domynoe

[domynoe]

For some reason, it never occurred to me that Project Gutenberg would have public domain old cookbooks. This is BRILLIANT. There’s a 1953 cranberry recipe pamphlet and a suffrage cookbook from 1915 and a translation of Apicus’s guide to food in Imperial Rome and a whole bunch of other fascinating old cookbooks, many pre-1800. Treasure trove!

[domynoe]

So strange to be here again after so many years. I have no idea what this will be now.

[domynoe]

This is going to be a long one, because I had to do A LOT to figure out July's CurlBox (of course, I'm also posting this review early, so that tells you something...or not, lol). I did learn something about my hair though, but we'll get to that in the reviews. The box was a bit "incomplete" for me this month as it did not contain a regular conditioner for the line. I couldn't initially find the line's conditioner, so I purchased another "similar" product, then later managed to pick up the right conditioner. So this month includes two extra non-box items.

In July's CurlBox: Crème of Nature Pure Honey Moisturizing Dry Defense Shampoo ($5.99), Crème of Nature Pure Honey Moisture Replenish & Strength Hair Mask ($6.99), Crème of Nature Pure Honey Break Up Breakage Leave-In Conditioner ($6.99), Crème of Nature Pure Honey Knot Away Leave-In Detangler ($5.99), Crème of Nature Pure Honey Moisture Whip Twisting Cream ($6.99), Crème of Nature Pure Honey Moisture Infusion Edge Control ($5.99). Total Value: $38.94 My extra purchases were the Crème of Nature Pure Honey Moisturizing Dry Defense Conditioner and the Garnier Whole Blends Repairing Conditioner Honey Treasures.

Before I review the individual items, it's important to note that this line pointed out a problem ingredient combo for my hair. My hair gets weighted down by, but doesn't otherwise react poorly to, dimethicone. As long as I don't use it daily, my curl doesn't get too flat. I also generally don't appear to have a problem with isopropyl alcohol. It is drying, but as long as I use other products to get in my moisture, or it's very low on the ingredient list, I can use products with it as an ingredient. However, the combination in the same product, turns my hair into a frizzy, dry mess, especially if the isopropyl is listed before dimethicone. I apparently can layer products containing dimethicone OR isopropyl (i.e., use a styling product with dimethicone followed up by one with isopropyl, for example), but not products containing both (not sure why it works that way, but that's the results of the various tests I ended up having to do to work with this line).

Of course, all this also means this line drove me crazy the first week I used it. Let's get to the reviews....

Moisturizing Dry Defense Shampoo :: Contains dimethicone. This is a beautiful looking shampoo, kind of a marbled gold, and it has a nice lather. It kind of gives me a bit of the squeak, just not as high-pitched and it doesn't appear to get worse with further use. Hair was a touch dry and a little tangled (not as much as with the Maui). My wet curl without conditioner was more of a wave than a curl. It's taken a bit of finagling and playing around with options, but this is usable. Nothing I'd purchase.

Moisture Replenish & Strength Hair Mask :: Contains isopropyl alcohol and dimethicone, in that order. The consistency of this is more like a standard conditioner. It's so loose that it's a bit messy to work with. It does have really great slip, but my wet curl was lacking, and I had damp hair flyaways. Hair does feel soft when wet, not so much when dry. This will go to my oldest for her daughter (unless she wants it; seeing as her hair is short so doesn't need defined curl, it might work for her).

Moisturizing Dry Defense Conditioner :: Contains isopropyl alcohol and dimethicone, in that order. This is VERY thick and probably would be better in a pump or in an easier to squeeze tube-type container. This conditioner looks/performs better with wet hair than dry. It had nice slip, great wet curl, only slight dryness on the ends and in one spot underneath that tends to be dryer than the rest of my hair anyway, didn't require a lot of my serum, and with the leave-in and twist cream, my hair was soft down to the ends and had great pre-plopping curl. However, my morning hair, while somewhat more defined than with the mask, was still frizzy and had less volume. It's not horrible, but it's not something I want to keep using either. Just not impressed with it, so it too will probably go to my oldest for her or her daughter.

Garnier Whole Blends Repairing Conditioner Honey Treasures :: Contains isopropyl alcohol. It also contains amodimethicone, which isn't a cone that builds up, is easily removed by products with coco-betaine, and is possibly helpful for the hair (and may be why, even with the isopropyl, it's better on my hair than the Pure Honey conditioner) This is VERY VERY thick and has amazing slip. My first use of this was on a day that would normally be a rinse day (no shampoo), but because of the amount of product I had to use to restore my curls, I did wash a little to remove the excess product. My hair was silky and smooth with A LOT of wet curl. Still had some frizz in the morning, but not nearly as bad as when I used only Pure Honey products, and I needed less touch up to deal with it. Even better, my definition was almost as good as it was with the Shea Moisture line. Very impressed with this conditioner, and it's half the price of the Pure Honey products. The only downside was that the scent was stronger than the Pure Honey line as well (all these honey products smell incredibly floral), but I think it's a great backup conditioner and intend to finish it off.

I initially used the mask as conditioner since I didn't have one in the box to test JUST this line.  As always, my first use didn't include pre-conditioning or the mask I usually use for my ends. Since I didn't get a conditioner, but the mask is supposed to be highly moisturizing, I figured I could use it for the conditioner as long as I kept it on my hair as long as required. Nope. My hair was a WRECK in the morning: frizzy, no defined curl, and took A LOT of product to "refresh" (first day hair!) and get something more defined (and the frizz never went completely away). Pre-conditioning with the mask support and using the Garnier helped, but some frizz and dryness persisted. Even my wet curl is more flyaway. The Garnier works the best between the two conditioners, but my Shae Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Conditioner helps the most, gives me more slip, better wet curl, less flyaways, less frizz, and more defined dry curls even when used with other Pure Honey products. I can even mix it with the Garnier for better results (and less cost than using it by itself). The Pure Honey conditioner and mask have been removed from my routine.

Knot Away Leave-In Detangler :: Dimethicone is the THIRD ingredient. That's A LOT of dimethicone. This is very thick, but it thins out really well. It does have great slip and did restore some of the wet curl I was missing with the rest of the Pure Honey line. That said, a lot of dimethicone combined with a product I don't normally need or use means this too is going to my oldest for her daughter.

Break Up Breakage Leave-In Conditioner :: Contains isopropyl alcohol. I do not like applying this directly to my hair with the spray: it's awkward and doesn't really give me enough—a pump would be much better for this product. As it is, I spray it into the palm of my hand to get enough product. Applied that way, it goes through my hair well, gives me plenty of wet curl, and doesn't appear to encourage more frizz when my hair is dry. I had taken it out of the routine for a bit to figure out if it was contributing the mess my hair seemed to be with this line, then put it back in once I realized it was probably the isopropyl alcohol/dimethicone combo that was the problem. Hair had nice post-scrunching/pre-plopping curl, fewer flyaways, and decent curl in the morning with some frizz but less than it had been, and hair feels fine. It's okay—I'm not noticing anything amazing about it, but also not anything horribly bad either. I honestly prefer the Shea Moisture Manuka Honey and Mafura Oil Milk, but I will use this, I'm just unlikely to repurchase once it's gone.

Moisture Whip Twisting Cream :: Consistency is more like a mask—it's very creamy but thick, even a bit thicker than it seems, but it's very smooth and feels very moisturizing (especially compared to the rest of the line). It practically melts into my hair when applied. I initially had to scrunch a bit more to get the kind of pre-plopping curl I'm used to, but as I've sorted out what I can and shouldn't use from the line, that's not been as big a problem. This actually worked really well with the Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Leave-In Milk: fewer damp flyaways, great post-plopping curl, more defined curl in the morning, any frizziness (yes, there was some) was easier to deal with, and there was very little dryness. As I've used this more, I've come to like it more, and out of all the products, it's the one I'd be most likely to repurchase.

Moisture Infusion Edge Control :: This is a sold, gel-like edge controller, much like the Cantu I initially tried. It has less stickiness than the Cantu, and has the nice, soft hold that I like. It's not a hold that will last all day for me, which isn't a problem. Edges feel soft and moisturized, and I haven't seen any flaking, but to be fair,  I haven't used this much either (it, like the Shea Moisture one I have, will last me foooorever). Don't hate it, but don't think I'd repurchase either...assuming I ever need to.

So, domy tried this line and isn't impressed. My hair was more flyaway, even when wet, and the curl results were crappy with a lot more frizz for the most part. The only thing in the line I'd consider purchasing is the Moisture Whip Twisting Cream. I will use the shampoo, leave-in conditioner, twisting cream, and edge control, but I'm really hoping I'll love next month's box and be able to rotate most of this out then. For this line, the shampoo works with the Garnier conditioner (preferably mixed with Shea Moisture), my usual serum, and the leave-in with either the Maui Mask or the Shea Milk, and finishing with the twist cream. The thing about having CurlBox is that the cost of it means it's difficult for me to purchase replacements when the ones sent don't work. I'll be trying another Shea Moisture conditioner (trying the Jamaican Black Castor Oil Rinse Out Conditioner) with the shampoo soon (the Maui wasn't moisturizing enough for the Maui shampoo, so it's unlikely to help with this line) because I'm out of the Mafura Oil conditioner, and I wasn't running to two different stores to replace it, but in general, replacements aren't in the budget. Fortunately, the previous boxes left me plenty of product to provide support to this line.

As an aside, I get why companies add dimethicone—it gives products their slip—but why isopropyl alcohol, which is drying to hair, in products that claim to add moisture? (To be fair, at least one Shea Moisture product also has isopropyl, but it's like one of the last half dozen or so ingredients and doesn't seem to have as big an effect as it did with these products.)

Anyway, June's box didn't impress, and July's was a disappointment, so here's hoping August is as good or better than May's Shea box.

[domynoe]

My July Ipsy is running a bit late—DHL claims it handed it over to USPS, Informed Delivery says "Nope! Still waiting!"

Hrrrrmmmm....

Well, hopefully it'll show up soon. In the meantime, there's still last month's bag. Last month I received two Saem Sheet Masks ($3.99), a Luxie 245 Small Shader Eye Brush ($12), M·A·C Prep + Prime Skin ($6.20), Hey Honey Come Clean: Propolis & Minerals Facial Scrub ($5.45), and a Steve Laurant Eyeshadow in Sea Green ($16). Total Value: $43.64. The bag itself didn't appeal to me so went into my Project Beauty Share box.

On to the reviews!

Saem Sheet Masks :: I don't like or use sheet masks, so these have gone into my giveaway box.

Luxie 245 Small Shader Eye Brush :: I love this brush. It's the perfect size and shape to deepen colors in the crease and put color along the lower lash line. It really is rare to go wrong with a brush for me (though it has before, especially when it comes to face brushes), but it's still nice to get them. :)

M·A·C Prep + Prime Skin :: I received this in my Ipsy bag. This is a little thicker than my  NYX Hydra Touch Primer or  Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer, but otherwise very similar to both. It's creamy and refreshing on application, and my skin feels soft once it soaks in. However, I didn't notice it doing anything groundbreaking, and the Nyx, which works just as well, is less than 1/3 the price (and I can get a small size of the Smashbox for half the price). For that reason, though I'll use the sample up, I'm unlikely to purchase it.

Hey Honey Come Clean: Propolis & Minerals Facial Scrub :: This is very stiff and somewhat difficult to get out of the tube. And it's messy. Granted, my dyi coffee scrub is also messy, but I feel like tat does something for me. not so much with this: the crystals dissolve pretty quickly, and the serum doesn't really do anything to soften the skin (in fact, my skin felt dry). And if you have any sensitivity or even small abrasions, this will sting. not interested in using it again.

Steve Laurant Eyeshadow in Sea Green :: This is not as pigmented as I expected, and the color doesn't match what you see in the pan. There's no kickback, but quite a bit of fallout. And the shadow appears to be a bit brush fussy: it seems to do better with a stiffer brush. I've also had some issue with it sealing a bit (I use tape to lift the sealed layer and it works fine). All that said, it's a beautiful color and a decent shadow, and I enjoy using it.

domy tried these and is overall very happy. Two items are out, but of the other three, even the one that I wouldn't repurchase wasn't bad, it just isn't anything I'd pay for because I have similar products that work just as well for less.  This was a very good bag with a decent value, and the items I ended up liking are about three times what I paid. To me, that's a very good value indeed.

[domynoe]

We're a few subs down these days, but we still have some. And I'm considering doing a "mystery" subscription that changes every month or two just to try out new ones. Of course, if I end up liking one of them, we may have a problem, but I think it would be interesting to have one video a month on a random subscription. I'm still thinking about it, especially since I'd probably end up going through the ones in my price range pretty quickly.

But today is about June's Boxycharm! In last months box: Luxie 3 Piece Flawless Complexion Brush Set ($38), Battington Monroe Silk Lashes ($28), Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream 25ml ($10), OFRA Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick ($20), Jonteblu Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil ($6), and the Alamar Reina Del Caribe Vol. 1 Eyeshadow Palette ($28). Total Value: $130.

This was an interesting mix for me. Let's get to the reviews!

Battington Monroe Silk Lashes  :: Figured I'd get these out of the way first. I don't wear false lashes, so these are going in my 500 subscriber giveaway box.

Luxie 3 Piece Flawless Complexion Brush Set :: I have mixed feelings about this set. I love the highlighter brush, but have had to find uses for the other two (either or both of which might end up in my Project Beauty Share box). The foundation brush is nothing I'd use for foundation, the powder brush is too small for powder for me. I actually really like Luxie brushes in general, these just aren't anything I reach for with the exception of the highlighter brush.

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream 25ml :: I've had some trouble figuring out how/where to use this since I'm not an all over body cream kind of girl. The scent is a bit strong, but it's a nice smooth, creamy consistency. I actually ended up using it on my face at night, and it seems to work well for that as long as I go really light. I wakeup with my face nice and soft and not oily (which is hard to manage for my oily skin in the summer). With the amount I use, this small size will last me a REALLY long time.

OFRA Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick  :: I've reviewed this before in another color. I really like this formula: smooth, creamy, comfortable, pigmented. This particular color is a little too nude for me, but it plays nicely with most other liquid lipsticks so I can adjust it to make it more wearable for me.

Jonteblu Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil :: This is another item that will either go to my daughter or to PBS. The color is brown, which isn't a color I use because my skin eats browns. They have to be extremely dark, with a red or other cast, or very light to work for me.

Alamar Reina Del Caribe Vol. 1 Eyeshadow Palette :: I LOVE this palette. That said, it's not perfect. El Malecon gives me loads of fallout (glitter all over my chest) even with a sponge tip applicator. The other shimmers have some fallout as well, but not nearly as bad. The mattes are amazing, even without primer, and the colors are pretty amazing. This is my favorite item in the box. Just beautiful.

Overall, I'm really happy. The one thing I adore more than paid for the box, and there are only two things I won't use and will be passing on. From what I've seen of July's box, I suspect I'm in for my first box I'll not be as happy with, but in my experience, no sub is 100%.  Anyway, domy tried these and is generally pretty happy!

Just waiting on Ipsy, curlBox, and Notoriously Morbid now. I'm no longer subbed to Yes Oh Yas for a number of reasons. It's a decent subscription, but there are issues, and I want to poke about other subscriptions. I also have a non-beauty subscription coming to the channel that I'm really excited about, and will soon be filming a "mini-subs" video with a couple smaller one time subscriptions (plus Ear Fleek). In the meantime, go check out the Summer Haul video, and stay until the end for a surprise. ;)

[domynoe]

I have to say, I'm REALLY enjoying CurlBox. I mean, look at the curls in that second photo! This is hair I haven't seen since I was a toddler.

Now this 50ish something has to learn how to style it.

June's box wasn't as impressive to me as May's, but still a pretty good box. We received the Maui Moisture Heal + Hydrate Shea Butter line which included the shampoo and conditioner (of course, $8.99 each), the Detangler Leave-In ($8.99), the Hair Mask ($8.99), and their Strength & Anti-Breakage Agave Raw Oil ($10.99) . Total Value: $46.95

One of the things I like about having the CurlBox products (in addition to the great things they're doing for my hair), is that I use them a lot more than the cosmetics I receive, so I'm able to give more in depth reviews here on tumblr. With that said, let's get to it!

Maui Moisture Heal + Hydrate Shea Butter Shampoo :: This is the only product in the box that I ended up having a major problem with. It's thick and creamy, but I noticed a bit more tangling as I rinsed. It lathers up quite a bit, but it gave me the dreaded squeaky clean squeak, which indicates the product is stripping your hair. I also noticed less "wet curl" (how much curl I have after rinsing and gently removing excess water, but before wrapping in a towel). I ended up pulling it from my products for my hair...I use it for hand soap now. lol Now, to be fair, this may be a hair type/shampoo routine issue: a number of people on IG have indicated that the shampoo leaves their hair feeling very moisturized, but all the ones I noticed have kinkier hair than I do.

Maui Moisture Heal + Hydrate Shea Butter Conditioner :: This is VERY thick, almost to the point of being difficult to get out of the bottle (I really feel this could have used a pump). It did seem to help with the extra tangling I noticed with the shampoo: my hair was silky after rinsing. The first time, I didn't use my support mask (I use the Whole Blends repair mask for my ends), and while they didn't feel dry, they did feel like they could use the extra moisture the mask provides. It performs much better with the Shea Moisture shampoo: my hair felt silky down to the ends and I had more wet curl than when using this conditioner with its companion shampoo.

Without the extra conditioning support, after using both the shampoo and conditioner, my hair felt drier when scrunched with my microfiber towel. It needed more of my hydration serum and gave me less curl after all my leave-ins were applied. My hair felt softer in the sense of...hold?, but it was also frizzier once dry. The oil helped some, but it seems this conditioner needs the support mask or a more moisturizing shampoo to be effective for me, whereas the Shea Moisture from May did just fine on its own.

Maui Moisture Heal + Hydrate Shea Butter Detangler Leave-In :: while this did seem to help me run my fingers through my dry hair a bit more easily, I actually don't get much tangling now days in the first place. I also noticed a little less curl. Nothing hugely significant, but enough to notice after the curl explosion I experienced in May. For me, it just feels like additional product that I probably don't need, and that could be weighing down my curls...and I'd rather have the curls. ;)

Maui Moisture Heal + Hydrate Shea Butter Hair Mask :: So this heavy, thick mask can be used either in the shower or as a leave-in. I've tried it as both.

As an in shower mask, it helped with how the shampoo dried out my hair, and my hair felt smooth and silky. However, my hair still needed more of the hydration serum—less than without the mask, but still more than when I used the Shea Moisture products. My curl did look better than without using the mask, so this might also be a good support in shower mask, but as a mask on its own, I don't think it's quite enough for me.

I actually prefer using it as a leave-in. Because it's so thick, I have to go VERY easy on it. My hair feels soft and supple after plopping, and I can see/feel the natural curl without needing to encourage it with finger curls. And the amount of curl in the morning is astonishing some days. There is a bit less definition when I don't finger curl, but it's still a beautiful amount of curl. I'll probably continue to use it as a leave-in rather than an in-shower mask (the Whole Blends is cheap enough to continue purchasing).

Strength & Anti-Breakage Agave Raw Oil :: Haven't used this much, but I've liked it when I have. It needs time to soak in (note: my hair is on the lower end of porosity), but once it does, it helps add moisture and definition to dry hair and reduces frizz. And it adds beautiful shine. I like the scent—not as much as the Moroccanoil, but it's very pleasant.

Overall, this was an okay month. I like them enough to keep using them (with the exception of the shampoo and probably the detangler), but I wouldn't purchase them after this despite the curl results: I don't like feeling like I need to use more products to get the base products to work. The detangler will probably end up going to my daughter for her girl since it doesn't really do that much for me, and I'll probably continue to use the shampoo as hand soap.

Supposedly this month we're getting SIX products! And from the one spoiler they've given, it looks like a honey line. I can hardly wait! :D

[domynoe]

Finally getting my Yes Oh Yas post up, this may be the last YOY review for a bit (though right now I'm leaning towards at least one more month). There are some financial changes going on that are impacting us for the worse, and this makeup stuff is expensive. YOY is actually pretty affordable in general, but I think Boxycharm has better brands usually (or at least better known ones overall), I'm LOVING CurlBox, and Ipsy isn't enough of a cost to make much of a difference. I had a couple other smaller subs I'd just started this month that have already been canceled as well. Anyway, am going to see how the next month or so goes, then decide the fate of YOY.

All that to let you know there's changes afoot. We'll just have to see how things pan out.

But we still have May's box! In May we received: Nomad Havana Eyeshadow in Cohiba ($12), Laritzy Lip Pencil in Retro Red ($18), Cosmoholic Liquid Lipstick with L.E.D. Light ($24.99), Sorme Treatment Cosmetics Smearproof Eyeliner in Teal ($11.99), Estate Dew Me Baked Highlighter in Lit ($10). Total Value: $76.98

On to the reviews!

Nomad Havana Eyeshadow :: This is going straight into my give away box. It's brown (from what I've seen and heard, I'm doubting anyone got the other colors YOY showed off in the spoiler, but I have no idea), and brown dies on my skin. So I'd rather keep it unswatched/unused and give it away to someone else who might love it.

Laritzy Lip Pencil :: Laritzy is one of those brands that really doesn't do much for me—there's more misses than hits, and even the hits are only hits because they're okay. They tend to be overpriced in my view, so I'd never take the risk of buying anything of theirs. The color is pretty, though a bit pinker than I normally use, but it's dry, stiff, and breaks easily. At least the pigmentation is halfway decent, but this may end up in my Project Beauty Share box, because, meh.

Cosmoholic Liquid Lipstick with L.E.D. Light :: Honestly, the light n the cap is a gimmick to charge more and is more a distraction than helpful (though it might be useful in say, a dark club or restaurant, though I think most of us would go to a restroom to touch up makeup). The mirror is a nice touch though. It is smooth, creamy, and pigmented, but doesn't play well with other colors. It's also VERY glossy, which doesn't bother me, but might bother others. Overall, it's...eh, okay. Nothing I'd buy on my own. I'd probably give it to Project Beauty Share if I could. As it is, hoping my oldest will like it because I don't see myself really using it.

Sorme Treatment Cosmetics Smearproof Eyeliner :: This has beautiful color and is almost as smooth as the  Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil—not quite as there is some tugging, but not a lot. It's not enough to be uncomfortable or difficult to work with. Not 100% smudge proof (some transfer to my finger). I'll probably stick with setting spray + eyeshadow as a favorite eyeliner, with UD being my first favorite pencil liner, but this is pretty decent. The price is reasonable for it too.

Estate Dew Me Baked Highlighter :: This is the one thing in the box I really loved. It's soft and silky with beautiful color and pigmentation. It can be a subdued glow or can be built up to a pretty bright glow. And it looks really pretty on my skin. Definitely a keeper for me.

domy tried these and...eh. Not impressed. The only two things I really liked were the Sorme and the Estate, and I while I'll keep and use them, I don't see either getting a lot of use. And between the two of them, they barely cover the cost of the box. Now, this kind of thing does happen—not every box is going to rock for a subscriber (Boxycharm isn't looking too impressive to me for next month, but there's only been two spoilers, so it could get better)—so I tend to not let one month be a decision breaker for me.

That said, I really hope I'm happy with the box I'll be opening later. ;)

[domynoe]

All my boxes are incoming, so I need to get my last two reviews up quickly! Before that though, there's a change coming. We're hitting some financial rough waters (hub's employer has taken him off his tipped hours, which was an additional $150+/month AND cut his other hours as well), so some stuff has to go. I had picked up some smaller, inexpensive subs, but those had to be canceled. Plus we canceled hub's Loot Crates (he was going to unbox one of them on the channel, but that's a moot point now), and I'll probably be pausing Yes Oh Yas if necessary. I'm trying to keep Boxycharm, CurlBox, and Ipsy. If all of this goes down the way it looks like it will at this point, I'll be back to hunting free samples for channel content and only be able to so the three subscriptions, if that much. It sucks, but it is what it is, and family comes first. I'm really enjoying my channel, but it's a hobby that sucks up money. Unless I get more PR or 800 more subscribers (so I can monetize and join Octoly), the channel is the least of my concerns.

All righties, all that said, let's get on to May's Boxycharm! For a $21/month box, May had amazing value! But it was also Boxy's fifth birthday, so an amazing value makes sense. In last month's box: Cover FX Blurring Primer ($38), Han Skin Care Lip Gloss ($15), Aesthetica P12 Face Brush ($27), Pretty Vulgar The Ink Gel Eyeliner ($24), Aesthetica 3 Piece Brush Trio ($45), Pur Sculptor Palette ($30), Total Value: $179!

I'm going to leave the brushes for last as they go together, but let's get to the reviews!

Cover FX Blurring Primer :: This has a thicker consistency than I like, though it's not as thick as my Nyx Pore Filler (which I really don't like so rarely use). However, mixed in with either my Nyx Hydra Touch Primer or the Smashbox Primerizer, I can adjust the consistency and still get a really nice finish, forming a nice canvass for foundation. And it retains some of that moisturizing effect of the other two primers. As a mix, I like it, but not enough to purchase it when it's gone.

Han Skin Care Lip Gloss :: This is creamy, smooth, and has great pigment for a gloss—it works fairly well as a color adjustor, but since it is a gloss, the adjustment tends to be minor. It's not sticky and feels very comfortable on the lips. However, it is a gloss, so it transfers and needs frequent reapplications. I don't love it, but I do like it and intend to keep it. The color is really pretty too.

Pretty Vulgar The Ink Gel Eyeliner :: I didn't have many expectations for this because of another gel liner I tried. I actually expected to hate it. I love it. LOVE it. It's very creamy and smooth,  pigmented, and easy to work with. The packaging is very solid, and I love the inkwell take. That said, the way the jar is set up can make it awkward to work with. It's a minor issue that's easily worked around, but is something to be aware of. As much as I love it, though, I'm not sure I'd pay $24 to replace it. It does have better lasting power than setting spray and eyeshadow, but eyeshadow and setting spray is cheaper and works well enough for the most part.

Pur Sculptor Palette :: A few people have complained how deep this palette it, but I love it, and not just because it works well for me (which it does). Pur put in a product for medium to deeper skinned people! This is amazing to me! We get so many products that work well for light to medium skinned people, that it's just nice to get something made more for people of color. I also like that it has both warm and cool options. The colors are soft and smooth, though the pigment depends on the brush used—softer brushes don't seem to work well (but might help make the palette work for a lighter skinned person). The highlight doesn't get supernova bright, as far as I can tell, but is buildable to a point. My only complaint about the palette is the scent: it's sweet vanilla, which is fine, but really strong, and I'm not big on scented cosmetics. Other than that, I'm really enjoying this palette.

Brushes :: So the brushes are next. As a whole, they are decent: sturdy—lighter than my Nyx pro brushes, but not cheap. Are they worth the prices Aesthetica lists them at? Not to me. The three brush set is nothing amazing or life changing, so $15 each seems excessive. The larger brush is nice but tips just into being too soft. I think the trio is probably worth closer to $30 to me (and that's just accounting for them being a luxury brand) while the larger brush is worth closer to $20. I have to think to reach for any of these specifically. Not getting rid of them, but not really wowed by them either.

Aesthetica P12 Face Brush :: My biggest problem with this one is figuring out how best to use it. It's too soft for contour, too small for an all over face powder brush, too large for highlight, and too soft for the way I do blush. If I were to decide to let any of the brushes go, it would be this one and the angled one. It's a nice brush, I just don't know if I'll figure out a use for it.

Aesthetica 3 Piece Brush Trio :: This set includes an angled brush (for brows or, in my case, liner), a thin liner brush, and a spoolie. Nothing special about the spoolie (can you make a spoolie special?). I am using the thin liner brush to learn to work with that type of brush. The angled brush is...kinda weird. I have another from the same company exactly like it that is thinner and works very well for lining. This one is thicker and not useful as a liner, and I don't use this kind of brush on my brows. I'm still debating on whether or not to keep it: I like the idea of a backup, but that it's thicker than the other brush makes me unlikely to use it.

Overall, domy tried these and is pretty happy. Nothing failed spectacularly, though a few things were more "eh, whatever" than others. My faves, the palette and the gel liner, come to just over double the value of the box, so even if I disliked everything else, I'd be very happy. May was a very good box. So far, Boxycharm always has one or two items that exceed the value enough for me to keep the sub even though it's my most expensive cosmetics box. Been very pleased with my Boxycharm experience. (And I'm seriously excited about one item in this month's incoming box!)

[domynoe]

Going to try to get the rest of my box reviews up pretty quickly. I still have some stuff I should play around with a bit more, but my tumblr is more first impressions while my YouTube is more for deeper reviews. The biggest problem I have right now is an allergic reaction to something, probably skin related (I suspect a particular skincare item, but I won't know for sure until this clears up and I'm able to try the item again), that was getting better until I put on a full face of makeup. So I need to let it clear up before I play around with anything, even stuff I'm sure isn't causing the problem.

Anyway, today's review? My May Ipsy bag! I actually wasn't all that impressed with the bag itself, and it has gone into the ProjectBeautyShare.org box. But the things inside? Some neat stuff: Grace & Stella Dead Sea Mud Mask ($2.46), Adesse Gel Effect Nail Polish ($18), Doucce MaxLash Volumizer Mascara Travel Size ($4.25), Huda Lip Contour in Trophy Wife ($2.53), Elizabeth Mott Pop Shadow in Mermaid Teal ($9.75). Total Value: $36.99. This is one of the lowest values I've received, but it also shows that the value isn't the important thing.

Here's the reviews!

Grace & Stella Dead Sea Mud Mask :: I have to wonder how much fo the "radiant glow" and pore cleaning is actually the result of rubbing the mask off with a washcloth. That said, my face tingled as the solution on my Radiance pad dried down, and the pad itself looked slightly discolored. My pores did look better, cleaner. Smaller? Not so sure. Also not sure about it helping with fine lines. My skin did seem to soak in my other skincare when done, and I always think that's a good sign. $17 good enough? Not sure. I'll have to use it a few more times. (On the plus side, it's not $42 like the Dr. Brandt and says it does similar things with somewhat similar results, so...maybe.)

Adesse Gel Effect Nail Polish :: Received this in one of my subscription boxes. Needed a heavy coat to get decent color that wasn't streaky. Nice color, beautiful finish, but even with a heavier coverage, the application ended up somewhat patchy. It takes 3 coats to get rid of any color issues, but does seem to dry down pretty quickly compares to some of the more pigmented, less streaky/patchy polishes I've used. Held up really well to dishwashing. It's an okay polish, better than a number of drugstore polishes, but not OPI etc.

Doucce MaxLash Volumizer Mascara Travel Size :: Lengthens and curls a bit but doesn't thicken. Smooth, creamy, needed very little redistribution. Lovely color. No flaking but removed nicely with a baby wipe. It's really nice. I wouldn't pay 22 for it though. The full size is too pricey for something that will have to be tossed in 3-4 months even if not used up, but I've seen the travel size on Amazon and would consider purchasing the smaller size.

Huda Lip Contour in Trophy Wife :: I really like this: it's smooth, creamy, very pigmented, and Trophy Wife is a beautiful color. It makes a beautiful line, doesn't feather, and helps define lips and keep other products like liquid lipstick inside the lips. However, I probably wouldn't repurchase. $19 is just too pricey for a pencil. I have Nyx pencils that are just as smooth, creamy, and pigmented that are much more affordable. I might pick a new color or two if they go on sale...maybe.

Elizabeth Mott Pop Shadow in Mermaid Teal :: Very little kickback, no fallout. Smooth, creamy, pigmented. Lose a little of the shimmer on the eye and looks less duochrome (which it may not actually be, but it looks to have a bit of a gold to it to me when swatched), but still beautiful with a light to dark green shift. Really enjoy it! Planning to add it to my ColourPop singles palette when I'm done reviewing.

Honestly, domy tried these and is VERY happy. Even the ones that need a bit more use to come up with a final opinion on have been enjoyable to use. I think the product I'm least impressed with is the Adesse (which seems to be a common reaction to the brand so far), and even it is usable and something I plan to keep.

So need to post my Yes Oh Yas and Boxycharm reviews for last month. This month I'm trying out a new subscription called Apocalyptic Beauty Look of the Month Club. It looks like it's primarily loose pigments/glitters, so I may not be trying it for long, but I figured it was worth a try since it's only $12.50/month.

What I really want is a coffee mug of the month club. The only ones I've found are either tiki mugs or just sayings. I'd like a bit more creativity than that. ;)

[domynoe]

I really was going to try to keep up last month. Then I got distracted with helping a kid move out, then I got sick, and the next think I knew, it was June.

But it did give me some time to play with my stuff, especially CurlBox. My FIRST curlBox! And let me say, it didn’t disappoint!

CurlBox is $20/month plus $5 for shipping (so $25/month) and you get around 5 (so far I’ve not seen less than 5, but I do think I saw a box with 6 once—I’d have to go searching to verify though) products from one brand specifically for curly hair. CurlBox promos generally feature African Americans, but from my research, curly hair s curly hair across the board. I have 2C or 3A hair (now that my curl is getting what it needs, it’s looking to be 3A), and 2C/3A hair is 2C/3A hair whether black or Latina or white, so these products should work for anyone with curly hair. May’s focus was SheaMoisture and included 5 products: shampoo, conditioner, leave-in, a styling custard, and a styling gel.

So, before the reviews, a bit of “history” with my hair. When I was a toddler, I had Shirley Temple curls. As I got older, the curls tamed a bit. As an older adult, I started using Suave because of price, and my hair seemed to lose a lot (A LOT) of that curl. Not entirely. But enough to take me from 3 hair to 2 hair. Course, I didn’t realize that at the time. I got used to the dimethicone slip and squeak. I got used to..well...to me, flat hair. Then I started removing the dimethicone and noticed a difference. A small difference, but more curl, and I saw Vee’s video on CurlBox a few months back, and decided to give it a try. A friend also sent me the Walmart Love My Curls Box, and the changes in my hair have been amazing. I’ve had to get used to not having the slip and squeak, but my hair has been amazing. The curl you see in the second photo is curl I haven’t seen in years. Then I started using curly hair specific products, and bam! Curl. It amazes me to see my hair like this.

My first CurlBox included the following from the Shae Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration line: Shampoo ($10.99), Conditioner ($10.99), Leave-In Milk ($11.99), Hydrate & Design Max Hold Gel ($9.99), and Twist-Defining Custard ($13.99). Total Value: $57.95 (just more than double the total I paid with the shipping included, and almost triple the cost of the box without shipping).

So, the reviews! Let’s get into it!

SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Shampoo :: This is very different from my Suave products which I purchased because of price. But most of them have dimethicone, and I'm trying to go dimethicone free. The Shea Moisture products are not only paraban and all that free, but I've not found dimethicone in any of them. I had tried one other non-dimethicone shampoo, and find this leaves my hair feeling the same: not sleek, and squeaky clean.  This is not a bad thing, I'm just not used to it. My hair also feels a bit...thicker, almost, and maybe a bit more...tangled, which I'm guessing means the products are helping to bring out the curl more—my hair has more curl even when wet, after using the shampoo and conditioner. They cost more than I'm used to, and I'm not sure I'd purchase them on my own without the CurlBox.

SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Conditioner :: I started with about the amount I'd use of the Suave I was using previously, but felt I really needed more, maybe twice what I'd normally use, to really get it into my hair (REALLY glad a new box will be incoming soon! lol). It's also quite possible my hair soaked up every last bit of it. My hair didn't have the slick quality when rinsed I've been used to up to now, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, but my ends have been less dry and I've noticed more curl in my hair even when just wringing it out. And my hair is looking great when dry too. Really enjoying my introduction to curly hair products!

SheaMoisture Manuka Honey and Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Leave-In Milk :: This is a way thicker leave-in than I'm used to, and it really needs a pump like the conditioner rather than the bottle it's currently in. I probably used a bit more than necessary the first time and have since lightened up. My hair loves it: soaks it up, gets curly, stays curly. I do mix it with some looser leave-ins now and then, and actually like it better that way: it gives my hair a more natural feel while still encouraging the curl. When I use it by itself, I sometimes need to use a curl enhancer or de-frizzing cream. I do find I can use more of this Milk when I don’t use the Custard (below) and think I prefer my hair that way. I did see a video where someone else noted that this is REALLY thick, and she added water to thin it out some. I’m going to give that a try because this stuff can be difficult to get out of the bottle.

SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Twist-Defining Custard :: I'm Latinx with 3A hair, so this may not be appropriate for my hair, and that may be why I’ve gotten the results I have. Of all the SheaMoisture products I received, this is my least favorite. A very thick cream that's pretty solid, using a lot to hold sections left my hair feeling waxy and heavy and didn't really hold the twists to dry. Going much MUCH lighter (as in, 2 to 3 light wipes with my fingers over the top of the cream) has helped, but I still get that waxy feeling when I attempt to twist. If I leave my hair to do its thing naturally, it helps give me more, and more defined, curls. I get less frizz on humid days too (thought it doesn't get rid of the frizz entirely). I mix it with the leave-in milk and whatever other leave-in conditioner I'm using and put it on my hair wet. But I do have to be careful because even a little too much gives me that waxy, stiff feeling. Overall, I think this is just too much for my hair, so it will probably go to my oldest daughter for her half African American daughter who has that tight 4 or 5 type hair.

SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Hydrate & Design Max Hold Gel :: I only use this to hold my edges when doing my makeup (haven’t even tried it ding anything else at this point, and the few styling attempts I’ve made have been massive failures, so not sure if I’ll try to do that much in the future). I like the consistency of this and that it not sticky (the previous gel I used was a solid and really sticky, and I really didn’t like it much). My edges are held in place but once I let me hair down, it feels natural, not stiff. I like it, and it will likely last me FOREVER. I should try it in the rest of my hair at some point before I film, maybe play around with styling some more even though I’m a disaster when it comes to styling my hair.

So overall, VERY happy with my first box products. Even the custard isn’t bad and is relatively usable for me, it’s just too heavy and my hair seems to do better without it. The other neat thing about CurBox is I have grandkids who could use anything I’m not finding working for my hair. That will help their mamas with some nice products for their kids while not having to shell out the $9-$15/jar or bottle for them. Really looking forward to this month’s box. CB did redo their website recently and put together a couple extra non-sub boxes, and I picked up one of those with a leave-in conditioner, a mask, and a serum (which I’ve never tried on my hair before). Looking forward to trying those out as well.

[domynoe]

Last box for April! I have to say, despite the ker-fluffle in February, Yes Oh Yas looks to be at least trying to step it up without using the same deceptive tactics that made April's box somewhat toxic (in case you missed it: they tried to claim each item in one product set as an individual item rather than the usual one product; it backfired spectacularly and blew back on their Ambassadors and Affiliates in a really bad way). I'm still watching them to make sure they don't do that kind of b.s. again, but so far, they seem to be using more honest posts to promote the subscription. As long as that goes on, and as long as I'm happy with them and keep at least half the stuff they send me. Really, the subscription is a good deal, it just needs to be on the up and up with its promotions. The only thing that seems to be a problem right now is over-valuing some products, but I haven't figured out if that's because of te brands sending them stuff or them rounding things up. Either way, even when corrected, I am receiving amazing value for $17/month, and that's the important thing (but I still list the values I find at the time I receive them rather than the value YOY lists; I double check all my subs—Boxy had Dr. Brandt’s value a $47 for April but I found it as $42, so it happens).

Anyway, April's box! Well, bag, more exactly. For some reason, this month they sent everything in a pink bubble bag similar to the one Ipsy gets sent in. Crown Brush 12 Piece Vegan Brush Set ($24.95), Girlactic Mechanical Eyeliner in Gray ($19.00), MannaKadar Flutter Mascara ($29), Bella Terra Mineral Bronzer Mini in Sensual ($13.33). Total Value: $86.26.

On to the reviews!

Crown Brush 12 Piece Vegan Brush Set :: These brushes aren't the quality of, say, the Nyx pro brushes—they don't have the weight to them, and the brush heads themselves are thinner. That said, they are still sturdy (so far anyway) and well put together, and the set contains a nice variety for both eyes and face. There are a few that don't really work for me (and those will be going to Project Beauty Share, assuming my girls don't abscond with them), but the ones that do are becoming well used. Most of the eye brushes are soft but still have stiffer bristles, and they pick up and apply shadow as well as most of my other brushes. Not into the case—pink vinyl just isn't my thing, but I am keeping most of the brushes.

Girlactic Mechanical Eyeliner in Gray :: The eyeliner itself is creamy, smooth, and has decent pigment when swatched, but is oddly shaped and is definitely a color mismatch for me. It applied with minimal tugging—almost as easy as Urban Decay 24/7 (but not quite), but it didn't work quite as well on the upper lash line as on the lower. I really didn't like the weird shape, and it's a bit on the thick side too. This will go into the PBS box.

MannaKadar Flutter Mascara :: The applicator is really bulky and is my least favorite type of mascara wand: plastic bristles. The mascara is a bit clumpy and dries too quickly for me to use another spoolie to even out the distribution. The color is nice, and it does lengthen, thicken, and curl the lashes a bit, but it does flake. It did work over the Great Lash I use as a primer, but the issues are hard to ignore. Not impressed. Likely to pass this on to one of my daughters.

Bella Terra Mineral Bronzer Mini in Sensual :: This loose powder may be sold as a bronzer, but it's not a bronzer. It's more of a highlight. The color is beautiful, and it gives a beautiful glow that can go amazingly bright. As pretty as it is, though, it's messy and not something I'd reach for. The product is a good one, I'm just not into loose powders, so this will go into the Project Beauty Share box.

So, overall, the only thing domy was thrilled with was the brushes, which I'm keeping all but three or four of, so make the value of the box. This is a case where I think what I kept is valued about what I paid for the box (I'm fine with that), and a couple of the misses were off just a little (a different mascara, I might have kept; the eyeliner in black might have worked despite the odd shape). A thrilling box overall? No. but a decent box? Yes.

For perspective, there were a number of influencers who weren't thrilled with Boxycharm's March box. The palette was disappointing, the blush cheap, the eye gels were "okay," and so on. Not every month will be thrilling, and this was a month that wasn't too thrilling for YOY. That said, it was a good enough month for me.

[domynoe]

Before I get to April's Ipsy, just a note on some box changes. I finally got subscribed to CurlBox! So excited! CurlBox is a subscription for curly hair. It's marketed specifically to African American women, but from my reading, in general curly hair is curly hair and can use the same care products. I'll definitely be keeping you up to date here. Thing is, CurlBox is $25. I've already unsubbed from Lola to help pay for it, but I've also decided to drop Sephora Play.

I like Sephora Play, but Play focuses on skincare. There is some makeup and hair care, and the mix is really good early in a self-care journey or when you want to mix things up a bit. I'm really happy with my skincare at the moment. YOY, Boxycharm, and Ipsy also include skincare, and for two of them, it's in full sizes. Sample sizes are okay, but often don't give you the full picture of how well it will work for you. Ipsy sometimes gives full size makeup items, Play rarely does. So, for now, it's time to let Play go. I did get the April Play bag, but I won't be reviewing it.

Which leaves Ipsy and Yes Oh Yas for April reviews. And today, it's Ipsy's turn!

My Ipsy bag included: Firma Beauty Angled 202 Blender Brush ($12.99), Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick in Miss Conduct ($5.34), Feel Restored Self-Warming Clay Mask ($7.49), Purlisse Coconut + Coffee Sugar Body Scrub ($4.20), OFRA Pressed Blush in Chameleon ($15). Total Value: $45.02. I loved the bag, but had to request a new one because the zipper was broken. One thing that keeps me with Ipsy is their customer service. They sent me a new bag that's perfect. Very pleased.

On to the reviews!

Firma Beauty Angled 202 Blender Brush :: This brush is denser than I'm used to for the shape. It does work well with some shadows, but it's not the only brush that works for those shadows. I don't reach for it much, so even though it's a decent brush, it'll probably land in my ProjectBeautyShare.org box. Or with one of my girls (who tend to go through the box and pick out things they want at the end of every month).

Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick in Miss Conduct :: This is a beautiful deep, berry red that's right up my alley, but I haven't worn it much yet since I've been leaning towards mid-toned berries of late.  I did try it on when I unbagged it, and like the application of it. It does dry down a bit sticky on the lips, but it feels comfortable. Definitely keeping it for my more dramatic looks.

Feel Restored Self-Warming Clay Mask :: This was both neat and weird at the same time. The consistency is thick like a mud mask until it's applied to the skin. It thins out and warms up as it spreads. As the mask sits, it slowly cools, but it never dries down completely. It's easy to rinse off and leaves my skin smooth and very soft without any dryness. My Radiance pad came up slightly discolored, and my skin tingled a little when I used it. Wish there was more in the envelope they sent, but at least I'm getting two, maybe three, uses out of it.

Purlisse Coconut + Coffee Sugar Body Scrub :: So, since this says it's a scrub, and it doesn't say otherwise on the bottle, I thought this could be used in place of a face wash. No. just no. it didn't cleam (my Radiance pad came up REALLY dirty), and it left behind a waxy residue/layer. Honestly, that made me glad I didn't use it after my face wash—talk about a way to ruin your cleansing routine. And while I like the smell of coffee (I don't like the taste, but I think the smell is heavenly, for the most part), this was way to strong for me. All it took was one time and nope. Never again.

OFRA Pressed Blush in Chameleon :: Soft, creamy (no kickback at all), this gives me a soft, warm glow. Builds up nicely when I want more color, and it plays well with other blushes. I really like this, just wish it had come in a pan.

I'm really pleased with most of the things I tried this time around. I should have loved the brush, but it didn't work for me. I don't notice that much difference between eye brushes, and my faves are across the board from elf pro to Luxie to Vasanti. The ones I reach for the least are across the board as well. And that's mostly because the differences aren't as noticeable to me as the differences in bigger brushes. I do declutter brushes, but it's usually to remove duplicates or brush shapes that don't work for me, so this was an odd, new experience.

All that said, loved my bag and am considering picking up more of that mask. ;)

[domynoe]

Actually getting to one of my boxes in the month it came in! Boxycharm this month has been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. ColourPop! So exciting! Wait, tarte? Ug. I want that palette! Not the one I got? Um...okay? In this regard, I'm finding Boxycharm much like any other sub box: it will have its hits (ColourPop palette) and misses (last month's Bellapierre mascara). Also, like other boxes, it seems to have its go to brands (Cover FX, Dr. Brandt, Pru, Pretty Vulgar), if next month's spoilers are any indication.

So in this month's box: ColourPop Semi-Precious Palette ($26), The Browgal Insta-Tint Brow Gel ($22), Adesse Hi Definition Liquid Lipstick ($24), Dr. Brandt pores no more Vacuum Cleaner pore purifying mask ($42), and tarte tartiest pro glow liquid highlighter ($29). Total Value: $143. But let's get one of them out of the way now: I won't be reviewing the tarte for a couple reasons: 1. It's tarte and I'm still not supporting tarte (you know the foundation that caused such an uproar? They still haven't expanded beyond 20 shades for each line. Yea, they were soooo apologetic over all that...not); and 2. It's a liquid highlighter, which I won't use. I am very much a powder girl where I can be. So the tarte's future is in a giveaway for the YT channel.

The rest, however, is ready for review, so let's get to it!

ColourPop Semi-Precious Palette  :: So, I wanted the My Little Pony palette, but after trying this, I'm not mad at it. The shadows are creamy with no kickback and very little, if any, fallout. They are blendable, play well with others, and are amazingly pigmented. I am in love and very happy with it.

The BrowGal Instatint Brow Gel :: I like the brush on this, but the color is almost non-existent. The gel is stiffer than either the Nyx Control Freak or tarte, but it's not a stiff, plastering gel, so it works. I'm using this mostly to clean up my brows after I apply foundation, and to get gel in the brows. After that, I need to use a pencil to fill in and define. I like it, but not sure I'd purchase it at the price it's listed at, especially since the Nyx and a pencil gives me the same look for less. I am glad that I didn't get the blonde color though.

Adesse Hi Definition Liquid Lipstick :: The color I received is way too nude on me. I mean, my lips literally disappear on my face. It does play well with other lip formulas, is smooth and creamy and pigmented, but I really don't like the doe foot—it's too big and too loos, both which make it harder to control the application. Still haven't decided if I'm keeping this or giving it to one of my girls. Probably the latter.

Dr. Brandt pores no more Vacuum Cleaner pore purifying mask :: This thick cream with blue specks spreads easily, and cools and tingles as it dries down. That cooling sensation continues after it's rinsed off too. Radiance pad came up slightly discolored, but I'm wondering if that's from the clean up the mask did: my pores did not look smaller, but they did look cleaned out. My skin felt amazing in the morning, and everything from moisturizer to foundation applied easier, and my skin just felt better. I really wish this wasn't so expensive because it's an amazing mask.

Overall, domy tried this and is VERY pleased. I'm really enjoying Boxy so far.

There's another shuffle of boxes coming up. I've dropped Lola—over the long haul, half or more was being given away. For any box, I should be keeping more than half or it's not the right fit for me. Besides, there was that whole incident of a "possible" spoiler that ended up not being in the box. That kind of tease doesn't sit well for me. I've also dropped Sephora Play for the time being. There's another box I've wanted, the CurlBox, and my boxes are already too expensive, and we started picking up a Loot Crate and a Loot Wear sub for the hubs, so the $10 for Play is now going into CurlBox (because, yes, I got it! So excited!). And, no, I won't be reviewing the Loots here; that's not something hubs will be into (but we will put his Crate unboxings on the channel). If I did take up another box, I'd consider going back to Glossybox. Or maybe trying something new. Yea, I don't think I'd mind something new some time in the future.

[domynoe]

So, March's Yes Oh Yas box...I'm still not sure how I feel about it. One item surprised me in a good way, one item I've not had the chance to use enough to form a decent opinion on, and another item really didn't work. So, it's a really odd box. Let's get into it.

March's box included: Bellapierre Complete Nail Care System, which included a diamond textured nail file, a 4-way nail buffer, vitamin infused sweet almond cuticle treatment oil, and hand and body lotion ($75); Carbon Coco Activated Tooth Polish + Bamboo Toothbrush ($59.95); and the Bellapierre XII Eyeshadow Palette in Go Natural ($45). Total Value: $179.95.

Honestly, if it looks like an odd, box, it was. The value is there, but, well, yea, let's get into the reviews and you'll see what I mean.

Bellapierre Complete Nail Care System :: This system is designed to be used once a week or so, so I've used it may two or three times, which really isn't enough usage to really determine how I feel about it as a whole. I like the lotion, but it's actually not good to use right before putting on polish since the oils in it make it harder for the polish to adhere to the nail. I'm not sure what the oil does. I've used it, just not noticed a difference. I like the nail file, the nail buffer is eh—it adds time to my nail care routine, and I'm not sure it adds much to the end result. So the kit as a whole is a question mark in all but one thing: I probably wouldn't buy it. It's costly and a simpler routine has worked for me in the past.

Carbon Coco Activated Tooth Polish + Bamboo Toothbrush :: The toothbrush went first: I didn't like it, didn't think it was effective for just basic brushing. I continued to use the polish, but honestly didn't see much, if any, results. To be fair, I've only had and used it about 2 1/2 weeks, and I have really badly stained teeth (bad enough that it'll probably take professional cleaning to even make a dent). But the product is also really messy. This was definitely a no go for me. And sadly it'll get tossed since to use the product you have to dip your brush into it, so it can't really be given to anyone else.

Bellapierre XII Eyeshadow Palette :: This was a pleasant surprise. The palette reminds me so much of the Urban Decay Naked 3 that I took the N3 off my Sephora wish list. This palette has a few more darker colors in it than the N3, and I've had a hard time reaching for it because a number of the colors are really similar to one another, which made me realize I'd probably never reach for the N3 if I owned it. That said, the shadows are soft and pigmented and blendable. When I'm in the mood for some neutrals with a few pinks, this is the perfect palette. It does better with softer brushes as harder ones make the pans pebble a bit. It's a nice palette, and I'll be keeping it. That it saved me money by keeping me from buying a similar palette is a bonus. ;)

I think you can see why domy tried this and is still not sure how to feel about this box. The palette is good (and worth more than double the cost of the box), but is unlikely to get that much use (though I will keep it). The nail kit is also decent and worth about four times the cost of the box, but is something I'd be unlikely to purchase on my own (or replace as products run or wear out). I'm not displeased with it, but I'm also not thrilled with it, if that makes sense. Still, with only one failure in the box, it was actually a pretty decent box overall. I've seen a couple spoilers for April's box, and as long as I get the one thing I want in there, the rest won't matter because I'll be thrilled. ;)

[domynoe]

My Ipsy, YOY, and Boxycharm have all shipped, which means it's long past time to get March's reviews up. What can I say, perpetually behind these days. Winter has been particularly tough on me this year, but I'm hoping this will get better soon. For the reviews, it hasn't helped that most of what I received fell in the "eh" category for me—nothing horrible (for the most part), but not much particularly exciting either.

Ipsy fell pretty much into eh. Received in March: Pink Pewter Splash and Swirl Makeup Sponge ($12), Hikari Cream Pigment Eyeshadow in Shine ($6.50), tarte Sex Kitten Eyeliner ($10), Labotica Transforming Liquid Foil Mask ($6.34), and Steve Laurant Lip Oil in Orchid ($18). Total Value: $52.84. The bag itself was okay. I thought it was neat that they included markers so people could color their bags, but overall it wasn't a bag I'd keep, so it went into the ProjectBeautyShare.org box with the markers, then one of the girls claimed it (I believe). I actually don't mind putting bags in the PBS box: that bag collection will get pretty big fast if they don't get thinned out, and I regard the bag itself as an extra.

On to the reviews!

Pink Pewter Splash and Swirl Makeup Sponge :: This is nice and soft once dampened, and I love that it has the 3 straight edges. My only complaint is a really minor nitpick: mine didn't have much swirl through it. Totally a cosmetic complaint. lol The sponge has become my go to for my color correcting.

Hikari Cream Pigment Eyeshadow :: The color is beautiful and shows up well on my skin for being a brown, it's that lovely shine, I think. However, it needs to be applied with a finger (which I don't like to do with makeup) or a sponge-tipped applicator., and may have "migrated" to under my eyes (though that could have been other issues at the time). It held up well to my particular eye issues as well. All that said, it's a single, so not something I'd likely reach for anyway, and it's just an okay shadow (because of the fussiness for application; great color, requires I think about changing how I do my makeup to use), so it'll likely land in the PBS box.

tarte Sex Kitten Eyeliner :: I'm boycotting tarte, so didn't try, and am not reviewing. Went into my PBS box where I'm sure one of my girls will snag it at the end of this month (they have to look a month behind to make sure I get my filming in).

Labotica Transforming Liquid Foil Mask :: Gooey and takes a bit more product to cover my face than expected, and it gets more silver as it dries and tightens a little.  Removal was a bit more of a pain to do than I expected as it came off in pieces, required scratching at the edges to get enough up to grab and pull (especially when it broke off), and I still had bits that had to be scrubbed off with a washcloth. It was also a literal pain where my fly aways got caught in it. My skin felt soft but didn't look any brighter. My Radiance Pads came up clean, but I'm unlikely to use it again. It's an interesting novelty mask, but not really much more.

Steve Laurant Lip Oil in Orchid :: I already absolutely love this! Very little color, but has a lovely glossy shine. Love the feel of it, love the look of it. Definitely keeping it.

I have to say, I'm really pleased that of the things domy tried, the ones I'm keeping make up half the value of the bag by themselves. If the Hikari had been brush friendly, I'd consider keeping it as well (especially since I'm getting an empty palette for my ColourPop singles as well as for some of my "odd shaped or size" singles), but I'm not feeling yet another brown enough, no matter how pretty. So, overall, it was an okay bag. Have a new favorite sponge, love the oil, and that's good enough for me.

[domynoe]

A non-box review post today! In my tax stash, I picked up a Makeup Revolution palette that I'd seen on social media and fell in love with, and since I was there, I picked up a few other things as well: their No Photos Please palette (which was on sale at the time) and the Dragon's Heart Highlighter (because dragons). Also shown in the Makeup Revolution is some Tony Dash lip products, but I won't be reviewing those (and I won’t tag them either). The second photo is of some Tattoo Junkee mini lip kits that I'll review in place of the Tony Dash. TJ is a brand that I actually wanted to try this year too.

Tony Dash is problematic at this point. Pictured is the first order I made, which other than taking close to a month to ship was fine. I later discovered that the shipping costs charged had gone up from $4 something to the $7 something I paid, but I didn't discover that until I made a second order and ran into trouble. Basically, when I chose my items for the second order and went to check out, I landed on a page of "more possible free stuff." Yes, really should have clicked no thanks, but I expected to have the option to cancel the extra if I didn't get the free deal (note: my first order with them went fine, so I had no reason to think they wouldn't be on the up and up at this point). That didn't happen: I went from possible free stuff to order complete and being charged $20 on top of an even higher ($11.95) shipping cost. I tried their customer service line where...you leave a message even during regular business hours. They never called back. I received an email that shipping would be delayed due to overwhelming demand. Now, this is MONTHS after my first order, so that overwhelming demand has been going on for awhile and they've not done anything about it apparently.  Emailed their customer service email though, figuring an email would get a response since someone was obviously in the office. Nope. A week later, I contacted my bank and put in a fraud claim. So, this is the only "review" Tony Dash is getting: don't buy from them. While I did get my first order, A LOT of people haven't. They may have started off looking legit, but they have fallen into scam territory, which may have been part of the plan all along.

All righty, let's get into the good stuff!

Makeup Revolution Eye Primer (came with the No Photos Please palette as a bonus) :: This looks more like a liquid highlighter than a primer. Only need a little, it blends out a little patchy, and the shine reduces to a glow. It doesn't do much of anything to shimmers, but does give mattes a bit of a sheen. Unfortunately, the shadows fade more quickly, and it does nothing to help my trouble spot. I wanted to try it with my Kryolan, but it may have caused some itchiness, so I decided against using it again.

No Photos Please Palette :: The pans are a bit narrow (almost too narrow), but the colors are beautiful. The light colors apply a bit on the patchy side, but they all build up beautifully, and the others are pigmented without building. The palette makes a better supplemental palette than a solo, and I love the colors. And it's very travel friendly: the case is small and sturdy plastic that click shut and includes a mirror.

Dragon's Heart Highlighter :: This is beautiful. With control, it can be subtle, but it's buidlable to brilliant. And I love the level of glow I can achieve before it starts to emphasize my texture. A minor issue is that the pinkish colors aren't good to use as an actual highlight. A bigger problem for me is that the colors stripes are too narrow to easily choose just one color with my usual highlighter brush. I can work around it with other brushes, but I don't usually like a narrow band of color. Again, workable, but I much prefer stuff that doesn't require workarounds. That said, it's beautiful, not at all powdery, pigmented, and a keeper.

SophX Eyeshadow Palette :: While I wish there were less browns in this palette (while they're all different shades, there are A LOT of browns), but I love this palette. The shadows are decently pigmented and last as long or longer than higher end shadows. The mattes are a bit more powdery and have a bit more fallout, and the color selection is limiting for a mattes only look, but they're still pretty decent. The palette is sturdy plastic, travels well, and has a nice mirror. I knew it was a keeper when I kept reaching for it even when I was supposed to be testing other palettes.

Tattoo Junkee Lip Kits :: Only had a problem with one of the three kits I purchased, and it was the special effects dust that was the problem, not the lip color. The liquid lip color is smooth, creamy, and applies beautifully without any patchiness. They have gorgeous, deep, full color. They do dry down quickly, so the special effects dusts have to be applied quickly as well. They aren't uncomfortable, but I am aware of them on my lips, but topping them with a gloss or oil, seems to reduce that issue (and the dusts/glitters can be applied over the gloss or even other lip products). The lip color is also practically budge proof on its own. They do say to use your finger to apply the dust, but I find a sponge-tipped applicator works just fine. The problem with the Vixen special effects dust is that it was the only one that was gritty and acted as a straight out glitter rather than a transformer like the others. The lip color itself, unlike the other two, doesn't play nice with other lip products (other than gloss or oil) and gets patchy as it fades. I wouldn't mind picking up a few more of these.

Overall, domy tried these and is very pleased. A few bumps, but only one item is pretty much unusable for me, and I don't think there's a company out there that doesn't have a few products that don't perform as well as others. Even my fave, Urban Decay, has its failures. I think these were worth it and am keeping everything except the primer and the special effects dust for Vixen.

[domynoe]

I think I'm just going to have to live with being a month behind with my box reviews. I seem to get caught up then fall behind again. Running a bit behind seems better than loading them all up at once. ;)

First up for March first impressions/reviews: my very first Boxycharm. I don't like playing the waiting list game, but they opened up to all subscribers this month. Since I was canceling Lola, it was perfect timing to join. In my first box: Pretty Vulgar Make Them Blush in Prim Vixen ($26), Bellapierre Cosmetics Volumizing Mascara ($20), The Vintage Cosmetics Company Smokey Eye Makeup Brush Set ($23.00/£16.50), South Mane Beauty Under Eye Gels ($10), Pur x Boxycharm Eyeshadow Palette ($36). Total Value: $115.00.

I've been playing around with most of this a bit, so these reviews will be more full reviews than first impressions. Let's get to it!

Pretty Vulgar Make Them Blush in Prim Vixen  :: The package is pretty, but feels a little cheap. It works, but I could see it breaking very easily if dropped accidentally or if placed unprotected in a purse with sturdier items. The color in the pan is REALLY vibrant and bright; which worried me: it's not a color I would normally use, and I can see it going so totally wrong very easily because...wow, REALLY bright. Fortunately, using a light hand keeps it from being as bright on my face as it is in the pan, and it blends well with other blush colors that can soften it and tone down the color. It's soft and pigmented. I don't see myself using it all up any time soon (I may be able to adjust the color, but I don't see myself using it a lot), but I'm also surprisingly happy with it. Not one I'd buy, but not mad at receiving it either.

Bellapierre Cosmetics Volumizing Mascara :: It's creamy and smooth with nice color reminiscent of  Urban Decay Perversion Mascara , but it lengthens more than  it thickens. It works really well for a more natural look—gives just enough color and length to bring out the lashes. However to get my lashes where I like them, I need two or three coats, and I suspect it's flaking into my eyes. This would probably be a good base for another mascara for me, but by itself, it's rarely enough, and the flaking hurts. It reminds me a bit of a drugstore mascara, and because of the flaking, I'm unlikely to keep using it. One of my girls would probably be happy with it.

The Vintage Cosmetics Company Smokey Eye Makeup Brush Set :: Unlike my bigger face brushes, I don't see much difference in shadow brushes. My elf brushes are nice, especially the pro ones (thought that's based more on them feeling a bit heavier and looking classier than the cheap white brushes more than anything), and I use them interchangeably with my more expensive brushes without seeing much of a difference in how they perform. These seem pretty standard to me, and I honestly have to think to reach for them. They do what they're supposed to, they aren't bad brushes, just nothing amazingly shadow game changing.

South Mane Beauty Under Eye Gels :: I use these at night (like most my major skincare that I want to have time to work unhindered by makeup etc). They are very cooling, but I don't think they really do much else. This isn't a bad thing: my eyes were irritated when I used them and they were very soothing, so they feel really good. They aren't anything I'd buy, but didn't mind getting them either.

Pur x Boxycharm Eyeshadow Palette :: So many people reviewing this palette have had issues with it, but I'm pretty happy with it for the most part: I haven't had problems getting most of the colors to work. Some of the shadows are on the powdery side which results in more fallout and kickback, and there are a few colors that really don't work for my skin tone. Honestly, the top row in this palette could use fewer peaches, especially two shades are very similar (one is matte, the other shimmers, that seems to be the only difference), as this does limit the palette some. The brighter colors are duller on my eyes than in the pan, but that seems to be a problem I have with 95% of bright palettes (and I've tried a lot of them; so far only two actually come out bright on me). All that said, for me, the shadows are soft and pigmented, and they have lasting power even on my weepy eye. Even with other palettes to review, I've been reaching for this quite a bit.

domy tried these and is pretty happy. I'm not raving like so many charmers do, but it is my first box, and depending on which palette I get from the Colourpop collection for April's box, I may be raving about it then. ;)

It is a bit weird not having anything go to Project Beauty Share and only one item going to my girls. It’s possible the blush might end up decluttered to PBS, but I’ll be getting more use out of it than just for reviews.

Congrats to my YouTube giveaway winner, Gretchen T! Swing on by and subscribe. :)