home subscription – Lisa Preziosi

Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box: November 2014

Gather round friends, as today is a very special today. Today, I am going to review my very last Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box.
I think we all knew this day was coming, but with a heavy heart and a lighter wallet I present to you my November Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy box. This post will contain cursing, so prepare yourself.

As you may recall the Fancy folks told me that they stopped sending us the brochures that explain the items and why the celebrity chose them “as part of Fancy’s initiative to be more green and adapt more eco-conscious practices…”

How noble, because it’s not at all important for us to know what the hell these things are and why they’re in there. But seriously folks saving the planet is so important, it’s not like they left in a ton of other extraneous packaging…..

Please be sure to take note of those Fancy stickers. Now why would we want information on our items when we could have a stupid popsicle sticker instead?

So once again I have no idea why or how these items relate to J Love, so I’ll take my guesses and I’d love to hear some of yours in the comments.

Archipelago Hope Holiday Gift Box Candle (Fancy Retail: $26 Current Sale Price: $7.80)
Verdict: Gift
Lisa’s Guess at J. Love’s Reasoning: “It was 70% off so Fancy told me to put it in the box to jack up the value. Merry Christmas!”
So this got small points for being seasonal, but let me tell you this is a manly candle—like this is the manliest candle to ever candle. And while it does seem “holiday” and the packaging is nice, the scent is just too strong for me. I was going to see if I could find someone on my Holiday gift list who’d like it, but my boyfriend took a shine to it and so I gave it to him. I just can’t be in the house if he chooses to burn it.

Style Book: Fashionable Inspirations (Fancy Retail: $21.00 Current Sale Price: $6.30)
Verdict: Gift
Lisa’s Guess at J. Love’s Reasoning: “I like Fashion and since Fancy won’t let me send you any actual fashion pieces from their site, here’s a book about it instead.”
I’ve actually gotten the Style Book Part II in another Fancy box, so I guess I was overdue for the first one in the collection. I love fashion, but I’m not really a coffee table book person. I pin cool stuff to my Pinterest board and leave the free space in my apartment for more nail polish and cookbooks. I do have someone who I think will appreciate this book (and the other one I received) so I’ll gift it to them.

Mr. & Mrs. Who? Playing Cards (Fancy Retail: $8.00 Current Sale Price: $2.40)
Verdict: Miss
Lisa’s Guess at J. Love’s Reasoning: “Right after I get vajazzled I like to play strip poker and show off my rhinestones.”
I am guessing that these are the right cards because I didn’t want to open them (on the chance I might give them as a gift). Now here’s where a brochure would come in super handy because there is no way to tell on the plain outside box that these “cards commemorate icons from the world of the music, art, entertainment and fashion in a very minimalist pop art style.” I’m so happy I didn’t accidentally give these away to my BIL or my boyfriend’s Dad thinking they were just a regular deck. I don’t really play card games so these are a miss for me.

Japonesque Precision Metal Eyelash Curler (Fancy Retail: $14 Current Sale Price: $4.20)
Verdict: No bueno, Fancy
Lisa’s Guess at J. Love’s Reasoning: “You probably already have an eyelash curler, but you can never have too many. Especially little ones that are only for the corners of your eyes…”
So another dupe product for me and yet another reason why I’m canceling. Fancy isn’t even trying to keep customers from receiving duplicate items. They are sending whatever they want out and just refunding you a couple dollars. And without the brochures to back up the curation, they can just grab stuff from the clearance shelves and call it a day.

Clover Bracelet? (Fancy Retail: ??? Price: $1.19)
Verdict: A riddle, wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma
Lisa’s Guess at J. Love’s Reasoning: “I think you know by now I wasn’t involved with this box at all, right?”
At first glance this is a cute, albeit flimsy bracelet, but we are going to dive deeper.

First, let’s look at the baggie which reads “deck heart bracelet”. Hmm, when we look up deck heart bracelet on Fancy, we get this valued at $15. But our bracelet is clearly not a heart, nor is it probably worth $15. As I search all through Fancy I find this link with no price. Curiouser and curiouser. When we follow it to where we can purchase this bracelet, the price is…drumroll…$1.19. Yes, you read that correctly. For less than the cost of a diet soda, you can own this itty bitty, super tiny bracelet.

Did I mention it’s tiny? I’ve never once had a problem fitting into a bracelet—usually even child sizes will fit. My wrist clocks in at around a 5 ½ inches and this one is actually snug on me (which makes it very difficult to clasp.) Since it looked so tiny I decided to measure it. This is way too tiny to send out in a generic sub. It’s my understanding a woman’s “small” size bracelet is at least 6 ½ inches and this one doesn’t make it close to that. Plus the styling shows it a little loose and drapey. There are not too many women that will be able to wear this bracelet in that manner.

OVERALL

Verdict: Fuck you and the horse you road in on…

Was that harsh? Yes. Did Fancy deserve it? Absolutely. Excluding the bracelet which is not the item listed on the bag, the “retail” value of this box is $69. With the sale prices and the $1.19 the bracelet is actually worth, we come to a whopping $21.89. With my discount from their last fuck-up I paid $34.95 for this box. Not much math needed to see I got totally screwed.

Fancy has moved from an unpredictable sub box, to rip off artists (who aren’t even good enough at it to do it subtly). They have a great concept and with a little effort could be an amazing sub, instead they opt to be lazy and deceitful. I advise Jennifer Love Hewitt to get her name off this box as soon as possible, because being associated with this much crap is going to do so much more damage to her reputation then dating Jamie Kennedy or Vajazzling ever could.

Did you get any Fancy boxes lately? Were they as full of clearance junk as this one?

THE BACKSTORY

Fancy Box is a monthly subscription service that curates items that are popular on the Fancy website. There are a few different subscription options. They all cost $39 (unless otherwise noted) plus shipping (an additional $7.95).

#1 –Fancy box (Original)
This box features a collection of some of the most fancy’d items, curated by the fancy community. Each box includes $80.00+ of products in the categories of your choice.
The categories you can choose from include: Men’s, Women’s, Kid’s, Home, Gadgets & Media. It also lets you customize your Tshirt size and your cell phone type.

#2 Fancy Food Box
Each Fancy Food Box includes five or more food products – anything from cookies and chocolates to teas and sauces – along with a selection of tasty recipes and pairing suggestions.

#3 Celebrity Curated Fancy Box
Each box includes $80.00+ of products. Most boxes are geared toward men or women though they do include unisex items.

They include:

Verbal Fancy Box
Cocha Rocha Fancy Box
Jennifer Love Hewitt Box
Kelly Rowland Box
Snoop Doggy Dog Box (This box is $42 before shipping)
T-Pain Box
Nicky Hilton Box
Isaac Mizrahi Box
The Rockettes Box #4 New Mystery Boxes!
You’ll receive $30+ retail value worth of goods. Just pick an option, Men’s or Women’s, and they’ll pick out some items that tickle your Fancy. Cost is $10 plus shipping (estimated 7.95).

#5 Culinary Fancy Box!
Get a collection of the best home goods hand-picked by our Fancy curators each month. Each box includes $80.00+ of products.

COUPON CODE: FOLLOWUP10 to Save 10%

Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box: October 2014

So once again it’s time for my Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box.
I typically get this box in the last couple days of a month, which means this is probably everyone else’s November box, but since they screwed up this sub for me so many times, this is my October. I know it’s confusing, Welcome to Fancy.

Notably missing from my box is the pamphlet that explains what’s inside and why our celeb curator included it. I emailed Fancy to ask about it and was told the following:
“In regards to the ‘brochure’, as part of Fancy’s initiative to be more green and adapt more eco-conscious practices, we have stopped including inserts in all of Fancy Boxes. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause..”

Look at the box we receive..every month…when you could usually fit the contents of the box into one a third of the size. Also, the gigantic point of having a celeb curated box is to know why they chose these items, otherwise it’s a clusterfuck of randomness. In this case “eco-friendly” is being used to replace lazy and it makes me angry. There is no reason they can’t do a digital brochure.

So since I have no idea why J Love will have included the following items, I decided to include my own random guesses for the reasoning. Please feel free to add your own guesses in the comments. It can be like our own Jennifer Love Hewitt guessing game.

The Color Me Good Kate Coloring Book (Fancy Retail: $12 Current Sale Price: $9)
Verdict: Um..well maybe you could..uh….I got nothing
Lisa’s Guess at J. Love’s Reasoning: “Kate Moss once called me fat and now I enjoy drawing on her face.”
Maybe it’s cause I’m old that I don’t understand all this hipster stuff. Why do I want to color (colour) Kate Moss? Anyone? I’m guessing this is British since they use “colour” so maybe it is a random British thing to have celebrity coloring books for former super models? Is it just some kind of 90s nostalgia? It’s like a inside joke that doesn’t include me. Maybe if this was a bigger celebrity it might be slightly more interesting?

You’re Beautiful Cards (Fancy Retail: $10 Current Sale Price: $5)
Verdict: I bet Bill Cosby carries these around
Lisa’s Guess at J. Love’s Reasoning: “People are so afraid to approach me and tell me of my endless beauty so these cards are a perfect way for them to tell me without actually having to talk. It’s a win win for everyone.”
I swear I am not a cold-hearted bitch (at least not most of the time) and I think it’s a lovely idea to tell people they are beautiful – especially if you mean for who they are inside, but who the hell on earth is actually going to use these? The only way I could think of this in a non-creeptastic way is to just leave the cards for people anonymously–like a nice little random-act-of-kindness. But the Fancy description totally negates that idea: “Play your cards right and you could land the woman of your dreams. (There’s also plenty of room on the back for a phone number…)”. So using my uber powerful Sherlockian deductive skills it appears the sole purpose of these cards is picking up those pretty ladies. . So are you dying to date that random weirdo Prince Charming who is both too shy to speak to you and too boring to think of anything personal or creative to say? They also can’t write this on a regular card or piece of paper because they must keep a stack in their pocket, like business cards, so they can pass them out to any lady that passes the appropriate beauty standard. It’s just a recipe for true love.

Sweater Cup and Saucer (Fancy Retail: $14 Current Sale Price: $7)
Verdict: Gift
Lisa’s Guess at J. Love’s Reasoning: “I drink tea, so tea cups are cool and this one has a sweater print which works for Fall. Plus Fancy had some extra of these.”
Hey at least this one isn’t weird or offensive. It’s just a bit dull. It is a nice gift if you know someone who likes to use different cups or silverware (sort of that shabby chic vibe). I have a set of cup and saucers that I already love and use, so I’ll be adding this to a tea gift.

Playful Polka Dot Sheer Tights (Fancy Retail: $12 Current Sale Price: $11.40)
Verdict: What about the girls who are all about that base?
Lisa’s Guess at J. Love’s Reasoning: “Everyone wears tights and no one is over a size 12, right?”
I hate “one size fits most” bullshit. Tiny people have too much space, large people can’t breathe and the 5 people who are mediums have too many of these to wear since all the tiny and large people gave them their tights. Instead of tights what about some thigh highs? The odds of fitting are so much better and they are a bit more unique. I’m not entirely sure I’ve linked to the right item because I have no info card to tell me the brand or the exact link, so this is my best guess.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Powder (Fancy Retail: $21 Current Sale Price: $10.50)
Verdict: Ooops, I did it again..
Lisa’s Guess at J. Love’s Reasoning: “I know I sent you a travel size dry shampoo before, but I have really oily hair and maybe you do too, so here’s a big size. Have fun.”
I’ve already received this exact item in a regular Fancy box and J Love has included dry shampoo (in a different brand and size) in a previous box as well. Putting aside the fact that this is a dupe, I associate dry shampoo more with warmer weather and I’d have rather seen a moisturizer or lip balm. I contacted Fancy about the dupe and they gave me $10 of Fancy credit.

Chatham Globe Vase by Two’s Company (Fancy Retail: $15 Current Sale Price: $7.50)
Verdict: Hit!
Lisa’s Guess at J. Love’s Reasoning: “I love flowers! Here’s a vase.”
I actually love this cute little globe vase because it’s versatile. You can use it as a candy dish or to store paperclips or other office supplies. I love multi-purpose pieces and I’m sure I can do something cute with this for Christmas.

OVERALL

Verdict: Oh Fancy…There are so many things wrong with this that a $15 vase can’t fix.

There is no theme or logic I can see in this box beyond, “This is the crap Fancy had in overstock and needed to get rid of”. I chose the Jennifer Love Hewitt box because I wanted to see *her* choices, but without the brochure it just looks like a bunch of random junk. I would like to think that with an insert, these choices would make more sense, but they are pretty terrible so perhaps not.

This month was a pretty epic fail on Fancy’s part. I don’t understand the beautiful cards at all—they are borderline offensive and a completely inappropriate choice for a *woman’s* subscription box. The Kate Moss book is stupid, unless for some reason you love (or hate) Kate Moss. The cup and dry shampoo are boring and the tights are not practical. The only saving grace was an inexpensive vase that is not enough to carry this box.

Luckily I had a credit on my account so I only spent $30.95 to get a bunch of junk and a cool little vase. According to my math skills, Fancy tallies this box up at a retail value of $84, but right now all these items are on sale so you could purchase this oh, so wonderful box at $50.40.

Because I have that $10 Fancy credit I am going to stick around for one more box, but it is looking like the next one will be my last (for at least awhile). Fancy has always had a poor track record when it comes to consistency, but I’m most annoyed by the brochure issue. I want to know about these products and I don’t want to have to do a ton of work for it. I ordered a celebrity box and I want to hear from the celebrity about the stuff inside. While Quarterly’s boxes are not always up to par, their notes inside their curated boxes are wonderful and Fancy could learn something from them.

So what did you think of this box?
Do you see a theme here beyond “random crap”? Any guesses as to why J Love wants us to draw on Kate Moss’ face?

THE BACKSTORY

Fancy Box is a monthly subscription service that curates items that are popular on the Fancy website. There are a few different subscription options. They all cost $39 (unless otherwise noted) plus shipping (an additional $7.95).

They include:

Verbal Fancy Box
Cocha Rocha Fancy Box
Jennifer Love Hewitt Box
Kelly Rowland Box
Snoop Doggy Dog Box (This box is $42 before shipping)
T-Pain Box
Nicky Hilton Box
Isaac Mizrahi Box
The Rockettes Box #4 New Mystery Boxes!
You’ll receive $30+ retail value worth of goods. Just pick an option, Men’s or Women’s, and they’ll pick out some items that tickle your Fancy. Cost is $10 plus shipping (estimated 7.95).

#5 Culinary Fancy Box!
Get a collection of the best home goods hand-picked by our Fancy curators each month. Each box includes $80.00+ of products.

COUPON CODE: FOLLOWUP10 to Save 10%

Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box: September 2014

I know it’s been a little quiet here at Subscription Therapy but I’ve been away for a Birthday trip and am catching up on boxes and writing. So now that I’m back and older than ever (wait, I mean better than ever) I’m ready for the reviews.

So it’s time for that fun crapshoot that is my Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box.
Sometimes it’s awesome, sometimes it makes no sense, but it’s always a surprise.

The usual unmistakably Fancy box.

My brochure is a little worse for wear but still useful.

Mason Jar Shot Glasses (Amazon Retail: $12.86)
Verdict: Gift
J. Love’s Description: “These little guys always put a smaller on my face. Add a touch of rustic to your shot glasses with this Mason Jar Shot Set.”
I prefer my shots in a nice big glass immersed in something fruity with an umbrella on top. I think these would be a nice gift for folks that entertain a lot. You can pair it with a liquor for a hostess gift. The only downside is it seems a bit on the cheap side, but that might be more the packaging than the actual glasses.

Chickpea Magazine (Fancy Retail: $20.00)
J Love’s Description: “I love trying new recipes and what better time to do so than Fall. Chickpea’s quarterly has the best vegan tips and tricks for autumn.”
Verdict: Hit!
I too love trying out new recipes and Fall is an awesome time of year to apple and pumpkin all the things. I had actually been wanting to try more vegetarian dishes so this magazine was perfectly timed. It’s vegan but from a quick peruse it doesn’t look too complicated or require too many unusual ingredients.

Vintage Paper Straws: (Fancy Retail: $8; Amazon Retail: $5.53)
Verdict: Like
J. Love’s Description: “Add these paper straws for a splash of color to your next gathering. I adore using chevron print whenever I can.”
Maybe it’s just my imagination, but I feel like I’m always getting fancy pants paper straws in sub boxes. I actually like them since they are cute and useful for parties and something I wouldn’t buy myself. I really like the blue chevron print. I’m going to save these for my next get together. You’ll notice these are missing from the final box photo. Funny story. I went through the whole box taking pictures and couldn’t find the straws. Sent an email to Fancy about it. I discover later that the straws were tucked inside the weird tubey packing things Fancy uses to fill in the empty space in the boxes. Fancy had already issued a giftcard to me, so I emailed them to let them know they could take it back and that I found the missing straws. They were super nice and said I could keep it for being a good customer. It was really nice customer service for my own silly mistake, so kudos to Fancy.

Stoneware Mini Baker (Fancy Retail: $35.00;Amazon Retail for a set of 4: $)
Verdict: Love.
J Love’s Description: “Bake up brie for your guests easily in this mini baker. Not only with the food taste great, the presentation will be great too.”
Do I need another mini stoneware baker? No, probably not. Do I still love it? Yes. I actually have two of these from the Le Creuset brand. I use them as salt and pepper cellars. (Ocean color for salt, Cherry for Black Pepper). I think this white stoneware version will be perfect for dips, or as the description says for baked brie. It’s a great addition for the holidays and I know I’ll have fun with it. I do think the price is a bit inflated since you can get a set of 4 bakers on Amazon for

Egg Salt and Pepper (Fancy Retail: $12.00; Amazon Retail: $10.43)
Verdict: Miss/Gift
J. Love’s Description: “Add a little bit of country to your table top with this Egg shaped salt and pepper set. Your friends will be sure to ask where you got them.”
I understand wanting fun salt and pepper shakers (I have two sets in addition to my practical ones) but eggs just don’t seem that fun to me. Like if I’m going to forgo practical shakers for kitschy ones, I want to go *all* in. Like this Dr. Who set. It’s like go big or go home and eggs just don’t fit the bill for me. They are cute enough so maybe I will add this to a kitchen themed Christmas gift.

OVERALL

Verdict: Like!

I really appreciated that this box had a unifying theme and feel. I really liked the magazine and mini baker, although as usual the Fancy prices are inflated. The Fancy value came out to $87.86, but you can get a few of the items cheaper on Amazon. I paid $45.95 (I had a $1.00 credit) and the box was worth that amount.

I’m interested to see if the next boxes keep up with the cohesive theme or if they become a bit more random.

Do you subscribe to any Fancy boxes? If so please dish on which ones and what you think of them!

THE BACKSTORY

They include:

Verbal Fancy Box
Cocha Rocha Fancy Box
Jennifer Love Hewitt Box
Kelly Rowland Box
Snoop Doggy Dog Box (This box is $42 before shipping)
T-Pain Box
Nicky Hilton Box
Isaac Mizrahi Box
The Rockettes Box #4 New Mystery Boxes!
You’ll receive $30+ retail value worth of goods. Just pick an option, Men’s or Women’s, and they’ll pick out some items that tickle your Fancy. Cost is $10 plus shipping (estimated 7.95).

#5 Culinary Fancy Box!
Get a collection of the best home goods hand-picked by our Fancy curators each month. Each box includes $80.00+ of products.

COUPON CODE: FOLLOWUP10 to Save 10%

Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box: August 2014

So it’s that time again for one of my most unpredictable boxes: Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box.
I honestly never have any idea what might be inside, it ranges from the totally practically to the completely ridiculous. But that’s sort of par for the course with Fancy boxes in general.

So enough talk, let’s get to the box.

A quick glance at the nice little brochure inside tells me that I have all my items, so we are already doing better than last month.

La Fresh Face Wipes (Fancy Retail: $8.00)
Verdict: Hit!
J. Love’s Description: “Nothing feels better than a fresh clean face after a workout. Wipe away make-up, sweat and your day with these Cleanser Wipes from La Fresh.”
Sure these aren’t the most exciting items we’ve seen, but they are practical and I most certainly will use them. I always keep a package of face wipes in my bathroom for nights when I’m super tired and can’t do a full cleanser routine. I’ve never tried this brand before so I’m happy to try them out.

White Galaxy Glow Laces (Fancy Retail: $12)
J Love’s Description: “I love going for runs in the evening and these glow laces are the perfect accessory. Great for kicking up your sneaker style.”
Verdict: Like
Would I have picked up glow in the dark laces on my own? Hell to the no. Do I think they are fun? Sure. And they absolutely would be a great addition to your sneakers if you like to go running at night.

Fresh Smoothie Mug: (Fancy Retail: $13.00)
Verdict: Hit!
J. Love’s Description: “I have no time in my day, so this smoothie mug is a life saver for my home-made juices and smoothies to-go.”
I take my breakfasts and lunches to work with me and had been searching for a great to-go smoothie cup for a long time. This is perfect.

Onyx Food Container (Fancy Retail: $28.00)
Verdict: Love!
J Love’s Description: “Pack your lunch to go to save some dollars and calories. This eco-friendly Tiffin set from Onyx helps reduce waste from all those fast-food lunches.”
I have always wanted a Tiffin set, but never splurged on one. They are pretty much the Indian style of bento boxes and contain two stackable metal containers. Not only can I use this for my daily work lunches, but it’s great for picnics or pot lucks. I also think the cute stackable design is a creative storage solution for smaller items, so this might be co-opted into some crafting or office storage. It’s really nice stainless steel and excellent quality.

Passion Fruit Headbands (Fancy Retail: $14.00)
Verdict: Hit!
J. Love’s Description: “Keep those fly-aways in line with this bright passionfruit inspired set of headbands from Kitsch.”
I’ve been growing my hair out this year so some soft stretchy headbands are perfect when I’m trying to be active and don’t want to fuss with my hair. Although I probably wouldn’t pay $14 for this set, the colors are cheerful and I know I’ll get some use out of them.

Passion Fruit Hair Ties (Fancy Retail: $9.00)
Verdict: Hit!
J Love’s Description: “These hair ties look great in your hair and on your arm. Pair with the Passionfruit headbands to have the complete look while working out!”
Hair Ties are a staple of sub boxes. If you get a women’s sub, sooner or later they are going to throw in some hair ties. But personally, I can never have enough since I seem to misplace half of mine. Again these are cheerful fun colors and it’s nice to have the complete set with headbands.

OVERALL

Love!

Was this the most surprising and ground breaking box ever? Nope. But it was full of practical items and I will use every single one. This box had a workout/get fit and healthy theme that came together beautifully. I think this sub really shines when it’s boxes have a coordinating theme. I paid $46.95 for this box (full price + shipping) and received $84.00 worth of items. Except for the laces, I would have easily grabbed up all these items if I saw them in a store.

I can’t wait to see what’s ahead for next month’s box. I’m hoping for a nice Fall theme.

Do you subscribe to any Fancy boxes? If so please dish on which ones and what you think of them!

FANCY NEWS!

It seems that joining Fancy’s lineup is another new (and fairly random) offering: The Rockettes Fancy Box. I’m not sure when the Rockettes became relevant again, but hey it certainly is an unexpected option. It’s the usual $39 pricetag and the description states: “Every month, we will send you a Fancy Rockettes® box full of their favorite items, from dance to beauty, fashion to fitness.” So maybe we’ll see an emphasis on dance and fitness with a bit of beauty and fashion thrown in. But that’s just a guess. Fancy and I often disagree about what words mean. J

THE BACKSTORY

They include:

Verbal Fancy Box
Cocha Rocha Fancy Box
Jennifer Love Hewitt Box
Kelly Rowland Box
Snoop Doggy Dog Box (This box is $42 before shipping)
T-Pain Box
Nicky Hilton Box
Isaac Mizrahi Box
The Rockettes Box
#4 New Mystery Boxes!
You’ll receive $30+ retail value worth of goods. Just pick an option, Men’s or Women’s, and they’ll pick out some items that tickle your Fancy. Cost is $10 plus shipping (estimated 7.95).

#5 Culinary Fancy Box!
Get a collection of the best home goods hand-picked by our Fancy curators each month. Each box includes $80.00+ of products.

COUPON CODE: FOLLOWUP10 to Save 10%

Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box: July 2014

So I’ve still got just a couple boxes left from late July that need a review and among them is Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box.

Let’s see what we’ve got.

According to our little brochure, I am missing one item. I contacted Fancy after opening and they shipped it out very quickly. In this case their customer service worked well, but I do wish they would have offered a coupon code or discount shipping for the inconvenience. Missing an item and having to contact customer service just takes away from the indulgent fun that subscription boxes are supposed to be.

So the missing item was the first on the card…and was mailed separately…

Clueless Pencil Set (Fancy Retail: $8.00)
Verdict: Like
Description: “These fun pencils add a great look to your desk space-fill a pencil holder with these funny quotes.”
I actually like the bright pop of color more than the Clueless quotes on the pencils. I’ve been giving my office space (otherwise known as the desk shoved in the corner next to my couch) a bit of a facelift so the cheerful pink pencils will look great in my new pencil holder.

Tattoo Colouring Book by Megamunden (Fancy Retail: $18.00; Amazon Price: $10.35)
Description: “Not ready to commit to a tattoo for life? Sketch some temporary designs in this book first.”
Verdict: What you talking about Willis?
So I don’t get this. Doesn’t the tattoo artist make the sketch? Don’t you go in to a tattoo place and tell them “I want a dragon holding a skull with the Chinese character for peace etched into the forehead” and then the dude makes a sketch and you decide if you like it? Isn’t this how it works? To be honest most of the designs are sort of ugly to me, but I think I might be able to do some art/crafty projects with it. If not, my 7 year old niece will get a really weird coloring book full of skulls and dudes boxing.

Beautiful Card by the Rifle Paper Co: (Fancy Retail: $5.00; Rifle Retail: $4.50)
Verdict: Love!
Description: “Let your special someone know how they change the world around you with this card from Rifle Paper Co.”.
The Rifle Paper Co. is the stationary du jour of sub boxes. I’ve gotten a few of their items before and they are beautiful. I wish that in lieu of the silly tattoo book we’d gotten a set of cards or journal from the Rifle Co folks instead. I loved this design so much I added the card to the top of my polish storage box (It perfectly covers up the “Neiman Marcus for Popsugar Logo”). It makes my upcycled polish storage look so much nicer and I smile every time I see it.

Get the Hint Sticky Notes (Fancy Retail: $10.00; Amazon Retail: $5.99)
Verdict: Miss
Description: “Notate your pages with these fun and straightforward post-its.”
I’m really not a fan of cursing on my desk items or stationary. It seems immature and obvious. If it was a clever joke or pun or something, I could see it, but this is just boring and silly. It’s also something I can’t really see Jennifer Love Hewitt using. She’s a new mom and I just can’t imagine her wanting post-its of curse words all over everything.

Tell Tale Push Pins (Fancy Retail: $9.00)
Verdict: Miss
Description: “These pins will help to organize your real-life pin board of drawings notes and pictures.”
Unfortunately I think the design of these makes them impractical and awkward. You are pushing items in, but the words stick out so far out that they can easily get in the way. My only pinboard is in an area you walk through and I imagine a lot of folks keep bulletin boards near entrances or high traffic areas of their home. You’re just going to end up knocking the pins over. Some pushpins with really cute designs would have been a better option.

Arrowhead Studs by Amano Studios (Fancy Retail: $32.00)
Verdict: Love!
Description: “Need an accent on your outfit? Add on these studs to hit the mark for your next rustic occasion.”
I love these earrings and they are by far my favorite item in the box. I love the raw, worn down appeal of them and I think they’ll look amazing with all kinds of outifts. Amano Studios is a frequent addition to the Fancy boxes and I think these earrings are my favorite of all their jewelry pieces I’ve received. The earrings are sterling silver plate with surgical steel posts and feel quite well made.

OVERALL
(Note the pencils are missing since they shipped later)
Miss

This box left me quite confused. I feel like they started with the idea of an home office/stationary theme and then sort of just threw that out the window. As much as I love the earrings and card, I still feel like this is a lackluster box. A few items feel like JLove (the card, earrings and pencils) and the others just feel like filler.

I paid $45.95 for this including shipping (I had a $1.00 discount). According to Fancy retail, I received $77.00 worth items and according to real retail prices, I received about $65.34. Fancy guarantees $80 worth of items, so this is low even for the inflated Fancy prices.

I would have loved a home office/stationary theme that felt more age appropriate and authentic to Jennifer Love Hewitt. This box wasn’t a total loss, but I’m hoping we see something more cohesive for August.

What did you think of this box? Did you find the sticky notes a bit immature or just all in good fun?

FANCY NEWS!

Fancy is not the best at communicating when some of their box subs are discontinued. I usually only find out when I go to the link and realize that the subs are no longer available. It appears the Tyler Florence Fancy box is sadly no more. Filling that void is a new sub: Culinary Fancy Box!

Also new to the Fancy boxes is the Summer Mystery Box. “It contains all of the essential beach/ pool side items that you’ve always wanted but never went out and purchased. “ Fancy has some real bravado there with that *all* statement. I’d be super impressed if I just got one box where I could use everything in it, nevermind fulfilling all my beach and pool needs.

THE BACKSTORY

They include:

Verbal Fancy Box
Cocha Rocha Fancy Box
Jennifer Love Hewitt Box
Kelly Rowland Box
Snoop Doggy Dog Box (This box is is $42 before shipping)
T-Pain Box
Nicky Hilton Box
Isaac Mizrahi Box #4 New Mystery Boxes!
You’ll receive $30+ retail value worth of goods. Just pick an option, Men’s or Women’s, and they’ll pick out some items that tickle your Fancy. Cost is $10 plus shipping (estimated 7.95).

#5 Culinary Fancy Box!
Get a collection of the best home goods hand-picked by our Fancy curators each month. Each box includes $80.00+ of products.

COUPON CODE: FOLLOWUP10 to Save 10%

Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box: June 2014

I swear my Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box isn’t super late—it always arrives at the very end of June/beginning of July so I’m still on track for this one.

I had received an email from Fancy, confirming my tshirt size for this box and I was concerned since the last time I received that kind of email I ended up with a hideous “Fancy” Shirt. (You can check out that disaster here).

Well, I guess it’s not a Fancy sub if there’s not some strange mystery involved, because I didn’t get a t-shirt in my box after all. What did I get? Let’s see.

And our new and improved item brochure (in lieu of our usual cards).

Burger Coasters (Fancy Retail: $5.00)
Verdict: Miss/Gift
Description: “Keep your icy drinks from melting all over your tables this summer with these fun Burger Coasters!”
I have plenty of coasters and these aren’t quite my taste, but they are fun and I think that I can add them to some other cooking/food/hostess type gifts.

Sketch Pot Trivet (Fancy Retail: $19.00)
Description: “June is all about being outdoors and grilling with friends – this Sketch Trivet wil definitely come in handy.”
Verdict: Gift
It’s looking like our theme is hosting and just like the coasters, I have a trivet already. This is cute though and just like the coasters I can use it for a gift.

Calf & Half Creamer Pitcher: (Fancy Retail: $24.00)
Verdict: Hit!/Gift
Description: “Enjoy your morning coffee even more with this quirky creamer on the table”.
Do I have a little creamer pitcher? Yes. Do I have one this whimsical? No. I think this pitcher is so adorable and it’s quite a cute gift. I’m not sure if I’ll end up keeping it (since I do have something for this purpose) or give it as a gift.

Fondue Set (Fancy Retail: $30.00)
Verdict: Hit!
Description: “Whether you prefer cheese or chocolate, nothing can beat fondue on a cool summer night with friends.”
This is my favorite item in the box since it’s the one thing I don’t already own. I don’t have a fondue set and I’ve recently started a low carb diet, so I can use this to try out some cheese fondue recipes. The bright orange color on this is fun (although I wish it had been red).

OVERALL
Miss

Let’s start with the positives. I like that this box had a cohesive theme (Outdoor/BBQ entertaining) and all the items coordinated together. The downside is that when I did the math, the value of this box was only $78.00 (and we are promised $80+ per box).

I ended up paying only $25.95 because I returned a duplicate item from my April original Fancy box and got $20.00 in credit. At the reduced price I’m fine with this box, but I would have been upset if I’d paid full price. (Although technically I did since the $20 was a refund).

I think the items in here were fun, but the box probably should have included at least one more product to bring the value up. I think the fun, whimsical aspect of the contents ties into the type of aesthetic I expect in a JLove Fancy box, so that’s also a point in the plus column.

What did you think of this box? Would you have enjoyed these items, or is it all stuff you already own?

THE BACKSTORY

They include:

Verbal Fancy Box
Cocha Rocha Fancy Box
Tyler Florence Box
Jennifer Love Hewitt Box
Kelly Rowland Box
Snoop Doggy Dog Box(This box is is $42 before shipping)
T-Pain Box
Nicky Hilton Box
Isaac Mizrahi Box#4 New Mystery Boxes!
You’ll receive $30+ retail value worth of goods. Just pick an option, Men’s or Women’s, and they’ll pick out some items that tickle your Fancy. Cost is $10 plus shipping (estimated 7.95).

COUPON CODE: FOLLOWUP10 to Save 10%

Original Fancy Box: May 2014

So I know this Fancy review is overdue, but it got delayed because I was waiting on a resolution to my many issues with my April Original Fancy box. As you remember I received a repeat item, an item in a category I did not have checked and none of the items seemed to fit the theme they mentioned. Well, apparently dry shampoo, a USB drive, a magazine, chalk board decals and lightning bolt stud earrings are actually “one of a kind” with an “outdoorsy” and “rustic” feel. Who knew? Anyhow, I went back and forth with their customer service for weeks. At first I was told you can only return one item, then I was told you can return any repeat items. After much angst, I was able to return the USB drive (the repeat item) and get $20 credit which I am putting toward a different Fancy box.

Now enough about the last box, let’s dive in to this one.

So once again it seems that Fancy has gone with a theme for the box and this one is “going away for the weekend”. I think that’s a fabulous theme and I’ve got my fingers crossed that the items actually fit in this category.

Y-Split Headphone Splitter by TYLT (Fancy Retail: $15.00)
Verdict: Miss
While I understand the idea of “sharing” music or sound with these, are they really that useful? I mean, wouldn’t a Bluetooth speaker be better? Most folks either want to listen on their headphones or share with a crowd. I guess if you really want to share music with someone sitting next to you on a plane, this would be useful, but beyond that I’m not quite seeing it.

Beauty is Skin Deep Travel Kit by evo (Fancy Retail: $30.00)
Verdict: Hit!
This travel beauty kit certainly hits the theme and it has adorable packaging. I used this on a recent work trip to Baltimore and I found the products to have a lovely light citrus scent, but the shape of the bottles made it a little difficult to get out some of the products with a thicker consistency. Still, I really liked this and found it to be very useful.

AJ Morgan Sunglasses (Fancy Retail: $25.00)
Verdict: Miss
So you may be getting that sense of déjà vu. Don’t worry you’re not having a stroke, you have seen this before. Since they sent the same brand in the March Jennifer Love Hewitt box. The only difference was they were a different color. Let’s not forget we also got sunglasses in the May Jennifer Love Hewitt, in fact, I’d argue that I’ve gotten sunglasses in more Fancy boxes than I haven’t. On the positive side these are a nice classic pair. But Fancy really really really really needs to stop sending out sunglasses. Really.

What Filter Should I Use? Nail Wraps by NCLA (Fancy Retail:$16.00)
Verdict: Like
Along with polish, I am now accumulating lots of nail wraps thanks to my subscription box addiction. I think these are fun and go right along with the travel theme. The pattern makes them more suited for accent nails. My one beef is that for the same month the Jennifer Love Hewitt box also had nail wraps. If Fancy really wants customers to subscribe to more than one box at a time, they need to put more effort into not having overlapping products in the same month. I can see a few months down the line, but you shouldn’t be getting stacks of the same item each month.

Weekend Warrior T-Shirt (Fancy Retail:$28.00)
Verdict: Sigh
I’m going to be frank with you guys. I have big boobs and have since like 6^th grade. This means that if I want a tshirt with a logo or a picture to not be oddly stretched, I need something roomy. So I set my WOMEN’S size for extra large. Yet Fancy likes to send out unisex or as I call them “men’s sizes” instead. This means that this tshirt is super damn gigantic. As in my over 6 foot tall, broad shouldered boyfriend can wear it with room to spare. For the love of all that is holy, STOP WITH THE UNISEX TSHIRTS!!! Or if you must send them, make two areas on our profiles to list our tshirt sizes. One for your men or women’s size and another for the unisex size. I actually liked the design on this one, but I passed it along to my boyfriend since there’s only so many shirts I need for sleeping in.

Overall
Verdict: Mostly a Miss

So let’s start with the positive. Fancy actually chose a good theme and picked products that mostly fit with it. So that’s a definite improvement. I also like the idea of a having a unified box each month. Unfortunately, they still keep recycling items or making them overlap with boxes in the same month. I’m like one box away from setting up a sunglass hut in my living room. I paid $45.95 (with my $1.00 discount) and received $114.00 worth of items. Unfortunately the only one that was a real hit was the travel kit.

So I finally opted to cancel my original Fancy box. I know, I know, but it was time. I still however, have my Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy box and am definitely eyeing their new offerings. As soon as that Isaac Mizrahi box is available, I’m on it. (But god help him if he sends me sunglasses).

Do you subscribe to any Fancy boxes? If so, do you see a lot of overlap or repeated products?

THE BACKSTORY

They include:

Verbal Fancy Box
Cocha Rocha Fancy Box
Tyler Florence Box
Jennifer Love Hewitt Box
Kelly Rowland Box
Snoop Doggy Dog Box(This box is is $42 before shipping)
T-Pain Box
Nicky Hilton Box
Isaac Mizrahi Box
#4 New Mystery Boxes!
You’ll receive $30+ retail value worth of goods. Just pick an option, Men’s or Women’s, and they’ll pick out some items that tickle your Fancy. Cost is $10 plus shipping (estimated 7.95).

COUPON CODE: FOLLOWUP10 to Save 10%

Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box: May 2014

My latest box is always the Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box which pretty much shows up on the last day of the month, so I’m always a little slow with this review, (although I did give you a sneak peek at one of the items in my June Blog Hop post.)

Since I’ve made you wait so long, let’s not waste any more time and just dive in.

Our usual square box…

And our new and improved item brochure (in lieu of our usual cards).

Mesh-Bottom Clutch (Fancy Retail: $30.00)
Verdict: Love!/Gift
Description: “Shake clutch is designed to keep your items in and the sand far away. The bags feature a reversible flap pinned to either side, allowing you to reveal or conceal the netting at will. When sand begins to intrude, just flip the flap and shake, shake, shake.”
You know I loved this since I already featured it in a previous post. I think it’s a cute idea and a fun design. I may end up gifting this just because I don’t tend to visit sandy beaches that much (I’m more of a rocky coast sort of girl), but it’s so fun I may just hoard it.

I Need to Unplug Journal ($16.00)
Description: “Take a break from the beeps, whirrs, and whizzes of your digital life—unwind with this technology-free Inner-Truth Journal. Filled with playful prompts and candid quotations to help loosen the virtual leashes of modern life, I Need to Unplug is the writing journal version of a mountain retreat without electricity.”
Verdict: Miss
Maybe I’m a little slow here, but isn’t *every* hard copy journal a way to “unplug”? If anything this thing reminds you constantly (in bold graphic print) that YOU NEED TO UNPLUG, Do you HEAR me? Yes, YOU THERE WITH YOUR IPHONE! I want a 3 page essay on the evils of technology in cursive. NOW.” I’m a writer and I love blank books, but this one just made me angry. It acts like I owe something to it. Who is this damn book to tell me I need to unplug. Maybe it needs to be kindling? Clearly, I am not the target audience for this book. I like the idea of a journal with quotes to meditate on, but something less intrusive and a little more aesthetically pleasing would have been appreciated.

Pink Flamingo Nail Wraps by NCLA (Fancy Retail: $16.00)
Verdict: Like
Description: “This quirky and colorful flamingo print is a little taste of a tropical, 100 degree weather getaway.”
Because of my many subscriptions, I am slowly accumulating a vast pile of NCLA nail wraps. I think they work best for accent nails. I like the colors in this print and the flamingos make me think of Alice in Wonderland. I’m making a promise to finally try out some nail wraps this summer and work on depleting my growing stash.

Quay Sunglasses(Fancy Retail: $40.00)
Verdict: On the Fence
Description: “The Quay Kitti Pink Sunglasses add flair and glam to a casual look.”
Sunglasses. Again. Quay Sunglasses. Again. I really need Fancy to stop sending me sunglasses. I’ve actually lost count of how many pairs I’ve received from them. I know there are at least four pairs of Quay alone. And this particular subscription just sent me a pair of Quay glasses in the April 2014 JLH Fancy Box. So putting aside that this is my eleventybillionth pair of sunglasses from Fancy, this pair is a little intense. My whimsical heart loves the bright pink and the cat shape, but my practical side says that wearing these will make me look like a jackass who’s trying too hard. I’ll have to wait and see which side wins out. It may all depend on how much tequila I’ve had.

OVERALL
Okay

I paid full price for this box at $46.95 and the estimated Fancy value was $102.00. The only item I was super enthusiastic about was the clutch, but I thought the selections felt summery and they did fit in with the Jennifer Love Hewitt aesthetic, even if they weren’t my personal favorites. The really disappointing part was the inclusion of sunglasses so soon after we received a pair. Maybe a sunhat or one of those on trend turbans would have been a better summer accessory. Maybe I’m just weird because I don’t use tons of different pairs of glasses?

How many pairs of sunglasses do you own and do you use them all?

FANCY NEWS!
Looks like there are a few new celebrity boxes! There’s one in particular I’ve got my eye on…

Snoop Doggy Dog Fancy Box
Description: Get a collection of the coolest products hand-picked by Snoop Dogg every month.

T-Pain Fancy Box
Description: Get a collection of the coolest products hand-picked by T-Pain every month. Since T-Pain is obsessed with everything from cool gadgets, clothing and outrageous gifts, expect a box with creative and imaginative items in every box. Don’t be surprised to also receive special items that only T-Pain has access to!

Nicky Hilton Fancy Box
Description: Get a collection of the coolest products hand-picked by Nicky Hilton every month.

COMING SOON:
Isaac Mizrahi Fancy Box
Description: Get A Collection Of The Coolest Products Hand-Picked ByIsaac Mizrahi Every Month.

THE BACKSTORY
Fancy Box is a monthly subscription service that curates items that are popular on the Fancy website. There are a few different subscription options. They all cost $39 (unless otherwise noted) plus shipping (an additional $7.95).

They include:

Verbal Fancy Box
Cocha Rocha Fancy Box
Tyler Florence Box
Jennifer Love Hewitt Box
Kelly Rowland Box
Snoop Doggy Dog Box (This box is is $42 before shipping)
T-Pain Box
Nicky Hilton Box
Isaac Mizrahi Box#4 New Mystery Boxes!
You’ll receive $30+ retail value worth of goods. Just pick an option, Men’s or Women’s, and they’ll pick out some items that tickle your Fancy. Cost is $10 plus shipping (estimated 7.95).

COUPON CODE: FOLLOWUP10 to Save 10%

Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box: April 2014

So when I said I’d caught up on all my April box reviews, I lied. My Jennifer Love Hewitt Fancy Box always comes so late in the month I forget which month it actually goes with. Sorry–but I swear this is the last of my April boxes!

Now my original Fancy fox for April was a big old mess so I was hoping the Jennifer Love Hewitt would make up for it. Let’s check it out and see if it does.

The JLove box came a little bumped and bruised, but it’s fine since 90% of the box is empty anyway.

This time they sent a little booklet instead of the cards. I’m not sure why I’m partial to the cards, but regardless it’s nice to have some info on each item.

First Date Bobby Pins (Fancy Retail: $9.00)
Verdict: Hit!
After having my hair in a short bob for a couple years, I decided 2014 would be my year to grow my hair out and figure out how to style it, so I’m always happy to get hair accessories. I like the ballerina-inspired palette on these and they definitely feel like an item Jennifer Love Hewitt would use.

Haze Styling Powder by EVO Hair (Fancy Retail: $28.00; Amazon Retail: $17.24)
Verdict: Hit!
Now if you read my other Fancy reviews, you’ll know that my April original Fancybox with a “one-of-a-kind, rustic” theme also had dry shampoo. While I hated it in that box, I like it in this one. I expect beauty products in women’s fashion/lifestyle boxes and this one is perfectly sized for travel or tucking in your everyday bag, plus it’s a brand I haven’t tried before. I’ve added this to my commuting bag since it will be perfect for summer touchups after I’ve been sweating to death waiting for my morning train.

High Heel Protector by Solemates (Fancy Retail: $10.00)
Verdict: Gift
These seem like exactly the sort of fun, quirky, fashion-y item I’d expect to see from Jennifer Love Hewitt. Unfortunately my craptastically weak ankles mean that I cannot wear tall skinny heels, but this is the perfect for a friend of mine and I’ll be adding to her birthday gift.

Cast Crystal Necklace by Amano Studio (Fancy Retail: $34.00)
Verdict: Hit!
So April must be Fancy’s month for Amano Studio designs. My April Fancy box included those lightning bolt stud earrings and now I have this gold necklace. The description says, “Amano Studio took their favorite crystal point and cast it in metal and finished it with 24k gold.” While I found the stud earrings in the other box to be okay and generally inoffensive, I really like this necklace a lot. It is far more interesting and it lends itself to being mixed with other pieces. I think it will look awesome mixed with some real crystals and I can’t wait to try it out with some of my other pendants.

Tuscany Lip Gloss by Cargo Cosmetics (Fancy Retail: $16.00)
Verdict: Love!
So apparently Jennifer Love Hewitt really loves Cargo Cosmetics since we got their eye palette last month and a lip gloss from them in April. I love lip glosses, especially golden pink shades so this is great. It also pairs nicely with that aforementioned Cargo palette from the March JLove Box.

OVERALL
Hit!

I paid full price for this box at $46.95 and the estimated Fancy value was $97.00 (while the regular retail value came out to $86.24.) I really thought the item selections fit Jennifer Love Hewitt’s aestheic and were perfect choices for the season. This box was well put together and I feel like I definitely received what I signed up for, which isn’t always the case with Fancy boxes.

After two months in a row of great boxes, I think my JLove box is no longer number one on my upredictability list. It has now been usurped by my original Fancy box subscription which seems to be fraught with riddles and drama. The funny part is this box contained two items very similar to those in the original fancy box – but this box had more interesting versions that were better suited to the box’s theme.

I’ll be updating you on my original fancy box adventures with the may review for that box so be sure to come back. (Just be warned that post will probably be filled with expletives.)

What did you think of this box? How do you think it compared to the original April Fancy Box? Did you like it more or less?

THE BACKSTORY

Fancy Box is a monthly subscription service that curates items that are popular on the Fancy website. There are a few different subscription options. They all cost $39 plus shipping (an additional $7.95).

#2 Fancy Food Box
Each Fancy Food Box includes five or more food products – anything from cookies and chocolates to teas and sauces – along with a selection of tasty recipes and pairing suggestions.

#3 Celebrity Curated Fancy Box
There are five celebrity curated boxes to choose from. Each box includes $80.00+ of products. Most boxes are geared toward men or women though they do include unisex items.

They include:

Verbal Fancy Box (This box is more geared towards Men)
Cocha Rocha Fancy Box (This box is more geared towards Women)
Tyler Florence Box (This box focuses on home, kitchen & cooking items)
Jennifer Love Hewitt Box: (This box is more geared towards Women)
Kelly Rowland Fancy Box: Brand New! (This box is more geared towards Women)#4 New Mystery Boxes!
You’ll receive $30+ retail value worth of goods. Just pick an option, Men’s or Women’s, and they’ll pick out some items that tickle your Fancy. Cost is $10 plus shipping (estimated 7.95).

COUPON CODE: FOLLOWUP10 to Save 10%

Original Fancy Box: April 2014

So my original Fancy box arrived and after last month’s rousing success I was hopeful. That was probably my first mistake because that guaranteed this month’s box would be full of whatfuckery and on that score Fancy didn’t disappoint.

Let’s get to the crap—, err, I mean box. (I apologize in advance for the cursing, you may want to turn the kiddies away from the screen).

Kinfolk: Issue Eleven (Fancy Retail: $18.00; Amazon Retail: $13.49)
Verdict: Miss
So where do I start. I could start with the fact that I’m probably not hipster enough to fully appreciate this magazine, but what I should point out is that I deselected “media” eons ago just to avoid getting these stupid overpriced magazines. This one honestly isn’t too bad as it seems to have some nice recipes, but I don’t have space in my apartment for books or magazines I don’t love or use all the time.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Powder (Fancy Retail: $21.00)
Verdict: Miss
Oh Fancy here we go again, with all those interesting, fun quirky products that you can’t find anywhere else…oh wait, it’s dry shampoo. You know, the kind they include in every beauty box. And this brand is available everywhere including Sephora. Fancy boxes are supposed to be unique, fun, finds. HOW MANY TIMES DO I NEED TO TELL YOU THIS FANCY!!!!! Okay, I’m calm now. Really. I am. If this had been included in my Jennifer Love Hewitt box or the Cocha Rocha or Kelly Rowland I would have understood. I expect to receive beauty products they enjoy, even if they are mainstream or a touch boring. But in a regular Fancy box, it’s just a stupid copout. I’ve used this dry shampoo before and it has a nice scent and is fairly effective but it is very noticeable on dark or even medium hair. I have red hair and it stands out quite a bit. If you want a dry shampoo in powder form the Lulu Organics brand is much better.

Tiny Gold Studs by Amano Trading (Fancy Retail: $22.00)
Verdict: Like
These are just little gold-plated lighting stud earrings. I think they’d actually be quite nice for someone’s second piercing. I don’t love them and they aren’t particularly compelling but I wear stud earrings frequently so I’m sure I’ll use them from time to time.

Chalkboard Decals by Wallies (Fancy Retail:$10.00)
Verdict: Like
I actually use chalkboard labels a lot and just picked up chalkboard paint to make some hanging tags. My only problem with this is that the decals seem to be designed for inset cabinets and mine are not that style and adding these to the outside would look super odd. I may just use them inside a cabinet or for some other crafting project. I wish Fancy would have included more versatile style decals, then I would have loved this.

Message in a Bottle USB Drive (Fancy Retail:$28.00; Amazon Retail: $11.95)
Verdict: Miss
Let me guess, you’re having a weird feeling of déjà vu. You’ve seen this before..read about it before…? That’s because I already received it in a Jennifer Love Hewitt box. It’s actually a fun little item, but hugely overpriced at Fancy. If this was brand new to this box I’d be happy with it. If you like it, pick it up on Amazon.

Now for the cherry on the crap sandwich that is my Fancy April Box:
This mysterious card was included.

Read it carefully…

Take your time…

I’ll wait…

Now, I’m not sure who is getting this box of “one-of-a-kind items with a rustic feel”, but I don’t’ think it was me. Well is dry shampoo one of a kind? I guess maybe it’s rustic not to wash your hair? We know that thumb drive isn’t one of a kind, but perhaps the cork stopper makes it rustic? I’d love to hear your guesses.

Overall:
Verdict: @*&U#$&#*)&$#* (Censored for the young and faint of heart)

So I got this box several weeks ago and my immediate action was to contact Fancy about the various issues. #1 The Duplicate item. #2 The Magazine that goes against my selections and #3 the mysterious card – because if the box described in that card exists, I want it. And if I was supposed to get it this month and got this pile of crap instead, someone’s got some s’plaining to do.

I sent three polite emails (I swear) through their customer service system spaced out over 3 weeks. No response despite the “24 hour response” claims. Attempted to talk with a customer service representative over their instant messaging. He couldn’t understand or help me with my issues and then proceeded to cut and paste instructions on how to set my Fancy preferences—which I know how to do quite well. Perhaps Fancy should just learn to read them? We got cut off and I did receive an email from the instant message person who proceeded to ignore the most important issue (duplicate item) and my question about the card and just suggested I return the magazine so they can exchange it for something else. I responded stating that he’d missed all the other issues. No response since then and that was a week ago.

Now Fancy has sent me some shit before and sometimes their customer service has been slow as hell, but eventually they come through with some kind of refund or response. This time I am angry, very angry. I understand sub box mistakes, but you don’t ignore your customers for weeks at a time and send incompetent customer service people who try to do the job, fail and then give up in the middle.

I will most likely be canceling this box (but for now am keeping the Jennifer Love Hewitt). If I hear back from customer service any time in the foreseeable future I’ll post an update with my next Fancy box review. I paid full price $46.95 and according to Fancy I got $99.00 worth of stuff. According to prices in the real world I actually received $78.44 in value, but one item is a duplicate and another is something I deselected from my profile. I don’t usually get quite so ranty in my posts, but I’ve reached my limit.

If you got an April Fancy box, I’d love to know the contents and if you got one of the mysterious “rustic” cards. I’d also love to hear your thoughts on what the “one of a kind items with a rustic feel” card actually means, (maybe I’m just not seeing the rusticness of USB drives and dry shampoo).

THE BACKSTORY

#2 Fancy Food Box
Each Fancy Food Box includes five or more food products – anything from cookies and chocolates to teas and sauces – along with a selection of tasty recipes and pairing suggestions.

#3 Celebrity Curated Fancy Box
There are five celebrity curated boxes to choose from. Each box includes $80.00+ of products. Most boxes are geared toward men or women though they do include unisex items.

They include:

Verbal Fancy Box (This box is more geared towards Men)
Cocha Rocha Fancy Box (This box is more geared towards Women)
Tyler Florence Box (This box focuses on home, kitchen & cooking items)
Jennifer Love Hewitt Box: (This box is more geared towards Women)

Kelly Rowland Fancy Box: Brand New! (This box is more geared towards Women)#4 New Mystery Boxes!
Select “Men” or “Women’s” and then choose your size:
Small: $10.00 plus shipping
Medium: $20.00 plus shipping
Large: $40.00 plus shipping

COUPON CODE: FOLLOWUP10 to Save 10%

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