Walmart Beauty Box Spring 2015 Review

I'm always surprised when I see the Walmart charge pop up on my credit card statement each quarter. The Walmart Beauty Box is the most subtle subscription box there is. I signed up once on their website and that was it. They have no e-mail newsletter, they don't send you any e-mail notifications when a new box is about to ship, and they don't send a receipt when they've charged your card. Nevertheless, this is my third box and so far I've found that each one is worth every penny of the $5 they charge (which includes tax and shipping). You can also see my reviews of the last two boxes, Fall (HERE) and Winter (HERE).

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara (full size, $7.97)

I haven't tried this mascara yet because I just bought the new Benefit Roller Lash Mascara. However, this may be a nice cheap alternative for daily use. The package says that the product contains a "grow-lash complex" that makes lashes look up to 126% longer in 30 days with a micro-fiber formula. My lashes are already pretty long but the faux lashes look is very in right now and you can always go longer. I think the trick is to make lashes look longer and perfectly curled. Given the shape of the mascara brush (completely flat, no curve), I wonder if this one is able to accomplish both or if you absolutely need to use an eyelash curler too. Regardless, I'm intrigued by the claim and am interested in seeing the growth effects.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Boosters Facial Cleanser (full size, $7.47)

This product claims to boost softness, evenness, and radiance without ever over-drying skin. It contains antioxidant white tea and moisturizing vitamin e. This product has a pleasant, natural herbal-like scent and comes out as a smooth clear liquid without any exfoliant particles. So, it would be ideal for sensitive skin. It works up into a nice white lather so it is easy to see when you've covered your entire face. When I first washed it off, my skin felt a little tightened/firm, but as it dried it became more relaxed and very soft. I wouldn't say it made my skin feel more moisturized though. However, it didn't make it feel any more dry either.

Schwarzkopf Essence Ultime Omega Repair & Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner (full size, $6.97 each)

Admittedly I haven't used either of these samples yet. I really love getting high quality shampoo and conditioner samples because they are perfect for packing on business trips. A lot of hotels do offer their own complimentary free shampoo and conditioner minis, but they are fairly standard and there's no guarantee they're especially good for your hair type. So, I love bringing samples like these along too. I like the scent of these products. It seems like they have notes of cherry or almond. They contain pearl essence, protein, and keratin. Not to mention they were developed with Claudia Schiffer. Supermodel hair? Why not?! I love that these products focus on repairing and hydrating damaged hair. I have color-treated hair and I think this should help tackle a lot of the problems women with my hair type face. I look forward to trying these out when I head to Dallas for a trip next month!

Lady Gaga Fame Black Fluid Eau de Parfum (full size, $29.97)

The packaging describes the scent as "tears of Belladonna, crushed hear of Tiger Orchidea, with a black veil of Incense, pulverized Apricot, and the combinative essences of Saffron and Honey Drops". It is made by the Haus Laboratories in Paris and has an innovative technology - it is black in the bottle but becomes invisible when airborne. To me, the scent smells quite peppery and full with some notes of orchid. It definitely seems like a Fall/Winter scent. So, I think this would have been better suited for one of the previous boxes, especially since the Fall one had a much lighter scent more fit for Spring (Nicki Minaj Pink Friday).

Dove Go Fresh Nutrium Moisture Body Wash (full size, $5.47-5.97)

This sample is the Mandarin & Tiare Flower scent. However, it doesn't look like that particular scent is available on the Walmart website at the moment. It has a very soothing citrus smell that is softened by the Tiare flower element, which smells a bit like Vanilla. The body wash is extremely rich and generates a moisturizing lather, just like I've come to expect from all Dove products. Since I have very dry skin I really appreciate this brand. All of the products are affordable and very effective for people with my skin type.

Foil packets from:

Nivea Nourishing In-Shower Body Lotion (full size, $5.92)
I haven't tried this one yet because I'm saving it for my next business trip. It is a very generous size for a foil packet (.31 fl. oz). I love all other Nivea products I've tried. Like Dove, Nivea also has fantastic products for people with dry skin problems. The products also tend to be fairly odorless or at least have a very neutral scent, which is nice for daily use. This included a coupon for $1.00 OFF any one 13.5 fl.oz. In-Shower Body Lotion.

Garnier Ultra-Lift Miracle Sleeping Cream (full size, $11.50)
This cream has a relaxing sort of Chamomile type scent and goes on quite thick. It contains Hyaluronic Acid like the Neutrogena Water Boost Hydro Gel I reviewed last week, so it should definitely help lock in moisture. The product also contains essential oil, Hydroxy Acid, and rare plant extracts. It claims to intensely hydrate, reduce signs of tired looking skin, and reduce wrinkles over time. This sample included a coupon for $2.00 OFF any Garner moisturizer.

I used this product right after trying the Neutrogena facial cleanser that was in this box and my cheeks got very red/irritated and warm. I don't know if that was a reaction to this product, the facial cleanser, or the combination of them. Since this was just a foil packet sample, I'm afraid I won't be able to try it again to find out. The reaction ended up being bad enough that I actually had to wash this cream off my face. It looked almost like I'd used a microdermabrasion face peel. My skin isn't particularly sensitive and I rarely have any negative reactions to skin care or cosmetic products, so this was a little bit surprising. I'll want to do some more investigating to figure out which product caused the irritation and what ingredient it may have been.

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation (full size, $5.94)
This product comes in 16 shades. The one I received is Ivory, which is a little bit darker and warmer than what I would typically buy. I think my shade's more likely Porcelain or Natural Ivory. This was the first sample I tried from this box and I was very impressed. It really evens out your skin tone and hides imperfections, giving your complexion the airbrushed effect and minimizing the appearance of pores. It did seem to breathe unlike other products I've tried around this price point with similar claims. 

My only complaint is that it had no moisturizing features. In fact, it felt like it may have even dried out my skin a little bit. However, I did like the Matte look which might not be as easy to achieve with strong moisturizers. I see that the Fit Me collection comes in three lines: Matte + Poreless (for Normal to Oily skin), Dewy + Smooth (for Normal to Dry Skin), and Shine-Free + Balance for all skin types. So, it seems like the Dewy + Smooth collection is geared more towards my skin type, but I did still like the Matte + Poreless collection very much - maybe I can combine a little from each with a Beauty Blender? At this price, why not get both?! This sample card included a coupon for $2.00 OFF on Fit Me or any Maybelline face product.

Bonus coupons from: Covergirl + Olay ($2.00 OFF any 1 Covergirl + Olay Simply Ageless Foundation Product), L'Oreal ($2.00 OFF any L'oreal Paris Cosmetic Product Purchase), Schwarzkopf ($2.00 OFF any 1 Essence Ultime Hair Car or Styling Product, only at Walmart), another from Schwarzkopf ($3.00 OFF any 1 Color Ultime or Keratin Color Hair Coloring Product, only at Walmart), and an ad for Maybelline's new The Blushed Nudes palette that is available for pre-sale at Walmart starting 3/29/15.