Her Fitness Box - Spring Box

          So I was not expecting to get this box. I had signed up for Her Fitness Box right when they first started, then it was a monthly subscription which they soon changed to quarterly. I cancelled because there was very little communication and I wasn't even sure I would be getting this second box. Her Fitness Box is from Australia, hence the Spring Box in November. This one is definitely better that the first one I got, I am impressed by the improvement and would consider giving them a second chance after this if it wasn't $49.95 now. Ok, here we go:

          Her Fitness Box doesn't actually come in a box but rather a simple but always useful fabric tote.

Included are cards for a couple items, recipes, exercises and an information card on the contents. 

          The first item is a blue exercise ball, I didnt take a photo as its just a folded bunch of plastic at the moment. I am very excited about this, I have been considering buying one but putting it off. This is a $30 AUS value.

Slim Secrets Fit & Fab Protein Bar $2.70 Aus

          Next item is a Slim Secrets Fit & Fab Protein Bar. It is Creme Caramel flavour with 9.3 grams of protein and it was terrible. I really wanted to like this as protein bars a something I do eat and like to keep in my purse and desk at work. The texture was chalky and just kind of crumbled in my mouth. I wont even eat the rest of it.

 Emma Organics Hand & Nail Revive - 5gram sample $3.97 AUS for both

          Emma Organics Hand & Nail Revive is the next item. There were two 5 gram foil packets, it opened them up to put them into an empty jar. The first thing I noticed was that it smelled like a barn, an actual barn with cows, hay and feed. Luckily the smell does not linger because it is actually a very nice lotion. I will use it but I certainly will not take it anywhere or purchase simply because of the scent.

Woman's Health or Energy Booster 15/20 grams $30 for a 30 day pack so $1 AUS each. 

          This is an interesting product, something I am interested in trying for sure but it does not say if it is the Woman's Health or Energy Booster anywhere. The description on the card reads: "These natural vegan powders are designed to be added daily to your smoothies, and can help lower your cholesterol, reduce fatigue and anxiety and increase brain function." So it sounds like a good product, excited to try.

 Probiotic Solutions Fresh Feet - Odour Eater, 50ml Full Size $3.00 AUS

          This spray is scent free, chemical free, earth friendly, as well as family and pet friendly. I do not have any products like as I haven't had a need for it but it is something I will throw in my gym bag and use in my winter boots. 

 BX Earth - Bit Of A Soft Touch Body-wash 500ml Full size 7.99 AUS

          This smells amazing and sounds like it is going to be great for my skin. The card description: "Made with sweet smelling peach and Manuka honey with soothing goat's milk and jojoba oil, this nourishing body wash is full of botanical based ingredients, antioxidants, bio-active extracts and natural oils that benefit your body's well-being. It is environmentally friendly and free of harsh detergents." I normally am not a fan of peach scents but this is just so light and sweet, it almost smells like raspberries. I am very excited to try this in my next shower.

Naturals Crunch - Natural Sweetner 250grams Full Size $8.59 AUS

          This is from the makers of Equal, it is 100% natural. So just a natural sweetener so I am interested. By itself it doesn't taste like sugar but it would be good in coffee or tea, I will be replacing my sugar dish by the coffee maker with this.

Bare Blends - Native Whey Protein Isolate - 30 grams. $4.80 AUS for both.

          This is another product I will use, it came with two samples so I will give one to Beast to try. I prefer to use protein that isn't Whey Isolate, like the Carnivor line. Milk and I just aren't best friends so I try to avoid it. Both packets are Organic Vanilla Bean.

These were not listed on the card, a terry cloth headband and a pedometer.

     Overall this was a pretty great surprise in the mail. I wont resubscribe but I am glad I got the two bags I did. I would say it it worth what you pay for it but the price is a little steep. I will keep an eye on this subscription in case I change my mind about signing back up.

Total value: $62.05 AUS / $59.65 CAN          

November Ipsy Bag - Girl Meets Glitter

           When I first heard November's theme I wasn't really feeling it; don't get me wrong I get distracted by all things glittery but I would rather not ADD shine to my face. Luckily most of the sparkles ended up on the bag, which is adorable. I am not sure how I feel about the contents.

          At first I was only really excited for the liquid eyeliner from Elizabeth Mott. The Its So Big mascara is my new favorite, with a light hand it is a great everyday black mascara, however, layers like you are getting ready to walk the streets. That is what I look for in a mascara, who doesn't really? Admit it. Back to my original point: not pumped. THEN I started seeing all the unbagging photos on Facebook so I am looking forward to trying out everything. Unfortunately I will be waiting a bit, for whatever reason my bag shipped seriously late this month. Can't win 'em all.

November 2014 Ipsy bag with bonus item Evian Facial Spray

          I will post a review video soon but right now I am hungover and look like hell, nobody needs to see this hot mess. Check back for my video!

And here it is: http://youtu.be/AK-JNhAFvjk

          Ok. So this just in: I hate editing and I suck at it. There is a buzzing noise and I have no idea how to make it stop. You probably shouldn't bother watching it. I didn't. I'm only posting it because my cousin wants it.

Click here is you want to get 4-5 deluxe sample or full size items in a cute bag for $10 a month ($5 shipping to Canada) 

 Thanks for reading! Comment, share and spread the word. 

A.

Products I Want to Use Up - November 2014

My very first YouTube video! Check it out.

http://youtu.be/Ki3zp4YmVcM

Well that is a terrible screen grab isn't it?

I Got my Hair Did

          I just got my hair did and I love it. Jessica D at the Head Shoppe is a Goddess. She always manages to suss out what I want even when I have no idea what I am trying to say. Another thing I really love is that when I give her my budget she always stays within it but still makes my hair look fabulous. This time I didn't want to drop a fortune but wanted to refresh my color, I didn't think that was going to work out with my bank account but thanks to a magical tool called a blur brush I am now rocking a slightly red and very much refreshed color. 

Keep in mind I walked in the wind and took this

with my phone. Irl it looks more red.

       The blur brush blended the dye from my root retouch seamlessly with the ombre she had done at my previous appointment and the dimension is amazing. It looks like I spent way more money than I actually did. Ask your stylist if she has one of these magic wands when you go to your next appointment.

Thanks for reading! Comment, share and spread the word. 

A.

Favorites #2

Alright let's get right back into it and start with some witchcraft:

Model in a Bottle

This is basically hair spray for your face. It will make your make up last all day, actually all day. My sister did the ice bucket challenge with this on and her makeup stayed flawless. Not a smudge. I love this on days where I spend a fair amount of time on my make up because it makes it last long enough that I feel my morning wasn't a giant waste of time. Also great if you have to go out after work, just add some powder on top, change your shoes and off you go. Spraying this directly on your face takes some work. Three things to remember: 1. Mascara must be dry 2. Do not squint 3. CLOSE YOUR MOUTH.

Nail Life Nail Revitalizer

Ok. Confession time. I have a terrible habit of picking off my gel polish when I am stressed or too impatient to soak it off like I should. This is a serious problem when you consider that I usually change my polish every week to week and a half. My nails were thin and flakey, so bad that my pinky nail started to disintegrate. I have been wearing this religiously for about two weeks now and my nails have already improved immensely; hey are stronger and smoother. I  wore it alone at first but also under polish, if you polish over it make sure it is totally completely dry or else your manicure takes forever to dry. This was about $11 at Sally Beauty and the bottle is huge. If I ever use it up I am going to repurchase.

Biotin

I know what you are thinking: "What the hell is this? I am not here for bullshit supplements" Stay with me. This is basically a Barbie vitamin. It is for hair, nails and skin. Who doesn't want to improve all of those? I gave this a try because I was tired of spending time on my nails only to have them break. After I started taking it regularly I went over a month without breaking a nail, I shit you not. My skin and hair improved but I feel the next product had something to do with my all my good hair days.

Renpure Solutions Cleansing Conditioner

Alright, go pee and get a drink this is going to be lengthy. I am going into great detail because even if no one else ever reads this blog I know my cousin will and Emily I want you to try this. I was having issues with buildup, lifelessness and greasy hair. I found this product while I was wondering around Target hoping to find something to fix my hair; I saw this for ten bucks and bought it not really understanding what it was to be honest. This is your shampoo, conditioner and treatment all in one. I bought the mint and repurchased because it made my head tingly and I loved the smell but they do have a sweet pomegranate as well. The first couple times you try it you will hate it, a lot. Keep with it. It will also take some time to find a shower routine that works for you.

My system:

• Pump two pumps for front hair line and massage in
• Two more pumps for each side, massage in
• Another couple pumps for underneath, massage away
• I flip my head up-side-down because it make it easier to massage it in. I add a few more pumps as I massage it in, making sure to scrub it into my roots for 5 minutes or more. I don't really bother with my ends at all, rinsing it takes care of them unless I used a lot of styling product. 
• Once I have really massaged it in (you may have to add a bit of water to give it some slip) I put my hair in a bun or pin it up for the rest of my shower. I do everything else I have to do, buff, scrub, shave etc.
• After at least ten minutes I add a bit of water and give it another quick scrub.
• Now to rinse, it takes forever. Once I think I have it rinsed out I rinse some more and then some more after that.

Once your hair adjusts to this product you will love it, it took about a week for me. The key is to stick to it, do not go back and forth between shampoo and the cleansing conditioner. I did have to use shampoo after Halloween to get rid of all the hairspray I used, using normal shampoo and conditioner didn't disrupt the cycle. Quite of the reviews I read online said they could go days without washing their hair, I am not there but my hair certainly does not get greasy as fast as it used to. I have not had a single day where I felt like my hair was weighed down since my hair adjusted and it has been about a month and a half. Apparently this is a great dupe for Wren but I wouldn't know as I will not pay $30+ for a small bottle. 

Thanks for reading! Comment, share and spread the word. 

A.

Favorites #1

          Here are some of the products I am loving right now. There are quite a few so I will try not to ramble on too much.

First up is the Tea Tree Face Mask from The Body Shop

I actually bought this by accident. I had little sample packets of this and it burned my face bad enough I had to take it off immediately and I gave away the rest of the samples I had. Since I am equal parts cheap and lazy I decided to try it again rather than give it away or return it. I am so glad I gave it another shot. I stopped taking care of my skin as well as I should (ie leaving my make up on at night, I know, I know.) This is what is saving me right now. It is great for blemished skin and really feels like all the junk is just pulled out of your skin. It is a little drying and I wouldn't recommend this for anyone with sensitive skin but I also have the face wash, gel (I use it as a spot treatment) and pore minimizer and the line is really working for me. I will repurchase everything but the pore minimizer. Its alright but I am not blown away.


Aveeno Active Naturals Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream

Jennifer Aniston is not lying to us in those commercials. This is the shit. I have actually noticed so many improvements in my skin because of this. It evens out skin tone, fades dark spots, softens, all the things the box says it does are for real. Just go to target and buy it. I used to have the normal daily moisturizer and it also does exactly what it advertises. I was hesitant to purchase the night cream at first because it was somewhere in the neighborhood of $25 bucks but beyond worth it. I have been using it for months and it is just starting to look like its been used, a little goes a long way. Since it is such a heavy cream it does feel kind of oily in the morning but once you wash your face it just feels lovely.


Aveeno Active Naturals Skin Relief Body Wash

Again with the Aveeno, its just a great brand. This I bought on sale at Shoppers Drug Mart for, I want to say like 8 bucks. I wanted something to stop itchy cold weather skin and it worked immediately. It is fragrance free which I don't love, I will look for a scented version when I repurchase.

E.L.F Lip Exfoliator 

This is a winter must. I can not handle dry, flaky lips. This is so much better than any other lip scrub, it is just like putting on lip balm. The scrubbies stay on the stick and it leaves a light balm on your lips. Best $4 purchase ever.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Foundation

The only thing that isn't amazing about this foundation is the price, at $50 bucks I hate myself every time I have purchased it. Luckily I am still on my first bottle. That's not really a bottle is it? Tube? Moving on. It goes on like a dream, you can use a light had and still up with full coverage. Heavy handed doesn't feel caked on, on those terrible skin days you I can put it on like Spackle and it still feels like I have light makeup on. It blends almost by itself and it works well with powders and blushes. It also puts up a brave fight against oily skin and working in a restaurant.  




Alright, I still have a pile of products on my table but I am just so beyond exhausted so you have to wait until tomorrow. 

Thanks!
A.