Category: <span>Subscription Boxes</span>

Category: Subscription Boxes

Subscription Boxes

Stitch Fix June 2017

 

This is now my fourth Stitch Fix!  I did put in a request this month for a summery maxi dress and cardigan, and of course, Lana delivered.  As usual, she wrote me a little note about the pieces included.

Hi Melissa!  Hope you had a great holiday weekend.  The way you paired that yellow skirt with that denim shirt looks so fabulous on you.  I see you are looking for a summer maxi dress, and I know you like polka dots, so I chose for you the Gilli Knit Maxi Dress which also has that empire waist you love.  Layer it with the white crochet cardigan and pair with your favorite sandals for a stylish look perfect for your next summer event.  I spotted the Beauport Off The Shoulder dress on your Pinterest board, so I also included it today.  It has that vintage vibe you can rock with a fun colored head scarf and some wedges.  I also chose the Brixon Ivy lace overlay blouse for you which you can pair with your black Makers skinny jeans for a night out with your husband.  Enjoy and please let me know if you have any summer requests next time!  XO Lana

LOL it’s always good to know you’re on the right track with styling ideas when your Stitch Fix stylist compliments you on your pairing choices!  I didn’t mention it last month, but the fact that these clothes come to my door and I can dig through my closet for things to pair them with is probably one of the greatest things about the service.  Say you go out shopping.  You find a few tops you think might work with pants or skirts you have at home.  You bring them home, find out that they just don’t jive with the colors and pieces you already have, and after you have them on again at home, you end up going all the way back to the store to return them.  It’s a hassle and wastes gas and time.  With Stitch Fix, I get to play around with the clothes I have in my closet and the only gas I’m using is a stop at the  post office while I’m out running other errands anyway.  I’m much more certain of the pieces I keep from Stitch Fix than I have ever been with brick-and-mortar store-bought clothes!

Okay, so this month’s fix.  When I opened the box and saw what was inside, I thought uh oh, this is going to be another 5-piece-winner box, because everything looked so perfect.  And, it is all perfect in theory, but there are some fit issues, and I’m having trouble justifying keeping everything when the fit isn’t that great.  I’d love to say, oh sure, I’ll just hem or alter these pieces to make them work, but knowing how busy things are getting, it’s not going to happen in time to wear them before the end of summer, so I need to be a little more picky about fit this time around.  Photos are inside again since it’s raining .. AGAIN.  Or STILL.  I’m not quite sure which one it is anymore!

Item: Brixon Ivy Willard Lace Overlay Blouse
Cost: $54
Paired With:  Makers Lianne Skinny Jean (last month’s Fix), sandals  (mine), cardigan  (mine)
BLUE!  Blue is my favorite color, and this is such a pretty shade of blue.  The top is sleeveless so adjusting my preferences worked to get me sleeveless tops.  I’m still going to toss a cardigan over them since I don’t like my arms, but it’s nice to have the flexibility to go either way.  This really does go nicely with the jeans from last month, and the lace detail at the top is really cute.  I honestly don’t have too many nice tops like this – during the summer, I find it’s easier to throw on a dress and cardi, so it’s nice to fill in that style gap in my wardrobe with tops that can really be worn any season.  It is a little sheer so I do have a cami on underneath.  The fabric is polyester in the front with a black rayon/spandex blend for the back and is made in China.  This is definitely a keeper.

Item: 41Hawthorn Carla Crochet Detail Blouse
Cost: $58
Paired With:  Makers Lianne Skinny Jean (last month’s Fix), sandals  (mine), cardigan  (mine)
I think we have another winner of a top!  This pretty green top is really sheer so I do have a cami on underneath.  This top is sleeveless as well and the crochet detail runs around the outside edge of the arm openings to the back.  I paired this with a cardigan again because, cardigan.  It fits nicely and drapes well too.  The fabric is 100% polyester and is made in China.  This one is a keeper too.

Item: Gilli Grace Knit Maxi Dress
Cost: $74
Paired With:  Michel Studio Calantha Crochet Detail Cardigan (this month’s fix), wedges (mine)
Oh boy.  I LOVE the idea of this dress, and I did ask for a maxi dress this month.  The polka dots, neckline, empire waist – it’s all perfect.  But.. once I put it on?  It just doesn’t work for me.  For the photo, I dragged out the 4″ high ankle-breaker wedges, and you can’t even see them because the dress is so long (or I’m so short).  The top is HUGE and gapes at the arm openings around the bust, but then it’s just a little too snug through the lower abdomen.  Usually dresses with an empire waist open up so that the hip sizing is free and open, but this was pretty fitted straight down to the top of my thighs where the skirt finally started to open up.  If I sized up so I had more room through the middle, it would be MUCH too large in the bust.  The fabric is problematic too – it’s a polyester/spandex knit with a viscose/spandex lining that only goes to about knee-length.  It’s one of those stretchy, jumpy, bouncy fabric blends that doesn’t drape nicely and shows off every last lump and bump, especially the ones in my midsection (you can’t tell in a straight-on photo, but the side view, even with shapewear, just .. no).  It kills me because this is GORGEOUS, but I’m awful with crazy high heels like that, and it’s just a little too form fitting through the middle for me to feel comfortable.  I might have been able to take up the skirt at the empire waist, but  the lining is sewn to  the dress at the waist seam which would mean separating the two so that I don’t shorten the lining too far, and it’s just too much work.  I would’ve absolutely kept this if it was a cotton blend and if it wasn’t as fitted through the middle, but with the fabric and fit issues, I’m going to have to pass.  It’s really a shame because this is spot on a great dress and the style idea is a match to what I like to wear, but the fabric and fit issues make it a return, unfortunately!

Item: Michel Studio Calantha Crochet Detail Cardigan
Cost: $54
Paired With:  Jeans, flats, black top (all mine)
I did ask for a cardigan, and Lana delivered!  I didn’t quite like this paired with the dress, so I tried something different, and I’m still not sure I like the sleeves.  The crochet detail at the edge of the sleeves is super cute, but the sleeves are way too wide and a weird inbetween length.  The sleeves don’t taper down along the arm but stay the same width the whole way, and the length falls between 3/4 and full length.  The crop length of the body is perfect (Hi, I’m short), but overall I think this may be a little too big.  I could probably exchange for a size smaller, but .. those sleeves just aren’t doing it for me.. the extra sleeve fabric doesn’t hang nicely and there’s so much extra fabric on the arms that I don’t think it looks terribly flattering either.  There’s a seam that runs under the arm and down the side, so it would be fairly easy to take that in to a shape I like, but for $54, I’m not feeling like doing so much extra work to dramatically alter a cardigan.  The fabric is a visocose/polyester/spandex blend, made in Cambodia.  I’m kind of 50/50 on this right now, but probably leaning just a little to the return side of things.

Item: Beauport Isabell Off The Shoulder Dress
Cost: $78
Paired With:  Flats (mine)
I did have this on my Pinterest board!  That big buffalo check seems to be everywhere this season, and I just love it.  The dress is a nice weight woven rayon with a polyester lining, made in the  Philippines.  I included that second picture because man this is sized SO big that you might be able to fit a second me inside the dress.  The waist is elastic, but when I had it on, the elastic wasn’t even stretched at all around my waist – it was just hanging loose.  This is a 2x, and I think going down to the 1x wouldn’t be enough (it was REALLY loose in the top/waist), but it’s not available in standard sizing, or at least, the website is showing those sizes as out of stock.  I really wish they posted size charts for the different brands online because that would make it so much easier to tell if the smaller size would fit or not.  I may try  the exchange anyway though because I do like the dress between the print and fabric, and did I mention it has POCKETS?!  I’m a sucker for pockets on a dress.  The verdict is still out – I may try to email support to see if they can tell me the waist measurement on the 1x before making my final decision.  (also, say hello to my weird tan lines [hi, weird tan lines!] – some  dummy forgot sunblock earlier in the season and got a little sun-roasted  wearing something with a different neckline.  oops!)

The total cost of all five items comes to $318.  If I kept all five, the 25% discount brings the box down to $218.50 after taking off the styling fee credit.  I’m definitely keeping those two tops, but the maxi dress is going back, and the cardigan and other dress may be going back too, but I’m going to take a day to confer with friends (and probably Instagram) and think on it.  It’s nice that I get a few days to think it over and decide whether or not I want to keep the pieces I’m not sure about.  For the record, too, all the pieces were the same size, but none of them fit at all the same – the last dress was about two sizes too big and the maxi dress was probably just a size too small in the bottom half.  Both tops were a good fit, but  then the cardigan was too big.  I feel like Goldilocks and the three dresses with clothes sometimes – I could pull three dresses the same size from different brands, but one is too big, one is too small, and every once in a while, one is just right.  I’ll be sure to update the post once I do decide, and if you have any thoughts about any of the pieces, I’d love to hear from you!  In case you’re thinking about trying Stitch Fix and want to give me a little love, here’s my referral link!

EDIT 13 June 2017: I contacted customer service regarding that last dress.  They didn’t have the exact measurements on that specific dress, but they were able to tell me that generally, sizing runs about 4″ different in the waist on plus sizes, and if the exchange didn’t work out, they could email me a return label to return the dress at no cost to me.  That’s a really generous exchange/return policy, so I went for the exchange.  The smaller size actually fits rather well!  It’s still a little big in the top, but not so much that it looks like it’s hanging off me like the size I was originally sent.  Clothes sizing, how does it even work?!  It still boggles my mind how wildly different clothes sizes can be across manufacturers and even within ‘fit’ styles for a single manufacturer (one company makes 5 different ‘fits’ of jeans all with slightly different waist/hip/rise ratios).  *sigh*

Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics Nexus – June 2017

 ,

Another round of Espionage Cosmetics Nexus arrived last week!  I’ve been getting a little behind here, so this is just going up now, but it did arrive right on schedule!  This month’s theme was, “They See Me Trollin’” so I had a pretty good idea of what one of the wraps would be, and I knew it would be a fun theme no matter what!  I love all the crazy places this subscription goes with themes and you really never know what those geniuses at Espionage Cosmetics will think up next!

  • Trololol  – A glossy nail wrap with a glow in the dark feature that you can see here.  It’s pretty hilarious, all the detail they fit on these little nail wraps!  Anyone who’s been on the internet .. ever .. would be able to recognize exactly what’s going on here and have a good laugh.  TOO FUNNY.
  • Beware The Troll – Another glossy nail wrap featuring that famous troll under the bridge in the  “Three Billy Goats Gruff” story.  I definitely remember this from my childhood!  Our drive out to visit the grandparents involved crossing a toll bridge over a river, and I remember nicknaming it the “Troll Bridge” after we heard the story.

Voting is an easy choice for me this month since while I love Beware The Troll, Trololol is just too funny to not win my vote!  As usual, the value of the two wraps comes out to $20 and exceeds the cost of the month-to-month subscription of $15.  But, getting first crack at new designs and being a part of voting for the winner of the two is one of the big perks of this subscription.  I don’t think I’ve seen an announcement for next month’s theme yet, but I’m sure it’s going to be awesome!

Subscription Boxes

Universal Yums May 2017

 

This was such a nice surprise!  My sister-in-law gave me a gift subscription to Universal Yums for my birthday, and the first one arrived in May.  This is a bit of a belated post since I wanted to get the chance to try everything before posting about it.  This month’s theme was Japan, so all the snacks came from Japan.  All of these were new to me except the kiwi gummies (already a favorite), so it was neat to try new things!  I’ll try to go left to right in the photo and descriptions below.  I can’t really assign a dollar value to these since this was a gift, but the novelty of trying new things is definitely worth it!

  • Bourbon Petit Caramel Rice Crackers – These were tiny round rice crackers that tasted a lot like buttery caramel.  They were very sweet  and very good, and that little sleeve was just enough without being too much since they were rather richly flavored.
  • Ribon Nama Ume Candy – Inside the sweet, hard candy is a center of salty pickled plums.  I found that I did like the combination of salty and sweet, but the salty inner core was just a little bit too salty for my tastes once the candy was all gone around it.  I  liked them better if I cracked open the center and chewed it along with some of the candy instead of letting it melt down all the way to just the center.
  • Everyburger Cookie – Cute little cookies that look like burgers with cookie buns and a chocolate layer in the middle.  This was definitely my favorite item out of the box!
  • Umaibo Teriyaki Burger and Gyutan – These little packets held a puffy cheese-curl textured tube that was flavored with either Teriyaki or “Gyutan” which is apparently beef tongue.  The Teriyaki was definitely teriyaki and Gyutan tasted like a hamburger, and both were really good.
  • Sakuma Matcha Milk Candy – Oh boy, these were so good that I’d actually consider trying to find these again.  The candy is flavored like Matcha tea with milk, and it’s a nice hard candy that  makes for a great  treat.
  • Kasugai Roasted Nuts Assortment – The information booklet said these were supposed to be a Mame Mix and featured a picture different from the package I received.  I think they’re still basically the same thing from the description though.  This is probably my least liked item from the box since there’s a lot of seaweed involved and I found them much too fishy for my liking.  Even the bits without seaweed still tasted fishy since the seaweed had kind of infused the whole package with the flavor.  But hey, part of the fun here is trying something new, and while I did like the texture/crunchy pieces in here, I just wish it could’ve been made without the seaweed.
  • Rakka Ame Candy – It’s a peanut flavored hard candy with bits of peanuts in it, so I definitely liked these!
  • Kasugai Kiwi Gummies – These are an old favorite I used to buy all the time in a variety of different flavors.  The gummies pack a huge flavorful punch that tastes exactly like kiwi, and the texture is just right.

Overall, this is a fun box to try!  Even the things that I didn’t quite like as much as the others, they were still things I might never have tried without the box, so the experience of trying something new was all part of the fun.  I’m very glad to have received a gift subscription to this one and am looking forward to June’s theme which is Mexico.

Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics Nexus OP May 2017

 ,

This is the second round of Nexus OP, a special, randomly spawning exclusive set of nerdy nail wraps.  The first was Harry Potter themed, so I skipped that one since I’m just not into Harry Potter, but this time around the hints  all pointed to Supernatural, so I was definitely in!  This round featured two nail wraps to fit the theme.  They arrived in a gold bubble mailer, and both wraps were inside that shiny gold bag inside the mailer.

Seraphim – This is a glossy nail wrap with a glow in the dark accent.  The design has Castiel with his signature trench coat and tie on one wrap and his wings on the rest.  The glow in the dark accent has a little piece of pie and print that says, “Where’s the pie?”  Honestly, these are perfect for a Castiel themed nail wrap!  I do  wish the trench coat wrap  was one or two spots down (to fit a smaller nail) since the size it’s on is one of the sizes I usually skip.  I can still trim it down to fit another nail without sacrificing the design, so it’s easy enough to make it work.

Sigils & Wards – Another glossy nail wrap with glow in the dark accents, but this one features a bunch of sigils and wards used in  Supernatural.  The background is a black to burgundy ombre and the design is printed in white that also glows in the dark.  It’s one of those subtle nerdity designs that I love.  You wouldn’t know these were  Supernatural related unless you recognized some of the symbols.

The cost of the Nexus OP is $25 plus shipping.  If you’re already a subscriber to the monthly Nexus shipments, you get 50% off which for me, brough the total to $16.50 including shipping.  Each nail wrap usually costs $10 on the website (I think it’s $12 if it’s a licensed design), so as a subscriber, this was well worth the cost!  The regular monthly Nexus is fun because the themes are wide-ranging, but the OP themes are going to be fandom-based, so it’s a neat bonus to add on to the regular subscription.  I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for the next time the “Golden Glow” activates on the EC website!

Subscription Boxes

Sephora Play! May 2017

 

May’s Sephora Play! has arrived!  For those of you that are avid Sephora Play! fans, my box variant was #264, and my profile is set to dry skin and dry hair.  Unfortunately, it seems like the profile went out the window this month since I got products that are all for “Normal to Oily” skin or oily scalp.  Complete miss on the product selection  there, Sephora.  The theme this month was, “The Rising Stars,” and I think this might be the first theme that they actually paid attention to the theme.  All those brands are relatively new and are gaining popularity, so, well done.  The bag is different this month too – it’s a clear vinyl bag, perfect for stashing away on vacation (possibly airline carry-on safe as well?).

  • Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub – 2.7 oz / $19 – (Product is 1.35 oz, value of $9.50 by volume)  This is actually a combo sea salt scrub and shampoo.  There is no chance that I’d ever use anything like this on my dry scalp since it contains sea salt (REALLY?!) and  Sodium Laureth Sulfate.  I haven’t used a product with SLS on my hair in years since my curly hair doesn’t need to be stripped of all of its oils with such a harsh surfactant.  It’s funny because this is the only product the company makes that contains SLS.  And the very idea of rubbing sea salt on my scalp when I have a terrible problem with dryness.. that’s just a disaster waiting to happen.  I saw other people report that this strips out color (I dye the ends of my hair a vibrant red using semi-permanent vegetable-based hair dye), so this is a HARD pass for me.  It’s also pretty heavily perfumed.  I think I may repurpose it as a plain old body scrub or exfoliator, but this isn’t going anywhere near my hair.  The company is cruelty free though, so that’s awesome!
  • trèStiQue Highlight & Perfect Multipurpose Stick – .21 oz / $34 – (Product is .04 oz, value of $6.48 by volume)  I’m not a big fan of highlighters to begin with, but this is one of those light, opalescent highlighters instead of a glitter bomb.  It’s subtle, so I actually like this as a brow bone highlighter to set of eye makeup.  It may be just a hair too light for my skin tone, and I’m pretty fair-skinned, but it’s also the only color they offer.  The company is also cruelty free.
  • Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Clay Cleanser – 4.2 oz / $45 – (Product is 1 oz, value of $10.71 by volume)  SUNDAY RILEY!  I know and love Sunday Riley already since they’re a wonderful cruelty free company.  This product says it’s for normal to oily skin, but I love the brand so much, I don’t even care, I’m going to use this up and not even worry about the fact that it doesn’t at all fit my beauty profile.  The product dispenses as a cloudy liquid gel that works into a gentle, light lather (not super foamy, just every so slightly bubbly) and rinses away cleanly.  I didn’t find it was drying, and the scent was very light.  I’m not sure I’d go in for the $45 full size version, but it’s great to be able to try this out!
  • Nudestix Magnetic Matte Lip Color – .1 oz / $24 – (Product is .088 oz, value of $21.12 by volume)  I’m not sure why we couldn’t get the extra .012 oz to make this a full size?  It seems kind of silly.  But, maybe it’s all for the better since this color, “Greystone,” is quite possibly the most hideous color in the history of lip colors.  It’s brown.  Poop brown, dirt brown, disgusting brown.  I’m not sure this color would look good on anyone.  I heard people have tried layering other colors over it, but the formula is so opaque and strong that there’s nothing that can make it look good.  I mean, all of that would be awesome if it was a pretty color, but this isn’t.  It’s terrible.  The company though is cruelty free and there are other colors in this line that I actually like, but brown lipstick?  No.  Just no.
  • Maison Margiela Replica Eau de Toilette – 3.4 oz / $126 – (Product is .04 oz, value of $1.48 by volume)  The scent is, “Beach Walk,” and is actually not terrible!  The bergamot definitely comes out on top, and while the floral ylang ylang is there, it’s tempered a bit by the musk and cedarwood.  It’s a light scent that isn’t a stinky floral and I could absolutely wear this without wanting to scrub it off my skin.  It’s not enough of a hit that I’d ever pay $126 for a bottle, but it’s nice enough that I’d use up the sample.  Unfortunately, the parent company is L’Oreal, and this company does test on animals.
  • GrandeLips Hydrating Lip Plumper – .05 oz / $27 – (Product is approx 1.2 mL?, value of $20?)  I’m totally guessing on the product size – it looks about the same volume as the perfume once you remove the applicator.  It’s pretty close to being full size though, just in different packaging.  I tried this out already and while it does tingle, it doesn’t burn.  I can never really tell if these plumping products actually make a noticeable difference, but it works well enough as a hydrating gloss that I’ll use it regardless.  This company is cruelty free too!

Overall the value of the box this month comes to $69.29 which is pretty huge for a box that only costs $10.60 a month including tax.  Definitely one of the bigger value boxes!  I do have to give Sephora some credit this month too since I’d been ranting on about wanting a cruelty free box, and this one was SO close!  The only thing that was from a non-cruelty-free company was the perfume.  I’m not sure if it’s just because newer indie brands understand that their consumers are looking for cruelty free cosmetics and there’s no need or reason to test cosmetics on animals or sell in countries (*cough-China-cough*) that require the barbaric practice, or that Sephora actually aimed to include cruelty free products this month.  Either way, I’m glad to see it happen, and LOOK!  No Estée Lauder products this month!  It’s like they were listening to me!  So, out of 6 products, two were complete failures  which leaves me with 4 products I’ll use.  I am a little disappointed that they seemed to not have bothered looking at the profiles this month, and I’m kind of sick of getting highlighters already, but I still want to hang on to this subscription for a bit since the price point is low and I’m still getting enough wins to make it worth it.  Looking forward to the next month!

Subscription Boxes

Vegan Cuts Beauty Box May 2017

 

I decided to try out a new box, the Vegan Cuts Beauty Box, and this month was my first box.  I’ve known about this one for a while, so when they ran a 6th birthday  special last month, I hopped right on!  While I may not be vegan (I still eat meat, but for the most part it’s from local farmers that I know and trust who run smaller scale farms), I do make an effort to buy only  cruelty free beauty products and find that vegan products are a little gentler on my skin.  May’s box is themed, “Beauty and the Beach,” and features summer go-to beauty products.

  • Salis Skincare Blackhead Removal Mask – 2 oz / $14.99 – (Product  value $7.50 per product card, possibly 1 oz?)  Three simple ingredients create a unique mask that is meant to remove blackheads and make your pores look smaller.  You’re supposed to use this as an overnight treatment on problem areas, and the added sulfur means that it will no doubt make a great acne treatment too.
  • Little Moon Clear Mind Mist  – 2 oz / $6.30 – (Product value $3.15 by volume)  The scent contains eucalyptus, grapefruit and rosemary, but I don’t like eucalyptus at all as a scent, so to me, it smells more like Vicks VapoRub and cough drops rather than anything that would make me feel alert and focused.  Huge pass for me, but I know I have a friend who will like this.  The company does have a “Sleep Comes Easy” mist that’s definitely more my speed though with bergamot, chamomile, lavender and lemon, and “Beach All You Want” is coconut, sandalwood, and tangerine which sounds perfect!
  • Nubian Heritage African Black Soap – 5  oz / $4.99 – (Product value $3.49 by volume)  This soap came at just the right time!  I usually use a charcoal soap on my face and it was just about done for, so this is a welcome replacement.  The soap smells delightful, mostly like shea butter I think, and contains oat flour and tea tree oil to help clear up breakouts.  My skin is usually dry, but I like a soap like this to give my face a solid clean before applying moisturizers, and the tea tree oil helps keep those occasional breakouts in check.
  • Luxie Dreamcatcher Foundation Brush – 1 brush / $20 – (Product card says $20 value, but I can’t find this online)  The brush is the #510 foundation brush in the Dreamcatcher color which is this pretty bluish purple.  I’ve gotten a couple of Luxie brushes before and love them, so this is another great addition to my brush arsenal!
  • Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques Eyeshadow – 1.8 g / $14.50 – (Full size product)  I’ve gotten a couple of things from Lauren Brooke before, so I’m happy to see this show up in the box!  The color is a really lovely matte dusty rose or orchid kind of color.  The formula goes on perfectly matte and smooth, and the color works  really well  for a light, every day sort of look.
  • Pair’d Beauty Dry Shampoo – 2 oz / $6.00 – (Full size product)  Okay, I’m not into dry shampoos, but this is a wet, dry shampoo, if that makes sense!  It’s a liquid instead of a powder, so there’s no need to brush it into my hair to distribute it, so no ruining my curls.  The scent is “Sweet Cali Orange” and contains just four ingredients – water, maize, ethanol, and essential oils.  I’m going to have to give this a solid try out as a second-day-hair product.  My hair doesn’t ever get greasy (it actually gets drier and drier the longer I go without washing it), so I don’t need the maize to soak up oil, and I’m a little concerned about the ethanol further drying out my hair and making frizzies.  So, the jury is out on this one so far.  The scent is nice though!

Overall the value of the box comes to $54.64 which is well above the cost of even a month-to-month subscription at $22.95 per month.  I did have some trouble finding some of the product values since the product sizes weren’t listed on the products themselves or found discrepancies between the product card and value on the manufacturers’ websites.  The only thing that I’m passing on out of this box is the Little Moon mist, but everything else I’ll use or at least give a fair try.  The big winners for me are the brush, black soap, and eyeshadow for sure.  It’s funny, the box has been sitting at my desk most of this week (it arrived.. Tuesday I think?), and the soap smells SO nice, I almost want to leave it at my desk a little longer!  Anyway, this was a great first box from Vegan Cuts, and I’m looking forward to next month!

Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics BOOM!Box May 2017

 , ,

Oh hey, it’s May, that means another edition of the Espionage Cosmetics BOOM!Box has arrived!  I completely forgot this was a May thing, so when I saw the box on my doorstep this morning, I was pleasantly surprised.  This month’s theme was, “Battle of the Badlands,” and was teased as featuring items from our favorite dystopias.  The theme was right up my zombie-loving alley, and may be one of my favorite boxes so far!

 

  • Drylands Map – SO much awesome in one little map.  This came rolled up in a tube, but flattened out pretty easily.  Both sides are printed  with the back being a plain surface that looks like a distressed parchment paper.  It was designed by Jessica Freaxx who did an AMAZING job.  The map design is a collection of cities from all kinds of different dystopias from WALL-E to The 100, Shaun of the Dead, and even Zombieland to name a few.
  • You’ve Got Red on You T-Shirt – Created as a collaboration with Jordandené, this t-shirt has that classic phrase from Shaun of the Dead.  This is one of my most favorite movies ever, so I’m absolutely IN LOVE with this shirt.  The fabric is a super soft cotton, and I’m beyond over the moon for this.  I have .. plans .. for a better photo shoot for this shirt that I couldn’t quite accomplish today, so I’ll probably post that at a later date.  [insert evil cackle here]

  • Heda Necklace – Made of two layers of faux leather on a ball chain necklace, this necklace is amazing.  I am a huge fan of  The 100 so this is perrrrfect.  The black faux leather top layer is imprinted with “Jus drein jus daun,” and lays over a brown faux leather layer to make the Trikru symbol.  The back of the card lets you know that the chain was left extra long, but you can easily snap off the excess length to shorten it to your liking.

  • Twinkie – It’s a Twinkie!  Definitely a reference to  Zombieland, this addition to the box gave me a good laugh.  The unsinkable Twinkie also made an appearance in WALL-E, and just like in  the movies, I’m pretty sure Twinkies will outlast us all (although this one may not last a week).  Such a great reference to two excellent movies!
  • Wasteland Wanderer Nail Wraps – These glossy nail wraps are a reference to the  Fallout video game, specifically to Vault Boy’s outfit.  I can’t say I’ve ever played the game myself, but I’m familiar enough with the franchise to have picked this out right away.

  • Dead Inside Nail Wraps – OHBOY OHBOY.  ZOMBIES.  This is just such a neat take on  The Walking Dead and I’m going to need eleventy more of these.  The nail wraps have a glossy finish with silver foil accents that make it look like you’re watching for zombies behind the (apparent) safety of a fence.  There’s even a glow in the dark accent! (Click here to see)
  • Borderlands The Pre-Sequel Nail Wraps – This is another video game franchise I haven’t yet dipped my toe into, but I keep seeing references to the game everywhere, so it might be time!  These are glossy nail wraps in super bright colors, and even if I don’t know much about the game, they sure are pretty.

Values are always hard to assign with this box since most things are custom-made just for this box.  I know that the Jordandené shirt retails for $30, and the three nail wraps would be $10 each which makes for a  running total of $60, so we’re already way over the cost of the box which is $30 per month plus shipping, making  the cost $36.25 in total.  I can’t get over that t-shirt though!  I have a bunch of other  Shaun of the Dead themed tees, but this one is so perfect and so different from the others.  And, that necklace!  I’m definitely wearing that out this weekend.  So yeah, yet another box that completely knocked it out of the park for me!  Next cycle’s theme arriving in August has already been announced and is, “The Perfect Storm,” which, YES PLEASE.

Subscription Boxes

Benevolent Beauty Box May 2017

 

May’s Benevolent Beauty Box arrived on Monday (today is Thursday, lazy blogger is lazy this week).  Do you see how well-rounded that box is?  A lip gloss, eyeshadow, eyeliner, sheet mask, bath product, and an aromatherapy spray.  I swear they go out of their way to really make these boxes amazing every month and it absolutely shows.  And Hello Kitty eyeshadow?  I’m so here for this.

  • Armour Beauty Lip Gloss – 6.5 mL / $24 – (Full size product)  I received the color, “Nina,” which is described as a bright opaque coral.  Corals don’t work with my skin tone at all, so the color is a big miss for me.  There were other color possibilities, and I think “Barracuda” would’ve been a better fit, but this was just luck of the draw (or not, as the case may be).  The formula is thick and sticky, but highly pigmented and smells like a cupcake.  Unfortunately, it looks like the company Armour has closed.  There’s still stock available from other retailers, but probably not for long.
  • Franklin & Whitman Mineral Soak – 4 oz / $24.95 – (2 oz, I think, size isn’t marked, value of $12.48)  I already love this company thanks to this box, but I’m not too big on baths and we have this tiny, useless bathtub, so I’ll stack this away for a future vacation that comes with a fancy spa tub.  I know these soaks are good for sore muscles which is great after a day of snowshoeing or hiking.
  • ColourPop Super Shock Shadow – 2.1 g / $6 – (Full size product)  The color I received is, “Small Gift,” a shimmery pink.  I grew up with Hello Kitty, so this was neat to see in the box!  Somehow I missed when this line launched from ColourPop in November of 2016, but I’m glad I got this in the box now since they’re no longer available through ColourPop.  The shadow is super velvety and highly pigmented and goes on so smoothly.
  • Gypsy Soul Organics Aromatherapy Spray – 2 oz / $19.99 – (Full size product)  The scent is, “Son Rain,” and this is right up my alley.  It’s a musky and grassy spray that can be used on linens, pillows, as a room spray, or even as a body spray.  I absolutely LOVE this scent and will probably use it as a body spray.  Bonus that it has citronella as part of the scent, so it may help keep mosquitoes away too!
  • Seoul Mamas Revitalizing Mask – 1 mask / $8 – (Full size product)  Sheet masks are a nice treat for a pamper-yourself day, so I’m always happy to see these show up in subscription boxes.  The fabric in this one is 100% bamboo, and the ingredient list has a bunch of wonderful extracts.  I haven’t tried it yet since I’m saving it for a day when I need a little time-out to relax, so I’ll have to update once I do!
  • Ardency Inn Modster Easy Ride Supercharged Liquid Liner – 1.7 mL / $20 – (Full size product)  In the color, “Deep Black,” this liquid eyeliner has a really neat applicator tip that’s a lot like a flexible felt-tip pen.  The line comes out nice and even (even with my complete lack of finesse with drawing fine lines), but you can also add a little pressure to bend the tip down and draw nice, wide lines easily.  The color applies crazy dark black and dries pretty quickly.  I haven’t tried it out on my eyes yet, but the ingredients are all ones I’ve used before with no problem.

There was a bonus freebie included this time (not pictured), Viter Energy Mints.  I tried one, but unfortunately, they’re artificially sweetened with sucralose, so they’re a pass for me.  I find the flavor of artificial sweeteners really gross – I couldn’t even make it longer than 5 seconds with the mint in my mouth.  Fun to try, but please, just use regular sugar!  I’d gladly have  a few calories than that nasty chemical taste.

Overall, the total value this month is $90.47 which I think is on the lower end for the box, but it’s still three times the cost which is $29.95 on a month-to-month basis.  It’s hard to pick a favorite this month, but I’d say it’s probably a three-way tie between the eye shadow, liner, and aromatheraphy spray.  I do really love the scent of that spray – it’s just the right blend of scents.  As always, looking forward to next month’s box!