July 2014 Beauty Box Comparison - TopBox vs. Beauty Box 5 vs. Ipsy

I thought I would start a monthly feature that compares the contents of the most affordable Beauty Box subscriptions. 
Here is a look at the basics of the boxes for July 2014:

July 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag - Review and Unboxing

Ipsy is a beauty bag subscription that that sends you 4-5 deluxe sample or full size products each month. The cost in $10 + $4.95 shipping to Canada (I paid $16.35 with the exchange rate). Ipsy is generally makeup products with a mix of skin care or nail products based on a beauty profile you complete. 

Here is a look at my July 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag:

The theme of this month is Sensationally Sun-kissed. The little pink bag it came in was really cute too! I will have to find a use for it!! It looks like a great mix of products this month; let's take a closer looks at my goodies!

Memebox Special #11 Cacao Cosmetics - Review and Unboxing

Memebox is a Korean Beauty Box company. Memebox is not a monthly subscription box - they instead have a ton you can choose from ranging in price from $15 and up. The boxes have different themes and their are limited quantities (from what it looks they, they are very popular and the boxes sell out quickly!) The boxes come with 4-8 full size and deluxe sample size items & they usually show you 1 spoiler from the box and the rest are all surprises! Shipping to Canada is $6.99. 

Memebox was intriguing and when I saw a coupon code earlier this month for $15 off your first box I was sold! 

I picked Memebox #11 Cacao Cosmetics. The box retailed for $23 US + $6.99 shipping. With my $15 off coupon (sorry expired now) My box worked out to $14.99 - with the exchange rate I paid $16.47.

Standard shipping from Korea can take anywhere from 10-20 days. I was shocked to see my box shipped on July 18 and arrived at my house by July 24! I was honestly not expecting to see this box until August!

Here is a look at Memebox Special #11 Cacao Cosmetics:

The description of the box: whoever said chocolate is bad for you? Your skin we mean! In the ancient world, Cacao was regarded as the Food of the Gods due to the many beauty benefits it offered for both the skin and health. With its high antioxidant content, raw cacao is guaranteed to make your skin appear dramatically healthier as it locks in nutrients and collagen within the skin, while also removing any excess oil and impurities from the pores.

July 2014 Beauty Box 5 - Review and Unboxing

Beauty Box 5 is a monthly subscription box that costs $12 a month US, $30 quarterly, and $99 a year. *Up until this month Beauty Box 5 had free shipping to Canada. They recently sent an email to all Canadian customers that on their next billing date, we will be charged $3 a box for shipping - making the box $15 all together!

So lucky for me - I signed up for Beauty Box 5 in May 2014 for the whole year! They had a promotional code for $12 off a year - so I got a full year for $87. This worked out to $97.60 Canadian with the exchange rate so $8.14 a month! I am not sure if I will renew next year with the price increase but I will be reviewing until May 2015 and making my decision then!

Here is a look at my July 2014 Beauty Box 5:

This month's theme is: Defining moments! Using the items in this box to celebrate the events that made you an amazing women. 

July 2014 Your Bijoux Box Jewellery Subscription Box - Review and Unboxing

Your Bijoux Box is a monthly jewellery subscription box that delivers 3 pieces of jewellery with over $100 value each month for $35 US + $6 shipping (with the exchange rate I paid $44.86).

I really like getting jewellery each month and the last 2 months have been really good (I don't think $44 is realistic every month to spend so I'm not sure how long this subscription will last but I would like to pick it up here and there!). The jewellery is not customizable; every subscriber gets the same items each month!

I was excited to get this month's box - the July spoiler was awesome! And July's box is going to contain 4 items instead of the regular 3 because it's their anniversary month! There was some shipping delays thanks to the shipping company losing a batch of boxes but everything arrived eventually safe and sound!

Here is a look at my July 2014 Your Bijoux Box:

2 set of earrings & 2 necklaces! 

July 2014 TopBox Beauty Box - Review and Unboxing

TopBox is a Canadian Beauty Box Subscription! For $12 CDN a month with free shipping you get 4 deluxe sample size or full size products. You fill out a beauty profile and get items based on what you have identified. Also, every month you have the option to "wish" for a prive box. This month I wished for a Benefit Prive Box! (I have been secretly dying to try the new gel push-up eyeliner).
And yay!!! lucky me - I got the box I was hoping for!

Here is a look at what was inside:

I love Benefit so I am happy to see these goodies! 

Manicure Monday - Robin's Egg Textured Manicure!

Time for another Manicure Monday! (These posts give me something to look forward to on Mondays!)

These remind me of a Robin's egg - that light, delicate blue with little speckles on it! 

July 2014 Julep Maven Box - Review and Unboxing

Julep is a monthly nail polish subscription box. For $24.99 US per month Julep will send you 2 nail polishes and 1 other item (beauty product/nail product). If you sign up for 3 months you will get the boxes for $19.99 per month. I'm not signed up on the 3 month plan so I paid $24.99 (with the exchange rate I paid $27.39 Canadian).

Julep matches you up with a style box each month based on a quiz you take - you can choose to buy the box Julep selects for you or you can choose another box that you prefer!

This month I was matched up with the "Bombshell" Box; here is  a look:

This came with 2 nail polishes and a lotion.

Summer 2014 FabFitFun VIP Box - Review and Unboxing

I was so excited when I heard that FabFitFun was going to be shipping their Summer VIP box to Canada!! For Americans the box is $49.99 per quarter, and for Canadians it is $57.99 US - shipping included. I'm impressed that they didn't make the shipping charge so extreme like some subscription boxes! I used a coupon code FLASH10 for $10 off. So I paid $47.99 for my first box ($52.52 with the exchange rate!)

I must say I am impressed with the shipping - this was the last July Box i bought (actually not until July 8 & I received it on July 16). It must have helped that this box just came out at the end of June.

I looked at one spoiler that was a face care product for $95 - I was pretty much sold with 1 item almost double the cost of the box (always makes it worth while!)

Here is a look at all the goodies inside:

So many goodies! 

Manicure Monday - Blue Tip Pastel French Manicure!

Time for another Manicure Monday! My inspiration this week is a pastel french mani!

I love this look and needed something a little more reserved this week for work! 

June 2014 Nina Garcia Quarterly Co. Box #NGQ03 - Review and Unboxing

If you haven't heard of Quartely Co. before it is this awesome website where quarterly packages are curated by celebrities/personalities you love. They range from fashion to food to books and are curated by people from Bill Nye to Pharrel Williams to Coco, etc. Most packages are $50 but a couple are $100 plus shipping (shipping is a little hefty $10-$20 per package!)

So the Nina Garcia quarterly box is something I have been (impatiently) waiting for ever since the reviews on #NGQ02! This box looked simply amazing but is a little pricey! It is $100 US per quarter, with $20 shipping, and a one time $8 handling fee ($140.67 with the exchange rate).

Here is the first look at all the goodies in my Nina Garcia #NGQ03 box:

Wowee, all I can say is there is a LOT of stuff in this box! 

June 2014 Petit Vour Vegan Beauty Box Subscription - Review and Unboxing!

My June Petit Vour Box finally arrived (on July 7)!!! I was a little dissapointed at how late it shipped this month - I honestly felt like they forgot about me! I saw on another blog a review that was completed on June 19 (that they sent as a complimentary box) and my box did not ship out until June 26!

Sorry mini rant completed - I was still excited to recieve this box! Petit Vour is an all vegan/ cruelty free beauty subscription box. For Canadians, it is $23 US a month (I paid $25.83 with the exchange rate) and Americans pay $15 a month.

And here is a look inside:

The theme of the box this month is Bon Voyage - products designed for easy traveling and a get up and go beauty routine! 

Manicure Monday - Past Favourite Nail Art (Ninja Turtle and Grumpy Cat Nails!)

Okay, so this is sort of a pretend Manicure Monday! I am on holidays right now and my kitty nails are really hanging in there so I am leaving them for another week! (I will have a real Manicure Monday again for you next week!)

So instead I am going to show you two of my favorite nails!

Here is a look back to 2012 when I did my own Ninja Turtle Nails!!! I loved these:

And now that we are on to Character Nails - here is my favorite nails from 2013, Grumpy Cat Nails!!!!