In October, I confessed myself a subscription box
addict. At the time, I had tried eight
boxes and wrote reviews on four of them.
Since then, my need to try more has only grown. I have purchased a total of twelve boxes
(thirteen if you count the Plated box I reviewed in May), and am here to talk
about four more of them.
Scentbird:
$14.95/month, discounts if prepaid for a quarter or a year
This is a perfume subscription box. The first month they send a generous month’s
supply of a brand name perfume and a little travel case in which to store
it. Every month after that, they just
send a new vial of perfume. The
subscriber can choose the perfumes, adding them to a wardrobe which will be
delivered in order. If nothing is in the
wardrobe, then Scentbird seems to send the spotlighted perfume of the prior
month. I really liked this subscription,
because it was an inexpensive way to try expensive perfumes. However, I canceled it at the end of my one
year subscription. I just became overwhelmed with perfume
samples. For the record, my favorite
scent received was Clinic Happy Heart.
My least favorite was Carolina Herrera Carolina Herrera CH; I should
have known better than to pick something with patchouli in it. I would definitely consider doing this subscription
again in the future if I ever pare down some of my perfume sample collection.
The Cozy Mug:
$19.95/month
This is my favorite subscription box that I have ever
purchased. I have been getting it for over
a year, and I have no intention of canceling it any time soon. I basically get a present in the mail each
month because everything is wrapped beautifully in individual tissue paper
packets. It is technically described as
a tea box, but they really send more than that.
Of course, there are tea samples each month, usually in the neighborhood
of three or four single serving packets and one slightly bigger sample. There is also the occasional non-tea drink
like hot chocolate or apple cider mix.
There is almost always a goodie of some sort: cookies, candy, granola bar, etc. Then, there is a random assortment of
non-edible things. I have gotten cards,
candles, scented linen spray, nail polish, and lip balm, among other things. My favorite brand of tea introduced through
the box is Republic of Tea with my current favorite flavor the Hibiscus Vanilla
Apple. There have been a few occasions
when I really doubt the amount of stuff in the box equals the price of it, but
overall the sheer joy of opening it makes up for those times when it is a
little light on value. I await this box
each month in blissful anticipation.
Nature Box:
$19.95/month for 5 snacks – options available for 3 or 10 snacks at a
time, and weekly or biweekly delivery
I have been getting this box for about a year, and I do not
plan to cancel it. For the most part, I
have complete control over what I get each month. I can choose snacks by placing things in a
pantry in the order I want to receive them, although they will substitute if
something is out of stock. They have a
very wide selection, including cookies, granola, popcorn, fruit snacks, nut
mixes, dips, and dried fruit. I
definitely have not tried everything available, but have covered a good mix of
things. I have liked almost everything I
have tried with those that I have not enjoyed being a matter of personal
preference rather than a quality issue. My
favorites so far are Mango Almond Bites, Peanut Butter Graham Jam, and Mocha
Almond Bars. Snacks are decently sized
with 2-6 servings in each one. I find
the box a good value for the price per snack, and I like having some non-grocery
store options to mix into lunches for work.
Loot Crate:
$13.95/month, discounts if prepaid for 3, 6, or 12 months
This is technically not my subscription box, but one that my
husband and stepson have been sharing for over a year. Each month a box is curated based on a “geeky”
theme. Some of the past themes have been
espionage, Marvel, Star Wars, and video games.
The box will include an assortment of games, books, trinkets, and apparel. There is usually a good split of things my
husband will want and things my stepson (age 7) likes. They have even included me in the fun, giving
me a model car of Dean’s Impala from the show Supernatural and some Harry
Potter socks. While I probably would not
continue to get this box if it was just me, my boys really love it. The reception of the box seems to be a little
inconsistent with some themes being more of hit with them than others. Also, the quality of the items inside the box
range from really cheap to good quality.
I probably would not want to spend the money on such an unknown value. Plus, we do seem to have built up quite an
accumulation of stuff from them. However,
it is their box and they seem happy with it.
Finally, I want to give you a brief update on the four subscription
boxes mentioned in my original post. I
did in fact cancel my subscription to three of them: Beauty Box 5, The Walmart Box, and Ipsy. I have maintained my subscription to
Birchbox, although I am currently considering whether to continue it. I like Birchbox the most, but I still feel
overwhelmed by beauty samples even with the reduced amount arriving in the
mail.
I am always open to new subscription boxes to try out. I have my eye on a couple of them, though
money keeps me from attempting too many at a time. What are your favorites? Any recommendations on what I should look into
trying next?
See you next week!
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