OuiPlease

OuiPlease Vol. 2.1: La Vie En Rose

Coco

This is my fifth OuiPlease box (I signed up for the yearly subscription) and also, unfortunately, the worst that I have received so far. I am trying to be optimistic about OuiPlease because they really seemed to have turned a corner with the last box, which was pretty great!

I have two issues with Vol 2.1. The first issue is shipping related. Finally they ship the box ON TIME like they promised they would. That in itself is a HUGE step up for them because they started off pretty rocky with shipment delays. I am very impressed with how quick they had Vol. 2.1 out. The issue is that they AGAIN shipped the box to my OLD address. I’ve already contacted them once before because it had not been updated and they claimed it would be fixed but it wasn’t and ended up arriving on the doorstep of my old apartment. Lucky for me, the girl who lives there now returned the box to the office.

My second issue is with the value I have received. This is what I have received in my Vol. 2.1. Box (prices pulled directly from the OuiPlease Magazine):

  • Les Petites … Paris Scarf – $120
  • NUXE Gentle Exfoliating Gel (75ml/2.6oz) – $24
  • Oliv’ Eye and Lips Smoothing Gel (0.5fl.oz) – $50
  • La Fare 1789 Intense Night Cream (30ml/1.0fl.oz) – $25
  • Le Chocolat Des Francais Chocolate Bars (30g ea) – $15 (2 bars)
  • Kusmi Tea The vert a la rose (25g/0.88oz) – about $5 according to kusmitea.com (Not listed in booklet)

And two coupons:

  • 25% off Les Petites … Paris Spring/Summer 2016 Collection (Bloomingdale’s in store only)
  • 20% off NUXE Paris online (www.us.nuxe.com)

This total adds up to just $239 which is $161 under $400 that I was promised when I signed up. I can only hope that this was in error and that I am simply missing item(s). There are numerous different jewelry items listed in the booklet, I was shocked I didn’t receive one of them considering how low my box was. I’ve reached out to OuiPlease to get both issues resolved and I will post an update once I have heard back. Historically they have been pretty quick to send out a replacement item.

Because of this low blow, I have a hard time appreciating the items in this box. I was so excited with the 1.6 box and this one is such a let down.

I do really like the Les Petites scarf, but I am shocked by the $120 price tag. It is very pretty, so I am happy to have it and it is the best item in the box. I also am interested in trying the Chocolate Barss and Kusmi Tea. I have always enjoyed the Parisian food items that they include in the box and I cannot wait to try them both.

This was probably the box that I was most excited to receive because I am a fan of Edith Piaf and loved the movie based on her life, La Vie En Rose. It is unfortunate that this ended up to be my least favorite box from OuiPlease.

 

 

 

OuiPlease Email Update + Valentine’s Amour Box Coupon

Coco

I am SO excited to post this update from OuiPlease because it definitely seems like a huge turning point for them. Not only are they are acknowledging some of the issues but they are also offering up resolutions. See below:

Bonjour OuiPleasers,
We are excited to announce that the last batch of Vol.1.6 White Winter in the Alps has
shipped and is on its way to your doorstep. We hope that you enjoy every single product in
this parcel.

The shipping of Vol.1.6 marked the end of OuiPlease’s first year and the beginning of our
second year and second volume. From Paris to the French Alps, we’ve explored France
from top to bottom and learned a few things along the way.

We have heard from our customers loud and clear: die shipping schedule needs to be timely
and consistent. We agree, and promise that shipping delays will not happen again.

Mark your calendars, OuiPlease Vol.2.1: La Vie en Rose
will be shipping on March 15th!

The last few months, many of our customers have had their subscriptions automatically
renewed. From now on, annual subscriptions will not be automatically renewed, they will be
renewed by you manually. A week before your annual subscription is up, we will remind you
with an email and you can choose to either renew or opt out.

Note that if you signed up for an annual subscription, you will receive the 6 boxes you paid
for. Any OuiPlease delays will not affect the number of boxes we deliver to you.

With Vol.2.1 we are excited to announce that we will begin shipping with UPS. We invite
you to register for “My Choice” at www.UPS.com to receive immediate alerts anytime a
package is sent to you via UPS. Not only will you know exactly when your OuiPlease parcel
will arrive, but you can even make changes to the delivery through this app.

Bisous bisous,
OuiPlease Team

P.S. We invite you to show yourself a little love for Valentine’s Day! We’re putting together
a pre-curated OuiPlease // a la Carte box filled with all kinds of romantic goodies to make
your Valentine’s day special. Get 20% off on the box using the code OUIVALENTINE.
With a la Carte, remember, the day you order your parcel is the day we ship it!

ouiplease-valentine

 

The Valentine’s Amour Box will include:

  • LEBON toothpaste Cinnamon/Mint – $17
  • PIER AUGE Body Balm Caresse Agrumes with essential oil of Grapefruit $80.00
  • HAREM DES SENS Fabulous silk milk – $30
  • SOTHYS Raspberry & Litchi Oxyvitamin Treatment – $39.00
  • SOTHYS Raspberry & Litchi 2-in-1 Mask Scrub – $31.00
  • HISTOIRES DE PARFUMS Eau de Parfum – $40
  • MIRGIOLE Sorbonne earrings – $60
  • TASSIA CANNELIS bracelet OuiPlease Exclusive – $50.00
  • LA FARE 1789 Lavender Flower Jar $20.00
  • POPUP PARIS Candle – $35.00
  • L’ATTELIER Roasted Almonds $15.00

The box is $150 before coupon and valued at $417 (Colors of accessories and jewelry are subject to change due to inventory. Value and size will remain uncompromised).

What do you think of their response?

OuiPlease Vol. 1.6: White Winter in the Alps

Coco

This is my fourth OuiPlease box and so far the one I have been most pleased with – not to mention the closest OuiPlease has come to matching the original promised $400 value. I did notice that they have since changed the verbiage for the current box:

“OuiPlease Vol. 1.6 White Winter in the Alps is valued at least Twice the Price per parcel.”

Since the month-to-month box costs $150, that would make the new value only $300.

Other than the usual delay, I also had a few issues with shipping (even though I had updated my address on the website in early January). Luckily I was able to re-route the package to the UPS store and OuiPlease updated my address manually for future packages. I definitely recommend emailing OuiPlease directly with any shipping changes.

It’s also important to keep in mind that your annual subscription will be auto-renewed even if you haven’t received all of your boxes. Mine was set to renew this month despite only having received 4 total boxes however cancelling is simple (via the website) and I confirmed with OuiPlease:

“Since you still have boxes remaining your account is not fully cancelled but it is pending cancellation. Once you have received all boxes of your subscription the status of your account will change to complete because your subscription will be complete and you will not be charged again. So to confirm: you will receive all 6 boxes of the subscription.”

Now that my PSA is out of the way, here’s what was in my OuiPlease Vol. 1.6: White Winter in the Alps box (links open up to the brand’s product page):

Total – $377

Pricing wise, I felt they weren’t too far off this time but still are probably closer to the $300 mark.

 

1951 Maison Francaise Leather Clutch Lebon Cinnamon Mint Toothpaste
 

My favorite item is the 1951 Maison Francaise clutch, especially since most subscribers received a card holder instead. I don’t plan on using the bag as a clutch, but rather I will probably use it as a makeup bag. I am most excited to try the Lebon toothpaste because it is (to me) an unexpected item in a subscription box. I was happy to see they included a full-size bottle, as well!

 

L'Attelier Caramelized Walnuts and Les Ladures Histoires de Parfums Tubereuse 1 Eau de Parfum
 

My least favorite item is the L’attelier caramelized walnuts, but that is mainly because they included their roasted almonds in the Vol. 1.5 box already. All L’attelier food items I have received have been delicious, though, so I am happy to see them included regardless. I do feel like they are a little overpriced with how small they are.

On first use, the Histoires de Parfums Tubereuse 1 perfume is not my taste, but my boyfriend liked it and said it smelled like blue koolaid. I haven’t decided if this is a good thing yet. The scent definitely improves after awhile.

 

Mirgiole Sorbonne Earrings Tassia Canellis OuiPlease Exclusive Bracelet
 

I love both of the gold jewelry pieces I received, even though they are not my style, I can definitely appreciate them.

 

oOlution Glow Up
 

I haven’t had a chance to really test out the Harem des Sens or oOlution products, but they smell really good and I can’t wait to play around with them.

Overall, I really like the items they chose this time around and felt there was a good balance of categories. I have two more boxes left before my subscription is fully cancelled, so hopefully OuiPlease will continue improving.

OuiPlease Vol. 1.5: Along the Loire Valley

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’.


salome-charly-trie concept-provence-facial-toner historiae-hameau-de-la-reine 
historiae-bouquet-du-trianon-soap l-attelier-tentations-caramelisees-amandes la-route-des-comptoirs-perle-d-amour
 

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:

 

dynastie_vamp

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

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:

 

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.

OuiPlease Vol. 1.3: A Breath of Provence Review

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.