So even though my employment situation has changed fairly recently, it’s still business as usual here at ‘Legally Redhead’, which includes my round up of my monthly subscription box reviews. First up was November’s GlossyBox- a follow-up to October’s impressive Parisian-inspired collection and the prelude to the service’s holiday/end of the year box.

Comprised of mostly full-sized or deluxe sample-sized skin care and makeup items (no hair care or nail products this time around)– trying everything was a breeze and only took a matter of days.

WHAT I RECEIVED:

Marsk Cosmetics Mineral Eye Shadow in “You’re Toast” (*Full Size!*)

Florapy “Sweet Dreams” Yarrow Lavender Mask

Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy

Beauty For Real D-Fine Perfect Lip Pencil (*Full Size!*)

Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Creme

Product # 1: Marsk Cosmetics Mineral Eye Shadow in “You’re Toast” ($22.50)

Near the end of the year, around the holidays and well into Winter- my every day wardrobe and evolves from light and flowing floral prints and pastels to darker hues of grays, blacks and browns with pops of royal blue, rich violet- and gold. SO much gold. From my makeup to my jewelry- I like to be dripping in it. When I first saw this copper-hued loose powder shadow from Marsk, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It didn’t look like much in it’s little round tub- but I opted to wear it by itself over my usual primer for a couple of days to see how the color held up against other sparkling tones I’ve worn in the past.

First of all, this shadow is REALLY pigmented- which I liked very much. The photo above is after a couple of dustings all over my lid and into my crease- and you can see how rich it is. While it has shimmer to it, “You’re Toast” (love the name, by the way) didn’t look TOO sparkly on me and actually made my blue eyes really stand out in a flattering way. Best of all? This shadow didn’t budge. Not at all. Not even a little bit. It stayed in place all day without creasing, crumbling, or flaking off. To say I’m in love is an understatement- and I’ve been wearing this non-stop since I received it.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! I love the rich color of this shadow, it’s staying power, and how I can wear it by itself with just a swipe of mascara and my eyes still look luminous and festive. A little goes a long way with this shadow, so I don’t anticipate on running out anytime soon- but when I do- I’m picking another one of these up.

Product # 2: Florapy “Sweet Dreams” Yarrow Lavender Mask ($8)

I’m a big fan of sheet masks- even if they make me look like Leatherface from ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ whenever I wear them. They’re just quick and convenient whenever my skin needs a little pick-me-up after a long day or week. I especially like to pack a couple when I travel, since in-flight cabin pressure and a change of climate can all but suck the life out of my face.

I tried this “Sweet Dreams” mask before bed, getting used to the slick feel of it after I’d removed the packaging and left it on my face for about twenty minutes. I have to say that I wasn’t particularly fond of it’s fragrance- which was kind of overpowering and not very relaxing- but I did like the way my skin looked and felt after I’d peeled the mask off. It was soft and felt replenished and hydrated.

Would I Purchase?: Maybe. I don’t think I’d opt for the “Sweet Dreams” mask again, because like I said- the fragrance was a little too strong for me- but I wouldn’t be opposed to trying some of the other masks Florapy has available. For $8 a package, I could see myself stocking up to get me through the winter.

Product # 3: Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy ($9 – $32)

Although my skin is typically combination/oily at all times- my hands get SO dry this time of year. It’s unbearable- and I have to have at least two tubes of moisturizer in my bag at all times for frequent reapplications throughout the day (or else I go nuts.) I was pretty happy to receive a hand cream in November’s GlossyBox for that very reason- and I wasted no time in slathering on this skin therapy from Crabtree & Evelyn almost as soon as I took it out of the box.

I would like to remark on the fragrance, first and foremost- because as soon as I got a whiff of this cream-  I was instantly reminded of my grandmother. I know that sounds weird, and probably off-putting to some- but to me, it was strangely comforting. My grandmother used to put those small, potent-smelling decorative soaps in her bathroom whenever she had company over. I never knew where she got them from- or why she insisted on having them- but they were always there and the scent of them has always reminded me of holidays at her home since. This lotion smells like that. It’s not bad, really.

But most importantly, of course- are the results. This cream instantly soothed my dry hands after I liberally applied it- and it kept my skin soft and smooth for hours. I didn’t have to feverishly reapply over and over- which was a nice change of pace to what I’m used to every November/December.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! I loved this cream- and I would absolutely re-purchase this again in the future. I also like that Crabtree & Evelyn have different gift sets available this time of year- some of which include this product. I think I’ve found a couple of good presents for friends and family who are also in the same “dry skin” boat as me this year.

Product # 4: Beauty For Real D-Fine Perfect Lip Pencil ($14)

I’ve said in the past that I’ve never really been keen on lip pencils. The drying, the crumbling, the fading of the color- finding one that works well and wins me over is far and few between- so I wasn’t exactly jumping for joy when I saw this twist-up lip liner from Beauty For Real. A review is a review, however- and I gave “D-Fine” a shot for a couple of days to test the color and longevity.

First, the color. The photo above is of just the liner- which I used to outline my lips and fill them in before sealing in the product with a clear gloss. I liked the nude tone, and how easy it was to blend and correct any mistakes (unlike red or plum liners I’ve received in the past that were a nightmare) and how soft the pencil felt. It wasn’t painful or drying on my lips. It just looked nice and natural.

The longevity, however- left a lot to be desired. While this product made it through morning coffee and typical early a.m. wear and tear- by noon it was all but gone from my lips and had to be reapplied a couple more times throughout the day to keep the color as even and lovely as it looked when I first applied it. No thanks.

Would I Purchase?: No. While the color was very pretty and the product itself was easy enough to apply- this liner simply didn’t last long enough on my lips to keep me interested in re-purchasing it in the future. I think if it had better staying power, I’d consider using it again- since I really did like the nude tone.

Product # 5: Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Creme ($50 – $90)

Oh, Estée Lauder- what a weird relationship you and I have. Some of your products have been gems, and others have caused me nothing but grief- and don’t even get me started on your price points- which were still too high for me even when I was working full-time. Even still, I’m never opposed to trying one of your laughably small samples whenever I receive one to see if they blow me away or leave me shaking my head in confusion.

I tried to stretch out the dollop of this cream I received for as long as possible to write an accurate and thorough review- and I thankfully made it a few days- which was long enough to not see any significant difference on my skin with the exception of a few blemishes that sprang up shortly after I first applied this lightly-scented cream. Tsk, tsk.

Sure, my skin felt soft- but I didn’t notice any brightening or firming effects- and still hadn’t by the time I ran out of the sample.

Would I Purchase?: No. I think I’ll stick to the brightening nighttime sereums Estée Lauder has made that have worked wonders for me in the past- but I’ll be skipping over this cream entirely. It didn’t do anything for me except give me a couple of pimples on my forehead.

November’s GlossyBox was a mixed bag for me. I liked two of the products I received very much, didn’t like two of them at all- and one I’m still on the fence about. It wasn’t the worst assortment by any means- but I’m really hoping the service goes all in with their December/holiday box. I’ve already seen a sneak peek of the packaging and it looks very cute!

Here’s hoping!

xx