Category: Subscription Boxes

Macy’s Beauty Box September 2018 Subscription Box Review

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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

Sephora Play! August 2018 Subscription Box Review

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Sephora Play!

Cost: $10.00 monthly + tax

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month our favorite money sucking store Sephora sends out a curated box of higher end samples to try out.  Every month you receive 5 samples and a perfume sample.  The boxes are customized with a few different variations being sent out each month.

There is a small survey that Sephora has you take that helps Sephora curate a box to your needs. There is also a card included in the box for a complimentary mini makeover (which are complimentary any way so I don’t really get that) and 50 extra points if you purchase something in store.

Really wide variety of products this month, unfortunately I got a double from my Ipsy bag so that’ll end up in my giant bin of extras that I have for gifts  and trades and whatever. That’s totally normal right to have a giant tub of extra beauty things you don’t want but don’t know what to do with. I am also really over the cheap bags that Sephora gives out I would rather they just stop sending them because it makes me really upset to just get rid of them but I don’t have a need for them to keep them.

Moroccan Oil Ciate Londonn Laneige Nars Grande Lips

Ciate London Glow-To Highlighter in Moondust

Full Size: 5 g

Full Size Cost: $32

Sample Size: 1.5 g

Value: $9.60

Ciate London Glow to Go in Moondust

Starting off with the double you can see swatches and thoughts on that here in this IPSY POST.

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

Full Size:  70 ml

Full Size Cost: $25

Sample Size: 10 ml

Value: $3.57

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

I did not think I was going to like this I don’t really need overly hydrating products but I did end up liking this. It feels really cool and hydrating and fresh on my face and isn’t sticky at all. It sinks in really quick and feels really smooth I bet this would be really great under makeup. It smells like soap though and the scent lingers for a long time so if you are sensitive to scents this might irritate you.

Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

Full Size: 7 ml

Full Size Cost: $26

Sample Size:  2.7 ml

Value: $10.03

Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

Why I didn’t take this out of the box to photograph I have no idea. The has that lovely soft touch matte packaging that all Nars products have that just feels so nice to the touch. This is a white base but not opaque and almost looks a little shimmery though it doesn’t claim to be. I like white bases so this will be good to try. I don’t love the white base that I currently use so I shall see how this stacks up.

Moroccan Oil Dry Texture Spray

Full Size: 205 ml

Full Size Cost: $28

Sample Size: 26 ml

Value: $3.55

Moroccan Oil Dry Texture Spray

Very rarely do I use texture sprays but this is one of my favorite hair brands so I shall see how it works out. I love their hair oil it works so well on my hair.

Grande Lips Hydrating Lip Plumper in Clear

Full Size:  1.5 g

Full Size Cost: $27

Sample Size:  1.5 g

Value: $27

Grande Lips Hydrating Lip Plumper in Clear

So this looks so tiny to be full size but apparently it is even though it isn’t the same type of packaging as the full size. Curious and Curiouser. This is one of the only lip glosses I can tolerate it is not sticky it feels more balmy but the stinging plumping effect is real with this.

Amika Velveteen Dream Smoothing Shampoo

Full Size:  100 ml

Full Size Cost: $20

Sample Size: 10 ml

Value: $0.67

Amika Velveteen Dream Smoothing Conditioner

Full Size:  300 ml

Full Size Cost: $20

Sample Size: 10 ml

Value: $0.67

Amika Velveteen Dream

I probably won’t use these to be honest but I will toss them in my travel size/sample drawer. Amika products are pretty hit or miss to me.

This was a really high value this month, even though I am kinda skeptical about that lip gloss. I am most excited about that eyeshadow base from Nars.

Total Value: $55.09

Skincare: 1

Makeup: 3

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 3

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 1

Deluxe Sample: 0

Sample: 6

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup