Quarterly Co Nina Garcia *SPOILERS*

[Saffyra]

I love MUT so much!

I was starting to freak out a little because I hadnt gotten a shipping email and then I remembered that so many of us had found it in spam!!  And there it was!  I should have my box tomorrow! Yay!

 

[AshJs3]

I've been using Time in a Bottle the last few nights. Very nice! I loved mixing it myself. I felt like Walter White or something!

 

[CuriouslyAmanda]

Quote: Originally Posted by Saffyra /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I love MUT so much!

I was starting to freak out a little because I hadnt gotten a shipping email and then I remembered that so many of us had found it in spam!!  And there it was!  I should have my box tomorrow! Yay!
I am completely addicted to Quarterly subscriptions now. I just forced myself to unsubscribe from one of them though. Now I'm down to six. 

 

 

[Blonde vixen]

Quote: Originally Posted by CuriouslyAmanda /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I am completely addicted to Quarterly subscriptions now. I just forced myself to unsubscribe from one of them though. Now I'm down to six. 

Which ones do you subscribe to?? I loved the Nina one so much I wanted to get a different one but not sure which ones are worth it.

 

[CuriouslyAmanda]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blonde vixen /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Which ones do you subscribe to?? I loved the Nina one so much I wanted to get a different one but not sure which ones are worth it.

I had cancelled one and then I went to sleep and had a nightmare about how I canceled it. And I woke up and realized how many of the items I am actually still using today, so I resubscribed this morning. (It was Poketo, by the way.) *sigh*

These are ones I've received packages from so far (and general impressions):

• Nina Garcia - Adore adore adore. (Of course)
• Poketo - Cute whimiscal and practical art. (I got teak coasters which are gorgeous and not something I would normally buy but now I love them.) My little gripe with them does have to do with value; since they run this incredibly cute store in San Francisco (never been, just seen pics) and they send items that total up to the box value. I feel that since I'm sure they get their items at below retail anyway they should be able to throw in at least one extra thing so the retail box value is more than what I spent on it. But then I thought back and realized that they are sending me things I'm using regularly and it would be a shame to quit. 
• Jesse Kornbluth - Love his taste in books, music, etc. And most of the books he sends are signed! It's really variable; last month was a really fancy cookbook (signed), an upbeat CD from an African rap group (SMOD), little tea pods, and a very spendy jar of crushed tomatoes. If you want a taste of culture and variety this is for you.
• Unclutterer - Super practical tools for uncluttering your home. I love their blog so this was a must for me. 
• Sean Bonner - He seeks "perfection" so last time he sent everyone the perfect lunch box along with metal straws (for smoothies/shakes, to keep them cold) and a cleaning brush for them. The time before it was "perfect coffee" and you got a chemex coffee maker, beans, a metal filter, etc. I wasn't on for the coffee kit and that would've been much more practical for me - right now I work from home so I have no need to carry a lunch with me anywhere although the design is extremely nice. 

The ones I haven't yet received (just signed up):

• Hitha on the Go - She has a travel blog and it was really fun to read and I like travel related things so I'm hoping this is geared to someone like me!
• Tina Roth Eisenberg - Supposedly the boxes are just supposed to be joyful and happy. I love the concept but mostly signed up because I had a discount code. We'll see.

Impression in general:

• Every box is really nicely curated; you can tell the curators hand pick these items, they write you a letter explaining their rationale, and they make sure to send you quality things. This is by far the best collection of boxes that truly represents the personalities and care of each curators. Even if you get something random it's something quality that you can regift to someone with taste. (At least in my boxes.)
• Every box feels like a present that you're unwrapping. You don't know when it will arrive and you have no idea what you'll be getting. I've been happy, intrigued, surprised, and overall love the variety.
• Most boxes are not going to give you a feeling of getting a great deal. Most of the box values come just in or slightly above the price points you pay. (You could argue getting a signed copy of a book is worth a little more, of course.) NGQ is the only box that is consistently much higher value than you pay. I feel this is partially due to her influence and ability to get the products for less (compared to the other curators who aren't nearly as famous). I'd say generally if you pick someone else with fashion/makeup items you might be getting a better deal in value; I've looked at a few of the others and that's my general impression but Nina's box is by far the best value for the money paid.

For all of my other subs (BB, PSMH, etc.) I used to always look at value (how much did I pay versus the product I got) and for Quarterly I basically have to ignore that. Nina Garcia is the only box I've seen (and I took a look at some of the other fashion/beauty subs Quarterly has) that offers substantial product for what you pay. Bottom line is that you're paying for curation. You're paying for the surprise. You're paying for something that feels personal and carefully selected. 

Hope this summarizes it for you! If you read about any of the curators and anything speaks to you then I'd say you should make the leap! If you're focused on box value ... stick with Nina. 

 

[CuriouslyAmanda]

Quote: Originally Posted by CuriouslyAmanda /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I had cancelled one and then I went to sleep and had a nightmare about how I canceled it. And I woke up and realized how many of the items I am actually still using today, so I resubscribed this morning. (It was Poketo, by the way.) *sigh*

These are ones I've received packages from so far (and general impressions):

• Nina Garcia - Adore adore adore. (Of course)
• Poketo - Cute whimiscal and practical art. (I got teak coasters which are gorgeous and not something I would normally buy but now I love them.) My little gripe with them does have to do with value; since they run this incredibly cute store in San Francisco (never been, just seen pics) and they send items that total up to the box value. I feel that since I'm sure they get their items at below retail anyway they should be able to throw in at least one extra thing so the retail box value is more than what I spent on it. But then I thought back and realized that they are sending me things I'm using regularly and it would be a shame to quit. 
• Jesse Kornbluth - Love his taste in books, music, etc. And most of the books he sends are signed! It's really variable; last month was a really fancy cookbook (signed), an upbeat CD from an African rap group (SMOD), little tea pods, and a very spendy jar of crushed tomatoes. If you want a taste of culture and variety this is for you.
• Unclutterer - Super practical tools for uncluttering your home. I love their blog so this was a must for me. 
• Sean Bonner - He seeks "perfection" so last time he sent everyone the perfect lunch box along with metal straws (for smoothies/shakes, to keep them cold) and a cleaning brush for them. The time before it was "perfect coffee" and you got a chemex coffee maker, beans, a metal filter, etc. I wasn't on for the coffee kit and that would've been much more practical for me - right now I work from home so I have no need to carry a lunch with me anywhere although the design is extremely nice. 

The ones I haven't yet received (just signed up):

• Hitha on the Go - She has a travel blog and it was really fun to read and I like travel related things so I'm hoping this is geared to someone like me!
• Tina Roth Eisenberg - Supposedly the boxes are just supposed to be joyful and happy. I love the concept but mostly signed up because I had a discount code. We'll see.

Impression in general:

• Every box is really nicely curated; you can tell the curators hand pick these items, they write you a letter explaining their rationale, and they make sure to send you quality things. This is by far the best collection of boxes that truly represents the personalities and care of each curators. Even if you get something random it's something quality that you can regift to someone with taste. (At least in my boxes.)
• Every box feels like a present that you're unwrapping. You don't know when it will arrive and you have no idea what you'll be getting. I've been happy, intrigued, surprised, and overall love the variety.
• Most boxes are not going to give you a feeling of getting a great deal. Most of the box values come just in or slightly above the price points you pay. (You could argue getting a signed copy of a book is worth a little more, of course.) NGQ is the only box that is consistently much higher value than you pay. I feel this is partially due to her influence and ability to get the products for less (compared to the other curators who aren't nearly as famous). I'd say generally if you pick someone else with fashion/makeup items you might be getting a better deal in value; I've looked at a few of the others and that's my general impression but Nina's box is by far the best value for the money paid.

For all of my other subs (BB, PSMH, etc.) I used to always look at value (how much did I pay versus the product I got) and for Quarterly I basically have to ignore that. Nina Garcia is the only box I've seen (and I took a look at some of the other fashion/beauty subs Quarterly has) that offers substantial product for what you pay. Bottom line is that you're paying for curation. You're paying for the surprise. You're paying for something that feels personal and carefully selected. 

Hope this summarizes it for you! If you read about any of the curators and anything speaks to you then I'd say you should make the leap! If you're focused on box value ... stick with Nina. 
Have to add, if I had to trim my list to only two then I would stick with Nina Garcia and Jesse Kornbluth. Those are my absolute favorites and totally unique. Unclutterer contains items I could theoretically order online (so I could just watch for the box to be released and then order what I liked later), Sean Bonner I'm on the fence but want to give him another try (his boxes are perfection but I'm not sure the problems he solves are in line with my problems), and again I still have that feeling with Poketo that it might be easier for me to pick out the items I really loved from a box and just order them directly from their store instead. 

 

[Sadejane]

I've really been enjoying the Tom Ford Jasmine Rouge sample.  Just one little spray lasts and lasts but sadly, it's $210 a bottle.  Has anyone started using the Time in a Bottle serum?  I'm overloaded with other serums that I need to use up first, but I'm curious about what other people think of it so far. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />  

Oh, and the Laura Mercier palette is lovely!  I still can't believe we got a full size LM palette. . . I can't wait to see what future boxes bring.

 

[AshJs3]

I've been using Time in a Bottle and I love it! I also broke out the Laura Mercier pallette today. It gives a nice glow. I'm still trying to get the application right though.

 

[Blonde vixen]

I've really been enjoying the Tom Ford Jasmine Rouge sample.  Just one little spray lasts and lasts but sadly, it's $210 a bottle.  Has anyone started using the Time in a Bottle serum?  I'm overloaded with other serums that I need to use up first, but I'm curious about what other people think of it so far. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />   Oh, and the Laura Mercier palette is lovely!  I still can't believe we got a full size LM palette. . . I can't wait to see what future boxes bring.

I'm using the serum. There's a little pressure because it expires three months from the time you activate it. I'm going to have it done though because it's the only serum where I actually see a difference. Mt pores are nonexistent and my skin is so radiant after I use it. I really hope I don't end up not being able to live without it because I have all these other serums I need to use up. Oh well, this works so right now I'm happy.

 

[naturalactions]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sadejane /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I've really been enjoying the Tom Ford Jasmine Rouge sample.  Just one little spray lasts and lasts but sadly, it's $210 a bottle.  Has anyone started using the Time in a Bottle serum?  I'm overloaded with other serums that I need to use up first, but I'm curious about what other people think of it so far. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />  

Oh, and the Laura Mercier palette is lovely!  I still can't believe we got a full size LM palette. . . I can't wait to see what future boxes bring.
I just started using the Time in a Bottle so I cannot speak to the results yet, but I like it. I just finished my serum so it was perfect timing to open a new one. I also am really liking the revive night serum. I seriously have never used a serum that feels as good as this one. I will be so sad when it is finished because I know I will not want to shell out the big bucks for the full size.

Quote: Originally Posted by AshJs3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I've been using Time in a Bottle and I love it! I also broke out the Laura Mercier pallette today. It gives a nice glow. I'm still trying to get the application right though.
I totally agree with you about application. I love having a creme bronzer...I tossed my cheapy Elf bronzer from the last Allure box to start using this...but I feel like the places they suggest applying it is sort of counter intuitive. Bronzer down the middle of my nose, I thought that is where highlighter was suppose to go. I will also continue to play with it to get the look just right, but I am loving the way it feels and applies.

 

[Sadejane]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blonde vixen /img/forum/go_quote.gif


I'm using the serum. There's a little pressure because it expires three months from the time you activate it. I'm going to have it done though because it's the only serum where I actually see a difference. Mt pores are nonexistent and my skin is so radiant after I use it. I really hope I don't end up not being able to live without it because I have all these other serums I need to use up. Oh well, this works so right now I'm happy

I will have to make it my "exclusive" serum since it expires 3 months after activating.  It seems like a large bottle for serum!  I've always read that you just use the tiniest dot of a serum and I'm sure it will take me at least 3 months to get through that bottle.  I hope you enjoy it though!  

 

[CuriouslyAmanda]

I've been using Time in a Bottle and I love it! I also broke out the Laura Mercier pallette today. It gives a nice glow. I'm still trying to get the application right though.

I'm also experimenting with the palette and having fun! Love it and learning too. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[CuriouslyAmanda]

I will have to make it my "exclusive" serum since it expires 3 months after activating.  It seems like a large bottle for serum!  I've always read that you just use the tiniest dot of a serum and I'm sure it will take me at least 3 months to get through that bottle.  I hope you enjoy it though!  

I feel a little pressure by that deadline too! I might be using too much. Two very small pumps that I rub on my hands and pat to apply and then wait a few minutes for everything to dry before I move on with moisturizer. Please advise if I'm doing this wrong!

 

[Sadejane]

Quote: Originally Posted by CuriouslyAmanda /img/forum/go_quote.gif


I feel a little pressure by that deadline too! I might be using too much. Two very small pumps that I rub on my hands and pat to apply and then wait a few minutes for everything to dry before I move on with moisturizer. Please advise if I'm doing this wrong!
I was curious and decided to look at few serum "how to's" - the general consensus is to use 3 or 4 drops. I always thought it was a pea sized amount but I suppose that 3 or 4 drops might equal that amount.  Also the advice is to pat it into the skin, which I've been doing wrong.  

 

[CuriouslyAmanda]

I was curious and decided to look at few serum "how to's" - the general consensus is to use 3 or 4 drops. I always thought it was a pea sized amount but I suppose that 3 or 4 drops might equal that amount.  Also the advice is to pat it into the skin, which I've been doing wrong.  

Good to know! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[CuriouslyAmanda]

I've really been enjoying the Tom Ford Jasmine Rouge sample.  Just one little spray lasts and lasts but sadly, it's $210 a bottle.  Has anyone started using the Time in a Bottle serum?  I'm overloaded with other serums that I need to use up first, but I'm curious about what other people think of it so far. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />   Oh, and the Laura Mercier palette is lovely!  I still can't believe we got a full size LM palette. . . I can't wait to see what future boxes bring.

Also, I'm not at all a fragrance person but I did love that Tom Ford sample. It smells lovely and like spring!

 

[CuriouslyAmanda]

Quote: Originally Posted by CuriouslyAmanda /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I had cancelled one and then I went to sleep and had a nightmare about how I canceled it. And I woke up and realized how many of the items I am actually still using today, so I resubscribed this morning. (It was Poketo, by the way.) *sigh*

These are ones I've received packages from so far (and general impressions):

• Nina Garcia - Adore adore adore. (Of course)
• Poketo - Cute whimiscal and practical art. (I got teak coasters which are gorgeous and not something I would normally buy but now I love them.) My little gripe with them does have to do with value; since they run this incredibly cute store in San Francisco (never been, just seen pics) and they send items that total up to the box value. I feel that since I'm sure they get their items at below retail anyway they should be able to throw in at least one extra thing so the retail box value is more than what I spent on it. But then I thought back and realized that they are sending me things I'm using regularly and it would be a shame to quit. 
• Jesse Kornbluth - Love his taste in books, music, etc. And most of the books he sends are signed! It's really variable; last month was a really fancy cookbook (signed), an upbeat CD from an African rap group (SMOD), little tea pods, and a very spendy jar of crushed tomatoes. If you want a taste of culture and variety this is for you.
• Unclutterer - Super practical tools for uncluttering your home. I love their blog so this was a must for me. 
• Sean Bonner - He seeks "perfection" so last time he sent everyone the perfect lunch box along with metal straws (for smoothies/shakes, to keep them cold) and a cleaning brush for them. The time before it was "perfect coffee" and you got a chemex coffee maker, beans, a metal filter, etc. I wasn't on for the coffee kit and that would've been much more practical for me - right now I work from home so I have no need to carry a lunch with me anywhere although the design is extremely nice. 

The ones I haven't yet received (just signed up):

• Hitha on the Go - She has a travel blog and it was really fun to read and I like travel related things so I'm hoping this is geared to someone like me!
• Tina Roth Eisenberg - Supposedly the boxes are just supposed to be joyful and happy. I love the concept but mostly signed up because I had a discount code. We'll see.

Impression in general:

• Every box is really nicely curated; you can tell the curators hand pick these items, they write you a letter explaining their rationale, and they make sure to send you quality things. This is by far the best collection of boxes that truly represents the personalities and care of each curators. Even if you get something random it's something quality that you can regift to someone with taste. (At least in my boxes.)
• Every box feels like a present that you're unwrapping. You don't know when it will arrive and you have no idea what you'll be getting. I've been happy, intrigued, surprised, and overall love the variety.
• Most boxes are not going to give you a feeling of getting a great deal. Most of the box values come just in or slightly above the price points you pay. (You could argue getting a signed copy of a book is worth a little more, of course.) NGQ is the only box that is consistently much higher value than you pay. I feel this is partially due to her influence and ability to get the products for less (compared to the other curators who aren't nearly as famous). I'd say generally if you pick someone else with fashion/makeup items you might be getting a better deal in value; I've looked at a few of the others and that's my general impression but Nina's box is by far the best value for the money paid.

For all of my other subs (BB, PSMH, etc.) I used to always look at value (how much did I pay versus the product I got) and for Quarterly I basically have to ignore that. Nina Garcia is the only box I've seen (and I took a look at some of the other fashion/beauty subs Quarterly has) that offers substantial product for what you pay. Bottom line is that you're paying for curation. You're paying for the surprise. You're paying for something that feels personal and carefully selected. 

Hope this summarizes it for you! If you read about any of the curators and anything speaks to you then I'd say you should make the leap! If you're focused on box value ... stick with Nina. 
I wanted to add I just got my first box from Tina Roth Eisenberg and let's just say our personalities are not compatible. She sent a 40 watt megaphone! What am I supposed to do with that? In her letter she elaborates on how she likes having it sitting on her desk and knowing that if she wanted to shout across the East River one day then she could. 

*sigh*

Having large impractical objects is not my thing. That one is canceled. 

 

[MoiSurtout]

Quote: Originally Posted by CuriouslyAmanda /img/forum/go_quote.gif

She sent a 40 watt megaphone! What am I supposed to do with that? 

Have any enemies? Send it to their kids for a birthday or Christmas.

 

[CuriouslyAmanda]

Quote: Originally Posted by MoiSurtout /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Have any enemies? Send it to their kids for a birthday or Christmas.
Ha! I like that idea ... 

But don't have any enemies. I'm thinking since I have it I might as well put it in the closet and pull it out if any drunk people on the street outside get really rowdy in the middle of the night. I could recite poetry or something to totally throw them off. 

I already checked eBay to see if it was worth selling but there are plenty of vendors selling at $20 with free shipping (and that thing is heavy) that it really wouldn't be worth trying to unload it that way. 

 

[Blonde vixen]

Has anyone used the wallet yet? I can't keep it closed. I have a hair band on it right now. I'm not sure if it's defective or if it just isn't going to work for me. Big sigh.