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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

TOPBOX: May 2012

what can i say ... Topbox is always on top of things, wouldn't you agree? it's funny because this month was the first month that i've ever gotten a shipping notification from Glymm BEFORE Topbox, but it turns out Canada Post only received shipping info from Glymm but didn't actually get the item until 3 days later.
and so that is how Topbox landed in my lap yesterday and Glymm is still stuck in Montreal.
Topbox is one of my favorite ones to open - i'm sure the long waiting list speaks for itself.
this month was no different as you can see from these samples found inside:

1) Deborah Lippmann in "Whatever Lola Wants" - i saw a sneak peek on Topbox's Facebook page and this was the first item i pulled out of the box. it was wrapped in purple tissue because, well, it's Deborah Lippmann nail polish!! i can never afford these! i was totally bummed when i signed up too late to get the November box last year since people received "An Enchanted Evening" - it's soooo pretty.
the sheer pink and the glitter in "Whatever Lola Wants"sorta reminds me of last month's Essie nail polish from Loose Button (Pink-a-Boo) but this one is less of a baby pink and has a pearly sheen to it.

once applied though, the pinkness hardly shows at all:

as you can see, the more coats you do, the more sparkly it gets; it also seems to look "frostier". but you aren't really building on the pink color at all. the polish itself dries super quickly.

-- update May 20/12 -- still wearing it and it looks exactly the same! no chips at all and i didn't even use a top coat! --

personally, i would have preferred another color but i haven't found anyone else who has received a different shade. i checked the Deborah Lippmann website since the card said that she collaborated with many celebrities to create nail polishes. "Whatever Lola Wants" was created with Kelly Ripa (she came by Banff recently!). it actually says her name on the bottom of the polish too.
size: 15 mL (full-size!)
retail value: $20

2) Cover FX ClearPrep FX Matte Foundation Primer & Anti-Acne Treatment Gel - anti-acne? i'm down! this is perfect timing as i have had 2 zits pop up on my face two days ago. one of them is sitting right on top of the apple of my cheeks, just wanting to get noticed. no amount of green concealer could hide it. :(
i am also very happy that this is an "anti-acne" product rather than an "anti-aging" one or something that wasn't customized for my skin. hooray for Topbox and their ability to read customer responses (many companies lack in this area). i used it today and the clear gel is unscented. i will continue to use this to test its anti-acne properties.
size: 7 mL
retail value: $39 (30 mL)

3) Orlane Anagenèse 25+ First Time-Fighting Care Eye Contour - the name sounds fancy. and i am a few months short of being 25... the info on the back appears to suggest the following equation: reaching 25 = fine lines. i knew turning 25 meant becoming a quarter of a century, but i am not ready for no fine lines!
anyhow, as you may recall, we received an Orlane product last month from Loose Button, and similarly, the box may look like a decent size, but the sample is actually much smaller due to a larger pamphlet with instructions and etc etc in 56 languages (do not quote me on this). this product is unscented and has a milky formula.
size: 2 mL
retail value: $75 (15 mL) ... ouch!


4) Expression Bronzing Powder Brush - i remember being asked a question regarding makeup brushes in Topbox's last survey... something like which brushes i used the most often? i think i selected all of the above. did anyone else get a different brush?
this is actually pretty cool - first time i received a makeup brush in one of these beauty subscription boxes. it's a pretty big one too! i've never payed more than $20 for a brush before and i can feel the difference! it is the softest brush that has ever touched my face.
size: full size!
retail value: $25

there are a couple of promotions that came along with this Topbox:
from May 10 - 24, you can get an 8-peice brush set for $49 ($130 value) on the Topbox site
from May 15 - June 15, bring in the invitation to receive a free Deborah Lippmann nail file at Holt Renfrew

-- update May 20/12 -- i dropped by Holt Renfrew today after grabbing breakfast with my dad downtown. it was nearby and i was going to do some shopping anyway so i went to the Core shopping center. it is a very normal nail file - it's just made from recycled paper, but i couldn't tell the difference. it's not an item i would go out of my way to get. the lady opened up a new package of nail files for me so they are not running out anytime soon. --

and if you haven't done so already, win a Pari Beauty gift set from Topbox on Facebook here (open until the 20th).

so Topbox has not disappointed me yet! they have been the most professional beauty subscription company - responds to emails quickly, delivers on time, least amount of problems with samples/customer service and the list goes on! i am very impressed with them and will be sticking around for a long time :)

-- update May 22/12 -- new Cover FX Giveaway from Topbox! enter here until May 31. --

11 comments:

  1. wonderful photographs! I think 'whatever lola wants' will work amazing as a top coat for other polishes, I currently have it on my toes over a bright pink and it looks awesome.
    BTW, you have CAPTCHA on your blog. you might consider turning it off, as it makes leaving comments really annoying sometimes :P

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    1. thanks for the heads up! ... i actually had to google what CAPTCHA meant! and now i will try to figure out how to turn that off haha

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  2. Awesome, thorough review. As a 25 year old, am I supposed to be paranoid about fine lines now? Sheesh. They'll say anything to sell us stuff, these companies. Thanks for the review :)

    calliopekitten.blogspot.ca

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    1. thanks for reading! do you subscribe to any of these boxes yourself?
      hope you are having a great trip!

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  3. I hope Topbox will be around forever and ever :-) Maybe it will be a generational thing and my kids will be subscribed to it! Great boxes all the time, great customer service and you're right, they're always on top of everything!

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    1. if Topbox continues providing such great service, i wouldn't be surprised if this happens!

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  4. That's such a great box! Little jealous over here in Japan.
    Looking forward to my Glossybox this month. Hope it's as good as your Topbox! *Fingers crossed*
    http://bunnyandspice.blogspot.jp/

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    Replies
    1. yay i'm excited to see what you will be getting in your Glossybox! are there any other beauty box subscriptions available in Japan?

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  5. I absolutely love this month's box. Whatever Lola Wants is such a pretty colour - Great for when you want to put some colour on, but don't want it to be overly obvious!

    In regards to the fine lines thing -- I've heard many people and read in many book (including some of my makeup books)that you should start using anti-wrinkle stuff in your mid-twenties. Let's face it, the stuff's supposed to stop the wrinkles & lines from showing, so it makes more sense to apply before they come out.

    I'm almost 26 and I've got a fine line under each of my eyes.

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    Replies
    1. that's very true - i remember reading about that in magazines! thanks for the reminder :)

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thank you for reading! i appreciate your feedback and i read them all!
have a fantastic day :)

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