Bellabox - November 2012

My Bellabox took ages to arrive this month. I got the tracking email on the 15th and didn't receive the box til the 21st. I think I may have been dropped from the first shipment which is sad for me as I loved being able to share the contents straight away, letting the impatient among you get a sneek peak.

Anyway......

The contents of this months box were worth the wait. There so much value here.

This month I received:

Bioderma:
Sebium H2O Cleansing Water
20ml mini
I am not really a fan of cleansers that you don't wash off your skin. Aren't you just leaving a film of cleanser, make up and dirt on your face that you could easily have rinsed off? I gave this product a try and it did a very good job of removing make up but my face felt much cleaner once I'd splashed some water on it.

4me:
Nail Polish Remover Pads
30 full size
A very convenient way to carry some nail polish remover and a good size for traveling. The acetone free formula is gentle on nails and cuticles but probably wouldn't cope with glitter polish removal. It is very oily.

I wonder if I could reuse the packaging with my own remover and pads inside?

David Jones:
Beauty Radiant Moisture Day Cream
30ml full size
I tried this as a night cream as it doesn't contain a sunscreen. I find it surprising that an Australian brand would leave sun protection out of a moisturiser marketed for daytime use. Regardless, this smells lovely and absorbs nicely into the skin.

Rose-Hip Vital:
Rosehip Oil
30ml full size
Certified organic cold pressed rosehip oil.
If you haven't included rosehip oil in your beauty routine already, you should. I've been using it for about a year and it is fantastic. Full of vitamins, antioxidants and fatty acids this might be the best thing you ever do for your skin. Mix a few drops with your favourite moisturiser or apply alone after cleansing. Massage it on your cuticles, hands or to fade scars. A truly multipurpose product. I love rosehip oil.
This product is a very generous size at a reasonable price.

I may have to do a post on rosehip oil.

Swisse:
Hand Cream with Vitamin F and Pomegranate
30ml mini
Lovely. Watch for a post soon in my hand cream review series.

Palmolive:
Luscious Mango Body Butter Body Wash
50ml mini
Smells delicious! Not overly drying on the skin. Is there much else to say about a product like this? I wouldn't really consider it a luxury product but I am very happy to receive it. A great size for travel.

Bloom B Collection:
col-lecta colour cheek tint
Full size 5g
A shimmery cheek tint in a neutral shade. Perfect for the current party season.

What a fantastic box this month. I can't wait for the xmas edition!

Bellabox - October 2012

This month is the first birthday of Bellabox! Congratulations ladies, you've made it through your first year.

Of all the beauty subscription services that have come and gone this year it's no surprise to me that Bellabox are still going strong. Their customer service is impeccable, their products are high quality and their team is fantastic. I have never had a negative interaction with this company. I hope they continue to provide a premium service for many years to come. I'd also love to see some more specialized boxes come out like a hand and nail box, hair care boxes where you can specify your hair type, or a dedicated fragrance box.

I've decided to post about boxes a little later this month, once I've had a chance to try all the goodies out properly.

This month I received:

Chocolatier:
Pink Heart Chocolate
This was the first item I tried from this months box. Delicious! It was very good motivation to get the photo done so that I could eat the chocolate ASAP.

Sally Hansen:
Insta-Dri Nail Polish - Sonic Bloom
9ml full size
Nail polish! Woot! I love getting polishes. Sonic Bloom is a BRIGHT neon pink. Good coverage, smooth application. The pic below is two coats.

Carmex:
Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm in Sheer Pink
2g Full size
I'm not usually a big Carmex fan because of its fragrance but this pretty, soft pink balm may just have converted me. It applies smoothly, leaving a hint of gorgeousness and just the right amount of shine. Beautiful.

DKNY:
Fresh Blossom Eau So Intense
1.5ml sample
Floral, citrus and apple blossom notes in this fragrance sample. Whenever I try new scents I tend to find them very strong and this one is no exception. Considering the name it's not really surprising. Having said that, I quite like this fragrance and will definitely use this sample to the end.

E.L.F:
Essential Brightening Eye Colour - Nouveau Neutralis
Full size
A neutral eyeshadow quad. If I hadn't just bought a bunch of NYX eyeshadows (which are amazing!) I'd probably be more impressed with this. The glitter particles in two of the shades are a bit large for my taste and the colours are not quite as highly pigmented as they could be, but at $3.99 you cant expect perfection. The other two shades apply nicely with a brush and are useable daily colours. I think this product is good value and a nice addition to your neutral palette.

Estée Lauder:
Resilience Lift instant Action Lift Treatment
5ml mini
Claims to lift and firm skin, boost collagen production and elastin retention. To be honest, I don't have any areas on my face that need lifting and firming, so I can't really comment on those claims. However, this cream makes my skin feel very smooth, it's not too heavy and it absorbs rapidly. As it isn't really suitable for my skin and the full size product costs is quite expensive I will not be buying this item in the near future.

Clinique:
Turnaround Concentrate Radiance Renewer
7ml mini
I'm excited to see Clinique featured in this months box and I hope to see more samples from them in the near future. After using this product for the past 5 days I think my skin feels softer and smoother. I will probably buy this product next time Clinique have a gift with purchase promo.

Cedel:
Blow Dry Faster Heat Protector
165ml full size
I don't blow dry my hair. I don't even own a blowdryer, so you'll have to look elsewhere for a proper review of this product. The can was also dented, but as I won't be using it I'm not really that fussed.

So many goodies! I am very pleased with this months box.

What did you get this month? Were you pleased with your pack?

Bellabox - September 2012

 

This month I did it! I didn't peek at the Facebook page or hunt down any blog posts on what might be on the way in my Bellabox! I did stalk the tracking site, but only a little :)

I just had a shower and used most of these products, my comments are below.

This month Bellabox have sent me:

Bioderma:
Sebium Foaming Gel
Sample 10ml
Facial cleansing gel. Soap and alcohol free, good for sensitive skin. There is probably 3 or 4 uses in this sample. It felt nice on my skin, wasn't too drying but I'm not willing to make a decision based on one use.

Sebium AKN Purifying Corrective Care
Sample 5ml
A moisturizing cream that helps clear the skin. I'm looking forward to trying this, but as it doesn't contain sunscreen it will be a night time only cream for me.

Benefit:
It's Potent! Eye Cream
Sample 3g

Adorable little pot and luxe packaging. This cream is meant to fade dark circles and smooth fine lines. I've had dark circles forever and have tried many creams with little to no success, so I'm very skeptical about claims to lighten them. However, I am more than willing to give this a go. I tried it on one eye only so I can see if there is any visible difference before I consider buying a full size version. I'll post about this again if it's a winner.

Savior Faire:
Concealer Kit
Sample palette
4 shades of concealer and 2 of powder in this credit card sized sample. Apparently you can also use this after foundation to sculpt your face, highlighting and darkening different areas, then finishing with powder. I tried this as a concealer but I'm far too lazy to sculpt myself with it. I used the two lightest shades with a concealer brush before applying foundation. I like this product a lot. It went on smoothly, not too thick as some concealers can be, blended easily and looked very natural.

USPA:
Beehold Gel
Sample 30ml
A gorgeous smelling hair product that creates body, enhances curls and provides humidity resistance. I have curly hair so I was very happy to receive a product that I may be able to use. This product does what it claims, my hair feels and looks bouncy. It's not the right weather to test out the humidity resistance.

You, Me & Everybody:
Sumptuous Skin Mousse
Full size 75ml
Fragrance free, non greasy moisturizer in a foaming formula. This was fun to use and is a nice, light moisturizer that soaked in very quickly. I wouldn't use it on my face and it's not really enough for my dry hands but this mousse is lovely on the rest of me. This goes further than you think so use a medium sized blob at a time. I can't help but wish this product DID have a fragrance. While there was no lasting scent from the propellants it did smell a bit 'chemical' as it went on. I would definitely buy this product.

Bellabox - August 2012

I love beauty sample boxes. Every month you get sent a beautifully packaged bunch of items you have probably never tried to test out in your own home. There's no salespeople pressuring you to buy things you're not sure you like yet, letting you and your goodies get better acquainted before you commit to any of them. It's a lovely little treat for yourself each month.

If companies opened up selling monthly sample boxes in areas other than beauty, I'd probably buy them too.

By the time I get my Bellabox tracking email I've probably been stalking their Facebook page for at least a few days, seeing if there's any hint of packages leaving their hands. I am a big fan of postal tracking. You know where your item is all the time. At work? You can easily see if a bundle of surprises will be waiting at your front door when you get home. I hope Bellabox don't ever stop having trackable postage.

If you can manage not to peek at blog posts like this one :) the contents of your box are completely unknown, a mystery. If, like me, you aren't very good at waiting, you will have some idea of what others have received, but not which version of the box YOU will get. More mystery!

This month Bellabox have sent me their 'Go Green' box. My version contains:

Phytocare:
Daily C 2 x 3.7g sachet
Vitamin C powder. This tastes a bit like Tang. It's quite yummy and the extra antioxidants are a welcome addition at this time of year.

Emerginc Skincare:
Kombucha Cleanser 3ml sample
Phytocell Cream 3ml sample
I haven't tried these yet but the sample packaging is cute.

Aveeno:
Daily Moisturizing Lotion 29ml sample
Contains oatmeal to protect skin and is fragrance free. This absorbed quickly into my hands, leaving them looking smooth, soft and feeling moisturized. A generous size, I look forward to using this again.

Luk:
Beautifood Lip Nourish 3g full size
I got the Lime and Ginger version, which is great as I love the smell of ginger! A neutral shade, this gave my lips a hint of colour and a subtle shine. I love this product.

Aurora Spa Rituals:
Rose Otto and Nettle Clarifying Shampoo 50ml mini bottle
Burdock and Rose Revitalising Conditioner 50ml mini bottle
These smell divine! I'm yet to try them and I hope they suit my hair. I have curly hair that looks like I've been electrocuted if I use the wrong products. I have my fingers crossed that these babies are friends with my moody hair.

Lush:
Ro's Argan Body Conditioner 45g tin
Packed with moisturizing oils and butters, this product is perfect for pampering winter-dry skin. I'm not usually a fan of creams with cocoa butter in them, as I find the chocolatey smell a bit overpowering but this one smells lovely. Not particularly rosey or lemony but still a very good smell. This one's a winner.

There is also a bonus offer in the box. Buy anything from the Bellabox shop in August and get a free 250ml handwash by You, Me and Everybody.

Bellabox have once again produced a fantastic box full of products. I love everything this month!

I'm already looking forward to what goodies might be in next months box.

Did you get something different in your box? What items are your favorites?

Bellabox July 2012

I've subscribed to a variety of beauty subscription boxes in the past. For those who don't know, you pay a monthly fee and get sent a box of beauty samples to try.

Currently I'm subscribed to two boxes, LustHaveIt and Bellabox.

This is my first package from Bellabox and I must say that I'm impressed not only with the selection of goodies but also with their excellent customer service.

This is the July box. The theme is Essential Beauty Buys. It contains:

Neutrogena:
Invigorating ultra-foam cleanser.
Full size 175ml.

Deep clean gentle scrub.
Sample size 15ml.

You, Me & Everybody:
Shady lady daily face milk SPF 30+
Full size 75ml

Almay:
Get up and grow mascara - black
Full size 6.2ml

Carmex:
Lip balm
Full size 10g

Bourjois:
Effet smoky eyeliner with brush - dark purple
Full size 0.89g

Body Shop:
2 x Chocomania body butter
Sample sachet 8ml each

Givenchy:
Neo eau de toilette (men)
Sample sachet 1ml

Mode Cosmetics:
Glitter nail polish - kiss and tell
Full size 15ml

Bellabox bag

What a huge amount of great stuff to try for only $15!

Looking forward to testing these babies out.

Do you subscribe to any beauty boxes?