Reviews

    Paro

    Level 8
    Elyse ELevel 8 115 Reviews

    2 months ago

    Purchased through a Thingtesting offer

    Ordered the Kichari Paro product from Thingdrop and was super excited to receive and cook. It came quickly in the mail with adorable packaging that even included free seeds as that's part of their charm, storytelling, and culture sharing. This particular flavor was a tad bitter, but it was tasty and I would purchase and pair it with meals again. The portion was also fairly large and lasted for about 4-5 meal side dishes. Great all around product!

    Kitchari

    KOBA skincare

    Level 8
    Elyse ELevel 8 115 Reviews

    4 months ago

    Purchased through a Thingtesting offer

    I was so excited to receive the body/hair oil and body lotion, but it was, unfortunately, underwhelming from the start when the packaging arrived a bit battered and stained. I loved the information card detailing the vegetable oil derivative, however, the oil was way too heavy for my hair and both products had a slight smell that I found unpleasant. It was generous for the brand to also send two samples, but they weren't sealed. Overall, I felt like the price point was too high and likely wouldn't purchase again.

    Gold Drip Nourishing Body & Hair OilMilk It Body Lotion

    Springer

    Level 8
    Elyse ELevel 8 115 Reviews

    5 months ago

    Purchased through a Thingtesting offer

    UPDATED: I changed my original review from 4 stars to 5 because today I completed the longest walk I've done with my pup (2 hours) plus we hung out at an outdoor cafe afterward and the Springer water bottle was so clutch!!! I actually *did* clip it to my crossbody bag during the hike (after initially feeling like I wouldn't be comfortable with that look and feel) and it was so seamless to remove it from the carabiner, squeeze up the water, allowing for sipping, and then letting the pool of water suck back into the bottle. I felt like the most efficient and best dog mom in the world! At the outdoor cafe, it was easy peasy to fill up the drinking bowl, plug the drain, and then just place the bottle upright on the ground for my dog. While watching her gulp down the water I also was thankful that the water bowl is higher up as opposed to on the ground since it's much more ergonomic. Great job Springer team! ---- I have the mini travel water bottle for my 30-pound mixed breed gal and use it mostly for road-trips, beach days, and long walks. The color ways are fun and the material is flexible, but durable. I jumped at the chance to try this water bottle because other brand versions I have are horizontal-based and have to be held or positioned in an awkward way, but Springer’s is vertical and can sit upright on its own. The squeeze flow to fill the ‘bowl’ is super easy and intuitive and works best when the bottle is full of water. My dog knew exactly what the bottle was and started lapping up water, which was relieving because she’s spooked easily by new objects. I don’t think I’d use the carabiner and it took some getting used to to twist the drain that allows water in and then twist to lock—because I was like, do I allow the unused water to flow back in the bottle?? Overall, pretty pleased with the product and brand and am happy I have a water option for my fur baby!

    Mini Dog Travel Water Bottle

    Paula's Choice

    Level 8
    Elyse ELevel 8 115 Reviews

    6 months ago

    Purchased the SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant to use as a toner directly from Paula's Choice site for $25 for about 6.5oz and..... contrary to almost everyone else's experience, it did nothing for me! I was deeply disappointed that I didn't get the results that so many got. I used the whole bottle and ended up not re-purchasing or trying another toner. I'm not sure I'm confident in the brand's effectiveness for my sensitive and combination skin, so I decided to try medical-grade skincare. While the brand has a ton of products and is rooted in dermatology vs. trends, it's a little overwhelming to navigate. I do appreciate that the brand typically has a lot of promos though and plan to try their new barrier cream this year.

    SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

    Haus Labs

    Level 8
    Elyse ELevel 8 115 Reviews

    6 months ago

    Purchased the foundation ($45 for 1oz) and concealer ($32 for .24oz) from Sephora and have been impressed! The foundation is super smooth (maybe a bit too liquidy), buildable, and feels like nothing on my skin. The concealer I specifically got because I have super dry under eyes and it's apparently the most crease-less concealer on the market right now. I opted to NOT get the brushes because I think they are overpriced at around $40 bucks and instead apply the foundation with a sponge and the concealer with an $18 concealer brush from Rare Beauty that looks exactly the same. BUT, I just found out and order a "discovery kit" from the Haus Labs site directly where you can get 3 foundation shades in these little adorable bottles to test at home to ensure you have the right shade before buying. You just pay shipping and then they do expect you to buy a full bottle within 21 days or else I believe they'll charge $10-$12 for the kit. I think Lady Gaga and her team were extremely intentional, considerate, and addressed unmet needs with these products because they are high-quality and work with the skin instead of clogging it. I'll keep trying the line and have been very happy with the products after a month of using.

    Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + De-puffing ConcealerTriclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation with Fermented Arnica

    The Reformation

    Level 8
    Elyse ELevel 8 115 Reviews

    6 months ago

    I have several pieces from Reformation purchased from the Austin South Congress store location and they are timeless and so well made. My favorite is a white high-neck, sleeveless, loose-fitting sweater tank that goes with everything and has lasted several seasons even with washing at home; it was about $80. The real star though is the store layout and digital fitting room system. When you go into the fitting room there is a touch screen mounted on the wall where you can browse items, select your size, and send a request for a salesperson to bring it to you. The reasons I loved this experience are because: - It keeps the store floor and hangers super curated and not overrun with every size available, so the clothing really has a chance to standout - Seeing and selecting the clothing from the digital screen in the dressing room showcases what the item looks like on models and fully styled, so it's more helpful than just seeing it on the hanger. - My friend and I also liked how if a size isn't available in the store, they use the system to see if it works for you to get it sent to your home address or another store to try on. Overall, it was a unique experience that we had to get used to but ended it really enjoying and were wishing it could be incorporated elsewhere.

    Austin Reformation Location

    Harry's

    Level 8
    Elyse ELevel 8 115 Reviews

    6 months ago

    Purchased razors, blades, and shaving cream from this brand directly from their website (subscription) and from Target for myself and my husband. It has mid-tier pricing at about $10 for a razor with a handle and two refills and feels more elevated than your average drugstore or big-name brands. It's also super convenient to get all the shaving products you need from one brand individually or in a kit, but overall we felt like the performance was not that much better than previous brands we used. My husband went back to Gillette and stocking up at Costco and I went back to Flamingo. We'll keep an eye on the brand and try again if it's shared that something has changed or there's something new to try—and it's actually a great gift I get my brother for stocking stuffers because of the kit packaging.

    razor bladesshaving cream

    Lush

    Level 8
    Elyse ELevel 8 115 Reviews

    6 months ago

    In my humble opinion, these are the original bath bombs and they cannot be outdone. In comparison to other brands, Lush remains top-notch in terms of providing a generous size, strong/good scents, and that coveted bubble-up-fizzy-foaming action when you plop a bomb in a filled bathtub. The best ones are the OG round ball bath bombs that are about $7-$10 each. I don't love the non-round versions that are the same price and kind of look like cookie cutouts of whatever is trending or in-season (i.e. gingerbread man, UFO, unicorn). And I rated down because the ones with glitter or super neon colors are hard to get out of tubs, BUT overall they are so fun and great to have around and gift.

    Bath bomb

    Subtl Beauty

    Level 8
    Elyse ELevel 8 115 Reviews

    6 months ago

    The creator of this brand has a funny backstory and is super transparent about it, which is in college she essentially loved to have a good time and sometimes didn't make it back to *her* home, so she needed a convenient and compact form of make-up to look refreshed the morning after. The customization to create your own little "stack" is fun and really easy. I loved being able to select my own colors/shades and that some of the products are dual-purpose, like the cheek color also being a lip color or how the eyeshadow comes with two shades in one component. And their bronzer is so good it rivals some of the big make-up names. The price of the stacks range depending on how many products you get, but it's approx from $45-$80 and that's for 3-6 items! They recently rebranded their packaging to be bigger, option to include a mirror, brush or a cleaner, and they are always running promos. Overall, it's a fun, convenient, and clever brand that I always have in my gym bag, carry-on, or in my car for long day trips.

    Customized Stack

    Therabody

    Level 8
    Elyse ELevel 8 115 Reviews

    6 months ago

    Bought the mini because it was the highest-quality and lowest price point at $200 that I wanted to pay—and I felt like it covered all my needs, which were just weekly use post-workouts, travel-friendly, and easy to store. I've seen the larger versions being used on the sideline of NFL games that totally validated my purchase for this size, ha! It has exceeded expectations and I typically leave it out in my living room for use whenever. The size is perfect for my husband and me who aren't extreme athletes or have any pre-existing conditions—honestly, it's also good to use when you don't sleep right or after a long day of sitting in an office chair. The three settings are nice and they offer different levels of pressure and speed. The charge does hold well and the carrying case is nice, BUT the charging cord doesn't fit in the case... and I lost it! I wish that was a little more intentional when designing the product, but overall I'm happy with it.

    Theragun Mini 2