Topbox July 2013 review!

Finally getting around to writing my Topbox review for July.
I got my tube quite late and was also quite behind in trying the new products.

This is what I received in the regular Topbox for July 2013.
I would rather get a surprise than know what brands I am getting. Not too sure I will do any of the themed boxes that you can chose from.

*That funny yellow and white thing, is my pen. The items would not stay without rolling around and the pen was used to keep the products from sliding.
(capsule pen is from Light in the Box.com).

TOPBOX JULY 2013 PRODUCTS!

*Belvada Cosmetics: One Moment Essential Day Cream: sample size 8G, value $8/ full size 60ml, $60.

This cream looks really neat in the jar and is a clear gel base with some "gold" looking pearls suspended throughout the formula. This cream contains 24k gold flakes and pearl protein which the company says helps stimulate blood flow and give a healthy glow.
I have only used this cream a couple times, so nothing  too sure if it has done anything yet. The cream does feel nice and refreshing on my face, but it does not say if there is any SPF...so assuming you need a separate sunscreen.
Also, the "pearls" are a bit hard to get out with your fingers, so a small spatula is helpful.
This is a neat product and I will use it up!
There is also not a very strong scent, so that is another plus.

KMS California:  ADD VOLUME volumizing spray: sample size 30ml spray bottle, value $2.50/ full size 200ml, $16.70.

I like a lot of the KMS hair products and usually buy some of their other hair gels and products.
Have not yet tried any of the volumizing products as I use either the curly like or Hairstay line.

You are supposed to use this gel before blow-drying your hair to see volume. I can not use a hair dryer right now, and only used this on damp hair- so did not really test out the volume part.

But the gel did tame my curly hair and left it manageable with some light hold. The gel was not heavy or sticky and I would buy this again!

*China Glaze nail laquer: FULL SIZE ITEM!!! 14ml bottle, value $8

The value on the card does say $10-12, but when I looked online for this polish, it was on sale for $7.00 (at Nail Polish Canada.com).This polish is from the 2012 Summer Neons collection. When I did try this out on my toes the finish was quite matte. I have not used much from this brand, so not too sure how the finish on their other collections is. I do like the dark berry colour and think it would look much nicer with a top coat...unless you like the matte look!

*B Kamins: BB Cream: sample size 3g tube, value $3/ full size 50ml, $49.00
I really like how this sample is packaged and presented!
The BB cream came in a small tube- easy to reclose and enough for a few uses.
Also that the product came with an info card detailing the use, benefits and ingredients is very impressive.
I did not read that there was any sunscreen protection on the info card and am a bit surprised at this.
So far I found the BB cream blended in with my olive skin tone very well and had a very natural look.
I'll have to use up the rest of the sample and report back with any other findings.

TOPBOX JULY 2013 INFOCARD!

Overall thoughts on the July 2013 Topbox:


I enjoyed the July Topbox and found there was a good mix of products for hair, skin and nails. The China Glaze polish is a very summery shade, but it would have been nicer to receive something from the 2013 seasons. If I look back through my pics on my computer I do see I received another neon from China Glaze in my Aug 2012 Topbox.
Here is the link to my full review:
http://prettytastyreviews.blogspot.ca/2012/08/topbox-content-for-july-2012.html

June 2012 Topbox products

June 2012 Topbox infocard

BLOOD is the NEW BLACK BLIND BARGAIN BAG #6 AUG 2013

From the website Blood is the New Black.
Ordered three Blind Bargain Bags. I'm posting the pics up for now....review to follow.

PALM TREES by BRENDAN DONELLY

HOLDING HANDS by DAN MOUNTFORD

COVERS by JOSH SLATER

SYE by  DAN MONICK

by DAN MONICK

BLOOD IS THE NEW BLACK BLIND BARGAIN BAG order #5 Men's Small Aug 2013 tops received!

I just received my latest order from Blood is the New Black and bought a couple of the Blind Bargain Bags they had listed.

My review will be longer, but for now these are the shirts I received. These tops were all bought with my own money....but considering the Bargain Bags sell for $25, it is a great deal!

Tops that I received:

BASKETBALL HOOP by DAN MONICK

by DERECK ALBECK

STARSCAPE by JOSH SLATER

TOO YOUNG by BOBBY WHIGHAM

by DAN MONICK

Blood is the New Black BLIND BARGAIN BAG #4 Men's selection!

These shirts were  part of my order #3 and are the men's Blind Bargain Bag from Blood is the New Black.
BITNB is a company that makes all their clothing in the US and feature designs by many types of artists.
I bought these tops with my own money and this would be my fourth bag I have recently purchased.
It might seem like a lot of tops, but when it is so random and I've gotten quite a few sleeveless items when I was hoping for t-shirts I am going to reorder and hope for more of the style I want and also buy some individual tops on their site.
So far I have found the women's bags had more tank tops and sleeveless items and the men's has short sleeve and the Euro fit tees.

This is what was in my men's Blind Bargain Bag:

Pig Boy by Carey Haider

This is an interesting shirt and one that is still for sale right now!
Not really a top I would chose- it is kind of funny and creepy at the same time. I do like the shirt colour and fit and will wear it! But I am going to add some embellishments to this top to make it look a bit more feminine (or fun) somehow.
I will post the results online,but it might not be for a while as I have to order my craft supplies.......from China. No idea how long shipping will take- I am thinking of adding some colored studs or maybe just metallic ones....

Bare Arms by Brendan Donelly

This is one design you can still buy right now!
I like that it is a play on words. The top is one of the Euro tees and a slimmer fit. I like this style as it is more fitted and easier to layer with other shirts or sweaters.

1% by Carey Haider

I like how the picture is made to look like a Polaroid-it has quite a nostalgic look to it.
Also thinking of adding something to the border of the picture to make it look more interesting- bought some copper colored studs and think it would look quite nice.
You can also still order this shirt in a few different cuts and tanks too.....

 Giant Cum by Dan Monick

Well, I'm not too fond of this top and not too sure I will wear it.
At least one of my friends really wants this shirt and it should fit him as it is a men's med and quite a big shirt!
I kind of wish there was more info about this top as I would really like to know what inspired the artist to do this???

Front and Back by Carey Haider

This is also a top you can still buy!

Guess I kind of lucked out and got all recent designs with this grab bag! Not that it matters to me really- as long as I like the tops I receive.

I do like how the image on this top is in black and white, with the bottom part in color. It really makes the top look interesting. This is also a Euro fit tee.
Quite a few people have mentioned to me already that they like this top and wanted to know where I bought it from!

Final thoughts on this bag:

Overall I am quite pleased with the tops I received. 4 out of the 5 shirts I will wear- so considering this cost me $25 +$9 shipping that is a great value!
I actually just placed another order for some bargain bags and a few other tees as I was sent a email there was a sale this week!

If you are interested in ordering any tops the website for Blood is the New Black is:

http://www.bloodisthenewblack.com/the_store/new-products

Blood is the New Black BLIND BARGAIN BAG order #3 Boyfriend Fit women's tees!

As soon as I saw there was a Blind Bargain Bag from Blood is the New Black that had only the boyfriend fit shirts I HAD to place an order.
Usually I like "bigger" shirts and liked almost all the designs in that style, so figured I would like whatever they sent.
Turns out I was right and I like 4 out of the 5 tops, but will wear them all.
One of the tops had a print that was a bit too scary for my liking and I will prob wear that shirt inside out as I like the cut and colour- you will have to read my review to find out what top that was!

As usual the BITNB shirts are made in the US and have a very soft thin cotton and are printed with imaged from lesser known artists!
I paid $25 for the bargain bag and shipping is an extra $9 (unless you spend $100 then shipping is FREE :).

These are the shirts I received:

Hello Nevermind by Bobby Whigham

This shirt alone makes the grab bag worth it!
I've always wanted a Hello Kitty shirt and just never got around to getting one- or any of the other characters I like.
I actually worked for someone that had a Sanrio store, but they did not carry any clothing then at their store.
This will be great for summer with the cheerful orange of the shirt!

Hobby Horse by Edward Cao

At first I was not too sure about this shirt- I liked it but only thought it was ok.
No specific reason really, well I guess I do not own any shirts that have animals on them...until now that is!
I wore this a couple days ago and no one commented on my shirt, much to my surprise.
Strangers have stopped to ask me about a couple of my other shirts though, so that was kind of surprising.

Creature Of The Night by Heather Gabel

I like this shirt!
Not too much else to add to this. I think I will wear this shirt often....
The artist who made the graphics for this top also happens to be Canadian!

Lifes A Grave by Brendan Donelly

This shirt is ok and kind of funny!

It happened to scare my aunt, but she is in her 60's and generally does not like things with skeletons on them.
I'm sure my friends will find this shirt funny though.

And now for the last top, the one that has a design I find a bit too creepy for my taste.

There is just too many eyes on this top.....and the wolf has too many eyes also.
But that is just my opinion.....

DEMONBABIES shirt. unsure of title.

I am not too sure what the title of this top is as it is no longer listed for sale online.
The fit of this top is really nice and I was looking for a plain black shirt. I think I will wear this top inside out as you can not see the design through it......thankfully.

That's it for my shirts!

Those are the shirts I received in my bargain bag. I am quite pleased and am very tempted to order a couple more as I do need some new shirts.
If you are interested in ordering a Blind Bargain Bag or some other shirts the website for Blood is the New Black can be found at:

http://www.bloodisthenewblack.com/the_store/104-blind-bargain-bags

Blood is the New Black BLIND BARGAIN BAG order #2 Men's tops 2013!

Thought I would try out the men's mystery bag at Blood is the New Black.
I figured the shirts would most likely be a bigger fit and hopefully more tops with short sleeves.
This time I got 5 short sleeve shirts!
Four of the shirts are great and one has a fit that is quite small for me- that one I will give to someone who can fit that better than myself.

Here are the shirts I received:

BRYAN RAY TURCOTTE, SKIN JUMP

This shirt is sort of a repeat. I got this in my first order in a women's tank top.

I do like this shirt and have worn in a few times already and wore it with an American Apparel black skort.

The fit of this top is great and I'm quite pleased.

ANDREW KUYKENDALL, "FURRY HAT TEE"

This is the top that was much smaller for me- I think it is one of the men's Euro fit tees.

For a small, it seems quite small. The material for this shirt is also thicker and the back where the neck is states the shirt is 100% cotton and Made in Honduras.

The design is ok, I am going to find someone who can fit into this shirt better than myself and give them this shirt!

BY: POROUS WALKER

This shirt has a cute picture of a puppy and a kitten.

It is written "BE COOL, OK."

This shirt is ok, I will wear it.

STEVE GREEN,

This shirt is by Steve Green and did not have a tag with the official title.

The top is written "FOR ALL THE FUCKED-UP CHILDREN OF THIS WORLD..."

What is different is that the print was done on the inside of the shirt to make it look very pale.

You could also wear this shirt inside-out for a different look too!

Below is the shirt with the printing on the outside:

Shirt inside-out!

The shirt inside out is neat too because then when you look in the mirror the letters show up the correct way!

This is a fun shirt, but I will have to be careful where I wear this due to the "language" on the shirt.

By:  MEL KADEL

This is one of my favorite tops in my order!

I really like that it is just black and white. There could be drops of........anything?
Quite a few people like this top too and would order it if it was still around.

There was not much info about this top, no idea what the title is.

How did I like my order?

I am quite pleased. Four out of the five shirts I will wear and the fifth I am giving to someone who will like it.

I'm very tempted to place another order as I could use a few extra shirts....

If you want to order your own mystery package of shirts it is $25 and you get 5 tops. Shipping adds another $9. You can place an order at:

http://www.bloodisthenewblack.com/the_store/104-blind-bargain-bags

Which of these shirts do you like best? let me know.....

*I purchased these tops with my own money!
(and am debating another order...not that I "need" more shirts).

Blood is the New Black BLIND BARGAIN BAG order #2 Womens mystery tops!

After my first order of mystery shirts from Blood is the New Black, I knew I would have to try again in hope of getting some tops with sleeves.
This time I was lucky and ended up getting one long sleeve shirt!, three sleeveless tops and one short sleeve top. A good variety overall.
I'm thinking I might have to order again just to get a good variety of tops. My shirt collection is very lacking and needs a huge update.

In case you did not know about bitnb and their "blind bargain bag"- it is a company that prints art from lesser known artists on shirts that are made in the US.
The bargain bag sells for $25 and you get 5 random tops in the size of your choice.
Tops can be from last season or this season....you just never know!
The value is great as most tops sell for at least $20-50 each on their site!

Now onto the contents of my bag:


This time I was lucky and got a long sleeve top!

SOUTHSIDE CHICAGO SOUL by: NICK ZINNER

This is quite a nice shirt. The size is a bit big though as the label says size L unisex.
I did order the women's L size, still that is ok- it means I can put this top in the dryer as it is quite big!

The top is actually a nice cream colour, but that did not show up in the pic.

The image is of someone holding a record. I like this top and a couple of my friends really want this shirt- I am keeping it!

Sleeveless top, no print.

This is a sleeveless top!
The shade is more of a blueish/green and does not look as turquoise in person.
I really like this colour, it is great for summer or anytime.
The tag on this top just says "Soulcycle" and the product tags states Black/Standard , Made in the USA.
Not much else to add, please with this top :)

Bobby Whigham, Wobbly Weed

Rewind......selecta!

They did say that if you happen to order more than one bag you might get a repeat of an item.

Not really a top I'm crazy about as I do not like to wear imagery of canabis.

That is ok, I will find a use for this top and might have a try at adding some decorations of some kind.

By Dark Matter

This T is by Dark Matter in Los Angeles.I could not find any info on this shirt online when I searched and there was no name tags with this top.

I do like the design, it is different from other shirts I own.
Does anyone have an idea what the 74 degree symbol at the top righthand corner mean?
I'm sure people will ask me about this shirt and I will have to tell them I really have no idea....

Heather Gabel, Nocturnally Yours!

I actually got one top from this season!

What a surprise. It is not really a top I would have chosen for myself and I was not too sure how I would wear this yet.

I ended up wearing this w a American Apparel ballet tank top underneath and some black 3/4 leggings.

This is a good top for when it is really hot during the summer.

Quite a few people did ask me about this top and where I got it from.
I actually really like this top and will get a lot of use out of it!

So, this was my latest order from BITNB. 

I am quite pleased and will order again, hoping to get some short sleeve t's. Maybe I will get the guys size and have more luck?

If you want to order a Bargain Bag they can be bought at:

http://www.bloodisthenewblack.com/the_store/104-blind-bargain-bags

If you do order this, let me know what tops you get!

*In case you were wondering I purchased these tops with my own money!
(I would be thrilled if I did get these free though).

Seasonsbox July 2013 review! "Interesting" choice of snacks...

Finally getting around to reviewing my box!
I have a one year subscription that I purchased as a gift to myself and I find I am not always so enthused about the contents of my Seasonsbox.
This month has a very unusual choice of snack and some fairly seasonal products.
As well, this is the first month I received the new packaging.
Apparently they are trying to use less packaging and decided to get rid of the lovely cardboard boxes and pretty ribbon.
I used to keep those to reuse for gifts and that was great. Now I am not about to keep the shipper box- it is just not the same.

Now on to my July Seasonsbox unboxing:

The first thing when I open my box was the infocard:

Seasonsbox July 2013 infocard!

Product details!

The next thing I saw after removing the crumpled brown paper that was under the infocard was:

Pocket Snack and Hair ties!

The Pura Vida hair ties or "bracelets" are really cute and useful.

They are made of elastic lace and have a small P charm for the logo attached to each tie. These are also handcrafted in Costa Rica and the company gives some of the proceeds to One Percent for the Planet and the Surfrider Foundation.

This is good to know and it is nice to see the proceeds from the hair ties benefit others.

The hair ties seem well made, I have not really used them yet,but will report back in a few weeks how they hold up!

The first snack in the box is Wild Mountain Pocket Snacks in Moon Beet.

This is a raw, live healthy snack made up of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and beets, carrots,raisins, local honey (local to the US company- not Canada) and seasoned with cinnamon,cloves and sea salt.

I was not too sure what to expect from this mixture. I like beets, but usually eat them fresh and not with seeds and cinnamon.

Some people online said this snack was terrible. I thought it was ok and am saving the rest to have family try it. To me the mix tasted like sunflower seeds and beets mostly and not as much of cinnamon. You can taste the sweetness of the honey.

This is not a snack I would go out of my way to try. Still it was interesting to try as I love trying new healthy snacks (or snacks in general).

How my Seasonsbox was packed!

Above is how the rest of my items looked when I removed the rest of the crumpled paper filler.

What a great presentation (not). If this was a gift, it would be totally disappointing to receive something like this.

The next item in the Seasonsbox is Bella Organics Dead Sea Mineral Mud Mask.

This is a product that comes from an Etsy store. There is not too much info on the packaging itself, but it does state the mask is Anti-Aging

Again this month the info card is incomplete. There is a small blurb about the mask and no "why we love it" or use info. Also the packaging does not have any info on how to use the product.

I have not tried this yet and will get around to it sometime soon.....

There was also a really great and seasonal skin cream in the box: made from Earth pure aloe vera skin treatment.

This is a full size jar too. I wanted to try this product a long time ago and am familiar with their website after seeing this brand on a few deal websites. 

Shipping to Canada was always quite prohibitive,so I never got around to placing an order.

I have not tried this cream yet and will do so this weekend!

The last snack in the box was the cutely named Nibnaks.

The name kind of reminds me of when kids mispronounce words like "pasgetti", "catsup"....or something like that.

From reading the description this sounds like the most exiting snack ever! The packaging is fun and eye catching- and this is a gluten free snack too!

I guess you are wondering what this smazing snack is.............................?

Dried fruits and nuts.

The version I received contained dried cranberries, almonds and another fruit I can not recall.

I did not eat this snack outright, but added it to some muffins I was making as I did not have any cranberries handy.

The fruit was fresh and tasty!

My overall impression of the July 2013 Seasonsbox:

I thought this box was fairly good with having some items that are very useful for the summer season.

The hair ties are handy any time and aloe is great after being outdoors all day. Clay masks are always useful to make your pores look smaller and I use one weekly.

The snacks were interesting and the raw beet snack is not something I had seen before,so it was nice to try that.

The only somewhat disappointing thing is the new packaging is not as pretty to open and it looks like the items were quickly thrown into a box.

Seasonsbox also needs to pay attention to the writing on their info cards. Again the writing is incomplete.
Having mistakes and omissions on the info card is not good two months in a row.

Let's hope that August's card will be complete and error-free.

Did you get the July Seasonsbox? What did you think of the products and snacks?

Blood is the New Black BLIND BARGAIN BAG Mystery shirt order #1

I recently learned of this American company that creates shirts with designs by lesser known artists.
The shirts themselves are also made in the US and are a very nice soft cotton.
So many of the designs looked interesting to me and it was quite difficult to make up my mind.
Finally I decided to get the women's mystery package of shirts for $25.
That included 5 tops and it can be any style on their site.
I'm really hoping I do not get any tops with religious symbols or drug references, as those are things I do not wear. Guess I'll have to wait and see......

Here is what I got in my first order:

Bobby Whigham : "wobbly weed"

This sleeveless top is by Bobby Whigham and the top did not have a title sticker. But when I looked it up, the image was like the Wobbly Weed style on the site. The top listed now is yellow, they do not have this exact top now.

So far I've worn this around the house and will prob wear it under a top as I like the fabric and colour.
The cotton is super soft, but the openings on the side are a bit too large for my taste.
I might try and dye this sometime-not sure what colour though....

Keren Richter: "tiny tornado"

This tank top is by KEREN RICHTER and is titled  TINY TORNADO.

I really like this design- it is an abstract scene with a cute little tornado in the corner.
Another nice thing is the tank top is fairly long, so it can be worn many different ways!

Choppers and Sluts by The Uprising.

This is another sleeveless top. This one is titled "Choppers and Sluts" and is by The Uprising.

You can still get this top, but only in white.

One of my friends found this top really funny when I wore it out to a club night where he DJ's, but a family member (my mother) was extremely offended by this top.
I think the top is ok, I wore it with a cardigan as I usually do not wear sleeveless tops and it was cold out too!

Mel Kadel" "butterfly"

This green tank top is titled  BUTTERFLY and is by the artist MEL KADEL.

I like this design, it is very summery. The top part of the butterfly is made up of leaves and the bottom half is all flowers. This design is quite detailed!

Bryan Ray Turcotte: "skin jump"

The last tank top is by  BRYAN RAY TURCOTTE  and titled "SKIN JUMP".
I like the grey of the tank top. The guy on the top is ok....you kind of wonder what he is looking at?

Final thoughts....
Overall I am pleased with this order. The shipping was extremely fast to Canada and this showed up in my mailbox without and hassle.

I do kind of wish I had gotten a t-shirt or something with sleeves- but this is kind of the chance you take by buying a mystery bag. They do say you get 5 shirts and it can be any style. 

You do get to pick your clothing size, so that is great!
I think I will have to place another order in hope of getting different styles. The price is great at $25 for five items. Shipping adds another $9- unless you spend $100 then shipping is free.

If you are interested in picking up a Blind Bargain Bag you can find them here:

http://www.bloodisthenewblack.com/the_store/104-blind-bargain-bags

I have another order on the way and will update this as soon as I can.

Have you ordered any of these mystery shirts? What did you receive?

*Just wanted to add...I purchased these tops with my own money!