GlossyBox - December 2011

First impressions: definitely, one of my favourite so far. 

Quality brands, good variety and great choice of colours that would suit everybody.

Plus to make it extra special - being Christmas - everything came in a red glossy box.

Blink+Go Hi-Definition Mascara

First item in the box is a waterproof mascara; I was excited to receive it because I'm on the hunt for the perfect waterproof mascara (for the wedding, you know) but I was left disappointed with this one.

I found it extremely drying! I've used a waterproof mascara before and I know they can be a bit of a pain to remove but this one made my lashes 'crispy' straight after application. 

Also, I'm not a fan of the brush: it didn't help separate or for volume.

I'm afraid, it's definitely a no-buy from me.

Cargo Cosmetics Classic Lip Gloss in Las Vegas

Not impressed with this product as I wasn't impressed with the Cargo eye pencil from Boudoir Prive Box.

I'm not a fan of lip glosses in general and this is not my colour, unfortunately - it's more brown than in the picture, actually.

Deborah Lippmann Razzle Dazzle Mini Nail Varnish with Stripped to Go Satchet

I was very excited to see this in the box! I've never tried Deborah Lippmann' polishes before, although read many many good things.

I like the miniature bottle (so cute) and the colour is gorgeous (right up my alley!); it's a purple with glitter and I had good coverage from the first coat.

Longevity wasn't the best: chipped after 3 days but still acceptable.

Together with the polish, we also received a sample of the polish remover mitt. I'm not a fan of these pre-soaked pads but this one was impressive. I used it to remove Razzle Dazzle and, although it says one mitt is enough for both hands, I only managed 6/7 fingers; you need to consider this is an heavy duty polish (with all the glitter) so it's not too bad.

MEMEME Seventh Heaven

I have never used this brand before - I think the packaging looks quite cheap... You see, I would have never bought this product but I'm pleased I discovered it because I liked it a lot.

I use this as a primer: it, also, has active ingredients and extracts to moisturise the skin but I wouldn't use it everyday.

It has a very pleasant citrusy smell and it's light on the skin, creating a smooth canvas for the make up.

You should, definitely, check it out if you're looking for a budget primer.

Rituals Foaming Shower Gel in Yogi Flow

LOVELOVELOVE!!!

This is a full size bottle and it's huge!!! The packaging looks very luxurious and it would be perfect for a present too. 

The Yogi Flow version is the indian rose and sweet almond oil but I bet they are all lovely scented - in fact I'd like to try more.

I'm a big fan of foaming shower gels - I've used the Imperial Leather's before - and I find that a little goes a long wait. Plus, they always leave my skin extremely soft and nourished. 

***

Boudoir Prive' - September Edition

Hello girls!

If you read my 'opening the box' post, you know that I was disappointed by this box; I took a couple of weeks to ponder all the products and I'm sorry to report that still I'm not blown away by its content.

Let me explain in details about every single item:

My fiancé' making fun of my excitement 

Tropic Skincare Body Smooth: this is a posh scrub, basically. Actually, at the moment I'm using The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Body Scrub and as soon as I opened the sample, it came to mind.
They are identical: same citrusy smell, same consistency but I would recommend The Body Shop because it's cheaper.
Also, Les Indispensables card kinda of amused me: although, it's in effect a body scrub, the instructions read: rub onto dry hands... My guess is they realised the sample wasn't enough to cover your body.
Price £19.95

Agent Provocateur L'Agent: this is a perfume sample. It's ok but i wouldn't purchase it: personal taste - of course - but I find it quite ordinary. I smelled a tons with the same spicy, exotic notes before.
Mind you, I loved the Etat Libre d'Orange that we received in the previous box but again, I'm getting fed up of collecting perfume that I'm never going to use (and I could have got for free in any department store!).
Price £70 (100ml) £50 (50ml)

Macadamia Hair Repair: I was half satisfied with this product; I'm interested in hair oil but I had just received the L'Oreal Mythic Oil in the GlossyBox: bad timing I suppose. If you want to compare the 2, the Mythic Oil is a full size and it's got a pump, whilst the Macadamia is going to be a nightmare to dispense.
Prices starting from £5.75 for 10ml bottle but you can get it cheaper here.

Colbert MD Nourish Eye Cream: this is one of the products I'm excited about!! I'm a bit obsessed with eye creams since noticing the first fine lines (sob sob) and this one seems to be a favourite of Kate Middleton so I'm up for checking out the hype. I haven't tried it yet because I'm using the StriVectin-SD now but I will let you know if I see any improvement.
Price £90

Zoya Nail Polish in Neeka: I like this one (Hurray! I can hear you scream). This is a purple with gold flakes - really pretty indeed and it's part of the new Smoke & Mirrors Collection. On top of that, they are free of toluene, formaldehyde, DBP and camphor which makes me feel less guilty. I should really give my nails a break and let them breath sometimes...
Included, we received a colour wheel which I thought was just a way to make the box look fuller. I really don't see the point in it, I already have enough clutter in my house and in fact it is already in the bin. Thank you but no thank you.
Price £9.98

Neeka teamed with Ciate' Big Yellow Taxi on ring finger

Cargo Cosmetics Boogie Nights Eye Pencil in 04 Black: sorry but I can't get excited about this wee crayon. Personally, I prefer softer eye pencils and the glitter is too chunky so doesn't apply evenly.
 Price is £13 BUT for a set of 5 pencils, which makes this pencil 2.60quid and it feels like it.

Mai Couture Blot & Bronze Papier: this is an extra bonus item. Basically, for many reasons this box was sent out late and many people on the Facebook page were annoyed. Personally, I didn't mind the delay: these things happen and I appreciate the work behind, especially for a young company. I knew I was going to get my box sooner or later.
Anyway, I'm a bit puzzled on the actual existence of this product: I usually blot my t-zone and bronze the outside of my face. How is this going to work? I'll try it but probably not on a night out. I'm terrified on the end results.

Finally, I suppose you can say I wasn't happy with this box. I'm not going to be hypocrite and make an amazing review... for what? I loved the first box and I raved about it here.
I wanna stress this is only my personal opinion on the products, I like the beauty box subscription service per se' and that's why I have decided to give it another chance and still get the next box... maybe it's the Curse of the Second Box (I didn't like the 2nd GlossyBox either :))

xx