Posts Tagged ‘soap’

Conscious Box August review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Alright, here’s my 4th box of the 6 free ones I won. This time there was no info sheet again so I’m wondering if last month was just an exception?

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.

conscious box august inner box with card

This month the imagery was bright and warm, exactly what I associate with August. It’s actually quite cool here in the DC area, which is surprising for this time of year. I want more heat before summer’s out!! If you’d like to watch the video of the unboxing, you can check that out too.

conscious box august contents including sneakz organic chocolate milkshake, amazing grass raw reserve probiotics, mrm veggie protein, nordic omega-3 jellies, stash tulsi tea, happy tot super toddler bars, country choice oatmeal, ultima replenisher, actz soap, allimax allicin, barbara's snackimal cereal, mrm digest-all, and herbal zap immune support

I’ve tried the Sneakz drink before and it was ok but not something I’d get, so this time I’m chilling it to see if it tastes better than at room temp. I’m horrible at taking supplements and boosting my health that way, so the Amazing Grass raw reserve, MRM veggie protein, Nordic Naturals omega-3 jellies, Ultima replenisher, MRM Digest-All, Herbal Zap immune support, and Allimax pills will all be great to try. I’ve had the Stash tea before and I enjoy just about any type of tea so I’ll definitely drink that. The happytot bars will be perfect to bring to my new job for a boost in the mid-afternoon. I’m attending training this coming Monday/Tuesday so I will pack these! I’m not a morning person and I almost never eat breakfast (it jump-starts my metabolism and makes me hungrier throughout the day) so I’ll probably have the Barbara’s Snackimal cereal and Country Choice oatmeal as snacks as well. Or, they might be given to Panda for his morning meal. This time around there was a lot of food! The only non-food item is the cute little Actz Cosmetics soap that is banana scented. I’ve never had skincare smell like banana before and I love it!

What did you receive in your Conscious Box this month? Would you enjoy what came in my box?

How to: not waste soap

laelene Posted in how to guides,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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Don’t you hate when you get those little pieces of a soap bar that you can’t quite use but don’t want to waste? Well, hopefully you do or else you’re probably losing out on a lot of soap uses! So here I’ve compiled some ways that you can make the most of those broken pieces:

collage of various solutions to using up small broken pieces of soap

1. Put in cloth or bag

Fold it into a small facial cloth or cloth baggie, get the cloth/bag wet and then rub! Suds are able to make their way through the porous material and you might even get a better lather than usual. This way you also get some exfoliation out of it and the pieces don’t go down the drain.

2. Insert into loofah

Similar to the cloth, loofahs are great for exfoliation and improving lather, so if you’re into suds, stick those pieces in the center of your loofah and scrub away! It’s ideal if you can actually stuff them into a compartment where they won’t fall out, otherwise you might still struggle with small pieces falling through.

3. Stick to a cap

One of the greatest challenges I find with small pieces of soap is how thin and flimsy it is. I feel like I have nothing to grip on to, so by sticking it onto the cap of something, it gives you something to hold easily. Then just treat it like a tube of lip balm and rub around on your skin. It’s pretty similar to when you used the brand new bar, but of course with less material.

4. Adhere to wall

Ok, this one is probably the strangest suggestion I have, but hey it’s fun and hilarious. If you don’t have a cap to stick your soap to, just press it onto your shower tile. Then rub your hands or fingers on it when you need to use some! You’ll also help clean part of the wall that way… 😉

5. Shake in container

Finally (and probably least effective), you can throw those pieces into a plastic container, add a bit of water, and shake like crazy! You’ll get a watered down soapy mixture you can spray onto yourself if you have a nozzle or pour out to use like a super watery body wash. Alternatively, you can aim to just use the suds that you create as a foam cleanser.

So there you go! Never waste so much soap again with these 5 tips. 😛 It looks like I inadvertently ordered these in approximate from the most effective to the least effective method. Do you have anything to add?

Yuzen December 2012 edition

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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I’ve been putting off this post because I didn’t have adequate pictures, but I managed to get some of all but one product so I’ll go ahead now. I know it’s super late but sometimes you’ll get a different item from the same brand so if you subscribe to Yuzen, you can become more familiar with these brands. Even if you don’t subscribe, perhaps you’re curious about one of these products before you purchase!

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 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). :)

items in yuzen december 2012 box laid out

I got so carried away with the products that I didn’t even take proper unboxing photos!

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 sibu beauty cleansing face and body bar included in the december 2012 yuzen boxSibu Beauty – Sea Buckthorn Cleansing Face and Body Bar: One of my absolute favorite products has been this Sibu cleansing face & body bar. It smells AMAZING and feels so good on your skin. It’s gentle enough for your face, but effective for use on your entire body. Sea buckthorn is an up-and-coming superfruit that has rare Omega-7s, which are apparently good for you. This brand in general is pretty great – their products are cruelty-free and contain no parabens, preservatives, etc. They also source their sea buckthorn through fair trade agreements. Love it!

collage of red flower candle in ocean included in the december 2012 yuzen boxred flower – ocean little flower candle: This is a cute little candle with unexpected burning power! You probably wouldn’t guess that it can burn for about 15 hours! When I first read that, I thought it was supposed to be 1.5 hours. But true to its word, I started burning one and it lasted hours upon hours. I didn’t track exactly how many hours it burned for, but I logged at least 12 before I lost track. I didn’t actually burn this scent yet so I don’t know how it fills the room, but it has a subtle scent that I think I’ll enjoy. One thing to note – due to the small size, the glass can get quite hot so be careful when handling.

collage of tara bath therapy bath salts included in the december 2012 yuzen boxTARA Bath Therapy – stress relieving bath salts: This pouch of bath salts is very fine-grained. It’s practically powder, which I imagine would dissolve well in water. It smells nice and relaxing – a sweet but not overpowering scent. I rarely take baths, so I’ve actually yet to try this, but I’m really looking forward to when I do. I’ve been bringing it with me on my travels just in case I happen to get an opportunity for a bath.

collage of spa technologies hydrating laminaria oil included in the december 2012 yuzen boxSpa Technologies – Hydrating Laminaria Oil: This oil has a lovely faint scent that I guess is the laminaria? I’ve never heard of that before and apparently it’s a type of brown algae. Actually, I don’t think algae really has a scent, so it must be the essential oils they used. There’s a hint of citrus that makes this oil refreshing. I’ve been massaging it in after my showers and it makes my skin feel great. I never really tried oil before this, but now I’m hooked.

collage of ambre blends essences included in the december 2012 yuzen boxAmbre Blends – essences sample pack: These are small samples that I wish came with little spritzers so I could mist them over myself. The names of the scents don’t tell me much – ambre, solace, invoke, and unmasque essences. They are very faint scents that I could barely pick out. Solace is my favorite because it has a fresh yet warm sort of scent. Invoke reminded me of the outdoors, like grass and water and other greenery. Unmasque was a warmer scent and I really couldn’t pick out a scent for ambre. They certainly meant it when they said their scents are delicate! I love that they’re vegan and I think you’d get a far better sense once you start rubbing it in your skin and letting your body heat bring out the scent more.

collage of sparitual nail polish in hunk of burnin' love and multi-tasker base & topcoat in one included in the december 2012 yuzen boxSpaRitual – nail lacquers in Hunk of Burnin’ Love and Multi-Tasker Base & Topcoat in One: These nail polishes are so cute and apply really well. I love the bright red color, which was fitting for the holiday months when I got it. SpaRitual makes vegan polishes that are at least 3-free, if not 5-free (aka they don’t use some of the harmful chemicals in older formulas). You can feel great about your nail polish and look great too!

Missy J’sMint, Lime, Sea Salt Truffley Treats: This is the one item I can’t photograph since the remaining pack I have is at my parents’ house. It’s crazy that these chocolates are vegan, with no dairy in addition to no caffeine, refined sugar, or wheat. It’s slightly more crumbly than chocolate I’m used to and perhaps it’s the mint+lime+sea salt combo, but I wasn’t a huge fan. For those who like that flavor combination and/or are looking for a vegan chocolate, this is a great alternative. I’ve seen plenty of other people who enjoy the taste and are very grateful for all the ingredients it manages to keep out. Perfect for those with dietary restrictions!

365great Day 106: soap

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , ,
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Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 106: soapSoap is such a fascinating thing. How did people come up with the idea of creating something out of animal fat that would actually clean? It’s a mystery to me, between the glycerin that could be harmful to the lard that is rather odd. These are not exactly ingredients I would have considered if I wanted to make something that would clean my clothes or cleanse my skin. Yet, here we are in a society filled with these products, where most people use them daily. It makes me wonder how they understood these complex chemical reactions back in the day. Personally, I love a good foaming soap and I’m a total sucker for buying cool soaps that smell good, look cool, or are supposed to do this and that for my skin. A good clean feeling is just so great!

Blissmobox: Fair Trade Favorites II

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Another belated review, but Blissmo sometimes offers old boxes up so hopefully this will come in useful! The options were Pantry Picks, Fair Trade Favorites II, or Skin ‘n’ Hair Care (which I had gotten in a previous month).

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 september's blissmobox: pantry picks, fair trade favorites ii, or skin 'n' hair care

The three choices for the September blissmobox.

This was my September 2012 box and I chose the Fair Trade Favorites option since their original Fair Trade box seemed to have been well-received, plus I totally wanted to discover more Fair Trade products!

collage of september fair trade favorites ii blissmobox contents including green mountain coffee, eli's earth bar, hand in hand soap, two larabars, ecolips lip balm, and akoma shea butter

collage of hand in hand soap orange blossom soap barHand in Hand shea butter soap, Orange Blossom – I thought this was totally adorable and amazing! The packaging is really nice and I’d never heard of shea butter soap before, so that was intriguing. These are made in Vermont from vegetable-based ingredients – they’re biodegradable and cruelty-free! This is one of those brands that gives a product each time one is sold (like Tom’s shoes or other similar buy a soap give a soap brands). The orange blossom scent sounded amazing, but I found that it was too light for my liking. It almost felt like a scentless soap, so this is being used in the kitchen since I like fresher smells when washing my hands there.

collage of eli's earth bars dream big barEli’s Earth bars, Dream Big – This lovely bar was just fasntastic. Yummy, yummy! I gobbled it right up and wanted more, which is funny because I’m not really a fan of peanuts or peanut butter. Yet, the way they made this was very tasty without being overly “peanuty” so it’s an excellent treat to have in lieu of Snickers/Milky Way/Mars Bars sort of junk food. Plus, they support children in need and who doesn’t want to help children?

collage of akoma skincare shea million soft shea butterAkoma Skincare raw shea butter, Shea Million – I was pretty excited when I saw this. I hear shea butter and I think all kinds of wonderful things. However, since this is a raw shea butter with no scent, I got to really smell shea and I found I don’t really like it. I love how it melts with your body heat, which is pretty fun. I’m saving this to either gift to someone or use for when my hands need some extra loving.

collage of green mountain coffee signature vermont country blendGreen Mountain Coffee grinds, Signature Vermont Country Blend – I personally do not drink coffee, but I was still glad to see this because my future brother-in-law is pretty obsessed and I knew he could appreciate a nice blend. I gave it to him for his birthday and heard back not long after that it was very tasty! If his discerning taste buds give the stamp of approval, I’m sure most coffee-lovers out there would enjoy it too.

collage of ecolips hemp lip balm vanillaEcoLips Organic Hemp lip balm, Vanilla – I’ve gotta say, I’m not sure how I feel about hemp. In middle school it was like a buzz word for drugs or something, but then by college I saw getting those hemp bracelets without qualms. Why is there a bit of a negative connotation around that word? I mean hemp itself isn’t anything bad, right? I was a little hesitant to try this since I didn’t want to numb my lips or something (no idea why I would think that). It’s really just like any other lip balm though, with a nice sweet vanilla scent and it glides on quite well.

collage of larabar chocolate chip brownie & chocolate chip cookie dough barsLÄRABAR fruit & nut bar, Chocolate Chip Brownie & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough – Oh my, these are dense! I thought the small size would not be enough, but just one piece and I was feeling full. They sure to pack it in there! Both flavors were quite good and if I worked out, I’d totally be stocking up on these to eat after a workout. For now my life is too sedentary to need a “power bar” sort of thing like this.

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

Yuzen August 2012 edition

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Wondering about the second Yuzen box?  Never fear!  I’m here to show you what came in it and give you the low-down on each item.  This time around, the color scheme was yellow and there were six fantastic brands included.

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.

collage of products included in the august 2012 yuzen box

collage of unwrapping of august 2012 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 mrs. meyer's lemon verbena all purpose soap bar included in the august 2012 yuzen boxMrs. Meyer’s Clean Day – Lemon Verbena All Purpose Soap Bar:  As I was opening the box, I got a hint of this soap bar’s clean scent wafting up.  It’s a huge full-size bar that will last me a LONG time!  The wrapping was a nice smooth texture and it wasn’t glued too strongly together, so opening the packaging was actually a pleasant experience.  I’d heard great things about Mrs. Meyer’s products, so I was pretty happy to get a chance to try it out.  The soap suds nicely and gently cleans your entire body.

collage of cowgirl desert recovery cleanser included in the august 2012 yuzen boxCowgirl Skincare – Desert Recovery Cleanser:  This is a fun new brand I hadn’t encountered before!  The smell of the face wash is soothing and slightly sweet – maybe rose?  It’s perfect for washing away whatever managed to accumulate on your face and doesn’t strip your skin of moisture.  It’s meant for dry, aging, or sensitive skin but it’s useful for any type of skin.  The container reminds me of elixirs from a Western (or maybe it’s just because their name is Cowgirl :-P).  Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, anyone?

collage of organic india teas included in the august 2012 yuzen box - tulsi original, tulsi lemon ginger, tulsi sweet rose, and tulsi sleep flavorsOrganic India – Tulsi Original, Lemon Ginger, Sweet Rose, & Sleep teas:  I enjoyed each one of these Tulsi teas!  I’ve never heard of Tulsi before, so I was definitely intrigued by this “holy basil of India” that is incorporated in Ayurvedic practices.  It’s apparently popular as an herbal remedy and has both general health and medicinal values.

collage of organic india tulsi teas included in the august 2012 yuzen box brewing
It didn’t taste much different to me than normal teas, so it’d be easy to substitute them in while still enjoying the taste of tea, yet getting the added (healing) benefits of tulsi.  With a name meaning “the incomparable one” how could you not give it a whirl too?

collage of coola cucumber mineral sunscreen for face included in the august 2012 yuzen boxCoola Suncare – Cucumber Mineral Sunscreen for Face:  Haha!  Funny that just like the first Yuzen box, I happen to already use one of the products included.  This is that particular product from this box and I’m more than happy for another!  In fact, I happen to have one at Panda’s and one at my parents’ now so I can protect my face wherever “home” is.  The cucumber scent is so relaxing and the sunscreen absorbs into the skin well, with no greasy layer to worry about.  It’s perfect for your face and hands.  Don’t forget to apply it to your neck too, if it’ll be exposed!

collage of olomomo nut co chai bliss almonds included in the august 2012 yuzen boxOlomomo Nut Co – Chai Bliss Almonds:  Oh yum!  Talk about wonderfully fragrant and oh so delicious.  These almonds are covered in a sweet layer of vanilla and cardamom flavoring that is just delightful.  I don’t normally like to eat nuts, but if they all came like this, I could definitely incorporate them into my routine!  Plus, who doesn’t want a product made with love?  (See ingredient list, hehe.)

collage of tilvee healing balm included in the august 2012 yuzen boxTilveeCalendula & Comfrey Healing Balm:  WOW.  Not only do I love the usefulness of this product, it smells wonderful too!  I can hardly get enough of it.  It’s basically what you’d put on for anything adverse that happens to your skin, whether it be cuts and scrapes, rashes or sunburn, even plain old dry patches!  Not long after getting it, I actually got a scratch and I applied it until my skin healed.  Worked great, though it’s not meant for eliminating scars.  Still, my skin would have scarred horribly had it not been for this healing balm.  I’m obsessed and I use it on just about all skin conditions that ail me.  Oh, and I absolutely love that it comes in stick form for easy application and ultimate portability!

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