Beauty Boxes Abound

Like a big fish, I've been reeled in and have subscribed to several monthly beauty boxes. I am still waiting for a few of them to end up on my doorstep but I did get my very first Glymm box just the other day.

If you're not familiar with these beauty boxes, they arrive each month packed with goodies! You never know what you're going to get. The goodies are samples of anything from shampoos and lotions to make up and nail polish. There are a few of these boxes available to Canadians. The Glymm box runs for $12 a month. There is also Glossy Box (which sells for $15 a month), Top Box (which is $10/month), Beauty Box 5 (I believe sells for $12 a month), and Loose Button (Which recently switched from a monthly box to a seasonal box of 4 per year at $26).

I am on the waiting list for Topbox. It sounds like that could be quite a wait! I have also signed up for Beauty Box 5 as well as the Julep Maven boxes. I didn't mention this one above because it is strictly nail polish and nail care. This box is $20 a month, but you have the option of skipping months or sending your box to a friend. You also get to see what you're getting before it arrives and change your box if you wish. I was able to get my first Julep Maven box for only one penny with a promotion they were running. I received that last week and i must say i was pretty happy with it. In my box I found 2 polishes (a really light blue creme and a bright pink creme) as well as a pedicure cream. The polishes alone retail for $14 a piece so i definitely got my money's worth. I'm not sure how many months i will stick with this subscription. There is only so much nail polish i can use.

On to my Glymm box that arrived this week. The inaugural box did not disappoint. I have read many mixed reviews online since it arrived. If those bloggers are disappointed i am looking forward to what else Glymm has to offer!

I say Glymm box, but maybe i should be calling it Glymm Bag. All my goodies came packed into a super cute, royal blue makeup bag. This will be perfect to chuck in my purse!

Inside the bag i found a pair of LA Fresh Acetone free nail polish remover pads. The product information says one pad will remove polish from all 10 fingernails. I have to admit, when i looked at the pad, i was skeptical. It's small and didn't seem overly saturated with liquid. I tried it out the other night. The first thing i noticed was how delicious this product smells! It's a lovely bright, orangey smell. The next thing i noticed was how well these little pads worked! All of my fingernails were scrubbed clean of polish and i was even tempted to start on my toes. Very happy with these. They retail for $9.99 for 18 pads. I would consider purchasing them.

The next item was this Vitamin and Sea serum. This facial serum looks like a cure all when you read the product information. It's a blend of essential oils that target a variety of skin problems from acne to fine lines to dryness. The instructions tell you to use 2-4 drops and massage them into your face. The first time i tried this product out i used 4 drops. That was far too much. My skin felt oily and uncomfortable. The second time i cut back to 2 drops and noticed that was much better. This product smells very herbal to me but it's not unpleasant. It has worked really well to moisturize my super dry cheeks. I'm not sure i would purchase this product in full size. I'm not sure how i feel about putting oil on my face and i wonder how long i would be able to go before it made me break out. The serum is also expensive at $68 for 45 ml.

Next up is a fragrance- Salvadore Dali It's a Dream. This scent is described as fruity-floral-woody composition. I'm not really sure how much I like it. It seems very flowery and musky to me. I general gravitate towards more fruity and citrusy scents. This smells a little heavy for me. I threw it in my purse for those times you just need a little smelly pick me up. I thought the packaging on this was really cute and really loved that it was a spray. Those vials with the caps are so hard to use and i usually wind up spilling perfume all over the place.

Also in the bag was a cute little pot of facial mask. I love face masks! I love to just kick back in the bath with a mask and relax. Clark's Botanicals Intense Radiance Mask is a white clay mask that helps clarify and revitalize tired skin. The product information says you should be able to get 10-14 uses out of this sample. There is no way! I have used this once so far and am nearly half way through the jar. That being said, i found this a really nice mask. I left it on for about half an hour. It had started to tingle and feel really nice on my skin before i took it off, and my skin was soft and supple when i took it off. It looks like some people received a smoothing marine cream by the same company. I was happy with the mask.

The last item in my bag was a full sized lip duo. It is Harmony by Belvada and it looks like there were several colors available including a maroon, a bright red, a nude, and a light pink. I received the light pink and was so thankful i got one of the more subdued colors. I don't do well with bright lipstick. This lip duo is awesome! There is a balm on the one side and then the lip color in the other side. It's a bit larger than a typical lipstick tube but has really stylish packaging. This is my favourite item from my bag, by far.

Overall, i am completely satisfied with my first Glymm experience and i am looking forward to many more!