PopSugar Must Have: January 2016

Say hello to my first PopSugar of 2016! This month's theme was all about the new year and making time to refresh and renew! As someone who can get stressed very easily if I don't take time to practice self-care, there are many items in this box that I'm excited to use in my self-care practice!

The PopSugar Must Have box is a monthly subscription ($40/month or less if you make a 3, 6, or year long commitment)  that sends subscribers full-size versions of the season's must-have beauty, fashion, home, and fitness products.

Pehr Designs: Pebble Speck Bin - Retail $40

I love it when PopSugar includes awesome home products like this Speck Bin! This bin is perfect for storing knick knacks and looks so so cute with just about any furniture. I've already put it to use holding my stash of knitting needles and yarn (it tends to get all over the living room when I'm feeling crafty) and it fits perfectly into the little corner nook next to my couch! 

Spark Joy by Marie Kondo - Retail $18.99

PopSugar always manages to send me things I've already been looking to buy anyway, so here comes another one: Marie Kondo's guide on organizing life! While I'm not someone who hoards a ton of stuff, there are always areas for improvement so I'm excited to try out Kondo's methodology to see if I can simplify my life more by clearing out clutter. 

Patchology: FlashMasque Trio - Retail $20

A girl can never have enough facial masks! This trio came with masks for different functions (hydrating, exfoliating, and illuminating) and they only need to be left on for five minutes. I've already used the hydrating mask and it definitely made my skin feel hydrated so I'm excited to use the rest! 

Blue Sky: Day Designer Weekly Planner - Retail $15.99

I was most excited to see this Day Designer planner from Blue Sky in my PopSugar! The cover is a gorgeous Robin's egg blue - plus it's flexible and the planner is small enough that I can easily transport it in any purse. While I already own a full-size original Day Designer. I've been using this sweet little planner as my editorial calendar for my blog and it provides just enough space to do the trick! 

Not Soap, Radio: Bath & Shower Gel Gift Set - Retail $22

I've been meaning to take more baths so I'm excited that these shower gels double as bath gels! I'm not in love with all of the smells, but I love that the collection includes a ton of different scents to choose from with creative labels as well!

Project 7, Inc: Summer Snow Sugar Free Gum - $1.99

For this month's sweet treat, PopSugar included gum from Project Inc. What I liked about this gum is that its flavors are based on snow cone flavors - very different than the standard mint/fruity flavors gums usually come in. Plus, the gum is sugar free so I don't feel like I'm ruining my teeth in the process of chewing it! 

Chapstick: Total Hydration 100% Natural Soothing Vanilla - $2.99

Chapstick is one of my favorite classic brands so I was excited to see this in my PopSugar as it's something that I'd buy on a normal basis anyway. I definitely appreciate the fact that PopSugar always includes things that are not only new products but also things that subscribers are likely to use. It makes me feel like I'm getting much more value out of my box when everything I'm getting is something I'm bound to use. 

I am thrilled with this month's PopSugar! There is not a single thing that I won't be using in this month's PopSugar! Plus, the value of the box is (as always) way more than the price I paid for it and that makes this bargain hunter very pleased!

PopSugar is truly the only subscription box I've tried so far that has yet to disappoint. With other boxes, there have always been months where I love every product and other months where I feel like cancelling the subscription all together. So far, PopSugar has impressed me with the value and quality of the products in every box I've received!

Since I finally decided to give my Ipsy bag the axe (for now), I'm now on the lookout for another subscription box to complement my PopSugar! If you've got a suggestion, shoot me a note on social media or my contact page - I'd love to hear from you! 

Ipsy Glam Bag: January 2016

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I fell in love with subscription boxes when I started in 2012 with a subscription to Birchbox. Since then, I have fallen in and out of love with different boxes, but I'm always excited to try new boxes. I love coming home to a package in the mail and getting to try new beauty samples without having to spend money on full-size products. I originally subscribed simply because I loved the idea of getting a little gift every month, but I've since found that beauty boxes have actually helped curb my makeup buying habits. I find that (contrary to popular belief) I actually buy less makeup since I know that I will always get a new lip product or nail polish every couple of months .

Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription that gives subscribers 4-5 sample and full size products for $10 a month. All of the beauty samples also come in a handy little makeup bag. I love that all of Ipsy's products come in these adorable bags because they are insanely useful for holding just about anything!

Dirty Little Secrets Cosmetics: Satin Lipstick in Vengeance

Receiving new lip products is my favorite part of getting my ipsy bag! I always get at least one new lip product and since I love trying new lip shades, ipsy is perfect for this. While I'm not in love with this shade - it's a little too bright for my taste - it will still work nicely in combination with some more muted shades. 

Tucker Ashley: Advanced Peptide Eye Complex

I'm always excited about trying new anti-aging products not really because I'm overly obsessed with preventing aging so much as I love feeling like I'm doing something good for my skin, so the more creams I can slather on my face the better - ha! This eye cream has a neutral smell and feels nice and cool on the skin. Plus, the sample is pretty big for an eye cream so it will last me quite a while.  

MARSK: Mineral Eyeshadow

Like I've mentioned in multiple past posts - eye shadow is still a product that I'm learning to use since it can be very tricky with the shape of my eyes. Since I already have a ton of eye shadow that I do not use very often, I really wasn’t looking to receive any more. I always indicate on my profile that I'm not interested in eye shadow but somehow I end up with an eye shadow in every bag. I wish I had the option to opt out of receiving certain products and really feel that this is somewhere that ipsy can work to improve. 

Promise Organic: Ultra Moisturizing Argan Crème Facial Lotion

I love receiving any type of facial lotion in my ipsy bags because I'm always looking for new and better moisturizing products! This one has a nice, natural smell and the consistency is thin. In my experience, many facial lotions have been too heavy and oily for my combination skin so I love that this facial lotion feels light and really feels like it's re-hydrating my face rather than dumping a layer of oil over it!

theBalm Cosmetics: Mr. Write (Now)

I've received a couple of past items from theBalm in my ipsy bag before but have yet to find a product that I'm really in love with.  I like that this eyeliner comes in a twist-up format but it didn't slide on as easily as I was hoping it would despite the fact that I'd primed my eyelids beforehand. 

Unfortunately, for now, I've decided to put a hold on my ipsy subscription. While this likely won't be a permanent cancellation because I do love trying out new beauty samples, I'm really not thrilled with the products I've received in the last couple of months and I don't feel like I'm getting my money's worth of products that are actually relevant to my personal preferences.

Maybe it's time I switched back to Birchbox or tried a new beauty box? I'm still trying to decide! If you've got a beauty box you think I should try, let me know! 

Weekend Plaid & Sparkles ✧

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Headband: Deepan Gurnani/Earrings: Target/Tank: Old Navy/Shirt: Francesca's/Yoga Pants: Victoria's Secret

I'm a homebody at heart so I love spending my weekends at home rejuvenating in my cozy apartment. Having nowhere to go for an entire day, however, can really hurt my productivity because I feel no motivation to do anything other than mosey around snacking! One way I've found to really gear up for my day even if I'm spending it mostly at home is to dress up a little bit - if only for myself and my boyfriend.

Just because you're spending a day at home doesn't mean you have to wear marshmallow sweatpants and sweatshirts all day right? (I'm guilty of this on many occasions) Sometimes, being dressed and ready for the day even encourages me to get things done at a local library or coffee shop instead, since I'm already dressed! While I'm not advocating for a full-face of make-up + ready-for-work outfit, I do think there is something to be said for dressing up at home. It makes me feel more confident and brings my energy level up.

On the weekends, I live in yoga pants, so instead of changing that, I like to let myself keep the comfy-ness of my trusty yoga pants while adding simple things I can throw on quickly like a flannel or cardigan. On top of that, headbands are awesome for dressing up an outfit without too much effort since they're easy to throw on and add just little bit of sparkle to an outfit.

How do you like to jazz up your at-home outfits?