SCENT TRUNK: Niche Perfumes and Colognes

scenttrunk.com

Price: $18-$15/month, free shipping

The Deal: After completing a scent profile, subscribers receive three indie and niche fragrance samples hand-picked just for them.

Review: I was super excited to try this box service. I've never been the type of person who wears perfume, but I always wished I was, so this seemed like a great opportunity to try out different perfumes and see what worked for me.

There's a lot to like about Scent Trunk: I love that they only use niche fragrances, and the customer service is awesome and very personable. I also really liked the "Fragrance 101" emails they sent.

Unfortunately, all the perfumes Scent Trunk sent me contained scents I specifically said I did NOT like in the quiz. I don't know if it was human error or their website's algorithms were off or what. All but one of the perfumes were completely awful; one even made me sneeze. The "Rate My Scents" option is actually a way to get subscribers to write public reviews for Scent Trunk's retail website and not private feedback. End result: I did not feel listened to.

Add to that a snafu with the shipping (they said I'd receive the package by Friday, by Wednesday I was still waiting and then they sent me the wrong tracking number after I emailed them), and I think this box is a cancel.

On the plus side, though, these awful perfumes–which aren't cheap, by the way; check out how much this one retails for–provided an opportunity for my dad to give hilarious reviews of them. They ranged from, "You smell like you've been rolling around in old lady clothes," to "What's that smell?" to, "I don't smell anything. Five stars."

Notes: Portions of this post originally appeared on Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Books.

NATURE BOX: Healthy Snacks

Image via flickr

naturebox.com

Price: $16.95-19.95/month, free shipping

The Deal: Choose up to five unique, healthy snacks to be sent to your home or office every month.

Bonus: For every box sent, Nature Box donates one meal to Feeding America.

Review: Nature Box offers a TON of very unique snacks you can't get anywhere else, like Jalapeño White Cheddar Popcorn, Guacamole Bites, Flat Fortune Cookies, and Santa Fe Corn Stix. You can also find more typical snacks, such as pretzels, chips, and cookies, but without hydrogenated oils or artificial colors and sweeteners. Every bag has enough to share, and while not every snack is a hit, it's fun to try some of the stranger ones.

If you like trying new snacks and have a bunch of people to share them with, this is definitely the snack box for you.

Notes: Portions of this post originally appeared in "Unboxing Subscription Boxes" in the April 2015 edition of The Pueblo PULP. The author was sent this box for review purposes.

BAMBOO SUPPLY CO: Socks Box!

http://www.bamboosupplyco.com/

Price: $14-$16, depending on subscription, free shipping

The Deal: Bamboo Supply Co. sends you their brand of bamboo dress socks, which are soft, antibacterial, moisture-wicking, and safer for the environment than traditional socks.

Review: Who doesn't like socks, amirite? I think a subscription box service for socks is a great idea, because you know you're going to need them. I would have liked socks that were a little quirkier design aesthetic, but that's just my personal style. The socks from Bamboo Supply Co. are very comfortable and soft, like silk or cashmere, and luxurious. They might not last a super-long time, but hey, that's what the subscription's for.

Notes: Portions of this post originally appeared in "Unboxing Subscription Boxes" in the April 2015 edition of The Pueblo PULP. The author received this box for review purposes.

BULU BOX: Health Nut Gear

www.bulubox.com

Price: $9.17-10/month, free shipping

The Deal: Receive curated samples of exclusive health supplements based on your personal profile, then buy the ones you love in full-size.

Review: Much better than expected! As with Bark Box, Bulu Box is impressively themed, and you get a lot of value for your ten bucks. And like Ipsy, Bulu Box is the type of service where if you don't like one or two items it's okay, because the rest of the stuff is probably worth the price of the box on its own. You don't just get health supplements, either, but a card tracking your wellness and health tips from experts.

If you love GNC, this is the box service for you.

Notes: Portions of this post originally appeared in "Unboxing Subscription Boxes" in the April 2015 edition of The Pueblo PULP. The author received this box for review purposes.

MISTOBOX: Artisan Coffee Subscription

one.mistobox.com

Price: $18-30 per shipment

The Deal: After filling out a coffee profile, you get a shipment of personally curated coffees from artisan coffee makers all over the US who only use sustainably farmed, free trade coffee beans.

Review: If you're one of those people who's totally fine with grabbing a bag of ground 8 O'Clock coffee for your drip coffee maker every morning, this is probably not the service for you. All the bags I received were whole bean (something I wish they'd warned me about), so I had to go out and buy a coffee grinder. As for using a French press, come on. No one's got time for that.

BUT, even using the drip coffee maker, the coffees Mistobox sent were sublime–bold, smooth, flavorful, and delicious. If you treat coffee like oenophiles treat wine, you need to try this box service.

Notes: Portions of this post originally appeared in "Unboxing Subscription Boxes" in the April 2015 edition of The Pueblo PULP. The author was sent this box for review purposes.

ROCKS BOX: Netflix for Jewelry

www.rocksbox.com

Price: $19/month, free shipping both ways

The Deal: Following yet another style quiz (love quizzes, LOVE THEM), a stylist picks out three jewelry items and sends them to you. You keep them for as long as you like and send them back (or buy them, if you like) when you're ready for another box o'jewelry. Rate each item online to improve your next box.

Review: Rocks Box is kind like of Stitch Fix meets Netflix. You're only renting the jewelry, not buying it, but for $19 a month you can try out a lot of jewelry. Like Stitch Fix, Rocks Box benefits from specificity. Even if you don't have a specific event or reason for ordering jewelry, however, the stylists are fantastic and eerily prescient about what pieces are "totally you." You might start wondering if they're internet stalking you.

Overall a very fun experience with a high value in what you get for your money. One of my personal favorite box services.

Coupon Code: Use TASHABFF20 at checkout to try Rocks Box free for 1 month.

Notes: Portions of this post originally appeared in "Unboxing Subscription Boxes" in the April 2015 edition of The Pueblo PULP. The code above is a referral code. The author will receive $25 in Rocks Box "shine spend" when you check out using the above code.

BARK BOX: Prezzies for Your Pets

barkbox.com

Price: $19-29/month, free shipping

The Deal: Bark Box sends you dog treats, toys, and gifts every month based on the size of your pet.

Bonus: Bark Box donates 10% of its profits to dog rescues, shelters, training, and spay/neuter programs.

Review: Getting a subscription box for your dog might seem pretty silly. "Dogs don't care!" you might be saying to yourself. Yeah, but YOU probably like having fun with your dogs, and that's what Bark Box provides dog lovers: fun in a box. No other box service I've encountered so far is so well-themed or so clearly focused on providing an experience by way of a product. The boxes are soooooo much fun and provide hours of entertainment. Personally, my dogs love all the treats and toys they got in their boxes. For $19, Bark Box seems a bit pricey but is by far one of the most addictive box subscription services you can find.

Notes: Portions of this post originally appeared in "Unboxing Subscription Boxes" in the April 2015 edition of The Pueblo PULP. The author received Bark Boxes for review purposes.