Trendmood is an Instagram account that has amassed a 1.5 million+ following for breaking the latest beauty news since 2012. Ever since the first-ever Trendmood Box was released in mid-December 2019, every box released since then has sold out almost instantly.
This review is for Trendmood Box Volume 12, which is now sold out.
My Subscription Addiction purchased this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
First Impressions
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Each Trendmood Box comes inside a signature purple box, with the products inside wrapped in tissue paper and a layer of bubble wrap at the bottom. This box doesn't come with an info sheet, but there's a sticker on the lid of the box with a QR code you can scan for more information about the products inside. All of the products come in their original packaging, which is great if you want to break up the contents for gifting.
The Breakdown – What’s Inside The Trendmood Volume 12 Box
Farmacy Sweet Apple Clean Cleansing Balm, 3.4 oz - Retail Value $34
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Farmacy's Green Clean cleansing balm is one of the most well-known cleansing balms out there, and with good reason: the formula is fantastic. Green Clean was actually the product that converted me to double cleansing to remove makeup, and the formula is effective, gentle, and non-stripping to my dry, sensitive skin. Sweet Apple Clean is that same awesome formula, only in a light apple scent. The color of the balm is different, too. When you open the jar up you see a pale pink, but once you start dipping into it you find a yellow center. I have a lot of cleansing balms and cleansing oils open right now, but this is still the one I keep reaching for.
Boscia Plant Stem Cell and Ceramide Barrier Defense Moisturizer, 1.7 oz - Retail Value $42
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I am a big fan of the Boscia brand, so getting their newly launched moisturizer was pretty awesome. Inside this cheerful yellow jar is a light pink cream moisturizer made with sustainably sourced fruit and plant stem cells, antioxidants, and ceramides to support your skin's moisture barrier. This was really nourishing to my dry skin, but it was still lightweight enough to work in my morning routine where I prefer thin, hydrating layers instead of heavy formulas.
StriVectin Super-B Barrier Strengthening Oil with Vitamin B3, 1 oz - Retail Value $72
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I know that StriVectin is a brand that's been around for a while, but I have really only started getting into their products this year. I recently became obsessed with their lip mask after trying it in my Skinstore x Dealmoon box, and this facial oil is equally awesome. The formula features prebiotics, a patented form of vitamin B3 (you may know vitamin B3 by one of its wildly popular forms, niacinamide), and meadowfoam seed oil. This is incredibly nourishing, but it isn't very heavy on my skin. This oil is designed to help maintain a healthy skin microbiome, which in turn supports a healthy moisture barrier. I think this oil is really complementary to the Boscia moisturizer we also received in this box, and I have been using these two together in my routines by sometimes mixing a few drops into the moisturizer before applying it to my skin, and sometimes applying the oil on top once the moisturizer has been applied. This duo has been working well for me, and I love that this single product is worth a fair amount more than the cost of the entire box.
e.l.f. Cosmetics Acne Fighting Putty Primer, 0.74 oz - Retail Value $9
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I've heard good things about the classic e.l.f Cosmetics putty primer (it's allegedly a dupe for the much pricier Tatcha putty primer), but I haven't tried it myself. This new launch in that primer collection features the signature putty formula, with the addition of salicylic acid to fight acne and green color to provide slight color correcting to redness. I always have red in my face, so anything that may help me with color-correcting is something I will be intrigued by. I don't love how I have to dig my fingers into the putty to apply it (I much prefer primers dispensed by a pump), but that is actually my biggest complaint. Performance-wise, the color correction this gives is minimal, but I was happy with how my concealer looked on top of it and thought the performance was impressive for such an affordable primer.
Elf Cosmetics Big Mood Mascara, 0.36 oz - Retail Value $7
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This mascara honestly upset me. It has a big mascara wand to really amp up the volume of your lashes while providing lift, and when I applied this it made my lashes look awesome- big, long, and fluffy, without any clumping. Unfortunately, the staying power was rather terrible. Right after applying this and snapping a selfie, I headed straight to my couch for some TV, and that was still too much for this mascara to withstand- within a few hours it had smeared terribly under my eyes. I can't even imagine what my face would look like if I tried to wear this for a full day and actually went outside where it was humid. This was such a bummer because I loved the way this made my lashes look- maybe I'll try to find a mascara primer and see if that makes a difference in how long it lasts, but I am not hopeful.
Sigma Beauty Renew Lip Oil in Tranquil, 0.18 oz - Retail Value $22
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I know I've tried a brush or two from Sigma, but I'm not sure I've ever tried any of their makeup products. This new lip oil, though, is awesome. It has a cushion-y thick formula that feels nourishing on my lips, but still provides a touch of pink color that looked really pretty on me. The formula features jojoba seed oil, sunflower seed oil, and vitamin E, and my chronically dry lips stayed protected for a few hours once this was applied. There is a slight stickiness to it, but that trade-off is worth it to me for how nourishing it was.
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I was actually home isolating with Covid when I was trying out the products in this box, so while I was interested in seeing how they performed I didn't have anywhere to wear a full face of makeup. Because of that, I kept things simple with just concealer (to test out the primer), mascara, lip oil, and my comfiest alligator shirt. Even though the look was simple, I really liked how it made me look (and feel) more put together. Then, I took my made-up face straight to the couch for more resting.
And here's my face a few hours later. The mascara really bummed me out.
Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $44 + free shipping (and a total value of $186)
Value Breakdown:
- Farmacy: $8.04 → $34
- Boscia: $9.93 → $42
- StriVectin: $17.03 → $72
- E.l.f. Primer: $2.13 → $9
- E.l.f. Mascara: $1.65 → $7
- Sigma: $5.20 → $22
Everything in the box adds up to $186, which is more than four times the cost of the entire box!
Key Takeaways
Every box I've tried from Trendmood has been stellar, and Volume 12 was no exception. I love that the premise of the box focuses on a curation of newly-released products in the beauty world, and thought this box was evenly balanced between skincare and makeup. Even though the mascara wasn't for me, the rest of the products have been working really well- I definitely consider this box a win. I also like that the brands featured come from a variety of price points- while I don't go out of my way to purchase products from e.l.f. cosmetics, I enjoyed being able to try them, and if your budget for beauty is more in the e.l.f. cosmetics range, being able to try out a $72 face oil will feel luxurious. Of course, no matter what your budget for beauty is, we all love a deal- and Trendmood delivered on that too. I'll be keeping an eye on the TrendmoodBox Instagram page to make sure I don't miss the next box, which I am sure will be equally great.
Check out all of our Trendmood reviews and our list of the best beauty subscription boxes of 2021, as voted on by MSA readers like you.
Other Things You Should Know
Is this box still available? No, this limited-edition box sold out fast. Trendmood boxes are notorious for selling out quickly after launch, so keep an eye out for up
Where does Trendmood ship? To the continental U.S. for free, Alaska and Hawaii for added shipping.
Does buying a box sign me up for a recurring subscription? No, this is not a recurring subscription box and there is no guaranteed release cadence for boxes. According to Trendmood, each box will be treated as a separate launch. Some months could have 1-2 launches, while others might not have a launch.
What do you think of the Trendmood Volume 12 Beauty Box? What new launch do you hope appears inside Volume 13?
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