Subscription Box or GWP?

If you are someone like me who loves discovering new beauty products and also has something of an obsession for minis there is a good chance that you stalk the beauty counters for good GWP's or subscribe to a beauty boxes (or two) but which option is the best? 

Here's a few thoughts...

Subscription boxes allow you to spread the cost of your purchases over the course of a  year while GWP's mean that you pay all at once (which could be an issue - the most expensive gift bags such as those from SpaceNK and Barney's come with purchases above $200 or $250).

Having said that, the cost of a year's worth of sub boxes often adds up to the cost of a retail beauty splurge and large retailers tend to run their promotions at the same time every year so with a little online research and forward planning you can budget for GWP's and arrange your beauty shopping around them.

 Which leads me to the fact that with a sub box you are essentially paying for a box of random products and samples. The contents aren't always revealed ahead of time so often they contain 'dud' items that won't be used at all.     

With a GWP you can purchase your favourite products (that you would be buying anyway) and the items in the gift bag are really free. You know ahead of time what the gift will be and in addition I find the items in GWPs are more usable (and generally from higher end brands).

Almost every time I dip my toe into the pool of sub boxes I seem to have an issue with billing/late shipping/missing boxes/duplicate boxes etc etc. Maybe I have been unlucky but it's a hassle I can do without... 

While I find that GWP events are fun days to shop. Many times they feature add on gifts or free mini treatments and they allow you to foster a relationship with SA's.

(But I have to admit that coming home to a boxful of goodies after a hard day at work is a great pick me up!)

And then there is the packaging, sub boxes aren't the most environmentally friendly things are they? There's a limit to how many empty Glossyboxes you can re purpose whereas GWP's almost always come within a toiletry or make up bag. I have a ton of these bags but every so often I clear them out and donate unused ones to charity shops.

Overall: 

Although repeat items seem to feature in both sub boxes and GWP'S (for example dry shampoos, eye liner pencils)  I think you can see which way I'm leaning... While the occasional sub box is fun I'm all about the GWP, I have discovered so many great products from them and receiving one seems like a real treat. 

Which do you prefer?  

The Two of Us.

Fisher and Ivy's relationship has got off to a whirlwind start. Three weeks into it they are less besotted with each other and Ivy announces that she is pregnant. Fisher and Ivy don't know that much about each other or each others' past so can they manage to stay in love?

The Two of Us was a light read that I found to be perfectly enjoyable and absorbing. It is an English book and some of it is very English so, of course, I loved this aspect of it. Parts of it are very poignant and parts of it are seriously funny. The story moves along fairly swiftly and there are many small observations that are very accurate and amusing. 

One of the things that made this book a little different to the majority of romcom novels is that it is written by a man and the story is told from a male point of view. As a result the character of Fisher is better developed and I felt that he was easier to relate to than the more distant character of Ivy. There are a couple of side plots involving Fisher's best friend, El, and a film that Fisher is producing and these are cleverly woven into the main tale of Fisher, Ivy and their impending parenthood in a way that enhances the story. 

This was a perfect beach type read for me. - engaging and entertaining.

Recommended.

A Small Beauty Restock.

Excluding the recent Glossyboxes my beauty buys have been somewhat sparse recently as I am endeavoring to use up some of the many minis and samples that I have accumulated. 

However, a recent SpaceNK visit saw me restocking my favourite daytime serum Sarah Chapman Skinesis Intense Hydrating Booster along with yet another bottle of my favourite warm weather primer Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. 

I swapped up my skincare routine for a while and I seriously missed the Sarah Chapman serum. I find it softens my skin and plumps out fine lines like nothing else and it layers exceptionally well with other skincare products and make up. Of course it is a great year round product but I particularly like this in the summer as it is very light and not at all oily.

My face gets slick pretty quickly in the summer months and I always find myself reaching for Veil as my primer when the weather warms up. It does the best job of keeping my facial oil in check during the day and prolongs the time my make up lasts without ever blocking my pores or making me break out. Oh, and it has SPF 15 which I know isn't enough by itself but I like to think that every little bit helps... 

After not having used it for many years I have recently been trying to fit a retinol product into my routine a couple of times a week. They have definitely come on a bit in the years since I last used them with any regularity. The methods of delivery have improved greatly making them are absorb so much better, you can now layer them easily with other products and even wear certain retinols during the day (with adequate sunscreen of course). 

I wanted a nighttime retinol serum/treatment hummed and haa-ed about which one to get after reading about hundreds of them online and lurking around Sephora for way too long. Eventually I sprang for  Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Infusion PM. Containing 1.5% Retinol it has a water like consistency but feels slightly oily when you apply it. It sinks in immediately and I can definitely feel a tingle when it is first on, but so far so good - no irritation and only minimal redness - I think I eventually made a good choice. 

Finally a few samples.

 I am kind of hoping that I don't like Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm as if I do fall in love with it, it will be a rather pricey addition to my collection of cleansers. Atelier Cologne Figuier Ardent is a woodsy fig scent - I do like it but not as much as Diptyque Philosykos which is my best loved fig fragrance. 

I was keen to try out the Hum Green Superfood Powder Supplement but unfortunately it's Mint Chocolate Chip flavour and I have a strong dislike of mint flavoured things - it's like eating toothpaste for me!

There's also a couple of Shea butter minis from L'Occitane  - the hand cream is the most adorable mini ever isn't it? 

I think I am pretty much set for summer beauty wise - then again...  

Evicted.

During 2008/9 Matthew Desmond lived amongst some of the poorest families in Milwaukee in a trailer park and a rooming house. Evicted follows the fates of some of the families that he met during that time as well as their landlords. Some of the urban poor that he encounters in these desolate neighbour hoods are spending 90% of their income on rent alone. Struggling to pay bills these families are in continuous crisis and many slip through the cracks. Once evicted their lives become even more complex and frustrating as they search for new accommodation and reapply for their welfare benefits.

Evicted isn't an enjoyable book, it is a necessary book that is engrossing and eye opening. It shows the full impact that poverty and homelessness has on families and individuals. With it's many footnotes and references it should be read by politicians, economists, teachers, police and welfare workers. The mix of academic material, coupled with the human element brings home the reality of situations being faced by unfortunate people across the country everyday much more effectively than data and statistics alone. 

Everybody should read this, everyone will gain knowledge and awareness from it.

Recommended.     

Empties April 2016.

In April I used up ten full sized items and fourteen samples which was pleasing.

The majority of products were skincare ones but there were also a 

few body and hair care products and I even managed to finish a lip gloss! 

Body Products.

SpaceNK Life Daily Fix Body Lotion was a good basic body cream that was virtually fragrance free. I picked up a bunch of products from this range in TJ Maxx and whilst I was happy to get them for four dollars a piece in all honesty if I had paid full price I would be a little underwhelmed by this. Nothing bad about it, it is effective, but just a tad boring.

Bath and BodyWorks Sensual Amber Shower Gel lived up to it's name with lots of bubbles and a rich warm, enveloping fragrance that was perfect for colder weather. 

Royal Apothic Limoncello Hand Cream smelt fresh and light and had a great formula like all their other hand creams. (This was an enormous tube as well so it lasted for a while.)

Hair Products.

I finished yet another Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray, I think I am now on my last one of these! It does add volume but leaves my hair a little crunchy so not my favourite. 

 I used Unwash Bio Cleansing Conditioner to wash my hair on days when I had early starts. It was good and didn't weigh my hair down as I had feared but I prefer to use shampoo followed by conditioner rather than an all in one product.

Skin Care Products.

I loved three of the five full sized products I finished. 

Dr Dennis Gross All in One Cleanser with Toner suits my skin well, I like to use it in the morning and it is reasonably priced. 

Rodial Stemcell Super Food Facial Oil is an extra light facial oil that smells delicately of roses. It absorbs beautifully and I even found myself using this during the day. Not only did it deal effectively with dehydrated skin it layered well with make up and other products. 

I don't use physical exfoliators that often but Oskia Micro Exfoliating Balm is the best one I have ever used. It is very gentle and it emulsified to rinse away easily with the addition of water. If I ever need to buy an exfoliator it will certainly be this one but I always have a stash of scrubby things as there seems to be one in just about every gift bag I receive.

 Chantecaille Vital Essence  was one of those products that was just OK for me. I much prefer Sarah Chapman Skinesis Intense Hydrating Booster as my daytime hydrating serum. 

Muji Moisturising Milk is very basic but it left my skin feeling tacky so I wasn't a big fan. The size and packaging of this is perfect for travel though...

Sample wise I enjoyed all of the 3Lab products I used especially Perfect Cream. It was very rich but not at all greasy and it softened and hydrated my skin so well. It also smelt like lavender so it was perfect for night time use.

 Ren Wake Wonderful Night Time Facial was outstanding. When I used this my skin looked radiant and felt smooth and soft. This is going on my shopping list! 

Goldfaden MD Regenerative Night Cream was another lovely rich cream although the pot it came in was ugly and impractical. 

The sample of Vichy Liftactiv Retinol-Ha Advanced Concentrate was great. It was quite a strong product and a little went a long way but I noticed a definite improvement in my skin when I used this.

Rodial Dragon's Blood Sculpting Gel was the only dud skincare item for me this month. It has a waxy feel to it and sat on the surface of my skin rather than sinking in so it was difficult to use with other products. 

Make Up.

Chantecaille Brilliant Lip Gloss in the shade 'Modern' is my go to nude lip gloss. I wear this by itself as well as layering it over lipsticks. I finish these more frequently than any other lip products and I have already cracked open a new one.

I'm very happy with the amount of products that I ended up finishing in April as the month got off to a slow start empty wise.  There are quite a few things on my shelf that are almost finished so I am expecting May's Empties pile to be a pretty healthy looking one too!

   

All That Glitters.

I didn't know much at all about Pearl Lowe but recently saw an interview with her and she intrigued me enough to make me pick up her autobiography and read it.

Although it does tell her life story (Pearl Lowe was a singer in the 90's Britpop band Powder, then an interior designer and then a dress designer) I feel that this book is less the story of her life and more the story of her drink and drug addictions.
Leading a seemingly perfect life with her rock star husband and children Pearl is unhappy and unfulfilled. Known as a party girl around London, her partying soon gets out of control and she becomes addicted to both cocaine and heroin. Then follows a never ending cycle of recovery and relapse until with the birth of her fourth child when at last she sees the light and starts on her 'spiritual journey' to her final recovery.

I wanted to like this book but it disappointed me. I had been expecting it to contain more about how she became a musician and designer and her creative processes and it was lacking in showbiz type tales. 

Although Pearl is very candid about her addictions and mistakes she is so self indulgent that she frustrated me no end. (Later on she exhibits some awareness of her position and privilege and she becomes somewhat more likeable.) She details the addiction and relapse cycle very well but the story appeared to be lacking something and it failed to grip me making it something of a chore to read.

I didn't love the book but wish her well with her continued sobriety...

PopSugar MustHave April 2016.

PopSugar MustHave is a monthly lifestyle box aimed at women that contains 5 or 6 items. It retails for $39.95 inc taxes and shipping but as with other sub boxes you can usually find a discount coupon of some sort online. I used one that gave me $5.00 off (so I paid $34.95).

Although I'm not that much of a subscription box shopper I seem to have a had a run on them recently. IMO Pop Sugar is one of the more interesting boxes as it's not just beauty or fashion orientated and they often include things such as books and edibles - in fact the only other non beauty box that I have purchased was a PopSugar box two years ago.

The theme for the April 2016 box was 'Floral, green, natural, sustainable,fresh, renewal'. I'm not sure how much of the contents fulfilled that theme but I thought that it was a jolly good box and the range of products that it contained made it very suitable for a Mother's day gift.

The Contents:

1. Cravings (a cook book by Chrissy Teigen). Retail value $29.99. 

Although I'm not generally a fan of celebrity cookbooks this is lovely book to browse. Of course, it contains lots of photos of Chrissy but each recipe also has a photo that accompanies it and they are great food shots! I like her breezy style of writing and the recipes are what I would call jazzed up versions of classics - mostly American, but there is also a short chapter of Thai food. It's not a cheffy book but it has lots of recipes for cheesy, spicy foods that look delicious (no dessert or baked goods recipes though). I most likely wouldn't have picked this book out for myself but I like it and it will be a welcome addition to my collection of cookery books.

Verdict: Two thumbs up.

2. Royal Apothic Hand Cream. Retail Value $24.00. 

Royal Apothic Hand Creams are one of my very favourite hand creams. This one is fragranced with 'Field Poppy Conservatories' which is a floral figgy scent. As with their other hand creams the fragrance is subtle and the cream effectively moisturises without being at all greasy. This came in a very nice box and I liked that it contained a key enabling you to get the most product possible out of the metal tube.

Verdict: Two thumbs up.

3. Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm. Retail value $48.00. 

This night cream is beautifully packaged - from it's fold out box to it's wooden topped jar. This is unlike any other face cream I have tried in that it is a gel to oil formula. Made with botanicals this 'natural' product contains echinacea which is a powerful antioxidant. It has a soothing herbaceous scent that I am sure I will find restful at night. I have only used this once so far but it left my skin feeling soft and hydrated the next day.

Verdict: Two thumbs up.

3. Flour Sack Tea Towel by Noon Designs (with a print of 'Lemons'). Retail value $18.00. 

Now I know that it is difficult to get excited about tea towels but I am always pleased to get them as gifts. TBH nice tea towels aren't something that I am going to go out and willingly spend money on especially when they are in the $20.00 price range, so if I can get my hands on them without putting my hand in my pocket they make a very welcome addition to my kitchen! The simple graphic design of this is one that would go with any kitchen. It would also work effectively as a picnic wrapper for baked goods (cakes, muffins etc) or a basket liner.

Verdict: Two thumbs up.

4. Canvas Home Salt and Pepper Shakers. Retail value $12.00. 

These are cute - they look like old school enamel ware but are actually ceramic. The typewriter style labelling on these is fun as well. We use grinders rather than shakers for our salt and pepper so these are something that I can't see myself using at the table but maybe I can use them in the kitchen for spices?

Verdict: Thumbs up as I like them but they are superfluous to my needs so will most likely be re purposed or gifted.

5. Next by Nature Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans. Retail value $4.00.

I like chocolate covered coffee beans as they aren't too sweet. These had melted during transit so they don't look great but they are still edible and yummy.

Verdict: Thumbs up.

6. Bloom That $20.00 gift card. I won't use this card as from what I have read on line it basically covers the cost of shipping an order.

Verdict: Thumbs down.

Overall: 

I thought this was a very well curated box. I loved the face and hand creams and the book. The only dud in the box for me was the gift card and that was an extra item anyway. 

I paid less than $35.00 for $136.00 worth of items (I'm excluding the gift card) and I will use everything except, perhaps, the salt and pepper set. 

I am definitely impressed with this box and will be keeping an eye on PopSugar mailings with a view to picking up more boxes if they interest me in the future.