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Saturday, January 30, 2016

Unboxing: Living Social Health & Beauty Mystery Box


On January 22nd, I published this post about a new Healthy & Beauty Mystery Box available on Livingsocial.com. This box retails for $11.99 + $3.99 shipping and the listing for the box states that the value of this box is $49.99 and that you will receive "5 pieces of makeup accessories". They do not indicate that the items featured in their photo above will actually be in your box. 

When I published my post, I specifically stated several times that I did not know if this box was a good value, or if it was worth purchasing. I said it was a gamble, and that you should be aware of that going into it, since there are currently no unboxing posts on the internet to give you an idea of what may be in this box. 

Well since that original post, I have received several comments and emails from readers who did purchase this box and recently received it. So today I'd like to show you what each of those readers received in their boxes.

First up, some pics from reader saramel:

image credit: saramel for Nouveau Cheap
Contents of LivingSocial Health & Beauty Mystery Box

First let me say that for each of the readers who contacted me, the items did not arrive in an actual box. They were shipped in a plastic bag that was not padded, and there was no bubble wrap or packing material inside the bag. So the title of this listing, "Mystery Box", appears to be inaccurate.

image credit: saramel for Nouveau Cheap

White leggings by the brand Mopas. Size is "free size" which I'm assuming means one-size-fits-all.

I found some leggings on Amazon by this brand and the retail price was $5.99, so that's the price I'll use for the purposes of this post.

image credit: saramel for Nouveau Cheap

Perfect Lashes Mascara. 

Many of the readers who submitted pics said that the markings you see on the front of the tube are the only markings on the tube, and that there isn't any additional brand info listed on the tube. Also, the tube arrived without a safety seal. One reader did tell me that the mascara she received was by the brand Santee (although I'm not sure that's the same tube you see in these pics). For the purposes of this post, let's just say the retail price of this mascara is $1.99.

image credit: saramel for Nouveau Cheap

Kleancolor Utopia Baked Eyeshadow in the shade Save Me.

Retail: $3.99 (per the Kleancolor website).

image credit: saramel for Nouveau Cheap

Hi Cool UV Arm Muffs (one pair).

These retail for between $3 and $8 on various websites, so I'll go with $5 for the purposes of this post.

image credit: saramel for Nouveau Cheap

Olive Doctor Care shock absorbing plantar fasciitis therapy wraps.

I could only find one eBay listing for these and they were sold for $8.99, so that's the price I'll use for the purposes of this post.

So adding up everything based on the prices I used for this post:

$5.99
$1.99
$3.99
$5
$8.99
GRAND TOTAL: $25.96

Again, I'm using the ESTIMATED retail value for each item (aside from the Kleancolor eyeshadow since I was able to locate the official retail value of that item on the Kleancolor website). I'll leave it up to you to determine whether I was being generous, or conservative, with my estimations.

Here are some pics from reader Kim of the items she received in her box:

image credit: Kim for Nouveau Cheap

Notice that Kim received a purple mascara.

image credit: Kim for Nouveau Cheap

And she also receive a different eyeshadow shade (this is Love Me).

image credit: Kim for Nouveau Cheap

image credit: Kim for Nouveau Cheap

image credit: Kim for Nouveau Cheap

image credit: Kim for Nouveau Cheap

She also received black leggings instead of white.

Next up, a pic from reader Ashley:

image credit: Ashley for Nouveau Cheap

As you can see, Ashley received the white leggings, purple mascara, and bronze shadow.

And finally, some pics from reader Brooke:

image credit: Brooke for Nouveau Cheap

Brooke also received the white leggings, plus a blue mascara and bronze shadow.

image credit: Brooke for Nouveau Cheap

Brooke pointed out that the area where there should be a safety seal on this shadow (you can see the seal in saramel's first pic up top) did not contain a safety seal, and that there was sticky residue where the sticker should have been.

image credit: Brooke for Nouveau Cheap

image credit: Brooke for Nouveau Cheap

image credit: Brooke for Nouveau Cheap

I don't even know what to say about the contents of this box, other than it feels like a giant disappointment. My apologies to everyone who took a gamble and ordered this box. If YOU ordered it and received it, I would love to know if you received items similar to what the readers above received. 

The good news? Well now we all know. Also good news: saramel said that she contacted LivingSocial and they refunded her the price of the box without issue. So if you received this box and you are not happy with it, please do contact them and hopefully you can get your money back. After looking at the contents here, I'm having a hard time understanding how the value of this box is "$49.99" as stated in the item listing. And I'm not sure how black or white leggings are "health & beauty" related? 

This one really has me scratching my head. I have blogged about, and personally purchased, some absolutely fantastic beauty-related deals from LivingSocial but, in my opinion, this is certainly not one of them.

Thanks again to readers saramel, Kim, Ashley, and Brooke, for taking the time to share such detailed pics and info with us today. I truly appreciate it.
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44 comments

  1. A huge "what the heck" with this box

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  2. Thanks for my laugh of the day : )

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  3. I had a gut feeling this "box" would be filled with disappointing stuff. I'm glad I didn't buy one.

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    1. I was very disappointed about the contents of my box, I thought I would get more makeup

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  4. I. Am. Horrified!!!! I didn't know a box could ever be so dismal.

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  5. Glad I passed... had a feeling it would be a dud.

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  6. In an attempt to be fair to Living Social, I turned my iPad upside down and in a full 360 circle to see if I was missing something while looking at the mystery items. Nope..didn't miss a thing. They're kooky but not in a good way!

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  7. Received the same things as other uses. Will definitely be calling for a refund. Not to mention that I received a black shadow that exploded over everything, including my cream carpet =[

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  8. Hopefully they'll improve their boxes after this! The picture is super misleading too, what a shame!

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  9. Oh my word! What a bizarre assortment of items.

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    Replies
    1. I know right! I would be livid if i got this box of shit!

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  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  11. LOL, PLANTAR FASCITIS HAND WRAPS! That, in my opinion, is the best item in the entire box.

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  12. That's like getting a subscription box to Sad Things Monthly. It looks old, cheap and oh so random. Plantar fasciitis wraps? WTF? I'm glad you guys can get refunds.

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    Replies
    1. OMG... Sad Things Monthly? Hands down, that is the best comment I've read! Just imagine what could be included in that subscription!!

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    2. Haha! This is so true. What a rip off.

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  13. Oh wow, this box is a trainwreck :(

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  14. I also received the same items, in assorted colors. My eyeshadow also arrived smashed, so I contacted them and they were very apologetic and refunded the price of the whole box.

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    Replies
    1. At least the customer service was nice and refunded the box!

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  15. So sketchy!!! I can imagine a nasty smell to go along with it. It's a bummer for all that bought this.

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  16. My god what a bunch of junk. Thanks for warning others

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  17. Looks like a bunch of junk from a dollar store close-out sale. Hope everyone gets their money back.

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  18. I also got "the box". I thought the mascara smelled like kerosene. Just terrible. I didn't find a place I could contact thru email just a number you could call Mon-Fri. Is that what other people have done?

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    1. I contacted them through Facebook, but haven't heard back yet. If I don't hear from them by end of business on Monday, I will break down and call them (I have severe social anxiety and don't like to talk to people on the phone) because I can't afford to throw away $15 right now.

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    2. The do not have a customer service email, which is CRAZY to me. It's 2016! What kind of company doesn't have email. I also hate calling people, but I did call about this today. The worst part was the wait. Not only do they not have email, they also apparently only have like 2 phone reps. It was a 30 minute wait to talk to someone and they play really annoying hold music and ads the whole time. When I did finally get someone, it was fine. He refunded me and didn't give me a hard time about it.

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    3. I got refunded today! If you don't have time to call, message them through Facebook and send them a photo of what you got. I got all of y money back plus a $5 credit to use towards something else.

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  19. I would be very unhappy with this stuff. It's kind of ridiculous that Living Social would think this was a good idea, because it damages their image.

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  20. What the heck? What a weird collection of items. I am glad I passed.

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  21. I got mine too...same products. My mascara was a green tube, no safety seal. Eyeshadow same purple pink as others. So disappointed. And not in a box...

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  22. Holy cow what a bunch of utter junk! UV arm wraps???? Yikes! Thank you for sharing & warning us. Glad to hear you can get a refund.

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  23. G, given that they misled you and other customers, not making good on the"5 makeup accessories"--leggings and arm bands and those bands do not count as makeup acessories--it would be in your right to be refunded. This is not even taking into account the poor quality of the items provided, which you were very generous to price.

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  24. OMG just...wow. What a strange and sad collection of random junk! I can't believe they would charge that much for a box like this let alone damage their reputation by offering it in the first place. It makes me feel bad about complaining when I get a disappointing Ipsy bag, haha.
    The "apparel" items are just weird and I'm betting those makeup items are even cheaper than that. I recently reviewed a website that sells $1 makeup and they carry the complete Santee and KleanColor lines...and everything is $1. Not saying they're all bad (I mean, Elf has $1 items too). But if companies can sell these items for $1 and make a profit,they're worth even less than $1! Yikes. I'm glad people are able to get refunds!

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  25. I received a broken eye lash curler instead of the mascara, broken blue glitter eye shadow, the rest of the stuff the same. Very disappointed

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  26. The Mascara looks like a pregnancy test. Omg haha

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  27. I called and got a refund-- thank goodness!!!

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  28. I called and they issued a full refund and a $10 Deal Bucks credit toward my next Living Social purchase. If you call, you'll likely get that also instead of just emailing them. I just explained the situation and that it was nothing like my previous Living Social purchases, they were really nice!

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  29. Now that I know "free size" is legit, I'm going to tell people that's my size :-)

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  30. I just got my "box" today! I was so confused and had no idea what it was (I forgot ordering it) then I figured it out and just had to LOL. I got pretty much the same thing, but I got an ugly blue eyeshadow that was broken and all over the inside of the bag! Hahaha...so weird.

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  31. Hi have seen these brands on the website MISS A, where every item is $1.00. While the colors are probably are not the same, but they do carry Santee & I am pretty sure the Kleancolor brand. I spent $40.00 on the site and it was all $1/piece and free shipping over $35.00. I skipped this offer, thanks for sharing the unboxing....

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