I had anticipated my July GlossyBox arriving while I was in San Diego, what with it being close to the end of the month and all- and I was right- which is a shame, considering I could have gladly used some of the samples I received while on the West Coast- especially the body cream and GlamGlow mask.

I digress. The fine folks over at GlossyBox couldn’t have possibly predicted I’d be out of state when they shipped July’s goods, so I was content with trying them out when I got home. It’s better late than never, after all.

WHAT I RECEIVED:

Malin+Goetz Mojito Lip Balm

GlamGlow YOUTHMUD Tinglexfoliate Treatment

Mitchell and Peach Body Cream

Philip B. pH Restorative Detangling Toning Mist

Skin Inc. Skin Supplement Bar Custom-Blended Brightening Serum

Product # 1: Malin+Goetz Mojito Lip Balm ($12)

I had actually received a full-sized tube of this lip balm in an Ipsy bag back in January, where I was left on the fence as to whether or not I’d purchase it in the future. Since then, my feelings haven’t changed much. It’s a good, moisturizing, long-lasting balm with a non-sticky consistency- but the tube is small- a little too small for $12. Oddly enough, the sample I received in July’s GlossyBox wasn’t full-sized, but still had a more convenient applicator tip than the one that arrived in January. If there’s logic there- I’m failing to see it.

Would I Purchase?: Maybe (again!) If I keep receiving this product, I’ll never have to purchase it- but I’m still indecisive as to whether or not I would actually spend the cash if and when the time comes. I don’t mind splurging now and then, but $12 for .35 ounces is just a little excessive, in my opinion. It’s a good balm- it is- but it doesn’t have a “wow” factor for me. I get the same results by using Carmex, which is a fraction of the price for the same exact amount of product per tube.

Product # 2: GlamGlow YOUTHMUD Tinglexfoliate Treatment ($69)

In the GlamGlow collection, I’ve owned the SUPERMUD Clearing Treatment, a mask that has given me phenomenal results every time I’ve used it- which is once every couple of weeks to keep my pores clear. I’ve seen the YOUTHMUD Tinglexfoliate Treatment before, and had been tempted to try it- but was reluctant to drop the $69 in case it didn’t work as well as SUPERMUD, or worse- caused some kind of reaction. July’s GlossyBox had me covered, though- offering me a nice sample size of the product. My skin, still adjusting to airplane cabin pressure, West Coast-then-East Coast climates, and the fake blood from my Daryl Dixon cosplay- was in desperate need of deeper cleansing and extra exfoliation- so I broke out the Tinglexfoliate to work it’s magic.

The name doesn’t lie. Shortly after applying this mask all over my face, it definitely tingled as it dried. What I didn’t expect were the pieces of green tea leaves that were mixed into the formula and stuck in little clumps all over my skin. I did a double take on more than one occasion when I noticed one on my cheek or along my forehead. When the clay finally dried and it came time to rinse the mask off, I rubbed the then-dampened exfoliants into my skin with circular motions- and I could definitely feel them. They were pretty abrasive.

Once my face was gently pat dry, my skin looked and felt smoother, cleaner, and clearer. I followed up with a lightweight moisturizer to prevent my face from drying out- and I’m quite pleased with the results!

Would I Purchase?: Yes! I think when I’ve finished the last of my tub of SUPERMUD, I’ll be making the switch to YOUTHMUD to use as a weekly/bi-weekly treatment. It cleans out my pores the same way that SUPERMUD does, but has more exfoliation- which I find I need every now and then. Both treatments are the same price, too- so I wouldn’t be spending more for the YOUTHMUD, which is always a plus.

Product # 3: Mitchell and Peach Body Cream ($61)

I’ve never been to Kent, but from the way a lot of beauty product companies based in or around there describe it,  I envision beautiful rolling hills, lush greenery, picturesque sunsets, and large, beautiful homes surrounded by quaint little communities (basically any of the scenes from the 2005 version of “Pride & Prejudice,” really.) I’ve wondered if the majority of Kent is self-aware of their status as a beacon of luxury, and if so- what they think of it.

Mitchell and Peach are one of those companies, and their body cream- packed with vitamins, pure honey, organic cocoa, floral essential oils, and shea butter- is touted as being “from the Mitchells’ fifth-generation estate in Kent, England.”

The body cream smells strong at first- with the floral oils taking over- but it eventually fades as the cream is rubbed in, after which more of the honey can be detected. Texture wise, the cream is nice. It’s not too heavy and yet not too watery- and it quickly sinks into the skin without leaving behind residue or any kind of greasiness. The results are long lasting, too. It’s a great everyday body moisturizer.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! I love body moisturizers that don’t take forever to rub into my skin but don’t deprive me of hydration, either. This body cream is lightweight, but it packs a punch- leaving my skin soft, smooth, and (eventually) lightly fragranced for hours. $61 might be considered a high price point, but this really is a good product, and one I’d purchase to treat myself- or give as a gift to someone else.

Product # 4: Philip B. pH Restorative Detangling Toning Mist ($24)

As someone with naturally thick, curly hair- I can recall many memories from my childhood of tearing up while my mother frantically saturated me with Johnson’s detangling spray and tried to un-knot my poor, frizzy ends before sending me off to school. Thankfully, my hair has become more manageable with time and practice- and products for curly hair have come a very long way. This milky textured, color-safe leave-in detangling spray from Philip B. is a perfect example of that. Described as having the ability to “adjust the pH of tap water to seal the cuticle of your hair, for a remarkably smooth, shiny finish,” (science!) this spray is also infused with apple cider vinegar- which is right up there with coconut oil in being a natural, multi-purpose product with numerous benefits.

The problem with apple cider vinegar, however- is that it doesn’t exactly smell good- and unfortunately for this hair mist- it’s ALL you can smell when you’re spritzing it into your locks. Yes, it goes away- more quickly when you begin to style your hair as usual with your everyday products, but the first whiff of the stuff is off putting, to say the least.

In terms of results: I didn’t see any. My hair didn’t look any more or less frizz-free and shiny than usual. It didn’t de-tangle anymore than when I use my leave in oils and products. I can’t say for certain if this is a product that would work better on straighter hair- but for me- it didn’t do much of anything.

Would I Purchase?: No. Putting aside the eye-watering smell of vinegar omitting from this product- it did not give me noticeable results, and after using it a few times to see if I could detect a gradual difference- I eventually went back to using my regular products and skipped over this one entirely.

Product # 5: Skin Inc. Skin Supplement Bar Custom-Blended Brightening Serum ($45)

I will openly admit that when I first laid eyes on this serum, my initial thought was “I’m going to feel like a chemist when I use this.”

Skin Inc. is a pretty interesting concept, because rather than just mass producing serums or creams that target any one specific product for any one specific skin type- and therefore leaving out other people that don’t fit into that bracket- they also fine-tune their products to an individual based on the person’s needs and concerns by using their SKINCheck identification system and creating a personalized product that is then mailed directly to that person’s address. Their serums are pure, highly-concentrated, and lightweight on the face.

In July’s GlossyBox, I received the custom “Blended Brightening Serum,” and applied as directed- after cleansing my skin and before my moisturizer. The serum spread evenly and sank into my skin very quickly- so using a lot wasn’t necessary. I noticed even after putting my makeup on that the texture of my skin looked smoother, and upon closer inspection- that I seemed to have developed more of a natural, healthy glow.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! Even though I really enjoyed the results I got with the “Blended Brightening Serum,” and would purchase it in the future- I’d actually like to try custom-creating my own serum through Skin Inc.’s lab, too. Brightness isn’t necessarily a concern for me at this point in my life- so it’d be interesting to develop a pre-moisturizer serum to target problematic areas: i.e. the occasional breakout, dry patches, etc. I do think the serum I received in July’s GlossyBox is lovely for every day use, of course.

Overall, I was pleased with July’s GlossyBox. While the detangling spray fell flat and the lip balm didn’t exactly blow my mind- the other three deluxe samples were a lot of fun to try and are definitely products I would purchase in the future.