Posts Tagged ‘products’

Ipsy January 2014: 19 Reasons review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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I just received my first Ipsy bag for 2014 and I’ve got to say I’m rather underwhelmed. The bag design makes me think of airports and all their reminders of what you can and cannot bring through security. I got an eye shadow yet again (how many times is this going to happen even though I indicated NO interest in eye products??). The thing I’m most interested in is actually the Proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads – if they work.

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 january 2014 bag items with card including sexyhair soy tri-wheat leave-in conditioner, skiin soothing & smoothing eye cream, malin+goetz mojito lip balm, elizabeth mott smooth shadow creamy eye pencil in penny, and proactiv+ mark fading padsI didn’t get the theme this month. Is there some significance to the number 19? Maybe they just ran out of ideas.

sexyhair soy tri-wheat leave in conditioner – At first I thought they’d sent me a repeat product, but a more careful look made it clear that I had previously received a hair spray before and this time it was a leave-in conditioner. I’m totally cool with that and will definitely give this a try. I haven’t used a spray-on conditioner, so this will be cool (especially after I just wrote about how I love sprays and the way it distributes more finely). I don’t usually use a leave-in conditioner but I probably should since my hair needs some help retaining a conditioned appearance.

skiin Soothing & Smoothing Eye Cream – I don’t use eye creams so I’m going to try to trade this. It’s a pretty good size for an eye cream and would last quite awhile! I have plenty of unused ones though, so if someone else is interested in this I might as well try to get something I’ll get around to using. I’ve never heard of this brand and I’d like to try something of theirs another time.

(malin+goetz) mojito lip balm – This is a pretty cool product with a unique flavor. Can’t say I’ve ever had a mojito-flavored anything before. There’s a lightly refreshing taste to it and it comes out in a clear, somewhat gooey liquid form. I can see it being very effective in keeping the cold air from drying out your lips. It’s slightly more sticky than lip balm but not quite as shiny or sticky as lip gloss.

Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow creamy eye pencil in Penny – I have nothing against the brand, but since the product is an eye pencil, I was disappointed to get it. The color is a coppery shade that looks nice. Still, I’m totally going to put it up for trade along with almost every other eye liner and pencil and shadow I’ve gotten. I wish Ipsy would really cut back on sending me those products. I don’t know how else to make it clear on my profile that I don’t use them!!

proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads – The most intriguing products of the bunch! My acne problem has seemed to calm down a bit as my body shifts focus to fight whatever illness or infection I might have contracted, but I still have awful scars. I’m really hoping these work because I could really use something to get this acne issue under control. I really thought things would have gotten better by now! Why don’t they warn you that acne problems last long past your teens??

If you’re interested in a trade, let me know and check out what else I have up on my FSOT list.

[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!]

Spiral cutting

laelene Posted in video blog,Tags: , , , , , ,
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We got an Amazon Prime trial this weekend, so I’ve immersed myself in taking advantage of that before it expires. That means tonight I’ll just share a quick video. I love machines that cut, slice, dice, and otherwise make food more manageable and fun. This one doe a spiral cut on potatoes, which I totally want! I also want the spiralizer that’s supposed to make zucchini noodles or something like that. Yum.

spiral cut potato machine from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

365great Day 304: sprays

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , ,
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365great challenge day 304: spraysWhoever invented spray tops is pretty genius. Perhaps it was inspired by our sneezes, which often produce a fine mist of sorts and more evenly distributes particles across an area. Splashing liquid on yourself versus misting it over yourself is such a different experience. Sprays just feel better and help cover more area with less stuff. They’re so refreshing and fun to use with just about any sort of light liquid. For the most part, I use it for beauty and skincare purposes, but it can be useful in the kitchen too. I’d love to try those new spray-on lotions someday to see if they are more effective than globbing on lotion the way we do now. Even with the cleaning fluid with our windshield wipers, you’ll find sprays are the perfect way to cover a larger area more finely. In general, they’re a great way to get more bang for your buck!

365great Day 299: touch lamps

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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365great challenge day 299: touch lampsWhen my mom got me this lamp as a kid, it was so exciting. I was able to adjust it to multiple levels of light depending on my needs, all by tapping it! How cool is that? Technology has a way of making life easier and much more fun. I loved using my body as a tool to control this lamp and it kept it by my beside for years. I’d even take my cats paws and use them to help me change the lighting in my room at times, wondering if I could train them to control the light too. I never quite got around to spending the time to teach them because I liked doing it myself too much. I also liked the greater control it offered me, with varying levels of light for reading, sleeping, or whatever else I was doing. Maybe I’m just easily amused, but I think lamps like these are great!

Julep Starter Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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I’ve been waiting around for a Julep starter box that I really liked and I finally came across one with a beauty item that I would love to try. A typical box includes two nail polish shades and one beauty item (one of their style profiles features all beauty items). Up until now, every time I checked, that bonus product was something I either already had or wasn’t interested in. But then I came across the most recent one, which included the Luxe Repair Skin Serum and I was sold. I mean, the first box is free (you pay $3.99 shipping) so that’s a pretty awesome deal.

I got this one right after the Naughty & Nice Mystery Box, so I’ve got to admit it looked small and sparse, but I still liked it! I’m not sure if I’d spend $20 for it though, so I’m probably going to be skipping many months of my Julep subscription (luckily you can skip every month so you’re never stuck with something you don’t like). The current starter boxes now include the Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum as the beauty item, which I have, so I’m really glad I snagged this box while it was available!

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 (which is very easy to do). They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free boxes.

first look at julep maven boho glam starter box contents

First look at the inside of the box.

julep maven boho glam starter box contents with welcome card

I went for the Boho Glam style, so I got a cute card for that.

You also get a reusable baggie, which I’m guessing only comes the first time as a welcome gift!

set of julep polishes in tatiana and michelle

The two colors for this style profile were Tatiana and Michelle.

julep luxe repair skin serum

And the product I was very happy to receive, the Luxe Repair Serum!

I’m excited to try all of these items, but haven’t yet. I’ve been really getting into serums lately, ever since I read about how they penetrate your skin deeper (thanks for that info Yuzen!). I like the idea that it gets into your layers of skin well below the surface. It feels so enriching and nourishing!

[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!]

Escape Monthly December: Italy Box Review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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To round off the year, Escape Monthly offered their very first international theme of Italy!

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 december italy box products showing

escape monthly december italy box info card against blue and white chevron background

escape monthly december italy box info card opened with details of products included(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

I don’t know what I might have expected in this box, since all I can think of when I think of Italy is delicious mushroom pizza. Of course that’s not something you can readily pack into a box, so of course what we got were snacks and some skincare items. They’re all totally appropriate for Italy, though I do wish they could have snuck some pasta in too. I would have loved another beauty tool or some sort of trinket from the region to top it all off.

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Living Abroad in Italy – This is exactly the sort of thing I’d put in a care package for someone planning on studying abroad in Italy. Of course, I don’t know anyone at the moment, but I’m sure it will be a great way to learn more about the country and see what other areas I might want to explore. I’ve been to Rome, Vatican City, Venice, and (briefly) Pisa. I’ve got Florence, Milan, and Naples on my radar… who knows what else I might learn about that I must go see next time!

iSiciliami Passione Pasticcera Riccio al Cacao cookies – I think these are a great selection – a very Italianesque cookie that I’ve actually never heard of. So here I am learning something new about the country and getting to try wonderful treats that were actually made over there. Unfortunately I didn’t get to try them before having to leave, so I’m excited to get back and try them soon. I’ve heard fantastic reviews on them so far and I’m always a fan of a good cookie.

Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata hazelnut spread – Now I’m not quite sure how/when to use this spread, but it does sound delicious. I love that it’s organic and it’s from a family business based in Italy. Treats like these definitely fit with the theme. I would have loved if they included some cookies/crackers/bread that this could be spread on. I’ll have to try it on some toast or maybe even a bagel, though I hardly ever eat those so I might just eat this straight from the jar. 😛

Skin&Co Roma Truffle Body Milk – What an adorable lotion! I love the look and feel of it – perfect for keeping at your desk to use when you’re feeling a bit dry. Using truffles is so very European of them and makes their line seem quite luxurious. I loved looking into the story of how the line got started generations ago and why having truffles in the products is good (antioxidants helping to reduce free radical damage). I hear it smells great too, which I shall have to confirm when I get my hands on it again.

Skin&Co Roma Truffle Body Gel – With claims of anti-aging effects and a super cool ingredient like truffle extract, this definitely has me intrigued. As mentioned already, the branding on this is pretty cool. And of course I gotta love that they’re a born and bred Italian company!

Perugina Baci chocolates – These were the bonus item this time around and really, who could say no to chocolate truffles? I just wish there were more of these! Since they’re individually wrapped, they are perfect to share with others (if you can resist eating them all yourself).

La Civetta extra virgin olive oil – Such a cute bottle of olive oil, which I can’t wait to break into the next time we cook. I’m curious what the green apple and almond flavor in it is like. Do most olive oils have other flavors infused like that? Have I just not noticed all this time? I can’t say that I really know much about olive oil so maybe it’s normal, but I think it’s really cool that they’ve got some other flavoring going on there.

Olio & Olive Castelvetrano olives – Ah yes, I should have known there would be olives. I’m personally not a fan, so I’ll be looking to give these away, but I do like that they came in a nice neat see-through package. I might look into seeing if I can make my own olive oil from them though… that’d be pretty cool to try!

Provence of Terni Umbria – I think this might have been added in as part of the Skin&Co set since that’s where the whole truffle thing got started for the brand, or maybe it’s just a coincidence and Umbria is a place I should be adding to my future destinations. Whatever the case, I look forward to learning more!

I really like how this box wasn’t just a hodge podge of things that vaguely remind you of Italy. It seems like they really took the time to pick out some fabulous Italian brands to showcase, which I really appreciate. I’ve definitely discovered a ton of new stuff! What do you think of this international Escape Monthly box? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): PAMPERME or COLORADO for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription, ITALIANESCAPE for 20% off, GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

January we’ll be getting a Colorado box! Panda just went there recently so I’ll be interested to hear what he thinks.
escape monthly december italy box info card back with preview of next month's box theme of colorado

[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 287: LoveSacs

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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365great challenge day 287: lovesacsBack in high school, I first discovered the LoveSac store in the mall with my best friend, Katana. We’d go hang out there on those amazing bags and dream of one day owning one. They’re so cush and fun to lounge around on. In college, they went away and I was so bummed… but then near graduation, I saw a friend wearing their t-shirt and I was SO thrilled to hear they were back in business! When I’d been working for a little while, I decided it was finally time to make that wish come true. I got a PillowSac, which is a square-ish version of the original LoveSacs. Funny enough, I then had a friend lend me his LoveSac (which had been sitting in the office unused). We took this picture the day he came to reclaim his property once he had space for it again. Today I went to check out their Sactionals, which I was considering for our new condo. The price point is beyond what I’m willing to pay at this point, so they shall have to wait. I sure hope I can get them eventually! They’d make a great addition to our home.

Treatsie December 2013 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Treatsie has decided to increase their offering from 3 confectioners to 4 per box, which in turn means raising their prices slightly. As a preview of what this new box will be like, they sent it out to everyone this month. Per my understanding, I can keep the current 3 brands per box $15 subscription through the end of 2014, or I can choose to upgrade to the new 4 brands per box $19.95 subscription. I’m still undecided on this and might keep the current subscription, checking out what the difference between this and the new one is like before deciding sometime next year.

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

treatsie december new box with purple lettering

The new standard Treatsie box.

treatsie december box interior with mint green tissue paper and purple sticker

treatsie change in subscription service notice card

treatsie december box contents with info card

nutwhats pecan scribble from treatsie december 2013 boxNutwhats Pecan Scribble: These were the bonus items that got included because of the new subscription style. I wonder if they would have made it into the next box if Treatsie kept the 3 brands per box model. They’re a fun snack, kind of like a brittle bar but kind of like a nutty crunch bar. They’re topped with a drizzle of chocolate and have a very sweet flavor. I like them, but I’ve never been huge on nuts so I don’t think I’d ever crave them. I like how the nuts are ground into tiny pieces so I don’t get a huge chunk at a time. The super crunchy texture is nice and kind of makes me feel like I’m eating a biscuit at times.

ashby confections tortoises from treatsie december 2013 boxAshby Confections Milk Chocolate Tortoises: Oh yum!! The combination of chocolate and caramel makes me quite enjoy the pecans as part of this treat. I think I also like it because the pecans are soft so I don’t feel like I’m eating nuts at all. The salt on top is a nice detail that makes this candy feel classy. I gobbled this right up and I do believe they’re the best turtles/tortoises I’ve ever had! Right up my alley and my taste buds are happy. 🙂

tahana confections caramels in pumpkin pie spice, salted, ganache with sea salt, and vanilla from treatsie december 2013 boxTahana Confections caramels in Pumpkin Pie Spice, Salted, Ganache with Sea Salt, & Vanilla: These are addicting. Each piece is quite large so I thought they’d last me a few mouthfuls, but I found that once I bit in I couldn’t stop and just had to eat the whole thing at once. I like how they’re just the right consistency – not too soft and not too firm. The way your teeth sink in ever so gently, yet with little resistance makes it oh so easy to eat it right up. I loved all the flavors and this was the first time I’d tried a caramel with little bits of chocolate hidden inside (the ganache one), which was a fun surprise! I also loved the fragrant sweetness of the vanilla. I would totally buy more of these.

sucre chocolate baby bars in milk chocolate & almond and dark chocolate from treatsie december 2013 boxSucré Milk Chocolate & Almond and Dark Chocolate baby bars: Finally, there were these adorable little bars. As expected, I wasn’t really into the almond ones, but the dark chocolate was yummy. At just 53% cacao, it was on the sweeter side for a dark chocolate, great for those of you who are more of milk chocolate fans. I don’t think I could have more than one piece at a time since the sweetness was quite potent. It’s like they still packed all the flavor of a regular size bar into these minis! That’s good for those who are trying to portion control, since one piece goes a long way.

Overall I enjoyed this box, but was not completely convinced that I should upgrade to the new box. I mean, $15 a month for candy was already a stretch and now $20? I’m going to have to sit on this one a little while. I’m glad that they’re still keeping the original box for another year to let us figure it out. Would you 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!]

Julep Naughty & Nice Mystery Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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When I saw this offer come through my inbox, I decided it was finally time for me to buy something from Julep. The first time I ever got any of their products was for free to test and since then I’ve acquired some more through trades, but never actually bought from them. The Naughty & Nice Mystery box promised a $125 value box with two colors, Brenda and Aviva, guaranteed. I’m thrilled with what came in it and I’ll definitely keep an eye out for other mystery boxes.

Julep mystery boxes are just under $25 per box and come with at least 2 polish colors and many other beauty products. These are one-time orders and do not require a subscription.

julep naughty and nice mystery box email with $125 worth of products including brenda and aviva polishes for $25

I just couldn’t resist.

julep black cardboard box

Hello Julep. (And hello my lovely new kitchen counter!)

first look at julep naughty and nice mystery box contents

I was very happy with this first look. Plenty of great products!

julep naughty and nice mystery box contents including rock star hand creme, kajal eye glider, blank canvas primer, green tea blotting papers, luxe repair samples, luxe care samples, lip gloss, and polishes in america, joanna, nellie, aviva, alaina, and brenda

A wonderful assortment of products.

travel size tube of julep rock star hand creme

Rock Star Hand Creme
Cute little travel size tube with a lid that twists to allow the lotion out through a hole on the bottom – interesting design.

julep kajal eye glider in brown shimmer and carbon black with sharpener

Kajal Eye Glider in brown shimmer and carbon black, with sharpener
This double-tipped eye liner has one end in brown, one end in black and comes with a sharpener. Perfect, since I needed one of those.

julep blank canvas mattifying face primer

Blank Canvas Mattifying Face Primer
I wasn’t thinking about getting a primer, but as it turns out I think it’s exactly what I need.

julep lip gloss in timeless shade

Lip Gloss in timeless
This is a nice subtle color and the tube is quite large! It’ll last me a long time and it smells fabulous.

set of julep polishes in america, joanna, nellie, aviva, alaina, and brenda

Polish colors in America, Joanna, Nellie, Aviva, Alaina, and Brenda. All the shades I got lined up… looks so lovely.

julep green tea facial blotting papers, luxe care hand creme, and luxe repair skin serum samples

Green Tea Facial Blotting Papers, Luxe Care Hand Creme, and Luxe Repair Skin Serum samples
All great samples to try!

Estimated value: $171.10 (Rock Star Hand Creme $7, Kajal Eye Glider $22, Blank Canvas $28, Lip Gloss $17.60, Nail Color @ $14 each: $84, Blotting Papers $5, Luxe Repair samples $6.50, Luxe Care samples $1) or $136.88 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).

[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 281: gifts

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , ,
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365great challenge day 281: giftsWhile I’m generally not into gifts and presents, they’re still fun to get sometimes. The surprise element of getting something combined with the mystery of what it is can be a fun and exciting experience. I enjoyed the white elephant exchange at work today and it reminded me of some of the joy that comes along with gifting. I was careful with what I chose and I’m sure it will be appreciated by the recipient. Some people went with silly gifts for a laugh, others went with totally random stuff and it was interesting seeing what it all was. You can find some funky items out there! It’s also really nice to get gifts for those who usually do without, which is why Panda and I will be donating a toy to kids each year. Ultimately it comes down to the experience of sharing time or care (for me at least), and that’s why gift-giving can be so great.

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