Posts Tagged ‘shampoo’

Beauty Box 5 June 2014 review

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

Holy cow, it’s June box time already?! With summer in full swing, we got a summer chic theme. These products add up to a nice, simple beauty routine. Just wash, cleanse, rinse, and then apply a touch of mascara and nice nail polish! Not much more you need, other than a lip balm, I’d say.

Beauty Box 5 is $12 per box (or as discounted as $99 for an entire year, with an option in between) and comes with 5 cosmetic products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. You also have the option of buying it as a gift your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards products or boxes.

june 2014 beauty box 5 contents beauty box 5 june 2014 information card

beauty box 5 offer cards

Get a free box to try or $12 off a subscription!

Nicka K New York Nail Color in Ripe Apple: I first came across this brand in an Ipsy bag. I love the look of their bottles and the polish is a good consistency. Applying it was pretty straightforward and two applications offered the perfect kind of coverage. This color is bold but not too bright. A great darker look to fire engine red nails. I’m getting into nail art and this will be not only a nice canvas for designs, but great for little flourishes.

Organix Coconut Water shampoo & conditioner: These smelled really nice! I’m not even into coconut scents generally, but it was light enough to be pleasant and not suffocating. My hair felt pretty good after the shower, but once it dried it felt pretty normal again. I wouldn’t say this brand offered more or less shampooing and conditioning for my hair. I do like their argan oil conditioner though.

Glam Naturals mascara: There certainly will be no clumping with this mascara! It’s a much more liquid consistency than most mascaras I’ve tried. It’s perfect for when I want a little boost to my lashes, but still want that natural look. What a refreshing change from mascaras I’m used to. So far no smearing either; it seems to have good staying power.

Eslor Introductory Collection samples: I’m enjoying this set of products. They smell nice and are gentle. The scrub was a dry sort of formula, which is nice so a little mixed with water can cover a lot of area. It did tend to stick to the sides so I felt like I was losing out on product though. The mask is a green one that tingles a bit upon application. Everything felt good on my skin.

Vita Bath body wash in Dreamy Pink Frosting : I don’t usually use body wash, but I did give this a try and I like how it foams. It smells of sweet candy, so probably not something you’ll convince a guy to use. I didn’t notice if I smelled like that after I dried off though, so it can be a fun scent in the shower that doesn’t linger around too much.

I think the box as a whole was a nice package. I could use each item without feeling like I was covering the same part of a routine twice. They all build on each other to help you prepare for a day! What do you think of the box this 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 box and wanted to share what I got!]

Beauty Box 5 February 2014 review

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

Here comes the February Beauty Box 5, which is their birthday box – happy 2nd anniversary to them!

Beauty Box 5 is $12 per box (or as discounted as $99 for an entire year, with an option in between) and comes with 5 cosmetic products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. You also have the option of buying it as a gift your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards products or boxes.

february 2014 beauty box 5 contents

Birthday bash time.

beauty box 5 february 2014 birthday card and mynamenecklace coupon card

A birthday card and discount code card.

beauty box 5 february 2014 information card

Info on the products with prices of their full sizes.

beauty box 5 february 2014 information card back

Back of info card with ways to connect.

Rockstar Nails Nail Polish: I can’t find the name of this shade, but it’s a nice sort of teal shade. The formula’s a bit more fluid than I’ve been used to, but it applies nice and opaque in one layer. It’s a lovely color and the consistency is perfect to work with the caviar it came with!

Rockstar Nails Nail Sprinkles: This is a brand new product for me. I’ve seen ads for it and now I get to try this type of nail decoration too! How fun. I love how it matches the nail polish. I’ve quickly learned that this can get very messy – in just opening the bottle to take a look, beads were falling everywhere. Be sure you find a nice flat surface to go apply these on.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Shampoo & Conditioner: There are two sets of these samples. They’re generously sized and perfect to bring along on my next trip. They also come with coupons for $2 off a full size product, which is good for all of this year!

Aveeno Positively Nourishing Calming Body Wash: What a soothing combo of lavender, chamomile, and ylang ylang. I have a ton of body wash at the moment and since this is sealed, I will keep it to use later. I can’t wait! It could also be very useful for my travels.

Elizabeth Mott It’s So Big Volumizing Mascara: I got this in an Ipsy bag awhile ago and it’s the first one that doesn’t rub off after some wear. I like its thicker, somewhat glue-like consistency that makes it waterproof and rub-proof. I do have a lot of mascaras and I rarely use them, so I might still consider trading this.

MyNameNecklace Gift Card: This time we got a bonus item in the form of $10 off a necklace. That could be as much as 30% or so off one of these necklaces, which is a decent deal. I’m not sure if I’ll get something since I rarely wear necklaces, but for $25 I might just snag a Carrie style one.

For me, the nail polish products and gift card made this box feel like a birthday celebration. What was your favorite item? If you like what you see, sign up for Beauty Box 5!

[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!]

Blissmobox: Skin Essentials

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

Ok, so I’ve been holding off on reviewing this box because I couldn’t find pictures for it… and then a few weeks ago I realized I don’t remember receiving it at all. Oy! It just so happened at around this time I had gotten two other blissmoboxes and then I lost track of how many I was supposed to receive. Then I went home, where I had this box sent and I had a bunch of mail to go through and somehow this one fell through the cracks. Luckily, my mom was able to hunt it down for me! So here we go…

the choices for february's blissmobox: snack favorites (deluxe value), skin essentials, and baking & pantry favorites (deluxe value)

The three choices for the February blissmobox.

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.

This was the February box and I chose the Skin Essentials one because I was really in the mood for some pampering skincare products. I started to move away from the food selections once I really got into trying all types of cleansers and washes and creams and lotions.

opened blissmobox february 2013 with contents displayed

collage of weleda wild rose smoothing facial lotionWeleda, Wild Rose Smoothing Facial Lotion – I’m so happy I got this! I have been wishing for some Weleda to try out. I saw a really cool sample pack they sell at Whole Foods and ever since I’ve been curious about this brand. This all-natural product has no synthetic preservatives, fragrances, or chemicals. I can definitely feel good about putting this on my face. I’m not a huge fan of rose-scented skincare, but I do like how this feels so I’m going to have to try out their other products. It absorbs really well and is really refreshing to apply. This particular one helps target fine lines, but I don’t have that issue yet so I think their Iris Hydrating Facial Lotion might be a better fit for me.

collage of episencial soothing creamEpisencial, Soothing Cream – This is perfect for me and all my skin issues lately even though it appears to be a baby-focused brand. I’m going to try this on my burn that still itches a bit at times. I love how gentle it is so you can use it on babies too (lol it actually says for ages 0-150!). Seems like a great thing for diaper rash and other such conditions. It’s even got probiotics, which I’ve never seen in a cream before. I don’t want to open it just yet since I have a few other products for similar uses, but I’m looking forward to testing it. With calendula, I’m sure that it will be plenty effective for healing and soothing. It’s vegan, phthatlate-free, petrochemical-free, paraben-free, gluten-free, and cruelty-free.

collage of fisika ash-bay laurel soapFisika, Ash-Bay Laurel soap – This looks so fascinating, with its unique gray shade and ingredients like ash and laurel. Those aren’t ones I commonly see and I really look forward to sampling this soap. It will help exfoliate your skin so it’s perfect for rough patches. The ash softens water, the laurel essential oil fights premature aging, and the lavender is antiseptic. Seems like this is great for cleaning not just your body! It’s also paraben-, petrochemical-, and phthalate-free.

collage of nature's gate grape seed targeted eye treatment eye creamNature’s Gate, Grape Seed Eye Cream – I’ll be saving this for future use as well, though I did try a little bit. Feels great and I couldn’t smell anything so it should be good for those sensitive to fragrances. I really like the packaging – it just feels good to use. It has amazing ingredients like white tea, olive, aloe, argan, flaxseed, blackberry, and of course grape seed oil. It’s free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, fragrances (ah I was right about that!), PEDs, petrolatum, and animal byproducts.

collage of nature's gate biotin strengthening shampoo, biotin strengthening conditioner, and acai velvet moisture body wash samplesNature’s Gate, Biotin Strengthening Shampoo + Biotin Strengthening Conditioner + Velvet Moisture Açai Body Wash samples – These are some nice samples. I’m not going to use them just yet since they’d be perfect on the road and I currently have a ton of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash to use up. They’re all sulfate free, which is a big thing these days. In addition, they are free of parabens, phthalates, and cruelty (among other things). What they do have is a whole lot of oils that are great for your hair and skin and a bunch of vitamins for boosting the health of your hair and skin. I’m still a huge fan of solid shampoo, conditioner, and soap, so I’ll just use these up but probably won’t buy them.

I liked this box a lot since I get to try plenty of cool brands that I’d be interested in learning more about and it covers all your skin needs, ranging from body to face. The products cover a wide range of skin needs as well, with everything from new skin to aging skin. What do you think about this box?

If you’d like more info on these brands, you can click below to enlarge the photo and read more.

blissmobox skin essentials info sheet

Yuzen January 2013 edition

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

Getting closer to finishing this game of catch-up! Here’s the January box, which was the last monthly box that Yuzen sent. In February they started the seasonal boxes sent out every three months, with a favorites box showcasing some of the items from previous boxes as a separate gift option. They tend to sell out quickly of all box varieties, so sign up quickly if you’re interested!

Yuzen is $26 per month (but will be changing to quarterly as of the next box) and comes with around 7 or 8 eco-friendly beauty, skincare, food/snacks, and home products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. Sometimes there’s a waitlist to get the subscription. They do not offer a referral program.

*Disclosure: As a super fan, I was invited to be the Yuzen Ambassador to help them spread the word about their brand. Starting with the October box, I began to receive them 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). :)

yuzen january 2013 box so full it was bulging

This time around the box was so full that it was nearly bursting at the seams! Look at how mine was bulging with goodness. 🙂 I didn’t get a chance to get individual pictures of everything, so I’ve included what I have.

collage of unboxing of january 2013 yuzen box

Click on the pictures for the full sizes so you can enjoy all the details of each product!  You can even zoom in to read all the messaging.

collage of sweetriot 65% dark chocolate covered cacao nibs included in the january 2013 yuzen boxsweetriotflavor 65: Let’s start with the wonderful little snack! These dark chocolate-covered cacao nibs are 65% dark chocolate and amazingly crunchy. They’re the perfect treat to pop when you want something nice and crispy, chocolatey, and delicious! The tube doesn’t look like much, but just a few of these nibs is more satisfying than you’d expect for eating so little. I love the 65% taste that’s not too bitter and still a bit sweet. These taste like a high-quality product and I’d try their other products too. I was nearly done with them when I discovered the cute little “fortune” note inside! This company’s got personality. 🙂

TilveeLavender Lemon Lip Balm: I have a ton of lip products so I haven’t tried this yet but I’m excited to. I loved the healing balm that came in the August Yuzen box and I’d be happy with any of the Tilvee line! I like both lavender and lemon, so I can imagine this would make my lips feel great and smell/taste quite lovely too. I’m working through my current stash of lip balms and will pop this one open ASAP!

pangea organics facial cream in italian red mandarin with rose for dry to sensitive skinPangea OrganicsItalian Red Mandarin with Rose Facial Cream: Pangea is a brand I’m fascinated with and I’m glad to get to try their products. Similar to my lip balm dilemma, I have a looot of facial creams I need to use up, so I’ve kept this one sealed to be as fresh as possible when I do start using it. I’m curious how strong the rose will factor in, since I generally don’t like that fragrance (except real roses on bushes), so hopefully it’s mostly the mandarin scent that comes through! I’m starting to think I might have sensitive skin so this would be great to try.

Essence of ValiSleep essential oil concentrate: This little vial is an essential oil blend that’s supposed to help you get to sleep and be more comforted during stressful times. Apparently it’s so powerful/effective that you just put one drop on your pillowcase! I sure wish I brought this out east with me because I’ve had trouble sleeping at night and I’d love to see how effective this might be. At first I thought it was a perfume sample, and I nearly dismissed it, but once I learned more I found it’s definitely something I’d put to good use if it works!

collage of sheaterra organics moroccan argan oil included in the january 2013 yuzen boxSheaTerra Organics Moroccan Argan Oil: I have a large jar of argan oil for my hair, which I’ve been using here and there for ages. However, I’d never tried it on my skin before and this adorable little bottle with its dropper cap makes me want to dot oil on all my rough skin and rub away! Then again, I don’t really much rough skin these days since I’ve been taking better care of my body. Still, I enjoy rubbing this on and it almost doesn’t have a scent – just a faint kind of herby smell if you take a good hard whiff.

Acure Organicsmoroccan argan oil + argan stem cell shampoo & moroccan argan oil + argan stem cell conditioner: I’m not really into almond-scented things and unfortunately this is no exception. I tried the products once or twice but couldn’t stand the smell so I haven’t used them since and I was too busy being distracted by the smell to know if it actually worked any better than my current hair products. Plus, since I only used them twice I don’t know if I would have noticed a difference or if I’d need a few more washes to get a good idea. Whatever the case, I’m going to have to pass this on to my family and get their feedback. I’m sure they don’t mind the almond smell!

aromafloria aromatherapy stress less foaming bubble bath with lavender, chamomile, sageAromafloriaStress Less Foaming Bubble Bath: So this is what was making the box bulge so much! A nice GIANT bottle of bubble bath that I cannot wait to try out in the new condo someday. I can’t remember the last time I took a bubble bath, but I’d love to and the tub I’m going to get is nice and large, with plenty of room for bubbles to foam up without overflowing. Lavender, chamomile, and sage all sound so soothing and nice that I’m sure it be a perfectly relaxing scent. I’m eager to find out just how well this foams up when I put it to the test.

And there you go, the January box, with so many fantastic products to promote relaxation, destressing, and keeping your skin in tip-top shape.

365great Day 52: solid shampoo

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , , , ,
1

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 52: solid shampooI discovered solid shampoo on a vacation at Myrtle Beach. A very helpful sales clerk was showing me a bunch of the cool products they had in their store and solid shampoos and conditioners were one of them. I really loved the idea of something that eliminates the water from the product so you add it in as necessary (like powder detergent vs. liquid). It saves a ton of space! Maybe even water too, depending on how you use it. Plus, with solid shampoos, you no longer have to find those 3-oz containers to put your shampoo in when you travel (nor do you need to hoard hotel shampoos that you could use instead). After happily using up that first bar, I decided to try out this LUSH one that’s pretty good as well. I’d love to get more of the original one though! Either way, not having to worry about travel restrictions is pretty great.

Yuzen October 2012 edition

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

Alright, it’s time to continue this game of catch-up and go through the treats that came in the Yuzen box for October.  🙂

Yuzen is $26 per month and comes with around 5 or 6 eco-friendly beauty, skincare, food/snacks, and home products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. Sometimes there’s a waitlist to get the subscription. They do not offer a referral program.

*Disclosure: As a super fan, I was invited to be the Yuzen Ambassador to help them spread the word about their brand. Starting with this box, I began to receive them 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). 🙂

collage of products included in the october 2012 yuzen box

collage of products included in the october 2012 yuzen box

They actually sent me two boxes since they were trying out a new packaging method and wanted my feedback.

Click on the pictures for the full sizes so you can enjoy all the details of each product!  You can even zoom in to read all the messaging.

collage of eco-armour shave with benefits bergamot & grapefruit luxurious botanical shave foam included in the october 2012 yuzen boxEco-Armour Shave with BenefitsBergamot & Pink Grapefruit Luxurious Botanical Shave Foam: There are a lot of things I love about this product! It smells great and feels so smooth on your skin. It works really well and makes shaving such a breeze! Plus, it’s got an awesome foaming dispenser (and I love a foaming product), which also means that you can bring it with you on the plane! And did you know that you can actually put it on your razor blades to extend their life?! HOW AWESOME!

collage of nova monda cacao & chocolate purple label cacao indio jar chocolate included in the october 2012 yuzen boxNova Monda Cacao & Chocolate – Cacao Indio Jar Chocolate: Chocolate in a jar? Wow, the possibilities! You can eat it straight up, melt it to use as ganache or fondue or even pour over ice cream for a fantastically yummy shell. This is such a fun way to present chocolate for consumption. Definitely gets your creativity going and encourages new ways of enjoying a classic treat. Plus, it’s all ethically sourced so you can really enjoy this treat guilt-free.

collage of red flower plum blossom silk cream & yuzu mimosa sea algae wash included in the october 2012 yuzen boxred flowerplum blossom silk cream & yuzu mimosa sea algae wash: These products feel really luxurious. The lotion truly is silky and rubs on so well. It’s got a sweet, flowery scent that is lovely. The body wash is pretty silky too and it has a nice mildly citrusy smell. I really love the use of various botanical elements to create these products!

collage of matt's munchies mango fruit snacks included in the october 2012 yuzen boxMatt’s MunchiesMango Premium Fruit Snack: Ok, I actually don’t eat mangoes, so I did not try this snack, but my mom gobbled it right up so that’s got to be a good sign! And hey, even my cat gave it a sniff of approval… 😉 I was expecting more of a dried mango snack, so it was interesting opening the package to find cute little fruit leather squares. Definitely a nice treat to bring along anywhere and you don’t have to worry about getting your hands messy trying to rip off a piece.

collage of jamu organic spa rituals island fruits massage, body, & hair oil included in the october 2012 yuzen boxJAMU Spa Organics – Island Fruits Massage, Body & Hair Oil: I’ve discovered a love for massage oils. I don’t think I ever used a massage oil before this, but the hydrating feeling in the dry winter weather was just amazing. I loved the subtle sweet scent of the oil, which wafted up here and there when applying. The one thing is that the bottle starts to get a little oily on the outside after awhile, you should be careful where you put it (and wipe it down after use).

collage of hollybeth organics rose geranium face moisturizer included in the october 2012 yuzen boxHollyBeth Organics Luxury Skincare – Rose Geranium Face Moisturizer: This is the thickest face moisturizer I’ve ever used. Kind of waxy, almost. It felt weird at first putting something so dense on my face, but it hydrated well and kept my skin from drying out. Excellent for colder months, but I’d switch to a lighter cream for the summer months.

Garnier shampoo/conditioner for less than $1!

laelene Posted in general blog,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
2

Here’s how to get a 13 fl oz Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge shampoo or conditioner for less than $1!

bottles of garnier fructis hydra recharge shampoo and conditioner 13 fl oz eachI had received Garnier’s new Hydra Recharge products for a BzzAgent campaign awhile back and really enjoyed them. As I mentioned in my review, I’m not in the same location as before, so while that set sits out east, I’m stuck here on the west coast with no product. Sooo I decided it was high time to get some to use over here as well! Luckily, as part of my BzzAgent campaign, I have a special link you can use to print a coupon for $1.25 off any full-size Garnier Fructis shampoo, conditioner, or treatment (expires 5/13/13). Combine that with the $1.00 off a full-size Garnier Hydra Recharge shampoo or conditioner coupon from Target (expires 4/27/13) and you’ve got yourself quite a deal!

At my local Target, the 13 fl oz sizes are $2.99. With the coupons, your Hydra Recharge shampoo or conditioner comes to $0.74 plus tax and hey why not use your Target Card to get an additional 5% off? So for less than a dollar, you can walk away with a wonderfully fragrant and hydrating hair care product from Garnier. The shampoo has these fun little beads that burst when you wash your hair and the entire line smells of a luscious fruity scent – it’s a combination of kiwi, passion fruit, and goji berry! What are you waiting for? Hurry up and print those coupons, then head over to your closest Target to snag this deal pronto! It won’t last much longer…

This is an example of what the coupons look like. Do NOT attempt to print from this picture. I’ve blurred them out a bit just in case. Please use the links above to get the coupons legitimately. Thanks!

garnier fructis hydra recharge manufacturer's and target coupons example

Ultra hydrated hair

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

When I first got this set of Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge shampoo, conditioner, and “moisture-plenish” treatment to try for free, I didn’t think much of it. I was pretty excited to get them as part of a BzzAgent campaign, but I figured it’d just be a nice way to replenish my hair care supply. Little did I know that I’d be completely wowed by the results!

Let’s start with the basics: the Hydra Recharge line uses superfruits like goji berry, passion fruit, and kiwi – all of which fascinate me! I was really curious about what the combination might smell like and I’m happy to report that it’s wonderful. If you want to understand it too, you’ll just have to pick up a bottle for yourself and give it a whiff next time you’re in the store. This line is meant for dry to normal hair, to make your hair weightlessly silky and hydrated. The shampoo has these cool beads in them that burst as you rub it in your hair – this is the first time I’ve seen this in a shampoo!

collage of garnier fructis hydra recharge hair treatment system from bzzagentThe first thing I noticed when I got the set was the new cap design. I used to struggle with the old Garnier bottles, which had the small round nub to push on. Very cool design, but hard to use when my hands were slippery. With this new cap, I don’t have the problem anymore! It is very easy to open and close no matter how wet your hands may be. They managed to keep the aesthetic appeal of the ball yet improve functionality – bravo! Ok, now that you understand the facts, let’s discuss how these products performed.

I’ve been using this haircare regimen for four weeks now and I’m still pleased with the way my hair has responded. The first couple of days I immediately noticed my hair felt much, much silkier. It was so much fun to swish it around! I tried to capture the newfound glossiness, but my camera didn’t seem to pick it up very well. Once I got more used to the shine my hair had gained, I remembered that the results were supposed to last two days. I hadn’t really gotten a chance to test that since I was showering daily, but when I did skip a day here and there, it definitely held up. My hair tends to get very oily very fast if I don’t shower on a daily basis, so this was really good news!

Then came the real test – I was going on a flight and whenever I do, I always get uncomfortably dry, static-y hair. Would my newly hydrated locks hold up to this kind of pressure? My plane ride was a cross-country ordeal that lasted 5 1/2 hours and (did you guess it?) my hair came out just fine! It was amazing. This had never happened before. Now I’m just sad I couldn’t bring my new regimen with me, because I’m going to be here awhile.

Even nearly a month in, I’m pleased to say that my hair hasn’t gotten “tired” of the shampoo like it has with some previous products. You know that feeling, right? You get a new product that works great at first but then your body gets used to it or something and performance goes on a steep decline… this is what happened to me with Proactiv. Happily, I can report that Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge has continued to perform well. I might just need to get a set to use in my new location.

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