ipsy - Dec 2012

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

Click below for more on this month's bag.

Birchbox - Dec 2012

{Here's what was in this month's box}:
Juliette Has a Gun - Mad Madame (scent)
Miss Jessie's Original - Pillow Soft
Model Co - SHINE Ultra Lip Gloss in Berry Pink
NUXE - Reve de Miel Facial cleansing and makeup removing gel
**Extra: Chuao Chocolatier

Juliette Has a Gun - Mad Madame (scent)

The packaging for this perfume was pretty unique, as far as my experience with perfumes goes. The sample came in a small, softly textured envelope that reminded me of a fancy invitation. It was a bit strong for me; Mad Madame was very musky. Almost like a woman's aftershave, if that makes sense. Not the scent for me - it actually made me a bit dizzy!

Miss Jessie's Original - Pillow Soft

Although I love Miss Jessie's products, I was disappointed to receive this sample in the box. For those of you who don't know, you can currently get such samples from Miss Jessie's website for FREE with FREE shipping, hence the "Free" written on the sample itself. So what's wrong with a few extra samples from Miss Jessie's? Well, if I'm paying for a monthly subscription, I want the samples I get to be of something I can't just as easily obtain myself. 

Model Co - SHINE Ultra Lip Gloss in Berry Pink

This lip gloss was actually one of (the only?) plus this month. While I don't wear a ton of lip gloss, this one was surprisingly nice. In the tube, it looks a lot brighter than it actually displays in person. On me, it is very sheer and natural looking. It's something I'd use to layer over a lipstick to give it a subtle shiny effect. Also, it tastes like MARSHMALLOWS!! That was pretty sweet. 

NUXE - Reve de Miel Facial cleansing and makeup removing gel

I have yet to try this cleanser. I've been waiting for a particularly makeup heavy night to try it. It does smell very nice. At first, I was a bit dismissive of the scent. It smelled a bit like generic body wash. But on the second smell test (boy, does that perfume scent linger), the cleanser has a very nice honey scent to it. I can't wait to see how this reacts on my skin.  

**Extra: Chuao Chocolatier

These were pretty delicious! Not sure that I would purchase in store, however. 

This month's Birchbox was quite a bit disappointing. It felt very sparse and I wasn't very excited about what I received (although I did devour that chocolate--I seem to be hungry every time I get these boxes, sorry).

You can subscribe to Birchbox through my referral link {here} or go to Birchbox.com

What did you think of December's Birchbox? Were you disappointed, too? What makes you stick with a subscription service?

-Claudia

Christmas Nails - Doe, a Deer, and Much, Much More

I've been seeing some really great Christmas nail pictures (xxx) and I was so inspired I thought I'd try my hand at it. Here are some pictures of my nails -- can you tell I couldn't decide on one design?
{Nail polish I used}: 
Base coat - Essie "Protein Base Coat"
Essie "She's Pampered" (red)
Sinful Colors "Snow Me White" (white)
Essie "Good as Gold" (gold)
Confetti "Ice Ice Baby" (glitter)
Reindeer face - mix of Sinful Colors "Innocent" and Essie "She's Pampered" (4:1)
NYC "Canal Street" (brown)
Wet n Wild "Ebony Hates Chris" (black)
Top coat - Essie "Good to Go"

Ah! The dreaded left hand...

They're a bit sloppy, but this is only my second attempt at an elaborate nail design and I had so much fun doing this. Hope you guys liked!

Have you done any fun nail art for the holidays? Please share!

-Claudia

Personal Post

Before any new posts, I wanted to say something personal here. I hope you guys don't mind.

-

Last week, I lost my little brother. He was only 20 years old. I won't go into the details of his death, other than to say that he was the victim of a drive-by shooting. He died in the arms of his best friend.

The news article of his death was posted on a neighborhood blog I follow and I was surprised by both the support and accusatory posts I read.

Most people assumed that, because he was "Mexican" and "in a gang" he deserved what he got. Well, he's not Mexican and he was not in a gang. He was a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

After having gone through this horror, I can't say that if he was in a gang it would have been deserved. I don't understand how anyone could be so callous as to say something like that.

I think it's easier for people to accept these kinds of deaths when they are "deserved,"but I don't think ANYONE deserves to go that way.

The priest who spoke at one of his prayer services put it best: "living in this neighborhood, we see death so often that it becomes normal to us. While it may be normal, it's important to remember that it is not natural. It is not natural for parents to bury their children."

My brother was a GOOD person. I realize that now more than I did then. He had so many people in his corner who loved him and tried to pull him out of this neighborhood.

I can only hope and pray that he is in a much better place now. He left us much, much too early.

R.I.P. Freddy

Hanging in there

I know I said I'd be posting soon, but things have been really rough lately. I hope that you guys will understand--I have some personal things going on right now, but I haven't abandoned this blog.

I hope you're all doing well.

-Claudia

Fall Beauty Must-Haves

Fall has always been my favorite season. The changing colors of leaves and the slow transition to cold weather have always resonated with me. I find a lot of inspiration in the soft golds and violet reds of fall (in case you haven't noticed I tend to use gold a lot in my looks). Plus, we get to pull out those chunky sweaters, which I love oh so much.

Here are some of my current go-to items for this Fall season.

Origins Zero Oil deep pore cleanser
Smith's Rosebud Salve (lip moisturizer)
MAC lipstick in Rebel
Laura Mercier shimmerbloc in Golden Mosaic
Organix Moroccan Argan Oil for hair

Origins Zero Oil deep pore cleanser:

This is a great cleanser for oily-skin. My skin tends to be on the dry side, but has been oilier lately. When you use a bit too many exfoliants and it makes your skin produce more oil to compensate. I'd been using an exfoliating face wash that was meant to be used daily, but was a bit too harsh for my skin. Origin's Zero Oil deep pore cleanser is very lightweight, but gets the job done. It also smells great!

Smith's Rosebud Salve:

I absolutely love this stuff. I'll admit, I've never been the kind of girl to shell out over $5 for a lip balm. Chapstick has always worked just fine for my lips and no other balm has ever out-performed it. Well, I found myself at Sephora one day without my beloved Chapstick and had no choice but to pick something up -- it was HOT and my lips were very dry. Since then, Smith's Rosebud Salve has been a purse staple, especially during the colder months.

MAC lipstick in Rebel:

I have not yet taken a lip picture that does this lipstick justice. Rebel is the perfect plum-red lip for Fall. If applied the regular way, it can be very bold and in your face. I also like to tone it down by lightly pressing it to my lips so that it becomes almost like a lip stain. While there are dupes out there for this one (I own a few), they just don't do this color justice in my opinion. 

Laura Mercier shimmerbloc -  Golden Mosaic:

I like to use this bronzer/highlighter to add more definition to my face and to add a quick pop of color on the go. I use this all over my face, not only to define, but also as an eyeshadow.

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil for hair:

My hair gets pretty dry during Fall, which makes it pretty difficult to style. I've found that for my type of hair, thick and wavy/curlified, serums or oils make it more manageable. I've loved Organix for years, but only recently purchased this oil. I use it after every shower and while I style my hair. For all my hairy struggling friends, this makes a huge difference.

What are your fall beauty must-haves?

-Claudia

ipsy (formerly MyGlam) - Oct 2012

{What was in this month's bag}:
theBalm What's Your Type? "the body builder" Mascara
Mirenesse Lip Bomb Glossy Lacquer Lip Stain
be a bombshell Eye Liner
Coastal Scents Eyeshadow mini quad
Pequi Oil Treatment

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

theBalm What's Your Type? "the body builder" Mascara

Another of theBalm's mascaras recently became one of my favorites, so I was super excited to see this mascara in this month's bag. 

Mirenesse Lip Bomb Glossy Lacquer Lip Stain

I was sent the lip bomb in color 4. It's a bold mauve-y pink that I'm surprised really works on me, haha. Pink is often a tough color for me to pull off, because my skin has yellow/warm/olive undertones. The lip gloss (?) is not too heavy or sticky, which I prefer when it comes to glosses. 

be a bombshell Eye Liner

I'm not sure how I feel about this one just yet. While it is a very pigmented liner, the application tip is very thick which I think may make it more difficult for me to apply. It seems like it would be very long lasting (without primer!), because it was pretty hard to remove it after having just swatched it on my hand. This one is still up in the air for me.

Coastal Scents Eyeshadow mini quad

I never expected to receive a full mini quad from MyGlam. I'm really happy they chose to send a variety of colors from Coastal Scents instead of just one. I received Set 1, which has the colors Cloud White, Paris Green, Reef Blue, and Thunderous. I'm glad I received a set of blue-green colors that I wouldn't normally purchase. 

Pequi Oil Treatment

This oil treatment has a soft almost honey-like scent, which is very relaxing. The sample bottle contains a stopper, which I think is great! This is a sample I can take with me on the go, without fear that it'll spill inside my purse. 

I loved this month's bag. I can see myself using each of the items that were included and the bag...the BAG! I'm in love with the bag itself.

You can purchase an ipsy subscription {here}.

What did you think of this month's ipsy bag?

-Claudia

Birchbox - Oct 2012

{What was in this month's box}:
Ouidad Hydrafusion Intense Curl Cream
Sprout Lip Balm Flights
Supergoop! City Sunscreen Serum
(MALIN+GOETZ) Grapefruit Face Cleanser
(MALIN+GOETZ) Bergamot Body Wash
LUNA Bar

Click below to read my review!

FOTD - Bronze Flare

Here's a look I wore for a date night with the husband. I tried winging out my eyeshadow more than usual to create a more dramatic eye. Hope you don't mind the messy hair, I hadn't gotten started on that!

FACE

Korres face primer

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation in "I'm so Glamber"/Amber

MAC Pro-longwear Concealer in NW35

MAC blush in Coppertone

Laura Mercier shimmer bloc in Golden Mosaic

MAC Fix+ spray

EYES

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

Swagger Cosmetics in Tranny Chaser

Too Faced Glamour to Go Fairy Edition palette (bronze golden color)

Inglot eyeshadows in 335 (dark matte rust-orange), 325 (deep violet)

MAC Trax, Soft Brown, Ricepaper

MAC Brun for eyebrows

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack

Elf shimmer eyeliner pencil in Bronze

Avon glimmerstick in Sugar Plum
Urban Decay eyeliner in Zero

theBalm mascara in Cheater!

LIPS 

ELF lipstick in Classy

-Claudia

Birchbox - Sept 2012

{What was in this month's box}:

Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25+
The Brush Guard variety pack
Fekkai Essential Shea shampoo and conditioner
Birchbox and Color Club custom collection nail polish in "Put a Pin in it"
twistband Lace up for Fall
BVLGARI Mon Jasmin Noir

Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25+

If only this weren't tinted, it would be a nice moisturizer. Unfortunately, it's a pretty noticeable too-light color for my face. 

The Brush Guard variety pack

The Brush Guard! I think for some subscribers this item was a bit of a question mark. I've actually purchased a few of these in the past and love them. I don't use them every time I wash my brushes, but there is a difference in the way the brush dries. I feel it stays truer to form when the brush guard is used, but don't always use it because it takes longer for the brushes to dry. I do appreciate receiving this mini pack!

Fekkai Essential Shea shampoo and conditioner

I'm not a big fan of the packet shampoo/conditioner type samples, because I feel a lot of the product gets wasted as it's not easily transported or stored. I have yet to try this duo, but I have positive expectations because I've heard good things about the brand. 

Birchbox and Color Club custom collection nail polish in "Put a Pin in it"

This color is absolutely gorgeous! I was so disappointed when I got it. I did not expect to like it at all--it seemed like just a boring shimmery brown. The polish actually contains these beautiful pink undertones to it that make it one of the most unique brown polishes I've ever owned. I am head over heels for this color!

twistband Lace up for Fall

These don't work for me as my hair is too thick. This twistband has a pretty blue design, but it's not an item I would ever purchase for my hair.

BVLGARI Mon Jasmin Noir

This was a tough scent to describe. It's not quite sweet, not quite floral, not quite overpowering, but somewhat punchy. There was a little bit too much going on for me. Wearing this perfume would make me dizzy, so that's a no go for me. However, this might be something you'd like if you are into stronger scents. 

I was a bit underwhelmed with this box when I received it, but there are actually a few gems in here for me. You won't always get a box you love 100%, but if you get a few samples you love- it could be worth checking out.

You can subscribe to Birchbox through my referral linke {here} or go to Birchbox.com

What did you think of this month's Birchbox? What was in your box?

-Claudia

ipsy (formerly MyGlam) - Sept 2012

Hello again! Being a full time student and working *almost* full time has been kicking my butt lately, which should explain the gap in posts lately. I spent the weekend taking pictures and should have a few things up within the next few days, if not scheduled for later on next month.

MyGlam is now ipsy! I'm not too sure why they decided to change their name (I prefer glammies to ipsters), but I like "ipsy." I think it's a cute and fun name.

Anywho, here's what was in September's ipsy (formerly MyGlam) bag.

{What was in this month's bag}:
London SOHO Smudge Brush
Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Split End Sealer
Mirabella Eyeshadow
Circus by Andrea's Choice nail polish in Tightrope

Subscription purchased by me, affiliate links within post

London SOHO Smudge Brush

I was super excited to receive this brush in the September ipsy bag. I know I've mentioned it before, but I am not a stickler about which brushes I use. While there is a noticeable difference in quality between brush brands, I will find a use for any brush you toss at me. I've never heard rave reviews of this brand, so I was expecting the brush to be lower quality. I was wrong! This brush is pretty dense and perfect for smudging or blending eyeshadow. The only downside to this brush is the length: it's a very long brush. Other than that, I'm very interested to see what else London SOHO has to offer within their brush line.

Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Split End Sealer

My hair has been varying degrees of dry since the start of the beginning of Fall. Products I've used in the past haven't been cutting it, so I'm glad the ipsy girls included this split end conditioner. In the tube it smells like generic lotion, but on my hair it smells a bit more like a soft, sweet perfume. I really like that it doesn't have an overpowering sent, which oftentimes can be a turn off for me. The conditioner seems to work, which I can say is a bigger plus than the awesome sent, haha. I had never tried Carol's Daughter products, but I had heard of the brand. Possible new favorite hair brand?

Mirabella Eyeshadow in Semiformal

A few people were complaining that the shadow doesn't come with its own compact case. Personally, I don't mind because I have empty Elf and Z-Palette...palettes that I can use to store this shadow. I wish ipsy had given out a wider variety of Mirabella's shadows, because I'm not sure this is one that will work on all skintones, particularly darker ones. It does seem to be one of those chameleon shades that change based on skin tone. On my dark olive skin tone, it reminds me of a subdued, pink version of MAC's Amber Lights. I think it's a beautiful shade.

Circus by Andrea's Choice nail polish in Tightrope

By now I own nearly all of Andrea's Circus collection. I actually think it's really cool that Andrea included her newly launched nail polish line in ipsy's lineup. I've just started getting into nail polish and the colors I've received throughout the past few months are not colors I would have ever picked up myself. This last nail polish, Tightrope, is hard to describe! It's a deep yet neon fuchsia, purple toned color that I think you can only appreciate in person. My camera did not do this color justice. I absolutely love it, but have yet to paint anything other than my nail wheel because I'm afraid it will stain my nails. Haha. I'm appreciating it from afar right now. I'll update this post in a few weeks--once my Space Nails mani wears out--and let you guys know if it stained or not.

Overall, another great bag. I wish they'd picked a cuter design for their bag, but the black is classy anywho. I'm not sure I should keep writing these roundups at the end, because for the past few months ipsy/myglam has been phenomenal. 

You can purchase an ipsy subscription {here}.

What do you think of ipsy's bags lately? Do you think they're improving?

-Claudia

NOTD - Space Nails!

Hello all! I've been wearing nail polish pretty often lately and have been looking around for some neat tutorials to try out. I found this one on the space nails trend by Cutepolish that I decided to try out a few days ago. My nails still need a bit of cleaning up on the sides, but I wanted to show you guys because I'm pretty proud of how the design turned out.

I used quite a few nail polishes for this look (you can view Cutepolish's tutorial on this nail to get more details). 

{What I used}:

Cosmetic sponge

Tweezers

Essie protein base coat

Wet n Wild Ebony Hates Chris (black)

Wet n Wild 449c (white)

L'Oreal After Hours (dark blue, swatch above)

NYC Lexington Yellow

ZOYA Shelby (pastel, bubblegum pink)

Sinful Colors in Nail Junkie (blue-green with loads of glitter, swatch above)

Confetti Ice Ice Baby (glitter with white and blue flecks)

Essie Good to Go top coat

"Space Nails" doesn't sound as chic as "Galaxy Nails," but I like the sillyness Space Nails brings. There is no filter on the nail picture -- just thought I should toss that out there! I'll post a cleaner picture of my nails soon. Hope you liked them!

Have you tried the Space Nails trend? Share your pictures!

-Claudia

FOTD - Goldilocks

Yet another FOTD! I recently purchased MAC's Rubenesque paint pot (review to come later) after months of drooling over it. I used it today in this look I wore to school. Hope you guys like!

I swear I'm not driving here! I just had half an hour to kill till class started.

FACE

Korres face primer
Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation in "I'm so Glamber"/ Amber
MAC Pro-longwear Concealer in NW35
MAC blush in Coppertone and Desert Rose
Laura Mercier shimmer bloc in Golden Mosaic
MAC Fix+ spray

EYES
MAC paint pot in Rubenesque
MAC Woodwinked, Expensive Pink, Mulch, Swiss Chocolate
theBalm mineral eyeshadow in You Buy, I'll Fly
Urban Decay eyeliners in Whiskey and Zero
MAC Brun for eyebrows
theBalm mascara in Cheater!

LIPS
theBalm Stainiac

I've been obsessed with gold lately, have you noticed? Don't worry. This'll be the last golden look for a while.

Do you wear makeup to school?

-Claudia

FOTD - Golden Yellow Eye

I decided to go all out with a yellow eye look today. I had been wanting to try this look out for quite some time after I saw a model with a similar look on Sephora. I think the liner should've been way more dramatic, but I'm still learning how to apply it!

FACE

Maybelline Dream Fresh beauty balm in Medium/Deep

Laura Mercier Shimmer bloc in Golden Mosaic

MAC Pro-longwear concealer in NW35

Benefit Highbeam

MAC blush in Sunbasque and Desert Rose

EYES

Urban Decay primer potion in Original

NYX Jumbo eye pencil in Milk

MAC Soft Brown and Ricepaper

Inglot 60 (a very subtly shimmery, bright golden yellow)

MAC fluidline in Blacktrack

theBalm mascara in Cheater!

MAC Brun for eyebrows

LIPS

MAC Studio Sculpt concealer in NW30

MAC Honeylove

MAC Lustreglass in Love Nectar

****These lips are too light for the look, but I didn't realize that until afterward. I tan so easily. This color does not work on me right now, haha.

Hope you guys enjoyed the eye look as much as I did! Here it is from a different sun angle.


-Claudia

FOTD - Sweet Gold

Here's a look I wore for going out with my hubby. I decided to put a spin on my usual goldy look by adding some cranberry to it. I didn't take pictures until much later on in the day, so the pictures don't quite do it justice. I may redo this one down the line, because I loved how it turned out. :)

FACE

Korres Face primer

Mac Pro-longwear concealer in NW35

Benefit Hellow Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation in "I'm So Glamber"/Amber

Benefit Highbeam highlighter

MAC blush in Desert Rose and Sweet as Cocoa

Laura Mercier shimmer bloc in Golden Mosaic

Urban Decay All-nighter setting spray

EYES

Urban Decay primer potion in Original

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Gold Shimmer

MAC Patina, Woodwinked, Mulch, Antiqued, Swiss Chocolate, Ricepaper, and Soft Brown

Urban Decay Hustle

theBalm mineral eyeshadow in You Buy, I'll Fly

MAC fluidline in Blacktrack

theBalm mascara in Cheater!

MAC Brun for eyebrows

LIPS

MAC Lustreglass in Love Nectar

Here's a picture of my cat, Logan and I. He doesn't care too much for pictures.

-Claudia

Review: Boscia's Luminizing Black Skin Care Kit

Happy Labor Day! 

Here's a lovely picture of what I did today:

A few weeks ago, I stopped by a Sephora in J.C. Penney on the way home from school. I'd never been to one of these, so I was curious to see what they carried. I was pretty lucky to find the last box of Boscia's Luminizing Black Skin Care Kit. I was even given a small discount, because the box was a little dinged up. Thanks, Sephora!! :)

Ever since trying out Boscia's amazing black cleanser, I've been dying to try out some of the other products they carry. At $25, this box was pretty inexpensive for the chance to try out three of their top items.

{The box came with}:
Luminizing Black Mask
Pore Purifying Black Strips
No Pores No Shine T-Zone Treatment

Luminizing Black Mask

I've wanted to try this guy since they first announced it a few...months? a while?...ago. After using this mask, my skin does feel a bit softer and cleaner. The mask hardened quite a bit, while it was drying. Also, it wasn't easy to remove this peel-off mask. I would suggest simply washing it off instead. The only downside is that it does have a chemical smell to it.

Pore Purifying Black Strips

These are pretty great! I've used two (the kit included three) and they've worked well both times. I'm not sure if these are worth the splurge. I think they work just as well as the Biore Strips. 

No Pores No Shine T-Zone Treatment

I've never used an anti-shine blackhead treatment, so this was a first for me. The treatment was really tingly. Does that mean it's working? Well, I can't say that I've noticed a difference, because I've only used it once. I will report back on this later. 

While this kit has since been discontinued, the full size versions of these are still available and Sephora has always been very generous with their samples.

Have you tried any of Boscia's Black Skincare line? What did you think?

-Claudia

Three Months of Glossybox

Glossybox was the first sample service I ever heard of. Back then, it was solely based internationally. So when I heard it was coming to the US, I jumped to subscribe. I was initially pretty impressed with US Glossybox. But as it gained subscribers, it began to have more than a few hiccups. From double charges to shipping mishaps and bad customer service, there are more than a few bad stories online. While I did want to stay with the service, as I did with Myglam, and wait for the service to get better, ultimately I decided that the problems occurring with Glossybox are going to take more than a few months to get together. It was mainly the bad customer service that convinced me to wait to resubscribe further down the line.

{May-June Glossybox}

What was in this month's box:
Zoya nail polish in Shelby
Phyto Phytojoba hydrating mask
Marvis Whitening Mint toothpaste
Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Refreshing Hydra-gel
Burberry Lip Mist Natural sheer lipstick in Copper No.202

The Overview Review:

This first box was surprisingly great. When it comes to sample services, I never expect to be blown away by everything included. Well, I was blown away by every item included this month. I especially loved that the theme was "Beauty Around the World." While I had heard of some of these brands, there was only one product included that I had previously tried - the Phyto hair mask, which was already a win because I love Phyto products.

I loved how the toothpaste whitened my teeth in just a few uses, but also didn't have an overpoweringly minty taste like some popular brands tend to have. The polish is absolutely beautifully pink and, for someone who doesn't have a lot of nail polishes, a must have color. I was excited to try out the Burberry lipstick, as I've never tried out or had any of their products. The lipstick color is so sheer, however, that I just don't see myself shelling out to buy this. I really wish they'd sent out a more pigmented/crazy color. The Amore Pacific moisturizing gel was very lightweight and, as always, I am very grateful when sample services send out a bigger size to test out skin care items.

All in all, this was a WONDERFUL box and I was super excited to have made it as a subscriber just in time for this box. I definitely see myself purchasing Marvis' whitening toothpaste and a few other Zoya polishes after testing these.

{June-July Glossybox}

What was in this month's box:
AHAVA Mineral Botanic Hibiscus & Fig Velvet Cream Wash
First Aid Beauty Fab Smooth Shave Cream
OFRA Cosmetics eye shadow in Goldilocks
VBeaute in Lite Up, Buying Time, and Eye Never
WELLA Enrich moisturizing treatment
Urban Organic - A Perfume Organic

The Overview Review:
This box was OK.

The AHAVA body wash doesn't have the most pleasant smell. It's a bit too musky for me. I did try it out on my hands and has a nice texture, but it's not a product I would use on my body because my skin is sensitive to perfumed skin care. I ended up giving both bottles away to family, which they did enjoy. I've been obsessed with the golden/yellow eye and so I was ecstatic to receive OFRA's eyeshadow in Goldilocks. I used it as a base for golden eyeshadows and it worked wonderfully. I would really like to try out more of their shadows. I have yet to try out WELLA's hair mask, because that Phyto one is still going, haha. This mask has a scent similar to L'Oreal brand hair products--which I like--and is not too strong. I have heard great things about this brand, however, so I can't wait to try this one and see how that goes. I've seen First Aid Beauty products around, but have never picked any up. I don't typically use shaving creams, because my skin doesn't react well to them. I'm glad this shave cream was included, because it worked wonderfully! I've been using this exclusively (instead of hope and water) and will purchase this after it runs out. As for the VBeaute items...I haven't tested them and I'm not sure that I will. The samples are so tiny, there is no way for me to know with certainty how my skin will react to them after an extended period of time. I would not purchase skin care after trying it out in such a small sample.

My second Glossybox was a mixture of highs and lows. Upon receiving the box, I found the AHAVA sample had spilled and drenched the rest of my box. I knew there was something wrong when I could smell the box before opening, haha. After reading a few reviews of this month's box online, I found I was far from the only one to have experienced this. I emailed their customer service and received a reply over a week later. I was then sent a replacement AHAVA sample the next month and AHAVA themselves actually sent out a coupon to subscribers. I did find a few items that I liked from this box, but there were also some disappointments. At this point, I was getting increasingly nervous about the bad reviews the company was getting online and the disappointing items had more weight on my decision to make the next month's box my last.

{July-August Glossybox}

What was in this month's box:
Alessandro International Pedix Heel Rescue Balm
OFRA Cosmetics Universal eyebrow pencil
Sebastian Professional Color Ignite Multi Tone Shampoo and Conditioner
Senna Cosmetics Double Dose Lip Lacquer
Caswell-Massey Almond and Aloe Hand & Body Emulsion

The Overview Review:
I was disappointed with the items included this month. They seemed so different from the first box I received. Still, I was determined to look at them with an open mind. I had been wanting a foot sole repair cream and so was looking forward to trying out the one included from Alessandro International. After slathering some on, the first thing that hit me was the smell. It was familiar and strong, in a bad way. It took me a few minutes to place it. When I realized what it reminded me of, I laughed for a solid minute. I don't know if this is what it usually smells like, if I got a bad batch, or if my skin chemistry just does not work with it. It reminds me of cat pee. So that was a pretty huge letdown there, haha. I just can't use a product that smells like cat pee. No matter how good it is.

The Sebastian Professional shampoo and conditioner were another disappointment. I'm not sure why these are marketed for Color treated hair, when all they do is strip the color. This duo was actually a bit infuriating, because the ingredients do the complete opposite of what the brand claims. The mousse-like texture and smell of the conditioner were not great, either. The conditioner smells awful. I did end up using this duo quite a bit to color correct a bad dye job. I had dyed my hair a much too bright red. In just TWO uses of the duo, my hair was very noticeably duller.

The Senna Cosmetics lip gloss was OK, but not a shade that I would wear. I have yet to try the Caswell-Massey hand and body emulsion packets, because after the previous flops in the box I'm a bit wary to try out some more skincare right now.

I'm happy to have made this box my last. It was pretty disappointing, except for the brow product from OFRA--OFRA again?? I really need to check them out! Out of a box of six items, this was the only item I liked. Although, I don't agree with the "universal" color. This is a brown color that will not work on red haired or blonde girls.



Will I ever resubscribe to Glossybox? Maybe further down the line, but not at all anytime soon.


What do you think about Glossybox US? Have you subscribed?

-Claudia