August Sample Society Goodness!

I really think Sample Society gets better and better every month! I am really impressed with this box and I will definitely use everything in it!!! And I get to figure out what I am going to store in this month's box, maybe I will just expand on the boxes I have instead of throwing everything into one category.

Here is what I got!!

As usual the box was packed fantastically so that no products got messed up. On top of the products is the always included booklet with great tips on how to best use the products in the box.

And here is a pic of all the products before we get into the individual pics! Very nice!!!

 The first item listed in the booklet is by Phyto it is their Phytonectar Treatment Oil. This is a pre shampoo nourishing oil treatment for your hair. I am very interested it giving this a go, I have never used an oil treatment in my hair. I am not sure how long this sample will last with the length of my hair, but we'll see. The sample value of this is $5.82.

Next is a full size Deborah Lippmann nail lacquer in the color Private Dancer. As soon as I read the name my brain started singing Private Dancer by Tina Turner, lol. The color is so pretty and the formula is amazing, not streaky, drys super fast, and only takes 2 coats to get the full intensity of the color. I can see why is costs $18.00 a bottle and to think I got a full size as a sample in a box that costs $15.00 a month!

 The third item listed in the booklet is a new concept to me. This is Jane Iredale Longest Lash Mascara in Black Ice. Why this is a new cocept is because I have never seen a mascara come in a squishy tube before this month, and now it is everywhere. It is suppose to help control how much mascara you use, depending on the look you want. I am really going to have to test this before I can pass much judgement. This sample is worth $7.85.

Next up is Elemental Herbology Facial Detox Purifying Mask! YAY!!!! I love masks, and as hot and humid has it has been around here lately I can defiantly say that this is so welcome! This is an awesome sample size as well and I know I will be able to get multiple uses from it! I think I will be trying this out tonight once the diva child goes to bed! This sample is worth $9.20.

The last of the normal box items I recieved was Arcona's Cranberry Toner. I haven't used a toner in a long long time, mostly because of the burning that I use to get because of it, but I am curious about this one, and maybe my skin has toughened up a little since the time I was a teen. It is so pretty in the bottle to, all swirly and pink. The sample is worth $8.60.

Finally, this month Sample Society sent out an extra of Malin + Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturizer. I am very happy that they as a company really sticks by their promise to send out deluxe samples as the normal samples and chose to send this as an extra. It is a pretty tiny foil sample even foil samples go, maybe one or 2 uses max. The sample value on this is $.45.

So, as I said at the top of the post, awesome box this month!!!! The total value of the box is $49.92, well over the $15.00 I spent on it. Next up will be my Birch Box and a new sample subscription I decided to try now that the Look Bag called it quits, but more about that later.

*I purchased this sample box with my own money, all reviews are honest and my own.*

My last Look Bag, July's Bag.

Hey there everyone! This is my very last Look Bag, it is last month's, July, I have been so busy that I haven't been able to get to it though, it has been sitting right on my desk waiting. The reason that it will be my very last one is that in July they put out a memo that they were closing up shop, then today I got a message saying that they are reopening in September. Though I like them alright, not really thrilled with July, and I was able to get 2 bags from them I am not really into the whole wishy washy thing. Two months is not enough time to totally revamp the company, get new products in, and then shipped out. I apologize in advance for the icky pictures my camera wasn't cooperating with me that day.

So here is it July's Look Bag. The theme for the month was Summer Fun!

Here is the Card that came with it telling about the theme.

Here is how the bag looked when I opened it up! I really love the bags, since I have 2 now I use one as a bag for my samples of body creams and the other holds all of my hair ties!

 The first product is from Korres, I am really really liking this company and will probably order a few things from them in the future. This is the Mango Butter Lipstick in #18 Peach. I love this color, the texture is great and it is not a heavy lipstick formula so you can swipe it on without having to be right in front of a mirror. While doing my pricing research on it I came to find out it is a discontinued color. This is not the first time that the Look Bag has sent out a discontinued color from Korres, my eyeshadow I received in May's bag was a discontinued color as well. This is a full sized lipstick! The price I could find on it is $8.99.

Item number 2 is from Ultra Flesh, it is their Gold Standard Mascara. This mascara is AMAZING, it separates lashes perfectly!!! To bad like the lipstick it is discontinued as well, so though I was able to try this product I cannot go buy it unless I order it from Amazon stores that were able to get a bulk supply. It is a pretty good sample size so it should last me quite a while. The sample value is $4.72.

Item 3 is Betsy Johnson Perfume. This tiny little sample was good for one use because as soon as you opened it it began evaporating. When I came home and looked at it there was nothing left in it. It smells nice, but you would have to reapply pretty often to have the continual scent. I had a hard time pricing this one as well, turns out it is a Drug Store scent that is currently on clearance... The sample value on this is $.25.

Item 4 is Bremenn Research Labs Miracle Cream for the face. I really like this, it will be really nice for the winter when my skin gets really dry. It's not greasy at all and dries nicely. The sample value is $9.04.

Finally item number 5 are these little nail polishes... If you are around my age which is 26 you might recognize these. These are Bon Bon's fruit scented polishes in blueberry and lime, these come in a set of 5 scents, so they broke up the sets and sent each person 2... These were the coolest thing in the world when I was in Elementary and Middle school... With that said, I am now an adult and my tastes have changed considerably... Why would a company that wants to show you new and high end items put Bon Bon's in their sample line up is truly beyond me. My 6 year old loves them! The sample value on these are $1.98. 

The Look Bag costs $10.00 per month, the total worth of July's bag was $24.98. Normally I would be fine with this, but when you put multiple discontinued products and nail polish that is far far less than quality I begin to wonder about the legitimacy of a company that advertises to have the newest products to try. So that is my last bag, if you would like to try them for yourselves they are reopening in September.

*I pay for these sample boxes and bags with my own money, any and all opinions are honest and my own.*

July's BirchBox! Some Fun, some bleh...

Last Friday I received my July BirchBox. I was so excited to get it when I found out that they were teaming up with Glamour Magazine because I was thinking we would be getting samples of the newest trendiest things on the market. I was incorrect, it turns out it was more like a way for Birchbox to get rid of a bunch of samples they had and throw a couple of new bones to people. Now I am not fully upset about this, there have been things in past boxes I really wanted but didn't get. So without further ado BirchBox July.

The theme as you can see is See it, Hear it, Taste it, Touch it, Smell it. I do like the box cover, very pretty.

As usual when you open the box there is a card on top telling about the box and on the other side of the card is the list of products included.

Here is a shot of under the tissue paper, as usual I love the little wrapped goodies.

First up is the See it item. I received the boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens. I must say I was happy to get these. Living in the humid humid south and having oily skin sucks. I am constantly blotting my face to get rid of the shinies. This is a pretty good sample size to. The sample price is $2.50.

Also in the See it category is my second item. Eyeko Skinny liquid eye liner in Olive. I was planning on using this today for part of my work makeup, but I got up super late and ended up with no makeup on. The tip is really cool and very unlike most liquid eyeliners, think felt tip pen instead of a brush. I am really happy to get this item as well. Best part this is a full size item!! Retail is $15.00.

If you feel like you are having dejavu for the next 2 items, no fear, you are. In the Feel is slot is Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint. I received a sample of this in my Sample Society box this month, if you remember correctly it was in bronzed and to dark. Well, Birchbox sent me Golden, guess what, its to dark too, and much smaller than the one sent from Sample Society. This went into the pot for the giveaway collection that I am building. Ok, so the sample value that was in my Sample Society box is $3.80, this sample value is $1.56. Pretty big difference.

 In the Smell it category I recieved Oscar De La Renta's Live in Love fragrance. Again, I had already received this fragrance in my Sample Society box, and again in a much larger size. I will say I really love this fragrance so the more the merrier. This is a tiny tiny vial though, I am trying to figure out how to put this tiny amount into my bigger bottle. The sample value from Sample Society was $5.80, from Birchbox the value is $1.37. Another big difference.

 For Taste it I got a LaraBar in Cherry Cobbler. First may I say that I haven't had a whole lot of luck in the bar department taste wise. Second, I do not like cherries at all. So with all the luck in the world I am handing this off to my giveaway collection. The sample value is $1.74.

Last is the Hear it. These are BirchBox exclusive ear buds. Sadly I cannot use ear buds because my ears are shaped funny and will not keep them secure. So these will be in the giveaway as well. I put a sample value of $3.00 on these, I had to guess at it, but I figured higher than lower. 

So all in all it was half and half. Half products I will use and half I won't. The total value of the box is $25.17 the only reason it is this high is because they included a full sized eyeliner, without the eyeliner it is $10.17. Not the best box, but I have high hopes for next month!!

*I bought this box, all reviews are honest and my own.*

July Sample Society Box!!!

Hey again, I am on a roll, 2nd blog post in 2 days!!! While I was on vacation I received my Sample Society box for July! Thankfully my Dad came by that day to check in on my fur children so he brought it inside! I am thrilled with the box this month!!! So without further ado here is what I got.

This is how the box comes! I really love the sturdy boxes and pretty silver tissue paper that I can use for gifting or storage!

On top of the products underneath the tissue paper is the Allure Magazine monthly beauty guide, these are so nice.

And then under the guide we find the products all nestled in their confetti bed. The packaging is great nothing moves or gets jostled!

The first product in the product guide is the Borghese Tono Body Cream. I am a sucker for body cremes and lotions and this size is perfect to throw in my purse. It is really really thick so a tiny bit goes a long long way. The scent is very nice not really really heavy which I like, there is nothing worse than the scent of your lotion overpowering your perfume. The sample worth is $4.34.

Second up is VBeaute Eye Never Nourishing Repair Eye Cream. I don't know what it is about eye cream but I love it, I just wish they weren't always in such tiny tubes when you get them as a sample. This stuff is very nice, I have been using it since I got home on Friday and I can definitely tell a difference in my dark bags under my eyes! Hopefully this sample will hold out long enough for me to find some that I like. The sample worth of this is $5.61.

 

Facial Moisturizer is something else I am a sucker for I use it 2 times a day normally. This is Sisley- Paris Hydra Global Intense Anti Aging Hydration creme. I know it is anti aging, and I know I am only 26, but its never to early to start worrying about things like wrinkles, lol. This stuff is nice, it goes on rather well and doesn't make my skin oily at all! The sample worth of this tiny .14 oz sample is $25.00, yes you read that right. The full size retails for $250.00. Personally I will never spend that kind of money on a face cream, but its really nice to try it.

 Next up is a Vincent Longo Duo Lip Pencil. This my dear readers is worth getting sample boxes, its Full Size!!!! As you can see the colors I got are White Glimmer and Sangria. Only problem is that I don't use lip liner, but a little known fact is that you can use lip liner as eyeliner too!!! I used the Sangria color last night when I went to go see Magic Mike, because you know I wanted to look pretty for the hot guys on the movie screen, LOL, it all made sense in my head. It goes on sooo smooth and the color is awesome, not to red but not to brown!!!! The worth of this product is $26.00!!!!

Last but not least is Jouer Cosmetics Luminizing Moisture Tint SPF 20. I received the shade Bronzed, which I am tan, but definitely not bronzed by any means. I swatched it on my hand just to be sure and though it blended in quite nicely it was way to dark for me. So, what I have decided to do is start collecting really cool samples like this that I can't use to at some point giveaway to one of my lucky blog readers. I am not sure when I will give the samples away, but it will be awesome! The sample worth of this is 3.80.

So, what do you guys think? Definitely worth the $15.00 that the sample box costs? I think so, the total worth of the whole box is $64.75 this month. If you want to sign up please use my referral code SSBeauty. Remember if you sign up using my referral code money is donated towards the charity of my choice which happens to be Kaboom Playgrounds! Thanks!

*please remember I am reviewing these products honestly, I spent my own money purchasing them*

Ahhhh, I am officially back now... All Natural June Green Grab Bag

Hi everyone I am Baaaacckkk! LOL. I took a blogging break after I received my Green Grab Bag, there were a few reasons, but mostly it was because I was so disappointing with the bag that I didn't even feel like talking about it... I have found the gumption to blog about it though, because I just started receiving July's boxes and I don't want to be to far behind. So here we go...

June's White Apricot Green Grab Bag

This is how it comes in a box which I took a picture of and posted with June Look Bag post. First off, when I took it out of the box it was smashed down in there so the bag looked horrible. It still doesn't look great, this was taken after I tried to straighten it up a bit. 

Attached is a card with the products inside listed, like most all other sample boxes/ bags.

Here are the products that were inside.

We will start with Brigit True Organics Magic Skin Balm. This is a really neat product and is one of the few in the bag I have actually enjoyed. It goes on a little greasy, almost like Neosporin. Once it soaks in the skin though its really not. It works well for all kinds of ailments, I know I have used it on bug bites to heat rash. The balm smells a lot like menthol, which it refreshing. The sample size is worth $4.20.

Next up is a great product Glam Nation Perfection Eye and Makeup Remover. I was very very disappointed in how it was sent out. Let me explain. I liked this product so much I went to the actual Glam Nation site to see about ordering the full product. While there I saw that they offered a free sample of their facial cleanser. So I went ahead and ordered it to see if I liked it too. I was so surprised when I received not only the facial cleanser but I also received this exact makeup remover and a sample of their facial cream. I then questioned Green Grab Bag about this and received a very sarcastic message back basically saying that they could not control what the manufacture sends them or sends out themselves. So, the sample value of this is $0.00.

This is Pangea Organics Facial Scrub, I actually haven't used this product yet, even though I brought it on vacation with me with the full thought of using it. It smells really nice and I will definitely use it soon. It's sample value is 10.00.

This cute little package contains a lotion pellet that is heart shaped. It is made by JourneysMother. I had to put it in the freezer as soon as I got it because it was pretty squishy, thanks GA heat. The fragrance is interesting to say the least. I am not sure I love it or not the combination of Cocoa and Lavender, the Vanilla scent is totally not even there. On hands a little goes a long long long way if you have ever used a beeswax based cream you know what I mean. I read the packaging and it says they can be used on everything from hands to split ends. The sample price is $.23.

It seems like Green Grab Bag sends out a lip balm type product almost every month from what I have read about their previous boxes. This is Organic Indulgences Lip Butter in Chocolate Mint. I actually like it a lot the scent is awesome without having the icky taste that lip balms like to add when there is a smell involved. It is full sized which is normal Chap Stick size. The price for one is $2.95.

Last but not least is Bamboo Cosmetics Bamboo Lash. It is an eyelash enhancement serum. The sample is double sided and actually includes the eyebrow serum as well. I don't know if I have been using this long enough to give it a full yea or nae on whether or not it really works. The sample size is worth $77.00. My only issue with this is I later found out that they actually sent these out because they had extra's of it from a give away that was done for mother's day...

So, overall it was an ok bag. Because their customer service was so snarky acting I decided to cancel. If you are interested in the bag there is still open subscriptions with no waiting list, it costs $15.00 a month. The total worth of this bag was $94.38 the bulk of that being the lash serum, without it the worth is $17.38. See you soon readers!