My Subscription Life: Jessica

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. 

In this week's My Subscription Life, we're going to get to know Jessica. Jessica is a Louisiana-based writer and content creator who knows the beauty side of the subscription world like the back of her hand. In addition to penning reviews and articles for MSA, she also helps moderate the MSA Forum, where she shares sheet mask selfies and shares tips, tricks, and her favorite product finds. Jessica was an early adopter of subscriptions, and she's tried quite a few of them. Let's dive in, and learn more about her subscription life!

My Subscription Life: Jessica

Lindsey: Jessica, hello! Can you start by sharing a little bit about yourself?

Jessica: I was a reader of MSA for years, long before I even hoped I could start writing for MSA. I enjoy cooking and I am a passionate sports fan, and I love to be creative whenever I can, which is why I love the creative outlet that Instagram, tik tok, and MSA provide.

(Note from Lindsey: You'll find Jessica on Instagram and TikTok @letthemsparkle.)

L: What does your average Saturday look like? 

J: Saturdays in the fall mean I’m watching college football and cheering for LSU. I usually prefer to do this at home rather than at tailgates, but I like to cook up something fun to enjoy while watching the game. Saturdays in the spring will often times include a hike while the weather is nice, especially to a local lake where the alligator sightings are abundant. No matter what, there will be cuddles with my cat, Goose, and probably a bath with a Lush bath bomb thrown in for good measure.

L: Can you describe a memorable birthday?

J: My 27th birthday trip to Vegas this past August was one for the books- it combined great meals, a great vacation, great family time, and drama all into one adventure. It was the first big trip I got to take with my significant other, and I got to introduce him to some of my closest family members who mean the world to me. We kayaked on the Colorado river, I went to the spa with my aunt and cousin, we ate crazy delicious food, my boyfriend and I got stranded in Vegas because all flights were canceled due to hurricane Ida…. so I went to the spa again, we tried soup dumplings for the first time at Din Tai Fung, and we really just made the most of our quality time at a really fun place. It was memorable because of the things we experienced together, but it was also memorable because of the things I learned about my partner- and how he is absolutely the person I want to be stranded with halfway across the country when life throws a hurricane at you.

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

J: I don’t remember exactly how and when, but I know I was a sophomore in college and my first subscription was Ipsy - I still remember the purple Zoya nail polish that came in one of the bags! So that must mean I’ve been subscribing to boxes since 2013-2014? I know that’s how I discovered MSA - I was looking for Ipsy spoilers!

L: What are your current subscriptions?

J: I’m not even going to touch my digital subscriptions- I guess they technically count, but they don’t spark the same joy that a subscription box brings. Not including the boxes I receive for review, my current subscriptions are Ipsy Glam Bag Plus, Ipsy Glam Bag X, FabFitFun, Blue Apron, and Japan Candy Box.

L: Do you have a favorite?

J: I love my Ipsy Glam Bag X, but right now I have to say my Japan Candy Box is my favorite subscription. I love getting unique snacks that are nothing like what I could buy at Albertsons, and they taste delicious. It’s a complete surprise each month on what I’ll get, but each month I have so much fun that I can’t bring myself to unsubscribe.

L: If you could only subscribe to one box or service, which would it be?

J: If I could only subscribe to one box it would probably be Ipsy Glam Bag X. I love that all products are full size and I get to pick 3 of them, and if I ever found myself wanting more, I could probably find what I was looking for in the add-on or flash sales. From a practicality standpoint, though, Blue Apron has become a standard weekly purchase for my household - I’m listing it because while I cook the meals, my boyfriend's in charge of buying the boxes. I was getting such fatigue from meal planning and grocery shopping every week, and Blue Apron made cooking fun for me again because during the week we have meals that I can easily whip up, and then I have mental energy reserved for when I want to cook fancier dishes. And, since it’s pre-portioned, I don’t have to deal with food waste like I do when I’m trying to scale a recipe for 8 down to two.

L: Describe your perfect subscription. 

J: My perfect subscription would send me fancy chocolates, colorful bath bombs or aromatherapy bath salts, and a good book. I think there are some subscription boxes out there trying to do this, but what I envision is on a much more luxurious model.

L: Do you have a favorite subscription category? 

J: I love food and beauty. I love doing my makeup, and I love using my skincare routine as part of my self care routine. I also love tasty things, and food subscription boxes provide that.

L: What about a fave item?

J: I don’t even remember the box, but years ago a box sent Tuscan rosemary sea salt from Laguna salt company, and I fell in love with how flavorful it was. I ended up swapping for another bottle, and I actually still have a small amount left that I use sparingly because I don’t want it to be gone.

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

J: I love the joy that I feel when I get a present delivered to my door! The feeling of getting a great value is an added perk, too.

L: If someone offered you the opportunity to curate your own subscription box, what would you send out to your subscribers?

J: Oh, there would be some type of tasty snack. Maybe those artisanal lollipops I see being made on TikTok. I also would love to include a really nice candle - I love candles, and I personally always love when one appears in a box.

Thanks so much, Jessica! 

Questions for Jessica? Jump into the comments section below!