Monday, December 07, 2015

Love With Food Monthly Subscription Box - Tasting, Gluten-Free + Deluxe | Review

Hey everyone! I'm back with a review on Love With Food - a monthly subscription box delivered to your door filled with healthy all natural, gluten-free and/or organic snacks and foods for as low as $27 (with a three month subscription). This is great for those that are looking for a healthy alternative in the New Year!

And what's better than a company with a cause? Love With Food donates a meal to a food bank in the US for each month you're a member!

You can choose from three options: 
  • The Tasting Box - which is filled with 8-12 new snacks that are either organic or all-natural, GMO-free, gluten-free or free of artificial stuff.
  • The Deluxe Box - which is filled with 16-20 new snacks that are either organic or all-natural, GMO-free, gluten-free or free of artificial stuff. This box also donates two meals to a food bank.
  • The Gluten-Free Box - which is filled with 10-15 gluten-free snacks that are either organic or all-natural, GMO-free, gluten-free or free of artificial stuff. This box also donates two meals to a food bank.


Let's see what was in this month's boxes! Starting with the Tasting Box:
What's inside the box?
  • Back to Nature Honey Graham Sticks
  • Sheila G.'s Brownie Brittle (in Salted Caramel)
  • David's Tea (two tea packets inside)
  • Dirty Sweet Potato Chips
  • Biscoff Biscuits
  • Chocolatiere Monbana
  • Bello Rustico Tocchetti Sesame Bread Sticks
  • Maui Whites Natural Cane Sugar
My absolute favorites in this box were the Sheila G.'s Brownie Brittle and the Dirty Sweet Potato Chips. My son went absolutely crazy over the Back To Nature Honey Graham Sticks!

What's in the gluten-free box?
What's inside the box?
  • CookSimple White Bean Sante Fe Chili
  • Hillside Candy Organic Apple Hard Candies
  • PopChips Crazy Hot Potato Chips
  • Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps
  • Bare Simply Toasted Crunchy Coconut Chips
  • One Potato, Two Potato Hawaiian BBQ Chips
  • Bonta d'Italia Gluten-Free Penne
  • Brothers All-Natural Fruit Crisps - Fuji Apple
  • True Orange/Lime Cold-Pressed and Crystallized Sugar
This box was amazingggggg! My fiance, son and I loved the Pretzel Crisps, the organic apple hard candies and the Apple Crisps (buying more as we speak!). I also wasn't hating all the different types of chips in the box because I'm a total potato chip snacker. The PopChips were so good.

Lastly, the Deluxe Box:
What's inside the box?
  • Dirty Sweet Potato Chips
  • David's Tea
  • Back To Nature Honey Graham Sticks
  • Sheila G.'s Brownie Brittle (in Salted Caramel)
  • Snappers Up Your Snack Game & Ooh La La
  • Maui Whites Natural Cane Sugar
  • Biscoff Biscuits
  • 18 Rabbits Organic Granola Bar in Caramel Apple
  • Bello Rustico Tocchetti Sesame Bread Sticks
  • Dilettante Raspberry Chocolates
  • Chocolatiere Monbana
  • 479 Pumpkin Praline Popcorn
The snack that stole the show was hands down the 479 Pumpkin Praline Popcorn. I have never tasted something so amazing in my entire life. I won't even share, guys, that's how good it is. Close runner ups were the Biscoff Biscuits and the Dilettante Raspberry Chocolates.


Overall: I think this is such a great monthly box to subscribe to! If you're looking to get healthy in the upcoming New Year, this is perfect! You'll have yummy, healthy snacks coming straight to your door! The box offers a lot of foods I probably would've never thought to try but really actually enjoyed. 

Love With Food - Buy
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Sunday, December 06, 2015

Collab | Winter Sleigh Bells

Hey dolls! If you follow me on Instagram (@xonoelle - let's be friends!), you'll have seen my little sneak peek on this post. A few weeks ago, I e-mailed a few girls I follow on Instagram and on a whim, asked them to collab on a makeup look with me. I was totally surprised (and excited!) that they all e-mailed me back and said, "yes!". So for the past few weeks, we've been going back and forth with ideas and themes and came up with a really awesome one - wearable looks for different seasons! 

My season is winter and I was inspired by silver sleigh bells!

  • Face: I started by adding moisture to my face with the Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer. Then I mixed MURAD Blur Shield with my CoverFX Custom Cover Drops (in N25) and applied with a stippling brush. I really like these two together but I'm still mixing the drops with different bases to see which I like the most. For concealer, I used It Cosmetics CC+ Concealer (in fair) and set that with Smashbox Photo Set Setting Powder. Bronzer and contour from the Smashbox Master Class 3 Palette. Blush is The Balm Frat Boy.
  • Eyes: From the Kat Von D Chrysalis Palette - Graphic Nature on the inner and outer lid, Melancholia patted in the middle, Black Milk in the crease. Lunar Light in the inner corner. Graphic Nature + Melancholia on the lower lid, blended out. Jordana Extreme Lash for mascara (LOVE!)
  • Lips: Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Exorcism
  • Brows: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Brunette
Make sure to check out the rest of the looks inspired by the seasons on my IG - @xonoelle!
Thursday, December 03, 2015

Holiday Party Survival Guide with Ulta Beauty + People StyleWatch

This post is sponsored by Ulta Beauty + People StyleWatch. 
|| #UltraTrendAlert #StyleHunters4Ulta


Can you believe it? The holidays are officially upon us! Who's ready to party!? Whether you're hosting your own or attending a few, as always, your girl has got you covered to help survive the holiday parties with a guide of my favorite beauty products. From kisses under the mistletoe to preventing flashback in photos to getting that stain out of your skirt - quick!, it's all here:

Tip #1: Let's take a selfie! Make sure you look your best all night long with a great primer, foundation and finishing powder that doesn't have a white cast with flash photography.

My favorite primer is Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water ($32). It's very lightweight and creates a nice, smooth, long-lasting base for your foundation. Honestly, any of Smashbox's Photo Finish primers are amazing for photography in general. The primers also come in a variety of different types (light, pore-minimizing, color correcting, etc.) for different skin types and needs.

My favorite foundation for flash photography is Stila Stay All Day Foundation ($44). The best thing about this full-coverage foundation is that it lasts all day (and night!) long without budging, caking up or creasing all the while still looking fab in flash photography. When looking for a foundation that won't give you a flashback, look at the ingredients and make sure to stay clear from foundations containing "titanium dioxide" and "zinc oxide".

Lastly, you'll need to use a finishing powder to set your foundation! Most powders contain mica or silca that can reflect light and bounce it back at the camera, causing the dreaded flashback. I found a great finishing powder is the Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder ($34) in your coordinating skin color. I'm a huge fan of Tarte's Amazonian Clay collection and found that this was no exception. It's so silky smooth and doesn't crease throughout the day and night. The transparent setting powder from Tarte is also great as well but I recommend using just a little and then setting with a setting spray. With any "transparent" setting powder, it's always a good idea to wet the powder so it doesn't reflect light back at the camera, just in case.

Tip #2: Prep your lips for a night full of action - whether it's under the mistletoe or getting seconds from the food table (I'm the latter!). To get smooth, soft lips, I like to exfoliate my lips while getting ready!

Just rub the lip scrub on your lips before getting ready for the night. Once you're done with your makeup, rub your lips together one last time and then wipe off. Your lips should be nice and smooth! Using an exfoliant is also great when you're wearing a matte lipstick as it gets rid of the dryness that matte lipsticks love hold onto, creating a crumbly look and feel. My favorite lip scrub is the Tony Moly Kiss Kiss Lip Scrub ($9.99). I mean, how cute is that packaging!?

Tip #3: When looking for a lipstick that'll last all night long, I always think of the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipsticks ($24). The colors are so gorgeous and smooth on the lips. I never experienced bleeding or feathering, even going into the wee hours of the night. My favorite colors are Beso (a bright red) and Pantina (a dusty nude mauve)!

PS. These babies don't transfer on contact, if you catch my drift! ;)

Tip #4: Looking to rock curls or waves for the night? Sometimes they're hard to hold - literally! Without the proper hot tools and sprays, my hair is dunzo and pin straight by the end of the night. SO frustrating! My favorite hot tool for waves and curls is the Beachwaver Co. Beachwaver S1 ($129). Not only does this curler basically do all the work for me but it cuts my getting ready time in half! For even longer lasting powder, once you release your curl, pin it to your head with a bobby pin to cool.

Don't forget hair spray! My fave for a great hold that'll last all night but won't give you a crunchy or heavy feel on your hair is the RUSK W8less Shaping and Control Hairspray ($13.50)!


Tip #5: It happens. We're in a rush getting ready and - blamo! - liner on our favorite shirt! My favorite stain remover? Simple Cleansing Micellar Water ($7.99)! Not only does it get makeup off our faces (and does a killer job, at that!) but it's also a great stain remover. It's tough enough to get the stain out but gentle enough that it won't ruin your clothes. Just take a cotton ball, saturate it with the Micellar Water and place on the stain. Try to dab or (very!) gently rub. It should take it right out!

Note: Please use your own discretion when using this to remove a stain. While I don't think it would ever do harm to it, always test a little before using it full-on.

 Tip #6: The best way to survive a holiday party? Relax! I'm known for freaking out before a big party and have noticed that even little things can seem big when in reality if I remain calm, it's not that bad.

A few hours before the party starts, take a bath (or shower) and just slowwww down and take a deep breath before everyone gets there. A fab bubble bath that'll that'll get you in the holiday spirit is the Philosophy Vanilla Bean, Nutmeg Shampoo, Shower Gel and Bubble Bath ($18)! This smells ah-mazing, guys!

Tip #7: Keep a few of these in your bag for quick clean ups! Maybe you forgot to wear waterproof mascara and have been crying from laughter. Or maybe your gloss smudged. ULTA Beauty Double Tipped Cotton Swabs ($1.99) to the rescue! They can get in tight areas (like your lower lash line or lip line) to wipe away smudges without ruining the rest of your look.

Tip #8: Shots, shots, shots! Girllll, the morning after, you're going to need these (and maybe some asprin)! The SKYN Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels ($30) are amazing at de-puffing the under eye area! They also help firm and reduce fine lines so it's really a win/win/! Sit back, relax and pop these babies on.

Alrighty, my loves. I hope I've helped you with some great tips on how to survive holiday parties! Have lots and lots of fun, remain calm, be safe and make sure to bookmark this post in case anything pops up! ;)

You can find all of these products at your local Ulta Beauty or Ulta.com!

This post is sponsored by Ulta Beauty + People StyleWatch.