Spicy Subscriptions Premium Spice Box Review

Back in September I reviewed my first Spicy Subscriptions box, and I joined their referral program.  Thanks to two new members using my referral link to join, I earned a free spice box.  This time it was one of their Premium boxes, and it had lots of goodies inside!

*This is a mature post for adult intimacy products.  If you wish to continue, please click "read more."

Save Money With Save1 & Help Those in Need

I recently was contacted by Carol of Save1, and she introduced me to their fantastic company.  I'm a huge bargain shopper, and I rarely shop online (or in stores most times, as well) without some kind of coupon.  I love getting a great deal on something, and despite my friends poking fun at me for always having coupons, I'll continue to do it for as long as those deals are out there!

Up until I learned about Save1, I mostly used sites like Retail Me Not to look up online coupons.  But now that I know about this alternate, I'll definitely use it instead.  Each time you use a coupon or special deal through Save1, they will use a portion of their commission to provide a nutritious meal for a hungry child.  At the time of my writing this post, their website states that they have provided 91,259 meals!  You can watch the video below for more information about them, in their own words.

  Save1.com Welcome Video from Josh Cearbaugh on Vimeo.

My financial status is average, I'd say; I come from a typical middle-class family.  Sometimes it's easy for me to overlook the fact that there are families out there who are struggling just to put food on their tables, because I get caught up in my student loan payments, etc.  But who am I kidding?  Yes, I have bills; and no, I'm not independently wealthy, but I have enough to pay those bills and spend a little on myself here and there.  Why not contribute some of that to those families who really need it?  Using Save1 is so easy, and I'd much rather use their coupons and deals to save me a little and to help others in need.

If you're a bargain lover like me, I urge you to try Save1.  They have deals for a ton of brands that I shop in plenty of categories (ranging from apparel to computers and more), and they're adding more every day.  They provide their meals through feeding partners that need to meet specific criteria.  They currently have four feeding partners: Action Against Hunger, Feeding America, Feed My Starving Children, and Project Peanut Butter.  You really can't go wrong here.  I've read through their FAQ and the story of how Save1 came to be, and I really believe that this is a cause worth supporting.  Check them out!  I'm sure you'll find some great coupons to put to use.

• Visit Save1 and start shopping!
• Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and their blog

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.  I was contacted by Save1 about blogging about their program, but I was not compensated for this post in any way and the honest opinions here are entirely my own.

Earth's Beauty Eyeshadow Review and Swatches

I received three Earth's Beauty eyeshadow samples in my January Daily Dose of Green box, and I was really excited to try them because I love trying new natural cosmetics.  I didn't get around to swatching them as soon as I originally though I would, but my review is finally here.

The shades I received were, from left to right in the above photo: Moonstone, Lavender Dust, and Pebble. I really wanted to love them because, like I said, I enjoy supporting companies that use natural ingredients.  Earth's Beauty developed their mineral cosmetics for those who have sensitive skin or allergies to traditional cosmetics, and they use ingredients such as arrowroot and iron oxides.  They contain no titanium dioxide or nano particles.

Even though I tried to love these eyeshadows, I have to be honest and say that they were not for me.  I found them to be too loose and difficult to work with, which is due to the arrowroot mentioned above.  I think the loose quality would work well in a face powder, but not so much in these eyeshadows.  It was difficult for me to even swatch them; they didn't have very good color payoff.

Moonstone is a very light yellow, and it's difficult to see in the swatch because it's pretty close to my skin color and undertones.  Lavender Dust reads more as a maroon than a purple, which wasn't what I expected since it looks pretty purple in the jar.  Pebble is a nice gray, which I think would work well in a smokey eye look.

Bottom Line: I wouldn't purchase these eyeshadows, but I would be willing to try other Earth's Beauty products.  I like that when they say they use only natural ingredients, they mean it (and that they are cruelty-free).  I would definitely try their lip glazes and face powders.

January Little Black Bag Review (Bag #1)

I ended up opening two $29.95 Little Black Bags this month--I have a problem!  This is the first time I've ever opened two bags in one month, and will probably be the last.  I usually limit myself to one a month at most, but this month had a special promotion.

But before I get ahead of myself, here is what I got in my first bag:

• Street Level Domed Satchel in Burgundy, $88
• Tatcha Aburatorigami, $15
• Goose Creek Candle Co. Pillar Candle in Sugar Plum, $12

I was happy with this bag, but it wasn't my favorite one I've gotten.  The bag was not my first choice, I couldn't trade for one I really wanted, but I do like this one quite a bit.  I don't have any red bags so I liked the color, and I like the shape because it can be professional or fun.  It's constructed well, but it had a big dent in the front (watch my unboxing video for more details on that).



If you're interested in Little Black Bag, please consider using my referral link.

More photos of my items after the "read more."

January Vegan Conscious Box Review

I really love Conscious Box for a lot of reasons, and I'm always eager to host reviews and giveaways for them.  I've shared a lot of unboxings over the past year, and as a thank you to some of their blogger partners Conscious Box sent us a free January box!

I received the vegan box, which was fun for me because before I was a subscriber to their "regular" service and had never gotten the vegan kind.  Aside from the regular and vegan choices, they now have a gluten-free subscription that will begin in February.  Check out my unboxing video below and scroll a little further for a list of what was inside.

• Hail Merry Macaroons Choco
• Simply Straws Handcrafted Glass Straw
• Peeled Snacks Apple Clusters Berry Crunch
• Happy Squeeze Treat Chocolate Pear
• Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood
• Dr. Singha's Mustard Bath
• Dale's Raw Protein Bar Raspberry Hazelnut
• MAAKOA Koopuwa
• Bodhichitta Botanicals Cafe Macchiato Body Oil
• Nutiva Hemp Seed
• People Towels

I'm not vegan, but I appreciate the lifestyle and would purchase these items anyway.  As with a lot of my past Conscious Boxes, this one was a mostly food, which is okay once in a while.  The reason I cancelled my subscription after a year was because I was noticing less of a variety of items (i.e. a lot of boxes were mostly food), but I still think it's a great subscription for people who are interested in learning more about leading a sustainable lifestyle.

• Learn more about Conscious Box and sign up for a subscription ($19.95/month)
• Connect with them on Facebook and Twitter

More photos after the "read more."