See, Shop, Love!: December Little Black Bag Review

There once was a time when I was buying a Little Black Bag every month, sometimes more than one a month, but those days are long gone. Now I only open if there's a bag I must have, and even then I hesitate because the site is just not what it used to be. But no one wants to read about my gripes, especially because they're the same ones that most other frequent users of the site have. Anyway, I did open a bag for December and I'm really happy with what I got.

All together this LBB cost me $93.17, which is way more than I have ever spent on that site. The reason why I was so happy with my items and why it cost so much was because I added three items to my bag outright instead of trying to trade for them, which is not something I do often. But hey, I worked hard for my Christmas bonus and I wanted to treat myself!

The item I opened with was the Deux Lux Luna Tote ($140) in black, and the bundle cost $55.90 after shipping. It's no secret that I'm obsessed with Deux Lux, and I've gained an appreciation for sequins from the brand. I liked that this tote was fun and sparkly but not overly-obnoxious. It's a large tote (19" x 7" x 15"), so it's perfect for carrying all of my miscellaneous things to and from work. I'm also going to use it when I go out of town on the weekends to see my boyfriend. I have a bunch of Deux Lux's smaller totes, but I'm glad I was able to snag this large one. It was getting a lot of great offers (I originally opened with the purple one), but I wasn't ready to trade it for anything.

Next up is the Steve Madden Basket Weave Infinity Scarf ($32). I opened my bag during the "buy a bag, get a bag free promo," knowing full well that I was going to get one of the hideous bags that LBB was desperate to get rid of (it ended up being the Big Buddha Heylon Tote, in all its blue faux-snakeskin glory), but I was okay with that because I figured I could trade down for something I really wanted. Luckily I was able to get this scarf, which is really pretty in person. It's a bit poufy, but I just twist it a bit when I wear it so it protrudes less.

I had had my eye on the ncLA Dead End Gorgeous ($16) nail polish for a while but hadn't been successful in trading for it, but at the very end of my trading period someone accepted my offer of a Cargo eyeshadow. I was a bit disappointed with it once I got it, though, because it's a bit too dark for me. I would have preferred if the glitter was more apparent without light shining directly on it. I think I'm going to end up trading this to someone in the LBB Traders group for a different cosmetic item.

I love this Nutcracker Designs Brown Frosted Leaf Candleholder ($14)! I actually haven't burned anything in it yet, but I think it'll end up giving off a beautiful effect, what with the shiny interior. It's bigger than I envisioned, and it's the perfect size for one of my many Bath & Body Works mini candles to fit inside.

And now for the add-to-bag items...first up is the Mata Traders Gatsby Necklace ($28), which I added for $6.09. This was another item I loved but was never able to trade for, so when LBB put a bunch of items on sale for Black Friday I quickly snatched it up. I couldn't argue with the cheap price, and I'm glad I bought it because it's really beautiful in person. Mata Traders makes great jewelry, and I love them even more because they're a fair-trade company.

I also added the Deux Lux Glitter Empire Card Case ($35) for no reason other than I really wanted it. It cost me $15.74 to add, and I didn't think that was too outrageous of a price at all. I was previously keeping a Vera Bradley 3-in-1 Wristlet in my purse for when I wanted to go somewhere and just take my license and debit cards, but it was too large at times and I wanted something smaller. This is perfect for the job, and I love the spike on it!

My last item was the Goose Creek Candle Co Glass Pumpkin Candle ($24), which cost me $15.44 to add to my bag. I love all things pumpkin and I'm also a candle hoarder, so I really wanted to get my hands on one of the Goose Creek pumpkin candles (either this one or the large jar that wasn't shaped like a pumpkin). This popped back into the gallery toward the ending of my trading period and I snatched it up. It smells delicious and the jar is really pretty. It's also a hefty candle at 26 oz, so it will last me quite a while.

Bottom Line: I think that if you really want a few specific things from the LBB gallery, it's best to open with a single item and then just add the other things you want to your bag (that is, if your budget allows). It's not something I often do, but I had a little extra money this time around so it was less frustrating to just add to bag instead of trying to trade. I wish LBB could be like it used to be, but unfortunately I don't think those days will ever return. Either way, it can still be a good deal if there's something on the site that you really want!

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

Check out a few more photos of my items after the "read more."