Beauty Army January 2013 Review

I am a little sad to announce that this will be my last Beauty Army Review  (at least for a while). I have suspended my account due to declining selection and too many repeating items. I felt i was not being introduced to new items  and the new items i did find i was receiving in other boxes at a cheaper price. I hope in the future that the selections improve and i will gladly resubscribe.

The January Beauty Army box, which i did not receive until the middle of February (another reason i canceled) marked the one year anniversary for Beauty Army. For their birthday they included a special 7th item in the box.

The special 7th item was a Mark Scanda-Lash sample mascara in Blacklash  Since this sample is in a smaller box it came without an extender cap. Beauty Army usually includes one but because i also got a Mark Lip Gloss they made sure to only send me one so i had to pick which product i wanted to have a hard time opening. Since i have plenty of mascara that i don't have to worry about, i decided to let the mascara have no cap.

Once opened this small wand left me wondering if this product could really deliver some scandalous lashes. While i did not find it to give me lashes i would call anything other than regular i did like how natural and full they looked. It wasn't clumpy and separated my lashes nicely. Great for everyday wear. I think they need to think about the name of this mascara and give it something a little more timid to suit how it really makes lashes look.

The items i choose for this month's box are:

Mark Baby Glow Hook Up Lip Gloss in Honey-
This is the second Hook Up Lip Gloss i have gotten from Mark from Beauty Army. Honey is a light pinky nude. I liked that this gloss did not feel sticky or overly wet on my lips. It wasn't too sheer but also gave just a nice wash of color. The pigmentation did not settle into my lips and i did not have any bleeding. I like how this gloss wears nicely on bare lips and over nude lipsticks/liners.

Lash Card Sample-
Have you ever been in a rush putting on your mascara and found mascara spots on your freshly done shadow? Yeah, i think its happened to us all at least once, however, while it may be a bit of a let down is it really enough to hold a card up to your lid every time mascara is applied? Probably not. This product is great in theory, and possibly great for those times when you create a really creative shadow look that requires just an extra level of protection to prevent the look from being ruined. However i am sure these cards can be used over and over and there really is no need to actual re-purchase this item. Overall i find it just simply novel.

 Bath and Body Works Paris Amour Body Wash-
This is either my second or third time getting this product, and quite frankly, i am sick of reviewing it.

 Yes To Carrots Nourishing Super Rich Body Butter-
The sheer size of this packet leaves this body butter as more of a quick hand lotion. While i did find this sample to be moisturizing and felt natural and non greasy, i couldn't get an actual feel for it on my body due to its small size.

GG Ooh LaLa Volume-
This tiny packet of conditioner could not be tested due to the fact that i have long hair and the tiny amount did not even cover my long hair. It is a shame because this product seemed like it would work overall had only Beauty Army been more concerned with their long haired customers. 

Whip Hand Camo Collection Limited Edition Loose Pigment Eyeshadow in  Special Forces-
Long name, tiny bottle, great pigmentation. A tiny bit really goes a long way with this shadow. This shade is a fantastic neutral with just the right bit of shimmer. I used a little bit on my lid and also brushed some on the apples of my cheeks and found this product to really brighten up my face. I like how versatile it is. In terms of quality it is impressive!

Overall i did like this box, while there were some repeats and some samples were too small, it really wasn't a disappointment. I have liked this subscription as a whole and it is great in theory but i felt were limited options, this really veered me away from this subscription. Usually when a box starts to go down in my opinon i look toward past boxes, point systems, or rewards, as a way of convincing myself to stay on. Beauty Army's reward system i felt was slow and really did offer much other than small discounts. Not to mention the day you sign up determines when you can pick samples for each box. I was always right before and right after the good samples were released and always felt i was missing out.

Beauty Army December 2012 Review and Swatches

Even though this is late i felt it was still worth putting up. My beauty army box arrived pretty late this month. Since my window is at the end of the month i often do not get my box until the second week of the next month. The month of December had some great options however by the time i got to pick mine it was a little limited.

If you are new subscription boxes Beauty Army is a monthly box of samples that allows you to choose what your getting. It costs $12 dollars a month which includes shipping. If you do not like your samples (there are 9 to pick from), you can skip your month or simply retake your beauty profile until you see more suiting items. Your sign up date determines your monthly window and your samples arrive in a sturdy box with pretty tissue paper! You can sign up here!

Hello there!

What i chose-

Skin Fade Cream-
Honestly, i really did not need this product. I chose it because it was a bigger size then the other small one time use items. I do have some scars so i was thinking maybe i could use it on that, or if i ever get a dark spot or blemish i need to fight off.

 Not Your Mothers She's A Tease Volumizing Hairspray-
I was a little turned off by Not Your Mothers after receiving a really pointless sample from Influenster (why send a girl with straight hair a product for curly hair?????). So i am glad i gave them another try. This spray really does a good job at holding a voluminous style. I washed my hair and dried it while holding my head upside down. I sprayed this to my roots and as my hair dried my hair had a lot more volume. I also used it to hold in some teased hair at the crown of my hair and it lasted all day. So i am impressed.

 Glow Baby Glow Mark Lip Gloss in Blow Kisses-
I am not sure what i expected from this product. I do wear a lot of red lipstick and thought it would be a good idea to have a red gloss but this gloss is incredibly sheer. I got just slightly more color than a clear gloss. Not a bad gloss, just expected a little more pigmentation. I did like that it was not sticky like some other glosses i have received from beauty army.

 Enspri 5 minute anti-aging facial treatment -
 I have not had the chance to use this product yet however i do like that it is made with collagen and comes with a hydrator.

Ineke Hothouse Flower-
I have chosen this sample in the past. A lot of items seem to be repeating themselves. While i was not head over heels the first time i smelled this sample i wasn't disappointed. I never finished the first one so i am not sure when i will get to this one. Overall it is a very soft and floral scent. It isn't too strong but is feminine.

Emani Foundation and Serum-
This was another product that i have chosen to sample in the past. It seems a lot of items are repeating themselves now and while some i do not mind - Bath and Body works- it can get a little redundant. I did like this product first time around and i do not mind using it again but i have never purchased the full size and i am not sure that i will.

 Overall it was a decent month i just hope to see bigger sized samples along with more variety in the future!

Beauty Army November 2012 Review and Swatches

Aside from being behind, it really does not help that my Beauty Army window to pick products is always at the end of the month, meaning i do not get my box until the first or second week of a the following month. Anyway, this month Beauty Army changed up their boxes just a little bit, adding some black and white camo to the side of the cardboard box. I think it is a nice little touch.

I love these boxes since i am able to reuse them for my nail polish since they are so sturdy and the top opens like a flap.

 My box this month was decent. I think i picked a good selection and was only minimally disappointed.

 Bath and Body Works Pink Chiffon-
I have received quite a few of these minis and this one is hands down my favorite. I love how soft floral, and just a little bit powdery it is. It makes me smell clean and also very girly. The whole shower smells like this product when i am done. It is medium scent strength on the skin and would be well matched with another floral or powdery scent, but would probably not over power an oriental scent.

Whip Hand Camo Collection Limited Edition Loose Pigment Eyeshadow-
 Now i knew this was a small sample, i did read the size before picking it, but i never thought it would be THIS small. If you look at the pictures below it is the size of a size 7 ring. Meaning this has the width of a finger. That's just a bit excessive when it comes to tiny. The product itself is good pigmentation, i got a lasting effect without using primer, though if you really want this to last efficiently and have better color pigmentation always use a primer. It is shimmery and maybe could be used as a bronzer or highlighter depending on your skin tone. Has a slight shimmer of gold in some lights.

 Nelsonj Argan Oil 7 in 1 Non-foaming Shampoo-
I am not sure why i choose this product since i have oily roots and dry ends, but you know applying this only to my ends did wonders. I applied my normal shampoo to my roots. I found this to make my hair feel soft and conditioned. I did not find the need to use a conditioner after this product. Saved me time in the shower and i loved the fresh citrus scent.

Jonathan Dirt Texturizing Paste-
I had no idea what this product was when i picked it. After some googling it is a hair product. This product is solid in the jar but when played with in your hands will turn liquid. I applied this to my damp hair and squished my hair. My hair had very nice waves afterwards. This helps to define and structure hair. I like it but don't love it.

Skinn Twin Set in Poppy- 
I tried this brand last month and was completely dissatisfied with it. I wanted to give the brand the benefit of the doubt so i picked up a different color. The gloss was still very sticky, almost unwearable for me. The lipstick was a beautiful shade of bright red. It does remind me of the color of poppy's. The lipstick side is the only redeeming aspect of this product and for that i would pass on this brand all together.

YouDaBalm Coconut Lip Balm-
As a Brooklyn girl i love seeing products from my city and thank goodness this does not disappoint. This made my lips feel smooth and ready for lipstick or kisses. The coconut scent wasn't over powering it was just a nice addition. If you like your lip balm's unscented you will probably stay away from this product but if you don't mind just a hint of a tropical scent this is a great option.

Overall Beauty Army isn't so bad. I like being able to choose my own items every month. Sometimes the selection is very lackluster while others it is amazing. If you would like to sign up for this monthly subscription you can do so here. This subscription costs $12 dollars a month which includes shipping. You can choose any 6 samples you want, change your beauty profile as much as you would like to refresh the products, and best of all if you do not like your selection you can always skip the month.