Beauty Box 5 is an Adorable Mini Winner: Glamamamas Review

Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample of the product for review purposes. The opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the product.

Beauty Box 5 is a subscription beauty box sampler that is delivered to your doorstep (or mailbox) filled with a combination of 5 brand new cosmetic samples/full size products monthly, quarterly or annually. It is a great new way for anyone from teens to moms to sample new cosmetic products and see what works for you. They include tips and tricks on the back of this little card below to help you get the most out of your beauty samples. 

Beauty Box 5 shared with me that they are always looking for the inside scoop on hot new items to make the best matches for your own personal taste and lifestyle.  The prices are reasonable too. You can get a Beauty Box 5 monthly for $12, quarterly for $30 or annually for just $99.  Shipping is always free. They are also currently offering a little bonus...each box gets a corresponding gift card to Soap with purchase of one of the above plans.  A fun way to check out lots of the new beauty stuff out there without a whole lot of $$ investment. The great part is that if you like something, you can just get on line and buy the full size item, right?  Much better than buying a full size you-know-what-beauty-item and paying a fortune and then it sits in the makeup bag gathering dust because it doesn't work for you.

Beauty Box 5 mixes it up with their brands and keeps things adventurous. They source from a mix of niche, luxe, regular drugstore, vegan and eco-conscious brands.  You might get hair care, nail care, makeup, skin care, fragrances or even beauty accessories.  I love the suspense!  You will get a carefully curated blend of travel, full-size and deluxe samples from their most current collection.

I received the December 2013 Naughty and Nice Box.  Here is the scoop on the goodies that were in this cute little box:

NYX is a brand that I turn to often in my local Ulta store so I am familiar with them.    This was an eye shadow trio called Live in Rio.  A pretty blend of mauve, taupe and a grayish blue all with a bit of a shimmer. I like that it is manufactured cruelty free.  

The second item was a travel size Clean and Clear Morning Burst Hydrating Gel Moisturizer.  This is small but perfect for a weekend getaway.  

I was not familiar with Body Drench moisturizers before I received this. Body Drench Hemp Moisturizing Daily Lotion has a nice, light scent.  Not too overpowering and natural.  Again, a travel size at 2oz which would be good for a weekend. 

Winter brings dry feet.  I was excited to see the coarse/fine foot smoother from Every Beauty. It has a coarse texture on one side...fine on the other. You can use it on the feet, elbows or knees....wet or dry.  I love that this is flexible and reusable.  It felt nice on my feet and that were super smooth after I used it. 

The last item was OFRA Lipgloss Plumper in Sultry.  A pretty rose bronze shade that works nicely for the cool weather. It was thicker than traditional lip glosses but felt smooth on my lips.  I detecting some tingly lip plumping action but it took a few minutes.  Be patient. The color suited me well. This was a full size item and I liked the petite 10ml size. Good for an evening bag or pocket. 

This was a nice little box if goodies...not a complete bargain but reasonable in light of the fact every item and brand was new to me with the exception of the Clean and Clear.  Pure convenience and a nice treat which we all deserve!  I knew the brand NYX from shopping at Ulta but had not tried this particular color palette. All the other items and brands were fun surprises to check out and learn more about. I like finding out about new beauty innovations but with work and life...ahh, my time is so limited to troll the beauty stores and malls. Beauty Box 5 is a nice way to discover new brands and products without a huge commitment. 

Love With Food Subscription Box : Winter Wonderland Review

Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample of the product for review purposes. The opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the product.

One Box. One Meal. YOU donated a meal. YOU made a difference. We Love You.

Wow.  This was the first thing I saw when I opened the bright red box from Love With Food.  That really piqued my interest.  Every subscription box from Love With Food triggers a meal donation.  What a fantastic idea...very easy way to help others and find joy in your own life at the same time. 

Pair it with a box filled to the brim with lots of natural, organic and decadent delights and you can feel good about subscribing to this box every month....or gifting it to a friend. 

The nice sized box box was literally filled to the brim with a variety of yummy, organic snacks.  The back of the Winter Wonderland card had a brief explanation of each item too along with links to the product's Twitter page to get more information.  An easy way to get more of your faves is to go to their website and find it fast.  Very convenient. It actually made it easy to get a little more familiar with each delicious snack before devouring it...just joking...I really shared. A good variety and a fun box to get (or give) every month!  Here is what was in the box I received : 

I love this marshmallow cookie-shaped beverage topper.  How much more fun and sophisticated can hot chocolate get?  

Have you tried these yet?  I found them a few years ago when they first came out and they were a big hit in my house.  Snack size is great for lunches. 

34 degrees. Yummy little snacks that are tasy and crispy.  Purse sized....

Donsuemor Dipped Madeleines are a delicious treat...this little packet went right into the lunchbox.  Eaten in a flash.  Time for more. 

Perfect for the season.  Who doesn't enjoy a fresh Molasses Spice Cookie from Grey Ghost Bakery.  These were soft and had a natural deep cinnamon spice flavor. 

I had never seen this before...I loved the adorable little packet of chocolate and the antique design.  It made a yummy hot chocolate treat on a cold day this past week. 

The timing couldn't have been more perfect for our recent holiday party.  I made this Deser Gardens Spinach dip but I subbed in fat free Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise or sour cream as suggested.  It came out yummy and was a big hit.  I would buy this again. 

I was excited to see this Snow Angell organic candy bar.  This was a full size bar that was perfect for me to share with my hubby.  He tried to grab for more but I ate mine quick! This was yummy and I likes the clean list of ingredients. Treat....yes but definitely less guilt. 

My mom tried for this one but I wasn't having any of it.  I know...I am awful.  I love this...a perfect little Lindt Excellence 70% chocolate square.  My mom says she always has these in the house because one square after dinner is just enough of a little fix for her. Maybe I need to buy more...just have to hide from you-know-who.

St. Claire's Organics Peppermints tasted fresh and clean.  I loved that they were totally organic as well. I put them in my purse but kept sneaking them out because they were so tasty.  I wished the packet had been larger.  Another one to add to my to-buy list. 

You can follow LoveWithFood on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. I always like to follow companies I enjoy to keep updated on new products, sales and announcements.

Claritin New Year New You Giveaway plus Claritin tips and coupons

Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a a booklet and a pedometer complimentary. The opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the product.

 

In honor of 2014, I am hosting a Claritin giveaway to help get my readers to start moving and establishing a healthy eating and exercise regimen.  As a member of the Claritin's Mom Crew I am sharing with you one of my little treats plus allergy coupons from Claritin.  

In your gift pack you will receive:

• Fit for Winter Holiday Season brochure.  This brochure provides you with some quick health tips to not only ease winter allergies, but ease the winter blues! Lordy knows we all need some of these too.

• Children’s Claritin branded pedometer! It will keep you on track during your winter workouts!

We all know that Children’s Claritin is a huge supporter of outdoor play. I hope you will learn a new tip (and share) from the quick reference brochure and be encouraged to enjoy the great outdoors. With Children’s Claritin, you can be sure that your children won’t be held back either. Thanks to the #1 pediatrician recommended, 24-hour, non-drowsy allergy medication, they’ll be ready to go! 

Take a peek at some of the great Claritin coupons and save today!  We all need to save a little so why not use a coupon?  I always do. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Secrets to a Pain Free Life by Reza Ghorbani, M.D. Giveaway and Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book complimentary in order to review it. As always, my opinions are my own.

I was excited to receive a new book, "Secrets to a Pain Free Life." Who doesn't get pain from time to time?  I have friends in their 30s, 40s and beyond who live with chronic pain every day of their lives.  I know they get extremely frustrated and even confused with the options available to control the pain.  Reza Ghorbani,  M.D. offers easy to understand and useful advice for anyone that wants to learn more about pain relief.  Dr. Ghorbani is a physician that truly specializes in the treatment of pain.  Dr. Ghorbani has years of experience behind his credentials.  He is a Harvard-trained and board certified Interventional Pain Management Specialist.  He is the current President and Medical Director of Advanced Pain Medicine Institute in the Washington, DC area as well.  Not surprisingly, he frequently lectures on the topic of Pain Management.  Reza Ghorbani, M.D. is a diplomat of the (ABIPP) American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians, and American Board of Anesthesiology (with subspecialty certification in Pain Medicine), and a Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP). Over his decades in practice he has been profiled in many publications including the Wall Street Journal.  He has appeared on television including stations such as CNN and CBS due to his numerous accomplishments in the field of pain management.

Dr. Ghorbani is a recognized leader in the field of advanced treatment of acute and chronic pain. His devotion to helping patients overcome pain to enable a better quality of life is evident in his writing. He shares personal experiences along with treatments from A to Z, natural and laboratory/pharmaceutical.

He profiles several patients anonymously and shares their struggles and solutions to the constant pain that plagued them.  Dr. Ghorbani also enlightens us regarding the fact that no one is immune to pain and shares some stories about famous athletes and celebrities who have had to overcome severe and debilitating pain.  It really adds hope to any readers that are demoralized by their pain too.  He discusses the variety of options available to control pain today from the common over the counter solutions to heavy duty medications and then discusses homeopathic or natural pain relievers.  He also shares his successes with Noxicare natural pain relief products, a line of homeopathic pain relievers that he developed.  He also includes some lighter cartoons interspersed throughout the book and they really made me chuckle. You have to see them to understand and enjoy them yourself

Dr. Ghorbani does a excellent job of providing information on common and novel options for pain relief and clearly shares the potential benefits and toxicities (side-effects) of all of them. All in a simple and easy to understand manner.  This is a good primer for someone without clinical knowledge.  He shares some specifics on natural remedies  and I found him to be very thorough in a positive way.  I even picked up some important information here where I thought I knew it all.  Dr. Ghorbani even includes some healthy recipes that incorporate some of the natural remedies.  I was surprised at how effective some of the homeopathic pain treatments could be and impressed at how thoroughly he reviewed the information.  This is an excellent book for anyone that is suffering with chronic pain to help them feel like there are viable options for treatment. 

Don't forget to enter my Rafflecopter giveaway. Winner will receive a signed paperback copy of Dr. Ghorbani's book. a Rafflecopter giveaway
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.