September’s Glossybox, packed with essentials for the Fall season, had the delightful distinction from other beauty boxes by featuring five full-sized products, putting it’s value at over $100. Not bad, considering the subscription service costs only $21 a month. Of course, I wanted to try everything I received before I reached a final verdict- but that alone already had me impressed.

What I Received:

NIOXIN Diamax Hair Treatment

BCBG Max Azria Bon Genre Eau de Parfum Spray

Emite Makeup Eyelash Curler

Oceane Makeup Remover Pen

Be A Bombshell Eyeliner Pen in “Onyx”

Product # 1: NIOXIN Diamax Hair Treatment ($50)

With my hair being as course and as curly as it is- thickness has, thankfully, never been an issue or a concern for me. Even still, I was curious about this serum I’ve heard and read so many good reviews for, and massaged it generously from my scalp to my ends after a shower to see whether or not I’d notice any immediate results. As my hair dried, I saw some frizz and fly-aways near my hairline, and applied a light curl cream to keep everything in place before finishing my makeup and heading out to start my day.

By afternoon, my hair looked and felt fuller and more volumized- more so than usual. I wasn’t the only one who noticed, either. My co-worker remarked that my hair had more body to it- and that was only after one use! Like most treatments, you have to use it continuously for maximum results.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! I’m already very, very pleased with the results I’ve seen from this product with only a couple of uses so far, and I have a feeling that after a few weeks, my hair and I will be even more satisfied. This serum may not be ideal for just styling your hair, but it doesn’t seem to lose it’s thickening and conditioning power even when mixed with a light cream or mousse, so you don’t have to compromise volumizing results for being frizz-free.

Product # 2: BCBG Max Azria Bon Genre Eau de Parfum Spray ($75)

Out of the five products I received in September’s Glossybox, I was most excited for this BCBG perfume spray that came in a travel-sized tube that is ideal to put in my purse. This particular fragrance, a heavier (but still pretty!) mix of florals, vanilla, and sandalwood, is perfect for the Autumn and Winter months. It lasts all day without fading, so a couple of spritzes on your wrists/pulse points and you’re good from morning ’til night.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! This fragrance is so intoxicating, and, dare I say it, sexy. I would absolutely add another bottle of this to my collection of perfumes.

Product # 3: Emite Makeup Eyelash Curler ($30.50)

I’ve only ever used an eyelash curler a handful of times in my life, and each time, I never noticed any dramatic results- at least nothing that a decent mascara couldn’t do for me without putting a contraption dangerously close to my eyeball. I tried this curler, which was well-made and came with replacement pads, a few times, but the results were still lackluster.

Would I Purchase?: No. I don’t think eyelash curlers are for me, period. I’ll probably end up gifting this to someone since it’s a good quality, and they might see better, more noticeable results than I did.

Product # 4: Oceane Makeup Remover Pen ($5.30)

When applying eyeliner, I have a tendency to screw it up. One eye comes out lined thicker than the other, I miss a spot, my cat-eye smudges with the wrong flick of my wrist, etc. and I’m left frantically looking for a cotton swap to try and fix it before it dries and I have to take it off and start over completely. This small, purse-appropriate-sized pen is a Godsend. With soft, replaceable tips, this product applies a small amount of makeup remover to the affected area without leaving the skin feeling greasy or making eye or lip makeup look runny.

This morning, as usual, I smudged a bit of my eyeliner, and quickly reached for this pen to see if it worked as well as the packaging suggested. Sure enough, my small error was gone in seconds and I was able to easily fix my eye makeup with less hassle than usual. Consider me sold.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! This is one of those products that should always be in your purse. It’s small, lightweight, reasonably priced, and ever so convenient for fixing little makeup mistakes or for touch-ups if anything falls out of place in the course of the day.

Product # 5: Be A Bombshell Eyeliner Pen in “Onyx” ($14)

The aforementioned botched eye liner I was using (and needed to fix) happened to be this fine, felt-tip, and fast-drying liquid-esque liner from Be A Bombshell, which looked and felt like I was lining my eyes with a Sharpie marker. The liner didn’t exactly apply smoothly for me. I had to go back and go over a couple of areas that looked patchy more than once before my eyes looked even, and although it’s highly pigmented and supposedly waterproof, I noticed that it smudged a LOT throughout the day. By the time I left work, I had a bad case of unintentional raccoon eyes.

Would I Purchase?: No. I feel like I say it every time I venture outside of my eyeliner comfort zone- but I’ll stick with my gel liners. This particular brand, although an interesting concept, just wasn’t for me. Not only that, but my concern would be how long it would last- considering it does not need to be sharpened or twisted up, and markers can sometimes dry out rather quickly.

Two products I didn’t like out of five full-sized products? That’s fine! The value of the three products I really enjoyed more than made up for my disappointment with the eyelash curler and eyeliner.  September’s Glossybox was a pleasant surprise. Major kudos.

Let me just start this post off by saying this review almost didn’t happen. The August Glossybox, which I was actually supposed to get for free after redeeming my accrued Glossydots (a reward points system,) was briefly lost in the mail. After contacting both Glossybox customer support, and then the USPS itself- the package was eventually located at a facility in Pennsylvania and shipped to me immediately. Better late than never, of course.

The theme for this box, “Bohemian Summer,” included products fit for the transition from the last hot, humid days of Summer into the chillier, crisp early weeks of Fall, and included skincare, hair care, and makeup. I also received a cute denim pouch from GUESS as a bonus item, as well as a 30% off coupon that can be used in-store or on Guess.com. I’m in the market for some new jeans- so it should come in handy.

What I Received:

Sue Devitt Triple C-Weed Pressed Powder (*Full Size!*)

ModelCo Eyeshadow Duo in “Bronzed Goddess”

Anatomicals “Spray Misty For Me” Facial Spritz

Jelly Pong Pong Lip Blush (*Full Size!*)

Novex Brazilian Keratin Hair Treatment Cream

Product # 1: Sue Devitt Triple C-Weed Pressed Powder ($28)

When it comes to setting powders, I’ve always preferred loose powders to pressed ones. From past experiences, loose powders give me better coverage and provide longer staying power for my makeup without looking caked on or chalky. However, when I’m traveling or in a rush, those neat little compacts can certainly come in handy. When I read that this particular brand of pressed powder was infused with green tea and vitamin C, both of which are good for my skin, I bit the bullet and decided to give it a try.

Unlike other powders I’ve received in the past, this one matched my skin tone perfectly. It applied evenly, smoothly, and gave decent coverage with a lovely matte finish. My skin looked and felt soft to the touch. Any shine in my T-zone was quickly covered- however- after only a couple of hours- that very same area began to look as though the powder had been caked on and I quickly had to reapply more to correct it.

Would I Purchase?: Maybe. While I do still prefer loose powders, a product like this is great for quick, mess-free touch-ups. While I was disappointed with how quickly I had to re-apply more of the powder, I could see myself putting some of this on if I wanted to run out to do some errands without putting a full face of makeup on.

In other words, this powder is great for quick coverage for a short amount of time, but if you’re looking for something to give you consistent coverage for the whole day- skip this product.

Product # 2: ModelCo Eyeshadow Duo in “Bronzed Goddess” ($25)

Summer 2013 was definitely my season of neutral tones, and I was ready to go out this weekend to pick up a couple of violets, greens, and blues for my eyes for the Fall/Winter until I saw this shimmery eye shadow compact in my Glossybox, and opted to give neutrals a couple more weeks. Although it’s hard to tell in the photograph (and it was hard for me to tell in the packaging, as well,) this eye shadow duo- which includes a rich chocolate brown and a light cream color- is VERY sparkly. I actually did a double take after I’d finished applying it to one eye because the amount of sparkle caught me off guard. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s not like applying globs of glitter to your eyelid or anything. This shadow actually goes on easily without flaking or clumping together. After I adjusted to the sparkle, I thought it looked rather pretty on my eyes, especially out in the sunlight.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! I’d actually love to try more color combinations of this formula of shadow. The colors in “Bronzed Goddess” were very nice, especially for the Summer, but I’d love to see the same amount of sparkle and pigmentation in a rich plum shade or an olive green sometime.

Product # 3: Anatomicals “Spray Misty For Me” Facial Spritz ($9)

As the temperatures begin to drop, keeping my skin hydrated against frigid climates definitely becomes a priority. I use stronger moisturizers, and more often throughout the day. Unfortunately, with my work schedule, stopping to take my makeup off, reapply moisturizer, and then reapply my makeup is simply out of the question. Enter facial sprays- which I am a big fan of- not only because of the results I get from them, but also because of the convenience. Whether sprayed on over makeup or on a bare, clean face- these spritzers offer instant cooling hydration to skin without ruining cosmetics or making your face feel greasy.

“Spray Misty For Me” from Anatomicals gave me all the aforementioned perks, and then some. Packed with lavender, peppermint, aloe, and witch hazel- this spray smelled amazing on top of being incredibly refreshing. Also, a but unrelated, but the packaging, which included a cartoon drawing of Clint Eastwood on the back, was very entertaining:

See?!

Would I Purchase?: Yes! The refreshing, cooling feeling on my skin, the relaxing fragrance, and the quirky packaging had me sold on this facial spritz. This is my new “must have” in my purse for the Fall. It’s just a great product overall, and for $9 a bottle, you really can’t go wrong.

Product # 4: Jelly Pong Pong Lip Blush ($18)

Ever the lip color addict, this bold berry/red balm was the first product from the August Glossybox I tried. Although the packaging has this color listed as “cranberry,” it applied as a bright pink, almost neon purple tone on my lips- which, while sounding cool on paper, didn’t really suit my skin tone all that well. I looked washed out the few times I wore this, since it was so bright that it pretty much drained the rest of the color out of my face.

Longevity wise, this balm didn’t last at all. After a few sips of coffee, resulting in numerous lip prints all over the rim of my cup, and this balm’s color completely disappeared, as did it’s moisturizing benefits.

Would I Purchase?: No. I think I’ll stick to other balms I’ve used in the past, or moisturizer enriched long-wear lipsticks. Between the weird and unflattering color, the speed in which it vanished after I applied it, and the lack of long-lasting hydration benefits for my lips, this product was unfortunately a let-down.

Product # 5: Novex Brazilian Keratin Hair Treatment Cream ($4.99)

Keratin treatments at the salon where I typically touch up my red cost a pretty penny, so when I saw this otherwise inexpensive container of “Brazil’s #1 keratin treatment,” I was a little skeptical. The directions say to leave the pleasant scented cream in slightly dry hair, from root to tip, for three minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Not entirely sure how many miracles this could work in a mere three minutes, I left the cream on for five, and then rinsed- and what a difference! Once my hair dried, it felt softer, smoother, and looked a lot shinier. I was very surprised, to say the least. For $4.99 a jar, and with what I achieved after just one use (so far,) I think I’ve found the perfect, cheaper alternative to the expensive treatments I’ve paid for to get similar results in the past.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! This would make an incredible weekly treatment for dry, damaged hair- especially in the colder months. Each one of my curls was nourished through and through and best of all- they stayed that way long after I applied and rinsed the cream out.

Despite the delay in receiving my August Glossybox, overall I was very pleased with it. The facial spritz and the keratin hair treatment cream were fantastic Fall finds, and the eye shadow and denim GUESS pouch were fun bonuses. I’m looking forward to continuing to use up what’s left of my samples, sans-lip balm, while I wait for my September box!