Snacking: Williams Sonoma Spooky Sour Pumpkins

If there's one thing I'm incredibly attracted to during the turn of the seasons it's Williams Sonoma sour candies. During the Spring/Easter season they come out with these sour bunnies in 3 different flavors (Grapefruit, Lime and Lemon) and I was surprised to see they came out with something similar for the Fall/Halloween season so of course I jumped up and grabbed one!

Don't mind the Spiced Pecan Pumpkin mix (and mini sample muffin), it just happened to be there when I snapped this picture in the store :P

First of all, I really like the packaging for the Spooky Sour Pumpkins it reminds me of a potion bottle! And the label really matches the whole thing. I'm a sucker for festive packaging. 

The pumpkins are orange flavored and slightly dusted with sugar (though I swear it's sour sugar, if that is a thing) and the pumpkins are chewy. They're not thick and sticky like the sour Easter bunnies are, they're much softer and less sticky. But they are sour and that's what I love about Williams Sonoma sours, they're make-your-jaw-sweat sour!

Keep in mind that these are a seasonal time.

Happy snacking!

Bookin' It Sunday | Review: After Hello by Lisa Mangum

After Hello by Lisa Mangum

Published: September 4th, 2012

Genre: Young Adult

Source: For review via NetGalley

 Buy: Amazon* || BookDepository*

Summary:

What if the first day of your relationship was the only day you had?

Seventeen-year-old Sara is a seeker. She’s always on the lookout for the perfect moment to capture with her ever-present, point-and-shoot camera, especially on her first trip to New York City.

Sam is a finder. He has a knack for finding what other people can’t—a first-edition book or the last two tickets to a sold-out Broadway show. In New York, there is always something interesting to find.

When Sam and Sara’s paths cross, neither one of them is prepared for what they will find out about each other—and about themselves when they form an unlikely partnership in search of a seemingly elusive work of art. They have one day to find the impossible. Fate brought their talents together, but what happens when time runs out? Will love be able to overcome fate? This new novel from award-winning author Lisa Mangum explores what happens after hello.

After Hello was a hard book to get into in the beginning. I just didn't really understand what was going on. Like the blurb states -- Sara is a seeker and Sam is a finder. The more you read into it, the more their roles begin to make sense and once they unravel themselves, you find that Sara is seeker because she's looking for answers and Sam is a finder because he's lost his way. For Sam, finding things for other people and making them happy is what he does best, to make up for things that are too late. He's confident that he can find almost anything anyone is looking for by trading. It all starts with a sugar packet. Yes, a sugar packet. Impressive, right? 

What surprised me the most about this read was even though I was pretty close to giving it a DNF (Did Not Finish) rating, it surprised me by being one of those books that really make you think after you've flipped the last page. There's something comforting about telling a stranger all your secrets. Maybe it's because they have no prior memories or knowledge of you, so you can be whoever you want to be. After Hello I felt was also about letting go and moving on from things you can't change in your past. From things you didn't understand before and from things that aren't going to change no matter how much you wish they would.

Review + Swatch | Essie: To Buy or Not to Buy

Essie is a brand that I fell in love with late last year. I'm always on the search for the perfect nail polish formula (then again who isn't?) and when stumbling on Essie, I immediately fell in love!

I buy about 50% of them from Macy's since I'm always hanging around there before class and I stumbled on their Spring Collection awhile back, I picked up three colors one of them being To Buy or Not to Buy.

 

PROS:

• Drying time
• Doesn't chip after a week with no base or top coat
• Smooth formula

CONS:

• A bit pricey at $8
• The little glitters were a pain to take off

This is a gorgeous color and I fell in love with it in the bottle. In the swatch it looks better than it did in person. While I loved the color, on my skin tone it wasn't that nice. I'm starting to think that pretty pastels just aren't for me lol. I don't know if you can really see it here, but this color had small pink glitter flecks in it that gave it a nice touch when it hit the light but they were a paaaainnnn to take off! Who knew tiny glitters would be so stubborn?

While I do still love this color, I'm sad it wasn't for me.

Review + Swatch | Sinful Colors: Cinderella

I was intrigued by this color (and the name) after seeing it a few times on Instagram. This swatch was taken with my iPhone 4S camera, it's usually a lot more clear than this... not sure why it's showing up blurry!

Sinful Colors nail polish isn't super complicated to find. Normally I order mine from Cherry Culture, but you can also find them at Walgreens. I found this shade at my local Walgreens.

PRO

• Price
• Drying time
• Doesn't chip after a week

CON

• Formula 
• Way too sheer

I've been a long time fan of Sinful Colors nail polish. The reason being at under $3 it's really a great deal. It dries quickly and the thing I like the most about Sinful Colors is that it doesn't chip at all without a base or a top coat (my longest wear time was a week. I took it off myself and it wasn't chipped at all at that point, not sure exactly how long it lasts)! 

With most Sinful Color nail polishes you can expect the same great formula that's easy to work with. But with the shade Cinderella, this wasn't the case. Now I'm not sure if it was just MY bottle, or just this shade but with my experience, the formula was goopy and runny at the same time. It wasn't hard to apply (even on my right hand) but it was hard getting it not to drip all over the place.With that said, the swatch came out more streaky and uneven. This was with about 4-5 coats and even then, you could still tell it was streaky. 

The great thing about this color though is, I don't know if you can tell by the picture, but it's a really really pretty light blue with small pink glitter. Definitely reminds you of Cinderella's dress!

While I do love Sinful Colors, I don't think I'll be spending much time with this particular shade.

Review: Fruit2day - Mango Peach

I stumbled on these back in 07' and I've been hooked ever since!

The Fruit2day website claims:

It's a drinkable and edible fruit snack with bits of real fruit that's unlike anything you've tried before. Fruit2day is a blend of natural fruit juices, rich fruit purees and delicious bits of real fruit.

And it's true. While this is a fruit drink, it's also an edible one at that. In addition to really delicious fruit juice, you get bits of the fruits in it. My favorite is the Mango Peach. Probably because I'm obsessed with all things Mango Peach lol. 

My only complaint is that the bottles are so tiny! The normal small bottles are 6.25oz while the new bigger ones are 28oz. I haven't had the pleasure of buying one of those yet!

These fruit drinks are great for a mid-day snack considering it contains both a drink and fruit bits.

Have you tried these? Which flavor is your favorite?

Review: B&BW CO Bigelow Lemon & Black Cherry lip balm

 Bath & Body Works CO Bigelow lip balm in Lemon & Black Cherry is one of my favorite lip balms.

What the Bath & Body Works site claims (taken from the Lemon flavor):

Formulated with a high concentration of lemon oil and extract (3.5%), this addictive Lemon Lip Balm is packed with vitamins and minerals, providing a major dose of vitamin C. 100% natural lemon flavor provides a tangy burst, while ultra-moisturizing shea butter (1%) nourishes and conditions lips. The creamy formula glides on smooth, leaving lips feeling soft and moisturized.

• Softens, soothes and cares for lips with vitamin C-rich lemon and super-nourishing shea butter
• Untinted balm prevents dryness and chapping while providing a dew-kissed sheen
• Developed by Bigelow Chemists
• Made with Honest, Genuine and Trustworthy Ingredients

Pros:

• Incredibly moisturizing
• Great taste
• Good amount of product (13 oz)
• Minty tingle

Cons:

• Price ($7.50)
• Lack of SPF
• Limited Edition flavors

As you can see, the lip balm comes in a clear stick form. It has no tint to it. The thing I love the most about this lip balm is that it feels like butter on your lips. It just glides on. It has a strong scent of lemons and black cherry and it literally tastes like a black cherry lemonade. Seriously, the taste and smell is addicting! Another thing I like about it is that it's pretty long lasting, I don't find myself applying this balm more than 2-3 times a day. A very little also goes a long way!

One thing I don't like is that this flavor was limited edition (and I had no idea it was) so I'm not even sure when's the next time I'll see this is black cherry. Currently they do have the Lemon, Lemon & Blackberry (tinted) and Lemon & Ginger (tinted). Another thing I'm not too fond of is the price! While Bath & Body Works usually does have BOGO deals, I feel like their lip products are wayy over priced, especially for a lip balm that lacks SPF!

While I do love this lip balm, I doubt it'll be buying any more of these in the near future (unless of course black cherry just so happens to make another appearance)!

Review: Tic Tac - Peach Fusion

Excuse half of the product missing, that's what happens when I leave anything edible near my husband.

I saw these at a local Bed Bath & Beyond and I've never seen them before. Tic Tac's Peach Fusion are a mix of Passion Fruit and Peach (according to its label). At first taste, you get a strong burst of Peach and I find it fades into Passion Fruit then into a last lingering mint. While the Peach and Passion Fruit notes are strong, when everything fades into mint the Peach and Passion Fruit have a lingering artificial flavor left behind. My husband says it reminds him of fruit gum, I'd have to say, I somewhat agree.

I'm not a huge fan of Tic Tac's fruit flavored line, but these are pretty darn good!

Review: E.L.F Studio Conditioning Lip Balm

E.L.F Studio Conditioning Lip Balm's have gotten so many raving reviews that I was pretty excited to try them.

What the E.L.F website claims:

With the e.l.f. Conditioning Lip Balm, lips get treated to a sheer splash of color that’s super smooth, velvety soft and non-sticky. Not only are these sheer, natural shades beautiful, they’re also beneficial, with natural ingredients that condition dry, chapped lips including Vitamins A & E. SPF 15 to protect delicate lips against harmful sun damage.

Pros:

• Affordable at $3
• .26oz of product
• A good verity of colors to choose from
• Good pigmentation
• Moisturizing

Cons:

• Bulky packaging
• Formula varies with color of product
• Smells like plastic
• Difficult to apply
• Tastes funny

These are the two I own Nice & Natural (L) and Blissful Berry (R).

The first thing that bothers me is the bulky packaging! I know it drives everyone crazy. I mean it's cute but... how do you store this stuff?? The second thing is the taste/smell. I don't really require all my lip products to have a smell or taste, but it's always a nice perk. These however kind of smell and taste like plastic. I also noticed that with the Blissful Berry it was a struggle to apply. Maybe it was just my pot, but it was a bit dry. Where as Nice & Natural was the opposite. It was easier to apply and creamy (okay maybe a little too creamy).

I do love the colors though. It has wonderful pigmentation and I find it to be very moisturizing. Also $3 for .26oz of product? That's a great deal! 

If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to the MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner, I would give these a try!