GLOSSYBOX: December 2012

i bet you have heard plenty in regards to the drama with the December Glossybox. you might be sick of it already, but let's recap just in case you haven't heard it.

- 2 items in the box - the Avon and the Revlon product - may have been discontinued/expired products
- some people have said that the Revlon nail polish had dust or Rite Aid clearance stickers on them
- some have also contacted Revlon Canada who said that they were not in partnership with Glossybox
- others said Avon confirmed their product was discontinued (there were a variety of Avon products sent out so i am not sure which one they were talking about)
- Glossybox's first response didn't help the matter either - they were very careful choosing their words. the first sentence angered many people, including myself: "GLOSSIES, we are sorry that some of you were disappointed with your full-size Revlon nail polish."
pretty much, they are emphasizing that the Revlon was full sized (lucky you!) and that they are not apologizing for the product itself but sorry that you are disappointed with it.
- Glossybox said they needed to speak to their European supplier about the Avon products. they later updated us with "We’ve communicated with our supplier in Europe, who has been a reliable GLOSSYBOX provider in the past, and they have reassured us that the product is in date, new and unopened, but we are devastated if our GLOSSIES are upset."
see that last part of the sentence? again, they are not taking responsibility.
- Glossybox said they will keep investigating the matter and will reevaluate their quality control processes for the future.
- this box was partnered with LOULOU Magazine. all they have said about the issue is that they are looking into it.
- some say that Glossybox has been deleting negative comments on their Facebook (i do not have evidence of this myself since i haven't been following that closely)

so personally, i do not have any issues with my Revlon nail polish. i can't find any information on the Avon lip gloss i got on the Canadian website nor the European website. i've seen a few eBay listings but none of them say discontinued...
what bugs me most is how Glossybox is handling the matter. they are not being honest upfront. plus, they claim to offer the "latest in high-end...beauty" and "only sources from the best cosmetics companies". both claims are directly challenged with this box.

everything was silver/gray this month - the box, the ribbon and the tissue since it was specially curated by LOULOU Magazine this month. there was also another Golden Ticket item - 50 people got a Nobia necklace. (by the way, i got the box on December 31).

even the GlossyMag is gray-ish

onto the products itself - this month's box is called the "Bejeweled Box" (i got V2):

1) TRESemme Fresh Start Volumizing Dry Shampoo - i actually have a full size version of this which i bought when i was trying dry shampoos for the first time. it didn't do much in terms of removing oil - i thought my hair still looked and felt greasy. near the end of the day, it even made my scalp itchy. the only plus side i could see is that it smells good.

size: 56 g
retail value: $5.99 (161 g)

2) Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 - i have been using my Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer (also from Glossybox) since April last year! it was a huge bottle and now i have two more Aveeno moisturizers to go through. i think i am set, Glossybox - in terms of moisturizers and in terms of Aveeno.
i do like that it has SPF 30, but i don't have dry skin nor the redness that comes from dry skin.

size: 73 mL (full size!)
retail value: $22.99

3) Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer (Fair to Light) SPF 30 - like what i said in 2)... so many full sized moisturizers from Aveeno... when will i ever try something different?
this one is tinted though and it is in my skin tone so that's neat. SPF 30 is a plus so i will definitely use this... after i finish the Aveeno i am currently using. i will do a swatch then!

size: 75 mL (full size!)
retail value: $22.99

4) Avon Glazewear Extreme Lip Gloss in "Pale Pink Shine" - ahh.. here we are. we've reached one of the products that have caused a flare up in the discussion on the Facebook page. there are plenty of variations of "Glazewear" lip glosses on the Canadian and European Avon website but no "Glazewear Extreme".
either way, i am unsure exactly what to do with this. i have way too many lip glosses opened as it is so i would prefer to give it away or something but i don't think anyone would want it now. i read that someone else used this and it was fine and surprisingly pigmented.

size: 6 mL (full size!)
retail value: N/A

5) Revlon Nail Enamel in "168 Temptress" - i was initially turned off by the color and the packaging since the Revlon label does make it look like a really old polish... but i changed my mind!

the color "Temptress" is actually from the 2010 Limited Edition Fire and Ice Collection. the collection was inspired by Revlon's first lipstick EVER - "Fire and Ice" from 1952. back then, they released a collection featuring matching lips and nail polish. in 2010, they relaunched it with new shades (but kept the Fire and Ice lipstick, of course). my info sources came from Nouveau Cheap and IAMBRIGITTE.

so now i understand why the Revlon label looks so vintage. i also appreciate the color since i've seen some swatches where the pink is actually brighter than it appears in the bottle (shimmery peachy pink). plus, nail polish doesn't go bad so this product is fine with me. i did some research about nail polish and expiry dates when i wrote my Forever 21 Hello Kitty nail polish set (scroll to the bottom).

it's not quite as pink in real life...

size: 14.7 mL (full size!)
retail value: $5.99

6) Glossybox Lashes with Adhesive - i see how holidays = false eyelashes for everyone in the beauty subscription world. 3 of my December boxes contained lashes... and these Glossybox lashes are the er.. worst looking ones. the lashes are so long and dramatic and too shiny! the whole thing, including the box and adhesive, looks cheap.

size: 1 pair (full size!)
retail value: $12.50 (are you kidding??)

7) *bonus* TRESemme Split Remedy Shampoo and Conditioner - my hair reaches the middle of my back so i can tell you that aside from lack of volume, i suffer from split ends. when i am bored, i even like to pick at them. i won't be able to see the "80%" reduction in split ends since i don't see how i will get 3 uses out of this sachet.

size: 9 mL each x 2
retail value: $5.99 (700 mL) each

8) *bonus* Nobia X-Cessories Tiny Mint Earrings - at first, i thought this was the Golden Ticket item since these earrings were not listed on the card. i did not think that these were all that special but it turns out that everyone got it as a bonus item anyway. check out Petite Pear Style's blog to see what her Golden Ticket item was!
according to the Nobia website, these are $14.99! honestly, i would not pay that much for these "aquamarine" earrings. i don't mind the blue jewel but i don't like the rim (correct term here please?) around it.

size: 1 pair (full size!)
retail value: $14.99 ... according to nobia.ca

- - - - -

so drama aside, the box is decent but you gotta admit, it's pretty boring - just like every past Glossybox. they contain products i'll (most likely) use but they are pretty much all drugstore. it's hard to pick a favorite since i am not really excited about any of them but i'll have to say the Aveeno tinted moisturizer, though i haven't tried it yet...
i really hope Glossybox addresses the problems soon because people want some answers!

what are your feelings about Glossybox at the moment? did you have a discontinued or expired product in your box?

LUXE BOX: December 2012 [Winter Edition]

ahh.. Luxe Box... it arrived before Christmas but i haven't had a chance to blog about it until now.
it really is Luxe Box's fault since it was expected in November! however, since they were so very delayed this winter, Loose Button has revised their entire quarterly shipping schedule - they are now sending out seasonal boxes in March, June, September and December. note that you are billed on the 15th of these months for the next box. for instance, in June, you will get your Summer box; on June 15th, you will be billed for the Fall (September) box. so that is well ahead of time - be aware of this if you were planning to cancel!

the package was actually delivered to my door on the 23rd and my dad even had to sign for it. i was eager to find out what the other 5-6 products i was getting. i already knew what 2 of them were going to be since LB had two First in Line opportunities (which is where you are given 3 options and you can choose to reserve 1 of the 3).

instead of a 'silk scarf'', all the products were inside a silky drawstring bag with the LB logo in the corner. the card was again found in an envelope with a gold monogrammed sticker. i noticed that the letter "H" was not cursive like the one last time.

the long-awaited Winter Edition contains:

1) Loose Button Faux Eye Lashes - i had my doubts when i first saw that these were "Loose Button" eyelashes but i am very impressed! i really like the design of these lashes and they don't have the shine that makes them look fake either! i think there were a couple different styles sent out but there are no labels to indicate this.

i wore them on New Year's Eve and i loved the way they look. my eyes looked huge! haha normally i have a monolid and a very slight double eyelid on the other but these lashes really widened up my eyes (when i finally got them on).

excuse the red eyes - it was at night and i'd been wearing contacts all day!

size: 1 pair of false eyelashes (full size!)
retail value: N/A

2) Cake Beauty It's a Slice Supreme Body Mousse - i think i just found my favorite Cake scent! it smells really yummy like oranges but sweet instead of sour. it feels velvety soft too. major like!

size: 66 mL
retail value: $22 (250 mL) ... according to cakebeauty.com

3) Dermalogica Precleanse - sadly the cap on this was loose which made the other products oily. i can't exactly see how much is left in it but i am guessing maybe a quarter. i emailed Loose Button on December 29th using their contact form on their website. i also included a picture of the damage:

:(

i didn't get an immediate reply saying that they received the email but i did get a reply today (the 4th). i've heard that many people are having trouble getting them a hold of them so i guess i am lucky!
LB said they will be sending me a replacement product (at the beginning of January - so now?) but it might not be the the Precleanse:
"We'll be sending you a replacement product. It may not be Dermalogica PreCleanse but we'll do our best to match if we can. If we can't replace your original, we'll make sure it's something you didn't already receive in your Winter Luxe Box."

oh well! i'm crossing my fingers the replacement is not a fragrance! this Precleanse was the item i reserved in the first First in Line LB offered this season. the choices at the time were Dermalogica Precleanse, Kerastase Cristalliste Serum and Calvin Klein Euphoria.

the idea of cleaning before cleaning your face sounds like more work to me! but i guess it's good to use once in a while to ensure all the yuckiness is removed from the skin. to use, this oil should be applied to a dry face. then, wetting your hands, you continue to massage it and it becomes sort of milky. it smells lemon-y and does in fact, leave your skin feeling cleaner and softer.

size: 15 mL
retail value: $50.50 (150 mL) ... according to buy.dermalogica.ca

4) Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS+ Dust It Mattifying Powder - i already have this product but i reserved it anyway in the second First in Line (choices were: Schwarzkopf Dust It Mattifying Product, Blue Lagoon Skin Care Algae Mask and Prada Infusion d'Iris).

i wasn't too intrigued by the other options and i knew i already liked the Dust It. i was first introduced to it a few years ago when i got my hair cut. the stylist used it in my hair and it gave my hair volume which i was totally lacking. if you didn't know how to mattified hair feels like - this is the ultimate definition (if you use enough of it). you can either sprinkle it into your hair or put it into your hands first and then rub it in. make sure to rub it in good though since it is a white powder. the white powder is very, very fine so it shouldn't be too hard. the powder gives your hair texture/grit - be careful not to overdo it since it will be extremely difficult to comb out!

size: 10 g (full size!)
retail value: $23 ... according to the LB email

5) Donna Karan Woman Eau de Parfum - cool bottle! i've never seen anything like it. i'd love to add this to my collection but unfortunately, i am not a fan of the scent. i showed my sister and asked her what she thought of the bottle - and she said: "manly". then i dabbed it on my arm and asked her about the scent - and we both found that it was indeed rather manly... how ironic that this perfume is called "Woman". is it just me? maybe i am just not a fan of sandalwood?
also remember to hold the base tight and the perfume upright when you proceed to yank off the top!

size: 7 mL
retail value: $107 (50 mL); $144 (100 mL) ... according to sephora.com

6) B. Kamins Laboratories Mini Lip Balm - i've been trying to go through the one i received from Glossybox in September... and now i have another. i find that i need to reapply often with this lip balm - not as moisturizing as i hoped it'd be. it's thick and looks really glossy (click link for pictures). good to know that it has SPF 20 (this is not indicated on the balm itself).

size: 4 mL
retail value: $21 (15 g)

7) B. Kamins Laboratories Day Lotion SPF 15 - this lotion smells strongly of sunscreen. it has the same texture too - somewhat thick and runny at the same time...it absorbs better into the skin than sunscreen though. according to the website, this Day Lotion is recommended for oily and combination skin and can also be used as a primer... huh. interesting. i have to say that i doubt its abilities as a primer.

size: 15 mL
retail value: $80 (50 mL)

8) Loose Button Kabuki Brush - this is a cute little kabuki brush with the LB logo stamped on the bottom. i find the bristles to be soft and dense. not too shabby!

size: 1 brush
retail value: N/A

- - - - -

after opening this box, i thought it was a mediocre box with things i will use but they were not overly exciting. but after trying the eyelashes and the Cake Beauty lotion, i am slightly more content with the box. i wish that they included a bit more info on their card though (i.e. prices for full size items). if not on the card, maybe more info on the LB Personal Product Dashboard?? my Dashboard listed all 8 products, 6 of which lead to a dead link. the only ones that worked was for the B. Kamis products, which are sold on the LB website.

what are your thoughts on the Winter Luxe Box? are you remaining a subscriber through to Spring? 

GLYMM BAG: December 2012

got my Glymm on Thursday, a day after Topbox and a day before ipsy. it was nice to have a little "present" to open each day and thankfully, this Glymm surprise was well-received!
it came in a gold snakeskin bag and felt very light and flat.

got a little creative with my pictures! :)

Glymm's goodies:

1) LASHEM Measurable Difference Eyelash & Brow Enhancing Serum - though this is very tiny, i understand that the product is very expensive and who doesn't want longer eyelashes? a few amazing details about this serum is that it is dual-patented and it's clinically proven! i hope this works out for me because not only would longer lashes be wonderful, but it is also much more affordable than Latisse and RevitaLash. i will update you on any changes!

size: N/A (Glymm says: usage up to 6 weeks)
retail value: $70 (4.2 mL)

2) LASHEM False Lashes - i know i don't use falsies as much as my pile of false eyelashes seem to suggest... but i'm still very excited about receiving this one. they look really pretty and fluttery with a bit of drama. strange that i don't need glue for the first use (apparently the lashes have "advanced lash glue technology"). what's also strange is that it says to visit the website for more styles but there are none to choose from.
Glymm labeled this item as up to 3 uses... is that it really? they're supposed to be mink!

size: 1 set (full size!)
retail value: $5

3) Suncoat Peelable Water-based Nail Polish in "Mulberry" - interesting concept but i don't think it's for me - i'd much rather spend my time putting on a nail polish that lasts longer than a day or two. it comes off really easily - all you need to do is soak your hands in warm water... guess i won't be surprised if it just came off in the shower.
the polish is made in Canada and is described as being the "cleanest" nail polish available. on the Suncoat website, these polishes are now relabeled as "Polish&Peel" instead of "Peelable" and there are 7 other colors. swatches coming soon!

size: 8 mL (full size!)
retail value: $9.99

4) Glamorous 5 Color Eyeshadow Set in "4 Athena" - i was really excited to see so many makeup-related items in this bag!

this eyeshadow set looked pretty enough but since i own too many eyeshadows as it is, i tried to search online for some swatches of Glamourous Cosmetics eyeshadows to see if they were any good. i found only one review and the eyeshadows she had seemed really pigmented so i cracked this open and put my fingers in it. but sadly, this is not very pigmented at all. most of the colors took 3 swatches to really show up. it's even harder to tell on my eyes! especially the blue and the green. no matter how much i put on my eyes, these two hardly build up any color.

natural light

flash; artificial light

oh well. Glamorous Cosmetics organized these 5 Color Eyeshadow Sets in that there are two color schemes for two different looks, with the center color being a "catalyst". it doesn't work out that way for me since only one eyeshadow from each color scheme shows up on me.
including "Athena", there are a total of 10 Greek goddesses to choose from on Glamorous' website.

size: 10 g (full size!)
retail value: $9.00 (glamourouscosmetics.com)

- - - - -

for December, Glymm also included a nice gift card to their Beauty Boutique! the largest amount was $1000 (someone out there is really lucky!) and everyone was guaranteed to get at least a $10 gift card - of course, that was me. sadly this code cannot be used with Loyalty Reward Points so i'll spend it on a free shipping item! keep in mind that this code expires February 1, 2013.
there was also a $20 off code for a subscription to Panty by Post.

i think Glymm really stepped it up this month and i am a happy customer. i may not use some of these products often but they are still exciting nonetheless: they were all from companies i have never heard of and the majority of the 'samples' were full sizes!
what are you going to buy with your gift card? did you enjoy your December Glymm bags?

happy holidays!! 

BEAUTY BOX 5: July 2012

yes that reads July. this post is more than 2 months late! gah!!

there were (are) several issues i had with the July box - one being that my credit card expiring but i was not notified whatsoever. when i finally realized that i wasn't going to get a box, i decided to contact BB5. first, i used the form on their website to contact them (July 20). after receiving no response for 3 days, i emailed them and they said they were making organizational changes and asked me to describe my concern again (even though i received the automatic message where it said that the first email went through). thankfully, we were able to resolve the problem and customer service said they would send me the July box. i got it sometime around August 20 - but most unfortunately, i was missing an item as well as the product card. i have since emailed them - on August 20th as well as on the 30th. to this day i still have not received a response. what is going on with their organizational changes!!!

-- update October 3, 2012 -- 
so after the 30th, i tried another method on September 5th: if you have issues, it seems that filling out the form on the "Contact Us" page on BB5's website would get you further than sending an email straight to info@beautybox5.com. they responded the same day. after a few emails going back and forth, the case was settled on the 10th and they said they would send me the missing item. i received it before the end of September with a nice post-it note apologizing for the inconvenience. i was also missing the product card and am glad that they included that for me - even if one of the products was different from what i got :) 

so in terms of BB5's customer service - they are really friendly and willing to work things out with you AFTER you are able to get a hold of them. their initial response time is what they have to work on. -- 

missing something...

i thought i was going to hear back from them sooner so i delayed doing this post. but oh well. i hope they reply VERY soon.

July's BB5:

oops - don't have the Curls item but the HollyRen eyelashes

1) Blinc mascara in "Black" - nice!! i was happy last month to test out the Blinc eyeliner and now that i can try the oh-so-popular Blinc mascara! however, i am holding back on opening new mascaras at the moment. i've actually been using just ONE mascara for the past two months - it's been hard but i wanted to test out the claims of what it can do (it's the Revlon Grow Luscious one). i would've loved to take very detailed pictures of all the tubes coming off and everything... maybe sometime soon? very very excited about this one!

size: 0.7 g

retail value: $26 (6 mL)

2) HollyRen Natural False Eyelashes - this is the first pair of eyelashes i've gotten from a beauty box before so i was pretty excited. but they really don't look all that "natural" to me - there's too much shine on them so you can immediately tell they are synthetic. i hadn't heard of HollyRen before so i checked out their website. the company isn't helpful in providing much information - first of all, i can't even tell what model my eyelashes are (typing in "natural false eyelashes" gives me 43 results on their site) and secondly, i have no idea how to purchase another pair even if i wanted to (there is no "buy" option, only "leave a message").

false eyelashes are always such a hassle so i'll take a picture with them on next time i go out! 

size: 1 pair (full size!)

retail value: $7

3) Spongeables Pedi-Scrub Foot Buffer - i really needed this after my trip - sooo much walking. i brought some foot cream too since i knew it was going to be harsh on my heels. funnily enough, these Spongeables are made in L.A. what a coincidence! the scent is quite strong - even in its package i can smell it when it's placed nearby. the smell reminds me of men's body washes (not necessarily a bad thing). on the back of the package, it is noted that this Pedi-Scrub is "Patented Technology" - quite fancy. 

there are two sides to the Pedi-Scrub - the soft side for cleansing (pink side) and the scruffy side for exfoliating (white side). the pink side is thicker than the white. the heels of my feet still feel a bit rough but the tops of my feet are super soft. i rather like this product and usually i don't like anything touching my feet - i have an automatic reflex to kick anyone touching them so i don't think i can ever get pedicures. i checked to see where this item is available and the only store that i recognize in Canada is Wal-Mart. 

size: 1 buffer; 28 g (full size!)

retail value: $2.99

-- update October 3, 2012 -- 5 washes? really? i am STILL using this!! -- 

4) Bodyography Foundation Primer in "Clear" - NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! missing item BOO  :(

-- update October 3, 2012 -- the primer is here! and it works great. its texture is like a clear gel but not quite as thick. be careful when you remove the seal and when you squeeze the tube because it exploded on me. my skin felt really smooth afterwards and i can still see that my foundation is still on, 9 hours later. usually by this time, any traces of foundation or blush has vanished off the face of... my face. so hooray! and i also feel that my face was not as oily as usual while using this primer. 
on their webpage, this particular primer isn't available anymore but they have an updated "Veil Foundation Primer" available in six different colors. --
size: 15 mL
retail value: $30 (30 mL)

so i'm really hoping to hear back from BB5 soon. plus, i already got my August box from them. that post will be up soon too! aside from my missing product, i really like the path that BB5 has taken in these recent months. it's a great change :)

updated picture of all the items: