Le Matchbox from Jouer was perhaps one of the most anticipated beauty subscriptions of the year. The inaugural box was beautifully packaged and contained a really nice selection of products, including makeup, tools, skin care, and even fragrance. Last month I received the second box in the series curated for Summer 2015 where the subscribers got a preview of two brand new products the brand recently released.
HOW IT WORKS: For $45/season Le Matchbox subscribers will receive a box of full-sized and travel-sized Jouer beauty products, tailored to their skin type and undertones. Click here to check it out.
Le Matchboxes are curated for warm and cool undertones, and since I like warm colors more, that’s what I opted in for. The first product I took out of the box was Lip Sheer SPF15 in Lanai, a beautiful warm peach that adds just a hint of color to the lips, while moisturizing and protecting them from the sun.
This is my first Jouer Lip Sheer, but after trying Lanai, I’m sure it won’t be the last. Those who received the Cool box got Tulum shade instead, a lovely sheer peony pink.
No summer makeup look is complete without a hint of bronzer, and Jouer included their best-selling Mineral Powder Bronzer in Suntan in both Cool and Warm boxes. It’s a medium coffee and cream color with neutral undertones and matte finish. I think this particular shade works best for light and medium complexions, so it’s probably not a one color fits all. The powder was a bit denser than I like for bronzers, because I usually prefer powdery formulas that are easy to pick up with a soft fluffy brush. With this one I had to run my brush across the pan several times to get enough pigment, but maybe it will eventually loosen up the more I use it. My less-than-perfect experience with this bronzer didn’t end there…
The pan wasn’t glued to the container very well, so it fell out when I initially opened the compact. Luckily, my floors are carpeted so it didn’t shatter, and it landed pigment up, so it didn’t stain my carpet. Whew! If you look closer at the picture you’ll notice that the product looks like it has white spots, and I am not quite sure what they are. Can’t be mold, can it? If you know what it might be, let me know in the comments.
This summer I rediscovered my love for cream eye shadows, so when I saw a full-sized Jouer Crème Eyeshadow in Cashmere sitting in the box, I got excited to give it a try. It’s not a unique color by any means, and I already have several similar products in my stash, but not in the cream formula. The color is beautifully pigmented and feels like a balm on the lids. Jouer enriched these with Aloe Vera and Cucumber extracts, so they actually have some skin caring properties. By the way, those who received Cool-toned boxes got their Crème Eyeshadows in Organza, which is equally gorgeous. My oily lids claimed yet another victim – the formula was no match for my skin and started creasing horribly within the first 3 hours of wear without primer. For comparison, Colourpop eye shadows don’t crease on my lids at all, primer or not. I do like the color and will attempt to find ways to make it work, maybe even use it as a base for other shadows. It’s too pretty not to use!
Another product I was super excited about is Everyday Effortless Mascara in Brun, a deep roasted-coffee-beans kind of color that is almost black but not quite. I have only one brown mascara in my stash and it’s much lighter than this one, so this is something new to try for sure. I loved the way it looked on my lashes – they were fluffy and defined, but not dramatic. It’s ideal for everyday wear if you’re into more natural makeup looks [which I totally am].
The wand has an hourglass shape [I don’t know why the wand shape is different in stock photos, it’s definitely hourglass in real life] that lifts the lashes and helps curl them a little. I didn’t think the formula was strong enough to actually hold that initial curl for long, but to me it’s all about the color anyway. The mascara wore well all day, even in humid weather, and didn’t melt or smudge around on my oily lids, which makes it a winner in my book.
Finally, everybody received a small sample of Jouer Tint in Petal, which I actually got in a subscription box a couple months ago. It’s a cream blush that can also be worn on the lips as a sheer lipstick, or even built up for more opacity. The formula is extremely pigmented and very buttery, which makes it blend like a dream. I tried it both as a lip color and on my cheeks, and loved the way it looks.
My pan was “sweaty” when the box came, so when the moisture settled after sitting in an air-conditioned room for a few days, it revealed visible white “blooms” on the surface. It’s a normal thing to see on balmy products that were sitting out in the sun for a while, so if you got the same thing on your blush, no need to be alarmed – it’s not mold. Sometimes my candles look like that, too, when I order them online.
Here’s something I forgot to mention in my previous Le Matchbox review. Jouer makeup is shaped like that for a reason: the pans actually snap together to form a palette, which is great for traveling. Convenient, isn’t it?
Swatch reference: My skin tone is between MAC NC15 and NW15 with yellowish hue and neutral undertones. Sometimes I can wear NW20 in the Summer. I thought this would be useful to know, since all screens show colors differently, and I also don’t have a studio setup with consistent lighting. Hope that helps!
Did I like my Summer 2015 Le Matchbox? You know, despite that broken bronzer pan and the eye shadow single that creased, I thought this was a very nice selection. The products work together beautifully to create a cohesive Summer look. I’m particularly in love with the mascara [and judging from other reviews, I seem to be the only one], because it looks glorious on my lashes and the formula is nothing short of amazing.
Have you tried Jouer makeup before? What are some of your Summer makeup staples? Let me know in the comments below!
| Product | Retail value |
|---|---|
| Lip Sheer SPF15 | $24.00 |
| Mineral Powder Bronzer | $30.00 |
| Crème Eyeshadow | $22.00 |
| Everyday Effortless Mascara | $24.00 |
| Tint | $9.42 |
| Box Retail Value | $109.42 |
