March 2018 Boxycharm Unboxing

This was a fun month! Boxycharm kicked off Summer makeup the right way with their "Baecation" themed box. If you're new to makeup, looking to expand your collection, test new products, etc. Boxycharm is arguably my favorite subscription box. For $21/month you get 5 full sized products, and those products often retail for over $100. 

The first product I received was Butter London's Double Decker Lashes Mascara. I really enjoyed this! The wand and formula reminds me a lot of Too Faced's Better Than Sex Mascara/L'Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara. This does end up smudging, but only if you've worn it for a very long time (more than 8hrs). But it doesn't claim to be waterproof so this will fade if worn too long. Because L'Oreal makes a mascara just like this at a drugstore price (this is $20), I wouldn't repurchase. But I do recommend if you've ever wanted to try it. 

A favorite of mine in the box is this Make Them Blush in the shade Hush Blush by Pretty Vulgar. I absolutely love this blush! It is a beautiful warm peach, which goes with virtually every makeup look. This blush is also very pigmented, so a little goes a long way. Using a light hand is key - but Make Them Blush will last a long time before hitting pan. The blush retails for $26 and is worth every penny. The formula is silky and doesn't look powdery or cakey on the skin. So nice! I recommend. 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE getting makeup brushes in subscription boxes! And this Smokey Eye Makeup Brush Set from The Vintage Cosmetic Company is so essential. You get every brush you need to complete any eye look. A shader brush, a blending brush, and a small smudge brush. Adding brushes to my collection gives me life, and this trio will be well loved. The complete set retails for $21.76 which is a little pricey for brushes, but The Vintage makes high quality products. 

Something I'm not too keen on receiving are masks. Whether it's for hair, skin, eyes, body, etc. I have wayyy too many masks. So I have to be honest, these will sit until other masks I own are used up first. And under-eye masks aren't something I reach for. I get bags under my eyes but they don't get puffy or dry. So two of the claims for the eye masks will be lost on me. I am interested to test how they reduce dark circles though. If an under-eye mask like this is something that interests you, South Mane Beauty sells these Eye Gels for $9. 

Boxycharm partners with PUR quite a bit I've noticed. Not a bad thing because I am growing to love this brand! PUR isn't a brand I would normally shop for myself, so I'm glad receiving it via Boxycharm has made me try them out. This PUR x Boxycharm Eyeshadow is so perfect for summer. I still have love for peachy shades and this has many! It also has a fun pop of blue which is very on trend right now with eyeshadow palettes. The shimmer shadows are super creamy, and the matte shades blend easily so this is a fun palette to reach for. For $36 you can purchase this from PUR which is nice that it's not exclusive to Boxycharm.

If I've convinced you to subscribe to Boxycharm, feel free to use my link! https://www.boxycharm.com/refer/Chand-QNKQBANJ

January 2018 Ipsy Unbagging

I can't preach enough about how much I love Beauty Subscriptions. If boxes like Boxycharm are more than you want to spend on a beauty subscription, Ipsy is a very affordable alternative. For $10/month (billed the 1st of the month), you receive 5 items and a cute Glam Bag. The items aren't always full size, so you do often get deluxe samples. Which I think is nice to at least try the item prior to purchasing it full size. What is also nice is the fact that you can easily rate each product that you receive and Ipsy will personalize your future bags according to your feedback. 

Ipsy's January theme is Conquering 2018, so the bag is perfect for those who have any fitness resolutions. I love this bag and will use it in my gym bag for sure. It also comes with a cute "I will conquer" insert to help keep you motivated.

The first item was Nyx Lip Lingerie in Beauty Mark. I was not a fan of this. I look horrible with dark brown lips, so this color was not flattering. It's streaky, which you'll see in a swatch below. And there was something about the smell that was off-putting. It smells almost chemically. I do hear a lot of people love these though, so maybe a lighter shade will work for me.

The next item is Ciate Fierce Flicks Liquid Eyeliner. It comes with a felt tip, and claims to be "long-wearing, dries quickly, and won't smudge or transfer". The Fierce Flicks liner definitely lives up to those claims. It is not waterproof, though - so water will make it smudge/come-off. I like this eyeliner and it's pretty good, but I probably wouldn't repurchase since I prefer waterproof formulas.

One of my favorite items for January is Dirty Little Secrets eyeshadow in Bikini. This color is a gorgeous copper shade and is super pigmented. If used wet, it is even more stunning. And if you wanna be fancy, you could use this as a highlight. This shade is something I reach for often, so I would definitely repurchase!

 

The next item is Befine Skincare's Exfoliating Cleanser. It's made with brown sugar, almonds, and oats - and it smells like it! This is the most appetizing cleanser I've used in awhile. But if you use this, beware! If your face is not wet before you apply, this exfoliator is really rough. You need water to activate whatever is in it that makes it soapy. I made that mistake the first time I used it and irritated my skin. I love this cleanser but it is really difficult to get out of the tube. I might just cut it open and pour it in a jar. Because of that difficulty, I'm not sure if I'd repurchase, but I do think it's good.

Another of my favorites this month is City Color Cosmetics Contour Palette. This is so buttery and pigmented and blendable! I think City Color nailed it with the color selection, since you get a cool contour shade, a warm bronzer, and a beaming highlight. This shows up on my Tan-Olive skin so that is always awesome. I love this and was happy to receive it, so I'd definitely repurchase.

If you are looking to experiment with more makeup or add to your collection, subscription boxes are the way to go. Every month I find myself trying products that I would never chose for myself, and end up loving nearly everything. And for $10/month, you can't beat that.

January 2018 Boxycharm Unboxing

If you're into makeup, and haven't subscribed to Boxycharm yet - what are you doing?? I couldn't recommend Boxycharm enough. I haven't been disappointed with a box yet, and the products they choose each month are all amazing! 

How it works is, on the 2nd day of the month, you'd be charged $21 (a GREAT deal, you'll see) for 5 full sized products. And the products are high quality items you'd probably find at Sephora. They pick out your box, because not everyone gets the same thing (could be a pro or a con depending on personal opinion) and they ship it out towards the middle of the month.

If you are new to makeup/cosmetics, looking to expand your collection, or just want experiment with new products, please sign up. As much as I wish this post was sponsored, it's not - so I'm not saying all of this because I'm getting paid!

The first item in the box this month is Dr. Brandt's Pores No More Luminzer Primer. It claims to "deliver a natural radiant glow while blurring pores and imperfections for a beautifully illuminated flawless complexion". After testing, it does exactly as it claims. Wear this alone, and you have radiant, lit-from-within skin. Wear it under foundation and you are still left with a luminous glow. For combo-oily skin girls like myself, you'd probably want to avoid the T-Zone as this will get greasy there. But on the rest of the face, it works wonderfully and looks beautiful.
Retails for $38.00

 The next item is It Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil. It claims to be "infused with brow-enhancing biotin, lecithin, saw palmetto, nettle, green tea, antioxidants, grape seed, and vitamins A, B5, C and E, plus proprietary Brow Power Technology to give you your most beautiful, natural-looking brows - even if you have none at all. Plus, its universal transforming shade adjusts to all hair colors based on pressure..." This pencil is good. Like, really good. I have a few other brow pencils with a similar shaped tip - which may throw some people off if they've never used anything but a pointed tip. But it's easy enough to master and leaves a natural looking brow. It runs cool in tone, which I love. So I'm pretty pleased with this product as well!
Retails for $24.00

Boxycharm gave everybody (I'm pretty sure) the Crown Pro Glam Metals Palette. The metal shadows are pretty stunning in the pan. And if used as suggested to make a smokey eye look - the palette does it's job. 

These are pretty pigmented, and there wasn't too much fallout when applying to the eye. The crease colors are perfect and the metals really stand out. Boxycharm has a "Rock 2018" theme going this month, so this fits perfectly.

 Retails for $25.00

This is probably my favorite item in this month's box! The Pur Bronze and Brighten Cheek Palette. The colors they selected are virtually universal. It features Pur's fan favorites, "Afterglow", "Mineral Glow" and a new blush shade "Blushing Glow". The peach-toned blush I'm sure will work for most skin tones, deep skin could probably use it as a blush topper or as a highlight. On my Olive-Tan skin, it shows up as a blush. The middle highlight is a champagne shade. It's not frosty by any means, so everyone could use this shade. And the bronzer is stunning! I think it might be one of my favorites that I own now. On Olive-Tan skin it is a bronzer. Again, on deeper skin tones this could probably be used as a highlight or blush topper. This trio is perfectly pigmented and I haven't put this down since I opened it. Out of all the products that came this month, this is the one I recommend to purchase.

Retails for $34.00

The last item in January's Boxycharm is a Matte Lip Paint by Girlactik. I've heard a lot about this brand but have never purchased anything from them. And in a previous post, I stated I'm not the biggest fan of matte lips anymore. But Girlactik nailed this formula. It is so comfortable on the lips. The formula reminds me a lot of Nyx's Soft Matte Lip Creams, but even more light and airy. This stays put all day, especially with a lip liner underneath. I'm still on a gloss kick, but if I want something more muted, I'll be using this lippie. On Olive-Tan skin, the lip paint shows up as a nude-pink. On fairer skin tones I'm sure it'll be a deep nude. 

Retails for $23.00

The total value of January's Boxycharm is $144!!! And I only paid $21!? Absolutely impressive. Boxycharm does typically have a waiting list so I've you've been debating about subscribing - do it! $21 for cosmetics is either one higher end item from Ulta/Sephora, or maybe a couple of things from the drugstore. Have I convinced you yet??

Beautycon Box | Fall 2016

If you aren't familiar with Beautycon, it's a very popular festival within the beauty community. Think Comic Con except with way more cosmetics and instead of superheroes, there are popular beauty vloggers and bloggers. So it was only right that they created a beauty box subscription that comes out seasonally. 

The Fall box was curated by @MakeupShayla (who is one of my biggest inspirations btw) and @mac_daddyy. This gorgeous portrait was drawn by @rongrong_devoe_illustration. I've seen Beautycon boxes from other seasons floating around on Youtube and Instagram, but always debated on purchasing one. Then, of course, since Shayla was one of the curators, I knew I had to pick this one up before it was too late! 

The packaging in the box was impressive. The gold wrapping paper and Beautycon logo sticker is super glam. 

This box cost $29 (without shipping, with shipping around $35). I feel it's well worth it. If you add up the individual prices of each item, by buying the box, you're saving money. I loved nearly everything included so to me this was a good buy. Included in the box:

Super fabulous stickers that represent Shayla and Angel (mac_daddy).

The BrowGal Double Ended Highlighter Pencil in Gold/Nude. 

DUO Lash Adhesive.

Flutter Lashes "iSlay" Lashes.

Jouer Essential Lip Enhancer.

Lazer Kitten Sweetheart Lipstick Pin.

Luxie Beauty Large Angled 504 Brush.

Milani Cosmetics Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow.

Mystic Tan Mocha-Kyssed Bronzer Lotion.

OFRA Cosmetics Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick.

Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes.

Sugarfina Sugar Lips Candy.

I'm not sure how much longer this box will be available as Beautycon has been promoting their upcoming Winter 2016 box, so if you want to purchase this, do it fast! I loved getting this box and think it was well worth the money.

July Target Beauty Boxes | Unboxing

It's safe to say that I'm hooked on Target's beauty boxes. And the fact that the past two months have had more than one box is awesome. For July, Target came out with two boxes: Simply Radiant and Fresh & Fabulous. Both boxes retailed for just $7 and there again was no shipping charge. Also, each box comes with a $3 off $15 or more Beauty purchase at Target. Seriously, if you haven't picked this up yet I highly recommend that you do.

The Fresh & Fabulous box includes must-have beauty products that will freshen you up in no time flat. Included is:

Tom's of Main Peppermint Antiplaque & Whitening Toothpaste

Dove Regenerative Nourishment Shampoo

Dove Regenerative Nourishment Conditioner

Garnier Clearly Brighter Daily Moisturizer

Sweet Spot On-the-Go Wipettes

Umberto Lifting Powder

NYX Butter Lipstick

The Simply Radiant box is packed with a handpicked collection of beauty products that will keep you looking and feeling your best all summer long. Included is:

L'oreal Paris Color Vibrancy Shampoo & Conditioner

Dessange Paris Purifying Clay Shampoo

Wet n Wild Max Fantastic Mascara

Derma e Firming DMAE Eye Lift

Acure Facial Cleansing Gel

Aquaphor Healing Ointment

If you missed out this month and are interested in purchasing any of these items, Target.com sells the full size products (and I'm sure in-store carries everything as well).