Update and BzzAgent Lysol® Touch of Foam™ Antibacterial Hand Wash

Okay, I am officially a very bad blogger. I just don't know how people keep up with all of their unboxing blogs when they have so many! I actually tried to get caught up the other day, but then my computer was being stupid and not uploading the photos so I gave up...

Anyways, I have become overwhelmed with products so I've actually cancelled several subscriptions and have only  a few remaining. Here's what's left;

(Note;for my birthday my husband and my in-laws got me some subscriptions, I've noted which those are)


SeasonsBox; Subscribed for three months, then found out the three month sub auto renews to another three month sub. I ended up keeping it, but will likely cancel after this current 3 months.I skipped the May box, so my three month sub now ends with July unless I skip again.

Pawalla; My May box is on it's way then I'm cancelling

Love with Food; I paid about $2 for April and $2 for May, once May comes I will likely cancel, although I do enjoy this subscription

Julep- May was my first real month and I loved it! I also loved the secret store, I bought a box in May because they offered me 750 jules for taking my first month. I've got A LOT of polish so I may have to skip the upcoming month but I'm really loving this subscription


FabFitFun; I have a free summer box, we'll see what happens after that

These ones were gifts....
 
TwistBand Club;  My husband got me a three month sub for my birthday, I love these twistbands!
 
TheFancy.com ; My husband got me a subscription to this for my birthday, I got my first box and it was okay, but not for full price. They sent me an iphone armband and we don't have iphones, I e-mailed to express my disappointment that they didn't look at my preferences and they sent us a $15 gift card, I'm going to use that and a coupon to get The Fancy Box Food Subscription



PantyFly-My husband got me a three month sub for my birthday, we've already cancelled so it doesn't continue. The first package was okay, he ordered me mediums but I found the one pair to be pretty small, the other two were okay but didn't seem like mediums I'm used to

HungryGlobeTrotter- My in-laws got me a 6 month subscription to this international food of the month club and so far it's been great. I've only gotten one box, but we used everything in it and it was all yummy!

My husband also got me a three month subscription to ConsciousBox, not knowing I had already purchased one for $1. I received my April box a few days before my birthday, when we saw how bad it was, he quickly asked to cancel and get a refund, which they did thankfully.



On to BzzAgent. As you know, BzzAgent is a word of mouth site that sends members free items to try out and then tell friends/family all about. I LOVE BzzAgent! Recently I received a full size Lysol^® Touch of Foam^™ Antibacterial Hand Wash. First off, I love foaming hand wash, I think it lasts so much longer for some reason. This time my kit came with coupons, which I handed out at work.

I was excited to try this, as I imagine it's cheaper than the Bath & Body Works soap I currently have.

The scent was "dreamy vanilla" and it reminds me of Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar Scent. The scent is not my favorite, but if you like it, it definitely lingers after washing your hands.

I enjoyed the handsoap, although I don't note anything special about it compared to other brands. Unfortunately we won't be purchasing this, as for some reason my husband found that it really dried his hands out, to the point where we had to have two soaps out, one for him and the other for me.

We just got my next BzzAgent kit for Amdro Powerflex Pest & Weed System and my husband is super excited to try it out, this weekend is his birthday so it came just in time (he loves gardening etc).

FabFitFun Inaugural Spring Box

Have you all heard of the FabFitFun box? It's a new beauty subscription box with Guilliana Rancic that includes Full Size Products, The Seasons "hottest trends" valued at over $100. The subscription is quarterly, and comes at a cost of $49.99.

I was really excited about this subscription, there was a $10 off coupon so I snagged it for $39.99 and they had announced that everyone would receive a full size bottle of Moroccan Oil, so you're at least getting your moneys worth.

Prior to signing up I saw several bloggers do "openings" in which they receive Butter London Nail Polish, a Go Smile Whitening Pen, Josie Maran Lip Stain and a Jewelmint Star Necklace. Unfortunately this was not the box everyone received, in fact there were at least 12 box variations and many of them included several pieces of outdated Jewelmint jewelry instead of the above listed items, I was one of those people.

Here's my box:

Inside was:

A full size bottle of Moroccon Oil

Think Thin Bar

Zoya Nail Polish

Mini Jouer Lip Gloss

Two pairs of Jewelmint Earrings

Jewelmint double ring

I've never tried the oil before and I really like Zoya nail polish so I was happy with those items. I personally only signed up for the Butter London and Go Smile pen so I was pretty disappointed. I reached out to FabFitFun, like many others and was offered the summer box for free. I really like the idea of quarterly subs, for both money reasons and for feeling overloaded with products, so I'm taking the free box and hoping it's better. There was an article I read that indicated the summer box would come in a summer/beach tote so fingers crossed!

BzzAgent Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge

I recently received a full size bottle of Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Shampoo, Conditioner and the Hydra Recharge 1-Minute Moisture-Plenish Treatment. I was pretty excited to try these because I've always liked Garnier products and was very excited to be getting full sized items of this brand to try out. I received these bottles of free of charge through BzzAgent which is a social marketing company where you can try amazing products and give your opinion on the products you receive/review.. Haven't heard of BzzAgent? Check it out: http://bzzagent.com/

As usual, I've always loved the smell of Garnier products and these items were no different.

Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Shampoo: While this product smells nice, it has these "micro beads" which are noted as "a hydration innovation; the first to feature thousands of beads that burst on impact." I personally did not care for the bead feature. The texture seemed grainy and I didn't find that the beads made any real difference. However, I will say that my husband enjoyed this shampoo and noted that he thought it lathered really well.

Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Conditioner: I personally did not find this conditioner to be any different than any other conditioner I've used, but the smell as usual was great. This makes sense as the description notes "contains superfruits goji berry, passion fruit and kiwi to actively replenish without heaviness"

Hydra Recharge 1-Minute Moisture-Plenish Treatment: This is a 1 minute treatment that is described as "a powerful deep treatment whose revolutionary lightweight crème-gel formula transforms dry hair with a surge of high-performance hydration in just one minute." When I used this I used it in place of the conditioner because I didn't want my hair to be too greasy looking. While the smell was great and the texture was only very slightly thicker than a regular conditioner, I did not find the result for me personally to be any different than using just the conditioner.

Although I didn't find the products to be anything extraordinary, if they were on sale or if I had a coupon I would purchase the conditioner and/or 1 minute treatment. I would not purchase the shampoo due to the bead feature.


<img src="https://img.bzzagent.com/image/garnierHydra.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=5610521272&Campaign=6404167871&Uid=1421962&token=e357fbaa565fa1f8e25a421446abf3b4" alt=""/>

BzzAgent Neutrogena Cosmetics

I recently joined BzzAgent and have been really pleased with their activities. So far I've been invited to four campaigns and one of my current campaigns is for Neutrogena Cosmetics. For this campaign I received:

• Neutrogena^® MoistureSmooth Color Sticks for sheer, shiny color that continuously conditions lips.This was in the color Sweet Watermelon

• Neutrogena^® Healthy Lengths Mascara for 100% longer looking lashes, in Black

• Neutrogena^® Crease Proof Eye Shadows for 12-hour wear that instantly revives and brightens eyes, I received two of these in the colors Lasting Taupe and Constant Copper. 

This is an awful and awkward picture, but in this picture I'm wearing the constant copper eyeshadow and the Sweet Watermelon Color Stick.

I've always wanted to try Neutrogena cosmetics but had never purchased them. I must say that I LOVE the copper eyeshadow. It's a wonderful light color. The taupe is darker so I don't care for it as much. The Watermelon Color Stick is also nice, it has a nice scent to it and a lovely soft color. I also have a Revlon Color Stick which is a lovely consistency but the color isn't noticeable at all, making it sort of useless except as a moisturizer.

Thanks BzzAgent, can't wait to try out more products!

I'm also currently testing out Garnier Fructis Hydra ReCharge  Shampoo, Conditioner and 1-Minute Moisture-Plenish Treatment and have a Lysol Foaming Soap Campaign coming up!

<img src="https://img.bzzagent.com/image/neutrogenaCosmetics.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=3879231349&Campaign=9517158006&Uid=1421962&token=96e3eab2a97a41e5f0f980bf4b9ff11d" alt=""/>

Review- March Hammock Pack "Spa Day"

I received the March Hammock Pack on Friday, the last of my three month subscription. I won't be continuing with this subscription, but this months was my favorite of the three I received. This months theme was "Spa Day";

                                              Here's a look at everything that was inside

What was inside?

Aqua Blossom Lip Polish and Facial Steam; this is the papery looking item and the small box tied with ribbon. For the facial steam you boil hot water, add the contents and put a towel over your head to utilize the facial steam. The lip polish comes with a little wooden spatula and is in the flavor buttercream.

Dang Foods Coconut Chips; this is a decent sized bag of coconut chips, these were pretty tasty!

Good Cacao Superfood Chocolate (Coconut); This was a full size dark chocolate bar with coconut flakes on the underside. I don't usually like dark chocolate but the coconut was a nice addition and this has already been consumed!

Perennial Soaps Vegan Soap (Lavender); This is an adorably packaged full size soap, I had seen previews/hints on the facebook page for this and was hoping for the Eucalyptus one because my husband hates Lavender. I may use this in a birthday gift box I'm creating for someone.

Teatulia Organic Green Tea (6 bags); My husband and I both drink tea so it's always a welcome surprise. My husband had this this morning and didn't have any complaints.

Aura Cacia Aromatherapy Milk & Oat Bath; This is the packet with the yellow on it in the picture. Basically it's a bath soak. Our bath isn't great for taking baths so I may gift this in the birthday box I'm making as well.

I enjoyed the variety and amount of items in this box. Both food items have already been eaten and I'll likely be gifting some of the "spa" items. I calculated the cost and this one came out pretty even to what I'd spent ($30). All in all a good box, but not enough for me to resubscribe at this time. 

Review- March Season's Box "Spring into St. Patty's"

I received my beloved SeasonsBox this week! Lovely packaging as usual;

                                               Bad picture of the information card, sorry!

Here's what was inside:

                                           Ecoverse Compact Umbrella from ShedRain

                              Organic Gourmet Tea from Octavia; I received Irish Breakfast Tea

                                 Natural Incense Cones from Vance Kitira; I received these in Lime scent

                                               Dublin Mint Irish Soap from All Things Herbal

I've tried the incense and it doesn't give off a strong lime scent, but in general I like the smokey smell of incense. My husband has stolen the umbrella so that will go to good use. I was able to try the tea last night and it was much better than expected, as I tend to prefer fruity teas.

                                                       All in all another successful box!

Review- February Starlooks

I won a contest through MUT and was super excited, I never win anything!!

Starlooks was originally giving away a free box to 20 lucky winners so I was surprised when I saw I had won! I later found out that Starlooks had been so generous and had instead chosen 100 winners to receive boxes. They gave one box, which was either the October, January or February box. I looked at pictures of each box and had my fingers crossed for February since I LOVE pink makeup and SCORE I got February!

                                       This is what everything looked like when I opened up the box.

                                                                             Close up



Here's what was inside:

1. Starlooks  Lip Pencil in Tipsy--I don't really use lip liner but I'm open to trying it
2. Starlooks Infinity Liner in Princess Diaries--This is such a pretty color and can be used as a liner or an all over eye color
3. Starlooks Lip Gloss in Pink Oasis--This is very pretty on, a very pretty purple/pink
4. Starlooks HD Fluid Blush in Barbie.--Love this, you need only the smallest amount

Overall I was impressed with this box and if I wasn't overloaded with makeup right now I would probably sign up. 

It's been a while...

Happy Saturday!

It's been a while since I posted, I got a little overwhelmed with all the subscriptions I was getting since this was new to me. I've since made some updates to my subscriptions and will try to be better! Below is an updated list of the subs I've tried, will be trying or want to try;

Pop Sugar Must Haves;
I was subscribed to this for December 2012, January 2013 and February 2013. I enjoyed this sub since it was a nice mix of "lifestyle" items but decided to cancel it to try out some others. Thankfully I wasn't too impressed with the March box. Right now there are some good promo codes out there;  Use GET$10 to get $10 off a 3-month sub and GET$25 to get $25 off a 6-month sub!!!Please use my referral link if signing up;http://popsu.gr/EAI

SeasonsBox; 
I was subscribed to this for January-March 2013. I LOVE this subscription and here's why;
-Full Size Products
-Value higher than you're paying and for me, these are items I actually use
-Lovely packaging (that could be reused for gifts)
-The option to "skip" a month
-The option to purchase items from past boxes
-Great customer service 
-Preview of the items in each month's box

This is a pricier subscription service but it has been my favorite so far. While I haven't continued my subscription, it's only because my birthday is in April and I've already asked my husband for a 3 or 6 month subscription. I've just really enjoyed/used the products in this box, had great customer service and I like that you get to preview the items with the option to skip. They just made improvements to the "my account" page, making their service even better. I highly recommend; http://curebit.com/x/CZ0zf 

Hammock Pack; 
I was subscribed to this for January-March 2013. I was not happy with the January or February box. March was better, but I will not be continuing with this subscription.The items in this box tend to be from Etsy and I love that you're supporting those types of sellers, but in general you're usually getting items worth about the same as you've paid and for me personally they aren't items I would have bought.

KlutchClub;
This is a fitness box that I'd been interested in. I signed up for the "best of valentines box" using a great coupon where I paid only $8.00. While the items were interesting, I didn't continue with this but continue to receive their e-mails/promotions


Starlooks;
My first "beauty/makeup" box. I won a free February box (review coming later). I loved the items in this box and the price/customer service/reviews are great. Right now I'm overloaded with makeup, but this is one I may try in the future

Yuzen; 
A mixture of beauty, food, and home items, I signed up for Yuzen when they announced they were going quarterly, with my first box arriving in February. I can't really judge this one yet since I've only gotten one box, but I like that it's quarterly and I've enjoyed trying the deluxe sized items so far.


In the coming months...

Pawalla;
A pet subscription for all you crazy animal people (like myself!). I ordered the April Standard Pawalla box for my two kitties using a referral link for $6.50 off. I later referred a co-worker and in turn got $15 back, SWEET! I can't wait to get my first box. Check out my link to get $6.50 off ; http://curebit.com/x/paoAj  There's also a great deal on fab.com right now for either a 1 month standard subscription box or three months of their mini version.

Love with Food; 
I signed up for this one with a coupon code (expired) to pay only $2. This will be my first food sub and I'm excited about it, especially knowing that for each box they donate a meal to a hungry child. I also got a deal on fab.com for another month and paid only $2 when combined with $5 in fab credit.

FabFitFun;
This is another "pop sugar" type subscription with it's first box coming out this month. Seems like this will be more beauty related but I'm hoping as they start to customize I can get some fitness items. I signed up using a $10 off coupon code and the promise of Moroccan Oil. This is another quarterly sub which I enjoy more than monthly subs. My first box should be arriving next week, I'll definitely stick around to see at least the summer box and then decide if I'm keeping it.

ConsciousBox;
A natural beauty/food product box, I got this using a coupon so I only paid $1.00. I've read mixed reviews but for the price I couldn't say no.

Subs I'd like to try...

The Jungle Stand; Another food box that gives you a "tasting" experience. For only $9.92 with free shipping, I'm sure I'll try this at some point


TwistBand Club; I got a twistband in my KlutchClub box and LOVED it! For only $10 a month I was thinking of doing a three month sub, but I'm holding out for now, hoping for a coupon

TheFancy.com ; I've seen mixed reviews of this one but I thought their food sub looked interesting, it's pricey so I probably won't subscribe

My Cotton Bunny or Juniper; Both of these are Time of the Month boxes that I think seem cute. Don't know if I'll ever try them but I've seen reviews and like both of them

The Homegrown Collective; My husband is a landscape architect and loves everything related to gardening, the yard etc so this would be ideal for him. I looked at some past boxes and I know he'd love some, one day I'll order!

Review- Yuzen Spring Box

I signed up for Yuzen after they announced they would be going to a quarterly format and after reading all the positive reviews. The box was packaged beautifully but I couldn't wait to open it and didn't take pictures.

Yuzen is $26/quarter, here's a few sentences from the About section of their site: Yuzen offers a box of elegant items to subscribers every 3 months. We focus on the experience of relaxation, pause and delight that each box embodies. Our selection and packaging is carefully designed for a well rounded offering of surprise presented in an elegant package. Most of our products are premium sample-sized which can last well over a month. 

Here's what was in the Spring box;

KNEIPP Deep Sleep Mineral Bath Salts; This was a packet (about the size of those packets of tuna you can buy). Again, my bath isn't that great so I haven't tried this yet but it sounds fun.

 Red Flower Italian Blood Orange Candle: This candle smells amazing but I was disappointed only because I thought it was going to be bigger, it's very tiny even though it indicates it has about a 14hr burn time.   Update 3/22/13; I tried this but honestly couldn't smell anything

Spa Technologies Marine Repair Creme; This is an anti-aging cream. I have a lot of creams right now so I haven't tried this quite yet. 

 Naturopathica Espresso Mud Body Scrub; Haven't tried this yet but I hope it smells like coffee, yum!
Update 3/22/13; I have now used this and while it certainly leaves your skin smooth, the coffee smell is strong, SO strong. I love coffee but this is a bit much for me

Essence of Vali Eau de Parfum; I had actually requested a sample of this through the Essence of Vali site and received this, the sleep sample (in the prior months box) and a body oil. This wasn't really my favorite, it has a spa like smell but honestly I think it smells a little like citronella. I do however LOVE the sleep stuff that was included last month in Yuzen and may order that in the future.

JUARA Avocado Banana Moisture Mask; Another face product that I haven't used yet, but since Yuzen is every quarter, I'll have plenty of time.
Update 3/22/13; I LOVE this, it has a spicy smell to me which for some reason is really comforting. It is also really moisturizing. 


Jane Iredale's lip treatments; I thought this was going to be one full size product so I was surprised to find three mini products;   A Lip and Cheek Stain, a Lip Plumper and one that includes an SPF.

Nova Monda Chocolate Truffle Hearts; This included two truffles, one with salt on top and one with cocoa. I don't really love dark chocolate so these weren't my favorite but they were good and I bet if I liked dark chocolate they would have been amazing. 

I promise I'll take pictures of the next box, it's hard for me to judge this box yet since I haven't tried many of the items and since it's my first one. More to come on this one...

Review- SeasonsBox "Love Yourself" February Box

SeasonsBox continues to impress me and I'm 99% certain I will be resubbing for either 3 or 6 months after March. If you sign up, they do have a referral program, here's my link: http://curebit.com/x/CZ0zf

This months theme was "Love Yourself" , from their site: The month of February focuses our attention on matters of the heart. Poetry is written, candy hearts are eaten, and romance abounds. In the craziness of it all, it is easy to forget about ourselves. This is why we would like to honor the month of LOVE by asking you to take the time to LOVE yourself first.

I just LOVE the packaging and I refuse to throw away the boxes because I know I can use them for gifts down the road; 

Even though you already know what's in SeasonsBox before receiving it, I'm still excited to get it!

So here's what was inside:

Kaia Naturals Bamboo Cleansing Cloths (Found these for $17.99 online); This was a container of 30 cleansing cloths and they smell amazing. I HATE washing my face at night because I'm usually too tired, so I love that I can use this and get in bed. Update 3/22/13; these are SO nice, they smell so good and I used them every night. I ran out this week and unfortunately the price is just too high so it's back to grocery store brands for me

Bambu Earth Sugar Cookie Body Glow ($18.00); This was a really big size of body glow and it smells yummy. I used it yesterday and it made my skin super soft. Word of caution, I used it on my legs after shaving and it stung, I don't recommend doing that. 

Dream Organics Rose Water ($22.00); You'll notice that there aren't any pictures of this in my pictures and that's because I'm an idiot. When I took it out of the box it slipped out of my hand and smashed on the quartz counter top and broke. BUT on a happy note, I posted at Make Up Talk on the SeasonsBox board just telling people what an idiot I was and SeasonsBox contacted me directly and offered to include another one for free in my March box. Talk about awesome customer service and I'm excited I will still get to try this product. Update 3/22/13; SeasonsBox updated their shipping and in the mix my Rose Water was left out of my March box. I emailed the owner and she wrote back very quickly to apologize and tell me they would send it out separately this week

Galerie Au Chocolat Fair Trade Bars ($5.00); I got this in the Maple Crunch flavor and it was So yummy, you could tell it was Belgian chocolate and the Maple Crunch wasn't overpowering, just right. 

Total approximate retail:  $62.99

Verdict: Loved this boxed, maybe not as much as January because I really liked the scarf and candle in the January box, but if March is anything like January/February I'll be signing back up. 

I also noted on their facebook page that they are working on an online shop where you can purchase items from their prior boxes. They've noted that subscribers will get a discount based on the length of their subscription, this is a great new concept for a subscription box and I bet it will be great for business and their customers.

 

Review- February Hammock Pack "Movie Night"

As most of you know, I was a little disappointed with my first Hammock Pack. The theme in January was sailing and I wasn't too fond of most of what I received. I ended up giving the "Ahoy" notecards to a co-worker who was retiring and had a cruise coming up. We're using the Anchor Tote to wrap a "whale" themed baby boy gift for a co-worker and the other items were edibles that I didn't really care for and bath salts (which I would appreciate more if my bath didn't stink for taking baths).

I had hopes that February would be better, and it was, but I was still not "thrilled" with it.

This months theme was Movie Night;

Whimsical Candy, La-Dee-Dahs ($6.49); This is the red box in the above picture and was a box of three "La-Dee-Dahs" which are described as "swirls of white chocolate nougat and sea salt caramel hand dipped in premium dark chocolate". I tried one of these and they were okay, they looked really good but I didn't like them as much as I'd hoped.

Quinn Popcorn (3 boxes of 2 are $14.99, so this would be about $5.00); This is the "popcorn reinvented" and you can learn more about their company here:  http://www.quinnpopcorn.com/popcorn-reinvented/ I love popcorn, but when I saw that the flavor was "Vermont Maple & Sea Salt" I was skeptical. The box contained two bags and I tried this last night. First you pop the popcorn just like you normally do, next it comes with a small packet of oil which you open and dump into the bag and shake it up. Last it comes with a seasoning packet (think Uncle Bens Rice) which you also dump in and shake up. Voila! Serve it up!. The flavor wasn't bad, it was just the right amount of sweetness and the flavor was subtle. Although for the price I probably wouldn't purchase this, it was neat to try.

Oh LaLa 25 Paper Straws ($4.00); This was a fail for me, I don't really use straws and this just seemed like a strange addition to the box.

Komforte Chockolates; Movie Night Chocolate Bar ($3.49); This is a chocolate bar that has 64% dark chocolate and Halfpops partially air popped popcorn. This doesn't sound yummy, but I haven't tried it yet. Update 3/22/13; this was not yummy, between my husband and I we finished it but I would not purchase this

 Pure Palette Scents 4 Soy Tea light candles in Vanilla Cinnamon ($3.25); These smell nice cold but I didn't smell too much when burning. I took at the look at the Etsy site and I think I would have preferred a single tin can rather than tea lights but I was happy to have someone non-food.

Total Retail; approximately $22.23, so almost the cost of the box ($25).

While I appreciate being introduced to new items, I have already decided that I will not be resubbing to this box after March, it's just not what I was hoping for the last two months

Review-February Pop Sugar Must Haves

The February Pop Sugar Must Have box was going to be the box that determines if I keep this subscription, but unfortunately I'm still undecided. I really liked this box but I'm also loving SeasonsBox, so I have to decide if I want to keep both, just one, or what exactly I want to do (more to come on that later).If you sign up through my blog please use my referral link :) http://popsu.gr/EAI

So here's the description for the February box "Whether you're single or couples up, love is in the air in February. Spoil yourself with a luxurious after-bath wrap, pucker up with a new lip color, and update your undergarments. Get wrapped up in a romantic love story before seeing it on the big screen while indulging in classic Valentine's Day treat; chocolate and conversation hearts. We hope you enjoy these special valentines from us to you."

Here's what was inside, in case you couldn't guess from the description:

Must Have Fashion
Brokedown Wrap: This is made by the same company as the infamous September scarf that everyone loved. The wrap unfortunately was not as big of a hit for everyone. The wrap came in a few different colors (white and baby pink appear to be the most common) and is listed as "one size fits all." Aside from the fact that this wrap clearly will not fill all the members who receive this box because everyone is a different weight, chest size etc, it's also VERY short. I'm 5'2" and this thing will barely cover my butt! With that aside, I think this is really pretty and soft and I was super excited when I received it. I'll definitely use it in the summer! Sorry for the bad picture, I wasn't sure how to photograph this without putting it on, which I was not about to do!

The box also came with a coupon for 30% off the Brokedown site. 

Hanky Pankys; When I opened my box and saw something lacy looking I grew concerned, had PopSugar included underwear? How did they know my size? As it turns out they HAD included underwear, but it was one size fits all thong from Hanky Panky. Hanky Panky's are apparently known for being very comfy and you can avoid panty lines etc. I received the pink color. There was controversy on this item as well, since the one size fits all indicates it's meant only up to a certain size.


A coupon was also included for 15% off any order as well as a coupon for a free Zoya Purple nail polish. Combine this was the first time member sign up of $10 off $20 and you could score a decent savings. I was debating ordering two pairs, but the total would still be $25 so I'm holding off for now. 

Update 3/22/13; I used the coupon codes plus a new member coupon to get three pairs of low rise Hanky Pankys and a Zoya nail polish. The pair in the Pop Sugar box must have been the original rise because the low rise fit me so much better!

Must Have Food
Mariebelle New York's Tresor Box; This is the pink box with the blue ribbon in the above picture. This was a cute little box of chocolates. I received the dark chocolate balls, haven't tried these yet. Update 3/22/13; these were quite yummy, I don't usually like dark chocolate but it seems this is the perfect size for me to enjoy it

Must Have Beauty
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain; I received the color "honey" which appears to be pretty similar to the color of my lips. I don't really wear lipstick so this will work nicely to moisturize and give me just the slightest amount of color. 

Must Have Entertainment
Safe Haven Book and Song Download; This was the book by Nicholas Sparks which also is apparently a movie. I love to read but don't have time to read for pleasure right now. I'm looking forward to bringing this on our next trip as a good beach read. 

Must Have Home
Connoisseurs Quick Jewelry Cleaner; This is a jewelry cleaner which is a gel and toothbrush which is apparently easy to use. I don't own a jewelry cleaner so it'll be nice to have one. 

Special Extras
Conversation Hearts; My husband already ate these, enough said!

I've seen some blogs indicating a retail value between $138-$150, great value for the $32 I paid.   
      

 

Review: KlutchClub Valentines Day Best of Box

Well I've finally received all of my February boxes and am ready to review. Let me start by saying in February I was lazy and didn't take pictures of everything, I promise I'll be better in the future.Klutchclub was one I didn't take a picture of.

I signed up for the KlutchClub Best of Valentines Box because I found a code where I was able to get it for only $8.00. In general, for the price I paid I was happy with what I received, but I don't think I'll be signing up for a monthly sub just yet. 
Here's what it contained:

• Absolute mineral eyeliner in absolute iron; this was really big and I'm currently using it because I needed a new one. I like how their is a sharpener on one end
• Freeman Pssssst! Instant Dry Shampoo; haven't tried, I'm a little confused by it
• Hemp Hearts: Haven't tried these yet  Update 3/22/13; these are actually very good! I've been using them in my yogurt and I love the texture!
• Dream Water Snoozeberry: Tried this, tasted like grape flavored water, nothing special
• Acacia Workout Sampler: Haven't tried yet
• Natural Vitality Natural Calm, The anti-stress drink, raspberry lemon; Tried this, it's a large container but it has a weird after taste, I'll use it but nothing I would buy again
• Zenify Anti-stress drink; This was good, my husband really liked it
• Nature’s Gate moisturizing cleansing bar in pomegranate sunflower; smells good, haven't used yet. Update 3/22/13; this continued to smell nice in the shower, but nothing extraordinary
• Lauren Brooke Costmetiques mini lip gloss pot in winterberry; this is very small, haven't tried
•  Journey Bar in Coconut Curry; haven't tried, kind of scared. Update 3/22/13; tried this out of desperation one day. While it was not awful, it was not a good texture, very dry
• Small Package of Truvia sweetener; added this to my other sweeteners
• Anatomy Naturals 100% natural revitalizing mud mask; this was really weird looking, it was half full and all of it had moved to one side, I threw it right out
• One "the twist band" hair tye; love this, would like to get more of these
• $50 gift card to www.itrain.com; this needs to be entered as a discount code instead of a gift card, it worked but I haven't tried using the workouts yet
• Buddha Lounge CD 

Review: January Pop Sugar Must Have

I received my January Pop Sugar Must Have box today and I was pleasantly surprised. I had read the spoilers and was initially disappointed, but after receiving it today I feel better about it.

Pop Sugar Must Have is a monthly subscription service where you pay ~$35/mo and you receive "Hand-selected items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, and food, Full-size products and premium items worth over $100."

You can sign up for a month to month subscription, or a 3 month, 6 month or 1 year subscription will save you a little bit of money:

• Monthly 35/mo
• 3 months for $95
• 6 months for $190
• 12 months for $380 (1 month free)

If you sign up for more than one month, once your subscription period ends your subscription will continue as a month to month subscription unless you cancel. There are always codes for at least $5 off a subscription but sometimes there are better deals to be had as well so always check for coupon codes. If you sign up through my blog please use my referral link :) http://popsu.gr/EAI

I must have really bad luck because similar to Hammock Pack, I loved all the prior boxes but when I got my first box in December I was disappointed. However, I did end up really enjoying the December box so I spoke too soon! Here's what the January box looked like:

Here's what was inside:

Merrithew Stability Ball and code for 50% off instructional DVD (Retail $38.99): My husband and I already have one of these and don't use it, but maybe this will be my motivation to use it! I checked out the DVD's and found two that would total $10, still debating if I'll purchase or just try and find free stuff online

The Remix Timebomb Watch (Retail Value $44.95): This has a pretty large face but I'm glad I got the white color because I was hoping to maybe wear it to work and white will be much more versatile.

Epicuren Discovery Lip Balm .25 fl oz ($9.50 on amazon):Contains SPF 15 as well as tea tree oil and aloe vera

Pop bar Hot Chocolate on a Stick (1) Milk Chocolate and (1) Dark Chocolate $2.99 each, retail value $5.98: I received a similar item for Christmas from my boss, I'm curious to see how these compare:

Jet-Puffed Vanilla Mallow Bits (found these for $1.50 at an online grocer): I LOVE marshmallows in my hot chocolate so I'm excited to try these but I do wish they had gone with a higher end marshmallow since I know even at my local grocery store you can purchase gourmet flavored hand made marshmallows.

Bonus Items; Think Thin Bars, $1.00 off two Think Thin Bars and $15 voucher to www.casetagram.com and some Stability Ball Exercises; I was pretty excited about the casetagram voucher but unfortunately when I visited their site they don't have an option for my tablet and I don't have a smart phone so this may be a gift for someone. The Think Thin Bars will be good snacks to keep at work and I appreciate the info card with some sample exercises for the Stability Ball

After typing this all out I'm realizing that this box had quite a bit in it! The retail value was clearly there, I calculate about $101 without the "bonus items" which is pretty good. February is the last month of my three month subscriptions so that will be when I decide if I want continue month to month or cancel...my 30th birthday is in April so maybe I'll stick around until then depending on February

Review: January Hammock Pack-Sailing

I've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Hammock Pack, a newer monthly subscription service that started in June 2012. From their website:

"Every month, you’ll receive a surprise pack filled with everything you need to take a much-needed getaway without even leaving your home. Whether it’s as simple as a movie night or mementos from that exotic vacation you can’t find the time to take. So relax and let a little “me time” come to you"

You can sign up for one month, three months or a full year subscription, each currently costs the same which is $25 + $5 shipping, for a monthly cost of $30. Payments are made through paypal and you are billed each month, and boxes are shipped mid-month.

I signed up for the three month subscription after looking at and loving all the prior boxes. Unfortunately I wasn't completely in love with the January pack. Here's how it was packaged:

Here's what was inside:

K. Batty Design & Stationary Shop, Two AHOY! note cards: These are really cute, and since they are blank instead I can see using them as cute thank you cards in the summer or just a quick note to a friend. I found these in the sellers Etsy shop $10 for a package of 15, or $1.50 each.

Toot Sweet Caramels, package of four caramels: I thought this was cute packaging and I did try a caramel and they are really good. Retail value $1.25

Everlasting Eden Bath Salts "Tranquil Waters": This is a 4oz container and the sellers Etsy site indicates "Refreshing and energizing mineral dead sea baths salts. Made with Eucalyptus Mint Essence Oils, and organic herbal peppermint." I found that the seller sold a three pack of these for $14.99, so I'm placing the retail value at approximately $5.00. 

White Apple Threads Anchor Tote Bag: Everything came packaged in this tote bag, which is noted as eco-friendly and a percentage of each sale goes to charity. While this is cute, I can only see using it as a beach bag (which I have tons of) or a grocery bag (which I also have plenty of), so that's the only reason this item isn't a hit with me. I couldn't find an accurate retail value on this, but there was a custom bag with a photo image that was $10, so I'm guessing it may be slightly less. 

Salt of the Earth Bakery; The Cookie, package of 2 cookies; This package contained two cookies which have Maldon Sea Salt Sprinkled on top. I'm a HUGE cookie/sweets fan, so of course I already tried one of these. Unfortunately I don't care for the salt and couldn't finish the one that I tried.

And here's everything together:

One thing I do love about this subscription is that many of the items are from Etsy or small businesses and I think that putting them in a Hammock Pack is a great way to get their name out and I love that these aren't items you would necessarily be able to run to the store and pick up, since they aren't local. 

Based on what I could find, the total retail value of these items is lower than the other boxes I subscribe to and unfortunately for this particular box, the items aren't ones that I'm too interested in but I still have high hopes for February and March. 

I should be receiving the Pop Sugar Must Have's January Box tomorrow, I've already read the spoilers and was kind of disappointed so I'm anxious to see what I think when I have the actual items in hand.

As a side note, I've started a "score card" on my desk top to compare my monthly subscriptions, because ultimately I only want one or two. 

Here are the subscriptions I currently have and will be comparing in February when I have at least two boxes from the first three, and one Yuzen box.

Pop Sugar Must Haves ; December- January

SeasonsBox; January-March

Hammock Pack; January- March

Yuzen- Quarterly starting with February

Review: SeasonsBox- January Soft & Cozy Box

Today I received my first SeasonsBox and it is lovely! For those of you who don't know, SeasonsBox is a newer monthly subscription service and I think it has some features that really make it stand out from the others. Here's the basics:

• You can sign up for a one time purchase or gift ($34.90)or sign up for 3, 6 or 12 month subscriptions to see some savings. If you sign up by 1/31/2013 they are offering an amazing deal on the 12 month subscription, just $250 which works out to about $20.83/per month, the normal cost for 12 months is $349 or $29.08/month
• You get to preview the items before purchasing, so before I bought my January box I already knew what I was getting. I LOVE this feature, although it can be nice to be surprised, I like knowing in advance so there's not the "fear" of hating everything
• Shipping is super fast because they are currently using FedEx. My box shipped on Monday and arrived Wednesday
• I've heard through other blogs that SeasonsBox sends out a preview before each month and if that month doesn't suit you, you can e-mail them and ask to "skip" that month, they will then add that month to the back end of your subscription. I haven't confirmed if that information is correct, and it seems unlikely that I'd not like their items, but if this is an option I think it's a great feature.

I signed up for the three month subscription so I'll be getting January, February and March Boxes. Here's how it came packaged, there was also a card on top of the items which outlined what each item was and why they included it. Love that everything was individually packaged and so much attention to detail.

Here's what was inside:

Kitira Hand Woven Scarf; So cozy and so glad I got the neutral color, planning to wear it this week!

Vance Kitira Hand Poured Cathedral Candle in Bamboo Bliss: Upon first smell this reminds me of fresh linen/fresh cotton, but it may smell differently when burning.

Whispering Willow Whipped Shea Butter in Tea Tree Scent: This is a very unique scent, it reminds me of what it smells like in a spa and I think it would be great to use at night when getting ready for bed. Perfect timing for the awful headache I've had all day today! I found their website here: http://www.whisperingwillow.net/collections/lotion/products/whipped-shea-butter-tea-tree

Unearth Malee Thai Herbal Steam Bath Tea: This is a really neat concept, inside the package you'll find two large "tea bags" that you steep in your tub for a relaxing bath. Even cooler, the packaging is printed on seeded paper and can be planted so you can enjoy wildflowers! I couldn't find a direct site for this company, but found it sold here: http://www.artisancraftedbodycare.com/unearth-malee-organic-bath-tea.aspx

Perfumessense Organic "Breathe" Shower & Bath Bomb: This is used by either placing in a bath, or by placing on the shelf or floor of your shower out of direct steam. According to their Etsy shop, when used in the shower and out of direct stream of water, this should last for three showers. These are sold on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/118280791/breathe-shower-bath-bombs-3-pack

So that's everything, as I use everything I'll provide updates on my thoughts on each product :) If you sign up, they do have a referral program, here's my link: http://curebit.com/x/CZ0zf

Stay tuned, coming this month still are reviews on Pop Sugar Must Haves and Hammock Pack and next month I'll be adding Yuzen to the list!

**1/23/2013 Update**
I'm LOVING the contents of this box! I've worn the scarf twice, once to work and once on the weekend, the neutral color makes it perfect for either setting and it's so cozy. The candle is currently burning perfectly with no dripping and continues to smell similar to a fresh linen/cotton scent. The shea butter has come in handy every night before bed when trying to relax and I used it as a massage lotion on my husbands neck after a long day at work. I tried the bath tea but unfortunately our tub isn't amazingly good at keeping water or staying hot, so I'll save the other for a better tub. A word of caution, just like drinking tea it did change the color of the water and left a little residue so don't be like me and clean the tub then take a bath, you'll just end up having to clean again! Lastly, I used the bath bomb as a shower bomb and after some strategic placement I did enjoy this and may be purchasing more!

Influenster -Palmolive Fresh Infusions

I recently signed up for Influenster after seeing a video review a couple months back. For those of you who don't know, Influenster is a "social influence" website where you can review products, stores etc. As you complete activities your Influenster score changes to reflect your influence in the community. There are expert badges, these are areas of expertise such as Fashion, Beauty, Fitness and you can only be an expert in four areas. There are lifestage badges which are related to where you are in your life (ie. mom, cat lover, etc) and you can get as many of these as you fall into. There are also "VoxBoxes" which is a package of a product/products that Influenster sends you for free for the purpose of reviewing products. Every VoxBox has a different theme and you are selected based on your badges and scores. You'll get an e-mail saying that you pre-qualify but need to complete a survey, if you're a good fit you'll get an e-mail letting you know that a VoxBox is on its way. Once you have the box there are Brand Challenges, Reviews etc that you need to complete, some are mandatory and some are bonuses and you can win extra prizes.


Once I signed up I started filling out surveys and reviewing products. I'll admit, I did a lot in just a few days. Within a few weeks I got an e-mail telling me that I'd pre-qualified for their Dish Soap program. The e-mail was in my spam folder but luckily I found it! I filled out the survey and a few weeks later received an e-mail telling me that a VoxBox was on the way! Woohoo!

I received the Palmolive Fresh Infusions VoxBox which contained three full size bottles of Palmolive Fresh Infusions Dish Soap. The box was also supposed to contain $1.50 off coupons for the dish soap but unfortunately my box didn't have any. Here's what I got:

I really like organizing and cleaning so this box is right up my alley. The scents are Lemon Thyme, White Ginger Tea and Lime Basil. I think I like the Lemon Thyme the best because it just smells so fresh and I'm partial to Lemon scents, but they all smell great!

One thing I've noticed is that this creates A LOT of suds compared to other dish soap I've used, I'm not sure why that is. This would be great if you fill up your sink and let the dishes soak.We use the dishwasher a lot but wash a lot of our pots/pans and more delicate items by hand so the HUGE amount of suds when hand washing can be annoying, so use sparingly. 

 If you're interested in purchasing these, they are available at Walmart. For more information on these you can also visit the Palmolive site at http://bit.ly/VMwX1V or for reviews from the Influenster community check out: http://bit.ly/101WrXn