October Loot Crate Review

This month Loot Crate went with the theme of "Dead."  Real shocking considering it is October and there is that whole Halloween thing going on...

This month's Loot Crate saw some good and some bad items.  I really liked getting the variant cover for The Walking Dead.  I just wish that the other Walking Dead item were something other than the small piece of art work by Jsalvador.  I did find the temporary tattoos cool.  I like that they cover a variety of monsters and not just weird cut marks.  They are vampire, zombie, and werewolf bites to choose from to meet your desired look.  I'm also not really sure what I'll do with How to Survive a Sharknado.  I feel like this was a random piece that didn't totally fit the "Dead" theme in this month's Loot Crate.  It also seems a little dated.

At first, I thought this shirt was ridiculous.  Then I realized the majesty it possesses.  The cats are demonic, yet still enduring.  I can honestly say, I've not seen anything like this before.  It will be my Halloween work shirt tomorrow.  I am truly blessed to have it.  Thank You Loot Crate.

They kept teasing that there would be a special collaboration with Capcom this month. They ended up going with Dead Rising 3, and everyone got a sledgesaw hammer pen.  At first I thought it was just a figurine.  When I realized it was a pen, it made it a heck of a lot neater.

So, was it worth it...Loot Crate is $17.66 a month.  I was really hoping that with a theme like "Dead" I would really be won over.  The shirt and Walking Dead issue make it worth it for me this month.  I also know of some people who might enjoy the items from this month that I'm not so keen on.  I'd say this month's Loot Crate it worth it for me.  But if I didn't like the shirt, it would have been a miss.

October iJustine Fancy Box

There is a new Fancy Box curated by internet celebrity iJustine.  This is an awesome box.  It also helped that it came right before Halloween and was filled with things that fit the spirit of the season.

This is the fullest Fancy Box I've gotten in a long time.  Fancy Boxes have been averaging four items as of late to get to their guaranteed $80 price point.  This box did it will more smaller items, but they are right up my ally.

 

I love Fred and GamaGo products.  I would say now that I've got these three, 2/3 of my kitchen if will with these brands.  I am now only missing one to the ice "cube" trays that Fred sells.  I also already have their ninjabread men cook cutters, so I'm excited to have the undead model for this time of year.  While I'm not a big user of bottle openers, I'm happy that this is second one in my collection thanks to my subscription addiction this year.  Even though these products are pretty whimsical, they are also really well made, and I've never had a problem with either brand when it comes to wear and tear.

I honestly don't know the purpose of owning my own box of zombies, but I'm now the proud owner of my very own box.  Upon further investigation, I found out that they come in one of two colors.  There is a bright kelly green, or the pale purple that I received.  I think it looks more grayish, but either way, I'll take them any day over kelly green zombies.

 

There was also a shirt in the box this month that will be perfect for Halloween.  If you haven't seen these shirts before, they have script printed on the outside and an image printed inside the shirt.  That way when someone follows the directions on the outside, you can flip the shirt up over your face and create a mask that corresponds to the shirt.  This is a pretty funny idea, and I'm going to for sure wear the shirt.  I just have to be careful it's in a place that allows you to give the illusion of flashing someone. 

The last two items in the box bring in vampires and werewolves.  Really this box has almost all your classic movie monsters covered.  I give her, iJustine, a lot of credit for the variety within her theme.  The parts I've read in the book thus far, are well written and enjoyable.  I'm also looking forward to finding ways to use my new sets of fake teeth.

So, was it worth it...This box ends up being right around $45 with shipping.  The items in this Fancy Box are worth right around $75.  This isn't the $80 promised when signing up for the box, yet I'm still happy with what came here.  I think it's the fact that I really like all these items, and the monsters they celebrate.  This Fancy Box is going on my list of monthly subscription keepers.

October Glossy Box

Can I just say that I am shocked that this came in the mail so quickly.  I just got a shipping notice saying that my box would come between Nov.1st and the 15th.  This was an awesome surprise to get it so soon.  I also love that this is sooooo my favorite box I've gotten from Glossy Box thus far.

The first thing I'm going to say is that this month Glossy Box went for broke and four of the five items are full sized.  I am also really happy that they included something by Tarte because I've loved everything I've ever gotten from their brand.  The Proganix volume spray is a good one for me.  I normally hate using these sprays, but this one actually worked well for my hair.  This might become a re-buy for me.  I'm not so sure about the Sesha mask.  I got hooked on Glam Glow courtesy of Glossy Box, so we'll have to see how this one stacks up.

I really like the concept of the Nails inc. polish.  You can use it as a top coat to turn any polish into a matte coat.  It's like all of a sudden a person has doubled their nail polish collection.  I'm also really liking the Tart lip pencil.  It has a sheerness that doesn't make it look like a harsh lipstick.  It also has a balm quality to it that doesn't dry out your lips.  Drastic improvement over last month's lip tar...enough said.

The only item in the box that wasn't full sized was the perfume.  I'm totally fine by that.  Don't get me wrong; I like the scent.  I just get tired of perfumes rather quickly and switch around a lot.  This is the perfect size for my collection because I know it will last me a long time.

So, was it worth it...Glossy Box is about $21 a month.  This box far surpassed the price tag on my end.  All totaled the box ends up having a value of right around $70.  I also feel like this box lives up to the hype of Glossy Box being a higher end beauty box.  This month totally evoked my temporarily misplaced love for Glossy Box.  After my disinterest in last month's products, Glossy Box you've pulled me back in :)

October Ipsy Box

Ipsy's theme for October is Beauty Candy.  At first I was a little confused as to why that would be a theme, especially when all the pieces advertising the theme were pastels.  This isn't what I think of with fall.  I'm thinking they were hoping for a subliminal candy/Halloween thing.  Either way I got some great stuff!

The bag this month is my favorite thus far from Ipsy.  I love the fabric and the color.  I was also excited to see the Ayres Body Butter.  I really liked it when I got it in a Glossy Box, so I'm excited to get a replacement here.  It has a scent that at first I wasn't so keen on, but I really came to like it by the time I used all of it up.  I'm also jazzed to see the Skyn Iceland facial towlettes.  I've heard good things about this brand because you rub them together with a little water, wipe off your face, and you're good to go.

Ipsy did a great job of picking a great lip gloss for me from Starlooks.  I also really like the eye shadow that I got from Jessie's Girl. Ipsy sent out six different colors depending on your beauty profile.  While there were some that I liked a little more than this one, I'm still really happy with this one.  The coverage is really good, and the color holds up well. The H2O+ hydrating treatment is a new one for me.  It is a gel formula, so I wasn't really sure how/when to use it.  Ipsy did a good job of linking to this product's website where directions could be found on when or how to use it.  In my situation it is used as a moisturizer after showering/washing my face.  For dryer skin it can also be used as a mask.

So, was it worth it...Ipsy is about $10 a month.  I really like everything that came in my bag this month.  I think this is a bag where I could do an empties update in a month and still be happy with what I got.  Ipsy is worth it again this month for me :)

October Rockettes Box by Fancy

The Rockettes surprised me big time with their box from Fancy this month.  Normally Fancy includes a cheat sheet as to why items are included.  Mine didn't come this month leaving me to guess as to why the Rockettes might like the items selected.

My favorite item in this month's box is the studded fingerless glove and hat combo from Echo Designs.  Fancy and the Rockettes made a great choice with this one.  It is super soft and really warm.  It is perfect for a Minnesota fall when you need a hat to go to work in the morning that you can cram into your jacket pocket once the sun comes out and heats things up.

I'm really liking the bun pin by Kitch, and I'm hoping that my hair is long enough to use it soon.  I honestly didn't know that these existed outside the prom world, but this one would totally work without totally looking like a dork.  I'm not so sure if I could pull off the temporary tattoos without looking like a dork though.  Since I don't know why they were picked to include in this Fancy box, I'm going to assume that it is because the Rockettes have a strict no tattoo policy that results in termination if you break it.  This is their one way to use tattoo creative freedom.

The item that played a trick on me was the bracelet by Lyndy Lou.  I thought originally it was a necklace.  Then I thought it was an anklet.  Finally I figured out, after fearing I had obese ankles, that it was actually a bracelet.  I have had bracelets similar in style to this one before.  I have always managed to break them by catching them on something.  I'm hoping that I will do better with this one because it is a lot more expensive than the others I have purchased before.  I'm hoping price equates to not breaking the chain pulling something out of my pocket.

This bracelet is another example of when it would have been nice for Fancy to have included why the Rockettes selected what they did.  Even if they had a spot on their website to explain why things are in boxes that only subscribers could get to, it would be helpful in instances where people didn't get that information in box.

So, was it worth it...This is another great Fancy box.  I won't really use the temporary tattoos, but the rest of the box will for sure get used.  I really like the items that come in this box.  The box with shipping ends up being about $46.  The value of the items in this box totals just over $96.  I'm not a dancer by any means, but this box still has great items in it for me!

October Julep Box

This month's theme from Julep was Black Magic.  Makes sense with it being October and all.  They also had a limited edition Halloween box that I snagged as well.  Let's start with the subscription first.

To be honest, I was a little confused when I opened my box up this month.  There was a lot in there; and, I didn't know what was what.  I had to resort to looking back to my invoice that came in my email when they shipped the box to me.  There was a card in there saying that I had earned some beauty freebies because I had spent enough this month (subscription, fall mystery pack, and Halloween box). 

Upon further examination I found out that I had earned an extra lip gloss, but they had forgotten to include one of my polishes.  I went on their site and emailed customer service.  I got a great reaction from Julep, and the missing polish is on its way with a confirmation number in my hand.

I chose to add on the fall color pack because they were supposed to be three colors for fall.  Apparently that means coral and two shade of yellow.  I was able to pick the glow in the dark white, which I am super amped about.

The Julep Halloween box is awesome!  I'm pretty sure that future boxes like this will be picked up by me.  I like the black cat nail decals and the colors have a pretty shimmer to them.  I also like that they included a top coat to protect the nail decals.  The candy corn I could have done without, but I see where they were going with it.

So, was it worth it...I'm going to say that I am not going to go with anymore mystery bundles.  I know I said that last month, but I caved with the fall colors pack hoping that this month would be different.  I really like the color that was included in my subscription this month and am looking forward to seeing what my other color looks like in person when it arrives.  So the Julep subscription is totally worth it and the mystery sets, are so not.

September Glossy Box

Once again my Glossy Box came during the start of the next month.  They must have revamped when shipments go out.  I just got a notice saying that my October box would be coming in November.  No big deal, just as long as it makes it to my house.

This month, Glossy Box teamed up with Harper's Bazaar.  I was curious to see what would come with this pairing. I was a little disheartened by what was selected.  I've gotten some great nail polishes in my Glossy Boxes.  I'm happy with the Essie brand, but the red is just meh in my book.  I also found it a little odd that they shipped out a conditioner without a shampoo.

 The night cream is your standard ho-hum night cream. Nothing that blew my socks off here.  I was excited to see that Glossy Box included and Benefit product.  I'm interested to see how I like this mascara.  I've used it for short term wear and have liked it thus far.  This was the best item in the box for me.

 Then there is the monstrosity that is the OOC lip tar.  It is an odd fuchsia leaning towards plum color.  When I used this the first time it was ridiculously dark and made my lips look dried out.  I think it was supposed to look matte, but I ended up with something I call chapped.  I put some gloss on top and it instantly stripped the color.  So much so that it began to run the color off my lips and my family, who I had gone to a football game with that day, kept telling me to check my lipstick because it was smearing.  I gave up, went to the bathroom, and washed it all off.  Good bye and good luck.  This will not be used again.

So, was it worth it...Glossy Box is right around $21 a month.  Considering what I got this month, it wasn't really worth the $21 for me.  There was really only one product that was exciting this month.  I will say though, that I don't blame Glossy Box.  Instead I feel that they were stuck within the confines of working with Harper's Bazaar this month.  I'm looking forward to a pure, no partnership, box next month.

September Fancy Culinary Box

September is busting at the seams in this month's Culinary Box by Fancy!  I'm super impressed with everything included and am so glad I've added this subscription to my routine.

Fancy boxes have been showing up with four things in them lately.  This box is not that case at all.  I think it has something to do with the fact that kitchen items are usually small price point pieces.  If they guarantee that you are going to get $80 worth of items, they really have to cram them in to make it happen.

I have a lot of pieces by Umbra, and I'm so excited to see them in a Fancy Box.  I've not gotten anything from them before in a subscription service.  I really like how this spice rack is perfect for the spices you use the most in your kitchen.  It's a fun way to leave something on a counter top without making it look cluttered.  The herbsicle is new to me.  I've never thought of freezing fresh herbs and then grinding the exact amount I need.  I'm interested to see how this works.

The herbsicle wasn't the only thing in the box this month that I didn't know existed.  I had no idea what a spice bomb was until I opened it up.  This little gem holds spices and the rubber chain clips to the edge of the pot.  I'm so using this for bay leaves from now on.  I HaTe digging them out when I'm done cooking.  I also dislike coring jalapenos when I make salsa.  This new corer makes it a breeze.  I'm shooting rainbows from my fingertips with all this happiness.

 

 I'm not sure how often, if ever, I'll use the clip and clean knife blades.  I've never thought about cinnamon enough to consider that there may be different varieties.  This kind is supposed to be a little sweeter.  I'm interested to see if it's worth all the hype.  I am jazzed about the nutmeg grater.  I've already used it for chocolate.  Not what it's for, but worked great for fine shavings on the top of a dessert I made.

So, was it worth it...you're dang skippy it was.  This was a great box, and I really liked all that it had to offer up this month.  I'm really excited to see what next month has in store.  The value was just over $80, and it showed me some new things that I've already added to my arsenal. Thanks Fancy!

September Nicky Hilton Fancy Box

I am super impressed with these Nicky Hilton Fancy Boxes.  I really hope this is a curator that keeps them coming.  This month I am really pleased with the variety of items.

When I opened up the box and saw that there were only four items included, I knew that this meant that there was going to be a high value item in this box.  I was surprised/disappointed when I began to pull things out, and I found the same purse that has followed me around Fancy.  I have gotten this bag four times now.  I'm still going to hold firm and say that this is a good assortment of items though.  I have used and like the first puse I got.  It's just another bag for my pass-along pile.  I'm also really liking the Molskine notebook.  I've seen them before, but never gotten one.  I've always felt like I could get by on a cheaper notebook.  This might convert me into classier stationary.

The item that caught me off guard with how much I really like them are the playing cards.  I feel like a big 'ol bag of dork saying this, but they are really neat playing cards.  They are continuing the lace theme and are see through with a lace print.  Now I haven't played a game with them yet, so I don't know how distracting they could potentially be, but holding them in my had I'm really liking them.

 

I am also really excited by the nail wraps that came in this box.  I really like nail wraps, but it seems like the same few designs are always at my local stores.  I like that this one is something totally new.  I really like the way the black lace design pops on the white backing.  I feel like this might be something that I would continue to order online, should I be impressed with the length of their wear.   

So, was it worth it...This box had a value of just over $89.  I was expecting it to be a little higher because there were only four items included.  I'm still really happy with this subscription though.  Considering I pay about $45 a month.  I got double what I paid for.  I'm going to keep them coming, and I look forward to what next month Fancy and Nicky Hilton may bring to my mailbox :)

September QBox Subscription

Alright, round two for QBox.  I still wonder what the name means?  I feel like I should be doing some kind of research to figure it out.  This months items come from both Japan and Korea. 

 This month's box had a ton of stuff in it.  There was WAY more than came last month.  The items are also a lot better. QBox is big on spoilers and this month the big item they kept teasing was the Kate Spade tote bag.  I actually like this bag quite a bit because it has a round bottom and it actually stands up on its own.  QBox made a big deal that it had a matching coin purse...who really cares...  The snack this month is a Gim seaweed snack as far as I can tell.  I have yet to try, but I'm excited to.  I have never had seaweed dry/dehydrated like it appears to be here.

I really liked the earrings this month.  I feel like QBox didn't know how to describe them either, so I'll just rip off what they came up with in their flyer.  They described them as "Pony Coin Tassels".  I'm also really excited to see a twistable headband.  If you haven't seen one in real life, there is a wire that runs through the headband.  That way you can twist it to look however you desire.  The item that has me pondering is the Liphop Eyeliner.  Subscribers got lipstick from them last month.  The thing that weirds me out about the eyeliner is that it is apparently a trend in Korea to use white eyeliner.  We'll have to see how that works out when I'm brave enough to use it.

The last two items in the box are from Sanrio.  This makes total sense considering this past month you could purchase a limited edition box from them focusing in on one of their characters.  I could have for sure made it through life without owning either of these two items.  It's probably why I didn't subscribe to the limited edition box.

 

So, was it worth it...QBox is a nonrenewable subscription.  That means you sign up for three, six, or twelve month plans and then you are done unless you go back to their site and renew on your own.  I signed up for a three month plan for $68.85.  There is a flyer that comes in each box that tells you the value of the month.  This month said the box came in at $111.50. The misleading and soul crushing part of this subscription is that when you look at the claims form that gets the package through customs, they declare the box at $30.  I guess it's one of those subscriptions that you do get a great deal if you are considering retail value.  It's just a little disheartening when you see what you are buying is actually worth.

September Loot Crate

September's Loot Crate came in with a bang.  The theme was Galactic which brings big things!  By now I've learned that Loot Crate is big into Firefly. Which means with a theme like Galactic, I'm going to love what comes in this box.

This box did a great job of bringing together a wide variety of Galactic items.  From a poster of Han Solo encased in crabonite to a handful of credits to get me around the Firefly galaxy.  This crate did a great job of bringing in a wide array of films and television shows.  This month's box had items from: Firefly, Star Wars, Star Trek, and Alien. 

 

This box also had the obligatory magnet taking a classic and putting the Loot Crate spin on it.  This month took the ships from Star Wars and revamped them to look like a screen shot from a classic arcade game.  The action figure from Alien is a really neat item.  I just wish that I had gotten the Alien.  Random characters where in each crate.  My brother gets Loot Crate as well, and he was fortunate enough to get the Alien figure.

 

By far my two favorite items are the Tribble from Star Trek and the Mal figure from Firefly.  Both of these items totally caught me by surprise when I opened the box.  I ripped right into the Funko box when I saw that there was a Firefly figure inside.  I haven't had the heart yet to crack the seal on my Tribble.  I honestly don't know if I will ever be able to.

So, was it worth it...Loot Crate is $17.66 a month.  Most months have tons of Loot Crate exclusives that make determining the value of the box almost impossible.  This month is a little different because you can buy a fair amount of the items included.  When I looked into the items that could be purchased, I found a value of $41.49.  That was for only half of the items.  There is also the added bonus of more digital loot again this month.  Loot Crate partnered with Dark Horse Comics and gave subscribers access to a digital issue of Halo Escalation.  This month Loot Crate is worth it!