Beauty Boxes: Lust Have It September 2012

I'm a little late reviewing the September 2012 box. What can I say - I've been busy! So, this time the pack came in a pretty silver makeup bag. I have about 5 now, I think, all in different colours, and I've been using them to store my samples in. Handy! Here is this month's haul:


Here we see:

♥ Aum Gentle Facial Foam Cleanser, sample size 20ml.
I've sampled quite a few facial cleansers lately but I always like to have more. I love washing my face and feeling it squeaky clean. This smells divine, like lavender and ylang ylang and I can't wait to use it! It is not tested on animals.

♥ YSL Opium Vapeurs de Parfum, sample vial 1.5ml
This perfume is so new it's not even in stores yet, so I feel quite special being able to sample it. In fact, I even wore it to the wedding I attended recently. I really like the spicy smell - it's not as intense as Chloe, but not as floral as Lola.

♥ Davroe Colour Senses Ends Repair, sample size 50ml
I liked the Davroe detangler that I received a while back, and this end-repairing serum for coloured hair suits my hair profile perfectly. It's Australian and not tested on animals.

♥ Morrissey Hand & Body Lotion, sample size 40ml
I reluctantly broke the seal to smell this lotion - the bottle is so sophisticated-looking I didn't want to ruin it! It has an unusual scent of blood orange and lime that I quite like. Morrissey is Australian, not tested on animals, and paraben-free.

♥ Mirenesse Ace of Base Concealer, sample size 1.5g
I was excited to be able to try the Mirenesse Concealer. My current Smashbox Concealer is a bit yellow for my skintone, but this has a much pinker hue. It's a winner! I took it with me on holidays and tried it out a few times, not least of all for my wedding makeup look. Yay!

Summary: Despite the very low value of this month's box, I actually really like it. There's a good mix of product samples: face, body, hair, makeup and perfume. Facial cleansers and perfumes are two of my big weaknesses, so I did squee a bit when I saw them! And I was very impressed with the Mirenesse concealer. I have to say that I also loved the colours of the different bottles and vials - don't they look lovely against the background of the silver bag? Unfortunately all of this month's items were sample-sized, resulting in a very low box value compared to past boxes. I've taken a couple of points off for that, but even still, it scores a decent 7 out of 10.

Total Value: $27.21. Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $12.26
Rating: 7/10

Review of Yves St Laurent Teint Parfeit Complexion Enhancer

I wrote this review a while back and submitted it to a reviewing site, but I never heard back from them. I hate to waste a piece of writing, so I thought I'd post it here instead.


The Yves St Laurent
Teint Parfait Complexion Enhancer

ABOUT MY SKIN:
skin tone: very fair
issues: combination T-zone; occasional pimples; redness; dark circles

TEXTURE & SMELL: The Complexion Enhancer has a creamy consistency, which is easy to spread with either fingers or a sponge, etc. It isn't too thick or too runny. There is a very faint powdery, 'makeup-y' smell which I thought was pleasant.

COVERAGE & APPEARANCE: This product is advertised as an enhancer and bronzer rather than a foundation, so it doesn't cover up blemishes, but I wasn't expecting it to, so I'm happy with it.
The shade I have is No. 3 Champagne, which is a little dark for my skin, but I only apply a small amount and it looks fine. The cream itself sinks right into my skin, leaving bronzey-coloured sparkles. On my fair skin, it gives a 'sun-kissed' look. It doesn't conceal my dark eye circles completely, but the sparkles reflect light, which reduces their appearance. The enhancer comes in at least 8 shades, so there is one suitable for every skin tone.
I would not use this as a makeup base as the advertising suggests, as the sparkles sit on the skin and this would just knock them off. I found the enhancer stayed throughout most of the day. Re-application was only necessary after I added another product such as re-applying my sunscreen.

OIL CONTROL: I have fairly oily skin, and have never had any breakouts or other problems with this product. As the enhancer is quite creamy in texture, I think it would be suitable for dry skin, too.

VALUE: I was given this by a friend who received it as a free sample. (Hence why I ended up with a shade that was a bit dark for my skin tone.) On Strawberry Net it retails for $42.50 for the 30ml tube, which is more than I'd normally pay for an enhancer. However, the tube has lasted me well over a year, so I think it's good value for money.

CONCLUSION: I used this product nearly every day and was very happy with the result. It was great for an everyday enhancer when I wanted a quick, no-fuss makeup routine, and for special occasions I just added a little more. I would definitely spend the extra money to buy it again.