BEAUTY BOX 5: April 2013

April's BB5... and yes i am finally getting to it on this May long weekend. my friend Jenny came back home for the week so it was absolutely lovely to see her :) i hope you are all having a fantastic long weekend!

without further delay...

1) La Fresh Instant Body Soother - so this is different from the other wipes i've been getting... the Instant Body Smoother wipe can be used to soothe tired or tense areas. it sounds like it would be refreshing, especially in the summer months. perhaps i can put it to use when i go canoeing?

who am i kidding? i don't do any work while canoeing... the boyfriend is in charge of any paddling that may be required. :)

size: 1 wipe x 2

retail value: $9.99 (24 wipes)

2) Minxxette Brush Hanger - i love how BB5 includes unique and useful items like this (remember we also got a brush guard a couple of months ago?). well, this handy dandy brush hanger allows you to dry your brushes after washing, without damaging the ferrule (the clamp thing that holds all the fibers/hairs together).

it can be hung using the hook or attached to a mirror with the suction cup. and it comes in two different sizes - we have the small one here:

size: 1 small brush hanger (full size!)

retail value: $4.69

3) Jean Pierre Cosmetics Oil Absorbing Facial Tissues - i keep trying all different kinds of oil blotting sheets that i haven't finished one whole pack yet but i am close! 

does anyone else pull out a pack while with friends and compare who's the oiliest or is that just gross? hahaha

size: 50 sheets (full size!)

retail value: $1.99

4) ModelCo Illusion Lip Pencil - i thought it was going to be hard to get ModelCo products in Canada after getting a taste for them in Australia but they have popped up four other times in beauty boxes - twice in Glossyboxes and now three times for BB5.
this lip pencil is great - i don't have a nude lip liner and this is a great nude. it is pigmented but it is not super creamy (but not drying either) so it takes a bit of work to get it evenly on my lips. it is really long-lasting as well. i wore it for a while on its own and a couple of hours later, i applied a lip crayon over it and it lasted 5 more hours. 

scroll to 5) to see an arm swatch. 

size: 1.5 g (full size!)

retail value: $20

5) Brazen Cosmetics Organic Mineral Eye Shadow in "Birthday Suit" - i seriously think BB5 can read my thoughts - every time i really enjoy a product or brand, i will receive another one next month!
i got a delicious-smelling Tree Hut scrub in February and then in March, i received a Tree Hut body butter (also quite delicious).

last month, i fell in love with Brazen Cosmetics Eye Shadow in "Buzzed" and today, i bring you "Birthday Suit".
"Birthday Suit" is an odd color on me - it wouldn't be considered a naked/bare color on my skin tone. the shade is too tan and when applied to my eyes, it makes me look sick. 

arm swatches:

size: 3 g

retail value: $7.49 (5 g)

i really like how BB5 has been introducing us to some great makeup tools. my favorites are the ModelCo lip liner and the Minxette brush hanger. on the other hand, i am getting a little sick of the La Fresh samples.

i also wanted to throw in a quick note about a movie i was very excited to see but left thinking that it was just alright: "The Great Gatsby". i've never read the book but it is definitely on my reading list. the movie was very pretty to look at - the backdrop, the characters, the costumes... all very gorgeous (special mention about Leonardo DiCaprio here - yum!) but i felt the story line was sort of slow. i was expecting to bawl my eyes out but i didn't shed a tear. maybe if i read the book...?
oh and the music is good but i was constantly thrown off when i'd hear Jay-Z or will.i.am when it is set in the 1920s...