Beauty Bar Sample Society August 2012

I'm so sorry that I am late in getting this post up.  I honestly do have a long list of reviews to put up on this site, but I just can't seem to find the time to do it. 

That being said, here is the August Beauty Bar Sample Society Box.

Phyto - Phytonectar Treatment Oil

Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer - Private Dancer

Jane Iredale - Longest Lash Mascara

Elemental Herbology Skin Care - Facial Glow Radiance Peel

Arcona - Cranberry Toner

Malin+Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturizer

The first thing that caught my eye was the Deborah Lippman Nail Lacquer.  Love the color!  It's a mirrored chrome purple color that is absolutely gorgeous.  I immediately put it on my nails.  It wore well, just starting to chip after seven days.  I was thrilled about that.  Plus, I got numerous comments on how pretty the color was.  This is my first Deborah Lippman Nail Lacquer.  As you know, I'm a loyal Zoya nail polish fan but I might have to splurge a bit and buy another polish by Deborah Lippman.  They are a bit expensive - $18.00 vs $8.00 with Zoya.  (Please excuse my dry hands and bad cuticles - I didn't have time to fix them before I painted my nails).

The second item I tried was the Elemental Herbology Skin Care Facial Glow Radiance Peel. This is a skin-correcting facial peel that protects, brightens, smooths and tones the skin.   I love face peels and masks so I was excited to try this.  This product has a fresh citrus scent and is smooth and creamy with a bit larger than usual granules in it.  I left the product on for four minutes as directed, and washed it off with a warm wet cloth.  It left my face incredibly soft, with a subtle glow.  I don't think I've used it enough to see a difference in my pores but I have my fingers crossed.  I really enjoyed this product and will be purchasing a full size.

I used the Phytonectar Treatment Oil yesterday when I washed my hair.  I was confused by the directions - it says 'apply before washing'.  I didn't know if I needed to applied it to wet hair or dry hair so I looked it up online.  You apply it to dry hair and leave on for 15 minutes.  Then wash and condition hair as usual.  The directions recommend using once a week.  I really like Phyto hair products and this treatment oil was nice.  I did notice a difference when combing out my wet hair.  I didn't have as many tangles and my hair is very soft and smooth.  I don't think it would purchase this product but I am enjoying the sample.

Next up is the Jane Iredale Longest Lash Mascara in Icy Black.  I have not used this yet but am looking forward to.  I'm always looking for a great mascara.  I'll let you know what I think.

Lastly, the Arcona Cranberry Toner.  I have never heard of this brand or toner before so I am excited to try it.  The description says "this three-in-one cranberry milk toner cleanses, tones and hydrates, infusing skin with protective antioxidants to leave it glowing and refreshed. Removes dirt, oil and makeup".  It's got five stars on www.skinstore.com so I'm looking forward to trying it. 

So that is it my friends.  That is my August Beauty Bar Sample Society box.  I hope you enjoyed reading about the products and if you have any questions about any of them, please ask. 

I hope you all are having a beautiful day!!

Take care,
Kat

Glossybox USA – May 2012 Products & Reviews

Hello Everyone,

I am so sorry I’ve been away from my blog for so long.  Spring and summer is a very busy time for me, but I promise to be more dedicated to my blog from now on. 

GLOSSYBOX finally launched in the USA and I received the May GLOSSYBOX (USA).  It is the largest of the subscription services that I know of, serving 15 countries worldwide.  I was impressed immediately after removing the mailing box.  It comes beautifully packaged and I can reuse this box for many different things, including storage or even as a gift box.

Beautiful pink box

I opened the pink box and found five large (some full) sized samples and one makeup brush.

1. Amore Pacific – Moisture Bound Refreshing Hydra-Gel
Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Refreshing Hydra-Gel is a hydrating gel moisturizer that leaves your skin feeling bright and refreshed.  Notice your complexion visibly improve, giving you confidence and a natural glow.

2.  Burberry Beauty – Lip Mist Natural Lip Sheer Lipstick in Copper No. 202

A creamy lipstick that offers a hint of natural, sheer color leaving your lips moist and dewy.

3.  Marvis Whitening toothpaste. (full size)
Make the most of your splendid smile with a whitening toothpaste dripping in cool mint freshness, all while protecting against decay, tartar, and plaque.

4.  Phyto – Phytojoba Intense Hydrating Mask for Dry Hair
Indulge in luxury and aroma with a conditioning treatment that moisturizes and detangles strands without weighing hair down.  Nourish, revive and delight.

5.  Zoya – Summer 2012 Beach and Surf Collection in Zuza (full size)
Dive into the creamy shades and shimmering sea foils of the Zoya Beach & Surf Collection.  Allow your nails to go on vacation every day.

Extra:  GLOSSYBOX Blush Brush crafted from the finest goat’s hair – an essential for any world beauty jetsetter.

I was really excited about all the products that were in the box and impressed with the sizes.

The first thing I tried was the Zoya polish.  As you know, I love Zoya nail polish.  The color is not my favorite and didn’t look good on my skin tone, but that doesn’t take away from the quality, wear, and durability of the polish.  I did buy other colors in the Beach and Surf Collection and I highly recommend Zoya polish.

Zoya in Zuza

The Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Refreshing Hydra-Gel is not really a gel, or what I think of as a gel product.  It has a light, creamy consistency and is a seafoam green color.  It blends into the skin nicely and makes the skin feel soft and smooth.  I used it in the morning under my makeup (before primer) and my skin got very oily early in the morning, so I started using it at night.  Some people think the scent is too strong, but I didn’t mind the scent.  It smells a bit like menthol.  It’s nice, but I would not purchase it – especially since it costs $100 for 1.7 oz.  It is from Korea.

The next thing I tried was the Phyto Phytojoba Intense Hydrating Mask for Dry Hair.  This is a wonderful product and I love it.  My hair didn’t have any tangles as I was combing it out and after drying my hair was soft, smooth and without any frizzy ends.  The scent is very nice.  The directions say to use a quarter size amount but since I have thick hair I used more.  I will be buying this product when I have used up the sample.  Full size is 6.7oz and costs $38.00.

I was thrilled with the Burberry Beauty Lip Mist Natural Lip Sheer Lipstick.  I thought the sample size was a nice amount of product.  It was in the most gorgeous packaging with the Burberry print on the exterior packing and imprinted on the lipstick itself.  It is adorable.  I think it’s a really nice lipstick, very smooth and creamy on the lips.  I used it with a Estee Lauder lip pencil and thought it looked beautiful.  This is another product I was purchase when the sample size is gone.  It’s a bit expensive, but I will ask for it as a birthday gift.  Full size is $30 for .12oz.

Burberry Beauty – Lip Mist Natural Lip Sheer Lipstick in Copper No. 202

The Marvis Whitening toothpaste was…..toothpaste.  Not much to get excited over but the mint flavor was nice.  I won’t buy this – a full size is $7.50 for 1.230z.  That’s a bit expensive for toothpaste.

Finally, the GLOSSYBOX Blush Brush was nothing really special.  I don’t think it works well as a blush brush but I guess it could be used to dust powder over your face.  It isn’t very soft either. 

All in all, I was very happy with the May GLOSSYBOX and can’t wait for my June box.  I have high expectations for the June box so I hope I am not disappointed.

I did cancel my subscription to MyGlam.  It just wasn’t worth it for me.  The first two months were great, but I have been disappointed ever since.  I’m going to look for something else to subscribe to in it’s place.

If you received a May GLOSSYBOX, let me know what you thought.

Stay tuned, I have a lot of product reviews coming soon!!

Take care,
Kat