Glossybox USA May 2013 Review! One Year Anniversary Box!

My May Glossybox came in late last week and as always I was super pumped to open it and find out what was in it (maybe even doubly pumped since it was their one year anniversary box). 

I love Glossybox's packaging. It feels like opening a gift every month.

The box looks relatively full, so let's check out the products!

When you open it there is an information card and a magazine (which for some reason I haven't been getting a magazine lately? Even though everyone else I can think of is getting them. Wierd). This month we also got a coupon from Ulta for a Sebastian product and some people also got a free waxing certificate to the European Wax Center (which I didn't, but it doesn't matter since the nearest one is like 300 miles away.)

 

 The first thing I see is an Amore Pacific Color Control Cushion Compact in Tan Blush 104. I recieved 4 g or about $8 in product. How cool is this? It's basically a CC cream in a compact! I've never used a CC cream before (just a BB cream), but I'm totally going to give this a shot! Plus I'm so happy that I got a color that works for me, even though I know alot of people got a totally wrong color. I also love that is came with a little spongey thing to apply it with. This is one of my favorite items in my whole box!

 Then there is the only item that I'm not completely thrilled with, European Wax Center foil packets (one is The Exfoliate and the other is the Slow it Body Wash). I'm not even putting a value on this since they are tiny foil packets. I'm not too thrilled with either of these. I'll probably get at least 2-3 uses out of the exfoliate, but I like using a lot of shower gel so I'm thinking that that sample will only be a one time use thing.

Then, the only product who's brand name I had actually herd of before, the Sebastian Professional Volupt Spray.  The sample size is 1.7 oz and is about $4. It's a gel that gives volume and softness I actually have a strong love for Sebastian products so I was thrilled to get this! I haven't used this yet, but since it's summer I'll have time to start taking showers in the morning again (I've been taking them at night and who wants volume when they go to sleep?) and I'm super excited to try it!

 Then there is the Etre Belle Collagen and Aloe Vera Hydro Mask. $3.95. Did I just say aloe vera? Heck yes! I'll probably wait and use this on either a super hot day or if I get sunburned, since aloe is my go to cool down product. Either way really excited to try this and I thought it was a great inclusion in an almost summer box!

Then there is a Nicka K New York Absolute! Perfume Stick in LUX 369. This is a full size and retails for $14.99. This smells so good! Like a coconut floraly scent, but it isn't overpowering. The staying power was pretty good too. This is great for traveling and at the price I'm totally going to be checking out the other perfumes in this line!

The last product is the My Prime Multi Purpose Mattifying Moisturizer.  The sample size is 10 ml and is about $6.80. I saw the word mattifying and instantly got nervous since I have very dry skin and mattifyers tend to make my skin look really well drier, but not this one! It moisturizes well and it also acts as a great foundation primer! Totally going to be using every last drop!

 Overall my box had a retail value of  about $38! That's great considering that I only paid $21 for the box. I was a bit bummed initially because I guess I was expecting more from their anniversary box, but I will admit at a second glance I am pretty pleased! Plus the June box looks amazing!  The couple items I tried were awesome, and I was introduced to a bunch of new brands and new products that I wouldn't have tried by myself, and isn't that really the point of these boxes?

May Birchbox 2013 Review!

 Since I was semi unimpressed with my Birchbox (and because I was super busy) I decided to do a review of the products inside instead of an unboxing.  Especially since my box was a little underwhelming at first (or any) look.

 Birchbox gives a nice little info card and this month the theme was Beauty Diaries. They also gave you a chance to win the full size products of your whole box on twitter. Which is cool, if you got a good box. So did I get a good box? Let's see.

The first thing I got a Coola Classic Face SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face. The sample size is .23 oz and is about $4.50. I tend to like most cucumber products and this was no exception. It has a nice clean scent and while it was a little thinner then I like moisturizers to be, I could totally see myself buying a full size especially for the super hot months!

Then there is a Marvis Classic Mint Toothpaste. The sample is .5 oz and is about $1.50. Toothpaste really?! I've herd good things about this, but I was still a bit bummed, because honestly I can and prefer to pick out my own toothpaste, especially since I really hate the smell/taste of mint toothpaste! And not only does this smell strong it has a minty black licorice smell which makes me want to gag, there is no way I would ever use this! Sad too because it would such a good thing to bring on vacation. Anyway I'll probably give it to my fiancee who isn't so picky.

Then, my favorite item, is the Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner. This is a mini pencil and goes for about $5.25. I got a black one, but I hoard black eyeliner since I use it almost everyday. While I would have liked a bright color, I'm thrilled to have received the black one because I know I'll use it. I wonder if Sumita is cruelty free because I thought that this eyeliner was comparable to my Avon one (which is not cruelty free!) and the price is pretty good too.

Then I got is the amika Obliphica Nourishing Mask. The sample size is just a foil mask sample and it probably retails for like $1.60. I love getting hair masks and this one smelled really good! I also got 2 uses out of it since I have really short hair and it moisturized super well. This would be good to have on hand for after dying my hair when it's super dry. Might have to invest in a small size.

Then I got another really item. Runa Guayusa Tea. I got 4 tea bags (I used one before taking the picture). I'm fine with this I drink tea, but again tea is one of those things I'd prefer to pick out since I prefer sweet tea to hot tea. Also these say they are energy boosting, and from the one I had I felt no increase in energy.

All totaled (and not including the tea) my box is valued at 12.85. Since I get 50 points a box (or $5) I always think of Birchbox as being $5 instead of $10 so I definatly thought that the value was there especially since I did like 3/5 items that I received. Would I recommend Birchbox? Not really. I think for $10 Ipsy is much better, but I do continue to sub to Birchbox because I love the points system and with my other subs I don't feel too let down, but I wouldn't recommend it as your only sub.

Ipsy Review May 2013!!!

I was going to do a battle of the boxes with Birchbox, but after comparing the boxes I just thought that it wouldn't be fair to poor Birchbox as Ipsy knocks it out of the park!

The do give out a card that says what their theme is (Spring Fling), but since it doesn't really give any information on the products I ended up misplacing mine. Oops.

So I love the bag this month! It is so cool and so my style! I'll be using it next year as a pencil case for school (because really that's what I use these ipsy bags for to store school supplies, since I already have my Betsey Johnson makeup bag).

Now on to the really fun stuff. The products!!

The first thing that I got is a Yaby Concealer refill pan in Buff. I've herd good things about Yaby and I was excited to try this! I used this under my eyes (since it is a bit too light to use on other areas that need concealing) but it worked really well and I looked wide awake! Totally impressed. I assume this is a size of a normal refill so I'm valuing this at $4.85.

Then, the only product that I don't care for, is the Anastasia Clear Brow Gel. I don't really care how my eyebrows look as long as they aren't too unruly, so this is kinda blah to me. However I have been reading that you can use brow gel as clear mascara (and I love clear mascara! It makes my lashes look natural, yet longer and just better.) So maybe I'll use it as that. This is a sample size (2.5 ml) and goes for about $7.30.

 Then there is the Mirabella Color Sheers Lipstick in Daydream. Which I'll admit I would have preferred the Juice Beauty lip gloss, since wearing lipstick just requires so many extra steps, but I'm not complaining. The color is a beautiful pinkish purple shimmery color that looks amazing on. Plus it doesn't dry out my lips. Can you believe this is full size and that the full size value of this is $22?

The next item is the Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia Perfume Roll On. I love Pacifica products. They all smell so amazing and this one is no exception. It's a pretty strong floral scent and while I normally don't really care for florals, I do really like this one! Plus it's a roll on and roll on perfumes are like the bestest things ever! This is a full size and goes for $12!

Then there is the Zoya Nail Polish in Gie Gie.  This is from their 2013 Spring Collection, and I was actually meaning to buy this color, so yay! I love Zoya's polishes and this one was no exception. It was so pretty and sparkly. I loved it. This is full size and goes for $8.

The last thing I got, which was an extra to people who referred two people last month, is an Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in Space Cowboy. This is a brand new product and I really wanted one! I'll admit I was a bit bummed that I didn't get the pink one, but I prefer this one over the greenish one. This is a super sparkly lightish tan color that after trying it out I'm thrilled I got this! I tend to do more natural makeup looks then daring looks and this eyeshadow was the perfect combination of both. This is valued at $20!

 Isn't it super pretty?! So sparkly!

My Ipsy bag is valued at 74.15!! That is awesome considering I only paid $10! Plus not only was I introduced to a couple new brands I also got some things from brands that I had been wanting! Ipsy is a total win and I would totally recommend them! I love my bag! (:

Sub boxes, nail dupes, and quick update.

I'm so sorry I've been MIA. I've been so busy with my nursing classes (going to clinicals and labs) and working. Plus I've been taking a break from my subs so I could get some clothes for spring.  I'll be moving in August, so then I'll be taking quite a long break from sub boxes until I get a permanent job (or if my hubby gets one) and also until I get a permanent place to live. I'll continue to get glossybox and ipsy, but I'm not actually going to have them until December because I'm leaving everything still attached to my parent's house so I don't loose anything. (Won't that be a fun day? 6 month's of subs to review in like a week between New Years and Christmas)

Anyway. I will continue to blog though. As much as I can anyways.

I was going through my polish stash today to decide if I should resub to Julep or not and I decided that I'm going to wait until July. All of the polish was pretty similar to what I already have and I don't really like buying/getting dupes on purpose. Sometimes it happens though thanks to my overabundance of subs and just my compulsion to buy polish.

Anyway while going through my polish stash I found a China Glaze polish in Frenzy and I thought that I had a similar one from LA Splash (that I got in Lip Factory). And I was right! They are pretty similar.

The difference is that the LA Splash is alot more opaque and purple. Also the glitter isn't super pronounced. The China Glaze one is sheer with a slight purple hint and super glittery! I think the China Glaze would look better over a different polish like a topcoat, while the LA Splash is fine with just 2 coats by itself.

They are two completely different polishes!

I've been really into like "indie" sub boxes, like sub boxes that are just starting up.

Ones that I want to sub to are:

-Petit Vour. It's a vegan/cruetly free beauty box! It's only $15 a month.

-Ophelia's Apothecary.  Also $15 a month. With homemade bath type products.

This month I'm currently subbed to:

-Beauty Army
-Glossybox
-Birchbox
-Sample Society
-Ipsy
-Lip Factory
-Beauty Box 5

I'm skipping Julep.

Also I'll probably be adding a few boxes for July and during the month. Be prepared for a lot of reviews!

By the way, do you guys mind having similar polish colors by different brands? Or do you think it's a waste? Like I said I don't mind it too much, but I do try to avoid it (which is weird because I hoard black eyeliners). Lol. Let me know in a comment!

March Sub Box Overview!

I know I promised this last Tuesday, but I got sick. So I decided to make it today, before I post all of my wonderful April boxes.

Glossybox: I love Glossybox! They are totally my favorite box. This month was fun and I got a good variety of different items. Also the box is a great value with 3 full size items! Will continue to sub to them.

Beauty Army: I really like Beauty Army and I hope they continue to keep giving me new samples. I like that I got 2 full sizes and the rest of my samples I'm really excited to use. I'm anxiously awaiting my next selection window!

Sample Society: Meh. This month was pretty bad. The only thing I truly loved was the Alterna spray, which I ended up buying a full size of using my discount. I'm going to give them one more month to impress me and if they don't I'm going to cancel.

Birchbox: Birchbox is fun! While I didn't get a MAKE product that's ok because I used everything that was in my box (plus the nail strips are full sized!). Also for only $10 I can't complain. I'm totally sticking around.

Julep: I love love loved my intro box! It is probably on the same plane as Glossybox. I hope I like next month's colors so I can get them and not skip, because I truly love this sub. I'm so sticking around!

So that is my list of boxes and what I think of them for March. As you can tell I'm pretty easy to please. (:

Square Hue April 2013 Review!!!

Hi guys, so I'm sorry again for the lack of posts. If you want to know why I was gone you can read the Sorry! post.

Anyway today I am here with a Square Hue review. I actually got it last Monday, so not only will it be an unboxing, it will also be a review!

For those that don't know what Square Hue is it's a nail polish sub, like Julep. It's $21 a month including shipping and you get 3 full size bottles of polish. There is always a theme every month, this month it was The Bloom Collection, and so the colors reflect that. All the polishes are Square Hue Brand and are limited to that box only. So if you like one of the colors you see in my box you can't go to Square Hue's website and buy it as a single. Also as far as I know they don't offer past boxes to be purchased.

Now onto what I think of the box!

 The packaging is simple. There is only one box and that is the shipping box. I personally don't mind only having one box, since its less waste. Inside there were little white paper stringy things, but those are cat magnets so I threw them out as soon as I opened the box.

I like that they put up dividers so that way the polishes don't bump together and break.

Then there is the card. It doesn't really say anything except for which collection it is, which is the Bloom Collection.

Now onto the good part. The polishes!!

The three polishes I got were:

 Yellow Submarine which is a really pretty buttery yellow color. The color is beautiful in the bottle. However on it is super hard to apply. I don't know what was happening, but the formula for this one was horrible! I couldn't even hardly get the polish to apply. I doubt I'll be using it again, unless I use it as a polka dot color, which is sad because I was looking for a good non neon yellow I could use as a base for glitter.

Then there is Groovy Love which is a nice lavender color. I'm pretty happy with the purple. It applied easily, and it dried fast. Also  I was hoping for a purple so this is just an all around winner in my book! I'm excited to use as a base for one of my chunky glittery polishes that I have. This seems super similar to OPI Planks a Lot, but I think Planks a Lot is a little bit darker/possibly more grey toned.

The last one is Flower Power which is a really pretty grass green looking color. It is like the springiest green you can get without being a pastel. I really like it and like the purple I think that the formula of this was nice and fast drying. I was pleasantly surprised by the green because I was so not expecting it! I guess I was thinking more flower petal then flower leaves.

This is what the front of the bottles look like

Cute and classy looking.

This is a better image of the colors

Final thoughts: I think I just hyped this box up in my mind because I was majorly disappointed. I think my main disappointment was that there was no pink and the whole time the color I really wanted was a pastel pink. I know they never said anything about pink, but still. Also the formulation of the yellow didn't help my overall feelings. Also something to note it seems like the colors were dry, but they took forever to set. I touched my nails a couple times on accident and they left finger prints even though it was a couple hours after I put on the polish.

Plus I also don't like that they don't have an online store where you can buy the polishes. I just didn't feel like I was getting a deal, which usually money doesn't factor into how much I like a sub, but for some reason it just bothered me with this one. I think I'm going to stick with Julep.

This is how my nails look after a week. I made little lavender flowers.Hardly no chips! And it is lasting well.

Sorry!

I'm sorry in the lack of posts. I have been uberly sick with strep throat, something I've never had before, so all last week was spent feeling like I was dying. I really need a catch up day (on my blog, work, and for social networking, not to mention to organize my shopping!), so hopefully that will be tomorrow or it will be Saturday, depending on whether or not I feel well enough to drag my butt to school or not.

Anyway. I'll have the Square Hue review done tomorrow. The Sample Society review will be done tomorrow probably too. The haul will be next week. The fashion posts will start Tuesday.

I'm so sorry I've been MIA. I'm back now!