Glossybox :: January 2013

 Ahoy there friends! So it's been a while since I've posted, February is drawing to a close and I've finally gotten around to posting my review of the January Glossybox! Not entirely my fault it's so late though considering I barely received the box two whole weeks into February....still have yet to see the February box BTW...I think Glossybox USA is just having major issues with their shipping practices and general time management skills. But whatever better late than never I suppose! My other issue with getting this post up was that I was sick with a pretty bad cold most of the month and well you know how that kills your motivation to do anything at all!

 Product List/Value for the month:

OPI Nail Polish in Can't Let Go $8

Le Metier de Beaute Daily Replenishing Solution approx. $20* (full size $225) 

Sebastian Potion 9 approx. $7 (full size $19)

Narciso Rodriguez for her Eau de Toilette Spray approx. $1 (full size $77)

Tarte Glamazon 12hr Lipstick in Fierce $26

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara approx. $10 (full size $25)

Fresh Umbrian Clay Mattifying Serum approx. $6 (full size $35)

Total Box Worth: approx. $77

*Normally I would say a foil packet sample is worth $0 because they can be easily acquired for free at any makeup counter but due to the extortionately high price of the full size I gave this sample some value.

 Ok! So this month the theme was a collaboration with a very popular fashion blogger known as The Man Repeller which is a blog I've heard of before. I did check it out but really wasn't my type of thing. Her blog (I refer to her as 'her' simply because I could not find her name...of course I didn't really dig for it) seems geared towards all things high fashion and unaffordable/unobtainable thus holding little interest for me personally. The box included many of the things she likes and things that I agree would indeed repel a man (and me for that matter). This first thing though I actually quite like! I love nail polish, I love cool interesting shades and textures, and I also love experimenting. This OPI Nail Polish in Can't Let Go is described as a glittering sand due to its glittery yet matte finish. Very cool. Here I've only put a glossy top coat on one nail and let the other top coat free. I quite like it both ways.

 Next we have the first of what I would consider a man repelling product indeed. It's the Le Metier de Beaute Daily Replenishing Solution and at an excruciatingly expensive cost of $225 you can devastate your husband's/boyfriend's wallet on this little beauty! And what earth-shatteringly majestical miracles can be expected from this product you ask? Will you wake up with the face of an ageless, poreless, magazine worthy, Photoshopped angel? Well as far as I can tell this stuff will moisturize your face and give you a decent SPF 30.....and that's about it....impressed? I'm not...If I were to spend $225 on a face cream I fully expect something dramatic! Now I have transferred this to a little pot so that I can keep it fresh and use it more than a few times. I have used it twice already and it smells nice, goes on nice, asborbs nice but that's all it is...it's just nice. It's not WOW or AMAZING or OMFG its just plain nice. In fact the reason I haven't used it more is that I like my $14 Boots Botanics Hydrating Face Cream from Target better.

  Next we have a hair styling serum from Sebastian Potion 9. This is kind of like a primer for your hair. It's a styling serum that you apply to wet hair before styling and it helps to prolong your style, moisturize, de-frizz, add shine and other such things. I did try this out on my hair and for the most part I believe it does what it says. I applied a small amount to my damp hair and then just let it air dry as I normally do. It smoothed out my curls but kept them soft and manageable. I like it, I will use it up, I don't know if I will repurchase it as I do have a lot of similar hair oils and such to use up but I dunno maybe when the time comes I will seek this out. Now as far as holding an intentional curl (like one made with an iron) I don't know that it would hold without additional styling products. I think this is meant to just prepare your hair for casual styling, anything more dramatic or sophisticated might need other products.

 Alright! Here we go! Now this is a lipstick sure to repel any man out there! So I'm very much a newbie with wearing lipsticks and such and I've gotten some nice decent wearable colors from other boxes which I like but this alarming fire engine atomic red lipstick from Tarte is just too much for me. It's full name is the Glamazon Pure Performance 12 hr Lipstick in Fierce. This is something I just would have loved to try out, it's a huge full size product, I've heard awesome things about the amazon clay Tarte uses in their blushes, but this color? Really? They just had to send out the least wearable color possible? I'm sure there are loads of people out there who would just love to have this color and could really work it or whatever but it's just not in me to wear such a bright lip. I mean I love my husband, I love his kisses, and I would never wish to repel him in this way. *Sigh*

 Now a few good things about the lipstick I did note. It was pretty matte, very pigmented, and it stained my lips like no other. I literally used up an entire makeup wipe just on my lips to get it off and still had to follow up with Mac Cleanse Off Oil to remove it. It was a little smugdey, I kept getting it all over my hands and things. I think you would definitely need a lip pencil to keep it from traveling all over your face. The product itself I did like I might have to make a trip over to Sephora and see what other colors they have. I'm almost tempted to be a bit sneaky and see if I could maybe exchange this color in for another shade....but ack I don't know if I'm bold enough. I might just have to see if any of my friends might be interested in this. Who knows they may be braver than me and go for a smack-you-in-the-face-cause-I'm-a-kick-ass-woman lip color.

 Next is a teeny sample of Narciso Rodriguez for her Eau de Toilette Spray. This was ok but not my favorite. Its a slightly musky vanilla-y, floral scent. I don't tend to like sweet or musky scents but I do like floral so this was almost there but not quite for me. 

  Get ready for this title Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara...whew! That was a mouthful! I'm actually quite enjoying all the mascara samples I receive. I'm not too picky when it comes to mascara and trying all these different ones means I haven't had to actually purchase one in a long while. Saving money woot! I do like my Benefit They're Real! tons but it can be a trick to remove. The nice thing I've found with this mascara is that it comes off pretty easily with just my regular face cleanser. No extra scrubbing needed. The wand is huge and it picked up all my baby lashes and it goes on smoothly enough. I think for anyone with oily skin you might have issues with smudging but other than that nothing really bad to say about this mascara. I'm wearing it in the picture above if you want to zoom in and inspect. I like it but not enough to replace my Benefit one.

 And last but not least the Fresh Umbrian Clay Mattifying Serum. Just another face primer to me. I like Fresh products, I've tried samples of their face washes, moisturizers and lip treatments and all have been very nice. I have quite a few face primer samples now and I have yet to work a primer into my makeup routine. I probably should, the closest I come to priming anything is when I use Mac's paint pot in Groundwork and an eye shadow base. Priming my whole fave though....meh..is it really a necessary step? I'm on the fence...thoughts anyone? I'd love your opinions!

 And that's it everyone! A pretty decent box this month I'd have to say. More samples than usual and really generously sized too. Most excited by the nail polish, the mascara, and the hair primer. The super expensive face cream will be a fun luxury while it lasts I'm wondering if I could stop by Neiman Marcus and request another sample when it runs out...oooh that would be nice! So yeah I think I got my money's worth which is most important I think. Did any of you get Glossybox for January? What did you guys get? What other subscriptions do you have or like/hate? Let me know!

Let's be friends! See ya next time!