Hi Beauties!
For this post I need your help! I have decided that I want to explore more environmentally and animal friendly beauty products, and therefore I am going to sign up for a vegan beauty box. I looked at a few, and the one I think I have decided on is Petit Vour. BUT, I can’t really afford to have three beauty boxes every month! Much as I would love that, it seems a bit excessive when trying to stay on a budget. SO, based on this month (and previous months), I need your help deciding which box (or boxes) to drop when a subscription to Petit Vour becomes available! I just took quick photos of everything in each box for you to compare, but if you want to see and hear more about each item be sure to check out my video here!
First off: Birchbox comes in its standard brown box, and Ipsy comes in a cute re-usable bag every month.
Here are the goods!
Birchbox – May, 2013
Coola – Classic Sunscreen
First up is a sunscreen from Coola. This is their classic sunscreen moisturizer with SPF 30, a cucumber scent and organic anti-aging ingredients. The card says that it is a mineral sunblock, but the active ingredients are avobenzone (2%) and octinoxate (2.1%), which means that it is actually a chemical sunscreen. Avobenzone is inherently unstable, and it breaks down into unknown chemicals when it absorbs UV light, this is what protects the skin. I have a physical sunscreen from Coola that uses titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which I love, so I do really like this brand! They are environmentally friendly and cruelty free, so big thumbs up there! This sample is 7mL; full size is 50mL and retails for $32.
Beauty Protector – Protect & Detangle
Next up is a detangling leave in conditioner from Beauty Protector. I have never heard of this brand before. It comes in a rubbery bottle, and is a perfect size for travel, it would even be fine for a carry-on! On the back of the bottle it says that it is a: Instant detangler, thermal protector, UV protector, that it seals cuticle, smoothes hair, locks in colour, adds shine, conditions, and is weightless, non-greasy and ideal for every day use on all hair types. That’s a lot of claims! I do need to use a spray in conditioner most days after the shower, as my hair gets super tangled. I don’t often use heat, but a UV protector is nice! I don’t have coloured hair, but I might this summer… If it does all that it promises this will be quite the little product! I can’t find a size on this anywhere to know how big the sample is, but full size is 8oz (maybe 4x the size of this?) and retails for $21.95.
Joie – Folle de Joie eau de parfum
And here we have yet another perfume sample from Birchbox. Enough already! They all smell the same to me, floral and not my taste. This one was one of the better ones that I have received I do have to say though. “For its debut scent, the chic fashion brand created this carefree mix of mandarin, rose and sandalwood”. I probably like it better because it has some fruit but is also grounded with the sandalwood. The small sizes are handy to carry in your purse, but I often find that without a cap these just spray whenever they want to and get all over everything… This sample is 0.06fl oz, full size is 3.4 fl oz and retails for $98. I’d have to REALLY love this to spend that much…
Sumita – Colour Contrast Eyeliner
Sumita – Colour Contrast Eyeliner
Next is an eyeliner from a brand called Sumita, another that I have never heard of… “Inspired by traditional Indian formulas, this velvety liner glides on easily and lasts for hours”. The colour is a really beautiful midnight blue, and the pencil did glide on really smoothly. I often have worries about the staying power of such soft pencils on my eyelids as they get oily. I find the UD 24/7 pencil liners go on great, but fade after a few hours. I rubbed at this swatch after letting it dry for a few minutes, and I did see a bit of colour transfer, but I would never be rubbing my eyelids that hard! The full size of this is a set of 4 minis (the same size) and I am assuming they come in 4 different colours. That set retails for $21.
Pilot – Acroball Pen
Last and very least, we have a pen. Really? A pen? Thanks Birchbox, but I don’t pay $10 for office supply samples. It writes in pink ink, and came with a $1 off coupon for any 3, 4, or 5 pack.
Ipsy Glam Bag – May, 2013
Pacifica – Island Vanilla Perfume Roll-On
This smells so amazing!! Like sugar cookies or vanilla icing. Very sweet and delicious. Not usually my type of fragrance, but I am loving this one =) “Inspired by the unique magic of Tahitian vanilla, this sensual blend sets sweet and sultry vanilla absolute, with honey-jasmine notes and a touch of fruitiness, against a deep and beautiful base of tea.” This is 0.33 fl oz (10mL), which is full size! And it retails for $12. The Ipsy discount for this month is 20% off any purchase from Pacifica. A portion of all of the sales from the Island Vanilla fragrance line goes to the Ocean Futures Society, a non-profit marine conservation organization, and it is 100% vegan. How amazing is that!?
Pacifica – Coconut Crushed Pearl luminizing body butter
Next is another product from Pacifica, the luminizing body butter. This smells so delicious. I am not usually a fan of fake coconut smell, but this one is actually really good. It gives just a slight glow to the skin, so it would be really nice on your legs or just on your décolletage for a night out. It is cruelty free and contains coconut oil, pearls and sea minerals. “Shimmer and glow from the inside out with luminescent crushed pearls and ultra-nourishing tropical phytonutrients”. This is a 2oz tube, which is their mini size, and retails for $7. The full size is 8oz and retails for $24. Again, the Ipsy discount is 20% off.
Juice Beauty – Reflecting Gloss in “Fig”
This product is an exclusive pre-launch through Ipsy! It is an organic lip gloss that smells delicious. Fruity and sweet! It has great pigmentation, as you can tell from the swatch, and has a doe-foot applicator. It is made with acai and goji berries for antioxidants, as well as minerals and agave nectar (that’s what the smell is!). I haven’t used this on my lips yet, but I’m sure I will love it! I have loved everything else I’ve gotten from Juice Beauty so far =) This is a full size sample, and it retails for $15.
Juice Beauty – Reflecting Gloss in “Fig”
The discount is also 20% for Juice Beauty.
Yaby – Concealer in “Buff”
The yaby concealer is actually not too bad of a match for my skin tone, kind of crazy for a beauty box sample! I haven’t tried it on my face yet, but it seems to be quite thick and high coverage, so for me it would be a blemish and redness concealer, not for under my eyes. I will have to let you know! It is a full size refill, which has a value of $5.06. The discount code for this is actually for camerareadycosmetics.com, and it is 20% off.
Zoya – Nail Polish in “Neely”
The final product is a full size Zoya nail polish! It is a really pretty colour called “Neely”. To me this is more of a true minty green than Essie’s “Mint Candy Apple”. I actually used it in the manicure that I put on yesterday, so keep an eye out for an Instagram photo! The first coat goes on streaky, but the second really packs on the colour. I love my Zoya polishes, so I am really excited to get a new one! It looks like this could have come in any 1 of 6 pastel colours. I’m happy with mine =). The discount code for this is buy two get one free, plus a free 1oz Remove+ (their polish remover) and $5 shipping, pretty good deal! Zoya polishes retail for $8 on their website.
Zoya – Nail Polish in “Neely”
Be sure to let me know in the comments below which bag is your favourite and which one you think I should drop! I can’t wait to show you the goodies I will be getting in my new boxes =)
xoxo
westcoastbeauty 
IPSY!!
To keep??
yes 🙂
Definitely Ipsy!
Thanks Tracy!