GlossyBox: It's Finally Here!!!

05/02/2012

0 Comments

 
GlossyBox is another of the ever so popular beauty product subscription services, in the vein of Birchbox and MyGlam.  Every month they send travel-size (or full-size) luxury beauty products in a super cute box with tips and access to the latest trends.  The service has been hugely successful in Australia, Germany, and the UK and only became available to US beauty addicts this month.  I first heard about GlossyBox on YouTube, I’ve been stalking the company on social media, and I am so pumped that it’s finally available in the good old US of A.

Though not available to the “general public” quite yet, some lucky ladies were able to get this first box for free.  Fortunately, I’m one of those ladies!  GlossyBox costs ten pounds in England, but I haven’t heard anything about the US version’s price. 

I’m super excited to try these products because they’re mostly full-size, from high-end brands.  It’s only been about an hour since I’ve had them, I couldn’t wait, and I already have the nail polish on…I’m also going to use the eye gel and shampoo tonight. Patience is a virtue?
Here’s the lowdown on what was in the April GlossyBox, along with retail prices and sizes.

BASQ Cucumber Eye Gel
“Give your eyes a fresh start with Basq’s soothing and smoothing Cucumber Tea Eye Gel.” ($24 / 0.5 oz)

OPI Kiss Me on my Tulips
“A smooch-worthy shade of hot pink.” ($8.50 / 0.5 oz)

C.O. BIGELOW Lavender & Peppermint Shampoo
“Cleanse and invigorate your locks with this cult classic.” ($12 / 5.2 oz)

CARGO EyeBronzer
“Create the sunny glow of summer year round with CARGO’s easy to apply EyeBronzer.” ($22 / .035 oz)

ERNO LASZLO Hollywood Collection
“This Hollywood Collection of Creams commemorates 85 years of Erno Laszlo with formulas inspired by his iconic devotees:  Ava, Katherine, Marilyn, Grace, and Greta. ($125 / 5 x 0.5 oz)

KRYOLAN High Gloss Brilliant Lip Shine (Toffee)
“This lip gloss is filled with pearl pigments that supply your lips with extraordinary radiance.  *Exclusive to GlossyBox before Kryolan’s US launch.” ($18.10 / 0.135  oz)

Add Comment
 

It's a Miracle, It's Perfection, It's Garnier BB Cream!

04/12/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Photo: Garnierusa.com
Because I’m utterly addicted to watching beauty “gurus” on YouTube, I found out about BB cream awhile ago, as it was the hot item that everyone seemed to be raving about.  BB cream, also known as blemish balm (which doesn’t entirely make sense to me), is touted as this miracle product, good for covering flaws, sun protection, moisturizing, solving world hunger, blah, blah, blah…It’s been around in Asian for ages, and high-end versions have been available in the US for some time now.  But being the frugal skeptic that I am, I decided to hold out for the affordable version.  When I heard Garnier BB Cream was out in the US, I started stalking drugstores and finally found it at Walgreen’s.

I’ve been using the Garnier BB Cream in place of foundation or tinted moisturizer for a few weeks now, and I love it.  It works well for me as an alternative because I find foundation to be too heavy much of the time, and tinted moisturizers tend to make my skin super shiny and gross, which leads to breakouts and general icky-ness.   I do tend to have an oily t-zone, so I’ve been using a bit of powder to set the BB cream if needed.  I’m loving the fresh, natural, flawlessness BB cream gives my skin.  Partnered with Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Hot Tamale, it creates a great glowy effect perfect for spring and summer.  The scent is also really nice, in my opinion.  However, in a recent conversation on the subject, I was told that the Garnier cream smelled bad.  But, I was speaking with a rep from Smashbox, who has its own BB cream (for about 3 times the price), so maybe she was biased. ;)

I have been raving about this product to everyone lately, and the proof is in the pudding; the past few days I haven’t even felt the need for any concealer!  The moral of the story is, this is my official stamp of approval.  The cream comes in two shades, and I use the light/medium, which provides a perfect match for my skin tone.  Garnier’s “Miracle Skin Perfector” is available at drugstores nationwide or online for around $10 to $13.  Check out Garnier's Facebook Page - they're running a sweepstakes for a year's supply!

*I was not compensated in any way for this post; I just really like the stuff. :)
Add Comment
 

New Product Review! Gillette's Venus & Olay Razor

03/19/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
This is my current favorite new beauty product.  I received it complimentary to test through Influenster’s VoxBox program.  If you are unfamiliar with Influenster, get more info on the program here (it's very cool). 

Product Details*

Venus’ five-bladed razors shave you close and adjust to women’s curves for a smooth and comfortable shave, even over tricky shaving areas like knees and ankles.

Olay Moisture Bars contain skin-enhancing elements found in Olay products: Petrolatum helps lock in skin’s moisture for less dryness and Glycerin helps offer that goddess glow! Just wet the razor to release a light lather – no separate shave cream required.

As with most Venus razors, new Venus & Olay also features a rounded, pivoting head designed for women’s curves, and a soft-grip ergonomic handle for confident control, even in wet and soapy environment.

My Take on the Razor

I have used razors with moisturizing bars or strips attached before, and they worked well, but this one is my new favorite.  Without any shaving cream or soap, I was able to shave my legs in the shower, with no nicks or razor burn whatsoever.  The ease and speed of use with this product is what makes it especially enticing to me.  I like the fact that this razor is not very bulky but still packs a big moisturizing punch.  It also comes with a handy little suction cup shower hook, which is an added bonus.

Here’s the real deal on the goddess skin: although my legs aren’t especially hairy (TMI?), I shaved them on Saturday, and they are still completely silky smooth today (Monday).  This razor came around just in time for the 4 S-es of summer – Shorts, Skirts, Sundresses, and Swimsuits!

I will definitely be purchasing this product in the future and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a new razor that’s quick and easy to use with great results.  Thanks for intruducing me to this great razor!

Where to Buy*

A refillable Venus & Olay with one replacement cartridge sells for approximately $8.99-$10.99. Packages of three replacement cartridges are available for about $14.99 - $19.49.

Venus & Olay is available at food, drug, convenience and mass merchandise stores throughout the United States.  

More information here.

*Information sampled from Influenster’s website.

Add Comment