When I canceled my membership with Ipsy at the end of July, I had mentioned in my review of the month’s bag that I was eyeing another subscription service to take it’s place. That service was the monthly POPSUGAR Must Have Box. Although considerably more expensive than Ipsy, (POPSUGAR’s service costs $39.95 a month as opposed to Ipsy’s $10 a month fee,) the value of the items included- which cover beauty, fitness, fashion, food, home decor and much, much more- ALWAYS surpasses the cost. I wanted variety and more importantly- quality- and I felt I would get that with the POPSUGAR box after reading so many positive and pleased reviews from current subscribers.

I decided to give it a try, and August’s box- my first with the company- arrived at my door shortly after I’d subscribed.

Like my GlossyBox and Loot Crate subscriptions, POPSUGAR included a pamphlet in the box that detailed each product inside and their estimated retail value. The service curates the items based on themes and inspirations (which I love because it means real thought into the box as opposed to just random selections,) and packages everything very neatly! I was already excited even before I saw what was inside.

Starting with the food items, of course, I received a package of birthday cake pancake and waffle mix from Shortstacks (who have other interesting and awesome-sounding mix flavors available at their website!) and a bottle of Folgers‘ iced coffee concentrate in the caramel macchiato flavor. I haven’t tried the concentrate yet (but will soon, since my mornings can get pretty hectic sometimes and this seems like it’d be convenient!) but I LOVED the pancakes. They were colorful, easy to make, fluffy- and tasted really good.

Since starting my job at the firm nearly five years ago, I have mastered the art of preparing a balanced, healthy, and usually tasty lunch the night before I head to the office. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and maybe some chocolate here or there (if only to keep me going after 2 p.m. when I start to crash,) I try to cover it all so I’m not left famished by the time 5-o-clock rolls around. Even though preparing the meals I bring with me has been a piece of cake- packing them neatly is an entirely different story- and on more than one occasion I’ve suffered a casualty as my food has gotten squashed inside of my bag.

I thought this plastic lunch box from Happy Jackson was just the cutest. It’s so bright and cheerful and will serve as great protection for the more-fragile sandwiches or fruits I store at work!

And I can never have too many napkins with all the cooking and baking I’ve been doing lately, so these pretty pink ones from Meri Meri will come in handy the next time I’m having guests and need something a little more presentable to use than paper towels when serving them!

Recently I noticed that my usual coffee mug at work, a cute black & white number with mustache-prints on both sides of it, had an unfixable crack running along the inside of it- causing some of my coffee to slowly but surely seep out onto whatever surface I had rested it on. I was a little bummed, since I’d had it for quite a while- but I think this “Best Day Ever” mug will serve as a nice replacement. It’s simple and it’s cute- and it’s microwave and dishwasher-safe!

I’ve only been using this eye cream from Royal Apothic for a few days now, typically at night before I go to bed, but I’ve already been seeing fantastic results with it. Each morning after use, the area around my eyes where I’ve gently tapped it on it looks noticeably brighter and smoother (which is really important to someone like me who is prone to dark circles from time to time.) The formula is really gentle, non-greasy, and absorbs pretty quick- so I don’t get it all over my pillowcases during those instances where I cover my head with one in the morning in a desperate attempt to avoid my alarm clock. A little goes a long way, too- so I know this full-sized container will last me a while. I’m thrilled with it so far!

I think my favorite item in August’s POPSUGAR box was this beautiful, lightweight, and two-styles-in-one cotton gauze scarf from American Colors. I know I’m hanging onto Summer with all my might- but Autumn is still my favorite season (by far!) and I think this scarf is going to be perfect to integrate into my wardrobe when the temperatures start to drop here in New England. It’s so cozy, comfortable, and chic. It also retails for $79, which completely blew me away.

Finally, POPSUGAR included a couple of digital surprises, too- the first being a 20% off voucher for any purchase through American Colors (the makers of the aforementioned beautiful scarf I received and who have so many other pretty things available at their site!) and a free 3-month trial of My Yoga Works (a $45 value!), which offers free online video lessons/yoga classes, playlists you can customize, etc. 24/7. I CANNOT WAIT to set up my mat at home and get started with this! It’s so exciting!

Overall, my POPSUGAR box had a total retail value of just over $200! I’m thrilled with everything that came in the August box. This was truly worth every penny I spent when signing up and I’m already so psyched to receive my September box (I received a couple of spoilers in my e-mail earlier this week and wow! That’s all I can say! It looks like it’s going to be another good one!)

xx