Beauty sage March review

First beauty sage order has arrived! 
Im so excited about this month’s box, not just because it could be the start of something great, but because Beauty Sage carries skyn Iceland. Skyn is the first european luxury brand I ever tried and it proved instant results were possible.  I have to thank the sephora beauty insider program for this beautiful gem; a few years back  I got a deluxe sample of the relief eye cream in one of sephora’s limited edition Beauty Insider deluxe sampler wristlets (wow thats a mouthful! Does anyone else miss  these awesome gifts/purchase with purchase?) skyn relief eye cream completely de puffs the undereye bags by stimulating micro circulation (full disclosure, there was some burning but I never had zombie eyes at 8am  docent meeting after an all nighter). I definitely babied my sample and used it sparingly until it was finally all gone (but be then sephora had pulled the drand from the shelves already 😦 ) but now, I have access to skyn again! Woot!

Here’s the editor’s picks box
$15 /box one time purxhase with free shipping

Heres a of Skyn: Skin Hanger starter set. $25/kit

And my order came with 2 sample!

Did anyone else order the beauty sage box? What was your favorite product?

Subscription Review: January Homegrown Collective

I always say I’m going to write reviews, but I never do, too many other great things I could be say, typing and doing. So why are you now reading a post titled “review”?  January’s Homegrown Collective is amazing.

I use present tense because HGC delivers on the last day of the month – Always – so I get to spread out the DIY’s throughout the month.  I am also using HGC’s own stock photos because I tore into this month’s box and didn’t think to actually TAKE pics of arrival and etc.

Theme: Detox Inside and out

Goodness what a great theme for this time of the year! I’m still in that post holiday “bloatiness” and “springs so far away” mentality so this box hit all the right buttons.  I’ve definately been detoxing daily with Kusmi’s BB Detox (good for the skin and Yummers!) and crafting up some spa essentials for my next lazy day inside.

What’s in the box (project by project)

Dandelion Tea:

• Pack of dry Dandelion stems
• Tea Diffuser
• Glass Jar ( to store)
• Review:  Tea is tasty ( really! )

Rose Water & Bentonite Clay Mask

• Concentrated Rose Water
• Clear Spray bottle ( for Rose Water Dilution )
• Pipette
• Bentonite Clay (dry)
• wooden tongue depressors
• Review:  This is a fun DIY mask.  clay+ water = mask , then mist with Rose water for an amazing time.  The pull during the drying process can hurt, so if it gets too intense spritz more rose water!

Fizzing Lavender Bath Salts (w/ Dead Sea Salts)

• Dead Sea Salts ( Certificate of authenticity included!)
• Sodium Bicarbonate and Citric Acid Blend ( for fizzies ^^)
• Dried Lavender
• 2 muslin bags (for bath use)
• glass jar ( to store bath salts)

 

Summary:

This box has been great fun and its a great value.  The projects are easy to put together and make for a great spa moment from beginning to end.  Each recipe makes enough product for 1-2 uses and there’s plenty of raw ingredients left over to make a fresh batch later.    I am slowly working my way through all of  the projects; if I had more self control I could finish all of them in one weekends, but where’s the fun in that ?  I am consistently impressed by the quality of ingredients that HGC send in their monthly boxes and I’m not embarrassed to say I cooed over the glass bottle of Rose Water ( it looks exactly like my Grandma’s bottle of Rose Water – parfum ).  Okay, I cooed over every set of min glass containers that came in my HGC…I like small glass vials!

Back in Octover, I bought the 6month subscription from the get-go ( I hate paying SH fees) and I’m really glad I did, when April comes around I might plan on an Annual Subscription ( they’re the only ones who give me Glass jars! )

Anyone else get January’s HGC?  What did you think?

For the love of Crafting

I’ve been sitting on this post for a while, mainly because….well….I’ve been crafting.

Crafting  and general DIY culture is about grasping a self-sufficiency.  “How do I do that?” “How do I make it better?” floats though my head every time I see something that makes me say”ooooooo Me Likey” and “awww, that’s so cute”  ( which basically means my brain is spinning as soon as I step into a store ).    Really one could say its the ultimate a mental exercise – see, think, realize.   Beyond the comforting knowledge that dreaming up a bear shaped bookshelf is benefiting my neurons, Crafting can be down-right cathartic!  Pounding, smashing, tearing, and smearing new life into raw materials settles my mind and gives me a positive outlook on the day.  I try to make something, anything everyday.

The only draw back to this grand “DIY” mentality is time and money but mostly time;  now that you’ve mapped out all the pieces and a general method of assembly (“insert tab A into slot A” ) you need to put it together.  How long it THAT going to take !?!  and When are you supposed to find time to get all of the supplies for this “Live Changing DIY” ?   Don’t stress, just buy it online, seriously.   There are an endless number of art supplies, beading, canvas and etc suppliers online; many are brick and mortar store just down the street ( they won’t mind mailing you stuff, promise! )  I first stumbled into this stress trap during college when the urge to create something was unbearable ( and Ochem was a definite thing of the past).  I try to make a quick run to Paper Source, Archivers, or even Marshals but always got stuck in traffic, a long checkout line or worse – waste time in the clearance section ( “I NEEDS them ALL!” ).  Once I discovered Amazon, Etsy, and Archivers Annex my life was suddenly much happier ( if poorer ^^).

Now a days, my ultimate crafting solution is joining a Craft subscription ( or 4 ).  Every month the company sends out a box containing 1-4 various DIY activities ( see below for a breakdown and promo link for each of my existing subscriptions  and Pics of February boxes TBA).  There are tons of different types of Craft and DIY subscriptions for example: MyPaperPumkin sends paper crafts and stamping,  Home Grown Collective sends DIY remedies and recipes for the home, and Whimseybox sends rotating crafts.  Check out MySubscriptionAddiction’s page of Craft subscription boxes, it’s huge and the reviews are super insightful!  If you don’t like committing to monthly boxes, Brit+co and Darby Smart have a store of DIY and Craft kits for you to purchase ( no commitments here! )

The options are endless, so have fun and Create!

WhimseyBox ( Mid – Month)

• Cost:  $15/month ( less with 6mo/annual subscription)
• or $20/each WB + S/H
• Pros: the name! ( Whimsey…box…) rotating crafts, fun new products, everything you need for the project, cute WB theme extras
• Cons: actual project can be hit or miss
• Promo Link: here ( $5 credit towards purchase or subscription)

Darby Smart Girl (Mid – Month)

• Cost:  $12/2 months
• Pros: Tons of supplies, quality and quirky items
• Cons: it’s designed for teens ( oh well….)
• Promo Link: Here ( Promo howdydarby for $10 gift card )

Darby Smart “to DIY for…” 

• Cost:  $19/month
• Pros: Tons of Supplies, rotating “craft” theme, projects can be as personalized easily
• Cons: New Subscription so boxes are “hit” or “miss”
• Promo Link: here  ( Promo howdydarby for $10 gift card )

HomeGrown Collective (End of Month) Featured image is January’s Box “Detox inside and Out” ( Very DIY Spa – like ^^)

• Cost:  $48/month (less with 6mo/annual subscription)
• Pros: 2-5 projects,  glass jars, organic/single source/domestic ingredients, useful projects
• Cons: sometimes the project can be intense ( ie, DIY almond Milk = 3 hours + Failure….)
• Promo Link: None

Kc Restaurant Week 2014 review

Restaurant Week is over.
“No, say it isn’t so!”
“It is so…..”

I’m gushing over my KCRW2014 experience, I feel ( for the most part ) restaurants are really embracing the dine-out rush and the spirit of the event.  I want to say everything and anything good about the steak, service, and experience, but alas this isn’t a food blog

“Topicality is essential to maintaining an informative and lively discussion”  Debater’s Handbook circa 2003 )

so I will stick to a brief one review on all of the restaurants I visited and my plans for next year!

Favorite restaurant for 2014: Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.
4.5/5
The 500 degree plate sealed the deal, simple and true to its ingredients, but still so yummy! ( -.5 for taking my dessert before I was done 😦 )

Pierponts Steakhouse
4/5
Great new additions to the menu ( and they offer a similar menu year-round! )

McCormick and Schmidt
3.5/5
Food was great, service was not.

Fogo De Chao
3/5
Came twice, over opinion: Too busy to stay awesome; the long waiting time grated on my nerves. However, it’s a good time to really take in what the salad bar has to offer.

Plaza III
2.5/5
Food is true to its ingredients, but rather bland and overall boring. Go to Houston’s or save up for Ruth’s Chris.

Full reviews for the restaurants are on Yelp ( I’ve got 2 accounts so Message me if you can’t find me ) and they are fairly extensive …..I’m trying to make it to Yelp Elite, Can you tell ?

Top Picks for 2015

• Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
• Capital Grille
• McCormick and Schmidts
• North

Hope you enjoyed this small culinary adventure; Check out OpenTable to find a Restaurant week near you!

Just realized I’ve been collecting doilies from all of the restaurants I visited so a Craft tutorial should be coming soon! ( aha! I AM still on topic 😀 ) 

For the love of dr. brandt® microdermabrasion

This stuff rocks my socks ( and rough patches ) off! 

I got to try a sample of  this in one of my first birchboxes, but was too chicken to use it until Thanksgiving ( gotta look good for the family photo 😉 )  After using it once I regret not using it sooner – could have had great skin walking into the Catching Fire Premier 😦

On first use, the product is very light with a nice citrus scent.  I used a standard face-wash amount and worked it onto my face in a circular motion. It’s a gentle a ‘scrub’ So basically I thought nothing was happening but once I was out of the shower….man, skin was baby soft!  Extra Plus is the great ambiguous citrus scent. For me, the scent kind of lingers on the skin for a while  and I like it enough that it doesn’t bother me.  However, for people who aren’t too keen on the citrus smell, I have found that the scent fades rather quickly if I wash my face with a mild cleanser ( baking soda by Etude House) after exfoliating or if I apply a gentle/ moisture rich toner (omija whitening by skin foods).

The pic is for the small full size product ( coming in at $80  for 2 oz, YIKES!) but it might be worth it in the long run…I haven’t decided yet, so much mulah (T . T)!

Dr.Brandt is an established and reputable Korean brand, I believe ( always was geared towards the ahjuma instead of youths ), and they’ve successfully penetrated the US market and major retailers so, this can be found pretty much anywhere (if you’re a birchboxer , sephorian or get it straight from Dr.Brandt.)

Small disclaimer/Introduction:  All options are mine and I have not been compensated for this bit of Cyber Love.  Birch box is a monthly beauty and lifestyle subscription for $10, click here to join (you get a discount, I get bonus points.  “oh, yeah!”) I’m pretty much a birchbox addict, but that’s my own choice and own money spent.