Three months ago I signed up for my very first beauty box subscription service. For the past year and a bit I was obsessed with watching Beauty Box 5 unboxing videos on YouTube and I knew that if I was going to sign up for any beauty box subscription service, it would definitely be with Beauty Box 5. Beauty Box 5 is based out of Texas and it costs $12 a month (shipping included). What attracted me to the service was the promise that each box includes 5 deluxe beauty samples, either skincare or makeup products. I decided to ease myself into this subscription by signing up for the quarterly package (3 boxes), which costs $30. For my Canadian readers, this box ships to Canada at no extra cost, but be prepared to receive it at the end of the month as opposed to at the middle of the month like for its USA recipients.Because my quarterly subscription has just ended, I decided to review my May 2014 box on my blog instead of on YouTube.
To see my Beauty Box 5 unboxing videos, click on the links below:
March Beauty Box 5
April Beauty Box 5
May Beauty Box 5
May 2014 Beauty Box 5 Review:
1. Ban Total Refresh Cooling Body Cloths – Retail $2.97 – 10 cloths
Stay calm and cool! Break out these cloth wipes after the gym, during a long day at work, or before a hot date to ensure you smell fresh and feel smooth! Just unfold and give yourself a quick rub down!
I received 3 cloth packets in my box and honestly, I didn’t have high expectations for them. When I unboxed the packets, I knew that they would be glorified wet wipes for the body and I was right. Yes they cooled me down and left me smelling like baby powder, but I didn’t think that they were anything worth mentioning, especially since I already carry a package of baby wipes with me in my gym bag, which does the same thing but at a cheaper price. Overall, these cloths aren’t bad products, but I just don’t think that they’re necessary.
2. Cattiva Precisione Eye Liner (black) – Retail $20.00 – 0.012 oz
Can’t live without liner? We understand! Waterproof and retractable, this pencil is a must-have for minimalists and smokey eye queens, delivering smooth, smudge-resistant lines. And it’s paraben-free!
When I swatched this eye liner in my unboxing video, I immediately knew it was a winner. I love creating my eye looks with a retractable eye liner instead of a liquid pen eyeliner, so this was right up my alley. This black eye liner is incredibly pigmented and because it’s waterproof, it stays on all day (and longer if you don’t properly remove it). It applies smoothly and it doesn’t flake off my upper lash line throughout the day. It’s long lasting on the waterline and I find that rare considering it’s paraben free (I have awful luck with paraben- free eye products). The only downside, of course, is that the liner tip can dull easily because you can’t sharpen it. Also, thanks Beauty Box 5 for including a full sized product!
3. Harvey Prince Hello – Retail $55.00 – 5.7 oz
This pretty floral is the perfect way to transition from spring to summer! A smile in a bottle, each spritz boasts refreshing notes of mandarin, grapefruit, forsythia, and plumeria for a sunny and subtle signature.
I’m very picky when it comes to my perfume scents, but I really enjoy Hello. It has the perfect combination of floral and citrus scents and it smells like summer in a bottle. I can definitely smell the forsythia and plumeria over the mandarin and grapefruit, but the scent is refreshing and not over powering and I can see it also pleasing those who don’t enjoy wearing floral scents. I love this scent and I will for sure be wearing it until I run out of the sample vile. It’s the perfect scent for a sunny day!
4. H20 Plus Aqualibrium Marine Cleansing Gel – Retail $18.00 – 120 mL
Put your best face forward! Made with sea salt and energizing marine botanicals, this oil-free cleanser gentle exfoliates wile protecting your pretty cheeks from free radicals and environmental damage.
I was very pleased with the H20 Plus product that I received in my March box, so I had high expectations for this cleansing gel. H2o Plus scored well with me again this month because I really enjoyed this cleanser. I have sensitive, acne prone skin and these days I can only use Cetephil face wash to cleanse my face because anything with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide is proving to be way too harsh. The Aqualibrium Marine Cleansing Gel is gentle, yet effective and it leaves my face looking shine-free and feeling baby-bottom smooth. The gel does have tiny white and green exfoliating beads, but they’re not very abrasive and they don’t leave me with burning or dried out skin. I was unsure of how many uses I’d get out of the small sample, but I’ve used this gel 4 times already and I still have product left in the squeeze tube. A little goes a long way and I’m definitely going to have to repurchase the full size bottle.
5. MaskerAide Hydrating Facial Sheet Mask (Beauty Restore) – Retail $5.99 – 1 mask
Perfect for a quick lunch-time facial, these hydrating sheet masks are paraben-free, vegan friendly, and aren’t messy at all! They are 100% biodegradable, making them great for your face and the planet.
I was the most excited for this product because I’m a face mask fanatic! I’ve seen these face masks for sale at the spa, but I never took the plunge to buy one because $5.99 per mask is a tad steep for me. I used this face mask at night and unfortunately after 20 minutes, I felt my skin burning. I originally credited the uncomfortable feeling to the fact that I have very sensitive skin, but I read online reviews by others (with similar and different skin types) who also commented on feeling the same burning sensation. Not only that, the next day when I woke up my skin was peeling and I had large acne blemishes. For me, this mask was a no-go and I’m still suffering with the consequences.
I hope this Beauty Box 5 review is helpful if you’re deciding whether or not to sign up for this particular subscription service. For more information, check out their website www.beautybox5.com. Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter (@pandamoniumpink) if you’re subscribed to Beauty Box 5 or any other beauty subscription service.
Cheers,
Kels
