Hydraluxe Always Cool Gel Pillow Review / OpenSky

It's been so hot here the past few weeks.  It's finally cooling off, but there's always that threat of the temperature skyrocketing for no good reason, even in October.  This was an especially hot summer, and I had issues getting comfortable at night.  I was constantly seeking the cool side of the pillow... and then I saw this product, the Hydraluxe Always Cool Gel Pillow.

It's a memory foam pillow with a layer of cooling gel.  Somehow, I was fascinated by this idea and had to try it.  I managed to finagle a credit on OpenSky, which made the pillow much cheaper than anywhere else online, so I decided to give it a shot.  My husband made fun of me; he thought the idea of the pillow was pretty silly, as was my extreme excitement for it.

They say the pillow will have a slightly chemical smell when you first get it that will dissipate if you air it out for a day or two, but I didn't notice it at all and began using the pillow immediately. You guys... it's a game changer.  Though the picture shows the bubble pattern prominently, it actually comes wrapped in a satin-like fabric that covers the bubbles, plus a white, thin pillowcase piped in your chosen color, so you don't really see the bubbles.  They recommend you use the pillowcase for maximum effect.  Only one side has the gel.

It really is pleasantly cool!  I have no idea how it works.  It stays cool for a few hours, after which your body heat warms it up.  However, if you shift to another section of the pillow, you'll get the cool sensation all over again - when I wake up, the center of the pillow is generally room temperature, but I can move to either side to get more glorious cooling action.  I love it; the memory foam is comfortable and supportive like no pillow I've had before.  If I want it to "cool down," I just let it sit for maybe half an hour, and it's cool again.  And guess what - my husband loves it, too, and has begun stealing it.  Because he apologized for calling it silly, I bought him his own.

OpenSky is a members-only shopping site, but to be a member, you just need an email address.  I recommend using a secondary email, because they email you a TON.  They have celebrity curated collections, and you can choose who to follow.  They also have a semi-complicated reward structure that allows you to earn free shipping and coupons.  I've bought the pillows and a cute purse off OpenSky and had a very pleasant experience; their prices can't be beat, even though I always double check before purchasing anything!

You can buy the Hydraluxe Always Cool Pillow on OpenSky.  Sign up using my affiliate link, and you'll get a $20 gift certificate, which makes the pillow $35.  It retails for $140 (in a bizarro world where you'd pay full retail), and can be found on OpenSky for $55 (before your awesome discount, of course).  It comes in 4 colors and 2 patterns; when the pink is in stock, a portion of your purchase goes to Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  And they make a mattress pad, too, though I dunno if I can drop $300 on that!

The Hydraluxe Always Cool Gel Pillow gets an 8 out of 10 on the Awesome Meter.  If it stayed cool all night long, it'd be a 10!  I think this would be a great holiday gift, too.  And as a bonus, they just introduced the his-and-hers set - it's exclusive to Open Sky and allows you to get a pink and a blue (or two pink, or two blue) pillow(s) for $99 (or $79 after your discount!).

*Note - All views are my own.  I am not compensated in any way for these reviews - I'm just trying to help you find awesome stuff!

October 2012 Birchbox - Goop Review!

Goop goop bedoop!

When I heard that Birchbox was doing a collaboration with Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop.com, I figured I'd opt into it.  I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of Goop; I've looked at it before, and it just seemed very focused on expensive and pretentious things.  Seriously, have you heard Gwyneth fawn over the fact that her kids like vegetables?  I mean, barf me.  And they can only watch TV in French or Spanish?  Good luck with that.  Anyway, they have some recipes, too, but they're a bit too fussy for me.  Oh, and they sell stuff, but today's main item is simple gold hoop earrings for $795.  It's not gonna happen, Gwenny.  Sorry.  However, the collaboration Birchboxes always seem somewhat better than the regular ones, and since Goop specializes in upscale stuff I can't afford, I figured maybe I'd get a little taste of it.

I've gotten off-track.  Let me show you what I got this time around.  I'm actually very pleased with it!

Ooh la la!

First up is a full-sized Essie nail polish, the Goop pick (is it just me, or does the thought of a "goop pick" make you think about Gwyneth digging for nose gold? No? Just me? Okay then).  I've gotten a lot of polishes since starting up with Birchbox, which is great because I hate buying them.  I've yet to use an entire bottle of polish.  Since I've been getting all these samples, though, I've probably saved a lot of money in manicures! This dark red is definitely classic and will work for fall and winter, and once my current gel nails are off, I'll give it a go. Full size: $8.

Next is a tiny vial (5 ml) of Joanna Vargas Daily Serum, which promises to brighten your skin with various vitamins.  My skin is mega dry right now thanks to a nasty cold, so I'm looking forward to trying it.  Full size: $85.

Next, Marie Veronique Organics Body Oil in an adorable itty bitty jar.  It has a vaguely fruity smell and is meant for use on skin, not hair.  I have been getting a ton of oils from Birchbox, and while I don't mind them, I hardly ever use them in their entirety.  I find it really hard to get the oil out of the jar or bottle - there's never a pump or easy way to dispense it!  Full size: $36 (and the full size DOES have a pump, huzzah!)

There is also a Sprout Lip Balm in Cocoa.  These come in a pack of 4 and are all-natural.  I slicked this on as soon as I opened the box - my lips are majorly chapped, again, from that icky cold, and the balm offered relief.  It goes on soft and smooth and isn't at all waxy or sticky.  After one application, my lips felt much better.  It doesn't have much of a smell - is it meant to be chocolate?  Or is it just cocoa butter?  Unclear!  The other "flavors" are cinnamon, peppermint, and citrus, all of which sound appealing to me.  You can get a pack of 4 for $18.

Lastly, I received a Luna Bar in Lemon Zest.  I do like Luna Bars, or, as I call them, lady bars, but I'm not a lemon fan.  Nope, not lemon meringue, lemon bars, or lemon cake.  I'll probably give this a try anyway, but I can tell you that I love the caramel nut brownie and peppermint stick flavors!!  Nom.  This is the "extra," and you can buy 15 for $18.75 via the Birchbox site.

Not a bad haul, I'd say!  I definitely think I got my money's worth this time around and will continue to subscribe to Birchbox.

You can use my referral link to subscribe to Birchbox, too - $10 per month, and you earn Birchbox points - redeemable for products in their store - for every item you review and everything you buy!  I've gotten lots of free or mega-discounted products by vigilantly reviewing everything I get and saving up my points for a beauty splurge!