Box Review 2019

January 24, 2019

**For $15 off your fist box use code CHICKSANDSALSA15 or ANNUAL20 for $20 off your annual subscription**

I have shared before that I live in a pretty small town…that being said I have found a few fun work arounds to getting my hands on fun and trendy products. The first one of course is Amazon, thank GOD for Amazon. Another fun way to get some unexpected and exciting products is with subscriptions boxes. We have featured boxes before like here and here. Today we are super excited to pick apart the Box of Style curated by Rachel Zoe. Where are my BRAVO fans at?? Rachel Zoe’s iconic style of simple clothes with statement jewelry was always a favorite. Her attitude as well as style made The Rachel Zoe Project the hit that it was.

I have always been an accessories girl as you can see here and here. A box of products picked by Rachel herself sounds like perfection and once you see what all came in this box, you will see why it is a great deal and a whole lot of fun to get OR give as a gift. Let’s break down the value and then take a peek inside.

Box Of Style Cost: $100

Whats Inside:

$80 – Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum

$150 – Jules Kae Vegan Leather Tote

$80 – Ettika Tassel Necklace (Box of Style Exclusive)

$20 – Tarte Sex Kitten Liquid Liner

$115 – Eddie Borgo Watch in Rose Gold

So as you can see you are getting $395 worth of HIGH END products for $100 – pretty awesome! To learn more about membership, click here.

So lets get into what is in this seasons box!

Caudalie Radiance Serum

This product retails for $80 at Sephora. This serum is a highly concentrated, natural, oil-free serum that combats dark spots, evens skin tone, and boosts radiance—and has been proven to be 62 times more effective than vitamin C. But don’t take my word for it, take it from the 2000+ four star reviews they have on the site.

Jules Kae Vegan Leather Tote

This box came in this beautiful faux leather bag in my current favorite color BLUSH! With Digital Chicks keeping me busy and a laptop and camera always in my bag, this one came just in time to help me get around in style.

Ettika Tassel Necklace – See Her Whole Collection Here

This is one of the BEST necklaces I have gotten of late. Layered necklaces are all the rage and when you rock multiples you risk getting tangled up! This beauty attaches to one claps keeping the layers clean and perfect all day long. I have already gotten so many compliments on this one, so if you are on the market check it out. This one was made specifically for the Box of Style, but she has a similar style for sale for less than $50 here.

Tarte Sex Kitten Liquid Eyeliner

I’ve been having a Tarte moment lately as you can see here. This liquid liner is not just cute, but it is also great! I tried out the tip on my hand and the lines were still on there the next morning! That is the kind of stay power I want out of my eyeliner. Once you get your liner on, check out my video on getting your falsies on perfect every time (its magic!)

Eddie Borgo Soho Watch in Rose Gold

If you are like me I rarely buy a statement watch, but if I get my hands on one I am more than happy to rock it! This watch goes with my current blush aesthetic and gives my #OOTD that extra touch. I love it!

I hope you enjoyed this review. This subscription is a little treat to myself this year and gives me a little something extra to look forward to every couple of months.

As always, thanks for stopping by Chicks And Salsa!

Cheers,

Rina

Lifestyle, Review

My Top Ten Picks From Oprah’s Favorite Things

November 15, 2018

Ok, ok, I love Oprah’s picks each year. This year is no different. She has managed to pull together a list of items that immediately struck a chord with me for a different people in my life. So here is what I will be shopping and (shhhh!) for whom. See all of our gift guides here.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Littbag Light Up Vanity

So I think I will be scooping this up for my Mom and Mother In Law. It has long lasting LED lights IN THE BAG which makes seeing what is inside easier – its so genius I wish I had thought of it!

X5 Multi USB Port Car Charger

With all of our devices needing USB ports the two slots in my car just doesn’t cut it! Thank got this genius product has my back and can support up to 5 devices!!! This may be the best stocking stuffer ever! This would also be an AWESOME gift for a teacher too, see all of our gift guides here!

Jotblock Watercolor Set

Doodling can be so therapeutic. I have so many creative and artistic people in my family that for $25, this gift is a steal! Drop this in your cart for the artsy one in your family (ahem Dad).

Faux Fur Mittens

Ok, the blogger in my could not resist these adorable mittens and with my upcoming trip to Chicago, I scooped these up for myself and Sonia and Shelly (of course)!

Techloom Sneakers

Does anyone else NOT UNTIE their laces every time they take off their sneakers. I have been sliding my sneakers on and off for years, so these cuties by APL are right up my alley. No laces, no fuss! With so many color choices- how could you not scoop these up for the new year.

Arts and Craft Supply Library

I have two daughters ages 7 and 8 and currently all they care about are crafts and SLIME (BEST slime kit on the market is linked here – you’re welcome)! So for less than $40 I can give them hours of entertainment with a cute modern twist on a craft box. Santa will be putting this under the tree FOR SURE!

Clarisonic

I bought a knock off one of these years ago and used it till it literally could not go on. With skincare at the top of my mind lately a new face brush has been on my list for a while. Although this may be one of the more expensive items on this list, with something that I plan on using often and on my face, I think it may be worth the splurge.

Lasagna Trio

When I saw this I literally added it my cart instantly. My lasagna can get so sloppy and slippery sometimes its embarrassing! Chicago Metallic has solved this problem by breaking up the pan into three sections and I LOVE IT!

Apple Air Pods

If you have not made the switch to Apple Airpods yet you are missing out, Sonia and I use these all day, everyday! These have an incredible battery life and charge in the case they come in. They are $150 at the Apple store and $144 here, so add these to your cart and be hands free for life!

My Leopard Print Dress Doubles Up As a Cardigan | Necklaces are From This Store on Etsy

Floating Pearl Hoops

Last but not least are these beautiful earrings. Hoops in general are a go-to chicks look and I looked around for a cheaper version of these earrings and failed! They fall flawlessly and look so elegant that they may actually be worth the price.

Well I hope you found this gift guide helpful. Its not too early to start stashing stuff and crossing off names. I love giving gifts all year round but the holidays are extra special!

Cheers,

Your Chick,

Rina

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Chick Picks:

Fashion, Lifestyle

How To Save Your White Sneakers With This One Product

November 6, 2018

I had been down about the condition of my favorite Gucci sneakers recently and decided to do something about it. Instead of just replacing them, I decided to try out a quick five minute and five dollar solution to my problem. I had worn these so much (see them here and here) that they had gotten so dirty and I hated the way that they started to look. I tried my go-to solution for everything which is baby wipes with no success. But then I tried the magic eraser by Mr. Clean and was thrilled with my results.

See my before and after pictures here:

My Blazer is $29 Here (I am wearing Size S) | Fave Gucci Sneakers Here | Go To Adidas Sneakers Here (On Sale) | Hamsa Necklace Linked Here | Go To Evil Eye Necklace Here

Here is the step by step process for restoring your sneakers to ‘like new’ :

Wipe down sneakers first with a baby wipe or wet towel to get off obvious ‘gunk’
Fill a bowl with warm water.
Dip magic eraser into the bowl.
Begin gently rubbing your sneakers. You can repeat this step as many times as necessary.
Wipe off with a clean towel.

Protip: Wash the laces too! My whites were mis-matched until I did this.

The Magic Eraser can also be used gently on handbags as well. I was able to save my shoes in less than five minutes and I was so excited that I had to share it with you! The way I look at it is that you will buy it once and always have it for your shoes and your family’s shoes!

Chick Picks:

Lifestyle

I Spent 4 Hours and 49 Minutes on My Phone Today!! Should I be worried?

October 24, 2018

Ok, don’t judge me- but I really wanted to know exactly how much time I was spending on my phone so I measured it using the Moments App (ioS 12 also has a built in feature to help you keep track as well). I was introduced to the app a while ago and I have been documenting my usage and time for the past few weeks. I thought I was going to feel bad about the amount of time I spent, but I found something even more interesting and awesome instead!

If you have an iPhone here is how your can check your usage now!

Launch Settings from your Home screen. > Tap on Battery. > Wait a moment for Battery Usage to populate. > Tap on the Show Detailed Usage button to get a breakdown of foreground and background power usage. > Tap on Last 7 Days to get a broader look at power consumption over time.

**First pic is from one day, second pic is from seven day summary**

Screenshots from Moments App:

My Results

It turns out I get plenty of sleep – averaging 7-8 hours a night – awesome right!?! It also turns out that I spend almost 5 hours a day on my phone…I thought I would have negative feelings about this, but it turns out I don’t. Let me explain. I work at home and with my time divided between Digital Chicks Media and our blog, it makes sense to me that I would be spending the equivalent of a day’s work on my phone, aka my computer on the go. With social media and engagement at the core of what I do, I guess it is not surprising, but there is a silver lining to all this information.

Black and White Sweater Dress for $35 (available in every color) another one I love is linked here | Loafers are Chanel, shop similar here | My go to red lipstick is linked here

The Silver Lining

I am living day-to-day moments for most of my day – that is time that I am spending with my family, at the gym, cooking, driving, etc. That is a nice find that somehow I can’t ignore. I actually felt good about that, is that weird? My kids get home from school around 3:30PM and go to bed around 8PM. The main thing I try hard to work on is the amount of time I spend on my phone while they are home. I want to make sure that those 8 hours of living are happening sans my phone while my family is together.

Something my husband and I try to do walk away from our devices to resist the temptation to not be present in the moment while the kids are home. While work can sometimes creep in trying to move to another room to finish out an email or call is a helpful way to recenter and be present in the time you are away from your phone.

The Takeaway

In life we have to strike a balance between the things that we do and find a place in our day to day lives for all of it. Smartphones are a necessary evil that really are not that bad, they have enhanced our lives by so much. So, next time you resent the amount of time you may be spending on your phone, find out how much time you are actually spending and let that knowledge either empower you or help you create changes you wish to see to make being in the moment more meaningful.