Popsugar Must Have Box February 2014 Review

Popsugar Must Have is my all time favorite subscription box. For $39.95/month you get amazing hand selected items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, & food! I’m literally obsessed with this box and so sad to say this is my last for a while since boxes are out of my budget at this time without my full time job! This was the hardest box to “unsubscribe” from [insert tear]. 😦

Every month they wrap it up all nice so it feels like you’re opening an awesome gift just for you! They always include a fold out on all the products featured and a note from Lisa Sugar. Let’s see what I got this month!!

• MUST HAVE FASHION •
Gorjana Brooks Jewelry Roll
Retail: $45
This will be purrrrfect for my trip to Louisiana in April. At first I wasn’t sure about it, but it’s actually pretty nice and I know it’ll be a great way to remind myself to pack cute matching jewelry! My pictures are clearly horrendous but I received it in the color “Berry” so it’s a little darker than it appears in the pics.

•MUST HAVE BEAUTY•
Nourish Organic Pure Hydrating Argan Face Serum
Retail: $23.99
First off… look how tiny the little bottle of serum is compared to the huge box it comes in!!!! If I bought this in the store thinking I was getting a product more the  size of the box I would be highly disappointed… Anyway, this stuff smells and sounds pretty nourishing for the skin, I was so glad to get the tip to use on my cuticles from Liz over at My Subscription Addiction! Since my cuticles are soooo bad from me constantly chewing on them, this could be the start to new fresh cuticles!!

•MUST HAVE HOME•
K Hall Designs Peony Travel Candle
Retail: $11.00
This smells SO GOOD!!! I love candles, this is perfection : )

•MUST HAVE BEAUTY•
Modelco Lip Pops Duo Lip Gloss & Lipstick
Retail: $20.00 {estimated}
At first I didn’t even see this came in the box until I saw it on the information card, then I didn’t even realize it was duel ended. The colors aren’t bad but I usually don’t wear anything on my lips… gotta start somewhere! I got the price from comparing to their other lip products and packages on their website.

•MUST HAVE FOOD•
Sugarwish Mini Red Cinnamon Hearts
Retail: $6.25
This was the absolute cutest packed candy I’ve ever seen!!! Made me feel special just opening the little adorable box. I also love cinnamon candy so that part didn’t hurt either 😉

•MUST HAVE BEAUTY•
NCLA Rodeo Drive Royalty Nail Polish
Retail: $16.00
LOOOVE this red! I tested it on one nail and in one coat it already looked great! Love the creamy finish and the classic, beautiful red. Found my new  go-to!

•SPECIAL EXTRA•
Dial Vitamin Boost Body Wash
Retail: $4.00
Ok, first off, this item just looks SO out of place in this box. Yes, yes, I know, but after my initial shock, I realized that this soap actually smells suuuuuper good & we’re running a bit low on my current favorite soap: Ponche bodywash from Lush. I am actually happy to get this, it will go to great use, therefore making it an excellent valued item for me! : )

Overall, a great box, but I don’t really think I’ve ever been really unhappy with my Popsugar boxes!!

all love & smiles,

Popsugar Must Have Box December 2013 Review

POPSUGAR Must Have Box. This is one of my favorite boxes that I subscribe to because of all the full-sized products and the range of categories the items fall into. It’s basically like opening a surprise gift to myself! “POPSUGAR’s monthly favorites delivered to your door. Hand selected items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, and food. Full sized products and premium items.”


$39.95/month with free shipping! The total value of these boxes is basically always over $100 so you definitely get your money’s worth!


The box is always bursting full with amazing full size products, and I honestly love their little fold out notecards on why they picked each product and how it can be put to good use. They do a great job of explaining the items in this packet. This is my absolute most favorite box that I look forward to and always am so excited and happy about the products that I receive!


1 ~ Lulu Frost for Popsugar Bracelet
$110.00
If you look at this bracelet through the link provided, you would think it’s a gorgeous peice, with the thrifty looking gold and great pendant… in realy life however, it looks like it would be a 2 for $1 deal at the Dollar Tree. No joke. I wanted to love this, but I honestly think it lookds strange next to my nice bracelets I like to wear regularly. It is a cute concept, but I just wish it didn’t look so cheap… reguardless of the $110 pricetag. {I also feel bad for any customers that order this peice from online, only using their photo as the reference, because they will certainly be suprised when their bracelet comes and looks the ways it does…}

2 ~ Mixt Studio Holiday Gifting Set
$9.00
I love crafting/art type supplies, so this was a hit for me. I love fun new paper and designs, and although at first I thought the blue paper was weird, I realized that it was full of waterprint snowflakes and it looks gorgeous!

3 ~ Modelco Fibre Lashxtend Black Mascara
$20.00
I instantly tried this mascara and it was FABULOUS! It worked just as well (if not better) than They’re Real! Benefit mascara. The mirror on the side is a great added benefit for on the go too! Love this item!

4 ~ Govino Go Anywhere Flutes
$12.95
These little flutes are freakin awesome! They look like real crystal but they are totally just plastic and washable and portable! I like that you can set them down and they are less likely to fall over without the long stem. These are a hit!

5 ~ CC Made Caramel Corn – Pictachio Nut
$4.00/ 3oz.
This looks like a very fun unique flavor! I love caramel corn, so I’m sure these will be great.

6 ~ NCLA Peppermint Lane Nail Wraps
$16.00
I’ve never used nail “wraps” before, but the directions seem easy enough. The designs are really cute and Christmasy, so I know I’ll be giving these a try soon for the season.

7 ~ Ghirardelli Squares Chocolates
Milk & Caramel, $4.25
Holiday Edition, $6.00
Me & the bf were both happy for this sweet suprise! The Holiday bag flavors were what I was most excited to try: Pumpkin Spice Caramel, Peppermint Bark, & Eggnog. DELISH!


Bracelet: $110
Paper: $9
Mascara: $20
Flutes: $12.95
Popcorn: $4
Nail Wraps: $16
Chocolate: $10.25
_____________________________
TOTAL VALUE: $182.20
I know this value is a bit skewed if you, like me, don’t believe this bracelet is worth anywhere NEAR $110, but retail value-wise, this is accurate.

all love & smiles,

POPSUGAR Must Have Box November 2013 Review

POPSUGAR Must Have Box. This is one of my favorite boxes that I subscribe to because of all the full-sized products and the range of categories the items fall into. It’s basically like opening a surprise gift to myself! “POPSUGAR’s monthly favorites delivered to your door. Hand selected items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, and food. Full sized products and premium items.”

$39.95/month with free shipping!  The total value of these boxes is basically always over $100 so you definitely get your money’s worth!

The box is always bursting full with amazing full size products, and I honestly love their little fold out notecards on why they picked each product and how it can be put to good use. They do a great job of explaining the items in this packet. This is my absolute most favorite box that I look forward to and always am so excited and happy about the products that I receive!

My cats even go crazy over the Popsugar Must Have Boxes!!!! Whenever I try to take pictures or open my boxes this is what I have to deal with… Notice Dexter creepin in…

1 ~ Michael Stars Scarf
$42.00
This scarf is so soft and amazing and comfy and cute!! I am so happy to get it in this box! I also wasn’t familiar with the brand of Michael Stars but I’m starting to love the designer! Great stuff on the website.

2 ~ Nice Boxed Glass Candle by Illume
$15.75
This candle smells delicious and warm and vanillay. We LOVE candles around the house so this was a perfect gift in my box!

3~ Maison de Monaco Strawberry & Blackcurrant Cream Preserves
$6.00
I love jams!! Yayyy!! This is certainly a different flavor for me to try that I’ve never had before! UPDATE: Just ate this with some vanilla ice cream….. SO AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS!!!

4 ~ BareFruit Crunchy Sea Salt Caramel Apple Chips
$3.50
These are soooo yummy…. I’ve been snacking on them throughout the day at work and for breckie… healthy and delicious!

5 ~ The Soap & Paper Factory Roland Pine Shea Butter Soap
$8.00
This smells amazing. The pine scent is so wonderful and rich and perfect for this time of the year! Gets me excited to shower and smell up the bathroom with this wonderful Christmas tree forest scent!

6 ~ Lands End Canvas Wine Tote
$14.50
This is much classier than me carrying my wine around in CVS bags. Excited to have something like this and be able to put it to good use!

7 ~ Absolute! Nail Polish Remover Pads in Peach
$2.99
This product promises that one pad can remove polish from all 10 fingers… I have been slacking lately on nail art, but I will for sure put these to the test the next time I do and change my nail color! If it works, it may just be a life saver nail product!

8 ~ Canvas Pop Gift Card
$30.00
All of their products are priced mostly a lot higher than $30, so you can’t really use this certificate unless you spend money too, making it not that great for me. I like the kind where you can pretty much spend nothing and get something from it, like a true gift card.
Nail Polish Pads: $2.99
Canvas Wine Tote: $14.50
Soap: $8
Chips: $3.50
Preserves: $6
Candle: $15.75
Scarf: $42
___________________________
TOTAL VALUE: $92.74
{$122.74 if you include the gift card, which I’m not because you have to spend money to use it}
This box doesn’t have the highest value (usually they are well over $100) but I LOVED this box and every single item made me happier than the next!

Aria just lovin’ on the box

all love & smiles,

POPSUGAR Must Have Box October 2013 Review

POPSUGAR Must Have Box. This is one of my favorite boxes that I subscribe to because of all the full-sized products and the range of categories the items fall into. It’s basically like opening a surprise gift to myself! “POPSUGAR’s monthly favorites delivered to your door. Hand selected items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, and food. Full sized products and premium items.”

$35/month with free shipping!  The total value of these boxes is basically always over $100 so you definitely get your money’s worth! {UPDATE: The price of the boxes beginning in November will be $39.95. They are encouraging their active members to sign up for a 3, 6, or 12 month plan in order to lock in the $35 price for as long as they can. You can do this by signing up by November 4th}

The box is always bursting full with amazing full size products, and I honestly love their little fold out notecards on why they picked each product and how it can be put to good use. They do a great job of explaining the items in this packet. The box also comes pretty nicely wrapped with the pink tissue paper and sticker everytime : )

1 • The Can’t Cook Cook Book: Recipes for the Absolutely Terrified!
$27.99
This book is absolutely AMAZING! It came at such a perfect time for me when I’m doing some major cleaning and organizing in my house, I’m finally ready to take on some good cooking! I have my kitchen (pretty much) organizing and I’m ready! This book has beautiful step by step photos on every page, alongside the recipes and all the wonderful tips. The night I opened this box, I couldn’t put this book down. It’s just so good and wonderful to read with all the pictures and step by steps! Check out this book and her others here.

2 • NYX Cosmetics Liquid Liner & Smokey Shadow Pallet
$6.00 + $7.00
Since I already unsubscribed (for now) to all my beauty subscriptions because I have so many little products and samples of every kind of piece of make-up I can imagine, I wasn’t TOO excited to receive even more make-up in this box. Unless it’s a really awesome brand or something that I’ve been excited about, I really don’t need anymore liquid liner (I basically use the same exact eyeliner every single day for the past 5 years), but this eyeshadow pallet does look pretty nice and I didn’t have most of the colors on the pallet. It helps create a great dramatic (or not too dramatic) smokey eye look. Check out NYX cosmetics here.

3 • Gorjana Charity Bali Bead Bracelet
$45.00
This is a very delicate, adorable pink bracelet. 100% of the proceeds from each bracelet went to a charity, Breast Cancer Connections. I LOVE this bracelet and was SO EXCITED to wear it along side my usual 3 silver bracelets I wear daily… However, this bracelet is TINY. I know my wrists aren’t that big at all, and this barely fits around it, plus it’s hard (at least it was for me) to try and close this bracelet on your own wrist. I honestly really do still love this bracelet though. Check out the bracelet here.

4 • Julep for Popsugar Duo Nail Polish
$28.00
I received “Freedom”, a polymer top coat, and #3108, “Coco” (it also says “It Girl” it smaller letters so I’m not sure if that’s maybe the collection it is in or completely vice versa). I am so happy I got these colors; ready to paint my nails with it any minute! : ) Check out the Julep site here.

5 • Jane Tran Bobby Pins
$12.00
These aren’t my favorite item in the box, but they are certainly cute and I go through my fair share of bobby pins throughout the year! These are really cute for a messy do too. Check out other cute bobby pins like these here.

6 • The Wet Brush
$14.00
This is one of my favorites in the box – or even ever! This is why I love subscription boxes… things that you never knew you would love (or in this case, actually really really need)! My hair tangles SO EASY it is so gross, and now with this I don’t mind when I quickly have to get ready when I get out of the shower when I’m running late for work. My hair is no longer a problem! This brush is amazing and perfect for a girl with long, easily tangled hair like me. Click here to check out the wet brush.

7 • The Crispery Halloween Crispycake
$3.95
This was SO. DAMN. GOOD. nom nom nom!! Me and the bf both thought this delicious sweet rice cake was absolutely perfect. It was covered in decadent marshmallow and was so soft and chewy with just the right amount of slight crunch. I am honestly probably going to order more of these sometime very soon. I’m looking at some of the other adorable holiday cakes that they make and I am wanting to try this fabulous Christmas one! It’s full of peppermint and that amazing marshmallow! Check out the Halloween crispycake here.

8 • Stich Fix
$20 off my purchase + a waived styling fee
I have been reading GREAT things about Stich Fix! It’s “a personal styling service to get handpicked fashion goodies delivered right to your door”. You basically complete a profile about your style, you then pick a date and they send you 5 clothing & accessory items that are hand-picked just for you. You get 3 days to decide if you want to keep (and buy) the item(s) that you got. If you keep anything, the $20 styling fee is automatically reduced off of one of the items, therefore, I’m pretty sure everyone’s styling fees are waived (well, just as long as they keep anything, and with the $20 they are giving me, I am bound to want to purchase something!)

Cook book: $27.99
Crispycake: $3.95
Wet brush: $14
Bobby pins: $12
Nail polish: $28
Bracelet: $45
Eyeliner: $6
Eyeshadow Pallet: $7
———————————————–
TOTAL VALUE: $143.94
(this isn’t even including the $20 certificate for Stich Fix!!!!) 

* This box has SUCH a great value! Remember, I only paid $35 for it! I am SO HAPPY about the October must have box!

all love & smiles,

POPSUGAR Must Have July 2013 Review

POPSUGAR Must Have Box. This is one of my favorite boxes that I subscribe to because of all the full-sized products and the range of categories the items fall into. It’s basically like opening a surprise gift to myself!

“POPSUGAR’s monthly favorites delivered to your door. Hand selected items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, and food. Full sized products and premium items.”

$35/month with free shipping! They offer month by month plans, 3-month, 6-month, and year long options (where you can save up to the price of one whole box!) The total value of these boxes is basically always over $100 so you definitely get your money’s worth!

I usually love a good theme for the month, but since the Must Have box is full of random items, they don’t  really fit perfectly together, however they do give a short and simple explanation of the month’s box in the amazing booklet they give which gives detailed info about each product. For this month of July, they talk about the “dog days of Summer”, with items that would be perfect to use at the this mid-summer season!

1 • Baublebar Rose Double Curb Chain 
$28.00
When I read that we’d be getting a statement piece that would “complement every outfit”, I never expected this. Rose gold looks so much nicer on delicate pieces, not huge chunky necklaces. It just looks sooooooo cheap to me, although I have been looking around online and found a bunch of cute pictures of nice outfits that women have styled the necklace with, so at least I know it’s doable! Check out the necklace here.

2 • Supergoop! SPF 30 Anti-Aging City Sunscreen Serum 
$42.00
Ummmmmm 42 bucks for a sunscreen? That’s still only 30 SPF? Not something that I would ever normally purchase. I realize that this is a nice item but I certainly don’t take care of my skin the way I should so this big-ticket product in the box isn’t really too great for me… It promises to smooth fine lines and wrinkles and many other things so maybe I’ll give it a try just to see if it lives up to it’s promise. Check out the serum here.

3 • Mighty Leaf Iced Tea – Calypso Mango
$6.25
I’m not a huge iced tea drinker but I have been warming up to some delicious flavored ones and this one sounds good so I’m excited to try this out! I love pulling a fresh pitcher out of the fridge when it’s nice and freezing cold on a super hot day. Perfection. Check out the tea here.

4 • Tovolo King Cube Ice Tray 
$7.99
Me and the bf both think this is an awesome item! It’s perfect for summer drinking, no more watered down cocktails!! Check out the tray here.

5 • NCLA 5 Free Lacquer – #029 As If! 
$16.00
I always love getting nail polish! I love pretty much every color because you can always work it into a cool design or pattern… helps me stay creative! I don’t have any other polishes by this brand, so I was certainly excited to try it out (especially with such a high price tag!). The color is pretty and it’s very easy to apply, with a nice brush and smooth application. Check out the nail polish here.

6 • Hannahmax All Natural Crunchy Cookie Chips – Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip 
$23.96 – 4 pack/ 6 oz. bags
Oh. My. God. These cookie chips were to die for! Soooooo delicious and crispy and sweet and chocolately and all around amazing. I was nervous because a) I love ooey gooey cookies, not crispy ones, and b) I don’t like dark chocolate…. but these cookies proved me wrong and showed me a completely new taste sensation that I can’t wait to get more of! Check out the cookies here.

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The only thing I LOVED and would actually want to buy are the cookies. I enjoy the polish and ice tray too!

The most expensive product was the sunscreen……. not too fun. This definitely was NOT my favorite Popsugar box.

Necklace:               $28.00
Sunscreen:            $42.00
Tea:                         $6.25
Ice Cube Tray:      $7.99
Nail Polish:         $16.00
Cookie Chips:      $1.99
———————————–
TOTAL:              $102.23

For a box that promises over $100 of goodies, this one was cutting it pretty close. I like the products, but hopefully next month’s August box will be much better! We already got an email giving us a sneak peek at one of the products, a pretty gold simple necklace. I am excited to see what else they have planned! :]

all l0ve & smiles,

Popsugar Must Have Box June 2013

I know this is SUUUPER late, but my boxes weren’t the same last month and I didn’t get as many and I sort of forgot about them and just kept forgetting/pushing aside the pictures and research for the blogging of the goodies. Fortunately  I was smart enough to take pictures of my Popsugar Box when I did, and as usual I love this box!

These monthly subscription boxes are full of hand-selected items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, and food. The cost is $35/month, and is well worth the money because the boxes are usually worth well over $100 in products. They always include a little booklet explaining all the items inside.

Use my referral link to hook yourself up with an amazing Popsugar Must Have Box next month!!!

 

Now onto the review of the products included in the June box! :]

1 • Gorjana & Griffin Zuma Scarf
$62.00
This. scarf. Oh. Em. Gee. The colors! The stripes! The beachiness! The summerness! I absolutely love it! It’s light and perfect for summer with amazing navy and white stripes alongside a beautiful, bright hot pinkish/coral color. It’s SUCH an amazing scarf and is worth almost double what I paid for the entire box! {Of course the picture on their website looks much better}

2 • Juice Beauty Stem Cell Repair Moisturizer
1.7 fl oz, $65.00
ANOTHER great product that is worth well over the cost of the box! This moisturizer is proven to reduce fine lines and fight signs of aging. It comes in an amazing bottle/tub, that lets you “squeeze” the perfect amount out every time, so no product goes to waste and there is no messy caps or cleanups. Perfect! This is an amazing product from a great brand that I have come to love through all my subscription box services! {You can check out the product here on the Juice Beauty website}

 

As a little added bonus, they decided to include little samples of Juice Beauty CC Cream. I have tried this before and love the product. The “Warm Glow” is perfect for me, and although I think it smells like a strange version of Fruity Pebbles, the scent seems to go away quickly!

3 • Hard Candy Fitness DVD – Addicted To Sweat 4
$9.99
Ok, so this is NOT my favorite item in the box. At first, I thought it was okay because it was a workout DVD and I REALLY REALLY need to keep up with my gym time/ workouts… however, this involves using a chair. I don’t want to use a chair when I work out. I probably wouldn’t have the right one and then I would get even more confused than a workout tape would already make me! PLUS there are supposed to be Madonna’s workouts, and that doesn’t appeal to me because she annoys the hell out of me anyway. Sooooo I guess not every item is a big hit. {Check out the workout DVD website here}

 

4 • Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns, by Lauren Weisberger
Hardcover, $25.99
I LOVE to read!!! And I love adding books to my library collection!!! I never actually read the first book, but I did see the movie, so I hope to like this book too! I read a lot of good things about it in all the summer reading articles in the magazines lately, so I was pumped to see it in my box! And a hardcover copy! I never get to buy those because they’re always too expensive… Thanks Popsugar!! ;] {Buy it on Amazon for waaaay cheaper, like $11 bucks!}

 

5 • Project 7 Quench The Thirsty Wintergreen Mints
I don’t know how much these costs, but I DO think I spotted them at Target the other day. I think this is a great brand and product. They are simply mints, however, each product that is sold helps support an entire year of clean drinking water for someone in need. I’m so happy to know that the product I got was also helping out someone else who truly needs it much more than me. Wonderful & delicious! {Check out the amazing brand Project 7 now!}

6 • Popcorn, Indiana Fit Popcorn Sea Salt
Sooooo I accidently ate this delicious popcorn before I had a chance to take a picture of it. Woooops. As you can tell, it was nice and yummy! This was the description from the booklet of info of the products.

All in all, this June box was great! I got OVER $160 worth of summer products for under $40 of my own bucks……… now that’s a good deal!!

Here’s everything, minus the popcorn of course that I ate much too quickly:

Since it’s already July, I get to look forward to another wonderful surprise box soon!!!

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Just bein’ ‘murican down in Louisiana last summer takin selfies in red, white & blue!

Popsugar Must Have Box – May 2013

 

I was so pumped to find my second ever Popsugar Must Have Box waiting on my doorstep the other day! Although the items are random and from many reviews I have read almost a hit or miss, I honestly loved all the boxes I read about it and am eager every month to find out what they will send out to us next!

These monthly subscription boxes are full of hand-selected items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, and food. The cost is $35/month, and is well worth the money because the boxes are usually worth well over $100 in products. They always include a little booklet explaining all the items inside.

Let’s get to May’s must have goodies!!!

1 • Kooringal Giselle Mid Brim Hat 
{Retail Value: $27.99} 
At first I laughed out loud at this hat because I was confused by it’s shape (I didn’t realize that it was super bendable and able to be packed tightly into bags) and I also am just not normally a hat person, especially a huge beach hate like this one. However, after reading good reviews and taking to heart all the benefits this hat has against harmful sun exposure, I was kind of excited about it. I live near the beach now too, so this can now go to good use! :] Check out the hat here.

2 • The Modern Margarita 
{Retail Value: $8.00} 
Mmmmmm I was so excited to see these in the box! I love margaritas and there are some delicious flavors included in this simple kit… and they even give you salt to brim the glasses with! It’s perfect! I also LOVE the packaging, so bright and an excellent design. These will go to great use this summer. Check out their website here.

3 • Questions I Ask When I Want To Talk About Myself Deck 
{Retail Value: $14.95}
“50 Topics to Share with Friends.” This is based off of her book (which I have but still have yet to read), and they are basically cards to start topics up around, say, a group of ladies having a fabulous wine night. I love Mindy Kaling and think she’s hilarious, so hopefully some of these cards will be funny… otherwise, I’m not the biggest fan of this item in the box. Check out the product here.

4 • The Original BeautyBlender & BlenderCleanser 
{Retail Value: $23.95} 
I was SO PUMPED to get this!!! Whenever I see these in the store I contemplate buying one but can never get myself to pay so much money for a sponge. This is the reason why I love subscription boxes!! They send you things that you couldn’t/wouldn’t normally buy in stores! I’m almost too scared to use it and get it all full of make-up, but after watching the videos about the product it seems fairly simple to clean. This was probably one of my favorite items featured in this month’s box!! Check out this amazing product here.

5 • Pacifica Natural Color Quench Lip Tint 
{Retail Value: $9.00} 
This lip tint smells SOOOOO yummy! I got the color Guava Berry, and it’s a very sheer tint, not too overwhelming, so perfect for me! An awesome lip product I’m excited about! Check out the product here.

6 • Charm & Chain $30 Gift Card 
Charm & Chain is a great online jewelry store that features over 50 different luxury to every day jewelry designers. A lot of their jewelry is REALLYYYY out of my price range, but they have super cute pieces starting at $33. Since they gave us a $30 credit towards the store, I’m excited to pick out a piece and basically only pay the shipping charges! Check out their website here.

7 • Way Better Snacks – Simply Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips 
{Retail Value: $3.49/ 5.5 oz bag} 
I can never complain about getting snacks in one of my boxes. Especially when they are chips. These are unique and delicious and not as bad for you as many of the other brands. My only complaint is that the bag was too tiny! Check out the chips here.

8 • Popsugar Bag 
We also got this bag as a little added bonus! I seem to always be lugging random crap around me with everywhere, so bags like this certainly get some good use!

So although I really enjoyed this box, the value came in VERY LOW this month. The added retail value of all the products is only about $85.39. If I count the $30 gift card that brings the value to $115.39, but that’s still very low for this box, and I don’t think adding the $30 is really fair because you’re going to have to pay more on the website because the products are all over $30 to begin with.

Although the value was low, I’m super excited about my new BeautyBlender and fun margarita mixes, not to mention my new beach hat :]

all love & smiles :]

mary elyse

Popsugar Must Have Box – April 2013 Review

I WAS ECSTATIC TO RECEIVE MY FIRST POPSUGAR MUSTHAVE BOX IN THE MAIL TODAY!

I have been reading review after review about all the previous months, and loved every single one! It seems to me that a lot of people get pretty upset about this box when it’s not all to their liking, and I do understand that on some point because the price is a bit high for a monthly subscription box (it’s $35/month). HOWEVER, all the items that people tend to complain about… I usually like! Maybe I’m just a super positive person (at least when it comes to gifts and fun items and surprises), but I honestly liked every single box in the past that I have read reviews about….

Then, I received my first box, the April MustHave box. My first reaction was, “wow, this box feels SUPER light, are there even any products in there??”. I opened to find that there are only 5 products, so that was just a tad disappointing to me because it seems like many of the other months received up to 8 products. After looking through all my products though, I found that I was very happy with the box and love just about everything included!! :]

Anyway, since this is my first box, it’s obviously my first review on this subscription service, so I thought I’d just give a little rundown of the box itself!
• $35/month
• Hand selected items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, & food
• Full size products and premium items, each box worth at least $100
• If you would like to join, or even just try out a month or 2, you can use my referral link here

The first look of all the products!

NOW LET’S GET TO THE GOODIES!!!!!! :]

Must Have Food 
Item #1 • Alter Eco 
Dark Quinoa Organic Chocolate, $3.99 
I’m kind of scared to try this…. a) dark chocolate just isn’t my thing, b) “nutty toasted quinoa” is not exactly what I envision in my chocolate snacks, and c) I’m annoyed I always get dark chocolate “healthy” treats, just gimme some fatty milk/white chocolate with marshmallows and nuget and carmel please. ASIDE FROM ALL THAT, the packaging and brand are great. I actually want to eat/try it only because that kinda stuff is just so appealing to me. I am an advertiser’s dream audience :] Check out their website here.

Must Have Beauty 
Item #2 • kai 
Perfume Oil, $48.00 
O.M.G. I am IN LOVE with this perfume!! It smells sooo luscious and radiant and fabulous! I wish it was a spray, rather than an oil, so I could spray down my bed and clothes and sweatshirts so I could just be in lovely smelling heaven all day… Ok, I know that was a little much, kinda creepy, but I honestly think it smells amazing! I read a lot of reviews of people saying it smelled too floral or too strong, blah blah blah, but it says on the label that it smells different on everyone, so my natural body scents and oils must be made for this perfume oil! I love it!!!!!! Check it out here.

Must Have Fashion 
Item #3 • The Green Garmento 
4-in-1 Reusable Dry-Cleaning Bag, $9.99 
Ok, sooo I know a lot of people were complaining about this product because they don’t dry clean their clothes (well then how do you wash them correctly…?) and they just thought it was unappealing to get a garment bag in this box. I THINK IT’S FANTASTIC!!! For a couple reasons, the first being that this was featured on Shark Tank!!! I freakin LOVE that show and love all the inventors and entrepreneurs putting themselves out there and trying their hardest to sell their products! So inspirational. Second reason I think this is awesome is because it seriously is 4 in one! I’m already using it to do my laundry today, and it’s so perfect for dropping/picking up your clothes from the cleaners. It’s eco-friendly and fantastic :] Check out their website here.

Must Have Fashion 
Item #4 • Shashi 
New Nugget Bracelet, Grey, $28.00 
I adore this bracelet! It’s so simple and pretty and definitely something I would buy (although not for $28 bucks, but I never buy jewelry over $10, I’m cheap like that)! They make them in several different colors, but Popsugar was sending them out in turquoise, cobalt, and grey, and I am SO HAPPY that I got the grey, and not just because it’s my second favorite color (behind blue of course!), but because this way it seems more versatile and will go with more colors/outfits. I love this bracelet :] Check out all the other colors here.

Must Have Beauty 
Item #5 • Tatcha 
Petal Fresh Evening Aburatorigami Beauty Papers, $15.00 
Ok so I bought a pack or 2 of these kinds of papers before back in the day, but I got e.l.f. brand ones that costed like .50 cents or something. $15? Nothing I would pay for, but I guess it’s because I still don’t really understand how/why they’re useful. I would THINK I would need them since it’s getting warmer outside, but my face honestly never really gets oily. Sweat, yes, certainly, I sweat a gross amount for a girl. So if they made papers that turned my super red hot cheeks normal and made my sweat go away while keeping my makeup fresh… well then THOSE would be papers I would pay $15 bucks for. Maybe these papers will come in handy one day though, so I will keep them in my travel makeup bag :] Check them out here.

The grand total: $104.98
They promise the box to be worth at least $100, so they were really cutting it close this month. Kinda stinks that my first box with them had to be one with a lower than usual value and lower than usual item count, but all in all, I really enjoyed it and I am eager to see what they will come up with for the May box!

{Photography note: Obviously I don’t know what I’m doing taking pictures, I just enjoy doing it, sooooo don’t mind the random background with my porch, kitty bowls, and Aria’s little alligator toy hahah}

all love & smiles :]

mary elyse