I have been subscribed to Ipsy Glam Bag for the last five months, but October is my first review. I've liked more or less all of my Glam Bags - some I really liked (the May one, for example). The theme this month is "The Art of Beauty" and the writing on the bag reflects that. While this is not my favorite cosmetic bag, I'm still going to use it for little storage. Here is what I received in my October "Art of Beauty" Bag plus a snapshot of all the brands & offers included in the Glam Bag variations:
Zoya Naip Color in Neve
I have been getting quite a few Zoya nail polishes from my subs and I've come to love this brand. It goes on smoothly, is very long-wearing and is 5-free - what more could you want from a nail polish, right! This is a nice deep green / emerald shade with a bit of shimmer (called Giovanna) - just perfect for this season and the Holidays!
Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Dolly
I am really pleased with receiving this lip product in my bag. I already own one in a different color and I do like it - maybe not for everyday but it's a nice lip polish. The Dolly shade is really natural looking and flattering.
La Fresh Eco-Beauty Oil-Free Face Cleanser Wipes
I haven't tried these wipes before so was happy to do so.I think they do a very good job cleansing the face (I usually wear mascara and tinted moisturizer on a regular day).
Nourish Organic Deeply Nourishing Coconut & Argan Lotion
While I was hoping to get to sample The Delectable hand lotion, this one is actually pretty good. The brand is sold at Target and it is very nice. I love coconut and this Nourish Organic lotion, in addition to being coconut-flavored, is very light and fast absorbing. It's also the perfect size for my purse.
Sexy Hair Blow Dry Gel
This is the item I'm least excited about. I do not use any gels on my hair, so might gift this to a friend.
Overall, I really liked my October Glam Bag. I got products I already love and also, got to try some new ones. For $10 / month, I'm definitely happy with the value and selection of products. If you want to sign up for an Ipsy Glam Bag, you can do so here.
Are you an Ipsy subscriber? If so, what products did you get this month and what were your favorites?
My October PopSugar Must Have box arrived on Friday and while I already knew what was inside, I couldn't wait to see all the items in person. Here is a look of all the goodies inside:
First look...
... and all the goodies.
This month's theme is around Breast Cancer awareness and Halloween. PopSugar is donating $1 for every box purchased in addition to teaming up with some of the brands represented in this month's box.
Must Have Food:
The Can't Cook Book: Recipes for the Absolutely Terrified by Jessica Seinfeld ($16.79)
I like when I receive books and various themed, as well. I love to cook and the recipes in this book are accompanied by gorgeous photos.
Must Have Beauty and Special Extra:
NYX Cosmetics Liquid Liner ($6) and Smokey Shadow Palette ($7)
While I'm not a liner-type-of-girl, I'll try this out for a new look. The brush seems quite think for an exact application. The smokey palette looks very appropriate for the approaching holidays. I still can't decide if I'll keep it or gift it. i believe I got a sparkly palette in one of my Ipsy boxes, so I'll probably gift one of these.
Special Extra:
$20 Stitch Fix Card
I
have heard of Stitch Fix - the new personal styling online service
where you receive hand-selected goodies and you get to keep what you
like. I personally don't quite see the benefit of paying $20 flat
styling fee each time you get to try clothes... I may gift this one.
Must Have Fashion:
Gorjana Charity Bali Bead Bracelet ($45)
While PopSugar has been sending quite a few Gorjana items in its boxes, I can;t complain as I really like the brand's style and the fact that it can be mixed with other pieces. This bracelet is very delicate and feminine, I like it more than I thought I would.
Jane Tran Bobby Pins ($12)
These have a little sparkle to them and I got 2 each of light gray, green and black. Still deciding whether to use them or gift them.
The Wet Brush ($8.98)
I have not heard of that brush before but reviewers say it's amazing. While my hair doesn't tangle a lot, my girl's hair tends to, so I'll definitely try this brush on her.
Must Have Beauty:
Julep for PopSugar Duo, Nail Polish in Coco ($11.20) and Polymer Top Coat ($14.40)
I have not tried the topcoat and am glad I'll have the chance. It's said to dry shiny and smudge-free in just five minutes. I also like the Coco color - very fall-ish.
Must Have Food:
The Crispery Halloween Crispycake ($3.95)
This crispy-cake is huge. I've never been a fan of this type of treat but I tried it and so did my daughter. It's OK, but nothing extra special for either of us... as I said, it's just not my type of treat.
My verdict: The total value of this box comes to $125.32 and that is excluding the $20 Stitch Fix gift card. As always, PopSugar exceeded the price of the box in multiples. While this may not be my favorite box, I do like a few of the goodies - the cookbook, the Gorjana bracelet and the nail polish duo - a lot and I'll happily use them. If you'd like to see my other PopSugar Must Have Box reviews, you can do so here.
Coupon code: PopSugar is increasing the monthly Must Have box price as of 11/4. Use code SQUAD5 to save $5 on a 1-month subscription or SQUAD10 to save $10 on a 3-month subscription.
How do you like October's Must Have box? Are you going to extend your sub?
A few days ago PopSugar announced that there would be a Neiman Marcus Must Have box available on Wednesday, 10/16. I have been very intrigued and was hoping that they would send some spoilers to further stir our curiosity. Well, I received the following sneak peek in my email regarding one of the items that is going to be included in every Neiman Marcus PopSugar Must Have box. Take a look:
I really like chevron-patterns on any home decor item and it is very much on trend. This throw looks very stylish - so, I'm definitely interested and curious to see what the price of the box would be.
What do you think of the spoiler?
While I haven't always loved avocado, I have recently re-discovered this nuetirent-packed treat and have been eating it in salads and on toasts. Today's Thursdays Treat is healthy, super easy to make and delicious. Take a look at the Avocado English Muffin Toasts sprinkled with Feta cheese:
Ingredients (for 2 portions):
- 1 medium ripe avocado
- 2 English muffins
- 1 Tbsp of olive oil
- 1 Tbsp of Feta cheese
- Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Preparation:
- Separate the English muffins with a fork and toast for 10 min at 400 F
- Cut and peel the avocado in four pieces, then cut each piece in slices
- Arrange the avocado slices on each of the four English muffin toasts
- Drizzle with olive oil and some salt to taste
- Mush the avocado with a form just a little bit
- Sprinkle with Feta cheese on top. I love Feta cheese (check out some of my recipes featuring Feta here and here) and find the balance between the smoothness of the avocado and acidity of the Feta just heavenly. If Feta is too strong for you, you can substitute with Parmesan or skip the cheese altogether.
Enjoy this delicious toast for breakfast, lunch or dinner - I've had it for every meal over the last week and can't decide what time of the day I like it the most!
What are some of your favorite avocado recipes?
Hello everyone! Today's treat is a healthy, packed with nutrition and yummy Grilled Egg, Ham & Cheese Pita Bread Sandwich. I've been craving a healthier egg sandwich for a while and when I came across the Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Soft Pita Bread in my local grocery store the other day, I couldn't start my creation fast enough. Take a look at the result that has only about 300 calories:
Ingredients:
- Your favorite whole grain soft pita bread. The Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat one that I used here is only 60 calories a piece, packed with fiber and absolutely delicious.
- One egg, beaten; a drizzle of olive oil; a dash of salt, paprika & oregano
- One slice of turkey ham - you can substitute for your favorite ham, but since I was aiming for a healthier version, I chose turkey
- One slice of Munster cheese or smoked Provolone - I used Provolone here as I really like the smoked flavor of the one I have and it has fewer calories than the Munster (which I also love!)
- 1/2 Tbsp of hummus
- 1/3 cup of mixed baby greens - I used my favorite Organic Baby Lettuce Mix from trader Joe's.
- 1/2 spoon of unsalted butter
Preparation:
- Beat the egg, add a dash of salt, paprika and oregano to the mixture and cook in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. Set aside.
- Butter the surface of the skillet and grill the pita bread for 30 seconds on one side, turn on the other
- Put the cooked egg on the pita, top with the cheese and finally with the ham
- Cook for 1-2 minutes, then fold the pita sandwich and butter each side. Brown each side for an additional 1 min or so. Once the cheese has melted and the pita bread is nicely browned, it's ready.
- Put on a place, spread 1/2 Tbsp hummus and top with the baby greens.
- Serve with your favorite fruit / veggies. Mine was delicious with Calamata olives and tomatoes.
This simple, healthy and delicious sandwich can be enjoyed in the morning or as a quick lunch. I've packed this treat in my daughter's lunch box one day this week and she said she wished I've packed a second one!
What are your favorite healthier sandwiches or morning treats?
Hello everyone! Hope you've had an amazing summer!
While I've taken a little break from my (not so) Randomly Reviews - focusing on family, overseas travel and preparing my girl for Kindergarten among other things - I'm now officially "fall"-ing back into blogging, as the new season is slowly settling in.
Today's Thursday Treats is focused on back-to-school bento-style kid lunches rather than a single recipe. Packing lunch and two snacks for my Kindergartener every day has been a change for me this year, and I've discovered that bento-style lunch & snacks is a healthy and easy to prepare option that my girl seems to love (judging by the empty containers she brings back home!). Take a look at some of the lunches I have packed for her:
Here are the details of the main lunch items:
- Ham & cheese toasts - my daughter has always loved these. They are open-face toasted sandwiches that are done in about 10 min. You can check my recipe here.
- Whole-grain plain or blueberry waffles - I use a few frozen varieties my family likes and these take just 2-3 minutes to toast in the morning. I then cut in shape and spread my daughter's favorite jam on top and voila!
- Steamed white rice and Canadian bacon slices. My kids and I prefer Trader Joe's Organic Jasmine Rice. It is tasty, nutricious and ready in minutes.
Here are some of the unofficial prep "rules" I follow to make the bento lunch both easy and nutritious:
- Offer nutrition and variety: include a mix of 4-5 items for an interesting and healthy lunch.
- Always pack fruit and / or veggie (usually both), a side and a treat / dessert in addition to the main lunch item.
- Try and "fit" the prep & pack time into 20 min in the morning for one lunch box and two snack boxes. I do spend ~ 10 min in prep time in the evening for things like washing fruit and veggies, slicing (if not pre-sliced) meat & cheeses, etc.
- Have a simple and tasty main lunch item that can be prepared hot on the morning before school. While hot, the recipes are simple enough to not take much time and they don't have to be served hot when she eats them at lunch.
I've done quite a bit of research on best bento-style kid lunch containers before the start of the school year and here is a list of the containers and accessories I use daily:
Takeya's 650 ml Lunch Bento Box - Green and Pink varieties. I really like these boxes. They are smaller and thus, do not take up the whole lunch bag, so there is space for my kid's water bottle. Also, they are easy for her to open and close by herself. Finally, they come with a bag that I both to pack each of her snacks.
Shaped Crust Cutter - after trying a few that didn;t really work, I prefer this Evriholder Products Sweet Bites Crust Cutter. It cuts well through the crust and the shapes remain perfect.
Reusable Silicone Baking Cups - there are various brands out there. I use the Wilton variety and they wash & work well. These are very useful for separating the different foods in the box. In addition, they look super cute and colorful.
Do you prepare bento lunches for you or your kids? What recipes have you found that really fit this style? What boxes and accessories do you use?
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