Ample Samples

May Violet Box (My First)

2014-06-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

I love the way it's presented, in it's own little box. It's been well designed. You open up the box and see the product card atop purple tissue paper, and it just smelt absolutely delicious!!! Sadly because something spilt in it. I discovered it was the popcorn lip scrub! I can't stop sniffing it, it's just soo good! But more on that later and onto the box!!

LUSH Popcorn Lip Scrub (25g RRP$9.95) Full Size

StyleSign Sleek Perfection (RRP$24.95) Sample Size

Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil (RRP$22) Full Size
Eve's Ready To Wear Lipstick By Teeeze (RRP$32) Full Size
Timeless Truth Herbal Rejuvenation Immortelle Mask (Functionality Series) (RRP$7-8)

Nuxe Huile Prodigieus (50ml RRP$24.95, 100ml RRP$39.95) Sample Size
Nuxe Crème Merveillance (50ml RRP$64.95) Sample Size

LUSH Popcorn Lip Scrub.Coconut and jojoba oils, sugar, sea salt and polenta are the perfect mix to buff your lips to perfection and leave them smooth and moisturised.

StyleSign Sleek Perfection.Protects hair from the effects of hot styling tools. It is humidity resistant for up to 24 hours for a silky-straight look that simply lasts.

Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil. It's the perfect all-in-one make-up tool for highlighting, concealing and brightening the brow and eye area. This neutral pencil will brighten and visibly lift your eyes when lightly applied on the brow bone, dark circles, blemishes and red spots. So many uses in just one perfect pencil!

Eve's Ready To Wear Lipstick By Teeeze. It nourishes, hydrates and repairs cracked or dry lips. Fall in love with lipstick's rich formula. It's a must-have for any temptress at heart.

Timeless Truth Herbal Rejuvenation Immortelle Mask. Perfect for skin hydration during the colder climate.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieus. Multi purpose dry oil for face, body and hair. It nourishes, repairs, softens the skin and reduces stretch marks thanks to its unique ultra-concentrated composition of 6 precious plant oils.

Nuxe Crème Merveillance. Formulated for normal to dry skin, it reduces all the parameters of the visible expression lines.

Conclusion:

Like I said at the start, the LUSH Popcorn Lip Scrub just smells divine! I couldn't wait to give it a go, especially because I tend to lick my lips a lot which does make them dry, a lip scrub is designed to put moisture back into your lips while removing the dead skin. On the pack it says "How To Use: Scrub and buff your lips to softness , lick off the excess then apply your favourite Lush Lip Balm" So I did! It was delicious! It tasted as good as it smelt. But definitely don't forget that last step with the lip balm or your lips will feel very dry. I've used it a few times now, and my lips are feeling very soft and luscious. Definitely a product I will be buying in the future, especially because its all natural and is Australian made.

I haven't tried the StyleSign Sleep Perfection yet. I have quite damaged hair from bleach, and therefore I avoid any heat styling but when my hair has grown back, this will be a welcome tool. I can't even tell you what it smells like, because of the popcorn spill, all I can smell is popcorn . Its a 20ml sample size, just the right size for travel.

I used the Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil on my brow bone to highlight and under my eye to conceal the dark circles. It goes on quite thick whether you want it to or not, so I just blended it out. It going on a tad thicker would be great for concealing blemishes. I have quite pale skin and I find this pencil light in colour, it's not something you can put on without blending. It does blend easily and looks natural on someone who cant use a powder concealer on their eyes because of, for lack of better term, eye bags (the powder sets in the creases and just makes it look worse). This pencil is something I will be using quite a bit to hide those dark circles and highlight my brown bone. I love highlighting my eyes!

Trying to get the box undone to Eve's Ready To Wear Lipstick By Teeeze when I was in a hurry was a challenge and I ended up ripping it open hahaha and the lipstick itself is beautifully presented, something I would love to pull out of my handbag for a touch up. The application is nice and creamy and it does feel moisturising, sort of like a lipstick and lip balm in one, but I haven't worn it all day to test how long it lasts. The colour I received was 'Tempting Pink' and it's quite a pale pink, even with my blonde hair I'm not sure it's something that I could use everyday, especially with my darker wardrobe. But maybe more in summer with a white wardrobe? I'll play around with looks and try and find one that works as its a lipstick I would like to use.

You only get one Timeless Truth Miracle Mask and the one I received was the Miracle Rejuvenation Mask (Firm Skin). Because the product card didn't say much about it, I'll tell you what it says on the back of the pack.

"Discover the inner beauty of your skin. This intensive skin refining mask gives back the fresh, pure look and feel of younger skin. Dull, lifeless skin is rejuvenated leaving it looking radiant, evenly toned and smooth. This mask helps to improve the appearance of age spots, fine lines and wrinkles. With this high performance brightening essence this mask takes rejuvenation to new heights."

Being 23 I don't think I need the firm skin mask yet, but as I received another Timeless Truth mask in another box I think I'll have some mother daughter pamper time soon :)

I haven't tried the Nuxe Huile Prodigieus yet either because it's a foil pack. But I'm looking forward to trying it on the stretch marks on my hips. It is a fairly small sample, 4ml so I'll be lucky to get 2-3 applications depending on how thick the oil is. Looking at the ingredients I believe the 6 precious plant oils include macadamia, sweet almond, hazel, olive, sunflower and camellia oil.

Nuxe Crème Merveillance is unfortunately another one I'm yet to try because it's in a foil pack. I much prefer the resealable packs as I can test a small amount of those and put the rest aside for later. This moisturizer claims to 'fills in, smooths, re-plumps'. Looking at the list of ingredients it contains quite a lot of plant extracts and plant oils, including hazel, oat and carrot. Not sure what carrot root extract can do for your skin, but if it works...I'm not one to judge!

Do I like my first ever Violet Box? Yes, I do. I like the presentation, I like the the value, I like the items. For $22.95 I got $70.95 worth of full sized products. I don't count sample sizes in the value of boxes, as most samples come with the words "Free Sample. Not for sale."

What do you think of Violet Box?
L xoxo

May Bellabox

2014-06-15T05:07:00.000-07:00

May BellaBox had a 'Come Fly With Me' theme. It came in its signature blue box with a cardboard wrap, around it with the theme on it. As soon as I opened the box I was provided with a strong scent which I believe comes from the Appelles Rosemary Bodybar, it was a nice smell, but quite overwhelming (even the product card smells like it!).

Appelles Rosemary Bodybar (100g RRP $5.95) Full size

Chapstick Lip Conditioner (4.2g RRP $3.99) Full size

Timeless Truth Face Mask (30ml RRP $8) Full size

WEN by Chaz Dean Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner (480ml RRP $34.99) Sample size

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Gel - Clear (7.93g RRP $39) Sample Size

(Bonus) Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear SPF30+ - Light (50g RRP $32) Sample size

Appelles Rosemary Bodybar. Travel isn't always possible - which is why you should make your own home feel like a luxury hotel! Easy with stunning scented soaps, like this BB fave from Appelles that hydrates skin.

The Invisible Zinc didn't have a blurb. It is something I've tried before and didn't like as it was too thick and just blocked my pores

Timeless Truth Face Mask. These Timeless Truth masks are the perfect remedy for travel, replenishing and restoring life back into your ski when you're on the move. With a mask to match every skin need they are an essential go to product.

WEN by Chaz Dean Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner. Designed to hydrate and replenish hair without stripping its natural oils, providing added moisture, strength and sheen.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Gel .The best selling formula from the streets of celeb-ville tames unruly brows without leaving them stiff, flaky or sticky. Fortified with rich botanical conditioners and essential oils, it can be worn alone or layered over brow powders or pencils .Chapstick Lip Conditioner. Moisturises, soothes and prevents, dry chapped lips, wherever you are! SPF15 high protection sunscreen helps to protect.

Conclusion

The Appelles Rosemary Bodybar smell is quite overpowering with lemon myrtle and blue mallee eucalyptus. I don't think I'll be using this for a while as we already have a lot of soap in the house. It's not tested on animals, the ingredients are certified organic and it's paraben free.

It was a bit of a disappointment to receive a Chapstick in the box. Most people have already tried Chapstick at some point in their lives and it's such an easy thing to pick up at the supermarket. Either way, I already have one so will be giving this to a friend.

I enjoyed the Timeless Truth Face Mask. My mother and I had a girls night where I used this mask and she use the other Timeless Trends mask I reviewed in another box (and promptly started laughing at other) The one I received in the BellaBox was the 'Stem Cell Extract Mask'. The name sounds a little odd, but it felt really nice on my skin, but cold to first apply!

I'll type what it says on the pack "Employ an exclusive formula by incorporating precious stem cells as the main ingredients. Combining both the serum and the uniquely designed elastic cloth allows the essences to be fully absorbed at the cellular level, where aging begins. It goes right to the heart of the skin-aging problem by supporting the skins natural regeneration process helping to maintain healthy skin. The prolonged de-aging action prevents the loss of moisture and elasticity, helps to reduce skin damage , restore and maintain the skins vital condition." Something I will look at buying again.

WEN by Chaz Dean Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner is something I have been thinking about trying before. I haven't because I saw so many mixed results online. A ladies hair is not something to mess around with! Hahaha. I haven't tried this, I'm a little sceptical to try it as I'm currently using a shampoo and conditioner with argan oil to help my super dry bleach damages hair.

Bellabox have a special offer for WEN. $10 off and free postage and handling when you order a 30day deluxe pack. This offer expires on the 30th of June 2014. To get this offer visit www.chazdeanwen.com.au/bellabox

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Gel did make my eyebrows feel stiff when I first tried it, and when it just tried it on my eyebrow then, it's a little sticky until its dry. It makes the skin under it a little shiny and I guess it doesn't feel natural to me; the gel restricting the skins natural movement. The application is a mascara brush which is easy to use, but it may be a little difficult to get a precise application if the gel was colored. I'm not sold on it. I guess it would be great if someone did have terribly unruly eyebrows, but for most people if you keep them manicured then you'll have no need for this gel at all. Not something I would spend $39 dollars to buy.

Overall I think this box was a bit of a dud. If I'm only counting full sized products I only have $17.94. Bellabox costs $15 a month, so while I am getting my monies worth, there have been better months :)

The next box has a theme of 'Classic Icons'. I look forward to the June box!

Taken from BellaBox's facebook page

April Lust Have It (My First)

2014-05-14T22:46:00.002-07:00

Lust have It was posted very late in the month. So most of us didn't actually get it until May. I was one of the lucky ones who got it the first week of May, but others didn't receive it until the second week. I don't think that's good business practices. If all the other boxes can manage to get their boxes out in the month their supposed to, why can't Lust have it? Beauty EDIT manages to get it to me before the month even starts!

Lust Have It came in this cute bag, wrapped in bubble wrap and straight in the plastic post bag. Not the best way of presenting things, but certainly not the worst :)

I rather liked the gorgeous product card that came with it! The picture on it is just adorable. It's something you can stick on your wall and look at afterwards.

Onto what's in the box.
Glamourflage Sultry Lip Cheek Stain (8.5ml RRP $21.95) Full size
Claytime 100% Pure Mineral Bronzer (10gr RRP $29.95) Full size
Bioderma Atoderm Cream (200ml RRP $29.95) Sample size
Wotnot Facial Wipes For Oily Sensitive Skin, New (25 wipes RRP $7.95) Sample size
Aveeno Daily Moisturizer Lotion (225ml $9.99) Sample size

Wotnot Facial Wipes For Oily Sensitive Skin (new). Enriched with Australian certified extracts of pink grapefruit, papaya, rosehip and petitgrain to thoroughly cleanse all grime and makeup even waterproof mascara while gently nourishing the skin. Ideal for teens or anyone with oily/sensitive skin, are specially formulated to gently cleanse without using drying alcohols which can stress skin and lead to an over production of sebum,and exclude petroleum oils included in other brands that can lead to clogged pores.

Aveeno Daily Moisturiser Lotion. Containing active naturals colloidal oatmeal blended with rich emollients to moisturise your skin for 24 hours. Formulated to help prevent dry skin, it leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and naturally healthy looking.

Bioderma Atoderm Cream. Ultra-rich moisturising and restructuring cream, Atoderm Cream is the perfect daily moisturiser for dry to very dry skin. It moisturises, soothes the skin and helps restructure the skin barrier. The creamy texture spreads easily and penetrates quickly.

Glamourflage Sultry Lip Cheek Stain. Sweep your rivals off their feet as you emerge rouged and ready to go! Your lips and cheeks hinting at the excitement to come! Gently dab product with fingertips in a light tapping motion to blend colour for a natural finish.

Claytime 100% Pure Mineral Bronzer. Instant safe tan and colour awaits you with the Claytime Australia decadent body bronzer. Applied to cheeks, face, arms or legs, it provides an instant touch of tan to skin. Eliminate premature skin ageing and the dangers of hours of sun-damage with a safe, pure and mineral Claytime Australia body bronzer.

Bronzer and Lip/Cheek Stain

Bronzer and Lip/Cheek Stain rubbed in

Conclusion:

We were given a choice between the Glamourflageprimer and the lip cheek stain. I chose the lip cheek stain. I'm not all that impressed. It does come in the cutest little box, but it's hard to apply with a brush similar to a nail brush. Why not use a roll on? You need to rub it in for it to dry, which then leaves you with a red finger as well which has difficulty washing off with soap. It is sticky on your lips even when dry, but it tastes so delicious that I just can't help but want to keep, licking it off! Lol. It doesn't have a smell to it. Not something I would buy, simply because it's too difficult to use and I have another lip stain that I adore.

There was a bit of a hiccup with the Claytime bronzer. We were promised a full size, and it even says full size on the product card, along with 10g. The item we received was not 10g, therefore it was not perceived as being full size . Both Lust Have It and Claytime released a statement regarding this, and it turns out there was a miscommunication, and the item we received is a limited edition just for Lust Have It. I wasn't entirely happy with the way LHI handled the situation by waiting for everyone to ask about the product difference, rather than communicate the difference as soon as they realised there was a weight difference.

Onto the product itself. It's highly pigmented, so that's a plus! However it does have a shimmer to it so it's not really a winter product, it's more of the summer 'sun kissed glow' type look. Because it has the shimmer I can't use it as a contouring product, so I'll have to wait until summer to really use it. But because it is highly pigmented, it is something I would consider buying again.

The Bioderma Atoderm Cream I found a little to go a long way which is always wanted in a moisturiser. It absorbed into my skin pretty fast, but I did find it a little oily. I think that's because it's designed to put a protective layer over such dry skin, but I don't like moisturiser that is oily. It did instantly make my hand feel much softer though. But I don't think it's something I will be buying.

I love the Wotnot Facial Wipes For Oily Sensitive Skin. I received the original version in a previous box, and loved the original, so I knew I was going to love these too. They did smell a little odd though, I'm going to blame that on the combination of the grapefruit and papaya. I love makeup remover wipes because it makes it so quick and easy to take makeup off after a long night where you just want to sink into your sheets, and Wotnot just make it so easy! They don't dry my skin out, they get rid of the oil and makeup with only a few wipes. Something I will definitely buy more of.

The Aveeno Daily Moisturiser Lotion absorbed into my skin fast, and like the Bioderma, a little went a long way but I think it goes a little bit further than the Bioderma. The Aveeno range comes in a few different ingredients but this one features oatmeal. This didn't feel oily to me at all, and I'd be more inclined to buy the Aveeno than the Bioderma. Both are fragrance free.

Overall I think this box is a bit of a dud. After going onto their blog I'm seeing that the bag it came in is meant as a cute cosmetic/toiletry bag while flying as it fits into the size and see-through regulations, not having one of those I guess that's a plus. Now I'll have to plan to fly overseas somewhere just to use it :p hehehe. I'm not too keen on keeping my LHI subscription (there's other boxes to try!) but I can't judge a subscription on one box either, here's hoping May Lust Have It is better!

The next box includes a Mary Kay lip colour, which we were given the choice in colour between a nude and a pink. I chose pink. I look forward on seeing the colour and trying the product.

Taken straight from their facebook page:
To join for just $9.95 use the link below
http://bit.ly/RHxiE0

(Works for first time subscribers only)

April Lip Factory (my first)

2014-05-06T01:41:00.004-07:00

On Saturday the 26th of April I received a parcel. To say I was surprised was an understatement. Mail on a Saturday? The only reason I can think of, is because Friday was Anzac day, and hence a public holiday. The following link is an image from one of my favourite fashion photographers, Matthew Wren, taken inside the Shrine of Remembrance after the Anzac day ceremony. Due to copyright laws, I cannot post the image here, but I can link to it :)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=710988448943041&set=a.194387003936524.43386.100000956785274&type=3&theater

Onto the box!

This was my first Lip Factory box, so I was excited. I couldn't wait to rip it open (gently :P) and show you all what's inside. It came in this black box in the mail which clearly showed it was from Lip Factory, and once I had opened it it had the usual tissue paper with the cute sticker. Under that was the information card! It was actually quite cute. I didn't bother to look much at the card at this stage, I went on to look at the products. We have 6 full sized products.

Colour Club Nail Polish ($8)

OFRA lipstick ($13)

NYX Butter Gloss ($5)

Be a Bombshell Eye Crayon ($14)

Be a Bombshell Eye Shadow ($14)

Jesse's Girl Kohl Eyeliner ($1.99)

Colour Club Nail Polish.This cream finish polish is super pigmented, durable and has a formula to die for! With a colour selection beyond your wildest dreams, Colour Club polish can suit your every mood.

OFRA lipstick. Play up those lips beautifully with a moisturising formula enriched with antioxidants, vitamin E and natural sunscreen. OFRA lipstick are just what you need in your makeup bag to finish off your perfect look!

NYX Butter Gloss. Buttery soft and silky smooth, this scrumptious new Butter Lip Gloss tastes as sweet as a sugar cookie-and makes your lips look downright luscious. Swipe it on alone or over your favourite lipstick for creamy sheer to medium coverage that melts onto your lips and is never sticky!

Be a Bombshell Eye Shadow. Who wouldn't want to add another shadow shade to their collection? Especially when it has a highly pigmented, long lasting formula, for all day wear. Thanks to Be a Bombshell Cosmetics that's exactly what you'll find what you apply this soft, smooth and absolutely stunning shadow to your eye.

Be a Bombshell Eye Crayon. Smooth this eye crayon over you lid as a base for another eye shadow or, use alone as the focus to a striking and bold makeup look. Eitherway, this highly pigmented and creamy eye crayon is a wonderful ingredient to a gorgeous face of makeup!

Jesse's Girl Kohl Eyeliner. Every girl needs options and with 15 different shade choices, that's just what you get with Jesse's Girl Kohl Eyeliner. This liner is 5 inches long and with a built in cap sharpener which makes it absolutely perfect for a girl on the go.

From left to right.
OFRA Lipstick in 'Red My Lips'
NYX Butter Gloss in 'Peaches and Cream'
Be a Bombshell Eyeshadow in 'Tease'
Be a Bombshell Eye Crayon in 'Fetish'
Jesse's Girl Kohl Eyeliner in 'Black'

Colour Club Nail Polish in 'Earthy Angel'

Conclusion:
I'm not sure if the OFRA is the right shade for me. I will play around with it a tad more to find out though.(I used a brush, and tried it on without any other makeup hahaha)
It is fairly long wearing, so it is something I would consider buying, just maybe not in this shade :)
The NYX Butter Gloss is not a sheer-medium coverage unless you dab a tiny bit on and rub your lips to spread it. It is however a nice colour for my pale complexion and blonde hair. It isn't sticky, and it does smell nice. But it doesn't doesn't taste as nice as they say it does. It just tastes like a waxy lipgloss to me. This is something I would possibly buy.
Be a Bombshell Eyeshadow. I really like the colour. I think it is highly pigmented. I applied the tester with my finger, and it was easy to apply, very smooth. I'm looking forward to putting a look together with this product! Definitely one I would buy if it stays in place all day.
Be a Bombshell Eye Crayon. Again I really like the colour. It was easy to apply, I'm not sure if it will stay where I want it to all day without smudging, but there's one way to find out! I'm not sure if I would buy this as the application could possibly be a bit messy.
Jesse's Girl Kohl Eyeliner. I really like the idea of the cap with the built in sharpener, however I haven't used a kohl pencil eyeliner in a long time. I much prefer a gel or a twist pencil. I just find that no matter the brand, kohl always smudges. So this is not a product I will be using.
Colour Club Nail Polish. I didn't like the colour. If I wanted a natural look, I would stick with the French manicure, or a pale pink. However it looks better on my pale skin than it does on my mothers slightly more olive skin, where it just blends in too much. I really was hoping to get the turquoise that others were getting this month. Oh well! You win some, you lose some! My swatch was after two coats, but could be worn with one coat. The tips started to wear off after a day without a clear topcoat, but maybe that's because my ails are so long? I wouldn't buy this, as I love my OPI.

Overall I'm impressed by Lip Factory, especially all full sized products. I cant wait to receive my next box in the post. I received US$55.99 worth of products for US$32

Uncle Tobys Oat Crisp Cereal

2014-05-01T23:50:00.000-07:00

These two samples I was given through a free company called PINCH me. It's an Australian branch of a sampling company designed to give out entirely free samples in exchange for opinions and in the hope that you buy what ever sample they have on offer.

When they first started the samples were given out fortnightly on a Tuesday at 9am but as they grew in popularity it seems the samples are becoming more of a target audience and monthly thing. If they happen to give out an everyone sample, if you don't collect it within a few hours, they usually run out. It's quite a cut throat business getting these samples, everyone wants free stuff.

I'd you do choose to sign up, please consider using my link and helping me out with points. The more points you have, the more samples you can have at one time.....if they ever had more than one available at one time.

Pinch this free UNCLE TOBYS OAT CRISP sample from PINCHme!
Just go to http://pinchme.com.au/uncle-tobys-oat-crisp-strawberry-hazelnut-almond/?stype=e&ref=89e4O10b73KVand follow the instructions

I decided to try the hazelnut and strawberry first, simply because I was craving a midnight snack and what better to munch on than strawberries!

First mouthful my first thought was that it was very sweet. Don't get me wrong, I actually really like sweet breakfast cereals. But this was just a little too sweet. It was that "I'm going get you addicted to sugar all day long" sweet. The more I had, the sweeter it got, and the more I wanted....damn addictive sugar!! hahaha.

The hazelnut pieces were very nice and so were what seemed to be extra little clusters of oats. The strawberry pieces seemed more like little strawberry jelly lollies than freeze dried strawberry, which is a bit disappointing. I have always loved oat cereals, so that was still enjoyable. It got soggy fairly quickly, so it's not one of those cereals you could eat while reading the paper if you still like a bit of crunch. It has actually left me feeling a little sick after eating it, and I'm a girl who loves my sugar!

Pros:

Oats and wheats

Hazelnuts

Made in Australia

11% of the recommended dietary intake of fibre

3% of your RDI of sodium (So low in sodium)

49% of your RDI of vitamin B1

Contains 10% or more of your RDI of vitamins B2, niacin, folate, B6, C, E, zinc, calcium and iron.

Cons:

Waaayyy too sweet. It contains sugarx2, dextrose, honey, malt extract and glucose.

10% of your RDI of sugar

The serving size is 40g. I know I'd still be hungry after that. And if you have more, then you increase all of your % of RDI's including the sugar.

Ingredients: (I'll underline all the sugar)

Wholegrain cereals [Oats 65%, Wheat 6%], Sugar, Strawberry Fruit Pieces [Strawberry Concentrate (1.5%), Sugar, Dextrose, Humectant (Glyerol), Vegetable Gum (Pectin), Rice Flour, Wheat Fibre, Colour (Carmine), Food Acid (Citric), Flavour], Hazelnuts (5%), Glucose Syrup (Wheat), Malt Extract (Barley), Wheat Flour, Flavour, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Wheat Bran, Honey, Wheat Starch, Acidity Regulator (Trisodium Phosphate), Colour (Annatto), Wheat Germ.
Minerals (Calcium, Iron, Zinc), Vitamins (C, Niacin, E(soy), B1, B2, B6, Folic Acid).

While malt isn't technically a sugar, it does contain sugar, especially in this form, which is why I underlined it and included it as a sugar.

Conclusion:

I would not buy this. It's far too sweet, and it didnt taste like the good natural type of sweet, it tasted like the fake chemical type of sweet. Which is a shame because the texture is really nice. I'm hoping the almond flavour is less sweet (housemate said it wasn't).
On the PINCH me facebook page quite a lot of people seemed to think this product was too sweet as well.

[Two days later]

Unfortunately my housemate got the the almond flavour before I did. That teaches me to leave things lying around. She did however do me the courtesy of telling me she didn't like it, because it was too sweet. Karma? Lol.

Have any of you tried this product? What did you think?
I love to hear your opinions on everything I sample!!

L
xoxo

April Bellabox

2014-04-26T04:22:00.003-07:00

This is my third Bellabox. As always I was looking forward to it, but less so than the previous months. Bellabox was my first ever introduction to subscription boxes, but I've found the samples just don't quite meet my expectations. But onto the box!!

This was a Burts Bees special box. Considering I missed out on the Burts Bees in the March box, I was looking forward to seeing which item I received as a sample.

Hmmm. You're supposed to have 6+ samples in every box. I see 3. 4 if you include their bonus.
I'll list everything I'm supposed to have, and I'll put a star next to those I have.

Burts Bees Beeswax Lip Balm. (8.5g RRP $7.95)
* Oppalac Gel Nail Polish (7.5ml RRP $ 22.95)

* Loreal Base Magique Primer (15ml RRP $29.95)

* Vaseline Ultimate 10 Anti-Aging Body Lotion (225ml RRP $7.68)

Indigo Eye Rise (15ml RRP $67.20)

* Bonus - Revlon Nearly Naked Makeup (30ml RRP $25.95)

This is one box I'm not happy with. Regarding the samples I'm missing, they're supposed to be send at the end of April. But why would they give you a gel polish without first seeing if you have the ability to use it? And when I brought the topic up on their facebook page (like many others have) their response was

Oppalac Gel Nail Polish - Pastel Polly
"In regards to your query about the nail polish at Bellabox we love our members to trial different types of beauty products. Gel nail polish’s are amazing as they last up to 14 days, as you can expect such longevity in a beauty product there is an extra step.. 1) you can buy the DIY kit available at Priceline, or 2) you can take your colour in to your local nail salon. Before we selected this product for our April box we had 2 staff members try both options. Sam took hers to her local nail salon, and Lauren used the DIY kit, both with amazing results!"

Ok....not quite the response I was hoping for. In getting a sample that I paid for, I don't expect to have to pay more money to be able to use the product. I understand how fantastic gel polishes are, I have had two gel manicures, but I would not be doing these at home, as trying to get the gel off is the biggest pain in the butt.

Maybe Bellabox could have asked members if they had the ability to, or were willing to spend the extra money to, try the gel polish, and could have only given the gel polish to these members?
Either way it is quite a pretty colour. It's called Pastel Polly. (sorry for the blurry photo).

I don't wear a lot of foundations. So I'm going to leave the Loreal Base Magique for a special event where I will wear a foundation and will need a primer.

The Vaseline Ultimate 10 Anti-Aging Body Lotion has a delicate floral fragrance. It absorbs in beautifully into my hands, and didn't leave any oily residue. The only thing I didn't like about it, is the fact it contains glycerin. I'm not sure what it is about a lot of the sorbolene moisturisers , but I believe it's the glycerine, that sets my eczema off. So this is not a product I will be buying.
I have however given the sample to my mother who adores it on her hands, it gives her hands a more youthful look. She says it makes her hands feel nice, and makes them look nice. It is something she would consider buying.

Last I have the Revlon Nearly Naked Makeup. Which is apparently a bonus, but it makes up the 6th product. Go figure. There is not enough in any of these for a full application; only a test swatch. Highly disappointing.

Do you have any of these products? What do you think of them? Let me know!!
L
xoxo

Felix Cat Food

2014-04-26T01:13:00.000-07:00

This sample I was sent through facebook. This is a new product and I believe they were getting their product out to the market by giving away free samples.

I usually feed my two cats raw meat, along with specially formulated cat biscuits from the vet which is a complete meal and good for the teeth. Not many people know, but cats can get a build up of plaque and tartar and if it's not dealt with can turn into a gum infection and cat actually end up making your cat very sick. The biscuits I have are large enough to cover the tooth when the cat bites into it, that it scrapes the plaque away, essentially brushing the tooth. But I digress.

Felix apparently comes in single serve sachets that provides 100% of your cats daily needs. It says on the back of the pack..

"FEEDING GUIDE: 1 pouch per day per kg of body weight. Serve at room temperature. Clean, fresh drinking water should always be available. The adult maintenance averages are based upon moderately active cats at normal environmental temperatures. Individual needs vary and feeding should be adjusted accordingly as required to maintain your cat at a lean, healthy bodyweight"

Now onto how my two cats took to it. I have a fussy cat who doesn't like jelly to begin with. She took a few sniffs, looked at me and walked away. At least it was more than one sniff!! (I did give her biscuits back to her)
My other kitty is a greedy guts, because she's on medication that increases her appetite. She of course couldn't wait to get her nose into it, and it couldn't have been gobbled down any faster :P

Pros:

Easy single serve pack

Cons:

Only one of my cats loved it
Every single flavour has jelly

Ingredients:

Meat and meat by-products (pork, chicken and poultry, salmon), vegetable protein, vitamins and minerals, flavours, thickeners, sugars, colours.
Guaranteed Analysis: Moisture 80% max. Protein 13% min. Fat 3% min. Crude Ash 2.2% max. Crude Fibre 0.5% max.Linoleic Acid (omega 6 FA) 0.2% min.

Conclusion:

50% good reception. Not good enough for me to warrant going out and buying Felix. I think I'll stick with the raw meat. I know there's no additives in the specific raw meat I buy either (like thickeners or sugar).

Click this link. It will take you to a very funny and cute cat video on facebook :)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=644500482271549

Do you have any pets? What pets do you have, and what are their names? The one in the image above is Autumn, and my other cat is Sophie.

xoxo

Hawley Illume Essencia Cuticle Conditioner

2014-04-19T23:59:00.001-07:00

The Hawley Illume Essencia Cuticle Conditioner I received in my March Beauty EDIT is wonderful. I've wanted a cuticle cream or oil for some time now, but I'm rather strange in the fact I don't like getting my hands unnecessary greasy, dirty or wet. So the thought of having to rub a cream in, is nice in theory but if it's not quickly absorbed then it's a no go.

What I love about the essencia cuticle conditioner is that it looks and applies exactly like nail polish. You just unscrew the top, brush the oil onto your cuticles without the need to get anything else oily and hey presto! Amazing cuticles!

It actually smells so amazing as well. I just adore it. And for the price of $3.70 on Beauty EDIT, I think I'm going to buy another when this runs out....although it will take a while! You really only need to dip it once for each hand.

This is what it says about the product on the Beauty EDIT website

"This cuticle conditioning oil has been developed with a hydrodynamic formula containing a blend of essential mineral oils. Almond oil provides an explosion of sweet almond fragrance, while being a skin smoother and softener, with the characteristic to reduce inflammation. Penetrates deeply to replenish cuticles and surrounding tissue to promote healthy skin and nail growth."

You can buy this on their website without having to subscribe to their boxes, although subscribers get free postage, I'm not sure about non-subscribers.

http://www.beautyedit.com.au/hawley-illume-essencia-cuticle-conditioner-3-7ml.html

Forgive the nerdy Avengers nails :p I was at supernova and just had to get them done! Once you get to know me more, you'll realise I love nail art so much!!

Also please forgive that they're a week old and starting to look a bit ratty. Sorry guys! Nail sin, I know....but I just can't bear to part with them yet :)

Pros:
The nail polish brush applicator

Smells amazing

Price

Cons:

Takes a while to soak in if you don't want to rub it in

Ingredients:
Sweet almond oil, jojoba seed oil, rice bran oil and vitamin C oil.

Conclusion:

I adore it. I have been using it every few days since I first received it, and my cuticles just seem to keep looking better. Plus, I just love the smell. It's nice to sit there watching tv smelling my cuticles hahaha

March Beauty EDIT (my first)

2014-04-18T08:48:00.001-07:00

I got a new Beauty EDIT subscription :D

I received my first one on the 21st of March, as usual couldn't wait to open it and see what lovelies were inside!

There's a few differences between Bellabox (my first ever subscription box) and Beauty EDIT, but the two that stand out the most is price and the fact Beauty Edit actually allow their subscribers to specify a skin and hair type along with a specific style of makeup they'd prefer.

This of course had me very interested, as Bella Box does have a questionnaire about these things in your profile, but don't actually seem to cater the samples to your specific needs or wants (unlike Beauty EDIT).

I opened the packaging. And there wash a beautiful pink box. Upon opening the pink box I found a personalised card that gave me a thank you discount and told you that the packaging was reusable and recyclable (a big plus) and that further information about each item can be found on my account on their website.

So the items I got were.... (and their full size price on the Beauty EDIT website)

Eye Majic Instant Eye Shadow - Gloriosa 2pk $3.95

Eye Majic Instant Eye Shadow - Fabula 2pk $3.95

Sasy n Savy Citrus Souffle Body Creme 120ml $46.00

Monteil Acti-vita Gold ProCGen Softening Lotion 200ml $69.99

Hawley Illume Essencia Cuticle Conditioner 3.7ml $3.70

GKMBJ Soothing & Nourishing Shampoo 280ml $19.95

GKMBJ Soothing Hair & Scalp Honey Moisturizing Conditioner 280ml $19.95

The ones I received in full size were the Eye Majic and the Hawley Illume Essencia Cuticle Conditioner. The rest were sample sizes. I also received a Tea Tonic Complexion Tea sample, which I can't seem to find easily on their website.

All in all I think worthwhile for my $20.

The EyeMajic. I received 3 individual ones of these (one full pack, and one extra). I am yet to try them, but they look like a good idea if they come off in all one go and don't flake off.

Both the GKMBJ Soothing & Nourishing Shampoo and the GKMBJ Soothing Hair & Scalp Honey Moisturizing Conditioner. I haven't opened these yet, so don't know what they smell like, but will do a full review when I do.

Then there's the Sasy n Savy Citrus Souffle Body Creme. It said for all skin types, and is made in Australia. This has a very light citrus sent to it. A lot of the time moisturisers and perfume will set my hayfever off but this is beautifully scented. It readily absorbed into the back of my had and has left my hand feeling beautiful and soft and not at all greasy or sticky like some other moisturisers do. If it wasn't for the price tag , I would be buying this. (120ml $46.00 on the beauty EDIT website)

Monteil Acti-vita Gold ProCGen Softening Lotion. This is made in Germany. I don't even quite know what to say towards this one. This is something that I would never have bought for myself. It says "Nice soft lotion with 24k gold leaf particles make the skin velvety-soft to the touch. The ProCGen complex has an intensively hydrating effect and restored skins natural balance. The skins structure is stabilised, it regains vitality and resiliance. The gold particles have a soothing effect and ensure a radiant look. The skin is perfectly prepared for subsequent care products. Alcohol free."
It looks very watery, and has a tiny hole to stop you pouring out too much at one time. It has almost no smell, and just two drops on the back on my hand not only did my whole hand but started to go up my wrist as well, so a little goes a long way. The back of my hand does feel velvety smooth. I have a 10ml tester. This one may be worth the price (200ml $69.99on the beauty EDIT website)

Next was the Hawley Illume Essencia Cuticle Conditioner. I've written a review on this over here. But if you want a quick review now, it smells delicious! I love the brush applicator, and I love how it makes my cuticles feel. All in all this one is something I will buy again.

The extra! This is one of the many teas on offer from Tea Tonic. The one I was given is called "complexion tea" and is both organic and caffeine free. It just smells delicious! The ingredients are red clover, nettle, dandelion leaf, calendula and burdock. I've only ever heard of dandelion leaf before, which is used as a caffeine free coffee substitute.
I am yet to try this one, but I think I'll be brewing it up tonight :)

Beauty EDIT comes every two months, which gives plenty of time to go though and try everything out without feeling rushed (unless you subscribe to more than one brand of box :p).

You do have a minimum of two boxes ($40). You can check it out here

http://www.beautyedit.com.au/join.html/

Bondi Chai

2014-04-03T19:21:00.001-07:00

There is nothing better than receiving snail mail :) Especially when there's something yummy inside!
I just couldn't wait to rip this open and have a look.

I adore chai latte, the smell, the aroma and the break from what ever you're supposed to be doing.

I tried the cinnamon one first. Problem was that I was a little stressed out and didn't read the pack properly, even though it says very clearly "just add milk" I just added hot water. Oops. I was really looking forward to it too! (I was also debating whether to put this up here or not...Hahaha But we all make mistakes after a long day) I tried to fix it by adding some milk... It wasn't terrible. It just wasn't so good either.

I certainly wasn't going to make that mistake again! The next day I tried the vanilla and honey with milk. It was much nicer than I expected! I'm usually much more of a spicy chai lady than a vanilla chai lady. But yum! The aroma and taste were devine. The only problem is, there wasn't enough of it!

But you can get your own free sample by filling out this form
http://bondichai.com.au/request-a-sample/

At the time of writing, they also have a competition to win a year's supply of chai lattes. All details can be found by follow the link below.
http://bondichai.wbml.com.au/cafeinasachet

Pros:
It dissolved straight away in the warm milk and didn't leave any undissolved residue at the bottom of my mug

Made with real tea

Gluten free

Low in caffeine

Less than 1g of fat

The sugar content is apparently no higher than white tea with a teaspoon of sugar
It's Australian made and owned

Cons:

You want more than one mug :p

Ingredients:
Vanilla honey-sugar, whey powder, skim milk, black tea extract (3%), honey powder, flavours, natural colour (caramel III) ginger.

Club cinnamon - sugar, whey powder, skim milk, black tea extract (3%), honey powder, flavours, natural colour (caramel III) ginger, star anise.

Conclusion:

I think I'm actually going to switch. Looking at the list of ingredients on my previous chai it includes sodium caseinate, emulsifiers and anticaking agents, which I can tell you now did absolutely nothing! I have to scrape the powder off the bottom of the tin unless I want it to come off in a big chunk into my milk :(

Totally switching to a much easier (and seemingly healthier) way of getting my delicious chai hit.

A little about me

2014-04-02T07:41:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone!

Seeing as this is my very first post I'd thought I'd take the time to introduce myself and this blog. I'm a fashion student in her early 20s. I'm a bit of a geek, I grew up climbing trees and playing computer games.

So how did I get into fashion? I was taught cross stitch from a young age, which progressed to sewing. As a teenager who cannot afford to buy the clothing she wanted to wear it's either learn to make it yourself or go without and I wasn't about to go without. It's only when I was in my late teens I started becoming interested in makeup and beauty. Still not having a proper job I discovered the wonderful world of sampling! Which leads me to this blog.

This is my space to share my opinion on the wonderful and sometimes not so wonderful items that are sent my way to try. Some things I love so much that I'd like to be able to buy everyone, and others I wouldn't even take a second look at. But isn't that the beauty of samples! Trying things out before you do spend money on them and, hopefully not, find out that's it's just a waste of money.

While most of my items will come from subscription boxes, some won't.

If you're wondering what a subscription box is, it's a box that you pay a small amount to purchase (usually enough to cover shipping and handling) and it's filled with samples to a set value for you to try every one or two months. Everyone's samples are different. I will make sure to let you know where each sample has come from, and where you can buy the box from if you're wanting to receive these yourself.

I am not paid for any of my opinions, nor am I associated with any of these companies, so you are sure to get my true and honest opinion.