I’m taking a break from packing my suitcase for an early flight I’m catching tomorrow morning to the West Coast for a long weekend getaway. I recently finished the trials in my March 2013 BeautyArmy box, and wanted to post my reviews before I move on to the samples I received yesterday when this month’s GlossyBox arrived at my door.

What I Received (Chose):

SKYN ICELAND Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels

INEKE Hothouse Flower Perfume

Immuno-Viva “Sunset” Tea

Whip Hand Cosmetics, Loose Pigment Eyeshadow in “Green Beret”

SKINN COSMETICS Color Touch Eye, Cheek, & Lip Glow in “Teen Tone”.

GRAND CENTRAL BEAUTY Skin Perfecting Polisher

Product #1: SKYN ICELAND Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels ($30.00 for 8 pairs)

I’m weary of putting any kind of firming/anti-aging cream or gel near my eyes. I rarely stray from my “Vaseline around the eyes at nighttime” routine, as I’ve mentioned in the past, but these cooling eye gel pads caught my attention, and most of the reviews I read were extremely positive, so I decided to break with tradition and give them a shot. I received one pair of the pads, and applied them earlier tonight while I was going through my itinerary of what to pack for my trip.

The pads were mess-free, which was automatically an improvement from the Vaseline regime, and they stayed in place after I pressed them onto my skin. The directions on the package said to leave the pads on for up to ten minutes. I decided to live dangerously and keep them on for 15 before removing them, and even now I can still feel the tingling, cool sensation that started almost immediately after the application. Around my eyes looked firmer and smoother, and felt soft to the touch. I was, and still am, impressed!

Would I Purchase?: Yes! The price for these pads is a little steep, especially just for eight pairs, but they aren’t something someone like me would use every day. They’d be perfect for having after a long, exhausting day, or for packing in your purse for an emergency pick-me-up before going into a big meeting at work or for freshening up before going out for a night on the town.

Product #2: INEKE Hothouse Flower Perfume ($95.00)

This perfume, advertised as being “highly addictive” (and thus making me want to see/smell it for myself), was pretty potent when I first spritzed some on the insides of my wrists. Smelling strongly of florals, musk, and a hint of citrus, it was powerful, but gradually weakened as it blended with my skin. What I was left with was a lightweight, more musky scent. Unfortunately, it didn’t last like other fragrances I’ve used and tried in the past, and within a few hours, it had all but faded completely.

Would I Purchase?: No. The scent was lovely, but the longevity could use some improvement. I like my fragrances to last so that I don’t have to frequently reapply them throughout the day, but this one just all but disappeared a little too quickly for my liking.

Product #3: Immuno-Viva “Sunset” Tea ($11.95 for 20 teabags)

In February’s BeautyArmy box, I had tried the Immuno-Viva “Sunrise” tea and really enjoyed it. I saw it’s counterpart, the “Sunset” tea, available, and wanted to see if I liked it just as much. Like “Sunrise”, this white tea is packed with antioxidants to help boost immune health and concentration. Unlike “Sunrise”, however, which is supposed to energize and awaken, this blend is made to naturally relax and help support a more restful sleep.

Taste wise, this tea was a little bland. It wasn’t strong, which to me, is a good thing- but I felt it could have used a little something extra to give it’s flavor a kick. Maybe a hint of vanilla, or even mint. I’m sure it’s nothing a little extra sugar couldn’t take care of, but adding sugar to a nighttime relaxation tea just seems a little contradictory to me.

“Sunrise” tea hadn’t made me feel anymore energized or alert than usual, but the “Sunset” tea did seem to relax me quite well. Granted, I was drinking it in bed, wrapped up in fleece blankets, and was pretty tired to begin with, so there’s a good chance there were some other contributing factors that assisted in my overall sleepy feeling, but I’ll go ahead and give the tea all the credit.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! I’m sure there are ways to boost what is otherwise a pretty blasé flavor, but this is a good, light, end-of-the-day tea, and it’s filled with natural ingredients that are good for you, too.

Product #4: Whip Hand Cosmetics, Loose Pigment Eyeshadow in “Green Beret” ($11.90)

Also in February’s BeautyArmy box, I had tried Whip Hand Cosmetics’ “Medal of Honor” loose pigment eyeshadow, and had loved it’s shimmer and long-last wear. I wanted to check out other shades, and when I saw that this green shadow was available, I jumped at the chance.

Upon applying this shadow over my primer, two things were clear right away: 1. the color appeared more grey than green, and 2. I needed to use a lot of it since I could absolutely NOT get it to spread evenly over my eyelid. Once I got the shadow as even and as dark as I could, and blended it a little, the finished color wasn’t bad- but it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, either.

Would I Purchase?: No. As much as I loved “Medal of Honor” last month, this product was a let-down. I have other green eyeshadows in my makeup collection that are more vibrant and easier to apply than this particular one was. I’ll stick with those and pass on “Green Beret”.

Product #5: SKINN COSMETICS Color Touch Eye, Cheek, & Lip Glow in “Teen Tone” ($17.00)

The second I ran my finger across the top of this creamy 3-in-1 makeup and began applying it to the apples of my cheeks, I was smitten. This lightweight formula, in a beautiful, natural looking rosy shade, applied like a dream and stayed put almost all day- giving me a glow throughout my workday and well into the evening.

My only problem, and this usually happens with most multi-purpose makeups like this, is that while the color was gorgeous on my cheeks and my eyes, it looked a little chalky when I applied it on my lips. It also went on to dry my lips out pretty bad, and I eventually had to wipe it off and apply a different lip color.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! Despite the bad result I got with my lips, this product was gorgeous everywhere else I applied it. You don’t need a lot of it, either- which means that it’ll last you a long time.

Product #6: GRAND CENTRAL BEAUTY Skin Perfecting Polisher ($38.00)

I wasn’t entirely sure what this product was or how it was used until it arrived in my box and I had the chance to review the directions and feel the texture. I don’t know how many of you have ever been badgered by mall kiosk people (the people who have booths in the middle of the mall who always try to stop you so they can show you some overpriced miracle beauty/haircare product that never works quite as well when you get it home as it did when they were applying it or using it on you), but this reminded me of a mask I tried once in my late teens after being stopped while I was doing some shopping.

To use this product, which feels almost like a serum and less like an exfoliator, you apply it to your face, and then massage it in for about 30 seconds to a minute. After that, you’ll feel dead “skin cells” begin to roll away. From there, you can either rinse or pat your face with a towel, and your skin is supposed to look and feel more exfoliated, radiant, and  toned.

While my skin did feel a little tighter after I tried this product a few times, I didn’t notice a visible difference in my skin’s texture or tone, and it certainly didn’t feel any more exfoliated than it does when I use a scrub or a clarifying lotion.

Would I Purchase?: No. I’ll stick to my usual pore cleansing scrubs and moisturizers to obtain a smooth, toned texture. This product just seems like a waste of money for something that can be achieved with other, less expensive products.

So 3 yes products, and 3 no products. I’d say my March 2013 BeautyArmy box was a pretty even turn-out.

And now I’ve got to finish packing.

See you all in sunny San Diego!

xox

I received my February Beauty Army Box last week, and just finished using the last of the samples this morning. I had significantly more luck with this box than I did with the January 2013 one, thanks in part to my researching the samples that were available to me before I selected them.

What I Received (Chose):

GG Gatsby “Raise Volume” Shampoo

YES TO Carrots Super Rich Body Butter

Olive Natural Beauty Bar – Lemon & Lavender Bar

Immuno-Viva “Sunrise” Tea

Whip Hand Cosmetics, Loose Pigment Eyeshadow in “Medal of Honor”

Mighty Tea Leaf “Vanilla Bean” Tea

Product #1: GG GATSBY “Raise Volume” Shampoo ($14.99)

This sulfate-free shampoo was advertised as not only being capable of giving my hair intense and long-lasting volume and fullness, but also a “mirror like” shine. The formula smelled lovely, like a floral perfume, but it didn’t lather up well. Maybe it’s just me, but the lack of suds made me wonder if it was really doing a well enough job at cleansing my hair.

Upon rinsing, my hair definitely felt smoother and silkier, Once I let it dry, I didn’t really notice a difference in volume or fullness, but this could also be attributed to my curls being big and wild anyway, even when I’m not using any kind of volumizing shampoo, conditioner, or styling product. If someone has straight or typically “flat” hair, they may notice more of a difference.

Would I Purchase?: Maybe. I liked that the shampoo was sulfate-free to protect my locks from losing their red luster, I liked the scent, and I liked how soft my hair felt after I used it, but I don’t know if it necessarily made up for the difficulty in getting it to lather up in my hair. I want to feel like my hair is being thoroughly washed, not like I’m simply adding more product to it.

Product #2: YES TO Carrots Super Rich Body Butter ($12.99)

I was a little skeptical about slathering anything on my body that had the word “carrots” in it’s name, but I was delightfully surprised with how nice this smelled. Texture wise, this is more of a lotion than a body butter, since it’s so lightweight- but it spread easily and absorbed quickly into my skin without leaving a greasy residue. There wasn’t much in the pouch I received, so I focused on applying what I had in problem areas I typically have in the winter: my elbows, knees, and ankles. My skin stayed soft, smooth, and hydrated all day and well into the night.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! I loved how this product made my skin feel. It was so much lighter in terms of the formula and the fragrance compared to other body butters I’ve tried.

Product #3: Olive Natural Beauty Bar – Lemon & Lavender ($10.00)

I’ve been fiercely loyal to the all-natural, Vermont-based soap company, Scentastics, for a couple of years now, but I decided to try something new and selected a sample of this 100% organic soap.

I could actually smell the citrus notes in this soap before I even finished removing the tissue paper from the box. It was strong, but it smelled fresh and clean. I also thought the packaging was really cute:

The soap was really rich and hydrating, and my skin felt moisturized long after I showered, which was nice. The only downside, as is with most organic soaps that aren’t loaded down with chemicals, is that is wears down and melts away very quickly. My sample was gone after just the one wash, so it should be used sparingly if you want to keep it for a longer period of time without having to repurchase right away.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! I still love my Scentastics soaps, but I wouldn’t be opposed to picking up a bar of this sometime.

Product #4: Immuno-Viva Sunrise Tea ($11.95 for 20 teabags)

I’m a coffee girl, and have been for a long time, but I wanted to give this energizing morning tea a try to see if it did the trick to get me going for the day. A mixture of white, green, and black teas, this fruit & cinnamon flavored blend is supposed to boost immune health, fight free-radicals, and improve concentration.

It tasted sweeter than other teas I’ve tried, which was nice, but I didn’t feel particularly more awake or alert, and ended up grabbing my usual coffee by the afternoon to keep me going.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! Even if I wasn’t exactly energized, this tea tasted good, and would be a nice substitute on the mornings when I don’t want to be completely hyped up on caffeine.

Product #5: Whip Hand Cosmetics, Loose Pigment Eyeshadow in “Medal of Honor” ($14.00)

I have blue eyes, and there are a couple of colors I can wear that really make them pop. For example, purples and golds. The name of this gold/copper, shimmery eye-shadow caught my attention (it comes from a special edition collection with military themed names), and seeing that it was highly pigmented, I decided to give it a shot.

I used a gold tinted primer, and then applied “Medal of Honor” all over my lid and up to my crease. I did not add any additional colors or shadows. It was definitely bold and bright, and lasted all day, only starting to fade in the late hours of last night/early this morning.

My only gripe with the shadow was the container. Loose powder shadows are messy, which is why I prefer pots of them as opposed to tubes, since you can control how much you get on your brush and any shadow left over isn’t wasted. The directions on “Medal of Honor” say it’s best to pour some of the shadow into the cap, which I tried to do, but it ended up going everywhere anyway, and the bit of shadow that I didn’t use was so difficult to get back into the tube that I ended up throwing it away.

Even still, a little goes a long way with this shadow, and as small as the sample was, I feel like I have enough of it left to use for a while.

Would I Purchase?: Yes! I loved the color, and I’d really like to try some of the other shadows in this collection.

Product #6: Mighty Tea Leaf in “Vanilla Bean” ($9.95 for 15 Pouches)

I must have been in a tea mood when I selected my samples for this month, since choosing the Sunrise tea seemingly wasn’t enough for me. I selected this black loose leaf tea, fused with vanilla bean bits and kept in a cute, silken pouch, and hoped for the best. I’d had good luck with the Sunrise tea the other morning, and thought I’d have a similar experience when I brewed this tea earlier today.

Unfortunately, this tea was very bland, even after I added a bit of milk and sugar to try and perk up the flavor. It didn’t taste bad, but it was very boring, and I couldn’t detect a hint of vanilla in it at all, which was disappointing.

Would I Purchase?: No. This was the only sample I received this month that I’d definitely pass on buying in the future.

Overall, I enjoyed this month’s box, and was pleased to discover new brands and products that worked well for me. As I had said in the beginning of this entry, this box was a considerable improvement compared to the one I received in January. Here’s hoping I have the same luck in March!

xx