Fab Fit Fun Fall Box 2013

I received my FabFitFun box...finally!

This box had a series of mishaps that kept coming. First there was a billing error and some of the subscribers were charged twice for the box and California tax - despite the state that they actually live in. I was one of the lucky few that had that billing error. I checked my emails from Fab Fit Fun and I was charged twice at like 3:00am my time and by 4:00am there was an email sent out alerting us to the error. Which was excellent service in my mind. They also let those affected know that for our troubles they were going to be adding an extra item in our boxes. 

Once the box was shipped - which took forever from the time that the email saying our credit cards were billed to the actual shipment of the box was like a months time in between. Maybe even two months-it seemed like forever. Either way, once the box was shipped, I received another email from Fab Fit Fun saying that some of the boxes were shipped out without one of the items that were a part of the sneak peak that they showed us would be in the box. 

Surprise Surprise I was again affected by this shipping snafu and another box was shipped out to me with the sneak peak item that was promised. 

Keep reading below to see what I got and the extra item that I was shipped. 

First Look!

As with each box, a card with Guianna Rancic was added, describing each of the products included in the box.

There were also a bunch of cards/coupons/brochures included in this box.

Bright Pink quick start guide to breast cancer awareness and a sticker and text program that will text you each months of remind you to do a monthly at home break cancer check. 

Bliss coupon for a free facial. There was a lot of restrictions to this coupon and the closest Bliss Salon to my location was one of those restricted sites. So I won't be using this coupon.

Gorjana coupon for use on their website.

FabFitFun sticker

Starlooks card

Awkward Family Photos cards with different pictures and a game on the back.

 FULL SIZE Gorjana Canary Scarf Two sneak peaks were released for this box. This is one of those sneak peak items. I really liked this scarf. The colors are really nice together and its in a light fabric. Perfect for the fall or as a style piece. Not so much for warmth.

FULL SIZE Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Cleansing Foam This is the second sneak peak item and the one that was missing from the original shipment. I don't normally purchase foaming products because it's really not worth your money. Like 80% of the bottle is water and the rest of it is the actual product.

 FULL SIZE Spa Ritual nail laquer in Health, Wealth and Happiness

Health Warrior Chia Bar in Apple Cinnamon This just sounds disgusting to me. 

FULL SIZE Surface Trinity Protein Cream 

FULL SIZE Starlooks eyeshadow palette in St. Tropez I seem to be getting a lot of Starlooks products in beauty boxes. Fun Fact - Starlooks has their own monthly box that they send out with all only Starlooks products in the box. 

2 packs Drinkwel 3 vegetarian capsules I can't really buy in to this actually working. I will try it out the next time I'm going out drinking, but my hopes are not high.

FULL SIZE Barre 3 Standing Slim with Sadie Lincoln DVD

FULL SIZE Orville Redenbacher Classic Butter and Sea Salt box with three pop up bowls of popcorn 

FULL SIZE Orly nail Lacquer in Go Deeper Sorry this pic is so blurry. I accidentally deleted the non blurry pics.  This is the extra product that was added to the boxes that were affected by the billing issue. It's a little upsetting that it's another nail polish, when one was already added to the box. But I liked that it was a different brand and a different type of polish  (full color vs. a glitter). And I really can't complain because it was really nice of Fab Fit Fun to even think of adding an extra product.

In all I continue to really like this subscription box, despite the high price, $49.99 a quarter, I feel like the value is really great each box. I also like the variety of different products that they send out in each box. It's not just all beauty items or, just food. There is a really good mix each box of beauty, lifestyle and food items. 

New Beauty Test Tube September 2013

My New Beauty Test Tube came in the mail and the changes keep coming! 

RecentlyTest tube changed their shipping schedule, going from a quarterly subscription service to a bimonthly one. The most recent shipment had an aestheic change.  The new packaging is super cute, with pink hexagons throughout the boxes and tube. They also started wrapping the products in tissue paper instead of just packing everything in a box. 

First Look!

I really like the new changes that they made to the packaging! How cute is the pink and orange honeycomb design!?!

It Cosmetics was highly featured in the tube.  This booklet was included to showcase all the It Cosmetics products that they offer. 

FULL SIZE It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush. This brush was really soft, but I'm not sure it will be my everyday powder brush.

2.26 fl. oz BioSilk Silk Therapy

2 fl.oz. It's a 10 Miracle Leave in Plus Keratin This is the second time I have received a sample of this leave in conditioner. The first one I received as the lite version. It will be nice to compare the two and see which works better for my hair. 

.5 fl. oz La Roche-Posay 'Mela-D' deep cleansing, brightening foaming cream

.5 fl. oz. Smashbox 'Photo Finish' Foundation Primer I already have a sample size of this product that I bought in a kit. I love this primer and it is my go to primer.  Although I already have this product, I was happy to receive another one. 

 .14 oz. Amore Pacific 'Color Control Cushion Compact' inTan Blush

This product I was really confused and interested in. The product is in a sponge and you are supposed to press the applicator (which is amazingly soft) into the inner sponge and then apply that to your face. 

I haven't tried out this product, because I am still so confused as to how to wear it. Is it a foundation? a tint? how much coverage does it have? do I apply it before or after my foundation? Blarg.

 FULL SIZED Mally Cosmetics 'Evercolor' eyeliner in "Starlight" When I first saw this I was really disappointed. The  last Mally Eyeliner that I received was a huge disappointment. Once I saw this pretty silver color it made everything better. 

TestTube continued to pack the extra products along with the tubes. 

 Nip+Fab Viper Venom

Nip+Fab No Needle Fix Serum

Lumene BB Cream

 Spa Ritual Handprint Hand serum I've never heard of a hand serum before. I'm interested to see if this work and how it works. 

I love the aesthetic changes that Test Tube has made, but noticed that there has been a lot less full sized products in the tubes than I have previously received. My first tube had numerous full sized products, most of which were all luxury brands that I have never heard of. Now it seems that they are shipping out products that are easily accessible and that other sample boxes have shipped out in their boxes. All of which are in boxes that are much cheaper than the $29.99 plus shipping every two months price tag. Every brand in this tube I have heard of, I already have similar products or have the exact product already. My very first tube I received from Test Tube had mostly all products that I had never heard of. I liked that about the old Test Tube.  I'd rather not see products that I can easily pick up at my local CVS in the tube. 

IPSY September 2013

This month's IPSY bag arrived!

This month's theme was Classic Beauty

The creator of IPSY, Michelle Phan, started out as a You Tube beauty guru. She then created a beauty sample company named MyGlam. Which evolved into IPSY. She just released a makeup line called "EM by Michelle Phan" and is doing some heavy duty marketing for her new line. One such marketing strategy is by putting samples of her makeup in every IPSY bag. What I appreciated about this sample is that it didn't count as one of the samples for the months bag. 

The big selling point of her line is the Life Palette. She included this fold out brochure with three eyeshadow samples and a blush sample.

 0.14 fl. oz. It's so Big by Elizabeth Mott mascara in black? The packaging didn't say what color it was and I didn't want to open the mascara up. I have a lot of different mascaras that I'm trying out and didn't want to open another one and have it start drying out. Interesting fact. Elizabeth Mott only makes two products, this mascara and Lash Cards.

FULL SIZE Starlooks Kohl eye pencil in Obsidian

FULL SIZE Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Big Apple. I really wouldn't call this a lip balm. It's not sheer like I would expect from a lip balm. The color on this was really strong and bright. It was more of lipstick, in a pot.

This product separated into three pieces like their eyeliners. The top of the lid separates to a brush. This is the same packaging as the gel eyeliners in their brand. The only difference between the eyeliner and the lip balm is packaging color and the actual product inside the pot. I didn't like the brush for eyeliner application and I really don't like the brush for lip product application either. I felt that it was too stiff for use on the lips. I have been using the brush for eyeshadow that I use to set my gel eyeliner.

FULL SIZE NYX eyeshadow in Purple. Love this color.

FULL SIZE J.Cat Beauty Fantabulous lipstick in Honeycrisp I hated this color. It looked even worse on my lips. It made me look dead. I applied the Cailyn lip balm over top of this and I looked a little more alive, but I still wasn't completely happy with the color.  The packaging was really cheap feeling. I received another J.Cat product in a previous month's bag and the quality of the product was not very impressive. I don't think the products that I have receive in my IPSY bags from this brand, impress me enough to want to make purchases from the brand. 

For some reason I didn't take a picture of this month's bag. If you are really interested in seeing the bag, I'm sure you can search what other people received. Overall I was happy with this month's bag.

IPSY referral link. Please use my referral link if you would like to sign up for your own IPSY subscription. 

Birchbox September 2013

I received my September 2013 Birchbox

First Look!

 This month's theme is "Heritage"

They also added this other card in celebration of their 3 year anniversary. 

The back of the anniversary card has a coupon code for 30% off of some products in the Birchbox shop.

338 fl. oz. Davines 'Sea Salt Spray'

I'm really getting sick of receiving all of these sea salt sprays...

FULL SIZED Mally Beauty 'Volumizing Mascara' in Black I have sampled other Mally products in past sample boxes. I was surprisingly disapointed in her eyeliner. The liner claims to be budgeproff - but it is the least budgeproof liner in my collection. It is runnier than some other products that don't claim to be budgeproff.

Dr. Lipp 'Original Nipple Balm for lips" This product isn't strictly for use on the lips. The tube states that it can be used on your body also. 

Ruffian Nail Lacquer in "Hedge Fund"I really liked this product it wore well and the handle was not awkward to use. 

  2  .04 fl. oz. foil packets of (Malin + Goetz) 'Vitamin E face moisturizer'

This month's box was just okay for me. In terms of size of the samples everything was really nice and even received a full size product. but I wasn't too excited for the sample brands. Most of the things that I received this month were either samples that I have received in other boxes, wasn't excited to try or products that I have receive too much of, ahem sea salt spray. Despite this, $10.00 for this box is a really good deal and the mascara alone covers that price.

Birchbox referral code. Please use my referral code if you would like to sign up for your own subscription!

Love with Food September 2013

I received my final Love with Food box.

I originally signed up for this box as part of a FAB deal.  I signed up for a six month subscription at a discounted rate and this is the conclusion of the subscription.  

I really loved this program and would sign up again, but it just doesn't fit into my budget currently. Keep reading to see what I got in my September box.

First Look!

This month's box was curated by Chef Ming Tsai. We received an email before the box shipped letting us know that he would be curating this month's box and I was super excited to see what would be in the box. I used to love watching his show on PBS and I consider him one of the original celebrity chefs in my book. 

There was also a card for Ming's new cookbook. Check out Ming's website here.

 2 bags Millies Savory Teas in Spicy Tortilla and Indian Spice sipping broths.I still haven't tried these. Something about "sipping broths" grosses me out.

Yum Earth Organics Fruit Snacks These were gross.  I didn't like the flavor. The texture was really weird and wasn't pleasing. 

Licious Organics Honey Cookies in Cherry Berry. 

Dip In Pepper and Artichoke Bruschetta. 

Betty Louis Blueberry Fruit Bar

Wild Garden Hummus Dip. I love hummus and this is the perfect size to add to my lunch for work. I haven't tried it yet through. Not sure why...

Organicasaurus Cheddar Cheese corn snacks. I was expecting these to look and taste like Cheez-its. But I was very wrong.  These crackers were puffy and so cute in the dinosaurs shapes. They tasted really good. I checked out the website and this company also makes the Bops chips that were in a previous Love with Food box. 

Cosmos Creations Cinnamon Crunch This is the other product that surprised me in the box. I wasn't expecting to like these as much as I did!!! I will definitely be purchasing these again-if I can find them!

In all I was very satisfied with September's Love with Food box. I was always happy with each box they sent out. There were foods that are not regularly found in a grocery store and things that I probably wouldn't have ever purchased, but got to try from this subscription service. 

I loved this subscription box and would recommend it to everyone that wants to try out new foods. I'm sad that this is the last box I will be receiving, but know that once it fits back into my budget, it will be the first that I re-sign up for.