August Culinary Box by Fancy

When the Tyler Florence box disappeared from Fancy I wasn't overly surprised.  I was excited when they decided to add a Culinary Box to their line-up.  I decided to subscribe and see where this food box takes me.  I'm hoping that it will do a lot better than their last attempt at a food box did.  This is officially the August box, but mine arrived at the start of September.

Right off the bat I'm noticing some distinct similarities between this subscription box and the one that was curated by Tyler Florence.  There was a cheese plane included by the company Ar+Cook.  I have gotten a lot of products from this company in the short time I have subscribed to Fancy.  I have always been happy with them, and actually really like this one. I must admit I also like the melon slicer set too.  I haven't seen a set that interlocks like this, and that makes it really drawer friendly.  There is also another dang-blasted wooded serving tray.  These are a pain in the patoot.  They are always small to fit in the confines of the shipping box from Fancy.  I have yet to find a use for one I've received, and I've gotten quite a few of them now.

There were also two different glass items in this month.  I'm always impressed with Fancy's minimal packaging that still allows the glassware to make it to us without incident. I know that I will use the four glasses.  The insert from Fancy talked about how they could be used for a variety of ways beyond just drink glasses.  There were some neat ideas, and some that I hadn't thought of before.  They kept talking about different desserts and salads that could be served in them.  I wish there were some recipes to go with all these great suggestions.  The Oggi Cruet is a new one for me.  I don't really see myself using this very often, if at all.  I don't usually have both olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the table.  Hence I don't know if I need a special container that can serve both.

So, was it worth it... This box comes to my door for $46.95, when you add in the price of shipping.  There were some for sure hits and only two misses.  Not bad considering how poorly the items were in my last food box form Fancy.  Let's talk value: the box ends up totaling right around $90.  I have a feeling that this box could become another box of random gadgets, but we'll have to see what comes next month.  At this point, I'm going to keep them coming.

August Qbox Subscription Review

Qbox is a brand new subscription box service for me.  It is different in that it doesn't have automatic renewal.  That means, if you really like what you are getting, you need to return to the site to keep renewing on your own.  There are options for subscribing, and I selected the three month option.  There were positive reviews all over the internet, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Qbox promises to send you five to seven items each month that are from Japan or Korea.  The tricky thing I found out though, was that because this box crosses boarders the element of surprise is taken away due to the fact that they need to declare what is in the box.  Each box has a printout right under your home address.

This also means you have, in what Qbox's opinion is, the value of all the items in the box.  There are no hidden or inflated values this way.  There is also another risk of having the mysteries of Qbox ruined for you if you take notice to any of their presence on social media.  They release pictures of what is in that month's box via their website, Instagram, Facebook, and elsewhere.  The thing is, there are different reveals on different social media outlets.  A person could know almost the entirety of the box before it gets to their door.

Qbox also includes a pamphlet telling you how much each item supposedly is.  These values are greatly inflated over the declared values.  I think what makes this box so popular is the fact that it comes from overseas.  There has been some interesting foods and make-up that people have found worthwhile.  I think this has caused the inflated online positivity.

This lunch box was the first item to be teased.  It works well if your lunch has no need for refrigeration as it isn't insulated and doesn't even zip shut.  There is a snap, but things easily fall out.  The cookies are/were really good.  They remind me of Koala Yummies, if you ever had them as a child.

I'm going to call this photo, the impracticable pile.  The cat picture is actually a set of six postcards.  I don't think I've sent a post card to anyone since the internet was readily accessible in American homes.  The headphones are fine, I just have ones that are a lot nicer.  I feel like they would just sit in my desk drawer, so these will be passed on to someone else.  The prize for weirdest item, is the Happy Wing.  This gets stuck on to your toilet seat.  That way if someone leaves the toilet seat up, you can use this handle to put it down without touching the actual toilet seat.  I feel like there would be just as many germs on this, so what's the point?

The lip pigment is an interesting concept from 3CE.  While it didn't photograph well, it is actually a bright coral color.  You squeeze it onto the small brush that comes with it and apply it to your skin.  If you purchase the additional pigments, there is a yellow and white set that you can use with any of the colors.  That way if you want a color darker or brighter you can mix the yellow or white in with your original color selection.  Interesting idea if you get the other set.  Without it, just a nice coral option.

The last items were listed as two separate pieces, but were packaged together because they are from the same company.  Most of the necklaces I've been getting in my subscription boxes the past few months has been micro-sized. By this I mean that instead of large statement pieces, there has been one small item on the chain.  I'm not normally a fan of this style, but I'll give it a go since I'm amassing so much.

So, is it worth it...the three month subscription from Qbox is $68.85 for three months.  Broken down that means each month needs of a value of at least $22.95 to be financially worth it.  Even with the lower declared prices on the shipping box, there was still a gain of a few dollars on my end.  There were also eight items in this box, which is more than they promised.  There were though four items in this box that will probably never be used by me.  So, I'm on the fence with this subscription.  I know I'll be getting two more, but I really don't think I'll be renewing it unless there are some mind blowing items in September and October.

Fancy Birthday Mystery Box

Happy Birthday to Me from Fancy!

For my birthday, Fancy sent me a birthday email.  Inside I found a coupon for 10% off my order.  I decided I would try for another Large Mystery Box and see what I got this time.  Fancy didn't disappoint with this Mystery Box.

If you have read my other posts about Fancy Mystery Boxes, then you know that I have gotten some of these items before.  The thing is, I was actually really excited to get this bracelet again.  I was thinking with two of them, they will work well for what I had planned for a future costume.  The only other item that was a repeat was the Kinfolk Magazine.  Yep, it's the same issue, and the stories are still lack luster, but that's the risk you take with a Mystery Box.

As for my new items, I'm pretty jazzed about them.  I have no use for the sunglasses.  But upon showing them to my Mom, she snagged them.  Getting a headphone splitter was on my list of things to do, so check!  I also love the coffee mug.  It's right up my alley.

So, was it worth it...This is kind of odd because it was kind of like a birthday gift to myself, so it's worth it.  Let's just figure out what the overall value of the box is.  When all the items are totaled together the box is worth an even $100.  Not a bad result from an unexpected birthday email.

July GlossyBox Review

Well I declare!  This is a fancy looking box when you open it up.  With all the packaging being Black and White, it just feels like an upscale journey.  I feel like out of all my beauty boxes, GlossyBox seems to be the most sophisticated.  It will be interesting to see how it compares in September to the New Beauty Testube because there is talk on YouTube that they will be partnering with Fred Segal to bring more upscale products to the Testube.

 

I'm really liking all the things in this box.  I have already tried the Body Cream from Mitchell and Peach and it smells wonderful.  When you use it there is a water-like fluidity to it.  The Malin+Goetz Lip Balm is also a huge bonus.  It's texture is like Carmex and you get big results without the funky Carmex smell.  I'm curious about the Philip B Detangling Mist.  I haven't used it yet.  It says that it is supposed to de-frizz.  It hasn't been a very humid summer yet, but when it is the short hairs that frame my face get super curly.  I'm curious if this will stop this from happening.

The Glam Glow and Skin Inc products were teased this past month.  People who had subscribed to the box recieved emails saying they would be included.  This bothered me at first; I felt the surprise was being ruined.  But I made the most of it, I did some research on Glam Glow and this product sounds pretty gosh darn impressive.  It's a mud mask, which I don't normally use, but I'll give it a go and see if the all the hype is true.  I didn't really research the Skin Inc product, so I'm curious what it is really supposed to do.  Hopefully since it was email teaser material, it will be impressive.

So, is it worth it...GlossyBox is about $21 when you factor in the shipping.  There was one full size item and that was the Skin Inc Custom-blended Brightening Serum.  This normally sells for $45!  The thing is, there were a lot of expensive items in this box.  I actually took time and broke down the math to figure out what this box is really worth.  When you break it all down to cost per ounce the box ends up being worth $106.45.  So yeppers, this GlossyBox was for sure worth it.

July Loot Crate Subscription Review

This month's theme is Villains.  This box has some of the best things I've gotten from Loot Crate with one of the weirdest.  I knew something was up when I opened the box this month, and the standard box design had been altered.  I like the Villains supposed vandalism all over the box.

The weirdest thing in this box, and maybe of all the things I've gotten from Loot Crate by far, was the t-shirt.  They were teasing this shirt for the past month.  I understand it's a hybrid of Loki and the Joker, but I'm thinking the idea was better than the end result.

There are some really cool items though that negate the odd shirt.  I'm in love with the Rocket Raccoon issue one.  I had actually recently ordered it, so I had to canceled that.  I like the Bowser magnet, and thought that would have been a better shirt than the one that we got.  The socks make me smile even though a villain shouldn't make me smile.  I already have plans for the Darth Vader key chain too, so it's a hit for me.  I'm pretty excited about the Necessary Evil DVD as well.  It is a documentary about DC Villains, and I hadn't heard of it before this box.

 
I'm also super impressed with the two posters of Harley Quinn and the Joker.  Now it's just a matter of finding the right frames to display them.  I'm hoping we get more quality art like this in future crates.

So, was it worth it...Loot Crate ends up being $17.66 a month when you figure in the cost of shipping.  There are always items in each box that have indeterminable value.  This month though, there were quite a few things that a person could buy in stores.  I also like to assume that the t-shirt is about the price of a screen printed shirt at a store with similar items.  That means that the items in this box total
 $43.26.  This month you get double the value of what you paid, and that doesn't include the poster prices or Bowser magnet values.  Worth it!

July Ipsy Subscription Review

Ipsy's theme for July is...Sensationally Sunkissed.  This month's bag, while not looking overly exciting, feels lovely.  It has a really soft leather feel to it.

This month had some hits and some misses.  I was just ok when I got Pur~lisse foundation in my May Ipsy Bag.  When I reviewed it online with Ipsy, I said it was just alright.  I'm interested to see how the sunscreen works compared to the last Pur~lisse item I recieved.  It will get a workout this weekend, so here's hoping.  I am also not really a BB Creme user.  Maybe it's my skin, but I don't see much from using it.  I've already updated my Ipsy account with a polite no thanks to future BB cremes, so we'll have to wait and see.

On the flip side, I'm impressed with the other three items in the bag. It was a little disheartening to see the colors of the eye shadow because they are so similar to the Pacifica shadow colors I got in May's Ipsy bag.  Upon trying them, I was pleased to see they look different on my skin than the Pacifica shadows do.  I am loving the Pixi Balm and the Pop Beauty Sunkissed Bronzer.  The Pixi balm has a menthol tingle that is super helpful with dry summer lips.  The Pop bronzer does a great job of looking like a naturally tanned face without making you look like a reject from the Jersey Shore. 

So, was it worth it...Ipsy is $10 a month.  The Pop Beauty Sunkissed Bronzer is $10 where I go shopping, so I've already made my money back.  Interestingly enough, I'm pretty sure Pixi is going to be my new lip balm for the winter.  I also discovered while researching, since this item is new to me, that it comes in a ton of colors.  Learning about this product, makes me feel like it's an added bonus to this month's bag.

July Julep Maven Subscription Review

Because the Tyler Florence Fancy Box was about $50, I was able to get multiple subscriptions to replace the cancellation of that one box.  I decided to pick Julep to add to my monthly box of wonderments because it's all about nail polish and tools/products to go with it.  I opted for the three month subscription to get myself started.  When you sign up you get billed right away for all three months.

Everything in my "Boho Glam Welcome Box"

I love this product.  It works AMAZING!

Like so many other beauty subscriptions, you need to complete a "quiz."  Julep decided that my results categorized my style as Boho Glam.  Because of this, each month the box I receive will have two polishes and a tool/product.  Each month Julep actually tells you what you will be receiving before it is mailed out.  You can chose to ignore this notice and be surprised, or you can look at that portion of the Julep website and decide if you like what has been selected for you.  If you don't like it, you can see what are in the other box offerings and choose what you feel is the right fit for you.

 
When you sign up for this subscription they send you a "Welcome Box."  That means that this box is considered a free gift for signing up for Julep.  The "Welcome Box" is automatically sent to you based on your beauty profile.  There is not the option to compare boxes with the first "Welcome Box."  When I was checking out, there were a few different deals that you could take advantage of before finalizing your order.  I decided to order a bonus $5 polish.  I also opted for them to throw in a mystery nail polish.

So, was it worth it... The price of the three month subscription service was $59.97.  That means that each month's box cost is $19.99 a month.  This box was little more because I decided to spend $10 extra on this first box and get two additional nail polishes.  Then again, maybe it wasn't more because technically this was my "free" box.  All the nail polishes through Julep are $11.20.  The Nail & Cuticle Serum sells for $22.40.  Add it all up, and the products in the box total $67.30.  There was also an exclusive coupon code in my box for 50% off my next order from Julep.  I'd say this subscription is for sure worth it.

My first GlossyBox Review ~June

Since Tyler Florence and his Fancy box was a punch to my tummy every month I opened it, I decided to take the Florence money and transfer it into a few new subscriptions.  Now, I've been really happy with everything I've gotten from Ipsy, so I decided I was going to try GlossyBox.  This is like taking Ipsy and giving it a boost with "high-end" products.  They describe it as "five surprise luxury beauty products delivered to your doorstep."  Because of the supposed quality of this box, this one comes in at $21 a month.  Let's open it up and see what's inside!

Strange Beautiful Nail Polish  ~ Sumita Beauty Eye Shadow Pencil

June's theme was STARS AND STRIPES.  All of the items in the box are products that are made in the United States.  The first thing that I decided is that the box that it comes in is super high quality, and they will definitely be used to wrap future gifts.  I love using decorated boxes for gift wrapping, and now I'll get one each month.  It's going to look pretty festive under my tree this coming December.


The nail colors in the Strage Beautiful set were made exclusively for GlossyBox.  They also highlighted in the booklet that came in the box that it was air-line friendly.  Now I just need to fly somewhere.  The lotions both work really, really well.  The only thing I am hesitant with them is that they both smell a little "elderly," if you know what I mean.  The finishing spray by Rusk makes me really happy.  It is talc-free, so none of that white crusty stuff in your hair that makes it look like you didn't get all your shampoo out.  Maybe you blonde haired people don't have to worry about this, but the rest of us do.

Camille Beckman Lotion~ Rusk Dry Finishing Spray ~ Ayres Body Butter

With this subscription, all the boxes mailed out are the same.  There are some survey questions that you are asked when you sign-up though.  It seems that these questions are included for the company to see what the current subscribers are interested in spending money on when shopping for products.  My hunch is that a master profile is created to use as help in currating the next month's box.

One thing that also surprised me was that in this month's box there was also a mystery gift cad to C. Wonder.  Every gift card has a value up to $500.

So, was it worth it...GlossyBox ends up being about $21 each month.  Everything in this box was full size except for the Rusk Dry Finishing Spray and the Ayres Body Butter.  If we add up the price for all these full size items, it totals $46.  There is also the matter of the mystery gift card that I haven't researched yet.  This means that I've at least doubled my investment.