PopSugar Special Edition Fall Style Box

Hope you had a great weekend! I sure did with all the home projects I worked on. My husband and I also went out to dinner (casual) Saturday evening. Then, while I caught up on some photography for this blog and some work, I decided geek out and watch Dr. Who on Netflix, starting back to the first episode of the "contemporary" Doctor, which was broadcast in 2005. Fortunately for me, I was also able to re-live the awesome sexiness that is my love CJH.* A good weekend indeed! 

OK---back to my subject! On Friday, my PopSugar Must Have Special Edition Box arrived! Billed as the “Fall Style Box,” it’s full of goodies to start off cooler weather in style. I’ve found that these special box are usually well worth the money ($100)! Read on to learn more about what’s inside this awesome box!!

This box is packed with a LOT of great stuff and I will literally use everything in it!

The Stila Luxe Eye Shadow Palette looks absolutely awesome!! It contains nine eye shadows and a waterproof eyeliner. This retails for $45 on the Stila Website. I can’t wait to start using this and will have a review on it soon!!!

 Cynthia Vincent’s Classic Shopper Bag is really beautiful and is made of silk (at least my bag appears to be silk and the website says it’s silk). It retails for $85 but is on the Cynthia Vincent site on sale for $42. Really beautiful and I will enjoy wearing this!

As you know, I love trying new skincare products so the Goldfaden MD Doctor’s Scrub Ruby Crystal Microderm Exfoliator is something I look forward to. Once I work thru some of the products I am testing now, I’ll try this and will report back! Retail price for this item is $75 on the Goldfaden site.

These Rosemary Parmesan Cookies by Buerre Ansel are sooooo good and a perfect savory snack or nibble for the cocktail hour. Dorie Greenspan is a well known cookbook author (known for her cookies) and she’s also the brains and talent behind Buerre Ansel. Each package of these wonderful cookies retails for $10. Yuuummm!!!

I’m kind of obsessed by beautiful paper products so this Christian Lacroix notebook is right up my alley. I never would have thought to purchase a “designer” notebook but only because I didn’t know they existed! This one is from Libretto Group and, based on what’s on their site, I’m going to have to buy more of their beautiful products!! They don’t sell direct, but I found a couple of suppliers on the web and it looks like this little gem sells for $15. Cute!

I had no idea that Rachel Zoe has a costume jewelry line so this nice knot ring was a pleasant surprise.It’s a very nice weight (actually fairly heavy) and retails for $75 at Piper Lime.

Last but not least is a gorgeous looking bubble bath by Library of Flowers. Their Wildflower & Fern bubble bath is described as “a special blend of soothing ginger and lemongrass” and also contains cocoa butter and green tea. The metal bottle is huge and contains 32 ounces of bubbly goodness. I looooove a hot bubble bath and will be breaking into this stuff asap! Retail price on the Library of Flowers website is $36 for the huge bottle.

The Fall Special Box includes $298+ of items (depending on how you value the bag---I used the sale price), which is 3x the cost of what I paid for the box. Plus, I love everything in it! That’s what I’m talking about!!!

If you’re interested in the Pop Sugar Must Have subscription box program, click here. Highly recommended!!!

*Captain Jack Harkness

I Love the Julep Maven Box!!

I first became acquainted with Julep Nail Polish this past Spring, when I purchased the color “Jennifer” at Sephora. Jennifer is a light beigey pink that is neutral and professional for the “working” side of my life. I liked it so much that I subscribed to Julep’s Maven Box program. This subscription service is customized for each member. Before shipments started, I filled out a beauty questionnaire that matched me up to one of Julep’s fun style profiles. I actually took it twice! The first time I was matched up to “Bo Ho Glam” and the second time to “Classic with a Twist.”

Each month, Julep sends me an email to tell me that my selections are ready. I can choose the box that contains my style profile or pick another one (or even opt out of a box that month). For $19.99, I receive the box of my choice and am also given the opportunity to purchase additional products at a deep discount. I’m loving this service!!!

This past month, the box contained an envelope of Forget Me Not seeds as well as my order, wrapped in the lavender paper, above. I had also purchased Julep’s Champagne Trio on the side for $14, which is a great deal! This month’s “It Girl” selections (the package I chose) included the following polishes:

Julep Fiore Nail Polish

Julep Marjorie Nail Polish

Julep Nellie Nail Polish

Fiore, Marjorie and Nellie are absolutely gorgeous colors for the summer! In fact, I’ve been very impressed with the formula and longevity of Julep polishes as well as the beautiful colors. For my money, $19.99 for three of these polishes is a great deal.

You can find Julep polishes at Sephora or on the Julep website. Check them out! You won’t be sorry!

My Favorite Red Polish: Julep’s Catherine

Earlier this summer, I decided to join Julep’s Maven beauty subscription program. For $19.99 per month, Maven’s receive a customized box with the Julep’s products of their choice. It all starts with a fun style quiz, which helps you decide on which of the curated boxes you will receive each month. I “tested” as “Classic with a Twist” and “Bo-Ho Glam” (I took the quiz twice) but, ultimately, I get to choose which collection I want each month or can choose not to receive one at all.


In my introductory Maven shipment, I received the color Catherine, a gorgeous red that is absolutely classic and perfect! Catherine is an opaque cream with a thin texture but it really packs a color punch. This is THE classic red that everyone needs! I found it to be vibrant, beautiful and long wearing. The thinner texture insured absolutely no visible brush strokes. As with all of my polishes, I covered it with Seche Vite Top Coat for a long lasting, shiny finish.


I received Catherine for $3.99 in my introductory box but right now, it’s on sale on the Julep site for $11.20 for all Mavens ($14 for non Members).
You NEED this. It’s the perfect red!
Ages of Beauty rating: *****

PopSugar Must Have Box for July

After returning from a five week trip (which I’ll post about in a few days), I was greeted by several beauty subscription boxes that had arrived while I was away. I wrote about the Wantable box here but now it’s on to my favorite box, PopSugar’s  July Must Have Box. PopSugar seems to be the most consistent with regard to product options and quality and I really loved the July box. Here’s a quick look at this month’s selections.

For $35, I received a LOT of great stuff!

A HEAVY rose gold double curb chain necklace from BaubleBar. I’ve never worn their jewelry but this necklace is cute. Prices on the site range from $24 to $85 for necklaces but they also have rings, earrings and bracelets. This necklace retails for $28 on the BaubleBar site. If you like rose gold and chunky chains, you’ll LOVE this one!


These yummy HannahMax Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Chips were sooooo good! In fact, they were eaten within 5 minutes of taking this picture! I checked out their site and it looks like a bag of these babies retails for $6 each. The flavors look delicious so, of course, I ordered one of each flavor (5 in all) for $29.95. Can’t wait to get them!!!


This ice cube tray, by Tovolo, is an interesting surprise. Since I already have an icemaker, I thought that there was no way I would ever use this but upon further examination, this is a really cool ice cube tray.  It produces HUGE square ice cubes that are supposed to last longer because of their size. I’ll try them out for sure! This item retails for approximately $8.95 (depending on the store).


Iced tea is my #1 drink during the summer. Now, I’m weird and I don’t like any sweetener at all (in fact, I mostly dislike all sweet drinks) so it is nice that this Mighty Leaf Iced Tea does not contain any sugar. I received the Ginger Peach flavor, but this tea also comes in other flavors as well. Each box contains four tea pouches and each pouch makes 1/2 gallon of iced tea. On the website, each box retails for $6.25 but there are price breaks for larger quantities. Check them out if you’re an iced tea lover like me!


Now here’s a product that I can really get excited about! One of my (many) obsessions is nail polish and since I have never tried NCLA polish, this is especially exciting! NCLA polishes retail for $16 and I can’t wait to try them!

 
And last, but certainly not least, is Supergoop SPF 30 City Sunscreen Serum! I wear sunscreen each and every day on my face and hands so I was especially thrilled to see this in the box! This serum contains vitamins E and B5 and can be used alone or under makeup as a primer. PopSugar included the 1.7 ounce full size container which retails for $42. I’ll definitely be reviewing this!

July’s PopSugar Must Have Box contains products retailing for $107.20. Since I paid $35 for the box AND I like everything in it, I’d say that it’s a great bargain!

If you haven’t checked out PopSugar, you need to!!

July’s Wantable Makeup Box

I just love surprises so it was a happy day when my Wantable beauty subscription box was waiting on my porch one day last week. Let’s take a look at all of the goodies inside!


I’ve been receiving the Wantable box for a couple of months and I’ve been quite pleased with the selections. For $36, I receive a box filled with 4 to 6 full sized beauty items that have been customized based on my profile. These selections are often by brands with which I’m not familiar, making this subscription box and extra pleasure! Not only am I exposed to lots of new products, but I’m often intrigued with the brands. This month was no exception!

Cailyn’s Red Tint is an interesting product and one which I have never tried. This sheer red tint is supposed to be waterproof and should work well alone or with lip gloss. It retails for $13 on the Cailyn Cosmetics website and I can’t wait to try this!


I’ve quite gotten in to self tanning products this summer so it was a nice to surprise to find this next item in the box. I’ve tried other Manna Kadar items but never her Bronze Beauty Self Tanning Lotion. This is on my list for this next weekend! You can purchase a full size bottle at Manna Kadar’s website for $19.

This Michael Marcus nail polish in Can Can Girl is right up my alley! I really love nail polish and this is such a beautiful, bright summer color. Never having tried a Michael Marcus product, I’m ready for the change in my routine! These polishes are made without toulene, formaldehyde and DBP, making them safe for your nails. Available in $15 each in 47 colors at MichaelMarcus.com.


Another brand I’m  not familiar with is Three Custom Color. This month’s Wantable features their cheek tint in Simply Beautiful, a lovely, sheer cream blush that looks like it will be wonderful in a “no makeup” look. Since I love cream blushes, this one is high on my list to try out this week. It retails for $22.50 on the Three Custom Color website. Visiting their site reminded me that I need to get my favorite discontinued lipstick formulated by them. They’re a fascinating company!


The Susan Posnick ColorEyeDefiner in Bronze is a very interesting eye pencil. One end is rounded and the other is slanted, making it a very versatile pencil! I’ve been wearing it off and on for the last week or so and I like it. At some point, you’ll probably see a review and I may try some more of this brand’s products in the process. This one retails for $26 on SusanPosnick.com. Very interesting indeed!!!!


Last but not least is a set of Cailyn Eyelashes. These babies look HUGE and I’m not sure I’ll actually wear them but maybe. I rarely wear lashes and when I do, I wear the individual clusters. They look fun, though, so maybe I’ll give them a shot. Retails for $10.
I paid $36 for this box and received over $80 worth of cool products. That’s a great value in my book! Why don’t you try out Wantable? You won’t be sorry!

PopSugar Must Have Summer Fun Box

A few days ago, I received my PopSugar Summer Fun Box. This is a special edition box that was released a week or so ago. I purchased it for $100 (the regular boxes cost $35) and I’m impressed with the items included.



I absolutely love the Henri Bendel Vanilla Bean candle that was included in my box. This candle retails for $30 and it is substantial and sweet smelling. A beautiful, high quality item!



The Sachin + Babi Baroque Print Foulard Sarong is made of a beautiful, silky fabric and will look great as a beach cover up! Apparently, this sarong is a new design but you can find more of their items on their website here. Since this design is not on their website, I don’t know the retail price but based on their prices on the site, I would say this item probably retails for $100 or more. It’s really beautiful!



The full sized Vitabath Fresh Citrus Twist Exfoliating Sugar Scrub retails for $18. I love Vitabath products and will really enjoy using this in the shower. This will be especially good to use to exfoliate prior to applying sunless tanning cream.



This stainless steel bottle by S’Well is double walled so that cold beverages stay cold for 24 hours and hot ones stay hot for 12. It is also not supposed to sweat on the hands on in a bag.  It retails for $35 at www.wellbottle.com.

 
I carry a lot of large bags so this Truffle Classic Clarity Pouch will come in handy. Usually I have several smaller pouches inside my purse to keep things organized and this one will work really well when I’m traveling (or going to the beach or pool!). It retails for $38 and while I don’t know that I would pay that much for this on its own (but maybe I would), I’m happy to have it included in the Summer Fun box. You can check out more of Truffle’s products here.



The most expensive Summer Fun item is a pair of House of Harlow 1960 sunglasses. Those of you who know this brand know that it was started by Nichole Richie. These sunglasses are oversized and very stylish. I received the Lynn style in the color Fog. Since my favorite Oliver Peoples sunglasses finally broke at the ear piece, I’ve been sporting a pair of red shades so I needed a neutral colored pair. These will fit the bill! This particular style retails for $148 and you can find them here.



Last but not least, the Summer Fun box includes a box of Starbucks Refreshers in Very Berry Hibiscus, which retails for $5.95.

I’d say for the money I spent, the Summer Fun box was a good value with over $360 (give or take due to the unknown price of the sarong) worth of quality items. It feels like a good value for seven items which i will use for quite awhile.

Have you ventured over to PopSugar’s site and signed up for the Must Have Box? What are your thoughts?

New Beauty Box: Wantable.co

 It's no secret that I love beauty subscription services. The thing that I love the most is being introduced to brands that I've never heard of before (or maybe I've heard of them but I've never used a particular product). Well, Wantable.co has hit the ball out of the park (for me) with their new service. Not only have I never used these products, but I've never heard of these brands either! Score!
Click below to hear more about this service.

The March PopSugar Must Have Box is here!!!

I just love it when I hear the UPS man knocking on my door and I especially love it when he has the new PopSugar Must Have Box under his arm!

Click below for more on this month's box!

Glossybox for February 2013

My February 2013 GlossyBox shipment was waiting for me when I got back from my cruise and today I took the opportunity to dig in to it. Wanna hear more about it? Click below to find out more!!

PopSugar Must Have February Box

I mentioned in my GlossyBox post (here) that I belong to a couple of subscription services. Today I received my February PopSugar Must Have Box! This one ships a new box full of cool things every month. You can sign up for one month, three months, six months or  one year (you get a month free with this option) and the cost goes down when you sign up for more of a commitment   

It looks like it has a bunch of cool things. Let's take a look!

Do you Glossy Box?

One of my favorite new "things" is the monthly or quarterly beauty/lifestyle subscription box. I belong to three: GlossyBox, New Beauty's TestTube, and PopSugar, which is more of a lifestyle box. The basic "jist" of these boxes is that monthly or quarterly, you are sent an assortment of deluxe samples or full sized  beauty items to try, rate and earn points to purchase other products. Each company does it a little differently but if you're a person who likes variety (and who doesn't!), you'll generally find that the value of the products in the box far exceed the price you pay (the ones I've seen run from $10 to $49 per month or quarter, depending on the service). 

The box in the picture above is the Man Repeller box from GlossyBox.