My Community Box Launch Box - Virginia Quarterly Subscription Service - April 2014 + Discounts!

The Box: My Community Box
Price: $30.00 every 3 months.
Next Ship Date: July
What to expect: 5-7 locally made or sold Hampton Roads items.

MCB arrived via USPS.

My Community Box, who was kind enough to send me this box to review, specializes in curating quarterly boxes of products made and sold right in the Hampton Roads (VIRGINIA! MY HOME STATE). So, you can obviously see why I was so excited to review this box for them. I really do miss Virginia sometimes, the Texas weather is so bi-polar and the summers are so grueling that is just is not worth it sometimes. 
Each season they pick a theme and send the best and newest products from the area directly to your door for a fraction of retail prices. Most of the products are also from businesses that are two years old or younger. 

You will find variations of products from food, bath, body, stationary, jewelry, event tickets and more. You can purchase most the loved items you get from their shop as well as directly from the makers (which should be included in your information card you receive in your box).

This was the pretty wrapped box inside the box.

First glance at information card with the tissue paper. Their company theme is pretty pink, basically.

Beach Shell Candles by Piece of Mine Gifts- $2.00

These shells are hand picked off the sands in Virginia Beach( I loved going to this beach as a child, it was so beautiful and serene)  These shells are then filled with scented soy wax to create these cute little tea lights that can be used as decoration too. I have not found a place for them yet but I may just put them next to the books on my book shelves.

Military Greeting Cards by A Navy Heart- $12.00

Show thanks and respect for a military father in your life with these handmade Father's Day Greeting Cards. These are so adorable and very well made. The material is very durable and they are going to be great for the military fathers I know! LOVE!

Nourishing Oil or Whipped Smoothie by Natural Journey- $10.00

This is a multipurpose moisturizer that is great for hair or even your body too! This stuff is blended with natural and organic shea, cocoa and essential oils and it can also be used to hydrate hands, feet, and lips.

Lemon Coconut Bars by Southern Fried Chick- $1.33

I ripped this right open after opening the box and nom-nommed on it while looking at the rest of this boxes goodies. I am NOT a fan of coconut or really lemon-y things either but this was so soft and moist that I ate the whole thing. It wasn't drenched in coconut and was not heavily dosed with lemon either! These are described as tart and sweet decadent cookie bars with a slight chew to them.  They are made ServSafe certified in Norfolk, VA. --(Looking at this Etsy shops of hers, she has some freaking AMAZING looking goodies, you have got to order some!)

House Blend Variety Teas by Discover Teas- $12.00

Made in Williamsburg(an awesome place to sight see and visit in Virginia, if you ask me)this blend of herbs make for a delightful cup of tea. Steep for 3-5 minutes in hot water in a mug or pot. The flavor I got was Creamy Earl Green! Although, not a huge tea drinker, I do end up sending most my teas to my grandmother in Florida because she loves tea more than anyone I know. She is from West Virginia too so I know she will love the local authenticity of these teas too! This tea also came with a coupon for a BOGO deal for an in-store deal on their blend your own tea bar (16 oz cup) and a $2 off 4 oz bulk House Blend Tea. (If anyone from Virginia wants these coupons for their store in Newport News or Williamsburg, VA let me know and I will gladly send them your way!


Box Total & Verdict: $37.33, not bad for a $30 subscription which you can get for less with the deals listed below. I loved this box, it brings me closer to home and all the homemade things really help support smaller business which I really like. If you would like to sign up for this awesome exclusive subscription, click here :)


DISCOUNT: Living Social has My Community Box on sale for $15 or $45 for three seasons, plus shipping. The link for this discount can be found here. This is a great deal because usually it is $30 per quarterly box.
LIFETIME DISCOUNT: My Community Box is offering $7.57 off your orders for LIFE when you use the code 757FORLIFE, making your total $22.43 for every three months. ( This coupon appears to STILL be working, so use it while you can!)

*All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for my opinions*
*Post may contain affiliate links*

Birchbox February 2014 US Weekly Edition

The Box: Birchbox
Price: $10.00/month or $110.00 for an entire year. (A ten dollar savings)
Inside the Box: 4-5 beauty samples with MANY different box arrangements each month. 

If you got the US Weekly box or signed up during the month of February, you got a discount or free subscription to US Weekly with your box too! How awesome! I get wayyyy too many magazine already so I decided to opt out this time. I have a hard time finding time to just read my school books as is, I am so behind on my mag subs right now.

Bain de Terre Shampoo & Conditioner- (1.7oz Samples) $2.40

*Color Preserving formula in Passion Flower* I have been using these for a couple days now and they are just soooo luscious on my hair! They also smell really great. I constantly dye my hair so it is really nice to see brands that make special formulas for dyed hair. These are paraben-free and helps protect and treat the color treated hair with argan and monoi oils. I have never heard of monoi oils, have you? Hmm, I may look into that one.

Previse HydroMilk- $12.00?
I used this stuff for about two days on my face before night time and I really loved it. It did not smell too harsh and it was soooo smooth. Imagine just creamy delicious milk lotion on your face and well, this is it! I would love to purchase this stuff in full-size but sadly it runs almost $50 per 2 ounces! WOWZA!

Ruby Wing in Ride 'Em Cowgirl- $10.00(Full Size)
This is a color-changing nail polish that I have received before in another shade and I LOVE that it changes colors. Depending on your mood, these polishes are fun because you don't have to wear just ONE color, you get to wear two! :) This one starts as a strong, gold, glittery color and changes into a sparkly berry hue once the sun hits it for a couple moments. I would suggest applying two to three layers so you get it on there real well and even.
Joan Vass L'eau de Cristal- $75.00(Full Size)
I have never heard of Joan Vass(the fashion label) or these perfumes before and I am sooo incredibly glad I got this sample because this smell is UH-MAZE-ING. To me, it smells of strong floral scents and is explained to smell of bergamot and musky patchouli. It smells like that perfume "Miracle" which is also one of my favorites. This is definitely on my "To purchase" list for sure from this Birchbox over all the other products I received.

Final Verdict: I do not have an exact box worth for this month of Birchbox but like always, it is always worth the ten dollars spent. I end up using almost all of the products and I usually love ALL of them so it is always a great deal!

*If you are interested in subscribing to Birchbox, click here and sign up! There is also a Mens box to for your significant other if that is something that interests you. The reviews I have read of the men's boxes are always awesome and have some really cool gadgets in them as well as beauty items(of course manly beauty items :p)

*All of these opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way for the review of this box* *Post may contain affiliate links* 

Cloud 9 Sample Box- December 2013

The Subscription: Cloud 9 Sample Box 

What It Contains:  An assortment of really cool food samples, beauty samples and other surprises designed to "take you away from the everyday"

Price: $15 plus $5.95 shipping and handling

Ship Date: 15th of every month via USPS

This was my box inside the box with a handwritten note from Cloud 9, who was so kind to send me this box for reviewing purposes :) It was adorable themes for Christmas and came with some candy canes and a sparkly little snowflake tree ornament on the outside.

This was my first glance inside the box which was all packed neatly inside some red crimped shred of paper. I have seen the Cosmos popcorn before in another box and they were so delicious. I knew this box was going to a be a hit already!

DCS Chocolates Chocolate Dipped Graham- $2.30 (Based on assortment dipped trays)
At DCS Chocolates, years of family traditions in chocolate dipping and a deep love for chocolate is what inspired a mother and daughter to team up and start this company. These have even been featured on the Kris Jenner show. Now if you know me, I do have a slight sweet tooth, so this was the first thing I bit into before even finishing unboxing as you can tell! Let me tell you, this is hands down one of the most delicious things I have ever had in my entire life. I still have their business card in my wallet! You can shop my occasions on their website or even custom make your own assortment of milk, dark and white chocolate dipped items. You can get salted caramel cups, strawberries, pretzels, basically... ANYTHING you want or can imagine DIPPED in gourmet chocolate! Seriously, go to their website and snag yourself something for yourself, friend, baby shower, even Easter. Oh my, how lovely an Easter basket of these would be! I would just die and go to heaven if someone got me one of these.

Villa Lusso Italian Inspired Lotion in Sicilia- $7.00 (Based on sample size)
Villa Lusso offers mists, lotions, candles, etc! They are all scented and named after and Italian city that the designer and owner, Deborah Carducci has fallen in love with. This Sicilia lotion is made with olive oil, shea butters and no parabens. It is a very hydrating lotion with a sweet almond scent. I was not a huge fan of this smell, but it was definitely something I knew my grandmother would love. (I keep a box of stuff to send to her sporadically throughout the year that is filled with stuff I know she will love that I collect from boxes I get)

Jiva Coffee Cubes Classic- $1.26
Jiva isn't your typical instant coffee, they are a delicious mixture of world renowned Colombian coffee beans and raw, unrefined cane sugar called Panela. They are Fair Trade and Non GMO too! You just drop one of these babies into your cup of warm or hot water, wait just 30 seconds and ENJOY. If you use the code CUBENOOB, you can get free shipping on their website too. They offer many flavors, including hot chocolate. Absolute. Yum. 

Cosmos Creations in Cinnamon Crunch- $2.49

PURE, Natural, corn baked in the oven with a unique blend of cinnamon and sugar infused with caramel.... Let me just stop there real quick. HOW delicious does that already sound?! Anywho, these are tasty treats with the bonus factor of them being gluten free, trans fat free and NON GMO corn. They are available in many flavors including, Coconut Crunch, Sea Salt & Butter, Caramel, Salted Caramel, well... You get the idea! Just amazing! They also come in bigger bags too for those of you who just can't stop at this small serving. I think I am going to order me some because I have not had my fix on these in a few months now. Which flavor should I try? I am thinking the salted caramel... mmmm. From what I hear you can get these at Sams Club now too and their is a store locator on their website too.

Sun Cups Caramel Cups-$0.83
NUT AND GLUTEN FREE! These are milk chocolate cps oozing with caramel goodness with organic ingredients. These tasted sooooo amazing. You can order one cup or two cup packs on their website for just $20.00. They come in Dark, Milk, Caramel, Mint and have a master case as well :) They sell bars of chocolate too!

Box Total: $13.88 -- A bit lower than the cost plus shipping, but this box I find the value to be in finding products that you have never heard of before! I found some decadent items in this box and I absolutely loved ALL the sweets and food.

If you want to order a sample box for yourself or give one for a gift just click here and their website will walk you through it all. Enjoy!

The Great UGlee Pen! An Ergonomic Comfortable Pen

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. 

I was given an opportunity to try these new pens. I have so many pens and these looked super comfy so I was excited.

The website claims that these are the "world's most comfortable ergonomic pen"

They are called Uglee Pens and they are nearly fully covered in a smooth grip that comes in multiple colors as well. I recieved three different colors and started test driving them for a few days. They were quite comfortable but they were not very durable. The gel grips started to roll down and cover the pen tip multiple times and it was hard to pull it back up to start writing again. They did however write very smoother which they claimed to do. Eventually they wore down after just a week or so of using, so sadly I cannot say I would buy these pens from my own expenses.

However, if you are interested in trying these ergonomic pens just click here. They will run you about $15.00 then $2.95 for shipping and you will get 10 pens for this cost.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Target Beauty Box!

This Target Beauty Box is $5.00 and a one-time purchase. Also, depending on what state you are in, there will be shipping costs for each states taxes. 

I have a RedCard, so if you use your RedCard, you get free shipping on everything online you order as always :) (I LOVE that about my Target card, it was such a good investment; especially when it comes to rebuilding my credit too!)

THIS is what you will be getting in The Target Beauty Box this time around:

1) TONI&GUY Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray (2.5 fl oz): Want beachy hair without hitting the surf? Spray from root to tip for salty, sultry texture and subtle, windswept waves. --Toni & Guy always has amazing products so I can't wait to see what I can do to my hair with this stuff.

2) L’Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara (.22 fl oz): Stretch and lengthen lashes for a fluttery, winged-out look with this unique mascara formula and revolutionary asymmetrical Butterfly Brush. -- Always love a new mascara, I can never get enough mascara.

3) Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo (1.7 oz): Give hair a rejuvenating boost with this paraben and colorant-free formula made with natural tapioca to instantly absorb excess oil with less residue. -- I LOVE dry shampoo ever since I discovered it a year or two ago. So excited to try this.

4) COVERGIRL Smoochies Sizzle Gloss (.44 fl oz): Pucker up. Sheer color meets sizzling shimmer in a moisturizing formula that’s always stunning, never sticky. --I love lip stuff, so of course this is going to be worth just the 5 dollars alone!

5) Jergens BB Cream Light (2 fl oz): Finally, a multi-tasking beauty cream in a quick-drying formula that goes on sheer and delivers visible results in just 5 days. --BB is amazing, especially for those of you do not like to wear a ton of makeup or have sensitive skin. My skin breaks out so easily, so this stuff will be added to my HUGE BB cream collection that surprisingly, does not contain this brand yet.

Honestly, this is GREAT and very amazing price point for a gift for a girlfriend or teenage daughter's upcoming birthday or something. I can't think of any birthdays coming up though, so I have only placed and order for one of these. However, the deal just seems so good and I really want to get more! Eek! I just can't afford it right now. Thank god for my Target card. 

How many Target Beauty Boxes are you going to buy? Do you like all the products you are going to get in this box?

Healthy Surprise Snack Subscription Box November 2013 + Giveaway!

The Box: Healthy Surprise
Prices/Sizes: Starter Box-$33(+$7 Shipping), Healthy Box-$60.00(+$10 Shipping), & Combo Box-$95.00(Free Shipping)

What is it? 11-27(depending on box choice) FULL sized snacks, all of which are Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Natural, Corn-Free AND Wheat-Free.

Healthy Surprise is a special kind of subscription snack box. Since you are going to eat what is around you when you are hungry, why not supply your house and work environment with the healthiest snacks there are? That way, you are promised nutrition at its best when it comes time for those mid-day, or even midnight, munchies. Healthy Surprise takes such pride in giving you the best of the best when it comes to healthy snacking. They offer three size options to meet everyone's specific needs and I find that absolutely awesome. They also SHIP the SAME day you order, so no waiting around for your box to ship with all the other orders. You get your box simply when you want it! There is also a money-back guarantee and you can cancel at any time.

What is in it?!

Healthy Surprise was nice enough to offer me this box to review AS WELL as a giveaway. Be sure to enter the giveaway down below(worth $40.00). I was sent the "Starter" box to review and this is what was inside:

Stickers and Information Cards

I loved this Pro-Life Anti- GMO sticker, I ended up putting it on my fridge. :) Everything in these boxes are
free of

• Artificial Sweeteners
• Artificial Flavors
• Artificial Colors
• Gluten
• Soy
• Corn
• Wheat
• Dairy
• Meat
• Honey
• Peanuts
• Shellfish
• MSG & Yeast Extract
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Partially Hydrogenated Oils

Nutritional Information Packet with tons of great information about what you are consuming and how to learn more!

My Box came with a gift card to surprise someone(or myself again!) with a gift of health! It also came with some great informational readings as well as recipes to make yourself.

-All Natural King Henry's Private Reserve Roasted and Salted Pistachios- (Price Nor Seller Found Online)

The Fiance loves Pistachios so I was glad to add these to the pantry for future snacking.

-Smooze All Natural Fruit Ice- $2.40

These are super interesting and are in my freezer getting nice and cold right now. These will be a lovely treat for a hot day for baby and me.  In Texas, that day may even come today, even in December :p

Rawxies Banana Nut Bread Bar- $2.79
Go Raw Real Live Apricot Bar- $1.19
OneBar in Mango- $0.99

I love BANANA nut bread and this rawxies bar was so DELISH! I tried this apricot bar(I dislike apricots/seeds) and I just did not enjoy it, it was leathery and to a dry fruit eater, this would have been awesome but I just couldn't get into it. This onebar however, was an entire fruit serving and was really good!

The Daily Crave Veggie Chips- $2.99
Beanfields Bean & Rice Chips- $1.17

I LOVE veggie chips and these are great just like all the others I have had except these are super natural and free of everything disgusting for you. I have also had Beanfields rice chips before and this flavor Salt N' Pepper was awesome. Just the right amount of salt and pepper to create a classic chip flavor.

Wai Lana Chips- $1.39
Peeled Snacks Apple Clusters- $1.89

My absolute FAVORITE chip flavor is Sea Salt and Vinegar so these were gobbled up quickly and YUM! I tried a couple of these apple clusters but I just have never been a HUGE fan of anything apple... I have no idea why but I do like fresh apples! So I will just stick with fresh fruit for my apple cravings.

Cousin Mary Jane Toasted Hemp Seeds- $3.00
Delights in Brownie, Coconut Cream and Dark Chocolate Mint- $2.50

I am not too sure about these hemp seeds, I have never had anything like this but I assume they taste like... sunflowery type... seeds? I have saved them for a rainy day when I am starving so I hope they are good. These Delights were what I was most excited for, since we all have a sweet tooth in this house, I dug right in and they were pretty tasty at most! I hate coconut so that one went elsewhere but the others were thick and creamy for being dairy free! 

Box Total: $20.31(without the Pistachios)

Verdict: Although this box does cost $40.00 after shipping is added in, there is so much to be found in this subscription. You are gaining insight to new information all the time about ways to be healthier as well as constantly discovering new, amazing, healthy products for living a "free" life. If you were to go out and buy all of these without trying them first, you would be purchasing many "packs" of things and might end up not even liking the item. Healthy Surprise takes the guesswork out of finding new healthy foods for you and makes sure you get a great full sized sampling or the best products they can find. Go ahead and treat yourself to this gift of health, or even a friend/coworker, by clicking here!
NOW, Get to entering the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ipsy Glam Bag December 2013 - Makeup Subscription

The Subscription: Ipsy
Price: $10.00 (shipping included)
What is it? Deluxe samples and full-sized beauty products delivered to you each month.

As always, I look forward to my Ipsy and BirchBox subscriptions each month and once I saw my Glam Room(a feature on your Ipsy account where you can see some of the things you are getting) I was super excited! After you sign up, you might be put on a slight wait list, but if you hurry now you may be able to bypass it for the holiday season like some people I know. Once you fill our your personal makeup stylist quiz they will curate some products specifically for you. You also have the option to retake the quiz whenever you want as well.

 Here is my bag for December 2013:

The bright and shiny pink bag is always a wonderful sight in my mailbox!

The bag... in the bag.

This month, I got SEVEN, yes, SEVEN items which included this awesome shiny black makeup bag. I was very pleased with the amount of products this month and I love that Ipsy always sends your stuff in a new makeup bag to add to your collection each month. I dug right in and tested them all out right away. My photos were taken quickly with my camera phone so I apologize for the grainy, dark quality.

My products(plus makeup bag)!

1- Black Ipsy Glam Makeup Bag - Celebration: ($5.00?)
2- POP Beauty- Bright Up Your Life- Eyeshadow Trio: $8.00
3- Be a Bombshell- The One Stick: $16.00
4- Nicka K New York- Nail Color in Red Hood: $4.99
5- NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick: $4.00
6- Demeter- Snow Perfume Oil Roll-On: $10.00
7- Mirabella Eye Blender Brush: $27.00 (Not shown, a replacement is being sent to me)

Glam Bag Total: $74.99! - BY FAR the most expensive Glam Bag I have received yet, I am so happy!

All of the makeup on

So, there you have it. I put it all on and I love love love the eye shadow and cheek cream by Bombshell(I love Bombshell cosmetics so much). I lipstick was a bit too nude for my liking, but it would work well if I used it with some brighter colors everywhere else. The nail polish is super bright red, but it has a sort of deep finishing touch to it. No one can have too many red polishes :) Although you cannot smell or see this perfume is the photo, let me just tell you, it is seriously the best smelling new perfume I have smelled in a very long time. It is so soft and sensual and honestly it just smells like.... sexy snow. I can't describe perfumes very well, but just trust me. If you don't like anything too over-powering or fruity, this stuff is the PERFECT match for you. Go ahead and grab your spot in line for Ipsy as soon as you can here! Have a wonderful holiday season and stay tuned for some new beauty subscription reviews today!