My Subscription Life: Taryn

My Subscription Life is a new series designed to help you get to know the MSA team a little bit better. Each profile introduces a different member of the team, showcases their favorite subscriptions, and explores how subscriptions impact their lives. 

This week on My Subscription Life, we're doing things just a little bit differently. In recent weeks, I've talked with current members of the MSA team, but today, I'm sitting down with Taryn, who stepped away from MSA back in September. Taryn first joined the team back in 2017, and she's based just outside Pittsburgh. She knows her way around a beauty box, and she's shared a few tutorials with readers. This past summer, I got a little in my head about reincorporating self-tanner into my beauty routine after a long hiatus, and Taryn's 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Using Self-Tanner helped me get in the right headspace to confidently take the plunge. Thanks for keeping me from looking like a spotty tangerine, Taryn!

Read on for a glimpse into Taryn's subscription life! (And- no spoilers - make sure to read to the end for a special announcement.)

My Subscription Life: Taryn

Lindsey: Hi, Taryn, thanks for taking some time to talk about your subscription life! Let's start with a couple of get-to-know-you questions. Can you share a little bit about yourself?

Taryn: I’m a stay-at-home mom to my two kiddos, Fox (5) and Philomena (3). They keep me really busy from playdates, dance class, baseball practice, homework, and volunteering at my son’s school. I love that I’m able to be home with them! Some fun facts about me are that I really love going to concerts. My parents are young, so I grew up going to concerts as a family. I’ve seen The Vines, The Strokes, The White Stripes and more, all with my mom, dad, and brothers. I’m one of those people that HAS to be in the front row if its a smaller show so I can dance. Music is a big part of my life and something that has really inspired me in my writing.

L: What does your average Saturday look like?

T: If we don’t have a game or practice, we like to do an outing as a family, even if its just going for a walk or playing with our neighborhood friends. We always have dinner together, and then we let the kids stay up a little later watching a movie. Once the kids are in bed, my husband and I can usually be found on the couch with a glass of wine for me and a beer or scotch for him. We are big movie lovers, so we usually will watch something new if we can, but I have been into watching older movies lately. We are big into binging shows as well so that’s usually what we use our weekends for. Right now we are watching all of our Christmas movies, but once January hits I’m planning to rewatch Peaky Blinders before season 6 starts!

L: Can you describe a memorable meal, vacation, or birthday?

T: I went to Costa Rica when I was a senior in college over Spring Break. My good friend’s uncle and aunt lived there, so they let us stay in one of their houses right on the beach. It was one of those trips that I remember vividly and talk about a lot, even still. It was a trip that we all got along so well and we just lived our best life, sleeping on the beach, fishing, riding horses in the rainforest. I really hope that my kids have an opportunity to take a trip like that one day because it really changed how I viewed the world.

The most life changing vacation that I had was when my husband who was my boyfriend at the time took me to London. We went in March, but he surprised me with the trip as a Christmas gift. We had come off of a very emotional and life changing few months after his dad passed suddenly. We both needed this trip away together, it was our first time traveling alone together. London was that city that lived in my dreams from books and movies, it was the one place that my heart felt I needed to go to. So I was shocked by this generous gift! A few days into our trip in a town called Henley we stayed at this tiny hotel where we were somehow upgraded to a suite! Before dinner in our little loft he proposed to me. He had been hiding the ring in his hat! It was the most magical night and made an already memorable trip unforgettable!

L: When and how did you first discover subscription boxes?

T: Many years ago I was working at ModCloth, and my boss gifted me a Birchbox as a Christmas gift. I was hooked and have really been able to watch the whole sub box world grow into what it is today. A few years later I was leaving ModCloth, and was given an opportunity by that same boss to write for MSA. The rest really is history!

L: Which subscriptions do you currently receive?

T: I receive GlossyBox and BeautyFIX. I just started receiving HelloFresh. and am considering Misfits Market because it has really piqued my interest!

L: Which is your favorite subscription?

T: I have always had a soft spot for BeautyFIX. I’ve discovered so many incredible brands that I’ve kept in my skincare routine. My dermatologist also highly recommends shopping at Dermstore for products so I knew her sign off was all that I needed!

L: If you could only subscribe to one box or service, which would it be?

T: Winc! I used to subscribe to it and I really miss it. I am a big wine lover, but sometimes I find myself buying the same brands because I’m too nervous to change it up. Winc really allowed me to try new things without getting a bottle that is totally off base of what I would actually like to drink. Plus, wine right to my door? Yes please!

L: Describe your perfect subscription. 

T: Honestly, if I could get wine, candles, and skincare products for dry skin I would be in heaven. A bra subscription that sends you a new bra every 90 days to replace the previous one would also be lovely because I know I’m not replacing my bras nearly enough!

L: Which subscription categories do you enjoy most and why?
T: I love all things beauty! I grew up working in salons with my mom, trying new products, letting her test run new hairstyles on me. It is where I feel at home and most comfortable. I don’t get to pamper myself nearly as much anymore, but subscription boxes really are perfect for anyone that is just too busy sometimes to get to the salon or get out to Ulta to buy that new face mask.

L: Which subscription item that you’ve received in the past is the most memorable? 
T: I received an exfoliant from Paula’s Choice that really changed my skin. My skin was in a bad place last winter, it was so dry, breakouts constantly, but within a few weeks of using this exfoliant my skin was so soft and clear. I have since found so many other products from Paula’s Choice that work really well for my dry skin so learning about that brand was a game changer for me.

L: How did you find MSA originally?
T: I worked with Liz at ModCloth and was able to learn more about her vision for MSA through conversations with her and other friends of mine that were working with her at MSA. I feel so grateful to have been given an opportunity to work at MSA so early on!

L: What do you love about the site? What do you wish for in the future?
T: I love reader comments! I really try hard to give my readers a glimpse into my life and my humor so when I get comments, good or bad, it makes my day. I love being able to engage with the MSA community! I hope to bring more how-to articles to the site!

L: Any news you’d like to share?
T: I am happy to announce that I will be returning as a writer for MSA in January!

Huzzah! We're so excited that Taryn will be coming back to join the MSA team. Look out for her to be back on the site stating in January.

Questions for Taryn? Jump into the comments section below!