Beauty Box 5: April 2012

After my buy one month get the second month free ended I decided to stick with BB5 to see if they kept moving forward and getting better....

Don't know what Beauty Box 5 is? 
Beauty Box 5 is a month beauty subscription service that delivers a cute Tiffany blue box of premium beauty samples to your doorstep. Each month you will receive  4-5 packet samples, deluxe samples, and a full-sized product. Brands are expected to vary from luxury high-end, department store brands, and anything in-between. The samples chosen are based off of a short profile, but it looks like the first few months all products will be the same. Beauty Box 5 costs $12 a month and your box will always be valued above!
Click here to join Beauty Box 5

April 2012

My box came super fast this time around. They finally got tracking numbers which I really appreciated. I just feel secure knowing where in the world my future belongings are. What I did notice is that before the boxes even shipped the Beauty Box 5 website had all the products that were going to be in the April boxes up. Some of them were even visibile in March. I guess it made it not very exciting when I was opening the box since I had a suspicion that these would be the brands I'd be seeing. Plus, when I realized that I was receiving mostly satchels and single use wipes I was really disappointed. Instead of moving forward, the company went backwards.

Information Card:

Products:
LA Fresh: Waterproof Makeup Remover
Say goodbye to the irritation of scrubbing off that waterproof mascara and those trendy lip stains.Full Size: 24 wipes ($9.99)
Size Received: 1 wipe ($0.42)
I received the full size wipes in my Sindulge box last month. Here I received a single, measly wipe? I actually have only use 2 wipes from that container because I found I feel the wipes are too greasy. My face has a slick oil feel after I wipe with these. They make work on getting make-up off, but I want to feel refreshed and completely clean when I use these wipes. I wouldn't use my eye makeup remover (which is greasy) on my skin too. What I do like about these wipes is that they are probably a third of the size of what most companies give. I think those giant wipes are so wasteful! How big is your face that you need that large a wipe? And like I said last month, the company uses only natural ingredients, is cruelty-free, and eco conscious.

Supergoop: Sunscreen Wipe SPF 30
For long-lasting, water-resistant SPF protection, gently wipe SPF 30+ Sunscreen Swipes evenly over your face and body before exposure to sun.Full Size: 10 wipes ($10.00)
Size Received: 1 wipe ($1.00)
Another singlet? I'm intrigued by the idea of a sunscreen wipe. I never remember to put on sunscreen, unless it is in my makeup (which I make sure it is). But there are many days that I don't realize that I'll be outside and exposed to all the harmful rays of the sun. Even a few days ago I had to do a project outside and ended up with red skin. I have to start protecting my skin if I don't want it to look 50 by the time I'm 30! The wipe is formulated with all natural ingredients, no parabens, and is fragrance free. I love when a company clearly states that their products are plant based! It makes my life easier. I'll be sticking this guy in my purse and using it on a sunny day! It just would have been nice to have gotten more than one wipe.

Makeup Geek: Eyeshadow Refill Pan in Shimma Shimma
All of the pigment for half of the price, Makeup Geek eye shadow pans will blow your makeup mind!Full Size: 1 refill pan ($5.99)
Size Received: Full-size! 1 refill pan ($5.99)
This is the only product in my box that Im excited for. They promised to always have a full-size product in the box and they did deliver on that. Although I see the website also sells compact versions of these for just $2 more. It would have been nice if they came in a compact since now I'll just have a random pan floating around. Makeup Geek is a cruelty-free, budget conscious company that knows that we want pigmented, long-lasting color for less. I received Shimma Shimma which is a metallic champagne color. I thought it was an exact dupe for my theBalm Mary Lou-Minzer, but when I put them next to each other the Shimma Shimma was much more taupe-y (included a photo since its hard to explain). Adding primer made all the difference with this shade. Using it without primer it is perfect as a brow highlighter and with primer it is a great light, blushing champagne.

What I did notice after I applied it to my eyelids is that it May contain carmine! Again! Another eyeshadow that may have crushed bugs. Why oh why do we still use this ingredient when there are so many alternatives? Especially companies that say they are cruelty-free. I contacted MUG and within minutes they replied back confirming that Shimma Shimma is vegan! They let me know that Razzleberry, Duchesss, Unexpected, Unicorn, Cupcake, Mango Tango, Country Girl, and Manderine contain carmine and therefore unsafe for vegans. I did ask if there was any thought of using a different red dye and the girl forwarded my suggesting to the owner, Marlena. Seems like an awesome company! And I may need to try out some other colors!

Pur-lisse: Pur-Protect SPF 30 Essential Daily Moisturizer
Powerful protection from the entire spectrum is yours, all in a lightweight, nourishing moisturizer.Full Size: 1.7oz ($55.00)
Size Received: 0.14oz ($4.53)
Yup, another little satchel. I received this same exact sample last month from MyGlam. The company may be great and all products are vegan and cruelty-free, but I really didn't like this moisturizer. As I stated last month, the moisturizer has lupine peptides that nourish the skin, blue lotus flower that detoxify, white tea to help destress and repair damage, soy protein to help skin retain moisture, and sea silk that reduce firm lines and firm. Plus, SPF 30. It felt so greasy and had a sunscreen like feeling on my skin. It did not absorb well at all for me. But I do have a very oily skin complex, so maybe this just isn't right for my skin type. I'll be passing this along hoping someone else will like this.

Freeman: Facial Exfolating Scrub in Pink Grapefruit

This scrub gently resurfaces your skin, removing dead cells so your skin experiences healthy cell renewal.

Full Size: 5oz ($3.99)

Size Received: 0.5oz ($0.40)

I can't stay away from this brand. This is the second month in a row that BB5 has had Freeman travel-size masks. The masks just dont seem to do what they say or if they do poorly. But I always fall for pink grapefruit face products. I love how they smell and feel on my skin, so Im excited to try this one. The scrub is made from natural fruit extracts and natural oils which I like, plus it has aloe to help soothe my sensitive skin. The scrub will hopefully make my skin feel smoother and more radiant. This satchel is enough for 2-3 uses. 

Total Value of my April 2012 Beauty Box 5 Box: $12.53

Really? I could have bought two Makeup Geek Eyeshadows on my own for the same price and been happier than this box. Instead of moving forward and continuing with the nice sized samples that were in last month's box, they moved backwards. I don't mind a few satchels, but every single sample was a satchel! At least they pulled through and still gave me my promised full-size item. I love the MUG eyeshadow and am excited to have learned about the company, but was it worth $12 to get the rest of the items that Im just meh about. No. I decided to cancel. I was so hesitant for some reason, but I was only half excited about any of the boxes that I received. I may sign up in the future if things change, but for now it isn't worth my money.

What did you think of my April Beauty Box 5? What did you get? Are you happy with the boxes? Let me know in the comments below!

Beauty Box 5: March 2012

Finally received my second Beauty Box 5. It took longer than most for me to receive my box. They ship UPS MI, but didn't send out tracking numbers which is silly since there is a tracking number right on my package. I was anxious once everyone else I know had already received their box. But here it is! My last box of the month.

Don't know what Beauty Box 5 is? 
Beauty Box 5 is a month beauty subscription service that delivers a cute Tiffany blue box of premium beauty samples to your doorstep. Each month you will receive  4-5 packet samples, deluxe samples, and a full-sized product. Brands are expected to vary from luxury high-end, department store brands, and anything in-between. The samples chosen are based off of a short profile, but it looks like the first few months all products will be the same. Beauty Box 5 costs $12 a month and your box will always be valued above!
Click here to join Beauty Box 5

March 2012

Still no description card for the products and the facebook page was very sparse with any updates. I don't like when companies reveal products, but some conversation on favorite brands or product types would be nice. And I hate not having a product information card, why did you choose this product? Why is it special enough for me to want to try and buy it?

I still really like the presentation. I don't have a need for reusable boxes. Less waste, the better! And the boxes still are adorable.

Information Card:

Products:
Freeman Beauty: Facial Anti-Stress Mask
Indulge yourself with the Dead Sea Minerals Facial Anti-Stress Mask. Enhanced with natural minerals, it instantly absorbs excess oil while deep cleaning pores.

Full Size: 6oz ($3.99)

Size Received: 0.5oz ($0.34)

Oh boy, another Freeman product. I haven't tried the hydrate mask that I got last month in my MyGlam yet, but this is a mask that is more geared towards my skin type. Ever since I went on accutane the only acne issues I have are T-zone blackheads. Nothing I've tried seems to work, maybe because Im so stressed out all the time? This mask is formulated with Dead Sea Minerals to absorb oil and purge pores. You are left with smooth and radiant skin. So I'll am really excited to try this product and will be trying it in a few days. Although I heard that it is bright blue, and I look on the back and they put in Blue 1! Why? There is no need for this synthetic dye. Hopefully it doesn't irritate my skin. If it doesn't, it is so cheap that I'd buy the full-size. The sample is enough for 2-3 masks. 

Becca: Eye Tint in Vicuna
Take your artistry to a bold new level with Becca's long-lasting eye tint. It goes on smoothly as a creme and sets as a powder, letting you layer it under powder eye colors and loose pigments for even greater intensity.

Full Size: 0.24oz ($24.00)

Size Received: Full-size! 0.24oz ($24.00)

This eye tint is waterproof, streak-free, and crease-resistant. It is a cream that dries as a 'powder.' Even after it has a really weird texture. I can feel the difference in texture from my non-swatched skin. It made my skin almost rubbery. The color Vicuna leaves the bottle as a golden-champagne, but once you rub it around it looses a lot of its pigmentation and is extremely sheer. The website describes Vicuna as opal, which I don't see. I tried dabbing it on and that worked better to keep some color. The good thing about this is that the shimmer is very fine, so it looks nice. No matter if I liked this product I just read the ingredients and realized that it has Carmine, which is ground up beetles. The box says may contain carmine, but the website says they for sure have it. I'm not taking chances and will be trading this. 

True Natural: Advance Lift & Firm Serum
Give your skin back its naturally youthful glow! True Natural Spa's Advanced Lift & Firm Serum restores suppleness and moisturizes with all-natural ingredients.

Full Size: 0.5oz ($69.00)

Size Received: 0.14oz ($19.32)

At first I was disappointed that I didn't receive the vegan, brown eyeliner as some other gals got, but this vegan serum is fine by me. True Natural's products are free from harmful chemical ingredients and filled with organic ingredients. The serum is an ultra-concentrated anti-aging serum that uses 10% bio-hyaluronic acid, pomengranate, and ferulic acid to reduce fine lines, snap skin back to smooth, and has antioxidant skin protection. It is save for all skin types and is moisturizing as well. I tried this tonight and could really feel it firming, or at least it made my skin taut, and my skin is super soft. It does smell weird though. Like a combination of granola hippy/lavender/dog treats. I can't explain it, but the natural ingredients and lavender smells awful together. I could only smell it while applying, so I'll survive. I'm going to try this out once a day for a week or two and see how it does. Who wouldn't mind more radiant, refreshed?

Pur-lisse: pur-delicate

Give your skin a fresh start every day with pūr~delicate from pūr~lisse. Their special blend of soy milk, soy proteins, white tea and whole oat leaves your skin caressably smooth without removing natural oils.

Full Size: 5.6oz ($36.00)

Size Received: 1.7oz ($10.93)

This cleanser and makeup remover is a blend of soy milk, soy proteins, white tea, and who oat soothes skin while removing dirt and makeup. I only recently heard of milk cleansers. I got to try out the Vichy 3-in-1 milk cleanser and loved that it was water free. I kind of assumed that all milk cleansers would not require water, but the packaging of the pur-delicate says to apply to damp skin and wash off with warm water. Darn. I'm lazy. And at least I admit it. It says that it will even remove mascara, but I did not have any luck getting my eyeliner off. Other than that my skin felt smooth, soft, and felt clean. The website says if you've got stubborn makeup to let it sit for a minute. Plus, you can use this as a mask (10mins) to protect and smooth skin. This is a very generous sample size and I'll definitely use it until it is gone.

Lavera: Mango Milk Hair Repair Treatment

With Mango Milk Hair Repair from Lavera, you'll receive a natural deep conditioning treatment, even with color-treated hair!

Full Size: 4.1oz ($16.00)

Size Received: 0.8oz ($3.12)

Mhmm, mangos. I can just imagine what this smells like! This repair treatment has jojoba, avocado, and soybean oils that protect your hair. Mango and green tea extracts protect hair from damage and oxidants. And cocoa and shea butter lock in moisture. This is technically for color treated hair, but I may still try it out since I love mangos. Either way my hair is guaranteed to be shiny and smooth. Since I have such thin hair this sample would last me a looong time, maybe 8-10 treatments. 

Total Value of my March 2012 Beauty Box 5 Box: $57.71

Even no being able to use the Becca Eye Tint, this is a great valued box. I'm excited about many of the products and already have used some of them! I plan on staying with BB5 for one more month before I make a decision. For now I would say that BB5 is moving forward and up. I wish they would give me a better idea of who they are. I really have no idea who started the company, why, and what their true mission is. I would love to have a more active facebook page, information card on the products, and tracking numbers. If they take care of all the little odds and ends, I think they have a great future.

What did you think of my March Beauty Box 5? What did you get in your box? Have you tried any of these products before? Let me know in the comments below!

MyGlam: March 2012

I received my MyGlam two days earlier than expected! Granted, MyGlam ruins the surprise of the bag with 20 million reveals beforehand so it is a bit hard to not peek at the contents before hand.

Don't know what MyGlam is? MyGlam is a once a month beauty subscription service that delivers premium beauty samples to your door. The creator of MyGlam, Michelle Phan, is a YouTube beauty expert that wants to share her favorite items with the world. The bags are delivered in the cutest reusable beauty bags. Once you join you will take a beauty/preference quiz that will help the girls choose the best products for you. The products range from beauty, skincare, hair, body, nails, and more. Every month you should also expect to receive full-sized products. MyGlam costs $10 a month, and your bag will always be valued above!
Click here to join MyGlam.

March 2012, Say Goodbye to Winter!
This month's bag is all about saying goodbye to winter and the skin woes that go along with the dry air. The products are to help repair and restore your skin and hair just in time for a bright and dewy spring! Last month a few bloggers went to MyGlam headquarters to help give feedback on what they are doing right and wrong. As many of you know, the MyGlam facebook is always in constant uproar. Complaint after complaint and a lot of negativity. I understand where it comes from, but it is soo much! I feel anxious when I am on their page! The girls talked about improving the quality of the brands and the products. Obviously, this bag was already planned by the time they visited, but the bags just keep getting meh and meh-er. 

Information Card:

Products:
Keracolor: Color Enhancing Leave-In Treatment in Natural
This leave-in treatment is especially designed to enhance, protect, strengthen, and hydrate all hair types.
Full Size: 5.5oz ($38.00)
Size Received: 0.17oz ($1.17)
I've never heard of this brand before, and I know a lot of hair products (used to work in an upscale hair salon). It seems like the internet also doesn't know it well, as the company is mostly associated with MyGlam. Keracolor is a company that only sells color enhancing leave-in treatments; they have different colors, as well as the Natural that I received. The treatment is formulated to magnify your natural hair color while nourishing and restoring the dimensional highlights in your hair. The product works by depositing color on the hair shaft, that lasts until you re-shampoo, adding depth and luminosity. It is infused with keratin to strengthen your hair, is enriched with a CET complex to enhance, protect, strengthen, and protect hair. The product is split into two pouches, but you blend once you want to activate the product. I'm a little iffy about using this since I do not color my hair and I like my hair color as is. Who knows how my hair will react to it? I'm already so happy with Joico K-Pak Revitaluxe that I dont need a product to give me that just left the salon feeling.
eta: Many people have been saying that this caused their hair to feel have a chlorine damaged effect, crinkly, and greasy. I will NOT be trying this.

3Lab: Perfect Cleansing Foam 
This creamy concoction cleanses completely without causing dryness or irritation. 
Full Size: 4.4oz ($50.00)
Size Received: 3.4oz ($38.64)
This is the product that I wanted to receive but now that Im looking at the ingredients and the description I'm not too sure if it is for me. Vitamin E microbeads stimulate circulation, green tea extracts purifies, whereas lipids, shea butter, and sodium hyaluronate hydrate leaving a healthy, youthful glow. The first ingredient is Mystiric Acid which is found in palm/coconut oils and helps to moisturize and hydrate. Im not quite sure I need THAT much moisture! I can just picture using this and breaking out like mad. Do I really want to apply shea butter on my face? The website does say it works for all skin types, but Im so scared to try it out. Has anyone tried this product? Thoughts?
One thing I have to add, it says on the side of the bottle 'Official BeautyFix Selection.' Almost like the DermStore sold all of the samples found in this bad to MyGlam for super cheap. Not cool.

Murad: Eye Lift Perfector
Increase skin's firmness by 50% as in as little as 15 minutes. Firming and luminating complexes address dark circles, both instantly and long-term. 
Full Size: 0.06oz ($35.00)
Size Received: 0.015oz ($8.75)
There was no description of the product on the little info card, thanks MyGlam. I used the description on the MyGlam website. I received a Murad product in my BeautyFix Season 13 Kit (Absolute Bronzing Boost) and absolutely love the product! However TEEENY this sample may be it is 1/4 of the full-size product. But the full-size has a controlled pen tip that doesn't make you waste any product. Either way this will be enough for 3-4 uses and hopefully I can get a feel for the product. I'll store it in a airtight bag as to not waste any drop!  This is a tinted concealer that hides flaws while perfecting skin tone that lifts, hydrates, and depuffs while minimizing dark circles. It has a lot of great reviews and people are raving that it stops make-up from looking cake-like and hides dark circles better than a heavy concealer.
eta: Ugh. No luck, it was the exact same color as my skin, so it did not work to conceal.

Pur-lisse: Pur-Protect SPF 30 Essential Daily Moisturizer
This moisturizer delivers reliable broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection plus rich hydration thanks to a couple of exclusive complexes, vitamin E, soy protein, and calming antioxidant white team. Skin is left calm and smooth.
Full Size: 1.7oz ($55.00)
Size Received: 0.14oz ($4.53)
Again, no description on the card... I really like the pur-lisse company philosophy and ingredients. All products are vegan and cruelty-free and they use natural plant, vitamin, and peptide extracts in their products. The moisturizer contains lupine peptides that nourish skin, blue lotus flower that is used for detoxifying skin, white tea to destress and repair damage, soy proteins that help skin retain moisture and produce collagen and elastin, and seasilk that reduces fine lines and firms. Whew! Plus it apparently is light-weight and absorbs quickly. I love that it is a middle of the road SPF. I don't want to stay white, I just want to be protected. But for such an expensive moisturizer, Im not very likely to buy even if I like it.
eta: eh, I used it tonight. It felt very greasy and heavy. My skin still feels greasy to the touch. It felt like sunscreen when applying and how it absorbed. I would not use this moisturizer again.

DermStore: $25 off purchase of $50 or more
Once again, MyGlam marketed this as a gift card. If there is a minimum purchase it is not a gift card!!! You enter it in the coupon box not the giftcard box. It really irritates me that they think this is considered a deluxe sample. Im not asking to sample a beauty website, I want to sample products! The whole point is to pay my monthly fee and get the samples, not have to shell out even more. After all that, Im still going to use it. I received the same coupon with my BeautyFix subscription and I already used it. The store is slow and glitchy, but they do have a ton of products. As mentioned, I may buy another Murad product, or maybe Ill buy some essie or butter London nail polishes.

MyGlam: Classic Crease Brush & Case
Well this smells awful. It smells like it was manufactured the day before they sent it off in a sealed bag. You know that chemical, fake leather smell. The case is magnetic, which is kind of nice. The brush is HUGE for being a crease brush. I mean it feels like a pretty nice brush and it is very soft. I also confirmed with MyGlam that the brush is synthetic. MyGlam representatives did not know what they were talking about. I did a 'hair' test and it smelled and burned like animal hair. THIS IS FROM ANIMAL HAIR! From the giant case it seems like there will be more brushes to come in the future... I like the idea of including brushes, but their own brand? So weird. Again, I want to sample products that I can re buy in the future!

Total Value of my March MyGlam bag: $53.09 + (coupon and brush/case)
It may have a good value, but most of it is the cleanser that Im unsure about...
Im very close to canceling and may do so before the April bag ships. I feel the MyGlam bags are not what I expected and the multiple DermStore, Guthy-Renker themes of the bags makes me wonder how they are choosing products.

What do you think of the March MyGlam? Are you satisfied with the products and samples? Have you tried the 3Lab Perfect Cleansing Foam? Let me know in the comments below! If you dont get MyGlam and are interested, click here to join!