Cult Crushes is a monthly subscription box from Ricky's NYC that gives you the chance to test their hottest brands and products – both classic and new – and learn how to optimize them through exclusive online tutorials lead by influencers they love.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About Cult Crushes
The Box: Ricky’s NYC Cult Crushes
The Cost: $11 per month + free shipping
The Products: Each month, subscribers receive a themed selection of handpicked products in cosmetics, skincare, haircare, and fashion.
Ships to: US
Good to Know: As a subscriber, you also get 25% off all online purchases and free shipping on purchases of $50 or more when you shop with Ricky’s NYC.
Ricky's NYC Cult Crushes December 2017 Review
First, you'll see an info card that lists all of this month's Cult Crushes. This month's theme is "Head to Toe Glow".
PearlBar Activated Charcoal and Bentonite Clay Natural Whitening Toothpaste, Sample (Buy a 4 oz. tube for $12.95 here)
The first product this month is... a sample? This is only my third month receiving Cult Crushes but they had already spoiled me with awesome full-size products! To receive a sample as one of my items (that I believe to have no real retail value) makes me kinda sad. That being said, I actually really like this charcoal and clay toothpaste. I am currently using a charcoal toothpaste but this one is WAY pastier and doesn't make my teeth as black while using. This is more of a grey paste, has a really strong minty flavor and made my teeth feel super clean. The only downsides are that it seemed to do a lot of splattering in my bathroom (I'm not the neatest brusher) which was kind of annoying to clean up and because of the thickness of it, I noticed some hiding in the base of my toothbrush bristles which makes me a little paranoid for long-term use.
GlamGlow Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer in Pearl Glow, Sample (Buy a 1.7 oz. container for $49.00 here)
Another sample? Ugh! I've seen GlamGlow around at the beauty stores and I think I've even received at least one product in a sub box before as well. First of all, this Glowstarter moisturizer smells heavenly, like fruity bubblegum (not unlike the moisturizing serum I got from Skin Owl). As soon as I squeezed this out of the package, I could see the pearliness of it. I smoothed it onto my face and it was immediately illuminating. I especially noticed it on the tip of my nose and it reminded me of how highlighters look on the women that do a lot of contouring. At first, I thought "this isn't really for me" because I am a pale pasty punk instead of a glowy glam gal. However, I noticed that I kept trying to catch a glimpse of my face in my rearview mirror on the way to work which means it was growing on me. It made my face feel super soft, almost like a baby powder cream, but it didn't eventually fade as the day went on and I didn't look as "glam" as I did in the morning.
Frankie Rose Lip Gloss in Raspberry Dazzle, 0.14 oz. (Full Size) - Retail Value $16.00
Even though this type of glittery lip gloss isn't my scene, I thought it'd at least be fun to put on and take some selfies with to send my girlfriends. I put it on and... nothing. This looks SO glittery and pigmented in the tube but is so faint on my lips. The glitter is definitely there, but the gloss is nearly transparent against my already pink pout (though it seems to show up better in the swatch pic on my arm below). Lip gloss is already annoying to me due to its stickiness but feeling the glitter grit on my lips with no color payoff was an extra bummer.
Inglot Freedom System Eyeshadow in Matte Brown (#300), Sample (Buy full size for $7.00 here)
And yet another sample size. This eyeshadow is apparently part of the "freedom system" from Inglot Cosmetics. I'm having a bit of a hard time finding an explanation of what exactly that is on their site, but it looks like they have palettes you can buy (probably magnetic) that you can drop various makeup into to create your own palette. That's all well and good, but kind of useless to me who doesn't have a palette. This eyeshadow is actually a pretty standard size for the type of makeup but feels incomplete without a compact to keep it in and the plastic package leaves a lot to be desired aesthetically. I'm being kind of a brat, I know, but it DOES say "sample" right on it. That all aside, this light brown is kind of a nice nude color for me and has a pretty decent pigment to it.
Here are swatches for the lip gloss and eyeshadow.
Say Hello to Sexy Legs Glow Butter, 6 oz. - Retail Value $35.00
Ok, well here is the true anchor of this box- a full-size tub of Glow Butter. Excuse me, Say Hello to Sexy Legs Glow Butter (that's its real full name). This stuff has really a neat consistency and feels much lighter than a normal lotion because it's whipped. It's not so easy to tell from the photo above, but it has tiny sparkles all throughout which makes your skin shimmer once it's on. Even though "legs" is in the title, this is meant to be used all over your body after stepping out of the shower to illuminate your skin. I slathered this all over and could especially notice it on curvier areas like my shoulder, much like the way I noticed the GlamGlow on my nose. My dry winter skin drank this up, but I will say that about a half hour later, my skin does feel ever so greasy. Mainly I noticed it on my hands, so I have a good feeling it just takes time to fully soak in. This big tub is sure to last a long time seeing as though I barely grazed the top with using it on most of my body's surface area.
There is also a card with the directions and ingredients if you were wondering.
Verdict: Ricky’s NYC Cult Crushes kinda disappointed me this month. I know the value is still pretty fudging great since I received two full-size products that totaled $51 in an $11 box, but that lip gloss wasn't even that great. Of all the months, I find it weird that they phoned it in with mostly samples for December, but I am still eager to see what January has in store. Overall, it's like I bought the Glow Butter for $11 and got three free samples and a lip gloss for free. Still cool.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Not this one, but you have until the 25th to sign up and receive January.
Value Breakdown: At $11 for this box, here’s what you are paying approximately per item (I'm not even counting the three samples):
- Lip Gloss: $3.45
- Glow Butter: $7.55
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What did you think of Cult Crushes this month? Am I being a baby?
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