Back when our lives weren’t totally insane and we still had time for sushi dates.
You read that right. This is my last box with Sol Theory. Originally, I was approached and asked to review their subscription box for them. In return they created a code for me so that if anyone who reads this blog wants to try the service themselves they can do so for 20% off their first box, but now that I’ve canceled their service I won’t give it out any longer.
Sol Theory has A LOT of options to choose from, but in each box you can expect to receive at least one pair of sunglasses. They have boxes for men and women, and you can add additions like jewelry or full sized makeup items.
Here is their website, should you decide that you want to order -> Sol Theory, and there are other discount codes out there that you could easily find on Google if you wanted one 🙂
So here are the reasons that I am canceling this service:
1) I have a three box rule. I do three boxes, and if I’m not feeling it by the third then I cancel. Receiving full sized items is awesome.. if you love all of the items you receive. Otherwise, it’s just more stuff that you have to find room for in your vanity, or figure out how to sell. That’s just too much effort for me right now with everything going on in my life. It’s more of a ME thing than a THEM thing.
2) All of the weird inaccuracies with the items in the boxes. The value is way overestimated. At one point they probably retailed for the amount that the service advertises, but when I receive them they are deeply discounted online and in store. Which isn’t a huge issue if you love the items and they’re quality. I just didn’t feel that way about mine. Not to mention, as you’ll see below, sometimes I didn’t even get the items that were advertised, which felt deceiving.
3) The final reason is, honestly, other “ambassadors.” It was just starting to feel more like a rat race. It wasn’t fun or casual anymore, the way some people were acting. Not that I participated in any of it, but I want to do my best to distance myself from the negativity as far as possible. Combine that with all of the complaints that multiple customers have had.. I just didn’t want to be in the workings anymore.
So, without further ado… 🙂
Box #3
The glasses
Unsure of brand – retails for $39.99
Once again, no idea what the brand is, and after asking Sol Theory and never receiving an answer I’ve decided that I’m over caring. I really like the unique shape of these glasses, and the brown tint is very different from anything else that I own.
The makeup
Chaleur Age Reversal Gel Mask – retails for $50
The specific instructions for this mask are to pair it with the Chaleur Heat-Penetrating Mask, which is just kind of uncool considering we weren’t given that mask in combination with this gel. Regardless, I tried it out. It promises to smooth, even tone, brighten, minimize lines, and increase elasticity. I didn’t really notice a difference in my skin, but I also didn’t have the Heat-Penetrating Mask to activate the ingredients so who knows if it actually even works. Even with the right materials, I think this is probably the kind of item you have to use multiple times before you see progress. The other thing that annoyed me about this item, is that Sol Theory originally told us that we were receiving a serum which would have been awesome. Serums I use. Masks I don’t. So you can see why I’m pretty disappointed.
Sheree Cosmetics Matte Liquid Lipstick in Chic Nude – retails for $18 ($12 on sale)
This lipstick is a light, pinky, nude that is probably really pretty on everyone except for me. Unfortunately, because of my skin tone nudes tend to kind of make my lips disappear entirely from my face. I could probably wear it with a darker lip liner… but I don’t own any! Shade aside, I actually really like this lipstick! Sheree Cosmetics describes their matte lipsticks as transfer resistant and highly pigmented, and I can attest to both statements. It lasts so long that they suggest using an oil based remover to take it off, and of course I don’t own one of those either so I really struggled. It dried down super fast and perfectly matte, and was comfortable to wear. I’m actually considering buying a different shade of this lipstick to try it out, because I liked the formula that much!
Crown Brush Nova Palette – retails for $29
I was pleasantly surprised by this palette, based on how many complaints I’d seen about it on Facebook prior to receiving it. It comes with 10 eyeshadows, two highlights, two blushes, three lip colors, and two eyeliner choices. I didn’t swatch the eyeliners on my face, because they were super tough on my skin and caused a lot of discomfort when being put on. Everything else I swatched with pictures below and will post my individual impressions under them.
Eyeshadows
I thought that these eyeshadows were honestly gorgeous. Primrose is the only matte shade, and works well as a base. The other shades are all shimmers, some with beautiful duo chrome shifts like Deja and Evangelica. All of these shadows swatched and applied super easily. I applied all of these with my finger, and got a huge pigment payoff without any fallout, but I can’t testify as to how they’ll do with a brush. I’m really impressed and I think this palette is worth keeping for the shadows alone.
Blush and Highlight
My one complaint about this palette is that the pans are SO SMALL! Picking up blush or highlight was incredibly hard. I had to use a small brush to get the pigment onto my cheek, and then switch to a bigger brush for blending on my face. Even then, the amount of kickback on the palette was obnoxiously large. The colors are very pretty, although nothing terribly special. I did like the Cyrene highlight, but it looks extremely similar to my Mary Lou-manizer.
Lips
These lip colors are really pretty, although a bit normal. A nude, a rosey pink, and a berry color. You can’t go wrong with any of them, and they were easy enough to apply. They don’t pass the transfer test, and I don’t see myself wearing them outside of trying them out, but they’re pretty none the less.
My impression: Despite this box being my last, I liked most of the products in it! There were only three.. but, you know! I mean, one of them was a palette with practically a full face so, that has to count for something. I’m happy to have these 10 new shadows to play with, and to have been introduced to a new lipstick brand. However, I don’t regret my decision to cancel. I’ll keep watching this subscription to see how they grow, and hopefully one day I can re-join after all of the drama has died down.
Thanks for taking the time to read my little blog! 🙂
– Tia
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