Review: Furkid – June 2016 Box

Time to review our June 2016 Furkid Subscription Box. I totally forgot to take my usual pic with Maggie sitting amongst all our items so I figured her licking her mouth after gobbling down a treat would suffice.

Furkid (aka Paws & Play) is a Canadian monthly subscription box for your furkid; each month you receive a variety of high-quality products for your pet and you can personalize your box based on your pets preferences (i.e. strong chewer, soft or crunchy treats, gender, etc.).  This is our 5th box as a part of our subscription service; I originally signed up for a 3 month subscription and it auto-renewed back in May for another 3 months (read more about that here).  I was charged $133.95 CAD for this second round of subscriptions, meaning this box has to have a value of at least $44.65 to be worth it.  To find out if it was, keep reading!

Here are both the product cards that were included this month – aren’t Bernie & Nellie cute?  🙂

Details on what was included in this month’s box.

Quality House Brand Freeze Dried Beef Lung Treats – $?: This isn’t included on the product card so based on what I saw online these are worth around $10-11 CAD.  I’m assuming this is a bonus item, which I appreciate but we received beef lung treats last month as well so I wish we had received something different.  Plus beef lung kind of makes me dry heave haha.

Northern Biscuit Minis Treats – $7.95 CAD: Disappointed yet again to see crunchy treats included in our box although at this point I kind of expect it now.  I do appreciate the all-natural ingredients but we’ll hand these off to one of our doggie friends.

Messy Mutts Cleaning Gloves – $8.95 CAD?: The product card lists a cleaning mitt so I’m not sure if this is what it’s referencing?  That’s a little confusing.  These are pretty nice gloves as far as gloves go – they’re quite thick and long and they’re cotton lined.  I don’t like using gloves to bathe Maggie but I’ll use them for cleaning the house or some other purpose.

Play Momo Monster – $17.95 CAD: This is seriously adorable and probably the cutest toy we’ve ever received in a subscription box.  It’s soft and has a squeaker and Maggie really likes it.  Big thumbs up on this one!

Chuck-it Toy – $11.95 CAD: We don’t really need anymore balls but these ones are good to throw outside as they can typically withstand all weather conditions.  Haven’t decided if we’ll keep these or not but the size of these is perfect for Mags.

Plato Thinkers (Salmon) – $2.45 CAD: Maggie was super excited to see this included – these are some of her favourite treats.  We buy the big bag of these regularly, although not in the salmon flavour.  Happy with this one!

Value of this months box: $49.25 CAD plus $10-11 CAD for the bonus item.

The value of this month’s box was there and we were pretty happy with a few of the items, although I’m still hoping they’re going to get our treat preferences correct.  Next month is our last box (for real this time) so we’ll see if they can do it.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Read our previous Furkid/Paws & Play box reviews below:

February 2016 Box

March 2016 Box

April 2016 Box

May 2016 Box

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Luxe Box Summer 2016 – Review & First Impressions

Welcome to my review of the Summer 2016 Luxe Box! I received my very first Luxe Box in the Fall of 2015 and sadly, this will be the last box I receive.  I’ve decided to cancel my subscription because I’m considering trying something new and non-beauty related/focused and while I’ve generally enjoyed my boxes, I’ve never been blown away by them.  I found that Luxe Box could sometimes be disorganized – for instance, this month’s box came without any type of product card? Other times the cards would be inaccurate or missing products.  Also, there many times where I’d receive a shipping notification after my box had been delivered.  Those are small things but after a while they tend to add up.  In addition, I was a little frustrated that the boxes weren’t more uniquely curated, given that they were only sent out on a quarterly basis.

That said, I do really appreciate the fact that this box only ships on a quarterly basis – that’s why I signed up for it.  And I do find the price pretty reasonable for all that’s included ($26 CAD/month plus GST – shipping included) for 7-8 deluxe samples, with at least 1 full size item included.  Lastly, they are a Canadian company, and I love supporting Canadian businesses when possible.  So while I think they have some room for improvement, I wouldn’t hesitate to consider them again if I choose to sign up for another beauty subscription box.

So, with that out the way, let’s get into what my Summer 2016 Luxe box included…

Barefoot Venus Lip Bliss (Spearmint) – $7.50 CAD

Moisturizing Mango Butter chock full of Vitamin A, and deeply nourishing Shea Butter bursting with Vitamins A, C and E combat free radicals found in the sun’s rays.  The Meadowfoam Oil serves as a natural SPF and the Aloe Butter all work together in this seriously cute, 100% natural Lip Bliss. 

I’m a bit of a lip balm fanatic and I love trying new types; I’m not a fan of mint-flavoured balms but I have to say, this is a pretty good one!  It took a bit to figure out how it actually works (you push the tube up from the bottom) but the formula is super thick and buttery and it feels really moisturizing.  Bonus points for the unique and cute cardboard packaging.  Pretty happy with this!

Mirabella Refreshmint Eyeshadow Pigment – $10 USD

Innovative loose powder formula contains conditioning ingredients to soften skin. Versatile pigment can be blended from icy to mint, with either a wet application for bright color with a sharper finish, or a dry application for a more pearlescent look.

I was really excited to see this included in the box!  This is one of my favourite colours yet I don’t own any eyeshadows in this shade.  What I like about this is you can apply it with a fluffy brush for a sheer wash of colour or pack it on with a flat shader brush for a more intense look.  I won’t be wearing this on the regular, but it’s a nice addition to my collection.

Morgan Taylor Nail Polish – I’m the Good Witch ($?)

Last season’s box also included a full size Morgan Taylor polish, and while this is a different shade, I’m a little disappointed in the lack of effort involved in including an item twice.  Despite that, I do really like this polish – the glitter is really multi-faceted and colourful and has a rose gold look to it.  I’ve used it a few times as an accent nail paired with Essie’s Topless and Barefoot and the two pair really well together.  So I’m happy with this addition but I would have preferred something a little more unique.  Note – I wasn’t able to find a price online so I’m not sure how much this retails for (as mentioned above no product card was included).

Novex Brazilian Keratin Deep Conditioning Hair Mask – $4.99 USD for 15 mL

Novex Brazilian Keratin Deep Conditioning Hair Mask is an enhanced treatment to restore smoothness and deep repair all types of hair. This product is enriched with Vitamin E and the most genuine Brazilian Keratin.  Recommended for dry, dull and frizzy hair.

There’s not many deep conditioners that I can use on my hair, given how fine it is.  Typically they just end up making my hair greasy. I’ve tried this once and unfortunately I can throw this into the “doesn’t work for me” pile.  The formula is really thick and creamy and I was a total greaseball on Day 2 after shampooing (I can usually go 3 days without washing).  I think this would work best for those with coarse/thick hair.

pur~lisse BB Tinted Moist Cream SPF 30 – $32 for 1.4 oz (received 0.34 oz.)

Your beauty balm (shade: Light) that glides on like tinted moisturizer with all the age-defying, coverage, sunscreen benefits of an foundation and BB cream! Featuring our exclusive Asian Herb extracts complex, Chamomile & Artemisia soothes skin while Sugar Maple improves skin’s appearance and retains moisture to create a gorgeous & glowing complexion.

I received a BB cream in my Spring box, so this was kind of another repeat; this is also a second time receiving a Pur-lisse product. I wasn’t too impressed with the Model Co’s BB cream so I didn’t expect much from this.  Thankfully I was actually pleasantly surprised!   I’ve tried it a few times and it’s moisturizing and provides light coverage but it still evens out my skintone.   I could also see this working really well as primer underneath foundation.  I find this to be quite similar to my Clinique City Block so I don’t think I’d order it but it was nice to try it out.

Harvey Prince Organics Sincerely Body Cream – $24.00 for 12 oz. (received 0.5 oz.)

Revitalize, soften and soothe your skin’s dry, rough patches with our hydrating Sincerely Body Cream.  An intensely moisturizing and deeply nourishing blend of Shea butter and sweet almond oil, combined with extracts of French bergamot and South African freesia, Sincerely Body Cream brings out your body’s natural luster, giving you silky smooth skin all day long. Infused with Harvey Prince Sincerely perfume.  Suitable for all skin types. Hypoallergenic. Non-comedogenic.

I’ve never heard of this brand before and I’m always open to trying new body moisturizers so I was excited to try this out.  Unfortunately I can’t say I’m a fan; the scent was really perfume-like and overpowering.  In addition, I had some major issues trying to get this to absorb – when I applied it, it turned white and just kind of sat on top of my skin, no matter how much I tried to rub it in.  So weird!  Not a fan.

O.R.G Skincare Mineral Peel Face with Brightening Agents – $44 USD for 2 oz (received .16 oz.)

Facial and makeup prep exfoliant with natural brightening agents.  Mineral Peel Face is the first all-natural enzyme exfoliant that extracts dermal debris and dead skin within seconds of application for instantly smoother, softer, radiant skin.  

Now this was intriguing to me!  Sometimes I find chemical exfoliants to be a bit too harsh for my sensitive skin but I noticed that the active ingredients (ascorbic acid, retinol, hyaluronic acid) were lower on the ingredient list so I figured it would give it a try.  I’ve used it twice so far and I probably have one application left because unfortunately my spray bottle leaked in the bag during transport. Basically you spray this on dry skin, let it sit for a few seconds and then massage your face, which triggers exfoliation.  It’s kind of a weird experience to literally be rubbing your skin off your face!

I have actually used a product very similar to this before – Peter Thomas Roth’s FIRMx Peeling Gel.  The ingredients are different but it basically does the exact same thing – and PTR’s version is slightly cheaper per ounce.  I think I actually prefer the PTR because it’s in gel form, rather than a spray.  I found the spray a little harder to apply – I ended up spraying it in my eyes and in my hair a few times – with the gel you can apply it exactly where you want it.   Plus I can order the PTR version through Sephora’s Canadian website and not have to deal with shipping, duty and exchange rates.  So while I liked this product, I can’t really justify ordering it on my own.

Overall, this was a good box with more hits than misses for me, so I’m happy to go out on a high note!

Do you have any suggestions for what subscription boxes I should consider next?  If so, let me know below!

Read about my previous Luxe Boxes here: Spring 2016 / Winter 2015 / Fall 2015

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Review: Furkid – May 2016 Box

Happy Tuesday!

Today I’m reviewing another Furkid (aka Paws & Play by Furkid Subscription Box); I had actually planned for the April box to be the last we received but thanks to their auto-renewal service, I was subscribed for another 3 whole months at a cost of $133.95 CAD. Originally I signed up for a  3 month subscription that began in February and ended in April – or so I thought.  I failed to read the (very) fine print that stated that the subscription would auto-renew on the 1st of the month following the end of my original subscription, unless I cancelled prior to.  This irked me given that I had only received our April box on April 28.  So I was given 2 whole days to decide if I wanted to renew my subscription?   Plus, the fact that it renewed not only for 1 month but for 3 was a bit shocking to me, especially given that I received no notification whatsoever that it was auto-renewing!  Unfortunately this seems to be a common practice amongst many subscription boxes, so take my advice and read the fine print before signing up so you know exactly what you’re getting into.  I did share my concerns with the owner but I was basically told I was out of luck and offered some additional items in my May box. I debated sharing my review given how unhappy I am but I felt I could still be objective, plus I have two more of them coming and it means I get to gratuitously share pics of Maggie, so I figured I might as well.  😉 So let’s get into it:

First up, the product Card; the value of this month’s “box” is equal to $50.98 CAD.  Keep in mind that my subscription for 3 months cost me $133.95 CAD which equates to $44.65 CAD per box, so the value of this box is just slightly over what I paid for it.

DIGZ Peanut Butter Smash Cookie:  As I’ve stated before, one of the reasons why I signed up for this subscription was due to the fact that it was supposed to be customizable; Maggie doesn’t like hard/crunchy cookies (#princess) so our profile states soft cookies only.  Yet we still continue to receive hard cookies.  This wasn’t included in the product card so I’m not sure if everyone received this or if this was one of our “bonus” items.  Regardless, we’ll be passing this on to one of our doggy friends.

Caru Soft & Tasty Venison Recipe Baked Bites:  These are soft and chewy and Maggie was pretty happy with them.  I really liked that they’re all natural, do not contain any wheat, gluten, corn, soy or animal by-products AND they contain no ingredients from China.  These appear to retail for about $7-8 US; again, this is not listed on the product card so I’m assuming this was another bonus item.  Overall we were pleased with them.

Earth Rated Leash Dispenser with Bags: We actually buy these bags regularly, but I’m not crazy about the dispenser (too bulky) so we’ll likely give this away too.

Etta Says Beef Liver Treat – This was a small little individual treat (assuming it’s a sample which is why it wasn’t included in the product card). Maggie gobbled it up.  No complaints.

N/A Nothing Added 100% Canadian Atlantic Pollock:  Maggie loves anything fish and these are no exception.  They stink to high heaven though, I hold my breath when I give her one.  Love that these are 100% Canadian.  Happy with this addition to the box.

Digz Prime Lung Beef Steaks: I always struggle with giving Maggie various animal body parts/organs but of course, like most dogs, she absolutely loves them.  These are actually pretty hard and crunchy but if I break them into smaller pieces, she eats them.  We’ll take the good with the bad on these.

Kong Bendeez Toy: Kong toys are expensive and are generally good quality however ours appears to be broken.  The instructions state that it should squeak when you bend/twist or shake it but it does nothing of the sort.  As a result Maggie doesn’t have a lot of interest in it.

So overall, I’m slightly happier with May’s box when compared to April’s but that’s only because of the bag of chewy treats that was our bonus item. Otherwise the only item that we would have been happy with would have been the Pollock.  One down, two to go!

Until next time!

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Read our previous Furkid/Paws & Play box reviews below:

February 2016 Box

March 2016 Box

April 2015 Box

FURKID by Paws & Play – April Box

Another month, another Paws & Play box.  Actually this is the last box of our 3 month subscription and it was going to be the determining factor if we extended our subscription or not.  I was hoping that it would blow me away and I wouldn’t be able to resist re-subscribing (you can read our review of the February and March boxes here and here).  To find out if it convinced us to stick around or not, keep reading!

Paws & Play is a Canadian monthly subscription box for your furkid; each month you receive a variety of high-quality products for your pet and you can personalize your box based on your pets preferences (i.e. strong chewer, soft or crunchy treats, gender, etc.).

This month’s “box” came in a bag again, I’m not quite sure why as I feel it would have fit in a box.  As a result the product card was a little worse for wear.

The total value of the box came to a total $51.95; I found most of the listed prices pretty reasonable, aside from maybe the toy.  As mentioned, we purchased a 3 month subscription for $109.95, which calculates out to each box costing $36.65.

They also included a separate card this month showcasing a rescue pet and their story – this month’s being cutie Tika.

First up was the Hyper Pet Gnarly Gnaws Bone. ($14.95)  It had a squeaker in it and I think these are met for strong chewers (which she is not).  Maggie doesn’t really destroy her toys (unless they have fur on them) and unfortunately she didn’t much interest in this.

Next was the Petcurean Catfish Barbue Jerky for Active & Opinionated Dogs ($16.95).  Love the opinionated dogs thing – that’s a good way to describe Maggie.  I knew she’d like these as she likes jerky treats and fish and she gobbled one right up.  These were a hit!

Our third item was Northern’s The Big Biscuit ($4.95). This is a hard crunchy treat and our profile was set up not to receive crunchy treats so I was a little miffed to see this included.  I broke Maggie off a piece but as expected she turned her nose up at it.  There’s that opinionated dog thing kicking in.

Also included was a Fur + Body Revitalize & Sustain Dog Refresher ($12.95).  This is a spray that can be used to deodorize your pet’s coat if it’s getting a little less than fresh and you don’t have time for a bath.  We don’t have anything like this so I thought this was kind of neat.  I gave it a try and it smelled pleasant and seemed to work pretty well.  I like that its made with organic and natural ingredients too.

Lastly was a This & That Duck Wing ($1.95).  Looks appetizing doesn’t it?  😉  I was a little concerned because there was no packaging on this, it was just loose in the bag. I had to reference the product card to determine what it was but it didn’t give any details as to to where it was made.  In addition, I googled “This & That” and couldn’t find anything about them online so that was disappointing; I like to know where the products I’m feeding Maggie are coming from.  I’ve never given Maggie wings to chew on before and the shape of this made me a little nervous, but she was going crazy for it.  So I gave it to her and as you can see, she really enjoyed it at first:

Thank goodness I was watching her because within a few minutes of her chewing on it, she started coughing and I had to pull it out of her mouth because she had started to swallow it yet it wasn’t completely chewed.  After that I chucked it right in the garbage (much to her dismay).  I know there’s a choking hazard with any type of chew but this didn’t seem to be breaking down like a bully stick normally would, which is why she nearly choked on it.  Scary moment for me and I definitely won’t be purchasing any duck wings (or any other kind of wings!) for her going forward.

And that was this month’s box.  Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be renewing our subscription.  I really like doing these unboxings with Mags, she gets so excited when we go to open them up.  But on the other hand, I find we’re only using about 50% of the items that we receive and I’m feeling a little frustrated that our profile preferences have been ignored twice now.  I might do some more investigating on other pet subscription boxes just to see if there’s a better option for us.  If you have any recommendations, please let me know below!

FURKID by Paws & Play – March Box

Today I’m reviewing and sharing our unboxing of the March FURKID by Paws & Play box.  This is the second box we’ve received as part of our 3 month subscription.  You can read our review on our February box here.

Paws & Play is a Canadian monthly subscription box for your Furkid; each month you receive a variety of high-quality products for your pet and you can personalize your box based on your pets preferences (i.e. strong chewer, soft or crunchy treats, gender, etc.).

This month’s “box” actually came in a bag due to the size of the items included.  Like last month, they included a product card that lists everything included and their respective prices.  This value of the box this month was $65.75.

On the flip side of the card they always feature a rescue pet and his/her story.  This month’s coverboy is a kitty by the name of Luxx. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first item we pulled out of the box was this Chuckit! Max Glow Medium Ball.  Maggie will play fetch for about 2 minutes so she’s not really into balls.  However we usually keep one out in the backyard for when she has the urge so this will be good for that.  Or if we decided to play fletch at night I guess!

Next – another toy, this time an Indoor Tumbler by the same brand (Chuckit!).  I honestly didn’t think she’d be too interested in this as it’s pretty big and bulky but I threw it around the backyard for her and she played with it for quite a while!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here she is playing up a storm:

They also included a footed bowl; these are always handy to have on hand and I liked the colour of this, plus it’s pretty sturdy.  Maggie wasn’t so interested in this though ;):

On to something Maggie was more interested in – a snack bar.  This is from the brand Spike and contained chicken meal and sweet potato.  This actually smelled pretty good when I opened it (I didn’t test it out, I swear):

Maggie seemed to enjoy it (please excuse the grass stuck in her fur!):

I swear if any human ate like she did (all obnoxious with their mouth wide open), I’d be beyond annoyed:

But with her, it’s just cute.  🙂

Lastly, they included a large box of DIGZ French Pup Macarons:

On top was a  little card that described how and what they make the macarons with:

And finally, the macarons themselves:

These are basically like sandwich cookies with a crunchy cookie on the top and bottom and some kind of filing in the middle.  While I think these would be devoured by literally any other dog on the planet, Maggie is a bit picky and isn’t too fond of hard cookies.  She appears to have a hard time chewing hard treats or food so I usually have to break them up into small pieces for her.  I did this for her with these but these are REALLY hard and it took quite a bit for me to break it up.  I also specified in our profile that we only wanted to receive soft treats so I’m a little confused as to why they sent us these.  So we’ll probably forward these on to one of our doggie friends.

And that was what made up our March Paws & Play Box!  Overall I was pretty satisfied with the box, aside from the macarons.  Next month is going to be the last box as part of our 3 month subscription and then we’ll need to evaluate if we continue on month by month, sign up for another 3 month subscription or try another pet subscription box.

Thanks for stopping by!

Luxe Box – Spring 2016

Happy Hump Day!  Thanks to the holiday on Friday, we’re already halfway through the week.  Sometimes I find that short weeks feel longer than regular weeks which is annoying.  Thursday at 4:30 PM can’t come soon enough!

Today I’m reviewing my Spring Luxe Box.  Luxe Box is a quarterly Canadian beauty subscription service; included in the box is 7-8 trial-sized beauty and lifestyle items.   The monthly plan costs $26 a month and the annual plan is $96 a year.  I subscribe to the monthly plan as I prefer the freedom to cancel my subscription whenever I please.

So, here’s what my Spring box included:

Smashbox Photo Finish Classic Primer (.25 fl. oz – $44 CAD for 1 oz): I’m not a fan of this primer yet samples of it follow me everywhere I go.  I’ll be giving this away.

Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional Primer (3.0 mL – $37 CAD for 0.75 oz): A second primer?  Okay I actually don’t mind this one but again, I’ve already got a few of these in my stash already.  Boring.

Jelly Pong Pong Lychee Softening Shower & Bath Gel (30 mL – $15.95 USD): Lychee’s gross me out – I personally think they look and feel like eyeballs. So I can’t say I’m super excited by this but I haven’t tried it out yet.  At first I thought this was a sample size but it appears this actually full-sized.  I can’t imagine paying $15 for this little tube?

POP Beauty Kajal Pen – Inky Purple (0.9 g – $10 USD): This excited me at first as I actually quite like purple eyeliners.  Then I tried it.  This smudged like crazy.  Plus it’s not really all that pigmented so you can’t really tell that it’s purple.  And if you actually want to smudge it out and use the smudger that’s on the end of the brush, it rubs the eyeliner away.  Fail.

Schick Hydro Silk Razor ($12.64 CAD): This seemed like an odd addition to the box but one of the few things that I’m actually going to use.  We typically purchase the value pack of Schick disposable razors from Costco and they work well but every so often its nice to use something a little more luxurious.  I’ve used this a few times and I do enjoy how soft my skin feels after and it definitely reduces the number of nicks and cuts I inflict on myself.  On the down side I don’t find these provide as close of a shave as my disposable razors.

Morgan Taylor Professional Nail Lacquer – Eye Candy (15 mL – $15.83 CAD): I always like getting nail polishes and I’ve never heard of this brand before so its nice to try something new.  If only the colour were more unique – I have this periwinkle shade in other brands so I wish they would have included something a little different.  I have tested this out and the formula seems easy to work with so that’s a bonus.  I struggle with the $15 price tag on this though, as nice as the formula is you wouldn’t catch me paying $15 for a bottle of this.

Model Co BB PLUS Cream Daily All-In-One Skin Perfector Broad Spectrum SPF 30 – Light (35 mL – $22 CAD): This is what excited me most out of the whole box – I love BB creams for the warmer months when slathering a thick layer of makeup on my face is the last thing I want to do.  This pretty much claims to do it all including cover blemishes and imperfections, maintain hydration, correct signs of dullness or fatigue and help protect the skin from UV rays.  Unfortunately I’ve used this twice and I’m not even the least bit impressed.  The coverage of this is so sheer that it does nothing to cover any blemishes or scaring, nor does it brighten or awaken my complexion. It feels pointless to even apply it. On top of that the shade is really orange/yellow so it gives me a really attractive Oompa Looompa glow. And if that isn’t enough,it doesn’t last on my skin.  Both times I’ve used this I’ve applied it in the morning and hung out at home on the couch all day.  After a few hours, the product dissipates off my face and I don’t have a trace of it left.  I could potentially use this as a primer but that’s about it.  Huge disappointment and wouldn’t recommend this.

This month they also included two coupons; one for a bonus 3500 Shoppers Optimum points if you purchased the full size of the Benefit POREfessional Primer.  I don’t like it enough to purchase the full size so that won’t be going to use.  The second was $5 razor blades for the Schick razor.  I know razor blades are expensive so I might actually use this.

So, if you couldn’t tell, I’m pretty disappointed with this season’s box.  I feel like there wasn’t a ton of thought put into it (2 primers, a razor, etc.) and the products I was excited to try fell flat.  That said, this is only my third Luxe Box and I was happy with the previous two I’ve received.  Here’s hoping the Summer Luxe Box is more impressive!

Have you tried any of these products?  What are your thoughts on the Spring Luxe Box?  Let me know below.

Thanks for stopping by!

This & That Fridays – January 22

Finally, another week done!  I swear, January is the worst month of the year.  It’s cold, dreary and you’re broke from Christmas.  The good thing is there’s only one more week left in the month and then we’re on to February!

I had the WORST experience @ Sephora last weekend…and I’m holding a bit of a grudge.  It related to me returning the Foreo Toothbrush my husband bought me for Christmas.  When he bought it for me they had to pull a barcode off of their website because there was nothing on the box…and they used the barcode for a blue toothbrush instead of the purple one he bought me.  Fast forward to me trying to return it – there’s no barcode on the box AND the item on the receipt is a different colour than what I’m returning.  So I could understand why this looks suspicious.  However, the girl at the register made me feel like I had stolen something or was trying to scam them (I’ll spare you her exact comments).  After fighting with the sales clerk forever and receiving several suspicious looks from her, she finally agreed to return it.  Except I didn’t have the VISA used to pay for it on me.  So they wouldn’t return it and now I have to go back this weekend and likely go through this all again. I couldn’t believe how rude and accusatory the sales clerk was though – she totally ruined my day.  And it definitely made me question my loyalty to Sephora.

I wish we had Kohl’s here in Canada because I would love to shop Lauren Conrad’s new Minnie Mouse Fashion Line.  So cute and girly!

I think I might give Pioneer Woman’s Roasted Red Pepper Pasta a go this Sunday.  I’ve heard nothing but delicious reviews about it and it seems really simple!

I’m contemplating signing Maggie up for Paw Pack or a Bowzer Box – has anyone tried either?  I subscribed to a 6 month Bark Box subscription using a Groupon in the summer and it’s been kind of meh.  I’d like to try a Canadian one!

This Drake themed gift guide is hilarious and awesome.  Huge Drake fan here.  He’s my boyfriend, he just doesn’t know it yet.

I rediscovered NailPolish Canada thanks to StashMatters this week (#enabler)!  I had previously placed orders with them and was always very impressed with their service.   I had no idea they now carry cosmetics, including brands that can be difficult to find in stores here such as e.l.f., Real Techniques and The Balm.  I’m putting together a shopping list as we speak.

Wishing you a great weekend!

 

First Impressions: Winter 2015 Luxe Box

I received my Winter Luxe Box a few weeks ago and I’m finally getting around to doing a first impressions on it.  This is my second box I’ve received since I subscribed back in the (late) Summer.  I received the Fall box and I was pretty happy with it – it had a good variety of products and I found it had a good value.  I also really like the fact that it’s delivered once a quarter instead of every month.  You can find more about Luxe Box on their website here.

So, on to my box!

 Face Shop Character mask (Moisturizing) – $4 CAD

I haven’t tried this yet but I can’t wait to – how hilarious does this look?  I’ve never tried anything from The Face Shop either so I’m looking forward to giving something of theirs a try.  I still find sheet masks a little weird and sometimes off-putting but my skin could use some extra moisture now that the weather has become colder and drier.

Starlooks Luxe Longwear Eye Liner Pen – $19 USD

I was pretty happy to see a full-size liquid liner pen included as I use liquid liner quite a bit and calligraphy/felt tip types are my favourite.  I’ve used this a couple of times and I’m pretty impressed with it.  It lasts all day, doesn’t smudge or flake goes on smoothly and is fairly pigmented.  The problem is I’m not sure I see myself ordering this for $19 USD; exchange sucks right now and I have a few drugstore versions that work just as well for less.

Teez Trends Read My Lips Lipsticks – $22 USD

I’ve never heard of this brand before but I love its unique and colourful packaging!  This is another full-sized product which is always great to receive!

The shade is a deep red with a tiny hint of berry.  It’s very pigmented and I was quite impressed with its smooth texture.  I’ve worn it once and given that it claims to be long-wearing I fully expected it to dry out my lips.  But it’s surprisingly moisturizing!  I’m not sure I see myself paying close to $30 CAD for it but I need to try it out a bit more to see if it lives up to its high price tag.

Benefit They’re Real! Mascara – $12 USD

When I saw the collection of Benefit products in my box I was pretty excited!  Benefit isn’t a brand I haven’t tried a lot of and I’d like to try more.  The exception being this mascara.  I tried it years ago and I wasn’t a fan of it; it didn’t do much to my lashes.  I prefer volume over length though because my lashes are naturally quite long.  Despite that I’ll give this another try and see if it maybe works better for me this time.

Benefit They’re Real! Tinted Primer – $10 USD

As mentioned above, when I tried the They’re Real! Mascara a while back I wasn’t impressed with it.  But I’m intrigued by this lash primer!  This can be worn alone for a more natural look or worn underneath mascara; it claims to increase length, lift and separation.  I also like that this is water-resistant.  I’m looking forward to giving this a go!

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara – $16 CAD

I’ve heard such good things about this mascara and I’ve been dying to try it but not willing to fork over the money for it.  So I was stoked to see this included!  My lashes don’t hold curl easily or well so I’m anxious to see if this actually does what it says it will!

Benefit They’re Real! Remover – $18 USD (for 50 ml)

 

 

This eye makeup remover sample was a little disappointing to me – the foil pack is quite small.  I would have thought they’d be able to include a small tube with a cap at least. I hate receiving foil packs like this because it’s really hard to get a good idea if it’s a good product or not when its only enough for one use.   I would have preferred to receive a sample of the They’re Real! Push Up Eyeliner instead.  I’ll stop whining now but I’ll perhaps throw this in my travel stash and use it for an overnight trip.

And that wraps up the Winter Luxe Box.  Overall I was pretty happy with this box, aside from small sample of the makeup remover.  There isn’t anything in here that I’m super disappointed with (except maybe the eye makeup remover) or don’t see myself using or at least trying out once.  So I plan on keeping my subscription for another quarter minimum!

Did you get a Luxe box this quarter?  If so, what did you receive?

Thanks for reading!

Review: Bakers Krate – September 2015

Today I have a review of September’s Bakers Krate dessert subscription box!  In August Bakers Krate sent me one of their Sweet Express Boxes and I was thankful to receive the September box from them last week! I figured I might as well share my honest thoughts on the box as I did last time!

First off, a little bit about Bakers Krate.  They are a Canadian company based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba and their goal is to share Canada’s tastiest desserts with everyone, no matter what province they are in!  The Sweet Express Box is the only box that can be shipped across Canada and they have 2 other boxes that ship solely within Winnipeg (lucky them!).  The price for the Sweet Express box retails for $19.99 with an additional $9.99 for shipping.  Included in the box is 6 gourmet desserts.

So, on to this month’s box.  When I cracked this open I was happy to see that they had made some modifications to the packaging.  In the August box there were some dessert bars that had been tossed around a bit as a result of shipping and some of mine arrived a little squished or worse for wear.  This time they included bubble wrap and mini “air bags” around each of the desserts and that really seemed to help as they arrived in perfect condition.

Like last month, they included a card that described all the products included in the box:

And now the best part – the desserts!:

Coconut Macaroon – a deliciously sweet, moist, and chewy dessert with a crispy shredded coconut exterior.

I’m not sure I’ve ever had a macaroon prior to this?  I was a little apprehensive trying this because it just looked like it was going to taste like dried shredded coconut but I was pleasantly surprised.  This was moist and chewy, as per the description, and offered just the right amount of sweet.

Amaretti – This cookie originated in Venice, Italy.  it has a crisp and crunchy exterior with a soft interior.  The perfect texture for a cookie!

Again, I don’t think I’ve ever had an amaretti cookie or if I did, it was a long time ago and it was nothing memorable. But I really liked these!  I was expecting them to be hard and crunchy but they were soft and chewy, with a light almond flavor.  The icing sugar and almond on top were a nice touch.

Lemon Coconut Bar –   Similar to a drink you may have had on the beach.  A tangy lemon flavor combined with sweet coconut.

Lemon bars are a favorite of mine so I was intrigued to give this one a try, especially given that it had coconut in it.  The crust appears to be a thick shortbread topped with a basic lemon filing with coconut mixed in.  I thought this was good, although I found the crust a touch thick and I felt it needed a bit more lemon flavour. I’m a little picky with the way I like my lemon bars though!

Turtle Slice – Even those without sweet tooths can’t resist this delicious bar full of chocolate, caramel and walnuts.

The moment I saw this I knew I would have to save at least half for my husband who is a huge Turtles fan!  It looked delicious and it was.  Extremely decadent and rich, and one of those desserts that you need to wash down with a large class of milk.  Similar to the brownie in last month’s box, I feel like this would be even more delicious on top of some vanilla ice cream.

Dipped Biscotti – A peanut buttery flavoured biscotti dipped in creamy white chocolate that just melts in your mouth.

I’m not a big tea person and I don’t drink coffee so biscotti is something I rarely reach for.  But this one sounded really good….peanut butter and white chocolate?  Yes please.  These were fantastic dipped into my hot chocolate!

Overall while I enjoyed the desserts included in the August box, I felt these were superior.  There was something in this box that would suit everyone’s taste and the desserts just seemed to be of higher quality – like I couldn’t easily duplicate these at home!  Plus the improved packaging is a big win for me – if I were to send one of these as a gift I’d want to make sure that they arrive in their intended state so the addition of the bubble wrap and mini “air bags” put my mind at ease.

A big thanks to Bakers Krate for sending me the September box!  If you’d like more info on their subscription box, please visit their website.

Thanks for reading!

 

Building my own Birchbox!

About a month ago I was in New York, doing some shopping in the SoHo district.  I came across a Birchbox store and knew I had to go in.  The store was nice inside but I was kind of disappointed in their selection of products – many of them seemed older and the testers seemed in need of replacement.  There were a small selection of newer products as well as ones by some brands I had never heard of before or seen in Canada.  Nothing really caught my eye though and I was about to leave when I noticed what I thought was a clearance section at the back of the store (always looking for a sale!) and decided to investigate further.

Turns out what I thought was a clearance section was actually a “Build your own Birchbox” station.  The cost was $15 USD and they had bins filled with various skin, hair, body and beauty products.  You could pick up to 2 products from each category to a maximum of 5 products total.  I took a look at the products they were offering and I saw a few that I was interested in so I thought I might as well do it!

The first step is to pick your box.  I picked this simple pink one:

Then it was on to the products, first up:

Amika Undone Texture Spray (My size: 0.75 oz; Full-size: $24.00 USD for 5.3 oz)

I’ve been eyeing up this Amika Texture Spray ever since I saw Kate Bryan of the Small Things Blog rave about it.  My hair is super fine and falls flat super easily so I was hopeful that this might give me some much-needed volume.

It definitely does add volume but I’m not sure I’m crazy about how it does so.  It kind of clumps and tangles my hair together and leaves it a bit of a dry, matted mess.  It does have a nice scent and I recently cut my bangs and I find it works ok on them specifically but I don’t like using this on the rest of my hair.  I find I can get a similar result using Batistie’s XXL Volume Dry Shampoo without the matted tangles.  Plus it’s cheaper!  So ultimately I don’t see myself purchasing the full-size of this.

 

 

 

Serge Normant Dream Big Instant Volumizing Spray (My size: 1.8 oz; Full Size: $25.00 USD for 4.5 oz)

I always like having travel size hairsprays on hand as I go through them pretty quickly.  I had never heard of this brand before but apparently Serge Normant is a celebrity hair guru.

When I saw “Volumizing” I scooped it up.  Unfortunately this was another disappointment.  The scent is pretty strong and very perfume-like.  It did nothing to hold my style nor volumize my hair.  Plus it left it feeling dry, crunchy and sticky.   Despite my hair being fine, I need a strong hold hairspray to keep my style in tact.  But finding one that offers strong hold without being crunchy and sticky is no easy feat.  Sadly this one didn’t fit the bill and I wouldn’t purchase the full-size of this.

 

 

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick – Venezia (My size: 0.05 oz; Full size: $24.00 USD for 0.1 oz)

This was the first item I picked up and added to my box.  I haven’t tried any lip products by Stila but I have used their eye products and been impressed with them.  The fact that this claimed it was long-lasting drew me in and I was intrigued by the color of course!

When I first applied this I loved how creamy this felt on my lips; then ten seconds later it started to set and that changed.  It felt so uncomfortable and dry!  It did last a while but once I drank or ate with it on it started to fade in the center of my lips which is never a good look.

On the positive side the colour is gorgeous – a bright, vibrant coral and I own nothing like it.  I don’t see myself purchasing the full-size of these but it’s a fun item to add to my collection to wear once in a while.

 

Masqueology Brightening Mask (Full Size) – $8.00 USD

I’ve only tried a few sheet masks and I haven’t been overally impressed with any of them.  I find the one-size-fits all thing doesn’t really work well for my face (do they work well for anyone?) and the slimy texture of them is a big turn off for me.

Despite that, I haven’t been scared off of sheet masks all together.  I thought I’d give this one a try, mainly because it stated it was brightening which is something I feel like I could really use.  My skin is naturally pretty pale and can look a little dull and drab, especially as we head into cooler weather.

I used a Boscia sheet mask months ago and I hated the consistency of it – it was so slimy and jelly like it creeped me out.  This one was still a little slimy but not enough that it felt weird.  I wasn’t a fan of how they cut they mask though, it honestly looked like a clown face.  The eye, nose and mouth cut outs were huge and they didn’t remove the extra material so I found it difficult to apply.

I left this on for 20 minutes as instructed; it was quite saturated with product and did drip a tiny bit if I didn’t have my head set all the way back.  Once I removed the mask, I rubbed the leftover product into my skin and was surprised that it didn’t take that long to absorb.  The Boscia version left a lot of product behind and I couldn’t get it to absorb, and it left my skin feeling pretty tacky and sticky afterwards.  This felt slightly tacky but nothing uncomfortable.

Overall, aside from the cut out, I liked this mask.  My skin definitely felt moisturized afterwards.  I didn’t really see a bunch of brightening effects but it did seem to even my skin tone out, if only temporarily.  It’d be interesting to see if the brightening benefits would increase with regular use of these.  Overall, I think I’d buy another one of these for sure!

The Balm Cosmetics The Balm Desert Bronzer/Blush (My size: .028 oz; Full-size: $21 USD for 0.225 oz)

The Balm is another brand I’ve never tried so when I saw this bronzer I snatched it up right away.  This stated it could double as a blush and I’m all about versatile products so I couldn’t wait to try this out.  The formula of this is really smooth and buttery however this is such a tiny sample I found it hard to get a proper amount of this on my brush.  I think this works well as a bronzer but I personally don’t like this as a blush on my skin tone – I lean more towards pinks and corals and this is a bit too beige for me.  I do like that it has a subtle pink shimmer in it though, you definitely don’t need a highlighter when using this!  Not sure I’d repurchase this particular shade but I’m interested in seeing what shades of blush they have that might work for me!

And that was my box! I can’t say I was super impressed with the products I selected but I’m glad I was able to give them all a try for much less than the full sizes would be.  Plus I had fun making up my box so I’d say the $15 I spent was worth it.

Thanks for reading!