Category: <span>Subscription Boxes</span>

Stitch Fix August 2017

This is my sixth Stitch Fix, and it arrived just this week.  Since I’m catching up, I’m posting both July and August on the same day while I’ve got some spare time to do some blogging.  Lana was my stylist again and wrote me a note about her choices.

Hi Melissa!  I can’t wait to see a picture of you in those blue jeans from your last Fix – I am so happy you enjoyed them!  In your last request, you asked for more casual pieces, and since you’ve been loving the skinny pant trend, I thought you might want to try the Level + cargo pants.  They are a nice alternative to jeans and will look fabulous with the Papermoon striped top and some sandals for summer.  Fall is right around the corner, so as it cools down, add the 41 Hawthorn open cardigan and some short booties; you can also wear the outfit now indoors where it’s air-conditioned.  The Skies are Blue tie front top will also look chic with your new pants.  I’ve also chosen the Bay to Baubles fringe pendant which will add length to an outfit.  It looks great with a dress, or a simple top and jeans to add a little something special.  XO Lana

I know fashion “seasons” tend to run a month or two ahead of the actual season, so I’m not surprised to see Fall items even though it’s still in the 80s and humid outside.  I mean, winter is coming eventually, but it sure doesn’t feel like it right now!  So, out of the box, I have to admit, I’m not sure I would’ve actually pulled any of these items off a rack in a store and tried them on, and even opening the box, I was kind of skeptical about how many I’d keep.  Then I tried them on.  I looked in the mirror and thought, “Hey, I could pass for an actual adult, not some college-aged slob,” which was basically the point at which I knew I was keeping everything.  I mean, sure, I’m 37, but not having a traditional office job for the last 10 years means my wardrobe has shifted.  A lot.  And, when I shop for myself, I buy things that are decent enough mostly because they’re on the 70% off clearance rack and not because they’re great pieces that look fantastic on – they’re okay enough for the price.  My stylist, Lana, actually takes the time to pick out pieces that she thinks will look good on and that go together well; something I’m just not great at doing for myself.  Yes, the Stitch Fix prices are higher than I’ll pay for clothes when I shop by myself, but I’m finding more and more that the crappy clearance stuff I buy ends up in the back of the closet while I wear my Stitch Fix stuff right away.  Anyway, on to the box!

Item:  Skies are Blue Deliana Tie Front Top
Cost:  
$48
Item:  Level + Sybil Cargo Skinny Pant
Cost:  $88
Paired With:  
Flats (mine)
Okay, so I’ll admit that when I first pulled the pants out of the box and saw the zip detail at the bottom of the pant legs, I was a little meh.  Cargo pants are awesome, but I wasn’t so sold on the zipper, and since they’re skinny jeans, I can’t see actually using the cargo pockets since they’d bulge out funny if you put anything in them (I know, welcome to The Futility of Pockets on Womens Clothing 101).  I tried them on right away, and was still skeptical since I felt like they were a bit of a slimmer fit and didn’t feel like they looked as flattering.  Two days passed, and as I put on this outfit for the photos, all of a sudden they clicked and looked fabulous.  I don’t even know what was up with my brain, writing them off so quickly, but once I saw how Lana had put these two pieces together and how perfectly matched they were, well, I was sold.  They’re two pieces I never would’ve pulled off the rack in a million years, but LOOK AT HOW CUTE!  It’s got just enough preppy to be adorable, but is still laid-back and fun between the cargo pockets and print on the top.  Which, the top!  The print is awesome, has no pink, and is this fun rustic sort of paisley pattern.  I was worried at first that the cut would just be a big old boxy top, but it actually has just enough of a baseball tee sort of shape (curving in just enough at the waist and back out at the hips) that it’s surprisingly flattering.

Item:  Papermoon Croydon Knit Top
Cost:  
$38
Item:  41Hawthorn Ajana Open Cardigan
Cost:  $98
Item:  Bay to Baubles Kenny Fringe Pendant
Cost:  $28
Paired With:
Level + Sybil Cargo Skinny Pant (this month’s Fix)  and  flats (mine)
This was the outfit that made me feel like an adult.  It’s just SO well put together and fulfills that goal of still being casual without going out in yoga pants.  The stripe top I specifically took a photo without the cardigan because it has this cute little braided detail up the side seams.  The sleeves are just long enough that it covers enough arm for my comfort, so I could easily wear it without the cardigan, making it a great seasonal transition piece.  The cardigan is a perfect fit, falls just to the end of the top, and is so cozy and perfectly up my style alley.  Plus, I mean, it’s blue, so you basically can’t go wrong there!  It pairs well with the other top too which shows just how well thought-out this entire Fix was.  The necklace, which I neglected to get a close up of, is silver and pretty long, with seven little ‘fringe’ bars that hang down in a triangle shape (I did find a close-up someone else took here).  I don’t think I have a necklace quite as long and I know I have a few tops and dresses this will pair with nicely, so it’s a keeper too.

I know I usually post more photos and try to tie in pieces from my wardrobe, but I almost didn’t have the heart to this time since this was just so perfect as a package deal.  I know I have other tops that will go with the pants, and you know I’m itching to throw a red cardigan over that striped top because it’s just begging for it.  I’ve also got a great pair of boots that will go with the pants, and now that I’m sitting here doing the write-up, I’m mentally sorting through my closet going OH, YEAH, that’ll work too!  The total for the box came to $260.  The buy 5, 25% discount took off $65 which is $1 less than the cost of the necklace and striped top combined, so it really was a no-brainer when it came to whether or not I’d keep everything (which, I loved everything anyway, so the discount is a nice bonus!).  T-Mobile offered a code the other week for $25 off at Stitch Fix, so my $20 styling fee was covered plus an extra $5, so the final cost of the box came to $170 for five pieces.  Next month is September, so we’ll be into full swing with my favorite part of the year, Fall and Winter, so I’m looking forward to see what Lana will pick for me next!  In case you’re thinking about trying Stitch Fix and want to give me a little love, here’s my  referral link!

Stitch Fix July 2017

This is my fifth Stitch Fix, and it arrived just before the July 4th holiday long weekend.  My poor little blog has been sorely neglected over the last month as things have gotten crazy busy around here, but I hope to get back on track from now on!  This means a lot of catch-up posts, the first of which is Stitch Fix from last month!  I had my usual stylist, Lana, who wrote me a note as usual.

Hi Melissa!  Happy Summer!  I was thrilled to see you found some pieces that you loved in your last Fix.  I am sorry about the fit of the maxi, I included another style for you to try; it has a similar boho print to one you have on your Pinterest board!  Pair the Gilli maxi with some wedges or sandals and layer with the RWN by Rawan distressed denim jacket.  The arms may run long on you, but the style is meant to be worn cuffed a few times for a more casual look.  Since you liked the last skinny jeans I sent, I thought you might want to try another pair in a fun color, and the Kut From the Kloth skinny jeans will look great paired with the BRIXON IVY cap sleeve blouse, or the Honey Punch embroidered top and your new jacket.  Have fun trying it all on and can’t wait to read your review and get your feedback.  Enjoy, and have a happy 4th!  XO Lana

I did indeed ask for more casual sort of items this time around since I find that I don’t really have too many opportunities to wear super nice things.  I don’t have a traditional office job, so most of the week I’m in yoga pants/capris and snarky or nerdy t-shirts.  When I do leave the house, I don’t want to get all super-perfect, but I want to not look like my primary wardrobe doubles as gym clothes.  Everything in this Fix fit that bill, and since this is going up on a crazy long delay, I can honestly tell you I’ve worn each piece a number of times over the past month already!

Item: Gilli Ryland Knit 2fer Maxi Dress
Cost:  
$78
Item:  RWN by Rawan Jess Distressed Denim Jacket
Cost:  $98
Paired With:
Sandals and belt (both mine)
Two items at once!  I tried to keep it simple this time around so I could get everything photographed and up fairly quickly.  The whole outfit was definitely inspired by this pin and I think Lana hit it spot on here!  The jacket sleeves did run a little long, and while I forgot to cuff them up for this photo, they’re definitely fine rolled up, and just the tiniest bit too long uncuffed.  The cut of the jacket is a little long too since I have such a short torso (that belt is at my ‘natural’ waist, and the jacket falls to the widest part of my hips), but it’ll be a really nice piece to throw over whatever I’m wearing as the weather turns, probably with a longer cut tunic top too.  I usually buy cropped style cardigans and jackets since a cropped length is actually the right length to hit a few inches below my waist like a normal cardigan/jacket should, instead of falling to my hips like this jacket does.  Still, I think it’ll be a good layering piece once cooler weather starts rolling in.  The distressing is also really lightly done – it’s not so much that it looks like it’s falling to pieces, just a few rips and thin spots so it looks well-loved.  The dress though!  The fabric is a nice weight knit with a wrap style top and SLEEVES!  The sleeves are just an inch or two too short for my comfort, so I still threw a white cardigan over this when I wore it.  I love adding belts to dresses like this to help really define a waist (I’m kind of shaped like a box through the middle, so anything to give me more of an illusion of a shape is a help).  I love that the wrap top is higher cut too.  Usually wrap tops and my short torso mean that I’m pinning them together because they dip way too low (like, below my bra band low), but this one didn’t shift and I didn’t feel like I had to fuss with it or worry about it a wardrobe malfunction.  The length is just right too!

Item:  BRIXON IVY Jarred Lace Detail Cap-Sleeve Blouse
Cost:  
$58
Item:  Kut From The Kloth Candace Split Hem Skinny Jean
Cost:  $78
Paired With:  
Sandals (mine), Kimono Cardigan from the amazing Side Stitch by Ginny
I’ve been looking for more excuses to wear the cute cardigan I bought from a brilliant friend of mine, so this worked out great!  I’ve seen people post about the Kut From The Kloth jeans before and how amazing they are, and they’re not lying.  The jeans are quite possibly the most buttery smooth, stretchy denim I’ve ever worn and are so incredibly comfortable, it’s like wearing pajamas.  I think Lana zeroed in on my love of blue because these are just the prettiest shade of blue and I can tell you the non-standard-jeans color still probably goes with 90% of my wardrobe because admittedly, most of it is blue.  The length is great, and I’m sure they’ll look just as good with boots as they do with sandals.  The top has a really pretty lace detail at the center and on the cap sleeves, but as usual, I’m going to find a way to cover up my arms, so it’s nice to find a compromise with this kimono cardigan since it doesn’t sit quite so high on my shoulders and lets the sleeve detail show.  The lace “V” in the front does go pretty low, so I have to wear a cami underneath, but that’s no problem.  It’s a great top that can dress up or down.

Item:  Honey Punch Zanth Embroidered Woven Panel Knit Top
Cost:  
$48
Paired With:
Kut From The Kloth Candace Split Hem Skinny Jean  (this month’s Fix), sandals  (mine)
This top is a light, breezy knit with embroidery down the front and a chiffon-ish inset on the sides.  There aren’t exactly sleeves, but the width of the top means I can comfortably wear this without a cardigan since it hangs down far enough on my arms.  This will also go well with the black skinny jeans from two months ago and will easily take me into fall with that jacket from this month too.  It’s just such a perfect, casual piece that I can throw on with jeans to run out to the grocery store or farmers market.  I do have to wear a cami underneath since it’s kind of sheer, but that’s absolutely not a problem.

The total for this Fix came to $360 which I think was my most expensive Fix yet.  I was a little hesitant on the jacket since it’s a bit too long of a fit in the body, but the 25% discount for keeping all five was $90 which meant that returning the jacket would only save me $8, so I ended up keeping it because I figured I’d still find ways to wear it (and I have!).  After the discount and taking off the styling fee, the box cost $250 ($270 with the styling fee included) for all five pieces.  I think the jeans have seen the most wear – have I mentioned how comfortable they are?!  I keep throwing them on when I head out of the house because they’re just so ridiculously comfortable, and I feel like they surprisingly make me look slimmer, something I thought skinny jeans weren’t capable of doing!  This was a really fantastic fix, and I’m super pleased with all the items!  I’m also amazed that my stylist, Lana, is getting a feel for what does and doesn’t work on my body type too.  She did mention in her note that the arms of the jacket may run long on me, so posting the review on the blog here is actually helping me get better customization and a better fit since Lana is doing a knockout job on following the details I leave here and on the Stitch Fix website and then applying those to her choices for me every month.  It really doesn’t get much more customized than that for off-the-rack clothing!  And, because I’ve already received August’s fix, that’s going up right after this!  In case you’re thinking about trying Stitch Fix and want to give me a little love, here’s my  referral link!

Beautycon Summer 2017

I think this is my last Beautycon box on my year-long subscription, and I’ll admit that I was thinking about unsubscribing since this subscription has been a bit more miss than hit since it seems to cater to a younger demographic.  This box though?  Pretty freaking amazing.  There are a bunch of cruelty free companies I know and love in here, sheet masks, lip colors that are PERFECT, and blue eyeliner?  It’s like I put the box together myself.  If they keep on this track, I’ll totally stick around for a quarterly box that looks like this!  It’s a bit of a smaller box, but I feel like the quality of the items is much higher than past boxes that contained cheap drug store or dollar store items.  There were two box ambassadors this time, Kim Thai and Aidette Cancino, both of whom I’ve never heard of before and weren’t even mentioned on the box insert.

  • Deco Miami Cuticle Oil – 6 mL / $12.50 – (Product is full size)  The scent is “Lemon Blossom” and it does smell sweet and lemony without smelling like a kitchen dish soap.  It’s also vegan and cruelty free and is a company I know and love already, so it’s great to get cuticle oil from this company!
  • Deco Miami Crystal Nail File – 1 file / $10.50 – (Product is full size)  More Deco Miami, and again, a great inclusion to go along with the oil.  The crystal nail file is pink (eew) but it’s a nail file, so, the color isn’t as much of a deal breaker, but I’d still have preferred any of the pretty blue colors they have on their website.
  • Feel Brilliant Sheet Mask – 4 masks / $35 – (2 masks included, value of $17.50)  The mask is meant to be a detoxifying mask, removing oil and minimizing pores.  I just don’t believe the detoxifying bit, but if it helps keep breakouts away, I’m here for it.  Plus, sheet masks are just a fun pampering sort of thing to do when you need some me-time.
  • Dirty Little Secret Eyeshadow Crayon – 3 g / $14 – (Product is full size)  The color is “Gold Plated” and is a perfectly neutral shimmery gold color.  I love this sort of color for summer, and the formula goes on smoothly and blends out easily.
  • ColourPop  Ultra Satin Lip – 3.2 g / $6 – (Product is full size)  The color is “London Fog” and is this gorgeous, perfect red.  It does take a little while to dry, but once it does, it feels like the color will easily last hours and hours.  It’s also matte without feeling too drying, and I seriously love that color.
  • Jonteblu Eyeliner Pencil – 1.2 g / $5 – (Product is full size)  The color is “Electric Bleu” and is a metallic blue color.  I tend to go for blue eyeliner since it makes the greens in my eyes pop, so this is definitely going to be used right away!
  • Makeup Drop Silicone Makeup Applicator – 1 applicator / $20 – (Product is full size)  What a neat idea!  I’ve used beauty blender sponges before, but the idea with this is that you waste less product because the silicone applicator won’t absorb makeup, and the non porous surface allows for a more even application.  It can be used for foundation, blush, highlighers, concealers, moisturizers, and primers, so I’ll have to give this a whirl and report back, but I love the idea.
  • Doucce Lush Lip Gloss – 1 tube / $22 – (Product is full size)  The color is “Glistening Petals” which is a neutralish shimmery pink.  For a gloss, it goes on creamy and smooth, not sticky at all, and is rather well pigmented.  The color is very tame and really rather lovely as an everyday wear sort of shade.
  • Freeman Cucumber Peel-Off Gel Mask – 6 oz / $4.29 – (Product is .5 oz, value of $.36)  Peel off masks are so much fun, and this is going to be great to use after an icky hot summer day out.  It is a second mask product in the box, but it’s not a sheet mask, so I’m okay with a sort-of duplicate item since it is different enough.
  • Manna Kadar Flutter Mascara – 10 mL / $29 – (Product is full size)  The color is “Jet Black” and is from a company I already know and love.  I haven’t yet tried this mascara, but I’ll have to report back once I do.  The ingredient list is short and simple, most of them being silicones and waxes, so it looks like this will be okay for my sensitive eyes.

All in all, the box value comes to $136.86.  Historically, the boxes have ranged between a $100 and $150 value, so this is right around average.  My monthly cost is only $26.79 including shipping since I caught a great special a year ago, but the regular price is $35.99 a box which still makes this a great value.  It’s pretty much on par with cost to value ratio as the Benevolent Beauty Box and this month it was completely cruelty free as well, so that’s an extra big win in my book!  If they can commit to delivering cruelty free products in these quarterly boxes, I will DEFINITELY be staying on for more.  The big winners for me in this box were the ColourPop lip color, and the Jonteblu eyeliner for sure, but I honestly love and will use absolutely everything in this box.  SO SO glad to see all these wonderful cruelty free items!

Benevolent Beauty Box June 2017

This month’s Benevolent Beauty Box arrived over a week ago, but I’m still catching up!  I have to admit that the first thing I saw was that pink nail polish and I was a little disappointed since I haaaate pink, so that meant one item that I’d be trading or giving away right off the bat.  The rest of the box is pretty great though (as usual), I’m just bummed about the nail polish color.  My nails are barely ever naked, so nail polish is always welcome, but ..  pink?  No.  Any other color though!

  • Law Beauty Essentials Nail Polish – .37 oz – $9 – (Product is full size)  The color is “A Lot of Spice” which is this coralish pink, and personally, I think it’s probably the worst nail polish color ever.  I can at least respect a bolder fuchsia pink for being wild (even if I’d still never wear it, because pink), but a weak, light coral pink like this?  Ugh.  I just don’t like pink, so this is going to go to someone who does, and I’m going to sit here wishing it was a bright red or ocean blue instead.
  • Palmetto Derma Essential Moisturizing Cream – 2 oz / $48 – (Product is full size)  WHOA!  A super high value product, and one that I’m sure will last me a good long while!  The tiniest bit goes a long way, and the ingredient list is pretty amazing.  It dispenses out of the pump bottle as a thick cream and dries to a soft, matte finish.  I gave it a quick try, and I like how the formula works into my skin.  This is going to be great for both summer and winter since it feels so nice and light, but also feels like it’s crazy moisturizing too.
  • Ardency Inn Modster Light-Catching Eye Powder – .052 oz / $32 – (Product is full size)  This is pretty spendy for a mineral eyeshadow, but the color, “Purple Hearts,” is so right up my alley.  It’s a dark, rich purple with a lovely shimmery glitter in it, and I can’t wait to use this on a night out!
  • LARITZY Lip Pencil – 1 pencil / $18 – (Product is full size)  I don’t really use lip pencils much, but this is a solid, nice neutral color that would go well under a tinted gloss.  I just wish it was a softer lip crayon instead of a pencil since it is a little too hard of a formula to put all over your lips , but works out as a liner rather well.  The color just about perfectly matches my natural lip color too, so it would work well as an ‘invisible’ lip liner to keep feathery lipstick in place.
  • IDUNN Minerals Lip Gloss – 6 mL / $15 – (Product is full size)  The color I received is “Astrid” which is a shimmery pinky color.  The color doesn’t show up as much as the shimmer does, but it looks great over the LARITZY lip pencil and isn’t too sticky of a gloss either.  It would probably go really well over some bolder lip colors to give them a bit of shimmer too.

Overall the box value comes to $122 which is incredible for a box that costs $29.95 on a month-to-month basis!  The only miss this month was the nail polish, but I’m definitely keeping and using the other four items, and I do love how well the lip pencil and gloss play together.  The value on this box is always amazing, and I feel like it’s probably the best fit out of all the boxes I get in terms of the products I want to see in boxes (mostly makeup, a little skincare, everything cruelty free).  Looking forward to the next one!

Vegan Cuts June 2017

June’s Vegan Cuts Beauty Box arrived over a week ago, but I’m finally posting it now!  June’s theme was, “Uplifting Beauty,” so I expected aromatherapy sort of products, and it definitely delivered!  There is a repeat company from last month, Little Moon, but it’s a different product in a different scent, so that’s totally fine with me.  There are two items that are misses (the lip product and body cream), but everything else is great!

  • Little Moon Mineral Bath – 382 g / $16 – (Product is 28 g, value of $1.17 by volume)  The scent for this bath salt is “Beach All You Want” and was the scent I was interested in after looking at the company last month.  It almost smells a bit like Tang, but the sandalwood and coconut make it just a bit more interesting than just plain citrus.  The product card mentions that this can be used as a shower scrub as well which is something I hadn’t thought about doing with bath salts like this!  I’m not really into baths, so that’s a great way to repurpose these scrubs.  Looks like I can add the salt mixture to coconut oil to make a really nice scrub too!
  • Jing Ai Lip & Cheek Glo – .15 oz / $10 – (Product is full size)  The color is “Pink Chiffon.”  I was SO excited about this until I put it on and it looked like I had colored my lips with pale pastel pink chalk.  The formula is so great, but the color is a COMPLETE miss.  It’s lightly lemon-lime scented, and I seriously do love the formula, but the color.. ugh.  It’s unwearable.  I may be able to use it to layer over darker reds to bring them up a little or add a pearly pink shimmer, but as-is?  It’s a nope.  I’m just too pale to be able to pull off such a chalky pink color.
  • Sade Baron Body Cream – 2 oz / $9.00 – (Product is full size)  The scent is “Jasmine” which is my all-time most-disliked scent.  I did give it a quick try in the spirit of fairness, and I do like the formula, but the jasmine scent is a total deal breaker.  I really loathe smelly florals like this.  It’s a shame, because the company does have other scents available (Lavandin!!) and even an unscented version, but this scent is a complete pass for me.
  • Clarisea Powder Exfoliant – 5 oz / $14 – (Product is 1 oz, value of $2.80)  The scent is “Lavender” and this smells SO good – it’s an herbal lavender instead of a sweet, soapy lavender.  The idea is that you add a little to your regular face cleanser to add an exfoliating boost.  The scrub is finer than a coarse sugar or salt scrub, so it’s a little gentler on your skin.  I did give this a try already, added to my usual cleanser, and it was just the right level of scrub without being too harsh.
  • Adoratherapy Mood Boost Spray – 10 mL / $30 – (Product is 8 mL, value of $24 by volume)  What cute packaging!  This came in a neat little slide box with the spray nestled inside a foam insert.  The scent I received is “Awake” which is a blend of  organic lavender, frankincense, patchouli, rosewood, tulsi, neroli and cinnamon.  This is a really fun scent!  Cinnamon can sometimes overpower everything, and you can tell the cinnamon is there up front, but it’s tempered by the other ingredients and blends into something that really does smell energizing.  I totally dig it.
  • Earthly Body Miracle Oil – 1 oz / $11.99 – (Product is .34 oz, value of $4.08 by volume)  It’s a blend of soybean, avocado, hemp, apricot, jojoba, tea tree, eucalyptus, and rosemary oils meant to be used anywhere your skin needs a little boost.  Some of the suggestions include dry feet/heels, nails and cuticles, stretch marks, etc.  It mostly smells like tea tree oil, but that’s pretty pungent stuff, so it’s going to take over wherever it’s used.  A wee little drop does go a long way, and this will be great to stash away for dry winter skin.

Overall the value comes to $51.05 which is great for a box that costs $22.95 on a month-to-month basis!  I’m a little bummed that the two full size products were misses for me, but that still leaves me with my cost covered, and I do really love that Adoratherapy spray scent.  I’m glad that they suggested the mineral bath can be used as a scrub because I’m definitely going to do that.  Even with the two misses, this was a pretty good box, and there was a nice variety of products!  Looking forward to next month!

Geek Chic Monthly – June 2017

This one is a new one for me, Geek Chic Monthly!  Each monthly box contains four items around a theme, and June’s theme was  Stranger Things.  I’m probably the only person in the world who really wasn’t that into the series – it was too long by about 6.5 hours (it should’ve been a 1.5 hr movie, and you could tell there was superfluous fluff added to fill space and make it a series), the plot premise was nothing new, and the only leg it had left to stand on was all the awesome 80’s kitsch which is cool and all, but not enough substance to make the series truly something good.  It left me more than a little disappointed.  Still though, the theme of friendship and all the great call backs to my childhood made it worth watching, but it doesn’t get a place in my top-10 favorites.  On to the box!  The box itself has artwork on the outside which is a neat touch and so fun to see inside the mailbox, and I love that each box is customized for the theme.

  • Eleven’s Waffles Earrings – A cute set of earrings from Malyn’s Handmade as a nod to Eleven’s favorite food.  Super cute and realistic looking, these are going to be fun to wear just because!
  • Friends Don’t Lie Bracelet – It’s an ID tag style bracelet on a satin cord with an adjustable slider that has “011” printed on it.  The face of the bracelet says, “Friends Don’t Lie,” which is a quote from the series.
  • Barb “I’m Chill” Sunglasses – Pink sunglasses with a little image of Barb and “I’m Chill” written on the side.  This is the only thing I’ll be passing on to a friend since I hate pink, and I wear prescription glasses, so non-prescription sunglasses are useless for me.  I mean, it’s a cute idea, and I love seeing Barb getting a shout out in the box, but they’re just something I can’t use (contacts aren’t really an option for me anymore, total bummer).
  • Upside Down Necklace – This is so neat!  It’s Upside Down, upside down (and backwards in the photo, oops!).  The material is a laser cut acrylic and the chain is just the right length.  This is going to be so much fun to wear.

As far as a value goes, the box costs $15 per month plus shipping.  I signed on for the 6 month plan, so my total cost per month is $16.  Each item would have to be worth $4 to make the value exceed the cost, and I think that’s definitely been done here!  Similar earrings on Etsy from the same shop go for $10.99, so we’re already pretty close to covering the cost right there.  Even if the sunglasses weren’t a good fit for me, everything was such a great fit to the theme, and the box worked well as a whole.  I am SUPER psyched for next month’s theme which is Star Trek and Alien!

Sephora Play! June 2017

This month’s Sephora Play! arrived last week on June 10th, but I’m running a little behind this month!  I think this is the earliest I’ve ever received a Play box and it completely surprised me since I hadn’t even received the shipping email (the email came after the box had arrived).  My box variant this month was #042 and the theme was, “Your Summer Starters.”  Again, not really much of a theme – there’s nothing with SPF or anything that really says summer to me, but these themes are always kind of nebulous and not really followed with the product selection.  The bag design is back to that awful cartoonish design that I’m just not into.

  • Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick – 6.6 mL / $20 – (Product is 3 mL, value of $9.09 by volume)  The color I received is “K-Dub” which is described as a bold fuchsia.  I absolutely love Kat Von D, but this color is completely unwearable.  Between this and that awful brown lip crayon from last month.. Sephora, are you drunk?!  They keep sending the world’s most unwearable colors!  This shows up as a neon hot pink on me, and it’s awful.  I’m not sure anyone could hear me over that lip color, it’s so loud and awful.  I tried layering other colored glosses on top, but it’s just such a bizarre shade and doesn’t play well with others.  The formula is great – velvety and smooth without being too drying –  but the color makes it a garbage toss.
  • Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium – 1.6 oz / $91 – (Product is .04 oz, value of $2.28 by volume)  The scent is described as having notes of coffee, orange blossom, cedarwood, and patchouli which is FINALLY a win for the type of scents I like.  It’s not at all floral, but musky and rich, and I really dig this.  Again, probably not enough to buy the full size since YSL tests on animals, but enough to use up the sample here in short order.
  • Ouai Rose Hair & Body Oil – 3 oz / $32 – (Product is .28 oz, value of $2.99 by volume)  Wow.  A hair oil that actually contains oils, no silicones, and a product from Ouai that isn’t incredibly over-scented!  The first ingredient is Sunflower seed oil, followed by a bunch of other oils, but there is still one troubling ingredient,  Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, which was shown in a study this year to potentially damage human DNA and cause genome mutations, so that kind of ruins the product for me since I don’t need a UV-B blocker in my hair products anyway, and especially not one that can potentially cause cancer.  The company is cruelty free, but apparently that doesn’t extend to using dangerous, damaging ingredients.
  • Benefit The POREfessional Face Primer – .75 oz / $31 – (Product is .1 oz, value of $4.13 by volume)  It’s a silicone based primer.  Ehh.  It’s really expensive for a silicone primer that’s like all the other silicone primers, and I’m just not into them since I don’t really use primers or foundation basically ever.  I also don’t have a problem with large pores, so this is a miss for me.  Also, the company engages in animal testing since they sell in China, so I refuse to buy anything from this company.
  • IGK Rich Kid Coconut Oil Gel – 5 oz / $27 – (Product is .5 oz, value of $2.70 by volume)  I was so excited about this at first since this is a cruelty free company and coconut hair oil gel?  Sounds like me!  Unfortunately, the product list contains a bunch of silicones and acrylates in between the excellent oils, so this is a pass since I don’t use silicones on my hair (I do a low/no shampoo routine and since silicones and acrylates build up in your hair and I don’t use products with SLS/ALS to scour them out, I can’t use silicones either).  I’m completely bummed – this product would’ve been spot on perfect without the silicones or acrylates, but, as it is, it’s a pass for me.
  • First Aid Beauty Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturizer – 1.7 oz / $28 – (Product is .34 oz, value of $5.60 by volume)  It’s another silicone based primer, but this one has more fruit extracts in it.  So, two primers in this box.  Yay?  This one is a little better of a match since it’s a moisturizer/primer in one, but the company changed their policy recently and are now not really cruelty free, so it’s not something I’d buy (the company refuses to certify that their ingredients aren’t tested on animals, but the end product isn’t tested on animals, so it’s a grey area).

The total value for this month came to $26.79 which is definitely the lowest value box I’ve ever received from Sephora.  I mean, the cost is only $10.60 per month including tax, so the value of the products still exceeds the cost, but personally, this box was very nearly a complete waste this month.  Another awful, unwearable lip color, TWO hair products I can’t use, TWO boring primers, and the only thing I think I’m keeping and using is the perfume.  The duplicate products are getting annoying too – it would be great if we could even things out and have a variety of products in each box instead of two primers or three highlighters in the same month.  This is also my 12th month of Sephora Play! and I have to admit that the last three boxes (this one included) have been terrible misses for what I’m interested in, and even worse misses according to my profile for this box.  Sephora, I want you to do better.  I know you can.  Otherwise, I’m going to have to call it quits.

Vegan Cuts Cosmic Beauty Haul

Vegan Cuts has had some neat specials recently and one of them was this Cosmic Beauty Haul featuring 17 beauty items for $45 which was a really great value.  It’s not part of the regular monthly subscription, but is a special one-off promotion.  There may be some available still if you click the link here.  I’m just going to list the items and values here without reviews since there are a lot of items and it’s too much to try them all right away and report back with honest impressions of them all.

  • Yes to Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Facial Wipes – 30 wipes / $5.99 – (Full Size Product)
  • NCLA Nail Wraps – 1 set / $16 – (Full Size Product)
  • Briogeo Rosarco Milk – 1.75 oz / $9.00 – (Travel Size Product)
  • Eden Peppermint Tea Tree Shampoo – 8 oz / $8.99 – (Product is 2 oz, value of $2.25 by volume)
  • DermOrganic Intensive Hair Repair Masque – 3 oz / $6.99 – (Product is 2 oz, value of $4.66 by volume)
  • The All Natural Face Lip Gloss – .43 oz / $4.60 – (Full Size Product) Color is “Frosted Berries”
  • Nubian Heritage Patchouli & Buriti Soap – 5 oz / $4.99 – (Full Size Product)
  • Goddess Garden Bright Eyes – .5 oz / $17.99 – (Full Size Product)
  • Herbal Transdermal Deep Pore Mineral Toner – 8 oz / $15 – (Product is 2 oz, value of $3.75)
  • Gleam Lip Radiance – 5 g / $12 – (Full Size Product) Color is, “Uncontrollable”
  • DeVita Soft Lines – 1 pencil / $14.95 – (Full Size Product) Color is, “Absolute Obsidian”
  • Clarisea Deep Pore Detox Activated Charcoal Exfoliating Mask – 2 oz / $14 – (Product is 1 oz, value of $7 by volume)
  • Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Day Cream – 1.7 oz / $24.95 – (Product is .4 oz, value of $5.87 by volume)
  • Terre Mere Large Angled Contour Brush – 1 brush / $32 – (Full Size Product)
  • Modish Polish – .45 oz / $12 – (Full Size Product)  Color is, “Control Freak”
  • The Ariel Company Cupid Lip Scrub – .3 oz / $9 – (Full Size Product)
  • Vegan Cuts Cosmic Beauty Bag – $10?

The total value comes out to $172.05 by my calculations.  The advertised value was over $190, so it’s a little bit off, but still an incredible deal for the $45 cost.  I wasn’t sure how to account for the value of the bag, so I may be a little low on that, plus the Gleam Lip Radiance was on sale at half off since it’s a discontinued/clearance item, so  depending on how you count those (full retail vs current price), you’d get closer to the $190 advertised value.  Either way, the value comes out to almost 4 times the cost, and that bag is pretty cute, so it’s totally worth it in my book!  The big winners for me are the hair masque since it looks like it’s perfect for my curly hair, the nail polish, bag, and Briogeo Rosarco Milk (already a favorite!).  I love these special one-off boxes as a neat treat-yourself sort of thing, and it’s nice to get a selection of products without subscribing to a regular monthly box.  While I do subscribe to Vegan Cuts Beauty Box, these are products I hadn’t yet seen since I’ve only gotten one box from them so far, so this was great since it had old favorites and brands that were new to me.