Little Black Bag - June bag #1

If you couldn't tell from my last post about Little Black Bag, I am officially addicted. I won't go too much into detail about Little Black Bag here, but if you want to know the details check out my first post about it!

Basically, it's a subscription service for accessories that offers at least $100 of handbags, accessories, and jewelry (and more) for about $50. You choose your main item and are able to spend up to a week trading your items with other members until you're happy with your bag. It is an amazing service and I am in love with it!

I actually ended up getting two bags this month (and I may or may not have opened a 3rd...)! Here is the first.

The box itself was smaller with this order, since I got small items in this one. This probably made my mailman happy...I swear he is going to hang me from the ceiling, one day. I still think their mailing boxes are the absolute cutest.

My items in this bag were wrapped up into two separate little packages. I'm forgetful, so I only photographed the first. I love that everything is always well wrapped. They are good about securely bubble-wrapping delicate items.

This is the item that I chose, and I held onto it. It's a small skull bracelet by Ali Khan. I absolutely love this bracelet! It's so cute, and I love that it's not too big, but still has a bit of an edge. It's easily adjustable and feels good and sturdy and well made. I've not wanted to take it off. This adorable bracelet retails for $24.

This is something I traded hard for - the wing ring, also by Ali Khan (I fell a little in love with Ali Khan this month!) It's hard to tell in pictures, but this ring is gorgeous and well made. I wore it yesterday and got several compliments on it just in a single trip to the grocery store. It's a stretch ring, so it fits nicely and I'm really happy with it. It retails for $22.

This is a little different from my usual style, but I absolutely adore it. It's the house necklace by Betsey Johnson. It's big and super long (goes to mid tummy on me!) and the details are adorable. I love the solid chain and the little charms on it.

The bottom of the house opens and there are little sleeping people inside! So freaking cute. Obviously this isn't going to be a necklace I wear every day, but it's an amazing statement piece and I love it. It retails for $65. I was going to take a picture of it on so you could see the length, but it just didn't play nicely with the cowl neck dress I am wearing, so that will have to wait for another day!

These are 5 different products, but since they're the same brand and similar, I decided to simplify and photograph them together. These are perfume rollerballs (and lip screen) by Lavanila. The perfumes are, in order, Pure Vanilla, Vanilla Lavender, Vanilla Coconut, and Vanilla Passionfruit. 

The lip screen is SPF 30 and has a vanilla mint scent to it. 

I love perfumes, and these rollerballs are a great size for both my purse and my vanity. I also love that they are natural and free of harmful chemicals. They smell really good and have true vanilla scent, not the artificial cookie-like scent. 

The lip screen is nice and smooth and has a great texture to it. It doesn't have a gross taste like other lip screen products I've tried have. The rollerballs are $19 each, and the lip screen is $16.

And finally, another Ali Khan ring! This is the double stone feather ring. This is so gorgeous in person! The stones sparkle in the light, and it feels nice and sturdy. This is another stretch ring. It retails for $25.

How the three Ali Khan pieces look on. I love the stretchy rings that allow you to wear them on whatever finger you choose. So pretty and fun!

In all, I'm really excited about this bag! I love everything I received, and I really got into trading with this one and ended up with things I really wanted. This bag has a retail value of $228!

If you love accessories and haven't yet tried Little Black Bag, I definitely recommend it. Just be forewarned that it is incredibly addictive, and your wallet will probably hate you. But maybe you have more self control than I do! Here's my referral link!

Pictures of my 2nd bag will be up soon, as well!

Birchbox - June (Jet Set theme)

I checked my mail today to find that my Birchbox had already shown up! This is earlier than I usually get it, so points for that, BB.

Now, I will warn you in advance that I knew what was in my box beforehand and I'm just not feeling this box. This is the first time this has happened to me in my year with Birchbox, so I apologize in advance if this review comes off as "blah, whatever".  I'm not saying the products are bad, by any means!

As always, Birchbox arrived in its cute pink mailer. I think my mailman groans when he sees this box each month, because it means my other subs are soon to follow. I'm pretty sure he hates me!

I noticed that the inside of the mailer, which is usually plain, has some cute travel related images on it to go along with this month's theme, which is Jet Set. Definitely a cute touch.

As mentioned, the theme this month is Jet Set, and it is a selection of products that are either travel friendly or imported from other lands. I'm not much of a jet setter, so that doesn't matter to me much, but I think it's adorable that they made the little card look like a post card!

This is one of the extras this month - it's a sample of Star USA cologne for men by John Varvatos. It's supposed to be a kind of promo for their new Birchbox Man service. I know many ladies were put off by this, but I don't mind it, as it was an extra and not one of my main box items.

I actually think it smells really good. I don't know a man who would get use out of it, so I plan to make a little sachet or air freshener out of it. This retails for $55 for 1.7 oz, so the value of this sample is about $1.29.

This is blendercleanser, made by and for the beautyblender. I think it's kind of an odd inclusion since I do not have a beautyblender, but oh well. I know it can also be used to wash brushes and other makeup tools. I generally prefer to use a gentle soap or baby shampoo, but I'll give this a try. It's strongly scented with lavender, which I don't love. The full size retails for $17.95. They don't list the sample size, but I estimate it to be about half an ounce, so the value is roughly $1.46.

...Is it just me, or is the packaging even more blah than usual?

This is literally the worst product they could have sent me this month. These are self tanning wipes by Comodynes. I HATE ANYTHING RELATED TO TANNING. Yes, I am very pale. I resent the implication that there is something wrong with being pale. I also resent the idea that anyone thinks I should put nasty chemicals on myself in order to stain my skin to make me look like I've been baking myself in the sun. Yeah, no thanks. That said, these wipes are supposed to create a uniform tan in 3 hours, and each wipe is supposed to cover the entire face and body. These retail for $14.99 for a pack of 8, so these two wipes are worth $3.75.

This is a product I actually love! It is Staniac by theBalm, in the shade Beauty Queen. This is a lip and cheek stain. It looks scary red in the tube, but it actually goes on as a nice, soft, sheer pink. It lasts all day. I really love it and would be excited about getting it...but I already have two of the full sized product. Still a great inclusion, though, and I'll be trading it for something. The full sized product is $17.00 for .3 oz, so this little sample is worth $2.27.

This is a completely new brand and product to me. It's Super Comb Prep & Protect spray by Number 4. This is a leave in conditioner, heat protectant, and UV shield. I don't generally like leave in products, as they tend to make my hair look dirty, but I'm willing to try this one out. It has a bit of a floral scent to it. It retails for $32 for the full size, so this sample is worth $6.88.

And, the other lifestyle extra - a tili bag. Which, if you can't tell, is basically a ziplock bag with a pattern on it. I don't buy plastic bags, as I find them incredibly wasteful. I usually love the lifestyle extras, but this one is just terrible. These ugly bags retail for $8.49 for 12, so this bag is worth .70 cents.

So, yeah. This is my least favorite Birchbox to date. I'm sure the products would be great for the right person, but there's just nothing in there that excites me. That said, I'm going to try out the leave-in and the blender cleanser, and maybe they'll surprise me. The rest will be traded with other ladies, who will hopefully enjoy them more than I do. This box has a value of about $16.35, which is also the least impressive box I've gotten, value-wise. 

That said, I still enjoy Birchbox, and if you haven't joined yet, you should! Here is my referral link.

What was in your June Birchbox?

Sally Hansen Salon Effects

So, I'll just be honest with you - I'm super lazy when it comes to my nails. I work a job that requires me to use my hands a lot, so manicures and polish in general never last long for me. As such, I just never bother to attempt nail art, no matter how much I love the looks.

I had seen the Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail strips in the stores before, but I assumed they were just stickers, and I didn't pay them much mind.

Then, I received a box in my Influenster Spring Beauty VoxBox, and upon further inspection, I was excited to discover that they are not stickers after all, but strips of real nail polish. I got Kitty Kitty, which is a cute golden leopard print.

I finally tried them, and they're nice. They're easy to apply - you just peel them off, stick them on, and trim/file them to size. They are smooth and shiny, and I have found that they last me longer than traditional nail polish. I like to use them alternating with solid colors, or as accent nails!

There are two things I don't like about them. First, each box comes with 16 strips, which is just an odd number. I realize they probably include a few extra strips in case of screw ups, but I'd just prefer either 10 or 20, because with the odd number, I always end up with one extra, even after using some as accent nails.

The other issue is the price. They cost $9.99, which is a bit more than I'd generally spend on a couple of uses of a product for my nails. I prefer to wait until they're on sale or I have a coupon.

In all though, these are a really cool product and they're worth checking out!

Below is the Kitty Kitty print shown with some very sloppily applied Color Club polish in Disco Nap.

*Disclaimer: I received a product free of charge from Influenster. I was not compensated and all opinions are my own.

Bath and Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist

I've been a fan of Bath and Body Works for as long as I can remember. I recall riding the school bus in elementary school and sharing my Country Apple lotion with my friends, and always carrying 2 or 3 hand sanitizers in my purse. It was what I always asked for for holiday and birthday gifts and my first foray into fragrance.

Even now, I always have a stash of BBW products (as seen above!) I regularly stock up on the Pocketbacs for work, and I adore the triple moisture cream for my dry skin.  I also always loved the fragrance mists, and the fact that they smelled great but were not too strong or overpowering for school or work.  I like the variety of scents offered by Bath and Body Works - a great selection for someone like myself, who appreciates fresh fruity scents as well as sweet and girly ones.

A couple of months ago, I saw that they were introducing a new Fine Fragrance Mist, which promised a finer and more even mist application and a more delicate fragrance experience. I was really excited and made a mental note to pick some up the next time I needed to replenish my fragrance stash.

Much to my delight, I soon found out that I'd be getting a Spring Beauty VoxBox from Influenster, and that one of the products included was a full sized Fine Fragrance Mist! I was so excited to try it out.

The Fine Fragrance mists are available in all of their Signature Collection scents - there are more than 20 available. They retail for $14 for an 8 ounce bottle. You can buy them inshore or online at http://www.bathandbodyworks.com .

After trying it out, I am really impressed with the Fine Fragrance Mist. First of all, the packaging is adorable. I think it's a big improvement over the previous bottles - a cylindrical bottle with a clear cap and pretty design. It looks adorable sitting on a vanity, shelf, or cabinet in the bathroom or bedroom.  I think it looks classier and more expensive than the previous packaging!  It seems like a small thing, but I am a sucker for packaging. The traditional packaging of other body sprays and mists from other companies reminds me of the cheap body sprays everyone doused themselves with in middle school...not the most pleasant association for an adult! The cap attaches securely, so I can throw it in my bag without worrying about leakage, as well.

More importantly, I love the way it applies. The mist really is light as air, and covers the body evenly without any large droplets. I find that it is as long lasting as the prior mists, if not more so - I can still smell it on myself after a full shift at work. I currently have the mist in both Pink Chiffon (pictured) and Twilight Woods (not pictured, as it's in my locker at work) and I have been reaching for them more often than both my other mists and my perfumes.

I find the Fine Fragrance mists by Bath and Body Works to be a pretty great product, and I can't wait to try more of them. Have you tried them yet? What's your favorite scent from Bath and Body Works?

*Disclaimer: I received a free product for review from Influenster. I have not been compensated and all opinions are my own.

Little Black Bag - May (my first!)

So, a few months ago, I started hearing about a new service that had popped up. Little Black Bag is a monthly subscription service. Much like Birchbox, it promises a box of items delivered to your house each month. However, instead of just beauty products, Little Black Bag carries such items as handbags, accessories, makeup, jewelry, and even some home decor.

At first, I balked at the price...LBB costs $55 a month (including shipping), and for that you get 2-4 items worth at least $100. After I started seeing the kinds of hauls people were getting, I decided to take the plunge and try it out, and I'm so glad I did. I am officially addicted!

You get to choose one item that you want, and 1-3 more items are selected for you and added to your bag.  I had a really hard time choosing my main item because there were so many things I loved!

The brands offered by Little Black Bag are awesome - you can find Betsey Johnson, Steve Madden, CARGO, Disney Couture, and countless others. The inventory is updated constantly, and there are always new things to try out. There are small handbags, large hobos and satchels, clutches, wallets, watches, sunglasses, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, makeup, wall decals, even barware.

Now, the best part: THE TRADING. If you are happy with your initial bag, you can click the ship button, and your bag will be on your way to you. However, if you aren't happy with what you have, or you are just curious what else is out there, you are able to trade items with other members for up to 7 days until you're happy with your bag!

The process is really simple - once you open your bag, your items are added to the trade gallery. To offer a trade, you just choose the item you're interested in, and then choose which item or items of yours you are willing to trade. Everyone who has the item you're interested in will get the trade offer, and simply chooses to accept it or not. You can even offer multiple items for one, which is a great option when it comes to getting the higher valued items. The trading is super addicting!

I received my first bag today! I ended up with four items with a value of $146. I have seen girls end up with much higher values, but I am happy with this because I saved almost $100, and I love and will use everything in my bag!

Here's what I got for May. (By the way, you can always open extra bags once you ship your monthly one...I did just that. Twice. LOL.)

Their shipping box is super cute. It arrived a little beat up (as is common with my local post office...) but everything inside was well packed, and nothing was damaged.

Everything came wrapped up in black tissue paper and sealed with this little sticker. Inside, the smaller items were bubble wrapped. I appreciate things like this after getting plenty of damaged packages from other companies.

These octopus earrings by 'ZAD are the only item I started with and kept until the end! I don't wear a lot of earrings, but I think these are adorable. They are a nice weight and are of good quality. I have really small ears and nearly no earlobes, and I appreciate that these weren't so big as to look stupid.

Love them! I can't wait to wear them. These have a retail value of $12.

Also by 'ZAD, this is the tusk pendant. It's a large piece, for sure. I like it, it is a nice weight and will be a great pop for the right outfit. I posted a picture of the length below, but it falls to chest level. This has a retail value of $24.

This is the Cargo eyeshadow quad in Barcelona! I traded hard for this one, as I love Cargo and these colors are just my style. It's a very good sized palette and will last forever! The packaging is pretty and sturdy.

The shadows themselves are gorgeous. They're nice and pigmented, and soft. They aren't at all chalky. The mirror is nice, as well. I am going to wear these today! This palette retails for $30.

And finally, this is the Nila Anthony buckle satchel in black. I had started with a different bag, but I fell in love with this one when it popped up and I had to have it! I love that it came with a dust bag, perfect for storage.

The bag is a great size - not as big and bulky as my messenger bags, but large enough to hold everything I need. It has an adjustable cross body strap, as well. The faux leather is a good quality, and is very soft. I love the little details, like the little scalloped edging on the flap and the buckles. Inside, there are several pockets, including one that zips. There is also a zip pocket on the back of the bag.

The lining is a cute green paisley. Adorable. This bag retails for $80.

I am really happy with this haul, I love everything I got.

Here's a terrible picture (excuse the morning hair and pajamas) to show the length of the necklace, for reference. 

If this sounds good to you, this is my referral link. Join, I think you'll love it!

Cravebox - May (my first!)

I have been coveting Cravebox for months! I missed the initial signup, and was sad about it for months, but finally got a subscription after they raffled some off!

Cravebox is another monthly subscription program. Unlike most of the others, however, it does not limit itself to a category. Cravebox sends out a variety of products ranging from beauty products to food to household cleaning items to office supplies. In the past, they've sent out everything from fun colored markers to pedometers and expensive skin care. They send out both full sized products and samples. I love variety, so this is an awesome subscription for me. Cravebox is $10 a month and send out an average of 5 products in each box.

I received my Cravebox about a week ago and I've had a chance to enjoy everything in it! So, here's what May brought.

The first thing I noticed was how big and heavy the box was! It weighed almost 3 pounds and shipped quickly once I got my shipping confirmation. I was so excited to see this on my porch!

Upon opening it, I was excited at the cute packaging! The contents were covered with a single pink sheet of tissue paper, which I saved for future wrapping/packaging needs. I like that it's all in one box, saving some resources.

Okay, how cute is this confetti? I love the colors, saved this as well.

As with most services, we received a card listing the contents and the theme! This month's theme was "A Taste of the Tropics", perfect for summer.

The first thing I pulled out was this sample of Lipton Tea&Honey in Mango Pineapple! I love drink packets like this - I keep them in my bag and use them at work. I am a huge tea fan, so I was really excited to try this. The Mango Pineapple flavor is delicious, super fruity and tropical. I have since bought a box of these and I've been drinking it daily at work! The packet also included a coupon.

We also got two packets of plum Amazins. These are diced dried plums, basically. I love dried fruit as a healthy snack, so I was happy to get these! I love that they are diced, makes them easy to sprinkle in yogurt or cereal. They tasted just like any other dried plums, and the convenient packaging made them easy to pack in my lunch bag.

I was excited to find this Skintersection Intense Repair Cream for cracking skin. This is a great inclusion for me, as my skin gets super dry in the summer. This is a full sized jar!

The texture is great - really thick, and not at all greasy. It doesn't really have a scent, and it seems to work well!

This is a full sized Shea Sugar body scrub by The Tree Hut! This thing is huge - 18 fl. oz. It smells awesome - Coconut Lime - and has a great, thick texture that isn't too oily, and it's super exfoliating without being too harsh. It leaves my skin super soft and smooth, and a little goes a long way, so this jar will last!

I love that The Tree Hut uses natural ingredients.

Finally, there was an item wrapped up like a present. I love when subs do this!

Mmm, Belgian chocolates! These are seashell shaped chocolate truffles. They got just a tiny bit melted in shipping, but barely enough to be noticeable and they still tasted awesome.

My favorite one was the seahorse. These had a super creamy texture, and I would love to have more of them, but they're crazy expensive.

Overall, my first Cravebox is awesome. I will use and enjoy everything in it, and with two full sized products, the value is great. There is currently a waiting list, but if you get a chance, this is a really fun service.