It’s Popsugar time again! Lauren and I both subscribe to Popsugar and get equally excited about it each month. If you’re not familiar with Popsugar, it’s a monthly box that sends you an awesome mix of beauty and lifestyle products for $39.99. It’s definitely one of our favorite boxes, but we generally have different opinions about the contents each month. For that reason, we will take turns talking about everything inside.
I’m going to be totally honest, I was ready to hate on this box when I saw the spoilers. After receiving it, I have actually grown to like it. There is not one item in this box that I would have bought for myself – but that is the point of getting a subscription box! There is a real mix of items this month, and no jewelry (bummer), so it seemed like a weird one, but it’s growing on me. Alright, let’s go through everything inside.
The Archivist Lemon + Cucumber Reed Diffuser Kit by Greenmarket Purveying Co. – $20.00
Jill: This was the item I was most excited about this month. I have never used a reed diffuser before but have wanted to pick one up for a while. This one smells really nice, it’s a clean summery scent that is perfect for my house. I love how simple it is to use a reed diffuser, you literally stick the sticks in and then rotate them once in a while. Even I can handle that commitment.
Lauren: I really loved this, and like Jill, I was most excited about receiving this diffuser kit! I love cucumber and lemon scents separately but was slightly skeptical about what they would smell like together? Spoiler alert? They smell really great together! I cleaned our apartment this weekend and I set this in our main room and it smells so fresh and lovely in here.
What to Pack Pad by Knock Knock – $7.00
Jill: I admittedly thought this was really stupid when I saw it in the online spoilers. When it arrived though, I felt differently. Whenever I am packing for a trip, I make a list of things that I have to pack because 99% of the time I am racing against the clock at the last minute. This pad lists everything I would have scrambled to remember, and I can totally see myself using this the next time I go on vacation (which happens to be my honeymoon WOOT). What’s nice is that there are a lot of sheets on this pad, so I won’t have to write my own list for a very long time.
Lauren: I’m pretty ho hum about this because I rarely go on vacations. This pad would probably last me 25 lifetimes of vacations I will never take. However, I am going to Baltimore soon for Jill’s wedding! Hooray! So I could use one sheet. I’m sure someday Matt and I will go elsewhere but I might give this to someone else who travels more than I do.
Micromagic Microdermabrasion Treatment by Bliss – $48
Jill: I’ve used many Bliss products in the past and I’ve never been disappointed. As far as bath products go, they’re pretty great. I believe this scrub is for your whole body, not just your face, which is cool. Now that the weather is warming up and I’ll be showing more skin, I need to start exfoliating once in a while. I have always used random body scrub from The Body Shop, and I have a feeling this is a giant step above that. I look forward to using it.
Lauren: Exfoliation is VERY important in the summer, ESPECIALLY if you are going to try to self-tan. Which is definitely what you should do instead of Real Tan which will definitely kill you. I’ve been using Jergens Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer and exfoliating is key for making sure your color is even. When I’m not building my tan gradually every day with the Jergens, I use Tarte’s Brazilliance Skin Rejuvenating Maracuja Face And Body Self-Tanner. Exfoliation is even more important with a real self-tanner like this one. And the mitt it comes with helps even more. In conclusion, Exfoliation + Fake Tan = No Death From Skin Cancer.
The Squirt by Wet Brush – $4.99
Jill: I was outraged that they would include a child’s hairbrush in our box this month. I had NO IDEA how great this brush was, and I am deeply regretful for my snap judgment. It’s tiny, but it’s not for kids – it’s for travel. This brush is amazing for wet hair. My scalp can be sensitive, so tugging on tangles after I shower really sucks sometimes. This brush just glides right through without snagging and yanking my scalp. I read somewhere that Popsugar included the full sized version of this brush in a previous box a couple years ago, and that people were thrilled to get a smaller one this time. I totally understand why now.
Lauren: For the record, I kept telling Jill over and over and over again that it wasn’t a child’s hairbrush. I kept telling her it was a travel brush, like for your purse. She kept saying “child’s hairbrush” and I thought she was referring to its size but now I know that she really thought it was a child’s hairbrush. Sigh. I was actually excited for this because the brush I keep in my purse is kind of crappy and I could use a nice replacement. Also, like Jill, I had heard that people raved about the full size version so I was excited to try this one.
Pink Pina Zip Pouch by Samudra – $40.00
Jill: I don’t know many people who would pay $40 for a gigantic (seriously, it’s huge) neon pink plastic pouch, but I suppose that’s why Popsugar sent us one this month. I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to love it because I have a ton of toiletry bags already, but the fact that this one is waterproof might give it a leg up on my other bags. I am about to head to Europe for a while, and I would love it if my honeymoon isn’t dampened by my shampoo getting all over my clothes. I will probably be using this after all! Plus there are pineapples all over it, that’s adorable.
Lauren: First, LOLz at the $40 price tag. I find this bag to be totally ugly and pretty useless. I have a bag kind of like this I use for travel that actually has more pockets, including a plastic pouch and it’s $36 AND from the Container Store. I feel bad throwing this directly in the trash though. I might give it to someone I hate. Just kidding. I’ll give it to someone that I like OK.
Halfpopped Popcorn by Halfpops – $1.69
Jill: I’m a little nervous that half-popped popcorn means a snack that is not dissimilar to chewing on stones. I’m a little skeptical about this one, but it’s chipotle barbeque flavor, which is Brian’s favorite. Perhaps I’ll let him chip a tooth on my behalf.
Lauren: Matt seemed horrified by this that it was gluten free because he hates all that health stuff and I was like THAT’S BECAUSE IT’S CORN. Corn is not wheat. Does not have gluten. He will likely eat all of this before I remember I have it.
Roller Lash Mascara and POREfessional by Benefit Cosmetics – I am estimating the price of this deluxe sample to be around $4.00
Jill: I have heard great things about this mascara, but since I have lash extensions I won’t be wearing it. I am looking forward to trying the teeny sample of the primer, it’s meant to be very lightweight and smoothing. I don’t wear much makeup, but I am intrigued by this one.
Lauren: That POREfessional makes a great primer under makeup. I’ve gotten so many samples of this over the years that I’ve never had to actually buy it. And my streak continues! The mascara, however, is the absolute BOMB.COM. I wrote a more extensive review here when I received a sample with my Allure Sample Society box. Check out my before and after!
Jill: B+
Lauren: C-
Jill’s Rating: B+ Overall, I liked this box a lot more than I originally thought I would. I’m surprised by how much I love the little brush, I find the packing pad delightful, and I am really looking forward to using the diffuser and body scrub. The total retail value of this box is $77.68, and I paid $39.99. Popsugar usually gives better value than that, so that lowered the rating this month. With spoilers already being released for the April box, I have a feeling next month is going to really knock it out of the park. Can’t wait to see what April brings!
Lauren’s Rating: I’m rating this a C- because I felt like the value of this box was incredibly low this month. It says the retail is $77 but we know $40 of that comes from that bullshit ugly pink bag. I think the diffuser was great and I’m excited about the brush and the diffuser but neither of those things are really exciting. When I opened the diffuser, Matt was like, “You can get those for $4 at Walmart.” Obviously, Matt has never bought a diffuser before since you cannot get them for $4 at Walmart but that sort of equates the excitement of it.
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xo,
Jill & Lauren
This was a really fun post, you two!!