I Love This Box: The Verdict

STOP PRESS!!! I've just received an email saying that I Love This Box have closed down!
I was about to post this evaluation of the I Love This Box beauty boxes, with a positive verdict. Unfortunately the choice has now been taken out of my hands. I'll leave the post as-is though, so you can see my opinion.

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It's that time again ... time for the verdict!



These are the affiliate brands promised on the ILoveThisBox website, which I've received products from over the course of 4 months:

Avado ; Chikii ; Elizabeth Arden ; Essie ; haf ; ILoveThisBox Tools ; Just D'Lish ; Lancome ; Linden Leaves ; Maybelline (x2) ; Keratinology ; Olive by Langlois ; Revlon (x2) ; Rimmel London ; Thalgo ; The Aromatherapy Co.

These are the brands that I haven't received products from:

Adorn ; Ahava ; Caudalie ; Decleor ; Elixir ; Gatineau ; La Senza ; Nvey ECO ; Magnolia Silver Jewellery ; POD ; Simply Organic ; Smashbox

Aaaand here are the obligatory statistics:

Standard of Product
Luxury	0	0%
Top Shelf	2	10%
Middle Shelf	8	40%
Bottom Shelf	8	40%
Bargain Bin	2	10%

Please bear in mind that everyone's opinion is different! My evaluation of a valuable product/brand name might be different from others.

This second table is based on the out-of-10 rating I gave to each box. Here is how it works:
* a product scored a 2 if I was very excited by it; and/or it was something I needed and will definitely use ; and/or it's a type of product I love (e.g. eyeshadow) and also a brand I had been wanting to try.
* a product scored a 1 if it was a product I hadn't really needed but will use ; and/or it was a brand I had been wanting to try but a product in that brand I wasn't particularly interested in (but will still probably use)
* a product scored 0 if it was a disappointing cheap-o brand ; and/or a product I definitely won't use.
Now, I didn't record the actual scores for each product at the time, so I'm sort of re-creating the score, but here we go:

Wanted Factor
Scored High (2)	8	40%
Scored Medium (1)	8	40%
Scored Low (0)	4	20%

I used the above factors to give my box a rating out of 10. If I was particularly pleased with the box overall, I added 1, if there was anything that made me particularly disappointed overall, I subtracted 1. Here are the box ratings for the last 5 months, and the average rating overall:

Overall Box Rating
January 2012	7/10
February 2012	8/10
March 2012	7/10
April 2012	6/10
Average Rating:	7/10

7/10 is a pretty good rating, so I think I Love This Box stays! I do feel they're a little inconsistent. Some boxes made me squee, but others were a little disappointing. There weren't any luxury products in the boxes, but the Wanted factor was fairly high for most products. I think that's just as important. Because if you're not actually going to use the products, then what's the point? So I'll let I Love This Box stay for a little longer and see what happens.

Beauty Box: I Love This Box, April 2012

I had to wait all week for my I Love This Box to arrive. It hit the post office on Monday, and I had to wait until today to pick it up. So frustrating! It had better be good! Here it is:



Avado Sensitives Certified Organic Gel Exfoliant, full-size 100ml.
I've never heard of this Australian brand, but it looks very interesting. The range is based on organic avocado oil, which I've heard recently is very good for the skin. I already have an exfoliant (the yucky Proactiv one), but this one smells so much better, like gorgeous neroli. And it's full-size, too! I might ditch the other one and swap to this!
Conscience time: Avado Organics is an Australian brand, founded by an individual. It is not tested on animals.

Chikii Natural Salon Quality Mineral Cosmetics Blush or Bronzer, {size unknown}.
I don't really know what to make of this one. When I opened the box, this powder had leaked out of the little plastic bag, and all the other products were coated in a brown dust. According to the card, it's either a blush or a bronzer. I don't even know for sure which one it is, because the bag has no product information on it. (Though I'm pretty sure it's the bronzer, shade Brown Eye Girl). Also, according to the card, the full-size price is $50, but on their website it's $34. I'm confused.
I probably won't use this as a bronzer. I'd have to buy a blush brush, and find a container to keep it in. Too annoying. It's the wrong time of year for bronzer, anyway! I might mix it with one of my spare moisturisers and use it as a highlighter, though.
Conscience time: Chikii was founded by an individual. I think it's Australian. (The website is based in Australia but other details are very vague.) They are against animal testing.

haf Mineral Makeup Australia Eyeshadow in Mocha, full-size 5g.
I'm always open to a nice eyeshadow. This is a powder eyeshadow in a darkish matte brown. One of my aims is to practice applying more complicated makeup combinations. This could come in handy as a powder liner. I'm looking forward to giving it a try.
Conscience time: haf Mineral Makeup Australia is an Australian brand. It is 'animal cruelty free'.

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipcolour in Red Revival, full-size 4.2g.
I don't buy Maybelline or L'Oreal products anymore because of their stance on animal testing. Aside from that, I normally wear lip glosses rather than lipsticks. Aside from that again, this colour really isn't me! (See picture below). I doubt I will ever use it, so it'll probably just fester away in the back of my cupboard.
Beautypedia Rating Summary [see full here]: This product gets a Paula's Pick tick. It is moisturising and has a large range of colours.
Conscience time: Maybelline is owned by L'Oreal. Its animal testing status is not disclosed (i.e. they probably do).

Just D'Lish Soy Wax Candle in Pina Colada, full-size.
The alternative product for this is a soap, according to the card, but I'm glad I received the candle instead. It's something a bit different. It smells gorgeous, just right for brightening up a room in winter. The glass jar with lid can be re-used as well.
Conscience time: Just D'Lish is an Australian company. I could not find information about its animal testing status.


Maybelline Color Sensational Lipcolour in Red Revival.


Summary: Overall I'd say this box was, well, not disappointing per se, but just ... strange. It's Easter themed (with mini chocolate eggs included), but it arrived a couple of weeks after Easter. It focuses on organic and mineral products, but it includes the non-organic, mass-produced lipstick from Maybelline, a brand with dodgy animal-testing status. I loved some products, but others were really not appealing at all. I'm in two minds about this box. On the plus side, the value was very high (I'm calculating from the prices on the beauty box card and ignoring other sources.) I also like the little dividers it came with, so you can turn your box into a makeup storage box. That was pretty cool.

Total Value: $80.92. Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $65.97
Rating: 6/10

Last Month's Beauty Boxes: Looking Back on March 2012

Hi all! This is a new feature where I look back on my beauty boxes for the previous month and see whether I really did use the products in them. Previously I would edit my old posts and make notes on what I thought of the products, but I became dissatisfied with this way of doing it. I mean, aside from the blogger who wrote them, who goes back and reads old blog posts anyway? シ

So here we go with the March 2012 boxes (click on headings to see original reviews):

Lust Have It
Davroe Moisture Senses Argan Oil - haven't opened this yet, but very much looking forward to using it once I've finished my Garnier Smooth n Shine Serum (I'm phasing out Garner products due to their animal testing status).
Karpati DITO nail lacquer in Midnight Romance - used this on my toenails. Normally polish on my toenails lasts a couple of weeks, but this started to chip after only a few days. Unfortunately seems to be quite bad quality.
1Skin Solutions Lip Balm in Vanilla - in my lipbalm stash and next in the queue!
Kosmea Replenishing Moisture Cream - haven't opened this yet, but I just adored the exfoliant so very much looking forward to using it once my Jurlique Night Cream is finished. P.S. I was excited to see Kosmea products at Priceline and Chemist Warehouse recently!
Mirenesse Pearl Crush Creaseless Eyeshadow in Tahitian Pearls - love, love, love this! I use it all the time. The shadow is extremely pigmented and stays on all day.


Mirenesse Pearl Crush Creaseless Eyeshadow.
(Mine was a different colourway to this.)
From Pinterest.

I Love This Box
Essie Nail Polish 'Carry On' Autumn Collection in Lady Like - have only used this once, soon after I got it, but I adore it and will definitely use again. It was very long-wearing.
Maybelline New York XXL Pro Curl Mascara - have not opened yet, but will use when my current Maybelline mascara goes manky.
Sunsilk Co-Creations Frizz & Weather Defence, Weather Protection & Shine Serum - haven't opened yet. I've received a lot of hair products lately, so I'm not sure when I'll get around to it.
Thalgo Soft Hydrating Emulsion - I've been using this regularly. I like the sea salt smell and it makes my skin soft.
Glitter Puff Wand - not a product that you use, really. It's currently decorating my makeup station.


Thalgo range.

GlossyBox
Proactiv Cleansing Body Bar - Husband and I both used this bar, but after only a few days, we threw it away because it was giving us pimples and his back became very oily.
Eau Thermale Avene Thermal Spring Water - put this aside, may or may not use it. I do use a facial spritzer at work, but it has calming essential oils in it. This has nothing. Hm.
Nougat London Tuberose & Jasmine Nurturing Hand Cream - currently using. However, it sets off my eczema. (I'm bad like that: I'd rather use something up than throw it away, even if it's bad for my eczema.)
KMS California Free Shape Hot Flex Spray - currently using. I occasionally need to straighten my fringe, so I use it then.
Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream - currently using. Love the smell (very similar to Jurlique's exfoliating cream, actually) and makes my skin smooth. Not sure if it truly cleanses well, though.

Beauty Box Review: I Love This Box March 2012

I got to the post office with 5 minutes to spare this afternoon, and happily picked up my 'I Love This Box' beauty box for March. It was packed in lovely lavender tissue paper...



... and it contained:

Essie Nail Polish 'Carry On' Autumn Collection in Lady Like, 5ml sample
I've been wanting to try Essie for a while, and this nude colour is perfect! After getting blacks and bright reds in previous boxes, it's nice to get a colour I can wear to work and on days when I want something more toned-down.
Conscience time: Essie was founded by an individual, but is now part of L'Oreal, which test on animals.

Maybelline New York XXL Pro Curl Mascara, full size.
Maybelline isn't a luxury brand, but they're always coming up with interesting mascara concepts. Supposedly this mascara will curl and lengthen your lashes in a two-step process. Lash-wise, I could use all the help I can get! So I'm interested to see what this stuff does. I already have a few mascaras but, as the card included in the box reminded me, they don't last that long, so perhaps I should chuck one of my old ones.
Conscience time: Maybelline is owned by L'Oreal. Its animal testing status is unknown.

Sunsilk Co-Creations Frizz & Weather Defence, Weather Protection & Shine Serum, 40ml full-size
There was a Sunsilk product in last month's I Love This Box as well, and I noted the possibility that it was tested on animals back then. ILTB have paid attention to my beauty profile and sent me the frizz serum rather than the straight hair mist which is the alternative product on the card, so they get a tick there! The blue goo in a futuristic vial, surrounded by packaging which makes it look twice as large as it really is, strikes me as rather surreal. But hey, if it works, I won't mind!
Conscience time: Sunsilk is owned by Unilever, an Anglo-Dutch company. Some of their products are tested on animals.

Thalgo Soft Hydrating Emulsion, 30ml sample size
Ah, now Thalgo is a brand I couldn't afford to buy normally, a luxury brand. Thalgo uses marine algae and other sea-based substances in their products, and this certainly smells nice and ocean-y. I've already tested it out on the back of my hand and it's not greasy at all. I already have a veritable ocean of body moisturisers, but this one will rise to the top.
Conscience time: Thalgo is a French company. It is not tested on animals.

Glitter Puff Wand
What an odd item to find in my box! The puff is full of glitter; tap it on your skin to make it shimmer. It seems like filler to me but, you know what, I like it! I have a secret unhealthy obsession with Fairy Kei at the moment (probably a rebellion against my corporate work dress code), and this item reflects the aesthetic perfectly.
Conscience time: There is no brand name listed, so I have no idea.

Summary: This month's box had a good mix of skin, hair, nails, makeup and just plain fluff! Two of the products were full-sized (including the glitter puff, that makes 3), which is quite impressive. It didn't quite sweep me away with raptures like the Lust Have It box did, but it came close - the Essie nail polish and Thalgo product were big wins. The box value is middling, but certainly not the worst I've received. Overall, I'm happy.

Total Value: $54.84.* Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $39.89
Rating: 7/10
* There seems to be a typo on the cost of the Glitter Puff, but I'm going to assume it's supposed to be $12.50.

Review of February ILoveThisBox Beauty Box

Hello again already with another beauty box review. I picked up my 'I Love This Box' box from the post office this morning. It actually arrived at the post office on Monday, but I didn't have time to pick it up until today. Technically, it passed the 'did it arrive by Valentine's Day' test, but in practicality, it didn't. It doesn't mean that much to me anyway, but the box is very V.D. themed, so it would have been nice.
This month's box comes with red tissue paper, a sticker with a heart on it, and a generously-sized packet of red jelly beans! I went to the trouble of using my camera today instead of my ipod, so the photo is a little better quality. Here it is:



It contains:

Elizabeth Arden Red Door Eau de Parfum, 10ml bottle.
Now, this is a real luxury product! Elizabeth Arden was a pioneer in the beauty industry, so it's exciting to have her iconic Red Door perfume. I haven't spritzed it yet, but just from sniffing the nozzle, I think it smells good. This item makes me feel very special!
P.S. Did you know that Elizabeth Arden's real name was Florence Nightingale Graham?
Conscience time: Elizabeth Arden is a U.S. company, founded by an individual. It is not tested on animals.
21-MAR-12 edit: I like the smell of this perfume - sophisticated. But it's so strong! The fumes made my eyes water, so I sprayed it on my back instead!

Keratinology by Sunsilk Overnight Treatment, full-size 100ml.
Unilever, the parent company of Sunsilk, still test some of their products on animals, so I was a bit dismayed to find a product from this brand in my box. I heard recently that there are now leave-in treatments which work overnight to repair hair. I don't really see what the difference is to ones that work during the day! I guess I'll use it, seeing as I have it now, but I'm not too happy about it.
Conscience time: Sunsilk is owned by Unilever, an Anglo-Dutch company. Some of their products are tested on animals.

Nail File
I gave this file away to B before I had a chance to photograph it, so I put my glass nail file in the box so it didn't look too empty! It was a cute nail file with pink love hearts on it. As I said in my last GlossyBox review, nail files are not really an exciting product, but at least this one was designed to last a bit longer than the G.B. one, and its design was consistent with the Valentine's Day theme.
Conscience time: The brand is not listed. I don't imagine you'd test a nail file on animals, though.

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Kiss & Stay Lip Gloss, Colours of Love Series, in Lasting Passion, full-size 2 x 8ml.
I already have a lot of lip balms and glosses, so I wasn't overwhelmed with joy when I first saw this. But then I tried it out this afternoon and .... wow! It stays on like nothing else! My lips still feel sticky 5 hours later! I'm going to need to use makeup remover to get it off! Application is a two-step process: Step 1 is the colour, in this case a deep plum. Once that's dry, Step 2 adds the glittery gloss. The colour is a lot darker than I'm used to, but I can see myself using it at work where a) the shade will fit in well with my business persona; and b) I don't have time to worry about re-applying makeup.
So, even though this isn't a product from a luxury brand, its performance certainly makes up for it. Overall, I'm very happy with this.
Beautypedia Rating Summary [see full here]: This product gets the Paula's Pick (best) rating. It is very long wearing (more so than some other leading brands) and not drying.
Conscience time: Rimmel London is a U.K. brand, owned by Coty, a German company (originally French). It is not tested on animals.

The Aromatherapy Co. Rose & Patchouli Sensual/Soothing Hand & Nail Cream, full size 100ml.
I've never heard of this company before, but the product sounds lovely. I'm not going to open it straight away, as I have my full compliment of hand creams on the go already. I love rose-scented things though, so I'm looking forward to it.
Conscience time: The Aromatherapy Co. is a New Zealand company. It does not test on animals.

Summary: Despite the one product tested on animals, I loved this box! It has many of the products I like - hair care, hand cream, perfume. Most of the products were full-sized - and the perfume was a 10ml door-shaped bottle instead of the more usual 3ml vial - which pushed the value up quite a bit. As with this month's GlossyBox, the nail file was a 'meh' product, but the amazingness of all the other products made up for it (unlike GlossyBox!). So overall, I loved 'I Love This Box'!

Total Value: $66.13. Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $51.18
Rating: 8/10

'I Love This Box' Beauty Box January 2012

I have a confession to make - I did end up signing up for the 'I Love This Box' beauty box as well. Oops! I was very curious to find out what would be in it. The tissue was an appropriate green and gold theme for Australia day:


Sorry about the particularly terrible photo;
I've already edited the bahoozus out of it!

It contained:

ILoveThisBox Angular Eye Shadow Brush
I was just contemplating buying at least one more makeup brush, and now I don't have to. The brush is nice and soft, and I'm sure it will come in handy.

Linden Leaves Herbalist Rosemary & Cypress Shampoo, full size 85ml.
I almost had to laugh when I saw this was full-size! It looks like a teeny sample bottle next to my 900ml Tresemme shampoo! My hair is so thick and long, I'm sure it would only take 4 or 5 applications before the bottle was all gone. And at RRP $29.90, I'd be shampooed out of house and home in no time. The smell of rosemary is very strong.
21-FEB-12 edit: The smell of this shampoo is so strong that it makes my eyes water. It also makes my scalp itch so I only use it on the ends of my hair. Even still, it was gone after approx 6 applications.

Olive by Langlois Flavoured Lip Balm in Strawberry, full-size 5g tube.
The smell of strawberry in this lip balm is more subtle than, say, a Lip Smacker - and that's not such a bad thing! This has average staying power, but makes my lips feel so very smooth. This one is going straight in my handbag!

Revlon Nail Polish in Blackest Black, full-size.
I was glad to see a Revlon nail polish in my box; I've had good experiences with them before. However, I'm not so enthused by the colour. It's a glossy black (or possibly very deep blue) with a smattering of blue glitter in it. I certainly couldn't wear it to work, and I usually prefer to wear more subtle, easy care colours on the weekend as well. So I don't know if I can see myself using this.

Revlon Luxurious Colour Eyeliner in Very Violet, full-size.
Another Revlon product. This is a pretty basic dark purple eyeliner, though it does have a smudging tool at the other end. I'll occasionally wear eyeliner, and my old purple one is probably pretty manky by now (don't worry, I haven't used it recently!), so this might be a good replacement.
21-FEB-12 edit: I still haven't used this but perhaps one day?


Summary: Overall this was quite a good box. All of the products were full-sized (if you count the makeup brush). I was happy to receive the hair product and the lip balm. It was good value for money. The only small gripe I have is that 2 of the products were from the same brand.

Total Value: $95.70. Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $80.75
Rating: 7/10