With the end of December swiftly approaching, the final subscription boxes of the year have been arriving right on schedule. The expectations I have for end-of-the-year assortments might seem a little unfair to some- but I want to be dazzled! It’s the holidays, after all. It’s almost 2016- go big or go home, right? Give me glitz, and give me glamour- but please just put some effort into ending the year on a special high note!

So when December’s GlossyBox, the first to arrive, showed up in my postbox early last week week and I saw the lovely and festive red & white packaging- I had a feeling I was going to be impressed. Sure enough, once I’d actually opened the box and took a peek inside- I was greeted with four full-sized items and a deluxe sample.

Merry Christmas to me!

WHAT I RECEIVED:

colorpHlex Leave-In Treatment & Detangler

MTJ Cosmetics High Definition Mascara (*Full Size!*)

GlossyBox Brand Eye Shadow in ‘GlossyBox Muave’ (*Full Size!*)

OROGOLD Cosmetics 24K Hand Cream (*Full Size!*)

Color Club Nail Polish in ‘Feverish’ (*Full Size!*)

Product # 1: colorpHlex Leave-In Treatment & Detangler ($22)

I’m very appreciative that GlossyBox takes color-treated hair into consideration when sending out their samples/products. In the nearly three years I’ve been a subscriber, I’ve only ever received 1 or 2 hair care or hair styling items that were potentially harmful to my reds and my violet highlights. This colorPHlex leave-in treatment is not only designed to keep my color vibrant and protect it from fading- but it also softens and untangles my thick and unruly curly hair, too.

I liked the way this spray smelled- like a greenhouse (weird, I know- but it reminded me of being in a room filled with plants and not in a bad way) and how it didn’t make my scalp or my ends feel sticky, crunchy or greasy after I’d spritzed some on post-cleansing my curls in the shower. It sank in quickly and my hair was instantly shinier and easier to comb through. After I styled as usual, I noticed my hair also stayed remarkably frizz-free despite recent humid conditions here in Massachusetts (El Niño Winter over here so far!) and to date- there has been no fading or discoloration of my hair color. My reds are just as bright and vibrant as ever.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! I was really pleased with how easy to use and effective this spray was. It protected my color, detangled my tricky ends like the bottle promised it would, and kept my hair soft and smooth all day long. I have a feeling I’ll be picking up a couple more bottles of this once I’m out of the sample I received- one for home and one to take with me when I travel!

Product # 2: MTJ Cosmetics High Definition Mascara ($21)

I’ve been running low on my current mascara over the course of the past week or so, so receiving a brand new, full-sized tube was definitely a treat that saved me a little bit of time and money. I had figured that even if I hadn’t liked this black MTJ formula- it would at least hold me over until I could find the time to hit the shops and pick up a replacement for my nearly-empty Tarte tube. Fortunately, this mascara completely exceeded my expectations and blew me away.

The photo above was snapped after two quick coats- and look how long and feathery my lashes look! With no clumping or flaking whatsoever, this Hi-Def formula lasted all day and well into the evening- and the unique shape of the brush made it super easy to reach those difficult and smaller lashes near the inner corners of my eyes without discomfort. I’m in love!

Would I Purchase?: Yes! I adored the way this mascara made my lashes look and feel. The formula was easy to apply, stayed in place without giving me the dreaded “spider leg eye” look- and the price point is similar to other mascaras I’ve purchased in the past that weren’t nearly half as nice as this one. I’m really glad I gave this one a chance- because I think I’ve found a keeper!

Product # 3: GlossyBox Brand Eye Shadow in ‘GlossyBox Muave’ ($11)

Although my lids have been covered with sparkling golds and matte nude tones as of late, I’ll never say no to trying a shimmery mauve shadow- especially when the color tends to make my blue eyes pop when worn correctly. This powder shadow, a GlossyBox original formula, was well-pigmented and easy to wear by itself as a subtle solo-shade or blended with other colors for a more dramatic look- and the longevity was pretty impressive, too. There was no creasing or flaking down along my cheeks- even as day turned to night. It stayed in place- and a reapplication or touch-up wasn’t necessary. I do love the color, a beautiful purple/silver tone- and I think I’ll be incorporating it more and more with my holiday and Winter wardrobe and makeup selections.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! This single shadow was a really nice and unexpected find. I don’t know if GlossyBox sells their own brand of makeup through their website (I can’t seem to locate it anywhere) or if it’s just limited to their subscription boxes only- but if they were to make this available for purchase online- I’d pick up a replacement for when I ran out of the full-sized tub I received in this month’s box.

Product # 4: OROGOLD Cosmetics 24K Hand Cream ($18)

If anyone is looking for a last minute Christmas present for me- let me help you out: hand cream. Just a ton of hand cream. Through Fall and Winter, my skin dries out like crazy, and sometimes it seems like there’s not enough lotion in the world to make me feel moisturized and comfortable. For that reason, I was ecstatic when I saw this tube of OROGOLD cream in December’s GlossyBox- and it’s since found a home in my purse until I run out.

The formula is lightweight, non-greasy, and lightly scented (a bit like a musky/woodsy fragrance, not bad at all)– and once it was applied- my hands felt soft and smooth for hours. Although I tend to compulsively reapply creams throughout the day- it wasn’t necessary with this product- which is always a welcomed treat since I won’t have to hurry to replace it so soon.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! When it comes to hand creams- all they have to do is hydrate my skin without making it feel slick or drying them out even more than they were pre-application- and I’ll be pretty content. This cream hit the mark, had a pleasant and long-lasting scent- and although $18 might be a little steep compared to other brands that sell hand creams at a fraction of that price (Bath & Body Works’ $5-$10 shea butter hand cream tubes, for example)– this was a quality product I’d splurge on in the future to treat myself.

Product # 5: Color Club Nail Polish in ‘Feverish’ ($8.50)

First and foremost, I want to give a shout-out to my manicurist, Cindy, who applied this color to my fingernails and then went on to decorate my thumbs and ring fingers with lovely and festive-looking bows for the holidays. She’s magnificent and wonderful at what she does.

Now, onto the polish. Although I’m a fan of the rich burgundy tone of ‘Feverish’, the lacquer itself was a bit of a pain to apply. Instead of simply gliding on with one or two sweeps- my manicurist had to almost dab/tap it onto my nails to get it to stay in place without streaking unevenly- which proved to be slightly more time consuming. After two coats (and a top coat to seal everything)– the polish dried quickly enough- and has yet to chip, peel, or become discolored. I love the shade for the Winter months- but I’m weary about it’s odd application.

Would I Purchase?: No. Although I don’t think I’d repurchase ‘Feverish’ again (solely because it took longer than I would have liked to get it on my nails easily), I’d like to try some of Color Club’s other available shades. After browsing their website- they have some really neat prism-style lacquers that caught my attention. It’d be interesting to see if the streaking problem was solely limited to this one shade, or if it’s an issue across the board with all of the brand’s polishes.

Overall, I was thrilled with the quality of December’s GlossyBox. The amount of full-sized products I received was definitely impressive- and I loved nearly every item with the exception of one. On top of that, the design of the box was beautiful! I enjoy getting the occasional decorated or designed box from time to time. It’s such a nice surprise.

This was a wonderful assortment of products/samples to round out GlossyBox’s 2015- a year that saw the service speed up it’s formerly sluggish delivery time and branch out to include more bold products and collaborations- and I am looking forward to seeing what the service has in store for next year. I hope they keep up the great work!

xx