MSA + Kloverbox Beach House Box

Kloverbox, my favorite subscription box, and Liz Cadman, the founder of My Subscription Addiction (MSA), the subscription box review site that I follow, recently released a limited edition box called "The Beach House Box".  The box was offered for $100 and was advertised to feature "beauty, home and lifestyle items inspired by a beach house vacation".  Although it was a mystery box with no spoilers, Kloverbox is one of my favorite subscription boxes so I decided to go for it.  I was sure there would be something in it that I would use!  Here is a look at the items featured in the Beach House box:

Product Information Card

Thursday Friday Gold Toe Tote in Antler ($110)

Olio Studio Aqua Stripe Pillow (Value Unknown)

(matches my current bedding color scheme)

Hand in Hand Sea Salt Liquid Hand Soap  12 oz  ($18)

One Love Organics Vitamin C Body Polish  6 oz  ($48)

Goldfaden MD Sun Visor SPF 30 Sunscreen Mist  2.7 oz  ($45)

Tatcha Ageless Enriching Renewal Cream  0.4 oz  ($43.53 value)

Thursday Friday Gift Card ($20 value)

Cost of Box:  $100 (shipping included) - $10 Credit for late shipment = $90

Total Box Value:  Over $264.53 (excluding gift card)

Impressions:   Although there were some issues with the delivery of this box and given that it was a mystery box, I am quite pleased that I got it.  The tote bag was offered in three different color variations in this box.  I received the Antler (taupe) color which I think is a nice neutral color that is in line with what I would normally purchase and carry.  I like the gold turn-lock closure, the cord to hold your keys, the durable canvas exterior, and the fact that the interior lining is easy to clean if you do decide to use it on the beach.  The Thursday Friday website is currently having an 80% off 4th of July sale so you can get one of these bags in many different color variations for only $22 for a limited time!  The box included a $20 gift card to use on the site but the 80% off sale is a much better deal.  Although this is a nice, pretty tote, I do not believe it warrants the $110 price tag.  The sale price is a little more fitting in my opinion considering it's not a designer bag and it's not real leather accents.  I would say the quality is comparable to a nice bag from Target or a sensibly priced department store.  The bag measures 12.75"H x 18.5"W x 6"D with a 9" handle drop.  It's a little larger than I would normally carry for everyday use but still a good roomy bag for travel and beach vacations.  I'm planning to use it on my 4th of July trip home to my parents!   I'm lucky that the color of the throw pillow matches the aqua color of my comforter set perfectly so it's serving as another accent pillow on my bed.  I really like the natural products that were featured in this box.  The Vitamin C scrub smells wonderfully of pineapple and I'm anxious to use it soon!  I'm happy the sunscreen is a spray (which I prefer) unlike the other sunscreens I've received in other beauty boxes this year.  It also doesn't have a strong smell, which is nice.  I'm also happy to get to try another product from Tatcha.  I received the rice powder enzyme sample in another box and have been using it sparingly since this brand is so expensive and a luxury I would not splurge on for a full size.  The full size of this moisturizing renewal cream is a whopping $185 for 1.7 oz!  So, although this cream container is small, it's still quite valuable and will be used sparingly.  It is luxurious and rich and doesn't seem to take much to get the job done.  The hand soap is needed but I'm not overly excited about the scent.  The website says the scent consists of several different mints and eucalyptus but I'm not able to pick those scents up.  My sense of smell may just be having an off day! 

Overall, I am happy with this box!  I will be using all the items in this box and the value is well over the cost so it was definitely worth it for me.  The throw pillow was made exclusively for this box so there is no set value for it but similar pillows on the Olio Studio site are around $49.  The retail value of the box without the pillow and gift card is still $264!  And because my box was delayed in shipping, I will be given a $10 credit on my purchase which I thought was very nice of MSA and Kloverbox to do considering they had no control over the issues that caused the delay.  I hope Kloverbox offers more limited edition boxes in the future!

Burke Home Decor Box - June 2015

I recieved my second box from Burke Home Décor and I am very impressed with this month's box!  This subscription box service was originally advertised as providing at least 3 to 4 items with a retail value of $120 in each box.  Here is what I received in my box this month!

Product Information Sheet

Beach Candy Turkish Towel & Blanket - Honey ($50)

Torre & Tagus Porcelain Snack Bowl in Black  4.5" x 2.5" (value unkown)

 Voluspa Linden & Dark Moss Candle  12 oz ($27)

Nest Cedar Leaf & Lavender Hand Soap  10 oz ($22)

Juniper Ridge Campfire Incense in Cedar ($10)

Cost of Box:  $55 (includes shipping)

Total Box Value:  Estimated at about $115

Impressions:   Overall, I am very happy with this month's box!  I ordered the first box Burke Home released in April but it was definitely disappointing in my opinion.  I cancelled my subscription but really hoped they would eventually turn things around because I was excited about the concept of a home decor box (which is rare in the subscription box world).  I definitely think that they have improved by leaps and bounds over their inaugural boxes.  This month's box is better curated and doesn't include a bunch of random clearance items like the first boxes.  I also like that they included product information this time.  I think the items included in this month's box are quality and luxurious treats.  I am so excited to finally have Turkish Towel because I've heard so many people rave about how wonderful and multifunctional they are as a lightweight throw, wrap, scarf, and quick drying beach towel all in one!  And mine is striped and yellow - two of my favorite things together!  I really wanted the large Torre & Tagus serving bowl but the small snack bowl is still a pretty addition on my entrance table to hold my keys, etc.  I have a lot of darker neutrals in my home so the black and cream pattern I received works with my decor.  I'm not sure of the exact value of the bowl but the medium sized bowl on the Burke Home website is $14 and the large is $22.  I did find the small snack bowl on other websites for $6.  I think the candle I received smells very nice but the hand soap is a little on the masculine side, however, I still plan to use it.  I'm almost out of hand soap in my master bath so this arrived right on time!  I thought the incense sticks were an odd addition and don't like the scent I received.  I don't camp, have a fireplace, or burn incense sticks so they would not have been used anyway.

The retail value of my box is not quite $120 but still twice what I paid so I'm happy.  My box was delayed a couple of weeks because this month's box was so popular.  Apparently they started running out of the large Torre & Tagus serving bowls that were included in the first boxes shipped out which may explain why some people got small Torre & Tagus bowls instead and thus lower value boxes.  Although the retail value is slightly less than was originally advertised for this subscription box, I plan to use everything except the incense sticks so it's still a good value for me.  And the items I received will last a long time.  Plus, this box includes heavy items and it arrived within a few days of shipping by UPS, all included in the $55 price so I'm definitely impressed with the value I got.

Although I was really impressed with the improvements Burke Home made with this month's box, I did not resubscribe to regularly scheduled shipments.  I purchased this month as a one-time purchase only after I saw someone else's review of their box.  I will wait to see a couple more boxes before I decide to recommit to a regular subscription schedule.  I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what they include in next month's box!

Graze - June 2015

I have been enjoying the first of two monthly snack boxes delivered from Graze.  I subscribe to the 8-snack variety box with delivery every two weeks. Here are the snacks I got to try in my first June box:

Nutrition & Ingredient Information Card

Pecan Power

 Garden of England

 Tropical Daiquiri

 Pro Bean

 Caramel Apple

 Iced Cinnamon Bun

 Fruit & Seed Flapjack

 Chili & Honey Almonds

Cost of Box:  $11.99 (free shipping)

Impressions:  Out of this box, the Chili and honey almonds was my favorite. It seemed an odd combination but I was surprised by how much I liked it.  I hope to get these again in the future!  Overall, this was a great box for me.  I really enjoyed all of the snacks except for maybe the fruit and seed flapjack and caramel apple snacks.  The flapjacks tasted okay but they seemed really dry compared to some of the other flapjacks I've tried.  I liked the dried apples but this snack was hardly enough to even be considered a snack.  I would have liked getting more apples and done without the sweet caramel sauce.  I ate all the snacks in the box pretty quickly so I'm really looking forward to getting my next box.

PopSugar Must Have - June 2015

My June PopSugar Must Have box arrived a couple of days ago.  The theme for this month's box was:  Sun-kissed, Outdoor Fun, Coconut, and Yoga Warrior.  Here is a look at the the items included in this month's box:

Product Information Card:

Quay Australia Mandate sunglasses ($45)

In the Unlikely Event by Judy Bluum ($27.95)

Pacifica Enlighten Eyeshadow Palette ($14)

Spongelle Boxed Flowers - Papaya Yuzu ($16)

Yogitoes Peacock Headband ($4)

 
Snap Infusion Super Candy ($4)

Bonus:  Sweet & Spark Gift Card (Value $30 Value)

Cost of Box:  $39.95 (includes free shipping)
Total Box Value:  $111 (excluding gift card)
Impressions:  On the surface, I think this month's box seems like a good one but unfortunately it ended up being another disappointment for me personally.  I think the retail value of the box is good and even though it doesn't fully line up with the themes, it's definitely a summer box.  I would love to wear the sunglasses but I wear prescription eyeglasses and do not want to pay to put prescription lenses in the frames.  I love to read but after reading the synopsis of the Bluum book I wasn't really drawn in by the story.  Many reviews I read said that it is confusing because of so many characters, the story is a little depressing and drags, and reads like a Young Adult book (which apparently is Bluum's forte).  The eyeshadow palette includes colors that I love but I do not wear makeup.  I think the body wash infused sponge is a neat idea but surprisingly I did not really like the papaya scent.  Although I occassionally do yoga, I don't need a headband.  It is a very thin material which would probably make it comfortable to wear but at 4" wide it is a lot wider than any headband that I would wear.  I'm guessing the super candy is supposed to be the equivalent of Gatorade in a gummy chewable form.  The gift card was a bonus.  I checked out the Sweet and Spark website but none of the jewelry was my taste, plus most of the pieces cost way more than the $30 gift card would cover.

I would not say this month's box was bad; it just wasn't for me.  I will be trading or selling it so someone else can enjoy it.  Unfortunately this is the third out of my four boxes from PopSugar that I haven't gotten much use or enjoyment out of.  I will probably wait until the July box to decide if I should cancel my subscription or not.  

Graze - May 2015

Over the past couple of weeks I have been enjoying the second of two Graze snack boxes I scheduled for delivery in May.  I subscribed to the 8-snack variety box with delivery every two weeks. Here are the snacks I got to try in this box:

Nutrition & Ingredient Information Card

Cinnamon Pretzel

Oven Roasted Salt & Vinegar Nut Selection

Beach Bum

Pro Power

Super Forest Fruits 

Chocolate Pecan Pie 

Chocolate Pretzel 

Strawberries & Cream Granola Topper

Cost of Box:  $11.99 (free shipping)

Impressions:  

• Cinnamon Pretzel:  Nothing special about the poppyseed pretzels; in fact I would have preferred regular salted pretzels.  I did like the cinnamon honey almonds.  I wish the whole snack was just the almonds!
• Oven Roasted Salt & Vinegar Nut Selection:  I really like salt and vinegar chips but it tastes a bit weird on nuts.  It wasn't necessary bad, just different.  It may be an acquired taste.
• Beach Bum: The banana chips were a bit chewy but I liked this snack, mostly because of the dried pineapple.  The coconut chips were not toasted but they were sweetened so they didn't seem bland like some coconut chips I've tasted in some of their other snacks.
  
• Pro Power:  I don't eat a lot of meat so I like finding snacks that have high protein and are tasty.  I wish there was a little less black pepper on the cashews but otherwise, I really liked this snack.
• Super Forest Fruits:  Great snack.  I liked the mix of slightly sweet and tart fruits and berries.
  
• Chocolate Pecan Pie: I'm a southern girl and this snack includes pecans with chocolate fudge!  I even liked the dates mixed it.
• Chocolate Pretzel:  Again, nothing special about the poppyseed pretzels.  I like Nutella so I liked the chocolate hazelnut dip.
• Strawberries & Cream Granola Topper:  I liked this snack in yogurt but not sure I would eat it on it's own

Out of this box, I would say the Chocolate Pecan Pie and Pro Power snacks were my favorites.  My account online and the information card indicates that I was suppose to receive Wholegrain Banana Caramel Dippers but I received the Cinnamon Pretzel snack instead.  This box wasn't an equal balance of savory versus sweet snacks like the last box.  Six out of the eight snacks in this box were sweet.  I am not sure if there is any particular rhyme or reason to how Graze selects savory and sweet snacks for a variety box but it appears that the ratio is random and varies with each box.  I'm not really bothered by the variation but I did like having a savory and sweet snack to eat together for quick lunches in my last box. 

Goodebox - June 2015

I received my June Goodebox today!  Here is a look at the samples I received in this month's box:

Product Information Cards

MyChelle Dermaceuticals Remarkable Retinal Eye Cream  0.5 fl oz ($35)

 Suntegrity Natural Self Tanner  (size and value unknown)

Odacite Intensive Hand & Heel Therapy  0.5 oz ($4.88 value)

 Lillian Eve Nail Polish in Ballet Slipper  0.5 oz ($12)

 Red Flower Wanderlust Hand & Face Towelettes  Set of 7 ($5)

 

Cost of Box:  $19 (free shipping)
Total Box Value:  over $56.88
Impressions:  I've heard of the MyChelle brand before but have never received any of their products in any of the beauty boxes I subscribe to so I am happy to finally get to try something from them.  I've been trying to be more consistent in using an eye treatment in my skincare regimen so it's good to have another product to try out.  I normally prefer oils over creams because they glide on and absorb easily whereas creams have to be patted on to prevent pulling on the delicate eye skin.  This half ounce tube should last me a very long time.  I will not be using the self tanner because I'm African American and don't have a need for it.  I would imagine that the fact that it is concentrate would make it difficult to get an even and natural look.  The Odacite hand and heel cream is very rich and creamy and did a great job of moisturizing my dry hands.  I wish it was a bigger sample!  I like that the nail polish is a nice, sheer to opaque, neutral color that anyone could use.  If I painted my nails, I would use it.  I'm always happy to get towelettes because I find them to be quite handy to have on hand in my purse for situations when I need to clean off my hands more thoroughly than with hand sanitizer alone.

I think the value of this box is great!  I plan to use everything but the nail polish and the self tanner.  Even though I'm not using everything, the value of the eye cream alone still makes this box worth it for me!  I'm quite happy with my subscription of Goodebox so far.  Their customer service is one of the best I've encountered in the subscription box world.  Last month I noticed on my online account that two of the items listed to be included in my May box were different from what was actually shipped to me.  I simply emailed to ask if substitutes were common since I have not been subscribed for very long.  Customer service emailed back quickly and said that substitutes should not have been made and that they must have put the wrong selection of items in my box by mistake.  They said they would ship the items I was supposed to get and told me I could keep the items they shipped by mistake as a bonus!  I wasn't expecting that but I was so happy they offered!  Here are the two items I was supposed to get in my May box instead of the natural deodorant and lip tint that I received:

MSC Skincare & Home Scent 002 Parfum  (size and value known)

 Mullien & Sparrow French Lavender Body Oil  1 fl oz ($15 value)

I don't normally like getting perfume samples because they are often to intense for my sense of smell but I really like this one from MSC.  I think it may be because it is alcohol-free so the scents are more subtle.  I like that I can actually smell the vanilla notes.  Lavender scented items usually tend to be a bit too strongly scented for me but the lavender scent in the body oil from Mullein & Sparrow isn't overwhelming to me.  And I love beauty and body oils because they work well on moisturizing my dry skin so I'm always happy to get more oil items to try!