Curly Hair Care

Hello lovelies,

Growing up I used to hate my hair. As many of you ladies know brushing and combing probably involved a lot of screaming, yelling and crying for some of you. Me especially, I have curly hair and growing up I hated it. I ended up cutting it super short in grade 4 when I ended up catching head lice and kept it short for a long time because I didn`t have to maintain it. As I grew older I started letting it grow out. I unfortunately didn`t know how to take care of my own hair because I never had too. Since I didn`t know how to my hair grew frizzy, damaged, extremely knotty and was just basically a big hairy mess.

So today  I decided that I would write a few tips on how to take care of your curly hair.

Use a Comb:  Use a pick or wide tooth comb to untangle your hair. Brushes causes the hair to frizz and it also causes damage ( split ends). A wide tooth comb is much easier on curly hair, it also helps keeps the curl in strands. I also limit my combing to every second day I find that my hair gets less frizzy when I do this. Using your fingers in the shower to un-tangle your hair also works wonders.

Condition: Curly hair needs to be conditioned often and washed even less. Washing your hair strips your curls from the much needed natural oils that it needs to stay smooth and frizz free. If you take a shower on a daily basis don`t wash your hair everyday. You can condition it every day and wash it every second day if you absolutely need too. I often go several days without washing my hair. You can also use dry shampoo it absorbs some of the oils but not all and then there is always all those up-dos that work better with dirty hair and that are absolutely cute. There's also new conditioners on the market that have a cleanser in it that removes the dirt from hair and is much more gentler then shampoo.

Use those products:  Think now that you save all that extra money on shampoo you can spend it all on other hair products. Depending on how bad my hair I can use up to 3-4 products on it in one day. The products I do use the most though ( I don`t use a particular brand I normally just buy whtaever is on sale) are leave-in conditioners and smoothing serums. Every now and then I will use hairspray to tame some fly-always. I also suggest trying different products what may work for me might not work for you.

Find a good hairstylist: I find that hair stylist with curly hair themselves are the best stylist to have. They understand how curly works. Different curls act differently when cut.  Also make sure you pick a hairstyle that suits your face. You don`t want to end up looking like a poodle.

Air Dry: Letting your hair dry will help prevent frizz and damage caused by heating instruments. A cotton t-shirt works wonders to take most of the excess water out of your hair. If you must dry it with heat please use a diffuser and use a heat protector product that will help keep your hair safer from heat damage.

Don`t touch: Once you style your hair let it be. Touching it will cause it to frizz.

Be gentle: Don't use hair elastics that are too tight or have to much group as this will cause your hair to break. Also using a satin pillow case can help prevent frizz and damage since it allows your hair to move freely in your pillow case when sleeping.

I have a picture of my curls. Yes they are looking a bit because I've neglected my own rules of curly hair care lately with my busy schedule. Things are settling down and my hair will hopefully be back in full bloom soon :)

Until next time muffins.

Me

Money Saving Tips

Hello ya'll,

I have been wanting to re-write the money savings tips again because I thought it would be a great way to remind everyone in 2015 all the things they can do to save a bit of money in today's economy.
I am also rewriting this article so I can remind myself all the things I can do to continue saving money.

I won't lie I work a minimum paying part-time job and if it weren't for my significant other I wouldn't be able to make it on my own. With that said I still have my goal to live debt free for a year and I am hoping that I can start living debt free this year. I am happy to say that I am paying off the rest of my loan this month and then I will have to tackle my small credit card debt.  I decided to put both of my money saving tip articles into one, I also added tips that I have been using this year. So now on to money saving tips.

1) Make a Budget:  Take the time to sit down and look at what your finances really are and how much you can actually spend and on what. Stick to your budget after. When you make a budget make room for entertainment and savings.

I have a small budget but I also keep track of what I make and what I spend. I am sure there is a lot of on-line tools to help you with this but I just use a note book and paper to keep track of my spending. I found this really helps me to see where I can save money and if I bought useless items that month that I could of really went without.   

2) Use IT up: If you are like me and had subscription boxes or applied to free samples odds are you have a lot of opened bottles or foil packets. Use these things up. Why buy a new bottle of shampoo when you have 10 sample or travel sized bottles. Unless you travel a lot is there really a need for you to have all those bottles.

This is a process I have already started. I never realized how many body lotions and body I hand until I cleaned and organized and found countless bottles of them, along with many other products.

3) Use less:  We often use too much of a product when it is not needed. Do you put a big amount of body wash on your loofah, sponge or cloth? Try using less, you might be surprised that you only need the amount the size of a dime to wash yourself with. And don't just use this concept in body products but in cooking ( using less oil or butter in the bottom of the pan) and every other aspects of your life. This will help make your products last a lot longer then they normally would.

I have been doing this since before Christmas and I have noticed that my beauty products and some of my food have lasted a lot longer then before saving me a bit money.

4) Cancel Things:  If you have satellite T.V. cancel it and go for other options like Netflix or Crackle there is a lot of other services out there that are free or cheaper then satellite T.V.. If you have a gym membership that you don't use cancel it. Go through your expenses and find what you can go without or don't use yet spend money on.

I have cancelled all my subscription boxes and an on-line gym membership that I did use for the moment until my finances are in order.

5) Stop using satellite television:  This one I have done a long time ago. My husband and I moved and thought of reconnecting the dish but then we thought why. Look at how much you pay for your television. Look at the thousands of of channels that are there and how much do you actually watch. You want television go with basic cable or opt in for netflix 10$ a month with countless shows to watch. We did this and have probably saved a lot of money.  ( 90-160$ a month to 10$ a month think about it).

This saved my husband and I  over 80$ a month.

6) Cancel the phone: If you have a home phone and a cell phone cancel one. Do you really need both phones. I can see if you own your own business sure but if not pick one a cancel the other. Also get the lowest plan you can live with. I pay 45$ fo r a month for mine and get a bit of data and that's all I need).

 I cancelled my home phone and just  have my cell phone. This saved me almost 40$ a month.

7) Pay off Debt:  I think this is the hardest but one of the most important. Debt has interest and that takes a lot of money away from you after a few years. If you have multiple debts start by paying off the smallest one. Once it is paid off use that extra cash and put it towards another debt to pay it off faster. If you have  multiple credit cards pay them off and then cancel them. If you have one lower the amount you can spend on it.

I am paying off  the last of my bank loan this month (After 5 years. I have put extra money down on my payments to help me lower the loan faster). After that is paid I will be putting the extra money aside to pay off my credit card ( I have already lowered my limit on my card to prevcent me from spending)

8) Shop sales and discounts:   Check out flyers before you go out shopping. If you happen to see a product discounted because it will expire soon buy it and either use it that day or freeze it. Most of these items are still just as good as fresh ones.

I always try and shop sales or discounted products, this often saves me 20$+ or more on my shopping list.

9) Declutter and Organize:  Living in clutter will prevent you from seeing the things you already own and can use. It will also keep your home tidy and running more effectively.

I did this to my bedroom and wow did I find a lot of things I didn't even know I had. Now, I have less trouble finding things and I feel less overwhelmed and cluttered in my mind as well now that I don't live in a room that looked like a tornado went through it.

10) Have a swap: Swap books, magazines, DVD's and other products and items with your friends this will save you and everyone around you that participates in the swapping of items money. Also look on-line there is plenty of sites that have swapping services, like this one.

11) Make it yourself: Try making your own products like soap , or food like bread. 

I haven't this one yet. Although it is a smart ideal it can be expensive to start off when it comes to building your stock. When I am able too I will be trying this. 

12) Make your own gifts or re-gift; Make your own gift for someone often times these are more cherished then gifts that are bought and it will save you money. 

I made my children's V-day cards this year. Not only did it save me money but it was also a great activity to do with my children. I am planning on doing the same thing for future events and parties. 

13) Shop used: Salvation army, second hand stores. All these often carry name brands ( if you are really into that), and perfectly still usable clothing. Also many of these stores help people in the local area that have less. 

I try to buy used whenever I can and I am not talking just clothes but Tupperware and appliances too.

14) The 30 day rule or 10 second:  See something you want? Wait 30 days, weigh out the option is this something you want or need? Do you have the money to spend on it or could you use it on something else that is of better use to you? If you still want if after 30 days then buy it. The 10 second rule is the same as the 30 day rule. Ask yourself why you are buying and if you really need it.  

I still have a long ways to go with this one especially since I don't live in a town with shopping malls like the big city. Often the purchases I make that are unnecessary are  impulse buys. 

15)Stop Smoking or drinking: If you have an addiction like smoking or drinking try to stop this will save you a lot of money down the road not only by not buying the product but for your health as well ( especially if you live in a country without free health care)

I don't smoke or drink but I had a friend who did. she smoked a pack a day that cost her about 10$ a day, after a week she spent 70$ at the end of the month that makes about 280$ that she now saves. 


16) Short, Cold Showers: Now I am not saying just turn on you cold water and jump in and out of you shower. What I am saying is if you like to take really hot showers start by turning the heat down a bit and cut your shower by short by 5 minutes everyday and continue this until until you find the right temperature for yourself and the right amount of time you need in the shower. Also, if you run the water waiting for it to heat up collect that water with a bucket. After use that water to water your plants or put it in your Brita ( or wte filter system you have at home if you have one).

17) Rain Barrel: Have a rain barrel. There are many ways to make these or even buy one. This will save you money by reusing water to water your plants, especially if there is a water ban.  Most of these are closed up so mosquitoes cannot make their nest in there so that shouldn't be of worry to you.

18) Drink Water ( or more of it):  That is right drink more water. Most of us don't drink a lot of water and I am sure if we started we would see a lot of benefits from it. When I started my weight lost journey I started drinking more water. How does this help with your grocery bill? It will save you money because you are going to drink less pop (soda), juices ( filled with sugar) and it will also help with your food cravings and eating habits ( being dehydrated causes the body to send us signals that we are hungry).

I am working on this. I don't often drink a lot of water but I am slowly drinking more and more each day. I found that I am less hungry and that my skin looks a lot better since I have been doing this. I also suffer less headaches.


19) Use a bottle and a filter: Now what I mean by use a bottle I mean by a re-usable one. Buying already bottled water will be more costly for you then a re-usable one. If your tap water isn't the greatest use a filter.  You can get a jug with a filter or a bottle with a filter. I use a jug from Brita because that is what my husband had when we moved in together. Yes, the filters are a bit costly but you only have to change them every 3-6 months which is still better then going through several cases of water bottles. It is also better for the environment. You can also if you chose to buy glass water bottles ( I use plastic), this is one of the many sites I found that sells them.

I use a plastic water bottle when I am out and I also use a Brita filter for my home. 

20) Have a Pantry:  Find a cupboard or two and put your baking and cooking needs in it. If you see something that you use often on sale buy an extra one or two. Make sure that you only buy what you need and things that you use often. If you don't use it often then just buy it when you need to avoid it from going bad.

I have had a pantry forever, but I always had a lot of things going bad because I never used the products I bought. I have started to actually look at what I have in my pantry to use before I go out and do groceries. I do want to make an inventory eventually with a dry erase board.
21) Make an inventory: Grab a pen and pencil ( or a dry erase board if you prefer) and make a list of what you have in your pantry and how much of it you have. Keeping an inventory will help you not waste anything because you know what you have and won't go and continuously buy products you don't need which can lead to waste and will help you know what you do need to buy.

I am planning on doing this with a dry erase board once I have a bit of money to buy one.

22) Make a weekly meal plan:  Now this is one that I read all the time and yet I can't seem to get my head around it. This is one that I will have to work on extra hard to do this year. It is supposed to be good because you can utilize your coupons and the specials that are on that week to make your meal around and you can use one or more ingredients on your list to make several meals.

I still haven't done this yet but I am hoping to get it done for supper meals in the future. 

23) Make a list:  This one is straight forward when you go shopping make a list of exactly what you need and stick to it. Whether it is for clothes shopping or grocery shopping.

I am doing this although I still have to work on it since I still go off the list once in a while. Since I have started this it has saved me about 20-100$ + on my groceries every two weeks ( My hubby and I take turns) 

24) Eat leftovers: Even if there is only enough  left overs for one person to eat the leftover in your family it's still better then throwing the food out. Think about it you spent 20$ for your supper and you had left overs for a couple meals. Divide that 20$ into the amount of meals you ate and think about how much money you would of thrown out. ( example from this site)

I have always eaten left overs and I will continue to do so. I try to waste as little food as possible.

25) Use what you have:  You go to the store you buy a bunch of pantry staples or food that you can freeze you put it away and then you forget about it. Look through your fridge, freezer and pantry to seewhat kind of meal you can make. Also keeping your pantry and fridge/freezer well organized will save you money in the long by no longer letting food expire or go bad.

I try to do this several times a week. It is amazing what you can do with a can beans that you find in the back of  your pantry.


26) Use those savings:  A) use coupons. B) use the loyalty card, all grocery stores now ( or most of them) have some sort of loyalty program. IC) last but not least, look at the flyers to see what is on sale and use those sales to plan your meals around or to fill up your pantry.

This year I am going to keep all my points till the end of the year to see how much money I am actually saving. I have collected about 90$  worth of points in the last three months ( I did forget to load offers on my card now and then) but still 90$ alone so far and I still have 9 months to go before the end of this year. 

27) Start a garden: . You can grow many herbs, vegetables and fruits indoors. This can save you a lot of money in the long run even if you just do it for the summer.  Also shop the farmers market if there is any in your area odds are the produce will be just as fresh ( or fresher) and cheaper then what you get in store.

I don't have room in my home to start a herb garden but if I did I would. My mother and I are hoping to teach my oldest son how to garden this year which will save us a bit of money of vegetables if we are successful. 

28) Eat then shop: Shopping on an empty stomach will make you buy more of the things you don't need. Eat before you go shopping or keep a snack with you if you can't eat a meal before shopping.

I now practice this and it helps me not to over buy products. I don't know how this works but it does.

29) Bulk buys: If you can join a bulk store like Costco do. It does cost a little bit for a membership but you will save more then what you pay in membership. Also stick with the items you will use most often and that you know won't go to waste. Also, buy products that are on sale in bulk again only if you use them though.

I don't live close to any stores like Costco but when my sister visits she often brings me a bag of toilet paper that is only 20$ that last me for several months and is a cheaper buy then buying the same amount of rolls at the grocery store.

30) Buy Generic: When you go to the grocery store try buying generic brands instead of name brands. Often time the generic brands are just as good as the brand name.  Also check out the top and bottom shelves because often times that is where you will find the cheaper options. Companies actually pay to have there products placed in the sight of the shopper.

I have and still try to buy cheaper generic brands on most items. I won't lie though some products you just need to buy  brand names for as the cheaper options aren't as good. 

31) Add to your meal: Add vegetables or fruit ( depending on you are making) to your meals.This will add bulk to your meal and help stretch a little further ( think add veggies to taco meat or hamburger helper). It will also add more nutrients to your food and make you healthier.

I do this on a regular basis. I am trying to get my hubby to follow in my foot steps but that is hard. 

32) Stop being lazy:  Stop buying pre-packaged, pre-wash and pre-cut foods. Sure these can save you a lot of time but they also charge more for it. Do your groceries and decide a time when you will be doing your own food preparations. It is more time consuming but you can make it family time and have them help by washing and packing the food away.

Although I still buy some pre-cut items every now and then I mostly buy food that I have to prepare myself. I find that this also cuts out some processed foods from my diet. 

33) Portion Control: Many of us eat more then what we actually need which leaves us bloated and tired. A tip to this start with smaller portions on your plate and take the time to actually eat. It can take up to 30 minutes for your brain to catch the signals that your belly is sending. If you are still hungry after eat a little bit more. It is better to go for seconds then it is to over eat or throw away food because you put to much on your plate.

I have done this for a while now. I was amazed at the beginning how full I could be on little food. My husband is now also getting better at portioning food on my plate when I am not home. This has also helped me lose a few a pounds. 

34) Cut out on going out:  Instead of going to a restaurant with friends invite them over for a night and make it a pot luck then it will save everyone money. Rent a movie instead of going to the cinema. 

My hubby and I used to go out several times a month now we only go out on special occasions this has saved us 100$+ a month. 

35) "Brown Bag it":  Make your lunch. If you do not go home for lunch. Make it the night before and then bring it to work instead of buying it at work.  This can save you loads of money.

When I did a spending freeze I realized that I spent a lot of money at work on food that I could make myself ( i.e. Salads, protein lunches).

36) Cook in bulk:  Making spaghetti sauce? Make a big batch of it instead of a tiny one. This way you can buy larger cans and bags of ingredients you need and it will save you money. Plus, you will have something that you can just pull out of the freezer on days you don't want to cook.

I often do this. Sometimes I even split the cost with someone so we both save money and have plenty of  "freezer" food. 

37) Go Paperless:  If you can opt for paperless bills try it some company`s like Rogers actually charge you 2$ a month for each paper bill they send you.


This is it for my list right now I may add some later if so I will let you all know through the Facebook page.


Happy saving

ME

Update

Hello muffins,

Yes I know I haven't been on here in a long time and it is not because I didn't want to be. I may actually be absent often like this for the next few months.

I have made a big change in my life and it has been a bit hectic since. I have decided to leave my fiancee ( also known as hubby on here) of 7 years. I won't list the details only that it wasn't working anymore. I am currently living at my parents and having shared custody of the two children on a one week on, one week off interval with the children. They seem to be adapting pretty well although I miss them dearly when they aren't around.

I have paid off my bank loan and my credit with the money that I had saved up from the 52 week money challenge. I haven't continued the challenge because I am currently trying to pay off the taxes that I owe and enjoying a bit of my hard earned money as well by splurging on new foods at the grocery store.

I am hoping to be in an apartement within the next few months and being able to afford the internet and a new computer to keep my blog going on.  I will try and work on the blog a few times every months if I am capable of it.


That is about it for now.

Goodnight

Me

Added Boxes

Does ship to Canada

Awesome Pack- For 44.95$ a month you will receive one awesome board game and some activities that are fun for the whole family.

Curiosity box- Boxes are as low as 23.95$ you receive a box with some crafts and activities. 

Craft Caravan- 12.99$ per child( 2$ CAN- 3$ US for shipping).  You will receive a box with all the material you need to make fun crafts  ( except glue)

Formio- This is a style service you pick items, keep them for awhile and buy the pieces that you want to keep.

Groovy lab- Boxes are priced at between 35-39$ and your child will receive fun experiments to to create and learn.

Look Fantastic- For 22.65$ you will receive a minimum of 6 beauty products a month.

Read Craft Bake- For 25$ a month you will receive a box that will encourage your child to read, craft and bake.

Sharing small- For 10$ a month your child will receive a cute pair of socks.

The beaver box- For 40$ every 3 month you will receive a bag full of loot. This is made for Canadian women. 



Does Not Ship To Canada

Pet Gift Box- For 17.99$ you can get a lovely box of goodies for your pet.

Scent Bird- For 14.95$ you will receive 30 days of designer fragrance ( 8ml vial)

Added Boxes

Ships to Canada

 I also added several beauty boxes to the list


A beautiful Mess- This site offers two craft boxes lowest costs for a box is 15$ but you will receivce 50+ worth of stationary projects and items.

Bowzer Box-  You will receive 5-6 items ( treats, toys, accessories) right to your door, plans start as low as 23$ a month.

Geek Me Box- For 29.99$ you receive 5-8 geek and gamer products.

Gift horse and Co- For 12$ a month you will receive boxes full of wrapping paper and ribbons ( enough to wrap 3 medium size gifts)

Gizmo Crate- Boxes can start as low as 49$ a box. Each box contains 5 to 8 products from gadgets to snacks.

My paper pumpkin- For 24.95$ a month you receive a fully designed project kit for you to start. 

Once Upon a Tee- For 9.99$ a month you can receive a t-shirt ( they also have a phone case or poster)

Pash Pack- Plans start as low as 47$ and you will receive oils and toys to spark up your life.

Paw Pack- Plans start at 24.95$ a month. You will receive at least one toys, two bags of treats and other goodies including tips on how to's for your pet.

Paws and Play- 15-39$ a box and you will receive several premium toys, treats and gear for you and your pet.

Scent Trunk- Take the guess work out and receive cologne  samples based on your personality profile. 15$ a month.

Sock Box- For 12$ a month you will receive a one of kind pair of socks that will keep you and your feet happy.

Sprezzabox- You will receive 3-4 lifestyle items and a grooming product all for a low price of 34$ ( CAN) so you can stay on trend. 


Super Hero box- For 49$ and receive 70+ of super hero merchandise.

Unzipped citizen club- They offer a few options for underwear, trunks and socks. Lowest plan is 12$ a month. Receive underwear, socks or trunks in your mail box. 

Your Box Club- This period box offers you organic tampons ( made from organic cotton and biodegradable cardboard applicators)  Box are 16$ ( plus 10 S&H for CAN)

Doesn't Ship to Canada

Buddhi Box- Plans start as low as 25.95$ a month.  You will receive 3 pieces of handmade jewellery and some extras.

Cooper and kid- This is a quarterly box that cost 65$ every three month ( 13$ S+H). This box is full of fun and made for dad's to spend quality time with their kids.

Good habit box-  In this box you will receive oatmeal, healthy snacks and tea. This is a new company and they will be continuing to add to this box. Plans start at 16.99$

My Pretend Play-  Pay 50$ and receive a box full of props for pretend play every three month. They will also send you via e-mail some recipes and other play ideas in the between the wait.

Madame LadyBug Period Box ( February box)

What is Madame Ladybug?
Madame Ladybug was created by women for women. It is a monthly box that will help you get through your tough and sometimes painful time of the month. There are several box options to cater your needs and budget.

This box cost 33$ plus shipping and taxes is 14$.  Total of this box was 47$ in total ( I did get a 20% off code from the 47$)

This box was neatly package which as always is a plus. I also like that there is a category for items in this box and each items were put in a bag based on the category they fit in. 

This paper has all the prices of the items that are in the box and what category they fit in. There is also a little note to the subscribers about the box. 

Each bag has items in them. I like that they are separated. I found that it helped me find all the items that are on the list a lot easier. I also find that it made the box look a lot neater in the packaging since the items weren't all over the place.  

 

In this picture there is the extra pads and panty liners ( I didn't take pictures of the bundle of pads, they are however in the top picture) ( 8.20$), Scensibles Disposable Bags ( .45 cents), feminine wipes ( 1$), Advil Packets (2$). 

The picture shows everything that is in the Necessities For this Month list. I like that I not only have the regular pads that I need plus some extra pads and panty liners for when my flow slows down. I also like that there is wipes that I can bring to work and little disposable bags that are scented. Pads and tampons can smell so I think it is great that I have lightly smelling bags to keep some of the odour away.  I also like that there are a few Advil packets to help with some of the discomfort I get while on my Period.

The Pictures below are from the Guilty pleasures this month ( you can actually get a box with just the snacks from madame ladybug that will help you with your cravings)

O Organic  Dried Cranberries (5.99$)

Along with the unhealthy snacks I am glad that they included some healthier options too. My hubby was actually glad to see these as we often add cranberries to our salads and cereals and this is just perfect to have. 

5 Tea Bags ( 1.45)

I love tea and I am glad that this box contains a few and that they are of a variety from different companies. I will be enjoying these though out the week.

Valentine's Fruit Snacks ( .50$) and Mrs. Fields (.85)

Some jujubes which take me back to my childhood ( I don't buy these myself but it was nice to see them), Mrs Fields cookie ( well you can never go wrong with a cookie, it was delicious). 

Milano Dark Chocolate Cookie (.90$) and Jojo Chocolate Crunch (.99$)

These two snacks were also delicious and hit the spot when it came to my chocolate cravings. I like the variety that this box had in snacks from sweet to salty. 

A variety of Chocolate bars and Candies (  1.64$, some of these candies are part of the Bonuses List but I just put them all together)

Again I love the variety of treats I am glad that this came in with the box  and they are mostly all Valentine related which is great since it was the moth of February. 

I also received a bag of Veggie Chips that wasn't in the pictures ( My camera decided that the picture would be broken after I ate the bag but before I realized the picture wasn't opening) The price for that was 1.25$ ( they aren't bad but I wasn't fond of them, I am glad that I did get to try them however as I have been wanting to try some for a while).

The next pictures are of the Gifts & Bonuses This month 

In the picture there is.

Red Velvet Lip Balm Etsy SkysTheLimitLipBalm ( 1.50$), Body Heat Heating Pad ( 1.50$), Rose soak Bath Etsy Daily Bather (1.25$) , Coffee Mud mask Etsy Daily Bather (1,75$), Sugar Scrub Etsy KatnipArt, Vintage Bohemian Solitaire Ring ( 14.95$),  Sterling Silver 3 hearts Zircon Necklace ( 10.99$), Madame LadyBug Bag Hanger (18.99$), Cutie Ribon Credit Card Wallet ( 6$).

All right let's tackle the list.

I love how the bath and beauty products are from Etsy vendors. This shows me that this box supports small home business owners and I love that. I like trying new products that are hand made. I will be trying all of the products and possibly buying some if they suit me. 

The Jewellery I am still undecided about. I don't know if I am going to wear it or not but if I don't I know I can always give it away as a gift. 

I like the Credit Card wallet. I only have a big wallet and often times I just put my cards in a bag. The wallet will allow me to keep my cards organized. 

The bang hanger will come in handy but I would of like to see a little design on it to go along with the Madame ladybug logo.

The heating pad. I have never tried one but I will try this one. I get a few aches and pain through out the month so it should be interesting, 

Total value of the box is 84$

Thoughts

I liked this box but I wasn't completely in love with it. I like the huge variety that comes with the box. I like that there is many treats and goodies as well as extra pads and liners. I think that I am not completely in love with the box more because of some of the aesthetics of the following: The website does need some work. I hope that as this company grows that the website will become more professional looking. I also found that the pamphlet with all the prices are bit unprofessional too. It is a little bit too handmade to my liking. I would prefer to see a pamphlet that is a bit more solid and doesn't fold and crumple as easily and that the mistakes on it were lessened.  I do however that the box is broken down into sections in the box and on the pamphlet. I also like that the total retail value of the box is over what I paid for the box. I do hope that this company continues to grow and improve as they go as well as continuing to support smaller business in the hand-made world. 

Avalai Period box

What is Avalai?
Avalai is box made for women's time of the month. Each box contains ( pads, tampons or both) as well as a few more items to pamper and help you get through your period.


The subscription process is fairly easy. Once you hit subscribed they ask you you three question: The duration of your period, the heaviness of your flow and what products you prefer to use. You then enter your payment information and shipping address and voilà you are now an Avalai member.

The box that I had would of cost me 15 plus shipping and handling ( 10.80). The total of this box is 25.80$ for Canadians.

When this box arrived I was already excited a smell of blueberry was coming from the box and the address was hand written instead of printed I love that. It makes me feel like this package was well made just for me and that no one else would get a box like it. I also like that everything in the box was nicely packaged.

All the contents in the box. I do wish they had a product card letting you know what is in the box and the value. I always like to know the exact value of a box that I am paying for. 

I also liked the little bag of candies. Again on the bag everything was hand written on it. It took me back to when I was in school and got little gifts, candies and cards on my desk. I'll put the value of the candy bag at 4$ because I know the Russell Stover chocolate is about .90 cents a piece alone.

Every first order comes with this nifty little bag. When you open it there is a pouch for a few pads and three little slots to fit tampons. This is great for girls on the go that need to bring a few hygiene products with them and not have them lost in the bottom of their hand bag or bulging in their pant pocket.  The retail value is  8$ (the company has told me this)

A few teas that I will put the cost at 1.25$. I love tea and I like how this box contains some. It is always nice to have some relaxation time with tea and a good book when you are in a PMS mood.

 

Cottonelle flushable wipes. I actually have flushable wipes in my bathroom for when I am on my period. The fact that I now have a baggy of them is great I can now pack these in my bag and be able to freshen myself up when I am at work.  

I value these around 2$ too. 

Lavender bath tea bags. I never tried these before, I do like to take baths especially with two little ones running around. I can't wait to soak with these in my tub. 

I'll value these at 1$

19 pads ( by U-kotex) This is the brand I normally use so I am happy that this is the brand that this company uses.  I was able to find this exact amount for as low as 5.49$. I do like that there is overnight  and day pads in here but I would of also liked to see a few panty liners for the end of my period when full pads are no longer needed.

I'll retail this neat sponge at 5$ ( the sponge cuts are about 49 cents just by themselves) 

I thought this was a neat product that is also new to me. I tried it this morning in the shower and it was neat. I would probable only use it a few times a week just to get rid of the dead skin off of me. 

The total value of this box is approximately 26.75$ ( all prices were estimated based on prices I found on-line)

Thoughts

I really enjoyed this box and the array of products inside. I do wish as stated above that they had a few panty liners for the end of the week when full pads aren't needed any more. I  would also like to see a product card with the box that states the price of the items. The value of this box for Canadians might not be quiet worth it since you are paying more for the box then the value inside but if you don't mind that I  would recommend this box. I do whoever recommend this box for the US readers. This is a neat little box that will take the worry out of your "time of the month". 

I received a code to review this box for free I did have to pay shipping and handling.