tried cleansing my face with some tea and the Bamboo Tapioca Beads. I liked the grainy beads and I might have just imagined it, but the powder smelled slightly chalky to me. I got overzealous with the amount of tea I used so my first try was way too watered down. You really just need wet hands for this one, lest the blended powder just gets wasted in a watery mess. My skin felt tighter afterwards and I’d definitely need a lotion to follow. This would be really useful for travel, since it takes up so little space.

I also tried the bamboo cleansing cloth, which I really like. The size of the cloth is not too big and the saturation of the essential oils and honey is perfect. It smelled somewhere between fragrant and medicinal. Since it claims to remove waterproof mascara with ease, I had to test that out. With a little extra focus rubbing my eyes, the mascara came off just like that. Great performing product that I totally need to get my hands on once my current pouches of cleansing cloths runs low. I’m really liking this brand, though it’s definitely a more premium product than I usually spring for. I’m a sucker for something eco-friendly though.

I had no idea they were in Canada, so online ordering is probably out of the question unless they happen to be offering free shipping one day. Instead, I’ve found some stores within 20 miles or so that I can go visit sometime. It’ll be a fun adventure!

24ClearIt Acne Therapy review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: acne, beauty, beauty box 5, boxes, pictures, products, reviews, skincare, subscriptions

10 April 2014

In lieu of the April Beauty Box 5, I opted for the 24ClearIt kit that they were offering. I received it today and I’m ready to see if this is a solution that will work for me! I’ve tried a bunch of products before and various things have worked better than others, but none have truly calmed my skin for that long. Part of it might be that I moved on to other products. I’ve never been very good at committing to one set of skincare. I just like variety too much!

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. This was a special promotional box in partnership with 24ClearIt.

Step 1: Cleanse. Active exfoliating cleanser to be used in AM and PM. This is a more liquidy cleanser than I expected, so I accidentally squeezed out more than I wanted to. I like the scrubbing feeling of the beads – just enough without feeling too rough on my skin or too weak to do any exfoliating. It had the slightest scent that was vaguely medicinal. I massaged it in until it started to get sticky from all the water evaporating.

Step 1a: Target. Advanced treatment mask to be used as spot treatment or full mask. A few times a week, there’s the option to add the mask to the regimen. It is very thick and smells a bit of the sulfur that is in it. I tried a little spot of it and it tingled a bit. It sure feels like it can help zap away trouble spots. I’m going to have to see how the entire face mask feels and I’ll probably only do it once a week.

Step 2: Clear. Essential clearing toner to be used in AM and PM. The toner was very watery as expected and smelled quite nice. Once again just a very light scent and it felt very refreshing on my skin. I patted it over my face and let it dry. It felt really good!

Step 3 AM: Treat. Clarifying treatment to be used in AM. I tried this for the first time at night, so I just tested a little bit of it to see what it was like. It felt tingly and I think this is the harshest of the products and might have the potential of drying out my skin. We’ll see when I apply a full face of it tomorrow morning. It definitely awakens the skin and I feel like bacteria is being killed off right then and there.

Step 3 PM: Restore. Recovery treatment to be used in PM. This is a really nice lotion that is far more soothing and healing than the daytime one. I can see how it would be perfect to restore the skin while you sleep. My skin felt wonderful after this and completely hydrated for the night. I felt no need for any other products, which I like.

So based on first impressions, I am liking this line of products. I took a picture of my skin before and I’ll compare it to how things are looking in a week or two. At the least, these products feel good on my face, which is nice. Only time will tell how effective they are for their purported use. I’m really glad I decided to try this and skip the standard box Beauty Box 5 sent out for April!

Homegrown Collective March 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, cheese, cutting, food, homegrown collective, kitchen, knife, knives, panda, pictures, products, reviews, subscriptions

09 April 2014

You know, I’ve been wondering about the dry spell in sub boxes lately and I thought this GREENBOX should have arrived awhile ago. Whatever the case, I’m pleased to have received it today. This month’s cheese theme is very intriguing.

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, knife sharpening: I love this! I’ve never sharpened my own knives before, but I’m sure I could use them better if I did. It’s also nice to get another knife since sharing one with Panda can get tricky when we’re both trying to cook in the kitchen. I’m going to have fun with this one. For some reason it makes me feel like a Japanese sushi chef. I’m sure the gloves and goggles will also come handy in other work around the house in the future.

Project #2, mozzarella cheese-making: I’m generally not that into cheese, but I’ve been getting into it more. This is a perfect chance to explore that type of food and feel like a scientist in the process. I’m also really glad to have a thermometer I can use for food, so I can check the temperature of meat I cook in the future! I’ve never owned this pen-looking type of food thermometer before and I feel so professional just having it. I also had no idea herbs can go into mozzarella cheese, so I’m curious how that will affect the taste.

No third project this time (a first). I wonder if it was because it was hard to keep with the theme or if the costs of all this was already reaching the value they could afford to send. No matter! Onto the info card talking about cheese for this month’s theme:

To get your own awesome green projects, subscribe to the Homegrown Collective today. You’ll feel so much craftier!

Free cone day

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses，Tags: desserts, events, food, free stuff, freebies, ice cream, pictures, products, snacks, treats

08 April 2014

I’m getting a little antsy with no new box recently. I do have some on the way though! I ordered a Julep spring mystery box (I had skipped March, but it looks like I got sucked in to getting something anyway :-P) and I got a notification that my Beauty Box 5 is on its way. In the mean time…

Today was free cone day at Ben & Jerry’s locations across the nation! For lunch, a bunch of my coworkers and I went to claim a freebie and I donated $5 to the charity that was there – apparently each location has a local charity for the day. I got a scoop of Liz Lemon, which is a lemon frozen Greek yogurt with blueberry swirl. I think I’ve found a refreshing fav! I really enjoyed the slight tartness and lightness of this flavor.

hands holding ice cream cones from ben and jerry's

“Hurry up with the picture, I want to eat my cone!!”

Filling up the home

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses，Tags: condo, furniture, moving, new home, pictures, products, shopping

05 April 2014

Today we received our new furniture! Last weekend, we bought a set of couches and tables from hhgregg. We scheduled to have them delivered today and our home is finally feeling homey. For two months now we’ve been living here with a completely empty living room. It was big and cold and empty, so there was no reason to hang out there. Now with the couches, it’s a fantastic place to spend more time in.

large white truck filled with furniture stopping for couch delivery

I heard the truck as soon as it arrived. Here come our couches!

couch wrapped up in cardboard and plastic

The loveseat took careful maneuvering to get upstairs without hitting the hall lights.

The larger sofa had to be disassembled to get it up.

boxes of end tables and coffeetable with two guys assembling the pieces

I hadn’t realized the tables needed to be put together!

new couch set with two couches, coffee table, two end tables, and pillows

Our new couch set, currently on cardboard until we get those felt pads.

I’m very happy with this couch set! It’s not the prettiest, but the material is so soft and I love how cushy it is. All four of the end units recline, so I have plenty of options. The matching pillows are a fabulous addition since I enjoy hugging a pillow or using it as a cushion for my laptop. Plus, we discovered that the coffee table is actually on wheels so we can slide it around. How fun!

The right wallet/purse/clutch fit

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: clutches, experimentation, pictures, products, purses, wallets

03 April 2014

For the past couple of months, I’ve been trying out different wallet solutions. I’ve been bored of the standard purse for a long time and I hardly need it since I sit at work all day. I’d been using little bags like the black one pictured (which is my favorite Ipsy bag), but then I decided to downsize to the bare minimum. I switched to the brown iPhone wallet, which holds my phone and a few cards. There was barely even room for cash. I liked that everything was rather consolidated and I always had my most important things connected to each other. However, after awhile I started to get tired of having a bulky phone every time I wanted to speak on the phone.

When I was in China doing my shopping, I came across some wallet clutches that I liked, but got too ambitious with bargaining and didn’t end up getting one. Luckily, I found that Target has a decent selection of the style I like and I recently got this fun coral bag. I like that it zips around, is large enough for plenty of cards and bills, and easily fits my phone. Now I can just drop my phone in and off I go with all my necessary items. When I need to make a phone call, I can still use the phone separately and not be weighted down by a case. I just need to get used to carrying it around – the very first day I brought it to work, I accidentally left it at my desk. Oops!

I’m sure as time wears on, I will get sick of stuffing my phone in each time I want to zip it up and go, so I’ll be on to the next solution. Needs change and along with them, so too will my choice in wallets, purses, or clutches.

Pike’s Peak Rocks geode review

laelene Posted in reviews，Tags: colorado, escape monthly, geodes, nature, pictures, products, projects, reviews, rocks, stones

30 March 2014

I got this super cool “break at home” geode in my January Escape Monthly box and I finally decided to break it open today! It was my reward for cleaning up my room and getting more organized. Nearly all of my boxes upon boxes of stuff have been put into categorized boxes: face, body, bath, food, etc. I even have ones for packaging materials, paper goods, and other random stuff.

plain looking rock that is actually geode

You’d never guess what’s inside based on appearances.

hammer and two screwdrivers used as tools to break apart geode

It took quite a bit of pounding to break this fellow.

geode broken into four large pieces and a pile of small pieces

I wonder of they offer different colors or if all these break your owns are white-ish.

pieces of broken geode arranged on towel

I wish I knew how to break it into two halves! Looks better like this, don’t you think?

It was fun breaking this apart and seeing the beauty within revealed. I would have loved it more if it was a cool color (*ahem* purple), but it’s still a fascinating phenomenon to partake in. For a few dollars, I would totally get another to attempt to break into just two large pieces – I’d go for a strategy of a flat blade going around instead of alternating flat and pointed on a concentrated area like I did this time. I look forward to playing with these pieces and finding a nice way to display them.

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Posts Tagged ‘products’

Escape Monthly April: Mexico Box Review

Ipsy April 2014: Beauty Rocks review

Julep Speckled for Spring Mystery Box with Kimberly review

Kaia Naturals Bamboo Tapioca Beads & Cleansing Cloths review

24ClearIt Acne Therapy review

Homegrown Collective March 2014 review

Free cone day

Filling up the home

The right wallet/purse/clutch fit

Pike’s Peak Rocks geode review

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laelene

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