OuiPlease Vol. 1.5: Along the Loire Valley

October 29, 2015February 2, 2022 Coco

Since the last box shipped at the end of July and this is a bi-monthly box, I had expected the shipment over a month ago. However, I wasn’t

Salome Charly – Trie Bracelet ($50)
Concept Provence – Facial Toner ($20)
Sencha & Bourbon – Cotton or Cashmere Scarf ($120-130)
Historiae – Hameau de la Reine Fragrance ($40)
Historiae – Bouquet du Trianon Soap ($10)
Savor & Sens – Mustard Walnut Flavor ($15)
L’Attelier – Roasted Almonds ($15)
La Route des Comptoirs – Perle d’Amour Organic Black Tea ($30)

The value of my box is either $300 or $310, depending on which scarf I received (which I have a hard time believing is over $100). Regardless, it is again disappointing that the value was $100 lower than the $400 value that they promise. However, at least I didn’t see any huge inflation with the products this time. I emailed OuiPlease and they are sending me another “gift” to make up for the ‘missing items’.

l-attelier-tentations-caramelisees-amandes

The bracelet is slightly different than the one pictured.
Not Pictured: Sencha & Bourbon scarf, Savor & Sens mustard

As for the actual items, surprisingly the scarf is my favorite item in the box. It is super soft and the monogram of my initials is a sweet touch from Sencha & Bourbon. The scarf is not really my style, but I will definitely find a way to incorporate it in my wardrobe.

I am still trying out the other items, but so far I like the facial toner. I definitely did not need more toner but I am still happy to have it. I was glad to not see any more lotion since the last box was overflowing with lotion.

Overall, I was not super excited about Volume 1.5. Even with the over inflation, I feel like the last box was much better but I am trying to stay optimistic about the gift they are sending me.

UPDATE: I received the “gift” item that OuiPlease sent to me. I was super impressed that it came to me within only ONE DAY of them responding to my email. And then I opened the box:

Marina de Bourbon Dynastie Vamp (100ml – no box) – $160

I am so happy that they sent me this item! I am beyond ecstatic that the item was high value and actually made me meet the $400 value and even pass it!

OuiPlease Vol. 1.4: Escape to the French Riviera

July 27, 2015July 29, 2015 Coco

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:

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

Betchy Sketch – Coasters ($20)
Objets Obscurs – Bracelet Ksena Crochet Rouge (Not Listed in Magazine – $50 in Packing Slip)
Graine De Pastel – Baume De Cocagne ($50)
Graine De Pastel – Hand Cream ($30)
Pier Auge – Body Caresse Agrume ($80)
Doux Me – Rose Mist ($35)
Kingies – Life Is Beautiful T-Shirt ($40)
Little Marcel – Simia Beach Towel ($45)
La Fare 1789 – Lavender Flower Jar ($20)
Lulu en Provence – Cappuccino Clutch ($40)
Confiserie Stanislas – Nougat Lemon ($20)

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:

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.

(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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

OuiPlease Vol. 1.3: A Breath of Provence Review

May 15, 2015May 15, 2015 Coco

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

May 10, 2015October 29, 2015 Coco

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!

Rachel Zoe’s Spring 2015 Box Of Style Review

April 10, 2015February 2, 2022 Coco

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 one!

Honestly, when I first saw the full spoilers, I didn’t think I would be a fan, but after I had a chance to play with the items, I am so happy that I subscribed! Here’s what was in the box:

Miansai modern screw cuff – Value $200
Tom’s Traveler Sunglasses – Value $68
tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara – Value $20
Zoya Custom Nail Trio – Haley, Zoe, and Chantal– Value $30
Stylin’ Tape – Value $10

You can check out Rachel’s explanation for why she chose each item below:

When I first signed up for the box, I really didn’t like the bracelet which was the “hero” item of the box. I just liked that it was high value and I figured at the very least, it would be resellable. Boy was I wrong! I absolutely love it and I am sure I will be wearing it daily for a long time to come. It fits me perfectly and I ended up loving the style. I don’t usually wear gold jewelry, but I love it for this piece and I ended up pairing it alongside my Pandora bracelet:

Since the bracelet was a huge hit for me, the other items ended up being bonus. I have always wanted to try out the tarte mascara, and I was pleased to get it as a full-size. I already love Zoya nail polish and I love the colors that Rachel Zoe picked. I tried out the tan color first and it is growing on me. I can’t wait to try out the other two! The sunglasses are really beautiful and well made. I honestly like them more than any other pair I own, so when spring cleaning comes aroung, they may be my only pair. Lastly, the styling tape is a nice touch but isn’t something I will use.

Overall, I LOVED this box. It was beautifully curated and worth the cost. I can’t wait to see what Rachel has in store for the Summer box!

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POPSUGAR Must Have Special Edition Resort Box Review

April 3, 2015February 2, 2022 Coco

Dreaming of your next destination? Get ready with all of our travel-inspired favorites inside the Special Edition Must Have Resort Box! Special Edition boxes are indulgent, one-time purchases that feature exclusive items and unique collaborations.

The 2015 Resort box included the following items:

Stephanie Johnson – White Dot Train Case ($60)

Jane Iredale – Warm My Steppes Makeup Kit ($58)

Drunk Elephant – C-Firma Day Serum ($80)

Lele Sadoughi – Half-Moon Pendant ($110)

Jacobsen Salt Co. – Pure Sea Salt Cocktail Salt ($14)

Sloane Stationary – Passport Holder ($48)

That’s a $370 value!

Now that I’ve had a chance to look at each item and try them out, my favorite item in the Resort Box is the Stephanie Johnson Train Case.

I have a few trips coming up so it will be super useful for me! It is really cute and seems to be well made. I absolutely love that it is lined (and in PINK!!), so it should be easy to clean up, especially since I will most likely be housing make-up in it which is notorious for spillage. This bag makes the whole box for me!!

I also really liked the Drunk Elephant Serum. It is nice getting a high priced skin care product, especially since I do not already use a serum on my skin. However, I HATE the way it smells. It is only bearable after masking the smell with lots of make-up. I will probably keep using it, but that was somewhat disappointing.

The rest of the box ended up being a slight miss for me. I was SO excited when I saw spoilers of the Lele Sadoughi Necklace, but in person it just wasn’t my style. It definitely looks nice and seems to be pretty good quality, but the length and and chunky style chain makes it look more like costume jewelry rather than expensive (especially if you consider the $110 price tag). I actually ended up liking the bag the necklace came in more than the actual necklace, haha!

The Sloane Stationary Passport Holder is very simple and would be useful if I actually had a passport. Maybe it will become useful if I end up going out of the country at some point.

The Jane Iredale Makeup Kit was a huge plus for a lot of people (it was the one item that PopSugar spoiled on their Facebook page), but I knew from the beginning I would not be keeping it. I do wear makeup, but this kit is not my taste at all. For one, I have not worn bronzer since I was in high school and I don’t plan on wearing it any time soon. If I can, I might sell or trade this one.

Finally, the Jacobsen Cocktail Salt was a huge letdown for me! I love margaritas, but we don’t usually make them at home and I doubt it will ever get used. Hopefully I can gift this one.

Overall, I was pretty excited about the Stephanie Johnson Train Case and I do not regret purchasing the Resort Box, but I do feel like most of these items were not a fit for me.

Instagram filter used: Valencia

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CocoFeed: JewelScent Cinnamon Buns Wax Tarts Review + Ring Reveal

March 29, 2015April 25, 2015 Coco

Warm ground cinnamon melds with the fragrant scent of freshly baked bread and is accentuated by sweet notes of piping hot icing to create this decadent nod to the delicious confectionery delight.

The Cinnamon Buns scent is a seasonal Jewel Scent Wax Tart that is only avaliable during specific times of the year… and I am SO happy I was able to get one!

The smell is absolutely heavenly and I am so much in LOVE with it. The smell filled my entire apartment and basically had me drooling.

And the best part? The RING! Check out what I received below:

The ring value is $40 according to the Ring Appraisal on JewelScent’s site. It isn’t as high as the other ring I received before, but I like this one just as much! Especially since it is pink!

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Diamond Candles Review and Ring Reveal

March 25, 2015February 2, 2022 Coco

Since I really loved the JewelScent Candles I bought a few weeks ago, I decided to try out the brand that I first heard of years ago doing the same ring candle concept: Diamond Candles.

I really wanted to try the Irish Cream Latte Ring Candle and found a coupon for Buy Two Get One Free (they are regularly $25 each)… it was hard to pass up. I ordered Irish Cream Latte (for the kitchen) along with Tropical Retreat (for the bathroom) and It’s A Boy (because who doesn’t like the smell of baby powder?).

They arrived well packaged and in decent time. I don’t like the candle holder as much as JewelScent’s but it’s still nice. One thing I did notice is that these candles are kind of lumpy on top and even once they have melted and re-molded they are still lumpy. Other than that, they smell nice and are a lot stronger than the JewelScent candles which is a huge plus.

Irish Cream Latte – Indulge in this sweet blend of dark roasted coffee and Irish whiskey with butterscotch and caramel drizzled all over. Top it off with creamy whipped cream!

It’s A Boy – Your little one smells like a little angel after bath time. A sweet combination of soft powder, bubble bath, and honey-vanilla, this scent brings a smile to your face.

Tropical Retreat – With a hint of the Caribbean, a blend of green bananas, coconuts, oranges & grapefruits takes your nose on a vacation of a life time – right from inside your home! On this journey to paradise, Tropical Retreat is sure to relax you.

I was able to get all three rings the same night I first lit them which was pretty cool. They were easier to remove from the wax but two of the three rings had some leakage and the ring reveal coupons were fairly wet, as well.

Here are the rings I dug out of the candles:

Unlike JewelScent, you cannot choose your ring size with Diamond Candles. Of the three rings, only one of them fit, but luckily the one that fit was my favorite! My favorite is the purple ring in the middle. The ring has a butterfly on either side of the stone which was a very cute detail! Another difference between JewelScent is that these rings are only gauranteed to be worth $10. To receive anything higher you must win it in the “Ring Reveal” from the coupon/code that is inside the candle alongside the ring. I really liked that JewelScent had slightly higher valued rings in the candles, so at least if you didn’t win the “jackpot” you at least got a fairly decent ring. These rings were very cheap and not a great consolation prize compared to my experience with JewelScent.

I entered in all three of my coupon codes into the Ring Reveal program, which is actually a pretty cool idea! I thought it was fun being able to potentially capture an awesome moment such as winning an expensive piece of jewelry…. unfortunately all three of my webcam recordings ended up with the ZERO, ZILCH, and NADA results. I was pretty bummed not to win anything since I was hoping for my beginner’s luck to help me out.

Overall, I think Diamond Candles was a complete miss for me. While I did like the strength of the candle’s scents, I really was not impressed with the ring quality. Since the whole gimmick of ring candles is about finding jewelry, I think I will stick with JewelScent for now as they really do give you a quality product.

Instagram filter used: Amaro

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Rachel Zoe’s Box of Style Spring Subscription Spoilers

March 22, 2015March 22, 2015 Coco

I have recently become more ~~interested in~~ ADDICTED to the subscription box world… in fact I have already signed up to try over five new ones this month. I am most excited to try out the Rachel Zoe’s Box of Style and luckily I was able to secure my subscription!

INTRODUCING BOX OF STYLE. OVER $300 WORTH OF GLAMOROUS FINDS, CURATED BY RACHEL ZOE AND DELIVERED TO YOU FOR ONLY $100.

This is a seasonal box, so there are only four boxes each year. They have two packages: Seasonal $100 (4X a year) or Annualy $350, plus tax.

Currently, the box is completely SOLD OUT! In fact, it sold out in just HOURS of being available to purchase. You can join the waiting list to get the summer Box of Style.

So far they have released two spoilers for the spring Box of Style:

Miansai modern screw cuff (valued at $200)
An exclusive trio from Zoya (consists of a gorgeous nude, vibrant poppy red and stunning opal)

The cuff isn’t exactly my taste per se, but I love that it has a high value. It is pictured in gold but it comes in gold, rose gold, and silver. I would love there to be different varieties in the boxes since I love silver but the silver one is $365 so it is doubtful.

I have been a huge fan of Zoya nail polishes for years, but haven’t gotten a new one from them in quite awhile so I am extremely pleased to receive a brand I already love.

Check out the official video spoiler featuring Rachel Zoe explaining why she selected these three polishes below:

I am hoping that there will be more luxe items like the cuff but I do like the variety so far from spoilers.

CocoFeed: JewelScent Lemon Macaron Ring Candle – Ring Revealed Inside!

March 12, 2015March 17, 2015 Coco

Unfortunately, the smell for this one was almost nonexistent and I wasn’t a huge fan of the actual candle style of this one. But… the RING!!! WAS GORGEOUS!!! I’ve been wearing it for days now!

This ring appraised for $100! I absolutely adore this ring and can’t wait to keep trying for a token!

Instagram filter used: Rise

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CocoFeed: JewelScent Pumpkin Caramel Ring Candle – Ring Revealed Inside!

March 11, 2015February 2, 2022 Coco

This candle is absolutely beautiful and smells great. Although, I wish it was stronger. It didn’t quite fill the room as I had hoped. The ring in this one was a miss for me, but my best friend’s daughter LOVED it.