Wittlebee is a fairly new entrant into the crowded curated subscription field, and I love the concept. For $39.99/month, they sent a box of 8ish clothing items for your baby or toddler, customized to the size, gender, and taste preferences you specify. Wittlebee is sort of a combination of the curated subscription model (since their stylists pick out the actual items you receive) and the subscribe-for-convenience model. Given the rate at which kids grow, and how busy parents are, this combo seems to make good sense.

For the purposes of my trial, I told Wittlebee that I would like 3-6 month sized clothes in gender neutral styles, that I was specifically in need of short-sleeved and long-sleeved shirts and onesies, pants, shorts, and pajamas, and that I preferred bright colors to pastels. I further indicated that my child's personality was "hippy," (other options included
things like "princess," "diva," "mix & match," "casual," "preppy," and "sporty") and that I needed clothes mostly for around the house (rather than, for example, "Cold Weather Cuddles" or "Hot Summer Days"). There is also a free-form space where you can put in any specific preferences, or you can request a personal consult with a "mom stylist." I didn't do either of those things.

I neglected to make note of when I ordered my box, but I am fairly sure it came within the two week window the site mentions. It didn't seem to take long. The packaging was nice--a heavy cardboard box with the yellow tissue-paper wrapped clothes folded nicely inside, exactly like what Wittlebee shows on their site. A promotional sticker and small bee logo toy were also included. When I unpacked the box, this is what was in it:

The contents:
-Baby Lulu pink and silver striped hat
-soft blue hat with no label
-Kidcosmic black, green, and white bib
-American Apparel Infant Baby Rib Karate Pants in Red and Olive (retail $12 each)
-Cottonseed Short-Sleeved Onesie in Sunflower (retail $16)
-American Apparel Infant Baby Rib Short Sleeve One-Piece in Red (retail $11.50)
-Baby Avenue onesie in white (can't find online anywhere)
-Cottonseed Long Sleeve Lap Tees in Tangerine and Turquoise (retail $16 each)
-Cottonseed Short Sleeve Lap Tee in Pomegranate (retail $16)

If I only count the value of the pieces I could find online (all the clothes except the white onesie and neither of the hats or the bib), that's $99.50 worth of clothes, at full price! I can't argue with that, especially since I got my box with a 1/2 off coupon, so I only paid $20!

Overall, I was impressed by the quality of the things Wittlebee sent. I'd not heard of Cottonseed before, but their t-shirts and onesie are made out of thick, soft cotton, and I think they'll be very useful. American Apparel I am less excited about, because I hate that particular company, and I'd prefer Wittlebee not use them at all. The additions from small boutiques like Baby Lulu and Kidcosmic were really cool as well, I thought--a good mix of big companies and smaller ones.

One thing I noticed right off was that the items I received were very, very basic/plain. Looking at the boxes other people have received, I think this is probably because I asked for a box for a baby, and I asked for it to be gender neutral. I suspect offerings for older kids are a bit more creative. Wittlebee is also pretty gendered in how they set up their style questions (very few options are the same for both boys and girls), so the stylists probably don't have a ton of gender neutral items on-hand to choose from. That said, my stylist clearly paid attention to the preferences I indicated--everything was the right size, I got short and long-sleeved shirts, onesies, and pants, as I requested, and all the colors were bright and gender neutral.

From what I can tell, Wittlebee is doing an excellent job with the service they're offering--keeping busy parents from needing to replace kids' clothes all the time, introducing fun new styles and brands. But it's not a bargain service--$40/month is, to me, a lot for kids' clothes, even if they are three times that much new. I also don't have a good idea, yet, as to whether this size box, monthly, is really necessary for a kid--do they ruin/outgrow things that fast?

I think Wittlebee is something I'll try again when this baby is a bit older and I can thrift wearables for him/her less easily. At that point, I hope Wittlebee will have introduced a quarterly option, like Lost Crates has done, as I think that's more my speed at this price point. If you have the disposable income and don't like to or have time to shop for kids' clothing, though, I would definitely give them a try. Take a look around online for coupon codes, too, as I have seen several 50% off your first box codes floating around.

In March, I told you about my first Citrus Lane box. Since y'all were interested in the products in that box, I thought I'd go ahead and review April's offering as well. And April was just as good as March!

As before, the packaging was fine, but unremarkable--a branded cardboard mailing box and a layer of tissue paper. I apparently didn't photograph it. Inside, I found:

The box theme was "Bed & Bathtime Fun." The included products were:
-Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Baby Wipes, full-sized travel pack (estimated value $2.39): Can't complain about this extremely useful item! I figure these will be our first diaper bag wipes!
-iPlay Organic Woven Terry Hooded Towel (estimated value $25): This towel is a very nice addition to the box--it seems to be of really high quality. We have, for some reason, amassed a ton of baby towels already, but this is the nicest one we have.
-Satsuma Designs Bamboo Flannel Wash Cloths & Reusable Wipes, bundle of three (estimated value $12): These are adorable. They're made of thick, soft flannel and are plain white with colored edging. I think they will definitely be useful.
-Juice Beauty Antioxidant Serum, deluxe size sample (estimated value $45 for 2 oz, sample is about .33 oz, $7.43): This is the "mommy" addition to the box. I've been getting a ton of Juice Beauty samples all over the place lately--anybody know what's up with that? Anyway, this seems imminently usable and was appreciated.
-My Dentist's Choice Tooth Tissues, full-sized pack (estimated value $4): These puzzled me at first, but apparently they are for wiping the gums/new teeth of babies who are to little to brush. I have a hard time picturing that, but I guess it's worth trying?

Estimated box value: $50.82

As before, Citrus Lane included a cute insert the detailed each product, as well as gave coupon codes for most of them. A $15 gift certificate to Eco Mom was also included in the box (and it's an actual gift certificate--no minimum purchase required). There was also a little bit of information about establishing a bedtime routine for a baby, and some book and lullaby CD recommendations.

Overall, this box was very well put-together, with all of the items being of a high quality and useable. I have absolutely no reason to complain about any of it. With the possible exception of the tooth wipes, I think we'll put each item to good use in the coming months. Absolutely no qualms about keeping this subscription active, and recommending it!

Beauty Army's slightly different take on the curated subscription box model has had me interested for quite a while, so I was stoked when my name finally came up on their waiting list this past month! The difference between Beauty Army and other services is that you pick your own samples--from a set of curated options. This is, for me, both a benefit and a cost. I lose the element of surprise, which sucks, but I'm also more likely to get stuff I can actually use.

Beauty Army allows you to choose six samples, from a selection of nine. Your possible selections are based on a survey you take on their site. The cost is $12/month, including S&H, and recently they've rolled out the ability to skip months when none of the samples appeal.

I selected my samples on April 10. On April 13 I got a shipping notice for my box. Surprisingly, the box didn't show up until April 21. That's reasonable, just a bit longer than these things typically seem to take.

Beauty Army does a good job with packaging. This is what arrived at my house:

The matte black box with its pink camo interior is definitely reusable, though I haven't come up with a good use for mine yet. The products are wrapped in black tissue paper.

These were my products:

They are:
-Babor Anti-Stress Anti-Jetlag Cream, .5 oz sample (estimated value $72 for 1.7 oz, or $21.18): I haven't tried this yet, but I'm excited about it, as it looks a bit different than the typical skin cream and is formulated specifically for fighting stress and fatigue. I figure with a new baby, I might need that.
-Mama Mio Boob Tube, 1 oz sample (estimated value $45 for 3.4 oz, or $13.24): Choosing this one was a no-brainer for me, as I've been falling in love with Mama Mio products throughout my pregnancy. I haven't noticed any chest sagging yet, but I hear it's in the mail, so hopefully this will help!
-BeFine Night Cream, 1 oz sample (estimated value $30 for 1.7 oz, or $17.65): I am a sucker for a moisturizer, is the truth. And I've tried and liked other BeFine products, so I choose this one. Again, haven't tried it yet (I try not to keep more than 2-3 types of a given product open at a time and I have two going in this category right now), but I look forward to using it.
-Weleda Almond Soothing Cleansing Lotion, .34 oz sample (estimated value $19 for 2.5 oz, or $2.58): This one is a lower value sample, I guess, but I love Weleda and knew I'd use this, so I snapped it up. I've used it before and know that I like it and it treats my skin nicely, so I'll probably save it for travel.
-CellCeuticals NeoCell, .33 oz sample (estimated value $47.50 for 2 oz, or $7.84): This one I chose just out of curiosity, as I've heard about it/seen it around a lot lately and am interested in the idea of skin "resurfacing." I haven't built up the nerve to try it yet, though.
-Freeman Beauty Pssssst Instant Dry Shampoo, 1.76 oz sample (estimated value $6.99 for 5.3 oz, or $2.32): In all honesty, I knew I wouldn't use this, as my very-dry hair has no need for dry shampoo, but I selected it as a good swap candidate, and I have already sent it on to a friend, who says it works great!

Total box value: $64.81. Can't argue with that!

Overall, I am very pleased with my first Beauty Army experience. Next month, I hope I'll be a bit more excited about my options (and have more non-skincare options to choose from), but I really can't complain about the quality or value of the products, or about the gift-like packaging. I look forward to seeing how this one plays out.

Yay, a new variety of curated subscription club! For $25/month (S&H included), Barkbox sends "four or more" products for your dog. When you set up your account, you select a dog size, so the products are at least somewhat tailored to your specific needs. A percentage of the proceeds from each box goes to support dog-related charities. Good deal, right?

I got my first Barkbox in April. The company sent me a complimentary box to review, so I cannot speak to ordering and shipping speeds on this one.

The box I received was a regular cardboard shipping box, branded with the Barkbox logo. When I opened it, it looked like this:

Inside I found:

From top left:
-Carob Chip Little Eatz, 3 oz package (estimated value $3.99): I'm always game for new pet treats, but these ones, unfortunately, are wheat based. We don't feed any of our animals wheat.
-Barkbox promotional t-shirt, size medium: I honestly think Barkbox did themselves a disservice by including promotional items for their company in the box. People do not want to pay to promote you. This item didn't add value, and it rubbed me the wrong way.
-Barkworthies 5" Bull Ring (estimated value $5.95): Again, a reasonable addition to the box, and I liked that they included the bigger version of this product, as I have a big dog, but these are not something we use for our dog.
-K-10+ Calcium Supplement and Vitamin Supplement, 1 of each (estimated value $34.99 for 14, or $2.50 each): I thought these were an interesting addition, because they're a product I wasn't aware of, and I can see the utility of (it's not easy to get a dog to take a vitamin). However, only including one packet of each doesn't really make them useful to trial, so I'm mixed on how I feel about this inclusion.
-Eco Dog Planet Doggy Waste Bags, 20 ct (estimated value $9.99 for 60, or $3.33): These are biodegradable bags made of tapioca, which I thought was kind of interesting, but other than that I am non-plussed. It seems like every pet-related anything you get includes poop pick-up bags, and we tend towards using bags from Target or the supermarket, which are a little...sturdier.
-Freezy Pups Kit (estimated value $19.99): This kit was the box's "big item," and it was definitely the one I thought was the coolest. It's a little dog-bone shaped ice cube tray, which comes with four packets of mixes to make dog Popsicle treats (each one will make a tray of treats). The mixes are made of real food, too! The Juicy Apple mix is just dehydrated apples, the Sweet Potato N' Maple just sweet potatoes and maple syrup, the Chicken Soup just chicken broth, carrot, and a bit of salt, and the White Cheddar Cheese just cheddar, whey, milk, and a bit of salt. AND they're all organic. I think this item is really, really cool.

Total estimated value of box: $38.26

All told, my feelings about my first Barkbox are mixed. With the exception of the Freezy Pups Kit, there was nothing in it that excited me, and it's not likely we'll use any of the other products. However, the treats, bully ring, and waste bags are legitimate inclusions, just not things we happen to use, so I can't really fault the company for that. The t-shirt, as I mentioned, was, to my view, a misstep in marketing. I liked the inclusion of the vitamin packets, but they suffer from the too-small-to-be-useful-sample issue (which is a bit inevitable with something that high value). I would have liked to see a toy included, as the box seemed to rely a little heavily on treats, with three treat items. Overall, I think Barkbox would make a great gift for a new dog owner who is not up-to-date on the items available for dogs, but I'm not sure it would be worth the cost of subscription for a seasoned pet owner.

For the sake of being complete, I took at look around at other Barkbox review to see if other people's received items were more or less useful. The heavily reliance on treat items seems to be standard--the January box reviewed at PuppyDust included two bully sticks, a bag of treats, and a food additive, and the other April box reviews I found included the same or similar items as mine. Barkbox should probably be aware that treats are going to be a difficult thing to lean on so heavily, since dog owners are increasingly picky about what they give their pups.

Would you like to try Barkbox? Use the coupon code NOONEWATCHING for $5 off your first box! And do come and let me know what you get!

Barkbox provided the box I reviewed. This review is not otherwise compensated and all thoughts are my own.

Beauty curated subscription service The Look Bag follows the model set up by Birchbox. For $10/month, members are sent 5 "luxury beauty samples." The products are tailored to match your "personal beauty profile" by "Celebrity Beauty Therapist and Eyebrow King" Damone Roberts. Bags should arrive within the first two weeks of every month.

My first Look Bag experience didn't *quite* meet expectations. I signed up for the service on March 19, at which time I received an email stating that "within the first two weeks of every month, you will receive an assortment of 5 different high-end beauty samples in a luxurious bag." On April 16 (not within the first two weeks of April), I received this, packed in a padded mailing envelope:

To my mind, the pink organza bag the products were packed is not a "luxurious" bag. The mailing envelope shoved in my mailbox was certainly not luxury packaging. On the website, the models are shown holding substantial sized boxes with Look Bag logos on them--more like what Birchbox does--and that is what I was expecting. So the packaging, and the time of shipping, were both slightly disappointing.

But what about the products themselves? I received:

-Pur-lisse Pur~Protect SPF 30, .5 oz sample (estimated value $12.94): I was excited about this, as I think Pur-lisse is a good brand and I am excited to try any moisturizer with a high SPF, in the hopes of finding something that works like sunscreen without feeling or smelling like sunscreen.

-CoCo Cosmetics Jovie Jubilee Body Lotion, 2 oz sample (estimated value $4): Not so jazzed about this one, as it's a lower end lotion and the smell doesn't do anything for me. Probably going into the giveaway box.

-Laura Mercier Perfecting Water Rich, .34 oz sample (estimated value $1.93): This is an interesting sample--it's a water you put on before moisturizer/mixed with moisturizer to make it more moisturizing. It's a smallish sample, so not a huge value, but something I'll be interested to try, and I like Laura Mercier a lot as a brand.

-Orofluido Beauty Elixer, .17 oz sample (estimated value $1.31): I have a sample of this hair oil from a Birchbox a few months ago, and I like and use it, so I was happy to see this. The sample seems small at less than 1/2 oz, but a little of this stuff goes a long, long way, so it's good for quite a few uses. I'm finding hair oils to be a lifesaver for my pregnancy/humidity frizz issues.

-Virga BotanicalsWater Garden perfume sample: I don't like perfume samples. This one is made by an indie business, which is cool, but it's a heavy floral, which I wouldn't be into even if I did like perfume samples. It's also just a little umarked vial, which seems like an afterthought and not very professional from a packaging standpoint.

All in all, I feel really mixed about this bag. I was unimpressed by the packaging and shipping, and found two of the five samples to be fairly worthless. The other three samples, however, were all things I'll be interested to use, in quantities that are useful. The total value is approximately $20, which is reasonable, though not as high as I'd like (and low compared to other subscription services like Birchbox). I did find the products to be more similar than I'd like--no makeup, three skin care products, one hair care product, and a perfume--but that may change over time. I'll be keeping an open mind on this one and seeing what the next few installments bring before I make a decision as to whether to keep or cancel it.

Updated on 5/1/12: Sorry, I'm a day late with the winner! Congratulations, Melissa, you've won a 3-month subscription to Green Grab Bag!

One of the areas of curated subscription that seems to have really exploded recently is "green" boxes. Blissmobox, Conscious Box, and Pink Moment offer general "green" selections. Kara's Way, Eco-Emi, and Goodebox (reviewed here) focus on natural and sustainable beauty products. Up for review today is another entrant into the green beauty category, Green Grab Bag.

Green Grab Bag follows the same general model as most of the other curated subscription boxes. For $15/month, they send at least six samples of natural beauty products. Their website includes a long list of green brands, including some great ones like Lavera and Vapour. I was very excited to try their offering.

My Green Grab Bag was shipped right on time and arrived quickly. The packaging looks like this:

It's a printed reusable bag, with the products inside wrapped in tissue paper. The little card, tied to the handles with raffia, gives information about each product. Not THAT exciting, but really nice packaging that goes along with their green theme, and all of my products arrived intact.

These were the products I found inside my bag:

From left to right:
-full-sized Revolution Organics Freedom Gloss, in Vibe (est. value $26): this seems like a really nice product, unfortunately, the "Vibe" shade is pretty rusty-orange, and that's NOT a good color for me. Bummer, because I think I could have worn any of the other four shades.
-one-use size sample packet of Delizioso Skincare Organic Elderberry Hair Smoothie (est. value: $36 for 4 oz, packet was maybe .25 oz, so $2.25): this is an interesting product, but I HATE single-use samples, especially since the product website specifically says "Best results after prolonged use."
-.5 oz sample of Skin Perfection Seven Seas Mask (est. value: $24.50 for 2 oz, so $6.13): I tried this the other night and it's GOOD stuff. My skin felt amazing after I washed it off--smooth, soft, and I think it even minimized some post-breakout redness. It's also a good sized sample--I think probably 4-5 uses worth. Definite win on this one.
-1 oz SheaTerra Organics Pink Guavas and Pomegranates Ultimate Moisturizing Body Cream (est. value $6): I haven't tried this yet, but it smells night and fruity and I tend to like whipped shea butter creams a lot, so I have high hopes for it.
-.65 mL sample of Tsi-La Ilang Ilang perfume (est. value: $44 for 4 mL, so $7.15): I straight up can't stand perfume samples. That said, this one smells REALLY nice. It's ylang ylang (ilang ilang), jasmine, citrus, and vanilla. It's too strong for me right now, but I could see myself wearing it in the future.
-full-sized Mineral Hygienics eyeshadow in Madras (est. value $13): This is another nice addition to the box. I am trepidatious of mineral makeup (for no real reason), but shadow is a really interesting medium pink color that I definitely think I will try. I was also really happy to see that they included a full-sized version, rather than a too-small-to-easily-use packet sample.

Total estimated value of Green Grab Bag: $60.53

As was likely clear in reading my descriptions of the products that were included in my bag, I think Green Grab Bag did an excellent job with this one. There were a variety of products included (two makeup items, a hair treatment, a body treatment, a perfume, and a skin treatment), most of the samples were large enough to use several times, and packaging was good, if not great. As a bonus, none of the products were from brands I already knew about--yay for being introduced to all new stuff! As I mentioned when I reviewed Goodebox, I'm a little bit concerned about how many product offerings there really are in the "green beauty" space, and how long Green Grab Bag will be able to continue featuring good, new products, but give their already long list of brands, that may be an unfounded concern.

And now, the best part! You get to try this one out for yourselves! Green Grab Bags has generously agreed to give one WINOW reader a THREE MONTH subscription! Yay for three months of surprise bags full of sustainable beauty products in the mail! To enter, please do the following:

1. Leave a comment on this post pointing me (and Green Grab Bags) towards a green or eco-beauty brand you'd like to see included.

and/or

2. Give this post a shout-out on Facebook and/or Twitter and link to it in the comments.

and/or

3. "Like" Green Grab Bag on Facebook (here) and/or follow them on Twitter (here) and come back to leave a comment saying you did so.

This contest will be open for one week, to close next Monday, April 30, at 9am EST. Good luck!

Added on 4/26/12: For those who don't win, or who can't wait, Green Grab Bag has a great promotion for Mother's Day! Buy your mom (or your favorite mom!) a 3, 6, or 12 month subscription and get a bonus bag for yourself, free!

Green Grab Bag provided the bag for my review and will provide the contest winner a three-month subscription. This post was not otherwise compensated.

Man, this review is a bummer to write. For the first time, I am so disappointed in a subscription box that I can't really think of much of anything good to say about it. I thought about just not reviewing in this case, to keep things positive, but that seems dishonest. So here's the facts:

I signed up to receive Beauty Box 5 March 19. The website looked promising--$12/month for 4-5 samples of some interesting brands, packaged up in what looked like a cute little blue box.

And then I waited. And finally, on April 18, a full month after I signed up (and paid), I got a shipping notice for my first box. OK, that's a long wait time, but no big deal. Shipping was oddly fast--the box arrived the next day!

It seemed...small, from the outside packaging. And then I opened it and saw this:

Hrm...some weird Easter-basket-esque filler and the products in a little organza bag. Not what I expected. Definitely not the gift feeling of the blue box and ribbon shown on the website. Still, better to look at the products before I get too judgmental, right?

This is what's in the bag:

Yeah. Take a close look. That's:
-a single Waterproof LA Fresh Makeup Remover Wipe (estimated value $9.99 for 20, or $.50)
-a .14 oz sample packet of Pur-Lisse Pur-Protect SPF 30 Daily Moisturizer (estimated value $55 for 1.7 oz, or $4.53)
-a 15 mL sample of Freeman Pink Grapefruit Exfoliating Scrub (estimated value $3.99 for 150 mL, or $.40)
-a single SuperGoop Sunscreen Swipe (estimated value $10 for 10, or $1)
-a mL sample of True Natural Advanced Lift & Firm Serum (estimated value $69 for .5 oz, or $18.67)

Total estimated value: $25.10

There was no enclosed literature introducing me to the products, just a little card directing me to the website.

It would be an understatement to say I was underwhelmed by this box. With the exception of the serum, the sample are all single use, so even though they are technically of a higher value than the $12 price tag, they won't be particularly useful as testers--most things need to be tested more than once. They're also ALL skin products, which is neither particularly interesting or diverse. Compared to all of the other sample boxes I've received, they seem absolutely chinzy. So much so that, after finding a few other reviews of Beauty Box 5 online that seemed like they had nicer things (including full-sized products), I wondered if a mistake had been made with my box. (These reviews include this one of the March box at Nail Art Couture, this one of the March box at Mes Joies de Vivre, and this one of the February box at Pink Sith.) Surely a company trying to establish itself as competition to the extremely successful Birchbox would not intentionally send out a box such as this? I decided to send an email to customer service expressing my disappointment and see what they had to say.

Customer service got back to me quickly--within about 12 hours. However, the reply I received was very unsatisfactory. The customer service representative presented me with list of product values (some of which were different than those I found on my own), and said:

There is a misconception about beauty boxes in that it's a way receive free products
- that is not our mission. Our mission is help you find the right products by sampling quality brands that will benefit your skin, your time, and your budget.

My other concerns, about the quality of the products themselves (Freeman? really?), the small sample sizes not being big enough for true testing, and the lack of variety, were ignored.

I replied to the customer service representative and told her about the alternative values of the products I'd found (the difference, to be fair, was only a few dollars). I also reiterated my concern about the small sample sizes and limited variety. For a comparison, I mentioned what I had received in my last Birchbox (Birchbox is a $10/month program, 20% cheaper than Beauty Box 5). I also linked to reviews of several past boxes that were clearly of a much higher value than the one I received, still thinking there might have been a mistake of some sort. S/he replied, in part:

But thank you for doing your own research and finding these differences for us. Your absolutely correct in that we've featured higher valued boxes in the past. Additionally, we have also featured lower-valued boxes in the past as well. It really just varies and this is how it will be in the future as well. Some months you may get a $50 box, other months you may get a $20 box. We have never claimed to be a value box (although we do provide it), we focus our mission on providing beauty samples for ladies that are in search of cosmetic products to add to their beauty regimen.

Once again, no response to my complains about getting all skin products, or about the samples being too small to do real testing.

At this point, I saw no point in continuing correspondence, as it was clear there had been no mistake and Beauty Box 5 was standing by the shoddy box I received. I went to cancel my subscription, where I found that I had already been charged for/was committed to the May box, though it won't ship until May 17. The company charges a full month in advance.

At this point, I'd be hard pressed to say whether I am more disappointed in Beauty Box 5's box or their customer service. I am honestly floored that they would go to no trouble to make things right for an unsatisfied customer. I wanted to give them every opportunity to change my mind about their service/product, but instead they only made me more certain that they are the worst curated subscription experience I've had.

So this is the opposite of a recommendation. I strongly encourage my readers to skip Beauty Box 5 when you are considering curated subscription programs. There are a lot of options at this point, and this one is worth neither your time nor your money.

Though I reviewed my first couple Birchboxes, I haven't done a review of one for well over a year. In part, this is because my last few boxes have disappointed me. I was even considering dropping my Birchbox subscription for a bit. However, I really liked my April box, so now seemed like a great time to do another review for the company that, at least for me, started this whole crazy curated subscription thing.

April's box was built around a green theme, in celebration of Earth Day, I assume. The products I received were:

tarte LipSurgence™ lip tint in Peaceful: This tarte lip tint is the first full-sized product I've received in a while and I was jazzed to see it. I love these lip tints and have a bunch of them, but the very neutral Peaceful is not a color I'd have picked out for myself, and I'm sold. At a $24 value, this one product was worth more than twice what I paid for the box, too. Go, Birchbox!

MicrodermaMitt® Body Mitt: A second full-sized product! This mitt is made of floss silk, and it's a great exfoliating tool. A bit too good for my sensitive skin right now, but I think it was a great addition to the box anyway, and the $28.50 price tag really adds to the box's value, too.

Wonderstruck Taylor Swift: God, I wish there were a way to opt out of perfume samples...

Marula - The Leakey Collection™ Omega Rich Pure Marula Oil: I'm getting really into various oils, and this one is one of the best I've tried for skin. It absorbs quickly and completely and feels great on. Unfortunately, the sample sent by Birchbox was wee--only about four uses worth for me. I did appreciate that it came in a tiny pump tube, though, rather than just a vial--makes it much easier to get the tiny bit you need out.

Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream: This sample I wasn't all that jazzed about--it's something I used before and found eh, and it's not a huge amount. But it's not a horrible, unusable sample, either.

All in all, a great box! Huge value, and products I have used/will use!

I looked through the other April offerings, and there were lots of other things I'd have liked to see in my box as well, including Vapour Organic Beauty Siren Lipstick, willa™ Lavender Facial Towelettes, Pangea Organics Lip Balm (I have some of this and use it all the time), WEI™ High Performance Face Treatment Pads, and stila Smoky Eye Shadow. Enough that I started wondering about having multiple concurrent Birchbox subscriptions...So I guess I'm back in Birchbox's fan club. I do still have a lot of questions about how the boxes are being tailored (if at all), though, since it keeps seeming as if other people are getting products that would be better suited to me than the ones I am getting. I'll keep you updated!

Curated subscription club Goodebox focuses on "healthy beauty." In practice, this means Goodebox sends the same types of products as other beauty box services (makeup, skin care, hair care, etc.), but they focus on brands with natural scents, no phthalates, no sulfates, no parabens, etc. The products they send are also animal-friendly. For $16/month including S&H, Goodebox sends at least six samples of these types of products, both from established natural beauty companies and new kids on the block.

I received my first Goodebox in March. The packaging was unremarkable, but sufficient. Inside, I found the following:

alima Luminous Shimmer Blush: A small sample of natural blusher in Freja. Wonderful color and formula, but not a very easy to use sample size. Estimated value, $1.50

alima Bronzer: A small sample of natural bronzer in Belize. Seems like a nice formula, but the color is a bit too dark for me and the sample size, again, is small enough to be difficult to use. Estimate value $1.50.

Clairvoyant Beauty Depuffing Cucumber & Cranberry Eye Gel: A small sample size (.25 fl oz) of natural, vegan eye gel. A little goes a long way, so I've been using this for about two weeks and haven't even killed half the jar yet. I don't know if it's helping much or not--my allergy eyes are puffy no matter what--but it feels nice when I put it on. Estimated value $16.

Clairvoyant Beauty Balancing Rosehip Oil & Hibiscus Serum: A small sample size (.5 fl oz) of natural, vegan skin serum. Haven't yet tried it yet, but it smells wonderful. Estimated value $34.50.

Josie Maran Bear Naked Wipes: LOVE these. An 8-count sample package of the best makeup wipes I've ever used--they take everything off, smell nice,and feel really good to use. I will definitely be buying a full-sized version. Estimated value $6.

Stark Skincare GRAPEFRUIT cleanse + hydrate balm: Reasonably sized sample of a really nice smelling skincare balm. I just can't get down with balms--they feel like Vaseline on my face--but if I could, I'd use this one. Estimated value $9.

Stark Skincare Green Tea Detox Clay Mask: One or two-use sized sample of natural mask. Haven't used it yet, but I will try it. Estimated value $6.

Total estimated value: $74.50

There were a couple of things I really liked about my Goodebox. First, I hadn't ever seen any of these products before--they were all brand new to me, and that was really cool. Secondly, all of the products are cruelty-free, which is wonderful. Third, I really, really love the Josie Maran wipes--the introduction to them was worth the price of the box alone. Finally, Goodebox does something I haven't seen any other subscription company do--they send an email, after you receive your box, that lists each product, gives information about it, provides a URL to it, and has a coupon code for it. That's very smart business, and a nice touch.

The thing I liked less was the size of the samples. I understand that samples need to be small to be cost-effective, but some of the included samples were simply too small to use easily or to get a good idea of how I feel about the product. The Josie Maran sample pack was a great size (8 wipes), and the Stark Skincare and Clairvoyant Beauty samples were fine, but the samples from Alima really were too small. These Alima and Clairvoyant samples were also pretty poorly packaged, without full labeling. This makes the products feel a lot less special and a lot more like something you got in a free bin or shoved into your bag at Sephora.

Another concern I have is about the extent to which Goodebox is personalized. Looking around online, I saw a review of a box exactly like mine. More looking around makes me think that all of the March boxes were the same. This isn't necessarily a problem, but I think I prefer curated subscription models that tailor to individual tastes/needs at least a little bit.

I can't recommend Goodebox whole-heartedly, because of the issues I had with sample size and because I am a bit trepidatious about what they will find to keep filling their boxes with--how many natural beauty products are there to sample, really? However, I did like this box enough, and find it to be a good enough value, that I will try again next month. I'll come back and report on April's box then.

I know I've said this before, but I think I found a new favorite curated subscription program. petiteBox is a new US offering from the folks behind UK-based beauty subscription service Glossybox. petiteBox is intended for women in the second half of pregnancy and the first year of a baby's life, and each box is specifically geared to the current stage of the subscriber and her baby. Each box contains 4-7 products (not samples), as well as some very well-done literature. The focus is on health, wellness, and pampering for mom, as well as top-of-the-line stuff for baby. The products are promised to include the "creme de la creme of brands within the baby and parenting space."

And y'all, they aren't lying.

First, the packaging for petiteBox is the hands-down best I've seen for any curated subscription service. The box, shown above, is large, heavyweight, pretty, and completely reusable (I'm already thinking of ways to re-purpose a stack of these).

Inside, the products are wrapped in tissue paper and everything is sealed with a simple logo sticker.

After you pull away the tissue paper, you'll find extremely well-packaged products, nicely arranged, and whatever literature petiteBox includes. In my box, there was a welcome letter, a press release, an informative product card listing the contents of the box, and an envelope of cute cards with information on them, including a tutorial on how to choose a diaper bag and a recipe card for pregnant-and-breastfeeding friendly beverages.

This was the whole contents of my box:

From bottom left, you are seeing:

Angel Dear Blankie: Adorable, super-soft combo of a stuffed animal and a blanket for little ones (retail $13).

Earth Friendly Baby Shampoo/Body Wash: A full-sized bottle of nice lavender-smelling baby wash (retail $9.95).

Basq Calm Resilient Body Oil: A full-sized bottle of really lovely lavender pear smelling body oil (retail $38).

MAM Pacifiers: A package of two BPA-free MAM pacifiers (retail $6.95).

Lotus Wei Infinite Love Mist: A full-sized bottle of amazing smelling "Infinite Love Mist" spray (retail $35).

Basq Advanced Stretch Mark Butter: A little one-use sample packet of stretch mark butter (retail $35 for the 4 oz full-size).

Lasinoh HPA Lanolin Oil: A full-sized tube of pure lanolin nipple cream (retail $10.99).

So what do you notice about these products? Well, first off they're all, as promised, high end. You won't find most of this at CVS. Secondly, the retail value of this box is far and away above the $25 price tag. Adding up the retail prices for the products, I get a whopping $113.89! They're also all useful--the included toy/blanket is something I can see my child loving, and the body products, for both mom and baby, are all really nice. With the exception of the lanolin, to which I am allergic (no way for them to know that!), I will use everything in this box. It also introduced me to new brands, particularly Basq, whose products I will further investigate.

With their first box, petiteBox has exactly captured what is so great about curated subscription services. The beautiful products and lovely packaging make this box feel like a gift, and every product in it is both interesting and useful. I honestly cannot give high enough marks to this one, and I cannot wait to see what next month will bring!

4/11/12: Congratulations to Nancy, the winner of a "Found In _____" crate!

Remember back in October when I told you about stationary-focused curated subscription club Lost Crates? I thought Lost Crates was really cool then.

Lost Crates is way, way cooler now. They've completely revamped, and now they feature six different subscription box options. They still have their $38/month stationary offering, but they also have an eco box (also $38/month), a housewares box ($68/month), a foodie box ($48/month), a "Found in ________" box, which features products from a new city every month ($48/month), and "Jack's Picks," a box of monthly surprises selected by "design aficionado" Jack ($38/month). When Lost Crates asked me to choose one of their new offerings to review, it seriously took me days to make my selection. Every single box sounds fantastic!

Finally, I chose the housewares box, figuring I'd go with the box most likely to appeal to most of my readers. I was not disappointed. March's box theme was "Cocktails Anonymous," and the products selected by the Lost Crates team to highlight this theme were fantastic--both innovative and useful. They included:

Rocking Whiskey Glasses: The boxes biggest item was a full set of six 6 3/4 oz whiskey tumblers, made by the Swedish company Sagaform. These glasses are on a round base, so they "rock," but don't fall over. They're attractive, made of high quality glass, and innovative--I'd never seen the rocking design before.

Graffiti Cocktail Shaker: Everybody needs a cocktail shaker, but most people already have one. How does Lost Crates deal with that? They include this innovative shaker, made to look like a spray paint can. It's a Philadelphia University/Kikkerland Design collaboration project winner and though it's not exactly to my taste (little Andy Warhol for me), it's very cute. It's also a high-quality shaker that my resident drink master thinks looks leak-proof.

Whiskey Stones: I thought the addition of the whiskey stones, US-made of US-soapstone by Vermont company Teroforma, was the best part of the crate. I love the idea and appearance of whiskey stones, and I particularly love that Lost Crates chose "local" stones, and really attractive ones!

Double Jigger: The double jigger included in the crate, made by Harold Imports, was my least favorite item. I get the practical value of a jigger, but there was nothing exceptional or innovative about the particular jigger that was chosen. That said, not ever item has to be one-of-a-kind, and the jigger did round out the collection nicely (at least, it would for people who measure their liquor...)

There were several things I really loved about this crate. First, the products were largely new to me. We have a pretty extensive collection of both new and vintage barware at my house, and, with the exception of the jigger, nothing in this crate duplicates something we already have. That's awesome. It also introduced me to some new brands, specifically Sagaform--and they're good to know about, because they design really beautiful stuff (I've got my eye on this teapot now). Introducing me to products and companies of which I was not otherwise aware is one of the top reasons I love the curated subscription model.

I also liked that the products included in this crate were, by and large, useful. They're all things I can easily incorporate into my household, and none of them are so anachronistic that I have to wonder where they should go (or to whom I should gift them). Relatedly, the products are all high-quality--they are things that are expected to have long, useful lives, not cheap disposables. This is a qualm I have about some curated subscription programs, where the focus is more on "hey, you got a present!" and less on "hey, this is something you can really keep and use." Everything in this box was keep-and-use-able.

Though it's true that every product in my crate can be easily found on Amazon and elsewhere, I was also impressed by the focus on independent and non-US design. While the jigger is a pretty basic made-in-China model, the glasses, shaker, and stones are all examples of less run-of-the-mill design, coming from a Nordic company, a design contest winner, and a small US business, respectively. If Lost Crates continues to go out of its way to support these types of businesses, that will go a long way with me, and it already goes a long way that they did so with this box.

Curious about what the boxes I didn't choose might have contained, I poked around Lost Crates' website and found that, for those who hate surprises (fools!), they give a full accounting of what is in each box each month. So, for March, were the other boxes as great as mine? I'd say yes! The $48/month foodie box was another one I was tempted to get, and had I done so, I'd have been happy! The March selections were on a "Cup O' Joe" theme, and included a Chemex, a box of Chemex filters, and a pound of Intelligentsia Coffee! I'd have loved that, and again would have found the products both new and innovative (I've heard of Intelligentsia, but not tried it, and I don't have a Chemex) and useful!

The "Found In ______" box was the other one I'd have really loved to try, much as I'm a sucker for local products and for travel. For March, the box's featured city was Brooklyn, and it contained a set of coasters from Brooklyn Slate, a bottle of blueberry candy from Brooklyn Hard Candy, a Brooklyn Maptote wine tote bag, a Pepperpress "Greetings from Brooklyn" letterpress postcard, and a letterpress "Good Luck" card from Walk Up Press. Though these items are a bit lower on the "long-lasting and useful" scale than those in the other two crates I've mentioned, it's still a very well-curated collection, and one I'd have been happy to receive.

Lost Crates is not the same as other curated subscription companies I've featured. They are at a higher price point, and the products included in the crates reflect that price point. These aren't samples, they aren't seconds, and providing a discount isn't what Lost Crates does. Instead, they are selling small collections of carefully curated items, and they're selling them at a premium. Were you able to find the collection of items I received yourself, for example, you'd probably pay $8-$10 less for them than the $68/month charged for the housewares crate (at least, you would based on Amazon prices). However, you'd lose two important things--the expertise of their selection/curation, and the gift aspect of receiving a surprise in the mail.

Shelling out $68 (or even $48) a month for a gift for myself isn't currently in my budget, and I doubt it is in a lot of my readers' budgets, either. However, Lost Crates is still useful. For one thing, they offer a quarterly option for their crates, wherein you receive (and pay for) a crate every three months, instead of monthly. That's a bit more doable. I also think the gifting potential of their product/service is enormous--wouldn't a few months of housewares crates be a great housewarming present? A few foodie crates for a hard-to-please foodie on your list? I love the idea of "gifts that give repeatedly," and this strikes me as a bit classier than the beer-of-the-month club (though I wouldn't turn down a nice monthly microbrew delivery, either). While I (sadly) won't be signing myself up for monthly Lost Crates deliveries, I'm definitely going to keep them on my gifting list, and I'm seriously considering splurging on a quarterly subscription.

An even more budget friendly choice, of course, is to win a crate! Lost Crates has generously offered to give one away to a lucky WINOW reader. You can choose any of the six crates, with the exception of the original stationary crate, since I gave one of those away already in the fall. In order to help you choose which crate would be perfect for you, Lost Crates has developed a little quiz. Go take it, then come back and leave me a comment on this post saying which crate you'd like to win.(Psst, if you want to cheat, you can also look and see what is coming in each April crate, but I recommend waiting to be surprised!) For a second entry, head to your social media outlet of choice (Twitter, Facebook, or your own blog) and mention both this giveaway and Lost Crates (find them on Facebook here or on Twitter here), then come back and leave another comment telling me you did so. The contest will be open for one week, so hurry!

This is not a compensated review--Lost Crates provided the crate for me to review and is providing the crate for the winner. All opinions are my own.

4/4/12: Congratulations to my winner, JENNIFER! I will be in touch about your prize!

If you've been around WINOW for very long, you know that much as I love thrift stores, they have a close second place in my heart in the form of discount stores. I've waxed poetic about TJ Maxx and Marshall's (more than once) and showed you my Big Lots bounty (again, more than once...). Though I may not have mentioned them often here, I'm also a big fan of Ross, Burlington Coat Factory, Tuesday Morning, and, when I can find one, Gabriel Brothers.

And so it was that I found myself, given a rare day with nothing on the agenda and no pressing thrift shopping to take care of, browsing a variety of these stores. I wasn't completely without aim--I was, as I always seem to be these days, shopping for bras--but I didn't let that mundane task stop me from looking around. And I have to tell you, the discount stores in my neck of the woods are looking good.

TJ Maxx/Marshall's

Apparently, TJ Maxx is intended to be the slightly more upscale of these two stores, but I can't tell the local outposts apart. They seem to have more or less the same items at more or less the same prices. A few things that caught my eye at one or both of these stores were:

theBalm

theBalm "Hey Mama" Set

See that set above, of three full-sized products from theBalm (bronzer, blush, and translucent powder)? It's $49.99 on Amazon. It was $9.99 at TJ Maxx or Marshall's this weekend. I think maybe it's being discontinued, as I can't find it many places online, but the individual products are still for sale on theBalm's website. Same with the individual products in the other sets I saw at my stores, including color-specific eye kits for $9.99 ($35.95 on Amazon) and the Timebalm Skincare Age Fighting Heroes kits for $12.99 ($57.99 on Amazon).

Le Creuset

Le Creuset Stoneware Oval Dish

The 3 3/4 quart oval stoneware baking dish from Le Creuset shown above originally retailed at $70. Amazon has it right now for $35.95. I picked one just like it up off the clearance rack at TJ Maxx for Mark this weekend, for $13. A while back, after realizing that none of our rubber spatulas were in anything approaching decent shape, I spotted a whole passel of these Le Creuset versions at Marshall's. Amazon has them for $9 each--I believe I paid $2.99.

Caldrea

Caldrea Cloverleaf Sink Set

My Marshall's and TJ Maxx almost always have Caldrea products, which I think is awesome, because I love their hand soap. One new product I noticed this weekend was these hand sink sets--a little stainless steel organizer equipped with dish soap, hand soap, and countertop cleanser. I believe they were $12.99 at my stores. At Balducci's, they're $46. There were a variety of other products available as well, including smaller sized lotions and hand soaps for $2.99 each, and sink side hand soap and lotion sets in a similar stainless steel holder for $9.99.

Calvin Klein

Calvin Klein Women's Seductive Comfort Customized Lift Lave Bra

You had to know I was going to come back to bras, right? My favorite bras are Calvin Klein--they've just always fit me really well and been very comfortable. They're also often available at Marshall's and TJ Maxx. This one was, I believe, $14.99. It's $46 to get it in my size on Amazon.

Big Lots

For a while, I was kinda off Big Lots. They built a new store close to my house and it seemed like I never found anything there. I kept trying, though, and this weekend's trips were fruitful--I saw all sorts of cool stuff, and found a number of things that made their way home with me. Some of the highlights were:

Crocs

Crocs Classic

I really don't get Crocs, though if my feet swell much more I may have to reconsider...I know, however, that lots of folks are crazy for them. These classic variety ones retail for $34.99 on the Crocs site, and I don't see them in adult sizes for less than around $25 anywhere. Big Lots had a bin of them for $15 each. They even had some in my size, but so far I have resisted.

Tom's of Maine

Tom's of Maine Soothing Mint Maximum Strength Sensitive Fluoride Toothpaste

I am a dedicated Tom's of Maine toothpaste girl, and I nearly always buy it at Big Lots (typically 4-6 tubes at a time). This visit, I was stoked to see the store carrying the sensitive teeth variety, which I could use right now, as pregnancy has made my whole mouth sensitive. On Tom's of Maine's website, this toothpaste is $5.99/tube. The lowest I see it for elsewhere is $4.99. At Big Lots, it was $2.50.

Anchor Hocking

Anchor Hocking Round Glass 6 Piece Storage Container Set

I have kind of a thing about glass storage containers, and Anchor Hocking is my favorite brand (they're still made in the USA!). This six-piece storage set, featuring lidded containers in 4-cup, 2-cup, and 1-cup sizes, retails for $14.99 on Amazon. At Big Lots, it's $6. I actually have a whole cupboard full of this set and similar ones, all from Big Lots.

Tuesday Morning

Wacoal

Wacoal Luxe Extra Touches Push Up Underwire Bra

I know, back to bras! I have to tell you about this one because it excited me so much, though. Before my boobs decided to get huge, I wore a lot of Wacoal bras--always purchased at Nordstrom Rack for less than $30 each. The other day, I saw that they had a small selection of them at Tuesday Morning as well! This particular variety, which sells for $46-$70 depending on color on Wacoal's site, was, I believe, $26.

Spanx

ASSETS® Marvelous Mama Modern Fishnet Tights

I tend to be of the opinion that the last thing my pregnant butt needs is shaping garments. Or fishnets. But if I felt differently, these Assets tights would be really cute. They're a nice moderate fishnet, come in bigger sizes, and are, of course, intended for the pregnant crowd. They're $20 on the Spanx website and I believe they were $12.99 at Tuesday Morning.

Burlington Coat Factory

Burlington Coat Factory is the newest addition to my discount stores list. I've found them to be a great source of bras and, oddly specifically, Calvin Klein dresses (usually around $10 for the former and $40 for the latter). Recently, though, I took a look around to see what else they had to offer, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Amy Butler

Amy Butler Dancing Garden Comforter and Sham Set

How perfect are Amy Butler fabrics for bedding?? I didn't even know Amy Butler bedding existed until I saw the Dancing Garden set, pictured above, at Burlington Coat Factory. The organic set was originally priced at $130, and Amazon has it for $68.88, but at Burlington it was on clearance for $39.99.

Built

Built Market Tote

Though I've never used one, I've always liked the look of the neoprene totes and carriers made by Built. They seem like they'd work really well for farmer's market shopping or carrying food to work. This variety, the large market tote, retails for $39.99 at Amazon and Zappos. The ones I saw at Burlington were $14.99.

Ross

Around here, Ross is the bottom of the discount store pyramid. The stores are often understaffed and very disorganized. Still, if you have the time and patience to sift, gems can be found. The ones I noticed recently were:

Core Bamboo

Core Bamboo Dishwasher Safe Bamboo Cutting Board

I like bamboo cutting boards--they look nice and they clean up easy, and bamboo is a great sustainable material. This small, 10.5x7 inch version, $14.27 at Amazon, is $4.99 at Ross.

Vista Alegre
I can't find a picture of it anywhere online, so I suspect the casual white porcelain Cook & Serve line by Portuguese company Vista Alegre has been discontinued. However, they still have quite a bit of it at my Ross store, and we've purchased a number of things ourselves, including a large platter (think Thanksgiving turkey size) and several sizes of baking dishes. The dishes are no-nonsense, heavy white porcelain, made in Portugal, and both look and hold up great. Prices vary, but some are as low as $4.99 for a smallish baking dish.

Michael Kors

Michael Kors Mens Long Sleeve Dress Shirt

There are few articles of clothing I care about less than men's button down shirts, but I still took a look at the selection at Ross recently and was surprised to find a passel of Michael Kors shirts, like the one above, for $17.99. The pattern seemed to be the same was what you'd find at Macy's or similar, where the shirts retail for $59.99.

Good stuff, right?

Much like thrift stores, I think discount stores can be overwhelming for people who aren't used to them. It's true that a lot of what you might find in a given store is crap, and things don't work quite the same way as they do in regular department stores. On the assumption that at least a few WINOW readers are skeptical of these bargain warehouses, I thought I'd provide a few tips for newbie discount store shoppers:

1. Keep an open mind (and open eyes).

Just like you would in a thrift store, you have to approach a discount store with both an open mind and a sharp eye. You may find things you'd never considered, or even heard of, before. Things are quite often going to be in sections that make no sense. Shop with an awareness to what is around you, and with the mindset that you're looking for buried treasure.

2. If you like it, buy it. Don't hesitate.

Unlike department stores, discount stores usually have a very limited number of any given item, and when they're gone, they're gone. These stores are not the place to exercise "if I still want it next week, I'll come back for it" restraint. However, the majority of them DO have decent return policies (be sure to check your particular store), so if you buy something and change your mind about it, you can bring it back. That's much better than not buying it, coming back for it later, and finding it gone.

3. If you try it and you REALLY like it, buy multiples.

Much of the merchandise you find in discount stores is discontinued, so if you buy something and absolutely love it, you may want to scurry back while whatever it is is still available and buy as many more as you can get your hands on. It is quite possible you won't have the chance again, at any price. Once upon a time, I didn't do this, with a particular variety of EO room spray. They don't make it anymore, and I have been hoarding the last quarter of the bottle I have for years. Another time, I found these great Giovanni Hand Wipes for something like $4.99/bag at Marshall's. After I took one bag home and discovered that they are the perfect wipes to keep in my car for post-thrifting clean-up, I went back and bought about a dozen more. I still have a couple of bags left, which is good, because they're hard to find other places, and when I do see them, they're at least twice and often three times as expensive.

4. Stay critical.

As much as you can find hidden treasure in discount stores, things are there, rather than at department stores, for a reason. When you're considering buying something, especially something big, try to figure out what that reason is, and if it matters to you. For example, I could care less if most things are "last year's model," but I don't want to buy anything that is or is about to be expired. You also need to keep an eye out for damage--things that are in discount stores are often "second quality," and though a lot of the time the defect that keeps an item from being sold at full price doesn't matter in the least to you, sometimes it does. Be sure to look items over carefully and check tags for clues.

5. Be aware of the non-discount price.

Not everything in a discount store is actually discounted. For example, I was recently excited to see Bob's Red Mill products at my local Big Lots, but when I compared the prices on them to the ones elsewhere, I found that they weren't significantly discounted--and some of them were actually marked with higher prices at Big Lots than they are at regular supermarkets. Stores with tags that claim an "original price" or "compare at" price are not immune from this phenomenon--sometimes the comparison prices they list are just wrong--so you have to be aware of what a given item goes for elsewhere and not assume that it's going to be cheaper just because most things in a discount store are.

6. Shop often.

Another way discount stores are like thrift stores is that their merchandise turns over fairly quickly, so the same store could have a mostly-different inventory from one month to the next. Because of this, and because of the small number of highly discounted items they sometimes get in stock, you have to hit your local discount stores fairly regularly in order to get the best deals.

7. Don't buy things you have no use for.

This is definitely do-as-I-say-and-not-as-I-do advice, as I have a hard, hard time with this one. But just because something is a cool/high quality/beautiful/whatever product, and is available at a highly discounted price, doesn't make that item something you actually need, or even want. Don't buy things you don't need or want. It's a financial drain, it creates a boatload of clutter, and it makes no sense. Really. I promise. I know.

8. Remain aware of the strengths and weaknesses of a given store.

All discount stores are not created equal, and there are certain items for which only a specific store will work. I rarely buy food items at any discount store besides Big Lots. Cosmetics and bath and beauty stuff is almost always best at Marshall's or TJ Maxx. For higher-end bedding, towels, and other similar housewares, Tuesday Morning is usually the best spot, and they also have fantastic plant pots. Burlington Coat Factory has the biggest selection of baby items. I don't know that these strengths are necessarily universal, however, as when we lived in Austin, Ross was wonderful for clothes and Tuesday Morning had a great stationary section and really good pet supplies, neither of which is the case here. So, it pays to be familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of your specific local stores, so that if you are looking for a specific item, you know where to go.

9. Remain aware of seasonality.

Discount stores have different stock at different times of the year, and some of the things they focus on might appeal to you more than others. For example, I love going to Marshall's and TJ Maxx in the month or two before Christmas, because they carry a ton of bath and body type stuff suitable for gift giving, and I eat that stuff up. I like Tuesday Morning and Big Lots more in the spring, when they carry plant pots and gardening supplies that make good gifts for Mark or that we may need around the house. Clothes, obviously, are seasonal at all of the stores, and they tend to have the best selections in the late summer (school shopping time).

10. Only do it if you enjoy it.

Again like thrift shopping, I think discount store shopping is really only worth it for those of us for whom shopping is fun. If there is no thrill of the treasure hunt for you, then whatever cost savings you achieve may well be overshadowed by the hassle of having to make lots of stops, sift through lots of crap, and deal with stores that may be dirty and are almost certainly disorganized. I get such a kick out of it, I wish I could do it for everybody--it would save me a lot of cash and those who don't enjoy shopping a lot of headaches--but until we figure out how to make that happen, those who really hate shopping are probably better off buying fewer things and paying more for the convenience of ordering them from Amazon.

And, finally, the giveaway!

In the spirit of celebrating discounts stores, I thought it would be fun to do a discount store themed contest. And, since I've been so into curated boxes lately, I thought it would be fun to curate my own. So, this giveaway is for a special, one-of-a-kind, Grace-curated discount store box! The box may contain any type of item, the only caveats being that it was something I thought was cool enough to buy, and that it was purchased from one of the discount stores listed above. The original retail value of this box is over $200 (but don't worry, I didn't pay anywhere near that for it)! Since I didn't give you any idea what was in the boxes the last time I did a giveaway, I decided it was only fair to give a clue this time. So here's a picture of what you could win:

Here's how to enter:
1. Leave a comment on this post telling me which, if any, discount stores you frequent and what you tend to buy there.
2. Share this post with your friends on Facebook or Twitter and leave me a comment telling me you did.
3. Go and read another post on this blog--any post you fancy--and leave me a comment there. It has to be relevant to that post, it can't just be "hi" or "this is for a contest entry!" Then come back and leave a comment on this post telling me you did it.

So, that's THREE ways to enter. Go do it! This contest is open to international entries, so long as you're willing to wait for your prize to arrive via whatever the most economical shipping option is.

I will close the contest in one week, next Wednesday, April 4, at 9:00 AM EST.

Good luck!

I am in no way affiliated with any of the stores or products mentioned in this post, and this review is not compensated in any way.

I have this new idea where I'm going to review a new curated subscription box every week until I run out of them. Won't that be fun?

Today's offering is Beautyfix. Beautyfix works slightly differently than most curated subscription services in that you pick your own products! From a curated field of choices (about 50 or 60 in all), you pick 8 products to have sent your way. This is done quarterly, rather than monthly like most curated subscriptions, and the cost is higher--$49.99, including S&H. BUT a good number of the products are full-sized or extra-generous samples, so it still represents a cost savings. Plus, you get some sort of bag with every shipment.

This was my spring assortment, received last week:

From the bottom left, the products I chose:
*Nick Chavez Ultra Shine Honey Peppermint Conditioner, full-size, 8 oz (value $20)
*Becca Cosmetics Resurfacing Primer, large sample size, .5 flz oz (value $40 for 1.35 fl oz full-size, or about $14.81 for the sample )
*Belli Skin Care All Day Moisture Body Lotion, sample size, about 1 oz (value $19 for 12 oz full-size, or approx. $0.86 for the sample)
*Kelly Teegarden Organics Vitality Rose & Cucumber Eye Cream, small sample size, .1 ml (value $30 for 1.18 oz full-size, or approx $1.58 for the sample)
*La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel, full-size, 6.76 fl oz (value $22)
*Kinerase Photofacials Daily Exfoliating Cleanser, sample size, 2 oz (value $40 for 5 oz full-size, or approx $16 for the sample)
*Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Angel Drops with Argan Oil, full-size, 2 fl oz (value $19)
*Perricone MD Nutritive Cleanser, sample size, 2 oz (value $39 for 6 oz full size, or approx $13 for the sample)

Total value of products: $107.25

There are a number of things I really like about Beautyfix. Getting to pick your own products is great--I am focused on my skin right now, so I chose a lot of skincare products for this box. Getting largely full-sized or large sample-sized products is great. And I like how Beautyfix introduces me to brands that are high end, but not necessarily sold at Sephora/familiar to me. I've gotten to try several things that I'd never heard of before (my favorites thus far have been Kerstin Florian Rehydrating Neroli Water and Pur~lisse Pur~lip Comfort Daily Lip Nourisher). I also like the inclusion of a different kind of bag in each box, though I was not particularly impressed with this season's small cylinder offering.

That said, there are some things I really don't like about Beautyfix, as well. They rely heavily on products from the same brands (lots of Becca, Nick Chavez, and Jonathan, for example). The selection doesn't change as much from season to season as I'd like. You don't get prompted to log on to the site and select your products for the season, and if you forget to do it, they send you a box they selected--which is not, in my experience, great (the one time that happened to me my box contained Degree Fine Fragrance Body Mist and one of the worst smelling bath bombs I have ever encountered). I'd like there to be an option to skip a season's box if none of the offerings appeal to you, but as far as I can tell, there isn't one. And, of course, it's expensive. The trouble with sampling full-sized products, rather than sample-sized ones, is that it costs more. So there are trade-offs.

I go back and forth about whether or not to keep my Beautyfix subscription active. I've actually cancelled and re-upped it a couple of times since my first box in May 2010. Since Beautyfix is run by Dermstore, the options tend to be skincare-heavy, and that's fine for me right now, but eventually my skin should settle down or I should arrive at some sort of routine for it, and at that point I might let my subscription lapse again. All in all, though, I am really happy with the spring box, so I will definitely get a summer one and let you all know how it goes.

Now that I'm back in the blogging saddle, I am looking forward to doing some more reviews of various curated subscription programs. As you may remember from last fall, I am fascinated with this business model, and wrote a big comprehensive list of the ones I've found (and I have been updating that list periodically when new ones pop up on my radar). What better time, then, to give a try to some of the parenting-and-kid-focused boxes?

The first one I decided to try is Citrus Lane. I went with this company first based on good reviews I'd read elsewhere, and because they specifically tailor their boxes to the age of your child, including infants. I was also impressed with the quality of the sample items they listed on their website (companies including Tea Collection, Aden & Anais, Plan Toys, etc.) Finally, I liked that Citrus Lane organizes each month's box around a theme, like "Bath Time" or "Play and Learn," and sends products related to that theme.

Logistically, Citrus Lane works in much the same way as most other curated subscription services. For $25/month, they send you 4-5 products. You can do a month-by-month subscription, or get a 3, 6, or 12 month package. I decided to go with month-to-month, since I want to sample as many of these programs as I can and not make any big commitments. That said, I will tell you right off that it's highly unlikely, based on my first box, that I'll be giving up this subscription!

Customer service and shipping from Citrus Lane was great--they told me my box would be sent out on/around the 15th of the month, and it arrived at my house on the 19th. When I opened it, this is what I saw:

Nothing special as far as packaging goes, but completely adequate, given that none of the items included in my box were spillable/breakable.

When I extracted the included pamphlet, I learned that the theme for this month's box is "Dining Out" (note that if you don't want to be surprised, you can look on the website to see box themes a month or so in advance). The pamphlet gave a little overview of each product included in the box, as well as some age-specific dining out with kids tips (mine were about teething and drooling).

Now, the products included in my box!

1. Natursutten Butterfly Ortho S pacifier, $7.95
2. Itzy Ritzy Bitzy Bib, Burp, & Bath Cloth in Licorice Swirl & Baby Bamboo, $12.95
3. Mommy's Bliss Gripe Water, 4 oz, $11.99
4. ZoLi Munch Teether, $5
6. Weleda Almond Soothing Facial Lotion & Weleda Almond Soothing Cleansing Lotion, deluxe sample sizes

The box also included coupon codes--10% or 20% off most of the included items, and $10 off a $30 purchase at Abe's Market.

All in all, I was very happy with the products I received and with how they tied into the theme. Though I'm puzzled by the inclusion of the Weleda stuff, I love that line, so I'm not complaining! Each product was a high quality example of its kind (pacifier, bib/burp cloth, teether), which was nice, and they're all things I expect we'll use, with the possible exception of the gripe water. I can definitely see how getting this box monthly would be not only a really fun surprise, but also a useful way to get to know new products and receive things that will be handy for day-to-day baby-rearing. Big thumbs up to this one!

Also, I noticed on the website that Citrus Lane has recently introduced the Pampered Pregnancy Box, intended as a gift for expectant moms. It's $65 and includes a pregnancy style guide, Foot Petals, Josie Maran lip gloss, Mama Mio Tummy Rub Stretch Mark Butter, Psi Bands, a Vosges chocolate bar, Zoe Organics Face & Body Wash, and a bunch of coupons. I think this would make a stellar gift if there is anybody newly pregnant in your life, and I'll be keeping it in mind for future pregnant friends myself.

This is not a sponsored review. I have not been provided with free product or asked to review by Citrus Lane.

When I did my curated subscription round-up, one of the subscription programs I found most intriguing was Lost Crates. Each month, Lost Crates sends a customized "crate" of notebooks, pens, and other stationery accessories, based upon the personality profile you take on the website. The cost of the service is $38/month, including S&H, US-only.

Like a lot of people, I'm a bit of a stationery fiend. I love notebooks, journals, cards, pens...stationery makes me happy. So I was quite excited to receive my first Lost Crate earlier this month. My crate contained:
-medium black EcoSystem Artist Journal ($14.95)
-2 pack of French Paper Company Pop Ink Memo Books ($2.50)
-2 Stabilo Point 88 pens, black and red ($.85 each)
-Made by Humans Staple-Free Eco Stapler (2 for $19.95, or $9.98)
-Virginia State Field Notes County Fair graph notebook (3 for $9.95, or $3.32)

The packaging was excellent--a small cardboard "crate", filled with recycled packaging material, and a little note, personalized with my name, explaining what each item was. The whole thing felt very much like a gift--the products are all full-size and high quality, and the effect is that you feel you are receiving something special and high end. They are also all useful products--nothing cute but useless was included, which I think is great.

Lost Crates is clear that they do not consider themselves a discount site. The products in any crate you receive will be worth a very similar amount to the $38 you paid for it. Instead, they offer introductions to new companies, revisit old favorites, and give their customers the excitement and joy of a monthly surprise. Whether or not that makes the price tag worth it is, of course, a highly individual decision.

What might make your decision in whether or not Lost Crates is for you a bit easier? Perhaps, winning one? Head on over to the Lost Crates site and look around, then come back and tell me what you'd love to see in a crate. For an additional entry, follow Lost Crates on Twitter and/or like Lost Crates on Facebook. For yet another entry, Tweet or FB link to this contest! Contest will run for two weeks, to be closed on Tuesday, November 8. Thanks for playing!

Disclosure: I was not compensated nor did I receive free products for this review. However, the Lost Crate giveaway is courtesy of Lost Crates.

First, a bit of housekeeping--the Uncommon Goods giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all the participants and congratulations to the winner, Sarah M!

I am excited to review one of the curated subscription services I mentioned a couple of week ago. The service, New Beauty Test Tube, is a quarterly offering from New Beauty magazine. Four times a year, recipients receive a "test tube" of beauty products, some full sized and some sample sized. An issue of New Beauty magazine is also included. Test Tubes are $29.95 each, plus $8.95 shipping & handling (a total of $38.90).

Beginning my subscription was easy--the New Beauty Test Tube website isn't difficult to navigate. However, there is no option to order a single Test Tube, so ordering one is beginning a quarterly subscription. You can cancel at any time, but I don't see an easy way to do so on the website. This is something of which potential customers should be aware.

Shipping was quick--my test tube was sent out only two days after I ordered it, and I received it three days later. Packaging was also good, with the plastic "test tube" itself contained in a box and all of the products arriving in good shape. My only complaint is that unlike the makeup bags or small cardboard boxes used by other beauty sample subscription services, I can't think of a re-use for the plastic tube itself. Still, that's fairly minor, and it is clever packaging.

My Test Tube contained the following:

-New Beauty Magazine ($9.95 cover price)
-full size L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray (retail $8)
-Macadamia Natural Oil Get Hooked Pack (retail $12)
-deluxe sample size Dr. Brandt Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner (.4 oz, full size is 1 oz @ $45)
-sample size Orlane Super-Moisturizing Concentrate (.11 oz, full size is 1.7 oz $125)
-full size Mally Evercolor Starlight waterproof eyeliner in Midnight (retail $15)
-full size Your Best Friend Posing Plum lip liner (retail 2 for $24)
-sample size Spa Ritual Handprint Hand Serum (.25 oz, full size is 4 oz @ $60)
-sample size Lash Food eyelash conditioner (1.5 ml, full size is 8 ml for $69)
-gift card for $20 off a $100 order at Spalook

If my math is correct, the total value of the products, not including the gift card (which is more like a coupon code), is $99.73. The website claims a $150 value, which I don't quite see even if I did count the coupon value, but still, a pretty good deal. The products themselves are a mixed bag. I'm not at all excited about drugstore hairspray or questionable purple lip liner, but the Macadamia oil package, eyelash conditioner, and moisturizers are all worth a try. There doesn't seem to be a way to customize the box--my account is not, for example, customized with my hair and eye color, skin tone, or beauty concerns--so I'd assume there are going to be a few things I don't have any interest in every quarter. Still, there was enough I did like in my first Test Tube to justify giving it another try next quarter (the next box is expected to ship in December).

So, sound like something you want to try? I have one Test Tube to give away to a lucky winner! Leave me a comment with something you'd like to see in your Test Tube to enter. Extra entries for FB'ing, Tweeting, or mentioning this giveaway on your blog. Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Contest will run for two weeks, ending Thursday, October 13. Good luck!

I have not received compensation of any kind for this review--I purchased the New Beauty Test Tube I reviewed. However, the contest winner will receive their prize courtesy of New Beauty Test Tube.

I like to buy gifts. I like to get gifts, too. My partner, unfortunately, is not huge into either one. However, after almost a decade together, he's learned that he doesn't have an opt out clause, and he has progressively gotten better and better and buying me gifts.

It helps that he figured out a way to make it easy on him. And I liked his way so much, I've recently taken a page from his book.

The magical solution? Uncommon Goods.

For those not already familiar with it, Uncommon Goods is a web store with the following vision:

UncommonGoods (www.uncommongoods.com) is an online marketplace offering creatively designed, high-quality merchandise at affordable prices. At UncommonGoods, we believe that creativity and the expression of individuality represent two great human treasures. We have set out to create a business that makes uncommon goods accessible to everyone.

And they succeed. They have a huge variety of products, all "uncommon," and many handmade and/or made with recycled materials. Mark tends to buy nearly all of my gifts there. Some favorites have been:

I think these pendant necklaces, commemorating birth months with their traditional flowers, rather than stones, are fantastic. Mark got me one for my birthday last year.

When I started carrying business cards, Mark bought me this gorgeous, quirky Caia Koopman case to carry them in. I get compliments on it all the time.

Mark got me the first of these two recycled tin art pieces for my birthday last year, and I loved it so much he got the other one for me for Christmas. They now hang as a set in the hallway of our house.

The blue version of this gorgeous scarf, made from recycled silk saris, is one you might recognize if you've been reading here for long--I've had it for several years and I wear it all the time. I love mine so much, I bought Mark's mother an earth-toned version for Christmas, and she wears hers all the time, too.

For Mark's birthday earlier this month, I decided to follow his example and go for all-Uncommon Goods gifts. The site is large and varied, so I started with the recommendation section: Gifts for Men (they divide their recommendations in all kinds of ways, with sections for each member of the family, each age range, by the amount you want to spent, or for various types of personalities--there is Gifts for Dads, Gifts for Brothers, Gifts for Moms, and so on). There were a number of interesting things in that section, but nothing struck me as perfect, so I headed over to Recycled Gifts to see if anything caught my eye. Bingo!

The first thing I picked out was the Growbottle. It's a system for growing indoor (windowsill, basically) herbs hydroponically using a recycled wine bottle. I knew Mark would love it, and he did--when he opened his, it was the first present he started playing with. I splurged and got the basil, chives, and mint versions. Yay for fresh herbs this winter in a container that is fairly cat-proof (no dirt) and easy on the eyes!

I stuck with the recycled section and found my next gift there as well. We eat a ton of antipasta at my house, and when there are more than two people at the table, that's a ton of passing little dishes around. This recycled wine barrel Lazy Susan is not only gorgeous, and completely in keeping with the kind of decor Mark likes, but totally practical. It lives on our dining table now and we've used it several times already.

Mark's final gift was one I found by accident while browsing jewelry for myself:

This I bought simply because I love the look of it, but it's also handmade in the USA, which I find to be a huge bonus!

Overall, I love Uncommon Goods because it's an easy place to get unique gifts for a wide range of people. It's not just a place for Mark and I to get presents for one another, but I can easily find gifts for our parents, friends, and other family members there as well. The packaging is environmentally sustainable, and they do eco-conscious gift wrapping (in unbleached recycled boxes and/or bags made from recycled t-shirts). They also have a blessedly easy to navigate site, and I've never had any sort of shipping issue. I recommend them very highly.

So...can you see yourself buying a gift at Uncommon Goods? How about a little something for yourself? How about with a $50 gift card? To win one, do any or all of the following (be sure to leave a new comment for each entry):

1. Take a gander at the Uncommon Goods site and come back and tell me your favorite product and who you'd gift it to.
2. Tweet a link to the Gifts for Mom suggestion page.
3. Sign up for the Uncommon Goods email list.
4. Vote on possible new Uncommon Goods products with their voting tool.
5. Share this contest and my blog on Facebook, Twitter, or whatever other social media site floats your boat.

This contest with run for two weeks, ending Thursday, September 29.

This is not a compensated review--I just love this store. The gift card, however, is courtesy of Uncommon Goods.

Though I am a reasonably good driver, I'm a little bit "car nervous." I get lost a lot. I have a hard time following written directions (or the map on my iPhone) and driving at the same time. I recently got my first flat tire and I completely flipped out. I have a tendency to lock my keys in the car and leave my lights on. (OnStar FMV cannot unlock the doors like the embedded system, but can send roadside assistance/locksmith.) Forget about talking on the phone and driving--I won't even answer an incoming call, much less make one when I'm behind the wheel (Oprah would be so proud!). These things have always just been the kind of little annoyances that are part of being who I am. It never occurred to me that there was something I could do to address them. Then BlogHer asked me to review the OnStar FMV Mirror, and everything changed.

For those not familiar with it, the OnStar FMV Mirror is an after-market add-on, comprised of a rearview mirror and a small microphone, which allows vehicles not built with OnStar service to access some of the same services factory-equipped OnStar cars have. Currently, at Best Buy, the system costs about $375, with basic installation included, and the service is either $18.95/month (for just the emergency and security features) or $28.90/month (for everything). (Retail price for the system is $299, with installation in the $75-$100 range, depending on installer/store.)

After receiving my OnStar package in the mail, my first step was to get it installed. OnStar recommends using a professional installer. I went to AV Sound Design in Herndon, VA. The folks there were great and my installation took only a couple of hours and presented no problems. When I picked my car up, my original mirror had been replaced with the OnStar mirror, which is similar in shape and size and doesn't pose any visibility issues. A small microphone was also installed just above the windshield--it's so subtle I didn't even notice it right away.

After my mirror was installed, I pushed the blue OnStar button to call the service center and get it all set-up and registered. During this call and every other call I've made to the service center, the OnStar advisor to whom I spoke was pleasant, friendly, and competent. Setting my account up was easy and within a few minutes I was ready to use my system.

Luckily, I haven't had a need to test the system's emergency service or accident response capacities. However, I have been through the other things it can do. It has provided me excellent turn-by-turn directions and I've set up the Bluetooth connection with my phone so that I can make and answer calls while I'm driving. Both work very well. I particularly love that when I need directions, I can call an advisor to find them for me, rather than just asking a machine--this way, when there are two locations with the same name, or something doesn't seem quite right, the advisor can sort out the issue before sending the directions to my system. It's the perfect combination of human and non-human interaction.

I expected to enjoy the Bluetooth and turn-by-turn directions features of my OnStar system, and I do. What surprises me, however, is how much I am also starting to depend on the access to an OnStar advisor I have at the touch of a button. It is much like being at a hotel with a great concierge--the advisors are helpful, polite, and accessible. If I'm in a new part of town and can't find a coffee shop, or see a construction issue and am not sure how to get around it, the advisor can help me and seems happy to do so. I was afraid, before I got the system, that calling in to it would be much like calling "customer service" at most companies--I'd likely be met with someone who was either rude or simply unprepared to do what I needed. Nothing could be farther from the truth. However OnStar is training their service advisors, they've got the right idea.

The best reason for the system, though, is the one I haven't had to use and hopefully won't. In an emergency situation, the system can alert an OnStar Advisor who is immediately connected into your vehicle to see if you need help. The Advisor can use GPS technology to pinpoint your vehicle and contact the right emergency service provider. That's great for peace of mind. I have a family member who spends the majority of her work time on the road, driving between several locations of her company over several hundred miles. I'd love it if she would get an OnStar FMV--not only would it replace the GPS and Bluetooth devices she now uses with one mirror, but it would provide an extra level of security for her when she's on the road. Were it within my budget, I'd also get an OnStar FMV for each of my friends with small children--both because the Bluetooth and navigation capacities would help to reduce their distractions while in the car and because I'd love for them to have access to the emergency response services.

I absolutely plan to remain an OnStar subscriber after the trial period I was gifted for this review has ended. It's not an overstatement to say that the OnStar FMV has changed the way I drive. For my fellow nervous drivers, I definitely recommend it.

To learn more about the OnStar FMV mirror, visit the Facebook page and/or visit your local Best Buy store.

To read other BlogHer reviewers' thoughts on the OnStar FMV mirror, check out the BlogHer Prizes and Promotions section.

Why am I lookin' so pretty? Click through to find out and to win $100 in makeup from Mary Kay!

Review and giveaway.

My Wardrobe Outfit #2

Like this outfit? Wanna see more? Click over to the review!

Here's something you may not know about me: I love honey. The stuff itself is pretty good, but honey scented products of all kinds are really the way to my heart. Something about that sweet, fresh scent makes me think it's spring and all is happy. So, since it's something like 12 degrees here today, I thought maybe I'd share some honey love with you all. Some of my favorite honey things:

Lush Honey I Washed the Kids soap, $7.95/3.5oz

My love for honey bath products began with this soap from Lush. A friend recommended it to me, and I was in love at first whiff. Lush describes the scent as honey infused with bergamot and sweet orange, and it's simply the perfect honey scent--sweet, not cloying, and so warm and sunny and smooth. I also love the layer of beeswax on each bar. Honey I Washed the Kids is my all-time, hands-down favorite soap.

L'Occitane Honey and Lemon Lip Gloss, $12/.8oz

Honey lip gloss is great in theory--smells great, tastes great, moisturizes well--but sometimes it can be sticky and cloying. This L'Occitaine gloss is the exact opposite--the mix of light honey and citrus makes it smell and taste great, without being a Lip Smacker, and it doesn't go on goopy at all. It's spendy, but it's worth it.

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Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion, $10/8.6oz

I avoid most Burt's Bees products, as many of them contain lanolin, to which I am allergic. This fantastically (though strongly) scented lotion, however, gets its moisturizing properties from sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, and beeswax--no lanolin needed! It's a very light formulation--almost runny--so it's not hearty enough to stand up to my winter dry skin, but it's great in the summer. It is also really affordable, usually $10 or less for a bottle. The bummer? The buzz is that this stuff is being discontinued. I need to stockpile a few bottles if that's really the case.

Violette Market Vintage Beekeeper perfume, $15
In my searches, I've found two really great honey perfumes. The first is Violette Market's Vintage Beekeeper. The scent is described as "Honey absolute, golden resins, clove bud, cinnamon bark, creamed vanilla accord, and weathered wooden hive." It's perfect. The clove and cinnamon undertones keep it from being too sweet, and the vanilla is very subtle. I can't smell the wooden hive in specifically, but there is definitely a note that keeps the whole scent grounded. I've been using it for more than a year and I adore it.

The Poison Apple Apothecary Queen Bee perfume oil, $13/5ml

Poison Apple Apothecary's Queen Bee is my other favorite honey perfume. It's a less complex scent, more straight-up honey, and it layers better with other scents. I'm not sure I like it quite so much as the Vintage Beekeeper, but I do wear it often.

Haunt Batik Skin Glossing Oil, $12/4oz

Sometimes, I just don't feel like messing with lotion. On those days, I turn to body oils, and my favorite is Haunt's Skin Glossing Oil in Batik. Batik is described as "smoky beeswax & resin darkened honey," and that's exactly what it smells like. The smell a bit smoky and a bit stronger than I'd usually choose, but I like it a lot on occasion, especially before bed.A little goes a long way, so the 4 oz bottle for $12 is actually a pretty good value, too.

http://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/bath-shower/shower-gels/its-raining-men

I'd be remiss in ending this post without telling you about the new honey product that has me thinking about my honey love in the first place. I went to Lush the other day and immediately fell in love with the limited edition It's Raining Men shower gel. The gel is formulated with actual honey, for cleansing and moisturizing, then the scent is supplemented with the same yummy formulation as the Honey I Washed the Kids soap. This stuff is fantastic, and I'm very tempted to buy a case before they discontinue it after Valentine's Day.

Do you have any honey-scented favorites? Tell me in the comments--I'm always interested in trying something new!

There's just something about January that makes me want to replace makeup. Well, my desire to buy makeup isn't really specific to any month, I guess, but January also makes me want to throw the old stuff out, so I guess that's progress? Anyway, I've tried a few new products over the past few weeks and I wanted to let you all know about the winners:

NARS blush in Deep Thoat, $26

I've long been a fan of NARS blush--I've been working on a container of the same blush in Orgasm for at least two years. Lately, I've been thinking I should move on to a new color, both because what I have is past its expiration date and because the color is looking a bit too pink on my winter pale skin. I went with the next lightest shade, which is described as "peach with shimmer" but goes on pretty pink for me, and so far I like it a lot. I'd love to try one of the bright pink blushes, like Desire or Mati Hari--Carmandie on What Not To Wear is always saying to use a bright pink blush with a very light hand--but I'm still chicken.

Make Up Forever Aqua Cream in 13 Warm Beige (clearly not the color shown), $22

I've been curiously eying Make Up Forever products at Sephora for years, but I've never tried them before. However, I'd exhausted the colors of my beloved Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow (though I do love the new Purple Snap), and I couldn't resist when I saw all the great shades MUFE's Aqua Color cream shadow/lipstick/blush comes in. I picked a fairly neutral shade to start out--not really beige, but more champagne--and it's wonderful. I can wear it all day, it doesn't crease, it doesn't smudge, and it doesn't come off until I wash it off. I'll definitely be getting more colors--right now I have my eye on the 5 Peach, 16 Pink Beige, and 19 Purple.

Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss, $18

A while back, I bought the Smashbox Burlesque Beauty Collection. One of the things in the collection was a double-ended lip gloss in Peep (a bubblegum pink) and Show (a dark berry). It's great gloss, and I've used both of them a lot. I was sad to find out they don't seem to be available as single glosses. However, I like the formula so much I think I'll be trying some other colors (even though I already have a staggering amount of lip gloss). Fame, Radiant, and Tease all look pretty good...

Lush Sweet Lips Scrub, $8.95

I realize it is absolutely ludicrous to pay $9 for a tiny pot of sugar and jojoba oil, and it's unlikely I will do it again. However, I have to give Lush props for introducing me to the very idea of lip exfoliation. I have chronic and irritating flaky lips in the winter, and rubbing some of this stuff in (and then licking it off, it tastes great) makes them feel absolutely amazing. The tingly good feeling you get from exfoliating is, it turns out, even tingly better on your lips.

Tried any new products lately? Re-kindled your love with any old ones? Leave a comment and share!

Remember, just a few short weeks ago, when I told you how much I love TJ Maxx and Marshall's? And how it was the second time in a month I'd bragged on those stores? Those were completely sincere posts. I had a great time shopping at my local discount retailers in the weeks before Christmas.

In the weeks since Christmas, I've visited the local Marshall's and TJ Maxx stores several more times. The new job I'm starting next week is going to require a somewhat more formal wardrobe than that to which I've become accustomed, and both my coat and my gloves are on their last legs, so I've been hoping to do some shopping for myself.

No such luck.

It's like they are completely different stores. Since Christmas, not just one, but ALL of my local discount retailers have taken a deep nose dive. They don't seem to be getting restocked--the merchandise is the same one week as the next, and it mostly seems to be the leftover stuff that wasn't purchased before Christmas. Making matters even worse, the stores aren't being kept neat and organized--the shelves are partially empty and a lot of them have damaged merchandise on them.

This seems like a really bad business plan to me. I mean, I know the pre-holiday time is probably more profitable, but people still shop in January. What about exchanges and spending holiday gift cards? What about a shopper like me, who built up quite an attachment to the magical discount store retail therapy before Christmas and is now having her hopes dashed? Are these stores always like this, only really worth your time in-season? Is it something I've just missed until now?

I've decided to send an email to TJ Maxx and Marshall's and let them know about my disappointment, with a link to this post and the past posts I've made about how much I love them. I'll let you know if I get any explanation.

In honor of the American Express Company's Small Business Saturday (which I didn't get asked to promote like some of my favorite bloggers did, but I'll give a shout out to anyway), I thought now might be a good time to introduce you to the Etsy shops I currently have my eye on. I'm not including gifts for babies or little kids in this post, because they're a whole separate Etsy animal, to my mind. These are just things I would like or I think would make great gifts for the adults on your list.

Cash Budget Pouches, $35

I have no desire to to actually do cash based budgeting, but I love the fabric cash envelopes at Beauty that Moves. They can be customized with any labels you'd like, or left without labels, so I'm sure they could be used for something else as well. There's free shipping right now, and the fabric choices are awesome.

Oregon (from Blooms and Birds of the 50 States), $15

Dutch Door Press makes the most amazingly cool letterpressed art, including my favorite set, the "Birds and Blooms of the 50 States." The Oregon (above), Virginia, and Texas prints are all on my Christmas list, and they're a very reasonable $15 each, or $40 for a set of three.

Super Bike Party screen printed glasses, $31 for 4

Aren't these screen printed glasses from Vital Industries the cutest thing? I'm a total sucker for pint glasses in general, and I love the clean-yet-quirky look of these.

Coffee lover flour sack tea towels, 2 for $20

I love tea towels. LOVE. They're one of those great gifts are both useful and fun.These illustrated ones from Girls Can Tell, showing all the parts of four different types of coffee makers, are so perfect. And for those who prefer a different hot drink? The tea version!

Personalized cosmetic bag, $22.99

JuJu Baju bills itself as "best bridesmaids gifts ever," and it may well be, but I can tell you they make ADORABLE custom bags. My favorite are the cosmetic bags, which can be personalized with the recipient's name.

Atomic Apron half apron, $25

Those who remember my Happy Housewife project know I love aprons. Right now, my favorite ones are made by Atomic Aprons. The $25 half aprons are just lovely--I love every single fabric they are offered in. I think there's someone on my list getting one!

Original insect framed paper cuts, $80 each

Paper cuts are just so cool, and these ones of insects, in their old-school oval frames, are awesome. They're made by Tina Tarnoff, who also translates her work into great pendants and cards.

Custom tea dresses in vintage fabric, $130

I love vintage dresses, especially the ethereal 50s kind. But they so rarely come in my size. The answer? Clearly custom made vintage-esque dresses, like these beautiful ones from Sohomode. I'm not the marrying kind, as you know, but I have to admit, the idea of a herd of bridesmaids in these (like so?). Makes me consider it for a minute.

Magnetic sea salt kit, $35

Another thing I am always a chump for it things that come in sets or kits. Just seeing several of something together makes me want to buy it. That said, the herb, spice, and tea kits sold by Cook Outside the Box would make incredibly good gifts for a foodie. There is everything available from an "everything" spice kit with 24 spices (for $84) to small "make a meal" spice kits with recipes (from $14). The packaging is perfect, too, with the spices individually sealed in little glass topped magnetic containers. I just love these.

Darwin Origin of Species Butterfly Art, $97.17

I probably wouldn't buy art for a present for someone I didn't know well, but were I going to, I'd definitely consider the pieces at Terrordome's Extractionarium. They are so lovely--cut paper pieces, mostly butterflies, made from maps and classic books. As a bonus, they're sold already framed, so you don't have to deal with that hassle.

Unlucky - Gyotaku Fish Rubbing - Limited Edition Print, $55

Another Etsy artist with whom I am completed enamored is Fred Fisher. Fisher's prints are made using the traditional Japanese Gyotaku fish rubbing process, in which paint is applied to a fish and then cloth or handmade paper is pressed into the surface to create the print. Fisher's pieces are gorgeous, and at $45-$85, really reasonably priced for original art.

10 Wrapped Samples Vegan Cold Processed Soap, $17

There are a ton of soap makers on Etsy, and I can't really recommend one over another. However, I love ">Prunella's packaging, and I think a set of ten little baby soaps in one's choice of scents for $17 is a great deal. Prunella has a ton of scents available, too--all EOs and natural scents, no perfumes. If you prefer full-sized bars, she's got any five bars for $24, or single 5-5.5 oz bars for $5.50 each.

Unisex dino print underwear, $20

As a kid, I hated getting underwear as a gift, but c'mon, who wouldn't be stoked to receive a handmade, recycled fabric pair of unders from Sheso Designs? Both unisex and women's styles are available in a variety of mostly colorful retro type fabrics, most for $20/pair.

The Color Study II Locket, $54

I love lockets, and these color study ones by Verabel are amazing. Verabel has tons of other vintage lockets as well, both with and without embellishments, from $24-$78.

Manly Shave Gift Set with Clove Beer Soap, $30

I'm often told that men are much harder than women when it comes to buying gifts, and I think it's often true, maybe even more so when you're trying to keep your gifts handmade. A shaving set is a wonderful solution. There are a few for sale on Etsy, but I think my favorite is this one by Dirty Deeds Soaps. For $30, it includes a ceramic bug, a beer shaving soap, a badger hair shaving brush, and a set of instructions for an old fashioned shave. It's put together really nicely and I think it would make a wonderful present.

Dorothy - silk, cotton and barkcloth yo-yo necklace, $21

Everybody is wearing a statement necklace these days, and I still haven't found one I love enough to commit to. If I do find one, though, I think it's probably going to be at cookoorikoo. Her amazing handsewn yoyo necklaces? On sale for $21 right now, in tons of great fabrics. Maybe I can justify an early Christmas gift for myself?

Pacific Northwest Seed Bombs, $7

These I'm getting for stocking stuffers for sure--they're just too cute not to. Visualingual makes tons of different types of these little bags of "bombs," including herbs and regional wildflowers. They bombs are seeds mixed with red clay and worm casings, so that all you have to do it throw them on the ground and they'll germinate and grow all on their own. The packaging they're in is super cute as well--screenprinted linen sacks that could be easily reused.

Lot of 25 vintage hankies, $22.99

Honestly, I don't know who I could get vintage hankies for as a gift, but I couldn't not tell you about Nathaniel's shop. Aren't vintage hankerchiefs amazing? And in lots, with themes, for great prices? If you've got a vintage lover on your list, it would be worth considering.

Journal starting kit #24, $14.59

I think these journal starting kits by Rebecca Horwood would be amazing gifts for teens. For about $15, the kits include a plain basic Moleskine journal 20+ pieces of original ephemera, 4 pieces of craft paper, and instructions/hints on how to start making your own original art journal.

Modern Animal Clock--Elephant, $68

Finally, I have to show you the amazing wooden animal clocks made by Decoy Lab. The elephant is my favorite, but there is also an owl, a squirrel, and a hedgehog. The clocks are made of maple veneer or bamboo and are so amazingly cute I could have one in every room.

That's probably a good start! Got any favorites of your own? Please share in the comments!

So I know I've already told you a tale of how much I love discount stores recently (In which I proclaim my love for Big Lots, and tell you why). But I'm going to do it again. In particular, I am nuts about Marshall's and TJ Maxx. Both are ubiquitous here (really--there are 12 TJ Maxx stores and 18 Marshall's stores within 20 miles of my house), so, second only to thrift stores, they are my go-to places to shop. I buy everything there--clothes, housewares, pet stuff, occasionally food, and bath and body products.

I recently had an online friend tell me she'd never been to a Marshall's or a TJ Maxx. This astounded me. I guess they aren't common in some places? Anyway, that got me to thinking about all the things I love to buy at these stores, so I decided I'd show you a few recent favorites.

Both Marshall's and TJ Maxx have recently been stocking these great travel sets from EO. Containing a 1.5 oz container each of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and lotion, they'd be great for just tossing into a plastic bag to take a short trip. I'm a big fan of the EO line in general, so I was happy to scoop a whole bunch of these up. I got one each in French Lavender, Grapefruit & Mint, Sweet Orange, Tea Tree and Lemon, and Cranberry Hibiscus, and am planning to either give a couple of them away as small Christmas presents or hoard the whole bunch for my future travel needs. The price? $4.99 at Marshall's/TJ Maxx, versus $6.99 on the EO website.

Another EO product I've been excited about lately are the 5 oz bottles of shaving cream. I hadn't previously used EO shaving cream, but it's good stuff and the scents are great. I picked up a lavender one and a tea tree and lemon one for $3.99 each. On EO's site? $8.99. If I get a chance, I'll pick some more up soon and stockpile them--that's one thing about finding this stuff at TJ Maxx or Marshall's, they aren't going to have it forever, so you have to get it while the getting is good.

Another brand of which I am a big fan, which TJ Maxx and Marshall's carry not infrequently, is The Body Shop. My latest score was several 7.1 oz containers of Pink Grapefruit Body Scrub--pink grapefruit is my favorite Body Shop scent, and I think they might be discontinuing it? Anyway, the scrubs were $4.99 each, and The Body Shop sells them for $20! I also picked up a couple of 8.4 oz bottles of pink grapefruit shower gel, on clearance for $3 each ($13 at The Body Shop), a Moroccan Rose body butter for $5.99 ($20 at The Body Shop), and a Wild Cherry body butter ($5.99, $20 at The Body Shop).

Recently, I've noticed a few high-end cosmetics at TJ Maxx, which is, as far as I know, a new thing. The best thing I've found was the NARS Black Eye set--a bottle of eye makeup remover, a eye shadow duo in Pandora (black and white), a black mascara, and a black eyeliner pencil. The retail on this set, which isn't available anymore anywhere I can find, was $60. I picked mine up for either $24.99 or $29.99.

I live in tights in the winter, and buying them is not easy at my size. One brand I can always count on to fit me properly is Hue (Size 4, baby! They actually really do fit a 6'0", 215 pound woman!). On their website, Hue charges $9.37/pair or two for $15 for their opaque tights. At Macy's, they are $8.99/pair on sale. At my discount stores, I regularly find two packs of the exact same tights for $9.99. And I buy them every time.

The gourmet food section is definitely hit-or-miss at most discount stores, and do you have to keep an eye on expiration dates, but there are gems in this rough. Most recently, I found a bunch of these gourmet Spanish salts from SoSo Factory, for $8.99 each. I snatched up the smoked paprika salt and the five-pepper salt, and was Mark ever happy that day! These retail for $18 each and the packaging is almost as great as the product--I'd definitely consider them for foodie gifts.

Another recent food section highlight has been offerings from Mustapha's Moroccan, a brand Mark sometimes orders online. I've seen capers, harissa, and various spices. The 10 oz jar of capers was $4.99 (as compared to $9.50 online), and the 1.6 oz ras el hanout was $7.99 ($15 online). The 1.6 oz nigella (grains of paradise) was $3.99 ($7.50 online).

I also have to recommend taking a look through the clothes. Sometimes, there's nothing. Recently, though, I've been impressed with the sweater selection. The clearance rack at my TJ Maxx had tons of really nice merino wool cardigans that had their tags cut out, but I am fairly certain were from either J. Crew or Talbot's. For the $15 each they were marked, they looked very high end, and were I not allergic to wool, I'd be adding several to my new job wardrobe.

If someone on your list has been very good, another thing I've noticed in my stores recently is a lot of Le Creuset. Even at a discount, this stuff is expensive, but there is a substantial discount. For example, I saw the 5.5 quart round French oven, which is $235 at Amazon.com, for $145 at TJ Maxx. You won't be able to be picky about colors--they usually only have one or two, but still, it's worth considering if you have anybody on your list who lusts after fancy cookware and doesn't mind last year's model (and honestly, has it changed?).

Cookbooks are another thing I've noticed a lot of recently--usually for less than $10. My not-MIL has a thing for the Barefoot Contessa, and I've seen several of her books at Marshall's, as well as Giada and Martha Stewart.

If you decide to take my advice and check out your local discount stores, I highly recommend you buy first and think about it later. If you decide against something, you can return it (with a receipt!). If you leave it, though, chances are excellent that you'll come back for it and it won't be there anymore. You can't guarantee anything will stay on the shelves, or that there will be more when something runs out. Likewise, if you find something small you really love (like, say, the toiletries I posted about at the beginning of this post), buy a few and stockpile them. It's not unlikely their manufacturers have discontinued them, so this is going to be your last chance.

Happy shopping!

Recently, my friend Susan took the plunge and opened her own small business, the fantastically named Chubby Girl Cheesecakes. As soon as her shop was up and running, I wanted to make an order--I love cheesecake!--but I waited until I had a similarly cheesecake loving guest come to stay a few weeks ago, since Mark doesn't like it.

It was worth the wait. I got 1/2 a Vanilla Bean cheesecake and 1/2 a Meadow Foam Honey cheesecake, with a bag of Susan's holiday Spiced Wine Cranberry sauce. And my friends, it was amazing. It was not only the by-far best cheesecake I've ever had, but one of the best desserts I've ever had. Susan ships the cakes frozen, so you'd think the texture would suffer, but it's still fantastic when it arrives and defrosts. The vanilla bean was the perfect vanilla, not too strong, but definite vanilla flavor, and a creamy texture that I can't even describe--nothing like those cheesecake that you think might just be a block of slightly sweetened cream cheese. The Meadow Foam honey had a wonderful, slightly herbal honey flavor and a more whipped texture. And the crust! Susan makes her own cookies and graham crackers for crusts, and the difference is obvious--it's remarkable. The sauce was the perfect red wine and cranberry compliment. Seriously, the whole thing was amazing. A transcendental cheesecake experience.

Susan's cakes aren't cheap--$39 plus shipping--but they are completely worth it. Each 10" round, 5-6 lb cake is an easy 16 servings, which makes the per serving cost totally reasonable. I'd HIGHLY suggest you consider a Chubby Girl Cheesecake next time you need a fancy dessert.

And guess what, lucky folks? One of you is going to get to order one ON ME! That's right, I'm giving away a Chubby Girl Cheesecake in honor of Susan's new business and in the spirit of Thanksgiving. Just head over to her site and take a look at the order form to see all the varieties Susan has available, then come back and leave me a comment as to what flavor(s) you'd like to try. If you want extra entries, blog about this contest or Tweet it and leave me a comment telling me you did that. Next Friday, I'll let random.org choose a winner, so be sure to leave me a way to get in touch with you!

Good luck!

Interested in winning some products from Aquaphor? Head over to the review blog!

I've mentioned my love for classic country music before. I am a complete sucker for that sound--Waylon, Willie, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, you name it. Good lyrics about hard lives with a twanging guitar. Gets me every time.

So, flipping channels a few weeks ago, I stopped when I saw Shooter Jennings. I like Shooter Jennings--don't love him, haven't bought an album, but have been interested in what I've heard. And then I saw that he was singing with another man. A bearded dude who reminded me a whole lot of a country version of a younger James Hetfield. They were singing a song about "between Jennings and Jones." And two verses in, I was hooked.

Jamey Johnson is the first musician I've heard since the day I was introduced to Grace Potter & the Nocturnals several years ago that has really struck any cord at all with me. And as I listened to him swap songs with Shooter, I liked him more every time he opened his mouth. That gravel voice, soft Alabama accent, no-bullshit guitar. Wonderful.

As soon as the show was over, I hopped on iTunes and looked for the album with the Jennings and Jones song on it. I found out it was Johnson's first studio album, "That Lonesome Song", and decided to take a chance, spend my $10, and buy the whole record.

Every song on it is good. And a few of them are great. I think my favorite is Mary Go Round, but I'd probably tell you different on another day. The lyrics are poetic, but straightforward, and the music is all traditional country, with an occasional moment that makes you think a bit of southern rock (think Skynyrd). The influences are pretty clear--I can't help but hear Merle Haggard in The Cost of Living High and Waylon himself on Between Jennings and Jones, and the pun of Mary Go Round is all Kristofferson--but this is a tribute more than an impersonation, and Johnson's original songs are so good I didn't for a second wish he would just give up and do covers (which tends to be the case whenever I hear anybody with a good classic country voice).

So, now that I have That Lonesome Song more or less memorized, I'm going to buy Johnson's second studio album, the double "The Guitar Song" as soon as it comes out in September. And these are the first records I've bought in years, y'all. Even with Grace Potter, I was satisfied to buy one. This is a big endorsement coming from me.

So if you like classic country, here's what I want you to do. Go here and watch the video for "In Color" or here to watch "Mowin' Down the Roses." Look how cute he is! Listen to how great those songs are! Then run out and buy his CD or his MP3s. Then come back and thank me.

Eating out is something Mark and I have enjoyed doing together for our entire relationship. Portland was the high point--there are a million great restaurants there, and new ones popping up all the time. In Austin, we explored some, and found a few spots, but compared to what we'd come to expect from Portland, we were disappointed.

Here in Virginia, we haven't had time since we moved to try many places. However, when Mark's parents were here in September, we did go into The Wine Kitchen in Leesburg for some lunch. We didn't plan it, just happened to walk by the restaurant while we were exploring Leesburg. And it was great--we had a light lunch, each had a glass of wine, and improved our afternoon considerably.

It was with this good memory in mind that Mark asked if I wanted to to The Wine Kitchen for dinner on Saturday. We hadn't been out anywhere nice in ages, so I was really excited about it, and I was not disappointed.

We started our meal with the charcuterie plate ($10). The highlight of the meats was an Italian bresaola--I hadn't had bresaola before, and I loved it, particularly paired with the stone-ground mustard The Wine Kitchen provides. The Spanish Serrano ham was good, too, though not the best I've had by any means. I was very disappointed, however, by the domestic (from Iowa) pork belly. It really tasted like raw bacon, and was both extremely fatty and very tough. We also go the marinated olives ($4), which Mark was disappointed to find were pitted, ruining their texture, but I thought were pretty good, and a very generous portion for the price--we couldn't finish them.

Along with our first course, Mark had a taste of Majella Sparkling Shiraz 2005, from Coonawarra, Australia ($4 for the taste) and I had a flight of tastes of three pinot noirs: Terrazze Pinot Nero, 2008 from Provincia di Pavia, Italy; Rosella's Vineyard A.P. Vin, 2006, from Santa Lucia Highlands, California; and Klee Pinot Noir, 2008, from Willamette Valley, Oregon ($13 for the flight). The Wine Kitchen pours a generous taste--I'd say it's more like a half glass--so I think the prices are very reasonable. Mark didn't like the sparkling shiraz, and neither did I--it tasted like carbonated port and was way too heavy for a pre-dinner drink. The Oregon Klee pinot was very good, the California OK, and the Italian antiseptic tasting, to my palette, but I learned to drink wine in Oregon, so take that for what it's worth.

For a second course, we split the Parisian herb gnocchi ($12). Served with roasted brussels spouts, pearl onions, and a balsamic vinegar, browned butter, and ricotta sauce, this was sublime. I don't love gnocchi in general, Mark doesn't love brussels sprouts, and yet we both loved this (though in retrospect, I'm not sure why we ordered it). The gnocchi were soft without being at all mushy, the brussels sprouts were just a bit crunchy, the pearl onions were sweet, and the sauce was perfect. This is a bit rich, though--I'm not sure I would want a whole serving as an entree. For a split starter, it was perfect.

I didn't have to give my entree much thought. I had the "chicken and waffles" ($12) .The Wine Kitchen's take on this classic is actually battered and fried farm-raised quail over cornmeal and herb waffles, with bacon caramel syrup. If that sounds good to you, trust me, it's better. The quail was done perfectly, and it was wonderful with the syrup. Mark also really liked the waffle, but I wasn't as big a fan of it--I wanted to be lofty and soft inside with a crisp outside, like a cornmeal Belgian waffle, but it was more Eggo-textured. Still, the overall dish was a huge success. I'd order it again in a heartbeat.

Mark went for the braised short ribs ($16). His dish was simply not so impressive as mine. The ribs themselves were fine (and it was a generous portion), but the red wine sauce served on them was lackluster. I was intrigued by the red grits the ribs were served with, but they ended up tasting much like grits with tomato sauce in them, and the texture was in the in-between area, not quite grits, not quite polenta. The pickled vegetable salad, however, was excellent, and was a wonderful accompaniment to the heavy beef and grits, adding a crispness that would have been lacking otherwise.

With our entrees, Mark and I each had a flight of wine tastes. I chose the Hills of Italy ($10), which included: Barbera D'Asti Collina La Mora, Barbera, 2007, from Piedmonte; Benotto, Nebbiolo, 2006, from Monferrato; and Chianti Riserva, Renzo Masi, Sangiovese, 2006, from Chianti. The Barbera and Sangiovese were both very solid, not great, but very drinkable. I didn't care much for the Nebbiolo, as it had a dusty taste to it that was too strong on my palette. Mark went for the Righteous Staff Selections ($12). His flight included: Yalumba , Riesling, 2008, from South Australia; La Palazzetta, Brunello di Montalcino , Sangiovese , 2003, from Tuscany, Italy; and d'Arry's Original, d'Arenberg, Shiraz, Grenache, 2005, from McLaren Vale, Australia. I didn't sample his Reisling, but loved it. The Sangiovese was very respectable and would fit right in with the wines in my flight. The high point of his for me, though, was the surprisingly good Australian Grenache, which I loved and will definitely look for again.

For dessert, I was all set to get the Caramel and Sea Salt Torta Palla ($7). Then, however, our waitress offered me the a port and truffles flight ($14), which I couldn't refuse. Mark ordered the Torta Palla and we split both. I didn't get the names of my port offerings, but the tawny was excellent (the other was a LBV that was a bit strong for me). The truffles were quite good. We were surprised to find we both loved the milk chocolate and cinnamon one the most, but the dark chocolate and Earl Gray garnished with lavender was also quite good. The third truffle was a ruby port and dark chocolate version, which I thought was overpowered by the tawny I was drinking and didn't care as much for.

Mark's dessert was my hands-down favorite part of the meal. Two balls of very good, very dense chocolate cake were covered with an excellent hard chocolate shell (not waxy at all, with great flavor). The balls were topped with heavenly homemade caramel sauce, sprinkled with strong sea salt, and garnished with what I believe to have been sweetened and whipped mascarpone. Every element of the dessert was perfect, and it was all fantastic together. I was stuffed to the gills by the time it arrived, and I ate my half with gusto anyway.

As far as atmosphere goes, The Wine Kitchen is a much different place for weekend dinner than for weekday lunch. It was very crowded and noisy. We arrived just after 6pm and got the last open table, and for the rest of our meal, multiple parties were standing up in the middle of the restaurant waiting for a clear table. Our second round of wine was delayed quite a bit, in part because our waitress couldn't make her way through the mob. Still, I like the place, it's comfortable and not pretentious in the least.

I like the prices at The Wine Kitchen, too. The tastes are usually $3-$5, and the flights $10-$16, so it's a great way to taste some wine. The food, too, is very reasonable for the quality and size.

There may well be other great places locally--we'll definitely keep looking--but I think Mark and I may have found our special new date night place here in our new home, and that's a good feeling to have.

Go over to my review blog for my review of this month's Out of the Box Sampler box.

After having such a good experience with the December Out of the Box Sampler, I ordered myself up a subscription to the OOTB service for 2010. I thought it would be really great to get the boxes at what would feel to me like random, having not ordered them each month. The first one came yesterday, and I was right!

Please? Nobody is reading my review blog. It's sad.

It occurs to me that most of you aren't reading my review blog. That may be just because you aren't interested, but in case it's because you don't know it is there, or aren't sure if you'd be interested, please check it out?

Today, I put up a review of the Little Black Box and Sweet Delights Divalicious Sampler Boxes for November.

Get thee to WINOW Reviews and try to win a September Little Black Box!! One week only, so go now.

Be sure to go over to my review blog to read about my Sephora bag from BlogHer and enter to win some products!

Observe.

From: Me
To: Bodum USA
Date: March 28

To Whom It May Concern;

Several months ago (around Christmas), I purchased a double-walled glass Bodum Centeen carafe.

We have happily used this carafe multiple days per week since we bought it. We use it to store the coffee that is getting cold in our Bodum French press. We never pour boiling liquids into it, or even anything all that hot. It has only been carefully hand washed.

This morning, I poured the extra coffee into it as usual. By the time I put it in the carafe, the coffee was cooled enough that it was drinkable to me, so far from boiling. I put it in the carafe and put the carafe down on the counter. Then, a moment later, the outer layer of the carafe exploded. It wasn't struck on anything, it just flew it pieces. I am attaching a photo so that you can see the damage.

Not only is this disappointing, as I paid at least $40 for this carafe, and have always purchased and been happy with Bodum products, but it is also really dangerous. It shattered into hundreds of tiny fragments. And it did so without any impact, which leads me to believe there must have been some weakness in the product.

I feel that with the price Bodum charges for its products the quality should be higher than it was here, and would appreciate a replacement carafe.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,

Grace

From: Bodum
To: Me
Date: March 30

Hi. Grace

Thank you for your email. Sorry to hear what happend with your double wall carafe. Unfurtunally we sold out on this carafe we don't sell them anymore. What I can do is I can exchange it for you for something else, please visit our website and choose something from there and I will send it to you as no charge.

Thanks,

Bodum Person

From: Me
To: Bodum
Date: March 30

Thank you for your quick response!

It looks like the only thing currently available on your site that will fill the same need the carafe did is the stainless steel Bistro vacuum flask. If we could get that to replace our carafe, we would appreciate it.

Thank you,

Grace

From: Me
To: Bodum
Date: April 27

Hello,

I am forwarding an email correspondence I had with one of your representatives, Bodum Person, about a month ago. I have not since heard anything, nor have I received anything in the mail. Can you please let me know the status of my replacement item?

Thank you,

Grace

From: Bodum
To: Me
Date: April 28

Hi. Grace

Unfurtunally I can't do anything because with out a receipt we can't do anything sorry.

Thanks,

Same Bodum Person

From: Me
To: Bodum
Date: April 28

Bodum Person,

Why was I originally told I would receive a replacement item, then? It is extremely unprofessional to have told me that and then stopped responding and sent nothing. I would like this exchange to be forwarded to your manager, please. I will expect response from him or her.

Grace

There are several things wrong with this transaction. The first issue, obviously, is that Bodum's product was defective. There was no reason a double-walled glass carafe should explode with no impact and without being filled with a very hot or very cold liquid.

Secondly, Bodum isn't standing behind their product. A reputable company will go out of their way to compensate for or replace a defective product. Bodum is refusing to do so.

Thirdly, I was led on in my exchange with Bodum's customer service representative. Upon receiving her first email, I was told my carafe would be replaced--not with another carafe, since they are no longer made, but with another product.

Fourth, when replacing my carafe turned out not to be the policy, Bodum not only didn't make good on their word, they didn't even contact me to tell me they weren't going to send a replacement. I waited nearly two months, then sent them another email myself before I found out that I was not going to be compensated.

Lastly, the grammar and spelling in the emails from Bodums' representative is atrocious and her language is unprofessional.

As anybody who reads WINOW often knows, I love to tell my readers about companies and products I love. I do it all the time. But I am as willing to tell you all about bad companies as I am about good ones, and, at least in this instance, Bodum is a bad company. Bad enough that even though I generally really like their products (I'm on my third French press), I won't purchase anything from them again. Just as I respect companies who have quality products, stand behind their merchandise, and have good customer service, I disrespect companies that have poor quality, don't stand behind their products, or have this type of poor service.

It has been made clear lately, over and over, that one of the many things the advent and popularity of blogging has done is give consumers more power. Bloggers are being begged and even paid to review products every day. Word of mouth has always been important, but now, rather than just telling all my friends and family about Bodum, I can tell the few thousand people a month who visit me here as well. And if they have any sense of what that scope of word of mouth could mean to them, they ought to feel pretty stupid for not just replacing my carafe.

So in May I reviewed the Sweet Delights Divalicious Sample Box and was duly impressed. Today I got The July box, and I remain so. Read about my haul, and keep in mind that the whole works was only $25 Canadian, including shipping:

• Cocoon Apothecary Magic Bean Body Cream, 4 oz bottle, Cream & Coffee (estimated value $10)


• From Lumiere Cosmetics, small sample pots of eye pigment in Raspberry Truffle, Hypnotic, and Halo (estimated value $5 each


• A small bottle of Adult Cold Care blend aroma oil and a Jasmine tinted lip slicker from Blue Monday Soap Co. (estimated value $8)


• A .5 oz Dolce de Limone lip balm from Herban Lifestyle (estimated value $5)


• A blue and silver chain bracelet from Roxy's Rox (estimated value $7)


• A yellow and black cell phone charm from from CellChic (estimated value $8)


• A sample gift tag and 10% off coupon code from Pick Me Paper Designs (estimated value negligible)


• From Heaven and Earth Essentials, a sample of White Chocolate Latte Sugar Scrub and a $5 off coupon code (estimated value $4)


• A 1.5 oz lavender soap sample from Heather's Natural Soap Co. (estimated value $2)


• A pink and brown polka dot clip from Pretty Hair Clippies (estimated value $2)


• A sample vial of "Seduction" perfume from Rosalyn Scent (estimated value $1)


• A pair of blue beaded earrings from Satin Doll (estimated value $10)


• A Scrabble tile pendant from B.B. Bellezza (estimated value $7)


• Four tea lights (2 white tea & ginger scent and 2 love spell) from Crystal Lights (estimated value $4)


• A felted rope (to be used as a necklace or bracelet) from Lisa and Lucy Jewelry (estimated value $15)


• A keyfob from Venezie Bags (estimated value $4)


• Two samples of hydrating facial creme from Aguacate & Co. (estimated value negligible)


• A Grandma's Kitchen soap sample from Mountain Farm Soaps (estimated value $2)


• Five Peak-A-Boob strips (estimated value negligible)

Total estimated value: $104

Crazy, right?

The eye pigment is the most exciting part for me--the colors are really vibrant and there is actually enough to wear it a few times. The lip balms both look promising as well. The jewelry isn't to my style, but the quality is good. Overall, I couldn't be happier. Sweet Delights can count me in for September's box for sure.

The LBB has done it again! In June's box, one of the most exciting items was a little bag of several samples from Flutterby Beauty, a new bath product shop on the scene. Intrigued by the sample items (and the 20% off coupon code), I made a small order from the website.

After some deliberation, I ordered: two 6.5 oz jars of Whipped Body Polish (one in Comfort, "a soothing blend of calming lavender with a hint of creamy milk and a drop of honey;" one in Clementine Lavender, "a relaxing and balancing fragrance of French lavender and sweet clementine supported by bergamot and Italian lemon"); two 2 oz bottles of Silky Body Oil (one in Head Over Heels, "fragrance opens with sweet vanilla, leads to a delicate floral center, and ends with a base of blackberry musk (compare to Philosophy Falling In Love);" one in Marrakesh, "an aromatic blend of spices including ginger, cinnamon, and clove balanced with a bit of zesty orange and warmed by a hint of vanilla"); and two 2 oz bottles of Moisture Mist (one in Honey Bee, "sweet honey drizzled over sticky toffee balanced with a squeeze of juicy orange and light florals (compare to Lush Honey I Washed The Kids);" one in Nectarine Blossom, "just-ripening nectarines with a hint of the delicate blossoms and a touch of honey (compare to Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey)"). After my discount code, my order came to about $35 with shipping.

It shipped lightening fast (two days, maybe?) and arrived quickly. It was well-packaged, with each set of two items in its own bag, tied with a purple ribbon. There was also a purple organza bag with three sample items--a body polish, a lotion, and a perfume. Flutterby's packaging is minimalist--just a simple label--but the bottles and tubs aren't flimsy and everything held up just fine.

Since the order arrived, I've had the chance to try at least one of each item. The body polish has a great texture, didn't seperate during shipping, and washes off without leaving an oil residue. I don't love the Comfort scent--the lavender overwhelms everything else in it--but there are lots of others to choose from. It's definitely worth buying again.

The other two products are even better. The Silky Body Oil is much like Haunt's Skin Glossing Oil (only $1.50 a 4 oz bottle cheaper), and it's an amazing moisturizing after-shower alternative when it's too hot for thick lotion (like now). I've tried both scents, but I love the Marrakesh--it's just spicy enough without being overpowering, and both the citrus and the vanilla are both clear in it. It's one of those smells, like Villainess' Jai Mahal, that just makes me feel cozy. Wonderful.

The Moisture Mist is also a winner. It's nice and cooling and lightly scented--perfect to carry around during the summer to replace heavy perfume oil. And the best part? Honey Bee is a dead ringer for Lush's Honey I Washed the Kids, which is one of my all-time favorite scents. I'm not a big fan of the Nectarine Blossom, but, again, there are lots of other scents to choose from. It's also fairly inexpensive, with a 4 oz bottle costing only $8.95.

Even more so than the first company to which the LBB introduced me, Heaven & Earth Essentials, I am taken with Flutterby. I'll definitely be ordering from them again. And, if you want to do the same, they are having a grand opening sale right now--the coupon code OPENING gets you 15% off your order and $5 flat rate shipping on all domestic orders. Go!

The LBB is on a roll. June's offering did not disappoint! As usual, this post will contain a rundown of what my box contained, but I'm also going to attempt to figure out the value of the items therein. All the values listed are taken from the merchant's website. If what was in the box is not offered on the site, the value is estimated based on what is offered.

In the box:

• A Freesia Hand Poured Soy Melt from Walking Leaf Co., $5.95


• Two printed package tags and a 15% code from Shalom's Cottage Home, $.75


• A pink teardrop adjustable size ring from AlluRing, $6.


• A green ribbon clippie barette and a free shipping code from 3 Little Monkeys, $2


• A small bag of dog treats from Pawsh Dog Bakery, $1


• A sample sized bar of Pure Lemon soap from Strawberry Hedgehog (also featured last month), $1


• A sample sized jar of unrefined shea butter from Nature's Shea Butter, $2.25


• A Patriotic Parfait sample sized wax melt from Whiff and Sniff Candles, $1


• An Autism Awareness ribbon pin and a 15% off coupon code from Jodi's Craft Emporium (also featured in April), $5


• Two wooden and paper magnets from QueenVanna Creations, $1.75


• A beaded ponytail wrap and a 20% off code from Pony Pretties, $5


• Two small envelopes and two matchbook notebooks from Crye's Creations (also featured in March, April, and May), $.70


• A large size pink cotton crocheted scrubbie from Mom With a Hook, $1.75


• A Sultry Summer perfume sample and a lollly from Lemon Lollipop (also featured in May), $1


• A chili pepper shaped catnip toy from Colorado Catnip Toys (also featured in March), $3.95


• A super cute "If You Love Something, Set it Free" screen printed postcard from 3 Lambs Graphics, $3


• A screen printed thank you card and an offer for four free monogrammed cards from Just Wright Boutique, $4.95


• A Winter Nights soy scent tart and a sample sized bag of Pomegranate bath fizzies, along with a magnet, from The Serene Dream Shop, $.75


• A sample of Wakey Wakey Whipped Body Polish, a sample of Strawberry Fields Hydrating Lotion, a sample of Afternoon Delight Silky Body Oil, and a sample of Classic Vanilla Moisture Mist, along with a 20% off code, from Flutterby Beauty, $6

Grand total: $51.80.

Yeah, I think it's definitely worth the money.

I am particularly excited about the Flutterby Beauty stuff--it's a new shop, and the information on their website leads me to believe they are right up my alley!

I wear glasses. My eyes have been bad forever, and I've worn glasses full-time since sometime in college. I wore contacts for a bit when I lived in Oregon, but I haven't been able to do that in Texas due to allergy issues. I long for Lasik surgery, but it's not something I've made a financial priority as yet.

In the meantime, I am picky about my glasses. I want fun, funky glasses, and I want multiple pairs to choose from. You can see a bit of my glasses history here (these are in approximate chronological order, and span the last five years):

In recent years, I've met these needs by spending hours looking at frames at Lenscrafters or the like when they're having a twofer sale. That way, I get two pairs to switch between. Last time I did this, though, I ended up with two pairs of glasses that fell apart within a few months. Not cool. So, when I got my new prescription in May, Id decided to go to Costco Optical, which had been recommended to me by several people, pay a bit more, and just buy one new pair of glasses.

I did that. I ended up buying two pairs--one regular glasses, one sunglasses (pretty much a necessity if you want to be able to drive here). My total was around $280. More than I've ever paid for glasses, but I figured I needed a good pair, so I paid it. Then I waited for a week while my glasses were made.

When I picked them up, the sunglasses were fine. I ended up not living the rather ostentatious frames I'd picked, but they worked fine. The regular glasses, however, hit me with a headache and nausea the minute I put them on. Figuring it was just that new glasses feeling, I tried to get used to them.

And tried and tried. And kept feeling sick. And then came to the conclusion that the prescription in the glasses must be wrong and that I should take them back.

And then went on vacation. And then got sick. And then neglected to do anything.

So I found myself in the position of having no accurate prescription glasses. When I complained about this state of things online, an e-friend pointed me towards Zenni Optical. Looking at the website, I felt pretty skeptical. Glasses for as little as $8? Really? How is that possible? But I loved a lot of their frames, and the risk didn't seem too big, so I decided to give it a try. I measured my pupillary distance with a ruler in the mirror, entered in my prescription from the card the eye doctor gave me, and made an order for three pairs: one conservative, one geek chic, one funky and bejeweled. Total cost, including shipping and handling, was $37.80. I made my order on Friday, June 15. On Monday, June 15, I received an email notifying me that my glasses were shipping. Yesterday, June 17, they arrived.

And I am thrilled with them. Every pair fits correctly, has the correct prescription (I can see and don't have a headache), and looks awesome.

The quality seems fine--they come in cheap cases, but that is pretty easy to fix. I don't see any difference between them and the ones I've gotten anywhere else, except that at $9.95-$12.95 each, they were less than 10% of the price. How does Zenni Optical do that? I have no idea, and honestly, I don't care. I just plan to take full advantage of it. Next up--different styles of sunglasses!

It has been absolutely FOREVER since I've talked about makeup! I can't even remember where I left off, so let me just tell you what is working for me and what's not:

Stuff I Love

Shampoo: I recently started using the Hybrid Solid Shampoo from Lush (I know, I have been railing against Lush for years, but the store in Cambridge called to me when I was there and I couldn't resist). I love it. My hair and scalp feel great, my hair looks awesome, and it's a wonderful shampoo experience. The smell is like licorice, but not too strong, and it lathers in a soft, wonderful way. It is also not that expensive. It's $9.25 for a bar that I think will last me at least three months (keeping in mind that I store it in a case and I don't wash my hair more than 3 times a week).

Makeup remover: I use Blum Naturals Daily Cleaning Towelettes for Dry and Sensitive Skin, and I love them. They take everything off, don't dry my face out, and feel good while doing it. Apparently they are $7.29 a 30 count package retail, but I bought four or five packages when they were at Ross for $2.99 each, so I am stocked up for a bit.

Primer: I am a complete disciple of Smashbox Photo Finish, as I've mentioned before. I am just finishing my first full bottle of it and have another to open when that one is empty. The first bottle lasted about four months, I think, of near-daily use, and it costs $36 a bottle, so it's not cheap, but it's worth it.

Powder: Again, I am wholly satisfied and no longer looking in this category. Clinique's Almost Powder Makeup SPF 15 is the one for me. It goes on smooth, looks natural, and, in Neutral, is the perfect shade. It's $22.50 a compact, but I bet the compact will last more than a year, so price isn't a big issue.

Blush: I have not one, but two blushes I love. The first is Nars' Blush in Orgasm, which I have mentioned here before (probably more than once). The second, which I am actually using more now that it's summer and my face has some natural color and doesn't need as much help, is Lancome's Blush Subtil in Cedar Rose. I love the oil-free formulation and how easily it slides on and natural it looks.
The Nars is $25 a compact and the Lancôme is $29.50, but again, I use so little, each will last more than a year, I'm sure.

Eyeliner: I've recently made two happy eyeliner discoveries. The first, a surprise, was The Body Shop's Hot Brights Eyeliner. Since I have hazel eyes, mine is the purple one, and I very much like and am using both ends of it. It seems to stay on well and it's easy to apply. It's $13, which isn't cheap, but eyeliner lasts for as long as you are willing to keep on using it, so I think that's OK. The other one I'm using is Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil, which is also awesome and the easiest eyeliner ever to apply, but a bit much for daytime for me. I have the 1999, which is plum with tiny gold glitter, and it works great at night. It was $16, but again, will last indefinitely.

Eye shadow: Again, I made a surprise discovery on a trip to The Body Shop. The Shimmer Cubes in Palette 16 are working great for me, in particular because I really don't like heavy eye shadow and just want a little bit of dazzle. I've used 3 of the 4 shades (everything but the darker pink) and liked all three of them. The set is $22, which seems reasonable for this much shadow.

Deodorant: After a brief foray into Oyin Funk Butter, which irritates the hell out of my skin (I think it's the baking soda), I am back to Secret Clinical Strength Hypoallergenic. It just works. I won't stray again. As a bonus, they have it at Big Lots for $2 right now. I might stock up.

Soap: The world is FULL of soap that I love, but my favorite right now is Villainess' Blush. It's great summer soap, smelling like berries and lime, and it makes the smoothest lather that never feels like it is leaving a residue. I love it. It's $5 a bar and worth even more.

Scrub: Again, I've rarely met a scrub I didn't like, but my right-now favorite is Arcana's Murder Ballad Blues. It's super moisturizing, doesn't leave a grease film, and again, smells like summer berries. I wish I had another jar of it. It is generally $11.99 for a 10 oz jar, which lasts me about 8 uses, but I don't use it every day.

Shaving Cream: This was another Ross discovery: Tree Hut Shaving Cream for Him and Her. I LOVE this stuff. It's super rich and thick, with a bunch of shea butter in it. Makes for a great, smooth shave, and it smells wonderful, especially in the Brazilian Nut scent. I've been looking forever for something to replace my Trader Joe's Honey Mango, and this is definitely it. Looks like it's about $4 a bottle at drugstore.com, too!

Body Moisturizer: I have to go with Villianess Whipped. It's a little bit heavy for summer, so I don't use it on the days I use scrubs, but since I have dry skin, it's still useful. The scent I am using right now, which I love, is Xia. It's a blackberry (can you tell I'm into berry scents right now?)/vanilla/pepper/cocoa smell, and it's just wonderful. It's $10 a jar, and a jar would last me probably 40 days of continual use, so it should last all summer.

Stuff for Which I Still Search

Conditioner: I am using Aveda's Smooth Infusion Conditioner, and it's fine, but it doesn't wow me. Also, it's expensive--$21 for 6.7 oz, and I use quite a bit of conditioner.

Face Wash: I've been using regular Cetaphil for quite a while, but it seems to work less and less well. I've tried a few other things, but so far they've all spectacularly failed (particularly the tea tree facial wash from Trader Joe's, which I swear peeled my skin off).

Tinted Moisturizer: I am using Clinique's Moisture Sheer Tint SPF 15. And I like it, but I don't love it. It's still not quite as sheer as I'd like, and I have a hard time putting it on without it ending up in my eyebrows, which makes it look like I have brow dandruff. It's also expensive, at $27 a tube, though I use so little I can't imagine the tube lasting less than 4 months or so. On the upside, it does feel very hydrating, which I like, but I still want something that is a little more moisturizer and a little less foundation.

Mascara: O perfect mascara, why does thou forsake me? I have been through nearly every highly-recommended brand of mascara out there, and I still haven't found what I'm looking for. I want something that makes it look like I have long, natural lashes. Lengthening, but no thickening or clumping or looking and feeling sticky. I've tried Definicils, Diorshow, Smashbox Bionic, and am now on to Imju Fiberwig, which is better than anything I've tried previously, but still not really what I want. It's also $22 a tube, which makes it not really something I want to replace every 3 months. I may go back to Neutrogena's Weightless Volume Wax-Free, honestly. The difference is just not that great, and it's less than a third of the price (around $7).

Lipstick: I put this in the "still searching" category because although I like what I have, I want more. The lipstick I am wearing the most recently is Benefit's Silky Finish Lipstick in Dessert First. I love how it looks when it goes on--just the right amount of color and shine and it feels really nice and never dry--but it doesn't last at all, which is a bummer, because I hate having to reapply. I thought choosing the Full-Finish Lipstick might help this, so I got that in Do Tell, but it goes on way to matte. Looks OK once I put gloss over it, but I hate it by itself. I'm also still using Clinique's Black Honey Almost Lipstick, though it's not quite what I want in the summer, and Bare Escentuals' Buxom Lip Gloss, which is too shiny for during they day for me right now. The Benefit lipsticks, by the way, are $18 each, which seems reasonable for a lipstick, since they last forever.

Facial moisturizer: Right now, I am using some health food organic stuff I can't remember the name of. It seems OK, but something is making me break out around my hair line, and I think it may be the culprit. I had a sample of something rose-based that I just loved, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. Does that ring a bell for anyone?

Whew! I use a lot of product these days! Guess I've become a high-maintenance girl!