Luxe Box

I received this month's Luxe Box sometime last week and finally got around to opening it up until today. (Mostly because I've been stuck at home all week with the nastiest cold, ever; I went to the doctor's and came out two hours later, needing antibiotics for a throat infection and an inhaler for my lungs because I am wheezing like crazy.)

This month, I received:

Lise Watier Neiges Eau de Parfum (sample size, 7.5 ml): Lise Watier's Neiges fragrance is the product that put Lise Watier on the map in Canadian cosmetics. It's a blend of white hyacinth, lily of the valley, Christmas rose, night-blooming jasmine, magnolia, and orange blossom. I've always been rather indifferent to this scent; it's not amazing, and it's not terrible. It's not offensive in the least nor will it induce headaches, but it's not that memorable to me. It doesn't really capture "the exquisite magic and purity of winter," either. It's a fresh and subtle floral scent, and it's not overwhelming at all... but it's not a fragrance that I would go out and buy. That being said, the sample size included in this box was actually fairly generous and is definitely enough to try for about a month, which is much longer than needed to know if you like a scent or not.

Mèreadesso Lip Treats (full size, 1.2 g): Lip Treats is a "lush blend of evening primrose, grape seed, coconut, and sunflower oils, enhanced by the added benefits of vitamins A, C, and E." This product promises to "double the wear time of any lip product," and though I have not tested this in full (I personally don't need a lipstick to last me, say, 20 hours or more), I seriously doubt that this product lives up to that claim. The main reason being that this primer is much too emollient to make product sitting on top of it last longer. I see this product as being more of a lip balm than a lip primer, really. Lip primer should not necessarily moisturize your lips, but smooth out the surface of your lip and create a layer of "grip" for other products to adhere to, thusly making a lip product last longer (MAC's Prep & Prime Lip is a perfect example). While this primer does smooth out the lip's surface, it doesn't necessarily make a product last longer, just like your regular ol' lip balm won't make product last longer. That having been said, I would totally buy this just because it makes your lips feel amazing.

Benefit B. Right! Moisture Prep Toning Lotion (sample size, 8.9 ml): I actually bought the full-size version of this product about half a year ago, when Benefit's B. Right! line was making it's way into Canadian stores. This toner contains vitamin E acetate, natural oat, and meadow-sweet which helps to "purify and smooth while reducing fine lines" as well as aloe leaf and yeast extract to "clarify and soothe the skin." Having used this toner before, I can tell you now that those with drier skin types will appreciate this more than those with combination to oily skin. The texture of this toner is almost gel-like, which I personally don't like, because it feels like it's leaving a film of product on the skin. I have combination to oily skin, and while it feels really nice going on, my face felt almost sticky afterwards. It's the same reason why I don't like milk cleansers. However, it does feel very soothing on the skin, and I can see the moisturizing properties of this toner helping with the appearance of fine lines, but I can't tell you if it works well to purify and clarify, because I always use toner after my cleanser, which is what purifies and clarifies my skin.

Benefit Posietint Lip & Cheek Stain (sample size, 2.5 ml): Like Benefit's best-selling Benetint, Posietint is a liquid-gel lip and cheek stain in a bright poppy pink tint. You don't need a lot of product at all; just a dot on each cheek, and blend, blend, blend. It does dry quite fast, so you need to blend fast as well. You can build up the intensity of the shade, as it starts off as a very natural soft pink tint. I am personally a powder blush girl myself, but for those who want to try a cheek stain, this is a great one to start with. Most companies don't produce make-up samples, either (it's usually for skincare), so this is a very smart way for Benefit to let people try their product. The sample is generous enough for a few uses, too.

Teaopia Cactus Fig Tea Kit: Cactus Fig is an organic Sencha green tea with "fig pieces, aloe vera, sandalwood, and orange flowers." Comes in a pretty little orange tin, and with a paper filter, so all you need is a mug and hot water. A cute bonus product in this box; and more original than candy or chocolate!

All in all, this was a much more satisfying Luxe Box than some of the previous ones I've received. I felt like the product types and the brands were more on par with with I personally use, as well. The full-size product included in this box, Mèreadesso'sLip Treats, was a great surprise; I can really see myself using this every day, and it feels fantastic on the lips (I have been sick for the last five days, and having been forced to breathe through my mouth has made my lips insanely dry, and this stuff has really, really helped in making my lips feel super-smooth). That product alone made this box worth it. That having been said, I think this will be my last Luxe Box. My six-month subscription is up, and while I have received a few great items, most of them were duds or just not suited to my needs. I probably won't be renewing my subscription again, though I do recommend this program to anyone who wants to sample new beauty products every month.

Luxe Box

I finally received this month's Luxe Box in the mail, and the first thing I noticed is that they've upped their game in terms of packaging. They now come in sleek black slide boxes, new product info cards, and personalized stickers. I'm not sure I like the boxes more than the old ones, 'cause they were sturdier and more ideal for storing my nail polishes and random knick knacks... but, hey, they do look really pretty.

Inside this month's box:

Lise Watier Flash Lift Radiance Vial (sample size, 1 ml): This is a new serum that promises to give instant radiance, erase signs of fatigue, and smooth the appearance of wrinkles. I find it odd that they'd name it Flash Lift Radiance, because they don't actually mention the product doing any lifting. Regardless, this isn't a product I would use, anyhow. With my shiny, oily skin, anything that will add "radiance" will just make me look like an oil slick. They do give a full ampoule of product, but it really is a one-time use only sample, and I don't believe anyone can fully see the benefits of a skincare product only after one use.

Lise Watier Plumpissimo Le Gloss in Opalescence (sample size, 1.5 ml): I've tried these glosses before, and while I'm not sure how well it really plumps (my lips look juicy, sure, but not bigger), nor am I a huge fan of plumping glosses, the texture and look of them are very nice. They're non-sticky, and provide a lot of shine. There is a light tingling sensation, presumably for that "plumping" effect. Opalescence has a colourless, very slightly milky base with silver, blue, pink, and green micro-shimmer. This shade is more ideal for layering on top of other products to add shine and sparkle, but can also be worn alone for those who want to add shine and sparkle without adding colour. The amount given is pretty generous as far as sample sizes go; it'll be enough for anyone to really try the product.

Kérastase Elixir Ultime (sample size, 5 ml): This hair serum is meant to "bring shine, nourishment, and deep conditioning while smoothing the hair fibre." It's a product that is good for all hair types, but I'm not sure how well 5 ml of product will convince someone of its merits to purchase the full-size product, which is $50 for 125 ml. I gotta be honest, I'm always intrigued by these hair products, but knowing that the retail price is so steep always keeps me from trying them to begin with. I suppose I can try this after I straighten my hair to smooth frizz and flyaways, but I doubt I'll buy the full-size even if I like it.

Olay Professional Pro-X Eye Restoration Complex (sample size): This eye treatment is meant to "hydrate to restore the area to its optimum appearance by improving the look of crow's feet" as well as "reduce excess fluids to diminish dark circles and puffiness." This seems to be a product that is targeted to those well over 35. Add that to the fact that I don't use eye cream; I'll definitely be giving it away. But they do give a generous amount of product (the exact amount is not on the package, but it looks to be around half the amount of a full-size product, which is 15 ml) so it should provide about one to two months worth of use.

China Glaze Crackle Glaze Nail Lacquer in Lightning Bolt (full size, 14 ml): I love China Glaze, but I've never tried their new Crackle Glazes (similar to OPI's Shatter polishes), so I'm quite excited to try this one out. Lightning Bolt is an opaque white cream, which should match just about any polish shade.

This box was, overall, disappointing. For a box that was apparently created just for me, it doesn't seem to fit my beauty needs or wants. I won't use the Lise Watier serum or the Olay eye cream (both of which seem to be targeted for those who are 35+ in age), and I'm not a huge fan of plumping glosses. I actually think the only thing I'll really use from this box is the China Glaze polish, which retails for $8 (and a Luxe Box is $10 a month). This doesn't even compete with my Glymm box.

Luxe Box

I finally got my September Luxe Box today, and even though I didn't think it was phenomenal, it was way better than last month's. At the very least, there are more products in this month's box that I will actually try.

Included in my Luxe Box:

- Kérastase Chroma Reflect Deep Radiance-Enhancing Masque (30 ml)

- Kérastase Chroma Riche Luminous Softening Essence (5 ml)

- Pür Minerals Mineral Glow (3.4 g)

- Pure + Simple Collagen Elastin Plus Serum (20 ml)

- Mèreadesso Face + Neck Toning Gel (7 ml)

I don't use hair masks, so I'll probably be giving that away, but the Softening Essence sounds like a great product for me, since it's main purpose is to detangle and maximize radiance. Plus, I can just apply a bit in the morning before I straight iron, so it's fast and not high maintenance. The Mineral Glow is a lovely blush/bronzer in a tan bronze with gold shimmer with good pigmentation and colour pay-off, and will go well with my golden medium skintone. Pure + Simple's Collagen Elastin Plus Serum sounds a lot like Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Serum, which is a staple in my skincare routine, so I may use this in replacement of Lauder for a couple weeks and see if the results are as effective.

Mèreadesso's Toning Gel sounds really interesting, if not a little unbelievable: it's meant to replace all of your skincare products. So, serums, moisturizers, and even eye creams. I might try it when I have a few consecutive days off, just to see how it performs. I have combination-to-oily skin, so I'm not sure how this will work with it. It seems like a product that benefits drier skin types more, but we'll see. Overall, I'm pleased with this month's box. I'm really glad they decided to put in more skincare products in this one, 'cause that's what I'm really interested in.

Luxe Box

Got this month's Luxe Box yesterday:

Inside, I found the following:

- Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup SPF15 in Golden Medium (4.3g)

- City Lips by City Cosmetics Lip Plumping Treatment (1.5ml)

- Proclaim Cocoa & Shea Butter Hand & Body Lotion (88ml)

- Calvin Klein Forbidden Euphoria Eau de Parfum Rollerball (3ml)

- Sheyna Jewelry handmade pearl and moonstone earrings (bonus product)

Honestly, I wasn't too impressed with the products in this month's box. It's not that they're bad products, it's that they aren't to my taste. The Pür Minerals powder is a decent product, but I'm not particularly a fan of mineral products to begin with, especially in my foundation. If I was, I'd be using more of MAC's Mineralize products, which I get at a hefty discount or for free as gratis. Having worked at Shoppers, I have tried a few of Pür Minerals' products and they're decent, but they're just not my favourites. Or, at least I didn't like them enough to merit a re-buy. Moreover, the Golden Medium shade is way too dark for me, so at best, I'd use it for contouring. The City Lips Lip Plumping Treatment is something I'm not interested in using, period. I'm not a fan of plumping products at all, 'cause I hate the feel of them (besides MAC's Plushglass, which has a very subtle tingling sensation) and my lips are naturally quite full.

Proclaim's Hand & Body Lotion is nice, lightweight, and quite moisturizing, and this is probably the only product in this box that's going to get remotely any use. That having been said, I have tons of hand creams that are better quality and smell better (Proclaim's lotion doesn't have an offensive smell, it's very much the smell of cocoa butter, which I'm indifferent to). The deluxe sample of Calvin Klein's Forbidden Euphoria is relatively generous and comes in a handy rollerball applicator, but unfortunately, I'm just not a fan of the scent. It has that kind of overly sweet floral smell that tends to give me headaches, similar to the original Euphoria (I liked Euphoria Blossom the best of the fragrances released under the Euphoria umbrella, but even then, I didn't like it enough to buy it).

The earrings from Sheyna are a generous bonus product, but they're just not my style (I like simple silver and white gold and occasionally crystals, but I don't like really girly or delicate-looking jewelry, like pearls), which is unfortunate because they are rather cute (on someone else). Overall, I didn't think this box was worth $10 for myself, though I do think many other people (specifically people who aren't in the cosmetics industry) will enjoy these products.

Luxe Box

I received this month's Luxe Box in the mail yesterday. For those who don't know, Luxe Box is a monthly service that offers a box of three to five deluxe samples of different cosmetics products for $12 a month. The idea of it is to discover and try out different brands and products (which includes make-up, skincare, body care, nails, and hair). It's sent directly to your home, and is beautifully packaged to boot. Inside this month's box, I found a full-size 15 ml bottle of Essie Nail Polish in Silken Cord, a 15 ml bottle of Proclaim Hair Oil Treatment, a full-size 1.1-gram Trucco Pro Lip Liner in Russet, and a 1.2 ml sample size of Stella McCartney's Stella in Two Peony perfume.

I absolutely love the nail polish, which is a fun, bright cherry red, but I'm kind of indifferent to the other samples I received. The Trucco lip liner is nice, but the dark berry colour is not really one I'd wear. I would have preferred something a little more summery, like a coral or a fuchsia. I don't use hair treatments, but I feel like I'll get some use out of this one because I've been straightening my hair a lot lately, so this might help repair it. Perhaps I will use it instead of my Biosilk and see how it performs. The sample size of fragrance was the most disappointing, since it's something I could get at any perfume counter. And that having been said, I already have the full-size bottle of Stella in Two Peony. I like the scent, but the sample just seems... cheap. I guess the two full-size products kind of make up for it. Overall, I was kind of disappointed with this month's Luxe Box, as the only product I really like (and will use) is the Essie polish, but I guess I can't complain, 'cause I did get two full-size products for $10. I'm still looking forward to what August's Luxe Box will bring.

Luxe Box

I had originally read about Birchbox at xSparkage a little while ago, which is a service that sends 3 to 5 deluxe sample-sized beauty products to your home every month for you to try for a small monthly subscription price. Of course, being a cosmetics junkie and all, I was intrigued because it's a fantastic way to discover to brands and products. Alas, Birchbox is only available in the States. Then, when I read that Sydney had signed up for Luxe Box, which is the Canadian equivalent of Birchbox, I immediately signed up. At the time, Luxe Box was invitation-only, so you had to sign up with your e-mail to get on the waiting list, and when they had an opening, they'd send you an invite to join. It has since become public, however, so anyone can join now! It's currently $12 a box if you sign up for one month, $36 for three months, and $120 for a year. I love that you have the choice of signing up for only one box (it's not a scam, like they'll charge you every month for a new box until you cancel), in case you don't like it enough to receive more. Anyhow, I received my first box this month:

In an adorable ribbon-tied cardboard box, I found a note from the Loose Button team on vellum paper, and a card describing the products inside. Wrapped inside deep teal tissue paper was a 13-gram bottle of Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant, a 9.6 ml bottle of China Glaze's Ink with Nail Art Brush, a full-sized Laura Mercier Eye Colour shadow compact in Sandstone, and a little square of Swiss Delice dark chocolate. So cute!

Overall, I'm quite happy with the products in my June box. I've been wanting to try Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant for a while, but couldn't bring myself to shell out $72 for a scrub, so this is the perfect way to try it without spending a fortune. I like that they give quite a substantial sample bottle, too, so you have enough to try it for over a month rather than those wimpy one-use packets. The China Glaze Ink polish is a great way for me to try my hand at drawing nail art; I like that I got mine in black because it'll match so many more colours that way (I'm thinking of doing maybe leopard- or zebra-print). And the Laura Mercier eyeshadow (full size!) in Sandstone is a beautiful light champagne shade in a satin finish that suits every skintone. I like that it's not too shiny, either, so it's perfect as a highlight colour. I'm really glad I decided to sign up for this service so I can try out a few new products every month without being overwhelmed. I can't wait for my July box!