BEAUTY BOX 5: October 2012

so i finally got my BB5 today - seems that many of my blogger friends already got their's last week. and what is up with the tracking info for BB5?? i always get an email with my tracking number and after listing "October 15" as the day i got my electronic notification, nothing else happens after that. not a very useful tool! i did not peek myself but i already heard the general consensus that October's BB5 was not that impressive.
so let's see, shall we?

October's BB5 "Tricks of the Trade":

1) Margania Pure Argan Oil - i know argan oil is good for you but i am still getting used to putting oils on my face after years and years of limiting myself to specifically marked "oil-free" products. the sample comes in the form of an eye dropper since you only need very little. it is clear and 'thin' (as opposed to thick... or should i call it runny?). it absorbed quickly into my skin and i can feel the difference between where i applied it as compared to other parts of my face - it feels sleek and smooth. do you remember the Vitamine & Sea serum we got in our Glymm June bag? well i much much much prefer this one! the Vitamine & Sea one was pretty much the exact opposite: hard to use, stinky and oily.
on the Margania site, it is recommended you use 2-3 drops on the neck and face, or you can also use it on your hair for some extra shine. aside from the "Pure" version, you can also purchase argan oil "with a touch of" amber, eucalyptus, lavender or vanilla.
size: N/A ... little eye-dropper size
retail value: $32 (60 mL)

2) City Lips Lip Plumper in "Clear" - so i do not need a lip plumper but to add to this, i got the most boring "color" available - Clear. everyone else seemed to have gotten a nice color! i think i am going to put this aside for a gift or a swap - even these sample sizes are quite pricey (the sample is worth $9.60 - or you can purchase 3 of these mini sizes for $39.99)!
i checked out the site and it seems that the company is also focused on eyelash enhancing - now that i need!
size: 1.5 mL
retail value: $32 (5 mL)

3) ShowStoppers Fashion Tape in "Black" - these are actually quite useful items but i've only used them a handful of times. the ones i got are black but i've seen others receive nude ones.
size: 2 strips
retail value: $9.99 (24 strips)

4) Goat Haus Dairy Lip Balm in "Sugar Kisses" - i have way too many lip products right now but this one is interesting since i can spot "glitter" as one of the ingredients listed. apricot kernel oil is the first ingredient so i am guessing it will smell like apricots.
size: N/A ... normal lip-balm size (full size!)
retail value: $2.50

5) Furlesse Elevens (Frown Line Reducing Patches) - i have never seen such a product before... it's very interesting. i wonder how well it works except i can't test it out since i currently do not have frown lines (why are we frowning so much anyway?).
size: 3 patches
retail value: $19.99 (30 patches)

6) Lash Card (Individually Wrapped Mascara Shields) - this again? twice in one month?! i got them already in my recent Glymm bag. go to that post to see what i have to say about this - i don't want to discuss how ridiculous this idea is again.
size: 2 cards
retail value: $6.99 (10 pack)

the majority of these items came with a promo code which is one of the nice benefits of Beauty Box 5. it also came with one of those useless NuMe $100 gift certificates that i have received one two (too) many times.

this is one of the lightest BB5 i've had in a while. the beauty samples are definitely on the smaller side this month. it appears that BB5 tried to compensate the smaller sample sizes by providing 6 samples (instead of the usual 5). there's not a whole lot here that i'd use often - i'm probably most excited about the Margania Pure Organ Argan Oil (LOL Aleksandra). what did you guys think about this box?

BEAUTY BOX 5: September 2012

i picked up my September BB5 on the first of October. it's another good month for Beauty Box 5 - seems like there were some different shades so it's exciting to read other people's posts (there's not enough of them though!)

recently, BB5 has decided to include tracking info for Canadians! this is great but the tracking number they gave me provided me absolutely no info.
i was missing a product from the July box and they also sent that out last month so using its tracking info, i could see when it was accepted and when it left Austin, Texas but that was as far as it went (head on over to the July box to see the updated post).  i am not sure how this new change will benefit us if there are no (or hardly) any updates available. was this the same for everyone else?

September's BB5 contained:

1) h.wood.beauty lip shine in "ruby" - did you know h.wood.beauty was created by the Hollywood nightclub h.wood? the line was inspired by h.wood.tea so the products are actually infused with tea. pretty cool.

i got "ruby" which looks like a startling red but these lip shines apply sheer. on my lips, it looks like a dark pink-red. i like how easy it is to apply. the formula is very moisturizing and the color is just right for a tinted lip balm - you can actually see that i am wearing a soft pretty color on my lips. the color does catch on any dry skin, making it more visible so having smooth lips is recommended. there is a slight scent to it but it's not a bad one. like other tinted lip balms, it comes off easily after eating.

ooo a 25% off code... slightly tempting but i currently have way too much makeup. i have a box full of stuff  awaiting its turn to be blogged about and hence, they are unopened and unused.

shipping is a flat rate of $5.95 - not bad! they don't ship to international addresses though. i always get confused when i read this since some sites have a separate page for "Canadian shipping" and "International shipping" but others consider Canada to be international. i thought that anything overseas was considered "international"... what do you think?

size: 4 g (full size!)

retail value: $16 

artificial light; natural light

2) Goat Haus Dairy Bath Melts in "Angel Kisses" - just looking at the package, i was thinking i got some cheese. hahaha phew! a bath melt! i haven't taken a bath in who knows how long but i'd like to get around to doing so. "Angel Kisses" is described as a "light vanilla with a hint of lavender, extremely relaxing". 

size: 50 g (full size!)

retail value: $2.50

3) Silk Naturals Eye Color in "Nekkid" - my mineral eyeshadow collection has been growing lately, thanks to BB5! Silk Naturals has 272 eyeshadows on their website and describes "Nekkid" as a shimmery pink that is supposedly a dupe for MAC's "Naked Lunch". i don't own any MAC eyeshadows so i can't do a comparison here.
looking at the jar, it looks more brown but once applied , it looks like a orange-y pink with all its' shimmer. on the shimmer scale, Silk Naturals rated it a 5 out of 6. i don't think this type of pink looks flattering on me - sort of gives me a swollen look - i should just apply it lightly next time. the wear time is impressive though. even without primer, the shimmer and the color lasts all day.
swatches above (under 1)) are only two swipes of the color. a deeper color can be achieved. it also appears more intense on my eyelids.
another promo code offer - 5% off.
size: N/A but < 1 g
retail value: $4 (for a 5 g jar)

4) Nastassja Enzyme Facial Peel - it looks like a wetter version of Vaseline and has a slight lemon scent. i will use this peel tonight and let you know how it goes!
a 25% off code was included.
size: 7.5 mL
retail value: $45 website says $40 (60 mL)

5) NuMe Hydro Punch Hydrating Shampoo - hmm got this already in my July Topbox as well as a conditioner version in my May Glymm. now i have another one missing a partner again! oh and plus - it is for dry or colored hair and i no longer have virgin hair!!
again, the same $100 off code for NuMe products that is really, not that special at all.
size: 20 mL
retail value: $24.99 (250 mL)

BB5 is great for trying brands i have never heard of before - 4/5 of this month's brands were unknown to me. i also enjoy how there are a couple of cosmetic items and then a variety of other types of products including skincare, bath and shower.

what colors did you get in your BB5? if you are interested in joining, i'd appreciate it if you used my link. thank you thank you!