LUXE BOX: March 2013 [Spring Edition]

my spring Luxe Box arrived last week which was a surprise since i almost forgot it was coming.
this spring box was special in that it was partnered with Steven and Chris from CBC's Steven and Chris Show. i haven't seen the show before but i have heard of the duo.

a Spring Trends 2013 booklet was included and you don't receive every item listed. to me, this seems like a bit of a tease since i can read about items other people are getting. i don't think it is a smart business tactic because we are only comparing our items to what we COULD have received which means unhappy customers.
of the 10 products mentioned in the booklet, i received 3 of them in my box. i am quite jealous of those who got the Color Smash Hair Shadow! i've only dyed my hair once so it seems like a fun thing to try.

1) Loose Button Blending Sponge 
"A makeup sponge applicator that flawlessly blends in your makeup for the perfect look. The applicator should be dampened with water before use and can be used with liquid, cream, loose powder or pressed powder makeup. For best results, use the applicator in a stippling or bouncing motion."
i am sure you have seen the (seemingly) overpriced Beautyblender as well as many of its knockoffs. here we have Loose Button's version - a blue sponge that is not an exact egg shape like the real Beautyblender but it's more like an egg with a waist. it is really soft and squishy! definitely felt different from my other makeup tools... it was pretty fun using it to apply my foundation just by bouncing it all over my face.
i haven't used one of these before so i had to look it up. i dampened the sponge and used it to apply both a liquid foundation and powder by using bouncing motions. i think the sponge may have been too wet because i couldn't tell if it either spread evenly or the sponge soaked it all up. i will have to use it a few more times before i get it right...

size: 1 sponge (full size!)
retail value: N/A

2) Lancome Genefique Youth Activating Serum 
"Award-winning serum that helps create a more youthful-looking skin by promoting natural skin renewal that is characteristic of young skin. Visible skin in just 7 days. Drop by drop, skin is vibrant with youth, its tone becomes astonishingly even and its texture dramatically refined."
oooh. award-winning but not a product i am interested in using just yet.
comes with a dropper and has a very very light scent.

size: 8 mL
retail value: $125 (50 mL)

3) Blue Lagoon Rich Nourishing Cream
"Blue Lagoon rich nourishing cream We are happy to include our latest product, rich nourishing cream, in the spring Luxe Box. The Blue Lagoon rich nourishing cream, for normal to dry skin, smoothes, enhances radiance and helps to prevent signs of aging, like wrinkles. This new advanced formula contains Blue Lagoon active ingredients: algae and silica. Research has shown that Blue Lagoon algae have significant protecting and anti-aging effects and the Blue Lagoon silica helps to strengthen the skins barrier function* *in vitro and in vivo studies Blue Lagoon rich nourishing cream is: Dermotologically tested and Paraben free."
you are kidding me LB! a foil packet in a box that we pay almost $30 for? so sad, so sad. it's expensive yes, but how are you going to convince me to shell over such a large amount of money with so little product to test with?

size: 2 mL
retail value: US$130 (30 mL)

4) L'Occitane Shea Dry Skin Hand Cream
"This hand cream penetrates quickly to protect, nourish and moisturize your hands. Rapidly absorbed with no oily traces, this hand cream doesn't need to be reapplied even after frequent hand washing. The minimal scent makes it suitable for men and women."
funny enough, i got this hand cream from L'Occitane for FREE and in a BIGGER size a couple of months ago - how does that work??
this Shea Hand Cream smells like a baby powder/oil to me which i actually like.

size: 10 mL
retail value: $30 (150 mL)

5) Coach Coach Love Eau de Parfum 
"Coach Love blends dewy petals and fresh greens with sensual woods, rich caramel and a hint of musk in a scent as unforgettable as falling in love. Apply perfume to your pulse points for a longer lasting scent. Remember not to rub your pulse points together, as this will bruise the scent."

i am not a huge fan of getting perfume samples in my beauty boxes but it is so hard to dislike them when they come in such cute bottles.
i like the florals behind the scent but at the same time, i think the musk makes it a little too strong.

size: 6.5 mL
retail value: $92 (100 mL)

6) Pandora's Makeup Box Pandora's Eyes Mascara in "Black"
"The perfect addition to your your collection for a more natural touch! A smudge and clump free mascara that provides you with gorgeous, glossy colour that will never irritate the eyes. Developed specifically for sensitive eyes, this mascara glides on easily and thickens the lashes while adding glorious shine. The long brush handle allows you to maneuver into hard to reach areas and the clear tube lets you know when you're running low!"
this mascara came at the right time since i was just finishing an old one so i decided to give Pandora a try. the mascara comes in a clear tube so you can actually tell when you are running low. i have never had that before  so it will be interesting to see how much i can actually use up. it is much more likely that the mascara dries out before i make a solid dent in it.
the brush is on the thin side and the mascara is a very wet formula. i even sniffed it... and it doesn't smell good but i guess you aren't supposed to be sniffing mascaras anyway. the mascara looks like a shiny black - it lengthens my lashes but doesn't do much for volume. some of my lashes stuck together since the formula is rather wet. it also holds a curl decently.

size: 10 mL (full size!)
retail value: $19

7) B. Kamins BB Cream 
"B. Kamins BB Cream is an 8-in-1 multitasking cream that instantly lifts your look! Power packed with anti-oxidants, botanicals and vitamins, this super hero formula helps to reduce fine lines, wrinkles and dullness. The BB Cream moisturizes, evens skin tone and provides sheer, luminous coverage. Get up and go with BB Cream!"

i haven't used this yet and there was no indication of color so i checked out the website. looks like there is only one color available since it has a "transparent colour-correcting formula". that doesn't make sense to me - how it can be transparent but still cover redness and etc?
this is a good sample size though and i like how it has a pump.

size: 15 g
retail value: $49 (50 mL)

8) Blue Lagoon Silica Mud Mask 
"The Silica mud is the Blue Lagoon's signature element. The pure white geothermal mud deep cleanses and exfoliates. Naturally strengthens skin's barrier function¹. Brings out the skin's inner glow, gives it a vital energy boost and smooth complexion. Excellent face & body mask. Use 2-3 times a week or when skin needs en extra boost. Fragrance and color free. For all skin types."

the prices for Blue Lagoon products are way out of my budget. wowsaaaa!
anyway, i will be updating this after tomorrow with pictures!

size: 30 mL
retail value: US$100 (200 mL)

all in all, i almost forgot about this box and i still think it is forgettable. i thought mine was bad but after reading all the other complaints on LB's Facebook page and checking out what the other girls got, i think i actually fared slightly better than some... i was lucky to get a BB cream and a full sized mascara.
still, not too happy with the box. putting them all side by side, the samples all look rather small. you'd figure for a box that costs about $30 and that ships once every three months, that LB would put more effort in the samples (foils? really?!) and ship on time (supposed to be delivered in March).

one other thing that really bugs me are the emails they send referring to a "Limited Time Opportunity" and how i am eligible to upgrade my membership to a semiannual/annual plan. first of all, LB sends these emails all the time! it is NOT a limited time offer. secondly, this is not an opportunity - i don't like their choice of words here since they make it seem like it is some special offer that they are giving me. pfffttt.

GLOSSYBOX: March 2012

dun dun dunnnn! it is finally here!!
it arrived yesterday, after much anticipation and delays. Glossybox was having a bit of trouble with customs. they continually updated their Facebook page on the status of the box as well as gave everybody 250 Glossydots for their patience. for some reason though, the company said the Alberta boxes were sent out last Monday and yet my tracking information said Canada Post received it on Wednesday. Glossybox said it was glitch with Canada Post. i liked being kept in the loop but placing the blame on someone else for the delay will not help the situation. i hope i receive April's box within the month!
so many people were super pleased with their box - i snuck a peek on Facebook. when i picked it up from the mailbox, i was shocked at how heavy it felt. it's a whooping 700 g. haha apparently March's Luxe Box was 500 g but the Glossybox feels really heavy!
so it is the first time i received the Glossybox so here's plenty of pictures.
the cardboard box is quite fancy. it has the Glossybox symbol and logo all over the box and perforation (? is that the right term?) along the side which makes it so much easier to open the box.

upon opening the box, there is a light pink box that seems really sturdy. taking off the lid, you will find some tissue paper wrapped in a pale pink ribbon with a logo sticker.

there's a large black envelope and this is the shot of all the products underneath it (there's a lot of them!):

the black envelope contains: a note from Glossybox including a list of the products, a Bailey Cosmetics product tag, a promo code for Pandora's Makeup Box and a huge booklet about Sebastian products.

products of the month:

1) Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion - i've seen plenty of ads for this so i'm alright with receiving this lotion. it claims that it moisturizes for 24 hours. great for my elbows! there is a very light oatmeal scent and absorbs really quickly. feels slightly more runny than creamy.
size: 71 mL
retail value: $11.99 (354 mL)

2) Bailey Fresh Lip Gloss in " Fresh Berry" - there's no label anywhere saying how big the sample was or what color it was, but i compared mine to some of the other blogger's and found that mine is a lot darker. it also looks more like "Fresh Berry" than it would "Fresh Pink". one thing to keep in mind is make sure you twist it all the way to close it. my sister wanted to take a look but didn't close it properly and it began leaking A LOT. it kept leaking until i figured out the problem. i put some on her, put a ton on me, did a swatch on my hand and still large goops of lip gloss was lost.

this allowed me to take two swatches of the gloss on my lips - one with just a normal layer of gloss, and the other one i layered quite a bit. the color looks darker (quite purple) on my hand and appears sheerer on my lips but you can build the color. it has a sponge applicator and does not feel all too sticky.

some people received an anti-shine powder or a duo foundation - both of which i would've preferred since i've got quite the stash of lip products from these beauty boxes.
size: 8 g (full size!)
retail value: $28

3) Evian Brumisateur Facial Spray - hmm interesting that Evian has "branched out" from bottled water to beauty products. i have something sort of similar that i use to refresh my skin - The Body Shop's Vitamin C Energizing Face Spritz.

i love the smell because the citrus definitely wakes you up. this Evian one however, is just water. so i am not entirely sure what the hype is about. this sample costs $7... i really don't know what you're paying for here.
size: 50 mL
retail value: $17.50 (300 mL); $12.50 (150 mL); $7.00 (50 mL)

4) PANDORA'S Blush in "St. Tropez" - yay! first time receiving blush in these boxes and great timing too! i think blush would probably be the product that i have the least varieties of so this is a great addition. it comes in a little magnetic box and is a nice pink color.
size: 4 g (full size!)
retail value: $18

5) Sebastian Re-Shaper Hairspray - this is a new type of product to receive in the beauty boxes. i have quite a bit of hairspray which i do not use often so i do not know when i will actually test this out. this product emphasizes brushability (did they invent the word?) which would be something i am interested in. i don't like it when my hair looks super hard after hairspray and when you try to brush,it causes little white flakes. will update you on this later!
size: 43 g
retail value: $19.95 (43 g) i heard plenty of bloggers/Facebookers mention that this was calculated incorrectly so i went online to check... $22.95 (300 g) according to Fabove.ca

6) *bonus* Algemarin Foam Bath - i like bonuses! i've never heard of Algemarin and i hardly ever take baths so will let you know later.
size: 15 mL
retail value: $23.95 (750 mL); $17.99 (500 mL); $3.99 (5 x 5 mL)

comparing mine to others, i would've preferred some different items but overall, it's a decent box. my favorite item would probably be the blush from PANDORA'S. the lip gloss is a darker shade than i normally get so that's a nice variation. i wish Glossybox had added those label stickers they sent out last month for new subscribers. i'll have to start thinking of uses for this box now! what do you use all your boxes for?
interested in signing up? i'd appreciate it if you use my link. :)

PS. Topbox is holding ANOTHER giveaway on Facebook - click here to win a top 10 gift set from Stila Cosmetics!
thanks for reading!