Saturday, February 28, 2015

Wantable Makeup Subscription Box Review, February 2015



Somehow, I have fallen away from Wantable over the past few months.  That is no reflection on them, just a result of too many beauty sub boxes arriving on my doorstep. So I recently re-started the subscription using pretty much the same profile that I used before, specifying that I wanted age appropriate classic cosmetics.  I was somewhat dismayed to receive a box of makeup that would have been suitable for an 18 year old Goth girl!  (Honestly, I think they may have gotten me mixed up with a different customer.)  Fortunately, Wantable has a good return policy so I shipped it all back.  I had much better luck with the next box which contained these four full size products.





When signing up for Wantable, you have the opportunity to indicate some style preferences that will help them customize your box.  Except for the incident mentioned above, they've always done a really good job of matching my choices. The fact that they do that AND send full sized products is the reason this service, at $36 a month, is one of the more expensive beauty boxes.  (It's actually a bit more complicated.  The cost is $40 a month.  If you do not return anything, you get a $4 credit on your account, making your next box $36. Since I did return the entire first box this time, my cost on this particular box was $40.)

The preferences chosen appear on an insert along with photos of each product, a little information about it and its retail price. As you can see, I marked as my "Loves" - Complexion Products, Cool, Blush, Lip Color and Nail Polish. My "Likes" were Warm, Eyeliner, Lash Products and Highlighter.  My "Dislikes" were Brows, Eye Shadow, Bronzer and Tools. You can judge from the items received how well they met those criteria.  (My experience has been that you get mostly "Loves", maybe a "Like" and no "Dislikes".) Since the boxes have an endless amount of possible product combinations, I think it's amazing that they are able to produce an information card that names the specific items in each customer's box.  

  
The first item is a nail polish from Bodyography, a brand I'm completely unfamiliar with.  This is in the shade "Fancy Free", which is a beautiful cool toned classic pink. Notice the words "cool" and "classic"; where have we heard those before? (Retail $8.50)


Next is a liquid skin shimmer product from Cara Cosmetics in "Electra".  I have never used a product like this but it goes on your face alone or under foundation. This ultralight liquid smooths on effortlessly and melts right into my skin.  It matches my skin tone perfectly. Very finely milled shimmer particles leave a subtle glow. Love this item and especially that there is a lot of it!  (Retail $35.98)


Third is a loose powder mineral blush from Au Naturale in the shade Pomegranate. At first glance, I thought this color (a vibrant peachy pink) was too much for my fair complexion.  A little of it does go a long way but I was able to quickly and easily blend it out to a level of color I was comfortable with.  The container has a sifter tray inside and the powder is extremely fine with an elegant silky feel. I thought it looked good over the liquid shimmer. Maybe I'll try the shimmer on top of the blush next time.  (Retail $24.00)


The final product is this gorgeous lipstick from Frankie Rose in the shade "Apple Spice".  This is a moisturizing lip color with a soft, creamy shine.  It is a darker neutral that intensifies my own lip shade in a very natural way. It doesn't transfer quite as well as I would like but the color is just what I want in a lipstick. (Retail $16.00)


This box had a combined retail value of $84.48.  Because I returned my first box, I ended up paying $40.  If I had not returned that box, this one would have been $36. Either way, I am quite happy with the quality and value received.

This group of products demonstrates what Wantable does so well. Getting full size luxury brands you actually want in colors and shades that suit you requires a bit of personal attention and that's what you're paying for with Wantable.  (If you've ever worked with a personal shopper, this is a similar experience but with a lot less money involved.) 

Wantable Makeup is a good option for anyone but I especially recommend it to those who have an abundance of trial and travel sizes from the less expensive beauty boxes. It's easy to accumulate dozens (who am I kidding...hundreds!) of little samples that may be of dubious quality and that just don't suit you for one reason or another.  If you're ready to step up to a luxury beauty subscription with a stellar reputation for sending quality products, Wantable is an excellent choice. 

Thank you for reading,

Cheryl


Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post may contain referral or affiliate links.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I got the Cara Electra product as well, as well as the blush from Au Naturale but in a lighter product and lip liner in an amazing red from the same company as yours. I have to admit that I really like their range and the products. I haven't come across anything that I would absolutely hate to keep or be tempted to return. I can see how it would happen but yes, it's nice to get the full size products.

I have to admit, I didn't know where the credits came from and disappeared to - how bad is that? So that's illuminated that. Excellent review.

Lone Star Shopper said...

Yes, those credits are a bit confusing. I don't know of another subscription company that handles returns that way. Thank you for reading!

Euphoric Jumping Bean said...

Thanks for sharing the review. I am thinking about getting wantable box.