Popsugar Must Have November 2015 Review & Unboxing


Popsugar subscription box time is best subscription box time. For as far as I can remember, Popsugar Must Have has been one of my favorite subscriptions, so of course I was excited, as always to see it on my doorstep. Even when I wind up not liking everything inside, the products Popsugar sends always make such great gifts to pass on to friends and family! Random interjection - I'm really going to miss all of my sub boxes arriving on my doorstep. I'm pretty sure that at my new apartment I'm going to have to go down to the main office and pick up my mail, which takes the fun out of it. But only a little, because I'm lazy. Anyway, on to the review!

 What is Popsugar? 
Popsugar Must Have is a renewable monthly subscription that send you a bunch of sweet surprises from all different areas, including lifestyle, beauty, makeup, skincare, books... the list goes on. Each monthly box is a surprise so you never know what you're going to get, which is honestly my favorite part of sub boxes. 
Popsugar is a bit on the pricier side, weighing in at $39.95 per month, but you can save more by upgrading to either a 3-month or a 6-month subscription. There are also many coupons and ways to get discounts floating around the interwebs, so if you were to opt out of the monthly sub and gift yourself a box instead, you can save money that way too. If you want to sign up for Popsugar, you can save $5 on your first box by using the code REFER5 or MUSTHAVE5.

 Every month, Popsugar has a theme based on something different that inspired the curation of the items. This month was inspired by "Friends & Family, Gratitude, Gifting, Festivities."



Popsugar always comes with a beautiful info card explaining all of the products inside, as well as some coupons or gift cards. This month they sent a gift card from Inkdot as a special extra, which is a service that turns digital photos into prints, coasters, iPhone cases, and more. I don't know if I'm into those kinds of things, but as an extra a $20 gift card isn't bad!


Deepa Gurnani Crystal Headband ($56) - This is a really gorgeous headband that was handmade in India with crystal detailing. I absolutely love the colors and the fact that it feels so well made, but I don't normally wear headbands. I don't know, they make my head look weird. Which is a shame, because this one is so gorgeous. I'm sure it will make a great gift, though!

What PopSugar says:
"This Katie Crystal headband will make any outfit feel more festive. Handcrafted in India, the crystal detailing and elegant scallop design will be your statement piece all season.





Tarte Cosmetics Beauty & the Box Eye Shadow ($22) - Four Tarte eye shadows in what might just be the cutest box ever. This one is called "Eye Candy". "Bubblegum" is a super pale pink that goes on an iridescent white, "jellybean" is a matte grey, "taffy" is a matte caramel brown, and "lollipop" is a matte black. None of these colors remind me of candy to be honest, but they're super blendable and I can always appreciate pretty fall neutrals. I haven't been super into applying eye shadow though lately, so I suppose that's why I'm not more excited.

What PopSugar says:
"Your beauty palette for fall has arrived in a perfectly packaged eye shadow box. Blend these four dreamy colors together for a creamy matte look with just the right amount of shimmer."



West Emory Bingo Set ($20) - At first I was kind of surprised/confused to see this, but then realized "Oh, this must be because people play bingo with their families". This is a classic bingo set that includes bingo cards and the little chips to keep track of your numbers. My family doesn't play bingo, and I don't have any friends that play bingo. Bingo was something that we played at summer camp when it was storming outside and there was absolutely nothing better to do. I didn't bother messing around with this, because I'll probably end up giving it away.

What PopSugar says:
"Your game night just got a lot chicer with this bingo set from West Emory. The design studio gave this classic game a modern update that you'll want to showcase long after you play."



Capri Blue Mercury Jewelry Box in Rain ($18.95) - This is one of those candles that comes in a reusable container, so that once your done burning, you can put your rings/jewelry/other trinkets inside! The box is super cute (I like that it's recycled glass!), but I'm not really a fan of the scent. It smells too powdery for my liking.

What PopSugar says:
"Doubling as a candle and a jewelry box holder, this mercury jewel box smells and looks divine. once the candle burns out, reuse the handblown recycled glass box to hold all your keepsakes."



Gramr Gratitude Co. Exclusive Thanksgiving Postcard Pack ($10) - I don't typically send postcards (although maybe I should, hmmm...) but these would be super cute to put in my planner or even frame! These all have different Thanksgiving-themed designs, and are printed on a heavy, durable cardstock. Maybe if I work fast enough, I can send these out to some family members up north. :D I don't know, there's something so darling about sending someone a handwritten postcard. I think writing letters should never go out of style, which is funny because I used to scoff at these kinds of things, thinking "Why bother? You can just shoot them an email or call them", but there's something awesomely magical about holding someone's written letter to you in your hands.

What PopSugar says:
"These beautiful postcards will inspire you to share your thank yous with someone you love. Whether it's a family member or a dear friend, a handwritten letter on one of these press-printed postcards will surely brighten their day."



Terrapin Ridge Farms Pecan Honey Mustard ($6) - Am I the only one who gets thoroughly excited when I see food items in subscription boxes?? I'm a pretty adventurous eater so I love seeing all the unique and interesting foods that come my way in sub boxes. This is a honey mustard dip with a pecan twist. I think I'll eat this with some pretzels like Popsugar suggests, or maybe use it to marinate chicken for my family.

What PopSugar says:
"When you combine the rich flavors of pecans and the sweet tang of honey mustard, the results are addictive. Delicious as a dip or a marinade, it's the perfect pairing for holiday meals and appetizers."



Final Verdict - The November PopSugar Must Have box cost me $40 and has a total combined value of $132.95, or $152.95 with the $20 Inkdot giftcard. I'm going to be completely honest and say that while this box was fantastically curated, it just didn't make me all that excited. I won't use the headband or the bingo game, and I don't have too much use for the postcards. I'm not really a fan of the candle's scent, and I have enough nude shadows to last me a lifetime. I feel like many people would have enjoyed this box though, and it's well worth the money price-wise, but I also like to take personal value into account when I review a subscription box, and it just wasn't there for me this month. It isn't a bad box though by any means, and most of these items will make excellent gifts if you don't fancy them yourself!

If you'd like to sign up for your own PopSugar Must Have subscription, you can do so OVER HERE. Use code REFER5 or MUSTHAVE5 to get $5 off your first box!

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