I got this cool set of Inkodye way back in the fall of last year, after Lumi’s Kickstarter ended and they produced the first batches of their product for backers. I’ve held on to it ever since, waiting for just the right things to try to dye. I’m still looking for a shirt or something, but in the mean time I came across the very same dye being sent out in a subscription box! Brandy of MommySplurge shared her cool creation and it’s adorable. Now I really need to get my act together and finally put my dye to use. What an amazing this concept is – turning the idea of a darkroom on its head and actually using the sun to set your dye rather than hiding from it! I’ve got to do something when I’m back in LA and I’ll definitely show you what happens. It’s gonna be great. 🙂
Posts Tagged ‘products’
365great Day 277: Lumi Inkodye
Ipsy December 2013: Celebration!
The December days have just fallen away from me without me realizing! How did half the month creep by already?! So of course Ipsy was not even on my mind yet when I got the notification that it had been sent out. Since I hadn’t already checked my glam room, I decided to let it be a complete surprise this time. At first glance, I really like the bag – it’s a super fun texture and great for use in any situation. The black exterior isn’t too flashy and the red interior is a lovely touch.
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.
The theme this month is Celebration! Each of these items is definitely something I can see people using when getting ready for a holiday party (in fact, I used the perfume oil and lip pencil for the one I went to last night). I think they could have gone a little more glittery or bold with red to really give me that celebratory feeling.
Nicka K New York Nail Color in Classic Taupe – While I’m always a fan of nail polish and this bottle is really cute, I’m not sure about the color. It’s a neutral shade that is quite mature for me and a bit too dark for my liking. I’ll give it another try though and see how I like it after wearing it for a few days. I might still try to trade it for one of the other options that were sent out this month, like the purple one that was another brand. I am intrigued by this brand and will definitely look out for them in the future. The nail polish applies really well and were it not for the shade, I’d totally keep it!
Demeter Snow Perfume Oil Roll On – I’d heard of these roll on perfume oils from other subscription boxes. I forget which one it was that included the Salt scent, but I remember a ton of people were really excited about it. I was pretty surprised to find it in my bag and I’m more than happy to try it out. I don’t ever wear perfume, but this fun little roll on glides on effortlessly and has a light scent that I can totally handle.
Be a Bombshell The One Stick in Flustered – When I first saw this, I figured it was an all-in-one type of solution, but I couldn’t quite figure out what exactly that entailed. Apparently it’s good for your tinting your cheeks, eyelids, or lips. I tried it on my cheeks and whoooa it’s bright! Panda even asked me if I was feeling flushed, lol. I might have to stick with using it for my lips then. I’ve been getting into red lips lately and have a lot of fun with that at night and occasionally on the weekends. I guess next time we have an event, I can put it on for kicks and experiment like I did with eyeliner/eye shadow yesterday.
POP Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eye Shadow Trio in Smokin’ Hot – Ok, this is the definite no product for me in this bag. I just am not into eye shadows. It’s a cool palette and I can totally see how it’d be great for the season, but I’m putting it up for trade. While I did enjoy putting a little bit of shine on my eyelids last night, it happens so infrequently that it would take many lifetimes to ever use these eye shadows. How do I make Ipsy stop sending me this type of product?! It’s super adorable though and I wish I could put it to good use.
J.Cat Beauty Big Lip Pencil in Caramel Mocha – Based on the color of the stick and what you can see, I definitely expected this color to be more bright. Instead, it’s a very creamy and rather nude shade against my lips. That actually works out quite well for when I want a little something without being super bold. I also love how smoothly it applies. I’ll be keeping this handy in my bag for touch-ups!
Would you keep all of these items? If not, what would you trade? If you’re interested in Ipsy, sign up for just $10/month!
[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!]
Weird. Wonderful.
Yesterday. What an… unusual day. Today. Another oddity. (But scattered in between were precious moments of wonder too.)
Let’s start from the beginning. I got to sleep in a bit yesterday because we had our condo walk-through scheduled for 10. It wouldn’t make sense for me to go to work first, so I just met Panda there. I originally planned on going to Target first to go return some stuff and get a notebook, but the time I allocated for that got taken up by a challenging deicing process. I’d completely forgotten about the icy rain the night before and found my car encased in one solid layer of ice.
I woke to a very frozen world!
I couldn’t even open the car door by pressing the button.
Haha, there was even a bit of ice standing straight up around that little stick thing. Nothing can escape the layer of ice!
As I was cleaning off my car, I heard crackling and I thought someone was pouring hot water on ice, but it turns out the trees were breaking apart.
When I finally got it all off the windows, I headed to the condo. Along the way, I was careful to keep a distance from the other cars. The van in front of me started shedding ice sheets when it picked up speed and eventually my own came flying off too. We met at our new home and were taken inside by one of the guys who manages all the construction. He showed us all the light switches, faucets, doors, rooms, plugs, appliances, windows, heating and cooling systems, plumbing, etc. We have a lot of low flow options to help save water, including the toilet, shower heads, and kitchen faucet. I played with a bunch of the windows, which flip inwards so we can easily clean the outside. Smart! The demo guy was baffled that I wore a heavy jacket and multiple layers, yet bounded around barefoot, even stepping outside like it wasn’t freezing out. I’d never thought that was weird and suddenly I felt like a nymph or something after that, haha. It was fun to see everything brand new and ready for use! This is our new place!!
I’m so glad we went with stainless steel appliances. Lovin’ the kitchen!
I joke about turning this into a dance studio… wouldn’t that be cool?
I can’t wait to have a shower where I don’t have to deal with a curtain!!
This sink is mine and the opposite one will be Panda’s. I might need some of his drawers though. 😛
The master looks smaller when it’s not the model home, but we don’t want a giant space anyway.
They provide us with a ton of manuals so we can figure out how to operate and maintain everything.
On the opposite end is my favorite room, the most massive one that’s about the size of a two-car garage. I would love to get a grand piano and pool table in it, lol. Totally not happening anytime soon, if ever. But the dream lives on… From this room you can see straight down to the kitchen.
The hall bath is for the other bedrooms and guests. It’s the only counters that aren’t granite – the upgrade just wasn’t worth it.
Oh I’m going to love hanging out on the porch when it’s warmer.
I brought along my newest craft as a house warming gift to bring some holiday cheer to the place!
It’s so fascinating how the ice created that layer over everything.
I doubt we’ll be using the front door all that much, except to pick up packages that don’t fit in the mailbox!
Hello beautiful. I can’t wait to move in!
By the time we finished, it was about 11:30 and Panda and I went to get an early lunch together before going to work. Apparently I’d missed a fire alarm at our office that morning and not long after arriving, I was heading to the restroom when the doorbell rang. Since I was on my way, I went to answer it and found a guy from the power company telling me he had orders to shut off our power. I thought I’d been pranked and the shock of that announcement had me completely baffled. A lot of people weren’t in the office due to the weather, so I didn’t even know who to get. We eventually got that sorted out… whew!
By the time we went to lunch, the icicles were nearly all melted.
Some people decided that walking on the grass was better than the path, I guess.
Good thing these trees were trimmed last month, or the branches might have broken off. This looks so surreal.
Later in the afternoon, Autumnfall asked me to accompany her to the local grocery store to get some candy canes for a promo we’re going to run. Along the way, we had a ton of fun admiring our surroundings, getting pictures of iced over plants and the scenes along the walk. That’s when we saw that breathtaking hawk make a pit stop. As we were nearing the store, a random guy said, “Hey ladies” in a rather creepy way and as we were checking out, this old man stood waaay too close to us even though the line was for four possible registers. Just adding to the strange occurrences of the day. Back in the office, we took some time for a photo shoot with the candy canes and got some pretty hilarious shots. More to come on that, when the promo starts (we’re giving away candy canes)!
Our walk turned out to be quite the adventure, with giant puddles and hawk sightings and tunnels to go through. Oh, and creepy men too.
More iced up plants!
Iced up berries!
Ok, ok, just one more iced plant picture!
The fog was thickening and starting to obscure the cranes up top.
I promised no more iced plants, but here’s just some ice that fell from pine trees!
After work, I made that Target run I’d meant to do in the morning. I ended up exchanging one item and realizing that the other was from Charlotte Russe – oops! And of course I left, completely forgetting that I wanted to get a notebook too. There’s another Target on the way home, so I figured I could go there and also swing by a gas station for gas, but I completely blanked on the exit and missed it. I reeeeally need to write out my thoughts though, so I decided to make a slight detour to yet another Target. When I arrived, there was a girl crying her heart out near the front. It reminded me of how I’ve been feeling lately and I sort of wish I could bawl it out too. But for now, the tears won’t come even when my heart is heavy. Maybe the writing will help. While browsing notebooks, I found a really fun set of festive ones. Even better is that they’re eco-friendly. Always a plus in my book!
I thought this looked funny so I took a picture and then a Target guy happened to come to collect them and he explained that they use them to wipe off the carts. Since they don’t have a dryer, they just hang them where they can. How nice! A wet cart is certainly no fun to shop with.
Ooh, the fog is really settling in now.
My newest thought-catchers. 🙂 So pretty!
The blue one says “Looking at the stars always makes me dream.” -Vincent van Gogh
The green one says “Happiness is a bright and shining thing.” -Unknown
The red one says “Joy delights in joy.” -William Shakespeare
So finally, I made it home and was watching The Voice and The Sing-Off. After about an hour of the air running, I started to wonder why it wasn’t heating up. I tried resetting the thermostat with no success, so I just turned off the air and bundled up. After doing some writing, blogging, and news watching, I went to bed. I didn’t sleep very well, waking up frequently once it started to get light out. Around 7, I looked out to see the snow blanketing everything. The plow trucks hadn’t made it in yet. I kept going back to sleep and waking up to check on the status of the roads… things didn’t seem to improve much so I decided to work from home today. I had trouble getting up and really working because of the chillier air. I waited a few hours before calling management to send someone to look at it. I learned that there’s an emergency option that uses the heater in the closet rather than whatever’s outside. They figured the outside one got frozen over (no surprise there) so it wasn’t working. I just need to wait for the ice to melt to use it like normal again.
Why good morning, snow.
I went outside once the skies cleared and appreciated the sun for a bit.
When the sun came out, the snow melted from the trees quickly!
During what normally would have been my lunch break, I decided to take a shower. Now that’s one perk I like about working from home! When I want to refresh myself, I can just hop in the shower AND still have plenty of time to eat some lunch. Come 3 in the afternoon, I was getting antsy being alone with no one to talk to for so long while I tried to pound through work. I took advantage of another benefit of working from home and got changed into some workout gear, then went running! I can’t remember the last time I did that (sometime in college probably) and in snow? Gosh, that would have been over a decade ago. Still, it felt good to clear my head even if I was rather out of shape. I listened to some music and just tried to stay in that zone for as long as possible.
It looks kind of gross, but it kind of reminds me of a fungus I like to eat called wood ears.
Somebody had left some furniture by the side of the road, like this sofa. Would make for a pretty cool photo shoot!
When I decided to slow for a bit, I found a playground with a little climbing arch and climbed up to sit on it. It was so nice to peer into woods, groove to my music, and shut out the world for awhile. When it got too cold, I got up and jogged back. I had put the key to the apartment in my leggings thinking they were tight enough to keep it in place. When I was going up the final set of stairs, I stopped to pull it out only to find it was gone. I patted all the way down my legs and started to get worried… I guess I’ve learned a lesson about sticking a key in your pants. Doesn’t work so well when you’re jolting it around while running. Luckily, it had stopped falling down right around my ankle. Thank goodness! I then picked up with work again (albeit with slightly shaky fingers).
Saw this and couldn’t resist. I just had to climb it.
Sitting on the bars, enjoying the amazing air as I watched a squirrel in the distance.
My running path was a little treacherous but I didn’t slip once. What a serene place.
I’ve felt off ever since returning from my extended Thanksgiving break. Last week was cut short since I got back halfway through the week, which kind of threw me off. Now this week has only been two days and it feels like the week should be over already. My internal clock must be all out of whack. I hope tomorrow brings a more normal day; I could certainly use some boring old normalcy in my life right now.
Blissmobox: Bliss de Toilette
Been awhile since I’ve posted up my Blissmobox stuff! I want to get them all up just so it’s all out there. This one was the April one and I chose the Bliss de Toilette option because I always like getting skincare and I wasn’t feeling the snack box.
blissmobox is just under $25 per month with shipping (or as discounted as just under $120 for 6 months) and comes with eco-friendly products in themes like beauty, snacks, home, pets, and more. Each month you choose from two or three themes, or skip if none of them appeal to you. They do not offer a referral program.
The two choices for the April blissmobox.
I liked the name of this box, so I decided to try it. It was an ok box for me – I didn’t like that the only full-sized product was a repeat from the March blissomobox I’d just gotten! I even wrote about it because I contacted their customer support about it and did NOT get the kind of resolution I was looking for. Oh well, I guess you can’t win it all. If I’d gotten a different box for March and hadn’t already seen the lotion, this box would have been alright for me.
Softwater Soapworks, Lemongrass soap – This is a really cute little handmade soap bar that makes for a perfect item to be used in a guest bathroom. I have a bunch of soap bars I have yet to use so this will be saved for that queue or I might share it with someone if they ever come over to visit and want a soap bar to use. I love that this soap is vegan with very simple ingredients. I wish I could make soap like this too! I’ll have to try it out one day.
NATU, Liberating Shampoo & Reawakening Conditioner – I don’t often need shampoo and conditioner samples since I either have full sizes at home or travel sizes at hotels, but when I get these I want to save them for a time I’d need them. Sooo they end up not getting used for awhile usually. I like the names they use for these and how they’re free of all the crazy chemicals that hair care products are often laden with.
Antho, organic serum – This little bottle can go quite a long way since it doesn’t take much oil to get the job done. It has a light herby scent and is super healing for dry skin. I like what I see from this brand and I’ll have to add them to my list of brands to try more products from. I actually can’t find this product on their site, so I wonder if I would even be able to get more of it.
Skin Salvy, unscented lip repair lip balm – I find myself using a whole lot more lip balm now that I’m living out east, so it’s always good to have more. I haven’t opened this one yet since I have many tubes open, but I’m sure I will get around to it soon. At this rate I’m going to go through 3-4 tubes this winter! That’s more than I’ve used for years… but hey, I’m really trying to avoid chapped or dry lips.
Earth Science, Daily Sun Defense Lotion SPF 15+ – Well, I do like that this is a giant bottle of lotion. Great for slathering on to keep my skin hydrated all through the cold months. It feels good and doesn’t have a scent so it’s good for guys to use too. I just wish I hadn’t already gotten one! I would have loved to try another product from this company, or a lotion from another brand.
Golden Earth, aromatherapy perfumes from nature in euphoria – I’m not into perfumes, but since this is an aromatherapy scent I’m thinking of dabbing it on my temples and wrists to relax with after yoga or during meditation. This rose and jasmine blend is supposed to inspire happiness, creativity and a sense of well-being – perfect! Who doesn’t want some of that, right? I might even try putting a few drops on my yoga mat so I get a whiff of it as I do my yoga practice.
100% Pure, green apple nourishing body cream – I’ve stashed this away for when I need a super portable bit of lotion. I’m such a hoarder! I have a bunch of these packets but only one in this scent so I almost don’t want to open it… just not yet!! I like the simplicity of this brand and I’d enjoy a full size of one of their lotions if I didn’t already have way more lotions than I need. I also have a scrub from them I need to try!
If you’d like more info on these brands, you can click below to enlarge the photo and read more.
Escape Monthly November: Vermont Box Review
Vermont is one of those states that I keep meaning to go to, but have yet to make the trip yet. I can’t help but think of the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, which I heard a ton of ads for on the radio back in the early 2000s when I was living in New York. I’m pretty clueless about what they have to offer, so this month’s Escape Monthly box is a great one for me to explore something new!
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)
I must admit, when I first opened the box I was kind of disappointed that there were only nine items, but once I started digging in, I was pretty pleased with what they included. I think part of it is because there was no tool type item this time, whether a brush or scrubber or what have you – I really enjoy getting those items! Despite that, I was pretty impressed with the products in this box, which were all quite eco-friendly. I’m liking Vermont!
Here’s what came in the box:
Moon Handbooks guide to Vermont – As always, the knowledge packrat in me enjoys getting these so I can learn a ton about Vermont. Now the issue is actually getting around to reading them… I figure I’ll get around to it whenever we plan a trip to the area. Until then, I’m getting a nice collection of these handbooks to reference.
Way Out Wax Escentual Love Tea Lights – These little tea lights are scented with lavender, patchouli, and rosewood for a soothing scent that reminds me of many of the items in the Whole Body section of Whole Foods. This type of smell also reminds me of the calm of yoga, which is perfect for relaxing with. I love that they are made with soy wax with the simplest ingredients you could imagine. I can definitely feel good about burning these!
Distler’s Maple Pretzels – I’m a fan of mixing salty snacks with some sweetness, so these are a nice snack for me. Usually pretzels are too dry and salty for me, but the sweetness of these is perfect for counteracting some of that feeling. I still can’t eat too much at once since they’re very crunchy and I can feel them grinding, but I enjoyed them! If I see them in a store, I’d likely get another pack.
True North Ginger Gluten-free Granola snack pack – Mmm, yum! I like this granola a lot. It has a lot more variety of seeds and other bits and the flavor is nice and strong. It’s not too hard and dry like some other granolas so I could definitely eat this frequently. I’d love to get some yogurt to also eat with this – then I’d feel so healthy!
Quinn Popcorn in Vermont Maple & Sea Salt – I’m not usually a popcorn fan, but this flavor does sound intriguing. It’s been ages since I’ve microwaved a bag of popcorn and I want to save these for a night in when I want a nice hot snack. I’m starting to learn that this whole Vermont maple must be a popular thing. I usually think of Maine when I hear about maple!
Whisper Hill Olive Oil Soap in Bergamot – This is a good-sized soap with a really nice scent. I have a ton of soaps so I won’t open this one just yet. I like the concept of olive oil soap though and bergamot’s a lovely scent. I can imagine this being one of those super lathery soaps that makes using them super fun.
Nature’s Mysteries Twilight Face Creme – Ooo, this is super rich and hydrating. Exactly what my skin needs in this chilly weather! It’s not as thick as I thought it might be, but boy does it apply and absorb well. It’s vegan and contains no synthetic ingredients, which is wonderful. I’m definitely adding this to my face routine so my skin doesn’t get dried out from the winter air.
Belle Savon Lavender & Mint Whipped Shea Butter Cream – This shea butter is sooo creamy and it smells fab. I love the combination of lavender and peppermint for a refreshing sweet scent. It smells so good I want to just gobble it up. My hands will be thanking me when I apply this! I’ll have to check out their line of other products. I know I’m going to want more!
Lake Champlain Chocolates of Vermont – What adorable chocolates. Each comes with a fun design, whether shaped like a mountain or pressed with a maple leaf design. I enjoyed them all but have a particular weak spot for the Maple Crunch’s toffee bit inside dark chocolate. The other flavors are Honey Caramel (gooey caramel in dark chocolate), Evergreen Mint (peppermint crunch in dark chocolate), and Green Mountain (roasted almonds and dried fruit in milk chocolate).
Do you like this month’s Escape Monthly box? Do you think it represents Vermont well? Get Escape Monthly for yourself! Sign up here and try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): ESCAPENOW for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription, ITALIANESCAPE for 20% off, GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.
Next month, we get to go outside the US for the first time!
[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 November 2013: Glam It Up
I’m pretty pleased with the Ipsy bag this time around, partly because there’s an extra beyond the usual 5! I do think IpsyMatch could have matched me up with something I’d love a lot more, but I’m getting more open to trying some products I don’t usually use.
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.
The Nailtini Lacquer in Champagne looks kind of dark at first, but it applies in a lovely shade that is really subtle and nice. It’s perfect for work when I don’t want to draw attention to my nails but I want them to have some color. It goes well with my skin tone and blends in quite well yet offers a nice sheen to my nails. I like it a lot and I’ll definitely be using it a lot throughout the holiday season!
I’m still debating whether I should open the Pixi Beauty Bronzer in Summertime…I’ve never used bronzer and I don’t want to keep adding to my routine. At the same time, I’m kind of curious how it would look and if I’d like it. I guess since I already have it I might as well try it right? Not like I’d buy one for myself. But I don’t know about adding yet another thing to put on my face – wasn’t the point of BB cream supposed to be that I wouldn’t use all this? I’m still searching for the perfect all-in-one product for that.
I really like the presentation of the Cailyn Mineral Eyeshadow in Champagne, what with its cute sponge tip and loos powder consistency. I gave this a try and while I don’t like wearing eyeshadow, I do like having something like this to put on my skin for a bit of a golden sparkle. It’s really more of a novelty item for me and not something I’d put on the way it was meant to be. I’m enjoying playing around with this and just being silly with it.
Everyone got a bonus item from the em michelle phan line of cosmetics and I got the pillow plush cushiony lip balm in strawberry – perfect! Out of all the products, this would probably be the most fitting for me. I love the subtle strawberry scent and the nice rich texture. It applies well, has a bit of a red tint, and feels nice. The packaging is cute though I think it would have been cool if the lid had a mirror instead of the white background so you can get a glimpse of your lips with it.
The be a bombshell lip crayon in hot dang* is a fun bright red! I never go for something so vibrant and prefer much more neutral colors that blend in with my skin tone better, but I decided to have some fun with this. I don’t know if I’ll ever wear it out since red lips attract too much attention to that area for my liking, but hey now I have just the right thing to apply if I ever need to make a perfect red lip print on something! It’s really smooth and easy to glide on to your lips.
Finally, there’s the Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil in Amethyst. I’m tempted to open it since I love purple, but I really don’t see myself using it. Apparently it can be an eyeliner or eyeshadow. I can see myself trying it for kicks but not actually using it when I go out. Ah, dilemmas. So far I haven’t opened any of the Starlooks items that have come in Ipsy bags so maybe it’s time to try one. I mean, how could I resist amethyst??? One of my favorite gemstones and words…
This might be the second time that I won’t be trading anything from my bag! Would you keep all these items? What did you get in your bag? Sign up for Ipsy if you like what you see!
*Yes I changed this word because I don’t curse. I don’t care if it’s the name or not. 😛
[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!]
Influenster Rose VoxBox
For a long time, I’d been waiting to receive this Influenster VoxBox. Day after day I’d be disappointed when it wasn’t in the mail. Finally, I decided to check my old emails and found that there was a tracking link I’d totally missed back when they sent it out. According to that, my package had been delivered on Nov. 1st! Yet here I was two weeks later with no sign of it… I called the rental office since they receive packages that won’t fit in the mailbox and thankfully, my package was there with them. All this time of waiting when I could have been enjoying it! I miss the days when the post lady left a slip so I’d know there was a package to go pick up. Usually we get a notification slip from the office if we haven’t picked up the package in a few days, but that somehow slipped me by as well. Sooo let’s dig right in!
The Rose VoxBox. These Influenster boxes keep getting better!
I’m pretty excited about this box. Just like the Sunkissed VoxBox, I’m interested in every single item here! I love the variety of products to explore and some of these products are quite novel to me.
Vitabath Spa Day Cucumber & White Tea hydrating lotion – Anything with white tea and I’m in. I love the light refreshing scent of this lotion and its nice rich texture. Perfect for keeping the whole body nourished during the winter months. This is a large bottle that will last for quite awhile! It really does give me a great relaxing spa feel and I can’t stop smelling my skin. 😛 It’s wonderful!
Dr. Scholl’s For Her Cozy Cushions – Omg when I saw this I was so amused! I had no idea Dr. Scholl’s makes insoles like this (or that something like this existed at all). They’re the best thing you could ask for in boots and other winter wear. When I get my boots from home this Thanksgiving, I’m totally putting these in. This is amazing! I can’t wait to try them out and make boot-wearing so much more comfortable.
Rimmel Retro Glam mascara – I’ve never tried Rimmel products before and I’m looking forward to trying out this fun mascara. I have some others I want to work through first, but I might still open it before those are used up. I don’t use mascara nearly enough to get to it anytime soon, so maybe I should start wearing it daily.
Kiss Gradation polishes – Ah so cool!! I have done a two-tone gradation myself before but nothing quite as fancy as this three-tone one. The colors are a bit bold for my normal wear, but I’ll try them out on my toes and for a holiday party or other special event. Very starry night or wintery sort of feel with this look!
Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffles – Classic chocolate treat. Always a win in my book! I enjoy Lindor truffles, so I wish they’d included more. That cute little container only includes one ball! Certainly not enough for my sweet tooth.
belVita blueberry breakfast biscuits – I’ve had these in previous boxes and I enjoy them! I should probably actually buy some to snack on. I love that they’re sweet and crunchy for a satisfying burst of flavor when you munch on them. Probably a better way to start the day than with cereal (or, in my case, nothing).
What do you think of the #RoseVoxBox?
365great Day 246: Influenster
I finally got my hands on my Rose VoxBox from Influenster and I’m thrilled! It’s been a few months since I received a box from them (all of which are FREE) and I’m excited to dig in. I love the stuff that Influenster gives out and I find it amusing that my entire supply of Dr. Scholl’s has been from them (as of this box I have 3 different insoles). Influenster offers free boxes like these to people who are active on social media, maybe have a blog or vlog, and enjoy sharing great products. You earn a score based on your interaction with their site and what you post online. There are a variety of tasks you can do to boost your score, like write reviews, take surveys, and share on social media. If you’re interested, let me know and I’ll send an invite. It’s a great way to discover cool products just by leveraging your social influence online.
UK Vacation Day 6 Recap
Day 6 of our UK trip was a wonderful day of revisiting memories and sharing them with Panda. We wandered all through York and checked out a bunch of stores, buying some items but mostly browsing. I got a chance to feed some ducks and geese by a river, which I loved. We even had time to enjoy afternoon tea at Betty’s before returning to the hotel to rest and wait for the train to Edinburgh. A few hours later, we were stepping off onto Scottish soil and making our way to the hotel (getting a bit lost along the way). Once we finally found it, we happily settled in and enjoyed the welcome gifts and nice warm quarters.
[Need more recaps? Here are Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, and Day 5 recaps.]
Good morning, York!
I had a lot of fun choosing what to get from the Yorkshire Soap Co.
Yippee, now I’ve got awesome bath products from lovely Yorkshire.
Cat scarves?! I was really tempted, but next time…
Did you know Guy Fawkes was born in York?
Panda got a shot of me getting a shot of York Minster.
Our wanderings eventually took us outside the city walls.
Fancy a ghoulish tour? Then meet these guys for the Ghost Walk!
Hehe, check out this windblown street performer.
Evil Eye lounge! All I remember is weird beds upstairs and Asian fusion downstairs (with a bar too, of course).
Panda had to try some fish and chips. Tasty!
Caught me wandering.
The Sainsbury that I once walked all the way back from with my groceries!
I wish we could get on that bridge.
I had to stop and feed the birds. It’s a compulsion.
Can you see how gleeful I was? I love animals.
A ton of them joined in when they noticed food and I had fun walking along the bank sharing the wealth.
Even this pigeon wanted in on the action. Check out the cool black duck too!
At one point, I leaned over the bridge to feed them.
After running out of food, I happily walked off into the wind.
If they can make their marketing suite this big, I wonder what the places they’re selling are like!
Back in the center of town, we discovered some old cars on display.
Random browsing brought me to these adorable contact lense cases!
It was cold out, so Betty’s was especially inviting to us.
I loved warming up to a pot of tea and some snacks. Afternoon tea rocks!
Back by the hotel, I hardly recognized this as the old Toff’s where I went clubbing once. (I much preferred the Gallery.)
Does this look like a proper hotel entrance? Cuz it totally was.
After a few hours on the train, we arrived in Edinburgh and got to see the castle from afar!
All settled in at the hotel, with these nice treats waiting for us.
Yuzen Winter 2013 edition (November-January) review
Here’s the Yuzen winter box review that I meant to get out on Friday! I brought the box to work in the hopes of snapping some pictures during the day, but I got so swamped and distracted with other stuff that I didn’t find time until after sunset. I completely forgot to get individual product photos (and I didn’t want to take the time since I was trying to get that one project completed). Still, I think you can get a good sense of what it’s like and then you can tune in to the video when it’s up on Yuzen’s YouTube channel! I’ll try to get better pictures if I get a chance.
Yuzen is $33 per quarter (with boxes sent Feb, May, Aug, and Nov) and comes with around 7 or 8 eco-friendly beauty, skincare, food/snacks, and home products. Boxes are sent quarterly with no option to skip, but you can get one-time gift boxes too. Sometimes there’s a waitlist to get the subscription. They do not offer a referral program.
I like how the colors were inverted for this box – very fitting for winter!
Greetings from founders Jen & Ted, plus that beautiful strip of yuzen paper.
And the contents of the winter box! So many wonderful goodies.
Click on the pictures for the full sizes so you can enjoy all the details! You can even zoom in to read all the messaging.
sanitas – Moisture Mist: Like the serum that we got from this brand in fall box, this is from the Moisturize line. I’m a fan of mists and I’ve been using my two NYR ones pretty regularly. I’m going to save this one til my current ones run out but if it’s anything like the serum, I’m sure it’ll be rich and hydrating.
SpaRitual – nail lacquer in Golden Rule: This is a perfect polish for the holidays! You can layer it with all kinds of nail colors and it looks great. Put some on over bright red nails for a really fun party-ready look, or have some fun like I did and go with more crazy colors like orange. I’m loving my growing collection of SR nail lacquers – the bottles are adorable and a great size and of course the brand itself rocks a 5-free + vegan formula.
Pino – Facial Tissue Mask in Milk & Honey: I have a ton of masks, but none of them are milk and honey! This sounds sooo soothing that I just want to take a bath and then mask up. I’m saving this for when my skin needs a really calming influence. It seems like a lot and I wonder if I could even use it twice. From what I could feel through the packaging, it’s very thick so I think a little will go a long way with this one.
Level Naturals – Grapefruit Bergamot Soy Candle: I love this scent! It’s so wonderfully sweet and citrusy. The small tin makes it ideal for travel, though I doubt the hotel would be happy if I tried to light it in my room. Soy candles are amazing, burning ever so clean that I get all the fun of candles without worrying about getting a scratchy throat from the particles in the air. I wish that Level actually sold this size, because it is beyond adorable.
Jurlique – Rose Hand Cream: I’ve been using a lot more hand creams and lotions lately since every time I go to the restroom at work, I come back with slightly dry hands. My backlog is going down slowly and this will have to wait at the end of that line for now. I’m a bit surprised at their price point ($25 for a 40 mL tube) so unless it works miracles, I probably won’t be buying this anytime soon. I do enjoy being able to try it out though!
Sun Cups – Dark Chocolate Mint cups: I’m hesitant to try these because on the one hand I love dark chocolate but on the other hand I’m very sensitive to mint in chocolate and I’m very picky about what kind of peanut butter flavor I enjoy. I’ll take them with me to work this week and use them as a pick-me-up in the afternoon. They make a great little snack and I’m sure plenty of people love dark chocolate, mint, and peanut butter. I’m just a weirdo.
TARA Aromatherapy – Roll-On Lotion in Stress Relief: I’ve had some trouble getting this to roll out just yet, but I do like the cooling and refreshing sensation I get from the rolling of the ball and the scent. I expected it to be more like a liquid, so I wonder if there’s a strategy to getting it out. I figure if I just roll it around enough it’ll eventually start dispensing. I like doing this whenever I need a little extra oomph (or if my idle hands just want to do something).
Jane Iredale – 24-Karat Gold Dust in Gold: I never thought this would be the type of thing I’d use, but as I read all the suggestions, I find myself looking forward to trying them. A dash in my lotion, a sprinkle in my hair… I like the subtle shine I can get without getting too crazy, so I’ll be experimenting with this dust quite a bit. This is such a fun product to play around with and once again, having gold glittery things is so festive for the holidays.
Kerstin Florian – Fuß Balm: Don’t neglect your feet like I often do. Balms like these are just what we need in the cold months to protect our feet. It’s all too easy to get dry heels or achy soles. For this very reason, I’ve gotten a couple of foot products in the past few months and (I feel like I sing this song every time) I’ll test out this one once those are depleted! This brand is completely new to me and I can’t wait to see how it works for me.
And this rounds out 2013! I can hardly believe that the next Yuzen box will be arriving in 2014… it sounds so far away yet it’ll be upon us way too soon. I’ve definitely enjoyed the seasonal changes in products chosen and I look forward to what the spring box will bring. Jen and Ted did a great job once again and I am thrilled to have this growing supply of products that I may never have tried if it weren’t for subscription boxes.
What do you think of this box? Have you tried Yuzen yet? If not, what are you waiting for?!
*Disclosure: As a super fan, I was invited to be the Yuzen Ambassador to help them spread the word about their brand. I now receive the boxes for free. I was not compensated otherwise and all opinions are my own, irregardless of my relation to Yuzen. I just happen to think they’re awesome (as does everyone else I’ve heard from). 
