Bellabox April 2014 Review

"Autumn Winter Style" 

This months Bellabox is clearly a collab with Burt's Bees. The box had this cute, bright yellow sleeve over the new (2nd month) hard case blue box. 

The Contents: 

In the box:

Avon  Mega Effects Mascara- colour 

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm- cult

Montagne Jeunesse Dry Skin Mask- essential 

Vaseline Healthy Radiance Ultimate 10 Anti Ageing Lotion- essential 

Indio Eye Rise- Lift & Hydrate Eye Cream- luxe

(bonus product): Revlon Nearly Naked swatch card 

The product card: front & back- setting the tone for the cooler months ahead

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm: 

With  breezy Autumn upon us, you can't go wrong with a basic lip balm. This one has Vitamin E & is ultra minty. It's like gum for your lips. Seeing the other Burt's Bees products available I'm keen to try out the lemon cuticle cream & the coconut foot cream... perhaps a Burt's Bee review to come.     

Avon  Mega Effects Mascara:

I love mascara- this one has been on my radar but I hadn't need one yet so I had notgotten around to purchasing it. Get your bad self an Avon lady- STAT. The packaging is ...ahem a little tricky at first- I heard heaps of Bella subscribers broke theirs... wiggle wiggle is the key to success here. Its fairly strong black which is always good and the brush gives 'lashings' (love a pun) of thick long coverage. 

Montagne Jeunesse Dry Skin Mask: 

I'm into masks so this doesn't disappoint- this brand make delicious smelling masks- so good you're tempted to taste (but don't ok?). This one is Blueberry, Raspberry & Red Grape for 'dry skin'. This is a two part mask, bottom half of sachet is the actual mask which is anti-oxidants based for 'protection and replenishment'. The second phase is a follow up serum- again anti-oxidants & 'smoothing'. My only con would be that my Bellabox profile states I have combination skin, I don't have dry skin. I will still enjoy this mask as I believe it will be hydrating rather than greasy. 

Vaseline Healthy Radiance Ultimate 10 Anti Ageing Lotion:

A lot of subscribers poo poo the supermarket brands- lets face it, we are all time poor and if you try something that you like and you can pick it up while buying bread and milk- what is there to complain about. this lotion claims 10 benefits in one bottle & boasts anti ageing benefits. It feels relatively smooth and fast drying. 

    

Indio Eye Rise- Lift & Hydrate Eye Cream:

Eye cream another cant live without item. Slightly tinted & lightweight,  this has a nice texture. Claims are: richly nourishing, plumping fine lines & concealing imperfections. Sounds good! looking forward to properly road testing this one.  

Lastly we have the bonus product- a Revlon swatch card of 'Nearly Naked' foundation. I've had one of these in a mag before & I can't say it was anything special.The name is a dead give away that the coverage is crap. It may as well be called Revlon no coverage foundation. Also each swatch isn't enough to do your face once- As a bonus it's a whatever from me. 

Value: 

So I normally like to point out the value of the box for anyone interested

Avon  Mega Effects Mascara (full size) $19.95

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (full size) $7.95

Montagne Jeunesse Dry Skin Mask (full size) $4.99

Vaseline Healthy Radiance Ultimate 10 Anti Ageing Lotion pro rata 25ml $0.85 

Indio Eye Rise- Lift & Hydrate Eye Cream pro rata 5ml $22.40

(bonus product): Revlon Nearly Naked swatch card $0.00 

Box Total Value: $56.14

Cost: $15 per month 

Overall you can't fault the value.  I was happy with this months box being either product categories I love & or at least being useful. 

High-light: Mascara

Low-light: Revlon swatches 

What was in your box? What do you think about this box or the products inside?  Did anyone get the lemon cuticle cream.. what was it like?  Feel free to comment below! 

If you want to subscribe to Bellabox or want more info click HERE 

For last months Bellabox review click HERE

Please note I subscribe on my own accord, this is not a sponsored blog. 

Liddle Tip: Tube Cutting

Call me cheap, savvy or genius- it's up to you. This liddle tip will get you at least 2-5 extra uses out of those exy beauty products. All you need is a pair of scissors!

Tubes make sense because gravity allows the product to drip/ gradually run down to the cap. Normally with a tube of product you can give it a tap to get the product down to the bottom, squeeze and push every last drop out. OR SO YOU THOUGHT. 

When I studied beauty therapy a girl in my class chucked an empty tube in the bin- the teacher lost her shit- literally went on a massive rant and eventually showed us this great tip. 

I'm going to show examples of a scrub and a conditioner because they have totally different textures and consistencies but demonstrate how this trick works every time. 

1.So you've got a tube of product and it's finished. You've shaken, tapped, squeezed and pushed out as much as you can. It's definitely finished. 

2. Get scissors and cut the tube in half... 

3. Marvel at how much is still inside the tube even though you yourself got it ALL out before

4. Scoop all product and place in bottom half of tube 

5. Slide top half of tube over bottom half as a 'lid'

6. Use the rest up & feel good about not wasting a drop! 

Both these two products were on my recent empties post- if you want more info click here! 

Biore scrub: reclaimed 4-5 uses 

Matrix Conditioner: reclaimed 2-3 uses

This might seem a bit tight but to be honest I personally would prefer the extra product making my skin brighter and my hair smoother rather than being thrown in the trash. Beauty products can be expensive and considering the production, transportation and packaging it makes sense not to be wasteful. While we may wash them down the drain, it makes sense not to throw money down the drain! 

I hope this tip has been helpful! What did you think of this tip? Try it and tell me what you think! 

Any questions or comments feel free to post them below. 

Thanks for reading! 

Finito: Epic empties! Reviews of stuff I finished first quarter '14

I'd like to create a space for products I've used up each month. Let's call it 'Finito' meaning 'all done'. 

In 'Finito' you'll find reviews on stuff that I gave a red hot go & or used up. I'll let you know a bit about it & give an indicator of what I thought, if I'd use it again & if I'd tell a friend because it needs to be shared. 

You might see me say something is 'the dogs tuxedo' When I really love something I might describe it in this way. It is an old joke with a friend, when something is better than the bee's knees...better than the cats pajamas.

So here goes- I'll try to be brief!! 

Masks: 

• 10 o 6 No time to shine Mask: This is a smooth, non drying light cay mask. 10O6 sell these in a twin strip for $2 or $3 at Priceline. I love these mid week if i need a perk or if my skins not coming to the party. Buy again: YES, Recommend to a friend: YES. 
• 10 o 6 Strawberry & Yarrow Mud Mask : Smells AMAZING! As above smooth texture & great price. NON drying. Buy again: YES, Recommend to a friend: YES. 
• Nature Republic Tea Tree  Mask: I was given this from a friend who brought it back from Korea. Its a sheet mask of fabric that you put over your face. It smelt so fresh & made my skin look clear & bright. Buy again: YES if I could, Recommend to a friend: SURE.

Makeup:

• Korres Wild Rose Brightening Compact in WRP3: I'm a little in love with Korres. They are a Greek Brand that use lots of natural or plant based ingredient's. This power is so velvety smooth & though matte- the brightening finish ensures you don't look dull. The case is a split compact so the gross sponge doesn't sit directly on the powder- it lives underneath> pivotal for people with oily skin/ breakout to prevent too much continuation on product.  Buy again: ALREADY HAVE, recommend to a friend: YES. 
• Clinique Perfectly Real Compact in 102: This powder is a bit of an old faithful. It has build-able coverage so you can wear alone but it also works well as a setting powder over foundation. This is a good handbag powder as the case is sturdy & the coverage doesn't get masky if you reapply throughout the day. As above its a split case. Buy again: YES, Recommend to a friend: YES
• Clinique Moisture Sheer Tint in Fair: This was old & had to be used or chucked! BB stole my heart & this product got pushed to the side. I think its since been discontinued in Aus for BB & CC versions. I initially liked this product (this was my 2nd tube) but didn't provide all the benefits & coverage of BB. Buy again: NO, Recommend to friend: NO
• Essence I heart Extreme Mascara: I do not heart this Mascara. Essence is a cheapo brand available at Priceline. Their stuff is hit and miss. I had a different Mascara of theirs that was good so I thought I'd try this one. Application was awesome and gave the finish I like BUT it flaked, bleed, transfered and panda eyed. Buy again: NO, Recommend to a friend: NO

Skincare:

• Biore Skin Preservation Even Smoother Microderm Exfoliator: What a mouthful! And ain't that the truth- the back says don't go too close to lips... I learnt why. The exfoliating beads are so tiny they get in your mouth- bit gritty kitty! Other than that I really liked this scrub. Its effective & leaves the skin feeling refined & clear. Buy again YES, Recommend to a friend YES. 
• LOreal Ideal Skin Genesis Pore Minimiser: Love this one. I have not really used much L'Oreal but I'm a sucker for Pore products. This made the skin appear refined and smooth. The texture is velvety and almost a little powdery. I used it as a serum under my moisturizer; in the day makeup lasted better and resisted slip off effect & after using at night, in morn skin looked refined. Buy again: YES, Recommend to a friend: YES
• Burts Bees Sensitive Eye Cream: Its alright. This is just a hydrator. Does little else. Points for handy tube. Buy again: NO, Recommend to a friend: NO
• Korres Thyme Honey Cream- 24 Hr moisturising: Korres my love, you never disappoint! I used this as hydrating, nourishing night cream. Smells like honey & has a rich thick texture- a little goes a long way. Buy again: probably NO- a bit rich for my skin, Recommend to a friend: YES. 
• Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2: To the people who poo poo Clinique clarifying lotion> don't use it. MORE for me! This works for me, I love it, if I don't use & start again the difference is huge. It contains alcohol> big deal so does wine & I love that too. In seriousness, some products need alcohol so that they evaporate> no alcohol = wet skin. This product is not intended to be absorbed hence the alcohol. Many lotions etc have alcohol so that they do not leave the skin with excess product sitting on the surface. But again: ALREADY HAVE, Recommend to a friend: YES 

Hair:

• Matrix Biolage Volumizing Conditioner: Matrix Biolage is the best conditioner I have ever used. Dogs Tuxedo. I normally get the fortifying one but tried the Volumizing one for a change. It wasn't as lush & thick a paste as usual but it was still good. I don't think it was specifically volumizing but that's probably because I didn't use it in-conjunction with its partner shampoo. I swear by this brands conditioning products! Highly Recommend. Buy again: ALREADY HAVE restocked my Matrix Conditioner, Recommend to a friend: YES
• Batiste Dry Shampoo Cherry: Sucker. I bought this in a pack with a matching shower cap. Oh the crap I acquire. This was good old Batiste dry shampoo, dependable. I prefer the tropical one but this made a nice change. Buy again:YES/NO (not this scent but others yes), Recommend to a friend: YES 
• Evo The Therapist Shampoo:Bellabox sample, was okay. Hydrated hair and felt fresh & clean. Buy again: NO, Recommend to friend: NO
• Evo The Therapist Conditioner: Bellabox sample, don't bother, not effective, felt synthetic. See above Matrix. Buy again: NO, Recommend to a friend: NO

Fragrance:

• Garnier Mineral Ultra Dry Deodorant: Boring stories...deodorant. This one is quite good, been using it for ages. It's  good for your gym bag/ handbag as it has a little lock on the side so it doesn't leak. My local supermarkets haven't had it in stock so we shall see if its being repackaged or discontinued. I Have found a good Norsca back up. Buy again: YES, Recommend to a friend: NO
• FCUK Friction: I discovered this by having a little spritz while shopping, while wandering around I couldn't get enough- I went back & purchased it.The main scents are coconut, honeysuckle, vanilla and pineapple all delicious yummy notes! Buy again: ALREADY HAVE, Recommend to a friend: YES.
• Playboy Play It Sexy: Essentially just a cheap and cheerful fragrance. I like a floriential like this. The notes: pink grapefruit, mandarin and pink pepper,  jasmine tea, scented flowers and licorice, vanilla, patchouli, sandalwood and tonka. Buy again: MAYBE, Recommend to a friend: MAYBE

Body:

• Clarins After  Sun Shimmer Oil: I had this for ages and needed to finish. It's possibly discontinued or at least repackaged by now. This is a 'dry oil' mist with a whole lot of shimmer in it. This product is good for vacations & summer days. I found it can get on your clothes so its a bit off putting. That said it makes you positively GLOW! Buy again: NAH, Recommend to a friend: NAH  
• Priceline After Sun Cooling Gel: Not bad but not good. Smell didn't appeal to me & felt a little sticky. You get what you pay for as this is like $5. Nivea Creme- gel after sun is a much better purchase. Buy again: NO, Recommend to a friend: No
• Naked Tan Creme de la Creme: Gorgeous! Devine Orange oil scent, really super creamy and hydrating. My only criticism- a little does NOT go a long way. This miniature only lasted 2-3 applications- even in  full size, it wouldn't last that long. Buy again: Maybe, Recommend to a friend: Nah 

Assorted Samples:

• Couture Colour Pequi Oil Treatment: Loved this! Made my hair feel light, weightless and silky. WOW. Buy it: YES, Recommend to a friend: YES 
• Palmolive Ayurituel Joyus Shower Gel: This transported me to a sanctuary, I liked this so much that I got two big bottles before I even finished the sample. Its the dogs tuxedo! For an affordable, supermarket body wash> its an absolute winner! Smells incredible! Buy it: ALREADY HAVE, Recommend to a friend: HECK YES
• Egyptian Magic Cream: This product can be used for a myriad of things! I used it on my feet because they were needing a pick me up/ deep hydration. Its good but I wasn't blown away by it. Buy it: NO, Recommend to a friend: NO
• Avene Cleanance Gel-Creme: Another Dogs tuxedo! I purchased this right away I liked it so much. Its a moisturiser with ingredients that improve cell turn over, exfoliate and prevent clogged pores in combo skin. I found the texture hydrating but not greasy & It really works for my skin type. Buy again: FOR SURE, Recommend to a friend: YES
• Swisspers Naturals Aloe Nourishing Face Cream: This was a bonus sachet in Bellabox, I can't fault it, it was lightweight but rich enough to feel creamy, non greasy, felt clean and fresh and made my skin feel nice in the morning when I woke up. Buy it: I'm not in need of this type of product but MAYBE, Recommend to a friend: YES
• Simple Eye Makeup Remover: Good. I normally go for those dual layer shakey mix eye makeup removers but this one surprised me. It was really effective. Buy it: YES, Recommend to a friend: YES
• Natralus Paw Paw Gel: I liked this but the sample was way too small to really test out properly, I'd be interested to see how big the full size product is. It says its good for sunburn so I might grab a tube next summer (I don't plan to get burnt but it happens at least once). The gel felt cool & refreshing. Its basically paw paw ointment in gel form. Makes sense right!? Buy it: MAYBE, Recommend to a friend: MAYBE
• L'Occitane Hand Cream: Lush, creamy & smells like a baby? Its a nice hand cream, quite hydrating but I don't really see what all the hype is about. Whist I enjoyed using it, I prefer the Nivea Norweigan formula hand cream and its only $7. Some products are a splurge & others a save> hand cream for me is a save. Buy it: NO, Recommend to a friend: NO. 

Removal: 

• Beauty Care Green Tea Wipes: Pass. Grabbed these at the register at Kmart pre trip. Good for a refresher towel but these do nothing to remove anything. buy again: NO, Recommend to a friend: NO.
• Swisspers Make up Pads: These are awesome. I used to use the Coles or Priceline brand ones.My lovely partner grabbed these when he asked if I wanted anything at the shop.Being disposable I never wanted to spend the extra to get the good ones... My advise: pony up the extra dollar or two & upgrade. They are much more effective due to texture and a gentler on skin. Buy again: ALREADY HAVE, Recommend to a friend: YES.
• Coles Nail Polish Remover: Again time poor supermarket grab strikes again in this category! This product is fine, it does a good job. The Sally Hansen one is more effective. Buy again: YES, Recommend to a friend: NO.

Right so that's the LOT! thanks for reading... its quite a list!

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think? Any of your faves here? Questions or Comments feel free to post below! 

Signature Nails

In 2011 a nail polish colour rocked my socks. It felt so me. If I could only ever wear one shade forever, my deserted island shade, it'd be this! It's a Witchery shade that was a summer limited edition mini..And I sure have loved it! 

Now 3 years later it's not unlike the panetone colour of the year... To my delight. 

I'd love to be one of those classic, chic individuals who can stick to one colour relentlessly and have it become their signature. But I can't! I love trying new things and shaking it up. That said, I'm going to give it a red hot go. 

Sticking with one colour would be too tough so I'm going to rock a colour palate theme instead. I'm aiming for 1 month of chic sameness. I'll add each week as we go... Here goes!

Week one: OPI 'Mod about you' 

Week two: Sally Hansen Complete manicure in 'purple heart' 

Week three: Essie 'go ginza' 

Week four: - so far I'm feeling pretty chic! couldn't resist, I repeated Essie 'go ginza' because I loved it so much! 

(side note: I'm loving essie! This is the first time I've used their product and I'm thrilled with quality, texture, staying power, chip resistance,application etc!) 

So that's 4 Weeks!! The verdict? I didn't feel bored & I quite liked having a signature! Will definitely keep this up for another few weeks!

If you want me to do another colour trial or give me a challenge, comment below!   

Bellabox March 2014 'Beauty Diaries'

Bellabox is a $15 'beauty discovery' subscription box delivered monthly. It is available to Australian residents.

So I'm a bit late, BELLABOX came two weeks ago and I've been a busy bee!
This is the Third Bellabox of 2014> the March box. I received this box mid March.

This months box comes in a brown mailer carton box with Bellabox on top, BB iconic dots on edges & the 'inspo' quote "be beautiful, surprise yourself" - Inside is a hard cover box which will be ever handy for a pretty little storage box. This is the new packaging Bellabox has been talking about 'coming soon'. Makes the box seem quite lushy luxe.
NB: A Colleague didn't get this box because she had a huge full size jar of face mask- its good to know they wont limit themselves to teeny items and if need be you'll get a big product instead of an empty box.  Awesome.

This months theme is beauty diaries and the Bellabox team have been discussing their loved products, shades etc on social media- quite a cute personal touch, I always love a theme! 

From the pics you can see it comes packaged nicely with tissue wrap- the little sticker was a Zoe Foster Blake sticker promoting Pantene. Which was the sneak peek product. Zoe is seriously heaven. See her blog here.

The Product Card set up like a spiro diary - cute cute

Now for the contents...

1.Model Co lipstick

2. Happy Skincare repair oil

3.Glam 3 in 1 Nail Pen

4.St Tropez gradual tan for face

5. Pantene Shampoo & Conditioner 

6.(bonus) Natralus Paw paw gel sachet

More info please? 

1.Model Co lipstick (full size) colour

I'm sure there were people praying not to get this shade. I wanted it sooooo bad! Feeling super lucky! I got it! The Model Co packaging on this is awesome- it has a mirror for reapplication when you're out and about. Being brunette I'm taking inspiration from the Foxes below. Though I am not as foxy, I will give it my best to rock this look. the texture and pigment of this product wasn't amazing I had to go over a few times to get the coverage desired.

 

2. Happy Skincare repair oil (sample 15ml) green 

I love a bit of face oil to nourish heal and repair. I would typically use something like this at night as I don't want to be greasy or have my makeup running off my face. In the morning skin looks really bright and fresh and fine dehydration lines are reduced. The smell is nutty/grassy. The texture and greasiness is similar to a rosehip oil.

3.Glam 3 in 1 Nail Pen (full size) tool

Eh. I was happy at first with this but the colour and quality was crap. It does good dots and the stencils are neat little patterns but the product is GLUGGY took forever to dry properly. I would consider emptying it and putting a colour I use in it as it would be useful for travel. see the picture below, two coats and the coverage & colour is pretty yuck! Can't win 'em all.

4.St Tropez gradual tan for face (sample 5ml) cult

St Tropez is one of those tanning brands that is definitely 'cult'. Consistency is light and easy to apply. I love a spray tan but don't usually do my face as its so drying therefore this will be perfect to try out. I like that its 'gradual' so you can really control the depth of colour you will end up with. This product also has anti aging ingredients- always helps.

5. Pantene Shampoo & Conditioner (deluxe sample 40ml each) essential 

The Box smelt delicious and it turned out to be the Pantene.Heaps of people on social media poo pooing this product.. ouch. I'm excited to try it anyway. The feedback so far is that it makes your hair feel light- having heavy, thick hair- I can see the appeal. Watch this space, I'll let you know when I use it!

6.(bonus) Natralus Paw paw gel sachet
I love after sun gels and aloes etc so I look forward to sampling this bonus sachet. Everyone loves paw paw right? So if it has comparable loved benefits it should be a winner!

Value: 
I always find the box to be exceptional value! 
Here's the pro-rata price of each sample: 

1.Model Co lipstick (full size): $19.95

2. Happy Skincare repair oil 15ml: $4.45

3.Glam 3 in 1 Nail Pen (Full size): $9.95

4.St Tropez gradual tan for face (5ml): $3.99

5. Pantene Shampoo & Conditioner (40ml) $0.91 & $0.91

6.(bonus) Natralus Paw paw gel sachet: $0.66

Box total value: $40.82

Cost to me: $15

Once again not bad!!

Highlight: lippy
Lowlight: nail polish kit



What was in your Bellabox? What was your highlight? Are you keen to join? Any Q's? Comment below!
Feel free to subscribe to my blog for other pretty liddle reviews and beauty posts! 

See last months Bellabox review here

Please note: I subscribe to Bellabox on my own accord. This is NOT a sponsored blog. My opinion is my own.