Review of the August 2012 Eco Emi box!
All products listed below are linked on their site.
Better Life: Cool Calm & Collected Citrus Mint Lotion - The citrus smell is a little weird to me. The lotion itself is quite nice, not super amazing, but does the job.
Botanical Interests: Lettuce Special Medley Organic Seeds - It's not really planting season and I don't have room to grow indoors. But the mix in this packet sounds interesting - Lolla Rossa & Oak Leaf lettuce, bibb lettuce, arugula, mizuna and bok choi. The seeds are for the 2012 season, but I'll try these for spring 2013 and see if they're still OK!
Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques: Orchard Body Glitter - Sparkly! Very nice powder, goes on smooth. I don't wear glitter often, so this sample will last me a long time!
Auromere: Ayurvedic Himalayan Rose Soap - This bar smells amazing, robust earthy rose. A bit harsh; it strips away grease and dead skin but doesn't moisturize enough, so my skin is rubbery afterwards. I think it's good for oily areas, but not something I would use all over.
Naiad Soaps: French Vanilla Lip Balm - Super cute lip balm tin. Lovely product, not too greasy and smells like bakery vanilla.
Moody Sisters: Hydrating Sugar Scrub - Has a nice minty scent and scrubs gently. I think it's too oily for me, but would be great for dry skin!
Aura Cacia: Organic Milk & Oat Bath with Chamomile - It hasn't been cold enough for a soak, but this looks promising. It's more like a cream, instead of the bath salts I normally use, so I'm looking forward to trying this out, once winter rolls around.
Artisana: Organic Raw Pecan Butter - Not my thing. Has an unpleasant gritty mushy texture and tastes like cardboard.
Rainbow Research Corporation: French Green Clay Facial Mask Powder - Very generous sample! I did the basic mixture with water and there was more than enough to slather all over my face. It smelled odd, musty and dirty. As it dried, it tightened and cracked, to the point where it was painful, like the mask was pinching me. After rinsing, my skin was very dry and peeling. I guess I need to add some oil into the mixture, otherwise this mask completely strips moisture away. It definitely lifts dirt and grease and I could feel my pores open and cleansed. But without lotion or added oils, it's quite harsh on the skin.
Frontier Natural Products: Herbs Sampler - A lovely selection of dried herbs! Lavender, Rosemary, Mint & Lemongrass. These were very high quality and I enjoyed using them for tea and cooking.
October 29, 2012
October 23, 2012
CakeStyle Box #3
* 5 tops * 3 bottoms * 1 dress * 1 jacket * 3 sweaters
If I had the budget, I would have kept almost everything in this box! The pieces were well coordinated, like they were all part of a singular collection.
Citizens of Humanity Jeans: Nice jeans, just too expensive for my taste.
Catherine Malandrino Wool Pants: Love these pants! So comfy and the dark green is great for autumn. I ended up buying it.
Trina Turk Noir Skirt: The perfect work skirt. Not too short, not too tight, easy to walk in, professional yet stylish. I kept this as well!
Shoshanna Genna Cardigan: I already have a black cardigan staple, so while this was a nice piece, it wasn't something I needed.
Elie Tahari Gabby Cardigan: I'm such a sucker for Elie Tahari. This cardigan was a lovely cobalt plum color, super soft and a keeper.
Trina Turk Rebecca Shell Top: Pretty grey pattern with purple/red flowers. Long length and nice frame. I really liked this top, but just didn't have room in my budget for it.
Trina Turk Multicolor Shell Top: Another stylish Trina Turk top. Really interesting banded print, definitely something my closet currently lacks. This was a keeper and paired well with the skirt.
Plenty by Tracy Reese Peasant Top: Awesome flowing top with a lovely fall leaf pattern. Loosely structured but also elegant. I kept this one and it works well with the dark green wool pants.
Plenty by Tracy Reese Scallop Jacquard Dress: This dress fit like a glove. The cut and size were perfect, but the print was totally weird on me. It made me look like I had black & white fish scales. I wish the pattern was different; if not for that, I would have bought the dress!
Trina Turk Miss V Sweater: Super cozy, soft lightweight grey sweater. I have plenty of v-neck sweaters and this design wasn't unique enough to justify purchasing.
Tees by Tina Camisole: I liked the fabric and construction of this cami, but it was waaay too long. The hem hit mid-thigh, making it difficult to properly tuck in under shirts.
Olive & Oak Contrast Back Shirt: Nice shirt, but I have better white blouses.
If I had the budget, I would have kept almost everything in this box! The pieces were well coordinated, like they were all part of a singular collection.
Citizens of Humanity Jeans: Nice jeans, just too expensive for my taste.
Catherine Malandrino Wool Pants: Love these pants! So comfy and the dark green is great for autumn. I ended up buying it.
Trina Turk Noir Skirt: The perfect work skirt. Not too short, not too tight, easy to walk in, professional yet stylish. I kept this as well!
Shoshanna Genna Cardigan: I already have a black cardigan staple, so while this was a nice piece, it wasn't something I needed.
Elie Tahari Gabby Cardigan: I'm such a sucker for Elie Tahari. This cardigan was a lovely cobalt plum color, super soft and a keeper.
Trina Turk Rebecca Shell Top: Pretty grey pattern with purple/red flowers. Long length and nice frame. I really liked this top, but just didn't have room in my budget for it.
|
Plenty by Tracy Reese Peasant Top: Awesome flowing top with a lovely fall leaf pattern. Loosely structured but also elegant. I kept this one and it works well with the dark green wool pants.
Plenty by Tracy Reese Scallop Jacquard Dress: This dress fit like a glove. The cut and size were perfect, but the print was totally weird on me. It made me look like I had black & white fish scales. I wish the pattern was different; if not for that, I would have bought the dress!
Trina Turk Miss V Sweater: Super cozy, soft lightweight grey sweater. I have plenty of v-neck sweaters and this design wasn't unique enough to justify purchasing.
Tees by Tina Camisole: I liked the fabric and construction of this cami, but it was waaay too long. The hem hit mid-thigh, making it difficult to properly tuck in under shirts.
Olive & Oak Contrast Back Shirt: Nice shirt, but I have better white blouses.
|
Nanette Lepore Squire Jacket: Absolutely beautiful dark green wool coat. So comfortable and warm and cute! Man, I wish this was within my budget, because I loved it! These boxes keep getting better! My stylist is making great choices and focusing on things that would appeal to me. She is especially good with fit and sizing, something I really appreciate because I'm so short and it's always a hassle finding clothes in my size. I was surprised that there were so many pieces from the same designer (Trina Turk) but since her style seems to suit me well, in the end, I don't mind. I kept quite a few pieces from this shipment and hope to get my next box in time for the winter season! |
October 15, 2012
NYCC 2012!!!
This weekend was NY Comic Con! As usual, we had an awesome time and managed to get our costumes finished too!
We went as Alana & Marko from Saga, which made its debut this year. I was pleasantly surprised by how many people recognized the characters and stopped us for photos!
There was a panel about science fiction comics and both Brian K. Vaughan (writer) and Fiona Staples (artist) were there. We had met Fiona Staples in Artist Alley earlier that day and were hoping to get Brian's signature later. But during Q&A at the panel, the mod actually spotted us and we got to meet Brian and get a photo with him!
The folks from Oddities also had a panel. It was refreshing to see they are exactly as depicted on the show - their personalities on camera and in person are genuine. They had some cool artifacts, including a two-headed, six-legged calf!
And of course, some art highlights:
Ken Knudtsen, Mr. Freeze:
Francis Manapul, The Flash:
Stephanie Han, Phoenix:
Amy Reeder, Batwoman double page spread (won at the charity auction, which raised more than $26K for St. Judes Children Hospital!):
And I can't forget this awesome Aliens setup. You could actually get into the cargo suit, but the line was way too long for us. After the Con, they had a twitter giveaway for the entire prop!
It was another great Con. Every year, NYCC improves. The crowds are reaching a tipping point, though. This Sunday was the most crowded it's ever been on the last day and the popularity seems to increase each year. Hopefully we'll score tickets again next year and have another blast!
We went as Alana & Marko from Saga, which made its debut this year. I was pleasantly surprised by how many people recognized the characters and stopped us for photos!
There was a panel about science fiction comics and both Brian K. Vaughan (writer) and Fiona Staples (artist) were there. We had met Fiona Staples in Artist Alley earlier that day and were hoping to get Brian's signature later. But during Q&A at the panel, the mod actually spotted us and we got to meet Brian and get a photo with him!
The folks from Oddities also had a panel. It was refreshing to see they are exactly as depicted on the show - their personalities on camera and in person are genuine. They had some cool artifacts, including a two-headed, six-legged calf!
And of course, some art highlights:
Ken Knudtsen, Mr. Freeze:
Francis Manapul, The Flash:
Stephanie Han, Phoenix:
Amy Reeder, Batwoman double page spread (won at the charity auction, which raised more than $26K for St. Judes Children Hospital!):
And I can't forget this awesome Aliens setup. You could actually get into the cargo suit, but the line was way too long for us. After the Con, they had a twitter giveaway for the entire prop!
It was another great Con. Every year, NYCC improves. The crowds are reaching a tipping point, though. This Sunday was the most crowded it's ever been on the last day and the popularity seems to increase each year. Hopefully we'll score tickets again next year and have another blast!
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