Black Box Subscriptions December 2015

I really can't express how much I adore this subscription box.  I honestly was expecting to subscribe for 2 to 3 months and then quit, but I just can't bring myself to because every month I keep getting more and more stuff that I love!

I can't believe I've already been subscribed for 4 months, with my 5th box soon on the way. This box has made me wear jewelry more often and also helped me be more confident in expressing myself by trying new things.  It really is a joy every months to see what Vixx has picked out this time.

I can't believe I've already been subscribed for 4 months, with my 5th box soon on the way. This box has made me wear jewelry more often and also helped me be more confident in expressing myself by trying new things.  It really is a joy every month to see what Vixx has picked out this time, and this month was no exception.

I didn't take an individual picture of the nail polish as it was one I already got and review, so go here if you'd like to see it!

BeautyTreats Green Tea Facial Mask

This month's makeup item isn't exactly makeup but instead a beauty product.  This is the first time I've gotten something like this, its a green tea facial mask.  I LOOOVE moisturizing masks like these and use them whenever I get my hands on one, so I was definitely pumped to see this in the box. 

Bat Sticker

This month's random goodie was another bat sticker.  I definitely liked the last one better as it was a bit 3D and sparkly but this one is cute too! I actually really hope I get a bat necklace or earrings in a future box.

Strange Omens Pumpkin Pin

This month also included a little handmade goodie from Strange Omens.  It is a clay disk inside a bottle cap with an engraved and painted pumpkin on the outside. Not 100% sure what I'll be doing with this but if nothing else it will make a cute addition to my book bag when Halloween roles around next year.

This little pin also came with a 10% off coupon for the website.

Red Scarf

Up until now all the accessories I've gotten have been clips, either for my hair or for my bag.  I was SO EXCITED to see this beautiful dark red scarf sitting on the top of my box when I opened it up.  I love scarfs and have been trying to collect more solid colored ones to wear with patterned tops.  Also I did not own a red scarf so this was absolutely perfect.  I've worn it twice now and Its just so lovely.

It is made of a warmer material so it is definitely a fall/winter scarf.  It is also pretty short, which is what I prefer.  I hate super long scarfs as they tend to get in my way when I'm working in the lab.

Beaded Bracelet

The first jewelry item this month was a handmade beaded bracelet.  Vixx had posted on facebook that she had a ton of beads and was planning on making things so I was expecting something like this.  This is the first time I've received a bracelet and...not going to lie I just don't wear them often. Whether I'm doing research in the lab or typing on my computer they tend to just get in my way, but for a bit I was determined to make it work.

That was until I happened to just hold it up to my neck and fell in love with the way it looked.....so alas it is no longer a bracelet.  I turned it into a choker length necklace because my goodness it just look so stunning, and to be honest...makes me feel like a princess.  This will be perfect for days I'm feeling a bit more girly!

Filigree Gem Earrings

The second jewelry item I received was definitely something unique.  I got these gorgeous stud backed decorative earrings.  They have a beautiful swirly metal design to them with a faceted white gem in the middle.  They feel so vintage and classy, I just love them.  Things like these are the reason I'm such a huge fan of this subscription box.  I don't think I'd personally buy something like this but after seeing them and trying them on, I just adore them.

I think these also go very nicely with the red scarf. 

I've actually been working on making some jewelry displays to keep my jewelry organized since because of this box I have so much more than a few pieces now!

Fancy Paperie Raven and Rose Victorian Stationery Letter Set

The special item this month was a mini set of stationary from the company Fancy Paperie.  This is a really really cute idea and the artwork is so gorgeous. Unfortunately my handwriting is absolutely terrible so I am so afraid to deface the beautiful artwork with my atrocious scribbling. But as I say in my unboxing video, these look nice enough to frame, they're so lovely.  Maybe I can write really slowly and carefully with a pencil and then ink over it so that I can actually use these and make someone's day! :)

And for anyone interested here is the business card with all the info included!

Did you like what you got in your Black Box this month?

Want to watch me unbox it?

Gamer Girl Monthly Treasure December 2015

I just subscribed to a new subscription box!! Yay! I am so excited! I am just a bit obsessed with subscription boxes......

Anyway I loved the idea of Gamer Girl Monthly, a monthly box that contains 3-4 pieces of geeky jewelry and accessories.  It costs $13 a month plus $4 shipping so as you can probably agree that I was a bit nervous to jump in, especially considering that based on a few unboxing that I saw, I am not familiar with all the games.  However I decided to ask for 1 to 3 months for Christmas, that way I could give it a try without a monetary risk for myself.  My mom is an angel and ended up getting me 6 months worth, which means every box is $12 plus $4 shipping.  

This month's theme is Treasure, so I was definitely expecting something Legend of Zelda themed or Spyro, as the cute purple dragon was pictured on the back of the insert card, however this box definitely took a different (but good) and unexpected turn.

Here is an overview shot of everything in the box!  As you can see I got 3 pieces of jewelry, a pin, and a scarf. With my boxes costing $16 total, each item would be about $4, which honestly is pretty worth it in my opinion for the quality everything seems to be, except for the earrings but the other items definitely make up for it.

Crown Stud Earrings

These earrings are the only thing from the box that I not only don't like, but also won't use.  I don't wear gold jewelry, and even if these crowns were silver they still aren't really my style.  The one downside of this box is it is not personalized at all....something which I'm a bit spoiled with because of Black Box. I kept them in the packaging so they will be either be sold or regifted.

Sorry earrings!

Minecraft Diamond Necklace

I personally have never played Minecraft however I have watched others play and know enough about the game to recognize what this is supposed to be.  I have seen these online and honestly I like the coloring of this specific one much better, it is overall darker and therefore much more suitable to my taste.  Even though I don't play nor do I plan to play Minecraft I really like the look of this necklace and will definitely be wearing it, right after I shorten the chain by about half.

D-Pad Ring

I LOVE  this.  This ring is so cute and adorable and subtly geeky. It is a bit bigger of a ring than I would normally wear but the simplistic design still makes it very wearable for me.  It fits perfectly on my ring finger so I'm guessing its a size 7.  It appears to be adjustable but the metal is so stiff I don't see it being done easily.  I've worn this every day since I got my box.  I adore it!

Controller Scarf

Oh my goodness I literally gasped when I saw this in the box.  This scarf is hands down my favorite thing.  It is a nice dark blue color with various controllers printed on it.  It has Xbox...Playstation...Super Nintendo...a little bit of every controller for every fan. It is also sheer making it perfect for summer or anytime really.  

I LOVE LOVE this scarf and can't wait to wear it out.  So cute and perfect! <3

Overall I think my first box went very well!  I like that they put two non specific geeky things in, which is nice for the people that may not play every single video game out there.  However the crown earrings related to nothing nerdy at all so that was a bit disappointing. 

I'd say I'm excited for next month but after reading the content themes I'm not sure I'm going to be a fan.  It contains items from games I've never played and shows I'm not that into, so hopefully I still like the look of the jewelry like with the Minecraft necklace.  I loved what was in the November box, that was definitely more my style, so I'm a bit bummed I missed that one.  I want Pokemon and Legend of Zelda everything!! 

www.gamergirlmonthly.com

Watch me unbox it!

Fortune Cookie Soap Welcome Santa Winter Soap Box

It is that wonderful time of the year again when my seasonal Fortune Cookie box arrives! I always look forward to these and now I have officially tried one soap box for each season as I began my subscription this past Spring!

After being a little disappointed with the Fall box I was a bit nervous for the Winter box, but luckily they have really blown me away once again.  

So the theme this month is Buddy the Elf! I love that movie, it is so goofy and silly and just a good time all around so I loved the references and the scents and the packaging....and they really nailed it this season.

Buddy Fortune Cookie Soap

Initial: This smells like straight up candy.  It is extremely sweet but I wouldn't expect anything less from a product named after the Elf himself! I enjoy this, its really fun.

In Action: As usually these fortune cookie soaps suds up nicely but do leave your hands feeling a  bit waxy after drying off.  The scent lingers on the hands for a little while afterwards.

Verdict: While I wouldn't want to smell like candy, I'm ok with my apartment doing so, therefore I bought this as a wax tart!

Swirly Twirly Gum Drops Hand Sanitizer

Initial: As usual you can't smell these from the bottle, so you have to use it in order to actually sample the scent.  The hot pink color is pretty cute though!

In Action: Once you put this on and the alcohol evaporates this smells very light and sweet.  The smell is definitely not overpowering, in fact I barely smell it at all so its a nice sanitizer for when you just want sanitation without an overwhelming scent.

Verdict:  It is nice but I can't pick up all the notes that the description claims it has.  I decided to not purchase anything in this scent.

World's Best Cup of Coffee Whipped Cream

Initial: I was excited about this as soon as I read the name. I. Love. Coffee. So upon opening and taking my first sniff I was in love!  I could smell the maple right away.  Although honestly I wish the coffee was a bit stronger because the maple definitely takes center stage, but I love this scent anyway.

In Action: Unfortunately I feel like this smells a bit weird after sitting on my skin for a bit.  It doesn't quite smell like it did out of the jar.  It's not bad, just not as good. However after on the skin for a few hours I think it goes back to smelling good again, kind of odd how it changes but oh well! This also lingered on my skin for hours!

Verdict: I did end up purchasing this in a massage bar and a wax tart because I do really enjoy this scent and I hope they do more coffee scents in the future!

Shower Duet Shave Oil

Initial: Oh no.  This is not for me at all.  I don't like strong tree scents or mint and that is what this is.  I'll suffer through this only to test out the shave oil effectiveness, but if my boyfriend or a family member does not want it, its getting tossed.

In Action: This scent is so hard for me to handle but I did it, I used it.  Personally I really like using shave oil on my armpits, I'm not sure why, I just do. Maybe its because I think its ridiculous to lather up with so much shave foam for such a small area.  Shave oil you only need like 2 drops per pit and you're set, haha! I have only used one other shave oil ever and it was from an Ipsy bag or something and I don't remember the name but this definitely performed just as well. So yes to the product, nooooooooooo to the scent.

Verdict: This scent smells disgusting to me so no, I did not buy. However I like the shave oil formula so I'll probably buy it in another scent in the future.

FCS Cheer Perfume Oil

Initial: I was nervous about the cedar but oh my this is amazing.  The other notes really take center stage here, especially the vanilla.  I am a huge fan of this scent and this is probably my favorite from this box. It smells so much like winter and I've worn this every day since getting my box.

In Action: I swear I put this on at about 12pm and I could still smell it faintly at 9pm.  This scent is gorgeous and I feel like the vanilla comes out even more as it wears with the cedar disappearing completely, so I love this even more after a few hours of wear.

Verdict: I got this as a conditioner bar but now I'm honestly wishing I'd have gotten more.  I still have my $10 coupon so maybe I will get something else!

Yellow Snow Bath Bomb

Initial: This smells oh so very nice.  It is very relaxing and delicate. It is beautifully floral and fruity and man I love my floral fruits hahaha.  A definite win for me.

In Action:

Verdict: This scent is one of my favorites from this box so I bought the perfume oil! :D

Christmas Gram Face Plant

Initial: I've never heard of a product like this so I'm definitely excited to check it out.  As for the scent all I really smell is the lavender portion, but that's not a bad thing as I love lavender!

In Action: So I honestly don't see the point in these.  I filled up my sink with hot water dropped some in and draped a towel over everything.  It smells nice and relaxing, sure, but that was overcome by how uncomfortable it was to bend over a sink and hold my head above the water. I'm not sure how long you need to stay this was to get the pore refreshing effects but I couldn't do it for more than 5 minutes.  These face plants definitely aren't for me.

Verdict: While this scent is nice I personally already have some lavender scented items so I did not purchase.

Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins Dry Shampoo

Initial:  I love dry shampoo so I am very very excited to try this out.  However the shaker jar has me a bit perplexed. I can see myself making a huge mess trying to apply this.  The scent is so light that I can barely smell it.  However the description seems like it would be wonderful so I'm a bit bummed its too light to sample.

In Action: So because of my short hair this shaker bottle is very messy and very hard for me to  use.  I use dry shampoo at the hair by my temples because its the thinniest area so it tends to get greasy easy.  In order for me to apply this directly I have to tilt my head back, but then I can't see where or how much product I'm applying.  If I tilt my head to see, then the powder is hard to drop exactly on the spot without it missing and going everywhere. This is probably hard to picture haha.... but overall I just did not have a good time with this packaging.  Also I felt like it wasn't as effective as spray dry shampoos.  It did a little bit, but my hair still seemed flat.

Verdict:  Because this scent was available in a detergent I decided to try it out.  What I can smell of it is very fresh and lovely so I'm hoping the detergent will be a good choice! I wouldn't buy their dry shampoo however, it just doesn't work with my hair.

The bonus item this season was a candy cane.  Mine got a little smashed in transit but that's ok because I won't be eating it anyway.  I hate peppermint. Bleh.

Anyway! I really adored a lot of the scents from this collection and not only purchased some items for myself but also for some friends! 

As usual I can't wait for my next soap box! <3 <3

Want to 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!