Walmart Beauty Box - Winter 2014 Review

For those of you who still are hesitant jumping into subscription boxes for beauty, I get it. It took me a year or more to commit to trying them, even at $15 or less. I have a suggestion though - and bear with me, because those of you that are looking for the fashionista experience may just think I've lost my mind.

May I suggest the Walmart beauty box?

It's $5, ships free, and features samples / travel sizes / even full sizes of drug store brand makeup. Heck, I'm a high end girl - I obsess over wanting to try Kerastase shampoo and I live for Chanel coco shine lip gloss. But this is my second Walmart beauty box, and frankly, right now, I'm not looking back. Another nice thing about this box is that it's quarterly, meaning it's not nearly as large of a commitment. I can easily say yes to $20/year, and you can quit anytime if it goes downhill. It's billed $5 at a time, so it's really an easy commitment - it's basically a Starbucks.

I paid for this subscription, and all reviews of items and value come from my own opinions.

The walmart beauty box doesn't have as shockingly high of a value as many beauty boxes, but for $5, it really doesn't matter. I actually didn't realize I was getting this box - I purchased the fall box and sort of forgot. It was a pleasant surprise, and the contents thrilled me! There are four variations on this box, and while mine were some of the lowest priced mixes, they were actually somewhat perfect for me. I don't know how they did it, but I will not only use anything - I actually love everything!

L'Oreal® Paris Hair Expertise OleoTherapy Replenishing Shampoo and Conditioner – 2 ounces each - Value $2.82, Full Size $5.99 each

I'm actually geeking out a little over this. First, it's loreal. I've never used Loreal before, but they make Kerastase, which I read rave reviews on almost daily. I have a mini hair obsession, because my hair is dry and unruly! I'm trying anything to tame it. This shampoo and conditioner felt, to me, like a great intro to the brand I've been dying to try.

Second, it's sulfate free. Score!!

Third, I have dry, damaged hair. This particular formula is infused with oil, which I really can't wait to try. It's so different than the other kits I've been trying out lately, namely Living Proof (meh.) and Alterna (which I like so far...but not enough to commit forever).

So, sure, it only was about $2.82 in product. But I really, really, really wanted to try it. I even looked at this exact formula at Target the day I got it. So in my opinion, if I would have even paid $2.18 for the rest of the box, I'd leave happy.

Oh - and it works awesome. I won't be 100% satisfied until I actually try Kerastase, but everyone was complimenting my hair Sunday, which is when I first tried it. I wash my hair every other day, so we'll see if it's just as great tonight. At 25% of the cost of the Alterna shampoo, I may just prefer this one.

Although - odd note, this formula is NOT on the Walmart website. So my link goes to Target - sorry Walmart!

Maybelline Color Sensations - Maple Kiss–  .15 oz - Full Size $4.97

Another winner for me - I'm a big neutral lipstick fan. This shade is darker than my usual color, which means it's not a dupe for anything I own. It's wearable enough that, even with my fair skin, it's work appropriate. It's also much easier to dress up than my usual barely there work shades.

Texture wise, well, it's no Bite lipstick or Chanel Coco Shine. It's a more matte finish than I'm used to, and it feels like it. There's no softness or glossiness to speak of. But remember - all I need to keep me happy is to feel like the rest of the box was worth a little over $2. And I'd have bought this lipstick for $2 - the color is perfect.

Olay Fresh Effects Everything Off! Deluxe Make-Up Removal Wet Cloths – 7 Sheets - Value $1.11

Another cheap sample, but I'm a religious user of make-up remover wipes. These are literally perfect for me. I mentioned earlier than I'm trying to wash my hair every other day. Well, that really limits how close I want to get to my hairline in the shower. Make-up wipes keep me feeling like I fully scrubbed the day off, while I baby my hair to get it back to healthy. Oh Walmart, how does your beauty department know me so well?

Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream, Light Skin Tones - 1 ounce - Value $1.60, full size $11.97

This cream is one sample I didn't expect to wow me, but it's actually really nice! I started using it Sunday, and it claims that you see effects in 5 days, so stand by for an update!!

The other samples in the kit include a small foil of Nivea Cocoa Butter and Maybelline Powder, along with a coupon for each. I don't really consider these value-adding items, but it was nice to have them thrown in.

Total Review: This box has a value of $10.50, which is honestly below the advertised value of $20, but I'm personally thrilled. I might not have been so happy if the kit wasn't exactly for me, but somehow, this one just hit all the right notes. I'm glad I paid $5.00 for it, and I'll look forward to seeing if Walmart will up the value, given several people seem a bit disappointed.