Birchbox - May 2013

I've been going back and forth about whether to continue the Birchbox subscription and then I get a box like this one and wonder why I would consider leaving! I pay the usual $10 a month but get referral credit if you use the above link.
So what was in this box that made me so happy...

This was my favorite item in the box. The DevaCurl 3 step system was the perfect choice for me. I've already ordered more! It's a shampoo, conditioner and defining gel. The gel is used while the hair is wet and protects it and keeps it from frizzing. it worked perfectly on my unruly hair!

Whish shave cream - this would have come in handy while I was on vacation, if I hadn't forgotten it. It has a nice mild scent and nice feel to it. I'm sure it will work just fine.

COOLA Classic sunscreen for face is a nice moisturizer with an SPF of 30. This is a nice addition to my samples for summer.

Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner goes on like those eyeliners that look like markers (smooth lines) but it's actually wax. Mine was the black but I can draw such a thin line that it looks great!

Birch box bonus item - Pilot Acroball PureWhite pen it writes the light blue color you see. I can't really use it at work but it's fun for notes and lists around the house. It writes wonderfully and doesn't smear.

Overall a great box for $10. I think I love Birchbox again!

Influenster Spring Vox Box

I was selected to receive the Spring Fever Vox box from Influenster! I had previously received some new Palmolive products to try, which was great, but this sounded much more fun! I only sort of knew what to expect from a Vox box so it really was like opening a present when it came. This is what I opened..

And the break down... Secret Outlast. This stuff works really well. It lasts all day and no white residue. Enough said.

imPress Broadway nails - I had to wait until I was on vacation to apply these since the design isn't very "office friendly."  But they went on very easily - they are press on after all. The only issue I had was with my thumb nails and that was a fit issue. All the other fingers I was able to find a perfect fit from the nails enclosed, but the thumb nails were either to wide or to short. I selected the ones that fit the width but there is a bigger gap between the bottom of the nail and the cuticle than the other fingers. They stayed in place better than any press on nail I've ever tried. I haven't taken them off yet so I don't know how easily they will come off.

Schwarzkopf Osis+ - I received the Gelastic and honestly I thought this would be the one thing I wouldn't use but I was wrong! This works really well reigning in my frizzy fly away bangs. It only takes a drop so this bottle will last me forever! Not good for their sales but great for me :-)

I had heard of Tasty Kakes but I've never tried them. This was a yummy snack cake. I'm not sure of what to compare it to though. I liked that it wasn't overly sweet.

NYC New York Appleicious - I LOVE this. It's more lip balm than lip stick. It has a slight red/pink color that is very natural looking and goes on so easily. It leaves my lips feeling nice and hydrated.

This was a great box! All the items were full sized and it doesn't hurt that I didn't pay for them. But these are my honest opinions on all of the products.

PopSugar Must Have - May 2013

This box was the best PopSugar box in a while! Almost all stuff I can use! This one is $35 a month but you may get hit with tax depending on your state (I do in IL.) If you want to check it out my referral link is PopSugar 

The first thing out of the box was this great sun hat. Its a Kooringal Giselle Mid Brim Hat. I was just about to buy a new one since my other one flops in my face now. This one has a stiffer brim so it stays out of my eyes but it's flexible enough to fold.

I love small to medium tote bags. I'm not thrilled with the logo being on it but at least it's fairly small. It's basically a smaller version of those reusable shopping bags. It seems pretty sturdy.

I can't think of the last time I had a margarita. We picked up some tequila the other day so we will give these a try. A side note, one of the bottles leaked into the bubble wrap. The bubble wrap protected everything else but the box was sticky. I emailed PopSugar and they actually sent me a whole new set! Great customer service! I photographed the other side of the box so you can't see the stickiness. The box also includes some sort of salt for rimming the glass. The Modern Margarita

I know Mindy Kaling is really popular but I must admit I've never seen her show. Questions I Ask When I Want to Talk About Myself Deck is a deck of cards with a clever subject and questions on each card to jump start conversation. They might be worth a good laugh.

I was in love with my Original Beautyblender and Blendercleanser, but then the blender went to visit my daughters toy box, never to be seen again. I then got and Eco Tools version in another box and loved that even more. I don't want to go back now so I'll probably end up trading this. If you want it, email me! I have another bottle of the cleaner so I have tried it and it's pretty good at cleaning the Eco Tools sponge as well.

I'm not big on lipstick but the Pacifica Natural Color Quench Lip Tint is more like a tinted lip balm. This color is a little darker than I would buy but I love the feel so I'll at least use this tube, and maybe find another in a more appropriate color. This is guava berry.

The Way Better Snacks Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips were delicious. The only drawback for them was they arrived in the same month as some bean based ones in my Goodies box that were even more amazing. I would definitely buy these chips if I saw them. Yum!

Also included in this month box was a $30 coupon for Charm & Chain. I didn't get to the web site fast enough so a lot was sold out when I checked. Fortunately it's good for awhile yet so I'll check back. I don't like to spend more for these coupons so I'll only use it if something nice is there for about $30. So I don't count this toward the value of the box. Other than that, this was a really good box. It looks like PopSugar is back on track!

Stunner of the Month - May 2013

I found a deal for Stunner of the Month and I have an amazing ability to go through sunglasses like water so it seemed like a perfect match! Each month they choose a pair of sunglasses for you from the category you selected (men, women or unisex.) I chose unisex because I didn't want anything to girly. The regular price is $9 a month including shipping. Not bad for a pair of sunglasses.

For free shipping expected a padded envelope but was pleasantly surprised when I saw this in my mailbox.

They included a key chain holder with mini screwdrivers for sunglasses maintenance. And the glasses were in a cloth draw string bag that protects them well in my purse.

And here's the sunglasses! These are from the unisex collection. I'm not sure how many men would wear them but I think they suit me fine. Almost a month and they are still intact!

I think even at the full $9 price these would be a pretty good buy.

Carefree Crafts - May 2013

Carefree Crafts is target at kids 3-7. They send five craft kits each month that are tied together with a theme. This months theme was Mother's Day. My daughter had a great time making gifts for the grandmas! Unfortunately I forgot to get pictures of the completed projects before they went away  as gifts.

This first kit turned into the cutest card. The flowers and vase are a thin foam board. The green behind it is the card stock. There was also a poem to include with the card. The delivery also came with a small tube of glue. The only drawback is that when D finished, it didn't fit in the envelope it came with.

 

This was the other grandma gift. It came with little foam squares in three colors that had an adhesive back. D didn't quite have the patience for removing the backing but had definite opinions about where the squares went.

This was a little hard to photograph in the package. It's a dry erase memo board on a foam back. The glue dots held the flower pieces in place. Some glue held the flowers and letters on the board and a magnet was included for the back. The adhesive on the magnet was no match for D so a little extra glue was needed.

 

I was lucky enough to keep this flower pot for myself. There were three inserts to choose from. The markers were used to color it and then put it in the plastic pot. Very cute. It says "I love you mom!"

 

The last two kits we haven't had a chance to make yet. But the first is a bracelet with beads and yarn. The other is an all about my mom card that has questions for the child to answer about their mom. Then they can draw and color a picture of mom!

I really love this subscription. I think I have as much fun, if not more than my daughter does when we make these crafts. For the most part they are super easy clean up and self contained. For $14.95 a month I think this is a great deal.

Conscious Box - April 2013

This post is WAY late. I thought I had done it weeks ago! Oops.
This box is the last of the three month deal I got from Living Social... Or was it Plum District? Sorry I can never keep all those flash sale sites straight. I'm kind of sad to see it go but at a regular price of $19.99 it's a little out of my price range right now. But we'll see...

I love these Earth Friendly Products. And with all these subscription boxes I haven't had to buy laundry detergent for quite a while! This one has a mild scent. I only wish there was an easy way to measure it out.

I've tried a few types of "added greens" over the last few years, so I'll give this one a try. It looks like the ones they sell on the Conscious box site are in capsule form. I would have preferred that. Part of the reason I end up not using the greens is I can never find the right liquid to mix them in. Water seems weird and I don't drink much juice.

I guess they know I like to get me greens since I also got a sample of Earthrise Spirulina. The silver package is chocolate covered greens! I admit it was pretty good but I don't know if I'd pay around $3 a bar for these (which is the price I've seen around the web.) It certainly eliminates the need to mix the greens into a liquid! Speaking of easy to take the Q Speed fast melt CoQ10 is great for that. Another supplement I keep hearing I should be taking. So it's worth a shot.

I have liked every 7th Generation product I've ever tried, these face wipes were no exception. I only wish there was more! Nice light orange scent. The totlogic lotion was great! There was enough that my daughter and my husband also tried it. Nice smooth feel and a very light scent. No reason an adult couldn't use this.

This Nurtureme product is genius. You can reconstitute the powder to make your traditional baby food like product or you can use the powder as is to sprinkle over the food you can get your toddler to eat. I know some people think it's bad to "sneak" in veggies but I think it just gives an extra boost. I still try to get her to eat veggies but in the mean time I'll give this a shot.

The whey product is a powder to mix into water. I haven't had a chance to try it yet because I only occasionally use a mix for a meal replacement. I can't say anything bad about Celestial Seasonings! This is another yummy tea.

This lip balm deserved a close up. The container reminds me of all those lip balms I had as a kid in the 70s. And it works great! It's not at all sticky but stays on your lips for a few hours. And no weird taste.

I was skeptical of this Coromega Omega 3 squeeze. So many omega 3s have a fishy taste and this one was supposed to be pineapple orange. And it's a gel in a packet about the size of fast food ketchup packet. I took a deep breath and squeeze it in my mouth. Imagine my happy surprise when it tasted fruity and nothing else! No weird after taste, and no revisiting the taste later. This is a great supplement, I'll be looking in to getting more.

I still don't know if the value of the box adds up to the 20 bucks each month but it is fun to try so many natural and organic ingredients.

Cravebox - Cooking Light Fast Meals

This Cravebox theme was Cooking Light Fast Meals. I'm not sure how much the contents follow that theme but they are good items.

I love Pop Chips but I've never tried the tortilla chips. These have a salsa flavor to them that's not super spicy and is very tasty! They got a little beat up in the box en route but enough big pieces that I could enjoy them. These were gone minutes after the bag was open.

We can never have to much tea in our house! This is a great sampler. Most of the flavors are fruity but there is a licorice flavor that's also included. My husband loves licorice and I... don't. So we would probably not buy a whole box of just that flavor. But he loved it! We've both enjoyed the other flavors in this box.

Probably the only thing that really applies to the theme of quick meals. The Zone Perfect bars were delicious! They are perfect for those "mini meals" between breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are filling and took care of my peanut butter craving. The Newtons were less a meal and more a treat. But the package falls in the right calorie range (about 120) for a treat that's not to much of a splurge.

We don't add sweeteners to much in our house so these will last a while. Thanks to subscription boxes we could hold a test panel of artificial sweeteners at our house. Add to the two pictured, Coconut crystals, honey crystals and monk fruit derived sweetener!

Recipes for both sweeteners were included! Some of them look really yummy!

I suppose if you had a recipe that was quick these spices would be a nice addition. But none were included :-( I love the McCormick salt free spice blends. We've tried a few others and they are delicious. I have figured out what I'll use the Moroccan Seasoning for since it has cumin in it and my husband is allergic. Hmm...

 

Also included was two coupons for the new Brown Rice Triscuits. As soon as I can find them I'll try that out. They also included a few other coupons for various healthy items.

Again, not a bad box, I just don't know that it really fits the "Fast Meals" part of the theme. I've got to learn to take the Cravebox themes with a grain of salt.