Pop Sugar Must Have Box April 2014

Believe it or not this was my first subscription box ever!

Whilst I feel that they are fun I have never  taken out a subscription as I'm really fussy about what I buy and just know that I would never be happy with a selection of random, unseen items and end up disappointed each month. Although I love shopping and luxury items I am also quite thrifty and the cost of a subscription over a year does add up.

So why did I get this? Well firstly I saw the 'spoilers' for the contents and thought they weren't bad. There was nothing in there that I would rush out and buy by myself, but there was nothing in there that I disliked and the sum total of the box was a pile of treats for me. Secondly, I can't resist a bargain and I had an online code for free shipping and $20 off. The boxes normally sell for $39.99. I ended up paying just $21.37 (inc. tax) which, quite frankly, is a bit of a steal and you can subscribe for a single month which is great.

PopSugar Must Have is a monthly box filled with what I would call 'lifestyle' items - a mix of beauty, and home goods. Like other boxes they have a monthly theme and this one was 'Spring'. It says in their blurb "time to think about getting outside, cleaning house and going green... Embracing eco friendly habits...". I'm not sure how much the contents fit this bill, but rules are made to be broken I guess.Let's have a look at what I received.

The star of the show (or box) is the Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette (retail $36.00).
I have been considering a new neutral palette recently so this sealed the deal for me. Too Faced wouldn't have been my first choice if I were buying this myself from a store but it gets good reviews online. Housed in a sturdy yet pretty tin case that contains a mirror it has nine shades that are a mix of matt and shimmer. There's nothing too bright or garish and it has a useful how to use guide included that shows you three different looks. I've yet to try it but I'm pretty pleased with this. I also like that it doesn't contain any cheap applicators.

The other beauty related item was Caldrea Rosewater Driftwood Hand Soap (retail $10.50).
I always use liquid soap to clean my hands and this is a really nice one. The bottle is plain yet attractive, the scent is a refreshing floral and it contains only good stuff - no nasties in here. I'm happy with this as it's an upgrade from what I would normally use.

On the home goods front I received Fresh Pastry Stand Totally Awesome Tea Towel Set (retail $18). These oversized graphic tea towels - there were two of them come from an etsy.com seller and I love that PopSugar chose to include something from a small trader in their box. These are generously sized and made of a lovely soft linen, the graphic print is clean, clear and bright. I think nice tea towels make a great gift as they aren't something you would buy for yourself as a rule but I'm going to keep these as they make me smile.

The Graphic Image Pocket Notes (retail $20.00) is a pocket diary sized note book. I'm old school and love making notes by hand rather than electronically. This was a really good quality note book with super smooth paper and a flexible calf skin cover. Mine is in my handbag right now, another winner.

The BlueAvocado Eco Shopper (retail $25.00) is a thin tote that folds into a zipper wallet. It's attractive and practical but not my style...there's nothing wrong with it but I have a ton of eco sacks already... See,  I told you I was fussy! It's made out of recycled water bottles though which is pretty cool.

Naturebox Popsugar Must Have Mix (retail $5.00) is an all natural trail mix. I'm not a big fan of this sort of snack but I've put it in our snack basket and I'm sure it will get eaten at some point or other.

Finally there was a voucher for a discounted subscription to Naturebox, a monthly snack box, which I won't use.

Overall, I thought this was great value with the extra discount - the box contents cost $114.50 yet I paid just over $20.00. Sure, I didn't need any of the things in it yet they are all useful, of good quality and will get used. I only subscribed for a month but who knows, if I get another discount code and the box has stuff as good as this one I may dip my toe in the water again!

Don't want to miss a thing.

Sometimes at the end of a long day on my subway ride home I just want a nice easy entertaining read.

Jill Mansell's romantic comedy fit the bill, and as an added bonus they are set in the South West of England where I used to live. (I always get a thrill when I read something that's set in an area I know!).

Light and fluffy, the literary equivalent of a relaxing warm bath - c'mon you know what I mean!

Tempting Fate

Like me, Jane Green is an English woman living in America, we're roughly the same age and have been here about the same amount of time... And that's about all we have in common because Jane is a hugely successful best selling author and, well, I'm not...

Jane Green started off her career as one of the first writers of 'chick lit' (hate that term!) and since then has written a book or two a year. They all deal with women and their relationships, not only with their partners but with their friends, family and others. However, each novel is a little different and they reflect the different stages in a woman's life. I really like this and it allows her readership to grow with her, I also love the touch of Englishness that her novels contain.

Tempting Fate is about a married woman who has an affair and the consequences of it. The characters are well written and there are enough twists to the story to keep you turning the pages. I read it in big chunks in a few days and really enjoyed it, although I have to admit to finding the ending a little cheesy - all the ends tied up a little too neatly. Oh, and maybe it's just me, but is that cover illustration a bit odd? Maybe they are playing with fire or something? Explanations please...

Recommended.

Chocolate and Banana Muffins.

We all know that 'muffin' is just a healthier way of saying 'cake' and these are indeed moist, gooey cake like breakfast treats. However, they have fruit in them so they aren't all bad (!) and with a little day before organisation you can whip them up in the time it takes the kettle to boil... 

Yup, that's right, you are going to roll out of bed and bake these. Believe me, I'm not a 'morning person' but these are so effortless and tasty you will be feeling smug all day and will have happy, satisfied family, friends, house guests, or a trayful of goodies for yourself.

Chocolate and Banana Muffins.

1. The night before (or even a couple of days before) put the following ingredients into an airtight container - I use a Ziplock bag but you could use a plastic container with a lid or even put them into your mixing bowl and cover it with cling film.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional, just leave it out if you don't like it or don't have any)

1 cup sugar.

2. The next morning preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Whilst it's heating put paper cases into your muffin tray, this recipe will make 12 regular (1/3 cup) sized muffins.

3. Pour your dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and grab a silicon spatula, or a spoon to mix with.

4. Mash up 2 bananas with a fork, they should still be a little chunky, you don't need a smooth purée. You can use any bananas that aren't rock hard, ones that are a little too smushy to eat are the best.

5. Add the bananas to the dry ingredients along with

1/2 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil or grape seed oil, whichever you have to hand)

1 extra large or 2 small eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence

4 oz of chocolate chips - I literally throw in a handful, you don't have to be precise, you can make them more chocolat chip rich or not add any at all. I usually use a good semi sweet chip but again use what you wish - white, dark, milk or a mix.

6. Stir all this together until just combined and spoon it into the paper cases.

7. Bake for 25 minutes, the tops should be golden brown and springy when lightly pressed.

8. Enjoy them with your morning tea or coffee or throughout the day.

There, wasn't that worth getting up for!

Me Before You

I really love the novels of Jojo Moyes and have read them all. I really like the way that she writes and makes her characters so believable. They are romances but written in a clever way, they all are a little unusual and have a twist. 

The story of a paraplegic and his carer is not something that I would normally read but it was really enjoyable. It's a very 'English' story and I love that, (more and more I pick up English authors to read as I can relate to them that much better). It is quite an emotional book, so you may want to give it a miss if you're a softie, but it also contained a lot of humour. 

I finished this and went straight on to reading her new book, that's how much I love Jojo!

Brand love - Caudalie.

Caudalie was a brand that never really appealed to me for some reason and then I was given a full sized tube of Vinoperfect Nuit as part of a GWP. I used it, loved it and noticed that it did make my skin look and feel so much better -  even my husband noticed (!).

Since then I've looked at the brand afresh and picked up quite a few bits and pieces to try, as you can see. I like that they are made without any nasties and they are reasonably priced for a high end beauty range. I also love the fact that you can register online with Caudalie and join the 'My Caudalie' programme. Inside their boxed products you will find a code that you can register that will amass you points, once you have a certain amount you can get a free full sized product with your online order. Orders over $50 shop for free and there is almost always a free GWP available.

My favorite product? Definately the Vinosource SOS Serum, it's light and refreshing yet helps so much with my dehydrated skin, hydrating it without making it greasy and shiny. It's especially good after flying. I also love the Beauty Elixir and the small size is perfect for travel and keeping in your bag. It smells great and I like to spray it on my face to refresh. I also spritz it on to set make up, I use it as a toner when traveling, spray it onto my hands and inhale for an instant pick me up and spray it onto my face before sleeping. 

Caudalie have a huge range of products, there's always something to discover and their 'favorites' sets are a great introduction to the brand. Why not stop by one of their lovely boutiques (or visit them on line) and pick one up - you'll enjoy it, I promise!