GLOSSYBOX: October 2012

Glossybox made it to me yesterday and here's what i received in my V2 box...

October's goodies:

1) Jouviance Rejuvenating Anti-Aging Cream - first time i've heard of this brand - it's actually made in Canada. this white, unscented cream can be used as a day or night or specifically as an eye contour. i am building quite the collection of anti-aging items which is good as a preventive measure. however, in the last two weeks, there has been two people that tried to guess my age; one said 22 and the other one said 19 --> LOL. so i am glad that i don't exactly need these anti-aging creams just yet! :)

size: 5 mL

retail value: $93.50 (50 mL)

2) ModelCo Flipstick Lip Duo in "Dusk Lipstick/Striptease Gloss" - i was very excited to see a ModelCo item in the box! i have an eyeshadow, a blush and a few makeup brushes from them (which i picked up in Sydney) and i really like them. now i get to try a lipstick and a gloss - hooray! the brand is very difficult for us Canadians to get our hands on. 

this is marked as a "Special Edition" for Glossybox members only. i searched the ModelCo website and they do not have any Lip Duos on there. the Lip Duo is a combination of their Shine Ultra Lip Gloss and their Lipstick Lip Couture which you can purchase full size for US$16 and $22 respectively.

the Lip Duo is a bit on the chunky side but it does come with a mirror. i found it a little awkward to put on the lipstick since it is longer and wider than the average lipstick.
both the gloss and the lipstick smell like watermelons  strawberries but it is sweeter on the gloss side. the lipstick is very creamy and glides on your lips easily. it is also quite pigmented - this particular "Dusk" shade is a brown but a wearable brown (not sure if this will work on all skin tones). the gloss looks like peachy shimmer in the tube but applies sheer. i find wearing the gloss over the lipstick makes the brown appear softer and i like the combination better than wearing the lipstick alone.

size: N/A (full size!)

retail value: $38.75

3) Zoya Professional Lacquer in "Rory ZP620" - this is the second Zoya i own as well as the second pink Zoya i own. i got both from Glossybox and they are both nice pinks (the other one was Shelby) but i am loving Rory!! Rory is described as "Medium mauve pink with lilac tones, gold and silver reflective metallic shimmer accents, and a foil-like finish. The gentle color of this polish gives the foil finish a softened appearance." on the Zoya website. even the description sounds beautiful!

size: 15 mL (full size!)

retail value: $8

-- update November 2, 2012 -- i love how smooth this was to apply!! no streaking, quick dry time and the color was quite opaque! i only used one coat in this swatch:

 left to right: natural light; closeup; artificial light

sorry my nails aren't in the best shape but the swatches are done without me doing any cleanup! the brush definitely helps me be more precise. 
i am also in love with this color - Rory is a gorgeous deep metallic pink. i personally prefer these fun shades over the sheer pinks (no offense!) :)

4) Sebastian Professional Trilliance Shampoo & Conditioner - these two hair products are designed especially for "shine preparation". it contains "rock crystal" which i tried Google-ing but found nothing related to hair (except how to remove hair with a rock crystal - which is a completely different idea).
size: 50 mL each x 2 = 100 mL
retail value: shampoo - $15.79 (250 mL); conditioner - $16.59 (250 mL)

5) Gillette Venus & Olay Razor - another razor from Glossybox... ho hum. this one is the exact same as the one i got from Loose Button in May. i haven't even gone through those yet.
size: 1 razor & 1 cartridge (full size!)
retail value: $16.99

i almost forgot about the Golden Ticket item (Caroline Néron jewelry) until i read the card - boo i was not one of the lucky 50! let me know if you have seen anyone who got it!

in all honestly, i really like the box if i am considering it from a $15 point of view but at $21, i am a little unsure. i know that the retail value of the box is well over $21 but i have to remember that the retail value of the box and the value of the items to me are different.
i am most excited about the Zoya polish and the ModelCo lip duo - what were your favorites this month?

so i'm sure most of you heard the news buzzing around on Facebook yesterday - ipsy (previously known as myglam) has come to Canada. as soon as i heard the news, i felt a number of emotions: 1) excited because i've seen a number of ipsy unboxings and they have been pretty good (seems to be more makeup focused than others), 2) uneasy because i went to take a look at my finances and 3) torn because it means i will need to make some difficult decisions.

and to add to that, Topbox has also followed suit after its fellow Canadian subscription services and raised their prices. 

soon we will all be sitting at:

Glossybox: $21/month

Luxebox (Loose Button): $26/3 months

Glymm: $12/month (unless you were subscribed prior to the price change: $10/month)

Topbox: $12/month

Beauty Box 5: US$12/month

Ipsy: US$14.95/month

i know many of you probably have Julep and other beauty boxes to add to the list... are you guys going to reconsider your subscriptions too now that Ipsy has joined the table? let me know what you think! anything to make my decision easier :)

GLOSSYBOX: June 2012

unfortunately, Glossybox has a reputation for delivering extremely late in the month. and this month was no exception. my June box arrived yesterday on July 3.as usual, however, the box was pretty heavyyy. i took off the lid and noticed that the box was pretty much filled to the brim. if anyone was wondering, i am a V4 (according to Glossybox, there are different versions of the box based on the skin type you selected in your beauty profile). this is quite the list of June's samples:

1) Bioré Combination Skin Balancing Cleanser - this is one of the items weighing the box down! this is a full-sized product and Glossybox took into account my combination skin. i admit i have not tried Bioré products before even though i've heard many many great things about their nose strips. based on one use, i really like the fresh scent and it feels gentle. it comes out as a clear liquid and becomes a foam. i will start using this regularly after my current cleanser is used up.
size: 200 mL (full size!)
retail value: $9.99

2) Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen Lotion SPF 55 - ahhh this is one item i would've loved to receive before the long weekend. SPF 55 would've been great for lying in a canoe all day (i did not do much/any paddling). still will be useful for the rest of the summer... and the upcoming Calgary Stampede.
size: 14 mL
retail value: $15.99 (88 mL)

3) Wella Professionals Ocean Spritz Beach Texture Hairspray - it appears that Wella is popping up all over the place! but wait!!! is this a beach texture hairspray?! i am so so so very excited about this product :) i've been wanting to try salt sprays to get beachy waves. i don't think it's possible with my hair but i've wanted to try forever. and another full-sized item? whoohoo!!
i tried it today and found that it gave me the piecey hair look - when your ends are separated into.. pieces? i lack the ability to describe this properly. anyway, about 12 spritzes gave me that look but some of the ends seemed to lie straight. perhaps i need to use more product since i have very thick hair. also i was focused on using this product on my ends only - but then my hair looked super flat on my head so i'd recommend using the hairspray all over. i'll try again tomorrow!
size: 150 mL (full size!)
retail value: $16.99

4) Olay Regenerist Wrinkle Revolution Complex - okay, who thought it would be funny to give me another one of these?? not cool.
size: 7 mL
retail value: $30.99 (50 mL)

5) CoverGirl Blast Flipstick Blendable Lip Duo in "800 Whisper" - i already own one of these from Christmas in the color "Cheeky" which i'll do another post on soon. on FB, it seems like the majority received the color "Minx" which i am glad i did not. the creme side of "Whisper" looks like a pink leaning on purple while the other is a shimmery darker version of it. i forgot how pigmented these Flipsticks are! i like the idea of creating different variations with the two lipsticks, but in reality, i rarely blend lipsticks together. the lipsticks do not have individual names so the clear packaging is useful in that you can see the actual colors (way better than guessing based on its name anyway).

i first tried on the lighter creme side and look at how it brings out the lines on my lips... it is very pigmented and the color is very light and does not complement my skin tone. wayy too frosty of a finish. my bottom lip looks like a very light pink but the rest is lilac-y.

next, i tried on the darker shimmery shade. again i was surprised, but this time at how metallic my lips look. very purple with a golden sheen. egad! look at those lip lines (does anyone still say egad?).

it says "New" on the packaging as well as on the card. i think these have been out for a while now. i'm curious as to when is something "New" not considered new anymore?
i'll have to say that i am not a huge fan of this lip product. although it has great color payoff, it is very drying. i noticed while wearing it that i needed to apply lip balm. but the day after you wear it is the bigger concern - every time i licked my lips, i could feel every single dry patch on my lips. i had to reapply lip balm constantly today. i am also not a huge fan of this color. AND it has a very unnatural taste - like i'm licking chemicals or soap. yuck.
size: 3.8 g (full size!)
retail value: $12.50

6) Gillette Venus Embrace Razor - i see Glossybox has ventured into an area where only Loose Button had been before - razor territory. this one i do not currently have in my stash. i will eventually get through them but i think i am set for the year.
size: 1 razor and 1 cartridge (full size!)
retail value: $13.43

7) **bonus ** Bioré Deep Cleansing Pore Strips - yay! the thing i mentioned in 1). i am excited to try this!
size: 1 pore strip
retail value: $9.99 (8 pore strips)

hmm, as you already know, most of these are drugstore items. but then again, most of them are also full sized. i feel that beauty box services need to find that balance between drugstore and high-end names, especially those that advertise "luxury" items. i enjoy receiving drugstore items since these are usually the items i am able to purchase on my own, but i also enjoy learning about brands i haven't heard before or products i haven't tried. so this box was not a miss for me - i love the Wella hairspray and i'll definitely use the Bioré cleanser, Neutrogena sunscreen and razor on a regular basis.

did you like your Glossybox this month? BB5 review coming shortly!
while you wait, why not enter Topbox's current Vasanti Cosmetics sweepstakes here?

LUXE BOX: May 2012

luckily, i received my Luxe Box yesterday, just in time for me to put this up on the last day of May! strangely, i did not receive a tracking number for this either so i had no idea it was coming. what is up with that this month?

AND my dad found it on the front porch. it never arrives that way... like i said, strange!

hooray for the little bonuses from Loose Button! this month was "Thank You, Mom" Month so they included a complimentary Bath and Body Box like they did in January.

onto May's sample list:

1) Essie Nail Polish in "785 Navigate Her" - this is a very interesting green - i would describe it as a mossy green. it's not like anything i already own so i am happy to add this to my collection. this color is also part of Essie's Spring 2012 collection. i like how Loose Button includes colors that are in new collections like last month's "793 Pink-a-Boo".
note: mine has little cracks the inside of the polish. does that happen to anyone else?

oh oh oh i figured out why i like this color so much!!! i was applying it wen i noticed one of the snacks my sister brought back from her trip to Vancouver... this color reminds me of my favorite tea --> Matcha Green Tea!!! my fingernails look delicious! haha

sadly, i seem to have a bit of trouble with the formula. it won't apply evenly so i tried shaking it up a bit. now i have some little bubbles on my nails. i am wearing 2 coats (some fingers needed 3 since i could still see parts of my nail bed). 

left to right: natural light; artificial light

-- update June 7/12 -- as much as i love the color, it does not hold up very well - it honestly began chipping the day after i applied it (chipped on June 1). by June 2, my nails were quite gross. i did not use a top coat in this case since my previous Essie nail polish did not require it at all. Pink-a-Boo lasted a good week before i experienced the same kind of chipping i had with Navigate Her the day after. -- 
size: 13.5 mL (full size!)

retail value: $8

2) Orlane Active Active Hydration Body Care - another Orlane product?? they must have started hitting the Canadian markets recently because this is my third sample from them. the other two were a foundation from Loose Button and an eye cream from Topbox (both from April). again, similar packaging as the rest - it comes in a box but the sample is very tiny and there is a rather large pamphlet inside. since this particular sample is intended for the body, i would think a larger sized sample is needed. the other two were intended for the face and already the sample did not contain enough product in order to fully test it out. i didn't feel like this cream was anything special either. my hands did not feel very moisturized 5 minutes after i applied it. also, it felt like i used up like 75% of the sample when i was trying to get this picture!

size: 7 mL

retail value: $105 (250 mL) ... jeeeeeeebus. that is out of my price range! 

3) Paco Rabanne Black XS L'Exces for Her & Black XS for Him - i have received the Black XS for Him before in December's Luxe Box. i haven't tried to L'Exces for Her version but thank goodness it wasn't another normal Black XS for Her because i've received that twice from Loose Button. 

size: 1.2 mL each x 2 = 2.4 mL

retail value: for Her $74 (50 mL); for Him $56 (50 mL)

4) Goldwell Dual Senses Color Shampoo and Conditioner -  another shampoo/conditioner combo directed at colored hair and in this terrible packaging... why why why! i do not have colored hair!! i saw some people receive the Moroccan Oil and i am quite jealous :X i've wanted to try that for a while now. on the plus side, i like pomegranate (it has pomegranate extract).

-- update June 7/12 -- i loveeeee the scent. the shampoo lathers up quite well and i could get almost 3 uses out of it. however, the conditioner is a different story. i hardly feel like i have any product at all in my hair which makes me use more of it, so in the end, the conditioner portion did not last me 2 uses --

size: 10 mL each x 4 = 40 mL

retail value: shampoo $28 (750 mL); conditioner $32 (750 mL)

the complimentary Bath and Body Box contained: 

5) Gillette Venus & Olay Razor - i actually like receiving razors. especially now that it's summer time, i will be using them more often! 

size: 1 razor & 1 cartridge

retail value: $14.99 (according to Well.ca but that one includes a shower hook)

6) Olay Regenerist Wrinkle Revolution Complex - received before in the January's Luxe Box. i haven't used that one yet so this one will go in the stash as well. 

size: 7 mL

retail value: $37.99 (50 mL) ... according to Well.ca

the box also came with a post card you can send from P&G and a Goldwell advertisement card. there's also a $20 off a subscription promo code from Panty by Post (which was part of last month's First in Line program). i didn't choose it but the panties are pretty. still it is quite costly - with the code, it will still be $40 for 3 panties. one of the brands they carry is Blush which i've seen at The Bay and Winners. i'm pretty sure the panties were like $6.99 or something around that range at Winners. 

this box is just alright to me. i like the complimentary box and the Essie nail polish but it seems that all of these samples were just variations of some sample i have received before. as you can see from all my links above, i reference to another box quite frequently (usually from Loose Button again).

what did you receive this month? (if you are not subscribed and interested in doing so, click here!)