The good, the bad, and the ugly

I've got a bunch of reviews on many food items this week. Some are good. Some are bad. And, yes, some are kind of ugly.

Achiva Chai Tea (Chia Seed & Dehydrated Coconut Water Drink Mix) - Got this in December's Conscious Box. They recommended drinking before exercising. Thought I'd give it a try before jogging. Ew. You pour the powder into a water bottle, shake, and let set for 10 minutes. Initially it turned the water a brownish color with lots of chia seeds floating around. Kinda thought it would dissolve after sitting for 10 minutes but it didn't. It was sweet but I couldn't get over the texture of the chia seeds. I've got nothing against chia seeds. I really want to try them in chia pudding form. Just don't think this was the product for me!

Simply Hemp Milk - Should have been a little less weirded out given my experience with the chia seed drink. I decided to make a Strawberry Hemp Milkshake for the finale of Fringe. I started by blending water with the powdered hemp milk. This created more "milk" than I needed so I poured into a separate container and set aside. Even after blending the product is not really "blended". I expected something creamy and it was still very watery with little bits floating around it. Hemp seeds, I guess? I poured a little back into the blender and added my soy ice cream and frozen strawberries. The end product was very yummy. I would never drink this milk on its on but it's fine in smoothies and such. I did try some on my cereal this morning and just did not like the texture although the flavor was good. It's actually very sweet. They add cinnamon, stevia, and vanilla so it's quite yummy. Just not quite what I would consider to be "milk". I would be open to purchasing some if I went on a smoothie kick.

Happy Squeeze Chocolate Pear Treat - This arrived in my January Conscious box and I've eagerly been waiting to try it. It's basically a sweet, creamy liquid in a toteable pouch. It was delicious. Super healthy (a half cup of fruit and only 90 calories.) You could taste the pear and the chocolate. Actually tried looking for the product today in Earth Fare (my Conscious box included a BOGO coupon) but could only the baby food they carry. Supposedly you can find them in the apple sauce aisle at Wal-Mart. Definitely interested in re-purchasing and trying some other flavors (the Orange Mango is really good too!)

Hail Merry Choco Macaroons - OMG! These were amazing. I couldn't wait until my birthday to try these out and now that I've opened the package there's no way they will last. These are addictive! Little chocolate truffles of amazingness. Amazing ingredients too. In fact here's the ingredient list:
Choco macaroons:
organic maple syrup, organic shredded coconut, Fair trade dark cocoa, organic extra virgin coconut oil, organic Madagascar bourbon vanilla, sea salt.
I think that Whole Foods may carry this brand so it is worth checking out. According to their website they make something called Miracle Tarts which sound amazing too. You can like them on Facebook to get a $5 off coupon.

Mighty-O Chocoloco Mini O's - Ok, I blame the above delicious macaroons on this impulse buy today at Earth Fare. I needed more delicious chocolate and being this close to my birthday I can quasi-justify the purchase. There's more of a story behind these though. My husband and I went to Seattle last year where Mighty-O happens to be based. I had high hopes of trying their doughnuts there but fate did not allow for it. So this was actually my first time to try these. They are like the Dunkin' Donuts Munchkins you may have grown up with. A little dry but they are cake based so I can't complain too much about that. They have a sugary topping (not really a glaze.) What can I say, not as amazing as the macaroons but we've each had two and the container will not last long. They are worthy of re-purchase but only as a splurge. Otherwise I will be fat and broke!

I know I promised a review of Suntegrity Sunscreen but will try and combine that with some other personal care/beauty reviews next week. See you then!

Vitacost Haul

I recently placed a large order with Vitacost to replace some items I had run low on and to try out some products I'd heard about. It made more sense to place a large order and save on shipping. It's been several months since my last order so I don't feel too guilty about it :)

Vitacost is a great place to stock up on cruelty free products. I saved between 20 and 40% on all of these items compared to what I would have paid at a store. If you can place an order of at least $49 you can get free shipping too. Keep in mind they have more than beauty products. You can find vitamins, pet supplies, cleaning supplies, and food! Occasionally you can save even more with coupon codes. Through 1/31 you can use coupon code GOFREE to save 10% on any leaping bunny products (you'll see the logo next to the item and can even search for leaping bunny.)

You can also use this referral link to save $10 on your first order of $30 or more: https://www.vitacostrewards.com/VbK1GTE.

As you can see I ordered a lot of Alba Botanica products. I've been trying out their Oil-Free Aloe and Green Tea Moisturizer and really like it so far. I wanted to try some more of the line and see if it's all as good. I'll post reviews on these items when I've gotten an opportunity to try them.

January Conscious Box

Woot! January Conscious Box is here. This month had some really great items. The box had a wintry theme. Not sure who curated it but it is awesome!

Here's the list of what's included:

Bodhichitta Botanicals Sacred Temple Lotion - Haven't tried this yet but it's a small sample so I definitely will at some point. Scent is cardamom, frankincense & vetiver with angelica flower essence

Nutiva Organice Hemp Seed - Got a sample of hemp seed in a previous box and have been using it on my salads and stir fries. This is a larger packet than before. I will definitely use it.

PeopleTowels Hand Towel - "On-The-Go Alternative to Paper Towels"...so yeah, it's a little towel. Big woop? It has a bunch of green keys on it and says "The key to sustainability is in your hands". I was least impressed with this item. I don't like my towels to preach to me. It's a nice, soft, terry-backed towel but I'd like it a lot more if it was cuter...and not preachy.

Amazing Grass Wild Berry Flavor Drink Powder - It's only 21 calories so I look forward to trying it. It's made with wheatgrass. I used to like Crystal Light but got tired of all the chemicals in it. This might be nice to add to my water for a change.

Happy Squeeze Chocolate Pear Treat - This looks really yum! In a previous box I got some mango coconut milk in a squeeze package and it was delicious. Very intrigued by the dessert in a squeeze bottle concept. Dessert for only 90 calories and you get a 1/2 cup of fruit!

Dale's Raw Protein Bar Key Lim Quinoa - Real happy to get a bar I can take to work as a treat. They come in really useful when I need to work through lunch. Honestly it looks like it will be delicious. All good ingredients.

Maakoa Koopuwa - Package says: "a delicious distinctive blend of Brazilian Cupuacu, Acai, and other super fruits." I guess you drink it?

Dr. Singha's Mustard Bath - I actually tried this out today. My husband and I were out exercising for the first time in a while and my muscles were sore. The instructions tell you to pour the package into your bath and soak for at least 20 minutes in hot water. It's supposed to soothe aching muscles and pull out toxins. I was hesitant at first because it smelled really strong. In addition to mustard seeds it contains eucalyptus, rosemary, wintergreen, and thyme. Once it mixed in with the water it wasn't as bad and I actually enjoyed it. I felt very refreshed after so I guess it did the trick!

Peeled Snacks Apple Clusters - These were tasty. Little orbs of organic apples in a crunchy bite. My husband shared with me and we both enjoyed it. 75 calories and a serving of fruit! I would buy these for a trip if they were a good price.

And my favorites...

Simply Straws Straw - Ok, I ran around the house a few times in excitement when I saw this. I love using straws because deep down I am only 8 years old. And it's a really pretty bold shade of blue. It's just pretty. Package says: "Dishwasher safe" - Score!!! "BPA free" - awesome! "100% Quartz Sand/Borosilicate Glass, Non-Toxic color dyes" - sweet!

Hail Merry Chocolate Macaroons - Ummmmm YES! Seriously people, I ended up for the first time at the Hail Merry website last week looking for something sweet I could order special for my birthday (way before my Conscious Box arrived.) So this is just a super sweet and perfect surprise. There are 8 macaroons in the package so I am very happy with this. I will save for my upcoming birthday.

Later this week I will review some items from previous conscious boxes including Suntegrity Sunscreen Primer and Achiva Drink Mix. Stay tuned!

Quick side note: If you are interested in ordering something from 100% Pure, they have a special through the 14th where you can get free shipping (no minimum.) This is a great opportunity to try something small without the added cost of shipping. If I hadn't promised my husband I would not buy anything during my birthday month, I would be there now! :)

Makeup Removers

So I think I'm wearing too much makeup. I gave an "I'm home" nuzzle to one of my cats and turned her white fur beige! She was actually pretty patient with my attempts to clean her fur until I tried the pet shampoo and she got drenched in water. My husband opened the bathroom door to find me doubled over in laughter and a bedraggled, humiliated cat standing on my back. She eventually dried herself off but I felt pretty bad about it. At least she trusted me for the most part throughout the process. Believe it or not this segues really well into what I wanted to talk about today: makeup remover!

I've got two really good recommendations for makeup remover (sadly none for cats.)

Sonia Kashuk makes a really great eye makeup remover. It retails for about $10 and you can find it at Target. It's a bottle of liquid that you shake to mix the ingredients right before applying. It's very gentle and removes makeup very quickly with very little rubbing. It leaves behind an oily residue but you just rinse it off with water. I've found this stuff is really useful for correcting mistakes when my hand slips while applying eyeliner. It's a great product and a fair price given how long the product will last. It's not leaping bunny approved but is cruelty free and not sold in China.

I don't wear nail polish a whole lot (although I'd like to start wearing it more.) There's nothing more irritating than rubbing your nails in smelly chemicals that take forever to work. Nail polish remover is tricky because many of them contain gelatin which is a cruelty free no-no (gelatin is made of animal by-products.) I previously used a gelatin-free Sally Hansen type pump remover that smelled, well, like nail polish remover. When I went to re-purchase last year I couldn't find it at my drugstore so ended up purchasing CVS store brand eco-friendly remover. I don't know how eco-friendly it really was because the chemicals smelled worse than regular remover and gave me a serious headache. I forget where I first heard about Zoya remove +. Maybe a magazine review? Anyway, I found a small trial size bottle at Ulta and thought I'd give it a shot. So glad I did! First off, the smell is so much better. It's not overpowering at all. It works amazingly! Polish that's been set on my nails for days just wipes off like it's nothing. I seriously never thought a remover could do that. It's supposed to also condition your nails and prep for a base coat although I've never tried using it for that purpose. This year I'd like to try out some Zoya nail polish too. They have an insane number of colors available on their website. They are cruelty free as well of course.