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 :)

Beauty Army Review January 2013

It may seem like my review for the January box from Beauty Army is late, but honestly, it's not!  I recently subscribed to BA, this is my first box!  What I like about BA is that once you subscribe, you are good to go, and don't have to wait for the next box to come out, your subscription goes into effect right then, so my subscription will always send out at the end of the month.

What I think sets Beauty Army apart from other monthly boxes, is that YOU choose the samples you want to get, six out of nine products.  If you don't like the products shown, either refresh your page, or retake the beauty quiz until you find six that you want to try.  You also have the option to skip a month, if there is nothing that you want to try at that time.  The full size of everything BA offers is for sale on their website, so if you like something, go on over and check it out!

Beauty Army also offers referral and other rewards, which is nice (I wish IPSY would do that!).  If you would like to try out Beauty Army, you can click HERE (this link has my referral code, and can earn me free boxes if you use it, full disclaimer).  Ok, enough shameless self promotion.  On to the goodies!

Such a pretty pink box!  Now I have to figure out what to put in it :)

Here is what the box looked like when it came in the mail.  

Love the camo on the inside! And who doesn't love to be called gorgeous?!

The insert card.

7 awesome samples!

Here is a first look at all of the samples that came in my box.  This month, as it it Beauty Army's one year anniversary, every member was given a 7th sample, a Mark mascara.  I love extras!

Bath & Body Works Shower Gel in Sweet Pea, 3 oz. $3.30 retail value, available HERE

The first item I chose is Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea Shower Gel.  This is not a full size product, but a deluxe sample size/travel size.  I have serious fragrance issues, and anything floral sends me into a breathless haze that lasts forever. The Sweet Pea scent is just at the edge of my allergy range, so I thought I would try it out and see what I thought.  The scent, I would have to describe, as ALMOST floral.  It's definitely a feminine scent, and although it isn't a scent I would gravitate naturally, it is very pleasant.  The wash did a nice job and didn't leave my skin overly dry.  I know everyone is familiar with BBW, so this isn't exactly a NEW product, but it IS a scent that I have never used before, so I am very happy about that! Grade: 4.5/5

Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels, packet of 2 $3.75 retail value, available HERE

The second item in my box is Skyn Iceland Hydro Cooling Firming Eye Gels (pack of 2).  I hate foil packs of products, but I thought that this was a neat idea, that and the fact there there wasn't anything else on my list that I really wanted, so I thought I would try these out.  

Here are the gels outside of the foil packet.  These really are a decent size.

I put them on, and was a bit skeptical, but was pleasantly surprised at the instant cooling feeling I had.  I know, I shouldn't have been surprised, as cooling is actually in the product name, but even still, the gels felt room temperature to me in the packet, so it was surprising.  I left the gels on for the maximum time of 10 minutes, and my under eye area definitely felt more firm and not puffy.  This would be awesome for an at home spa day!  The package was a cultural experience as well, even for a foil pack.  The first language on the package is Spanish, second English, and third French; Skyn Iceland is the company; the distributors are in New York and The Netherlands, and the product is made in Korea.  Glad to see that they diversify!  Grade:5/5

Nelson J Argan Oil 7 Non-foaming shampoo, 1 oz $2.25 retail value, available HERE

Next up, is Nelson J Argan Oil 7 non-foaming shampoo, deluxe sample.  After I received my January Ipsy bag, with the Argan oil in it, I have been noticing all kinds of stuff with Argan oil in it!  I thought that this would be a great choice to try out to try to take my very BELOW average hair to at least Only Average.  I wanted to love this, mostly because it has Argan oil in it; but I'm not sure how I feel about non-foaming shampoo.  When I poured some in my hand from the bottle, I freaked out a bit and thought that there was mold in it because there were some dark spots in the shampoo; but when I went to look at it closer, I saw that it was just granules that were (I assume) supposed to be there.  I put this on my hair, and used my fingers to comb it through (my kid got my last comb stuck in her hair this week; I had to cut it out, and I have yet to replace it).  I rinsed it out, and my hair did feel pretty good..  I followed up with my usual extra conditioner rinse, as I have insanely dry hair.  When I went to brush my hair, I will say that it was way easier than usual to brush it, and much less tangles.  I wish the shampoo foamed, but all in all, this worked very nicely, and my hair feels clean and soft, and has a very pleasant scent.  Grade:4/5 (I wish it foamed!)

Jonathan Dirt Texturizing Paste, .7 oz $5.43 retail value, available HERE

I chose another hair product, Jonathan Dirt Texturizing paste.  The sample size is a good size, and I love the little jar.  This product is oil free, and is supposed to define and separate the hair, hopefully giving me more volume.  First, I love the name.  Who could resist a product called "Dirt"?? When I first opened the package, I gave the white (white dirt?) product a sniff, and it has a nice, clean smell.  Nothing like dirt.  The creme looked pretty firm, so I gave it a touch.  I had to work to put a finger print into it!  When I went to use it, I had to really gouge out some, and warm it between my palms to get it viable to use.  I applied it to my hair, and it has a light, airy feel.  My hair has a bit more volume than usual, but this product isn't nearly as good (or as easy to use) as my now beloved Rough paste from Redken.  Grade: 3/5

Mark Hook Up Lip Gloss, Blow Kisses, full size (.12 oz) $6.50 retail, available HERE

My fifth item brings us back into my comfort zone: makeup.  Mark hookup lipgloss in the shade Blow Kisses.  This is a full size product!  Once upon a time, I was an Avon rep, and I used to love the Mark line.  I love how the products click together, so save room when packing a makeup bag in my tiny purse.  I've since upgraded to loving higher end makeup, but Avon and Mark are still solid brands. I also absolutely love glosses, and much prefer them to lipstick.  

Mark Hook Ups lip gloss in Blow Kisses

This is a pretty red lip gloss (awesome for Valentine's day!) and is not sticky.  Love it! Grade: 5/5

Whip Hand Cosmetics loose pigment eye shadow, Special Forces, .02 oz. $2.80 retail value, available HERE

Item number six is what I was most looking forward to in my box this month, Whip Hand Cosmetics loose pigment eye shadow in the shade, Special Forces.  I love love love loose pigments, and couldn't wait to try this pretty, peachy color.  This is also a deluxe sample size.  

I was rushed when taking pictures, on a rainy day, and this swatch really doesn't do it justice.  It's a pretty peach.

This goes on smoothly, and is nicely pigmented. It isn't overly shimmery, but not exactly matte either.  Very pretty, and my swatch really doesn't do it justice.  I love the cute, tiny glass jar the sample came in, but I don't like how the lid fits onto the jar.  I am sure that the full size product has a better fitting lid, so I can't exactly hold it against them; I just didn't like seeing some shadow bits in the bottom of my box, I want it all to use! Grade: 4/5

Mark Scanda-lash mascara, full size (.12 oz)  $6.50 retail, available HERE

The last item in my box was a free gift, in honor of BA's one year anniversary, Mark Scanda-Lash mascara in black.  I love that I got 2 ends of a Mark hook-up in my bag, they are so fun to play with and mix and match.  The scanda-lash mascara has been around for quite some time.  It's not my absolute favorite mascara, but it is very nice.  Plus, who doesn't love a cute pink bow tied around the box?  Super cute! Grade: 4/5


One thing I really like about BA is that they make all of their products available at their own store (and all the product links in this blog go there).  Who doesn't love one stop shopping??!!

Here's my haul :) (The little black thing in the middle is the connector for the lip gloss and the mascara)

Overall, I think I definitely got my money's worth in this box.  $12 doesn't seem like a lot to pay for all this stuff!  I still absolutely LOVE Ipsy, and am cautious about Beauty Army, but I hope that next month I will see more of the full size items I have seen others receive and review.  

Recap: $12 out of pocket ($2 more than Ipsy), including shipping
Retail value: $30.53  
Not as great as Ipsy, and not as great as some of the other reviews I have seen for Beauty Army, but still pretty good, as I more than doubled my money's worth.  If I hated everything in my box, it would SO not be a deal.  I think I will try again next month and see what I can get! 

Leave a comment letting me know how you like my review, and if you would like to see more beauty reviews!
If you do subscribe to Beauty Army, leave me a comment and let me know how you feel about this service.  Do you think it's worth it?  Anything you disagree with me on?  Let me know!
Are there any products you would like to see a review for, or service you would like reviewed?  Let me know, and I would be happy to do it for you!

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.