So my Birchbox arrived awhile ago but I’ve held off reviewing. I have some personal issues with this box & I wanted to decide how I felt about it. I STILL recommend Birchbox to everyone who asks what beauty service to try fist. I just wanted to say that. But let me tell you, MyGlam has been  blowing me away. Like POW BAM. I’ve skipped reviewing the past month because I pretty much just lost everything I worked on. ANYWAY. This is a Birchbox VS MyGlam (I don’t know if I should call it Ipsy so that’s what I’m calling it) & it is just so you can see the difference.

Let’s do Birchbox first. So my issue with this box isn’t even that I didn’t feel like it fit Birchbox. So many people got some wonderful things & I felt like my box was kind of a stab in the dark. The theme was pretty gimmicky to me & the new mini magazines feel a bit like a Glossybox rip off. 3/6 (so 50%) of the items are in foil packets AND from the same brand. On top of that, the brand is Masqueology which gave me a horrible allergic reaction awhile back. So these weren’t even a great value but I can’t really use them anyway. I don’t mind throwing out or giving up something here & there but half my box? Bummer.

Another item is a decent size sample of a body serum (which feels like straight oil to me…) was absolutely so overflowing that they had to put it in a plastic bag. Gee…thanks? Why didn’t they just get better packaging? It is a mess…I can’t even bring myself to use it. Birchbox made a HUGE deal about a MCMC Fragrance called Phoenix so I thought; “Yay finally a fragrance sample that isn’t tiny! They wouldn’t rave about a tiny one!” Well, they did…& the scent is just kinda meh to me. Not worth the hype for me.

The last item is a Stila All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer in Rose Gold. I like this product, I really do. I like luminizers in general. But being that it isn’t a full size (it is a full size according to Birchbox BUT it is a full size from a set of 3 MINIS) this wasn’t exactly blowing me away. As always, I count my Birchbox points as $5 because I do shop on their store (I just bought some Zoya Exclusives) so that brings my box total down to $5. For the first time in a really long time…I don’t feel like my box was worth $5.  I usually buy Stila during ridiculous sales so $5 for one sample is kinda a whatever thing.

Now let’s do MyGlam / IPSY!

I am blown away by this $10 bag. No, they don’t have a loyalty program, affiliate options, or even a referral code. Want to know why I don’t care? Because this bag rocked my socks. With items from 2 new brands & 3 I buy from consistently, the value was amazing. No skincare. No hair. Just makeup + a nail polish…& I think if you read my blog you know I love a new nail polish. This month the contents were contained in a chocolate bag with a gold zipper. I think they have actually been uping their bag quality.

The one maybe item in this bag was the Benefit They’re Real Mascara because some people got the Chella Eyebrow Defining Gel. I would have been thrilled with either honestly. I have been using the Chella Mattifying Day Cream & I adore Benefit. I’m adding this to my mascara stash to try!

The full size nail polish is from a brand that is new to me called Nailtini. I got the shade Millionaire. Glitter-rific & on trend for the upcoming holiday season! I LOVED getting a polish that wasn’t from the Circus by Andrea line…those just weren’t good quality on my nails. This is a big step in the “makin me happy” direction. I’ll swatch this once I get through some of my accumulating holiday polishes.

TheBalm snuck a perfect little eyeshadow single from their Meet Matt(e) palette in Matt Batali. I love this shade, the mini-adorable-ness of it, & TheBalm in general. Smittened.

Another brand I am unfamiliar with is Starlet Cosmetics. They included a full sized Intense Eyeliner in Chocolate but unfortunately I found it a bit hard. I will try working with it a bit more before I decide but man is this packaging cute!

The last item is a Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss from Bare Minerals…which just makes me so happy. The shade I received is Daredevil which is a beautiful purple toned berry. Full of winning, I just love these, especially to layer. I adore purple leaning berries so this was especially nice.

They also added a bonus $20 off for JustFab. This site is similar to the site I received called Little Black Bag & I actually just ordered from them. I haven’t tried them yet but I had a hard time not overbuying like everything! I’ll be sure to haul stuff for you guys when I do get my 2 items in!

WOOSH! So much writing! Sorry guys, I know this post was long but it was also overdue! I am in love with MyGlam at the moment but I know some people got some great items as well. Pink Sith better watch herself, I want her Birchbox something fierce. Clearly my boxes are quite different this month!

What do you think? Have you tried either MyGlam or Birchbox? Canceled either of them? Have you tried anything I got?

**Affiliate Links have been used. Using them helps to support this blog!

So the Starbox is from the makeup company Starlooks & everything inside the box is from their brand. I got my first box last month (click here to view my September Starbox) & was very impressed. For $15, you know you’ll be receiving full-sized items…no foil packets here!

Here are the cards that came with this Starbox, pretty right? Plus it gives you a sneak peek for December. if you have been considering signing up I think it is the perfect time!


 Inside my October Starbox

Starlooks Eye Dust in Posh: This is a loose pigment that can be worn both sheer & built up to be brighter. I love purples so this shimmering shade is right up my alley! I always use a primer with loose product & this lasted all day!

Starlooks Eye Pencil in Gold Dust: This is a really blendable yellow-toned gold shade. Again, this is buildable. Use a little to have a slight golden sheen or another layer to make the gold really pop.

Starlooks Lipstick in Masquerade: This is a warm orange/pink toned red base packed with orange shimmers! This looks a lot more dramatic in the tube than on the lips/swatched. I love this shade! Such a pretty wearable orange shade for fall!

Extras: We always get the crystals in our box which I love. Plus we got a kind of eye tattoo? I’m sticking this in my costume drawer. How fun is that though? Great extra!

Swatches left to right: Eye pigment in Posh, Eyeliner in Gold Dust, & Lipstick in Masquerade.

I get so many questions asking me which beauty boxes are the best & this one is definitely making that list. Sure, it is only my 2nd box, but this  encompasses the requests I so often get. When someone asks me what kind of box they’re looking for I always ask what THEY want out of a service. Often they want all makeup, bug samples, & nothing too expensive. I think this definitely fits the bill!

What do you think of the products I got in this Starbox? Have you signed up? What services are you currently signed up for?

**This Starlooks Box was provided for an unbiased review. This is not sponsored & all opinions are my own. No affiliate links have been used.

On my quest for the best subscription services, I stumbled upon BarkBox! For those that don’t know, I have 2 dogs & a cat. Cobo is a Boxer/Shar Pei & Zeus is a Poodle/ Shih Tzu. Both are rescue mixes & spoiled beyond belief. When I come back, I want to be one of my dogs. Getting to spoil THEM with a monthly subscription is pretty incredible…& they love getting mail.

About BarkBox:
When you sign up for BarkBox, every month you will receive a box in the mail with four or more carefully selected products and presents for your dog – anything from bones and treats to shampoos, leashes and innovative new gadgets!
If your dog is begging for more or you want to gift a favorite item to a friend, we’ll give you exclusive opportunities to order more products at a great rate.
A portion of proceeds from each box will go to help doggies-in-need. To learn more about our causes, read about our giving program.
Whether you’ve known your furry friend for years or have a new special canine in your life, BarkBox is the monthly necessity for keeping your pup entertained and feeling well loved.

I think you guys will get a kick out of this: it is actually more personalized than more of my beauty boxes! Seriously. You get to choose your dog’s size (in a lot of beauty boxes they don’t even pay attention to skin color!) which is super handy. I went with Cobo’s size (he’s about 100 pounds) because Zeus thinks he’s a big dog anyway. Your choices are Small & Cute (0-20lbs), Just Right (20-50lbs), & Big & Bold (50lbs+) so it is pretty simple. There wasn’t a Lazy & Clumsy selection so I went with the Big & Bold option.

For one month of BarkBox you pay $29, for 3 months you pay $22 a month, & for 6 months you pay $17.50 a month. Shipping is always free! I LOVE that you actually get a substantial percentage off (40%!) for joining for 6 months. Sometimes you only save $1-$5 a month, but 40% is a nice chunk of change. Another item to note? You can cancel anytime. Plus, 10% goes to a rescue charity which is also awesome.

Let’s look at what the boys got shall we? Also, check out photo-bombing Zeus!

So first, let’s look at their cards. I love love LOVE the little drawings (noticed the barking dog sketch on the box I put up there? HA!) & I love that these aren’t all cluttered. Like many other boxes, one side gives you a little bio about the items you’ve received. Although it doesn’t include prices, it does include websites which I like.

So there you have it! So far, they have played with the bottle mostly by rolling it around the floor…then feeling like I cheated them bu not having free treats in it. I’m a horrible mother clearly. I think BarkBox is so majorly cool. I am hoping that I answered most of your questions, but if not, just leave them below & I’ll do my best!

Have you gotten Birchbox before?…interested in picking up a BarkBox for your pooch? What do you think of the items I received? Okay, I didn’t receive anything, let’s be honest, this one’s for the dogs! 😉

**Referral links have been used. This box was provided for review consideration. All opinions are 100% my own. The dogs are not models, they are my own. Ha.

When Beauty Box 5 contacted me about reviewing their July box, I said sure. I am kind of a junkie. Its kind of addicting these boxes…what’s one more right? Well, here’s what I got & my opinions! Get ready for another sample subscription review….

What is Beauty Box 5:
-This is a sample service that charges different amounts allowing you to test it out for $12 a month, pay $30 quarterly (saving $6), or $100 yearly (saving a whopping $44) which I really like. Even monthly it isn’t too unreasonable. Its only $2 more than Birchbox or MyGlam which is do-able in my book.

– Samples come in a blue/green colored cardboard box with a drawstring baggie of samples + an info card.

– You receive 4-5 samples a month.

Okay, first off, I think its strange they call it BB5 when the samples are stored in a little drawstring bag with only 4 products this time. Kind of defeats the name no? Maybe that’s just me splitting hairs but…I guess I’m spoiled with some other boxes out there lately.

What I got:

-Blinc Mascara 
 I’ve gotten this before… think twice? It just isn’t for me. Its supposed to be water-resistant, no smudge, flake-free, & is a tubing mascara. It just didn’t give me the length, volume, or lasting power. I know some people LOVE it though so this isn’t a bad sample.

Full size: $26.00 for 0.21 oz   Sample: 0.02 oz which is $2.48

-Curls Gel-les’s
 This is an organic curl styler that promises shine, banishment of frizz, & to hold curls in place. I have naturally wavy hair…unfortunately this did absolutely nothing for frizz & my hair isn’t even considered frizzy. Bummer.

Full size: $25.00 for 8 oz  Sample: 2 oz which is worth $6.25

-Spongeables Pedi-Scrub Foot Buffer
This is an “at home spa experience” with a soft side to cleanse & moisrturize. Flip it over & its a buffer side to exfoliate. I love this. It smells very soapy & clean. Works great. My only request is that it lasts a big longer but for only $2.99 I better just deal.

Full size: $2.99 (one)   Sample: Full sized so it is worth $2.99

-Bodyography Makeup Primer
 This is a really decent sized sample but unfortunately…it just wasn’t for me. It made me break out which is actually pretty rare with primers. When I did use it, I didn’t notice anything mind-blowing or even all that helpful.
Full size: 1 oz for $30.00  Sample: 0.53oz for $15.90