Okay, that came off a little harsh. But seriously, LipMonthly is more grief than it's worth. I've finally received my January bag (on February 18th) and it's just not wowing me enough to bother continuing. First of all, there was no tracking. There wasn't even a shipment confirmation. I had to email the company twice to get any information. And secondly, it was just a lacklustre bag. Regardless, I won't let my struggles get in the way of the review.
Next up is a long lasting liquid lipstick from Ofra in Laguna Beach (8g for $19.90) This is another full-sized product, and it's my favourite item in the bag. It reminds me very much of the Stila Stay-All-Day liquid lipstick in Patina, only lighter, and more pink. It also smells EXACTLY the same as the Stila. I'll need a few days to test out the wear, but this is a nice addition to my collection.
And who doesn't love a good lip balm? I know I do. This, however, is not so great. The Ecolips Ecotints in Rose Quarts (4.25g for $4.49) is a basic balm, with a little bit of shimmer, and a lot of peppermint oil. I personally do not like minty lip products, especially lip balms, so this got a thumbs down. It's also not very moisturizing, and is shaped awkwardly; it's a thin oval, making it hard for me to apply it and not look crazy.
And here, I've saved the worst for last. It's a sample of Harvey Prince's Damask Rose perfume. Why they've included such a strong scent in a lip-product bag, I'll never know, but will resent for a good long while. Though I do appreciate a good rose candle every now and then, it has to be the right kind of rose. Just a delicate, authentic scent, that kind of hovers around you, one that doesn't smack you in the face like it's an elderly grandmother assaulting a would-be purse snatcher with a wicker handbag. It smells like a 40-year-old brocade couch covered in vinyl. It does not smell good, is what I'm saying. It's worth $12. Plus $8.95 for a big bottle of Advil that you're going to need from the headache it causes.
So is this bag worth the $10 plus shipping (to Canada)? For the Ofra lipstick alone, I'd say yes. If you're looking to find some lesser-known or hard-to-find brands of lip products, I'd say go for it. You can join here or visit LipMonthly.com
Myself, I'm cancelling this subscription. It's just too much hassle, waiting and being disappointed. Though some people have already posted their February bags, and they look promising. I might come back in a couple of months, we'll see.
I WILL have a review on 2 NEW (to me) subscription boxes, TopBox and Birchbox. Canada is really stepping up their subscription box game!
The card included states "We'll be featuring some great new brands throughout 2015", and yet in the first bag of the year, it seems like it's just the same old, same old. I got an Ofra lip pencil in last month's bag, and I need another lip balm like a hole in the head,
Don't get me wrong, it's not an overly terrible bag, it's just...meh. It's becoming the shoulder-shrug of subscription bags. But I digress. Let's jump in!
First is a MICA Beauty lip colour pot in Velvet Rose ($14.50) The website shows a different size and container (4g for $30) and the product in the bag is 7g. Very odd. It also states that this product delivers "a sheer wash of colour". It does not. It is way too pigmented to be considered a balm, and it stains badly. The swatch shown is on my inner forearm, and I've still got colour there after 2 days, a shower, and scrubbing. So on the upside, it's a product that will last. The colour is pretty, but not something I tend to wear, it just comes off too red. So, it will be confined to the back drawer.
Myself, I'm cancelling this subscription. It's just too much hassle, waiting and being disappointed. Though some people have already posted their February bags, and they look promising. I might come back in a couple of months, we'll see.
I WILL have a review on 2 NEW (to me) subscription boxes, TopBox and Birchbox. Canada is really stepping up their subscription box game!
