Popsugar Must Have - March 2014

Popsugar is $39.95 a month, including shipping. Depending on your state, there may be sales tax. I purchased this subscription myself. If you use the link, you can help me get a free box!
Overall Popsugar is one of my favorite subscription boxes. Especially months like this one. Not necessarily items I would purchase for myself but everything will get used. That is my goal in a subscription box.

Dogeared Lucky Horseshoe Make a Wish Necklace This is so cute! It’s on a string that has a clasp like a regular necklace. You are supposed to make a wish and put the necklace on and wear it until the string breaks. I’ve heard these strings can last ages though, and besides I don’t want to lose the little horse shoe so I may find a gold chain for this.

ActiveForever Fusion Exercise Ball My last exercise ball from PopSugar was confiscated by a cute little 3 year old girl. She shares my house so I see it sometimes. Once in a while I’m even allowed to use it. So another exercise ball was welcome. And this one easily inflates and deflates with a straw like piece that it came with. This should be great for travel. Apparently there are exercises to use it with on the PopSugar blog but I haven’t gotten that far as the cute little pink ball has gone to join it’s bigger sibling in the toys. I do like the feel of the ball and will keep trying to use it!

Harvest Snaps Snapea Crisps These weren't exactly new to me since I've tried the Trader Joe's version many times. These were really good. A nice crunchy and salty snack.

Nature's Bakery strawberry fig bar  Speaking of things I frequently buy at Trader Joe's. I have a 3 year old  fig bar connoisseur. These didn't get her approval because they also had strawberry in them. I however really enjoyed them. The only drawback is that this is two servings.  It's not as filling as it should be for the calories. But into the treat pile for sure.

Bauble Bar elephant ring tree This might be my favorite item in the box! It's adorable and looks perfect in the guest bathroom. He doesn't have any rings on him but he's still fun to look at.

Brokedown  blue Ikat scarf This is a close second for favorite item in this box. I love the color. And now I'm off to figure out how to wear all these scarves I've gotten recently!

My Ireland Box - March 2014

***After this review went live I was notified by My Ireland Box customer service that I, in fact, received the regular My Ireland Box in error. So this review is actually for the Standard My Ireland Box NOT the Mini. Stay tuned for April for that! 


I'm way behind in posting reviews but I wanted to get this one up because it was not easy for me to find a review of the Mini version of the My Ireland Box when  was considering it. I love the idea of My Ireland Box but at 41.70 a month it's a little out of my price range. Then they introduced the Mini! At 24.32 plus shipping it's a bit more affordable. Ireland has a special place in my heart, even though I've only been once (so far.) Until I get back this will do nicely.
 I have to say that their shipping was excellent. I had a package ship the infamous SmartPost the same day from the east coast and this box got here the same day, and it went through customs!
So on to the box...

The box includes a card that has background info on each of the artists and their items in the box.

The first item  was this cute tote bag. As the mother of a not quite 4 year old, I can always use another bag. And this one is just too cute. Not to mention soft!

Ok how cute is this guy? And he has 3 friends with him in his box. Napkin rings that are made from Irish felt. I was skeptical about how well felt napkin rings would hold up until I took this out of the box. They are easily twice as thick as I imagined. These will last for a while. And they store flat. Definitely a bonus.

I love this magnet! It's a perfect little reminder of some of the many small towns I visited when I was there.

Barry's Tea, the taste of home. No I'm not from Ireland, but I've never felt more at home than when I was there. I enjoy tea frequently so maybe that's why I felt at home. Even the pubs think nothing of you asking for tea, and more often than not it was Barry's.

A great first box! I'm already counting the days until my next one comes. Do you love Ireland or know someone who does? This is your box.

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.

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! 

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!