Escape Monthly Giveaway [CLOSED]

There's a new subscription service on the block, and it's called Escape Monthly.  I've been hearing a lot about this service, so when they approached me to host a giveaway for my readers I jumped at the chance!  Escape Monthly features destination-inspired themes and luxury products for $49.95 a month (shipping included).

Escape Monthly is brand new, so they haven't released a box yet, but I have a feeling they're going to include lots of fantastic items (I'm assuming the preview image above is of their first box!).  Their website lists full-sized luxury products, from bath and beauty to gourmet snacks to gift certificates!  They'll also include travel guides and entertainment to escape into, and one lucky member will even win the luxury escape (Escape Monthly will pay for the winner's airfare and accommodations, up to $2000).

The first box ships in August with a Napa Valley theme, and I can't wait to see what's inside!  If you want to win one for yourself, enter using the Rafflecopter form below.  If you'd rather just sign up right now, use coupon code YOURESCAPE for 20% off of your boxes for life (open to first 100 redeemers)!  This giveaway is open to US residents and will end on Saturday, July 13th at 12:00 AM EST.  For official rules, read the terms and conditions on the Rafflecopter form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


*Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Escape Monthly.

June Little Black Bag Review and Unboxing

My June Little Black Bag was the first one I ever purchased that didn't have a handbag in it!  I opened with the Sicura Italian Designs Parisian Love Jewelry Holder for $23.90, and then added an item to bring my total to $39.64 for five items and a beauty bonus.

My jewelry stand is not pictured above because it was too large to fit into the frame with the other items without looking awkward (keep scrolling for pictures of it).  I was very happy with this bag, and I think I got a pretty good deal for just under $40.  I probably could have traded for the owl votive holder, but I just really wanted it and the add-to-bag price was low enough that I didn't mind.

• Sicura Italian Designs Parisian Love Jewelry Holder ($25) - I love it and I'm so glad I opened with it!  I knew I wasn't going to trade it away for anything, so I just kept passing on offer after offer.  When it was first released it was trading pretty high, too.  I think the highest offer I got was somewhere around $50.
• skyn ICELAND Glacial Cleansing Cloths ($15) - I needed more cleansing cloths and I was stuck with some jewelry that I didn't want, so I traded them for these.  I'm glad I got them because they're wonderful.  They smell fantastic and they do a good job of removing my makeup, and they're also cruelty-free.
• Raj Imports Two Tone Animal Scarf ($28) - I over-offered like crazy for this because I just wanted a scarf instead of three jewelry pieces I didn't like.  When it arrived it smelled kind of funny, like it had been left out in the rain or in the washing machine for too long.  Overall, though, it's light and airy and a cute print (I got the pink version).
• Geranium Stone Bow Necklace ($19) - This necklace is really cute and semi-dainty, which I like.  Normally it isn't a style that I would wear, but for some reason it caught my eye.  I'm going to wear it with a peplum top tomorrow.
• Two's Company Vintage Owl Votive Holder ($23) - I love, love, love(!) this!  I love owls and anything bird-themed, so I knew I had to have this to add to my bird collection.  I already have a Scentsy warmer and another votive holder in the shape of an owl, so this guy fits right in.  It's nice and heavy and good quality, and my little mini-candles fit perfectly inside.
• First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser ($4) - I didn't really want this, but I ended up with it because I couldn't trade it away.  At one point I had three FAB items in my bag, but I was able to trade up two.  I like that this brand is cruelty-free, but I already have a ton of skin care and this face cleanser contains a few semi-synthetic ingredients that I'd rather avoid.

Here's the jewelry stand!  Most of my necklaces are too long to hang on it, so I got it with the intent of using it as a bracelet holder.  I think it looks so pretty on my dresser (I moved it away from where I display it for the purposes of a clearer photo here), and I love the bird detail.

Bottom Line: I'm very happy with this Little Black Bag and I'm not as sad as I thought I would be at not having a handbag.  The items are all great quality and I would definitely recommend them!

Check out more photos of my items after the "read more!"

June Birchbox Review

My June Birchbox was the best one I've ever gotten!  I've been a subscriber on-and-off since October of 2011, with last year's August box being my last.  I decided to re-subscribe after seeing the previews for this month because they all looked wonderful.  I kept my fingers crossed that I would at least receive some of them, since in the past I've seen enticing products previewed and received none of them.

The theme for June was "Wanderlust," which is spot-on for me right now because I'm itching to take a trip.  I have my heart set on Yosemite National Park (I know, it seems strange since most people want to go somewhere tropical, but I love wilderness and wildlife).  I actually loved every single item in this month's box, which has never happened to me before with Birchbox!  I also really liked their redesign, both of the website and the boxes themselves.  I really appreciated the new questions on the style profile, especially the one where I could say that perfume samples were not my favorite and to only send me no more than six per year.

My box contained four samples and one "beauty extra," so basically I received five beauty samples total.  I was hoping to get one of the Laqa & Co. Lil' Lip Duo balms, but I didn't.  I did get a Mirenesse lip product, though, which I felt was just as good.

They also included cute destination-themed post cards in the box, which I thought was a nice touch.

• Birchbox + Color Club Wanderlust Collection - I received the shade "Reign in Spain," which is a neon orange/coral that I adore.  I'm really into bright nails for the summer, so I can't wait to try this on.  All four shades were created exclusively for Birchbox.
• Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk - I've used a lot of dry shampoos and this one was definitely much better than all of them.  The sample is a pretty good size, so I'll get a good amount of use out of this.  I would consider purchasing a full-sized one in the future.
• Mireness Glossy Kiss Lipstick - I think this is full-sized.  I received the shade "First Kiss," which is a coral/red combo.  I like lip crayons and this one is great quality.  I prefer to wear it more sheer with only one or two coats, but you can definitely layer it to be more bold.
• suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser - This is my favorite item for the month!  It smells amazing (nice and lemon-y) and works really well.  It supposedly can be used daily, but it's gritty and I will probably only use it twice a week at most.  I would like to purchase a full-sized jar of this, but it's a little bit more expensive than what I usually spend on skincare.  It might be worth it, though since they're a cruelty-free and free of synthetic ingredients.
• 100% Pure Nourishing Body Cream - I've used these before and I love them.  The packets were small, maybe ketchup-packet sized, so I think that's why Birchbox considered them an "extra."  The scents I got were coconut and vanilla, both of which smelled heavenly.  I actually thought that the coconut smelled more like vanilla than the vanilla one did.  I would highly recommend these creams--they're super-nourishing and the texture is so creamy.

Bottom Line: If all of my Birchboxes could be like this I would be one happy camper!  I hope that with the new and improved user profile they'll send me things that are more appropriate for my interests and lifestyle.  I also like that they're featuring more organic and natural brands.  Sign up to receive your own Birchbox here.

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.  Links in post are referral links.

June Loot Crate Unboxing

My boyfriend signed up for a three month subscription to Loot Crate and he sent over some pictures today (we're long distance at the moment) of his June box for me to post.  This box is out of my area of expertise, but it's a box I've heard a lot about so I wanted to share it with everyone.

Loot Crate sends "Epic Geek and Gamer Gear" to your doorstep once a month.  The monthly plan costs $19.37 per box, the three month option is $55.11, and the six month option is $105.99 ($6 for shipping is included in each of these prices, per box).  You can view the payment options, along with the items in past boxes, at their subscription page.

The theme for June was "Mashup."  Overall, Pete said that this box was just okay to him.  He felt that the t-shirt was obviously the big item of the box, so therefore the other items were of lesser value.  From looking at the past boxes, I agree that they usually send one "bigger" item along with some smaller trinkets.  Since I'm not a gamer I can't really comment on these items, but I think it looks like a nice spread for $18.37 a month.

Here's what was included in the box:

• BIC Tech Stylus 2 in 1 Pen - This is actually a pretty neat item, I think, but I wouldn't use it because BIC is not cruelty-free.
• 8-Bit Glasses by Loot Crate Labs - I think these are really funny and I hope Pete can get some use out of them!  He isn't really into the whole kitschy thing, though, so he probably won't.
• Dead Pool-Aid T-Shirt by GraphicLab - I didn't get the reference, so today I learned that Deadpool is a Marvel character.  This shirt definitely fits the theme of the box.
• Loot Crate Bot Sticker by Danger Brain - Well, a sticker is a sticker.
• Help a Brother Out by Hairbrained Design - This is also a sticker.  I like the design and think it's pretty clever.

• Loot Crate Wall Tangrams by Walls360 - I think these are pretty neat, too.  I'm not sure where Pete might use them, but you could make a fun design with them.
• Warheads Candies - The flavors he got were Black Cherry and Lemon.  I used to love Warheads when I was younger!
• Stan Lee's Comikaze Golden Ticket - This is the one item that leaves me scratching my head, because I have no clue what it is.  I'll have to touch base with Pete again to find out (I can't right now because he's working).  I tried to Google it but came up short.  I'm wondering if it gains you entrance to an event?  Please excuse my n00bism!

Bottom Line: I think Loot Crate is really interesting and I'm glad a subscription service is out there targeting people with these interests.  There are a plethora of beauty boxes out there, so finding one like this that is more unique is exciting to me.  I'm curious to see what he gets for the next two months!

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

June Petit Vour Review

June's Petit Vour box was not as good as May's, and I think more than a few members were disgruntled with the product selection.  It was not my favorite assortment of items, but I'm willing to give Petit Vour more of a chance because this was only their second box ever, and I appreciate that they only feature cruelty-free and vegan brands.

This month's box contained six items total and had a value of over $60 (according to Petit Vour, I don't really bother to add up values for my items because it doesn't really bother me), but the complaints came from the fact that the samples were so small, and the gift certificate we got didn't include shipping.  Here are my thoughts on the items:

• Mineral Hygienics Gift Certificate - I've received two of these from other boxes and I've never used them.  It's good for $15 toward any item, but some people were getting upset because it didn't cover shipping costs.  I already knew that from having gotten them in other boxes, and honestly I don't understand why there was such an uproar this time.  The cheapest shipping option is $5.25, which to me does not seem like a big deal at all.  Furthermore, this is the fault of Mineral Hygienics, not Petit Vour.  I understand that people may feel that they shouldn't have to spend more money to get the item, but in that case I say, just don't use the certificate!  But to each their own, I suppose.  Oh and Petit Vour even went above and beyond after hearing customers' complaints and will be providing everyone with Petit Vour points to use in their shop equivalent in value to your shipping cost.
• Baudelaire Acorelle Perfume - I don't like perfume samples.  Of all the boxes I've received them in, I've only ever liked one.  I hope that Petit Vour doesn't include them often.  The scent is described as "lotus bamboo," and I didn't love it.  It's not bad, but I prefer scents that are have warmer notes than this.  I did like that it was an atomizer and not just a vial with a stopper.
• (Skingen)^x (Anti-Wrinkle Comple)^x, (Eye Comple)^x, and ^x(Foliator) - Petit Vour included these samples because they wanted to send us a high-end brand, which I can appreciate, but the foil packets were so small that I don't think I could ever truly judge their performance off of such a small sample size.  The wrinkle cream is a much more substantial sample, but I don't have wrinkles.  I know it can easily be used for preventative care, but I am currently inundated with skin creams.  I'm going to offer this to a friend or family member.
• Barre Pirouette Cinnamon Pecan Bar - This was so yummy!  I like bars like this because I eat them for breakfast most mornings, and this one kept me feeling full and satisfied.  It had the perfect mix of cinnamon and nuts in it, and I would definitely purchase them in the future.

Bottom Line: This was not my favorite box, but as I said at the beginning of my review, I'm definitely willing to give Petit Vour more of a chance.  I think they learned a lot from customer feedback this month, and their responses were amazingly kind.  I wouldn't be surprised if July's box blows us all away!

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.