Ole Henriksen Grease Relief Cleansing Cloths review

Hi there! I'm not much of a makeup wipes person but they are definitely great for those lazy days. I purchased the Ole Henriksen Grease Relief Cleansing Clothes: Oil-Free Pore Refining in the April Sephora 15% off sale. Ole Henriksen has 2 other types of wipes but these are catered more towards combination/oily skin.

Deeply cleanse, exfoliate, and renew pores in one easy step. Uniquely textured cloths exfoliate while glycolic, lactic, and citric acids thoroughly dissolve dead skin cells. Purifying eucalyptus absorb pore-clogging dirt and oil for clarified, fresh-looking skin and AHA's exfoliate, remove dead skin cells, and smooth texture for a refined complexion. 

A great thing about this packaging is that there is a flap top as well as a seal to keep your wipes moist.

These wipes have this sort of medicine-like smell to me, but in a good way. I'm not sure if it's the eucalyptus part of the wipes but I'm fine with it. What makes these wipes different from the other 2 Ole Henriksen wipes is that they have both a smooth side and a textured side for exfoliation.

The plastic beads feel real nice on my skin because it's like a little massage. It exfoliates well and helps remove my flaky skin as well as my makeup. I sometimes alternate in between the textured and the smooth side because the smooth side is more gentle and makes it easier to remove makeup. After using these wipes, I'm left with this tingling sensation on my skin for the next few minutes. It doesn't leave any weird residue or dry out my skin so I feel fine not rinsing it off and immediately following with toner or moisturizer.

I'm really happy with these wipes but they are pricey so I think I will only be purchasing these when I feel like treating myself :P They sell at Sephora for $19 for 30 wipes and $10 for 10 wipes.

Boscia Luminizing Black Mask and Pore Purifying Black Strips

Is it possible for posts to get deleted by Blogger? :S I posted this review already but it disappeared so here's my second shot at it! During the Sephora Black Friday Sale last year, I got the Boscia Pore Perfection set which came with 30 g of the Luminizing Black Mask and 3 of the Pore Purifying Black Strips.

A groundbreaking, mineral-rich mask that peels off to deliver powerful detoxifying, purifying, and brightening effects.

This was my first peel off mask so I didn't know what to expect. It is super black, thick, and a bit sticky but is not that hard to apply. It spreads okay but I've heard that a thick layer is required in order to make it peel off well so you can't be too stingy with this mask. Peeling off the mask was difficult but it did come off in large chunks. After peeling off the mask, my face was red and blotchy! I wouldn't consider it to be an allergic reaction because my face did calm down in a few minutes (I also put on some cream to sooth my face). My skin did feel a smoother but unfortunately, it wasn't able to get rid of my blackheads :(

Next up is the Pore Purifying Black Strips.

A pack of peel-off strips that absorb dirt and oil to reduce the appearance of pores and blackheads.

 These pore strips were very similar to the Biore pore strips. They work the same way and appear to have the same results. The only difference is that the Boscia strips don't seem to harden that much, thus making them easier to peel off. I'm not sure if I'm not waiting long enough because it doesn't seem to adhere to my nose that well or get all the blackheads out :(

These products were nice to try but this line just doesn't seem right for my skin. I'll finish using but won't be repurchasing. The Luminizing Black Mask costs $41 for 80g and the Pore Purifying Black strips cost $34 for 12 strips.

Topbox July 2014 review

Hello readers! For those who don't know, Topbox is a monthly beauty subscription box that allows you to "Get 4 hand-picked deluxe samples delivered to your door for $12 a month". They also have special Privé boxes you can add on your wishlist to replace the regular Topbox and the sometimes the option of getting the $10 mystery add-on. My review is for the July 2014 Topbox.

- LA Splash Nail Splash in Foolish (full size - $7.50)
- TheBalm Cosmetics INSTAIN Long-Wearing Powdering Staining Blush in Swiss Dot (0.5 g - $1.81)
- Clinique All About the Eyes (5 mL - $11.07)
- Bioderma Atoderm Moisturising Stick (full size - $6.95)
- Ceramic Glaze Nail Lacquer in Blueberry Bubblegum (full size - $11)

Total Value: $38.33
Paid: $13.56

According to my product card, the Ceramic Glaze nail polish was just a random extra so without it, it would have been a $27.33 value for my July Topbox.
EDIT: Apparently this could be part of the $10 mystery add-on

Like the LA. Splash Nail Splash I received in my April 2014 Topbox, I'm not really a fan of this colour. It's a very bright hot pink that seems to verge on neon. It's better than that green I got but I already have plenty of pinks that I do love so I'm hesitant to try this. The Ceramic Glaze polish is nice though and seems like a sea foam green. I've tried the white one from my May 2014 Topbox so I'm looking forward to trying this :)

As for the Clinique All About Eyes, I already have plenty of eye cream samples but this is a very generous sample that I will probably try next. Clinique isn't my favourite skincare brand but I know that some of there stuff is really great so this is nice to try. Bioderma Atoderm is probably my favourite product of this box! I love lip balms and this one smells like blue raspberry candy! This is a great brand so it'll be nice to try something other than their Sensibio Micelle Solution (which I also love)

Lastly, I'm also really excited to try TheBalm's Blush! It is a deep matte peach shade and the formula seems very buttery and long wearing (it did not wash off when I scrubbed my arm with water). My only complaint is the sample's surface is so small that I may have trouble getting my brush to get enough powder.

This month I also opted for the $10 mystery surprise. It was the Be a Bombshell eyeshadow quad in madrid. The colours seem pretty nice but unfortunately I've tried their eye shadows before and have gotten an allergic reaction :( I've emailed Topbox about this to see if anything can be done but it might just be a lost cause.

This was an okay Topbox but unfortunately I need to start saving up or tuition so this will be my last Topbox. It's been pretty great while it lasted so maybe I'll re-subscribe later on, but for now, goodbye Topbox!

What did you get in your July Topbox?

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Josie Maran Bear Naked Nail Wipes and Whipped Argain Oil Intensive Hand Cream review

Part of my Black Friday Haul was the Josie Maran Argan Hand Healers Set which came with 20 Bear Naked Nail Wipes and a 30 mL tube of their Whipped Argan Oil Intensive Hand Cream. Although the set is no longer available, the individual products are so here’s my review on them!

First up is the Bear Naked Nail Wipes: These portable three-in-one nail wipes remove nail polish, repair dry cuticles, and promote healthy nails—naturally. Acetone free and grapefruit-scented, Bear Naked Nail Wipes are infused with organic Argan oil to moisturize cuticles and support nail growth. They are small circular wipes that are a little smaller than a cotton pad. They are grapefruit scented which I really love but I remember they had peppermint around Christmas time!

(compared to a cotton round for size)

These wipes seem pretty effective in removing nail polish despite them being acetone free. I don’t use them often but when I do, it only takes one nail wipe to remove all the nail polish from both my hands. I think it takes the same amount of rubbing as acetone nail polish remover does. A downside of it is that I have only used them on dark polish so far and when I do, the polish ends up staining my fingers because I think it gets transferred off the wipes. The stains wash off though and my fingers are still left moisturized from the argan oil. I don’t think I use them often enough to see if it improves nail growth but it has kept my cuticles looking a bit healthier :) They are sold at Sephora for $11 for 20 wipes and 40 wipes for $19.

Next, the Whipped Argain Oil Intensive Hand Cream: This rich, never greasy, super hydrating cream keeps hands looking and feeling good. Josie's signature ingredient, argan oil, is spun into a creamy butter to revitalize skin and restore softness while improving skin's texture. Lightly scented with natural essences of vanilla and apricot and infused with shea butter, it's nature's most luxurious moisturizer—hands down. This is labelled as ‘vanilla apricot’ scented but I can only smell the apricot part of it. It was also a somewhat light scent that seemed to disappear after 30 minutes or so.

Unlike the description says, this is a little bit greasy at the beginning but it is quite hydrating so that makes up for it. It is not my favourite hand cream but I think it is still pretty awesome. It was a great deal in the set but on it's own, I would prefer another hand cream for that price. This can only be bought in the 2.37 oz. size and is $26 at Sephora.

Topbox June 2014 Review

Hello everybody! Looks like I haven't posted in a while and I have no excuse other than laziness, but I'll break this streak with a post about my June 2014 Topbox!

Topbox is a monthly beauty subscription box that allows you to "Get 4 hand-picked deluxe samples delivered to your door for $12 a month". They also have special Privé boxes you can add on your wishlist to replace the regular Topbox and the sometimes the option of getting the $10 mystery add-on.

- China Glaze Wait N' Seal ($10-12 - full size)
- Barefoot Venus Lip Fable Bazooka ($7.50 - full size)
- Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator ($5.67 - 20 g)
- Bioderma Atoderm Gentle shower gel ($3.95 - 100 mL)

The China Glaze polish is a really nice aqua blue creme colour. I've only ever tried some of China Glaze's top coats so this is my first colour and it went on pretty well. It seems like a great bright summer colour and I did a quick swatch of it (it's the first nail).

Barefoot Venus Lip Fable Bazooka is a bubble gum scented lip balm. I think this was a decent product to include in the box, but I wish I had gotten another scent. This bubble gum scent is a bit too sweet and strong for me. To my gift/give away pile it is haha. For whoever's interested, here's a code to get 20% off their store.

Bioderma Atoderm is a shower gel intended for dry sensitive skin. Although I'm a soap bar person, I think I will end up trying this. The 100 mL also makes it a good size for travel and if I don't use it, my mom always will :P

Vasanti is a brand I've never heard of but BrightenUp! seems like a really intriguing product. It is an "exfoliating cleanser enriched with papaya, micro-crystals, and alice" I'm not sure what alice is, but as long as it is able to exfoliate my dry skin, that's all that matters to me! It has a bit of a soapy type perfumed smell so not sure how my face will react to that. I tested some of it on dry skin (you should use wet) and it seems to work up a bit of foam and the exfoliating beads are not too harsh or course.

This Topbox was an okay one for me, not overly excited but not really disappointed either (okay maybe with the Bazooka). It has a good value and it does seem like I will try everything or at least find some use with it. Looking forward to what July's Topbox has for me :) What did you get in your Topbox this month?

Retail Value: $27.12

Paid: $13.56

Topbox May 2014 Review

Wow I'm amazed that Topbox is always able to ship so quickly! I only received my tracking email yesterday and received my box today. This month I opted to add a Privé box to my wishlist and I ended up getting the GlamGlow one :) To celebrate eco-month, Topbox decided to use a re-usable organza bag as the 'box'. I already have plenty of these but they're always great to keep around to pack gifts!

The GlamGlow Privé box was a 1 Topbox so I just got the 15 g/0.5 oz. travel size of the GlamGlow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment ($21 value). This is the 2nd time I added this one to my wishlist so I'm glad I finally got it. My box also came with a replacement for the Alien fragrance in my April Topbox and the $10 mystery add-on.

The replacement was the Ceramic Glaze Long Lasting Shine Nail Lacquer in the shade 'Pure' which seems like a nice opaque white. I actually don't have a white among my excessive nail polish collection I'm satisfied with this replacement :) It seems like it'd be great with the new OPI Sheer Tints that I got.

The $10 Mystery Add-on was the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in 'Intense Black'. Woohoo! I've been meaning try this but was always hesitant because of the price and hearing that it dries out quickly. It regularly costs $26 at Sephora/Shoppers so I'm able to try this for less than half the price.

I paid $24.86 for this box and the value (excluding nail polish) was $53.11 so this was another hit for me. Topbox was a great value this time and it makes me excited for the next box.

Julep Maven May 2014 Bombshell Box review

Yay my May 2014 Julep Maven box finally arrived! For those who don't know what Julep Maven is, it is a monthly nail polish/beauty subscription from Julep. You start off by taking a style profile quiz to see which welcome box suits you best. If you don't like it, you can always change your box :) The first box is even free with the code FREEBOX so you are just paying the cost of shipping (It was $4.99 for me in Ontario). Here's my referral link for anyone that wants to give it a try!

I chose to stick with the Bombshell box this month because I loved the colours! This one came with the colours Laree and Saaya as well as the Plié wand. I actually was a bit unsure about Saaya so I got someone that would buy it off me :) I also got 3 add-ons: Paulette, 2 pack of precision brushes, and the Plié wand creativity kit.

Left to right: Saaya, Paulette, Laree

Saaya - golden apricot shimmer
Paulette - golden lilac tulle shimmer
Laree - golden pink tafetta shimmer

These colours are awesome! I love the shimmer since it seems so subtle and the shades also seem perfect for summer. I haven't had a chance to swatch them on my nails since I just did them, but I swatched Paulette and Laree on their caps. I couldn't get the shimmer to show up in my pictures, but it's definitely there!

I also haven't had a chance to try the Plié wand yet but I am really excited to. I'm not sure if this was an accident, but I got an extra precision brush with overcap as well as an overcap on it's own. It was a nice surprise but I'm not sure I need that many extra brushes so I may try to sell them or give to someone.

And as always, the Maven box came with a discount coupon, which is $10 off a $20+ purchase. It is only for Mavens and expires May 31, 2014. The code is PERK10!

What box did you decide to get? :) And for those non-Mavens, give it a try and take the style profile quiz!

Topbox April 2014 Review

This is my 3rd Topbox so far and unlike the last one, I have mixed feelings about this box. I put the dermalogica Privé box on my Topbox wishlist but ended up with the regular Topbox again. Also a bit disappointed that I didn't get the Murale box but oh well. For those that aren't subscribed, Topbox is a montly beauty subscription box that lets you "get 4 hand picked deluxe samples delivered to your door for $12 per month."

Products:
- LA Splash Nail Spash in Mystique (full size - $7.50)
- Thierry Muglar Alien Eau Extraordiaire (6 mL - $7)
- Sweet Pea Soap Honey & Oats (half size? - 2.98)
- Miracle 10 Skincare Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 (50 mL - $38)

I'm happy with the Miracle 10 since it is a full size and I don't currently have a face sunscreen for the summer! I'll be trying this within the next few weeks to see how it does :) The SPF could be a bit higher but even a bit of SPF is already good enough, right?

The Alien perfume is decently sized but it is one of those dab type applications. I'm not really sure how those smaller 3 mL samples can have a spray application, but a slightly bigger bottle doesn't :/ Another downside is that I'm sensitive to stronger perfumes so I'm not sure what to do with this.

I also have mixed feelings about the nail polish because I have a similar colour and it seems a bit too shimmery for my liking. This will probably be gifted but it does seem like a wearable colour.

And lastly, I really like the soap! It contains almond fragrance so it smells sweet and nutty but there is also a hint of something else to tone it down (probably the oats). The soaps on their site don't seem as small so this probably isn't a full size but the ingredients seem like it could be a nice, moisturizing soap. Ingredients: coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, castor oil, distilled water, sodium, hydroxide, honey, oatmeal, and almond fragrance oil.

Total Value: $55.48
Paid: $13.56

This box was definitely a great value! Despite 2 of the products not really matching my tastes, I got a full sized product I think I will actually use so this was still a fairly valuable box to me. What did you get in your April Topbox?

Loose Button Luxe Box Spring 2014 review

So to add to my ever expanding collection of makeup/hair/skin care products, I purchased a 2 season subscription to Loose Button's Luxe Box for $25+tax/box (shipping included). Unlike most beauty subscriptions, Luxe Box comes every 3 months and comes with "7 to 8 trial sized beauty and lifestyle discoveries". There are 3 membership options so that you can pay $24 - 26 for each box, depending on your membership. The one I have for review is the Spring 2014 Luxe Box.

Each Luxe Box is a nice rectangular white box that is super sturdy and the products comes in a silky white dust bag. I wasn't expecting the box to be so sturdy so I was surprised, but glad because I now have something for nail polish storage! Now onto the products:

- essie sleek stick in oh my gold! (full size - $11)

- teeez trendy cosmetics Paradise Perfect Lipgloss in sheer gold (full-size - unknown price)

- Fekkai PrX Reparatives Conditioner with Argan Extract (59 mL - $5)

- Fekkai PrX Reparatives Shampoo with Argan Extract (59 mL - $5)

- Lancome Genefique Youth Activating Concentrate (8 mL - trial)

- Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion (28 mL - trial)

- Knotties (4 hair ties - unknown price)

Close up on the teeez lipgloss:

 

And essie sleek stick:

The total value of this box doesn't seem too high but I'm sure it is greater than what I paid ($28.25).

I'm okay with the Fekkai, Lancome, Essie, and Aveeno products but I'm not too crazy about the others. The Essie sleek stick is a nice design of gold hexagons and I actually like that I didn't get a bottle of nail polish since I have way too many of those. The Fekkai and Lancome are a decent size but since the Aveeno is a body lotion, I feel like it should be a bit larger.

I'm a bit worried about the teeez lip gloss because plumping products usually hurt, and I don't really need bigger lips, or the pain. I wish I had gotten a gloss with colour or one of their nail lacquers instead.The hair ties are the most disappointing product since you can get those anywhere and at a cheap price.

My next Luxe Box is the Summer 2014 box coming in June so hopefully that one will be better!