NARS Glossy Box Review (Contents + Pictures)

I don't think there has been any beauty box I have lusted after as much as this NARS Glossy Box one. The first time I heard about it was back in June on  London Beauty Queen's Blog  and Instagram and I quickly saved the date. When the launch date inched closer, I registered for early access on Glossy Box website and patiently waited. Would you believe I actually forgot to order it by 9am (which was a good thing because I heard people had issues at that time). I remembered around 9.20am because I was at work and was trying to meet a deadline. I literally screamed when I remembered and went on the website and luckily for me, I snagged one. Phew!! I already knew the contents of this box as it had been shown on quite a few blogs and YouTube videos so it was a no-brainer for me. I am pleased with the shades they chose for the contents of the box although I wish they varied some of the shades. The theme was  more of a  pink theme (and two Orgasm shades as well). I  was a little hesitant in doing a review of this box  seeing that it is impossible to get hold of now (it sold out within 30 minutes). However, I do think some people still want to see what’s inside and perhaps, make a decision on any full sized products they may want to purchase. Apparently, there were only 3000 boxes produced so it's quite the collector's edition box.

I would not necessarily say this box is a must-have especially if you have a lot of NARS products in your stash. If you are new to NARS and want to learn more about the brand without necessarily damaging your bank account, this is a good way. I would not say I have a lot of NARS products but I am a miniature makeup hoarder so I knew I had to get this. I love how compact and travel friendly they are. Although they are miniature sizes, they are not that tiny. They are proper deluxe versions made with the same packaging as the full size and I think that’s where the beauty lies in. Without much ado, let’s explore the contents of the box…

Packaging

Generally, I love the packaging of beauty boxes but the NARS Glossy Box is outstanding. It comes in lovely velvety matte box (very unhelpful description but that’s all I can come up with). It feels very lush just like NARS products in general and I love it. Inside the box, there is a little booklet which describes the products in the box which is helpful. The products are wrapped in a nice black wrapping tissue complete with a NARS satin bow. Mind you, I had already opened the box way before I even attempted taking any photos so it was better tied than this. Underneath all the fancy wrapping lies five deluxe sized NARS Products which include the new NARS Audacious Mascara, NARS Blush in Orgasm, NARS Multiple in Orgasm (exclusive), NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugen and NARS Larger than Life Eyeliner in Via Veneto. My greedy self honestly wished they added in one of their gorgeous Audacious Lipsticks.

NARS Audacious Mascara// £20 // Link (full size)

I was quite excited to try this mascara out after reading so many reviews about it. First off, I really like the packaging. It feels super lush and it’s very well made. It also has a red top which gives it a very interesting look which I love. I never really know how to rate Mascara samples because I feel many miniature mascara samples perform way better than the full size. Many sales ladies at beauty counters have also confirmed this. However, I do like the bristles of this mascara as have different sizes from top to bottom which means they can pick up the tiniest lash. I need to test it out for longer before I make up my mind but I like it so far.

NARS Blush in Orgasm// £23 // Link (full size)

I am fascinated by how tiny this blush is and I think it is one of my favourite product in this box. I believe it is about the same size as a NARS single eyeshadow so you do get a good amount. I am sure Orgasm needs no introduction as it is one of the more popular NARS blushes. It is not one I would have purchased its full size because I didn’t think it will suit my complexion. However, it is actually alright. It acts as a really soft pink subtle blush on my complexion and also provides a soft highlight which looks flattering. NARS blushes are well pigmented so you don’t have to worry too much about them and I think this is a lovely blush for everyday wear.

NARS Multiple in Orgasm// £29 // Link (full size)

I think this may be my least used product of the lot because I am never really crazy about cream products. It is also ridiculously cute but I have not actually used it yet. It is a lovely pink shade and I am not sure if it would show up on my complexion. I may actually be giving this out or just stare at its cuteness. I wish it was a darker shade as it would have been perfect as a contour. I think this would serve more as a really subtle cream blush if I end up using it. If you have a fairer complexion or olive toned complexion, I think you would like this a lot.

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugen //£19 // Link (Full size)

I already have the same lip pencil which I received from Sephora as part of their birthday present offer (read post here). I love this Lip Pencil so much and I am so glad I now have a backup now. I honestly feel there is no need to have the full size pencils because these deluxe version last a really long time. I have had my first Rikugen since the beginning of the year and I still have a lot left. I don’t use it every day obviously but a little goes a long way. It is also a soft warm pink shade which appears to look flattering on many complexions.

NARS Larger than Life Eyeliner in Via Veneto // £19 // Link (Full size)

I also already have this eye liner sample and it has been reviewed here if you fancy a read. It is one of the few eyeliners that work well on my sensitive eyes. It is suitable for contact lens wearers like me and it never irritates me. I don’t use it as a regular eyeliner but I prefer to use it to line my waterline and it looks amazing. It glides on so easily, does not budge and lasts all day until I am ready to take it off. I don’t think it is the blackest formula out there but I absolutely love how flattering it looks on my complexion.

Cost

The box cost me £35 excluding P&P which was around £3.95. At the end of the day, I paid just under £40 for it which is not too terrible in my opinion. If you are already a subscriber of Glossy Box, then you get it for £30 which brings down the cost a whole lot. However, I am not too crazy about beauty boxes at the moment and I am not subscribed to any.

Can you still get this box?

I am sure some people may be selling it on Ebay but I have not checked yet. It is indeed a lovely box to own. I believe Glossy Box is currently offering a chance to win one of these boxes (I think they have 6 on offer) so there’s still a chance to win it.The best part is the boxes they are giving out will contain full sizes of these products so it is definitely an exciting one. Otherwise, I guess we all have to wait till another collaboration comes up.

Overall Thoughts

As mentioned earlier, I don' t think this box is a must-have if you already have a good number of NARS products. There is a high chance you would already own some products inside the box. However, if you are a miniature makeup hoarder like me or you are new to NARS, this is one box that you need to try. It’s a shame it is sold out now but I guess you can still win one. I wish they varied the shades in the box to include other shades apart from Orgasm but I guess they chose popular products.  I am really pleased I purchased it and I look forward to enjoying the products. That’s all my lovelies and have an amazing week ahead. Did you get the NARS Glossy Box?...xx
*Affiliate links used below, read my full disclaimer here

Cohorted Beauty Box (February Edition)

I think I am really getting into Beauty Boxes as you may have noticed I recently featured another beauty box here. I was very intrigued by the Cohorted Beauty Box because there was a lot of suspense and surprise around its content especially as it was their first beauty box. Cohorted sells cult beauty products (usually high end brands) for discounted rates depending on how many people agree to buy a product. Let's say there is a MAC eye liner for £15 and a lot of people agree to buy it, then it drives down the price to like £10 or so. I haven't purchased anything from the site yet apart from this Beauty Box but I like the concept. They relaunched their website and released their Beauty Box on the same day which was a little bit crazy. They only released 100 beauty boxes which even made them more appealing and many people were by their computers by 6pm to order. Although I prefer Beauty Boxes that show me what's inside first, I decided to try this because there was so much hype around it. Generally, I try not to fall for hypes but this was too exciting for me to pass up and I am glad I didn't.

Customer Service
On the said day of launch, I was ready on my laptop to order one of these and it was the longest process ever. The website was quite slow and I refreshed the page a lot of times just to get it into my basket. It was a little exciting and frustrating at the same time but at the end, I was able to purchase one and I was super pleased. The box costs £19.99 and P&P brought it about £22.50 which I felt was a little pricey but I was excited for the contents. It took more than a week before I received my box and that actually made me a little cross. I contacted them on Twitter and they were really quick to respond; I commend them for that. When I eventually got the box, one of the products were missing (The Korres Eye Primer) which I was actually quite keen to try and by this time, I wasn't a happy bunny at all. However, they were very apologetic (I felt a little bad because I didn't sound pleased at all) and they refunded the full amount of the box including the P&P. They also gave me 500 points  which was added to my Cohorted Account and can be used to purchase products ( it's worth £5). I think that's really amazing because they could have sent another product or just given me some points but they went above and beyond to make an unhappy customer happy again.


Contents
I have read mixed reviews about this box from a couple of people but I like the contents of this box. First off, the box is very classy and it's hand tied with a bow. This was not the original bow style as I had ruined it in my excitement to open the box. The personal touch to the packaging is really nice and makes you feel like you are receiving a lux gift. Inside, you get a little card/paper which tells you about the products in the box. The normal boxes have five products but I received only four as mentioned but I like majority of the products I received. All the  February Beauty boxes were sold out the same day it was launched and the March Beauty Box (I heard there were 300 boxes this time) are also sold out which is sad for me but good for them, I guess!




Dolce & Gabbana Clarifying Lotion
This is an actual full size product which I love because its packaging feels lush but mostly for its content. The packaging is really gorgeous as expected from a luxury brand as Dolce & Gabbana. I actually didn't know they made skincare at all but I am impressed. It contains 150 ml of product and it has a slight fragrance so if you have sensitive skin, then you may not like this. However, I don't think it's one that's irritating on the skin at all because it is alcohol free. Some of the active ingredients which I like include Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid and Malic Acid and they are amazing for acne prone skin and hyper pigmentation. I was very excited to get this and I know it may not be everyone's cup of tea but it feels great on my skin.




Benefit Bella Bamba Lip Gloss
I don't think I have ever tried any lip product from Benefit so I was keen to try this. It's described as a sheer watermelon shade which is really pretty. I think this will suit a variety of skin tones and it looks lovely on me. It is just a regular lip gloss without a doe foot applicator and that's quite different for me because I prefer an applicator. Nevertheless, it is relatively easy to use especially for quick touch ups. It is a little bit sticky with a glossy finish so I wear it really lightly. I think it's a lovely product and the packaging is pretty as expected from Benefit.


Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara
This is a deluxe size mascara which is slightly bigger than the ones you get from the Bobbi Brown counters. The packaging is really nice and it's perfect as a makeup bag mascara. However, I am not a fan of the Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara (I already mentioned it in this post) and it's one I use sparingly. I have not tried this one yet but if it's the same smokey eye mascara I received a while ago, then I think it will be going to my sister. If you love smokey eye looks, then this mascara is perfect to finish it off.


Korres Foaming Cream Cleanser
I actually really like Korres products and I still have a few in my stash. I have not tried this one yet. I don't think foaming cleansers are suitable for my combination/oily skin but this feels quite creamy so it may not be bad at all. It's a nice travel size which I am pleased about so I can pop it into my hand luggage on my next trip.


Overall Thoughts
Despite my initial not-so-pleasant experience, I am really pleased they rectified everything. Sometimes, a simple sorry just makes everything better and I hope other brands take a cue. I would have loved to purchase the March Edition but it is sadly sold out so I would see what happens in April. I know a few people complained about getting skincare products instead of makeup which they were hoping to get but I really don't mind. That's it folks. What do you think of the Cohorted Beauty Box?

Latest in Beauty Box- Get the Gloss Edition

The Latest in Beauty Boxes are one of the beauty boxes I always like to get my hands on whenever they release one. I particularly like that it’s not a subscription service and you get to see what’s inside the box before you commit to buying it. I absolutely love that and I know many people prefer to be surprised but I definitely need to know what’s inside first. This is my second box from them and you can find a review on the first box over here. I saw they had a collaboration with Get the Gloss and I was truly excited because I knew the box will be packed full of amazing goodies. I think I really like their collaborations because it means you get a wider range of products than a regular box. I even filmed a video showing you the box  IRL (in real life) so if you are interested you can find it here.

                                                                     Packaging

I really like the box that housed all the goodies because it is really sturdy and it’s black as well. There is just something about black boxes; it looks so mysterious. Inside the box, you get some lovely white tissue with a “Get the Gloss” sticker which is a good touch. You get two papers/cards telling you about the products and discounts if you want to buy any of the full size products included which is very handy. I really like that the codes expire in March so it gives me a good time to plan and pencil that into my budget.

                                                            Contents

I am going to make a bold statement and say that this is one of the best beauty boxes I have ever received (not that I have tried many). I usually check out some beauty boxes when they come out so I can compare in my head and this particular edition is really good. I got a selection of full size products and deluxe sized samples.

Therapie Roques ONeil Cherish Skin Serum: I have actually never heard of this brand but it sounds promising. It is an oil/serum which can be used on the body and face. It is packed full of healing essential oils suspended in a blend of organic carrier oils and CO2 extracts. It goes without saying that it smells of essential oils but not in a horrible way; it’s more like a nice spa/aromatherapy fragrance. I have tried this on my face and I quite like it although I feel it’s best used at night as it feels a tad heavy. I really like that it comes in 30 ml and the bottle is really sturdy although I wish it had a small stopper to control its dispensing. Overall, I think it’s great especially for Winter and I will get a lot of use from it.


GlamGlow SuperMud Clearing Treatment: I have been dying to try the GlamGlow Mud after reading so many positive reviews but it is quite pricey. I was very pleased to see that it was included in this beauty box. I have not used it yet so I will update you all when I do but it claims to fight all common skin concerns including clogged pores and unwanted dullness. I think I would save this for the weekend when I can relax and let it work really well.

Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate: This is my first ever Shiseido skincare product and I have heard many good things about the brand especially with their skincare. Of course, their prices are prohibitively expensive which is why it is really handy to get a 10 ml sample to try out. It’s a serum which is aimed at nourishing the skin...I have used it only a few times but I can say that a little goes a long way and it made my skin feel very soft. I love it but I don’t think I can afford a full size yet.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer: I was not joking when I said this was the best beauty box but I did not expect less from a Get the Gloss colab. You all know how I feel about this Laura Mercier Foundation Primer (review here) so I won’t waffle too much. I love this primer and I received one already in the previous LIB box last year so I was super pleased to get another one. It keeps my foundation lasting so much longer than many other primers and generally leaves my skin smooth.

Daniel Sandler Concealer Brush: I have never tried anything from Daniel Sandler but his water colour blushes are very popular over here. I really like this concealer brush because it is really small and fits really well under my eyes. The bristles are well made and you can tell it is not a cheap brush at all. It’s love all the way and it’s prefect to pop into my makeup bag for on the go concealing if need be. In case you are wondering, it's made from synthetic hairs- Taklon to be precise.

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner: I already featured the Skinny Mini Eyeliner in my Disappointing products mainly because it dried up really fast but thankfully, this one is much better. Eyeko has been redeemed in my eyes now and I really love using this eye liner because it is really precise and perfect for a nice cat eye flick. Nothing can replace my L’Oreal eyeliner anyway but this is really good.

Balance Me Facial Oil: It’s been a long while since I last tried Balance Me products so I was pleased to get this dinky little facial oil. It feels really light on the skin and gets absorbed super fast.  I feel it can be used in the morning or night depending on your preference. I have combo/oily skin and I have used it both in the morning and night and it actually helped with oil control. The roller ball makes it easy to glide across the face and easy to dispense.

Essie Nail Polish in Parka Perfect and Shearling Darling: Would you believe I have never tried Essie Nail Polishes? I know, I know!! It’s by far one of the more popular drug store nail polishes but I just never got to purchase one. I was really pleased to get these two bottles (5ml) each which are literally the cutest things ever. They nail brush is wide and ensures that application is fuss free. The formula is lovely and I love the shades included. I am definitely going to get a few full size bottles.

James Read Sleep in Tan: The first tube I received went to my friend and this second one will be given out (or included in a giveaway which I am planning). I don’t tan and I have never used a tan so it’s not much use to me but I guess it may be a good one.

That’s pretty much all I received in the Latest In Beauty Get the Gloss Edition. I love every single product included and I can’t fault this box at all. It retails for £19.95 and P&P brings everything to under £23.00 and I think that’s a fair amount to pay especially as they no longer use Yodel (they now use Royal Mail...hurray!!). I think they only ship within the UK though. If you are interested in getting this box, you can find it here. That’s it folks...Have you tried the Latest in Beauty Box? See you in my next post...xx