Goodies.co Review June 2013

I'm going to use this an an opportunity to tell everyone that Goodies.co is launching a kid's subscription in August for the same price as it's regular subscription. ($7, including shipping!) I'm really tempted to sign up. Even if I don't have kids, I'm a kid at heart. I think I'm going to make myself wait until the first reviews are out, but at $7 I don't know how I'll be able to resist.

GimMe Roasted Seaweed Snacks I feel like when I write reviews I always start with the worst items in a box and work my way up to the best. The bad news? No way will I ever eat these. Seaweed? No. Honey dijon seaweed? Double no. I don't know why, but seaweed is just so gross to me. The good news? This is the only "unusable" item in the box. Awesome!

Pringles Stix (Cheese Flavor) These are one of my favorite snack foods, and I consider them extremely underrated! If you've ever had Pocky before, these have a similar crunch. They're just a savory cheesy version. I was thrilled to see these in the box because I really, really enjoy them.

Smooch Strawberry, Blueberry, & Banana Fruit Snack I love applesauce pouches, but I am unfamiliar with the smooch line. This makes me a little nervous because it's "fortified with chia and acerola." I hope that it doesn't give it a weird texture.

Lay's Stax Adobadas (Made in Mexico) I wasn't sure what to make of these. They're a little thicker than Pringles, which isn't really a good or a bad thing in my opinion. They had kind of a confusing flavor...one part tomato, one part sour cream and onion, one part jalapeno. I think I like them, and they were definitely interesting to try. I don't think I'd buy them again if I had my pick of more traditional flavors, but I had no problems emptying the can.

Dream Water in Nighttime Nectar Okay, so, I think this is kind of cheating on the part of Goodies. This is not food! It's not really a beverage either! However, I have my fair share of trouble sleeping, so I'm happy to have it. I've actually tried Dream Water before in another flavor. It didn't exactly taste the best, but it worked! The main ingredient is melatonin, which is way cheaper (and less icky) in pill form, but this works just as well. One problem with melatonin: if you take it for more than a week or so you run the risk of your body producing less of it on its own. That means dependency, which is no good.

Dutchy Originals Highland All Butter Shortbread Um, I'm never going to be mad if someone gives me cookies. They come in a single-serving pouch (two medium-sized cookies), so they were the perfect afternoon snack. And they were divine, as expected. It was like those Danish butter cookies in the blue tins they sell around Christmas made love to sugar cookies. Loved them.

Ditsies Review June 2013

I actually won a subscription to Ditsies through a sweepstakes, so I'm thrilled to be able to try it out. Ditsies is great, they send out one pair of underwear a month. But at $12, I just can't justify it. Not when I can get 7 pairs for $26 at Victoria's Secret, anyway. For that reason, this was a great subscription for me to win. I never would have purchased a subscription otherwise.

Ditsies lets you choose the cut, the types of colors you like, and the charity you want Ditsies to donate a portion of your order to. I selected "mix it up" on the cut, "mostly classics" on the color, and The Breast Cancer Research Fund as my charity.

Ditsies packages its panties in these adorable pouches. I just love it! I'm going to have to find a way to reuse it.

This is the card that came in the box. So cute that it comes with a Ditsies clothespin! Of course I'm not sure what I'd do with it, but it's adorable touch nevertheless.

This is the underwear I ended up getting. It's not the most exciting thing in the world, but it's obviously very high quality and I like that it has a relatively thick waistband. Besides, black lace is super sexy. You really can't go wrong!

My Ditsies experience thus far has been very positive, with the exception of never having recieved a tracking email. Can't wait to see what next month brings!

Level Naturals The Good Box Review June/July 2013

I got my second Level Naturals box yesterday--I was beginning to wonder if it would ever show up! Unfortunately Level Naturals doesn't send out shipping confirmations so you can't really have any sort of idea when (or if) your box will arrive. For impatient types like me, this makes a good surprise when it does show up.

I'm subscribed to The Good Box, which is Level Naturals' lowest level subscription. The Good(er) Box also includes room spray, and The Good(est) Box also includes room spray and a six pack of bath bombs.

Every month, the base subscription comes with one bar of soap, four shower bombs, a travel candle, and a secret item.

This is the card they include with the box. I think it's pretty attractive!

Travel Candle in Jasmine Rose ($6.66) This candle is incredibly floral, but that's to be expected from the scent. It's a little strong for my tastes but I think it will be beautiful when lit.

Peppermint Volcano Soap ($5.99) This soap does indeed smell minty, and it's a great size. Definitely "meatier" than your average bar of Ivory.

Shower Bombs ($7.99) These shower bombs have a very strong menthol and eucalyptus scent. I like them, and they're great to have around for when you're sick (they're very similar to Vic's Vapor Rub). However, they include a package of four in every Good Box. I don't think I really want four of the exact same product every month. I'll use them, but I'd love to see them branch out.

Every month The Good Box includes a "surprise" item. Last month I got a bath bomb, which is always a great treat. This month I had no idea what the surprise item was since it was in this drawstring bag.

What do you know...it's soap ends. As in, the little pieces of soap that get cut off when they're forming the big bars. I feel like this is akin to sending out day old bread. Sure, sell it on your website for a few dollars. It's wasteful not to, I get it. I would even understand if they advertised sending out soap ends in each box. But don't include this as my "special item." I'll use this as hand soap I guess, but I'm not thrilled with this item.

KlutchClub June 2013 Review

I got a good deal on a three month KlutchClub subscription on Plum District the other day and I just got my first box.

This month's box was spa themed, so I just had to start my subscription this month. Spa means lots of beauty products, right?

Happy Squeeze Fruit & Veggie Twist ($1.66, according to Amazon prices) Blueberry, apple, and...carrot? I know you're probably not supposed to be able to taste the carrot, but I just can't get past the idea. Give me blueberry applesauce and a couple carrots on the side, not this weird frankenstein puree. This would be great to trick my kids with if I had any.

Goldbaum's Pop Potato Chips in Original ($.64) This is the saddest, flattest bag of chips I've ever seen. It's teensy and I don't know if somehow there's a hole in it or something but there's no air in the bag to keep them protected. I'll try them and I bet I'll like them, but .6 ounces isn't likely to be terribly satisfying.

Immuno Viva Defend + Energy ($1.98) I will use these, but I'm not terribly excited for them.

7th Heaven Clean Up Mud Mask ($2.99) I love masks. I rarely buy them for myself, so they're really a treat when they're included in subscription boxes like this!

ThinkThin Crunch in "Trial Size" (~$.66) This doesn't list the size in ounces anywhere on it except to say that it's a "trial size." Looks good, but I wish I got two of them, or it was full size.

ThinkThin Chunky Peanut Butter ($1.99) I've gotten this in two other subscription boxes, and unfortunately it's my least favorite ThinkThin flavor I've had so far. I'll eat it again, but it's definitely not my favorite.

Tea of a Kind ($2.50) This is Citrus Mint Green Tea. Again, I'll try it, but I probably wouldn't have purchased it on my own.

So according to my price breakdown, this box is about $12.50 worth of product. That's a generous approximation since most food items are cheaper in-store, and I was using online prices. I feel like I may have been overly negative in my review, but honestly, this box retails for $18/month. KlutchClub should at least aim to break even, and there's a big difference between $12.50 and $18. I didn't feel like the box lived up to its "spa" theme, and I wasn't terribly excited for any of the products. We'll see what next month brings, but...I definitely won't be resubscribing after my three months is up. Disappointing to say the least.

Ipsy June 2013 Review

Last month was my first experience with Ipsy, and I loved my May bag. Let's see how the June bag stacks up.

This month's theme was "On the Wild Side." I don't think the theme really matches the contents in this case, but the bag certainly does.

Ipsy On the Wild Side Bag ($1?) I'm not a big fan of leopard print or neons...so I'm not a huge fan of this bag. I'm never really in it for the bags though, so I don't really mind if the pattern isn't my style.

Starlooks Lip Pencil in Tickle Me Pink ($12) I've never tried a lip pencil, but there's always a first time for everything. I hear rave reviews about Starlooks Star Box but I've never subscribed, so this will be a great way to try out one of their products.

J.Cat Sparkling Cream Palette in Volta ($4.49) Unfortunately, this product isn't approved for use around the eyes. It's supposed to be a "body glitter." But aren't body glitters loose? Ipsy suggests using this as a nail glitter, but it's in some sort of vaseline type material, so I don't think this would stay put very well.

NYX Cream Blush in Tea Rose ($6) NYX describes this as a "medium beige pink." I'm not a fan of cream blushes, but I'll try this one out. It looks like it may be a little dark but if it's applied correctly I think it will be pretty.

J.Cat Eyelashes + Eyelash Glue in EL99 ($3.99) I have tried applying fake lashes a couple of times, and I can never get it to work. I'm going to try my damnedest with these, but I don't have much hope. I wish I had gotten a different variation.

Cailyn Gel Eyeliner in Iron ($21) I've tried a couple of gel liners in the past and always had problems with the color transferring to my eyelids. This eyeliner, on the other hand, has awesome staying power. I love the Iron color, since it's not as harsh as black liner. I'm excited to try winged liner with this, I think it will look amazing.

The total value of this bag is $48.49, and I only paid $10! I'm not very excited for the J.Cat products (which are the least expensive anyway), but everything else is awesome. If you want to sign up using my referral code, click here.

Love with Food June 2013 Review

This month's Love with Food box was packed with awesome goodies!

This month's theme was Summer Bash, and Love with Food definitely delivered!

Seaweed Love Olive Oil Roasted Seaweed - My cat loves seaweed, so while I'm not thrilled with this item, he'll be happy.

Turbana Sweet Plantain Chips - I tried the salty version of these chips in another box and liked how crispy they were. I expect these will be equally delicious!

Surf Sweets Organic Gummies - Like I would ever complain about getting gummy bears. Yum!

Go Organic Hard Candies in Apple and Blood Orange - I usually don't like green apple flavored items, but these were great! The apple was more like an apple cider flavor.

Smooze! Coconut and Mango Fruit Ice - I can't wait to try this push pop. It's waiting for me in my freezer as we speak.

Flavrz Liquid Drink Mix in Citrus Hibiscus - I tried the Starbucks Refreshers in hibiscus recently and was not thrilled. I'm hopeful that this is more citrus flavored than hibiscus though.

Do More Bars in Pineapple Coconut - This looks like a pretty tasty cereal bar. I'm not sure how the pineapple flavor will translate but I'm curious enough to give it a shot.

Soyjoy Pineapple - I'll eat this, but I've hated the Soyjoy bars I have tried in the past. They were super bland and dry.

Pur Gum in Pomegranate Mint - Full size? Awesome! I can always use more gum and mints.

$50 Naked Wines "Gift Card" - This item requires that you actually spend money to use it. I've gotten I think three of these in various subscription boxes, but I never use them because they're more like a coupon, not a true gift card. Plus, you have to be home to sign for the package. No thanks!

This is one of my favorite Love with Food boxes so far. I felt like I got a ton of items, and all of them are just so much fun! I think they did a great job fitting a beachy summer theme too. If you want to sign up using my referral code, click here. 

Birchbox June 2013 Review

June's Birchbox theme was Wanderlust, and each box included four adorable postcards that represent each of their offices (in the UK, New York, Spain, and France).

Birchbox changed their logo and website this month, so I wanted to share the outside box. I liked their logo before, but their new logo is nice too. The inside of the box has a cool new zig zag pattern.

Violet Oasis Theraputic Body Butter ($1.09) I tried out this body butter today, and I wasn't a huge fan. It smelled to me like a combination of creamsicle and gas station air freshener. It wasn't greasy, but it was kind of oily. Not my favorite. And of course, I cannot escape lotion samples. Seriously, Birchbox, I wish you read my blog!

Amika Nourishing Mask ($1.60) I actually already got this sample in my November box. I loved it the first time I tried it, and I am happy to have it again. The full size price is a little steep for me though.

Yes to Carrots Lip Butter in Citrus ($2.50) I was kind of hoping I'd get the melon flavor, but I'm happy to get the citrus one. I always seem to lose lip balms and never have them around when I need them--I don't think I'll ever actually use one all the way up. So of course I'm glad to have a spare.

Paul and Joe Moisturizing Foundation Primer ($11.55) The sample size on this is HUGE. I love the way it smells, which is kind of weird for a primer, but hey, I do. I've only ever used primers for my eyeshadow, so it'll be fun to try out one for foundation. Something I never would have purchased, but I'm excited now that I have it.

Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser ($2.06) I've heard amazing things about this so I'm excited to try it. I have lots of cleansers but none that are exfoliating. The citrus scent is amazing and I'm glad it came in a pot instead of a foil packet.

Color Club Polish Mini in Pardon My French ($2) Everyone got one of these polishes (each one was created to represent the location of a Birchbox office) this month. I like the purple color, but I was really hoping for the cream or the coral they sent out this month. Oh, well, at least I didn't get the green!

This month's box had a $20.80 value. Amazing! I reported my repeat sample to Birchbox and got 100 points, which is worth $10 in their shop. I was also able to review 6 items for 10 points each, which meant I got another $6 worth of points. So I made $16 to spend in the shop and only spent $9. What a lucky month--Birchbox essentially paid me $7 to take $20 worth of items off their hands. Score!

Birchbox remains one of my favorite subscription services! If you'd like to sign up using my referral code, click here.

The Jungle Stand June 2013 Review

The Jungle Stand Tasting Bar sends fun "tastes" to sample every month. These boxes are more for the experience than value for the money. I actually paused my subscription after last month, but for some reason received June's box anyway. Not that I'm complaining!

This month's theme is simply "Welcome to Taiwan!" No games, no riddles, just samples of food native to the country.

The box includes sample tastes of sashima, rice crackers, sesame pastries, squid, pumpkin cake, and peanut brittle.

For some reason I got two of the pumpkin cakes. Unfortunately the idea of pumpkin cakes and seaweed freaks me out, so I don't think I'll be trying that one or the squid. I guess I'm just not that adventurous. I'm excited to try out the other items though!

To sign up for the Jungle Stand, click here. 

Target Beauty Box Trial Box Review

Target decided to test the subscription box waters and offer a beauty box for $5, including shipping. I just couldn't pass up the deal, so I decided to go for it. I got my box today...but it got sent to my billing address, not my shipping address. Other people have had this problem too. Luckily my mom still lives at my billing address, but seriously guys? What if I had moved?

I was already mad enough that Target sent my box to the wrong address. But look, this is the outside of the box. See how it is addressed to me "OR CURRENT RESIDENT?" What?? Not only do they send it to the wrong place, but they give the wrong person permission to open the box that I paid for?! I know it's only five dollars, but on principle this enrages me.

The box was a nice, plain white box (I can totally reuse it for gifts), wrapped in this nice Target sleeve. Exciting!

First look. This coupon ($3 off a $15 beauty purchase) is pretty great, but look at the expiration date. 6/22/13? That's tomorrow! How ridiculous. The box was literally delivered by USPS today. Come on, guys.

Gilette Venus & Olay Razor ($8.99) I already use this style of razor and have one of the handles, but they get kind of gunked up over time and I like to replace them occasionally. Plus this comes with a blade, and those are expensive!

L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifying BB Cream (Sample) I love that this comes in a "light" shade instead of a medium. Finally, a BB cream sample I can use!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Strips in Queen of the Jungle ($8.50) I haven't tried any of these nail strips yet, so I'm excited to have a guilt free chance to give them a shot. I'm a little bummed to get this weird giraffe print, but I guess it could be worse. Maybe I'm destined to be a giraffe for halloween?

Fekkai Glossing Cream ($7.10) I love Fekkai shampoo and conditioner, so I'm excited to try the glossing cream!

LaRoche Posay Effaclar Duo, Dual Action Acne Treatment (Sample) I'm excited to try this, but I wish it was in a squeeze tube since I will probably not be able to use it all at once.

This box is an AMAZING value. The contents retail for $25 not counting the samples. And it's only $5. Shipping and packaging alone would cost me that much! I'm really disappointed by their shipping snafu, but assuming that works out, I think this box has a lot of potential.

PopSugar Must Have June 2013 Review

I decided to re-up my subscription to PopSugar, so I've committed to another three months (June, July, August), since the cost per box is less if you subscribe for three or more. I'm still crossing my fingers that an awesome coupon code comes along in August! I just can't see myself not getting a PopSugar box at this point. PopSugar is easily my favorite subscription, even if it's a little more expensive than most.

First Look

Fit Popcorn in Sea Salt ($5.33) Yum! This popcorn is really simple, but really good. I was able to get two decently sized servings out of this bag. Now I want to try the parmesan and herb flavor! The butter flavor sounds good too.

Quench the Thirsty Wintergreen Mints ($1.79) Who doesn't need more mints to throw in their purse/car/wherever? Plus, I love the test tube design, and the cork opener is so unique. Proceeds from these mints go to provide water for people who need it.

Gorjana and Griffin Zuma Scarf ($62) I'm not quite sure what PopSugar was thinking with this one. Not that it's not super cute--it is--but I have a hard time understanding why I need a scarf in June. I hardly want to wear clothes at all, let alone items designed to keep you extra toasty, like scarves! Come September this will be useful, though.

Revenge Wears Prada ($15.05) I love that this book is a new release, and it's great that it's in hardcover. The writing, though? Just atrocious. I can't speak for the whole book, but I'm a couple of chapters in, and I'm not a fan. It's also a little mean of PopSugar to send a sequel to a book. Not that this requires a lot of backstory, but I always feel weird about reading a sequel without having read the preceding books. I do love it when PopSugar sends books, but this one? Not so much.

Addicted to Sweat, Jaw Breaker Chair ($19.99) I tried this out last night, and it IS certainly quite a work out. I'm not surprised that this is inspired by Madonna. I like that the only fitness equipment that this requires is a chair, but I felt kind of unstable doing it and a lot of the moves were done standing on the chair when they could have been done on the ground. I would have preferred the dance themed one. Hear that, PopSugar? I just want to dance! Send me Zumba next time, please!

Gorjana-Griffin Voucher ($25) As you can see in the above photo, there's a gift card there. The "gift card" is $25 off a purchase on Gorjana's website. I purchased this ring with my voucher. It regularly costs $30, so the voucher knocked the price down to $5. I still had to pay $8 shipping, which is ridiculous for a ring, but $13 including shipping for a $30 ring seemed worthwhile to me.

Juice Beauty CC Cream Samples (~$5) PopSugar was smart enough to send out samples in two different shades, so that someone like me didn't get an oompa loompa shade and a darker skinned person didn't get stuck with something that seemed vampiric. Smart move. And these tubes are big enough to actually try the product out, too.

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair Moisturizer ($65) Well, I don't use moisturizers hardly ever, let alone in the summer. I already feel oily enough. Luckily, one of the few beauty products my mom uses is moisturizer, so she'll appreciate this way more than I will.

This box has a value of about $200--wow! I can't hold my aversion to moisturizer against PopSugar, and I love that they sent more media this month. I'm still scratching my head over the scarf in the summer box, but it will be a great addition to my wardrobe come fall. Yet again, a great month with PopSugar! If you want to sign up via my referral link, click here.