August BeautyBox5 Review

The photo doesn't do this color justice.  It's a rainbow and silver glitter!

August 2013 Beauty Box 5 Subscription Contents: {This month's total full size retail value: $15.50}

Be A Bombshell Eyeshadow in Dancing Queen- Full Size $14.00 included
Another product to add to my collection from Be A Bombshell Cosmetics!  I now have a blush, which I adore and wore every day on vacation last week and a gloss which I haven't worked into my normal rotation but isn't a bad product.  This time I get to try out an eyeshadow, and the shade is a lovely light silver.  The formula is super silky feeling, but the color comes out a tiny bit sheerer than I would have expected.  Nonetheless, it's a lovely texture and shade.  It's not chunky or glittery, and I don't notice any fallout with it at all.  I'm excited to use this in the fall for some more dramatic smokey eyes.  I feel like this would be a perfect topcoat over a deeper gunmetal or even black for some sheen and a good highlight in the inner corners.

Swissco Nail File- Full Size $1.50 included
The "theme" this month seemed to be about skin and nails, with two lotions and two nail products making up the majority of the August BeautyBox5.  If there was any doubt about my favorite color, (psst... it's hot pink!)  this is the perfect file for me!  It's a black medium grit nail file on one side and a fine pink glitter on the other side.  I don't think the glitter side is meant to file your nails at all, just look pretty.  I tried it on my nail and got nothing but a few minor scratches instead of an even filing.  But the glitter didn't rub off during my testing, so that's nice.  Not that I'd probably have any problem with finding it leaking hot pink glitter all over my house or purse, but me and Ke$ha are just kindred souls that way.  And after 15 years, my husband is used to my glitter obsession!

H2O Plus Aquafirm + Micro Collagen Moisturizer- Full Size $50.00/1.7 oz, Sample Size $7.94/.27 oz
The sample is too small to contain an ingredients list, but it says it includes marine microspheres, so I had to go online to look the product up and do a little research.  I've heard of types of marine microspheres before being used in lip products to plump lips. They absorb the water in your lips and "puff up", causing a plumping action to the surrounding tissues.  It makes total sense to me that someone would start using it in a face cream to temporarily plump up fine lines!  They also use jojoba oil, which is a natural plant oil emollient that penetrates more deeply than mineral based emollients and helps lock in moisture.  I also copied this from the brand's website on the third main ingredient: Sea Nutrient Barrier: Powerful fusion of algae and oat extract creates a light veil on the skin, pulling surface cells closer together for an instant micro-lifting effect. The moisturizer itself is nice and lightweight, with a light scent that doesn't smell artificial and perfumey.  It absorbs quickly with no residue on the skin.  I was afraid I'd get a tingling feeling, like what you get with plumping lip products, but this didn't have that side effect.  My skin felt cool and refreshed instead.

Bask Heavenly Silk Daily Skin Lotion- Full Size $19.98/22 oz, Sample Size $1.81/2 oz
This is a lightweight body lotion with a fresh clean fragrance.  It absorbs quickly with no residue.  It didn't feel like it was a deeply hydrating formula, so my super dry skin soaked it right up and still felt a bit thirsty.  But that's the feeling I get from most lotions.  I need a deep penetrating thick cream to get any relief for my parched skin.  I think the average person would be quite satisfied with the hydration of this lotion, although there are drugstore brands that are much more cost efficient.

Nubar Nail Lacquer in Hologram Glitter- Full Size $8.00/.5 oz, Sample Size $4.00/.25 oz
By far, my favorite item in the box this month.  And surprise surprise, it had glitter.  This is an absolutely gorgeous silver and rainbow glitter nailpolish, and it contains no formaldehyde, phthalates, or toulene (which are listed as potential cancer-causing chemicals when exposed to in large amount).  If you are looking for a brand of nail polishes that do not contain these ingredients, I highly recommend this brand.  (Although I do highly encourage you to research the use of these ingredients yourself.  There is a lot of misinformation about them.)  This polish has won me over right off the bat.  It's a very fine glitter that doesn't clump or streak, and if you build up a few layers, you can get a fairly opaque coverage.  It's in a clear base, so it's also perfect for a topcoat over a solid color. Also a huge fan of any products made in the USA.


This month's box:  Hit or Miss?  I call this one a HIT.  The glitter nail file, glitter nail polish, and eyeshadow I know are going to become regulars in my routine.  Even though the "full size value" wasn't up there with previous boxes, the total value of the box itself was $25.25.  Considering I paid less than half of that for the box, it's a good deal in my book.


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**Disclaimer:  This article contains affiliate links.  As with all my articles, the opinions expressed herein are fully my own.  For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

BeautyBox5 June and July Box Reviews

June 2013 Beauty Box 5 Subscription

Brazen Eyeshadow Sample in Omega

July 2013 Beauty Box 5 Subscription

June 2013 Beauty Box 5 Subscription Contents:  {This month's total full size retail value: $7.99}

Coolway Cool Cleanse Shampoo- Full Size 8.6 oz for $25, Sample Size 1 oz {approx value $2.90}
I haven't used this yet, but I plan on taking it with me on vacation next month.  The past few months of subscriptions to four different companies has fully stocked my travel bag, and I couldn't be happier!  This says it's a gentle and nourishing formula that strengthens and hydrates while reducing breakage and frizz.  Hopefully it won't strip the color from my hair like most shampoos do, but it's ok for a short trip.

Coolway Cool Hydrate Conditioner- Full Size 8.6 oz for $25, Sample Size 1 oz {approx value $2.90}
Again, I haven't used this yet, but it pretty much has the same properties as the shampoo.  The 1 oz size makes it nice for travel, and I should be able to get at least 2-3 uses out of these to see if they would be worth purchasing full size.  However, the $25 for only 8.6 oz makes me a bit skeptical.  If they are really awesome, I'll look for them at one of the beauty supply stores around that sell the salon sizes for $32+ for liter duos.

Just Being Sexy Body Bronzer- Full Size 6 fl oz for $49, Sample Size .54 oz {approx value $4.41} Two tiny little foil packets that only equal a half ounce combined?  I doubt I'll ever use them at all, and these are going into my "trade" stash for the online sample trading sites.  It seems too pricy for me, and I'm not a big body bronzer person to begin with.  I like my nice daily DHA moisturizers.  This could be an awesome product, but foil packets are a pain the you-know-what to use for body applications.  If it had come in a little squeeze tube, I might have tried it.

Brazen Cosmetics Eyeshadow- Full Size .18 oz included $7.99 value
I was a little shocked to find that this was the full size of the shadow.  It's so small, and frankly the packaging leaves a lot to be desired.  It's messy and looks cheap.  The color is more lilac than blue.  My camera just wasn't picking up colors correctly.  I'm not one for blue eyeshadows to begin with, and I prefer pressed to loose, but I'll at least try it out to see if the wear is worthwhile.  Still, my initial impression of the product itself has me doubtful I'd purchase this brand in the future.

Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Lotion Sunscreen- Full Size 3 oz for $9.99, Sample Size .5 oz {approx value $1.67}  Also included was a $1 off coupon for Aveeno sun care products.  I love Aveeno, and this is the perfect size for me to toss in my purse for days when I'm unexpectedly out in the sun more than I anticipated.  This one says it's water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, too!  It's only an SPF 30, so I'd use it on myself rather than my kids, but it's nice to have on hand just in case.


This month's box:  Hit or Miss?   Miss  Overall, I didn't find much personal value to these products.  The full size retail value was really low this month, and the $7.99 price tag for the full size shadow seems high for the quality.  If you add the approximate values together, you only get an extra $11.88, making the grand total value $19.97.  This is low for what I've come to expect from these types of boxes.

July 2013 Beauty Box 5 Subscription Contents: {This month's total full size retail value: $24.98}

Every Beauty Foot Smoother- Full Size $8.99 included I usually go to the spa to get my feet done, but this buffer block says that it can be used on knees and elbows as well, so I think I'll try this out after a long soak in the tub some night.  There are two sides to the block, one more coarse than the other, and it says that it can be washed and sanitized.  This actually looks kind of cool to me, and already with this one item the value of this month's box is higher than June's. Off to a good start!

Jean Pierre Cosmetics Nail Polish remover Wipes- Full Size 10 wipes for $3.99, Sample Size 2 wipes {approx value $.80}  I love keeping nail polish remover wipes in my kit for unexpected emergencies on wedding days or photoshoots, so these were a very welcome addition this month!  I'd love to get two of these every month!  It's amazing how handy remover wipes that are individually wrapped prove to be.

Be A Bombshell Lip Gloss in Kiss Off- Full Size .11 oz for $14.00 included  I love all of the Be A Bombshell products I've tried, and this gloss is no exception. It's a beautiful cool blue based pink, with very subtle silver shimmer that isn't chunky and glittery.  The only thing I'd change is that it doesn't have a "scent" to it, which I like on my lipglosses.  I was also excited to see that it's a full size.

LA Fresh Travel Lite Antibacterial Wipes- Full Size 8 wipes for $1.99 included  Being a mom, the convenience of a pack of anti-bac wipes I can toss in my purse is so nice!  The LA Fresh brand has been popping up in my subscription boxes for a few months now, and they seem to be all about convenience and individually packed products.

Airelle Age Defying Facial Serum- Full Size .85 fl oz for $158.00, Sample Size .25 fl oz {approx value $46.47}  Also included was a coupon for a Free Berrimatrix Eye and Lip Treatment with the purchase of any Airelle product before 8/31/13.  This was a huge sample!  I've never heard of this brand before, but I like what I see so far.  It uses natural ingredients with no parabens, sulfates, or fragrances.  The very first ingredient is aloe vera leaf juice rather than water, and it also contains hyaluronic acid (a humectant that hold 1000 times its weight in water to help hydrate and plump skin) plus Vitamins A, C, and E.  I'm almost all out of my current serum, so this came at the perfect time.

$10 Coupon Code for MyNameNecklace.com {Not pictured}


This month's box:  Hit or Miss?  Major Hit   The combined retail value alone makes this a great box this month, but I'm also excited that every single thing in it is something I will use!  The serum sample size is amazing, and it looks like such a great product I probably would have been happy with this alone.  Total combined full size and sample size value is a whopping $72.25!!!  July's box fully redeemed Beauty Box 5 after the disappointment of June's box.  I'm looking forward to seeing what I get for August!


Is Beauty Box 5 for you?  Don't forget to use one of my subscription links below to sign up to receive your own box every month!

**Disclaimer:  This article contains affiliate links.  As with all my articles, the opinions expressed herein are fully my own.  For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

April Glossybox Review

I have to admit, I was a tiny bit let down in April with my Glossybox.  Not that the products weren't good ones, but most just weren't products that I could see myself using.  My March box was way more impressive, and I'm really looking forward to the next one.  (The boxes are so sturdy and great for organizing my makeup collection, too!)  It's almost time for my May Glossybox to arrive, I know, and I apologize that this post is so late in coming.  I totally spaced and didn't realize until now that I hadn't done my review yet.

Here's a breakdown on what I got for the month of April in my Glossybox subscription:

#1: Wash with Joe shower gel in Coffeemint- It's a nice little travel size, and the scent isn't too overpowering, so overall this is a good sample this month.  It's not girly either, so I can have my husband use it in his travel bathroom kit for vacations.

#2: Tigi Glow Blush in Brilliance-  It's a baked blush, and the texture is very velvety.  There isn't too much color payoff when I swipe it with my finger, but I haven't tried it with a brush on my face yet.  It's sitting in my "to be tested" box on my bathroom counter right now.  I'll do a follow up post on this blush once I've had time to really review it.

#3: Bamboo Style Boho Waves Tousled Texture Mist-  I used this the other day right out of the shower on towel-dried hair.  I spritzed it liberally then pulled it all up into a french braid and left it for most of the day.  I was left with gorgeous beachy waves, just in time for bed.  I haven't used it for immediate styling, but the waves did stay for a few days until my next shampoo, and the scent is nice.  Most testing required for a real verdict!

#4: The Honest Co Lip Balm in Sweet Orange Vanilla-  This smells amazing.  The texture is not too waxy, which I find can be a problem with a lot of organic lipbalms that are based with beeswax.  This one actually lists sunflower seed oil as its first ingredient, and it helps it stay very emollient and gives it good slip.

#5: Bulgari Tea Bag for Bath-I think this where I started to get a bit of disappointment.  It's a one time use sample, and those really bug me.  If I'm going to buy a fragrance, I need to wear it a few times to really see how the scent suits me.  I much prefer the little sample vials with a spritzer.  I'm sure I'll never take this out of the foil, as a tea bag for the bath sounds cool... but when I'm in the bathtub I've got bath bombs or oils in there to soften my skin.  Unless I step out looking like I belong in a fragrance ad for Bulgari, I don't want there products in my bathwater.  I'm there to get soft clean skin, not smell like a French whorehouse.  Just my $.02.

#6: Le Metier De Beaute Replenishing Daily Solution Sample (not pictured)- Another single use packet.  And to top it off, it's for a ridiculously expensive product.  Yes, I know I'm only paying $20 a month for the subscription.  They need to budget the per use, and this stuff is $225 per bottle, so a single use technically has a lot of "value" to it.  However, a single use of a skincare product is not nearly enough to convince me to spend that kind of money.  Even if it's attached to a card with a code for $75 off.  $150 is still way too much when I don't know what kind of results it's going to give me.

Compared with the subscription boxes I got for Ipsy and Beautybox5 in April, I don't really have a clear favorite.  They were all just pretty much ok for me. There weren't any stand out products, although the blush from the Ipsy bag was very pretty and well reviewed by a lot of beauty gurus on YouTube.  I think if I'm going purely on value, the Ipsy bag was the best this month, since there were two full size products, and it's only $10 a month.  Glossybox still trumps everyone though on per use value if you take into account the skincare sample and coupon, and the number of items you receive.  Which box do you prefer this month?

Ipsy

BeautyBox5

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