Tag: Skincare

Sephora Play! August 2019 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 and 50 extra points if you purchase something in store and now online too.

Wow this is a star studded box this month.

Laura Mercier Caviar Volume Panoramic Mascara

Full Size: 12 ml

Full Size Cost: $25

Sample Size: 3 ml

Value: $6.25

This glossy black packaging with almost steel looking silver designs is giving me feels I really like it. This is supposed make your lashes look bold but also like soft and touchable at the same time. I will never run out mascara as long as I live. The brush is the kind I like with natural bristles and a nice twist in it that I feel really lengthens and defines my lashes.

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dance Fever

Full Size: 2.4 g

Full Size Cost: $27

Sample Size: 1.8 g

Value: $20.25

This is a nice brown nude I think this is one of the new shades they just launched but I am not sure. I like The Nars Matte pencils they are super smooth and feel really comfortable on. Don’t confuse them with the Satin pencils though those slide all over your face.

Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid

Full Size: 30 ml

Full Size Cost: $85

Sample Size: 5 ml

Value: $14.17

I have another tube of this I can’t remember if it came in Sephora or Macy’s but I am waiting until fall when I am in the sun less to try retionol for the first time. But more of a super expensive retional is not going to upset me I now have a third of a full bottle.

Moroccanoil Moroccanoil Treatment

Full Size: 50 ml

Full Size Cost: $34

Sample Size: 10 ml

Value: $6.80

I love this hair oil it absorbs really well and makes my hair so soft and shiny.

Algenist Genius Sleeping Collagen

Full Size: 60 ml

Full Size Cost: $98

Sample Size: 8 ml

Value: $13.07

This feel really nice on but I don’t know about long term yet. It feels really moisturizing and just good and soft on my skin.

Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream

Full Size: 50 ml

Full Size Cost: $58

Sample Size: 5 ml

Value: $5.80

This is a very thick heavy cream I don’t know how that will work for me I am not into super thick or heavy creams.

This was a really star studded box with really big name expensive brands I am super happy with this months box it was really great!

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $66.34

Skincare: 3

Makeup: 2

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 1

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 0

Deluxe Sample: 1

Sample: 5

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Boxycharm August 2019 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 am really not into this months box there is nothing in here I would have ever picked for myself and nothing in here that like I and most people don’t have a million of. There were some really cool options this month but I seem to always get the shitty options.

Tarte Big Ego Mascara

Full Size: 7 ml

Full Size Cost: $23

Another mascara like we all don’t have plenty but this is the thing in the box that I am most likely to use up and feel like I got value thankfully it is more then the cost of the box or I would be annoyed. I don’t usually like Tarte Mascaras alot of them make my eyes feel itchy or heavy but This one has had me curious just cuz the packaging is so bright and the before and after pictures look really amazing.

Lashaholic Luxury Lashes in Instaglam

Full Size: 1 pair

Full Size Cost: $14.99

I don’t wear lashes and just give them away so these are useless to me but they are soft and feel like then wouldn’t feel weird on but they don’t look real and if I was going to wear lashes I would want them to look and feel real.

Wander Beauty Glow Ahead Illuminating Face Oil

Full Size: 25 ml

Full Size Cost: $42

This is a similar type product to the water essence primer in a way. It is a think “primer” you put under makeup. This is a shimmer pink glitter sticky oil and left sticky glitter and made my skin slightly pink tone. This is gross.

Here you can see how pink and glittery it is like it looks like a liquid highlighter not like something you would put all over your face.

It is hard to tell how pink it is blended out on my hand but on my face you can. You can also really see the glimmer in it that I don’t like.

Pur x Barbie Glitterally Pink Brightening Peel-Off Mask

Full Size: 60 g

Full Size Cost: $20

I will preface this by saying it is cool that we got something that launched in August in the August box but masks like this make me mad. Glitter and dyes and over the top pink pigment for no reason do not belong in skincare this is a joke of skincare. I have tried the glitterally mask from Pur I tried the one from the Grinch collection and it was really drying it did nothing it was just shiny and pretty.

Becca Hydra-Mist Set & Refresh Powder in Original

Full Size: 10 g

Full Size Cost: $39

I love the packaging on this it is pretty and it doesn’t make a mess. This is so weird like it actually feels wet when you set your face with it but it is so light it makes me look like a fucking ghost. I will only be able to use this with foundation that is too dark for me and I tend not to do that so I don’t know what kind of use I will get out of this. Feels cool as heck though.

This month is just a totally fail for me in terms of things I would want or used or even excited about. I feel like I am having more and more fails from Boxycharm.

Total: $138.99

Total Value to Me: $23

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Macy’s Beauty Box August 2019 Subscription Box Review

nightmareb4

Macy’s Beauty Box

Cost: $15

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: 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 since 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 also Macy’s does have sales and $5 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 it is still basically free.

This bag has super 80s vibes this month to me at least with the double vision pink and blue lips on black idk I wasn’t there but I assume that’s what the 80s was like.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe Cucumber and Green Tea

Full Size: 2 oz

Full Size Cost: $5

Sample Size: 2 oz

Value: $5

I don’t love the green tea spray my favorite is the orange blossom one but I can use the green tea one and I have become addicted to facial sprays so it is nice to have more and one that I could travel with if I wanted to. The scent of this is pretty inoffensive and it is a fine facial spray not my favorite but it is ok.

SK-II Facial Treatment Mask

Full Size: 1 Mask

Full Size Cost: $17

Sample Size: 1 Mask

Value: $17

Sorry this picture is so shitty it is really hard to take a picture of essentially a crumpled aluminum foil bag. The price on this is ridiculous who the hell would spend $17 dollars on a sheet mask. I don’t find the SK-II products to do anything for my skin but when I want to feel Extra as hell I’ll use this.

Juicy Couture Oui Perfume

Full Size: 50 ml

Full Size Cost: $85

Sample Size: 1.5 ml

Value: $2.55

I love this I have it in a full size and always to happy to have a mini to travel with. To me this scent is really light and good for summer but I don’t really know how to describe the scent at all. The scent description is watermelon which I can see and the jasmine and techno woods. What the hell is a techno wood and what does that smell like?

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in Chaos

Full Size: 1.2 g

Full Size Cost: $22

Sample Size: 1.2 g

Value: $22

This is my favorite eyeliners so thrilled to get a full size one in a color I don’t have. The only way I can describe this shade is University of Delaware blue it is the exact shade of the blue from Udel. Any way these are super smooth amd pigmented and last really well and I hate that they are $22 because that is ridiculous for eyeliner either way in love. And this is the second product we got that is more expensive then the bag and the 3rd full size item craziness. Swatched Below.

Tarte Tarteist Lip Paint in Rose

Full Size: 6 ml

Full Size Cost: $20

Sample Size: 1 ml

Value: $3.33

I swear every color I have of this all looks the same. The same neutral dusty rose color and this is the same despite them all having different shade names. I am not super into the shades these come in. The wear fine though they are comfortable. Swatched Below.

Tony Moly Mini Berry Lip Balm in Cherry

Full Size: 7.2 g

Full Size Cost: $5

Sample Size: 7.2 g

Value: $5

How adorable is this thing?! I mean totally impractical to carry around ant the little stem is like stretchy rubber so fun to play with but I foresee that ripping off really easily. This is a peachy pink tinted really nice feeling lip balm I hate tinted balms in pots I think it is messy and gross but this is too cute and tastes too good (cherries) to not use. Swatched Below.

Lovely colors. Eyeliner, lip paint, lip balm.

This was another great month. 4 of the 6 items are full size from a bag that only promises samples like it can’t be better then that. This has really become my most favorite bag in terms of value you for price and use I get out of products and the excitement I have wondering what I’ll get each month. I really love this bag and the coupon makes for a nice ok let’s go to Macy’s and see what free thing I am going to get this month and there are always $5 options that I am happy to grab for free.

Total Value: $54.88

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 2

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 1

Other: 1

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 4

Deluxe Sample: 0

Sample: 2

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup