Native Box : August 2014

I had actually received this box first, but have been really unwell this month so didn't ever get around to reviewing it. Better late than never I guess, I'll make sure to do Septembers quicker, it should be here sometime next week yay!

Like GoodnessMe Box, Native box is a monthly subscription box (If you didn't see me latest post on the September GoodnessMe Box, please check it out here).

Native box is a healthy lifestyle and eco friendly box, that provides an assortment of natural personal care, food, lifestyle, household and even cleaning items in sample or full sizes. I love that this box contains more than just food items. This box is $24.95 per month (month to month, can cancel anytime), or discounted in you buy in 3, 6 or 12 month blocks. A bonus with Native Box, is that you earn points for all subscriptions and purchases made, which you can redeem for dollars to spend in their online store. They have items from the boxes available in their store which is really convenient.

Native box have more than one box type available for subscription: Classic box (I have this one), Vegan box (all vegan items), Supersize box (same as classic box but includes only the full size versions of everything) and Beauty box (beauty products only), so there is something for everyone. 

Here is my review of the August 2014 Classic box:

The box comes as is delivered in the post (not inside another box).

First glimpse of the box: There is no tissue paper inside the box, however I assume this is so that the packaging is more eco-friendly which I appreciate.

Like all boxes it comes with an information card, however Native box did not provide price information on the card. I did note that they had the items available in their online store, so where available I used these prices for comparison otherwise I did a search online.

First in the box was a packet of salted Koala Popcorn. I ate this shortly after receiving the box and liked it, however did not feel it was any different to normal salted popcorn. It would be convenient though having it pre-packaged rather than having to do it yourself. This retails for $1.95.

The first beauty product was this Anerah Rejuvenating Mineral Mask. I can't wait to use this, I just keep forgetting! I love the look of this and hope it works nicely on my skin. This is approx 5g of product which is worth about $3.70.

The second beauty item was some Papaya Ointment by Pure by Phytocare. I am a long time user of Lucas Paw Paw Ointment (since Childhood) and it never occurred to me to try anything different, but I love this. It has a different smell and consistency to what I'm used to but its nice, and I like the lip applicator. I now have this in my handbag instead and would repurchase. This was a full size product which retails for $5.95.

Next up we got some Organic Dried Figs by Essentially Natural. Dried figs were something I had actually really wanted to try but never purchased, so I was really happy to have these in the box. Turns out I don't actually like dried figs! But at least I know now and didn't have to go out and buy a full size product just to try them, so I'm a happy camper. This sample size was worth about $2.

Also from Essentially Natural, was a sample pot of their Organic Coconut oil. Again this was something I've been wanting to try so also pretty excited to be given this. I haven't tried it yet so will let you know what I think later on. This was a 25g sample (good size) which would be worth about $3.60.

This is a palm leaf plate set, a cute alternative to plastic plates and cutlery for a party. This was pretty different, and I liked this also. Not sure if I'll have the chance to use it, but would love to get something like this for future birthday parties. I wasn't sure how many were included in the packs online as it didn't state, but I assume each pack included 10, so this would be worth around $1.40.

In addition to the above items, this box included 2 'bonus' items which were not included on the card. My first bonus item, was this blemish control gel by Meditree Organics. Since getting this I have used it every night before bed and am really liking it. I also find the smell of the tea tree really soothing. This was a full size item that retails for $7.95.

The final 'bonus' item was a packet of Wotnot biodegradable wipes. Since having a baby, I'm constantly using wipes and always have them with me in my handbag so extra wipes can never go astray. I love that these are more eco-friendly so will be using these straight away! This was another full size item that retails for $2.95.

In Summary

This was my first subscription box ever, and it was amazing! I couldn't believe my luck at getting quite a few things that I had been wanting to try, as well as other things that I genuinely liked. There's honestly nothing in this box that I wasn't happy to receive. I calculated the value of the box to be around $30 so it was worth the $25 I paid which is great. I have already signed up for the next 3 months (they had a good deal going) and I think my next one has just been dispatched so should have another one to review very soon.

If you would like to sign up, you can receive $5 off your first box! Just use the following link: Get awesome Native box!

Riette

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iHerb reviews

Last week I received my first iHerb order which I blogged about here: http://fromheelstobooties.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/iherb-haul.html

I've had a chance to try quite a few of the things already so thought I'd do a review post in case anyone was thinking about trying any of the items. I'll give everything a rating out of 5 as well.

Bare Fruits Dried Granny Smith Apples

Although these had a weird smell when first opening the packet, these tasted great. not too sweet with tangy bite to them and were still crunchy. P liked these as well. The price is a bit steep at $2.92 per packet, so I would only buy them occasionally, but I think I will try making these in the oven as its just dried apple. I'll let you know how it goes when I get around to it...

Rating: 5!

Food Should Taste Good All Natural Jalapeno Tortilla Chips

 These were disappointing. They didn't have much flavour to them and could have done with a bit more salt. The jalapeno flavour did not come through too much either, although after eating a few I could start to feel the heat. I wouldn't repurchase these.

Rating: 1 :(

Made in Nature Dried Pineapple

I quite liked this one,  however it is very sweet so can't eat too much at a time (not necessarily a bad thing). All the pieces were stuck together in the bag which is due to the dried fruit still being quite moist/sticky. I think I have in fact have a slight allergy to pineapple as my hands started to itch when I was eating it, this started happening when I ate pineapple during pregnancy so I may give these a miss next time.

Rating: 3

 

Made in Nature Dried Mangoes

 This was one of my favourite purchases. Dried mango is very expensive to buy here in Perth (the one I like is $99 per kilo) so I seldom buy it, but this is a great alternative at only $5.44 per bag (equivalent to $64 per kilo). Due to the differences in mangoes, some pieces were sweet and some more tangy but I liked that about it. I will definitely repurchase this.

Rating 5!

 

 

ChocoLite French Vanilla Protein Powder

This is again another item which I loved. I had been needing a new protein powder for my smoothies and thought i'd try this one as it was only a small bag. The french vanilla flavour is lovely and tastes just like a good milkshake. I have it in a smoothie with 1 frozen banana, a handful of frozen raspberries and milk blended until smooth. I would like to try the chocolate flavour as well, and maybe the peanut butter flavour. The only downside is the price at $16.60 per bag which only has 11 serves in it. 

Rating: 4 (due to price)

Summersaults Sunflower Seed Snacks

These I didn't particularly like. They had a funny aftertaste that I couldn't pinpoint but it may have been the sunflower seeds, although I've had seeds before with no issues. They were slightly salty as expected which was fine and a good size serving for a snack, however I will not be buying these again.

Rating: 2

 

Woodstock Farms Organic Dark Chocolate Almonds

I forgot to take a picture of these, but these are AMAZING! The dark chocolate was the perfect combination of bitterness and sweetness, and I only needed about 4 at a time to satisfy my chocolate craving. I will be repurchasing these next time for sure.

Rating: 5

Overall I was really pleased with the order and will be repurchasing a number of items in my next order. The things I didn't like was more due to my personal taste rather than the actual items themselves. I've already got my cart full ready to checkout next time, but I'm going to wait until July to place my next order.

Baby gear hits and misses

Becoming parents for the first time is very daunting, and when you consider all the things available for babies these days it can be overwhelming deciding what to buy. Here's a list of things I have found great and not so great since having our baby S:

The hits

 

1. Travel system

We purchased a Bugaboo Chameleon 3 with a Maxi Cosi Titan capsule. We wanted to have a pram that we could use with a capsule as we thought it would be easier rather than having to take the baby in and out every time we left the car. I am so glad we decided to buy this, S usually sleeps when she gets in the car so I can just leave her sleeping happily whilst I get out the pram to go to the shops etc...I am still on my pram L plates, but I love the look of this pram and it steers so smoothly. It does take up quite a bit of space in our boot and we have a hatchback Mazda 6, however we still have enough room for shopping so it should be fine whilst she is young and we don't need the boot for other activities.

 

2. Stretchy baby carriers

S was very unsettled in the first few weeks of life and wouldn't sleep unless being held, which made actually doing anything around the house impossible. We have an Ergo but she was too small for it initially, so on the recommendation of our baby photographer, I put her in a stretchy wrap and she instantly loved it. Some of the more popular ones are the Moby and Hug a Bub, but I had a couple of Hana wraps that I purchased cheaply off Brands Exclusive last year and they did the trick just as well. I used them to carry S when I took Jessie on her daily walks so I could be hands free, and around the house for cleaning/cooking.

3. Cherry pacifiers

S loves to suck so a dummy was a lifesaver! Cherry ones are definitely the way to go as they stay in the mouth better than other types. We have tried both Happy Baby and Tommee Tippee ones with success.

4. Nappi creme

S is lactose intolerant (apparently quite common in newborns and usually passes as their guts mature), and because of this she gets lots of nappy rash. I was given this cream at my baby shower and it is magic, the rash pretty much disappears straight away.!

5. Bonds wondersuits

These are the best onesies I've tried, especially the ones that zip up as it makes late night/early morning changes so much quicker. They are also really reasonably priced especially if buying online as Bonds always has big discounts.

The misses

1. Baby sock, mittens and hats

I purchased some of each before going to hospital thinking we'd need them, but they are all useless! I don't understand how you keep them on, as soon as the baby does anything they end up on the floor. Cute for pictures, but not practical at all.

2. Gro egg

I do actually like the Gro Egg, but it became redundant when we purchased our baby monitor as it also has a temperature reading.

3. Bed sheets and change table covers

With the number of accidents new babies have, after a couple of sheet changes we gave up and now just keep the mattress protector on the bed and swap them over when needed (don't worry, it's nice and soft). Also after the first nappy change we took of the change table cover as we realised it would also just get covered in mess.

4. Ergo infant insert

We love the Ergo (we bought the performance model) but found the infant insert was awkward to use and we were worried about suffocating S when she was in it. I used stretchy wraps instead until she was big enough to fit without the insert (around 9 weeks).

And that is my list so far, I'm sure as time goes by there will be many more things we'll love and things we won't like so much. What were your favourite or least favourite baby items?

GlamPalm Straightener Review

Note: I am not sponsored by Glam Palm, I purchased this myself.

It was recently my birthday, and when P asked what I wanted I thought of a new hair straightener. My ghd was not working as well as it used to (my hair would start going wavy again as soon as there was any humidity in the air) and P wanted to treat me to something nice so I thought why not.

I researched the latest and greatest in straighteners to make sure I purchased a good one, and it seemed the recent feedback on ghds was not good so I decided not to get another one this time. I was considering a Cloud 9 as I had heard good things about them, when I came across Glam Palm on a few blogs. Initially I didn't consider them as it is a little known brand in Australia, but after a few days of contemplation I decided to take the risk and order one (living on the wild side!). 

I ordered on a Friday night, before a long weekend, and received it on the Tuesday morning. My first impressions on opening it up were good. Glam Palm seems to have gone with a minimalist approach which suits me.

Inside the box is a leather clutch which is presented on a bed of satin fabric. Again this made a good impression. The clutch is a nice addition to the product, it is handy to keep the straightener in for storage.

According to the Glam Palm website, the straightener has the following features:

• Ceramic coating & ion: I found the plates glided easily through my hair which was very different to my old straightened which tugged. I also found my hair looked shinier after straightening which is apparently due to the far-infrared ray.
• 3D swivel pivot cord: This is a good feature which I felt improved the flexibility of the straightener as I didn't have to keep adjusting my hand.
• Simple design: The straighter itself is simple matte black with a small logo. I think it has a classic look.
• Safety measures: Sometimes I am forgetful especially with a newborn baby so I appreciate that this turns off after 30 minutes.
• Multi styling: I have only used to straighten so far, but it can apparently also be used for curling. It is one of my goals this year to master the loose wave so I will try it soon.

The straightener also has variable temperature control which is one of the key things that drew me to it. I found my old straightener was not hot enough which probably lead to it not performing how I wanted. I have long thick hair which benefits from a higher temperature so I had it set to 190 degrees for the best results. It only took about 10 seconds to heat up, as identified by the flashing blue lights:

In addition to the clutch case, it came with a heat proof cover and 2 styling clips. These small things made me like it even more as I never had these with the ghd.

Here is a before and after shot of my hair. My hair is so shiny and this is before putting in any product of any type.

I found that my hair stayed this straight until I washed it next, even when it rained. This was a massive improvement compared to my old straightener which would leave my hair puffy after a few hours wear.

There are a number of models available. I ended up purchasing a GP501 due to my long thick hair, and the fact I wanted to also try curling at some stage. There is a handy guide on their website which shows which models suits different hair types. All models sell for $249 so like other high end straighteners, this is an investment.

Overall impressions

Although I was initially a bit worried ordering a Glam Palm due to it not being so popular in Australia, I do not regret my decision. I have had nice results using it so far and had a good experience purchasing from their online site (fast shipping, good packaging). I would recommend to anyone looking to invest in a new straightener.