LUXE BOX: September 2014 [Fall]

here are a few glimpses from last Tuesday night with Sarah McLachlan: 

she is so awesome live! her voice is amazing. i was a bit surprised by her rock side since all i really knew were her ballads. this is the second time i've been to the Jubilee (first was John Legend) and i am blown away by the acoustics there.  

1) Loose Button : Fan Brush

This brush is designed to dust, wipe, and redistribute powders along your features making it the perfect tool for all the finishing touches. The flat fan shape allows for even and soft definition, as well as, fanning away excess product, such as, eye makeup fallout.
size: 1 brush (full size!)
retail value: $18.00

i always forget about the fan brush but it is a great tool for brushing on highlighter. 

2) Jelly Pong Pong : Fairy Lashes Curl Mascara

Fairy Lashes Curl is a sculpting, curling mascara that continually curls lashes throughout the day with a unique synthesis of Moringa Seed resin that dries down and holds the curl of lashes for long-lasting results. The unique brush instantly creates dramatic volume and intense definition, while allowing eyelashes to remain spectacularly soft and light at the same time. This is a truly fabulous effect for the woman who wants to emphasize a deep, intense, seductive look.
size: 8 mL (full size!)
retail value: $24.00

i own the non-curl version from last year's Topbox... which i haven't actually used yet... so i can't exactly compare them. curl is definitely an appealing mascara feature for me though.

3) Blush : Body Wash
Blush Body Wash is handcrafted with a luxurious & nutrient rich blend of Coconut, Olive, Jojoba and Hempseed oils. A hopelessly romantic floral aroma with just a hint of citrus, Blush Body Wash will awaken your inner goddess and soothe your senses. Always created without the use of synthetic preservatives, sulfates or detergents of any kind...what you see is what you get...pure nourishment for your skin!
size: 60 mL (sample size)
retail value: $4.75 or $16.95 (240 mL)

beautiful label but the scent is not something i exactly want to lather all over my body. it reminds me of the Chinese oils used for sore muscles or even tummy aches... i don't know how it works but sometimes just the smell of the Chinese oil makes me feel better.

4) Vasanti : BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator Exfoliating Cleanser
Vasanti Brighten Up Face Rejuvenator is a triple action facial scrub that helps brighten, exfoliate, and
clean skin all at once.
size: 20 g
retail value: $34.00 (120 mL)

this was one of the first products i got in my Glymm and i recall the tiny crystals in the formula. great for exfoliating but those with sensitive skin might find it a bit harsh.

5) theBalm : En Root Hair Shine Serum
En Root Hair Shine Serum is infused with Green Tea, Bamboo, Rice Proteins and Vitamins A, C and E to give dry and damaged hair the gloss-over. Take fly-aways and frizz on a detour with this Paraben and Sulfate-free serum.
size: 30 mL
retail value: $15.00 (118 mL)

i have had enough of hair oils but maaaaaan, does this smell good! sooooooo gooooood, 

6) LVX : Nail Lacquer in "013 Tribute"
LVX brings you luxury and fashion without compromise. They are dedicated to launching the hottest collections for each season by translating the top runway colors based on emerging trends in high fashion.
size: 15 mL (full size!)
retail value: $17.00

Loose Button claims that the polishes are from the Winter Resort 2014 Collection but a quick Google search determines that this is not true. "Tribute" is a 'textured blue' from the 2013 collection. it is a dark sapphire with purple and green shimmers.

7) So Susan : Universal Blush
A micronized, jet-milled blush that works with your skin's natural chemistry to create a universal healthy flush that is flattering on all skintones. Made with Buriti Fruit Oil to repair the epidermis and improve skin elasticity.
size: 4 g (full size!)
retail value: $17.50

i was debating whether or not to keep this since i am not running out of blush anytime soon... and yet the color is quite beautiful. it is said to be flattering on all skin tones... and it has a sheen that is similar to the famous NARS Orgasm. 

so the total box value is $90.90... pretty impressive. about half the items are full size which is always nice. nothing in this box is a major standout for me, although theBalm's hair serum smells so good. check out the sale post for some of these items.

AT THIS MOMENT ...
currently listening: "In Your Shoes" by Sarah McLachlan
just watched: The Amazing Spider-Man 2
still watching: Doctor Who Season 4 // Walking Dead Season 5
now reading: "When God Was a Rabbit" by Sarah Winman

TOPBOX: June 2013

i have decided to make a change: i am going to write TWO posts within a week.
say whaaaaaat?

yes yes - i have fallen well behind my usual snail pace and have now achieved banana slug status (wiki says they are the slowest mollusk in the world - averaging speeds of 0.000023 m/s). plus, it was my birthday two days ago and i want to make this change :)

let's quickly go through my June Topbox!

1) Belvada Cosmetics Mini Eyelash Curler
i am not sure how excited i am about this eyelash curler. yay for being the first eyelash curler i've gotten in a box but nay to the plastic and the compact design which makes it hard for me to grab hold of my tiny stubborn eyelashes. the small size makes it really easy to throw in a purse but it's nowhere near as effective as my Shiseido curler.

size: 1 mini eyelash curler (full size!)
retail value: $5.99

2) Benefit Cosmetics Ultra Plush Gloss in "Sugarbomb"
February's Topbox featured Benefit so i have tried my hand at another one of their glosses prior to this. "Sugarbomb" is described as a 'shimmering pinky nude' by Benefit. both "Dandelion" and "Sugarbomb" are very shimmery and apply clear on my lips. they are not sticky and smell yummy.

size: 6.5 mL
retail value: $19 (15 mL)

3) Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics Fairy Lashes Mascara in "Flutter"
'Fairy Lashes'... sounds light and pretty! i'd love to put it to a test but i am still working through my Pandora's Eyes Mascara (which has a clear tube so i can see that i am nowhere near finishing it anytime soon).

size: 8 mL (full size!)
retail value: $24

4) Pari Beauty Colour Cubes in "# 04 & 19"
i find these loose powders to be a bit messy but these colors are ah-mazing. so gorgeous! i have absolutely nothing like the rosy pink color (which i will assume is #19 since there is no other indication). it makes you question how you can use it without looking like you have an infected eye but it definitely works! what i do is i use the soft yellow (#04) on the inner corner, a black or something dark in the crease area and lightly tap the rose pink on top of that. tada! a beautiful sunset on your eye!

haha but seriously, here are some swatches:

both are shimmery and are not super pigmented but it is buildable. #19 looks more like a peachy color when swatched. #04 is finer than #19 and applies very smoothly. the powders come in a plastic stackable container.

size: 2 stack
retail value: $30 (5 stack, 7 g); $35 (8 stack, 11 g)

so since my July Topbox arrived yesterday... this is all probably old news! all items were makeup-related so that's always a hit with me. my stubborn eyelashes renders this eyelash curler quite useless; lipglosses - have a ton but Benefit is a nice brand to try. all in all, quite content with the contents! onward to the next box/bag!

thanks for continuing to read my blog! <3 it has been super busy with the Calgary Stampede and the flooding and everything so i appreciate your continued support! i will be heading to Edmonton this weekend to see Bruno Mars but i will update again soon after!

GLOSSYBOX: April 2013

so this month's Glossybox had an extra sticker on it - Danone Silhouette... which is

yogurt?

well, it's not in the box itself but there is a coupon for a FREE Greek yogurt pack. sweeeeeet :) the only Greek yogurt i've tried was rather sour-tasting... is that the norm?

April's "Work That Beauty" box:

1) Jelly Pong Pong Lip Blush in "Marshmallow Pink" - well that's definitely an interesting brand name. Jelly Pong Pong is based in the UK and ships worldwide (minimum order is approx $40 CAD and shipping is a little over $6).
it took me a while to figure out what color i got since the outer packaging looks like it is "Cranberry" but the color itself is definitely a pink.
the lip blush is nice - moisturizing and pigmented. below, i have swatched it on my arm - the left is one swipe and the right one is 5.

"Marshmallow Pink" is described as a "soft petal pink"; i find that the blue base of the pink is very evident. still i love how pigmented this pink is on my lips. i didn't notice this at first but when the sunlight hits it directly, it sort of looks metallic-y (see top pic below).
lasting power of this lip blush is pretty impressive - about 4 or so hours. it is slightly awkward using it right now since the tip is really pointy but i'm sure it will round off later.

size: 2.5 g (full size!)
retail value: $18.70

2) Schick Hydro Silk Razor - oh hello first razor (from a beauty box) of the year! i wonder how many of these are there to come?

size: 1 razor & 1 cartridge (full size!)
retail value: $10.99

3) Boscia Recharging Night Moisture - this moisturizer feels light and absorbs quickly into the skin. it has a herbal scent to it that is not overly unpleasant. this made me curious about the ingredients so i did a little research and found that this moisturizer is like, good for (almost) everything: it targets wrinkles, dryness and redness. it is recommended for normal to dry or aging skin.

size: 15 mL (not full size like the info card says)
retail value: $44 (40 mL)

4) POP Beauty Cat Eyes Eye Liner in "Tasty Teal" - i was actually contemplating this eye liner when i saw it at Winners a couple months ago but they didn't have a black which is pretty much all i wear. still, "Tasty Teal" is a fun color and i like how the liner is slanted. 

however, what i do not like about this eyeliner is quite the dealbreaker. 

it creases. and it creases ridiculously fast.

i was doing my makeup in the car and had lined one eye, glanced down for a second and look up to find that it had already creased. yes it was that quickly! there's no way my eyelids were already that greasy since i was doing my makeup on my way to work (so at like 7 am!). in order to fix this, i just blended it and used it as an eyeshadow instead.

the next time i attempted this eyeliner, i used it on my lower lashes and it stayed relatively well put there. 

i think if i try this again on my top lashes, i will use a heavy duty primer and check on it multiple times a day, just in case it became super messy again.

size: 0.4 g (full size!)

retail value: $16

5) Heartland Fragrance Soothing Epsom Salts in "Jasmine" - this was definitely what i smelled the second i lifted the lid off the Glossybox. i am not a fan of the smell of jasmine but it is relaxing. i haven't used it in the bath yet but in the shower, the salts dissolve rather quickly.

the boyfriend also noted that these are probably specifically labelled "epsom" salts now due to the bath salt incidents - which were so crazzzyyy.

size: N/A
retail value: $10.10 (850 g)

so here's the whole box! it was definitely jam packed and there is a variety of items this month. favorite of course, is the lip blush. most disappointing? the eyeliner but i will try to make it work again. what were your thoughts?

also, Target arrived in Calgary a couple days ago - and i found it underwhelming. yes, there were two cosmetics brands that i haven't seen widely available in Canada before (Sonia Kashuk and Pixi) but i thought the prices were pretty high. my first purchase there that night included a body wash for the boyfriend and 2 pairs of socks. nothing cosmetic-related! however i did find the Sonia Kashuk area quite empty so maybe next time i will find some goodies.