june dottiebox review

since today is july 1st and i'm sure july's boxes will be arriving any day now, i wanted to make sure that i got this post up -- june's dottiebox review.  last month was my first dottiebox and i have to say, it was one of my favorites all month!  i have been hearing about this box here and there on some other subscription box websites and was interesting to me, so i signed up for a monthly subscription.

dottiebox is a monthly box catered to women that features high quality handmade items from small businesses and indie brands.  they have a standard dottiebox that features 4 items for $20 per month plus $6 shipping, and a dottiebox mini that features 2 items for $10 a month plus $3 shipping. they currently only ship to the US.  if you'd like to learn more, you can do so here.

since i have my own etsy shop selling my jewelry, i certainly identify with the struggle of having your own small business and gravitate towards anything that supports things like that versus big businesses.  i like the idea of the box being strictly small business and also that they offer two different options, which is great for those subscribers who are on a budget but still want to partake in box subscriptions.  my box arrived pretty quickly after i signed up, and i was extremely delighted by what i got.  let's take a look!

the packaging wasn't anything fancy, just some tissue paper and crinkle cut paper, but it was color coordinated and crisp in a very professional way.  as i'm sure you all know, i'm big on presentation because i really do think it makes a difference.  i am excited to see if the colors are the same this month or if they change up the theme every month -- either way, it's very visually appealing and nice when you open the box!

it's always nice when a box includes a card so that you know what you are getting and aren't just left guessing as to what the items are.  this month's theme was summer essentials, and i think they hit the nail on the head!  i love that this card is clearly made from recycled paper, what a bonus!

elastic hair bandz - 3 pack hair ties - retail value $3.50

www.etsy.com/shop/elastichairbandz

first up were these elastic hair ties.  i love this style of hair tie -- in fact, it is all i use!  i usually buy mine from another shop on etsy, but after checking this shop out, i actually prefer these designs more.  i love that they don't leave a dent in your hair after you have straightened it, and they don't snag your hair or cause knots in it when it's curly (which mine is most of the time).  this is a very good value too, because at a lot of retail stores, you will find only three hair ties for like $6-8, which i think is a ripoff, and why i started buying mine on etsy.  i am glad that dottiebox introduced me to a new store to order my hair ties from!

nazari jewelry - quartz stone cluster ring - retail value $15

www.nazarijewelry.com

the next item in my box was this stunning, adjustable quartz stone cluster ring!  i was so pleased when i opened this up (it was securely wrapped in bubble wrap) because i would pay the full price of the box for this ring alone. it is gorgeous in person, especially when it reflects in the light!  i really like these raw stone style rings, and it's very obvious that this one is made well with care.  checking out the website, there are a ton of other pieces that i would love to get!  nazari jewelry is definitely my style and while i can see that not everyone may like it, i was really happy to get it in my box.  it's very versatile and since it's clear, it can go with just about any outfit. a big thumbs up from me!

starrily nails - glitter nail polish - retail value $12

www.starrily.com

i have a big weakness for black polishes with colored glitter in them, so when i lifted this out of my box, i was grinning from ear to ear!  this polish is 5-free (woohoo!), has a great formula, and is typical of black polishes with colored glitter (best layered multiple times over a black base coat).  looking on the starrily website, i am kind of confused as to why this particular polish was picked to be included in dottiebox boxes though, because the other polishes from this brand are gooorgeous.  like, staring at the computer with my mouth open gorgeous.  holographics, glitters packed with multiple shapes & colors, holos *with* glitter, neons... so much pretty.  so anyway, this one doesn't really do the rest of the polishes justice in the fact that if someone doesn't go on the website and bases their opinion of the brand on just this polish, they wouldn't be accurate.  so i don't know.  but either way, this is a great polish.

suny island blu - 4 oz sea salt hair spray - retail value $5 

www.etsy.com/shop/sunyislandblu

i was very curious to see what was in the brown package and inside was this sea salt spray!  i like sea salt spray because it works very well with my natural hair texture/state (which is coarse and wavy/curly).  this bottle is 4 fl. oz, which is a great size because i never seem to finish a whole full-sized bottle of spray in one season, anyway.  and let me tell you, this smells deeeeelicious!  the island coconut fragrance smells exactly like it sounds, and i couldn't stop smelling my hair!  this company also makes soaps, body wash, sea salt scrub, shampoo&conditioner, deodorant (!), and body lotion, all in these wonderful tropical vacation scents.  i'm pretty sure if i ordered more that i would just sit in my bathroom all day, but i do that most of the time anyway, right? :D (oh, bladder humor...)

another thing i wanted to mention about dottiebox that i think is amazing is that throughout the month, they sent out emails highlighting each of the designers that they featured in the box that month.  they showed the product that was in the box to refresh your memory, and then told you a bit about the company/person who makes the product, what goes into designing the product, and what other products the company/person offers, with the coupon that was included in the box offered again in the email.  i think this is not only a brilliant marketing strategy on dottiebox's behalf, because it keeps their box at the forefront of your mind throughout the entire month -- not like many boxes where you open it when you get it and then forget about it until the next month -- but it is such a personal touch that is rarely seen anymore.  it connects you to the business and person that made your product and you feel like you're truly getting to know the person who is behind the item.  i think it is so wonderful and i, for one, truly appreciate that extra step that they put into it.

overall, i was VERY impressed about my first dottiebox.  i paid $20 for my box, and the product value was $35.50, which i think is great!  it was so thrilling to me to be opening and using items that i knew for sure were made by real people's hands, in homes or studios by people that just wanted to make a good living and live our their dreams.  it sounds cheesy but it really was a great feeling, and i thought about it each time i used the products.  in addition,  coupons were included for the products, which is always a bonus for me!  i haven't used them yet, but i definitely plan to, especially for the hair ties since i use them so often.  i can't wait to get my july dottiebox, i am so excited about it!  i can definitely see this as a box i will be subscribing to for a long time.

what about you?  do you subscribe to dottiebox, or do you plan to?  what do you think about it?  i would love to hear from you!  leave your thoughts down below in the comments! :)  i hope you all have a great week!