POPSUGAR Must Have Box - December 2012

With 2013 right around the corner and Christmas festivities yet to come, I was eager to see what was inside my POPSUGAR December Must Have Box which arrived yesterday.  POPSUGAR'S Must Have Box costs $35 plus tax (free shipping) and it includes a variety of must have products from the worlds of beauty, fashion, fitness, food, and home.

My December Box contained the following items:

Home - Bodum Bistro Mugs - 10 oz. capacity - www.bodum.com; $30 - This pair of double-wall glass mugs are perfect to keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold all without messy condensation.  I definitely need to get more of these so I can serve everything from a festive punch to hot toddys.

 

Food - Tea Forté  - Variety Box - www.teaforte.com; 29.5g/1.04oz/$15 - On cold winter days/nights, I love to have a nice cup of tea.  This sampler box includes 10 silken infusers including Earl Grey, Black Currant, White Ambrosia, White Ginger Pear, Green Mango Peach, Jasmine Green, African Solstice, Chamomile Citron, Raspberry Nectar and Ginger Lemongrass.  What a great way to break in my new Bistro Mugs!

Beauty - Jabonería Marianella Soaps - Dama de la Noche - www.marianellasoap.com; 6 oz. bar/$14 - I just love shower gels and can't remember the lst time I used a bar of soap.  However, with the wonderful ingredients of anti-aging argan oil, soothing oatmeal, and cocoa butter, I couldn't wait to try this lovely, fragrant soap which is made with Goat Milk, rich in AHAs and Vitamin A.  These bars are a definite must for those looking to rejuvenate and moisturize their skin.

Fashion - Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit -www.pinchprovisions.com; $15 - All my friends know that I always have a ton of solutions in my bag of tricks.  With the Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit, I am more than prepared. This cute little pouch includes a bandage, safety pin, earring b acks, deodorant, nail polish remover, stain remover, clear elastics, lip balm, tampon, emery board, hair spray, clear nail polish, dental floss, a mending kit, pain releiver, double-sided tape, and breath freshener.  This makes for a perfect stocking stuffer.  Pinch Provisions also has varieties for college, men, brides and grooms, not to mention the ability to order refills.

Food - Bogdon's Peppermint Poles; 2.6 oz. - www.bogdonschocolates.com; $3.99 - Something about the holidays and peppermint takes me back to my childhood.  These handy peppermint sticks are covered in dark chocolate and can be dipped into coffee or hot cocoa or on its own.  Each stick is 17 calories so not a bad way to indulge.  Nom, nom.

Tech - GoSwype - Lips; $1.99; www.goswype.com - This handy microfiber cloth works great to clean my iPhone and my iPad.  It removes dirt, oil, fingerprints and up to 98% of germs and bacteria.  How cool is that?  It is available in 20 styles.  Check them out!

Fashion - Rent The Runway - Good for $30 off a future rental between now and 3/31/2013; www.renttherunway.com;  - A fun and economical way to wear designer clothing and add it to my wardrobe for 4 or 8 days for 10-15% of the retail price.  They also include a second size for free.  Returning costs nothing as they inlcude a pre-paid envelope.

 

Overall rating: Booyah!!!  If you have not yet tried POPSUGAR Must Have Boxes/Bags, you're truly missing out.  The value and selection of items are not to be believed!!!  The value of this box was $80 not counting the coupon code for Rent the Runway.

If you're interested in trying POPSUGAR, please click here and enter the code REFERFRIENDS for $5 off your first order.  This code is only good for new subscribers and is valid until 2/28/2013.

Birchbox March 2012 Shipment

Two days in a row, I am surprised with a beauty sampling package, this time from Birchbox.  This month's package included some new items that I have been wanting to try.  Without further adieu, here is a picture and a description of the contents.

The topic of this month's shipment was Spring Training with tidbits and samples of items to help us get through March Madness, not of the basketball kind, but of the seasonal kind.  This month's shipment included:

• Annick Goutal Eau d'Hadrien (0.06 fl. oz; 1.75 ml) -- Inspired by Tuscan citrus groves, this bright scent features a winning combo of lemon, grapefruit, and green mandarin notes.  (Regular size: 50 ml,  $85)
• Color Club Nail Lacquer in He Loves Me (0.25 fl. oz., 7 ml) -- Jazz up blah fingers and toes with this lovely pink polish.  (Regular size: 0.5 fl. oz., $8)
• Eve Lom TLC Radiance Cream (0.49 fl. oz., 15 ml) -- Dull skin no more: this cult British facialist's intensely hydrating moisturizer brightens your complexion with vitamins A and C. (Regular size: 50 ml, $68)
• Koh Gen Do Cleansing Water Cloths (0.23 fl. oz., 7 ml each - two cloths) -- Made with mineral-rich spring waters, this Japanese brand's travel-friendly cleansing cloth wipes away a day's worth of dirt and makeup in a few seconds.  (Regular size: 3 packs of ten, $39)
• Traditions by Nick Chavez Yucca Root Shampooing Cream (2 fl. oz., 60 ml) --  Hollywood stylists rave about the restorative abilities of this silky cleanser, which is made with fortifying wild yam and yucca root.  (Regular size: 250 ml, $20)
• Lifestyle Extra: Tea Forte Skin-Smart Teas (3 tea bags - Honey Yuzu, Cherry Marzipan, Cucumber Mint) -- An antioxidant tea that tastes amazing and helps our skin look more radiant?  Yes, please.  Editor's Note:  Honey Yuzu - Green Tea for Natural Renewal, Cherry Marzipan - Green Tea for Corrective Repair, and Cucumber Mint - Green Tea for Youth Recovery. (Regular size: 16 tea bags, $6)

Overall rating: Booyah! for the wonderful variety of items including Japanese and British products that I am dying to try, not to mention the tea!  Yum!!!!

Are you looking forward to Spring?  I like to think of Spring-time as a time for renewal and a time to break out new shades of eyeshadows, polish, lipstick and fragrance.  Thanks Birchbox for getting me started!