BIRCHBOX CANADA DECEMBER 2014 REVIEW

This is the first box from Birchbox as they have just released in Canada so it was exciting and interesting to see how it would compare to boxes from the US.
Birchbox is a monthly subscription box that sends 5 samples a month somewhat curated to your beauty profile although I find the questions don't narrow down enough for you to say what you don't want.
The cost is $10 plus $4.95 shipping. As this is the pricing only for Canada I don't know why they can't just say its $14.95 but I appreciate that it is in Canadian dollars as the exchange rate to the US is horrible right now.

The box took a little while to arrive to me, I think over 2 weeks but it was nicely packed and has the theme of "Decked Out" And apparently this box is filled with "Festive" beauty samples to help start the celebrations a little early. It was also written that we were supposed to get a $10 GAP Giftcard but it looks like no one in Canada got it.

So this is a look at what I got in the box.

amika Nourishing Mask-20ml Sample (Value $2.48)

Paraben-free treatment that conditions and repairs with superfruit sea buckthorn berry. Once a week, smooth onto lengths and ends of damp hair. Leave 5-10mins before rinsing.

I love the smell of this but I find the sample size way too small to get a true feel for how nourishing it is as this sample is only about 1 and a bit uses for me. Funnily enough the directions on the actual product tell you to apply generously and at $31 for a full size product at 250ml I would barely get 10 uses out of but my hair would probably smell pretty nice and I do use hair treatment's on a regular basis on my dry curly hair.

Benefit Cosmetics high beam 2.5ml Sample (Value $6.15)

This award-winning illuminator highlights and enhances features with a soft pink shimmer. Use fingertips to dab onto cheekbones, brow bones, or anywhere else, and quickly blend.

I haven't bothered to open this sample yet as I still have a sample of this in my makeup bag that I already use on a very occasional basis. It is a decent product though for people who use these products and the sample size means you get a lot of uses to try it out.

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eyeliner in Black 0.03oz Sample (Value $13.50)

A luxe creamy liner from the NYC-based designer for smudge-proof, all-day wear. Glide along lash line for a defined look or blend within 30 seconds for a smoky eye.

I have lots of eyeliners and never get close to finishing them so its funny that we've been given a sample that is 3/4 of the size of the full size product but I suppose you could always buy different colours. I've only tried it once but it glides on easily and it probably one of the better eyeliners I have tried.

Harvey Prince Ageless Liquid Loofah 15ml Sample (Value $1.11)

Infused with a grapefruit-vanilla fragrance, this wash hydrates and softens skin. Work into a lather and massage over skin. Breathe in the youthful scent, then rinse clean.

This smells amazing but this sample was so small I only got one use out of it and they tell you to not use a sponge or a loofah which meant that you need more of the product to spread across your body. I'm sure this product is nice but the sample size is too poor to give any judgement.

Vasanti Cosmetics BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator 20g Sample (Value $5.60)

This customer fave mimics the effects of microdermabrasion for glowing, smooth skin. 3-5 times a week, massage a pea-sized amount into damp skin and rinse. For all skin types.

I like this product a lot. Its easy to apply to the face and it feels quite gentle on the skin but you can feel it scraping away as you massage it in. I also appreciate that this sample will give me quite a few uses.

Overall I like the products that are in this box but I can't help be disappointed at the sizes of the samples as they really just don't give you a chance to actually try the products which means I really would never buy the full size products. The value of this box came to $28.84 and I paid $15 so it's almost double in value according to the Birchbox website but I still don't feel like I got my money's worth. At least I ended up with 164 points from this month's box to spend in the store from righting the reviews and being compensated for originally saying this box would ship in November on our orders.

If you are interested in subscribing head here and you can purchase monthly or yearly subscriptions.

I already know what is coming in January's box so I'm just interested to see what the sample size will be as I'm not excited by the products at all and I know it has not been shipped yet as the tracking has stayed in the warehouse for the last 5 days so who knows how long it will take.  

What do you think about this box?

LITTLE LIFE BOX DECEMBER 2014

Little Life Box is a monthly health based subscription box containing 12 products including a wide range of organic and natural products from food to health to beauty. Subscriptions are available in a variety of lengths including a 1 Month trial, monthly subscription or you can buy a 3, 6 or 12 month subscription. Cost is $19.99 per month for a monthly subscription + $3.95 for shipping. There are also Holiday Boxes that were available for Christmas. It is only available in Canada at the moment.

December's box was the first one I received and it took about a week to get to me as all boxes ship on the 1st day of each month. This box was very prettily packed and I love the owl tissue paper. There seems to be a variety of boxes people got as other reviews I've seen have included quite different products.

They even sent a xmas postcard.

A very full looking box.

Camino Chilli & Spice Hot Chocolate  275g tin (Retails $8.49 but on special for $6.99 on Camino website)

I haven't tried this yet but it seems like an interesting take on Hot Chocolate and its also Fair Trade and Organic which is great. It also contains no milk products so its suitable for vegans too.

The Bee's Knees Peanut Butter blended with Honey 32g sachet (Value approx $0.35, $4.99 16oz jar)

I'm sure I'll enjoy this but it seems like it will be difficult to get out of the sachet.

Homeocoksinum Flu Buster 3 doses X 1g (Retail approx $5.66- 9 dose $16.99)

This is basically a Homeopathic Medicine for relief of Cold and Flu-like symptoms. I used one of the tubes and its like little balls that you dissolve under your tongue. Not sure if it really did much as I used it a week into my symptoms and the box suggest doing it at the onset.

Camino Chocolate-covered Cacao Beans 100g ($5.99)

These are Cacao Beans covered in dark chocolate than Cocoa. Neither me or my boyfriend like these and they just leave this bitter taste stuck in your teeth. They are fair trade and organic though. Was searching for a price and found they are basically discontinued and the box I have has an expiry date of 19th Dec 2014. FAIL.

Natera Hemp Seeds in Himilayan Pink Salt, Maple and Natural 25g each (Retail $4.50- $17.99 for 12pack)

You can eat them by the spoonful or use them in a range of recipes and apparently they are a superfood. I think I will use mine in some energy bars or some Oatmeal. Expiry date is also in Jan 2015.

MadeGood Chocolate Banana Granola Minis (Retail $0.81- $4.89 for 6 pack)

I hate banana so gave them to my boyfriend who gobbled them up straight away. He seemed to enjoy them.

Montagne Jeunesse Cucumber Peel Off Mask (Retail $1.99)

This is a single use mask I'll use for a pampering session one day. It is for normal, oily and t-zone skin so I'll choose the right time to use it with my dry skin. Its also the only brand I have heard of before in this box.

Camino 65% Dark Chocolate with Coconut 100g (Retail $4.29)

More Dark Chocolate, yuck. I hate the stuff and all the big things in this box contain it. This is okay, it reminds me of a Coconut Rough. If it was Milk Chocolate I would've loved it.

A.Vogel Echinacea Lozenges 30g/13 pastilles (Retail $3.29)

These are just like other throat lozenges except more flowery tasting and don't have the same soothing effect. Mine also had a best before of Jan 2015. FAIL.

GoGo Quinoa Royal White 125g (Retail $2.50- $9.99 for 500g pack)

I'll use this in some fancy recipe soon. Quinoa is such a great grain, I just wish it was cheaper.

 This brand is also Organic.

Aronia Lip Butter Approx 1-2g (Retail approx $1-2, $14.99 for 14g full size)

This smells really good and is made with Organic Aronia Berry extract marketed as a Super Berry which I've never heard of. It's kind of moisturising but it disappears from lips kind of quickly and isn't that smooth on the lips. It wouldn't be a product I would purchase just cause it doesn't do much for my winter lips and the taste is not good.

Overall this is an interesting box and I get a value of approx $37.37 with values found online. It is a good box to get exposed to new organic and health minded brands But for me 5 of the things in my box have best before dates within the next month which shows me that they are getting old product dumped on them. I subscribed for another box with 25% off for the first month that was included with this trial but I think I will stop after that as the value for what I like in it is not there.

WANTABLE INTIMATES DECEMBER 2014 REVIEW

Wantable is a subscription service that has 3 different boxes-Intimates, Accessories and Make Up and they now offer a Fitness box which a bit different to the standard box. All the boxes are handpicked for you according to the quiz you fill out with all your preferences.

This is my second Intimates box from Wantable-basically I only got it because I had a 50% offer which made it around US $26 (CA$30) including extra shipping and taxes.
I had a few issues with this box before I even got it because they sent an arrived email automatically to all the International subscribers when there boxes arrived in there distribution place so I couldn't track it anymore and they kept sending me December review emails. This was annoying for me because I snooped at what I was getting and I really thought it was going to be at home after that email.
So once again I was really hoping for Fleece Pajamas and they failed again. And I apologise about the poor photos.

This is what my box looked like on opening.You can only see the Romper and that's it.

Muk Luks Fleece Lined Footless Tights (Retail $12.50)

Ultra soft and cozy Muk-Luks fleece lined leggings will keep you warm this Fall and Winter

Yes, apparently Wantable are confused about what are leggings and what are tights as they list these as leggings and in the leggings section but they should be in the tights/hosiery section. If I had tight/hosiery in the dislike section and got these under the leggings category I would be annoyed. These are in a Dark brown colour, not a colour that matches any of my wardrobe that needs tights so I was pretty disappointed to find they weren't leggings which I would've got plenty of wear out of.

DREAMWAVE PAJAMA ROMPER (Retail $28)

A fun and cozy romper, perfect for lounging.

This Romper is perfect for lounging near a cozy fire with friends and family.

The pattern is cute and I was kind of happy to see this in my box but since wearing it I have become a lot less happy with it. Not sure if its the sizing or what, but it spends half of the time riding up my bum crack and definitely not something I would hang out with friends wearing.

AFFINITAS INTIMATES CUPCAKE HIPSTER (Retail $12)

The Cupcake Hipster is designed with sweet, fun prints and colours. Get comfortable in the stretch cotton hipster in assorted colours. Cupcake Panties are fit for every occasion and a perfect on the go item.

These are cute panties that are probably more suited for a gift with its cupcake box.

K.BELL THIGH HIGH SOCKS BLUE STRIPE (Retail $14)

Love high socks? Love patterned socks? Then these are perfect for you?

I forgot to take a picture but these are over the knee socks with like a flowery patterned knee section. I've worn them once and they were a bit tight so I'm hoping they'll stretch but they'll be great for winter.

Overall with this box I had a value of $64.50 which was consistent with other boxes but frustrates me when people have boxes with values of $80-$100. On giving feedback to Wantable on this they sent me a non helpful or caring answer so this is one reason why I'm not bothering to continue with them. For me even at 50% off its hard to find the value in the box as I would never pay the prices they go on for any of that stuff.

If you want to subscribe click here and sign up for an account but I would also suggest subscribing to the email and waiting for a discount as I got 25% and 50% off my previous boxes.

What did you think of the box?

WANTABLE INTIMATES NOVEMBER 2014 REVIEW

Wantable is a subscription service that has 3 different boxes-Intimates, Accessories and Make Up and they now offer a Fitness box which a bit different to the standard box. All the boxes are handpicked for you according to the quiz you fill out with all your preferences.
I decided to subscribe for an Intimates Box after seeing lots of reviews showing Fluffy PJ sets and Muk luk socks and that's what I really wanted. I just got my first Intimates Box since I yesterday and it took about 9 business days since the box was packaged to get to me. In the Intimates box you are guaranteed to get 3-4 items and this month I got 4.

The box is smaller than what I thought it would be but it has a cute sticker saying its packaged for me.

I got a card in my box telling me it was my first collection and another booklet telling me what I got with prices as well as a list of my Loves, Likes and Dislikes which the box is based on. I have Loungewear, Leggings and Socks as my Loves and Lingerie, Tights/Hosiery, Panties and Bras in my Likes. Shapewear is the only thing in my dislikes because I will never wear it but I would put lesser value items in that section if I was to keep subscribing to help guarantee higher valued items.

PLEJUE INTIMATES ELEGANTLY PLEASING THONG (VALUE $12)

Look sweet and sexy in the Elegantly pleasing thong! You'll love the lace and bow details in the front and back!

Personally I hate the lace and bow details on the front and back and it just makes it look super impractical to wear as an everyday piece. I now feel like I should have put dislike for Thongs cause I really wish I didn't get this and I definitely have never spent $12 for a piece of underwear ever.

NATURAL FIBER TANK IN ROSE (Value $18)

This super comfortable tank is perfect for layering! Please note this tank runs small so we sized up 2 sizes.

This tank is branded under the Wantable brand as it has nothing written in English anywhere on it except for the L for Large. It's a comfy tank but I'd at least like to get something branded as some cheap Chinese made tank is not worth $18 in my books. At least I like the colour.

KNEE HIGH MUK LUK SOCKS (Value $15 or $23 for 3 pack on Target $7.66 )

These over the knee socks feature a textured pattern, and are perfect for keeping you warm on those cold winter days! Pair the over the knee socks with your favorite pair of boots, and skirt for fashionable look!

These are half the reason I wanted the box and I was happy to at least get them because if I hadn't have got either of the things I wanted I would've been super disappointed. These socks go right over the knee and would be cute worn over leggings here during the winter. They are also super soft and I love the design on them. They are over valued though.

NINA SENSOY PALAZZO PANTS (Value $20, $24.99 tag on pants, and $60 for other colours on the Nina website)

These soft palazzo pants are perfect for lounging around the house!

These pants are super comfortable but they are also almost two baggy to wear as the legs are super wide and too long for me being a shorty but I'll wear them around the house anyway. Interestingly on my sheet these pants are listed as the colour-Bright, is that the new word for dark blue?

Overall this box had a value of $65 according to their sheet which is over valued in my eyes and coming from Canada where you have to add on tax and shipping I paid $36.76 which was with a 25% discount but even then I probably would not pay that much for similar items elsewhere. I just bought another month with a 50% discount but after that I think I won't bother because the value is not there and being in Canada I can't take advantage of the free return policy without paying for postage.

If you want to subscribe the normal cost is $36 per month or $40 for a one time subscription but you can cancel or skip anytime with the monthly so I would just recommend getting that and taking advantage of discount codes. Subscribe here

BEAUTY BOX 5 NOVEMBER REVIEW

Beauty Box 5 is a monthly box subscription where you receive 5 beauty related products. 

For me this subscription has been disappointing and I have contacted Beauty Box 5 with my opinion on this months box. Wasn't even sure I was going to get this box as I cancelled this subscription after seeing the reviews for this box and I wish I'd cancelled sooner.

Cost:US $12 per month (+$3 shipping to Canada) for monthly subscription but other options available.

This month's theme is "Gracefully grounded".

"Keep your look on point! A graceful gal knows giving your body the same amount of attention you devote to scanning Black Friday sales results in that glow from within that money can't buy. Gift yourself an extra 10 minutes with these goodies in your pampered routine and you'll practically dance through the rest of your day.

If I was just to read this description and not look in the box I would envisage products like face masks and things to pamper yourself in the bath but this was nothing like I received.

Laura Ashley Body Butter in Cherry Blossum 1.75oz (Value $3.33-$20 for a pack of 6)

Play princess for a day and indulge in this nourishing, rich lotion. For a maximum moisturizing moment, smooth it on post shower whilst your skin is still damp for seriously smooth results with a sweet scent, too.

I hate Cherry as a flavour and this Body Butter has a fairly artificial smell. Not something I would want to apply and then go out wearing. Also the lotion is not thick like a Body Butter it is more runny like in consistency and absorbs into the skin very quickly almost like its not very moisturizing.

Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash 1.8oz (Value $0.53-$$6.49 for 22oz)

Meet the Latest Beauty Breakthrough from Dove. With a rich lather and even more of our gentlest cleansers, Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash will leave you with softer, smoother skin.

This is one of the products that I find hard to believe that its in there. It's a great handy size for travelling but it's also a product I'm familiar with and would not consider pampering as it's an everyday in the shower product.

DenTek Floss Picks and Case (Value $0.62- $2.49 pack of 4)

Floss in style with these adorable picks and colourful case! BB5 Tip:keep this little cutie in your bag to minimize those embarrassing smile moments. Trust us:It will become a must have in no time.

The other "I can't believe this in a beauty box" product. Nobody is going to open this box and get excited over these no matter how useful these are. They are also trying to sell them on FB as a nail art tool cause they know how bad putting this in was.

L'Oreal Paris Nail Colour (Value $5.99)

Spice up your nail life with these oh-so-bold hues. BB5 Tip: gently drag the brush along the top of the bottle before applying to nails to remove excess and ensure your polish goes on evenly every time.

Thanks for that ground breaking tip. More Nail Polish! That's 4 for 4! Every month another Nail Polish.

HASK Macadamia Revitalizing Shine Oil (Value $2.99)

Nuts for having healthy hair? We know you will cherish this ultra-hydrating oil just as much as we do! Apply a small amount to your ends after conditioning and watch dull strands come back to life.

The only semi exciting product in this box but I find these types of oils don't really do much for my hair and the tube doesn't look the best to get product out of.

Overall this box has a value of around $13 not that I would out the value of this anywhere close to this and considering the conversion to the Canadian dollar it cost me over $17. I have cancelled this subscription and I don't plan to resubscribe. Just too many hit and miss products and duplicates sent in boxes one month to the next.

NERDBLOCK NOVEMBER 2014 REVIEW

Got my first Nerdblock box today in the mail. Nerdblock is a monthly subscription box with geek and gamer stuff.

This is what the box looks like from the outside.

Its a somewhat full box!

There were 5 things in my box and 1 in 7 people were lucky enough to get a hand signed autograph but next months box there is going to be a guaranteed autograph print from two of the stars from Willow-Val Kilmer and Warwick Davis. Personally I don't even know what Willow is.

The contents of this box included:

 BOBA FETT FAN WRAPS (Estimated Value $5)

Prepare to take the hunt with you! These vinyl decals from Fan Wraps are the latest Star Wars item of your favorite bounty hunter, Boba Fett. Stick them anywhere from lockers to cars or windows to the walls.

I don't watch Star Wars so I don't even know who this character is let alone where I would stick this thing. I really can't imagine anyone sticking it on there car.

PLUSH ROBIN TOY (Estimated Value $10)

Adaaaam Weeessst... Your favorite original dark knight and trusty sidekick Robin, fight their way into this month's block. With all the crime solving pizzazz of days past, these pint-sized heroes add campy style to your collection.

Don't be fooled by the plushness, Batman is still every bit of the world's greatest detective you've come to love and Robin still looks great in tights. Prepare to walk up walls in excitement!

This plush is cute in a bizarre way. Apparently this is a version of Robin from the 60's. Would've liked to have got Batman like they show on the info card but from all the reviews I've seen everyone got Robin.

NERD BLOCK SLAP WATCH (Estimated Value $5)

BOO! Slap your friends unexpectedly with the time of day. These Super Mario Bros inspired watches are great for wrists and fans of all sizes. So slap one on and never lose track of time again.

I love the design on this watch as its a pretty cute picture of Boo. And I might wear it occasionally but its a huge blocky thing and it seems like the watch face could come pretty easily. More of a kids item really as I can't imagine too many adults wearing this.

DEADPOOL T-SHIRT (Estimated Value $15)

The design on this T-shirt is okay but I don't really know anything about Deadpool and I don't really understand why there are Taco's.

IRON MAN MUG (Estimated Value $10)

I AM IRON MAN! With this hot item you can show them the "metal" you're made of. Showcasing a strip from The Invincible Iron Man comic, you can now drink like Tony Stark.

This is my favorite item from the box and one I will definitely use this Winter for my Hot Chocolates. The design is pretty cool too.

VERDICT

The Mug is the one item I will get some real use out of, I'll give the T-Shirt to my boyfriend and then I'll have to decide what to with the rest. In terms of value I'm sure it would be worth the $30 cost of the box if you used everything but I wish the contents were better.

If you wish to subscribe join here

(Values are all estimated from google etc as most of these items are Nerdblock exclusives)

New Subscription Box Addiction

Hey everybody,

So I have a new addiction, Subscription Boxes! So these are basically different themed boxes that get sent out on a regular basis (monthly, quarterly) that you subscribe to and they magically appear on your doorstep.
So far I have subscribed to a few but have only received one subscription and that was from Beauty Box 5 that was so bad that I have already unsubscribed.

The boxes that I have subscribed to that are available in Canada are:

Nerdblock 
Describes itself as a Toy Subscription for Nerds. It has a few different themed boxes now that you can choose from including the Classic (which I chose), Arcade (gifted this to my brothers in Oz), Horror and then they have a Jnr Girl and Boy options. They also pretty much guarantee a T-shirt every month.
Apparently my November box is in the truck to be delivered to me today so I'm excited for my first box even though I know what is inside because I cheated and looked at an Un-boxing video.
Cost: I paid US $30 for my first box inc delivery with a discount code.
You can subscribe here


Loot Crate
Similar to Nerdblock that sells itself as "A Monthly Box of Geek and Gamer Gear" with a retail value of $40+ per box. Unlike Nerdblock it does not guarantee a T-shirt every box which might take the value down for me but I subscribed for 3 months so I will see how it goes. Waiting for November box which apparently has a Battle theme.
Cost:$29.95 per month in Canada or you can buy 3 or 1 year subscriptions which decrease the price of each box. You can also use code SAVE3 to save $3
Click Subscribe if you want to join yourself.

Wantable Intimates
This is a much more personalised box from Wantables where you choose your loves, likes and dislikes then they send you a handpicked box to do with your preferences with 3-4 premium essentials including Underwear, Pajamas, Leggings, Tights and Socks. I really want the Mukluks or Pajamas and I know my November box is on the way so I'm super excited to see what I get.
Cost:US $36 with 25% link I got in my email.
Subscribe here if you want to join Wantables (they also do accessories and make up)

Birchbox Canada
This has been a popular box in the US and now for the first time it just released in Canada. It is also a somewhat personalised box where you fill out questions to do with the things you like and skin type etc with the hopes they will send you things that you'll use. This is mainly a sample box but they send you full size products too sometimes apparently. It is also going to have different products to the US box. You can also fill out reviews of the products on there website which earns you points that you can use towards full size products on there website.
Cost: $14.95
Subscribe here

Lip Monthly
This is a monthly lip product box that sends you around 5 lip products every month.
I only subscribed to this as there was a discount code FALL5 that got me my first box for $5.
Cost $10 plus shipping to Canada
Subscribe here

Little Life Box 
A monthly box with all kinds of Organic and Natural products from food to beauty and they also do a Vegan box too.
Cost: $26.94 for a one month trial. You can also subscribe for a monthly, 3 or 6 month  or yearly subscription.
Subscribe here

FabFitFun Box
This is a quarterly beauty box that is supposed to focus on fitness but often has maybe 1 product to do with getting fit. I subscribed thinking I was gonna get the Winter box but actually I was paying for the Welcome box which should be on its way to me now. After seeing the CA $62 charge on my credit card I unsubscribed right away but might end up joining again for the Winter box. It seems to have higher end products and the value is supposed to be $200+ a box but the way they value items seems to be very overvalued.
Cost:$49.95 per quarter plus shipping to Canada
Subscribe here

Beauty Box 5
This has been the only box I have actually received so far and by far is super disappointing. I subscribed as I had a code to get a free box with your first box but then I also got asked if I wanted a favorites box for an extra $10 so I ended up getting 3 boxes at the same time. The boxes I got were ok but everyone had a nail polish in it, two of them had the same Mascara in them and they probably weren't worth it for me so I decided to unsubscribe. But I missed the cut off so got charged for November which I still have not received but I know it is filled with rubbish including tooth flossing sticks and Dove body wash. The Nov box won't get anywhere near the price I have paid for it.
Do not subscribe to this box until it gets better, everyone online seems to be unsubscribing right now.

Once I receive some boxes I will post some reviews of the products I get in them.

Kylie :-)

Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicure Review

Hello everybody,

This post is a review on a product called Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicure. I received this product to review and share my experiences from Influenster in Canada.

So I decided to wait till I was going on my Alaskan Cruise to apply these nails as they are not suitable for work. So the application process is pretty simple but the first thing you need to to do is use the included Prep pad to clean your nails. Then the best thing to do is set up the right nail sizes in order so you're not trying to find the right nail with half your nails stuck on. There are 5 different sizes and 22 nails included in each pack so you get 2 manicures per set. You also want to try and use the right size for your nail or they will be uncomfortable or won't last as long.

Applying the nails is fairly easy, you just remove the backing then press down onto your nail for a few seconds with the flat end along your cuticle. I did find it a little difficult to get the backing off once I got a few nails on as they are quite long nails. This is the final result.

I would recommend filing the nails down as I found them too long and uncomfortable. They are sold as lasting for up to 7 days. My first one came off after about 6 days. The rest I ended up pulling off as they were coming off on one side and would get in the way.

I loved the design of  the products and the fact they are pretty cheap ($10 a packet I think) but the biggest downside for me was the glue on the nail stuck out over my real nail so almost instantly I started getting food and dirt stuck to the glue which was not hygienic.

Churchill Northern Studies Centre

I am writing this about a third of the way into my 2 day Train journey back to Winnipeg from Churchill which has been my home for the last 6 weeks.

The Churchill Northern Studies Centre is basically a facility for researchers, groups and learning vacations to use to experience and research the Sub-Arctic. It takes on up to 6 volunteers over the year during the busy periods when groups and researchers are staying in the 84 beds available in Dormitories in this new purpose built building that was only opened in June 2011.

Volunteers are basically a helping hand and mainly focus on helping out with dishes and setting up the dining area but we also helped with Housekeeping, admin and stocking and tidying the gift shop and I also helped out with doing the volunteer scheduling which is not as easy as it may seem.

The accommodations are pretty good. We were staying in a slightly larger family room than the other standard size dorm rooms so we got to spread out a little bit more which is nice when we are staying there so long. We also got fed some pretty good cooking 3 meals a day and seeing as one of the cooks used to be a baker there was a lot of baked goods always available for the taking. Say goodbye to skinny waistlines when you come to stay here, I even started making use of the Gym whilst I was there because of the amount of yummy food.

As part of volunteering we also got to participate in some pretty cool outings. I personally got to go on 2 Tundra Buggy Tours (which I wrote about previously) and Dog Carting with Wapusk Adventures (Not enough snow for Sledding L). We also got to go into Churchill to visit the Eskimo Museum and Parks Canada Interpretive Centre as well as just explore the town (which is not that big).

The Great White Bear

As I was here during the Polar Bear Season you are not allowed to leave the building without a bear guard so we took any opportunity to go for a ride even if it was just to go on a Garbage Run or to go Pump Water cause it usually meant we would go on a little side trip down the coastal roads to try and find a Polar Bear which never eventuated but is always good just for the scenery.

Churchill Grain Silos

Overall it was a great way for me to come to Churchill and experience this beautiful place for a little bit longer  than the average tourist without paying the horrendous amounts of money they pay (overall I spent only a little bit of money on Souvenirs and about $800 on Flights and the Train ride). And because I got here early enough I got to see the Tundra in its Fall Colours, first Snow, Blizzard like conditions that took out our Electricity, a lost Black Bear that should of been Hibernating, Ptarmigan in their Summer and Winter colours, Aurora Borealis and most importantly got to see some Polar Bears. It’s a really interesting place to stay and you never know, I might return to Churchill again one day. J

Aurora Borealis

Tundra Buggy Adventures in Churchill, Manitoba

So today I got to go on my Second and Final Tundra Buggy Adventures as part of my volunteering at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre in Churchill, Northern Manitoba. I will write about my time volunteering in another blog after I finish up my 6 weeks here later on this week, but now onto the Tundra Buggies.

Now Tundra Buggies are basically a huge purpose built bus on wheels over 1.5 metres in diameter that were designed to go over rugged terrain and just happen to be perfect for trying to find Churchill's most famous resident, the Polar Bear. Churchill is named Polar Bear Capital of the World, this may or may not be true but the population around here is the most accessible for people to come visit, particularly during the months of Oct-Nov when they seem to head towards Churchill. This is because this area is typically the first place in the Hudson Bay where the Sea Ice forms thick enough for Polar Bears to return out to see to hunt seal after being stuck on land since about July.

Tundra Buggy Adventures is the awesome Tour Company that I got to go with for free because I technically am still volunteering on the bus helping with making Hot Chocolates for the groups coming to the study centre for special Polar Bear Programs. Otherwise to pay for it individually it is about $400 so not a cheap day out.

So I got to go on two adventures- the first was on the 18th of October and the second was on the 28th and the difference in the landscape in these 10 days was quite interesting. The first tour we had really just had a small amount of snow so the landscape was only a little frozen and snow covered but now the landscape has become very wind blown (helped by the 70km winds we had) and sections of the bay were starting to freeze up. It was nice to see this interesting change in landscape which has been an ongoing and fast change since arriving to Churchill only 6 weeks ago.

Anyway, onto the Polar Bears! On the first trip, we saw a total of 7 bears including a Mother and her yearling cub (means the cub was born to Winter's before) and two males play fighting and sparring. The Mother and Cub were quite a rarity apparently and we didn't really know they were there until they snuck around the buggy ahead of us and started heading towards us not quite knowing what to do. In the end, once I pushed myself towards a window, I could see they got as close as 1 metre next to the bus when they walked past it and the cub was making a lot of noise (which you will never hear an Adult doing). It was a very special moment, especially when it was the first really close bears I had ever seen.

Mother and Yearling having a cuddle

Mother and Cubs heading away from the annoying buggies

After we could no longer see the Mum and it's Cub we kept going on the ex military roads through the Wildlife Management Area until we got to the Tundra Buggy Adventures Lodge (where people with a lot of money spend a fortune on staying in luxurious caravan like accommodation in the middle of the Tundra) where we spotted two Males being very cosy together and having a nap. We ended up watching these two for a while as they eventually got a bit active and play wrestled and some sparring to test out there limits of strength for when the real fighting happens on the ice over females. Needless to say it was a very distracted lunch out here, as the bears were very cute and were very interesting to watch especially how they interact with each other on land compared to the solitary life at ice. 

Two Males sniffing each other

Playfighting!

More Playfighting!

After watching them for a while we checked out another 2 Polar Bears that were hanging around near the lodge then started heading back. On the way back we went along a coastal area called Gordon Point to search for Arctic Fox we found a very cute young one camouflaged young one, after a few minutes it very quickly disappeared and that was the last of our animal sightings for my first Tundra Buggy Adventure.

The Second Tundra Buggy Adventure 10 days later was a lot colder and extremely windy so we didn't have a clue if we would see a few or many but we ended up seeing 12 Bears which was awesome. The first bear of the day was inspecting and leaning up against some other buggies ahead but it decided it just wanted to stroll past us, but he was still probably only 2 metres away from the bus.

Female right next to the buggy

We continued on and saw a few from a distance strolling along the coast and having a nap and then just before we got to the Lodge that had all the bear action last time, we came across at least 6 buggies checking out 2 sleeping bears. We decided to sit in this spot for a while and see what happened. Our patience paid off because we got to see them sparring at first off behind some Willows until a third (a little beat up!) bear came and crashed the party.

Two Males Sparring while the third comes in to crash the party

But after a while two of them got back into the action while the third one sat and watched. Luckily this time it was a little closer to the bus but we still had another buggy in the way most of the time.

Sparring

After they got tired of this they went there seperate ways and one of them went to go and lie in a Kelp bed which apparently is a favorite hangout for these bears during time on land.

Hanging out in the Kelp

We kept heading around the lodges and we were rewarded with seeing this big Male hanging around the Lodge. Apparently Big Males don't tend to head in this direction until a little closer to freeze up but we were glad to see him.

One Big Boy!!!

Eventually we got back out onto that Coast road and just came across 2 young Arctic Foxes chilling out next to the water. So cute and they are so tiny they couldn't walk straight in the strong winds.

Two Arctic Foxes! So cute!

After that it was time to head back to base, on the way we saw a few more Bears from a distance with gave us a great total of 12 bears.

As Polar Bears were my main reason for coming to Churchill, I was definitely not disappointed with the luck I had with the Bears on my two trips. It was so fascinating to get so close to these beautiful massive creatures that are so dangerous they have to be discouraged from coming into town. I would recommend it to anyone, even though the tour is expensive, it is something you do once and you treasure forever because there are not too many places you will get to be this close to a Polar Bear and not be at risk from being eaten.

The Tundra Buggy Adventures  is the company I went with and there are also two other companies that offer similar tours. Great White Bear that enters the same Management Area and Great Bear Lodge who can only stick to the public Coastal Roads and probably see less Bears.