Memebox Review: Winter Mask Essentials

As any Memebox fan know, Memebox has recently slowed dowm their curated box production drastically. Instead of releasing multiple boxes three times per week, they now are releasing them only occasionally, instead choosing to focus more on their Meme shop. This has been a huge bummer for me, although it has saved me a boatload of money. I have had no interest in the few boxes they have released anyway; Black Friday and Boxing Day, for instance, held no appeal for me. I had memepoints burning a hole in my pocket and then they released this box. It was a sign. I use a face mask almost every night, and I like having a wide variety to choose from, so I knew I needed this box. I wanted to get my review up ASAP because tbis box is still available on the Memebox site.

This is the first time I have ever received a Memebox that had an electronic info card. This irritated me slightly because I save all my info cards so I can reference them if needed. I assumed this was done because almost all of the products include English instructions on the paxkaging, thus negating the need for a card.

PureSmile Jewelry Bubble Ruby and Pure Bubble Royal Jelly, $2 each.

I have ordered these masks from the Memeshop before for $1 apiece during a sale. They look really cheap but I would definitely order again! They are carbonated masks that go on like a clear gel but imediately start to bubble up. The info card talks about how they have all these amazing ingredients, over 40 nutrients, etc. I don’t know about all that but they do feel great on the skin and leave my face feeling soft and smooth.

Velieve Girlish Mask in Honey Moisture, Aloe Soothing and Vita Shining, $7 for 3, and Inoface Real Natural Pulp Essence Sheet Mask in Snail, $2.

When I first began using Memebox, I didn’t understand the popularity of sheet masks. I just didn’t get it. Now I get it. They are so convenient and I love that you just leave the essence on your face afterward to soak in. In the past few months, I have started a collecting sheet masks. I almost don’t even want to use them but instead just keep them in their drawer and look at them all the time. It’s a sickness. I haven’t actually used these yet but I love the packaging of the Velieve ones and anything snail related is ok by me! 

Rire Patting Water Pack, $42 but on sale currently for $12.

There were a few variations of this sent out. I got the rose one for moisture, which is perfect for me. Patting water is new to me and sounds like it may be a very concentrated toner but I am not entirely sure. You are meant to fill a bowl with water and add a few capfuls of this, then pat the solution onto your face 10-12 times. No rinsing necessary. I put a bowl in my bathroom so I can try this out but I will be honest, it sounds like a lot to add to my routine with any regularity, so I doubt I will use it often. Then again, maybe it will be amazing when I try it and I will decide the effort is worth it!

Lassie’El Raspberry Age Defying Yogurt Massage Mask, $6.

I love the packaging of this mask. It’s four little capsules that comes with a lid in case you dom’t use an entire capsule at once. I typically slather the entire thing on my face so it’s not wasted. I waa glad to not have to do that this time because I found one capsule to be enough for two uses. This smelled like berries and felt great on my skin. The real treat was after I removed it though! My skin felt so supple and smooth. I would buy this mask on its own!

Esthetic House Collagen Jelly Mask Pack, $13.

This is the third collagen mask pack I have gotten in a Memebox. I like them a lot, they leave my skin so plump and smooth, but I need a break. I haven’t tried this particular omne because it has two Elizavecca ones in front of it.

I think this is such a solid box. To be fair, Memebox always puts out great mask boxes in my opinion. So really it’s no surprise! I calculate the meme value of this box to be $72, although it would only be $42 if you take the sale price of the patting water into account. Either way, it’s a good value for a box that sold for $23+shipping. With my memepoints, I got this box completely free, so I made out like a bandit!

Did you receive the Winter Mask Essentials box? What were your thoughts?

-s

Favorite Products of 2014!

As 2014 comes to a close, I wanted to take a minute to reflect on some of my favorite products from the year. Some of them are tried and true favorites, while others I discovered this year. There are quite a few Korean products on the list this year, thanks to my discovery of Memebox. I also found a few gems through Birchbox too!

1. Skinfood Cacao Hand Balm.

I discovered this balm through the Chocolate Mania memebox and I have another scent on the way right now from Tester Korea. The consistency of this product is so hydrating without being greasy.  It doesn’t sink in as quickly as most hand creams, which makes it the ideal bedtime moisturizer.

2. Lush Cosmetics African Paradise Body Conditioner.

Just one of many Lush products on the list this year. I am so bad at body lotion. Sounds silly, I know, but I just am. I never remember to out it on, so moisturizing in the shower is a must for me. This self preserving option was released earlier this year. I used it for the first time when I was in the hospital, the day after I gave birth to my youngest daughter. Whenever I smell it now, I think of her and that time and so the scent has become very special for me. I realize that is somewhat creepy!

3. Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips.

This was a Birchbox sample turned HG product. It is 100% lanolin and so hydrating for lips. I use it before bed every night and I swear the next morning I can still feel the effects. You can also buy this at Sephora and Anthropologie.

4. Dreams Come True Bounce Cheese Cream.

Another Memebox discovery, this came from the Wine & Cheese box. I use it before bed, under my sleeping pack and I love the level of moisture (thick but not cloying) and how quickly it soaks in. Plus it has a stringy texture that is really cool!

5. Lush Cosmetics Ambrosia Shaving Cream.

I love Lush. There is not a single product in their shop that I haven’t tried.  This product is one I put off for awhile though. Until they released D’Fluff over the summer, the only other shaving creams sold in stores were Dirty and Prince. Both of those are too thick for my preferences. I finally got around to trying Ambrosia and everything changed. My itchy, bumpy legs no longer made me long for a good scratching. It is a miracle cream!

6. Lush Cosmetics Sex Bomb Bath Bomb.

Truth is, I just picked a random Lush bomb out of my stash. I don’t have a favorite scent really, but I use a bath bomb almost every night. Not to worry, I also throw in bubble bars and melts too, but bombs are my favorite. I love the fizz and the softness of them and in the years since I have discovered Lush, I have tried other brands, but nothing can compare to the original.

7. Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer.

Every woman needs a good eye primer. I actually hadn’t been using one for awhile, so I was happy to receive this in the Vagabond Youth memebox. I now wear it religiously anytime I use eye makeup!

8. Davines Absolute Beautifying Potion Oil.

Before discovering this product, I didn’t use a hair oil as part of my daily routine. I received a sample of this in my September Birchbox and instantly fell in love with the scent. It has a muskiness that appeals to me. I braid my hair before bed every night to keep it out of the way and beforehand I always rub some of this oil into the ends to keep them healthy.

9. Lush Cosmetics Ultrabland Cleanser.

I can’t imagine a time where this doesn’t appear on my favorites list. I prefer oil based cleansers in general because I dislike that tight, “clean” feeling that you get from soap based cleansers. Ultrabland has been a staple of mine for years and I love how gentle and soothing it is.

10. Shara Shara CC Cream in Natural Beige.

I am not one for a full face of heavy makeup. I prefer my base to be a lightweight BB or CC cream. This cream in particular I also discovered in the Vagabond Youth memebox (that was an amazing box) and I love how effortless it is while still giving me some coverage. I know cushions are now the rage in Korea, so  trying a cushion is one of my beauty resolutions for 2015.

Now that I have completed my list, I realize that I left a few items out. So honorable mentions go to Lush Cosmetics Full of Grace serum bar, Holika Holika Wine Therapy Sleeping mask and Boscia Luminizing Black Mask.

What were your beauty must haves this year?

-s

Memebox Review: # 53 Wine and Cheese

Ah, the infamous Wine and Cheese box. This may very well have been my most anticipated Memebox ever. And I don’t even drink wine! The concept just sounded really cool and I couldn’t wait to see what products were included!

Memebox is a Korean company that curates boxes based on specific themes. They typically are a really good value and it is a great way to try different Korean products. Unfortunately, Memebox doesn’t release new boxes very often anymore. Click here to see what boxes are currently available.

So, if you are a fan if Memebox you probably heard of the fiasco with this box. It shipped a month late, after the shipping date was pushed back multiple times. There were issues with Memebox getting the Innisfree Wine Peeling Jelly from their supplier. Eventually, they just left it out of most boxes and the recipients of those boxes, myself included, were given the choice of canceling the box altogether or keeping it and receiving a credit of 12 meme points. Meme points equal $1 apiece and can be applied towards purchases from the website. Even though I was disappointed because I wanted the peeling jelly, I was happy with the compensation we were offered and decided to keep the box. And on top of that, Memebox included one of their new sheet masks as well!

While I think the situation could have been handled in perhaps a more timely manner, I am ok with the outcome. Tester Korea has the peeling jelly on their site right now for less than $10 I believe, so I may order it!

LadyKin Mangchee Lifting Mask, meme value $43.

This is a sleeping pack with mango, cheese and Shea butter to lock in moisture. I am really looking forward to using this. I swear by a sleeping pack every night, so this will get used!

Enprani Dear by Enorani Bouncr Cream Cheese, meme value $35.

This has a cult following in the Meme world, and Memebox announced with the box release that this would be included, so I knew I had to snag this box for that alone. You can see in the picture what a stringy texture it has. I love it! I use it before bed and it sinks in very quickly and leaves my skin so smooth!

LadyKin Mangchee Replenishing Hand Cream, meme value $14.

This is an anti wrinkle hand cream with cheese extracts. Mango extracts help to brighten the skin. This is a medium weight hand cream. It is not heavy enough for me to use before bed and I think I will have better luck if I use it during the day.

Blanche Doux Pinot Noir UV Shield & Tone Up Sensitive, meme value $36.

This is a mild sunblock that is meant for oilier skin. I think this will be an amazing summer product, so I am holding on to this until the weather warms up!

Tonymoly I’m Real Red Wine Mask Sheet Pore Care and XO Memebox Meme Mask, meme value ($2 each).

The Tonymoly mask has red wine complex and is meant to balance sebum production. It smells very strongly of red wine, which I don’t love, but the scent fades quickly. The effects were really nice. My skin felt toned and even. I will definitely buy this again.

The Memebox mask is a 2 piece hydrogel mask, which is meant to be more moisturizing. Since I need the extra hydration this time of the year, this was a real treat. I need to use hydrogel masks more often!

Overall, this box had a value of $146. I included the Innisfree product in that figure since I received $12 in compensation for it. This box certainly lived up to my expectations and I am pleased with it despite the missing Innisfree Peeling Jelly.

What did you think of the Wine & Cheese box?

Birchbox December 2014 Review!

I love the Birchbox box this month! They have a way of branding themselves that makes them seem very upscale, classic and trendy all at the same time and I love it. This carries over to their boxes. I think their classic brown boxes are great and I also look forward to the fun box designs they release every so often.

For this of you who may not know, Birchbox is a monthly subscription service where, for $10 a month, you receive a box of beauty samples curated for you based on your beauty profile. You can review each product in your box for ten Birchbox (BB) points. 100 points=$10 off products in the BB store. Their rewards system is amazing!

This month’s theme is Decked Out. As has been the case the past few months, subscribers were given a sample choice. We were able to choose one of our samples and although I don’t always choose, this month there were quite a few that I wanted to try. Not to mention that this is the second time I have taken advantage of the sample choice and both times I have been completely wowed by my box. I think I should choose start choosing a sample every month!

Vasanti Cosmetics Kajal Extreme Intense Eye Pencil, full size $18

This was my sample choice this month. I had a difficult time choosing, but rose gold is so in right now that I had to go for this one. I really love the color and although I wore it on my entire lid, I think I will use it more to highlight my tear ducts. I need more time to play around with it.

I was able to find full dimensions for this eyeliner on Amazon. According to that info, this sample has a value of $1. I find that hard to believe because it is a great size!

Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder and Mini Fan Brush, full size $37 and $30.

These two items really made this box a home run for me. I love Laura Mercier and that fan brush is so cute! I am so excited to use them as I have lived everything from this brand that I have tried.

A bonus sample of the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer was included as well. When I saw it was in my box, I had hoped for a bigger sample but wasn’t surprised that it was a little foil packet. I didn’t include the value if this in my box total but it was nice of them to include it!

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre, full size $16.

This is a moisturizer that is apparently a makeup artist favorite that goes well under foundation. I am overloaded on facial creams right now so I am going to save this for a few months in the hopes that I will need it at some point. It felt nice on my hand–moisturizing without being greasy or thick.

Whish Shave Cream in Acai Grapefruit, full size $20.

The scent if this isn’t completely awful to me, but I don’t love it either. Synthetic fruit scents are typically a huge no no for me. I did like the lather of this but my legs are very sensitive to razor burn, especially this time if year, and so far LUSH’s Ambrosia is the only shaving cream that soothes them. I think I will save this for my travel bag.

Beauty Protector Protect & Oil, full size $25.95

This hair oil protects against UV rays, heat and breakage. It smells just like the brand’s de tangling spray, which isn’t my favorite. It smells like fake brown sugar and butter. This is a nice enough hair oil but I got a Davines hair oil in my September box that already has my heart!

I was so thrilled with my box this month. Not everything was a hit but there were some amazing products included. I had a hard time calculating the value of the box. Two samples didn’t have a weight on them (the hair oil and the fan brush), so I pretty much guessed on the values for those two items. I value the box to be right around $22.37. It doesn’t sound that high but factor in the 70 points I will get for reviewing these products and I essentially paid only $3 for the box.

What did you think of your December Birchbox?

-s

Memebox Review: #66 Petit Treasures

I’ll admit, I was none too pleased when I initially received this box. At first glance, it looked juvenile and sparse. The price was $19, so customers knew it would be lower value than a typical Memebox, but I had still anticipated something similar to My Cute Wishlist.

For anyone new to Memebox, they are a Korean cosmetics company that previously specialized in Korean beauty boxes that were curated toward a specific theme. Now they seem to be moving away from their boxes and are focused more on just selling Korean cosmetics. Such a bummer! You can check out their website here. They did recently restock a bunch of previous boxes, so grab some while you can!

I ordered this box in a bundle with the Blackout box. Both boxes only contained four items because they were lower prices boxes. Had Memebox thrown in a sheet mask in each box, I would have been more mollified. This one was my bigger disappointment because although I will get more use out of of these products, Blackout seemed more thoughtfully curated to me (with the exception of the shampoo). Now that it has been a few weeks since I received this box, I feel a little differently.

Recipe by Nature Ice Cream Swing Gloss in Sweet Fiona, Meme value $5.

I don’t mind cheap lip gloss. In fact, that is pretty par for the course in these boxes. This one annoyed me though. It seems very juvenile and just clunky to have in my pocket. And the thought of carrying a gloss on my keychain seemed absurd. But now I am thinking it might be convenient and actually not a bad idea! And it goes well with the theme.

Shara Shara Revital Magic Cream, Meme value $16.

Yet another face cream. I have a ton to go through and Memebox made us aware on the info card that this has a use by date of July 21, 2015 (thank you for sharing that info Memebox!), so I added this in to my current rotation. And I actually really like it. It goes on so thick, but it mattifying and smells like eucalyptus. According to the info card, it helps uneven skin tone and blemish scars.

ddung Lively Girl Mascara, Meme value $24.

I always need mascara but the mascaras in my MemeBoxes are always hit or miss. Luckily, I like this one. It goes on sparsely but is pretty easy to build up. It won’t become a holy grail product but I will use it up.

Shara Shara Feminine Single Blusher, Meme value $7.

I am kind of over all the blushers I have been getting in my MemeBoxes. This makes #4 I think. BUT I love the color I got, so again, I am over my disappointment. There were three different colors sent out and I believe I got warm apricot.

This box was one of my biggest disappointments from Memebox but I have since changed my mind. It isn’t my favorite box by any means, but I am happy with what I got and I will use it all.

Did you get Petit Treasures? Did you like the contents?

Memebox Review: Blackout!

I ordered Blackout! as a bundle with Petit Treasures awhile back. It was a less expensive box ($19 I think?), so it only included four products.

I honestly don’t know why I ordered this. I assumed it was all skincare, and typically that type of skincare is better suited toward oilier skin, which I don’t have this time of year.

B&SOAP Black Block, Meme value $24.

This is a facial soap with charcoal, rosemary and olive oil to clear out pores without irritating the skin. This reminds me a lot of LUSH’s Coalface cleanser, which is nice but way too drying for my skin. I won’t be using this.

Honest Clinic Black Hole Spot, Meme value $26.

This is a spot treatment that is meant to be used overnight. It specifically says not to use on a non problematic area as it could result in reddening. That kind of makes me nervous. And I am lucky enough not to regularly need a spot treatment, so I am not sure that this will get used. We’ll see!

Tosowoong Black-Head Nose Pack, 8 pack, Meme value $6.

I just got the tonymoly egg pore strips and I still have plenty of blackout sauce from my At Home box, so I am not sure when I will ever get around to these. #memeboxproblems.

L’CRET Hair Color Keeper Treatment Shampoo, Meme value $42.

Wtf Memebox?! Just because the packaging on this is black does not make it relevant to this box. I already received this in my Rapunzel box and have been trying to figure out what to do with it ever since. Now I have a second one! I do color treat my hair, but I still prefer a more clarifying shampoo. Guess I should finally try this now before making a final decision.

Overall, with the exception of the shampoo, I feel this box was curated well. I just have no use for the products. That is entirely my own fault. The meme value on this box is $98, which is very high for four products.

Did you get the Blackout! box? Thoughts?

Memebox Review: My Cute Wishlist 4

To date, Memebox has done four versions of My Cute Wishlist. The first one was a huge hit and although I was a fan of MCW2 (the only other one I ordered), each subsequent box has been less and less popular.

Memebox is a Korean company that curates beauty boxes full of Korean beauty care. Recently they have stopped offering multiple boxes and are instead focusing on their Memeshop, which sells their cosmetics brand as well as other Korean brands. It’s a real shame in my opinion, as their boxes are a great value and I love the mystery aspect of them. I doubt I will be ordering from the Memeshop much.

Check out their site here.

At first glance, this box definitely seemed like it fit the cute theme. It was pretty much exactly what I would expect from this type of box.

Étude House Sweet Recipe Candy Stick in Oh! Orange Candy, Meme value $5.

I love getting lip products like this in my Memeboxes. They are great to keep at work and in my bag. I was concerned that this would be too orange but it goes on sheer enough that is is wearable. It smells like candy too!

Tonymoly Apple Red Tox Honey Cream, Meme value $12.

The last thing I need is a face cream. Seriously. But I really wanted to try this one so I am glad it was included. I actually almost bought the infamous Cutie Pie Marzia 2 box just for this so I am glad I held out. It is definitely very cute and I think it will be a great day cream as it sinks in quickly.

ddung Liquid Eyeliner, Meme value $12.

This is a water proof, smudge proof liquid eyeliner. I usually prefer brown eyeliner because it’s not as harsh looking, but this works and it has cute packaging. I appreciate it when Memebox doesn’t focus too heavily on skincare or makeup in their boxes, unless that is the actual theme, so I appreciate that this box had a wide range.

Tonymoly Egg Pore Nose Pack 7ea, Meme Value $4.

These have charcoal and egg to shrink pores and remove whiteheads and blackheads. They smell very strange, like burning rubber or something. I did feel like my nose felt smoother and looked cleaner after I used this.

Yadah Vita-Whitening Aqua Gel and Puregreen Moisturizing cream, $24.

These better be amazing if the “travel size” costs $24. They are great for travel but they look like deluxe samples, not the full size that Memebox claims.

Pure Smile Choosy Lip Pack in Milk, Meme Value $1.

This has milk protein extracts to moisturize. The other lipnmask like this that I got from Memebox was a total dud, so I hope this is a better brand because my lips need some moisture!

Pure Smile Snail hand Cream Milk, $5.

I have a lot of products from this snail line, so I was excited for the hand cream. It has a really watery texture and sinks in immediately. I have used it twice now and five minutes after applying, my hands felt dry. This unfortunately just isn’t strong enough at all.

Holika Holika Pig-nose Black Head Steam Starter, Meme value $6.

I have always thought this product line was adorable, so I think this is a great inclusion in this box. It is meant to “melt away” blackheads when you massage it into the skin. It also has aloe Vera to soothe. I haven’t had a chance to try this yet.

Overall, the Meme value of this box is $69. It is likely the lowest valued Memebox I have ever received. I like the contents, so I am not bothered by the low value but I am guessing others will take issue with it. If you take out the two travel size moisturizers, you are left with a $45 value!

What did you think of My Cute Wishlist 4?

Mega Zoya Review!

I have been wanting to try Zoyapolishes for a long time now. A few recent promotions of theirs caught my eye recently and all of a sudden I went from no Zoya polishes to quite a few!

I know a lot of polish bloggers post swatches of all their polish colors when doing a review. I have swatches of a lot of the different colors I bought but I was more concerned with keeping the polishes on to see how they wore. I tried to make sure I tried a few of each type.

Zoya Creams. From left to right Yuna, Marnie, Nyssa, Ryan, Margo, Genevieve, Odette.

I didn’t get a chance to try more than two of these because of how long the wear! In short, I am very impressed!

Zoya Nyssa was actually the color that convinced me to make my first purchase. I had been wanting to purchase a rich brown shade for the fall and I hadn’t seen anything that was close to what I was looking for. When I looked through all of the Zoya collections, I was struck by how many different options they had. It was very difficult to choose but I went with Nyssa and I am glad I did!

This is a medium chocolate hue. My swatch from above was two coats plus an Essie top coat. This manicure lasted 4.5 days. I am super impressed by that, as it almost made it five days before getting even the slightest chip.

I also had the chance to try Margo. I was instantly drawn to this color. It is the perfect deep pink that borders on purple. It feels like a very sophisticated color. I was a bit disappointed with how dark the color looked in normal light, because it masked the uniqueness of this color. I used two coats plus an Essie top coat and I have had it on four days at this point without a single chip.

I love how shiny the Zoya creams are and I can’t wait to try my other colors.

I am not the biggest fan of textures polishes, but for the purpose of this review I wanted to try a variety of the polishes Zoya offers, so I bought their Pixie Dust in London to try out.

I prefer the feeling of a smooth polish. Textured polishes tend to give me the willies. On the plus side, they are very forgiving. I am usually in a huge hurry when I paint my nails because of my two young kids. Manicures must be scheduled very strategically. So the convenience factor of the Pixie Dust won me over. This manicure lasted three days. Once the chipping began, it went very quickly.

Next is the Zoya Matte Velvet collection. I bought four of the six polishes in the collection (l-r Posh, Harlow, Veruschka, Loredana). I have tried three of the four, with two of my sisters having had the chance to try the fourth. I was struck by how quickly these are with dry time. My nails dried almost immediately.

My biggest concern with matte polishes is chipping time, since I prefer to do no top coat (I don’t currently own a top coat). The only matte polish I have used was an OPI one years ago and it chipped within hours of application, so I was afraid I would have the same issue.

Posh was the first color I tried and I am emanated with it. Like Margo, it is a very sophisticated color and made me feel very glamorous. It lasted an impressive four days before the chipping began. I could see this one being a popular choice for me during this holiday season!

Veruschka was the color I looked forward to the most. It is such a funky color and very unusual for a polish. Unfortunately, it was only 48 hours before it began to chip. Due to that, I probably won’t wear it as much but I still love the color!

Loredana is probably my least favorite color of the whole collection but once I tried the first two, I knew I needed the whole collection. This is a silvery gray that lasted three days, which I was happy with.

Lastly, Harlow. My sister E wore this over Thanksgiving and was kind enough to let me get a picture. We were disappointed when one of her fingers chipped within hours of application. It only got worse from there on out. She would fix one nail only to have another one start chipping twenty minutes later. She finally admitted defeat and removed the polish after 24 hours. I hoped it was just a personal problem but my sister A had the same problem the next day. I will give Harlow a try myself but if I have the same results that one will not be part of my rotation!

There you have it! I am officially a Zoya fan. I can’t wait to try the rest of my collection and add to it.

Do you have any Zoya polishes? Which colors are your must haves?

Edited to add: Zoya has announced they will be doing a Cyber Monday event tomorrow so keep a lookout for some good deals!

November Birchbox Review

Sigh. I always wait with such impatience to unbox my monthly Birchbox on the 10th of every month. It is one of the first things I do when I wake up! This month, I was met with such disappointment. This was my least my favorite box to date and for once I actually liked my ipsy bag better!

I went through my beauty profile to see where I had gone wrong but I had said I would prefer no perfume samples (this is the second month in a row I have gotten one!!) and I would prefer no shower gel. I tweaked my preferences a little but to hopefully avoid another month like this one.

For those of you that are new to Birchbox, it is a monthly subscription service. For $10 a month, you get a box full of deluxe size beauty products. You can review these products on the BB site to receive BB points, which can be redeemed in their store for product. The point system is amazing and the reason I would never chance my subscription.

Joie Folle de Joie Eau de parfum, value of sample $2.06.

I am super picky about perfumes, so I prefer not to get them in my subscription boxes. When I told a coworker I was getting this in my November box, she told me she bought the full size after getting this in a box. She said she gets complimented on it all the time and she won’t even tell her best friend what it is because he friend loves the scent so much. So I was like ok, maybe I will like this after all. Unfortunately, I didn’t see the appeal when I wore it. It smelled like any department store perfume to me. Even my husband agreed it was nothing special. Oh well, now I don’t need to shell out $98 for the full size!!

Not Soap, Radio Joy Inducing Body Wash, sample value $1.76.

This is a lemon scented shower gel with a nice muskiness that elevates it and makes it more dynamic. It still can’t compete with my LUSH shower gels though, especially because citrus is not my thing. I find most citrus scents to be boring and less complex.

Bain de Terre Argan Oil and Passion Flower Color Therapy Styling Oil, sample value $2.06.

I told Birchbox that I color treat my hair and that I love haircare products, so I can’t fault them for including this. I got the Davines hair oil in my September box though and fell in love with it, so I really don’t need another hair oil. Plus it smells like a generic shampoo you would get at the drugstore. The scent alone ruined it for me.

Eslor Firming Collagen Day Cream, sample value $17.

I just changed my profile to exclude anti aging products. I am open to anti aging products but the branding and scent of this just screams old lady to me, so if those are the types of products I will get I would prefer to stay away from anti aging products.

The Balm Cosmetics Cindy-Lou Manizer, sample value $.30.

I have wanted to try The Balm Cosmetics for awhile so this was the one thing in my box that I was actually excited about. The packaging is just adorable! The sample is very small, so it is difficult to use with my makeup brush. It doesn’t apply easily because of that, so I wish the sample were wider to allow for easier application.

Dang Coconut Chips, sample value $1.47.

This was a bonus item. I wasn’t excited about it, especially when I saw some lucky people got chocolate! These were surprisingly good though. Even my two year old approved, and she is picky! They are very expensive, but if I saw a box for less at Costco I would definitely buy them!

Overall, I was disappointed in this month’s Birchbox. I feel that my beauty profile wasn’t really followed. I am sick of the perfume samples especially! I would never quit Birchbox because of their amazing point system, but I am hoping next month is better!

What did you think if your November Birchbox?

-s

Review: November ipsy

I have been pretty vocal recently about my disappointment in ipsy. My bags just seemed to contain obscure products that I wouldn’t use and wasn’t interested in. I had planned on retaking my beauty quiz and giving it one last shot to see whether I wanted to cancel or not. Unfortunately, their mobile site wasn’t allowing me to change my quiz answers a few weeks ago when I tried, so I was afraid this month was doomed to suck like the previous ones. Luckily, I was wrong!! This month was a hit for me, despite the fact that not all of the products were a win for me. Also despite the fact that I didn’t get GlamGlow yet again!

For those of you that are new to ipsy, it is a subscription service. For $10 a month, you get a glambag full of deluxe samples and full sized products based on your beauty profile. The products tend to be more low end but it is still a very good value.

Nicole by OPI nail polish, value $6.99.

I can’t find this among me huge basket of nail polish at the moment, so I forget the name. It is a really pretty glitter topper with two different sizes of silver glitter. It is great for the holidays and although I don’t see myself wearing it very often, I was so glad to have finally received a polish in one of my sub boxes! It is pretty much a guarantee that I will appreciate a polish in any box.

Demeter Roll On Perfume in Pixie Dust, value $10.

This smells amazing!! Like cotton candy and glitter and bubblegum, bit not in an overpowering, cloying way. I was disappointed that the scent seemed to fade quickly, but the scent was a total win for me.

Temptu Highlighter, value $2.75?

I received a different Temptu highlighter in my September Birchbox and I really like it. It gives a nice glow. I have no doubt this shade is gorgeous too.

Elizabeth Mott You’re so Fine eyeliner in Glitterati, value $17.99.

I believe the eyeliner in the glam bags is full size, so correct me if I am wrong! This would seemingly be a huge miss for me. I don’t usually go for glitter eyeliners, or liquid eyeliners for that matter. It applied so easily though and the glitter was the perfect amount so that I didn’t look ridiculous while still being noticeable. Unfortunately, I only lasted for about four hours at work before it started flaking off. I am going to try it a few more times and hopefully will not have the same results!

LA Colors Chunky Lip Color in Wine, value $3.50.

I love lip crayons like this and it is also the perfect color, so this was a complete win for me. Great price too, so if I like it I will definitely buy multiple colors!!

Overall, I was much happier with my ipsy this month. I surprisingly liked the glitter theme and thought the bag was cute as well. I calculated the overall value of my November bag at $41.23, which is pretty good! Ipsy lives to see another month!