Hey I'm Emilee!
I love subscription boxes! I also love makeup, traveling, and food. This blog is in collaboration with my youtube channel. If you have suggestions on boxes, or reviews please let me know!!
Enjoy!!
What it is: Each month, they assemble a themed collection of artisan-made
products from around the world and deliver it to you.
Price: As low as $30/month depending on how long of subscription you purchase. (Month to Month is $35)
P&P: Included if in the US
Perk: You are not committed to them and can cancel at any time.
Note: I was able to use a coupon code for $10 off my first month so look for coupon codes. Check them out!
Tagine: Tunisia
This is the blue and white ceramic stoneware. At first we didn't know what this was. I don't think we are fancy enough people for it. It is really pretty, and I ended up putting my clove of garlic in it. It is supposed to be for condiments at the table. This was hand made and painted. $13.00
Inka Salt (Not Pictured): Peru
This salt is from the Sacred Valley of the ancient Incas which I think is really interesting. We have not tried this, but it is course salt unlike the fine table salt you see at the store. I would never pay $15 for salt, but am interested in trying it out. $15.00
Coffee: Nicaragua
This is a relatively small samples worth, so Dave is bringing it so he can enjoy it at his desk. I'll let you know his thoughts. $5.00
Basket: Mexico
This basket held everything inside. It is very nice and held together well. It is made of Palm leaves, and was hand woven. It will be going in our bedroom. $10.00
Coconut Sugar: Indonesia
This is a low-glycemic sugar which we think is good for diabetics. We have not tried this yet. $2.00
Towel: This is my favorite thing we received in our box this month. The cloth is very soft, and the detailing in the weave is beautiful. The color matches our kitchen perfectly, so it is on display on our stove. I can really see this being sold for the price. There is a store near us which sells these types of towels. I like how it is larger, and again the cloth is so soft! $18.00
Ground Vanilla Bean: Madagascar
I know vanilla bean is very expensive! So very happy to see it in this box. There is a recipe which was given so we have a way to use it. I like having something like this in our pantry, because it expands our recipes a bit. $15.00 Total Retail Price: $78.00!!!!
Overview I am really happy with this box. When making our video, we didn't know the retail price of these items. We are big travelers, so this type of box is a good idea for us. I know we will use the towel, vanilla, salt, and coffee. It was worth the money for us. If you are into travel this might be an interesting thing to try out!
Birchbox Price: $10.00 Monthly P&P: Included What it is: Receive 5-6 deluxe sized and full sized beauty items (very similar concept to Glam Bag) Extra Perks: If you review items and refer people you get money for the Birchbox shop. A lot easier to accumulate points than Glam Bag. (I've already got $10.00 to use in the shop after two months) Check them out!
The Cozy Mug Cost: $19.95 a month P&P: I believe its included www.thecozymug.com What is The Cozy Mug?
If you are a person who loves tea, this box is a great idea for you. Each month receive a selection of tea, both loose and bagged, as well as some other goodies to make a fun surprise subscription box.
This month's box included 8 tea bags 2 small packs of loose tea Chocolate Biscotti
Nail Polish
Jar of Hot Fudge Pencil
Am I impressed with this subscription? Not really, it is a really cute box. I really thought there would be more tea. I knew going into it, it was a mix of tea and other goodies. However, I was disappointed there was only 10 cups of tea. The ones I tried were odd.
Was it worth $20? No. For my personal value I would say this box is worth about $10. The gifts which came with them were cheap. The polish is only $1.00 at the drugstore, the pencil is worth about $.50, and the jar of fudge is really small.
Will I get it again? I'm not sure. I think I will put this one on hold for a bit. I know I like to try subscriptions for three months, but I honestly don't think it was worth the price for me.
Dave and I recently came back from Hawaii!! It was a fantastic trip. Dave has been traveling so much for work, so it was so nice to spend some quality time together. However, I am still on Weight Watchers. This was trully a test on my motivation and will power. I thought I would share with you, some great advice which helped me. If you are going on a vacation, have a blast! If you have other tips which have worked for you, please leave a comment to help others!
Find a Hotel with Kitchen Immenities
When planning your trip, try to find a place with a kitchenette. If you have a full kitchen you can control all of your food, and make your own meals. Whether that's packing a bagged lunch for your travels, making a protein based breakfast, or eating in for dinner. This saves you a ton of money and inches off your waist in the long run.
If you don't have a kitchen, another great option is to find one with a fridge/microwave. We did this option, and was able to buy at least some yogurt, fruit, and some oatmeal to help with our breakfasts.
Don't Rely on Airplane Food
Although airplane food is very convenient, they are high in calories. Sense you aren't really being active while in a plane, it is best to avoid. Bring your own food for your flight. Not only does this save you money but also the high calories plane food carries. You could also buy some yogurt or fruit after you past through security at the airport.
I brought a protein bar and got some fruit. These were very handy when traveling. I did find a point when I was hungry, so I got the best option. There was a snack pack which was a protein based one. It kept me full for the remaining of the flight.
Bring a filtered water bottle
This is great for your traveling days as well as to have for the rest of your trip. This avoids buying sugary drinks when you are walking around, or when the drink cart comes by. Remember when going through security it needs to be empty, however, you can fill it up at a water fountain.
Be active
If you don't want to be super restrictive with your food intake, you should really try to stay active. Go for a walk, do a walking tour, check out local hiking spots, depending on the location, go skiing or snorkeling. Something to get you out and moving. For one you'll be burning calories and you will also be experiencing the location you are visiting.
A great site for you to check out before your vacation is Groupon. There are so many different deals out there to take advantage of. Dave and I were able to use Groupon to go snorkeling and go on a hiking tour. They got us out and moving.
Use Hotel Immenities:
If you are on a super tight budget use the hotel immenities. You already paid for them, so might as well use them. I know exercising in the gym may be the last thing on your mind. However, 30 minutes on a treadmill in the morning, is better than spending weeks trying to loose the weight later.
Watch your alcohol Intake:
There is a lot of sugar in mixed drinks. Not only will you be drinking your calories, but you will also be eating more to help absorb the alcohol. Here are a couple lists I've made. If you are deciding to drink, here are some options to consider. Here are some high calorie drinks to avoid. All are 8 oz or under.
Long Island Iced Tea: 780
Margarita: 740
Pina Colada: 644
Mai Tai: 620
Mudslide: 594
White Russian: 425
Here are some lighter options
Rum & Diet Coke: 65
Light Beer: 95
Gin & Diet Tonic: 115
Cosmopolotain: 150
Apple Martini: 148
Mojito: 160
Bloody Mary: 180
Jagerbomb: 200
I hope this post was helpful, if you have questions on anything please feel free to comment. Leave your tips as well, I love to travel, and its nice to see new information!
What you get: 4-5 either full sized or deluxe sample sized of luxury makeup and beauty items
Value: Varies, I've received ones worth $40-$120
Other Perk: Each month there are 11-15 featured items which they pull your bag from. A great perk if you are a make up lover, you get discounts on all the featured items through out the month. Even the ones not in your bag. Sign Up Here! I fail and did not take pictures of this box, however, if curious watch the video above! This month was decent, there were a few hits and a couple misses. Still worth the $10!
Hey Everyone!!
I have been learning so much about skincare, both from work and on my own. Over the past year I have really come to realize how important it is to take care of your skin. It is your largest organ!! You have to treat it well. If you have real skin concerns please see a dermatologist. I am not an expert, however I think these four suggestions are a great step towards healthy skin. Every person has different needs and concerns about their skin. These are things which work for me, and I thought sharing them, would help someone along the way. If I am at all incorrect on anything please let me know, I don't want to be giving wrong information! I will have future posts regarding what to look for and what works best per skin type, if you have questions please leave me a comment below!
Suggestion #1
Practice Safe Sun!!
Sun damage builds up overtime, which causes your skin to become thick. In order to treat other concerns, your treatment needs to be able to absorb deep into the skin. If your skin is too thick or has hardened due to sun damage, it can cause other problems. Problems could include; clogged pores (which could lead to acne), uneven skin tones, sun spots, dullness, early signs of aging, and you increase your risk towards major skin concerns such as skin cancer.
Using suncreen every morning, even if you only go outside for 5 min a day, is crucial to avoiding sun damage. There are a lot of moisturizers out there which contain sun screen. Not only should you put it on in the morning, but also if you are about to walk out the door at any time through out the day.
From what I understand from my new knowledge is; having SPF 15 doesn't mean you have 15x the amount of protection. It means you could last 15x longer before you burn. This includes time not in the sun. Here is an example...
If it takes you 5 minutes to burn, and you put on SPF 15, it would now take roughly 75 minutes to burn. However, if you put on your sunscreen, and didn't leave for an hour after application, you now only have 15 minutes of sun protection. So reapplication is key to sun protection. Usually most people only last two hours with an SPF of 30 on.
Suggestion #2
Have a Skin Care Routine
You hear a lot of beauty gurus on youtube, and a lot of retailers suggest having an extensive skincare routine. I've heard from six-thirteen steps, which is a bit excessive. You really only need three key steps to have a successful routine.
1. Cleanse: Get a gentle water soluble cleanser to remove any debris, oil and makeup. This allows all your other products to do their job better, and to prevent breakouts.
My favorites are: Philosopshy-Purity Made Simple, and Simples-Moisturizing Face Cleanser
2. Exfoliate: You need to remove any sun damage and any built up dead skin cells. If you declog your pores you are preventing acne, uneven skin tones, dullness, and deep wrinkles. A lot of exfoliants help build collagen and improves the appearance of your skin.
3. Moisturize w/ Sunscreen: Moisturizers doesn't mean to add water to your face, you need to add moisturizers because they have benefits which help enhance the function and structure of your skin. Moisturizers repair and replenish all of the ingrediants which the sun has taken away and ingrediants which don't repair on their own. (Antioxidants, cell-communicationg cells, and skin repairing cells.
All skin types benefit from moisturizers. If you have oily skin, try a serium or a toner, which penetrate deeply and doesn't leave any oily residue on the skin.
Curious about what is in your skin care? Here are a couple of great sites which determine if you are helping or hurting your skin. I found them to be very eye opening, some items were irritants which I didn't even consider. You can also figure out if the products you are using have any toxins in it. http://www.paulaschoice.com/cosmetic-ingredient-dictionary/ http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
Suggestion #3
(Please consult your physician if you are considering a diet program)
What You Put into Your Body Matters!
1. High Blood Sugar: Avoid a lot of sweets. Sugar makes your body create the hormone insulin. Hormone inbalances can lead to acne problems.
2. Eat Vegetables: Natural antioxidants are found in a lot of veggies. These help with any damaged cells and naturally help inflammation. However, be careful about some veggies which contain high levels of sugar. It's a balancing act.
3. Avoid Dairy or Meat with Growth Hormones: These hormones have been found to stimulate oil production which sets the stage for acne. Again, hormone inbalances in the body could really cause some skin issues.
4. Avoid fatty foods: Some fats support inflammation which could effect oil production. Oils to avoid: Vegetable, safflower, corn or canola. Good Oils include, sunflower, olive, and fish (Omega 3)
Gaining and loosing weight too fast can affect your skin in other ways and can cause stretch marks, sagging, or wrinkling skin.
Suggestion #4
Stay Hydrated
Insuffient water intake can cause tight, dry, or flaky skin.There are conflicting views on this last one. Some think drinking water doesn't effect the skin directly, for it would go to other organs prior the skin. However, it has significant results in detoxifying the body, promoting healthy cell growth, and circulation. If you feel better on the inside, you are most likely going to feel a bit on the outside. You will have more energy, which will help you look less ragid. Better circulation can also help your skin look more flushed and glowy.
These are my first four suggestions on acheiving healthy skin. Please stay tuned for weekly skincare advice and information. If you have concerns or questions please let me know!!!
I have been watching so many youtube videos about thrifting. I always am surprised by things they find. I know a lot of it isn't typically my style, however, I really wanted to try it. I went a lot when I was younger, but there wasn't a whole lot of thrift stores around our old place in Maine.
I am giving those beauty gurus credit. OMG!! Looking through all the clothes wasn't as over whelming as I was expecting. However, it was the people shopping which got me over whelmed. So much pushing, and hoarding. There was one mirror which one family took claim too, and the two changing rooms were held up by one family.
So clothing was a bust for me. Nothing called out to me. I did find a couple items though. Two purses, one Nine West and the other Guess. I paid $3.95 each for them. I really like how casual these purses are. Both are in great shape.
This red one is beautiful and I know I could match this with a few outfits. I think I'm going to start bringing this one to work sense it is part of our color scheme.
This was is very casual. Its a denim type look with a short white strap.
The last two items are home items. I was in search for both of these, so happy to have gotten them at cheap prices.
This vase is beautiful and flawless. I spent $1.95 on it. I'm loving these flowers at the moment, got them half off at Ralph's for only $4.50
Tea cup!! Spent $2.95 on this set. Super delicate, and pretty. Already getting use out of this!
So overall I'm pleased with this trip. I didn't get clothes. However, I didn't want to get a bunch of clothes I wasn't in love with. We'll see how I do next month.
Coffee: Nicaragua
