Beauty Boxes: Bella Box May 2013

Once again I have to apologise for posting my review long after receiving the box! Life just gets in the way sometimes. So let's move straight into the What I Got part of the post:



❀ Lonvitalite C4 Coconut Milk Hydrating and Nourishing Facial Mask, sample 1 piece.
I am in loooove with cloth face masks and I've enjoyed the Lonvitalite products I've received before, so I'm looking forward to using this one soon! I like that the masks are colour-coded and numbered for various different skin concerns.

❀ Suigo Absolute Volume Keratin Treatment, sample size 100ml.
I haven't heard of Suigo before, but I'm impressed already with their generously-sized sample pot. Unfortunately my hair is extremely thick, not "fine [and] lifeless", so it doesn't really suit me. It could do with "shine and a light hold" though, so I'll give it a go anyway.

❀ Bloom Shadow Liner in Emerald Green, full size 0.4g
Yay, a Bloom product! This innovative wedge-shaped liner can be used for either precision lining or wide sweeps of colour. I have swatched it below and you can see the beautiful shimmering green colour with just a hint of gold. This is the sort of colour I would definitely wear! The pencil is a twist-up design, and unlike many cheaper designs, twists back down again too, to protect the tip. Lovely.


❀ La Roche-Posay Effaclar Foaming Gel AND Duo, sample sizes 3ml AND 15ml.
These products from the cult French brand are paraben-free and are designed to clear oily skin. Strangely enough, I have found my skin has been getting more oily over the last few years as I have gotten older, not less. So I'll certainly be using these products very soon!

❀ Manicare Duo Mascara Brushes, full-size pack of 10.
The pack contains 5 volumising and 5 curl-effect disposable mascara brushes. I suppose these could come in handy in certain circumstances - if you had a mascara that had a great formula but a terrible brush, for example. Or if you wanted to share your mascara with a friend. I can't really see any use for them myself, though. To be honest, Husband and I could probably put them to better use cleaning our computer keyboards or some other fiddly task.

❀ Sanctuary Spa Covent Garden Brightening Facial Illuminating Moisture Lotion SPF 15+, full-size 75ml.
This generously full-sized product retails at $19.95. Sanctuary Spa Covent Garden is a UK brand that is paraben-free and isn't tested on animals. The brightening effect appeals to me, however I'm a bit paranoid with my sun protection, and I prefer the SPF factor of my daytime moisturisers to be at least 30+. That way I'm more confident of the protection lasting at least until lunchtime. I'll probably use this on dull days so at least my skin will be bright, even if the weather isn't!

❀ BONUS: Nanoblur, sample sachet 2ml.
I saw this at Priceline a few months ago, and I tried it out on the fleshy part of my hand where I have a few wrinkles. It actually worked! Of course, the effect isn't permanent: the optical effect just reduces the look of wrinkles for a few hours, rather than actually getting rid of them. But it actually works! The irony of the situation is: I don't have wrinkles yet. Even when I'm very tired, it tends to come out as under-eye circles rather than wrinkles. So I have no use for this product (yet!). The other irony: it could be insulting if I offered this to a friend or relative! So I'm not sure what to do with it. It's nice though, to be given a product that I know works.


Summary: This month's Bella Box was quite generous and contained a good mix of products. I was excited to receive the Bloom and Lonvitalite products, and will certainly use most of the rest. Overall, it's not spectacularly exciting, but it's a good, solid offering.
Gunna Use It ASAP Rating: 62.5% (5 out of 8)

Beauty Boxes : Lust Have It April 2013

I need to apologise again for the lateness of my box review! I received this box about 2 weeks ago, and the reason for the delay isn't because I didn't like it! I've just been very busy lately. I did like this box, and again it came in a beautiful patterned keepsake box, which I found handy to keep my fountain pens in. So without further ado, let's see what I got:


❖ Gosh Cosmetics Mono Eyeshadow in Aubergine, full-size.
Gosh Cosmetics comes from Denmark and according to the card, their eyeshadows come in a vast range of colours. It looks good quality and it does sound intriguing. Unfortunately, I already have several eyeshadows in dark purple shades (not least of which is the e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow I received in my LHI Autumn Eco box last month), so I don't think I'll keep this one. I would have preferred a nice light versatile neutral, personally.

❖ Rachel K Mineral Colour Control CC Cream, Original and Neutral Sample Sachets (2 of each).
CC Cream is the latest thing to come out of Asia, just when the West was starting to get used to the idea of BB Cream! I'm a massive sucker for Asian beauty products, and when I first heard about CC Cream last month (the CC stands for Colour Control), I wanted to get my hands on some badly. And here it is in my Beauty Box! I haven't heard of Rachel K before, but apparently it's a Singaporean brand started by former Miss Singapore Universe winner Rachel Kum. I tried the Original CC Cream this morning, and it seems similar to the BB Creams I've used, but with a few subtle differences. The cream is pink rather than tan, and seems to bring my freckles and discolourations back to my natural skin colour, without adding any new colour or glow. It's hard to draw any conclusions when each different brand and formula of BB Cream seems to have slightly different effects! I'll see if I can rustle up a proper review next week.

❖ Remedica Richesse Vanilla and Shea Body Butter, sample pot 50ml (estimated).
I have so many body creams, lotions and butters that I think my cupboard is going to burst at the seams! This is one of the nicer ones I've received, though. The formula is thick and luxurious, yet sinks in quickly without being greasy, and it has subtle nutty and citrusy scents to it. I will look forward to using this one!

❖ Pink Tiger Cosmetics Nail Tools: Buffer and Lint-Free Gauze.
I'm sure these practical tools will come in handy for keeping my nails neat and tidy. It's nice to receive, not just another nail polish, but some tools I can use for those times when I need to give my nails a rest.

❖ Be In Awe Cosmeceuticals Amala Clearing Serum, sample size 5ml.
I remember getting some Be In Awe products in one of my boxes last year, and they were to die for! The clearing serum is just what I need at the moment for my crazy breaking-out skin. I'll be putting my current moisturiser aside for a while to give this a go. Be In Awe is an Australian brand.

❖ Goldwell Dualsenses Ultra Volume Conditioner, sample size 75ml.
It's unusual to receive just a conditioner sample, not a set of shampoo and conditioner, but this 75ml bottle is a very generous sample. It should be enough for a few applications, even on my crazy long hair! This formula is designed to give fine hair volume, and I don't really have a need for that with my thick, boofy hair. The watermelon and bamboo scent does sound very enticing, though.

Summary: This month's box was a solid mixture of makeup, face, body and hair care products. I had a good feeling about it. It was unfortunate that one of them I had little use for, but that was just my colour preference rather than anything intrinsic to the product. On the other hand, receiving the CC Cream was very exciting! Overall, I do like the April box.

Rating: 8/10
Gunna Use It Right Now Rating: 67%

The Beauty Boxes : Bella Box April 2013

My April Bella Box arrived mid-week last week, and I'm afraid I've been a bit slack in sharing it. I've been a bit disappointed by Bella Box's offerings in the last few months, even to the point of considering a 'three strikes and you're out' policy. So I was particularly interested to see what was in it.
Let's have a look:


** Cellulix Glacial Mineral Gel, sample sachet.
I had no idea what this product was at first! I had to read the fine print on the back to find out. It's a mask that contains negatively-charged molecules, which draw out positively-charged bacteria and impurities from the skin. It sounds like interesting stuff and I'm looking forward to trying it. At RRP $69.00 for 60g, I wouldn't be able to afford to use it ongoing, but it's fun to try these things. Cellulix comes from Canada.

** Indio Facial Scrub and Multi-V Serum, 10ml sample / 15ml full-size.
Another deluxe brand, this time from Australia, Indio uses Dead Sea Salts and vitamins to keep the skin glowing and fresh. Aside from the healthy ingredients and luxe feel of the serum bottle, I'm just attracted by the pretty pastel-coloured balls suspended inside. I can be very superficial that way. I'm really impressed to receive a full-size bottle of the serum, which retails at $78.00 for 15ml.

** Bella Box Lash Card, pack of 10.
The Bella Box Lash Card is a new concept in makeup application. The curved edge of the card sits in behind your lashes while you're applying your mascara, resulting in a mess-free application. To me it seems like I might make more mess trying to hold the card in place with one hand while putting on my mascara with the other! But I'll definitely give it a try. I tend to smudge my mascara a lot, needing to swab it off with a makeup remover pen, then re-apply my eyeshadow (when I can be bothered!). Once I master the use of these, I can certainly see them being useful when preparing for a special occasion.

** Avene 3-in-1 Micellar Lotion, sample bottle.
This is another one of those products that I needed to read the fine print to find out what it does! The 3-in-1 lotion is a face wash, toner and makeup remover in one. According to the Bella Box card, you don't even need to wash it off, but I like to anyway, just in case. (Where does all the makeup and dirt go?) The Avene Eye Makeup remover is my go-to makeup remover, so I'm hoping for good things from this.

** Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Colour in Metallic Grey, full size bottle.
I was a little surprised to receive this, and not in a good way, I'm afraid. I don't read that many nail polish blogs, but I do read enough to know that magnetic nail polish was a short-lived fad about a year ago. Nobody's doing magnetic nails anymore! The trends at the moment are holographic glitter and jelly look - like the polish I got in my February Bella Box. Which was also Sally Hansen, coincidentally. I wonder why Sally Hansen supplied Bella Box with an up-to-the-minute nail trend one month, and a so-last-year fad polish a few months later? Unfortunately this just feels like one of the occasions where a supplier is trying to get rid of a dated product by dumping it on beauty box subscribers as a filler. On top of that, I don't even like the colour - I wouldn't even wear it without using the magnet, so I think I'll throw it away.

** Lady Gaga Fame Perfume, sample vial 1.2ml.
Now this is one product I was very happy to receive! I gave Fame the sniff test at Priceline when it first came out about 3 months ago, and I really liked it. I've been waiting for it to come on sale to buy some. Now I can put that off a little longer. The bomb-shaped bottle and unique black fluid disguise a hearty spicy-floral scent that immediately appealed to me.

Summary: This month's Bella Box was a solid offering with only one disappointing product out of a generous seven. There was an exciting range of skin care products (my favourite!) with several being from luxe brands. I'm happy to say that, in my opinion, Bella Box seems to be improving again.
Gunna Use It Right Now Rating: 70%

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!

Etsy Shop Haul : Ananda Beauty

I'm a complete sucker for a cat-in-need story, and when I heard that Etsy indie beauty shop owner Jill was raising money for her cat Roland's vet bills, I just couldn't resist making a purchase. (~~Note: I placed my order a few months ago, so the promotion is over now.~~) Ananda Beauty stocks a range of hand-made tinted lip balms, mineral eyeshadows and eyeliners, hair balm and other goodies. All products are vegan and tested on humans only. The aesthetic is metallic and sparkly, with shades of grey, bronze, peach, red and pink.

I chose the Lip Tint in Ripe Shimma, Hair & Body Balm in Woodsy Scent, and three eye products: Cumulus and Taupe Eyeshadows, and Black Amber Eyeliner powder. Ordering through Etsy was easy and safe as always - the hardest part was choosing which colours I wanted most! The order arrived quickly. My parcel was carefully packed in a bubble-wrap-lined bag, and the items were wrapped in sophisticated black tissue paper, with a lovely thank you note. There were also 4 free samples, which is very generous: Raw Brass and Blue Velvet eyeshadows, Rosalina Highlighter and Sunset Blush. They are all colours that I can see myself using, so thank you to Jill for choosing well!

The Hair & Body Balm is marvellously thick, and once warmed between my fingers and smoothed on, made a difference to my dry ends. The Woodsy scent, with cedarwood and patchouli, is a delight. The only eye product I've used so far is the Taupe Eyeshadow, and I was pleased with its colour payoff and longevity. Here are some swatches!:


Photo taken indoors in sunlit room.This was my first purchase of beauty products from Etsy and from an indie beauty brand. I was very happy with my experience and would definitely purchase from Ananda Beauty again.

Priceline Ooops Haul

I went to Priceline in the rain at lunchtime today to get a few things I needed. They didn't have everything I needed, so I felt like getting a couple of treats! Excuse the bad photo, I took it using my ipod at my desk at work. ....

I bought the Formula 10.0.6 Mud Mask because my pores really need some help at the moment.
Plus the strawberry sounded lovely.
Then I was intrigued by the Essence stand and impulsively grabbed a few things from the Cherry Blossom Girl limited edition range. I know, it's been out for ages, it's not the latest thing, but I don't really have any cosmetics in these colours and I love to experiment with new colours. The Dreaming Under a Cherry Tree quad palette has a series of peach-tinted colours that could pass as more-interesting neutrals. I got the It's Peach, Not Cherry nail polish even though I recieved a few recently in my beauty subscription boxes. I just can't help myself! And the Konnichiwa Girls! highlighter is a gorgous pale shimmering pink that will match well with the palette.
I really am a sucker for product!

Collective Haul!

I bought all these products last year ... yes, I'm way behind on everything! I'll start with the less interesting and move to the more interesting:

These are things I bought from Priceline and Daiso. I bought a new bottle of nail polish remover, even though I haven't finished the old one yet. I figured that having plenty on hand would mean that I'd feel free to use plenty when removing my nail polish, and would make it easier. The Cetaphil is for washing my hands. My eczema has been worrying my again recently, and I wanted to take better care of it. I also got the Batiste Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair ("with a hint of colour"). I was hoping that it might cover up my roots a bit in between dye jobs.
The cotton pads come from Daiso. Another good quality product that I didn't spend very much on! I love Daiso.

Now for the more interesting:

These are products I got in a YesStyle haul last November!

♡ SkinFood Red Orange Makeup Finish Spray - I've been using this a couple of times a week, and I love it! I might review it soon.

♡ The Face Shop Konjac Puff - Konjac is all the rage at the moment! I haven't used this yet, though.

♡ Majolica Majorca Jewelling Pencil in White - I bought this on a whim after reading that applying white pencil to the inner corners of your eyes will make them appear bigger. I've tried it once so far, but didn't really have time to give it a proper go.

♡ Sample sachets: SkinFood Honey Black Tea Jelly Foam AND Missha Signature BB Cream - I've received a sample of the BB Cream before, and it wasn't too bad. I'm looking forward to trying the SkinFood cleanser.

Beauty Boxes: Lust Have It January 2013

My January Lust Have It box finally arrived yesterday! I was starting to see reviews popping up on other blogs and was worried something might have happened to it. Despite living in a metropolitan area, I often seem to receive it a bit late. Never mind, it's mine now!
The first thing I noticed about the box is that it's bigger than normal. Exciting! Inside there was a special cardboard box with a magnetic closure. This must be the collector box that was promised late last year! It's beautiful, I love the colours, and it's a good size for storing lots of different things.

It contained:


* Lush Cosmetics Emotional Brilliance Eyeliner in Motivation, full size.
A product from Lush's New Emotional Brilliance Range, and a full-size one, no less! Of course I'd heard about Lush's Cosmetics range when it first came out a few months ago. It was all over the beauty blogs, and I subscribe to their emails, too. I was very curious, but at RRP $24.95 a go, a little hesitant. Especially because you're supposed to choose the colour by spinning the wheel! I'm just not that spontaneous! Yet this gorgeous blue colour and its name appeal to me. I really could do with some 'Motivation' right now. And I've been wanting to experiment with liquid eyeliners (I bought a brown one from Daiso recently which I haven't shown you yet). To sum up, I was excited to see this product!

* Nude By Nature BB 5-in-1 Miracle Cream in Medium Tone, full-size.
As I mentioned in my last post, I'm a bit suspicious of Western BB creams, but I'm glad to get to try another one. And this is a full-sized tube. It's much more generous than Bella Box's 5ml sachet (I know I promised not to compare different brands of box, but sometimes I just can't help it.) The medium tone will probably be too dark for my fair skin, but as it's summer I just might be able to get away with it.

* Lust Have It branded Kabuki Brush.
This brush looks very beautiful and I'm looking forward to trying it. Lately I've started applying my morning BB Cream/Foundation with a brush instead of my fingers. The main advantage to this is it saves time in the mornings - I don't have to go into the bathroom and wash my hands before finishing my morning routine. Whether or not I use less product or there are other advantages, I'm not sure yet! It's also fun to use a brush - I feel more grown up and sophisticated. =)

* Klorane Pomegranate Shampoo & Conditioner for Colour-Treated Hair, sample sachets 10ml each.
Well, I don't know if it's a coincidence, but this product is just suited for my constantly-dyed hair. Plus, I love pomegranate in all its forms. I'm really looking forward to trying these.

* Avene Clenance Gel Cleanser, Cream Exfoliant and Anti-Shine Moisturiser, sample bottles ___ml each.
Again, I'm happy to receive these three generously-sized sample bottles. I was really impressed with the Avene eye makeup remover, so I'm looking forward to trying some of their other products. The Clenance range is for sensitive skin; even though my skin isn't particularly sensitive, I appreciate products that don't have too many chemicals.

Summary: I was thrilled when I opened up this month's box - two full-sized makeup products, some relevant hair products and a generous sampling of skin things. Even though there are 5 products listed on the card, some are grouped together so there's actually 8 separate items. There was no splitting up of products to make the offering seem more generous like has occurred in the past (this month's Bella Box being the most recent example I can think of. This actually makes it seem more generous rather than less, in my opinion. The value of this box is somewhat over $55, which is very good for recent boxes.
In short, I really love this box!


Gunna Use It Right Now Percentage: 75%
Box Rating: 9/10

Beauty Boxes: Bella Box December 2012

My Bella Box came nice and early this month, and I have to admit I had high expectations for the Christmas/holiday box. I think the theme of this box should be 'Mixed Emotions'. Let me explain, but first let's see what we got!:


❖ Allegra Rhodes Hand and Nail Cream in Red Lychee, sample size 5ml
One of apparently 4 scents, the Red Lychee smells divine. Unfortunately the 5ml size of the sample will barely be enough for one application. At least the cream comes in a pot instead of a tube so I can eke out every last millilitre. I will definitely enjoy that smell while it lasts, though.

❖ John Frieda Firzz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Creme, sample size 30ml.
While I do like this product, I've received a sample of it before, and it's so thickly plastered all over Priceline and other stores, there's no way I wouldn't have heard of it by now. Seeing as I've already bought a full-size, it's like preaching to the converted. It would have been nice to see something new and different in the hair stakes.

❖EmerginC Multi Fruit Cleanser & Protocell Combat Cream, sample size 3ml each
I've had EmerginC product samples before, and I quite liked them. I always like to try new cleansers, so I was happy to receive these.

❖ Compeed Blister Medium, one piece.
This seems like a bit of an odd product for a festive December box. It's a bit ... pedestrian. (groan, sorry, but you know what I mean!) It will come in handy as I sometimes get blisters after my longer walking sessions, but I wish it had been something a little more exciting and glamorous. Or even beauty-related would have been good.

❖ Savoir Faire Limited Edition Kit in Summer, beauty palette.
Now this is the stuff! This complete beauty kit retails at $110. And apparently every single subscriber received one! I don't know how they pulled this off, but it's amazing! The sleek black box contains 6 eyeshadows, a blush, a mascara, an eye pencil and a lip gloss. The box also has a large mirror in the lid. The Winter eyeshadows would probably have suited me better, being fair-skinned, but the lip gloss and blush from this box would suit me better, I think. So it's much of a muchness, really. The only disappointing thing is that the box is supposed to include cards with guides to creating 6 makeup looks, but they're not present. Perhaps I'm just a silly duffer and can't find the compartment they're in? I'll wait until I see a few other reviews before I email the company.

Summary: Like I said before, I have mixed feelings about this box. All the products are sample-sized and some not very exciting, but the Savoir Faire beauty palette blows me away with it's value and contents. There's been much rumbling in the last few months about how the quality of beauty box subscriptions has declined, with smaller samples and less luxury brands. I'm interested to see how they'll deliver in the new year.
I'm not going to bother working out the value this month - the information on the Blister patch is vague - lets just say that due to the Savior Faire Palette, it's lots!

Rating: 8/10

P.S. There's a recent thought-provoking post on Chasing Elixir on why beauty sample boxes often fail.

Beauty Boxes: Lust Have It, November 2012

The theme of this month's box is Summer-Ready and Party-Gorgeous! All the products are designed for primping and preening. Apparently there was a bit of controversy over last month's box. Many people didn't like the box, and quite a few unsubscribed. In their e-mail, LHI promised an extra special box this month to make up for it. Personally, I quite liked what I got last month, so extra bonus for me!

Let's see what we got:


✔ ModelCo Fibre Lashxtend Mascara, full size.
To my mind the best thing about this box, this full-size mascara isn't even in the shops yet! I was impressed with the ModelCo lip gloss I received a few months ago, so I'm looking forward to giving it a go. This product has the same handy mirror inlaid in the side too, which is a feature I really like.

✔ Evodia Roll-On Fragrance in Lime and Coconut, full size.
I gave this a try straight away. It has a sharp, tropical smell that really evokes heat and summer time. It lasted for a surprisingly long time, too. I love my perfumes, so I'm sure this will get chucked in my bag on many occasions!

✔ GKMBJ One Minute Treatment, sample size 30g.
I wasn't sure what to make of this product at first - what's that name all about?? All it says on the tube is "Hair Care Products", and I had to check on the card to see what it actually was! I'm all for hair serums, so I'll try this soon.

✔ Aviva Inspires Skin Glow Light Tan Extender, sample size 30ml.
I don't really need this product, as I rarely use self-tanner. Occasionally I get self-conscious enough about my pasty white legs to slap on some Palmer's Gradual, so I'll keep it for those times.

✔ Star & Rose Hologram Tweezers.
These tweezers are very cute, but they're not as good as the ones I already have, I'm sorry! I'll probably keep them for craft projects. This product feels a bit like a filler or bonus item to me, not a core item. I like things I can use up! Not things which most girls probably already have.

Summary: Lust Have It promised a great box this month, and in the light of that, I was a bit disappointed. It's an ordinary box, not a great box. There are no bonus products, only 2 out of 5 full-size products, no luxury brands. If I hadn't read that this month's box was going to be extra special to make up for last month's then I probably would have been satisfied and not so disappointed! That's just how the cookie crumbles, I guess.

Total Value: $58.69. Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $43.74
Rating: 7/10

Collective Haul, I believe it's called

These are some things that I've bought/acquired in the last month or so. I've really been trying hard not to spend too much money at the moment, so the haul is small. ツ


Here we see:

❥ Styli-Style Twist & Seal Eyeliner in Turquoise ... I got this for a costume party I'm going to later in the month. I won't reveal yet what my costume will be, but I'll just say that I'm going All Out with my makeup! I've really got to get on with solving my face photography issues before then! =7
I bought this from FishPond. Known mainly as a book seller, I quickly discovered that this site sells beauty products, too! Joy! The purchase was a test really, to see if the site is any good before I go throwing too much money at it. Perhaps I'll do a site review soon.

❥ Mirenesse Absolutely Smooth Primer x4 [not pictured] ... I was so happy with the performance of this primer, that when there was another big sale on Ozsale, I got a bundle of 4. They should last me a really, really long time!

❥ Palmolive Strawberry Soother Exfoliating Body Wash ... I got this sample size bottle for free. Whee! There's a story behind it. I was at my local supermarket, where there was a sample stall set up, as you often see. The stall was giving away roast potatoes or some such thing, and there was a huge rush of people all going for their free potatoes. I wasn't hungry so I walked straight past, only to notice a second stall tucked away behind it with (joy!) beauty products! I loitered around for a while amongst the fruit and veg, and I noticed that everyone was ignoring the poor girl. I felt sorry for her, so I went over and let her give me her spiel, which she did with the appropriate amount of enthusiasm. Then she let me choose a free sample! It made my day.

❥ Doro Sen Gan Charcoal Clay Wash ... that's all I know about this product. The rest of the text is in Japanese. I bought it from Tokuya in the city. I was looking for a new shower hat and, well, you know, beauty products just seem to jump into my basket. I'm sure you can relate.

❥ Vitamin E Collagen Vitamin Essence Mask ... I bought this at Tokuya, too. Again, few details, but much happiness. The fruit pictures on the front make me think it might contain fruit essences. I'm building up a stock of cloth face masks now, but I just couldn't help myself. It was a fun trip.

Beauty Boxes: Bella Box July 2012

At last! I was starting to get a bit worried. The 20th of July and not one of my 3 beauty box subscriptions had turned up yet. Then last night, after an evening out with some girls from work (geez, that almost sounds like I have a life! ツ ) I found my Bella Box sitting on the couch when I got home. Phew!

This month's Bella Box box was slightly different to the previous ones I've received. There was no actual box this time. The items were tightly packed inside the outer cardboard packaging, with the smaller items inside a cute little makeup bag, which I just know I'll use. How do I know that? Because just yesterday morning I was rushing around my bedroom frantically trying to find a suitable carrier for some makeup items I wanted to take to work. But more on that in a future post. At least this time the items weren't rattling around inside the box - they were tightly packed so they couldn't move. And, boy, were there a lot of them! There were no high-end brands, but BB seemed to have made up for them in sheer quantity. So let's have a look:



You, Me & Everybody Shady Lady Daily Face Milk, full size 75ml.
Recently I've seen a few mentions of this brand doing the rounds of the beauty blogs, and I was curious about it, so I was glad to receive this facial moisturiser. I like the image of the brand, it seems fun and fresh. Most daytime moisturisers only come in SPF15, but I only ever use SPF 30 - I'm a bit paranoid about the sun - so I'm glad to see that this one ticks that box. I'll definitely use it after I've finished my current moisturiser (Nivea Face Veil, for the interested). The only niggling thing is that I couldn't find out whether it's tested on animals.
Conscience time: You Me & Everybody is part of Symbion, which in turn is part of the Zuellig Group. Those are some big hitters in the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. Some YM&E products are not tested on animals, but I couldn't get confirmation that this particular one isn't.

Carmex Moisture Plus SPF 15+ Lip Balm, full size.
I had to laugh when I saw this! Just the other day, I finished up a Carmex Lip Balm I'd received it in my December 2011 Glossy Box. It was such a great product - the first SPF lip balm I've ever used that didn't taste disgusting and kept my lips moisturised. I'd been planning on buying a replacement this weekend. Now I don't have to!
Conscience time: Carmex is a family-run brand from the U.S. From the website "No. We have never tested on animals – we test on our family members instead!"

Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Deep Wrinkle Eye Cream, full-size 14g.
Neutrogena is on my 'no-buy' list because of their animal testing status. Even before that though, it was a brand I was never really interested in, so I've never actually used any Neutrogena products before. I'm already happy with the performance of my Paula's Choice Retinol Serum, so I will just put this aside and perhaps use it when my PC runs out.
Conscience time: Neutrogena is owned by Johnson & Johnson, who test their products on animals.

Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub, sample size 15ml.
This product isn't listed on the card, so I have only the information on the tube itself to go on. It's an exfoliating scrub and contains BHAs. I've read that things like BHAs and AHAs are only any good if they're in a leave-on product, not one that you wash off. But I'll put it in my queue to use anyway. It also has that annoying warning on the back that some products have: "If you experience dryness and irritation, use less frequently." I'm sorry, but if I experienced dryness and irritation, I'd stop using the product altogether! My skin is too precious for that. Just sayin'.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Night Renewal Cream, sample size 15ml.
I do love Palmer's products: the rich formulas are great for my skin (including my eczema!) and both the cocoa butter and olive oil variants smell great. However, for some reason this one has a 'fresh white lily fragrance' which is a bit off-putting. I don't like using highly fragranced products on my face, so I'll just have to see how I go with this one.
Conscience time: Palmer's is not tested on animals.

Ulta3 Nail Polish in Mulberry, full-size.
Ulta3 seems to be everywhere now! For $2.50 or less, they have better-than-expected staying power, so no wonder they're the biggest selling nail polish brand in Australia. When I first opened my box last night, this colour looked like a disappointingly drab purplish brown, I have to admit. But in natural light the gorgeous mulberry purple/marone really comes out, and I love it! I've been resting my nails this week, but I'm seriously considering this colour as my first choice when I break the drought.
Conscience time: I've heard conflicting reports as to where Ulta3 is from, and whether they test on animals.

Almay Get Up and Grow Mascara in black, full-size 6.2ml.
I'm all for longer, stronger lashes, so I'll put this in my queue to use once my current mascara goes off. (Cos let's face it, you never get to the end of a mascara before it goes off, do you?)
Conscience time: Almay is owned by Revlon, who do not test on animals.

Elgon Professional Primaria Nourishing Silk Hair Mask & Bath of Life Shampoo, sample sachets 15ml each.
This brand of hair products comes from Italy. The 15ml sachets may or may not be just enough to cover my long, thick, crazy hair. I'm always up for a bit of hair experimentation though, so I'm looking forward to using them.
Conscience time: Elgon Professional is an Italian brand. I could not find information about their animal testing status.

Givenchy Pi Neo for Him, sample sachet.
The included card instructed me to give this to my man, and tell him about the new BelloBox for men, which I duly did. He wasn't interested at all! He'll use face wash if I buy it for him, but that's about it. Plus, he's extremely wary of scents ever since the time he used a tester at a perfume party and somehow the chemicals reacted with his skin and made him smell like dog do-do! So, nice try at marketing your men's box, BB, but in this case it sadly didn't hit the mark.
Conscience time: Givenchy is a French fashion house with a fragrance and beauty arm. It is not tested on animals (which I have to say is a nice surprise, because in my experience, most perfumes are).

Summary: I think Bella Box really nailed this month's theme of Essential Beauty Buys. The range of products from different categories was good - skin care, sun protection, hair, nails and makeup. None of the products are from luxury brands, but the sheer number of products made up for this, with 9 products (10 if you count the hair sachets separately), and an impressive 5 of them being full-sized. This bumped up the overall value of the box to just over $80. There's only one product that I can't see myself using - the men's fragrance - so I'm glad to say that I'm very pleased with this month's Bella Box.

Total Value: $80.49. Cost of Box: $15.00. Benefit: $65.49
Rating: 8/10

Another Unexpected Purchase: The Face Shop

I went shoe-shopping today, and accidentally bought some more beauty products. Oops!

At the suggestion of some friends, we decided to change things up a bit, and we went to a different shopping centre to the ones we normally frequent. Yes, my life is that exciting! It's quite a bit further away than our normal haunts, so I wasn't really familiar with it. Having wandered around for a little bit and seen variations on all the same old shops, my heart started racing when we came upon a The Face Shop! I knew there were some The Face Shop stores scattered throughout Melbourne, and I'd been meaning to check one out for a while. So what was a girl to do, but go in and make a purchase! Here's what I got:



♥ Real Nature Mask with Kelp pack of 5 with free Pomegranate Mask
- I made a beeline for the cloth masks first, as I have a new-found love for them. There were many products scattered throughout the shop that were bundled up in little value packs. They were packaged up in clear plastic bags with little touches to many of them - this one had a little pink bow. Cute!

♥ Rich Hand & Cuticle Duo with Vitamin E
- Unlike many brand stores with intimidatingly young and snobby assistants, this one was staffed by an adorable middle-aged lady who came around and explained the products to me. Usually I find this kind of over-helping annoying, but she was just so sweet and lovely that I didn't mind at all. She showed me this hand cream which had a little pot of cuticle balm in the lid and I just couldn't resist.

♥ Lovely Me:eX Eyes Eyeshadow in WH006 Glitter
- By this stage I was wandering around the shop in a daze, wanting to buy one of everything and not being able to decide what to pick, with Husband restricting my spending helpfully considering my options with me. I finally decided to get some eyeshadow so I could try out a different aspect of their products than the skin care. I chose this sparkly light gold single, as I thought it might match well with my neutral work palette and give it a bit of extra interest.

The lovely lady also gave me four free sample sachets when I went to pay. She gave me a White Tree Snow Vita Lightening Serum, a Raspberry Roots Sleeping Mask, a Rice Water Bright Cleansing Foam, and a Face It Power Perfection SPF 37 BB Cream.

I have to say, my experience with shopping at this particular The Face Shop was 100% A-1 fantastic! I just wish it was nearer to my house so I could visit more often. If you're ever at Eastland in Ringwood, do check it out!

Asian Beauty Haul

The spending ban is over! I'm so excited! (Though really I should be sensible about money all the time; a girl needs to treat herself now and then!) I actually broke the spending ban one day early, because I suddenly remembered that YesStyle had a buy-one-get-one-free deal on certain beauty products in the month of June only. These things can sometimes be a bit dodgy, but nearly 400 different products were included in the deal, so it didn't feel like I was restricted in my choices at all. In fact, there were some things I really wanted and needed included in the deal. Even better! So in this haul I got 2 products for free! This is what I got.


* Kose Softymo Powder Sheet in Strawberry (40 sheets) (not pictured)
- this was a replacement for the Daiso sheets that I ran out of last week. So I can spruce myself up at work if I've gone for a walk at lunchtime, etc.

* My Beauty Diary Mexico Cactus Mask (pk 10)
- after trying out my first cloth mask a few weeks ago, I was determined to get more! These seemed like quite good value, and the Mexican Cactus sounded intriguing.

* SkinFood Good Afternon Honey Black Tea BB Cream (Light Beige)
- All of my Baviphat mini BB Creams are quite well-squeezed now, so I figured it was time for my first full-sized BB Cream. There are so many on the site, it was agonising, but I'd been eyeing off the SkinFood Good Afternoon range for a while now. So I decided on the Honey Black Tea variant, which is moisturising, illuminating and has SPF.

* Koji No. 62 Eyelash Curler
- call me vain, but ever since I've been reading beauty blogs and seen the long, lush, thick, curled eyelashes that many other girls have, I've become increasingly disillusioned with my own. There are tools out there to help, so why not try them! This particular one came in cool, faceted packaging, but it was mainly the price that made me choose it. Now I just have to figure out how to use the darned thing. Thank goodness for YouTube.

* Be Creation Oil In Cuticle Nail Pusher Pen
- I have terrible ragged cuticles, I tend to pick them a lot, as well. Hopefully this purchase will help me keep them in better shape.

* Be Creation Gradation Nail Polish Set (set of 3)
- I just wanted this, it was a total indulgence purchase. I already have so many nail polishes, but the idea of the easy colour gradation nail art just appealed to me. There were so many different sets to choose from, but I finally chose these colours because I don't really have anything like them in my collection. This colour set is called Pink Cadillac (after the cocktail I'm assuming, not after the car, as there's a picture of a cocktail on the packaging. Cute!).

* Sophie Monk Beauty Mild Cleansing Oil
- I'm nearly out of makeup remover, so I needed some more. I would not normally have chosen this brand, but it was one of the free items I got. At first I thought that the actress Sophie Monk had started a beauty line, but it turns out that this brand is from Taiwan, and it seems to have nothing to do with her, as far as I can tell from some googling. I'm actually slightly disappointed! But as long as it works at cleaning my face, it doesn't matter.

* Home-Sweet-Home Cutie Cat and Dog Button Earrings
- these were on my save-for-later for the longest time and I finally decided to get them. I'm into stud earrings at the moment, and these quirky mismatched pair are adorable! Apparently they were the last pair too, as I just went back to the site to check some details, and now they're showing as sold out. Now I feel like I have something exclusive! =D


Ok now, I will really try not to make any more purchases for the next few week, unless I actually need them! - purchases of beauty products, anyway. I've become completely obsessed with craft again lately, so all my money will probably be spent on wool and things like that.

Empties: June 2012

Lush Gorgeous Moisturiser (sample size) - Smelled wonderful, but I don't think it had any effect on my skin at all. Plus it comes in unhygienic pot, which is a real shame for such an expensive product.
Avon Skin So Soft Hair Minimising Deodorant - Had no noticeable hair minimising properties at all. Not that good at eliminating smells, either. I have another one to get through as it was a 2-for-1 deal. Won't get it again.
Searo Nail Color Dry Spray - after buying this as an add-on to another purchase on e-bay, I was happily surprised to find that it actually works well. It cuts the drying time of my nail polish in half! I'm currently waiting for a replacement to arrive.
Daiso Japanese Wet Sheet Wipes in Mint (not pictured) - I had these at work for those sticky moments. They made me feel powdery dry and had a lovely subtle minty scent. Being Daiso, they were very cheap as well. However, I decided to buy a different brand this time; currently waiting for it to arrive.
Maybelline XXL Extensions Mascara in Black - started to go clumpy so I threw it away, but I'd had it for a long time and was happy with the lengthening effect.
Crabtree & Evelyn Body Scrub in Citron Honey & Coriander - loved this; reviewed here.
Ffid Coenzyme Q10 Cloth Face Mask - also loved this discussed here.
Mirenesse Eclipse Age Defence Daily Face & Neck Clear SPF Mineral Balm (mini size) - not even sure what this was supposed to be used for: moisturiser? sunscreen? primer? serum? Seemed to have no effect of any kind. Only lasted 2 applications, anyway.
De Cheri Hotel Soap AND Paradise Hotel Soap (second not pictured) - standard guest soaps from my collection.
Burt's Bees Peppermint & Rosemary Body Bar - had a very strong peppermint/menthol smell. It made my eyes water and more sensitive parts of my skin sting! I would definitely not get this again.
Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum (sample sachet) - love this stuff, and I think it really works. I've already bought the full-size product and I'm using it as an eye serum.
Kerastase Nectar Thermique Leave-In Conditioner (sample sachet) - I had 5 of these from a beauty box and I think this is the second-last one.
Jurlique Calendula Face Cream - smelled nice, but! Was very thick and had to push it around my face. Did not notice any particular benefits, either. Would not get again as I felt my skin was stretching too much trying to rub it in.
Bloom Body Cream in Mandarine (not pictured) - only threw away because it was extremely old and smelled manky. Would get again for a treat.
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid (sample sachet) - have already purchased the full-size product. I've only had one small pimple since using this. Looks like it may be my go-to exfoliant!

Beauty Boxes: Lust Have It June 2012 and Blogging Fail

Lust Have It sent out an email a couple of weeks ago detailing some changes they're making: mainly, not using tracked postage, and giving different items to different subscribers (though not according to our profiles because, with all the ex-GlossyBox subscribers they have now, it's just too much effort). I was left feeling a little miffed, and vowed to cancel my subscription at the first sign of trouble. Apparently now they also charge your card about 2 weeks before they send out the box, as I found out. So without the tracking, I had no idea when my box was coming. I was starting to see reviews from beauty bloggers popping up early in the week, and my box still hadn't arrived! I was starting to get quite worried. But then I found it in my letterbox on Thursday. Again, the items came in a LustHaveIt-branded makeup bag, this time a lovely purple colour. The package has come in a makeup bag the last 3 months, and I've gotten a different colour each time. I don't know if this is deliberate or not, but if it is, it's a Good Thing. I actually prefer getting the makeup bags to the box I get with the other packages; they're more practical.

I'm just doing a shortened review today; I can't be bothered searching for all that extra information. Here's what was inside:


✔ Lon Vitalite 24K Active Golden Yulan Oil Facial Mask
✔ Lon Vitalite 24K Active Gold Full Eye Mask
✔ Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush
✔ Bloom Shade & Line 3-in-1 in Times Square
✔ Marc Jacobs Lola
✔ Chloe L'Eau de Chloe

Summary: Most of the reviews I read expressed disappointment in this months' box, and I can see why. Only one of the products (the Bloom eyeliner) is full-sized; having 2 perfume samples is a bit repetitive and boring; the masks are treated as separate items when I really think they should be treated as one, which is a bit cheeky; the dry shampoo is a bit of a bottom-shelf everyday item.

On the other hand -
There were some things that saved this box for me, though I have to say they were purely coincidental:
* I tried my first cloth face mask just the other day (don't worry, pictures are coming soon!) and I really like them. I can't afford to buy the really fancy ones like this brand (RRP $59.00 for a pack of 5 face masks), so getting one in my box gave me a little thrill.
* I like perfumes, and both the Marc Jacobs and the Chloe were ones I'd been wanting to sniff for some time. I could always go to Perfume Connection or one of those places, bug the saleslady for a while, and then walk out cheekily empty-handed; but I'm too shy for that! The only time I get to try testers of the really top-end perfumes is at the duty-free shops at the airport - and that's not very often! ツ Even when I do get to try them out, I'm never sure if I'll like them in the longer-term and if it's really worth shelling out the crippling amounts they cost. So when I get a tester vial in a beauty box, I'm always very happy, because then I can see if I still like it over time. So I have to admit ... I'm not really annoyed at all to get two perfumes.
* I've always had a soft spot for Bloom, though for some strange reason I don't have many of their products. It was the first non-chemist brand that I was really interested in. The eyeliner is actually a shade that I would wear, too. Other subscribers received a glittery gold eyeliner, which is definitely not me! I was glad to receive it. I was so excited that I did a swatch of it - my first swatch for the blog! - and here comes my beauty blogger fail ....


So above is my swatch. I tried taking pictures in various places around the house - even under my brand new daylight lamp that I got for my birthday - and this was the best I could come up with. I was moderately proud of it, until I was looking at my products again later, and wondering why it's called a 3-in-1 stick. I realised ... there are actually 2 products in the stick! When I screw off the coloured section, there's a gunmetal grey eyeshadow as well as the eyeliner in the stick! Arrgghh! It's actually even better than I thought. ツ

Total Value: $50.15. Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $35.20
Rating: 7/10

Beauty Boxes: Beauty Basket June 2012

Nearly a month ago, when I first found out that I Love This Box had closed their doors, I thought there were only two beauty box subscription companies left in Australia. Well, I was wrong! When I was googling to try and find out more information about why ILTB closed, I came across another box company, called Beauty Basket. They'd been around for about 6 months, and all the reviews I'd read about them were positive and had interesting items in them. So I joined up! I guess I must have just missed out on the May box, because I had to wait ages for my first one, but finally it's here! It comes in an actual basket, how cute! And there was a box of Lindt chocolates with it! I guess it was a welcome gift. It was sure welcome, anyway!

Here is what I got:



Lalisse Moisture Rich Facial Cleanser, sample size 30ml.
I already have a few facial cleansers, but that's OK. Washing my face twice a day means I go through them at a steady rate, so it's good to have a stockpile. It's always good to discover a new local brand, too.
Conscience time: Lalisse is an Australian company. It does not test on animals.

DB Cosmetics Kohl Eye Pencil with Sharpener in Black, full size.
Hm, I already have a black eyeliner in the 'I'm never gonna use this' box. The sharpener in the lid is a nice twist though, and I'm getting more into using eyeliners, so maybe I'll keep it.
Conscience time: The CEO's phone number is a Victorian number, so I'm guessing it's Australian! It is not tested on animals.

Avon Anew Genics Eye Treatment, full-size.
Genics is apparently a new range for Avon, with unique 'Youthgen' technology which works on your genes. I don't believe any of that rubbish, but I'll use it up anyway! For a pretty expensive product (RRP $59.99), it's pleasing to get a full-size version.
Conscience time: Avon is a U.S. company but, let's face it: it's everywhere!

Avon Arabian Glow Bronzing Pearls, full-size.
This product has been around for years! I like the idea of the balls of bronzer just waiting to be swept with a big fluffy brush, though. I'm not averse to a bit of bronzer, but I'm not bold enough to wear it in winter. I'll put this away until summer.
Conscience time: As above.

Bonne Bell Moisture Repair SPF 15 Lip Balm, full-size.
Hmm, this is hardly a luxury product. But it'll come in handy. Ever since I noticed how dark the freckles on my lips are, I've been using my SPF lip balm religiously. So this will definitely get used up! And I do like my Bonne Bell / Lip Smackers lip things, even if people keep telling me I'm getting too old!
Conscience time: Bonne Bell is a U.S. company, founded in 1927 by an individual. It is not tested on animals.


Summary: Being my first box from Beauty Basket, I was very curious to see what was in it. They subscribe to some brands that the other box companies don't, so I was hoping to get something a little bit different. Since I changed jobs, I no longer have access to an Avon Lady, and I miss their specials and new items. Neither of these products are things I would buy from the catalogue, though.
I'm in two minds about this box. Some of the products were pretty ho-hum, but on the other hand 4 out of 5 are products I'll definitely use, which is more than I can say for other boxes I've received. The overall value of the box is very high - mostly due to the Avon eye cream - which is a definite plus. And the box of chocolates was a huge plus! So I'll see how it goes.

Total Value: $94.54. Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $79.59
Rating: 7/10

Friday Night Five

The Plastic Diaries: Tips on How to get Super Soft Skin - easy tips on how to achieve soft skin.

Becoming Beautiful: Thou Shalt Love Thyself - Celeste talks about her ongoing journey to self-acceptance, and lists 5 things she loves about herself.

Okoii: Use Cotton Pads or Hands - Okoii explains why she uses her fingers to apply toner and other products to her face. I like this post because I do it that way, too!

Painted Ladies: 365 Days of of Makeup, Day 342 - a coral and grey eye colour combination inspired by a photo on Pinterest ... of a door!

IRNBB: How to Keep your Nail Polish Fresh - tips for keeping your nail polish non-gluggy, non-stuck and ready to use.

Revlon Haul / Ozsale Review Part 2

As mentioned in my last post, I was waiting on a second parcel of beauty products from Ozsale. It arrived today! Here is my Revlon haul:



Here we see (with little umbrellas in honour of the wild weather!):
☂ Colour Stay 12 Hour Eyeshadow in Sterling Rose
☂ Colour Stay 12 Hour Eyeshadow in Lavender Meadow
☂ Top Speed Nail Enamel in Cloud
☂ Sheer Translucide Nail Enamel in Sheer Rose
☂ Concealer Brush

I wrote about the slow delivery times of Ozsale in my last post, and this took a full month to arrive. I mentioned that I was concerned about how the last parcel was packed, and thankfully this time things were better. The products were wrapped in bubble wrap, in a postpak of a sensible size, with a big, impressive "Fragile" sticker on it. Much better!:



Now, I really have to stop buying things! I have multiples of most products already, and plenty enough products that I can write reviews on, so I don't really have a good excuse to buy anything. I made a pact with myself not to buy anything unnecessary last month, and I broke it about 4 times! Although ... every single time it was for something on sale, so that makes it ok, right? ツ

Mirenesse Haul / Ozsale Review

I discovered the Ozsale website a little while back. The site features sales on all sorts of products, from fashion, accessories and beauty, to homewares, gourmet foods and kids toys. Both little-known brands and big names can be seen, and the prices range from truly cheap, to designer 'cheap' craziness. There are a few things to be aware of when ordering from Ozsale, which I've discovered for myself! and I've discussed those later on in this post.

This is the Mirenesse haul I got from Ozsale:


▲ Pearl Crush Creaseless Shadow in Bora Pearls
▲ Absolutely Smooth Primer
▲ Blemish Thermal Pore Mask
▲ Eclipse Age Defence Daily Face & Neck Clear SPF Mineral Balm

I received a Mirenesse eyeshadow in one of my beauty boxes and I was absolutely impressed with both the colour and strong pigmentation. So when I saw the chance to get another one, I came out of Ozsale lurking. Seeing the primer also on sale was the thing that swayed me, because I've been wanting to try one for a while, and the other items were the icing on the cake. (I'm not even sure what the Balm does, to be honest!)

Things to keep in Mind...
▲ You need to sign up as a member to join, but it's free. You'll get daily emails, but if you get sick of them, you can always block them! There is a paid priority membership option which allows earlier access to sales, but personally I don't really see the advantage in that unless you're spending huge amounts of money on the site.
▲ Each 'sale' is separate and needs to be ordered separately. For example, you may see Lancome makeup on one page, and Hermes scarves on another page, but you need to order and pay for the Lancome products before you can proceed to the Hermes sale page. If you have products in your cart, a warning message will come up asking you if you wish to purchase the products or not.
▲ Because of the above, each separate 'sale' attracts a separate postage charge. So watch out for that and decide for yourself if the charges are worth it.
▲ The products are not sent straight away! I didn't realise this at first. The products are sent 1-4 weeks after the sale ends, with the more popular sales being sent first. However, parcels are tracked with Australia Post eParcel, so you can check on their progress. I placed my Mirenesse order on 7th May, and it arrived on 1st June. So if you need that Little Black Dress for this Friday night, this isn't the place to get it!
▲ This is a discount sale site, so things might not be perfect. They might be selling discontinued items, or they may be a bit scratched, etc. (The first thing I actually ordered was some cookbooks, and they had some light scratches on the back like they'd previously been in a book sale.)

One Thing That Worried Me A Bit, Though...
This is the packaging that my products came in:


The packaging is inappropriately large! And inadequate! When I first received it I thought, "huh, this parcel is way too big, have they sent me the wrong thing??" There was no wadding inside it to protect the products, and it was obvious that they'd been knocked about a bit. The box that the mask came in was crushed, but thankfully none of the products themselves were damaged. The 3 smaller products come in their own sturdy paper packets which protected them. I do hope that this was the only reason they were not wrapped before posting. I also ordered some products from the Revlon sale around the same time, so it'll be interesting to see how they're packaged. I'll report again as soon as it arrives!

Conclusion...
I'm in two minds about Ozsale. You can get some big name brands very cheaply on the site, but on the other hand, the lack of care taken in packaging and presentation of the order is a consequence of that. I've only received a couple of things from them so far, so I'll reserve my judgement for now. All I'll say at the moment is: make up your own mind, and good luck!