May Topbox

My May Topbox arrived today! I got the regular Topbox this month.

Included was:

• A FULL SIZE Kinetic Nail Polish in Crazy Daizy ~ $9.00
• A FULL SIZE Faith Aromatherapy & Apothecary Lemongrass/Fennel Moistue Rich Sanitizing Hand Soap ~ $9.99
• A 5mL sample of Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Balancing lotion SPF 15 ~ $4.80
• A 0.5g sample of Benefit Posiebalm ~ $3.67

TOTAL VALUE: $27.46

This month was a nice variety of products. I'm not crazy about receiving another bright pink nail polish this month...however I am happy with the est of the products that I received. The Hand Soap smells nice and seems to be very natural, which my skin reacts to well. If you are interested in ordering from their site, use the promo code topbox to save 50% off any item in their online store. I am very happy to try the sample of the Posiebalm. It is such a nice colour. It has beautiful packaging, but the sample itself is quite small.

Overall, I am quite pleased this month (minus the nail polish). Hopefully next month will bring fabulous prive boxes!

Empties!

I have been very motivated to use up products by doing these posts. Here are all of my most recent beauty empties!

Here's what I thought of these products:

1. Keylime Cupcake Body Scrub: I really enjoyed this scrub, it was great to get rid of all of that dead, winter skin and left my skin feeling so smooth. The scent was amazing. I got this at Winner's and have a back-up for next winter.

2. Olay Ribbons Avocado & Cucumber Body Wash: This is so thick and creamy and really leaves my skin feeling moisturized. I will probably repurchase this again - perhaps a different scent.

3. John Freida Sheer Blonde Shampoo: I like this, but I don't find that it does anything incredible for my hair. If anything, it drys out my hair...I probably wouldn't repurchase.

4. The Body Shop Shower Gel (Satsuma): I LOVE this scent and the gel lathers nicely. I already have several other samples in different scents.

5. Julep Age Defying Hand Brightener: I really like this cream. It helps my hands survive the cold, dry winters. I already have a back-up of this product.

6. Benefit Total Moisture Face Cream: I received this in my TopBox last year. I have put off using it for a long time, but Wow! This is so moisturizing! I was so impressed! I already have another sample of this from this year's TopBox.

7. Ole Henriksen Truth Serum: I am really enjoying this brand lately. I love the citrus scent, how quickly this soaks into my skin and the effects of it. I also love the packaging, the pump makes applying this so easy! I will probably repurchase this.

8. Michael Todd Intensive Organic Cream Eye Treatment: This is a nice cream. It takes a little while to soak into the skin, but does leave the eye area very hydrated. I have one more to use, which came with my skin regimen that I purchased. This lasted me a loooong time.

9. Simple Cleansing Wipes: These were nice and gentle. They don't have a harsh smell and do a good job of removing make-up. I really like the Simple Make-Up Remover, so I thought that I would like these - and I do! I would repurchase these.

10. Ole Henriksen Truth To Go Wipes: These smell absolutely incredible! When I needed a pick-me-up, I would use one just for the scent haha...odd I know. They really leave you feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world. I will be repurchasing these!

11. Manna Blush in Orgasmic: I received this in my Wantable Box last May. I really enjoyed using it. It had just enough shimmer to create a glowy look. I probably won't repurchase this as I am not sure where to get it.

12.Colgate Pro Dental: I usually don't put toothpaste in here, but this was thrown in from my travel bag. this tasted a lot like baking soda, which I am not overly fond of. I prefer mint flavored toothpaste. Probably wouldn't repurchase.

13. Skintimate Shaving Cream: This lathers up really nice and does a good job. I really like this, but no more than other shaving creams. I will purchase it if it is on sale.

14. Laura Mercier Face Polish: This is amazing! Such a great exfoliant! Very gentle and smells fantastic! I will look into buying this when I finish my Michael Todd scrubs.

15. Benefit Fake-Up in Light: I didn't like this. I didn't find that it was very creamy and clung onto dry skin patches. I would not purchase the full size.

16. Gud Natural Body Lotion in Pearanormal: This scent was a bit much for me. It took a long time to sink into my skin. I would not purchase the full size.

17. Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation, Brightening Moisturizer: This has a light scent and kept my sin feeling very hydrated. I only got 2 uses out of this sample, so I am still unsure if I would buy the full size.

Sephora Haul! 15% OFF!

A few weeks ago, Sephora had their 15% off Sale for VIBs, so I took advantage of it and bought the following:

I have been lusting over a lot of these products and decided that the 15% off sale would be the best time to try them! I know that I am late to join the naked band wagon, but better late than never, right? I am absolutely LOVING the UD Naked 2 Palette, it is so beautiful and can really create so many different looks. This is by far the make-up item that I am the most pleased to own! I also bought the UD Naked Basics Palette. I am less impressed with this. I find that there is a lot of fall out, but do really like the colours. I am still thinking about returning this. The UD Naked Foundation, BB Cream & B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray were a great deal! I have previously received a sample of the spray and LOVE it! The foundation has been amazing, a perfect amount of glow and great coverage. I am less impressed with the BB Cream, but like the fact that it contains SPF. The UD Primer Potion works great, I like that it is not overly tinted and that it applies easily to the lid. I splurged on the 2-pack of the Beauty Blender. I have used dupes before and this definitely get the job done much better! I can't say that I have totally converted fro my Real Techniques Brushes, but I do enjoy using it to perfectly blend everything. I bought the St. Tropez Self Tanning Glove to use with the St. Tropez Gradual Tanning Gel that I purchased at Winner's. It says to rinse using warm water...DON'T! I did and it shriveled right up! I returned it for a new one. I recommend either not rinsing it at all, or using cold water only! I got the Anastasia Brow Wiz in Taupe. It is perfect for filling in my brows just enough without them looking too harsh. I really like how precise this pencil is and that it has a spoolie. Lastly, I bought the Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes Pencil in Champagne. This has such a nice, creamy texture and applies like a dream. I like applying it to my inner corners.

I know that went a little crazy, but I am loving all of these products (minus the Naked Basics) and using them regularly.

April TopBox

Last month, I received the GlamGlow TopBox again, if you want to see my previous GlamGlow TopBox you can see it here. This time it was only the 15g sample of the Tinglexfoliante Treatment, worth $21.

 I really love the GlamGlow mask and that is why I chose it again.

This month I received the regular TopBox. I was hoping for the Murale TopBox (like everyone else) but ended up with this instead.

I received the following products:

• A FULL SIZE  LA Splash Nail Polish in Blowfish (Hot Pink) - $7.50
• A 2mL Foil Sample of Elizabeth Arden Prevage  Anti-Aging + Intensive Repair Eye Serum - $20.67
• A 50mL Sample of Pur-lisse Gentile Soymilk Cleaser & Make-up Remover - $10.91
• 3 Shadows from BH Cosmetics - $2.84*

TOTAL VALUE: $41.92

*BH Cosmetics often goes on sale, with the sale right now, I estimate the value to be closer to $1.34.

All in all, I am just okay with this box. I have tried the cleanser and LOVE it! It is so gentle on my skin and leaves it feeling clean and hydrated. I really like the colour of the nail polish and the formula is okay (I went 3 days without major chipping, so not bad). I am disappointed with receiving a foil sample even though it is a generous size and value...foil packets are just less exciting! I think that I will empty this into a pot to use it, otherwise it may dry up or spill easily. I saw this BH Cosmetics palette in another subscription service last year and wish that it were something new and exciting...This was a nice mixture of products and a good value. I'm excited to see what next month will have in store!

Empties!

Here are some of my most recent used up products with some reviews!

 

1. Gillette Satin Care Dry Skin: I like this product. I'm not too picky when it comes to shaving gel and usually do buy the Gillette brand. I didn't find that there were any added bonuses to the dry skin version and will be purchasing a scented version next time.

2. Dove Dry Shampoo: This dry shampoo has a very powerful scent that took me a while to get used to. The scent definitely lasts all day, so if you work somewhere that is scent-free try something else! It leaves minimal white residue and did a good job at making my hair appear clean. I will probably end up buying this again.

3/4. Batiste Dry Shampoo: This is my all time favorite dry shampoo. It dos leave white residue, but blends in nicely to my blond hair. I also like it because it makes my roots appear less harsh when my hair grows out a bit. The scent is nice. I prefer the original to the volume version. I have already repurchased the original.

5. Klorane Dry Shampoo: There was only enough in this LuxeBox sample to try once. It was okay, but I definitely prefer the Batiste.

6. The Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter: I LOVE the Body Shop Body Butters! They are what get my dry skin through the harsh Canadian winters! This is a really nice scent! I already have a few other scents waiting to be used!

7. Aveda Caribbean Therapy Body Cream: The scent of this cream was a bit off-putting, but it kept my skin hydrated while traveling. Not something that I would purchase.

8. L'Oreal Re-Nutrition Intense Hair Mask: This mask smells SO GOOD! You only need to leave it in for 1-2 minutes, which is a lot less time than most hair masks. I really like this! And will re-purchase it in the future.

9. Macadamia Deep Repair Hair Mask: I looked for this forever and finally got it at Winner's. I really like it! You need to leave it in for 7 minutes, so it's not something that I have time for every time that I wash my hair, but it's a nice treat for my hair. It leaves my hair silky, tangle-free and shiny. I have already repurchased a larger tub at Winner's.

10. Cuccio Naturale Butter in Pomegranate & Fig: This TopBox sample has a light scent and a whipped texture. It was nice, but nothing special. I won't be re-purchasing this.

11. Benefit Porefessional: This is a fantastic face primer! It makes your skin look flawless. It feels like silicone but fills pores and helps to keep your make-up last longer. I already have 2 other deluxe samples of this to use up.

12. Ole Henriksen Truth Creme Advanced Hydration: I got this during the Black Friday sales at Sephora. It smells amazing and did a great job at hydrating my dry skin. It was the first product that I purchased from this brand and now I am hooked! I will be keeping an eye open for sales on this product, as it s quite pricey.

13. L'occitane Immortale Presious Eye Balm: I loved this eye cream! It lasted me quite a while and let my under eyes feeling very hydrated. I'm still looking for a Holy Grail status eye cream. Right now I have other samples that I am trying.

14. Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation in Porcelain Ivory: This is my all time favorite foundation! I use this with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush and it is a dream! This blends nicely, doesn't draw attention to my dry patches, provides good coverage and leaves my face matte all day. I can't say enough good things about his foundation! I have already repurchased this!

15. Cover FX CC Cream: This sample was okay. It has a very dewy, almost oil finish. It left me feeling quite oily. The colour didn't blend into my fair skin well and left me a bit orange. It wasn't for me.

16. Clinique High Impact Mascara: This TopBox sample was nice. I like the wand on it. It is not the most intense black, but was a perfect first coat mascara to separate and lengthen the lashes. I have so many mascara samples to use up that I won't be re-purchasing this.

17. Maybelline Line Stiletto Liquid Eye Liner: This is nice, again not an intense black. The applicator is very flimsy. I probably won't re-purchase this.

18. Benefit They're Real Mascara (2): I was sad to see these guys go! This is my all time favorite mascara! the wand is amazing and the colour is a very intense black! It lengthens, separates and adds volume! I will be re-purchasing this when I finish up my other samples!

 

20. La Fresh Make-up Remover Wipes (2): I did not like these. I found that you really needed to rub at my skin, as they were not damp enough. I will no buy these, I enjoy my Balea brand from Shopper's Drug Mart.

 

21. Nars Tinted Moisturizer: This was waaaaaaaaaay too dark for me! It is tinted all right! I used a little bit and turned into an oompa loompa! I have to wash my face as I looked ridiculous! I would never buy this!

 

22. Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream: I loved this eye cream! I am currently on the hunt for a larger sample to try, before I bite the bullet and buy the full size.

 

23. Nude Progenius Face Oil: A little bit will do ya! The first night that I applied this, I used to much! The tiniest amount is nice, but I don't understand all of the hype about this product. I mush prefer serums to oils. I will not be re-purchasing.

 

I used up a lot of products recently! I am so proud of myself for making a dent in my stash! I'm not on a no-buy, but I am definitely limiting myself. I need to get through all of my samples and products that I have hiding around my house. Thanks for reading! :)

February Topbox!

My TopBox came today! This month I opted for the regular version. Here is what I received:

• A FULL SIZE Essie Nail Polish in Head Mistress ~ $9.99
• A FULL SIZE So Susan Lip & Cheek Stain ~ $18.00
• A FULL SIZE Epic Blend Lip Balm in Grape ~ $3.49
• A 30mL Sample of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream ~ $15.00

TOTAL VALUE: $ 46.48

This month's box has a great value! I honestly am quite impressed by all of the products too! I am happy to see 3 full size products and a generous sample size product! The Essie polish is a really pretty colour, I am very excited to try the Elizabeth Arden Cream (especially considering how dry of a winter it has been!) and who doesn't need more lip balm?! haha I like the idea of a lip & cheek stain, but I think that the pencil form of this stain really is more suited for lips. I don't see myself using it on my cheeks very much. The colour is definitely more of a summer colour, so I'll be waiting to use this product!

You can use the code topbox25 to get 25% off your order at www.epicblend.com by May 31st, 2014!

All in all, I am very pleased this month!

Empties!

I have soooo many empties to talk about!

1. Lancome defincils: I really liked this mascara. It was a good first coat mascara that separated and lengthened my lashes. I'm not sure if I would purchase the full size as it is quite pricey, but I did enjoy it.

2. Beauty so Clean Sanitizing Wipes: I like these. They make cleaning make-up and brushes quite easy. I still have a few left.

3. Eyeko Skinny Mini Liquid Eyeliner (Black):  I really like this. It is very precise and easy to use. I purchased the full size and honestly don't like it half as much as I liked the mini. I would purchase the mini again over the full sized.

4. Rimmel Sun Shimmer Bronzer: I have used several of these when I was younger. Now, I find they are too shimmery and make my face look quite muddy. I not be repurchasing this, as I prefer Hoola.

5. Cover Girl Concealer:  I'm not sure the exact name of this, as it is very faded. I found that this creased a lot on me and it didn't provide great coverage. I won't be repurchasing.

6: Kate Somerville Exfolikate: This sample had a strong cinnamon scent to it and was bright green in colour. I was not expecting either of these! It was okay, it did kind of aggravate my sensitive skin. I definitely prefer my Michael Todd scrubs!

7. Cream Soda Smoothing Cream: This was nice, but made didn't totally absorb into my hair. It left it feeling quite slick. I'm glad I only used it on my ends. I would not purchase the full size of this.

8. Be Fine Night Cream: This didn't absorb into my skin. It was very heavy and left my skin feeling oily. I would not purchase the full size.

9. Batiste Dry Shampoo (Original): This is my go to dry shampoo! I go through about 1.5 of these a month! I love them and will continue to repurchase them! These save so much time in my morning routine!

10. Body Shop Coconut Scrub: This scrub was quite gentle on my skin, but I didn't find that it exfoliated at well as the Michael Todd Walnut Scrub, which has finer bits in it. The scent was nice, but I probably wouldn't repurchase this.

11. Cake Beauty Keylime Cupcake Body Butter: I really like the consistency of this cream. It absorbs into the skin really well and leaves it feeling hydrated. I prefer this scent to the Spring Honey.

12. Cake Beauty Spring Honey Body Butter: See above!

13. Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream: I loved this product! It was so gentle on my sensitive skin and really moisturized my dry patches. It was a nice, thick consistency for a night cream. It also has a great scent! I will definitely repurchase this when my other creams run out!

14.  Michael Todd Tropical Fruit Scrub: This smells AMAZING! The bits in it are so fine and really do a great job of removing any dry skin. I do find that this makes the eczema on my eyelids ten times worse, so I try to keep it below my eyes. I have already purchased the full size!

15. Elin Bianco Hair Mask: This made my hair very soft, but has a very strong baby powder scent which I'm not overly fond of. It was nice on my hair, but I have other masks that I prefer, so I would not purchase the full size.

16. Venus Satin Care Shaving Gel (Passion Fruit): This has a great scent, but is really comparable to any other shower gel. I would definitely purchase this again when it goes on sale.

17. Julep The Best Pedi Creme Ever: This foot cream really is wonderful! It smells refreshing and absorbs relatively quickly. I would probably repurchase this.

18. Simple Eye Make-Up Remover: This is a great low-end make-up remover. It removes make-up gently without leaving the skin oily. I will probably repurchase this item.

19. KMS Free Shape Quick Dry Spray:  I liked this product. I did find that it made my hair dry quicker, however there wasn't a drastic difference. I may purchase the full size if I ever see it.

20. Goldwell Sleek Perfection Spray: The scent is sweet smelling and it lingers throughout the day. I liked this spray but have other sprays that I like better.

21: Matrix Sleek Look: I hate this spray. It left my hair and irons feeling very tacky. It was the worst heat spray that I have ever used.

22. Balea Cleansing Cloths: These are my all time favorite! The are very gentle on my skin and do a great job of removing all of my make-up after a long day. I will continue to repurchase these!

23: Target Brand Cleansing Cloths: These aggravated and dried out my skin. I will not be repurchasing these.

Wow! That was a lot of empties!

Fall Luxe Box 2013

This past week, I received my Fall Luxe Box!

Here is a peek at what I received:

I received  the following 7 items this season.

• FULL SIZE Cake Heavy Cream - $22.00
• FULL SIZE Cover Girl Outlast Stay Brilliant in Grapevine - $5.99
• 3g Sample of Pixi Lash Booster Mascara in Blackest Black - $8.40
• 50mL Sample of Klorane Extra Gentle Dry Shampoo - $5.67
• 5mL Sample of Roses de Chloe - $8.50
• 3mL Roller Ball Sample of Marc Jacobs Honey - $3.09
• Loose Button Eye Shadow Brush - $19.00

TOTAL VALUE: $72.65

Overall, again I am not overly impressed. I am very happy with the Cake Heavy Cream. My hands need some extra TLC this time of year, so I am very happy about receiving a good, thick hand cream to use! I am also very happy to received the Klorane dry shampoo. I have been using dry shampoo a lot lately and though I love the Batiste brand, I am definitely excited to try this! The eye shadow brush seems to be good quality (though the metal part of mine has a dent in it...) but I think that their price is a bit high on it! I do love the other brushes that I have received from Loose Button though, so I'm sure I'll get lots of use out of this! Two perfume sample in the same box was a disappointment for me. I'm not a huge fragrance lover, I tend to stick to my Lancome La vie est belle, which I am absolutely IN LOVE with! Not huge into experimenting with other scents...The Pixi product I am kind of indifferent about. I am excited to try it, but have heard bad reviews on it. Also, I have so many mascara samples right now that it'll be a while before I get to this one! The Cover Girl product is a miss for me as well. It's definitely not a colour that I would wear this time of year. All in all, not a bad value, but not my favorite products!

My dashboard on the website says that I was supposed to received different products. Has this happened to anyone else?

September TopBox

September's TopBox came and I was just okay with it this month. Nothing overly special.

Here is what I received!

• A 4.5g sample of Cover FX Matte Setting Powder in the shade Light - $14.40
• A 3mL sample of Kerastase Elixir Ultime - $1.30
• Two 0.2g sample of Lise Watier Ombre Souffle Supreme Eye Shadows in the shades Sunrise Peach & Vert Enchante - $0.96
• A 2.8mL sample of Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara - $5.34
• A 1.5mL sample of Katy Perry's Killer Queen eau de parfum - $1.77
• The September edition of Chatelaine Magazine
• A coupon for 8 000 Shopper's Drug Mart Points with the Full Size Purchase of the Katy Perry Fragrance

TOTAL VALUE: $23.77 +

For me, the Cover FX Setting Powder made the box. If it hadn't been included or had of been a different shade, I would have been very disappointed! I have had a sample of the Kerastase Elixir Ultime before, and enjoy it. The eyeshadow samples, the mascara samples and the perfume sample are all kind of underwhelming for me. So over, not really impressed this month!

October Topbox : Murale

This month's Topbox was Murale themed. There seem to be several variations of this box. All seem to have pretty good products and pretty good value! Even though my box doesn't have as high of a value as most of the others, I am still quite happy!

• A 100 mL sample of Bioderma = $8.80
• A 15mL sample of Caudalie Hand & Nail Cream = $3.80
• A 5mL sample of L'Occitane Immortale Precious Eye Balm = $5.80
• A 10mL sample of Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cream with Arctic Berries and Peptides = $13.88
• A coupon for 10 000 Bonus Optimum Points with any $75 purchase from Murale

TOTAL: $ 32.28+

I am very excited to try out the Bioderma! I have been wanting to try this product for a while now! Also, the hand & nail cream sounds nice, and it's something different! The Eye balm is great for travel and the Skyn product sounds interesting. TopBox did much better for me this month!