Showing posts with label february. Show all posts
Showing posts with label february. Show all posts

Monday, March 21, 2016

☼☼ March Boxycharm Unboxing + February Review ☼☼

☼☼ March Boxycharm Unboxing + February Review ☼☼


Boxycharm is a monthly beauty subscription box that sends 4-5 full-size beauty/makeup products.

I was not given this box. All opinions are my own. Based off my preferences! :D

Cost: $21 per month (FREE SHIPPING!)

My referral link

They only ship to 48 U.S. states. (They don't ship to Hawaii or Alaska yet.)






As you can see below I have two Luxie brushes already (the 504 and 211) This new 512 is a shinier finish with glitter! Click on the picture below to compare the finishes. I like these pink brushes and their synthetic bristles. The brand is cruelty free, vegan, paraben free, and coated with an antibacterial solution. I adore them. More plz!






A very fine tipped eyebrow penicl in the perfect shade to my brows. I hope everyone got a usable color. On their website they have 6 shades available 

Beautiful Blonde and Awesome Auburn being rare colors in eyebrow pencils... I hope they were sent out too. Although I don't know how they would have distributed that.

 Unfortunately, I think only this color is sold separately from their eyebrow kits. (Which are $54 and come with the pencil, gel, a highlight pencil, and a sharpener)

This pencil is mechanical, creamy, easy to use forward and backward. Look at how SMALL that line is without pressure or trying to go back over it.

.

Packaged in tear-away shrink wrap






I have a medium skintone and I have no interest in being darker (or lighter to be honest) but I thought I'd see how it looked. Nothing happened. Ha ha. I put a whole bunch on one arm and compared and you could see no difference (which is why I didn't include the useless picture). 

What you COULD tell was that my left arm looked like it had been dipped in a vat of glitter. I couldn't get a great picture of the sparkle. I made the photo darker... so below if you click on the pic of my hand and zoom in... you can see the fine glitter covering me. It is 100% noticeable. lol I would never wear this... as a 30 year old. I'll be passing it along to a friend or family member.

Unscented lotion scent


Safety seal was not tampered with





This is a matte reddish brown shade that didn't seem that pigmented to me. I like the color and it wasn't difficult to build. I'm happy this company is cruelty-free, talc free, and paraben free. 

These are also affordable if you have a zpalette to put them in. I do not. These are my first container free pan shadows. I feel it inconsiderate of boxycharm to send us these which essentially forces people to buy zpalettes to place them in.

I consider these 100% deluxe sizes because of that. The packaging isn't suitable to keep them in 24/7 thus...deluxe in my opinion. I have already taken them in and out of the packaging only twice and already I dug the lid flap into the top of one of them. Thus.. I'm forced to pass these ON or buy a zpalette. Irritating to say the least. 

Especially... as boxycharm sent me a banana powder in the same type of packaging from ofra last month. I know have three of these. (At the bottom of the post before the review of last months I address contacting boxycharm, their response, and what will be happening in the future)

In the picture below it is the package on the right.


In the picture below it is the swatch on the left.



5. Makeup Geek Duochrome Eye Shadow Pan in "Mai Tai" $6


This is an apricot with orchid reflects (is how it is described on the website)
In my opinion this is a shimmery peach with blue/violet notes that duochromes to a yellow brownish gold. It is simply ...beautiful. I adore this shadow.

I felt it was more pigmented than the matte but I expect mattes to be tougher than shimmers in general.

 Again, I'm happy this company is cruelty-free, talc free, paraben free, and affordable.

For the same reasons above I feel as though I need a zpalette to keep this! The cheapest I could find is $14.99.

In the photo below the package is on the left.



In the photo below the swatch of this shade is on the right. 
Just..look at it. Lovely. I didn't even MEAN to take a picture with it displaying the duochrome halves. It just natural shifts. So beautiful. I can't wait to wear it.


6. Catherine Malandrino Style de Paris - Deluxe Size - 10ml $16 (Full Size 50ml $80)


Clearly a deluxe size, no question about that. I don't like getting perfumes because I can only wear natural oils without my lungs burning, coughing, asthma attacks, etc. 

This has a powerful scent and seems to last decades. I haven't wore it yet and I probably won't be though. TI sprayed the packaging and it still smells of the perfume days later.

Scent (according to website): Oriental with fun fruits
Italian Mandarain, rube red grapefruit, nashi pear
Orange blossom, sweet jasmine, fresh gardenia
Amber and musk

I like the scent but it is overwhelmingly strong. If I could dab a little on it would be nice.



Total spent for the bag: $21
Total bag is worth: $96.95
Total saved: $75.95

Full size: Brush and Eyebrow Pencil
Part Full size: Bronzer (without pump)
Deluxe samples: 2 eyeshadows and the perfume.

If you want the whole emails I can post them but...
I wrote to boxycharm and told them "I didn't want the items revealed to me for understandable reasons" but that I would LIKE at least some reassurance that there would be 4-5 full size products in Aprils box like they SAY I'm paying for.

I don't like or dislike these products any more than any other boxycharm box but I don't have to pay $21 a month for them.


Their response was:


My response was:

To send them a screenshot from their own website. Unless I get a satisfactory response to this email, I will be cancelling before Aprils box. I'll go with a birchbox and a second ipsy rather than being subtly deceived out of no where.



FEBRUARY REVIEW
1. Beauty For Real Blush (in coral crush) + Glo Highlight (in Hi Beam) Duo - Full Size - $24

These are pretty and blendable but the scent is overpowering (why is anything but perfume scented!)


2. Spongellé You Have My Heart On a String Body Wash Buffer + Polish - Full Size - $15

This is wayyyyy to scratchy for my sensitive skin on the SOFT side. I used it on my legs but it was torture. The scent is nice but I found it too cloying.


3. Shray Boxycharm Limited Edition - Ms. Amazing Gift Kit - $12

Loved this mask! I love masks in general.. but I've never seen a difference after using any of them. Still happy to have it.


4. Ofra Cosmetics Banana Powder Godet - Full Size - $12

This was way too dark for my skin tone (even though I'm a medium/light) I'm not sure what I'll do with it. Maybe a random eyeshadow?


5. RealTree Perfume - Deluxe Size - 10ml $12 (Full Size 100ml $24.99)

Terrible scent. I'll be passing this one along (with the new one they just sent me)


6.  Freeze 24-7 Anti-Aging Eye Serum - Deluxe Size - 0.23 oz $54.76 (Full Size 0.50 oz $115)

Love this! Again... like masks.. I love using eye serums. I noticed it helped my eyes a bit though but it stings after awhile. It comes out really fast though so I was super careful to just dab it out and use that amount.


2 Full size
4 Deluxe Sized

I let this pass for this box but again for both Feb and March.. is too much for me. Now they are trying to email me that they have ALWAYS done Full/Luxury? No.

Thank you so much for following along.


Tuesday, March 8, 2016

☼☼ February Boxycharm Unboxing + January Review ☼☼

☼☼ February Boxycharm Unboxing + January Review ☼☼



Boxycharm is a monthly beauty subscription box that sends 4-5 full-size beauty/makeup products.

I was not given this box. All opinions are my own. Based off my preferences! :D

Cost: $21 per month (FREE SHIPPING!)

My referral link

They only ship to 48 U.S. states. (They don't ship to Hawaii or Alaska yet.)










This is the highlighter side (hi beam) on my hand below you can see it is slightly darker than my skin


Great shine: below




This is the blush end: Coral Crush. Below is a circle swatch and a line that was blended out beside it


These both are lovely colors and they blend wonderfully. This tube is huge though and can't be expected to be used as travel, even though the duality suggests convenience. Also they are sickly sweet scented which was driving me crazy just swatching them on my hand. I'm sure they would be noticeable on my face.

Claims:
Anti-aging benefits
Cream to powder
long wear
more youthful, even tone, healthy appearance
No parabens
No animal testing
Made in U.S.

Contains:
Luminera with a diamond core complex
Vitamin E
Grape seed extracts
Pomegranate extracts



How cute! It is dual sized, with the soft side meant to cleanse and tone and the buffer side should be used to exfoliate and stimulate circulation. This has a peony fragrance! I'm excited about this product. I think it is a great addition especially for Vday!

Claims:
14+ washes
cleanse, tone, exfoliate, stimulate circulation










Pricing explanation: Shray has a 5 mask kit for $30 that this mask is in. That would make this mask $6. However... this is has special "postcard" packaging that is limited edition and available for one mask for $12. Thought I would mention it... that you can get five of these but only in a pack for $20 or you can buy one in special gift packaging for $12... moving on.

yay! I looooove masks. I'm a face product collector. I love going through my stash and picking one when I have a moment to relax. 

Claims:
Hydrating
quench thirsty, ragged, dull skin
Contains hyaluronate (holds in water/plumps surface)
Instant absorption
pore tightener (rice extract)
Sebum control 
attract/hold moisture
helps seal in water
accelerate cell renewal
contains less than 0.25% preservative to prevent bacterial growth?




Why is everyone talking about banana powder like this is a thing? Who else makes banana powder? So ..lost. I can't imagine using this as a finishing powder but I will try it as many ways as I can fit in!

Claims:
wet or dry
all in one face powder
conceal dark eye circles
set your concealer
highlight
finishing powder
eye shadow



A sweet perfume is a nice change from the fresh ones but this is too much floral for me to enjoy. I'll actually try wearing it to see how it goes though.

Scent:
pomegranate
hint of persimmon
orchids
lotus blossom
champaca flower
amber
violets
mahogany wood

6.  Freeze 24-7 Anti-Aging Eye Serum - Deluxe Size - 0.23 oz $54.76 (Full Size 0.50 oz $115)

Sweet! Another eye serum. Keeping on sending them sub boxes. This one is so expensive. Yikes! It is scentless and clear.
Claims:
diminishes fine lines/wrinkles within minutes
reduces dark circles/puffiness
lightweight/fast absorption, cooling,toning
age reversal
no tested on animals/no animal by-products
dermatologist tested/clinically tested
hypoallergenic/allergy tested
non-sensitizing/non-irritating


Total spent for the bag: $21
Total bag is worth: $129.76
Total saved: $108.76

The eye serum, body sponge, and face mask make me deliriously happy. The blush/highlight duo, perfume, and banana powder are meh items!

JANUARY REVIEW

  1. Coastal Scents Revealed Smoky Palette - Full Size - $19.95

    I was super excited to get a fourth revealed palette and I'm not disappointed! The colors are lovely with only two chalky colors.

  1. Blinc Mascara Amplified Tubing in "Black" - Full Size - 0.25oz  $26

    This lived up to the removal claims. It is by far the easiest and most amazing mascara to remove from my face. It effortlessly glides off. It just doesn't give me any lift/curl or volume at all.. so if you want an easy mascara that just colors your light lashes, this is your mascara! Ha ha

  1. Royal and Langnickel Revolution Boxycharm Brush Set - Full Size - 3 for $23.97

    I love these brushes! The matte feel is great, they are soft and efficient brushes. 

  1. Ardency Inn Modster Smooth Ride Supercharged eyeliner in "Grey" - Full Size - $20

    I'm still not sure about this liner. It is a grey color and it looks a little sloppy or worn off when I wear it. I've been wearing it under my lash line though and that has been much better. Next I'll try to wear it in a BIG wing though instead of a thin line.

Thank you so much for following along