Showing posts with label Aurora Spa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aurora Spa. Show all posts

19 January 2013

Beauty Boxes: Bella Box January 2013

Yes people, it's 2013! I have to apologise for being away for so long. I had all sorts of exciting things lined up for the blog, but then I came down with the flu and I could barely move for 3 weeks. I didn't even feel like using beauty products, let alone reviewing them! Drastic times. But now I'm back with the contents of my January 2013 Bella Box. And I have to say, I'm pretty disappointed with this month's box. Here's what it contained:

❏ You, Me and Everybody Cool It Aloe Vera Gel, full size 100ml.
Aloe Vera Gel isn't the most exciting product, but it might come in handy for one of the very rare occasions that I spend too much time out in the sun. (As I've mentioned before, I'm completely paranoid about sun exposure and I even apply sunscreen when I know I'm going to be inside all day!) YM&E seems like a very interesting brand, and I would like to have seen something more interesting and different from them, like the Skin Mousse I received back in September.

❏ Aurora Spa Rose and Aloe Body Cleanser and Ultra Rich Body Cream, sample size 50ml each.
These products are listed separately on the card. Perhaps I'm being unfair, but to me, two products from the same brand, a pair of items if you will, would perhaps be better listed as a single product. Or at least add a 6th product to the box to make up for it. That's just me. Having said that, these products smell absolutely freakin' amazing, and I can't wait to use them! This brand appeared before in the August Bella Box. It is Australian owned and made, and not tested on animals.

❏ Natio Pure Mineral Skin Perfecting BB Cream, sample sachet 5ml.
I love my BB Creams, and perhaps I'm a little precious about them. The BB Creams made by many Western companies have gotten a bad rap in the beauty world, so I'm a little suspicious of this one. It does have green tea, chamomile and SPF 15 (I'll wear sunscreen anyway as I never settle for less than SPF 30), so it might be alright. However, it comes in an ungenerous 5ml sachet, which will probably be only enough for 2-3 applications. (Even the card says, "yes, we know it's a sachet...") It comes in Fair, Medium and Tan, and the colourway I received is Medium, which will probably be too dark for my fair skin. (This supports rumours that beauty box companies do not actually pay any attention to customers' profiles!) Seeing as it's a BB Cream though, I'm curious to give it a try anyway and see if it's any good. I'd better do it soon though while it's still Summer, or I might look like I'm one of the orange ladies from Jersey Shore. ツ

❏ Face of Australia Colour Max Eyeshadow Palette in Mercury Rising, full size.
While Face of Australia has a good reputation, it's kinda everywhere and would certainly not be classed as a 'luxury' brand. I really love eyeshadows - I'm a colour girl - so I'm glad I received this rather than the lipgloss that was the alternative (I have sooo many of those, sigh). I think I'll put this away until winter though: the greys in this palette really seem like winter colours to me. Also, the black pan is cracked, but that's the colour I'd be least likely to use anyway, so I'm not really fussed.

Summary: Other subscribers received different products this month: a Swisse body wash (their hand cream smells divine so I'm curious about their other products), Face of Australia cleansing wipes (would have come in handy), a bright pink nail polish (I already have polish in the same shade so I'm glad I didn't get it), and at least one I saw got a bonus wall decal. Taking that into consideration, I'm glad I got the products I did, but I'm still a bit disappointed. Bella Box's last few boxes have made me start to re-consider my subscription. The RRP of the products is still more than the $15 per month I pay for the box, but they just don't thrill me like they used to. (Aside from the Savoir Faire palette last month, that was pretty amazing!) I'll reserve my judgement and make a decision in a few month's time.

Stay tuned for more posts coming up soon! I'll be writing about:
* my Christmas haul!
* Etsy indie makeup purchases!
* reviews!
* Asian beauty haul!!

03 September 2012

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