April SeasonsBox

I realize that is post is about three months late, but there was some shipping confusion with my April SeasonsBox so I did not receive it until June.
Despite its late arrival, I’m very excited to have the opportunity to review the April SeasonsBox.  Unlike the other “deluxe sample” boxes, SeasonsBox sends 3-5 luxurious full sized seasonal must-have products each moth.
Each month’s box is completely different and includes environmentally conscious products for your home, body, and spirit. It’s called a SeasonsBox because each box is tailored to one season or a seasonal holiday. Last month I reviewed the May Box which was Mother’s Day themed and featured eco-friendly and stylish indulgences to celebrate motherhood and make every woman feel pampered.
This month’s box is Spring themed and features healthy and natural products that help empower women in poverty.
The first item is a beautiful Connected in Hope Shiromeda Spring Scarf.  Each scarf is hand-loomed by a member of the Former Women Fuel Wood Carriers Association in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the profits from each scarf are devoted to empowering women and strengthening families. I received the scarf in the Columbia Blue shade. Each scarf retails for $32.

The next item, Crawford Street Skin Care Lemon Deodorant Cream, is all natural (ingredients include lemon, grapefruit, orange, and cloves) and is it deodorizing, antibacterial, and antifungal. It is free of aluminum and parabens and it won’t stain clothing. This jar retails for $12.

The third item is the Ecotools Foam Applicator. This product is environmentally conscious as it is crafted with recycled aluminum ferrule and a bamboo handle. This applicator retails for $5.99.

Let’s end on a sweet note with these honey drops from Honibe. The honey in these drops is 100% natural and comes from Prince Edward Island. Perfect for anyone on the go! This 12 pack of drops retails for $5.99.

Overall, I’m very impressed with the April 2013 SeasonsBox. The scarf is a wonderful year-round accessory for a great cause.  I’m especially excited to try the deodorant and the makeup brush and honey drops are a nice touch. All of this month’s products are full sized which makes this subscription service more than worth the price. I did a rough calculation of the value of this month’s items, and the products combined retail for close to $56.
Subscription rates begin at $29.95 which seems like a lot but, as you can see from the April items, you get what you pay for. I can’t wait to see what SeasonsBox has in store for June!
Did you receive a SeasonsBox this month? What are your thoughts on it?

NOTD: Essie Go Ginza

 

If you have been reading my blog for a while, then you know that cream polishes (especially in pastel shades) are my favourite! Essie’s Go Ginza is a perfect example of my ideal polish.

This shade came out in Essie’s Madison Ave-Hue collection for Spring 2013. The colour is described by Essie as a “soft cherry blossom pink.” While “soft” describes the shade quite well, I find that it leans a bit more toward purple than pink. On me, it looks like more of a lilac pink than a true pink. That said, the colour is beautiful and I don’t own any similar coloured polishes.

The formula was a bit thick and appeared streaky with the first two coats. As you can see from the photos, it is almost completely smooth with three coats. It did not take an overly long time to dry despite its thickness.

Go Ginza lasted about six days on my nails before it started chipping at the tips.

Overall, I really love this shade and will be wearing it year round, especially for work.

What is your favourite shade from Essie’s Madison Ave-Hue collection?

June 2013 Ipsy Bag

I have found that the biggest downside to a lot of the current sample subscription boxes is the selection of products. Some months I receive only skincare and haircare products which is very disappointing; I signed up for the services for their makeup products, and due to my sensitive skin and straight, fine hair, I don’t like trying new products for skin and hair.

This is exactly why I decided to subscribe to Ipsy! The bags feature beauty products from popular brands. This month’s bag is my first so I wanted to give you my thoughts and first impressions.

First, let’s talk about the bag…

As a former subscriber of Glymm, I have accumulated many of these mini makeup bags over the past few years. Therefore, I will only keep new ones if I love the pattern. Sadly, I really dislike the design of this month’s Ipsy bag. I am not a fan of animal print, especially when paired with neon. However, I know that a lot of people love this combo so I will send the prizes from one of my giveaways in this bag.

Now onto the makeup items…

1. Cailyn Cosmetics Line-Fix Gel Eyeliner: I received this product in the shade Iron which is a steel grey colour. The product comes with a built-in brush which I imagine will be too thick for those who like a thin, precise line. I will not be taking this product out of the box since I don’t use liner very often and will likely save this one for a giveaway. I was sent a full size jar of this product which retails for $21.

2. Starlooks lip pencil: I received this product in the shade Tipsy which is a matte coral colour. I don’t really wear lipstick so I have never had much use for a lip liner. That said, I’m really loving the colour so I may try to use it lightly to stain my lips and then top it with a clear gloss or balm. The one downside to this product is that the colour is cased in a wooden pencil which requires manual sharpening. This item is full size as well and retails for $12.

3. NYX Mosaic Powder in Dare: If you have seen my previous Glymm or Luxe Box posts, you will know that I don’t really enjoy receiving NYX products in these subscription bags/boxes. I subscribe because I want to try new or higher end items and NYX products can easily be found at the drugstore. This powder looks quite pretty in the pan but it contains a few orange and reddish brown shades that won’t complement my cool toned skin. This product retails for $10.99.

4. J. Cat Beauty Sparkling Cream Palette: I received this palette in Voltage which contains sparkly creams in neutral shades. As someone who normally wears natural makeup, I know that I will never use this palette. I also feel that it is not age appropriate as I would have used something like this when I was a child playing with glitter. It seems very appropriate for theatrical makeup and dance recital makeup but I could not pull this off at work. The palette retails for $4.49.

5. J. Cat Eyelashes + Eyelash Glue (C32): While these lashes look very pretty and wispy, I’m really not a false lash gal. I would much rather sweep on a couple coats of mascara than glue something to my sensitive eyelids. Like the cream palette, these lashes seem appropriate for stage makeup and special events. This set retails for $3.99.

Overall, I liked that the June Ipsy bag sent five full size makeup products retailing at over $50 combined . However, I cannot really see myself using any of them, and I’m left wondering if Ipsy actually took my beauty profile/survey into consideration when selecting my items. I have not decided if I will subscribe to Ipsy for much longer. I will wait a couple more months to see how I feel. I think that the price is right at $10 but I don’t like paying $4.95 for shipping. This additional fee makes the bag more expensive than Topbox which sends items that are more appropriate for my age and preferences.

What are your thoughts on Ipsy?