TOPBOX FEB 2014 REVIEW! and VIRTUAL UNBOXING!

My Feb 2014 Topbox showed up in my mailbox last week!
Topbox if you have not heard of it before is a monthly subscription where you get (usually) four deluxe or full size cosmetic items from new and established brands.

What is refreshing about Topbox is that you only pay by the month and do not have a prepaid commitment. That way you can be sure they will not run away with your money like some other subscriptions.

Here is what my Feb 2014 Topbox looked like before opening:

Feb 2014 Topbox packaging!


Contents of my regular Topbox:

In my Topbox this month were the following items:

*Estee Lauder: Double Ended Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara and Pure Color Gloss in Rock Candy. Mascara size: 2.8ml, value $13/ full size 6ml, $26. Lip gloss 4.5ml, $19.50/full size 6ml, $26.
The Sumptuous mascara is quite nice! My eyes were not irritated at all and I just read that the mascara is fragrance free! Also no smudging or flaking- so that is a plus.
The only issue I had was it is a bit hard to remove. I tried several miscellar cleansers for face and eyes and that did not work well. I then tried my waterproof makeup remover and that worked quite well.

The Pure Color Gloss is really nice and also has a candy like scent that is not too strong. I really dislike gloss that tastes like perfume or flowers (some expensive gloss I bought had a overly floral scent and taste).
The gloss did not burn my lips, so another plus. Overall this gloss is great and very wearable- this will be on my list of future purchases!




*So Susan: Water-based Pure Luminizer. full size product 15g, value $46!
I have never heard of this brand before and it is based in the UK/England!
This is also a full size item which is always fun to receive.
The luminizer went on very easily and does give quite a glow. You really do not need to use much at all.
I did have a few small issues with this product. One is that the product packaging states no sulfates,no mineral oil, water based...but then there is PARABENS  listed in the ingredients??
My other issue was a small fault with the packaging- the cap was broken and the product leaks out the side when you squeeze the tube.
Looking online, it seems others have had the same issue. I'm supposed to be getting a replacement sample with my March Topbox.
I think that for such an expensive product there should not be any packaging issues.



*Elizabeth Arden: Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant. sample size 30ml, value $15/full size 50ml, $25.
This is one of those iconic beauty products that is supposed to be good for everything under the sun....
The cream was invented in the 1930's and one is sold every 30 seconds or something crazy like that!
The cream is quite thick, very similar to petroleum jelly, but I am not too keen on the scent that is very floral like. There is a fragrance-free version available thankfully...



*Zyderma HS :Clarifying Cream. full size 30ml, value $25!
This is kind of funny that I got this cream in my Topbox. I have never gotten this item from Topbox.
Not the most exiting product for me- only because I just placed another order for a large bottle of Zyderma a couple weeks ago. But I do not have a smaller bottle to take on vacation with me, so also quite pleased with this.
I guess this means I need to do another update of how Zyderma is helpful for me.
Actually I did just take a picture of my knees 3 months later and it is a huge difference. I did send Zyderma a copy of my pictures and plan on doing a new blog post soon......



*Lancome: Definicils mascara. sample size 2ml, value...
This item was not listed on my card and it is a surprise to see another mascara in my Topbox!

Seasonsbox Feb 2014...finally heard back. Denying Visa charges? and refusing to send boxes....Saga continues...

Finally, I heard back from "seasonsbox" as my email was signed.
Why can't the person sending the email even put an initial down?? what are "they" so scared of??

The message I received came from the Gmail address and stated that I no longer had an account and that my credit card had not been charged anything and that I did not have a subscription.

To me that is quite odd, as I did purchase my one year Seasonsbox subscription of Jan. 25, 2013 and my first box was Feb 2013.
Without skipping any boxes that would bring me to receiving Feb 2014 as my last box.
Considering I skipped 2 boxes and have the confirmation in writing that my sub was extended till April 2014.
I made sure to get that in writing as I was not sure if they would forget or be around and I might need written proof for something.

The lesson (I) you can learn from that is always get the terms of something you buy confirmed in writing if they happen to change from the original contract agreement.

Now to top this the same person who sent me that message Mr. or Ms. "seasonsbox", I guess that is their name now....

Seasonsbox is denying my credit card was charged!!!!

How ridiculous, as I see the charge in my online banking, so how can they not know about a $285 charge?

I did speak to my bank's credit card claims dept and customer service over the phone and the several times I did call they did see the $285 charge and told me to send a fax in writing with a copy of my seasonsbox cancelation.

I was also given a file # and just need to send a fax to reverse the charge.

Now for my seasonsbox subscription, I have a separate case and was told I needed proof my subscription was extended and only allowed to file one claim.

I was asked how many months I skipped and was told I could probably get that back.

I was trying to claim for 3 months missed (inc Jan 2014 that no one has gotten yet).

But now since Seasonsbox is refusing to even honour my subscription and does not want to send me anything, I just need to send that email to my credit card provider's claims dept.

I really hope "seasonsbox" enjoys dealing with my credit card's claim dept!

Has anyone else had so many issues with Seasonsbox?

I really had enjoyed my subscription until Dec 2013,so it is too bad they decided to dig their own grave.

*Has anyone noticed that the description card in their picture on the seasonsbox website is from Jan 2013, but the description is what is supposed to be Jan 2014?
Also the box pictured is the old style with the pretty cardboard box and ribbon that they used when they first started out.

The last few boxes I got just had the products dumped in a box with no bubble wrap or anything...

Has anyone gotten anything from Seasonsbox in 2014, I would really like to know....

SEASONSBOX FEB 2014 FRAUD WARNING!

I just wanted to make a  separate post about Seasonsbox.
It seems that even though I canceled my subscription in writing at least 9+ times they have decided to make an unauthorized charge of $285.46.

This is fraudulent use of my credit card and they have no excuse for doing this.
I hope Seasonsbox enjoys dealing with the fraud dept of my credit card provider.

If I could post this on their Facebook I would, but they blocked anyone from posting messages.

Seasonsbox Feb 2014 update! My findings so far.... UNAUTHORIZED VISA CHARGES TOO!!!

Well,
the month of January went by quite quickly!
I was not going to do an update on my dealings (or lack of) with Seasonsbox, but since "they" have blocked any new comments from being posted on their Facebook page and deleted any question and comments (I) posted by myself and others posting my dealings here is nice as it is my own blog and can only be edited by myself.
This is what my own dealings with Seasonsbox have been so far.

*I've sent several emails to Seasonsbox through their Facebook and also every address that is posted on their actual website. The email addresses I used were the ones listed on their website: support@seasonsbox.com, partners@seasonsbox.com, press@seasonsbox.com .

Absolutely no replies to my emails sent two weeks ago.
I did receive some vague email saying Seasonsbox was under "new management" and to send any inquiries to a gmail address.
A message was sent and again, no reply in over one week at least.

Some people in a cosmetics forum I am a member of that is US based have also had very similar dealings.
There were also some rumors that Seasonsbox was resold? and also that some vendors were not paid?
Other people were posting this, so this is all "talk" for now and Internet chatter...

I did see that on the Seasonsbox website that the price has been raised for Canadians to $49.95 plus whatever transaction fees your credit card has as their payment processing is US based (and has foreign transaction fees).

So far I was trying to find out what was going on with the remainder of my subscription as I am supposed to receive two more boxes until Feb 2014, plus two I skipped- making my sub go until April 2014.

Now in the Dec box that I received in early Jan 2014, there was one "damaged item" and other people had the same thing happen. Their hot chocolate powder tin was dented and powder leaking out.
This was due to the products being tossed in a box with no protective packaging of any kind.
I am lucky my chocolates were still in the little gift box too, as some people got their seasonsbox with loose chocolates that were uneatable.

As it is right now I did NOT receive my January 2014 Seasonsbox!
It is already the beginning of Feb 2014 and no email communication either.
I did contact my credit card provider to ask about filling some request for part of my subscription money back and have a case number, but have not sent my documents yet.
I was waiting until Feb to see if I would get a email or the January box and now have even more proof the "vendor is not communicating with me" and is pretty much refusing to fix the situation.

I had a similar situation last year when Glymm was around. They went out of business leaving people with prepaid subscriptions out of luck. And also did not sent items to people who bought from their store- I had a $200 order for some gifts and was never sent anything. The money was returned through my credit card.

After that fiasco, you think I would know better?
Actually most of the subscriptions I have had so far have been perfectly fine and I've had at least 20 different ones so far....
As long as you pay with a credit card you can always file a chargeback on any purchase you are not satisfied with!

UPDATE:

FEB 3, 2014 OK NOW I JUST CHECKED MY VISA STATEMENT AND WAS CHARGED $285.46!!
NOT TOO IMPRESSED WITH THOSE F*CKERS AT SEASONSBOX.
I SPECIFICALLY TOLD THEM IN WRITING SINCE AT LEAST NOVEMBER 2013 I WAS NOT RENEWING AND ALSO SENT SEVERAL MESSAGES IN DEC 2013 AND JANUARY 2014.

AS WELL AS CALLING MY VISA CARD ON JANUARY 16th AND TELLING THE FRAUD DEPT THAT A COMPANY WAS TRYING TO PUT THROUGH AN UNAUTHORIZED CHARGE AND I GUESS THEY DID NOT MAKE A NOTE OF THAT??

UNAUTHORIZED CHARGES BY SEASONSBOX ON MY CREDIT CARD ARE NOT COOL AND THAT IS FRAUD.
HOPE THEY ENJOY DEALING WITH MY CREDIT CARD COMPANY.....