Black Box Subscriptions November 2015

Happy New Years Eve everyone!!

My 3rd Black Box arrived before Christmas but I've been so busy that I only had a chance to open it afterwards.  This box was pretty fun and once again I'm excited for the next one so I'll keep subscribing for now!

Here is a picture of the overall contents. Not pictured is the black nail polish....right after filming the unboxing video I dropped it and the bottle broke so I had to throw it out.  But that's ok because I'll get another one next month, haha.

Kleancolor Eye Bow-Tux Matte Shadow Palette

So first up is the makeup item for this month.  I am very very happy about this as it is absolutely perfect for me.  I love colorful shadows and I love matte. It is also a super tiny size which is PERFECT for travel.  My only travel palette right now is all neutrals so it will be really nice to have a colorful travel palette as well. It seems that I got this in the shade Gala Diva.

I quickly swatched the colors and they are not incredibly pigmented but this is also over bare skin with no primer and not built up.  I think these will be just fine as a quick to go solution over some primer and built up to a good opacity.  I probably won't use the green side very often but the pinks and purples will be used very frequently.

Here is an eye look I put together using four of the colors from this palette.  Going from left to right on my arm swatches on my lid is #1, in my crease is #11, in my inner corner is #9, and on my lower lashline is #10. I used a matte black NYX shadow to add depth to my outer corner. On my lips is Kat Von D's Ayesha.  I am definitely digging the quality of this palette. It's not the Electric palette for sure...but it also doesn't cost $50.

I am very happy about this palette!

Where to buy: kleancolor.com

Price: $6

Bat Sticker

One of the random goodies this month is this super adorable sparkly bat sticker.  I definitely prefer this over the Halloween stickers from my last few boxes as this one is thicker, and just overall better in every way. I will definitely be sticking this somewhere fun.

Ghost Charm

This adorable little ghost was wrapped around the black nail polish that I stupidly dropped and broke this month.  He is super adorable and will be attached to something soon.

Spooky Potion Halloween Ornament Craft Kit

This month included a very different kind of item.  It is a crafty sort of item, specifically a build it yourself ornament.  I got the ornament in the Spooky Potion variety and built it soon after filming the unboxing video.

Not going to lie...the instructions were pretty unclear and weird to follow so I honestly just did what seems to be right, which when looking at the item page...was not exactly correct.  It said to adhere the clear part to the hollow circle but my circle piece had no adhesive on it.  Also the larger top part, when you take off the back to make it sticky the top portion is not stuck to anything so instead it stuck to my table.  I had to cut the paper backing and stick it back on to prevent it from sticking to everything.

So even though it isn't exactly correct it still does what it is meant to and was fun to put together.  I really liked the addition of this to the box this month!

Where to buy: orientaltrading.com

Price:$2.28

Owl Pin

Oh my goodness.  Look at this owl pin. OH MY. It is just too awesome.  I don't really use pins but I will find a bag to put this one because it is just so amazing.  The owls are so cute but intense and just aaah!! I love this piece and its one of my favorite things from the box.

I could not find this exact pin so based on others of its kind I would say it is $3-5

Lock and Key Earrings

These are definitely not my favorite kind of jewelry as I feel they aren't really my style.  They kind of look like they should be but I don't know...maybe its the asymmetry, I'm just not in love with them. I will definitely wear them however, maybe they just need to grow on me.

I couldn't find these exact ones online but I'd guess they are between $2-4.

Moon Bead Necklace

This piece definitely looks handmade. It is a black cord featuring a crescent moon bead framed by two decorative silver beads.  It is very cute and dainty and at first look I didn't think I'd like it but I ended up really liking how it looked with my outfit after trying it on.

I will definitely be wearing this when I want a more subdued piece of jewelry!

Element 18 Bath Fizz A Forest

This month's guest business was Element 18.  I have browsed their site before and found it to be mostly jewelry so I am excited to try out something different from them. This is a bath fizz in the scent A Forest and it definitely smells as such. It has many earthy notes to it and is quite pleasant.  The instructions say to use this entire bag for one bath.

This brand does not seem to have any bath products on their store page so I have no way to say what this costs but I'd guess maybe $2-3

So overall, trying to estimate based on actual and estimated prices, I'd say this box comes out to $19-24 which makes this potentially one of the most expensive boxes so far!

As I said early I am once again satisfied and will definitely be continuing my subscription!

www.blackboxsubscriptions.com

Watch me unbox it!

Bulu Box October 2015

It feels like forever since I've updated! Unfortunately because I get my packages shipped to my parents house instead of my city apartment out of paranoia it sometimes means I don't get my subscription boxes until much later than I should....I have this and two more that I will be hopefully putting together in the next week. Life is so crazy right now with the semester coming to a close and almost everything being due one after another meaning I never get a break.  It doesn't help that I am expected to take a huge new step in my research as well.  I'm exhausted and I can't wait for the holiday break.

As for Bulu box, I still love all the  little samples I get but unfortunately I haven't been to the gym in so long I feel like I won't be using some of these things until I get back to it.  Hopefully soon.  Hopefully. :(

I got a few energy enhancing items this box which is definitely necessary with how busy I am.  Every day is 8-12 hours, even most weekends so I need energy boosters, especially for mornings that I don't have time to make my usual cup of coffee. As before I will update the verdict section as I try these items.

Manitoba Harvest HempPro 70

I haven't even gotten a chance to try the vanilla flavor because of lack of gym time but I think I want to use these to make a breakfast smoothie sometime when I don't feel like eating cereal or eggs.

Initial Thoughts: While I prefer vanilla to chocolate I can see this going really well with some almond milk and strawberries.  Maybe I could even throw some coffee in there to really make an awesome breakfast smoothie!

Verdict:

Price: 312g for $25 so 15g for $1.20

E–Hydrate BCAA + Electrolytes + Energy Gel

Initial Thoughts: Oh gosh after my terrible experience with last months energy shot product I'm terrified to try these.....hopefully they don't taste disgusting too.  It is a gel texture apparently instead of a liquid.  Honestly not sure if that makes it better or worse....

Verdict:

Price: 24 for $48 so 2 for $4

Run Gum

Initial Thoughts: Caffeinated gum? Brilliant! I do wish I had gotten fruit instead of mint though, really not a fan of mint.  Even my toothpaste is citrus flavored.  Anyway I'm pretty excited about these.  I love gum and sometimes chew it before work or school so this is a great way to get my gum fix and also replace a cup of coffee when running late.

Verdict: This honestly just tasted like mint gum.  At first I tasted an odd flavor but it disappeared fairly quickly.  The flavor didn't last that long but the point of this is more for the caffeine rather than the gum I'd assume. I didn't fall asleep during work today without my morning coffee so I guess this worked! Not sure I'd buy it though as this isn't really a product I need.

Price: 12 packs for $18 so 1 pack for  $1.50

Jelly Belly Sport Beans

Initial Thoughts: Jelly Belly brand energy beans?! This is pretty sweet. I love jelly beans and I can't wait to give these a try.  This will be perfect for sticking in my purse as a mid day pick me up snack.

Verdict:

Price: 24 1oz bags for $28 so 1 .35oz bag for $0.40...I think.

Tiger Balm Ultra Strength Pain Relieving Ointment

Initial Thoughts:  Oh my when I go to the gym my thighs and glutes get especially sore so I can't wait to give this a try once I get my butt back to weight lifting.  Literally. I really like the name and logo too, I love tigers :P

Verdict:

Price: 18g for $13 so  2g for $1.44

NeoCell Beauty Infusion

Initial Thoughts:  I used to use water enhancers like crazy back when I "didn't like" plain water....-shudder-..I was such an idiot.  Anyway now I love water and don't really drink much besides water, coffee, and the occasional hot cocoa but I'll definitely be giving this a try! Yay collagen! I wish I had gotten a flavor other than orange though...its one of my least favorite artificial flavors.

Verdict: Well I mixed this into my daily water bottle fill up and it tastes like artificial orange which was meh right off the bat.  It says for optimal absorption to drink on an empty stomach.....well I hate right before and while sipping it between then and before my dinner my stomach became more and more nauseous.  The hungrier I got the more of a...no lie...vomit aftertaste this beverage had.  I don't know if it was just because I hate fake orange or because it was at room temperature, but I dumped it without even drinking half of it.  Not a fan.

Price:  30 servings for $33 so 1 serving for $1.10

This month's box which cost me $5 with a coupon special they had going on came out to a total of $9.64.

If I was paying the full $10 for this I probably wouldn't be happy but I don't mind what I get for the $5 price I got it for.  I will probably keep this subscription for a while, its so fun to get new protein, energy, and vitamin products to try every month!

Black Box Subscriptions September 2015

Today I will be reviewing a subscription box much different than any I have reviewed before. Introducing....Black Box Subscriptions! This is a gothic themed box that is shipped once a month for $20, or $40 for the deluxe coffin shaped box.  I'm poor so I am receiving the standard. This subscription service is owned by Vixx Secundus who not only owns and operates this service but is also in a band called Axis! I first found out about this subscription service from randomly browsing Youtube unboxing videos.  I watched a few and instantly fell in love and subscribed the very next day.  The current months box ships out late in the month usually between the 20th and the 30th so you generally only get it during the month after being billed.  I think this is a bit strange but as long as I get a box every time I pay $20, I can't really complain!

According to the website this is what every standard box contains

Black Nail Polish

1 piece of makeup

1-2 accessories

2 pieces of jewelry

Goodies-pencils, stickers, candy

Mystery gift

And here is my box!  As you can see you get a wide variety of goodies including jewelry, makeup, candy (which I accidentally ate before taking these pictures), bath and body products, and random goodies. The variety this box offered is a major reason as to why I subscribed.  I'm kind of tired of getting only makeup so I think this box is a great way for me to get more than makeup in style that I love!  Before receiving your box Vixx will send you a survey that you fill out explaining what you like so she can make the box match your personal tastes a much as possible.  As a result these boxes are often vastly different for every person, which was another selling point for me.

Let's take a closer look at what I received!!

Wet n Wild Nail Polish in Black Creme

A black nail polish is included in every single box as a kind of staple.  I was happy to get this as my only other black nail polish is pretty crappy. I know Wet n Wild is just a drug store brand but in my experience they have some amazing products despite the low price tag. However because I use Jamberry more than nail polish now I can see these accumulating very quickly.

Obviously the first thing I did was paint my nails with it.  Then I stupidly  realized I hadn't put my rats away so I had to do that with semi wet nails, so that's why they seem a bit scratched up.  Oops!

Where to buy: drugstores, Amazon, Walmart

Price: $1

Color Mates Lipstick in Black Orchid with Clear Lip Liner

I also received a lipstick and lipliner combo in a really pretty deep red shade.  I have never heard of Color Mates before but judging by the packaging quality and overall feel of the lipstick this is more than likely a drugstore brand.  Even if it is cheap I can't deny getting a lip liner and lipstick in one go is a pretty awesome deal! Additionally I didn't sign up for this subscription box for the makeup, as I already have a ton, I signed up for the accessories, so getting cheap makeup products doesn't bother me if the rest of the value is going towards the other items.

As you can see it really is a lovely deep red.  This is a very nice color for fall and I'll definitely be wearing it.  As far as the wear goes, it is very creamy and seems as though it would be moisturizing however from my experience the creamier the lipstick the lower the wear time.  I haven't had a chance to wear this out yet but hopefully it performs well.

Where to buy: Amazon, Dollartree

Price: $1

Gold Moon Hair Accessory

I received one accessory this month and it was a gold moon hair clip.  This thing is seriously so freaking adorable but unfortunately I'm not sure if I'll be keeping it.  First of all its gold and I really don't like gold jewelry in any form because it clashes with my skin tone.  Also the clip is just a metal snap in kind of thing which means it slides right out of my short hair.  

Here it is in my hair but I definitely will not be able to wear it as such.  I'm either thinking of turning it into a necklace and giving it as a gift to someone who can wear gold jewelry or trying to find a way to fasten it to my bookbag because I do think it would look really nice contrasting with my dark purple bag.

However I decide to use it I'm glad I got this because it will either become a decoration or a Christmas gift!

Where to buy: Aliexpress.com

Price: $1

Bronze Cameo Black Velvet Choker

My first piece of jewelry is this elegant black velvet choker featuring a bronze framed cameo.  I asked for a black velvet choker in my survey but once again this is unfortunately not silver.  however I feel like I could pull this off a bit better than the bright gold hair clip as it is an antiqued bronze kind of metal and is a bit more muted.

Here is a close up of the cameo.  The design and detail is so spot on and I love literally everything about it except the bronze.

Here it is on.  Maybe its because I'm not used to chokers but I was unable to get this clipped tight enough on my first try.  Maybe with some practice I'll get better.   I can't wait to wear this out!

Where to buy: Aliexpress.com

Price: $2.50

Silver Moon Necklace

My second piece of jewelry is this amazingly perfect silver rhinestone moon necklace.  This is without a doubt my favorite thing from the box this month.  It is dainty and cute and sparkly...and just everything I love.  I put on my survey that I love anything to do with nature, especially the moon so she definitely fulfilled my moon request! It is a bummer I can't wear the hair clip because these two pieces would work really well together.

Here is the necklace on.  I will probably have to adjust the length as it is a bit too long for me.  I tend to prefer my necklaces to sit just below my collar bone as I made it do here. I honestly don't mind having to make small alterations to jewelry as I already do it to most of the things I buy.  I'm fairly picky about length and clasps so I can't expect everything to be perfectly tailored for me.

Where to buy: Aliexpress.com

Price: $1.50

Orange Halloween Fortune Cookie

Oops....so I accidentally devoured the fortune cookie before taking pictures for this review.  If you want to see it, it is in the unboxing video I'll post below.  I love fortune cookies so for me this was a really awesome treat! Pictured here is the fortune that was inside!

Where to buy: ?

Price: I'd guess about $1

Random Halloween Goodies

The random goodies I received included 4 Halloween stickers, a cute ghosty notepad, and a spooky skull pencil.  I will probably be giving the notepad and stickers to my boyfriends sister as a Halloween present but the pencil is definitely mine.  I love pencils.

Where to buy: ?

Price: Maybe $1.50 for all three?

Rose and Lavender Bath Salt

My mystery item this month is a bath salt! This item was actually made by Vixx herself.  I had to ask on Facebook to actually obtain this information however, I definitely wish she had a little sticker or card with some info so I could have known without asking what this was.  Anyway I asked on Facebook about this item and her reply was as follows: "They are Rose & Lavender scented bath salts made with Epsom and Sea Salts with rose petals."

Awesome! I happen to love the rose and lavender combo so I can't wait to use these next time I take a relaxing bath! :)

Where to buy: ?

Price: $2-3 perhaps?

While I was a bit bummed by the bronze and gold pieces I really liked everything else that I received, especially the silver moon necklace.  By doing some quick Google searching it seems she gets a lot of her inventory from Aliexpress. I personally don't have a problem with this as I have made purchases from Wish.com, a similar kind of store.  Also all my jewelry items feel sturdy and of high quality, so even if the price is low as long as the items seem like they will last I am happy.  Because I always do a box total tally with all my subscription boxes, this one comes out to an estimated $10-13 not including the cost to ship the items or the final box.  Generally the value of each individual item totals up to more than  the subscription box price, but the more mainstream boxes are getting the items at a very cheap price, while I doubt Vixx, running the small business that she is, has that same luxury.  I really don't mind paying a little more for these items as they are being hand selected for me, and the element of surprise is also really fun.  

Therefore I will probably keep subscribing to this box for a few more months to see what else I may receive.  

I wish that there was a way to change my survey because I definitely want to emphasize that I do not want any gold jewelry at all.  Also I wish it came with a card like most subscription boxes that described each item that was being received, especially for the handmade items.  Then I wouldn't have to guess whether this is bath powder or some other product, and if I love it I'd know where to get more.

What do you think of Black Box?

Get yours at Blackboxsubscriptions.com

Also, check out my unboxing video!

Bulu Box September 2015

So whether you know or not I have, within the last 2 months, attempted to start working out more.  I tried to do a mix of cardio and weight lifting but very soon realized that cardio made me hate literally everything so I've decided to stick to weight lifting for the time being.  Lifting weights makes me feel....amazing.  The muscle soreness a day or so after working out is just incredible.  It is physical proof that I have accomplished something. 

In order to supplement my new lifestyle I was looking at a few subscription boxes and decided on Bulu box for two reasons.  First it lets you pick your preferred method of working out, so I was able to say that I lift weights which would put more protein based items in my box. Second I found a coupon code to get every box for the rest of my subscription for $5 instead of $10! There was no way I was going to give up that offer. 

There are two types of boxes available, the regular and the weight loss. I opted for the regular because I am working towards dem gainz.

So Bulu box comes once a month in an orange container printed with little phrases.  Every month you can review your items and earn up to $5 to put towards something in the Bulu store.  They sell everything that you get in the box plus so much  more! I am saving up my points to put towards a new protein powder for sure!

When I subscribed they said my first box would ship in October....well to my surprise I visited my parents only to see this orange box sitting in my room! Yay!

Now...I have not tried everything in this box but because September is almost over I wanted to get this posted.  I didn't want to rush to eat all these things just to review them.  I would rather use them when I need them so I can provide a more accurate and realistic review for you.  Therefore as I try these items I will be editing this post.  For now some items may only be half reviewed.

Vital4U Liquid Energy Ginseng Drink

Initial Thoughts: Oh my this is such a cool product and idea! This will be ABSOLUTELY perfect on days that I have to be on campus ridiculously early and just don't have time to make a coffee. Also. Holy crap. It's coffee flavored! HOW DID THEY KNOW!? I'm so excited to give this a try!

Verdict: So I had to get up early for class and accidentally overslept so I grabbed this quick instead of making or buying coffee. Oh. God.  This smells like cat food and tastes like coffee liqueur, in a bad way. It was seriously so gross I brushed my teeth twice afterwards.  I didn't yawn once during my class or teaching but overall, I would not recommend....

Value: 12 packs is $17 so....$1.40

Manitoba Harvest HempPro 70

Initial Thoughts: Once again this box has gotten my flavor preferences down perfectly! I love vanilla and will choose it any day of the week over chocolate! I am very excited to throw this powder into my next smoothie.  If I like it enough it may be the full sized powder I end up spending my points on!

Verdict:

Value: $25 for 10 servings so.....$2.50

Caveman Nutrition Bar

Initial Thoughts: I love throwing granola bars in my bag in case I find myself starving while on campus all day so I definitely welcome all little snacky items!  I received this in the flavor Dark Chocolate Cherry Nut, which is fine with me.  It is 100 calories for a tiny little square however. I'm not sure how well this will fill me up, but I look forward to tasting it!

Verdict: So I think this is pretty darn tasty.  It is a bunch of oats, nuts, and fruit layered upon a bed of chocolate. It is sweet, tart, crunchy, and very delicious.  I may consider buying these because they taste amazing!

Value: $25 for 15 bar so....$1.67

NutriGold Triglyceride Omega-3 Gold

Initial Thoughts: Full sized item!!! Yay! I was excited to see this full sized jar for sure.  I don't currently take fish oil supplements but I have been thinking for a while that I should.  Seafood is my favorite type of meat but I do not eat it every day because of money mostly.  Smoked Salmon is expensive.....But I will definitely be taking one of these every day I do not get some seafood in my diet.  

WARNING: These pills are humongous. It is definitely the largest pill I've ever taken so if you are not good at swallowing large pills this may not be the product for you.  I personally had no issues but I also generally have no problem taking large pills.

Verdict:  I will definitely be using these while they last but I'm not sure if I have the funds to buy another bottle when mine runs out, especially since it is so expensive. 

Value: $17

RAP Protein Energy Gummies - Grape

Initial Thoughts: Protein....gummies? AWESOME! I love this idea and really hope it catches on. I love gummies and this is such a cute and easy way to get your protein after a workout.  I am not a fan of artificial grape however so I'm a bit nervous to give these a try.  However if I like them I may fork up the money to buy more of these because I love how easy it would be to eat these when I don't quite meet my protein goal for the day.

Verdict: These were actually pretty good.  The color was more brown than purple which was weird but they tasted pretty decent.  The first few were ok but I felt the more I ate the more I liked them.  The texture was a bit weird, not gummy like a gummy bear but a lot more solid.  I preferred the texture personally.  Would I buy these? They are a bit pricey but with the right coupon, yeah this is a really delicious and easy way to get 10g of protein!

Value: $21 for 12 packs....so $1.75

So those are the five items I received this month.  This box comes to a total of  $24.32 because of the full size item.  If I had received the fish oil as a sample as well it would have been about $10. Overall I think this box would be worth $10 as you get $5 in store credit with each box (although these points expire after a few months, which sucks) but if you can find some sort of coupon code to use when signing up it makes it even more worth it!

I also received some offers and coupons with this box.  They are currently selling the protein gummies for BOGO free. Additionally I got an offer for Fabletics but I'm going to pass because I'm addicted to Old Navy for my workout clothes.

Will I continue this subscription? Definitely! I love the idea of getting protein supplements and healthy snacks every month for $5 (usually $10). I am very happy with my first box!

Where to buy: Bulubox.com

The above link is my referral link.  If you use it, thanks you're amazing, if not just go to bulubox.com to check out the website!

For your second month free use code Fantastic

I used mysub5 to get 50% off for life but I have no idea if it is still active.