BEAUTY BOX 5 (BB5) DECEMBER UNBOXING: A BOX OF AWESOME OR A BOX OF AWFUL?

Not only did the sun come out in our neck of the woods today, but Beauty Box 5 (BB5) made its appearance in our mailbox. They were a bit later in shipping this month (apparently awaiting an item or two for inclusion into this box) but kept everyone updated so all’s good. Well, everything’s all good provided this month’s box doesn’t include toothpicks and empty bottles (see my snarkalicious review of the November box…Oy!).

So many subscription box services are late in shipping this month that it actually makes me quite happy that I didn’t bother purchasing them as holiday gifts. Nothing says “thinking of you” than empty hands but a promise of arriving soon to a friend or loved one, right? Again, oy…

Since BB5 is one of the few subscription boxes that actually didn’t have their head buried in their nether regions for the December box, we’re already going to be a little biased in our review. Human nature and all…

Okay, let’s do a reveal of the contents:

Not a toothpick nor an empty bottle in sight…So far, so good, BB5!

First let’s snatch up that very prettily designed perfume sample. From Lucky Brand, this is their new fragrance Lucky Number 6. It’s a combination of fragrances, including lotus, tiger lily, cashmere woods, and jasmine, and it smells UH-MAZING. Light, fresh, crisp. I normally don’t care for overly flowery scents, but this one is quite lovely and not overpowering in the least. My daughter is going to want a full-sized bottle of this ASAP. Off to a grand start, BB5!

Next up is a sample of Juice Beauty’s Stem Cellular Moisturizer. I’m so stealing this from my daughter’s box (with her permission, of course). I’ve already received 2 Juice Beauty products in other sub boxes and LOVE them. This will be a great addition to the Green Apple Peel and the moisturizer I already have. This product is meant to use morning and evening over cleansed skin (I always wonder why this caveat is always included in instructions – are there really people out there who would apply a treatment over unclean skin?), and with its combination of organic, antioxidant-rich plant and fruit oils, to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, combat sun damage, and seriously hydrate the complexion. LOVE IT.

And how convenient is receiving this travel-sized Absolute! New York nail polish remover pads…I guess the good people at BB5 knew when we saw the next item coming up, we’d want to immediately remove our current polish and use the one in this month’s box, which is:

This is just all sorts of gorge and awesome in a bottle. By Nanacoco, this is their “Stardust” nail polish. It’s twinkling, it’s sequined, it’s sparkly, it’s copper, and it’s PERFECTION. Going on the nails as soon as this blog is published…Happy holidays, indeed!

And with the next-to-the-last amazing item in this month’s box, here we have an awesome rose hydrating facial mist from Jaqua Beauty. This subtle fragrance smells just like fresh-cut roses and a couple of spritzes to the face shows it dries without a trace of stickiness and has an amazing aromatherapy quality. Oh yeah, this is good stuff, BB5.

Now here’s a kicker. Included in this month’s box is a code to get a $50 retail value jewelry product from Lilee with your subscription to their new monthly box. Priced at $49/month, it’s a lifestyle box described on their webpage (www.lilee.com) as: “Lilee knows what she likes- only the best!- and she’s picked out fabulous beauty and lifestyle products to share with you every month. There’s no better way to discover your next must-have lipstick, scarf, bauble or bling than to become a Lilee subscriber! Simply pick your plan below and prepare for $120+ worth of gorgeous goodies every month!” Although this subscription is a little pricier than I like to spend on the regular, I’m thinking it might be worth trying it out. If you’d like to subscribe, go to the previously-referenced website and enter the code BB5PERK to get your free $50 piece of jewelry with your subscription. Nice little offer, courtesy of BB5.

And there we have it, the December Beauty Box 5 (BB5). We totally approve. We still aren’t sure what they were thinking about last month what with toothpicks and empty bottles, but they’ve definitely reclaimed their status with us this month. Here again, besides the item or two that I intend to confiscate from my daughter’s box, these are all very usable and fun items. Not a single bomb in the box.

AWESOME OR AWFUL? Awesome. For $12/month, BB5 has proven yet again it’s a small monthly indulgence well worth the price.

Beauty Box 5 is running a special offer of a free box with subscription (code below). If you’d like more information on Beauty Box 5 or perhaps to sign up for it as a treat for the new year, here is my referral link to their website, as well as the link to the BB5 Facebook page:

WEBSITE REFERRAL LINK: http://www.beautybox5.com/?u=12356 ENTER FREEBOX1 FOR FREE BOX
FACEBOOK LINK: https://www.facebook.com/BeautyBox5

Until next time, stay beautiful, and Happy Holidays from The Beholding Eye.

FABFITFUN (FFF) WINTER 2014 UNBOXING AND $10 OFF COUPON CODE (RETAIL VALUE $383.59)

Whoever sang “It Never Rains in California” obviously was sorely mistaken. It’s been raining steadily for 2 days now (not that I’m complaining, I love the rain and our state desperately needs the rain) and I was looking forward to just sitting around knitting and watching some trashy reality programs off of the DVR today, a typical lazy Saturday at Casa Beholding Eye.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar sight. The mail carrier going past my window with the distinctive black and pink FabFitFun box, which wasn’t scheduled to be delivered until Tuesday.

Well, that certainly gave me an unexpected burst of energy. Grabbing a cup of coffee, I dug right in.

Yep, there it is. Coffee at the ready, let’s dive in. Full disclosure, I had been made privy to a full list of spoilers a few days ago…But all of you lovelies know that seeing a list, while fun, is not the same as having the actual products in your hands. As it turns out, there was one promised product that didn’t end up in my hands, but I digress. We’ll get to that later.

Drum roll, please…

Opening up the box, the first thing we see is the descriptor pamphlet for the contents of this month’s box. I actually cleaned my glasses to look more closely at the retail value of this box…Seriously, $383.59. UH-MAZING. Let’s see the actual products.

Okay, getting past the descriptor pamphlet and the tissue paper, and moving aside some of the coupon items, here’s what we have.

RETAIL VALUE: $55

Here we have the Zumba 60-minute DVD “Max” and a $25 gift card towards some really cute athletic wear (with free shipping, too!). I’m not usually one who enjoys exercising, unless repeated lifting of the remote control counts. That being said, however, this DVD looks like fun, and what better way to get motivated than with some really cute workout clothes with which to get your Zumba on. I prefer this to the FFF Fall box offering of the online exercise classes. We’ll put this to good use.

RETAIL VALUE: $18

Here’s a $30 gift card (which oddly has a retail value listed as $18…I’m confused, but then I’m still on my first cup of coffee) to Fashion Project. Okay, I’ve checked out the website and you can get some really cute things (mostly high-end) for a GREAT price, and the flip side to that is, every item has to which charity a certain portion of your price goes. For example, I’m currently putting an item in my cart for which $2.75 of my $25 purchase will go to Ronald McDonald House. GREAT cause, GREAT items, GREAT idea. I’m all over this one.

RETAIL VALUE: $29.97

WOOT!!! I love to cook, and this free 3-month membership to Salted TV is right up my alley. A quick peek at the Salted TV website shows an amazing assortment of classes, from Cooking Bootcamp to instruction on preparing sauces, Thanksgiving/holiday dishes, cocktails, introductions to Mexican and Italian cooking, and much, much more. This is probably my favorite item in the box, because I’ll definitely be putting my 3-month membership to very good use.

RETAIL VALUE: $42

Here we have a Daniel Stone COCO Candle in pomegranate scent. It smells wonderful. It’s made with natural coconut wax and claims to provide the cleanest burn available. I already have a house full of wax warmers and a small boutique’s worth of scented tarts and cubes, so I’ll probably be gifting this to someone for the holidays, but it is gorgeous and it does smell divine. It will go to a loving home.

RETAIL VALUE: $30

Ooooh, hand cream. Always a welcome product, but especially during winter months. This one is by Lather, and it’s their AHA hand crème with evening primrose. This is so incredibly thick and luxurious feeling. I applied a small amount to one of my hands when I first opened the box, and it left my skin baby soft. This is a very generous amount of product, too. Probably enough to get me through winter, since a little goes a long ways with this baby. Love it, FFF!

RETAIL VALUE: $39

From Juice Beauty, here we have their Green Apple Peel Sensitive. This is a certified organic product (as I believe all Juice Beauty products are) that claims to exfoliate and refine to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. I’ve been holding onto a Juice Beauty Green Apple moisturizer from another subscription box in anticipation of getting this Peel product so I can use them concurrently. Can’t wait to try this one. Should be great in the winter to help deal with dry patches on the skin and even things out.

RETAIL VALUE: $34

I’ve been excited about receiving this item since FFF released a spoiler for it. I received the silver one (as you can tell from the picture). It’s really awesome, not just in appearance, but Half United also gives half of all of the profits to feed children in need. Another great cause included in a FFF box. I can’t wait to wear this chic yet edgy necklace and explain its symbolism.

RETAIL VALUE: $44

From yourMinerals, this is a mineral eyeshadow duo. I love both of these colors. I haven’t swatched them but they are gorgeous in the containers. Actually, colors I would have picked out myself. I always love it when a subscription box gives me colors I genuinely like and can actually wear. These will be perfect for the holiday festivities coming up. Like at the party where I’ll be gifting that amazing Daniel Stone COCO Candle.

And now we have some sponsored items. Sponsored items are put into each FFF box to keep the retail value of the other items in the box higher, and they’re usually food-related and fun. Here’s what this box offers:

A single-serving packet of Justin’s Classic Almond Butter. I love almond butter. And peanut butter. And sunflower butter. And cashew butter. Yeah, as you can tell, this baby won’t make it through the day. The big question will be if I eat it directly from the packet or take the time to spread it on some whole-grain bread. NOM.

From Special K, it’s a chocolate pretzel snack bar. I’ve had these before. They’re NOM as well. This baby is going to suffer the same fate as the Justin’s Classic Almond Butter above. The question here is, which will be the first eaten.

A full-sized Organic Valley Organic Balance Milk Protein Shake. I’ll actually be trying this one, even though I normally only like the Atkins protein shakes. This one has 16 grams of protein, no GMOs, is lactose- and gluten-free, and contains 50% of the daily recommended calcium intake. Sounds like it could be a perfect mid-shift pick-me-up, so into the fridge it goes for later consumption (in my experience, these protein shakes always taste best when they’re icy cold).

And now for my bad news. Despite being advertised as being included in the box and even being “spoiled” yesterday afternoon, FFF apparently had a bit of a glitch in the warehouse and I didn’t receive my most anticipated item, the Passport to Beauty Tibetan Goji Berry Intense Anti-Aging Eye Serum with Retinol. A quick check of the FFF Facebook page shows that a few other people were shorted items in their boxes as well, so these things happen. However, I have notified FFF about this oversight and I’ve no doubt they’ll send the product to me ASAP. I once had a smashed bag of Pop Chips and emailed them, and they sent me an entire replacement box within 5 days. Yeah, no worries here. A lot of disappointment that it wasn’t in the initial box, but if past experience with FFF is an indicator, this oversight will be rectified quickly and satisfactorily. Here’s a picture of what I should have gotten:

RETAIL VALUE: $88

And here they are, the entire contents (less the above eye serum) of the FabFitFun Winter 2014 box.

RETAIL VALUE: $383.59

Now, in spite of the little faux pas with the eye serum, I’m totally delighted with this box and am looking forward to trying every single thing in it (the cooking school online membership already has me wanting to investigate the site further to see what decadent goodies I can make for dinner, not to mention the upcoming holidays). I’ve already loaded my virtual cart at the Fashion Project website and won’t have to pay a penny for the item I’ve chosen, since even shipping is free. And everything else is just divine as well.

Take a bow, FabFitFun, this Winter box is every bit as good or perhaps even better than the Fall box.

If you’d like to take the plunge and order your FabFitFun Winter Box now, here are a couple of links to get you started on your quest:

WEBSITE: http://vip.fff.me/7PHPh ENTER WINTER10 TO SAVE $10 OFF OF THIS BOX
FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/FabFitFun

As always, feel free to follow me on the following social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Beholding-Eye/683364698413511?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TheBeholdingEye
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeholdingeye

Until next time, stay beautiful!!!

FABFITFUN (FFF) WINTER BOX 2014: SPOILER #2 AND A $10 OFF COUPON CODE!!!

Well, today must be THE day for spoilers, and I’m reminded how these subscription box services usually pull out all the bells and whistles for their December boxes.

Here’s your sneak peek #2 into the FabFitFun Winter box:

“We just can’t keep a secret! Here’s spoiler #2: Every FFF VIP will receive a Half United Bullet Necklace in their winter box! We’re joining the fight against hunger by including this totally chic necklace in every box this season. Created from recycled bullet casings, half of the proceeds from Half United go to feed hungry children in the US, Cambodia, Madagascar, and Fiji. So what are you waiting for? Get yours today!”

The first spoiler was this full-sized Juice Beauty product:

As always, here at The Beholding Eye we’ll try to keep you updated as soon as these various box sneak peeks are available. So far the FabFitFun Winter box is shaping up to potentially be as good as the Fall box…And all of our readers know how much we at The Beholding Eye adored that Fall box.

If you’d like to take the plunge and order your FabFitFun Winter Box now, here are a couple of links to get you started on your quest:

WEBSITE: http://vip.fff.me/7PHPh ENTER BLACK10 TO SAVE $10 OFF OF THIS BOX
FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/FabFitFun

As always, feel free to follow me on the following social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Beholding-Eye/683364698413511?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TheBeholdingEye
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeholdingeye

Until next time, stay beautiful!!!

FABFITFUN (FFF) WINTER BOX 2014: FIRST SPOILER AND A $10 OFF COUPON CODE!!!

I think all of you lovelies know just how much I UH-DORED the FabFitFun Fall box. It was just full of awesome and totally blew away the exceedingly underwhelming Summer box.

Well, time really does fly, and today we get our first Sneak Peek into the FabFitFun WINTER box, and it already has me wringing my freshly-manicured hands in anticipation.

Here it is:

I’m a total mask addict and I’ve been wanting to try a Juice Beauty product for awhile now, so this is a double-win for me!

After the fantabulous Fall box, I have high hopes to see what else the Winter box will bring.

If you’d like to take the plunge and order your FabFitFun Winter Box now, here are a couple of links to get you started on your quest:

WEBSITE: http://vip.fff.me/7PHPh ENTER BLACK10 TO SAVE $10 OFF OF THIS BOX
FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/FabFitFun

As always, feel free to follow me on the following social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Beholding-Eye/683364698413511?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TheBeholdingEye
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeholdingeye

Until next time, stay beautiful!!!

GLOSSYBOX NOVEMBER 2014: SECOND SNEAK PEEK!!!

Alright, my lovelies, I have decided to crawl out from my sickbed and share this little Tuesday evening surprise with you…It’s Sneak Peek #2 from our friends at Glossybox.

Let’s jump right to the good stuff, shall we?

“Are you ready to turn back time?

Juice Beauty’s Green Apple Age Defy Moisturizer will be in every November GLOSSYBOX.”

And here’s a quick look back at the previously-announced sneak peek into the November box:

Looks like November is shaping up to be pretty fantabulous, Glossybox!

“Cheers, Glossybox!” (yes, my shot of Nyquil does count as a toast).

If you’d like more information on Glossybox and maybe snag your own subscription, here are some links to get you started:

WEBSITE WITH REFERRAL: http://www.glossybox.com/referal?CI=MTIxNDg0
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/GlossyBox.com

As always, feel free to follow what I’m up to on the following social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Beholding-Eye/683364698413511
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheBeholdingEye
Instagram: https://instagram.com/thebeholdingeye

Until next time, stay beautiful…