Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics Nexus – November 2016

By Sheetar 24 October 2016 24 October 2016

November’s Nexus shipment arrived on October 21st and had two nail wraps that fit into the theme, “Gemology.” I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as usual, but I assumed it would be something along the lines of the super popular Turquoise from the June BOOM!Box. One of the wraps definitely is and the other has the unique EC nerdy twist! On to the contents!

Amethyst – This is a gorgeous glitter print of that lovely purple gemstone, Amethyst. I have to admit this is easily my favorite of the two. My maternal grandmother’s birth stone was amethyst, and I remember her talking about it when I was younger, so there’s some sentimental value attached to this wrap as well. Plus, it’s sparkly and purple and a little abstract which is just perfect.
Rebel Rose – Okay, so here’s where I turn in my nerd card because at first, I completely missed the reference and wondered why there were roses in a gemology theme. After I Googled it, I found it’s for the cartoon, Steven Universe, and is a nod to the character Rose Quartz! Quick video here if you’re as unfamiliar with that cartoon as I am – and hey, EC just expanded my horizons a little today, and that clip is really uplifting and beautiful. Anyway, pink is not my thing, so I’m going to share the love and pass these off to someone who will appreciate the rosy pink, silver foil, glow-in-the-dark nail wraps since they really are lovely, just not a good fit for me.

As usual, the theme is totally on point (even if I missed the Rebel Rose reference at first!), and both wraps are gorgeous, but Amethyst is the easy choice for me this month. The nail wraps each cost $10 on the Espionage Cosmetics website, so the value exceeds the $15 month-to-month subscription cost. The voting is already underway, and the winner will go on to fame and fortune for sale to the public once voting has finished while the loser will be a special Nexus exclusive. In case you’re thinking about subscribing and want to send me some love, hit up my referral link!

OH! Did your favorite not make the cut? You can still grab extras! As a Nexus subscriber you can purchase past ‘losers’ through the EC website. Check out their blog here with links to each month’s nail wraps including past losers while supplies last!

Subscription Boxes

Sephora Play! October 2016

By Sheetar 19 October 2016 20 October 2016

October’s Sephora PLAY! theme was, “The Cool Cut,” and was hinted to feature indie brands and new, stand-out products. Well, I definitely got a bit of that, though some brands are very mainstream and not new at all, neither are the products, so again the theme is sort of nebulous and some things fit, some don’t. This month also featured the most number of variations I think we’ve seen for this box yet, so it’s more likely that the samples picked are going to fit your beauty profile. It’s still fun to get these samples, so, on to the contents! For the record, my box was the variant with item # 1850106.

Farmacy Skin Dew – 3.3 oz / $44 – (Product is .68 oz, value of $9.07 by volume) I’m not sure I’d use this on top of makeup as it says it can be used since it seems like spraying a glycerin based product over makeup would be a recipe for disaster. I did give this a quick try and I don’t like the scent at all. Mint is meant for toothpaste, not something you spray on your face and it just.. ugh. It also feels sticky even after giving it a few minutes to dry or sink in, so I can’t say I like this from the scent to the formula. I have been wanting to try a Farmacy product for a while though, so this was great to try, and good to know that this definitely isn’t for me. The brand is cruelty free though, so I love that!
The Estee Edit Flash Photo Gloss – .27 oz / $20 – (Product is .1 oz, value of $7.41 by volume) The color is, “01 White Flash,” and is a pearlescent colorless cool-toned gloss. It’s rather sticky and thick for a gloss, and doesn’t pass the hair-stick test (my hair totally stuck to my lips in the gloss when I shook my head around). There’s no discernible color payoff, so the pearlescence doesn’t even show up, nor is there any discernible scent/flavor (it’s supposed to be vanilla fragranced). Estee Lauder isn’t an indie brand and this isn’t a new, stand-out product, so this feels weird to be in the box for this theme.
Naked Elephant T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum – 30 mL / $90 – (Product is 5 mL, value of $15 by volume) Another cruelty-free brand I’ve been wanting to try. This sounds like a good choice for my skin profile as it claims to be a solution for dullness, blemishes, and dark spots. It can be used all over the face or as a spot treatment, and one drop was plenty to cover my whole face. There’s no real scent to the product that dispenses as a clear gel. The 5 mL sample size should be enough to see if it makes a difference or not since 5 mL should go a fairly long way. The product is pricey, but at a 30 mL size, that should last an average person months and months.
Derek Lam 10 Crosby Silent St. – 1.7 oz / $95 – (Product is .05 oz, value of $2.79 by volume) I think this might be the first perfume sample I’ve liked! The base is white musk so it’s a musk, but lighter, with the faintest soapy, sweet floral notes. It’s ok! Nothing I’d go out and buy, but this is a sample I’ll actually keep and use.
Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick – .13 oz / $24 – (Product is .07 oz approx, value of $12.92 by volume) The color I received is, “Driver’s Seat,” which is described as a warm pink. I’ll admit that I was skeptical of the color at first since it seemed a little yellow-toned and anything that tips over to yellow or a coral type shade just doesn’t work with my skin tone. On first application I thought well, maybe this is just a somewhat darker neutral, and it’s not so bad. But I’m torn – this trends over to look a little orangey on me and.. I’m not sure. I think “Shockaholic” is a shade better suited to my skin tone. It may take a few extra wears to sell me on the color. The formula goes on rich and creamy and dries very matte and does. not. budge. I’m impressed with the product and the formula, but not as much with the color, but it may grow on me.
Madam C.J. Walker Scent & Shine Coconut Oil – 1.7 oz / $26 – (Product is .15 oz, value of $2.29 by volume) This is RIGHT up my curly hair alley. The ingredients are coconut oil and fragrance, so it seems like a lot to pay for what is essentially perfumed coconut oil, so I’m not sure I’d buy this on my own. The scent is delightful – coconut and vanilla with a bit of woodsy musk. Since my curls are always parched, I tried this right away. Five drops were enough to give my ends a good coating and left a little behind to smooth into my hands as a little bonus treatment. The scent is really delightful, and if it wasn’t just scented coconut oil, I may be interested in buying this again, but since it’s just coconut oil, and I can get that pretty cheap at the grocery store, I have a hard time justifying the price for just the fragrance (but I do REALLY REALLY like it). I love that I got to try this though, and it’s absolutely perfect for my profile.

So, all together, the value of the box is $49.48 which is great for the monthly cost of $10.60 including tax and shipping. I think the product I like the most is the Madam C.J. Walker Scent & Shine Coconut Oil since it’s just the perfect fit for me. My least favorite is the Estee Edit Flash Photo Gloss since it’s just way too thick and sticky, even for a gloss. Overall though, I got to try a bunch of products I’ve been eyeing up for quite a while, so that’s great, even if some of them didn’t wow me as much as I had hoped. Having a trial size to test out before going all-in on the full size is fantastic, and not having to go fight through the mall and parking to get to a Sephora store and ask for a sample is even better. The theme for November is, “Best in Glow,” so I’m looking forward to what they pick for my profile for next month!

Subscription Boxes

Glossybox October 2016

By Sheetar 13 October 2016 13 October 2016

My Glossybox for October 2016 has arrived! This is the final one of my subscription that I kept forgetting to cancel, and at least the box was better this time, a vast improvement over last month’s box. The largest product in the box is a drugstore brand hair product. I thought Glossybox was supposed to be a luxury-brands sort of box and there’s nothing luxury about a product you can find in every drug store and grocery store. Oh well, not going to miss this subscription, and the next time I think about signing up for Glossybox? Someone take away my internet.

Masque Bar Brightening Sheet Mask – 3 pack / $16.99 – (Product is one mask, value of $5.66) I took the lowest price I found online via Amazon.com – Target was advertising $42.99 for a three-pack which seems really absurd when Amazon is offering the same for less than half the price. The product card advertises it as 3 sheets for $10, but I was only able to find it two places online and none of them at $10. Sheet masks are always fun to try, so this is an okay item for me. The only thing I’m a little bothered by is that the manufacturing date stamped on mine is from over a year ago (18 Sep 2015). I’m not sure that these have any true expiration, and it does have preservatives to keep the product fresh longer, but the idea that this has been sitting around for over a year generally doesn’t mean good things.
Decleor Aromessence Neroli – .5 oz / $31.49 – (Product is .17 oz, value of $10.71) Again, the value is all over the map – some sites list it for $73, but I found a lot in the mid to low $30 range for the same size. It contains a blend of oils and is a lot like another product I already use so this is right up my dry skin alley. There are no outrageous claims that it will make you look younger or erase dark spots, it’s just an awesome moisturizing serum that smells amazing. The scent is sort of musky (Sandalwood, my favorite, is in the ingredient list!!) with a hint of citrus and honestly really pleasing, plus the product moisturizes well and makes my skin feel soft. This is honestly something I’d purchase a full size of, I actually like it that much!
Emite Lip & Cheek Tint – 6 mL / $19 – (Product is full size) It’s basically a lip and cheek stain, much like Benetint, although maybe a little bit thicker than that. The color is a bit darker though and the formula seems to be a bit more like gel and it stains rather well. This may be one of the best stains I’ve used before and I’ll definitely be using this regularly!
Unani Il-Lluminate Milk Cleanser – 200 mL / $18 – (Product is full size) A quick check of the ingredient list shows it’s an aloe and water based cleanser with no ALS/SLS or parabens, so this sounds like it’s another product right up my dry skin alley! The formula is a thick cream that smells light and fresh like aloe and cucumbers. It cleanses well with no foam and rinses off cleanly. It’s probably going to be my go-to during winter since it’s a gentle cleanser that won’t dry out my skin. One small gripe though, the label was printed on the seam of the bottle, so I have to imagine these were offloaded to Glossybox because they were misprinted bottles. The product inside is still the same, but they clearly couldn’t never be sold as-is in a retail setting which makes me feel a little cheated.
OGX Bamboo Fiber-Full Thickening Root Booster – 6 oz / $7.99 – (Product is full size) This is an automatic nope based on the ingredients (polymers and acrylates tend to be build-up ingredients and are a no-go for a no/low shampoo routine) and the fact that my curly hair does NOT need volume or thickening. Glossybox, are you drunk?! Also, it’s a basic drugstore/grocery store sort of brand and isn’t at all anything I’d consider “Luxury” like Glossybox claims to be. I’d expect to see this in the Target or Walmart beauty boxes, but in Glossybox? It just doesn’t fit and isn’t what subscribers consider luxury at all.

Overall, by my calculations, the box is worth $61.36. If we were going by the product sheet, it would be $73.14, but that’s due to the really wide variation in value on the Decleor oil. If a product is available for half the price from another retailer, I’m going to buy from that retailer. I do like the Decleor oil though, sheet masks are always fun to try, and really, I’ll use everything but the OGX product, so it’s not a bad box, BUT Glossybox is still being deceptive and misleading about the products they’re including. One is clearly a misprint, and the OGX is just ridiculous for the supposed luxury status of this box. The box costs $21 per month, so no matter which way you calculate it, the value is still great, especially since I’m keeping all but one item, but their practices as of late have left a really bad taste in my mouth, and I have no desire to continue to give my money to a business that doesn’t value my business and thinks it’s okay to offload clearance and discontinued items to be under the guise of a “Luxury” subscription box. That’s NOT okay. If this is going to be a clearance box for discontinued cast-offs and misprinted items, say so. Price it accordingly. Continuing to charge $21 a box for items that can’t be sold on store shelves is absurd.

Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics BOOM!Box October 2016

By Sheetar 11 October 2016 11 October 2016

October’s Espionage Cosmetics BOOM!Box has arrived! It’s right on time and is full of goodies related to this month’s theme, “Haunted,” from spooky nail wraps to a nightmarish print and sparkly bats and even mysterious gems for your ears. It’s yet another amazing box and perfect with Halloween coming up this month!

Let’s start with the two nail wraps! On the left is Graveyard with a nod to Thriller in the subtitle. In my head, I could actually hear Vincent Price reading that line (also hey, earworm!). These are glossy nail wraps showing a graveyard scene against a dusky sky with glow in the dark ghosts swirling around the wraps. On the right is REDRUM, with a glossy print of the carpet from The Shining, and REDRUM scrawled on the wraps in glow in the dark ink. It’s so hard to pick a favorite between the two, but I know I’m going to be wearing one or the other this month for sure.

This was a big surprise this month! Two full serums, two everything shadows and two mixing pots to go wild creating custom lip colors. Everyone got something a little different according to the product card. I received the serums in Soulless and Fatality and shadows in Shiny and Headshot. I’ll have to give these a try with the mixing pots to see what I come up with!

Two super fun items that fit the theme and round out the box. On the left is a set of bejeweled bat clips, Glittering Acro-Bats. There’s a card included that says they’re more than just hair clips and can be used to add a bit of bling to your handbag, as a necklace, on shoes, or anywhere else they can clip to. On the right are a set of earrings from Sparks Emporium. They’re red with an iridescent blue sparkly glow. Included along with the earrings is a 15% off coupon for any purchase from Sparks Emporium which is a nice bonus!

And finally, a print from Nerdy Post that reads, “Sometimes Nightmares are Real.” This is gorgeous between the lettering and lacy design around the edges and I just love it. It’s a departure from the character sort of artwork we’ve had in previous boxes, but it fits in SO well with the theme, plus it’s fun to get something completely different! I guess I really need to get on that whole finding frames thing, huh?!

As far as value goes, it’s definitely above and beyond the cost which is between $25 and $30 depending on the length of the subscription. Just with the serums and shadows alone, we’re already at $33, so then add in everything else and the value is way above the cost! This is another big hit, and honestly, those two nail wraps are AMAZING. Have I mentioned how incredibly bright the glow in the dark magic on the nail wraps is? Because it glows for hours after exposure, so much so that sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and startle a little seeing something glowing on my hands (and then remember it’s my kickass nail wraps and laugh at myself). I’m so thrilled with this box and cannot wait for the next one already! In case you’re thinking about subscribing and want to send me some love, hit up my referral link!

Subscription Boxes

Medusa’s Makeup September 2016

By Sheetar 26 September 2016 23 September 2016

This is a new subscription from Medusa’s Makeup featuring items from their own line. The first ever shipment was last month, but I missed that one, so here’s the second one! The shipment arrives in a metallic bubble mailer (mine was gold) and has minimal packaging which is a total win for me – I’d rather receive more product and less packaging, plus it’s less waste/recycling which is great. Everything Medusa’s Makeup makes is Cruelty-Free and most items are vegan too which is right up my alley. This arrived on September 22, but I’m just getting around to posting about it today.

Eye Dust – 1.5 g / $7 – (Product is Full Size) This is a shimmery yellow eye pigment in the color, “Lemonade,” that goes on pretty sheer but looks like it’s buildable. It’s pretty perfect for a little highlight on the inner eye corners or for a shimmery dusting under the brows. It’s not a color I’d have picked out for myself, but I think I’m going to have fun figuring out how to make it work. The container is an open container, no sifter, but it’s filled to the absolute top with product.
Brush Cleaner – 20 mL / $8 – (Product is Full Size) Another vegan product infused with algae extract and vitamin E. It smells pleasantly fresh but not heavily perfumed, and while it doesn’t foam much, it clearly works great and rinses out cleanly. The bottle top has a narrow squeeze bottle opening so it’s easy to get just enough cleaner out for one brush and not end up with a huge glob.
Shadow Brush – 4 pack / $24 – (Single brush, value of $6) It’s a synthetic brush, so it’s vegan. It’s a little bigger than some of the other eyeshadow brushes I use, but you can never have too many brushes on hand. I think having one that’s between a blending size brush and a smaller eyeshadow brush will be helpful.
Body Shimmer – 10 g / $12 – (Product is Full Size) The shade I received is, “Healthy,” which is pink toned with a gold shimmer. This is a pretty subtle shimmer and would work perfectly as a highlighter. The pink tone actually looks great on my skin, and I’m digging this more than I thought I would! I’m usually not all that big into highlighter or shimmer type products, but this is really rather nice.

Overall the value comes to $33 which covers the subscription price of $15.95 although it’s less than the advertised value of $40. The value is still over double the cost and I’ll use everything, so I consider that a win! Plus, the colors and products got me a little outside of my comfort zone which is great. I like being pushed to try new colors, especially ones I wouldn’t have considered picking for myself. I like this enough that I’m in for another month!

Subscription Boxes

Benevolent Beauty Box September 2016

By Sheetar 23 September 2016 23 September 2016

HOOBOY! I always get a little excited for this box because it’s been so consistently on point, but this month? MINDBLOWING. Oh man. I can barely even put words together to put up this blog post, I am that blown away. All the products are cruelty-free, some vegan, but they’re all rather ingredient-conscious and tend to be things that are right up my alley.

Gypsy Soul Organics Sister Wind Aromatherapy Spray – 2 oz / $19.99 – (Product is Full Size) Okay, so I like the idea, but the scent is completely not me – spearmint and eucalyptus are near the top of my least-favorite scent list and honestly make me a little nauseous (I find those eucalyptus flavored cough drops are an instant upset stomach too, FWIW). It’s not the product’s fault, it’s my picky nose/palate not liking the scents. I’m going to pass this off to a friend, but there is a promo code included in the box and it looks like their “Family Tree” scent is right up my alley. I could see this being a nice treat after a post-yoga shower since they’re all essential oil based. The originals come in a glass bottle and the one included in the box is plastic so the value may be a little off, but it’s such a generous size to include in the box.
St. Tropica Coconut Hot Oil Hair Mask – 6 pack / $27 – (Single size, value of $4.50) It’s like they were listening to me when I rant about hair products in subscription boxes – I don’t want parabens, sulfates, or silicones. This? Fits that bill in spades and the ingredient list is beyond perfect. My hair is super curly and dry, so I pretty regularly use all kinds of oils to help keep it moisturized and bouncy, so this is SO BEYOND PERFECT. The first two ingredients are coconut oil and coconut butter, so yes and yes. It is in a foil packet, but it’s meant to be that way so that you can heat up an individual packet as a single-serving so to speak, and there’s enough in there to generously coat down my long hair. I’ll probably give this a whirl next week, but I promise to report back with my results. There’s also a card included for 20% off your order.
Tat2 Lash Mascara – .25 oz / $16 – (Product is Full Size) There’s beeswax, so this isn’t vegan, but as a beekeeper myself, I don’t mind. LOVE the packaging! The brush is a bristle tip, not one of those spiky plastic numbers, and it works fairly well considering the formula is on the thicker side. I tend to like my mascaras a little thicker, so that’s perfect for me. I did get a perfect application on one lash and then the next was clumpy which I figure is user error, but it does go on rather richly in one coat, no second coat needed. Dries fairly quickly and the ingredient list is spectacular – no bad ingredients that may irritate my eyes. So far, I’m loving this! Better yet, there’s a card enclosed with a coupon code for 40% off your first order.
Ecco Bella FlowerColor Lipstick – .13 oz / $19.95 – (Product is Full Size) I received the color, “Primrose,” which is a shimmery mulberry spice type shade. The ingredient list is really amazing, no parabens or petroleum-based ingredients. It goes on a thick and semi-matte, but it stays put as a result of the waxes and still feels moisturizing thanks to the Vitamin E. The color is spot on perfect for fall and I rather like the thickness of the product. I figure some people may not like the waxiness, but I found that thicker products mean I’m not constantly moving my lips around together to redistribute the product and they end up staying put longer.
Bellapierre Eyeliner Duo – .14 oz each / $25 as a set – (Product is Full Size) The product card from Bellapierre goes into detail that the clear one can be used to pick up a little color from one of their eyeshadows and used as a colored liner which is a super fun idea! I have PLENTY of mineral eyeshadows and this extends those to a whole new usage and it’s much easier than trying to mix pigments with water and hoping they’ll stay. Both the black and clear are waterproof. The black has a felt tip and the clear is a brush. I found the black a little watery and tough to apply evenly, but I’m also a little clumsy and shaky-handed when it comes to eyeliner, so it’s probably user error again. It does go on nice and dark though and the ingredient list on both is great.
Bellapierre Shimmer Powder – 2.35 g / $15 – (Product is Full Size) The color I received is, “Jadoo,” described as a burgundy with gold shimmer. I’d probably call it more of a Merlot sort of color – it’s more purple than red I think, but it is very heavily pigmented and yet again, the perfect color for fall. Remember the vanilla lip balm from last month? Yeah, this pigment will mix with that and create a really pretty lip color. Or you use it with the clear eyeliner and make a gorgeous eyeliner color. So many possibilities and I love the tie in to the last box.

Overall we have 7 products or 6 if you count the eyeliner duo as a set with a total value of $100.44! The box costs $29.95 per month for a month-to-month subscription, so the value is over 3 times the cost of even the month-to-month subscription! This is the first time we’ve had non-makeup products in the box, the hair oil and the aromatherapy spray, but honestly, I’m completely okay with that since the hair oil is absolutely perfect and while I didn’t like the scent of the aromatherapy oil, I do like the idea. Well done, Benevolent Beauty, this month is phenomenal and somehow the boxes keep getting better and better. Excited to see what you come up with for next month!

Subscription Boxes

Espionage Cosmetics Nexus – October 2016

By Sheetar 21 September 2016 21 September 2016

The theme for October’s Espionage Cosmetics Nexus shipment was, “Clever Girl,” which promised, “designs perfect for the adventurer gearing up for the ride of their lives through the age of the dinosaurs!” I’d say they absolutely nailed it this month, and while the designs both feature a nod to the Jurassic period, they’re completely different which is going to make deciding which is my favorite this month pretty hard.

Hatchlings – With a subtitle of, “Not The Mama!” from a show I remember and love, these glossy wraps feature lizard eyes and claws breaking out of a brown eggshell base. The details are fantastic from the crack lines to the colors of what lies inside. Really a fun way to show off the theme!
This Land – Another glossy nail wrap with a variety of flora and fauna, and a play on a scene from Firefly. I love the bonus subtle nerd content that goes beyond the actual dinosaurs on the wrap! Little Tyrannosaurus Rex and Stegosauruses march across the nail wraps with an accent wrap of green and purple leaves and flowers.

I’d say the EC team proved themselves as the ultimate Clever Girls this month – the tie in to Firefly was phenomenal and I didn’t see that one coming at all (though, DUH). The nail wraps cost $10 each on the Espionage Cosmetics website, so the value far exceeds the cost of the $15 month-to-month subscription. Subscribers then vote on their favorite of the two and the victor goes into regular sale on the website. That means that the other nail wrap ends up being a Nexus exclusive, never to be produced again! In case you’re thinking about subscribing and want to send me some love, hit up my referral link!

Subscription Boxes

Sephora Play! September 2016

By Sheetar 18 September 2016 18 September 2016

September’s Sephora Play! is here! The theme this month was, “The Unbasic Basics,” which is a little nebulous of a theme, so I had no idea what they were going to include or what one would even consider an unbasic basic. Clear brow gel is pretty basic, black eyeliner is pretty basic.. I don’t know. Still, it’s fun to get this box, and it’s a great value for the price point.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner – .7 mL / $20 – (Product is .2 mL, value of $5.71) Okay, so I’ve heard great things about Kat Von D cosmetics and I’ve been itching to try this liner for a while. The color I received is “Trooper,” a satin black. The formula goes on smooth with a very fine point and dries nearly instantly – doesn’t transfer and really seems to stay put for a long time. I’m SO clumsy and shaky-handed when it comes to liner, but this just goes on so easily, it’s like I can’t mess it up. I just may have to spring for the full size eventually, I like it that much. It’s vegan and cruelty free, but it does contain parabens unfortunately.
Anastasia Brow Gel – 8.5 mL / $22 – (Product is 2.5 mL, value of $6.47) I use a tinted brow product that adds fullness to eyebrows since I have super thin brows and prefer that over a pencil and brow gel combo. I really need the product that has little fibers in it that stick to your hairs and create fullness since I really don’t like the look of pencilled in brows. I’ve used samples of this before, and it’s okay, but I probably would’ve preferred the tinted version since it saves time, and I only need one product instead of two.
Living Proof Night Cap – 4 oz / $28 – (Product is 1 oz, value of $7) This is the only product I have absolutely no interest in. I have curly hair and do a low to no shampoo routine. The product sheet advertises that this is effective for up to 5 shampoos, even if you use a clarifying shampoo which means it builds up in your hair deliberately. This is really bad for a no/low shampoo regimen since you’ll probably never be able to get it out of your hair without using harsh, sulfated shampoos (a no-no for dry, curly hair). The ingredient list shows an acrylate at ingredient # 2, two sulfates, and a bunch of petroleum-based ingredients. Basically, this is a HARD PASS for me and my curly hair.
Dr. Jart Water Drop Moisturizer – 3.3 oz / $36 – (Product is 1 oz, value of $10.91) I had to try this right away since any product meant to hydrate dry skin is exactly what I’m interested in! The formula is really unique – it squeezes out like a matte silicone-based makeup primer, but the second you start rubbing it into your skin, it changes texture and turns into a liquid. It’s really interesting! Not what I expected at all. Immediately after application, it feels a little sticky but then dries and nearly disappears, leaving behind no discernible residue or oil, and there’s no scent to it either. This would probably be great for under makeup since it feels a lot like a makeup primer. My face did feel a little dry/tight after using it, but not as bad as just doing soap/water and not putting on a moisturizer. I’d probably still have to follow up with an overnight heavy-duty face serum to keep my skin hydrated enough, but honestly, this is a great product to put under makeup since it finishes so nice and matte.
Sephora Rouge Shine Lipstick – .13 oz / $12.50 – (Product is .035 oz, value of $3.37) I received the color, “Love Spell,” which is a pale warm pink. There’s a whopping 5/8ths of an inch of product in there which, okay Sephora, I know this is a sample box, but this is your own store-brand line and we couldn’t get a full-sized lipstick here? The color goes on rather sheer which is actually alright considering how pale of a shade this is – it’s far too light for my skin tone (pale on pale is just SO attractively corpse-like) – so it ends up that a sheer pinky nude isn’t that terrible since my natural lip color comes out more than the lipstick color. The formula is also pretty glossy and shiny for a lipstick, and it almost feels more gloss-like than lipstick-like, but wants to clump up on any dry spots and just stick in patches where it feels like it. Fun to try, and at the end of the day, I’m almost glad this was a teensy little sample because I’m just not that wowed by it.
Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Verte Eau de Parfum – 1.7 oz / $95 – (Product is .05 oz, value of $2.79) The card backing for the sample says this is, “A Tomboy and Easygoing Mix.” No. Just no. The first scents that come to your brain when you think tomboy aren’t going to be Jasmine or Lily of the Valley. This smells more like a flower shop exploded than like a tomboy who’s been playing football, rock climbing, or having whisky and a cigar with the guys. It’s just not evocative at all of anything tomboyish – it’s really rather girly and light. I absolutely loathe jasmine and floral scents in general so this really doesn’t do it for me. The citrus twist is refreshing, but the overpowering note is the lily of the valley, and it’s just too much for me. Yet again though, I like getting these samples even if they’ve all been misses because they’re fun to try, and maybe one of them will eventually be one I like!

Overall the value comes to $36.25, and for a box that costs $10.60 per month (including tax), that’s a really good cost to value ratio! The only thing I won’t be using at all is the Living Proof product, but everything else is alright. My stand-out product is definitely the Kat Von D liner and I’m SO glad I got to try that, and between the liner and the moisturizer, my box value is well covered. Looking forward to next month!