Deleting the naughty...with Beauty Box 5 December

Christmas, Christmas time is here...and so is beautybox 5. It arrived with a nice holiday message thanking me for being a customer. I am pretty happy with this box and I am excited to try most of the products. The only thing I am not too sure about it the eyeshadow. I don't know where I would use it!

On to the products:

MaskerAide Hydrating Facial Sheet Mask:
Used after cleansing and toning, this mask made from a blend of argan oil, orange peel oil, fruit and rice extracts and honey. It energizes, hydrates, brightens and primes skin. You just take the mask out of the packet, unfold and lay it on your face, smoothing it out and rub it in a bit. Leave on and relax for 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse and pat dry. Contains no parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, fragrance and pigment free, began and biodegradable.

Demeter Roll On Perfume Oil:
A nice, purse sized roll on perfume in Apple Blossom. It is so light and fresh, a soft floral, it really does smell like little apple blossoms from the tree, the little white ones. It is so gentle and light I would even put some on Peanut, she would feel so pretty.  Hubby liked it too, which is a plus. It didn't last a whole day or anything, but with the oil, it made it farther than an alcohol based cologne.

Jean Pierre Cosmetics Exfoliating Facial Cleansing Pads:
Cleanse your face and exfoliate at the same time! I love multi-tasking products. These are alcohol free, hypo-allergenic and ph balanced. Removes dirt, oil, cosmetics, even waterproof mascara.

Everyday Minerals Flat Top Cosmetics Brush:
I love this brush, it has the softest bristles I've ever had on a makeup brush, and it has a really nice, simple wooden handle. Sometimes the brushes are just a little to rough on my skin, but this one was smooth and didn't poke or scratch.

Ofra Cosmetics 3D Eye Shadow:
This is some wild stuff! A loose powder eye shadow designed to create a 3D effect with a mix of multi-tonal pigment pearls. I got the color Diamond Glitz. It looks almost like an olive green when you open the package but as soon as you smear it on - wet or dry - it takes on a whole new look. I will  be honest...I think I am probably to old to wear this unless it is for a Halloween costume. I am afraid to try it, but I think it's cool looking! I will update when I get brave enough, lol.


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Deleting the naughty...with PopSugar Must Have December

My first PopSugar Must Have box has finally arrived!! I have been anticipating this one for 2 months. I will be honest, I wish I had known about this box long ago, when people were getting a lovely scarf, was jealous about that. So my hopes were high for something just as awesome.

This box is one of the bigger ones in size, and it was waiting for me at my doorstep when I got home the other day.

After I opened the box, their product sheets was actually a folded brochure with a decent amount of info about each product. They were divided into categories: Must Have Home, Food, Beauty, Fashion, Food and Tech.

Bodum Bistro Mugs:
The first thing I pulled out was a set of two double walled thermo-glass mugs. They aer specially designed with a breathable glass that keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold, without leaving a nasty ring on your table. I have a terrible time keeping my coffee hot because I consume liquids so slowly. So, of course, I had to try out my new mug with my new tea, to test out these magical insulating qualities. Verdict? No condensation on the outside, and after 20 minutes? My tea is still sipping hot. Love!

 
Tea Forte:
As noted above, a cup of the white ambrosia tea (white tea with floral notes of vanilla and island coconut) was the first thing I tried in my new bistro mug. I love the little tea pyramids...and my favorite thing about the? The wire tea leaf tag. It bends and stays put, so I curved it to attach to the rim of my mug. The pyramid stayed put and the little tag did not fall into the water, like it usually does for me. The sampler pack came with 10 different pyramid tea bags: Earl Gray, black currant, white ambrosia, white ginger pear, green mango peach, jasmine green, African solstice, chamomile citron, raspberry nectar and ginger lemongrass

Jaboneria Marianella Soap:

I received a full sized, thick bar of the Rejuvenating Face and Body Bar in Aura Elena. Containing essences of Oak Moss, Coconut and Mulberry the soap is made from colloidal oatmeal, argan oil, shea butter, glycerin, honey and vanilla bean seeds. It is designed to relieve dry skin, acne and skin irritation, anti-aging, rich in vitamins for moisturization, honey for antibacterial and antioxidant properties and the vanilla bean for exfoliation. It smells wonderful and again, I am so excited for bar soap!

Bogdon's Peppermint Poles:
Not a fan of candy canes, so I will be happy to share these for Christmas with the family. I will try them though, they are cute thin sticks of peppermint candy covered with dark chocolate. They are only 17 calories per stick, according to the box, so it will be a nice after dinner treat.


Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit:
Ok, first of all, love mini's. Secondly, how cool is this? It has everything you need for those "just in case" moments.This little bag contains a bandaid, Advil, breath freshener, double sided tape, safety pin, earring backs, deodorant towelette, nail polish remover pad, stain remover pad, clear elastic bands, sewing kit, floss, nail file, tampon, lip balm, mini hair spray and clear nail polish. Seriously cute. Love it!

GoSwype:
This little cloth is for wiping down those little electronic devices we put on our faces. I never thing about using them though. I get too busy and just go about my day, never thinking about germs and bacteria. I will try to remember to use these!

Rent the Runway:
I will probably not use this. Let's face it, I live in the great upper Midwest, and I don't have a lot of places to go. But for those who want to know, it is a $30 gift card  to use toward your first rental.


So, with that being said, this box was nice, not quite as fancy as others I have seen, but I will certainly get good use out of the mugs and the tea. I will throw the minimergency kit into my purse, along with the hot wheels cars, barrettes, pony tail holders, lotions and used Kleenexes. I will share my peppermint poles and lather up in my new soap.  Thanks PopSugar, I do like my December Must Haves!

If you are interested in this subscription service, please feel free to use my referral link:
 http://popsu.gr/GGw

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Deleting the naughty...with Yuzen December

The December Yuzen is here, it's here! I am still in love with this subscription service. Kudos to them for keeping the quality up. I love that the second you pull the box out of the mail bag you are enveloped with the scents of what awaits you inside.

And again, the contents were packaged so lovely, pretty paper and ribbon and mesh gift bags that I tucked away for gifting later.

This months message: Tis the season to be Zenful!
So, the contents were beauty products galore, for a holiday party or just needing personal downtime, it has what you need to get through the stressful holidays.



Spa Technologies Hydrating Laminaria Oil:
Scented with Ylang Ylang and Bitter Orange essential oils, Laminaria is seaweed oil. I first tried out the oil on my 4 year old daughter. She has eczema, and it is bothering her terribly right now with the dry, cold weather. She is so itchy and begged me to put her medicine on her, but this product says on the label "intense treatment for dry and sensitive skin...gentle and effective for skin rashes, psoriasis and eczema. After her bath tonight, I rubbed her down with it, put on her jammies and sent her to bed. I am anxious to see if it helped calm her skin a little in the next couple days of use. This product can also be used as an after sun moisturizer.


Ambre Blends Four Essences Natural Fragrances:
I love these! The cute little vials are filled with organic ingredients. The one vital oil that is in each is amber oil. Activated by body heat, they are long lasting and completely individual, reacting with your own body chemistry. The sampler pack contained one of each of their scents and the descriptions from their website follows:
Ambre: clean, euphoric, sensual
Unmasque: 13 oils, to ground you and allure others
Solace: vanilla, for comfort and attraction
Invoke: jasmine, sandalwood and rose, a kiss of spring

SpaRitual Nail Polish:
The hot little numbers arrived in a bright red hue "Hunk Of Burnin' Love" and a multi-tasking base and topcoat in one. DBP, Formaldehyde and Toluene Free and a high gloss UV protectant. Great for the holidays!

Tara Spa Therapy Stress Relieving Bath Salts:
Therapeutic salts to relax and release everyday stress and tension made from herbal extracts like velerian skullcap and hops, and essential oils ylang ylang, lavender and chamomile, sea minerals and electrolytes. Nothing artificial here, except the artificial reality I am trying to create, that I'm really alone at some exotic spa. Not two feet away from my kids who are tucked in bed.

Red Flower Candles:
We got to enjoy another treat from red flower this month, and this time we got a candle!  I am quickly falling in love with this brands products. The candle was Ocean, and a lovely aqua color. The candle is really little, but there is something delightful in the little glass jar it comes in, I can imagine using it for other things somehow, like shots or extravagant, rich, chocolate desserts.


Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Cleansing Bar:
Sea Buckthorn is touted as a "superfruit" used for centuries by Tibetans. Full of antioxidants and essential fatty acids, it is designed to get rid of pollutants and to renew and revitalize your skin. These bar soaps seem to be making a comeback, and I personally love that. They are so much better for your skin, so much better than the perfume filled store bought shower gels any day.

Missy J's Truffley Treats:
Out of everything in the box, this was the only thing that I truly didn't get excited about. They aren't terrible, but for me the mix of chocolate, lime and sea salt doesn't taste good to me. But, others may love them, it is entirely a personal thing. They are, however, wonderful for a healthier lifestyle, containing no dairy, wheat, refined sugar or caffeine. Like I said, they weren't awful, but they aren't something I would buy...maybe a different flavor.

Yuzen, you did it again, and I enjoyed, and am still enjoying the December box!


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Deleting the naughty...with Birchbox December

Birchbox arrived, it was a happy day for mail today. Two boxes on Saturday, great way to spend the weekend!

The December box had a new, festive design to it, spruced up for the holidays. It was like opening a little present.



I am very happy with this box, it seemed to fit my profile a little better this time around and contained 6 samples.

Miss Jessie's Original Pillow Soft Curls:
This light scented lotion is applied to damp, combed through hair. I used about the size of a silver dollar amount and scrunched it through, then blow dried with a diffuser. I liked the feel of it, not sticky or greasy. It held my curls nicely, but I still felt like there was frizz. So I still applied my Secret Weapon. But other than that, it is a nice product.

Nuxe Melting Cleansing Gel with Rose Petals:
Soap-free, the rose scented facial cleanser reminds me of that lotion my mother used to use when I was little, RoseMilk or something like that. It smells exactly like it, very nostalgic. It brings back memories and is calming for me. It removes dirt, oil and makeup.
 

Perfeckt Beauty Lash Perfection Gel:
I haven't tried this yet, but the product description states it is a multi-tasking primer, condition and mascara in one. It's a cute little tube with a full size brush inside.

theBalm Cosmetics:
This little cake blush cam in Hot Mama, a light, natural color. I liked it, gave my cheeks a nice and healthy looking glow. I would definitely use this to brighten up my face for casual everyday looks.

John Varvatos Artisan Eau de Toilette:
I passed this one on to my husband, so am awaiting the scent to waft my way one of these days. But on first smell when you open the vial, it is nice, clean and manly.


I liked this box, had some great products that fit my lifestyle and low maintenance needs. Great month!!

My referral link:  https://www.birchbox.com?raf=glbt8


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With Solemn Words

My heart is breaking for those suffering pain today from such a horrendous act of violence. May Jesus wrap his arms around those little children today, and may God take care of the hurt and the sadness for the adults who have lost their children. May God bring home the adults who were killed so they suffer not, and God fight the evil within the soul who committed this horrific act.

Deleting the naughty...with Conscious Box December

Happy Holidays! The boxes are arriving in full swing. This month's Conscious Box is packed full of interesting goodies.

The box is technically $12/month, but they charge a hefty $7.95 shipping fee. I pay less in shipping on most things I order online, so this s&h price bugs me. Conscious Box is actually on my chopping block, mostly because of shipping, but it hasn't been consistent for me either, even though this month was pretty good. I am undecided right now on another month.

 
18 Rabbits Gracious Granola:
I received a single serving size bag in Pecan, Almond and Maple. I am going to enjoy it for breakfast with skim milk tomorrow morning. 

Conscious Ink Manifestation Tattoo:
When I think of temporary tattoos, I think of cartoons or super heroes haphazardly applied to Monkey and Peanuts wrists and forearms. But the one I got, Gratitude, got my wheels turning. I am going to save this for a special night with the hubby, and make it fun, wink wink, and let the gratitude speak for itself.

Beanfields Bean & Rice Chips:
These are corn free, gluten free, non GMO and a great source of protein. Just the right amount of flavor and crunchiness. You can taste the bean for sure. My six year old said "Mmm, tastes like hummus."  First, I love that he knows what hummus is and second, love that he loves it.




Divine Milk Chocolate Bar with Heavenly Spiced Cookies:
This limited edition flavor was certainly heavenly. The chocolate was creamy and the cookie was like a little bite of gingerbread, very appropriate for the holidays. What I like about a richer, heavier flavored chocolate bar is the fact that I eat them much slower, savoring a square at a time. The chocolate is made from fair trade cocoa beans from Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana and their story is printed on the inside of the wrapper.

The GoodOnYa Bar in Peanut Butter Chocolate: 
I am sorry to say, but this was not good at all, in my opinion. It was bitter, gooey and just not for me. 

St. Claire's Organics Ginger Pastilles:
I don't know about you, but ginger candies are spicy to me. But, I love the properties ginger has as a digestif and tummy soother, and I would actually eat one of these after a really heavy or greasy meal. I used ginger tea when I had horrible morning sickness and a lemon ginger tea when I get the flu.

7th Heaven Moroccan Clay Gentle Exfoliating Masque:
Crushed apricot seed and argan shells added to Rhassoul Clay (Moroccan lava clay) gently exfoliates away dead cells to brighten and smooth your facial skin. Just rinse, exfoliate and wash.

Nurturme Dried Organic Baby Food in Sweet Banana:
One packet of this dried baby food mix is equal to a 2.5 oz jar. For older than 6 months it is recommended  mixing 2-3 packets. I didn't know about this stuff when I had babies. It would be convenient for traveling especially.  Since I don't have babies anymore, I will mix it up and give it a taste, maybe for a mid-morning snack!

Yogi Tea:I got two packets of tea, both of which are 100% natural, organic and caffeine free. one tea was Egyptian Licorice, warming and naturally spicy-sweet, the other Ginger, to improve digestion. I don't get excited about drinking ginger tea, but I do it anyway because it really does work to help those tummy troubles. As stated in the ginger candy review, I used ginger tea for my morning sickness.

LemiShine Dishwasher Additive:
This is a detergent additive to remove hard water spots on dishes. I have a water softener, so I don't necessarily need this, but I am giving it a try, because you can never get your dishes too clean in my opinion.

Playful Wash:This little packet of baby cleanser has a cute illustration from Eric Carle of the Hungry Caterpillar. Made with organic calendula and oat extract.

E Boost Daily Health Booster in Orange:
This is a single service packet of an orange flavored drink you just add water to. This one was for energy and immunity with a huge supply of vitamins. 1667% of RDA in fact of vitamin C, 250% of vitamin D and a whopping 41,667% of the RDA of vitamin B12.  I don't know about this extreme of a vitamin intake, I would worry it would make my stomach just burn...I can't decide if I should try it, but if I do, it will be in the morning after a little bit to eat, lol.

Raspberry Chocolate Almond Truebar:
I don't always get excited about these soft, cereal type bars. I like cookie dough, don't get me wrong, but I just don't enjoy the texture and mealiness of these, if that makes sense. But I tend to like the flavor, so I don't know how to get past the other stuff. So, I tried it. It really wasn't that bad. It was more like a soft granola bar rather than a fiber bar, a pleasant surprise. The almonds were practically whole and the chocolate chips were clearly visible with a hint of raspberry that wasn't overpowering.  Pretty good!

Eden Allure Pure Argon Oil from Morocco:
Can be used on the hair and the skin. For the skin, just dab a little and gently rub in until absorbed. For the hair, apply a small amount to the palm of your hand and smooth through before styling for softness and smoothing. I have used this before, and it's nice to have on hand.

Avalon Organics Lipbalm:
I received Soothing Vanilla Rosemary made with essential oils.  I loved the scent and the flavor and i would have never put rosemary with vanilla. But it works together nicely, like summer and gardening in a little tube.



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Deleting the naughty...with Love With Food December

It's holiday season and I am very much looking forward to the subscription boxes this month. Since I am fairly new to this, I haven't received any holiday boxes and I am hoping they all do a little something extra to make them "gifty".

The first to arrive in December: Love With Food. Let's get started.

479 Popcorn in Fleur de Sel (Sea Salt) Caramel:
Oh em goodness, this stuff is happiness in my mouth. Popcorn lightly coated with buttery caramel sprinkled with sea salt. Organic, gluten-free, or artificial flavors and preservatives. I am going to eat the rest when my children are not looking. They have other flavors you can find on their website such as Black Truffle and White Cheddar, Chipotle Caramel and Almonds, Ginger Sesame and Caramel, Pimentòn de La Vera, Madras Curry Coconut and Cashew, Vietnamese Cinnamon and Sugar and Alderwood Smoked Sea Salt. 

Candy Cane Truffles from Kara Chocolates:
This was the first thing I tried. The description said milk chocolate truffle with peppermint center topped with little bits of candy cane. As you can see by the photo, there wasn't really a center of peppermint, it was still chocolate. And, fortunately, or unfortunately, no candy cane bits were to be found. I didn't care. It was still delicious and since I am not actually a fan of canes, no big deal to me. These truffles reminded me of the old mint meltaways I used to sell as a kid for Campfire Girls. Loved them.

Hills Brothers Mocha Mint Cappuccino:
I am not a fan of mocha's or coffee flavors with mint, so I am not the best one to write about this product. I am afraid you are on your own.

Nunes Farms Honey Cinnamon Almonds:
These were pretty good. The nuts were crunchy, not soggy for being bagged. They were lightly salted which mixed nicely with the barely there honey sweetening and cinnamon flavor. I would have liked these more if there was more honey coating, but for the most part I enjoyed them. Plus, almonds are good for you so what's not to enjoy!

Taffy Town Holiday Salt Water Taffy:
 Four of these came in the box. The yellow was Eggnog and it definitely tasted like eggnog. Yum! The white was a Chocolate Rum I guess, but I didn't quite get that. More butterscotchy to me. The green was Spearmint. The pink was, well, I am not sure. A wild guess by Monkey was bubblegum. But I can't say I agree.  Oh well, they were all good! The kids kind of ate them up on me, so I only got a couple bites.

Big Chocolate Dipper Belgian Milk Chocolate Dipped Nutter Butter:
I was so-so on this treat. It tasted good, don't get me wrong, and my kids LOVED it. But this just isn't my kind of chocolate treat, so I took a couple bites and let the kids have the rest. It is wafer-like and covered with nicely flavored chocolate and crunchy bits that I can't quite figure out, not toffee, but something like it. It says it is toasted almonds, but I didn't get that.

Gingerbread Boy from Nikki's Cookies:
My grandpa used to make this molasses gingerbread type cookie cut out with a Spam can, then slathered with a thick white crackly frosting. They were so good. Aunt Sally's he called them. This cookie vaguely reminded me of those childhood Christmases when Grandpa would pull out a huge tupperware container full of the cookies and we would all eat them until they were gone. I like his better, but these were pretty tasty. Very strong ginger flavor, so they stick with you, and the white chocolate coated on the underside of the gingerbread boy was smooth and melty.

Madecasse Chocolate Tasting Square: 
I received two lovely squares of this chocolate, one 63% cocoa, the other milk chocolate. The slogan for this product is "made from bean to bar in Madagascar." It doesn't taste like Hershey's, it is very different, so if that is the kind of chocolate you prefer, you probably wouldn't like this. But, I like it very much. The 63% cocoa tasted very much like real cocoa, slightly sweet and dark. The milk chocolate one reminded me of homemade hot cocoa mix, I swear I could taste all the different notes of it; the milk or dairy aspect, the sweetness and the cocoa, all in its own layers. Very good stuff!

All in all, this was a cute box. It had a holiday feel the whole way through and had a little something for everyone in my family. My favorite? The Sea Salt Caramel Popcorn for sure, second but not by much was the Madecasse Chocolates.


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Deleting the naughty...with the CraveBox "Coffee Lovers" Box December

 The next Cravebox that came out was the "Coffee Lovers" edition. This one cost $12.00. I was excited about this one because I love me some coffee.

Here goes:

Tully's French Roast Coffee:
This bag of coffee was the same as what came in the Cooking Light Cravebox, so no surprises there. Tasted the same, husband still doesn't like it, I think it tastes fine.

Torani Sugar Free Syrup in French Vanilla:
Another syrup, but excited to try a different flavor. My husband is especially excited because he loves flavored iced coffees, and sugar-free ones.

Barbara's High Fiber Cranberry Medley Cereal:
This is a single serving size of a naturally sweet cereal with cranberries, whole grains and pomegranate flavor. Promising to contain 40% of daily fiber, it contains a whopping 10 grams, 5 grams of protein and very low fat. My husband calls cereal like this "colon blow." LOL. He can eat bowl after bowl of cereal like this.  Me, I will just have one, thank you. The cereal is not too bad. It's a little sweet, so tastes better than just a plain bran flake, and the fruit was soft, not hard. I would like the flakes a little bit crisper, but overall, I enjoyed this bowl of cereal for breakfast.


Biscotti Brother's Bakery Biscotti:
I received two pieces of biscotti, one was Almond flavored, the other Cranberry Blueberry Almond. I opened Almond and the very first thing I noticed was the delicious almond scent. I love all things almond flavored. It smelled like homemade Christmas cookies. YUM! Tasted so good! I give these an A for sure. I really like the flavor, I liked the crunch and they tasted very fresh, not stale or old like some packaged cookies. The second biscotti, cranberry blueberry almond smelled like an oatmeal raisin cookie for some reason, didn't catch any almond scent, but this one tasted really great too!

Verdict: The Coffee Lovers box was ok. I guess I expected the box to have more coffee related items, rather than just one bag of coffee that was already in a previous box. Maybe some International Delight's instant coffees, another flavor of coffee and some mini packets of coffee creamer flavors or something? But, the Biscotti's were delicious, and my favorite part of the box, albeit, my favorite thing should have been coffee. Go figure.

Deleting the naughty...with the Cravebox "Holiday Spruce Up" Box

The special "Holiday Spruce Up Box" from Cravebox arrived! I wasn't sure what to expect. I was hoping for stuff to just give me a holiday boost. Not so much.

Price: This one was a $13.00 box.

On to the contents:

Oxi Clean Dishwashing Booster:
While this isn't what I would consider a holiday spruce up item, I will certainly try it. I hear good things about Oxi Clean products in general so I am sure this won't disappoint.  This was one of two full size products in the box.

Tide Pods:
This is a little pod filled with a detergent, a stain remover and a brightener in one. You put the pod in first and then add the clothes. It says one pod can be used for most loads. I am guessing they mean not an oversized or an overly small load.

Bissell Stomp 'N Go Stain Lifting Pads:
This only contained one individual pad with Oxy formula, and with the Febreze scent Spring & Renewal. It says it can permanently remove fresh and set in stains. You just open it up, place it on the area, step on the pad and leave it for a half hour. I will report back the next time I have a mess to clean up.

Febreze Set and Refresh Air Freshener:
The tag line for this product is "Replace Your Cone". I got the scent New Zealand Springs. I don't mind it, but I wonder how long it will last, since it says it is great for small to medium sized rooms. You put the cartridge in the container, then move the container up or down to release the scent. No plugging in or batteries used.

This was all for the products included. The rest was a coupon for $2.00 of Biz and $1.00 off Mean Green Cleaner.

Verdict: I wasn't impressed with this box. None of these items are something I would use in a Holiday Spruce Up. So, I have to say thumbs down to this box. The rinse aid will be fine, but the rest are not something I would probably buy down the road.


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