Beauty Box 5 Subscription Box Review

*PR sample provided for review

I'm a fan of subscription boxes for several reasons:  the opportunity to discover new brands and products, the "mystery box" aspect of not knowing what I'm going to receive, and the value (usually more than what I spent) of the boxes.  So, when Beauty Box 5 contacted me to review one of their boxes, it was a no brainer to say "yes, thank you".  If you are not aware, Beauty Box 5 is a monthly subscription box that delivers 4-5 beauty related samples each month, starting at $12.  So how did Beauty Box Five strike me?

Pretty good, actually!  At first I was a bit underwhelmed, but after sitting with the items and using them for a while, my impression settled firmly on the favorable side.  First up is a foundation primer from Bodyography, a new to me professional makeup brand.  This is a silicone based primer, but it also contains a fair amount of good to your skin ingredients, such as jojoba and grape seed oils, vitamins a and e, and aloe vera.  I'm at the point where I want products that treat my skin, so products that can multi-task appeal to me.  Sample size is a generous .53 oz, which is a little more than half of the regular sized product at 1 oz.  Regular price is $30.00, so the sample is worth $15.90.

Next is a lip pencil from Model Co. called Illusion.  This flesh colored pencil is meant to enhance your lip shape, as you use it to define your own lip shape - or even extend it a little - to give the illusion of natural, fuller lips.  Personally, I like using it as a base for lip glosses, as it gives a realistic looking "nude" lip look that is better than my own naked lips.

Wearing Illusion

Wearing Illusion plus gloss

I also like the idea of using this as a liner with lip tars or lipsticks that may have the tendency to bleed, as the nude shade is not obvious yet will control any potential bleeding that could occur.  So, while the color itself is not exciting, it's actually a workhorse of a product!  It felt comfortable on when I used it as a lip base, as it does contain cocoa and shea butters.  It also has a sharpener built into the cap, which is a nice touch.  The pencil is full sized and valued at $20.

Birthday Suit, Illusion

Another initially underwhelming color was the mineral eyeshadow from Brazen Cosmetics in Birthday Suit.  As the name would imply, it's flesh colored with a very slight shimmer, so I'd say it's a satin finish.  It can be hard to get excited about colors like this, until you realize what a nice all over base shade they make.  Birthday Suit and Illusion actually complement each other nicely!  Also nice to see antioxidants green tea and rosehip extracts in the ingredient list.  Sample value is $7.99.

I also received a mascara from Blinc, which is the original first tube mascara - and surprisingly, I've not tried a tube mascara before.  I was a little concerned that the removal method is to actually pull these off.  However, removal was much more simple than I was envisioning, as after washing my face, the mascara was easy to dislodge from my lashes (it's not as messy as it sounds).  I like how the mascara is a glossy black and it did a good job of lengthening and defining my lashes.  The only thing I wasn't wild about was how my upper and lower lashes would kind of stick together at the corner of my eye.  Sample value is approximately $5.

The last item in my box are blotting tissues from Jean Pierre.  I've been known to use paper napkins to blot my oily skin, so these are a welcome addition.  This item is full sized and contains 50 sheets housed in a sturdy plastic case, yet is still a reasonably priced $1.99.  I've actually been wanting some blotting tissues to put into this nifty gum packet, as I love the art work on it.  So, this was very timely!

Total box value is $50.88, quite the value for the $12 box price.  Overall, I'd say Beauty Box 5 delivered on multiple accounts!

Disclaimer:  PR sample provided for review.  All opinions are my own.