LipMonthly - August 2014 - pics, swatches, mini reviews!

Hello, Beautiful!

This is my August 2014 LipMonthly box! Check out below to see what I received, a little about each product and my thoughts, as well as a break-down of the value of this month's box!

LipMonthly is just $10 a month! Each month you'll receive 2 to 3 FULL SIZED lip products and 2 to 3 sample sized products (the sample sized products may not always be lip items). And honestly, so far it's been 4 full sized lip products and one non-lip product that is deluxe size or full size. If you want to sign-up for your own LipMonthly box, CLICK HERE (it's my referral link). Join me and let's be LipMonthly friends!

August 2014 LipMonthly Box

Shipment Quick Stats:

• Value of this month's LipMonthly Box: $33.96 (value is approximate)
• Total # of Items Received: 5
• # of FULL SIZED items: 5
• # of deluxe sized sample items: 0
• # of lip items: 4
• # of non-lip items: 1

Now I'll talk about each product...

City Color Cosmetics Be Matte Lipstick
Shade: Phoebe

• MY THOUGHTS: This is a very matte lipstick. In fact, it's so matte that application is anything but smooth - it kind of skips across your lips, even with a little bit of lip balm underneath. It feels very dry on the lips and to a point where you want to apply a lip balm on top because it can be a bit uncomfortable feeling. The shade I received is Phoebe, and it's a really pretty shade. Even though the application and feel isn't the most luxe, I could still see myself using this because I do like the shade.
• SIZE I RECEIVED: Full Size
• VALUE: $3.99

City Color Cosmetics Lip Balm
Shade: Ultra Pink

  

• MY THOUGHTS: This is a repeat product. I received this same product in my July LipMonthly - although this month I did receive a different shade. Last month I hated the shade because it wasn't flattering even a little with the shimmer and the tone - even though it looked like it would be a very bright shade. The Ultra Pink shade is much prettier and way more flattering on me, plus there is no shimmer so it looks and feels better on the lips. This one I may actually use!
• SIZE I RECEIVED: Full Size
• VALUE: $2.99

City Color Cosmetics Magic Balm

• MY THOUGHTS: Are you beginning to wonder if this is a City Color Cosmetics subscription since this is the third City Color Cosmetics product in this month's bag. This is their Magic Balm - a basically clear to pink toned lip balm. It was just okay. Nothing magical about it to me. The tube itself was already crooked in the tube, so it was cheap packaging for sure, and the product didn't feel all that amazing on the lips. Not sure this is one I'd really use.
• SIZE I RECEIVED: Full Size
• VALUE: $3.99

Jesse's Girl Liquid Glass Lip Gloss
Shade: Lip Lock

• MY THOUGHTS: I'm really not a fan of the Liquid Glass Lip Gloss from Jesse's Girl. I used to sell this on my web store several years back and I just never liked them. They smell good and feel comfortable on the lips, but finding a shade that was flattering on me was the tricky part. Lip Lock is a baby doll milky pink shade with slight shimmer. On the lips it looks extremely unflattering on me - but as do almost all milky pink shades. Not a lot of product comes out on the applicator so you have to re-dip 3 to 5 times for one application. It can also look streaky on the lips due the milky-look this shade has.
• SIZE I RECEIVED: Full Size
• VALUE: $4.99

Pixi Lid Last Shadow Pen
Shade: Gilded Mink

• MY THOUGHTS: I was most excited to see this product, but that excitement quickly faded away when I swatched it. This was an old product because it in no way applied the way I know Pixi shadow pens to apply. It even had that "white haze" over the shadow that is a tall-tell sign it's an old product. This swatched so unevenly, stiff, and crumbly. Not smooth at all, like I know these are. Plus, after it sitting on my hand for over 30 seconds, I was able to wipe it away completely with a DRY paper towel.... um, that's not normal for this type of product. Normally I'd need some eye makeup remover, but this was a dry paper towel with nothing on it, and every last piece was removed in two quick swipes of the paper towel. The shade - which I thought was going to be a neutral brown - looks more like an olive green. It's described on Pixi's website as a vintage beige-gold. I can see the gold... but beige? Nope. Not seeing it. Maybe it was at one point.
• SIZE I RECEIVED: Full Size
• VALUE: $18.00

My Thoughts On The Entire Box...

• FULL SIZE/DELUXE SIZE: This box contained all full sized items.
• VALUE: The value was approximately $33.96
• USAGE: I may use the City Color Cosmetics Be Matte Lipstick and the Lip Balm, but other than that, I won't be using the other products. 
• FINAL THOUGHTS: This month they added in a LipMonthly bag, which is totally unnecessary and I'd rather receive better quality/higher value items rather than getting yet another cheap bag I won't use. I was really disappointed that there were four lip items, and of the four, three of them were all from the same brand: City Color Cosmetics. I want variety, not mostly the same brand - and especially such an affordable, cheap brand at that. Last month there were 2 of the 4 products that were City Color Cosmetics. If I get another City Color Cosmetics product in next month's box I think I'll scream. I wouldn't mind getting one in every box, but 2 or 3 in every box is excessive. Doesn't allow someone to try various brands. Also, they had said if you are a YouTuber and make a video to send it to them and they'll send you an extra product. I do have a YouTube channel, but I never made a video. Instead, I made a detailed blog post with great photos showing all the product swatched on hand and lip. I sent them the link and never heard anything back from them. And obviously, as you can tell, I didn't get an extra product. I didn't expect an extra product because they ignore the blogging community - but I was hoping they'd at least reply to my email. But no, I guess they don't appreciate all the hard work that goes into a blog post. It takes time and effort to make a good blog post - just as it does to make a YouTube video. Why they are ignoring the blogging community -- where photos will show up in google searches and such -- is beyond me. I did get this box for free because I had some people sign up under my link, and I have a few more free boxes coming my way, but if I were paying for this subscription I would be pretty let down this month and may even considering cancelling. Still, last month wasn't bad and I've seen Stila products too - but I have yet to see a Stila product in my box/bag (first it was a box, now they have a bag... not sure what to call it). I'm sticking with them and still forming an opinion as a whole service. I'll have to see what September brings.

Let me know what you think...

What are your thoughts on this month's LipMonthly Box? Did you receive an LipMonthly Box this month? If so, what did you get in your box? Discuss in the comments below.