Love With Food Subscription Box - May 2014

Ready to hear all about May's Love With Food box?

Although this month wasn't my favorite, there were definitely some gems in this box. I love that I have the chance to devour so many new tasty treats! Plus Love With Food has started including a spice or condiment in the box as well, which gives you the chance to incorporate your box into a meal!

What is Love With Food you ask? Here's a blurb straight from their website:

Love With Food helps you discover new organic, all-natural snacks delivered to your door every month. Our subscription membership starts as low as $10/month. Every month, Love With Food members will receive a curated box of unique, hard-to-find tasty snacks which varies based on seasonal themes.

For every box sold, we donate a meal to several food banks such as the Feeding America Network and Share Our Strength - No Kid Hungry. Join us to help end child hunger one meal at a time!

Say goodbye to boring grocery selections and start discovering your Love With Food experience!

May's theme was DERBY DAYS, in celebration of the Kentucky Derby!

Once again, credit for photos goes to the Love with Food website :).

Honeybush Caramel, Southern Mint and Tropical Green Tea 

from Revolution Tea

Package Size: 3 teabag sampler - Value: around $2.50

I loved that there was tea in this box again, and that it was a sampler pack! The Honeybush Caramel was perfectly sweet, and I loved it. The Southern Mint was okay, but I think it would have been better iced. I haven't tried the Tropical Green Tea yet, but it smells delicious!

Tarallino Snack by Terre Di Puglia

Package Size: 1.4 oz (2) - Value: $1.25

So these come directly from Italy, and I have to say they were pretty tasty! Apparently tarallos are big snacks in Italy, and these are the mini versions of them. Perfectly crispy little rounds, with a hint of olive oil and salt. I ate the first bag on it's own. The second bag, I paired with some cheese. Delicious! I'd buy these again if they weren't so hard to find.

Tropical Peach Drink Mix by Flavrz

Package Size: 1 oz (2) - Value: $2.25

I wasn't overly impressed with these. The concept is awesome! A flavored drink mix that's liquid, easy to carry, and doesn't contain any of that fake stuff. The problem is, it doesn't taste like it contains any of that delicious fake stuff. The flavor is really subtle and, even when I put it in a small water bottle, it wasn't that good. Maybe a different flavor would be better?

Sweet Potato Chips by One Potato, Two Potato

Package Size: 2 oz - Value: $.99

I only eat sweet potatoes when they are covered with marshmallows, lol. I can't lie. So I didn't actually eat these, and can't actually review them. Instead I gifted them away to someone that I knew would appreciate them more than me. One thing I am excited about though is that this isn't the company's only flavor! I absolutely must find their Sweet Onion chips. They sound delicious.

Sea Salt Caramels by Le Caramel

Package Size: 4 individually wrapped caramels - Value: ???

Honestly I don't care how much these are worth, they were DELICIOUS. I'm a Werther's girl. I love caramels so very much, especially the soft ones. These though? They've converted me to a Le Caramel girl! They are so soft, so sweet, and that perfect amount of salty to offset it all. They melt in your mouth! I need an entire bucket of these. I really, really do.

Key Lime Cookies by J&M

Package Size: 1.5 oz (2) - Value: $4.20

If I had to use one word to describe these cookies? It'd absolutely be decadent. Oh my, yes. If you love key lime, you'll love these delicious little bites of heaven! They have that perfect sweet/sour lime combo on the inside, with the sweetness of the powdered sugar outside to offset it all. I meant to save one of these bags to eat with tea, but gave up. They were just too GOOD.

Giddy Up & Go Granola

Package Size: 1.5 oz (2) - Value: $3.00

Perfect granola. Seriously. Love With Food sent the Seriously Seedy kind and it was so darn good! This is the type of granola that clumps together just perfectly, so you can either eat it right out of the bag or throw it in some yogurt. I ate both of these bags pretty much before anything else came out of the box. SO GOOD, and gluten free!

Hickory Smoked Sea Salt and Italian Black Truffle Salt

by The Spice Lab

Package Size: One packet each - Value: ???

Again, something I can't find the value of. These two spices are sitting up in my cabinet, waiting to make their debut. I already have plans to make truffle fries with the Truffle Salt. It smells heavenly right through the bag. I think the Sea Salt will make it's home on a nice salmon steak soon too :). 

Praline Pecans by South Georgia Pecan Company

Package Size: 2 oz - Value: $1.25

HOLY NOM, my friends. These were scrumptious! I love pralines, I love pecans, but praline pecans? Get out of town. These were so darn good! Another perfect sweet snack for that moment when you've just got to have something a bit decadent. The hubby suggested we buy more to throw in our popcorn next time. I'm in!

Malabar Black Pepper Pork Clouds by Bacon's Heir

Package Size: .07 oz (2) - Value: $4.00

These babies aren't cheap. The hubby loved the flavor of these so much that I went online to see about buying more. It's sad how expensive one bag of these are, because they are honestly delicious! This is the perfect pork rind. Not too crunchy, not too soft, and the flavor of the Malabar Black Pepper was to die for!

So there you have it!

I can't express enough though that Love With Food is all about curation. It's about getting you to try new snacks, from all over the world, that are healthier alternatives! So if you're looking at trying this? Go for it. You can even get your first tasting box for free right now. All you pay is shipping :).

Happy snacking!

Montagne Jeunesse Creamy Coconut Face Mask Review

Yes, I meant to write this review days ago! Ha. Things got so busy this week that I really do wish I had another one of these face masks for tonight. Sitting back and giving myself a spa facial sounds AMAZING. Sadly, I've already used it up. 

First off I must announce that I received this product for free from Influenster and Montagne Jeunesse for review purposes. Although this doesn't affect my opinion in the slightest, I still want to be honest. On to the review!

First of all, I'm fairly certain that this package is how all the face masks come when you purchase them. That's pretty standard for a lot of face masks, as I've tried other brands before, but I was a little disappointed at how difficult it was to squeeze the entire mask out of this blister pack. If you choose to do one of these, I highly suggest squeezing it all out before you start putting on the mask. Trust me, it will make things a ton easier.

Once I was able to spread this mask evenly across my whole face, which was a little challenging because it started to absorb into my skin, the next thing I noticed was the scent. It's very strong, but in a pleasant way! I'd say it smells like a mix between coconut and shea butter. It doesn't have the exact same scent as sunscreen, but it is pretty close. Honestly? I thought it smelled good enough to eat! (Then I giggled that there is a tagline that specifically states not to eat this.)

The mask is supposed to sit for 10 minutes. I've done other masks before, and I don't mind the wait time. This mask was tough to ignore though because it tingled like crazy. I don't know why honestly, but I'll admit that I had a moment of panic where I was afraid it would give me a rash. The face you see in this picture may or may not have to do with that sensation mixed with the fact that this mask smelled so good.

I have very sensitive skin, so I do get a little paranoid. Luckily I washed this off with no issue, and no rash. Instead it left behind smooth, and very hydrated skin that was soft to the touch. As an added bonus, the scent stayed around for a bit! Nice!

So would I try another Montagne Jeunesse Cream Face Mask? Absolutely! Although I do wish it came in an easier to dispense format, and was a little thicker when it went on. 

Thank you Influenster for the opportunity to try this product!

Find Montagne Jeunesse products on:

Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

Viva! VoxBox Review

It's time for another VoxBox Review! This time it's all about the Viva! VoxBox and its amazing goodies. I'm always thrilled with Influenster deigns to send me one of these! So many new products to try, and fall in love with. *swoon* The least I can do is thank them with some reviews for the free products that they send me. So, let's get to it!

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* Creamy Coconut Face Mask by Montagne Jeunesse

I'll be doing an individual review on this tomorrow, but for now I'll say that this mask had both its pros and cons. While peeking around at what other Influensters received, I'm glad I got a cream mask. Montagne Jeunesse makes quite a few different types of masks, and I'm a little afraid of peel of ones. A cream mask on the other hand? Bring it on! This mask definitely gets points for the amazing way it smelled. A little like shea butter, and a lot like coconut, it was reminiscent of the beach.

* CityProof Twistable Intense Lip Color in "South Ferry Berry" by NYC

First of all, massive kudos to NYC for creating such a buttery soft lip color! It goes on so amazingly smooth, and leaves your lips feeling moisturized without being sticky. If there's one thing I can't stand about lip products, it's stickiness. So that already made this a win in my book! Add in the fact that the color actually lasts through moderate eating and drinking, and you have my heart. The only downside for me was that these are very pigmented colors which in itself isn't a bad thing, but South Ferry Berry is very red. It's not my type of color. I'd probably choose something a little less bold :).

* Pure Ice Nail Polish in "It's Complicated" and "Afterhours"

Here's the manicure that I rocked with these colors! Let me tell you, this nail polish is super addictive. 

Pros: 

* It's only $1.99 a bottle!

* The colors are vivid

* The formula is smooth

Cons:

* It's only sold at Walmart

That gorgeous pink is "Afterhours" and that fun glitter is "It's Complicated". Don't they pair together great? Two days after I received these colors, I went out and bought "Silver Star" and "Sexy Mama". I was only bummed that our Walmart didn't have a bigger selection. I'd love to see these for sale other places! 

* Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths

As you've probably realized from following my reviews of skin care products, I have pretty sensitive skin. One wrong move and I've either got a huge breakout on my hands, or dry skin that itches like mad. So when these Cetaphil cleansing clothes said they were gentle, I was hopeful! I am always looking for something to take my tinted moisturizer off with at the end of the day, without all the harsh makeup removing chemicals. These do the trick! They have little to no scent, are very soft, and work effectively at cleaning your skin. I use them on my feet now too, to wipe them down after a day of wearing sandals.

* Vaseline® Spray & Go Moisturizer Cocoa Radiant

I was a little jealous last voxbox because my husband got a Spray & Go Moisturizer. I fell in love with the idea that, like my favorite new sunscreen, you were able to just spray it on, rub it in, and go. Of course his smelled like cologne, so I didn't want to use it :). Imagine my happiness when I opened my box to find one of my very own! This has a really pleasant shea butter and cocoa smell to it, and goes on so smooth. Be warned, it does dry really quickly! So if you don't want build up, do an arm at a time and make sure to rub it in right after you spray.

* The Fuel Rewards Network at Shell

Truthfully, this was the only thing in the box I didn't get excited about. We don't usually buy gas at Shell, as it's much pricier than the other gas stations around us, and this rewards card doesn't really make much of a difference. You do save about $.03 per gallon at the pump, but in order to actually earn rewards you have to shop at their online mall, or sign up for a MasterCard Rewards Card. I like the idea of this, but it would make way more sense if you were just rewarded points for each time that you use the card at the pump. I don't see the hubby and I using this very often at all.

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The bottom line?

I loved the majority of this box! The Viva! VoxBox has me hooked on Pure Ice nail polish for sure, and I plan on going out to get more Cetaphil Cleansing Cloths once I run through mine. So this box was a ton of fun for me, and I can't wait to try more! Thanks Influenster for the fun products, and thank you for reading my review!

Boots Botanic Ionic Clay Mask #powerofplants

Yesterday you might have seen me talking about my Influenster J'Adore VoxBox and the Boots Botanic Ionic Clay Mask that came inside of it! I've only done a clay mask once before, and it gave my sensitive skin a pretty crazy rash. So I decided to put this on last night, that way if I looked itchy it'd only be on a weekend day when I could stay home :p. Having sensitive skin is tough.

I didn't see it anywhere on the package, but make sure you shake this up before you use it! The water and the clay tend to separate, and I spilled a bit on my counter before I figured that out. Just give it a good shake before you squeeze it out. Then spread it on evenly all over, and get ready to let it dry! It takes ten minutes to set.

I thought it would be funny to take a picture of this mask while it dried. I loved how it make my skin look like clay! Ha. Of course my husband tried his best to make it crack by making me laugh.

The package also says to wash it off in warm water, so I decided just to hop in the shower. You know what? I could instantly feel the difference! My skin was so smooth, and honestly even a bit shiny. It feels even better this morning after I did my morning facial scrub. I'm impressed!

So final verdict? A nice clay mask, and no side effects for my sensitive skin! I'm a fan.

Influenster J'Adore VoxBox Review

J'Adore Voxbox - I really do adore you.

So besides talking about random things, my other purpose of this blog is to share with you some of the cool things that I get in the mail! I've always been a reviewer. I love to give my opinions of things and, you know what? People love to hear your opinions, and will actually sometimes give you free items in exchange! 

So yes, in the spirit of full disclosure, this J'Adore Voxbox came straight from the lovely people at Influenster, and everything in it was complimentary in return for my honest opinion.

This was a February box, and everything in it was mean to pamper, primp and relax. Let's dive in, shall we?

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Vaseline Spray Lotion for Men

Here's the thing about lotion and the hubby. He's REALLY picky about it. To him, most lotions feel greasy, and therefore he won't touch them with a ten foot pole. I thought I could convince him with this Vaseline Spray Lotion because it smelled really good (and manly) and doesn't dry greasy at all. I'm sincerely impressed. So what did I do? I went up and sprayed it on him, then rubbed it in before he could protest. Ha. I'm evil sometimes. Still, he actually was impressed too! Turns out that we have found a lotion that I convince this stubborn man to actually wear. Kudos Vaseline! You rock.

Hershey's Kisses

Okay, come on. Who doesn't love Hershey's Kisses? They're like individually wrapped rays of sunshine! You know actually, if you don't like them, don't tell me. I don't want to know. I will tell you that I absolutely love them! I have to keep myself from eating them in handfuls. The only thing that helps with that, obviously, is having to uwrap them. Still, yum. I love you chocolate.

Red Rose Tea

I love tea. I love it to the ends of the Earth, and I'm always willing to try new brands! I'd never heard of Red Rose tea before, so I was excited when I saw it in the box. They sent me Creme Caramel, and Lemon Chiffon. I wasn't so much a fan of the Lemon, but then again I'm not usually a fan of lemon flavored anything. The Creme Caramel though? Oh, to die for. It's smooth, rich, and so tasty. I'm buying more.

KISS Lashes

This is one item that I haven't tried yet because, and yes I'm admitting this, I am terrified of fake eyelashes. I don't know how to apply them, and I'm so worried I'll rip out my own eyelashes in the process! *cringes* Still, I'm going to keep this on hand. I know my sister loves them, so I might try them out the next time she comes to visit :).

John Freida's Frizz-Ease 3 Day Straight

I'm not usually one to put products into my hair unless I'm headed somewhere nice. However when the side of the box promised straight hair for 3 straight days with one application? I had to test it out. The first time I did it I just put the serum onto my hair and let it air dry. Totally impressed! It actually did calm my baby hair frizz. This time I put it on, and then blow-dried my hair. It's the end of day one and my hair still looks gorgeously sleek! I can't wait to see how it looks by day three!

Boots Botanic Clay Mask

I'll be doing a whole review on just this item tomorrow! I just put it on (which you probably saw on Instagram) and washed it off. Seeing as how I have sensitive skin, I'm going to wait until tomorrow so I can see what it does overnight. Let's hope that it, and my skin, play nice!

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So that's my J'Adore Voxbox! I'm pretty excited about the majority of things that came in it, and am looking forward to definitely buying more Red Rose tea and Vaseline Spray Lotion! That's what I love about these, they introduce me to new products.

If you'd like an invitation to Influenster, for a shot to try things like this for yourself, let me know! I'll be happy to send you an invite code :). Yay samples!

Love With Food Box Review!

Those of you who follow me on Facebook might have seen me jumping up and down with excitement over my Love With Food box shipping! Well, it arrived. And it was glorious.

What is Love With Food you ask? Here's a blurb straight from their website:

Love With Food helps you discover new organic, all-natural snacks delivered to your door every month. Our subscription membership starts as low as $10/month. Every month, Love With Food members will receive a curated box of unique, hard-to-find tasty snacks which varies based on seasonal themes.

For every box sold, we donate a meal to several food banks such as the Feeding America Network and Share Our Strength - No Kid Hungry. Join us to help end child hunger one meal at a time!

Say goodbye to boring grocery selections and start discovering your Love With Food experience!

The hubby and I are trying to eat healthier this year, but it's tough ponying up the money to try new "healthier" snacks since they come in such big bags. Buying a whole bag of soybean crisps, only to realize you hate the way they taste? Sad times. So I thought this would be a great way to try some new snacks in sample size!

With my new subscription, I was offered free shipping and $5 off my first box. So I only spent $5. Here's what I received.

Restaurant Style White Bean Chips by Beanitos 

Package Size: 1.5 oz - Value: $.50 

INGREDIENTS: Whole Navy Beans, Whole Grain Rice, Pure Sunflower and/or Safflower Oil, Guar Bean Gum, Sea Salt.

These chips are Gluten free, non-GMO and listed to be high in fiber! I haven't gotten around to eating them yet, but they sound quite tasty. I'm going to find some good salsa to pair with them before I dive in.

Snack Olives by Mario Camacho
Package Size: .7 oz - Value: $1.00
INGREDIENTS: Olives, Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Lactic Acid, Chili Powder, and Thyme

I got the ones with a hint of savory pepper, but there is also a garlic variation. These are also listed as Gluten Free and look delicious! I love green olives, so I can't wait to try these. How cute is the snack pack?

PureNotes Dark "Chocolatey" by TCHO
Package Size: .28 oz - Value: $1.00
INGREDIENTS: Cacao Beans, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Beans

"Mokaccino" Serious Milk Chocolate + Blue Bottle Coffee by TCHO
Package Size: .28 oz - Value: $1.00
INGREDIENTS: Cane Sugar, Cacao Beans, Cocoa Butter, Whole Milk Powder, Non-Fat Milk Powder, Coffee Beans, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Beans

I refuse to eat these until last, because my huge affinity for chocolate will kill me if I devour them now. These little pieces of chocolate have Kosher stamp, along with being USDA Certified Organic and Fair Trade Certified! Sign me up. I'll buy more if they taste good. I really will.

Dark Chocolate Crepe Dentelle by Gavotte
Package Size: ? - Value: Around $1?
INGREDIENTS: Extra-fine dark chocolate 43%, wheat flour, sugar, concentrated pastry butter, vegetable fats, lactose and milk proteins, salt, barley malt

It was really hard to find information on these delectable cookies, because they are manufactured in FRANCE! Yup. In France. It looks like you can buy them on Amazon, and at World Market though.  No food coloring, no preservatives, and non-GMO make this cookie a good choice for a snack. The taste though? I regret sharing. These were SO GOOD. I want a whole box. Now.

Dark Chocolate Covered Blueberries by Emily's Chocolate
Package Size: 1 oz - Value: $1.10
INGREDIENTS: Dark Chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, milk fat, soy lecithin added as an emulsifier, and vanilla), Dried Blueberries (blueberries, sugar, natural flavor, citric acid, and sunflower oil), Corn Syrup, Tapioca Dextrin, Confectioner's Glaze (refined lac.).

Scrumptious. That's what these are. I love dark chocolate, and the blueberry flavor pairs with it in a way that made me want to upend this entire package straight into my mouth. Yum. I loved how there was the perfect amount of chocolate on each one! These are also cerified Kosher.

Chocolate Chip Biscotti by Biscotti di Suzy

Package Size: .6oz - Value: $.50
INGREDIENTS: Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Butter, Eggs, Dark Chocolate (Chocolate Liquor, Sugar, Cocoa Butter with added Lecithin Emulsifier, Pure Vanilla), Vanilla, Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate)

I'm waiting for my morning tea tomorrow to try this lovely little biscotti. I loved visiting their website. They are so transparent about everything they use in their items. Best of all, their sales go through Amazon! You can go buy a whole bunch of biscotti right now. I just might.

Honey Graham Sticks by Back to Nature
Package Size: 1 oz - Value: $.60-$.75
INGREDIENTS: unbleached wheat flour, evaporated cane juice, safflower oil, graham flour (whole grain wheat flour), honey, brown rice syrup, leavening (baking soda, monocalcium phosphate), sea salt, natural flavor.

I can't wait to eat these! I've seen Back to Nature brand at both Whole Foods and Ralphs before. Their packaging always clearly states that they use no artificial preservatives, flavors, colors, or hydrogenated oils. Now I know that they also don't use corn syrup! I hope they taste great, because these beat the pants off Honey Maid.

So there you have it!

I've only made it through the Gavottes and the Dark Chocolate Blueberries so far, but I'm already hooked.

I'll grant you the fact that these items don't quite add up to the total price of the box normally, but I also know I'm paying for the convenience of snack sized portions, the fact that these items are non-GMO/Kosher/Organic, plus I'm not paying the separate shipping fees for each item.

If you subscribe for a year, each box is only $10. That's pretty great!

Plus **BONUS** items come too:

This month I received a cute little "Love With Food" chip clip, a coupon for a FREE Revolution Foods Meal Kit (up to $4.99) value, a 20% off coupon for 479degrees.com, and a 15% off coupon for Tcho.

Also, don't forget that every box you get donates a meal to a hungry child. That in itself is worth the $10 for me. The snacks are just a bonus.

Click here learn more!