TOPBOX: July 2012

i'm a little late posting this since my Topbox was delivered last Thursday but the Calgary Stampede and my birthday took up my weekend.

so without further ado, my Topbox for July contained:

1) China Glaze Nail Lacquer in "70290 Purple Panic (Neon)" - yesyesyesyesyes!! i only did the post on my other neon nail polish last week and i loved the color and now Topbox hands me this amazingly bright magenta polish... love! i recall doing their survey a few weeks ago and there was a question regarding nail polish color preferences and i selected summer neons or something along those lines.

"Purple Panic" is from a pretty old collection - Summer 2006's Wow Factor - which consists of 5 other neons.  it's a cool magenta color (rather than purple) with some shimmer.
i used two coats in the following swatches. it dries really quickly as it dries matte. again, the neon is too powerful to be picked up properly by my camera... it's actually brighter and less pink.

artificial light 

natural light

i decided to do a subtle accent nail look by adding a topcoat. the glossiness brings out the shimmer when you look very closely.

size: 14 mL (full size!)
retail value: $10 - $12

2) NuMe Style Hydro Punch Hydrating Shampoo - hooray! my Conditioner from May 2012's Glymm is lonely no more!

i used both of them together and although i liked the smell, it didn't do anything spectacular to my hair - or i just didn't notice it. good to know that it does not contain parabens or paraffins.
did anyone else have a shampoo that was sealed but the conditioner wasn't?...

also got a $100 gift certificate from the company to use on styling tools and hair extensions. sound familiar? because Glymm also sent this out in the April 2012 box. i find NuMe products at Winners all the time and for much cheaper than on their website. when i say much cheaper, i mean that online their Vintage Ceramic Iron is $165 + $14.95 (shipping) - $100 (gift certificate) = $79.95 or you can buy the exact same one at Winners for $39.99 (not including GST of course). so definitely not worth it if you live near a Winners!
size: 20 mL
retail value: $24.99 (250 mL)

3) Pure + simple Calming Cucumber Mask - so i went to the company's website to find out more on how to use this item. it says to apply the mask after cleansing and toning (or preferably after exfoliating) and leave it on for 30 minutes. 30 minutes! that sounds like a long time! i don't use masks often but the samples i have received in the past suggested approximately 15 minutes. the other option was to leave it on overnight. i wasn't too fond of the idea of rubbing the cucumber mask onto my pillow so i decided to go with the former idea.
on the site, you can also find lists of routines that incorporates other products from Pure + simple. the product can actually be refrigerated which i assume increases the cooling effect of the mask.
the product is dispensed through the pump as a clear (with a greenish hue) gel and does not feel overly tight on my face. my face felt fresh and smooth afterwards. this was a very good sized sample for a mask since i don't seem to be using too much each time. definitely will last me a while!

size: 20 mL
retail value: $25.25 (50 mL)

4) SAMPAR Essentials Ultra Hydrating Fluid - SAMPAR originates from Paris and this specific product aims to do 3 things: moisturize, protect and resurface. it is to be used on cleansed skin twice a day.

the scent is pretty strong and smells like.. i'd hate to use this term again, but something older ladies would enjoy. it is moisturizing and does not leave a greasy feeling. the full size is a bit pricey but fear not - i have spotted SAMPAR at Winners as of yesterday. my Winners didn't carry this particular product but had a number of other products priced between $19.99 and $29.99. ahh... i heart Winners.

size: 2 mL x 2  = 4 mL
retail value: $80 (50 mL)

so maybe i've been spoiled by Topbox but i felt that this month's box was not extraordinary. yes, i love the nail polish and the other items are good but it did not have the same wow factor their previous boxes had (hahaaa - re: China Glaze's Purple Panic).
Topbox is currently holding a NuMe Sweepstakes on FB right now; you can check it out here.
did you enjoy your Topbox this month?