Beauty Boxes: Bella Box June 2013

My Bella Box came this week, just one day after my Lust Have It box! I feel so decadent! The theme for this month's box is "Girl's Night In, Girl's Night Out". I like the theme, and I think it is articulated well (as they'd say on Iron Chef!). So without further ado, on to the products!:


✔ EmerginC Vitamin C + Retinol Mask AND Hyper-Vitalizer Cream, sample sizes 3ml each.
I've received EmerginC products before (different ones) and really liked them. Unfortunately they're quite expensive, but they're definitely on my list of 'I'd buy it if I won Lotto' products. I love the innovative sachets as well, which are made of sturdy cardboard and stand up on their own. I'd like to try these soon.

✔ Toni&Guy Meet Wardrobe Creative Texturising Glue, full-size 100ml.
I had to laugh when I saw the name of this product - who wants to put glue in their hair?? (Although I think that's how dredlocks are made, so perhaps some people do...) I've become increasingly frustrated with my frizzy hair lately, but normally I'm too rushed or too lazy to do anything about it. Having lots of fun hair products to experiment with will hopefully motivate me to do something about it!

✔ Montagne Jeunesse Passion Peel-Off Mask, trial size 1 pc / 5ml.
This pomegranate and passionfruit peel-off mask sounds like fun. I haven't used a peel-off mask for years; they remind me of my teenage days! According to the packet, "you'll be amazed to see how many dead skin cells show up on the masque after use!" They must know I'm a girl who likes to see visible results. ツ Montagne Jeunesse is proudly not tested on animals.

✔ Simple Kind-To-Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes, sample pack, 7 pcs.
I've used Simple products before, and they are what they say they are - no-frills, perfume-free, good for sensitive skin. These are a basic that I'll definitely use at some point.

✔ Circa Home Everyday Soap in Vanilla & Cocoa Butter, full-size soap.
I was glad to see this soap in my box, with its pretty packaging and sophisticated scent. I received a Circa Home soap a few months ago (Lilac & Orchid that time) and it was long-lasting as well as delicious-smelling.

✔ Natio Nail Colour in Valentine, full-size 15ml.
This product isn't listed on the card, so perhaps it was a last-minute addition. It's a lovely deep red with slight orange overtones in the bottle, though they sweeten up to pink on the nail. My nails are in blech mode at the moment, they need a rest, but perhaps I'll do a Nails of the Week in a couple of weeks.

✔ StreetStar Cosmetics StreetGloss Lip Gloss in Sandy Pink, full-size.
Unfortunately when I unboxed this lip gloss, my first impression was that the tube looked really cheaply-made. The Maybelline gloss that I received a few months ago, which has a very similar design, compared much more favourably. It's a bit of a shame, because the product itself is actually great! I did a bit of a swatch to show:


The colour pay-off is great, and the crushed pearls are so shiny. The formula isn't sticky at all, and doesn't make my lips feel dry. It stayed on even after I drank a coffee. The company is all-Australian, based in Melbourne, so I'd love to see them do well. If they can use a tube of the same quality as the glamorous box it comes in, I think they'll have a real winner!

Summary: I was very happy with this months' Bella Box. There are 7 products (8 if you count the EmerginC products separately), and 4 of them are full-sized. I'll be using every single one of these products sooner or later, which I can't say about every box! There was a good mix of face, body, hair, nails and makeup products. Bella Box was definitely the stand-out this month.

Rating: 9/10
Gunna Use It Right Now Rating: 75%

Beauty Boxes: Bella Box December 2012

My Bella Box came nice and early this month, and I have to admit I had high expectations for the Christmas/holiday box. I think the theme of this box should be 'Mixed Emotions'. Let me explain, but first let's see what we got!:


❖ Allegra Rhodes Hand and Nail Cream in Red Lychee, sample size 5ml
One of apparently 4 scents, the Red Lychee smells divine. Unfortunately the 5ml size of the sample will barely be enough for one application. At least the cream comes in a pot instead of a tube so I can eke out every last millilitre. I will definitely enjoy that smell while it lasts, though.

❖ John Frieda Firzz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Creme, sample size 30ml.
While I do like this product, I've received a sample of it before, and it's so thickly plastered all over Priceline and other stores, there's no way I wouldn't have heard of it by now. Seeing as I've already bought a full-size, it's like preaching to the converted. It would have been nice to see something new and different in the hair stakes.

❖EmerginC Multi Fruit Cleanser & Protocell Combat Cream, sample size 3ml each
I've had EmerginC product samples before, and I quite liked them. I always like to try new cleansers, so I was happy to receive these.

❖ Compeed Blister Medium, one piece.
This seems like a bit of an odd product for a festive December box. It's a bit ... pedestrian. (groan, sorry, but you know what I mean!) It will come in handy as I sometimes get blisters after my longer walking sessions, but I wish it had been something a little more exciting and glamorous. Or even beauty-related would have been good.

❖ Savoir Faire Limited Edition Kit in Summer, beauty palette.
Now this is the stuff! This complete beauty kit retails at $110. And apparently every single subscriber received one! I don't know how they pulled this off, but it's amazing! The sleek black box contains 6 eyeshadows, a blush, a mascara, an eye pencil and a lip gloss. The box also has a large mirror in the lid. The Winter eyeshadows would probably have suited me better, being fair-skinned, but the lip gloss and blush from this box would suit me better, I think. So it's much of a muchness, really. The only disappointing thing is that the box is supposed to include cards with guides to creating 6 makeup looks, but they're not present. Perhaps I'm just a silly duffer and can't find the compartment they're in? I'll wait until I see a few other reviews before I email the company.

Summary: Like I said before, I have mixed feelings about this box. All the products are sample-sized and some not very exciting, but the Savoir Faire beauty palette blows me away with it's value and contents. There's been much rumbling in the last few months about how the quality of beauty box subscriptions has declined, with smaller samples and less luxury brands. I'm interested to see how they'll deliver in the new year.
I'm not going to bother working out the value this month - the information on the Blister patch is vague - lets just say that due to the Savior Faire Palette, it's lots!

Rating: 8/10

P.S. There's a recent thought-provoking post on Chasing Elixir on why beauty sample boxes often fail.

Beauty Boxes: Bella Box August 2012

I received the August Bella Box about half-way through August (apologies again for the late review!) This month's theme is 'Go Green', pampering yourself while staying eco-friendly. Sounds good to me!



◆ Luk Beautifood Lip Nourish, full-size
Apparently this brand of lipstick is so new, they haven't even had a chance to whack a label on it yet, so I don't know what the shade is called. It's a deep but sheer, shimmery cocoa-plum. I don't normally wear lipstick, so I baulked at first, but it's so sheer that it might be a good introduction to colour for me. The lemon and mint scent is nice and zingy, too.

◆ Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, sample size 45g pot
I've discussed my ambiguous attitude to Lush previously, but at least they don't test on animals! This body moisturiser smells lovely, though difficult to describe. (Is it the argan oil?) I'm looking forward to trying it.

◆ Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion, sample size 29ml
I used to use the Aveeno hand cream, and it was dull but worked well. I'm expecting the same from this. Aveeno products are tested on animals.

◆ EmerginC Phytocell Moisturiser and Kombucha Cleanser, 3ml each
I received the same products in my Lust Have It box in April. A girl doesn't forget these things! They were quite good products, so they won't go to waste. But I also remember that I received 2 moisturiser sachets in the LHI box, whereas here there's only 1 of each. Hm!

◆ Aurora Spa Rituals Rose Otto & Nettle Clarifying Shampoo and Burdock & Rose Revitalising Conditioner, sample size 50 ml each
These bottles are at least enough for a couple of applications on my long, wild hair, and with rose in the ingredients, they smell absolutely wonderful. These babies are coming into the shower with me! They are Australian-made and -owned, and not tested on animals.

◆ Phytocare Citrus Burst Daily C, 3.7g sachet x2
Keeping your insides beautiful is important too, and these Vitamin C sachets will go a long way towards that, I'm sure. The daily dose is 1-2 sachets, so this will give me a small taste.

Summary: This month's box was quite passable. There were two body products, but they were balanced out with some cosmetic, hair and face care content. It was also a good mix of new/indie brands and familiar faces. I probably would have listed the Vitamin C sachets as a bonus product but, meh. The value was all right, nothing to complain about. There was only one full-sized product (the lipstick), which was a little disappointing. The thing that really irked me about this box was the ""Bonus Product"", a You Me & Everybody Bodhi Me Hand Wash. This wasn't included in the box because it was too big: it comes for free with purchase from the Bella Box online store. I'm sorry, but I think that's a little bit cheeky. It's a bonus when you buy extra stuff from the store, not the core subscription box. Surely they could think of a less sneaky way to encourage people to buy stuff from the store, like free shipping or a discount code. And it's only a hand wash, for sheesh sake! RRP $5.99! I didn't bother. So they get a point off from me for that. Otherwise, I'm happy.

Total Value: $48.59. Cost of Box: $15.00. Benefit: $33.59
Rating: 6/10

Empties July 2012

Yes, I know this post is way late! I haven't been in the mood for blogging much lately, but I finally got around to taking a photo of my empties tonight.



Cussons Imperial Leather Classic - Lasts a long time, but I hate the smell of this stuff. I always have!
Nougat London Tuberose & Jasmine Nurturing Hand Cream - (sample size) smelled good but made my eczema flare up.
Pantene Aqua Light Conditioner - Made my hair a little smoother, but not enough for me to have a clear preference.
Sebastian Professional Volupt Shampoo and Conditioner - (sample sachets) The shampoo foamed up well, smelled good, slightly floral and hair felt clean. The conditioner was smaller and wasn't enough to cover all of my hair, so I couldn't really form an opinion.
Palmer's Olive Oil Hand Cream - (travel size) was great with my eczema and smelled good. I would definitely get it again. It was a bit greasy though, so only use at home. I had to cut the tube open to get the last bit out. Another reason to use only at home.
Carmex Moisture Plus SPF Lip Balm - The only SPF lip product I've tried which didn't taste disgusting and made my lips feel soft. Used it every day at work. Definitely a high-rotation product.
Sebastian Professional Volupt Potion 9 Wearable-Styling Treatment - (sample sachet) made hair feel a little more smooth at first, but after a few days it was horribly tangled and rough. No way would I use that again!
Hotel Aloe Vera Soap - yet another standard tiny soap.
Lush Solid Shampoo Trichomania - Made my hair quite soft and smelled good. However, it went soft and disintegrated very quickly. I would try it again, but keep it in a room other than the bathroom next time.
The Face Shop Real Nature Kelp Mask - seemed to bring out some impurities in my face a few days after use - well, my skin didn't seem as smooth, anyway. Not sure if I would re-purchase.
emerginC Kombucha Cleanser - (sample size) Clear gel with a subtle citrus smell. A standard cleanser that did the job OK. Might consider getting again if it weren't so expensive.
Trilogy Traveller's Set: Cleanser - (travel size) really loved this. smelled great and worked well. Would get again.
Bloom Ginseng Daily Facial Moisturiser - had a nice, faint citrus smell and sank into my face well, but didn't seem to have much of an improving effect on my skin.
Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream - (sample size) seems to be a very similar formula as the Jurlique exfoliant. Didn't seem to clean my skin, but did leave it feeling soft.

Lust Have It Beauty Box: April 2012

After trying to find time all week to pick up this month's Lust Have It Beauty Box from the post office, I finally had time this morning. I'd been absolutely itching to get another box, so it was quite agonising, I can tell you! I also read some very interesting news yesterday - Lust Have It have acquired GlossyBox (the one I unsubscribed to last month, remember?). I guess I wasn't the only one who thought that GB wasn't quite up to scratch? If I had still been a GB subscriber, the email assured me, then my subscription would have been automatically transferred to Lust Have It so I could continue to receive uninterrupted sample-y goodness.
Umm... have they heard of the right to privacy? Have they heard of asking? I would have been really PO'ed if it had happened to me. No more ranting about GB though, they're out of my life forever. The field of beauty box companies in Australia is now reduced to 3. Interesting times ahead.
Anyway, here is April's Box. The products came inside a pretty blue makeup pouch (making it a little hard to photograph, sorry about that!). The pouch is lined and seems quite sturdy; I think I'll use it to keep my smaller samples and sachets in, so I'm happy about that.



I Nuovi Professional Glitterati in Blonde Fever, full-size pot.
This seems to be a multi-purpose glitter that you can use on your eyes, face, body and even nails, with a topcoat. The colour I received was gold. The other colourways, according to the card, seem to be blue and purple. I'm really not a glitter kind of girl, but I might try it next time I go to a party or something?
Conscience time: I Nuovi Professional is an Italian company. It does not test on animals.

emerginC Phytocell Moisturiser and Kombucha Cleanser, cleanser 3ml; moisturiser 3ml x2
I do love skin care products, and these look very interesting. It's one of the first 'cosmeceutical' brands I've had the chance to try. The full sizes are quite pricy, so it's a brand I wouldn't have tried normally. I'm glad to have received these. I like the shape of the sachets, too. They have a base so that they stand up on their own. It's the little things that can sometimes make a difference!
Conscience time: I believe it's a U.S. company, but their website was vague on that. They don't test on animals.

De Lorenzo Elements Ocean Mist Sea Salt Styling Spray, full-size bottle.
Of course, I've heard of sea salt sprays, but never really thought of using them. Normally I like my hair to be smooth and silky, not textured and messy. However, I was going to a garden party today, so I thought why not give something a different a go? Yes, this ended up being a same-day-trial product. And I really like it! I'd just assumed that it wouldn't have much effect, as my hair normally baulks at anything I try to do to it. But I ended up with messy textured waves that looked beachy cool. Wow! I may well purchase this product again.
Conscience time: De Lorenzo is an Australian company, founded by an individual (actually, two brothers). It does not test on animals.

True Solutions All Day Tinted Moisturising Cream SPF 30+, 20ml sample size bottle.
I already have a tinted moisturiser, but I thought I'd try this out for the garden party and this ended up being a same-day-trial product, too. The product was very thick in consistency: if my skin hadn't been warm and damp from the shower, I might have had some trouble blending it in. However, I liked the tinting: subtle but not so much as to be invisible. As for the 'all day' claim, I can't really say as I don't have problems with skin going dry anyway. It was quite a good product and I'll definitely use it up. And because it was made in Australia, where we have strict standards for SPF products, I don't have to worry that it might not have the full spectrum of ingredients to protect my skin from the sun. (I'm still concerned after reading the review of the Sheer Cover product on the Beautypedia website.)
Conscience time: The website was a little confusing, but I think the company was founded by an Australian. It's definitely made in Australia. It does not test on animals.

Spa Fresh Blends Romantic Discovery Bath Salts, sample sachet, estimate 50g.
Supposedly these bath salts smell like sweet orange, bergamot and ylang ylang. Sounds good! I don't take baths very often anymore (the bathtub in our new place is shallow and gets dirty very easily), but I might have to make an exception to give this a go.
Conscience time: Spa Fresh Blends was founded by an individual. Its animal testing status is not listed on its website.

Summary: Yes, this was a pretty good box. The makeup didn't enthuse me at all, but there were some other exciting skin and hair care products. Only 2 of the products were full-sized, but the value of the box was up there with the best.

Total Value: $72.70. Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $57.80
Rating: 7/10