BEAUTY BOX 5: December 2012

on the last day of December, i received my BB5 as well as my Glossybox (post on that later - there's quite a bit of drama with this one).

products this month was listed inside the form of a holiday card, along with some poetry. it was very cute - i love the thought they put into this.

December's products:

1) Jean Pierre Cosmetics Exfoliating Facial Cleansing Pads with Microbeads - this is a brand i've never heard of before. it looks like Jean Pierre Cosmetics specializes in all kinds of towelettes including self tan ones and nail polish remover wipes.

i should take a break from my makeup remover and cotton balls and start using these makeup remover wipes (i am currently hoarding quite a few!). 

size: 16 pads (full size!)

retail value: $1.99

shipping to Canada: not available in Canada - unless you want to use a package forwarding service

2) Everyday Minerals Flat Top Brush - i know this particular item got a lot of ladies to sign up for a subscription when BB5 posted a spoiler on Facebook. i, too, was quite excited! 

the brush is thick but small at the same time. the synthetic bristles are incredibly soft! very nice to the touch and it is 100% vegan. this flat top brush is ideal for applying powder and can be used to build up coverage.  

size: 1 brush (full size!)

retail value: $12.99

promotion: 20% off order before January 15, 2013

shipping to Canada: $4.95

3) MaskerAide Hydrating Facial Sheet Mask in "Pre Party Prep" - i have yet to use this MaskerAide, as well as the other one i got in my Topbox ("All Nighter") but seems like i am all set for some major partying! i've only heard fantastic things about these masks but i find the price for each one a little too high.

size: 1 sheet / 23 g (full size!)

retail value: $4.99

promotion: 20% off order before January 15, 2013 

shipping to Canada: $3.00

4) OFRA Cosmetics 3D Loose Shadow in "Diamond Glitz" - that is one huge pot of eyeshadow! this is the "smartest" packaging for a loose powder i have ever seen - it has a sifter where you can turn the lid to either open or close it. genius! 

in the jar, "Diamond Glitz" looks like a khaki green shadow with teal shimmers in it. the "3D" reminds me of my MUFE Holodiam Powder. when swatched, it looks like a different color - a very soft taupe with loads of gold shimmer. it doesn't look like much in the shade but once it hits some light, it really brightens up. i'd like to wear this over a darker color. will post pics when i wear it (it's a stay-at-home Saturday for me!). 

natural light; with flash

size: 4 g (full size!)

retail value: $19.90

shipping to Canada: $9.95

5) Demeter Roll On Perfume Oil in "Cherry Blossom" - i've actually seen this brand pop up in some of the fancier Superstores but i've never tested out their products. i have to say i am now super intrigued with their "Fragrance Library" and their 235 different classic scents!! there's such an extensive range - people who have always wanted to smell like a "Crayon" or "Sweet Cilantro" or "Fresh Hay" can finally find it all with Demeter. 

"Cherry Blossom" is one of their top 30 scents and i can see why. like Majorie (Petits Pots et Coquetteries) said, it is quite similar to Ralph by Ralph Lauren (the original blue one) which is one of the first perfumes i have ever fallen in love with. it's a soft floral and smells just lovely - it does fade in a few hours but the travel-friendly size means that you can reapply it whenever you want to.

size: 8.8 mL (full size!)

retail value: $10

promotion: 20% off order before January 31, 2013

shipping to Canada: $12.99

... uhm what? these are ALL full sized items? way to go, BB5! the total value of this box is quite impressive as you would've thought since the eyeshadow alone is $20! the total value is: $49.87 and even without knowing the prices, there would be no hesitation when i say that this box paid for itself and more. my favorites in this box would be the Everyday Minerals brush and the Demeter roll on perfume. 

on a separate note, i'd just like to throw in that i was finally able to watch Les Misérables (typing the title was no problem but you should watch me struggle in real life) on Wednesday night and i have had the soundtrack on repeat since then (red! black!). amazzzzzzzing movie!! i have always been indifferent about musicals but this one was really something. very powerful songs and emotions. i was impressed that all the singing was done live and that only about 10 lines throughout the movie were not sung. 

have you watched Les Misérables? what did you think of your BB5? what other scent would you like to try from Demeter? 

BEAUTY BOX 5: June 2012

got my June BB5 the same day i got my Glossybox (July 3). it's not as big as a deal since BB5 is shipping from the states so it's reasonable that it would take longer. on the box, it states that it was sent June 18th.
when you get these two boxes together, the Beauty Box 5 looks so much tinier in comparison. but i was still eager to open this since it was only my second one.
once you open it, you find all the samples in a little white transparent pouch. you'd think they would be all itty bitty one-use samples again but i was (for the most part) wrong! i am so amazed by this box! i guess i did not have the highest expectations but i was actually happier with this box than with my Glossybox.
AND extra points this month for introducing a card that lists the samples!! hooray! i really hope Glymm goes back to this because it is much more convenient and useful.

June's samples includes:

1) Blinc Eyeliner in "Black" - i already saw this sneak peek on their FB so i was excited about trying this out (i want to try Blinc mascara too). it's the first time i've had a sample sized eyeliner so i am not sure how long this will last me. it has a brush wand that i'd say is for more experienced users since it requires more precision. for liquid eyeliner, i usually prefer an eyeliner pen.

this particular eyeliner is different in that it it doesn't run, fade or smudge and it just slides off when you decide to remove it. i was curious how this "sliding" works. so i took a few photos...
swatches of the eyeliner and the other samples mentioned later on:

both pics were taken in natural light but the top one was indoors and the other one was outdoors.

even after the swatches of the eyeshadow and blush has rubbed off (since i pulled my sleeves down), the eyeliner remained as black as ever. and it is a really dark black. it also goes on thick (see how you'll need precision with this type of wand? that was my attempt at a straight line). i used the eyeliner to swatch once on my arm and then i applied it to my eyes and i did not have to grab any more product in between. it dries pretty quickly and at first, i can feel that there was something different on my eye. that feeling goes away though.

i tried rubbing my arm and it's true - the eyeliner does not budge. it looks like it is a permanent marker (Sharpies)! i ran it under the tap and it still remained that black - until you start to rub it. and tada! it comes off like a temporary tattoo.

i think it's quite neat. i really like how it is water- and fade-resistant. i think everyone needs an eyeliner that doesn't smudge.
size: 0.7 g
retail value: $26 (6 g)

2) The All Natural Face Vegan Mineral Eyeshadow in "Just Peachy" - i've taken an interest in loose eyeshadows lately so this one is definitely welcomed. it comes in a jar with a sifter seal. the color is also very pretty. you can definitely use it all over your lid or as a highlighting color. on my eyes, there is just a hint of color but the shimmer is more visible. the peach color is stronger when applied with a wet brush (see swatches above). i'm not sure if i was imagining it but i thought there was a fruity scent when i was putting it on but there's only 3 ingredients... maybe it was just me.
it came with a sponge tip applicator as well - and not one of those dinky ones. not sure how often i will use this though (i used it for the swatches though).
oooo and there's a 20% off your entire order with the code "BEAUTY" on their website valid until July 31/12. prices are very affordable! worth checking out!
size: ~ 2 g (just powder) ... ("full size!")
retail value: $3.50 ... or can purchase ~ 5 g of powder for $6.50

3) Blum Naturals Oil Absorbing Facial Tissues - so i've only used oil absorbing tissues a handful of times but it's always interesting (or gross) to see how much oil you have on your face. oddly enough, today was not an oily day! i tried it and barely saw anything. on the other hand, my boyfriend's tissue soaked up so much oil it ripped. he doesn't really have a beauty regimen - come to think of it, he hardly uses moisturizer. maybe i'll start keeping this in my bag since it will be handy to use throughout the day.
size: 50 sheets (full size!)
retail value: $2.99

4) Everyday Minerals Blush in "Girl Friday" - whaaaaaatt - you're kidding, this is the third makeup item in the box?? it's true! the blush is a soft berry pink color with no shimmer. love this! check out the swatch above (1).
size: 1.7 g ("full size!" of the mini version)
retail value: $6.99; also available: $10.99 (4.8 g)

5) Comodynes Easy Peeling Facial - okay, 1 one-use packet. i can handle that (especially since i got all those other goodies). will update this with my experience later.
size: 1 towelette
retail value: $12.99 (8 towelettes)

overall, very happy with this box. so many makeup items and the sizes weren't too bad either! the mineral eyeshadow and the blush may be mini sizes but it's perfect because these will still last a long time. hopefully BB5 continues to surprise me (in a good way!).

ps. thank you Candice for naming me her Fabulous Blogger of the Week at Mirror Image: A Beauty-Full Blog! i appreciate your comments :) thanks for reading!