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

It's Kate Spade time again :)

It's Birchbox's Kate Spade Saturday Accessories giveaway day again; and today's selection looks fantastic!

Is easy to sign up and enter, and I'd love it if you used my referral link to do so (thanks in advance :). Just click this link: http://bit.ly/18Nytmr.

So, what's your favorite Kate Spade accessory?

Good luck & Later gators,
M

Birchbox is at it again!

It's Kate Spade Saturday Accessories giveaway time & I'd love it if you used my referral link to enter --> http://bit.ly/18Nytmr.

Thanks in advance & good luck! :)

Later gators,
M

Thanks for the birthday wishes Starlooks :)

My birthday box came this past Saturday! A bit belated for my birthday, but that's okay. 

I was hoping for a vibrant, retro red lipstick, but it was not to be. I still like what I received though :)

The box contained three products, an eyeliner, an eyeshadow, and a lipstick.

Gorgeous

I wish that they included a product description card like they do with their regular monthly boxes, because there was no label on the eyeshadow, so I don't know what color it is - but it corresponds with the Indigo Frost (J215) eyeliner. The lipstick - Mila (Is40) - is an interesting mauvey color. It's no come-hither red, but it's nice and seems to apply well (based on the tiny swatch I've done so far).

I love how Starlooks sends out these extra boxes. Gifts by mail are the best :)

To any other Starbox subscribers out there, what did you receive in your birthday boxes?

Later gators,
M

Mini Birchbox Haul

Ok, so I'm in LOVE with these Ruffian Nail polishes. I'm so glad that last month's Birchbox introduced me to the brand, because it's awesome. 

I received Fox Hunt (a vibrant, sparkly, orange) in my September box, and knew that I had to have the rest of the crowdsourced collection...so I cashed in some Birchbox points and bought the Nail Lacquer trio, along with the Nail Lacquer Treatment Trio (base coat, top coat and matte coat).

I have now tried all the colors, and would recommend them to anyone. The colors are amazingly vibrant, and the polish glides on so smoothly and evenly - even with just one coat.

One coat done super quickly :) Fox Hunt on the left (I was playing with some brain teaser puzzles that day), and Delirium on the right. I didn't remember to snap a pic of Hedge Fund, but it is such a delightfully poisonous looking green, that I feel a bit like an old-school Disney villain when I wear it :).

I may have to buy the other available colors too :). Who am I kidding? I definitely will.

Later gators,
M

For those days when you feel like a Diva

I received my September Stunners the other day :)

 

I really, really, like this month's pair! I'm a huge fan of oversized sunglasses and The Divas' are lovely. Oversized, and a mix of purple, clear and black...gorgeous.

Of course, they were well packaged, came with a white carry/storage pouch and a description card.

 The Divas

 Sneaking out the back door of your high-rise on

Central Park, not a soul suspects your true identity.

The Paparazzi are hot on your heels. Your secret

lover awaits to whisk you to the heights of passion.

The car door opens as you see a single flash. Oh

well, that the Diva you are.

Collection: Character; Level: Super

I'm really happy with this month's selection. Keep it up StunMo! If you're interested in trying Stunner of the Month for yourself, head over to www.stunnerofthemonth.com; and use the promo code 'trystunner' at checkout to get your first pair for free.

 

I also received my replacement Starbox from Starlooks. The customer service from that company has been amazing. They not only sent me a whole new box, they included a clear cosmetics bag as a free gift. I am all for free :)

 

The also individually wrapped each item in bubble wrap. They were taking no chances this time.

No chipped crystals for me. I really appreciate the time and care they obviously took with this replacement package; and am very impressed.

Hopefully this month's box will house some impressive products. We'll see.

 

In other makeup news, I've already received my shipping confirmation from Birchbox! My account page hasn't updated yet, so I can't peek at exactly what I'm getting; but based on the Company's sneak peek YouTube video, I'm excited! They are celebrating their 3rd anniversary, so I'm hoping that translates into me receiving amazing products.

 

Later gators,

M

Round 'em up!

It's round up time!

 

I've now received all of my August boxes and, of the makeup-centered boxes, ipsy is the clear winner. I am loving the Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub, and my hubby loves the Urban Decay "Anarchy" lipstick on me (definite plus :). Those products plus the adorable purple cosmetics case = me loving ipsy right now :) I'm 100% looking forward to next month!

 

Birchbox comes in second this month. I really love the Jouer Eye Definer, and the fact that it was full-size is wonderful. Starbox comes in third. I like the lipsticks I received, but I didn't care for them enough to consider the box worthwhile.

For me, Birchbox and Starlooks have quite a bit of catching up to do in September :)

I'm excited to see what awesome makeup, etc. September's boxes bring.

How about you? How did your August subscriptions stack up?

Later gators,
M

This Starbox seems less Star and more basic Box

My first Starlooks Starbox was delivered along with my Birchbox. It was a happy mail day. Two boxes and no bills :)

Starbox is a monthly subscription service from Starlooks in which they feature their own line of products. For $15 a month (plus shipping), you're sent 3-4 full size products plus a "bonus gift".



This month's special edition box was curated by Natalie Corona, a makeup guru who's big on YouTube and loves Starlooks products. She picked the colors to coincide with the month's mermaid theme.

 

Along with the insert card, and a few other papers (including a Natalie Corona "bio"), the box contained two Infinity Lipsticks, Glitter Glam in the color "Emerald", a red prism and a small crystal.

This lipstick (in the forefront of the pic) is in the color "Endless", and it's a bronzy shade with a frosty shine. I like it. Per the insert, Starlooks' Infinity Lipsticks stay "moisturizing and smooth all day...[and are] completely waterproof!"

The color "Eons" (in the rear of the pic) is a matte lipstick with a more pink tone. I like both shades (with Endless slightly edging out Eons), but don't love them.

The Glitter Glam is basically just a vial of loose glitter. I don't really get how to wear it, and frankly I feel that it would be a pain to work with. Just taking it out of the box, there's already glitter everywhere. I'll check out a few videos to see if I get any ideas for how I can use it in a way that would be comfortable for me; but it may end up being gifted to a friend or used in a craft project somewhere.

The "prism" is a joke. I love red, but looking at it doesn't inspire the mermaid feel.

The crystal I received was actually broken at one end resulting in a jagged shard that scraped my hand as I reached into the box. I'll be calling Starlooks soon to discuss.

Overall, I'm disappointed with the box. Hopefully next month's is better, or that may be the end of my relationship with Starlooks.

Later gators,
M

P.S. (9/2/13 edit): One of the inserts in the box included a 20% off promo code! Head to www.starlooks.com and use the code "LOVEMYSTARLOOKSLIPS" at checkout to save 20% on all Starlooks lip products. The code is valid until 9/10/13 :)

P.P.S. (9/3/13 edit): So far, Starlooks customer service has been amazing. It's always nice to deal with a company that truly cares about the customer's shopping experience. I sent them an email on 8/31 regarding the broken prism, etc. and they responded with a detailed email on 9/2. The email stated, in part:

"I am so very sorry about this. We try to take as much care as we can to pack the boxes accordingly. ...We will ship you a new box right away and be sure to add some extra padding to the items. We will also include a free gift as a consolation for your first box arriving the way it did."

 

I am looking forward to this replacement box, and my next scheduled monthly box, even more now. Way to go Starlooks! :)

So this is Birchbox...

My first Birchbox finally came!

The theme for this month is Finishing School, and the Company actually collaborated with Ann Taylor to provide subscribers with a guide to some of fall's best accessory trends.

That's pretty cool.

The box, however,...I'm honestly a bit underwhelmed.

The box is pretty sturdy, so I'll probably end up re-using it somehow.

From their site, Birchbox states that it provides subscribers with "high-end beauty, grooming, and lifestyle samples that have been customized for [them]." All this for $10 a month.

The month's insert

"Once upon a time, finishing school meant an elegant Swiss academy where a young lady went to learn the intricacies of high society. While the concept may feel a bit outdated (truth be told, we’re more likely to sign up for a night class in Photoshop), we love the idea of zeroing in on the details: from the elegance of a handwritten invitation, to the confidence-boosting power of bright red lipstick."

The reverse of the insert card, which lists the products contained in my box and how each is to be used.

I received the following products:

Amika Obliphica Blow Up Spray: I'm excited to try this. The card describes this as having a berry scent, but I think it has a strong floral fragrance. It's not particularly unpleasant, but might be a bit too strong for me;

Jouer Eye Definer (in the color noir): Full size product, and I love the color I received! Noir is a nice black with a bit-o-sparkle. Fancy! In addition, it's a creamy consistency that went on smooth, and definitely has staying power. The tip broke off instantly, but I'll deal;

Coola SPF 45 Sport sunscreen in Mango: I've heard good things about Coola, and I loooooove all things mango. I wish I could use this; but my skin is so sensitive that I'm not about to switch things up from my Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen :) I just love it too much. Lol! That being said, the sample is so tiny that I don't think I would be able to get an accurate idea of how well the product works were I to use it. I'll probably pass this on to a friend; and

Jasmine Seven Fresh Feet Wipes: Cute idea, but I don't see myself buying a full-size of this product. I'll keep these in my travel case as a just in case item.

I received this as a Beauty Extra. It's the Benefit Cosmetics Triple Performing Facial Emulsion + Total Moisture Facial Cream + It's Potent! Eye Cream. The insert describes this as a "three-step system for scoring an ultraradiant, youthful, and deeply hydrated complexion". Not much to say about these as I haven't tried them yet, but I have been looking for a decent moisturizer. We'll see.

Well, as I said, overall I'm underwhelmed by what I received. I did the profile quiz...but who knows. I hope next month's is better. That being said, the products were definitely worth more than the subscription price of $10, so I can't be too disappointed.

If you're thinking of giving Birchbox a whirl, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link @ http://birch.ly/16gHmcu :)

Later gators,
M

I got my 1st ipsy bag, and it's a good one :)

"Glamour Academy" is the theme of the August ipsy bag; and that leads to a lovely, Harry Potter/Hogwarts-esque, purple cosmetics bag holding this month's goodies. 

The view inside that distinct pink ipsy mailer.

Unlike some other monthly subscription companies, the included card did not provide detailed descriptions of the products. Rather, the back of the card lists product discount info.

The bag.

I love this bag. Purple is my favorite color, and the pattern is fun and stylish at the same time. I'm glad I got off the waitlist in time to get this one.

I received the Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in the color Anarchy. It's a very small sample, but it is incredibly pigmented and has a wonderful texture. It's far too pink for my everyday wear, but I'll find some occasion for it.

Next up, are the Michael Todd True Organics Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub and the Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream. The facial scrub I've been using just finished, so I was excited to see that I received this one (in a generous 1 fl. oz sample size, I might add) instead of the pumpkin face mask option others received. I've never tried a BB Cream; but I've heard positive things about Pacifica products, and I'm sure I'll try this somewhere down the line.

Lastly, I received a sample of the Lash Booster Mascara from Pixi, in No. 2 Blackest Black, and a full-size NYX Mosaic Powder in the color Dare. I've never used any products from Pixi, so we'll see how this mascara works out. I like the color of the mosaic powder that I received, and have been consistently impressed NYX products so I was happy to see this in my bag.

Overall, I am very impressed with this bag! The cosmetics bag itself is gorgeous, and contained a nice mix of products that are more than worth the $10. I'm excited to see what next month's pink mailer brings :)

If you're interested in trying ipsy out for yourself, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link. Click here :)

Later gators,
M