Beauty Box 5 - June 2014 Review

THE SCOOP:

Hey everyone! I'm back again with a Beauty Box 5 review. The June BB5 theme is "Summer Chic." With the first day of summer approaching quickly, this box is perfect for any beauty lover to prepare for the warmer months.

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. If you are a first-time subscriber, use the code "614FREE" for a free box.

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.

Ipsy February 2014 Review

Hi everyone! I'm so sorry how long it has been since I posted last. I just wanted to share a recent subscription box that really impressed me.

This month's Ipsy bag was titled "The Look of Love." The bag is bright pink with a white zipper, and the lining is pink cheetah print! I love it, and the slightly different shape than usual.

I received my bag slightly later than normal, but still at a reasonable time during the month.

Ipsy is $10/month. Sign up here!

The Contents:

City Color Be Matte Blush in Fresh Melon

I am thrilled with this blush. On camera, it appears very orange, but in real life, it is a bright, watermelon pink. I love the matte finish and the pigmentation.

Eyetini Eye Base in Ambrosia

This is a cream eyeshadow base. I adore the color! It is a brown with flecks of pink and purple. It doesn't crease and blends really easily. A new favorite of mine!

IPKN BB Cream in Light

I tried to use this, and it squirted all over my hand! It's such a small sample, so that wasted a lot... but it's orange on me anyway. This is not light.

Zoya Nail Polish in Dot

I really wanted Odette, the purple shade, but I do love light pink nails! Zoya has fantastic polish that dries quickly. I am quite happy with this!

POP Beauty Pouty Plump in Peony Petal

This lip gloss is wonderful! The pigmentation, the texture - I love it! It gets a slightly grainy texture during wear, but it's such a pretty, pigmented gloss.

Overall, I give this bag an 8/10! I am really happy with 4/5 items, and that means this bag is a winner in my eyes.

*Contains my personal Ipsy referral link

NYC HD Color Trio in Long Beach Sands - Influenster Jolly VoxBox

The NYC HD Color Trio in Long Beach Sands was featured in my Jolly Voxbox, complimentary of Influenster.

I love that it is a trio, and all three shades can be combined for a cohesive eye look.

The top shade is meant for the browbone, the middle shade is meant for the lid, and the bottom shade is meant for the crease. I personally would use the bottom shade on the lid and the middle shade in the crease, but that's just me.

Here is my eye with the middle shade all over my lid.

Here is my eye with the bottom shade added to my crease and the top shade added to my browbone. The colors are very neutral and don't show up very well on my eyes. They lack pigmentation.

I did a few quick swatches on my fingertips. As you can see, the brow highlight has decent pigmentation, as well as the darker brown color. However, the bottom shade, a tan color, lacks pigmentation and doesn't add much to your look.

Overall, I am impressed with two of the shades, but I thnk the third one needs some work. I would love to try some other products from NYC to compare the quality.

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.