Glossybox (May 2016)

Glossybox is a monthly subscription that delivers beauty products - hair care, skin care, makeup, perfumes, tools, etc. to your door for $21 per month if you buy the monthly plan, but that price goes down if you buy a 3-, 6- or 12-month subscription.

Glossybox carries some of the best brands in beauty. Each box contains five or more items from full-sized to deluxe samples. Following are the contents of my May box:

RITUALS COSMETICS Shower Foam in Zensation (1.6oz, ~$3.58) - Focusing on Eastern tradition, this foaming shower gel combines organic rice milk with cherry blossom, the Japanese symbol of purity, to hydrate and smooth skin. Trust us, this will become the best part of your bath ritual! 

TIDBIT: Eastern practices hold strong origins in Traditional Chinese medicine. This is the third oldest form of medicine, with only Babylonian and Egyptian predating it.

BENEFIT COSMETICS Roller Lash Super Curling & Lifting Mascara (0.1oz, $8.00) - Step away from the eyelash curler! Inspired by hair rollers, this mascara wand features custom-designed hooks that separate, life, and curl lashes for a 12-hour finish.

TIP: Ready for the hook & roll, gorgeous? Gently wiggle the wand from base of lashes to tip. Repeat across your lash line, making sure to catch every last lash!























TALIKA Photo-Hydra Day (1oz FULL-SIZE, $29.00) - Skin in need of a boost? Talika's Phyto-Hydra Day utilizes an amino-acid that recreates the effects of natural light on the skin so you can sport a summer glow all year long.

TIDBIT: As this becomes your new go-to moisturizer, one of the key ingredients to note is hyaluronic acid. Occurring naturally in the body, one gram of this hydrating molecule can retain up to six liters of water!

VERSASPA Face Moisturizing Gradual Tanner (0.5oz, $8.75) - It's no secret that baking in the sun isn't the greatest for your skin. With self tanner as the only healthy alternative, VersaSpa hydrates the skin while creating a gorgeous glow, sans the icky tanning odor.

TIP: Use daily to maintain your sleek tan. Apply evenly over face and neck in a circular motion. Wash hands directly after and avoid getting wet for 4-8 hours.

NIOXIN System 3 Cleanser and Scalp Therapy Conditioner (1.7oz each, ~$7.07) - Removing oils that clog hair follicles and environmental residues from the scalp, Nioxin's therapeutic cleanser and conditioner will balance moisture levels and help your locks appear thicker.

TIDBIT: You know those incredible head massages you get at hair salons? There's a reason for them! A three-minute massage increases blood flow and circulation to the scalp.

                                                                                                                    

I'm always excited to see Rituals' shower foams in a subscription box. They smell great, lather great, and leave your skin feeling great. They're just great! Zensation is a lovely floral/powdery scent. It seems strong at first but just enough lingers to make you feel sensual all day. Benefit has some amazing cosmetics... this mascara included. I have some already, so I'll be passing this one along. The Talika moisturizer sounds amazing, but my k-beauty obsession means I have plenty of my kind of this product that I prefer. It does however have a nice, light, fresh fragrance. I'm excited to try the self tanner. I am a ghostly pale girl. I can't wait to use the shampoo and conditioner as well. They have a sweet eucalyptus smell that I imagine really stimulates the scalp.

This May 2016 box has an approximate value of $56.40. That's not quite as high as a typical Glossybox, but I'm not complaining. Not only will I use most of the items included, there is an outstanding variety of products, and all of samples are good-sized so I'll get several uses to find out if they suit me.

I'm excited to see what my June box will bring!