April PopSugar Must Have Spoiler and Coupon!

PopSugar Must Have has released their first spoiler for the April box! Each box will have a copy of Chrissy Teigen's new cookbook, Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat!

*Disclaimer: Post contains affiliate links.

I love Chrissy and her sense of humor, and I know she loves food as much as I do! I might have to sign up to get April's box myself. If you want one, use coupon code MUSTHAVE5 for $5 off your first box.

What do you think of this spoiler?

February PopSugar Must Have Spoilers and Coupon!

PopSugar Must Have has released two spoiler's for February's box! Each box will have a Coconut Milk Hydrating Lotion and a $20 Victoria's Secret Reward Card (the lotion is by VS, too)!

*Disclaimer: Post contains affiliate links.

Click here to purchase February's box. New subscribers can use coupon code MUSTHAVE5 for $5 off their first box.

What do you think of the spoilers? I think they're a good fit for February and Valentine's Day and I might have to pick up a box for myself!

February PopSugar Must Have Theme!

The February PopSugar Must Have theme has been released, and it is...

*Disclaimer: Post contains affiliate links.

What kind of items do you think they'll include? Be sure to sign up to get the box here!

June PopSugar Must Have Review

This is my last PopSugar Must Have review for a little while. I cancelled my subscription because I just leased a new Dodge Charger and wanted to cut back on some of my other spending to compensate. I really enjoy this box, but it's one of the more expensive ones, so it was also one of the first to go. But aside from that, June's box was really great!

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love! Post contains affiliate links.

PopSugar released two spoilers for this box and I loved both of them, so I was really excited to see what the other items would be. Normally I'm not a huge fan of "summer" boxes, mainly because I love all things fall and winter--spicy scents, cozy scarves, etc.--but PopSugar did a great job putting this box together!

PopSugar Must Have costs $39.95 per month, shipping included. Boxes only ship to U.S. addresses. I have to pay $3.20 in tax because I live in New York, which brings the total cost of my box to $43.15.

I always peek at spoilers when it comes to this box, and when Liz at MySubscriptionAddiction.com posted her review I clicked on it right away. At first I wasn't blown away by the items, but once I got my box I really ended up liking (almost) everything.

• Quay Australia Mandate Sunglasses ($45) - Just last week I went for an eye exam because my prescription for contacts had expired and I wanted to be able to wear non-prescription sunglasses this summer. I have a pair of prescription wayfarers that I love, but I was so happy to get these because now I have a non-script pair, too! They are quite large and almost look a little bit too big on my face, but they're sturdy and well-made so I'm going to wear them anyway.
• SNAP Infusion SUPERCANDY ($4 per pack) - Two packs of these were included in the box but I ate one at work today, so that's why only the sour gummies are pictured above. To be honest, I don't really understand what's so "super" about these, they have a few vitamins in them but lots of carbs and not a ton of nutritional value, but they did taste really good!
• Sweet & Spark Gift Card ($30) - I had never heard of Sweet & Spark before but they have "curated vintage jewelry." I am 99% positive I won't end up using this gift card because a quick glance at their site showed that most of their pieces are $98+, but it's a fun extra item.

• Yogitoes Peacock hBand ($4) - My headband is a little curled on the edges in the photo above because I actually wore it today (I took photos of all of these items when I first got the box and they were unused, but the pictures were bad so I took new ones today). I like this headband a lot, except for the fact that it's very wide. I just folded it in half though and it worked fine. I will definitely wear this when I go out for runs.
• SPONGELLE Boxed Flowers ($16) - I think everyone got the same scent, which was Papaya Yuzu. It smells absolutely amazing. I posted it for swap because, although it's a nice item, I probably won't use it. It's a body wash-infused buffer.
• Pacifica Enlighten Eye Brightening Shadow Palette ($14) - I love the colors on this palette but I posted it for swap as well because I have tons of palettes like this one already. I really like that it's vegan and cruelty-free too, though.

• In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume ($27.95) - I'm still working on one of the books from my Book Case Club box (review here), but as soon as I finish it I'm going to start reading this one. At first I thought, Judy Blume? The YA author? But this is her newest adult novel and the plot sounds really interesting.

Bottom Line: I think June's PopSugar Must Have box was well-curated and was a good one for me to go out on. The total retail value adds up to $144.95, including $8 total for the two packets of Supercandy. I am definitely going to resubscribe in the future, probably for their September through December boxes at least (like I said, I love those fall/winter months!), but I want to get used to having my lease payment on top of my other bills before I budget some of my subscription boxes back in.

April PopSugar Must Have Review and Coupon

April's PopSugar Must Have box was all about welcoming in spring. I have to admit, spring and summer are my least favorite seasons, so often I find that I don't love the items in boxes around this time of year as much as I love fall/winter boxes. Regardless, I thought this month's box was well-curated.

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love! Post contains affiliate links.

PopSugar Must Have is a lifestyle box that contains full-sized items with a total retail value of $100+ each month. It costs $39.95 per month and shipping is free, albeit very slow. My box takes forever to get to me (I live in New York). Also, they currently only ship to U.S. addresses.

April's box contained five items total, six if you include the gift card. I wasn't blown away by any of the items but I found them all to be pretty useful and I understand why they were chosen. The theme is cohesive and appropriate for the season.

• One Love Organics Gardenia + Tea Antioxidant Body Serum ($39.00 for 4 fl oz) - This serum nourishes, hydrates, and promotes firmer, smoother skin. This seemed to be pretty well-liked by most subscribers, but I actually swapped mine away because I already have a lot of products to use up that are very similar.
• Flip & Tumble 24-7 Bag ($12.00 for one bag) - This bag is super practical and great for grocery shopping. I made the switch to only using reusable bags when I shop a while ago but I'm always happy to have more. I love that this one folds up into a little ball; unfortunately, once I unfolded it I couldn't figure out how to get it packed up again.
• Dabney Lee Dottie Umbrella ($18.00) - The info card in the box lists this as having a $20 retail price but it's listed on the Dabney Lee site as selling for $18, so that's the value I'll use here. Anyway, I needed a new umbrella so this came at the perfect time. The design is very cute and it's well-made.

• Potting Shed Creations Garden-in-a-Bag Basil ($10.00 for 3.36 oz) - This is an all-in-one kit that lets you grow basil right from the bag, which is such a great idea! I'm not a gardener nor am I much of a cook, and although I know basil is an excellent herb to have on hand, I knew I wouldn't give this the love and care it needed so I swapped it.
• Produce Candles Rhubarb Spring Candle ($20.00 for 9 oz) - This ended up being my favorite item in the box but at first I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. I love candles, but when I saw that this was rhubarb scented I thought, "ugh, who would want a rhubarb candle?" I've never actually had rhubarb so I guess I just assumed that it didn't smell great, but this candle certainly does! It's mostly sweet but still has some crispness to it.
• $25 Gift Card to Mott50 (not pictured) - I had never heard of Mott50 before, but they sell "sun protective fashion." There are some nice pieces on their site but they're all pretty pricey so I probably won't use this.

Bottom Line: I was impressed by April's box even though I wasn't jumping for joy over any of the items. Like I said, I'm more of a fall/winter person and I love getting cozy, warm, spicy-scented things in subscription boxes, and that just isn't going to happen too often during the warmer months. I think I'll wait and see what May has in store and then reconsider whether or not I want to stay subscribed to PopSugar Must Have. Oh, and the total retail value of this box was $124 if you include the Mott50 gift card.

• Use coupon code MUSTHAVE5 to save $5 off your first box!

What do you think of April's box?

New PopSugar Must Have and Scentbird Promos!

PopSugar Must Have and Scentbird just released two new promotions! I don't like to post more than once or twice in one day, but both of these deals are really great so I decided to post them together.

*Disclaimer: Post contains affiliate links.

May's PopSugar Must Have box is sold out and since they know a lot of people are bummed that they missed out on it, PopSugar is offering a great gift with purchase for new subscribers for June!

Use promo code WELCOME to get the Sorial Wallet that was featured in the November 2014 box (a $49 value)! Hurry, because limited quantities are available and this deal is sure to sell out quickly as well (click here to read all of my PopSugar Must Have reviews). This offer is for new POPSUGAR Must Have subscribers only. Any duplicate boxes purchased with this promotion will not be refunded and cannot be returned for credit.

If you purchase a 6- or 12-month subscription to Scentbird you'll also get a deluxe candle set free (a $45 value)! You can buy one for your mom since Mother's Day is coming soon, or just treat yourself to a subscription. I am a huge Scentbird fan and just got my April perfume today (click here to read all of my Scentbird reviews). No coupon code is necessary for this deal, the candle set will automatically be added to your order.

PopSugar Must Have Refer and Win Campaign: Win $500!

If you're a PopSugar Must Have member then you probably already know that you can earn free boxes by referring your friends, but now they're offering you even more incentive to refer everyone you know!

*Disclaimer: Post contains affiliate links.

For this week only (April 16 through April 23), PopSugar Must Have is running a campaign where you could win a $500 Visa Gift Card! All you have to do is get friends to sign up for the box through your unique referral link, which can be found on your account page.

The subscriber who has the most referrals at the end of the campaign will win the $500 Visa Gift Card! Even if you don't win, you'll still earn free Must Have boxes when your friends sign up through your link, and you can get a maximum of 6 referral boxes per customer.

The contest ends on April 23, 2015 at 11:59 PST, so be sure to share your link with everyone you know!

May PopSugar Must Have Theme Spoilers and Coupon

The theme hints for May's PopSugar Must Have have been released!  April's box is sold out, but you can start your subscription with May.

What do you think will be inside?  "Glowing skin" makes me think there will be a skincare or sunless tanning product.  As far as the other hints, I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

• Use coupon code MUSTHAVE5 to get $5 off your first box!

March PopSugar Must Have Review and Coupon

There was a lot of chatter about the March PopSugar Must Have box and I know a lot of people weren't as happy with it.  I actually didn't mind it and found the items to be pretty useful, but I can understand why others were less than impressed.

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love! Post contains referral links.

PopSugar Must Have costs $39.99 a month (shipping included) and contains over $100 worth of items.  Currently they only ship within the United States.  It's a lifestyle box, so it could contain anything from beauty and skincare to accessories or home items, all of which are full-sized.  I think they have included a good mix of items in their past few boxes.

The inspiration for March's box was "renewal, citrus, spring break, fresh, and traveling."  I want to start traveling a lot more so I was excited to see what they'd include that could help me in my travels.  I know a lot of subscribers were unhappy with the selection this month, but I have to say that I liked this box.  It wasn't as exciting as the past two, but I thought that it had some really useful items that I enjoyed.

• Wet Brush The Squirt ($4.99) - Okay, I think the name of this product is really weird, but I guess it makes sense.  It's a mini brush to use on wet hair, and it's the perfect size for throwing in your suitcase.  This was one of the items that other subscribers weren't so happy about because they felt it was cheap, but I've heard great things about it so I'm happy to have one.
• Halfpops Halfpopped Popcorn -($1.69 for 2 oz)  I got the Butter & Pure Ocean Sea Salt flavor and they were so good!  They're exactly what they sound like--popcorn kernels that have only been popped halfway.  At first I thought they might be hard on my teeth, but they were crunchy without being too hard and had great flavor.

• benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Mascara and POREfessional ($8.00 for 1 oz and $4.13 for .1 oz) - I traded my Roller Lash away because I got it in a previous Birchbox and was not impressed, but I'm glad there was a POREfessional sample included.  Although I no longer purchase benefit, before I realized they weren't cruelty-free I bought a full-sized version of this primer and it works well with my oily skin.
• Bliss Micromagic Microdermabrasian Treatment ($48 for 3 oz) - This was the first spoiler that PopSugar released for this box and people were freaking. out. about it!  Many were upset because it contains five different parabens, and if you haven't heard, there was a study a few years back that showed parabens inside tumors of women with breast cancer.  While that is certainly cause for concern, the sample size for that study was very small and further research has shown that the results may have been overblown.  Plus, the parabens are the very last ingredients listed (meaning they are the smallest concentration in the mix) and are a common preservative in everything from food to skincare.  I personally have no problem with using this, but I respect other peoples' decision not to use it.  That being said, I was surprised by the uproar.  If I get an item that I don't like/won't use in a box, I just either gift it, swap it, or sell it on eBay.  Oh and this is an exfoliating scrub with vitamin E, volcanic pumice, and aloe.

• Samudra Pink Piña Zip Pouch ($40) - This was a PopSugar exclusive item and the third item that people were the most unhappy with.  I think a lot of subscribers were annoyed by the supposed $40 retail value because it's a basic pink zip pouch, but I never pay too much attention to retail values with these types of boxes anyway.  True, PopSugar promises $100+ value overall and when $40 of it is a zip pouch that's kind of disappointing, but you win some, you lose some.  I think this is actually nice and I'll definitely use it for liquids when I travel.
• Knock Knock What to Pack Pad ($7) - This was the only item in the box that I didn't really like, but I think it's got a cute design at least.  It's a checklist of things you should pack, but I'm pretty confident in my packing skills so I probably won't use it.

• Greenmarket Purveying Co. The Archivist Lemon+Cucumber Reed Diffuser Kit ($20) - This was my favorite item in the box because I love home fragrance products.  I usually buy candles over diffusers, so it was nice to get something I wouldn't normally purchase.  At first I wasn't sure if I was going to like the scent, but it's a great balance of sweet and citrus and I think it smells wonderful!

Bottom Line: This box had an approximate retail value of $129.68.  If we completely remove the $40 for the pouch, that's still a value of $89.68, which is more than double the price that I paid for it.  I know I'm in the minority here, but I liked this box!  It certainly wasn't the best ever, but I will use most of the items.

• Use coupon code MUSTHAVE5 for $5 off your first box!

What did you think of this box?

February PopSugar Must Have Review

I feel like I get my PopSugar Must Have box a while after everyone else does, so you've probably already read a review of it somewhere else.  But that's okay, because you're still here and reading mine!  Plus, we all have different opinions about the items, and I enjoy reading what everyone thinks.

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love! Post contains referral links.

I purchased January's Must Have box after it originally shipped to subscribers because I really wanted the Keep Cup and PopSugar offered the boxes for 50% off to new subscribers.  I was originally just going to order a new Keep Cup Brew, but it would have cost $30 after shipping so, since it was cheaper to buy the box at half price, I bought the box!  I've said this before, but I've been thoroughly impressed by the Must Have boxes as of late, so I kept my fingers crossed that February's wouldn't disappoint.

It didn't!  I was anxiously trolling the blogosphere for spoilers (I am the most impatient person of all time) and when Liz at MySubscriptionAddiction.com posted her review I was so excited!  I thought the box was very well curated and I couldn't wait to get mine.  Unfortunately, mine didn't even ship until after most bloggers already had theirs, but at least it came only two days after I got the shipping notice.

If you're new to PopSugar Must Have, it's a lifestyle box that costs $39.95 a month.  It's more expensive than some of the other boxes out there, but I think it has been very well worth the cost because their curation has been on point!

There were technically two beauty items this month and one extra.  I was glad that PopSugar included two natural brands, even though tarte is a little less natural than they advertise as (but still, better than nothing!).

• Figs & Rouge 100% Natural Balm ($6.14 for .60 oz) - The varieties varied on this one, and I got the Pomegranate scent.  I don't think it really smells like pomegranate, but it's not unscented, either.  I think it actually smells more like beeswax (one of the main ingredients, so it isn't vegan) than anything else.  I'm not concerned, though, because scent is not that important to me when it comes to lip balms.  I prefer natural ones because they are generally more effective than petroleum-based ones, and I'm looking forward to using this one.  Oh, one last thing--as you can see from the photo above, some of the oils started to condense on my balm, but I just ran my finger over it and they were gone (this is a common occurrence with natural products).
• tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush ($26 for .20 oz) - This is in the shade "True Love," which everyone received. It's described on tarte's website as being "watermelon" in color, which is accurate.  I've heard that this doesn't have the best pigmentation, but I'm willing to give it a try.
• Sally Beauty FingerPaints Nail Color ($5.49 for .50 fl oz) - This was a bonus item and the shades included varied.  Mine is "Pink Imagination."  I feel like I only ever get pink or red nail polishes from subscriptions, and those are the two colors I do not want.  I posted this for swap because I just won't use it.

• BaubleBar Mini Arrow Pendant Necklace ($32) - I can't find this on the BaubleBar site, but the info card says the suggested retail is $32, which sounds about right.  This was available in silver or gold, and I got the gold version.  It has little crystals on it as well.  This is cute, but not my style, so I posted it for swap.
• U.S. Apothecary Rose Water Bubble Bath ($30 for 12 oz) - I love the packaging on this so much!  It's so cute and is perfect for Valentine's Day, but I won't be using it because I'm not a fan of floral scents (especially rose).  Strong florals give me a headache, and this is very highly scented.  I like that it's vegan and made with natural ingredients, though!

• ACME Party Box Company Bamboo Heart Cutting Board & Cheese Knife ($32) - This was my favorite item in the box and is also a PopSugar exclusive!  I was just thinking that I didn't have anything like this for entertaining, and then I saw that it would be included in the box and was excited to have it.  I linked to a similar one on the ACME Party Box site that's only $24, in case you're interested in it and didn't get this box.
• Chuao Chocolatier Ravishing Rocky Road Bar ($6 for 2.8 oz) - I don't have a photo of this because I ate it today and forgot to take a quality photo.  I LOVE Chuao's chocolates.  All of them!  Surprisingly, this bar was one of the few varieties I hadn't tried yet, and I loved it.  It has salted caramelized almonds and marshmallows and it's just absolutely phenomenal.  It kind of reminds me of a fancy s'more!  They're on sale for $4 on the Chuao site (click the product name to go to the site), so if they aren't available in a store near you I highly suggest ordering some.

Bottom Line: Even though I won't use every item in this box, I still thought it was great!  I don't expect to love every single thing every single time, but overall I want to be happy and feel that I got my money's worth.  The total retail value here adds up to $137.63, so that's definitely a win to me!

What do you think of this month's box?

December PopSugar Must Have Review and Coupon

The last time I purchased a PopSugar Must Have box I was not thrilled with it.  I think it's a nice subscription, but it is a bit more expensive and the contents of the boxes are always hit-or-miss for me.  When I saw the reviews for this year's December box, though, I really liked everything that was inside.  I finally decided to buy one when they offered a free December box with a Special Edition Holiday For Her purchase (read my review of that here).

Must Have boxes cost $39.95 per month, shipping included, and contain a mixture of lifestyle items.  Currently they only ship within the United States.  Tracking is super slow for me, since the boxes ship from California and I live in New York.  This box took about a week to get to me, but it was well worth the wait!

• SPUN by Subtle Luxury Speckled Metallic Scarf ($62) - I love this scarf so much!  It's my favorite item in the box and was the main reason why I wanted to purchase it.  I can never have too many scarves, and I like this one because it's a lighter material that's good for winter and spring/summer.  Plus, the gold-flecked design is beautiful for Christmas and New Year's!

• Sparklepop Sydney Necklace ($42) - This necklace is 100% my style; I love long necklaces.  This one is definitely sparkly, but I like to wear pieces like this with plainer tops.  This will get a lot of use.
• Canvas Dauville Platinum Bowl ($29) - When I took this out of its box I noticed that the inside was a little bit dirty (you can see the smears in the photo above), which was kind of weird since it's supposed to be brand-new, but it didn't bother me a whole lot.  I just rinsed it out.  I'm using it as a decorative bowl to store my rings and other small jewelry on my dresser.

• Knot & Bow Parcel Tags ($4) - These were a good addition to the box because of the holidays, but I didn't end up using them because my presents were already wrapped after I got the box.  I'll have plenty of opportunities in the future to use them, with birthdays and that sort of thing.
• Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer in Bordeaux ($24) - The color of this is just a little too dark for me, so I posted it for swap.  It has a staining pigment that ensures long wear, just like the name says.

• Williams-Sonoma Cupcake Mix in Vanilla Bean ($14.95) - This is my second favorite item in the box because I love cupcakes!  I've never gotten anything from Williams-Sonoma before, although I love looking through the store, so I'm excited to see if these taste as good as everything in the store looks.

Here's a side view of the Canvas Dauville bowl.  The texture is kind of grainy, but it provides a good contrast to the shiny interior.

• Use coupon code SPECIAL15 for $15 off of the Special Edition Holiday boxes
• Use coupon code MH15 to save $15 off of your first month of PopSugar Must Have

Bottom Line: I loved this box just as much as I loved the Special Edition  Holiday For Her, so I'm so glad I was able to get them in a bundle.  Even if I had purchased this on its own I still would have been happy, considering the retail value is $175.95!

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. Post contains referral links.

PopSugar Must Have Special Edition Holiday For Her Review

I've never spent $100 on a subscription box before, and I honestly never thought I would, but the PopSugar Must Have Special Edition Holiday box was so amazing that I finally decided to treat myself (that, and because I got a promotion at work so I had a little bit more money to spend).

This box is still available, as is the "For Him" edition.  Both cost $100 and shipping is included in the charge.  There was an extra $8 charge for me and I'm assuming that's tax for living in New York state.  If you order now it won't arrive in time for Christmas, but I still think it's a great gift to treat yourself with (or someone else, if they don't mind getting their present a bit late).  Mine took five business days to get to me and was delivered via FedEx Smart Post.  Boxes are delivered via USPS for states other than New York and California.

The box itself is a nice, sturdy black box, and inside the items were individually wrapped with black tissues paper.  It was fun to unwrap each one and added to the feeling that it was a Christmas gift.

The box featured eight full-sized items, and I loved every single one of them!  As I said, I had no intention of buying this box, but after I saw some reviews for it I just really wanted it.  I also used a coupon code (it's expired now, or else I would have shared it with you) that allowed me to get the December box for free with this one.

• Illume Gilded Amberleaf Metallic Knob Tin ($23.50) - I think this is my favorite item in the box, even though it's hard to pick a favorite.  I love candles and this one has such a beautiful container.  It also smells amazing, with notes of mandarin, vetiver, vanilla, and tobacco.  It's sweet but not too much so, and creamy, and just wonderful.  I love it!

• Loeffler Randall Envelope Clutch ($70) - The info card says that PopSugar "loved working on this with Loeffler Randall," so I don't know if that means that it was made specifically for this box or not.  I am not a clutch person, but I actually like this one a lot!  It's a good size, 8.5" by 5.5."  I hate big, clunky clutches.  I'm glad to have this nice and dainty one in my collection for future events.
• Turkish-T Diamond Throw ($65) - This is a PopSugar exclusive item and it's probably tied with the Illume candle as my favorite item in the box!  I love blankets so much, and I've heard great things about the Turkish-T brand.  I like this because it's beautiful and not too heavy, but still appropriate for winter.  It's also cool that it was only available through this box.

• RMS Beauty Living Luminizer and Brightening Brush ($38 and $12) - I actually have one of these already so I posted it up for swap, but it's an excellent highlighter.  RMS Beauty is a great organic brand, too.  I like the brush a lot and will put it to good use.
• Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment ($22) - I've been wanting to try ExfoliKate for a while so I was really excited to receive this!  I've seen so many rave reviews about it so obviously I wanted to try it out for myself.  I've used it once and it does work nicely, but so far it doesn't seem any better than other exfoliators I've tried.  I'm willing to give it more of a chance, though.
• Habit Cosmetics Nail Polish in 21 Nefertiti ($18) - I love this nail polish!  It's so beautiful and a great shade for winter (see an Instagram photo I posted of it here).  I also think the bottle itself is really pretty.  It costs more than what I'm used to paying for a nail polish, but the formula is good and I would consider buying more shades.

• Droga Chocolates Money on Honey ($7.95) - Salted caramel is one of my most favorite flavor combinations in the entire world.  I can't say that these are life-changing (I expect expensive chocolates to be really amazing), but they do taste good.  When I saw the brand name it made me raise an eyebrow because "droga" is the Spanish word for "drugs."  If that's the meaning of the name, though, it's appropriate because chocolate is the best drug.

Here are some more photos of the products:

The inside of the Loeffler Randall clutch

The RMS Beauty Living Luminizer

Bottom Line: I'm so glad I got this box!  I really like all of the items and I think it was well worth the price, considering the combined retail value is $256.45.  The Turkish-T throw is also an exclusive item, which is another plus.  If you have extra money to spend and want to treat yourself or someone else, I recommend this box!

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.  Post contains referral links.

May PopSugar Must Have Review

After the epic fail that was April's PopSugar Must Have box, I was very pleased with what they had to offer for May.  This one was the best I've gotten yet, but I've only gotten three total.  I have kept an eye on what the other months have included, though, and I can't say I've been blown away by this subscription.

But aside from that, May's box was definitely better than April's and December's (the only other one I've purchased).  I liked this box the best because it had products for the "must haves" that I like the best: beauty and food.

When I first opened the box and saw this I thought, "oh no, not another Green Garmento!"  But it's a cute little reusable bag, which I actually will use quite a bit.  It's the perfect size for when I only need to grab a few things from the store, as opposed to carrying in my giant canvas bags for two items.

Here's the list of everything that was in May's box:

• Kooringal Giselle Mid Brim Hat ($27.99) - I didn't think I would like this at all because I usually hate how I look in hats, but to my surprise I like it quite a bit!  I think it looks really cute and is obviously great for the summer.  The color I received is a gray, even though it looks blue in the photo above.
• The Modern Margarita ($12.99) - These mixers sound delicious.  The flavors are Watermelon, Authentico, Blood Orange, Mango, and Strawberry.  I can't wait to try them all (I haven't opened them yet), but mango and blood orange definitely sound the best!
• Questions I Ask When I Want to Talk About Myself ($14.95) - This is a deck of fifty cards with witty anecdotes and questions from Mindy Kaling.  I don't really know a ton about her, but I've heard her style of comedy is similar to Tina Fey's and I love Tina Fey.  I've read a few of these and I can't say I'll ever use them as conversation starters, but they're fun to read.
• The Original Beautyblender and Blendercleanser ($29.90) - These two are my favorite items this month; they came at the perfect time for me.  I had just thrown out my old sponge and was about to buy a new one, so I'm glad that I didn't.  I've used the Beautyblender before and it's a good sponge, but it's still just a makeup sponge so I would never purchase it at retail price.  I've also used Blendercleanser before and I like it for my makeup brushes, too.  The bottle is a really nice size.
• Pacifica Natural Color Quench Lip Tint ($7.00) - The shade I got was "Sugared Fig."  This balm is just okay to me.  It barely gives any color and it feels a bit strange on my lips--a slight waxy feel, which I'm not used to with natural products.  I do like that Pacifica is a cruelty-free company.
• Charm & Chain Gift Card ($30) - The box contained a $30 gift card to Charm & Chain but their jewelry is pricey and not worth the expense to me.  I can find similar pieces for much cheaper prices, and I don't generally spend a lot on my jewelry.
• Way Better Snacks ($1.19)- These chips were a "special extra," and I'm so glad they were included because they were delicious.  My flavor was Sweeet Potato Tortilla Chips (yes, misspelled on purpose), which is what I think everyone received (correct me if I'm wrong).  I'm going to look for this brand the next time I go grocery shopping, I like that they're certified by the Non-GMO Project.

Bottom Line: There was definitely a better distribution of value in this box as opposed to April's, which made my happy.  The ARV of this box adds up to $124.02, and considering I got this box for free (thank you to the two people who signed up with my referral link!), I'd say that's a pretty good deal.

*Disclaimer: I received this box for free due to earned referral credits, but this is not a sponsored post.

April PopSugar Must Have Review

April's PopSugar Must Have box was more like a "PopSugar Don't Wants" to me.  I signed up again because I had earned a free box from referring two people (thank you!), but I had to be an active member in order to claim it.  I paid for this box, but I'll receive May's for free.  I hope next month's is better, because this one was a total dud for me.

I received my first PopSugar Must have back in December, and that box was not great either (but it was better than April's).  I was excited to sign up because the previous months had been fantastic, but I think I just have bad timing.  I have looked at other peoples' reviews of the boxes in between, though, and I have to say I haven't been impressed.  PopSugar Must Have costs $35 a month, so it's more expensive than many of the other services out there, but it also will contain at least $100 worth of merchandise.

• Alter Eco Dark Quinoa Organic Chocolate - I'm all for organic and fair trade, and if you like dark chocolate I bet you'd love this bar.  I, however, am not the biggest fan of dark chocolate so this was only so-so for me.  It has a great flavor, it's just not a flavor I particularly care for.  The quinoa was cool, though; it basically just tastes like little rice crunchies.
• kai Perfume Oil - I hate this perfume because I don't like florals.  It's too strong and I don't care for it, but if florals are your thing you might like this.  The vial is so small though, which is why I feel like we got ripped off for this box (it doesn't matter to me that it retails for $48).
• Shashi New Nugget Bracelet - My bracelet is cobalt, which is pretty, but my gripe with this one is that it doesn't lie smoothly.  You can see in the first photo that it's bent into a triangle.  I figured that it would smooth out when I put it on my wrist, but it doesn't, so you just end up with this weird, square-shaped type of thing.
• Tatcha Aburatorigami Evening Blotting Papers - This is my favorite item in the box.  I've used these many times before, and I was glad that I didn't have to go buy another package of blotting papers.
• The Green Garmento All-in-One Bag - I could see where this would be handy, but I have no use for it.  I suppose I might need it in the future if I travel or buy something that's actually nice enough to be dry cleaned.

A better picture of the kai perfume oil

The reason why I was so let down by this box was because even though the retail value did equal more than $100, it hardly seemed worth it.  The perfume oil is a tiny bottle (it'd be considered sample-sized for most other services) but supposedly has a retail value of $48.  I just felt like the items in April's box were really disappointing and I wasn't excited to receive any of them.  Based on the comments on the April reveal post on the Must Have blog, a lot of people feel the same way I do.

Bottom Line: I really hope that PopSugar Must Have steps it up for May, or else it will be my last box for a long time!  I think the idea is great, but their choice of items for the past few months has not been.

*Disclaimer: I purchased this box and was not asked to review it.  I received no compensation and the honest opinions here are entirely my own.

December PopSugar Must Have Review

Back in July when the PopSugar Must Have Bag launched, I was approached by the company to highlight their subscription service.  I turned it down at first because they weren't offering any sort of discount, and I wanted to see how the first few bags were before subscribing (since it's a bit more expensive at $35 a month).  It didn't pique my interest until October's bag, which I think has been their best one to date.  I was hoping to sign up to receive November's, but it had already sold out so my first shipment would be December's box.  I had high hopes, but this box didn't impress me.

Like I said, October and November were so good, so I was hoping that December would follow suit.  The box was a good value if you solely consider the retail prices of what was included, but as a whole I felt that the products were pretty lame.

Before I get to the products, I want to talk about how infuriatingly slow their shipping is!  The shipping is free (well, it's included in the $35), so I don't expect it to get to me super fast, but it shouldn't have taken as long as it did, either.  While I was waiting for my box I noticed some message board posts where people were saying that it seemed like their boxes sat in Sacramento for days before making any movement.  Mine did as well, and it made me wonder if PopSugar sends out the shipping notices when the labels print, not when they actually ship.  In total, it took the box 11 days to get to me in New York.

So after that wait, I was really hoping I would love this box.  I did peek at some spoilers, and I found the items to be not so great (listed below clockwise from top left).

• Bodum Bistro Mugs - A two-pack of double-walled glass mugs that can hold hot or cold beverages.  They retail for around $30 and they are nice, but it's not something I would want or buy otherwise so I was indifferent to them.
• Go Swype - This little wipe is to clean off tech devices, and I'll use it primarily for my laptop and phone screen.  They're only good for about two weeks, though, which is lame; but I'm sure I'll be using it for longer than that.
• Jaboneria Marianella Soap - I do like soaps, so this item was probably my favorite.  The scent I received was "Dama de la Noche," with apple, lemon, and Dama de la Noche bloom.  It's a pretty scent overall.
• Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit - I read/watched some other reviews where people were pretty excited about this item, but it was another one that I could take or leave.  I was hoping to at least get a fun color like purple or green, but I got taupe.  Again, it's something I'll use, but not something that I really wanted (it contains little emergency items like floss, band aids, etc.).
• Tea Forte Sampler - So many teas.  I am so tired of getting teas in subscription boxes.
• Bogdon's Peppermint Poles - These are yummy and I liked them.
• Rent the Runway $30 gift code - I'll never use this.  I would post the coupon for someone else to use, but it says you have to be a Must Have subscriber to use it.

Bottom Line: This box did nothing to make me want to continue as a subscriber and I cancelled shortly after receiving it.  PopSugar Must Have is a good idea in theory, but for me it's too much to spend each month on items I may or may not use.