Hauls,  Make up and beauty,  Online shopping,  Unboxing,  Uncategorized

April Boxycharm {Unboxing & Review}

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If you follow my blog, you’ll know that I am quite obsessed with my Boxycharm subscription, and with good reason, because the value of the box is amazing versus the cost. You can read about how to sign up over here.

My unboxing is a bit different this month as I have actually used the products for a week or 2 so that I can actually review them for you. Also, I am collaborating with Melanie from Melanie’s Nook, as she has also recently signed up, so she will be sharing what she got in her box (boxes are not identical) and what she thought of the products. You will find the link to her post at the end of this post, so lookout for it 🙂

The theme for this month was #BohoGlow and I think the ‘highlight’ for all of us….was the highlight. he he. I’ve never owned an Ofra highlighter, so I was over the moon to find out we’d all be getting one in our April box. Let’s dive in 😉

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Rodeo Drive Highlighter – Ofra Cosmetics ( RSP R550/$35)

Soak up the summer sun day or night with OFRA’s Rodeo Drive Highlighter!
 This radiant new product captures the luxury and glamour of the famous street in sunny California.
 A versatile and universally flattering sun-kissed shade, it can be seamlessly integrated into any makeup look.
I do believe that this highlighter would be flattering on all skin tones. It genuinely has a ‘sun kissed’ look about it, not too yellow, not too gold, not too champagne toned. I swatched so many highlighters looking for a dupe and I just find that this shade is so unique to the Ofra brand.
I’m not one for a blinding highlight and I think this one has the ability to shine all the way into the next galaxy <3  I have found for me, the best application is with a highlighter brush (pictured above). I then use a  foundation brush and stipple the highlighter into my skin. Lastly, I dab my highlighter brush back into a smidgen of product and I then go over the highlight. I find it gives me a subtle, but beautiful glow. You can purchase this on the Ofra Cosmetics SA website over here.
Blend Squad: 3 piece contour blending sponges ($36)

I was sooooo excited to receive these sponges, because Kathleen Lights raved about these and had them in a recent ‘Fave Face tools’ video that she had uploaded. If Kathleen loves them…the world loves them.

Unfortunately these sponges did not live up to the hype and Kathleen herself made a point of updating and saying that these sponges from the boxes were way different to the original sponges she loved. These swell to double the size when wet, which is usually a positive thing when it comes to beauty sponges, but in this case, not so much. The sponges are incredible dense and I found it was still wet 3 days later which makes me believe it must suck up a lot of product. I however do use the sharp end for digging into the concealer palette and to then attempt a contour. So it’s not a total waste of time. Also you can use it to blend out your foundation but it’s a bit blotchy and the sponge does feel hard..like you’re pounding your face.

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Concealer Palette by Measurable Difference (RSP $19,99)

Featuring 16 versatile shades, this makeup set works for any skin tone. The creamy, blendable formula melts perfectly into the skin, making any blemish or skin flaw disappear. 

I saw a lot of complaints that this palette was dry and barely useable, but also many comments saying they loved the palette. I saw Alexis Jayda use it in a tutorial and she did not slam it by any means, so I was hopeful that it was workable. Indeed it was.

I used ‘cream’ as an eyeshadow base. I used ‘lemon meringue’ and ‘pecan’ to colour correct my dark circles and I used ‘toasted almond’ to attempt a contour. You could add some oil to this to get them a bit creamier, but I didn’t have any issues and I thought my under eye area looked fabulous after I added my regular concealer and some powder. I had no creasing whatsoever!
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Lip Gloss: Malbec by Noyah (RSP $16)
This all natural lip gloss has a rich sheen with a pop of subtle colour. Ingredients like Coconut oil, Cocoa butter and antioxidant rich vitamin E pack on the moisture to protect and soften the lips. 
I find the packaging for this lipgloss stunning and I believe the packaging is made from recyclable materials. This is however way too pink for me, not that it’s super pigmented, but it just isn’t a gloss I would reach for. I prefer a more nude gloss. Had this just been a different shade, I would have been all over it.
Brightening Hydrating Coconut Gel Mask by Farmacy (RSP $24)
The most finely spun sheet mask available, this coconut gel mask retains active ingredients at maximum levels more effectively, delivering a targets and first-of-its-kind skincare experience. After 20-25 minutes of treatment, the skin appears brighter, and it’s moisture level is dramatically improved. 

Coconut…you know the drill! I am there like white on rice….or coconut husk? Anyways….moving along. There were 3 masks in the box. This mask feels like gel and as a result I found it to be quite slippery. Also once I put it down, it was difficult to move it around my face to fit properly. That aside though, it had a lovely scent and I felt like the mask had just enough serum on it. Sometimes a mask dries out before the time is up, or there’s so much serum you feel like you’re wasting half of the mask. This had the perfect ratio in my opinion.

The next day I felt like my pores were non existent, but I have also added another new product to my skincare routine, so I can’t say that the mask is the hero, but it definitely left my skin feeling hydrated and it looked brighter. I really enjoyed this mask.

So the total for this month’s Boxycharm was $130.99/R1 740 and I spent around R400 on the box and shipping. I’m still shook guys that Boxycharm makes this possible.

If you’d like to sign up, please feel free to use my code as it takes forever to earn charms, so referrals help all of us <3 Also, please don’t forget to check out what Melanie got in her box over here.

That’s it for this month’s Boxycharm. What do you think? Have you signed up? Which product here is something you’d like to try?

PS I’m not sure what the issue is with my spacing after I published this post. Apologies for the terrible format 🙁

I’m Simone, a mom of 3, a wife...obsessed with my family, makeup and books!

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