Lip Love March 2015 Beauty Bag review, swatches

Full-sized, cruelty-free Spring makeup.

My March 2015 Lip Love beauty bag from So Susan Cosmetics arrived unexpectedly. Since the February bag - view it here - had turned up in March, I wasn't expecting this month's edition for another 10 days. The bag is themed "I Love to Travel". It contains some travel essentials in Spring-friendly shades.
For the uninitiated, Lip Love is a monthly beauty subscription from UK-based So Susan Cosmetics. They ship worldwide and send (at least) four full-sized, 100% cruelty-free makeup products in a cute makeup bag. Each month will cost around $20.48 and you can subscribe here. They send you a preview of each month's bag, so if you don't like what you see, you can always skip a month. The value of the March bag is pegged at $73.50, which is more than three times what it cost me.

Read on for my review of the Lip Love beauty bag for March 2015, from So Susan Cosmetics.

I received:

1. Lip Dome in Rhubarb Rouge ($22)
2. Fairy Lashes Curl Mascara by Jelly Pong Pong ($12)
3. Blush Duo in Papaya Don't Preach by the Beauty Crop ($16.50)
4. Liquid Powder Shadow Palette in Gatsby Girl ($15)
5. Cruciani-esque Butterfly Lace Bracelet ($10)

Lip Dome in Rhubarb Rouge

I had received a Lip Dome in a very neutral shade last month, and loved it. This is a bright, fuchsia shade that is exactly my Mum's shade - a good idea since Mothers' Day is up in May. Swatches are further below.

Fairy Lashes Curl Mascara by Jelly Pong Pong

As a result of Spring Cleaning, I binned some four mascaras that had dried up, so it is nice to get a fresh piece. This contains moringa resin and is supposed to hold a curl well. I have stopped buying mascaras, thanks to beauty boxes. I haven't opened this yet. There is no point in keeping a dozen tubes open and have them all dry out. 

Blush Duo in Papaya Don't Preach by the Beauty Crop

This duo includes a cream blush and a powder blush. I think it is rather inconvenient to have both textures in one pot; the powder will definitely get on the cream - ugh. Apart from that, these are both fun shades. The frosty pink works better as a highlighter for me while the cream blush is very pretty and warm enough for my liking. In keeping with So Susan Cosmetics' policy of combining makeup and skincare, this blush duo contains kale, aronia berry, pomegranate and papaya extracts. Swatches are right below.

Here are swatches of the blushes and the lippie.

Blushes blended out. Isn't the peach cream blush especially pretty?

Liquid Powder Shadow Palette in Gatsby Girl

The winner in this bag. This very Spring palette is far more pigmented than I had expected. Lovely shades, aren't they? I was going through my palettes the other day and found I had mostly deep or neutral shades, so it is nice to get these brights. These are creamy and hot-poured and solidified. Apparently, that helps the shadows last longer and apply smoother. They contain vitamin K to combat dark circles, and copper peptides for collagen growth. This palette will accompany me on my Spring and Summer trips this year. I know you want swatches, but this deserves its own dedicated post.

Cruciani-esque Butterfly Lace Bracelet

This is a very delicate lace bracelet that I feel like using in crafting rather than as an accessory. I'm sure I can find a dress which will look prettier with a couple of appliqued butterflies at the neckline.

Verdict

I love this bag more than the first edition! The eyeshadow palette is a real winner for me, and I love everything else as well. The packaging is super-cute. I would love to see some makeup brushes and continue to find eyeshadows and lippies in future boxes. And maybe bags in different colours in future, though I hope they retain the cuteness factor and the nice quotes. Most importantly, I hope the bonus products continue to be sent out. I cannot wait to see the April edition - it is my birthday month so I hope there are some nice goodies.
To subscribe, go here. You can skip a month anytime if you don't like the preview. As I said before, everything is cruelty-free, full-sized and cute, and they ship worldwide!

What do you look for in a makeup subscription box? Does this make the cut, or does something else float your boat? Tell me in the Disqus comments widget below.

Purchased by me