Beauty Boxes : Lust Have It June 2013

I was so excited when my Lust Have It Box arrived two weeks earlier than normal! They sent an email advising that payments and postal arrangements would be occurring earlier in the month, so no-one would have to wait til the end of the month for their box. My May box came so late, it was already June, and I was too demoralised to even write a review at all. So I think it's a wonderful change. This month's box is again in the signature 'L' box. So far I've found uses for the other lidded boxes I've received, and I'm sure this one will be no different. The theme for this month is The Great Gatsby, so appropriate with the film having come out only a couple of weeks ago. I love the glamour and sophistication of the Jazz Age, so let's see what I got!:

❀ Batiste Dry Shampoo in Cherry Scent, travel size 50ml.
I like to have dry shampoo in the house for times when I'm really busy. It's not really a luxury product, but the cherry smell is appealing. The cherry more evocative of the 1950s than the 1920s I think! But it still has a touch of glamour to it.

❀ Pure Fiji Hydrating Body Lotion in Coconut, sample size {estimate 50ml}.
I was excited to see this one. I haven't forgotten the Pure Fiji Body Butter I received last year, so when I saw the logo again, I squeed! Pure Fiji products are on my wishlist of things I'd like if I want to splurge a little, and getting this little reminder pushed them up to the top again. I'm looking forward to using this luxurious lotion.

❀ Real Purity Natural Lipstick in Romantic Red, sample size {estimate 2g}.
The amazing blood red colour of this lipstick sample just screams 1920s! Unfortunately I don't have much occasion to wear bright red lipstick, but I do admire women who can rock a red lip. I want to step out of my comfort zone and try it one day. The disposable lipstick brush that was supplied will come in handy, too. It came with a 10% off coupon code for the Real Purity online store.

❀ Aromatherapy Associates Signature Bath and Shower Oil, sample vial 3ml.
The name Aromatherapy Associates sounded familiar to me, so I checked back through my tags and, yes, LHI provided a moisturiser and face mask from this brand last August. I have a good memory for beauty products, obviously! To be honest, I haven't used those products yet - they aren't suitable for my skin type so I put them near the bottom of the queue. The Bath and Shower Oil is much more appealing to me though. I opened the vial and, oh it smells divine! I'm planning on using it ASAP. I imagine if the moisturiser and face mask had come in resealable packaging instead of sachets, and I'd had a chance to smell them, I probably would have used them sooner. The smell of a product is half of its appeal to me. That's why I want to get cracking on this Bath and Shower Oil as soon as possible!

❀ Doctor Babor Biogen Cellular Ultimate Repair Gel-Cream, sample size {estimate 5g}.
I've never heard of this brand from Germany before, so I'll be interested to give it a try. Facial moisturisers are one of my weaknesses, and I'm curious as to what a gel-cream is! It came with an offer for a free cleanser with purchase from the Doctor Babor online store.

Summary: Overall I have to say this box was a little ho-hum. I was excited by the Great Gatsby theme, but I don't think the products themselves lived up to that expectation. None of the products were full-sized, and there were only 5, no bonuses. I know the guarantee is for a minimum of 5 products, so I'm not complaining. To have received a couple of full-sized products and/or some nice bonus products would have been much more consistent with the luxurious, glamorous feel of the 1920s. Having said that, there were some products that I really liked and will definitely use soon. There was a good mix of hair, makeup, body and face products.

Rating: 6/10
Gunna Use It Right Now Rating: 40%

Favourites from the Boxes 2012 - Part 1

I've been subscribed to various beauty subscription boxes for just over a year now, so I thought I'd do a feature on the favourite products that I've received in 2012. It was a tough job, but I managed to whittle it down to 12. Here are the first 6; Part 2 is coming soon!

P.S. The photos were schlurped from the original photos I took when I originally received the boxes, so the quality isn't the best on some of them. I apologise for my laziness!

❤ Pure Fiji Coconut Milk and Honey Body Butter, Bella Box, June -- this generously-sized sample pot was a clear favourite. The creamy honey with a hint of tropical coconut smell made me swoon whenever I screwed off the lid. Unfortunately the product is a little expensive - RRP $29.95 - but it's definitely on my wishlist!
❤ Carmex Moisture Plus SPF 15+ Lip Balm, Bella Box July -- I've raved about this product before, I know! But it's the only SPF lip balm I've tried that didn't taste/smell disgusting. Plus I really like the product story: the brand is run by a family who give the products out to friends to test. Cute!

❤Tigi Catwalk Session Series Styling Cream, Lust Have It, August -- it was a toss-up between this product and the John Frieda Frizz-Ease serum - they both work really well on my crazy hair. The Tigi won out though, because I received a full-size tube. I smooth it on my hair before twisting into a bun, and the fly-aways on the sides of my head, and it makes a huge difference to my look.
❤e.l.f. Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Cherry Tart, Bella Box, October -- e.l.f. is a cheap and cheerful brand, but this product just appealed to me somehow. Maybe it's the twist-and-click tip or maybe the colour. I started using it straight away and I use it just about every day. It's a pretty shade of pink, and adds shine without being glittery or sticky. (I have no problem with glittery at all, but some days that's just not what I want!)

❤Mirenesse Ace of Base Concealer, Lust Have It, September -- I'd heard great things about this product, and it's not half-bad. The colour is less yellow than many other concealers I've seen, and it suits my skin tone well. It doesn't provide complete coverage, but it evens out my dark circles and and the red marks on my nose quite well. I use it on days when I need an extra boost, or when I can't be bothered with a full face of makeup.
❤Montaser Cosmeceuticals Renitence Eye Revival Cream, Lust Have It, October -- Montaser is an Australian brand that use a combination of native plant botanicals and the latest scientific ingredients in their products. Unfortunately it's way too expensive for me (RRP $79.90 for 30 mls), but that just made me savour it even more while it lasted. The cream made my under-eye area feel smoother, but the best part for me was the smell. Have you ever smelled or tasted wattle seed? It's absolutely divine - like a cross between caramel and coffee with a dash of cream. I also had my first ever taste of wattle seed ice cream this year ... I was in heaven! Sadly I will probably never get to use this product or anything from the Montaser line again, but the great thing about beauty boxes is that I at least did get to try it once.

Stay tuned for Part 2 in a couple of days!

Empties August 2012

I don't have so many empties this month. I was too busy to pamper myself much, or make a conscious effort to use up samples like I have in past months. Nevertheless, here's what I did use up:

My Beauty Diary Mexico Cactus Mask [not shown] - this was the first in my box of 10 that I got from YesStyle. It had a lovely fresh green smell and was very relaxing to use. I'm looking forward to using the rest.

Dermalogica Sheer Face SPF15+ Moisturiser (sample sachet) - it smelled nice, faintly like lavender, but I prefer 30+ in my sun protection moisturisers. I kept saving it for days when it was really cloudy or I wouldn't be going outside much. I'm a bit paranoid about the sun! I won't get the full-size of this one.

Natural Selections Escapism Beauty Bars in Wild Berries & Alpine Tulip [not shown] - This was the first in a packet of 2. It smelled lovely and I'm very glad I have another one stashed away.

Pure Scents Soap in Chamomile Tea (sample size) [not shown] - this was very tiny and quite old (moisture had seeped into it), so I didn't get much of a chance to experience it before it disappeared down the drain.

Aloe Vera Hotel Guest Soap - just another tiny hotel soap. I can't even remember where I got it. The performance was standard.

True Solutions All Day Tinted Moisturising Cream SPF30+ (sample size) - this was a very generous sample size bottle, and it lasted for ages. I used it a lot on the weekend, when I didn't want to bother with full foundation or BB Cream. The formula was a little thick, but I really liked the tint: it gave my skin a lovely glow. The full price is very expensive I believe though, so unfortunately I'll probably give it a miss.

The Body Shop Body Scrub in Pink Grapefruit - I've had this for a very long time and finally decided to use it up. It had a lovely zingy scent which really woke me up, and had lots of scrubbing power. I can't remember if it was a full-size or a gift-size, but I wish the container had been bigger!

Pure Fiji Coconut Milk and Honey Body Butter (sample size) - Oh My Gosh. The smell of this was absolutely divine. I almost swooned whenever I unscrewed the lid. Then when I could smell it on my skin after applying it (and it lasted a while), it made me feel happy and calm. It was nice and thick and had good moisturising effect as well. I know I'm going on, but honestly this stuff is in my Top 5 Best Smelling Products! (Don't ask me what the other 4 are right now, because I only just made that up!) Sadly, it's pretty expensive ($29.95 for a 250ml pot), but next time I feel like a treat, this is what I'm ordering.

So there's my August wrap-up. My posts haven't been very regular lately, and I apologise for that. I've been very busy at work and focussed on other things. Poor blog: neither of my beauty boxes for August are up yet, let alone any reviews. I've got a bit of catching up to do! So there'll be a bit of posting spam for the next week or so until I get back into regular posting. See you soon!

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P.S. I realised after I edited the picture that I haven't finished the Dove Soap yet. Oops! I will talk about that next month after I've actually finished it.

Beauty Boxes: Bella Box June 1012

My Bella Box actually arrived the day after my Beauty Basket (last Thursday), but I'm sick at the moment, and only had the oomph for one box at at time! I really wish they hadn't arrived so close together, because one always seems better than the other and it can be a little disappointing. This month's Bella Box trumped the competition, I have to say! The theme was Winter Escape, perfect for the current cold weather. And here it is! (Sorry the photo is a bit lacklustre, it was hard to photograph so many different shaped items, and I wasn't really in the mood.)



Benefit Porefessional Pro Balm, sample size 7.5ml.
This was the first thing I saw when I opened the box, and I was highly excited! I have a problem with large pores, and all the beauty blogs are raving about this primer. I have a suspicion that I might be happier with my makeup application if only I could find the right primer, so I'm definitely going to give this a go. It's in an adorable flip-open cardboard holder with tips on it as well.

Benefit Total Moisture Face Cream, sample size 3.5ml.
Another Benefit product! Yay! I can't afford to buy Benefit products normally - the joy of beauty boxes means I can still try them. Apparently this contains tri-radiance complex and mango butter. Sounds nice!
Conscience time: Benefit is a U.S. brand. It tests on animals where required by law.

Pure Fiji Coconut Milk and Honey Body Butter, sample size, est. 50ml.
I have so many body moisturisers! I'm kind of glad this is a sample size and not a full-size, I have to admit. The smell is subtle but lovely, so I'm sure I'll enjoy using it.

Sally Hansen Colour Quick Chrome Fast-Dry Nail Colour in Red Chrome, full size pen.
Nail pens are nothing new, but I don't doubt the quality of Sally Hansen products. I swatched the colour on a piece of paper and it's a light, bright metallic red. Definitely a toe-colour for me! (i.e. too bright to get away with wearing to work.) It does seem to dry fast (on the paper).
Conscience time: Sally Hansen is a U.S. company. It doesn't test on animals.

Be In Awe Vimala Gentle Cleanser, sample sachets 3ml x 2.
Be In Awe Shaanta Night Balm, sample size 5ml.
I'm intrigued by their catchline 'ancient wisdom encapsulated'. The range is based on Ayurvedic principles. I'm more of a modern technology girl, myself. I like it when I'm given more than one product from the range: if something was wonderful or terrible, you have a better idea if it's a one-off or not. I look forward to trying these out.
Conscience time: Be In Awe is not tested on animals.

Fan Di Fendi Fragrance, sample sachet.
The fragrance came in a sample sachet which I'm guessing has some kind of towelette inside? In that case, it's only good for one application, which is a little disappointing. I want to save it for a special occasion, but if I don't like the smell, then do I have to wear it to my birthday party??
Conscience time: Fendi is owned by Unilever, which do test on animals.

Bonus: Olea Olive Leaf Drops, 4 lozenges.
I swear, everything has olive leaf in it now! These lozenges also have manuka honey and antioxidants, so they're good for colds. I really need them right now! I bet they taste better than Strepsils as well. ツ
Conscience time: Olea Olive Leaf is owned by Comvita, the N.Z. mob I got some products from a few boxes back. The olive grove is in Queensland, though. They don't test on animals.

Summary: Bella Box have come up with a big box this month - it contains 8 products! I was impressed to see a brand new product, the Benefit Porefessional, which shows that Bella Box keep up with current trends. The value of the box was quite good. It was heavy on the skin care side of things, and not really any makeup except for the primer. Skin care is my favourite, so I'm not complaining, but some others might not like it so much. The Olea Lozenges were the quirky but appropriate bonus that Bella Box are starting to be known for. Overall, I approve of this box heartily. Now I'm gonna have a cup of tea!

Total Value: $63.23. Cost of Box: $15.00. Benefit: $48.23.
Rating: 9/10