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BeautyFix, $25+tax/month, assorted beauty products
Promo: You can save 15% when you sign up for a new account at DermStore or $10 if someone refers you (ask me)
I paid ~$28 with tax
Box value: $121, My value: $99*
BeautyFix is a monthly beauty subscription box from DermStore, an online beauty store and offshoot of Target which specializes in upscale brands. Their monthly boxes include an assortment of beauty products, though there is an emphasis on skin care. Boxes have up to 10 products, a mixture of full size, deluxe samples and foils/tiny samples. Birchbox promises a value of over $100, and they at least usually hit that mark. I’ve been subscribed for 4 months and have loved the variety of products, how useful they are and how great the value is. Subscriptions open up the first week of the month and they sell out quickly.
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Products come in standard box with no extra padding – still, none of them have arrived broken. I like that most of them arrive in their original boxes, a rarity for subscription boxes. BeautyFix includes a card detailing the products in the box.
This box included a total of eleven products, there were 4 full size, 2 travel size and 5 samples. This time the box included one hair care product and 10 facial skin care products (though, of course, you can use the latter anywhere in your body you like). The total value of the box is $121. I plan to use 5 out of the full size and travel size products, so I’m very happy with this box.
This is what I got:
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Cargo Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20Image may be NSFW.
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, in nude, full size: 1.7 oz, $34
Subscription boxes like to send BB creams and foundations on medium-light tones, which is great for me as they are perfect for my facial skin tone. That was the case with this moisturizer. However, I also tested it on the fair parts of my skin (those that never see the sun), and the moisturizer added a little bit of color, but not too much. I think someone fairer could use it as well. This moisturizer went on very smoothly and it was easy to apply, but it did provide quite a bit of sheen. Like other BB creams, it seems to accentuate my wrinkles. Still, I like it and I’m keeping it for myself. This product comes sealed. It’s made in the USA.
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Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo Spray, full size: 5 oz, $25
>With the drought we’re experiencing in California, I always welcome dry shampoo. My hair is clean today so I’ll have to update on how I like it. It does get good reviews. It’s made in the USA
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Ashford & Co Shave Cream, full size: 2.4 oz, $25
After getting in the business of selling high-end beauty products through its ownership of DermStore, Target is now moving to creating its own high-end beauty brands. Ashford & Co is one of its efforts. Many people were surprised (and even upset) that Beauty Fix would include a product for men, but from a marketing point of view it makes sense. Women can still use it for shaving their legs or can gift it to one of the men in their lives for father’s day. The scent is not particularly masculine. To me it smells very much like Irish Spring soap, a smell I happen to like. I had originally thought I would give this away, but after smelling it I’m keeping it! I’ll report on how it works later. Made in USA.
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Paula’s Choice Sun 365 Self-Tanning Concentrate, full size: .5 oz, $18
You mix this concentrate with your moisturizer, apply it on your face and/or body and you’ll slowly start to see your skin look tan. I embrace my skin whatever color it is, so I will probably be swapping this. It’s made in the USA.
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IS Clinical Cleansing Complex , travel size: 2 oz, $13
DermStore describes this face wash as “a gentle, clarifying face wash for men and women of all ages and skin types.” It’s supposed to help with acne, rosacea and hyperpigmentation, all problems we have. Paula’s Choice gives it a good review, saying it’s effective and works well to take off makeup, but that it’s expensive. That, of course, is the great thing about getting items like this in subscription boxes. I’m currently using another face wash and this one comes sealed, so I don’t want to open it just to test it. I’ll report on how it works in the future. It’s made in the USA.
Arcoma Cranberry Toner, travel size: 1 oz, $6
I use toner almost every night but I’m still not too sure what it does. No matter, I like using it and it’s not a frequent item in subscription boxes. This toner is supposed to also cleanse your skin and take out makeup, but it didn’t immediately take off the tinted moisturizer I had previously tested. It smells very much of artificial cranberries, it’s not my favorite scent but it doesn’t bother me either. I’m currently using another toner, but I’ll definitely use it and report back when I’m done with that one. It’s made in the USA.
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Roloxin Revitalizing Facial Treatment, 2 masks, sample value $22
This mask is supposed to give you an instant face lift. I’m doubtful but I will have to try it and see. It’s made in Israel.
Wei Golden Root Purifying Mud Mask, single application, 8 ml, sample value $4
I received this same mask in May’s Birchbox. Unfortunately this mud mask is made in China. China’s soil is heavily contaminated, often with heavy metals, and while Wei might have found some non-contaminated mud somewhere, I, for one, am not willing to take the risk. I swapped the first mask I got and I hope to be able to do the same with this one.
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This month’s box came with 3 sunscreen samples. They are tiny, and it would seem that their actual purpose is to try them for scent/texture, rather than for their sun screening attributes. Indeed, the La Roche-Posay sample was clear about this. The box said: “Not for sale. For aesthetic purposes only. Quantity not sufficient for sunscreen protection.” I would assume the same of the others.
HydroPeptide Solar Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30Image may be NSFW.
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This is a nice, very light sunscreen that is quickly absorbed and has a very pleasant scent. According to the package, it’s “anti-wrinkle”, but as the sun causes wrinkles, that’s true of all sunscreens. It does get good reviews on Amazon.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen FluidImage may be NSFW.
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I really like that this product comes in a box, and that it is actually honest about what it cannot do: provide sun protection. It does go on very light, it’s quickly absorbed and has a soft sunscreen scent. Made in France.
SkinCeuticals Physical Matte UV Defense SPF 50, 2 ml?
This sunscreen is very dark brown when you look at it, but it applies as a light beige. It pretty much disappeared on my skin. Like the others, it was light though a bit more greasy. Made in the USA.
* The box value is the value of all the products included in the box. My value is the value of the products that my family and I will actually use. I’m happy if my value is at least as high as what I paid for the box.