I initially signed up for beauty subscription services to test makeup shades and formulas, then compare similar products across different brands. Ipsy and Birchbox were the most affordable options in early 2014, and I’m still with them today. I try new boxes every so often and sometimes return to subscription services I previously canceled.

Past Subscriptions: Beauty Army (1 month), Glossybox (4 boxes), Beautybox 5 (three months), Julep (1 month), Frenchbox (1 month), Sample Society (1 month), Wantable Makeup (7 boxes), Wantable Accessories (5 boxes), CHOIX (two months), Sexybox (2 months), Jouer Le Matchbox (1 month), Loot Crate’s Lvl Up Wearables (1 shirt).

Current Subscriptions: Birchbox (16 months), Ipsy (15 months), Loot Crate (5 months), Love With Food (11 boxes), Naturebox (7 boxes – Currently Paused).

Below are some of my favorite items I received this month!

1. Loot Crate: Pikachu Hat

I’ve been obsessing over this since I got it. Although I’m not a true Pokémon fan, I love Pikachu. The tasseled pokeballs are adorable additions too. The material isn’t too thick or thin, which will make it perfect to wear in Florida’s cooler months.

Loot Crate is $19.95 for the monthly rate. My rate is around $21 with tax included.

In July, Loot Crate started three additional subscriptions called Level Up: +1 Wearable, +1-2 Accessories, and +2 socks. I resubscribed to Wearables for October, as I am a huge Doctor Who fan. In fact, I used to start my unboxing videos on my youtube channel by waving my Doctor Who pen (which I also used to open boxes). There will be four main items in October’s box, all fitting the “Time” theme.

The fan in me cannot resist continuing this post without sharing a quote which sums up the biggest reason I love the show and cannot wait to see what next month brings.

2. Ipsy: Eau Thermale Avène Soothing Moisture Mask

This was a big win for Ipsy because I love masks and have always wanted to try something from this brand. It’s $26 for only 50ml (which explains the tiny sample size). The directions say to wear for 15 minutes before wiping away or to keep it on overnight. I used this to spot treat the driest parts of my face and I can attest to it really working. The only disappointments are that the texture feels exactly like a facial moisturizer and the results are comparable to my Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré. I was hoping for a traditional mask.

3. Birchbox: Harvey Prince Eau So Divine

I typically don’t care for the Harvey Prince perfumes that are so commonplace in Birchbox subscriptions. The full size is $55 for 1.7 oz. The notes are Italian Lemon, Pink Grapefruit, Japanese Lily, Moroccan Jasmine, Dry Woods, Sweet Iris, Indian Patchouli, Madagascar Vanilla, and Clean Musk. Sounds exotic, right?

I can’t isolate any particular note besides smelling something citric, sweet, and floral. The combination is a pretty and feminine scent which fades after three hours.

4. Target Beauty Box: Dove Quench Absolute Supreme Creme Serum

Although this is not a subscription service, these boxes are released often enough if you’re able to snag one before they sell out. And they certainly sell out quickly! This was my second time getting a box out of the many months I tried.

The hair serum is $5.99 and really does emphasize and tame curls when applied to wet hair. It can be used on dry hair but I prefer it damp even though it takes much longer to air dry.

I have several topics I’ve been working on and I’m excited to reveal them next month. Here is a sneak peak:

I’m giving myself a few more weeks to play around with this palette before I post a review. I’ll see you in October!

❤ Lili