Product Review

While I don’t usually wear makeup other than a little mascara from the health store, I have felt lately that a little help would be nice for special events such for media interviews that I do for streaming video, YouTube channels, and online hybrid radio shows that incorporate video. I also needed to do a few new bio-pictures for the media kit and so I decided that this could be a perfect opportunity for me, personally, to take on the review project. I think my preferred look could be labeled as: natural, casual, and subtle. I don’t want to draw attention or obtain a wow factor, I just want to cover up some flaws and highlight certain points to create a better image.

I was intrigued by the Wantable  (http://wantable.com) subscription service and was glad to receive the invitation from them to review a box. After I headed to their site with the reviewer coupon code I was instructed to fill out a questionnaire – they do this for all their clients. The questionnaire will have you answer a few short questions so they can determine what you love you can decide to subscribe or just try out the service, and the staff will hand-pick unique specialty premium brands that suit your preferences best. 

My customized questionnaire included a choice of:

·      8 types of makeup (such as eyeliner, lash products, lip color, tools)

·      7 preferences for eye shadow (including loose or cream, shimmer or glitter)

·      5 highlighter preferences

·      4 types of bronzers

·      6 types of eyeliner preferences (including color or neutrals, pencil or gel)

·      5 choices for eye lash products

·      5 choices of lip products (such as lip liner, gloss or stain)

·      9 types of lip tones and textures (shimmer, sheer, bright)

Members get a new box each month with a hand picked selection of items that suit their personality and the season. They also offer special holiday themed boxes (i.e. Halloween). The company itself is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (US) and consists of about 14 developers, designers, marketers, and entrepreneurs.

I ordered my box on Oct 23^rd – and it arrived 20 days later here in BC, Canada on Nov. 12^th in a recyclable, white cardboard box about 8X5 inches in size. The packaging, unfortunately, was grey foam, which cannot be recycled, however I’ll keep it for reuse in my large box of shipping supplies. I keep this box on hand for our own use of course, but also for any of our friends who are shipping things out. However the packaging for the products themselves were recyclable.

The box contained a bonus sample of Lise Watier Ombre Souffle Supreme (LiseWatier.com – a Canadian company) long lasting anti-aging eye shadow available in 6 shades, but the sample included only “Sunrise Peach” and “Enchanted Green” (vert enchante). This product has a light creamy texture that can be applied with the fingertips or perhaps a Q-tip and gives the eyelids a nice sheen. The product has a 6-month shelf life, however most of the ingredients listed on the sample were unpronounceable and unrecognizable – which is kind-a scary for this nature minded person.  What I did like about it is how easy it was to apply, how far the product will go (for myself, I don’t use much as I prefer a very subtle, natural look), and even though I can be quite sensitive to non-natural products I didn’t have a reaction to this eye shadow.

The box also included a Japonesque brand (Japonesque.com – based in California, US) Angled Foundation Brush (retails for $24.50 US), which was incredibly soft to the touch and is washable as well. Sadly I didn’t have any foundation here to try it out so I hope to visit the health store soon to pick some up. The brush specializes in smoothing cream and liquid foundation in such a way that it minimalizes pores and fine lines and because it is angled it is easy to use around crevices, creases, and angles on the face.

Also included: the Manna Kadar Lip Glaze (“patty cake”) product (retails $19.00 US), which is made in Canada and contains ingredients like lanoline oil, castor oil, jojoba seed extract… but also some not so friendly ingredients. However I really liked the color, the subtle sheen and ease of application of this product – it is durable, holding up to contact with my frequent use of a water glass and kept color for hours after application. And the FACE Stockhom (FaceStokholm.com - based in NY, US) – Lipstick (“pleasant”) product (retails $22 US) – the printing on this packaging however was so tiny that I couldn’t read the list of ingredients, but I did see that the product has a 12-month shelf life. I really liked how, with a light touch, I could get just a little color on without overwhelming the natural look I desire. 

And finally – there was another eye shadow called ‘bright eyes’ produced by the Be a Bombshell company (based in China - BeABombshellCosmetics.com) and retails for $14 US. I have to admit that anything produced in China scares me silly as they don’t have the strict standards for workers, materials or packaging that we have here in Canada. If you think about the shipping alone, this product then has a larger ecological footprint then others. Still of the two eye shadow products in this package, this one was my favorite and I’ll definitely be using it.

In total the products in this package, not including the free sample, came to $79.50 (US) – as such Wantable provides a economical way of trying interesting and newly released products on the market without breaking the budget. The service retails for $40 for a one-time purchase, or become a member and the cost is reduced to $36/month. I think this would be a perfect gift for celebrations or holidays as the recipient can choose from accessories, make up and intimates. The company offers free shipping for any returns from the US, and ships to Australia and Canada as well.  Wantable offers a very convenient service - you can skip a shipment if you expect to be away, update your preferences, or cancel your subscription. If you're not happy with your box, send it back for a full refund, no questions asked! Alternatively, as I mentioned earlier, you can order a one-time Wantable box as a gift item throughout the year for someone you know.

Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, their radio program, blog, and more at: http://brummet.ca * Support the Brummets by telling your friends, clicking those social networking buttons, or visiting the Brummet's Store - and help raise funds for charity as well!