Macy's Beauty Box: December and November 2019

Macy's has a beauty subscription box, which costs $15. It comes with deluxe samples (around five I think, although sometimes six) and either a bag or a beauty item. December had a really well made sparkly bag and November had a really hefty mirror. A gift card for either $5 or $10 off a beauty purchase at Macy's is also included. 

There's a wait list at the moment, so I don't know how fast/slow it is. I don't remember there being one when I signed up. 

Also, Macy's is having a bit of sale. So, fun times. 

December 2019

The main Macy's box page has a drop down menu to make it easier to shop the bag, but they also have a freestanding page that has the same items. 

This month had my favorite bag (so far) but I'm a sucker for sparkle anything. It's also quite a nice size for a going out wristlet...for maybe the after Covid-19 party. Don't be partying now! 

There are always two parfumes, I donate the mens at the moment and keep about 50% of the ladies. Scent isn't putting me down like it used to so I'm enjoying trying some new items. It's fascinating how your body can turn a scent. For instance, my friend wears Elizabeth and James' Nirvana Rose and smells amazing...whilst I smell like a rotted garden in the same scent. I also smell like a broken bottle/bar in the Nirvana Bourbon while she smells divine. It's unfair. Luckily their Nirvana Black and White do okay on me...and I'm going to give the Amethyst and French Grey a try soon. Although I think that brand is going to be dunzo...which super sucks or revamped (sucks less).  

There's always a pamphlet that shows the items in some order. The first items from the book was: 

A silicone sponge from makeup drop. I've never used one before but I saw on reddit that someone suggested they can be used for masks as well! Brilliant. It's quite thick and has sparkles in it. It's over the shoe perfume picture (it is transparent). 

Pur's Mineral Glow Perfecting Powder. I've never tried this before so that's exciting. 

Elizabeth Arden's Vitamin C Ceramide Capsules: Obsessed with this.  It's a serum packed into individuals capsules. I haven't tried more than one (I have a backlog at the moment) but I did like the forula texture. I'm not sure exactly the breakdown cost-wise of individual capsules but still obsessed with the idea. 

The other items are a 3-in-1 sparkle balm from girlaltic. It's meant just for lips (over, under or by itself). It's sparkly and glides like a dream. 

GrandeLips lip plumper from Grande cosmetics. Both of these lip companies were new to me. I haven't used this one as of yet but it's a pretty color. My invisalign (which is in suspension with Covid-19) makes lip products impossible. 

Paco Rabanne Men's Invictus Legend Cologne. I love the smell of cologne (even Axe Body Spray clouds that are absorbed into every middle school hallway {the smell, not the smellee}) so my judgement would be wasted on men's scent but nevertheless, I thought it smelled okay. 

Caroline Herrera Good Girl Parfume. The notes are Mandarin,  Sambac Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Green Pear, Tonka Bean, and Sandalwood. I've decided to give this a try so we shall see how it smells on me long term. I usually go for floral scents that are airy and very light so I'm in uncharted territory now. 

Each item comes with a pro-tip as well. For instance, the silicone blender suggests also using it to smooth on skincare after storing in in the fridge. Which is a good idea. 

November 2019

​First grouping: 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Crush. This is matte, fast-drying, stays for hours, soft beige color. It's quite neutral but you can put some highlighter as a topper to create more effects. I tend to add either gloss or highlighter because I don't love mattes on my lips. Granted, my medication makes me dehydrated as hell so even my lips need more TLC. I like ABH's formulas and I have this exact liquid lipstick in other colors. 

​Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. I have a full size of this that I haven't opened but I do okay with Too Faced's mascaras. Too Faced the brand is hit or miss with packaging (sometimes it's too childish). I'm hoping for better things since Estée Lauder bought them. Like, better packaging and less chalky purple eye shadow. 

Kiehl's Calendula Water Cream. Mmmm, Kiehl's always interests me but I never buy things from them because I'm a semi-no buy for skincare. I'm backlogged and need not one iota more. I've wanted to give them a spin for awhile and I have a few samples so that's going to happen. I'm on a mission to find something that works with my newly medicated dry skin. Like, I appreciate that the medication I'm on is working for me but in order to avoid all this dehydration, I'm guzzling water and slathering on LAYERS of skin-cream. This is a water cream, which is my favorite consistency but might be too light for the current skinpocalypse I'm going through. ​

Clarins Re-charge relaxing sleep mask. There's something about a brand that's been here for awhile. Clarins, Estee Lauder, Kiehls. This is a sleep mask (placed after moisturizer), which I love. I started doing sleep masks in college...back when I'd have to import them from Korea. I think they up the hydration levels and settle my skin. I haven't' given this a go, but I do like the brand. The only *possible* issue is that this has coconut water in it. This could be fine for my skin but overall coconut is not something my skin loves. It gets itchy pretty fast. 

Peter Thomas Roth Instant Firmx Eye. This is an eye cream/treatment meant to infuse some hydration into the area. It also claims to de-puff the eye. I've used his masks more than his skincare so I can't talk about this product as of yet. His masks are nice and gentle and whilst I cannot say I've seen marked improvement in my skin after one masking...they don't turn my face red. 

Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris Parfum. I have this scent in a large bottle as my friend works for YSL. I've become fond of the brand through them. This scent is less intense than the first one I tried from them (Black Opium...love the bottle, hate the scent). Main notes are red Berries, White datura flower and White musk

Yves Saint Laurent Y. This is the men's scent. I like it, but again...I like it all. It's less musk and more fresh if that helps. 

​This month's page: November Beauty Box

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