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POPSUGAR Must Have Box November 2017 Review + Coupon

Liz Cadman
ByLiz CadmanMar 24, 2018 | 146 comments

POPSUGAR Must Have
3.9 overall rating
530 Ratings | 71 Reviews

POPSUGAR Must Have is a monthly lifestyle subscription box for women. Each month they send a mix of items from categories like beauty, fashion, food, fitness, and home.

This box was sent to us for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

The Subscription Box: POPSUGAR Must Have

The Cost: 39.95 a month

ACTIVE DEAL: Get $20 off your first box!
CODE: MSA20

The Products: “Must Have” items for women selected by POPSUGAR editors. (Fitness, Home, Beauty, Food, and more)

Check out all of my POPSUGAR Must Have reviews and the Women’s Subscription Box Directory!

Each box comes with a fold out card detailing the items included, and what themes inspired the box.

The themes this month are sweet, gather, grateful, family, and host.

Now, on to the items!

 

Unqualified by Anna Faris – Retail Value $28

Book Summary from Amazon:

Anna Faris has advice for you. And it’s great advice, because she’s been through it all, and she wants to tell you what she’s learned. 

After surviving an awkward childhood (when she bribed the fastest boy in the third grade with ice cream), navigating dating and marriage in Hollywood, and building a podcast around romantic advice, Anna has plenty of lessons to share: Advocate for yourself. Know that there are wonderful people out there and that a great relationship is possible. And, finally, don’t date magicians.

Her comic memoir, Unqualified, shares Anna’s candid, sympathetic, and entertaining stories of love lost and won. Part memoir—including stories about being “the short girl” in elementary school, finding and keeping female friends, and dealing with the pressures of the entertainment industry and parenthood—part humorous, unflinching advice from her hit podcast, Anna Faris Is Unqualified, the book will reveal Anna’s unique take on how to master the bizarre, chaotic, and ultimately rewarding world of love.

Hilarious, honest, and useful, Unqualified is the book Anna’s fans have been waiting for.

I'm a few chapters into this book, and so far I've found her writing to be very conversational and easy to read. She discusses an unfortunate college breakup at the very beginning, which made me think, OK, I'm hoping this trend of not holding back on embarrassing material continues.

And of course, I'm curious to see how much she gets into the break up with Chris Pratt. (He wrote the forward of this book and mentions how much things had changed from when he first agreed to write it and when he actually wrote it.)

Tarte Tarteist PRO Glow to Go Highlight & Contour Palette - Value $23

YES! I am ALWAYS thrilled to see tarte in a subscription box!

This palette includes two shimmery highlighters and a matte bronzer/contour shade.

How gorgeous is this little palette? I like the gold metal detail inside, too:

The formulas are heavily pigmented and go on so silky. Plus - this palette smells like chocolate! Here are all the shades swatched:

Hester & Cook Chalkboard Paper Placemat Pad & Set of 4 Chalk Style Pencils - Value $25

This set includes 16 placement pages (this is one time use paper), and a set of "chalk" pencils to write with:

(FYI - you will need a pencil sharpener for these.)

You could decorate them however you like, and we decided to use them as a different way to do name cards! (I think it would be so fun to have kids help with Thanksgiving dinner by decorating these, too!)

And you could also save one to display a Thanksgiving menu!

(And this box also includes a coupon for 15% off at Hester & Cook.)

Jen Atkin X Chloe + Isabel Split Headband - Value $22

This rose gold headband arrives in such fancy packaging - definitely worthy of gifting if it isn't for you!

I'm not normally a headband wearer, but I like the simplicity of this one - and the rose gold metal makes it extra classy!

And Christen and Jess are modeling it for us!

Knot & Bow Holiday Mint Newsprint Gift Wrap - Value $6

This set includes 3 sheets of wrapping paper.

The sheets measure 22¾" x 30" each, and they were designed exclusively for POPSUGAR! (They're made with recycled paper, too.)

I love how this print is festive without being overly holiday - it will work all year round!

So cute!

Fatty Sundays Chocolate Covered Pretzels in Peppermint - Value $3.49

And POPSUGAR continues their streak of sending treats my husband Eric absolutely loves. (I'd be all over these myself if I wasn't avoiding gluten.)

I also appreciate that these are packaged up nicely - I think they'd make a nice stocking stuffer, too. (Can you tell I'm in holiday mode?)

Chocolate covered pretzels dipped in candy cane pieces? I am pure envy right now!

This box also included a coupon for 20% off from Fatty Sundays:

And a bonus coupon for $25 off of BloomThat:

(FYI with this coupon + shipping, the lowest price we found for a bouquet was $23.99)

Verdict: This box has a retail value of about $107.49. That's good, but feels light coming after the amazing October box! I think I would have been more wowed if there had been one high-value hero item. That said, the tarte palette is such a win! Everything else is super useful, and this ties into Thanksgiving/holidays/hosting in ways I wasn't expecting - very smart to include items that will be useful long after the holidays!

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? As of today, 11/3, yes! When you click "Subscribe Now" on the POPSUGAR site, the box your subscription will start with will be highlighted.

Coupon - Use coupon code MUSTHAVE5 to save $5

Value Breakdown: At $39.95 for this box, here's what you are paying approximately per item:

  • Unqualified: $10.41
  • Tarte palette: $8.55
  • Placemat Set: $9.29
  • Headband: $8.18
  • Gift Wrap: $2.23
  • Fatty Sundays: $1.30

What do you think of the November POPSUGAR Must Have Box? What's your favorite item in the box?

Starting at $75.00
Active Deal
Get $20 off your first box!
Use Coupon Code MSA20
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POPSUGAR Must Have is a quartely lifestyle subscription box curated by the editors at POPSUGAR. Each box features their "must have" products for beauty, fashion, home, food, fitness and more. Every box has a value of $250 +!
Liz Cadman
Liz Cadman
Liz is the founder of My Subscription Addiction. She's been hooked on subscription boxes since 2011 thanks to Birchbox, and she now subscribes to over 100 boxes. Her favorites include POPSUGAR Must Have, FabFitFun, and any box that features natural beauty products!

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146 comments

Moe

Now that I’ve stretched out the headband to fit my big noggin, I love it.

Thought others might be able to use this video for another look with it. Perfect for holiday parties and so easy!
https://instagram.com/p/BcISs9pgR9t/

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Brandy

I love the headband, but is it just me or does it hurt like a mother? In the area behind the ears. I wore it for 20 minutes and wanted to kill myself. Bummer because it is very nice and super pretty.

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Moe

I was able to stretch it out by wrapping it around a rolled beach towel …. the tube was bigger that I wanted the headband to stretch, but I figured it wouldn’t stay that stretched and would bounce back a little. I left it for a few days, and now it doesn’t hurt.

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KME

I only get a couple boxes/year as a treat, as I don’t need a lot of ‘stuff’ floating around my house. I loved EVERYTHING in the October box, forgot to cancel my subscription and was sent this piece of garbage box!!

This box seriously STUNK.

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Anna

I guess I am one of the exceptions. I LOVE getting the PopSugar box in the mail. Every box has things I like and the things I can’t use I gift. Except the food items, I always eat the food.😁
This is my favorite sub box and I think the items are a nicer quality than most of the other boxes. And looking forward to the two newest Limited Edition boxes.

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Alex

I’m excited to gift the placemats to my sis-in-law who will love them for her holiday party! (and they’ll be gift wrapped in the paper)

I just cut my hair pretty short and can’t wait to style it with the headband.

Give me all the highlighters! I use them for eye shadow, cheeks, face, neck and shoulders. Wherever I want some shimmer.

My cousin just had a baby so I’m sending her the flowers tomorrow to the hospital.

The book I hope I can swap.

Definitely not my fave PS box but I still love Popsugar. Even if I don’t love every item I can gift them or swap or donate.

As for December! Popsugar please send us something cozy. A really plush scarf, mittens/gloves, ear-warmers (I love those really fluffy ones!) I’d love a table cloth or table runner. Oil or lotion or lip balm for my dry skin. A candle or diffuser. Slippers or slipper socks.

Okay this is turning into my holiday wish list. I may go out and get myself some ear muffs tonight. I’m thinking fuzzy animal print or fuzzy pink!

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Jodie

I’m glad I cancelled before this box…. I literally was a charter subscriber of PopSugar! I may order from time to time but they are billing me month to month now there’s really no incentive to stay subscribed anyway really

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Mandy G.

I’ve been a mostly always happy and very loyal subscriber from the very first Pop Sugar box ever sent out.

This. Was. It.
I finally cancelled, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t extremely sad.

Anna Faris is someone I do not respect or support because of her mistreatment of animals. I also think her book is fairly irrelevant because of her divorce which has a bit of an edit in the contents but not much, judging from the non-biased reader reviews.

I hate the rest of the things. Only thing that would have made it worse?
Manna Kadar lip gloss. SO shocked we didn’t get another one.

All in all, last month was great, but most of the year has been plain weird.

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Joanna

Just realized that the chalk pencils and placemats make a perfect teacher gift!

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JoAnn

As a teacher, I can tell you, no they don’t. I don’t want to be looking at anything that reminds me work at home like a black board. Believe me we think about it enough. Oh and pencils, we have lots of those. LOTS.

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Kim

I got excited and wore the headband! Immediately had folks say that they liked it! The pretzels gave me idea to do my own for gifts and will also noticed that the company has some gluten free ones ! Yippee! The placemats will be gifted as thanksgiving hostess gift… makeup is a bit too shimmery for me. A tutorial would be good? Not quite sure what to do….
but I tried it on my lips and then covered with lipstick and it was pretty.
Gift wrap will be used and It has a generic pattern . I like the coupons for blooms. The company has some gift baskets as well! I will definitely use it! I’m happy!

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Belen

(First: sorry for the negative vibes) but I just opened the box and the deception was bigger than expected 😞 the only item I still happy with is the book, the rest (except the make up) just look and feels from all $1 target section. Seriously Popsugar how you can ship a box like this in a market full of awesome boxes?? You have the name, and the reputation but a couple a boxes like this and you will be completely out. I really hope someone in that company read all our opinions and improve their business. Popsugar was a box that made me so happy everytime I received and lately I’m just excited for the candy 🍭

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jami

Seems like a lot of pieces of paper.

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Jeannette

I seriously hate this box. I thought for November we’d get something fun for fall or thanksgiving. The pretzels and wrapping paper are all I will use. I’ll try to swap the Tarte and headband. I wouldn’t even regift this crap.

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Jeanette

From one fellow Jeanette to another Jeannette, all I can say is what happened this month? I am not feeling the pumpkin pie, feel at all. Last 2016 November was so curated nicely. I actually paid full price for this box and wish now I had saved it to use for another Box of Style. They are very consistent or FFF which is loaded with items.

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Telle

Is the coupon for Hester & Cook one time use or generic? ..and if it is generic could someone share it please? My box arrived without the coupon and I actually wanted to use it.. Thanks!

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Deborah Warren

Noooooooooo! Booooooooooks!

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Connie A Ward

I feel like Popsugar throws in a really good box to excite you again and resub, like October, and then lets you down the next month. November is a pretty pitiful box as far as I am concerned. So we canceled- and watch…December’s box will be terrific. If it is, I just resub under my daughter’s name and get the Black Friday discount. But Enjoy FFF and Box of style way more.

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Tanya

I decided to hold my judgment until I received the box. I got it today. I feel like it was a huge waste of money. The book and “wrapping paper” are lame and I love my lorac contour too much to use any other one. So, that left me with 3 things that I liked at all for the $40. I don’t usually wear headbands, because they give me a headache. This one is pretty, so I’ll use it. The pretzels were okay, and the chalkboard paper is kind of cute. I think I’ll give one sheet to each of my kids, and maybe put a piece on my wall at school to put notices. So, I can make use of it, but $40 for a headband, three pretzel sticks, and some chalk paper/pencils is not worth it to me at all.

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JoAnn

Worst. Box. Ever. There is nothing good in here at all. I have zero interest in Anna Faris or her book. I’m a teacher so the last thing I want is a blackboard on my dining room table. The pencils are useless as well. I don’t care for peppermint so someone else can have the pretzels. The color is the headband is just plain ugly. A few sheets of wrapping paper, Seriously? Who thought that would be a good plan? The only mildly decent item is the makeup and I’m not really into highlighter so I’m not really excited about that either. The box says “Happiness delivered”, it should’ve said “Disappointment Delivered” at least there’d be some alliteration.

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Sharona K

I was initially bummed about this box but the more I think about it, I’m really excited about the headband, and at least a bit curious about the book. I’ll eat the pretzels and can gift some of the other stuff, in the handy wrapping paper. So while I’m not overly enthusiastic about this box, I’ll definitely make use of everything in it.

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Bethany

Well, I like the headband and pretzels, but the box definitely feels light/missing a hero item as Liz mentioned. I don’t feel like this box was worth what I paid, especially in comparison to October. I resubbed for a 3 month deal starting in October as my BF deal ended in Sept. Hoping for another great BF deal. PS is worth getting for around $23 a month, but it’s been so hit or miss, I don’t think it’s worth more imo.

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Gab

This will be my second box… $40 for construction paper and chalk pencils? a metal headband? a book? WRAPPING PAPER?! give me a break. Saw the spoilers and totally regretted keeping my sub after the October box, it is now cancelled. There is nothing I like or is mildly usable for me, not even the pretzels. From now on I will do box to box and cancel between each other.

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Meg

This box is so similar to Nov 2015!! The tarte palette, a headband and multiple paper products. Funny they would duplicate a formula that wasn’t so popular the first time around.

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TK

Does anyone have experience with the Flower company? I will probably use that coupon to order flowers for myself. It’s nice to have fresh flowers. I used the Keurig coupon from last month and got a great deal on a fancy Keurig.

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X

I used the coupon they sent out I think in April 2016 for Bloom That. It was a tad expensive still even with the coupon, but let me tell you- the flowers were insanely gorgeous (no duds), and the packaging was so beautiful- like a truly beautiful gift. So I will definitely be using the coupon again!

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Tanya

I do enjoy the boxes but not Anna Farris what she did to her dog. Google it. She let the poor little dog wander the streets and when the dog was found it was so emancipated. She did not even report the dog missing. The dog was missing a for a month. This is very disheartening and I have no respect for her. You just do not make a mistake like that. Shame on you Anna Farris.

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Davida

I was very surprised Popsugar included that book especially with the animal allegations and their site being so in tune with news and stars and pop culture. I found that very disheartening and disappointed in Popsugar for featuring that as their big item per say. We see so many tags about no paraffins or not tested on animals but what about real, living animals and pics. That doesn’t ring Happy Thanksgiving or good times with families for a theme. And on a different note, I don’t think chalkboard paper or chalk is a real family theme moment. But, we all have different tastes and perceptions.

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Emily

Popsugar is so hit or miss for me. Last November’s box was one of my favorites and this one just feels totally different in comparison and super light. I might resubscribe if they have an amazing Black Friday deal, but it seems like I just usually don’t even end up using most of what is in the boxes. I might just stick to their LE boxes as they are usually pretty good.

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Beccah

Not happy with this box at all. It is my last one too. Not one thing I like at all. The book is horrible and so is the contour palette. I am so sick of bronzer/highlighter! I have enough for the next ten years. Don’t like the chalk placemats either. Guess I will give them to my 8 year old. The head band is OK I guess but I feel like this box is missing a wow item.

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