Beauty Box 5 -- March 2014 Review

Beauty Box 5 is a monthly beauty subscription box that brings five deluxe samples or full sized products to your door mailbox. The most expensive option is the monthly option, which is $12 a month. If you opt for a three-month subscription, it's $30, making it $10/month. The cheapest option is the yearly subscription, which is $99 for the year, making each box $8.75! (Please note that each subscription automatically renews once the time frame is up unless you cancel ahead of time.) I currently do the three month subscription, but have considered the yearly one because it's such a good deal (especially when there are $20 off coupons). On to the box.

The theme for the March box is "Spring Cleaning," so most of the box was skincare products. I forgot to take a picture of the whole box together and already used the box to mail a divvy, so I couldn't put everything back and pretend I did it. Sorry. 

1. Jane's Pick All Natural Soaps

Description: Get clean without the chemicals! Made from an all-natural blend infused with herbs and flowers, these pretty soaps are handmade, so each bar has a unique pattern and relaxing scent. BB5 tip: lather up and use this instead of shaving cream! 

Cost: $8.00 for 5oz. (My sample doesn't have a size on it, so it's a bit difficult to determine the actual cost for this. According to most other blogs, roughly $1.) 

Review: I'm still undecided if I'm going to use this or put it up on my edivv site. I like that it's handmade and all natural, but I'm not typically a bar soap user. Plus, SO many people on edivv are in search of all-natural products, meaning I may be able to swap for something I like better. The scent isn't marked on the soap, but from the pictures on Jane's Pick's website, it looks like "Purity," which is lavender and peppermint. The only thing holding me back from posting it for swaps is the BB5 tip of using it in place of shaving cream, which is appealing. Erg, I'm so indecisive.

2. Tree Hut Shea Body Butter

Description: Treat your body to the best! Extra thick and paraben free, this lotion deep conditions your skin with cocoa and organic shea butter, provides natural anti-aging properties, and puts us in the mood to party with lime and coconut extract. 

Cost: $7.49 for 7 oz. (My 2oz sample is worth $2.14.) 

Review: When I opened this, I couldn't stop smelling it. It smells AMAZING! It's so good, next time you're at a store that carries Tree Hut products (I saw it at Walmart the other day.), go smell it. No really, do it! Coconut Lime is heavenly. I've only used this once because I'm currently trying some other body creams, but there is no question that this entire little jar will disappear.

3. Bellapierre Cosmetics Makeup Base

Description: Every girl deserves an all-in-one that hides imperfections and makes her makeup even better. This pretty ivory base is great when you're low on time (or room in your purse), and serves as a concealer, illuminator, and eyeshadow primer. 

Cost: $18.99 for .29 oz. (Mine's .25oz, so I'm thinking someone messed up and that's actually the full size.) 

Review: This was the spoiler product this month (the product they told us in advance we'd be getting). I've never used a makeup base before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The color is a little lighter than my skin tone (which was shocking because I'm still super pale from winter), but it actually works very well. I've only used it under my eyes, but I'm excited to use it as an eyeshadow primer. From others' pictures and reviews, the difference in the eyeshadow coloring is phenomenal; the base really makes the color stand out and not be dull. This isn't a product that I'll include every day, but it is nice to have on hand after a night of little sleep (insert bags under eyes) or as an eyeshadow primer.

4. Hard Candy Just Nails Nail Color

Description: Fashion isn't the only industry that's experienced a 90's revival! These cult classic polishes offer intense, unique colors that will make any cosmetic commitment-phobe want to put a ring on it. Layer with other polishes or rock it alone. 

Cost: $3.99 for .35 oz. (full size!) 

Review: I am on a nail polish kick, so I should've been excited about this, but the color just isn't right for me. It's kind of a goldish pink. If it was just pink or just gold, I'd probably like it, but I don't, so I put it up on my edivv shop. And the plastic heart ring doesn't help it's cause...just saying. 

5. Swissco Dual-sided Facial Pad

Description: Achieving softer skin and smaller pores is as easy as exfoliating a few times a week! Just add your favorite cleanser to the pad, gently buff that pretty face, and kiss lackluster skin goodbye!

Cost: $2.00 one size (full size!) 

Review: The exfoliating side is super rough and the terrycloth side has an elastic band on it for your hand, making that side pretty unusable. Because of this, I put it up on my edivv site. No one has wanted it yet, so I'm considering taking it down and giving it a try since I'm not good about exfoliating my face on a regular basis. We'll see. (Further proof of my indecisiveness.) 

Total Value: $28.12, which is well over double what I paid for the box (almost triple). On top of receiving THREE full sized products, there weren't any foil packets, and that makes me happy! Even though I'm only currently using two of the products, those two alone (actually, just one of them by value) makes the box worth it. Plus, putting things on my edivv site is not a loss for me because it gives me a chance to swap for other products of my choosing. Next month is the last of my second three-month subscription and I'm not sure whether to cancel or keep it going. I do like the boxes I'm receiving, but if Target continues their $5 boxes, I'll likely drop Beauty Box 5 and just do that. I mean, a girl can only use but so many products at once anyway. 

If you're interested in starting a Beauty Box 5 subscription, please use my referral link: http://www.beautybox5.com/?u=861 It will help me earn points that I can use toward full size products. Thanks!