March 2012 TopBox - Overview and Review

TopBox Container

As promised, here is the overview and review of TopBox, the first in a series of four reviews this month on the sample subscription services for beauty products in Canada.  The other three (Glymm, LuxeBox, and GlossyBox will be posted as soon as I receive them.

TopBox outer wrapping

Let's move on then, shall we?

As you may know by know, TopBox ships their items in a cylindrical container, covered in a white fairly thick paper with a lovely purple design.  I am keeping them, but have not decided what to do with them.  If you have any ideas, please post below!

Little Card on top

Each TopBox comes with a card that describes the items contained within.  Promotional information and the cost and amount of a full sized product.

I appreciate these cards as some of the brands are not ones I am familiar with.  A few lines goes far with me, especially the full size amount and price - especially if I love the product(s)!
So, as you can see there is:

• lip stain
• nail polish
• Cleansing facial wipes
• Mascara
• Shampoo and Conditioner

simple Cleansing Facial Wipes

First up, the brand Simple with Cleansing Facial wipes.  I will admit I have never heard of simple and was curious... Hello? Google?  Here is the link to their Canadian website, from what it appears, the originated in the UK with a three step facial care system.  Wow!  They have expanded the line.
Link:  http://www.simpleskincare.ca/

I am a avid user of facial cleansing cloths for two reasons.  1) I am lazy  2) I use them when I travel

Full size is 35 wipes, this sample is 7.  Gives me a week of wipes!!!

So stay tuned for my review!  

mark gloss gorgeous lip stain in the shade Bella

mark nail lacquer in shades tickled pink and violet daze - The Violent Femme Series

Next up, 2 items from the brand mark, which is a part of Avon.  I have purchased some mark products in the past (not these) and on the whole have been please with the results.

The gloss may be a bit too bold for me, but let me get back to you on that - who knows?

The nail polishes are lovely.  The picture does not do the Violet daze justice - it's a lovely purple colour.  Darn!  Should have done a swatch on my nails and taken a pic.  Lesson learned.

These two items are the full size products.

MUFE Smoky Lash Sample Size

As some of you may have read in previous posts, I love me some mascara and I love MUFE.  But I am highly critical of any mascara that crosses my path.  I am the worst applier of it, it has to be the blackest black around and it cannot creep anywhere.  I have this mascara on this morning and will be watching it throughout the day (applied at 6:30am and remove at 10:00pm?)

Mascara Wand

Redken colo(u)r extend

Ahhhh, Redken... My long lost friend.  I used to use Redken products exclusively but in the past couple of years I have branched out and tried everything from Suave to Fekkai.  I do colour treat my hair so I will revisit the Redken product lines.  And this will be my start.  These two packages should last me a nice while as I don't use a lot of either!

2 packages of the shampoo/conditioner combos.




So... There you have it!  What was in the TopBox, well... box (cylinder shaped one).  My thoughts?

I enjoy all the samples, but I am wondering (with the exception of MUFE) about the luxury of it all.  Avon - nice; simple wipes - nice; Redken - nice.  But none are what I would consider high end.

So, do I look at TopBox as purely a beauty sample subscription service that is more about introducing new lines and lines of products?  Or is it a company that provides high-end samples?  The jury is still out.

That said - 2 full sized products and 3 generous samples are more than worth the cost for me.  And the anticipation of getting something in the mail and looking inside with expectation is really part of the fun for me.

All in all - a pretty good TopBox month.  And I like that I get it in the middle of the month, because this waiting until late in the month is rubbish!!!

Cheers!
Lori