Sundown Naturals Review

I know that taking a daily vitamin supplement is good for you, but I hate traditional vitamins because they're usually giant pills (and I can't swallow giant pills).  I was happy once vitamin gummies for adults became more widely available, and Sundown Naturals is a company that offers plenty of options for pill-averse people such as myself!

Sundown Naturals offers a variety of healthy vitamins and supplements for the whole family, from immune system support to energy boosting.  To determine which supplement best suits yours needs, you can take their Gummy Match Quiz.  I was matched up with the B12 Gluten-Free Gummies, which boast 500mcg per service of vitamin B12 for energy support.  The bottle has three yummy flavors: mixed berry, raspberry, and orange.  Check out my quick video below for more information.



What I like best about these gummies is that they really are quite natural, as the brand name suggests.  They do not contain any artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives.  They're also free from gluten, milk, lactose, soy, wheat, and fish; making them great for people with food allergies as well.

Bottom Line: I would definitely purchase more vitamins from Sundown Naturals in the future!  The B12 Gluten-Free Gummies I received tasted great and were fun to eat, and gave me a boost of B12 to help stay focused and energized throughout the day.

*Disclaimer: I received this product for free from Smiley360 in exchange for my honest review. You can join Smiley360 here!

Harry Shum, Jr Quarterly Review #HSJ01

I've been interested in Quarterly boxes for a while, but never subscribed to any of them because of the price tag.  When they announced that Harry Shum, Jr. would be curating a box, I decided to finally give one a try.

Quarterly boxes ship four times a month (hence the name), and they have various celebrities and personalities as their curators.  There's probably at least one box to suit your interests, maybe more--other curators include Bill Nye, Pharrell Williams, and Andrew Zimmern.  I finally decided to subscribe to Harry Shum, Jr.'s box because I'm a fan of his on Glee, and when he promised "technology, toys, and art," I was intrigued enough to purchase a box.

Quarterly boxes cost $50 per shipment, so if you stay subscribed for a full year that equals four boxes for $200.  This is definitely a more expensive subscription, but what I like about them is that the curators take the time to really choose items that they are passionate about and want to share with people (or so they say).  I'm not sure how much thought really gets put into each box, but it was interesting for me to see what Harry included and why.

• Wayfarer Socks by Richer Poorer - Socks are not an exciting item, but I do like a good pair of tall socks.  Harry said he picked them "because I love the design and I thought they'd be suitable for gentlemen and ladies."  I probably won't get much use out of these until the fall, but they're really soft and I bet they're just as comfortable.
• Stickr Tracker - This is my favorite item in the box.  It's exactly what it sounds like--a sticker you put onto an item you commonly lose (keys, wallet, etc) and it syncs to an app on your phone so you can keep track of said item.  The item I misplace most is my phone, which at first I thought was problematic because if I need to use the app on my phone to locate the phone then I'm out of luck.  But I also have an iPad Mini, so I'll just install the app on that.

• Lay 'N Go - This bag is one of those items that I would never think I needed, but I can see it coming in handy when I travel.  I was playing around with it last night and couldn't quite figure out how to fasten it (and there were no instructions), but basically you place all of your items in it and it folds up around them.

• Signature Photography by Kelly Masumiya - This photo by one of Harry's friends, Kelly Masumiya, is autographed and inspired by "Singing in the Rain."  I think it's a really interesting photo and the fact that it's signed adds a nice touch.

Bottom Line: I didn't bother to look up the retail values of the items, but I'm satisfied with this box.  Before receiving it I was unsure whether I would cancel after the first box, but now I'm curious to see what Harry includes for the next shipment (in October).  I'll probably stay subscribed for another quarter or two!

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50 Review & Coupon

I have to admit that, up until recently, I was not that diligent about daily sun protection.  If I was going to be out in the sun for a long period of time I would load up on sunscreen, but when it came to just daily tasks where I'd be indoors most of the time (work, grocery shopping, etc.), using sunscreen usually didn't take a huge precedence.  I know this is a really bad practice, so I've been trying to be more mindful of using sun protection even when I won't be outside for extended periods.  Luckily, I discovered the dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50 daily moisturizer at just the right time!

This medium-weight moisturizer contains an upgraded formula that accelerates the product's SPF from 30 to 50 while using 50% less chemical sunscreen agents, made possible by an advanced oleosome technology.  Oleosomes are naturally-occurring spheres of emollient oils and Vitamin E found in safflower seeds.  They deliver the active ingredients found in this sunscreen directly to the skin's surface and release them over time to ensure maximum benefits.  In addition to sun protection, the Dynamic Skin Recovery moisturizer also reduces hyperpigmentation, stimulates collagen synthesis, and regulates collagen degradation.

I've been using this as my morning moisturizer for a few weeks now and I love it!  It's described as medium-weight, but I find it to be quite lightweight, and it absorbs into my skin very quickly with no feeling of greasy residue.  The dispenser is an air-tight pump and it gives just enough product each time, so you don't have to worry about wasting any.  It has a very light scent, but I don't think it's anything that would overwhelm someone who was sensitive to scented products.

• Use coupon code Summer25 for 25% off of any purchase of $150 or more at Dermalogica.com (valid until July 31, 2014).

Bottom Line: I would highly recommend this moisturizer, not only does it work well with my oily/combo (but also sensitive) skin, but the SPF 50 is excellent protection.

*Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by iFabbo and dermalogica.

July Beauty Box 5 Review

Beauty Box 5 isn't a new subscription service by any means, but July's box was my first experience with it.  If you haven't heard of them, they send five deluxe samples and/or full-sized products to your door for only $12 a month!

July's theme was "defining moments," which focused on all of the big and little things in life that bring us joy.  As I said previously, the box always contains five items (hence the name).  Shipping is free to U.S. addresses and an extra $3 to Canadians.  You can also shop for full-sized items of the samples they send in their shop.

• Revlon Bold Lacquer Mascara ($7.99) - This mascara has a lacquered formula, which means that it delivers volume and definition while lifting lashes.  It also doesn't smudge or flake.
• Hask Argan Oil Intensive Deep Conditioning Hair Treatment ($2.49) - I love Hask hair products, and these masks are fantastic!  They make my hair feel so baby soft after use.
• Nicka K New York Nail Color ($4.99) - I've never used this brand before, but I love the bright red color!  I can't find a name for the shade on the bottle, but in-person it looks exactly like it does in the above photo.  It's formaldehyde-free and boasts a clean, smooth finish.
• Body Drench Candy Licious Lips ($3.99) - This is my favorite item in the box.  I think everyone got different flavors, and mine is "Grape Lollipop."  It smells and tastes really sweet and it reminds me of the lip balms my mom used to buy for me when I was younger.  It's made with beeswax, coconut oil, and vitamin E.
• H2O Plus Bath Aquatics Shampoo (~$1.48) - At first I thought that this was a body wash, but it's clearly a shampoo.  It smells really fresh and reminds me of the beach.  It's made with Icelandic moss, watercress extract, and provitamin B and is gentle on fine hair and sensitive scalps.  I have itchy scalp issues, so I'm hoping this works well to fight that.

Bottom Line: July's Beauty Box 5 contained four full-sized items and had a total value of $20.94!  This box is a lot of fun and definitely worth the affordable price of $12.

*Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Beauty Box 5.

Memebox Special #6 Whole Grain Review + Coupon

Memebox (pronounced "Mi-mi-box") is quickly becoming one of my favorite beauty box services for a lot of reasons.  My favorite thing about them is that they have so many different boxes to choose from!  I also love that since they're a Korean beauty service, they expose me to products that aren't otherwise readily available in the States.

When I first heard about the Special #6 Whole Grain box, it didn't quite pique my interest.  I thought, "whole grain?  That's an odd ingredient for beauty products."  But thinking more about it now, I realized that these products are actually quite suited for my skincare needs.  I have sensitive skin that's prone to eczema, and whole grains are great for soothing that.

At only $23, this box is an incredible deal.  The first thing I noticed before opening it was how heavy it was!  I always get excited at that because I equate that with having lots of products.  Upon opening it, it was clear that my hypothesis was correct--this box is packed with great items!

• Purederm Invigorating Foot Scrub Walnut ($4) - I love foot scrubs; I find it so relaxing to exfoliate and treat my feet (like a mini-spa experience).  This one contains a blend of walnut shells and apricot seeds that gently exfoliate calloused feet.
• Purederm Daily Moisturizing Hand Mask Oatmeal ($7) - This product is another win for me because I hate having dry hands.  I'm constantly using hand creams, so I'm sure this treatment will give me long-lasting soft skin.  It's enriched with oatmeal to deeply nourish dry hands.
• Purederm Rice Bran Collagen Mask ($5) - This 100% natural pulp mask is rich in rice bran extracts, plant collagen, and vitamin E.  It works to brighten and smooth out dull complexions.  I don't often use these types of masks (I generally prefer liquid ones), but they do force me to just sit still and relax!

• Purebess Galactomyces 80 Eye Cream ($20) - This is my favorite product in the box, simply because I think it will last me forever!  It's full-sized at 50 mL (~1.7 oz), and since you only need to use a very small amount of eye cream per application, you're getting a ton of product in this bottle.  I'm not familiar with galactomyces, but apparently they work to lock in moisture and rid your pores of residue.
• Purebess Galactomyces 100% ($15) - This 100% concentrate of galactomyces is an essence that helps to clean out the pores, reduce fine lines and signs of aging, and deliver an all-over glow.  The instructions say to use it as the first step of your skincare routine.

• Herbclinic Rice Bran Powder ($8) - At first I thought that this was a nutritional supplement, but it's actually a powder that's meant to be mixed with oatmeal, black bean or brown rice, and milk and then used as a mask for the face.  It promises to deliver nourishment and instant revival to tired skin.
• Grinif Natural Oatmeal Scrub Bar ($9) - This bar is listed as 100% organic and hand-made.  It contains oatmeal, rice bran, shea butter, and jojoba oil to nourish and moisturize the skin.  Since it's an international product the organic label isn't verified by any organizations such as the USDA, but I'm still willing to give it a try.
• Purederm Anti-Stress Heat Therapy Mask Oatmeal ($12) - I was really excited to try this warming mask, but I found that it was too harsh on my skin.  I ended up with a bunch of red spots from the heat after using it, but I'm sure this would be great for someone with less-sensitive skin.  When applied, this relaxes the pores and removes residue clogged up inside of them.

Bottom Line: This box had an overall retail value of $80!  That's an excellent value for a box that only costs $23.  Memebox recently restocked this box, so if you're interested in picking one up, you can do so here.

Even if this box doesn't quite strike your fancy, I highly recommend browsing the options Memebox has available.  You can use coupon code TXIXL1672P for $5 off any order, valid through the end of July (one-time use per customer).

*Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Memebox.  Post contains affiliate links.