Sephora Cyber Monday Deluxe Sample Bags

2012 Conscious Box The Simple Joys Of July

I know, yeah, yeah, yeah- Conscious Box blah blah blah..... Well, dangit! I lurve them! The most awesome way to navigate the murky eco waters! Every month I get that WOW factor at least once, and for over a year now, they have been consistently raising the bar. I love that I get a little of everything- health, home, beauty, nibbles.....Oh, and FYI- I'm not vegan, I just point out when items are because that is a selling factor for many items. I eat meat. Lots and lots of meat.

■The All Natural Face Vegan Eyeshadow Olivine Gold - I LOVE their shadows- excellent pigment, very finely milled, beautiful colors and very economical! Oddly, in this picture you can't tell that this is actually quite green- the gold is what really shows up here. Without a flash, the color morphs and shimmers back and forth between a deep shimmery olive and a rosy gold. I SOOOOO want to check out some of their crazy bright shadows, minerals rock the high pigment colors.

■Aura Cacia Aromatherapy Deck - WHOA!!!!! This thing is AWESOME. Already got a few more for Xmas gifts. The perfect introduction to essential oils and their uses- so simple and easy to follow that even a novice won't be intimidated. I'm constantly singing the praises of essential oils but so many of my friends are intimidated, don't know where to start, or just plain think that EO use is strictly a hippie pastime. Accessible, intuitive and inspirational. The perfect gift with a small starter set of basic oils.

■Aura Cacia Brightening Pure Essential Oil - This is a .5 fl oz bottle of "Sweet Orange" scented 100% pure essential oil.  Aura Cacia tends to be my 'go-to' brand of EOs, and this one is a clear reminder why. A pure bright clean sweet smell that has a gazillion uses. Excellent for freshening up a stale room (especially cigarette smoke) and a wonderful addition for cleaning ( what do you think is in all those Orange Clean bottles?). A great natural bug repellent that doesn't smell like ass and anti-depressant aromatherapeutic properties. And that's just to name a few!


■Just Great Stuff Organic Superberry Acai - Vegan and gluten freee, it contains a FULL serving of fruit in one bar! Chock full of antioxidants and dietary fiber, they not only give you fuel but are great for your health as well.

■Naturally It's Clean Floors - Made with plant based enzymes that clean your floor without leaving a nasty film or residue, and it doesn't need to be rinsed! Works on all floor types, including hardwoods. I first got excited about this because my old man dog was an obsessive floor licker. Good to know that I wasn't poisoning him (or the ground water, for that matter.)

■Jadience Herbal Formulas Muscle and Joint Therapeutic Cream - This herbal blend contains a lot of extracts that I'd never heard of before- always cool to learn something new. My arthritis in particularly bad in my hands by the end of the week and it is so refreshing to be able to rub something into my hands and then be able to actually bend my fingers again! Whoo hoo!

■Madhava Natural Sweeteners - With the hideous things done to create refined white sugar, I'm so happy that there are organic and less processed alternatives. I don't see HOW people can use chemical sweeteners- BARF! These give you a lovely sweetness without all of the nasties.

■GoGo squeeZ - I LOVE this stuff. I always keep a few packs in the fridge at work for a mid-afternoon snack and they're so easy to throw into your lunch bag. Last time I went camping I took these so that we could consume something besides meat products without having to worry about bringing easily bruised fruit. Plus, it's fun to squeeze a big glob of applesauce into your mouth :-)

■Tea Forte Teas - Cherry Marzipan, Cucumber Mint, and Honey Yuzu. According to Oprah, "If you're a tea lover, this is about as good as it gets. Whole leaves picked from the tea gardens of China are hand-packed in silken pyramid-shaped infusers that give buds lots of room to bloom into a spectacular cup of tea." — Oprah

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/gift/Tea-Infusers?cat_id=129#ixzz2CscfWOQX 

What I love are the exotic flavors and the Skin Smart line which focuses each cup of tea on a different aspect of antioxidant boost. 

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■St. Claire's Organics Mints - Organic. Vegan. Minty. Yummy. No dog breath. No artificial crap. Nuff said, yo.

■Sun Warrior Warrior Blend Raw Protein - Haven't tried this one yet- I want to add it to a smoothie and haven't been to the farmer's market in a while to get bulk fruit.

■Mighty Leaf Iced Tea - Love me some Mighty Leaf- just had a cuppa a few hours ago! This made some awesome sun tea. Their flavors are fantabulous, no stale or dusty flavor here!

■Powbab Baobab Superfruit Chews - Technically these are awesome- so much antioxidants, vitamins and super goodness! The bad part? One sample chew came in the same size bag that is normally the bag for a 30 piece full size. VERY eco-UNfriendly. Other than that though, I still bought some, these are a real nutritional powerhouse.

Earth Day Conscious Box With Product Reviews

Once again I'm going to rave about Conscious Box, a monthly subscription that helps the consumer wade through the eco friendly waters. There's so many options out there that it can be overwhelming, and Conscious Box gives you a monthly sampling to see what you like (or don't) out there, saving you time, money and frustration. It's $19 a month unless you do a 3 month or one year subscription, which will save you some bucks. I need to switch over to a one year since I've been getting it for over a year and have no intentions of going anywhere! While you're generally not getting some MASSIVE huge bargain, that's not the point of this sampler, you truly are being introduced to things that you will want to incorporate into your life that you might otherwise have never been exposed to. I say this as someone who tries to really purchase using an ethical, sustainable eco friendly mindset, that might not be you or your bag, but if it is- Conscious Box is a monthly box of sunshine!

I was asked on my You Tube channel, so I'll add it here- my jewelry is by Marsbar Jewelry and my martini swilling pink elephant dress is from Pinup Girl Clothing

Planet Dishwashing Soap
Dude! It actually works! I've always shied away from natural dish washing liquids because I found that I had to use half the freakin bottle to get the dishes clean- they just didn't cut the mustard. Well this has changed all that. It actually seems to take LESS than the standard commercial liquid and it's so easy to rinse- no residue at all! What makes it super awesome is that it's biodegradeable- no phosphates or funk going in to the water table- it breaks down into completely natural, harmless components. And because it's all natural, it also doubles as a fruit and veggie wash!!!! Two thumbs up. I am ASTOUNDED that Whole Foods doesn't carry them.


Glob Natural Paint - the one thing I haven't used- just haven't found a reason to whip up a batch of  water color paint. If I only have one color, what should I do with it? Any suggestions? I'm always looking for a cool craft or art idea.



Cloud 9 Raw Chocolate Fudge
This isn't a sweet sugary fudge, it's a true deep cocoa flavor. Creamy and rich with a ton of depth. Made with raw chocolate, it's packed with antioxidants and will give you a (believe it or not!) healthy boost to get you over the hump.




Earth Friendly Products WOW!!!!!! This stuff is incredible! I was pretty skeptical, but I put it to the test and it came through with flying colors. I used it to clean the soap scum covered sink and lord knows what covered toilet in my downstairs bathroom. It not only did an awesome job, but I used next to none of it, it got everything with very little product used. It has a very fresh smell that was perfect for using in such a cramped space (our downstairs bathroom was an add on put in underneath the staircase.) This really works!



Juice Beauty
I LOVE me some Juice Beauty. It's cool to see a somewhat big name brand wanting to be included in the CB. Juice Beauty really does a great job of making products that are not only natural and environmentally packaged, but are also just as good as anything by Elizabeth Arden. This is the sensitive skin version of their famous green apple peel. I don't know how my skin would react to the regular strength, but for my somewhat sensitive skin, this is perfect. If you look at the reviews on Ulta, it's got a 4.5 out of 5! Made with certified organic ingredients, it exfoliates, tightens pores, reduces fine lines and lightens hyperpigmentation. It REALLY works. It REALLY works REALLY well. My pores become nonexistent and it really DOES reduce fine lines! I saw immediate results, but after a few uses it's downright astonishing. Until you know how your skin is going to react, I would not use this at the start of your day or before going out, it makes my skin pretty red for a few hours afterwards, and you really shouldn't have sun exposure after doing a peel anyway. You will feel a slight burning, but nothing horrific, it's just the citric acids eating all the dead crap off of your face. And I have to say how amused I am that a blogger complained about this saying she didn't know why it was called a peel when you have to rinse it off instead of peel it off :-) Wow, way to keep up with the lingo, there...... (sorry, that sounded catty)







Climb On!
Not for vegans as the main ingredient is beeswax. (I am a card carrying carnivore, just thought I'd point that out.) An all purpose healing balm for chapped skin, cracked knuckles, diaper rash, burns, etc. I am the PERFECT person to test out stuff like this since I'm the clumsiest person to draw breath. It's a good product, but because of the super high levels of beeswax, I found it a bit difficult to soften up, I had to scrape it off with my nail then warm it up, it didn't apply directly very well. I had just burned the peenucky out of myself when I got this, and it did a good job protecting my skin, especially after the blister opened, it provided a good buffer between the burn and the bandage and kept the area from getting crusty or scabby. I am amazed that I didn't scar worse than I did, so I guess this product did what it claims to!



generationMe
 I decided to put this to the ultimate test. Is it effective yet gentle? I used this on a load of underthings. I live in Texas. It is summer. I get hot and sweaty. My lacies need to be washed on delicate in cold water so they don't fall apart. Would this get them clean and fresh AND be soft and gentle and effective in cold water? Well, color me impressed, because YES, YES, and YES! I even threw in a bra that my dog thought would be fun to play with after coming in out of the rain that had muddy paw prints on it. A WHITE bra. My stuff smelled fresh and clean but the detergent itself is totally unscented. I'm wearing the dog paw bra right now and it is sparkling white and also feels very soft against my skin. Hoorah! Two thumbs up!
From their website:

All Natural Eco Friendly Laundry Detergent

The most important things that I can tell you about this detergent are:
...it works,
...it does not contain borax or washing soda,
...it is gentle enough for babies and sensitive skin,
...it is strong enough for all your laundry,
...it only uses one tablespoon per load for HE Washers and only 2 tablespoons for top load washers,
...it is safe for septic systems,
...it has a built in fabric softener,
...it is completely natural and made with the earth in mind,
...it works with hard or soft water.
Each bag is enough for 32 loads (HE Washers) and 16 loads (Top Load Washers).

Ingredients:
Castile Soap, Natural Oxidizing Agent, Baking Soda, Citric Acid

The Original Himalayan Crystal Salt well, what can I say? It was salt. I sprinkled some on a soft boiled egg and my husband used the rest in his nasal cleaning routine. Can really give much of an opinion, other than to say that is very finely ground, so it dissolves quickly.



Oogie's Gourmet Popcorn
Crack, popcorn. Tomato, tomahto. This made my mouth EXTREMELY happy with me. Look at these flavors! I thought Me and The Husband were going to come to blows over this. Luckily I discovered they sell this drug at a number of my local grocery stores. YAY!

• Cracked Pepper & Asiago

• Hatch Chili Con Queso

• Kettle Corn

• Movie Lovers Butter

• Smoked Gouda

• Spicy Chipotle & Lime

• Sun Dried Tomato & Parmesan

• White Cheddar

• Romano & Pesto

SeedBallz
From their website:

"Seedballz® are a method of growing seeds by encasing them in a mixture of clay and compost which release nutrients and protect them from drying out in the sun, getting eaten by birds, or blowing away in the wind.

SeedBallz® are a proven formula of all-natural ingredients. Each ball is loaded with seeds that germinate inside with watering and sunshine."

They're hand rolled by adults with disabilities, making them doubly awesome by providing work and self esteem to those who are developmentally challenged. These little balls not only make it easy to plant in your garden, but are also a great way to do some urban guerrilla gardening. Another thing I was thrilled to see is sold in my fair city, I think I might start keeping a handful of these around for 'just because' gifts. 

Natural Joy Beauty Lauren Brooke Cosmetics Colour Fusion Lip Glaze
   Surprisingly pigmented! A lovely color and very soft and soothing on the lips. I put this on when my lips were chapped and not only did they loko great, but after a few days using it, my lips were in MUCH better condition.


Groovy Planet is an absolutely AWESOME idea. "Groovy Planet is a monthly delivery of theme-based, fun, educational surprise packages—or kits, as we call them—for your child to learn and get excited about anything and everything fair trade, recycling, conservation, volunteering and the planet. 

We've only got one planet, and you've only got one child—why not help make the best of both?
Groovy Planet is the parent's creative way to help your child think critically, become a conscious citizen of our planet, develop his or her values, enhance his or her understanding of the world, and, most of all, have fun while doing it.

After all, what child doesn't like a surprise box coming in the mail just for them?"

What a great concept! The themes change each month, so it covers everything from literacy to the rainforests. I am SOOOOOO telling my friends with kids about this, and I'm pretty sure that a  certain little niece is getting a subscription for her birthday :-) 

Clandestino
Man, this box just knocked it out the park. These things were DELISH! They make a big deal out of how they're a surfing snack for surfers which I think is a bit silly, but there's no denying these things splendifierousness. These are densely packed with nutrients, and the chocolate covered ones give you a balm for your sweet tooth without loading you up on empty calories- each snack is a whole banana's worth of nutrients squished into a teeny little snack package. An easy thing to carry around in your bag or keep in a desk drawer for when the need for a snack arises. Geez, looking back on all these yummies is making my tummy growl.....

Sparklehearts
I ADORE their packaging, but unfortunately there just wasn't enough in the teeny packette to tell if it did any good or not. It smelled delightful, and my ends where I applied it seemed quite soft, but I don't really want to make a recommendation based on that since I couldn't get the majority of my hair with it.

Team Green Nature Trading Cards
I don't exactly see a group of kids sitting in their clubhouse saying "I'll give you my Sockeye Salmon for your Monarch Butterfly" but they're an excellent educational tool and I could see these being especially helpful to home schoolers to make learning games with. I'll suggest these to my neighbor who might start home schooling her daughter soon.

Me Likee (and one NO likee) plus Bliss, Spa Look and Ulta discount codes

Bliss Lemon & Sage Body Butter and Soapy Suds- Gurgle..... oh sorry, that was the sound of me drooling. I cannot get enough of this scent! A zingy citrus balanced by a very subtle earthiness. Bliss indeed! The Soapy Suds leave your skin feeling extremely clean but not at all dried out. It feels quite nourishing, actually. I had someone tell me that if you have the body attachment for a Clarisonic and use this that afterwards your skin feels like satin.

The body butter is downright decadent in it's richness, easy to see why this is the signature lotion of Bliss's world famous spas. It softens even the roughest of skin without feeling greasy and it absorbs quickly leaving you baby butt soft.

Enjoy 20% savings on Bliss, Remede and Elemis product purchases.
Use Promo Code 20FORYOU!
Enjoy a limited edition cosmetic bag filled with travel-sized head-to-toe beauty goodies from some of our most in-demand brands ¿ yours free with the purchase of $150 or more on blissworld.com!

 $160 value



Traditions By Nick Chavez Yucca Root Shampooing Cream- formulated with yucca root to prevent hair loss and wild yam to promote healthy hair growth, this rich and creamy shampoo makes your hair super healthy, bouncy and shiny. It's formulated for chemically treatedor damaged hair, so for those who dye or otherwise process your locks, this stuff is incredible. You would think that something marketed so much towards dry or brittle hair wouldn't work on my baby fine locks, but believe it or not ot does an AMAZING job! It leavesit super clean but not at all dried out, it seems to perfectly balance the ph of my hair. My hair seemed to grow a lot faster after I started using this. Very rich and creamy.

Traditions Yucca Root Shampooing Cream Traditions Yucca Root Shampooing Cream by Nick Chavez leaves your hair bright, full and bouncy.  Right now at Ulta they have the following discount $5 off any $10 purchase this holiday season! Valid online only through 11/17 with code 72831. Exclusions apply.

Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream 0.5oz Premier Cru Eye Cream is the ultimate anti-aging eye treatment for immediate and long-lasting visible results. Inspired by the original anti-aging powerhouse, Premier Cru Face Cream, this new, highly active formula targets the delicate eye area to revitalize and renew skin for transformational results. This eye cream provides patented active anti-aging ingredients from the vine and effective science to combat skin aging.

Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream- it's nice to know that it's so easy to pretend for a few minutes that I'm rich. I'll never join The Junior League or eat at The Palm, but I can pat this heavenly nectar around my eyes and know that though I may be po', I can use those rich beeotches eye cream. (I just realized how funny it is that I'm being somewhat vulgar in my review of a $95 eye cream.) I've raved about this brand before, and while pricey, their products are WORTH IT. Whe you think about it, with eye cream a little goes a long way. This one is really rich, so I tend to either only use it at night or if it's a day I don't plan on using eye makeup. It has light reflecting properties that brighten the eye area and reduce the appearance of dark circles while the cream works long term benefits that plump up the eye area, reducing the cause of dark circles. It fills out fine lines and when I'm being all sinusy and allergy ridden, it's very soothing.
The official explanation is :

How it Works

This rich formula has a laundry list of actives, all of which play a unique role. Grapevine Resveratrol, which is recognized by Harvard University as the best anti-aging molecule, extends cellular life-span by 160% and activates collegian production to smooth wrinkles. Grape-seed Polyphenols, the most powerful antioxidant in the plant kingdom blocks 100% of free radicals helps maintain natural hyaluronic acid. Vinolevure, Caudalie's proprietary molecule, holds more than 100 times its volume in water, which is how it keeps skin plump and supple. Grape-seed oil nourishes along with Omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin E while tetrapeptides and caffeine spur microcirculation to decrease puffiness and minimize dark circles. Perhaps most noticeably, light-diffusing particles make the under eye area appear instantly brighter.
Right now you can get it for 20% off at Spa Look

Fan Di Fendi Eau de Parfum- Notes: tangerine, peppercorns (pink), pear, blackcurrant accord, jasmine, rose, tuberose, leather, patchouli.
WOW!!!!! Manages to be sophisticated yet sexy and dark without being heavy. There was never a "hmmm, what do I think of this?", it was an immediate "holy smokes, this is awesome!" A spicy and mature scent (not old lady mature, but adult mature). Great staying power without hitting people over the head. I wore one of my husband's shirts on the same day I used this perfume one day and he said he just wanted to carry the shirt around in his pocket and sniff it all day :-) I'm wearing it today and a co-worker stopped me in the hall to compliment the scent. She was positively gushing over it so I offered to write the name down for her. Her response? "GOD no! If I wore that my husband would want to have sex with me!" HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Fan di Fendi Eau de Parfum Spray Fan di Fendi is a modern and irresistible fragrance: fresh, luminous, sensual and addictive.

Arcona Gentle Solution PM Repair

Sensitive and Dry Skin Types Gentle nighttime treatment for dry and sensitive skin repairs sun damage and resurfaces skin as you sleep.  Stimulate rapid cell renewal and deep exfoliation with our gentle-acting Glycolactolymer Complex™.  Strengthenskin's immune system and combat free radical damage with our high-powered antioxidant complex.  Decongest microcomedones to refine pores, smooth and clear skin.  Nourish with algae, amino acids and chlorophyll for healthy, glowing skin.

I don't have dry skin but I DO have sensitive skin. I love Arcona products across the board, but this may well be my favorite. When I use this my skin positively glows the next day. It makes your skin so soft and plump! After I began using this, I noticed a lot of my redness from sun damage becoming lessened and I am not having nearly so many rosacea flare ups. My pores aren't nearly so congested either. SCORE!

No Likee -Clean Warm Cotton
Well, I guess saying I don't like it is a bit of an oversimplification. It's not that I DISLIKE it, it's just that it smells EXACTLY like walking into a laundromat. I do like quite a few unconventional fragrances, but I also don't wanna smell like the Spin N Fold either. It's just a weird thing to smell all day. One instance where it IS wonderful. If you reek. It's like Febreze for people. I had a shirt that got left in the drier damp too long and I didn't realize it until I'd already left the house and was at work. I had some of this in my purse and I went from smelling musty to smelling like, well, a laundromat. But frankly, Febreze is a lot cheaper. It's Febreze for people who are too snooty to buy canned clothing fresheners!

Sephora Sample Filled Makeup Bag With Purchase Code

Choose 1-of-3 FREE Sephora Original Makeup bags with 14 samples! While supplies last. Use code: LITTLELUX

1. PERFEKT SKIN PERFECTION GEL IN RADIANT


2. TOO FACED SHADOW INSURANCE

3. ALTERNA CAVIAR ANTI-AGING SHINE BOOST

4. FRESH SOY FACE CLEANSER

5. JUICY COUTURE EAU DE PARFUM

6. LADY GAGA FAME EAU DE PARFUM

7. BAREMINERALS READY FOUNDATION IN MEDIUM

8. STILA 3-IN-1 STAY ALL DAY COMPLEXION TRIO IN MEDIUM

9. OLE HENRIKSEN TRUTH SERUM COLLAGEN BOOSTER

10. DIESEL LOVERDOSE EAU DE PARFUM POUR FEMME

11. MAKE UP FOR EVER HD MICROPERFECTING PRIMER

12. DOLCE & GABBANA THE ONE EAU DE PARFUM

13. JOSIE MARAN ARGAN CLEANSING OIL

14. LANCÔME VISIONNAIRE ADVANCED SKIN CORRECTOR