Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box Review May 2013

As always, Fancy shipped this box later than promised. Fancy has several celebrity curated boxes, and the newest is the Jennifer Love Hewitt box. May was its first month, though it arrived well within June. 

I don't think I've gotten a yellow Fancy box before.

Simple Wayfarer ($15) These are very low quality. I do like that they're nice and neutral. I also have a tendency to break or lose every pair of sunglasses ever, so I'm glad to have these for an occasion where I know I might not be as careful as I should be. (A beach trip, maybe?)

Bad to the Bone Turquoise Bracelet ($18) This bracelet is so not my style. Chunky, AND skulls? I'm not sure what to do with this, but I hate it.

Florescent Orange Cuffed Beanie ($20) I love beanies! I was surprised I never got one in any of my winter boxes. But now it's June, and June is NOT beanie season. I'm not sure what Jennifer Love Hewitt was thinking, but this was not a wise choice. Honestly, I don't think I can wear this during the winter either. It's really nice quality (made by American Apparel), but the color? I just can't pull it off. What would I wear it with? Hmm, I wonder if there's some way I could dye over the orange...or maybe I should just get into hunting.

Verse Headphones by Urban Beatz ($40) These absolutely made the box for me. I love the color. I don't have any decent over-the-ear headphones, so I'm thrilled to finally have a pair. They're pretty comfortable and the sound quality is actually pretty good.

Luckily, I got this box for about $6 (the box costs about $46 with shipping, but I had a $20 coupon code and a $20 voucher). I'm happy with what I got, but, really, I'll only be using the sunglasses and the headphones. Still well worth $6, but I'd never pay full price. I'll be canceling this subscription for now unless I see marked improvement or an awesome coupon code. To test it out for yourself, click here.

Jungle Stand Tasting Bar Review May 2013

I got my first Jungle Stand Tasting Bar last month, and it was full of stuffed peppers, mushrooms, and olives. Definitely not my type of food, so I passed it along to a friend, but I was hoping I'd like this month more, and I was not disappointed.

The Box

Under the Lid

Information Card

So essentially, this month's bar had six different flavors of brownie brittle, and we were tasked with guessing which one was which. We were a little unsure if the toffee flavor was actually chocolate chip, because it didn't have a very strong toffee taste, but had no problems with the others. They were all tasty, except for the cappuccino cinnamon (edible, but not good), and the chipotle, which tasted kind of like barbecue sauce and sweat. However, I was able to try every one, and for the most part they were very tasty!

The Jungle Stand Tasting Bar is only $9.92/month including shipping, which in my opinion is well worthwhile. It's so fun to sample food in this way, I just love it.

Ipsy Review May 2013

Even though I've tried pretty much every well-recognized subscription box (assuming it's not coffee or dog themed) under the sun...I have resisted Ipsy like the plague. For some reason, I just haven't been that into subscribing. I guess I just told myself that I have way too many beauty products as it is. Which is true, but this month I finally broke down and subscribed. I'm not sure that I'll keep the subscription, but I'm pretty impressed so far!

The bag comes in this bright pink bubble mailer. Pretty cute and simple packaging. My favorite part though is that it fits right into my mailbox. No trips to the apartment office for me!

This is the bag everything came in. I think it's really cute but it's a little more summery (maybe July or August). I would have really loved if they made May a floral bag, but I still really like it.

Yaby Concealer in Buff ($4.85) I really hope this is pale enough for my skin tone, but I have a feeling it isn't. Foundations and concealers seem like such a terrible idea in these subscriptions. I'll give it a shot though.

Anastasia Clear Brow Gel (.085 oz, $6.68) I have never tried a brow gel before. I don't think my brows are particularly unruly, and they're light enough to not be too noticeable regardless, but I am still totally excited to try something so foreign to me.

Zoya Nail Polish in GeiGei ($8) I love Zoya nail polish, and I don't have anything like this. I have plenty of pinks but nothing so shimmery or opaque. I kind of wish I had gotten it in Blu (a shade Ipsy also sent out), but I'm happy with this one too.

Mirabella Colour Sheers Lipstick in Bellarina ($22) The photo really doesn't do this lipstick justice. It's a *gorgeous* peachy pink color. I've never tried Mirabella products before, but I think I'm already in love.

Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia Roll-On Perfume ($12) Ipsy also sent this out in Island Vanilla, and I'm SO bummed I got it in gardenia. I would have absolutely loved the vanilla, but I hate strong floral fragrances, and this is certainly a strong floral.

I paid $10 for this bag, and I got over $50 worth of product--that doesn't count what it must cost for shipping or the actual Ipsy bag. I wasn't entirely thrilled with the variations I received, but you can't go wrong with value like that! I'm not sure if I'll keep my subscription or not, but I'm definitely sticking around for at least another month.

Treatsie Review May 2013

I'm in love with the idea of Treatsie--an assortment of gourmet candies sent to your door every month. I got an email a few days before the box was sent out, stating that no chocolates would be sent out due to working out the kinks in their cool shipping. The package arrived with cold packs and everything was in perfect shape.

I love the packaging. So cute!

Vanilla caramel, turtle caramel, and beer and pretzel caramel. So tasty!

Loblolly Creamery Honey Vanilla Bean Marshmallows. These were SO good. Definitely more gourmet than your typical grocery store marshmallow. They definitely tasted like honey, too.

Nutwhats in Pecan and Cashew Coconut Scribbles. Okay, so I didn't really know what "scribbles" are, and I still don't, but I still think it's a really fun name. Until you ask someone if they want some scribbles and they look at you like you're crazy. These are basically (very delicious) almond roca with a twist. Probably my favorite items in a box.

All this for $15/month, and that includes shipping! Although you can totally get more candy than this most stores for the same amount of money, this is super high quality stuff that I never would have gotten to try otherwise, so I love it!

Fancy Box Review May 2013

I was charged for my second Fancy box before I got my first, so although I would have cancelled between the first and the second if given the chance, I was kind of forced into this second box. I loved the purple box it came in this time. So did Oliver!

I swear I post more photos of my cat than most people post of their kids, but whatever.

Micro-Suction Smartphone Stand ($15) I'm using this right now to prop up my smartphone by my bed, and it's handy that it actually has a "place," but other than that I'm not finding it terribly useful.

Mizu Water Bottle ($20) Water bottles are always nice, but I have a few already and I rarely use the ones I do have. Also, not a fan of having the logo on the bottle.

TKO Watch ($95) I can't find this exact watch on the website, but the price sticker says that it retails for $95. Unfortunately I'm not a fan of watches. This is a super cute watch though!

Height Chart Fridge Magnet ($10) This is cute, but I don't have any kids. Oh, well, I guess I'll save it for my next baby shower.

At over $140 value, this is a great box. Unfortunately, none of the items appeals to me much, even though I can see other people liking them. I guess I'm just not cut out for the Fancy box?

Goodies.co Review May 2013

The box this month was nice and heavy, so I was extra curious to see what was inside.

Beanitos Black Bean Chips My roommates tried these and said that they essentially turn into refried beans in your mouth as you chew. Um...no, thanks.

Bronco Rob's Roasted Mango Chipotle Sauce and California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the sauce, but I know exactly what I'm doing with the olive oil: using it as a hair treatment! The little packets will be perfect!

Wholly Guacamole and a Chip Clip I don't eat guacamole, but I will pass this coupon along to a very happy friend. And I always need more chip clips!

SuperSeedz Pumpkin Seeds I'll totally eat these, but I have no strong feelings about them.

Dorval Sour Power Straws Yum! The little kid inside me loves these! I always can use a little more fun and whimsy in my boxes. These are pink lemonade and blue raspberry flavored.

Zico Coconut Water (1 liter) Online, Goodies tells me I should be getting chocolate coconut water, but they sent me plain. Boo!

Numi Moroccan Mint Tea I can't get too excited about a packet of tea, but it'll get used.

As always, Oliver loves it.

This was a great box. Goodies.co has been offering pretty mediocre boxes in the past couple of months, but this one seemed to have a really good value. Hoping this trend continues!

HelloFlo Review May 2013

I've been pretty resistant to the "time of the month" subs since I don't have any problem with remembering to go to the store to pick up supplies. It's just not an issue for me, so why would I pay more to get them automatically delivered? However, I got a coupon code for HelloFlo, and I couldn't help but try out at least one of them, once. You know, for my blog. ;)

The outer box is fairly non-descript, so it wasn't worth photographing. Here's the first look. By the way, HelloFlo asks when you need them and has different "levels" to choose from. This is the "Medium Flo" subscription.

The goods: for the first month, items come in this cute fabric container for easier storage (since they don't send them in the original boxes). I got a nice mix of products: three pantiliners, four regular pads, two overnight pads, and an assortment of tampons. Unfortunately, HelloFlo doesn't allow you to pick which products you get and in what quantities, but this mix seemed to be really reasonable to me. They use Tampax and Always brands.

The extras: they also included a few sea salt caramels to help provide a little pick-me-up.

And for those that prefer fruitier treats, fancy french hard candies.

This box normally retails for $16, and I was totally happy with what I got. If I was someone who had trouble remembering on trips to the store, this would be a great monthly purchase.

Citrus Lane Review May 2013

I got a deal on a Citrus Lane box about a month ago and I can't resist testing out a new box, so I went for it! I think I got this box for $12, but it's normally $25/month. This is a box for kids up to age five, and Citrus Lane personalizes the box down to the month. I think it's pretty amazing how much they cater to a child's age. I don't have any children, but I do need gifts for people with kids, and I was shocked by how many of the items I'd be able to use as well.

The Gigantic Turnip ($8) This book is adorable, and I think it would be great for a wide range of ages.

Clean Well Disinfectant Spray ($4.50) and Deep Steep Moisture Stick ($6) I can use both of these, even though I don't have kids. I can see how moms would love them too though. Perfect for overworked mommy hands and dirty kid (and anyone else) hands.

Melissa and Doug's Kids Gardening Gloves ($5) Most people won't already have gardening gloves for their kids, and these are perfect for spring!

Snackimals Cinnamon Crunch Cereal ($1?) Any kid loves crunchy cereal to snack on.

Green Toys Planting Kit ($6) Hmm...I already planted my seeds and this kit only had ONE seed in it. Bummer! I'm going to have to pick up some other seeds next time I'm out.

Over $30 value, and shipping was included! What a great box for people with kids. This is definitely one of the best subscriptions for children that I've seen so far, and I was lucky enough this month to be able to use many of the items myself.

PantyFly Review May 2013

I'm a prepaid subscriber to PantyFly; I paid for three months in advance. I got an email this month about all prepaid subscribers being refunded, but that was a couple of days after I got my tracking email. So I'm not sure what happened with my account but it was business as usual for me.

The underwear this month was actually pretty amazing and coordinated. I got a thong, a cheeky pair of briefs, and a pair of boyshorts. They are from an underwear company I had never heard of called Pact, which uses organic cotton and donates part of its proceeds to good causes. They were really high quality and seem true to size.

Loving all these panties this month! Each pair is very different from the stuff I already had, which is hard to accomplish, and they're very well made. Sad to see you go, PantyFly, but until I know you're sticking around I'm not going to be able to resubscribe.

PopSugar Must Have Review May 2013

I got my PopSugar box today! Of course I already looked at spoilers but I'm still always excited to get it.

Small PopSugar Tote ($2?) I'm all for branded PopSugar items, but this tote is a really weird size. Not a full sized tote, so I'm not sure what I'll put in this. It might be good for storage, but storage of what? Some people have suggested using it as a lunch bag, but unfortunately it's not insulated.

Kooringal Giselle Mid Brim Hat ($27.99) Honestly, I will probably never wear this. It's just one of those things I don't think I can ever "pull off." I found myself wishing PopSugar had just sent a beanie in the winter months, though. Maybe they will next winter? Crossing my fingers!

Way Better Snacks Sweet Potato Chips ($2?) I'm not a big fan of "alternative" chips like this, and sub boxes always seem to want to send them to me (along with tea), but they were okay.

beautyblender and blendercleanser ($34.95) I've wanted one of these forever but I could never justify spending so much on an application tool. Hooray! Now I can try it guilt free!

Pacifica Lip Tint in Guava Berry ($7) I'm always happy with more lip balm. It seems I'm always losing them and using them, so I can always make use of another.

The Mordern Cocktail Modern Margaritas ($8.13) These look so delicious! Watermelon, original, blood orange, mango, and strawberry--yum! I love that they're in single serving bottles too.

Mindy Kaling Conversation Cards ($13.45) I have a feeling these won't be very exciting to me but I'll have to check them out more before I judge them too harshly.

Charm and Chain Gift Card ($30) I have mixed feelings about this gift card. Charm and Chain does sell a couple of items coming in under the $30 mark, but almost nothing, and you're still required to spend $7.95 on shipping. I don't like having to pay for the items in my box but at least it offers a decent value.

All in all, not a bad box, but not exactly my favorite either. I'll use the lip tint, beauty blender, and margarita mixers, so at least that covers the cost of my box. I do appreciate the wide variety of items included this month and it does fit the season very well. My subscription just ended in May and I'm considering taking a few months off of PopSugar. There are sometimes good coupons but they always crop up when I already have committed to a few months, so I'm going to try to wait this one out.