BeautyFix is a monthly skincare, makeup, and haircare subscription box created by DermStore. A monthly subscription is $24.95 per box and a one-time box purchase is $34.95. Most items in the box are either full or deluxe sample size products.
Daily Concepts: Your Facial Micro Scrubber | Full-Size $8
This facial scrubbing towel was a little bit too rough on the skin for me. Since I use a good number of exfoliating washes and gels, I didn’t really feel like I needed another method of exfoliation. I do love the thought put into the product, though. The little scrubber comes with a suction cup that allows you to attach it to the wall of your bathroom - very handy 😃
Jane Iredale: Purepressed Eyeshadow | Full-Size $30
The standout feature of this eyeshadow was definitely the packaging! Despite it being a sample size eyeshadow, the product was still packaged in a beautiful gold case with a small mirror!
Erno Laszlo: Light Controlling Lotion | Full-Size $55
This “light controlling lotion” is actually a toner that is meant to remove dirt and oil and brighten your complexion. Toner is already a part of my regular routine so this was a great product fit for me - but to be honest, I can’t really tell the difference between different brands of toner! My only complaint on this product is that the smell of the toner is very powerful and really hits you in the face when you first open the container.
Show Beauty: Premiere Finish Spray | Full-Size $35
I am normally not big on receiving hair products in my subscription boxes since my hair usually doesn’t react much to hair products but I was actually pleasantly surprised by this hairspray by Show Beauty! I always expect hairsprays to feel a little bit crusty but this finishing spray was actually extremely light, not crusty at all, and comes out in a nice fine mist.
Peter Thomas Roth: Cucumber Gel Mask | Full-Size $52
I’ve heard tons of great things about the Peter Thomas Roth collection so I’ve loved getting to try this product out! This one contains aloe vera and is meant to help boost elasticity. This line’s masks are definitely on the pricier side so I love getting the opportunity the product before I decide whether to invest all of that money into it!
Glytone: Exfoliating Body Wash | Full-Size $33
This product was probably the only flop for me this month, simply because it’s not a product that I need at this time. I much prefer the idea of a moisturizing, creamy body wash so an exfoliating body wash just wasn’t that appealing.
Vichy: Mineral 89 | Full-Size $29.50
This product from Vichy is a gel moisturizer that contains hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is one of my all time favorite skincare ingredients because it provides moisture to the skin but also doesn’t feel greasy and soaks into the skin extremely quickly. I already use hyaluronic acid regularly in my skincare routine vai Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Water Gel but given that the price point of the Vichy product is only $10 more, I might have to give this full size product a go!
Skin and Co Roma: Truffle Therapy Eye Concentrate | Full-Size $66
I always love receiving products that I’ve just put on my “To Buy” list and this eye cream came at exactly the right time! Although I haven’t noticed too much of a difference between this eye cream and any other eye cream I’ve used in the past, I love getting to explore new brands.
Skinceuticals: CE Ferulic | Full-Size $165
I have to be honest with you guys. I can’t really give a review for this product because I lost it! 😔 Little sample size products are great for trying out new things and great from bringing on vacation but the major con is that they’re all so small it’s hard to keep track of them! This skinceuticals is a serum that contains antioxidants and vitamin C that is meant to help with fine lines and wrinkles. I’m very excited to try it….once I manage to locate it in the chaos that is my apartment 😛
Overall, I’m still really happy with my BeautyFix subscription! It’s definitely a skincare lover’s dream subscription box and I am thoroughly enjoying getting to test out all of these different brands and formulas! What do you think of your BeautyFix box? What’s your favorite beauty subscription box? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Birchbox vs. Ipsy July 2017
I’ve subscribed on and off to both Ipsy and Birchbox for quite some time now but rarely am I subscribed to both at the same time! Since I’m currently subscribed to both Ipsy and Birchbox, I thought I’d combine my review posts to compare the two boxes head on! Both are $10/month subscription boxes that send out personalized beauty, hair, and skincare products. Keep reading to see what I received in my boxes this month! 😃
Birchbox
Avenue: Cleanance Expert Lotion | Full-Size $26
Benefit Cosmetics: Goof Proof Brow Pencil in 05 Deep | Full-Size $24
Klorane: Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk | Full-Size $20
Michael Todd: Charcoal Detox Deep Pore Gel Cleanser | Full-Size $23
Oribe: Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray | Full-Size $42
The item I was most excited to receive in this month’s Birchbox was the Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil - but when it actually arrived, I was a little disappointed by how teeny tiny the sample was! I get that they’re not always going to give you a full size product, but when a product is so tiny that I can barely hold it? I think that’s pushing it a little 😔 The Avenue lotion was also so small that I barely got any use out of that either!
Plus, is it just me or are the subscription boxes going super heavy on the hair products lately? I feel like I’ve got 5 versions of the same “beachy wave” spray and I can’t use them fast enough! Overall, this month’s Birchbox was kind of a flop for me. Although I’ll definitely be happy to bring a lot of these products as travel companions on my next vacation, none of the products were really different from any other lotions, cleansers, or hairsprays I’m already using.
Ipsy
Trestique: Mini Concealer Crayon | Full-Size $26
IBY Beauty: Crease Brush | Full-Size $12
Tarte Cosmetics: Rainforest of the Sea Deep Dive Cleansing Gel | Full-Size $25
Caudalie: Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet | Full-Size $35
Bellapierre Cosmetics: Banana Setting Powder | Full-Size $35
First, I want to note this month’s cute Gudetama bag! The older I get the more I appreciate quirky little accessories and although I probably won’t be bringing it with me to work anytime soon, I did get a good laugh out of seeing Gudetama’s bum on the back of the bag 😃
I was so impressed by this month’s ipsy! The only true flop this month had to be the concealer crayon from Trestique. It really didn’t provide much coverage and was stubbornly resistant when I tried to blend it out! Although it’ll be good for a throw-in-your-purse product, I won’t be using it on the regular. Everything else in the bag is something I can definitely see myself using and potentially even purchasing farther down the line! My favorite of the bag was the banana setting powder by Bellapiere. Not only is this a product I’ve been wanting to try for quite some time, it also performed well and blended in seamlessly with the rest of my makeup 😃
I’ve flipped and flopped so much between these two subscription boxes - it’s often hard to tell which one I like more! This month, however, definitely goes to Ipsy. I was so impressed by the size and brands of the products I received and am now looking forward to what else is in store! What did you think of your Ipsy or Birchbox this month? I’ve love to hear your thoughts!
Products Mentioned:
Anastasia Brow Wiz: Worth the Hype?
If you follow the beauty social media world, by now I’m sure you've heard all the hype about Anastasia Beverly Hills' Brow Wiz! It’s been on my list of makeup products to try for quite a while now but I didn’t decide to take the plunge until Ulta knocked down its price tag during its 21 Days of Beauty sale. I’ve been using it for a couple of months now so I thought I’d share my experience with you all 😃
Product & Packaging: Brow Wiz is a pencil format brow product with a thin twist-up pencil on one end and a brow brush on the other. At first I actually wasn’t too impressed with the product but the more I used it the more I fell in love with it! I found myself reaching for it again and again over any of my other brow products - which is always a good sign!
I love the design of the product because I’m always searching for my brushes and when the brush is right on the other end of the pencil, it saves me tons of time! Plus, the tip of the pencil is a lot thinner than most of the other brow pencils I use, which means you can get a much thinner, more natural, and “hair-like” effect.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz (top) compared to Elf Cosmetics Brow Pencil (bottom)
Application & Experience: Prior to getting Brow Wiz, I was using one of Elf’s brow pencils and since the formula was much creamier on the Elf brow pencil, I initially found that Brow Wiz did not go on as smoothly as I wanted it to. Over time, however, I’ve realized that although Brow Wiz may not apply as quickly as other bigger, creamier brow pencils, this also means that the application is much more precise and the product stays on your brows much longer!
Cost: I purchased this during Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty sale (a dangerous sale if you’re a makeup addict!) which meant it was half off the original price of $21 - so I only paid $10.50 for it! I think the normal price is definitely a little on the steep side for such a small brow pencil so I don’t know if this is a product I’ll be buying regularly, but whenever it’s on sale, you’ll probably see me snagging a couple :)
Final Verdict:
So is it worth the hype? Yes…..but it’s still a little on the expensive side! :( I love pretty much everything about the product, but its price tag is just a little too steep for me. I’ll snag it on those Ulta sale days, but will still be on the hunt for a more affordable brow pencil! Have you tried the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz? Do you know of a good drugstore dupe for it? :P I'd love to hear your thoughts!
