POPSUGAR Must Have is a lifestyle subscription box for women. Each season, members get beauty, fashion, food, fitness, and home items from top and up-and-coming brands that POPSUGAR editors have tried, tested, and loved. (It was voted one of the Best Subscription Boxes for Women by MSA readers, too!)
In case you missed the news, the POPSUGAR Must Have subscription is ending 🙁
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About this Box
The Subscription Box: POPSUGAR Must Have
The Cost: $75/quarter
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)
This is the final POPSUGAR season. Though nothing can totally replace such an awesome box, we did compile a list of alternative boxes you might like if you loved POPSUGAR Must Have.
My POPSUGAR Must Have Summer 2020 Review
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Each box comes with a booklet detailing and introducing all the items in the box.
Now, on to the items!
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Roxanne Assoulin Patchwork Brite Set of 10 Bracelets, Set of 10 – Listed Value $62.50 (Buy 12 for $75.00)
Ok, anything that reminds me of nostalgic friendship bracelets that I can currently wear is a win for me. They are so colorful and fun. This is a set of 10, and the booklet mentions you can share them with friends, but I think I might just keep all of these to myself. They are on a stretchy cord so they should fit most wrists, though I found that all 10 at once on my 6.5-inch wrist did feel a little tight. Stretch bracelets like these do tend to loosen up a little over time. In terms of cost, I can't say I would ever pay this much for stretch seed bead bracelets in my normal life, but I am a low-key Roxanne Assoulin fan with a wallet that doesn't lend itself to collecting her colorful color-blocked pieces, so these coming in a box feel like a real treat. Each of the bracelets also has a golden RA bead which makes them feel a little more special, too!
Why do I suddenly miss summer camp?
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Mar Y Sol “Tanya” Raffia Crossbody – Listed Value $59.00
Raffia always feels quite summery, though often the styling can be difficult to nail. Luckily for us, this purse is spot on. It is a crossbody sort of style with a smaller size that reminds me more of a clutch than a big purse. It is a really adorable little bag. I can see myself wearing this with jeans and a destroyed tee as easily as I can with a fancier dress. I have a few (socially distanced) weddings coming up and I totally plan on carrying this little baby to keep my hands free and my stuff closeby. You can also tuck the strap inside to use it as a strap-free clutch.
Even in my casual top and leggings, this was a cute addition that made me feel less casual when I ran to Target.
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Antica Farmacista Lush Palm Candle, 9 oz – Retail Value $46.00
Admittedly, I can be real picky about candle scents. On paper, I wasn't so sure of this one. The notes of aloe, apple, gardenia, saltwater, amber, and vanilla sounded like this would either be really great, or too sweet for my nose. When I first opened the box I could immediately smell it and I liked it immediately. I think the crisper note of salt really makes this candle a lot more sophisticated than I could have expected and the base note of Labdanum makes it a little sexy. It is also a scent bomb in any room, so if you love highly scented candles you are in for a real treat. It makes my office smell really clean, green, and floral, but not especially tropical. I appreciate that since I am in a landlocked state and I am not a fan of piña coladas. The minimal white glass jar is also a great look on my mantle.
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Farmacy Very Cherry Bright 15% Clean Vitamin C Serum with Acerola Cherry, 1 fl oz – Retail Value $62.00
Yay for Farmacy! And yay for a serum rich in vitamin C (four types to be exact!). This is the sort of serum that over time will brighten your skin and fade hyperpigmentation spots and also help heal acne scars. There is also hyaluronic acid inside (multiple types, again), so expect to see a little hydration boost, too. I did find this serum to be a little sticky, so maybe leave this for your evening routine. It also had a soft cherry scent that I actually liked, even though generally that is a negative for me.
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Subtle Luxury Pool to Party Birds of Paradise Pareo – Retail Value $68.00
As someone who rarely finds herself poolside, I never really use items like this as coverups. I do pull them out frequently in the fall though, because I love an oversized and lightweight scarf. Happily for me, the shades on this pattern are actually perfect for any season, and although it is inspired by the Birds of Paradise plant, it really doesn't read as overly tropical to me. It is a very soft poly fabric and is trimmed in white tassels.
Here is a shot of me trying to battle the wind. As you can see, this piece is quite large! Excuse the sawhorse in the background, Will is in the middle of a project. 🙂
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C’est Moi Gentle Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes, 30 wipes – Retail Value $10.00
I can never have enough makeup wipes, especially in class! We have been really focusing hardcore on makeup application (on ourselves due to safety precautions) and my skin is pretty crabby. It doesn't help that the makeup we are using is basically stage makeup and it is SO heavy. These wipes immediately went into my bag for class in the evening, and I am happy to report that they make quick work of even professional makeup. They have aloe and green tea inside too, which has helped with how irritated my face feels after 3 looks over and over in a single night. As an added bonus, these wipes are also biodegradable!
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R.E.D.D. Oatmeal Plant-Based Protein Bar – Buy 12 bars for $35.88
I am someone who never remembers to pack a lunch (or in my case at night, a dinner) and I often find myself in the breakroom at school with nothing to eat. This was another item that I tossed into my bag for a quick energy boost. When you work from 8-4 and go to class from 5-9:30, easy snacks like this are a must. This bar doesn't actually taste super "oatmeal-y" but reminds me more of like a normal protein bar with a dense texture. I happen to enjoy healthy bars so this was fine with me! With 10 g of protein and only 4 g of sugar, this was a nice little end-of-day hunger buster.
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Daily Crunch Coffee-Soaked Sprouted Almonds, 1.5 oz – Buy 12 bags for $39.99
I like almonds and find them to be a great snack. These were unique because they are "sprouted," meaning they are soaked in water to start the seed growing process, but then dried. This destroys enzymes that make them harder to digest. I have never had trouble digesting almonds, but I am down for people who do having delightful almond snacks! These were also soaked in espresso, which gives them a smokey coffee flavor. I found them to be a little too dehydrated for my taste, but I still ate them all, happily.
Now, time for the Special Extras in the box! (If you aren’t familiar, these are extra items that don’t count toward the value of the box. AKA bonus freebies!)
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Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar Water, four 0.33 fl oz samples - Buy 16.7 fl oz for $14.90
Micellar water is one of my fave gentle cleansers, but also the one I like to travel with the least since it is literally like water and totally prone to leaking! These little samplers make that easy! I am going home to visit my family in August and I will totally take these along for easy cleansing at night if I skip a shower and my normal cleansers. Just a little bit of this on a cotton round is enough to remove nearly an entire face in just a few swipes while leaving your skin feeling soft and retaining its moisture.
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Natural Vitality Calm Magnesium Supplement, 4 oz - Buy 8 oz for $23.95 (on sale for $14.37)
I am really terrible about taking supplements. I don't even take a multivitamin! So this is not something I would likely reach for, but I am intrigued by it. I would normally classify myself as a very carefree and sanguine individual, but these last few months have been full of transitions and loads of stress. I am not my normal positive sunshine self. Magnesium is said to help with stress (something I didn't know before reading this bottle) and adding some of this to a drink or smoothie is easy. The taste is fine too, just a mix of lemon and berries, and pretty mild. I didn't notice a huge difference after my first try, but I love the idea of using supplements to chill out. Anyone else out there recommend magnesium??
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Batiste Waterless Cleansing Foam, 3.6 oz – Full Size! Retail Value $9.99
Our last item is a waterless cleansing foam from a dry shampoo brand I used to use constantly! I kind of backed off when I realized the first ingredient was butane, but dang does their dry shampoo work miracles! Honestly, butane is simply a propellant, but it is wildly flammable. This formula has butane as the second ingredient after water, which has to be a slight upgrade. I felt pretty skeptical about a waterless foam, but I diligently waited to wash my hair and I tried this on day 3. I applied loads of this to my hair (for science!!) and while it left my hair smelling and looking pretty refreshed, I wasn't crazy about the slickness left behind.
Verdict: This box has a retail value of over $300 which is fantastic for a $75 box. I am so sad this is the last one! At least my one POPSUGAR review was a good one. I loved the colorful bracelets from a designer I love, as well as the adorable purse. The cherry serum was a win and I also have been burning that candle regularly for its amazing scent. Face wipes are always welcome in a box for me, and all the smaller edible items and samples were really great. Although this was my first (and last) PS review, I thought this was a great box that most anyone would be thrilled with for $75, especially since the serum alone almost makes up the cost of the whole box. I miss you already, POPSUGAR!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, it looks like you can still snag this final box.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get $20 off your first box!
CODE: MSA20
Value Breakdown: At $75 for this box, each of the 8 items has an average cost of $9.38. I did not include the bonus items in this calculation.
Though nothing can totally replace such an awesome box, we did compile a list of alternative boxes you might like if you loved POPSUGAR Must Have.
What do you think of the final POPSUGAR Must Have Box? What's your favorite item in the box?
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