Posts Tagged ‘products’

October Favorites 2013

laelene Posted in general blog,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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collage of october 2013 favorites including free food, neal's yard remedies, geek squad, haircut, nike sneakers, condo walkthrough, heated car seats, cooking, and paper facial masks

1. free food – This month brought some wonderful opportunities for free food from Whole Foods (community event during the furlough) and Carrabbas (First Tastes event). It’s been awhile since Panda and I have gone out to get free food so it was nice to experience again. Back in college we’d get free Sprinkles cupcakes all the time and occasional other deals that various establishments were offering.

2. NYR Organics – It was a pleasant surprise to come across NYR Organics, the US version of Neal’s Yard Remedies. I’ve been enjoying the simple pleasure of misting my face with their products. The sales rep was even kind enough to send me an empty spray bottle so I could use it for the witch hazel water I had without a spray top. She totally understood that it’s much better when you can apply it that way. I love how mild and gentle these products are, which makes them oh so soothing.

3. Geek Squad – An all too-familiar scene. I think I visited Geek Squad a dozen times in the period of 3 weeks as I tried to get exactly what I wanted. I did exchanges and returns and hardware swaps and software changes with them. All throughout, they remained helpful and patient until I was finally able to get the laptop I’d been seeking, complete with SSD, touchscreen, backlit keyboard, and so much more. While I’m glad they were able to help me through it all, I sure do hope I don’t need to go see them again.

4. haircut – My hair had started to get mousy and I was growing bored of plain black so I decided to go searching for a hairdresser. I had a girl out in Manhattan Beach who I liked to go to, but that’s not very practical anymore. Luckily, the one I decided to try had a sweet lady who was sociable but not too chatty and did a great job. I plan on sticking with her so long as it doesn’t become an inconvenience once we move a bit further from that salon’s location. I’m not super picky with my hair, but it’s nice knowing what to expect. Now my hair is lighter and feels much smoother than before!

5. Nike sneakers – I’ve been wearing these to work almost every day and I love it! All I wanted was super comfy shoes with amazing support and that’s exactly what I found. It’s a nice bonus that I happen to have them in my alma mater’s colors, making them all the more beautiful. I went with Nike because a good friend from college works for them and I love supporting my friends, even if it’s something small. I seriously can’t get enough of those memory foam cushions soothing my feet like never before.

6. condo walkthrough – I really enjoy watching things in progress, so I’ve been keeping an eye on our condo. We were there when it was just a plot of land and now we’re already at the walkthrough stage! I appreciate the pre-drywall walkthrough that we got so we could see the interior of our future home before it fully takes shape. I feel a lot more involved in the process being able to see it at this point and I can’t wait to go through it again when the interior is all pretty (one more month!).

7. heated car seats – I don’t know what I’d be doing without my heated car seat and steering wheel. Every day I’m so glad I was able to get a car with those features because they have made my commute more than comfortable. The heated seat came in especially useful when I hurt my back and needed that sort of warmth to help ease the tension. I’m totally addicted to that feature now and I don’t think I could ever get another car without at least heated seats. Life is so much better when you aren’t freezing.

8. cooking – Between Blue Apron and Hello Fresh, Panda and I are getting a fair share of cooking experience! I love having a box to cook through once a month or so. It’s an activity for us to look forward to doing together and there’s a tasty reward at the end. Plus, we’re building useful skills for the future! Of course, I’m also getting spoiled by it and now I don’t want to have to go grocery shopping or to figure out what to cook. 😛

9. paper facial masks – I’ve always enjoyed masks, but I usually don’t get around to using them because of the whole routine. I inevitably get some in my hair and it takes quite some time to apply and wash them off. When I discovered paper masks where it was a serum formulation that you just let absorb into your skin, I found my holy grail. It’s much easier to get them on and then I can just peel them off whenever and not worry about washing my face. They’re also just more fun to me and I need to stock up on these!

So what are your favorites from October? Anything you found you were using/doing a lot?

Work overload

laelene Posted in video blog,Tags: , , , , ,
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Sooo I totally overestimated my ability to pump out work and I agreed to get something done today that really should take me 2-3 days to complete. I’ve been working all night, with some distractions slowing me down (dinner, news, packing). I was going to review the Yuzen winter box today, but instead I’ll leave you with a preview of the video of the unboxing that I did for them. Props to my awesome friend King/Queen for doing the editing! We make a pretty great team. 🙂 Be sure to check out the full video on Yuzen’s YouTube channel (it should be posted in a few days) and also find the other videos we’ve created for Yuzen.

yuzen winter box unboxing preview from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

365great Day 231: Riesen

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365great challenge day 231: riesenIn honor of Halloween, I wanted to celebrate my favorite candy as a child. I love candy and I certainly had plenty as a kid. One of the more expensive ones that I didn’t get quite as much was Riesen. Whenever I did get a bag, it was such a treat! I couldn’t get enough of these rich, indulgent morsels. They were dark enough chocolate to feel exotic and cool but not too dark for my youthful sweet tooth. The chocolate exterior was fun to break through as I chewed into the chocolate caramel center. I liked how super chewy the center was – not your average soft caramel, oh no, this one packed a punch! One of these would be quite a mouthful and satisfied my taste buds far better than most other candies. It’s a great candy that I enjoy.

How to: win free stuff

laelene Posted in how to guides,Tags: , , , ,
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how to: win free stuff -maryqin.com

Honestly, when it comes to winning stuff, it pretty much boils down to a numbers game. Enter enough and you’ll start winning. But if you’re interested in a few other tips, here’s what I’ve found help me with winning more:

Find blog giveaways

When I set my mind to winning a Conscious Box, I did a search of giveaways online and found a bunch. I entered every single one I could find and I ended up winning two 3-month subscriptions! Similarly, I really wanted to win an Escape Monthly box and I did the same thing, also winning two different giveaways. Pretty awesome! Generally there are only hundreds of entries to contend with from these giveaways, versus hundreds of thousands for stuff being given away directly by brands. Of course you’re limited to items of more average value – you won’t really find cars and other big ticket items.

Befriend bloggers

If you find that certain bloggers seem to get or give all the things you want, it doesn’t hurt to make a friend. Start commenting on their posts and share your genuine interest. If they happen to know you loved something they reviewed or have access to, they might just think of you when they get a chance to share. Building great relationships can always open doors to opportunities. Just be careful not to cozy up to these people for the sole purpose of getting stuff. That sort of insincerity is not a good foundation for a friendship.

Promote yourself

If you’ve entered a giveaway, sharing it on your social media or even reaching out directly to the giveaway organizer can capture their attention. It could simply be sharing your excitement for the giveaway and thanking them. I’m amazed at how many people would only say something if there’s something to complain about. Giveaways are a nice thing and nobody ever said these people or organizations had to arrange them. Taking the time to thank them can go a long way.

Try consistently

When it comes to larger giveaways especially, the best thing you can do is enter as much as is allowed. Many allow multiple ways of entering or daily entries. Set up reminders so you can enter the max amount to improve your chances. I have a success rate of about 1-3% on things I enter, so if you haven’t entered at least 100 giveaways then I doubt you’ve set yourself up to win. Keep trying!

Think positively

If you approach things from a good perspective, you’re more likely to do things that enhance your chances of winning, like promoting yourself and befriending people who’d give you stuff. It’s also just nice to put out that positive energy into the world. If you want to be a guaranteed winner, try hosting a giveaway of your own – making someone else’s day is a surefire way to feel fabulous. 🙂

Have you won things? What do you find help with your chances of winning?

365great Day 229: blissmobox

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , ,
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365great challenge day 229: blissmoboxBlissmo was the first to get me into this subscription box thing and I haven’t looked back since. After a year with them, I was ready to move on and try other brands, but I will forever have them to thank for introducing me to this world in the first place. I’ve enjoyed getting boxes from them and I appreciated the varied themes. It was fun to choose between food, beauty, household, pets, and other focuses for a given box. As far as I’ve seen, they’re the only ones doing that on a monthly basis. They’ve shown me some incredible eco-friendly brands that I’m so glad to have tried. It’s been great and I might consider getting some of their special sale boxes in the future!

Goodies Co. October Taster’s Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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goodies co box october 2013 contents

This was my favorite box yet! Not only did it come with a ton of items, I’m interested in every single one. The selection was pretty broad, with everything from a hearty soup to a sweet dessert treat. This box included Progresso Artisan Rustic Tomato with Chicken & Dumplings soup, happysqueeze Greek yogurt super strawberry organic superfoods, Caffe D’Vita Enchanted Chai Spiced Tea Latte, Special K Nourish hot cereal, Guylian Artisan Belgian Chocolates, SunRype raspberry fruit strip, Enjoy Life Cinnamon Bun soft baked bar, and an Orion ChocoPie fluffy biscuit.

I’ve never had soup from a box, so the Progresso Artisan soup should be interesting. It looks good and the perfect kind of hearty you’d want on a chilly night. I had the happysqueeze Greek yogurt strawberry mush thing this morning and quite liked it. I could definitely tell it was an apple sauce sort if base. It was fun and super easy to suck/drink it and I’d get some to have on days when I need a boost. I can’t wait to try the Caffe D’Vita Tea Latte. It looks delicious and I’ve never tried anything like it before. All the tea lattes I’ve had so far have been from coffee shops so I’d love to make my own. I thought the Special K Nourish hot cereal was an oatmeal thing, but then I was surprised when it had some salty undertones. It tasted decent but I’d prefer it sweet. When it came to the Guylian Belgian Chocolates, I had to hold back from gobbling up both pieces. I like the little bit of grittiness in these treats and the luxuriously smooth texture. The SunRype raspberry fruit strip was a nice fruit leather that isn’t too sweet. I didn’t find it very easy to tear though – that would have made it even more fun to consume! The Enjoy Life soft baked bar had a lovely texture that was soft with crispy bits. The flavor was a bit overwhelming for me, with something I couldn’t quite place. If you like very fragrant stuff, this would be excellent for you. And to round it all out was the Orion ChocoPie fluffy biscuit that was delightful. It’s very soft with a marshmallow center that is sort of firm and a soft crumbly biscuit sandwich. I enjoy these and finished it right away.

All in all a wonderful box that had yummy products I’d totally purchase. Loved it! What do you think of this selection?

365great Day 228: Neal’s Yard Remedies

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365great challenge day 228: neal's yard remediesWhen I went on the UK vacation a few weeks back, I had my heart set on finding some cool skincare line based in that region. When I arrived, I kept my eyes peeled and soon enough, I came across Neal’s Yard Remedies shops. I was immediately drawn to the brand because it’s organic and comes in wonderful blue glass bottles. I tried some of their products in the store and decided that the witch hazel water was best suited for me since it soothes and my skin has a tendency to break out like mad. I purchased a bottle from a store in London and brought it back with me. Then at Green Festival DC this year, I came across a booth with – whatdya know – Neal’s Yard Remedies! They don’t have stores, but they do have reps selling their products in the US. I couldn’t resist getting the white tea facial mist (a bestseller) and organic facial wipes. So far I’m really enjoying their products, which are gentle and soothing. I’m really glad I came across this great line of products!

Escape Monthly October: Hawaii Box Review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Ah, as the weather cools down, it’s a great time to think of warmer escapes. This month’s Escape Monthly theme is Hawaii and it’s a nice way to get your mind off the coming winter months. Too bad I didn’t win the trip as well, but Panda and I might just vacation there again next year anyway!

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 october hawaii box products showing

escape monthly october hawaii box info card against blue and white chevron background

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

I think we can all agree that Hawaii is a pretty fantastic place. Those who have been want to return and those who haven’t have it on their bucket list! Luckily, I’ve been twice in my life and had great memories both times. This box covered some great items made locally and definitely highlighted more tropical flavors. I like the range of products included! Totally feeling that island vibe.

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Big Island of Hawai’i – This is perfect for a future trip, since so far I’ve only ever been to Oahu and the next trip to Hawaii will definitely be to another island. When I decide to go check out the Big Island, I’ll be well-prepared. There’s some great information in here and I love that there’s a section for honeymooners so Panda and I know what we can do for a romantic vacation.

Royal Hawaiian Orchards Papaya Lime Macadamia Crunch – I generally find some tropical fruits like mango and papaya to be too strong for me, so I was skeptical of this snack even though it looks fab. After tasting it, I can’t say that I’d want more but it was interesting to try. The lime did help quell some of the papaya but overall the flavor mashing was still too strong for me. Plus, they’re nutty and I’m not much of a nut fan as it is.

gentle scrub facial buff – Oftentimes, these fun products are one of my favorite items in the box and this is no exception. I totally need a facial buff pad like this to help work away my acne scars and help prevent buildup for future breakouts. Absolutely love it and I’ll be using it the shower when I wash my face.

Personal Paradise Coconut Lime body lotion – This lotion smells wonderful and absorbs well. I’m totally going to be using it after I wash my hands. It absolutely reminds me of being out in Hawaii and I enjoy the scent that wafts up after I apply it.

Tub & Scrub Hawaiian bath salts in Oregon Rain – Haha, was it purposeful that they went with the Oregon Rain scent? I wonder if that’s a coincidence or if they meant to tie it in to the previous box’s theme. Whatever the case, it smells refreshing and soothing all at once. I’m drawing up a bath right now to go try it out! Can’t wait. 🙂

Alaea Hawaiian Sea Salt – Freakin’ adorable packaging makes this cool already. It’s so cute I almost can’t bear to open it… but I will eventually. I’ll try it out next time we cook and then I’ve got to find a way to repurpose the jar once I’ve used it up. I’m a sucker for good packaging.

Tiesta Tea Immunity Maui Mango – This is actually a tisane rather than a true tea, since all ingredients are just fruit and flower parts, with no actual caffeine content. It looks really fun but I’m hesitant to open it to try since it has mango and I’m just not into that flavor. However, the pineapple and orange might mask much of that flavor so I’m curious how it’d taste. I’ll probably try it eventually.

seashell lei – This is a cute little necklace that will be decoration somewhere. I don’t have much use for it, but I’ll keep it around and bring it out for any tropical themed needs in the future.

Honey Girl Organics Face & Eye Creme and Night Creme – I totally saw these when I was out in Hawaii and was super curious about the brand! I’m really glad I get to try them out now. The face & eye creme is really rich and thick. I’d probably use it more at night. The night creme is fascinating… it kind of melts with your body heat and seems greasy but is like this layer of softness. It feels really healing!

Ostara Organics lip balm in Cuppa Java – Well, since this is supposed to be a coffee scent, I’m going to save it for someone else. I don’t drink coffee and I’m not a fan of the smell, but there certainly are plenty of people who do like it. In fact, maybe I can give this to Panda since he needs to use more lip balm especially as the winter approaches.

Ola body butter in Coconut – I didn’t want to break the seal on this one just yet, but I’m totally using it this winter. It seems like the perfect product to keep my skin hydrated in the bitter cold. I love the size too, which is easily portable and will last me for quite a few uses. Funny how a tropical thing can be so fitting for very non-tropical conditions.

Hawaiian Host Dark Chocolate Covered Macadamias – Mmm, yummy! This is a nice snack with rich flavors, just enough sweetness, and a wonderful crunch. It’s a great way of highlighting macadamia nuts in a delicious treat. I’d totally eat more of these.

So what do you think of this Escape Monthly box? Have you been to Hawaii before? If you want Escape Monthly for yourself, sign up, and try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): ESCAPENOW for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription, TROPICALESCAPE for 20% off, GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

And a preview of next month:

escape monthly october hawaii box info card back with preview of next month's box theme of vermont

[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 won this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Conscious Box October review

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

Got my last free Conscious Box this week, which rounds out the two 3-month subscriptions I won. I’ve gotten a ton of products to try over the course of the past six months, most of which I still need to get around to. It’s been fun getting Conscious Box but I won’t be subscribing. I’ve got a backlog of stuff to try!

Conscious Box is just under $20 per box (or as discounted as just over $203 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with many samples from about a dozen brands. Choose from their Classic, Vegan, or Gluten-free box. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program.

inside box of conscious box october with moon design

conscious box october gmo awareness month info card

conscious box october contents including acure day cream, lotus moon facial moisturizer, crumcreek mini breadsticks, goddess garden daily lotion, bottle bright cleaning tablet, lifetree dish soap, gnu foods fiber bar, eat green tea supplement, allimax capsules, honest shampoo + body wash, organicasaurus baked corn snacks, seventh generation serum and body lotion, fruitsmax supplement tablets, and biobag

This was the lightest of all the boxes and I realized after seeing everything that there was no drink this time, which explains the weight difference. I just ate lunch so I’m too full to try the snacks, but I’m really interested in the Organicasaurus Cheddar Cheese baked organic corn snacks. I mean, they’re dino-shaped. What else do you need? The mini breadsticks from Crum Creek look really flavorful, but kind of on the dry side. I’d imagine they’re sort of like eating pretzel sticks. I’m saving the gnufoods Fiber Love Cinnamon Raisin bar for an afternoon pick-me-up at work one day.

My supplements collection has grown a ton and I’ve still yet to break a single one in. :-/ I’m just not in the habit of it, but I’ll try to get around to it. The Eat Green Tea pouch is really interesting since I’ve never eaten tea before. It is a plant, so why not, right? But it just seems kind of weird. I have at least one other pack sitting around waiting to be consumed. Same goes for the Allimax allicin capsules. Those are supposed to be good for a variety things ranging from colds and flus to fungus and wounds. With a ton of people getting sick around me, I’m definitely going to try these. Popping one now! Then there’s the FruitsMax chewable supplements that will give me my daily fruits serving without having to chow down on so much fruit. I hardly ever eat enough fruit, so this will be useful.

Most of the rest were skincare items, which I have a TON of. I don’t think I’ll need to go shopping for them for many years, if ever again. All of these were new to me, so that’s good! I like exploring new brands. There’s the Acure gotu kola stem cell + chlorella growth factor day cream with its super-fancy sounding ingredients that I look forward to trying. There’s the lotus moon vitamin B hydrating gel facial moisturizer that seems really rich and maybe more like a serum. There’s the honest shampoo + body wash that I’ve heard about and have wanted to try. I’m definitely not used to one product for my hair and body. Then there’s the Seventh Generation natural skin serum and body lotion, which I wish were larger samples. Both look great and I’ll be adding them to my stash to try soon. Finally, there’s the Goddess Garden Organics Tangerine Lavender daily lotion with SPF 15 that sounds fabulous – I love tangerine and lavender.

And for the miscellaneous stuff: a Bottle Bright effervescent tablet for cleaning water bottles that I’ve also gotten before and haven’t tried yet. I don’t really use water bottles these days and the mugs I drink out of are pretty easy to clean. The LifeTree concentrated dish soap in Citrus Fresh will be perfect to try with the next batch of dishes. Who wouldn’t want something gentle and biodegradable to be going on their dishes to clean them? Finally, there’s a BioBag for you dog owners out there, which is perfect for your walks. As for me, I’ll just use it to put food scraps to compost one day. Good stuff!

And that’s it! I really need to start grouping all this stuff into boxes so I can start using them more effectively. Right now they’re scattered everywhere so I don’t always remember what I need to use. What’d you think of this box?

365great Day 218: battery packs

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , ,
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365great day 218: battery packsThe battery life of the iPhone 5 can leave a heavy user with much to be desired. It certainly doesn’t last the whole day if you’re using it regularly to take photos/videos and go online like I do. When I got my first battery pack this summer, I was pretty happy. Now I could extend my phone’s usage by at least another one and a half times! Then my mom came back one day and handed me a box asking if I wanted it. Inside was the pretty blue one you see here. It was something the company gave everyone as a gift and she has no use for it. I couldn’t resist taking it too – I mean, it’s really pretty and has a nice curved shape that feels good, but more importantly it’ll actually charge my phone twice over. The more juice I can get out of these things the better. Now I never have to worry about my phone dying from a long day. That peace of mind is totally great.

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