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!!!

GLOSSYBOX NOVEMBER 2014 UNBOXING: KEEP IT OR KICK IT TO THE CURB?

TGIF, my lovelies. I hope everyone has a splendid weekend planned full of all sorts of awesome fun.

The mail carrier brought a surprise to the door today, the November Glossybox, which had shown as being scheduled for delivery Saturday. We’re always happy to take delivery of any and all subscription boxes early, so thank you very much, Ms. Mail Carrier!

We had already seen and blogged about a couple of the items as spoilers but still…It’s not quite the same as having the actual products in hand.

Let’s see what’s in the November Glossybox and if it meets our standards to go forward in 2015.

And there’s a familiar sight, the lovely pink box emblazoned with black lettering.

One more sip of coffee and we’ll lift the lid and check out the contents.

And there we have it, this month’s descriptor card outlining the products contained herein, with the products hidden by a layer of pink tissue paper.

Let’s dig in and see what goodies we’ve received this lovely Friday morning.

RETAIL VALUE: $20 for full-sized (3.38 fl oz) product

Anything encased in purple has to be good. That’s just a hard and fast rule at Casa Beholding Eye. Here we have a sample size of Kneipp Herbal Bath: Balancing in Lavender. Out of Germany, this touts the ability to calm nervousness and control mental fatigue. Sounds promising. Smells divine. Can’t wait to try this out tonight, maybe with a candle or two going to add to the ambiance. After a long week of work and holiday activities, this might be just what the beauty doctor ordered. Grazi, Glossybox!

RETAIL VALUE: $20.00 for full-sized (6 oz) product

Oh, this looks promising. A very decent-sized sample of 12 Benefits Instant Healthy Hair Treatment. This is a leave-in treatment designed to offer a dozen benefits (hence the name, I gather) to chemically processed, pollution-exposed, or heat-styled hair, as well as boosting vibrancy of existing hair color and preventing sun stress through sunscreen. We love hair products (especially my daughter with her epic mane of thick, naturally wavy hair). She’s really looking forward to trying this out.

RETAIL VALUE: $45.00 for full-sized (2 oz) product

I’m excited about this product, as it happens to be from the same skincare line as one of the products in the FabFitFun Winter box, which should be shipping anytime now. From Juice Beauty, it’s their Green Apple Age Defy Moisturizer, which is purported to be a potent brightening complex of apple, lemon and white grape juices with vitamin C and peptides. I’ll hold off on using this product until I receive the green apple peel coming in the FFF box. This is very nice-sized sample and should be more than efficient to determine whether it’s worth pursuing a full-sized product.

RETAIL VALUE: $23.29 (this is a full-sized product)

From So Susan, a cosmetics company with which I’m completely unfamiliar, is this UH-MAY-ZING Universal Blush. It claims to combine the staying power of a micronized blush along with the skincare benefits of Buriti, an Amazonian fruit containing beta-carotene and essential fatty acids. This shade is simply gorgeous. Sort of like Nars Orgasm/sort of not like Nars Orgasm. Here, see for yourselves:

It’s difficult to capture in a photograph, but it’s a truly gorgeous combination of pink, mauve, peach, and copper with flecks of gold that truly does look like it would be perfect on any skin tone. I think my daughter and I may have to engage in a quick game of rock/paper/scissors to see who wins primary custody of this piece of awesomeness.

RETAIL VALUE: $9.50 (this is a full-sized product)

From OPI is the custom-created nail lacquer in “Pink Outside the Glossybox.” Cute name, lovely color. While it’s probably not something that will actually be used until Spring, it is nonetheless a very pretty shade that would work equally well on a mani or a pedi. And OPI has great products, so we have high hopes for this little gem.

And there we have it, the November Glossybox, all unboxed.

Now for the test of whether to keep it or kick it to the curb in 2015.

Does it have products we’re looking forward to trying? Why, yes. Yes it does. Every single item in this box is definitely something either my daughter or I will love trying on for size.

Do we feel that we got sufficient bang for our proverbial buck? For $21/month, yes. Two of the items are full-sized products with a retail value of about $35, with 3 additional deluxe-sized samples of equally impressive products.

Will Glossybox be kept around for the December box and going into 2015? That’s a resounding yes. In fact, after careful consideration, if we ever had to decide between Allure Sample Society and Glossybox, we’d probably opt to keep Glossybox. There’s a nice variety of products and even the deluxe samples are of a sufficient amount to get a good idea on how effective any given product might be.

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…

BOXYCHARM DECEMBER 2014: COMPLETE LIST OF SPOILERS — NAUGHTY OR NICE?

Well, lo and behold, apparently our friends at Boxycharm sent a list of the December box contents to a vlogger who leaked them to social media.

I wasn’t sure whether to share this information or not but, after posting on their “sneak peek” page about the list I had in my possession and overwhelming requests for the list, here it is.

As 2 (now 3) of the items do indeed coincide with previously-released spoilers, I do believe this list to be legitimate but can’t make any guarantees that it is. For whatever it’s worth, here it is:

And there you have it. The entire contents of the Boxycharm December box.

ETA: BOXYCHARM HAS JUST 6 SECONDS AGO RELEASED THIS “SNEAK PEEK”…CONFIRMING ONE OF THE PREVIOUSLY-UNDISCLOSED ITEMS ON THE ABOVE SPOILER LIST:

It sounds amazing…And there’s NO WAIT LIST IN DECEMBER.

What are you waiting for? Go grab your December Jingle Belles box now before they sell out or go back to a waiting list.

Enjoy, my lovelies!!!

WEBSITE WITH REFERRAL CODE: https://www.boxycharm.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/9718/
FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/Boxycharm

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

FABFITFUN (FFF) WINTER BOX 2014: SPOILER #3 AND $10 OFF COUPON CODE!!!

Happy Monday, lovelies. Hope everyone had a marvelous Thanksgiving and is ready to get back to the regular weekly grind.

Just to start the week off with a bang, here’s spoiler #3 from the FabFitFun Winter box.

“Spoiler #3 is here! Every FFF VIP will get a fab yourMinerals eye shadow duo in their winter box! So what are you waiting for? Get yours today!”

Not a lot of other information, as you can see, such as possible color selections, but sounds like a great addition to an already impressive-sounding box. I’m still most excited about the necklace.

And just to quickly recap, here again are spoilers #1 and #2:

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!!!

ALLURE SAMPLE SOCIETY COMPLETE DECEMBER SPOILERS AND $5 OFF COUPON CODE!!!

If you’ve been thinking about snapping up a subscription to Allure Sample Society, then December might just be the month you want to dive right on in.

Here is the complete spoiler, complete with retail values, for everything in the December box, released by Sample Society just minutes ago:

I’m particularly excited about the London Butter lippie and the Burberry Fresh Glow.

Keep up the good work, Sample Society!

If you’re as impressed with this month’s box as much as I was and would like to explore Allure Sample Society for yourself, here are a couple of links to get you started.

WEBSITE WITH REFERRAL LINK: http://www.beautybar.com (USE CODE SAMO3924 IF YOU’D LIKE TO USE ME AS A REFERRAL) COUPON CODE TO SAVE $5 IS 5FORYOU, TO BE USED BEFORE DECEMBER 4, 2014.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/beautybar.com

The December box has a value of $46, using the above code you’ll get it for $10. Now, that’s a deal, lovelies.

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…

XOXO

NEW ENGLAND SACK – A TASTE OF NEW ENGLAND WHEREVER YOU ARE

Happy Friday, lovelies, and we at Casa Beholding Eye hope that you had an utterly awesome Thanksgiving full of great fun, great food, and great memories of your holiday. Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, we’re all charging full steam ahead to the rest of the holiday season.

The United States Post Office was back in full force today and brought to my doorstep my first New England Sack subscription, “Box of Gratitude.”

I had heard about New England Sack a couple of months ago. Anyone who knows me or has read the “About Me” section of this blog is aware that I am completely and totally obsessed with moving to the New England area within the next year or so, specifically to the coast of Maine, but I’m enthralled with the small obscure towns in the entire New England area. So, all things being equal, I knew New England Sack was a subscription box I simply had to add to my repertoire.

And there it is, my first New England Sack, with the theme “Box of Gratitude,” just waiting to be opened.

Okay, let’s get this pesky shipping box out of the way and see what’s waiting inside.

Already starting with a very lovely touch, there’s a personal handwritten note atop the contents. Off to a good start, NES.

I’m a sucker for wax seals (everyone probably remembers how I ooh’d and ahh’d over the FabFitFun note card set complete with wax seal and stamp in their Fall box). This is lovely. Let’s delicately open this and see what’s inside.

And inside we find the descriptor card for NES, which outlines each product in this month’s sack and the New England artisans who contributed. Lovely. Absolutely lovely.

Not in the actual sack but carefully packaged alongside of it is the first item. A small plaque handcrafted by Connecticut artisans Holly and Peter Zaborowski that says “Give Thanks.” This is beautiful in its rustic simplicity. And what a perfect time of year to receive it. I’m not removing it from it’s protective plastic cover until I find just the perfect spot in the kitchen to hang it. Great start, NES!

Now, onto the Sack itself and see what items of awe it contains!

I just love the sack. It’s actually a refreshing change from the preponderance of boxes most subscription services come in. The bag is not only cute (love the logo), but it’s reusable as well.

Reaching in and gently pulling out the first item my excited little hand touches, we have from Rand Hill Farms in Maine (wait, let me close my eyes and clutch the bag, hoping to mentally transport myself to the coast of Maine by osmosis…Nope, didn’t work) Amelia’s Chowda Shack clam chowder mix. This sounds absolutely amazing. I love clam chowder. In fact, when we lived in Pacific Grove, we made it a point to try the clam chowder at every single restaurant and cafe we went to. And loved it all. The New England variety, obviously, not that other variety we’re definitely not so fond of. New England clam chowder is amazing, and this soup base sounds incredible. I know what we’ll be having for dinner after a trip to the store for fresh clams.

Okay, next tasty treat to emerge from the bag is from New England Cranberry out of Massachusetts. Literally Awesome Sauce. Colonial Cranberry Sauce purports to still use the original recipe from the Colonial era, with no additives, preservatives, or GMO. Total wholesome deliciousness in a very nice-sized jar. I would have loved to have had this yesterday to go with our Thanksgiving meal (we’re rebels and dined on NY steaks and lobster tails rather than turkey, but this would have been perfect with morning muffins).

In case you can’t tell, I’m delighted with the contents thus far.

REAL maple syrup. Not maple-flavored syrup full of preservatives, but REAL maple syrup. Straight out of Vermont by Couture’s Maple Shop. I haven’t had real maple syrup in…Well, years, to be honest. This is going to be quite a treat with the morning pancakes. Guess a trip to the store is in order in the VERY near future…

Okay, maybe that trip to the store can be postponed, since the good folks at NES are one step ahead of us (which is no easy feat) and included pancake mix! From Kenyon’s Grist Mill in Rhode Island, we have this scrumptious-sounding Apple and Spice pancake mix. Kenyon’s Grist Mill has apparently been grinding their own grains since 1696, so I’m anticipating these pancakes are going to be UH-MAZING. And to go perfectly with the Couture’s Maple Shop syrup. Heaven on a plate, indeed.

Wrapped and tied carefully in tissue paper, next up we have a set of 5 absolutely gorgeous photographs of New England sights in the form of greeting cards. From Wonderful Life Farm in New Hampshire, these pictures of Fall in New England are simply too perfect to write on and mail out, to likely end up being disposed of after being read. No, these beauties are going into frames and being displayed on the walls. Absolutely breathtaking.

And there we have it, the “Box of Gratitude” from New England Sack, their first entry into the world of subscription boxes.

I LOVE IT. Being enthralled with all things New England, this box was perfect for me. A small sampling of 5 states in the New England region, from objets d’art to culinary delights.

As the entire purpose of New England Sack is to bring the flavor (both figuratively and literally) to your doorstep, I didn’t bother doing retail values on these items. I don’t look on NES as a way to secure a bargain price but more to do what it professes to do, bring New England to my California doorstep once a month. The Box of Gratitude definitely did not disappoint. I can’t wait to see the December box. Winter in New England has to be positively glorious.

If you’d like to check out New England Sack (which, by the way, might make THE perfect holiday gift for someone on your gift-giving list), here are some links to get you started:

FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/NewEnglandSack
WEBSITE: http://www.newenglandsack.com/

(If any particular item in the Box of Gratitude caught your eye, the New England Sack website gives further information about the individual artisans and their contact information.)

New England Sack is $35/month, with discounted prices for 3-month and 6-month subscriptions (and judging from the Box of Gratitude contents, worth every single penny).

Now we’re counting down to December’s “The Holiday Sack,” which I anticipate to be just as awesome as the fall Box of Gratitude.

Bravo, New England Sack, and kudos on your amazing entrant into the world of subscription boxes. Keep up the good work.

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!!!

IPSY GLAM BAG DECEMBER 2014: FIRST SNEAK PEEK…WOW!!!!

Well, our sub box services are definitely dangling their proverbial little carrots in front of our chilly little noses for their December boxes. First was that UH-MAZING Coastal Scents sneak peek from our friends at Boxycharm and now we have our first sneak peek from our friends at Ipsy.

Let’s get right to it, shall we?

In every Ipsy December glam bag will be this fabulous Tarte Lights, Camera, Mascara and an awesome NYX Butter Lip Balm in one of three possible shades.

I love pretty much all things Tarte and those NYX Butter products are pure awesomeness in a tube as well.

December is looking like THE month to hop onto the subscription box bandwagon.

Treat yourselves, lovelies..You deserve it!

If you’d like more info on Ipsy and would like to subscribe, here are some links to get you started:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ipsy
WEBSITE AND REFERRAL LINK: http://www.ipsy.com/r/jk7y?sid=ipsypoints&cid=general

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 (and stay warm!!!)

XOXO

BOXYCHARM DECEMBER 2014 SNEAK PEEK: JINGLE BELLES…AND ROCKS!!!

Happy Tuesday, lovelies! As temperatures continue to drop in most areas and the holidays draw nearer, our friends at Boxycharm decided to give us a little sneak peek into their December box, which has the pretty adorable theme of “Jingle Belles.”

And here it is, your first sneak peek into the Boxycharm December “Jingle Belles” box:

“December Sneak Peek #1: Coastal Scents REVEALED Palette! Enjoy all 20 natural and metallic shades this holiday season! Perfect for day and night, these vegan and cruelty-free eyeshadows are highly pigmented, long lasting and absolutely gorgeous. We can’t wait to see how you wear them! Share this Sneak Peek by tagging a friend or sharing this post! There are limited spots available for our December “Jingle Belles” Box so be sure to SUBSCRIBE TODAY at http://www.boxycharm.com
Xoxo, Your BOXYCHARM Team”

OH. EM. GEE.

I love you, Boxycharm. I completely forgive you for that rather disappointing November box. The sight of this sneak peek just erased it completely from my mind.

Now, THIS is what I’ve come to expect from Boxycharm, fantastic deals with great products.

What are you waiting for? Go grab your December Jingle Belles box now before they sell out or go back to a waiting list.

Enjoy, my lovelies!!!

WEBSITE WITH REFERRAL CODE: https://www.boxycharm.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/9718/
FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/Boxycharm

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