GLOSSYBOX August 2012 review!

Glossybox is one of the monthly cosmetic subscription services available in Canada.
My Glossybox was quite late showing up and actually came in September-but it seems that the company is trying to improve the shipment times and my September box should actually arrive in.....September!
Actually my Glossybox for Sept was supposed to be here yesterday according to Canada Post,but it seems my package is taking the long route and not here yet.

The theme for the August Glossybox is the last days of summer and getting ready for fall.
I do not really see this theme with the items I received,but do like the assortment that was sent.

Glossybox August theme!

Here are the items I received in the August Glossybox:

*Sebastian Potion 9 Lite (sample size 50, value $7.00/ full size 150ml, $20.95).

Potion 9 Lite is supposed to be a light leave-in conditioning treatment.

I have never tried this version of it and usually buy the original Potion 9 and have been doing so for years.

I'm sure I will enjoy trying this product and will update once I try it for a few days!

*Biore Makeup Removing Towelettes (sample 10 towelettes, value $3.99/full size 30ct, $9.99/60ct, $14.99).
I have not tried this product lately and have enjoyed using it in the past.
The Biore towelettes did leave my face feeling clean. I have not tried removing eye makeup with these though.
One funny thing is that the package says you can remove waterproof eye makeup, but then the back of the package states "avaoid getting into eyes". That is kind of a contradiction I find!

*Kryolan for Glossybox lipstick. (full size, special edition no price listed/assuming $15.00).
I have heard of this brand before,but have never tried any of their line.
Kryolan is a professional makeup line and they sell a lot of theatre makeup and special effects items.
The lipstick I got is a medium rose colour and has a bit of a powdery or flowery scent.
Usually I like lipstick to have no scent or maybe mint.
The lipstick did go on smoothly and was easy to apply.
The only dissapointment is that my lipstick was damaged and crushed into the cap. It is still useable but not that nice to look at. I will also have to use a lip brush if I want to salvage this product.ry

Kryolan for Glossybox lipstick!

*Layla eyeliner (full size 6ml, $12.99).

This is a full size product that was in the box. The eyeliner is a dark greenish brown colour and has very fine glitter in it. The brush for the liner is also very fine making it easy to do a thin line if desired.

The liner did last all day on me and did not bother my eyes. It is not waterproof though,but testing it on my hand now it does not smear at all once it is dry. 

I would definitely buy more from this line if I knew where to find this brand!

*Befine Fine Food Skin Care: (5 sample packets 10ml each, value $20??)

I really like this line and have tried their peel off mask in the past, as well as their scrub with brown sugar.

I'm sure I will enjoy trying the samples I received. What I got in the Glossybox is 5 single use packets: Gentle cleanser,Exfoliating cleanser,Pore refining treatment scrub,Warming clay mask,Night cream.
The packets are a very generous size and I'm pretty sure I will get several uses from most of the products.
Single use packets are somewhat better than small jars as the products keep better and they are usually cheaper to send by mail- the downside is trying to keep the packet for more than one use.
The best solution I have found for this is to put your opened packet in a ziplock bag and it is ok for a few days.
I have not tried these products yet,but will update when I do!

Glossybox Aug 2012!

Bonus items in Glossybox:
ed
*Elastoplast Sos Blister bandage: (single bandage, value $1.50/full size box of 5 units, $5.99)
This is a bonus item that was in my box!
The odd thing is my Glossybox product card lists this as a full size item and what I received was a booklet with one bandage and a guide to shoe sizes in other countries.
I'm not complaining about this, just pointing out that the card and what I got are not exactly the same.
These bandages are quite expensive,so having one on hand is really useful. Usually I have a few different types of bandages in my bag as dance classes can be hard on my feet- same can be said for new shoes!

*Trend Trunk mystery gift card (value $5-250).
This is a new service where you can sell new and pre-loved fashion items.
I have not used this service yet,but it sounds interesting and I will check it out when I have more time.
I'm pretty sure most people got the $5 credit- but if anyone did get something higher I'd love to know!

My thoughts on the August 2012 Glossybox:

Glossybox this month was a very good value!

My calculations have the items in the box worth $59.00- to me that seems a bit high and it might be because it is hard to put a value on the Befine skincare kit.
Maybe a value of $45 sounds better?, either way the Glossybox costs $15 per month and you do get more than $15 worth of items in it.
I really like how there is a mix of drugstore items and high end as not too many people can or want to use only high end items.
The only issue I have with Glossybox is that a few of the cosmetic and skin items I have received are hard to locate in Canada.
Where can I find the Layla brand cosmetics? I would love to buy some of the nail polishes....

Glymm Sept 2012 review!

Glymm is another of those monthly cosmetic sample subscription services.
I'm assuming most people will know how the service works by now....it costs $12 per month if you go on a month-by-month basis or $10 per month when you sign up for the year.
Glymm has made quite a few changes lately to how they present their boxes and product information and unfortunately I find it much harder to properly review the products they send.
There is no longer a product card and you just get info in a email. The problem with this is I missed seeing this email they sent and just have the info on the product packaging.
-or you could say lack of info... 

Here is a list of the products I received in my Glymm bag for Sept 2012:

*EVOLVh UltraShine Moisture Shampoo (sample bottle 60ml, value $7.50/full size 250ml, cost $25.00)
I have not yet tried the shampoo,but have bought the conditioner twice already.
So if the conditioner is great- I'm sure the shampoo will be just as enjoyable to use.

*EVOLVh Ultrashine Moisture Conditioner (sample bottle 60ml, value $7.50/full size 250ml, cost $25.00)
I really like this conditioner, the scent is very nice but hard to describe. Not really fruity, not a very strong scent either-there is apricot,mango,nectarine,wild pansy,clover listed on the ingredients label.
My hair type is quite dry and curly and I did find I had to use much more conditioner than if I used something with silicones in it.
The only issue I have with the conditioner is that it gets used up so quickly for me and is a bit expensive to use every day.
That being said I do plan on repurchasing this product once in a while as a treat to myself!

*BENTA BERRY: Super moisturizing face cream for girls (sample tube 3ml, value $1.90/full size 30ml,cost $19.00)
Last month I received a different Benta Berry face cream-so not exact and lly thrilled to get another face cream sample. The company does make other skincare items and anything else would have been nicer to receive.
Such as a cleanser, eye cream or maybe wait a month or two before resending the same brand?
I have not tried this cream yet and am not sure what makes it specifically for girls.
The tube states that the "active ingredients are  100% natural", but then reading the ingredients there are chemicals listed in the formula.
This is somewhat confusing as I thought this was a all natural line?
myristyl alcohol, hydroxyethyl acrylate,caprylyl glycol, behenyl alcohol,polysorbate 60.

Could this be kind of considered "greenwashing" by the company?? Maybe......


LA Fresh waterproof makeup remover wipes (sample 2 individual packets, value $1.00/full size 18 single use packets, cost $9.99)
The packaging for these wipes says that they are biodegradeable and are used for eye and lip makeup removal. There is also lavender added to this product.
I do not use anything fragranced near my eyes,so this sample is being given to someone else to review for me.

*Villainess Soaps: Whipped body cream Dulces En Fuego (sample jar 10ml, value $1.00/full size jar 170g, $15.75).
When I received this my first thought was how small the sample was.
But then after trying the cream on my hands I realized you do not need much and it is very concentrated!ry
The texture of the cream is really whipped and feels very light when you apply it, but then the cream feels quite rich on the hands as it is made with many kinds of natural oils.
The scent of the cream is like chocolate and spices a bit, maybe like holiday baking.
I actually ordered this cream with the matching scrub from Glymm the day I received this sample.
Right now there is a great deal for $22 you get the cream and matching scrub with free shipping!
In the future I plan on trying more products from this brand. I had never heard of this company before and everything else they sell on their website looks interesting.
The packaging also makes for some nice gifts and I will most likely be giving some of these products for holiday gifts.

Glymm Sept 2012 contents!

My thoughts on the Glymm samples:

This month Glymm did have a nice selection of higher end items.

The shampoo and conditioner were a very good size, while the face cream and body cream were very tiny samples.

The value of the samples I received was $18.90 and the cost of the Glymm bag was $10.00!

Considering I really like the hair products, I am coming out ahead just on that (excuse the pun...lol).
I still consider Glymm to be a good value, but really wish they would send an extra sample instead of a cosmetic bag.
Or even send some other kind of useful container...anything but a cosmetic bag.
If you received this bag what did you think of the contents? And are you just as annoyed about getting tons of cosmetic bags?

Topbox September 2012 review!

Topbox is a monthly deluxe cosmetics subscription service where you receive 4 premium samples to try out.
Sometimes you luck out and get full size items too!
The cost for this "tube" is $10 per month and there is a waiting list for new subscriptions.

This is what I received in the September 2012 Topbox:

Sept 2012 Topbox info card!

*Benefit They're Real Mascara (3.0gram tube, value $10.00/full size 8.5g,full size $29).
I have not tried this mascara yet as I already have a couple tubes open.
Eventually I will get around to trying this.

*Balenciaga Paris: L'essence by Balenciaga Paris (4ml vial sample, value $9.00/full size 50ml,$110.00)
The description states this eau de parfum has notes of leather and violet.
This is an interesting scent and not too strong.I  smell the leather more than the violet part.
The result is not too overpowering and does smell different from other perfumes out there. You could wear this during the daytime and evening-anytime really.
I don't really go for floral scents,but will use this one up. Usually I like fresh green fragrances more (like Verbena, Green Tea).
The sample would have been nicer with a sprayer top.

*Philosophy Purity made simple one step facial cleanser (sample size 30ml bottle,value $4.50/full sizes 90ml $13/ 240ml $26)
I have used this cleanser in the past and it is nice.
Really reminds me of a high end version of Cetaphil or Spectro Gel cleansers.
This is good for removing your makeup, but I always feel like I need to use a foaming soap or cleanser afterwards.

*M. Asam Perfect Teint (sample size 5ml jar, value $4.20/ full size 50ml, $42.00)
This is a clear primer. In an earlier Topbox? (or maybe another subscription) I received the Magic Fini and that has a whipped texture and a light tint.
Perfect Teint is a clear product and it makes your pores look invisible.
I have not tried this yet during the day and will update with my results at a later time.

My thoughts on this months Topbox:

This months box has a value of $27.70.
That is a pretty good value as the cost of a Topbox is $10.00.

I would reccomend this box for people of any age who like to try new skin and beauty products before purchasing them.
So far Topbox has done a very good job of providing higher end samples that I may not be able to get my hands on as easily and also introduced me to many new brands like M. Asam.

Glossybox Canada July 2012 review!

Glossybox is another one of these monthly cosmetic subscription services that delivers a lovely boxes with deluxe cosmetic samples. The cost for Glossybox in Canada is $15 per month, which so far has been worth it. The only somewhat small issue is that out of 6 items 4 are drugstore brands-but out of the six items three are full size. The value for this box is still good.
Some people are also not pleased that the box ships towards the end of the month, for me as long as I get a box it is fine.

This is what I received for my Glossybox Canada for July 2012:

July 2012 Glossybox contents!

*ZOYA - NAIL POLISH SUMMER 2012 – BEACH AND SURF COLLECTION (full size polish 15ml in Kimber, value $8.00).

Zoya is a salon brand, I had never tried this brand of polish until now- even though I have heard about it for many years. Usually I use the other salon brands as I have one favorite brand already.

But the quality of the Zoya polish was great and I will be buying others from that brand- the price is also much less than my hard to find European salon brand...

The shade I received is KIMBER- a dark raspberry pink shade with some gold shimmer in it.
Coverage was very good and I did not need many coats,also the durability was very good and there was almost no chipping after 4 days.

*ALESSANDRO - HEEL RESCUE BALM (30ml tube, value $7.00/full size 100ml tube, $19.95)
This is a brand I have never heard of before. The back of the tube states this cream is made in Germany-that makes it seem like a good product.
I have had severely dry heels for the past month and can never have enough foot creams to try out!
The Alessandro balm is a bit thick and minty smelling,but absorbs right away.My heels look well moisturized and feel better.
The cream contains shea butter and olive extracts, along with PLANKTON EXTRACTS and lactic acid.
Ingredients look good,but why do I need plankton in my foot cream?
Overall I do like this cream and would buy it.

*JOHN FRIEDA - SHEER SOLUTION (10ml bottle, value $2.50/full size 60ml, $14.99)
I've tried the regular Frizz Ease products and they are good. The line uses silicone to get rid of frizz.
I have finer hair, so it will be nice to try out the sheer solution.
In the bottle there are 2 layers and you need to shake the product before using.
Small peeve that my bottle is 1/3 empty....
I will update once I try this product!

*BURT'S BEES - LIP SHIMMER (full size 2.6g, value $5.99)
Burt's Bees products are nice and I have only tried their regular lip balms that are not colored.
I got the colour CHERRY, which looks like a darker red in the tube.
It is nice that the product comes in a skinny tube, makes it easier to apply!
The lip shimmer is a nice sheer red shade and could be worn by most people quite easily.

*Dove Visible Care softening Creme body wash (full size 200ml, value $5.99)
Not too thrilled to receive a Dove body wash, only because I already have some many Dove products here.
I have never tried this specific kind that claims "visibly more beautiful skin in one week".
Guess I'll have to see once I try this out.

*Beauty So Clean Sanitizer Wipes (sample 4 wipes, value $1.00, full size box of 48 wipes, $12.50)
These are makeup sanitizing wipes to clean lipsticks,gloss,cream makeup. They work quite well and I will buy these to keep my makeup products with a minimum of bacteria!

Theme for the month!

I am unable to allign the images,my computer is being very fussy!

Topbox August 2012 review!

Topbox has to be one of my favorite monthly cosmetic subscriptions so far!
I like how the price of the monthly subscription is decent and you always get more value than you paid for!
This month there was a good variety of products and the bonus of a Nexxus shampoo and conditioner was very nice!
Here is what I received:

Topbox August 2012 contents!

*Kellett Skincare Clarifying Acne Treatment (10ml pump bottle, value $15.00/full size 50ml,value $75.00) .
This is a Benzoyl Peroxide gel at 5% strength. The lotion is very light and did not dry out my skin. It seems to have some moisturizer in it also. I really liked this product,but do not really need such an expensive treatment  for as I am pleased with my current spot treatments.
Now if you have the budget for this, it is a lovely product and has a nice "grown up" presentation!

*Expression Round Crease Brush (full size $16.00).
I really like this crease brush. Usually I use professional makeup brushes,but this brush is quite nice!
The bristles are very soft and the brush picked up enough pigment to make a nice application.
Normally I do not use a crease brush (I prefer smaller brushes),but for a sheer application of eye makeup this is great.

*Marc Jacobs: Dot Marc Jacobs eau de parfum (4ml miniature, value $7.00/full size 50ml,value $79)
The topbox description states that this perfume is a "lush floral bouquet of beautiful jasmine and juicy red berries".
I can not smell the jasmine that much myself (I am a bit congested), but do smell the fruity
 part of this quite well. To me the perfume smells fruity and fresh and would be good for daytime.
Any age could wear this as it is not a strong scent.
The packaging is very cute too- but it is not a scent for me. I prefer scents like Verbena, green tea,cucumber and Bvlgari Black (smells like vanilla and spices).
I will use up this sample though as it is a nice change from my regular perfumes.

*Chloe: L'eau de Chloe perfumed body lotion (30ml bottle, value $10.00/full size 200ml,value $60.00)
The Chloe lotion is much lighter than expected. I thought it would be a thicker consistency- but the way it is so light is also good for warm weather.
The scent is not too strong-I think it is a green and fresh smell and reminds me of being outside.
If you have extremely dry skin you might want to find something more moisturizing. I just applied this to my hands that are a bit cracked and dry and my skin still feels like it needs more moisture.
But for a light lotion to use during spring and summer this is great!

There was also a bonus of a Nexxus shampoo and conditioner.
Topbox wrote that it is a new line to drugstores.
I'm not too sure about that as I have seen it in drugstores for at least a year, if not two?
I know Nexxus used to be a salon only brand and many salons still carry that line.
The size of the product sent by Topbox was very generous too 90ml!

*Nexxus Therappe: Luxurious Hydrating Shampoo (90ml bottle, value$  )


*Nexxus Humectress: Ultimate Hydrating Conditioner (90ml bottle, value $)


*Summer travel extra: Pink Wipes biodegradeable wipe. (sample = 1 wipe, full size 15 wipes for $12).

Description of Aug 2012 contents

Description of Aug 2012 contents

**I will finish updating this blog post shortly and add about the Nexxus hair products.

Do you receive a Topbox or other beauty subscription? 

Also what do you think of this month's products.

Comments are always welcome!!!

Glymm Bag August 2012 review!

Hopefully by now most people have heard about the Glymm beauty subscription?

If not it is a monthly subscription- much like a magazine, but instead you receive deluxe cosmetic samples.

The cost per month is currently $12.

So far I am enjoying this service and like trying different new products that I have never heard of!

My only peeve with Glymm is I have had enough already with the cosmetic bags- please send something  USEFUL  like a nylon bag for groceries or produce- something to change it up a bit.

Now on to the items for August 2012:

August 2012 Glymm Bag!

*Vitamine & Sea Mineral Clay Mask (sample jar 10grams?,value $3.00/ full size 210ml, value $62)

This was a fairly small sample size. I had enough to try out on two or three small spots on my face.

The Glymm description stated the mask is made with mud from the dead sea.

The mask has a thick texture in the jar and is more a dark green shade. I also noticed there was quite a seaweed smell or maybe more a outdoors mud smell to this mask.

Not the most pleasant,but not that great either. If you enjoy clay masks then this is for you!
The actual retail product is quite big and seems like it would last a very long time compared to the small sample.

*Naked Princess Naked Shine Luscious Lip Gloss (sample size mini tube 0.008oz or 0.25g, value $2.20/ full size 2.96ml, value $26.00)

This lip gloss came in a cute doll size applicator (it seems, super tiny).

The lip gloss did not have a taste, but did have a very nice wet look shine and was also not sticky.

The colour Barely Coco is a very natural looking pinkish brown once put on and I'm sure would be flattering to all skin tones.

The Glymm website states that this lipgloss has a healthier formula and has gentle lip plumpers.

I did not notice any lip plumping with this product.

The gloss was still enjoyable to use though

*Bentaberry: G-1 moisturizing Face cream for boys and girls - Regulating line (3ml sample tube,value $2.20/full size tube 30ml, value $22.00)
I am not very familiar with this line and have not yet tried this product.
The cream is supposed to contain many natual ingredients and mattifies the skin and has a scent formulated by a "famous perfumer".
Personally I prefer unscented face products-if you get headaches sometimes you do not really feel like using scented face products.
I think I will try out this cream today and report back later.....

*Mai Couture Blush Papier: PRETTYFUL shade. (sample size 2 sheets, value $1.00/full product 50 sheets,value $19-26.00).
The concept behind these blushing papers is that it is a modern and convenient way to apply blush on the go!!!
The papers are quite thin and it was a bit hard to just get one sheet out of the sample package.
But the sample presenation was very pretty and nicely executed.
The sheet size is 1.97inx2.6, as stated on the back of the package.
The blush was a very light color and I could see more shimmer than pink on myself (I already have very pink cheeks,lol).
The shimmer did make me look a bit more awake though and is kind of a shimmery pink.
Overall I did enjoy using this sample and hope to see the other items in this line in person before buying anything.

Cocolilly Nail Enamel in PROVOCATIVE #3
mm

u think of this

*Cocolilly Nail Enamel in Provocative #3 (full size item, value $12.00).

I really like getting nail polish in the cosmetic boxes as I get to try brands and colors I would never think of picking up at the store.

Bright neon pink is not something I would pick up at the store or salon to put on my nails. The brightest I did this year was a neon orange that was still quite dark (Mavala Nice).

But since it is summer and the weekend I can try this out,this would not be a appropriate choice if you work in an office or a bank. Better for weekends and vacations.

The quality of the polish is very good and I just applied 2 thin coats  with no base coat and a Sally Hansen quick dry topcoat and this lasted 4 days with no chipping!

The polish has quite a lot of shine and a nice finish.

The Glymm website states that there are 5 shades of pink in this collection. This is not a brand I have heard of before either.

From the Glymm website:

"Coccolily’s favorite color is pink and so designer, Naana Tennachie Yankey created five different shades of pink for you."

Overall thoughts on the Glymm August 2012 bag?

So far I have enjoyed trying all the samples and feel the value is fair this month (I only paid $10.00).
Total value of the samples received is $20.50.
I did find quite a few of the samples are very small,but the nail polish does make up for that.
Now I wish these was a way to let Glymm know I like more muted colours (I am in my 30's.....have to save this for the weekend).
My other peeve is the continuous cosmetic bags.....enough already.
Maybe give members the option of either a bag for those that really want to collect them and the other people get a 5th sample??
Or change up the containers like a lunch bag one month,produce bag the next, reusable food bags even? Like a "ziplock" back but made of nylon for your crackers??

What did you think of this month's selections?
How do you feel getting so many cosmetic bags.
I'm going to send this post to Glymm and want to know what their response will be!

Glymm bag July 2012 contents!

I'm finally getting around to posting the contents of my July 2012 Glymm bag!!
Out of the four items I received I am only familiar with one of the brands listed- the Joico K-Pak hair mask!
I used to use a lot more Joico when I swam a lot, their products are very good!

Everything I received came in a nice nylon orange cosmetic bag. The bag matches the previous two that were sent. I really hope Glymm will switch it up and maybe send some eco-friendly shop tote-I do not need a million cosmetic bags and am running out of people to give them to...

Here are the samples I received for July 2012:

*Cyberderm H20 Hydration (5ml sample "syringe", value $6.00/full size 50ml $60.00)
I am guessing at the size of this item. It came in a syringe type container-def a different presentation.
Have not tried this yet....

*Cyberderm PM Anti-Age (5ml sample "syringe"/full size 50ml value $12.00)
Have not tried this yet. The product came in a cute presentation box with the H2O Hydration!

**One funny thing I did notice was they call themselves "the sunscreen company" and mention sunscreen on the packaging- yet there is no sunscreen in these products.
I did see on the Glymm website that Cycber Derm does make sunscreen and hope to try them out in the future.

*Mane Teeze Social Butterfly hair perfume (8ml spray, value $6.00/full size 50ml, $34.00)
This hair perfume has quite a strong scent. It smells a bit tropical and vanilla like- almost reminds me of the tanning salons friends frequent.
I do not like how there is alcohol listed in the product.
My sister also tried this and found the scent too strong to her liking and mentioned it felt like alcohol on her scalp- this was without reading the label even....
This will probably be used to freshen up after going out or after my dance class if I am going somewhere and can not get to a shower.
There are other scents available,but the Mane Teeze website does not even describe them??
So I can not even know if I would like their other scents.

*Mereadesso Beautiful Body Balm (30ml tube, value $8.00/full size 200ml, $54.00).
Have not yet tried this out.

*Joico K-Pak Revitaluxe Bio-Advanced Restorative Treatment (50ml tube, value $8.00/full size 150ml tube, $24.95)
You can also find the Joico line for sale at Spaboutique.ca
My aunt buys skincare from their site and is pleased with the service.
I also see that Joico has a body line with body wash,butter and more.

I will be updating this post later during the week once I have the chance to try out my many new cosmetic samples. There is a lot to sample as I have four subscriptions at the moment!

Cyber Derm samples!

Glymm July 2012 contents!

Are you a Glymm member? Or have you tried out these products?

I would love to know your thoughts on these items...
*Before I forget, there was a 25% off nail polish coupon from Glymm. Very tempted to add to my nail polish collection!