Birchbox Review

I've subscribed to Birchbox for more than a year now, and I must say, I love getting a little gift each month in the mail - it's like a little cutely wrapped birthday present filled with girly stuff.

For $10 (including shipping), you get a box with 4-5 deluxe beauty samples, plus a bonus, which may not be beauty related - I've gotten pretty greeting cards, granola, a fruit and nut bar, etc. When you purchase items through the site, you get a point per dollar you spend. You also get 50 points for referring others, plus 10 points for every product from your Birchbox that you review. Every 100 points = $10 off your purchase. Oh, and items from your box - if you decide to buy a full-size product - ship free!

Some months are definitely better than others, and I've had some duds - eyeliner stickers? Ick. This was a pretty good month, though - check it out:

Spring themed box!

5 products plus 1 bonus. From left to right - I Coloniali Deep Massage Body Cream with Myrrh (in a foil packet - this is the bonus), I Coloniali Invigorating Tibetan Shower Cream with Rhubarb (full size $29, sample size is 3.3 fl. oz), Miss Jessie's Quick Curls (full size $32, sample size is 2 fl oz), One Love Organics Waterless Beauty Balm (full size $68, sample size is .5oz), Color Club Nail Lacquer in Jackie Oh! (full size $8, sample size is .25 oz), and WEI Pomegranate Buffing beads (20 packets for $20, sample size is 1 packet).

All in all, I'm very pleased with this box. The hot pink nail polish feels very spring appropriate, and I'm hoping the Quick Curls cream can control my frizz. I'm also excited to try the shower cream after a tough workout! These are all nicely sized samples, too.

I give Birchbox a 7 on the Awesome Meter - I'm a fan. Although some boxes can be disappointing, I think the majority contain some great products, and it's a fun way to try out new beauty trends without shelling out a lot of money. Click here to enroll - remember, it's a subscription, so you'll be charged $10 per month, though it's easy to cancel.

Garlicky Goodness - Garlic Rocker Review

I absolutely love cooking, particularly Italian food. A key ingredient in many of the items I make is garlic. Now, don't judge, but after getting frustrated with garlic presses and sick of manually cutting the garlic into teeny pieces, we came up with a solution at our house. Peel garlic. Put a sheet of wax paper on top. Pound it to death with a hammer.

I SAID, don't judge!! It works, and it's a great way to get frustration out.

However, I came across a device the other day that has changed everything in the world of garlic smashing, which, granted, is a fairly small world.

May I introduce.... the garlic rocker.

Yeah, I don't like unitaskers, either, but this one is fairly small and well worth the space in your drawer if you frequently cook with garlic.

Just position a clove of garlic underneath, press down, and gently rock back and forth. The garlic comes out in neat little squares. The garlic doesn't get minced quite as small as it might in a traditional garlic press, but it works fine for me. It requires little effort and is very easy to clean - it's also dishwasher safe! Not only that, it's made of stainless steel, so it resists the garlic odor. You can also rub your hands on it to remove the odor from your skin. Amazing!

This little sucker has made cooking with garlic much easier. I bought mine at Vat19.com because I found a coupon over at (where else) RetailMeNot that gave me $5 off my purchase. Psst - use code "cookie" (no quotes) to get $5 off your $15 Vat19 purchase through 3/3/12. It's also available through Amazon, where you can score free shipping if you're a prime member. Without discounts, it costs about $15.

9 on the awesome meter. Great product at an affordable price!