TOPBOX: January 2014

i went to another concert!! this has been a great year for concerts!! just recently i went to see SHANIA TWAIN! i heard she hadn't performed on a concert stage for over a decade... which is just crazy. her tickets were also crazy... crazy expensive! but i got a great last minute deal and was able to get pretty decent seats. she had back to back concerts at the Calgary Stampede since the first one sold out so quickly. i was definitely kicking myself when i missed the ticket release of both shows... blergghh... but i made sure i got tickets in the end.

here's her performance of one of my favorite songs of hers - From This Moment On

now back to a quick look at the last January box i have to review... after this... i am skipping to July boxes!!! i have accepted defeat.

January Topbox.
one word for this box: lame.
lame lame lame lame.

especially lame box to start off the year.

1) Aveda : Stress-Fix Body Lotion
size: 25 mL
retail value: $32.50 (200 mL)

yuck - stress-relieving or easy-sleeping lotions always throw me off because they never smell 'calming' or 'relaxing' to me. this particular scent smells like a spice to me... with some dirt thrown in. not good at all.

2) Miracle 10 : Solution II Extra Strength Clarifying Solution
size: 30 mL
retail value: $44 (120 mL)

i haven't used toners forever... forever as in since the time i was using the whole Pro-activ system for my pimples in junior high/high school. which is actually ages ago (almost time for a 10 year reunion!).
i did not forget the slight sting when i use toners... or how it burns my eyes a little when i use it too close to my eyes. it does make my skin feel a tad bit cleaner in a sense. as if all the bacteria are burning off of my face or something... haha

3) Elizabeth Arden : Prevage Anti-Aging + Intensive Repair Eye Serum
size: 3 mL
retail value: $275 (30 mL)

yeeeeesh. it is always the case with these super expensive samples: they are always itty bitty like this which is never enough to convince me to shell over almost $300.

4) Benefit : Benetint
size: 2.5 mL
retail value: $36 (12.5 mL) 

i already own one of these from last year's Topbox celebrating the same occasion - Chinese New Year. it's handy when you are carrying a small purse and would like to touch up later in the night. i find that it works better as a stain on the cheeks rather than the lips. please read post here.

and here it all is!
nothing to be excited about.

i hope you are happy to know the next box i review will be a JULY one. oh goodie. something relevant! :P
glad to get this final January post in and out of the way on my 27th birthday! now to start anew!

FANCY BOX: January 2014 [Coco Rocha]

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

summer is upon us! finallllllly! 

here's a John Legend treat (from last week's concert) - mind you, the quality is not the best because i am realizing now that my iPhone 4 is really not up to par anymore... but it is John Legend nonetheless.

he spent the night making the audience swoon with his beautiful vocals in a very intimate setting - he pretty much played piano all night. it was different from other concerts i have gone to - less energy, but amazing!

quick post here about the January Fancy box - all this talk about catching up is really not working out for me, is it? i might need to look at another method here.... perhaps skip a few months again? yikes

bear with me here! i was all caught up with Game of Thrones and Orange is the New Black - both great endings. GoT - always always exciting scenes that make your jaw drop; OITNB - season 2 ending was soooooooo satisfying that i had to re-watch it. 

what shows are you currently into?

okok back to the Fancy box.

i love opening these because the beauty subscriptions are losing its appeal but these boxes are unpredictable. 

i received the January one on the 4th of February after it was shipped on January 31st. it is delivered by FedEx so they usually leave it on the front porch. the box is wayyy to big to fit into a regular mailbox anyhow. 

the order was charged to my CC on Jan 3rd for $56.00 USD which came up to be $61.20 CAD - AHHH! ok very pricey. the shipping kills me. 

shall we see if it was worth it?

1) The Cottage Industry : Morning Mug
retail value: $15 USD

i've seen many versions of these hot & cold temperature-changing cups and now i finally have one! the 'awake' face looks better from afar but up close you can see the eyelashes and circle remaining from the 'asleep' face.

the cup changes only up to the level where your hot liquid is poured up to - so sometimes i get a streak of black along the brim since i didn't fill mine to the top. it's also a smaller size than the average mug - it only holds up to 300 mL. 

still fun though.

2) Echo Design : Sparkle Fingerless Gloves in "Denim Heather"
retail value: $35 USD

here's an obvious reason why i should open boxes in the month they are intended for. haaaaaahaaaaaaaa. the sequins are cute but i never find a need for fingerless gloves - i live in Canada remember?

these ones go up past your wrists.

3) Fred : Deep Tea Diver
retail value: $12 USD

AAAAAAAAAH so cuuuuuute. what a marvelous idea to be able to reuse this for brewing loose teas (as opposed to tea strainers).
now all i need is to become a true tea drinker and buy some loose tea.

4) Lexon : Bag Light
retail value: $12 USD

i admit that i scoffed when i saw this product. i mean, REALLY? how outrageous must a bag be to require one to throw a light in and scour its depths?
but it was only two days later do i find myself struggling to find keys in the massive bag that contains my life.

so yes, perhaps useful. perhaps.
the clasp goes around a bag handle so it doesn't also get lost. there's a button on the other end and the LED is actually quite bright.

5) Paddywax : Library Collection : Travel Tin in "Henry David Thoreau"
retail value: $10 USD

this is a very adorable tin and i love the nerdiness of it - a Library collection featuring different authors?? so cool. though i have absolutely no clue who Henry David Thoreau is. the mix of cedar, moss and juniper makes me think of a clean-smelling man. maybe that was a significant trait of Henry Thoreau's?

total value: $84.00 USD - and i paid $56.00 USD? hmmmm i wouldn't say this box was really worth it overall. the item that stands out the most to me is the Deep Tea Driver - not because it's something i would definitely have used but because it is just so adorable. the whole box contained items that are neat - yes - but not absolutely practical.

WANTABLE: January 2014 [Accessories Box]

awwww i just finished series 2 of Doctor Who - i already expected that to happen because years ago i was curious what Doctor Who was all about so that season finale clip just happened to be the only thing i saw...
blergh. Rose!

anyway,

January Accessories Box featuring Nikki Minton
i have to admit that i forget to skip my monthly subscription ... and i forget often ($46.57! i really need to stop!). which also means i don't update my preferences on time.

 three items in the January box:

1) O'Keeffe Ring in 'Size 6'
retail value: $15.00

meh - this silver ring does not impress me much. the size and shape looks slightly awkward on my hand - like it's missing something.

2) Dulce Bracelet
retail value: $28.00

wow this is heavy! this chunky multi-gold toned bracelet is a bit too big for my taste but if you are channeling Cleopatra, you can probably slide it up and wear it as an armband... it is elastic.

3) Matilda Necklace
retail value: $34.00

yes! finally a hit. this gold chained necklace with stones is definitely a statement necklace. it definitely has some weight to it. i really like the colors here - gray, onyx and crimson.

here are some shots to show you the colors in different lighting.

so that's the box! i like 1 out of 3 items. that's not the best ratio... i'm going to stick around for one more box - just because it's my birthday month next so... but from then on, i will probably start cutting back!

going to open my Fancy box next to cheer me up after watching Doctor Who... :(

BEAUTY BOX 5: January 2014

so a small part of the reason why i haven't posted lately was because of a trip to the USA for my friend's graduation - she's a doctor now! 

i went for about 6 days and visited a bunch of cities i've never been to before. first stop was Philadelphia for Jenny's graduation - love you! went to a couple tourist-y areas including the Eastern State Penitentiary which was pretty interesting... wish we had more time there though! had dinner at Iron Chef Morimoto's restaurant and it's crazy how all the dishes were all so good! i love the restaurant itself - so pretty (top right photo). 

after two nights in Philly, we headed to New York by Boltbus and of course, checked out Grand Central Station, Central Park, Times Square, Wall Street, 9/11 Memorial Site... took the subway! saw a rat! rode a taxi... aiyyy... i forgot that all these cities we were visiting are 'older' cities, so i wasn't expecting so much graffiti, demolition and uneven roads. and man those roads are bumpy! 

we only did one night in New York so it was go-go-go! so stayed overnight in Elizabeth since some of our friends were departing the next morning from Newark. the top left photo of the cathedral is in Elizabeth. it is GORGEOUS. i love cathedrals! i just wished they were open! all of the ones we visited were either under construction or closed... 

took it easy the next two days near Oil City/Pittsburgh. did some some more outlet shopping which is always great. on my way out... my flight gets cancelled. man! i ended up staying overnight at the airport... definitely not the most comfortable place to stay for an extended period of time. if this ever happens to you, make sure you talk to the staff to see how they rebooked your flight because they automatically booked me for 3 connecting flights - ridiculous!

anyway, it was a fab time! i wish i had more vacation days!

onward to BB5!
January 2014 - Cheers to You! featuring That Awkward Moment

i don't have any desire to see That Awkward Moment because i can't handle watching raunchy sex comedies in theatres. but Zac Efron is very pretty. haha

1) H2O Plus : Spa Sea Lotus Body Wash
size: 30 mL
retail value: $17 (370 mL)

to date, i've received four H2O Plus products from BB5. each time i like to check out the website to find out what the 'key elements' are. for this Sea Lotus body wash, they are: water lotus, bamboo, red marine algae, and Vitamin E. similar to the last H2O Plus body wash i received in March 2013, it smells marine-y. it is indeed part of their Marine Skincare line but i just do not like that scent.

2) Nubar : Cuticle Oil in 'T3191-7 Green Apple'
size: 7 mL
retail value: $10 (15 mL)

it does smell like green apples! very light scent. the brush is different from a regular nail polish. this one is stiffer so you can dab it on your cuticles. i am not very precise since it just gets absorbed anyway.

3) Swissco : Bath & Shower Exfoliating Gloves
size: 1 pair [full size]
retail value: $5

i can always count on BB5 for something different. exfoliating gloves! haven't received or used these before. i think these will become very useful, especially with dress season around the corner.

4) Jergens : Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer
size: 29 mL
retail value: $6.99 (621 mL)

this light cream absorbs quickly into the skin and has a citrus scent with a hint of flowers. a tad boring but will be used someday.

5) Epic Blend : Lip Balm in 'Hemp Coconut' 
size: 4.2 g [full size]
retail value: $3.39
promotion: 25% off online purchase // expired Mar 31, 2014

i said i'd try to pawn off the (MALIN+GOETZ) mojito lip balm from the ipsy bag to my boyfriend but this is more his style.

6) BONUS : That Awkward Moment : Mirror Compact

a rectangular mirror compact that i probably won't use since i already have a mirror with my MUFE Pressed Powder. i'd bring it along for travel if it was bit bigger!

and so there it is. BB5 continues to have some interesting items like exfoliating gloves and brush cleaners in their boxes but it's offset with the boring lotions and shampoos. i also don't really see how this whole box ties in with the movie...

what are your vacation plans this year??

IPSY BAG : January 2014

January 2014 - 19 Reasons
i've finally made it to the 2014 subscriptions... aww yeah! i want to squeeze in another post before i leave for Philadelphia on wednesday though. i'm heading down to my friend's graduation and we will be visiting New York and Pittsburgh as well. it's all very exciting to me because i haven't been to many places in the states.

alsoooooo i went to my third (i think) BSB concert on friday and it was amazing (AHHH NICK CARTER)! it was awesome to see all 5 of them back together. they thanked the fans for being there for 21 years... 21 years!! that's crazy that it has been that long. i was super happy that they played a lot of their old hits. i also know some of their new ones since i had a BSB only playlist at work for the last 3 days in preparation :)

anyway, my phone died after the concert which made me kick myself the rest of the night because a friend convinced me to head to the after party and this was the closest i have ever been to them!! i could see the sweat on their foreheads! i touched AJ and Howie's hands!! i got Howie's autograph!!!

eeeeeeeee! i was in awe for sure! it was like an estrogen-fuelled mosh pit but it was worth it. Howie was super cool cause he was taking selfies with people's phones and signing autographs. yay!! i am very glad i went even though i felt super old at the club later. super old. a boy who actually looked 16 kept trying to hold my hand and dance with me and i was like 'i am pretty sure i am like 10 years older than you'! the club scene is veryyy strange to me now. 

anyway, back to ipsy! ipsy's 19 Reasons bag is referring to the 19 brands they worked with in January.  they also want you to find a reason why 2014 will be amazing. i'm already enjoying 2014 quite a bit and my upcoming trips to Philly/New York/Pittsburgh and then Orlando in the summer will be fantastic, i'm sure. plus, i just went to the Backstreet Boys and will be going to see John Legend next month. swoon!

1) Benefit : the Porefessional
Quickly minimize the appearance of pores & fine lines for smoother-than-smooth skin! Apply this silky, lightweight balm alone, under or over makeup. Translucent, oil-free formula complements all skintones and helps makeup stay put. Contains a Vitamin E derivative, known to protect skin from free radicals.
size: 3 mL
retail value: $31 (22 mL)
promotion: free gift with online purchase // expired Feb 15, 2014 

this makes it three! three times i've found this in a beauty bag. the other 2 times were from Topbox - April 2012 and February 2013. guess i won't be running out anytime soon and i still enjoy how smooth it makes my skin feel.

2)  (MALIN+GOETZ) : Mojito Lip Balm
The (MALIN+GOETZ) Mojito Lip Balm is as soothing to the lips as it is to the senses. Flavored with (MALIN+GOETZ) Mojito, this lip balm is scientifically blended to restore and replenish. The hydrating lip gel easily integrates for daily maintenance, prevention and treatment of dry, irritated lips. Color and Paraben free.

size: 10 g [full size]

retail value: $12

mojitos hey? that's a new flavor of lip balm for me. i am trying to rely less on lip balm cause i feel like my lips have to recover on their own from the winter but i might see if my boyfriend would use this. it looks plain enough right? i just don't know how he would feel about the gel texture...

3) Balanced Guru : Balm Me Up Organic Sweet Cocoa & Tangy Body Balm

Treat your whole body with a smooth and buttery body balm. Enriched with healthy butters and an invigorating blend of essential oils that will wake up your senses and moisturize your skin without leaving it greasy or tacky. Make sure you work it well into elbows, knees and even your feet, they'll thank you later!

size: 30 mL [trial size - $12]

retail value: $45 (120 mL)
promotion: 20% off online purchase // expired Feb 28, 2014 // US only

this body balm claims to moisturize your skin without leaving it greasy but i find that this is really difficult especially if the product contains so many different butters and oils. my experience with this body balm is that it leaves a shiny look/greasy feeling after application but over time, this will fade but the moisture remains.

4) Absolute! : Make-up Cleansing Tissues with 'Cucumber Extract'

Pre-moistened, refreshingly fragranced, water-based cloths designed to instantly remove even waterproof makeup without irritation. Infused with natural extracts and botanicals, Absolute! Makeup Cleansing Tissues are formulated to reawaken and soften skin, while helping to reduce puffiness. Made of delicate spun lace, our convenient, effortless 1-step tissues are gentle enough for use on sensitive skin and around the eye area.

size: 10 tissues [$2.49]

retail value: $7.99 [60 tissues]
promotion: 30% off online purchase // expired Feb 10, 2014 // US only

ipsy has teamed up once again with Nicka K. the Absolute! line of cleanings tissues include a number of other extracts such as Vitamin C, green tea and pomegranate. 

5) yaby : Natural Finish Liquid Foundation in 'Buff'

The yaby Liquid Foundation leaves an unbelievably natural, super smooth texture and is extremely easy to apply. Mimics the skin's natural sheen to create the most realistic flawless skin. Oil-free.

size: 8 mL [full size!]

retail value: $13.55
promotion: 20% off online purchase // expired Jan 31, 2014

the yaby liquid foundations all come in this small size which is great for carrying around. yaby also has color correctors as well. i've tried a few yaby products now (thanks to ipsy and Topbox) including some concealers which were decent but not highly pigmented. this 'Buff' shade is meant to be neutral but i think it is just a bit light for my skin. the smell is not the greatest since it smells sort of metal-y.

and tada! that makes up the first beauty bag from ipsy for the year... sort of a boring start in my opinion.

did you like your ipsy bag? what concerts are you going to this year?

GLOSSYBOX: January 2013

oh this is sad.
i was not motivated to write this post at all. Glossybox, what happened?? are you trying to compete for the largest amount of dissatisfied customers with Glymm?

i got this box 10 days ago. there was a Canada Post processing error and i didn't even notice.

onto the items (from V1)...

1) Wella Professionals Brilliance Leave-In Mousse - i enjoyed the other Wella products i have received from their Brilliance line. this one says it is for colored hair - why am i not surprised that i got this? all it says on the back is that it helps protect colored hair... i wonder if it does anything else. i am not much of a mousse girl so i will probably pass it on to my mom.

size: 190 g (full size!)
retail value: $17.99

2) Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme - i had to laugh at this. Glossybox hardly ever breaks from their drugstore brand preference so this is quite rare! but of course, it had to be the tiniest thing ever! it only looks large below because i had to zoom close enough to see it :D see below to see how it actually compares it size.
this lip plumper is clear and shimmery - something you can wear layered over a lipstick.

size: minuscule
retail value: $28 (6 mL)

3) Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion - i already expressed my feelings on the scent of this lotion in my previous Glymm post. i am not exactly willing to open a larger sized sample.

size: 25 g
retail value: $12.99 (170 g)

4) Nivea Essential Lip Care - so a plain lip balm... that's rather boring, no? i have such a variety of lip products that i never reach for a plain lip balm anymore. passing this off to my boyfriend - he likes the plain ones. haha

size: 4.8 g (full size!)
retail value: $2.00

5) *Glossybox Best in Moisture* Vitabath Fresh Citrus Twist Hand Creme - at first, i thought it sort of resembled my Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter in the recent ipsy bag but it's nowhere as delicious-smelling. in fact, for a citrus scent, it could've been much better (the Pacifica one is also better for you - no parabens!).
i also got the same scent for my Vitabath shower gel (received in my Glossybox November 2012) and found that this hand creme smells more 'diluted' or 'manufactured' than the shower gel.

my camera does odd things to red/pink backgrounds

size: 60 g
retail value: $15 (120 g) ... according to myvitabath.com

6) *bonus* BeautySoClean Cosmetic Sanitizing Wipes - uhmmm so i was very happy to get these half a year ago (where i received 4) but i haven't even used them yet! i should definitely make use of them. anyone out there that uses these regularly?

size: 12 wipes
retail value: $12.50 (48 wipes)

so this box... rather blah. i am probably going to give away most of this stuff since i have plenty of other alternatives that i actually enjoy.

let's not talk about the box anymore.
who has seen Gangster Squad? i saw it on Tuesday and i quite enjoyed it! it was bloody and had plenty of guns but there was also Ryan Gosling. hahaha and Emma Stone. i liked most of the characters and was constantly on the edge of my seat (although you can sort of tell who is going to die... or not). :) what other movies in theaters would you like to see?

GLYMM BAG: January 2013

after doing my report card on the beauty box subscriptions available to Canadians, the January boxes that followed seemed to reaffirm my decision in regards to Glymm and Glossybox - wowwwwwwwwww i honestly cannot believe how bad both are this month.
thanks to both of them for making it easy for me. once i cash in all my points, i am outta here!!

Glymm's recent price increase was very sudden - we got the email late last month (Jan 21) and the price change was effective immediately. to me, the contents of January's bag do not reflect the increase in price... in fact, i don't think i would have actually been happy if it was at $12 or even $10 (which was what i was paying). holy cow!!!! i just realized that this means that this is a 50% increase for everyone that was grandfathered at $10 during the previous price increase!

wwwwwwwwwhaaaaaaaaat

okay, putting the massive price hike aside, let's take a look at the products:

1) LASHEM Double Trouble Mascara - this is the teeniest mascara sample i've ever seen! it's the exact same size as the LASHEM serum from last month. i will start testing this mascara this weekend... i am on the verge of tossing a few so it's time for something new. i am pretty sure i can use this one up much faster.

size: N/A
retail value: $20 (6 mL)

2) La Fresh Travel-Lite Facial Cleansing Wipes - i'm sure no one is seriously overjoyed when we receive a couple foil packets of facial cleansing wipes...

size: 1 wipe ("full size") x 2
retail value: $3 each

3) 360 Skin Care Lavender Mint Firming Serum - the serum smells like lavender which i am not a fan of but i can hardly tell when i apply it to my face. this is unlike any other serum i've ever tried... it's rather thick and difficult to absorb onto your face. you know how lotion dries up and leaves residue around the cap? the texture is sort of like that but not nearly as hard.
this firming serum is to be used around the eyes. just make you sure you really try to smooth it out on your skin or you will get odd yellow globs on your face. just a suggestion!

size: 6 mL
retail value: $34 (30 mL)

4) Coolway Boost Repair Serum - this patent pending serum is to be used as a replacement of your conditioner and has strict instructions that you should wait at least 2 days between use. i found this serum to have a unique scent for a hair product - very sweet and sugary. the product itself is white and has a very very slight gritty texture. so far i haven't seen any transformation in my hair but i will let you know down the road if my feelings change.

size: 30 mL
retail value: $40 (236 mL)

5) ** bonus ** Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion - ho hum. i am not a huge fan of Burt's Bees lotions - i don't find the scents appealing. oh shoot - as i stared at this sample while i type this, i realized i got a larger sample of this in my Glossybox that i have yet to post...

size: 7 mL
retail value: $12.99 (170 mL) ... according to my January Glossybox card

you can tell from the tone of this whole post that i am not exactly overjoyed with this bag. haha - it may be that i am harder to impress now that i've subbed to 6 beauty boxes but in all honesty, all of these samples are tiny and have very limited use.
does anyone have high hopes for February? also, who knows when Glymm's anniversary is?

by the way, i have a giveaway coming up!!!! please stay tuned!!! i am letting you know now so that you can make sure i do it this weekend. i am giving you permission to get on my case about it. 

i really hope that i can work on more posts for you this weekend! i miss this :(

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?