TOPBOX: May 2013 [regular]

once again, i went with the regular box for my May Topbox. other choices included Coolway, Maskeraide, Elizabeth Arden or a February Favorites Topbox. there was also an option to upgrade to a Ferro Cosmetics or a PretendTAN Topbox.
i was slightly interested in the February Favorites Topbox that included a Deborah Lippmann polish, MUFE foundation and a B. Kamins cream but the colors available for the polish and the foundation was limiting.

here's what my regular Topbox looks like:

1) Cuccio Colour Nail Lacquer in "Tel-Aviv About It" - hmmm i think i've seen this brand before but i can't pinpoint where... was it Winners? or a liquidation store?

"Tel-Aviv About It" is a very neutral color - a "light tan" as described on the Cuccio website. neutrals tend to be more on the sheer side but Cuccio boasts a Triple Pigmentation Technology where you only need a max of two coats for opacity. i will put this to the test and update you on these claims at a later date since i am in the mood for some bright fun colors right now (it's too gloomy and rainy these days).

size: 13 mL (full size!)

retail value: $10

2) Lise Watier HAUTE COULEUR High Coverage Lip Lacquer in "Stylista" - doesn't the color look absolutely gorgeous in the tube? such a purdy shade of pink.

way way way back in my December Luxe Box, i also received a Lise Watier gloss but that was a sparkly nude and i don't think i've used it since then. "Stylista" is very pretty though and i've been using it quite often. the scent is actually the strongest fragrance i've encountered with a lipgloss. the color payoff is great but only lasts about an hour. 

size: 1.5 mL

retail value: $23 (6 mL)

3) Yaby Eyeshadow Refill in "ES553 Dragonling" - love the name! and the color is unique too - a matte lilac shadow (the photo is slightly more blue).
pigmentation is good at first but it will fade and become less intense throughout the day. it also applied patchy  (not super smooth as the card says) so a little blending is required.

i wonder if Topbox assumed that most of us were already ipsy subscribers since we all got a GlamRX Palette that is perfect for Yaby eyeshadows a couple of months ago. 

size: 15.5 mm / 3 g (full size!)

retail value: $3.15

4) Deborah Lippmann Smooth Operator Nail Buffer - it's a little hard to get excited about a nail buffer but this one has the 4 sides for shaping nails, buffing ridges, smoothing surfaces and adding shine. 

too bad this didn't come with a Deborah Lippmann polish! 

size: 1 nail buffer (full size!)

retail value: $12

so there we have it! looks like everything is a little small when i put them all together. it was an alright month... in fact, all the regular boxes i have gotten (last three months) were just okay, a little boring actually. it's too bad that even though there are more and more Prive box options available, none of them are appealing enough to me. i hope that next month will bring about better choices! 

also i was tempted to get something during Topbox's Spring Sale yesterday - but i forgot to actually get an order in. did you order anything?

TOPBOX: May 2012

what can i say ... Topbox is always on top of things, wouldn't you agree? it's funny because this month was the first month that i've ever gotten a shipping notification from Glymm BEFORE Topbox, but it turns out Canada Post only received shipping info from Glymm but didn't actually get the item until 3 days later.
and so that is how Topbox landed in my lap yesterday and Glymm is still stuck in Montreal.
Topbox is one of my favorite ones to open - i'm sure the long waiting list speaks for itself.
this month was no different as you can see from these samples found inside:

1) Deborah Lippmann in "Whatever Lola Wants" - i saw a sneak peek on Topbox's Facebook page and this was the first item i pulled out of the box. it was wrapped in purple tissue because, well, it's Deborah Lippmann nail polish!! i can never afford these! i was totally bummed when i signed up too late to get the November box last year since people received "An Enchanted Evening" - it's soooo pretty.
the sheer pink and the glitter in "Whatever Lola Wants"sorta reminds me of last month's Essie nail polish from Loose Button (Pink-a-Boo) but this one is less of a baby pink and has a pearly sheen to it.

once applied though, the pinkness hardly shows at all:

as you can see, the more coats you do, the more sparkly it gets; it also seems to look "frostier". but you aren't really building on the pink color at all. the polish itself dries super quickly.

-- update May 20/12 -- still wearing it and it looks exactly the same! no chips at all and i didn't even use a top coat! --

personally, i would have preferred another color but i haven't found anyone else who has received a different shade. i checked the Deborah Lippmann website since the card said that she collaborated with many celebrities to create nail polishes. "Whatever Lola Wants" was created with Kelly Ripa (she came by Banff recently!). it actually says her name on the bottom of the polish too.
size: 15 mL (full-size!)
retail value: $20

2) Cover FX ClearPrep FX Matte Foundation Primer & Anti-Acne Treatment Gel - anti-acne? i'm down! this is perfect timing as i have had 2 zits pop up on my face two days ago. one of them is sitting right on top of the apple of my cheeks, just wanting to get noticed. no amount of green concealer could hide it. :(
i am also very happy that this is an "anti-acne" product rather than an "anti-aging" one or something that wasn't customized for my skin. hooray for Topbox and their ability to read customer responses (many companies lack in this area). i used it today and the clear gel is unscented. i will continue to use this to test its anti-acne properties.
size: 7 mL
retail value: $39 (30 mL)

3) Orlane Anagenèse 25+ First Time-Fighting Care Eye Contour - the name sounds fancy. and i am a few months short of being 25... the info on the back appears to suggest the following equation: reaching 25 = fine lines. i knew turning 25 meant becoming a quarter of a century, but i am not ready for no fine lines!
anyhow, as you may recall, we received an Orlane product last month from Loose Button, and similarly, the box may look like a decent size, but the sample is actually much smaller due to a larger pamphlet with instructions and etc etc in 56 languages (do not quote me on this). this product is unscented and has a milky formula.
size: 2 mL
retail value: $75 (15 mL) ... ouch!

4) Expression Bronzing Powder Brush - i remember being asked a question regarding makeup brushes in Topbox's last survey... something like which brushes i used the most often? i think i selected all of the above. did anyone else get a different brush?
this is actually pretty cool - first time i received a makeup brush in one of these beauty subscription boxes. it's a pretty big one too! i've never payed more than $20 for a brush before and i can feel the difference! it is the softest brush that has ever touched my face.
size: full size!
retail value: $25

there are a couple of promotions that came along with this Topbox:
from May 10 - 24, you can get an 8-peice brush set for $49 ($130 value) on the Topbox site
from May 15 - June 15, bring in the invitation to receive a free Deborah Lippmann nail file at Holt Renfrew

-- update May 20/12 -- i dropped by Holt Renfrew today after grabbing breakfast with my dad downtown. it was nearby and i was going to do some shopping anyway so i went to the Core shopping center. it is a very normal nail file - it's just made from recycled paper, but i couldn't tell the difference. it's not an item i would go out of my way to get. the lady opened up a new package of nail files for me so they are not running out anytime soon. --

and if you haven't done so already, win a Pari Beauty gift set from Topbox on Facebook here (open until the 20th).

so Topbox has not disappointed me yet! they have been the most professional beauty subscription company - responds to emails quickly, delivers on time, least amount of problems with samples/customer service and the list goes on! i am very impressed with them and will be sticking around for a long time :)

-- update May 22/12 -- new Cover FX Giveaway from Topbox! enter here until May 31. --