BoxyCharm is a full-size beauty and makeup subscription box. BoxyLuxe is a once-a-quarter upgrade option you can add to your existing $25-a-month BoxyCharm subscription. So for an additional $24.99, you’ll get the Luxe items quarterly for a total for $49.99.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About BoxyLuxe
The Subscription Box: BoxyLuxe
The Cost: $49.99 for September, December, March and June boxes, $25 for all other months
The Products: Each box will be valued at over $300. The box will include lifestyle, skincare, beauty, etc.
Ships to: The contiguous US for free, plus US territories and Canada for $8
BoxyLuxe December 2020 Review
Now, on to the items!
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Iconic London Blaze Chaser Face Palette – Retail Value $55.00
I tend to like these multi-shade sort of face palettes, though the bronzers are generally wasted on me. The good news here is that I can actually make most of these work if I use a light enough hand. Sure, I will have to really wait until summer when my skin looks a little warmer, but I like these shades. In addition to 2 bronzers (one matte and one shimmering) there are two highlighters (one golden and one more champagne), and two blushes (a shimmering pink and a subdued peach). All work really beautifully with a fluffier brush to give skin a radiant finish that leans more natural than blinding.
Here are the swatches!
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Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment, 1 fl oz – Retail Value $85.00
I don't know of many people who wouldn't be excited to see this bottle in a box! Sunday Riley was one of the first brands that made me seriously start to care about ingredient lists. Heck, if I was paying that outrageous sticker price, I should at least know what I am paying for, right? I guess you could say this brand spurred a lot of my initial skincare interest and maybe even had a role in how I ended up getting my esthy license. Sure, the brand isn't perfect and there have been some serious bumps in the road over time, but I still think of SR fondly. Anyways, I could wax on and on, but let's talk about this treatment. The star of the show here is certainly lactic acid. This acid is a multi-tasker that helps exfoliation, fade fine lines and wrinkles, and improve skin texture and firmness. Over time, I have gotten to appreciate glycolic acid as my personal AHA of choice, but I still have tons of love for lactic acid. Also inside: squalane, yeast extracts, aloe, and licorice extract. There are a few ingredients inside that I don't love (Ceteareth-20 is an emollient with some irritancy tendencies and I wish they would find an alternative) but for the most part, this stuff is beloved for good reason!
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HipDot 'Cenote' Eyeshadow Palette – Retail Value $30.00
This was an exciting palette from the second I opened the lid. LOOOOOK at these colors!! Do I wear greens and blues regularly? Well, no. But the color story here is gorgeous and even if I use the palette rarely, I feel like it is worth adding to my collection. The pigment was stellar and the shadows were also wonderfully smooth too. A few of the mattes were lacking (I am looking at you, Sacred and Spirit) but if you layer them on top of one of their shimmering counterparts they work wonderfully. This color palette was inspired by the sacred underground pools of Mexico and I think it is a lovely tribute! Also extra points for the stunning green malachite pattern on the palette itself. Gorgeous.
Top to bottom: Rain, Bedrock, Ojos, Escape, and Limestone.
Top to bottom: Meltwater, Maya, Goddess, Cave, and Subsurface
Top to bottom: Jungle, Ancient, Sacred, Spirit, and Tulum.
Here is a quick green+blue look!
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Luxie Glitter and Gold Brush Set - Listed Value $85.00
I legit have so many brushes I could never need any ever again, but I still enjoy getting sets, if only to gift them. This set has 8 gold brushes in different sizes and they arrived within their very own faux leather red roll-up. This set has pretty much every sort of brush you would want for a complete look, aside from a jumbo powder/blush brush. The quality is nice and the density of the bristles is good!
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beaut. The Original Glam Smile Kit – Retail Value $89.00
This was kind of a random addition to this box, but one I was weirdly into. My mom works for an oral surgeon and she used to be able to order me custom whitening trays and tubes of the gel whenever I wanted. Her supplier changed a few years ago and that meant no more free trays. I wouldn't say my teeth are super yellow (unless I stare at them too long...) but who doesn't want a whiter smile? This kit came with a tray attached to a LED light and two tubes of gel. It also included batteries which I was very appreciative of! Simply apply the gel to the inside of the tray and pop it into your mouth for 15 minutes. You are going to do some drooling. It's ok!
Honestly, the whole thing is a look.
Here is a weirdly creepy shot of my teeth up close before treatment..
And here they are immediately after.
It isn't a HUGE difference, but I feel like it is noticeable. And it should get better the more and more I use this thing.
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AVANT Intensive Redensifying Glycolic Acid Day Moisturiser, 50 mL - Retail Value $123.00
Anyway, let's get back to skin. AVANT is one of those super expensive brands that I seem to only come across in boxes. And this one disappointed me just with its ingredient list. Myristyl Alcohol? C'mon. It has an irritancy rating that can't be good for anyone with sensitive skin (or even normal skin). Sure, it has some good stuff too: shea, glycolic acid, jojoba, hyaluronic acid, and sunscreen, but it also has algin, another ingredient that has been shown to be irritating and also pretty comedogenic. There are much better moisturizers out there with less ick and at a much better price point.
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Brazilian Kiss Tinted Cupuaçu Lip Butter in 'Sol Mate', 3.12 g - Retail Value $20.00
I now own all three shades of this stuff and I love it! This butter adds a very (VERY) subtle tint to my lips and smells like Cinnamon Toast Crunch milk. It is soothing and hydrating to my lips and smoothes out the lines I have from chewing on them habitually.
Yes, please.
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The Lyfestyle Co. 100% Natural Temple Rub - Retail Value $24.00
This felt like some sort of super filler to me. As someone who gets migraines, the right essential oils can really help me feel a little better as I wait out how dreadful a headache feels. While I appreciate the idea here, this stuff is literally just peppermint oil in sweet almond oil. That's literally it. I actually liked it more as cuticle oil or on my dry elbows.
Verdict: The total retail value of this BoxyLuxe was around $511 which is stellar for a $49.99 box. Sure, there were totally some duds in here. The AVANT cream and the "temple rub" come to mind in this regard. But the wins greatly outweigh the "meh' items this time and I am really pleased with my SR Good Genes, my incredibly Hipdot palette, the Iconic London Palette, and the Sol de Janeiro lip butter. These items more than make up for the lackluster items. I also thought it was kind of cool that Boxy included something out of the ordinary like the tooth whitening kit! This delivery felt well rounded and fun, and the value was great. What more can I ask for?
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, but you can claim a spot for the March BoxyLuxe box by upgrading your BoxyCharm subscription in your account section.
Value Breakdown: At $49.99, each of the 8 items has an average cost of $6.25.
Check out all of our BoxyCharm reviews and the Beauty Subscription Box Directory, along with the best women's subscription boxes of 2020!
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What do you think of the December 2020 BoxyLuxe?
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