Citrus Lane-- WOW!

Well, I can hardly believe it! Citrus Lane apparently meant to include 2 samples of the sunscreen, so they are sending out another tube!! Amazing service! LOVE Citrus Lane!

Cancelled Sample Society

Well, I dithered about the decision, but I decided to cancel my Sample Society. after taking a close look at the products from this month and last month, I am not sure it was as wonderful as it could be. PLUS with subscriptions to BirchBox, Citrus Lane, and now Crave Box as well . . . I think 3 is plenty! I really feel like Sample Society needs to step up their samples in order to make it worth the high price of their boxes. I did not see a huge difference between their box and the Birch Box, despite Sample Society being $5 a month more AND taking MUCH longer to arrive. I hope in the next few months they get better and I will rejoin!

Citrus Lane May Review

Well folks, you KNOW how much I loved last month's Citrus Lane box, and this month was good-- but not quite as good as last month's!

If this is your first time reading about Citrus Lane, it is a subscription box a month club. You never know what is going to be in the box, and it is $25 a month. However, you can sign up here: http://www.citruslane.com/invitedby/jonna.ziniel and use the coupon code: 20LUV for 20% off (making it less than $25 a month).

So, what was this month's box?

  • IPlay Sun Protection Hat-- Amazon lists the infant ones for $9, however this is a toddler one, which amazon does not carry. Other sites have it for $15
  • Green toys Sand Set-- Amazon carries it for $18.45
  • Clean Well To Go Spray-- 1 oz-- Amazon carries a pack of three  for $11.11-- Value $3.70
  • 3 Plum Organic Teensy Fruits-- $3 for a box of 5-- Value $1.80
  • Episencial sample-- .75 oz-- $14.99 for a 4 ounce tube-- Value-- MAYBE $2.80
  • Last, but not least, a $15 Joyus gift card. No minimum, so if you shop at Joyus, a SUPER deal
Again,  the value is NOT what it was last month, but all in all a decent value. If you figure the pail and hat were the main items, you get more than your money's worth for the items! I was fairly pleased this month, and hope next month is another wonderful box!

I wanted to add, I did make my purchase on Joyus and the gift card did cover shipping as well! Wahoo! I was also able to use MACARONI20 to save 20% off my order. I purchased something for less than the $15 shipped, so it is FREE to me! LOVE Citrus Lane!

UPDATE!!!! They sent an email saying that we were supposed to get 2 samples of the sunscreen. I received my extra on Friday!!! WOW!!!!!!!

Birchbox-- Month 1

I waited on the Birchbox waiting list for quite a while, and from other reviews I was really unsure what to think, but this first box was a HUGE hit! Well worth the value!

First, Birchbox is reasonably priced at $10 a month. I joined mostly because it was not a huge break to my beauty budget . . . and I had waited such a long time to be a part of it.

Items include:
  • .51 oz Kerastase Masque (foil sample)-- I am not a fan of the foil sample. This one was considerably larger than your average foil packet, and was really an "addition" to the other super nice items! On facebook this averages from $50-$120 for a 6.8 ounce, but really 1/2 ounce is not worth more than maybe $1.
  • .03 oz Miss Dior perfume sample-- 1.7 ounces retails for about $70 on amazon, but I would consider this little sample to simply be another "bonus" MAYBE worth $1
I know this seems silly to say that 2/5 samples have no value, but really the value came in the other three items!
  • 1 oz Kerastase Bain Substansif shampoo-- Amazon retail for 8.5 ounces $33. Again, small sample-- but nice travel size
  • .5 oz Algenist Regenerative Anti-Aging Lotion-- Amazon has this same travel/ sample size for $16-- but this is in a pump. 
  • 1.7 oz Stila sparkle waterproof liquid eye liner-- Amazon price -- $22. This is a full sized product, and looks really nice. 
Overall, I am pleased with my first birchbox. This month the box was a "Gossip Girl" theme and it came very nicely packaged. To get a $22 item in a $10 box is an amazing value, and I hope each month I can expect such wonderful items! I cannot wait to try . . . everything!

Want to join? Click here to sign up for just $10 a month!

Allure Summer Beauty Box!!!

Hooray!

My beauty box arrived. For those that have been around the Allure world for a while, you know that they offer beauty boxes about twice a year, and in general they are amazing. I LOVE this box, even with its high sticker price. The box was $39.99 plus $3 in tax and $10 in shipping, for a total of $52.99. This may seem high, but wait until you see what you get!

First, ALL of the products are full sized with the exception of the Fekkai Glossing Cream. I am giving prices based on Amazon's price for the item today (because it is simpler for me to scan and search).

  • 2 oz. Fekkai Glossing Cream (4 oz is $18.95) Value-- $9.48
  • 4 oz. Cetaphil Derma Control Oil Control Moisturizer-- $14.87
  • 6.77 oz Biore Combination Balancing Cleanser-- $14.95
  • 12.6 oz Pantene Anti-Breakage Conditioner-- $3.78
  • 12. 6 oz Pantene Ant-Breakage Shampoo-- $3.78
  • 3.5 oz John Freida Sheer Blonde Lightening Spray-- $7.99
  • 4 oz. John Frieda Full Repair Style Spray-- $5.99
  • 1.4 oz Neutrogena Daily Sunblock-- $10.39
  • Giletee Venus and Olay Razor-- $8.97
  •  8 oz Clean and Clear Morning Burst Cleanser-- $4.79
  • 8 oz CeraVe Renewing Lotion-- $15.00
  • 8 oz Cetaphil Oil Control Foam Wash-- $9.87
  • 3.4 oz Redken Power Refresh-- $14.69
  • 10.1 oz Aloxxi Leave in Conditioner-- $18.38
  • 4.9 oz Pureology Perfect 4 Platinum Miracle Filler Treatment-- $24.00
  • 2 oz John Freida Frizz Ease Sheer Solution-- $8.99
  • 3.2 oz Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo Spray-- $23.00
  • 6 oz Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer-- $10.13
  • Tan towel Self-Tan Towlette pack of 5--$11.08
  • .09 oz Burt's Bee Lip Shimmer (Plum)-- $3.49
  • .35 oz Neutrogena Lip Smoother-- $6.99
  • .50 Sation Nail Lacquer-- $3.50 (This is an estimate as the exact item was not on amazon)
  • .6 oz Orly Nail Lacquer-- $5.60
  • .4 0z Dr. Lewinn By Kinerase Instant Dermal Wrinkle Filler-- $44.00 (Walmart DOES sell it at 24.97, so $44 is a really HIGH value for it-- for the final value, I am using the Walmart Price)
So, even though the cost was $52.99, the value here is $264.68!!! An INCREDIBLE value!!!!

Allure Beauty Box Sample Society Review May

Well, this is my third month of Sample Society, and I am at a loss with whether I should cancel. This month's box was just ok. Nothing exceptional. However, it included one product that I have wanted to try. The first month I used one product that I still use today (bought the full size). Last month's products have not even been used yet . . . so torn.

This is what was in this month's box:

  • Bamboo Color Care UV Fade Proof Fluide- .25 oz.  (Full size is $24 for 2.5 ounces)= 2.40
  • Strivectin-SDIntensive Concentrate for stretch marks and wrinkles- .75 oz (5 oz is $135) . . . in theory that would make this little tube worth, $25???? I honestly do not like Sti-Vectin and do not see how anyone would pay so much when there are much better products out there. They must have one heck of a marketing budget with all of these free samples everywhere!
  •  Stila Forever Your Curl Mascara- .12 oz (seems small, but a .24 ounce sells for $22. I have used these small tubes in the past and can usually have them last 1-2 months.) Value of perhaps $11?
  • Bond No. 9 perfume (I think it is .25 oz?? I have not opened because of the super cute packaging!) Saks sells 18 of these for $260 . . . $14 for a little perfume sample? I would never pay that, but I admit it is SUPER cute and I LOVE the smell. A bottle of it sells for $170 for 1.7 ounces. Unfortunately, it is not something you can use the discount on, as Beauty Bar does not carry the full size of the perfume
  • ColorScience Loose Mineral Travel Puff-- This is, in theory, the full size. It is just one little applicator and is valued at $10, which is about what it is on the web. I actually looked at this product several times. I have VERY light skin, and I HATE applying sunscreen when at the beach. I never take my face lotion out and about with me, so this was a nice solution. I cannot wait to try it
Because the colorscience was something I wanted to try, I am torn on whether my box was "worth it." When you consider that I then got everything else for $5, I guess it was. I think it is enough of a value for me to try it for one more month! Hopefully no more Stri-Vectin!