TOPBOX: April 2012

Sorry, this one is way overdue as I was out of the country for a couple weeks in April and when I got home, I was distracted by ohhh.....life?

But here it is anyway:




April's box came with the following items:

1) Full sized Misa nail polish in Satin Slippers
2) 30ml Bella Pella lotion in Tropical Flowers
3) 2ml Lise Watier HydraSmart 3D Hydration Tinted Veil
4) 7.5ml Benefit The POREfessional PRO Balm
5) Dab card sample of Cargo blu_ray Pressed Powder

The full sized nail polish is $8.99. Based on a unit price calculation, the lotion is $2.70, tinted veil $1.76, balm is $11.63.

$8.99+$2.70+$1.76+$11.63=$25.08. I left out the pressed powder because I can't imagine that has enough product to even be calculated!

This month's worth dollar-wise is quite poor but let's move on to the review to see if it's worth anything product-wise...




FULL SIZE Misa Nail Lacquer in Satin Slippers - Full size 15ml for $8.99M
So boring. This color/finish reminds me of 80's and 90's. It's pretty sheer and streaky on the fingers, too. I love that this is "personalized". What??? What did I say to give away penchant for frosty streaky nails?? Maybe someone with a paler skin tone would enjoy this but my tanned yellow-toned skin is just not the canvas for this color.

30ml Bella Pella Body Lotion in Tropical Flowers - Full size 175ml for $15.95
I can't stop smelling this. The scent is quite strong so this is definitely love it or hate it. It reminds me of Hawaii! It goes on as a lotion but some might find it a little greasy. Consistency is the same as Bath & Body Works lotions but lasts slighty longer. I'm really tempted to buy the full size once I run out of this and the other scents on their website sound great. Also thumbs up for beijing a Canadian-based animal-friendly company.


2ml Lise Watier HydraSmart 3D Hydration Tinted Veil - Full size 40ml for $35
I'm loving this! There doesn't seem to be a color listed so maybe it's one-color-suits-most? Either way, the color is actually perfect for my NC35-37 skin. This seems to be marketed to those interested in tinted moisturizers and BB creams. I really like that it feels like a non-greasy moisturizer but has enough coverage to be a light foundation. The price isn't too bad either at 40ml instead of the usual 30ml for most foundation products. I'd consider buying this again.

7.5ml Benefit The POREfessional PRO Balm - Full size 22ml for $34
I already have the fullsized version of this product - read my review here.. Glad I received this as a sample because it will be perfect for travel!

Dab card sample of Cargo blu_ray Pressed Powder
I think these dab card samples really useless. Especially when they come cracked. There's also no further info on the product - it's just listed as the "sponsor" for this month's box. What does that even mean? This achieves nothing...there's no info for this product (what shade was provided, volume/cost of full sized product, etc.)

So overall, what do I think of April's box?

I'd say this was a fairly good box as it gave me the opportunity to try two products I'm interested in repurchasing at full size/price (the whole point of these, right?) and a travel-sized version of something I already own and like.

I just wish when they try to "personalize", they actually get it right. So far, they haven't. If the monthly survey questions could ask more explicit questions like, "do you prefer dark or light nail polish colors?", "is your skin too dry or too oily?", "which foundation products are in your daily routine: concealer, liquid foundation, powder, all, none?" that would help.

May's review is in the works! I should have it up later today

REVIEW: CoverFX Skin Tint FX Moisturizing Treatment & Tint with SPF 30

It's getting a lot harder to take photos in natural daylight these days. I take my photos before or after work but the sky is getting darker and darker during those times. Soon my product photo taking will be relegated to the weekends.

Alas, we'll continue on with today's review. Just make sure to turn up your screen's brightness....

This is my first time trying out a CoverFX product. I'm not sure if it's the clinical packaging or the unromantic product descriptions, but I feel like if there's one line that should actually deliver on its promises, it's this one. But like a nude strapless bra or a pair of black dress pants, it's never the fun thing to buy. I guess that's why I've always ended up picking up something in a pretty or funky package from Benefit or Urban Decay instead of CoverFX.

However, I decided to bite the bullet and buy this not so pretty tube of product at the local drugstore recently.

A little background on CoverFX. It's a Canadian-based company and the brain child of "corrective makeup specialist" Lee Graff who worked at Sunnybrook Hospital and Women's Health Scient Centre, chemical engineer Jenny Frankel, and dermatologist Dr. Neil Shear. All of its products are cruelty-free and they have been changing their packaging to become more environmentally friendly by the use of reduced/biodegradable packaging sourced from sustainable foresting. As well, they make both international and local charitable donations.

According to CoverFX's website, the "Moisturizing Treatment & Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 30" is a "rejuventing liquid mineral treatment" that provides tinted sun kissed looking skin. It is appropriate for all skin times including problem skin that is "dry, sallow, sun damaged". It is oil-free, fragrance free, and paraben free.

I reviewed the Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer previously, which comes in a similar packaging (read review here.) although the BB one is 50ml vs 30ml for the Skin TintFX. The Bobbi Brown is more liquid and pigmented - what I consider a true tinted moisturizer. The CoverFX Skin Tint FX is more like a 2-in-1 tinted primer and sun screen, in my opinion.







This product goes on like a light lotion but has a powdery finish - similar to the Benefit POREfessional primer (read review here) but a little thicker.

I have to say, I really like this product. It's the lazy-woman's way to cover her bases (oh so pun-ny!). It's a primer, color corrector, and sunscreen all in one. You can wear this alone on a hot summer day or in the winter, use as a base under a light layer of foundation.

I wouldn't use it in lieu of a moisturizer, however. Unless you have really oily skin. Personally, I still apply a light layer of gel moisturizer first (I use Clinique Derma White Brightening Moisture Gel Cream), let it seep into my skin, then apply this.

One thing to be careful of is the beading effect. Like a lot of cream-to-powder formulas, this one will bead if you rub too hard back and forth. Not sure why you would....but just in case.



I am NC35-37 in MAC, Golden Beige in Revlon, and Natural Beige in L'Oreal. E Light might sound too light for me but it's actually perfect as there's only the option of Light or Dark and my summer tan is starting to fade. The M Light probably would have worked, too but I don't have a swatch of that.





The CoverFX SkinTint FX Treatment and Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 is available at The Bay, Shoppers's Drug Mart, and Sephora. The 30ml/1oz tube retails for $39CDN/$42US

**This is one of the only times I've seen a product cheaper in Canada, even for Canadian-based brands!**

REVIEW: Bobbi Brown Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 15

The first time I tried Bobbi Brown was in high school. I received a Shimmer Wash eyeshadow in "Raisin" from one of the first swaps on Makeupalley.com. I wore it religiously for a few months before I went onto something else. But I still have that pan of eyeshadow in my makeup box somewhere and I guess that's what still kept the brand on my radar even though I had not tried anything from the brand since.

Before we left for the wedding trip, my maid of honor and I went to the Bobbi Brown counter for a makeup session. We each ended up buying well over $200 but I do not regret it one penny. I'm a sucker for pretty eyeshadow and lipglosses, but I hate buying basics like foundation and concealer which take a bit more consideration. To me, it's always been more of a chore.

However, after using Bobbi Brown foundation, corrector, and concealer during the wedding trip, I was very impressed. It left me thinking....Bobbi Brown or "Building Blocks"? Sorry for the cheesy term but really, I felt like these products created the perfect canvas for colored cosmetics. I was excited to try more! I wish I had tried the line earlier as I find it to be Asian-friendly unlike some other brands.

The Dominican Republic did wonders for my skin so right now I barely need foundation. I had a $30 gift card and decided to try out the new Oil-Free version Bobbi Brown's popular Tinted Moisturizer. I've never used one before! This version is gel-based and meant to provide normal to oily skin types (me!me!me!) with light coverage. The formula contains vitamin C & E and Aloe in addition to SPF 15 protection. The packaging is a squeeze tube which is really convenient to pack in the purse or travel bag unlike the heavier glass bottle of foundation I have.




I have used this a few times now and it is very natural. You can't tell I'm wearing foundation even up close although that could also be due to the perfect color match and the fact that it is light coverage. However, there is enough coverage that you'll want to be careful not to go too light or dark. The coverage evens out slight skintone variations, which is all I need right now.

The formula is not what I expected at first. When I think gel, I think of something lighter, almost watery but this is more like a cream when it is squeezed out. Upon application however, you do feel how light it is and it is even a little cooling, perhaps due to the aloe. After a day at the office, it is still on my face if my makeup cloth tells me anything. But unlike regular foundationh, this barely uses up one cloth. It's the perfect formula for summer. Light but long lasting.

I am currently an NC37-40 and chose the Medium to Dark tint. This is almost an exact match to my skin not only in terms of darkness but also tone. I have swatched it below in two lighting situations.




The conclusion is I would definitely buy this product again. However, it retails for $40US but unfortunately for us Canadians, $50CDN plus tax! This is too pricey for a tinted moisturizer in my opinion but if you have a chance to cross the border, I would pick one up.

If you want way better photos, a detailed description, and further review of this product, I recommend checking out Temptalia's review here.