POPSUGAR Must Have Box Review: December 2012

It’s finally here – my long awaited inaugural Must Have box! I subscribed back in October and by that time both the October and the November boxes were sold out so I had to wait til December to finally get mine. I was unsure about this subscription because quite honestly $35/month is kind of a lot for a box of random stuff, but I figured that this box would be a nice gift to myself and I promised I would not be disappointed no matter what they end up sending out. When I first peeked at the December spoilers I knew right away that this month’s box would be perfect for me! I loved every single item except that pesky Rent the Runway discount code that seems to be everywhere these days.

Now the fun part for all non-subscribers. Right now if you commit to a 6-month subscription you can use the code INSIDER and that would bring the cost of each box down to just $27/month!! which is an AMAZING deal! The bad part is that you have to pay the entire amount right away. I ended up paying $167 with tax, but if your state doesn’t have tax on these boxes then it would be even lower. Either way this is the best discount we’ve seen in a while and judging by how rapidly they’re growing I assume they have no reason to shower us with codes anymore. I’m not sure when this code expires, so if you are still thinking about it I wouldn’t wait too long.
I would really appreciate it if you used my referral link to subscribe. Thank you and enjoy the review!

About PopSugar Must Have:
With POPSUGAR Must Have, you’ll get an exciting monthly box, full of fun, hand-selected items from POPSUGAR editors. Each box will include a variety of full-sized products and premium items worth over $100 (ARV). It costs $35/month and you can use the code REFERF5 to get a special one-time $5 discount off your first box.
If you would like to use my referral link please click here to subscribe to PopSugar Must Have. Thank you!

So this month in addition to regular Must Have boxes POPSUGAR came up with Men’s and Women’s Luxury box editions which sold for $100 each. I checked some spoilers online and honestly I’m glad I didn’t buy it when it was available. Yes, the items are all from luxury brands, but I would never repurchase anything from that selection. And I guess the regular box was considered a bad box by many as well, mainly because of the tea that a lot of people don’t drink; and the fact that it didn’t really seem too festive despite being a Holiday-themed box. I’m on the happy side of the barricades though, and I looooved everything I got!

Purple Wishbone Minimergency Kit for Her from Pinch Provisions
Although I was hoping I’d get the pink one or at least the yellow one, I’m fine with purple. This tiny minimergency kit contains everything I could possibly need for any girly emergency. It contains things like teeny nail file, hairspray, clear elastics etc; and it’s small enough to fit in just about any purse.

Bodum Bistro Double-Wall Insulated 10-Ounce Glass Mugs 
What I like most about these mugs is the fact that I don’t need a coaster to use them. These cups are perfectly insulated to keep my drinks cold or hot for longer AND are microwave and dishwasher safe! And well I just think they look really cool 🙂

Tea Forte Sampler (10ct) 
I first tried Tea Forte at my wedding shower. The hostess had them out on the table next to the desserts and I thought they looked absolutely fantastic. I don’t remember anymore which kind I ended up having but whatever it was it left a long-lasting impression on me. I’ve lusted for this tea ever since, and it’s been over a year since that shower. Although I’m a big time tea lover and tea snob I just couldn’t justify paying the retail price for these, so I was hinting to everyone that I would like to get this tea as a present at some point. So can you imagine how happy I was when I saw that it’s included in our boxes this month? This tea is what made me decide to subscribe for another 6 months with the code I posted above, because who knows how many of my personal “must haves” they will send out 🙂

Bogdon’s All Natural Peppermint Poles (21ct) 
I’m embarrassed to admit that I ate all of those peppermint poles while writing this review. They are just so absolutely delicious that I couldn’t help myself. At least they are guilt-free, since there are only 330 calories in 21 of those. So yep, they never made it into my coffee 🙂

Jaboneria Marianella Antioxidant Moisturizing Milk Bar 
This bar of soap is probably the only product I was kind of “meh” about. Truth is I prefer liquid soaps, so this is kind of a waste. It does smell very nice and the description is intriguing, but I feel like I wouldn’t appreciate it all that much and go back to my usual liquid soaps and body washes. Although the point of these mystery boxes is to get us out of the comfort zone and force us to try something new, so who knows maybe this soap becomes my HG! I doubt that of course but you never know 🙂

GoSwype Microfiber Wipe 
Well this is useful, I actually don’t have a wipe for my tablet and I like its promises to remove germs and bacteria. I’ll probably use it a lot.

The verdict: Overall this box is living up to its name because pretty much most of these items are actually must haves for me. Although I expected the December box to be more holiday-themed than just a small box of peppermint poles, I was still pleased with what I got. Oh yes, there was also a $30 Rent The Runway code which I’m sure nobody here cares about.