Julep February 2015

Julep is the only nail polish subscription I have ever tried, and it is one of the longest-running subscriptions I've been signed up for. I end up skipping quite a few months (there actually is such a thing as too much nail polish...) but there are some months I just NEED one of the new colours from that month's collection...

Cost: $19.99/month (at some point last year they changed subscriptions to $24.99 which gives you control to customize each month's box to your liking, but since I was a member previous to that I can still accept the boxes they create and save $5/month)

- Also important to note is that there is always a deal on your first box! Right now the welcome box consists of three polishes and an eyeliner completely free! Just click on my links and it will take you a page with the code to enter.

Once you are a monthly subscriber (or a Maven as they call it), you receive discounts on their online store, along with free shipping. For the rest of this post, the discounted dollar price will be the one in brackets.

This box was packed! I knew I had purchased a few add-ons, but I had didn't remember buying that many... 

Ada (It Girl) - $14 ($11.20) 

Described as a bright rhubarb fizzy, this is so pretty with it's white/silver glitter.

Add-on for this month at a discounted price of $4.99

Hartleigh (Classic with a Twist) - $14 ($11.20)

This holographic white/red glitter top coat was the polish in the hot pink organza bag. It came with a little note from the founder of Julep, I believe everyone who ordered the February box received this as a Valentine's Day present for free. It'll be perfect for this weekend with it's red heart-shaped glitter!

Glow Highlighting Powder - $28 ($22.40)

Julep has been expanding their makeup line now for awhile, and I've been impressed by anything I've tried so far. This picture makes this look really dark, but it's actually a really nice, light highlighter that I can see working on just about every skin type. 

Part of the actual monthly box

Tatiana (Boho Glam) - $14 (currently $4.99 on the website)

Described on the Julep website as a golden burnt orange microglitter, this picture does not do this colour justice. It's very orange, and very shimmery.

Free gift with purchase of 3 add-ons

Hazel (Boho Glam) - $14 ($11.20)

A wild violet and bronze duochrome, this is a great addition to my collection. I have quite a few purples, but none quite like this one - it has a very silvery glow in certain lighting.

Part of the actual monthly box

Queen Anne (It Girl) - $14 ($11.20)

Julep describes this one as a lilac confetti microglitter. I like this one, it has a full coverage for a glitter, you wouldn't even need a colour underneath.

Add-on for this month for $4.99

Brandis (Boho Glam) - $14 ($11.20)

This taos turquoise cream is the reason I actually bought the February box. As soon as I saw this one, I knew I had to have it! It'll be perfect for the spring!

Part of the actual monthly box

Metamorphic Top Coat Trio - $42 ($30)

Bjork (It Girl) - blue pearlescent silk top coat

Tilda (Bombshell) - green pearlescent silk top coat

Tyra (Boho Glam) - magenta pearlescent top coat

Add-on this month for $9.99

Like I mentioned before, there was a lot of stuff in this month's box! I did choose to add-on a few products at discounted prices, but that is only because I traded in my points to receive the monthly box for free. I think after trading away points, everything in this post cost me $16.99 US - which is a HUGE steal! I know I'll use every one of these nail colours at some point, and I've already tried out the highlighter powder. I should probably try and skip my Julep for the next few months though, at least until I can build a nice display shelf for all my nail polish in our new house...

xoxo,

Fallon

*This post contains referral links*

Busy January

So much for my promise to get back to normal blog posts... I'm sure it will happen again at some point in my life.

January turned out to be a busy month for L and I - we traveled to the Dominican Republic for vacation with his family for a week which was a nice break from the snow and cold, even if it did rain for five of the seven days we were there... We rented a private villa, where we had a housekeeper/cook who made some amazing meals (including a Dominican lasagna - which strangely enough had raisins and corn in it...).

The most exciting news from January is that L and I have purchased our first home together! We take possession in a few weeks, and I am getting extremely excited. I've been pinteresting like crazy, getting ideas for organizing and decorating. I can't believe I've turned into one of those people who gets excited over granite countertops, hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances...but just look at our gorgeous future kitchen!

I'm not even going to bother promising lots of blog posts in the near future. The next few weeks will be spent packing and sorting and purging and packing. This is the part I'm not really looking forward to... Once we're settled and unpacked in the new place, I would like to try and get back to posting more (even though I've canceled a lot of my subscription boxes).

If you really want to stay up to date, give me a follow over on Instagram!

xoxo,
Fallon

Honest Company

The Honest Company was started by Jessica Alba (yes, the actress) and Christopher Gavigan (the former CEO of Healthy Child, Healthy World) as an affordable way to offer eco-friendly products to everyone. You can use their website to simply purchase a single item, or you can sign up for a bundle pack. There are three options - Diapers & Wipes Bundle ($79.95), Essentials Bundle ($35.95) or the Health and Wellness Bundle ($35.95). There is no obligation to purchase each month, you can pre-set your calendar to ship whenever you'd like. I set this box to ship on November 7th, my next one is not set to ship until February 18th.

Cost: $35.95 + $5.95 shipping to Canada + $8.99 international fee (it ended up being ~$60CAD for this - which isn't terrible if you compare the prices to organic grocery store prices) 

I like the laundry soap a lot. I've only tried the laundry packs once, and it dissolved no problem. The liquid laundry soap is extremely concentrated, and you need a very small amount in each load. It's similar to any organic soap - scentless, but appears to be effective. I haven't tried the other products I selected for this box, and have switched all three of them to different products for the box I'm receiving in February (but I chose both laundry detergents again).

It works out to ~$12/item after exchange rates/shipping/fees. I've looked at eco-friendly organic liquid detergent before, and it's usually around the $15-16 mark, so this actually works out to a decent price. 

As a first time buyer from their website, you can receive a sample pack for free (just pay $5.95 for shipping)! It's a great deal, even if you never place another order from their website.

The sample pack contains decent-sized bottles of Healing Balm, Hand Soap, Face & Body Lotion, Multi-Surface Cleaner and Shampoo & Body Wash. Such a steal for only $5.95!

I won't be posting every Honest Box I receive, I just wanted to do at least one blog post to let you all know about the company.

xoxo,

Fallon

*This post contains referral links*

Memebox Very Berry Box

I have so many Memeboxes still to post! I went a little overboard buying them, but I haven't actually purchased any since the beginning of November (but they're still rolling in...). I mention it every time, but I love that you can buy as many or as few of these as you want. This one was purchased September 11th, shipped on October 21st and arrived around the first of November.

Cost: $29 + $6.99 shipping (but I used a code to save the full amount of shipping)

As always, the product cards which ship in Memeboxes are fantastic!

Reinplatz Essence Mask in Black Raspberry

Value: $2

"All you ever need is a quick 20 minute home care to keep your skin feeling luminous and silky soft with Reinplatz's fruity Essence mask! The raspberry firms and nourishes. Spread the mask pack over your face and rest for 20-30 minutes. Remove and gently pat in the remaining mask essence for full absorbance."

Skin Cronies Cronies Aronia Moisture Cream

Value: $63

"Also known as a gift from heaven, "aronia" (king's berry) contains the highest level of antioxidants unparalleled by any from the berry family. The Cronies Aronia Moisture Cream's gentle formula is packed with aronia extracts, hyaluronic acid, beta-glucan and 8 kinds of herbal extracts, which all work together to soften and smooth out uneven skin texture and to revitalize and firm up dry, sagging skin. Plus, its unique pinkish, pudding-like texture resembling both a soothing gel and a nourishing cream will softly melt onto skin for a moist, supple finish."

The value of this cream alone is double what I paid for this box, which is awesome! It's currently one of many creams I have open in the bathroom....

Swanicoco Super Brightening Hydro Solution

Value: $33

"Swanicoco's Super Brightening Hydro Solution is a dual radiance-boosting essence packed with high concentrates of the famous acai berry. Acai berry is an antioxidant-rich fruit recently sought and loved in Korean beauty scenes for its skin firming and anti-aging benefits. The solution #1 is a repairing and brightening ampoule suitable to be used by all skin types. The Solution #2, on the other hand, contains an extra-radiance-boosting formula and is recommended to be used together with #1."

echoice Berry Body Lotion

Value: $3

"eChoice's Fall in Love Berry Body Lotion is made from a combination of blueberry and cranberry complex. It absorbs deeply into the skin without leaving a sticky finish and delivers rich moisture and nutrition to dry body skin for maintaining the healthy vibrance and suppleness."

I just love the description of some of these items, who actually uses the word suppleness?! 

Konad Niju Blueberry Moisture Hand Cream

Value: $6

"Enriched with organic argan oil, shea butter and olive oil and scented with a fruity blueberriness, the Niju Moisture Hand Cream delivers instant moisture surge and rejuvenation to dry, roughened hands."

I have no idea why this is described as blueberry, it's about as grape as you can get. L hates grape scented things, so this is all mine :) I leave it on the coffee table in the living room, and it's already half gone...

Borntree Vita Berry Cleansing Foam

Value: $48

"This skin-softening blend of acai berry and raspberry leaves skin supple and refreshingly clean while the propriety blend works to reduce inflammation and soothe irritations. This antioxidant, mildy exfoliating cleanser softens, increases collagen and restores elasticity for fresh-faced vibrance."

Holy expensive! This is a decent sized bottle (150mL) but I can't imagine paying that much for a facial cleanser. I haven't even opened this yet to test it out, I'm really trying to finish off a bunch of products.

Yadah Lovely Lip Tint

Value: $10

"By adjusting to the temperature, pH level and moisture level of your lip and preventing any moisture loss, the Lovely Lip Tint Stick melts onto lips and creates a color formation that best suit each individual's most natural lip color. Plus, lovely strawberry and cherry fruitiness linger on your lip long after application."

This is nice! It's more of a gloss than a lipstick, it just gives a faint touch of pink. 

The Very Berry Memebox contained 6 items, all of which were full size! The total value according to the information card is $165, which is over 5 times what I paid. I already have four of the items open, and have enjoyed all of them so far.

xoxo,

Fallon

*This post contains referral links*

FabFitFun Fall 2014

The Fall FabFitFun box was the second one which offered shipping to Canada (and the second one I've received!). This one was just as great as the summer box! This is definitely the priciest of the boxes I subscribe to, at $49.95 + $8 shipping per quarter (plus add in the exchange rate) but it is consistently worth the money. This arrived around the 10th of October, again I've just sucked at blogging lately (my winter box has already arrived)...

Cost: $57.95/quarter (US$ - this includes the shipping cost to Canada)

Promo Codes: NEW5 will save new members $5!

Everything was packaged so nicely! This box also comes with a really great information card with details and pricing on all of the products, but Hero had a hairball and decided the best spot to spit it up was onto it...

First look - I can't lie, I had looked at sneak peaks and knew exactly what was coming in this box - it doesn't make it any less exciting though! Also, this picture was taken after I had already taken the apron out of the box - I wore it while cooking Thanksgiving dinner (I'm Canadian - that happened in October).

Beauty for Real True Colour Lip Cream in Always There

Value: $22

Oh man. Coolest thing ever! There's a little button on the top that turns on a light so you can apply your lipstick in the dark (and yes, there's also a mirror on one side). The colour is also fantastic.

Seriously! A light built in! 

LaNatura Avocado Body Butter

Value: $18

This is fairly expensive, since this is only a travel size. It's so different than any body butters I've ever tried before too, instead of being creamy, it's more solid. To use, you have to melt a bit in the palm of your hand, and then spread it onto your body. Sounds like too much work for me to be honest. It's just been sitting in the spare room of our apartment, it will probably end up being gifted...

FitFusion - 3 month free subscription

Value: $29.97

This is a website which allows you to work-out from home. A monthly subscription grants you access to hundreds of hours of videos from top trainers. I should probably sign up for this, but knowing myself I'll never use it. I also don't like that you need to enter your own personal credit card information to activate your subscription, so if I forget about it I'll end up being charged.

Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster

Value: $56

I believe this was the first spoiler announced for this box? Worth noting is that the value of this bottle alone is almost as much as I paid for the entire box. Basically I bought this and received everything else free! Even months after receiving this box, this is still sitting in it's box. I have way too many beauty products! I want to use this, I just want to finish off a few more things before opening any more...

Numi Organic Tea - sample (sponsored item)

Value: $0.41

I have a love/hate relationship with tea - I love tea that doesn't taste like tea, but am just getting used to drinking it warm/hot. I did like this though! I won't be buying more of it (I have an obscene collection from David's/Steeped Tea right now, and I really need to work through some of that before purchasing any more)

Mary's Gone Crackers (sponsored item)

Value: $1?

Meh. Most super healthy foods are gross. These are weird.

Honest Company Hydrating Shea Butter Cleansing Bar (Juniper Sage)

Value: $4.95

I've actually ordered an Essentials Bundle from Honest Company before (I promise to blog about that at some point!). I love everything I've tried from them so far, but haven't had a chance to try out this soap yet (there are way too many products currently open in our bathroom). This smells amazing though, and it's all natural, hypoallergenic and 84% organic!

Chi 44 Iron Guard

Value: $15

I rarely use a straightener (or any form of heat on my hair to be honest) so this has been placed in the gift pile.

Great Soles Ballet Barre Sock

Value: $12

These socks are adorable! I have an obscene amount of socks, but one more cute pair can't hurt :)

Gramr Wax and Press

Value: $4 + $25

I love this! It's something I never realized I needed in my life until I received it in this box haha. I used it to seal a bunch of my Christmas cards, and it looked so fancy! I now want a bunch of different presses, maybe one with my initials? (this one says THX).

Gramr Thank You Notes

Value: $4/card

These are expensive! The photography is great, and the cards are high quality, but I just can't imagine buying more of these.

I didn't get a picture of the Jesse Steel apron (Value: $32) that came in this box before I used it, and now it's dirty. I did receive the cream and black polka dotted one, which is so adorable! I love it. 

I ended up receiving 13 items in this box (16 if you count each card), which combined for a total value of over $236! This is incredible value, considering I only paid $58 for it. Most of the items are keepers and will be used up over time, with only a few going into the gift pile.

I'm going to try and not take three months to get the winter box review posted...

xoxo,

Fallon

*This post contains referral links*

Happy 2015!

First of all - happy new year blog world!

Secondly, I've been terrible at blogging lately. I'm months behind on my subscription reviews, and I only ended up posting 3 posts in all of December... I've actually cancelled Lip Factory, Lip Monthly, Glossybox and haven't purchased a Memebox since the beginning of November (but I pre-paid for a few of these, and will have items showing up into April). 

I'm going to try and play catch-up with my blog posts, but it's going to take awhile. Bear with me, I promise I'll get back to posting 15+ posts each month! 

xoxo,
Fallon

Memebox TonyMoly Box

Oh Memebox, you are just too much fun. I love that you can buy as few (or as many - in my case) as you'd like, you're not limited to only one per month (which I guess is both good and bad - especially on my bank account). I ordered this one on September 11th, and it shipped on October 28th, arriving about a week and a half later.

This Memebox was the Tonymoly box - the first brand specific box I've purchased. This one caught my eye based on the adorable packaging Tonymoly products are known for, and it didn't disappoint!

Cost: $32 + $6.99 shipping (but of course I used a promo code which almost covered the cost of shipping)

First look - everything was well protected!

 

The information card included is so great! I wouldn't know what most of this stuff was without this card...

Panda's Dream White Magic Cream

Value: $12

"A skin brightening and perfecting cream that locks in moisture and brightens dull complexions. This super nourishing cream will bring vitality back to skin while evening out the skin tone. Skin will feel soft and smooth after each application without the greasiness. The adorable panda packaging and the light fruity scent is an added bonus!"

This is a really thick, white cream. I've only used it a few times (and always at night), but it seems to actually lighten my skin and provide lots of moisture. Plus it looks adorable on the shelf in my bathroom!

Apple Tox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream

Value: $11

"This is a multi-cream enriched with green apple extracts, AHA and papaya extracts and which works as a massaging, moisturizing and peeling cream all in one. Green apple extracts rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin C and pectin acid are effective agents as skin exfoliators and revitalizers."

I haven't tried this yet, but it looks great sitting on the shelf in my bathroom!

Egg Pore Shiny Skin Soap

Value: $9 for 2

"A 5 in 1 Egg Soap that works to deliver moisture, nutrition, deep cleansing effect, sebum control and pore care. It's made from fertile eggs soaked in vinegar for 1-2 weeks, a process that maximizes the level of calcium, protein, vitamin, amino acid and various minerals found in eggs"

This sounds disgusting, but upon googling this I don't think it's the actual fertilized egg at all. From my google searches, this is just soap made of of egg whites. I also thought this was an all-over body soap, but it turns out it's just for your face. According to a lot of the reviews I've found, the white soap is for the morning, but you need to leave it on for 15 minutes (who has that much time to wash your face in the morning?!) and the brown one is for night-time cleansing. The first week or so of using this will cause your face to break out like crazy, as it is pulling all of the impurities out of your pores (which is the biggest reason why I won't be using these - I'm lucky to have very few breakouts). Overall, the online reviews for this product are favourable, but I think it might be a little too strong for my dry/sensitive skin.

Delight Tint Crayon Neon

Value: $8

"Sweet and vivid under the daylight, Tonymoly's Delight Tint Crayon Neon goes wild under UV lights with its electric neon colours! It melts onto lips like a lip balm with a long-lasting radiance and is easy to use with its auto-type packaging."

I really like this colour, and it does glide on super smooth.

Mini Peach Lip Balm

Value: $7

"This adorable mini-sized lip balm comes in the size of a large coin and is scented with a lovely fruity fragrance that lingers on your lips long after application. Its peach and shea butter formula is also extremely nourishing and leaves lips moist and supple."

This definitely smelled like peach, there was no doubt about that. I've realized I'm not a huge fan of lip balms that I need to stick my finger into. It did feel nice on my lips though! The packaging is clearly meant to look like a peach, but it kind of looks like something else...

Back Gel Eye Liner Long Brush in Brown

Value: $10

"A best-selling gel liner that comes with a brush of its own and boosts its super water-proof and long-lasting formula. The eyeliner glides on smoothly and precisely, then quickly dries down to a long-wearing, water-resistant finish"

I enjoy the brush of this, and I tend to only wear gel liners, so it's great to now have a brown one in my collection.

Luminous Goddess Aura Beam

Value: $16

"Tonymoly's Luminous Goddess Aura Beam is a luminous gel type cream that adds supple, healthy glow to the skin, and minimizes the look of skin imperfections. Mixed with your favourite BB cream or used alone, this miracle product will help you achieve that infamous gorgeous Korean skin glow"

I've wanted to use this, but I can't seem to get any product out of the bottle....

This box had a total of 7 products with a combined value of $73. It wasn't the best value Memebox I've ever received, but there were enough products I like to make it worthwhile. 

You can actually buy a few Tonymoly products online from Urban Outfitters, including a few of the products I actually received in this box.

xoxo,

Fallon

*This post contains referral links*