POPSUGAR Must Have Box - Luxury Edition for Her

As many of you know, I have been a huge fan of POPSUGAR and their Must Have Boxes and Bags.  For the month of December, they also had an offer for the Luxury Edition.  I couldn't wait to check that out so I placed the order for the Luxury Edition for Her.  This special edition box cost $100 plus tax (free shipping), which is more than the usual Must Have Box, but as you will see, it was well worth it.  It too includes a variety of must have products from the worlds of beauty, fashion, food, and home.

Here's what was in my Luxury Edition Box for Her:

Fashion - JewelMint Clutch - www.jewelmint.com - I could not find this or any of the clutches offered on the JewelMint website so I can't tell you its retail price.  The one I received is accented in finished stones that look like precious stones.

Beauty - Epicuren After Bath Moisturizer - Lemongrass - 8 fl. oz./250 ml/$38 - www.epicuren.com - I have never tried any Epicuren products. I couldn't wait to shower and try this moisturizer.  It had a pleasant scent and left my skin feeling velvety smooth.

Food - Vosges Mini Chocolate Bar Library - Box of 9 bars - $25 - www.vosgeschocolate.com - These awesome chocolate bars are exotically flavored and created by Chief chocolatier and founder Katrina Markoff.  They come individually wrapped and packaged in a lovely box with ribbon.

Home - Compagnie de Provence Liquid Hand Soap - Olive and Lavender - 16.9 fl. oz./500 ml/$24 - www.compagniedeprovence-usa.com - This long-time favorite of Gwyneth Paltrow comes in a glass bottle.  This soap is made with natural vegetable oils and it doesn't dry my hands.  I will definitely re-purchase this soap as it is a lovely addition to both the kitchen and bathroom.  Can't wait to try their other products as well.

Home - Tocca Scented Candle - Kyoto - Peach Nectar - 10.6 oz./300 g/$38 - www.tocca.com - This candle is absolutely lovely and simple in its design.  Nothing crazy or ornate, just an elegant design similar to their fine fragrance collection.  The candle is encased in white glass and boasts a 60-hour burn time so it's sure to grace my home well into the New Year.

Fashion - Heather Belle Cuff - Classic Gold - $110 - This polished brass cuff is classic and timeless.  The insert indicates that Charlize Theron has been spotted wearing one.  This versatile cuff is a lovely accessory for both day and evening events.  This bracelet alone retails for more than the entire luxury edition box.

Beauty - Deborah Lippman Lip & Nail Duet - Love Notes: Let's Do It & My Old Flame - Lipstick: .13 oz/3.6g; Polish: .50 fl. oz./1.5 ml; Set: $38 - The holidays inspire me to bring out golds and reds and this duo is just perfect for the holidays.  The lipstick is a sheer, deep red and the polish is a classic shade.  I can't wait to try more Duets.

Overall rating:  Booyah!  The value of this box was incredible!  I also ordered the Luxury Edition for Him and will be certain to share with you the contents of that box as well.

GLOSSYBOX - Tis the Season to be Glossy

GLOSSYBOX's "Tis The Season to be Glossy" brought me double the joy in November (monthly subscription: $21; www.glossybox.com).  The insert card reads, "Celebrate and share the experience of GLOSSYBOX this holiday by giving the gift of luxury!  With the festive season of soirees upon us, get gorgeous with our top beauty picks to make you a standout among the crowd of little black dresses.  Whether you're attending the office fête, family gathering or holiday party, the latest collection of products from soothing to hydrating to colorful and fragrant, will keep you looking fabulous from day to night."

The contents of my Holiday shipment were as follows:

Illamasqua LTD - Lip & Eye Medium Pencil - Hex -  Full size: .05 oz/$20 - Designed to glide over your skin and create a long-lasting highly pigmented finish, this creamy pencil lets you write a different story with every look.  Use it to create sultry eyes and sensuous lips.

LIERAC - Gommage Sensoriel - Sample size: 30 ml/1.1 fl oz; Full size: 3.5 oz/$30 - This unique gel-oil texture scrub transforms into a milk upon contact with damp skin for skin-smoothing, toning and invigorating exfoliation.  A mix of three white flower extracts and four precious botanical oils regenerate and soften the skin.

NUME Style - Arganics by NuMe Argan Oil - Sample size: 10 ml; Full size: 4 oz/$59 - A perfect compliment to any hair and skin care regimen, this Argan Oil is rich in Vitamin E and other beneficial fatty acids.  Non-greasy and specially formulated for rapid penetration, the oil brings a whole new level of shine and luster to even the most ravaged and damaged hair and skin. A bonus $100 Gift Certifiate towards professional styling tools and hair extensions is included.

Perfumies - Solid Perfume Stick - Femme Fatale - Full size: .07 oz/$7 - A perfect travel companion, these slender and elegant solid perfume sticks allow you to touch up your fragrance on the go.  These convenient perfume sticks have an all natural base, no preservatives, paraben-free and are never tested on animals.

Skin&Co Roma - Truffle Serum: Hydro-Toning Day Face Serum - Sample size: 15 ml/0.50 oz; Full size: 1.01 oz/$36 - Give your face a boost and slow down the signs of aging using this Italian serum infused with Peptides, pure extracts of Tuber Melanosporum and Hyaluronic Acid.  Use daily for brighter, more toned skin.

GLOSSYBOX Mag - Winter Edition - A mini-magazine with brief articles on Trends, Talk, Who's Who in Beauty, What's New, Star Style, Editor's Picks, and International Beauty.

Overall rating:  Booyah!  The variety of the contents was great and This was a great box jam-packed with goodies.  The Illamasqua pencil was a great surprise!

Allure Holiday Beauty Box 2012

I just love Allure Beauty Boxes and sadly, I missed the Summer one this year.  So when the Holiday edition was released for purchase on Black Friday, I jumped on it.  It arrived yesterday and I couldn't wait to share the contents with you.  It includes 16 full-sized products and it only costs $29.99 plus shipping and handling.  What a bargain!  I am dividing the box into categories so "like" products will be together.

Here goes:

Skincare - Body

c. Booth - Honey & Almond Body Butter - 8 oz./$6.99 - freemanbeauty.com - Dry skin isn't a lost cause -- it just needs a little coaxing back to a moisturized state. Let our hydrating Honey & Almond Body Butter get right to work, sweeping deep into skin with its extra rich, extra thick, and extra efficient formula that's oh-so-good at relieving dryness, roughness, and tightness brought on by thirsty skin in need. Essential oils and butters nourish and lock in moisture to keep dryness at bay, and softness on deck.

Jergens - Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer - 10 fl. oz./$3.99 - jergens.com - Ideal for daily use, Jergens Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer instantly transforms dry, rough skin into visibly smooth skin.  With an alluring, smooth fragrance, this long-lasting formula is enriched with Silk Proteins and Citrus Extracts.  It leaves skin looking and feeling silky and smooth all day long.  Also available in fragrance-free.

Nivea - Touch of Renewal Lathering Body Scrub - 12 fl. oz./$5.99 - niveausa.com - Enjoy a spa-like experience with NIVEA Touch of Renewal.  It balances exfoliation, gentle cleansing, and moisturization for beautiful, healthy-looking skin.

Youngblood - Mineral Illuminating Tint - Body - 5.9 fl. oz./$37.50 - ybskin.com - Enhance a Summer glow all year long with this non-streaking, luminous body tint.  The highly moisturizing formula is packed with natural oils and antioxidants to do wonders for dry skin, while the soft bronze tint helps even out skin tone.  With the indulgent scent of Shea Butter and Coconut Oils.

Hair Care

GKHair - Dry Shampoo - 5 oz./$14.60 on amazon.com - gkhair.com - GKHair dry shampoo absorbs excess oil and separates hair strands, while adding volume to the roots and creating a freshly washed look.

John Frieda - Frizz-Ease Daily Nourishment Leave-In Conditioning Spray - 8 oz./$5.99 - johnfrieda.com - Nourishes and detangles dry, damaged strands, infusing hair with a high-potency blend of vitamins A, E, and C, green tea extract, and nutrient-rich moisture.

John Frieda - Brilliant Brunette Liquid Shine Shine Shock Perfecting Glosser - 2.4 oz./$7.49 - johnfrieda.com - This super-light formula instantly smoothes down flyaways and glosses away imperfections while illuminating rich, multi-dimensional tones.

John Frieda - Sheer Blonde Crystal Clear Shape & Shimmer Hairspray - 8.5 oz./$6.49 - johnfrieda.com - Non-dulling formula keeps blonde shimmering and bright, while a touchable hold allows for easy shaping with lasting staying power.

Joico - Power Spray Fast-Dry Finishing Spray - 9 oz./$19 - joico.com - This finishing spray with superior holding power features an ultra-fast-drying formula for instant styling without stickiness or stiffness, leaving hair re-styleable for up to 72 hours.

Lip Products

Maybelline New York - Color Sensational High Shine Gloss - Glisten Up Pink - 5 ml./$5.50 on walmart.com - maybelline.com - Lavish lips with a molten hot glaze:  Maybelline New York introduces Color Sensational High Shine Gloss.  Now you can have more vibrant color in a wax-free gloss for cleaner shine and nourishing feel in 12 arresting shades!

Neutrogena - Revitalizing Lip Balm SPF 20 - Blush - .15 oz./$8.99 - neutrogena.com/lip - Sheer, tinted balm moisturizes and protects lip with SPF 20, leaving them softer, rosier, and healthier looking, even after you take it off!

NYX - Glam Lipstick Aqua Luxe - Jet Set - 4.5 g./$6  nyxcosmetics.com - Glaze your pout with Glam Lipstick Aqua Luxe for every occasion!  Put the spotlight on your lips as you wear a variety of velvet and glossy finishes.  Go from gloomy to glam instantly with a kick of intense shimmer and chromaticity that vivifies your iconic look.

Pixi - Lip & Line - Orchid Rose - 1.45 g./$18 - pixibeauty.com/lips/lip-line - This lip liner and lipstick duo comes in tone-enhancing colors and long-lasting finishes.

Skincare - Face

Neutrogena - Rapid Tone Repair - 1 fl. oz./$19.99 - neutrogena.com/rapidtonerepair - Don't get mad at dark spots.  Get even with new Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair moisturizer.  In just one week, it's clinically proven to reduce the look of dark spots and discolorations.  How?  It has the fastest retinol formula available, combined with Vitamin C.  You're seven days away from younger-looking skin.

RoC - Multi Correxion 4-Zone Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 - 1.7 fl. oz./$27.99 rocskincare.com/4-zone-daily-moisturizer-spf-30 - This multi-tasking moisturizer  targets key areas of the face to diminish the look of multiple signs of aging.

Nail Products

Miss Professional Nail - Sation Nail Lacquer - Front Row Flasher - .50 fl. oz./$5 - misspn.com - Miss Professional Nail is a contemporary beauty company, infusing a new creative direction in nail care through a blend of lifestyle aesthetics.  To celebrate Miss' Limited III Collection, "Nailstock," Miss features "Front Row Flasher."

Overall Rating:  Booyah!  The retail value of this box is almost $200 excluding sales tax, so for the price it is well worth it even though some of the products and shades won't work for me.  Additionally, $5 from each purchase was donated to the Laura Mercier Ovarian Cancer fund so extra kudos to Allure for this baby.

Don't know about you, but I am definitely looking forward to Allure's next beauty box.

Chantecaille Les Pétales de Rose Illuminating Face Powder

Everyone that knows me recognizes and accepts me for the highlighter lover that I am.  When I learned that Chantecaille was releasing a new Illuminating Face Powder as part of their Holiday 2012 Collection, I decided to give it a try, especially since I have never tried any of their highlighters.

Chantecaille's Les Pétales de Rose (12 g/$74) is absolutely lovely.  It reminds me of a softer version of Guerlain's Cruel Gardenia Météorites Illuminating Iridescent Powder which launched in January 2012.  Cruel Gardenia Météorites had a lower price point but also offered less product (9 g/$67).  The packaging reads, "Chantecaille's Rose Petal Powder is a festive kaleidoscope of sheer colors pressed together to impart the most flattering glow."

The Saks Fifth Avenue website reads: "Inspired by the soft color and texture of crushed rose petals, Chantecaille has created a limited-edition highlighting powder that will brighten up your powder room as well as your face. Made in Italy."

Top to bottom: Chantecaille Les Pétales de Rose Top Part of Compact; Bottom Part of Compact; Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Météorites Illuminating Iridescent Powder - Swatches

Top to bottom: Chantecaille Les Pétales de Rose Top Part of Compact; Bottom Part of Compact; Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Météorites Illuminating Iridescent Powder - Blended Out

Overall rating:  Booyah!  This highlighter is great for daytime as it is not iridescent so the effect is subtle .  I love the fact that the compact is small and sleek so it's easy to carry around for day into night touchups.

Have you tried any Chantecaille products?  Would love to hear your thoughts?  Are you a highlighter junkie like me?  Are there any other highlighter products you'd like to see featured in a post?