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Showing posts with label nail polish remover. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nail polish remover. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

BEAUTY BOX 5: December 2014

oops!! it's been almost a month since my last post - don't worry, i have a long list of excuses: 
taxes, hockey playoffs, binge-watching a new series, an internet connection that refuses to work...
ugh. it's the worst! i have the Shaw wireless modem thing and i get internet on my iPad and phone no problem but my desktop computer struggles and struggles. bah!

anyway, LONG WEEKEND I LOVE YOU. i even took Friday off just because i needed the extra extra day. still, i did not want to get out of bed this morning. i'm long overdue for a vacation. hmmm but where? suggestions anyone? 

December's box: Merry & Bright
1) Jacqua : Rose Bouquet Hydrating Facial Mist
size: 50 mL (full size!)
retail value: $16.50

i already own a product very similar to this - which is the Australis Make-Up Finishing Spritz. both smell of roses but this particular Jacqua one comes in a fancy glass bottle. another difference is that this one does not have any mention of preventing makeup from fading so i might just hang onto my Australis one for now. 
besides, the Jacqua one was last seen on the Last Chance section on the website and is now sold out. 
2) Absolute! : Nail Polish Remover in "Spring Fresh"
size: 32 pads (full size!)
retail value: $2.99

my nails have been naked for like two months - what am i doing with my life!? so.sad.
3) Juice Beauty : Stem Cellular Moisturizer
size: 7.8 mL
retail value: $65.00 (50 mL)

this white cream moisturizer smells like lemons!
4) Nanacoco : Nail Polish in "#21124 Stardust"
size: 16 mL (full size!)
retail value: $3.95

not a fan... i have not seen many orange nail polishes in my life - coral yes, but not really orange orange. not only that, but orange sparkles?! straight to the blog sale board.
maybe this is why the nail polish remover was included?... am i being too mean now? sorry orange.
5) Lucky Brand : Fragrance in "Lucky Number 6"
size: 1 sample vial
retail value: suggested $50.00 (50 mL) but the CVS website says otherwise: $12.99

this was released way back in 2006 - which i did not actually know but found off the interweb. i find it a tad bit strong at first. it is described as having "notes of peony, tigerlily, jasmine tea, casheran, lotus leaf, musk, liquid amber, lychee". 

that's all folks! moving on to the next one... due to my silly rule of not opening a box until i finish blogging about one, the mountain is still growing... better get to it!

AT THIS MOMENT ...
currently listening: Big Girls Cry - Sia
just watched: The Princess Diaries (watched it once ages ago so it was nice to rewatch this - who would ever say no to being a princess EVER though??) //Monster's Ball (pretty depressing at parts) // The Age of Adaline (quite sweet and blake lively is just gorgeous all the time, but the scientific explanations was hil-ar-io-us)  // Almost Famous (recommended by the bf because of the music and i did enjoy it - great story) // The Maze Runner (second time around! still quite thrilling)
still watching: Walking Dead Season 5 // Vampire Diaries Season 5 // Marco Polo Season 1 (finished! the pace is rather slow i think but the parts that weren't, were really good!) // Outlander Season 1 /// Game of Thrones Season 5 (it's back!)  // Forever Season 1 (found a list on imdb about TV shows being renewed, cancelled, or up on the chopping block ... all the comments kept saying 'i hope they don't cancel Forever!' - i had never heard of the show so i looked it up and then i was hooked. i have 3 episodes left, and it's come to my attention that it was indeed cancelled. BOOO!!)
now reading: - -

Monday, April 15, 2013

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!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

GLYMM BAG: June 2012

seems like Glymm is becoming more consistent with their shipping. the last two months, i think they've arrived a few days after Topbox has. the new format of "bag" instead of "box" has made the package feel much lighter. this month's bag is blue! uh oh - you know what that means - it means that my mind may be twisted into thinking that i need to collect these colorful bags... ack! oh and i just noticed the "Glymm" stamped on the zipper. very cute detail.

it's nice that Glymm is going green, but i find the white tissue paper wrapping around the bag unnecessary. anyone else think so?
so Glymm decided to make things a tad harder for everyone by discontinuing the product card. this is the same as BB5 and i do not like this feature. i have to look everything up to see how to use it and i think it is too much of hassle. i hope i make your life easier by listing the description here as found on the Glymm website.
the Glymm bag felt light and it was visibly much less packed than last month's. in fact, everything was quite small.

June's samples:

1) La Fresh Acetone-Free Nail Polish Remover
Remove your nail polish in the most eco-friendly way possible. It does no harm to you or the planet, and it smells so delicious.

i have not tried these but have seen them mentioned on fellow bloggers' posts before. i've heard fantastic things about these so i am happy to try them. they are cruelty free and made from natural ingredients. apparently you don't even have to rinse your hands after using the wipe.
size: 1 pad (for 10 nails) x 2
retail value: $9.99 (18 pads)

2) Clark's Botanicals Smoothing Marine Cream
This exfoliating and moisturizing cream will leave your skin feeling smooth as can be.

interesting fact - Clark's Botanicals donates a portion of their sales to The Christopher Reeve Foundation (not sure what i'm talking about? re: Superman). anyway, it is supposed to be used prior to applying sunscreen. the directions sound a tad scary when it says: "Never apply this product to red or peeling skin." the use of the word "never" sounds very serious...
i used it in the morning before sunscreen as advised. the scent reminds me of old ladies but it's not unpleasant. it made my face feel soft. i'll gladly use this until i run out but i am not sure if the benefits of this product is worth $115 yet.
size: N/A but on the Glymm site it says around 10-14 uses
retail value: $115 (50 mL)

3) Salvadore Dali ItIsDream Eau De Toilette Natural Spray
This fragrance radiates romance, tenderness, optimism and joy. If you’re artistic and love to dream, then this is the fragrance for you.

i would not have known what brand this was by looking at it since a lot of the writing was rubbed off on my sample. be careful when you use it - it comes out more direct rather than a spray or mist -- spritz! one spritz is more than enough - the scent is pretty strong. a strong citrus-y floral. my sister described it as a musky floral. we both are clueless as to describing scents so don't take our word. i don't think it smells bad though. online, it says it is a combination of fruity-floral-woody... yay  i guess we win!
size: N/A ... 1 sample vial, ~ 35 sprays
retail value: $54 (60 mL)

4) Vitamine & Sea Perfect Skin Solution
This miracle serum is 100% natural blend of vitamin E and essential oils. It will leave your skin flawless.

hooray 100% natural! after reading more about this product, it seems like it is a miracle product: it fights acne and aging, smooths and repairs skin while protecting it from environmental damage. it is to be used at night - apply 2-4 drops on a damp, clean face and neck.
it's a little difficult to do 2-4 drops with this sample packaging so i had to slowly pour a little on my finger. perhaps i poured too much because i did not like the feel of this serum on my face at all. it felt way too oily on my face. i highly dislike oily makeup removers - imagine you are using that and spreading it all over your face. and the smell - ack! not a fan of stinky greasy products!!! i am scared to try this again even though it is apparently so good for your skin.
size: N/A... 1 sample vial, ~ 5 uses
retail value: $68 (45 mL)

5) Belvada Harmony Duo Lipstick/Lip Balm in "Balm/Elegant Maroon"
Everything your lips need for a night: some balm and some color in one lustrous package.

i was very intrigued when i picked this up but then the excitement died a bit when i saw the words "Elegant Maroon". i didn't know if i would like maroon on my lips. there are 3 other colors available: "Intense Red", "Natural Earth" and "Soft Pink".
when i took it out of the box, i was astonished at how large this product was! then, i quickly became confused as to how to use it. i even tried shaking it for a bit. i realized you pushed it on one side to get the opposite out and then you pull the tube out. when you are done, you slide it back in until it clicks (two times so it doesn't roll back and forth).

i took a close up of the "Elegant Maroon" side to show you the actual color as well as how much product there was in the tube.

i did swatches of both the balm and the lipstick even though the balm was clear. the balm feels really nice and moisturizing. and then i tried on the lipstick. i was pleasantly surprised by how much i like this color on me! i feel that it works with my complexion. even though it's definitely a darker color than i am used to wearing, it's a nice toned-down red.
 left to right: artificial light; natural light

i tried to show you on my arm how pearly the color was. as you can see, both of them have a nice shine.
top to bottom: artificial light; natural light

what's handy is that they also sell the lipstick/lip balm separately in case you run out of one side faster than the other. you can purchase them for $10 each.
size: 3.4 g/lip balm or lipstick x 2 = 6.8 g (full size!)
retail value: $20

i wonder if Glymm actually considers this part of our "samples", but on the products list, they included the blue makeup bag the samples came in. it is listed at $12 each - which doesn't make sense to me since the new Glymm bags WITH the samples cost $12/month so why wouldn't you just sign up? (perhaps, here? :))
** spoiler alert ** but aww, it looks like there is only one other color to get other than the pink and blue. oh well, i love orange!

so i think that Glymm did good this month. most of the samples are indeed very small  but the Belvada duo totally made the bag for me. what did you get in your Glymm this month? 
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