My First Lust Have It ..Eco Box..!

In a fit of excitement, I decided I needed even more beauty sample goodness, so I subscribed to Lust Have It's Eco Box. A separate subscription box to LHI's monthly service, the Eco Box is a little more expensive ($24.95), is released quarterly (with the seasons!), and contains only products that are not tested on animals, and are organic and made locally where possible. Yes, the Eco Box is a little more expensive than the normal monthly box, but it promises a larger selection of products, with more full-sized offerings. The box was larger than the monthly subscription box, and impressively hefty. The products were packed in a hessian bag, which fits with the Eco theme, but I think I'll just throw it away as it's a bit smelly. Nevertheless, I was excited when I pulled my products out!

Let's see what I got!:

❀ Savi Wellbeing Body Cream, sample size 20ml.
This organic body moisturiser smells divine - calming with a slight hint of citrus. The Australian botanicals really come out in the scent. I was instantly transported back to the time I had a holiday in Daylesford and went to a day spa. *sighs* My skin felt really soft afterwards. If only the sample bottle was bigger! I know I'll tear through it in no time! The product is made in Australia.

❀ Pretty Serious Nail Polish in Tux, full size 11ml.
Tux is a black nail polish with green micro-glitter. I don't really like very dark nail polishes, but I thought the glitter would redeem this for me. However, when I tried it out, I could only see the glitter from very close up. Otherwise it just looks plain black. That was a little disappointing. I don't wear black nail polish normally, so I think I'll give this one away. It was pretty long-lasting and I do like the brand's image though, so I might check out their other colours. Pretty Serious is an Australian brand.

❀ e.l.f. Cosmetics Mineral Eyeshadow in Royal, full size.
Mineral makeup products are supposedly easier on the skin than the alternative, though I personally don't see much of a difference - except in the price: I'm so cynical! ;) This eyeshadow is a beautiful shimmering purple colour; I don't have anything quite like it. Powder eyeshadows can be a bit scary for the spillage factor, but there's a sensible dispenser in the lid that should make using it much easier. I'm happy with this one and will definitely use it.

❀ Alfaparf Milano Anti-Frizz Oil Shampoo, Anti-Frizz Mask and Absolute Oil, sample sachets and 10ml bottle.
I'm always happy to try a new hair product, though the full sizes are sadly out of my price range. I tried the absolute oil on my hair earlier this evening, so it's a bit early to tell if it works, but it sure smells good and has a satisfyingly thick texture. It contains Prickly Pear oil, with moisturising properties, and all the products are paraben- and colourant-free. Alfaparf Milano comes from Italy.

❀ McArthur Complete Skincare Cream, full-size 250ml.
The drawcard of this product is that it contains 60% Mc Arthur Pawpaw Extract (TM), though neither the bottle nor the enclosed flyer explain how this is better than normal pawpaw extract. Call me cynical, but I'm put off by the near-miraculous claims and untenably complicated application instructions. It also has a really strange smell - citrus and lavender and something else that I can't quite describe. Having said all of that however, I love this product. Why? Because it doesn't make my eczema flare up! I can't count the number of hand creams I've had to throw away after only a few uses. Thankfully this comes in a nice big pump pack. This product is made in Australia and does not contain parabens.

❀ Wotnot Facial Wipes, full-size.
By an amazing coincidence, I was planning to buy some facial wipes the very day that my box arrived, as I noticed I was running low. I'm pleased to see that these contain organic aloe vera and rosehip oil. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into them. Wotnot is an Australian company.

Summary: I was happy with my first Lust Have It Eco Box. There was a good mix of skin care and cosmetics. The only disappointment was that the nail polish colour was not to my taste. I really liked everything else - and it's not often that I have so few negative comments about a beauty box!
I really like the idea of the Eco box. I don't have to worry about getting that pang of guilt when I open a box and see a product from a brand that tests on animals. I also like the idea of getting a larger box at longer intervals. I'm starting to get to the stage in my beauty box career that I want quality just as much as quantity. I'm happy to wait a bit longer if I know I'm going to get a larger proportion of full-sized products, in a more-thoughtfully put together box.
My only question now is ... so when's the Winter box coming out???

P.S. Today's photo was taken with my new camera that I received for my birthday. I hope you'll notice the difference in image quality from now on!

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!

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