OuiPlease Vol. 1.4: Escape to the French Riviera

I was intrigued to see how OuiPlease would handle this box considering the backlash from the undervalued boxes in the 1.3 Provence box (you can see my review here) and slightly feeling like I may have been bamboozled. OuiPlease tackled this issue with the following packing slip to indicate that they did indeed meet the “over $400 worth” promise:

 

ouiplease-packing-slip

 

Here’s the list of items with the actual brand and product names:

 

Total – $430

Looks pretty good, right? Well, some of these items seem VERY overvalued. Let’s break them down one by one and see where we’re at.

First up, the item that made me seethe the most:

 

1. Betchy Sketch – Coasters ($20)

When I first saw the item labelled “Coasters” I thought that $20 would be a bargain.. until I realized that the 4 pieces of thin paper (my boyfriend commented, “it’s an insult to call that cardboard”) are actually the ‘coasters’. See below:

 

IMG_4615

 

These are actually pretty cute… as far as the drawing go, but $20 for 4 little pieces of paper? What? ALSO, they are printed with “oui please” all over them. So, ultimately, I am paying OuiPlease so that I can advertise for OuiPlease. I would totally understand these as a cute little bonus item, but they value these at $20! I could buy SO MUCH MORE for $20. I could buy REAL coasters.. not PAPER coasters.. In fact, I have done that before already. WHAT THE HECK, OUIPLEASE, WHY?! I’d also like to note that this company is based out of Dallas… interpret that however you’d like.

Since this is a custom piece, they can name their price.

 

2. Objets Obscurs – Bracelet Ksena Crochet Rouge ($50)

Another one of my let down items was the following bracelet, valued at $50. It actually LOOKS quite cute, but the materials used felt very cheap. I did a little research, and it seems to be brass and cotton yarn. Again, for $50, I could get a way higher quality piece pretty much anywhere.

 

ouiplease-braceletscreenshot-objets-obscures

(Click to Enlarge) 

And to make matters worse, OuiPlease has again OVERVALUED items. They list this as $50 in my packing slip, and on the website it is only 25 euros, which is roughly $28. Not to mention Objets Obscurs has a 50% off coupon right now. Now that price makes way more sense to me.

 

3. Graine De Pastel – Baume De Cocagne ($50)

I am excited to try this brand, and was happy to see the product price isn’t too far off from OuiPlease’s apparent guess. Graine De Pastel’s website shows this item as 33 euros, which is about $38. The product smells really good and I like the texture. I can already tell I will like this one.

 

Baume-de-cocagne

 

 4. Graine De Pastel – Hand Cream ($30)

And then OuiPlease again proved that they have no idea how to convert euros to dollars, because this is only 12.50 euros, which is is just under $14.. and less than HALF what OuiPlease valued it at. I can’t even anymore. Despite this, it looks like a good product, so I am overall happy with it being added to the box. I am going to leave it at my desk at work and try to use it daily since I have a tendency to get lotion and then never use it.

 

Creme-de-cocagne-Mains

 

5. Pier Auge – Body Caresse Agrume ($80)

The highest valued item in the box, is actually 53.20 euros, which is just under $60. Still a pretty high value item, so I am pleased to get a chance to try it. It feels very thick, which I like in a lotion. It smells nice, as well.

 

pier-auge-caresse-agrumes

 

6. Doux Me – Rose Mist ($35)

This item is 19 euros according to their website, which is about $21. I have never used a rose mist but I love face mists and I can’t wait to see how it feels. The bottle says that it can help take off make-up so it looks like it is more of an end-of-the-day spray. I use a face spray every morning already, so it will be nice adding something for nighttime.

 

Rose-mist-Doux-me

 

7. Kingies – Life Is Beautiful T-Shirt ($40)

I couldn’t find anything about this shirt or brand online, but my beef with it isn’t really the price (even though … hello, that’s $40 for a t-shirt!!!) but rather the fact that it has a STAIN. Check it out below:

 

kingies-2 kingies-1
 

I’m not sure what happened here, but it’s definitely not beautiful to have a yellow highlighter mark on your shirt, but I understand.. it happens. Even without the mark, this shirt is slightly too small for me to work.

UPDATE: I emailed OuiPlease and they said they will send me another item to make up for it. I actually am impressed by this!

 

8. Little Marcel – Simia Beach Towel ($45)

I LOVE this towel, honestly this is my favorite item, and they didn’t lie on the price at all! Yay! At 39 euros regularly, this piece is about $43.. which is right on target with OuiPlease’s price! The website had the item on sale, but I honestly do not care because it’s so cute!

 

simia-marin IMG_4612
 

I love getting beach towels in a box, so this definitely helped to soften the blow of the other item’s lackluster. It’s a colorful design, and I am happy to have it.

 

 9. La Fare 1789 – Lavender Flower Jar ($20)

I couldn’t find this item on their website, but considering their creams range from 8-17 euros, I have a hard time believing this jar of flowers is actually $20. I’m not sure what I would actually use it for but the bottle says that it was traditionally placed in cabinets to repel moths. Another item I will leave at my desk at work so that it actually gets some use.

 

lavender-flowers

 

10. Lulu en Provence – Cappuccino Clutch ($40)

I couldn’t find the exact one I had, but the Ecru colored is listed as 22 euros, which is less than $25. Again, inflation on OuiPlease’s price. I think the quality of the bag is not that great either and the design isn’t anything special to me. Reveuse means dreamer, but I don’t really consider burlap to correlate with the term. However, part of me likes it, and I think I will use it to *ehem* carry tampons in my bag. TMI but whatever.

reveuse Ecru -Reveuse

 

11. Confiserie Stanislas – Nougat Lemon ($20)

To access their store, you have to create an account.. so I am not entirely sure how much this bar actually retails for. I am okay with the $20 price since it is fancy French Candy, even though I wouldn’t be surprised if it is inflated as well. However, I am actually excited to try it! My boyfriend and I each had a bite, and it’s okay. Definitely better than the hard candy that was included in the last box. But definitely not worth $20.

 

ouiplease-french-riviera-2

 

Now that I’ve gone through each item, it’s time to calculate the adjusted MUCH MORE realistic total:

$330!

Of course, I did not adjust the items which I couldn’t find a price for, so I would not be surprised if this is even lower (paid a huge premium on $20 pieces of paper, a $40 t-shirt, and $20 flower pieces). If you’re like me, I have about $100 in each box since I got the annual subscription with a coupon, so the burn isn’t TOO bad. If you consider each item at least $10, then this box at the very least is $110 which is more than what I paid per box AND a good majority of the products were worth more than that (mainly the lotions). What burns is that this company flat out lies. If they want to attribute extra cost to the curation, shipping, or something else.. LABEL it. Do not attribute these costs to the individual item because it makes your look like liars.

I am pleased with the brands they chose for the beauty products, and I am excited to try them out. I was a little annoyed that they included two body balms and a hand lotion, because it just seems like lotion overload… but I can deal with that. As I said before, I LOVE the towel. Plus I adore the box they package the items in – they could add that in as a $20 item and I would be less mad about it than I was with the paper coasters!

Overall, OuiPlease would be a fun subscription, except they put such a huge focus on these fake product prices that it makes it hard to not feel gypped.

POPSUGAR Must Have Subscription Box – July 2015

Instagram filter used: Valencia

View in Instagram ⇒

Batch USA Tour of Texas Collection – Fort Worth – July 2015

My favorite one so far, I think

Instagram filter used: Valencia

View in Instagram ⇒

Rachel Zoe’s Summer 2015 Box Of Style Review

Introducing Box Of Style. Over $300 worth of glamorous finds, curated by Rachel Zoe and delivered to you for only $100.

One of the most sought over boxes so far this year, Rachel Zoe’s Box of Style was sold out within a few hours of launching and I was one of the lucky ones to get on board from the beginning! This time I decided to sign up for an annual subscription.

Here’s what was included in the Summer box:

  • Cambridge Satchel Company Large Push Lock Cross Body Bag – Value $150
  • Mara Hoffman Sarong – Value $98
  • O.R.G. Skincare Mineral Peel Face – Value $44
  • Too Faced Color Drenched Lip Cream in Spice Spice Baby – Value $22
  • Too Faced Sun Bunny Bronzer – Value $34
  • Bristols Six Nippies Skin Covers – Value $26

At a $374 value, the box more than met the $300 minimum they promise. This is HUGE.

I love the Mara Hoffman Sarong and have already used it a few times this summer. It is absolutely gorgeous and looks very trendy by the pool.

Even though I didn’t particularly love the rest of the items in the box, I was very impressed with the quality of the curation and love that the box is worth its price.

This box is already one of the most consistent and timely which is impressive for subscription boxes. I can’t wait to see what Rachel has in store for us in the next box!

BirchBox June 2015 – The Tig

THE TIG: GUEST EDITOR BOX – Curated by actress Meghan Markle, founder of The Tig lifestyle blog, this box is brimming with A-list must-haves for all your summer escapades.

My box included:

  • Real Chemistry Luminous 3-Minute Peel
  • Harvey Prince Hello Body Cream
  • Davines SŪ Hair & Body Wash
  • Oribe Cote d’Azur Fragrance
  • Marcelle BB Cream Golden

I am most excited to try the BB Cream!

Bare Escentuals BareMinerals May Mystery Box Review

It’s an 11-piece Beauty Surprise collection brimming with mystery goodies. These go fast. We’re talking a few hours. Tops. You’ve been warned…

The BareMinerals Mystery Box costs $45 with an estimated $195 value. Here’s what I received in my May box:

  • Buff & Conceal Brush
  • READY Luminizer Duo The Love Affair & The Shining Moment (pink nectar glow/golden champagne
  • Big & Bright Eyeliner in Espresso
  • 5-in-1 BB Advanced Performance SPF 20 Mineral Veil
  • Blush in Sweet Romance (Candlelight Glow)
  • Marvelous Moxie Lipstick (Dim the Lights)
  • Natural Light Face Lifting Duo
  • bareVitamins – Skin Rev-er Upper
  • Mini READY Touch Up Veil Broad Spectrum Spf 15
  • Whipped Velvet Eye Color – Deep Sky
  • Whipped Velvet Eye Color- Rich Olive

The only product I’ve used is the Lipstick. Everything else was kind of a miss for me, but I do appreciate the value of the box. I will probably wait a little while before buying another one.

OuiPlease Vol. 1.3: A Breath of Provence Review

OuiPlease Vol. 1.3: “A Breath of Provence” is valued at more than $400 per parcel. Your exclusive parcel will feature a surprise selection of the finest French products, making each delivery limited edition.

My boyfriend offered to buy me the annual subscription for our two year anniversary since he knew I had been lusting over it. It was set to ship toward the end of April, which was perfect since our anniversary is April 29. I was so excited to receive my parcel! 

Unfortunately, OuiPlease had shipping delays and the item didn’t end up shipping until May 14. Luckily, it arrived to me today since it was picked up in Texas!

The packaging did not disappoint. It is absolutely beautiful and lux feeling:

   
 

However, the contents of my box were a bit of a let down after seeing spoilers for the box already.

 
Here’s the full list of what was included in my box:

  • Tassia Canellis – Way Ring ($60)
  • Oliv’ La Claree – Radiance Elixir ($50)
  • Oliv’ Last Claree – Beauty Oil ($35)
  • La Fare 1789 – Voluminizing & Shining Shampoo ($25)
  • La Fare 1789 – Succulent Foot Cream ($15)
  • Coeur De Cigale – Shower Gel Fragrance Calisson ($25)
  • Panier Des Sens – Hand Cream Lemon ($15)
  • Rose et Marius – Les Carreaux de Ciment – Melon & Basil Fragrance ($15)
  • Plates & Parfums –  Sault Collection – Provence Lavender Flower Stchet ($15)
  • Epicure de Provence – Honey Candy Jar ($15)
  • Sothys – Rouge Intense Satiny Lipstick in Orange Saint-Paul ($30)
  • Sothys – Intense Brown Eye Pencil ($15)

All prices were taken from the included booklet, except for the Sothys items which I quoted from online sources.

The total value for my box is just $315 , which is $85 less than the promised $400 value. While I was pleased with my items, I was fairly disappointed by the difference. Especially after seeing other’s boxes including additional high value jewelry and accessories. I definitely feel like something is missing from mine.  I have reached out to the company to hopefully remedy this.

Despite this, I am pleased with the selection and genuine curation. The box felt French, which is why I’m sure a lot of people want it in the first place. I really liked all of the simple touches they added to the box and the booklet was very well designed

I am excited to try out the different products that were included. I don’t think I have a favorite one yet but I am most intrigued by the Radiance Elixir and Beauty Oil. I also surprising like the Way Ring I received. It is very dainty and only fits my pinky, but I dig it so far.

My least favorite item would have to be the Honey Candy. It was not good at all, which is unfortunate considering they valued it at $15. I expect way more from candy at that price point.

Overall, I really like the box and I am excited to see what other items OuiPlease brings to the subscription. I do not like the varying items and values between subscribers. I hope that they are able to make the next box more fair and balanced.

POPSUGAR Must Have Subscription Box – May 2015 Review

Our May 2015 Must Have box was curated to help kick Summer off right with a box designed to keep you happy, healthy, and, of course, stylish. You’ll find beauty products fit for the beach and bright home goods that scream Summer. We hope you live it up!

The box is $40/month, but I typically get $5 off with coupon: MUSTHAVE5

Here’s what was included this month:

  • Kitsch – Tri’d & True Y-Shaped Necklace – Value $32
  • Middle Kingdom – Mini Plum Vase in Coral Red – Value $20
  • Batiste – Dry Shampoo Cherry – Travel Size Value $4
  • Sisters of Los Angeles – Surf Sand Love Beach Towel – Value $40
  • Sage & Row – Bare Shave Cream – Value $17
  • Hammond’s Candies McCraw’s Flat Taffy – Value $1

At over $110 value, this is great for Popsugar!

Out of everything, my favorite is the Beach Towel, which I have already used a few times since receiving it. I also have been using the Shave Cream, which has already been super useful!

Batch USA Tour of Texas Collection – Austin – April 2015

The Batch team has scoured Texas for the best local goods from six fine cities:

  • Austin (April)
  • San Antonio (May)
  • Ft. Worth (June)
  • El Paso (July)
  • Houston (August)
  • Dallas (September)

Instagram filter used: Valencia

View in Instagram ⇒

BirchBox Man + Mad Men April 2015 Subscription Box

Celebrate the art of workplace style with classic scents, barware, and a host of dapper accessories.

Instagram filter used: Valencia

View in Instagram ⇒

Quarterly Rosario Dawson #18903 Subscription Box

Instagram filter used: Rise

View in Instagram ⇒

Rachel Zoe’s Box of Style Summer Subscription Hero Item Spoiler

The Rachel Zoe team recently shared the Hero Item spoiler for the Summer box. It’s a beautifule white, leather bag:

rachel-zoe-box-of-style-summer-2015-spoiler-hero-item-2

The hero item is the gorgeous Large Push Lock Bag from UK-based Cambridge Satchel Company. Valued at $150, this beauty doubles as a clutch—just remove the straps and go from the beach to an evening soiree in style.

In addition to this fab handbag, our summer Box of Style includes several other major fashion, beauty and lifestyle finds that ensure you’ll stay cool even as the temperature rises.

I am a little unsure about this bag – I’m not a huge fan of white or solid color purses, plus it is also a little plain. But I am intrigued by the brand and have seen many reviews touting their quality. Since I loved the Spring box, I will be continuing my subscription for now. I am excited to see what else is included!

The Summer box sold out fast but the Fall box is already avaliable for pre-order!