It contains:
Comvita Brightening Facial Exfoliant; Facial Serum; Moisturiser, sample size 1.5mls each.
These Comvita skincare products are based on olive leaf extract. I almost had to laugh because recently Husband and I have started drinking olive leaf extract in our daily juice! So apparently it's good for your outsides as well as your insides. The samples are probably only enough for one or two applications, but they'll be interesting to try. a) I'm a sucker for skin care; b) I'm intrigued by boutique brands; c) I'm always up for some brightening.
Conscience time: Comvita is a New Zealand brand started by a cute little old man in the 1970s. Its skincare products are not tested on animals.
Ulta3 Nail Polish in Cocoa, full-size 13ml.
Ulta3 is about as cheap-o as you can get! In fact, I saw some in the bargain bin at Coles last week, but the colour range was terrible, so I didn't get any. However, everyone's been talking about Ulta3 and how good quality it is for such a cheap nail polish, so I had been wanting to try it out. And this colour is not only pretty, but probably suitable for work, too. At first glance it's similar to the deep bronze shade I got in my Be Creation Dot Artist Kit (review in progress), but the Be Creation one comes out as more of a marone colour, whereas this seemed true to colour when I swatched it on a piece of paper.
Conscience time: I've heard conflicting reports as to where Ulta3 is from, and whether they test on animals.
Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Liquid Foundation in "Petal I'm Plush & Precious", 5ml sample size pump pack.
I'm not that crash-hot on foundations, I prefer BB Creams personally. (I have a stack of unused foundations samples that I got with magazines, whereas all my BB Cream tubes are well-squeezed.) Having said that, I've been hearing about this new Benefit foundation around the traps recently, and I've been mildly curious about it, so I was glad to receive this sample. However, just looking at the bottle, I can tell it's a little dark for my skin tone - and Petal is the second-lightest colour! If it looks too dark on me, I'll probably put it aside until next summer.
Beautypedia Rating Summary [see full here]: smiley face: foundation blends easily and has a natural finish, but the range of shades is not large.
Conscience time: Benefit is a U.S. brand. It tests on animals where required by law.
Pure DKNY Verbena Eau de Parfum, 3ml sample vial.
I love perfumes, so spritzed some of this one before I went out to brunch. (Same-Day-Trial product, for the win!) It has a fresh, cool water scent with just a tiny hint of fresh floral. It reminds me a little of Acqua de Gio. I quite like it. It would be good for work and casual occasions.
Conscience time: DKNY (Donna Karan New York) is owned by Estee Lauder, a U.S. company. It tests on animals where required by law.
OP Therapy Summer Glow Pineapple & Papaya Sea Salt Scrub, full-size 75ml.
Another independent Australian brand - it's amazing how many there are out there! One thing I like about Beauty Boxes is being able to try out a range of them without having to seek them out. This body scrub smells nice and I'm sure I'll enjoy using it.
Conscience time: OP Therapy is an Australian brand. It is not tested on animals.
Bonus: Hollywood Feet Velvet Cushions, 2 pair pack.
It's always nice to get a bonus product. I think they're technically meant to be worn with heels, but after a day of fetching files and shifting boxes at work, even my ballet flats could do with a bit of cushioning.
Summary: My first Bella Box was more than satisfactory. It had some of my favourites: skin care, nails, perfume, not to mention a bonus product. The value of the box is fairly low-ish compared to others, but I'll definitely use all of the products in the box. That's not something I can say for every box! The only glitch is the way that the box was packed, and that might just have been a one-off. Overall, I'm happy with my first Bella Box.
Total Value: $54.60. Cost of Box: $15.00. Benefit: $39.60
Rating: 8/10
