Pop Sugar Must Have review (January box)

      I was excited to try out a new subscription box this month - the PopSugar Must Have box. I really love the idea of it because it includes a variety of full-size products from all sorts of categories like beauty, food, fitness, fashion, home, and entertainment. The boxes cost $35 a month and are guaranteed to be worth more than $100.

     I received the January PopSugar Must Have box this week and was so excited to dig through it and see what I got. I have been eyeing these boxes for months ever since I saw the absolutely awesome September box. It came with this gorgeous scarf, a book and movie tickets for the movie inspired by the book, candy, make-up, hair ties, and all sorts of other fun goodies. 

     So without further ado, here is what came in my box this month. Each box comes with a fold-out brochure that details all the contents of the box. This month, the box features items to "help get a fresh start on that fitness resolution while still finding time to indulge in some warm treats."

And here's what came inside!

Must Have Fitness

• Merrithew Stability Ball ($38.99): I received the 65 cm stability ball. It is described as "the perfect prop for full-body fitness right at home." A special insert included describes how to do three exercises with the ball. I am not super excited about this item because I am pretty sure I already own a stability ball. Though obviously I have no idea where it is nor do I use it. I don't really have the space to have a giant ball sitting in the corner of my living room all the time. Still, it's an obvious choice for health-obsessed January when everyone is making goals to lose weight and get in shape. And maybe I will pump it up at some point and try it out. 

Must Have Food

• Kraft Jet-Puffed Vanilla Mallow Bits ($6.49): These marshmallow bites can be used to top icecream or other desserts, or put in hot chocolate. They look really tasty and as the weather here has been bitter cold and we're expecting snow this weekend, I am happy to try some in my hot chocolate. I was a little surprised to see this in my PopSugar box because its not really a "luxury" item, but at least it's something that we'll probably use. I tasted them and they taste just like the marshmallows from Lucky Charms. 

 Must Have Food

• PopBar Hot Chocolate on a Stick ($5.98): These hot chocolate bars on a stick are from PopBar, a chocolate boutique in the West Village of New York City. I received the milk chocolate and dark chocolate flavors. Simply stir it in a mug of steamed milk and voila! - hot chocolate! I am really excited about these and can't wait to try them. They look so delicious. And I would not be lying if I told you that a small part of me wants to just eat it right off the stick like a big chocolate lollipop. I had the milk chocolate one last night and it was so yummy. They are probably my favorite thing in the box.

Must Have Beauty

• Epicuren Discovery Lip Balm ($9.50): This lip balm features SPF 15 to protect lips from the sun as well as tea tree oil and aloe vera to help soothe and replenish moisture all season long. I have never tried this brand and figure having another lip balm can't hurt since I'm always misplacing mine. After giving this a try, I really like the consistency of this balm and it has a menthol-like tingly feeling. 

Must Have Fashion

• The Remix Timebomb watch ($44.95): This watch is cute, but not something that I would normally pick out to wear. Its pretty sport looking so maybe if I take up running, I will wear it to time myself or something. Right...

Special Extra

• Casetagram gift certificate ($15): This gift certificate from Casetagram allows you to make cases for your phone or tablet using your favorite Instagram, Facebook, and personal photos to create a customized collage. These cases can be made for the iphone (am I the only person on the planet who doesn't have one?), ipads, ipod touches, and the Samsung Galaxy. It's not really worth anything to me since I don't have any of those, but I can most likely find someone I know who would like it.  

Special Extra

• Think Thin Bars ($5.97): I received three bars from Think Thin: Think Thin Crunch Caramel Chocolate Dipped Mixed Nuts bar, Think Thin Creamy Peanut Butter protein bar, and Think Thin Divine Dark Chocolate Coconut bar. I always have a glass jar in the pantry in our kitchen stocked with snack bars so these will be a welcome addition as a new brand we have never tried. All of the bars contain little to no sugar and will hopefully be tasty.

    All added up, I came up with a total value of $126.88 for this box, which is well over the $35 per month cost of the box. Overall, I was a little disappointed as I have been more impressed with the contents of several of the past boxes, for instance the scarf from the September box or books and movie tickets from one of the previous boxes. I was definitely bummed that there was no "Must Have Entertainment" or "Must Have Home" categories this month because I would have enjoyed something from those categories.

     If you are interested in trying the Pop Sugar Must Have box for yourself, click HERE. Use the link along with the code REFERFRIENDS to receive $5 off your first box. Right now, the February box is still available, but they seem to sell out pretty quickly.