Author Archives: kenziedegen

What’s on my… August 2nd!

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Hi lovelies! I hope you’ve been enjoying my posts for the month of July, and I still have a few left that just arrived this last week of the month! I have a feeling August is also going to be a busy, but productive month!


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Now, onto the good stuff…

What’s on my Mind?

This one’s going to be long.

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(Sorry for the blurry picture, but it was the first one I could find that showed Ozzy!)

First off, Kevin’s dog Ozzy, a chocolate lab unfortunately had to be put down Wednesday night, which is sad enough news. Worse, is that his other dog, Rocky, a chubby little pug has been sitting and crying at the door and window all day waiting for him to come home. That was his best bud for about 10 years, so he’s not taking it well, and it’s just so sad to see.

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Next up, I’m really confused about what’s going on with FabFitFun. I was in contact with an employee who was offering Summer boxes to certain bloggers and affiliates, and continued to send out e-mail reminders like that they would be shipping out soon, sneak-peeks etc., not your normal e-blast e-mails.  And I continued to stay in contact, and patiently waited to see if I would be receiving my box. So now, I’m guessing not? It did state that if you didn’t get one this season, you would be getting the next one (Fall), however I have yet to hear back from them or have any e-mails answered. Fingers crossed something positive happens…

I’m also possibly getting boxes from Beauty Box 5 and Splendies, but it wasn’t a definite answer. I think I’ll need to follow up with them and see if I should be expecting August boxes!

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What’s on my Subscription List?

If you look at my archives or previous entries, you’ll see that there are certain boxes I get every month, and every once in a while I either decide to sign up for a new subscription, or have a company gracious enough to send me a complimentary or reduced-price box for reviewing! So far, here are the new companies I will be featuring for the next two months:

SkoshBox, Splendies, KlutchClub, Goodies Co., Graze (FINALLY GOT A CODE!), Allure Beauty Box, Beauty Box 5, The INN Box (by Inzuri) & The Pleasure Pantry.

What Else is Happening:

I hope you all won’t be too upset with me that I’ll be posting my last few July boxes this week, but I won’t be getting any new boxes until next week so I need something to hold me over. 🙂

Plus, I’m sure you’ll love to see what’s in these!

I also have a GIVEAWAY for an 8-pack of NibNaks snacks, which have been featured in past Taste Trunk and Juniper boxes! If you enjoyed your dried fruit blends then, why not enter to possibly win some free ones? They’re low calorie, additive free and delicious!

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xo, Kenzie

GlossyBox ~ July 2013

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Enter my NibNaks Giveaway on Rafflecopter Here!

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GlossyBox is one of my favorite beauty boxes, HANDS DOWN. I would probably be one of the best salespeople for them because I pay full price every month ($21) and always have positive comments which I share with friends and readers. I mean, like every box, there can be a hit and miss, but I would have to say I always use and adore 4/5 of the products. The only complaint I think I have is that I’m apparently the last person to recieve their box. While some reviewers had their posts up 6+ days ago, mine literally arrived on Saturday.

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Anyway… their theme this month was Le Grand Bleu, which I think is appropriate for July/Summer.  If you remember from my June review, you know I LOVE their packaging. Serious effort taken into consideration. A simple light pink box, with all the items inside wrapped up like a present in pink ribbon, all wrapped up again with black tissue paper!

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On top of all the items was the information card which revealed the theme and showed all of the items included in this month’s box. What I like about GlossyBox is that you always get the same thing as every other subscriber. While I do enjoy customized boxes and believe that they’re great, sometimes I get jealous when someone gets a different, ‘better’ color nail polish than me, or a beach surf spray rather than a volumizing hair spray.

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So here you can see all 6 items, ranging from bath products to haircare and beauty/makeup! I had already seen two spoilers and so I knew I would be receiving the Fig & Rouge Gloss, which I was pumped about, as well as a Deep Conditioning Brazillian Blowout Masque.

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So here is the Fig & Rouge tube of 100% natural Lip Balm in Cherry Blossom. Their packaging (can you tell what I notice first!?) is awesome- I just love the bright summery colors, and that they use a unique little tube rather than a typical chapstick or pot of balm. I’m definitely keeping and using this product… and I can say I most likely will be purchasing it when I run out!

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Next up is the Brazillian Blowout Acai Deep Conditioning Masque, a creamy rich, intense conditioning formula that reconstructs, strengthens and smoothes the hair. This is perfect for the summertime because of all the damage from the sun and chlorine. I can’t wait to test it out, and hopefully it’ll repair my split ends.

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I’m not a huge fan of royal blue-shades, however I love this cute little bottle of Nails Inc. London polish! Nails Inc. London is actually a pretty big-name company, selling their products at luxuy beauty stores like Sephora. This color is called Baker Street, a solid cream royal blue shade, that is bold and attention grabbing. I’m contemplating if I want to test it out on myself or gift it to a friend.

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I was a tad confused between Bulgari and Bvlgari at first (two diff. brands) but once I looked into the brand and saw all the raving reviews, I was like woah, I’ve been missing out! The smell is great- a simple floral scent reminding me of roses and very old-fashioned. I can’t wait to try it out and see if it works for either my hair or as bodywash.

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Next up are these Makeup Cleansing Tissues from Absolute! which thoroughly removes eye-liner, shadow, lipstick, blush and even waterproof mascara without skin irritation.  They come in a nice citrus-y scent as they have vitamin C extract! While I have never tried this brand before, I am a fan of my varieties of face wipes out there so far. I will have multiple uses for this: refreshing after the gym, removing makeup with ease, cleansing my face on a hot day, etc…

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Finally, I recieved this tube of Evologie Intensive Blemish Serum. I believe this is sample-size, as compared to the sizing and pricing I’ve seen online, but I’m not totally sure. While I wish it was full-size because of the raving reviews I’ve heard about it, I’m pretty excited just to have recieved it and be able to test it out. It is a Doctor developed, patent pending, formulation that deeply penetrates the skin to quickly clear blemishes at the source. Trust me, I’ve heard this claim before from various treatments, but am hoping it really works in less than 2 days! Wish me luck testing it out.

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My favorite items in the July 2013 GlossyBox have to be the Fig & Rouge Lip Balm, Acai Deep Conditioning Masque and the Citrus Face Cleansing wipes from Asbolute! What do you all think of the box? I have my fingers crossed that next month will have a lipstick and mascara!

Interested in signing up? Click here and use the code SUMMER for a free OPI nail polish or JULYMAG for 15% Off a 3, 6 or 12 month subscription!

xo, Kenzie

BlackBox by Cult ~ July 2013

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~ Enter my NibNaks Giveaway Here! ~ For the longest time, I was getting acrylic tips done at the nail salon and so I could not properly enjoy doing my nails myself… until now! I got in touch with the … Continue reading →

MunchIt ~ July 2013

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~ Enter my NibNaks Snack Pack Giveaway Here ~
 

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As I casually snack on the delicious Banana Split trail mix provided to me by MunchIt, I already know I have found a good-quality company that believes in simplicity and affordability! What is MunchIt? A brand-new subscription box company that sends out weekly snack packs every Wednesday (cute little boxes with real stamps on them!) containing 1 snack that has 2 servings, 1 tea either hot or cold brew, 1 pack of gum and 1 candy.

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Best of all, you get to put in your preferences! Hate dried fruit? You can check off all the boxes that are fruit-free. Like Minty tea? You can also opt for one of the many options that they have to offer! For me, I mentioned my adoration for sweets: I prefer mixes with fruit, chocolate and nuts over something really salty or savory like dried veggies or nut-only mixes. Now before you go crazy on me and say “but there’s bananas in it!” (if you know I’m not a fan of bananas…) the one thing I actually can eat and enjoy are banana chips! It’s something about the texture and not-overpowering flavor.

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So if you take a closer look, you’ll see this cute carton is called Banana Split and is a mix of dried banana coins, butter toffee almonds and honey roasted peanuts! That sounds like a great combination to me, as it combines the sweet of the toffee, honey and banana with the nutrition and health of almonds and peanuts. After tasting it, it’s funny to say the nuts are sweeter than the bananas. I definitely think the bananas need a splash of something: sugar, salt, cinnamon, I’m not too sure what! But besides that, it is delectable. The nutritional info is on the back of each package, so this one weighs in at 170 calories per serving, which as they say, is just about the equivalent of a little candy bar. I’d definitely choose this mix and tea over a candy bar!

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It’s like they read my mind by sending the cold brew tea instead of a normal hot tea. I mentioned that I liked almost all kinds and really have a love for green or fruity teas. This is perfect for a hot summer day so I can brew it in 1-2-3 without waiting around for it to cool down. I’m also already a fan of Twinings, which in my mind is a pretty good brand.

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A little pack of Glee sugar-free mint gum also came as promised, perfect pocket-size and kinda reminded me of a pack of matches just by the little box and case. I will definitely keep this in my car or bag as a go-to whenever I need to freshen my breath!

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And of course, a candy! This sour apple organic hard candy by Go Naturally is actually a throw-back for me! I recieved 2 different flavors in my first Love With Food package in June and thought it tasted great. I almost wish they tossed 2 of them in!

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Finally, I loved this card! They include a cute little business-card sized Thank You card had their contact information and details on one side, and then this cute animated squirrel cartoon on the other. Just a unique little touch!

Has anyone else signed up for MunchIt? It’s only $3.58 per week! WHAT!? Yeah, really! That includes shipping too. The only downside is that they only currently only deliver to Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Maryland,New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC and West Virginia. However, they are working on expanding! And they’re smart enough not to ship chocolate in the middle of a heat wave.

I’m definitely going to give it another round and see the other snack options they have to offer and compare them to other food subscriptions I’ve either been receiving or looking into like Nature Box, Love With Food, Graze, Goodies Co, etc. If you want to give it a try, sign up here. I have my fingers crossed for either: 4th of July or the Red Eye snack blend, with another fruity tea in tow!

xo, Kenzie

*I recieved this complimentary box for reviewing purposes*

NibNaks ~ Review and GIVEAWAY!!! Enter NOW! Ends 8/22!

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For those of you who may or may not remember, I recieved a package of “Under the Boardwalk” NibNaks healthy snacks in my Juniper box in June this year! (click here to see my review) Since I loved them so much: the combination of flavors of dried pineapple, mango and banana, along with the health-conscious ingredients and lack of additives, Marta da Camara found my blog and asked me to review the whole collection of products, PLUS host a GIVEAWAY (all the way at the bottom of the post! Keep reading! xo)

Marta de Camara is the founder of NibNaks, a company that believes “Eating healthily all of the time can be hard work, especially if you’re not used to doing it, but small changes to your diet, can make all of the difference. By consuming more natural, wholesome ingredients such as dried fruit, nuts and seeds, you’ll have increased energy and help your digestive system stay in tune.  We’ve worked out the best portion serving size and carefully by hand weight each ingredient to get the right balance – a snack is enough to satisfy and keep you feeling full and avoid temptations for a bag of cookies.”

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In terms of quality and ingredients: NibNaks are all low-calorie, and contain no added sugar, no preservatives, are high in fiber and a good source of vitamins and minerals. PLUS for those of you with food allergies or who have to watch what you eat, they are also gluten-free!

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Each variety has such a unique name like this one: Crancherry Tart, which is a combination of dried cherries, cranberries and natural almonds! Each package is 1 serving size, this one weighing in at 168 calories. Now you’re probably thinking this is high- HOWEVER almonds are beneficial to the human body in so many ways: they lower bad cholesteral, build strong bones and teeth, they provide healthy fats and so much more. Plus this mix if a good combo of sweet and nutty, chewy and crunchy!

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Apple Cosmo is a pure-fruit mixture, made up of dried apple rings, raisins and cherries, and weighs in at only 90 calories, woohoo! This combo of flavors and fibers is definitely one of my favorites. They are just sweet enough without additives, and the perfect snacking size for when you need a pick-me-up.

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I was really excited to try this blend called Sundance because of the chocolate covered sunflower seeds! While the chocolate and seeds do up the calorie count a bit more than the fruit-only blends (140 calories), I think this is the perfect combo of chocolately, salty and sweet due to the raisings and dried mango pieces. It really hits the spot and curbs every craving.

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Under the Boardwalk was the first flavor that I have tried and still is one of the best! While I’m not a huge fan of banana (just the flavor in general, regardless of if it is dried, blended, mushy, etc) I absolutely adore tropical fruit and so I think the combo of dried mango and pineapple is perfect! I would definitely choose dried fruits (only 90 cals) like these over sugar gummy bears because they taste just as good and don’t give you that sugar crash later on.

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Lastly we have Aloha, which is a blend of dried Pineapple, Banana and Raisins and weighs in at only 80 calories! This combo is a bit sweet and tropical, while also having that bite from the raisins. Chock-full of fiber and healthy no-additive ingredients, Aloha is definitely the ‘lightest’ blend of the bunch. Like the others mentioned before, I love dried pineapple and raisins so I will definitely enjoy this bag as well, and pass my bananas onto Kevin!

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If you visit their website, you can learn all about their story and the different package options that they have to offer. You can easily order online and get “The Fan” which contains 1 of each 5 flavors, an “8-Pack” of your favorite flavor (which is what I’m giving away!!!), The Foodie for $39.95 (20 packs), The Family for $59.95 (30 packs) or finally, the “Just Fruit” for $59.95 (30 of Fruit-Only Packs)

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I absolutely loved NibNaks and I think you will too! NOW, not only do I have this GIVEAWAY for you on my blog and their Facebook, but you can also sign up for the NibNaks e-newsletter (sign up on their homepage) and get $5 off your first order from their website! 

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You know you want to… ENTER THE NIBNAKS & STYLISH IN SUBURBIA GIVEAWAY HERE

Giveaway closes at midnight on August 22, and Winner will be revealed the following day!

xo, Kenzie

JackedPack ~ July 2013

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I loved last month’s JackedPack and so I decided to not only continue my subscription, but to upgrade it to a JackedPack “Custom” box (normally $30, but got it half off, woohoo!) which not only includes the original round of samples (plus I think a few more!) but also a deluxe sample with 7-14-servings of an item of your choosing. While you can’t pick the actual brand, product or flavor, you do get to choose the category of your deluxe item: a pre-workout, post-workout, protein, fat burner or ‘mix-it-up’ option to surprise you.

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Here’s the entire package dumped out on my table so you can see everything! I liked that for some samples, they either gave you two different products from the same brand, or duplicates of samples so you can test them out more than once. You can also slightly see my deluxe sample in the back-right corner!

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They always include a clever info card that has a theme on the front, like this month’s 4th of July “We want YOU to hit the gym” image, along with the details about the different products included. Now.. onto the samples!

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I received two VPX Life Lift Cinnamon Buns Ablaze bars, which sound DELICIOUS to me. I like most protein bars that are either chocolate, peanut butter or cookie-flavored, so I’m definitely feeling these. They are sugar-free and packed with 20g of protein, however they also have 20g of carbs and an average calorie count for a protein bar (~200) so they would be ‘inbetween’ a meal and snack for me.

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BSN is a well-known workout supplement brand and so I was really happy to see it in this package.

I’ve been interested in trying Syntha-6 Isolate (protein powder) for a while due to not only it’s awesome combination of ingredients, low carb-count and quality, but also it’s flavors! It comes in chocolate cake batter, choc. chip cookie dough and peanut butter chocolate. Serious chocolate overload.

The other BSN product is called Nitrix 2.0, an advanced strength nitric oxide precursor formulas, designed to support pumps, endurance and performance. You can take it prior to working out, as well as afterward, depending on how your body reacts with it.

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Cellucor is another well-known brand which I am excited to try out! I got two samples of Cellucor Super HD, a high0def weight-loss supplement that is supposed to help burn fat, tone and increase energy. Only downside is that each pack only contained 1 capsule, whereas I’d like to have at least 2 full days worth.

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Beast Sports Nutrition has a product called Creature, which is a creatine complex to help with muscle growth and strength, as well as recovery. I may give it a try or pass it on to Kevin, we’ll see!

Next up is Pump-HD a pre-workout muscle builder by BPI Sports filled with stimulates, amino acids and electrolytes. I

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VPX 12-Gauge Shotgun is supposed to “deliver the extreme mental acuity and intense energy required for explosive workouts in the gym and on the field.” It is a pre-workout formula that not only gives you energy, but also is supposed to pump your muscles and increase stimulation and strength. When reading about the product, they make it sound so intense I’m almost scared to try it out!

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Now here is my deluxe sample! I asked for a pre-workout, and while I’m sad it’s not MusclePharm or Cellucor (brands I know I love) I am willing to give this new product a try! While trying to do some research on the product, I was a little confused as RSP Nutrition Fast Fuel comes in this black and fire-colored bottle, however it also comes in a white and blue ice-y looking bottle too. I’m not sure if it’s a different type or if they had some re-branding done. Anyway, their claim is “Fast Fuel is supposed to give you the energy you need for your workouts and the complete nutritional profile to endure and maximize every training session or competition. Fast Fuel’s proprietary Energy and Intensity Matrix immediately activates your body’s central nervous system and muscle fibers with a unique blend of pump-intensifying Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate and energy-boosting B-vitamins, L-Tyrosine, Taurine and Caffeine.” Sounds good to me! Let’s get to working out already!

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Has anyone else tried JackedPack? If so, let me know what your favorite products were so I can compare them to the ones I’ve recieved so far. I’m really excited to try my deluxe pre-workout, as well as sample the different products from Life Lift Cinnamon Bun bars to the various recovery formulas. I hope next month includes a protein powder sample in a new fun flavor (like birthday cake or peanut butter cookie dough.. mmmm) however I’m very happy with this pack!

Get your first JackedPack “Heavyweight” Box for FREE (normally $14.50, just pay small shipping fee) by using THIS LINK, a “Custom” Pack for half price (normally $29.50) by using code CUSTOMDEAL or 50% off their biggest pack using 50OFFXXL (normally $49.50)

xo, Kenzie

BuluBox Weight Loss ~ July 2013

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So this is my second month of recieving BuluBox (the Weight Loss box option) and they accidentally sent me two boxes, since I signed up for a 3-month subscription and it didn’t cancel out my monthly. Good thing I liked a few of the items in the box, however a few will get passed on as well. BuluBox is a combination box of health, wellness and fitness. What I like is that they try to provide some snacking options while also workout supplements or dietary products.

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On top of all the products are the fact sheets/info cards which explain the different products included, as well as their monthly theme.

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Here’s a quick picture of all the items included! You can see there is an interesting variety and mixture of snacks (PowerBar energy packs and Total Soy Protein shake mix) along with supplements (like Shortcutz and Vivavin).

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First up is the Performance Energy Blend by PowerBar, which came in two different flavors. I apologize for the glare, but it’s from the type of packaging! This fruit-based energy pack came in Apple-Mango-Strawberry as well as Banana-Blueberry. Well, for those of you who know my feeling about bananas (i.e. not a fan of Banana Jam from Taste Trunk, even though I loved everything else!) you know I’ll most likely pass this on to Kevin. The Apple-Mango-Strawberry, however, will definitely come in handy either pre-workout or when I need a pick-me-up at work.

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I love protein powder and protein shakes! Especially chocolate!!! So I’m definitely pumped to try out the Naturade Total Soy meal replacement shake. However, I’ve heard it’s not the best to go all-soy in terms of protein (basically can counteract contraceptive pills and throw off your body if you’re not used to so much soy) so I think I’ll be having these in between my regular Optimum Whey Nutrition ones. This meal replacement is lactose and gluten-free which is good for those with allergies, however I will most likely be making it with skim milk or almond milk.

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Shortcutz is a thermogenic combination of CLA, raspberry ketones and taurine. I’ve had many energy drinks with Taurine in it, and currently take CLA (oil pill supplements) and tried out Raspberry Ketones before so I’m willing to give this a try. Anyone have any success with it so far?

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These cute little individual mints and gums are made by Zellies and are supposed to freshen your breath and give you healthier teeth, so I think I’ll give them a try!

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Vivarin is a caffeine alertness aid, which I definitely could have used back in college (ugh, if only I knew). However, now I usually get my energy and alertness from a combination of coffee, tea and energy/pre-workout supplements. I’ll probably pass this along to a friend in grad school who will be needing it during midterms and finals time!

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All in all, this was not my favorite month of BuluBox Weight Loss, however it did have a few things I liked. There’s a card for DailyBurn, the Total Soy meal replacement and gum that I’m interested in, while I’ll probably pass on the Vivarin and PowerBar Banana pack. I’m really hoping next month is a little better, as I looved the protein pancake mix from my June box.

PLUS! There are a lot of sales going on right now for 50% off a 6-month or 12-month subscription if you check out Plum District or BuluBox.com.

xo, Kenzie