Beauty Box 5 September 2014 Review, Pictures, Swatches: Balancing Act

September is the first official Fall month, and I am totally baffled that Summer is already over. Anyone else in the Midwest feels the same way? We had a harsh Winter, followed by a very late Spring, and rainy Summer, so it seems like we got the short end of the stick this year in terms of weather, but I digress. This month’s Beauty Box 5 is all about welcoming the change of seasons with open arms and celebrating all the nice things Fall has to offer – bright colors of maple leaves, pleasant cool breeze, and delicious seasonal fruits!

P.S.: Sorry for not posting all week. Big time family stuffs! 🙂

HOW IT WORKS
For $12/month subscribers will receive a box filled with a carefully selected mixture of five travel-sized, deluxe-sized and full-sized cosmetic products from luxury, commonly known brands, niche brands, eco-conscious and even vegan brands. Aimed at introducing women to new cosmetic products and educating them on best practices, Beauty Box 5 scours the market to find the best products for your lifestyle.
Click here to subscribe.

My Beauty Spot Nail Polish – There was a wide variety of colors sent out, and I received this dark mauve creme. I couldn’t find an official name anywhere on the bottle, so I’m not sure if it even has one.

My Beauty Spot Nail Polish

On the nails – My Beauty Spot Nail Polish

According to Beauty Box 5, My Beauty Spot nail polishes have thick fast-drying formula that glides on smoothly and creates an even glossy surface. After looking at the ingredients, I *think* it’s 3-free, but I’m not entirely positive as I’m not that great with nail polish things. One thing, though, it stiiiiiinks, so make sure to apply in a well-ventilated room.

Sally Hansen Toe Separators – We already received some toe separators earlier this year, but I already used mine enough times to toss them, so I’m actually glad to see another pair. These are nice and soft, and feel very comfortable on.

Sally Hansen Toe Separators

I guess, there isn’t much more I can say about a pair of pink toe separators, aside from the fact that I’m glad to see Sally Hansen in this box, and would love to receive more products from them in the future, because it’s one of my favorite drugstore brands.

Natural Style by FUBU Deep Conditioner & Co-Wash – I am VERY thrilled to see this sample duo, even if it’s just two little foils, because I think everyone should try co-washing at least once to see if it can make a difference for their hair [and trust me, in most cases it does].

Natural Style by FUBU Deep Conditioner & Co-Wash

FUBU is not a brand I’m familiar with, so I naturally didn’t know what to expect, but I was impressed with my first experience. This co-wash left my hair feeling clean, but not stripped of moisture, and made it very soft to touch. From reading the label, it seems like this formula is enriched with organic shea butter, sweet almond oil, EVOO, jojoba, avocado, argan, coconut, pomegranate seed, and even bamboo oils. Sounds like a fancy and very good-for-you concoction! [and also like something I’d add to a salad, haha, which is a good sign, right?] By the way, the company also offers free samples of all their products here, you just have to pay $2 for S&H.

Nicka K New York Eyelight Crayon in Moss – Just like with nail polishes, there was a wide variety of eye shadow crayons sent out, and I received this beautiful shimmery mossy green. This color is perfect for Fall and looks fantastic with my brown eyes!

Nicka K New York Eyelight Crayon in Moss

Nicka K describes these crayons as smooth, buttery, and silky, and promises effortless application and long-lasting, crease-resistant wear. I will probably wear this color as an eyeliner, but they can also be worn as eye shadows, or eye shadow base.

Chrislie Formulations Lashem 3-in-1 Eye Bright – I haven’t tried this nighttime eye serum yet, but looks like the company promises to transform our eye area overnight, making sure we wake up looking well-rested. I’m sure I’ll get to this sample eventually, but at this time I don’t feel like changing up my beauty routine.

Chrislie Formulations Lashem 3-in-1 Eye Bright

Don’t forget to share your favorite products on Instagram and tag +Beauty Box 5 (@beautybox5) using brand hashtags [in September they are #nickaknewyork, #naturalstylebyfubu, #sallyhansen, and #lashem] and #bb5fave for a chance to win five full-sized versions of this month’s products. Good luck!

THE VERDICT
As far as the variety of products goes, the September box was quite well-versed. We received manipedi supplies, hair care, skin care, and makeup, and most of the items were full-sized. My personal favorites this month are two foil co-wash samples and the eye shadow stick, and everything else is a bonus.