Her Fashion Box April 2013

Sorry I'm so behind in posting this!!! Between organizing/sponsoring the Face of Alice Be Curious Competition, my holiday overseas and everyday life, I've been struggling to find time to blog but things are now back to being manageable.

The first of my many many posts to come is the review of the second ever Her Fashion Box.

This is what subscribers received this month:

• 1x Her Fashion Magazine
• 1x Fashion Cuff
• 1x Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam
• 1x Bondi Sands Tanning Mitt
• 1x Schick Hydro Silk Razor
• 1x ModelCo Lip Duo (Nude Lipstick/Watermelon Gloss)
• 1x Eyedefine Eye Pencil

Now, I just need to add a comment here about HFB's AMAZING customer service!

After reading other subscriber's comments on the HFB facebook page I realized that I didn't receive the ModelCo Lip Duo. I thought, like many other subscription boxes, that you don't receive everything on the list so I sent them a quick message and I instantly got a response from them with an apology. They then advised me that a replacement was on its way to me in the mail and it arrived the next day. Now that's what you call customer service! BIG BROWNIE POINTS FOR HFB! ^_^

As an additional Thank You to those who replied to the survey I also received a deluxe sample of Redken's All Soft Argan-6 Oil. I ADORE this product. It smells divine and makes my hair feel luxurious. Another thing I liked about it was that a little product went a long way (especially when I compare it to the Moroccan Oil). Definitely one to repurchase! 

 CUFF LOVE

Trendy Cuff $39.95

Ear cuffs, hair cuffs, ankle cuffs - cuffs everywhere! So it's fitting that the accessory for the April box is a wrist cuff. Once again I found myself wanting the other style accessories (LOVING the feminine one - floral lace inspired).

The Trendy jewellery piece is once again a spike studded piece (March box Trendy subscribers received a spike hair cuff and a neon/spike necklace...). The cuff is solid and is well made and I was surprised that it fit over my wrists (I'm a big girl).

While I wasn't IN LOVE with it, I didn't hate it. I think I'll see what the next box brings me in terms of accessories and then decide whether or not I switch over to a Feminine or Classic subscription.

 (Cuffs pictured on the right, top to bottom: Classic, Trendy, Feminine)

 BONDI SANDS SELF TANNER

 (Self Tanning Foam 200ml $19.95 * Tanning Mitt $9.95)

 I didn't try this product as I just can't bring myself to put on fake tan. I'm actually quite dark already (being of Filipino descent, and also just returning from a week on the beach in the Philippines) so I just didn't see that there was a need to try this either. What I CAN say though it that it is the nicest smelling tanner I have come across. After working with Comptan.com.au for the FitX Competition I can say that I have smelt my fair share of fake tanning products and nothing smelt as nice as this! ^_^. If you were interested to see people's reviews of this product head on over to HFB review section to have a read.

 SCHICK HYDRO SILK RAZOR

Schick Hydro Silk Razor $10.00

 This was another miss for me. To be honest, I find the Schick/Gilette razors to be overpriced and underachieving. I find that they don't stay sharp for very long and the cartridge refills are just too pricey. As something that comes in a package it's great but I won't be going out to buy one in a hurry.

MODELCO LIP DUO & EYEDEFINE EYE PENCIL

 (Eyedefine Eye Pencil BLACK01 $26.00 * Lip Duo Nude Lipstick / Watermelon Gloss $24.00)

 I didn't know what to expect of the ModelCo makeup range when I opened it but boy did it sure surprise me! The end result - good AND bad.

Here's the good: The Eyedefine Eye Pencil in BLACK01 is extremely pigmented and soft. There is nothing that I hate more than when you buy an eye pencil and no matter how hard you press the pencil won't draw. This pencil is just AMAZING! It is a true black pencil that is so nice and smooth and smudges so nicely.

Eyedefine Black01 swatch on the back of my hand (macro shot - no filter)

No filter/edit - look at how black that liner is!! Excuse my face -there's no makeup on besides the pencil ;p

AND NOW.... for the BAD:

The attached sharpener that is on the lid, while it is a good sharpener, is SOOOOO hard to clean! I sharpened the pencil after testing this out and look at the mess it left (below). I even took out the little pencil sharpener cleaner at the very tip of the lid and no luck. I also tried a cotton bud but still nothing. If anything I think it made it worse.

Macro shot - soOOOooOo much to clean with no way of being able to!

BUT - it sharpened it very nicely! ^_^

The final thing that has thrown me off repurchasing this pencil is the fact that it is made in China (Made in PRC = People's Republic of China) and retails for $26.00! To give you some idea, other brands that have products made in China such as NYX, e.l.f, LA Colours etc sell their pencils at $4-6 each.

Now I'm not saying that you need to be a makeup brand snob ( I LOVE NYX) but I think that this pencil is well overpriced for the size as well as from a manufacturing stand point. Even though this pencil was great, I know of other branded pencils that are much larger with great payoff that are cheaper and do a better job.

I really wanted to look past the fact that it was made in China but I just can't. However, if it retailed for say $10.00 I would have definitely bought this again. Who knows? I may fall in love with it the more that I use it but for that price I highly doubt it.... it's disappointing.
.

I have the same problem in liking this lipstick..... $24.00 for a cosmetic product made in China. Once again there were good things about this product and bad.

Watermelon Gloss Only

 Watermelon Lip Gloss - the smell/taste of this gloss is so YUMMY! I just want to eat it all - lol! The gloss is very thin and didn't really last long on my lips. It was nice but I wouldn't rush out to buy it. I used to be a HUGE fan of their lip plumping gloss but I think they've changed their recipe for it because it's not as good as it used to be (I'm talking about 10 years ago when it first launched).

Nude Lipstick

The consistency of this lipstick was very creamy and quite messy. You'll definitely need a primer under this one as it moved quite a lot. I'm a huge fan of this colour but I found myself needing to have to reapply this one constantly and that's just irritating! So it would be a pass on this product!

Nude Lipstick & Watermelon Gloss together

Adding the gloss to the already creamy lipstick is a definite NO! The lipstick moved even more with the gloss on top and it also started to look patchy and uneven.... not a fan!

I really wanted to like this, I really did, especially after HFB went to the extra trouble of resending one to me but I just couldn't.

Here's hoping that the next makeup products they send me end up being good ones! ^_^

Jolz xxx

Her Fashion Box - March 2013 Launch Edition

Her Fashion Box was finally launched in March 2013.

Originally, the box was going to be $49.95/month with the first box at a special introductory rate of $24.95. They then announced that the boxes were going to be $39.95 per month instead (SCORE!!) and as the first box was so cheap I thought I'd sign up and try it out.

When you sign up for HFB you get to choose between three different styles tailored for different types. There is Feminine (TOTALLY not me), Classic or Trendy. What you receive in your monthly box depends on what style you choose. As I LOVE colour and like to keep on top of trends I naturally chose the Trendy box.

Here's what the first box contained:

Her Fashion Magazine which contains the details of all the products included in the monthly box as well as some fashion, beauty tips and special offers for subscribers.

•  1x Exclusive Fashion Necklace
•  Redken Diamond Oil Range (Travel Size Shampoo, Conditioner and Treatment)
•  Maybelline COLORSensation High Shine Lipgloss (Full Size in "Captivating Coral)
•  1x Master Makeup Brush (I got the Eyeliner Brush)
•  Moxie Sample Box 
•  1x Circa Home Lilac & Orchid Soap (Full Size)
•  1x Exclusive Ponytail Cuff (Extra Gift)

"TRENDY" Fashion Necklace

This is the necklace that got sent to all subscribers who get the Trendy Box. While I absolutely LOVE gold AND neon, this piece is something that I probably would never wear BUT it could come in handy for photo shoots so it's a win-win situation for me as a lot of the time when I do buy accessories it's mainly for photo shoots these days.

What I DO like about HFB is that in the magazine they also show you what the others received so after a while if I feel like the other styles more than the ones that I receive I can change my style subscription later in the future. If I were to buy one of three necklaces though I would go for the Classic one.

The magazine also gives you examples on what you can wear each piece with which I thought was rather lovely.

Redken Diamond Oil Range

This range didn't wow me at all. Now to be fair I am really fussy when it comes to hair products as I have fine, limp, dry scarce hair and at the moment I am LOVING the NAK Scalp to Hair range and have been using it for over a year now and haven't looked back. I found the formula to be a little too heavy for my hair so that's why it scored negatively for me.

I'm sure that this range would go down well with the general public though as Redken is one of those brands that I hear everyone raving about all the time but really it wasn't for me and I'm okay with that.

Maybelline COLORSensation High Shine Lipgloss in "Captivating Coral"

When I first saw this colour I was little disappointed as I didn't think it would suit me but at the same time I was pretty impressed that it was a full size product. When I had a look at the HF Magazine and saw all the alternative colours I found myself wishing that I had received either Glisten Up Pink, Luminous Latte or Mirrored Mauve.

BUT, once I opened up the gloss and put it on all my previous thoughts had vanished! Captivating Coral is just GORGEOUS and adds a little pop of colour on my face for those days that I don't feel like amping up my eyes.

Macro shot - no filter/edit

No filer/edit

The consistency of the gloss is quite creamy and not sticky and is nicely pigmented. There is little to no aroma or flavour in this gloss which is what I like as sometimes I can find it too overpowering in some lipglosses/balms. This was definitely the winning product in the whole box for me and something I will definitely repurchase!

Master Makeup - Eyeliner Brush

As a working makeup artist I can NEVER have too many makeup brushes and when I saw this I actually squealed with delight. I'm always on the lookout for great brushes ESPECIALLY eyeliner brushes.

When I opened it though I was a bit confused to see that it was actually more of a "pencil" brush (ie - MAC 219 brush) rather than an eyeliner brush (ie-MAC 209 or any synthetic fine liner brush).

When you compare the brush in real life to the brush pictured in the brochure they look like two different brushes. The one that I received in the box wasn't very pointed at all and was actually quite thick and stubby and pencil brushes usually have a fine tip for precision application.

 

Macro shot of brush

What I will give this brush points for is the fact that the hair is super soft, it blends eyeshadow really well and it is quite dense. If only it was a little more pointed I would've definitely gone on line and bought more of this brush range. It's worth checking out but I prefer buying brushes that I can hold and look at before purchasing so I can see what it is that I am actually paying for.

Moxie Sanitary Products

Well.... there's not much to say about this one. They're sanitary products. There's nothing super special about these besides the fact that they have cute packaging and that's about it - LOL.

Circa Home - Lilac & Orchid Soap

  

This divine smelling soap has a BEAUTIFUL aroma but due to allergies I can only use sorbolene soap on my body. I used this for my hands though and the fragrance lingers once you have washed your hands.

If you don't have allergies to fragranced soap I would wholeheartedly recommend this soap for you!

BONUS - Exclusive Ponytail Cuff

As a Thank You for being one of the first people to subscribe to HFB they also included an exclusive ponytail cuff. This is the one that was sent to those who have the Trendy Box. I absolutely LOVE THIS and will definitely be wearing this one around town!

Here is what everyone else got:

L-R Classic, Feminine & Trendy

Overall Impressions

As a former Lust Have It, Glossybox and Bellabox subscriber I can definitely say that HFB beats them all and has definitely made quite an impression on me and I am looking forward to seeing what the April Box will contain.

Even though I opted for the Trendy Box, as I LOVE bright coloured cosmetics, I think that I prefer the Classic accessories. If there was one thing that I would hope they could change in the future it would be that they give you different options for makeup and accessories (for example Trendy makeup with Classic accessories) but I understand that this would be a nightmare for packaging boxes at HFB headquarters so I won't be holding my breath for that to happen.

The April Box should be landing soon so make sure to keep an eye out for the next blog/review of HFB.

Make Up Store - Celebration Nail Polish

A couple of weeks ago I had an impromptu trip to Sydney and picked up a couple of things from Make Up Store and Illamasqua. At the time, Make Up Store had 40% off selected items sale and as I ADORE their nail polishes I thought I'd treat myself and buy some more to add to my collection. I ended up buying two of them and tonight I finally had the time to try one of them out.

Celebration is a two tone polish. It's essentially a shimmer polish with a black base and gold shimmer throughout (in some of the photos it looks like it has a green/brown tinge but they don't look like that in real life - could be my crappy lighting or my computer monitor - lol).

Make Up Store Nail Polish in Celebration

One of the things I really like about the Make Up Store polishes is that they are really pigmented and also dry relatively quickly. They're also really nice to apply and have a nice finish. I'd highly recommend buying some if you live near a Make Up Store. They also have a really great holographic polish range too!

No filter/edit - Two coats of polish

Macro shot no filter/edit

As I am attending the Hitched Magazine launch in two days I thought I'd add a bit of nail art to make it more interesting.

I had previously posted the below image on my facebook and instagram pages and everyone wanted to know what the other products that I used on my nails were so here they are:

Love heart feature: Manicare Glam Nails Nail Art Pen in Snow White
Ring Finger: OPI Bring on the Bling (pic below)
Index Finger: OPI 18K Top Coat Man with the Golden Gun

Macro shot no edit/filter - OPI "Bring on the Bling"

Erin Bigg Cosmetics - Liquid Lustre in Pink Champagne

I have been following Erin Bigg's makeup work for some time now. I can't recall how I stumbled across her facebook page but I knew she was someone to look out for as I found her work to be so inspiring to me as an artist. I was constantly on her facebook page looking at updates of her work and what she was up to.

Then, late in 2012 she announced that she was going to launch her own cosmetics label. I "liked" Erin Bigg Cosmetics facebook page and signed up to her mailing list (cos that's how much of a fan I am of her).

A couple of weeks later Erin contacted me. I still remember that day. I'd just gotten home from the Hitched Magazine shoot in VIC (it was a LONG drive) and I was feeling tired and weary. I logged on to facebook as I didn't have access to the internet for THREE DAYS (which felt like the end of the world) and the first message to greet me was one from Erin. She had told me that she was doing a giveaway for the very first person to sign up to her mailing list and that I was that lucky person!

I was SO excited - I never win anything!! Suddenly I didn't feel so tired anymore, it's amazing how makeup can brighten up my mood.

So I patiently waited until the box arrived yesterday and boy was I not disappointed! I opened the box and was greeted by a lovely letter personally written and signed by Erin:

The packaging and presentation was really well done and you could tell that EBC (Erin Bigg Cosmetics) is a company that has pride in their products and brand by the way they wrap their products!

EBC gift bag and business card

EBC gift envelope

The lipgloss nicely wrapped up

When I saw the lipgloss I IMMEDIATELY fell in love with it. Erin couldn't have chosen a more perfect colour for me if she tried. This is a colour that I love to wear and it is super glossy and shiny, reminds me of JLo lips! ^_^

EB Cosmetics - Liquid Lustre in Pink Champagne
(Image used with permission from Erin Bigg Cosmetics)

 

Macro shot of the lip gloss (no filter/editing)

So of course, even though I had just gotten home from the gym, I knew I had to try it on and swatch it and let me tell you it felt DIVINE! Prior to this I had been suffering from an allergic reaction to Blistex and my lips were recovering. I couldn't stand to put anything on my own lips for days but as soon as I put this gloss on it felt like heaven! My lips felt smooth, moisturised and the gloss wasn't tacky or super sickly sweet, nor were there chunks of glitter (which I can't STAND in lip glosses). It is PERFECT!

Macro shot of swatch on hand (no filter/edit)

I felt like my lips looked juicy and full (a la Angelina Jolie) and nothing makes me feel more sexier than that! ;p

You must try this gloss, you will not regret it!

You can buy Erin Bigg Cosmetics online from http://www.erinbiggcosmetics.com.au/ or online and instore from Makeup & Glow: http://www.makeupandglow.com.au/