BEAUTY BOX 5: January 2013

so many January boxes to be arriving in February... what is up with that?

still my BB5 is 'on time' - as in it has been consistently arriving a couple days after a new month has started (due to shipping from the States). i got my BB5 last Thursday/Friday. it felt rather light when i picked it up.

January's 5 beauty items:

1) Ferro Cosmetics Blush X3 in "Desert Rose" - if this looks familiar, it is because i received the same item (but in "Miss Priss") from Topbox last month. this color looks much prettier. however, the lack of a sifter calls for another mess...

"Desert Rose" is a shimmery peachy pink and is one of Ferro Cosmetics' new 2013 shades.

size: N/A

retail value: $17 (4 g)
shipping to Canada: $20

2) Pencil Me In Eye Accent Pencil in "Mint" - this shade is described as a "frosted pastel green". according to the Pencil Me In Cosmetics website, "Mint" works best for blondes (which i am not). 

i am not entirely sure what to do with this... on one hand, i have heard that these eye pencils were pretty awesome - they do not tug and are long lasting. on the other hand, when am i ever going to wear this color? i don't know if i can rock this mint green color... any suggestions?

the eye pencil comes with a sharpener. the black lid on it is removable and is supposed to be for dumping out the shavings.. but i can't exactly see why the shavings would be on the inside... hmmm.

size: N/A (full size!)

retail value: $6.99
shipping to Canada: $2.00 (by UPS Ground)
promotion: buy 2, get 1 free for "a limited time" (odd that this is not clarified!)

3) ModelCo Colourbox Lip Pencil in "02 Pomegranate" - one of my two favorites of the box. i don't have a whole lot of lip pencils so i was excited to use this. this tugged a bit and felt a bit dry on my lips but it was nothing a little lip balm couldn't fix. other than that, i found it to be quite pigmented and i really enjoyed the color. i've been using it as a lip liner and then filling it in completely with the color since i like it so much.

this pencil also has a built-in sharpener which is super handy. i hate looking for a sharpener!

size: 1.6 g (full size!)

retail value: $18
shipping to Canada: $15

4) Perfumies Solid Perfume Stick in "Text Me" - on the Perfumies website: "Sweet sugar cane with notes of lemon rind and shortbread."... which is definitely a unique combination - i don't normally like lemons but i think this smells really yummy! it reminds me of something else too... i can't exactly pinpoint it but... a Jolly Rancher maybe?

the texture of this one is softer than other solid perfumes i have tried. sort of reminds me of lip balm - especially when i compared it to my Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer. hope i don't confuse the two!

the Perfume Stick is 100% natural and comes with a cute seal that's partially cut off on mine but it says "smell pretty always".

size: 2 g (full size!)

retail value: $7
shipping to Canada: $3.00 (via First Class USPS)

5) *surprise 2012 favorite* Global Goddess Shine Coconut Amla Revitalizing Hair Treatment - ahh boo... this could have been a really good surprise, had it not been one of these foil samples :/ i got this only recently in my November box and i've used it once. one sample was enough for my mid-back length hair... or so i thought anyways. i don't like the feeling of greasy hair so i used it mainly around the ends of my hair. i felt that it made my hair slightly softer but failed to amaze me.

size: 5 mL x 2

retail value: $20.99 (180 mL)
shipping to Canada: $8.95 and decreases depending on your order amount

so overall, it was a pretty decent box. my favorites were the Perfumies Perfume Stick and the ModelCo Lip Pencil. in a time of increasing beauty subscription prices, i find BB5 much more affordable. if you are looking for some great samples from brands you haven't heard of, i'd recommend BB5.

what were your favorites for January?

TOPBOX: December 2012

my Topbox arrived in Calgary last Thursday but Canada Post decided to hold it hostage until Tuesday. still, it was the first (and only) subscription box i have received this month.
when i got my hands on it, i didn't tear into it immediately... i had already read some comments about it on Facebook and let's just say, i was less than excited to see what was inside...
even though the festive packaging on the outside is so deceiving...

December's list of disappointment (Box 36) includes:

1) Chloe Eau de Parfum - Topbox, Topbox, Topbox... another fragrance, another Chloe. this time though, it's not a lotion. it's the kind where you have to dab the perfume on... and it smells way too strongly of flowers for me. i disliked the other Chloe lotion and placed it in the box to swap or give away. i think ever since Topbox started to include fragrances in their box, things have really gone downhill. i must remember to say i am sensitive to fragrances on the next survey...

size: 5 mL
retail value: $90 (50 mL); $115 (75 mL)

2) Ferro Cosmetics Blush X3 in "Miss Priss" - before opening the lid, you can tell the jar is only half full. once you open the lid... you will probably lose another third. it is the messiest product i have ever opened!! or closed! it really needs a sifter. "Miss Priss" is looks like a shimmery nude color so i don't really see how it would be a blush. on the site, it says that it is their "sexiest color yet" and it's a "warm kiss of pink with a quiet peachy afterglow".

both the pictures on the both were taken with flash to show you the color and shimmer better. also, you can see how opening and closing the lid is such a messy process. even the swatches on my arm were just taken from the product that had spilled all over. i don't really see any pink or peach in this shade. looks much more like a bronzer than a blush to me!
if you are interested in purchasing from the Ferro Cosmetics website, shipping to Canada is a steep $20! but i heard that Topbox will be selling some of their products through their site soon enough.

size: N/A but very little
retail value: $17 (4 g)

3) Goldwell Jelly Boost Bodyfying Spray Gel - bodyfying... that's a new one. so on the bottle itself, Goldwell says this product helps to style short hair. however, on the Topbox card, Topbox says it can be used on short or long hair styles. is this just to trick us long-haired folk in believing that this product is right for us?

this is the first time i've ever seen a gel dispensed as a spray. it smells Heads & Shoulders and does not leave your hair feeling crunchy at all. i tried to use quite a bit of it to make up for my hair length but i saw no difference.

size: 30 mL
retail value: $18.95 (150 mL)

4) Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser - i haven't tried any Murad products and i just ran out of my philosophy one (also from Topbox) so great timing!
i had no idea what AHA and BHA referred to so i did a little search and it led me to this Paula's Choice site: AHA stands for alpha hydroxy acid; an example of an AHA is glycolic acid. BHA stands for beta hydroxy acid and an example of this is salicylic acid. both AHA and BHA are exfoliants but differ in terms of which types of skin they are best suited for. AHA exfoliants are better for dry skin while BHAs are recommended for oily skin. head over to the website for more info!
this Murad cleanser had tiny little balls in it - much gentler than a scrub. there was a slight scent to it but nothing unnatural.

size: 30 mL
retail value: $35 (200 mL)


so yep. that's it. i know it may have been a little greedy on my part to expect more during the month of Christmas but it has even fallen short of my normal standards. i hate to say it but Topbox has really fallen from the top.
i understand that they are announcing a "Privé Box" which will feature one brand specifically. everyone will be getting this particular box in January (which will replace the regular one) and then after that, there will be times when you can request one or the other. my question is whether or not we will have any idea what kind of brand will be featured before receiving the box.

after opening this month's box, i pretty much forgot about it.

- - - - -

maybe it's because i also just came back from seeing "The Hobbit".
** spoiler alert ** so a little 'review' on the movie: every time they played a familiar Howard Shore track, i was lost in it. or when the scene pans over Rivendell, i felt all gleeful inside BUT overall, it was a "good" movie. it's just that whenever the group got into a sticky situation, Gandalf would suddenly show up in the nick of time to save the day (he was always gone off somewhere else before this). it just felt like it was too easy... does this stay true to the book though? i read it ages ago and can't quite remember.
but on another note, YAY for being able to dive into J. R. R. Tolkien's and Peter Jackson's works again. it looked amazing (and i only watched it in 2D - i was going to watch it in HFR but i heard people got nauseous... i rather enjoy the movie than get sick from it... maybe HFR on a second viewing?).

and and and, totally swooning here - King Thranduil <3!!

Source: AceShowbiz.com (2012)

we only got a glimpse of him in this movie but it's LEE PACE - who has been my laptop background for who knows how long. plus, he plays Legolas' father. everyone knows how obsessed i was with Legolas/Orlando Bloom so this is completely fitting!! :)

Source: Fanpop, Inc. (2012)

a sexy brief introduction to Lee Pace:

Source: /Film (2011)

Source: Listal.com (2012)

okay so that completes my Topbox/Lee Pace post! haha
Topbox is having another Pari Beauty giveaway and it ends Christmas Day - enter here.
what did you think of your Topbox? or better yet, about "The Hobbit"??

BEAUTY BOX 5: August 2012

so last month's BB5 was sent via UPS rather than USPS (for July anyway) and i found that it was much faster. i could have sworn that they used UPS before but we got a special email saying that August's box was shipped using UPS so who knows..

the box says it was sent on August 17th and my dad picked up the mail on the 28th so it was the first time i've received it before the next month rolled along.

check out August's box (it seems that a few ladies and i received doubles of two of the following items; thanks for extras!):

1) Blum Naturals Pro Age Daily Cleansing Towelette - this is evidence that Beauty Box 5 is picking up their game! they have stepped away from sending out only 1 one-use sample and now there's 3! hooray! now we can actually test the product out.
size: 1 towelette x 3
retail value: $3.99 (10 towelettes)

2) H2O Plus Marine Calm Restorative Eye Cream - i have quite the stash of eye creams now and they're the kind of product where you have to use them over a long period in order to be able to reap the benefits. this one has an almost undetectable scent which is great for those that are sensitive. it's 3 key ingredients are: Japanese green tea, Paraguay tea and aloe vera.
size: 4 mL (accident: x 2)
retail value: $32 (15 mL)

3) Ferro Cosmetics Sheer Crystal Veil - this is a very small sample of the veil which makes it a bit difficult to apply with a brush since i can hardly grab any of the product. i wore it today and can't say there was anything noticeable about my skin (then again, it was cloudy and rainy today making it hard to see any illumination!). i like how the veil doesn't rely on shimmer or glitter.
see swatches below (the swatch of the veil is before blending it in).
size: ~ < 1 g
retail value: $19 (4 g)

4) Ellis Faas Creamy Lips in "L109 Pale Coffee" - it seems that many people are very excited about this product - personally, i have not heard of it before. on their main page, the company boasts the names of several celebrities that use their products (including Cate Blanchett).

there is no scent or taste to the product. the pen shape is very sleek and shiny - Ellis Faas actually sells their own special holders and clips. you turn the bottom of the pen to get more product but be warned that it takes more than 40 clicks to get it started. the applicator is a fuzzy sponge which i like the feeling of - it seems to help to smooth the color out on your lips.

the name of the actual shade can be found on the website. the site also explains how you can wear it two ways: full on or as a stain. you will see very soon why i much much prefer the stain version on myself. the color is described as "pale" but when placed on my pigmented lips, it takes on a rather dark tan brown. the color is very pigmented but i do not find it appealing on me at all - maybe it was a color of a bag or something but not on my lips. the closeup is not that horrible but if you saw my whole face with this lip color, you would know that when i say terrifying, i mean AGGGGHH!
(i'm sure it probably works better on skin tones that are not yellow-based).

before completely giving up on the color, i decided to try the stain technique - just putting on a little bit of the product and blending with your fingers (or blot for a matte stain).

still not a fan of the color but much better. the formula itself is in fact creamy and moisturizing but may be a bit too creamy. when you press your lips together, the product moves around so you end up having splotches on your lips. it's important that you do not do that to keep the application even but it's so hard to resist! it transfers easily when eating or drinking too so this expensive product turns out to be just meh for me.

a couple of arm swatches:

size: 2.8 mL (full size!; accident: x 2)
retail value: $35

5) Blinc Eyeliner in "Black" - honestly if this was not a makeup product, i'd probably be unhappy that i got another duplicate from the June 2012 box. BUT it is the blinc eyeliner so yay. click on the link for my previous review and detailed pictures.
size: 0.7 g
retail value: $26 (6 g)

BB5 is really picking it up these months and they're gaining more and more fans. i finally got an email back from them today in regards to my missing product in the July's box. if they could improve their customer response time, then i'm sure they will be here for the long haul.
oh and the box came with a discount code for Ellis Faas products and a gift certificate for Ferro Cosmetics :)

i am still two boxes behind!! think i can go for 7 consecutive days of blogging??