Nerd Block Jr. for Girls July 2014 Subscription Box Review

Note: This post contains referral and/ or affiliate links.
Nerd Block Jr. is a fairly new monthly subscription box that caters to kids ages 6-11. Each month Nerd Block Jr. sends out a box filled with about 4-6 licensed toys and goodies that are "Geek Tested, Nerd Approved." They offer a Girls or Boys subscription. This review is for the girls Nerd Block Jr. The website shows, brands such as My Little Pony, Hello Kitty, Smurfs, Barbie, etc.

This subscription is based in Canada and ships via Canada Post (to USPS if you're based in the US, like me.) The shipping is very quick.

Cost: $19.99 ($13.99 plus $6 shipping)

Click here to subscribe to Nerd Block Jr.

I subscribed to this box for a six year old girl and she loves it! The July box included 5 items.

Minnie Mouse Mini Coloring Pages from Crayola - This included 6 Crayola mini markers and eighty pages to color on. The pages are not bound and they are about the size of postcards. This is all packed in a neat book style cardboard holder. This coloring set has a retail value of about $4.

Belle the Birthday Fairy book - This is a chapter book and a little too old for my 6 year old. It does not have any color pictures, but it does have quite a few black and white pictures throughout and she still likes to pretend like she can read the story and look at the pictures. This is a very nice book and gets great reviews on Amazon. I was excited to see that they included a book along with the toys and it will be a great read for her once she can read well. This has a retail value of $4.99.

Barbie Build 'n Style Glam Style Barbie by Mega Bloks - This is a 30 piece toy set in the style of Polly Pocket, after the clothing closet bar is put together, there are really only about 10 different pieces. She loves this set. Mega Bloks has a variety of Barbie Build 'n Style sets out too, so we can build upon this to form a collection. This has a retail value of about $2.

The Smurfs Mega Bloks - This another cute set from Mega Bloks that can be built upon to form a collection. This was probably her least favorite item out of the box, but she does still like playing with it. This was just a little set in a foil packet and did not contain nearly as many pieces as the Barbie set (it contained 5 pieces.) This has a retail value of about $2.

Toothless from Dreamworks Dragons Defenders of Berk- I'm sorry for the glare with this picture! This little dragon figurine is too cute. She did not like it at first and cried that she didn't want a "boys" toy, but has since played with it countless times and now loves it. This is a small palm sized figurine toy. Toothless has a retail value of $5.99.



My Take
She loves her Nerd Block Jr. box, which makes this subscription well worth the $20. I think the value of the box is decent and the shipping is super fast which always pleases me. I also love the fact that they use licensed items! If you are looking for a good kids box filled with toys, I highly recommend Nerd Block Jr.!


What did you think of this months Nerd Block Jr.? Are you thinking about subscribing?

Allure Sample Society August 2014 Subscription Box Review & Sept 2014 Spoiler

Sample Society is a monthly subscription box curated by Allure Magazine and BeautyBar.com. Each month they send you 4-5 full sized and deluxe sized must try beauty items.

Cost: $15, shipping included

Each month they include a mini "magazine" that describes all of the products included in that months box. The mini-mag also includes tips and tricks.

Too Faced Melted Lipstick, Melted Peony, .16 fl. oz., $8 - These bright pale pinks never look good on me. The color always seems to seep into the lines of my lips and you can definitely tell that I am wearing a lip stick. I like a more subtle look. The lipstick itself is pretty nice and has a neat applicator. It is moisturising, but you have to use a good bit of it so, if you are wearing this everyday, it will not last long. Full Size/ .4 fl. oz. / $21

Jane Iredale Longest Lash Mascara, Black Ice, .1 oz., $8 - I was a little confused when I saw this mascara and when I pulled out the wand, I couldn't believe how they crammed that huge brush in the tiny tube, it makes me think that there is no way that there can be that much product in the tube. This mascara applied pretty well and I liked how my lashes turned out; it lengthens very well, but you have to apply a lot for good volumizing action. Full Size/ .42 oz./ $33

Kate Somerville Dilo Oil Restorative Treatment, .1 fl. oz, $6.50 - This oil is an interesting concept and I am pretty intrigued. The sample holder states the "100% of woman showed significant improvement in skin firmness and elasticity, 87% showed significant improvement in evenness of skin tone and 75% said the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles was dramatically reduced." Those results seem quite impressive so I am pretty excited to try it out! Full size/ 1 oz./ $65

Mini Ciate Paint Pot in cha cha cha, .17 fl. oz., $8 - I like Ciate polish, however it is not my all-time favorite and this color seemed to need 4 coats to cover the way that I like which means this sample will not last at all. I do like this color a lot; it is a bright orange.

Oribe Surfcomber Tousled Texture Mousse, 2.5 oz., $22 - I haven't tried out this mousse yet, but this bottle is really pretty and a great size too! I am expecting some nice beach waves from this mousse and plan to try this out on my vacation next week! FYI the amount stated is for the purse size which is 2.2 oz, so the 2.5 oz. can that we received actually has a tiny bit higher value! Full size/ 5.7 oz./ $37






My Take
This was my first time receiving a Sample Society box and I really loved it! The value was awesome and I am/was excited to try everything in the August box. I came up with a value of about $53; I paid $15! I am loving the redesign and the direction that Allure and BeautyBar.com have taken this box in recently, too; the red box color really makes it stand out from the rest. I will certainly be keeping my subscription around for a while and I am totally recommending the Sample Society box for anyone interested in trying out new beauty items!



September 2014 Allure Sample Society Box Sneak Peek

A full-size, .5 oz., Restorsea Revitalizing Eye Cream will included in the September 2014 Sample Society Box. This eye cream has a staggering value of $85! This may be a good month to sign up for!

Paws & Play August 2014 Premium Small Dog Subscription Box Review

Paws & Play is a canadian monthly subscription box that caters to the needs of your cat(s) and/or dog(s). Currently Paws & Play offers two monthly options: the to-go box and the premium box. For your dog, you can choose from five sizes: toy, small, medium, large, and giant. The To Go Box "will include: 4-7 of our most popular items from new & previous boxes given at a steep discount". The Premium Box "will include: 7-10 of our best and newest hand picked products, this box is our full experience."

Paws & Play generously provided Indy and I with the premium small dog box for review.

Cost:
To Go Box $15, shipping included to Canada, $ 3.95 shipping to US
Premium Box: $30, shipping included to Canada, $ 3.95 to US

Click here to subscribe to Paws & Play!

It looks like we received the information card for the to-go box instead of the premium box. Everything on the to-go box card was included in our box and we received two other items as well. Paws & Play included a post card to give/ mail to a friend so that they can try Paws & Play for free.

Texas Hold 'Ems Premium Beef Lung Filets, 8 oz., $8 - Do not be fooled by the 8 oz. weight; this is a HUGE bag of treats. These beef lung filets are dehydrated, I believe, and very lightweight. After pulling back the tissue paper on the box, this bag was all I saw and I was highly impressed by this large bag of treats. Indy loves them!

Greenies Petite Dog Treat, .6 oz, $1 - Greenies are supposed to be great for the dogs teeth and are marketed as a dental chew for dogs. Indy has tried these before and he does really like them. I only wish they were minty so that they could freshen his breath too!

Etta Says Crunchy Duck Chews, 7in chew, $3 - We have gotten these duck chews in other pet boxes and fortunately Indy really loves them! I was excited to see this chew because it keeps him occupied and happy for a while.

Bosco and Roxy's Gourmet Dog Treat, crab, $2.49 - I loved the personalization on the treat bag, I really appreciated that extra touch. I am not a fan of the "homemade style" treats because they tend to make a mess, but Indy likes them so he is happy. I loved the crab, we are Marylanders, so it was very fitting!

Zorb it-up! Amazing Absorbent Sheets, 2 lg sheets, $1.50 - These sheets kind of look like puppy pads, but the picture shows a wine spillage, so I think I will definitely try these out the next time we have a big spill. They claim to be leak proof and absorbent on all surfaces, so they sound like a winner.

Outward Hound Port A Bowl, 24 oz capacity, $8 - I love this bowl, I have been thinking about getting him a portable bowl for a while and this one is really nice and seems to be good quality. It can be used for food or water and is pretty big with a 24 oz. capacity.

Charming Pet Grandma Hippie Chick Squawkers Dog Toy, small, $6.49 - This is Indy's new favorite toy. The squeaker in this toy works really well and it is made of "all-natural" latex. I think the design is pretty cute too.


My Take
I am pretty pleased with the Paws & Play box. My BF liked this box a lot more than the other subscription boxes that Indy has gotten. I came up with a value of $30.50, which is a little less than what I would have paid for in total for the box ($30 plus $3.95 shipping to US.) The information card does list higher values for almost every item, however when looking up the item values, I found almost every item for little bit lower on reputable sites, so I used those values to determine the value of the box. I loved the quality and variety of the items chosen for this months box and I would totally recommend Paws & Play if your looking for a nice variety of treats and toys for your furry friend. Also, Paws & Play's customer service is super friendly and quick to respond with any questions!

Have you subscribed to Paws & Play yet? What are your thoughts on the Paws & Play box?

New Beauty Test Tube July 2014 Subscription Review

Note: This post contains affiliate/ referral links.

New Beauty Test Tube is a bi-monthly subscription that allows you to test full-size and deluxe sample sized new beauty products. The test tubes may vary slightly from person to person. I ordered my Test Tube at the end of July (for July's shipment) and just received my box this week.

Cost: $ 38.90 ($29.95 plus $8.95 shipping)

Click here to subscribe to New Beauty Test Tube and take $5 off of your first month.

This is my first test tube and I was pretty impressed by my first look into the box. It's branded very well and the packaging is really nicely done.

They also include an information "magazine" that describes each of the items included, which I love.

La Roche-Posay Mela-D Deep Cleaning Brightening Foaming Cleanser, .5 fl. oz., $2.83 - This left my skin feeling a little tight but, nicely moisturized, so I like it. I will use this as a facial cleanser. Full size is 4.2 fl.oz. $24.99

Revlon Age Defying Wrinkle Remedy, full size, .41 fl. oz., $14 - This is something that I will give to my Mom to try out. It gets really bad reviews on Ulta.com though. At least it's full-size!

Amore Pacific Color Control Cushion Compact with SPF 50+ in Tan Blush, .14 oz., $8.05 - This is a neat little sample and it even includes a little applicator pad. I was also excited to see that it had SPF 50+, because I always forget to put on sunscreen. I am hoping that the shade works for me. It looks a little dark. I do not remember NBTB asking me about my color, so I was a little surprised to see this. The travel size version (1.04 oz.) sells for $60 at Sephora.

Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream, 1 fl. oz., $1.41- I've really been wanting to try this cream, so I am pretty excited to get it. It is also a great size to throw in my purse. I am pretty happy with this sample. 11.50, 7.5oz

Dove Oxygen Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner, 1 fl. oz., $ 0.80 - I really like this shampoo and conditioner. I think it gives me a pretty decent amount of volume, and doesn't leave my hair feeling weighed down. I have very fine/thin hair so I was really excited to try these out.

Biosilk Color Therapy Lock & Protect Leave-In Treatment, full-size, 5.64 fl.oz., 12.50 - I love Biosilk, so I am really happy about getting this treatment and a full size bottle of it too! Biosilk smells amazing. This kind of has the consistency of conditioner, so I am nervous about using it because I have very fine thin hair, but it makes my ends very smooth and silky.




StriVectin-EV Get Even Brightening Serum, 1 fl. oz., $52.14 - I am very pleasantly surprised by the size of this. Due to the price of StriVectin, and the full size of this (1.7 fl. oz.) sells for $89, I was really expecting a tiny sample that wouldn't be enough to really try it out. I have used the StriVectin cream for stretch marks and thought that it worked pretty well after a few weeks so I am really excited to try this out!

Grande Face Lift Sample, 3ml - This face-lift claims to instantly smooth lines and tighten skin. I will be giving this one to my mom too, but I am looking forward to seeing if it does any of that for her.

It Cometics Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush, full size - I signed up for New Beauty Test Tube after seeing that this brush was included in the last tube. I have the Heavenly Luxe Foundation Brush and I love it, so I was amazed that this brush was included because it literally sells for $48 which is a little more than $18 less than what I paid for my box . It's so soft and big! I love it!!

My Take
This "box" was awesome! The value is amazing considering that the one makeup brush costs $48, $10 more that the whole box. I paid $ 38.90 for this box and received about $140 worth of product. I love everything that was included in this months test tube. I highly recommend New Beauty Test Tube if you are look for a very reasonably priced way to try out new high and low end beauty products!



What did you get in your July New Beauty Test Tube Box?