December Birchbox Review

I didn't choose any specific samples for my Birchbox this month, so this is the first one in a while that has been a total surprise.  I was pretty happy with it overall, but I'd like to be able to say "no more mascara samples" in my beauty profile.

I loved the design of the box this month.  It's so pretty and perfect for winter.  The theme for the month is "Decked Out," and the info card says "With apologies to Scrooge, we find it hard to feel anything but buoyant this time of year."  I know "buoyant" can also mean cheerful, but I still think it sounds weird.

There probably isn't anyone in the world who's interested in subscription boxes that doesn't already know this, but just in case, Birchbox costs $10 a month, with free shipping within the U.S.  I pay an extra 80 cents for tax because I live in New York state.  They also recently started shipping to Canada.

• Sumbody Salt Scrub Bon Bon in Tuscan Orange ($4.50 for one) - I'm excited to try this out.  I love any and all scrubs, especially ones that have good scents and cute packaging.  This one is made with Pacific sea salt.  I'm just not sure how I'm going to store it; I'm afraid it might disintegrate if I just leave it in my shower.
• Borghese Superiore State-of-the-Art Mascara ($6.50 for .1 oz) - I have too many mascaras, both full and sample sized!  No more!  This one promises to lengthen, condition, and curl.
• Juara Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask ($5.83 for .5 oz) - This is my favorite item this month because I love face masks, but it's also a generous sample size.  It has an incredibly light scent that I can't place, but I don't think it's intentionally perfumed, more that it's the scent made up by the combination of ingredients.  It's supposed to soothe the skin and help with inflammation.
• W3LL People Bio Brightener Stick in Moonstone (~$4.00) - I'm totally guessing on the value of this because there's no size listed on the sample.  I'm estimating it's about .05 oz?  Anyway, I like that this brand is cruelty-free and uses natural ingredients.  I don't really have a need for this right now because I have a bunch of other highlighters, but I've heard great things about it.
• RUFFIAN Nail Lacquer in RUFFIAN Red ($10 for .17 fl oz, full-sized) - Normally I'm excited to receive nail polishes in my Birchbox, but one color I do not need any more of is red.  I've used other RUFFIAN colors and they have a great formula, I just wish I had gotten any other shade.

Bottom Line: This month's box had an approximate retail value of $30.83, which is exceptional.  It also contained a coupon for $10 off at Gap, so that bumps the value up to $40.83.  I do think they chose good items for me based on my beauty profile; I just put some of them up for swap since I have to many of that particular product already.

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

Saturday Thoughts and Link Love

Christmas is in five days!  It seems weird.  I say this every year, but it really does creep up on me.  I remember anticipating Christmas for a good month in advance when I was a kid, but now working full-time and having other responsibilities makes it easier to forget about it at times.

I will admit I'm a little bit more of a Scrooge when it comes to the holidays, but it's not because I hate the holidays.  I do dislike how some people chose to handle themselves during this time, though.  I see an uptick in crazy drivers (both in parking lots and on the roads), aggressive behavior while shopping, and general rudeness to cashiers and other retail workers.  'Tis the season for joy and peace, right?  And goodwill to all?  To those people out there that I've observed acting like crazy fools, before you fly off the handle next time, please remember that while you may be upset that the store is out of that one toy your kid wanted, the store associate is probably having an even worse day because they've been dealing with angry customers all day.

Anyway, I know most people do take the time to enjoy the season and are nice to others.  This is a great time to relax and enjoy family, friends, or whatever else is important to you!

Photo courtesy of Looklab

Now for some link love...

• This simple craft (pictured above) is such a genius way to repurpose something I'd normally just recycle!
• I am usually not a lover of healthy foods, but I'm trying to be better.  This salad actually looks quite delicious!
• It's not Christmas without peppermint.
• How adorable is this reimagined Venus de Milo?
• This prefab "shelter" is just amazing!

My Subscription Addiction Quarterly Co. Review #MSA02

If you're reading my blog, then I'm sure you also read My Subscription Addiction.  Liz reviews tons of different subscription services, and the site even has a swap section where you can trade sub box items that you won't use (I'm a member and I love it).  When I found out that she was going to have her own Quarterly Co. box I wanted to sign up, but I was subscribed to Harry Shum, Jr.'s at the time and couldn't afford both.  Harry's box ended up being discontinued after the first one, so I took that as a sign to subscribe to Liz's!

Most Quartery boxes cost $50 per month (some are more expensive), including this one.  I was able to get this box for $40 because I had a coupon code for $10 off of your first box.  I loved every item in the first MSA box and I was bummed that I missed out on it, so I made sure to subscribe in time for the second one.  Here's what Liz had to say about it:

For this winter box, I wanted to include everything you need for a cozy day at home, a little holiday sparkle, and one of my favorite winter skincare items!

"Cozy day at home" might be my four most favorite words in the English language!  When the first spoiler was released (for the Faribault blanket) I became even more excited.  I know some people weren't as pleased with this box as the first one, but I like it quite a bit.  For me, Quarterly boxes are all about seeing how the box is curated, regardless of the caliber of brands that are included.

• Foot Traffic Fuzzy Slipper Socks ($9) - I have so many pairs of fuzzy socks, but I'm always happy to have more!  I love getting a new pair because they're always so soft and warm, and these are no exception.  There were three color variations, and I'm glad I got the purple ones because it's one of my favorite colors.  These also have grippers on the bottom so you don't slide everywhere you walk.
• BaubleBar Ice Circle Pendant ($32) - Liz said she wanted to include a "sparkly yet subtle" piece of jewelry in the box, and I think this necklace was the perfect choice.  I prefer daintier jewelry and I think this is great to wear to work or to a holiday party.
• Faribault Woolen Mill Co. Recycled Wool Throw in Red Whip Stitching ($64) - I love this blanket so much!  I said that I loved cozy things, and I was not lying--I couldn't wait to get this box because of this blanket!  It's made of wool so it isn't super soft at first, but you can just wash it and it will become softer with each wash.  I don't mind the texture, though, what matters to me is that it's super warm.

• Au Naturale Creme Eye Shadows in White Quartz and Addiction ($20 each) - I'm glad Liz has a passion for natural and organic beauty, because I prefer to use those types of products as well.  These eyeshadows are non-toxic, gluten-free, paraben-free, vegan, non-nano, and made in a USDA-certified organic facility.  The White Quartz shade is great to use as a highlighter, and Addiction was made specially for this box!
• Yes to Carrots Fragrance-Free Intense Hydration Night Cream ($13) - I think this may have been the most derisive product in the box based on some other reviews and comments I've seen.  I really like the "Yes To" brand because they're an affordable cruelty-free option and their products have great efficacy.  Plus, this night cream is great for winter skin!

Bottom Line: This box had a total retail value of $158, plus it included an eyeshadow that was only available through the box!  I'm very happy with the products that Liz selected and I will use all of them.  The blanket is definitely my favorite, and overall I think there was a good variety of items in this box.

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

December Beauty Box 5 Review

Beauty Box 5 is exactly what it sounds like: a subscription box that sends five beauty and skincare products to your door!  It costs only $12 a month and always has a good mix of deluxe samples and full-sized items.

December's theme is about celebrating the holidays, or "Spa-lidays" as BB5 says.  The products inside help remind you to take a quick break during the hustle and bustle of the season to pamper yourself.

• Lucky Brand Lucky Number 6 (~$1.47 for .05 fl oz) - This perfume is made up of a blend of lotus, tiger lily, cashmere woods, and jasmine.  It's a bit too floral for my personal preference, but I'm sure anyone who prefers floral scents would love this.
• Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Moisturizer (~$9.94 for .26 fl oz) - Juice Beauty is a great organic skincare brand, and the Stem Cellular Moisturizer is made of a blend of antioxidant-rich plant and fruit oils.  I've used this before and like it quite a bit, it's very light and absorbs quickly.
• Absolute! New York Nail Polish Remover Pads ($2.99 for 32 pads, full-sized) - These are really hand to take on-the-go.  Mine are "Lavender."
• Nanacoco Nail Polish ($3.95 for .5 fl oz, full-sized) - I received the shade "Punks," which is a blue/gold/pink glitter.  The shade was randomly selected, but all are glitters that are great for the holidays.
• Body Drench Lip Drench ($4.99 for .15 oz, full-sized) - I'm always happy to receive lip balms, and this one is infused with vitamin E, rosemary extract, and beeswax for cold-weather hydration.  The scent was randomly selected, and I received "Pomegranate."

Bottom Line: I like and will use all of the items except for the perfume sample, so this box is a win for me!  It had three full-sized items and an approximate retail value of $23.34 (I had to estimate the size of the perfume).

*Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Beauty Box 5. Press sample received for review purposes.

GoodMouth Review

I received an email from a third-party company with a bunch of coupons for my birthday month, and one of them was for a free shipment from GoodMouth.  I had heard of their subscription service before and I love free stuff, so I figured, why not give it a try?

GoodMouth is oral care delivered.  For as low as $2 per shipment they'll send you a new toothbrush every three months.  At this time you're not able to change how frequently you receive a shipment, but they're working on adding that function in the future.  The reason it's set to every three months is because that's the recommended amount of time that you use a toothbrush for before getting a new one.

What impressed me about GoodMouth was that I took their "Brush Suggester" survey and was able to browse their recommendations for me.  I have sensitive teeth, so I ended up going with "The Chameleon" toothbrush.  You can also add on things like floss, lip balm, and mints to your shipment for a nominal extra fee.  I chose to stick with just the toothbrush this time, and it would have cost me $3.50 total if I didn't have the free coupon code.  Also, GoodMouth donates two brushes, or the equivalent in dental care, to someone in need for every subscription purchased.

$3.50 every three months for a toothbrush is a really good deal.  I like this subscription because buying toothbrushes is something that I never think about.  Honestly, the only time I used to get a new one was when my dentist would give me one during my biannual cleanings when I was a kid.  My adult dentist doesn't give out freebies, so if I purchase a new toothbrush once a year that's a lot for me.  I know that's a pretty poor practice, so now I can get one delivered to me without even having to think about it!  The price is super cheap, too, for a good quality brush.  Brushes in stores cost the same, if not more.

"The Chameleon" has a compact head, premium soft bristles (you should only ever brush with soft bristles, regardless of whether you have sensitivity issues or not), and an ergonomic handle with rubber grips.  The other brush that was recommended for me was called "The Panda."

• Visit GoodMouth and see which brush is best for you!

Bottom Line; GoodMouth may not be the flashiest or most exciting subscription, but I think it's great because it's practical and something everyone could use.  The price is more than fair and the ability to add on extra items is nice.  I definitely recommend this service!

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