I'm writing this to you with a half numb face and a blurry eye. I had to get a filling put in one of my lower molars, and the novocaine apparently went a little overboard. I'd never had the inside of my ear go numb before, but let me tell you...it's a strange feeling. And then of course, I get home and try to make myself feel better by going through my evening skincare routine and end up with something in my eye that I STILL can't manage to get out. So yeah, that's about where I'm at right now.
Anyway, I'm going to distract myself with something happy and chat beauty with all of you. A new season is well underway, and another Walmart Beauty Box is here for me to review. Drugstore beauty has really grown on me in the last year and a half or so, and discovery boxes like this one definitely are a great resource. Let's take a peek inside, shall we?
The Skinny on the Walmart Beauty Box
If you're looking to try some new beauty products without breaking the bank, the Walmart Beauty Box is a great option. Each season you get shipped a box of samples (and sometimes full sized items) of new and well-loved drugstore makeup, skincare, haircare and more.
What it costs: $5 shipping (the box itself is free!) seasonally
Why it's special: This is a perfect option for those of you who are interested in a beauty subscription, but are worried about the financial investment. Since it only ships once per season, you only need to spend $5 every three months for a total of $20 a year. They always pack in at least 5 or 6 samples and usually some great coupons as well. The box is not customizable or specially curated for you, however there are usually a few variations that go out based on the age group you are in. If you enjoy drugstore beauty products, this is a fun and inexpensive way to try new things without spending the money on the full sized items (and you may even end up with a coupon to snag the full size at a discount).
What you get back: There is currently no rewards/referral program for the Walmart Beauty box.
Want to see more? Take a look at all of my previous boxes here.
Interested in getting the Walmart Beauty Box? Sign up here!
Once again my box is pretty well rounded, with a little something from just about every section of the beauty department. I think I got more samples than usual, but far less coupons than the past couple of boxes. I suppose samples are the reason why I get the box in the first place, so that's not something to complain about, but coupons are always really handy when it comes to drugstore beauty products. Sometimes you can score a really crazy deal when you layer them on top of a sale.
Along with my usual samples was a little pamphlet with tips about using makeup brushes and $2 off coupons for three different popular drugstore brands. I also got a three day sample of Jergens Natural Glow Moisturizer for Medium to Tan Skintones ($6.75). For a foil sample I appreciate that they give you quite a bit of product, and that its divided into three separate pouches so you don't have to try and save an opened foil pack somewhere until the next day. I'm pretty sure I tried out this product years and years ago as a way of maintaining my fake tan in between dance competitions, and aside from the off putting smell, I remember it working all right. Since it's been a long time I'm interested to see if I feel differently about it now. I haven't been much of one for the sunless tanning since my ballroom days have past, but I think it would be nice to try, even just to even out my current summer tan.
Full Size, 12.09 oz ($4.98)
Sample Size, 1.7 oz ($0.66)
This shampoo formula is definitely something new to me. I've seen the Clear brand around a lot lately, but I haven't tried any products from them yet. I also have never tried an anti-dandruff shampoo. Dandruff has never been something that I felt was a big enough problem for me to need to own a shampoo to treat it, but I suppose everyone's got a little from time to time. I'm curious to see if this does cause any noticeable changes for me. Taking a look at the ingredients quick this is actually not a terrible formula for the drugstore. It does have sulfates, but uses one of the gentler ones, and there actually quite few nourishing ingredients like aloe and coconut oil. I'm a little bummed that they didn't also send the matching conditioner so that I could get a complete experience of the line. Still, this should be an interesting one to try out.
Full Size, 20 ml ($19.77)
Sample Size, 1.5 ml ($1.48)
I hate to think of myself as a fragrance snob, but in truth I am pretty picky about what I'm willing to spritz on myself. I don't think you need to drop over $100 on a bottle of perfume, but there's something to be said for investing in a quality fragrance that you'll love wearing every day. Now, when it comes to celebrity fragrances I feel like they can be pretty hit or miss. Sometimes you'll find a gem, but more often than not I feel like they're kind of cheap and gimmicky. This fragrance unfortunately falls in the category of the latter. Described as a "bright floral" on the Walmart website this scent was way too strong and sharp for my personal tastes. Even with just a single spritz on one wrist it's already giving me a headache. I'll give them points on the bottle design, which I think is kind of interesting. But I will definitely not be looking to buy one anytime soon.
Full Size, 22 oz ($5.47)
Sample Size, 1.8 oz ($0.45)
So, on the downside, I got this exact same sample in my box last season. Considering that it only comes out four times a year it's a little annoying to see a repeat. That being said, if they were going to repeat a sample I'm glad it was this one. I love Dove body wash. They always smell fantastic, and the formula is gorgeously creamy and moisturizing. These tiny bottles are perfect for traveling (especially considering how gigantic the full sized bottle is in comparison), so I keep a stash of them on hand to rotate into my on-the-go bag. The mandarin & tiare flower scent is fresh and fruity, and I will definitely enjoy using it!
Full Size, 6 oz ($3.87)
Sample Size, 1 oz ($0.65)
St. Ives is one of those brands that really brings me back to my adolescence. Their Apricot Scrub was one of the first skincare items I remember getting hooked on back in my tweens. Unfortunately it was way too abrasive for my raging acne, and just as the bottle became buried at the back of the bathroom cabinet, so did the brand in my mind. Recently though, St. Ives has had some new launches that have garnered some really positive feedback from the beauty community, putting them back on my radar. This scrub really impressed me quite a bit. While it does contain salicylic acid, since it doesn't sit on your skin for too long I don't find it to be overly drying. Also, the scrubby bits aren't overly abrasive, leaving your skin feeling well exfoliated without irritation. It smells quite lovely, almost like green tea ice cream, and really is just generally pleasant to use. My skin is always soft and extra smooth after I use this, and considering how affordable it is, you almost can't afford to not buy a bottle!
Full Size, 5 oz ($8.49)
Sample Size, 0.5 oz ($0.85)
Sunscreen is such a staple at this time of year that I'm always happy to see it in my subscription boxes. This tiny tube might not contain enough product for a full body application (I believe they suggest you use a full ounce), but I'm sure it would do me well for a day out when only part of my skin is exposed. It's got a great SPF rating and is also supposed to provide an hour and 20 minutes of water resistant protection. I'll definitely be trying this out soon, and if it's great you'll be sure to hear about it.
Full Size 0.24 fl oz ($1.87)
This month's full sized lippie comes from NYC. As a brand NYC is known for its extremely affordable cosmetics, some of which are raved about by beauty bloggers. I personally haven't explored much of their products yet, but I suppose it's good to keep an open mind about things. Basically I don't have high expectations for a $2 lip gloss, but who knows. Maybe it'll blow me out of the water. When I have a chance to give it a try I will certainly report back if it does.
Full Size, 6.8 oz ($3.74)
Sample Size, 0.84 oz ($0.46)
A simple moisturizer is something just about everyone can use. This particular formula is meant to be used from head to toe, wherever you need a little hydration. It does have some nice ingredients, like jojoba and vitamin E, but one of the first items on the list is mineral oil. With my skin being so acne prone I've found that mineral oil and other petroleum by-products can seriously clog my pores, so I think I would stay away from putting this on my face. However, this tiny tub is perfectly purse sized and would probably make a nice on-the-go hand cream or body moisturizer.
All in all I think I'd say this was a relatively nice box. I think I'm most excited about the St. Ives scrub, which definitely feels like it should be way more expensive than it is. I'm sure the other samples will come in handy as well (especially for travel), but on the whole they're a little less interesting to me. Normally I think my boxes have also been more valuable, usually because I've gotten a $6 or $7 lip product that made the whole thing worth it. This time around it seems that most of the samples are very low cost, but the total still does add up to more than $5 when all is said and done. The brush coupons were also a nice touch (Real Techniques = <3).
Anyway, I think I'm going to go to bed and polish this up in the morning before I post it. I think sleeping off all of the funny feelings might be the best course of action at this point. If you also get the Walmart Beauty Box I'd love to hear if you got the same products or something different! Post a comment and let me know.
Are you a fan of drugstore beauty? Would you subscribe to this box?
