My Subscription Life: Haley

My Subscription Life is a series designed to help you get to know the MSA team a little bit better. Each profile introduces a different member of the team, showcases their favorite subscriptions, and explores how subscriptions impact their lives. 

Typically in this series we shine a spotlight on someone who's currently part of the MSA team, but this week we're reconnecting with a longtime MSA writer who stepped away earlier this year. Haley and MSA go way way back. She was the first writer to join Liz in her pursuit to cover the great wide world of subscriptions, and over the years Haley reviewed beauty, clothing, and kids subscriptions (among others). She's a very lovely lady and a whiz with a makeup brush, and I personally always looked forward to her makeup reviews and tutorials. I'm thrilled Haley is joining us today to talk subscriptions, her time with MSA, and what she's up to now.

My Subscription Life: Haley

Lindsey: Hi Haley, welcome! Can you start by sharing a little bit about yourself?

Haley: I have three young kids, which have modeled for my children's clothing box reviews on MSA for years, haha. I spend my free time reading (I read 60 books in 2021 - a new record for me!), as well as baking, gaming, and playing Dungeons & Dragons. I've also spent a lot of time lately diving back into writing creatively, mostly poetry.

L: What does your average Saturday look like? 

H: An average Saturday for me starts with coffee (a daily necessity for me!), making chocolate chip pancakes, catching up on laundry while listening to a podcast or audiobook, playing with the kids, and after their bedtime you can find me online watching shows or gaming with friends.

L: Can you describe a memorable trip you’ve taken?

H: My grandmother invited me to join her on a trip to London when I was in college! We ate in the restaurant on top of the National Portrait Gallery, which I'll never forget. I also remember a peanut butter souffle with black currant preserves that was basically the bougie-est form of PB&J I could imagine and it was ahhhmazing. I hope to go back to London one day - especially at Christmastime!

L: When and how did you first discover subscription boxes?

H: I found Beauty Army and Birchbox back in 2012!

L: Which subscriptions do you currently receive?

H: I don't actually subscribe to any subscription boxes these days, but I do love my Kindle Unlimited subscription! Along with eBooks, many have the narration available so you also get  audiobooks through it, too.

L: Is there a subscription you currently have your eye on?

H: I'd love to try Wantable's Sleep & Body Edit. I remember when they used to have Wantable Intimates and that was a favorite of mine, so I'm glad they have brought something similar back! I can never have too much cute and comfy lounge wear, pajamas, undergarments, robes, etc!

L: Describe your perfect subscription. 

H: Ha, it would probably be a quarterly delivery that includes Nespresso pods, a new book, a quality journal,  fancy dark chocolate, and a set of D&D dice!

L: Which subscription item that you’ve received in the past is the most memorable? 

H: I still think about the Eclipse Chocolate Bars that Treatsie sent me years and years ago! Especially the orange peel infused dark chocolate and the cinnamon brown sugar chocolate bars. They blew my mind and come in long, segmented shape that make them easy to snack on. Also, I've got a couple favorite cardigans from subscriptions over the years that are still my go-to for layering.

L: People gravitate to subscriptions for different reasons. What are your primary reasons for subscribing?

H: I subscribe to Kindle Unlimited because it lets me read a wide variety of books and audiobooks that often my local library doesn't have or has on a long waitlist! Back in my subscription box prime, though, I definitely loved the feeling of getting a present for myself and discovering new brands month to month.

L: How did you first find MSA and when did you join the team?

H: I found subscription boxes around 2011/2012 and I would look up past boxes online to see if I should subscribe, and I always enjoyed reading the MSA reviews I found while searching the web. I appreciated and enjoyed Liz's reviews on MSA so much (and wanted to find a way to get more boxes, to be honest, lol) that I emailed her and asked if she had any help making content for the site and said I would love to work for her. At the time, she was the only writer, and I became the very first MSA hire!

L: How long did you write for MSA? When and why did you decide to step away?

H: I wrote for MSA for over 7 years. It was quite the dream job, truly! I stepped away in June 2021. It was just the right time, and I've since enjoyed spending more time with my family and focusing on my writing in other capacities.

L: What do you love about the site? What do you wish for in the future?

H: My favorite thing about the space this website has held for so many years has always been the readers and the community here. Writing for MSA always felt like I was telling a bunch of my friends about cool things I found, finding out their variations each month, or chatting about a "big yikes" from a subscription (like sending a counterfeit or expired item, for example). It has always been a genuine delight to interact with people in the comment section, forum, or swap site. In the future, I look forward to hearing more personally from current and past writers and team members via this interview series.

L: What are you up to these days? Do you still check in with the site from time to time?

H: Yes, I still pop by every once in a while. These days I'm working for a company called Created Colorful (@CreatedColorful) doing color analysis and helping people find their best colors to wear! They have such an uplifting and empowering vibe. I have also been focusing on writing poetry again and made an Instagram to share some of it, which you can find at @YourHaleyFaye. I have a goal to create and publish a collection in the next year or two! 🤞

Thanks so much, Haley! 

Questions for Haley? Jump into the comments section below!