Beauty Box 5: June 2014 & Coupon!

After literally days of this box not being delivered because my pain-in-the-rear neighbor keeps parking in front of my mailbox... I finally got my Beauty Box 5 subscription!  I jumped for joy when it was finally in my mailbox after seeing that "Box Blocked - Notice Left" comment in the shipping tracker for so long.  Beauty Box 5 is a monthly beauty sample delivery service for $12 a month, and lucky you, they sent me a code that you can use for a FREE box (or $12 off an extended subscription).  Enter Code FREE614 for a free box!

I love getting these, The sample sizes are generous and it is small enough that it fits in my mailbox so it isn't sitting on my porch all day.

 Organix Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner:  Okay, so maybe this one isn't the greatest size sample, but these come in handy for a weekend away.  I love this brand.  My favorite is the tea tree oil shampoo and conditioner, but I haven't tried the coconut water version, so maybe I'll have a new favorite?

Vitabath Cupcake Couture Dreamy Pink Frosting Body Wash:  **Smiles** It smells like cupcakes. :-)

Eslor: The Art of Beauty Introductory packet:  This came with samples of four different Elsor products.  I have never heard of this brand so I'm looking forward to trying it out.

GlamNatural Black Mascara:  Between all of my boxes and the Allure Summer Beauty box, I have soooo many black mascaras.  I have heard good things about this brand though so maybe I'll have one of my sisters try it out instead.

Lastly: Nicka K New York Nail Polish in Ripe Apple - This is the perfect red, truly.  I am a happy girl.

Overall, definitely worth the $12 subscription price, 9 Stars this month BB5!

(Don't forget to use code FREE614 for a free box!)

Julep Maven: June 2014

So excited to get my June Julep Maven box!

Julep is a monthly Nail Polish subscription service for $20/month and they send you two new polishes along with an additional beauty item once a month.  The colors are always chic and I love that they dry quickly so I don't have to worry about messing them up with sheet marks when I do my nails at night!  Check out my new colors!

I get the "Classic With A Twist" box based on my style profile.  This month I got Bergen and Ariana and both are so pretty. 

I'm also pretty pumped about the Julep Oxygen smoothing base coat.  Of course I was so excited that I did my nails in Bergen (The steel-grey colored polish) before even remembering that I received a new base coat, so I'll have to try that out on my next mani.

Also: Pixie Sticks!  Definitely brought me back to my childhood!

Thanks Julep!

Birchbox Man June 2014 And AWAY WE GO

 Every month guest reviewer Jonathan (a.k.a. my handsome boyfriend) reviews his Birchbox Man for my blog.  Birchbox Man is $20/Month for a box full of manly essentials delivered straight to your mailbox.  Enjoy his post below!

 

 Well, I inexplicably have a bathroom full of fancy toiletries which means it must be time for another review. And if you like washing with lavish soaps and rubbing yourself with lotion then you’re gonna LOVE this month’s Birchbox Man!  For the rest of us, get ready to get clean ‘cause it’s soaps and lotions....FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

The items collected in this box are as follows:

 Billy Jealousy Beard Wash

Made in the manliest state of America, Texas, this beard wash will rinse out all traces of BBQ sauce and chewing tobacco juice found soaked in the average man’s beard.  Since the summer months are upon us and I am currently clean-shaven, I have very little need for a $20 beard shampoo.  But come No Shave November, you better believe I’m gonna use it!

Mt. Sapola Body Lotion - Lemongrass

This decadent lotion from Thailand leaves skin feeling soft and smooth while making you smell like a delicious Lemon Meringue Pie; just in time for summer!  I hope the full-size version comes in a bigger jar (for 24 bucks, it better) because there wasn’t nearly enough to cover my entire body.

PLANT Face Oil

This mixture of natural oils may look like something you cook with but it’s actually for your face.  Now, usually my face is oily enough on it’s own so I was pleased that it moisturized without being greasy. After reading the list of natural ingredients, and seeing that only seed and nut oils were used, I was curious enough to give it a little taste and was not disappointed!  The essential oils of Rosemary, Sweet Orange, & Ginger give it a little extra zip that tastes good by itself or on a piece of bread! 

Proper Bar Soap

This pure vegetable soap on the other hand tastes terrible!  Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fine French-made soap; rich & creamy lather, pleasant aroma, refreshing feel, but DO NOT taste it (no matter how delicious the ingredients may sound).

J Fold Card Carrier

This super-light, ultra-thin, possibly anorexic wallet is made from 100% green leather and makes a normal billfold look like William Howard Taft stuck in the White House bathtub.  While it’s small size is ideal for travel, it’d be nice if there were more slots so I can take along my Drivers License, Debit Card, Credit Card, Library Card, Blood Donor ID Card, Health Insurance Card, Social Security Card, Mr. Goodcents Centsable Club Card, Student ID, Selective Service ID, Middle School ID, Gym Membership, Boarders Gift Card, Circuit City Gift Card, Blockbuster Card, and my coupon for one free car wash.

WHERE TO NEXT? Travel Quiz/City Guide

It should be noted that the theme for this month’s Birchbox is about being a World Traveler....at this point, I feel like an extremely clean world traveler who has stolen a lot of hotel soaps and moisturizers.  Add to the fact that I literally have no money in my new wallet and I really do feel like I’ve been on vacation!  This is why I hope to win it big with a trip courtesy of JetBlue.  I haven’t read all the rules yet but I’m pretty sure all I have to do is fill out this travel quiz and they’ll send me to wherever.  Since I got a three-way tie between New York City, San Francisco, and Portland, Maine I guess I’ll be going to all three!  Thanks Birchbox & JetBlue!

Altogether, (and assuming I win the free, all-expenses paid trip) this Birchbox is the best one I’ve ever had and am quite impressed by the variety of high-quality products for today’s modern man.

Ipsy May 2014

Can I just tell you how much I look forward to Ipsy every month??  I love it.  $10/Month and GOOD samples and sometimes even full size products.  To sign up, Click this Link!

This Month's Theme is "Fresh Picks" and I am loving this bag.  I think this is my favorite bag ever and it is very much my style.. It even matches my curtains (in the background) teehee! Its super cute.

First up: Eva-NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask - I have really dry hair so I have been using this a few times a week since I received my bag and I think its great.  I use it after using regular conditioner because I'm that dry, but its definitely been helping.

Hang Ten 50 SPF Suntan Lotion - I can't get enough sunscreen.  I burn in the winter so I use sunscreen all the time.  I don't think this is my favorite brand, but it seems to work well enough.

Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray - I was a bit skeptical of this product because lets be honest,  it is just water in a spray bottle, but it does feel nice right after a workout or on a hot day.  It isn't something I would normally pay money for, but the sample is nice to try.

Pacifica eye shadow in pretty neutral colors.  I have a LOT of neutral eye colors so I gifted this one to my sister, but the brand is nice. 

 Last and favorite product - I am IN LOVE with this Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer.  I thought it was going to be too dark for my skin tone, but it is perfect and it smells like chocolate because it is made with cocoa powder!  Yum!


Overall I loved this month.  9 out of 10 stars and only because I always seem to get neutral eye colors. What did you get in your Ipsy bag?  What did you think of this month's picks?

POPSUGAR Must Have: May 2014

The POPSUGAR Must have box is easily one of my favorite subscriptions.  Every month for 39.95 they send a box loaded with high value products (and the best snacks ever).  This month was no different.

 So many goodies!  This month is all about getting summer ready and features a lot of great fitness and beauty products.

Hi I’m Skinny Sticks  in Multi-Grain Sweet Onion flavor... I opened them right after I took the picture.  These are so good.  These are way better for you than potato chips and I think they taste better too.  This bag did not last long.

I love this color!  Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics nail polish in "Pool Boy."  I put it on my toes and its so fun... perfect for summer!

This Kerry Cassill eye mask is very soft, but I already have one that I like, so I gave this one to my sister.  I'm sure it will come in handy for all those day-time naps college students get to take. (So jealous...)

Another item that I gave to my sister, this Smellbent St Tropez fragrance smells like sunscreen on the beach.  It smells decent, but not really my style.  This was the heavy hitter in the box valued at $45.00, but I'm so picky when it comes to fragrances that I was a little disappointed that the highest value item in the box was a fragrance.  Caroline liked it though, so that is a plus.

I haven't actually tried this workout DVD from Tone It Up yet, but I'm looking forward to it!  It looks like a really good one!  I've been working out lately with a personal trainer and haven't been doing too many indoor workouts on my own, but with the hot summer weather coming it will be nice to have a new indoor workout to try.

This Zing Anything water bottle has a built in citrus juicer in the bottom compartment so that you can have naturally flavored water anytime!  I think its a really neat concept and I've been using lemons in it.  The only downside is that you have to be really careful about making sure the bottom is sealed tight otherwise it will leak.

Overall, I'm pleased with this box.  The total value of the box was $108.00 so definitely a great value for the 39.95 monthly subscription.  This wasn't my favorite Popsugar box, but Its still one of my favorite services.  What did you think of your box?  Have you tried any of these products before?

Escape Monthly May 2014: California

Sunny California, Here I come!  Escape Monthly is a monthly vacation in a box subscription service for $49.95.  The theme of this month's box is California, and I have to say, its my favorite theme so far. 

Escape Monthly always includes lots of snacks.  While I'd prefer the value of the box to not be snack heavy, the snacks this month were appealing. I got a package of All Natural IPS Egg White Chips, a box of San Franola Cinnamon Almond Granola, a bottle of Caliwater Cactus water, and 2 Nicobella Organic Chocolates (of which only the empty box is pictured because we ate them as soon as we opened the box... Yum!)

I LOVE all the beauty products in this box!  This Hugo Naturals handcrafted soap smells amazing and I love the natural sponge.

I also received a full size Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Hand Cream.  I think it smells more like lemon than green apple but I really love the scent and the product. This left my hands very soft and smooth.

Every Month, Escape Monthly includes a travel guide to the chosen destination.  Normally, I don't find them useful, but this time the guide is for California Wine Country and I will definitely be flipping through to plan my imaginary vacation.

Bonus!  Escape Monthly included this tin of California Poppy seeds!  Its so cute and a thoughtful bonus addition.

In all, this month was definitely my favorite.  The Escape Monthly boxes usually are close in value of the items to the overall cost of the subscription, however the selection of products is fun.  What was your favorite item this month?  Where would you like to travel to next month?

Birchbox Man May 2014: True to GOOD FORM

(Guest Post by my handsome and hilarious boyfriend Jonathan, Enjoy!)

Hello again. 

Despite my somewhat ineloquent grasp of written communication, I’ve been asked to guest review the contents of this month’s Birchbox Man!  Whether this is because my review was actually good or not is left to be determined.  In any case, I am indeed a MAN and therefore meet the minimum qualifications required to review this month’s man-box.  

The items collected in this box are as follows:

A vial of Histories de Parfums’ 1969 themed cologne which smells a lot like a used record store that also happens to sell “waterpipes” for “tobacco”.  This pleasantly mellow musk will make you want to put on some tie-dye, listen to some Hendrix, and seriously consider moving to Canada to dodge the draft (and also, like, how love is, like, everywhere, man, if you just look hard enough).  At $125 for a full-size bottle, it’s way more expensive than what an actual hippie would pay, especially when you consider how much weed that could buy in 1969!

A tube of COOLA Environmental Repair Plus Radical Recovery After-Sun Lotion.  For the REAL MANLY MAN who would rather get sun poisoning than wear some sissy sunblock!  I haven’t gotten much use from it yet since the longest I’ve been outside recently was when I got stuck behind a confused, elderly woman at Redbox.  But it’s a smooth and soothing cream that moisturizes without feeling oily.  I’m sure it’ll come in handy on those summer days when I either forget to put sunscreen on or can’t find a friendly stranger to rub it on for me.

PRORASO Shave Cream

If you’ve ever wanted the feel of an old-fashioned shave without the pain of using a Straight Razor, then this shaving cream is for you!  A little dab lathers up nicely and smells like an upscale barbershop (the kind that businessmen go to).  Leaves a nice, clean shave that feels like I just shaved with my grandfather’s shaving kit (except this time my face isn’t all sliced up).

Bread & Boxers Boxer Briefs

Despite it’s name, bread did not come with this particular pair of boxer briefs.  Made of organic cotton, this comfortable and stylish underwear will keep your boys in place until it’s time to let ‘em loose.  While the front panel shows off my package nicely, I failed to realize that these briefs were fly-less until the most inopportune time.    

BONUS!

32 Oral Care, LLC Effervescent Breath Treatment

Pop Rocks....but for adults!  The ordinary (boring) packaging makes it look like something you’d find in the toothpaste aisle of a pharmacy.  Taste good but kind of overpriced (pack of 15-60 will cost you anywhere from $9.99 to $29.50, yikes!).  Flavors included; Honey Mint, Lemon Mint, Peppermint, and Spearmint.  Don’t drink with soda.

Bicycle Robocycle Playing Cards

How do robots unwind after a long day of serving/enslaving mankind?  By heading over to R2-D2’s place for poker night of course!  This clever twist on the classic deck of cards features a retro-futuristic design that’ll make a simple game of war look like a scene from Terminator!  So if you’re into Steampunk and enjoy an analog game of solitaire, this deck’s for you!

Oh, yeah, and there’s a poster.

Altogether, this Birchbox was the best one I’ve ever had and am quite impressed by the variety of high-quality products for today’s modern man.