Posts Tagged ‘reviews’

Ipsy December 2013: Celebration!

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

ipsy december 2013 bag items with card including nicka k new york nail color in classic taupe, demeter roll on perfume oil in snow, be a bombshell the one stick in flustered, pop beauty eye shadow trio in smokin' hot, and j.cat beauty big lip pencil in caramel mocha

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 taupeNicka 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 roll on perfume oilDemeter 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 flusteredBe 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 eye shadow trio in smokin' hotPOP 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 big lip pencil in caramel mochaJ.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!]

Blue Apron November 5th Delivery review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , ,
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As I suspected, it took me a month to get around to posting up the meals from our second Blue Apron delivery! I’ll try to be more prompt with future food boxes. We’ve found our now-favorite dish (sweet & sour BBQ drumsticks) and got to try a really tasty salad and fun tacos. Another pleasing box that keeps Blue Apron as the front-runner in my mind. Still, I like what Hello Fresh offers at times and will still split my time between the two. Might even try Plated or another subscription!

Blue Apron is just under $60 per box and comes with 3 meals of 2 servings each. That’s $10 per meal serving! Boxes are sent weekly unless you choose to skip (which is very easy to do). After ordering a few times, they will offer free meals you can send to friends (but no referral program).

collage of blue apron sweet & sour bbq drumsticks recipe card

We started off with a fun meal!

collage of blue apron sweet & sour bbq drumsticks ingredients and meal being cooked

Cooking this one was pretty easy and it smelled great.

blue apron sweet & sour bbq drumsticks with snow pea, carrot, & celery salad finished product

YUM! We both LOVED this dish and would definitely make it again. It’s Panda’s fav so far.

collage of blue apron center-cut pork chops recipe card

Next up was a more adventurous taste for us. What’s kohlrabi anyway?

collage of blue apron center-cut pork chops ingredients and meal being cooked

I wasn’t sure what sort of flavor the salad would yield since there were a ton of strange ingredients.

blue apron center-cut pork chops with pan sauce & apple-kohlrabi slaw finished product

Turns out I happen to find apple-kohlrabi slaw deeelicious beyond expectation. The pork chops were meh.

collage of blue apron chili-dusted fish tacos recipe card

Finally, finishing up with a messier dish!

collage of blue apron chili-dusted fish tacos ingredients and meal being cooked

So colorful! Prettiest array so far.

blue apron chili-dusted fish tacos with pickled red cabbage, mango & avocado finished product

The corn tortillas were a bit dry and thick for us and the fish got lost in all the toppings (we went crazy with them, admittedly).

blue apron chili-dusted fish tacos with pickled red cabbage, mango & avocado finished product with toppings piled high

Lol! Couldn’t resist putting ALL the toppings on and smothering the tacos. I actually tried the mango for once. Decent!

Homegrown Collective November 2013 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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As always, it was such a pleasant surprise when the Homegrown Collective box arrived! This time there are two projects, one that is perfectly seasonal and one that is a more involved food project. I’ve already done the first one and I’ll need to find a blender to try out the other.

The Homegrown Collective GREENBOX is $39 per box + $9 shipping (or as discounted as $429 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with fun and easy projects to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program you can apply to join.

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

Hehe, it was really cute how they let one of the evergreen cuttings poke out.

contents of the homegrown collective november 2013 box with almond de"light" theme

Project #1, evergreen oil lamp: What an adorable idea! I love that this oil lamp makes use of very seasonally-appropriate items that totally remind me of winter. You also have the freedom to throw in whatever you might have in your yard or neighborhood to make it even more personalized. I think it’s fantastic and so simple yet creative. I can get more paraffin oil and keep on changing the look of this lamp throughout the months as I find random plants I can use!

the homegrown collective november 2013 project evergreen oil lamp info card

the homegrown collective november 2013 products for evergreen oil lamp

Project #2, almond chocolate milk: Ok, so I’m generally not a fan of almond milk, but I don’t think I’ve tried chocolate almond milk before. The main problem with this particular project is that I don’t have a blender, so I’m not sure how I could possibly make it right now. The good thing is that the move into the new condo is the perfect excuse to get a few items for the home, like a blender! I’ll have to keep these ingredients stored away for the time being, until I can try making my very own almond chocolate milk. I hope I like it!

the homegrown collective november 2013 project almond chocolate milk info card

the homegrown collective november 2013 products for almond chocolate milk

the homegrown collective november 2013 almond de"light" info card

At the back, you get to learn about almonds and the awesome clean burning oil lamp!d

Have you subscribed to The Homegrown Collective? I’m absolutely loving all the cool projects they come up with – I feel crafty without actually doing much! 😀

[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!]

Hello Fresh Week 42 Delivery review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , ,
1

In mid-October, we got this box from Hello Fresh after a few weeks of paused deliveries passed and I forgot to continue to pause. It worked out well though, since I think it’s nice to get one of these boxes once a month or so. (Interested in trying Hello Fresh? Use my referral code to get $20 off your first order: 9CAMJS)

Hello Fresh is just under $70 per box and comes with 3 meals of 2 servings each. That’s less than $12 per meal serving. Boxes are sent weekly unless you choose to skip (which is very easy to do). They offer a referral code that gives $20 off to both the person you referred and for your next order.

collage of hello fresh classic beef bolognese with spaghetti recipe card

We start off with the dish that we’re most familiar with.

collage of hello fresh classic beef bolognese ingredients and meal being made

It was pretty easy to prepare.

hello fresh classic beef bolognese with spaghetti dish finished product

I think I would have liked it a bit more saucy.

collage of hello fresh vietnamese chicken salad with avocado and mint recipe card

Next up was a salad I wasn’t too thrilled about.

collage of hello fresh vietnamese chicken salad ingredients and meal being made

Pretty straightforward and all you need to cook is the chicken.

hello fresh vietnamese chicken salad with avocado and mint dish finished product

I tried but just couldn’t finish it. Not my type of salad I guess.

collage of hello fresh seared salmon with fennel couscous recipe card

Finally, it’s seafood time!

collage of hello fresh seared salmon ingredients and meal being made

I’ve started to enjoy vegetables like squash and zucchini.

hello fresh seared salmon with fennel couscous dish finished product

I loved the chicken stock in the couscous and then getting some salmon and zucchini in the mix!

The beef bolognese wasn’t all that exciting, but it’s a nice dish to have. I wasn’t into the salad and ended up barely eating a few bites. The salmon with couscous was definitely my favorite and I gobbled it right up! That’s one dish I’d make again. What do you think of these recipes?

[This post contains affiliate codes. 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!]

Blissmobox: Bliss de Toilette

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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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 choices for april's blissmobox: grab'n'go and bliss de toilette

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.

opened blissmobox april 2013 with contents displayed

collage of softwater soapworks lemongrass soap included in april 2013 blissmoboxSoftwater 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.

collage of natu liberating shampoo and reawakening conditioner samples included in april 2013 blissmoboxNATU, 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.

collage of antho organic serum included in april 2013 blissmoboxAntho, 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.

collage of skin salvy lip repair unscented lip balm included in april 2013 blissmoboxSkin 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.

collage of earth science daily defense lotion with spf 15+ included in april 2013 blissmoboxEarth 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.

collage of golden earth aromatherapy perfume sample in euphoria included in april 2013 blissmoboxGolden 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.

collage of 100% pure green apple nourishing body cream sample packet included in april 2013 blissmobox100% 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.

blissmobox bliss de toilette info sheet

Escape Monthly November: Vermont Box Review

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

escape monthly november vermont box products showing

escape monthly november vermont box info card against blue and white chevron background

2013-11-23 13.08.53(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!

escape monthly november vermont box info card back with preview of next month's box theme of italy

[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!]

Treatsie November 2013 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , ,
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It’s Treatsie time!

Treatsie is $15 per box and comes with artisan candy from 3 brands. That usually means 5 or 6 different flavors of treats. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program.

treatsie november box contents with macaroons, chocolate bar, and lollipops

danny macaroons box with salted caramel, chocolate banana nut, spiced pumpkin, and black chocolate stout macaroonsDanny Macaroons in Salted Caramel, Chocolate Banana Nut, Spiced Pumpkin, & Black Chocolate Stout: These weren’t quite the macaroons I’m used to – for coconut lovers, they’re great. If you’re allergic or not a fan, you’re fresh out of luck. I enjoy bits of coconut like this, so I liked the macaroons. I couldn’t quite tell the flavors apart, but I did enjoy the special taste of the spiced pumpkin. I gave the salted caramel to a friend, who liked it with its gooey top. The two chocolate variations were kind of similar to me and I couldn’t quite tell them apart. While I definitely ate these happily, I wouldn’t usually get this kind of treat.

sweeteeth sea is for caramel dark chocolate salted caramel barSweeteeth Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate bar: Fabulous!! This dark chocolate bar is soooo delicious. You can see the bits of salt all along the bottom and then when you break the bar, a wonderfully gooey caramel filling comes out. I love the contrasting texture of the crisp chocolate and the soft caramel. Even better is the flavor of the dark chocolate, salt, and caramel – perfectly blended for an amazing taste. I love their naming style too – Sea is for Caramel for this salted caramel bar and A’chocolypse for their “popping ginger” flavor. They’re a cute brand with a fun personality and I’d definitely get more of their bars! Yummy.

das foods lollipops in man bait, naughty ginger, salty caramel, & pomegranate orangeDas Foods Man Bait, Naughty Ginger, Caramel Me Happy, & Fab-O-Pom: What funny little lollipops with cheeky names! I tried the Fab-O-Pom (orange & pomegranate flavor) and it was decent. There were little bits in it that made the texture interesting and brought out more of the fruit flavor. I’m curious about the maple bacon Man Bait one… quirky stuff that I’d try from time to 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

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

ipsy november 2013 bag items with card including nailtini lacquer in champagne, pixi beauty bronzer in summertime, cailyn mineral eyeshadow in champagne, em michelle phan pillow plush lip balm in strawberry, be a bombshell lip crayon in hot da*n, and starlooks gem pencil in amethyst

collage of em michelle phan cosmetics info card front and back from ipsy november 2013 bag

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!]

Homegrown Collective October 2013 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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I’ve had this Homegrown Collective GREENBOX for a week or so but hadn’t gotten around to taking pictures! Finally, this morning I braved the cold porch and got these shots. I’m looking forward to trying these fun projects, which are very well-themed for the cooler seasons.

The Homegrown Collective GREENBOX is $39 per box + $9 shipping (or as discounted as $429 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with fun and easy projects to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program you can apply to join.

contents of the homegrown collective october 2013 box with harvest feast theme

homegrown collective october 2013 preserving & preparing the harvest feast box info sheets on the inner lid in plastic sleeve

Project #1, antioxidants & superfoods: Ok, so technically this isn’t a project and they just tell you about the benefits of cinnamon, ginger, and cranberries, which were some of the featured items in this month’s box. I think it would have been nice if they had included some simple suggestions for how to incorporate these into your diet for those health benefits mentioned.

the homegrown collective october 2013 antioxidants & superfoods info card

Learn about what makes these food items so fabulous!

the homegrown collective october 2013 products for antioxidants & superfoods

I wonder if you can make something tasty with all three of these…

Project #2, gourd candle making: How fun! I love candles even if I don’t actually burn them very often. The concept of a gourd as the container is really cool and unique. I can be confident nobody else will have one quite like mine. 🙂

the homegrown collective october 2013 project gourd candle making info card

What a fun way to make a unique candle.

the homegrown collective october 2013 products for gourd candle making

Looks like fun – can’t wait to try it!

Project #3, water bath canning: I’ve never tried canning before, so this is perfect. I like pretty much anything that involves a mason jar these days (I know, it’s a silly criteria). I don’t usually eat cranberries but I’m definitely looking forward to contributing them to the Thanksgiving gathering this year!

the homegrown collective october 2013 project water bath canning info card

Gonna try my hand at canning, how cool!

the homegrown collective october 2013 products for water bath canning

Seems like quite an interesting process. Hope it tastes yummy!

the homegrown collective october 2013 project food preservation 101 info card

And some information about preserving and canning your own food.

Do you receive The Homegrown Collective too? What do you think about the projects this 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!]

Blue Apron October 10th Delivery review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , ,
1

Not long after trying Hello Fresh, I decided I wanted to check out some of the other fresh food boxes out there, so I got Blue Apron. Overall I think their style is more suited to our taste, though we’re going to have to try more boxes to really decide.

Blue Apron is just under $60 per box and comes with 3 meals of 2 servings each. That’s $10 per meal serving! Boxes are sent weekly unless you choose to skip (which is very easy to do). After ordering a few times, they will offer free meals you can send to friends (but no referral program).

collage of blue apron box packaging

Everything was packaged very well and I loved the cute label for the little items: Knick Knacks.

collage of blue apron turkey chili with avocado and cheddar recipe card

We started off with the turkey chili recipe, great for a cold night.

collage of blue apron turkey chili vegetable ingredients

Prepping all the veggies!

collage of blue apron turkey chili ingredients and meal being mixed and cooked

Bit by bit, we added ingredients to the pot and let it simmer.

blue apron turkey chili with avocado and cheddar finished product

Fantastic finished product! So yum that I recreated it soon after.

collage of blue apron ginger beef stir fry with tatsoi and jasmine rice recipe card

Next up was the Asian style ginger beef stir fry.

collage of blue apron ginger beef stir fry ingredients and meal being cooked

I let the meat sit in the freezer for a few min as recommended and it was easier to cut into thinner slices (but my fingers were numb after).

blue apron ginger beef stir fry with tatsoi and jasmine rice finished product

Yummy final product!

collage of blue apron salmon with fennel two ways and cauliflower steak recipe card

Last up was the salmon and fennel two ways.

collage of blue apron salmon and fennel two ways ingredients

Chop, chop, chop!

collage of blue apron salmon and fennel two ways meal being cooked

Cooking the salmon and cauliflower.

blue apron salmon with fennel two ways and cauliflower steak finished product

Loooved the cauliflower steak and salmon, but the fennel salad was too strong for me.

I absolutely loved the first two dishes, even though they included ingredients I normally wouldn’t have thought I’d enjoy! The flavor pairings were perfect for my taste preferences. For the salmon dish, I really enjoyed the salmon and cauliflower steak. I’ve since made more cauliflower steak and I love how simple it is, yet how much pleasure I get from consuming it. The fennel salad was suuuper fragrant and I just couldn’t get it down. Otherwise, all these dishes were fantastic. I look forward to my next delivery, which actually happens to arrive tomorrow! You’ll probably hear about it in a month, haha. 😛

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