Target Beauty Box Summer 2015

See recent Target Beauty Boxes.

Target releases seasonal beauty boxes.  They range in price from $5 to $10.  Unlike some beauty boxes, this is not a subscription.  Box contents appear online once they become available, which decreases the likelihood of buyer’s remorse.  Items inside a box only tend to vary in color meaning your only surprise will be in the color you get.  Most items inside the box are full-sized, and it is not unusual that one item exceeds the cost of the entire box if you were to buy it separately.  I like that they usually release more than one box at a time giving you a choice or the possibility to get multiples.  Men are not left out either, because they get a box of their own.

When Target advertised the summer boxes, there was one that immediately caught my eye.  The limited edition boxes are first come, first served, which is the only drawback on the lack of subscription.  You have to act quickly when the boxes come out, because it is not uncommon for them to sell out in a few short days.  By the time I received my box, all but the men’s box sold out.  That means waiting to see what comes in everyone’s box is not an effective strategy on obtaining one.  If you want to make sure you get a fall box, subscribe to Target emails and look them when they hit your inbox.  Of course, I will always alert you when they come back in stock as well.

The box I selected was $7, which includes free shipping.  Sales tax applies, so the total price of the box for me was $7.57.  I was already familiar with Sinful Colors nail polish.  Although I have used Olay products, this one would be new to me.  At the time I ordered, I was unaware that the Fekkai products would actually fluctuate from box to box.  Lipstick and nail polish remover are always welcome here, so both excite me.

The first thing you will always notice when you open a Target Beauty Box is a product card that describes all items inside. There is a $3 off a $15 beauty purchase coupon attached to the product card. These are unique coupons that work once online AND once in store, because the online promo code is different from the bar code. They usually expire within a month of receiving the box. This one expires 06/30/15. It works on all beauty purchases, even body lotions and hand creams. I do not factor coupons into box values, because they’re only valuable when you redeem them.

That is because the Fekkai item included in the boxes actually varied.  It is the first time I ever saw that happen.  Usually items without color are known.  In this case, it was good and bad.  I love Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Cream.  It is one of the best items I’ve ever used in my hair to tame frizz.  What makes it so lovely is it is a cream rather than an oil making it almost foolproof.  My hair looks shiny and never oily whereas some oils can give an oily appearance when you do not apply it with a perfectly even distribution.  So, why is this also bad?  When I love a product, I tend to buy it in excess.  I already have multiples of this and was looking forward to trying something else.

Hair oils while harder to work with than creams usually give a better overall look when there is a perfect application.  The item pictured on the website was actually yet another item I had multiples of, Fekkai Hair Refresher Dry shampoo.  I say had, because I sent a surprise box to a Beautytalk friend a little over a week ago that included my duplicate of this (I have not heard back from her to see if she received it, so I will check in with her to make sure she got it).  Where is the bad?  After seeing my box, I searched other boxes online and saw that other people got different Fekkai items I would have liked to try.  Do not get me wrong.  I love the Brilliant Glossing Cream, and it will get used.  At 2.0oz, this sample is worth $10.  My outlay had already been recovered by the first item.

In June 2014, I read a Consumer Reports article stating Sinful Colors, which retails at Target for $1.99, was better rated than its Chanel $27 counterpart.  Intrigued, I went out and purchased 3 bottles from Walgreens.  What I like about them is they run frequent sales on the bran.  My purchases were only $0.99 each.  I started with the glitter polish and thought the brand performed decently well for glitter polish, but I also purchased two more bottles without glitter.  I’ve never tried Chanel polish, so I cannot vouch for the accuracy of Consumer Reports findings.  The full-sized Sinful Colors polish I received inside my box is a pastel blue called Sail La Vie.  It is a lovely color, so I am happy.  Compare this to my other blue polishes.

I like when items compliment each other even though I also like diversity in a box.  Including a nail polish remover pad in a box with nail polish, seems to strike the perfect balance when the other items are diverse.  Cutex One-Step Pads is a brand I’ve heard of but never tried, so I look forward to trying the Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover Pads.  It claims one pad removes the polish from all ten nails.  The good news is these are single use, so it should not take long for you to see a review in my monthly empties.  They also claim to nourish and strengthen with botanical oils.  That means these may actually be good for your nails in addition to removing polish.  Added bonus!    This 3 sheet sample is worth $1.20.

Until I own more used than unused lip products, I’ve put myself on a no-buy.  I love trying all lippies, so I welcome this Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick in Gladiolus.  It is a beautiful orange-red color.  Usually, I have a hard time pulling off orange tones even though I love them, because my skin tone leans neutral-cool.  The color on me almost presents in a pink-red or blue-red, so it worked out nicely.  This was my first Revlon lipstick ever. When it comes to drugstore makeup, I do not own a lot.  From age 13-17, I bought only drugstore makeup, but I cannot remember the exact items, other than knowing most were Cover Girl.  At 17, I stopped buying drugstore makeup for the most part.  I’d really love to explore drugstore brands a little more than I have, so these boxes are perfect for me.

This lipstick is wax free.  The first thing I noticed when I opened it is it smells pretty good.  Then, I tried it on and noticed it tastes pretty good as well.  No, I do not eat my lipstick, but I believe someone when they say they never taste their products.  I cannot help tasting them every time I eat, lick my lips or a variety of other tasks.  Bad tasting lip products are deal breakers to me, so I appreciate one that goes a step further to taste good.  Hopefully, no one purposefully eats it.  The formula looks great and feels very moisturizing.  If you have dry patches on your lips, you will never be able to tell while wearing this.  I enjoy the sheen of the lipstick, too.  My only caveat with this is the same as most moisturizing lipsticks.  It can transfer, so carry a mirror if no one will tell you there is lipstick on your face or teeth.  A nice stain is left behind as the color fades that does not look splotchy or uneven.  This is definitely a lipstick I can see myself buying more of when I come off my lipstick no-buy.

The box the lipstick came in has two offers on the back.  One is a coupon for $1 off your Revlon HD purchase, which is great for those who love the sample.  Another offer is for a $5 gift card.  Offers were either extremely limited or people who did not buy the box redeemed the offer, because it said the offers were gone when I tried to redeem it.  Since I do not factor coupons or gift cards I may redeem down the road into the value, it is not so bad that I missed out.  If you get a box, go through it as soon as possible to prevent missing out on any offers available.  This full-sized lipstick retails for $7.99.

The most impressive item in the box is Olay Regenerist Luminous Dark Circle Correcting Hydraswirl Eye cream.  This 0.50z product is full-sized and valued at $23.99.  While I have not used this specific Olay product, I have used plenty of Olay products in the past.  It is one of the most impressive drugstore brands in my eyes.  They tend to use quality ingredients and invest in research.  Whether it instantly removes dark circles as it claims is something I look forward to discovering.

Target advertised this box with a $40 value.  Thanks to the variation in Fekkai items my box was actually worth $45.17.  Based on the items I’ve seen in other boxes, it is possible some may come in just under $40.  I got lucky that my Fekkai item had a high value.  Plus, despite my griping, I know I love the item.  This is a fantastic box.  Everything in it is something I already love or look forward to trying, so I should get $45.17 in personal value from this box as well.  Knowing what items were coming in advance helped.  If you missed out on the summer box, don’t fret.  The fall box will be out soon.

Remember to check all offers before placing an online order. See all Target articles. View my main page for the guide map to the site and deeper deal exploration.

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