Luxe Box Summer 2016 – Review & First Impressions

Welcome to my review of the Summer 2016 Luxe Box! I received my very first Luxe Box in the Fall of 2015 and sadly, this will be the last box I receive.  I’ve decided to cancel my subscription because I’m considering trying something new and non-beauty related/focused and while I’ve generally enjoyed my boxes, I’ve never been blown away by them.  I found that Luxe Box could sometimes be disorganized – for instance, this month’s box came without any type of product card? Other times the cards would be inaccurate or missing products.  Also, there many times where I’d receive a shipping notification after my box had been delivered.  Those are small things but after a while they tend to add up.  In addition, I was a little frustrated that the boxes weren’t more uniquely curated, given that they were only sent out on a quarterly basis.

That said, I do really appreciate the fact that this box only ships on a quarterly basis – that’s why I signed up for it.  And I do find the price pretty reasonable for all that’s included ($26 CAD/month plus GST – shipping included) for 7-8 deluxe samples, with at least 1 full size item included.  Lastly, they are a Canadian company, and I love supporting Canadian businesses when possible.  So while I think they have some room for improvement, I wouldn’t hesitate to consider them again if I choose to sign up for another beauty subscription box.

So, with that out the way, let’s get into what my Summer 2016 Luxe box included…

Barefoot Venus Lip Bliss (Spearmint) – $7.50 CAD

Moisturizing Mango Butter chock full of Vitamin A, and deeply nourishing Shea Butter bursting with Vitamins A, C and E combat free radicals found in the sun’s rays.  The Meadowfoam Oil serves as a natural SPF and the Aloe Butter all work together in this seriously cute, 100% natural Lip Bliss. 

I’m a bit of a lip balm fanatic and I love trying new types; I’m not a fan of mint-flavoured balms but I have to say, this is a pretty good one!  It took a bit to figure out how it actually works (you push the tube up from the bottom) but the formula is super thick and buttery and it feels really moisturizing.  Bonus points for the unique and cute cardboard packaging.  Pretty happy with this!

Mirabella Refreshmint Eyeshadow Pigment – $10 USD

Innovative loose powder formula contains conditioning ingredients to soften skin. Versatile pigment can be blended from icy to mint, with either a wet application for bright color with a sharper finish, or a dry application for a more pearlescent look.

I was really excited to see this included in the box!  This is one of my favourite colours yet I don’t own any eyeshadows in this shade.  What I like about this is you can apply it with a fluffy brush for a sheer wash of colour or pack it on with a flat shader brush for a more intense look.  I won’t be wearing this on the regular, but it’s a nice addition to my collection.

Morgan Taylor Nail Polish – I’m the Good Witch ($?)

Last season’s box also included a full size Morgan Taylor polish, and while this is a different shade, I’m a little disappointed in the lack of effort involved in including an item twice.  Despite that, I do really like this polish – the glitter is really multi-faceted and colourful and has a rose gold look to it.  I’ve used it a few times as an accent nail paired with Essie’s Topless and Barefoot and the two pair really well together.  So I’m happy with this addition but I would have preferred something a little more unique.  Note – I wasn’t able to find a price online so I’m not sure how much this retails for (as mentioned above no product card was included).

Novex Brazilian Keratin Deep Conditioning Hair Mask – $4.99 USD for 15 mL

Novex Brazilian Keratin Deep Conditioning Hair Mask is an enhanced treatment to restore smoothness and deep repair all types of hair. This product is enriched with Vitamin E and the most genuine Brazilian Keratin.  Recommended for dry, dull and frizzy hair.

There’s not many deep conditioners that I can use on my hair, given how fine it is.  Typically they just end up making my hair greasy. I’ve tried this once and unfortunately I can throw this into the “doesn’t work for me” pile.  The formula is really thick and creamy and I was a total greaseball on Day 2 after shampooing (I can usually go 3 days without washing).  I think this would work best for those with coarse/thick hair.

pur~lisse BB Tinted Moist Cream SPF 30 – $32 for 1.4 oz (received 0.34 oz.)

Your beauty balm (shade: Light) that glides on like tinted moisturizer with all the age-defying, coverage, sunscreen benefits of an foundation and BB cream! Featuring our exclusive Asian Herb extracts complex, Chamomile & Artemisia soothes skin while Sugar Maple improves skin’s appearance and retains moisture to create a gorgeous & glowing complexion.

I received a BB cream in my Spring box, so this was kind of another repeat; this is also a second time receiving a Pur-lisse product. I wasn’t too impressed with the Model Co’s BB cream so I didn’t expect much from this.  Thankfully I was actually pleasantly surprised!   I’ve tried it a few times and it’s moisturizing and provides light coverage but it still evens out my skintone.   I could also see this working really well as primer underneath foundation.  I find this to be quite similar to my Clinique City Block so I don’t think I’d order it but it was nice to try it out.

Harvey Prince Organics Sincerely Body Cream – $24.00 for 12 oz. (received 0.5 oz.)

Revitalize, soften and soothe your skin’s dry, rough patches with our hydrating Sincerely Body Cream.  An intensely moisturizing and deeply nourishing blend of Shea butter and sweet almond oil, combined with extracts of French bergamot and South African freesia, Sincerely Body Cream brings out your body’s natural luster, giving you silky smooth skin all day long. Infused with Harvey Prince Sincerely perfume.  Suitable for all skin types. Hypoallergenic. Non-comedogenic.

I’ve never heard of this brand before and I’m always open to trying new body moisturizers so I was excited to try this out.  Unfortunately I can’t say I’m a fan; the scent was really perfume-like and overpowering.  In addition, I had some major issues trying to get this to absorb – when I applied it, it turned white and just kind of sat on top of my skin, no matter how much I tried to rub it in.  So weird!  Not a fan.

O.R.G Skincare Mineral Peel Face with Brightening Agents – $44 USD for 2 oz (received .16 oz.)

Facial and makeup prep exfoliant with natural brightening agents.  Mineral Peel Face is the first all-natural enzyme exfoliant that extracts dermal debris and dead skin within seconds of application for instantly smoother, softer, radiant skin.  

Now this was intriguing to me!  Sometimes I find chemical exfoliants to be a bit too harsh for my sensitive skin but I noticed that the active ingredients (ascorbic acid, retinol, hyaluronic acid) were lower on the ingredient list so I figured it would give it a try.  I’ve used it twice so far and I probably have one application left because unfortunately my spray bottle leaked in the bag during transport. Basically you spray this on dry skin, let it sit for a few seconds and then massage your face, which triggers exfoliation.  It’s kind of a weird experience to literally be rubbing your skin off your face!

I have actually used a product very similar to this before – Peter Thomas Roth’s FIRMx Peeling Gel.  The ingredients are different but it basically does the exact same thing – and PTR’s version is slightly cheaper per ounce.  I think I actually prefer the PTR because it’s in gel form, rather than a spray.  I found the spray a little harder to apply – I ended up spraying it in my eyes and in my hair a few times – with the gel you can apply it exactly where you want it.   Plus I can order the PTR version through Sephora’s Canadian website and not have to deal with shipping, duty and exchange rates.  So while I liked this product, I can’t really justify ordering it on my own.

Overall, this was a good box with more hits than misses for me, so I’m happy to go out on a high note!

Do you have any suggestions for what subscription boxes I should consider next?  If so, let me know below!

Read about my previous Luxe Boxes here: Spring 2016 / Winter 2015 / Fall 2015

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