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Brown Sugar Box “Glow Up” Review – January 2019

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Brown Sugar Box by Izzy & Liv
4.7 overall rating
3 Ratings | 3 Reviews

Brown Sugar Box is a monthly women of color lifestyle subscription box offering tees, accessories and lifestyle products designed by and made for Women of Color. 

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Each Brown Sugar Box includes a graphic tank or tee and 4-5 additional full-size products ranging from drinkware, accessories, bags, jewelry, makeup, housewares, and stationery. All items are from black-owned businesses.

My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

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About Brown Sugar Box

The Subscription Box: Brown Sugar Box

The Cost: $39.95 per month + $4.95 shipping

The Products: 1 graphic tee or tank plus 4-5 additional full-size lifestyle products

Ships to: the US for $4.95 and International for $12.95

Good to Know: Boxes are shipped around the 15th of each month. When purchasing a subscription, you have the opportunity to select your t-shirt size and fit preference.

Brown Sugar Box January 2019 “Glow Up” Review

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Each Brown Sugar Box includes a mini magazine that highlights the theme of the box, list the products included and offers interesting and inspiring articles. This month’s box is all about celebrating black girl magic in 2019.

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This article describes the theme of this month’s box, "Glow Up", which is about setting and keeping New Year resolutions and living your best life in 2019! The opposite page list all of the items included in this month’s box to help you stay on task and reach your goals.

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This article offers tips for celebrating your black girl magic which starts with loving yourself and others, getting involved in organizations that are safe spaces for black women and spending time with your tribe at a festival that caters to women of color.

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The next article offers tips for setting and achieving your goals in 2019 which includes setting goals that you want to achieve and those that will have a possible impact on your life. Those goals should be specific and measurable. When you accomplish them, you should celebrate!

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This article offers ways to save big money this year. Tips include shopping online and finding deals, coupons, and discounts.

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Stay focused on your goals, get organized and keep track of your life with these helpful apps. Suggestions include apps that help you with health, fitness, finances, and organization.

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I love supporting black-owned businesses. This article features businesses that I'd be happy to support. I'm definitely checking out Darlyng & Co for my kiddos.

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This “New Year, New You” playlist will motivate you to have the best year of your life. The playlist includes a mix of old and new songs that will instantly lift your mood! Brown Sugar Babes have been informally meeting up in cities all around the country. The opposite page offers new options for registering and finding meetups.

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Ms. Paulette was a regular in the Brown Sugar Lounge. I loved to see her post. She had an amazing spirit! I can only hope to be as fabulous and sassy as Ms. Paulette as I get older. Rest In Peace.

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Brown Sugar Babes are invited to share pictures of themselves on social media for a chance to win a free box. Highlighted are pictures from last month’s box.

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The back cover of the magazine has a picture of two very beautiful black women and invites you to join the Izzy & Liv members-only lounge on Facebook.

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“Can’t Dim My Light” Tee – Listed Retail Value $28

One of the early Brown Sugar Boxes included a magnet that said "Shine Bright Like a Diamond" and it's still one of my favorite BSB items. This t-shirt feels like a compliment to the magnet. It’s hard work choosing to be happy when constantly tested by situations that try to pull us down. I’m ready to walk with Rihanna confidence in 2019 and let every obstacle know: “you can’t dim my light”! Brown Sugar Box always hits a home run with the t-shirts.

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“Chug Life” Diffuser Water Bottle – Listed Retail Value $15

In the New Year, many of us resolve to drink more water and aim for at least 8 glasses a day. This “Chug Life” (I’m assuming a play on 2Pac’s Thug Life) water bottle will help us stick to our goal. This water bottle will motivate you along the way with inspirational markers like “Yaaaaassss! You Did That!” and “Don’t Stop Get It Get It” (courtesy of Uncle Luke). The bottle contains a diffuser to add fruits and veggies for flavor. Over in the Brown Sugar Lounge, the Facebook group for Brown Sugar Box subscribers, pure hilarity is ensuing. Babes are having a hard time removing the diffuser from the bottle and have resorted to brute force, banging and pliers to free the diffuser. These bottles are cute but cheaply made and many are already lamenting the loss of their water bottles. So far, my bottle is holding up well.

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“Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” Duffle Bag – Listed Retail Value $15

I love the words on this duffle bag: “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” (Rocafella records 'cause we, we get down baby, we get down baby)! It’s really cute, has a large capacity, and is able to fold compact into its zippered pouch. Since the bag has no lining or structure to it, I find that it takes on the shape of whatever I put in it and sometimes that means that the words get crumpled up and that sucks. Still, I really like this gym bag and will use it until it wears out.

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“Making Moves” Pen Set – Listed Retail Value $13

This pretty set of pens is the perfect complement to the planner that’s also included in this month’s box. These blue ink pens have caps with tiny hearts and affirmations like “slay the day”, “goal digger” and my favorite “thinking of a master plan” because “E., man I'm trying to get paid in full”. Let’s slay our financial goals in 2019!

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The Glow Up Year Planner – Listed Retail Value $25

To glow up (modeled after “grow up” or Chief Keef’s “glo up”) is all about self-growth, living your best life, and being the best, you can be. This planner has everything to you need to set, track and accomplish your goals so that 2019 can be the year or your Glow Up.

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In the planner, you’ll find yearly, monthly and weekly calendars, a money challenge (which I’ve already started), weekly inspiring quotes, a place for budgets, bills, debt and expenses and a place for meal plans and grocery lists. My only wish is that the cover was sturdier so that I can stand up to a year of heavy use. I use the Freedom Planner as my go-to planner but plan to incorporate aspects from this planner, like the money challenger and inspiring quotes, into my Freedom Planner.

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Pressure Point Massager – Listed Retail Value $13

Being magical is hard. It can be stressful. Every day: shine bright, choose joy, drink your water, take your vitamins, hit the gym, work hard, make money but don’t spend all of it and especially not more than you have, get organized, stay focused and be great. When I feel stressed and overwhelmed I find that my shoulders feel permanently attached to my ears. This is when I have to stop and remind myself that the goal is not perfection. It’s the accumulation of the little things that I’m able to do every day that will lead to big changes. I’ll use this pressure point massager to help me work out the kinks in my body while I calm my mind. It’s actually quite sturdy, rolls well and feels great. I like it!

Verdict: This month’s box is really good! I’ve been a Brown Sugar Box subscriber from the very beginning. Izzy & Liv is a brand with a mission that I love to support. With my subscription boxes, I love to see a theme and that theme be carried out throughout all the items in the box, I love a variety of different items and I love when the contents of the box match the season. This month’s Brown Sugar box checks all of those boxes. Plus, it has so many references to 90s and early 2000s hip-hop, rap, and R&B that I can't help but to love it and create my own Brown Sugar Box inspired playlist. Speaking to the items in the box, of course, I love the t-shirt the most. I always love the t-shirts. I’m most impressed with the planner. It’s excellently done and well thought out. The pens are super cute and the massager will come in handy. If I'm careful, I think I'll get good use out of the water bottle and the gym bag but I don't have big hopes based on the quality. All in all, this was a really good box and more in line with what I’ve come to expect from Izzy & Liv. I can’t wait to see what's in next month’s box!

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, but sign up today to receive next month's box.

Value Breakdown: The listed retail value of this box is $109. At $44.90 a box, here’s what you are paying approximately per item:

  • “Can’t Dim My Light” Tee – $11.54
  • “Chug Life” Diffuser Water Bottle – $6.18
  • “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” Duffle Bag – $6.18
  • “Makin’ Moves” Pen Set – $5.35
  • The Glow Up Year Planner – $10.30
  • Pressure Point Massager – $5.35

Check out all of our Brown Sugar Box reviews and more women of color subscription boxes in the Women Subscription Box Directory!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

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"As a Brown Sugar Box Subscriber, you’ll get a box filled with the BEST of Izzy & Liv including best sellers, new releases and limited edition (subscriber-only) products. Your box will include 5-6 products every month. You will always get at least one Izzy & Liv tee, tank or sweatshirt al... read more.

Shatae Hutchinson
Shatae Hutchinson
Hi, I’m Shatae; pronounced shhh-tay! I work in IT Healthcare, I’m married to my high school sweetheart and we have 2 cool kids. I am obsessed with black culture, lifestyle, travel and art made by and featuring women of color. I also love trendy plus-size fashion and accessories, eclectic and bohemian home décor and all things self-care, mental health and fitness. My favorite box is Izzy & Liv’s Brown Sugar Box; a monthly box offering tees, accessories and lifestyle products designed for black women. I also subscribe to TheSelfCareBox, FabFitFun, CauseBox and Merkaela. Being a wife and full-time working mom, subscription boxes are one of the few things that are just for me! They are fun, convenient, reasonably priced and full of surprises.

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5 comments

Leyla

Sweet! Not my favorite curation ever, but certainly not the worst…Thanks tons Shatae! 🙂

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Shatae

Thanks for the comment Leyla! I can’t wait to see what’s in next month’s box!

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Leylann

Sweet! Not my favorite curation ever but not the worst either…THANKS Shatae! 🙂

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ReeRee

Thanks for the review. I received my box and haven’t had time to fully look at all the times. I love the T-Shirt! I hope this year’s boxes are better than last year.

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Shatae

I love all the t-shirts and I’m also hoping that they really show out with this year’s boxes!

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