While I was in Japan for my semester abroad I wanted to try everything new and was fascinated with all the things I had never heard of in my home country. When my (now) husband was time and again providing me with those little hairsprays and wax and whatnot in perfect handbag (i.e. sample) size I asked him where he even got those things. The answer was BuzzLife.

BuzzLife is a quite interesting concept website for samples. Everyone can join (well, if you are living in Japan) and apply for certain campaigns. If you get chosen as a “BuzzLeader” you will get a package with samples, but  – and here is the important point – not only for you, but for your friends as well. Because the task of the BuzzLeader is contained in the word itself: Create a buzz for a new product. After you and your friends have tested the product you write a report about it and answer a short questionnaire, which will earn you medals (that in turn you can use again to apply to more campaigns). Of course one might say that is a pretty easy way for companies to get the word out, but even though you don’t get any money for it, it just is a lot of fun (mostly).

When we moved back here I stumbled about a buzzLife induced report and it got me hooked again. So I might be writing about products from BuzzLife here from time to time to introduce new products I got to test. And the first one I was sent are samples for the “Blendy Stick Hello Smoothie” in Orange and Green. You might already now Blendy Stick as it is a pretty popular brand of instant coffee and tea here in Japan.

The Hello Smoothie Sticks come in packages of 5 as Orange or Green Version. The orange smoothie contains Carrots, Paprika, Orange, Mango and Pineapple whereas the green smoothie has Cale, Broccoli, Yomogi (Japanese mugwort), Pineapple, Orange and Apple. Smoothies and Juice Bars are quite popular and you often see them at stations. But when you want to make your own smoothies at home it is often messy and requires you to at least have a mixer (fresh fruit and vegetable) or shaker (instant powder smoothie).

The supposed selling point of these Hello Smoothie Blendy Sticks is, that like the other Blendy Stick variations, these don’t require a mixer or shaker. You just stir the powder into 120 ml of water and you’re all set and can enjoy a smoothie for breakfast. I was tempted to write “healthy” there for a moment, but let’s face it, of course they have sugar in them. Nevertheless, they are 58 kcal a stick so they are not so bad, either.

So how are they taste wise? I actually liked the orange one. It has the artificial orange taste you get in vitamin supplement, but the sweeter taste of mango and pineapple make it quite enjoyable. Now, the green one doesn’t taste bad, either, though it has more of the vegetable juice feeling than the orange one. But the smell definitely could be better. The main chorus from the people I had it test with me, was that the orange one was better and, that you really should be using more than 120 ml, or else it is a little too intense in its taste.