Universal Yums Global Snack Review (Japan), July 2015

Japan is the featured country for Universal Yums' July box.  Each month they send authentic snacks from the chosen country with a mix of flavors (salty, sweet, spicy, fruity, etc.)  I was very happy to see the focus on Japanese snacks since I was pretty sure that would mean the inclusion of two of my favorite foreign treats....Hello Panda and Pocky.  Sure enough, those two are in this month's box!  If you missed my initial Univeral Yums review with all the subscription details, you can check it out here.

The July box was absolutely bursting with snacks, not surprising, considering Japan's reputation for really tasty (or "Oishii" in Japanese) treats.  And, as Universal Yums pointed out on the information card, no snack trip to Japan would be complete without a few really strange combinations!  

Universal Yums may be the only snack subscription that provides such complete information on each of the treats in their boxes. The product card shows a color photo of each item and gives a lot of information, from the description, to their opinion to an ingredient list.  This card is essential for foreign snacks since there is often no English on the wrapper so you have no idea what's inside.

There is only one snack in this box that really turns me off so I'll get that one out of the way first.  Plenty of people like shrimp in all its forms and plenty of people like wasabi.  I'm not one of either group.  These are baked Shrimp Chips with Wasabi from Calbee.  The card says they don't taste fishy and the wasabi is very subtle. Doesn't matter to me; I'll be passing these along!

On to happier and more appealing snacks (to me, at least)!  There is a a lot of green in this box, starting with these baked Snow Pea Crisps from Saya.  I like snow pea crisps and pick up the American version at Whole Foods whenever I go there. It's amazing how light, airy, crispy and salty a baked pea can be!  

I was a bit suspicious of these Baum Rolls because of the bourbon flavor on the label.  But they are really delicious; they are a soft lemony rolled up cake.  They remind me of a lemon flavored angel food cake or lemon pound cake. Very, very good!

Thinking they might be licorice, my radar was on high alert when I saw these black wrapped candies.  But no need for alarm; they are brown sugar candies.  The card says these are one of Japan's oldest candies.  They taste like pure brown sugar with a hint of a smoky flavor. Not bad!

These two bite size candies are Nestle's Aero Matcha.  In case you aren't aware, matcha (or green tea) is one of Japan's most popular candy flavors.  These have a foam-like matcha center covered with chocolate.  The card says these are nearly impossible to find in the U.S.

And here are my beloved Pocky sticks!  If you've never experienced Pocky, you're missing out.  They are a stick shaped biscuit dipped in various flavorings.  The sticks in this box are covered in a cookies and cream dip.  I haven't tried this particular flavor but knowing Pocky, they'll be irresistible.  There are 31 pages of Pocky products on Amazon; what does that tell you?  (I'm not the only addict!)

These cute little boxes of Botan Rice Candy have appeared in other sub boxes.  To be honest, I haven't tried them.  But they are lemon-orange gummies wrapped in edible wrappers that have a faint taste of rice.  Supposedly, that makes them taste better.  We'll see.  I am always happy to see Hi-Chews in subscription boxes.  These are Mango flavor and will not last long around here.  Hi-Chews have become so ubiquitous; I'm surprised they aren't carried in every U.S. drug and grocery store by now!

Here's more green....a big bag of Corn Puff Snacks from Meiji, another well known Japanese snack company.  The card says the name of these is "Karl" which I guess is what the big white letters on the front say.  Although they look like Japanese Cheetos, the card says they are a lot better.  These come in cheese and curry flavor; really glad I got the cheese!

According to Universal Yums, these Kasugai Gummies "set the standard by which all other gummies should be judged"!  These round gummies have intense flavors; this box contained two each of melon, lychee, kiwifruit and ramune (a Japanese soda that tastes like lemonade).

Probably my favorite of all Japanese snacks are Meiji's tiny Hello Panda biscuit pillows with the adorable little panda pictures on the front. They come with all sorts of different fillings; this box contains the choco cream version. No Japanese treat box would be complete without something from Hello Panda.

Why don't we have pretty candy wrappers like these in the U.S.?  These beautiful little wrappers contain "Flower Kiss Candies" which taste nothing like flowers.  The one I tried was delicious; it tasted like peach and/or apricots.  Despite the different wrappers, these all contain the same kind of candy.  Another hit for me!  

I think Universal Yums did a phenomenal job of curating this box. They included products from the best known Japanese candy brands as well as some that are lesser known.  The mix of flavors and overall quantity included were just perfect.  

You can get the Yum Box containing 6 or more snacks for $15 per month or the Yum Yum box with 13 or more snacks for $29 per month.  Both sizes cost less per month ($13 or $25, respectively) with longer term subscriptions.

Universal Yums always teases us with a rhyming hint about next month's destination. The clue this time says:  "Bursting with exotic tastes, It's the cradle of the human race. There's hundreds of spices and 29 states.  But you'll never find a bite of steak."  I don't know; it has to be somewhere in Africa?  What do you think?

Thanks for reading!

Cheryl

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post does not contain referral or affiliate links.

Mary's Secret Ingredients Culinary Box Review, Summer 2015 + $16 Discount Code!

It's always impressive when a subscription company has a philanthropic goal as well as a commercial one.  It's even nicer when the charity they support is one I truly respect. Mary's Secret Ingredients has two missions; the first is creating seasonally themed sets of culinary ingredients for subscribers and the second is supporting Feed the Children.

Before I get going on the review, I want to relate an experience I had with Feed the Children in the mid 1990's. At the time, I managed a flu vaccine program for a pharmaceutical company. At the end of the flu season, I was tasked with the job of disposing of a large amount of excess vaccine since it could not be carried forward to the next year.  The usual practice in such situations was literally to destroy the product, a real shame considering how many people suffer (and die) from the flu worldwide each year. Having heard good things about Feed the Children in Oklahoma City, I gave them a call, not knowing if they would be receptive to such a fragile donation with strict refrigeration requirements. From the moment I made contact, Feed the Children took charge and handled every detail...from the initial paperwork to sending their own truck and employees to North Texas to load the vaccine.  Since timing was critical, they identified a need in Paraguay where the flu season was just getting started.  They arranged for the vaccine to be flown there and delivered to its Ministry of Health.  A few months later, our company received a formal thank you letter from the Paraguayan Health Minister plus a video showing how the vaccine had been used.  They had literally set up tents in rural areas throughout the country and given free flu shots to all who showed up.  In the end, around 145,000 doses of the vaccine were administered.  The letter said that it was the first time in Paraguay's history that the government had been able to offer free public flu vaccinations. That experience was a strong testament to Feed the Children's reach in the world, their unbelievable resources for handling a difficult donation and their utter professionalism throughout the process.  So YES....I'm on board with any subscription company that supports this stellar operation! 

Now, on to the review of Mary's Secret Ingredients Summer Box. This is one big white box with Mary's blue logo.

This quote appeared under the lid.  It's a good one for me to remember since not much "abandon" is involved with my cooking!

The items were beautifully packed, almost origami-like, in blue and white tissue with a personal note tucked inside.

There were six items in the box and a really nice recipe booklet from one of the vendors.

"The Little Book of Ingredients" tells about each item and the purveyor.

This big one pound bag of Rice Grits comes from Delta Blues Rice, a family farm that has operated for more than 90 years in the Mississippi Delta. Although I've eaten grits all my life, I was not familiar with rice grits.  Turns out they are a by-product of the rice milling process and are actually broken pieces of rice. When boiled and steamed like regular rice, they can be used in sauces, cooked like a risotto or eaten just as they are.

These Cinnful Sweet Heat gourmet tortilla chips are from Chipz Happen. These are gluten free dessert chips that are sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar plus an unexpected kick of cayenne.

Next is an 11.8 oz. bottle of Maguey Sweet Sap from Villa de Patos. This looks like maple syrup but the information brochure describes it as an unrefined and unprocessed alternative sweetener with a unique flavor profile.  It's a versatile product that can be used in baked goods, marinades, dairy products, beverages, etc.  

I'm guessing most of us would not know how to use the Maguey Sweet Sap which is why it's so nice to get the cookbook from them.  This has a fantastic looking pancake recipe plus a dozen other recipes, from chicken salad to BBQ sauce to chocolate chip cookies and blueberry lemonade!  I'm beginning to understand how versatile this product is.

The non-food item in this box is a Speegee. This looks like a regular silicone spatula but one side is a long squeegee like blade.  According to the leaflet, you can use this for mixing and folding, spreading icing, transferring food, scraping the sides of large pots, etc.  Hmmm....I need to mess with this a bit to see if it's practical for my kitchen.

This little box contains a single serving of chocolate Power O's, a toasted cereal made from navy beans, garbanzo beans and lentils.  That doesn't sound very appealing to me but with enough chocolate, anything can be redeemed!  This is a very nutritious cereal that is low in fat, free of cholesterol and a good source of fiber. I will just focus on the chocolate.

This heavy bottle (almost 2 lbs!) contains Touch O' Heat Barbeque Sauce from Rufus Teague.  I like barbecued meats when other people make them but don't have much talent in that department myself.  This is clearly a quality product but I sort of wish it didn't constitute such a major place in this box.  I will follow Mary's blog and Facebook page to see if there are "how to use" ideas simple enough that even I can follow.

If you'd like to try Mary's Secret Ingredients, you can pick up the pricing information in my Spring 2015 review. The Fall box ships on September 25th, so there is time to get your ducks in a row. The annual plan at $103.80 is an outstanding deal because you can use code SWEET16 for $16 off, making it $87.80, which works out to just $21.95 per box.  That's an unbeatable buy considering the quantity and quality of products in these boxes.

I like the way this company does business.  They strike me as stable with excellent communication, customer service and shipping...not to mention boxes filled with great products.  And of course, any company that supports Feed the Children is a winner in my book!

Cheryl

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post does not contain referral or affiliate links.

The Honest Company Essentials Bundle Review + $10 Discount Codes!

Celebrity endorsements are usually a sure fire way to guarantee I won't buy a product. I am not interested in paying a premium for the privilege of having a famous name attached. When I heard that Jessica Alba was the driving force behind The Honest Company, that was all I needed to avoid this brand.  (Nothing against Ms. Alba; it was just my knee-jerk reaction to celebrity involvement!) However, after reading tons of great reviews on The Honest Company's products...like the Grinch, my hard consumer heart began to grow.

The Honest Company started out with a commitment to selling safe, eco-friendly, beautiful, convenient, sustainable and affordable products. The company boasts a strong social sensibility and reputation for integrity. Their site carries baby supplies (diapers, formula and baby gear), personal care and cleaning items and vitamins.  Recently, they began marketing three different types of bundles, "Diapers & Wipes", "Essentials" and "Organic Formula".  The idea is that these are all things that are used on a regular basis so why not subscribe and get them delivered monthly?

I honed in on the Essentials bundle which lets you mix and match five items among the 50+ in their personal care and home cleaning lines. Although the subscription defaults to monthly shipments, you can set the timing for any schedule you want. That was the clincher for me, since I knew I wouldn't need ALL of these products every month.

The cost of an Essentials bundle is $35.95 and you have the option to add three additional items at a 25% discount.  (I found a $19.95 deal on Zulily which is no longer available but you can still put your name on their notification list, if you're interested.)  The five items in my bundle are a multi-surface cleaner, a shampoo/body wash, conditioner, healing balm and a face & body lotion.  I also added two extra items, the bubble bath and a hand soap. 

The first item I tried was the bubble bath.  It has a very light and pleasant botanical scent and within a few minutes, produced a Hollywood movie set worthy bubble filled bathtub. Even better...the bubbles lasted all the way to the end of the bath. (Bubbles that vanish a third of the way through the bath are a pet peeve of mine!) This is a wonderful product and definitely will be a repeat for me.

The other item that I chose was the lavender scented hand soap. Although lavender is not my favorite scent, this is so subtle that it left my hands feeling and smelling very nice and clean.  I liked that the pump on this bottle does not produce a foam but dispenses the soap directly.  That means you get a more concentrated amount on your hands and it takes less product to get them clean.

  
Now for the five items in the bundle; these will remain the same in the next order unless I change them.  First is a 26 oz. bottle of multi-surface cleaner in White Grapefruit scent.  I have not tried this yet but it's a plant-based all-purpose cleaner that is non-toxic and biodegradable.  It can be used to clean countertops, toys, walls, wood, floors, porcelain, granite, electronics, grills, etc.  It's not like I don't have a place to try this out!  

I'm very glad they included a pump spray top for the cleaner. I'm guessing you don't get this again on future recurring orders but I don't know for sure.

I have read rave reviews on the next product, the organic healing balm.  This is an everyday salve and soothing treatment for anything that ails your skin.  It deeply hydrates, eases inflammation, promotes healing and restores skin.  They suggest using it on irritated skin, eczema, diaper rash, minor cuts and scrapes, etc.

This face and body lotion contains natural oils (olive, shea, jojoba and safflower) balanced with organic botanicals (chamomile, calendula and aloe) to leave skin feeling soft and hydrated.  Since I don't use a lot of body lotion, I'm really glad to see this is meant for the face as well.  It doesn't mention SPF so I think this would be a nice hydrating night cream for the face.

Of course, I had to try the shampoo and conditioner, both of which come in 8.5 oz. bottles and both of which are in Sweet Orange Vanilla scent.  The shampoo is a 2-in-1 hydrating cleanser which is organic and hypo-allergenic. It contains jojoba, quinoa proteins, organic coconut oil and several botanicals. It is pH balanced and won't strip natural oils. The conditioner is hydrating with plant-based humectants; it fights frizz, stops static, nourishes hair and boosts shine. Both products are free of SLS, sulfates, parabens, phthalates, fragrances, dyes, sodium chloride, formaldehyde, MEA, DEA, TEA and most common allergens....all in all, quite virtuous!

There you have it!  So far, I am impressed.  I had expected to buy one box, then cancel but these are clearly products that would raise the bar around my house.  The flexibility of being able to mix and match plus being able to time the box to meet your own needs is very appealing and makes this concept "doable" as far as I'm concerned.

Depending on when you check, there may be several Honest Company discounts available on Groupon's site.  You can also click here and use code INVITED10 or AMBASSADOR10 to get $10 off your first order of $25 or more.  I'm not sure but I believe this applies to either bundle orders or a la carte orders.

These products are not wildly exciting but they are things we all need and use on a daily basis. They meet very high quality and ethical standards and it's nice to find a site that puts them all together in one place. Check out The Honest Company and see if any of their monthly bundles or individual products might work for you!

Thanks for reading,

Cheryl

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post may contain referral or affiliate links.

Happy Socks Review, June 2015 + 35% Discount Code!

Although I didn't plan it this way, the Fourth of July seems like a great time to review Happy Socks!  It was actually some of their newly released patriotic designs that inspired my most recent purchase.  Happy Socks got its start in Sweden in 2008 with a mission to turn an everyday clothing essential into a colorful design piece.  Their creative patterns combined with top quality construction are now sold in more than 70 countries.

Happy Socks is not a subscription company.  They sell socks and underwear for men and women and socks for children and infants.  I noticed that a lot of the adult socks are unisex but they are divided up for men and women on the site.  Happy Socks are not cheap; they usually are $12 or $14 per pair.  However, they do have a lot of sales and promotions and it pays to keep an eye on the site for markdowns. (Keep reading!)  

A recent 35% discount promotion got my attention since it brought the average price per pair of socks down to $6.80, a price I could live with.  (That included shipping.) Within just a few days of clicking "Place Order", this bright green polka dot bag arrived.

My version of Fourth of July fireworks was inside!

These socks are SO colorful and creative; they really deserve individual attention.  The red, white and blue socks on the right were the ones that set this order in motion; they go with every casual outfit I own and are just beyond cute...truly "happy" socks! The other pair is a mosaic pattern in shades of tan, brown, yellow, pink, green and aqua.  Both of these pairs are labeled as the same size but there is an obvious difference.  I'm wondering if one of them is actually a men's size?

  
How cute are these multi-color pencil socks?  I love the whimsy and fun colors in these.  The second pair is a quintessential Fourth of July pattern, an homage to the flag for your feet! All of these socks are nice and stretchy and made of combed cotton.

Happy Socks has several sock designs (like the gray pair on the left) that are described as "kurbits".  Having no clue what that word meant, I checked it out on Wikipedia.  The word is a reference to a symbol of fertility used in Swedish folk art. Aha!  That's why it was familiar to me; I have seen similar designs on other Swedish-made items.  The other pair is a really pretty and versatile argyle in shades of black and gray and pastel blue, pink, yellow and green.

This last pair of socks just may be my favorite with its wide bright stripes in primary colors. How could you feel anything BUT happy when putting these on?  These are clearly suitable for days you just need to be noticed!

There was a little brochure in the package that opened up to tell about the company and its founders on one side and show a few of their styles for men and women on the other side.

It's easy to understand the explosive growth of Happy Socks in the past few years. They have really revolutionized the way we think about socks and brought a whole new design ethos to the making and marketing of socks.  Judging from all the competitors that have recently sprung up in this category, it's clear that Happy Socks tapped into something we didn't even know we wanted!  

If you're interested in fun socks, I strongly recommend signing up for their newsletter (after you click, scroll down to  bottom of page) so you'll be the first to know when the deals are available.  For right now, the code HAPPYVIP will get a 35% discount on your order.  Happy Socks also offers free shipping for orders over $45.  For an even bigger discount, be sure to check their outlet page where discontinued socks are available at discounted prices. There are also outlet pages for men and kids.

As I mentioned above, the current discount promotion is one of the best I've seen for Happy Socks so if you're interested, now is the time to order!

Happy Fourth of July everyone!

Cheryl

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post does not contain referral or affiliate links.

Scentbird Perfume Subscription Review, June 2015 + 25% Discount!

When it comes to the fragrance counter, I'm guessing most of us have noses that are much bigger than our wallets.  Some ladies like to have a signature scent; for them, cost is not nearly as big an issue as it is for those who crave more variety and access to the latest fragrances.  Unless you have the luxury of an unlimited budget, the outrageous cost of designer perfumes is daunting, not to mention the risk of getting bored and stuck with an almost full bottle. With the constant barrage of beautiful fragrance advertising, how can you maintain a good variety of up-to-date fragrances without going bankrupt?  

One solution is Scentbird, a monthly service that offers a wide array (350+) of 100% authentic designer fragrances for $14.95 a month. When signing up for Scentbird, there is a quiz where you can indicate various choices that will help them make suggestions.  You can choose from those to populate your queue or choose from their entire range.  You can also re-take the quiz at any point.  I wasn't surprised that the results of my quiz led to a lot of fruity floral scents but I plan to venture beyond those with some out of the box (for me) choices as well.

You can set up your queue with the perfumes you want to try or have them send you a Perfume of the Month, inspired by a "scent muse". Each month, Scentbird sends the fragrance at the head of your queue in the form of an 8ml purse spray. This contains enough perfume to apply twice a day for an entire month. My first shipment from Scentbird arrived in a small black bubble mailer.  

Inside was a branded black velvet drawstring case containing a sleek black case.

A card describes how to use the spray dispenser.  It's very easy but not completely intuitive. When you twist the case, the spray pops up.  When it's time to replace the spray, you can just pull it out and put in a new one.

The black case only comes with the first shipment.  After that, you replace the sprays as you receive them.  You can purchase extra cases on their site for $12.95 if you'd rather keep your fragrances in them.  At the moment, the cases are available only in black and a Limited Edition pink.

The purse spray is about the size of a typical Rollerball.  They are clearly labeled so you can identify them if you don't use all of the spray. (I'll never use up all of one of these in a month so that's important to me.)  For my first perfume, I greedily went straight for the top with Dior's Miss Dior Le Parfum. A 1.4 oz. bottle of this stuff retails for $92 so it was definitely one I would never have tried otherwise. This has a very complex scent description; suffice it to say the top note is mandarin orange, the middle note is rose and the bottom note is patchouli. Exquisite...what else do you expect from Dior?  

Next up in my queue is a completely different kind of scent, Donna Karan's Be Delicious Fresh Blossom.  I've been wanting to try a fragrance in that line for a long time so am looking forward to it, BUT....this card arrived with the June shipment describing next month's default scent. The Perfume of the Month for July is Coach Poppy, another floral and citrus blend I'd really like to try.  Right now, it's in the September spot in my queue but I may move it up so I can try it sooner. Such decisions! 

If you're interested in trying Scentbird, click here for a 25% discount.  If you pre-pay for a longer term subscription, you can get an even lower effective monthly price:

Three months - $43.50 ($14.50/mo.)
Six months - $84.00 ($14/mo.)
Twelve months - $164.00 (13.50/mo.)

Although the nature of this product makes it hard to describe, I am excited about Scentbird. As one who almost never commits to a whole bottle of cologne or perfume, this is a real opportunity to widen my horizons.  I signed up initially via a three month Ruelala deal but I can already see the benefits of committing to a longer term.  The price is reasonable and access to all these designer fragrances is....well.....intoxicating!

Cheryl

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post may contain referral or affiliate links.

Birchbox Beauty Subscription Box Review, June 2015

It's probably safe to say that most subscription boxes (not to mention box bloggers and vloggers) pretty much owe their existence to Birchbox.  This company was founded by two young women who met while attending Harvard Business School. They shipped the first Birchboxes in September, 2010.  The explosion of subscription commerce that followed has been nothing short of a business phenomenon. Considering that the industry did not exist five years ago, it is amazing that this increasingly crowded market is now home to more than 750 companies.

Of course, the risk for any market creator is maintaining relevance...just ask Myspace, Napster, Prodigy or a whole slew of other Internet pioneers. Birchbox has introduced a number of initiatives over the past year clearly with the goal of maintaining their leadership position.  One of those is giving subscribers the option to choose one of the items in their monthly box or to choose a guest edited limited edition box. This ability to "manage the unknowns" is undoubtedly an innovation in the subscription business.  

For June's box, I decided to choose the limited edition box whose theme is "Adventure is a State of Mind".  This box has a cool ombre lavender top and a peach colored bottom. Inside are five samples and one bonus item.

First out is a Good Hair Day shampoo sample from Temple Spa which is a botanical-infused formula intended for use by those who wash their hair frequently.

It's always nice to get a matching shampoo and conditioner in the same box (and sort of annoying when you only get one or the other).  There is a Temple Spa conditioner called In Good Condition which is a hydrating and softening detangler with a light pepperminty smell.  Judging from the packaging, names and differing scents, I'm not sure these two are a match.  That seems a bit odd.

    
Next is a waterproof eyeliner from Marcelle.  I don't see a shade name on this but it looks like a slightly shimmery coppery brown.  It is smooth and creamy and glides on easily.

I think we get way too many body creams (in different forms) in beauty sub boxes. This one, by Harvey Prince, is called Hello Body Cream and it has a pleasant citrus floral scent.

As one who does not leave the house without some type of sun protection on my face, I was really glad to see this facial moisturizer with SPF 30 from Coola in Cucumber scent. If all goes well, this is one product I might actually buy in the full size since there aren't that many facial sunscreen moisturizers that I like.

The bonus item in this box is a Grab & Go Ponytail Holder from L. Erickson.  This one is a slightly metallic silver gray color.  My hair is way too short for this so I'll pass it along to someone with longer strands.

I'm not too sure how each of these products relate to the "Adventure" theme but they are all items that could easily be tossed in a cosmetic bag.  For me, the winner is the Coola moisturizer but I also like the shampoo and conditioner and will use the eyeliner.

If you have not yet tried a beauty sub box, at only $10 a month, Birchbox is a very good place to start. Be aware though that Birchbox has grown way beyond monthly boxes. There are hundreds of health, beauty and grooming items for men and women plus lots of other a la carte purchase ideas on their site.

One other thing worth mentioning is Birchbox's fantastic points system. There are several ways to earn points, which accumulate rapidly and can be applied directly as dollars off future purchases.  Every dollar spent (including those for monthly boxes) earns one point. Every 100 points can be redeemed for $10 off anything on their site.  You also get points for reviewing the five products in your box each month.  Each review is worth 10 points. If you consistently review the products in your box, you're effectively getting $5.00 off per box, making them just $5.00, an unbeatable deal.

So, check out Birchbox.  But don't blame me if you end up in a 12 step subscription box addiction program!

Cheryl

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post may contain referral or affiliate links.