Posts Tagged ‘products’

Homegrown Collective January 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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This weekend, I got the first Homegrown Collective GREENBOX of the year! When I first saw the theme of DIY Detoxify, I thought juice cleanse and I was skeptical, but as it turns out, I love this box too (big surprise there, haha – I’ve loved all their boxes!). Also, I’d like to mention how insanely good they are at packing these things… I never know how everything fits back in once I unpack them. Lucky for me, I don’t have to do that part. 😛

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.

the homegrown collective january 2014 box with small shipping label

Hehe, I was totally amused by the mini label – is that a new thing?

inside of homegrown collective box with the info sheets on the inner lid and white homegrown collective sticker on brown paper wrapping

They have a pretty new logo that they started using.

contents of the homegrown collective january 2014 box with diy detoxify inside and out theme

Project #1, dandelion leaf herbal tea: I always thought you could do something with those dandelions in the yard and lookie here! What a fantastic way to enjoy what is commonly viewed as an annoying weed. I’m totally trying this at work as soon as we have the hot water machine again. I wonder how it tastes. I can’t imagine it’d be sweet, so maybe a bit tart or bitter? For whatever reason, that’s what I’d expect dandelion to taste like, but I’ll find out soon enough.

the homegrown collective january 2014 project dandelion leaf herbal tea info card the homegrown collective january 2014 products for dandelion leaf herbal tea

Project #2, dead sea salts & lavender fizzing bath soaks: Ooo yes, FIZZING! Seriously, who wouldn’t like a little bubbling in their bath soak? It makes things so much more interesting and entertaining. I absolutely must go to the Dead Sea at some point to float in it myself, but until then, I’m glad I have some salts from there to enjoy the detoxing effects. This is like a science experiment and beauty treatment all in one. And being a nerdy gal, I love both those things!! It was fun to watch the pouch floating around as it sizzled, then sink when the fizz was gone.

the homegrown collective january 2014 project dead sea salts and lavender fizzing bath soaks info card the homegrown collective january 2014 products for dead sea salts and lavender fizzing bath soaks

Project #3, bentonite clay & rosewater mask: Ok, I have an unhealthy obsession with masks. I don’t use them nearly as much as I’d like, but I’ll almost always get them anyway. I don’t know why I love them so much, but I can’t help it and I’m thrilled with mixing my own! I’ve never heard of bentonite clay, but I think most types of clay are pretty awesome (like when I discovered kaolin clay). This one sounds fascinating with its electrical charges and whatnot. I really liked spraying on the rose water to keep the mask on for longer without the tightening getting too crazy. Feels (and smells) lovely!

the homegrown collective january 2014 project bentonite clay and rosewater mask info card the homegrown collective january 2014 products for bentonite clay and rosewater mask

Then came the final info card talking about all the great detoxing going on with this box:

the homegrown collective january 2014 detoxify inside and out info card

marketing info cards from the homegrown collective january 2014 box

Here are the marketing materials that came with the box.

back of marketing info cards from the homegrown collective january 2014 box

And the backsides with all the info.

What are you waiting for? Subscribe to the Homegrown Collective so you can stop being all jealous of my awesome stuff. 😉

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Julep February 2014: The Dramatic Collection review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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I didn’t see the emails to choose February’s box until the day after selection closed. Luckily, my default profile of Boho Glam was offering items that I liked enough that I was cool with not being able to choose alternatives. That was also the time I found out from Brandy at MommySplurge that Julep retired their skip any month option and now only allow you to accrue one skip every six months. I’m sooo glad I got in *just* in time to get grandmothered in so I can still skip every month if I want. Whew!

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 boho glam february 2014 dramatic collection box contents

February’s Boho Glam Dramatic Collection box

julep a-list eyeliner duo information card

The info card promoted their eyeliner and liner brush, which was an add-on choice.

julep eye sheen information card

On the back of the info card is a look at the four shades of eye sheen.

set of julep polishes in cameron and rooney

My Boho glam profile matched me with Cameron in Stardust finish (love) and Rooney (meh).

julep eye sheen liquid eyeshadow in pale nude shimmer

The shade of eye sheen I got was pale nude shimmer. Probably a good match for me if I actually use eyeshadow.

julep polish in love

As a special gift from Jane the CEO, we got this bonus shade, Love. Perfect for Valentine’s!

I’m glad I got this box because I really like the special edition Love that I don’t think you can get any other way and I’m a fan of the Stardust finish I got. The brown color is ok and I haven’t decided if I want to keep it or put it up for trade. It might be good to have a neutral like that around. As for the eye sheen, I think they’re pretty cool but I’m not an eyeshadow person so it’s definitely going up for trade. Overall the box was decent and I’m glad I locked in the Love shade.

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!]

365great Day 323: vessel sinks

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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365great day 323: vessel sinksI’m a huge fan of sinks that sit atop the counter. I think it’s a really cool design and it happens to be easier to use too. I definitely don’t splash nearly as much when I use them and I don’t have to bend down super low. It’s a lot more comfortable and they look so good, so what’s not to like? For some reason they feel more professional and luxurious to me too, whether they actually are or not. Maybe that’s because I’ve almost always seen them at places that are well-designed, like hotels, spas, and other facilities meant to be a tranquil environment. At some point in the future, I’m totally getting them for my home so I can smile each time I use the sink. It’s a little thing that makes me feel great.

December Favorites 2013

laelene Posted in general blog,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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collage of december 2013 favorites including home ownership, vitabath lotion, julep, wrapp deals, sweaters, reading, wireless mouse, red lips, cat time, and snowI nearly forgot to get this together before the month was over! Oh boy, it’s already time to think about Jan favs and I’m still putting together the Dec ones…

1. home ownership – As of Dec 13th, 2013, we officially became homeowners. The keys were handed to us and since then we’ve been slowly planning the move. Meanwhile, all our neighbors are in and everyone is wondering when we’ll finally get into this condo they keep hearing about. 😛

2. VitaBath lotion – I got this in my Influenster Rose VoxBox in the fall and boy do I love it! I’ve been using it frequently after showers and I absolutely adore the lightly sweet scent that is also cooling and fresh. Even with frequent usage, I’ve barely used up a quarter of it and it’s wonderful how long it’s lasting me.

3. Julep – I finally caved and got Julep when they came out with a mystery box I couldn’t resist. I was totally impressed by it and will definitely get more, plus I’ve subscribed as a Maven to get some new nail polish colors every now and then. I actually really like the beauty products that Julep makes and will use my subscription as a way to explore them.

4. Wrapp deals – When I first found these shoes, I took that picture to remember to look for something similar. Then I got a great Wrapp gift card deal for something like $12 at Charlotte Russe (which cost me and Panda nothing to send to each other) so I ended up getting that exact style of shoe for a fantastic price. I only take advantage of the free offers in the app, which saves me a good amount.

5. sweaters – Well, my first proper winter in over a decade prompted me to go out and buy some sweaters to wear. I was also goaded on by Autumnfall, who laughed when I showed her what I considered to be a sweater, all proud that I finally bought one. I’ve since gotten ones that even she can’t dismiss as not “real” sweaters. 😛

6. reading – For that period when my life was a hot mess of confusion, I escaped into reading again. My childhood was filled with books and it was nice to get back into it. I hadn’t read fiction in many years, whenever that 4th Harry Potter book came out. I was surprised that I blew through the 50 Shades series the way I did (I thought I’d long since lost patience for fiction since it’s not a business book that I can learn a ton from).

7. wireless mouse – The touchpad on my new laptop gets wonky at times (kind of often). Thankfully, a wireless mouse makes it easy to move the mouse around and strains my fingers, hands, and wrists less. I’m rather particular about the feel of the mouse and I’m glad I found this one for my personal use. I even have a blog post drafted for my pickiness when it comes to this and what I look for in the perfect mouse.

8. red lips – I went through a few weeks when I experimented with bright red lips. It was fun, bold, and playful. I even tried making lip prints like this one on Panda’s cheek. Prior to getting that red lip crayon in my November Ipsy bag, I probably only used red lipstick twice before. Now I’m much more comfortable with something attention-grabbing like that, but usually only at night, special events, and the weekends. Still not a normal thing for me.

9. cat time – Going home for the holidays and spending time with Missy again was amazing. I can’t wait to settle enough to bring her over here. Having a cat around calms me and gives me something relaxing to do whenever I’m home. There shall be no ennui when I can cuddle with my kitty or play around with her. I absolutely love waking up to a cat on my chest or next to my legs, though I may never want to get up for work (or anything else) again.

10. snow – This was before the intense polar vortex/arctic chill madness. It was exciting to get snow again and get to sit by the window and watch it fall down. I’d be happy to get stranded indoors for a few days from a snowstorm so long as I have heat and food. 🙂

Oops, I left out a picture from frolicking at the beach, but I had a whole blog post on that so you can check them out. Returning to Los Angeles was wonderful and a much-need reprieve from everything else. What did you find to be your favorites in December?

Giveaway announcement!

laelene Posted in general blog,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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little fat notebook blog giveaway coming soon announcement badgeWhy hello you lovely reader!

Guess what?! You’ve helped me achieve my goal of reaching an Alexa rank better than 1 million!!! Yup, that’s right, I’m finally in the 6-digit territory now. As of Friday I noticed it and I’m thrilled. I’ve been tracking my progress since I decided to bring my rank up back at the end of April 2013. On 4/25/13, I was at 7,187,608. Within four months I’d made it to the 1.something millions. For the past five months I’ve been hovering in between 1 to 2 million, never quite making it below the mark… until now!

So, to celebrate I thought I’d do my very first giveaway! 🙂 Who doesn’t like a giveaway, right? Give me a little time to put some things together and I’ll post it up. Let me know if you have any suggestions – should I do one massive giveaway or a series of smaller ones? What types of stuff would you want? Of course there will be beauty and skincare items and some snacks because I have plenty of those to share, but what else? I do have some tech accessories I can include too. If you have an opinion, do share and I’ll see what I can do.

Thanks for reading & check back soon. 😀

365great Day 317: Escape Monthly

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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365great day 317: escape monthlyI’ve been with Escape Monthly since they started with their first box in August 2013 and it’s been a fun ride so far! Each month, they’ve carefully chosen products that reflect the spirit of a certain region and almost every single product is actually made there (if not all of them). Products include a bit of personal care, a bit of food or snacks, a bit of home goods, a bit of random items, and always a guide book for that area. The vibe of each box has been different based on the theme of the month and it’s been lovely trying products from all over the place. So far it’s mostly been US cities and states, with one international box focused on Italy. I hope they mix in more international destinations as time goes on! I also love their referral program, which has earned me quite a bit of money back. 🙂 Awesome tours of cool destinations AND recurring commission for referrals? That’s great!!

365great Day 315: derma e

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , ,
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365great day 315: derma eWhen I saw this microdermabrasion scrub that some Ipsters were getting one month, I knew I just had to have it. I’ve had microdermabrasion treatments before, but never saw a scrub like this, so I was intrigued. When I got it, I was thrilled. It’s a rich creamy texture that applies smoothly and those fine little beads scrub unlike any other. It smells fabulous with a light citrus scent and I love scrubbing away with it. Just a little is all you need to cover your entire face, so it will last and last for many uses. My skin felt immediately softer and finer afterwards and I couldn’t have asked for a better feeling. I love that their products are natural and I can’t wait to try more in their line! They all look great. 🙂

Escape Monthly January: Colorado Box Review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Today the first Escape Monthly box of the year arrived in the midst of snowstorm Janus!

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

Since Panda recently went to Colorado, I had him review this with me. He nodded approval at the locally-sourced products and noted that a lot seem to be centered around Boulder. I hadn’t paid attention to that, but yes three of the items come from companies there. We liked the sampling of products that captured many aspects of the area.

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Colorado – I’m getting quite the collection of these guides. This one will come in particularly handy when I either visit Colorado again or move there someday! It’s one of the few states I haven’t lived that I definitely would like to relocate to for a few years. I love the thought of fresh, crisp air and all that lovely outdoorsiness. They seem to have a whole lot of healthy choice brands that are gentler on the environment and our bodies.

Not the Same Rocky Mountain Mud Bath in Stress Relief Blend – My next bath is sooo going to be muddy! I’ve never had a mud bath before, so this is exciting and I can’t wait to try it. It’s a heavy pack of powder and the clay in it is supposed to draw out toxins. I’m sure I’ll enjoy this relieving, detoxing blend. Once I see how messy it may or may not be, I’ll decide if I’d get more. I certainly love the idea and look forward to trying it.

Jackson’s Honest Potato Chips in Sea Salt – I haven’t tried a chip made with coconut oil before, so that’s new. These chips feel more solid and have a strong crunch without hurting the roof of my mouth when I bite down. I like the taste, but because of the… heaviness of each chip, I don’t think I’d eat much at a time. That seems to be a good thing since I feel more satisfied with less product.

bluecorn naturals beeswax aromatherapy candle in Tranquility – This lovely little candle is a wonderful blend of lemongrass, cinnamon, and rosemary. It’s so unique to see lemongrass and cinnamon together and I love it! I couldn’t stop sniffing this candle and I look forward to burning it. It certainly is relaxing and nice to clear the mind with just based off the scent. I’ll break this in when we get into the new condo.

White Girl Salsa Medium Tomatillo – The most unexpected of the bunch, I’ve got to say. I don’t think I’d ever associate salsa with Colorado, but I am amused by this product and hey, it’s made in Colorado! I think the tomatillo flavor is perfect for so many things and I’ve got to get some chips to eat this with. I’d also love to put it on some fried eggs or even cook some meat with it as suggested on the label. I’ll browse the recipes on their website and figure something out!

Chocolove Orange Peel in Dark Chocolate bar – Mmm, rich dark chocolate with crunchy bits of orange peel make this bar delectable. Their branding fits the theme of mail/a postcard very well and I’d be absolutely thrilled to receive this in lieu of a letter! It is so delicious and smooth and crisp. The chocolate is very firm and takes a bit of strength to break. It’s fantastic and I’d definitely get one if I saw it in a store.

Bobo’s Oat Bars in Peach – Oh I just love the peach smell of this. Lightly fragrant and sweet in a subtle way. I’ve never been huge into oats, so it was quite dense for me and I could only eat a little corner. That bar would last me a good six rounds! It’s very tasty and just the sort of thing I’d bring on a road trip, hike, or other activity where I want something to sustain me. I don’t see myself eating this as a normal snack.

Colorado Aromatics Lavender Mountain Mist Hand & Body Lotion – How perfect that there was a lotion just as the cold hits us again and I started to run low on my supply at work. If you like lavender at all, you will love this. What a wonderful scent that is so soothing and relaxing. It definitely has aromatherapy qualities and I can see it being the perfect lotion to use for a massage. Treat yourself by rubbing it in and savoring that scent, letting it calm you.

Pike’s Peak geode – The bonus item this month is adorable!! I’m afraid to break my rock so I’m going to keep it whole for a little while. I’m so curious what it’ll look like inside though! I hope it developed well on the inside. I wonder if I can find a rock outside to practice on or if I just need to go for it with this one. I want a nice break into two pieces, but I can see myself shattering it. Well, we happen to have screwdrivers at the new office due to all that furniture-building, so maybe I’ll bring it in to work next week!

The theme of this box could very well have been finding peace because so many of these items promote relaxation and simple enjoyment. I feel very well pampered and I’m pleased with that. What do you think of this Colorado Escape Monthly box? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): COLORADOESCAPE or YOURESCAPE for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

For February the city we get to explore is New York, which should offer a ton of options.

escape monthly january colorado box info card back with preview of next month's box theme of new york

[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 311: external drives

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , ,
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365great day 311: external drivesIt’s so useful to be able to store files on an external drive, whether a thumb drive or hard drive. It makes it easy to access certain files across devices quickly and allows for backup of important files. In my new laptop, I had the HDD replaced with a SSD, so I had the original hard drive sitting around. I recently got a case for it so I can use it to store all the older files I have. With 750 GB of storage space, my whole life’s worth of content can fit on there. It’s such a nice way to keep all my old files consolidated without cluttering up my current laptop’s hard drive. Of course, if I lost it or broke it I’d pretty much lose everything up until a year ago, so I’ve made sure to start backing up all that on various other storage options too. But for quick browsing of massive amounts of files, I prefer an external drive. I don’t need internet access like with cloud-based solutions and I can easily carry it around with me. It’s a great way to store my content.

Treatsie January 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Did you decide to upgrade to the new premium version of Treatsie? I’m super curious what they looked like compared to what I got. Based on the Treatsie site, it looks like I didn’t get the Avenue Sweets caramels, which I’m ok with since I already had them from another month. I wonder if the larger box included all three flavors of the Popbars though. Let me know if you upgraded and share what you got!!

Treatsie is $15 per box + $4.95 shipping and comes with artisan candy from 4 brands (I am grandfathered in for $15 for 3 brands). That means about 6 or 7 different flavors of treats (or 4 or 5 for me). Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program.

treatsie january 2014 box contents with peanut brittle, hot chocolate bars, and caramels in chocolate

treatsie notices of flat rate shipping offer and subscription change details

popbar milk and dark sipping chocolate bars from treatsie january 2014 boxPopbar Milk Sipping Chocolate and Dark Sipping Chocolate bars: I’m really happy we got these to try! I’d seen them on a blog once and was curious about them, but never got around to finding them. I immediately texted Panda that I wanted to get milk once I saw these, lol. We don’t normally drink any, but for this I’m totally willing to get a jug. Chocolate milk is about the only form of milk I can enjoy without feeling nauseous, so I’m super excited! I hope it dissolves well, as I can easily see this globbing at the bottom and requiring much mixing to distribute evenly.

brittle brothers gourmet peanut brittle from treatsie january 2014 boxBrittle Brothers Gourmet Peanut Brittle: I fumbled around with this in the dark before finding out how easy it is to open. It’s a simple little thing, but being able to pry the plastic apart without scissors or teeth is pretty satisfying. And I didn’t even have to worry about pieces flying everywhere from ripping too hard (I’m sure we’ve all had that happen with a bag of chips). I wouldn’t so much call this peanut brittle as I would candied peanut clusters – it’s definitely got much more on the peanut side than most brittles! That’s nice in the sense that you’re getting the wonderful crunch and flavor without as much sugar overload. Of course, preferences will vary and maybe you want more sugar than nuts. It’s a draw for me.

lillie belle farms lavender sea salt caramels from treatsie january 2014 boxLillie Belle Farms Lavender Sea Salt Caramels: First of all, I love the packaging on this. I like seeing the product and the delicate sense I get from it. I felt bad having to open it, but hey these treats are meant for eatin’! I enjoyed the flavor tremendously – a light lavender scent with just enough salt to give it great contrast. It’s a rich treat that is very satisfying with just one piece. I’m a fan of dark chocolate and I think pairing that with the lavender makes for a delicious combo. I do wish the caramels themselves were a little firmer and the caramel to chocolate ratio was more evenly split.

I was perfectly happy with the contents of this box and don’t feel like I missed out by not getting the premium box. We’ll have to see what next month brings, but for now I’m keeping my original subscription! What would you like to see to upgrade to the new 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!]

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