Thursday, October 29, 2015

Birchbox October 2015

Rating: Like It!!!
Cost: $10/month

I received my October Birchbox last week and just got around to trying all my samples. This month I did not choose a sample. The sample choice for the month was all mascara and I really like the mascara I've been using, so I thought by not choosing one, I wouldn't get any in my box this month. This month's box was pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Birchbox has partnered with The Estee Lauder Companies' Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to fund one year of breast cancer lab research hours. How amazing is that?!?


Birchbox always includes an information card explaining everything in the box. I always enjoy reading them. 



Here is a peek at the first look of my box.


Even though I didn't choose a sample I did receive one of the mascara choices. My first item was the Eyeko Black Magic Mascara. I wish I would have chosen a sample now, because this is the last mascara I would have chosen. I've tried this brand in the past and I don't like the formula of their mascara. It's too wet and gloppy. I liked the big brush for the mascara, but I wasn't crazy about the mascara itself. And I love the mascara I've been using, so I knew nothing would compare.  


The next item I received was Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream. I really liked the thick consistency of this cream. It goes on smooth and blends in to my skin nicely. I've been using it at night for my Fall dry skin and I love it. I wake up with perfectly moisturized skin!


I also received Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray. I've used this and really like it! It smells amazing and makes my fine hair have some body and movement. I use it mainly for the scent, but it definitely improves the way my hair looks when I use it. I was happy to get this as a sample, because I buy this product and use it on a regular basis.


Another sample I received was Too Cool For School Dinoplatz Highlighter. I haven't been too crazy about the highlighters I've received as samples, so I wasn't sure if I'd like this. I usually
like Korean beauty products and the packaging is so fun. This highlighter is the best color for my pale skin. It was the perfect peachy pearlescent color that was just enough. It blended in very easily and made my skin look great. This is definitely my new favorite highlighter!



The final sample I received was BioRepublic Skincare Cucumber Breeze Soothing Fiber Mask. I do not usually like the pre-soaked masks, because they always seem to have too much on them and it never sinks into my skin as much as I'd like it to. These always end up making my skin very wet afterward and they say to just rub in the excess, but my skin would never dry if I did that, so I usually end up patting some of the excess off and then rubbing it in a little. This mask had a pleasant cucumber scent and was very refreshing and cool on my skin. I think I would have preferred trying this mask in the summer, but it worked very well and made my skin soft and smooth.


I liked most of my samples in the October Birchbox, so I think this was a good month. I wish they would have included a small treat for Halloween this month. I can't remember the last time I got a treat in my box, so that would have been a fun extra. The sample choice was already announced for November and they are new products created by Birchbox, so I'm interested in trying them. Some of the colors do not look wearable in my opinion, but I have very pale skin and tend to shy away from bright lipsticks and eye shadows. 


*This subscription was purchased and financed by me, unless noted otherwise. Posts may contain referral links and I totally appreciate it when you use them!

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Bundles of Joy October 2015

Rating: Lifer!!!!!
Cost: $36/month

My daughter received her Bundles of Joy box and we couldn't wait to see what was inside. This box is always such a surprise to open up, because I never know what we'll get. I love it! This month I could tell right away the box had a Halloween theme, which I love. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays!


Bundles of Joy always includes a letter with the prices of everything included in the box and a handwritten note of why everything was chosen. I always love reading the note and knowing that every item was chosen exclusively for my daughter!



Even the tissue paper matched the "ghouly green" theme of the box. 



Here is a picture of everything in the box.


The first item we pulled out of the box was the book Goodnight Goon by Michael Rex. Retail price $6.99.  Similar to Goodnight Moon, this book is so cute! I love the Halloween theme and my daughter loved this!



She also received a Maks Chic Bowtique Halloween Beaded Necklace. Retail price $14.75. This is a toddler sized necklace, so it fits her perfectly and she wanted to put it on right away. It looks so adorable on her!  I might have said adorable a few too many times while going through this box, because she kept repeating it too, haha. I can't wait for her to wear this on Halloween!


I love the Crazy 8 White + Navy Striped Coat that was in this month's box. Retail price $24.88. This is so cute and it has green accents as a liner and inside the pockets. I made my daughter try this on right away and it is a little big on her, but that's perfect because she'll get to wear it a long long time. We rolled the sleeves up and she looked great!


To complement the jacket we received a Crazy 8 Woven Citron Dot Top. Retail price $16.88. This color matches the liner of the coat, and they look great together. I love that the sleeves can be rolled up or worn down. This will also fit her for quite a while, because it's a little big on her now. Sooooo cute!



I had to take a picture of her wearing the shirt, jacket, and necklace all together because she looked so adorable!!!


I was so in love with everything in this month's Bundles of Joy box. Everything was perfect for my daughter and I loved the Halloween theme. I think she'll be wearing this outfit for her Halloween parties coming up. And it arrived just in time for all of them. Bundles of Joy continues to be one of my favorite subscription boxes each month and the October box is my favorite so far!


*This subscription was purchased and financed by me, unless noted otherwise. Posts may contain referral links and I totally appreciate it when you use them!

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Apple & Eve Influenster VoxBox


I received the Apple & Eve Influenster VoxBox to review. I love free stuff! These are great for my 3 year old daughter. They don't have added sugar, but the taste is still great! My daughter loves drinking out of juice boxes, so she loved these and they were gone in no time. 

We sampled Orange Pineapple, Razzberry Apple Splash, Berrylicious Lemonade, Fruit Punch Burst. My daughter liked them all and I don't think she could choose a favorite! They were all very tasty!!!


*This complimentary box was received in exchange for my honest review. As always the opinions are my own!

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Popsugar Must Have October 2015

Rating: Like It!!!
Cost: $39.95/month

My Popsugar Must Have Box for October arrived yesterday! I'm always so excited to get this box each month. I know I looked at spoilers much earlier in the month, but I couldn't remember what was in this box, so it was kind of a surprise opening it this month. I couldn't wait to see what was inside!


Popsugar Must Have always includes an information card explaining everything in the box for the month. October's inspiration was Autumn, Restful Nights, Cozy, Irresistible, and Breast Cancer Awareness. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Popsugar made a donation to Right Action For Women. 



Here is a peek at everything included in this month's box.




When I opened the box, I remembered Popsugar Must Have released 2 spoilers for this month's box, so I already knew quite a bit of what was in this month's box. The first spoiler that was released was "Why Not Me?" by Mindy Kaling. I also own Mindy Kaling's first book, so I was happy to get her second book in this box. This book is a collection of essays that are laugh out loud funny. That is definitely my kind of book! Short stories are perfect for me, because I have a habit of starting a book and taking a really long time to finish it. If it's funny it will keep me interested too. I'm looking forward to reading this throughout our rainy Fall season.


The next spoiler that Popsugar Must Have released was The Honest Company Sea Salt + Sugar Body Scrub. I love body scrubs, so I was happy we'd be getting this. I haven't tried this yet, but I have tried other bath products from The Honest Company and really liked them. I'm sure this will be great. I can't wait to take a bath and relax and use this!



I also received Savvy Sleepers Luxury Satin Pillowcase. This is 100% satin and prevents sleep wrinkles, reduces hair breakage, and protects salon blowouts. I own other satin pillowcases and like them. This is white, which I wouldn't normally purchase for bedding, but I will use it. This was the most expensive item included in the box and wasn't too exciting in my opinion, which made it slightly disappointing. 



Another item included was Easy, Tiger Brown Paper Liquor Bag set. These are nice for the holidays, which are 
coming up quickly. I will use these to bring wine to houses we are invited to. It's always good to have a cute bag to put them in!


The treat included this month was Belgian Boys De Stroopwafel. This caramel filled waffle looks totally delicious. I can't wait to try this! I love caramel, and it's my guys favorite treat, so I may have to share this one with him.



I also received Richer Poorer Hope Slipper Socks. These socks were designed for Popsugar Must Have to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I love when I get exclusive products in subscription boxes! And I love socks, especially cozy socks for the cold, damp weather we've been having. These were my favorite item from this month's box!



The final special extra item included in this box was It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product. This detangles, adds shine, and stops frizz. I've used this product in the past and really like it, so I was happy to have more. I do have quite a few of these types of products from various subscription boxes, but I use them, so they won't go to waste. This is a sample size, but it will still last me quite a while.



The October Popsugar Must Have box was perfect for Fall weather. I liked everything included, but this wasn't an amazing month in my opinion. I'll use everything, but I'd like to get some unique items in these boxes. I can't wait to see what we get for November!

The Popsugar Must Have Limited Edition Neiman Marcus box is now on sale for $250 and will contain over $600 in products. They have released a couple spoilers for the box, but I have decided not to buy it this year. I haven't been very pleased with their Limited Edition boxes lately and the spoilers don't make me want the box. I'll post the spoilers below, so you can see what types of items you'll receive in the Neiman Marcus box.



*This subscription was purchased and financed by me, unless noted otherwise. Posts may contain referral links and I totally appreciate it when you use them!

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Quilty Box October 2015

Rating: Love It!!!!
Cost: $44-$48/month

Quilty Box is a monthly subscription that delivers fun quilting supplies to your door. Quilty Box donates 5% of profits for multi-month subscriptions to Quilts for Kids, which is a non profit organization that donates quilts to children in need. Quilty Box contacted me and asked if I would like to review one of their boxes. I graciously accepted the offer and couldn't wait to see what I would receive! My mom loves quilting, so I knew this would be going to her. I can't wait to see what she will create from it! I had subscribed to Quilty Box around this time last year, but it has changed owners now, so I wasn't sure what to expect. 


Since I haven't reviewed Quilty Box in awhile I wanted to include some additional information about the box before I get into my review. Each month Quilty Box will include 4 products or more, including fabric, patterns, thread, and notions. The retail value of the box is always more than $50. Here is a first peek at the box.


Quilty Box came with an information card, which I'm always grateful for, especially when reviewing boxes that I don't know much about. It looks like each month Quilty Box features a different curator. This box was curated by Angela Walters who not only quilts, but also is an author, quilting teacher, and fabric designer. The box has a couple products from her. 




Here is everything that was included in this month's Quilty Box.


The first item included in this month's box was 4 Fat Quarters of Drawn by Angela Walters. Retail price $12. These are all gray patterned fabrics, which is my favorite neutral color. The patterns are unique and I like them a lot. I think these would look great to offset some bright patterned fabrics in a quilt or project. I'm sure my mom will find something fun to do with them!


I also received "A Modern Twist" by Natalie Barnes with Angela Walters. Retail price $24.99. This book was written by a corporate interior designer working for global design and architectural firm that also designs quilt patterns. The projects in this book look like a lot of fun. They are all beautiful! And not just quilts, there are also instructions for studio boxes, coasters, picnic totes, and so much more! Angela Walters wrote a chapter of the book about stitching to complement the concepts included in the book. I really like everything in this book and I'm sure my mom will be trying out some new ideas from it!



The next item included is the 3.5" Drunkard's Path Template by All Things Acrylic. Retail price $15. These were custom created for this month's Quilty Box to make many different quilt blocks. All Things Acrylic sells their products on Etsy and also takes custom orders, plus all their design and manufacturing is completed in the US. I love when boxes put thought into what is included each month and make the products go together. It's nice that you can use these templates to create items from the book.


The final items included was 2 spools of 50wt 220yd Cotton Thread in Lemon and Arctic Ice. Retail price $4.99 each. These colors complement the fabric included in the box. I love that! And one of my favorite color combinations is gray and yellow, so this is perfect! This is the type of thread my mom uses for quilting, so she was happy to see these included in the box.


This month's Quilty Box was well thought out. I love that everything went together and you can create a beautiful project using everything included. I'm so happy Quilty Box contacted me and let me review their box! It was definitely a great month to try it out. November's Quilty Box will be curated by Vanessa Wilson, The Crafty Gemini. Quilty Box will ship around November 11th, so if you're interested in purchasing the November box, order before November 10th. This box is definitely worth the cost and would make the perfect gift for any quilting fans!


*This complimentary box was received in exchange for my honest review. As always the opinions are my own!