SEPHORA PLAY BOX 🎃 OCTOBER 2018 🎃

SEPHORA PLAY BOX 

🎃 OCTOBER 2018 🎃

Seems like even the Sephora play box is not that into the Halloween theme this month except for the pumpkin on the card. 

But at least the goodies inside are worthy of a Halloween makeover.

Tarte rainforest of the sea “Quench” hydrating primer.

As expected with the rainforest of the sea series, an all hydrating primer that closely resembles the  sea itself. Think hydrating and non drying, the Quench primer is like a hybrid of gel + water with a blue tint. This instantly moisturises and hydrates the face, even giving a sense of coolness after. What is great about this primer is that it is not packed with silicone ingredients and properties so therefore it seeps into the skin and does not create any sort of blockage to the pores. So for the sensitive/dry skin this one should be all good for your face. 

In terms of makeup application, i find that my foundation application feels smoother and simply easier to blend. As for staying power, i do notice that my foundation does not spread or form cracks easily especially around my forehead and nose crease. 

Fresh soy face cleanser.

This cleanser is a clean and gentle cleanser that aims to instantly remove impurities and also makeup residue on face. I wear heavy makeup on a daily basis and most times i still have to go through the routine of oil remover for the eyes, miscellar water for the face and then cleanser as the last step. I do this because i have blemish prone skin and i found out that most of the time it is the residue and leftover of makeup that forms into the future unwelcomed residents on my face. 

This cleanser has a scent to it which i can best describe as vegetables or bean sprout/tofu kinda smell. It doesn’t bother me that much because its not strong and it reminds me of a salad 🥗 I usually use this in the morning hence there are no more makeup residues, It does deliver a clean feel on my face after and not tightening or drying. Overall for the hefty original price i think this only works great for people with sensitive skin because it would be the ultimate clean version of a normal cleanser.

Make Up For Ever Matte velvet skin foundation.

I have tried many of the MUFE foundations from the ultra HD foundation to the perfector and now im finally trying the Matte velvet skin 24hour full coverage foundation. Previously I thought the shade Y245 was my exact skin shade but then i tried Y225 and it changed my mind completely, although it was about a shade fairer, it matched more to my skin tone and also looks much more natural after oxidising. 

The matte velvet skin is a full coverage foundation that is supposed to last 24hours. It delivers a matte finish and absorbs all oil action and maintains your skin smoothness and shine free. Personally, many matte foundations that i have tried still crease and cake but this liquid formula blends quite seamlessly without doing so. I have combination skin which oils up on the T zone area, the first area to fade is always my nose, with this foundation i noticed that there is still the fading happening at the nose area. But the forehead maintains being matte with only slight creases on the wrinkle lines at the end of the day.

For something that costs USD$38, i could probably get another foundation that has better staying power like Fenty or MAC. Thus this was not such a breakthrough foundation.

Benefit Gimme brow shade #1.

Amongst all the Benefit brow products, this is the least type that i enjoy using. Mainly because my brows need shape and definition, with this type of spoolie brush, the Gimme brow only helps to make the brows appear thicker but it does not help in giving a defined shape. Also, this is in the shade #1 which is the lightest shade for taupe/blonde. I am a brunette so a #3 or #4 would have been way better and at least give my brows some volume. I like the ka-brow cream gel eyebrow colour instead as it has a mini angle brush and the wax is so much easier to define and shape.

Caudalie Vinoperfect radiance serum.

In the past year I have got to know the brand Caudalie and I have really grown to like their skincare range. This is from the Vinoperfect series and its in the serum form. The radiance serum claims to combat dark spots, evens skin tone and boosts radiance. I usually apply this before bedtime and after cleansing the face of makeup. I find that the serum helps to regulate the skin tone and also minimizes the appearance of pores and dryness. 

Maison Martin Margiela Replica - Sailing day Eau de toilette.

I have no idea what brand this is and from which series it carries but I was able to get abit of information on the Selfridge & Co website which also allows you to personalise your own replica perfume in remembrance of a specific place and or of someone. 

I like the idea of remembering something thru a scent because its so easy for the mind to relate a certain event with the surroundings and its usually left imprinted in your memory forever. This ‘Sailing day’ scent has an Aquatic deep sea fragrance fit for both male and female. This doesn’t remind me of anything in particular since i actually cannot swim nor do i have any particular memory of being in the deep sea. But it smells fresh with notes of : Coriander, iris, juniper, red pepper, rose, salicylate, seaweed, ambergris, amber wood, cedar. This also retails for USD$125/100ml bottle.

October’s box has a total of 6 deluxe sample sized items and that feels jam packed as compared to the other month with 5 products. I believe the perfume was the added bonus because some months we get it some months we don’t. But in all, i actually like all of the samples except for the benefit gimme brow because it was in the wrong brow colour for me. 

BOXYCHARM 🦇 OCTOBER 2018

BOXYCHARM 

🦇 OCTOBER 2018 

There are 5 products inside the box with some being full size and some deluxe size. This month boxy doesn’t seem to be fitting in to the halloween theme like everyone else or like their box last year. But i like the darkness seeping through the black lace mask and also the masquerade palette and of course kat von d herself.

It cosmetics superhero mascara.

This mascara has been quite hyped up in the past few subscription box and if im not mistaken I’ve received this in the sample size before from sephora play. So ive tried this mascara before but i find that it has a clumpy texture after redipping and it didn’t disperse well on my lashes as how i would like my mascara to be. So in the end i did not reach out for this often as compared to my butter london double decker mascara. And this is also not waterproof so it won’t stay in place on wet occasions.

Farmacy green clean - makeup melt away cleansing balm.

I have received this product in another subscription box too (sephora february play box if not mistaken). So to say that this was made specifically for boxycharm like the label claims is quite a stretch because this was the same sample size that i received before and the same packaging minus the labelling. 

Anyways this is a balm that you can slather and rub away your makeup. It is something that works like a makeup remover cream but in a balm version. You still have to rub the balm in and wash up after but it feels oddly therapeutic massaging the balm in the face. This makeup melt away balm also has a nice clean scent to it and is non greasy. However trying to remove near the eye area gets a bit hard due to the thicker balm compared to an oil remover. All in all I wouldn’t reach for this as fast as my miscellar water but it will do when i have time for a good scrub after. 

Kat Von D Everlasting liquid lipstick in Lovesick.

Lovesick is one of the permanent shades from the KVD everlasting liquid lipstick line and is described as a mauve pink shade. I was excited to see the sneak preview that we will be getting a kat von d product but i was abit disappointed at the shade range. I only saw bow and arrow and lovesick being sampled but then these two are actually difficult shades to match skintone. With one being a nude tone and the other a bright pink. Pink isnt one of the shades that suits me,i veer more to terracotta and burnt reds. 

However, the formula itself is great as is all kvd liquid lips, matte and transfer proof is my kind if favourite lipstick and im not new to kvd. This can get abit drying at about the 3rd-4th hour mark so perhaps some moisturising might be needed in the middle of your wear time. By the end of the day i noticed usually there are mild cracks at the inner lips and some fading at the middle. It would still require some touching up. 

PUR Midnight Masquerade palette.

Boxycharm does a lot of collaboration with PUR as I’ve had quite a few of PUR palettes that came with boxy like the Soiree diaries, the highlight and contour palette and now this midnight masquerade palette. 

This is a face palette so it actually has 2 highlighting shades and 2 blush shades, with another 6 eyeshadow shades. Its a handy palette to bring over for travelling because it means you won’t have to carry a separate blush and highlighter. But i find the eyeshadows lacks transition shades, it has bright shades that works  well when you need a pop of colour but it doesn’t have softer hues for a seamless blend. 

The pigments however are really buttery with some slight fall outs only on the matte shade sneak peek. The satin and metallic shades all mostly apply smooth and very very pigmented. 

Dermovia Lace a peel mask.

Im quite confident to say that there is no mask like this one and even if you have tried one before its not like this application. Now this is actually a peel off mask with a little twist, you start with an even layer of the black bamboo charcoal gel all over the face and as quickly as possible, lay the lace mask on top of the gel and press in so that it sticks. Once 20minutes is up, simply peel off the entire mask like you would a peel off mask. The pack also has a warning that this would be a medium intensity peel off, in my opinion i felt that the painful area was mostly the under eye because the skin is so much thinner and softer there than the other areas to peel off. 

The mask itself as seen in the photo, is actually a black lace mask that is soft and lightweight. (I swear its like a black laced panty material.) It almost feels like a waste to throw away the entire thing after the peel off. But what the mask helps to do is actually by compressing the gel into the face, as opposed to just applying the peel off on its own. 

There are two masks and 1 tube in each pack and all together this was a fun and unique mask to try so good job to boxy for the diversity.

ALLURE BEAUTY BOX 💄 SEPTEMBER 2018

ALLURE BEAUTY BOX 

💄 SEPTEMBER 2018

If you’ve seen the sneak peeks of the September box you would know that everyone is getting a MAC bullet lipstick in one of their iconic shades. This little tidbit is enough to spark interest in the September box. 

IGK Rich kid coconut oil gel.

This non nose intruding coconut oil is soft on the scent and not too strong which is a good thing because no one wants to smell like they’re drenched in coconut. This oil gel has a creamy texture but smooths down to an oil when rubbed in on the hair. It does help to smooth and soften the hair and then the gel sets in place slightly. Nothing crispy looking as the gel is really mild and doesn’t harden the hair down.

Tarteist Lash and glue.

These are two things that work well together but count them as two separate deluxe products from the box. The Tarte lashes are amaaazing! I am the type of person who skips lashes all the time because i find them tedious. But i wore this for a wedding and they are the best that I’ve tried. The lashes and thin (my kind of lashes) not thick at all and not heavy. They feel lightweight and featherlight. 

As for the glue, they dry down well and on time as when you apply the lashes to your eyes they’re already tacky. They don’t take forever to dry and is very fast at adhering. Needless to say i will wear this again without hesitating because its great.

Drunk elephant TLC Sukari babyfacial.

So far I have been pleased with whatever drunk elephant products that i get to test and sample because they work wonders. But straight away alot of people dont have the luxury to purchase something from drunk elephant because of the steep price tag. This is considered a generous amount for a deluxe size, the full version is USD$80 for 50ml. So it is basically $24 for 15ml. But rest assured that the price tag fits the miracles of the products.

This is a do it yourself at home facial step that contains AHA/BHA that effectively yet gently exfoliates your pores and removed build up underneath. Its super simple and only takes 20minutes on the face while you do your thangs. Then wash and pat dry. I find that with facials or peels that has AHA/BHA they tend to hit the sensitive spot with the tinglings but this is mild and non invasive to the sensitive skin. Which puts a plus on it. After wear, skin feels smoother and cleaner, because this product is also part fo the clean seal of approval formulated without the harmful chems.

MAC bullet lipstick in Ruby Woo. 

YES! I was super stoked to see that we will be receiving a MAC product and to receive the classic shade Ruby woo I’m ecstatic. (Mainly because the other shade is a bright pink that does not suite me.) This universally flattering red will suit almost everyone’s skin tone and also makes your teeth appear whiter due to the blue undertones in the red. 

I rarely wear bullet lipsticks because the liquid lipstick trend is basically here to stay and they are so much better to control. Compared to a bullet lipstick that sometimes dont fit into your lips contour. But occasionally if i had to grab a striking red lipstick, this will be it. 

While the September box feels like there is lesser products introduced, i think it has the most value for money with each sample being something of an expensive brand. And definitely makes the $15+ amount you pay worthy. 

IPSY GLAM BAG 👁 SEPTEMBER 2018

IPSY GLAM BAG 

👁 SEPTEMBER 2018 

For the first time ever i lost my ipsy glam bag package in the mail on the way to my address which is by USPS btw, i recalled the delay announcement on the postal company’s website and then it was just never recovered. But the best thing about Ipsy is their customer service, it only took one email exchange and another parcel replacement was already on the way. Altho there was an item that i redeemed was already sold out by then, the team replaced it with something else and almost all of the products i got were not the original contents but they followed closely to what it was supposed to be. Here’s the bag breakdown!

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian bod buff.

This product was one of the products from my original September bag, by now we are all no stranger to Sol de Janeiro especially the hit list bum bum cream! So it was fun to receive another product from the cult favourite. The body buff is a multi tasker that works for face and body and works to deep cleanse and exfoliate dead skin cells. In case you’re wondering, the brand’s signature scent is pistachio and salted caramel which is a yummy to die for scent! 

I used this as a body scrub mixed with my bath and body works shower gel and it was a heavenly combination. This really made my skin smoother and feel cleaner too, afterwards i made sure to smother myself in their bum bum cream for double the yummyness. 

Benefit the Porefessional pearl primer.

Who hasn’t heard of the porefessional series from Benefit must have been living under the sea. This is a very well known and hyped series due to their pore minimising claims that really works!  This time round i receive the other version with the pearl effect. The usual version is in a blue green tube and is matte, while the pearl version is in a pink tube and dispenses a pearly pink primer. 

They pearl primer appears to be softer than the regular one and upon application, the pearl gives an instant glowing base and actually reminds me so much of MAC’s prep+prime base lumiere. It is an illuminating primer that lends a hand for the glow from within look. I like that it is a subtle pearl instead of glittery chunks, and this is great because it also minimizes the pores that i have around the nose and forehead area. This would be something good to invest in as i find the product aids in prolonging my makeup throughout most of the day eventho i was at work. It stars to get oily in the nose for me at the end of the day but thats all right because i usually blot the oils at the end. 

(I was supposed to receive the Elizabeth Mott face primer instead.)

Nudestix Magnetic matte lip colour in Rose.

I absolutely love nudestix!! I think their classic lip and cheek duo is a handy combination for traveling and their lippies have great pigment along with staying power. They dry matte and does not transfer much after application. Rose is a dusty pink that looks natural and easy to pull off for different skin tones. 

(I was supposed to receive trestique mini lip glaze.)

Luxie beauty Harley Quinn Detail Flat Definer 110 brush.

Now this is the cutest brush ever from Luxie! Im used to seeing the rose gold signature look of Luxie brushes so to get something different is great! This is a Harley quinn inspired red and black brush with a flat definer top. I find this shape of brush very useful for blending out small strokes of concealer if im not using my sephora mini blending sponge to spread the concealer. But this is also the perfect size for in between brows and the nose bridge.

I also did not see any fall outs from the bristles and Luxie itself is a cruelty free brand so the brushes are all of synthetic origins. 

(I was supposed to receive the Luxie Wonder woman detail tapered blender 140 brush.)

Doucce Freematic Bronzer in Sunbeam.

I personally don’t like the brand Doucce because their eyeshadows performed very poorly for me, so i have a tilted perception of the brand thanks to the performance of the eyeshadow. The bronzer is a mid tone warm brown that isnt too dark for me, it is also matte and non shimmery. I gave this piece away to my sister and hopefully it is much more beneficial and forgiving on her than on myself. 

And that is all for the September Ipsy glam bag, so even though this was a replacement bag and not the originally intended one, i was happy with the surprises. The great thing is that Ipsy didn’t just chuck random things inside, they tried the best to match back with what items i really got and altho they are from different brands. Its the tiny effort like this that makes it heartwarming.

SEPHORA PLAY BOX 🌾 SEPTEMBER 2018

SEPHORA PLAY BOX

🌾 SEPTEMBER 2018

September seems to have a few bonus items included as it brings the total sample qty to 6 items. If anyone noticed, sephora has been substituting the cloth bags with this waterproof plastic envelope bags recently and I’m abit torn about the change because i believe the cloth baggies are so much more reusable and environmentally friendly because you can use them in so many ways. Well i guess thats just my opinion on it. Lets get to the samples.

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb nectar parfum.

As the name suggests this perfume has a sweet floral scent to it which sits right in between the fence on being overpowering. If spritz too much it gives me a headache because of the sweetness. But for sweet smelling lovers you might be able to drown in this scent.

Too faced hangover replenishing primer.

I have tested this Too faced primer range before but in the other version which was the spray. I absolutely hated the spray because the tester size was tiny and the small spritz was pretty bad at distributing a fine mist, it just happens to spritz in large drops that then ruins your makeup because there are obvious water marks. Is best to use that before makeup. 

As for this version it is so lightweight that its not heavy when applying makeup over and blends seamlessly creating a base that helps makeup lasts longer. Both versions smells like coconut water. 

Nudestix intense lip + cheek pencil in shade Kiss.

I already own this shade so i know how they perform, i love that its a Nudestix product because their products are versatile that you can use it on both the cheeks and lips. The magnetic formula is also one of the long lasting pencil product that I’ve had so far and it truly does not easily fade off.

Sephora Lashcraft big volume.

I was so glad to receive an original Sephora product that is not a black pencil liner in this month’s bag. Its good to know that the play box actually has other samples from sephora to test. This product is really thick and the wand dispenses a generous amount without having to second dip. 

However i find that it clumps upon stroking on the lashes and creates that spider lashes everyone should avoid. The formula isnt waterproof so it will streak if you tear up. But at least that means its easier to wash off. There are some mild flaking but only on the under eyes and its easily wiped off. This mascara is a miss for me tho, it takes too much work.

Peter Thomas Roth Hungarian thermal water - Mineral rich atomic heat mask.

That is a mouthful for a name of a product but i do love products from Peter Thomas Roth and their skincare/makeup line. Considering their price line is quite steep, i am glad to have received this sample because sometimes with skin care you might never know how they perform and if it will be worth the pricetag. 

This product is white and thick, when lathered on the face i find that it turns from cream to oil slightly. The viscosity almost feels like clay but it is texturised. Honestly i have never felt something like this before. After 3 minutes, you are to wet your fingertips with cool water and massage the face to activate the heat properties. I did not experience much of a warm sensation when i did so like its supposed to so im not sure what went wrong. But after washing up the entire face i find that my skin feels clean but not tight and maybe a little bit moist. 

Sunday Riley Tidal - Brightening enzyme water cream.

This product reminds me of the Belif the true cream aqua bomb range, due to the similar moisturizing properties. By now im sure everyone has heard of Sunday Riley. They were hyped up quite alot by beauty blogs and youtubers because they were offering a skincare line similar to what the costly salon treatments would charge for. Eventhough the line has been hyped up alot, so far i haven’t found a product that i really like from them. Their luna oil breaks me out due to the retinol, i didnt see much difference with the c.e.o rapid flash. And this cream doesn’t seem to offer anything that I’m interested in. I really think Sunday Riley is better off as a name of an upcoming Indie band, i really wanted to like them but the overhype became overkill. 

There are a few things that i will be keeping and some to share with my family because i know I won’t be needing them. It is a good bag however and totally outweighs the value for money factor. 

Especially because there is a good mix of skincare and makeup products in the bag. 

BOXYCHARM 🌸 SEPTEMBER 2018 🌸

BOXYCHARM 🌸 SEPTEMBER 2018 🌸

Boxycharm has started their Boxyluxe subscription and the items included in this box is also in the lux box. I have decided to skip on the lux box this month because the internet was overwhelmed with responses and everything was just crashing. I will be upgrading to the December Boxyluxe instead. So without further ado this is the September box.

Alamar Ojitos brush trio set.

The Alamar brush set consists of three eye brushes (Ojitos means eyes), made up of soft durable synthetic bristles. These are simple and very handy to have when travelling light. They consist if the flat painter brush, fluffy blender brush and the flat liner brush. 

I usually use the flat painter brush for when i need to use concealer to cut crease or to paint a shade all over the lid.

The fluffy blender brush is great for taking shadows up higher to the brow bone or simply to blend in the shades in the creaseline for a seamless blend.

The flat liner brush works great with gel liners because they’re packed tight and offers precision when gel lining. Or you can also use it to pack a colour on the waterline under the eye. 

Pretty vulgar Nightingale palette.

This palette is packed with the basics, something for everyone’s daily shadow looks. As expected it comes with a mix of matte and satin finishes so you can create a look around both finishes. There are alot of browns in the palette so personally i feel like its got alot of transition shades but not much that can be used as a base shade apart from the pearly grey(break free) and dusty pink(pillow fight) shade. I would still use another palette for the base as i like my base to be more colourful like rosey terracotta or orange shades and then transition with the browns. 

Aside from the shade range, the shadows are soft and buttery but the lighter shades are abit harder to see so it is super helpful to pack on heavy with the lighter shades like hide & seek.

Hank & Henry liquid lipstick in Petal pusher.

To be honest this is the first time i have heard of this brand but it has left me with a good impression. Why? Because not only is this a lovely Rosey shade but its also one of my favourite matte liquid lipsticks! Its non drying and there are moisturising ingredients in it that makes the whole application smooth and non crusty. 

Laura Geller baked blush n brighten in Peach delight 🍑 

There are 3 shades that this baked blush comes in from the Laura geller site but in Seotember’s boxy, you will either get this item or the Girlactik duo skin glow. I received this in the shade peach glow, which is a beautiful swirl of pink and peach in a baked state. This is also super pigmented and very buildable so a light hand to start off on the cheeks is recommended otherwise you’ll get a patch of blush on the cheeks.

Edit*This is one helluva pigmented baked blusher I’ve owned. Usually baked blushes get hard after a while at the top most outer part but this is amazing even after a while of having this it still remains pigmented. 

Butter london Stroke of wow liquid liner.

This eyeliner is like the mac roller wheel eyeliner where instead of a brush or felt tip at the end its got a wheel attached to it. The idea on paper sounds good. However if the mechanics are not right, you will still have a wobbly wheel that draws a crooked line. Example being my eyes below. That was my first attempt and maybe just mayyybe it might work better with practice but its fully frustrating and i would rather save my time with my kvd liner. 

Here are the swatches:

(Left to right: laua geller blush in peach delight, hank henry petal pusher, butter london stroke of wow liner)

And that about sums up the September box for boxycharm. I think the only item that did mot work for me would be the eyeliner roller wheel from butter london because it does not sound practical at all and is not easier than handling the usual pen liner i use.