BEAUTY BOX 5: August 2014

goooooooood morning!

BB5's August box, Radiant and Remarkable, contains 5 items - some more remarkable than others... and when i say 'some', i mean one.

read on to find out which one!

1) Pur~Lisse : Pur~Protect Essential Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 Sunscreen
size: 15 mL
retail value: $55 (50 mL)

seconds, only seconds, after i click 'Publish' on my latest Topbox box, i turn towards my next beauty box, open it and find my third Pur-Lisse Pur-Protect moisturizer in two months.
i think i am set for sunscreen... the 3 samples combined mean that i have 45 mL! which means i pretty much saved $55. hallelujah!

2) La Fresh : Travel Lite Oil-Free Makeup Remover Wipes
size: 8 wipes
retail value: $19.99 (48 wipes)

this must be BB5's favorite item ever. i'm pretty sure i've received about a gazillion of these - give or take a few.

3) Nanacoco : Lip Gloss in "#22114 Lovely"
size: 6.5 mL
retail value: $3.99 (full size!)

i've heard some people raving about this but the color was a bit bright for my taste so i wasn't exactly sure how i would feel about it. "Lovely" is a bright magenta with no shimmer.

i took the plunge and i agree with others who say that it is very smooth, shiny and pigmented. smells like a mixture of cotton candy and baby powder. it is very comfortable to wear and is just slightly sticky. i have never heard of this brand before but at $3.99, i would definitely consider buying more. their website provides a phone number for orders... and that is all i can really find.

4) Novex : Brazilian Keratin Extra Deep Hair Care Cream
size: 30 g
retail value: $19.50 (1 kg)

i... don't know about this. the packaging would not be appealing to the average beauty consumer since it looks more like something that would be found in a pharmacy or perhaps a hardware store. the term 'Hair Food' also sounds odd to me.
then again, this could be a gem and we just have to overlook the outside...?

5) Style Essentials : Nail Polish
size: 7 mL
retail value: $7.00 (28 mL)

there's no particular shade identifier on this nail polish but it is a part of the "Touch of Teal" 4 nail polish collection. there are large white hexagons, small teal hexagons, small white dots and white bars in this polish. it is pretty cute but an expert level of fishing is required to get those glitters out.

so i now have 3 Pur-Lisse sunscreen moisturizers and who knows how many of the makeup remover wipes. i am quite impressed with the Nanacoco lip gloss but not so much with their website since i can't really figure out how i can get more.
what was your favorite item?

BEAUTY BOX 5: October 2013

happy happy new year! :) i hope you all had a wonderful holiday! 

i just came back from Banff today and though it was a very short trip (just one night), it was super fun. went snow tubing at Mt. Norquay and hot-tubbing at the Hidden Ridge Resort. at first i was scared of tubing because i had no idea what it entailed but it's seriously fun stuff! you grab an inflated tube, stand on a conveyor belt kind of thing (a magic carpet) which takes you up and then slide down these large snow lanes. reminds me of those carpet rides at amusement parks. there are staff members at the top that get everyone 'boarded' - you can go single-file or in groups as big as 7 (depending on the staff member and how many they can spin). very sweet!

 

i know people have dedicated posts to their new year resolutions but i am absolutely horrible at keeping them so let's just make a general blogging-related one: blog more! yessss! 

and to do this, i need to finish my round of October unboxings... so let's get started here!

October's BB5 "Take it Easy":

1) Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion - very simple moisturizer... no SPF :(

size: 29 mL
retail value: $6.99 (226 g)

2) ModelCo Cheek + Lip Tint in "Rosy Red" - i received this in my Glossybox in March earlier last year. back then, i also received a full-sized version (10 mL). i mentioned that this product was great for adding color to your cheeks - you only need a tiny amount - but it didn't work too well on the lips. please click the link for swatches!

size: 5 mL
retail value: $22 (10 mL)

3) SwissCo Glitter Toe Spacers - i am not exactly impressed with these since they are your very basic toe separators but sparkly...

size: 1 set (full size!)
retail value: $2

4) La Fresh Travel-Lite Facial Cleansing Wipes - also not something exciting since i've received so many La Fresh wipes, i've lost count.

size: 8 wipes
retail value: $19.99 (48 wipes)

5) Nubar Nail Lacquer in "N295-7 Kristal" - this color is part of Nubar's Alter Ego Collection which was released this holiday season and features 8 3D glitter top coat polishes. on the website, it is listed as "Krystal" instead of "Kristal" and is described as a sheer silver white with multi-color sparkles and Mylar. what is Mylar? well a quick Google search tells us that it is often used to give that flakie/fleck nail polish effect. this polish is pretty but i feel like i have a few of these in my collection already. Nubar is hard to find though - i've only seen them at Winners stores. and i didn't even know they made mini polishes.

size: 7 mL
retail value: $8 (15 mL)

so everything is so... let's see here... SMALL. small in size or small in value. the Aveeno, ModelCo, La Fresh and Nubar products are all mini-sizes and then the one full-sized product - toe spacers - are worth $2. the total value of the box is $20.96 (the Aveeno moisturizer was worth less than $1). BB5 costs US$12 and the highest dollar value was the ModelCo tint but i've already received that in a prior box so the value is much less in my books. BB5 is normally not this disappointing so maybe it was just a bad month. we will have to see for November... which i should get onto stat! :)

BEAUTY BOX 5: May 2013

oh maaaaaaaan. i am terrible! my attention span is really short these days - there's just so much to do! even though today was my first day at work since last week - which meant i had plenty of time to blog...

these days, much of Alberta is dealing with the aftermath of flooding. i never really thought that could happen here in Calgary. there was a flood in 2005 but i was completely unaware of it back then. Calgary goes through really random changes in weather (we get the occasional snow/hailstorm in May or June). and this June has brought in a lot of rain. and i mean, a LOT. of course, we had a leak in our roof (make that 2). 

last Thursday was very normal. i stood on the side of the street downtown where i work, waiting for my ride. but that changed within a few hours. i was not able to return to work until today - a week later - which i didn't really mind of course since i was able to work from home. but wow. so many pictures of disaster on Instagram and Facebook... stories of people forced to evacuate... people panicking and hoarding water and filling up their bathtubs... vendors jacking up the price of a bag of ice to $20...

really makes you feel rather small when Mother Nature can be so powerful. 

i hope those that have been affected by the floods are all healthy and safe. 

back to the err.. May BB5 (where did June go??):

1) Brazen Cosmetics Ultra Glaze Lip Gloss in "Centerfold"
This creamy formula will deliver a long lasting wear that will have you hooked! Apply alone for a slight hint of color or layer over lipstick for a bolder look.


- not Ferro Cosmetics as shown in the card above -

BB5 does not shy away from featuring the same companies again and again - which could be a good or bad thing.

Brazen has been on a 3-month streak with BB5 but this time around it is a lip gloss instead of a shadow.

i was a little turned off by the metallic-y copper color initially. it also slipped my mind that this was a gloss so i was thrown off by how gooey it is :)

still, the color isn't half bad. not a fan of applying lip products with my finger though - especially something that is sticky.

size: N/A
retail value: $8.99

2) Jean Pierre Self Tan Wipe - Jean Pierre is featured once again but i have not used self-tanning wipes before. i know there is two wipes but how much does one wipe cover? i don't want to be tanned only on one side of my body...

size: 1 wipe x 2
retail value: $8.99 (10 towelettes)

3) ModelCo Eyeliner in "01 Black" - again, a repeat brand. i thought i had an eyeliner from ModelCo already but i think i am just confusing myself with their lip pencils.

size: 1.2 g (full size!)
retail value: $18

4) Coolway Transform Styling Spray - Coolway has interesting hair products and are quite specific with their instructions on how to use the products. this one in particular lists the number of sprays you will need for your length of hair. my very long hair would require about 50 sprays. either this is quite ridiculous or i have been completely underestimating the amount of hair product to use in my hair...
this styling spray has the same sweet sugary scent as the other Coolway products but also smells like nail polish at the same time.

size: 100 mL
retail value: $24.95 (200 mL)

5) La Fresh Antiperspirant Wipes for Women - another 3-month streaker. La Fresh, how do you keep coming out with so many different types of wipes?! this is the first antiperspirant wipe i've seen (why only for women?). the weather is improving and getting crazy hot at times so i will likely carry these just in case.

size: 1 wipe x 2
retail value: $19.90 (48 packets)

summary? too much repetition. i am already getting a little bored with the whole beauty box subscription thing but now i seem to be getting the same brands again and again. and too many wipes! i thought everyone was impressed when BB5 took a step away from all the one-use sachets but it appears to be back again.

BEAUTY BOX 5: April 2013

April's BB5... and yes i am finally getting to it on this May long weekend. my friend Jenny came back home for the week so it was absolutely lovely to see her :) i hope you are all having a fantastic long weekend!

without further delay...

1) La Fresh Instant Body Soother - so this is different from the other wipes i've been getting... the Instant Body Smoother wipe can be used to soothe tired or tense areas. it sounds like it would be refreshing, especially in the summer months. perhaps i can put it to use when i go canoeing?

who am i kidding? i don't do any work while canoeing... the boyfriend is in charge of any paddling that may be required. :)

size: 1 wipe x 2

retail value: $9.99 (24 wipes)

2) Minxxette Brush Hanger - i love how BB5 includes unique and useful items like this (remember we also got a brush guard a couple of months ago?). well, this handy dandy brush hanger allows you to dry your brushes after washing, without damaging the ferrule (the clamp thing that holds all the fibers/hairs together).

it can be hung using the hook or attached to a mirror with the suction cup. and it comes in two different sizes - we have the small one here:

size: 1 small brush hanger (full size!)

retail value: $4.69

3) Jean Pierre Cosmetics Oil Absorbing Facial Tissues - i keep trying all different kinds of oil blotting sheets that i haven't finished one whole pack yet but i am close! 

does anyone else pull out a pack while with friends and compare who's the oiliest or is that just gross? hahaha

size: 50 sheets (full size!)

retail value: $1.99

4) ModelCo Illusion Lip Pencil - i thought it was going to be hard to get ModelCo products in Canada after getting a taste for them in Australia but they have popped up four other times in beauty boxes - twice in Glossyboxes and now three times for BB5.
this lip pencil is great - i don't have a nude lip liner and this is a great nude. it is pigmented but it is not super creamy (but not drying either) so it takes a bit of work to get it evenly on my lips. it is really long-lasting as well. i wore it for a while on its own and a couple of hours later, i applied a lip crayon over it and it lasted 5 more hours. 

scroll to 5) to see an arm swatch. 

size: 1.5 g (full size!)

retail value: $20

5) Brazen Cosmetics Organic Mineral Eye Shadow in "Birthday Suit" - i seriously think BB5 can read my thoughts - every time i really enjoy a product or brand, i will receive another one next month!
i got a delicious-smelling Tree Hut scrub in February and then in March, i received a Tree Hut body butter (also quite delicious).

last month, i fell in love with Brazen Cosmetics Eye Shadow in "Buzzed" and today, i bring you "Birthday Suit".
"Birthday Suit" is an odd color on me - it wouldn't be considered a naked/bare color on my skin tone. the shade is too tan and when applied to my eyes, it makes me look sick. 

arm swatches:

size: 3 g

retail value: $7.49 (5 g)

i really like how BB5 has been introducing us to some great makeup tools. my favorites are the ModelCo lip liner and the Minxette brush hanger. on the other hand, i am getting a little sick of the La Fresh samples.

i also wanted to throw in a quick note about a movie i was very excited to see but left thinking that it was just alright: "The Great Gatsby". i've never read the book but it is definitely on my reading list. the movie was very pretty to look at - the backdrop, the characters, the costumes... all very gorgeous (special mention about Leonardo DiCaprio here - yum!) but i felt the story line was sort of slow. i was expecting to bawl my eyes out but i didn't shed a tear. maybe if i read the book...?
oh and the music is good but i was constantly thrown off when i'd hear Jay-Z or will.i.am when it is set in the 1920s... 

BEAUTY BOX 5: March 2013

my BB5 arrived shortly after my Luxe Box. this month was just okay - i guess i was a little spoiled from their previous anniversary box!

1) La Fresh Nail Polish Remover Travel Wipes - i am being overwhelmed by wipes from beauty box subs, especially La Fresh ones! i can't remember if i have received these already... 

did a quick search on my blog and i have received something similar - back in June, i received an acetone-free version from Glymm.

size: 1 pad x 2
retail value: $3.99 (6 wipes)

-- update April 22, 2013 -- 

i used one of these pads after wearing Hard Candy's "Crush on Pink" polish for a few days. the pad easily removed the pink layer but not so much as the silver foil underneath the pink. i was able to remove 3 fingers easily before the La Fresh pad started drying out. i had to use some of my own nail polish remover to remove the rest of the polish off my fingers. 
i don't think these Travel Wipes are intended to be used on shimmery or glittery polishes. the pad itself was heavy duty enough (resembled felt) but dried up too quickly. --

2) Brazen Cosmetics Organic Mineral Eye Shadow in "Buzzed" - at first look, i didn't think too much of the color - yeah it's brown and it's sparkly. the swatch was of only one swipe and it was still just okay for me.
but once i started playing with it on my eyes, i am in love! i built up the color a bit on my crease and it is really long-wearing. i was surprised that it was just as vivid after i woke up from a very restful afternoon nap :)
Brazen Cosmetics (catch line: bold & provocative organic makeup) is currently making changes to their website so i can't find much about their shipping costs or products yet. ** spoiler alert ** the company will also be featured in April's box **

size: 3 g
retail value: $7.49 (5 g)

3) Tree Hut Shea Body Butter in "Tropical Mango" - i cannot get enough of Tree Hut! last month, i received a delicious-smelling Coconut Lime Body Scrub and last year, i got a i-want-to-eat-it Hawaiian Kukui Body Butter. "Tropical Mango" is also saliva-inducing but if i had to choose a body butter, i prefer the "Hawaiian Kukui".

size: 57 g
retail value: $6.49 (255 g)

4) H2O Plus Spa Sea Salt Body Wash - also received a H2O Plus product (shampoo) last month. i must say that i do not like this body wash. the scent is very strong, very marine-y, very salty... does not make me feel pretty.
H2O Plus is all about 3 key elements so here they are: red marine algae, Japanese green tea extract and provitamin B.

size: 30 mL
retail value: $17 (370 mL)

5) H2O Plus AquaFirm+ Eye Lift Concentrate - the tube may be little but keep in mind that it is about half-full. this is a very interesting eye cream - the cream itself has an iridescent color to it - very pretty. i guess it contributes to the light-reflecting brighteners in the product.
the 3 key elements for this include: caffeine, sea nutrient barrier and chlorella marine algae.

size: 4 mL
retail value: $38 (15 mL)

so i like about half of this box and the other half, not so much. i noticed that there was no organza bag this time around... all the items were just tossed into a cardboard box with some black crinkly paper and that was it. i guess i don't need more organza bags but i am curious if this is how they will be packaging their products from now on.

i'd like to thank the reader who signed up via my link last month. it was a surprise when i got an email from BB5 saying that my referral earned me, not $5, but a $10 gift card to Sephora. so thank you again! has any of you Canadian ladies figured out how to use this though? the tiny writing at the bottom seems to indicate that it can only be redeemed in the states... let me know if you have any idea!

IPSY BAG: March 2013

my March ipsy bag arrived on March 13th but to my dismay, i found the whole bag sopping wet. turns out the bottom of the Juice Beauty item had completely broken off - perhaps it was frozen? 

and so i sent a sad email to ipsycare on the 16th (along with a sad photo of the soaked contents) and got a response back on the 18th. ipsy later sent me a tracking number for a replacement bag, which i received on the 27th. thank you for the kind and timely response, ipsy!

my second bag arrived just fine and now i finally have a chance to review it for you.

let's start with the bag - cute, no? (and now i have two, teehee!)

March's bag is themed "The Great Escape" -  can't help but think of "The Sweet Escape" by Gwen Stefani.

1) Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist
"Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist tones, hydrates, and refreshes your face and hair while on the go, anytime of the day. Hydrate with the refreshing blends of organic juices for a fresh, radiant complexion. "

i sprayed this on my face this morning and was trying to think of a way to describe the smell when my boyfriend asks, "does it have rosehip?" and i'm like "whhhhhhhhat - wait...". turns out he is right! he remembered 'rosehip' from buying me the Australis Finishing Spritz - oh, what a smart boyfriend that one is.

anyway, i do not like the scent but you can't blame them since it is made only with organic ingredients. i am not a huge fan of this mist since it makes me feel oilier and i already have enough of that, thank you very much. it also somewhat irritated my skin at first contact but the irritation went away (also do not inhale through your mouth right after - it doesn't taste good either).

promotion: 20% off purchase of $30+ (until April 10, 2013)
size: 30 mL
retail value: $22 (200 mL)

2) La Fresh Travel Lite Makeup Remover Wipes
"La Fresh® Travel Lite® portable towlette wipes are perfect for jetsetters, go-getters, outdoor enthusiasts and multi-taskers everywhere. Towlette packets are small in size, designed for practicality and are easy to apply discreetly. Each item is carry-on friendly and slim enough to slip into a pocket, purse or wallet. Perfectly portable, La Fresh® makes beauty a breeze when you’re on-the-go. For a refreshing getaway, grab any Travel Lite® and Live. Life. La Fresh.™ "
more La Fresh, and more makeup remover wipes. very ho-hum. on a more positive note, we get to try 8 instead of a single-use wipe.

promotion: 30% off (until May 31, 2013 & Canadians are excluded :/ )
size: 8 wipes (full size!)
retail value: $1.99

3) Yaby Eyeshadow Refill in "ES296 So Vein" and "ES442 Sand Dune"
"Whether you want to make a dramatic statement or just add a veil of color to your eyes, the yaby eyeshadow refills are extremely easy to work with. Can be used wet or dry and the smooth texture allows blending with ease. All shadows are vegan friendly and the pans are reusable for mixing. Glam Bag subscribers receive two of 80 fabulous shades. "
the colors i got are both matte and not shades i'd wear often. i think the size of them are cute and portable but it is difficult to get a brush in there since the pans are smaller than a dime.

the color payoff is just okay as well (see below for swatch). "Sand Dune" is less pigmented and clashes with my skin tone. both colors fade almost completely after a work day. not sure if this was affected by the Juice Beauty mist... i will attempt applying these eyeshadows wet at a later date.

promotion: 25% off (until April 15, 2013; Canada shipping starts at $7.50) 

size: 15.5 mm each (full size!)

retail value: $3.35 each

4) GlamRX Mini Freestyle Palette

"The GlamRX Mini Freestyle Palette was made exclusively for ipsy Glam Bag subscribers. The magnetic base is the perfect spot to store pan-only eyeshadows (2 of which are included in this Glam Bag!), blushes & bronzers, or whatever you need for perfect for quick touch ups on the go! Whether you are headed off to spring break or just need a cute & clever way to store products in your bag, you can create the perfect makeup look and take it with you with your exclusive GlamRX Mini Freestyle Palette. "

i like how ipsy paired up the tiny magnetic Yaby eyeshadows with this tiny GlamRx palette. the palette is slightly bigger than a business card so it would be handy if you needed to touch up and you were only carrying a clutch or something. the mirror is also a nice touch!

promotion: 20% off GlamRX Touch Up Palette (until April 15, 2013)

size: 1 mini palette (full size!) 

retail value: N/A (not sold on the website but the Touch Up Palette is $16.50)

oh blargh i forgot to take a group photo again!! <insert photo here later!>

overall, this ipsy bag was contained items that i have not received from a beauty bag before but it is also not my favorite. i am happy with the customer service though. looking forward to April's bag! there has been sneak peeks popping up here and there which i am trying to avoid...

whoohooooo yeehooooo

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 :(