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Showing posts with label China Glaze. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China Glaze. Show all posts

Saturday, December 14, 2013

LUXE BOX: October 2013 [Fall Edition]

hellooooooooooo lovelies! it is December! two weeks in and i hardly started Christmas shopping... i probably have 1.75 gifts done. ack! definitely got more shopping for myself done... how's your Christmas shopping going??

btw, parking is getting insane! the last two times i've gone to the mall, it has literally been like stalking prey and stealing their parking spots. it's crazy out there!

speaking of craziness, we had a blizzard that started about 9 days ago and temperatures dropped to about -43 degrees with windchill. since then, there has been over 2,000 car accidents! yikes! stay safe on the road!

anyway, quick post about my Loose Button box for Fall (you know, Winter hasn't officially started yet!) -

1) Loose Button Flat Eye Shadow Brush
The tapered, flat bristles work brilliantly for packing eyeshadow on the lid.


the Loose Button branded items are very hit or miss with me. with this eye shadow brush, it's a hit. at first i wasn't too impressed... but then i watched the Makeup Geek video and i realized that i had never pressed eyeshadow on like that - it's life-changing. really.
size: 1 brush (full size!)
retail value: $19

2) L'Occitane Supple Skin Oil
Enriched with powerful almond proteins and essential oils of peppermint, palmarosa and Immortelle. Supple Skin Oil works to protect the skin's support tissue and fight against loss of elasticity. Deeply nourishing formula can be used to prevent the formation of stretch marks.


i've bought a few stretch mark products in my lifetime but have not fully incorporated them into my routine regularly enough to see results. i do not see myself getting more stretch marks anytime soon but will definitely keep it in mind!
size: 15 mL
retail value: $52 (50 mL)

3) Michael Kors SPORTY CITRUS, SEXY AMBER and GLAM JASMINE Eau De Parfum Sprays
Sporty Citrus: A dazzling burst of citrus with luscious orange flower and a hint of warm woods. Casually chic and fresh.
Sexy Amber: A spotlight on warm amber wrapped in sandalwood, layered with white flowers. Sumptuous and deeply seductive.
Glam Jasmine: A bouquet of lush jasmine with accents of creamy woods. Overtly feminine and head-turning.


i'm a fan of Michael Kors but these perfume sprays are not exactly my cup of tea. "Sporty Citrus" was my least favorite - it was really musky and strong... not very citrusy at all and quite overwhelming actually.
"Sexy Amber" was slightly better, but still rather musky and overpowering. it does smell like flowers though. and next we have "Glam Jasmine". which would be my pick from the three. most floral and girly of them all. plus it is much 'lighter' than the other two.
i have the say the packing of the three scents are really cute though.
size: 1.5 mL each x 3
retail value: $75 (50 mL)

4) TheBalm Instain Powder Blush in "Swiss Dot"
TheBalm’s long-wearing, staining powder blush is a fashion must have! Perfect for all seasons and skin tones, it will give your cheeks color that won’t quit.

i have a full size version in "Houndstooth" which i am using almost everyday (much much delayed review on that one!) and this color - "Swiss Dot" is pretty awesome as well.
"Swiss Dot" is a peach color and it's a very pigmented peach. a little goes a long, long, long way. the sample looks rather tiny but i am sure it would last you a while. the little magnetic booklet is also super cute and convenient to throw in your purse.
size: 0.5 g
retail value: $28 (5.5 g)

5) HSI Professional Argan Oil 
Infuse your hair with essential nutrients to instantly give your locks a healthy, shiny and smooth appearance. This formula protects your hair from heat styling without weighing down your hair.

is it just me or should i be expecting more than sample sachets from Loose Button?? i mean, this is supposed to be a LUXE box and one-use sachets don`t scream luxe to me.

here, we have 4 one-use sachets of argan oil for your hair. my hair has been rather damaged since dying my hair (i cannot believe how quickly i got split ends) so sure, argan oil, i will use you. i`ve only used half of one on my ends since i am not a fan of oily hair. it feels nice and soft right now but that`s pretty much expected of any hair oil.
size: 1 use packet x 4
retail value: $30 (60 mL)

6) Simple Pleasures Hand Cream in "Melon Mist"
Pamper your hard-working hands with this enriching formula, by Simple Pleasures.

i am not exactly sure why - but it`s probably the packaging - but this lotion seems very cheap to me. the pattern, the gold font, the list of ingredients that include various colors and numbers... meh. i was not surprised that when i used it, the cream itself was very watery. i found that i needed to reapply within 30 minutes. "Melon Mist" could almost have been mistaken for "Unscented" since the melon is sooooo light, it is almost undetectable.

size: 50 mL (full size!)
retail value: $10

7) China Glaze Nail Lacquer in "81348 Gossip Over Gimlets" 
Dive into the Autumn Nights Collection with China Glaze. This formula not only includes nail hardeners, but is super opaque allowing for minimal coats.

the Fall 2013 Autumn Nights Collection consists of 12 colors. "Gossip Over Gimlets" is a silver foil with little gold specks in it. i don't exactly like silver nail polish so this would be my least favorite color in the whole collection. not going to do a swatch since i don't think it's worth cracking open...
size: 14 mL (full size!)
retail value: $7

sooooo i am sure you can tell that i was just not impressed with this box. it saddens me to think that i paid almost $30 for this. i am not amazed by anything really in this box but i am happy about the brush and the powder blush. i really hope the Winter box will  be better since it is around the holidays or i really will be saying goodbye to another subscription. i've finally discovered the power to say no to subscriptions so *pat on the back*.
so thanks for reading! happy holidays!!

Thursday, November 22, 2012

TOPBOX: November 2012

my Topbox arrived with my ipsy on Monday. i did the ipsy post first since it was new and exciting; meanwhile my eagerness to tear open Topboxes has been dampened these past few months. if you asked me a few months ago, Topbox and Glossybox was unarguably my top two faves. but after the price increases and the entry of a new player into the market, it seems that i am not so sure anymore where Topbox stands. Glossybox definitely does not seem to provide the same value for my money so it is going on the chopping block after the holidays. ipsy has shone a whole new light since they are more makeup-oriented, which is really why i started signing up for all these beauty boxes in the first place. Topbox used to never include fragrance or tiny tiny samples, but here we are today...

November's items (Box 26 - that's a ton of versions...):

1) B. Kamins Nia-Stem Moisturizer Kx & Nia-Stem Serum Kx - i tried my first B. Kamins (Canadian) product last month with the help of Glossybox. now i have two more - and these ones are also quite expensive!
the serum (to be applied prior to the moisturizer) does not feel oily and is absorbed quickly into the skin. the lightly scented moisturizer is also absorbed pretty quickly and my skin feels hydrated but i am surprised that it actually did not leave my face feeling smoother.

both of these products are part of the Nia-Stem line (anti-aging) and contain niacin, plant stem-cells and Bio-Maple Compound... wait a second! doesn't something sound familiar here? plant stem-cells!! i was just talking about another anti-aging product in my ipsy bag in the post right before this one! guess plant stem cells are all the rage right now.
size: 3 g each
retail value: moisturizer - $125 (50 mL); serum - $135 (30 mL)

2) China Glaze Nail Lacquer in "80527 I'm Not Lion" - this polish is part of the Fall 2012 On Safari Collection and the name is just too cute. there's another one called "I Herd That" and "Prey Tell" teehee.

i recall that when Topbox sent out their monthly surveys that one of the questions asked was about nail trends that i would like to try. i selected 2 of the 3 options: dark & stormy and bold sparkles (the other option was camouflage).
"I'm Not Lion" looks like a pale gold with holographic glitter. i'll have swatches coming soon!
size: 14 mL (full size!)
retail value: $10-12

3) Cuccio Naturale Butter Blend in "Pomegranate & Fig" - i encountered some difficulty when i tried to use this product... you actually have to cut the tip off. i like the tube packaging of this cream - makes it really easy to get the product out. plus, the tube is clear so you can see how much you have left.
i love pomegranates but this smelled more like grapefruit to me. i really like the formula - non-greasy, moisturizing and smells good :) perfect for throwing into my purse.

size: 9.24 g
retail value: $18.95 (240 g)

4) Roberto Cavalli Eau de Parfum - so this parfum sample is almost an exact replica of the actual bottle (just minus the tiger-print ring around the neck). i really like the perfume topper (the Roberto Cavalli symbol). i'd suggest you hold on to the base instead when wiggling the top off so you don't spill it everywhere.
the sample is the type where you have to dab the perfume on. from the website, i found out the top notes are pink peppers, the heart (middle) notes are orange blossoms and the base notes are tonka beans.
of course, i can't detect all that but it definitely is a floral. i don't love the scent but it's not bad either.
size: 5 mL
retail value: $80 (50 mL); $105 (75 mL)

overall, it's an okay box. there is a full size nail polish but on a whole, Topbox samples seem to be getting smaller and smaller. i really hoped that accepting more subscribers didn't impact the quality of Topbox but it looks like it did...
new Topbox card cover
what did you think about the box?
here are some Topbox giveaways you should check out:
- Pure + simple gift set (ends Nov 27)
- boxx cosmetics makeup set (ends Nov 29)

P.S. thanks Jayne for the Dropbox tip! :)

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

TOPBOX: July 2012

i'm a little late posting this since my Topbox was delivered last Thursday but the Calgary Stampede and my birthday took up my weekend.

so without further ado, my Topbox for July contained:

1) China Glaze Nail Lacquer in "70290 Purple Panic (Neon)" - yesyesyesyesyes!! i only did the post on my other neon nail polish last week and i loved the color and now Topbox hands me this amazingly bright magenta polish... love! i recall doing their survey a few weeks ago and there was a question regarding nail polish color preferences and i selected summer neons or something along those lines.

"Purple Panic" is from a pretty old collection - Summer 2006's Wow Factor - which consists of 5 other neons.  it's a cool magenta color (rather than purple) with some shimmer.
i used two coats in the following swatches. it dries really quickly as it dries matte. again, the neon is too powerful to be picked up properly by my camera... it's actually brighter and less pink.
artificial light 

natural light

i decided to do a subtle accent nail look by adding a topcoat. the glossiness brings out the shimmer when you look very closely.

size: 14 mL (full size!)
retail value: $10 - $12

2) NuMe Style Hydro Punch Hydrating Shampoo - hooray! my Conditioner from May 2012's Glymm is lonely no more!

i used both of them together and although i liked the smell, it didn't do anything spectacular to my hair - or i just didn't notice it. good to know that it does not contain parabens or paraffins.
did anyone else have a shampoo that was sealed but the conditioner wasn't?...

also got a $100 gift certificate from the company to use on styling tools and hair extensions. sound familiar? because Glymm also sent this out in the April 2012 box. i find NuMe products at Winners all the time and for much cheaper than on their website. when i say much cheaper, i mean that online their Vintage Ceramic Iron is $165 + $14.95 (shipping) - $100 (gift certificate) = $79.95 or you can buy the exact same one at Winners for $39.99 (not including GST of course). so definitely not worth it if you live near a Winners!
size: 20 mL
retail value: $24.99 (250 mL)

3) Pure + simple Calming Cucumber Mask - so i went to the company's website to find out more on how to use this item. it says to apply the mask after cleansing and toning (or preferably after exfoliating) and leave it on for 30 minutes. 30 minutes! that sounds like a long time! i don't use masks often but the samples i have received in the past suggested approximately 15 minutes. the other option was to leave it on overnight. i wasn't too fond of the idea of rubbing the cucumber mask onto my pillow so i decided to go with the former idea.
on the site, you can also find lists of routines that incorporates other products from Pure + simple. the product can actually be refrigerated which i assume increases the cooling effect of the mask.
the product is dispensed through the pump as a clear (with a greenish hue) gel and does not feel overly tight on my face. my face felt fresh and smooth afterwards. this was a very good sized sample for a mask since i don't seem to be using too much each time. definitely will last me a while!

size: 20 mL
retail value: $25.25 (50 mL)

4) SAMPAR Essentials Ultra Hydrating Fluid - SAMPAR originates from Paris and this specific product aims to do 3 things: moisturize, protect and resurface. it is to be used on cleansed skin twice a day.

the scent is pretty strong and smells like.. i'd hate to use this term again, but something older ladies would enjoy. it is moisturizing and does not leave a greasy feeling. the full size is a bit pricey but fear not - i have spotted SAMPAR at Winners as of yesterday. my Winners didn't carry this particular product but had a number of other products priced between $19.99 and $29.99. ahh... i heart Winners.

size: 2 mL x 2  = 4 mL
retail value: $80 (50 mL)

so maybe i've been spoiled by Topbox but i felt that this month's box was not extraordinary. yes, i love the nail polish and the other items are good but it did not have the same wow factor their previous boxes had (hahaaa - re: China Glaze's Purple Panic).
Topbox is currently holding a NuMe Sweepstakes on FB right now; you can check it out here.
did you enjoy your Topbox this month?

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