GLYMM BAG: August 2012

imagine my surprise when i got my shipping notification from Glymm stating that their August bag was on its way. and then when i even received the bag before Topbox sent our their notification... that is mind-blowing!!

i got my bag yesterday which seems to be still later than everyone else. 

August's bag is black, shiny and quilted. very pretty! i am glad they switched it up. i am tired of the bags, but if Glymm has to absolutely keep them, then i rather they change the design every month and keep it exciting. 

the products inside can do with some improvement though. 

everything is very small. it seems that small samples are Glymm's specialty.

for August, we got:

1) Vitamine & Sea Mineral Clay Mask

This natural facial mask made with clay directly from the Dead Sea will tingle as it softly exfoliates, eliminates toxins, promotes circulation, cleanses and strengthens your skin.

the mask is to be left on your face for 20 minutes or until it dries. for me it was the latter - i think it dried within a few minutes! i think it's because i wanted to get at least 2 uses out of this so i used it sparingly which meant that the layer i applied was quite thin. it smells like dirt and rocks (if rocks had a scent, this is it). it left my face feeling fresh and smooth.
i do not use masks enough to justify paying $62 for it. plus, i still have plenty of samples to go through.

size: small (Glymm says 3 uses)

retail value: $62 (210 mL)

2) Naked Princess Naked Shine Luscious Lip Gloss in "Barely Nude" 

This sexy gloss stimulates collagen, is non-tacky and plumps your lips ever so gently.

this reminds me of the Anastasia gloss sample in March`s - you guessed it - Glymm, because they are both the tiniest lip gloss samples i have ever seen. i have never heard of the brand Naked Princess before but i like their look and their use of healthy formulas in their products.
the Naked Shine glosses come in 8 shades of nude. "Barely Nude" is completely nude on me. it just makes my lips look shiny. i doubt there is any way to build on the color, and even if there was, i would not be able to attempt it since there is not enough product. i like that the gloss is free of a number of chemicals and that it is non-sticky. the gloss has a sweet scent to it that reminds me of another lip gloss that i can't exactly pinpoint right now.

size: 0.25 g

retail value: $26 (2.96 mL)

3) Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensée

An electrical current runs through the subtle sweetness of vanilla, jasmine and fresh lime to bond with rich oak moss, woods and spicy coriander.

of the many fragrance samples i have received, i enjoy the packaging of Atelier Cologne. even though it's in the form of a vial, which is harder to use, i like the neat postcard it comes with. i also like the scent of it. it's not something i would normally wear but the vanilla is sweet and not overpowering.

size: smaller (~20 uses)

retail value: $70 (30 mL)

4) The Laundress Delicate Wash (Lady)

Take care of your beautiful delicates and lingerie with a wash that's effective yet gentle.

not what you would be expecting from a beauty subscription service. i do not feel like i need some special detergent for my delicates so it's not entirely useful to me. does it make sense that i think it would've been neat if it was a bonus product instead?

size: 15 mL

retail value: $22 (500 mL)

5) BENTA BERRY G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream for Boys and Girls (Regulating Line) 

This cream is made from 100% natural active ingredients: burdock, jasmine, mandarin, blueberry, white dead-nettle and zinc pidolate.

pheww that is a long name!! the packaging is eye-catching but really hard to decipher. under the Glymm notes, it says: "Its subtle fragrance was designed by a famous perfumer for both boys and girls." i actually did not know that perfumer was a word. and who is this famous perfumer?
i'm blanking out again because the scent reminds me of something else... agh. anyways, it's lightweight and helps mattify the skin. it is a bit out of my price range though!

size: 3 mL

retail value: $22 (30 mL)

6) Mai Couture Foundation Powder Papier in "Nude Glow"

The Papier collection by Mai Couture exudes novelty and modernism. Whether you need coverage, color or highlights you’ll find a quick and effective solution here.

foundation powder papier. i am intrigued about the idea since i cannot see how one sheet could substitute for foundation but... 

funny how Glymm does not listen to customers' feedback because i clearly remember back in February, when there was backlash as people calculated how much 2 sheets of blush papier was worth ($0.70!!). here, we are sitting at $0.76. 

if you look closely at the papier, you can see little shimmers on it. other glows available: fair and golden.

size: 2 sheets 

retail value: $19 (50 sheets)

everything is just so tiny. a number of the samples can only be used once, or max twice. the bag is cute but i rather have better products. the value of the bag does not seem to exceed or even equal its cost - especially for those paying $12. i heard some got a full size nail polish though - what did you get in your Glymm? 

GLYMM BOX: April 2012

my Glymm box arrived Monday and it was super lightweight. is the label correct?? it stated 30 g. my Glossybox last month weighed 700 g..
also i've never received a white cardboard box before - it's usually pink. don't think that was really noteworthy but here is a picture anyway!

before receiving the box, i already knew the general consensus regarding the box's contents was that it was disappointing.
let's get started with April's samples:

1) Lucia Soap No. 6 - this is a very small piece of soap. the scent and size reminds me of hotel soaps. i've tested it just once but overall, this product is not very intriguing to me.
i took a picture comparing it with a regular sized soap.

size: 25 g
retail value: $17.50 (8 soaps of the same size - 25 g each) or $10 (per 165 g soap according to the Glymm website; for comparison purposes, the Dove soap is 90 g and when you buy them, they come in like packages of 3 so this Lucia one is quite pricey in my book)

2) Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine Fragrance - this itty bitty perfume sample came with a postcard which is a cute idea. the perfume smelled exactly like its name - i have never smelled perfume that was exactly like oranges. it is very different and interesting! i've smelled citrus scents before but this is very very orange-y. i don't know how else to explain it. haha.
size: unknown - average perfume vial sample
retail value: $60 (30 mL); $165 (200 mL) - i believe this is a tad more expensive than most other brands...

3) Free Your Mane Sulfate Free Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner - can't say i have tried this just yet since i heard that someone on Facebook had a massive reaction to it. i'm generally not very sensitive to these things (except when i was younger I had a reaction to Lubriderm). i decided to take it slow and just try the Lucia soap out first.
also, what is with the tiniest sample sizes in this box? with these shampoo/conditioner samples, i believe that to be regarded as "deluxe size" there should be more than one use. as mentioned before about these samples, i dislike the packaging.
size: 7.4 mL each (14.8 mL total)
retail value: $16 (300 mL)

4) Mai Couture Social Gloss in "G'Vinity" - so hooray, another lip product. i honestly cannot keep up! my first impression of the gloss color was not a good one. i thought it looked very white and would only wash me out. i checked out some other blogs and found that many people got some really nice colors. however, i'd have to admit, once i tried it, i actually liked it. it is SUPER sparkly and gives my lips a pearly sheen. sometimes it catches the light and looks sort of blue though.
and, this is quite the expensive lipgloss!

size: 5 mL (full size!)
retail value: $28

5) *bonus* NuMe $100 Gift Card - soooo this gift certificate definitely bumps the box up a notch since i was not delighted by the majority of the items. i thought the $100 was super generous until i went to the site and found that all the items you can purchase are over $100 and shipping to Canada costs $15. plus, the exact  "4 play" set on the NuMe website can be found at Winners - my sister bought me one for Christmas and the only 2 differences are that 1) there is no "NuMe" label on the hair curler and 2) it cost $49.99.

i agree with many of you out there: i think this was Glymm's most disappointing box. is it just me or do some "beauty" box subscription services throw in one actual makeup product and a bunch of cheaper products such as perfume samples, shampoo samples and lotions? i apologize if i sound greedy but in all honesty, the Free Your Mane samples cost $0.79. my favorite product would be the Mai Couture gloss and i find the Orange Sanguine perfume quite nice.
one more month until i have had subscribed to Glymm for half a year. i think it is about decision time!