BEAUTY BOX 5: October 2014

yesterday, we celebrated our NINTH year together. my boyfriend and i decided to honor the day by going to our first Brazilian BBQ and eating meat, meat and more meat. regular meat, spicy meat and meat wrapped up in meat. then finishing with some cake. then we went home and fell into a food coma. it was a very lovely night.

- - -

October's box "Effortless Allure" is all about simplicity:

1) ChapStick : Dual-Ended Hydration Lock Day & Night
size: 2.2 g x 2 (full size!)
retail value: $2.99

first up, definitely a simple beauty product since it is ChapStick and all but wait... dual-ended!? that is impossible!
one end is for use during the day so it has SPF while night is about restoring moisture. i've never seen a product like this - intriguing but also slightly gimmicky,,,

2) Bellapierre Cosmetics : Cheek & Lip Stain in "Pink"
size: 5 g (full size!)
retail value: $19.99

pretty shade but slightly too pink as a lip color for me... check out the sale board! 

3) Extend Your Beauty : Cosmetic Tool
size: 1 tool (full size!)
retail value: $5.49

another product that i have not seen before which is neat but to be honest, it looks sort of cheap. it looks like a product i could find at the dollar store.

and check out the back! Diswasher safe? wait - wha?? so many questions...

4) Nanacoco : Nail Polish in "20055 Romantic Cruise"
size: 15 mL (full size!)
retail value: $3.95

i keep picking up blue nail polish and adding it to my collection but it's the shade i use least. why do i continue to do that? ... sale page time!

5) Lashem : Picture Perfect Instant Wrinkle Reducer
size: 5 mL
retail value: $3.95 (15 g)

last month we got the eye bright version. the wrinkles are coming. must. prepare.

and voila! meh meh meh. effortless indeed... don't have much to say; every item is lackluster.

AT THIS MOMENT ...
currently listening: Just A Lil Bit (Av.i Remix) - 50 Cent
just watched: Edge of Tomorrow
still watching: Doctor Who Season 4 // Walking Dead Season 5 // Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 1 // Vampire Diaries Season 5
now reading: "When God Was a Rabbit" by Sarah Winman 

TOPBOX: October 2014 [Regular]

happy happy new year everybody! i hope your holidays were fabulous. i went back to work this week and i must say i could've used another week - only because it was quite a busy holiday. there was not one single day where i was able to lounge in pajamas and binge watch Netflix all day. other than that, it was a great time. spent plenty of time with friends and fam. and yes... somehow i ended up at the mall on Christmas Eve again. thought i was going to be able to avoid it since i was doing pretty good even before December hit. but lo and behold, every weekend in December was busy busy busy! one weekend it was my company's Christmas party and then there was a friend's wedding and then bam! it comes and goes so quickly doesn't it?
and then New Years. i feel that as i get older, fewer and fewer people have actual plans on New Years. for the beginning of 2015, the boyfriend and i just stayed in with his sisters. watched the countdown on TV. also watched a bunch of French rap videos. some of it is actually really good! actually i can't exactly comment on the rapping but to me - whose French is limited to bonjour, pamplemousse and voulez-vous coucher avec moi - it sounded pretty good.

flashback to October! October's Regular Topbox featured products available at London Drugs.

1) Prestige Cosmetics : Makeup Eraser Pen
size: 2.5 mL (full size!)
retail value: $9.00

oo neato! this is a product i've never used before... the slanted tip looks like it would be great for creating the perfect winged eye. it would also be very useful if you are as impatient as i am waiting for my liquid liner to dry...
i have only encountered Prestige Cosmetics at London Drugs. this pen is from their Back to Black collection; oil- and alcohol-free.

2) Cargo Cosmetics : Cargo_HD Picture Perfect Eye Shadow Primer
size: 5 g
retail value: $25 (11 g)

i have yet to be amazed by Cargo Cosmetics but i am willing to give this 'HD' product a chance. at first, the primer is a nude shade but blends into the skin.

3) Vichy : Purifying Foaming Water Radiance Revealer
size: 50 mL (full size!)
retail value: $23

fancy words hey? radiance revealer... one pump dispenses enough foam to lather your face. it feels like you are washing your face in a fountain of flowers. after rinsing, my skin is is feeling utterly soft.

4) Lise Watier : Lift & Firm 3D Duo Serum 24 Hrs (Instant Lifting Day Serum & Firming Night Serum)
size: 2 x 3 mL
retail value: $78 (2 x 20 mL)

the packaging touts the instant effectiveness of these serums - as quick as 15 minutes! there are high percentages of people saying they had firmer, smoother, denser skin... but if you look at the tiny writing, you will see that they tested this on 25 people. not very representative at all.
still - lifting and firming are going to be real issues in the near future. will hold onto these. :)

first time in a long time that i've been slightly impressed by Topbox. the Prestige Makeup Remover Pen is a new product for me so that is pretty exciting. maybe it is the timing as well since i was in need of a new cleanser. not sure how well foaming water will be at keeping pimples at bay...

AT THIS MOMENT ...
currently listening: "The Beginning" by Ryan Arcand (if you haven't checked out the video 'Man on the street plays beautifully', then go! the song is absolutely beautiful and moving)
just watched: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (after re-watching the other two as well - LOVE the trilogy, which is not surprising since i was also blown away by LOTR. the final movie was amazing - i was in awe the entire time)
still watching: Doctor Who Season 4 // Walking Dead Season 5 // Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 1 // Vampire Diaries Season 5
now reading: "When God Was a Rabbit" by Sarah Winman (finally decided to pick it up again - on Part 2!)

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... 

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.

BEAUTY BOX 5: February 2013

what the what is going on with Google Reader? i missed the announcement apparently made all over Blogger yesterday but i guess it explains why i've had an exponential increase in Bloglovin' followers :) thank you for wanting to keep me around!!

anyways, i got my February box from BB5 the same day i got my Glymm (last Friday). Beauty Box 5 also celebrated their one year anniversary, just like Glossybox. i think both did rather well with their one year anniversary boxes!

i love the cute touches that BB5 includes on their card - they have a little poem and thank yous to customers for their support. i believe that BB5 is really sincere since i know other companies who only pretend to care about the customers...

let's check out what i got:

1) H2O Plus Bath Aquatics Shampoo - the shampoo features watercress, Iceland moss and seaweed. both watercress and Iceland moss are great for repairing damage and restoring moisture. seaweed is listed on the back of the shampoo but not explained on the site (Provitamin B is featured instead so i am not sure if H2O changed the formula). the shampoo has a fresh marine scent to it.

i haven't seen this brand sold in stores before but they do have a Canadian site  ($9.95 shipping if spend < $75). also i did a store locator search and it turns out there are a few Duty Free stores that carry it.

size: 37 mL
retail value: $14

2) Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub in "Coconut Lime" - this.is.amazing. i am absolutely in love with Tree Hut scents and products. i tried the Shea Body Butter thanks to BB5 last May and it was divine. this Shea Sugar Body Scrub also smells very yummy - like an island cocktail (coming from a non-drinker but hey, it smells like something that'd be delicious on a beach). the scrub itself is very fine and 'goopy' (as opposed to hard and chunky?).

size: 156 g ("full size!")
retail value: $7.49 (510 g)... or same price for 156 g according to drugstore.com

3) The Brush Guard Sample Pack - this sample pack contains an extra small, small and medium Brush Guard that you can slip over your makeup brushes. these Brush Guards can be used to shape them after they have been cleaned or to protect them while travelling or storing. i actually think that this makeup tool is quite genius (everyone remembers the other 'invention' that we cannot escape from right?).
it says that it is available at Walmart but i haven't seen them there yet.

size: 1 XS, 1 S, 1 M
retail value: $5.50 (Variety Pack - 1 XS, 2 SM, 2 M, 1 L)

4) Coolway Boost Repair Serum - i already have this from January's Glymm which i was just about to use up. as mentioned before, it is to be used instead of a conditioner and to leave 2 days between uses. the product is slightly gritty and smells sugary. i don't feel that this does much for my hair but then again, Aleksandra (Plumpish Beauty) told me that you can't really get the full benefits if you don't have the complete Coolway system.

size: 30 mL
retail value: $39.95 (236 mL)

5) **bonus** BB5 Foldable Brush Compact - oh BB5 how did you know i needed something like this!!! i was thinking that i needed a mirror as well as a brush at work since i'd like to check if i'm scaring anyone with food stuck in my teeth or a rat nest in my hair. so thanks to BB5 for coming up with a solution to both :)

congrats to BB5 for reaching their first year anniversary! i found everything in February's box to be quite handy/useful! i am especially loving the Tree Hut scrub and the Brush Guard is something i am excited to use. i will definitely consider sticking around for the second anniversary :)

cute - everything matches the Beauty Box 5 color :)