Arbonne Essentials Energy Fizz sticks Review

Everyone needs a little pick-me-up from time to time, I know. And the markets are positively flooded with energy drinks from every company, in every possible variation of color, potency, size and composition. It can get confusing especially with some of the, shall we say…dubious claims made on the cans, bottles or packets.

So it’s nice to see Arbonne throw their hats into this crowded ring with their Arbonne Essentials Energy fizz sticks. The pamphlet included states that these little packets are loaded with antioxidants, B-vitamins, and chromium. They also claim to “promote alertness, enhance cognitive function, promote endurance, and enhance motor skills”. Wow. That’s a lot to pack into a little “stick”. Key ingredients include green tea, ginseng, and guarana. My first try-out was the pomegranate flavor. Here goes!

First things first: I have no idea how much water to include because the packet says to refer to the box, and the pamphlet I got says nothing about it either. So I guestimate about 8 ounces. It does indeed fizz, so much so that it speckles the mixer bottle I’m stirring it into. I’m keeping an open mind because after the protein shake crashed and burned, I approached this with some trepidation. But it smells pleasantly fruity, and my first sip confirms it. This is yummy. Reminiscent of Red Bull, but much, much lighter. There are light pomegranate notes here too, but not a smack in the face some Pom drinks have. The fizz dies out pretty quickly, but the flavor stays nice. My only quibbles would be that it does thicken up the saliva at the back of your throat, and the. lack of an ingredient list. Those issues might be exclusive to my situation, though, so don’t hold that against them. I also noticed nothing the way of a boost, pick-me-up. or extra energy. But again, this could be me just being used to green tea drinks and caffeine in my coffee.

Like all Arbonne products, this one is vegan, free of artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners. This particular product comes in both citrus and pomegranate flavors. I label this product a “buy”, and it’s something I would look forward to and enjoy from time to time.

• Arbonne Fizz Sticks: http://www.arbonne.com/shop_online/showCatalog.asp?category=198

I received this product free of charge from an Arbonne representative.  I am not obligated to provide a favorable/positive review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product/brand, which may differ from yours.  

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Arbonne Essentials Protein Shake in Chocolate and Vanilla Review

I recently had a chance to try a few different products from the Arbonne Essentials. I thought I’d share my experiences with you.

The first product I tried was the Arbonne Protein Shake Mix. I will say that, thanks to Hubby, I have been able to try a wealth of different protein powder shakes from almost every major brand out there. So he was my “taste buddy” on this little trial run as well.

A few things about Arbonne Essentials before we go any further. They strive to “keep it simple”, keep it healthy, and to make “good for you” products that are free from artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, cholesterol, trans fats, and 100% animal product free. These are vegan products, and they take that seriously. They have a very comprehensive line of products to address a multitude of needs.

So, back to the shake. I got to try chocolate (Our favorite flavor for EVERYTHING!) and vanilla. We tried to read on the package what the ingredients were, what the nutritional breakdown was, stuff like that. Nothing to really be found. Okay. Let’s look at the pamphlet that came with it. That tells me that it’s “pea protein” blend, 20 grams of it. It’s gluten free. It has coenzyme Q10, alfalfa, ginseng, and flax seed. Unless that doubles as an ingredient list, I have no idea what else is in there. That’s a little…frustrating. I tear into it and I’m immediately hit with a smell that I most closely identify with….latex paint?!? That can’t be right. We dip our respective fingers in and give the dry power a little taste. “Not chocolate” says Hubby. There’s a very strong vegetable flavor that immediately overpowers any hint of chocolate that might be there. Okay, well, it’s dry. You’re not supposed to taste it dry, so let’s add the requisite water and let the flavors bloom. I notice right away there’s A LOT of powder. Hubby’s go-to protein powder has been Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Whey powder, and for comparison purposes, it’s a much smaller scoop. He has a few different shaker bottles, so we select his best big one and give it the old “30-second shake up”. There’s chunks of goo everywhere. So Hubby shakes some more, and with great vigor this time. No luck. It’s a chunky mess. Well, sometimes it helps to sit in the fridge a bit and let the particles super-saturate and help the process. So sit it shall.

After an hour, we take it out, noticing that it’s started to separate a bit, but after a couple of shakes it’s still kinda gloopy. Hubby gamely offers that he’s “had worse” and goes in for a taste. He immediately tells me it’s got a very chalk-like consistency and it’s kinda gritty. There’s a very strong veggie taste, even pepper-ish, and the aftertaste that remained as “horrible”. The smell is still off, but I will myself to give it a go and I regret it almost immediately. He’s right, something is off. I really can’t taste any chocolate, but it’s closer to a malted V8. Hubby gamely goes back for more, and after 3 sips, he says he can’t finish it. Just so you know, I’ve seen this man chug things that would choke a billy goat, all in the name of fitness. For him to tell me he can’t finish is shocking to me. I open up the vanilla and smell the same “latex paint” smell from before and I’m not even going to torture ourselves and go through this again. I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t even mix it.

I have to wonder if there was something off about the samples I received. For company to be so high on their products that they send out samples like this tells me there must be something there, and hopefully this was just an anomaly.

I also got a chance to try their Energy Fizz Sticks, but that is for another post! =D

I received the above products free of charge from a Arbonne representative.  I am not obligated in providing a positive/favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the brand and/or product, which may differ from yours.