Product Review: Starbucks Cold Brew at Home!

Over the summer, I developed a serious cold brew problem. The Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew at Starbucks is one of my favorite drinks of all time: it is really coffee-flavored, lightly sweet, and perfect for a cold day. It's also not super calorie heavy; 110 calories for a tall is actually pretty decent. And compared to other drinks at Starbucks, it has 14g of sugar--which is still a lot (about 3.5 teaspoons). Hence, why it's not an every day treat! 

While cruising Target, I noticed that Starbucks now sells packs to make cold brew at home. They come in a variety of flavors, but for around $8 for a box that makes one pitcher, I decided to just get the regular version. 

The instructions are quite easy. However, it does take 24 hours from start to finish. You fill a pitcher with 4 cups of water, add the two giant tea bags of coffee grounds, and pop it in the fridge for 24 hours. Yep, 24 hours. When it's ready, you add another 4 cups of water, remove the big packs of coffee (carefully, I accidentally broke one), and your cold brew is ready to enjoy. 

Minus the fact that it took 24 hours (I don't know why I thought it would be 4-5 hours max!), the cold brew it produced was delicious. It tasted just like the cold brew you would get at Starbucks; with a packet of Truvia, a tablespoon of salted caramel creamer, and a tablespoon or so of almond milk, you have a lower-sugar Sweet Cream Vanilla Cold brew at home. 

The pitcher made about 8-10 servings of cold brew for me. At $8 for a single pitcher, that evens out to $1 or less per serving, which was pretty good considering a drink at Starbucks is $3 or more. Ultimately, it saves money and you can control the calories and amount of sugar in your drinks more effectively. 

Fall is fast approaching, so I've been experimenting with cold brew and pumpkin spice. Let me tell you: it's just as delicious with a little Pumpkin Spice creamer and almond milk! If you love cold brew, but are tired of spending so much money at coffee shops, these are a great option. 

Product Review: Uniquely J Voxbox*

This is going to be a rather quick review. To start, I received three products in this Voxbox from Influenster and, not to give it away, they all fell a bit flat. It's hard to get excited about crackers and freezer bags, but I did my best!

Disclaimer: as always, the asterisk (*) in the title of this blog post denotes that I received these products free in exchange from review. However, my choice to feature them here is my own and all opinions are my own. You can read more about my disclosure policy here. 

What is Uniquely J? 

Uniquely J is the generic brand of Jet.com, a website that I know most for having somewhat bizarre commercials. Jet.com is a lot like Amazon, selling household goods on subscription services for cheaper prices. So basically, you sign up and get toilet paper autoshipped to your house every 6 weeks--so it's technically cheaper than buying it from the store. 

Uniquely J is their brand of just about everything: coffee, paper supplies, cooking supplies, cleaning supplies, snacks... They've got a bit of everything. You can check it out here. 

What I Received

In this voxbox, I received: Fig and Olive Large Crisps; Almond Chocolate Biscotti; and Freezer Bags. 

Uh, yeah. Freezer bags. 

First things first, let's discuss what I liked: the packaging of these products is cute. I mean, it's really cute. The boxes are cute. Everything is cute. But then, you open them. 

Ok, it's not quite that dramatic. 

But I was pretty disappointed by the snacks because, well, they have the makings of everything I love. I love biscotti! I love crackers! I love those things! Yet, I wouldn't eat either of these things by choice. 

Let's break it down.

I'll start with the Fig and Olive Crisps. They're insanely sweet. Not sweet and salty. Not savory with some sweetness. They are sweet in the way that British people often describe American bread. (Yes, you're not alone, Brits. I, a born and bred American, also hate how sweet our bread is.) They are blisteringly, mouth-puckeringly sweet. I have no idea what you would eat these with, honestly. A dip might help reducing how teeth-numbingly sweet they are, but I honestly can't imagine what I would dip them in. Cheese? Gravy? The possibilities are all quite disgusting. On the plus side: Forrest likes them, but occasionally I catch him eating crayons. He is two years old, after all; his tastes aren't exactly discerning. 

Next, let's talk those Almond Chocolate Biscotti. Almond! Chocolate! Biscotti! Can you imagine? It sounds delicious, right? While the Fig and Olive Crisps are much too sweet for being a savory cracker, these biscotti are not sweet enough, despite being essentially a cookie. What is going on?! They are vaguely chocolatey, with bits of almond in them... but I wouldn't call them a biscotti. It was like two different kinds of blandness getting married to form another type of bland in the form of a cookie. They are aggressively bland in a way that is almost unsettling. And worse, they aren't even whole. This isn't a sleeve of little biscottis; it's a bag of essentially biscotti pieces. It's so bizarre! How can something that should be so easy to make taste amazing taste like I'm eating a piece of cardboard that's vaguely chocolatey? 

Needless to say... the two snack choices didn't make me very happy!

Then, of course, we have the Freezer Bags. I don't even know what to say about these! How do you review freezer bags? They zip. They have cute little designs on them, which isn't exactly my thing, but it's a nice touch. They seem to freeze well. They are quite thick and you get a lot in the package. It's hard to like or dislike freezer bags! 

It's funny because this voxbox had the other option of receiving cleaning supplies... I would much rather have gotten cleaning supplies, because I love a good window cleaner or wipe for my counter! These snacks have officially been put into the "treats for Forrest" bin and we've moved on from trying to make them work. But hey, the Uniquely J coffee does look really good and the prices certainly aren't bad. 

Hungryroot Review (2026): Is It Worth It After 8 Years?

Back in 2018, I ordered Hungryroot for the first time after seeing it everywhere online (and on my favorite podcasts). At the time, it was a much smaller company with a very different focus—and honestly, I wasn't sure it would stick around.

Fast forward to today, and I've continued coming back to Hungryroot over the years as my life has changed. I've used it as a new mom, as a working mom, during especially busy seasons, for meal prep, and even to stock up on kid-friendly snacks. I've kept this review updated because Hungryroot today is a completely different service than the one I first reviewed in 2018. Rather than deleting my original experience, I've continued updating this article as the company has evolved so readers can make an informed decision.

A lot has changed since my original review. Hungryroot has expanded far beyond simple meal kits into a personalized grocery delivery service, and the ordering experience looks completely different than it did in 2018.

If you're wondering whether Hungryroot is worth the money today, here's my honest experience after years of ordering.

And if you’d like to get money off your first box, use my code PAUSES here!

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Short on time? Here's my verdict:

〰️

Short on time? Here's my verdict: 〰️

My Rating: 4.7/5

Best for:

• Busy families

• Working parents

• People who hate grocery shopping

• Beginner cooks

Not ideal for:

• Very tight grocery budgets

• Extremely picky eaters

• People wanting gourmet cooking

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What is Hungryroot? 

Hungryroot is a meal delivery service that has three unique ways to use it: you can either shop for groceries; you can select meals; or you can do a combination of both. (Spoiler: I like to do a combination of both.)  It’s a great option for people who want to try a meal service like Blue Apron and/or who want the brands offered by Thrive, but want a little more flexibility.

When you sign up, you'll answer a short quiz about your eating habits, food preferences, allergies, and goals. Hungryroot then builds a weekly grocery cart with recipe suggestions that use the items you've selected. You can keep the recommendations, swap products, remove items, or build your box completely from scratch before each delivery.

One of my favorite things about Hungryroot is that it doesn't lock you into cooking elaborate meals every night. Some weeks I use it primarily for quick dinners, while other weeks I fill my order with breakfast foods, snacks, lunch ingredients, and groceries that make busy weekdays a little easier. That flexibility is a big part of why I've continued ordering over the years.

If you're looking for a service that helps simplify grocery shopping without giving up the freedom to choose your own meals, Hungryroot offers a nice balance between a meal kit and a full grocery delivery service.

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My Experience Over the Years

One reason I still feel comfortable recommending Hungryroot is that I haven't just tried one box. I've continued ordering over the years as the service has evolved. Some weeks I use it for nearly all of our dinners. Other weeks I mostly order snacks, breakfast foods, and ingredients that save me time during busy work weeks.

My initial review (waaay back in 2018) was not entirely positive — but after I posted it, Hungryroot contacted me because my blog post was driving significant traffic their way. I couldn’t believe it! I became an affiliate and advocate right then: they were willing to worth with me, I gave their service a second chance, and I really feel like I grew with them in a way.

Hungryroot has traveled with me through some of my highest highs and my lowest lows: roadtrips to Idaho and Disneyland, meal prepped lunches for my husband, lunchbox snacks for my son throughout his entire school life, quick meals when I’m exhausted and don’t feel like cooking. The flexibility and the quality matter to me deeply. Even better, Hungryroot’s customer service has always been top notch.

What I Love About Hungryroot

Hungryroot carries brands that I vibe with, like Nancy’s Yogurt, Nature Nate’s, Oatly, Purely Elizabeth, and so much more. When I was pregnant in 2022, I ate probably 70 boxes of Purely Elizabeth’s Vanilla Almond Blueberry cereal — the only place I could get it was through Hungryroot. And baby, I was smashing through those boxes. These are brands that do excellent work in the food space and I prioritize them over more conventional brands.

Grocery shopping becomes simplified. I haven’t been inside a grocery store since 2020 aside from vacations and emergencies. I do all my grocery shopping on my phone, but sometimes building my cart in the Walmart app becomes a practice in patience. And then I usually forget something. On busy weeks when I let Hungryroot pick our meals and groceries, it takes about 15 minutes.

The kids snacks are so, so good. I have also used Thrive Market and while I like it and they carry some of the same brands as Hungryroot, they charge a really high fee for cold or frozen items. My son loves the Abe’s Muffins, but because they’re frozen, they become super expensive on Thrive Market. My son gets his Abe’s Muffins fix and I don’t pay an additional $20 fee. That’s a win-win. Plus, like I said, I prioritize healthier options over conventional or traditional brand; I’ll always pick Annie’s or Goodles, for example. Getting our favorite snacks delivered weekly without having to think about it is just such a huge help when I’m balancing a million other things.

I love the produce options. Hungryroot prioritizes seasonal produce and what is available is often determined by your location. That’s better for us and our planet. Being able to get some of the best, more fresh produce delivered to our door is such a blessing.

The meals are easy enough for anyone — including my husband and son. My son is now almost 11 years old (cue my shocked face) and he’s been seeing Hungryroot boxes in our house since he was 2 1/2 years old. Some of the simpler recipes are things he and my husband can work on together while I finish up my workday; it helps him get comfortable in the ktichen.

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What I Don’t Love

Since my original review in 2018, Hungryroot has changed so much — so much so that many of my original pain points aren’t really valid. You can customize your meals and recipes, groceries, and so much more. You can prioritize more labor intensive recipes or pick super simple ones.

I know there are a few things that frequently come up in the Hungryroot Facebook group (shout out!).

Sometimes substitutions happen. And that can feel like a bummer! However, when you’re dealing with a company that prioritizes efficient deliveries, that’s just the way it is sometimes. Sometimes substitutions also happen because of recalls or concerns over food safety; this is something I have always appreciated from Hungryroot. I’d rather pivot on a recipe than risk it.

It isn’t more cost effective than shopping sales. If you really need to pinch pennies, this isn’t the service for you; however, if you have flexibility in your food budget, it’s a great option. I do think one of the benefits of it as a service is that it can teach you how to make simple, effective meals. Sometimes the barrier to healthy eating is people simply don’t know how to put things together. Developing the ability to have a few tried-and-true healthy recipes is so valuable.

Is it Worth It? 

Worth it if...

• You’re a working parent who needs simple meals that you can get on the table fast.

• You have a new baby.

• You’re a busy professional who still wants to prioritize healthy options.

• You have ADHD and find meal planning and grocery shopping challenging.

• You want to start meal prepping.

• You are new to healthy eating and want to develop healthier habits.

Probably not worth it if...

• You love coupon shopping or have a very restrictive food budget.

• You love to cook elaborate meals frequently.

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Additional Resources

• My Favorite Hungryroot Foods for Families

• How I Use Hungryroot for Weekly Meal Prep

• Everything You Need to Know About Hungryroot

• Hungryroot for Road Trips

• Revisiting Hungryroot

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My Final Thoughts

Eight years later, I still order Hungryroot—and I think that says more than any sponsored review ever could. While it isn't perfect, it's one of the few subscription services I've continued paying for because it genuinely makes our lives easier.

If I can be really vulnerable for a moment, my partnership with Hungryroot got me through some of the toughest years of my life — 2022, 2023, and 2024. I will be eternally grateful for the Hungryroot boxes showing up on my doorstep and the affiliate income; sometimes, that Hungryroot box was the difference between having to choose between being late on a bill or groceries. They’ve always had my back and I genuinely love the service — as well as the company. It’s hard to say that with a lot of things now!

If you’d like to give Hungryroot a try, you can use my code PAUSES here.

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• Is Hungryroot a meal kit or a grocery delivery service?

  Hungryroot is best described as a personalized grocery delivery service rather than a traditional meal kit. While it does recommend recipes based on the groceries in your cart, you're free to shop from thousands of products including fresh produce, proteins, pantry staples, snacks, frozen foods, and desserts. You can follow Hungryroot's recipes or use the ingredients however you'd like, making it much more flexible than services like HelloFresh or Home Chef.

• How much does Hungryroot cost?

  Hungryroot's pricing varies depending on the size of your order and how many people you're feeding. Instead of paying for a set number of meals each week, you'll choose a grocery budget that fits your household. In my experience, it's not always the cheapest way to buy groceries, but the convenience, time savings, and reduced food waste often make the extra cost worth it for our family.

• Can you skip weeks or cancel your subscription?

  Yes! One of my favorite things about Hungryroot is how flexible it is. You can skip deliveries, pause your subscription, or cancel altogether through your account. If I know we'll be traveling or simply have too much food on hand, I can easily skip a week without any hassle.

• Is Hungryroot good for families?

  I think Hungryroot works especially well for families. We use it for much more than dinner—our weekly boxes often include breakfast foods, lunch ingredients, snacks, and easy weeknight meals. I've also found several products my kids genuinely enjoy, which makes busy weekdays a little less stressful.

• Is Hungryroot worth the money?

  For my family, yes. I've continued ordering Hungryroot on and off since 2018 because it saves me time, helps reduce decision fatigue, and encourages us to eat more balanced meals during busy weeks. If you enjoy grocery shopping or are focused on spending as little as possible, it may not be the best fit. But if convenience is important to you, I think Hungryroot offers excellent value.

• Can picky kids find food they'll actually eat?

  Absolutely! Both my kids are really picky in different ways and we still have lots of favorites. While every child is different, Hungryroot carries a wide variety of kid-friendly snacks, tortillas, pasta, breakfast foods, and simple proteins that have become staples in our house. One of the things I appreciate most is that I'm not locked into specific recipes—I can order ingredients I know my kids will enjoy and mix them with new foods over time.

• Can you customize every order?

  Yes! Hungryroot will automatically build a cart based on your preferences, but you're never required to keep those recommendations. I almost always edit my cart before it ships by adding favorite products, removing items I don't need, and trying something new every now and then.

• Is Hungryroot cheaper than ordering takeout?

  For our family, absolutely. While Hungryroot isn't always less expensive than buying groceries on sale, it's almost always cheaper than ordering takeout several nights a week. We still get quick, satisfying meals, but without the delivery fees, tips, or restaurant markup.

• Does Hungryroot work well for meal prep?

  Definitely. I often use Hungryroot to simplify meal prep by ordering pre-cooked proteins, ready-to-use vegetables, grains, and easy lunch ingredients. It cuts down on prep time while still giving me the flexibility to mix and match meals throughout the week.

• Does Hungryroot have an app?

  Yes and it is so easy to use!

• Can you choose your own groceries on Hungryroot?

  Yes, you can. When you build your weekly box, you can choose between meals and grocery items (including a combination of both). You can also just let Hungryroot build your box for you — which is a great way to try new things!

• Can you use promo codes on Hungryroot?

  Totally — you can use my code PAUSES for money off your first order!

Last updated: July 2026

Beauty Review: My December Ipsy Bag

This is my 4th ipsy bag and if I'm being absolutely, positively honest... I still really love it.

Ah, gotcha! Right? 

(If you'd like to read my past reviews, click here.) 

This month was really exciting. I was hoping to get some amazing products that I'd never tried before. I feel like each month, ipsy gets a little bit better as I review things, ask them to stop sending certain things, and share these reviews. 

Without further ado, let's talk about what I got in my bag! 

1. Promise Organic Nourishing Coconut Milk Daily Facial Scrub, $9.99

This product has sugar crystals, walnut shell powder, honey, coconut milk, aloe, and more in it, promising to be "pH balanced and gentle." It smells really good (like coconut--sort of that fake coconut smell I associate with sunscreen). Despite claiming to be a gentle daily scrub, it is definitely a rough feeling scrub. I like that it has ingredients that are natural and biodegradable (no more microbeads!), but it is definitely something I would say to not use daily. It did leave my skin feeling quite soft though. I've only used it once since receiving it because I only exfoliate once a week. This brand is available at CVS, as well as from online retailers. 

2. Smashbox Cosmetics Legendary Lipstick in Legendary, $21

I love getting lipsticks in my Ipsy bags and this was no exception. At first, I was a little nervous about this color. It's more a bright red than I usually go for (I definitely prefer my reds to be more blue or purple, as opposed to pink or orange). This is what I would call a race car red. However, it goes on absolutely smooth and feels so good on that it's hard to argue--plus, for the Christmas season, it's such a nice color! This is a sample size, so while a full size is valued at $21, I am valuing the size in my bag at around $11. 

3. Pixi by Petra Mesmerizing Mineral Duo in Orchid Ornament, approx. $4 value

This eyeshadow due had a lot of promise, but unfortunately fell absolutely flat. One of the shadows is a beautiful, shimmery champagne color that I absolutely love. The other color is supposed to be a shimmery, deep plum shade. 

A little bit of information about purple eyeshadows: they are notoriously difficult to formulate. For whatever reason, purple is just a color that is difficult to make work. If you've ever had a drugstore eyeshadow in a purple shade, you've experienced this before: it looks great in the pan, but it goes on gray or absolutely sheer. That's the issue with this eyeshadow. The plum shade goes on a dark gray color that blends into nothing. To get any color pay off, I have to put on so much eyeshadow, it starts to feel cakey... and it fades fast. Needless to say, I was very disappointed by this item. It's just not good, which is unfortunate because I love most of Pixi's makeup and skincare. This was just a bit of a dud. 

As well, these eyeshadow duos don't appear to be available off of the Ipsy website. Pixi does make whole palettes out of these shadows: the Mesmerizing Mineral Palettes for $12. Based on that price, I estimated this eyeshadow duo at about $4 ($2 per shadow). 

4. Luxie Beauty Precision Shader Onyx Brush 239, $14

I love getting brushes! I've loved nearly every brush I've received from Ipsy and this one is probably my favorite. I love using shader brushes to place shadow before I start to blend; I find it helps me get a better color payoff, as well as more even color on both eyes. This brush is really wonderful to use and works perfectly. 

5. Feel Brilliant Bamboo Charcoal Facial Sheet Masks, $17.50

You know how I feel about masks. (You can read about my favorite masks here; as well, you can read a review of some expensive masks here.) These masks are absolutely lovely; they have activated charcoal, which works to purify your skin. (I am never 100% on that claim; I don't love the idea of it. However, that's what the mask claims, so I'm repeating it here just to make sure I include what the brand promises!) It also has hyaluronic acid, which, despite the name, is actually a moisturizer and helps lock in moisture, so perfect for winter.

I found these masks really soothing to put on and they definitely helped with some difficult patches I've been dealing with lately, including some dry patches on my cheeks and chin. I really like using charcoal products, but I'm still not sold on their claims of "detoxifying"! These masks are $35 for a pack of 4; since I received 2, I priced them at a $17.50 value. 

Final Thoughts

The final value of this ipsy bag is roughly $56.49. This is less than last month's value of $69.64. I feel like I got more sample size products than last month, specifically the lipstick and eyeshadow duo. As well, there was one major dud this month; in a $4 eyeshadow duo, I really don't expect a lot... but coming from ipsy, I expect at least somewhat of a decent product. However, I love 4 out of 5 of these products, so I definitely can't complain! A $56 value is still pretty good, considering I only pay $10. 

Did you receive an Ipsy bag this month? What did you receive? Did you like it? 

If you don't have ipsy yet, why not give it a shot? Sign up for $10 a month and get 5 items picked just for you every single month. You can sign up using my referral link here. 

Review: Foot Petals Andi Classic Trainer VoxBox*

Disclaimer: As always, an asterisk in the title of this post (*) denotes that I received this product complimentary, in exchange for a review. However, all opinions remain my own. For more information, please see my disclosure policy here. 

A few weeks ago, I received a questionnaire from Influenster. I receive them pretty frequently and, while I do receive a fair number of voxboxes, I didn't expect to receive this one. I remember filling it out, but I wasn't sold on it; after all, I am purposefully sparse with my shoes (I have four pairs only) and didn't feel like I needed more. 

However, when I want to my mail box in the first week of November and saw these shoes waiting for me... I got a little excited. When I had filled out the survey, I fully expected to receive something other than shoes: inserts, maybe, or a foot spray, or something small. But a full pair of shoes? A full pair of shoes? That's pretty cool. 

I've been blogging for nearly 10 years, but the novelty of receiving a pair of shoes to review is still there! 

I was so excited to try these on. I am a big fan of Sketchers GoWalk or Go Lite shoes; I've taken a pair of Disneyland every time I've gone and they are dream shoes for heavy walking. Day to day, I'll admit, I don't do a ton of walking, but I do take Forrest to the park every day that I can and we try to stay active when we're at home. I was excited to add another pair of comfortable shoes to my arsenal (cut to me cringing at this... when did I get so old?) and these really fit the bill. 

Let's get into specifics: I received the Andi Classic Trainer in gray, in a size 7.5. I think I put that as my size for fear that the shoes ran small; however, a 7.5 is really big on me. I tend to wear pretty thick socks, so it's not a huge issue, but I can easily slip these on and off without taking off my socks. So, true sizing or even sizing down would probably be recommended. I do wish I had a 6.5 in these! 

First things first, these shoes are comfortable. Not quite as walking-on-clouds comfortable as my favorite Sketchers, but they are very comfortable nonetheless. They have an insert in the middle of the heel that provides support. They feel a little bit like the orthopedic shoes I used to wear when I worked at a deli, but a lot cuter. 

I picked the Andi initially (way back when I did that survey) because they were the most "plain" and I figured they would go with more of the clothes I wear daily. I really love wearing these with leggings and jeans; they make a great casual shoe for when I'm running errands. They definitely aren't the cutest shoes in the world; in person, they are kind of round and remind me a little bit of turtles. 

Overall, what's my opinion on these shoes? If you're looking for a comfortable walking shoe, they definitely should be on the list. At $99.99, they are pretty steep for a pair of shoes (admittedly, more than I would consider paying usually); but they are extremely comfortable, so if you do a lot of walking (or are planning a trip to a place like Disneyland), they're a great option. 

Beauty Review: Too Faced Just Peachy Velvet Mattes

In the past, I reviewed the Too Faced Sweet Peach palette, which I loved. I know there were mixed reviews on that palette, but it goes without saying: aside from the smell (which does fade after a while), I absolutely love mine. I have hit pan on 3-4 shades! Since I got it in February, I use it every single day. 

So when the Just Peachy Velvet Mattes palette came out, as an almost counterpart to the Sweet Peach palette, I was immediately intrigued. I love peachy shades and my one, minor gripe about the Sweet Peach palette is that it’s a little shimmer heavy (which I don’t exactly mind). Having a whole matte palette is a bit unnerving to me; I was a teenager during the height of shimmer eyeshadow and I only recently learned that matte eyeshadows were a thing. (That’s a bit embarrassing to admit!) 

However, I’m not someone to rushes to buy a palette the minute it gets released. I like to see reviews first. Some of the first reviews I watched on YouTube were not promising; they felt the palette was kind of a let down and not super wearable. However, one of my favorite YouTubers (Jackie Aina) loves the palette. It seemed like an even split and ultimately it came down to people who don’t like the TooFaced eyeshadow formula and those who do (as well as those who like a peachy eye look and those who don’t).

I know some people don’t like the TooFaced formula for eyeshadows; they find it patchy or too dry. But personally, I like my eyeshadows more on the dry, powdery side, as opposed to a buttery or very smooth consistency. (This is actually why I won’t buy Anastasia Beverly Hills palettes or Natasha Denona palettes; their eyeshadows are too soft for me to work with.) 

On my birthday, I decided to take the plunge: I had a 20% off coupon for Sephora (shout out to the Sephora employee who sent me her friends & family discount!) and I was ready. My husband found the palette for me and we bought it. I felt so giddy and so excited to get it home and play. Let’s walk through my thoughts. 

The Pros

The colors in this palette are absolutely gorgeous. I have found them all to be perfectly pigmented and highly blendable. Occasionally, I do find that some colors (like the more mid-tone orange-browns in the second column) can blend out to roughly the same color—however, I don’t exactly mind that because the rest of the palette is so versatile. 

Eyes: Just Peachy Velvet Mattes palette in the shades Peaches and Cream, Fresh Picked, and Just Peachy. Lips: Maybelline Matte Lip Paints in Tongue Tied. Cheeks: Tarte Paaarty Blush

I especially love the color Peach Sangria (the dark, raspberry color), as well as Peach Punch (a bright peach shade) and Peaches and Cream (a darker, creamy pink). Peach Tea is a gorgeous transition shade—one that I use nearly every single day. The last column consists of darker colors that are great for a smoky eye; Peach Tart, especially, is a very dark chocolate brown that I’ve been searching for! 

My favorite look is to use Peaches and Cream across the lid, then Peach Tea in the crease, followed by a little Peach Cobbler or Peach Sangria on the outer corner for a little depth. 

I personally find all of these colors so perfect for warm Autumn and Winter looks; with gold or bronze accents, they are so versatile. 

The Cons

I have noticed that these shadows do have issues with fading throughout the day—but I’m talking after a 8-9 hour day! With a bit of a reapply through the day, it’s not bad. The color I notice this most with is Peach Sangria; it is one of my favorites, but when I wore it over my entire lid once, I noticed that it creased and faded throughout the day (something I don’t usually have an issue with). 

As I mentioned, some of the transition shades do blend out to roughly the same color, but if you keep your tones separated, it’s not too bad. (I do have a bad habit of using too many shades to blend!) 

Would I Recommend It?

Absolutely, yes! This is one of my favorite palettes. If you have the Sweet Peach palette already, don’t worry about feeling like you’ve got two of the same; they are incredibly different and yet, very complimentary to each other! 

Beauty Review: eSalon Shampoo & an Update

A few months ago, I wrote a not-entirely-positive review of eSalon. You can read that here. 

Regardless of my experience, I have gotten a ton (and I mean, a ton) of referral credits because of that blog post. As they piled up, I started to think, “Maybe I should just use these.” 

Ultimately, my issue with eSalon came down to false advertising (don’t say you have violet undertone hair dye if you don’t use blue dye!) instead of a subpar product. eSalon is basically slightly expensive drug store dye; you pay for the extras (that stain guard, baby). I don’t find the quality many different from a box of Garnier Fructis, to be honest. 

That being said, because of all those credits, I’ve ordered a lot from eSalon in the past few months. Like, a lot more than I ever thought I would. Here’s what I’ve ordered. 

1. Hair dye in “chocolate brown” 

To return my hair to my original color (and not the craptastic red shade I’d ended up with the first time), I ordered a hair dye in… dark brown. I sent them a photo of my hair pre-dye incident and they matched it pretty close. My hair is dark, very dark, almost black, but thanks to that red dye, had faded to a weird wishy-washy pale brown. Not cute. It’s back to its original luster now, but like with my past review, even though eSalon says they cover grays for 8 weeks, mine are usually showing by 3-4 weeks. Not ideal, but honestly, not awful. 

2. eSalon’s Heart Lock It Color Care Shampoo and Love Unconditionally Color Care Conditioner

Listen, I really liked the samples of these shampoos I received in my first order, even though the color sucked. So with some credits, I ordered full size bottles. They’re pretty expensive for their size, but they’ve lasted since March, so I guess it’s not the worst. The shampoo and conditioner are bomb and I definitely feel like they’ve helped keep my hair color around longer.

3. Big Love Color Care Volumizing Shampoo

I’m always looking to add volume to my very flat hair, so as my first bottle of Heart Lock It dwindles down, I ordered the volumizing version of their shampoo. I actually love it; it works insanely well. And the bottle matches my bathroom decor so much better. 

4. Get Lifted Root Lift Spray

Because I opted out of the matching volumizing conditioner (since I’m only halfway through my first bottle), I ordered this instead. I love root lifting spray and this one fit the bill because it won’t damage my hair color. I find it works pretty well. Not as good as my tried-and-true John Frieda root lifter… but pretty good. 

If you'd like to try eSalon, you can use my referral link to receive $10 off your first hair color order.

4 Summer Toddler Essentials

Summer weather has just barely started here in Oregon. If you follow me on Instagram, you've seen a few stories about playing outside with Forrest in the afternoon. One day, the weather even topped 75 degrees, a true feat! 

However, as the summer rapidly approaches, I start thinking about all the things that toddler's need during the day--especially during the summer. If your toddler is like my toddler, they are, essentially, needy creatures. 24/7 need. And again, if your toddler is like my toddler, they want to be outside, and playing, and not eating or sleeping or drinking, 100% of the time. 

For that reason, I made a list of our summer essentials. The 4 things that, if nothing else, I will make sure we have to keep Forrest entertained and healthy. Here they are. 

1. Lots of sunscreen. 

If you've ever read my blog (and fingercrossed you have), you know that I wear sunscreen all year round. I'm incredibly pale and very prone to sun damage. Needless to say, my son did not inherit my husband's olive-toned, hearty skin. Ugh. He gets absolutely slathered before we go outside, even on overcast days. We are barely making it through molars; I am not adding sunburn to that mix! 

I'm a big fan of Babyganics sunscreen (as well as their other products) for my son. He has pretty sensitive skin (again, like mine, sorry kid!) and gets rashes very easily. I have found that Babyganics is the only thing that doesn't end up giving him a bumpy rash. Also, the sunscreen sticks are super convenient.

2. Hats.

Being totally honest, I really despite the hats that are available for toddlers. They're all bucket hats. Yes, all of them. It's awful. I guess they're cute, if you stretch your imagination and accept that anything slightly smaller than normal is cute. But they're still bucket hats. 

As ugly as I find them though, I put one on Forrest's little head every time we go outside. Why? It covers his face, protecting his eyes and face from the sun. Again: sun damage. If your toddler has more hair than mine (which, 98% of toddlers do, unfortunately), you might be able to skip a hat if you get a good layer of sunscreen on the face. But for the bald toddlers out there, solidarity; my kid has to wear one of these things. (This one from Carter's isn't too tragic, and even with Forrest's 66% size head, he can fit into the 9m size!)  

3. A toddler leash

You read that right! You see that picture correctly! I am recommending, yes, a leash for your child. Here's why: toddlers are super independent. Their growing independence is linked to their bad behavior (terrible 2s, anyone?), their sleep regressions (ugh), and their occasional refusal to eat. Those trips to the zoo, to Target, to Disneyland, to the grandparents, they don't want to be held. They don't want to be worn. They don't want to sit in their hot, uncomfortable stroller. They wanna walk, baby!

So let them. Buy the leash. I like these backpack versions. (We actually own a dog-shaped version ourselves.) They can love it by helping you put their things into it: a favorite toy or book, a sippy cup, a sunscreen stick, and then zipping it up. Then attach the leash and let them get their independence on while also being able to keep them close. It's a win-win. 

4. Some kind of outdoor toy

I am not personally a fan of the water table (in Oregon, these just mold within a few weeks), but some people (and climates) totally love them. If you're really coveting the one in the photo, you can check it out here. Otherwise, I have a few other suggestions: 

• Bubbles
• Sand toys (even if you don't have a sand box or table) 
• Sidewalk chalk
• Toy brooms
• Soccer ball or tennis balls

Basically, I'm a fan of keeping outdoor toys simple. Forrest has the most fun outside with his little bucket of sand toys, some bubbles, and nature, honestly.