LUXE BOX: December 2013 [Winter Edition]

gooooooooood evening!
i've swung by today to give you a mighty quick post on the... last... December box i have? i might be wrong. there could still be one more hiding.

this is getting ridiculous, i know i know!

here goes:

1) Clinique High Impact Mascara in "01 Black"
ho hum - i've seen plenty of these included in the gift sets during Clinique bonus time.

size: 3.5 mL

retail value: $9.50 (8 g)

2) COVERGIRL LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in "245 Ruby Twist"

i haven't dabbled with COVERGIRL for a while and i was surprised with how quickly i fell in love with this - the ease of application, the color, the moisturizing and light feel it has - all of it! it's so summery too which i am sure everyone is anticipating the change in weather.

size: 314 g (full size!)

retail value: $10

3) Essie Nail Lacquer in "728 Dive Bar"

most of the Essies in my collection are matte shades so this is something different. Essie calls this color "a mysterious blackest blue with shimmer". i love how it is dark with a blue-green shimmer. must try on my nails next week.

size: 13.5 mL (full size!)

retail value: $11

4) EVOLVh UltraShine Moisture Conditioner 

hmm something seems to be missing...

oh what's that? shampoo?

that's right! i don't know why Loose Button decided to cheap out on us and just give us the second step and not the first... 

but i must admit, i loved this when i received it in my Glymm bag who-knows-when (actually i do - it was September 2012!). it's natural, smells lovely and makes your hair feel super soft and light.

which is why i wish there was a shampoo to go with this!! aghhh 

size: 75 mL

retail value: $25 (250 mL)

5) Honibe Honey Lozenges in "Lemon"

whaaaaaaaaaaaat? 

size: 4 lozenges

retail value: $5.99 (10 pack); $9.99 (20 pack)

6) Loose Button Gel Eye Pads

i don't own a set of these so i was feeling okay about getting these. but if you scroll down a bit and see the value Loose Button slapped on these, your eyes might fall out of your head and you will no longer be able to use such expensive gel eye pads.

size: 2 pads

retail value: $30 (yaaaaaaaa right)

7) L'Occitane Pivoine Flora Eau de Toilette

the heart of this scent lies in peonies - which i like. it's not 'heavy' and the tiny bottle is adorbs. i actually haven't tried any L'Occittane eau de toilettes before (or even knew they had a fragrance line...).

size: 5 mL

retail value: $47 (80 mL)

8) Simple Pleasures Hand & Body Cream in "Vanilla Bloom"

the scent is nice and not overpowering but i can tell that creams like this one tend to be sold in clothing stores who throw all their body care items near the checkout i.e. F21, H&M. the lotion is watery so it does not do much for long-lasting moisture.

(oh wait! it is the same brand as the cream in last season's box - no wonder the quality felt the same...)

size: 237 mL (full size!)

retail value: $10

i sort of wish i could've cancelled when i was strong. but now there is another Luxe Box sitting in the corner, waiting for me to get around to it. i must say i am happy to try the COVERGIRL Jumbo Gloss Balm. the Honey Lozenges counted as 1 of my 8 items which is sort of silly... the cost of those eye pads were outrageous... conditioner, mascara, lotion - nothing really grabs me anymore.

maybe it's time.

are you still with Loose Button? and are you happy? 

thanks for reading!

GLYMM BAG: September 2012

i think i am one of the last few people getting their Glymm bags this month. i did not peek but i already caught glimpses of people's comments on Facebook that it wasn't a good one.
you know how sometimes if you lower your expectations, you may be pleasantly surprised?
well, it didn't happen.

the bag - cute, same as last month's but in white.
the card - does not exist.
the samples - no cosmetics. only shampoo, conditioner, makeup remover and creams.

so now that i've got you all excited about it, here's what i got!

September's bag consisted of:

1) EVOLVh UltraShine Moisture Shampoo
Ideal for both color treated and virgin hair, this Shampoo gently cleanses while infusing moisture and nutrients, leaving hair nourished.
when you click on the product on the Glymm site, under "What it does" - "Turns straw into silk." that's quite a statement. and it also prevents split ends? definitely worth a try for me.
it smells really nice (citrus-y and flowery) and lathers quite well for something that is sulfate free. both shampoo and conditioners are vegan, sulfate free, paraben free, sodium chloride free, keratin safe, color safe and not tested on animals. how impressive is that?
size: 59 mL (Glymm says: 14 uses)
retail value: $24 (250 mL)

2) EVOLVh UltraShine Moisture Conditioner
Rather than coating hair, this conditioner penetrates the hair shaft to moisturize and repair hair from the inside out.
the conditioner smells more coconut-y but there is no coconuts in the ingredients list. i felt like i had to use a lot of the conditioner because i didn't feel the conditioning effect. it felt like there was just water on my hair - but now that i read the above statement i understand that is what they meant by not coating the hair. right now, my hair does indeed feel softer and lighter.
i really like this EVOLVh line and once i am able to spend this much on shampoo and conditioners, i will gladly add this to my hair care system.
size: 59 mL
retail value:  $25 (250 mL)

3) La Fresh Waterproof Makeup Remover
Gently wipe your eyes & lips with love and good intention. Soon they will be sparkling clean. No need to rinse.
more makeup remover wipes! i heard these were actually a bit on the greasy side - i really dislike that feeling on my face and prefer my makeup removers to be oil-free.
size: 1 wipe x 2
retail value: $9.99 (24 wipes)

4) BENTA BERRY Super Moisturizing Face Cream for Girls (Preventative Line)
The high-quality super moisturizing face cream for girls is made from 100% natural active ingredients: apple, prickly pear, strawberry, kiwi, kigelia africana and macadamia oil.
again, BENTA BERRY. again, teeny weensy sample. again, designed by a famous perfumer. who? and what makes this specially for girls while last month's sample was for girls and boys?
it's moisturizing yes, but it smells like musky strawberries. if i had to choose, i prefer last month's.
size: 3 mL (Glymm: 7 uses)
retail value: $19 (30 mL)

5) Villainess Dulces En Fuego Whipped! Body Creme
Whip your skin into shape and 'redefine bad' with this thick, yet light and quite soluble body crème - much like edible whipped heavy cream. Yum.
this is a rather thick cream but absorbs easily into the skin. and like its name, it looks whipped. when you open it, you can see a layer of oil. smells like cinnamon chocolate cookies - reminds me of Christmas.
the official description of the scent is this: musky bitter chocolate with vanilla, citrus, black pepper and nutmeg. very interesting combination!
i usually use floral or fruity scented lotions so this is definitely odd for me. the brand looks appealing though and so i checked out their website. i definitely want to try their other Whipped! Body Cremes - like Paradise Misplaced Whipped!. doesn't coconut, mango and green tea sound absolutely yummy??
or what about Candy Floss Cupcake Whipped!? pink cotton candy and buttercream frosted cupcake...
oh my. for those in Ontario, there are 2 stores that sell Villainess products!
size: N/A but i am guessing 15 mL-ish? (Glymm: 3 uses)
retail value: $15.75 (177 mL)

so Glymm - not the best beauty subscription service out there. we can all agree on that. many are unhappy and unsubscribing or are on the verge. i am on the verge. my sister bought me the subscription last December as a Christmas present, and even though we didn't select the one-year option, i think i just might hold out until then. i am curious how Glymm will respond to the negativity they have been receiving. the negativity has been there for a number of months now and it is about time Glymm addresses the issues.

i am most pleased with the EVOLVh products - decent sizes and free of harmful chemicals. usually i do not pick the shampoo/conditioner, but that's just what it says about the bag.
on a different note, i have updated my September Topbox entry to show you my Balenciaga pouch i picked up at Holt Renfrew as well as my e.l.f Matte Lip Color review with my recent discovery!