As I mentioned in my August Ipsy post, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of autumn. I’m working on fending off a cold along with an autoimmune flare. Summer colds are particularly annoying because you’re usually battling the heat while trying to break a fever. It’s total hot garbage juice! I was in a prednisone and cold medicine-induced haze the other day when the lovely pink Glossybox arrived at my door. And seriously, there’s no better medication than a box full of makeup to soothe your aches and pains. Well, except nachos. Nachos are also part of my medication plan.
Glossybox’s theme this month is Stay Cool. As I started writing this post the other day, I had a hoodie. The overnight temperatures had dropped down enough to make me shiver. Granted, I tend to get cold very easily. I go to the movie theater packing sweaters, scarves and even a coat in August fearing hypothermia from the air conditioner. You go from being outside in 90F degree heat to what feels like 10F below zero temperatures. At least that’s how it feels inside of my overactive imagination.
So with the temperatures giving me whiplash from so many changes, I had forgotten that it was still summer and I chuckled over the box’s theme. But as I am writing this now, the heat has shot back up to a sticky, uncomfortable temperature. And suddenly the box makes sense. We have a little bit of time to go until summer slips away. It’s a reminder that Mother Nature is still in charge and she is telling me to slow my roll with rushing her into autumn.
Glossybox ships out 6 luxury beauty products in every box and sometimes at least 4 of the products are full size. The normal price for each box is $21 but is valued at a minimum of $76 but often far exceeds that total. If you buy a three-month subscription, you can get the box for only $19.50 a month. I look at it this way: I can buy a foundation and a lipstick and it can easily add up to or exceed $21. Check out Glossybox here.
Here are the little delights that I found under the lid of the August Glossybox:
Pixi by Petra Brow Tamer
Pixi! I love you! I already gushed about how I adore Pixi’s glow mists and you can read all about my rantings here. I love trying out brow gels. It’s one of those products that you don’t even really think about but it makes such a difference with your eyebrows. Sure, it’s not as exciting as purchasing a vibrant pink liquid lipstick or the newest foundation that promises to give you the skin of a supermodel. But if you are skipping the brow gel in your beauty routine, give it a whirl. It helps keep your eyebrow hairs in place and keeps them there for hours. It also helps with the longevity of other brow products by adding an additional barrier. Some people love a brow formula that is almost like clear glue. They want every hair coated and to withstand a hurricane. Others want a subtle formula that feels and looks natural yet keeps your brows from becoming a hot mess.
Pixi’s Brow Tamer will only set you back 10 bucks and for the price, it’s a really good product. Their gel includes panthenol and aloe vera which helps to condition your hairs. The Brow Tamer keeps my brows looking fabulous while feeling like I’m not wearing any gel. The applicator brush is nice and small so it doesn’t end up smudging my brow pomade or pencil all over the place. I need to get a hold of a little bit of everything from Pixi Beauty as I am in love with the brand. Pixi by Petra is cruelty-free. Two big thumbs up!
Rituals Zensation Foaming Shower Gel Sensation
My skin often feels like sandpaper if I don’t remind myself at least seven times a day to moisturize. I got into the habit last year of slathering on coconut oil as soon as I left the shower and I still had a dewy mist on my bod. But that does not always happen. Call it laziness. Call it forgetfulness. Let’s call it what it really is. Kind of a pain in the tush. You slather on body oil or body butter and you are a bit of a greasy mess until it absorbs into your skin. And sometimes, I just skip it. It’s my own fault. And then my skin hates me. I have a rare autoimmune disease and one of the lovely features is that it sometimes attacks my skin. So I am determined to get back into getting into the habit of greasing up my body like a big ol’ bucket of popcorn (how’s that for a weird image?).
It’s a little ironic because I follow the Korean skincare regimen with my face, chest and hands religiously twice a day. I never skip that. Ever. I’m a fanatical crazy person when applying what feels like 7 zillion products on my face. If my fiancé interrupts my routine to ask me a question, I suddenly turn into Ursula the sea witch. Don’t mess with a girl and her skincare routine.And then my skin hates me. I have a rare autoimmune disease and one of the lovely features is that it sometimes attacks my skin. So I am determined to get back into getting into the habit of greasing up my body like a big ol’ bucket of popcorn (how’s that for a weird image?).
Ok. My apologies. That was a long ramble. What was I talking about again? Oh! Yes. My dry skin. Glossybox included a foaming shower gel by Rituals called Zensation. The cherry blossom fragrance is pretty and is nice and light for summer. It lathered up nicely and left my skin feeling slightly more hydrated after the shower. The smell of cherry blossoms was slightly noticeable for a couple of hours on my skin but it was thankfully not overwhelmingly strong.
I love that the Zensation gel includes rice milk. Why is rice milk so nifty? Here are some of rice milk’s benefits:
- Aids in locking in moisture yet helps to reduce excess oil
- Can subtly help to even out your skin tone over time
- Helps to create glowing skin
- Potentially can lighten your skin
This foaming shower gel is an easy way to add a bit of moisture to my skin while I’m in the shower. I love that it has a pump dispenser because it’s much easier to use than fumbling with a squeeze tube with a flip cap. At $15 a pop, this luxurious shower gel might be a welcome new addition to my lazy moisturizing routine. Rituals in a cruelty-free brand. Yay!
Doctor Babor 3D Hydro Gel Eye Pads
As I’ve said in previous posts, I love anything resembling a sheet mask, eye pads or pore strips that will suck all the grossness from your pores. When I first saw this brand’s name, Doctor Babor, I immediately thought of…can you guess what came to my mind? Are you thinking of it too? Babar! Babar the elephant. You know, that fancy elephant who wears a crown and a green suit from French children’s books.
I’m sure that you can guess I had never heard of the brand Babor until it showed up in my Glossybox. But I was excited to slap on their eye pads. Babor is a cruelty-free German beauty company that has been around for 65 years. The clear eye pads have a cooling sensation on your skin. What makes them awesome? These contain hexapeptide-8 along with hyaluronic acid to locks in moisture.
Glossybox sent one pair of pads so I can’t speak to the results with consistent use over an extended period of time. But I can say that after one use, my eyes felt very hydrated and it did seem to leave my skin looking slightly more plump. I had zero irritation. The pads are clear so you won’t by frightening your family, significant other or your pets. To snag a 4 pack, it will set you back $29. Babor does have an e-mail sign-up list where you can sign up for discount codes. Save that dough!
Lancôme’s Monsieur Big Mascara
Recently, I received a full-size Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara from Influenster to try for free. I am always down to try out a new mascara in the hopes of finding the perfect formula.
When I received this mascara previously, I was super eager to give it a swipe because I had heard so much hype about it. Glowing reviews suddenly were popping up all over social media how this was the next hey grail mascara for the masses. And I must say this mascara is fantastic. It added lots of volume and length to my lashes making my otherwise sparse and wimpy lashes look va va voom. The brush applicator is pretty has soft fiber bristles that easily grab each individual lash. I was able to apply at least three coats with barely any clumping. It did not flake or smudge and lasted for at least 7 hours in the heat and humidity. I love that my lashes didn’t feel brittle like little twigs.
Its formula is free from phthalates, parabens and sulfates. Glossybox sent a travel size mascara which will run you $12. The full size product is $24.
In my over zealous excitement of wanting to try out the mascara, I forgot to check if Lancome is a cruelty-free brand. Unfortunately they sell in China and China requires animal testing. BUT! There is exciting news that China is in the process of discontinuing its legal requirement to test on animals if a company sells products in their country. They are currently phasing this out which is about gosh darn time. This is not only awesome for the animals but it will also open up the market to give more options for consumers to choose from.
Bliss Blood Orange + White Pepper Body Butter
The universe is clearly trying to get my skin hydrated. And I am ok with that! I remember buying Bliss for the first time in my early twenties. It was my introduction into dipping my toe into the pool of skincare that was more pricey that other products I had purchased previously. I felt so fancy.
Bliss’s Blood Orange + White Pepper Body Butter has a fresh, yet not overpowering, citrus scent. It’s light and refreshing. The body butter is rich and creamy. When you slather this on your skin, it absorbs quickly into your skin yet leaves your skin feeling smooth and hydrated.
This would be such a great body butter for me to toss in my purse on the go, but unfortunately Bliss sells in China so they aren’t considered cruelty-free. Hopefully China passes their new laws soon so I can grab some of Bliss’s products. Until then, no thank you.
Doucce Cosmetics Blush Duo Palette
Glossybox sent a second blush to fill my Doucce Blush Duo Palette from last month’s box. So now I have a full palette! I won’t yammer on again about the blush since I did that last month. If you want to read all about it, check it out here.
I have contacted Glossybox to find out if they are working on a cruelty-free box. I thought that I remembered filling out a survey prior to receiving my box and checked a box stating I want to receive cruelty-free products. My brain is like a turnip when it comes to remembering things so I could be mistaken. But I did reach out to Glossybox to find out more information.
What are your fave beauty subscriptions? Or would you rather just grab specific products that tickle your fancy so you just don’t do subscriptions? Have a stellar time watching the eclipse on the 21st and keep your peepers protected with those zany sunglasses so the sun doesn’t melt your eyeballs.
Lipstick and Nachos 