Rainbow Honey September 2015 unboxing

Today I received my monthly Rainbow Honey bag and I'l; be honest, I sneaked a peak before I even received it to know what was coming my way.  It still did not prepare me enough to experience the awesome smells we have this month! 
Rainbow Honey Mystery Bag is a lovely subscription from an indie nail polish company that sends you 6 products (usually three nail polishes and 3 beauty care like lotion, lip balm, cuticle oil, etc.) per month.  It's 10$/month for the mini and 25$/month for the large size.  I opt for the mini since I never ever finish a nail polish so I thought it would be a better deal for me.  Shipping is free for US and 6.95$ for Canadians. There's also new options available for the subscription; you can opt for only beauty products or only nail care products.  Since I like the variety, I decided to keep things status quo.
Here's what the package looked like this month:

 First, we have our nail lacquers:
Just Sugar Coat It! is a shiny iridescent glaze with holographic glitters.  It mentions that it's to add depth to any manicure.  I tried to make this opaque but after two coats, it wasn't opaque and it was also quite thick so I left it at that.  I think this would be better as a topper.

Underwater World is a glitter topper filled with different sized and colored stars and speckles.  It is quite lovely and applies really well; surprised I did not have to fish for any stars, as they readily come out.

Although these are really nice, I am a tad disappointed in a few things. 
1- The size of the lacquer was considerably smaller than previous bags at 5ml (instead of 7.5ml).  Rainbow Honey confirmed the larger containers would be back for next month.
2- We got two toppers and no actual stand-alone nail polish.  I'm not used to that.  We usually get at least one stand-alone nail polish per month.  Is this an oversight on their part?
3- A tad disappointed to see another perfume in the bag.  Yes I like perfume... maybe it's just have too many subscriptions on the go and ALL have given me perfume oils in the last boxes...BUT Rainbow Honey has pretty much included a perfume oil with almost every single bag lately.  They have other awesome products...was personally hoping for scented topcoat or lotion.  Oh well.

Way Cooler Body Mist smells like a "refreshing blend of pears, quince and acai berries.  It does smell very nice and I will be getting some use out of it. 
Vanilla Plains Cooling Gel is soooooo awesome I am thrilled to have it in my possession: it smells just like vanilla cake and seriously one of my favorite smells in the whole world.  No complaints here; keep the vanilla products coming!
Chocomint Valley Soap Bar is two small paraben free chocolate mint soap bars that smells so awesome and so strong, I could smell it through the envelope.    Came with a disclaimer that it's not edible; well good thing because it's true to the fragrance of the real thing.

Finally, there's Truffle Cappuccino cuticle oil and OMG this smells divine!  I seriously don't know how long this will last because I'll definitely be putting some often!  Smells like "Belgian truffles, espresso blend, steamed milk and cinnamon".  Mmmm, perfect!

There you have it!  As always, I welcome any questions or comments.

Fortune Cookie Soap Box Fall 2015

I've been eyeing this soap box subscription for the past year and was so thrilled to finally have it coming my way that I got slightly disappointed when it got stuck at customs for a whole month!  Damn!  Customs sure knows how to thread on my patience lol  but that's no fault of Fortune Cookie Soap, I bet customs just got curious by the title on the box.  Nonetheless, I'm happy to have it in my possession, albeit one month later than expected :)

So what is this subscription I speak of?  Fortune Cookie Soap Box is  a quarterly subscription (every season) that includes 8 Fortune Cookie Soap sample products that are about to be released as well as a 10$ coupon code to redeem in the store.  It costs 19.99$ for US clients and 28$ for Canadians.  Based on what I am sampling right now, I absolutely love it!!!  Here's a link to subscribe if you're interested.  This does not give me any rewards, it is entirely up to you.

Without further ado, here's what I got in the box:  The theme this season is Old Hollywood and ooh boy, we're in for some awesome treats!  I'll follow the order on the card.

First we have the signature product, the fortune cookie soap:

Dressed to Kill - Fortune Cookie Soap valued at 3.29$ comes with a fortune inside: "Please sir, I want some more!"  and it smells like Dribbles of mulled, red wine, swirled with dark, rich vanilla and cut apples, and a dusting of spice.   If I did not already have a FCS on the go right now, I would have used it toute suite.  It smells divine!

Next with have their OCD Hand Sanitizer:

Glitz and Glamour - OCD Hand Sanitizer valued at 2.89$ smells like wet moss, polished woods, creamy vanilla.  When you smell it upfront, it smells just like any other hand sanitizer but as it dries on your hands, it leaves a great perfumey smell.  I love it and can tell I'll be using a lot of it, especially with the cold running around at work.

Next we have FCS Whipped Cream:

Tommy Guns & Baseball Bats - Whipped Cream valued at 10.99$ for 4oz. (we got 1 oz - 2.75$) smells like Grandma's hot apple pie, dusted with freshly shaved cinnamon, nutmeg and warm brown sugar, topped with rick, creamy, marshmallow fluff.  **DROOL** this smells amazing! and the consistency of this lotion is great and does not leave any greasy residue.  I'll definitely be buying myself a full-sized  whipped cream with my next 10$ coupon.

Next we have FCS Bath Powder:

Scandal - Bath Powder is valued at 10.99$ for full-size.  I have no idea what this simple size is in comparison to the full-sized but I know the packet was good for one bath, which I already took right before I did this review.  It smells like creaking woods, wind blown leaves, and twisted rose thorns.  Fall is, by far, my favorite season and this represents it well.  I loved how relaxing this smell was and also how soft my skin is post bath. 

 Next, we have FCS Perfume Oil:

Pearls & Girls - Perfume Oil is valued at 5.99$ for full-size.  I assume the sample is half that size but I am not 100% certain.  One thing is certain, this smells amazing with notes of crushed and distilled vanilla creeping with wild jasmine and a splash of juicy pear.  This is my kind of perfume.  You only need to put vanilla as one of the notes and you've won me.  But seriously, the container is pretty darn cute too and that alone was a great win for me!  I can put this sample in my purse without worries of it spilling.

Next there's FCS Shampoo Bar:

Hollywood Dreams - Shampoo Bar is valued at 8.99$ for full-sized and I am, again, guessing my sample is a quarter of the full size?  This product could be smelled right through the box before I even opened it.  I was so excited to find out what the awesome smell was I literally sniffed all the products until I landed on this one.  It smells divine with notes of brown sugar dusted graham crackers, fresh churned apple butter, sprinkled with nuts and a hint of maple.  This smell is a dream!  I'm seriously debating getting whatever I can in this sent on the Fortune Cookie Soaps website just because it's that good!  I've never used a shampoo bar before and was thrilled to find out how easy it is to use.  I may buy another of these again soon.

Next is FCS Pomade:

 American Royalty -  Pomade is valued at 9.99$ for full size and I assume, once more, this is about quarter of full size?  This smells like rose milk, thick honey and warming tobacco blossom wrapped with caramel and notes of mandarin.  I am looking forward to trying it tomorrow morning and of course, just like everything else so far, this smells fantastic!

And last product is a wax tart:

Famous - Wax Tart is valued at 2.00$ and smells like warm amber, wild orchid, fluttering white cotton, sundried herbs.  I assume this wax tart is possibly half the size of the one on the website but it does smell really good.  Looking forward to melting it once I get my hands on a tealight candle.

Let's not forget I also got a 10$ coupon code that was sent via email and I redeemed it on a sample pack of Fortune Cookie Soaps where you get 11 pieces of soaps of various smells to try out.  I'd take a picture but one has been used and two are currently in use so there's already some missing.  I'm pretty satisfied with this buy though.
I also bought this Exfoliating Soap Saver which is worth it when you absolutely want to make your soap last for as long as you can permit it.

There you have it, Fall 2015 Fortune Cookie Soap Box is the best thing since sliced bread!  Highly recommend this subscription, it is one of my faves!

As always, I welcome any comments or questions!  Have a great long weekend!

Raw Spice Bar Agust 2015

I was very excited to sign up to RawSpiceBar when I found out about its existence as I have always found a passion in food preparation and trying out new things.  I thought a spice subscription is exactly what I needed to spice up my culinary skills, no pun intended.  The subscription runs at 10$/month (6$ for US) free shipping and it gives you 3-4 spice blends with recipes to try out.

When I got my first envelope last week, I was so excited I ripped right through the envelope forgetting to take a picture of the starting package.  But here's a picture of the contents.

 and the recipes for the spice blends:

 Grilled shrimp for the Baltimore Bay Spices.  Since I'm vegetarian, I definitely didn't do this recipe but I used the spice blend for pasta and on top of eggs and it was really yummy.  Also recommended for popcorn or potato salad which I'd love to try.

 Pickled zucchinis for the green pickling spices.  I haven't done this yet but will be doing it this weekend.  The package also recommended anything green like Brussels sprouts, green beans, cucumbers.  I am intrigued by the Brussels Sprouts but I think I'll stick to the recipe.

And the Power spice blend was for a green smoothie.  I did not follow this recipe but I added half a package in both my smoothie and in Alex's morning smoothie and we really enjoyed the spicyness it added.  Thinking about adding turmeric to all my morning smoothies for the added benefit.

If you're interested in RawSpiceBar, you can sign up here.  Clicking on this link does not give me any points or money or sales, it is simply the website of RawSpiceBar.  And, as always, any comments or questions are welcomed!

August 2015 Ipsy Bag

When I got back home from work today, I saw a pink bubble enveloper peaking through the mail and thought "At last!  My Ipsy has finally arrived!"  It`s a bit late this month because I redeemed some points and apparently that puts the shipping a little later than usual.  I know now that next month will be a tad late like this one as I redeemed some points again.

If you`re not sure what Ipsy is, it`s a make-up subscription where you get to try out 5 new beauty products every months for the cheap price of 10$/month for US.  For us Canadians, Ipsy is a tad more than 10$/month but not by much more; I end up paying 19.16$ in total (that's with the shipping end conversion to Canadian money).  Retail value of the subscription is seriously cheap when you calculate the worth of each product in the bag.  You also collect points each month, and, as mentioned, you can redeem them on other products you`d like to try out.  Win-win situation.

To subscribe to Ipsy, you can click here (this gives me referral points) or you can subscribe directly with them if you prefer on their website.

Without further ado, here`s what I discovered in my IPSY glam-bag this month:

 First, I redeemed my points on the following:

 Mana Kadar Sheer Glo Shimmer Lotion is 29,00$ for 30ml.  This sample is 8ml which makes it worth 8,28$.  The shimmer is gives out is subtle which is the look I was aiming for so I am glad to add this to my collection.

The bag, this month, is gorgeous.  You can`t tell by the picture but it`s made out of a vinyl texture which makes it perfect for lotions and liquids when traveling.  No complaints here! :)

First item I pulled out of my bag is Eco-beauty Good Night Night Cream which is 40$ for  50g.  My sample is of 15g which means it is valued at 18,75$.  That is crazy!  This sample alone covers the cost of the bag.  I also love that this foil packet comes with a cap.  I`ll definitely get some usage out of this as lotions are my new favorite items as of lately.

Second item is Albertini Divine In Shower Body Moisturizer which is 16$ for 9fl. oz.  The sample is sized at 1 fl. oz which makes it worth 1.78$.  As mentioned n previous item, lotion is my new in thing so I am happy to try this out.

Next item is Lorde and Berry Lip Liner in Nude which retail at 18.00$ per pencil.  This looks to be half the size (if I am guesstimating right) so it would retail at 9$.  I don`t wear lip liner; I tried it on, and it`s a nice color but the product itself is just not for me.. it`s too much.  I may try using it for different purposes so it doesn`t go to waste (anybody have suggestions?)

Nest we have Noyah Desert Rose Lipstick which retails at 18$ for 0.16oz.  My sample is of 0.04oz which is worth 4.50$.  I`m not that big of a lipstick fan; though this is a beautiful color, I would much prefer having it as a lip gloss than a lipstick.  Two lip products in one bag, makes it a tad disappointing since I am not that big on them.  But I am happy to have at least tried it out.

Last product is Doll 10 Hydragel Blush in Flirt which retails at 16.00 for 4g.  This sample is at 3.15, so it is worth 12,60$.  I did not think I was a fan of blush but let me tell you, this product changed EVERYTHING for me!  This makes you look like you`re blushing, not like you`re wearing blush.  I love it!  It will definitely be part of my daily routine as of today!

RECAP:  This Ipsy bag, without counting the item I redeemed my points on, was worth 47.63$ which is almost 2.5X more than what I paid for it.  Granted, there are two products I`m unlikely to use, but at least I will be using the most expensive ones.  If we take in consideration the item I redeemed my points on, I have loot worth 55.91$.  Pretty awesome! 

As always, any comments or questions are welcome!

Rainbow Honey August 2015 Mystery Bag.

It's that time of the month where I receive my subscriptions (actually, they are all a tad late this month).  Was excited to see my Rainbow Honey envelope in my mailbox tonight as I've been itching to try on a new color on my nails for the last week.  As usual, this envelope did not disappoint me but before I get into the review, here's a little information on Rainbow Honey for those who are less familiar with the company.
Rainbow Honey Mystery Bag is a lovely subscription from an indie nail polish company that sends you 6 products (usually three nail polishes and 3 beauty care like lotion, lip balm, cuticle oil, etc.) per month.  It's 10$/month for the mini and 25$/month for the large size.  I opt for the mini since I never ever finish a nail polish so I thought it would be a better deal for me.  Shipping is free for US and 6.95$ for Canadians.
Without further ado, I did not forget to take a picture of the bubble envelope this month:

 and now, here is the envelope's contents:

 First the beauty products :

 Left to right: perfume rollerball, bath tea and bath oil all in the scent Fruit Juice.

The blend fruit juice has notes of strawberry, kiwi, peach and melon and smells delicious!  I can tell I am huge fan of this scent right off the bat so I am not too disappointed to have three products with it.

You can never go wrong with perfume roller-balls with me; it's my preferred perfume container.

A bath tea is exactly what it sounds like; it's a tea bag but for your bath.  It has added scents of lemongrass, chamomile, orange peel, rose, passion flower and lavender on top the the Fruit Juice blend.  Smells fantastic in my opinion and I am definitely looking forward to using it.

Bath oil is self-explanatory but Rainbow Honey also suggests using it as massage oil and as an after bath application.  Knowing me, I'll likely only use it as a bath oil but never say never, right?

Then there's a FULL-SIZE of All Your Base.  I have been eyeing this product for awhile now, wanting to get a basecoat and it seems like a lot of people give it good reviews.  I am happy to add this to my collection and will be giving it a go with my next manicure.

And last but not least, here are the nail lacquers.

We've got Mr Saturn which is described as a peachy creme glory. I've never owned a Peach nail polish so I am happy to add this to my collection.  I must admit that the peach on its own does not look good with my pale skin tone but I added a coat of Sinful Colors Unwrap Me and it looks pretty funky.  I like it a lot!

And finally, we've got Jelly Red Sandals, inspired by, you've got it, those jelly sandals that were the craze in the 80s or 90s.  It's described as a summer jelly red lacquer.  I really like how vibrant this is and looking forward to sporting this on my nails later on this week.

All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with this month's mystery bag and I am absolutely looking forward to seeing what September has in store for me.

As always, any comments or questions are more than welcome.