Sometimes you buy a valentines gift for the love of your life. Sometimes you buy it for your bestie and sometimes it is a treat for yourself. This year i bought chocolates and beer making paraphernalia for my babydoll (Still not exactly sure what the beer things do, but he was thrilled when I gave them to him.) I was going to wait to give them to him but I hid the chocolates already and he saw the package come in from the brewer’s supply and his eyes lit up like Christmas. So I didn’t have the heart to tell him he had to wait. He’ll get the chocolates on the 14th though. (He is way more of a chocolate fiend than i will ever be.)
This year I also got my mother flowers.
And I have to say I am tempted to get the Glossy Box Valentines Day box for myself. It is a $35 box that is on sale now. If you don’t like spoilers and want to be surprised by this box, look away now.
I’ll count to ten.
Okay good, now for the rest of us…
The Valentines Day Edit Features…
Rodial Dragons Blood Eye Masks
Elemis Superfood Glow Priming Moisturizer
Aceology Rose Petal Mask
Bioderma Sensibio Foaming Gel
Christophe Robin Hydrating Melting Mask
Bellapierre Lip Creme – Hibiscus Shade
Eyeko Black Magic Mascara
Kitsch Metallic Hairties
I tried the Aceology Rose Petal mask (full review here if you are interested) and it left my skin feeling like a rose petal. It was a beautiful mask. The scent isn’t that rosy for those who hate rose. It is a liht scent that fades pretty fast. It is however a fantastic mask. And it is a wash off mask. Most of the other masks I’ve tried from Aceology have been peel off masks. This one isn’t and it is one that is on my to be purchased list.
I have also used the Bioderma foaming gel cleanser before and it was a really nice clean that didn’t feel like it stripped the skin. It was one of those cleanse where after you pat your skin dry you think ‘I think I am just going to wait a moment before I put anything else on because this just feels nice’ kind of cleans. Or at least I have that sort of moment where my skin feels so fresh i want to hold off adding anything and just enjoy the clean skin. Maybe it is just me.
I just finished using up the Christophe Robin Hydrating Melting mask (full review here) and I have the mask on my list to repurchase. It is one I will add to my collection once i have whittled down some more of the hair masks I have in the hair care drawer. (For a while it seemed like they were multiplying ever time I closed the drawer but i think I have a handle on them now).
And I will never turn down a Black Magic Mascara from Eyeko. I used to go to Eyeko solely for their eyeliner (which is fantastic, I just don’t wear a lot of eyeliner any more). but their mascaras are winning me over. I really like the formula of this one. It doesn’t flake and makes my lashes look thick and full.
I think I have a sample of the Elemis moisturizer but I don’t think I have tried it out yet. I have never really had a product from Elemis that I didn’t like so odds are I would love this one. And of course there are several items on this list that I know nothing about and since I love trying new products that makes this box appealing as well. If you are looking for just a little something fun and special, whether for a friend, a family member or yourself, these Glossy Box Valentine’s Edits make a great gift.
This is a strange post for me to put up and it was a last second decision. Personally I like to get an advent calendar and then open it as an advent calendar. You know, one day at a time. And I am doing that with the Look Fantastic Calendar. Each day for that calendar is posted around 2:30 each of the 25 days of the calendar.
After I purchased the Look Fantastic Calendar I thought i was through with my personal Advent Calendar purchases. I did purchase several for others as gifts, but I generally only buy one for myself. Then the Glossy Box Advent Calendar went on sale. It is currently 50% off so instead of being a $110 Calendar it is $55. I also had some extra Glossy Credit left so I figured I might as well use that and pick up this Glossy Box Advent Calendar. I ordered it on Cyber Monday and I figured it would just arrive whenever and I would open it then. It actually arrived December 5th. I was quite surprised. with all of the shipping issues I thought it would arrive much later in the month.
When it arrived I was so impressed with it that I thought I would do a short post about it should anyone be thinking about picking this Glossy Box Freeze the moment Advent Calendar. At the moment it is still on sale for half off so you can get this Advent Calendar for $55.
This calendar has 25 days. The front of the box opens like two doors to reveal the 25 days. They are drawers in a lovely lavender and pinkish tones. Each day is clearly labeled. There is an interior grid support system which makes it quite sturdy.
While I will not go through all of the drawers in this post (there is a list of the included items on the Glossy Box site if you want to see them all, I will reveal a few of them.
While there were a couple of smaller items, for the most part each item fits in each box. I was expecting more sample sized items that rattled around in the boxes. There are several included and they are well, deluxe sample sized, but as I went through the drawers I had the over all impression of more full sized items than sample sized ones which was a very good impression to have with an advent calendar.
Several of the items were just a little large for the drawers or fit jut perfectly actually. However the smaller items are also in the smaller boxes so it feels as though some one actually thought about where the items went in relation to the boxes. It just feels really well put together.
I did pull out a few of the items to look at, because I was curious and wanted to see how it was put together, I tried to look quickly so if I decide I want to I can still open it like an advent calendar. As I was going through there was only one item broken. it was the candle. The glass container was shattered.
What was interesting is that it was the one item with minimum packing material. Everything else had bubble wrap and was well protected. This was in a box with the paper packing but there was no internal packaging in the box around the glass. So I think that may be a brand whoopsie rather than a Glossy Box one.
As this is a gift for myself, I will take the candle out of the shattered glass (it is unharmed) and vacuum up all of the little glass shards. It would be a little more troublesome if i were planning to give this calendar as a gift.
From the few items I looked at as I unpacked this, I feel I definitely got my money’s worth out of this calendar. There is a full sized Kat Burki Moisturizer which retails for $75 and more than repays me for what I paid for it. I am also a huge fan of Verb and can’t wait to try out the spray leave in conditioner as well.
In fact that was my over all impression, ‘I can’t wait to try that out,’ was the common refrain. I know there were a few spoilers in here but I did try to leave the bulk of the items as a surprise if you are planning on picking this up. And if you do want to know the details before purchase, there is a list of the included items on the Glossy Box site. As for me, even with the broken candle holder I am well pleased with my purchase. If I paid full price or was purchasing this for someone else, the candle might bother me more. As it is, it is well worth the price and I am really looking forward to investigating all of the items further. Way to go Glossy Box. There is no code for getting this Advent Calendar at half priced but I can’t imagine it is going to last all that long and I doubt they will be restocking it once it is sold out. All of the links in this post will take you to the Glossy Box site and to the advent calendar. If you are shopping, I’d suggest not waiting too long.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, my August Glossy box slipped through the cracks and a replacement was sent out. Since August was sold out, Glossy Box sent a replica of the February box. It arrived just as I finished posting about the September box actually. Which is fun timing.
To be honest, I’m not upset as it contained items that I liked the first time around and don’t mind using again.
Some of the items I find a bit amusing based on the September box. If you remember this morning I received the Natura Murumuru Hair mask and was thrilled about it because I really liked the shampoo and conditioner from the same line of Natura products? Well I received another set of the Murumuru Natura shampoo and conditioner in this box. I am actually quite tickled. They were good products, but it will be nice to use them in conjunction with the hair mask and to do a comparison. In many cases the hair mask is often an amped up version o0f the conditioner from the line and it would be interesting to see if that proves the case here. And even if there is no comparison, it is a really nice shampoo and conditioner and I loved the scent it left in my hair.
In September we also received the Spray tan from Vita Liberata. The replacement box has the cream version, Vita Liberata Self Tanning Gradual Lotion, that came back in February. I did try it once and then I set it aside and forgot about it. Maybe I will have better luck trying it again and comparing it to the spray version. As I tend to only show my legs while wearing skirts, but have my arms exposed all summer long, the different skin tones is an ongoing issue and it would be nice to find a product i could consistently reach for. Who knows, this might be it. And it is a full size as well. So there is plenty to try.
The third item in this box is the NCLA Nail Color in black. (Look Fantastic actually has several shades from NCLA nails on sale right now if you are interested. It is really good polish) I still have the bottle I received in February and it has proven more useful than I expected. While I like wearing black nail polish in general, I also like it for painting on designs. I have a small paint brush and the black is useful for drawing things on lighter nail colors or simply doing polka dots. I also like wearing it on it’s own or under a shimmery clear gloss. I did notice though that when I put it under a sheer gold gloss it looked a little greenish. Paired with everything else it looks black. It is just the gold tones that seem to bring out the green highlights.
The next item is one that I will always be happy to see. It is the Verso Nourishing Cream #3. At this point I have tried a variety of Verso products and each one has worked fantastically well for me. It is a clean and (I believe) vegan brand. Their eye cream (#5) is one that I will always reorder and is in fact my standard when I am not testing out other eye creams. I have never had a bad product from them and am always happy to see them in any subscription.
The next item is one that I have used repeatedly. It is the Rodial Dragon’s Blood Eye masks. I have used them before. and in general I like eye masks. Here is the thing though with Rodial. I really like all of their serums and creams and cleansers. Pretty much anything that can be bottled or jarred from the brand I am a fan of. I generally don’t care for their masks because of the paper. The paper tends to be a little on the stiff side and doesn’t adhere well. The last time I used these, I really liked the serum that came with the eye masks, but wasn’t fond of the paper. I had to keep pressing them against my face as I wore them. However the serum with them was good enough that I was willing to hold them on my face while i wore them. It is just something to remember. It is a good product with a poor delivery system.
The final item in this replacement box is a Kab Cosmetics lipstick. It is in the shade Sweetheart, as was the one I received in February. And as thematic as the name makes it, the lipstick is way too pink for me to wear. Since I had not tried out the formula last time I did wear the lipstick for a while. It is creamy and well worth looking into. I am just never going to wear this shade of pink. I do know someone who it is perfect for so I will be passing this on untouched. I do know I like the formula, I just don’t want the product wasted. And oddly enough it is going to the same person who I am sending the extra illuminating Dust, also from Kab Cosmetics, that came in my September box. As I know it will be loved, I don’t mind.
And that was my replacement box. Am I disappointed I didn’t get the true August box? Yes, it looked like it was going to be a good one. But accidents happen and it looks like whatever kink was in the system is now cleared up. Hopefully this won’t happen again and the subscription can go on as normal. It is generally a good and reliably fun subscription and I really enjoy receiving it each month. And honestly, with the exception of the lipstick, I will have no problem using all of the items in this box.
Good afternoon my darlings. It has been quite the morning here. Computer issues delayed the start of my day and caused more phone conversations than expected, with both the people fixing the computer and the people i couldn’t e-mail until the computer was fixed. I think I may have to start working more on my laptop than n my desk top. Tonight there will be a massive file switch so that is possible. I know that sounds strange but there are certain things I have always used a desk top for and others that I use the laptop for. But with my laptop being far newer than the desk top, that may be changing soon.
Today though, things worked out.
Oh as a quick reminder, For those who subscribe to Glossy Box, their Limited edition Easter Egg goes on sale tomorrow (March 29th) at Noon (EST), for those who aren’t members, the Easter Egg goes on sale at Noon on March 30th. That is as much a reminder to myself as it is to everyone else. I am a member and am hoping to purchase an Easter Egg this year. I have missed it three years running now. At this point I am determined not to miss it. The problem is that i will forget if I don’t keep reminding myself. Hence the reminders. And the spoilers I’ve seen of it look pretty good this year too. You can check them out on the Glossy Box website if you are interested. The link is at the bottom of the page.
Despite the slow start, today and the rest of the week to be honest, are all about getting ahead. We have company coming this weekend so for me Friday will be a short day. My plan is to have everything done (including the company clean) by the time I sit down for my Friday Face Mask. I’m guessing that Instead of relaxing I will be running around putting last minute things away while wearing the face mask, but I have my fingers crossed that this is not the case.
It is sort of an unexpected visitation. Someone’s plans changed and they realized it would take them in our direction so the weekend visit was scheduled. Which is delightful as I haven’t seen them in a while, just unexpected. So there will be lots of running around this week in order to complete projects early. And yes it makes the computer glitch this morning extra concerning. But hopefully, things will be back to rolling along now after the moment of Monday Morning Madness.
Personally I think my skin came out looking great today
Okay today was mostly face products I know and love while i worked on playing around with the Nudestix Bronzer. The Tatcha primer is an eternal love and well worth the price. The Purlisse BB cream is a standby all summer and so easy to use that i don’t have to think about it. Plus i think after two weeks of full coverage foundation i just needed a bit of a break. And then the Gold Rush Blush, Illamasqua Highlighter and No 7 powder are the products I reach for routinely so you know I love them. Actually today the No 7 started showing a little silver pan so it is well loved. I have lost track of how many of these I have used up over the years. It is my favorite pressed powder.
This of course brings us to the bronzer. I was having issues with the Nude Stix last week. It would go on but then it didn’t really want to blend. Then when got it to blend it would almost disappear. Today I held the stick in my hand for a minute letting my body heat warm it up. This really helped. It applied better and was easier to blend. I didn’t have to go in so forcefully to get it to blend so less of the product disappeared. I don’t think it will ever be my favorite bronzing stick, but it is workable. I think it also helped that I was wearing a BB cream instead of a full coverage foundation.
So now we are down to eyes and lips. this was a first use of the Estate quad that came in this month’s Glossy Box. While pastels are not normally my thing, at this time of year is when I do reach for them. They are very Easter-centric. My Easter Dress is a dark blue (it is from Ever Pretty and so fabulous. it is well worth remembering that they do more than just wedding and bridesmaid dresses. Although they have some fantastic looking wedding dresses). So I was going to lighten it up with a more pastel eye look. This shadow worked well. It was a bit on the powdery side, but the shades blended well. It is a very soft look, but it is something to work with.
The athr beauty mascara I like. It takes a few layers to get it to look right, but once you’ve applied it it looks good the rest of the day.
Today i wanted to try the About face Lip Gloss on it’s own instead of over a lip liner. It is okay on it’s own. It is kind of just a basic lip gloss. It is better over a lip liner. The color is there for a minute and then with a sip of coffee or water, the color is all on the rim of the glass and there is just shine left. which is fine if you have something under it. I think that this is a lip gloss that I would always pair with a lip liner.
And finally some of you may be looking at the picture above and think that something is different. I got a hair cut. I know it is still long but they knocked four inches off the main length and added in layers. Which means I can finally start breaking out the tools to play with again. With my hair the way it was tools were pretty useless. My hair was so heavy that the curls just fell out or I had to use enough hair spray to qualify as helmet hair. Which has never been my thing. Now it is light enough that I can actually work with it. Also I forgot that when some of the length and weight of my hair is removed, my hair tends to have natural waves. It was just the weight pulling it straight. So I will be having some fun playing with my hair in the near future. And as I have several tools to try out, I plan on having a lot of fun with it.
But for now it is back to work for me. I hope you are having a fantastic day and that no one else is afflicted with a case of the Mondays. I have my fingers crossed that this was the worst of it. And if you are looking for the Glossy Box Easter Egg, remember to get in early. You can check it out by following the link below.
What is this before my eyes? Two Glossy boxes? Was there a mistake? An over order? Nope, it is an apology from Glossy Box. Last month Glossy box had some sort of mix up along the way. They came up with a specially designed box for October and then sent out loads of boxes that weren’t the specially designed box. I, if you recall, received a typical pink and black box. It did have all of the October items in it, just not the October exterior. I also received it at the beginning of November instead of in October. So if you are thinking there was already a Glossy Box review this month then you would be correct.
I think that Glossy Box received many complaints. So this month they sent out an e-mail. In addition to the regular pink box with November’s items, they were sending out the specially designed October Masquerade box with some goodies to make up for the mishaps in October.
I’m kind of impressed. I could have lived without the special box, especially as the October box had everything it was supposed to have in it, but I like having the box. And I am tickled at the extra surprises. Whatever they happen to be, it will just be an extra treat. But let’s see about the regular November box first shall we?
I think that covers the basics. Now on to the first item. The first item was the heaviest item in the box and I couldn’t resist taking it out first. It is the Vitabrid C12 Daily C Balancing Cleansing Balm. And yes it is a full sized item with a value of $48. So right away, that more than pays for the box. I have actually been using the Vitabrid C 12 serum recently and really like it. I also have a cleanser from them to try that came in a different subscription box. I have to say that is one thing that I like about subscription boxes. Until they started sending the brand I knew nothing of it, now I get to try several items to see how I feel about the brand. And I love cleansing balms. I ran out (and actually purchased a travel one for upcoming travels because I ran out, so I am thrilled to have a new one to try. if it works as well as the serum I will be thrilled.
The second Item I picked out of the box was just too pretty to ignore. it is the Figs & Rouge Satin Soft Blurring Primer and Finishing Fix. It too is a full size with a value of $52. I have heard of Fogs& Rouge but I have never actually tried them. Mostly because they are a pretty pricey brand and I tend to be more of a try before you buy kind of person and no one had samples. At least not that I could find. By now everyone knows my weakness for primers so I am always happy to have a new one to try. And from a brand I haven’t tried anything from before. I am very much looking forward to giving it a go.
The third item in the box is the last full sized item and it is a lip oil from the Beauty Crop. It is the Oui Cherrie Lip Oil with a value of $12. I like lip oils in general, but I have to admit I have a checkered past with The beauty crop. I am always willing to give a lip product a chance. I’m nervous about the cherry scent because I am very picky with Cherry scents, but I am happy to have it to try and I love that there were three full sized items in this month’s box.
The next item, is not full size. It is a deluxe mini of the Commodity Fragrance called Paper (retail $10). I don’t mind getting a deluxe sample of a perfume. I have never heard of the brand before and certainly not the scent. I love trying out new perfumes so this is a win for me. I may feel differently once I smell the scent. Then I may either hate or love it, but for now I am pleased to see it in the box.
The final item is a travel sized eyeshadow Quad from Chella. It is valued at $20, which is fitting with Chella’s prices. The palette is Manifest Bronze and they are all colors I wear. recently I have been getting into eyeshadow quads and trios. I think it is just the ease of grabbing them and knowing there are a minimum of looks you can do. They are quick and easy and you don’t sit there debating color options for twenty minutes. I know debating color options is the fun part, but lately time seems to be evaporating on me and I am trying to save time wherever I can. The quads really help with that when I am in a rush. I know once New Year’s hits, my schedule will ease up a lot and I’ll end up taking out the larger palettes and playing more, right now, the smaller ones have my attention. And these are great shades for me.
So that was my November box. For those who like the math, I spent $18 and received $142 worth of products. On a month to month it would be a $21 spend. personally I still think it would be worth it. This was a really good month and better yet, they are all pretty much products I will use. The perfume’s use may depend on scent but as I love trying out new perfumes that’s fine with me. Novembe was a very good month and I can’t wait to see what they come up with for the December and January Boxes. Those are usually the boxes subscriptions go all out for so it will be interesting to see what they come up with. Interestingly, while Glossy Box usually does lean into skincare, this month there was only one sort of skin care item and that was a makeup remover. Because of the over abundance of skin care at the moment, this makes me very happy.
But this post isn’t over. What is in the mystery box? The special surprise? Let’s see.
We have a selection of items that have made appearances before. we have a Vitamasques Ruby sheet mask, A Hask Argan Oil Deep conditioning mask for the Hair, a brown ink pen style eyeliner from 3 INA A Four Sigmatic Cacao Mix, A Filorga Age Purify intensive serum and a brush duo from Elaina Badro. All of the items have been seen in previous boxes and quite honestly as a surprize gift I am thrilled to see them. I pick up the Hask hair masks periodically and have always found them good quality masks. I have enjoyed the Vitamasques before. While I have the Filorgia in waiting in my skincare I haven’t tried it yet. The Cacao mix is okay but not my favorite. it will get used as it is the season for hot beverages, but I probably woudn’t buy it on my own. I am currently using the set of brushes itentical the ones in this box and I have been really impressed with them so I am happy to have another set. Over all as a surprise gift, it is a nice one. I’m certainly please by it.
In general I am usually pretty pleased with Glossy Box, which is why I have an annual subscription instead of a month to month. There are occasionally months where they miss the mark, but for the most part, I really enjoy the box. They have brought many items to me that I might not have found or tried on my own. Sometimes these items flop, sometimes they sour. One never knows until they are tried. But this is a great way to try them and the November box, yeah, this month Glossy Box had a great box.
Good morning my darlings. That’s right , it is an unboxing. I know, you are thinking, that we already covered the unboxings for the month. However there are two remaining. At least for me. This is one of those two, Glossy box was a little late this month, although not as late as it was last month. Of course last month, Look Fantastic was early and this month I just got the tracing e-mail on Saturday saying that it should be here by the 30th. But that is another story. My Glossy box has arrived.
An it was heavy this month.
The reason for the weight was soon apparent, but we’ll get to that momentarily.
Glossy Box is a $21 per month subscription. If you subscribe for a year, like I do then it is $18. You can still pay monthly or you can pay in one lump sum. I always find it worth the $18. I don’t always find it to be worth the $21, but it is always worth the $18. Well that’s not entirely true. Some months are super fantastic. Last month was okay and this month, well its a little surprising.
This month is Glossy Box’s 10th Birthday month. Last year they had a specially designed box for their birthday and I remember the box being absolutely fantastic.
This month the box was late and I just figured that it was because they were up to something special. The box was the normal pink and black box, which I happen to find aesthetically pleasing so there are no complaints.
So what was inside of this Birthday box?
Well the first item was what made it so heavy. It is a full size of the Cetaphil Sheer Hydration Replenishing Daily Lotion (retail $9.99). It is a good brand, I have used it before. if you have really dry skin then it may be good for you. I like the feel and moisture of it when I used the moisturizer (face), but am not a huge fan of the scent. Perhaps this will be better in a body lotion. My babydoll will use the lotion though, so it won’t go to waste and it is nice to have a full size. As I have a box of body lotions I am working through, I don’t really get overly excited about body lotion but it is nice. And quite heavy.
The second item in the box this month was from Hask. It is a packet of the Karatin Smoothing Deep Conditioner. I periodically pick up Hask Masks from the grocery store and I have used a shampoo and conditioner from the brand before. I don’t think it was this one though. They are good products. There is enough conditioner for several uses so I will have to put it into a glass container.
I find it is the only way not to make a mess with multi use foil packets. Just remember to label your jars. I frequently use this with the Mane Club’s Hair masks (highly recommend their masks – Cry baby is my favorite actually, really helps detangle). I just save a couple of the prettier looking moisturizer jars and reuse them for mask control. I use masking tape and a sharpie to label them so they can be easily reused repeatedly.
While the conditioner is nice, it is again not a super exciting product. And it always slightly irks me when shampoo and conditioner don’t come in sets. Maybe it is a Noah’s Ark complex but shampoo and conditioner always look like they are missing something if they arrive on their own and not two by two.
The third item I was very happy to see. It was the spoiler for last month and was a deluxe Mini of the Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. I am always happy to see an Elemis Product in any box. It is one of my absolute favorite skincare brands. They tend to cost a bit more, but I have never had a product form them that I didn’t like. They were the highlight of this box for me.
There are however three other items in the box. The next is the Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle cleanser. Oddly enough as my Andalou Cleansing Milk is about to run out, I chose a smaller sample size of this cleanser to try out. The sample I will be opening tomorrow morning is a smaller tube while this is a deluxe mini. Glow Recipe is hit or miss for me. Some of the products I really love. Others, i end up struggling to see what all they hype is about. hopefully this one will prove to be on the fantastic side. we shall see.
The Invisibobble is another product that I am sort of on the fence about. I have a couple of them and they are okay but not the hear bands I always reach for. This box (retail $8) has a box of three and I have to say I do like that they are the slim version.
Pink is original, gray is new slim
I like the look of the thinner bands and I think that they may work better with my hair. I will have to give them a try, but I am interested. I also like that it is a full sized three pack instead of just one tie. The new ones are gray. I put it in the picture with one of my older original ones (pink) so you can see the difference between regular and slim. So I am cautiously optimistic about these hair bands.
The final item this month was the only makeup item in the box. Which is not that unusual as this does tend to be a very skincare heavy box. It is a full size of the KAB Cosmetics Juicy Melon Lip oil. (retail $21).
The lip oil is mostly clear with a small tint of color. to it. the scent is vaguely melon crossed with coconut. It isn’t bad, but I’m not sure why the coconut scent is there. The doe foot applicator is huge looking to me. In fact the entire lip oil looks incredibly large to me. I like the little dip at the end of the applicator though so it will be interesting to see how it performs when it is applied. I’ll be using it throughout the week and get back to you on how I feel about it.
doe foot
And that was it for the Birthday Box. I am excited for the Elemis and interested in a couple of the other products but I think because it was a Birthday box I expected something more celebratory. This just sort of felt a little flat. To be fair I wouldn’t mind this box at all if it were just a regular month. I know that sounds a bit strange to say. I think that because they kept sending out ‘Get ready for our Birthday’ e-mails that I expected something had a bigger wow factor. The products more than covered the cost of the box and I love that three of them were full sized. So I like the box, I just expected more this month.
If that makes sense.
maybe it is because last year they made a bigger deal of their birthday. I don’t know. Even after reviewing the box I’m still not entirely certain how i feel about this month. Usually I love Glossybox. So I am willing to let a puzzling month slide and then hope normality resumes next month. Although i have no idea what next month holds. There was no teaser on the back of the info card this month. Usually they share a spoiler of the upcoming box. This month there was none. So I guess all of September will be a surprise. Fingers crossed its a good one.
Erno Laszlo is having a sale. It is the perfect time to stock up. Personally, I love the original Black cleansing bar and thee Under eye masks. I have to admit some of their other cleansers and masks are calling to me as well. With 30% off I just might be able to justify it.
Guess what? My Glossy Box for the month of July finally arrived. This is actually the second month in a row that they were late getting things shipped. I actually don’t mind that much, especially as they sent me a message letting me know that it was going to be shipped later. I think they had some kind of product shipping delays because one of the items in the box isn’t what is listed in the booklet. I also know August is usually a really big month for them as it is their Birthday month so I’m guessing planning for that might have taken some time away.
(In the spirit of full disclosure, the Glossy Box Link in this post is my referral code link so if you happen to join Glossy Box, I think I get glossy points.)
Regardless the box is here. For those that don’t know Glossy Box is a monthly Beauty Box subscription. It is usually a $21 per month subscription but if you sign up for a year then you can get it for $18 per month. With the yearly subscription you can still pay for it each month instead of one lump sum. If you are not a subscriber you can use the code TREASURE16 to get your first box for $16.
Let’s talk about the substitute item first. In this month’s treasure themed box, the first item listed was an eyeshadow duo from Cleo Noir. Have tried several things from them in the past and really like the quality of their products. I haven’t tried their eyeshadow and it would have been nice to give it a try.
blush swatch
Instead I received a small illuminating blush from Ciate London. I can’t actually be mad about that as I have a deeper blush from Ciate London and it is one of my favorite blushes. I don’t mind having a new one in a different shade at all. I know I will end up using it.
The second item is one of the full sized items and it is a brush duo from Elaina Badro. (I couldn’t find this exact set to link to so the link is just to their general website). One is a blender and one is an eyebrow brush. Both brushes I will use. They are a lovely aqua color and appear to be quite good quality. They are listed as having a retail value of $34 which I think is a bit pricey for two eye brushes. Its more what I would expect for a larger face brush. But they are pretty and of good quality so I will use them.
The next item is a sheet mask from Purlisse. It is from their Blue Lotus line, the Blue Lotus and Seaweed Treatment Mask to be exact.. I have always had good luck with products from the line and I’m sure I will like this mask as well. I don’t get all that excited about sheet masks, but I do like them. And I like Purlisse. So all in all not a bad edition to the box.
Likewise the Verso eye cream is nice to have as well. I like Verso. They are a great clean brand. The eye cream is a deluxe size and as it takes so little eye cream when you use it, I know I will take a really long time to work through this. I actually have two additional Verso Eye cream samples in my collection so I may just end up passing this one on.
It is a good eye cream though. Also if you are into clean skincare, they are a brand you might want to check out as they are usually reliably good. Their foaming cleanser is actually fantastic if you are looking for a clean cleanser to try.
Finally there is a travel sized spray bottle of Batiste Volumizing dry shampoo. I know lots of people rave about it and it is a decent dry shampoo. It does leave a white cast and it has a very strong floral and slightly chemical scent, but it is a nice drug store option. In the days before my local drug store started carrying Cake Dry Shampoo, if I ran out of Klorane and needed something quick, he Batiste is the option I would go for.
Now that Cake products are available near me I would grab it instead. But this makes a good affordable option available in many local stores. My issue isn’t really the white cast (which can be brushed out) but the scent and the fact that always leaves my hair looking a little too dry. It no longer looks greasy but it does have a lot of fly aways. If I don’t use a dash of something like Moroccan Oil on my hands over my hair then I look like I am standing too close to an electrical charge. Which always struck me as a strange combination of elements. My hair is greasy so I dry shampoo it, then have to apply oil to make it less dry. It works in a pinch and lord knows I love Moroccan oil (although I always get the light weight Moroccan oil despite having thick hair. I find it works better on my fine hairs.)
But that is really beside the point. The Batiste is a good emergency back up product.
I don’t know about this month. Usually Glossy Box is one of my favorite subscriptions and even when Boxycharm and Ipsy have gone off track I can count on being excited by Glossy box. This month was just sort of blah. Maybe it is because I pretty much know every product in the box this month. Usually there is at least one item I have never heard of or never had a chance to try. The products are still good, it just lacks a bit of the excitement of discovery that I have come to associate with Glossy box.
However not every month is going to be a subscription box’s best month and as Glossy Box so rarely disappoints , I’m willing to give this too them and hope they are back on track next month. And as next month is their 10th birthday month I am sure they will do something special for it. The August spoiler they have in this month’s brochure lists an Elemis product in next month’s box. It looks like the Pro Collagen moisturizer. So already next month is looking exciting. After all when am I not excited to see an Elemis product?
That’s right, it is time again for another June Unboxing. What can I say, everything arrives in clusters. For those that don’t know, Glossy box is a beauty subscription. Each month you receive five sample or deluxe sized products with the occasional full size thrown in. Actually lately there has almost always been at least one full sized item in the box. I am signed up for a yearly subscription, but still pay once a month. My price is $18 because of that. Without the annual subscription the cost is $21. From June 18th- 24th they are having a PINK WEEK special where you can get your first box for $15 with the code PINK.
While some months are better than others (all subscription boxes have good and not so great months) I’ve never really had a bad month with Glossy box. Which is why I signed up for the yearly plan with them.
Each month the box comes in a sturdy reusable box. Inside the items are wrapped up with tissue paper and tied with a ribbon. Most months it is a pink and black design but sometimes they branch out. May, for example, came in a lovely blue and gold box. opening it always feels like opening a present because of the packaging.
But as with most things, it is what is inside that counts.
The first item I saw in my box this month was the full sized Seed Phytonutrients Moisture Conditioner pump bottle. This is a hair product that is designed to help with dry ends and fly away hair. Always a useful product. I know a lot of people tend to have these sorts of issues in the summer so i can see why it is in the June box. Personally I have more issues with dry hair in the winter time. Summer is humidity frizz where I live. (and quite frankly the Color Wow DreamCoat has been Fantastic thus far this summer). But I know in the winter a product like this will be excellent for me.
I love that it is in a biodegradable bottle as well. Seriously, it is a pressed paper bottle with a pump top. We have received a product from the company Seed before. It was a moisturizer and it is in my skincare drawer. I haven’t yet gotten around to trying it out.
I might have to bump it up the line up though as each time I see something from the company i am more and more interested. I really want to find out if their products are as good as their ethos. Perhaps once i have finished my current moisturizer I will roll the Seed one into the line up. This hair care product will have to wait a bit for its use. However I am not mad about letting it sit. I will be putting this on a shelf with other hair care products and i want to actually see how the paper bottle holds up. October is when my hair (and the humidity) start to dry out so it will be interesting to see how the paper bottle deals with waiting. Regardless I am happy with this full sized product.
The second item in the box this month is the Naobay Cosmetics Freedom Low pH Hemp and Green Tea Cleanser (this link will take you to the Naobay site but i couldn’t actually find this cleanser). It is Full sized as well. I am always happy to have another cleanser on hand. It seems that even in skin care heavy subscription boxes, cleansers are always the least offered product. which is kind of interesting because I use them at least twice a day (sometimes I’ll add a third if I had a particularly sweaty workout). So I am always looking for a good cleanser. I’ve tried a couple of Naobay products before and they seemed to work well. I believe they were sample sized if i recall. It will be nice to test out a full sized product.
Next up is an item I am not entirely thrilled to see. It is a Deluxe mini size at least so at least it wasn’t one of my full sized products. This third item is the PiperWai Natural Deodorant Cream.
I have nothing against the brand and I will say that I have tried a few deodorant creams that work well. I have also realized I am not a deodorant cream sort of person. I am simply not going to scoop out deodorant every morning and rub it into my arm pits. I’m just not. And I am okay with that. I’m sure it is a lovely product, but I will be passing it on unopened to someone who will use it.
The next item is listed as a deluxe mini as well although it is rather on the small side. It is the Pili Ani Ageless Concentrate. Apparently you only need one or two drops, thus explaining the small size I guess.
The Full sze is also $62 so I am guessing the size is related to the cost of the full sized bottle as well. It is an anti-aging and firming concentrate so I look forward to giving it a go and seeing what the results are.
So that’s why the swatch is so large. then I read that it was a highlighter. which is kind of sad as it makes a fantastic shadow. It bended into my hand leaving a glow behind. I clearly used too much product in one sitting. While blended out it looks nice, I might actually try it as a shadow as well. It certainly looks nice.
Normally this would be the last item in the box but this month Glossy box added a couple of Vital Proteins Collagen Packets. they are collagen supplements you add to a drink. These are unflavored. They are an added gift (which occasionally Glossy Box does) and so it is nice to have the extra. To be honest though I am not always thrilled to get something edible in a beauty box. Also I’m not entirely certain how I feel about edible collagen either. I’ve only done a little preliminary research (because there was a collagen powder offered as an IPSY choice in May) and I’m not sure how effective they are. I think I’d want to do a bit more research before ingesting.
But that was this month’s Glossy Box. They were going for an Eco friendly theme and they hit hat out of the park. with the exception of the Deodorant cream, I look forward to trying everything in the box. And truthfully, I do know someone who will love the deodorant cream. So it will be easily passed along to a new home. Over all I have to say, I consider this box well worth the price.
For those that don’t know Glossy Box is a monthly subscription box. Usually it comes in a bink pox with black detail but this month was a yellow box with gold details. The theme is Let the Sub Shine so the yellow and gold is appropriate. Personally I think it is quite a lovely design. I love the little gold details on the inside of the box.
The cost is $21 per month, unless you sign up for one of their longer subscriptions. Personally I signed up for the annual subscription and pay $18. They still charge monthly so it is really easy to budget. At the moment you can get your first box for only $16 with the code SUNSHINE16. I love those sign up deals as it is a great way to find out if you are going to like a subscription before committing to it.
While I like Glossy Box, this month was a little strange. First of all it came much later than usual (however they did actually send an e-mail letting me know it was going to be late so I wasn’t left wondering where it was). Secondly, not all of the items I received in my box were the ones in the little pamphlet that came with the box.
Usually there are five items and this month they decided to add sixth item as an extra treat. The extra treat item was the Thermal Water spray from Uriage. While most of the year, I don’t really bother with spray water, in the summer I adore it. I keep a bottle of the Avene Thermal Spring Water beside the back door so I can quickly spray myself after worming in the garden. It is amazingly refreshing. I’ve never heard of the brand Uriage before, but I am certainly willing to give them a try.
But that was the extra treat. The first item listed in the brochure that I did receive was the Earth Harbor Helios Anti-Pollution Youth Ampule. It is a full size which is really nice. Lately it seems that there has been a lot of Earth Harbor appearing in subscription boxes.
I am currently using the Marina Ampule and I have an Aroura bottle waiting in my skincare drawer. I did see Red Algae listed on the label of this one and I I know red Algae was part of a Skyn Iceland Serum I tried a while ago. I really liked how it worked with my skin so I am excited to give this a try. (I’m also planning to reorder the Icelandic Youth Serum from Skyn Iceland, but that is another story)
The second item in my Glossy Box this month is something I’ve tried before. It is the Kneipp Mineral Bath Salt in the scent Dream Away which is Valerian And Hops. This is actually my go too bath salt scent and brand and I usually have a jar of it stashed in the bathroom. In fact I recently reordered a jar of it as I was out. It is a fantastic soak and a lovely scent to wind down the day with. I am always happy to have this in any size as I know it will be used.
Next out of the box is a product for the hair. It is the Aveda Nurtiplenish leave in conditioner. It is supposed to help protect hair from the damage of the sun which I have to say I am all for. I spend a lot of time out side in the summer time and my hair always takes a bit of a beating.
Aveda is a brand that I used to use a lot and just sort of got away from. It has nothing to do with the brand, it is still a good brand, I just wanted to try some new things. It is a tried and true brand for me though and I am happy to try something new from them.
Or maybe just new to me, I am not certain if it is a new release product, or merely something I haven’t seen before. Either way, I look forward to trying it out. I have recently been concentrating on whittling down my sample sized hair products so I have actually cleared out a lot of space for new ones.
Here is were the contents of the box go a little off script. According to the booklet that came with the box my last two items should be a Josephine Cosmetics liquid Highlighter and a Deluxe size of the Polaar SPF 50 Sun Cream. I’ve had good luck with both brands before and I am sad not to actually have them.
The first Item I received instead was the Nails Inc Nail polish in the shade Blossom Kisses. I actually really like Nails Inc. Their nail polish goes on well and lasts for quite a long time. However I already have this exact shade, which I also got from a Glossy Box almost exactly a year ago. So I will be passing it along. Had it been a different color, I would be super happy. But alas, it is not. I do know that it will be loved by the person I am passing it on to.
That leaves me with the final item of the Bella Pierre Stay put Brow Gel. I tend to be a bit more of a pencil or powder brow person, when I remember to do more than tame them with a spoolie, but I am willing to give more brow products a chance. I will try it out and see how I feel about it.
And that was my May Glossy Box. It was an odd sort of box this month. They are good products and several I am very thrilled to have. I just find the non-listed contents strange. I think that this month, with the shipping issues and the contents issues, Glossy Box just had an odd month.
Not a bad month, just an odd one. I enjoyed it though and hope that in June, things work out a little better for them.
Happy Monday my darlings. Guess what arrived on my doorstep this weekend? Two separate subscription boxes. The first is The April Glossy Box. For those who don’t know Glossy Box is a $21 per month beauty Subscription.. If you sign up for a year (which I do) you still pay month to month however the cost drops down to $18. In addition each month you get a chance to rate each of your products. When you rate them, you earn glossie credit which you get to spend either on The Glossy Box website or the Look Fantastic Website. The Look Fantastic website is huge. While the credits are small they add up and don’t expire. It really is a great way to take off some of the cost of pricier items all while enjoying a subscription service. Personally there are several items I have my eye on but I’m also debating saving them up for the Advent Calendar in the autumn.
But that is a story for another time.
April’s box theme was Woke up in Spring for April and the NCLA Nail polish certainly fits that theme. It is a full sized nail polish and the shade I received is a lovely purple. It is very spring like and I have to say I am glad that they didn’t choose pink.
With Valentine’s day, Easter and spring themes going on I have a lot of pink nail polishes. I actually had to declutter several because they were the exact same shade of pink. This is spring like without being pink.
Plus NCLA is a great nail polish. It only took one coat to get full color coverage. Which meant I could paint my nails quickly and let them dry.
Also full size this month is the Freeman French Pink Clay Peel off mask. Yes my darlings, I said clay peel off mask. While I am not a huge fan of peel of masks, I do love clay masks. I’m not entirely certain how to make a clay mask peel off, but I am curious enough to give it a try.
Freeman is a brand I occasionally pick up at Target. I tend to find them okay but not spectacular. They are relatively inexpensive and tend to be fun to use without massive skin care benefits. Perhaps this pore clearing one will be different. I’ll have to try it and see. Perhaps this will be the mask I turn to this Friday.
Next out of the box is a mascara from Beautaniq Beauty. It is a nourishing mascara which could me fun to try. It looks like this mascara is a full size as well actually. I believe we’ve gotten the Beautaniq Beauty cream blush before and I believe I passed it along to a new home as I didn’t particularly care for it.
I think I liked the glass jar but not the product if I remember correctly. This week I sent two mascaras to the empties bin so I might rotate this one in this afternoon to give it a chance and see how it performs. Perhaps I will like it better than the blush.
Next up is another makeup item and it was the Cargo Cosmetics Swimables Eyeshadow Stick in the shade Sandy Bay. It too is full sized. I have a couple of Cargo palettes that I like and I have a lippie from the Cargo Swimables line but I haven’t tried the shadow stick before.
Perhaps I’ll try it out along with the mascara today. I have to say, swatched on the hand it isn’t the most attractive shade but I do like the fact that it is matte. I have several shadow sticks but they are all shimmers. I don’t tend to reach for them that much because I usually have a palette with shimmers in it.
shadow swatch
Having a matte shadow stick means that I can just reach for shadow sticks which means I might use them more. As I really like some of the shimmery shadow sticks I’m okay with that. Providing this one works out okay.
The next item in my box this month was actually not listed in the little booklet they sent with the bo. It is a set of LA Splash shadow brushes. One is for defining and one for setting. They actually feel like decent quality brushes. I’m kind of impressed and looking forward to using them.
Finally there was an extra treat this month. It is called The Good Patch in Be Calm and it is some sort of mood enhancement patch. You are supposed to place it on the inside of your wrist and wear it throughout the day to ensure you remain calm. It has Hemp and menthol in it.
I Think I may have to go looking for a little more information before I stick it on to my wrist. It could be something fabulous, it is just something new and unexpected. Since new and unexpected are part of the reasons I get this box, I’m happy to have it. I’ll be happier once I look into it a bit more, but I also like research so that’s fun too.
I have to say I really liked this month’s box. Lately everything has been so skin care heavy that I’ve been missing the makeup. This one had a few makeup items in it, and are ones I do want to try. In fact it really had only one skin care item and that was the mask.
Nothing in the box made me super excited, but it is a good decent box with several interesting items inside. The fact that pretty much everything except for the bonus treat of the Be Calm Patech is full sized is actually really impressive. Usually there are one or two full sized items and the rest are deluxe samples. I actually didn’t realize until I started typing that everything this month really is full sized. Which is a nice surprise as well. I am looking forward to playing around with all of the items that came, which is always a good sign. After all a box is only good if you want to use the products you recieve.
As always, they announced their sneak peek for May in the April pamphlet. I love that the sneak peek is the announcement of the Summer travel bag. They don’t list specific products though so unfortunately no details. I can’t wait to see what that bag includes. Luckily for me, May isn’t too far away.
Ms. Mimsy Reviews 