Bella Box July 2013

I'm not much in the mood for writing today, but I wanted to share with you my Bella Box for July. This month's theme is Luxe Travel, and it certainly had that feel! Here are the goodies:

✽ Yu-Be Moisturising Skin Cream, sample size 3g.
✽ La Fresh Eco-Beauty Waterproof Makeup Remover Wipes, sample pack 1 wipe.
✽ Janesce Softening Refresher Mist, sample size 25ml.
✽ Egyptian Magic All-Purpose Skin Cream, sample size 3ml.
✽ Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy Shampoo & Conditioner, sample bottles 50ml each.
✽ ModelCo Cheek + Lips Tint in Rosy Red, sample size 5ml.
✽ BONUS Libra Hotties Heat Patch, 1 pc.
✽ BONUS Luxe City Guides: Bangkok

Summary: Overall this was a tolerably good box. It contains most the basics you'd need for travelling. There could have been more wipes - there seem to be a range of them including nail polish remover, so a few of the others would have been nice. However, the number of products overall is generous. Unfortunately I'm not in a position to travel at the moment! But I'll use all of these products anyway. In particular the Yu-Be Cream from Japan, and the Egyptian Magic Cream seem interesting. I give this box 8/10.

Collective Haul, Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of my approximately April-June collective haul! First of all are some purchases from Chemist Warehouse. I re-stocked my Comvita Medihoney Eczema Cream, which I find invaluable for keeping my eczema from getting too out of hand. Also below is the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain, in a gorgeous lavender shade called Darling Cherie. (See last photo for a swatch.) This new product is a revolutionary cross between lip balm and lip stain! I just happened to be at Chemist Warehouse during their half-price makeup sale, and I couldn't resist. I also bought a couple of deodorants - not for myself though! For a secret purpose that I'll unveil soon.

The next haul was from Priceline. I had the day off and somehow found myself at the big Priceline in the city. How do these things happen?? I think I was quite restrained, but I'd just spent a lot on magazines and craft supplies, so that probably had something to do with it. I purchased an Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lipstick in Make A Wish, a dark, slightly salmony coral (again, see last photo for a swatch). There's a Models Prefer Sponge Tip brush, because I had no way of applying the powder eyeliners I bought from Ananda Beauty a few months ago. I hope it'll do the trick. I'm still a bit derpy with eyeliners! Bio-Oil has been around for ages, but I'd seen a few good reviews for it lately, so I guess it's been on my mind. I finally decided to try it.

The Trilogy Hydrating Facial Mist was a complete indulgence purchase! I was feeling a bit hot and tired from walking around all afternoon, and was feeling a strong need for a spritz of facial spray. I'm in love with that signature Trilogy smell, so again, I couldn't resist. Last but not least is the Models Prefer Lipstick Organiser. As you might have guessed, I'm becoming more interested in lip colour lately. My latest obsession has been to have a range of different lip colours to match every (or at least most!) of my eye palettes. Hence the fairly extreme difference between the two colours I've swatched here!


Photo taken under my daylight lamp.My makeup basket was just getting too full of eyeshadows and all my new lipsticks and glosses. I need to re-organise! (Don't worry, there'll be photos. ツ ) I've also bought other things here and there, but it's hard to remember all the bits and pieces. It can all pass by in a blur sometimes. I'm sure other beauty addicts can relate! Stay tuned for an epic Empties post soon!

Might You Be Interested In...

Collective Haul, Part 1 Etsy Shop Haul: Ananda Beauty

Beauty Boxes: Bella Box June 2013

My Bella Box came this week, just one day after my Lust Have It box! I feel so decadent! The theme for this month's box is "Girl's Night In, Girl's Night Out". I like the theme, and I think it is articulated well (as they'd say on Iron Chef!). So without further ado, on to the products!:


✔ EmerginC Vitamin C + Retinol Mask AND Hyper-Vitalizer Cream, sample sizes 3ml each.
I've received EmerginC products before (different ones) and really liked them. Unfortunately they're quite expensive, but they're definitely on my list of 'I'd buy it if I won Lotto' products. I love the innovative sachets as well, which are made of sturdy cardboard and stand up on their own. I'd like to try these soon.

✔ Toni&Guy Meet Wardrobe Creative Texturising Glue, full-size 100ml.
I had to laugh when I saw the name of this product - who wants to put glue in their hair?? (Although I think that's how dredlocks are made, so perhaps some people do...) I've become increasingly frustrated with my frizzy hair lately, but normally I'm too rushed or too lazy to do anything about it. Having lots of fun hair products to experiment with will hopefully motivate me to do something about it!

✔ Montagne Jeunesse Passion Peel-Off Mask, trial size 1 pc / 5ml.
This pomegranate and passionfruit peel-off mask sounds like fun. I haven't used a peel-off mask for years; they remind me of my teenage days! According to the packet, "you'll be amazed to see how many dead skin cells show up on the masque after use!" They must know I'm a girl who likes to see visible results. ツ Montagne Jeunesse is proudly not tested on animals.

✔ Simple Kind-To-Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes, sample pack, 7 pcs.
I've used Simple products before, and they are what they say they are - no-frills, perfume-free, good for sensitive skin. These are a basic that I'll definitely use at some point.

✔ Circa Home Everyday Soap in Vanilla & Cocoa Butter, full-size soap.
I was glad to see this soap in my box, with its pretty packaging and sophisticated scent. I received a Circa Home soap a few months ago (Lilac & Orchid that time) and it was long-lasting as well as delicious-smelling.

✔ Natio Nail Colour in Valentine, full-size 15ml.
This product isn't listed on the card, so perhaps it was a last-minute addition. It's a lovely deep red with slight orange overtones in the bottle, though they sweeten up to pink on the nail. My nails are in blech mode at the moment, they need a rest, but perhaps I'll do a Nails of the Week in a couple of weeks.

✔ StreetStar Cosmetics StreetGloss Lip Gloss in Sandy Pink, full-size.
Unfortunately when I unboxed this lip gloss, my first impression was that the tube looked really cheaply-made. The Maybelline gloss that I received a few months ago, which has a very similar design, compared much more favourably. It's a bit of a shame, because the product itself is actually great! I did a bit of a swatch to show:


The colour pay-off is great, and the crushed pearls are so shiny. The formula isn't sticky at all, and doesn't make my lips feel dry. It stayed on even after I drank a coffee. The company is all-Australian, based in Melbourne, so I'd love to see them do well. If they can use a tube of the same quality as the glamorous box it comes in, I think they'll have a real winner!

Summary: I was very happy with this months' Bella Box. There are 7 products (8 if you count the EmerginC products separately), and 4 of them are full-sized. I'll be using every single one of these products sooner or later, which I can't say about every box! There was a good mix of face, body, hair, nails and makeup products. Bella Box was definitely the stand-out this month.

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

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%

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.

Bella Box March 2013

I'm not too much in the mood for writing at the moment, but I wanted to share my March Bella Box items with you before too much time passes! I received the box over a week ago, so I'm very slack. Here it is:


❖ Ocean Essence Coconut Body Milk, full (travel) size 20ml.
I'm a bit surprised to find that this body lotion doesn't have much of a smell to it, of coconut or anything else. If anything, it smells faintly of cough medicine. I'll probably use up the tube all in one go anyway. The Body Milk is paraben-free. The RRP for this 20ml travel size tube is $4.95.

❖ SimuOlive Hydrating Shower Gel, sample size 50ml.
I don't have too many shower gels, but I like using them as a change from soap, so I'll probably crack this open soon. The extra-virgin olive oil in this product is well-known for its moisturising properties. This brand is made in New Zealand and not tested on animals.

❖ Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Eau de Toilette, sample vial {size not specified}.
I do love a perfume, and this one is floral and romantic just with a hint of spicy sophistication. I have never sampled a Guerlain perfume before. 'Little Black Dress' is well-named, I think. I can see myself wearing this to a special dinner or an afternoon at the art gallery.

❖ DB Designer Brands Lip Pencil in Nude, full size.
I don't use lip pencils, so I won't even be opening this. I don't wear lipstick that often, and when I do, I just tend to whack it on before I leave the house, and don't bother re-applying. I just switch to lip gloss or balm for the rest of the day. So having a coloured line on my lips for the rest of the day would look a bit weird! DB is a bit of a cheapie brand anyway, so I'm not too fussed that it's a product I won't use.

❖ Yes to Carrots C Me Shine Lip Gloss in Playful Nude, full size.
I already have a Bloom lip gloss in exactly the same shade as this, so I don't see the point in even opening it. My Bloom one still has plenty of life in it, so perhaps I'll give this away. If it was a more interesting shade (according to the card there were 4 different shades) then I might want to give it a go. Yes to Carrots is not tested on animals.

❖ BONUS PRODUCT - Swisse Active Energy Bar, 60g.
It's nice to get a bonus product, and I'll probably eat this soon as I'm starting to exercise more now that the hot weather is mostly gone. I don't mind getting food as a bonus item. It's probably more likely to appeal to a wider range of subscribers (not counting allergies, etc.) than some of the other bonus items I've received before. I've seen the bars at Chemist Warehouse and might be more likely to buy them now if I like the sample.

Summary: This month's box was a bit boring in my opinion. I was really only excited by the Guerlain perfume. Though there was a fairly good mix of different products, there are 2 that I definitely won't use, so that was quite disappointing. Bella Box has been a bit hit-and-miss lately, and I'm starting to re-think my subscription. There's always the fear, though, that as soon as I unsubscribe, I'll miss out on something really amazing! Hmmm!

Gonna Use It Right Now Score: 33%
Rating: 6/10

Essence: Teeny Tiny Haul

I had to go down to the Priceline near my work today to get some deodorant, so I thought I'd check out the latest from my personal Brand-of-the-Moment, Essence. I loved the things I got from their Cherry Girl range a while back, so I wanted to have a look at the Circus Circus range, which was released in Australia earlier this month. It debuted in Europe in December 2011 ... I can't believe it's taken all this time to come to our shores! We're always on the tail-end of these things, it seems. It's a little bit frustrating. Not only that, but as it was designed for the Christmas/Winter party season in Europe, it seems a little incongruous to release it in Australia in March. Just saying!

The range lived up to its reputation on the shiny side of things, with lots of gold, red and purple glitter. The eyeshadows were a bit disappointing: while metallic, they were dark, grungy shades. I was expecting brights for a circus theme. There was a choice of two lip glosses in shades of glittery red and pink. The nail polishes were much more enticing, with double-ended bottles filled with gold glitter, red, purple and pink. The fragrance was housed in an exciting-looking multi-faceted bottle with an old-fashioned bulb spray. The scent however- a slightly spicy yet generic floral - didn't inspire me to purchase.

I was hoping to pick up a lipstick or gloss in a coral tone, as I wanted one to match with my Essence Cherry Girl eye palette. Even after a year of beauty box subscriptions, I still don't have a coral lip colour! Plenty of reds, a few pinks, but no coral! I ended up choosing XXL Shine in Sparkling Papaya from Essence's regular range, and their Nail Art Express Dry Drops. Of course they were cheaper than fabled brand Seche Vite, and if they're half as good as S.V. is reputed to be, they should be all right.


Sorry about the awful photo, I'll do a proper swatch later.

Her Fashion Box March 2013 Review -- a New Box!

I'm a sucker for a beauty box, as I'm sure you've figured out by now. About a month ago, I read on the beauty blogs that a new box was starting up. Her Fashion Box is a larger (and more expensive!) box than the others. It was advertised as having a jewellery and/or accessory included every month, but the main pull was that it's customised. There are 3 styles to choose from: Feminine, Classic and Trendy. This feature would be very attractive to the cynical beauty box subscriber, I imagine. The kicker for me was the 50% off coupon for trying out the first box. I signed up!

My first Her Fashion Box finally arrived today and I now I'm rushing the review to you!
(So therefore apologies for the single, slightly meh photo.)

Here are the contents:


❐ Feminine Necklace - the first accessory item for the month is a silver filigree collar-style necklace. I love this! It's absolutely gorgeous. I certainly prefer it to the necklaces included in the Trendy and Classic boxes, confirming my thoughts that I'd chosen the right box for me. However, I'll probably only wear it on special occasions, so it won't get a huge amount of wear, unfortunately.

❐ Redken Diamond Oil Shampoo, Conditioner and Treatment, sample sizes 30-50ml.
These generously-size samples contain Interlock Protein Network technology to strengthen damaged hair. I've never hear of this line of products before, and I believe they're new to Australia. As my hair is constantly dyed, this is right up my alley. The RRP of the full size products is $22.50 to $35.50 - I wouldn't have bought them on a whim, so it's good to try them in my box.

❐ Maybelline ColorSensation High Shine Lip Gloss in #20 Glisten Up Pink, full size RRP $15.95.
This girly pink is certainly appropriate for the Femnine box. However, I've read at least one review of a subscriber who received the same colour in her Classic box, so.... The last few lip glosses I received were red-toned, so I might put this in my high-rotation basket or perhaps take it to work.

❐ Master Makeup by Dean Nixon Eyeshadow Brush, RRP $30.00.
I've never heard of this brand, and I don't think many other people have either. It's yet another brand masterminded by a makeup artist who wanted the world to have better (in this case, more affordable) makeup tools. Call me cheap, but I'm the kind of girl who doesn't think a $30 eyeshadow brush is really affordable, sorry! But still, I'm grateful to have such a product in my box.

❐ Moxie Collection Sample Box.
This cute sample box contains 2 tampons, 1 pantyliner, 1 standard pad and 1 night-time pad. I like the luxe way this has been packaged, but pads are hardly glamorous! I remember receiving a box of Moxie tampons in an early beauty box and being quite disappointed.

❐ Circa Home Everyday Soap in Lilac & Orchid, 125g, RRP $9.95.
I find it a little amusing that this soap is labelled 'everyday', as I certainly wouldn't pay that much for soap I'd use every day. But! It smells divine and I'm really looking forward to using it.

❐ BONUS PRODUCT - Gold Bow Ponytail Holder.
I love this adorable hair elastic with a gold metal bow. Again, I definitely prefer this to the offerings in the Classic and Trendy boxes. I can see myself wearing this to work quite a lot!
Instead of a card, the box came with a mini-magazine with information about all of the products. The necklaces were featured with suggested outfits just like in a fashion magazine, with prices and brands for all of the garments (though no prices or brands were listed for the jewellery items themselves, interestingly).


Summary: So, what did I think of the debut Her Fashion Box? First though, I'll answer the question I'm sure you're all dying to know - how much did it cost?? Well, the full price would have been $49.95, but as I mentioned in the beginning, I had a half-price voucher so this set me back $24.95. Since then though, I've heard that future boxes will be $39.95. Even still, that's a lot for me, especially with no guarantee that I'll like the jewellery item in the box.

So, this box contained 9 items all up (though in my mind I would group the shampoo and conditioner), including a bonus first-box item. First up, do I think it was worth the money? Well, without RRPs for the jewellery, it's hard to say. But the necklace is heavy and seems well-made, in the latest style, so I would expect to pay $20-$25 in a place like Diva or Equip. Assuming that, then yes the outright value of the box certainly tops $40, possibly even $50. Secondly, does the box have the 'wow' factor? Well, that's harder to answer. Some of the products are pretty mundane - shampoo? tampons? soap? - and none of the brands are really high-end. The makeup and beauty products were the same in each type of box, as far as I can tell from the few reviews that are already up. So does that mean the jewellery will be the only customised items?? Seems a bit odd to me. However, I did think they were spot-on with the different styles of jewellery items. Personally I was a bit sad that there was no moisturiser or cleanser, my particular weaknesses.

In conclusion, I'm going to wait and see. Boxes can either go all out with their first offering, and then taper off from there, or start slow and improve over time. I'm hoping Her Fashion Box will prove to be the latter. I'll stay subscribed for now and see what's in the next box. At nearly 3 times the price of all the other beauty boxes on the market though, the company has a lot to prove.

Beauty Boxes : Lust Have It February 2013

February's Lust Have It box is a little different to normal. In a spirit of honesty they sent an email last week explaining some changes to this month's box. One of the full-size products they wanted to include was so large and heavy that they couldn't put it in their new signature box, and they also had to leave out one of the products from the card due to the weight limit. There was to be 3 full-size products in total to make up for it. I was so intrigued as to what they might be!

The box finally arrived on Friday. The postie had put it in the letterbox instead of by the front door like normal, and unfortunately, being a 33oC day, the contents felt warm. Grrr again, Australia Post! I really hope the heat didn't affect them too much, though it can't have been too bad as the lipstick hadn't melted or warped. Moving on though, let's see what we got:

* Mancine Summer Tan Self-Action Tan in Dark, full size 250ml.
This is the large bottle that caused all the last-minute swapping surrounding this month's box, and unfortunately I have to say it's a product I probably won't use. I've received tanning products before and said I'd use them, but never do. Sometimes I get vain and want my legs to be a bit more tanned, but I always fall back on my good old Palmer's Gradual. Even then, I sometimes have to dilute it with moisturiser because even after one application it looks too weird with my pasty fair rose skin. I may well try it out, but I can't imagine going through a whole 250ml bottle of the stuff! So I was kinda disappointed to find that the product I'd been waiting for and which I had to miss out on my 5th sample for, is wasted on me.
The product is made in Australia and not tested on animals.

* Styli-Style L3 Timeless Lipstick in Spirit, full size.
I don't use lipsticks too much, but I'm in love with this colour! It's like a dusty rose pink with a touch of mauve, and quite sheer. I have swatched it below! It comes in a nice solid metal tube that I could throw in my bag and take everywhere with me. I can see myself using it often. This brand comes from the U.S.

* The Natural Source Camouflage Colour Nail Lacquer in Brown Plum, full size.
I just can't get enough nail polish! This one is a deep brick red tending to brown. I probably wouldn't have chosen it myself, but it might make an interesting base for some of the glitter nail polishes I've acquired lately.

* Lon Vitalite C9 Moisturising Hand Mask, 1 pr.
This looks like a really interesting product: like a cloth face mask except for your hands. I'm really looking forward to using it. My hands have been so dry in the heat, so I think they deserve a bit of pampering. The price seems very reasonable, $4.50 per pair, so I might buy some if I enjoy the pampering. ;)

Gunna Use It Right Now Rating: 75%
Summary: I'm in two minds about this box. While it was disappointing to only receive 4 products, I did like 3 of them, and LHI's upfront email went quite a way to make up for it. I can't help wondering though if they couldn't have thrown in one or two lightweight sachets as compensation, or if the box really was too heavy. Normally my box ratings depend on giving 0-2 points per product, and with only 4 in this one I'm afraid it only gets 5/10.

Rating: 5/10

Now for the lipstick swatch. This was taken under my daylight lamp. The colour is much more true-to-life in this shot (compared to my monitor settings anyway!). I think it will be fairly long-wearing as the lippie took a bit of rubbing to get off my arm!:

(Belated) Christmas Gift Share!

I can't believe Christmas was a month ago already! I'm probably the last blogger on earth to share my Christmas receipts, but as I mentioned in my last post, the flu got me down for a long time. I'm grateful for everything I got though, so I wanted to share it. The photos also feature Kapibara-san, whom I've had for years, but he just felt like posing in the photos, so who was I to stop him?

[above] From my parents-in-law I received a Cellex-D Eye Serum. I've never used this brand before, and I'm looking forward to giving it a try.

From my Mum I received a Sukin Body Lotion, and three Max Factor mini Nailfinity nail polishes, in Opal, Boji and Onyx. These weren't actually Christmas gifts - sometimes Mum gets gifts with purchase, etc. that she doesn't use and passes them on to me. I used the Boji on Christmas day and it came out a nice lavender/taupe colour.

From Husband I received an Almond Candy Milkshake Body Butter and an Etude House Shini Star Lip Balm. I must confess, these are things that I bought and then gave them to him to wrap and give to me. A friend told me that she does this a lot, to make sure she gets presents that she really wants. Thankfully Husband is very good at coming up with gift ideas on his own, but sometimes a girl's needs can be very specific. I doubt he'd know intuitively that I was pining away for something from Etude House's collaboration with the K-pop band SHINee.

It was a complete indulgence buy. Saving Husband the trouble of having to think of more stocking fillers for me made me feel much less guilty about buying it! The pot is so adorable, and the scent I chose is Onew / Peach. (Onew is the one on the right in the band photo.)

[below] I also received these gifts packs. The Palmer's Purse Essentials was from Husband. He thought of this one by himself and I'm very happy with it. I love Palmer's and I'll definitely use all of these products - soon! Also in the picture is a pair of earrings he gave me (again, a self-purchase).
The other gift pack is the Burt's Bees Head to Toe Kit, which I received in the Kris Kringle I have with my group of friends. There's a little bit of everything in this pack. Another one that will go to good use.

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 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: 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

Bloom Haul!!

My Bloom haul arrived from OzSale last weekend!! I'm really trying to save money (honestly!) but when I saw a Bloom sale on Ozsale, how could I resist? I was talking only a few posts ago about how much I love Bloom, but seem to have a disproportionately low percentage of Bloom products in my stash.
This is what I got!:

❦ Orange Blossom Refreshing Facial Mist - I like to use a facial mist at work to freshen up after lunch. I'd been thinking of getting a replacement for my Trilogy one, which is getting a bit low. Perfect!

❦ Scented Soap in Brown Sugar & Fig - it was about time to restock on soap again, and this sounds divine!

❦ Mini Soaps in Light Floral, Fresh Citrus and Unscented - more soaps, you can never have enough! If your bathroom cabinet is full, then put them in your clothes drawers!

❦ Face Care Pamper Pack - contains 2 sachets each of Sweet Almond Cleansing Oil, Apricot Kernel Face Scrub and Ginseng Moisturiser. I love samples so much I'm willing to pay for them!

❦ Hand Care Pamper Pack - contains 2 sachets each of Hand Wash, Cuticle Oil and Hand Cream. I've purchased the Pamper Packs before years ago, but these ones have new and different products in them. Yay!

❦ Lip Stain in Rhubarb - lately I've been wanting to add more lip colour to my life, but I just can't be bothered re-applying lipstick all day long. Lip stain to the rescue! Rhubarb is a lovely ruby red that I can see myself using a lot (review soon??).

❦ 10-piece Brush Set with Mirror - very excited about this! It comes in a plastic carry case which folds out, and with tips for using each piece on the back. Perfect for a brush noob like me! I'm Definitely taking this on holiday with me.

Beauty Boxes : Lust Have It August 2012

After four months in a row of receiving my Lust Have It goodies in a makeup bag, this time the subscription came in a proper box again. It was slightly larger than normal, the type of flimsy cardboard box that you might see at party supply places, though it was wrapped in a nice wide black ribbon. The tissue paper inside was plain white too. I just get the feeling that not as much effort was put into the presentation of this month's box, but what's inside is more important, so let's have a look:



It contained:

tanGo Tanning Glove
Well, for a start, this isn't a glove, it's a plain square cloth. On the card, it's pictured with the other tantalising tanGo products that we didn't receive. It's made of that soft microfibre material that some of my face washers are made of, and that's what I'll use it for. I think this would be more appropriately listed as a bonus product. The RRP of $29.95 seems a little high to me.

Bioderma Atoderm Cream, sample sachet 8ml
This comes from the same folks that brought us the H2O Makeup Remover, which many beauty bloggers were calling a holy grail product. I'm expecting it to be good! It's for very dry skin. Thankfully I don't have a dry skin problem, but I may as well give it a go anyway.

Tigi Catwalk Session Series Styling Cream, full-size 150ml
This stuff looks a lot more usable than the Tigi Bedhead Manipulator that I got a while back, which was a sticky, blue mess. This looks like something I would use regularly, as my hair is pretty frizzy. It's full-size, which makes me happy.

Aromatherapy Associates Triple Rose Renewing Moisturiser and Hydrating Face Mask, sample size 5ml each
I love rose, so I'm sure I'll love these. Again, these are for dry skin and my skin is normal to oily, so I hope I don't have any breakouts.

Wet n Wild Nail Polish, full-size
I don't know what the name of this colour is, but it reminds me of the nail polishes I had when I was a kid. It's a pretty iridescent colour. I haven't been in the mood to paint my nails lately, but this polish might bring me out of hibernation.

Shiseido Perfect Rouge Lipstick in RD305, sample size 2.5g
I've been wanting to try Shiseido products for a while, but the price range made me hesitate. So I was happy to see a Shiseido product in my box, but disappointed at the same time, because the product is one that I'm least likely to use. There's already a lipstick in a very similar colour in my 'Probably Won't Ever Use' box. I know that many people love lipstick and they have to cater to people with many different tastes and preferences, but it just leaves me feeling ... meh.

Summary: As you can probably tell, I'm not very enthused by this month's box, though I can't really figure out why. It's actually a very good box: the mixture of different types of products is good (face, body, hair, nails, makeup), and the value is very high. So I'll give it the score that it probably deserves, rather than the score I feel like giving it.

Total Value: $108.72. Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $93.77
Rating: 8/10

Beauty Boxes: Bella Box August 2012

I received the August Bella Box about half-way through August (apologies again for the late review!) This month's theme is 'Go Green', pampering yourself while staying eco-friendly. Sounds good to me!



◆ Luk Beautifood Lip Nourish, full-size
Apparently this brand of lipstick is so new, they haven't even had a chance to whack a label on it yet, so I don't know what the shade is called. It's a deep but sheer, shimmery cocoa-plum. I don't normally wear lipstick, so I baulked at first, but it's so sheer that it might be a good introduction to colour for me. The lemon and mint scent is nice and zingy, too.

◆ Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, sample size 45g pot
I've discussed my ambiguous attitude to Lush previously, but at least they don't test on animals! This body moisturiser smells lovely, though difficult to describe. (Is it the argan oil?) I'm looking forward to trying it.

◆ Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion, sample size 29ml
I used to use the Aveeno hand cream, and it was dull but worked well. I'm expecting the same from this. Aveeno products are tested on animals.

◆ EmerginC Phytocell Moisturiser and Kombucha Cleanser, 3ml each
I received the same products in my Lust Have It box in April. A girl doesn't forget these things! They were quite good products, so they won't go to waste. But I also remember that I received 2 moisturiser sachets in the LHI box, whereas here there's only 1 of each. Hm!

◆ Aurora Spa Rituals Rose Otto & Nettle Clarifying Shampoo and Burdock & Rose Revitalising Conditioner, sample size 50 ml each
These bottles are at least enough for a couple of applications on my long, wild hair, and with rose in the ingredients, they smell absolutely wonderful. These babies are coming into the shower with me! They are Australian-made and -owned, and not tested on animals.

◆ Phytocare Citrus Burst Daily C, 3.7g sachet x2
Keeping your insides beautiful is important too, and these Vitamin C sachets will go a long way towards that, I'm sure. The daily dose is 1-2 sachets, so this will give me a small taste.

Summary: This month's box was quite passable. There were two body products, but they were balanced out with some cosmetic, hair and face care content. It was also a good mix of new/indie brands and familiar faces. I probably would have listed the Vitamin C sachets as a bonus product but, meh. The value was all right, nothing to complain about. There was only one full-sized product (the lipstick), which was a little disappointing. The thing that really irked me about this box was the ""Bonus Product"", a You Me & Everybody Bodhi Me Hand Wash. This wasn't included in the box because it was too big: it comes for free with purchase from the Bella Box online store. I'm sorry, but I think that's a little bit cheeky. It's a bonus when you buy extra stuff from the store, not the core subscription box. Surely they could think of a less sneaky way to encourage people to buy stuff from the store, like free shipping or a discount code. And it's only a hand wash, for sheesh sake! RRP $5.99! I didn't bother. So they get a point off from me for that. Otherwise, I'm happy.

Total Value: $48.59. Cost of Box: $15.00. Benefit: $33.59
Rating: 6/10

Beauty Boxes : Lust Have It Box July 2012

My Lust Have It box for July arrived a couple of days ago. I'm not feeling the blogging inspiration today, so I'll just do a quick summary. It again came in a lust-have-it-branded makeup bag, but in a perky bright orange colour this time. Just looking at it cheers me up!

I'd also like to mention before I get started - my Beauty Basket subscription. Remember I received a Beauty Basket last month? I was really starting to wonder why I hadn't received one this month. No payment was taken out of my account, no email communication, nothing. So yesterday I finally went to their site to figure out what the deal was. It turns out - you have to log on to their site and manually purchase the basket every month.


last month's Beauty Basket

After the less-than-inspiring package I received last month (Lindt chocolates aside), and the less-than-encouraging feedback I've read about their service, I decided not to bother. In my mind, half the convenience of the beauty box subscription is that they arrive on your doorstep like magic each month, without you having to do anything. (I know! I'm lazy! But it's a part of feeling pampered, don't you think?) Plus, I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I'm building up quite a large stash of products now, and it's probably best if I stick to just two boxes. (*gasp!*)
Now on to the box at hand!:


my Lust Have It goodies!

I received:

✌ Baby Foot - it's a set of exfoliating socks that you wear for a couple of hours, and then over the next few weeks, all the dead hard skin on your feet eventually comes off. (See illustration on postcard at the bottom of my photo.) I was quite chuffed to receive this because a) I'm really slack with taking care of my feet, and I'd rather use something occasionally that gives them a really thorough treatment, than having to pay attention to them every day; and b) Celeste from Becoming Beautiful recently reviewed a very similar product from Tony Moly and I've been intrigued by it. The included postcard had a 20% discount offer for purchases before the end of August, which I may take advantage of.

✌ Matrix Deep Smoothing Shampoo & Conditioner - these paraben-free products are formulated to smooth rough, frizzy hair, which is exactly what I need. It's annoying when hair products come in a 15ml sachet which isn't enough for even one application on my long, thick hair. This bottle and tube though, will be good for a couple of washes.

✌ Mirenesse Velvet Lip Lift Moisture Shine - I like the pinkish-nude colour of this lip gloss sample, and I love the design of Mirenesse packaging. I can't tell you yet whether it's self-renewing or lasts all day, but I can tell you that it smells horrible. Sort of like plastic and chemicals. Which is a real shame because their primer and face mask both smell divine and really warmed me to Mirenesse products. The jury's out as to whether I'll actually use this.

✌ Avene Gentle Eye Makeup Remover - oops, I bought a full-size bottle of this on sale from Chemist Warehouse a couple of weeks ago! Though I haven't started using it yet. If I do end up liking it, then it'll be very handy for travelling and sleeping over at friends' houses (which we sometimes plan, but never get around to!).

✌ Avene Ystheal+ Anti-Ageing Cream - I remembered getting some Avene products in my Bella Box a few months ago, but I'm relieved to see this is a different product in the Ystheal line. (And no, I haven't started using those yet, either!) It's formulated for dry skin, so not my type, but I'll try it anyway with caution. Not only do I have oily skin, but I have a great honker of a pimple on my chin at the moment!

Summary: Overall it wasn't a bad box. There was a good mix of skin care, makeup and hair products, with all the brands being medium to high end. The Baby Foot is a new type of product (as far as I'm aware!) and I'm looking forward to using it.

Total Value: $62.56. Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $47.61
Rating: 8/10