Wantable Intimates - October 2013

This review is pretty late but it was my first from Wantable Intimates so I wanted to get it posted. Wantable does a makeup box and an accessories box also. The Intimates is there newest box and has been around a few months. I admit I assumed it was going to be a lingerie box. After I saw some reviews of the first couple of boxes I realized I was wrong and it was actually my kind of box. You fill out a pretty extensive survey when you sign up so if there's something you don't want you can indicate that. I stayed away from soft bras because they almost never fit me right unless they come from Decent Exposures (but that's for another post.)

So what's inside? First let me say it's very hard to photograph clothing items not on a person :-)

Argoz socks - Ok I wouldn't pay 8 dollars for a pair of socks but I love these socks! And that's saying a lot because they are pretty pink. I think the grey helps. And of course the comfy fit makes you not care what color they are.

 Cass Luxury shapewear - Shapewear is one of those things I hate going to buy but it's almost a necessity when wearing business attire. This doesn't pinch but gives a smooth look. This right here is worth the cost of the box.

Luniare bikini panties - Pretty underwear that don't feel like floss. Yeah! I know everyone is into thongs these days. But not me. These fit very nicely and have a pretty design, complete with a little flower charm on the front.

Betsey Johnson sleep shorts - I love these shorts. To bad it's WAY to cold for them already in the Chicago area. Oh well, another reason to look forward to spring. I love the fit and they will be perfect for the warmer weather.

I paid for this box but if you use my link above I can earn points for a free one! The value on this box is excellent. It may be my new favorite subscription!

Seasons Box - October 2013

I put off writing this review for a long time because I hate giving bad reviews. But I owe it to people that I have previously recommended this box. Seasons Box has been in a state of flux for a while now but I have not had any real issues until this box. My September box was delayed but I did get it on the last day of the month and I enjoyed it so no problem. Yet again I didn't receive a shipping notice and had to repeatedly email customer service to get a response. Any negative comments are being stripped from their Facebook page and when you ask about shipping they only ask you to send an email. These things make me nervous. But the item descriptions sounded like I would enjoy the box when it finally arrived. But rumors were circulating before I received my box that it was a major disappointment. Largely because a company that still proclaims on their web site to send FULL SIZE items, in fact sent out mostly samples. When my box came I took a deep breath and opened it...

I was immediately disappointed. The two main items were both samples, and not deluxe samples. Tiny samples you often get for free from companies. This is the whole box.

The one great item was the tea infuser from Tea Forte. I love the design of this infuser and it cleans out pretty easily if you dump most of the tea and then let it dry. Then just dump the rest and wash. No loose tea floating in my cup.

This is all three of the other items in the box. The Dryad Tea was delicious but hardly the amount I would expect in a box of full size items. It's about 3 cups worth of tea, and I don't drink mine very strong. The lip balm is nice and I guess this would be considered full size but... it's a lip balm. And the soap is as small as it looks in the picture. I can't use it in the shower because it would probably melt away after one shower.

Seasons box has really let me down with the October box. If we could still get straight answers from the company I might be less concerned but I just get a bad feeling about the whole situation at this point. I'm locked in until February so I'll just have to see what happens next.

PopSugar Must Have - October 2013

The last box PopSugar Must Have before the price increase goes into effect November 4th. If you are a current subscriber you can upgrade to a 3 month, 6 months or 1 year subscription to lock in the lower price. I pay for these boxes but if you use my referral link I can earn a free one!

NYX liquid eyeliner in black - I haven't used liquid eyeliner since the 80s so I wasn't thrilled with this being in the box. But I figured I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did. It takes me a little time to apply it but it looks pretty good. I know it's not a luxury brand but it is a full size item!

I don't wear much eye shadow but even when I do these colors are not me. However they look like they were hand picked for my sister. So guess who got an early Christmas present :-) Last I heard, she loved them.

I wish I could figure out a better way to photograph nail polish. I've never tried Julep because a subscription that's all nail polish just isn't for me. But this color is a pretty blue and the Julep topcoat that everyone raves about are a fun try.

October is breast cancer awareness month so I always expect something pink. And it's the one time I can accept it without argument. The Gorjana Charity Ball Bead bracelet is very reminiscent of the string bracelets little girls make for each other. On my small wrists it worked but I know many people had a tough time getting this to fit. The biggest shocker for me was the price tag. Apparently this retails for $45! I guess you have to remember most of the money goes to a good cause.

Jane Tran bobby pins - these are pretty darker colors, from a purpley to green. And they stay in my hair!
The Wet Brush - I tried using this brush to help work conditioner through my long and thick hair and it sort of works. Turns out my little 3 year old likes it even more. She has decided it's her bath hair brush. And I can't argue, it works like a charm!

The Crispery Halloween Crisp cake - I held this in my hand so you could see how huge this thing was. Think of a rice crispy but a bit heavier on the marshmallow. It was soft but not sickeningly sweet. I'd love to get more of these but I hear shipping from this company is pricey.

Stitch Fix gift card/credit - I've been wanting to try Stitch Fix but didn't want to gamble the 20 bucks. You lose the styling fee if you don't keep anything. So this was the perfect chance for me to try risk free. Turns out my concern was unfounded. I ended up keeping two items and they others fit well, they just weren't my taste. I'll probably try again after the holidays.

The Can't Cook Book by Jessica Seinfeld - Well I actually can cook. But sometimes a visual aid is helpful, so I kept this book. It has some good recipes and great step by step instructions on some cooking basics that I admit I still haven't mastered.

Overall a good box and a good value. Not things I would have bought myself but I enjoyed all the items.

Yuzen - Fall 2013

I got an email a couple weeks ago that my name had come up on the waiting list for Yuzen. I already knew what was in the fall box and was a little intrigued. Plus the box has gotten excellent reviews, so I thought it was worth a try. This one only comes out quarterly so it really is seasonal. So here it is, my first Yuzen box!

Here's the first look. It's sure pretty!

Torie & Howard Organic Hard Candy - in blood orange and honey. These were yummy! And a full size package.

The Sanitas Vita-Rich Serum - This has a really nice feel and a little goes a long way. It definitely moisturizes but I can't speak to the promised long term effects of healthier looking skin (obviously.)
Ajara Ayurvedic Beauty Tea Bath Sachet - I only wish there was more than 1! This had a nice light relaxing scent. I was actually able to use it a second time after letting it dry out before putting it back in the outer bag. I may try to reuse the sachet.
Coola Mineral Sunscreen - I love the feel of Coola products and this is no exception. A sunscreen that has a moisturizer feel. Yeah! Because yes, you still need sunscreen in the fall.

Acure Argan Cell Stimulating Body Wash - Argan is everywhere it seems. Not that I'm complaining, I love the scent and feel of it. This body wash is no exception.
Sphatika Rose Cleansing Foam - I don't really get a rose scent from this but that's a good thing. I like rose but so many rose scented things seem to hit you over the head with the scent. This doesn't. And it has a nice feel and doesn't dry out my face.

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive - I am really becoming a fan of this brand. This Peel fits right in. It works well with just a little bit. But it only gets tingly, there's no burning feeling like I get from some peels.
Verve Organics Blissful Sugar Scrubs - I liked this scrub the first time I used it but since then it seems to have separated. I stirred it a bit with my finger and that seemed to help but it's still coarser than the first use. Ironically my 3 year old loves it. I think she just likes the idea of rubbing sugar on her toes. :-)

Overall a good first box for me. The candy was full size and the other products were travel size packages. Not a bad value for the $33 subscription. I can see why people were sad when they went to a quarterly box.

Graze codes!

To celebrate the opening of the new Graze kitchen they gave current members 4 invite codes. I have 3 left. Email me if you are interested. Melanie0971 at gmail dot com.

Goodies - August 2013

I love to discover new snacks so Goodies.co is usually a fun box for me. It only isn't when they go heavy on the coconut snacks. Fortunately August was not one of those months.

Nature Valley granola thins - peanut butter and dark chocolate, how can you go wrong? Yum! It felt like a treat but wasn't to much of a splurge. Mine was a little crumbly in the package but I think that happened in the box in shipment. I would think if you bought a box of these it wouldn't be an issue.
I love Fiber One bars so it wasn't a new product but I enjoyed it anyway! these are also very treat like. Nice and chocolatey.
Southern Pecan coffee concentrate. I don't drink coffee so I can't speak to the taste. You can add this concentrate to hot or cold water. Clever concept. I'll save it for my sister.

 Poplets - I had no idea what to think of these when I saw them. It really looks like someone took what was left in the popcorn bag after all the good stuff was eaten. Weird. But I was somewhat surprised. They were mostly crunchy but there were a couple hard kernels. I don't think I'll buy these.
Tangy Zangy in Wild berry - I like fruit candy so I'll give these a try. I like these small packages of candy because if I do like it I still won't eat to much.
Mott's Medley's - The little fruit bites are popular in this house so these were gone quickly. Very good and not to sweet.

Our August has been excessively hot so we haven't turned the oven on to make these yet. But it's Hershey's in a cookie so I'm sure they will be good. It's your typical cookie mix that you add water and butter.

A nice selection of snack size treats and one "big" item. At $7 a month this is a fun treat.

Seasons Box - August 2013

There have been a lot of complaints about Seasons box lately. I personally haven't had any issues, knock on wood. But they've made a few announcements lately that management has changed. I don't know if they were sold or if it's just a change in day to day operations. Either way, I've already noticed an improvement in their interaction on Facebook. That being said, I really liked the August box, which was "pre change."

 These are the Vapur water pouches. I really like these. I had some before that disappeared (as things do in a house with a 3 year old :-)  ) I hadn't had the chance to replace them so I was happy to get these. Ironically they were the same colors as the two I had! The best thing about these is when they are empty they take up next to no space. I've heard you can freeze them but I've never tried.

 I love green tea but I admit I've never heard of eating it. But that's what you are supposed to do with this. It smells good but I can't vouch for what it tastes like yet. I understand mixing it in yogurt is one option...

 Tiki bath & body solid lotion bar - I love solid lotion bars but most come in paper that isn't very practical for holding or storing it once it's been opened. This takes care of that problem. The container is similar to a lipstick in that it pushes the product up as you use it. And most importantly, it feel and smells great!

Puur body oil - What you can't see from the picture is that this comes in a spray bottle. I love that idea. It seems less wasteful and easier to apply. It's perfect after a shower! It's a very light scent.

As I said, I loved this box. And I have a good feeling about the future of Seasons Box based on the Facebook interaction in recent weeks.Yeah!

PopSugar Must Have - August 2013

I still get excited about PopSugar every month. Even the months that had some things I wasn't able to use, there was at least a couple things to be excited about. It's a nice variety.

I've thought about trying Nature Box so this was nice to find in the box. The apples are pretty good. No added sugar so they are only the slightest bit sweet.

Dermalogica pre cleanse and cleansing gel - I'm curious to try these but I'm using up my current face cleanser first. The pre cleanse really just seems like a make up remover. Not that that's a bad thing. 

May designs weekly agenda - best thing about this is no dates. If I skip a week I can still just use the next week. It's got lots of space to write in. 

Lulah body wash in peony - I was relieved when I opened this. Despite the fact that it's called peony, the scent is not overwhelmingly floral. It's a pretty light scent. 

Bentgo lunch carrier - I can't just call it a lunch box because it's cooler than that. So cool that I traded for another for my husband. And they are dishwasher safe! I've been drooling over bento recipes to get the best use of this. It also has its own utensils.

This is the Gorjana & Griffin necklace that was the special anniversary gift. I don't know that the box would have been complete without it do I haven't set it apart here. It is a very pretty necklace but more delicate than the teaser pictures looked. 

Lunares apple bowl. It's food safe. And a good thing to since my 3 year old has claimed it as her own. It fits the right amount of dried Os.

I'll use everything so this box is a big success for me!

Carefree Crafts - August 2013

I realize I haven't reviewed this subscription box in a while. I think it's because it's so hard to photograph in a way that shows the real value. For the record, we LOVE Carefree Crafts at our house!! That's the other reason that it's hard for me to get pictures. If I open the bag to get pictures my 3 year old insists on doing all the crafts. I have to ration these out so they last the month!
Here's a quick picture I was able to get of all 5 projects for August. As a rule each craft is individually packaged so you know what's for what. If anything needs glue that's separate. (That's the white pen looking item with the blue cap in the picture.)

 

As you can probably tell, Augusts theme was Summer. I'll try to get some finished pictures when my daughter isn't looking. The beach photo was another of the sand art pictures with adhesive already under the coating. Just peel and pour! Very clever. 

These crafts are geared for kids age 3-7 and the subscription is $14.95 a month including shipping. Though right now use code  SAVE60 on the web site to get your first month for only $5.95! 

Stunner of the Month - July 2013

I was going to skip my July boxes because I've been so busy but I had to share my last Stunner shipment of the three month deal I got. These are probably the most unisex of the three I received. 

I laughed out loud when I opened this pair!

If it weren't for the phone I'd think this was from the 80's! Fun!

Next time I need sunglasses I'll be back at Stunner's web site. 9 bucks for a pair of sunglasses is right up my alley.

Goodies - June 3013

My Goodies ($7 a month) box seems to be transitioning from samples to fewer bigger sizes. It's still a good value and as long as they avoid to much coconut I'm ok with that.

These Lay's chips are very Pringles like.They weren't bad but nothing special.

I wasn't sure what to expect from gimMe roasted seaweed but this was good. I tasted it on it's own and it has a nice flavor.One suggestion on the package was to serve it on rice. I think it would add a really nice flavor to jasmine or brown rice.

The Pringles Stix had a nice cheese flavor. They certainly don't taste like Pringles chips but they are good.

Duchy Originals butter shortbread cookies - These were delicious! I've had plenty of shortbread cookies and these are easily one of the best. It also held up well to the tea I drank with it.

Smooch mango, pineapple & banana fruit snack is a 100% natural version of the fruit "sauce" pouch. These are great on the go snacks

These Dream Water bottles seem to be popping up in all sorts of subscription boxes. I've tried them before and the flavor is ok. I'm not sure I've slept any better or worse after drinking it.

 

Not the best variety this month but the selections that haven't already been eaten will be gone soon! 

Conscious Box - June 2013

Conscious Box has been a great way for me to discover new eco-friendly and organic items. June did not disappoint. 

The thank you not is printed on paper made from bamboo in a wind powered facility. How cool is that?! And it's always good to have a nice thank you card on hand. I've had the Natural Calm mix in boxes before. I've been taking a magnesium supplement as of late and just ran out so this will buy me a day. And it also has calcium which I'm supposed to be taking.The Joint Mud from Greek Island labs has quite a list of ingredients but they look like mostly essential oils (I haven't read the list closely yet.) This will come in handy soon I'm sure. All this humidity is bound to wake up some knee pain. They do tell you to immediately wash your hands or wear latex gloves when using it, which makes me a little nervous...

I'm already familiar with Earth Friendly Products but always welcome one of their samples. This lemon grass hand soap is no exception. It has a nice light lemon scent and doesn't dry out my hands. I had hope for the Sneakz Organic Yummy Veggie Nutrition Milkshake. Any way I can sneak a veggie into my daughters diet is one I'll try. The problem is she's not a fan of chocolate milk. I tried it and it was pretty good. It did have a slight veggie taste to it so I'm not sure it would fool anyone.

Organic Flavrz Superfruit Sport All Natural Liquid Drink Mix Revive and Boost - These mix into a water bottle and have a nice fruity flavor. These are not nearly as sweet as most energy drinks.

 LARABAR Alt Peanut Butter Cookie Fruit and Nut Bar - I'm always up for trying a new energy bar and especially one with peanut butter. I gave the Buddy Wash to my mother in law for their mini schnauzer who loves to investigate the back yard especially when it's wet. I'm sure it will get used soon! Son for Men is an aftershave skin soother. It's organic and vegan!

 More snack bars! These Skout bars are almost the perfect calorie count for a mid morning snack. And cherry vanilla and apple cinnamon are great flavor choices for me.

This is the Molly Muriel soap. It's an exfoliant with a great bunch of oils and charcoal. On the opposite side is a shampoo bar made with murumuru butter, coconut, jojoba, and sweet almond. They are all made in small batches.

 Conscious Box always includes a post card in the box. I just particularly liked this one.

Conscious box had another hit for me with this box. There were some repeats but most were new fun things to try. Worth the $19.95.