Category: Subscription Boxes

Walmart Fall 2018 Beauty Box Subscription Review

nightmareb4

Walmart Beauty Box

Cost: $5

Cycle: Every Quarter/Season

What is it: Every season Walmart sends out a box of samples and sometimes coupons in their “free” subscription box. The box is a flat shipping rate of $5 and the box is considered free.  There are two categories of boxes “Trendsetter” which you receive if you provide a birth date that has you aged at under 35 and “Classic” if you provide a birth date that has you aged above 35.

This is oddly one of my favorite sub boxes I get because you never really know what you are going to get sometimes its amazing and sometimes its just good but the stuff is always affordable if you fall in love with it and easy to get. There were a lot of products this month.

My camera is kinda on the fritz so bare with these really eh pictures.

Normally Walmart sends boxes that are really high quality with a lid and pretty designs that are good to reuse but this month it was just a normal not high quality shipping type box.

Biore Charcoal Cleansing Micellar Water

Full Size: 295 ml

Full Size Cost: $6.47

Sample Size: 73 ml

Total Value: $1.60

I don’t like micellar water but I do love charcoal so I will give this a whirl but I have a feeling I am not going to like it. This is such a cute little bottle though and would be a perfect little travel size.

Hello Activated Charcoal Whitening Toothpaste

Full Size: 4 oz

Full Size Cost: $4.82

Sample Size: 1 oz

Total Value: $1.21

I love charcoal toothpaste a lot and I really enjoy the taste and texture of Hello toothpaste so this is a great thing for me I am all about it. I feel like charcoal really does clean and whiten my teeth.

Kleenex Wet Wipes

Full Size: 24 wipes

Full Size Cost: $1.49

Sample Size: 1 wipe

Total Value: $0.06

So we got a little pack of these in last seasons box and this season we are getting a little single use one. I like to keep these in the car for those inevitable messes that occur when you pretty much live in your car. These are a fine wet wipe nothing special does its job.

Soo Ae My Collagen Hydrogel Lip Patch

Full Size: 1 Lip Patch

Full Size Cost: $2.50

Sample Size: 1 Lip Patch

Total Value: $2.50

I like lip patches like this they are soothing and moisturizing and usually taste good. This has strawberry, blueberry, bearberry (wtf?) cranberry and blackberry extracts so I have high hopes for this.

Cetaphil Hydrating Eye-Gel Cream

Full Size: 14 ml

Full Size Cost: $7.73

Sample Size: 2 ml

Total Value: $1.10

I love testing out new eye creams trying to find one that actually seems to do something.

Nivea Aloe Vera Body Lotion

Full Size: 500 ml

Full Size Cost: $5.48

Sample Size: 4 ml

Total Value: $0.04

This was very sticky and smelled very aloey which I didn’t like. I can say that this was just about one full body worth of application like maybe needed on more ml so I guess you get alot of worth for your money out of this lotion. Idk.

La Bella Smoothing Shampoo

Full Size: 22 oz

Full Size Cost: $2.64

Sample Size: 0.25 oz

Total Value: $0.03

I weirdly don’t trust this shampoo because of how cheap it is and I have never heard of it before maybe that’s snobby but I already rarely use real shampoo so that is me.

La Bella Max Hold Styling Gel

Full Size: 35.3 oz

Full Size Cost: $2.82

Sample Size: 0.25 oz

Total Value: $0.02

I don’t use gel but my gf does so I am gonna make her use this and see what she thinks.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Very Black

Full Size: 12.7 ml

Full Size Cost: $4.44

Sample Size: 4.5 ml

Total Value: $1.57

I have never tried this. This was the mascara my mother used for like my whole life like this is the iconic standard of mascara so it’ll be pretty fun to try this and see if it is as good as all the mascaras I use.

Maybelline Master Precise All Day Liquid Liner in Black

Full Size: 0.9 ml

Full Size Cost: $7.99

Sample Size: 0.6 ml

Total Value: $5.33

This wasn’t as black as I would want but it was easy to use. Also almost a full size product and pairs pretty well with the mascara.

Freeman Hydrating Cactus and Cloudberry Water Gel Mask

Full Size: 0.5 oz

Full Size Cost: $1.37

Sample Size: 0.5 oz

Total Value: $1.37

I love this so so much. This is a leave on/sleeping mask. It smells nice it feels super cool and hydrating on the skin but didn’t leave me sticky. I think I am going to have to buy a full size tube of this. I love freeman masks they are really great and most of them come in these packets as well as big tubes. This also has plenty of product in it I should be able to get 2 more uses out of it.

Once again really happy with this box it is so fun to open I don’t I just really like it. It is well worth the $5 to me I really encourage you to try it out.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $14.83

Skincare: 4

Makeup: 2

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 2

Perfume: 0

Other: 3

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 2

Deluxe Sample: 2

Sample: 7

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Macy’s Beauty Box September 2018 Subscription Box Review

nightmareb4

Macy’s Beauty Box

Cost: $15

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: So Macy’s has hopped on the subscription box bandwagon and this is their first box. Every month you will get a bag, a $5 off coupon (sometimes $10), 5 deluxe samples and 1 bonus sample. Why not just say 6? I don’t get it.

All the brands will be brands you can find in Macy’s which is cool they sell Mac and a lot of other brands that are never to rarely in subscription boxes.

The cool thing about the coupon is that it is good in stores and online (beauty ships free at Macy’s) also Macy’s does have sales and $5 dollar products so if you are strategic you can score a free product every month. Depending on your state you may still have to pay tax but that is still basically free.

This was a really interesting product selection this month. I am so pleased with this month even though I don’t like or want alot of these products I really liked the interesting and thoughtful curation this month everything felt really themed to the work out theme but all interesting items that you don’t always get.

The bag this month is a large like shoe bag if anyone knows what those are they are a one pull drawstring bag usually for packing shoes but you could put a whole gym outfit in here it is definitely big enough. In high school my best friend and I always used to say this that we don’t sweat we sparkle so I am going to give this to her I think it will be cute for her gym bag or something.

Even a bonus “bonus” sample this month Macy’s is killing it.

Yuni Shower Sheets

Full Size: 12 Sheets

Full Size Cost: $15

Sample Size: 1 Sheet

Value: $1.25

I really like single use shower/refreshing clothes I love them for travel and for keeping in my car stuff like that. I got from one place to another all the time and don’t always have time to go home and freshen up and these are perfect for that. $1.25 a sheet isn’t to bad either if these end up being good. The are also supposed to be pretty large like 10 in by 12 in. So this is a win for me.

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Deodorant

Full Size: 1.7 oz

Full Size Cost: $27

Sample Size: 1 oz

Value: $15.88

Who is buying a $27 dollar deodorant? I would love to know what your life is like. I was initially excited because I mean for real who is ever using or trying these fancy deodorants. But this smells so awful. It is that really strong like really strong I can smell it with the cap closed baby powder old floral perfume smell I just can’t. Love the concept just not the scent.

Dr. Bronner’s 18 in 1 Hemp Peppermint Pure Castile Soap

Full Size: 59 ml (travel size)

Full Size Cost: $3.19

Sample Size: 59 ml

Value: $3.19

This is supposed to be a do it all soap. Wash brushes, skin, hair, your floor, your clothes anything. I will probably only use it to wash my brushes I am not that brave. I do like other Castile soap i have tried so this should be great and it smells really good and pepperminty. I don’t love the crazy over the top religious messaging on the label. I find that really weird that it got included in the box seeing as how polarizing that could be I mean the font is damn tiny and no one probably bothers to read it but it rubbed me the wrong way. I personally feel that serious or controversial topics should be separate from the fun fluffy world of makeup and beauty but thats just me. Boxes and all this are my safe happy reprieve from that stuff so I don’t like it being thrust on me.

Sunday Riley Good Genes

Full Size: 30 ml

Full Size Cost: $105

Sample Size: 5 ml

Value: $17.50

This is like a cult holy grail favorite product of so many people so I am excited to try it. My skin can be a little iffy with lactic acid and its not been behaving the best right now so I am waiting until my skin is a little less irritated to try this so I can see if it works rather than just irritate my skin more.

Clinique Chubby Stick in 07 Super Strawberry

Full Size: 2.8 g

Full Size Cost: $17.50

Sample Size: 1.2 g

Value: $7.50

So good choice for an easy lip product to throw on after the gym. I am not swatching this because I owned and decluttered this so I rather pass this on as well. This is a very strawberry pink tinted balm basically they feel really nice on I just rarely use products like this so I let it go and won’t keep this either. I almost took it as a sign that I should keep it since it came back to me but I came to my senses.

Jimmy Choo Fever Perfume

Full Size: 38 ml

Full Size Cost: $62

Sample Size: 1.2 ml

Value: $1.96

This smells very different but good. It is super strong though like this little vial is probably going to be good for like 5+ uses rather then the 2 I normally get out of these things. It is scented like heavy fruit like lychee and plum so it is a more fall winter type scent which is good for the seasons we are now unfortunately moving into.

Jimmy Choo Man Blue Cologne

Full Size: 100 ml

Full Size Cost: $90

Sample Size: 2 ml

Value: $1.80

As a bonus this month we got a mens cologne. It is a very strong heavy manly scent. My gf loves it though and I always get really excited when I get something I can share with her so this was a nice happy little bonus. 

I was really please and happy with the curation and products this month I thought this was a super awesome box. I am sorry for the lateness of this review but it couldn’t be helped.  This is a very hit or miss subscription the boxes are either really really good or really shit this was a good month.

Total Value: $49.08

Skincare: 1

Makeup: 1

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 2

Other: 3

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 1

Deluxe Sample: 3

Sample: 3

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Boxycharm September 2018 Subscription Box Review

nightmareb4
Boxycharm

Cost: $21

Cycle: Every Month

What is it:

Boxycharm sends out 4 to 5 full size  items every month which makes it really unique among the  boxes I subscribe to.  It is a nice change to get all full size products especially for the reasonable price of $21 which is usually less then the cost of one item in the box.

If you would like to subscribe you can use my referral link HERE. I don’t get anything other then points but would really appreciate it but do as you feel comfortable you are also welcome to use the link in the header that leads to the regular homepage.

You can also review your products and get “charms” which are their versions of points that you can use as money off in their shop.

I was excited for this box when I saw the spoilers but I am really not that happy with it now that I have tried the things in the box.

Laura Geller Baked Blush-n-Brighten in Tropic Hues

Full Size: 4.5 g

Full Size Cost: $28

I am not swatching this because I am going to give it to my mom. I found it weird that this wasn’t in a box when I know for a fact that it comes in a box ad that is a theme for this whole review because there are two other products that I know for a fact come in boxes and that didn’t come in boxes and I find that very suspect.

Alamar Cosmetics The Ojitos Brush Trio

Full Size: 3 brushes

Full Size Cost: $18

These brushes are super pretty and feel really high quality I don’t really use square brushes or giant fluffy crease brushes they just don’t really work for me but these brushes still are really nice.

Butter London Glazen Lustrous Liner

Full Size: 3.5 ml

Full Size Cost: $19

This is kinda crappy first of all it has glitter in it which is odd for a liquid liner but whatever. It is really hard to used and it is like a nice smooth back line it gets like lighter and darker so you have to go over it and then it flakes off if you touch it so that’s a no go for any liner especially a glittery one. Also this is supposed to come in a box too or it used to when I had seen it on shelves a while back. Swatched Below.

Hank & Henry Lip Aesthetic in Petal Pusher

Full Size: 4 ml

Full Size Cost: $17

This is probably my favorite thing in the box but I am really annoyed to see that this is a discontinued product. I really like the color and it is comfortable on the lips with minimal transfer and no smudging the packaging is also really really cute tube containing the product is shaped like a regular bullet lipstick in the square tube which is pretty cool, and the owl face logo is adorable. The huge doe foot also makes it really easy to apply and only picks up just enough to do each part of your lips. Really sad that this is not something I can get in other shades. Swatched Below.

Pretty Vulgar Nightingale Eyeshadow Palette

Full Size: 15.8 g, 12 shades

Full Size Cost: $35

This is ANOTHER product I know comes in a box. I really hate that because you don’t know who’s been touching and opening these products before you got them or where they came from. Also this looks nothing like it does on websites in person. I have the Phoenix palette and this doesn’t feel the same. The shadows are alot stiffer and swatch much different then the color that they appear so alot end up looking like identical shades but with different finishes.

Like you can see the three top shades look different in the pan but swatched they are the same shade just a matte satin and glitter version. and you see the same with the greys and browns as well. The shadows blend well and are not patchy at all but they just don’t feel as nice as the other palette I have from them but they are not bad by any means.

I am truly not happy with this month the whole not getting products in their original complete packaging bothers me from a quality and sanitary respect like I am not so germaphobic like I am gona sanitize them and still use them but I don’t like the degradation in quality I am seeing from Boxycharm. I feel like it is a bit of a ploy to get people to sign up for the new more expensive Luxe box that they are selling now.

Total: $117

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup