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?

TOPBOX: August 2014

i miss the wishlist for Topbox every month. seriously, every month. i don't know why i can't just check in a few days before the end of the month. i just never remember. ever.
and so, it happened again near the end of July while i was away for my boyfriend's sister's wedding. right after the wishlist closed, i emailed Topbox and asked if they could put me down for the Benefit box.
a rep emailed me back, saying that she would put my request in!

unfortunately, the request fell through and another regular, boring Topbox arrived in my mailbox August 19th.

1) Barefoot Venus : Macadamia Oil Hand Cream in "Wild Flower"

size: 60 mL

retail value: $5.99 [full size!]

i love the pretty details on the packaging of the hand cream. the cream itself is also quite lovely. smells great and is not overpowering. my skin feels lovely and soft afterwards. it's made in Kelowna - i was just there in July!

2) Pur~Lisse : Pur-Protect Essential Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 Sunscreen

size: 15 mL

retail value: $55 (50 mL)

i just received this in the ipsy July bag - and i am still working through that one. i like how it is non-greasy and actually feels light on the skin. great size to throw in your bag and reapply throughout the day. today, Calgarians experienced our first snow after the summer season. up to 10 cm one day after we floated down the Bow River, enjoying 26 degree weather. so we will probably not see much sun for quite some time...aghhhhhhh! no fair! we can't just skip over autumn entirely! :(

3) Lise Watier : Prebiotic Micellar Water

size: 12 mL

retail value: $25 (200 mL)

prebiotic micellar water... such a fancy-sounding name. this the very FIRST prebiotic micellar water -simply because everyone else calls it 'toner'. prebiotic refers to sugar molecules that "stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria" - sounds like yogurt to me.
just like you would with a toner, you use this product with a cotton ball and dab it on your face. it doesn't sting a whole lot like some toners so that's why this is ideal for sensitive skin. 

4) Matrix : Oil Wonders in "Egyptian Hibiscus Color Caring Oil"

size: 5 mL x 3 = 15 mL

retail value: $22.99

seriously... i thought we were past the whole one-use satchet thing.
other than that, i've discovered i enjoy the scent of hibiscuses. you only need a tiny dab of this product or else it sort of weighs your hair down.
i've been using hair oils for a while now... after coming back from the hot and humid Florida weather, i noticed that when i curled the ends of my hair into a ball, it goes crunch.

crunch is not a nice sound for hair to make.

i have to admit that although this was an uninteresting box, i will be eventually using all of these items. still wish i had the Benefit box though!

IPSY BAG: July 2014

well would you look at this!

reviews for JULY beauty boxes in JULY!! say whaaaaaaaaaaat
i recently got my ipsy bag (July 15) and now i am posting about it. i hope i stay on track!! although it worked out better since i stayed in at lunch at work one day to blog. yaaaaye.

the fluorescent pink bag this month is quite adorable! i love the scallop edges!

July's ipsy bag is all about being "Sensationally Sunkissed" and to achieve this, you will need:

1) bareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 2.0 in "The Inspiration"
size: 1 g
retail value: $20.00 (2.7 g)
promotion: free shipping with bareMinerals purchase on ULTA.com with code 'IPSYBAREFS'; US only; expires Aug 10, 2014

bareMinerals READY® Eyeshadow 2.0 provides vivid, pigment-packed color with seamless blendability that lasts up to 12 hours. Powered by the proprietary SeaNutritive Mineral™ Complex, it delivers skin-nourishing benefits including reduced appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and puffiness plus boosted moisture levels.

"The Inspiration" includes the shades 'Muse' and 'Passion'. 'Muse' is described as a pink frost and it is a very light shade of pink. 'Passion' is a glimmering plum with golden flecks. both are very smooth to the touch. the pigmentation from these didn't blow me away - especially the pink shade.

2) derma e BB Crème in "Light Tint"
size: 14 g
retail value: $29.50 (60 mL)
promotion: 30% off purchase at dermae.com with code 'IPSY0714'; US only; expires Sept 30, 2014

Instantly erase the look of imperfections and turn back the clock on aging skin.
This multi-functional mineral beauty balm is an advanced skincare formula that also conceals with lightweight, color-correcting coverage. 

i was thinking this was not going to work out well as i blended the derma e BB creme onto my hand. it looked way too pink for my skin tone but surprisingly, it blended extremely easily and gave me some pretty decent coverage! BB creams are normally way too sheer and therefore not as appealing to me and my many sunspots. which makes me love the SPF 25 in it so much more :)
the texture is also different from other BB creams - this is very gel-like so it is super easy to smooth all over your face. the cream/gel combination leaves a dewy feeling on the skin.

3) Pixi Beauty Mini Tined Brilliance Balm in "Unique Pink"

size: 1.8 g
retail value: ~ $20.00 (3 g)
promotion: 25% off purchase at pixibeauty.com with code 'flawlesspixi'; US only; expires Aug 31, 2014

Packed with lip-loving ingredients, this glossy gel balm protects & hydates lips instantly. After the balm wears off, lips are left tinted with a flattering, personalized hue just for you (color & intensity depends on pH level of lips).

what an adorable size! at first look, it looks like a clear balm but the words 'tinted' caught my eye. upon application, i watch my lips turn a soft shade of pink. i find out from the ipsy site that this balm reacts with your pH level, so it's pretty much a mood lipstick - neat!

4) POP Beauty Sunkissed Bronzer in "Secret Sunshine" 

size: 6.95 g (full size!)
retail value: $10.00
promotion: 25% off purchase at popbeauty.co.uk with code 'POPIPSY'; US only; expires Aug 31, 2014

This radiance enhancing bronze glow delivers a soft honey beamed hue, adding warmth and a sun-kissed lift to your complexion. With added vitamin E.


the bronzer looks darker than most of the ones i have but i'm sure that blending, like always, will help. it has some shimmer in it. i'm not going to be able to use this for a while so it's going on the sale board (to be announced in the far future).

5) Pur~lisse Pur~Protect Essential Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 Sunscreen

size: 15 mL
retail value: $55.00 (50 mL)
promotion: 30% off purchase at purlisse.com with code 'IPSYSUMMER30'; US and Canada; expires Aug 15, 2014

Stay protected with pure flower power. Pur~lisse's unique peptide complex, Lotus Lupine 5, and Hydra-Shield Complex, offers superior full-spectrum sun protection in a light weight nourishing moisturizer. Skin is pampered and protected against premature aging caused by the day's rays.

i never complain about receiving moisturizers with SPF! this one is very nice too - feels light, non-greasy and has a soft scent.

tada!
these days, opening beauty boxes does not bring about the same excitement as it used to but ipsy still finds the ability to impress me! it's sometimes even hard to pick a favorite item!
this month, i'd have to say it's either the derma e BB creme or the Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm. what did you think of "Sensationally Sunkissed"?