Noxicare Natural Pain Relief Cream Review & Giveaway!

I was recently given the opportunity to review and giveaway a tube of Noxicare Natural Pain Relief Cream! I was super excited because I have bad knee pain (caused from flat feet) and both of my parents suffer from chronic back/neck/shoulder pain. Of course I jumped at the opportunity, because it could be just what we needed! I was so intrigued and impressed when I received the package in the mail and started reading the box and pamphlet it came with. Talk about miracle cream! I'm going to give you a little background on Noxicare!

Noxicare was developed by Reza Ghorbani, MD, ABIPP, FIPP, a Harvard Trained, Board Certified Interventional Pain Management Specialist. It is a BREAKTHROUGH natural, patent-pending pain relief formula that is proprietary combination of 7 of the world's most potent natural pain relievers that quickly and effectively alleviate inflammation, muscle aches and nerve pain-- without ANY known side effects and without a prescription! Patients have found Noxicare helpful alleviating the pain caused by chronic and acute conditions, including:

• Joint and Muscle Pain


• Pain associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome


• Acute and Chronic Inflammation


• Nerve Pain associated with other chronic health conditions

Noxicare uses All-Natural Ingredients, and is based on proven natural remedies that have been used for centuries.  For the first time, these ingredients have been formulated together to create the most effective combination of phytonutrients, working synergistically to provide effective pain relief. These ingredients include:

• Alpha Lipoic Acids: These are anti-oxidants used for increasing blood flow to nerves. Of course, I'm assuming this is to relieve pain and discomfort of nerves.


• Boswellia Extract: This is an anti-inflammatory used to treat arthritis and joint pain.


• Ginger Extract: This helps alleviate muscle strains, arthritis, and rheumatism, and is a catalyst for improving the effectiveness of other herbs.


• Holy Basil Extract: Properties include anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidants.


• Rosemary Extract: This has served a variety of purposes, including topical use for joint or musculoskeletal pain.


• Tumeric Extract: This is one of the most POWERFUL healers found in nature, recognized for it's anti-inflammatory properties.


• Willow Bark Extract: This has been used to treat pain and inflammation since the time of ancient Egypt and Greece.

Not only is this an all natural product, it is non-greasy, paraben-free, effective, odorless and safe! Amazing!

I'm going to start off the review portion by saying, I was 100% skeptical of this cream. I was thinking there was no way possible that this could actually help relieve pain without having any actual pain releiving medicine in it! Boy was I wrong. The minute I received it, I immediately opened it up, and lathered it on my knee. Almost instantaneously I felt relief. I was so excited because I'm the type of person that would rather sit and deal with pain than take a pain medication. I've never cared for them, and have never bothered with them, whether it's Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, ect. I'm always nervous of the side effects they actually have on your body (liver damage, kidney damage, stomach ulcers, ect.) Here is a picture of the cream, it's awesome looking!:



It's actually a bright, fluorescent green-yellow! I'm in love with the color :) I was very impressed that it really WASN'T greasy! It glides right on without leaving behind disgusting residue. This cream also doesn't burn like Bengay or Icy Hot does. It gives a little hint of coolness at the first contact with my skin (and I say my skin, because it might not be like that for everyone) and then you get the relief without feeling greasy, slimy, or weighed down. You forget that it's even there! My mom actually used this on her neck the minute she got home from work, and she said "I'm surprised, I'm not sure how, but it's actually working!". I really don't think that we would have even gave this a second glance had I not been able to try it out, and now I'm a fan for life. Another thing I really like is that it's not just for joint and muscle pain, but nerve pain as well. My dad actually has chronic nerve pain and burning in his leg from a pinched nerve in his back (he's always had problems with his back, discs, hernias, ect.) so I really hope he'll give this a chance as well. He's one that doesn't believe in the All-Natural approach of companies and products, but I'm hoping this might make him change his mind, even if it's just a little. I find that I don't need to use a whole lot either! The amount you see in the picture is able to effectively work on my knee. There are 3.5 fl. oz. in this tube, so I'm thinking it'll last a while!

If you're interested in purchasing this product, you can get it right on Noxicare's website for $26.95. This also comes in capsule form!

If you're not wanting to purchase it, but instead would like to take a chance at WINNING 1 of 2 tubes, enter in my contest below!

"I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers."

Click below to enter Contest ends 8/7/2013:

Entry-Form

Petit Vour July 2013 Unboxing & Review!

Last week I received the July 2013 Petit Vour in my mail box! I was so excited! I had reviewed the June box, which you can read here, that was very give or take for a lot of people. My first impression wasn't that great, but when I sat down and read about each product, my impression changed for the better. For those who don't know, Petit Vour is a monthly beauty subscription box that sends out 4-5 “mini’s” straight to your door all for $15! These products will be cruelty free, and vegan! Their website is so beautifully explained, I have to share it with you all:

“Beauty is bold. Beauty is kind. Beauty is self-expression and emotion, inner glow then outer glow. We are here to enhance these elements for you and help make it easier in maintaining a compassionate lifestyle. At Petit Vour, we don’t let our ethics get in the way of being fashionable — we let them fuel it! Our mission is to provide access to the best animal-free products and make kindness the standard in the luxury beauty market because we believe that animals shouldn’t have to sacrifice their lives for our pursuit of beauty. Animals, like humans, are to be loved. 
In the Beauty world, luxury is no longer exclusive to labels who rely on animals for testing. After years of scouring, we have sifted through the clutter to find high-quality makeup, skin care products, and more that meet both your ethical and beauty needs. We seek out niche brands from across the country as well as tried-and-true brands we simply adore. We aren’t kidding when we say that we are obsessed with makeup and about making the best choices when it comes to our products. We’re compulsively nitpicky so that you don’t have to be.
We hold ourselves to high standards, so that we can be your leading resource for cruelty-free beauty products. When you join Petit Vour, you are joining a community and movement of fashion and awareness. You are contributing to the beauty industry in a positive way. You are casting your vote, supporting companies that are both conscious and of pure quality. Here’s a toast to you! For being bold and being kind. ♥ “

With that being said, let's go right into this month's box! :) When I first opened it I gasped! I was so in love with everything inside! :)



 

 

This is my beautiful box! I'm going to go through each item based on the card :)

Speaking of which, this is the card! It says:

"Hi There!
We are absolutely thrilled to share this box with you. From firecracker red nails to lined and defined eyes, we're going bold and we're not afraid to show it. Unwind from your long days with fragrant suds and get real beauty sleep by pampering with our delectable night serum and heavenly-scented detoxifying cream. And you can rest easy knowing that your PV products are through and through kind--vegan and made with love by top-notch ethical companies.
This month we have two new promos from Dr.'s Remedy and Sumbody, so be sure to take advantage of the great deals they have in store. In addition, we'll be sending out our very first Petit Vour survey 1-2 weeks after shipment. Completing the survey will award you 50 PV points and it's a fantastic way to voice your thoughts on our beauty picks.
Thank you for supporting ethics in the beauty industry!
And as always, be bold + be kind.
Stay in touch,
The Petit Vour Team."

Of course, on the back of the card are the items, but I don't want to ruin the detail ;)

The first item is an Ultimate Natural Soft Kohl Pencil from Beauty Without Cruelty in Delft Blue. This is a natural eye liner pencil! Beauty Without Cruelty is a company that produces cruelty free (obviously!) and vegetarian skin, body and hair care products made with the finest natural ingredients, and aroma-therapeutic essential oils. This company, I was shocked to find out, actually started in 1963, which is the year before my mom was born! Making this company, this year, 50 years old! (Hi mom!, I bet you feel old now, huh?) From the card:

"Beauty Without Cruelty| Natural Eye Pencil: Glide on color that stays put throughout the day. Define eyes with this creamy formula, available in a variety of subtle and vibrant hues."

Here is a swatch of the beautiful Delft Blue! I'm going to say, I'm not an eye liner person. Yet. I've been dabbling into more makeup items as I receive these boxes, because, why not? I'm currently a lip, mascara, and brow kind of young lady. This does not mean I won't venture out into other eye makeup accessories, ect. I swatched this on my hand (as you can see above), and that's as far as I've gone yet. I'm very interested in trying this, because I love bold, different colors (as different as you can get from brown and black) even owning matching blue mascara! Yes...I wear blue mascara sometimes, it somehow makes my blue eyes pop! :) Granted, I'm still VERY excited to have received this in my box because it's introduced me to a new, awesome company.

You can purchase this eye liner, on BWC's website (plus 6 other colors) for $16.95 a piece . Holy cow! This item has already paid for the box...amazing!

The next product was this 1 oz soap sample of Sumsoap from Sumbody in Jasmine Orange Blossom. Sumbody is a pure skin care line priding itself on quality over quantity. Actually, instead of picking and choosing from their write up, I'm going to share it with you straight from their website. It's too meaningful to not do so:

"... Devoted to bringing consumers products made from all natural ingredients, Sumbody is rooted in and inspired by Mother Nature. We pride ourselves in the art of marrying science, nature, and proven results. Fueled by a passion for skin, we created a line of products that would feed the entire sum of a person. With hundreds of all-natural formulas, Sumbody is always creating new combinations and testing new ingredients to bring our customers the best in pure skincare. We are in the business of making people look and feel their best - end of story. Some people may not care about exposure to chemicals, but they do care about the way they look and feel. Sumbody has been making skin beautiful since long before anybody cared about natural or organic. They just wanted to look good - period. Results are what Sumbody is about.

*The only animals we test products on are our more-than-willing employees!*"

This soap sample came with a write up saying that Jasmine is an aphrodesiac that when combined with orange leaves you feeling oh so fresh and clean. From the card:

"Sumbody Soap|Pure, Handmade Soap: With added skin-loving ingredients such as olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and aromatherapy essential oils."

Not only do I love the simplicity of their website/company/logo, but the smell of the soap is out of this world. It smells so good I just want to shove it in my mouth...except, that would most likely taste pretty bad. It reminds me of a mixture of suntan lotion, and the waterparks inside of amusement parks. I'm not sure if that makes sense to most people, but as an avid amusement park lover, it makes sense to me. It just screams summertime! I also love the color! It's a beautiful tye-dyed like mixture of green-yellow & aqua. I've actually put off using this, because I don't want it to go to waste. I'm a huge soap lover, so I always appreciate getting new soaps inside of these boxes!

The soap sample also came with this card for Sumbody, that includes 10% off your next order! This not only gives you 10% off, but if you forward your receipt to Petit Vour, they'll give you a discount on next month's box! That's beyond generous of them... :) This code expires 8/10/2013, and hopefully I'll get to use it!

You can purchase a 3 oz bar of this soap on their website for $5.95, or a 6 oz bar for $11.88, making this 1 oz sample $1.98!

Next up is this 1 ML sample of Mun No.1 Aknari Nighttime Dream Youth Serum. Mun is a company started by international makeup artist Munemi Imai. She had a brief illness in which she realized the importance and benefits of natural ingredients! Aknari is actually the fruit called Prickly Pear. From the card:

"Mun| Aknari No. 1: Prickly Pear seed oil and argan oil combine to nourish, soften and smooth the skin."

I actually have very oily skin, so the last thing I need to do is put more oil on it. I will be handing this off to my mother (man, I just keep terrorizing her in this post, first calling her old, then saying she needs youth-affirming oil? I'm going to have to do something nice now...).

You can purchase a 15 ML bottle on Mumemi's website for $95.00! WOW! And that's only a 10-12 week supply. That makes this 1 ML sample, $6.33 !

Oh yes...this next product, needless to say, is my absolute favorite of the box. It's a nail polish from Dr.'s Remedy in Rescue Red! Dr.'s Remedy was founded by a couple podiatrists who created a product line that could address their patients' desire to address the apearence of dry, brittle, discolored nails. These enriched nail products have NO dibutylphthalate, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. From the card:

"Dr.'s Remedy| Enriched Nail Polish: Infused with wheat protein, tea tree oil, garlic bulb extract and lavender, and free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, and DBP."

Of course, I had to swatch this polish! It's so beautiful. The formula was a little thin for my like, but the color is gorgeous. I also found that without a topcoat, it wears away faster than other polishes. It does dry very quick though, which is a plus! I've always wanted to try Dr.'s Remedy, but it's so expensive I just couldn't come to bring myself to spend that much on 1 polish, so I'm so happy I got it in this box. I'm loving the benefits of this polish! It helps discoloration and dry nails. If you change your polish as much as I do, you know that your nails can get VERY dry from all of the remover. I just wish this was a tad bit thicker, but it's still good the way it is! Another thing, on their website, it says that this polish is Matte...but it's far from being that. In the picture above, that is taken with NO top coat!

You can purchase this color (and 29 others) on their website for $17.00 a piece! Now you can see why I couldn't bring myself to spending that much! :)



The final item in this month's box, came in the form of a sample packet! It is Tangerine & Calendula Healing Light Night Cream from Kimberly Sayer of London. Now, I know I said I didn't like foil packets, but usually it's because boxes give you 1 of each item. I'm highly surprised and happy that this month we received 3 foil packets, all of the same product! That means we'll be able to actually use it and form a good opinion on it! Kimberly Sayer's products are gentle, chemical-free, and based on the theories of ancient alchemists. Her products contain only the finest, steam distilled, certified organic ingredients! From the card:

"Kimberly Sayer| Tangerine and Calendula Cream: Healing Calendula combines with detoxifying tangerine oil to create this soothing night cream."

I'm super intrigued by this item. On the package it says that it hydrates, lightens dark spots, sun damage, and promotes the healing of Acne Scars. I actually have numerous acne scars that I've been wanting to get rid of, and I'm super excited to use this to try and get rid of them! I love that we received 3 packets of the same exact item, and you only need a tiny amount, so each packet should last me quite a bit! If it works, I'd most certainly buy the full size! I love that you can put it on right before bed, and let it work through the night!

You can purchase the full size 2 oz (60 ML) container, on their website, for $32, making all 3 packets $2.40 

 

TOTAL: $44.66 

 

Holy crap! What an awesome total! I'm in love with Petit Vour, and I think that this box really made up my mind between liking them and loving them. Although I said in my last review I'd like to see less foil packets, and this box came with them, I was more than happy to get 3 of the same item. THAT is when foil packets don't bother me. Petit Vour is the perfect box to find new, cruelty free products (and as I type this, I have my little Chi Lexi on my lap, loving me, so obviously I'm all for items that DON'T test on animals!). I'm loving the items in this month's box, and look forward to seeing next months!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Citrus Lane Best of What's Next Sweepstakes! ENTER NOW!

Citrus Lane has a brand new promotion out this month, in the form of a Sweepstakes that is lasting now through August 25th! As you all may know, Citrus Lane is a leader in subscription boxes for Children. They provide you with the best of the best products that are put out by the best brands and companies! Now they'd like to know the products YOU love, and the products YOU want! Whether it's playtime, bedtime or mealtime, they want to know the products that you want to see. They're giving you the chance of winning said products as well! Welcome to the Best of What's Next Sweepstakes!

This is the chance for you to get the new Fisher Price toys you've wanted to buy your little one! By clicking on the link HERE, you can enter for your chance to win. The products that you see listed on the site, are best-of products recommended by Citrus Lane's expert buyers, and the Citrus Lane community! These are chosen by parents, for parents (and kids of course!) If you don't see the exact toy you're looking for on the list, you can add it yourself with the "Add a Product" button! Participants are to list 3 items they recommend to other parents (I LOVE now), and 3 items they want for their own home (I WANT next)! By making your list, you're already entered into the contest!

What do you win, might you ask? Well...the 3 items in your Want list of course! The maximum prize value for the contest is $300 (Which is more than generous!) If your want list exceeds $300, they will purchase the items that can be bought for the amount, and send a check for the remaining money! AWESOME!

If you'd like to get in on this wonderful contest, click here!

Good luck to all, and may the odds be ever in your favor!...wait, this isn't the Hunger Games... 0:)

 

 

CITRUS LANE Overview, & Exclusive BOGO Code!

I was recently given the opportunity to let you all know about an AWESOME Child Subscription box, the biggest in the country (U.S.)! That service is Citrus Lane! Now some of you may have heard of Citrus Lane, and others have not. I have some readers that aren't apart of Subscription Boxes, so they wouldn't know what this company is. That is what this post is about. Not only am I going to let you know about this awesome company, but I have an exclusive code for my loyal readers that allow you to buy a box, and get a box FREE! This is an AMAZING offer, but there will be more on that below, so please keep reading.



Citrus Lane is for those parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, or best friends that want to give the little child that they love to pieces something special. Of course there are always going to be new brands popping up in the world, and everyone knows that sometimes it can be difficult to determine which brands are the best for your little one. That is why Citrus Lane was started! It started by mothers for mothers (and other family members) to help YOU discover the best brands for your children. Children grow, and children change, so you can get a box tailored to your child as he/she grows into the wonderful toddler they will be!



Citrus lane does extensive product research, testing, and uses feedback from real moms to curate a package that YOU receive monthly with 4-5 items that are HAND SELECTED to help both you and your child. These boxes are tailored for your child's age, from newborn to 5 years old! They want to be with you, and help your child grow, learn and discover. Items in the box can include toys, books, snacks, household (children safe cleaners, ect.) and body care items!  Not only is the box filled with treats for the child, but sometimes they throw in an extra Mommy (or auntie, or grammy) gift for you to enjoy. Each box is worth at LEAST $25 (retail) and always has free shipping.



As you can expect, Citrus Lane only works with the BEST brands that offer products that are safe for both you and your child. This helps parents discover new brands, and new products. Citrus Lane has included brands such as Aden & Anais, Plum Organics, The Honest Company, and many more!

The cost of the box is $25 a month, with free shipping. Discounted rates are available for Multi-Month Subscriptions ($21/month for 6 & 12 Month subscriptions). Being a subscriber allows you to join one of the largest and most active parent communities on the web. There are over 125,000 eager and engaged parents (like yourself!) on Citrus Lane Facebook alone! The community includes features that allow members to help each other with parenting challenges, and questions. There are also photo and video features that allow parents to share their most precious memories! (Who doesn't love to show off their adorable child?) Also, they have fun contests, deals and games! Community members can win prizes like gift subscriptions and free items! Exclusive discounts from Citrus Lane's favorite brands are often featured as well!



If this post hasn't persuaded you into subscribing to Citrus Lane, I have an offer for you that you can't refuse. I was given the greenlight to offer my awesome readers a code that allows you to get 2 BOXES FOR THE PRICE OF 1*! To get this deal, click the link HERE and sign up before August 5th! You will not only receive August's box, but you'll get July's too!

"*Offer Terms: Only new, first-time Citrus Lane Subscribers who start a monthly subscription are eligible to redeem this offer. Gift subscriptions do not qualify. Offer expires 8/5/2013. To redeem this offer you must enter BLOG2FOR1 at checkout."

 

In addition to this code, I will be reviewing a box for you all this week! I'm very excited as I've been following this company for a while now, and oogle over their boxes!

 

My Dream Sample Box July 2013 Unboxing & Review!

Recently I received an awesome AWESOME box to review for you guys. Yes...I said Awesome twice. This WILL be one of my staple boxes! I was honored when they agreed to work with me, and I was obsessed when I received the box. The box is My Dream Sample Box, and it is amazing! This box is $30 a month (Which drops in higher subscriptions. $75 for 3 months, $150 for 6 months, and $300 for 12 months). This is a fairly new company that has come around! Each month you receive quality products and samples from Handmade, homemade and indie business, as well as direct sales companies (Such as Scentsy, Pink Zebra, ect.). Now you don't just get a couple samples...try anywhere from 20-30 of them! This is literally like Christmas in a Box. I swear, I just kept opening packages and packages of things. I believe I received the animal add-on which was perfect since I have 8 cats and 2 dogs :). I had SO much fun opening it, and had to go back around and re-look at everything because I was so overwhelmed (in a good way of course!). My favorite thing is that you can buy single boxes as well. Right now they have the July box up, and a Birthday Box (which I will probably buy myself for my birthday soon, if it's still available). I'm just beyond excited to write this post, show everyone what I got, and look at all the websites (I've been waiting until the post to do it, so it gives me a little break from writing, I know this will be a long post!) I'd love everyone to go over to their website and check it out, it's awesome. Ariel (the owner) sounds a lot like me, which is probably why I'm totally in love and obsessed with this box! They also host giveaways every month! AWESOME!This was the first look! (I moved things around, plus there was another Laffy Taffy, my dad took it before I could snap a picture). Look at this thing! The presentation is beautiful! So isn't the box..I'm in love with it. There were also two smaller bags, as you can see in the picture before this one. I'm not going in any particular order, just how the pictures came out on my computer :) The first set, which I wasn't too excited about, was this Asend Magazine, CD, and postcard. The magazine is a Sendoutcard's Publication which is brought to you in this box by Danielle and Tim Mohr. They do have a website, however, I can't get on to it. Basically, this is a magazine, filled with a bunch of different people talking about the importance of Postcards, greeting cards, and how they can change the world, ect. Personally, postcards are a bore to me. I don't think I'll ever use them, so I really have no interest in this magazine. We have never been ones to use greeting cards (other than holidays and birthdays, which most time are made by hand because cards can be a waste of money), and definitely have never sent a postcard. While I don't have interest in this, I did take a glance through the magazine, and it seems very high quality. This is the CD that came with the magazine. It's basically a video letting you know how you can use SendOutCards for almost anything, and that you can become your own business distributor (like Tim and Danielle). I did check this out as well. If you are interested in this product, you can check them out at CardsandMohr.com (currently it's not working for me, I'm not sure if it's just down for the time being or what) or Sendoutcards.com/cardsandmohr The magazine has a retail value of $3.95 which I definitely wouldn't have paid, but I'm just including the disc in with that. :) The next item was this cute flower clip from Create Life Boutique! It's made very well, and has a little gem in the middle! I love this, it could be used in your hair or for decoration! Unfortunately, I couldn't find any info on this brand (or business) at all...so if you're interested in things like this, the number is (719) 439-1433.

I can't technically put a price tag on this, but I would guess about $2.00 Next are these beautiful earrings from Keysha Davis of Mojo Couture. Mojo Couture is a fashionable and affordable accessory store. They have a traveling jewelry boutique, and do home & office trunk shows, and fundraisers! I looked on their website, and it says it's coming July 2013...well, it's almost the end of July. I looked on their facebook, and apparently they're launching some subscription boxes for jewelry lovers! I love me some jewelry, and I love me some subscription boxes (as you can tell). These earrings are so cute, they remind me of little mermaid tails! They seem very well made!

I couldn't find a price on these because of the website not being up, but my guess would be about $7? Possibly...I'm not sure how much homemade jewelry goes! :)

The next item is this beautiful greeting card from Cards and Coasters.  This is a very simple, fall looking card. I also, again, couldn't find anything on this brand, so that's kind of bumming. This is the 4th item in which the websites don't work. As I said in the opening paragraph, I'm looking these sites up as I type out the blog, so I'm kind of bummed a lot of them are either gone, or closed... She was supposedly supposed to have an Etsy.com shop, but it appears it doesn't exist, and unfortunately that means I won't be able to use the discount code...

I don't know the price of this, but I'd guess about $1.00

 Next is this super cute elastic pouch from Busy Bee Boutique. The outside is lady bugs, but when you turn it inside out:

It becomes a little apple :) Busy Bee Boutique specializes in custom-designed handmade items for infants, toddlers, and moms, including burp cloths, leg warmers, appliqued tees, a variety of cozies, dryer balls, and now soap! In addition to their Busy Bee Brand, they offer reusable diapers, natural lotions, and baby/kid bath and body products, and some fun accessories from brands they actually use and trust! While I'm not really sure what this pouch is used for, as I can't find it on their website, I will end up finding some use for it! :) I think it's too cute NOT to... Also looking on their facebook, they're making DEODORANT! Awesome!

The price, according to the tag, is $3.00 

Next is this super cute Daisy Coaster from D & M Creations. When I first received it I was like "OH NEAT A COASTER!" and then I'm like, well...I don't want to use it as one if it's not really one, and it's meant to be hung on the wall, so I was very pleased when I went to their Facebook page and saw, it indeed WAS a coaster. D&M stands for Donna and Marie, who are a mother/daughter team that brings you personalized items such as coasters, tissue box covers, check book covers, toilet paper covers, ect. You can see their work by going on their facebook page. They also recently made ANGRY BIRDS STUFF! How awesome! I love Angry Birds :) I really thought this was so cute.

They don't have the single purchase price of the coasters on their Facebook, but they do have a set that includes a coaster, a wall hanging, a candle wrap with candle, and tissue box cover for $22. With some complex mystery sleuth talent, I can deduct the prices from the similarly priced items...or I can just be lazy and make each of the items the same price by dividing it into 4...which I'm going to do. Based on that, this coaster has a price of $5.50 which in reality is probably a little cheaper, but still.

The next item is this 0.2 fl oz foil sample of Arbonne Conditioning Body Moisture from Lana Izer. She is a Arbonne Independent Consultant. This conditioning moisture leaves skin with a refreshing sensation, and leaves it with a velvety smooth and soft texture. I just opened it up and used some while writing this, and it really does leave a refreshing sensation! It almost cools your body down. I love when creams and lotions do that. It also has an awesome scent! It smells like fresh squeezed oranges...weird but awesome.

You can purchase this from Lana's website (which is hyperlinked on her name) for $25.00 for a 237 ML (8.FL OZ), making this 6 ML (0.2 FL OZ) sample about $0.66 

Next is 1 of 2 samples from Scandalicious Candle Melts by Melissa Love. This is a beautiful teapot in the scent Irish Tweed. This company, brand, whatever you want to call it is SO cute. Melissa makes such cute little melts such as cupcakes (shaped like REAL cupcakes), teapots, high heels, purses, ect. I've always wanted to get into candle melts, but never knew where to even start, so when I saw this I almost freaked out! I was like YES FINALLY! I've spent hours upon hours looking at Etsy at candle melt items, and was just drooling over them all. The teapot's spout got broken in shipping, but honestly, it doesn't bother me because it's just going to get melted anyways. I haven't melted these yet (they've actually been in my freezer, we've been having 90+ degree weather for the past week or so...really weather?). It smells beautiful though. It's like the perfect "Spring into Summer" scent ever.

You can purchase a set of 4 Teapots & Cups on her Etsy for $3.00 making this one $0.75 

This is yet another 1 of 2 samples from Scent-Sations Live the Life you dream by Martha Walters. This is a Citrus and Sage candle melt. I was looking on their website, and I couldn't really find anything out about this.

They sell bags of these on their website for $11.95...the bags look a little small, so I'm going to put a price tag of about $1.50 on this, although I don't think I'd pay that.

The next item is a sample of Greens in Orange from It Works! by Karen Schriefer. Greens is a drink powder that alkalizes, energizes, and detoxifies wherever you go. It's a serving of 8+ fruits and veggies in a single packet that you can bring anywhere. I haven't tried this yet, but I'm very curious of the product. This also came with 2 coupons, 1 for trying a body wrap (which is supposed to tighten and tone in 45 minutes...I don't buy that, haha) for $25, and one to host a party and try it free...both of which I won't use.

The card says the Retail price of the Greens are $49 for everyone, or $33 for a "loyal customer", I looked on their website, and it's $59 regular, $35 loyal! Well...in the event of that, $59 for 30 packets? Forget it! That makes this sample $1.97 

The next sample is from Sassy Wax R Us in the scent Sugar. I'm really loving the shape of this sample. I think it's awesome that it's shaped like a crystal! This has an awesome scent! It smells like...sugar! :P Unfortunately, not only is this deal on the card expired (it expired in december of 2012) but the company is apparently gone... there's another one in the box that doesn't have a page or anything.

Where as I can't find anything out about this company, I'm going to make a guess and put a $1.00 price tag on it.

This next sample is very interesting. It's a sample of Joie Joelle's Transformation Bath Salts by Joyce Chan. Why is this interesting you may be wondering? Well...she is a spiritual consultant and psychic. The slogan for her business is "Create The Positive in your Life". This may be what I've needed. I looked it up on her Etsy page (which yes, is still running), and found out some cool things about her Transformation line. I'm not going to bother typing it, I'm just going to take it straight from her description:

Transformation bath salts or scrubs help you remove negative thoughts, feelings and help you face your fears, worries, and self doubts. These also provide a healing touch helping you remove blockages within your own self. Transform yourself by being real with who you truly are! Let go of the old you and allow the new positive you to come to the surface. When we are open to changing who we are, we can allow better and more positive things come into our life. Remove your blockages so you can can create what you want in your own life.

Transformation salts have herbs of Hyssop, Eucalyptus, and Rue blended with other Essential oils to promote the release of all this negativity and blockages in y our own self. This sensual scent isn't only intoxicating but really pulls out the negativity to help you feel lighter and not so run down in your own life."

I'm a very fearful person. I have fears of dying, of failing, of family dying, of being alone, the list could go on for ever. I've never heard of this brand, and I'm glad I came across it. I really think that this could be something to help me. I've always believed in things like this, and when I was a kid, I bought a stone out in Salem Massachusetts, that says "Courage" and you're supposed to rub it and it will give you courage. I still have it somewhere in my house, but I've always loved things like this. I've been trying to be more positive, sometimes it becomes really hard for me, especially if I'm down and out. I always try to look for the good in everything, but it's not as simple as it seems. I believe in the power of the mind since I took a class in college/highschool about it, and I really loved my teacher and the class. We had to meditate before and after class to find ourselves. I know this is a little long, but I can't wait to use this, and hopefully I will go back for some more if I find it works.

You can buy a 9 OZ jar of this product, on her Etsy for $12.00, making this 1 oz sample $1.33 

Next was a 3 OZ. Candle from La Soy Candles!

This candle didn't have any information with it, nor did it tell the name of the fragrance on it. Looking on their website, I couldn't determine just what kind of candle this was. It is an all Soy candle that uses a softer wax than candles from big brands. This has a lower melting point than the other candles as well. I've never burned a soy candle, let alone had one before. The scent is very strong. It smells coconutty and limeish. It almost smells like suntan lotion. I really like the smell, but I'm upset I can't determine exactly what it is.

You can purchase a 3 oz candle on their website for $3.00



Next is another set of earrings, this time from Graceful Designs by Erika S. Cardin. These are hand made, as well as all of her other jewelry. The earrings I got are a cookie dough like color with brown (sort of like chocolate chip) specks. Unfortunately I don't have my ears pierced so I can't enjoy them, but I know someone who might.

I couldn't find a price on these, as I couldn't find them on her website, but every earring on there is $5. 

Next up is a little bag of Sprinkles (wax melts) from Pink Zebra by Emerald Thomas. This was a little Fourth of July mix that included 3 different scents! The sprinkles are used to mix together to create your own candles/scents. I really love the idea of these, and unfortunately some of mine melted in shipment. The 3 scents used to create this are (do not hold this against me, I'm smelling them while looking at the website ;) ) Blueberry Muffin, Totes Cherry, and Vanilla Creme? I know this came with the paper saying what the scents were but I can't seem to find it! :( These little sprinkles are really cool, and they're Soy Wax!

You can buy a 3.75 oz jar of any scent for $8.00. This sample, I'm just going to price at about $0.50 just because it's not even registering as an ounce on my digital scale.



Next is an awesome sized soap sample from Skin Caring Soaps by Stephanie Bismuth. She makes luxurious handmade soaps, bath products and gift sets. The scent I received is in The Oatmeal Marzipan Treat Bar. This soap actually contains activated charcoal! I love when bath and body products contain charcoal since it does a lot of good for your body and draws out impurities. This company reminds me a lot of Fortune Cookie Soap company (which I still HAVEN'T got to try yet, grrr....). The bars come in anywhere from 4-4.2 ounces. They even have unscented soaps and BEER SOAPS! How cool?! I'd love to try one of each please :) :P They also have shaving soaps, which I definitely want! I love using regular bar soap to shave, so that would be even better.



Look at how neat this is! It looks like Marble on top of Caramel.

For a 4-4.2 ounce bar of this, it is $7.00 making this 1 oz sample about $1.75 :) I haven't tried it but can't wait to!

Next up is a Scentsy Sample in Cozy Fireside from Beauty N' Scents EdieAnne. Scentsy is a company that provides a safe, wickless alternative to the normal candles. They have warmers that are plugged in to the wall, and heat the wax with a lightbulb. It's such a good idea, especially when you have kids or pets (but still be careful, it can get hot of course). I've always wanted to try them, but they're actually really expensive so I was pleasantly happy to get this in the box! While I was on EdieAnne's Scentsy page, I couldn't find this scent. I really don't smell the "fireside" part of it as to me it smells like Christmas. I'm still in love with it either way. It smells exactly like a Christmas Tree, mixed with your Christmas Dinner...I don't know, maybe it's just me. I love it though and can't wait to melt it :) The little Jar it comes in is so cute!

A 3.2 oz Scentsy Bar is $5, making this 1 oz sample about $1.56 (Also, the business card that came with it is awesome, it's actually a magnet!)

Next up is a 1.2 oz packet of Chai Tea Spiced from Dove Chocolate Discoveries by Laura Miller. This tea mix can be used hot or cold. This can be bought either Chocolate or Spiced...I wonder how good the chocolate would have been! I never knew Dove made tea! How neat! I was shocked looking at it because of the fact. You can use it in a topping for a fruit dip (like cool whip or yogurt). It's cool that it has many more uses. I don't drink tea all that often, but my mom loves it so I'll be passing it on to her.

You can purchase a 6 count box for $15.00 making this sample $2.50 

Next was an awesome little kit from Gold Canyon by Cyndee Delong. She also included one other thing that I didn't realize until I took the pictures separately. This little kit had a couple goodies from Gold Canyon, which I had never even heard of. The first is a Car Freshener in White Citrus. I haven't opened it or smelled it because I wanted to save it until it was ready to go in the car and I got this review started. The car freshener fragrances last up to 4 weeks! Unfortunately, I can't find this scent on her website, but they do have 5 others including Clean Sheets, Pink Fusion, Ginger Lime, Leather, and Sweet Pea. I love the simple look of them! The next item in the kit was a Flower Wick Dipper. This is so cool and such a good idea. I've never heard of one before! Basically it extinguishes the candle without all of the soot and smoke. You use it to dip the wick back into the candle, covering the wick with wax, and essentially making it last longer by preserving it in the wax. I can't wait to use this! I might have to get one for the candle lovers in my family! :) Last but not least was a 5 oz candle in Iced Caramel Macchiato! This is a full sized candle!!! How awesome! It smells so good I want to eat it...but that probably wouldn't go over too well. I was amazed to see this in the box, and now I can use my new Wick Dipper with it! :)

The Car Freshener comes in a pack of 3 for $6.98, making 1 about $2.33, the Wick Dipper is sold for $3.48 and the 5 oz candle (based on the same sizes of other scents) is $8.75! What an amazing value! Thank you so much Cyndee!

The bag also came with these fourth of july mints :)

The next item...which I don't even know what it is, is from Lillie's Crochet Shop. I'm assuming it's just a sample of her work? I'm really not sure...I just went on her Facebook, and she does make cute items, but I could have done without this sample...it's not really usable unless its for something and I'm not getting it. I'm also not going to price it...

The next sample came from Rainbows & Celebrations by Carla Molster. This is a cute little Tuxedo bag, and a black tie magnet that you can barely even see in it because of the effect of the little stone/gem.

It glares too much to actually make the item out. Unfortunately this is yet another company that's page is gone.

I'm going to estimate the total to be $5 altogether. The tuxedo bag came with a dum dum pop and two butterscotch candies.

Next is a dog treat from Road Apples! This is an all natural, organic dog treat in the flavor Peachy Bites. It contains peaches, bananas, oats, rye flour and milk! I was very impressed with the way my dogs came about this. I have a 150+ lb Weimaraner that will eat anything given to him, then I have a 7 lb Chihuahua that is the pickiest little thing on Earth. My big dog didn't want anything to do with this treat, my little dog scoffed it down in a second. I was happy to see that she loved them! :) Looking on their website, I'm overly impressed with the amount of work they put into their animal treats. I really love their work and look forward to ordering some! They have some cute things like Doggie Cupcakes, Doggie Donuts, and PB&J Thumbprint cookies!

You can purchase a bag of these on their website that contain appx. 20 for $7.00, making this sample $0.35 

This item included 4 individual packets of animal food from Life's Abundance.

From left to right is 1 Antioxidant Health Bar dog treat. It is a wholesome snack for dogs that includes Oatmeal and Apples. This was another funny thing, my little dog wanted nothing to do with it, and my big dog scoffed it down! So they each got their own treat that the other dog didn't want...so funny! Needless to say, he enjoyed it a lot. The next item was a packet of Premium Health Food for Puppies & Adult Dogs. My little dog won't eat anything that has dog food in it. I was so excited to get these so I can try them out with her, except, when I woke up this morning, I noticed they were torn to shreds on the floor. My 8 cats got into them as well as their own cat food! I guess they just really wanted it...that being said, the next item is the Premium Health Food for Kittens & Adult Cats. Yup...they mowed every last piece. Last but not least is a little packet of Gourmet Cat Treats for Healthy Skin & Coat. Ironically these were the only ones NOT opened...These food and treats are made by and formulated by Veterinarian Dr. Jane Bricks.

A 12 oz jar of the Antioxidant Health Bars for $12.60. I would assume there to be anywhere from 20-30, so on the low end these treats would be about $0.63, an 8 lb. bag of Premium Health Food for Dogs is $18.31, and I would have assumed this to be a couple of ounces...so I would say it's about a $0.50 sample...I'm probably totally wrong. The Premium Health food for cats 6.6lb bag is $18.70. I would assume this sample to be a couple of ounces, and where it's less lbs than the dog, but more money, I'm going to go with a price of about $1.00 of course, I'm most likely very wrong. The cat treats are $9.53 for a 4lb bag...this definitely isn't even registering on my digital scale...so lets go $0.25 I don't even know... needless to say, I'll be sticking with my normal dog and cat food, this is way too expensive for 8 cats and 2 dogs...

Here is another sample from Cyndee Delong and Gold Canyon. This is a little tea light candle in Cherry Pie. The Cherry Pie candle, like Iced Caramel Macchiato, is part of their "Cafe" collection. This is one of the best smelling candles EVER. I can't get over it, I don't want to even burn it... :)

You can purchase sets of 9 Tealight Candles (Cherry Pie not included) for $6.98, making this sample $0.78



Next is the second candle melt from Melissa Love and Scandalicious Candle & Candle Melts. This one is in Butterfly Hugs and ironically, is of a butterfly! It's so cute, and smells wonderful. On her website it says Butterfly hugs "is a creative fresh blend of apple blossom, lily of the valley and rose petals". I love that it has Apple Blossom in it, I love the smell so much!

You can buy a set of 5 of these little butterfly melts for $2.00 making this 1 $0.40 

Next up is the second item from Martha Walters of Scent-Sations Love Your Life Team. This is a melt in "Nineteenth Hole" and yes...you guessed it, I couldn't find anything on the website of this. It does smell like the outdoors, which I love. I just don't like that I can't find anything on it :(

Once again, I'll throw a $1.50 tag on it.

Last but not least is a sample pot of The Tree Hugger Strawberry & Coconut Detox Body Scrub from Perfectly Posh by Michelle Boyd. I'm in LOVE with body scrubs, and this cute little packaging. This is an aggressive, natural, deep cleansing scrub featuring sea salt, strawberry seeds, coconut shreds and a blend of essential oils. I can't get over how cute this is!

You can purchase a 9 oz jar of this for $22.00! That's quite a bit! This isn't registering an ounce, so I'm going to say it's a half ounce making this sample $1.22 

Here is all of my stuff in the box!

TOTAL: $70.16 

Overall, I really really loved this box. I thought most things in the box were things I could actually use! Of course, the publications magazine, and the crochet sample I can't use. I love that it shines and shows some local and indie companies some light and introduces you to them where you'd never have really seen them before. One thing I really wish it had was more companies that weren't closed. There have been a couple sites and companies I would have actually looked into buying more from, like Sassy Wax R Us, but unfortunately their site is not working, and has been shut down. I think that some of the items in this box may have been a little older (not that I mind at all, I just wish their websites on the cards would have been updated to show they have gone out of business so I didn't get my hopes up!) For $30, you got your money back PLUS $40 worth of items! Awesome, considering the shipping cost must be a fortune. I really would love another box of My Dream Sample Box! It really was a dream to open :) I loved being introduced to new companies, and I will be keeping every business card that the box came with so I can use them later :)

Thank you to Ariel for sending this in my way! I really really enjoyed me...it was honestly so fun to open, and look through everything. I can't wait to purchase another box! :)