Category: Subscription Boxes

Medusa’s Makeup November 2016 Subscription Box Review

nightmareb4

Medusa’s Makeup

Cost: $15.95 monthly

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month Medusa’s Makeup sends 3-5 full size products from their line.  This is the third month that this subscription is around and I have been subscribing since the beginning.  Every month the products arrive in a different colored bubble mailer.

Medusa’s Make up is a vegan and cruelty free company and made in the USA.

They send out their newest products and usually full size.

I have to say I was a little disappointed with this month’s selection.

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Medusa’s Makeup has continued on with their updated card and it is quite cute this month.

Here’s some close ups.

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Lip and Cheek Stain

Full Size: 3.5 g

Full Size Cost: $8

Sample Size: 3.5 g

Value: $8

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Swatched below. There is no size or color listed but it appears to be full size and in the shade Moody.  This has a very greasy texture and I hate lip products in pots like this so total fail for me. And it does not have enough pigment for a cheek stain.

Lip Gloss in Rumors

Full Size: 1.5 g

Full Size Cost: $9

Sample Size: 6  ml

Value: $9

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WordPress recently updated and is giving me hell with posting photos so forgive the lack of the picture of this out of the box. Its a very shear purple shimmery gloss very sticky. Not a fan. Also think its very odd that the box and the website disagree on how much is in this tube.

Eye Dust in Green Velvet

Full Size: 1.5 g

Full Size Cost: $7

Sample Size: 1.5 g

Value: $7

I am not a huge fan of loose pigments so messy, but this color is very pretty and has a very smooth texture.

Setting Spray

Full Size: 1 oz

Full Size Cost: $8

Sample Size: 1 oz

Value: $8

So this is pretty small for a full size setting spray. I was really excited to get a new setting spray to try since its a different type of product for Medusa’s Makeup. It works ok it isn’t super sticky and it does feel refreshing on the skin but is not super long lasting or anything.

Swatches Without flash

With Flash

From top to bottom cheek stain, eye dust, lipgloss.

Total Value: $32

I was not overly impressed this month. I hated both lip products and am not wowed by the other products. I will probably cancel if December fails to impress me.

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

 

November 2016 Sephora Play! Subscription Box Review

nightmareb4

Sephora Play!

Cost: $10.70 monthly

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.  Even one used to receive the same samples but they have now been introducing box variations.

Sephora has continued this month with their new box variations system and I’m still on the fence. It inspires a lot of box envy (all those people who got the purple glamglow I wanted to try) but it does mean you get a box that is a little more customized to your needs and preferences. There is a small survey that Sephora has you take.

Here’s this months bag not their cutest design I don’t know that for me they will ever top the Magritte reference.

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Stella McCartney Pop Perfume

Full Size: 0.25 oz

Full Size Cost: $25

Sample Size: 0.05 oz

Value: $5

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Was not a fan of this smell at all very typical perfume smell if that makes sense to anyone.

The Estée Edit Dissolve the Drama 2-in-1 Makeup Remover + Cleanser

Full Size: 6.7 oz

Full Size Cost: $32

Sample Size: 0.5 oz

Value: $2.39

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I like the Estée Edit brand much better then the regular Estée Lauder brand.  Makeup remover is so expensive its one of those things I hate buying so I pretty much live on free samples I get so a new one is always welcome around here.

GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD® Clearing Treatment

Full Size: 0.5 oz

Full Size Cost: $22

Sample Size: 0.3 oz

Value: $13.20

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I have tried this mask in the past and it one of my favorite clay masks I have ever tried. I was hoping to receive the purple or the black glam glow that I have not tried but not going to complain about receiving a pricey product that I like. Since I know that I won’t be going out to and getting a $69 clay mask. This mask is nice and tightening and leave my skin very smooth.

Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Colour in Rose Gold

Full Size: 1.64 g

Full Size Cost: $29

Sample Size: 1 g

Value: $17.68

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So for some reason I didn’t take a picture of this open sorry about that, been a crazy two weeks.  I have one of these in a full size that I’ve had for a while in a taupey/grey and these are beautiful. They are creamy but dry without being tacky and they don’t dry out in the stick. They do crease a little but these are such day time colors in an easy to apply format that these are my like just need to run out for a little while casual light make up type looks.

Swatches with out and with flash:

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Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gel in 17 Pin Up Pink

Full Size: 0.11 oz

Full Size Cost: $12

Sample Size: 0.1 oz

Value: $10.91

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This comes in a crap ton of colors omg. I hate lipgloss with a passion and this is sealed so nicely that I am not going to swatch it so that I can give this away to someone who will appreciate it a lot more than I will. In the tube this is a super bright Barbie pink lipgloss.

Cover Fx Illuminating Primer

Full Size: 1 oz

Full Size Cost: $38

Sample Size: 0.16 oz

Value: $6.08

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Clearly the universe really wants me to try this primer this is the third one I’ve gotten of this exact same sample so I have to try this now. I generally don’t love illuminating primers they tend to make me look oiler then I already do.

Total: $55.26

This is an amazing value from Sephora I believe the best I’ve ever had this box tends to have a lower value that you make up for in getting to try some higher end products.

And for a quick summary of product types and sizes in case that’s interesting for anyone:

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 3

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 1

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 0

Deluxe Sample: 2

Sample: 4

<3

 

November 2016 Ipsy Bag Subscription Review

nightmareb4

November 2016 Ipsy Bag Subscription Review

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 in any way just one beauty junkie to another.

Two months in a row that Ipsy has knocked it out of the park with adorable bags.

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I love the little makeup constellations!

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And the little gold star zipper pull

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So the bag is so damn cute let’s see how Ipsy did on actual products.

Luxie Brush 524T

Full Size: No

Full Size Cost: $18

Value: $9

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So I can’t actually find this brush for sale anywhere it seems to be an Ipsy exclusive, which is pretty cool.  It is a full size brush head and a short handle.  This will actually be great for travel so I am not mad at not getting a full size brush. I am slightly mad at the fact that this seems inferior in quality to all the other Luxie brushes I own.  This is just as soft but lacks the quality feel the bristles are not packed as evenly. I am estimating this brush to be half the price of the full size.

Delectable by Cake Beauty in Only Mint to Be

Full Size: 4 oz

Full Size Cost: $12

Sample Size: 2 oz

Value: $6

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I LOVE delectable hang creams they smell so amazing and are very moisturizing. This one is a lovely mint cream smell that is like a vanilla peppermint candy its so holiday. MINTER IS COMING (well actually its here already).

theBalm Mad Lash

Full Size: 0.27 oz

Full Size Cost: $18

Sample Size: 0.08 oz

Value: $5.33

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I have so many mascaras so another mascara sample is not exciting but I do enjoy theBalm products and the brush looks interesting. its very curled and long with short spikey bristles.

Absolute New York Matte Lipstick in Dark Red

Full Size: Yes

Full Size Cost: $5.99

Value: $5.99

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This is a very nice matte red lipstick it is opaque with one swatch. And a matte lip is always the way to my heart. Swatched at the end.

Tini Beauty Eyetini in Firestarter

Full Size: 0.06 oz

Full Size Cost: $13

Sample Size: 0.06 oz

Value: $13

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I could not get a picture of how pretty this is its creamy and build-able with shimmer.  Its a copper golden shimmer with a very deep red undertone its just gorgeous. Swatched below.

With Flash

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Without Flash

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The red undertones would not pick up on camera.

Total value of this months bag is $39.32 including my brush estimate and $30.32 if I do not include the Luxie brush. I have mixed feelings about this bag I liked it but there wasn’t any real wow products the eyeshadow and the hand cream are my favorite but there was no real wow. I received 3 sample sized products and 2 full sized products.  At more then 3x the cost of the bag it is still a great deal.

<3 Nightmarebeforemakeup