MyGlam - March 2012

Hello, Beautiful!

I received my March MyGlam Bag, and I'm underwhelmed. Maybe it was because it showed up the same day as my Birchbox Teen Vogue box, but I just wasn't excited about anything this month. Not to mention the actual bag itself smells strongly - which I know will go away with time (at least I hope it will), but for now I threw mine outside to air out. Same goes for their brush case... smells too! I don't know... I might be cancelling my MyGlam subscription soon. I haven't been too impressed with them and with all these subscription services out there, I may have to invest my money elsewhere. I still plan to give MyGlam another month or two, because I do think they're trying to make a good service, but this was not a great month for me. You may love this month's subscription; it all comes down to personal preference.

For more information on MyGlam, or to sign-up and start receiving your own MyGlam bag every month, CLICK HERE. $10 each month.

Check out everything in my bag below... click on pics to view them larger.

March 2012 MyGlam Bag











The Included Info Card:

 

Shipment Quick Stats:

• Value of this month's MyGlam Bag: $31.19 (value is approximate and doesn't include the value of the brush or brush case)
• Total # of Items Received: 7
• # of makeup items: 1
• # of nail items: 0
• # of skincare items: 2
• # of body care items: 0
• # of hair care items: 1
• # of fragrance items: 0
• # of other items: 3

Now I'll break it down, product-by-product...

MyGlam Classic Crease Brush & Case

• DESCRIPTION ON INFO CARD: Hand-selected by Michelle from her recent trip to Hong Kong for Cosmoprof Asia, freshen up your spring makeup routine with this myglam exclusive classic crease brush and brush case.
• MY THOUGHTS: Let's put aside the fact that it smells, because that will fade (I hope), the brush case was a bit of a disappointment. At first I was excited about this; I loved the color and thought it may be usable. But then I realized the brush case doesn't close. The flap just stays open. If it had a magnetic closure it would be something I would use (once the smell went away), but it's not something I'd want to use without a way to keep it closed. I guess I could buy some magnets and make my own closure, but not sure it's worth the effort. The brush that comes with this case is just okay. Seems like cheap quality; I even have some e.l.f. brushes that don't seem as cheap as this one. It kind of reminds me of what GoGoGirlfriend did when they started to include their own brand of brushes; of course the MyGlam brushes are better quality than the GoGoGirlfriend brushes are, but still scares me to think MyGlam is going in that direction of giving us their own brand or products. The brush hairs on their brush are cut cheaply too - as you can tell by mine with that one long hair sticking out. Between the smell and the quality of both the case and the brush I'm not sure I'll use them - at least not anytime soon.
• FULL SIZE: ?
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 1 brush case and 1 crease brush
• VALUE: $?

Pur-lisse Pur-Lip Comfort Daily Lip Nourisher

• DESCRIPTION ON INFO CARD: One of three beauty basics to lay the groundwork for your fresh spring complexion.
• MY THOUGHTS: On the card there are 3 products you could have received, and according to the above description, they are for your complexion... yet there is a lip product which has nothing to do with your complexion. Anyways, I thought this was full sized, but it's not. It's still a very good size, but I actually already have this - received it in my BeautyFix subscription and it was full size in there. I wish I had gotten one of the other products since I already have this. I would have loved the 3Lab Perfect Cleansing Foam!
• FULL SIZE: 0.5 oz @ $22.00
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 0.38 oz
• VALUE: $16.67

 

Pur-lisse Pur-Protect SPF 30 Essential Daily Moisturizer

• DESCRIPTION ON INFO CARD: n/a
• MY THOUGHTS: I'll likely throw this sample packet into my skincare drawers and possibly use it in the future, or give to a friend to try.
• FULL SIZE: 1.7 oz @ $55.00
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 0.14 oz
• VALUE: $4.53

 

Murad Eye Lift Perfector

• DESCRIPTION ON INFO CARD: n/a
• MY THOUGHTS: I already have sample packets of this eye product, so I'll add this to my eye skincare drawer. I have such a hard time believing this sample packet is worth $8.75.. it's tiny.. but I guess it's true unless I did my math wrong - which is always possible. 
• FULL SIZE: 0.06 oz @ $35.00
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 0.015 oz
• VALUE: $8.75

Dermstore $25 Gift Card

• DESCRIPTION ON INFO CARD: n/a
• MY THOUGHTS: Another "gift card" where you have to spend money to use it. Don't get me wrong, it's going to give you half off your order if you spend $50 - since it's $25 off $50. It's great because Dermstore has a lot of great products you can use this on. I just didn't get excited because I have one from my Beautyfix subscription and I still need to use that one.
• FULL SIZE: n/a
• SIZE I RECEIVED: n/a
• VALUE: n/a

KERACOLOR Color Enhancing Leave-In Treatment

• DESCRIPTION ON INFO CARD: This leave-in treatment is especially designed to enhance, protect, strengthen and hydrate all hair types.
• MY THOUGHTS: I'll give this a try at some point in the future; it seems interesting. I wonder how it will work to enhance the blue in my hair?
• FULL SIZE: 5.5 oz @ $40.00
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 0.17 fl oz
• VALUE: $1.24

Let me know what you think...

Did you receive a MyGlam bag this month? If so, what are your thoughts on your box? Feel free to leave a link below to your MyGlam blog post. Discuss in the comments below.



February 2012 Sample Box Showdown!

Hello, Beautiful!

This is the February 2012 Sample Box Showdown! In this post I'll show you every box/kit/bag that I received this month from beauty subscription sampling programs. I'll show you what I got in each one, the value, and what I think is best and worst of the month. Enjoy!

Oh, and there are two shipment I didn't show you this month. The first was Beautyfix, which I received a few weeks ago and have been too busy to photograph. It was an amazing value and lots of great products! I'll post the next shipment (they only come four times a year). Then there is The Look Bag. I signed up at the end of January and never received a bag this month. I tried calling them a week ago, and they said I should already have it and to give it a day or two. I gave it a week, called them again, and this time had to leave a message. I gave them both my phone number and email address, letting them know I didn't get a shipment but was charged for one. They haven't gotten back to me yet, so hopefully they're just trying to resolve the issue before they get in touch. But it's making me nervous.

February 2012 Sample Box Showdown!


Here are the sample boxes I received this month:
 

 




Larger pics of each box:












Value Breakdown:
You can click on each box name to view that blog post.

• Birchbox #1: $18.58 ($10 a month; I received 6 items)
• Birchbox #2: $19.16 ($10 a month; I received 6 items)
• Beauty Army: $72.50 ($12 a month; I received 6 items)
• MyGlam: $17.81 ($10 a month; I received 6 items)
• Green Grab Bag: $58.34 ($15 a month; I received 7 items)

How I'd rate each one:

BIRCHBOX #1:

• This was my Birchbox shipment and I wasn't all that impressed with it. I was happy to receive the Eye Rock, although I still haven't used them. They're thicker than I had thought and I just didn't have time to play around with them yet.
• Best Product: Kiehl's Dark Spot Corrector -- I have dark spots, and like the Kiehl's brand, so I was happy to get this product.
• Worst Product: Supersmile Powdered Mouthrinse -- As much as I love Supersmile toothpaste, I just can't get into the powdered mouthrinse.
• Net Value: Products worth $18.58, minus the monthly fee ($10) = $8.58

BIRCHBOX #2:

• This was the shipment I get my husband (we share shipments, mostly so I can try more products). I liked his box better than mine, but they were pretty equal on value.
• Best Product: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant - Looking forward to using a powder exfoliant!
• Worst Product: heart shaped nail file -- I mean, it's cute and all, but poor quality
• Net Value: Products worth $19.16, minus the monthly fee ($10) = $9.16

BEAUTY ARMY:

• I'm really liking Beauty Army! I like selecting my samples and knowing what I'm going to get for my money. Beauty Army hands down wins this month for best value!
• Best Product: Pssssst Dry Shampoo -- this went on clear and really worked!
• Worst Product: n/a
• Net Value: Products worth $72.50, minus the monthly fee ($12) = $60.50

MYGLAM BAG:

• I was excited to receive a bag this month, especially after not getting one last month, but I wasn't overly impressed. I like it, don't get me wrong, but it's not something I'm jumping out of my seat for. I will say that the actual bag was super, super cute! I'm curious to see what my March bag will have.
• Best Product: NYX Roll-On Glitter -- I love glitter and shimmer, so this was perfect!
• Worst Product: X Out Shine Control -- Even though I have shine, I'm nervous to use this since it's from the makers of Proactive. I worry it will cause a skin reaction, like Proactive did on me. I'll have to try it at some point.
• Net Value: Products worth $17.81, minus the monthly fee ($10) = $7.81

GREEN GRAB BAG:

• This grab bag really impressed me with how much more it felt like I was receiving, when really I only had one more item than all the other shipments this month. I liked that they give a coupon for each product in case you want to go and buy it. The value was nice too, although I've heard the one product in there (the Vapour blush) was something for new subscribers, which would take $28 off the value if this was not a new subscriber bag. I'd have to try this service out more to really get a feel for how much value you get for the price, as it is the most expensive option.
• Best Product: Vapour Aura Multi-Use Blush -- I don't use blush all that often, especially cream blush, but the value of this product was great and I think the color is really beautiful too.
• Worst Product: Soapylane Relaxing Herbal Bath Tea -- I don't take many baths, and I'm not a tea person, so this product just didn't interest me at all.
• Net Value: Products worth $58.34, minus the monthly fee ($15) = $43.34.. then if you minus out the full sized Vapour Blush ($28) = $15.34

And the winner is...

BEAUTY ARMY!

I was most impressed and most happy with my Beauty Army kit, plus, it has the best value out of them all! 

Now let me know what you think...

What shipment was your favorite this month? Which was your least favorite? Did you sign up for any new subscriptions or did you cancel any subscriptions this month? Discuss in the comments below.

MyGlam - February 2012

Hello, Beautiful!

This is my first MyGlam bag, although I should have received a January bag. My January bag was one that was in the shipping mix-up and delivered to someone else. They refunded me for that month, and said they'd include an extra item in this month's bag that would be worth over $10, but I don't think the extra gift this month was very impressive. You'll see everything below. Overall, I'm not super impressed with my first shipment, but it's only one shipment so I can't determine if I'll like the MyGlam service or not. I do like this month's bag... pink with black hearts! Super cute!

For more information on MyGlam, or to sign-up and start receiving your own MyGlam bag every month, CLICK HERE. $10 each month.

MONTH 2012 MyGlam Bag





The Included Info Card:

 

Shipment Quick Stats:

• Value of this month's MyGlam Bag: $17.81 (value is approximate and does not include the X Out product, Ghiradelli Chocolate, NuMe Gift Card, and the extra item for last month's shipping error)
• Total # of Items Received: 6  (7 if you include the extra item)
• # of makeup items: 1
• # of nail items: 0
• # of skincare items: 4
• # of body care items: 0
• # of hair care items: 0
• # of fragrance items: 0
• # of other items: 1

Now I'll break it down, product-by-product...

NYX Roll On Shimmer in Mauve Pink

• DESCRIPTION ON INFO CARD: NYX's brand new, intensely rich, shimmering powder that can be applied to the eyes, face, and body.
• MY THOUGHTS: I like the NYX brand, and I love shimmer/glitter, so I was looking forward to this product. The color is a pretty pink, and even though you can't really tell in the photos, it is very sparkly in person. I don't really like the roll-on style shadows, but I will de-pot this into a jar and use it as a loose shimmer powder (like I did with all my older Maybelline Roller Color shadows).
• FULL SIZE: 0.052 oz @ $4.50
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 0.052 oz (full sized item)
• VALUE: $4.50

 

 

X OUT Shine Control

• DESCRIPTION ON INFO CARD: Stay flawless and shine free with this oil-free moisturizer with a mattifying complex.
• MY THOUGHTS: This is from the makers of Proactive, so I was worried about having an allergic reactions, as I'm allergic to benzoyl peroxide (the acne fighting ingredients in Proactive products). I didn't see that listed in the ingredients, but I could be tricked and it could be listed differently. I only swatched it on my hand for the photos in this post, and today my hand is red where the swatch was. To be fair, I did do a lot of swatching yesterday so that could be the reason. Not sure if I will use this or not.
• FULL SIZE: ??? @ $???
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 0.75 fl oz 
• VALUE: $? -- I can't determine a price since it's not listed for sale on its own, and it's currently a "free gift" when you sign up for the face wash monthly program.

 










FREEMAN Pineapple Enzyme Facial Mask

• DESCRIPTION ON INFO CARD: Turn your date night prep-time into a soothing spa experience with easy-to-use skin-perfecting masks. 
• MY THOUGHTS: I like the Freeman line of masks; they're affordable and work nicely. I haven't tried the pineapple mask, but this one-time use sachet will be a great way to test it out. I didn't open this mask for the photos because I don't have a container to put it in after I open it.
• FULL SIZE: 6 oz @ $3.99
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 0.5 oz
• VALUE: $1.99 is how much it is sold for on the Freeman website (this exact size sachet), but the actual value is $0.33

PREMIER samples

• DESCRIPTION ON INFO CARD: Luxury skincare rich in life-enhancing minerals from the Dead Sea Waters.
• MY THOUGHTS: I received a sample of the Instant Stretching and Revitalizing Mask (the Cinderella Mask), and the Concentrated Facial Serum with vitamins E and C. I'm glad I get to try this brand out, as it's on the pricey side. I didn't open the samples up because I don't have containers right now to put them in, and I'm really interested in trying them out. They may seem like small samples, but they hold pretty good value for sample packets.
• FULL SIZE: Instant Stretching and Revitalizing Mask is 2.04 oz @ $149.99 --- Concentrated Facial Serum with vitamins E and C is 1.7 oz @ $149.99
• SIZE I RECEIVED: Each sample is 0.07 fl oz
• VALUE:  Instant Stretching and Revitalizing Mask is $5.15 --- Concentrated Facial Serum with vitamins E and C is $6.17

NUME $100 Gift Card

• DESCRIPTION ON INFO CARD: Enjoy $100 towards NuMe's products. Hair tools that will revolutionize your everyday look.
• MY THOUGHTS: Now before you get all crazy over this, the generous "gift card" isn't really a true gift card; it's a coupon. A very high value coupon, but it's still just a coupon. You can only use this towards the purchase of styling tools or extensions, and from what I've read, the cheapest option would be $15, plus shipping. I've also read that shipping was close to $25 for someone, making it not worth it at all, but I don't know how much shipping would be. To me, this isn't that much of a deal, unless you were already planning to purchase a NuMe styling tool or extensions. I'm also not including this in the value of this month's bag because it would actually cost me money to use this. Also, there was a unique certificate ID on the back of the card, which I removed in the photo.
• FULL SIZE: n/a
• SIZE I RECEIVED: n/a
• VALUE: $100.00  (I am NOT including this into the monthly value)

GHIRADELLI Chocolate

• DESCRIPTION (written on note in box): Dear Glammies, Here's a sweet surprise with love from San Francisco! Enjoy these decadent delights! xoxo, The MyGlam Team
• MY THOUGHTS: I'm guessing this was MyGlam's Valentine's Day treat. I like Ghiradelli chocolate, and was happy to get plain options (one dark chocolate and one milk chocolate square). It was a nice surprise, one that it already half-gone.

URBAN DECAY Eyeshadow Primer Potion

• DESCRIPTION ON INFO CARD: n/a
• MY THOUGHTS: This must be my extra item MyGlam promised to include in this month's shipping (to help make up for last month's shipping issues). They said the item would be worth over $10, but it's not. You can buy this size primer potion on Urban Decay's website for $9.00 -- sure, that's close to $10, but it's the fact that they specifically said it would be worth more than $10 that bugs me. I bet a lot of people will be let down, thinking it would be something good. It's not even the new version of the primer, in the squeeze tube, instead it's the old style with the doe-foot applicator. However, with all that said, it was still free. I can't really complain because I do like this primer, so it's always nice to have an extra. I just wish MyGlam would follow through with what they say.
• FULL SIZE: 3.7 ml travel size @ $9 
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 3.7 ml
• VALUE: $9.00

Let me know what you think...

Did you receive a MyGlam bag this month? If so, what are your thoughts on your box? Feel free to leave a link below to your MyGlam blog post. Discuss in the comments below.