GLYMM BAG: May 2012

hello Glymm box that decided to show up finally (still earlier than Luxe Box and Glossybox - i was just anxious because i received the notification on the 11th)!
i already heard of the new packaging from other Facebookers and was aware of the price increase from $10 to $12 for new subscribers. you know how i was thinking of possibly dropping Glymm from my list? well i believe they have redeemed themselves! but i have to keep reminding myself that paying $10 instead of $12 per box is NOT equal to saving $2. i have a weird way of thinking when it comes to sales or discounts.

so even the outer cardboard box was slightly different (orange font and a Glymm sticker).
upon opening it i find the "Glymm Goes Green" note about how the company is taking a more eco-friendly stance. good for them :)
underneath that was the Glymm product card which also got a makeover. it opens up and is pretty big. i like the new format. i find that it gives you more information about the product and they've even included sample usage.
and underneath that was ... something wrapped in tissue. it was the new Glymm bag. it's very cute. i'm not sure if i will continue to like this when i've received more than 3 or something but i think i'll find some ways to reuse it.

the bag was super stuffed as you can see the zipper wasn't done up completely and there's a huge bulge in the middle.

this month's samples (it's a pretty long list!)

1) CK One Shock for Her and CK One Shock for Him - i haven't received this pair before and i heard that this smells lovely so i was happy. the CK Shock for Her does smell good - it's a non-overwhelming floral and i feel there's a touch of citrus-ness which are the two types of scents i prefer. since the card says i can have 35 uses from this sample, i think that's an adequate amount for me to determine whether i want to invest in a full sized bottle. i'll pass the CK Shock for Him sample to my boyfriend but he doesn't really wear cologne so we'll see. i just sprayed it on a blanket though and i find it a little too powerful. one spray is too much! i am not a fan of it. it sort of smells musky to me - i can't pinpoint any of the scents but it's on the card if you wanted to know.
size: 1.2 mL each x 2 = 2.4 mL
retail value: $45 (50 mL)

watermelon colors!

2) Coola Mineral Matte Cucumber Face Sunscreen - yay for sunscreen! i'm becoming more concerned about sun exposure so i welcome anything with spf. this one in particular has spf 30 and oddly enough, it says "chemical free sunblock" on the front. both ingredients on the back would be considered chemicals.  and on the back it also says "solar powered suncare" - so the sunscreen works when it is in the sun? ... how amazing...
also i don't think i'll get 4 uses out of this since in order to get the same amount of spf as listed, you're supposed to apply a pretty thick layer on your skin (like you were frosting a cake!) - i am guessing i can get maybe 2 uses?
size: 5 mL
retail value: $36 (50 ml)

the blanket is making me dizzy.

3) NuMe HydroPunch Hydrating Conditioner - i haven't tried any hair products with Argan oil so i'm excited to try this.
-- update July 18/12 -- tried this with the shampoo. it smells nice but my hair doesn't feel any different than from using other shampoos and conditioners. strange that my shampoo (from July's Topbox) was sealed but this conditioner wasn't. --
size: 20 mL
retail value: $24.99 (250 mL)

4) Mèreadesso Tinted Lip Treat in "Sheer Pink" - first time i've tried this brand even though i've heard other bloggers receive it in their previous boxes. i took off the lid and whoops! the whole lip product fell out. i took a picture so you can see how much product there is. oh well, i just shoved it back in. notice there wasn't a "Fragile" sticker on this month's Glymm.

swatches on my lips:

i'm happy with the color choice - for a "sheer" color, it actually builds up pretty well. it looks a bit frosty on my lips. also, even though it's moisturizing like a lip balm, this particular color brings out the imperfections of my lips (i.e. dry cracks). the scent reminds me of Dermologica Microfoliant (rice-based). 

i wanted to show you how you could build the color up. swatching it once gives the tiniest hint of color but 6 swipes gives a nice pink tint. 

size: 1.2 g

retail value: $28 (package of 2; 2.4 g)

5) Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Scrub - when i first saw this in the bag, i was like "what! they went back to jelly beans?" but nope. 

the jar is pretty large - the packaging is quite fancy for a sample. this is a best seller for the company but i don't think i'd be buying it even though i haven't tested it out yet. the scrub smells too strongly of ginger which i really dislike eating. i will still update you on my review though.

size: 60 g

retail value: $29 (150 g)

6) Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst-Quenching Serum and Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet - after finding out that the other Caudalie product was not jellybeans, i was like "oh WAIT, there are candies!" but again, no.  these are really cute looking but odd at the same time. i don't know how i could reuse this because i'd have to lay it upright somehow and its current shape already makes it difficult. a card was included in the bag promoting these two products (promo: free lip balm with the purchase of 2 Vinosource products until June 4th). 

and since when did "sorbet" refer to a type of skin product? i want some actual sorbet!

size: 1 mL each x 2 = 2 mL

retail value: serum - $48 (30 mL); sorbet - $38 (40 mL)

there was no particular sample that was absolutely amazing to me but none of them disappointed me either. so i'd have to say that Glymm has definitely improved this month. i feel that i'm gonna stick around for a bit and see if this $2 increase in price will help them improve their sample selection and customer service. if you are interested in joining, please sign up via my link. i appreciate it!

IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: did you hear that Julep is giving away an iPad as well as 80+ nail polishes!? that is an *astounding* amount of nail polish!!! so go enter the contest before June 15th!!