#sub boxes

Hello there everyone! I happen to love unboxing monthly subscription boxes! Who doesn’t, right? So I thought I’d make a blog about it! I know, I’m far from the only person to do this or the first or any of that- But! With everything going on in the world I thought it might be nice to share. :)

Anyway, let’s get into this month’s Sephora Play! sub:

This month, I received:

It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara. I understand why these are included in boxes. I do. I’m not angry; I’m just uninspired. I know many who love this formula, but for me, if it isn’t waterproof, it’s not a mascara I will (ever) use. To a friend this one goes. Deluxe sample size; size not listed on packaging. Retail value: ~$12? (based on travel size)

BareMinerals GenNude Matte Liquid Lip Color in Swag. This is actually a product I’ve been wanting to try and perhaps the only item I’m truly excited for, as it’s one of the few new lipsticks in this brand’s line that doesn’t have shea butter. It’s going into my rewards system, but I did swatch it, and I think it might end up being a really nice color on me. Bonus: it smells like vanilla frosting. Deluxe sample size; 2ml. Retail value: $9.38

Briogeo Rosarco Milk Conditioning Spray. I’ve actually had this exact sample before, twice. One bottle is almost finished and another one is still unopened. I like it, and I was using it a lot in rotation with a few other sprays when my hair was bleached. Now, though, I don’t need a spray like this. Deluxe sample; 22ml. Retail value: $2.99

Boscia Charcoal Pore Pudding. I’m on the fence about this one at the moment; I’m not sure if I should try it or give it away. There’s nothing in it that I know my skin can’t handle, but I don’t know if it’ll be too stripping for my skin. It’ll probably go to the rewards program tbh. Deluxe sample; 25ml. Retail value: $11.18

Milk Cooling Water. I’m honestly intrigued by this. It smells a bit funny, but I am very interested in trying it out, so it’ll go into the rewards program too. Deluxe sample; 3ml. Retail value: $2.12

Atelier Cologne in Orange Sanguine. I actually own a 4ml travel spray of this and I never use it. It’s not a bad smell, and it’s not overly manly, it’s just not my favorite. Sample vial; ~$1.30 (based on large size).

Overall: Retail value: $38.97. I think most of the time with sample boxes, I end up feeling very ambivalent. I’m interested in some of these products, but I’m not really inspired by them; curious, but not enthralled. Many of these products also just don’t have the sample sizes that really make this value seem “all there,” you know? I think, for the price I paid, I’m getting my value, but I’m not jumping because of the “deal.”

Today’s post is another June unboxing- and I know I’ve had several of them! This specific unboxing is for June’s Boxycharm. For those unfamiliar, Boxycharm is a $21 monthly subscription that focuses on providing ~5 full size items in each box. Like most boxes, each month, items are curated around a theme. This month’s theme is “Downtown Charm.”

Upon first look, the box (which is the standard black box) contains egg-crate foam, probably to decrease the likelihood of any pressed powder product from breaking. While I think this looks awful, I do like the added protection and I’m thankful for it.

The items in this month’s box are a little confusing to me, but I think I’m pleased!

Real Her Shadow Palette II “Do Your Squats.” This is one of three possible palettes that came in this month’s box. My version is the “Do Your Squats” version, which they call the “perfect basics.” These look mostly brown, and some are slightly plummy. The other options include “Be Your Own Kind of Beauty,” which is described as “nude” and looks (from their online site) to be pretty basic eyeshadows, and “I Feel Beautiful,” described as a “smokey violet” palette that really only includes one purple shade but still appears fairly warm IMO. I think I like the one I received, as I used to work out (and yes, do legit squats) fairly regularly. Are they trying to tell me something? 😀 In the swatches below, I swatched as if I was reading (left to right, top to bottom) from my wrist to my elbow- so it’s reversed, obviously, in the pic. Full size. Retail value: $28

BioBelle Cosmetics Sheet Masks in #Primer, #StayGorgeous, and #BeautyScoop. These three sheet masks include one I’ve already received in another sub (Stay Gorgeous), an avocado-based mask (Beauty Scoop), and a different mask type- their “primer” mask, which is meant to be a quick 5-minute mask to prep your skin for makeup in the morning. I generally like this brand’s masks, so while I definitely don’t need them, I’m still mostly pleased. Full size; three sheets. Retail value: $14.97

Luxie Beauty Rose Gold Pro Precision Tapered Brush. I have an ambivalent relationship with Luxie Beauty. While I generally have enjoyed their brushes, I don’t necessarily enjoy them more than I enjoy my Royal & Langnickel brushes or my EcoTools or Real Techniques ones… making their price tag hard to justify. This brush has the added, err, drawback of coming with a mesh brush protector. I call this a drawback because while I love those mesh protectors, this one slipped backwards during transit and messed up my brush’s shape. Whoops. Full size. Retail value: $24

Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Tuscany. I’ve received several of these lipsticks in various subs before, and I will say that I love them. They are, hands down, one of my favorite liquid lip formulas. Two shades were offered this month, chosen at random: Santa Ana and Tuscany. Tuscany, which is why I received, is described by Ofra as a “muted mauve-red,” and I definitely get this vibe. I’m very excited for it, as I love muted mauves. Santa Ana is described as “a berry rose and universally flattering pink shade.” I’m not sure which one would’ve been best for me, as both seem right up my alley. Full size. Retail value: $19.90

Artist Couture Diamond Glow Powder in Illuminati. Here is where the majority of my product ambivalence comes. I could have sworn I owned this exact product. I was so sure that I went through absolutely every makeup item in my collection I could find, trying to find this to swatch so I could save this one to sell new. I couldn’t find it. The swatch of this is pretty shimmery and golden, and I’m unsure if this would be a good product for me specifically. Full size. Retail value: $26.99

Overall thoughts: The total retail value for this box adds up $113.86, which is definitely a great value compared to the $21 you pay. My personal value is lower than this, and I’d estimate it around $50 for what I’d pay for comparable products or what I could sell them for. This is still decent, though! I haven’t quite decided if I should cancel this sub, though, because I’m very much product-laden at the moment, and while some of this has great retail value, I don’t have the energy to sell items often.

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