February 2014 "The Look of Love" Ipsy Review

For February, Ipsy brought us an assortment of products to achieve the look of love. My bag came complete with a cleanser to prep my skin, eye shadows to play up my green eyes, and flirty eyelashes to bat at my love. Once again Ipsy delivered an assortment of new brands and products for me to try, all in a convenient pink and leopard print makeup bag.

If you are interested in signing up for your own Ipsy bag, you can do so by clicking here. Each month, Ipsy will send you 5 full or sample size products in a cute fashion forward makeup bag; all for $10USD or $14.95CDN.

J.Cat Beauty Eyelashes in EL13

Value: $3.99
"Cause a ruckus as you bat your voluminous faux eyelashes! Take your pick from 30 styles that you won't be able to resist. Each includes an individual eyelash adhesive for endurance through a night on the town!"

These are the second pair of J.Cat lashes I have received through Ipsy. I gave the first pair to a friend and I might do the same with this pair. My eyelashes naturally look like falsies, so I don't really have a use for these. However, I do have a wedding next week, so I may use these then. 

Zoya Professional Lacquer in Dot

Value: $9.00
"Zoya nail polish in Dot can be best described as a full-coverage pink petal cream (originally released as Dot for fashion designer Zang Toi's SS14 Collection.)"

Of the two polishes available this month Dot wasn't my first choice, however, I am always happy to add another nail polish/Zoya to my collection. I found this polish to be somewhat sheer, with two coats being only slightly opaque. This polish is definitely going to be a 3 coater. The colour is very pretty, albeit somewhat boring, it is a very nice work appropriate pink polish. 

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay

Value: $5.11
"Ideal for oily/combination or problem-prone skin, or anyone looking for an extra deep cleanse. Cleanses and detoxifies the skin. Unclogs and minimizes pores. Balances the skin and controls oil production."

I was so happy to receive this sample! I have been seeing/hearing great things about this brand on YouTube. Missglamorazzi raves about this line, so I cant wait to try it. I have been breaking out like crazy lately, and have had excess oil production out the wazoo! Although this cleanser is on the pricier side, if it works wonders I may consider purchasing it. 

POP Beauty Plump Pout in Peony Petal

Value: $7.53
"This plumping put perfector combines the high-shine of a lacquered gloss with the long wear of a stain, and is packed full of lip-plumping peptides and avocado & jojoba oils. Lightweight, creamy texture immediately merges with lips and delivers intense glossy colour for an extremely long-lasting finish."

I haven't loved the POP Beauty products I've received from Ipsy in the past, but I am totally digging this gloss! The muted rose colour is perfect for any day and will compliment any makeup look. The product applies smoothly and provides full colour coverage, that lasts all day. I don't get that painful plumping feeling which is nice, but my lips do look fuller. I am not a fan of the scent but it's something I can get over.

Jesse's Girl 9-Pan Palette in The Eyes Have It

Value: $3.99
"Nine coordinating eye shadows in a sleek plastic case."

This is my first experience with Jesse's Girl cosmetics, and I am neither wowed nor a I disappointed. Although this isn't my first choice colour selection wise, it's nice to add some variation to one's collection. The darker colours in this palette were more impressive than the lighter shades for sure. Overall though, the quality of these shadows are lacking compared to other drugstore alternatives. I will use this palette in conjunction with other shadows, however, I cant say I will be grabbing for this consistently over other shadows in my collection. 

L: Jesse's Girl Palette - Swatched L-R/ R: POP Lip Plumper

Beauty Blender & Mini Cleanser

Value: ????
"The Beauty Blender is the ultimate makeup sponge applicator that lets you look like a movie star without the pricey services of a makeup artist."

It's hard to put a value on this bonus, but I think it is totally worth 1000 Ipsy points. I could never allow myself to dole out the money or one of these, so it's great to try it out for free. I believe this is a mini blender, but I'm not thinking that will affect the results. I'm going to use this when I use my makeup for the wedding next week, and see what sort of results I get.

Total Bag Value: $29.62 w/o Beauty Blender

Although this isn't the highest value bag, I received 3 full size and 2 deluxe sample products. Again, Ipsy proves why they are the bomb dot com of the beauty box world. All of these products will last a long time and give me enough product to test whether I would really purchase the full size.

Influenster #MapleVoxBox Unboxing

Finally, after a long year, the first Influenster VoxBox has arrived in Canada! A few weeks ago I received an email and completed the survey, then heard nothing. I really didn't give two thoughts about actually receiving the box until it showed up in my mailbox a few days ago.

From Influenster:
"Canada has seen a lot of firsts: It's the first nation to celebrate Thanksgiving, train the world's first female jet-fighter pilots, & establish a national park! Joining the ranks of these auspicious Canadian firsts is Influenster Nation's first Canadian VoxBox: The Maple VoxBox! We finally made it. Log in to check in your VoxBox now!"

Skinny Cow Milk Chocolate Flavour Heavenly Crisp
"Skinny Cow Heavenly Crisp bars bring you layers of wafer with delicious chocolate crème flavour covered in a milk chocolatey coating. At 100 calories per 19g bar, say yes to delicious!"

Skinny Cow Milk Chocolate Dreamy Clusters
"These bite sized crunchy crisps and creamy caramel drenched in milk chocolate are only 120 calories per 28g pouch. With Skinny Cow Dreamy Clusters, you can say yes to delicious!"

Ice Breakers DUO
"New Ice Breakers DUO combines sweet fruity taste with refreshing cooling crystals. Ice Breakers DUO is a two sided mint with a fruity flavoured, textured side and a minty, smooth side that cools and freshens your breath. Available is strawberry and raspberry."

NYC New York Color Big Bold Curl Mascara
"Big Bold Curl Mascara's oversized curved brush is the ultimate way to get outrageously thick and super sexy lashes. One stroke gives your lashes up to 12x more volume and 99% more lift.

NYC New York Color Big Bold Plumping Lip Gloss
"Big Bold Plumping Lip Gloss makes lips look up to 50% fuller with a high gloss shine that lasts up to 4 hours. The ultra-soft, mega applicator gives full and even coverage for beautiful, perfectly plump lips."

Broadway Nails impress Press-On Manicure
"imPRESS Press-On Manicure by Broadway Nails is the revolutionary way to apply polish! Get a salon-perfect manicure in seconds - simply peel off, press on, and you're done (NO glue needed!). There's no drying, a killer shine and a manicure that lasts up to a week! Available at Walmart."

Montagne Jeunesse Clay Spas
"Join the Revolution and start a new weekly skincare regime with the Clay Spas from Montagne Jeunesse. These natural bamboo fabric masks are infused with clay for a cleansing experience that is better, quicker and easier than ever before."

Overall, I am pretty impressed with the contents of this VoxBox. The snacks were super yummy! The nails are purple which is my favorite colour, and I never say no to new cosmetics to try. I am very intrigued by the NYC Mascara and face mask. The gloss isn't in a colour I normally wear, so I may gift it to someone else. Seeing as a didn't pay anything for this box, the value of the contents is pretty good. I cant wait to see what the next box for Canada holds!

Review: Wantable.co Monthly Makeup Subscription Box

Hey girls! Today's post is really exciting! I am going to be reviewing Wantable.co's Monthly Makeup Subscription service. I want to disclaim now that is post is going to be very long! I am going to be going over all the important company information, subscription info, and reviewing the products I was sent. I also want to disclaim that I was sent this promo box for free from Wantable's PR Rep Jaclyn. However, even though I did not pay for this box my views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.

Wantable is a makeup and jewelry subscription company, that is well established and reviewed in the U.S., and is making the move to Canada in April 2013. I actually heard about this company back in September 2012 when they were first launching, and recently heard through Smart Canucks that they will be offering a free box to all Canadians. We just have to pay for shipping. Well, naturally, the beauty enthusiast in me totally wanted to jump on this offer and within the past few weeks it has spread throughout some Canadian beauty enthusiast Facebook groups that I am a part of. I got in contact with their PR Rep Jaclyn to find out more information and she offered to send me a box so that I could review it here on my blog. Thank you so much Jaclyn! I just want to say that Customer Service at Wantable is amazing! They answer all your emails and questions in a timely manner and go out of their way to make sure that their customers are satisfied!

The Wantable Team!

I've broken down all of the information you will need to know into different questions that arose for me while I've been learning about this company. Hopefully, I answer all of your questions as well.

What Wantable claims.

"We send you hand-selected boxes filled with items that perfectly match your style."

How do Canadians sign up for their first box for free? How much does shipping cost?

The first box will be available mid-April. You can sign up to be on the waiting list using the following link. Sign up for your Free Wantable Box here!

According to Wantable, once you sign up for the waiting list they will email you instructions on how to get your free box, when they launch in April. Keep in mind that you must pay for shipping, so the box isn't really free. I just noticed on the web page that it says you must subscribe and your second box will be free. Now I am/was not aware that you had to pay for a first box before you get one for free and even in my talks with Jaclyn I was never given the impression that that was so.

Shipping for this free box will be a $5 premium rate, plus whatever duties and taxes apply for where you live. Therefore, everyone will probably be charged a different amount based on where in Canada they live.

UPDATE - Due to Wantable still being a start up company it is not feasible for them to offer everyone their first box for free. As everyone would sign up for the free box and then unsubscribe. So now all Canadians who subscribe and pay for their first box will be able to get their second box for free plus the shipping costs.

UPDATE #2 - For the 1000 people who signed up to get the first box free, they will still get that. They capped that promotion at 1000, and because it was so successful, they opened up the page for more people to try as well, but their second box will be free instead. So, anyone who signed up before yesterday - March 27th, will receive their first box free, and anyone who signs up from here on out will get the second one free.

What do you get when you subscribe to Wantable?

There are two different types of subscriptions at Wantable. You can sign up for either a recurring monthly Jewelry or Makeup Subscription. Or you can buy a one time gift of either Jewelry or Makeup. The Jewelry Box comes with 4-5 items. The Makeup Box includes 5 full size items, with additional sample sized items sometimes included. Both boxes are valued at over $80 and are filled with boutique, premium, brand products.

What does this subscription cost?

$36 per month for a recurring membership + $5 premium shipping rate + any additional duties and taxes

or

$40 for a one time gift purchase + $5 premium shipping rate + any additional duties and taxes

Now Americans normally get free shipping included with the base price of each option, but us Canadians are going to be paying quite a bit more per month. Because the duties and taxes are different for each part of Canada, you will be able to figure out what your monthly cost will be after you pay the $5+ duties and taxes on the free boxes. I'm just guesstimating here, but I'm thinking that it's going to be at least $20 additional for Canadians each month. I'm not sure if I would be willing to pay that much for a subscription box, full size products or not. But, we'll see.

What if I don't like the products I am sent?

No problem! Send them back to Wantable. Returns are always free!

What if I can't afford it one month, or would like a break?

Just like Julep you can choose to skip a month or two and still keep your current membership active. You are not locked into anything. You can cancel at anytime, no questions asked.

How do they customize my box according to my style?

Every month you can choose to go with the curated box that has set colours in it, or you can choose to have a customized box made for you.

There is a very comprehensive Beauty Questionnaire you go through upon subscribing. They ask you questions about the following beauty categories: brows, lip colour, lash products, eyeliner, eyeshadow, brushes, highlighter, bronzer, blush, & nail polish.

At first you pick whether you like, love, or dislike those categories. Then each category is broken down into subcategories, then colour option, and product type. All with like, love, and dislike options. So if you say that you love black gel liner, and hate hot pink lipstick, you will get the liner, but never get hot pink lipstick.

How long does it take to ship to me?

Shipping takes 5-9 business days and they will ship to anywhere in Canada.

Who chooses the products we get every month?

Wantable doesn't just hire anyone to pick their products! Industry specialists hand pick the brands and products. Let's meet them!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now as you can see, this subscription is a lot more, cost wise, than others on the market right now, even Glossybox. But what makes this subscription totally worth it is that you always get full size products. And these products are completely customized to you style and preferences based off the Beauty Profile. And on top of all that you can change what you want to receive every month, by changing your Beauty Profile to reflect what you like and dislike. And finally, if for some reason you still are not happy, (although I can't see why you wouldn't be), you can return the box at no extra charge to you, plus a refund of your money.

You will never get packet samples like Gylmm, get drugstore brands or expired products, like Glossybox, and you wont have to wait three months for your next box like Loose Button. You will always get full size, in-style, and in-season products and brands delivered to your door every month.

Now that you know about the company, here is what I received in my PR promo box. I kept my beauty profile very open, liking almost everything, as I wanted to see the variety of colours and products they would send me. I think going forward I am going to refine it a bit because some of the colours I got are just okay. I kind of wish now that I had stuck with the Robert Jones curated box instead of getting the customized one. I didn't really like the green eyeshadow in RJ's box, but I would have preferred to receive the pink lip gloss and blush to the ones that were chosen for me.

The packaging of this box is very nice. It's a purple cardboard box with the Wantable logo on the outside. The products are wrapped in black tissue paper. Inside the first thing you see is a thank you card and an invoice. What I really liked about the invoice is that they show you that they were listening to your requests by listing the product categories you did and did not want. They also list the products you received and the retail price of them. On the opposite side of the page there is a little letter about this months products and the thoughts behind their choices.

The second sheet shows a small picture of each of the products sent, a description of the product, and an application tip from "T".  I really like this touch because sometimes when I receive products in these boxes I can never figure out the best way to apply them.

Once seeing my products this month I noticed that they sent me everything I need to create a complete makeup look. I really like this aspect!

Here is a breakdown of the products I received:

Brand: 29 Cosmetics
Product: Crush Cheek Blusher in Tannins
Retail Value: $36.00
Description: A real honest-to-goodness healthy glow packed with anti-oxidants in shades that leave the skin naturally looking "blushed" not made up.
Tip from T: Swirl your brush in this beautiful blush and apply in a circular motion to the apples of the cheeks, extending outward towards the temples.
My Thoughts: This isn't a blush colour that I would normally pick out for myself. So it is nice to get something different. However, when swatched this blush comes off almost brown and reminds me of a glittery bronzer. I said I didn't like bronzer, so I don't know why they would send me something that resembles one.

Brand: Be a Bombshell
Product: Felt Tip Eyeliner in Espresso
Retail Value: $14.00
Description: Our long lasting eyeliner formula in a rich brown. Serves as a great base for neutral eye shadows.
Tip from T: Connect short strokes together until you feel comfortable with application, or practice on the back of your hand until you find the proper angle and amount of pressure to get that perfect cat-eye you desire.
My Thoughts: I really liked the chocolate brown colour of this eyeliner and it went on very smooth. It wasn't overly opaque so a few layers may be needed. The marker shape makes application very easy.

Brand: Benecos
Product: Natural Baked Eyeshadow in Amazing
Retail Value: $12.99
Description: You can't go wrong with our brilliantly-hued Natural Baked Eye shadows. These mineral shadows are baked to provide you with long-lasting colour. Organic plant oils create a creamy application, goes on smooth and even. Colour sparkles and enhances your look. Moisten for a more dramatic look.
Tip from T: Using a medium shadow brush, apply shadow from upper lash line to just below the brow bone. Pair with your favourite liner and mascara, as desired.
My Thoughts: I really like this colour! It's like a greyish teal and goes on sheer enough for a wash of colour all over the lid. But I think I will use it more as an eyeliner. It will give the perfect pop of colour to a neutral eye.

Brand: Color Club
Product: Nail Polish in On the Rocks from the Fiesta Collection
Retail Value: $8.00
Description: A flashy molten silver, Color Club's On the Rocks adds a touch of luxe glamour to your everyday look.
Tip from T: Apply two thin coats of polish on top of your favourite base and finish with a topcoat for a lasting manicure.
My Thoughts: I have been loving polishes that look like metal and this is just that! This polish goes on fairly smooth, but has some streaking.

Brand: Lavera
Product: Organic Lip Gloss in Almond Kiss
Retail Value: $16.80
Description: Get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals with this shimmering healthy lip infusion. Made with 100% pure crushed minerals for shimmer, plus anti aging sun protection and super hydrating oils of vitamin E and Jojoba.
Tip from T: Apply natural lip gloss straight from the tube for a hint of sheer colour and shimmer.
My Thoughts: This gloss looks kinda brown in the tube. But swatched it has a slight peachy undertone. The shimmer is very noticeable in this gloss. I don't know how often I will use this gloss. I prefer pinks and reds, not browns.

Brand: Milu Beauty
Product: Amber Sugar Scrub Sample
Retail Value: $0.00
Description: A luxurious experience to exfoliate the skin with sugar and nourish the body with vitamins, essential oils, and a splash of bourbon. Use as an indulgence ritual to smooth, soften, moisturize and heal the body. Suitable for all skin types. Paraben Free and Fragrance Free.
Tip from T:  Try shaving with this for the most ultra-soft sexy legs you've ever had!
My Thoughts: It was nice to get an extra sample and it smells amazing!

Overall Value of this box: $87.79

Overall, I really enjoyed the products I received. I would definitely suggest filling out the Beauty Profile to specify exactly which colours and products you like to receive so that you are always getting the most for your money. I am going to stay subscribed for the free box, and depending on how much extra it will cost for me for shipping I may stay subscribed after that. At $36 I could justify it because I am getting full size products. However, I can't justify paying much more then that, seeing as I am trying to save for a house. It would have been nice to see shipping included in the monthly subscription cost like it is for Americans, but we Canadians always get the short end of the stick somehow, so here's to hoping shipping isn't too expensive.

Remember to click the link above to sign up for the free box, this is a generic link, not an affiliate link. Also please leave your thoughts on this company and this subscription service in the comments below so that Jaclyn and Wantable.co can see the opinions of their Canadian customers.

Check out Wantable's Website!

Like Wantable on Facebook!

Are you going to be signing up for Wantable in April?



Happy Valentine's Day to Me!! Benefit Topbox

Hey ladies I'm here today with an unboxing of the February Benefit Topbox. Now I know everyone and their mother, grandmother, and sister has reviewed this box on their blog, but I was so excited to be able to buy one that I just had to do a little post about it!

Now I am not a subscriber to Topbox, because I am trying to save money and use up the samples that I already have, but when I saw this Benefit Topbox I knew I wanted it. On Sunday February 10th I saw that Topbox was selling some "extra" boxes for $12 plus tax, so I quickly bought one as a Valentine's Day present to myself. I was really impressed with Topbox because they sent out a shipping notification on Monday the 11th and I received my purchase on Wednesday the 13th.

What really drew me to this box was that I got to try 5 deluxe Benefit samples of products I have never tried before. Benefit is becoming one of my favourite brands and I love to buy the sample sizes because they last for so long and really give you an idea if you are going to like it enough to buy the full size.

Once I have a chance to try out the products for a bit I am going to do a review about how I liked them.

I have to say the I am a sucker for packaging which is why I am so attracted to Benefit products. I mean these are just samples and Benefit takes the time to really create attractive and high quality packaging.

 

POREfessional - Sample Value: $11.59

 

Total Moisture Facial Cream - Sample Value: $7.76

 

Benetint - Sample Value: $7.20

 

Dandelion Gloss - Sample Value: $7.80

 

Dandelion Powder - Sample Value: $15.43

 

Total Value = $49.78

 

What I paid - $13.56

Swatched: The Color Workshop Lip Crayons & Gloss

Jumbo Lip Pencils have become the next big thing in the beauty world. Revlon, Clinique, Nars, Covergirl, etc...they all have their versions. I picked up this Jumbo Lip Pencil set from The Color Workshop on Boxing Day at Walmart for only $4.50! It comes with 5 pencils and 2 lip glosses in an assortment pinks and reds and one purple.

I really didn't have very high hopes about the quality of these pencils because they are not from a high quality brand. However, the colour payoff is impressive and they stay on the lips for such a long time. The pencils are sorta glossy/sorta matte and the glosses are smooth and non-sticky. There are no names on these products, so I photographed them in the same order as the swatches.

I am really tempted now to run out and buy some other brands jumbo lip crayons, but that will have to wait until my no-buy is done. I would love to know which brands and colours of lip crayons are your favourite. Leave them in a comment below so I can add them to my Buy Later List.

UPDATE - Since writing this post I have seen these sets on Sale at multiple Shoppers Drug Marts for $4.99.


These are swatches of the 2 glosses that came with the kit.

GlossyBox October 2012

So after cancelling in July and not receiving a box in August, when I saw that people were getting a full size NYX palette in September I quickly re-signed up. I didn't do a post on my September box because I got it so late. I decided to stay signed up for this month because I was getting it at the $15 price still. I cancelled again, however, for  November because I want to make sure that they are consistently sending out great boxes before I commit to spending $21 a month on samples.

This months box was, in my opinion, amazing. We got almost $80 worth of stuff for only $15, and 50 lucky people got a $50 piece of jewellery in their box. I wasn't one of the lucky 50 but I still love everything I received. This months box came with a product card that was in both English and French, as well as, a coupon for shaving gel, 10% off Caroline Neron jewellery, and a information booklet about Jouviance products.

Now onto the actual products/samples in this months Breast Cancer Awareness Box.

SEBASTIAN PROFESSIONAL TRILLIANCE SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER

Sample Value - 50mL/$3.16 & $3.32

Full Size - 250mL/$15.79 & 250mL/$16.59

On The Card - Cleanses and polishes the hair surface to enable greater light reflection, creating gorgeous natural shine.

My Thoughts - I'm glad that these are bigger samples and not foil packets but I am kind of getting tired of getting shampoo and conditioner samples in beauty boxes. These samples have a perfume scent and are supposed to give my hair more shine. I am excited to see if this will work.

MODELCO FLIPSTICK LIP DUO

Sample Value - $38.75

Full Size - $38.75

On The Card - SHINE Ultra Lip Gloss can be worn alone or layered over LIPSTICK Lip Couture for hours of unbeatable shine in a shade of perfect October pink!

My Thoughts - This product shade was made exclusively for GlossyBox members in the perfect pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month. I screamed when I saw this product because it is so cute yet functional. It has a mirror on the tube for application on the go and the colours are just amazing. The light pink gloss with silver and gold shimmer smells like candy. And the lipstick is such a me colour. I would never pay $38.75 for a lip duo so I am so glad it was included in this months box.

JOUVIANCE REJUVENATING ANTI-AGING CREAM NORMAL TO DRY SKIN TREATMENT

Sample Value - 5mL/$9.35

Full Size - 50mL/$93.50

On The Card - Extremely luxurious face cream, gently formulated to hydrate and increase the firmness of your skin.

My Thoughts - I don't need an anti-aging cream just yet but I always love face cream samples cause they last a long time and give you more time before having to buy a full size. However, this sample tube is practically empty I had to squeeze the enitre tube down in order to get a little bit out.

ZOYA

Colour - Loretta

Sample Value - $8

Full Size - $8

On The Card - We hand-picked four of the prettiest pinks to represent the diverse women affected by breast cancer all over the world. Toxin Free!

My Thoughts - I love getting nail polish in boxes and I'm glad that we got another Zoya polish because I loved the last one that I got. As you can tell by the swatch (which is actually 2 coats) this is an extremely sheer pink shade. I think that it will be perfect for a french manicure or when I want a nude nail.

GILLETTE VENUS

Sample Value - $16.99

Full Size - $16.99

On The Card - Venus & Olay: Boost your shave and help lock-in skin's moisture with the top-of-the-line in disposable razors.

My Thoughts - I love getting razors in boxes and for free from companies because razors are so expensive. This one looks like it is going to be super moisturizing so I am excited to try it out.

Overall Value of October's Box - $79.57!