March Topbox 2013 (Pure + Simple)

So for March, we were given an even bigger choice of what to receive for our Topbox. It was a tough decision, but I ended up going with the Pure + simple prive box. I was scared that I would regret not choosing the regular Topbox (especially since last month's was so good!), but after seeing posts for this month I am glad I didn't :).

The only real downer to this prive box is that it only includes two items. Luckily, I am in love with both!

I'll start off by saying that China Glaze isn't the easiest brand of nail polish to find in Canada, so I was super excited to see a full size of this beautiful plum shade! It's called "Purr-Fect Plum" and the color is just like the lining of the Office City Bag by Zara which I just happened to order this week :). Very sophisticated and a great formula as well! Only needs 1-2 coats.

The blush by Pure + simple is a typical shade I tend to go for. This one is called "Soleil" and is a really pigmented coral with gold shimmer. Perfect for summer! The only thing I don't like is that the blush moves around in the compact (shifts side to side), so definitely not something I can take along with me in my purse. I've already tried out the blush and am loving it so far :).

Another great Topbox! Though I will try really hard to go with the regular one next time ;). 

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Topbox February 2013

This month I received another 'Prive' box from Topbox and this time the brand was one of my ultime favorites, Benefit! I was absolutely delighted when I began unboxing :). Though the doll on the packaging kind of creeps me out :P.

I couldn't be happier with what I received. Definitely the best Topbox I've had so far. A lot of well known products were included as well as a sample of a product that has only just been released!

Things included:

POREfessional 

Total Moisture Facial Cream

Benetint

Dandellion Gloss and Powder

Fine One-One

An invitation to a Benefit's event at your local Sephora 

Everything was packaged very well so nothing could possible get damaged while being delivered.

I love the selection of products, and the size of the samples (well, except maybe the Fine One-One). I'm also going abroad soon so these are perfect for travel size :). And I've been wanting to try POREfessional for ages! The only complaint I would have is the lipgloss. It's the first thing I've tried so far and the color pay off was disappointing, very very sheer. But then again, that all simply comes down to personal preference.

Overall, I'm really pleased with this month's Topbox! What are your thoughts on this box? :)

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Clinique Review: Rinse-Off Eye Makeup & Clarifying Lotion

So I had recently received these two products in my January Topbox and was curious enough to give them a try. I've been put off by Clinique products ever since I had a reaction to their All About Eyes cream. I have never particularly considered myself as someone with sensitive skin, mainly because I never have reactions to skin-care products. However, Clinique is making me rethink that...

Let's start off with the Clarifying Lotion. The first question I had was why it is called 'lotion'. It is not a cream, in fact it's a liquid. A toner to be precise. There's nothing 'lotiony' about it. It also states to be for dry/combination skin. This confused me since the main ingredient is Alcohol, which is the most drying ingredient one can have in skin-care products.

Now, the real trouble began when I opened the bottle. Oh.My.God. The smell... Where do I even begin? It's like opening a bottle of strong liquor (such as Vodka) and having the smell burn your nose and make you feel queasy just from a slight whiff. Yup, it was that bad. I tried very hard to ignore the smell and continued with application. Then it began to burn on my face... not cooling or tingling, just burning. Again with the liquor reference, it's like that burning you get from taking a shot, aka not so pleasant. My eyes also really began to sting even though I avoided applying in that area. Needless to say, I made a quick dash to the sink and washed it all off.

I tried hard to convince myself that the make-up remover wouldn't be as horrifying.
Nope. I attempted to remove my eye-makeup with this product and once again, the burning began. I ended up quickly removing the product with my Bioderma makeup remover (bless Bioderma for saving me).

I don't know if it's a certain ingredient that Clinique uses in their skin-care line that makes my skin go "ahhhh!" but I'm definitely going to stay away for my own safety :P. I know a lot of people praise Clinique, but if you are someone with sensitive skin then I wouldn't recommend their line of products.

Has anyone else had troubles with Clinique? Or is it just me?

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Topbox January 2013

This month's Topbox is very different from the rest, mainly because it's not actually a normal Topbox. January is featuring their new line of "Prive" boxes. The difference is that with the Prive box you receive samples from only one well-known brand instead of several different ones. Everyone received the same prive box this month but for the upcoming months you will be able to decide whether you want a Prive box or just a normal Topbox.

This month's brand is Clinique. Personally, I'm not the hugest fan of Clinique. They're not a special brand in my eyes and I find their packaging to look and feel quite cheap which is odd considering how much their products are worth. However, I don't mind using their products. They're just not necessarily something I would buy myself. I only have two products by Clinique, one a moisturizer and the other an eye cream. I had a reaction to the eye cream so ever since I have laid off purchasing anything else from Clinique, especially since there are so many better brands out there for skincare.

Anyway, here is what came in this month's box:

1. Clarifying Lotion (for dry/combination skin)

2. Rinse-off Eye Makeup Solvent 

3. Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo (in the shades 02 Like Milk)

4. Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector 

I definitely have a use for all these products so no one of them will go neglected. I approve of the eyeshadows, definitely the usual colours I go for. And who doesn't love an eye make-up remover to go with it?

The only complaint I have is how tiny the spot corrector sample is. Only 7ml! Barely any product inside to use long enough to see results. However, I'll still give it a go with the some spots of hyper pigmentation I have.

Overall, it is a good box but it doesn't 'wow' me. I think I'd only opt for a Prive box if it happened to feature one of my favorite brands. But I do applaud Topbox for coming up of the concept, it's very forward thinking :).

What are your thoughts on this month's box? :)

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