The better monthly surprise

In the middle of my BirchBox experience, Popsugar.com started to promote their Must Have box which launched in July. It was pricier than the BirchBox at $35 per month, but promised each box would contain products with a minimum retail value of $150.* I decided to give it a try – I could do one month and cancel if it sucked.

The first month my pink box arrived, I was very excited. Upon opening, I was surprised to find a beach tote, a full-sized Body Drench body scrub, moisturizer, two full-sized Ilia lipsticks, two Kind bars (delicious by the way) and two RGB nail polishes.

The RGB nail polishes alone retail for $16 each and the Ilia lipsticks are $24 each. The nail polish was super long-wearing and even with a cheap top coat, lasted eight impressive days with no chipping.

The second month’s shipment was a more eclectic assortment, but two products stood out in particular for me. First, the Alora room diffuser in Isola which smelled heavenly. Priced at $90, it isn’t a product I’d necessarily have purchased for myself.

Second, the Sprout (now called S.W. Basics) cleanse and exfoliate set. This natural skincare line is not only adorably packaged but it also Brooklyn-based!

The September box (above) has been by far my favorite so far. Highlights included a copy of ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower” along with two tickets to see the newly-released movie adaptation. I had already read-and loved-the book so I passed it along to a friend.

There was also a Benefit ‘Cabana Glama’ make-up set. Even if it were not something you would use yourself, it would make a cute gift for a friend and came beautifully packaged.

The final highlight for me was the gorgeous Brokedown scarf and coupon for 50% off another one. Even though I live in a warm climate, I wear light scarves all the time to help combat the chill of air conditioning. The scarf is such a versatile color and weight that I wear it all the time.

The quality of the boxes has not wavered. The October box included a hardcover copy of JK Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy, an OPI nail polish set and some Clear shampoo and conditioner.

The November box was probably the one I got the least utility out of, but the products were still good. The highlight in this box was probably the Gorjana bracelet, I got the Parker bracelet, and the MOR lip gloss.

However I did find that my Stylemint coupon would not work and I don’t use Rent the Runway.

The December box was a less fashion and beauty focused, but did contain Bodum double walled mugs I’m now obsessed with, and the Tea Forte sampler of which I was already a fan. The mugs have become a morning essential for my caffeine fix because of their ability to keep the liquid warm but the surface of the cup itself stays cool – GENIUS!

*PopSugar recently revised the minimum value to $100, however I have seen no drop in quality at all.

QUICK REVIEW:

COST: $35 per month, $100 for the one-off luxury edition

WOULD I PURCHASE AGAIN? Yes, the quality and variety of products is consistently excellent and has stayed high. These items are all good enough to use yourself or gift without guilt.

All images are the property of PopSugar (who did not sponsor this post) except where noted.

To read more from Eimski, check out her blog here.