Beauty Army March 2013 Unboxing and First Thoughts

I got my Beauty Army kit for March today and I am so excited! Beauty Army is definatly one of my favorite subs. Not only do you get to pick your own samples, but the samples are a lot of the time from brands I've never heard of before. Plus it is only $12 a month.

Today I was actually patient enough to wait to take pictures before I ripped into the box.

This is what the outside of the packing box looks like. The sides have some white camo print. I really love the packing! I think the camo is super cute!

 The inner box looks like this, it's actually way more pink in person, my camera was acting up! It says Beauty Army on the top.

This is how my box looked when I unwrapped all the tissue. I forgot to take a picture of it, but the inside detailing of the box is a really cute pink camo print. Love it!

The card is just a generic card that everyone gets.

Now onto the samples!!!

The first thing I got is a GG Gatsby Raise Volume Conditioner. It is .5 oz. I got the shampoo last month and I've been hoping that the conditioner would come up in my selection window so that way I could try the pair together. I hope it really does give some volume, because I'd be all for that!

The next thing  I got is an Amalactin Body Lotion. It is 2 oz, which is an awesome sample size! I have some super dry patches so I will probably be testing this on those to see if it makes any difference. The smell, as far as I can tell from the bottle I haven't actually put it on skin yet, smells a bit like glue or just something equally as funky smelling. Oh well I will try it anyway.

Then I got a Cotz Face with SPF 40 (it's just a sunscreen). This sample is tiny at only 3 grams. Thankfully I'm getting another one in my *spoiler* April Sample Society box.*spoiler* My moisturizer already has sunscreen in it, but I'm totally excited to try this anyway, even though I will probably wait until summer to use this since I won't need the extra nourishment of my moisturizer in summer.

Then the thing I was moist excited for is the Whip Hand Cosmetics Loose Pigment Eyeshadow in Green Beret. The sample size is .02 oz. My mom has this one and it is so pretty I just had to get it too! I put this on as soon as I got it and it is such a pretty green color. It does have some fallout, but that's ok. These are really pigmented. They are also made exclusively for Beauty Army.

This is just a better picture of the color. I'd say that the color it looks in the bottle is pretty true to color in person. Ooo, plus it's sparkly!

 Then I got the New York Streets Dry Shampoo. This is a full size and retails for 17.99. I love dry shampoo! I use it at least once a week so I'm super excited to try this one, especially since I still haven't found my favorite one yet, though the one I use when I don't have a sample of it is Treseme usually. The weird thing is that they shipped this with the cap off, hmm interesting.

The next thing I got is a full size of the Mark Scanda- lash Hook up Mascara in Black Lash. This retails for $6.50. I got this because last month I got a hook up connecter (which I got another one this month!) and I wanted to connect the lip gloss I got with a mascara for something to throw in my school bag.

I like most Avon/Mark products, but I don't think I've ever tried the mascara. I'm a little hesitant to try it because I usually like brushes that are a bit thicker then this one, but as long as it gives me length over volume I'll like this.

So for $12 I got over $24 in full size items alone, plus the samples! Again Beauty Army has given me a great selection to choose from and great sample sizes! I love this sub and I don't see me canceling anytime soon.

Julep Maven Bombshell Intro Box March 2013

Today after tons of stalking the USPS website, I finally got my Julep box, and I'm so excited!

I'm not usually a big nail polish addict, but ever since I had my baby I've gotten used to wearing it. Mostly because there are days when I don't have time to put on makeup, but I always have at least 15 extra minutes a week, so I'm trying to expand my polish collection.

Julep Maven is a monthly subscription box that for $19.99 a month, they send you 3 full size products, all Julep brand. You have the option to stick with your box, skip a month, or even change your box type. Also by being a Maven you get a ton of awesome things, like 20% off the whole (I think its the whole) Julep site!

Now onto the awesomeness that is my Julep Maven Bombshell Intro Box.

 This is what the side of the box looks like. I'm not sure if I'm going to reuse this or not because it is a shipping box, but we'll see.

These are what the cards look like. The top card on the front welcomes me, and on the back it tells about the perks of being a maven. The bottom card is basically the same thing except the front talks about being a "Bombshell."

This is what it looked like when I opened it, only the cards were laying flat. I love that they wrapped the nail polish in bubble wrap and then put them in a little bag.

Now onto the products!

I got a little foil packet of the Glycolic Hand Scrub. I won't be able to use this until summer because of how dry and irritated my hands are, but I'm excited to try it. I love that they included a little extra, even if it is a foil.

The first polish I got, and the one I was most excited for, is the Julep polish in Sienna. It's like a silvery gold color and is supper pretty! I've been obsessed with gold polish recently and this is nothing like the other 2 I have so it was awesome to get another one. I think I'll be using this in a french mani or as details. This retails for $14.

The second polish I got is Eva. It is a really pretty pink berry color, which surprisingly isn't like any other polish I have either! I think I'm going to wear this next week and then use Sienna and put polka dots or stripes on it. This also retails for $14.

The last thing I got is the Instant Warming Foot Scrub, which I'm super excited for! I always pamper my feet quite a bit, because I tend to walk around barefoot outside a lot. I'm not too sure about the warming part, but I'm totally excited to give this a try! This retails for $22! Wow!

Overall I'm in love with this box! I am so going to get a box next month, so long as none of the colors are too similar to ones I already have. The total value of my box is $50!! Considering I only paid like $3 for shipping that is awesome.

By the way I got this box for free and all I had to pay was shipping (the code is: FREEBOX)

Zoya Pixie Dust Review!!

Hi guys! So today I have a review of one of my most favorite nail polish brands:Zoya!!

This is the pixie dust polish in Vesper and it cost $9.

This is a lot like the liquid sand polishes by OPI, except the glitter is all the same size. It has a cool sandy texture and is matte, but very sparkly. This is definatly at least a 2 coater, but I ended up putting on 3 coats, since I kept messing up, having a bouncy 8 month old does that.

I've been wearing it since Monday and it just started chipping a tiny amount on the tips of my fingers. Totally long lasting!

I would totally recommend these. And I'm going to be buying the black and the red one, and possibly the orange one. Gosh I just love these!

Sample Society March 2013 Review!

Sample Society came late this month, like almost 2 weeks later then normal, because they had a problem with one of the samples. I'm okay with waiting a little longer for a box, but only if that box is awesome and I'm just not wowed by Sample Society. I'm give them one more month to wow me (March is my second month), but otherwise I'm going to cancel.

Sample Society is $15 a month and they promise 5 deluxe sized samples. In the 2 boxes that I've gotten I've received a full sized item in each, which is good.

Now onto what I got!

 This is what the box looks like. Pretty and reusable!

 Sample Society is partners with Allure Magazine, so every month we get a mini mag filled with beauty trends and tips!

This is what the card looks like. On one side they give the gift code. The code is pretty awesome because if you like one of the brands in your box and you spend $50 including buying something by one of the box featured brands then its like you get the box for free. On the other side is the details about the box contents.

The first thing I got is a teeny sample of the Murad Essential-C Day Moisture with SPF 30 the sample size is .33 ounces. I've already used this a couple times, and its ok. I wouldn't buy it since it's really pricey ($60!) and my Aveeno one works just as well.

The thing that just really sucks is the Lash Food Eyebrow Conditioner. The sample size is .05. I'm not going to be able to use this, since my eyebrows are full and healthy. I love that they tried to be innovative, but I would have preferred the eyelash one instead.

Then we have a full size Butter London nail polish in The Old Bill which is $15, so this paid for the box in itself! (: I really like the color. Its bronzey, but not really glittery. I wore it under the Sally Hanson Extreme Wear Nail Polish in Strobe Light and it was really pretty! I'm meh about this product. It chipped insanely fast and just didn't last that long, but the application was great and it dried quick and I will probably buy a couple more. I was so excited for this because I've been wanting to try BL for forever and could never justify the price. (:

Then we have the Hollywood Fashion Tape 18 pack. Which the card says is a full size and that it retails for $9.25. I have yet to use this yet, but I've been really wanting to buy some of this and I'm so happy to have gotten this in a box! This was the product I was most looking forward too!

Last but not least is the Alterna Bamboo Smooth Kendi Dry Oil Mist. The sample size is 1 ounce which is a great sample size! I'm really excited to use this because it has a spray top. Considering hair oil has been a big trend lately, its nice to see that they did something different by sending one with a spray top instead of one you have to pour which gets messy.

Overall I'm just not wowed by Sample Society. I get stuff that I want to try and that I'm excited about, but I still always just end up feeling meh about the box overall. So I think I'll probably end up cancelling after April, unless April is amazing.

****Just a note, April's boxes will go back to being shipped on their normal cycle. So we can expect shipment dates on the 1st!****

March 2013 Birchbox Review!

I was anxiously awaiting my Birchbox this month and I am totally pleased! I got this box in only like 4 days which was awesome! Again I got this box a couple weeks ago, and I waited so that way I could actually try the products.

Birchbox is a subscription box that sends 4-5 deluxe sized samples to you each month for only $10! Most of the time the samples are truly samples, but sometimes they send out full sizes.

Now onto the box!

This is what the outside of the boxes look like.

 They give out information cards. The front describes the theme and the back has the products.

 I got 3 nice sized foil packets of Caldrea Body Lotion. I got them in Aloe Water Apricot, Tea Olive Lime, and Coconut Fig Leaf. I was excited to get to try out some fancy lotion, since the last time I did I ended up falling in love, and sadly there was no love here. They smell fine, a little overly scented, but they are marked Aromatherapuetic Body, so I was expecting that. The thing was they were really thin and runny. I like thinker lotion because I have really dry skin and these just didn't work well with my dry skin, sadly.

 Then I actually got a full size product! They are Incoco Nail Polish Applique Strips in Spring Vines and retail for $9. I think these are perfect for spring and I've been wanting to try the Incoco nail strips (I'm a bit obsessed with nail strips in general). I haven't used these yet, but I'm excited to!

The lifestyle extra this month was a Madewell for Birchbox emery board. This retails for $5 and it is really pretty! The back is pink and it came in a cover that on one side reads: Madewell for Birchbox. I love emery boards and I really needed a new one so I was excited to get this! Also I love how they sent these out the same time they sent out the nail strips (which you need an emery board to file down the excess on them). I think that was good planning on their part!

Then I got a really awesome sized sample of the Serge Normant Meta Revive Volumizing Dry Shampoo. The sample size is 2 ounces! I think this is a great sample size because you can really tell if you like the product or not. I've used this a couple of times and it works pretty well. As far as dry shampoo goes it works better then the other one I've used. It really soaks up the oil and when combed out well doesn't leave white residue.

The last product is a Whish Shave Cream in Blueberry the sample size is .75 full ounces which is a good size and I should be able to get at least 2 uses out of it. The blueberry scene is exclusive to Birchbox, but they do have some other scents. I haven't tried this yet because I'm not a big fan of the scent. It smells very artifical and candy like, but not in a good way. 

**I ended up taking this picture after I had used up the lotion, sorry!**

Anyway overall I think that this box is a great value! Even though I didn't get a MAKE product I really like what I got and I'll use everything that I got! (:

Beauty Army February 2013 Review!

This is my first Beauty Army box and I have to say that I'm thrilled! I placed my order the last week of February and I got my box in a couple weeks ago, but I figured I'd review it anyway because I love this service! **Plus because I waited longer I know get to do a mini-review on some of the products that I got** ***I took the pictures of this stuff right when I received my box, but some stuff has been opened/used***

What it is is for $12 a month you get to pick 6 samples out of the 9 that they give you based on a beauty quiz that you fill out. The brands are some brands that I've never heard of before, but there are also some well known brands like Mark, Bath and Body Works, and Macadamia.

So let's see what I got shall we?

 So the boxes are either white, pink or black, and they say beauty army in glossy lettering.

 The card is just a general card. There isn't any product information on it, because there are so many different box combinations.

The first thing that I got is a shampoo sample. It is the GG Gatsby Raise Volume Shampoo. The sample size is .5 oz. I haven't tried this yet, because I was hoping that the conditioner would be in my March window and it was, and I wanted to try them together.

 The next product I got was actually a full size! It's the Skinn Cosmetics Color Touch Eye, Cheek, and Lip Glow in Teen Tone. I'm not sure how this would work on the eyes, but it is a really pretty cream blush! This retails for $17! I really like this product and it's super cool that this is a 3 in 1.

 The next thing is the Mark Glow Baby Glow Hook Up Lip gloss in Honey. It also came with one of the Hook Up Connectors, which I thought it was nice they included this because I have a hook up eyeshadow and now I can stick them together and shove it in my school bag for a quick touch up after P.E. Anyway the gloss its self is nice. The Mark glosses always smell so good!

The wand is good and scoops up a nice amount of product. The only thing is this turns up sheer, but still super glossy, on my lips because the color is so close to my lip color, so it will definatly be used on days when all I wear is chapstick. However I do like it and I'd buy more in different colors! The value of this is $6.99.

 Then moving on to my favorite product. Olive Natural Beauty mini sliver of bar soap in Lemon and Lavender. I already used this mini sample up and I instantly bought a full size. This smells amazing! I'd say pretty equal parts lemon and lavender. It is just such a good scent mix! I love this!

 Then I got a Macadamia  Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque. I've heard so much about this brand and I've been dying to try their products! This sample size is .5 ounces.  This was pretty good. It made my hair really soft and healthy looking and I could definatly see myself rebuying this when I run out of my Aussie 3 minute miracle.

Then I got a little foil packet. I got this because there wasn't anything else I wanted ,but I didn't want to change my whole profile because I liked everything else I had gotten. This is the Yes to Carrots Super Rich Body Butter. I've actually had the full size of this before, but I don't currently, so I decided to just get this because I know I love this stuff! I have rediculously dry skin and I think stuff works really well. It's not super thick or anything, but its good for when I don't need a lot of moisture.

That was my beauty army box! I really like this box and I think it's up there with Glossybox as one of my favorites. For only $12 I got $23 in full size products alone! That's awesome! I would totally recommend this box because they are awesome.

Glossybox (USA) March Box Review!

So about a week ago I got in my March Glossybox and since I've been wanting to blog more, I decided that doing a review on it would be a great start!

So for those unfamiliar with what Glossybox is, it's a subscription box that sends 5-7 deluxe sized samples and full sized products (usually at least one) for $21 a month.

Anyway now onto the box!

 This is what the outside of the box looks like. They are nice and sturdy and good for reusing to store things.

 Every month we get a Glossymag. I like to read them and usually they include a coupon for at least one of the products we sampled.

 This is what the box looked like when I first opened it.

This is the product card. It comes truely like a card and you have to open to to find information on the products.

The first thing that caught my eye is the Sebastian Shaper Fierce Finishing Hairspray. The sample size is 1.5 oz and retails for about $2.40. Hairspray really isn't something I use that often, but since I like Sebastian products I'm not going to trade it away and I'll keep hold of it in case I ever need some.

 The next thing is the Koh Gen Do Cosmetics Oriental Plants Emollient Cream. The sample size is .28 ounces and retails for about $35 (the full size is $123!!!). I think people either got this or a full size Pixi product (the brand from Target) and at first I was sad that I didn't get the Pixi product, but considering that I have severe dry skin and I would never have been able to try this otherwise I am kinda glad that I got this. I also love that it came in a little jar versus a squeezey tube because me and squeezey tubes just don't go well together. I haven't used this yet, since I currently have about 5 other jars opened, but I'm excited to.

Now onto the full size products!!!

The first full size product is a tube of black eyelinet by Elite Models. It is the Intensity Eye Pencil in Secret Grey. I guess the secret is the fact that this is actually black? It retails for $14. I know some people think that black eyeliner is boring, but I always like trying new ones because I use it everyday and I can never have enough.

 This is a close up of the tip, which just added to my high hopes since it looks alot like my Avon one. Sadly I was let down. The application was great, but it is not waterproof at all, meaning that if my eyes watered even a tiny bit it ran down my face and smeered. Plus it only lasted about 4 hours. I can get my Avon one to last 8 hours, and I can cry/rub my eyes/do whatever and it still stays until I scrub with makeup remover. For the price it is not really worth it. I will probably use up the tube if I run out of my other one, since as long as I don't get my eyes wet or rub them its not bad for a short class day, but I wouldn't rebuy.

One of my favorite products in the box is the Prestiche Essential Oil Bar Soap in Rosechella. This is a full size and it retails for $16.99. They also included a gift certificate for $40 which I used as soon as I got my box. The soap is nice, smells good (more floral then rose), and it doesn't dry my skin out like some bar soaps. If only I could justify the price for such a small bar of soap!

 My other favorite product paid for the box in itself and that is the Model Co Cheek and Lip Tint in Rosey Red. This is valued at $24!! I've wanted to try a Model Co product and was so excited to receive this. I'm glad Glossybox was true to the email they sent out about this being a spoiler and sent it to everyone. This is a really pretty lightly pigmented stain. I've only used this on my lips and the color was pretty faint so I think it should probably be applied more heavily handed then one would think. I'm going to try it on my cheeks tomorrow and we will see how that works.
 

Overall I totally think that this box was worth $21! I love what I got and I'm totally going to stay subbed to Glossybox for a long time. They always give a nice mix of products and this month was no different. I would totally recommend them!