TOPBOX: February 2013 [featuring Benefit]

i thought that i wasn't going to be getting the Benefit Prive box since everybody seemed to be receiving it super early this month (Benefit was trying to send them in time for Chinese New Year). i got mine on the last business day before the Chinese New Year weekend and it was indeed a great surprise.

i already knew what was to be expected inside but the pretty packaging and the awesome contents still made me giddy all the same.

the recycled Topbox tube came wrapped in a pretty design featuring a snake since it is the Year of the Snake this Chinese New Year. there is a "red" envelope inside, holding the bonus product. there was also an invitation to some Benefit events held across Canada from the 7th to 9th but none of them was in Calgary.

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Topbox sent an email on January 8th, informing us that we were able to make a wish list from the Prive boxes available. February's choices included: Benefit, Lippy Girl and Miracle10 (which had two variations).

the contents of each box were also listed which helped me make my decision. since i have not exactly tried many Benefit products before, added to the fact that i have an overwhelming amount of lip and skin care products, it was easy for me to select Benefit for my wish list.
both Lippy Girl and Miracle10 had retail values attached ($25 and $75, respectively).

Topbox mentioned that they had "thousands" of Benefit boxes and "hundreds" of Lippy Girl and Miracle10. it seems to me that if you selected just one of the brands, you got their box and if you didn't select any, you got the regular box. if you selected two brands (one of them being Benefit), then you most likely got the brand that was not Benefit. the majority of those that selected all 3 got Lippy Girl.

soooo onto the box's contents!!

1) POREfessional - i've received this before, also from Topbox, back in April 2012. i have not quite finished the sample yet but i really like the texture - it feels velvety and makes my skin very soft. not only does it help to reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines, but it also doubles as a primer. check out the above link for a swatch of the product. it has a light lemon-y scent.

size: 7.5 mL
retail value: $34 (22 mL)

2) Total Moisture Facial Cream - oh i really love the packaging of this sample! the mini jar is unbelievably cute. the cream itself has a nice fragrance to it that reminds me a bit of Ralph Lauren's Ralph. the cream feels slightly thicker than what i am used to (it is meant for normal to dry skin). i feel that i have to apply more of this product compared to other creams in order to cover my entire face. i love the results of this cream since it makes my skin incredibly soft. i prefer to use this at night as i prefer my day creams to have SPF.

size: 8.9 g
retail value: $42 (48.2 g)

3) Benetint - i've been wanting to test this popular Benefit product before but i was a little afraid of a liquid tint.
it actually blends out really well. if i just dab once on my cheeks, i can hardly even tell it is there (check out the swatch near the end of the post). i think i'll have to dab more on next time.

i tried using it on my lips and found it a bit too liquid-y. it is purely for staining purposes so it does not feel like anything on my lips once it soaks in.
at first, i just dabbed the product on my lower lip and pressed my lips together, hoping it would transfer to the top lip but it doesn't. if you choose to use it as a lip stain, i would recommend you apply it to both the top and bottom lip evenly. there were a couple of areas where my lips were peeled and this Benetint seemed to accentuate this area but making it more red than the rest of my lips... scroll down for a not-so-pretty swatch.

i think i am going to use this primarily as a cheek stain but if i am carrying a super tiny purse, it will serve well to give my lips a flush of color. i should also note that this Benetint smells like flowers.

size: 2.5 mL
retail value: $36 (12.5 mL)

4) Dandelion Brightening Face Powder and Ultra Plush Lip Gloss - Benefit is also well-known for their powders and lip glosses. i have the CORALista blush but i have not yet cracked it open. the Dandelion powder is a Top Seller and is a shimmery soft pink meant for highlighting the skin.

i find it very very subtle on my skin tone. i am surprised that this powder is also lightly scented - it seems that many of Benefit's products have a scent.

the Dandelion gloss matches the powder and is described as a soft pearly pink but it also seems slightly coral to me. however, on the lips, it just looks like a clear shimmer. the gloss is probably the non-stickiest gloss i've tried! and it smells rather delicious, like some kind of juicy citrus fruit.

size: powder - 3 g; lip gloss - 6.5 mL
retail value: powder - $36 (7 g); lip gloss - $18 (15 mL)

swatches:

and since the color seemed to remain on my fingertips when i tried to blend it...

5) *bonus* Fine-One-One - this is one of Benefit's newest products and like the Benetint, it can be used on the cheeks and lips. it seems like this sample can be used two or three times max so i did not choose to test it on my lips.

the full sized version of the Fine-One-One resembles a deodorant. the three colors - pink champagne, sheer watermelon and soft coral - blend together for a hint of peachy pink. it is definitely a convenient and easy product to use.
the swatch is very light since i didn't have much to work with:

size: N/A
retail value: $36 (8 g)

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i am enjoying my Benefit products! there is a variety of products in the box and many are multi-purpose so there are definitely many uses for them. i found that all of the Benefit products here had a scent so i am thinking those that are sensitive to smells might not enjoy this brand as much.
i have yet to receive an email from Topbox in regards to next month's Prive box but i am excited :)

Topbox claims to be doing a lot of testing with this month's box so i hope that they iron out the wrinkles for next month. some concerns that were raised revolved around Topbox's decision to put Benefit boxes up for sale. if i had known that this was going to be happen, i would've selected none of the choices above and would have just gone with a regular Topbox since i was really curious what it would contain (a full size Deborah Lippmann nail polish!!) and then buy a Benefit box later on.

someone on Facebook wondered why extra Benefit boxes were being sold while people were still stuck on the waitlist. i completely agree with this - i would be frustrated too!
some people had also not received their Topbox prior to receiving the email and therefore, did not know which brand they would be getting. not to mention, many were angry because the Benefit boxes were available for sale at a ridiculously early hour on a Sunday!

all in all, i am excited to continue my journey with Topbox for the time being. what was your favorite item in the box? after seeing a regular Topbox, do you regret going with a Prive box?