Beauty Boxes: Bella Box October 2012

My Bella Box came so early this month, it was a lovely surprise! So I feel pretty bad about reviewing it so late. Here it is anyway! This month marks the first anniversary for Bella Box, and I think they've delivered quite an impressive box with the theme Pretty in Pink Party. Behold!

✰ Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Instant Action lift Treatment, sample size 5ml.
What an exciting-sounding name! I don't know why many beauty companies give their products such fancy names: surely the actual result has to be a let-down compared to that! I'm getting to that age now where a little lifting may be in order, so I'll be closely watching the results on this one. Estee Lauder products are tested on animals where required by law.

✰ Clinique Turnaround Concentrate Extra Radiance Renewer, sample size 7ml.
This fancy-sounding product is actually an exfoliant. With my oily skin, I'm all for exfoliation! I really liked the Clinique products I've tried before, and I'm a new convert to chemical exfoliants. Clinique is owned by Estee Lauder, whose animal testing policy is above.

✰ Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Colour in Sonic Bloom, full size.
Wow, this bright pink is amazing! I don't have anything like it, probably because I would really have to be in a confident mood to wear something this bold. Some subscribers received the pastel pink shade Petal Pusher, but I'm glad I didn't - because I actually received it in a (non-Bella) box earlier in the year. My nail-painting drought is recently over (hello giant Orly bottle!) so I may debut it soon. I've been pleased with the performance of the Sally Hansen polishes I've received before, so, yay! I'm pleased to say that Sally Hansen products are not tested on animals.

✰ DKNY Fresh Blossom Eau So Intense, sample vial 1.5ml.
Funnily enough, I've almost used up the DKNY Verbena that I got back in April's Bella Box and was hoping to get another perfume. (A good beauty blogger never forgets! Or at least, has a good tagging system. ツ )
Crisp apple blossom and citrus combine to pack a punch in this intense scent. It conjures up warm summer's days, wandering through orchards in a floaty white dress. Normally I prefer sweeter or more spicy scents, but this one has a blend of fresh and floral that's appealing to me. DKNY is also owned by Estee Lauder.

✰ Cedel Blow Dry Faster Heat Protector, full size 165ml.
I have to admit, at first I was thinking "ho hum, another hair product, and a fairly low-shelf brand at that". Then I noticed that this product cuts down blow drying time. Interesting! With all my hair, something like that would come in really handy. And Cedel's not bad at all, really. I remember it from when I was a kid. Plus, it isn't tested on animals.

✰ e.l.f. Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Cherry Tart, full size.
e.l.f. (it's spelled with small letters and stands for eyes lips face) is a bargain makeup brand that's just arrived in Australia, and there's a lot of talk about it around the traps. How can a good quality product be so cheap? A quick look at their website just left even me excited. A free product worth $10 with a minimum spend of only $20. That got my heart beating faster! And they don't test on animals or use any animal ingredients, either.
As for the lipstick itself, it uses a twist-up mechanism to push the liquid lipstick into a sponge for application. It seems to be fairly sheer (hand swatch only at this stage) but I really like the cherry pink colour.

✰ Carmex Moisture Plus SPF 15 Lip Balm in Pink Sheer Tint, full size.
This product wasn't listed on the card at all, and it was outside of the tissue paper seal when I opened the box. I'm not sure what to make of it: was it a last second inclusion? Never mind, it always good to have more products rather than less, I think! This is the same SPF lip balm that I've come to know and love over the last few months, but with a very sheer pink tint. It'll be perfect for work! Carmex is a family-run company (I find that endearing) which doesn't test on animals.

✰ BONUS: Chocolatier Pink Heart Chocolate
Just about everyone loves chocolate; I was certainly won over by the pink heart. Well done, Bella Box!

Summary: Bella Box have done an excellent job with their first anniversary box. The theme is articulated very well, and we have the satisfaction of knowing that $1 from each box was donated to breast cancer research. It has a good mix of skin care, cosmetics, hair, nails and perfume. I declare it a winner!

Total Value: $59.17. Cost of Box: $15.00. Benefit: $44.17
Rating: 9/10

December Glossybox Beauty Box

A couple of days ago, I received my December Glossybox Beauty Box. I was pleasantly surprised, as I wasn't expecting it to come before Christmas. The cat seemed intriged by it, too!:



Source: Uploaded by user via ApartmentCat on Pinterest.

Here it is:


Source: Uploaded by user via ApartmentCat on Pinterest.


It was packaged in an impressively sturdy cardboard box. There was a candy cane, just like the Lust Have It box, but a full-size one this time! It contained:

Tigi Bed Head Manipulator, full size jar.
I was thinking of getting a new hair product, but this gloopy stuff isn't it. I touched my finger to it and got sticky stuff everywhere - and it was also hard to wash off! I can't imagine using this, and I don't know anyone that might use it, so it's pretty much useless.

Clinique Turnaround Overnight Radiance Moisturiser, 7ml jar.
Clinique is a brand I've wanted to try, but haven't due to the exhorbitant price tag. A quick sniff revealed practically no smell .... boring! I don't think 7mls is really enough to determine whether it has a beneficial effect. I have so many face creams now that I don't know when I'll get around to using it. So it's interesting, but not thrilling.
Beautypedia Verdict Summary: Does what it says on the box to some extent, however is unnecessarily expensive and the jar packaging results in contamination and lessening of effects.
28-JAN-12 edit: I've been using this every night for the last couple of weeks, and I think my skin feels noticeably smoother. I'm still aware that the jar packaging is not good for the product though, so I wouldn't buy a full-size jar.

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Creme, 50ml tube.
Yes, now this is something I really want! I love John Frieda products, and I've been thinking of buying an anti-frizz serum as my hair's been particularly crazy lately. I'm looking forward to trying it.
28-JAN-12 edit: I used this a few times on humid days and I have noticed the difference. It's not perfect, but much better. It smells good, too.

Carmex Moisture Plus Lip Balm full size tube.
A lip balm, little bit boring. I already have so many, I don't need more! But this is the first SPF lip product I've tried which didn't smell or taste disgusting. In fact, it smells lovely and made my lips lovely and soft. So I may well get it again.

Auscreen Sunscreen Lotion, 30ml tube.
Sunscreen? Hardly a luxury item! I already use this brand. I guess it's good to have a small size tube to carry in my handbag.

Summary: Although I was excited by the Frizz-Ease, overall I was pretty disappointed. The sun protection products will come in handy, but they're hardly exciting. Apparently some of the other subscribers received a perfume sample or a full-size Sally Hansen nail polish in their boxes. Also disappointing was the value of the products - a benefit of only $35 compared to $45 and $54 for the Lust Have It boxes I've received. I've decided to give the boxes a 4-month probation period, so hopefully it'll improve next month. According to recent reviews, the I Love This Box box is pretty good.

Total Value: $50.87 Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $35.92
Rating: 5/10