Glossy Box March 2012 contents!

My box was received in a timely fashion, but unfortunately I kept on putting off writing the review for it.
The got caught up doing other things, but now that I am procrastinating on some house cleaning- it is a great time to post about Glossy Box!

Unopened Glossy Box!

Opened Glossy Box!

This is what the Glossy Box looks like when in comes by mail. There is an outer cardboard box that I did not photograph this time and then a lovely light pink sturdy reusable box.
I like that there is no logo as I could use it for a gift or storage. The second picture on the right is of the opened Glossy Box- there is some very tasteful black tissue paper and a nice pink ribbon.
The packaging is very classy and sturdy and I would hate to just recycle or throw out these nice boxes.

March 2012 Glossy Box contents!

Above is what was received in my March 2012 Glossy Box.

*Pandora's Box Blush in St. Tropez (full size, value $18).
I was exited to receive a full size blush as I really wanted a new blush for spring, but need to use up the 6 I already own before even considering buying anything.
The blush went on very smoothly and is a matte pink shade that seems like it would suit most people. The blush lasted all day on me and did not bother my skin.
I have never heard of this brand before,but it is Canadian and interesting. There was also a 40% off coupon included in the box. I am looking for a face powder and will see what this brand has to offer.

Pandora Blush in St. Tropez!

*Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion (75ml, value around $4. full size is $11.99 and 354ml).
Not too thrilled about this product. Aveeno is good and great. I use Aveeno fragrance free almost every day.
I do not own a travel size tube though and did not realize they even had those (or maybe I forgot).
A big plus that the tube they sent is fragrance free! A good way to be sure people will not react to this product. This is more a "useful" product for me than an  exiting one.

*Evian Brumisateur Facial Spray (full size 50ml, value $7).
This product is fun and nice to have. I like getting these as it is not really something I would buy very often.
I just happened to run out of all my other mineral water sprays when this one showed up.
Evian seems harder to find around here and I am more l ikely to see La Roche Posay and Vichy sprays around here. The mineral water spray is nice if you are on a plane or when you come out from outdoors and want to refresh your face!

*BAILEY Cosmetics Fresh Lip Gloss in Berry (full size 8g $28.00).
I have never heard of this brand before,but it looks very classy and expensive.
The Berry shade is a sheer dark red with some shimmer in it. This does not show up as well in the box, but I did swatch that and will post that up.
Some other people received a face powder and I was really hoping to be able to try that out. Seems a lot of the beauty boxes are adding tons of lip gloss to their monthly boxes.
Still the gloss is nice and I would not likely buy a very expensive gloss these days as I am on a budget.
The gloss seems like it would be suitable for most skin tones depending on how you apply it.
Another plus with this gloss is there is no awful perfumey taste and it does not burn my lips at all.
I have bought some very expensive designer lip gloss at The Bay that started with a "G" and that brand burned my lips and smelled (and tasted) of perfume- I did try to use that one up as it was so expensive.

Bailey Cosmetics lip gloss!

Swatch of Bailey gloss in Berry!

*Sebastian Re-Shaper hairspray (travel size 1.5oz/43g value $6, full size is $22 in stores).
I have not tried this yet,but do really like the Sebastian brand and buy a lot of their other styling products.
This hairspray claims to be brushable and that you can restyle you hair easily. Also that it is humidity proof.
I do not use much hairspray,but will try to use this soon as it is very humid here.

** Little Extra bonus: Algemarin Foam Bath 15ml packet (value aprox $1).
Algemarin is a German brand of foam bath that has been around for ages. My mother has used this product for at least twenty years- if not longer.
This foam bath has a very ocean like scent and is quite strongly perfumed. The neat thing is it turns your bath water a bright shade of blue- like the ocean! And also makes tons of fluffy bubbles.
The back of the packet has Algea extract listed in the ingredients- so this is supposed to be good for your skin.

Info Card from March 2012 Glossy Box!

My opinion of the March 2012 Glossy Box!

You will have to stay tuned for my last paragraph as it getting very late here and I have to run.....!

 

 

Topbox April 2012 unboxing!

Finally...my April 2012 Topbox is here!!!
If you do not know what Topbox is, it is a monthly beauty subscription where you get 4 deluxe and sometimes full size samples per month.
There was quite a delay with the April Topbox and everyone was kept updated via Facebook.
I think the box was worth the wait and price I paid- but really hope that they will arrive in a more timely manner in the future.

Now here is what I received:

Topbox April 2012 contents!

* Benefit the POREfessional.
A face primer. The size is a generous 7.5ml (full size is only 22ml and costs $34!).
I have not tried this yet,but will update once I do so.

* Lise Watier Hydrasmart. 2ml sample tube in Teint Clair.(full size is 40ml and costs $35!).
I have only tried this on my hand so far and it blends in perfectly with my olive skin tone. The cream absorbs very well and does not feel greasy at all. My only issue is that the product is too scented and I prefer fragrance free face items.
Since this product has not been tried on my face yet,I will update once that is done.

* Bella Pella: Tropical Flowers Body Lotion. A nice 30ml sized bottle (full size is 175ml and costs $15.95). Very handy to carry in your bag.
This lotion has very cute packaging as well. Bella Pella is a Montreal based store that sells bath and body products. My mother actually shops at that store (I did not know this until I told her I got this lotion) and she buys some dog shampoo bars there. So, apparently they sell some house items like candles and pet care?
I like that the products they sell contain a lot of natural ingredients.
A big plus is that on the travel bottle all the ingredients and website are listed! I really hate when you receive a product and you have to hunt down that info.
The lotion is quite light and absorbs well for my hands. There is a lot of oils in this lotion,yet it does not feel oily at all and my hands are nicely moisturized.
The scent of the lotion is kind of hard to describe- kind of flowery and fruity a bit. I think if you used this all over your body,it would be quite scented.
I do not like flowery scents too much,but will look into what else this company has and hope to visit their store soon!

*Misa Nail Lacquer in Satin Slippers. Full size nail polish 15ml (value of $8.99).
I really like nail polish/lacquers and am pleased to see a brand I have never tried.
This is not a colour I would have chosen as it is quite light and pinkish with a pearl finish.
It would be really good to wear to an office or a job interview or more formal thing when you can not wear neon blue nail polish (or any crazy look).
I did try this polish on my nails and it was a very sheer colour and you need a couple of coats to get it to show up like in the bottle.
The polish went on very nicely and I will pick up some other shades from this brand.
Actually I almost did that a few days ago-but had forgotten the coupon that was stuck to the bottle of polish at home. From looking at the info card it looks like the nail polish may have been provided by Trade Secrets as they are mentioned on the coupon as well.

** Another issue I would like to point out about this nail lacquer is that at least it is from a known (or somewhat known) brand and you can easily find info about it online.
Also that you can find color charts online for Misa nail lacquer.
Unlike the "suspect" nail polish I received from Glymm that was OCEAN brand and has zero info online and no info on where to buy that.
And the Ocean nail polish also looked like it was sitting in the sun too long with a discolored cap....
(I could not resist adding this info and will make this a separate post).

Thoughts on the April 2012 Topbox:

Overall I really enjoyed all the contents of the Topbox and feel I got a good value for my expense of $10!
The only minor issue I have is the "personalized shade" of nail polish- I would never pick a pearl finish and rarely wear those.
But I did use the Misa polish and will use it again when I want something more business-like.
I also forgot to mention there was a sponsored Ad on the Topbox card for Cargo blu_ray face powder with a one use sample on a small card.
The powder was very nice and I plan to get some soon-the finish was very nice!

Glymm Box April 2012!! A Winning box this time!

Glymm box is one of these cosmetic subscription services where you get a monthly package with four "deluxe samples" and sometimes full size items.
My last month (March 2012) box was definitely not as good and I have yet to post my picture or review-but will do so this week as I did manage to try all the products in the box.
Yes- even the funky purple hair extensions (they did look nice on me as a small highlight in my brown hair).

But now for the Unboxing of the April 2012 Glymm box!

Unboxing! This lovely bow was there when I opened my box :)

This was the first thing that I saw when I unboxed my Glymm box! A lovely tried bow and a very seasonal looking card. Another picture will follow so you can read the full text on the colourful card!

After the bow was undone!

Now on to the actual contents of the box:

Lucia N0 6 guest soap in Wild Ginger and Fresh Fig scent.
*The soap packaging is too pretty to open and the size of the soap is 25 grams. On the Glymm site these are sold as a set of 8 soaps for around $20. I have not yet tried this soap,but really want to buy some just to put in a basket for guests who drop by. These soaps would also make a nice thank you gift if you slip one in a small card to mail to someone.
From smelling the soap I do notice there is some ginger scent,but fig is harder to detect (for me anyways).
The value of this item would be around $3,I find that is decent for this box.


Orange Sanguine perfume from Atelier Cologne.
This is a small perfume sample that comes in a glass tube with a stopper and instead of the usual card you get at the store, the packaging is a classy postcard you can reuse. Just the packaging alone of this sample looks very luxurious and expensive!
From my estimate the sample is 2ml and well filled. The Orange Sanguine fragrance (for English it is Blood Orange) is a very light orange scent. I kind of expected this to be like Body Shop Satsuma that hits you with the candy orange smell (nice for soaps,but not in an office or workplace).
The Orange Sanguine smells very classy and sophisticated. You could wear this anywhere and I don't think it would bother people.
I really want to buy this scent. A 30ml bottle is $60 though. Maybe when I use up more of my perfumes (I do own 40+ bottles and have at least 50 samples to get through- and this is just what I kept and did not give away to friends).
I think this is a very nice sample to receive and the value of this is aprox $4.
I plan to reuse the postcard as it is very pretty and tasteful (pic coming soon).

Free Your Mane Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner.
This sample comes in a small one use packet. Each packet is 7.5ml and this is a sulfate free product made with Baobab,Argan and Pomegranate seed oil.
I have not tried this yet,but will do so later today. My only issue with this sample is I have a lot of hair and 7.5ml of conditioner is not enough! (I have shoulder length curly hair,medium thickness...and very dry hair).
It would have been better to send 2 packets of each if possible. Still I like trying new hair products without investing.
The value of the samples would be around $1, ok I guess. Usually I can get tons of these sample packets from the salon I go to, so this is not too exiting for me.

Mai Couture Social Gloss in G'VINITY! Full size product worth $28!
I was very surprised to see a lovely full size lip gloss in this month's Glymm box. After the very small Mai powder papier sample last month,this was unexpected.
The gloss I received is a lovely beige colour with some pearl shimmer in it. The full size is 5ml. The info card states that this gloss does not contain any allergens and has a "complex mix of plant extracts". So far that sounds very good!
I am very pleased with the shade of gloss that was received as I had a similar one from another brand that was discontinued.
This sample was really nice to receive and will surely make me want to stick with my Glymm box subscription for the future!

Glymm Box April 2012!

The last "item" that was received was a $100 "gift certificate" for hair appliances and extensions from NuMe hair products online. The cheapest item NuMe has is a mini hair iron for $15 and shipping adds another $15, plus most likely tax and duty for Canadians.
To make this more clear, the $15 would be the cost AFTER your "gift certificate" was applied. The before cost is $115.
I have a US address, but do I really want to spend $30 at minimum on a hair iron from a brand I am not too familiar with?
Well, at least I am glad I did not pay for one of these "coupons". I see on many deal sites that NuMe is selling the same credit for $20.
Maybe if I really needed a hair tool I might consider this. But then again I can buy actual professional tools for a decent price and have them in my hand the same day without all the tax and duty and shippment waiting time.
If I was more familiar with NuMe products I might change my mind in the future.

What do you think of the NuMe products overall? I am very curious is anyone has used them. I see they now have a kiosk in some of the shopping malls here. Usually I buy my hair appliances at a salon or hair supply store that only carries professional items- they do have some good sales a few times a year.
At the moment my hair straightener is a Babyliss and a Isinis hot air styler (like a hair dryer,brush and curler in one...works super fast).
Has anyone also tried the NuMe styling products?

My conclusion is that Glymm Box for April 2012 is a great deal!
The value of the items in the box is:

Soap $3
Perfume $4
Shampoo packet and conditioner $1
Lipgloss $28

The total value of this box is $36 and my cost was only $10 for this!
Can't wait to see what the surprise will be next month!!

Glymm Feb 2012 box!

Earlier this week I received my Glymm box.
If you are not familiar with Glymm, it is a monthly beauty sample subscription where you pay $10 per month to receive some "deluxe" samples.

What did I receive this time?

*Sula natural creme shadow in He Loves Me. (value $8.00
The shadow comes in a cute glass jar and is very easy to apply.
But on me the light pink shimmery shade does not show up much. Will prob use this as a highlighter.
I have not yet worn this on my eyes so not sure how long lasting it is.

*Burts Bees tinted lip balm in Rose. (value $7.99)
Always wanted to try this,but never got around to buying one. I do not really consider this a "deluxe" brand.
Still it is a nice product and I am going to keep it in my purse instead of plain lip balm.
The only thing making this product better would be if there was a SPF in it.

*Glamglow mud mask. 7ml sample tube. (value $9)
This seems like a very fancy mud mask. the sample size is decent enough to use once I would think.
Not sure if I will try this or give it to a family member as I have very sensitive skin.

*Mai Couture bronzing paper. (value of .24 cents...yup....)
This has to be one of the cheapest looking samples I've gotten. Just ONE sheet of bronzing papier?
Would have been nicer if they included the blush or maybe 2 sheets.
I have not tried this product yet, when I get around to it...sometime.

Glymm Feb 2012 box!

Overall my impression of this box was the value was ok. But the Mai papier sample kind of ruined this for me with their stinginess.
I have seen other box companies where Mai provided a whole book of their papers, plus a blush sample- so really it is not asking too much.
The Glamglow mask seems nice, but I already have a favorite mask that I like and is good for my sensitive skin.

Glossybox! A new beauty subscription service!

There are so many of these monthly beauty subscription services starting up lately in Canada!
It seems for a while these were mostly available in the United States.
Glossybox is new to Canada and was originally started in Europe. This also happens to be one of the most expensive subscriptions I have seen at this time, costing $15 per month.
Feb 2012 is the first month the Glossybox has started to offer their monthly box service in Canada.
*I will be adding some pictures shortly- my camera battery needs to recharge and that will take a few hours.

The actual packaging for the Glossybox is very classy and sturdy and it is a box I will reuse for sure.
A nice touch was that there was a personalized sticker on the welcome envelope!
There was also a nice good quality ribbon putting the whole package together inside the box.

Now on to the contents of the Glossybox!!

*Wella Brilliance shampoo for fine to normal colored hair. (50ml)
A nice travel size. Wella is a salon brand, so this is off to a good start. I happen to like Wella products. The shampoo smells very clean (I have a cold so can not smell super well).
The minus I have to give is there should have been a matching conditioner. Usually if I buy a shampoo at the salon I always get the matching conditioner. I'm sure other people probably feel the same way??

*Prevage Day anti-aging moisture cream SPF 30 (7ml).
I have always wanted to try Prevage face products,but not too sure I really need them yet and therefore have not invested in this line. My aunt has used Prevage and she did like the line.
Previously I did try the Prevage eye cream and that was very nice- not too rich for daytime. A bit out of the price range for products I buy though.
This will be updated once I try the Prevage face cream.

*Elizabeth Grant moisturizing stick (3.5g).
This is a brand that is sold at the Shopping Channel in Canada.
I am familiar with the line,but have never tried any of the Elizabeth Grant products.
The moisturizing stick looks just like a lipstick, but goes on like a light lip balm. This would be nice under a lipstick as it is not too heavy. There is a bit of watermelon flavor to the product as well. 

*Oscar de la Renta: Live in Love Eau de Parfum 4ml.
This is a decent size and very concentrated. I have never heard of this specific perfume before, but am familiar with the Oscar de la Renta brand.
As I expected this is a sharp flowery scent. It seems to be some kind of white flowers- not too sure what kind. This perfume could be worn during the daytime quite well.
If you are into flowery scents, this might be for you.
Usually I wear green scents like Bvlgari Green Tea. Verbena perfumes- so this is not up my alley.

*Ahava mineral body lotion 40ml tube.
A decent size. I have tried Ahava products before and they are nice, made in Israel as well!
The body lotion is not too heavy and is scented. I can not make out the scent, but it seems to be "fresh".
I prefer fragrance free body lotions,so will prob pass this along to my sister who loves scented products.

*The last product in the box was Beauty So Clean cosmetic sanitizing spray and 4 wipes.
I am familiar with this brand and have seen it at The Bay dept stores.
Beauty So Clean is a very useful product as you be be sure there are less germs on your makeup and that is better for your skin.
I already own two of the small sprays, but am thrilled to get another one. (I did give away some of my other ones last year).
So far I tried the Beauty So Clean on an older Chanel cream eyeshadow palette (from ages ago) and it did not affect the wear or texture at all.
The wipes I have not really used,but they could be useful for wiping down hard to clean items like eyeshadow sticks and other stick makeup I guess.

What did I think of the first Glossybox?

The first Glossybox for Canada was just ok. I had seen some preview boxes that bloggers had received with a nice Essie nail polish and so assumed there would be some kind of Essie product included (anything-even a nail treatment)?
Unfortunately there was no Essie in sight :(
The rest of the items in the box will be used and overall the items are useful- but nothing that I am overly exited about.
I would have loved a makeup product (lip product or nail item), as well as a body item would have been nice.
The size of the items in the box is very good and that is a plus. But for $15 per month I am not sure how long I will be subscribed for. I will wait until I get the March box to make up my mind.

Glossybox mail packaging! Fancy logo box!

Inside the box-personalized with my name!

Contents of Feb 2012 Glossybox!

Topbox.ca Feb 2012 edition! What was received.

My Topbox came in the mail today!
What a nice Valentine's day surprise. I was not expecting my box until next week at least.
If you are not familiar with Topbox, it is a monthly beauty subscription service that is available to Canadians.
Topbox.ca costs $10 a month and you get 5 deluxe and sometimes full size samples of "luxury" cosmetics.
Right now there is a waiting list for Topbox until June? or for quite a few months, as far as I know.
I signed up right when the company started, so this is my fourth Topbox!

What did I receive this month?

Topbox.ca Feb 2012 contents!

*Yves St Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils - travel size (3ml/.11oz) in a black shade.
I have not tried this mascara yet, but usually YSL products are very high quality and quite costly too.

**Update**
I did have the chance to try the YSL mascara last night and it is great! The mascara gave thge very full loking lashes that were almost a "fake lash look" :)
Now, I naturally have very long lashes, but they are blonde and do not show up very well without mascara.
In the past few weeks though I had been trying some natural mascara and did not have the same amount of curl and volume!
Also, I did get a few compliments on my eyes from a few people (one of them being a certain admirer, who I did not expect to notice...).
I think I might just have to add this product to my shopping list!

*Along with the mascara came a small one use sample card of the legendary Touche Eclat highlighter.
It is nice to be able to try this product once at least- stores do not always have sample cards to give out and this product can be hard to find.
I used to buy Touche Eclat a few years ago and it is amazing for under eye circles and making you look refreshed and awake.
The downside is the cost and small size of the actual product. Another "issue" was that it was always sold out every time I wanted to buy another Touche Eclat at the store.
At the moment cost is an issue with me buying this product again- but if you have the extra funds and want to splurge it is a very lovely product!

*C Booth Derma 24 Collagen Elastin Restorative Hand & Nail Treatment (full size 120ml tube/ $16 value).
I had never heard of this brand before, so it is nice to try new things!
The hand cream is not too thick or thin and has a good consistency. There is also not too much scent, so it should not distract too much if you use it during the day.
To me the scent reminds me of a clean bar of soap, but the back of the tube states that it is supposed to be a "soft citrus scent".
I still think it smells somewhat flowery and soapy. Usually I do not use hand creams with fragrance,but will give this a try when my skin settles down. My hands get very irritated during the winter, so I try and use fragrance free items more.
But trying this on the back of one hand the cream does moisturize well and absorbs very well, leaving your hands very soft.

*Pari Beauty Eyeshadow: 2 full size products ($11 value ea/ 2g).
Another brand I have never heard of before!
I enjoy trying new eyeshadow, but these are not colours I would have chosen for myself. Hopefully they will work out.
The eyeshadows do not have names, but there is a code on the back of the product and on the outside packaging. The first shade ES 18 is a light pink shimmery shadow, more of a pearl finish. (I will swatch it during the daytime and update here). The eyeshadow does go on smoothly on my hand- so I will be using this product!
The second eyeshadow is a royal purple looking shade and seems quite bright in the container. It is listed as ES 74.
The purple eyeshadow is also a pearl finish. It is not as pigmented as I expected and is more a sheer shimmery look. I was more expecting a very bright finish (as I am used to mineral makeup and the MUFE line that is very pigmented).
I think these eyeshadows would be very easy to use compared to some very bright pigments I have seen,but I still prefer mineral makeup at the moment.

*The last sample that was in the Topbox was two packets of Lilly Pilly Kakadu Plum hand and body creme.
This brand is fairly new to me as it was in the last Topbox. The packets are 3ml each and should be good for one use. I am saving them for a bit later. But I did like the tube of Lilly Pilly Tea Tree oil lotion from the earlier Topbox, so am sure this is just as good!
Lilly Pilly products also happen to be made in Australia- so that is pretty exotic too!!!

My thoughts on the Feb 2012 Topbox?

Overall it is a decent box, but I am not that exited about anything in it.
I was really hoping for a nail polish or nail product and maybe a body scrub.
The mascara is nice and will get used. I do not use mascara that often- maybe twice a week at the moment.
Hand cream is always useful to have as I do not usually buy a specific product for the hands (I do buy foot creams though).
The eye shadows are nice- not something I would have picked up.
But I guess that does seem to be the purpose of the box- to try items you would have never heard of or thought to pick up at the store. So for that aspect I am pleased.
For $10 a month it is still worth it to me. I also find that since subscribing to a few monthly beauty boxes (I) never stop at the mall or look at too many other stores wanting to buy new products. In a way I am saying quite a lot of money and time by doing this!

Topbox.ca Feb 2012 pic #2

Have you tried any of these items I received in the Topbox? I'd be curious to know what you think!

New Beauty Test Tube Jan 2012 edition!

Here is a pic of what I received in the New Beauty Test Tube for January 2012.
Also forgot there was a Macadamia sample kit inside.

New Beauty Test Tube January 2012

New packaging for Test Tube!!

There was also an unexpected change with the New Beauty Test Tube this season- the packaging now seems more sturdy and "eco friendly". It is made from a cardboard cylinder and no longer the plastic packaging.
This kind of packaging seems much more sturdier,so maybe this is better?

*So far I have had the chance to try the  Mirai purifying body wash. The body wash comes in a kind of airless pump and is a very nice sturdy looking container.
The body wash is quite thin in texture and has a very light citrus grapefruit smell-I think anyone who does not like strong scents would like this product.
The body wash did foam nicely and left my skin nicely moisturized.
There are so many soaps I have tried that leave your skin feeling tight and dry and this one did not.
 The size of the body wash is 150ml and retails for around $20, but if you go to the Mirai website they sell some travel size body wash and body serum for a very good price and those would be good for a trial and your gym bag.
The only minus I can see is the pump itself is kind of heavy if you have to carry it around.
Also this product works best with a bath puff or else you use up too much product.

So has anyone else tried anything from the Mirai line??

*I also sampled the Immunocologie treatment cream Venomax.
The jar in the Test Tube is 15ml (quite decent for such an expensive product).Full size jar is $275!
From looking at the Immunocologie website the cream looks like it is very good and has a lot of exotic ingredients.
I tried a bit on my skin as it is very dry from winter and my skin did feel very moisturizes right away and quite refreshed. But I have not used this product long enough to determine how it will work for me yet.
The only minus I see is that there is no size listed for the jar on Immunocologie's website and not sure how many people want to pay $275 and GUESS? how much product you might get.
Now is the jar 30ml,45ml,50ml,60 or 75ml- there is no "standard" size for jars of cosmetics yet,so this info is always helpful to know.