Cravebox Girls Night In Review

This is my first Cravebox and I've got kind of mixed feelings about it. For those who don't know, Cravebox puts together a box of mystery items linked by a common theme. If the box sounds interesting, you put your name in a drawing and if you are chosen you get to purchase one of the limited number of boxes. This box, themed "Girls Night In," was supposed to include a gift certificate for online wine shopping. Since delivery alcohol sales are banned in KY, my box didn't include the certificate. I think I would have felt like the box had much more value with the gift card. As it arrived, it definitely felt a little generic/cheap.... Here's what it looked like upon arrival:

The box contained quite a few generic brand promotional items. No-name-brand nail polish from The Mindy Project and New Girl, TV shows on FOX, and a nail file from The Mindy Project. Ugh. I'd value these as pretty much worthless, because they are crap quality and are probably given away at Walmart or something to anybody who would *please* take one. Gross.

There was a bottle of Fruit 2 0 water, value at less than $1 since a case of 28 bottles goes for $19.95 on Amazon (and has a whopping ONE star average review. Great.).

There's a scarf from the Ford Warriors in Pink campaign.... kind of pretty, also value of? What? Like $2? It is very thin and I'm sure is given away at breast cancer events by the thousands.

The Hills Bros Cappuccino mix ($3.24) at Walmart.com, maybe we will use. Looks like a slightly more grownup version of hot chocolate. Neutrogena revitalizing lip balm is nice and will get used, value $8.99. The Tree Hut hand cream I can't find anywhere but the closest is a 9 oz tube of lotion by the same company on drugstore.com that sells for $3.99, which would make this tube worth about $1.33. The Zaca Recovery patches are interesting. You apply them before you start a big night out to help you "feel better long after you're done with the party." They sell for $19.95 for 6 which makes these two worth about $6.65. I'll be trying these on Friday for Derby Eve festivities! ;)

So.... I paid $14 for this box and in my opinion the value comes to about $23. Definitely not overwhelmed by the box's awesomeness, but can definitely see how much better it would have been with wine included! I am expecting a few more boxes from Cravebox over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully it only goes up from here!

If you would like to check out Cravebox, you can read more about it HERE. If you decide to sign up, be a doll and put me down in the Referred By box of your About Me Profile section! My Cravebox referral name is stlouischick :)

Allure Beauty Box Summer Essentials Review

This box makes me happy, happy, happy! It is absolutely crammed FULL of goodies. Total cost with tax and shipping was about $52 and I came up with a total value of about $275! Over 80% off! Allure does these a couple of times a year and I'll be first online to buy one every time!!

Let's get into what all it included!


1. Yay fragrance! BCBG MAXAZRIA Bon Chic, .25 oz ($8),

2. Always love nail polishes! Butter London Nail Laquer in Bobby Dazzler ($15), Sally Hansen Complete Manicure in Back to the Fuschia ($6.98), Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Dry & Go Drops ($7.99), Staion Nail Laquet in Love at First Byte ($5)

3. Lots of hair products! Clear Scalp Hair Beauty Therapy Shampoo & Conditioner ($5.99 each), GK Hair Leave In Spray ($19.95), Nexxus Youth Renewal Rejuvenating Elixir ($17.69), Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Hair Cream ($5.99), Pureology Colour Stylist Supreme Control Maximum Hold Hairspray ($26), Redken Control Addict 28 High Control Hairspray ($13.60), Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Leave In Treatment ($18.19), Suave Professionals Moroccan Infusion Styling Oil ($6.99), Tresemme Platinum Strength Strengthening Heat Protect Spray ($5.29)

4. A few cosmetics and skincare items. Burt's Bees Lip Gloss ($3.49), Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser ($8.99), Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes ($5.29), Neutrogena Oil Free Moisture SPF 15 ($12.19), Neutrogena Revitalizing Lip Balm SPF 20 ($8.99), Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser ($7.19), PIXI Endless Silky Eye Pen ($15.25), Simple Kind to Eyes makeup remover pads ($5.99), Sally Hansen Zero Bumps bikini spray ($7.99). And - DOUBLE YAY - self tanners! One of my summer absolute essentials! :) Neutrogena MicroMist Sunless Tanning Spray ($9.59), Tan Towel Self Tanning Towelettes ($24)

** UPDATE on Neutrogena Micro Mist Tanner included here. The stuff is ridiculously terrible.

** UPDATE on Neutrogena Revitalizing Lip Balm - I'm in LOVE. Got a tube for my Mom and she's in love TOO! So smooth, awesome SPF, great hint of color. Will be buying more!!

So many products I can't wait to try. I've been curious about the sea salt based products for a while and am wondering what they do on naturally curly hair in the summer! I LOVE Tan Towels, so those are a def win. My mom (with her gorgeous skin) has long been obsessed with Cetaphil and I'm going to give it a real effort this time. Lots of things I am sure I will use up entirely! Thanks Allure for perking up my Monday!! :)

Opening Night at Churchill Downs

It always officially feels like spring is here and summer is just around the corner when Downs After Dark at Churchill Downs rolls around! Last year at opening night, there was an INSANE storm with golf ball sized hail that destroyed my new car. This year, the forecast called for rain - and there was a TON of it - but we wound up in a cozy suite and had a wonderful time regardless!

First of all, what to wear?? Downs After Dark night racing events generally have a theme, sometimes elaborate, but this event called for this under the "Fashion" heading:

Ladies: Party/cocktail dresses and headwear. The signature accessory for this event is an evening headpiece a la fascinator, feathers, etc. We want ladies to have fun in sporting a “night-time Derby look!” Gentlemen: Sharp pants/shirt (tie optional); headwear recommended as well!

I love my feathers and sparkle, so I pulled out this unique comb I have from Beth Beverly Diamond Tooth Taxidermy. Yep, TAXIDERMY. Be warned that the website has some really unusual stuff (especially for a 20+ year vegetarian and tree-hugging animal lover like me! LOL!). But the comb is GORGEOUS. The pictures are after the fact and I lost a peacock feather somewhere along the way, but you get the point! ;)

I had been super excited to wear this Derek Lam CFDA for Kohl's dress. It's on sale now for only $42. Kohl's is hilarious! LOL! It wound up a bit of a wrinkled mess and was pretty short for me, so I was glad it was chilly and the night called for tights! Design wise the pattern was definitely not what I normally pick out and was fun for a change!

The paddock area was full of bands, acrobats and stilt walkers. Super fun! No pics, though, I was hustling to get out of the rain!

Once in the cozy lounge of the Jockey Club Suites, it was time to enjoy the decor and watch a few races from our private balcony. Happy for the climate control and cover from the rain!

Before long, the random drunkies started wandering into the suite, including this guy:

He told me I looked like a character out of a Tim Burton movie, which may have been intended as an insult, but I love Tim Burton movies, so I'm cool with that! When he came around a second time looking for any leftover alcohol in our suite, it was our cue to call it a night.

All in all, fun start to the racing season. Hoping for nicer weather next weekend for Derby, though!! :)

Julep Maven Boho Glam Intro Box

Julep Maven is a service that provides a monthly box with at least two high end nail polishes and a couple of other products for $19.99/month. When you sign up for the service, you take a fun quiz that places you in one of several style categories and your monthly box is personalized for that style (unless you want to try a different one, skip a month, etc.). I flew through the quiz and was labelled "Boho Glam"and got to see a preview of my intro box. The colors were.... interesting. Not what I would have normally picked but the point is to try something new, right?? So I stuck with the recommended box and have turned out very pleasantly surprised!!

Here's what the box looked like:

The box included Julep polish in Debra ($14) and Leila ($14), Julep Mascara ($24) and a sample of a foot scrub ($2?). The colors are way more muted than what I would normally pick but they really add something different to the massive nail polish collection in my house (which I thought was pretty much impossible at this point! haha). They look fresh and unique and I love them!

Of course, I was home with the 7 year old when I opened this box, so the first attempt at these polishes turned out a little unexpected....

Hers alternated the new yellow with a neon yellow and then all covered in purple glitter:

Then she painted mine turquoise and alternated freehanded tips in new gray and yellow with (of course! ) purple glitter over everything:

This weekend I'll be trying the foot scrub and a more traditional use of the polishes on my toes ;). And I'm a mascara FANATIC so I'm always curious to try a new one!

All in all, I'm definitely interested to see what comes next! And the fact that I got my first box for $.01 and only paid $3.99 shipping for $54 worth of product definitely made it worthwhile!

If you would like to try a box for for the same awesome price, go to Julep and sign up to be a Maven. My referral code is 13467839 if you want to be a doll and help me earn free boxes. When you sign up, you'll get a code to refer friends, too! Use code FREEMAVEN to get your first box for only a penny plus the shipping fee and then cancel at any time if you don't love it!

Tyler Shields Suspense Collection

Ok, I am borderline obsessed with this collection. I've had recurring nightmares for almost a decade that involve seeing my kids fall from a major height and being unable to help or save them. In so many ways, these images capture that moment before the splat that I have been horrified of forever. That being said, I CAN'T QUIT LOOKING AT THEM. They are fascinating. This one features Emma Roberts (who we know is okay and didn't really splat! ;). The ballon one below features Shields' longterm girlfriend Francesca Eastwood (yep, daughter of bad ass Clint). The third one is a self portrait. The hubs and I purchased the two below to add to our collection and I am so excited about them.

A lot of people think "art" is some untouchable, weird thing that the average person can't understand or connect with. I have always thought that photography is a medium that everyone can appreciate. We all take pictures, and it's interesting to see the world through someone else's lens. Find an artist you love, support creativity! If it's an American artist like Tyler Shields, even better! :)

Here are the two we bought:

Suspense Collection info on the Tyler Shields website

Allure Summer Box, Cravebox Girls Night in, PopSugar Men Summer Box

A good ordering day! Big things are coming!!

I was picked for the Girls' Night In box from Cravebox (even though I'm in KY and we can't mail order wine... weak), I was one of the lucky few to snag an Allure Summer Essentials Box and I finally caved and ordered the Men's Summer Must Have box from PopSugar. The suspense was killing me and I figure I can at least gift most of it to brothers and nephews if my hubs thinks it's all crap!! haha!

Are you getting any of these boxes? Which ones are you excited about??

April 2013 PopSugar Must Have Box Review

This is my first review of a subscription box and I am super, super excited!! I was a Beauty Fix subscriber for YEARS, back before it was cool! ;), but discontinued it after boxes became repetitive. I mean, seriously, there are still face lotions piled in drawers and under the sink.... aint nobody got time fo dat. I've recently been reintroduced to the now MASSIVE world of subscription services and am anxious to share some of my thoughts and discoveries!!

The April Must Have box from PopSugar arrived and looked like this upon first open:

A little skimpy from what I've heard?? Idk... my first one!  I've had it for a couple of weeks so I am able to review the products after spending a little time with them. Let's see what goodies were included.

1. Shashi Nugget Bracelet: $30

The thing I grabbed first and my favorite item in the box, this bracelet was super adorbs and is EXACTLY like something I would have picked up and bought on my own. Loved it at first sight. I put it on immediately and have worn it most of the last couple weeks. Unfortunately, it laid a little wonky from the start and the "kinks" in the beads seem to only be getting worse. :'( Sad. I will still wear it but the thoughts I had about buying multiples and gifting them are gone because of the wonkiness (word? LOL) and the fact that the bright turquoise has definitely faded pretty quickly. And sorry for my apparent liver spots? I got a free spray tan over the weekend and I apparently got what I paid for! haha!

2.  Alter Eco Dark Quinoa Chocolate Bar: $3.99

The tracking on this box was insane and included a lost address label and coming to Kentucky then leaving then coming back again. I was a little unsure about the state of a chocolate bar after SO much time in the mail. I ate it anyways.... duh. But it was definitely not my thing. This company appears to be all about snacks with a healthy angle. This bar definitely tasted REALLY healthy, which is definitely not what I'm looking for when I want a treat. I'd rather have something that tastes decadent but is healthy in disguise! ;)

3. Green Garmento PopSugar 4-in-one bag: $9.99

This is a special PopSugar edition of a bag that is supposed to function as a hamper, duffle bag, hanging/drycleaner bag, etc.... Interesting idea. Two weeks later, it's still on the floor of my closet (see the carpet in the photo). Maybe it will make the trip to Santa Barbara next month! ;)

4. Kai Fragrance Oil: $48

Little bitty bottle, 1/8 fl oz, but MAN is the stuff strong. It is very, VERY floral, as in it smells to me EXACTLY like strong, potent fresh lilies. This is definitely WAY more floral than I would normally buy. I'm a girl who loves fragrance, though, so I'm giving it a shot. I've picked it up multiple times in passing off my vanity and put a little on and plan to throw it in a clutch for upcoming Derby events! Perfect size to pack and go!

5. Tatcha Evening Papers: $15

The website references secrets of Japan's geishas... which is a good way to lure me in! ;) I've never used blotting papers but I'm planning to give these a try. Cute little package that will be perfect to stick in a small bag for a summer night out. Says they remove moisture without messing up makeup and, from what I've seen online, people had received these in boxes before and were very happy to get them again!

By my research, total box value is $106.98, not a bad deal for $35! I'm signed up for the May box and the Summer Box that is also supposed to come in May and I can't wait to see what surprises they bring!!

If you'd like to sign up for PopSugar, here's my Referral Link! And be sure to use code REFER5 to get $5 off your first box! :)