BEAUTY BOX 5: February 2013

what the what is going on with Google Reader? i missed the announcement apparently made all over Blogger yesterday but i guess it explains why i've had an exponential increase in Bloglovin' followers :) thank you for wanting to keep me around!!

anyways, i got my February box from BB5 the same day i got my Glymm (last Friday). Beauty Box 5 also celebrated their one year anniversary, just like Glossybox. i think both did rather well with their one year anniversary boxes!

i love the cute touches that BB5 includes on their card - they have a little poem and thank yous to customers for their support. i believe that BB5 is really sincere since i know other companies who only pretend to care about the customers...

let's check out what i got:

1) H2O Plus Bath Aquatics Shampoo - the shampoo features watercress, Iceland moss and seaweed. both watercress and Iceland moss are great for repairing damage and restoring moisture. seaweed is listed on the back of the shampoo but not explained on the site (Provitamin B is featured instead so i am not sure if H2O changed the formula). the shampoo has a fresh marine scent to it.

i haven't seen this brand sold in stores before but they do have a Canadian site  ($9.95 shipping if spend < $75). also i did a store locator search and it turns out there are a few Duty Free stores that carry it.

size: 37 mL
retail value: $14

2) Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub in "Coconut Lime" - this.is.amazing. i am absolutely in love with Tree Hut scents and products. i tried the Shea Body Butter thanks to BB5 last May and it was divine. this Shea Sugar Body Scrub also smells very yummy - like an island cocktail (coming from a non-drinker but hey, it smells like something that'd be delicious on a beach). the scrub itself is very fine and 'goopy' (as opposed to hard and chunky?).

size: 156 g ("full size!")
retail value: $7.49 (510 g)... or same price for 156 g according to drugstore.com

3) The Brush Guard Sample Pack - this sample pack contains an extra small, small and medium Brush Guard that you can slip over your makeup brushes. these Brush Guards can be used to shape them after they have been cleaned or to protect them while travelling or storing. i actually think that this makeup tool is quite genius (everyone remembers the other 'invention' that we cannot escape from right?).
it says that it is available at Walmart but i haven't seen them there yet.

size: 1 XS, 1 S, 1 M
retail value: $5.50 (Variety Pack - 1 XS, 2 SM, 2 M, 1 L)

4) Coolway Boost Repair Serum - i already have this from January's Glymm which i was just about to use up. as mentioned before, it is to be used instead of a conditioner and to leave 2 days between uses. the product is slightly gritty and smells sugary. i don't feel that this does much for my hair but then again, Aleksandra (Plumpish Beauty) told me that you can't really get the full benefits if you don't have the complete Coolway system.

size: 30 mL
retail value: $39.95 (236 mL)

5) **bonus** BB5 Foldable Brush Compact - oh BB5 how did you know i needed something like this!!! i was thinking that i needed a mirror as well as a brush at work since i'd like to check if i'm scaring anyone with food stuck in my teeth or a rat nest in my hair. so thanks to BB5 for coming up with a solution to both :)

congrats to BB5 for reaching their first year anniversary! i found everything in February's box to be quite handy/useful! i am especially loving the Tree Hut scrub and the Brush Guard is something i am excited to use. i will definitely consider sticking around for the second anniversary :)

cute - everything matches the Beauty Box 5 color :)

GLYMM BAG: February 2013

there you are, Glymm! i almost forgot about you and your February bag until you finally showed your face March 8. i don't recall that it was going to be so late so i checked my inbox and i checked Facebook. there were no emails saying that you would be sending February bags out so late and there were a ton of concerns from your customers that went unanswered - until March 1. that post on March 1, informing us that they were finally shipped, took much too long and is very unprofessional on your part. Glymm bags are supposed to ship on the "week of the 10th" but i see that you have made changes to that and now say that you ship "by the end of the month". i have to say that customer response time and shipping times can definitely use some improvement.

aside from all this, Glymm's bag - as in the bag it came in - is my favorite yet. it is a satin black bag with white hearts all over it. super cute!

but haven't we been taught to never judge a book by its cover?

1) Purely Pro Cosmetics Eye Shadow in "Luxury" - how many people pulled this eyeshadow out and wished it was any other color? that navy blue in the pamphlet is pretty but it seems that everybody got a rather boring-looking brown (they even tease us by saying that this "innovative shadow is sure to make you stand out in a crowd"!). BUT if you have dark hair, you may be in luck since i found it to work well for filling in my brows!
the color is very similar to my Ameli Cake Eyeshadow in "Charcoal Brown".

size: 1.7 g (full size!)
retail value: $18

2) Villainess Bar Soap in "Ginger Snapped" - this is a newly released scent - smells more like cinnamon than ginger i think. if we are to keep receiving Villainess products, please oh please send Paradise Misplaced!

size: N/A
retail value: $6 (99 g)

3) Nailuv Gel Nail Polish in "Berry Sweetie" - i don't understand.... this polish requires me to purchase a $70 UV/LED light in order to use it? why do you bother sending this, Glymm? did your team research how many of us actually own such a device? and this is just out of curiosity but how many of you have brought your own polish to a salon before (as suggested by Glymm)?
sadly, the color actually looks pretty in the bottle (Nailuv: "a fresh dark pink with a hint of iridescent shimmer").

size: N/A
retail value: $14.95 (15 mL)

4) Femme Couture Plump Up The Color Lip Gloss in "827241 Coral Burst" - i haven't tried many Femme Couture's products so i was pumped up that we got a product from them but this shade is rather interesting. there seems to be multiple shades of coral in the gloss and it is very, very shimmery. i just don't feel like i would wear this often... but i'd love to see a swatch of someone who did try it!
there was some variability in the bags this month, where some got this Plump Up The Color gloss or  a Monster Gloss - which did you prefer?
the Monster Gloss is almost twice as big! 10.4 g! that's monstrous indeed.

size: 5.4 g (full size!)
retail value: $9

this month's bag also came with a 50% off a ShinySet subscription (jewelry) and a red heart lollipop. a subscription to ShinySet regularly costs $24.99 a month. they also have quarterly and annual ($299.99!) subscriptions. there's no way i'd subscribe for more than a month since jewelry is a very personal thing. it might be good to try it out for a month at 50% off though... hmmm. i'll need to do some more research!
as for the red heart lollipop... it would've been cute if it arrived by Valentine's... or even if it came while it was still February... oh - and if it wasn't slightly broken already :(
what are your feelings on Glymm and ShinySet?

IPSY GLAM BAG: February 2013

oh hello procrastination!! how did you ever manage to delay this post until the day i get a shipping notification from ipsy saying that my MARCH bag is on its way...

oh geebus.
anyway, here's a little reminder that there is less than THREE hours to enter my giveaway! then my Saturday will be dedicated to going through the entries so i can select 3 lovely winners.
if you are a fellow procrastinator, click to enter here!!

so let's keep this post short and sweet...

March's ("Red Carpet Ready") bag contained:

1) POP Beauty Smoky Lash Kapow!!! Mascara in "No. 1 Smoky Black" - haha i like the use of exclaimation marks in the name :) can't exactly crack this open yet but it seems that many people are saying that it is clumpy. i wonder if it is that way because they followed POP Beauty's instructions that include using 3 layers of this. i ain't got time for that!
one time when i was flying home from LA, the lady beside me must have spent a good 20 minutes putting on mascara and then using a safety pin to separate her lashes and repeating this process over and over.

odd thing i noticed is that the full sized version gets the "e" in Smokey. guess there wasn't enough room on the mini one!

promotion: 20% off purchase that ended... yesterday. oops! oh well, it wasn't available to us Canadians anyway!
size: 4.8 g
retail value: $18.50 (7 g)

2) MicaBeauty Ultra Smooth Gel Eyeliner in "Black" - i am pretty sure i have seen MicaBeauty booths at the mall before but i have never stopped long enough since i'd feel obligated to buy something when the prices are probably pretty steep.
i love gel eyeliners since they are the most pigmented type of eyeliner. i also love black eyeliners so i will definitely be using this baby up. the other colors such as Blue, Purple and Green look gorgeous but i don't think i could pull colored eyeliner (on my top lash line) off! the full sized version also comes with a built-in application brush.

promotion: 30% off purchase that ended... 8 days ago. again, no real 'loss' here since Canada was excluded. :(
size: N/A but looks pretty big - perhaps a full size but just without the brush?
retail value: $35 (5 g)

3) Lash Card The Lash Card - one, two aaaaaaaaand three. third time's a c----- rap.

promotion: buy 2, get 1 free. ended 2 days ago. was valid for Canadians. no one is sad here.
size: 4 cards (this ipsy deluxe sample was special)
retail value: $6.99 (10 cards)

4) Pixi Flawless & Poreless primer in "No. 1 Translucent" - this primer has the same kind of texture as the Benefit POREfessional - light and velvety. i did not notice any difference in my pores and how long my makeup lasted. but i just found out that it has salicylic acid so i will now pay attention to whether or not it helps with my current situation (THREE pimples in one week boooooooo - this i am sad about).

promotion: 20% off purchase until yesterday.
size: 15 mL
retail value: $29 (30 mL)

5) Coastal Scents Shadow Palette Sample in "Glitz & Glamour" - this palette sample included the colors "Candlelight" - my desription: a shimmery white/silver; official description: a decadent wash of silvery-grey with a satin finish
"Gunmetal" me: a soft black with red shimmer; official: a sultry, deep grey with a slight satiny finish
"Incognito" me: a semi-matte dark navy blue-almost black; official: a mysterious black hue with a matte finish
"Ashen" me: a shimmery champagne; official: a light greyish-taupe hue with a satiny finish

my sample palette also came a little broken.

by looking at it, i thought "Gunmetal" looked like an amazing color! the red and the black was just gorgeous. sadly, the red does not show at all! in fact, the rest of the colors were also just okay. after debating about Coastal Scents for all these years, i don't feel like i am missing out. i like that i got to try it out though. plus the tiny samples are rather cute and can pretty much fit into a wallet.

top: natural light; bottom: flash

promotion: 25% off until... you guessed it - yesterday.
size: 2 g
retail value: $1.99 (1.3 g)

all in all, i like the variety that ipsy delivers. they are also quite prompt when it comes to sending out their bags (unlike how i received my Glymm for February today...). the bag looked slightly cheap though - with the rushed sewing job to brand ipsy on the inside and the zipper that won't open all the way up.
and what is up with the eye-straining info card with the black font on a black background??
<will insert group photo later>

anyway, i will be getting my March ipsy bag shortly! and i *will* post that within a reasonable time frame. :)

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?

TOPBOX: February 2013 [featuring Benefit]

i thought that i wasn't going to be getting the Benefit Prive box since everybody seemed to be receiving it super early this month (Benefit was trying to send them in time for Chinese New Year). i got mine on the last business day before the Chinese New Year weekend and it was indeed a great surprise.

i already knew what was to be expected inside but the pretty packaging and the awesome contents still made me giddy all the same.

the recycled Topbox tube came wrapped in a pretty design featuring a snake since it is the Year of the Snake this Chinese New Year. there is a "red" envelope inside, holding the bonus product. there was also an invitation to some Benefit events held across Canada from the 7th to 9th but none of them was in Calgary.

- - - - -

Topbox sent an email on January 8th, informing us that we were able to make a wish list from the Prive boxes available. February's choices included: Benefit, Lippy Girl and Miracle10 (which had two variations).

the contents of each box were also listed which helped me make my decision. since i have not exactly tried many Benefit products before, added to the fact that i have an overwhelming amount of lip and skin care products, it was easy for me to select Benefit for my wish list.
both Lippy Girl and Miracle10 had retail values attached ($25 and $75, respectively).

Topbox mentioned that they had "thousands" of Benefit boxes and "hundreds" of Lippy Girl and Miracle10. it seems to me that if you selected just one of the brands, you got their box and if you didn't select any, you got the regular box. if you selected two brands (one of them being Benefit), then you most likely got the brand that was not Benefit. the majority of those that selected all 3 got Lippy Girl.

soooo onto the box's contents!!

1) POREfessional - i've received this before, also from Topbox, back in April 2012. i have not quite finished the sample yet but i really like the texture - it feels velvety and makes my skin very soft. not only does it help to reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines, but it also doubles as a primer. check out the above link for a swatch of the product. it has a light lemon-y scent.

size: 7.5 mL
retail value: $34 (22 mL)

2) Total Moisture Facial Cream - oh i really love the packaging of this sample! the mini jar is unbelievably cute. the cream itself has a nice fragrance to it that reminds me a bit of Ralph Lauren's Ralph. the cream feels slightly thicker than what i am used to (it is meant for normal to dry skin). i feel that i have to apply more of this product compared to other creams in order to cover my entire face. i love the results of this cream since it makes my skin incredibly soft. i prefer to use this at night as i prefer my day creams to have SPF.

size: 8.9 g
retail value: $42 (48.2 g)

3) Benetint - i've been wanting to test this popular Benefit product before but i was a little afraid of a liquid tint.
it actually blends out really well. if i just dab once on my cheeks, i can hardly even tell it is there (check out the swatch near the end of the post). i think i'll have to dab more on next time.

i tried using it on my lips and found it a bit too liquid-y. it is purely for staining purposes so it does not feel like anything on my lips once it soaks in.
at first, i just dabbed the product on my lower lip and pressed my lips together, hoping it would transfer to the top lip but it doesn't. if you choose to use it as a lip stain, i would recommend you apply it to both the top and bottom lip evenly. there were a couple of areas where my lips were peeled and this Benetint seemed to accentuate this area but making it more red than the rest of my lips... scroll down for a not-so-pretty swatch.

i think i am going to use this primarily as a cheek stain but if i am carrying a super tiny purse, it will serve well to give my lips a flush of color. i should also note that this Benetint smells like flowers.

size: 2.5 mL
retail value: $36 (12.5 mL)

4) Dandelion Brightening Face Powder and Ultra Plush Lip Gloss - Benefit is also well-known for their powders and lip glosses. i have the CORALista blush but i have not yet cracked it open. the Dandelion powder is a Top Seller and is a shimmery soft pink meant for highlighting the skin.

i find it very very subtle on my skin tone. i am surprised that this powder is also lightly scented - it seems that many of Benefit's products have a scent.

the Dandelion gloss matches the powder and is described as a soft pearly pink but it also seems slightly coral to me. however, on the lips, it just looks like a clear shimmer. the gloss is probably the non-stickiest gloss i've tried! and it smells rather delicious, like some kind of juicy citrus fruit.

size: powder - 3 g; lip gloss - 6.5 mL
retail value: powder - $36 (7 g); lip gloss - $18 (15 mL)

swatches:

and since the color seemed to remain on my fingertips when i tried to blend it...

5) *bonus* Fine-One-One - this is one of Benefit's newest products and like the Benetint, it can be used on the cheeks and lips. it seems like this sample can be used two or three times max so i did not choose to test it on my lips.

the full sized version of the Fine-One-One resembles a deodorant. the three colors - pink champagne, sheer watermelon and soft coral - blend together for a hint of peachy pink. it is definitely a convenient and easy product to use.
the swatch is very light since i didn't have much to work with:

size: N/A
retail value: $36 (8 g)

- - - - -

i am enjoying my Benefit products! there is a variety of products in the box and many are multi-purpose so there are definitely many uses for them. i found that all of the Benefit products here had a scent so i am thinking those that are sensitive to smells might not enjoy this brand as much.
i have yet to receive an email from Topbox in regards to next month's Prive box but i am excited :)

Topbox claims to be doing a lot of testing with this month's box so i hope that they iron out the wrinkles for next month. some concerns that were raised revolved around Topbox's decision to put Benefit boxes up for sale. if i had known that this was going to be happen, i would've selected none of the choices above and would have just gone with a regular Topbox since i was really curious what it would contain (a full size Deborah Lippmann nail polish!!) and then buy a Benefit box later on.

someone on Facebook wondered why extra Benefit boxes were being sold while people were still stuck on the waitlist. i completely agree with this - i would be frustrated too!
some people had also not received their Topbox prior to receiving the email and therefore, did not know which brand they would be getting. not to mention, many were angry because the Benefit boxes were available for sale at a ridiculously early hour on a Sunday!

all in all, i am excited to continue my journey with Topbox for the time being. what was your favorite item in the box? after seeing a regular Topbox, do you regret going with a Prive box?