Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe! I am back with my second to last post for 2021 and it will be this one!

Favorite Items and No Items from Subscriptions 2021

So, I did this last year where I talked about my favorite products from my subscriptions. Will be doing this again but will do it month by month. Let’s see what I liked each month!

January

When it comes to January, Ahava seems to be the top form in my Glam Bag with their Mineral Hand Cream. I found this well moisturized and my hands soft after washing my hands. All thanks to CoVid, I loved how hand creams or lotions came in my bag. While with Glam Bag Plus, the Larus Denim Brush Set has been a lot of help when it comes to my brush game. It felt good to use one of the face brushes and that was the powder brush. I do mix my brushes together when it comes to using the different  brands and Larus has been one of my favorite brands. When it comes to BoxyCharm this past year in January, I did like the Farmacy Greens Moisturizer. I did enjoy the bronzer pallet I got from Ace and the shadow pallet from Ciate but the moisturizer beats them. I felt I got more use out of it since it was a day moisturizer and felt cooler in the day since it does get warm in Florida. Boxy in January 2021 was not too bad since I did cancel this past year.

February

February was an interesting one. With the Glam Bag, I did use the F. A. H. R. A. Brushes Flat Foundation Brush the most and found that this did blend my foundation. I think I used it more for bronzer since I found the control with a flat top around my outer corners of the cheeks. I think I washed this brush recently and it has been soft ever since. I canceled my No Make No Life box during February since I didn’t get my box until February when it was my January one. It pissed me off when I’m paying $45 for it to ship to me from Asia and yes, I understand the pandemic caused some issues in shipping but I felt like I was ripped off. I feel the item I liked most was the Pokemon collaboration with Lovisa and that is the blush stick which I got the Eevee stick. I brought this with me to Atlanta and it came in handy. I have been enjoying blush sticks since it’s easy to use without accidentally putting on too much. I am still on the fence of returning but I did sign up for another box during the year and will announce another at the end. February also brought in the new level to Ipsy with Glam Bag X as a replacement for GB Ultimate. I did sign up for this level since I get more luxury items instead of buying them from the store. I have to give it to the Patrick Ta Monochrome Moment blush in She’s So Adorable. This is a really nice blush and loved it so much that I got an add-on a few months later of another shade. I will keep using this blush! I don’t have anything in BoxyCharm since I haven’t used the pallet yet which I need to find. I did use the essence but stopped using it during this past year since I prefer facial oils. Now can you see why it was leading to a cancellation?

March

I would have to give the Banana Souffle moisturizer my favorite part for March’s BoxyCharm since I did enjoy the sample I got in my Glam Bag. I started using this when I found it in my room and was glad to find it and man it’s a good size. I have to be careful with what skin care products I pair this with since it can give off a tingling sensation unexpectedly.

April

Due to school, I didn’t have time to post my bag. Sorry!

May

I gave it to Linette Lapour perfume I got in my May bag. I like the scent because it is pretty sweet and glad it was a great size for a sample too. I will keep on using it as time goes on. I did cancel BoxyCharm and didn’t post about my April box due to crunch time and did withdraw from school at the time. Like I said, I canceled because it was getting boring and not only that they don’t pay attention to surveys which is weird with how they put up a survey to understand their members more and their interests. I am still mad when they said not to send me lashes anymore and they still sent them. Sorry Boxy, I may not come back this time.I also had to skip GBX to slow down the bags I’ve been getting. I was sad but it had to be done.

June

I started getting my subscriptions again in June and out of my GB Plus that month, the Christof Robin Hair Cream was amazing! It did help with the frizz during the summer since my hair tends to hate humidity. I live in a very humid state and I wished I also had it during RangerStop & Pop but I don’t think the tube would make it with me. But hey, glad I got to try it! I do have to give an honorable mention to the SL Miss Glam Rainbow Brush Set since I love this brush brand a lot and will continue getting their brushes. I think the only thing I have used from the Glam Bag was the First Aid Beauty Mask and felt it was calming until I lost the tube. I didn’t really use that weird Gwa Sha item since I didn’t see any directions that help. Not sure what had happened with the face primer sample and its replacement, alongside the shadow duo. I did use body lotion as hand cream at work. Besides the First Aid Beauty item, I think June;s bag was kind of disappointing. 

July

It’s hard to say which item was my favorite from July’s Glam Bag. The only thing I thought was just okay was the First Aid Beauty Hello Fab Coconut Primer Moisturizer. I did say in that post that you don’t get that many results from the sample alone, I was hoping this would be something on the 21 Days of Beauty radar but it wasn’t. I do enjoy First Aid, I may have to get the full-size of this moisturizer to see how well the product goes. It does prime my skin for sunscreen though. 

August

August welcomed Allure Beauty Box back to my monthly routine. To tell you the truth, I missed this box despite how boring it got before, now it got better over time from what I’ve received. I even traveled with a few things from my subscriptions which made it easier for Atlanta by the way. Can I say something that did suck from this box and that was the Beautinique Blush Serum in Magenta Sky. Oh god! That was the worst product because it gave me angry, red stripes rather than a cute flush. It would have been better if it was muted or a lighter pink like Living Doll from Hard Candy. I am using better cream blushes after tossing this product because it was just horrible! If Allure puts this brand back into a box, no blush serums or to the brand itself, make a powder blush please! If you want to do a serum, make it a flush rather than a strong one. I do give major props to the F.A.R.H.A. Brushes Rose Gold Blender I got in the Glam Bag which was a winner during Atlanta. I took the Urban Decay shadow in Charger to go with the new shirts and using this shadow brush made it blend very well. I did have a weird event where near my inner corner my shadow was wiped away and I know why, I cleaned too close for comfort and stopped doing that since my shadow tends to go bye if I did that. Glad I got this brush! And with Glam Bag X that month, I gave it to the About Face Face Powder in Smother! For GBX for August, Halsi had her hand in giving out her brand and she put in the highlighter in Smother and it is very smooth when it goes on. It is an icy lavender from what I remembered. It is pretty pigmented. I sometimes reach for this one more since it is in one of my Caboodles on my vanity and I can run my WayLink when I need to to see if I got the right item. I hope to get more shades in this product!

September

September brought on new brands for me and that was Nabla. I got interested in this brand all thanks to Angelica Nyquist talking about them and Ulta started carrying them. some of their products did hit the 21 Days of Beauty Radar for me and did get them. THe item I got in my GB Plus for September was their lip gloss which was a shimmery gold. It’s been a long time since I got a gold lip product and it was pretty! I had to wear it during my off time but it felt good and I may get more shades from this line or wait until the next 21 Days of Beauty if they are in the next one for half off. I also did enjoy one of the Pretty Woman polishes since I wore one during THanksgiving break since it is a fall trio after all. Wishing that it does not chip so easily on one hand though. I think the only thing I used from the September Glam Bag was the brush I chose that month which was a marble design brush. It blended my shadow very well. By the way, the brush is from SL Miss Glam! Anyways, for Allure, I would have to give it to Acure for their serum because it has helped my skin stay hydrated during September.

October

With October’s Glam Bag, it was a skincare wonderland which I have been noticing with my bags lately. I am not complaining but at least with this one, I would say my favorite item was the Shasin Rabbits Cleanser. I have been enjoying K Beauty items even with Tony Moley the most. This was a good sample and it didn’t irritate my skin either even with it having charcoal in it, it just gave me a nice clean. I hope to get more items from this brand. With GB Plus, I give it to the Araceli Gel Pencil Duo, I only used the rose gold pencil from this for any looks that would require this to match. It does glide on. I wish to get more rose gold pencils than black ones. I do love rose gold! With Allure, I would have to give it to the First Aid Beauty Cleanser because I feel this worked out better than the Hello Fab Primer Moisturizer. I liked how it didn’t mess up my skin since this brand is known for being sensitive skin friendly. I may have to get a full-size of this during a 21 Days of Beauty!

November

November brought on new things for me to try but didn’t try them all. For Allure, I give it to the Eyeko Lash Curler. I have enjoyed items from this brand and this is a favorite by far. I have been enjoying using lash curlers before putting mascara on and this is one of those I love to reach for in my kit. You can’t go wrong with a lash curler and glad they included this. I also want to give an honorable mention to the Tarte Quick Stick in Rose Gold and Black because I got the Taupe one recently. I love shadow sticks and so far this one is a good one too! From GBX, since it was up for November, is the Huda Beauty Diamond Balm in Seductress! This is a really good product and it does give a nice quick shine without being heavy on the lips. I just took this with me when I went to a Christmas party to go with my one shadow look that night. I definitely want to re-purchase this when I run out! While Glam Bag, I give it to the CTS Calming Toner. This was very calming and it did last me pretty well during the month. I didn’t have much of a break out and it did help me remember to put on toner during the morning only.

December

I didn’t use much of my Allure box but so far I do like some of the products. I do have to say the Neom Body Butter did make my hands feel good so far and I need to keep using it and same with the other products. With GB Plus, you may find this surprising but I do like the Anastasia Dip Brow Gel. At first it made my bros itchy when trying it on but most products off the bat can cause weird things but it calmed down after wearing it a few times more. It does keep my brow hairs in place so I will try a darker color since their idea of Chocolate is different from NYX. Not too bad! And the Glam Bag, the Pistache Hydrating Cream was nice but gone too quickly because I feel that there was not enough in the tube. Would be better as a GB Plus product so it would be full-size but it was good to try out. I may have to get another tube of this in the future.

Wow! That is one full year of things. I know it sucks that I had to let go of No Make No Life and BoxyCharm but if you’re waiting for a box for close to a month, I think you;re better off just leaving it. I love No Make No Life for the idea of K Beauty and Japanese products but the shipping was not worth it especially if it won’t come until the following month. And BoxyCharm, if you’re going to have members fill out surveys then pay attention! Also, I felt like some of the products I got were more of leftovers from Ipsy, plus now they are partnered with Ipsy, so I rather stay with Ipsy even though looking at my last few bags of 2021, Glam Bag Plus and X have been blowing it out of the water so it needs to catch up. I do like the idea of trying new things out in sample form before buying. Isn’t the point of sampling? I did just join Glossy Box because of Theresa is Dead and I used her code to get my first one for $16 and hoping that won’t be too bad, It did catch my interest over time and yes you do get samples but I don’t mind sampling something before getting a new item to try out or the full-size. I will stay with Allure because they have gotten better and I do like some of the items they brought into the box. I need to use my stuff from December but I got RJ’s cold during Christmas and have been sneezing and coughing so it would be hard for me to do my makeup if I was covered in snot. Next year, with makeup, it will still be the same since I rarely buy things as much as I used to at Ulta or Target or anywhere else since I have so much skin care and makeup items. What is next? Bests & Worsts of 2021!