Tag: Subscription Box

February 2017 Ipsy Subscription Review

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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 in any way just one beauty junkie to another.

So this month we got a denim and orange bag. Not really my taste and it s a very fake cheap denim feel but I appreciate the attempts at being unique, and Ipsy branching out with the bag styles and materials.

This month I even got a bonus product I got 6 items instead of the usual 5, I love when that happens it usually only happens like once or twice a year and usually only with sheet masks

Absolute New York Nano Liner in Black

Full Size: 1 ml

Full Size Cost: $8.49

Sample Size: 1 ml

Value: $8.49

I really like this liner. It is a very fine tip liner. It doesn’t dry down completely matte it still has a little gloss to it but is water resistant and doesn’t crumble or bleed on me. Swatched below.

Luna by Luna Cosmetics Highlighter in Calypso

Full Size: 3 g

Full Size Cost: $23

Sample Size: 3 g

Value: $23

This is very pretty but damn this is expensive for not a lot of product this $23 for 3 g or $7.67 a gram compare that to say a Becca highlighter that will run you $38 for 8 g or $4.75 a gram this highlighter is a little under double that cost that is ridiculous. That being said it is gorgeous I could see this also doubling as an amazing eyeshadow. This is a nice cool toned almost taupe shimmer highlight. There is some glitter in it but much less them most of the other highlighters I own. It catches the light really well. Swatched Below.

NYX Butter Lipstick in BLS24 Ripe Berry

Full Size: 4.5 g

Full Size Cost: $5.99

Sample Size: 4.5 g

Value: $5.99

This is picking up very pink on camera but it is a very red berry tone in person.  People love NYX butter lipsticks. I prefer their matte lipsticks because I prefer mattes in general but these are a lovely formula and I probably will keep this. I find the deeper shades of these to leave a little stain on the lips so there is something left behind when they wear off but the stain isn’t always even so that can be good or bad depending on how it wears that day.

Swatches with Flash:

Like look at that highlight! (Still $23 fucking dollars I would never but hey for the $10 I spent on the bag great deal)

Swatches without Flash:

SOO AE Purifying Black Charcoal Mask

Full Size: 1 Mask

Full Size Cost: $2.5

Sample Size: 1 Mask

Value: $2.5

Hey charcoal one of my favorite skincare items! Always happy for some more sheet masks though I have a giant stockpile to work through. I use sheet masks more in the summer because I hate being cold and they always feel too cold on my face in the winter.

SOO AE Nature Green Tea Sheet Mask

Full Size: 1 Mask

Full Size Cost: $1.24

Sample Size: 1 Mask

Value: $1.24

I don’t actually like green tea masks but again who is really gona complain about a sheet mask. Especially when it is sort of a bonus.

Luxie Brush 514 Blush

Full Size: Yes

Value: $18

I love Luxie Brushes but not enough to actually spend money on them. Thanks to Ipsy though I am slowly growing a pretty decent collection of Luxie brushes. They are so super soft with synthetic bristles. The only thing is with their face brushes I feel like they are not quite densely packed enough or maybe the bristles are two long I don’t know but they always feel just a tad to flimsy and light on my face when I am using them.

I am much happier with this months bag then lasts months bag. I feel like the products actually go together. Also I got ALL FULL SIZE products you really can’t beat that.  I will actually use all of the products. I always think Ipsy is worth it even when you get a dud month because usually the bags are really good. They do get better the more you review but the old reviewing system was definitely better and let you express how you felt in more detail with the longer survey about each product.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $59.22

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 3

Tools: 1

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 6

Deluxe Sample: 0

Sample: 0

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

 

 

January 2017 Beauteque BB Bag Subscription Review and Coupon Code

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Beauteque BB Bag

Cost: $24 monthly

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: A Korean beauty subscription service that sends beauty and skin care items monthly.  Along with English instructions for products that do not have them.  Each month you get a makeup bag and they promise all full size products.  The claim the value is triple the cost of the box and that you will receive at least six products.  They also have a sheet mask subscription called Mask Maven that sends only sheet masks every month.

Sadly this is my last month of Beauteque BB Bag. It was a Christmas git and while I enjoyed it it is not worth the money for me personally.

Also I am so sorry for the way late post, and the other way late posts you’re going to see in the near future. I’ve had a very crazy busy past month and a half with school and life and I just haven’t had the time that I want to dedicate to this but hopefully things are calming down enough that I can get all caught up.

Enough rambling onto the bag.

So Beauteque provides a nice detailed information card, that also lists the price of each item. And as usual sizes and prices are all over hte place compared to the guide.

They also included a code for 10% and the code is BBREFER10.

This month’s theme was Beauty Resolutions

So I hate the bag it is a plastic vinyl like cheap pool toy material.

Deoproce Cleanbello Collagen Essential Moisture Cream

Full Size: 50 ml

Full Size Cost: $16.99

Sample Size: 50 ml

Value: $16.99

This has a heavy old school grandma floral lotion smell to it. It is so strong that I don’t know if I can bring myself to use this. It is a very thick moisturizing lotion.

Mohani Perfect Damage Care Perfume Body Wash

Full Size: 5 oz

Full Size Cost: $11.99

Sample Size: 4.23 oz

Value: $10.14

I think it is so weird that they sent a body wash and shampoo and not a conditioner. But whatever. Its also weird that this is 4.23 oz and the website lists full site as 5 oz. So strange but they also make a ton of spelling errors so who knows whats right. This smells very clean and fresh is the only way I can describe it.

Mohani Perfect Damage Care Perfume Shampoo

Full Size: 5 oz

Full Size Cost: $11.99

Sample Size: 4.05 oz

Value: $9.71

Next up on the weird sizing is the shampoo which is even smaller then the body wash but same size bottle. I don’t fucking understand. This smells the same as the body wash.

Tonymoly Pocket Bunny Moist Mist

Full Size: 60 ml

Full Size Cost: $9.48

Sample Size: 60 ml

Value: $9.48

This has a light fruity scent. And just look at his little bunny face so cute!!!!! On the negative side this sprays very uneven and in bigger droplets so I would not spray this on your face if you have makeup on like you can with other facial mists. This is great for me for like my night moisture I find mists don’t sit so heavy and clog up my oily skin like a cream would.

Scinic It’s a Tint in RD02

Full Size: yes

Full Size Cost: $4.99

Sample Size: yes

Value: $4.99

I really like this it might be my favorite thing in the box. It is a nice twist up lip crayon in red one of my favorite lip colors to wear. It is creme finish but it does stick around ok I really like it.

Beauteque Eyebrow Shaping Scissors

Full Size: yes

Full Size Cost: $5

Sample Size: yes

Value: $5

This kinda scares me and I don’t scare easily. I wax my own eyebrows so it takes a bit to actually make me nervous but I feel like I would cut chunks in my eyebrows trying to use this. Anyone out there use a product like this does it work for you? I could not find this on the website so I went with their listed value of $5.

Total Value: $56.31

This was an ok box certainly didn’t wow me into renewing my subscription but almost all the products will get used or at least tried.

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

January 2017 Sephora Play! Subscription Box Review

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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 it seems officially switched into using box variations.

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.

Once again we have a different style bag. Its like a weird plasticy canvas type fabric with a mesh back.

The mess is see thru and there is a cute message on the front as usual. This would be cute in a gym bag and intend to give this to my friend who actually goes to the gym unlike my lazy ass.

There was a really good assortment of products this month so let’s get into it.

It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream in Medium

Full Size: 32 ml

Full Size Cost: $38

Sample Size: 4 ml

Value: $4.75

This is a tiny tube about a third of the size of the travel size that they sell but should still be good for at least 5 uses if not more. This is a very full coverage CC cream I do own this in a full size it is very nice and natural looking but does feel very heavy on the skin. Swatched below.

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

Full Size: 2 g

Full Size Cost: $17

Sample Size: Not listed About 1/3

Value: $5.70

So this actually arrived broken. I contacted Sephora and they got back to me within a few hours. Their customer service is always really good, they credited my account with 100 points. I was able to get the lipstick out of the cap and use a lighter to melt it back together. It actually seems to be just fine it just looks pretty beat up not.

After I melted it back together.

This is a ok color but not my favorite. It is very sheer and not very long lasting. It does feel nice and moisturizing on the lips and is not sticky

Swatches of lipstick and foundation.

Ouai Treatment Mask

Full Size: 72 ml

Full Size Cost: $32

Sample Size: 15 ml

Value: $6.67

So the full size of this actually comes in foil packets, a set of 8 at 9 ml each. I would never buy something so expensive in a foil packet. For that price they should at least be putting them in small tubes like this one or one giant tube. This tube should be good for 1-2 uses depending on hair type and length. Idk when I’m gona get around to using this so check my future empties posts for an update.

Drunk Elephant LaLa Retro Whipped Cream

Full Size: 49.98 ml

Full Size Cost: $60

Sample Size: 5 ml

Value: $6.00

Another Drunk Elephant product. They are so ridiculously expensive that I get super excited to try them. The Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum I received back in my Oct 2016 box did not really do anything for my skin but I was excited for a new product. This has a really warm comforting scent like oatmeal or something but not oatmeal, I don’t know how to describe it but it is really comforting and nice. This is a really thick moisturizer that does not absorb super quickly. Normally I would not put something like this on my oily face but i gave it a go and it did not leave my face feeling greasy just soft and hydrated. Time will tell if this clogs my pores like most moisturizers do.

Tarte Frxxxtion Stick Exfoliating Cleanser

Full Size: 1 oz

Full Size Cost: $22

Sample Size: 0.22 oz

Value: $4.84

This thing is so fucking cool. It is really easy to apply just kinda swipe it all over your face and then add water and scrub. It has a fine grain but powerful exfoliator and really made my skin feel clean and exfoliated and even a little dry which is rare for me. If you have dry or sensitive skin you may not like this but if you have normal to oily skin I think you will really enjoy this and it is so convenient. And it isn’t even that expensive I was expecting a much higher price and was pleasantly surprised I will definitely be buying this in a full size. And it is black which makes me love it more. Have I raved about this enough? Everyone needs this in their life. I’m in love.

Tory Burch Perfume in Love Relentlessly

Full Size: 1 oz

Full Size Cost: $68

Sample Size: 0.05 oz

Value: $3.40

This is actually a nice scent very fresh but warm almost floral it is very adult with out being stuffy.

So this was a pretty low value this month but these are all products I will use and enjoy, except for maybe the lipstick. I also discovered a new life need in that Frxxxtion stick.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $31.36

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 2

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 1

Perfume: 1

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 0

Deluxe Sample: 0

Sample: 6

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup