// "On The Move" - Tea Box Express - June + A Giveaway!

June's Tea Box Express was totally on point! It was perfect for the season. It's been so sticky hot and humid here in Tennessee, drinking a hot cup of tea or coffee really hasn't been a priority come mid-day. Andrea hit it out of the park by rounding up the perfect mix of vendors and products for this installment of the subscription box. The Steepware Steep & Go travel water bottle infuser is definitely my favorite of the bunch. It's perfect for the Tea Spot tea that was included, but can also be used with any other loose-leaf tea on the go. I haven't tried the almond butter yet because I want to save it for Linden to try, too. He's eaten every possible allergy-causing food, but obviously we're holding off on honey until he's officially one (Nevermind the graham crackers I've let him munch on here and there...) He loves peanut butter though, so I know he'll love this almond butter, too. If it tastes as good as it looks, we're all in for a treat!

Want to win a Tea Box Express box of your own? Just leave a comment below telling me your favorite thing about Summer! It's that simple! I'll choose a winner next week!

If you want to keep up with Tea Box Express happenings, check out the Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages! (I'm always cracking terrible jokes and sharing really fun tea-inspired gifts, so it's worth it, I promise!) You can also swing by and pick up your own subscription and get 20% off your first month with the code CLUELESSGIRL20. The deadline for upcoming boxes is the 5th of each month, so get to it! I'm a little biased, sure, but it's by far the best tea-centric sub box out there.

xo KB

PS; If you sign up for a subscription or are already a subscriber and you win this giveaway, you'll be credited for that month's box.

PPS; Happy freakin' July!

// Tea Box Express

 

For the past couple of months I've been working behind the scenes on something super fun. It's neither my brainchild, nor my venture, but I've been lucky enough to play a small role in someone else's dream. At the very beginning of the Summer I had an interesting email in my inbox. It was from a gal named Andrea who was hoping to launch her own tea subscription box. She was the author of a tea-centric blog and website, and since she and her husband owned a shipping store she thought it would be a great way to marry the two. She was looking for someone to help with the PR and marketing side of things. You know, the social stuff. I was so flattered by her invitation to join. And excited, too! I was totally on board with everything she was dreaming up. I spent several weeks before Linden arrived getting things ready for the launch. We both knew that once I had a baby at home I'd be a bit strapped for time. Luckily everything has worked out wonderfully because the time has come to launch Tea Box Express!

Being part of the action from the very beginning has been so fun! The name, the logo, the box inclusions! I love getting a little sneak peek at the action, and being able to put my small little stamp where invited. Tea Box Express' first box will ship in mid-October, but in order to get your hands on the pilot collection, you'll have to order by the end of the day on October 1st! 

Each month there will be a new theme, and that's where the contents come in. October's theme is "Bee Happy" and includes a bevy of bee-themed goodies like the best tasting honey I've ever had, a honey dipper, a bright yellow tea bag rest, and some delicious black tea. Oh and I can't forget the gourmet bee shaped sugar cookie! There's also a little quote print with space on the back for you to fill out your own 'Happy List." October's box is all about positivity and trying to see the bright side of things. I'm so tickled with how it came out!

If you're a tea or subscription box fan, this box is perfect for you. But even better than that, it makes an incredible gift! It's thoughtful and useful without being "too much" or pointless. Whether it's for your mom, grandma, favorite teacher, or next door neighbor, they're sure to love it! And if you think October's theme is a good one, just wait until November! Let's just say it'll spice up your morning cup!

If you're interested in ordering your own box or giving one as a gift, pop over to the Tea Box Express website to learn more. You can keep up with the silly things I share on behalf of TBE by following us on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. (The TBE Facebook page is seriously overflowing with AMAZING tea-inspired awesomeness! I'm totally biased, but it's true!) And just as a token of our excitement, here's a 20% off coupon, too! Use the code CLUELESSGIRL20 and let me know what you think if you order! I'm excited to share the future boxes with y'all!

// i-Ella : The List

I recently had the pleasure of receiving and reviewing my very own i-Ella "The List" subscription box. This subscription box is a bit unlike most of the others on the market because it's branded to be a very luxurious, designer-driven box. The List packages come in 3 different sizes: Starter ($59), SoHo ($129) and St. Barth's ($389). Each box is guaranteed to be worth well over the retail price. (For example, my SoHo box was valued at $367).

Like other subscription services, you fill out a questionnaire before you submit your order, and then the staff takes your preferences into consideration when they curate each box. While I'll admit I didn't pay for this box (and therefore didn't have anything to lose), I probably would be a bit hesitant to pay $129 on a mystery/grab bag. $10 or $20 on a mystery box is one thing, but when you talk big money I get a bit worrisome. I was very relieved to open my box and see the contents however. It reassured me that they actually put high-quality items into them. I'll let you decide for yourself though! Here's what came in my box:

o1. Pureology Hair Oil [$20] - I managed to get in 2 uses of this before reviewing it (so ask me for a more well-rounded opinion in a week or two haha), but the first major plus for this product is that it smells like heaven! Oh my goodness it smells so good. One or two pumps does my hair just fine, and I definitely do notice a softer feel. This bottom seems small but considering the amount you use each time, it'll last a while. Let's hope it keeps impressing me!

o2. CoCo Mademoiselle by Chanel for Women [Sample] - I know it's just a sample vial of perfume, but this stuff is legit! I love the scent and have worn it every day since I received the box. At least I know what fragrance to hint for come my birthday later this month.

o3. Deepa Gurnani Crystal Headwrap [$55] - This bedazzled headband (it's on an elastic band) is really pretty, and appears to be really well made, but it's not really ~my style. I like it, but my hair rocks that hot mess of a bird's nest look and it gets tangled in any and everything it can. I did experience one pretty painful snag when wearing it around haha I could see it being really perfect for a night out though. It's the perfect amount of "bling" without being overwhelming. It probably just needs the right outfit. It's really nice and sturdy though!

o4. Seawicks of Maine candle [$15] - I feel like this candle smells really good to only be $15. It's a 100% soy candle and the burn time on it is ~30 hours. I have candles set out all over the house but I've kept this one on the bedside table because it's very "Spring" inspired and I love that scent with freshly laundered bedding!

o5. Hand in Hand soal [$9] - I really appreciate the idea of Hand in Hand. For every bar of soap you purchase, they donate a bar to a child in need. To date they've donated over 65,000 bars of soap. I think it's hard to hate on any company that attempts to do good in the world. Not to mention I am in love with their packaging. Part of me wants to put it on the bathroom vanity with the paper and all because it's so pretty. I can't even tell you what it smells like because I didn't want to open it haha!

o6. Cynthia Steffe dress [$268] - This dress is what made this box more than worth the risk (Again, I say that lightly as it was courtesy of, but it's what made me a believer!) This dress is from Steffe's Spring 2013 line and it is gorgeous! I had a feeling I would get a dress in my box based on my questionnaire, and I was a bit worried about the style, the fit, etc. I'm a pretty easy girl to figure out, but even personally ordering dresses online freaks me out. I opened the box to see the ruffles (is that what you'd call them?) and I was even more nervous! When I finally saw the fit and silhouette of the dress, I instantly got excited. Luckily I tried it on and it fit like a dream! (I didn't style it up for this post because I didn't have an item on hand that I wanted to wear it with. You'll have to stay tuned for an outfit post at some point!) I really love that the chest of the dress is only mesh so there's a bit of see-through action going on. I almost feel like it's too fancy for me but you know what? That just means Mike and I ought to go out some place nice!

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Overall I think the idea of the i-Ella "The List" box is really neat. I am a huge fan of the subscription box model, and even though it'd be hard for me to shell out that much cash for a mystery box, I can totally see it's value. It's really really fun when you're pleasantly surprised. Of course even if you could/would shell out for a box, you have to commit to 3 or 6 months at a time, so you may need to save your pennies before placing an order. I think it's a really really great idea for a gift though! I think it'd be so perfect for a bridal shower gift, or for your bridesmaids. Also birthdays and things of that nature. I think the quality and price point of these items would serve really well in that sort of setting, as long as you were able to place an order like that. I'd love to see what the Starter and St. Barth's boxes are all about! I can't even imagine the goodness you'd unwrap in the St.Barth's! haha I can only speak for the SoHo bag, but I loved it. Promise I'm totally not saying that because it was free! ;) (By the way, here's a sneak peek at what other customers received in their boxes!)

What do you think of the i-Ella boxes? Worth the risk in hopes of a sweet reward? Or too rich for your blood?

Craft Coffee

We are a coffee-drinkin' bunch over here in the Flynn house. I've been drinking it since I was a teensy toddler (yes, really. Asthma. It works.) and I'm maybe a little bit sure that I'm comprised of mostly caffeine  rather than blood and water. I love trying all of the hip coffee shops around town, especially here on the East side. We have more than our fair share! All of these amazing roasts from around the world. Being that I'm not a flavored coffee person (lattes, etc), I prefer a straight roast. There are so many to choose from though! I'm not snobby about my coffee though... We usually brew Dunkin Donuts or Cracker Barrel at home (Have you had CB coffee?! I like it! Possible sacrilege to say in a post like this, but it's true.) My only real standards are: 1) It doesn't make me jittery (Looking at you, Folgers) and 2) It doesn't take like soot (Starbucks, that's all on you!). But I kindaaa feel like I need to raise the bar just a little bit now haha

Anyway, my friend Amanda sent me a Craft Coffee subscription box and I can't get enough. I think this one might take the cake on all of the sub boxes combined. (I know, I know, another sub-box... but this one is so rad.) 

Basically Craft Coffee is an artisan coffee sub box and they pick the 3 best roasts each month to ship to your door. 42 cups of fresh brewed goodness. You can choose your grind and open your mailbox to a trifecta of amazing smelling coffee. Mike and I got the whole bean and grinded it ourselves. We decided to use our coffee in our French Press. They send along an informative card about the best way to brew the coffee to get the maximum flavoring. Pretty darn helpful considering I don't know much aside from "stick it in a coffee maker" and "push it down in the french press" haha 

I ended up canceling my Glossybox subscription a few months ago just because I felt like it wasn't worth the money anymore. I could definitely see myself subscribing to Craft Coffee in it's place though, because it's something both Mike and I can enjoy together. It has my thumbs up!

PS; I was in no way compensated for this post! It's not sponsored or anything. This is just my honest-to-goodness reaction to a rad new product. :) If you decide to try it out, let me know what you think! I feel like this is right up y'alls alley!

PPS; After seeing the post the CC folks were kind enough to offer up at 10% discount code to all of y'all! Use the code "honeybeegift" to get 10% off any holiday gift at Craft Coffee! Expires December 23rd!

Stitch Fix #17 (Whoa!)

Y'all I don't think I've shared a Stitch Fix since JULY! July! And that was box #11. Today's is box #17! I meant to document #12-16 but I was super unorganized leading up to the wedding so they fell to the wayside. I still love me some SF though, so I'm back on the wagon. I realize admitting to 17 SF boxes is a bit much considering I only started in January, but then again I get great quality clothing delivered to my house and I've found some of my favorite brands + pieces thanks to this lil' service. I keep trying to remind myself to go through my closet + pull out all of my pieces I've purchased via SF so I can keep track. I ended up getting about half of them in my last Kaelah's Closet cleanout if they weren't the perfect fit. BB Dakota and their rather large busts come to mind haha

Anyway, here's what I thought of this latest box...

This box was full to the brim with the cobalt/blue jewel tone. I'm not crazy about blue at all but I really loved the first dress. I decided to keep it (and that was all) and I wore it last weekend for about an hour before realizing that the front is just a bit too short on me. The back is a great length but I think my wide hips pull up the skirt too much. It'll be in Kaelah's Closet 2.0 soon if you'd like to grab it :) (If you don't have huge hips, it'd be a great length in my opinion). I really wanted #4 to work for me but the buttons puckered just a bit and the arms weren't comfortable. Overall it wasn't a great shipment but it also wasn't terrible. I'm going to work on my questionnaire a bit more to see what else SF has to offer.

Have any of y'all tried Stitch Fix (again?) recently? If so, link me to your posts or let me know what you got! Happy Saturday! 

PopBasic Beta Parcel Giveaway : Two Winners!

Today I'm super excited to share with you the newest kid on the sub-box scene... PopBasic! I know so many of my Canadian + Australian readers have been bummed to miss out on boxes like StitchFix, etc, but now it's your turn! PopBasic is the first box to offer free shipping to the US, Canada and Australia. I love the feel of the brand and I hope you're into it, too! (Just a heads up, if you sign up on their site for the beta launch, you'll get a $10 credit added to your account!) Two lucky winners will receive beta parcels so check out more about PopBasic below and then toss in a few entries, yea?

 

"Popbasic is a monthly fashion service that aims to build your basics and follow the trends. Each month we'll release a micro collection, with one basic item every wardrobe needs like a good quality white cotton tee, and two trend items. If you opt in to buy the parcel, we'll send you a beauty or lifestyle surprise along with our three-piece collection. Or if you prefer, you can buy pieces individually, we'll never lock you into our service!

The price will range from $50-$100 depending on the season, with free shipping for customers from the US, Canada and Australia.

We're gearing up for the release of our beta parcel and would love to be a part of launch!"

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To be entered to win one of two PopBasic beta parcels please leave a comment below letting me know you'd be stoked to win!

If you'd like a few more entries to better your chances, feel free to do any or all of the following: Sign up for PopBasic using your email (No purchase required! Don't forget, you'll get a $10 credit regardless of whether or not you win!), Tweet how you would style up one of the above items if you received it in your box (include @popbasic!), Like PopBasic on Facebook, and Follow PopBasic on Pinterest!

That's 5 ways to enter, and 2 chances to win. Please leave a separate comment for each entry so they'll be counted, and good luck! A winner will be drawn at random on Friday. Adios amigos!

Congratulations Kristian and Erika!

September Sub-Box Recap

Cutting it close on the last day of the month, but here's my September Sub Box recap! There are a bunch of them, so get ready for it!

My Glam Bag... err, Ipsy?

Firstly - apparently My Glam changed their name to Ipsy? I don't know. What I do know is that I am so over getting a Circus neon nail polish three months in a row. At least they've all been different colors, but still, can we just put something else in there please? I liked the eye shadow and the smudge brush though. The jane lipgloss was surprisingly sheer, though I tend to shy away from a lot of glosses because I don't exactly want to look like I just scarfed down a bucket of (pink?) fried chicken haha Split-end menders seem to be a popular item in a lot of sub boxes and I think they're onto me. My hair needs a bit (lot?) of a trim so I'll be able to report back on these more after I use them a bit longer. Overall, a "meh, but okay" box. Not the best, but certainly not the worst. 

Luv My Box *

I was sent this box for a review consideration and I didn't know if I'd be sharing it on here or not. Not because it's adult items or it might offend/spook some, but because I wasn't sure it'd appeal to me (us?) at all. Luv My Box is a "fun and flirty" monthly curated subscription with "sultry" items to appeal to couples worldwide. At $34.95 a month, it's not much of a steal, though I can quickly see where the items may greatly exceed the quality/variety shown here. I think the premise of the service is a great one, and maybe it was just this box that fell short, but I wasn't "wowed". To be honest all of these items could be purchased separately (and for cheaper, I'd think) at any adult store or even Spencer's in the mall. The site looks more promising than the September box but with a lot of sub services it's impossible to form an opinion after just one delivery. (If I did, I'd probably have canceled them all! haha) BUT with that being said, I think this would make a great/fun(ny) gift to any couple you know that are getting married or something. Even just for novelty's sake. Overall, I think it'd be a fun service as a gift or as a gamble, though I don't see myself subscribing full-time.

Love Club *

I shared my first Love Club box last month and in my review I stated how I liked the box and the idea, but I felt like the packaging was very haphazard and messy. Well, that was certainly not the case this month. Everything was neatly tucked in a bag, sealed with cute washi tape, and stacked in a way that felt more like opening several small gifts as opposed to a cluster of stuff popping out of a box. This month's offerings were super cute. My absolute favorite were the decals (up top). I'm a sucker for decals and have always wanted to learn to make my own for Honeybean, and these were darling. Also included were notecards, small gum, fragrance, heart stickers, a tealight candle and a print. I loved the packaging, for sure. 

GlossyBox

Oh Glossy. With the exception of the (absolutely perfectly colored) nail polish, I was just kind of "mehhhhh" about this box. Nothing special, though I feel like if I were to give these products more time/a chance I may be pleasantly surprised. The sub-box thing is hard when you share everything after getting it. I don't want to rush into sharing because duh, I want to give a review, but also because I'm on a schedule. I think I'll explore these more and really share once I have solid opinions. More hair serums and face serums, too. I actually canceled my GlossyBox after this month because I wasn't "wowed" enough to keep paying $20 for stuff that will sit in my Samples bin in my office. That nail polish though? I'm going to wear the heck out of it!

BirchBox

I was not impressed with this package and I feel like I don't even need to go into details as to why. I don't get the hype over the elastics, and the Tilli bags are just fancy Ziplocs (sorry, but true, right?). The body whip did smell nice, and I actually don't mind the color of the nail polish. The face blotting tissues will be nice for my bag (especially on our wedding day), but overall, I just felt super underwhelmed. I prepaid a year's worth of boxes back earlier this year so I don't have to worry about canceling, but hopefully October's is better! At the end of the day I still think BB is my favorite subscription box.

Yumvelope *

Yumvelope is a natural snack subscription service and it's super no-frills (which is kind of nice). Your items come in a padded mailer and there's no confetti, tissue paper or ribbon. While I love all of those things (okay, maybe not the confetti. It gets everywhere!), the simple approach to the packaging fits with the theme of simple snacks. I have to admit I'm not big on cashew butter and while I like the occassional cup of tea, I'm not an avid drinker, I liked what I've tried. My thumbs go way up for the cookies and Fig bar, and the Bliss Bar too. The subscription is $19 a month but I feel like the quality and amount of product you get is well worth it, especially if you're all about natural + fair trade items. I also think the experience would be much better if the branding + website was more aesthetically pleasing. (Ridic to judge a sub service on their site look, but then again, tons of other people are doing it, too! I think it has the potential to be something so much bigger with the right branding and marketing.)

Nicely Noted *

Nicely Noted is a letterpress stationery subscription service that delivers 3 greeting cards to your mailbox each month. I actually totally forgot to photograph the 3 stamps that came with the box, but they were great. As a designer I love all things that are well-executed. I love letterpress and feel fortunate to live just across the river from one of the oldest working letterpresses in America (Hatch Show Print!). I loved the idea for this box and even with the price tag ($18). What made me love the box even more: The cards themselves! The Thanks A Million is cute, but the other two just take the cake. I'm one of those people who hoards my pretty stationery because I don't like to part with it, but these cards are truly worth writing in and giving away. Worth every penny in my book!

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Got any sub boxes you'd like to share? I'd love to find a few more off-beat ones to try!

* denotes the subscription box was courtesy of the brand for review consideration. All other boxes are purchased with my own money. As always, opinions are my own!

August Sub-Box Recap!

Well friends, the end of the month only means one thing: I try to cram in all the monthly features that I've somehow forgotten about over the past 4 weeks. Just kidding, I've dropped the ball on several, but I can't let the sub-box haul pass me by! Today I'm sharing Birch Box, My Glam Bag, GlossyBox, and Love Club!

My Glam Bag is one that I almost never subscribed to because of the founder's sketchy reputation. I've followed it myself for a while and I'm still not a huge fan of her, but I do like the subscription service. However, this month's was just " N". The postives? The Circus nail polish (in briiiight pink!)... even though I got a Circus nail polish last month. The pink is beautiful and it actually holds up incredibly well! That says a lot because I am not easy on my hands. The mineral eyeshadow is very pigmented. Looking at it you wouldn't think it's pink, but it definitely is. The rest: I loved the color of the "generic" My Glam lipgloss, but it was veryyy sticky and thick feeling, though it gave little to no color. It also tasted like watermelon and I hate all artificial watermelon tastes/smells. Personal preference. The "clean skin" roll on perfume very much smelled like clean skin, and that is kind of creepy to me. I'm not sure why. The 2 Eclos products have yet to get used. Face stuff, galore! Overall: Take it or leave it. 

Love Club is a fairly new player in the sub-box game, and I've heard great things about them so far. I was asked to review their August box (along with other months), so in full disclosure: I did not pay for this box. Opening it up I was happy to see the pretty polka dot tissue paper. I'm such a sucker for packaging. Inside, it felt a little "messy" (for the lack of a better term). Now, take into consideration that I'm someone who buys something solely for the packaging sometimes. A lot of the items were just in clear baggies stapled to a business card. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, as all the items made it safely to me, but I often want more in terms of indie box packaging. Maybe how BirchBox wraps + ties it's smallest items together? Not sure, just an idea :) Inside contents: A silver ric-rac headband that I've already gotten plenty of use out of, nail decals that I've yet to try but am waiting for the perfect color palette, a ginger lily lotion sample that was pretty darn dreamy, and then some of those pain-free elastics (I never wear hair ties so I'll give these away) and die-cut paper pieces that probably won't get used because I'm horrible at keeping up with my letter-writing! (Though the colors are great) Another thing I loved about LC is that the content sheet was fixated clearly on the lid of the box itself. That was a great way to see what I was getting as I was opening it. It's a simple move, but it speaks volumes (to me at least). While August wasn't overwhelmingly "me", I've heard some of the other boxes were truly spot-on, so I hope I have the chance to share those with you. I can think of a few gals that this box would have been perfect for, so that's a great first impression. I also think it'd make for a great gift box! Overall: Great start, but I can't wait to see more.

There's no use even trying to salvage this one: I was not impressed, GlossyBox! I hold GlossyBox to a much higher standard than the others simply on the basis that it costs twice as much. The lip balm came in beautiful packaging, but I've just kind of thrown the rest of the box aside. Spoiler: the lip balm is good, but not great. I'll admit I haven't given the hair products a whirl, so they could totally surprise me. Based on other reviews and what my hair tends to lean toward however, I'm not too optimistic. Overall: I sure hope September is better!

Another slightly-disappointing package? August's BirchBox. The only product that actually surprised me and had me excited was the Per-fekt lash perfection gel. I wish the sample had been bigger because I really loved it. I try to switch up my mascara every month because it's the one beauty product I notice a huge difference in. I'd recommend it for sure. I think one of the reasons I was bummed about this month's BB was because I got a razor. A razor. I just don't feel that to be an adequate usage of my subscription fee, but I'm sure plenty feel differently. The soaps (lavender pine scent) smelled very regal, if that's a word I can use for them, and I decided to keep my little spritzer of the new Juicy Couture fragrance in my bag. I've been using the DDF facial cleanser for a few days and so far so good. It hasn't broken me out like traditional facial cleansers tend to, but it's also nothing to write home about. I do appreciate the generous sample size, though! Overall: Not nearly as bad as GlossyBox, but still far from the best.

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Sadly August didn't overwhelm me with awesome like previous months had, but I'm just calling a fluke. Each box had it's own redeeming qualities (except for GB haha) so it's still a success! I have a great feeling about September and I hope it doesn't disappoint. At the end of the day I still really dig all 4 of these boxes and I'd recommend them to absolutely anyone. They can't all be winners, and the gamble of that is what makes it fun. Did you get any of these this month? How do you feel about them? (Did I totally miss out on the greatness of one of them? Sway me ;P)

PS: Not related to sub-boxes at all, but Romwe is having a 75% off sale on their site through the end of this week! Check it out HERE!

Stitch Fix : Box #11

I know I've skipped over box #10 but I kept everything in it (Spoiler!) so I'm trying to find time to make a video to talk about them. They're kind of the best things ever haha I really want to touch base on why Stitch Fix is such a rad thing (Yeah yeah, I know. You can totally skip over it when I finally post it, don't worry!) Here's the box I received last week. There's something new happening over at SF so I'm going to share more of that below! I'm not going to spend any time really going on and on about the products. Just going to show you what they are, how much they cost, and a single thought on the photo :)

Now here's where I start explaining about the new deal over at Stitch Fix... They're now partnering with different brands to bring you a Duo-package! I got a package with Benefit and I received this turquoise dress in a pretty box with this lipgloss. I think the lipgloss was a perfect accent for this bold dress, and I'm seriously wearing the lipgloss everywhere. The duo packages are special because the items in the box are discounted significantly. This dress alone was originally $99, so if you added that to a $16 lipgloss, you end up saving $46 with Stitch Fix! Pretty spiffy.

Overall this box wasn't my favorite, but mainly because the prints were a little bit too wild for my taste. That much pattern typically doesn't look very good with my tattoos. I don't want to look "muddy" if that makes any sense? But the purse was darling and even though it's small, I'll probably be sporting it soon! Also - this was the first time I've ever received a purse in my Fix. (New thing maybe?) I'd love to get more as handbags are something I really love trading out. As always, if you want to give Stitch Fix a go yourself, feel free to snag an invitation to join! I'm maybe only a little bit into it ;P

Now I'm going to go battle this summer cold I feel coming on with some delicious pomegranate raspberry green tea that Mike just made me.

July Subscription Box Haul

Phew! This month's haul is a bit big, so stick with me! It was a pretty fantastic month from each subscription so I'm tickled to have some new favorite products to share :) First up, My Glam Bag!

In this box: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion (I really like the feel of this stuff. I haven't used the whole bottle yet of course, but it's one I'll definitely consider purchasing again) -- Nume HydroPunch Hydrating Conditioner (I'm getting ready to use this again today. I haven't noticed a huge difference in my hair, but it could always use some hydrating...) -- Circus by Andrea's Choice nail polish (in Reverso) (this is WHITE! It has amazing coverage, that's for sure!) -- Buxom Big and Healthy Lip Polish (I wouldn't normally pick this dark of a shade out for myself, but I love this lip gloss!) -- Yes To Cucumbers facial towelettes (these are perfect for my purse on the go. It's a great boost of hydration when it's super hot and humid outside. I've been going sans makeup a lot of days anyway!)

Overall thoughts: This bag was a winner. From the actual bag it came in (so fun!) down to each and every product. I was really really happy with it! (Sign up for your own!)

I feel like kind of a doof but I knew I shot this box a while ago. I always try to shoot the box before using the products that you can obviously tell have been open (like the cookies above, for example) but I've lost the photos and had to re-shoot it after using some of it. Oops! There were definitely more cookies and suckers, too... but we've kind of been enjoying them ;) (Just so there is no confusion, this is actually the June box from Hammock Pack! They were a featured sponsor last month and this box was courtesy of.)

In this box: Butter Plus Love jam sandwich cookies (these were pretty darn delicious. Toby especially enjoyed them!) -- This Charming Candy lollipops (these were amazing! I hate anything basil flavored so I passed those off to Mike, but the pineapple? guava? So good!) -- Motor City Creations Hawaiian Breeze soy candle (this candle is my new favorite. It's currently burning here on my desk in my office and it smells insane. The color is beautiful, too. And I'm a sucker for that simple but classy packaging.) -- Theme Fragrance Sea Kelp Ginger Lime Coconut Milk soap (phew! Long name! This soap smells really good, but even more so it's very pretty! I've refused to use it for that reason...) -- Dress Green Coconut Vanilla Lip Balm (I normally hate anything coconut-flavored but I couldn't even tell in this balm. The vanilla is a fantastic flavor and smell, and it's so incredibly hydrating. [Also - How many times can I say "hydrating" in this blog post?!]) -- Grace and Lace scarf headband (I love the idea of a scarf headband, and this one is made incredibly well, it just wasn't my style of pattern. I did give it to a friend who loves it though! Win!)

Overall thoughts: If I weren't already drowning in subscription boxes, I'd probably subscribe to this one every single month. It's a bit higher ($25) but worth every penny! This was Hammock Pack's first sub box (June) and it was fantastic. I'm not just saying that either, less the hair accessory, I've used and enjoyed absolutely everything in this box! This has been my favorite "independent" box yet. :) (Hurry and get your subscription in for the August box!)

This was my first "US" GlossyBox. I was sent a c/o one back last year from the UK PR team and I really loved it. I still use so many of the products (some were full-size!). I decided to take the plunge and try one of the sort-of-recently-released US subscriptions even though they were $20/mo... double what many of my boxes are. Low and behold, it was a great delivery (in my opinion!) Here's what was inside...

In this box: BeautyAddicts Show Off mascara (This was a full size product! A $20 value in itself. I love trying new mascaras because it's really the only product I change up every single month. This one has proven itself awesome so far!) -- First Aid Beauty Smooth Shave cream (Not the typical product that I'd pick up at the store, but I'm glad I got it! My shave cream tends to leave my legs feeling very dry after shaving, but this was very moisturizing [Ha! Didn't say hydrating!]) -- Kinerase Restructure Firming Cream (This isn't anything I think I'd directly benefit from, but I know a few women in my life who might enjoy giving it a go! I'll definitely be passing it on to someone in the family.) -- Shea Terra Organics Ultimate Moisturizing Body Creme (This stuff is thick! I love that about body cremes though. I like when they don't feel like runny lotion!) -- Wella Professionals Enrich Moisturizing Treatment (I'm planning on using this soon, but haven't gotten around to it due to the other hair treatments I received in various boxes. The one thing I can say about this though: It smells so so so good!) -- A Perfume Organic "Urban Organic" fragrance (This was the only thing I'd throw out immediately. Ugh. The basil is overwhelming. But then again I hate basil in almost everything except my food so there's that!)

Overall thought: Well worth the $20 spent. Glossybox always seems very "classy" and "mature". I'm not really sure I'm either of those things but I feel like I'm given products I'd never seek out myself, and I like that. I also love the packaging! I'll be a subscriber for a while, I'm sure! (Sign up for your own!)

Indie Gift Box is a new independently-launched subscription box from Erin, a super sweet Honeybean designer! She asked if she could send me a box to review and I was happy to do so. Here's what was in this shipment! I love that they're all from indie and handmade businesses. For $15 a month you can choose from their four box options. This box was the "Dainty" box!

In this box: Anirtak Shy Owl Necklace (I've had this sweet lady as a sponsor on the blog before, and I own another one of her necklaces. It's a sweet and dainty piece for sure) -- Vegan Mineral Eye Shadow in Peach Ice (This was my favorite thing in the box. Peach is my favorite color and I love a good mineral cosmetic!) -- Elle Dee Designs hair ties (We carry these in the 'bean [though not from this designer] and people seem to enjoy them. I don't use hairties at all, but I can definitely see the appeal to the no-crease ones! Plus these colors are pretty!) -- Glow Kouture Earrings (I have stretched ears so these will never get worn by me, but I'm sure my niece will love them! I also make the same earrings for Honeybean in various prints/colors!) -- Mary Rebecca Felt Bow (I make these in my Hive + Honey shoppe [same color + packaging too!] so obviously I like them :D) 

Overall thought: While I can't speak for the other "theme" boxes, the Dainty one was very sweet. It'd be great as a gift subscription for a sweet gal in your life, too. We carry everything showcased in Honeybean (though through different designers) and we've been happy with our selection thus far! The only thing that I'll be using personally is the eye shadow but I know they'll make great gifts to friends/family. You definitely receive a lot of handmade product for only $15! (Check out the offerings for your own here!)

In this box: Ada Cosmetics Bronzer (I loved this! Such a subtle but shimmery boost of color for summer!) -- Gloss Moderne High-Gloss Masque (This has worked well on my hair so far! It's a nice contrast to the normal dry-ness from my dry shampoo during the summer) -- Harvey Prince "Hello" fragrance (I loveeeeed this! It packs a powerful punch of scent, but even Mike said he was a huge fan when I wore it. I love citrus-y scents.) -- stila lip glaze (This was a happy surprise in my box, too. The color is fantastic and I'm a huge fan of stila glazes) -- Larabar Uber bar (My Bananas Foster one was delicious! Nothing else needs to be said) -- Birchbox Exclusive Earbuds (The colors came as a shock upon opening them, and I thought for sure I wouldn't like them, but I was pleasantly surprised! The bright neon aside, they're great. They actually stay in my ears which is a nice change of pace from my Apple earbuds!)

Overall thought: Another happy box for Kaelah! I know some people were so not into this month's BB but I loved it. I can only hope they don't let me down next month! BirchBox really is one of my absolute favorites. (Want your own? Sign up here!)

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Do you subscribe to any of these? What was your thoughts on them this month?