HSN Total Beauty Sampler

HSN Total Beauty Sample Box

You may have seen a post (here) a couple months back about this HSN beauty sampler box; well I have finally gotten around to posting some thoughts on it. Sampler boxes have been quite the rage for a few years now and the popularity seems to keep growing as all sorts of retailers are putting together these boxes… even Walmart is getting in on the game! This box is still available on HSN and is just a one-time purchase no worries about monthly subscriptions.

I really like the less frequent/ non subscription boxes over the likes of IPSY and Birchbox because darn-it sometimes I don’t need that many samples! Also with onetime boxes you can usually see what you will be getting and can decide ahead of time if it is worth your money. This sounds much better to me than getting a box of goods to only be disappointed by its contents. Anyways… on to the contents of this box!

1. Too Faced Lip Insurance - What can I say about this other than BRILLIANT! I am a huge fan of the too faced shadow insurance primer which has a pretty huge cult following and this is sure to be the same. Lipstick applies more evenly and last much longer when using this product. This sample is perfect for me since I only wear lipstick on special occasions and stick to balms during the work week. The formula is a little on the sticky side but I can deal with it for the benefits of no fading & no feathering of my lipstick! Retail is $19 for a full size which is .15OZ and my deluxe sample is .12OZ total steal since the entire box ran me $19.

2. YBF Beauty Perfect Face Primer - I have long seen YBF products on HSN but have never tested any out as it wasn’t a brand I had heard much about on the beauty scene. I guess I have been missing out because this is a wonderful primer. Keeps my makeup in place all day and helps to correct discoloration I have from hyperpigmentation. This also does a wonderful job of smoothing out pores with out feeling to much like silicone. A total bummer is this is sold out and that’s not surprising with the amount of positive reviews that have been left around the web for it. Don’t worry though if you are still interested in picking this up you can on order it off Amazon & in the Birchbox store or set up an alert on HSN to be notified when it’s back in stock.

3. Serious Skincare Glycolic Gommage Exfoliating Facial - Retail is 38.50 for 4.5oz. I really liked this product and just might buy the full size with the $10 dollar off code that was also in this box. This product has over 150 reviews on HSN and is rated 4 ½ stars. A real winner if you ask me. It has an extremely fine grit that is great for exfoliating, along with the tingly and tightening sensation it leaves your skin feeling radiant and refreshed. I only used this once so I will have to update you with the longer term benefits.

4. Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter – Soap & Glory is a great brand and this product doesn’t disappoint. It works superb at moisturizing and absorbs quickly so your skin isn’t left feeling sticky. The size is a generous amount and perfect for stowing in your travel bag or purse mid day dry skin.

5. Tan Towel- I discovered Tan Towel a few months back after the continuous recommendation of my friend Ashley over at Suburban Chic. Pretty much as long as I have known her she has used this. I plan on doing a full review of the Tan Towel line so for now I will just say that this stuff is good…real good.

6. NYX Glam Lip Gloss - Beat Goes On. I have several NYX lip-glosses among my collection and this shade is a nice addition. It’s a light nude pink with lots of golden shimmer so while the shimmer might be a bit much for the office it is a fun addition for a night out with the girls or dinner with my boy.

7. Ruby Falls Sugar Scrub - A sugar scrub for your hands is always a nice addition to an at home mani. This works nicely and helps to soften nails and skin. When it comes to nail care I tend to skip over products like this because I just don’t think about them. This sample size is the perfect amount for me since I only break out hand and foot scrubs when I feel like going the extra mile while pampering myself. Retail is 19.50 for 8.8oz.

8. Taya Copaiba Resin Volumizing Elixir – $24 for 6oz. I will admit I wasn't too excited for this product I tend to focus less on hair products and more on makeup/skincare. This product is supposed to give volume and shine to fine hair. Fine hair is something I do have (luckily I have a lot of it so it sort of makes up a bit for it being fine) so after I showered and towel dried my hair I dispersed a small amount evenly throughout my hair and blow-dried. The result was glossy and bouncy locks. The sample size is 1.5oz so once again good for throwing in your travel bag and you only need the smallest amount so I imagine the full size would last forever!

9. Nyakio – I received three smaller sized samples of the Coffee Face Polish, Coffee Body Scrub and Hydrating Face Oil with Kola Nut. My favorite of the three was the Coffee Face Polish BY FAR. This product left my skin feeling radiant and soft. When I went to check out the full sized I saw it had been on sale for $19 down from $34; immediately I squealed with excitement until I realized it was sold out. Bummer. The face oil wasn’t terrible it did what a face oil is supposed to do but I just couldn’t get past the smell and at $49 for 1oz it was a bit to expensive for me ( I have used far better oils at a better price than this). The body scrub was also a lovely product but I tend to get less excited about things such as body scrubs. I know.. I really should use such items more as my skin could use a good de-sludge.

All of these products can be purchased full size on HSN and some are easily available in other stores as well. In summation this box was a score for me and I would definitely look into a new box if HSN releases one. What are some of your favorite sample boxes?