I mentioned a little ways back that I had subscribed to a newer service after dropping Glossybox...and my new little surprise fun package finally came the other day! That's right my friends...I am all over the POPSUGAR Must Have lifestyle monthly subscription now. I'm so excited about this one because it's nothing like the beauty subscription boxes.
September's POPSUGAR Must Have was a welcome sight when I came home on Tuesday night and opened my mail box. It feels like it took absolutely forever to get here. While I wasn't as impressed with this month's as I hoped I would be (I seriously hate that I didn't make it in soon enough to get last month's or the month before that). But psssssssst...I found the BaubleBar rose gold chain necklace on eBay for $16 because someone who did get July's box didn't want it. Score!!
First Look
The Lowdown
Cost: $35 a month (you get a discount if you subscribe for multiple months at once)
Coupon: Use REFER5 to get $5 off of your first box!
Sign up now to get the November box and/or get on the wait list for October.
The products: Think lifestyle must have products for women procured by editors and celebrity recommendations...it varies from month to month and usually includes beauty, fashion, home, fitness, health and more.
Definitely add POPSUGAR Must Have to your wishlists or subscription services, because it is a unique box that is a ton of fun to open up. FYI, my box weighed 4.1 pounds...helloooooooo! I love that I get to enjoy items outside of the makeup and beauty realm that I have been getting in my Ipsy and Glossyboxes.
The Goods
P.S. - You're Invited by Erika Domesek - valued at $26
I have actually never heard of Erika or her DIY blog. But I must say, the cover of this book had me seriously intrigued. Doesn't it look fun?! There is even a page showing how to access videos to see how to make some of the items. Ever since I opened my box up, I've been going back and forth trying to decide if I like it or not. You see, it's not exactly up my alley. While I love to pin DIY projects on Pinterest, I never seem to want to make them. I get bored too fast and frustrated when I have to make things. Soooooo...I'm thinking of gifting it to a friend of mine who does love crafting and DIY. Or perhaps, I'll invite girlfriends over to try a couple of them together. Girlfriends gathered around laughing and enjoying some beverages would make this worth it I'd say.
I did find a couple projects I might attempt (but maybe won't finish). LOL I definitely would NOT have bought this on my own, but I'm not sure if I'll be keeping it.
Rifle Paper Co. Botanical Coaster Set (paper coasters) - valued at $16
Let me be straight here. I don't use coasters. I've always had a set lying around with good intentions...but I never seem to use them. They are super cute and girly, but I wish they weren't paper. They won't last long with me. Although, I could easily see pulling these out and using them on a night when I host Bunco or book club with my girlfriends. I'm sure they will all eat them up...and maybe I can even let them take it home as a sort of little reward. I am a bit too much like my cats (or little kids) because I kind of like the sweet little box more.
Barr-Co. Scent Diffuser - valued at $36
From their site, this diffuser is described as "The Barr-Co. original scent is a blend of milk, oatmeal, and veriver. We use thick river reeds that saturate and thoroughly disperse scent. Each reed diffuser is crafted and packaged by people in the U.S.A."
This jar is gigantic and a really heavy thick glass. When I first read the scent description, I really figured this was something that would make me vomit since I don't like vanilla much. But with the combination of milk and oatmeal...it is quite lovely. The scent itself is very fresh, light, and clean with a hint of sweetness. I put it in our guest bathroom last night and my husband doesn't mind it at all (the room is right next to his home office)...this is good! Husband's approval. Check.
Might I add that this diffuser itself already covers the cost of the entire box?! Score!
Kitsch Elastic Creaseless Headbands - valued at $11.99
I have short hair and don't use hair ties or headbands much, so at first I was not happy with seeing this in my box. But I quicky realized there was reason to be excited...one, there is a coral headband in this pack (yessssssss) and two, I have not had these new trendy type hair bands yet even though it seems everyone else has. Not only that, but POPSUGAR helped me realize in the card that came with our box that I could use these to hold my hair back when I am removing my makeup in the evening or holding my wet or dry hair back in the morning as I get ready.
Not sure why, but I pulled out the gray one first and have already used it twice. Last night, it held my hair and bangs/fringe back really well without budging. Then, this morning, I used it to hold back my wet hair and bangs/fringe the entire time I was getting ready and doing my makeup. It is tight enough to hold on but not so tight that it cuts off the circulation. They are quite comfortable, look great, and come in fun colors!! I spotted some Chevron printed bands on their site...yes please!! It makes me wish I had longer hair or didn't have bangs, so I could wear them out and about.
Shoptiques $25 giftcard - valued at $25
Free money?! It was if you consider the diffuser already paid for the box itself. Shoptiques is a super neat concept because it is a website that brings all sorts of boutiques around the world together in one site. This includes Paris, Los Angeles, and The Hamptons.
I was afraid the $25 wouldn't cover much, but there are several things on the site under that cost and quite a few items that are around $35 -$39. I've already done my shopping and found an item that I am hoping will fit well and look great. I really was hoping to find more closer to the cost of the card, but a lot of stuff was sold out in my size. I'm thinking a lot of POPSUGAR subscribers raided the site of $25 items. What's more annoying...that everything I seemed to be drawn to were from a couple different boutiques here in my own state. Gah! That's no fun! I was hoping for an item from Connecticut or Louisianna. Oh well.
Here's what I spent my card on... a beige belted blazer from Pink House boutique in Arizona. I know it looks weird, but I know just how to style it. Brown tall boots, dark or even light skinny jeans, and a simple white or bright top. Simple and with a snazzy touch of classic...just how I like it! While I almost grabbed the black version, I remembered I already have 2 black blazers and the black one looked a bit too much like a hair stylist's smock to me.
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| $32.99 (regularly $40) with shipping and tax, it cost me $15 extra The sleeves are cuffed and there are 2 side pockets |
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| Both snacks are gluten and dairy free |
That's It Apple and Mango Premium Fruit Bar - valued at $1.50
This fruit bar's ingredients are simple...fruit and fruit, that's it! So, hmmmmm...not a fan of mango or dried fruit type items. But, I snacked on this little puppy at work today and was truly impressed. It filled me up without even finishing it off. The taste was completely natural without any sort of artificial sweetness. The texture was a bit off-putting at first...but again, I'm not a fan of dried fruit. Would I buy these if I ever saw them in my local grocery store? Probably yes! This flavor was a favorite of the editors at POPSUGAR, but there are many other combinations.
Sharkies Organic Energy Chews - valued at $1.50
From the Sharkies site, "Developed by a triathlete, Sharkies provides clean fuel through simple carbohydrates and naturally occurring electrolytes. Organized brown rice syrup in Sharkies delivers the simple carbohydrate glucose to provide a quick hit of energy for those times when you want to rest but resting is not an option."
I'm not a runner nor a major gym-goer, but I was definitely interested in trying these out as soon as I opened my box. Imagine being able to get hydrated and a bit of energy through a simple snack! I ripped these open this afternoon at my after school leadership meeting. The people sitting next to me were so curious about what I was eating that they were asking me what it was all about.
I was expecting a gummy sort of consistency, but instead they were a lot softer than chewy. So soft that they were getting stuck in my teeth pretty badly. Grrrrrr. I had to eat them with my front teeth so my back teeth didn't get all gummed up. However, I did like the watermelon taste...and the stares I got as I chomped on shark-shaped gummies. LOL These aren't something I will buy on my own...but I know some runners and hardcore fitness peeps who would probably add these to their gym bags.
Final Verdict
I paid $35 for the September box and got $120 worth of items from POPSUGAR Must Have! That is by far better than any Glossybox I ever received in the 15 months that I was a subscriber. Score another point for me!
All in all, I liked 3 out of the 7 items in this box (and we shall see how I like the blazer when it gets here). So, the verdict for September is 3 out of 5 stars. Here's hoping the October box has some really great fall-inspired items.
What do you think of this month's box?
Which item is your favorite or a must-have?
Did you get a POPSUGAR Must Have box too...if so, what are you using your Shoptiques gift card on?
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