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"??

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!)