Simply Stunning

Of all the subscription boxes I have received over the past year, Stunner of the Month may be my favorite.

I love ipsy, Birchbox has some good months, and my newest box - Onyx Box - is off to a great start, but if I had to name one that I consistently look forward to every month, it would be StunMo. 

April

The Nü Metals

Let your freak flag fly. Born in an

industrial club somewhere deep in heart

of Bushwick, these witch house frames

are back from 1989 with a vengeance. 

Collection: Enhancer / Level:Mezzanine

May

The Plane Jane's

Slip away without being seen. Great

For a walk of shame, or slipping out of

a terribly awkward situation. 

Collection: Diva / Level: Mezzanine

I have to say that these are my favorite frames that I've received from StunMo. I've made them my standard sunglasses, as they really go with everything. Love 'em.

June

The Sunday Driver

It's 9am on Sunday and you head down to the

garage. Your shining cruiser is staring at you

waiting for a ride. You don your ill Stunner

shades, and own the roads, cruising, chilling, 

riding, stunt'n.

Collection: Simple / Level: Mezzanine

July

The Illusions

It's a bird, it's a plane are you kidding

me...no? Put on these Stunner's and

you will never be fooled again. 

Collection: Enhancer / Level : Mezzanine

Receiving a pair of sunglasses every month seems like such a little thing, but the price is right, and it makes me happy.

Any other Stunner of the Month subscribers out there? If so, how do you like your selections? If you're not already stunt'n, would you ever subscribe to a service like this?

Later gators,
M

Rock and Roll with ipsy - April '14

April's ipsy bag rocked out, with its various beauty products out :) The theme was Beauty Rocks, and for the most part I'm happy with what I received. 

First, I have to say that the bag itself (which is too cute with its glorious purple self) reeked when I first took it out if the mailer. Did anyone else have that issue? I had to put a dryer sheet inside it and leave it on a bookcase, unzipped, to air out. It took about 2 weeks to air out well enough for me to stand holding it. Crazy! Thank goodness whatever the smell was didn't transfer to the products inside.

Now onto the goodies! I received:

City Color White Gold Shadow and Highlight Mousse: when I first saw this, and saw the airy, mousse-like consistency, I was a bit hesitant to use it. Now, I think this may be my favorite product that I received in this bag. As the name implies, it goes on white, but blends to this gorgeous golden shimmer. Definitely not an everyday look, but I'm glad to have it in my collection;

Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant: I'll be gifting this to one of my sisters or a friend. I've read that it has a pleasing lemon smell, but I'm leery of the actual microdermabrasion aspect of the product. I've found a few face products that age worth my skin, and I'll be sticking to those for now;

Sexy Hair Root Pump Volumizing Spray Mousse: this is another product that will be gifted away. I don't use mousse in my hair, so this one's wasted on me. I have lots of friends that seat by Big Sexy products, so I'll have no problem finding someone to take it off my hands; and

A Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in the shade Apple Pink: this is a full-sized product and is very pigmented which is great. Stylishly, it comes off as more of a lipstick, then a tinted balm. The nude/pink shade, however, is not the best for me. I can work with it if I keep it light and maybe layer it worth another shade. We'll see.

Lastly, I received an Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Black Velvet. I'm always happy to receive an Urban Decay product; especially when it's such a generous sample size. I have yet to use this since I so rarely use eyeliner, but I've been hearing/reading good things.

What did you other ipsters think of your April bag?

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

Starlooks - March '14

Starlooks teamed up with Youtuber Ashley Hackman to curate their March box.

I was, unfortunately, disappointed with all the products I received.

The "BOSS" red lipstick looks great in the tube, but it has an orange undertone that I don't feel compliments my skin tone.

The lip pencil goes on well, and the color (Cherry Cedar) is a nice red. Thankfully, it doesn't have that extreme orange undertone like the lipstick; but it's nothing special. I rarely use lip liners, so I'm not sure how much use I'll get out of this, but I may try it as a base under another lipstick or gloss.

This is my third eyeliner pot from Starlooks. I'm happy to receive a black one, really black - this shade is called Black Hole - but I don't use this type of eyeliner, so it's not enough to make me excited about the box. It'll be a nice gift for one of my sisters or a friend though.

Overall, March was a Starbox dud for me.

If you're a subscriber, what did you think of March's curated products?

If you're interested in subscribing to Starbox, I would appreciate it if you used my referral link. Thanks in advance :)

Later gators,
M

Springing Forward & Rainy Days with Birchbox

The theme of March's Birchbox was Spring Forward - a box dedicated to welcoming Spring.

Stay as long as you want Spring! As far as I'm concerned, Summer can stay away for quite some time :)

I received 5 products, including a beauty extra.

Air Repair Rescue Balm: I was hoping to receive this from the second I saw it in the March sneak peak video. Apparently it is wonderful for healing dry skin anywhere on the body. I haven't used it yet, but I love a good multipurpose product; 

Grand Central Beauty S.M.A.R.T. Skin Perfecting Serum + Primer: I am always on the look out for good primers, and this one looks like a winner that can be used anytime, morning to night. I'm especially happy that it doesn't have a weird smell or feel too greasy on my face; 

INIKA Eyeliner in the shade Green Lagoon: I wish I was more proficient at using eyeliner pencils, because this sparkly green beauty arrived just in time for St. Patrick's Day. I'm still learning though, so I'll have to make it work another day. It goes on well, and blends well. The lid doubling as a sharpener is a bonus;

Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus Moisturizing Cream Mask: I love rose scented skin care products, so I have high hopes for this face mask. The insert card says it's "loaded with restorative rose oil for a visible radiance boost". I'll try this once some of my other facial samples are done; and

Jurlique Rose Hand Cream: I was surprised to see two Jurlique samples in the same box However, this beauty extra came in a packet containing such a small amount that I am loathe to even classify it as a sample. There was no way that I could tell if I liked the product by using this blip of hand cream. Too bad.

Lastly, I believe every subscriber also received a sample of the Ghirardelli Intense Dark Cherry Tango Bar. It's a farm chocolate with bits of cherries and almonds. I'm not generally a dark chocolate fan, and this lived up to its name. It was to intense for me, so I'm not a fan. The dark chocolate overpowered the tartness of the cherries and the almonds so much that I couldn't even finish this little sample.

My Birchbox faves from this box had to be the INIKA eyeliner and Air Repair Rescue Balm. So sad about that chocolate. I usually love Ghirardelli.

Anyway, on to April.

This month's theme is Rainy Days, and the selected items are all about celebrating rainy day, stay home where it's cozy, pamper yourself and relax attitudes.

Subscribers were also sent a card featuring one of 52 Bright Ideas for a Rainy Day. I received idea 13, which encourages me to do some serious Spring cleaning in my closet. A well timed card, as I was just thinking about older and really worn items that I need to get rid of.

Anyway, on to the goodies.

I received:

GUYandGIRL Shower Gel: The card says that this has a lemony scent, but I smelled more jasmine and a musky scent. Hubby and I both like the smell, but it didn't lather very well. We'll use up this sample, but won't be ordering more;

Color Club Gala's Gems Collection nail polish in Gold Struck: Birchbox teamed up with "style blogger Gala Gonzalez to create this exclusive shimmery shade". I love receiving polishes in my subscription boxes, and this gold tone is gorgeous, and applies evenly;

Davines Oi Shampoo and Conditioner: I was so disappointed to see these packets in my box. There is no way that these contain enough shampoo and conditioner for me to get a good idea of how the products work on my hair; and

Anastasia Clear Brow Gel: This and the nail polish made the box for me; and it came right on time. I'm almost out of the Ulta brow gel that I'm currently using, and all of the reviews I've seen about this brand have been positive.

Everyone also received a KIND Health Grains Snack Bar as a Lifestyle Extra. I don't know if there were multiple flavors sent out, but I received Maple Pumpkin Seeds with Sea Salt. I haven't eaten it yet - I'm saving it for a midday work snack - but this flavor combination has me intrigued. I've had KIND products before though, and have liked them.

What did you other Birchboxers think of your products? What's been your favorite over the past couple of months?

Later gators,
M

Two Months of Love with Food

Look at me, behind on reviews. Well, I say better late than never :)

Let's begin.

For those of you who may not already know, the Love With Food box is a monthly subscription similar to Ipsy and Birchbox. Except where those services send subscribers makeup and lifestyle products, Love With Food sends out gourmet food samples. In addition to receiving interesting food, each subscriber gets the additional happy feeling of knowing that for every box purchased, a meal is donated. The regular box costs $10/month, plus $2 shipping, and each month's box has a special theme!

March's theme was Flavors of the World.

I received:

Cassava Chips by Wai Lana: I don't like sea salt & vinegar flavored chips, so I didn't taste these. There's just something about the vinegary tartness that I find off-putting when it comes to chips. My coworkers seemed to enjoy them though, and I do like that they have 30% less fat than regular potato chips;

Shortbread Fingers by Walkers: Always a great snack, and a great brand;

Earl Grey Tea by Taylors of Harrogate: I can't stand Earl Grey Tea, so this is sitting in the cupboard until Hubby eventually drinks it or it gets thrown away;

Ginger Chews by Chimes: I adore Ginger Chews, and while these aren't as good as the selection from The Ginger People, they were pretty tasty. I will definitely buy more, especially of the mango flavor. Delicious;

Lollipops by Pierrot Gourmand: I gave this to my coworker, B. It was milky banana flavor, and he was not impressed;

Taco & Burrito Seasoning by Desert Gardens: To be held for my next taco dinner night;

Pasta Chips by Vintage Italia: These were insanely flavorful and tasted like pasta and marinara sauce. It was a bit weird, but the chips were tasty. They left me with a less than desirable aftertaste in my mouth though; and

Chai Spice Macaroons by Emmy's Organics: My coworkers and I found these to be so greasy and disgusting, we couldn't even swallow the bites we took. I hope to never receive these again. Yuck!

This month's theme is Flower Power (Yea, Spring!). I had high hopes for a better overall selection of goodies and, for the most part I was pleasantly surprised.

I received:

Orchard Blend by Sensible Foods: I hate apricots, but this blend of crunch-dried apricots, apples and peaches was so good! I would definitely purchase more of this to keep on hand as a healthier snack;

Heart-tee by Wild Hibiscus Flower Co.: Hibiscus, huh? I'm interested to try this, but I'm saving it for a rainy, perfect-for-a-cuppa-tea kind of day;

Creamed Honey with Chocolate Mint by Vintage Bee: Honey is packed with natural energy (so the insert card says :), and my coworker, B, and I needed a 2:30 pick-me-up yesterday, so we tried this out. It started out ok, but we were quickly put off by the grittiness of the honey. And the aftertaste! Oh my, the aftertaste almost made me sick. First and last time with this product;

Almonds with Cranberries, Honey + Sea Salt by Shale Snacks: This sweet, salty, crunchy nut and berry mix was amazingly delicious! I wanted to save some for Hubby, but it was gone before I knew it. Yes, I will be purchasing more of this goodness;

Popcorn by Crave Canyon: I didn't care for the taste, but Hubby loved this. He liked that the flavors were present but still subtle enough to be enjoyable. I believe I received the aged white cheddar and green chili flavor, but it was eaten and the bag was tossed before I could be sure. Lol;

Honey Waffle by Meli: This was too sweet for Hubby, which means it was perfect for me. I wish they had sent two, so I could have prolonged my enjoyment. I can easily imagine how yummy these would be dunked in a hot beverage. Unlike the creamed honey from above, this creamy honey filed waffle sandwich cookie was delightful;

Fiordifrutta Organic Fruit Spread by Rigoni Di Asiago, and an Organic Energy Bar by BumbleBar: I haven't tried either of these yet, but I'm more excited about the door spread than the energy bar. Honey has been a wild card with me this box. Hopefully it's more waffle cookie good than creamed honey bad. We'll see.

How did all you other Love with Food subscribers out there like your boxes? What were your favorite and least favorite products?

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

Ipsy - March 2014

This month's ipsy theme is Destination Beauty. 

The insert card actually welcomes subscribers to Palette Island. I like the theme, but I'm a bit underwhelmed by the bag itself and products I received. We only received four products too :(

The bag's bold print is a selection from artist, and ipsy subscriber, Klari Reis. It's based on the geography of her hometown of San Francisco. It's an interesting pattern, but the thick plastic feel is odd, and it had a ridiculously strong smell when I first took it out of the pink mailer. I had to air it out for a couple of weeks, before the silly putty-like smell went away. The bag feels like it would do well being thrown in a beach bag though; so that's probably what I'll end up doing.

My bag contained:

An eyeshadow quad from Be a Bombshell, I the shade Bora Bora: The colors (Starlet/a gorgeous bronze, Bora Bora/a very beachy turquoise, Risky Business/a gold tone, and Rock Bottom/a perfect sunset-on-the horizon copper) all have a bit of shimmer, are very pigmented and blend well. I really like this quad;

Nicole by OPI's Roughles textured nail polish in the shade On What Grounds?: I'm not a fan of this textured polish. I looks like a robin's egg, asphalt hybrid. I usually love the polishes that I receive from ipsy, bit this one is no bueno;

An adorable mini Marvelous Moxie lipstick from Bare Minerals in the shade Get Ready: The packaging is adorable, the sample size is decent, and the lipstick goes smoothly, but the shade is simply too pink for me. I wish I had received the gloss instead; and

Indian Coconut Nectar Body Butter from Pacifica: This is easily my favorite item this month. I adore a good body butter. This one smells divine, and I don't even like coconut! It works well as a moisturizer without being greasy. I'll definitely be purchasing more of this, and checking out the other available scents.

What did all you other ipsters think of the March bag and selection of products? As I said, I was less than impressed. Hopefully next month is better... and we get back to receiving 5 product bags.

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

Stunner of the Month - March 2014

I really like this month's Stunners. In addition to providing a pop of color, they feel sturdy and well made.

Seriously, this subscription just gets better and better with each passing month :)

These lovelies are The Santa Fe stunners.

The Santa Fe

The capitol of Western art and culture is where
we found these colorful Stunners.  They're
prefect for enjoying the wildlife or hanging out
on the porch of your Adobe mesa house waiting
for that mountain man to ride in on the sunset
Collection: Southwest; Level: Fly

Keep sending me these great selections StunMo.

Later gators,

M

Three months of Starlooks

Let's jump right in, shall we?

December

This past December was my first holiday as a Starlooks Starbox subscriber; and if that was how they celebrate every December, then it won't be my last :)

A brief reminder, Starbox is the subscription box offered by the makeup line Starlooks. Each box generally includes 3-4 full-sized products from their makeup line, and costs $15 a month (plus shipping).

In addition to sending out only full-sized products, Starlooks sends subscribers a special birthday Starbox during their birthday month (love that!). In the December box, they included an insert staying that the Company would now also be rewarding subscribers with a new loyalty program. Very nice :)

December's box contained a gorgeous 15 shade eyeshadow palette called "New Years Eve 2014". These types of palettes retail on their site for a whopping $99! I must admit that that is exceptional value for the purchase price.

The palette itself is well made; and the included colors are stunning. Most of the shades have some summer, but there are also 5 matte shades - a little something for everyone. This was a great Starbox month.

January

January's box was all about versatility, and finding new uses for different makeup products.

One of the glosses was labeled Satin. I don't remember the other. Both broken items have been tossed. The lipstick was a color that I would never wear, and was instantly given away. I, unfortunately, don't even remember the shade. The Obsidian eyeliner is a nice, if not exciting, product; and the lash comb was a useful bonus. 

That's all well and good, but both lip glosses in my box arrived damaged. There were no stoppers in the vials, so when opened them, it was just a big mess. I have contacted Starlooks multiple times since receiving the box. Each time, I have been assured that replacement items will be sent to me, but nothing has been received.

Since, Starlooks prides themselves on customer service, this is especially disappointing.

February

I love how the two models are throwing so much shade at each other on this insert card.

February's theme was Futurism, and featured a whole host of sparkly metallic products.

I received a creamy, long-lasting lipstick (in the shade Lilu), a cream shadow in Hologram , and a buildable pigment in the shade Tungsten.

I also received a grey, nylon headband. Starlooks included this bonus as an aid to keep hair off your face when doing makeup; and this, plus the pigment are my favorite box items this month. I could take or leave the shimmery gloss and pinkish-creamish-gold shadow.

Hopefully next month will be better.

This box also included the loyalty reward for being a steady 3 month box subscriber. When Starlooks first announced that they would be providing loyalty rewards, I assumed that they would send out a random extra product, or two, to subscribers. They did much better.

They gave us $35 off of any order! Very nice :) I have yet to use my code, but I'll probably pick up a couple of lipsticks in colors that are more my style.

If you're interested in subscribing to Starbox, I would appreciate it if you used my referral link. Thanks in advance :)

Later gators,
M

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