Macy’s Beauty Box September 2017 Subscription Box Review

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, 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.


Kind of boring this month…… I am really waiting for Macy’s to step up their game coming into the Holidays or I will be canceling.

Literally everything in this bag was transparent there was nothing to swatch.

The bag is super cute this month but not as quality feeling as last months.

Burt’s Bees Hand Salve

Full Size: 3 oz

Full Size Cost: $7.10

Sample Size: 0.3 oz

Value: $0.71

This is a nice little tin of hand salve. It isn’t as great as my Fortune Cookie Soap company salves but it is still nice it is very thick but absorbs quickly.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in Radiance

Full Size: 1 oz

Full Size Cost: $22

Sample Size: 0.5 oz

Value: $11

This is a glowy primer but it doesn’t extend the wear of my makeup at all. I am really bored of primers in makeup bags like every one has a million this is boring.

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief

Full Size: 30 ml

Full Size Cost: $19

Sample Size: 7 ml

Value: $4.43

This is a gel moisturizer I actually like this for my hands it is way to moisturizing for my face. But again another boring standard product we have all seen and tried. I am pretty sure I have this sample sitting in my cabinet some where.

Dermablend Loose Setting Powder

Full Size: 28 g

Full Size Cost: $27

Sample Size: 5 g

Value: $4.82

Hey loose powder no one has ever tried that before *heavy sarcasm* I am kind ok with this because I have heard good things and am interested in this brand but I have so much loose powder I need to work through.

Ahava Purifying Mud Mask

Full Size: 0.9 oz

Full Size Cost: $10

Sample Size: 0.68 oz

Value: $7.56

The thing I am most excited about I love Ahava products and I love purifying masks. They are usually to expensive for me to want to purchase on my own so this is the one thing in the box I am happy about.

Vince Camuto Ciao Perfume

Full Size: 1 oz

Full Size Cost: $51

Sample Size: 0.09 oz

Value: $4.59

This smells really nice but for the life of me I can not figure out what it smells like. At least it is a sample I know I will use up. I love this designer’s shoes. Not that I own any they are like $400 a pair but a girl can dream.


Shame on you Macy’s the value is less this month and less deluxe size samples. I am not happy with this box at all I am giving them to December to impress me. The only saving grace is the $5 coupon but I can not get it to work on line I have to use it in store which limits my choices.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $33.11

Skincare: 3

Makeup: 2

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 1

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 0

Deluxe Sample: 2

Sample: 4

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

 

 

Boxycharm August 2017 Subscription Box Review and Tarte Coupon

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.


This was such a great month. The theme was Beach Please and well other then one item nothing fit that theme but hey whatever the box was really cool this month.

Tarte generously sent out a coupon code that I will share with you all here.

The code is BOXYAUGUST and is good until 9/15/17.

Royal and Langnickel Moda Pro 3 Piece Brush Set

Full Size: Yes

Value: $26

This is a brush set from a line that is not releasing until the Fall so charmers got a a really nice pre-release version which is super cool. I love Royal and Langnickel brushes I own some from a few of the lines mostly Moda and Moda Prismatics. These Moda Pro brushes are softer than either of those lines. They also seem more sturdy and much higher quality. I really Like these I am going to link to three similar brushes so you can see a general price idea for their brushes individual these similar brushes come to almost $25. I actually think $26 for this set is a great price.

 

Similar to BMX-130 this is a blush or a soft contour brush I also think this could be great for any kind of powder.

Similar to BMX-430 just a great soft fluffy crease brush.

Similar to BMX-250 I love brushes like this for my rainbow highlighters they do a great job of applying a full intense rainbow effect. They are a very intense brush otherwise and I don’t really like to be seen from outer space but if you do this is your highlight brush.

 

The bristles are so soft and dense. The seem really sturdy ad well put together and I am really into the soft touch quilted handles they have going on. I am really in love with these they are easily my favorite thing in the whole box. Being worth more than I spent on this box doesn’t hurt either.

 

Pur Cosmetics Pro Eyelashes in Bombshell

Full Size: 1 pair

Full Size Cost: $14

Sample Size: 1 pair

Value: $14

These are really cool they are cruelty free silk lashes they look really real. They are long and dramatic but they don’t have that fake look that a lot of lashes have.

Bellápierre Gel Eye Liner in Ebony

Full Size: 1.8 g

Full Size Cost: $15

Sample Size: 1.8 g

Value: $15

This claims to be waterproof I love black gel eyeliners I can never have enough I have a whole drawer of them because black eyeliner is my trademark. I am not swatching this because I don’t want to open it. I have so many open liners. Sorry guys. I also could not get a good picture of this no matter how hard I tried the packaging is to reflective.

Aloette Face Paint in Blooming Berry

Full Size: 0.5 oz

Full Size Cost: $35

Sample Size: 0.5 oz

Value: $35

This is a weird product. First of all it keeps making me think of that creepy Alouette song about eating the bird.  It is ridiculously pigmented, smells like lightly fruity and it is a really thick creamy lip and cheek tint. Now I will never use this as a cheek stain because I don’t use blush. It wears off quick on the lips but is super pretty. I love that they sent us such an interesting product that is what I want boxes to do so even though I am not sure how I am going to use it I really like that I have it. It might make for some super fun Halloween makeup. I think the price is outrageous though I can’t see anyone wanting to spend $35 on this. I don’t know but it is weirdly cool and there’s a ton of product. Not that it matters but I really love how the tube looks and feels it looks so cute and like old school fancy makeup and it has this lovely slick smooth feel to the plastic. I’m in a weird mood and really into things that feel nice. Swatched Below.

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Volume II

Full Size: 0.05 oz x 8

Full Size Cost: $36

Sample Size: 0.05 oz x 8

Value: $36

These shadows are so soft and buttery they almost feel like cream shadows. Like it is kind of amazing. This is my first experience with any Tarte shadows and from what I’ve heard the Rainforest of the Sea are some of the better formulas. They are really sheer though which is not a thing I like in my shadows they are smooth and not patchy so they are meant to be built up but I like a lot more pigment from the start in my shadows. That is more personal preference and definitely not a mark against the product. This also has the best fucking mirror like I never use the mirror in a palette but this one is so big and such good quality I could see myself using it. The purple and blue coral is also so pretty I love the design of this palette. This is a major score in terms of box items. Swatched Below

Flash, the lighter colors are hard to see on camera but are perfect blending shades for me on the eyes.

No Flash


Total: $126

Great value for a $21 dollar box I really love the palette and the brushes the cheek tint is a little weird but still nice to see something different in the box. I have really been thrilled with my Boxycharm subscription and would really recommend it to anyone looking for a subscription box.

 

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Ipsy August 2017 Subscription Box Review

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.


6 products this month I love when I get 6  products.

I got lucky there were 3 bag options this month and I got the one I was hoping for. It is a nice soft scrunchable fake leather pouch with a god tassel for the zipped and its really one of the nicer Ipsy bag.

Seraphine Botanicals Liquid Coal 

Full Size: 2 ml

Full Size Cost: $22

Sample Size: 2 ml

Value: $22

Well Fuck I thought this was nice but I don’t know that it is worth $22. It was a nice matte black liner it didn’t skip it was nice and smooth but the packaging feels cheap with the pink butterflies for such an expensive product. It says waterproof but it didn’t kill me to remove it. This is also cruelty free. Swatched Below.

the Balm Voyage Vol. II Eyeshadow in Willkommen

Full Size: 21.1 g

Full Size Cost: $39.50

Sample Size: 0.57 g

Value: $1.07

This is a little hard to value since it is a full face palette with 8 eyeshadows, lip products, bronzer, blushes, and a highlight. This pan is about half the size of the eyeshadows that come in the palette. I really like the formula on the Balm shadows but this color doesn’t wow me it is a neural brown with shimmer pretty but meh. Swatched Below.

Willkommen and Liquid Coal.

Crown Brush SS035 – Medium Face Contour Brush

Full Size: Yes

Full Size Cost: $6.99

Sample Size: Yes

Value: $6.99

This is a super soft dense synthetic brush. This will be great for a really intense contour or really precise powder application. I bet this would be great for a strong blush look if I liked blush.

Naked Cosmetics HD Finishing Translucent Powder

Full Size: 0.35 oz

Full Size Cost: $14.99

Sample Size: 0.35 oz

Value: $14.99

I am literally overloaded with translucent powders so I wont be opening this for awhile.

Vitamasques Face Food Strawberry Yoghurt Mask

Full Size: 1 mask

Full Size Cost: $3.83

Sample Size: 1 mask

Value: $3.83

Vitamasques Face Food Kiwiw Fruit Yoghurt Mask

Full Size: 1 mask

Full Size Cost: $3.83

Sample Size: 1 mask

Value: $3.83

I haven’t tried either of these yet but when my skin next needs some soothing these creamy masks will be the first ones I reach for.


High valued Ipsy this month and 5 out of 6 items were full sized you really can’t beat that. I am not wowed but anything this month but it is all stuff I will use and enjoy and the value was great this month. My favorite was definitely they brush this month.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $52.71

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 3

Tools: 1

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 5

Deluxe Sample: 0

Sample: 1

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup