Glossybox Review - June 2013

Note: This was not a sponsored post, I subscribed to Glossybox & was not compensated for this review.

So my husband officially thinks I'm cray cray. I subscribed to two more boxes, just for the month of June. I've cancelled them both now (Glossybox & Pop Sugar's Must Have Box) but I got some pretty cool samples/full size products in both. Here is my review of Glossybox.

Glossybox is just like Birchbox & ipsybag. It's a monthly subscription service that sends you "luxury sized" beauty/hair products. 

I ordered the box at the end of May or very beginning of June, the delivery was pushed back a week because one of the products they were using had to be changed so it took a solid month for the box to arrive. I initially was not going to subscribe to it since I had just subscribed to the Must Have Box but they sent me an email previewing one of the products (Tarte lipstick) & it was their "anniversary" box so I thought it would have some pretty good stuff in it.

When the box arrived, it was in a pretty brown & light pink box. Excuse the wacky image, my address is in the picture & I didn't have my photo editing tools available to gray it out. The box was about the size of my Birchbox, only slightly larger.

The packaging was pretty adorable. The box is themed after different fashionistas & their favorite products. The little insert/magazine contained more details on how to be fabulous, product information, all that jazz.

 Pretty cute, right? I was excited to see what was inside!

At first glance, it looked like some pretty good stuff!

First up we have c. Booth's Honey Almond Nourishing Dry Oil Mist. It says you can spray it on your hair & face. I sprayed it on my hair & maybe I sprayed too much because it made my hair feel heavy & greasy. I spritzed it on my face & that gave me a nice glow. This is not something I would ever use on a regular basis.

Philip B African Shea Butter Gentle & Conditioning Shampoo - I haven't tried this yet but it's a decent size & I will update once I've tried it a few times.

SpaRitual nail polish - this is a pretty, dark maroon shade but definitely not something I would wear in the summer. It has a nice shimmer to it but I think they sent this in the wrong season!

Model Go eyeshadow. I was excited about this one but it was disappointing when I tried it. It's not very pigmented & is more of a sparkle/glitter than an eyeshadow. I don't think I will be using this again.

Tarte Complexion Brightening Lipstick

 This is a pretty cool lipstick. I've used it a few times. It gives you a nude lip with a touch of pink in the center. I like the look of a nude lip but at times it can wash out my face. This lipstick has a really nice hue to it, I like it a lot! The lipstick case is made of a cardboard/paper so it does feel a little cheap but maybe it's supposed to be eco-friendly? Not sure.

Last but not least - a mysterious black bag labeled "Essential Luxuries" by Oscar de la Renta

This little bag was full of 6 fragrance spray samples from Oscar de la Renta. I've tried a few of them & I am having trouble remembering which one I liked. I think it was Coralina & Santo Domingo. It's a pretty cool concept - being able to try out several different scents by one brand. So far I've enjoyed most of the scents & only one smelled like it was made for a grandma (not my grandma though, she's very stylish & hip). :)

All in all, this was a fun box to receive but like I said, I cancelled my subscription. $20 is too much for me to pay on a monthly basis for products that I found so-so. I enjoyed the lipstick but the rest I could have lived without.

ipsy Bag Review

Note: Not a sponsored post, I subscribe to ipsy.

I have a confession. I am cheating on my beloved Birchbox. I know, I know. I just ranted & raved about how much I love Birchbox, about how well they treat me, and how they just showered me with an unexpected & expensive gift. I think being so spoiled by these monthly gems has me wanting more!! More products, more mail to receive, just more!!

I recently read a blogpost on ipsy bags.  It's the same concept as Birchbox but in addition to product samples, you get a free travel/make-up bag as well. When I went to their website & saw the products they offer, I wanted to give it a try for 1 month. I'm glad I did!! I got some really great samples/full sized items in brands that I actually recognized.

The first thing I noticed is that the ipsy bag arrives in a hot pink bubble envelope. How adorable is that?? I want to buy neon colored envelopes & ship things in them for the rest of my life. Great first impression ipsy. The little chevron bag it came in was cute, but it's a cheap little bag & the colors are not exactly my cup of tea, so I gave it to my 18 month old daughter & she has been carrying it around the house. Which is...adorable!

The first box I opened was a black box that said Zoya, which I recognize as a nail polish brand. The picture above is terrible quality but it's a mint green color. It's a nice shade & I'm excited to try out the brand since I've never used it before. I do have a similar color but the fact that it's a full size bottle is refreshing!!

The next box I opened I have never heard of: Nume Finishing serum. Not to be a pervert, but it looks like this product had finished prior to arriving at my house.  (Ok, I'm sorry, that is gross but it made me crack up as I typed it, so it's staying.) There was goo everywhere inside the box. That top white piece had a hole in it & it was a mess!! I wrote an email to the ipsy team & they are sending me a new one. Good customer service, fast response, I like that. I don't know that I am in need of a finishing serum but I will definitely try it out!

In the green box I got a full sized roller-ball perfume by Pacifica. It smells nice, a little too floral for my liking though. The size of the product was really nice though!

Next we have a Juice Beauty organic lip gloss, which I actually LOVE! I know of this brand from Birchbox and the color is really nice. It's also a full size lip gloss which is awesome! Under that is a little blue bottle of sunscreen. I'm probably not going to use that but I will keep it in my travel bag for this summer.

All in all, I am a fan! For $10 a month, I'm in. I like that I can do it month to month as well, no commitment & fun products to try.

I still love my Birchbox but ipsy is a nice refreshing change :)