May Ipsy Box

Fresh Picks!  That is the theme of Ipsy's May "box".  They totally went for the natural vibe on this one.  I actually had an idea that there would be a theme along these lines before I even opened the bag when I saw the print and materials used to make it.

When I opened it up I was surprised by how different the items were in this month's box.  One thing that Ipsy has going for it is that it really pays attention to the time of the year.   I was wondering if they were going to take summer into account, and they sure did.  I would break this month into two groups: makeup and skincare/protection.

This month I got makeup that was right up my alley.  I really like nail polish, and this is a great summer color. I also like the summer twist on the eye shadow duo.  There is a shimmer,  but it's not that all out New Year's Eve hype.  The blending brush makes me wonder because it has white bristles.  It will be interesting to see how long it looks nice.  I've never had white bristles before on a makeup brush and avoid them when shopping.  I fear possible goober-city with this one.

The two lotions are the perfect size for summer.  I told myself that I can't use anything until I write write about it here.  It has been hard to wait on the sunscreen.  I hate when sunscreen leaves you feeling like you have a slime coat on your skin.  I like that this is all natural and water resistant.  I'm amped to see how it will hold up while wearing it.  The lotion isn't something that I normally get excited about, but since 30 is just around the corner maybe anti-aging lotions are headed my way :)

So, was it worth it...Ipsy is about $10.00 a month.  Nailtini nail polish is around $13.00 at my local dispensary, and Pacifica eye shadow is about $5.00 It is a really good deal.  They are full size, and their value is worth more than the price of the subscription.  Keep it coming Ipsy!

May Tyler Florence Fancy Box

Still playing catch-up, so here is another blog in my rapid fire blog a day.

Well now, I was unimpressed with April's box by Tyler Florence, and this month he is continuing on with his trend of giving random kitchen tools to the person just starting their kitchen.  My happy disclaimer is this: if a person did not have a very well established kitchen, this box would be great for them.  Considering what I already have in my cupboards this box is rather unimpressive.

It looks like this month he is centering around the idea of vegetables and then some other random things, so that he can reach his $80 box quota.  Each of his boxes are supposed to value $80; and, it seems like this causes his themes to become convoluted.   

Tomato Huller ~ $5 Citrus Reamer ~ $7    iPeeler ~ $9       Potato Brush ~ $9

When it comes to the vegetables he did well covering his bases with practical items for the most part.  I was pretty impress with this potato brush.  I have never seen one before that had an eye remover attached to the handle.  This seems like an honest time saver.  I have gotten other times from Ar+cook in Fancy boxes.  They are good quality.  The vegetable steamer makes sense as well.  What has me confused is the tomato huller.  Do people really invest in having this separate tool?  According to the insert it will help me, "mix up some refreshing salsas, salads, fresh pasta sauce and more."  I had not idea a huller could do all of this.

Vegetable Steamer ~ $8     Mortar and Pestle ~ $20     Herb Pot ~ $40

I kind of see where he was going by putting in the herb pot and mortar and pestle.  Grow your fresh herbs and then prepare them in the mortar and pestle before adding them to your dish.  Maybe?  The thing that I just can't link to anything else is the citrus reamer.  Oh well!  Now I am the proud owner of one.

So was it worth it...I paid $46.95 with shipping and handling.  Each Fancy box is suppose to total $80.  This box totaled $98.  Then again, almost half of the value came from a pot to plant a single herb in.  If, as I mentioned in a previous post, life had not been so hectic I would have canceled the box after this one was received.  Instead, Fancy got lucky, and this subscription made it to my door in June.

April Loot Crate

Let me start by saying that this was not the way that I had planned to blog.  Sometimes life intervenes with some adventures and something has to give.  My justification: if this were a weight-loss resolution, people would have expected me to let it go by the wayside long ago.  So, I find myself playing catch-up.  This just means that post rates will be expedited for a little while.

Loot Crate: here we go.  April's theme was DRAGONS.  The items in this box, surprise, surprise, all deal with dragons.

The item that is probably the most epic is the "The Nord."  He is a figure for the, at the time, new Elder Scrolls online game.  He was only available through Loot Crate making him "rare."  The other mini figure in this crate was from Game of Thrones.  Unlike The Nord, this was a mystery figure.

The figures must have been more expensive to acquire or the dragon theme was harder to fulfill because the rest of the times were all credited, at least partially, to Loot Crate Labs.  

The items that creeps me out the most was the "dragon jerky."  I had to look at the ingredients to even begin to fathom what this might consist of.  It is a beef jerky; mystery solved.  So, that's a plus for regcognizability.  The "dragon seasonings" consist of: dehydrated vegetable pieces, teriyaki sauce, wine, vinegar, salt, and various spices.  Is wine normally used to make jerky?  Maybe this is what makes it dragon jerky?  

All in all I think that Loot Crate was hoping we would be enamored by the limited edition Elder Scrolls vinyl and confused/mystified by the dragon jerke.   Not a bad box, but I must admit I was hoping for more Game of Thrones swag.

So is it worth the price?  Loot Crate ends up being $17.66 a month with shipping and handling. Because Loot Crate supplies so many exclusive items, you can't really calculate the value of the box like you can with so many other subscription boxes.  I have yet to be totally let down by a Loot Crate box and am always excited to see what each month will have to offer.  Once again I'll say it's worth the price.