hellooooooooooo lovelies! it is December! two weeks in and i hardly started Christmas shopping... i probably have 1.75 gifts done. ack! definitely got more shopping for myself done... how's your Christmas shopping going??
btw, parking is getting insane! the last two times i've gone to the mall, it has literally been like stalking prey and stealing their parking spots. it's crazy out there!
speaking of craziness, we had a blizzard that started about 9 days ago and temperatures dropped to about -43 degrees with windchill. since then, there has been over 2,000 car accidents! yikes! stay safe on the road!
anyway, quick post about my Loose Button box for Fall (you know, Winter hasn't officially started yet!) -
1) Loose Button Flat Eye Shadow Brush
The tapered, flat bristles work brilliantly for packing eyeshadow on the lid.
the Loose Button branded items are very hit or miss with me. with this eye shadow brush, it's a hit. at first i wasn't too impressed... but then i watched the Makeup Geek video and i realized that i had never
pressed eyeshadow on like that - it's life-changing. really.
size: 1 brush (full size!)
retail value: $19
2) L'Occitane Supple Skin Oil
Enriched with powerful almond proteins and essential oils of peppermint, palmarosa and Immortelle. Supple Skin Oil works to protect the skin's support tissue and fight against loss of elasticity. Deeply nourishing formula can be used to prevent the formation of stretch marks.
i've bought a few stretch mark products in my lifetime but have not fully incorporated them into my routine regularly enough to see results. i do not see myself getting more stretch marks anytime soon but will definitely keep it in mind!
size: 15 mL
retail value: $52 (50 mL)
3) Michael Kors SPORTY CITRUS, SEXY AMBER and GLAM JASMINE Eau De Parfum Sprays
Sporty Citrus: A dazzling burst of citrus with luscious orange flower and a hint of warm woods. Casually chic and fresh.
Sexy Amber: A spotlight on warm amber wrapped in sandalwood, layered with white flowers. Sumptuous and deeply seductive.
Glam Jasmine: A bouquet of lush jasmine with accents of creamy woods. Overtly feminine and head-turning.
i'm a fan of Michael Kors but these perfume sprays are not exactly my cup of tea. "Sporty Citrus" was my least favorite - it was really musky and strong... not very citrusy at all and quite overwhelming actually.
"Sexy Amber" was slightly better, but still rather musky and overpowering. it does smell like flowers though. and next we have "Glam Jasmine". which would be my pick from the three. most floral and girly of them all. plus it is much 'lighter' than the other two.
i have the say the packing of the three scents are really cute though.
size: 1.5 mL each x 3
retail value: $75 (50 mL)
4) TheBalm Instain Powder Blush in "Swiss Dot"
TheBalm’s long-wearing, staining powder blush is a fashion must have! Perfect for all seasons and skin tones, it will give your cheeks color that won’t quit.
i have a full size version in "Houndstooth" which i am using almost everyday (much much delayed review on that one!) and this color - "Swiss Dot" is pretty awesome as well.
"Swiss Dot" is a peach color and it's a very pigmented peach. a little goes a long, long, long way. the sample looks rather tiny but i am sure it would last you a while. the little magnetic booklet is also super cute and convenient to throw in your purse.
size: 0.5 g
retail value: $28 (5.5 g)
5) HSI Professional Argan Oil
Infuse your hair with essential nutrients to instantly give your locks a healthy, shiny and smooth appearance. This formula protects your hair from heat styling without weighing down your hair.
is it just me or should i be expecting more than sample sachets from Loose Button?? i mean, this is supposed to be a
LUXE box and one-use sachets don`t scream luxe to me.
here, we have 4 one-use sachets of argan oil for your hair. my hair has been rather damaged since dying my hair (i cannot believe how quickly i got split ends) so sure, argan oil, i will use you. i`ve only used half of one on my ends since i am not a fan of oily hair. it feels nice and soft right now but that`s pretty much expected of any hair oil.
size: 1 use packet x 4
retail value: $30 (60 mL)
6) Simple Pleasures Hand Cream in "Melon Mist"
Pamper your hard-working hands with this enriching formula, by Simple Pleasures.
i am not exactly sure why - but it`s probably the packaging - but this lotion seems very cheap to me. the pattern, the gold font, the list of ingredients that include various colors and numbers... meh. i was not surprised that when i used it, the cream itself was very watery. i found that i needed to reapply within 30 minutes. "Melon Mist" could almost have been mistaken for "Unscented" since the melon is sooooo light, it is almost undetectable.
size: 50 mL (full size!)
retail value: $10
7) China Glaze Nail Lacquer in "81348 Gossip Over Gimlets"
Dive into the Autumn Nights Collection with China Glaze. This formula not only includes nail hardeners, but is super opaque allowing for minimal coats.
the Fall 2013 Autumn Nights Collection consists of 12 colors. "Gossip Over Gimlets" is a silver foil with little gold specks in it. i don't exactly like silver nail polish so this would be my least favorite color in the whole collection. not going to do a swatch since i don't think it's worth cracking open...
size: 14 mL (full size!)
retail value: $7
sooooo i am sure you can tell that i was just not impressed with this box. it saddens me to think that i paid almost $30 for this. i am not amazed by anything really in this box but i am happy about the brush and the powder blush. i really hope the Winter box will be better since it is around the holidays or i really will be saying goodbye to another subscription. i've finally discovered the power to say no to subscriptions so *pat on the back*.
so thanks for reading! happy holidays!!
