Mary Kay Vox Box May 2014

I received another Vox Box recently that I am really excited about from Influenster!  It was the Mary Kay Vox Box.  I have never used Mary Kay before so I was excited to try some products.  I was thinking that they would send 1-3 products but when I received the box it was brimming with products :) 

The box itself has a really pretty design on it:

This is the first look when you opened the box:

There was a card from Mary Kay that listed the items in the box - this box actually really reminded me of a monthly subscription makeup box.  I wonder if they are planning on doing one!

This is the look once you open the tissue paper: 

And at this point my Pomeranian could not contain herself and decided to try to get one of the screechy packing thingamabobers (I'm sure there is an actual name for these but I have no idea what it is) away from me and succeeded in stealing one:

She did lose interest pretty quickly however:

Ok, back to the Vox Box...once all the packing thingys were removed:

I was pretty excited by everything inside!

Brushes which is great because I really needed some new brushes! 

Gel eyeliner with a brush!  I loved how this looked immediately, I think I was most excited to try this!

Mascara, which is also something I could use more of.

Eyeshadow in a fun, summery color!

This is called translucent loose powder...this isn't something I have used before.  I usually just use foundation and bronzer.  The card says this is to stop unwanted shine all day.

So I took these photos with my iphone and edited them to be right side up before trying to upload them but some still came out sideways like the mascara or upside down like this picture.  I think you can still get the idea with these pictures :/ Anyways, this is blush and bronzer.  I was excited about the new bronzer because I use it every day.  I never used blush before so it's nice to get a free trial - its not something I would have tried on my own.

The lip gloss kind of scares me - it is very bright orange!!

Here is everything laid out together - it really is an awesome amount for a sample!  I think everything was full size products.

I was excited to try everything so I tried everything the next morning.  I did step by step pictures:

Sans makeup (ahh - scary! lol)

I should add this is before work and I start work at 7:45am...I am so not a morning person!

So this is me with the translucent powder and I guess because my face isn't that shiny to begin with, it didn't do too much for me.  I did not apply any foundation because it did not come in the box and I wanted to see the look with what we were provided.  Right about now looking at the black circles I was rethinking this decision.

And me with bronzer - already I am looking much better than picture number one :)

With bronzer and blush above.

And with eyeshadow above - I love this color!  It's nice for my skin tone, fun and shiny and it was creamy - it went on really easily.  It also lasted all day!  Typically with powder eye shadows, they are rubbed off by the end of the day.

I absolutely love this eye liner!  It was so easy to put on!  And it looked so good!  I typically use liquid eye liner but I make a mess trying to put it on and it takes me forever...so I dont wear it half the time.  I will definitely be buying this in the future!

And finally with mascara.  I am not picky about mascara - it just needs to not clump, this didn't so I am a fan! 

And finally, with the lip gloss that didn't look half as orange once it was on!  

I really liked the bronzer, eyeshadow and eyeliner and will definitely purchase them in the future!  I was very impressed by the quality of products in this box.  For some reason I had thought that Mary Kay was not going to be as good quality as other name brand makeup companies but this was not true at all.  I will definitely use all of this product again (maybe with some foundation next time!) and I will check out their catalog to see what else they offer.  There is even a Mary Kay store close to where I live in West Palm Beach on Forest Hill Blvd. close to 441.

I wonder if Mary Kay is thinking about doing a monthly subscription box - I hope they do!  I would totally purchase a box!

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.  All of the opinions in this post are my own. 

I highly recommend checking out the influenster website to learn how you can sample and review products :) 

Skoshbox January 2014 Review

I received the January 2014 Skoshbox in the mail two days ago.  I love that the Skoshbox team sends out their box so early in the month.  Every month its the first subscription I receive. 

The card included inside every Skoshbox that describes what is in the box.

 

A first look at what is inside the box once you open it.  I am happy to see this month there are no "bonus" items and it seems like there are more snacks.  Skoshbox used to send something extra - not Japanese snack related in the boxes such as: a mini origami booklet, a paper lantern ball that inflated when you blew into it and an eraser made in japan.  To be perfectly honest I did not enjoy any of the bonus or filler items as I thought of them.  I subscribe to this box because I want Japanese snacks not items found at the 100 yen store.  So this box looks pretty full even without the filler item.

 

So I didn't realize how bad these pictures were until after I devoured half of the snacks and couldn't retake them - I apologize!  I get this subscription mailed to my post office box and I couldn't wait to open it - I ripped it open in the car :) 

Here we have:

Shiruko Sando - Bite Sized Baked Head Cookies - this was good.  A small cracker like cookie that had jam on the inside

Furikake Senbei - Rice Cracker topped with Furikake - for anyone not familiar furikake is seasoning that is typically used as topping or flavoring on white rice.  There are all sorts of flavors and they include anything from hot pepper flakes to dried salmon.  It's actually quite good - I never eat rice plain anymore :)

Cream Chestnut Senbei - Senbei Drizzled with Creamed Chestnut

Ajituske Nori - Seasoned Seaweed Packs

Again, I apologize for the terrible pictures!  I was super psyched to see the sweet goodies in this box as I have a lot of them before!

Choco Cake - Soft Fluffy Chocolate Cake: this is a new one for me - I am actually eating it right now.  It's pretty good, a little dry.  Would taste good with milk or tea.

Alfort Biscuit: Biscuit Cookie with a layer of Milk or Dark Chocolate : this I have had before - maybe the name of it is an Alfort Biscuit but the company that makes it is one of my favorite Japanese snack food companies: Bourbon !!! Ok, maybe my favorite company :)  I once spent a fortune ordering these from a third party company in Hong Kong.  I needed to get my Bourbon fix.

Big Thunder Chocolate: Chocolate Covered Coco-Cookie: I haven't tried this yet but how can you go wrong with chocolate covered in chocolate?!

Soft Oreo: Soft Oreo in Strawberry : ok this I have had before too.  I actually am a huge fan of Oreo, Kit Kat, Pepsi and Doritos in Japan because they come up with such different snack ideas and flavors than what is available here!  I guess the Japanese market is more receptive to new ideas/flavors.  I wish they had them all here! 

EDIT: I forgot to mention the UME Jelly Candy: Hard Jelly in Pickled Plum Favor : I had something like this in a previous Skoshbox.  I don't know why its called "hard jelly" its basically a gummy...covered in sugar...its amazing 

 

I loved this much Skoshbox!  Can you guys accidently send me another?! :)

You can order Skoshbox here: http://skoshbox.com/

Conscious Box Subscriptions on sale on Groupon

Follow this link to Groupon: http://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-conscious-box-subscriptions-1 to get 20% off a subscription to Conscious Box!  This link is only good for the next 5 days. 

Pinch Me

Pinch Me is a free sample site. They ask you some basic questions, you set up a profile and they notify you when new samples are available. The only thing you need to do is (after you receive and use your samples) is log on and provide feedback. You can find them at www.pinchme.com I have received samples of cereal, moisturizer, perfume and shampoo. Below are some picks of the most recent pinch me samples:

The only complaints I have would be:

1. Samples go very quickly, a lot of times by the time I log on they are out of stock.

2. Samples take a long time to arrive

Besides that the samples are all of items I would want to try and free other than providing feedback (which takes all of 10 seconds) so I am a huge fan of this site/service!

Sparaj December 2013

Sparaj (www.sparaj.com) is a newer Spa subscription service. You need to sign up each month and supplies are limited so you may not get in for the current month you are in. I read about the prelaunch box in November and signed up right away because it looked amazing. Boxes are $40 a month. I typically wouldn't spend this kind of money on a subscription but it looked it was worth it so I went for it. I signed up in the beginning of November  but November was already sold out. I was told I would be getting a December box but that seemed really far away! Finally, I received my box yesterday.

I was immediately impressed with the size of the box:

Much bigger than my other subscription boxes.

Opened the box up and there were several layers of tissue paper.

Under the first layer was the information card explaining that the theme for this month was "Winter season at the Great Wall of China"

The back of the card also wishes their subscribers a Merry Christmas...how very un-PC of them...

Second layer of tissue paper

And it wasn't a box inside a box but a bag...one day two bags! I can always put these to good use...bring them on subscription services!

Out of the box...everything was inside the bag.

First thing: a lollipop diffuser. I've never used one of these but it looks really cute. The idea is that you just take the stopper out of the bottle and stick the lollipops in...the perfume will them go up the sticks to the rope portion of the lollipop.

I wasn't sure if you could tell from the other picture but one of my lollipops was unravelling :( hopefully it is something I can fix easily!

And this is everything else in the bag. A Scent of Bangkok soap. First of all, this smells lovely...you can smell it as soon as you open the box. Secondly, Bangkok is in Thailand...maybe some of the ingredients are from China? What's that you say...French clay? How decidedly un-Chinese. The next thing is a Foot and Nature peeling foot mask. I read about these and they are supposed to be a little gross when they are working/peeling your skin but they are supposed to work wonders. I will definitely use this as I am very tough on my feet. Something else I feel the need to mention is that this product is not from China. I knew this the second I pulled it out of the bag. A Japanese friend once taught me that Japanese and Chinese characters look the same but are pronounced differently but Korean characters look totally different. How so? The characters use circles...lots of circles in these characters. So I flipped it over and ding ding ding. Made in Korea. The last item is a milk calcium nail pack. This is also something I will use for sure. And again...these characters are the same as the foot package so it is from Korea as well.

Final Verdict: I am unsure where the diffuser was made but nothing about it screams "China". The other three items are from different parts of Asia and not China. Why choose a theme and not stick to it? Do they think Americans are ignorant and won't know the difference? Or does the company think China encompasses all of Asia? Wouldn't it be better to have a theme of "winter season in Asia"?  I was expecting something reminiscent of China and didn't get anything. Also, the diffuser was unraveling :( things like this happen but it's still disappointing. Especially when I paid $40 for the box. I don't think I will be purchasing this again.

Love With Food December 2013

So I know I am way behind posting updates. Yesterday alone I revolved 5 boxes. I thought it would be good to post the most recently received boxes first.  I purchased Love With Food for a full year. I love that they donate a meal to the needy for every box purchased. Even if I didn't like anything in the box this subscription would be worth it for me. Also, whatever I don't eat, I can trust my boyfriend to devour :)  

It comes in a really cute box. Plastic wrapped as well.

When you opened the box you found a gift card for $35 off your first month subscription to Hello Fresh. Hello Fresh sends you all the ingredients needed to cook several meals. I thought I checked before and that this company didn't ship to Florida. It looks like they do now. Hope they send to South Florida! I will be ordering from them for sure.

First look after the Hello Fresh gift card was moved. "Winter Wonderland" is the theme for this month. 

Actual first look when the card is moved.

The information card stating what is in the box.

So the first thing is sweet potato chips which I don't think is on the card. I don't think anything is missing from box so this must be a bonus item- score! Then we have molasses cookies and a chocolate dipped Madeleine. I was excited about the molasses cookie because I first thought it was another caveman style cookie. It was not. I was immediately disappointed and decided to gobble down the Madeleine instead. It tasted amazing but I have been eating a very low sugar diet so this cookie tasted like it was 95% pure sugar...which may have been accurate. Sugar is the first ingredient listed on the back of the package.

Next we have a Lindt & Sprungli Chocolate Diamond...this will go to good use I am sure. These peppermints from St. Claire's Organics have been in several of my boxes. I was at first disappointed to see them again but then I saw the extremely low amount of sugar in them and reconsidered. There is a crispbread cracker from 34 Degrees that reminds me of a Japanese Rice Cracker and lord knows I get enough of those in my skoshbox boxes! There is an Angell Candy Bar is white chocolate, I'm not a huge fan so this will be gifted to someone. The last item in this picture is by far my favorite and it is a Marshmellow Topper, Maddy Melts. The idea of this is that it is perfectly shaped it fit inside a cup on top of a hot beverage...hot chocolate anyone?! No nutritional information on the product but maybe that's for the best! 

The last food items in the box were hot chocolate (perfect to pair with the Marshmallow topper!!) and spinach dip mix that I plan to use on New Years Eve. My only complaint is that there was only one marshmallow and hot chocolate!! I love it when companies give you things that can actually be eaten/used together. Then I don't need to do any additional work:)

And the best part of this box...

A HUGE reusable bag was folded in the bottom of the box! I love it and will use it often. I already used it yesterday to carry all of my boxes inside! 

I love my Love With Food subscription, it doesn't need to be renewed for another 5 months but I already know that I will!!!