Beauty Army Review February 2013

Hello all you lovlies out there!  My Beauty Army box arrived; my second one, and I can't wait to share it with all of you!

Beauty Army is a monthly subscription service, where you chose 6 out of 9 products, that are offered to you based on a beauty profile quiz.  If you don't like your choices, you can retake the quiz (as often as you like) or refresh the page to change your selections.  You may also opt to have a beauty expert select for you; or even opt out for the month if you don't see anything you like (or can't afford it that month.  Beauty Army charges $12 a month (US Subscriptions), including shipping.  If you would like to sign up for Beauty Army, I would LOVE for you to click my referral link HERE; for every 3 people who use my link, I will receive a free box, and this Only Average girl could really use some freebies- and you will receive my eternal gratitude!

Another awesome feature of Beauty Army, is that all of the items that they offer, are for sale on their website in full size form- and who doesn't love one stop shopping??!! If you like something you see here, head on over to BA and check it out!

Oooh, Pink!

My box was so awesome when it arrived, I could hardly wait to open it up!

Pretty card this month- love it!

It's always nice to be called "gorgeous"; and I smiled as soon as I saw the insert card, greeting me as such.  It would be nice if BA could create insert cards for each item, telling a bit about them, but as each member picks their own samples, this would be a huge undertaking, so I understand why they DON'T.  All the information is available on their website, and very easy to access.  Next best thing.

First peek into my box!

Here is a quick first look at the SIX amazing samples I selected for my February box.  Yes, I know it ships and arrives in March, but as I selected the items in February, I'm calling it the February box.  It's my blog, I can do what I want.  Did you expect anything less for little only average me?

 Bath and Body Works Shower Gel in Twilight Woods; 3 oz; $5 retail value.  Available through Beauty Army; or direct from the vendor HERE. Full size (10 oz) is $11.

The first item I selected is Bath and Body Works shower gel in Twilight Woods.  As I have mentioned before, I have fragrance allergies, so it's nice to test out a fragrance before I buy it, just to be sure I love it.  The "deluxe sample" of the shower gel is actually a large travel size, in my opinion, so I was very happy to see this item pop into my selection. I love Bath and Body works, and they always make my skin so nice and soft.  The fragrance sticks around for a while, but not overpowering. I am HORRIBLE at describing scents, and this one is no exception.  It smells...good.  LOL!  Almost floral, but not overpowering.  This will definitely be hanging out in my bathroom!
GRADE:4/5

Dermisa Skin Fade Cream; 0.90 oz; $5.55 retail value (based on lowest price). Available through Beauty Army; or direct from the vendor HERE. Full size (1.78 oz) is $14 (BA) or $10.99 (vendor).

  I was excited to see the Dermisa Skin Fade Cream on my list of available samples.  This cream is advertised to "lighten and prevent age spots, freckles, and skin discoloration".  I have always had freckles, and would love to even them out a bit, as some are darker than others.  

The cream is a nice thickness, and absorbs into my skin well.

One thing that makes it hard for me to post a speedy review is, that I need to use this product 4-6 weeks to expect to see results.  I think that this product will have a neutral score, until I can thoroughly rest it for 4-6 weeks.  The cream is in a metallic tube, and is a HUGE sample. The package has a barcode on it, so it must be a full size product, only smaller; I just can't seem to find it for sale anywhere in this size. 
GRADE:3/5 (for now!)

 Whip Hand Cosmetics Loose Pigment Eyeshadow in Green Beret; .02 oz; $2.80 retail value.  Available through Beauty Army. Full size (0.10 oz) is $14.

  I am a total eye shadow junkie (can't you tell?!), so I HAD to have this last shade in the Whip Hand collection.  I am very sorry that I missed the first two!  Whip Hand Cosmetics created a few shades exclusively for Beauty Army, and this gorgeous green has arrived just in time for St. Patrick's Day!

Very shimmery and sparkly, a pretty green.  Perfect for spring!

This pretty. light green has gold undertones, and is silky soft to apply.  I'm having good luck with these Whip Hand loose shadows, with very little problems with fallout.  Excellent product!  Also, the lid to this little pot fits MUCH better than last month's, so I am EXTRA happy with it!

GRADE: 5/5

Enspiri Ultra Collagen 5-minute facial; 0.241 oz; $3.81 retail value.  Available through Beauty Army.  Full size (pure collagen-2.29 oz, vital hydrator-4 fl oz, plus mixing tools) is $99.50 (!).

Next up is a dreaded foil packet, and we all know how everyone feels about these.  Honestly, packing your sample in a foil packet gives many people a sour taste right up front!  That is, unless the product is over $50 for the full size (which means I likely won't purchase it anyway!).  My feelings on one time use samples aside, the Enspiri Ultra Collagen 5-minute Facial sample is touted to help reduce the signs of aging.  I'm not THAT old, but there weren't any other samples in my selection choices that I really wanted to try, so this was just filler.  This is a two part sample, and you mix the collagen powder into the hydrator, and then apply to your face. Honestly, I haven't tried this yet.  My girlfriend and I are going to have a beauty day this weekend, and I'm saving this for then.  BUT I wanted to get my review up, so I 'll just give it a neutral score for now, and then updated it after our beauty day.
GRADE: 3/5 (for now!)

Mark Hook Ups Lip Gloss in Honey; .12 oz (full size); $6.50. Available through Beauty Army or the vendor HERE.

As a former Avon consultant, I'm always happy to see a bit of Avon here and there, and the Mark line is my personal favorite.  I don't really buy Avon makeup any more; I'm not really sure why (my Scouting coleader is even a consultant!).  The Hook Ups is one of my favorite lines, because it it easy to pop a couple of products together, and stick them in your purse, for touch ups throughout the day.  The gloss that was in my selection window is the Mark Glow Baby Glow gloss in the shade Honey.  Mark's glosses are not sticky, and they have, for me at least, good wear time.  

This is a very shiny, pigmented gloss.  Full coverage, not sheer at all.

I chose this because I haven't tried the shade Honey yet, and I love to see full size products in my box.  I never really worry about the what ifs: what if I don't like the shade, what if my skin reacts, etc- I have two daughters who LOVE makeup and would be happy to inherit anything that I want to pass down to them.  Fortunately, the Mark gloss was a hit for me, and a great color for my skin tone (see why I love beauty profiles?!).  This shade is awesome, and almost exactly the natural shade of my lips. Love it!!
GRADE: 5/5 (awesome product!)

 Skynn Cosmetics Color Touch Cheek & Lip Glow, in the shade Teen Tone; 0.17 oz (full size); $17. Available through Beauty Army, or the vendor HERE.

The last item in my box is the one I was most excited about; the Skynn Cosmetics Eye, Cheek & Lip glow.  One thing that has been seriously lacking from my subscription boxes lately is blush, so I was super excited to see this in my possibilities window.  When I clicked and saw that I was being offered another FULL SIZE product, I was sold! The color name, Teen Tone, kind of had me wondering a bit if I would like the color, but as I have very pale skin, light pinks and peaches do well on me.

Very pretty pink shade- glides on very nicely!

Honestly, I shouldn't look at color names, because I most likely would have chosen this one in the first place- serves me right to judge a color by it's name!  I have never used a cream blush before, so this was a great new experience for me.  I really liked the pigmentation on this, and how well it blends on my cheeks.  I haven't used it as a lip tint or eyeshadow yet, but this color works awesome with my skin tone, so it's definitely a keeper!
GRADE: 5/5 (love it!)

Beauty Army February 2013 Box

So, that's my February selection for Beauty Army!
Financial recap: 
Money spent: $12 (shipping included in subscription)
Value of box: $40.66
Better than last month, and even a better value than last month's Ipsy bag!  Whoo hoo- thank you, Beauty Army for stepping your game up for me a bit!!!

Do you subscribe to Beauty Army?  What did you choose this month?  Like what I got?  Hate it?  Leave me a comment, and let me know- I would LOVE to hear from you!
Also- I apologize for the less than stellar pictures on this post.  It was a very rainy day, and I had to rely on indoor lighting.  I didn't want to edit the photos because I want them to be as true to life as I can get them.  Sorry!  Hopefully the weather will clear up the next time I am taking shots for a review.




Disclaimer: This review is solely my opinion, on a product I paid for out of my own pockets.  I have not been compensated for this opinion in any way, and it is my honest thoughts on the products listed above.  The referral link in this post is one where I would receive credit for a referral, and be compensated with free product for referring 3 people. Here is a link that just goes to Beauty Army, without my referral code. Links to vendor's sites are not referral or compensated links.  I strive for honesty :)