Current Loves

I feel like switching things up a bit, and not post more subscription box reviews today (don't worry, I still have FabFitFun, Tea Sparrow and Spicy Subscriptions to blog about). Instead, I'm going to tell you the things I'm currently loving!

 

Vanilla Pepsi/Vanilla Coke - Why can I only get this in the States!? And why is the real sugar version from Pepsi only a limited edition? This stuff is amazing, and Canada needs to start selling it! We did buy a case of vanilla Pepsi, a case of vanilla Coke, a case of Cherry Pepsi and a case of real sugar Cherry Pepsi while we were in North Dakota a few weeks ago, but it is dwindling fast...

 

Movie Premiers - I honestly didn't know I could see a movie in Edmonton days/weeks before being available to the public until I started dating L. He gets passes for these things all the time through his job, so I've been able to save a lot of money by seeing free movies! Tonight we're off to see Guardians of the Galaxy before it is released to all the theaters on Friday.

 

Current song obsession: Take Me to Church by Hozier. My favourite radio station has been playing this on high rotation lately, and I like it more and more every time I hear it.

 

xoxo

Fallon

Topbox Review July 2014

My July Topbox arrived while we were in Winnipeg, but I've been putting off doing my review. I'm not going to lie, I was quite disappointed with it this month.

Each month, Topbox releases a number of different themes you can choose, most of which are offered at no added charge. You are not guaranteed to receive any of the boxes you place on your wishlist. For the July box, the wishlist had to be set while I was in New Brunswick, so I missed the email reminder. If you don't set anything, you will be sent the regular Topbox, which is what I received for July.

Cost: $12/month +tax (includes shipping)

Topbox always ships in a purple envelope, with a white cardboard tube inside.



Everything is always so nicely wrapped up in tissue paper, very rarely am I able to fit the things back into the tube...

Sorry for the terrible picture of the product information card...



The four products included this month. And yes, there are TWO nail polishes. Ugh. Don't get me wrong, I love nail polish and have a ridiculous collection of them, but I expect more from Topbox, especially since I received a nail polish in my June box as well. What happened to the fantastic variety I used to get each month? Hopefully they step it up next month..



CND Vinylux Weekly Polish in Pink Bikini - Full Size (15mL)

Value: $11.90

This is actually a hot pink colour, I'm not sure what was up with my terrible quality pictures for this box... It's a nice colour, but it's similar to many other ones I have (which I guess is to be expected when you own as many nail polishes as I do...)

CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat - Full Size (15mL)

Value: $11.90

According to the website, when you pair the nail polish and top coat together, your manicure will last for 7 days without chipping. If this is true, I'm going to love this brand! But, that would mean I actually need to use the top coat (which I'm typically terrible about doing...)

Vichy Normaderm Hyaluspot - 3mL sample

Value: $4
The box says that this is a fast acting anti-imperfection targeted care which minimizes marks. I'll give it a try at some point and see if I actually notice any difference...



TheBalm Cosmetics Instain Long-Wearing Powder Staining Blush in Swiss Dot - 0.5g
Value: $1.80
This is a tiny sample...but I have to say the packaging is adorable! 



The colour of this is nice, but it's a little too peachy for me. I'm a pretty big fan of my Mac blush, so this will end up in my gift pile.

The overall value of this box was $29.60, which is mainly because of the two nail polishes. The value is well over double the cost, which is always great, but it's just not close to last month's $40 box. I guess the positive is that both CND products were full-size...

I filled out my Wish List for the August box and chose a Benefit one. Here's hoping that's the one I end up with!

xoxo,
Fallon

Meowbox Review July 2014

The July Meowbox arrived while we were in Winnipeg, but the cats didn't destroy it this month. I was really excited to open this up and see what was inside; the cats really enjoyed it last month. Since they weren't going crazy over it, I knew there wasn't any catnip inside this time (they still carry around the catnip cow they received in their June box, and have almost chewed the leg off it...)

The box was personalized with their names again, which I think is great! Just a little extra something to show that they care!

So much stuff! The first look was positive.

I somehow forgot to take a picture of the product card, and now I can't find it anywhere :( I will try to find out who made these, and let you all know asap.
EDIT: These are made by "Cat Dancer"
They have been a hit with the cats, I watched Pita toss one around and chase it for at least 15 minutes yesterday.

Merrick Purrfect Bistro - Chicken A La King canned food

Value: $1.75

L fed this to the cats last night, and they both really seemed to enjoy it (and chicken isn't usually their favourite flavor). I think I'll be buying more of this one (and possibly some of the other kinds as well). This is a little pricey, so it won't become their all-the-time food, but it's nice to switch it up every so often.

The Honest Kitchen - Grace Dehydrated Turkey Cat Food

Value: $1.80 (I calculated this based on the cost of a 2LB box)

Hero and Pita haven't tried this one yet, but the dehydrated food from last month was a hit.

 



Wild Calling Dry Food - Rabbit and Sweet Potato Dry Cat Food

Value: I honestly can't find any pricing anywhere online for this.

We haven't tried this one yet either, but it did come with a coupon for a discounted price on a full size bag.



Yappetizers - Calamari - $8.95
Sold in BC, AB, MB and ON
These treats are made in Canada, which is great to see! They are made for cats and dogs, and contain no preservatives, only 100% natural ingredients. Hero was trying to knock the bag out of my hand, I wasn't opening it up quick enough for him, and he gobbled his first sample down as quickly as he could. Since then, he'll still eat them, but he doesn't seem to love them as much as he loved them initially. Pita is so fussy for a former stray, and just turned her nose up at these (no surprise, there are very few treats she'll actually eat.)
 

The EmPurrium

Bowtie - $4.97

Bandana - $6.07

These are so adorable! They slide over a collar to make your kitty instantly fancier! Scroll to the bottom of this post to see Pita with the bandana on :) 

Another great month from Meowbox!

I used the collar I received in the June box and put the little bandana from theempurrium.com on Pita. She was not a happy kitty, but she did sit still long enough for me to get a picture of her. I thought she looked so cute with it on :)

I still have four months left on my subscription to Meowbox, but based on the first two months I will definitely be extending it! This month the value of everything included was $23.54 plus the cost of the Wild Calling dry food sample and the toys (so I'd guess this month is worth ~$30). When I signed up for my 6 month subscription, I had a coupon code which brought the cost of each month down to $17.67, so not too bad. This isn't a high value box like some of the other ones I receive each month, but the value doesn't matter when I see how excited the cats get over new toys (and I love feeding them food/treats that are more natural than the stuff they usually get). Thank you Meowbox!

xoxo,
Fallon

Busy weekend in YEG

I promise to get back to my subscription box reviews, but if you are reading this and you are from Edmonton, get out of the house! This weekend there are so many things to do/see/listen/taste. K-Days is still going on until tomorrow (L and I went to the Eve6, Soul Asylum and Everclear concert there last night, and are heading back tomorrow to spend the day on the rides and attend the USS concert). Taste of Edmonton is also happening downtown until tomorrow. I normally love that festival, but L and I went for supper last night and nothing really blew me away this year... This weekend is also Interstellar Rodeo, which is now in its third year. I'm heading there very shortly to spend the day watching some fantastic concerts in a beautiful outdoor venue (and removing another artist off my concert bucket-list!). 
I know it's a little bit rainy right now, but don't let that stop you! Go for a walk along Whyte Ave, and hit up the Old Strathcona Farmer's Market. Attend the free concert tonight at Taste of Edmonton with Jpnsgrls and Christian Hansen. Or, you know, sit on your couch in your underwear watching netflix all day. Just don't complain about being bored!

xoxo,
Fallon

Lip Factory Review June 2014

I got home from work one day to see a box sitting there from Lip Factory, but, not going to lie, I had completely forgot about even subscribing to it. For some reason, the cats were going nuts over this box, and Pita insisted on helping me open it...

As soon as I got the box open, she was standing inside it...So this is the best first-look I could get.

Silly cat, she decided to start pulling all of the paper out of the box. Everything was packed in there nice and neatly, despite what my pictures show...

Product information card that was included

Girlactik Star Shadow in Lush 

Value: $19

This colour is gorgeous, it's exactly what I would choose for myself. I can't remember the last time I even wore eyeshadow though, so this will more than likely end up in my gift/swap pile.

29 Cosmetics Lip Liner in Woody Cab

Value: $23

I used this on my hand to see the colour, and it goes on so smooth! Unfortunately, the colour is way too dark for me, so this will definitely be going into the gift pile.

Model Co. Shine Ultra Lip Gloss in FairyFloss

Value: $20

I love that this has a built in mirror on it! It'll be great to carry in my purse and always have a little mirror on hand :)

Befine Lip Serum

Value: $10

I love this! It feels soooo nice on my lips, this is something I'm definitely keeping!

Palladio Sunscreen for Nails

Value: $6

I honestly didn't know such a thing existed! I'll have to try this out on only one hand to see if it even makes a difference. 

Model Co Eye Define Eye Pencil in Black

Value: $12.95

This has a built in sharpener on the cap, how cool is that! I'll rarely wear eyeliner, and I love my Mac gel liner, so I think this will end up in my gift pile as well.

Hero made sure he pulled out all the paper Pita had missed. What a mess...

The overall value of this box was great at $91. The monthly cost is $22 to ship to the US, $26 to Canada and $32 everywhere else in the world (this price includes shipping). I do plan on re-gifting three of the items, but the three I plan on keeping more than cover the cost of the box. Everything was great quality, and this could possibly become one of my favourite boxes.

My PayPal messed up and my subscription ended up being cancelled, but I emailed customer service and they were fantastic! I had to re-subscribe, but since I missed the cut-off for the July box they are going to invoice separately for it and I'll still be able to receive it. Can't wait to see what I receive next (and my family/friends who end up receiving the products I decide not to keep will be very happy as well!).

xoxo,

Fallon

Spicy Subscription Box Review - June 2014

This was my first month receiving a Spicy Box, and I was a little hesitant to even sign up. It's an adult box, so if any of that stuff makes you squirm, or if you're my mom, you might want to scroll on by to the next post. It, along with pretty much all of my other June subscription boxes, shipped while I was on vacation, so I have no idea how long it took to arrive at my door.

I forgot to take a picture, but this box ships in a large, plain white envelope, so people processing your mail won't know what is inside.

 The box is cute!



First look - it does include a product card which is helpful since I'm clueless with a lot of this stuff...

First look into the open box...Oh boy.

California Fantasies - O'Natural Tightening Gel - O'Natural is a provocative tightening lubricating gel for women. It increases her erotic desire and heightens her wildest desire.
Value: $13.99
The box on this one was damaged, which makes it difficult to re-gift for any upcoming bachelorette parties. Boo.

Pipedream Products - Neon Nites Toy - A super supple, intensely flexible vibe that boasts an easily adjustable shape thanks to a special "spine" at the core, the Neon Nites will be a bright, versatile addition to your collection.

Value: $44.99

Not gonna lie, just the look of these things frighten me a bit...Also - why would they send it without batteries? Seems like a cheap move Spicy Subscriptions.

Neon Warming Massage Lotion + Samples - Every month we include a variety of trial lubricants, oils, massage oils and other fun stuff.

Value: $7.99

I bet that warming massage oil will feel amazing on my shoulder. I go for a massage every 4-6 weeks, but I've been making L rub my shoulders in between appointments. Plus, it's Pina Colada scented, which is pretty nice.

Neon Pleasure Tape - Put your lover in a sticky situation with this non-sticky bondage tape. This shiny PVC tape only sticks to itself, so it does not pull hair or leave any sticky residue.

Value: $12.99

I had to open this to try it out, and it really does only stick to itself. 

The overall value of this box was $79.96. I used the pricing they provided on the product card, as I have no idea how much most of these things would actually cost. I ordered the Spice Box Deluxe, which costs $34.95US, so it was worth more than double what I paid which makes me happy. I've already paid for July's box (it should be here any day now), but I'll probably end up cancelling after that one. 

xoxo,

Fallon

Play-By-Play

Ever since being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease a year and a half ago, I've been fairly healthy - just a few minor flare-ups. However, my doctor decided it was time to do a follow-up colonoscopy, just to ensure everything is all fine and dandy. I've already cancelled my appointment once, so even though I'm freaking out a little bit about it, I know I just need to suck it up and get it over with. Today is my "prep" day, where I am on a liquid diet and later tonight I get to drink 4L of a cleansing solution. I thought it might be interesting to share this wonderful, exciting adventure....

7:46am - I just ate a bowl of Rice Krispies. It's the only solid food I'm allowed to eat today, so it won't be long before I start getting cranky. I was told to eat a small, light breakfast, so I figured the cereal with the lowest fiber would be the best choice.

9:57am - I was hungry, so I heated up a cup-full of chicken broth. Ugh.

11:54am - I couldn't deal with the broth, so I ran to the grocery store. Hello popsicles!

1:38pm - I've already ate three popsicles, should I cave in and go for my fourth one of the day?

2:42pm - I'm pretty sure my stomach has started eating itself. Go figure, Jello and popsicles aren't enough to keep me satisfied.

4:32pm - "Enjoy your shitcation!" "Don't worry, we won't assume you're dead this time and raid all the good stuff from your desk like we did last year" "You're taking ALL of the popsicles? Can't you leave some for tomorrow?" I love my job, and my quality boys.

5:22pm - I made Mr.Noodles, and I always drain all of the water off (they are Mr.Noodles, not Mr. Soup!). Today, L gets the noodles, and I get to drink the water. Ha! Take that gross chicken broth, spicy chicken Mr.Noodle water wins every time over you.

6:01pm - Annddd, two pills prescribed to help with nausea and vomiting have been taken.

8pm - Let the fun begin, bring on the Colyte.

8:04pm - Sweet, less than two ounces drank, and I've already gagged a bit.

9:30pm- I've been at this for an hour and a half, and have only drank 16oz? Fuck sakes, I was supposed to have that much gone in 20 minutes. This sucks.

10:16pm - This is too much liquid! Seriously, I'm only 5'2", how am I supposed to put away 4L of some disgusting mixture?

10:32pm - My stomach hurts. I'd be surprised if I've even drank 1L yet. 

12:23am - Ugh. Meltdown time. I can't do this anymore, I have really bad pains and feel pretty nauseous. I'm going to bed.

5:12am - Woke up with a better mindset. I can do this!

8:52am - Oh no! I have a bad feeling I'm going to arrive at the hospital, and won't be cleared out enough, and they're going to make me reschedule. I'll be so mad if I did all of this for nothing!

9:07am - Screw that gross Colyte, I've switched to downing glasses of apple juice. It's still way more liquid than I'm used to drinking...

10am - I'm now not allowed to drink anything else until after I wake up.

10:46am - Time to head to the hospital...

So it's now Thursday, the day after my procedure. I did all of that worrying for nothing. Everything went smoothly, and my doctor is wonderful. I ended up sleeping most of yesterday due to the sedation, and I took today off to fully re-cover. So far so good!

xoxo,
Fallon

Luxe Box Summer 2014 Review

I received my first ever LuxeBox last month, and I was so excited since I had been on the waitlist for awhile now! They ship boxes out quarterly, and contain 7-8 trial-sized products. The cost is $26/quarter, $50 semi-annually or $96 annually. I signed up for the quarterly one, but if I like the fall box I might switch over to an annual plan to save a bit. It's not a crazy good deal, but the $8 in savings pays for 8 days worth of Hickory Sticks out of the vending machine for breakfast (don't judge me...).

 

Anyways, here it is!

The box it ships in

 



I was so impressed with the quality of the box! It's really cute, and I'll be re-using it for sure! It'll be great to send care packages in the mail to my family and friends!

 

First look inside. I hadn't looked at any spoilers, so I had no idea what to expect...

Meh, foil samples are just ok with me. But, this does include a coupon for $1 off, and I love coupons! Plus, it did come with three of these, and they will all be used.

Everything else was packed inside this adorable little silky cloth bag. I love it, I've already used it as a shoe bag on my last vacation. These brown ankle boots fit inside it perfectly :)

 

Luxe Box does not include a product card, you need to log in to your account online to view your products.

 



Nexus Colour-Assure Shampoo (5mL), Conditioner (5mL) and Pre-Wash Primer (9mL)

Value: $2

These samples are in the cutest little bottles! I'm not overly thrilled with how tiny they are, but they will get used. I'm curious about this pre-wash primer, but I'm not sure if this sample is big enough to truly get a feel for the product.



Eslor Introductory Collection - 4 samples, 5mL each

Value: $15

Samples Include:

Soothing Refiner and Cleanser

Replenishing Scrub

Comforting Mask

Soothing Cream

 



Again, more foil packages, but these do have a fairly high retail value (the full size cream goes for $70!). These will be used at some point, I just have a lot of other face creams/cleansers on the go right now...

Nicole by OPI - Something About Spring (3.75mL)

Value: $3.99

This bottle is so cute and tiny! I've never managed to use up an entire bottle of nail polish before, but this one is so small I actually might be able to. Also, this picture makes my floor look disgusting, I guess it's more worn out than I thought it was...

 



Barefoot Venus Coconut Kiss Macadamia Oil Hand Cream (60mL)

Value: $6

I had never heard tell of this brand before, but I ended up receiving one of their lip balms in my June TopBox. I put that into my gift pile since I own way too many lip glosses, but I might keep this hand cream because it smells pretty amazing!

 



Be A Bombshell - The One Stick in Southern Belle

Value: $16 FULL SIZE

I really like this. The colour is a pretty coral, and you can use it on your lips, cheeks, eyelids, etc. It's a similar shade to the Mac blush I currently use, so this is something I will definitely be keeping! Plus, yay for a full size product!

Such a pretty colour! And it goes on so smooth!

 

Loose Button Tweezers

Value: $13 FULL SIZE

These are actually the nicest tweezers I now own. I've already used them, and they will be staying with me for sure. I find I tend to misplace things like this, so an extra pair is always welcome!

 

Balenciaga Florabotanica Perfume (5mL)

Value: $18.70 according to my product dashboard online. I don't believe this is $180 for a 50mL bottle, so I'm calling bullshit on that pricing. I could believe $90 for 50mL though, so I'm placing the pricing of this at $9.35

I did find this at TJ Maxx in North Dakota when I was there last week for super cheap, but I didn't buy it because this sample will last me awhile. I have a serious addiction to perfume, so I hope to continue receiving samples in my future Luxe Boxes! There is an option when you sign up to opt out of fragrances (due to allergies), but I work at a fabrication shop and have no restrictions on wearing scents to work. It appears that anyone who didn't receive this, received an eyeliner instead.

 

So there you have it! My first Luxe Box was overall a success, I'm fairly certain I will end up keeping everything. The estimated value of the box was around $65 (I don't count the Crest samples, and I cut the value of the perfume in half). I only paid $26 +tax ($27.30) so it is well above what I paid for it. The next box will be arriving in September, if you're interested in signing up you can do so here. I'll try to be faster with my fall reveal/review, as of right now I don't plan on being anywhere but home for the entire fall.

 

xoxo,

Fallon

 

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