December 2014 Boxycharm Beauty Subscription

 The December Boxycharm subscription box was themed "Jingle Belles" and had beauty items that were geared towards holiday gatherings.  I resubscribed just for this box because I have been wanting the Coastal Scents Revealed palette for quite awhile and since it regularly retails for $19.99 I figured anything I got in addition to it for the extra dollar of the box price would be worth it.  There were some hits and misses, but I loved the palette so I think it was well worth the gamble on the rest of the box items.

 The Mistura retractable brush is very soft and I think it will work well for loose powders and to apply blush with a very light touch.  I am going to try it with my blush palette that has some very deep colors that usually go on too dark because the soft bristles will help diffuse the color.   I have yet to open the Eva NYC Hungry Hair Oil Treatment because I think it might weigh down my fine hair.  I have used Argan oil in my hair before and instead of imparting shine it just made my hair slick and greasy so I'm not sure oils are good products for me.  I will probably give it a shot later in the winter when my hair is driest, and hopefully it will help combat fly aways without weighing my hair down.

I am kind of disappointed to find a Be A Bombshell product in the box.  I'm not a huge fan of the brand and I know that many subscription boxes send their products out, but I have never really enjoyed them.  This particular product is called "The One Stick" and is meant to be an overall product for lips, eyes and cheeks.  I have another in a sparkly pink shade that I received in an Ipsy box, but I was turned off by the scent and texture.  This one is a bright cherry red which I would only use as a lip color.  There doesn't appear to be any glitter in this shade, so it may be creamier and better in texture.  I was hoping for a lipstick.  Of all the products I have tried from the line, that is the one thing I've never received.  I have a lip gloss which was very sticky and I didn't care for (Glossybox) and a lip crayon which was more like a stain and which I would've probably enjoyed more if it were in a more wearable shade for me (Wantable).  There has been a lot of drama surrounding the BAB lipsticks though because many of them seem to have broken in shipping.

There has been loads of drama surrounding the brand in the past, particularly on the Ipsy site where the mascara they sent out had an odd scent.  I wish all of the sub boxes would address the quality concerns with the company or simply stop promoting the brand.

The Lina Lashes I received are in the style "Diva".  Boy howdy!  These lashes are so long they look like they would push my glasses right off my nose.  I don't think I am quite bold enough to wear these.  Even on stage they would be very dramatic!  These lashes have a retail value of $30 because they are made of "cruelty free" mink.  These make me giggle because I picture poor little mink running around without their fur after it was "harvested".  At least no animals were killed in the production of these.  I expected them to be incredibly soft, but honestly they were very stiff and a bitbprickly.  I suppose if your real eyelashes were three quarters of an inch long they would be a similar texture.

The Revealed palette was worth the box price for me.  There are a few matte shades and several shimmery (and not glittery) neutral shades in this palette.  It seems to be a combination of shades similar to the Urban Decay Naked and Naked 2 palettes.  There are bronze and taupe shades, lots of nudes and some good staples of matte brown and black to make a nice smoky eye look.  I've already played around with several shades and with a primer they have lasted through my work day and then some.  I love the pinky nude shade on the top row third from the left and also the taupe directly below it.  They are classic and long wearing and I don't feel the need to have the Naked palettes when I have this.  There is a Revealed 2 palette which likely has some of the rose gold shades Naked 3 has and I will probably pick it up sometime in the future.  The brand usually has good sales around holidays so maybe around Valentine's day they will have a special offer.  I'll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for it.

There are lots of products here that will be fun to try out and I will probably pass the Be a Bombshell One Stick on to a friend who I know likes the brand.  The boxycharm boxes have a good value, and they have great customer service and are really responsive.  They seem to have grown so much since they first started and now they feature lots of exciting products from brands like Tarte.  I like to see the spoilers for the month before I pay for a box and they are great about sending out full size items.  They released a sneak peek today for January's box of a Mirabella primer.  I received it in an Ipsy box sometime last year and I used it as an eyeshadow primer - it is silicone based and very liquidy.  It goes on really easily and absorbs quickly.  I loved it and used almost all of it - the only reason I didn't finish it is I accidentally chucked it because it always used to slip out of the caddy I kept it in.  The tube isn't very big, but a little goes a long way.  I just received a primer in different box I have yet to open so I think I will hold off until they have some more sneak peeks.  I hope you loved your Boxycharm this month.  Let me know if you get next month's box!