Glossybox - December 2012

 I know I told you that I broke up with Glossybox at the end of October after a rocky, 6-month relationship.  But you know it's not uncommon to go back for one more fling.  Especially when that fling is 40% off. Yep, somewhere around Black Friday, Glossybox offered up a 40% discount for their December box so of course I went for it. Certainly I can find $12.40 worth of value in a Glossybox.  Right?  RIGHT?!?

Did you know that mark is owned by Avon?  Now you do.  And I don't tell you that to influence your opinion of the brand (though it might) but just as a fact.  This lipstick is from their M.Powerment gift set which gives proceeds to ending dating and domestic violence and is called m.powerment petal.  The tube has a magnetic closure which is slick, so it doesn't come open in your purse.  And I think the packaging is really cute but I wasn't in love with the color enough to keep it.  I didn't actually try the lipstick because I gave it to a friend.  She likes it.



Here we have a necklace from JewelMint.  Both Glossybox and PopSugar partnered with them to put jewelry and bags into their boxes this month.  I folded the chain in half for the picture so that tells you how long it is.  It's nice enough but not at all my style.  It's yellow gold, which I never wear, with pale pink, baby blue, deep purple and white beads.  My grandmother, however, really likes it and was happy to receive this as a part of her Christmas present.





Pleats Please is a new perfume from Issey Miyake.  The name comes from his ready-to-wear line and is a "fruity, floral, exuberant fragrance with notes that include Nashi pear, peony, patchouli and vanilla".  Like many, I'm a fan of L'Eau d'Issey so I was happy to see and smell this sample.  I find it to be heavier than L'Eau d'Issey but I do like it.  It's young and fresh and lasts all day.  I'm not sure about the name, I'm not a lover of pleats on anyone (reminds me too much of 1980's parachute pants) but this is a good scent.




Ginger is one of my new favorite smell flavors so if we had received a lotion or shower gel or soap from Heartland Fragrances rather than Epsom salts, I would have been much happier.  I don't take baths so I don't know what I can do with these other than gift them.  The label says they can be rubbed directly into the skin in the shower to exfoliate but I tried that and meh.  I don't feel like I sloughed off anything other than some white granules.  Does this smell good?  Yes, very much so.  Perhaps I can put them in a bowl and use them as room fragrance with some marbles or something?

I recently took the opportunity to slag off Denise Richards in one of OPI James Bond polish reviews.  She is a horrible actress but she does indeed have great hair (she also supports rescue animals) so I'm not surprised she's collaborated with a "celebrity stylist", Cristophe, to develop a hair care line.  Volume is one of the things lacking in my hair so I'm all about trying volumizing products.  And winter means static a-plenty so it's the one time of year when I use hair spray.  This finishing spray is supposed to provide firm, yet gentle and "touchable hold...without build up" while it "maximizes volume, thickness and shine".  I don't see this as a product that will change my life, but it's a decent hair spray.  I don't do much with my hair so there's not much style to hold but this did keep my locks smooth and frizz-free all day without being crunchy or crispy.  It also doesn't stink and appears to be reasonably priced.  Cristophe is cruelty free.

Not long ago, I saw that Living Proof has a style primer and I raised an eyebrow.  I rarely put on makeup without an eye shadow or foundation primer so should I be using a primer on my hair, too?  Marie Clare named the Wella Velvet Amplifier Style Primer as one of the 25 best products of 2012 so clearly they think I need it.  The consistency is similar to that of a face primer, a little thicker and concentrated but with a soft texture.  I wasn't sure how much to use because the instructions on the foil packet say "distribute 1 pump". Um, Wella, this is a packet. There's no pump. So I used about half of the packet each time.  I'm glad I got to try this before investing, that's for sure, because this to me just seems a bit gimmicky.  I didn't notice anything better than when I use volumizing mousse or gel, or smoothing serum. Perhaps if I was attempting to keep some big curls or an up-do in place, I would like/need it. But a style primer is not something my straight, flat hair needs.

Some of you know that I've allowed myself to be in an LTR (long-term-relationship) with Zoya.  Sure, I've been spending a lot  of time with butter LONDON (a lot of time) lately but Zoya will always be my girl.  I love the colors and formulas - they never disappoint.  What is disappointing is that I received Ziv from the Ornate winter 2012/2013 collection and gold is not one of my preferred colors.  And I just bought GoldenEye from the OPI Bond collection. That's really the only gold I need in my life.  Nevertheless, here we are with Zoya Ziv and I would never turn away a Zoya. Ziv is a softer, less yellow gold than GoldenEye.  It is indeed very opaque with a lovely microdiamond glitter finish.  In honor of football season (my very favorite season of them all) and the greatest team in the NFL (GO PACK GO) I did a green accent nail with a gold stripe for this mani.   Ziv is a nice polish, but not my top choice from the collection. Others received Storm (black holo - want) or Electra (silver and holo bar glitter) but Ziv is just fine. 

So.  So.  Glossybox.  Again I see the value in what was sent.  The value to me is just not the same.  But 7 items, 2 of which are full size (3 if you include the necklace) for less than $13 is a good deal.  There's nothing I'm over the moon about so while I do feel I got my money's worth I don't feel I got spoiled.  I have cancelled my sub for the 2nd time and cannot yet say if we'll test the 3rd time charm.

 LuLu's not too sure about it either, but she'll give it a sniff.