December and January Favourites

Sorry I've been very slack on this blog of late and as a result my Favourites and Empties posts are very behind. As a result I'm going to combine some of the months together, and today I will share my December and January Favourites.

My December favourites are; Lush's Popcorn Lip Scrub, Etude House's My Castle hand cream and Tini Beauty's Eyetini eyeshadow.

Lush's Popcorn Lip Scrub $9.95 AUD
Ever since I first receive this lip scrub I've been loving  this and using it regularly. It is mainly made out of sugar and you scrub it on our lips, and then wash or lick it off (tastes delicious by the way). My lips feel nice and it conditions them so they will make a good base for wearing lipstick.

Etude House's My Castle hand cream $6 USD
I mainly  like this product because of the cute packaging which looks like a castle. For some reason I assumed that this hand cream was not going to be that great because of how cute it looked, but I have to admit it is a decent hand cream. 

Tini Beauty Eyetini Eye Cordial Eyeshadow + Base  $23 AUD
I wore this eyeshadow a fair bit during December and January, but now I am over it (in saying that I am not much of an eyeshadow wearer). I thought it was easy to apply with the wand and was long lasting.

 
Now for my January favourites: Holika Holika's Lemon Cupcake lip balm, Tony Moly Red Apple Tox Honey Cream and Shanghai Suzy's Miss Olivia Apricot lipstick.

Holika Holika Dessert Time Lip Balm 06 Lemon Cupcake $6 USD
This another item with super cute packaging, it looks just like a cupcake. I thought the lip balm was good and gave a slight pink tinge.

Tony Moly Red Apple Tox Honey Cream 80ml $12 USD
You are probably starting to notice that I like cute packaging, and I have to confess I enjoy displaying this cream which looks just like an apple. This is a lovey rich cream that I have mainly been using as a night cream, and smell like honey which I find very appealing. The only thing that I dislike is that the cream is very runny, which combined with the screw on top meant that the product tended to spill out when it was full.

Shanghai Suzy's Miss Olivia Apricot lipstick $12.95 AUD
I'm a huge fan of Shanghai Suzy lipsticks and recently they are the only brand of lipsticks I have been buying. They are an Australian brand, and  only cost $12.95 which I think is a bargain price for quality lipstick. The shade Miss Olivia is my everyday lipstick at the moment, it did however take me a little while to warm up to using. As much as I love wearing red lippy, for outings such as shopping or preschool pick up it is too bold. On the other hand Miss Olivia apricot is subtle and a great warm shade to wear during summer.

Bellabox February 2015 Elle Unboxing

Bellabox is an Australian beauty sample subscription box that for $15 AUD a month provides subscribers with at least 5 samples.

For February Bellabox collaborated with the magazines Elle, Cosmopolitan and Harper's Bazzar. This month I received the Cosmpolitan box and liked it so much that I decided to purchase another box in the hopes that I would get one of the other magazine boxes. Luckily for me I got the Elle box this time around.
To look at my Cosmopolitan Bellabox unboxing please click here .

What was in my box:

ELLE magazine (RRP $8.50 AUD)
I don't like to buy magazine that much these days, but when I do it is normally just to get a freebie that comes with it. Elle is actually one of my favourite magazines to read so I was glad that I received this box for that reason.

ESSIE Nail Colour 'Truth or Flare' (RRP $16.95 AUD) Full size product
My nail polish came in the shade 'truth or flare' which is a light grey blue colour. Not a colour I would have chosen for myself, however I think subscription boxes are great for getting us to try new things that probably would not have brought.

INDIO Multi V Serum (RRP $139 AUD for 30ml) Sample size 5ml
I was pretty happy when I opened my box to find not one but two Indio products. Indio products are expensive but I have heard lots of people rave about them. I am very much looking forward to trying this serum out, since at the price of $139 for 30ml it is not something I would ever buy. Gosh this 5 ml sample has $23 worth of product in it. 

INDIO Cleanser (RRP $48 AUD for 200ml) Sample size 30ml
This is my second Indio product in this box and I was thrilled to see it, mainly because it was a very generous sized sample. This is an exfoliating deep cleanser and since I wash my face at least twice a day, I will definitely be using this product.

NEUTROGENA Hydro Boost Water Gel (RRP $24.99 AUD for 50g) Sample size.
I've received several of these little samples, and I think that as a moisturiser it works well.

AVEENO Daily Moisturizing Lotion
I feel like I've received so many of these samples lately. I think it is a fine body lotion but I just a bit bored with getting these samples. 

KERASTASE PARIS Nutritive Nectar Themique (RRP $48 AUD for 150ml) Sample size 10ml
This is another sample I have received before, but I think maybe only once or twice. I think it was okay but not anything special

VERDICT:
I was pretty happy with this box, and I am glad that I did not have to regret the decision to buy two Bellaboxes this month. Out of the Cosmopolitan and Elle boxes I prefer this one, mainly because I prefer to read Elle magazines and due to the Indio samples. Indio's product are pretty pricey and not something I would have brought to trial so I appreciate that I can try them now. This box was excellent value with a  magazine, full size Essie nail polish and those Indio samples.

Bellabox February Cosmopolitan Unboxing 2015

Bellabox is an Australian beauty sample subscription box which for the price of $15 AUD per month, provides subscribers with at least 5 samples (occasionally there will be a full sized product). This is the only beauty sample subscription box that I am signed up to at the moment. Basically because it is the cheapest (Australian) one and although I have an overload of samples I enjoy receiving these surprise boxes each month. 

This month's theme was 'Beauty School' and Bellabox collaborated with three magazines to curate three different boxes; Cosmopolitan, Haper's Bazzar, and Elle. Some subscribers were able to choose which magazine they wanted to receive, and I was lucky enough to be one of those members. I chose Cosmopolitan because I thought the samples would be a bit more fashion forward than the other magazine's boxes.

What was in my Bellabox:

COSMOPOLITAN March Edition (RRP $7.95 AUD)
I don't normally buy magazines unless there is a free product attached to it. I do enjoy reading them but I prefer not to waste my money on buying them.

ESSIE Nail Colour in 'Strut Your Stuff' (RRP $16.96 AUD) Full size product
This month every subscriber was going to receive a full sized Essie nail polish, and considering that the nail polish is worth more than what we paid for the box I'm pretty happy. I haven't tried Essie nail polishes but I have heard good things about them and it seems to be quite a popular brand. I would  not have chosen a blue nail polish for myself, but I will still use it.

CHAPSTICK Natural Paw Paw (RRP $4.99 AUD) Full size product
I am always using lip balm so I welcome getting this chapstick since it saves me from having to buy some myself. This seems like an okay lip balm.

ORIGINAL SOURCE Shower Gel 'Mint and Tea Tree' (RRP $3.99 AUD for 250ml) Sample size
I enjoy Original Source shower gels because they smell amazing, and this particular one does to. I am a shower gel type of person so I will definitely by using this product.

NEUTROGENA Hydro Boost Water Gel (RRP $24.99 AUD for 50g) Sample size
I've tried this sample before and I quiet liked it, it feels nice and is moisturising.

AVEENO Daily Moisturizing Lotion (RRP $14.99 AUD for 354ml) Sample size
This is perhaps my third or fourth time getting this exact sample so I'm a bit over it. It is a nice moisturising body lotion so while I will use it, I'm just  not that excited about receiving it. 

Z'KIN ORGANICS Skincare samples
These are for oily or combination skin which is what I have so I was pleased with that. I have received another one of these skincare sample packs from Violetbox which I haven't tried yet. I don't mind the doubling up because it means that I might get a decent feel of the skincare range with been able to try the samples more than once. 

VERDICT:
Overall I am pretty happy with what I received in this Cosmopolitan box. Sure I have a few of these samples already but they are all products that I will use. Also the price of the magazine and the Essie nail polish more than covers the price of the subscription, so I think this is good value. I have  actually signed up my daughter (who is 4 years old) to get a Bellabox, in the hopes of getting on of the other magazine's boxes.

Violet Box January 2015 Unboxing

Violet Box is an Australia beauty sample subscription which cost $22.95 AUD per month, for at least 5 samples. The thing that I particularly like about Violet Box is that it tends to have more full sized products than other Australian subscription boxes. The January Violet Box did not arrive until the start of February but normally this company's boxes do arrive in their set month.

What was in my January Violet Box:

THE COSMETIC KITCHEN Raw Chocolate Clay Mask 50g (RRP $24.95 AUD) Full size product
I am attempting to use a mask at least 2 times a weeks so I was very happy to receive this. This is a clay mask where you have to add water. I prefer other types of masks because I find these ones to be a bit messy, but I will definitely use this.

REAL CHEMISTRY Luminous 3 Minute Peel 50ml (RRP $67 AUD) Sample size 5ml
When I first saw this I was pretty interested since I am starting to use peels and masks more frequently in my skin care routine. I tried this in the shower the other day and I quite liked it. You rub it on your face for three minutes while it takes bits of dead skin off and then you wash it off. There were bits of stuff coming off my face which are suppose to be dead skin, but the cynic in me thinks it was mostly just the gel in the peel coming off. It might be one of those things that make you feel like it is doing a lot more than it actually is. I'll use it a couple of times and then see how I feel about it.

EMITE Make Up Precision Eye Pencil (RRP $24.95 AUD) Full size product
My four year thought my last white liner would make a great colouring in pencil so I am glad that I have this so I can replace it. This eye pencil is more of an off white colour which I like because when I use it as an eyeliner it isn't as stark as the white one.

MELLOW COSMETICS Blush 5g (RRP $14 AUD) Full size product
I'm not really into blushes so I am a bit indifferent to this. I have one blush that I sometimes use so perhaps I should just stick with that one, and give this one away. Mine came in the colour peach. While I think the colour looks fine I detect a hint of shimmer which I am not a big fan of. I've decided not to swatch it, since I tend to swatch a lot of things and never use them afterwards (I am trying not to be so wasteful)

LONVITALITE 24K Active Gold Yulan Eye Mask (RRP 25.95 AUD for a 5 pack) 1 pack
I am a bit wary of using this a mask I tried the 24k Gold Yulan Face mask last year and it gave me a strange tingly feeling, it wasn't painful but it felt weird. I have seen that these masks are not recommended for very sensitive skin, so perhaps it just isn't suited to my skin. I'm not sure if I will use this or not, but I am leaning towards trying it since I haven't used an eye mask before.

VERDICT:
First off I should mention I am disappointed that this arrived in February, but I guess things happen that cause delays and at least it occur that often with Violet Box. However I have to admit that I do like this box, especially considering that there are 3 full size products. I think there is a good mix of skin care and make up, and whilst I am not super excited about anything in particular I could probably use every product here.

This will probably be my last Violet Box for a little while since I'm trying to save money for a holiday to Africa. I'll miss getting a box of beauty goodies but to be honest I have so much make up and skin care products at the moment, I should really try and get through my stash before buying more.

Memebox #65 Apple Mojito

Memebox is a Korean beauty box company that sells boxes of products and samples according to themes. Memebox for the last 7 or so months has introduced me to Korean brands and beauty products.

The theme of this box as Apple Mojito, which I mainly purchased because in my opinion Memeboxes that are based on food themes tend to be quite good. I have to admit when I saw what was in this box I was pretty happy considering that this was one of their cheaper boxes.

What was in my box:

ENESTI Apple and Honey Shea Butter Hand Cream 50g (RRP $5 USD) Full size product
I should start off by saying this hand cream smells amazing, just like apples and honey. When ever I wear this I spend a little bit of time just sniffing it. This might only be a $5 hand cream but it is better than most hand creams I've tried that cost a lot more.

AHC Climax Foam Cleanser 180ml (RRP $29 USD) Full size product
This was not an item I was excited about, but I cleanse my face at least twice a day so it will be useful. It foams up a lot and cleanses well. mMy face always feels squeaky clean afterwards.

HOLIKA HOLIKA Dessert Time Lip Balm 06 Lemon Cupcake 6g (RRP $6 USD) Full size product
I adore cute looking things so I love how this looks like a lemon cupcake. I will probably keep this even after the lip balm is used up due to the cuteness factor. It smells nice and is quite moisturising. It has a little bit of a hint of pink when you wear it, which I like.

PUREDERM Skin Turn-Over Lemon Peeling Toner 170ml (RRP $24 USD) Full size product
This is the only product in this box that I am yet to try, only due to the fact I have two toners that are already open that I really ought to finish before opening any new ones up.

TONYMOLY Red Apple Tox Honey Cream 80ml (RRP $12 USD) Full size product
I was very happy to get this not only because I have heard that the Tonymoly apple products are quite good but because I adore the packaging too. This smells lovely and feels nice when I apply it. My only issue with this item is that this cream is very runny so opening and using this can get a bit messy.

Verdict:
I am glad I brought this box and I am pleased that every item is full sized. I think there is a good mix of products and all the items are usable for me. The box is valued by Memebox as being worth $77 USD, so I think for the $19 plus shipping that I paid for this box I got a good deal.

Bellabox January 2015 Unboxing

Another month means another Bellabox for me. Bellabox is an Australian beauty sample subscription box that costs $15 AUD per month.

Let's have a look at what was in my January 2015 Bellabox:

WOTNOT Facial Wipes for sensitive skin (RRP $8.40 AUD for 25 wipes) Sample size 5 wipes
I've had a few samples of these wipes which are one of my favourite facial wipe brands. Whilst I am not very excited for getting this sample, I do like these wipes and will use them.

WEN BY CHAD DEAN Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner (RRP $34.99 AUD for 350 ml) Sample size 1 wash
This is a product that you use instead of a separate shampoo and a conditioner. You use some of it like a shampoo and wash it out to then use some like you would with a conditioner. I used this yesterday and I think it works well. I would be interested in trying out a full size product but Wen can only be purchase through a subscription so I find that a bit off putting.

LAQA & CO Lip Lube in Bees Knees (RRP $24.95 AUD) Full size product
I have received one of these before in another subscription box in exactly the same colour. Which also happens to be the one colour in their range that looks terrible on me. Due to my skin colour light peachy colours like Bees Knees make me look washed out. It was a shame that I didn't get another colour, but I am sure I can find a friend who will be able to use this.

BELLABOX Make Up Pouch (RRP $7.95 AUD)
This is a cute little make up pouch that my 4 year daughter has claimed.

GARNIER Moisture Match Goodbye Dry Moisturiser (RRP $9.99 for 50ml) Sample size
I tried this sample and I thought it was quite good. I might buy the full size product in the future.

SKINNYMINT Teatox (RRP $54.90 for 28 Days) Sample size 9 tea bags
I know there were a lot of Bellabox subscribers who were disappointed when they didn't get this, but I have to admit I wish I had got something else instead. I'm the kind of person who see these skinny tea things and rolls my eyes. However I do like tea and I will probably try these just because I have the pack.

Verdict:
This is an okay box, in saying that if I had a lip colour that was more suited to me or I liked the idea of skinny teas I would probably be a lot more happier with this box.

Next month Bellabox is collaborating with 3 magazine companies which is exciting. By the sounds of it subscribers will be getting either a Cosmopolitan, Elle or Harper's Bazaar magazine and curated box. I was lucky enough that I quick enough to make a claim for which magazine box I wanted and will be getting a Cosmopolitan box.

Memebox Superbox #84 Skinfood Review

Memebox is a Korean beauty box company, which sells boxes according to themes. I've really enjoyed using Memebox for the last 6 months and being introduced Korean skincare and make up.

The theme was  this box is the Korean brand Skinfood. Before receiving this box I had never used a Skinfood product before but I had heard great things about them.

Products in my Skinfood Memebox:

SKINFOOD Facial Water Vita-C Cream 75g (RRP $13 USD) full size
This is lovely light weight moisturiser, it feels very soothing and cooling. I used this on my face when I touched my face with coral glue and it caused a reaction. It helped to relieve the discomfort and I have also used in as a day moisturiser as well.

SKINFOOD Black Sugar Mask Wash Off 100g (RRP $9USD) full size
I love this wash off mask which smells like coke and lemon to me. You gently rub your face with this as you apply it and leave it on for around 10 to 15 minutes, after which you wash it off. My skin feels nice and smooth afterwards. I am not too sure if this making much of a difference to my skin probably because I don't use this regularly, but I do enjoy using this mask. 

SKINFOOD Egg White Pore Meringue Foam 200g (RRP $13 USD) full size
I have been using this but I am not the biggest fan. There is nothing actually wrong with the product it is a fine foam cleanser. Mainly my issue is the smell, I just don't like eggs so the smell of this really puts me off.

SKINFOOD Tomato Whitening Toner 180ml (RRP $17 USD) full size
I have never said this about a toner before, but I 'love' this toner. Before I had used this particular product I have to admit I was indifferent to all toners, and pretty much only used them because I know you are suppose to in your skincare routine.
I was wary about trying out this toner due to the 'whitening' term in the name, but I have been informed that this is more of a brightening product Whenever I use this it makes my skin feel nice. I have not been using this everyday yet because I have another toner that I need to use up first.

SKINFOOD Choco Eyebrow Powder Cake 4g (RRP $5) full size
This is the only product in this box that I have not used, because eye brow products are not really my thing. I have only just started using clear eyebrow products so I am not quite comfortable with using coloured eye brow products yet. This product has been passed on to someone else.

VERDICT:
This is one of my favourite Memeboxes that I have received, and apart from the eyebrow powder I have been using these products frequently and enjoying them for the most part.

This box cost $29 USD plus shipping and the items within it are valued at $57 USD. Some Memebox buyers said that this box was not as good value as other boxes, but I think that was mainly because they were able to source Skinfood items from other store/websites easily. However personally living in Australia means getting these item would probably be a bit difficult and costly for me, so I am pleased with this box.