GLOSSYBOX: February 2013

soooooo i am stuck in Fernie right now due to poor road conditions but i am not complaining since i actually have time to put this post up right away! (had to call in to work though... not sure how well they took it since i've only been there for a little over a month!)

i bring you Glossybox's One Year Anniversary Box which i received just last Friday (March 1). i am totally trying to do these posts quicker for you... i still have my ipsy one to do but i can't upload those pictures yet since i don't have the right camera with me :/

just take a look at this pretty packaging! the pink, the bow... it really makes you hope that the contents inside are not a disappointment (Glossybox actually delivers this month!)

for this special box, i got V2. there was also a Golden Ticket item (ruffle undies) for 50 people. i still haven't been lucky enough to be 1 of the 50!

February's box of love:

1) Givenchy Gloss Interdit in "03 - Coral Frenzy" - ooooo Givenchy hey? Glossybox got all fancy shmancy with their anniversary box. this tube of gloss may seem tiny but considering that the full size is less than twice its size, the sample one is worth over $15!

"Coral Frenzy" is described as a soft coral. on my lips, the coral hardly shows but the shimmer is definitely there. the floral-scented gloss has a brush applicator and lasts about three hours on me. i like that it feels lightweight on my lips. at first, i would've said it was non-sticky, but after trying Benefit's lip glosses, i'd have to say that this one feels stickier than that.

on the Sephora website, the scent is described thoroughly - with top notes, middle notes and base notes - like a true fragrance - i am guessing that Givenchy put a lot of thought into the smell of their lip glosses.

size: 3.5 mL
retail value: $30 (6 mL)

2) Essence Quattro Eyeshadow in "03 Vamp It Up" - i've tried a ton of Essence products since i love the range and how affordable it is but i haven't tried their eyeshadows. the colors of "Vamp It Up" look fun and are colors that i'd use so i gladly opened this.

i found that the colors, although pretty, are rather chalky and the pigmentation is just okay. i'd say the blue is the most pigmented.

size: 5 g (full size!)
retail value: $3.99

3) Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips (Ultra) - ooo i am going to have some fun nights with these! the last time i used them was in August and it was my first time in a long time. the strips got really hard around my nose and i felt that it worked pretty good. yay for no blackheads!

size: 6 nose strips (full size!)
retail value: $9.99

4) Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Oil Treatment - it seems like hair oils are getting really popular now... this specific brand has been widely talked about on the blogosphere and i'm glad that we get to try a full sized version of it! i've been using this on the ends of my dry hair and it feels softer and actually looks healthier.
not exactly sure how to describe the scent to you but it is what you'd think macadamia oil would smell like...

size: 30 mL (full size!)
retail value: $13.50

5) Anatomicals You Need A Blooming Shower! Your Nose Smells Rose Body Cleanser - this cleanser is now called "Rose and Jasmine Body Cleanser". i think Glossybox might have gotten a load of the old packaging but i am not complaining since i have never heard of this English brand and i am happy to try it.
it is interesting how they use they term "blooming" as you learn from the excerpt on the back.  the paraben-free cleanser smells like roses and it might smell really strong when you sniff it right from the cap but when i use it in the shower, it is actually not overpowering.

size: 150 mL (full size!)
retail value: $3

6) *bonus* Eucerin Hyal-Urea Anti-Wrinkle Day/Night Cream Sachet - i haven't tried it yet but it is nice to try the day version and the night one together; although, i do not have "dry and very dry" skin...

size: 1.5 mL each x 2
retail value: $18.50 (50 mL) each

7) *bonus* Crabtree & Evelyn Tarocco Orange Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy Sachet - i have never tried Crabtree & Evelyn products before, even though i have walked by a couple of their stores. ever since i tried the Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange body butter, i have taken a liking to blood orange scents so i think i will like this. it would be nice to too, since the Glossybox card says to stay tuned for a full size version!

size: 5 g
retail value: $8 (25 g)

8) *bonus* Glossybox Glossy Anniversary Cupcake Kit - this was a cute idea to celebrate the first year anniversary. i haven't baked cupcakes for a while now but now that i have these...

size: N/A (full size!)
retail value: N/A

so as expected, Glossybox stepped up their game with their anniversary box. why, there were even a number of non-drugstore items in the box!! the packaging and bonus items were also a nice touch. sadly, i don't think these occasional great boxes make up for the other ones including the discontinued/expired product issue and the price hike.
what are your feelings on February's box?

GLOSSYBOX: August 2012

August's Glossybox arrived on September 4 (surprise, surprise).

seems like there are a few versions out there - i've seen people get nail polishes, satin powders or 2 lipsticks.  i myself got V6 (eyeliner!). this month, the version is noted on the bottom right hand corner of the card instead of on the shipping box label.

August's sample list:

1) Sebastian Potion 9 Lite Treatment Styler - so i usually do not invest a lot of my money in hair products - other than shampoo and conditioners, all i really buy are hairsprays or hair mousse. ever since i subscribed to the beauty boxes, i've had an exponential increase in other hair products such as dry shampoo, hair masks and this Sebastian product... wait, what does a treatment styler actually do??
according to the directions, it is to be used "anytime to boost your style". that doesn't really tell me much either.
i sprayed it on today and all i seem to get is some nice-smelling hair and some added texture. 

size: 50 mL

retail value: $20.95 (150 mL)

2) Bioré Make-up Removing Towelettes - speaking of types of products that have been growing exponentially, this is another good example. since i have so many different cleansing wipes/makeup removers now,  i don't think i will have to buy anymore for the next two years. 

size: 10 towelettes (full size!-ish)

retail value: $$14.99 (60 towelettes); $9.99 (30); $3.99 (10)

3) Kryolan for Glossybox Lipstick in "Glossy Pink" - i have no idea who Kryolan is but this is a cute lipstick! i think it's adorable how they named it "Glossy Pink" - it is not the same light pink as the signature Glossybox color but a more wearable version.
... until you put it on that is. it actually turns out to be a very pigmented pink with a slightly blue undertone. when i wore it today, it definitely was the focal point on my face. very eye-catching. it's not a pink i usually wear but i think i might start. it also lasts a decent amount of time - approximately 5 hours - and feels moisturizing.

see below for arm swatches!

size: 4 g (full size!)

retail value: N/A - special edition; available only for Glossybox members (a regular Kryolan lipstick retails for $16.99)

4) Layla Glitter in Eyeliner in "#8" - i am glad that there are two makeup products this month! this eyeliner is a soft black loaded with gold glitter. i have a few glitter eyeliners lying here and there but i hardly ever reach for them since i prefer an intense black. but perhaps i could wear it on top of a black eyeliner to make it darker. or just wear it on on days i need a little extra sparkle.
the liquid eyeliner is applied with a thin brush which requires a steadier hand. i find that glitter eyeliners have an odd smell to them and this one does too. don't sniff your eyeliner.

size: 6 mL (full size!)

retail value: $12.99

5) Befine Fine Food Skin Care - the box itself was already very appealing - there are pictures of coconuts and chocolate so i was already thinking that whatever skin care item it was, it was going to be delicious!
i was really excited to find that there were skin care items - 5 of them in fact. they are all natural and say "single serve" but the packets seem large enough for more than 1 use.

the 5 packets are:
* Exfoliating Cleanser (sweet almond)
* Gentle Cleanser (mint)
* Night Cream (yum cocoa!)
* Pore Refining Treatment Scrub (coconut!)
* Warming Clay Mask (mmm pomegranate!)

i really like how they sent like the whole skin care system. it's nice that i can test them all out at once and see how they work together.
the box also contained a 20% off promo code. shipping outside the U.S. is $20 (eep!). 

size: mask packet @ 14 g; all other packets @ 10 mL

retail value:
   US$24 for Exfoliating Cleanser (120 mL) / Gentle Cleanser (100 mL) / Pore Refining Scrub Treatment         (90 mL)
   US$30 for Night Cream (50 mL)
   US$25 for Warming Clay Mask (150 mL)
   or US$2 per individual packet!

6) *bonus* Trend Trunk Mystery Gift Card - interesting. the only way to find out how much you have on your card (ranging from $5 to $250, so probably $5) is to register. aaaaaaand i just did and yep, $5. so basically how it works is that you can sell your unwanted items online.  Trend Trunk has partnered with Canada Post so once you sell something, they will email you a pre-paid Expresspost shipping label that doesn't cost you (the seller) anything. the buyer has to pay $8 for shipping though. for their services, Trend Trunk takes 20% of your profit.
it might be a good idea for me since i own way way too many clothes. i often go through my closet and be like "when did i get this??". 

size: 1 gift card

retail value: $5-$250

7) *bonus* Elastoplast SOS Blister Bandage - this could have been SO useful on my L.A. trip. it's actually a pretty gross story. we were shopping at a mall in Koreatown and i ran my foot into one of those metal clothing racks. i winced from the pain but didn't think twice about it (i am a very focused shopper). when i gathered up a few items and walked into the change room though, i felt something sticky underneath my foot (i was wearing flip-flops). and to my astonishment, it was my blood pooling between my foot and my flip-flop. there was a cut on my baby toe and it just kept bleeding non-stop for over 10 minutes - i didn't think the cut was that deep! it was pretty scary though. we had to go down to the supermarket downstairs and buy some band-aids.
i know this Elastoplast is for blisters but it would've been the perfect size to cover my whole toe!
there's also a $2 off coupon inside the booklet.

size: 1 bandage

retail value: $5.99 (5 bandages)

i think it was a pretty good box overall - "most interesting product" goes to the Befine sample pack, "most likely to be used" goes to... hmm it's a toss-up between the lipstick and the eyeliner. both are products i use often - i hardly ever complain about makeup products in my beauty boxes.

what did you think of your Glossyboxes last month?
now onto my Luxe Box post! 

GLOSSYBOX: June 2012

unfortunately, Glossybox has a reputation for delivering extremely late in the month. and this month was no exception. my June box arrived yesterday on July 3.as usual, however, the box was pretty heavyyy. i took off the lid and noticed that the box was pretty much filled to the brim. if anyone was wondering, i am a V4 (according to Glossybox, there are different versions of the box based on the skin type you selected in your beauty profile). this is quite the list of June's samples:

1) Bioré Combination Skin Balancing Cleanser - this is one of the items weighing the box down! this is a full-sized product and Glossybox took into account my combination skin. i admit i have not tried Bioré products before even though i've heard many many great things about their nose strips. based on one use, i really like the fresh scent and it feels gentle. it comes out as a clear liquid and becomes a foam. i will start using this regularly after my current cleanser is used up.
size: 200 mL (full size!)
retail value: $9.99

2) Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen Lotion SPF 55 - ahhh this is one item i would've loved to receive before the long weekend. SPF 55 would've been great for lying in a canoe all day (i did not do much/any paddling). still will be useful for the rest of the summer... and the upcoming Calgary Stampede.
size: 14 mL
retail value: $15.99 (88 mL)

3) Wella Professionals Ocean Spritz Beach Texture Hairspray - it appears that Wella is popping up all over the place! but wait!!! is this a beach texture hairspray?! i am so so so very excited about this product :) i've been wanting to try salt sprays to get beachy waves. i don't think it's possible with my hair but i've wanted to try forever. and another full-sized item? whoohoo!!
i tried it today and found that it gave me the piecey hair look - when your ends are separated into.. pieces? i lack the ability to describe this properly. anyway, about 12 spritzes gave me that look but some of the ends seemed to lie straight. perhaps i need to use more product since i have very thick hair. also i was focused on using this product on my ends only - but then my hair looked super flat on my head so i'd recommend using the hairspray all over. i'll try again tomorrow!
size: 150 mL (full size!)
retail value: $16.99

4) Olay Regenerist Wrinkle Revolution Complex - okay, who thought it would be funny to give me another one of these?? not cool.
size: 7 mL
retail value: $30.99 (50 mL)

5) CoverGirl Blast Flipstick Blendable Lip Duo in "800 Whisper" - i already own one of these from Christmas in the color "Cheeky" which i'll do another post on soon. on FB, it seems like the majority received the color "Minx" which i am glad i did not. the creme side of "Whisper" looks like a pink leaning on purple while the other is a shimmery darker version of it. i forgot how pigmented these Flipsticks are! i like the idea of creating different variations with the two lipsticks, but in reality, i rarely blend lipsticks together. the lipsticks do not have individual names so the clear packaging is useful in that you can see the actual colors (way better than guessing based on its name anyway).

i first tried on the lighter creme side and look at how it brings out the lines on my lips... it is very pigmented and the color is very light and does not complement my skin tone. wayy too frosty of a finish. my bottom lip looks like a very light pink but the rest is lilac-y.

next, i tried on the darker shimmery shade. again i was surprised, but this time at how metallic my lips look. very purple with a golden sheen. egad! look at those lip lines (does anyone still say egad?).

it says "New" on the packaging as well as on the card. i think these have been out for a while now. i'm curious as to when is something "New" not considered new anymore?
i'll have to say that i am not a huge fan of this lip product. although it has great color payoff, it is very drying. i noticed while wearing it that i needed to apply lip balm. but the day after you wear it is the bigger concern - every time i licked my lips, i could feel every single dry patch on my lips. i had to reapply lip balm constantly today. i am also not a huge fan of this color. AND it has a very unnatural taste - like i'm licking chemicals or soap. yuck.
size: 3.8 g (full size!)
retail value: $12.50

6) Gillette Venus Embrace Razor - i see Glossybox has ventured into an area where only Loose Button had been before - razor territory. this one i do not currently have in my stash. i will eventually get through them but i think i am set for the year.
size: 1 razor and 1 cartridge (full size!)
retail value: $13.43

7) **bonus ** Bioré Deep Cleansing Pore Strips - yay! the thing i mentioned in 1). i am excited to try this!
size: 1 pore strip
retail value: $9.99 (8 pore strips)

hmm, as you already know, most of these are drugstore items. but then again, most of them are also full sized. i feel that beauty box services need to find that balance between drugstore and high-end names, especially those that advertise "luxury" items. i enjoy receiving drugstore items since these are usually the items i am able to purchase on my own, but i also enjoy learning about brands i haven't heard before or products i haven't tried. so this box was not a miss for me - i love the Wella hairspray and i'll definitely use the Bioré cleanser, Neutrogena sunscreen and razor on a regular basis.

did you like your Glossybox this month? BB5 review coming shortly!
while you wait, why not enter Topbox's current Vasanti Cosmetics sweepstakes here?