Tag: beauty subscription box canada

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Makeup Brushes, Review, Skincare

September Boxycharm 2021

by LeaLeave a Comment on September Boxycharm 2021

Hey guys! Sorry I haven’t posted in a week. As soon as I decided I wanted to come back to blogging, I became insanely busy at work. As well, I got my Boxycharm super late this month, hence why this post is going up in October. But I thought I would still share my thoughts on the products just in case you were curious about them. Let’s get into it!

The first product is the Glamglow Youthmud Glow Stimulating & Exfoliating Treatment Mask. This mask is meant to smooth the skin and help with fine lines. This is meant for people with oilier skin types, so if you have dry skin stay away. As well, if you have sensitive be careful because this mask tingles. I’m not a huge fan of the tingling sensation but it did do a nice job of smoothing my skin. Haven’t noticed any difference with fine lines, since I feel like that’s something that takes time to fix. Overall it’s a good mask but it’s not my favourite mask I’ve ever tried. Price: $60 US, $78 CAD

The next product is a duo, so two products in one! The Half Caked Best Friends Forever set comes with the In Bloom Blush and Duo Fiber Brush. The shade I got in the blush is Freshly Squeezed. I love getting brushes in my box and this one is super soft. The blush is super pigmented, so I have to use a very light hand. But it’s very long-lasting which is impressive for a powder blush. The shade Freshly Squeezed is quite a bright red – not exactly a shade I reach for often. But I think this shade would look gorgeous on deeper skin tones. I’m impressed with this set. Price: $22 US, $29 CAD

I got a second set of products, the Pinky Rose Cosmetics Multi-Use Makeup Base Sticks Jazz & Hip Hop Duo. These sticks can be used as either eyeshadow or an eyeshadow primer. Hip Hop is a creamy beige and Jazz is a shimmery copper. The pigmentation and bendability are great on both of these, but they crease so much. I wore Hip Hop as a primer and my eyeshadow creased. I tried Jazz by itself and it creased. If you don’t have greasy eyelids you’ll be fine, but if you’re like me then these sticks still just slip and slide everywhere. Price: $20 US, $25.17 CAD

The next product I received is the Elemis Superfood AHA Glow Cleansing Butter. This is such a cool product. I’ve used many cleansing balms before but the texture of this is very different. The name butter is quite accurate because it’s much creamier. It does an excellent job at removing all my makeup but not stripping my skin. If you have dry skin you’ll love this cleanser. Price: $38 US

And the final product is the Give Them Lala Beauty Mascara. First I must say that the packaging is a little odd. The tube itself is just plain white, with just the brand name on the cap. The wand of the mascara is nice, on the smaller side which I prefer. I like how my lashes look, they’re long and voluminous. But I find the formula to be very wet so I always get mascara on my lid which is very annoying. I’m curious to see what this mascara will be like in a month once it’s dried a bit and if it’ll still be wet. For now, it’s an average mascara. Price: $20 US

The total value of the box is $160, which is pretty good. I’m most impressed by the fact that there were two sets, so I technically got seven products in my box this month! I’m excited to continue using and testing out the products. Let me know in the comments what you think of September’s box. Was it worth it? Did you get the same or different products? Have you tried any of these products? Let me know!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Skincare

August Boxycharm 2021

by LeaLeave a Comment on August Boxycharm 2021

Hey guys! Can you believe that it’s the end of August and summer is almost over? I feel like the summer just flew by this year. I also got my box early this month so I was able to test out the products for longer. If you want to see my first impressions, check out my Youtube video. Let’s get into it.

The first product I got was the Clean Skin Club Pineapple Glow Mist. This mist has hyaluronic acids, enzymes, peptides and antioxidants to give the skin a healthy glow. This is a lightweight and fast-absorbing formula to help penetrate and hydrate the skin. So instead of wetting my face and using a hyaluronic acid, I can just wet my face with this mist. It’s very easy to use and does absorb into the skin very quickly. While my face doesn’t necessarily feel as hydrated as using a serum it does add a nice glow to the skin. The instructions say only three to four sprays are necessary but I find I need way more to cover my face. For that reason, I’ve used a decent amount already. I like it but I can see myself going through it quickly. Price: $38 US

The second skincare product I got is two masks from Vitamasques. I thought this was a two-pack, but on the website I found them individually. So I guess I got six products this month? The first of the two masks is the Glow Juicy Berries Biodegradable Mask. This mask is meant to brighten the skin. It’s smelled good and did brighten my skin. The second mask is the Nourish Flower Nectar Biodegradable Mask. This mask is meant to help nourish and moisturize the skin. I haven’t used the second mask yet so I can’t tell you what it was like. I don’t know if I would spend the money to purchase them and ship them again. I think I could find masks that are just as good at my local drugstore. Price: $12 each

The next product is the Laura Geller The Casual Collection Multi-Finish Eyeshadow Palette. I think the colour stories matches the theme of a causal collection well. These are quite wearable shades and can be used for both every day and evening looks. I will say that the whole palette leans a little cool tone, including the brown shades. I wish the browns were a little bit more warm-toned since that’s what I prefer. The pigmentation isn’t the strongest so every look I do is quite soft. This means that if you’re a beginner it’s easy to use but if you’re looking for bold colours this isn’t it. Honestly, the palette isn’t bad but it’s not anything special. I have so many palettes similar so I would pass on this one. Price: $45 US, $58 CAD

The second eye product I got is the Lavaa Lashes Flirty Lash Set. This lash set comes with their Flirty lashes, a brush-on lash adhesive and a gold applicator. I love the look of the lashes, they’re long but wispy so I can see my eyeshadow through them. The brush-on lash adhesive is easy to use and does keep my lashes on. And the applicator was easy to use. I have another pair of Lavaa Lashes and have worn them many times, they hold up well. I like this set and would recommend the brand. Price: $21.50 US

The last product I got is the Jecca Blac Play Pot. This product was a dud for me. In the pot is this bright gold pigment but when I blend it out the pigment goes away and I’m just left with glitter. I don’t like glitter on my face so I tried it on the eyes. It smudged all over the place and didn’t last. It’s great that it’s vegan and cruelty-free but the product itself isn’t good and I don’t see myself using it again. Price: $21.50 US, $28.82 CAD

The overall total of my box is $150, which is on the lower end of box totals. I would say that this box was alright. I like the mist and lashes. The sheet masks are nice but they’re single-use. The Play Pot was a total miss. Let me know what you guys think in the comments and if you got similar products!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Hair, Makeup, Review, Skincare

July Boxycharm 2021

by Lea2 Comments on July Boxycharm 2021

Hey guys! Can you believe July is almost over already? It feels just like yesterday that I was writing my June Boxycharm post. I’ve been so busy this month that it’s made the time fly by. Anyway today I am sharing my review of the products I received in my July Boxycharm. If you want to know what my first impressions were or to see the products visually, check out my Youtube video!

A variation of Boxycharm's July box.

The first product in my box is the Alamar Cosmetics Brighten & Bronze Complexion Trio. I received the shade fair/light, which matches me perfectly. I much prefer getting something that matches my skin tone than a palette that is for everyone because I can use every single powder in the trio. The trio has a brightening shade, a bronze shade and a deeper contour shade. The powders are very buttery and apply well to the skin. There is a slight sheen to the powders as well. The sheen is nice for the bronzer but I’m not a fan of having the sheen in the highlight shade. I prefer a matte setting powder but that’s my personal preference. If you have dry skin you’ll love this. Overall I think the trio is great and I see myself reaching for this very often. Price: $25 US

The next product is The Lyfestyle Co. Detox Hair Serum. This serum is meant to soothe dry and itchy scalp, strengthen hair and promote hair growth. I did check and it is Curly Girl approved – if you want to learn more about that check out my curly hair blog post. I only used this serum twice because I kept on forgetting to use it in my hair since it’s supposed to be used on the scalp after washing it. The first time I only added a bit and didn’t notice a difference. The second time I used more and found my hair looked so greasy. I don’t use hair serums so I’m not sure what’s the correct amount. Overall I’m not sure how much I’m going to use this serum, it’s just not something I need. And since it’s such a high price tag not sure I would recommend it. Price: $79 US

Another expensive product is the Mudmasky Vitamin Infused Eye Serum. This eye serum is a blend of vitamin c and other ingredients to firm and hydrate the eye area. It takes a couple of weeks to see results but so far I like it! This eye serum goes on easily because it’s quite liquid. It doesn’t have a scent. What I like the most is that it quickly absorbs into the skin. This is great in the morning when I apply makeup after doing my skincare. Some eye creams take a while to absorb and can affect my makeup application. I have no problem with this serum. The only thing I’m not a huge fan of is the packaging. It looks a little cheap and the cap isn’t smooth, the edge feels unfiled. I won’t give my stamp of approval until I’ve tested it for the recommended three to four weeks, but so far so good! Price: $63 US, $79 CAD

The next product is the Grande Cosmetics Grandeglow Plumping Liquid Highlight. I got the shade French Pearl. This highlight is meant to have a plumping system to firm and tighten fine lines while also giving the skin a radiant, luminescent glow. I love how this highlight looks on my skin. It doesn’t have any glitter or chunks, instead it gives a natural glow to the skin. The formula is a little tricky to work with. It dries quickly so I have to work quickly or otherwise it becomes patchy or won’t blend. So not the most user-friendly highlight. Also the first time I used the highlight I didn’t feel any plumping effect, but the second time I used more and felt a tingle on my face. I don’t necessarily need a plumping highlight, my face is already round enough haha. I will say that the tingle effect isn’t consistent. Sometimes I feel it and sometimes I don’t. Overall I like the highlight for its look and I would recommend it for that reason. Price: $25 US

The final product in my box is the Billion Dollar Brows Brows On Point Micro Pencil. I got the shade Taupe, which is quite deceiving. Most brands will call their light brown shade taupe so I didn’t think this would match me. But Billion Dollar Brows named their medium to dark brunette Taupe so it matches me perfectly. The pencil itself is pretty average. It’s quite pigmented so if I press too hard it shows up very dark. But it’s creamy enough that I can smudge away any mistakes. I have noticed that the spoolie at the end is a little short, I’m used to something longer. Overall I found with brow pencils as long as their the right shade I can make it work. It’s nothing special but also not bad. Price: $16 US

The final total of the box is $208 US. The total is high because of the eye serum and hair serum. Overall a pretty good box. I thin besides the hair serum I see myself using all the products. If you get Boxycharm, let me know in the comments what products you got! I’m always curious what the other variations are!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Review, Skincare

June Boxycharm 2021

by Lea1 Comment on June Boxycharm 2021

Hey guys! I survived my first week of work! One of the benefits of going into an office is that I now wear makeup every day during the week. So I’ve been able to really put this month’s Boxycharm products to the test. For those of you who don’t know, Boxycharm is a subscription beauty box that sends out 5 full-size products every month. The base box is $25 US and I pay whatever the exchange rate is at the time by card is charged. Let’s get into this month’s box!

Boxycharm's June box that includes Glamglow cleanser, Touch in Sol highlight palette, Jecca Blac primer, Nars lip pencil and Aceology lip maks.

The first product in this month’s box is the GlamGlow Supercleanse Clearing Cream-to-Foam Cleanser. This cleanser has a blend of three charcoals to detoxify the skin, clear pores and remove makeup. With most cleansers, I would wet my face and then apply the cleanser to my wet skin. With this cleanser, I squeeze some onto my hands, wet the cleanser and then apply it. I do find that sometimes I have to add water to my face after applying because it’s too dry. Overall the Glamglow cleanser isn’t bad but it stings my eyes so I don’t use it to remove makeup. This would be a good shower cleanser because it would be easier to get it wet and easier to remove. I think this might be breaking me out, or I could be breaking out from wearing a mask more (since I’m leaving the house more for work). I need to test it out a bit more so it doesn’t quite yet have my stamp of approval. Price: $32 US, $42 CAD

Up next is the product that I selected. Boxycharm now allows you to pick one product in your box. I often forget to pick (I didn’t pick in time for July oops) but I did remember for June and picked the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil. I picked Dolce Vita, a dusty rose, which was one of the few natural options Boxycharm had. I really like this lip pencil. I’ve been wearing it every day to work this past week. The name matte can be deceiving because people would think this lip might be drying and uncomfortable. But I would just describe this as not-shiny. It’s still very creamy and applies easily to the lips. It’s not the most long-lasting, it will come off after I eat. But colour and formula make this a great everyday lip product. Highly recommend! Price: $27 US, $35 CAD

Touch in Sol Pretty Filter Glowdient Makeup Palette highlight palette.

The next product is the Touch in Sol Pretty Filter Glowdient Makeup Palette. I was excited to try out this product since I love the primers from Touch in Sol. I’m on the fence about this palette. I’ve said this before many times, but I’m not a huge fan of face palettes because I often don’t use all the shades. I would wear the three shades on the left, but the two shades on the right are just too dark for me. On the other hand, the formula is nice. These highlights are so soft and creamy that they blend seamlessly onto the skin. Such a great formula. While I love the formula it is annoying because I would prefer having one highlight instead of a full palette. Also, the packaging is plastic and very cheap feeling. As I said, I’m on the fence. Price: $34 US

Up next is the Aceology Overnight Lip Mask. This lip mask is pretty mediocre. First not a huge fan of the packaging. I wish the tube had an angled applicator because I find those easier to apply to the lips. Instead, I have to squeeze it onto my finger and then apply it to my lips. The mask itself is pretty average. It does hydrate but by morning my lips are dry again. For example, the Lanolips lip ointment is so good that the next morning I still have product on my lip. This lip mask isn’t bad it’s just not that impressive. It does have a coconut scent which is nice though! Price: $19 US

The final product is the Jecca Blac Hydrate Primer. This primer isn’t bad but it’s not my thing. This primer is meant to just hydrate the skin. To be honest the texture and finish on the skin just remind me of a moisturizer. Since I have oily skin I don’t need extra hydration because I use a moisturizer during my skincare routine. I want my primers to either smooth my skin, blur my pores or add some luminosity. This primer doesn’t do any of those things so it’s kinda pointless for me. I can understand if you have very dry skin this would be nice to add some extra hydration. I’ll keep this for the winter when my skin is on the drier side, but I don’t see myself reaching for this every day. Price: $20 US, $27.75 CAD

The overall total of my box is $132. Not the most impressive value and not the most impressive box. I really like the Nars Lip Pencil. The rest of the products are mediocre. I’ll continue to use them but they didn’t wow me and they weren’t products I would repurchase.

Let me know what you guys think. Do you think this is a good box? If you get Boxycharm let me know what products you got in your box!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Review, Skincare

May Boxycharm 2021

by Lea1 Comment on May Boxycharm 2021

Hey guys! I always love writing my Boxycharm reviews. I think because it’s always a surprise – I never know if the products are going to be good or bad. And because I take the time to test the products out I feel like I can give you guys really good reviews on the products. So let’s get into this month’s box.

A variation of Boxycharm's May box, a beauty subscription box.

The first product is the one I selected for this month. A while back Boxycharm introduced the ability to choose one product in your box. I don’t always remember to choose, but this month I picked the Murad City Skin Overnight Detox Moisturizer. It was between this moisturizer and a concealer, and I didn’t want to pick a concealer and get the wrong shade. With a combination of antioxidants and vitamin C, this moisturizer is meant to help reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles. And it’s has a thicker consistency meant for drier skin types. So this isn’t exactly the moisturizer I would necessarily pick for myself but I still like it. It’s quite thick, which is fine since it’s meant for the nighttime anyway. It has a nice, lightly citrusy scent. I like the packaging because it has a special pump so I don’t have to dig my fingers into a tub. It’s a good product, but overall I prefer purchasing moisturizers I can use both day and night instead of just at night. So I will use this up but I don’t see myself repurchasing it. Price: $74 US, $95 CAD

The next product the KAB Cosmetics Day + Night Eyeshadow Palette. I was excited to test out this product because I got the KAB Lip Oil in my March Boxycharm and I love it. The colour story is nice, but also quite similar to the Huda Beauty Desert Dusk palette (on purpose or a coincidence? 👀). I think the mattes are quite nice in the palette. They’re pigmented and blend easily on the eyes. The shimmers are hit and miss for me. They swatched beautifully. But on the eyes, the eyeshadows don’t show up much. I was using the shade ‘Sunset’ and was struggling to get the beautiful duo-chrome effect in the pan on my eyes. I tried using my finger, a brush and wetting my brush and it was all same – mediocre. The shades ‘Golden’, ‘Stella’, and ‘Luna’ worked well but all looked similar on the eyes. I haven’t tried out the purples or darker metallics yet, but so far I’m a little underwhelmed, especially considering the higher price tag. Price: $52 US

The second skincare product in this box is the Skin Inc My Daily Dose of Uplift. I love getting skincare in my box because it can be expensive. The only thing is sometimes I get products like this that are good but I wouldn’t necessarily purchase myself. This serum is an anti-ageing cocktail with collagen, coenzyme Q10 and hyaluronic meant to help smooth and firm the skin. Now at the age of 24, I’m more concerned with fighting acne than anti-ageing to be completely honest. I’ve been using it for almost two weeks now and I don’t notice a difference. I think because my skin is already pretty smooth and firm. I was looking at reviews online and everyone who liked it was 30+, so I think in a couple of years I would like this more. Price: $65 US

The next product is the Trestique Refillable Brow Pencil + Gel. I love that this product is refillable because brows are the product I go through the quickest. That being said I wouldn’t say this is my favourite brow pencil I’ve tried. The pencil shape is quite large so I have to be quite careful and precise when filling in my brows. I’m surprised but I like the gel side. Because I have thicker brows naturally, it’s a slippery slope when using a brow gel. I can easily go from groomed to a mesh if the gel is too pigmented or wet or difficult to use. I think this gel just adds the perfect amount to my brows. I like the brush because one side is longer and the other side is shorter giving me more control. I can’t testify to the hold because I don’t brush my brow hair up to create a fluffy look. Overall I see myself reaching more for the brow gel than the pencil. Price: $26 US

The final product is the Sophia + Mabelle Hydrating Hybrid lipstick, in the shade Weekend Getaway. The website has no description of this shade, but I would say this is a berry shade. The formula is described as a hybrid between lipstick and lip balm and I would say that’s pretty accurate. It has the pigmentation of a lipstick but the look and feel of a lip balm. I like that I can apply a little and get a sheer wash or apply a full swipe and get a pigmented lip. Because of the consistency, it isn’t super long-lasting but it’s comfortable on the lips. And I like the packaging, it’s easy to see the colour and the pink-tinted plastic is cool and unique. Price: $18 US (the card that came in my box says $15 but the website says $18).

The total of the box is $235. That’s a high value and I do think it’s reflective in the products in the box. Overall I’m pretty impressed by this month’s box. While there were some minor issues with some of the products, overall I see myself continuing to use all the products. Let me know in the comments what you think about the box. And if you’re subscribed to Boxycharm, did we get the same box? Curious to see what the different variations are.

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Review, Skincare

April Boxycharm 2021

by LeaLeave a Comment on April Boxycharm 2021

Hey guys! It’s time for another Boxycharm review! Also if you’re waiting for my Sephora update, don’t worry I’ll be posting that on Friday. I received my Boxycharm and Sephora order a day apart so it was a lot of makeup to review at once. If you want to watch these products in action check out my Youtube video. Let’s get into it.

On of the variations of Boxycharm's April box, a beauty subscription service. Products include a pair of Flirtacious lashes, Mally Beauty eyeshadow stick, Touch in Sol face primer, Farmacy face oil and KNDR highlight palette.

The first product is the Farmacy Honey Grail Ultra-Hydrating Face Oil. This is a fast-absorbing oil that’s meant to give intense hydration and smooth the appearance of lines and wrinkles. I’m not exactly the target skin type for this oil since it’s meant for dry skin and I don’t have any fine lines or wrinkles. But I still really liked this oil! It’s thick enough that I just use this as a moisturizer. I wouldn’t stay this is fast-absorbing, but since I wasn’t applying anything over top I didn’t mind too much. It also smells delicious, exactly like real honey. If you have very dry skin you might like to use this along with a moisturizer. I would recommend this product, I liked it. Price: $48 US or $64 CAD

The next product is the Touch in Sol Pretty Filter Icy Sherbet Primer. I didn’t get to use this much because I was testing out the Fenty Beauty Skin Tint and I don’t like to use new primer and foundations together. But I did like it the few times I did use it. This is the perfect primer for people who like the look of pore-minimizing primers but don’t like the texture. The texture is quite thick but as I rub it into my face it turns into a liquid and then sets into the face and leaves a smooth base for makeup. I like how it makes my makeup look, but it has a rose-like smell to it which isn’t my favourite scent. Overall I’m impressed and excited to use this more. Price: $20 US (just want to note on the card I received from Boxycharm the price is $32, but on the Touch in Sol and Ulta website it’s listed as $20).

The next product is the Mally Beauty Evercolour Shadow Stick Extra. I received the shade Timeless Taupe. This is a shadow stick that can be used as a primer, eyeshadow or eyeliner. I found it was easy to apply the stick straight to the eye and blend out. I found I needed to set the shadow with something to ensure it wasn’t tacky and moved around. Once it was set it lasted well throughout the day. I will say it was a little difficult to blend shadows over top. Because the base is tacky I have to be very tactical where I place shadows. It’s not my favourite shade, I found the taupe pulls very grey which is just not a shade I like to wear very often. It gives me a sick look. Overall it’s not a bad product but I don’t see myself using it very often just because it’s not my favourite shade. Price: $25 US

I love getting lashes in my box, and this set came with a tweezer as well! I got the Flirtacious Looks Cosmetic Monarch Lash Pack. I like the look of both lashes. One pair is more of the cat-eye whereas the other is rounded to great a wide-eyed effect. It was a little difficult to get them on the first time but after that they kind of shaped to my eye and was easier to apply. The lash band is on the thicker end so I do have to use eyeliner to help blend it in. Overall I like these lashes and will continue to use them.

And the final product is the KNDR Beauty Kinder Glow Highlighting Palette. I’ve mentioned this before but I don’t like universal palettes. I won’t use all the shades so it’s a waste. But I do realize it’s easier for Boxycharm because then they can send the same one to everyone. Anyway, this one isn’t too bad because it’s small and not that much bigger compared to my single highlights. I like to use the shades Angel and Loving (the top right and bottom left). The other shades are too light and too dark. While the formula is quite smooth it’s also quite glittery. While there is a time and place for glitter, it’s not for every day. So overall I’m not sure how much I’ll use this palette, especially considering I have so many other highlighters that I love. Price: $15 US

The overall total of the box is $146 US (using the correct price for the primer). Overall I don’t think this is a bad box. The only two products that I thought were meh were the highlight palette and the shadow stick and that was mainly based on personal preference than the products being bad. My favourite products are the Touch in Sol primer and the Farmacy face oil, which is funny because those are the only two brands I knew.

Let me know what you guys think about the products in the comments below. And if you’re subscribed to Boxycharm let me know what you got in your box, I’m always curious what the other variations we like!

xoxo

Lea