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!

Mirenesse VIP Kit December 2012

After trying a Mirenesse lip bomb in my October 2012 Ipsy/Glam bag i was hooked on this amazing brand. My friend Krys had mentioned to me that Mirenesse offered a VIP program. I was very skeptical at first but decided to try it out just to see what it was about. Mirenesse VIP has a lot of perks and promotions such as a $25 voucher every month (off a 65 dollar purchase), a steep discount on everything even flash sales and clearance, free shipping from Australia (which saves so much if you live in the United States), free samples with purchases (sometimes they are full size!), and the cherry on the cake is every other month, on top of all the above mentioned, you receive a box of 3-4 full sized products!

This month's box included:
3D Forever Gloss in Hot Kiss- $35.96 USD
I am not terribly impressed nor terribly disappointed. I love the color of this gloss, how it feels on my lips, how soft it makes my lips and how it does not feel sticky. However, i do not like how it settles into the lines of my lips. This is the kind of gloss which is best placed over a lipstick. I would buy these to match matte lipsticks that i would want to make glossy.

Mirenesse Cougar Mascara- $35.96 USD
I was so confused about the applicator when i first opened this item but once i used it i realized sometimes a different applicator isn't so bad! I felt it made my lashes look pretty and defined without looking over done and the comb like applicator made separating the lashes very easy. No clumping, no sticking, and little fibers to make your lashes longer is just a nice way to round off this unique mascara.

Crystal Color Drops Hydrating Mineral Powders- $53.96 USD
This was my favorite product of my box. I had, had my eye on a contouring blush palette from Lancome for a while but never made the splurge. This contour palette makes defining the cheek so easy. I can also use this to highlight and contour the nose, forehead, and chin. I like how this product isn't too dramatic and is super easy to blend. It looks natural without looking over done. I would buy this again in a heartbeat!

The total value of this box is $125.88 USD which is an amazing value for a box that is free!! (25$ monthly fee is returned as a voucher). These products are high in qaulity and while they may seem expensive with all the VIP discounts and constant promotions, stocking up can be very inexpensive!

Julep Maven December 2012 Box and Holiday Nail Wordrobe Review and Swatches

This month was my weakness! I love all things glittery, shimmery, bright, and colorful. So when Julep released the Maven box for December and it was glitters, i pretty much knew right then and there that nothing would satisfy me but the entire Holiday Nail Wardrobe (which is addictive once you start getting them!)

Just in case you don't know, Julep is a nail polish website that offers a monthly subscription for $19.95 a month shipping included. This subscription includes a minimum of two polishes and usually a product and a surprise. In sephora these nail polishes are about $16 each. These nail polishes are free of harsh chemicals that you will find in other polishes and come in every color and finish you can imagine. Plus if you don't like the colors released that month, you can skip and pay nothing! There is also a referral system so that every person who signs up using you link grants you 1000 points! 2000 points gets you a monthly box and 5000 points gets you a nail wardrobe! It really is a great deal with so many perks! You can sign up now and only pay ONE PENNY! Use promo code COLOR2012. Sign up here!

Anyways this month this was what was in my box!

The product we received this month was Instant Warming Foot Scrub. I have a bit of roughness on my feet and this made my feet feel really soft afterward. It wasn't comparable to a pumice stone or anything but it was a nice difference. The warming sensation was mild but very enjoyable.

Another great extra was the addition of about 5 One-step polish remover pads. I loved these in the last box since they are no mess and easy to use, so i am glad i received more.

Cabochon Ring-
I was a bit confused by this item. At first it came off as cheap and gaudy to me but once i saw some creative pieces i felt a little bit better about this item. I like the idea that i can design and redesign a ring to suit my mood. It is a little weird that i have to use nail polish to do it but any nail polish lover can find some appreciation in this ring.  At the time of this posting i have not yet designed my ring.

Now on to the polish! Included in this review will the Holiday Nail Wardrobe and two add on's. This month's glittery, shimmery, and metallic shades are absolutely festive and bright!

Patti- Full coverage, black, multidimensional glitter.
This shade is beautiful! As far as black is concerned, this is one of the most festive i have ever seen. With just a bit of silver glitter mixed in this shade is not a conventional holiday choice but non the less of a good choice. Full coverage in about 2-3 coats which is more than normal with other Julep shades. Dries relatively fast, lasts about 4 days without needing a touch up (using a top coat).

 

Julia- Purple orchid metallic with golden micro-glitter
This shade is fantastic. It is a bit thin so i needed about 3 coat for full coverage but since it is thin each coat dried pretty fast. The micro-glitter is very fine so it isn't sparkly but rather shimmery. When the light hits your purple nails just the right amount of gold reflects!

Jordan- Full-coverage silver gunmetal multidimensional glitter
I really would not describe this as full coverage. After about three coats i was still able to see my nail under it. I would call this a medium coverage and i think it would make a wonderful top coat over a color you would just want to peak out.

Petra- Cranberry magenta with silver shimmer
This magenta is a beautiful glossy shimmer shade. While i think the silver shimmer is very minimal it is beautiful anyway. This shade only took 1-2 shades for full coverage.

Hilary- Full coverage copper multidimensional glitter.
This shade is so pretty but also so not full coverage. I tried about 3 coats and could not get this to be full coverage. This is medium coverage at best and there is nothing wrong with that! I like that this isn't a glitter you see often. Usually glitters are gold or silver and i think this is a great option to have! This is great over the other polishes in this wardrobe and also other polishes in general. I do like how it looks over a nude nail too.

Cindy- Emerald green metallic with gold micro-glitter
If you were wondering what will be your emerald shade for 2013 this is a great pick! The micro glitter is more of a shimmer and when the light hits this emerald a beautiful gold is shown. I find this to be a little thin but that means it drys fast. I used 2 coats but found it to be almost full coverage at 1.

Barbara- Full-coverage magenta multidimensional glitter
Of all the glitters in this collection this is one of the only actual full coverage glitters. With 2 coats this shade allows you to have opaque glitter coverage.

Scarlett- Vibrant red micro-glitter metallic
I did not find this shade to come off as metallic. I found it to be a glossy shade with a nice minimal shimmer. I like this color and how it lives up to its description. It is a very vibrant shade. Full coverage in two coats, dries fast, lasts about a week.

Harper- Full-coverage opalescent mermaid blue multidimensional glitter
This shade is amazing! I don't know what i love more the fact that this is a glitter, a mermaid blue, or the fact that it is opalescent! This is a beautiful polish! Not exactly completely full coverage but with 2 coats it can be built up to be almost opaque. It is not a traditional holiday color but definitely fun!

Vivien- champagne bubbles a full coverage multidimensional gold glitter.
This is the second time this season that  have seen metallic shade that included a glitter,see Gorgeous Gold by L'Oreal. It is certainly not something you see often! You would think that metallic on metallic could possible clash but when paired like this it works exceptionally well. Touted as champagne bubbles this full coverage shade is very reminiscent of the drink and is opaque in 2 coats.

Ivy- dynamic sapphire micro-glitter metallic-
I did not personally find this to be a metallic or a glitter shade. To me this is an opaque sapphire with a bit of a teal shimmer. I love how this color looks on the nails and how it changes when the light hits it. It is rich in color and opaque in two coats.

Add on's
Carly- Full-coverage Malibu-blue multi-dimensional glitter
This polish lives up to its description in that is is full coverage. This bright blue glitter is a bit thick but gives even coverage.

Colbie- Full-coverage citrine green multi-dimensional glitter
 This light green glitter is not really full coverage but it covers enough to be considered medium. This would be great pared with Cindy.

Some final extras:
Fashion tips and nail suggestions-

Some dupes-
Julep Julia and Zoya Daul

Julep Cindy and Zoya Ivanka

Final words-