August 6, 2014

StyleBox by Jamberry Nails - August 2014: pics, review

Hello, Beautiful!

Jamberry Nails have recently launched their brand new monthly subscription service called StyleBox by Jamberry Nails. The August 2014 box is their very first box and I was sent a preview to try out and share with you all. I'll give you all the details on the box, as well as show you what the August box included, and give you my thoughts on the subscription service and the nail wrap application process.

StyleBox by Jamberry Nails is a monthly subscription service that delivers $30 worth of Jamberry products to your doorstep every month. The cost is $25 a month which includes shipping, and you do need to sign up for a minimum of 3 months (all billed up front - so a $75 investment). Each month you'll get a minimum of $30 worth of Jamberry nail products - one being an exclusive nail wrap design that you can't buy from their normal catalog of nail wraps and the other item could be another nail wrap or a polish -  plus you'll get a nail file, orange stick, and a monthly style guide. Click here to learn more or to sign up.

You'll take a quiz to find your signature style (you'll fall into either Classic, Trendy, or Feminine), then register which plan you want. Although what your signature style is - mine is Trendy - doesn't affect what you receive in your box. Each box will be the same but you'll get style tips on how to use your nail wraps and pair them to make either a Trendy, Classic, or Feminine look.

If you're interested in signing up for the Stylebox by Jamberry Nails CLICK HERE to go to their website.


August 2014 Stylebox by Jamberry Nails













My Thoughts On The Entire Box...

Seeing as how this is their very first box, I don't have anything to compare it by so it's a completely fresh opinion on the service as a whole. I will say it is a bit pricey for the service... at $25 a month you get $30 worth of Jamberry products, and I don't know about you, but that doesn't seem like an amazing value. Sure you get your money's worth, but with other subscription services you typically pay a lower price and get a higher value in return - such as Ipsy being $10 a month and my boxes are typically in the $40 to $50 value range. With Stylebox you basically save $5 and get free shipping. That's still a deal though, and if you're a fan of Jamberry Nails - or nail wraps in general - then this may be well worth it to you. 

I had never tried Jamberry Nails nail wraps before, and they do require a bit more work to apply. You need to warm them up with a heat source - I used a blow dryer, but I've seen videos of people using a flat iron or a regular iron. A blow dryer worked just fine for me, but I could see how the other options would be better if you don't want to be loud with a blow dryer. 

To apply this wraps like I said you need to warm them up and then place them on your nail, smooth them out, and then you need to apply a heat source again to kind of make sure they stick on. They're a bit more difficult to remove the excess compared to the Sally Hansen Salon Effects (I'm comparing these to the Sally Hansen ones since I think a lot of people have experience with the Sally Hansen Salon Effects). The Sally Hansen Salon Effects are easier to use - no heating up required and they stick really easily and you can just pull and break them off, gently filing off the excess. I find with the Jamberry Nails nail wraps it's easier to file off the excess if you have nails that extend past your actual finger. It's difficult to get a clean even edge if you have stubs. 

I used the floral print on my toe nails and while I was able to get it done eventually, it did take a lot longer than I'm used to when applying this type of product. The Sally Hansen Salon Effects are so easy that I've even done them while driving (I know... that's terrible to say - but I was on a long stretch of highway with no traffic and I was in cruise control). I hardly need to even look with the Sally Hansen Salon Effects because they're so easy for me to apply. The Jamberry ones certainly take a bit more patience and practice. 

I haven't used the chevron pattern yet - which is the exclusive nail wrap print for this Stylebox. I love that pattern but I want to use them on my fingers when my nails are a bit longer. Right now my nails are torn up from moving boxes and furniture around, and I didn't want to waste these wraps on little stubs. 

I will say that these do stay on for a long time. You're supposed to get 10 to 14 days of wear, if not longer. On my toes I got more wear than my fingers. I forgot to mention I did use some of the floral pattern on my fingernails to test the wear on them. They lasted me a good week and a half before I just got tired of them and wanted to change them up.

I do find that they're a bit thicker than the Sally Hansen, so I feel they are more sturdy and easy to cut to size and work with in that sense. Where as the Sally Hansen ones can stretch to fit your nail, but often times can break. 

Also, the plus about the Jamberry Nails nail wraps is you don't have to worry about them drying out because you need to heat these up before you use them anyway. So you can use one or two, put them back and not worry they'll be dried out next time you go to use them. You can also get multiple uses out of one set of nail wraps - I was able to do my toes and some of my finger nails from just the one floral set of nail wraps.

I do think this subscription service would be much better if they allowed you to pay month by month. A $75 investment up front is a lot, but then again you pay once for three months and don't have to think about it again for another 2 months. They also offer discounts if you buy longer subscriptions - saving you a little bit of money off the regular price.

And if you didn't know, Jamberry Nails has consultants that sell the nail wraps individually - they're $15 each - and from what I could find, each consultant will only get 4 invites for the Stylebox every month. With that being said, that could mean you have a wait list to get this or you just find a different Jamberry Nails consultant. I don't know if ordering direct from the website assigns you to a consultant or not - like I said, I was sent this box for consideration and I wanted to share it with you all.

So who do I think this box is perfect for? Well to start I think this box would be wonderful for anyone who likes to have their nails looking good but doesn't have the time to do them. You're guaranteed at least one set of nail wraps in your box, and you could get 2 sets or the other products could be a polish or two. If you're not into surprises this isn't a box for you because you don't get to choose your wraps. You have to be open to whatever patterns, styles and colors you receive. For example, I am so not a floral person and would have never picked out those floral nail wraps from their website - but I used them because I had them and actually was happy to step outside my box. I will say that on the toes the floral print did look a bit odd from a distance because aside from the big toe you really couldn't distinguish a pattern so it just looked a bit like abstract art or colors thrown together. So for my toes, if I had a pattern similar, I would just apply to my big toe and choose a complimenting polish for the other toes. On the nails they looked great.

I'm looking forward to trying that cheveron print on my nails in the near future. Is this something I'm personally going to jump on and try out, eh, probably not. I don't have $75 extra dollars to invest all up front at this time - but I do want to keep this as an option for the future because even though the process of applying the Jamberry Nails nail wraps was a bit more tedious, I actually like these nail wraps a lot and think the final results are well worth the effort!

If you're interested in signing up for the Stylebox by Jamberry Nails CLICK HERE to go to their website.

Let me know what you think...
Did you receive a Stylebox by Jamberry Nails this month? If so, what are your thoughts on the box? Have you tried Jamberry Nails nail wraps before? Discuss in the comments below.

August 2, 2014

Mirabella Pearls & Pastels Collection: Eyeshadow Pigment in Refreshment, Colour Luxe Lip Gloss in Minted, & Cheeky Blush in Girly - pics, swatches, reviews

Hello, Beautiful!

Mirabella has come out with a cute new collection called Pearls & Pastels. This collection features three shades of Cheeky Blush - I have the shade Girly - an Eyeshadow Pigment in the shade Refreshment, and a Colour Luxe Lip Gloss in the shade Minted.

I have to say, I'm kind of obsessed with the lip gloss because it has a mint chocolate scent - yum! The pigment is a pretty shade with versatility, and the blush gives you a gorgeous finish (matte yet with a radiance - but not shimmer or glitter!).

Continue reading to see product info and my review on each product!

Mirabella Pearls & Pastels Collection
Products/Shades: Eyeshadow Pigment in Refreshment, Colour Luxe Lip Gloss in Minted, Cheeky Blush in Girly
Continue scrolling down to see more pics of each product!



Mirabella Eyeshadow Pigment
Shade: Refreshment

 

  

 









Mirabella Eyeshadow Pigment Info & Review:
Cost/Availability: $28.00 (0.05 oz/1.5 g full size). Available on the Mirabella website.
My Rating: 5 out of 5 Kisses!

Product Info...

Innovative loose powder formula contains conditioning ingredients to soften skin. Versatile pigment can be blend from icy to mint, with either a wet application for bright color with a sharper finish, or a dry application for a more pearlescent look.

Refreshment Eyeshadow Pigment offers mint green color with buildable coverage, ranging from a sheer wash to intense finish.


My Review...

Mint ins't my go-to shade of choice when it comes to eyeshadow, but I'm oddly drawn to mint shades whenever I'm out and about (I almost bought the Lorac Mint Edition Palette just for that mint shade). When you open the Mirabelle Eyeshadow Pigment in Refreshment the shade looks more teal than mint. But don't let that fool you! This loose shadow can go from a sheer, pearlescent mint to an opaque icy minty-teal shade.

Applied dry you get a pastel mint with a pearlescent sheen. It can really be blended out softly or packed on for more intensity. Applied wet and you'll get a more intense, opaque icy minty-teal shade that still has a pretty pearlescent effect.

I personally prefer to apply this dry because I'm drawn to that lighter mint shade, but I like that I have the option to go bolder - such as if I wanted to use this as a colorful liner shade.

I do think this shadow is a bit pricey for a loose pigment; I have other mint shades in my collection at a lower cost (maybe I can try and find a dupe for those that want this shade but can't afford it), but the Mirabella quality is what justifies the price. It's a very silky smooth pigment - not at all dry or chalky like some cheaper brands offer. You can really feel the difference between higher end pigments and lower cost pigments.

If you're looking for a mint shade that can go light and ethereal or bright and bold, then this is the perfect loose shadow for you!



Mirabella Colour Luxe Lip Gloss
Shade: Minted











Mirabella Colour Luxe Lip Gloss Info & Review:
Cost/Availability: $26.00 (0.13 oz full size). Available on the Mirabella website.
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Kisses

Product Info...

Smooth shimmer for luxe lips. Never sticky lip gloss delivers maximum shine and dazzling three-dimensional sparkle. Mint shade applies clear with a gorgeous sparkle.

Minted Colour Luxe Lip Gloss features clear color and high-shine with iridescent and pearlescent pearls to create sparkle, as well as an indulgent chocolate mint scent and an anti-aging peptide. The formula includes Monoi de Tahiti to moisturize, Jojoba Oil to condition, and Vitamins A, C and E - along with Pomegranate Extract - to provide lips with high concentrations of antioxidants.


My Review...

When I first saw this lip gloss I had a sneaky suspicion this wouldn't have any color to it at all, despite it's minty green appearance in the tube. And I was right; it's just a clear gloss with sparkle. But the sparkle is really beautiful in this one - and you don't feel any glitter or grit on your lips.

I will say that $26 is a bit pricey for a clear gloss with sparkle, but the formula is a bit more luxe feeling than other clear glosses with sparkle that I own. The price may be a negative when it comes to purchasing this gloss - especially this particular shade. They do have their regular line of Colour Luxe Lip Glosses - available in 7 shades - if you'd rather purchase this gloss in a color version (still with sparkle).

But what I will say that I love about this particular gloss, and what I think sets it apart, is the way it smells. I'm obsessed with the scent - it has a mint chocolate scent - yummy! The scent and formula is what I feel sets this gloss apart from other clear glosses with sparkle. The scent even sets it apart from their regular line of Color Luxe Lip Glosses - which, from my understanding, have a vanilla scent (still a great scent - but I'm digging the mint chocolate).

This gloss looks great on its own, but I love topping off lipsticks with this to add a little something-something. This gloss over the Mirabella Color Vinyl Lipstick in Rosy Rouge is oh so gorgeous. And just a little side note: the Mirabella Color Vinyl Lipstick in the shade Rosy Rouge may be my first lipstick that I use up completely... between the formula and the perfect "your lips but better" shade, it's an easy go-to choice for me and one that I reach for very often.

I think this Minted gloss is a great way to instantly make your lips look glossy and sparkly in a sophisticated, gorgeous way!




Mirabella Cheeky Blush
Shade: Girly

 

 
 
 







Mirabella Cheeky Blush Info & Review:
Cost/Availability: $30.00 (0.11 oz/3 g full size). Available on the Mirabella website.
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Kisses

Product Info...

One minute radiance boost! Glide-on Prismatech powder provides beautiful buildable color with a weightless velvety finish. Custom designed for easy on-the-go application. Matte finish. Fine, light-diffusing particles provides a soft focus effect, making skin appear naturally smoother.

For the Pearls & Pastels Collection, the Mirabella Cheeky Blush is available in three shades:
  • Girly (pink)
  • Classy (coral)
  • Lively (fuchsia)


My Review...

This blush is in a cute little pod-like packaging. They're designed to glide on straight from the pod, but I prefer using a brush just because I feel like I have more control using a blush than straight from the product itself.

The shade I have, Girly, is a gorgeous pink shade. Even though they have a matte finish there is a radiance about it that makes it look glowly almost without any sparkle or shimmer at all. It has a really pretty, sophisticated finish to it.

There are two other shades in the collection: Classy - which is a coral shade, and Lively - which is a fuchsia shade. I think all three shades can be very wearable on anyone depending on application. Although if I were to buy another shade I'd probably go for Classy (the coral shade).

If you hate/don't like shimmer blushes but feel like matte blushes can look too flat or dull, then the Mirabella Cheeky Blush is a great option for you. No shimmer or glitter; just a gorgeous healthy looking flush!



Now let me know what you think...
What do you think of this collection? What product from this collection do you want to try or have you tried? Discuss in the comments below.