Bespoke Post Heritage Box

Just when I think my photos are under control, I have another round with crazy flash issues. Pardon the photos for this post, and just know that everything is totally luxe, just like Bespoke Post always delivers. Bespoke Post is a box geared towards men, and this was one of their manliest yet. A lot of their box choices are kind of unisex, containing cool household or bar items, but this one is definitely for the boys. Here are the goods:

I chose the Heritage box this month, even though we were defaulted to get the Sweat box. My husband already has a nice gym bag that he loves, so I switched him to Heritage, which he is going to love! That is one of the cool things about Bespoke Post. While it takes out some of the element of surprise, you get to see what box options are available each month before they mail them and choose whichever want you want. In addition, you can opt out of any month you choose if there is not a box that suits your fancy. I have yet to opt out because there is always something awesome that we must have. Bespoke Post is $45 a month, and you can always save 25% off your first box with the code WINGMAN. This box is regularly my favorite box of the month, even though most of the goods go to my husband. Here are the details for the Heritage box:

The main items this month were leather, really nice leather, so the box smelled awesome.

Leather Valet Tray: ($45?) This is an item special made for Bespoke Post, so there is not pricing information for it. It  is really nice leather, and it has snaps at the side, so that it folds flat, in case my husband wanted to travel with it. It is a little round at the bottom right now, so it rocks back and forth in a strange way, but I think after a few weeks of throwing his keys and wallet in here, it will flatten out and soften up. Very cool item.

Makr Leather Key Turn Fob in Saddle Tan: ($25) This is a gorgeous key fob. It has an antique brass grommet that holds it together, and the leather is beautiful. It is a very classy way to carry your keys without adding any bulk, and I think it is very manly. While it is not the exact one that is linked, it is close. I also love the Makr website; it is so clean and simple, and great web design like that always impresses me.

Word. Notebook set: ($6.99) I think since there are two of these, it is only fair that I get one. My husband is always picking up moleskin notebooks to write down work stuff, and so I know he will get good use out of these.

Two Words Period Cards variety pack: ($10.95) This was a bonus item from Bespoke, not mentioned in the box description, and I love when they do that. It adds a little surprise back in, and it is always a fun item. These are pretty hilarious. Plain white business cards with two, to-the-point words on them, perfect for doling out to people out in the world who need a little note.  I immediately went searching for one that mentioned bad parking, and sure enough, it said, quite sarcastically, “GOOD PARKING”.  I am always tempted to leave a note for people who park like hell, but I probably never would. Still, it’s nice to have these at the ready. More likely, I will get use out of these with my girlfriends. Oh, and yes, I’m totally stealing these.

Alfred Lane Solid Cologne in Bravado: ($17.95) This stuff smells so nice. And how cool is solid cologne for traveling? My husband lugs his bottle of cologne back and forth to Chicago and Milwaukee all the time, so this will be a nice space saver that doesn’t have a risk of breaking. Plus, it is a very sexy smell.

All told, this month’s Bespoke Post had a value of about $95 for the $45 price tag. All of the stuff is classy and cool, and I know my husband will love it all. If I had more men in my life (besides my dad, who might not be cool enough for Bespoke any more. No offense, Dad) I would gift this to all of them. I have some guy friends who I will definitely tell their wives about this as a gift suggestion. I love this box!

 

This post contains referral links.

Bulu Box Review- January 2014

 So, I tried Bulu Box on a whim as a new one for January, mostly because of a deal they are still running. They are offering 50% off any subscription length with the code BULUGAN669, so I got a one-year subscription for $55, plus, they have a point system for doing reviews which allows you to get additional discounts if you order products, so, to me, it seemed like a great deal.  Less than $5 per box, plus lots of great discounts that can equal the price, practically a free box! Bulu Box offers a choice between the regular Bulu Box with health, wellness and nutrition samples, or their weight-loss box, which includes some of the same, but then adds some weight-loss specific items. I chose the weight-loss box. Here are the goods:

The box had a lot of fun items in it, including healthy snacks, drinks and supplements. Here are the details:

Tapaz 2 Go Snack: ($3)This is a to-go box with lentil crackers and hummus. It looks delicious, but I will probably throw it in my husband’s lunch one day instead of eating it myself. He is a hummus nut. These run about $18 for a 6-pack, so that is not cheap, but with Bulu points from reviewing products, I could see ordering these at a discount.

Body Glove Surge Energy gel pouch: ($2) This is something that I would throw in my pocket for a long run, and I am always up for trying natural energy supplements. I find the ones with all the chemicals to be frightening. When I saw the name Body Glove, I immediately thought of the surf clothes that I HAD to have when I was about 10 (here in Colorado, where, alas, there is no surfing) Everyone wore Body glove t-shirts back in the 80’s. And this is actually the same company. In addition to surf and outdoor gear, they have now branched out into all natural energy. That is some staying power, for sure.

Body360 Nutritionals Burn 360: This is a fat-burning, metabolism helping supplement. I have to admit that this is not really my thing, and I probably won’t use it. I just don’t believe in anything that can help you burn fat unless that thing is getting your butt to the gym. I am kind of anti-pill when it comes to weight loss. I am more in the eat less, do more, no gimmick camp. This is an interesting supplement, though, for those so inclined, containing Acai. If you purchase the full-size version, it comes with a free download of a detox program.

HELPS Organic R and R tea: I like getting tea in my boxes, and right now I have a terrible cold, so I may just have this one before bed tonight. It says it contains lemon balm and passionflower to “ease you into a peaceful sleep” Just what I need.

The Body Glove Surge snuck into another photo by mistake.

Smarty Pants All-in-One Adult Weight Management Gummy Vitamins: I am definitely a gummy vitamin person. I can never seem to force myself to take vitamins regularly unless they come in “candy” form. And so that is what I use. These look pretty legit, and I am going to try them for the next three days in place of my regular gummy vitamin. These contain fiber and Omega 3, something you don’t always get in a lot of the drugstore vitamins.

All told, Bulu Box had a great value for the $4.60 per box that I paid with my one-year subscription. In addition, there are a lot of cool supplements I want to try, and the points system they offer (similar to Birchbox) lets you accrue points quickly enough that it will take a big chunk out of the price of buying things through their shop. I am excited about what the next year of Bulu Box has to bring me.

This post contains referral links.

Birchbox Man Review- January 2014

The Birchbox Man January box shipped before December was even over, and we got it on the 31st. Woop! I am a big fan of this box, and it always ships early in the month. Birchbox Man is a monthly box that costs $20 per month and includes full- and sample-sized lifestyle and hygiene items for men. Cool men. There were great things in store for January. Here are the goods:

This box is all about the New Year, and contained some awesome gear. I don’t include prices for samples, but you can click on any of the hyperlinks for the price of the full-size items. Here are the details:

Reviver Dry Deodorant Swipes for clothes: These little wipes are supposed to be used to swipe across your clothes or hair to remove odors, such as those from a smoky bar. Not to throw my husband under the bus, but his gym clothes reek. I will try these on that, although, I have a feeling this is more for surface smells, not the ground in rankness that only men’s gym clothes can acquire. We shall see. I wonder if these work on the dog! (Kidding, these are not approved or meant for animal fur..although, maybe the rug where the dogs take their naps might be a candidate) This sample contains one reusable swipe.

Men Science Post-Shave Repair: I have never seen an aftershave in spray form, but this stuff is pretty legit. It is alcohol-free and it says it prevents redness and ingrown hairs, helps with razor burn and softens skin. It has tea-tree oil as an ingredient, and that is what it smells like; it is a fresh smell that I really like. My husband does not use aftershave much, so I will see if he gives this a go. If not, I will pass it on to a friend whose dude is more into it.

ERNEST Supplies Soap-Free Gel Face Wash: My husband just got a promotion that means he will be traveling quite a bit more, so samples like this face wash are great to just toss in his dopp bag so he doesn’t have to worry about repacking each time. This is an all-natural wash that helps to unclog pores and eliminate environmental damage.  It smells amazing, like lavender and sandalwood, maybe. The fact that it smells so good makes me want to make him use it at home instead of on the road so I can enjoy it, too. I guess the lovely ladies of Milwaukee, Wisconsin will have a nice-smelling guy to sniff soon. Not too close, ladies.

Sasquatch Soap in Gold Moss scent: My husband is usually fairly stoic about the contents of his boxes, but he had a genuinely excited reaction to this one. He got a giant bar of Sasquatch soap in his Bespoke Post Refresh box a couple months ago, and had just finished it. (I think it must go fairly quickly, but is only $6 for the full-size) This soap smells so manly and good and is such a great complement to his regular cologne. This is a product that we will be buying for sure unless we luck out and keep getting it in boxes; Mike loves this soap. It is currently out of stock on the Birchbox site, but I’m sure it will be back in stock soon.

Men In Cities Jump Rope: ($40) The lifestyle item this month is such a cool item for the new year. I have never seen my husband jump rope, so I am planning on stealing this. Jumping rope is awesome for burning calories and working up a sweat, and I can even do it in the privacy of my backyard where no one can see my, uh, backyard bouncing up and down.  Mohammad Ali has nothing on me. Solid wood handles and a PVC rope make for a great-quality jump rope that will last, and the link includes a video that will give you a quick tutorial if you’ve forgotten how to jump rope since the days when all the cool kids were doing it.

The jump rope alone was worth twice the $20 price tag of the box, and all of the items inside are legit. Birchbox Man continues to be one of my favorites because of all the useful, trendy, original things inside. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

Conscious Box Review- December 2013

So, after ten days of being inundated with a sick toddler (like violently sick), I am finally getting it together enough to catch up on some reviews. Sick babies come first, but I still have some stuff to tell you all about!  Conscious Box was running a free box offer, so I took advantage, just paying shipping for one box. This is a very cool box, especially for those who are looking for great natural and responsible products. Here are the goods:

The packaging was gorgeous, and there were SO MANY items inside this fun little box. I just kept pulling them out. Here are the details:

The Source Coffee: This is ethically-sourced coffee. The coffee included in the box was ground, and our machine grinds whole bean, but I am going to use this in our French press this weekend. I love coffee and have just recently been learning more about the ethics of where beans are sourced, so I thought this was a great inclusion. The coffee from this site is more expensive than what you would buy at the store or at Starbucks, but it is nice to know that your coffee is ethical.

Jiva Coffee Cubes: Ok, so I wanted to hoard these and keep them for myself, but my dad is a Folgers guy, and so whenever I find any decent instant coffee alternatives (such as Starubucks Via) I always give them to him.  Because seriously, Folgers…*shudder*.  Jiva Cubes are basically like bullion cubes, except they are coffee (they do hot chocolate, too!) with a little sugar in them.  I am going to order these for our next backpacking trip. You just drop them in boiling water, and you’re good to go! Love the idea. Love that they are fair trade. And LOVE that you can do them hot or cold. While I need my hot coffee during the freezing winter months, as soon as May or June hits, I am all about the iced coffee.  Love.

Country Life Vitamins: The box included samples of the Stress Shield Nighttime Supplement and the Coenzyme B-Complex. I will admit that I am terrible about taking my vitamins. I know I should, and it is not that hard, but for some reason, I always stick to it for a few days, and then bail.  So, if anything, these served as a great reminder to take vitamins in 2014.  If you are a big vitamin person, Country Life is definitely a company to check out. They promise consistent product with clean, fresh ingredients. Some vitamin companies are a little questionable to me, but this one seems legit.

Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Jellies– This is a kids Omega-3 supplement, which is very important for little ones to get, especially if they are like my little one and subsist mostly on NutirGrain Waffles. My little guy is a few months shy of being old enough for gummy vitamins, so I might pass these on to a friend whose daughter is already two. These contain no artificial colors or preservatives and provide kids a great dose of Omega 3s for great brains and eyes.

Fruitsmax Supplement: This is a probiotic supplement that contains 21 fruit elements, as well as acidophilus to maintain good gut health. I am a big believer in probiotics, and love that these contain a lot of extra nutrients, too. These are in my purse for the days that I forget to take my regular probiotic. This is a really interesting new company that prides itself on merging nature, science and art. That sounds like something worth putting in your body.

Last Round All-Natural Hangover Support: This is an all-natural supplement that you’re supposed to drink after a night of drinking before you go to bed that will supposedly prevent hangover symptoms. I suppose that my problem with this might be that if I have had enough to drink that I will probably have a big hangover, then I am probably not going to remember to take this supplement before bed. Maybe if I left a note on it on my nightstand. Well, the next time I drink that much I will try to remember, but still, a cool sample to try.

Biobag compostable sandwich bag: Love this idea. I hate using so many bags for all the lunches we pack, and knowing they’re compostable would ease some guilt. Sold.

Treesmart Pencil: These pencils are awesomely made out of recycled newspaper instead of trees. While I am strictly a pen girl, my handy husband is always up to some house or woodworking project that he uses a pencil for. He has already claimed this as his own.

Assorted natural sweeteners from Wholesome Sweeteners: This was one of may favorite items in the box, a little box inside the box that contained a big variety of all-natural sweeteners. It included some sugar substitutes and lots of Agave sweeteners, and I going to put them in my cute little sugar packet container that I put out whenever I put out coffee and pastries. I love the variety and want to try a lot of these samples.

Herbal Zap Immune Support: Make a tea with this packet to enjoy an immune supporting beverage with 14 Ayurvedic herbs. I will do this right now, as toddlers are the antidote to immunity.

Epic Xylitol Gum: This gum is said to kill bad mouth germs, prevent dry mouth, and taste great. I am not a big gum chewer, but every so often, I get the urge. I will try this this week when I have a couple papers to write.  Chewing gum while stuck at the computer helps me focus, and who doesn’t need a little extra dental health?

Nature Nate’s Popped Sorghum snack: So, I really like this stuff. It is like tiny popcorn, and popcorn is my favorite food. The awesome thing is that is has even more protein than popcorn. The only drawback is that I like my popcorn like snacks warm, so now I have to figure out how to pop my own sorghum.  This is gluten free and full of fiber. Nice. I will totally be buying some of this.

Gnu Foods Fiber Love Bar: This is totally up my alley. I can never seem to get enough fiber in my diet, even with all the popcorn I eat, and so I usually have to tun to bars or supplements. I got the Chocolate Brownie flavor, and it was delicious, as well as being…ah…effective. Nice.  Gnu Foods offers a 30% discount at their site when you sign up for a monthly mailing of bars.

While I don’t break down the values for boxes of samples, this one was definitely worth the $4.95 I paid for just shipping when using the code FREEBOX. The regular price for Conscious box is $19.95 per month. I loved that there were lots of items in the box and I am excited to try some of the brands in full size, but I feel like $19.95 is a little bit too much for a box that is all sample sizes. I will look at the next few months of reviews to decide if I want to sign up for a subscription.

Bike Loot Review December 2013

We got our Bike Loot box this week, and it was purty darn cool again.  It looks like Bike Loot is changing things up with their box subscription. The monthly price is going up to $11 plus shipping, but they are supposedly increasing the box value and doing an overall upgrade. Along with this upgrade, their website got overhauled and you actually have to recreate your whole account and re-subscribe. While this is kind of a pain, they acknowledged the inconvenience in a note in the December box and included a personal coupon code for $10 off your new subscription to make up for it. If you have to cause your customers a little pain, I think that is the best way to handle it. I am excited to see what they have in store for 2014. In the meantime, here are the goods for the December Bike Loot box:

As always, Bike Loot boxes always come with a great info card that includes coupon codes for a lot of the products, and on the other side is always a great quote about cycling. This one is now hanging on our fridge. My husband is a total cycling nerd, and he thinks the little quote is one of the best parts of the box. Here are the details:

Energems: Energems are kind of like big M and M’s for athletes. Along with the mint chocolate and candy shell, these also contain caffeine and B vitamins for energy during a workout. These are one of the things that I want to steal from this box. I mean, swimmers need fancy workout candy, too. They also included an Energems branded drawstring bag. It’s pink, so I may get to steal that, too, although Mike would probably use it to take his lunch to work if I let him keep it.  A 20% off coupon code is also included for Energems.

ITrain $10 gift card: ITrain is an online workout site where you can download all different kinds of workouts right to your computer. They have a big section of indoor cycling workouts, great for the offseason. Since my husband’s bike is on the trainer in our family room right now, he was really excited about this item. It looks like the workouts on itrain.com range from about $5.99 to $10.99, so this is good for one free download with a little left over.

SPORTea: My husband is a coffee fiend and really the only time he drinks tea is when he is sick, so I may end up inheriting this tea. It contains Ginseng for energy. It smells pretty good, so I will give it a go. I switch back and forth between tea and coffee a couple times a year, but I really like the idea of a warm sports drink. I will try this before my next cold-weather run. SPORTea was created here in Colorado, so that makes me happy to learn about a new local business, and Bike Loot included a coupon code for 10% off at sportea.com

Carbon Pro Sports Dri Shine/Dri Wash: This is a way to clean your bike on the go and is meant to be used without water and can be used daily. My husband is all about keeping his baby clean. His baby the bicycle, that is. His baby the actual boy is usually at least a little bit dirty.

Kool n’ Fit pain relief spray: I like that this is an external pain reliever in spray form. Most are in tubes and can be messy, but this seems way easier to contain. I often want to steal my husband’s loot from Bike Loot, even though I am not a cyclist, and this is one of those things. I am always nursing a running injury of some kind. Or sometimes I am nursing a lift-a-toddler-eleventy-times-a-day injury. My husband is seemingly immune to injury. He barely even gets sore. Hopefully said toddler gets that part of the gene pool. This stuff actually smells nice unlike many pain relief creams. I’m excited to steal it.

NibNaks Dried fruit snack: This is one I will not be stealing. A lot of subscription boxes send dried fruit, and I find dried fruit kinda gross. Luckily, my husband and son like to gobble up these wrinkly pieces of sad fruit with wild abandon, so it does not go to waste around here. This is an all natural product and the flavor I got was Apples, Raisins and Cherries. My husband will enjoy this snack, although it will probably be at his desk instead of on his bike.

As usual, I don’t really try to calculate values on boxes that are more focused on samples, but I do think this box value exceeds its price tag. I will be curious to see what they will be offering up with their new and improved box in 2014.  I think they always do a great job with their packaging and branding, and, as a marketing geek, I really like that they have a distinct voice and brand.  Bike Loot is legit. Carry on, Loot Dudes.

Bespoke Post Review: Agave

Bespoke Post is always one of my favorite boxes, although I have to say that the selection this month was not my absolute favorite for my husband and I. He is not into cigars at all, which was another offering, so we went with this one because we both love cocktails and could use a new set of bartending supplies. Enter, the Agave box:

Bespoke Post is a monthly box for men that features upscale lifestyle items. They send you an email at the start of the month showing you which boxes you can choose from. If you don’t want any of them, you can always opt out for the month if none of them are your thing. It is $45 per month, and you can always get 25% off your first box with the coupon code WINGMAN. While this box is for men, there are always things for the house or things we both like to choose from, so it is kind of for both of us. And that is also why it is one of my favorites. The Agave box features professional quality bartending items, most from Cocktail Kingdom. Here are the goods:

All the items are top quality, and I love that everything matches. Here are the details:

Boston Shaker: ($25?) This is an unbranded Boston Shaker, but it is a nice one. They run anywhere from $15 up to $75 for the double walled ones. This is a single walled shaker, but is still high quality. I used one like this when I bartended off and on in college. It’s the best way to mix a shaken cocktail.

Cocktail Kingdom Ice Ball Mold: ($6.95) This is great for making big, spherical ice cubes for whiskey, which we both love.

Cocktail Kingdom Julep Strainer: ($10.95) This is perfect for straining martinis and other drinks that you shake with ice.

Cocktail Kingdom Japanese Jigger: ($8.95) To measure your liquor for your cocktails. We probably could have used this at our party last week, might have slowed some people down a bit.  🙂

Cocktail Kingdom Mexican Beehive Juicer: ($16.95) This will be a nice juicer to keep in our bar cabinet and our pther one can be used solely for cooking now. Plus, our other one doesn’t match.

Bonus Item: Don Julio branded cocktail glasses. Two of these were included as a promo item from Don Julio Tequila. We don’t drink tequila much, but these are cool glasses, and the branding is not too obnoxious. My husband works for a brewery, so we are used to branding all over our freebies. I don’t really add the value of promo items to the box value, but these are nice glasses.

All told, the Bespoke Post Agave box had a value of about $70 for the $45 price tag. While this wasn’t one of their highest value boxes, everything is really nice, and we feel very grown up having a matching set of cocktail ware. Bespoke Post continues to be a favorite for my husband and for me. If you know a trendy, classy kind of guy, Bespoke Post would make a great gift.

PopSugar Special Edition Must Have Holiday- For Him Review

Our poor mailpeople are out wandering the streets at ungodly hours these days. I got my mail today at around 2:30 and was so sad that there was no PopSugar on the porch. However, at about 6:45, the poor guy dropped off my box in the cold and the dark. While I was feeling for the mailman, I was excited to see one of the three December PopSugar Must Have boxes I am expecting this week.  Sadly, due to poor self-control, I know pretty much what is in all of them. This men’s box is awesome, though! Here are the goods:

This box was a little smaller than the luxury edition boxes I have gotten in the past, but the items are legit. I really thought this box had a luxurious feel.  Here are the details:

Apolis Flannel Wool Tie: ($68) This tie, despite my unfortunate photo that includes my thighs, is really cool. I saw another reviewer who got it in grey, but we got black, and I actually think the black is a little bit trendier. My husband will wear this at our big holiday cocktail party this weekend, and from then on, probably only for other special occasions, as his work is pretty casual, but still, I love that it is something wintry and cool. The tie is meant to take after officers’ ties from the 40s, and the very trendy label played to that:

I dig this tie.

Mark and Graham Everyday Leather Travel Pouch: ($79) My husband is already pretty into his Blue Claw dopp kit from last month’s Bespoke Post, but this one is really nice, too.  It is quite small, although, when I think of travel bags, I think of all the crap I lug with me, and my husband, like most men, does not need that much. So this size might just be perfect. This is a really nice, buttery leather and would also make a great gift.

Malin and Goetz 1 oz Essential Kit: ($30) I am super jealous of this. I so wish this was full of stuff for the ladies, but instead, it is all very manly and yummy.  I think my husband will like this a lot, as he travels on and off quite a bit. Whatever is convenient to get him through security faster is a win with him, plus, there would be room in here to add his cologne and just go. He is fine using hotel stuff, but I always hoard that stuff to donate to the women’s shelter, so maybe this will change his mind about that.

Native Union Monocle: ($59.99) Ok, so at first I was wondering whether my husband would use this or not, but now, I really think he will.  We have hands-free BlueTooth in our newer car, and it has been life-changing, but he actually drives our older car most of the time and has lamented that he hates holding his phone while driving because after using the hands-free system, he realizes how dangerous it is. Since we are still 10 months away from replacing that car, I think this might just solve his problem. He also might use it at his desk, where he listens to music very quietly most of the day.  I think he is really going to like this one.

Soxiety Striped Cotton-Blend Socks: ($12) Now, socks are something that Mike wears every day, like most red-blooded Americans. And he loves him some funky socks.  He is a snappy dresser, though a bit conservative, but he likes to spice it up a little in the sock department. These are made in Italy and are super soft and will get worn often. They also came in their own dustbag. I kind of laughed that the leather dopp kit was in a box, but the socks came in a dustbag.  Who knew? These must be some fancy socks. 🙂

Chip-Zel-Pop: ($3.50) Oh, holy cow. This dangerous stuff is right in my wheelhouse, as I am a sucker for all salty-sweet things. I am going to make Mike take this to work, or we are going to put it out for the party on Saturday, but it cannot get opened in this house unless it is for a crowd, otherwise I will have to spend the rest of December at the gym.  And I have plans to do other things. This is a mix of potato chips, caramel corn, pretzels and chocolate. Yeeeesh.

Krave Pork Jerky in Black Cherry BBQ: ($7.00) We usually only do jerky when we are backpacking, but I know my husband loves it, so I’m sure he will bust into this as soon as he sees it. It looks really good, and the flavor sounds awesome.

All told, the PopSugar Special Edition Must Have Holiday For Him box (now sold out) had a value of over $250 for the $100 price tag. I think everything in this box was well-curated and that my husband will use almost all of it, and what is left will make very nice gifts. Way to go, PopSugar. This men’s box rocks.

Birchbox Man Review- December 2013

The Birchbox Man box got here yesterday, and it was another good one! My husband really digs this box. Birchbox Man is $20 per month and contains full- and sample-sized hygiene items as well as cool gadgets or lifestyle items.

The box was literally bursting at the seams:

I love the Birchbox Man box so much because there are always great items in it, and this month was no exception. Here are the goods:

The box smelled amazing when I opened it, and the thing that was taking up so much room is actually a canvas apron. More on that in the details:

I can’t decide which of these items made the box smell so good.

English Laundry Notting Hill Cologne (sample): Um, this smells amazing. My husband is currently wearing Spice Bomb, but this could give it a run for its money. It smells woody and fresh and so manly.

Votivo Speakeasy Candle: (travel size): This candle was a bonus item and is supposed to smell like bourbon and rum, which I can kind of see, but it also smells smoky and leathery and I am excited to burn it. It is a tiny candle, though, so I will save it for a special occasion. My husband liked the smell a lot, but he is not one who would take a travel candle on a business trip, so I will be the boss of this particular candle.

GO247 Face Scrub:  (deluxe sample size) After the Bespoke Refresh Box, and now this one, my husband has a lot of face wash. This one can go in his dopp kit for travel or into his gym bag for after bike rides. The instructions say that it should be used once or twice a week, so it is not a daily thing and will probably last him a long time.  This smells nice and is plant-based.

American Crew Alternator Spray: This spray says it features hold, shine and all-day pliability. Mike is a wax/pomade guy, but he uses this brand a lot and will definitely give this a try.

PRORASO Shave Cream: I thought this was one of the coolest samples in the box. The old-school tube and the fact that is smells great won me over. PRORASO is imported from Italy and contains eucalyptus and menthol to refresh the skin. Another great travel bag item.

Roosevelt Supply Apron ($28): This was a really cool and different lifestyle item this month. It is a canvas apron with cool leather detailing, including the neck strap. Mike is a great cook, but we may gift this to his dad who would use it in his wood shop. Very cool item.

The December Birchbox Man box had a great value, very cool samples, and all of it will get used. I really love this box and secretly wish they would upgrade the women’s box to $20 and include some cool gear like the apron. For now, I will just have to settle for Mike getting these cool surprises.

This post contains referral links.

Bike Loot Review

Bike Loot is one of the boxes that I get for my husband, as he is a giant cycling nerd. He was pretty excited about his first Bike Loot box, which he opened last night when he got home from a business trip. Here are the goods:

 Bike Loot is a monthly box for cyclists that contains samples of nutrition and gear. It is $10 a month plus shipping.  Each box comes with a card that has the product information and coupon codes on one side and an inspiring cycling quote on the other. This month’s quote was from Hemingway, and my husband said the card, which he wants to hang up in his office, was one of his favorite items.  Here’s the lowdown on all the stuff:

Mazamabar meal replacement bar in Hazelnut: This went right into my husband’s bag for his next ride this week. Stuff like this that gives great energy and fuels the body, but can still be stashed in a jersey pocket and eaten one-handed is just the kind of stuff he likes to grab for his ride. Bike Loot includes a 25% coupon code for Mazamabars.

Sqwincher hydration concentration: The Bike Loot information card reminds cyclists to be extra vigilant about hydration during cold-weather rides because you don’t always feel thirsty when the weather is cool. (although here in Colorado, we feel thirsty all the damn time) This can be added to your water bottle to provide electrolytes and calories along with your hydration.

Peanut Butter & Company The Bee’s Knees Peanut Butter blended with honey: I’m not sure that my husband will take this out on his bike, but it will definitely get eaten around here. Peanut butter is a great food for fuel when you need to travel light because it is so calorie dense for such little weight and space. We are backpackers, and peanut butter is our go-to on the trail. However, because we have a toddler who is a couple years away from being able to lug his stuff down the trail with us, this very well may end up as his lunch one day; the packaging is great for throwing it in the diaper bag.  This peanut butter is gluten free, trans-fat free, all natural, no hydrogenated oils, and no high-fructose corn syrup, and the Loot Dudes, as they call themselves, include a coupon code for 20% off.  Nicely played, Loot Dudes.

VFuel Endurance Gel in Peach Cobbler: Mike is not a huge gel guy, but he will probably still stash this in jersey or flat pack for emergencies.  I actually kind of like gels, so if he doesn’t use it, I may steal it for my next road race or long swim. They include a 20% off coupon for VFuel, too.

Paper Shower wet and dry towelettes: This is a pretty cool concept, a wet towel for cleaning off, and a dry towel for drying off, packaged separately, but attached to each other. Since most of Mike’s rides start and end either at our house or at his office, both places having showers readily available, he said this will probably go in with our camping gear. Cool concept, though.

Grabber Warmers: These hand warmers had me at their snarky little packaging. Seriously, how cute is it that they say Hold Me?  These will be another one that definitely gets used. The last couple of big rides Mike has been on, he has complained that his hand were cold, so I could see him slipping these right into his gloves and riding off into the sunset. A 10% off coupon for grabbers is included.

All told, my husband really liked his first Bike Loot box. All of the items will get used, although some for things other than cycling, and the packaging was great. I don’t really try to assign a value to boxes that are just samples, because I really think the purpose of this box is to try new products rather than to get a real bargain like a lot of my other boxes. This stuff is all great, but I would love to see some Bike Loot branded stuff in here in the future, like water bottles and t-shirts. My husband would totally wear a Bike Loot t-shirt, and all of his cycling buddies would be jealous.  Thanks, Loot Dudes. Party on.

Bespoke Post Refresh Review

Oh, I love Bespoke Post! I just think it is so classy and cool, and I believe Mike thinks the same thing, although he tends to be less of a woo-girl than I am when it comes to subscription boxes.  Really, he was super impressed with the Refresh dopp bag, as he loves nice bags, and then all the items inside were basically icing. I think he will use most of it.

So here is the bag:

It is waxed canvas with a leather handle and tab, and is lined with the most brilliant French blue color. It sells for $65 at blueclaw.com, which is already more than we paid for the box!

Here are the goods:

The MITCH by Paul Mitchell 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner and Clean Cut Styling Cream (both full size): My husband will use both of these. They both smell nice and he is a styling cream guy, so I bet he breaks right into this as soon as he finishes whatever our hair stylist (is it weird that we have the same one?) sold him last time.

Gold Bond Men’s Lotion and Gold Bond Powder: (both travel size) I think this will probably go into his gym bag for when he showers at work after his lunchtime bike rides. That powder should be required for all active men, you know?

drinkwel Detox supplement for people who drink: (sample) Um, I may just steal this and save it for my summer girls’ lake trip. When all of us moms are away from our kids with no responsibility, we tend to go a bit overboard.

GNC Meta-Ignite metabolism enhancer supplement: Of everything in the box, I think this is probably the one I could see Mike not really using. He is not really a supplement guy, and we are both kind of wary about supplements that are intended to improve weight loss or metabolism. We’ll see on this one.  There was also a coupon for 20% off at GNC, which we probably will use, if only just for vitamin C.

Sasquatch Soap: When I opened the box, it smelled so manly and fresh, and this soap is the reason why.  I am excited for him to start using this right now.  Very sexy soap.

Cremo Company facewash: (full size) I totally dig the packaging on this, and it is such a great size. This will probably last Mike for a year. He liked it too, and I bet he will start using it right away.

All in all, the Bespoke Post Refresh box was a great deal, and the stuff is all so manly and cool. I know Mike really liked it.  I’m already excited for the December Bespoke choices.

Bespoke Post is a monthly box for men that is $45. They email you at the start of the month to let you know what your box will be, and you always have the choice to opt out.

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