Beauty Box 5 - August 2014 Review

THE SCOOP:

Hey everyone! Ready for another Beauty Box 5 review? The August BB5 theme is "Radiant and Remarkable," and the products are meant to celebrate the radiance of every subscriber and to help us transition into fall. 

Beauty Box 5 is a subscription service that sends out 5 beauty products each month. The box is $12 a month for a month-to-month subscription, but you can save money if you buy a quarterly or yearly subscription. BB5 also offers half-off intro boxes regularly, so keep an eye on my blog for upcoming coupon codes.

THE BOX:

The August box contains a good mix of makeup, hair products, and skincare. 

Nanacoco lip gloss in First Kiss: Full size, $3.99

This gloss has quickly become one of my favorite lip products in my collection! The texture reminds me of a NYX butter gloss because it is smooth, non-sticky, and smells delicious. The vitamin E keeps my lips soft and silky. This is definitely earning its place in my daily makeup bag!

Check out that pigment! The color of this gloss is opaque and bold. 

La Fresh Travel Lite makeup remover wipes: Sample, 8 wipes

I am currently on vacation in New York City, and these wipes have been so useful for me! They take off waterproof mascara with ease, and they don't leave a sticky or greasy residue behind. I love that they are oil-free so my skin stays clear. 

Novex Brazilian Keratin: Sample, 1.05 oz. 

This packet is truly "hair food!" My hair is dry and tends to frizz, so it eats up moisture. This cream is perfect to use during a shower. Massage it into your hair, leave in for 25 minutes, and rinse. Voila! Healthy, happy hair in a half hour. 

Pur-lisse Pur Protect SPF 30 sunscreen: Sample, 0.5 oz. 

I live in Arizona, so SPF is a pretty important part of my life. This lotion is lightweight and non-greasy, so it's the perfect SPF under makeup. I like the high SPF, too. 

NOT PICTURED:

Style Essentials nail polish: Full Size

This polish is so unique in my collection! The color is something I've never seen before. I love the high shine finish and thick brush that allows for easy application. This is my new favorite toe polish color!

THE RECAP:

I received 5 beauty products in the August BB5 that are useful to my life. Each item will be used. I've already finished the LA Fresh wipes, and I'm working on the Pur-lisse and the Novex. I am very pleased with the usefulness of this month's box. 

Make sure to subscribe by 8/21 to get the August box! Otherwise, sign up ASAP to get in on the September BB5. 

Disclaimer: I am a contributor to Beauty Box 5's review team. I received this box for review purposes. The opinions are my own.

Beauty Box 5 August 2014 Spoiler

Ready for August's Beauty Box 5? Every subscriber will receive a FULL-SIZE Nanacoco lip gloss!

BB5 says: "High shine and flawless color should always be in your beauty arsenal - and on your lips! Nanacoco's lip gloss has a rich formula in stunning shades that glides on like velvet - never sticky. Plus, soothing vitamin E makes it a moisurizing must-have!"

Make sure to sign up for BB5 by August 21st to get this month's box!

Beauty Box 5 - May 2014 Review

THE SCOOP:
Hey everyone! I'm here with another Beauty Box 5 review. The May BB5 theme is "Fresh and Focused," and the BB5 team created this box to help subscribers get back in the zone when all we can think about is laying on the beach with a good book and a margarita.

Beauty Box 5 is a subscription service that sends you 5 beauty products each month. The box is $12 a month for a month-to-month subscription, but you can save money if you buy a quarterly or yearly subscription.

CONTENTS:

MaskerAide Hydrating Facial Sheet Mask: Full Size, $5.99

This sheet mask is paraben-free, vegan, and 100% biodegradable! I enjoy how eco-friendly the brand is, and I love masks of any type. This one has cute packaging and feels really moisturizing and soothing.

Ban Total Refresh Cooling Body Cloths: Sample, $0.87

The May BB5 came with three of these cooling cloths. I have never tried anything like these before, so I was really excited. They leave a nice scent and a powdery, dry finish. They work really well for the summer heat in Arizona.

H2O+ Aqualibrium Marine Cleansing Gel: Sample, $1.35

This cleanser is made with sea salt and energizing marine botanicals. It is also oil-free and has gentle exfoliants. I have been using this while out of town, and I really enjoy how clean it makes my face feel.

Harvey Prince Hello Fragrance: Sample, $3.50

This perfume has notes of mandarin, grapefruit, and plumeria. It is my perfect summer scent. I have worn it every day since I received my box. It is so fresh and happy.

Cattiva Precisione Eye Liner: Full Size, $20

This retractable liner is waterproof and smudge-resistant. The swatch below stayed on my hand after vigorous scrubbing. It goes on smooth and dark. It's a great addition to my makeup collection!

May's Beauty Box 5 did not disappoint. The value is over $30, so I think it's a great deal. I will use all of these products. I can't wait to see what June has in store!

Disclaimer: I am a contributor to Beauty Box 5's review team. I received this box for review purposes. The opinions are my own.

Beauty Box 5 - April 2014 Review

THE SCOOP:
Hey everyone! I'm here with a review on the April 2014 Beauty Box 5.

Beauty Box 5 is a subscription service that sends you 5 beauty products each month. The box is $12 a month for a month-to-month subscription, but you can save money if you buy a quarterly or yearly subscription.

BB5 sends out some of the most useful products I've seen in beauty subscriptions.

This month's theme is Shades of Beauty.

CONTENTS:

Nicka K New York Hydro Lipstick in Begonia: Full Size; $4.99

This lipstick is an interesting color. It changes in the light from a bright pink to a bright red. It has a shimmery quality that reminded me of Dorothy's ruby slippers in the Wizard of Oz! When I first saw it, I assumed I would dislike the shimmer because I am more of a cream lipstick lover. However, the finished look was gorgeous! It goes really well with a golden eye and peach blush.

Bonne Bell Lip Definer in Soft Brick: Full Size; $3.95

Boy, it has been a while since I have used Bonne Bell. This lip liner is not the smoothest in application, but it provides natural definition for the lips. I think it would be great for people who want to line outside of their natural lip line to give the illusion of fuller lips.

BH Cosmetics California Collection Eyeshadow Palette: Sample; $3
I have never tried BH Costmetics. This sampler was given away last summer in Ipsy bags, but I was not a subscriber at the time. I really enjoy these three colors, one from each California palette. The purple shade is unlike any other purple I own. It is a royal purple. The brown has gorgeous golden shimmer, and it goes perfectly with the golden color on the right.

Swatches of the BH Cosmetics California Sample Palette 

Blum Naturals All-Purpose Cleansing Wipes in Fresh Scent: 30 wipes; $2.49

I really love that BB5 included makeup wipes this month. I could always use more wipes because I use them to take off my makeup at night before washing my face. This little container has a keychain for on-the-go use, but it contains 30 wipes, which is a great amount. I am excited to use these!

Jergens Natural Glow 3 Days to Glow Moisturizer packets: Sample; $1.50

Although I have light skin, I decided to try out these packets, which are meant for medium to tan skintones. I have used the first two packets, and I am mostly impressed! I have a beautiful tan now that looks fairly natural. My only problem is that I noticed a few streaks. This is probably due to my application, and I will be more careful to make sure everything is rubbed in properly from now on. I will definitely purchase this in the light version.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Swatches of lipstick in Begonia and lip definer in Soft Brick

I did an eye look using all three colors from the BH Cosmetics sampler. The gold is on my lid, the brown is in my crease, and I used the purple as a liner by wetting an angled brush and dipping it into the shadow.

These shadows are very easy to blend. I'm very impressed!

Here is my final look, using the eye look from above, the lip definer in Soft Brick, and the lipstick in Begonia. You can see the beautiful red quality here, but when I move, the shimmer causes it to change color. It really is beautiful!

Overall, this month's box was worth about $16. The value here is very high for me because I will use all of the products! Keep it up, BB5!

Disclaimer: I am a contributor to Beauty Box 5's review team. I received this box for review purposes. The opinions are my own.

Beauty Box 5 April Spoiler

Voila! Here is the April spoiler for Beauty Box 5. All subscribers will receive a full-size Nicka K New York Hydro Lipstick. 

BB5 says, "These long-wear lipsticks are formulated with jojoba oil for moisturized, lightweight, full-bodied color." They are also paraben-free and come in a myriad of beautiful colors! I am hoping for a radiant orchid color, like Fabulous. Which color are you loving?

In case you haven't heard, BB5 is a subscription service that delivers five beauty products to your door every month. Make sure you sign up before March 31st to receive an April box!

Disclaimer: Photo and information provided by Beauty Box 5. 

Beauty Box 5 - March 2014 Review

Hey everyone! I'm here with a review on the March 2014 Beauty Box 5.

Beauty Box 5 is a monthly subscription service that sends you 5 beauty products each month. The box is $12 a month for a month-to-month subscription, but you can save money if you buy a quarterly or yearly subscription.

This month's theme was Spring Cleaning, which is very fitting for a March beauty box.



I really enjoy Beauty Box 5's packaging. The box is very compact, but the products are packed nicely and the outside of the box is cute, too!

THE CONTENTS:



Bellapierre Cosmetics Makeup Base: .25 oz, $18



This is the product that was used as a spoiler for March boxes! I am so happy to receive this. According to Bellapierre's website, this base can be used as an eyeshadow base/primer, a concealer, or an all-over face primer. I have tried it as an eyeshadow base and as a concealer. It's not quite creamy enough for a concealer, but it covers well. I love using it as an eyeshadow base. It turns shimmery shadows into a matte finish. It's really useful for any shadows that are too shimmery on their own. You can also use this on days where you are not wearing eyeshadow to even out the skin of your eyelids.

Tree Hut Shea Body Butter in Coconut Lime: 2 oz, $2.50

I'm so excited to receive this product because I don't own any body butters! This has a delicious coconut lime smell. I am saving it for the summer months because I think this cream has the perfect summer scent! It feels extremely moisturizing.

H2O Plus Hand & Nail Cream: 1 oz, $2.50
I'm so excited to receive H2O products in this box. I think they make great quality products. This hand and nail cream has a nice, clean smell and feels very luxurious and moisturizing. I love keeping it in my purse!

Swissco Dual-Sided Facial Pad: $2
This is a two-sided facial exfoliator. One side is more rough (the one that is shown), and the other side feels more like terry cloth. I have used this several times, and I think I prefer it on my body rather than my face. It is really useful for the summer time when you're self-tanning and shaving more often.

Jane’s Pick All Natural Soap: $2
I am very happy to sample an all-natural soap! This is a beautiful handmade soap that smells delicious. The scent is called Patience, and it is described as having black spruce, fir needle, and rosewood notes.

Overall, I really enjoyed this box. It has a value of about $27, which is a great deal for the price of the subscription. I have subscribed to other beauty boxes, and oftentimes, the products won't be very useful. However, I will use each item from this box, and I am really looking forward to next month!
What do you think? Are you going to subscribe to Beauty Box 5?

Disclaimer: I am a contributor to Beauty Box 5's review team. I received this box for review purposes. The opinions are my own.

NYC Badge Prize for Varsity VoxBox from Influenster

Last month, I received the brand prize from NYC that I received for completing activites based off of the Big Bold Gloss that was in the Varsity VoxBox. As a reward for completing these activites, NYC and Influenster sent me a prize package.

I love NYC makeup! It's fairly cheap at the drugstore, but it's still fun to try.

NYC Color Wheel Mosaic Face Powder in Pink Cheek Glow 723A

I really enjoy this "face powder"... though I consider it a blush. It's too pink to be just a highlighter, but I would consider it a highlighting blush. It's very pretty!

NYC Applelicious Lip Balm in Pink Lady 353

This lip balm has a delicious apple smell and a soft pink color. It's a lightly tinted lip balm. I love the cute apple design in the center!

NYC HD Color Eyeshadow Trio in Streets Paved in Gold 792

This is my favorite item in the box! I received a trio from NYC in the Jolly VoxBox in a different color combination. I didn't like that one because it lacked pigmentation... but I LOVE these shadows! The golden tones look great with my brown eyes. I even use the golden highlight color on my cheekbones.

Thank you to Influenster and NYC! I love getting these goodies to try out.

Ipsy December 2013 - "Celebrate"

I received my Ipsy bag a bit later than normal this month. I got it on the 17th as opposed to the 14th when I normally get it. I wasn't super happy with the contents when I saw my Glam Room, but I'll get into specifics about the products.

The contents:

POP Beauty eyeshadow trio: I received this trio in the neutral colors. Some other subscribers received a smoky eye trio. I haven't opened this because I have a trade set up for the Be a Bombshell lip crayon from last month in the color Shameless. I received Hot Damn (bright red), but Shameless is a beautiful pink berry color. This trio looks very nice, but I already have three other neutral palettes, and I'm getting Naked 3 for Christmas. 

Be a Bombshell The One Stick in Girl Crush: This is a stick for eyes, cheeks, and lips, but I will only use this as a cheek highlight or blush. On the lips, it's extremely chalky and has a horrible texture. I might try it on the eyes, but I don't think it would look that nice. 

English Laundry perfume samples: These samples came halfway gone because they spilled during shipping. After reading some other subscribers' blogs, I've noticed that almost everyone's spilled. I emailed Ipsy and they are sending me Benefit's Benetint as a replacement. 

Ardell natural lashes: I've heard this is a good brand. I don't use lashes often, but maybe I'll try them on New Year's!

J.Cat The Big Lip Pencil in Caramel Mocha: I love this lip pencil! I wish it were a twist-up, but instead I have to sharpen it. The other color option was red, so I'm extremely thankful I got this color. I have too many red lipsticks! This is a beautiful neutral color.

Overall, not a bad bag. The bag itself is classy and well-made (unlike previous bags) and I enjoyed it. I'm not sure how much longer I'll subscribe though. I usually don't end up with the variation that I want. 

Influenster's Jolly VoxBox 2013 Review

Hurray! My second Influenster VoxBox has arrived, and I got a chance to check out each of the products before I wrote this review. I am very pleased with this box, especially considering it's my second box of freebies in two months! I previously received the Varsity VoxBox, which contained NYC lipgloss, Airheads Extreme Bites, Tide PODS, Clearasil face wash, and Kiss nail stickers.

This box was supposed to have a "Naughty and Nice" theme... I'm not sure I quite get that theme, but I am happy with these products nevertheless. 

And on to the contents...

Here's a closer look:

First up is duck tape from the Duck brand. This is a mini roll in a blue and white floral print. I used it to give my phone charger a makeover. I will also use it for packages and other craft projects.

Retail: $3

This single pack of Puffs tissues is a great addition to my purse. I always find myself in need of a tissue while I'm out, yet I don't have one on me. These will be great because they have lotion in the tissues themselves, so my nose won't get irritated.

Retail: $0.49

Next up is the Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer. This is basically a liquid lipstick. The color payoff is amazing and opaque. The color I received is Luna, and it is a beautiful peach color. I will definitely use this up. My only complaint is the weird cucumber smell and strange applicator.

Retail: $5.49

This is the NYC HD Color Trio eyeshadow in Long Beach Sands.This is one of those products that has instructions for where to use each shade, whether it's on the brow bone, crease, or lid. I already have so much neutral eyeshadow, but I really like the colors.

Retail: $2.99

Finally, my sweet tooth had something to be excited about! These Skinny Cow chocolates filled with peanut butter cream are delicious. I have tried the caramel version before, and these are just as good. The peanut butter is a bit salty for me, but I love them otherwise. This box contains 6 packs of 3 candies each. I've already eaten 3 packs... oops.

Retail: $3.99

Overall, the Jolly VoxBox was a great box, and I am very happy that I received it. I look forward to continuing to use these products and review them on my blog and other social networks.

Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary of Influenster. The opinions are my own.

Sample Society November 2013

This month, I received a free Sample Society box as a promotion for first-time subscribers. These boxes are distributed through Beauty Bar and Allure magazine for $15/month.

The box is smaller in person than I pictured it when reading other reviews! However, it is packaged nicely. The paper in the box reminds me of Glossybox's packaging.

Voila! The box contents are for Kit B. The theme is Winter Wonders.

Jane Iredale Lip Drink mini lip balm: $4

This product retails for $12 normally. This sample will last a while, but it's very tiny. It is pretty cute though, and I use lip balm constantly, so this product is a no-brainer for me.

Illume Balsam & Cedar mini candle: $3

The full size candle retails for $36 and comes in a beautiful jar. This "travel sized" candle (who travels with candles??) is in cute tin. I'm burning it right now, and it smells like winter to me. It's a great Christmastime scent.

Borghese Splendore Brightening Makeup: $15

This product retails for $29.50 in the full size. It is basically a liquid highlighter. I tried a bit on my cheekbones but wasn't impressed. I don't love looking really shimmery. Maybe I can find a way to use this, or try using just a small amount.

Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisturizer: $10

The full size retails for $65. This is a brand that I recently received samples in the mail from, but I didn't get a sample of this, so I'm happy to try it. It comes with a decent amount in a cute little jar that I can reuse.

Annick Goutal Eau D'Hadrien perfume: $3

The full size is $92. I love the smell of this. I normally hate perfumes and only wear fruity body spray, but this smells light and citrusy.

According to the package, the scent is a tribute to Goutal's passion for Italy. It encorporates citrus fruit, cypress, basil, and rosemary. It smells very fresh.

This box has a value of $34. I will use all of these samples up, except maybe the brightening makeup. I will use it, but very slowly, because it is extremely shimmery.

I am not sure yet if I will keep this subscription next month. I hope a spoiler comes out that will help me decide.