January 2021 Book of the Month Review and Coupon

I got two books in my January Book of the Month box, one was a free add-on because I reached BFF status. 

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

Book of the Month costs $14.99 for a new hardcover title. You can select from one of five selections, and if you don't see a title you like you can skip the month and carry over your book credit to the next month. You can also add on as many titles as you want for $9.99 per book.

If you achieve BFF status you'll get to choose one of the Book of the Year finalists and add it to your January box for free. To get BFF status you have to purchase 12 boxes (doesn't have to be consecutively). You'll also receive a tote bag with your 12th box.

I chose The Survivors by Jane Harper as my January title and added The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, which was the Book of the Year winner for 2020.

Here's the synopsis for The Survivors:

Kieran Elliott's life changed forever on the day a reckless mistake led to devastating consequences.

The guilt that still haunts him resurfaces during a visit with his young family to the small coastal community he once called home.

Kieran's parents are struggling in a town where fortunes are forged by the sea. Between them all is his absent brother, Finn.

When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away...

There were several great titles to choose from for my Book of the Year Finalist add on, but I settled on The Vanishing Half because it seemed like the most fitting for the times:

The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters' storylines intersect?

Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.

As with her New York Times-bestselling debut The Mothers, Brit Bennett offers an engrossing page-turner about family and relationships that is immersive and provocative, compassionate and wise.

I'm a little behind on my reading and have quite a few titles on my backlog to get through, all from Book of the Month! That's not a problem, though, since I have plenty of time to read during the pandemic.

• Visit Book of the Month to subscribe 
• Use coupon code FEBREADS to get your first ook for $9.99
  

Bottom Line: Book of the Month is one of my favorite subscriptions and is definitely my favorite book subscription. You just can't beat a brand new title for only $14.99.

January 2021 Ipsy Glam Bag Review

My second Ipsy Glam Bag was another good one. I got to choose one of my samples and the other four are well-suited to my likes and beauty needs.

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

Ipsy has three subscription levels and this is a review for their lowest-priced service, the Glam Bag, which is $12 per month with free shipping. You'll get five deluxe samples valued at $50+ in a reusable zippered pouch.

The January theme was "Dream It." The pouch this month was translucent with "Dream It" written across it in a repeating pattern. I liked the material; this will be good once we can travel again because if anything breaks or spills it will stay contained.

Here's what I received this month:

• Item Beauty Air Hug Concealer in Light Warm: This was an early release item that Ipsy subscribers got to try before the general public. I wanted to purchase a full sized version because I liked it so well, only to see that it hadn't been released yet. It's TikTok-er Addison Rae's beauty brand (I don't know who she is -- I'm old). Most importantly, the concealer has a smooth formula and a larger applicator, making it easier to apply over my blemishes.
• Kosette Salt Scalp Scrub: I chose this item this month because I've been looking for a good salt scrub for my dandruff-prone scalp. I liked that this one has charcoal, gray sea salt, and tea tree oil (which is especially good for fighting dandruff). It has a small tip applicator, which is great for precision, but the hole was too small to dispense enough product so I cut a larger opening in it with scissors to get a better flow when using. I've only used it once so far, but it seems to work well with my scalp.
  

• Belle En Argent 8-Free Nail Polish in Bore Someone Else: This is a gorgeous, deep burgundy shade with rich pigment. The brush is a wider tip than most nail polishes and made from vegan bristles.
• Ciate London Glow to Illuminating Blush in Matchmaker: This blush is a really pretty light pink shimmer shade. The formula is advertised as lasting up to 12 hours. I wish there was a bit more color payoff. Even as I applied more layers to build up the color it still didn't provide as much pigment as I prefer.
• Firma Beauty 201 Flat Oval Blending Brush: I forgot to take a picture of this because it wasn't inside of the actual bag when I unpacked everything, but was instead packaged inside of the bubble container on its own. It's a flat oval brush with synthetic bristles and is good for cream and powder products. I use it for blending eyeshadow and it works well.

Bottom Line: I enjoyed this Glam Bag and am looking forward to continuing my subscription. I think it's a great value at $12 and so far I've gotten great samples that fit my beauty needs.

• Visit Ipsy to subscribe
  

Winter 2020 Walmart Beauty Box

The Walmart Beauty Box is one of the most affordable beauty boxes, if not the most. Their winter box had an assortment of different cold weather products.

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love!

The Walmart Beauty Box is advertised as free, but technically it will cost you $5 for shipping. It ships quarterly, so you'll get a box each season (once every three months). The boxes contain samples from products you can purchase at Walmart stores and on their website.

I've been receiving this box for a while now and I've noticed an improvement in the types of products and customization. There were 14 possible products (all are listed on the info card that came with the box) and you'll receive six of them based on your beauty profile.

I'm fairly happy with the products I got this month. They do match my beauty preferences and needs and I'll put them all to good use.

• Hard Candy Sheer Envy Setting Spray (full sized): I use setting sprays every time I put on makeup so this will definitely get used. Hard Candy is one of the better drugstore makeup brands in my opinion, so I think this will work pretty well.
• Bio Oil Dry Skin Gel: I wish this sample was a little bigger because I love Bio Oil products. They work really well for dry skin, and mine is especially dry in the winter. This skin oil felt great on my hands and I'll definitely purchase a full sized version.
• LOLA Organic Cotton Tampons: These are made with 100 percent organic cotton and have a plastic applicator. Not a glamorous sample, but a practical one.
  

• Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Treatment: I'm going to use this the next time hormonal acne strikes. It has 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide to really dry up any pimples.
• Earth to Skin Hand Sanitizer Gel: Remember when no one could find sanitizer anywhere? I now have so many bottles and samples of all sizes that I don't know what to do with them, but there could be worse things. This one has coconut water and aloe to soothe skin.
• Vital Proteins Beauty Collagen: This is the Strawberry Lemon flavor. I was skeptical about whether ingested collagen would actually work, but I did some research and found that, over the course of time, it actually can provide visible benefits to skin and your overall body.

Bottom Line: For only $5, the Walmart Beauty Box is a fun box to receive each quarter. You won't receive the fanciest of samples, but I've gotten a lot of products that I will put to good use.

• Visit Walmart to subscribe
  

January 2021 Gramma in a Box Review and Coupon

If you're a fan of fun crafts and sweet treats (who isn't?), Gramma in a Box is the perfect subscription for you! The January box started off the new year with an unexpected theme.

*Disclaimer: This box was sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.

Gramma in a Box is a way to treat yourself and/or your loved ones to a box full of monthly treats. There are three cookie and candy crafts with all the ingredients you'll need inside. 

Here are the pricing options:

• Monthly: $22.50 per month
  
• Three Months: $67.50 every three months
• Six Months: $135 every six months
• 12 Months: $270 every 12 months

You can also purchase a single box for $25 with no subscription.

Shipping is included in all price options. Boxes ship on the first of the month and cancellations must be submitted by the 25th of the month to avoid the next month's charges.  

All of the ingredients are packaged in sealed plastic. The only things you'll need to supply are household items like a bowl and spoon. There are enough ingredients to make 15 to 20 individual treats.

I assumed that the January box would have a New Year's or winter theme, but instead it was Cupcakes and Donuts! All of the crafts were cute and creative.

The first craft was Donut Pops. I melted the white and orange chocolate discs in the microwave to make peach melted chocolate, spread out about a quarter sized amount on the paper, set the sticks, and then added the cereal bits around the outside. They dried and stuck together in about five minutes.

The second craft, Cupcake Clouds, was my favorite this month! They involved using the rest of the melted chocolate by stirring in mini marshmallows, scooping the mixture into the paper cups, and then adding confetti sprinkles. I love how cute these turned out!

The third craft is always cookies that fit the monthly theme, so this month's were Donut and Cupcake Cookies. The cookies are pre-baked and sealed in airtight plastic so they arrive fresh. It's best to complete your crafts within a week of receiving the box so that the ingredients are at their freshest.

The cookies were cupcake and donut shapes of two sizes, with multiple colored sprinkles and pink, white, and light blue icing. I loved the pastel colors and the different designs I could make on the donuts, especially.

• Visit Gramma in a Box to subscribe 
• Use coupon LOVE5 for $5 off any prepaid subscription option
  
• Connect with them on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

Bottom Line: The crafts in Gramma in a Box are always fun and appropriate for all ages. I love sharing them with my family, and they're always happy to help me eat them up!

December 2020 Spiffy Socks Review

Spiffy Socks sends high quality socks in fun designs made from bamboo fibers. They're comfy and stylish and a great way to treat yourself to a colorful gift each month!

*Disclaimer: This box was sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.

Spiffy Socks are made from eco-conscious bamboo fibers and are odor fighting, temperature regulating (not too hot in the warmer months, keeps you warm in the cooler months), and are shock-resistant. The material is lightweight and twice as soft as cotton.

Spiffy Socks are available for men's (size 6-12) and women's (size 5-10) sizes. You can choose from monthly, three month, six month, and yearly plans:

• Monthly: $11 per month
• Three Months: $31 every three months
• Six Months: $61 every six months
• Yearly: $119 every 12 months

Shipping is free to the U.S. and extra to other countries; the exact shipping price will vary based on where you live.

You can also buy individual pairs as a one-time purchase for $20 per pair. 

The socks ship towards the end of the month, which is my reviews are always a month behind. My December Spiffy Socks were a striped pattern with navy and light blue stripes and yellow, red, and maroon accents. I love wearing these around the house, especially during COVID and winter when I'm not leaving the house too often. They keep my feet warm and the designs are fun!

• Visit Spiffy Socks to subscribe
  

Bottom Line: Spiffy Socks are great quality and a fun way to dress up your wardrobe. I really like the bamboo fibers and think they're comfortable, and they do a great job of keeping my feet warm.