July The Look Bag Review

I finally decided to try The Look Bag, but even if I had loved it I wouldn't have been able to continue because July's bag is their last.  I guess they were having some difficulty with shipping or other things, so they discontinued it in order to focus on making The Look Shop as good as possible.  I admire that, since I know of other companies (*cough* MyGlam *cough*) who really screwed things up and instead of bowing out to fix their problems, they just created a nightmare of customer "service" for their subscribers.

But anyway, onto the bag.  Part of me thinks that half of this bag was thrown together in haste, so I wonder if it would have been slightly better had it not been their abrupt last.  Either way, it showed promise and I did like what was included in previous bags.  It arrived in a pink bubble wrap envelope, which I kind of liked as opposed to a box because I get so many packages that sometimes my bedroom is overflowing with boxes (until I break them down and recycle them, of course).

I opened up the envelope to find everything packaged in this cute little drawstring bag.  The first thing I noticed was the leopard print card, I wasn't sure what was going to be included.

This bag cost $10 a month, and I have to say that based on this and previous ones I saw from others, it's the only service that I find comparable to Birchbox for the price.  The brands might not be as high-end, but I just liked the products that were included.

• Bremenn Research Labs Miracle Cream - This is a decently-sized sample of moisturizer.  Nothing too special, but it worked well and I'm going to throw it in my bag when I go to my boyfriends' house (we're long distance).
• Ultraflesh Mascara - I wasn't very excited about this one because I have so many mascaras already.  It worked pretty well, and again is a good size for travel.
• Korres Lipstick - This was my favorite product.  I love my Korres Guava Body Butter, so I was curious to see if I would like their lipstick.  The shade I got was nude, I would have preferred something more along the lines of a coral or pink (or any color, really), but this glides on so smoothly and it really feels great on my lips.  I usually stay away from lipsticks because they make my lips feel dry, but I do like this one quite a bit.
• Betsey Johnson Eau de Parfum - I didn't like the way this smelled.  The packaging was really cute and eye-catching, though.
• Mini Nail Polishes? - I have no idea who these are by.  They aren't listed on the card, all it said was something about a new trend item?  I guess these are it, but I already recycled my card so I don't remember.  They're pretty cheap though, so I don't think I'll be starting any trends with them.

Bottom Line: If The Look Bag wasn't discontinued after this bag I would recommend subscribing to it.  It's kind of a moot point now, though, but you can still shop around at The Look Store (they have some really excellent prices on good brands).


*Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money and was not asked to review it. I was not compensated for this review in any way and the honest opinions here are entirely my own.

Beija Flor Naturals Review

First, I want to apologize for not posting very much this past week.  I had some personal things come up that kept me from blogging over the weekend.  But I'm back, and armed with a review for a great company!

I was approached by Stevonne, the owner of Beija Flor Naturals, to see if I was interested in reviewing some of their products.  I was immediately interested because I was familiar with them from other blog reviews, and I jump at the chance to feature any organic products.

Beija Flor Naturals is a line of hair and skin care products that's based in California, but draws inspiration from Brazil.  Their vegan and vegetarian products are free of petrochemicals, made from raw vegetable based ingredients, and are naturally preserved whenever possible.  They sustainably source their healing ingredients from the Amazon rainforest and have a commitment to keeping their products affordable for all.

I received three products to review, the first of which is the Agave Aloe Facial Polisher.  It's made from raw organic sugar and has a soothing herbal scent.  The granules are pretty big, so I will definitely be using this only once a week.  I think that if I used it more it would be too abrasive for my skin.  I've read from most places that you should only exfoliate once a week anyway, though, so this is perfect for that.  I've used it twice since receiving it and my skin feels nice and smooth after.

After using the facial scrub I applied the Acai Mango Face Lotion, which is formulated for all skin types.  This product also has a light scent that is very fresh smelling.  The main ingredient is organic shea.  This cream is pretty thick, so I used it as my nighttime moisturizer.  It absorbed well and since it's so thick, a little went a long way.

The third and final product I tried was the Licorice Root Scalp Elixir, and I have to say that it was my least favorite of the bunch.  I wasn't expecting this product, so I had to look it up on their website to see how to use it.  It's formulated to relieve dry, itchy scalp, so I thought that it might be good for me since I do have that condition from time to time.  I used it once, but I won't use it again because it left my hair too oily.  I have thick hair and an oily scalp to begin with, so this was just not a good combination for that.  If I do ever try it again, I'll use less and maybe spend some more time washing it out, but in general I just don't feel it was a good fit for me.

• Visit Beija Flor Naturals and view their full line of products
• Connect on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest

Bottom Line: Beija Flor Naturals has a wide variety of skincare and hair products for those seeking vegan/vegetarian, organic options. Their prices are affordable and I really enjoyed the facial scrub and lotion that I received.


*Disclaimer: I received these products for free to facilitate my review. I was not compensated for this review in any way and the honest opinions here are entirely my own.

July KLUTCHclub Review

You all know that I'm a sucker for subscription services.  I was approached by KLUTCHclub to review their July box, and since I was able to see what items were included before buying I wanted to give it a try.  They sent me a coupon for a blogger 50% off discount, which helped too.  All in all, I paid $9 for $70 worth of product ($18 for normal subscriptions).

KLUTCHclub is really different than any other subscription service I've tried.  It isn't one I would normally purchase, but worth trying.  For $18 a month they send a box that's geared toward health and wellness.  I like to keep track of what I eat, but I'm by no means that interested in exercise.  In fact, I hate it.  I'll do cardio and pilates here and there, but...yeah, I just don't go to the gym.  That was the main reason why I hadn't signed up to try this service before, but with the 50% off I was willing to give it a try.

I really, really like their packaging.  It's a nice departure from the standard box that most subscriptions come in--this one is more of a long rectangle (rectangular prism, if you must), and it opens on one end.  The flaps say "Get Ready" and "Your KLUTCH has arrived!," which I thought was a fun touch.

I think that this box was definitely worth $9, but since I'm not a fitness person I'm not sure I would want to pay $18 for it.  But that is really just because fitness is not one of my hobbies; I think that those who were more into the health and wellness lifestyle would love this box.  Here is what I got for July:

• Mighty Leaf Teas - I've gotten lots of Mighty Leaf teas in other subscriptions, but I'm glad I'm a tea drinker because they're one of my favorite brands.  The flavors I got were Chamomile Citrus, Green Tea Tropical, and Organic Earl Grey.
• Molecule R - This is an informational packet about molecular gastronomy, and it came with a packet of natural emulsifier to turn liquids into foam.  I've heard of molecular gastronomy on Top Chef, but I don't really know what to do with this.  I'm going to read the packet to learn more.
• 1st Step Pro-Wellness/High Performance Fitness - This is a natural liquid Vitamin B-12 supplement.  It's pretty much an energy shot to me.  I haven't used it yet, but I will sometime this week since I'm going into work at 630am.
• Truvia Natural Sweetener - I've tried Truvia before and I'm not a fan.  I have another package and I'm going to take these to work and leave them near the coffee for people to use.
• Nia - This is probably the most valuable item in the box, it's a certificate for a special Nia class.  I've never heard of Nia before, but apparently it's a workout that combines martial arts, dance arts, and healing arts.  It sounds super interesting and I'm excited to try it out!
• Zoye Vegetable Oil - I don't cook, so this is probably my least-favorite item in the box.  It'll get put to use eventually.
• Mineral Hygienics - This is the second time I've gotten a $15 coupon for Mineral Hygienics.  I never used my first one, so I'm not going to let this expire.  Too bad it doesn't cover shipping, though.
• Goulibeur Cookies - To prove how much of a non-fitness nut I am, this was my favorite item!  These shortbread cookies were so delicious, and I immediately devoured them upon opening the box.  I just wish they had the nutritional information listed on the package.
• Cascal Fermented Soda - I drank this with my lunch today and it was so good!  The flavor I got was Fresh Tropical (I think everyone got the same flavor), and I really enjoyed it.  Even though it's fermented, it doesn't have alcohol in it.  It was 80 calories for the can, but worth it as a treat once in a while.

Bottom Line: KLUTCHclub definitely earns its worth with the certificates for classes that they include each month.  I think this was a good box as far as variety of items, though I would have preferred to receive a physical beauty item instead of a certificate where I have to pay shipping.  All in all, I would recommend it to anyone who likes health and wellness services.

• Visit KLUTCHclub and sign up for a subscription
• Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest

More photos after the cut.

July Little Black Bag Review

I bought my first Little Black Bag in June, and I loved it so much that I wanted to open up another one for July.  After this I'm going to skip a month or two, because it is a little pricey.  If you've found my blog, you've probably found other posts and vlogs about LBB, but just in case you haven't here's a quick rundown: It costs $49.95 a month to open a bag, or $59.95 (I think) to try it once.  Monthly subscribers have the option to skip their bag each month if they want, and you can also cancel your bag if you aren't happy with your items.  You choose one item from the gallery to open with, and LBB picks 2-3 others for you that are revealed after you buy.  You then have 7 days to trade your items with other members if you so choose.  After tax (because I live in NY, also applicable for CA residents) and shipping, my LBB costs $59.

I had a referral credit this month (thanks to everyone who signed up and shipped a bag through my referral link!), so I had an extra item in my bag.  It was pretty lame, one of those ugly green picture frames, but at least it was something I could trade.  LBB also did a promo for July where everyone who opened a bag got a deluxe Redken sample while supplies lasted.  I received five items total in this bag, including the sample.

The item I chose to open with was this awesome Street Level Tote, which is more of a messenger bag in my opinion.  I had seen it on the site in June and thought it was something I would like, but I liked the Melie Bianco bag I had better so I didn't try to trade for it.  When I got the notification on the 1st that I had a new bag ready, I intended on skipping it, but then I saw that this bag was back and I snatched it up right away.  I believe the retail price was $78, but I couldn't find it anywhere else (nor could I find a website for Street Level), so I couldn't really verify that.

I wish I had this bag while I was in college.  It's huge and perfect for carrying around notebooks and my laptop.  Unfortunately I don't know how much use it will get now since I rarely carry my laptop anywhere, but I'm still glad I have it and I'll find some way to use it.  The other items I got were:

• ncla Nail Wraps in Hi-Fi Stereo ($16) - I thought the pattern on these was really pretty and I've been wanting to try them for a while, so when someone offered me these in a trade I accepted.  I think I traded an ncla nail lacquer for them.  I'm glad I tried them because now I know, but I have to say they are pretty crappy.  They're basically stickers, and the pattern itself looks like it was printed off of some ink-jet printer from the 90s.  I know that's a weird description, but I have a close-up photo that I'll post to better show what I mean.  Aside from the bad quality of the print, they don't apply well and they just look bad.
• ncla Nail Lacquer in Miss Sunset Strip ($16) - While I don't recommend the nail wraps, I do really like this nail polish.  It's a purple glitter that I was really excited to get, because all of the swatches of it that I found looked really nice.  I'm happy I didn't trade this item away.
• All The Rage Snake Bracelet ($22) - This bracelet is totally not something I would imagine myself liking, but as soon as I saw it in the LBB gallery I wanted it really badly!  There was also a tiger one which I liked a little bit more, but no one was willing to trade me for that.  In the end, though, I really like this snake design because it's really fun.
• Redken Align 12 Straightening Lotion - I think these extra samples were a nice addition, but I wish that they were only tradeable amongst themselves.  I was getting really annoyed at people who were trying to offer me a $0 value, 1 oz. sample for my items.  I know that some people were able to trade their samples for nail polishes, etc., but I personally just wasn't willing to part with one of my valued items for a free sample.

The total value of my July bag was $132.  I like to choose purses for my main item because then I feel like I'm really getting my money's worth.  If I was to choose a necklace that cost $80, it wouldn't really feel like I was getting as good of a deal because I wouldn't get as much use out of a tiny necklace, and could probably find a comparable one for less than that at Target.

Bottom Line: I am 100% happy with my July Little Black Bag, but I'm going to hold off on purchasing another one for a little while because I'd like to use the $60 elsewhere.  If you'd like to give it a try, I'd love if you could use my referral link!

More photos of my items are after the read more!

RevitaShape Review and Giveaway [CLOSED]

Back in May I reviewed a product called Complexion MD, an anti-wrinkle cream.  I was contacted again by  Brenda, from their PR department, to try another product, the RevitaShape Anti-Cellulite Skin Toning Formula from Dermavant Labs.  I was originally hesitant to try it, since I don't currently have to worry about cellulite, so I wasn't sure if I would truly be able to gauge how well it worked.  But Brenda said she would still be happy to have my review the lotion and I could evaluate how well it firmed my skin overall.

Brenda also assured me that RevitaShape is cruelty-free, and she had checked with the manufacturer.  It's a white cream lotion with a light scent.  The bottle contains 6 fl oz. and retails for $89.95 on their website.  It works to reduce the appearance of cellulite and fat, promote firmness and elasticity, and reduce the appearance of dimples, bumps, and bulges.  The key ingredients are:

• Glaucine - An alkaloid found in plant species with anti-inflammatory effects.
• Bupleurum Falcatum - Also known as Chai Hu, useful in helping establish radiant health
• L-Carnitine - Improves skin appearance, including wrinkling, dry or peeling skin, and sunburn
• Coenzyme-A - Reduces the appearance of dimples, bumps, and bulges
• Centella Asiatica Extract - Improves collagen foundation of the skin, firmness, and elasticity
• Caffeine - Aids in the appearance of a rejuvenated, youthful complexion
• Bladderwrack Extract - Helps strengthen the connective tissues of the skin

As I said previously, cellulite is not a problem for me at the moment, but I was still interested to see if this made my skin feel firmer.  I used it once a day after my nightly shower for a little over two weeks, but the instructions say that for maximum benefits you should use it for 4-6 weeks.  I focused mainly on the top half of my legs, on my quads and hamstrings.  I'm not going to bother to post the before and after photos I took because there really is no visible difference in my skin, plus it would just be kind of creepy to have pictures of my legs on here.  Even though there was no change in appearance, I did feel that the skin on my quads especially felt a little firmer.  To apply the lotion you have to rub it in a circular motion until it's fully absorbed, and it was easiest for me to do that on the top of my leg as opposed to underneath on my hamstring, which is why I think I felt better results there.

Bottom Line: This cream is definitely pricey, so I wish I could expand more on whether or not it worked on cellulite.  But it did make my skin feel firmer after two weeks, so I think that's a good sign.

Want to try a tube for yourself?  The generous people at Dermavant Labs have offered up one for a reader to win!  Enter after the cut with the Rafflecopter form.