Category: Subscription Boxes

Boxycharm March 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.

Another month another Boxycharm to dig into.

I like that they sent a brush sent with the palette.

Pretty Vulgar Make them Blush in 111 Prim Vixen

Full Size: 6 g

Full Size Cost: $26

Sample Size: 6 g

Value: $26

Oh god this color I can’t but the packaging is just so pretty. It it pretty cheap feeling but it is so cute with its pretty mirrored gold and the little bird on it.

True bubblegum pink.

Trying out some new swatch stencils. Really liking it.

The Vintage Cosmetics Company Smokey Eye Brush Set

Full Size: 3 brush set

Full Size Cost: $19.99

Sample Size: 3 brush set

Value: $19.99

i love how these brush have little sayings on them playing off one for the money two for the show.  I have seen this brand before mostly in like Walgreens. So it is definitely a drugstore brand that I have never tried before. These same brushes also come in a larger 5 piece set. These are fairly soft and seem like ok quality. They are not as high quality as the Luxie brushes they normally send are.

Butter London Double Decker Mascara

Full Size: o.41 oz

Full Size Cost: $20

Sample Size: 0.41 oz

Value: $20

The inside of the box is so freaking cute like gothic toile

This is a drier mascara that is a fluffy natural bristle wand so this should be my new favorite mascara. And is going to be my next one in rotation when the month is over so excited.

Pür Cosmetics x Boxycharm Eyeshadow Palette

Full Size: 1.5 g x 12

Full Size Cost: $36

Sample Size: 1.5 g x 12

Value: $36

Before we get into this review this is not worth $36 please do not buy it for that price.

So when I saw spoilers I was super excited for this but it doesn’t swatch great its kinda dusty I don’t know the colors look just a little off in real like I am not super happy with this palette. It seems like not alot of effort was put into this collaboration. There isn’t alot of consistency between the formulas of the shades.

South Mane 3 Eye Gel Packs

Full Size: 3 Eye Gels

Full Size Cost: $9

Sample Size: 3 Eye Gels

Value: $9

I really enjoyed these. These were very drippy when I pulled them out of the pack ad was really worried they wouldn’t stick to my skin but they stuck just fine. These start off as pretty think pink gummy things to put on your eyes. They are quite cold feeling under your eyes. I didn’t see a difference in dark circles but they were very hydrating and helped with puffiness. The gels also like lost half their thickness after being on for thirty minutes.

Total: $110.99

Seems like Boxycharm is going a bit down hill lately in the price and quality department. Seems like a lot of casts offs rather then thoughtfully curated products. It is still a great value for the money as usually you I love at least one thing that is worth the value of the box but I feel like I am getting alot of things that aren’t that great or useful to me.

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Ipsy March 2018 Subscription Box Review

nightmareb4

Ipsy Bag

Cost: $10 monthly, $110 annual

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month Ipsy sends out a cute makeup bag of samples and full size items. you can review your bag for points that you can trade in for reward items. The rewards change often and the range between 100 points and 1000 points. You can get up to 95 points every month.

If you want to subscribe you can subscribe HERE and skip the waitlist. That is my referral link so I do get points to spend but I’m not an affiliate I don’t make any money or anything it’s just one beauty junkie to another.

So this is my 100th post I feel like that is really monumental I am super proud of myself! I don’t know if anyone has actually read all my posts probably not but I thank you for being here.

As you can see I have changed up the design on this blog quite a bit I am still tweaking it and trying to get it perfect but I’d love to know your thoughts on it.

So this month’s bag came with markers so that you can color it. I colored it in a little just so you can. This is one of the nicer quality bags they have sent out and it is a bit bigger then than the normal bags they send. Unfortunately for I won’t use this because faces without eyes weird me out and I don’t like looking at them.

Too Faced Sex Kitten Eyeliner

Full Size: 0.2 g

Full Size Cost: $20

Sample Size: 0.1 g

Value: $10

This isn’t smudgey which is key for me but it is supposed to be triple black pigment whatever the fuck that means and I found this to not be super black at all. The packaging reminds me of old school Too Faced packaging from like mid 2000s which is super nostalgic to my formative years of buying makeup. Swatched Below.

City Color Glow Duo Cream and Powder Highlight

Full Size: Cream: 7 g Powder: 8.8 g

Full Size Cost: $5.99

Sample Size: Cream: 2.6 g Powder: 3.2 g

Value: $2.20

Another City Color mini palette thing I had really bad luck with the one they sent in January ago. I just could not get it to work and ended up throwing it away when I was on vacation because it just didn’t work for me. I couldn’t really give a used crappy product away to someone I just couldn’t do that. Again this is not full size it is just under half but it feels full size ad I like this packaging better than the full size packaging just very odd. For that price point I feel like they should have sent the full size. This is a highlighting palette that has a cream side and a powder side. The powder is super dark and the cream is super fair so this is like a palette that only half is going to work for an given person. Which is a strange set up The consistency on these seems a lot nicer so we shall see how I get these to work or if they are just as bad as the contour palette. Swatched Below.

Hikari Cosmetics Cream Pigment in Envy

Full Size: 4 g

Full Size Cost: $13

Sample Size: 2 g

Value: $6.50

 

 

So this is cool it a pressed cream pigment kind of like those L’oreal Infallible ones. I like the texture but you have to be careful because it can chunk up and ball up if you aren’t careful you have to build it thinly and not dig in the pan. In this packaging I think it is going to dry out pretty fast things like this need to be in a jar with a screw top usually. This is a really pretty shimmery green. I love the texture of these type of eyeshadows so this will definitely get used. These are perfect for a quick five minute out the door look. Swatched Below.

With Flash:

No Flash:

Glossier Balm Dotcom in Mint

Full Size: 15 ml

Full Size Cost: $12

Sample Size: 7 ml

Value: $5.60

This is the thing I was most excited about I have been dying to try this for so long that when I saw this was an option this month I was so hoping I would get it and I did; for once I lucked out. This is super minty to start with you can smell it and taste it and feel the cooling mintyness on your lips. It is a thick slightly sticky balm but in a good way it feels great on the lips and rubbed in to the skin. Now that I know how much I like it I will probably buy up more of these. It is technically a skin salve and it does feel really good and balmy rubbed in to the skin.

Goldfaden MD Solution Facial Detox

Full Size:  50 ml

Full Size Cost: $65

Sample Size: 20 ml

Value: $26

This came when my skin was breaking out pretty bad and this mask did seem to help aclear out a lot of the congestion in my skin and helped draw out the breakouts that were coming up and heal the ones that were already there. So I am a fan of this. I am not a fan of the price, but this is a pretty high value sample for Ipsy.

I am really happy with this months bag I got all things in my wheel house I love 3 of my 5 items and one is $26 dollars so that is more than worth it to me this is the month to beat this year for Ipsy. Oh and checking back in with the leaky lipstick from last month I contacted Ipsy and they sent me a new one no problem that wasn’t leaking so that was great.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $50.30

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 3

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 0

Deluxe Sample: 4

Sample: 1

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Sephora Play! 2017 Year in Review

nightmareb4

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.

I had fun with the Ipsy review I did so I decided to do Sephora Play as well. My other subscriptions I haven’t had for a whole calendar year so I can’t really do them. So let’s see how Sephora did for the year and find out how they did compared to Ipsy.

Month Value Product
January $31.36 6
February $39.42 6
March $32.47 6
April $36.91 6
May $54.46 6
June $31.64 6
July $39.48 6
August $45.37 6
September $36.79 7
October $40.36 6
November $59.55 6
December $46.84 6

Total: $494.65

Products: 73

Every Month but one I got 6 products so I did get more products then Ipsy overall but 11 of those were perfumes so that’s with a grain of salt some people don’t like the perfume samples I’m ok with them in this box.

I paid $1.64 per item I received so actually a little less per item then Ipsy and getting higher end products, but these are all sample sizes and usually you get some full sizes with Ipsy so they are still pretty equal in my mind.

Average Bag Value: $41.22

Coming about $6 under the average value of Ipsy.

Top 5 Favorite Items

  1.  March – Glam Glow Glowstarter  in Nude Glow – $6.86
  2. April – Sephora Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover – $1.88
  3. October – Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation – $6.81
  4. January – Tarte Frxxxtion Stick – $4.84
  5. August – Korres Golden Krocus Ageless Elixir Serum – $13.07

So my Top Five comes to a grand total of $33.46. Wow that was a really low value I have some serious mixed feelings…

My thing here is dollar wise I seem to get alot more for my money with Ipsy so if that is your main concern just getting the biggest return on your money Ipsy is the way to go hands down.

Me personally though I get more use out of my Sephora Play products. I use them up more often I declutter or give away much less of what I get in my Sephora box and generally like and use more of what I get. Even if I seem to be getting less for my money I am still getting a great value.

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup