Four months of foodie love... yep four

These last few food box review months have gotten away from me a bit.

Ok, more than a bit.

A lot.

Work has been insanely busy, and blogging had to take a backseat. I'll try to be better in the coming months. Try :)

I received some winners and some duds from Love With Food over that last few months. I liked so few of the products, that I didn't really have much to say about them. That all changed with this month's box though. Hopefully, the boxes continue to get better.

November

November's theme was Flavors of Fall with Chef Ryan Scott. 

November's box had a Thanksgiving theme, and some hearty treats.

I received:

Tuxedo Flavored Popcorn from Kukuruza: I have been on Kukuruza for a few years now. I absolutely love the majority of their gourmet popcorn flavors (especially the Hawaiian Caramel with Sea Salt), and their customer service is amazing. Tuxedo is one of their sweet offerings, mixing caramel popcorn with milk chocolate and white chocolate drizzles. I was happy to see this in the box as it means that more people are realizing how great this Company is;

Sweet Corn Crunch from Sensible Foods: These sweet and crunchy dry corn kernels were such an unexpected bit of delicious, that they ended up being my second favorite received item. I'll definitely purchase more; 

Green & Black's Organic, Dark 70% Chocolate: I don't care for dark chocolate and, even though this is a mix of cocoa liquor and cocoa butter, it was still too bitter for me; 

Maple Fudge from Laura Secord: This was simply too sweet for me and my hubby;

Ginger Twist Tea from Mighty Leaf: I have yet to taste this. For now it's in the cupboard with all our other teas; 

Almond, Apricot, and Yoghurt Bar from Eat Natural: Apricots = a big no thanks for me. My hubby tried it though, and found it to be a too sweet with a weird consistency;

Rosemary Sea Salt Shortbread from Dancing Deer Baking Co.: I generally love shortbread cookies, but these were not a favorite. I found the rosemary flavor to be too strong; 

Authentic Indian spice blend from Arora Creations: The person I have this to loved it; and

Sweet Potato popchips from popchips: I like sweet potatoes, and I like popchips, but I didn't like these. Go figure. 

December

This month's theme was Winter Wonderland. 

I received:

Angell Candy Bar from Betty Lou's: This was delicious. I wish they had sent two instead of some of the other items in the box;

Excellence 70% Chocolate Diamond from Linda & Spriingli: More dark chocolate. Boo;

Allergen-Free Peppermints from St. Claire's Organics: Unfortunately, we didn't like the strange texture of these at all;

All-Natural Marshmallow Topper, MaddyMelts, from Madyson's Marshmallows and All-Natural Powdered Drinking Chocolate from Les Confitures a l'Ancienne: I have both of these to my friend, P, though I think she had yet to taste them;

Chocolate Dipped Madeleine by Donsuemor: This was the most delicious treat in the box. Hands down;

Natural Crispbread Cracker from 34 degrees: These were nice, if a bit flavorless. I can see that they would be great with dips;

Molasses Spice Cookies from Grey Ghost Bakery: These have a not-so-subtle kick. Half a cookie was enough for me, but hubby loved them;

Spinach Dip Mix from Desert Gardens: I gave this to my friend, P, as well; and she thought it was tasty and easy to make; and

the box also contained a Love with Food tote bag. I love a good tote bag :)

January

January's theme was Wake Up to the New Year!

The box contained:

Banana Split Baby Mama Drama from Mama's Magic Mix: My hubby and I had fun picking out the individual components that we liked (freeze-dried strawberries and mini milk chocolate covered graham crackers for me, and salted roasted peanuts for him), but didn't care for the mix as a whole;

Pretzo Change-O and Original Milk Chocolate Squares from Jer's Chocolates: I thought I would love these, but the texture was too grainy;

Chocolate Chip Cookies from Home Free: The fact that these cookies are gluten, peanut, tree nut, egg and dairy free is kind of unbelievable. They are delicious;

Superfood Chews from Lovely Candies: I passed them along to my friend, B, who will easy anything, and even he didn't like them. The fruit pieces in the candy were apparently a major turnoff;

Columbia Supremo from Caffè Borsa: I don't drink coffee, and hubby drinks it so rarely that this is still waiting in the cupboard;

Orange Fruit Bar from Oskri: Another consistency and taste issue. We won't be purchasing more of this;

Organic Berry Berry Granola Bar from Annie's Homegrown: This was tasty, but I'll stick with my regular granola bars;

Lightly Salted Almonds from Blue Diamond Almonds: I like Blue Diamond almonds, so it was nice to get this. They didn't taste any less salted than their regularly salted nuts though; and

Multi - Grain Sea Salt Skinny Sticks from Hi I'm Skinny: This was a nice crunchy snack. I don't know that I'd pay more them than I would for a regular bag of chips; but if I saw them in the supermarket, I might pick up a bag.

February

As I said above, this box was the best one out of the past 4. We didn't love evening, but 5/8 isn't bad. This month's theme is A Kiss to Build a Dream On.

I received:

Snack Olives by Mario Camacho: My hubby and I don't eat olives, so I passed this on to a friend. He loved them;

Dark Chocolate Crepe Dentelle by Gavottes: I received 2 of these crispy treats; and they were delicious. I have to admit that I'm surprised I liked them as much as I did since they are made with dark chocolate. The crispness, and the fact that they were a small two bite bit of chocolate goodness, won me over;

Restaurant Style White Bean Chip by Beanitos: My hubby did not like these at all, but I found them crunchy and enjoyable. I ate them plain, but I'd love to have them with some salsa or refried bean dip;

Dark Chocolate Covered Blueberries by Emily's Chocolate: I love chocolate covered fruit, so I loved these. Even though they were covered in dark chocolate, the tartness of the blueberry made for a delicious combination. I'm happy that my hubby isn't a blueberry fan, since that meant more of these for me;

Honey Graham Sticks by Back to Nature: Crunchy and tasty with a hint of sweetness. These were a yummy snack;

Pure Notes Dark "Chocolatey" and "Mokaccino" Serious Milk Chocolate + Blue Bottle Coffee by TCHO: I gave both of these to friends, and they loved them;

Chocolate Chip Biscotti by Biscotti di Suzy: This didn't taste any different from other good biscotti I've had, but I enjoyed it; and

Subscribers also received a cute heart shaped Love With Food chip clip. Adorable, and it's already been put to use.

Phew! This has been a lot of food reviewing for one post :) How have all you other Love with Food subscribers out there been liking your boxes over the last few months?

For anyone who has been thinking of subscribing, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link and shared the point wealth. Each referral that leads to a paid subscription earns the referring subscriber a cool 500 points! Just click on this link: http://bit.ly/1dS0r3X. Thanks in advance.

Later gators,
M

February 2014 with ipsy

This month's ipsy bag is full of goodies to go with the theme The Look of Love :)

 

 

The bag itself is a fun, bright pink with a funky pink leopard print interior. Simple yet fun.

 

This month's bag contained:

A POP Beauty Plump Pout Mini in the color Peony Petal: This product supposedly combines shine and long wear with lip-plumping peptides and avocado and jojoba oils. While I'm a POP Beauty fan, and I like the color, I'm not a fan of lip plumping products so I'm not sure if I'll use this;

City Color Cosmetics Be Matte Blush in the shade Fresh Melon: I was excited to see this full sized product in my bag. I also like that this blush is truly matte. Many of the blushes I already own have a shimmer to them. It's quite a bit of blush, and while the rosy-coral shade is a bit bright for my skin tone, I'll make it work. A little definitely goes a long way, so this will last me a while;

NuMe Intense Renewal Hair Mask: I have yet to try this, but all the reviews that I've read have been positive. I did smell the product, and it smells amazing - so there's that. I'm excited to try this out. We'll see;

Zoya Nail Polish in Odette: I love Zoya polishes, I love purple, and yes, I did my nails with this the same day I received my bag. Ipsy, you can send me Zoya polishes in every bag. Seriously :); and

Tini Beauty Cordial Shadow and Base in the Spiced Rum: This product is from the same people who bring us Nailtini nail polishes that ipsy loves sending out (from their Eyetini product line). The shadow is an amazing bronze color that goes on smoothly and blends incredibly well. I love that the packaging is similar to a lip gloss - clever and convenient. This month's ipsy discount code for this brand gives subscribers 50% off any purchase + a free nail polish, so I may need to purchase some other colors.

I have to say ipsy did a pretty great job compiling my bag this month. How did February's bag stack up for all you other ipsters out there?

 

If you don't yet subscribe but would like to, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link at http://bit.ly/154vUAf :).

 

Later gators,

M

Step and Repeat with Birchbox



For their February 2014 box, Birchbox teamed up with the editors at US Weekly to bring subscribers some fantastic awards season/red carpet worthy beauty products. The resulting box theme? Step and Repeat.

 

Unfortunately, I found my box to be less than stellar.

 

This month I received:
 

SARAHPOTEMPA's The Half-Up hair styling tool: This is not for my hair type at all. It's a cool product (a min version of the WRAP UP hair tool that helps secure a bun without bobby pins), but I'll never use it, so it's already been gifted away;

 

Miracle Skin Transformer Face Spotlight: According to the insert card, this product is supposed to nourish skin and leave the user with a "radiant, photo-ready glow". I have yet to try the product, but I'm definitely interested. Unfortunately, when I held the sample up to the light, I could see that there is enough sample for maybe 2 uses. I'm tempted to say 'poor sample size with this one Birchbox', but I haven't heard/read this kind of complaint from others who received this item, so I may have just gotten a dud sample;

 

Joan Vass L'eau de Amethyste: I'm not a fan. I generally love trying new scents, but the instant I spritzed this sample, I knew it wasn't for me. To me is smells like a cross between Raid bug spray and a discount floral air freshener - neither of which I wish to wear. If I can't give this away, it will likely be tossed;

 

Two packets of 32 Oral Care Effervescent Breath Crystals with IsoVoxy: I received the flavors Spearmint and Lemon Mint. These Pop Rocks style breath freshening crystals were this month's Lifestyle Extra. I haven't tried either pack yet so I can't speak to their taste, and I was never a big fan of Pop Rocks, but I'll keep these in my purse or desk;



 

The last product I received this month is my favorite, though there wasn't that much competition. I received OPI Sheer Tints in Be Magentale with Me. I read some other reviews, and consider myself lucky that I received this color instead of the apparently jaundice color inducing amber or the weird Smurf-like blue/teal tint. This can be worn alone to give nails subtle color, or can be used as a top coat over polish to achieve a "chic shade-shifting effect". This tiny bottle is definitely the winner in this box.

What did you other Birchboxers think of your boxes this month? Hopefully, you had more positive reactions to your received products than I did.

If you are not yet a subscriber, but would like to be, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link (share the love and all that goodness). Just click HERE :)

Later gators,
M

There is only one thing to say about this month's Stunners

I love them :)

Rarity

You are one-of-a-kind, rare, uncommon,

interesting..... You are a rarity. You view the world

in a different light than most people. It's hard to

walk by you and not stare.

Collection: Diva; Level: Super

Later gators,
M

I've been slacking, but I still love ipsy :)

... except for the fake lashes.

But given the complete awesomeness of the rest of the December bag, I can overlook one set of false eyelashes.

I'm sorry I'm so far behind in my reviews. Work has been a BEAST! Everyone wants to start their projects after the first of the year, and I don't see things slowing down for at least a couple of months. Anyway, on with reviews :)

The theme of the December bag was Celebration - very fitting for the holiday season.

The bag itself is gorgeous. It's a tie (with the Hogwarts-esque bag from August) for my favorite so far. The pop of red inside is wonderful.

Love it :)

In my bag, I received:

1) Be a Bombshell's The One Stick in the shade Flustered: This is described as an all-in-one stick that can be used on the eyelids, cheeks and lips. I love the multitasking idea behind this, but the color is a bit too bright pink for me to seriously consider using it on my eyes or cheeks (unless I'm clowning it up for Halloween). However, a very light dab of this highly pigmented stick on my lips is a possibility;

2) A small bottle of Starrily Nail Polish in Bzzz Bzzz: A clear base with flecks of black and gold glitter. I hate bees, but I'm loving this polish;

3) NYX Creamy Lipstick in the shade Apollo (LSS548): Great creamy texture, with a bit of shine = I love this lipstick. NYX is a wonderful brand - always love receiving items from them - and I didn't have a coppery shade similar to this one yet;

4) POP Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eye Shadow Trio in Smokin' Hot: Always nice to receive more eyeshadow - especially POP Beauty brand. I'll keep these in reserve until needed; and

5) The aforementioned Andrea Strip Lashes is #33 Black: The lashes feel nice enough, but I never use fake lashes. I've even requested not to receive them, so I hope they don't send me any more in the future. At least not for a while. I'll either gift these away, or save them for a try-something-new day. We'll see.

All in all, December's bag was great.

Now on to January.

January's ipsy theme was 19 Reasons. As in 19 reasons why 2014 is going to be amazing.

Despite the great theme, the bag itself, and the products within, were less than stellar.

Cute, but not ipsy's best

I received:

1) Briogeo's Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask: This hair mask is full of oils and essential vitamins to help prevent breakage and promote healthy hair. Unfortunately, with my hair, I'm not sure this is a compatible product for me. I'm definitely interested, and will do some more research about the brand; but this will likely be gifted away;

2) Nourish Organic Lightweight Moisturizing Face Lotion: This lotion contains argan oil, rosewater, and shea butter to hydrate, smooth and moisturize skin, while improving elasticity. My skin, especially on my face, is super sensitive, so I will either keep this to use as hand lotion or gift this away as well;

3) Proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads: I was sent 4 of these pads. I'm not a Proactiv user, and specifically requested not to receive any acne related products, so I was disappointed to see these in my bag. They have already been gifted away;

4) Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow Creamy Eye Pencil in Pearl: This little beauty has great pigment and staying power, with a healthy dose of shimmer. I'm a fan; and

5) Mica Beauty Cosmetics Tinted Lip Balm in #06 Fiesta: Holy wow, they aren't lying. This lip balm is crazy tinted, and has a wonderful fushia/pink pop. I'm glad that I received this color instead of the other more natural toned option but, just like the One Stick from last month, I'll be using this sparingly so as to avoid possible clown effects.

What did all you other ipsters out there think of your bags these last couple of months? I hope this month's bag has more hits than misses. We'll see :)

Later gators,
M