Review: Cargo Cosmetics Argentina Lip Gloss Quad

I picked this up in my April LBB.  This lip gloss quad features the colors Plum,  Copper, Sparkling Burgundy, and Bronze. Retail price is $24

Cargo Argentina Lip Gloss Quad and Mia

The formula is very sheer and very glossy. I used two coats for all of the swatches and photos. This may work better layered over a lipstick. On its own I would definitely recommend two coats or a heavy handed one coat.  It's a bit more of a thin liquid formula than I'm used to using.

L to R: Plum, Copper, Sparkling Burgundy, and Bronze

I really like Plum. This is sort of gloss color I gravitate toward. It's a darker color without being too dark. It's a shiny gloss but not sparkly.

Cargo Plum Lip Gloss

I actually liked Copper more than I thought I would. I usually steer clear of warm colors like this but was pleasantly surprised. It gives a nice glow without being too coppery. This gloss is also really glossy but not sparkly.

Cargo Copper Lip Gloss

The Burgundy did not want to photograph well. This is actually my second favorite color in this quad. This color is glossy and sparkly but not disco ball sparkly. I didn't notice any change in texture between the sparkly glosses and the shiny glosses. This is a good choice if you just want a little hint of color. It is probably the most sheer of the four.

Cargo Sparkling Burgundy

Finally, Bronze. I would never just pick up a bronze gloss on it's own. So this is a nice exercise for me to step outside of my comfort zone. The color is rich and metallic. This one definitely has high shine. I expected it to be super yellow on me but I was presently surprised how it turned out. I'm not sure that I'd reach for this color a lot but at least I know it's not out of the realm of possibility for me. This color might work better for you sun kissed and bronzed beauties out there!

Cargo Bronze Lip Gloss

Wear time is a bit hit or miss. This did not hold up to eating or drinking. The darker colors like Plum seem to get about two hours of decent wear. Bronze definitely transferred a lot. I'm a bit on the fence about this quad. I want to really like Cargo because I've heard such great things about them but the staying power of these glosses and the sheerness leave me feeling it's a little lacking. I'm going to say Bat's Rating: 6.5

Influenster Spring Beauty Vox Box

I recently received my first Influenster box. Influenster selects members to send out complimentary products for review.

• Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash
• Salon Hansen Salon Effects  Nail polish strips in Zebra
• Sheer Cover Duo Concealer
• Chapstick Lip Shield
• SoyJoy Bar Blueberry
• Dr. Scholl's for Her Ball of Foot Pads
• Bath & Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist in Moonlight Path

I'm super excited about the Sheer Cover Duo Concealer. I have a few concealer palettes but nothing that really wows me. I'm giving the Moonlight Path a test run right now. So far I like it! It has a light and clean scent. What interests you in the Influenster Spring Beauty Vox Box?

*Disclaimer: I was sent these products free for review from Influentser.  Neither Influenster or its members are instructed, coached, coerced, paid, or compensated in any fashion in exchange for reviews of manufacturer’s products. All reviews are provided voluntarily.*

Happy Birthday to Me Haul!

So I tend to buy myself pretty indulgent birthday and Christmas presents. No one knows what I want better than me right? So this year for my birthday I gave in and bought myself my first high end cosmetic purchase. I went for the Guerlain Meteorites Powder in Teint Rose (#10). I also picked up a cute little set of brushes that is going to work out great for throwing in my purse.

I can't wait to try out this powder. I'll post a full review in the future. The packaging is beautiful!

 Sephora also sent me a large batch of goodies for free. The Beauty Insider free birthday gift is a small duo of Sugar Lip Treatment and a Tinted Lip Treatment. I've heard really good things about the Sugar products and I love tinted lip balms!

Sephora Freebies

 In addition to the normal three free samples with purchase, Sephora was offering six perfume samples in different themes which I got a booklet about in my last Sephora order. The choices were addictive, casual, playful, and chic. I chose addictive because I really liked the two fragrances featured in the booklet. They were Balenciaga and Angel by Thierry Mugler. Sadly, I didn't get samples of either. The perfume samples came in nice black pouch which I wasn't expecting. This would be good to throw a few makeup items in or maybe to throw some jewelry in for travel.

List of freebies:

• Sugar Lip Treatments
• Shiseido BioPerformance Serum
• Dr. Dennis Gross Daily Face Peel (this is a substitution. Pretty sure I selected the Ren mask because I love it)
• Amore Pacific Tinited Moisturizer (this came with four shades to sample)
• Hanae Mori perfume sample
• Prada Infusion D'Iris
• Betsey Johnson Too Too
• Michael Kors perfume sample
• Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb
• Calvin Klein Euphoria (not pictured)

May Sample Society

What is Sample Society? Sample Society is a monthly subscription service that is a partnership between Allure magazine and Beauty Bar. For $15 a month you get five deluxe sized samples and a one year subscription to Allure.  You also receive a $15 gift code towards the purchase of any of the brands in your box. It's nice that you have some flexibility and don't have to buy the exact product. You can also use your gift code multiple times. The booklet also includes some tips on how to use the products.

Stila Mascara, Bond No.9 Perfume, Colorscience Travel Puff, Strivectin SD Intensive, & Alterna UV Fluide

• Stila Forever Your Curl Mini Mascara Deluxe Sample (Full Size Retail $22) Featuring innovative lash-curl memory, this eye-catching wonder contains a proprietary resin that continuously curls lashes throughout the day - and holds curl for long-lasting results. A unique brush design coats and extends each individual lash, while an intense carbon black hue delivers maximum impact. Breakthrough formula continuously curls lashes. Innovative brush coats and extends each lash. I've been on a quest for a new mascara so this is rather timely. I've heard this smears easily though. I didn't have any real issues with it. It made my lashes look defined but still soft. It did smudge a bit towards the end of the day after I watched two episodes of I Survived Beyond and Back but that show always makes me tear up. 
• Bond No.9 Nuits de Noho Fragrance Sample Vial 1.7ml (Full Size Retail 50ml $160)   A contemporary, fruity-floral skin scent, Bond No. 9 New York Nuits De Noho Eau de Parfum is the ultimate in sexy avant-garde urbanity. Fragrance notes of jasmine, vanilla and patchouli delight the senses. Inspired by the avant garde neighborhood of New York City. This smells incredibly indulgent and sensual. I love it! I hope I don't love it too much because at $160 a bottle I would have to seriously think long and hard before hitting the purchase button. Granted it would only be $145 after my coupon code and then I have a code for an additional $15 off $75 or more. So if I really loved it I could get it for $130 but still not going to just dash off and do that. I can smell the vanilla but it's not like "Hi I smell like a cupcake" which is good because I'm pretty anti-vanilla as a fragrance. I love how the sample was wrapped up like candy. This certainly does feel like a decadent treat.
• Colorscience Pro SPF 20 Travel Puff i in Illuminating Pearl Powder Full Size (Retail $10) Colorescience Pro SPF 20 Travel Puff provides sun protection whenever and wherever you need as well as a dose of color to keep your complexion looking its best. This weightless mineral pigment provides hours of water-resistant SPF 20 and fits easily in any purse or bag, making it perfect for travel. Each puff contains 10-20 applications for multiple uses.  I like the idea of this in theory.
• StriVectin SD Intensive Concentrate for Stretch Marks & Wrinkles Deluxe Sample (Full Size Retail $135) Strivectin started a goal. Create the most effective age-fighting product ever. So Strivectin powered up the original with even more potent collagen-boosting peptides and Strivectin re-engineered the formula with NIA-114. Discovered in DNA skin cancer research, NIA-114 accelerates the rebuiling of skin layers.  I got a sample of this in my QVC New Beauty Test Tube as well. The sample from TT was 15ml. The sample from Sample Society was 22ml.  I'm not afraid of the price tag. When I was in Marshall's last week, I saw a ton of StriVectin. I don't really have wrinkles but I'll try this out on my belly stretch marks. I prefer to call them tiger stripes. 
• Alterna UV Plus Fade-Proof Fluide Deluxe Sample (Full Size $24) 
• FADE-PROOF FLUIDE combines strengthening pure Organic Bamboo Extract & color-locking, damage-locking Kalahari Melon Extract in a formula that weightlessly shields hair with a UVA/UVB barrier to fade-proofs color while enhancing vibrancy & multi-dimensional shine. With rinse resistant Color Hold® UV+ Technology for the highest level of color protection . Weightless formula.  Enhances vibrancy & multi-dimensional shine. Can be used alone or combined with any styling aid. Contains rinse resistant UV filters that protect against oxidative color damage. Extends the life of your color. All products contain certified organic ingredients grown responsibly & ethically traded; FREE OF sulfates, sodium chloride, parabens, gluten, TEA, DEA & phthalates. Their production & sale aids in supporting the development of local communities while remaining environmentally friendly.  My hair is color treated now but you know how I avoid UV damage? I avoid sunlight. I'm in my car about ten minutes in the morning and I've been working so late the last few weeks that sunlight is not an issue when I leave work. I'll probably put this up for trade or keep on the off chance I have to be in the sun. 

The first Sample Society box has so far been my favorite but I like this month's box better than last month's. I'll be keep Sample Society a bit longer especially now that I wasn't wowed by the first Glossybox US or it's $21 a month price tag.

April Beauty Box 5 Review

I know we're halfway through May and I still have April subs to review. In all fairness, I got this box so late in April that I thought it had been lost in the mail like my first Beauty Box 5. Since I used a code when I signed up, this box was free so I wasn't too concerned if it showed up or not. Beauty Box 5 is a monthly subscription service for $12. You get five samples of varying sizes.

April Beauty Box 5

There seems to be quite a range of products and sample sizes people are receiving. My five items this month were:

• Lavera Eye Liner in #2 Brown (full size)
• Pur-lisse Gentle Soy Milk Cleanser and Makeup Remover
• Lavera Mango Milk Hair Mask
• Freeman Dead Sea Minerals Anti-Stress Mask
• Becca Eye Tint in Pewter (full size)

I've been using the UD 24/7 liners for so long now that I forgot eye liner used to be hard. The Lavera is definitely a hard eye liner and I experienced some smudging and fading.  I tried the Pur-lisse a few times and I don't care for the texture or the fragrance. Something about it is a bit too menthol for my liking.  The Lavera hair mask interested me because I've never tried a hair mask before but I didn't see any real difference in my hair. My hair is generally healthy and shiny anyway. *shrug*  The Freeman mask was OK. I liked it better than the Freeman Mask I had in my February MyGlam bag but still I wouldn't go out and buy a Freeman mask. The Becca Eye Tint in Pewter is the only product I haven't had a chance to try out yet. Becca describes it as a rich gray black. We'll see what I think when I finally get around to giving it a test drive.

I had decided to cancel BB5 even before I got this box and I don't regret it. For $3 more I get Sample Society which came with a year subscription to Allure and offers $15 off coupons at Beauty Bar. For $2 less I get Birchbox which has an extensive online store and rewards points system. I don't dislike Beauty Box 5 but there's nothing about it that wows me or that sets it apart from any of the other beauty subscription services out there. 

Little Black Bag: April

Here we are into May and I still have April subscriptions to talk about. This was my third Little Black Bag. You can see reviews and videos of first LBB and my second LBB or to just learn how the service works in general. I tried to keep a sheet of my trades but looking back I missed some along the way.

L to R: Cargo Lip Quad, Zara Terez Bracelet, Cargo Lip Liner, Zara Terez Necklace

I know some people in the past have complained about the descriptions of items not being accurate. I didn't have an issue with that with my previous two boxes but I did with this one. I chose the Zara Terez Leather Bracelet (Retail $40)as my have to have this item.  

Zara Terez Leather and Crystal Bracelet

The description said crystals. When I received it, the "crystals" are plastic. Most of the metal feels plastic too. I thought about returning it but I don't hate it. I'm just disappointed. I definitely would not have chosen it for my keeper if I had known it was plastic. I've worn this a few times and the heart locket likes to come unlatched and catch on things. I'm tempted to pull the pliers out and take it off.  I also wouldn't put a retail value of $40 on it. At most, I'd pay $15 for this in a store. So the disappointment from that kinda put me off the rest of the box and it's been sitting around since I got it. I'm going to try to give the other products a fair shot.

Zara Terez Leather and Chain Fringe Necklace

Zara Terez Leather and Chain Fringe Necklace (Retail Value $40). I haven't worn this yet. I wish the chain were a bit longer but it's not a choker by any means. 

Cargo Cosmetics Reverse Lip Liner in Light/Medium

One of the ladies over at MUT got this in her bag and recommended it. The Cargo Cosmetics Reverse Lip Liner in Light/Medium (Retail Value $16) is a lip liner designed specifically for use with lip gloss. I wear lip gloss way more than actual lipstick so I thought I'd give it a try. 

Cargo Lip Gloss Quad in Argentina with guest model Mia

My final item is the Cargo Lip Gloss Quad in Argentina (Retail Value $24). I will do a full review of this and the lip liner at a later date. It's too late in the day for me to get good photos of swatches. So far I like the formula. It's not sticky or scented and applies easily. Now I need a travel sized lip brush so I can throw this in my purse and go.

So overall not my favorite LBB but I'm still a fan of the service.  I have a bag open for trading right now. hehe. The overall retail value of this bag was $120.   Have you tried Little Black Bag  yet?

April Favorites

I haven't been wearing as much makeup this month as I usually do. I've also been trying not to buy anything makeup wise unless I really have a need. I really need to use up some products and samples. I've been somewhat successful so far.  Two of my favorites this month came from my March Birchbox

• MAC 217 Brush I had quit using this for awhile in favor of the MUG Crease Brush but I've been reaching for it a lot lately. This is a great brush fir getting into the crease or blending. I've had mine for years and it's held up nicely.
• Harvey Prince Yogini Perfume There was a sample of this in my Birchbox last month. I loved it so much I had to order the full size bottle. The light, clean fragrance features top notes of purifying sandalwood, refreshing grapefruit, and sensual Egyptian myrrh. Subtle cues of golden amber, incense, and star jasmine.
• Kerastase Elixir Ultime Was also from my Birchbox last month. This mixture of hair oils is lightweight. The scent is a bit herbal but the shine payoff is great! If I could get the fragrance of the Oscar Blandi Jasmine Oil serum and the effectiveness of the Kerastase in one serum I would be a happy Bat indeed.
• Almay Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover I've long been on the hunt for an eye makeup remover that I liked. I've tried the Clinique Take the Day off and MAC's makeup remover. Neither compares to this drugstore find. It removes eye makeup easily.
• NYX Blush in Pinched I love the cream blushes from NYX that I have so I picked up Pinched when Ulta was having their NYX sale. It's a perfect peach color for summer with just a hint of shimmer.

What are your April favorites? Is there anything you can't wait to try in May?