Luxe Box

I received this month's Luxe Box sometime last week and finally got around to opening it up until today. (Mostly because I've been stuck at home all week with the nastiest cold, ever; I went to the doctor's and came out two hours later, needing antibiotics for a throat infection and an inhaler for my lungs because I am wheezing like crazy.)

This month, I received:

Lise Watier Neiges Eau de Parfum (sample size, 7.5 ml): Lise Watier's Neiges fragrance is the product that put Lise Watier on the map in Canadian cosmetics. It's a blend of white hyacinth, lily of the valley, Christmas rose, night-blooming jasmine, magnolia, and orange blossom. I've always been rather indifferent to this scent; it's not amazing, and it's not terrible. It's not offensive in the least nor will it induce headaches, but it's not that memorable to me. It doesn't really capture "the exquisite magic and purity of winter," either. It's a fresh and subtle floral scent, and it's not overwhelming at all... but it's not a fragrance that I would go out and buy. That being said, the sample size included in this box was actually fairly generous and is definitely enough to try for about a month, which is much longer than needed to know if you like a scent or not.

Mèreadesso Lip Treats (full size, 1.2 g): Lip Treats is a "lush blend of evening primrose, grape seed, coconut, and sunflower oils, enhanced by the added benefits of vitamins A, C, and E." This product promises to "double the wear time of any lip product," and though I have not tested this in full (I personally don't need a lipstick to last me, say, 20 hours or more), I seriously doubt that this product lives up to that claim. The main reason being that this primer is much too emollient to make product sitting on top of it last longer. I see this product as being more of a lip balm than a lip primer, really. Lip primer should not necessarily moisturize your lips, but smooth out the surface of your lip and create a layer of "grip" for other products to adhere to, thusly making a lip product last longer (MAC's Prep & Prime Lip is a perfect example). While this primer does smooth out the lip's surface, it doesn't necessarily make a product last longer, just like your regular ol' lip balm won't make product last longer. That having been said, I would totally buy this just because it makes your lips feel amazing.

Benefit B. Right! Moisture Prep Toning Lotion (sample size, 8.9 ml): I actually bought the full-size version of this product about half a year ago, when Benefit's B. Right! line was making it's way into Canadian stores. This toner contains vitamin E acetate, natural oat, and meadow-sweet which helps to "purify and smooth while reducing fine lines" as well as aloe leaf and yeast extract to "clarify and soothe the skin." Having used this toner before, I can tell you now that those with drier skin types will appreciate this more than those with combination to oily skin. The texture of this toner is almost gel-like, which I personally don't like, because it feels like it's leaving a film of product on the skin. I have combination to oily skin, and while it feels really nice going on, my face felt almost sticky afterwards. It's the same reason why I don't like milk cleansers. However, it does feel very soothing on the skin, and I can see the moisturizing properties of this toner helping with the appearance of fine lines, but I can't tell you if it works well to purify and clarify, because I always use toner after my cleanser, which is what purifies and clarifies my skin.

Benefit Posietint Lip & Cheek Stain (sample size, 2.5 ml): Like Benefit's best-selling Benetint, Posietint is a liquid-gel lip and cheek stain in a bright poppy pink tint. You don't need a lot of product at all; just a dot on each cheek, and blend, blend, blend. It does dry quite fast, so you need to blend fast as well. You can build up the intensity of the shade, as it starts off as a very natural soft pink tint. I am personally a powder blush girl myself, but for those who want to try a cheek stain, this is a great one to start with. Most companies don't produce make-up samples, either (it's usually for skincare), so this is a very smart way for Benefit to let people try their product. The sample is generous enough for a few uses, too.

Teaopia Cactus Fig Tea Kit: Cactus Fig is an organic Sencha green tea with "fig pieces, aloe vera, sandalwood, and orange flowers." Comes in a pretty little orange tin, and with a paper filter, so all you need is a mug and hot water. A cute bonus product in this box; and more original than candy or chocolate!

All in all, this was a much more satisfying Luxe Box than some of the previous ones I've received. I felt like the product types and the brands were more on par with with I personally use, as well. The full-size product included in this box, Mèreadesso's Lip Treats, was a great surprise; I can really see myself using this every day, and it feels fantastic on the lips (I have been sick for the last five days, and having been forced to breathe through my mouth has made my lips insanely dry, and this stuff has really, really helped in making my lips feel super-smooth). That product alone made this box worth it. That having been said, I think this will be my last Luxe Box. My six-month subscription is up, and while I have received a few great items, most of them were duds or just not suited to my needs. I probably won't be renewing my subscription again, though I do recommend this program to anyone who wants to sample new beauty products every month.