Glossybox (August 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 August 2016 box:

WELLA PROFESSIONALS Oil Reflections Smoothing Oil (1oz FULL-SIZE, ($20.00) - This multi-sensorial hair oil spray, with macadamia seed and avocado oils, and vitamin E (natural antioxidant), instantly reveals the beautiful reflections of natural or colored hair with a lightweight technology that makes hair feel incredible.

TIP: To condition or style, apply a few drops into damp hair for smoothing and heat protection. For finishing, apply after styling for extra shine.

INVISIBOBBLE Traceless Hair Ring (1, ~$2.67) - There's nothing worse than ripping out your hair with an elastic or getting a headache from a tight hair band! This knight in spiral armor allows the hair to be held tightly without leaving a kink or a head full of knots.

TIDBIT: Rommy H. Revson obtained the first patent for the now scrunchie in 1986, which was originally named after her sick toy poodle, Scunci. Over time, the name evolved due to its scrunched material.

DE BRUYERE PARIS After Sun Lotion in Parfum Monoi (1.76oz FULL-SIZE, $12.00) - Post-sun skin needs a healthy dose of hydration. Enriched in Monoi, which are Tiare flower petals that have been soaked in coconut oil, this after-sun milk calms, nourishes and protects skin that's been weakened after sun exposure.

TIDBIT: Historically carrying a variety of uses, ancient Polynesians used Monoi to protect their bodies from cold, harsh winds, to anoint sacred objects, and to purify offerings to their deities.

BORGHESE FANGO Body Refining Polish (0.5oz, ~$3.06) - Rid impurities and even skin tone with Borghese's luxurious body product. Enriched with Acqua di Vita Complex, a formula brimming with Tuscany's healing waters, your skin will quickly feel smooth and refreshed.

TIDBIT: The Italian Borghese family name dates back centuries to Princess Marcella Borghese herself. She famously created her own skincare products, using natural ingredients found in the Villa Borghese in Rome.

TRIFLE 
COMETICS Lip Parfait Buttery Lip Cream in... Guilty Pug (0.12oz FULL-SIZE, ~$19.00) - Wrapped in adorable packaging and infused with cocoa butter, this 100% cruelty-free lipstick keeps lips plumped and glowing with its intense color pigments.

TIDBIT: For a bolder lip, pair with your favorite lip liner and blend. 

TOO FACED Mascara Melt Off Cleansing Oil Waterproof Mascara Dissolver (0.04oz, ~$2.96) - No more rubbing, tugging, or raccoon eyes! Easily remove every trace of both waterproof and regular mascara with this extremely effective, yet gentle remover that features both rice lipid and green tea extracts.

TIP: Never used this kind of product before? Neither have we! Follow the steps below to get the best results.

HELLO FRESH Meal Delivery Kit Coupon ($50 off your first 2 boxes) - A special offer for Glossybox customers. To redeem, go to HelloFresh.com within 30 days and enter your gift code. Only one order per household for new customers only. Upon redemption, you will be enrolled in an auto-renewal subscription, and can stop deliveries at any time.
                                                                                          

I already have the hair oil from an earlier Allure Beauty Box, and I have an invisibobble, so I'll be giving these away. The after-sun lotion has a strange fragrance that is quite delightful. I'm thrilled to try the body refining lotion. I could have received one of four other Borghese products than this - Ferma Firming Mud Mask, Brilliante Brightening Mud Mask, Delicato Active Mud Mask, or an unspecified Active Mud Mask - but this would be my choice had I one. It smells great and I love the gritty texture for exfoliating. I may even use it one my face. Although the lipstick case is ADORE-able, it's not my color... at all. I'll be passing it and the mascara dissolver along.

I wouldn't ordinarily include the discount card to Hello Fresh, but $50 is quite a savings... for someone who has never used the service and is therefore a "new" customer. Also, it is pretty easy to get free or discounted boxes for meal delivery kits online. Still, worth mentioning.

This August 2016 box has an approximate value of $59.69. There is a decent variety of products but the value is on the low scale for Glossybox. That's probably why the Hello Fresh card was included, and I need to point out that it's the second month in a row that they included it. Also, like I said, 1) you have to be a new customer; and 2) coupon codes for Hello Fresh are all over the web. I cannot include the savings in the value of the box.

I'm excited to see what my September box will bring, primarily because "Glossybox has collaborated with an extremely talented illustrator to bring (us) a keepsake, specially-designed box."