Plum Deluxe Organic Tea of the Month Subscription Review and Free Tea Offer

Plum Deluxe is a dream come true for tea lovers who also love subscription boxes. This subscription sends hand blended, organic teas to your door every month. In my experience, these teas have been stellar blends with flavor for days. While I like plain tea, I love blends and Plum Deluxe has some of the best tasting blends in the business. There is nothing ordinary about these as you'll see.

Tea is the perfect companion for a good book. I love reading with a huge mug of tea. It's sort of like PB&J but it's tea and a book. Last year I read 186 books with an average page count of 400. That means I drank a enough tea to fill a swimming pool. Probably. This year, I plan to hit the 200 mark thanks to the Goodreads challenge (find me on Goodreads). I say all this so you'll know that tea a pretty big part of my life. Yes. I have an entire cupboard devoted entirely to tea of all kinds.

The Cost: $16/month, billed quarterly for two teas, $10/month, billed quarterly for one tea

What You Get: One ounce of a hand blended tea created especially for members and one ounce of a Signature Blend plus a generous sample of a third tea. The lower tier subscriptions will receive the 1oz Special Edition blend and a tea blend sample.  Both levels will receive brewing instructions, tea pairings, recipes and access to a private, supportive tea lover’s community. You'll also receive free shipping on all your shop purchases and member's only discounts.

Chococurb Mini Premium Chocolate Subscription Review

Chococurb is a way to pamper yourself or someone you love. Perfect for Valentine's Day! It's a whole chocolate experience and each month, you'll receive a new, delicious box of chocolates unlike any other chocolate box around.  This type of box is for spoiling yourself or treating someone you love to something wonderful.

The presentation is perfect and helps to make this a unique and beautiful gift. Chococurb would make a great gift for a co-worker or a business related "thank-you" type of thing. This box is truly an excellent all-around gift for just about any situation.

The Cost: $20/month.

What You Get: An assortment of 3 extraordinary chocolates from small, local chocolatiers to more established, national brands.

Birchbox January 2016 Beauty Sampling Subscription Box Review

Birchbox may have been one of the very first beauty sampling subscriptions in the US. Since their launch, hundreds of new subscriptions of all kinds have popped up and become popular. If anything, I'm happy that Birchbox was started because it paved the way for other subscription boxes that I love.

Birchbox sends beauty and skincare samples every month for a really reasonable price. Not only that but they have an excellent points program that allows you to purchase the things you discovered and loved for next to nothing. Or just straight up nothing if you save your points long enough.

The Cost: $10/month

What You Get: Five samples and sometimes full size items, including everything from makeup and skin care to non beauty essentials like candles and tea. Plus a really great points program.

PetGiftBox January 2016 Small Dog Subscription Review and Coupon

This review is for the January 2016 PetGiftBox for small dogs. I have two rat terriers that weigh about 17 pounds and this size is perfect for them. I don't really recommend it for dogs under ten pounds but if you've got a teacup sized pup, you probably already know this.

The theme this month is "Tail-gait Party" and the contents are so perfect for football season!

PetGiftBox sends fun, themed boxes with usually two toys and two treats plus an extra that can be anything from another treat to clothing or even cleansers and spritzes. I think they send some of the best extras and sometimes the most unusual, as well.

The Cost: $28.99/month-to-month down to $18.99/month if you get a year.

What You Get: A box of four to six toys and treats for your pet.

Japan Candy Box December 2015 Review and Giveaway

Japan Candy Box is an international subscription that sends Japanese candy to your door every month. That means no matter where on earth you live, you too, can have tasty Japanese treats delivered.

Each box is a riot of colored wrappers. While there is a list of what you received, it doesn't tell you much about each candy so it's definitely a taste-adventure. I try to taste them all. Sometimes they're so good, they don't make it to the photo stage. Whoops.

The Cost: $19.90/month (shipping is free and international)

What You Get: Each month you will receive 8-10 quirky Japanese sweets & snacks.

Popsugar Must Have January 2016 Review and Coupon Code

Sometimes I try not to be so effusive about how much I love my Popsugar Must Have boxes. It never works. I always end up saying it's one of my favorite boxes. If I was stranded on a desert island with one subscription box-- I would pick Popsugar. It's bound to have a snack in it, right?

Anyway, Popsugar is one of the few subscriptions that send everything from home goods to lipstick. Plus, you get full size products which is always awesome.

The Cost: $39.99/month

What You Get: Five luxury deluxe sized beauty essentials, from both well-known and emerging brands, delivered to your door each month.

Glossybox January 2016 Beauty Box Review and Coupon Code

Glossybox is a very popular beauty box subscription. I feel it's aimed toward women who are interested in skincare although there is usually always a makeup product and hair product in the box, too. Over the months of subscribing, I think if you don't want anti-aging skincare and you do want a lot of makeup, this box is not for you.

If you do want all the skincare and anti-aging type products and you don't care if the box is full of makeup, you'll be interested.

The Cost: $21/month

What You Get: Five luxury deluxe sized beauty essentials, from both well-known and emerging brands, delivered to your door each month.

Boxycharm January 2016 Beauty Box Subscription Review

Boxycharm is a great beauty box if you love getting makeup. As the contents of this box attest, makeup features heavily in Boxycharm and makes it a little different than the others out there at this price point. Specifically Glossybox.

I think I might like Boxycharm more than Glossybox. Especially if I compare each of this month's boxes. Boxycharm wins for usefulness and awesomeness.

The Cost: $21/month

What You Get: Full size and luxury size beauty samples of the best beauty products from popular and chic brands. Anything from nail care and hair products to the top skin care and cosmetics.

Blinc Amplified Mascara- Coats lashes with a glossy, volumizing and extending application that forms tiny, water resistant "tubes" around the lashes.
I received black and I'm pretty excited about this one. It sounds like it does what my all time favorite mascara does with forming "tubes." It'd be nice to find a comparable one that doesn't need to be ordered from Korea.
Value: $26

Coastal Scents Revealed Smoky Eyeshadow Palette- I received the last two Coastal Scents palettes that I have in a Boxycharm as well! This is such a fun addition to any box. I won't be using this because I just got the Urban Decay Smoky palette but I still love finding this in a box.

Looks like fun, huh?!
Value: $39

Royal and Langnickel Revolution Brush Set for Boxycharm- This set has a Detail, Crease and Smudge brush for using with that Smoky palette. These are soft but not that soft. I'm debating whether they'll be as good as e.l.f. or It Cosmetics. I doubt it.
Value: $24

Starlooks Pro Eyeliner Luxe Longwear Eyeliner Pen- This is my kind of eyeliner. It's like a marker so you can just draw on your eyeliner. I'm not a pro at applying liner but this type makes it easier. So while the info card says this should be an Ardency Inn eyeliner, I'm glad I got this one.
Value: $19

VERDICT: I loved Boxycharm this month! It's totally worth the $21 and if I didn't just get the UD Smoky, I'd be all over that Coastal Scents palette. Instead I'll pass it on to someone I know will love it. If you sign up now, you'll get this same box. Although you may get the Ardency Inn liner, who knows. But Boxycharm usually sells their boxes to the last day of the month unless they sell out beforehand. This box is so good I could see that happening.

*referral link was used in this post.

Chisel Shave Club Wet Shave Subscription Box Review and Coupon Code

Chisel Shave Club is a subscription box designed to help men get the best wet shave possible. I've noticed that this is becoming very popular lately. My husband does it once a week on a day when he has plenty of time or before date nights. I love how soft and scruff-free his face is after he has gone through the whole wet shaving ritual.

Looking good!

The Cost: $29.99/month

What You Get: Each box will have a hand-picked selection of wet shaving products like shaving soap, razor blades, aftershave, lotion, preshave oils, and more. If you sign up for a 6 month or 1 year prepaid plan, you will also receive a free double edge safety razor handle and shaving brush in your first box.

Trendy Butler January 2016 Menswear Subscription Box Review and Coupon

Trendy Butler is a menswear subscription that sends good quality, stylish apparel to your door every month. When you sign up, you will fill out a profile indicating what you are looking for (or what you would like to avoid). Trendy Butler then picks out what you might like, packs it up sends it on it's way.

Based on what we've received so far, I would say the clothing tends to lean on the small sizes. If you are lean or athletic, you'll have success receiving clothing that fits well. My husband is 6'1" with very broad shoulders and he has trouble with fit sometimes. I think I would categorize the clothing style as metro or euro and slimfit. I love that look but my husband has been leaning away from it as he's gotten older. Since I only have my husband to base the fit on, feel free to comment on how you felt the fit worked for you.

The Cost: $65/month

What You Get: One to three high quality menswear items worth at least $150 styled according to your profile and sent to your door each month.

Here's what we received in our January 2016 box.

Litu Box January 2016 Fair Trade Artisan Subscription Box Review

Litu Box is an eco-conscious, fair trade subscription dedicated to providing high quality, handcrafted artisan products as well as organic and eco-friendly items each month. You will receive anything from healthy foods, bath and body goods and women's accessories to handmade jewelry or home goods from ethical businesses.

The Cost: $30/month plus shipping

What You Get: Each month you will receive a box of handmade and artisan goodies worth over $35. You will receive high quality, handcrafted products made by local and international artisans featuring anything from bath & home goods to women's accessories, eco-friendly products, jewelry & more!

Bonjour Jolie January 2016 Subscription Box Review and Coupon Code

Bonjour Jolie is a subscription box that sends all the essentials needed to cope with that "time of the month." It sounds like something you wouldn't need but it is extremely handy and fun. I like it because I don't have to make any special trips out to get the necessities and it's nice having a box of goodies and tea delivered to me.

Bonjour Jolie sends a small piece of jewelry, a pampering item and a bunch of snackie goodies along with the boring things like pantiliners and Advil.

The Cost: $21.75/month including US shipping (also ships to Canada and Worldwide)

What You Get: You can select a mix of products up to 25 items OR a full box of one product (your choice from a list). Each box will also contain a hand chosen gift, specialty bath and body products, sweets like chocolate, teas and/or drinks, feminine wipes and Advil.

Her Shave Co. January 2016 Ladies Wet Shave Subscription Box Review and Coupon

Her Shave Co. is a company with the goal of introducing women to the wonderful world of wet shaving. This is the smoothest shave you'll ever get, that's for sure. You'll not only get the tools of the trade but you'll get new, fun shave and skin products to fall in love with every month.

My husband gets a manly version of this type of box and I admit to a little envy each time it arrives. Now there's a box with my name on it! And packed with girly goodness.

The Cost: $24.95/monthly

What You Get:  Your first box comes with a safety razor, replacement blades and a full sized skincare product such as a shaving cream, moisturizer or scrub. Subsequent boxes will arrive with replacement blades plus 2-3 full size specialty skincare goodies to keep your shave amazing.

With your first month you will receive a safety razor, a badger shaving brush plus a shaving extra and blades.

This review is for the first month's box.

Buddhibox Yoga Lifestyle Subscription Box January 2016 Review and Coupon Code

Buddhibox is a subscription box for yoga enthusiasts. It's pretty much guaranteed that you'll find something to help and encourage you with your daily activities. Each box contains items to enrich your life, body, mind and soul. Not only that but BuddhiBox is committed to sending ethically sourced, cruelty-free products. They work only with organizations and businesses that follow ethical and eco-conscious practices and strives to send organic and vegetarian items when at all possible.

Every month, Buddhibox donates a portion of their proceeds to a new charity or non-profit organization. January's donations will go to Second Chance Dog Rescue in San Diego. Second Chance rescues, rehabilitates and re-home dogs from local shelters and Baja California.

The Cost: $32.95/month

What You Get: Each month, delivered straight to your mailbox, you will receive a mix of 4-6 samples and full size products all dedicated to pure and mindful living.

Something Snacks January 2016 Review and Coupon Code

This month Something Snacks has a theme of "Hello, World" and features snacks from around the world. Each box usually contains something familiar, something international and something fun. There is generally always something sweet and something savory, too, so there's a pretty good balance in each box.

The Cost: $13/month

What You Get: Each box will contain 7 new and tasty, hand selected snacks.  You can expect something familiar and something more out of the ordinary.

Tuesday Tidbits January 2016

It's another belated Tuesday Tidbits post! I'm really good at procrastinating sometimes.

It was a whirlwind of excitment and busy-ness around Christmastime. I was so swamped with reviews right before Christmas that I was wrapping gifts til late in the night on Christmas Eve. My family is HUGE on my mother's side so we do a white elephant gift exchange type of thing with numbers. Now that we're all grown, it makes more sense. While my mom has six brothers and sisters, none of my cousins are quite so prolific. Out of all of us cousins (I think there's 18 of us), only one has kids yet (and we're all well into our 20's or *cough* 30's).

In other words, it's a giant party. The kind where the house is always too small, everyone is talking at the top of their lungs, there's wrapping paper everywhere and all the tables are overloaded with food you can't stop eating. Apparently, you can't be Greek without too much food and talking way too loud. Or maybe that's just my family and our own type of crazy...

Hamptons Lane January 2016 "Power Bowl" Review and $10 Coupon

Hamptons Lane is a kitchen focused subscription that sends not only artisan foods to help you create a delicious meal but also the tools to do it with. It's a unique subscription and as someone who loves to try new recipes, it's a ton of fun. I've been very happy with the boxes I've received so far and even purchased more as gifts for fellow cooks in the family.

The theme this month is "Power Bowl" and is set up to show you how to make healthy meals and take them with you wherever you go. Here at home we eat a ton of veggies and when my husband heads to the office, he takes his lunch with him. In other words, this box is basically perfect for us.

The Cost: $47/month.9

What You Get: Curated artisan ingredients, handy kitchen tools with unique recipes delivered in a monthly themed box.

Love with Food January 2016 Deluxe Box Review and Coupon

Love with Food is so much fun! It's a subscription that sends natural, organic and/or gluten free snacks to your door every month. There are two sizes, Tasting and Deluxe. This is the larger Deluxe box review. There was a rockin' deal on Groupon awhile ago for 3 months of the Deluxe box but once this is up, I think I'll go back to the Tasting Box.

I like this box because while the treats tend to be healthy, they sneak some really good snacks in. I've discovered some really great products in my Love with Food boxes.

The Cost: $19.95/month for the Deluxe Box, $9.99/month for the Tasting Box

What You Get: 16-20 new snacks each month. Snacks are either organic or all-natural, GMO-free, gluten-free or free of artificial junk. (The regular Tasting Box has 8+ snacks)

BeautyFix January 2016 Unboxing and Review Plus Half Off Box Offer

BeautyFix is definitely an interesting beauty subscription box. This is the January 2016 box and it is packed with... well, interesting! If you love skincare, you're probably going to want to check out BeautyFix at some point. The nice thing is that if you see one you like, you can grab it until it sells out. So if you like what you see today, you can get this box!

The Cost: $24.99/month

What You Get: Each month, we'll be offering a different BeautyFIX box, featuring full- and travel-size of the latest and greatest products in skin care, hair care and makeup, worth at least $100.

Clean Bar Box Large Box January 2016 Unboxing and Coupons

Clean Bar Box sends four seasonally scented soaps right to your door every month. I love artisan soap because they have the most unique and wonderful smells ever. This month is no exception to that rule.

Clean Bar Box has a variety of box sizes to choose from so you can get the perfect amount for just yourself or you family. The soaps are vegan, contain no preservatives, animal products, petroleum products, parabens, or lauryl sulfates. They're made with coconut oil, olive oil and shea butter with some other ingredient differences depending on the scent.

The Cost: $21.99/month for the Large Box, $16.99/month for the Small. This review is for the Large Box. You can also get boxes bi-monthly.

What You Get: Four new seasonally inspired scents of artisan crafted handmade vegan soap every month. The Large Box sends two ~5 ounce full bars and two ~2.5 ounce half bars of soap every month. The Small Box sends four ~2.5 ounce bars.

BeautyDNA January 2016 Review and $10 Coupon

BeautyDNA is a unique sort of beauty and skincare subscription. You will only receive full size products tailored to your exact preferences. There's a very indepth questionnaire for you to fill out when you sign up that asks about... well, everything even remotely related to skincare and your particular skin. I really like that aspect of it.

Usually, you'll be sent one, possibly two items. They scan through the thousands of beauty products they have and find you the perfect full-size product that addresses one of your skin, hair or body problems. They promise to not to send an item to treat the same area twice.  So you'll get a skin product, then a hair product, then a body or lip or eye or whatever product! I personally only want skin products and I filled out my questionnaire in a manner that makes it quite clear.

The Cost: $25/mo with free shipping

What You Get: One (possibly two) full-size products specifically tailored for you from your profile. You'll also receive a card explaining exactly why the product was sent.

Olfactif January 2016 Niche Fragrance Subscription Box

Olfactif is a monthly niche perfume sampling subscription. This is for the diehard fragrance lovers. The ones who want to leave behind something memorable. No one else is going to smell like you do. The fragrances Olfactif sends are not mass produced, watered down, celebrity endorsed versions of anything.
The theme this month is "What's in a Name" and features some interesting and silly names. One of them is completely ridiculous.

These are unique perfumes by some of the best and most talented artists from around the world. The fragrances sent by Olfactif are potent, creative and complex. And you won't ever find them in a department store. Olfactif samples are generously sized and come in glass spray vials, not those hard-to-open poptops. Each vial holds 2.25 ml of perfume (1.75 ml in the case of a few extremely pricey scents), which is about 40 sprays.

The Cost: $18/month

What You Get: Three niche perfume samples in 2.25ml spray vials, carefully packaged and sent to your door every month. You'll also receive $18 toward the purchase of a full size bottle for the month.

Sun Basket Healthy Meal Delivery and $30 Coupon

Sun Basket is a meal delivery service that sends hand selected, fresh seasonal ingredients the West Coast has to offer. You'll receive non-GMO produce, responsibly raised, hormone free meats and sustainably sourced seafood.

Sun Basket does an excellent job of putting together healthy meals that are packed with flavor, easy to put together and make glad there was a little leftover to save for later.

Each week, you can choose your own recipes or you can select the perfect meal plan based on your dietary needs. If you need to skip a week or two, you can do it right from your account.

If you like to be surprised, you can choose one of the options below and appropriate meals will be sent.

Chef's Basket: Three of Chef Justine's favorite recipes and fresh seasonal ingredients. Enjoy an endless variety of delicious, satisfying meals featuring the season's best produce and sustainably sourced meats and seafood.

Paleo: Quick, low carb Paleo recipes, fresh seasonal produce, and sustainably sourced meats and seafood.

Gluten-Free: Three gluten-free recipes and fresh ingredients, like seasonal produce, sustainably sourced meats and seafood, plus healthy gluten-free grains.

Vegetarian: Three delicious meatless recipes and fresh ingredients, with an emphasis on seasonal produce and nutritious plant-based proteins.

Sun Basket is currently shipping to CA, OR, WA, CO, UT, AZ, NV and ID. I am so glad I live within shipping distance because getting all the ingredients for unique, healthy meals  is something I love.

The Cost: Meals cost $11.49 per person.
2–person plan: $68.94/week
4–person plan: $137.88/week
6–person plan: $206.82/week

What You Get: Everything you need to prepare three healthy, tasty meals in about 30 minutes!

The 3B Box Asian Beauty Subscription Review January 2016

The 3B Box sends beauty and skincare products from Korea, Japan and Taiwan right to your door every month. It's a subscription I love for it's great price and interesting products. They tend to source some of the more familiar brands along with a few unusual or harder-to-find products which makes this a constant surprise.

This month features one of my all-time favorite products and I'm super happy for all the people who get to try it that may not have yet had the opportunity.

The best way for me to describe this box is as an Asian beauty Birchbox. It's usually deluxe size samples but lately there's been some serious full size goodies.

The Cost: $12/month

What You Get: Four to five deluxe size Asian beauty samples from Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

Allure Beauty Box January 2016 Review

The Allure Beauty Box (formerly Sample Society) has been one of my favorite low cost beauty boxes since I first discovered subscription boxes. The curation is excellent and so are the brands. Plus they do a wonderful job slipping in full size items when this is technically a beauty sampling box. I love that!

This month there are three (!!!) full size products with some cult favorites tossed in for good measure. As usual, the variety is perfection and makeup lovers will be very happy this month.

The Cost: $15/month

What You Get: Five or more deluxe-size beauty samples from a curated mix of skin, hair, and makeup products as well as fragrance.

TeeBlox January 2016 Hot Meex T-Shirt Subscription Box Review and Coupon Code

TeeBlox is the perfect subscription for pretty much anyone. They send licensed, quality t-shirts to your door every month along with extras like comic books, posters and stickers. The best part?! You get to pick your t-shirt category! Love all things Disney and princessy? Get the Disney subscription! Love all things beer and liquor? There's a shirt category for you! Are you a Marvel comic aficianado? Yep, you guessed it... there's a t-shirt category where you'll only get Marvel related t-shirts.

See what I mean about it being perfect?! Currently I'm getting the Hot Meex which means you get some of everything. Which explains the t-shirt I got this month. I think.

The Cost: $9.99/month plus $2.50 shipping

What You Get: One 100% authentic licensed geek and gamer shirt delivered to your door every month. You'll also get two extra goodies that could be posters, comic books, decals and/or stickers.

Wantable Intimates January 2016 Review

I really like Wantable Intimates. I love the customization and I love the ease of the whole transaction. The profile system is great, you can modify your subscriptions right from your account and returning the whole box or items for a refund is absolutely painless.

Of course,  I also like what they send! So far everything has been of good quality and worth the intial cost of the subscription. Plus it means I don't have to go shopping for pj's.

The Cost: $50/first month, $46 thereafter

What You Get: Three to four premium intimate essentials based solely on your profile preferences.

Elizabeth & Clarke Winter 2015 Collection Review and Coupon Code

Elizabeth & Clarke is perfect for professionals who want to painlessly add work appropriate tops to their wardrobe. Each season, you'll have the opportunity to choose one, two or three high quality tops and blouses in neutral colors designed to fit seamlessly into your collection. Materials include soft jersey, cotton ramie and luxury stain and wrinkle resistant fabric blends.  While they are work-appropriate, they aren't boring- and that's a good thing!

Each season E&C releases three tops. You can get them all or just choose the ones you want.

Cost and What You Get:

Premium – $20 each shirt / 3 shirts per season
Signature – $25 each shirt / 2 shirts per season
Starter – $30 each shirt / 1 shirt per season

I'm no longer working in an industry that requires dressing up which is wonderful but I'm always looking for new tops and blouses. These are very good quality and definitely interesting so I had to try it out.

I started with the Premium collection of three shirts but for Spring 2016, I downsized to Signature because I only liked two of the three top options. That was easily done via email and the response was super quick.

All the shirts are named after famous Elizabeths which I think is fun. Maybe when they run out of Elizabeths they'll go to famous Clarkes? I can only think of Clark Kent...