myHoopla - September, 2013

 

myHoopla is the first Australian box of its type.  It's a children's activity box aimed at ages 3-7 which fits right in with my family as I have two boys who are 6 and 7 years old.  They do have an intellectual disability which puts them at the lower end of the age range in terms of ability which was reflected in the amount of assistance they needed when creating the projects with the supplied goodies. 

I prefer to let my children create something that reflects their current ability rather than "helping" to achieve a perfect result.  A process over product mentality if you will.  I did need to give a fair bit of help with these projects as otherwise we wouldn't have ended up with a recognisable project at the end, which would have made it difficult to show you the projects the box included.  I received the sibling add-on version of the box which contained enough materials for both my children to participate.  I highly recommend getting this if you have more than once child in the age range as they were both really keen to have a go.

The strength of this box was that everything needed to complete a project was pre-cut and sorted.  We just needed to pull out the bag and we were ready to go.  This would be outstanding for busy working families who don't have time to set up a complicated crafting activity.

This month's box was "Pirates" themed and there were three activities included:

Parrot Puppet

Making the parrot was very much a "hands on by the parent" activity.  Threading the wings through the body was tricky for little fingers, as was working out where to place all the small parts that needed to be glued on.  I ended up putting dots of glue on myself, which guided my small parrot makers as to where each part needed to go.  All the parts were pre-cut and prepared and in an individual bag so set up was instant and the very minimal mess went back into the bag.  My youngest son chose this activity to do first, he was excited by the bag of colourful feathers.  Neither of them wanted to use their completed parrot as a puppet, they wanted to make them "fly".  Much fun was had throwing them up in the air and letting them "fly" to the ground.

Hook Hand

I did this activity with my 7 year old and it was a pretty good fit for his ability level.  He liked putting the glue on the cup and sticking everything together, especially the white "lace" part and putting on the stickers.  He would have liked a few more stickers to stick (two were provided).  A fair bit of adult help was required to understand the instructions, but he was able to do the actual construction without assistance.  I found this tricky to photograph as the flash kept over-exposing the foil part.  I hope my enthusiastic model makes up for it :-)

Treasure Map

The idea of this activity was to draw a treasure map for another family member to follow to find buried treasure (toy gold coins were included).  The paper to make the map on came rolled up but once we opened it, we found it was cut into the shape of a map which was a nice touch.  Being brown paper, the lighter coloured crayons provided didn't make much of a mark, but we managed.  My kids were a little disappointed that the coins didn't have chocolate inside :-)

There was also a bonus activity of making Pirate Treasure Stones which was also shared on the My Hoopla website.  We didn't tackle this one as I didn't have access to coffee grounds but I did appreciate that they included this free on the website so you can get an idea of the sorts of activities they include in the box.

Check out other bloggers reviews of this month's box:

None that I can find yet but it's only just come out.

Paw Bag - April, 2013

 

My dog came home from doggie hospital yesterday (he has diabetes) and we had a little treat waiting for him.  His first Paw Bag!  Just the thing to cheer him up.  Paw Bag is a bi-monthly bag for dogs (they do one for cats as well) that costs $39.50 + $6.50 for shipping and includes toys and treats.

He's got some shaved patches of fur in odd places and he's looking a bit comical at the moment so a treat was in order to take his mind off it.  This bag was especially good as only one of the items was edible (my parents dog tried that one as ours is on a special diabetic diet) so he could enjoy almost everything.

Here's what was in the bag (everything was full size):

Woodland Crackler

Well, a "woodland crackler" turned out to be a surprisingly ugly bright pink bunny that makes a cracking sound and has a squeaker in it.  My dog was interested in the squeaker but didn't like the crackles.  He actually retreated under my desk to hide until I put it away.  He would have been happy if I'd just worked the squeaker for him but he didn't want to get anywhere near the bunny himself.

Gingerbread Man

As this is furry and had a squeaker in it my dog was extremely interested.  I think this was his favourite from the bag. It comes under the "something to destroy" category of toy which he always thinks is fun.

Barney's Bakery Treats

I got the "Doggy Donuts" which looked good enough for humans to eat.  The ingredients were good enough for humans to eat as well, they even used free range eggs which I highly approve of.  We gave these to my parents dog to taste test as ours is on a special diet now.  I can report that they were considered extremely delicious.

Organic Rope Ball

This was very sturdy and looks like it would stand up to even a large dog doing quite a bit of tugging on it.

Wuff It All Natural Soap

This looks very nice and was packaged beautifully.  I can't try it until my doggie's hair has grown back a bit, he's missing three big patches and two smaller ones so he looks quite undignified at the moment.  It's a nice big bar and I'm quite curious to wash my dog with a bar soap as I've never done it before, we've always used shampoos.

Chuck a Duck Flyer

My kids were very keen to have a go with this product.  They picked it out straight away.  It's a rope ring with an unattractive cartoon duck attached to the centre designed for throwing and fetching.  My dog quite enjoyed it too, but I think the kids enjoyed it more.  The idea of throwing a duck was considered pretty amusing.

Dental Loofah

I used to give Dentastix before the "special diet" thing happened so if my dog agreed to chew on this it would have made a good substitute.  He sniffed it politely and had a bit of a chew, but clearly preferred the gingerbread man.

And that's the Paw Bag.  Might make quite a good gift for someone hard to buy for who really loves their dog (or cat).

Lust Have It - March, 2013

 

Lust Have It for March comes once again in their new presentation boxes which I find quite useful for makeup storage.  The missing product from last month arrived, there was more than one full sized product and there was a good range of products too, including more than one make-up item.  All in all, a very good month indeed.  Here's what was inside:

The Natural Source Camouflage Colour Crayons in Metal Green and Purple Plum (full size value $9.99/ea)

The sticker on the red crayon didn't come off cleanly, leaving residue all over my crayon.  Don't you just hate it when that happens!  These crayons come in an amazing range of shades and they say can be used "on the face or body to create that sense of fun, theatre, class or individuality".  While I'm quite happy to leave the house wearing a petticoat my makeup choices are a little more on the mainstream side, so the only use I can find for these are as an eye liner. Both crayons were lovely and soft, perhaps even slightly too soft as I did find little extra bits of colour balled off when I used them.  Metal Green did make a very cool unusual looking eyeliner and because it was so soft it was comfortable to apply.  I did find something really odd on their web-site.  They have in their faq "It is bovine free. Bovine ailments affect the central system and is related to the “Mad Cow’s Disease"."  Slightly awkward sentence structure aside, bovine just means cow.  I don't know what they mean by "central system", but mad cow's disease is transmitted to humans by EATING contaminated cow products.  No-one's going to be eating their makeup so I'm at a loss why they feel the need to advertise their product in this way. 

Orly Flash Dry Drops (deluxe sample size)

I'm very happy to try this as an alternative to my Seche Vite.

Bioderma Atoderm Nourishing Cream (sachet)

This was the product that was missing from last month's box.  Points off for being a sachet - they're so hard to dispense and I always end up wasting product because I can't re-seal it.  I do love that this is intended for sensitive skin and can be used on the face and body, though it's really a bit expensive to use as a body cream.

Goldwell Dualsenses Rich Repair Hair Treatment (deluxe sample size)

I'm always happy to get a new hair treatment.  My hair seems to respond well to mixing up a lot of different treatments rather than always sticking to the same thing.

Ocean Essences Gold & Pearl Rubber Mask (full size $9.95)

This product isn't listed on Ocean Essences website (much like their offering in March's Bellabox) so finding out more information about it was tricky.  The value I'm taking from Lust Have It's product information card because I can't find anywhere to purchase this mask.  I also couldn't use it, though I did try.  No matter how hard I mixed it I just couldn't get it to mix properly.  It ended up really lumpy and made a huge mess.  I just wasn't comfortable putting it on my face.

Bio Elixia Body Shaper Cellulite Contour Cream (full size $59)

I've never really believed that cellulite creams do anything.  Now I'm going to have the opportunity to find out for myself.  I'm very impressed that Lust Have It managed to include a full sized product worth $59 and if it ends up working (I'm going to give it a try over the suggested 4 weeks) then I'll admit I was wrong about cellulite creams.

So this was a pretty solid month from Lust Have It.  My only grumble is that other bloggers seem to be getting a lollipop.  I want my lollipop darn it :-)

Check out other bloggers reviews of this month's box:

See It, Love It, Swatch It
Shrinking Wallet
Katy's Beauty Secrets
Sweetaholic Beauty
Matilly Rose's
Kitsch Snitch

Europe in a Box

Photograph from www.europeinabox.com.au.  Used with permission.

Here's a new Australian box to appeal to the gourmet foodie.  Europe in a Box is a monthly box of European food and drink that costs $53 per month (including shipping).  They say that "each box contains four gourmet products each originating from a different culinary destination in Europe, including an authentic imported drink, additional samples and a keepsake." I think this could make a great gift for the hard to buy for person in your life.  I know my husband would be pretty happy to receive one of these boxes.

I wish I had a slot available in my box budget at the moment as the products really appeal to me.  Looking at the March box (links and photograph below) I would like every single one of those products!  I do know that my husband would really enjoy this one, so I might try one for his birthday in August.  I can tell you that I've emailed the owner and their customer service is very good, I received a very quick reply to my email with the extra information I was looking for.



Photograph from www.europeinabox.com.au. Used with permission.  This was their March 2013 box.

There are a couple of discounts available at the moment.  If you want to sign up you can try:

$5 off 1 month subscription (one off fee, not a recurring transaction) - SPREADTHELOVE

$10 off 3 month subscription - DISCOVEREUROPE

 

There are a few reviews out there already for the first box.  Check out:

 

Vanisha's Life

Gourmet Getaways

Matilly Rose's

 

 

 

 

Her Fashion Box - March, 2013

 

 

The first Her Fashion Box is here. I got the classic box and here's what was inside:

 

 

Circa Home Everyday Soap in Lilac and Orchid (full size, value $9.95)

Mmmmmmm.  This made the whole box smell great and it's so smooth.  I have a few soaps and body washes to go through before I get to using this one, so I stored it in my lingerie drawer to take advantage of the amazing scent.

Gold Ponytail Holder (full size, value $2.60)

There's been some controversy on the web about where Her Fashion Box are sourcing their fashion items and what they are worth.  I found this which looks identical at $2.60 each.  I do quite like the product.  It's tricky to get in without pinching bits of hair but it holds well and looks good.  Luckily I have long hair though!

Moxi Sample Collection (deluxe sample size)

Quite a few Her Fashion Box customers weren't too happy to receive "time of the month" products in their box.  Some felt it was inappropriate and others had no use for them.  Unlike some I was happy to see Moxi included here as I can use their products and they're the most premium brand out there that I know of.  I can't imagine any other brand being included in a fashion box though, so I expect this is a once-off partnership.  The cute little box contained two tampons, two pad and one liner.

Master Makeup Blending Brush (full size, value $30)

Great!  I'll get lots of use out of this.  It's a really nice brush too.  The bristles are held firmly in place, they're nice and soft, and it's the perfect size for blending.  There was a special offer for 20% off the rest of the collection, but I've just purchased two sets of Real Techniques brushes so I'm set for the foreseeable future.

Redken Diamond Oil Shampoo, Conditioner and Treatment (deluxe sample size)

I'm happy with the size of these as there's enough to try over a few washes.  This is a new product that's going to be released in May so we get to try it early which is pretty cool.

Maybelline Colour Sensational High Shine Lip Gloss in Gleaming Grenadine (full size, value $15.95)

Another hit.  This gloss was very pigmented, a lovely colour, not sticky at all and to top it off it had amazing staying power and a quality glass container.  I ate two meals while wearing it and it didn't budge at all.  This may be the best lip gloss I've ever tried!

Classic black and gold necklace (full size, value $2.99)

I'm guessing at the value of this necklace.  The necklace from the feminine box was worth $2.99 so I'm assuming the classic necklace has a similar value.  It's reasonably nice looking, but on the back side the pieces are hollow and look a little cheaply made and two of the gold pieces fell off when I took it out of the bag.  Hopefully I can get a replacement from them.

So am I happy with the first box?  Yes.  I make the total value to be $61.50 from the value of the full sized products alone.  It was especially good value at the first month's reduced price (even given the suprisingly low value/quality of the jewellery items) and it was good enough that I think they can sustain next month's higher price, especially if they take a little more care with the quality of their fashion items.  I liked that a brochure came with the box that showed what products were in the feminine and trendy boxes as well.  It was interesting to have a sticky beak at what else was sent out.  I was not pleased, however, that Her Fashion Box did not reply to an email I sent them about the quality of the jewellery.

Check out other bloggers reviews of this month's box:

Matilly Rose's
Kitsch Snitch
Shrinking Wallet
The Made Up Maiden

Lust Have It Price Increase

Lust Have It have increased their price to $19.95 per month.  Current members will stay at the $14.95 price point for the next 6 months before having to pay the new higher price.  They also have a coupon code "ANNUAL" to get an annual subscription for $160 which works out at $13.33 per box, though there's no details how long this code is valid for.  This is a pretty big discount from $220 if you're looking to stay with them for some time.  I tested it today and the code is working at the moment.

Native Box - March, 2013

 

Loved this month's Native Box which had some products I was pretty excited about trying in it, and again there were lots of products included which I love.  My dog couldn't leave this box alone, he kept sticking his head into it while I was trying to photograph.  I think the gingerbread smelled just too delicious for him to keep away.  The box was Easter themed including chocolates and lettuce seeds (for the bunnies to eat).  Here's what was inside:

Ecocern Mini Carry Bag (full size value $0 as this bag isn't listed on their website)

Well, this is just a throw away product (into the recycling bin of course).  I have no use for a plain paper bag at all.  I almost didn't bother photographing it but they listed it as an item on the product card (and marked it as vegan!) so here it is.  This exact bag isn't listed on Ecocern's website if I even wanted to purchase it.  Bit of wasted space really and my time wasted dealing with it.  Don't worry though, this was the only dud product in the whole box!

Bondi Chai Latte Stick in Vanilla Honey Chai Latte (full size, one serving, value $0.53)

I frothed my milk in my coffee machine, tipped in the contents of this stick and stirred.  Delicious!  The powder disolved completely without too much effort, it tasted great, and the hot milk made it lovely and creamy.  I really want to try their other flavour "Club Cinnamon" as well.

The Chia Co Chia Shots (full size, one serving, value $0.74)

Instructions say to "sprinkle onto breakfast cereal".  Will do.  They added a bit of crunch to my puffed corn and milk this morning.

Laviol Organic Shea Butter Cleanser (sachet)

One application of cleanser is not enough to successfully trial a product.  To see what effect something is going to have on my skin I really need enough to use for a week or so.  Native Box - slightly larger sample sizes on the skincare please!  The ingredients of this product looked really good and I've never seen a cleanser contain shea butter before, they're usually in body butters, so I was quite interested to try this product.  I'm also very pleased to receive a product for sensitive skin, which I have.

Rainforest Remedies Lemon Myrtle Soap (full size, value $3)

Lemon Myrtle is my favourite fragrance ever.  Yum.  This soap smells amazing, I almost want to eat it!  I can't stop smelling it.  Love this.  I want to try EVERYTHING this company makes.  More please!

Ashmore's Strawberries and Milk Chocolate (full size, one serving, value $2.20)

Mmmm.  The weather has finally turned cooler and chocolates arriving in monthly boxes through the post is viable again.  This was the yummy bonus product this month.

Gingerbread Folk Easter Bunny (full size, one serving, value $1.60)

Perfect ingredients, exactly the same as homemade, this cute little chocolate gingerbread bunny hit the spot.  The wrapper was even compostable.  Loved this too.

Greenpatch Lettuce Seeds "Loose Leaf" (full size, value $3.50)

I have a huge vegetable garden filled with heirloom fruits and vegetables so the inclusion of seeds was perfect for me.  Lettuce is a good choice too as it's easy to grow for beginner gardeners, is ready to plant now, and fits the Easter theme (bunny food).

Your Inspiration at Home Guacamole Dip Mix (one serving)

This had good ingredients and there was enough to make a pretty big bowl of dip, adding avocado and sour cream.  We made another one without the dip mix for the kids as it had chilli flakes in it.

That's it for this month.  I'm off to smell my Lemon Myrtle soap again!  As always with Native Box, if you sign up and put "Katherine Kelly" in the delivery instructions I'll get credit towards a free box. That would be lovely :-)

Check out other bloggers reviews of this month's box:

I can't find any other bloggers reviewing this box yet, so I'm claiming it as an exclusive (!) until proven otherwise.  Let me know if you've blogged it and I'll link to you.

Bella Box - March, 2013

 

Some versions of March's Bella Box received a full sized Clinique lipstick.  I was not so lucky.  Instead I got a much cheaper very nude lip gloss.  Not nearly as exciting.  This month's box was OK, not standout special and not horrible either.  If I'd received the lipstick I would have been much more pleased with the offerings, but it was still value for money without.  Here's what was in my box:

Swisse Active Recover Bar in Chocolate Coconut (full size value $3.95)

The product card said that this was supposed to be the "Energy" bar that is for consuming prior to exercise.  Instead I received the "Recover" bar that is for consuming post exercise.  Regardless, I no longer do serious exercise following a knee reconstruction so this isn't the kind of product I'm interested in.  I did try a tiny piece just to see what it tasted like.  It was suprisingly bland, it tasted of coconut but not really sweet at all.  My husband polished off the rest of the bar so it must have not been too bad.  I received the 60g bar which retails for $3.95 per bar, despite Bella Box's product information card saying that bars are $2.39 per bar.  The 30g bar is listed on Swisse's website at $2.95 per bar and the "Energy" bars aren't $2.39 either so it looks like Bella Box really needed to do a bit more proof-reading on their information card this month.  I'm actually happy to receive a food product as a bonus product with Bella Box, but I'd prefer gourmet teas or chocolates/fudges rather than exercise related products.

Simunovich Olive Estate Olive Shower Gel (deluxe sample size)

I love getting shower gel in sample boxes because I know it's a product I will use.  The sample was a decent size and smells lovely and "clean".  It's a man-friendly shower gel if you like to share in the bathroom.  It lathered well and I'd like to try some of the other products by this manufacturer.

Ocean Essence Coconut Body Milk (deluxe sample size)

Something strange is going on with the pricing for this product.  Bella Box is selling 20ml in their shop (the sample I received is 20ml) for $4.95.  There's no way anyone is going to pay that much for just 20ml of product!  The website listed on the rear of the product (www.oceanessenceskincare.com) does not exist and if you add an ".au" to the url you get a site which does not list this product for sale.  It's a very nice product and I love the coconut scent but it's so strange that I can't find it anywhere else on the web and Bella Box is only selling tiny tiny tubes of it. 

Designer Brands Lip Pencil in Nude (full size value $4.99)

I don't use lip pencils.  I have never had trouble with my lipstick bleeding or running so I've never wanted to try one.  In the spirit of experimentation I did try this lip pencil, but I didn't manage to completely line my lips because it was so painful.  There must be a trick to it that I don't know.  Designer Brands website says their lip pencils are "luxuriously soft" but I can say after experience that they are hard and spiky and hurt.  I did like the sharpener included in the lid.  I'd like to see eyeliner pencils come with their own sharpener in the lid too.  That would be quite handy.

Guerlian La Petite Robe Noire Eau De Toilette (vial)

Yummy.  I found the scent to be quite powdery, a real "french lingerie" smell if that makes sense at all.  It smells very "clean" and "pretty".  A full sized bottle of this perfume is very pricy indeed, even for the Eau De Toilette.  I think the bottle would look classier without the picture of the black dress on it, but that's a pretty minor point.

Yes to Carrots Lip Gloss in Playful Nude (full size value $9.95)

I have a tinted lip balm by Yes to Carrots that I love and wear all the time.  It's so pigmented I actually wear it as a lipstick.  This lip gloss was sheer with a tiny hint of sparkle.  It's what you would expect from a shade called "Playful Nude" but it's not the shade I would have chosen.  Yes to Carrots website lists this as available online in the US only and their Australian distributer Priceline doesn't have it listed on their website so this might be slightly tricky to get your hands on.  Bella Box is selling it in their online shop and looking at the available shades I wished I had received "Red Hot" (which isn't available on Bella Box's website by the way, though it is one of the shades in this range).  I will use this, I like it as a sheer gloss, I would have just preferred a brighter colour.

And that's it for Bella Box this month.  As usual it had some hits (the perfume, body milk and shower gel), an OK product (the lip gloss) and some misses (the exercise bar and lip pencil) and the inclusion of two makeup products was greatly appreciated.

Check out other bloggers reviews of this month's box:

Imminent Beauty
Kitsch Snitch
Beauty Behind the Imperfections
Katy's Beauty Secrets

Native Box - February, 2013

 

This is my first Native Box and due to their shipping schedule I've just received the February box in their second shipping, though I'll be getting their March box very soon.  I was super impressed with the sheer volume of products I received, easily the most from any sample box I've tried so far - 11 of them!  There were some duds and some winners with a good range of makeup, skincare, food and eco friendly products.  Here's what was in the box:

Native Box Recycled Eco Friendly Pen (full size)

Not much to say about this really.  It's a pen and it writes.  A nice little extra to round out the box, though they included so many products they really didn't need to (not that I'm complaining).

Essenza Pura Mystical Oil (deluxe sample size)

Wow.  This is a really high quality massage oil, it even has frankincense in it.  It smells lovely, distinctive without being overpowering.  I tried a tiny bit as a body oil and it was amazing.  A tiny bit goes a very very long way so the generous 20ml sample will last a really long time.  I have it on good authority from my husband that the scent is "man friendly" too.

La Mav Bio VA5 Daily Wrinkle Smoothing Creme (tiny amount, not enough for even one application)

The name of this product is bigger than the amount they sent.  It came in one of those tiny sample pots, but it wasn't even half full.  I didn't have enough for even one full application of this product.  So I have no idea if it's any good or not.  I literally only got a pea sized amount of creme.  I did like that it wasn't highly fragranced, so it doesn't clash with my perfume but I really need a bigger sample of this to form any opinion at all about it.

La Mav Wrinkle Smoothing Antioxidant Rich Nightly Repair Nectar (small sample size)

Another huge name, but at least this product had enough for two applications.  It smelled oddly like a flower, fitting their "nectar" name.  I quite liked this, but there wasn't enough for a good try of it.  I prefer to try a product for a week or so to get a better idea of how it works as you can't really see much change with only two applications.  This retails for $69.95 for 30ml so it's a pretty premium product.  I'd actually be really keen to try some more of their other products, as wrinkles aren't a skin concern of mine, but I did think this product had promise.  I wonder if they have anything suitable for reducing redness in sensitive skin?  I'd be all over that.

Bounce Foods Bounce Natural Energy Ball in Coconut and Macadamia (full size)

I was pleasantly suprised by this.  It actually tasted really good.  The macadamia gave it a bit of crunch and it was quite filling for its size.  I think I'd like to try some of their other flavours.

Natralus Aloe Vera (sachet)

I've tried this before.  It's especially great if you've managed to get sunburned as it's really soothing.  I have been good this summer and not damaged my skin so I used it on my legs after shaving.  Lovely and cool.

Ajitas Vege Chips (full size)

Yay!  I love Vege chips.  I actually hid this one from the kids when I was opening the box so I could have them all to myself.  This packet dissapeared very shortly after the photograph was taken.  Yummo.

Ecocern Pet Litter Scoop and Bag (one bag)

I only got the bag (no scoop) but I'm not going to follow it up because I really don't want it.  I do have a dog but we live on the edge of a small rural town and he gets walked out along the cow paddocks so there's no need to "clean up" after anything he might leave behind.  If I lived in a city this probably would have been more useful.

Byron Bay Ear Candles (full size)

My first ever dangerous product in a monthly box.  Ear candles are a dangerous scam product.  Mine went straight in the bin, after I posted on the Facebook page warning people not to use them.  There weren't any instructions for use in the box either, not that I was going to try them even with instructions.  Wikipedia describes ear candling as "both dangerous and ineffective" and lists quite a few other sources to back this up.

Adorn Eye Shadow in Base/Nude (deluxe sample size)

I've received a few of these Adorn eye shadow samples from various boxes now and I've been pretty impressed with them.  They've been long lasting and some of the colours have been very pretty.  A nude base colour isn't very exciting though, I would have preferred an actual colour.  However, like all the Adorn Eye Shadows it lasts all day even without a primer so if you want a "nude" shade this would be a good pick.

Cadbury Chocolate Heart (one serving)

This also dissapeared shortly after I took the picture.  I like a nice piece of chocolate every now and then.  A nice little Valentine's day extra that would have been more timely for me if I'd received the box in the first shipment (though this was due to the timing of my subscription rather than any delay by Native Box).

Madura Tea Chamomile (one serving)

Chamomile tea is nice, although I prefer peppermint.  I teamed this up with the bounce ball for afternoon tea.

Check out other bloggers reviews of this month's box:

I can't find any other reviews of this box.  Comment below if you've reviewed it and I'll link to you.

Notoxbox - March, 2013

 

Notoxbox shipped first of all the boxes this month.  It was pretty heavy again, but the product that made it heavy wasn't very exciting.  There were some other more interesting goodies inside though.  Here's what I got:

Amazonia Raw Food Bar in Berry Burst (full size)

My favourite from the box was this bar.  It actually tasted very good and there were no dodgy ingredients at all.  These are pretty expensive, they retail for $3.95 each, though the ingredients they use are expensive so it's not suprising.

Argital Clay Mask (deluxe sample size)

I decided not to try this mask on my face, as the instructions said that "sensitive skins may experience a light tingling sensation or reddening".  My cheeks and nose are red enough naturally and I absolutely don't want to add to that.  Luckily this product also included instructions for use on hair, legs and feet.  All of the applications except the feet needed me to add extra ingredients (honey and oil for the face, orange oil for the body and jojoba oil for the hair).  The instructions for feet suggested lavender oil which was the only one I actually had on hand, so I went with that option.  This seemed a bit fiddly for me.  I'd rather have the whole product mixed together and ready to use, or at least receive a sample of the other necessary ingredients to mix myself so I have everything I need to try it.  Having to purchase extra products just to try this one defeats the purpose of the sample box really.  Anyway, I tried it on my feet.  It was really hard to get the clay to mix with the hot water, and I didn't really manage to get it mixed thoroughly no matter what I did.  After soaking my feet in hot dirty water I was hoping for something miraculous to make up for the less than pleasant dirty water part of the experience.  Not so.  If anything, my feet felt drier than usual and I had to go and slather on some lanolin on my heels.

Weleda Almond Soothing Cleansing Lotion (deluxe sample size)

Another product for sensitive skin.  Yay!  This smelled of marzipan and felt super gentle when I used it, but afterwards I was horrified to see that my whole face was flaky.  I had done the suggested patch test the day before, so I was suprised to find this reaction.  Not a good fit for my skin type it seems.

Earthens Biodegradable Foodware (full size)

What an odd concept.  This company makes bowls from pressed leaves.  It actually looks pretty cool but I don't use disposable plates as it's just so wasteful.  The information card said "no need for disposable plastic again".  Well, no.  There is no need for disposable plastic but a different kind of disposable plate isn't the answer.  Just use a normal plate and wash it to reuse.  Seems simple enough.  The plate I received costs $15 for a pack 25.  My son was happy to receive this to use in his play kitchen so it didn't go to waste.  I do think there could be a place for these at large community events, it's just not something I would use in my home.

Vital Veggie Powder (sachet)

This was the bonus product that 3 and 6 month subscribers received.  It had all good ingredients and the concept is that you sprinkle it into your kids food to "hide" the veggies.  I'm not actually a fan of that general concept.  I have a fussy eater and it's tempting to hide spinach in his chocolate cake and so on, but if I do that he's not actually learning to enjoy spinach.  If he doesn't know he's eating it he may be getting the nutrients but he's not learning to enjoy the food.  So I don't think there's anything wrong with this product itself, the ingredients seem fine and I'm sure it won't do any harm, I'm just not keen on "hiding" vegetables.  I'd rather present them as the best part of the meal and let my fussy eater learn to enjoy them.

Eco Organics Brown Rice (full size)

I know brown rice is super healthy and I keep trying to like it.  I just... don't.  So I'm not too excited about this nice large heavy pack of biodynamic rice.  It ticks all the boxes, it's organic, biodynamic and healthy it's just not my personal cup of tea.

Sindhya Soap Nuts (sample size, enough for 4-6 washes)

I had a load of washing to do when I received my box, so I popped these straight in.  I couldn't actually get a look at what the soap nuts looked like as they were sewn into their little bag.   They seemed to work OK, though not quite as good as my usual powder as some food stains remained on my son's t-shirts that would usually come out in the wash.

Check out other bloggers reviews of this month's box:

No one seems to have reviewed this box yet.  Comment below if you have and I'll link to you.

Eco Box - Summer, 2012

 

For some reason Lust Have It have decided to send me the Summer, 2012 Eco Box today.  That is, the first day of Autumn, 2013.  I'm expecting them to send the Autumn box pretty soon so this is fairly strange.  I'm presuming they had a few left over and wanted to get rid of them.  I'm happy with the products, it just seems a bit silly to be sending them so late.  As in three months after the box was released!  It also contained three different facial cleansers, hence this review only going up three days after I received the box as I wasn't going to cleanse my face more than once a day just to test all the products quickly.  Here's what was inside the jute bag:

 

 

Kuu Konjac Deep Cleansing Sponge (full size)

Here's a new thing.  It's a big red spongie thingie.  On the back of the packet I noticed that it was suitable for sensitive skin with rosacea so I was really interested to try this as they are both skin concerns I have.  I really didn't like touching the sponge.  The texture and colour reminded me of raw meat.  When I used it cold water oozed out of the sponge and ran down my arm which was quite unpleasant.  To top it off, it didn't clean at all.  The sponge failed to remove any of my makeup so I can only conclude that this sponge is only suitable to clean you face when it is already clean, which completely defeats the purpose.  I suppose it was gentle as advertised, but so gentle it didn't actually clean anything.  Not recommended.  It's going in the bin.

The Organic Skin Co. Freshness Juniper Berry Face Wash (deluxe sample size)

This was just OK.  I didn't really care for the smell.  It did an OK job of cleaning - it removed my makeup but didn't completely clean the pores around my nose which to be fair a lot of cleansers have trouble with.  I only needed to use a little bit of the product, so a full sized tube would last a long time.  I did appreciate that the packaging suggested doing a patch test before using for the first time.  I do that as a matter of course after having a bad reaction to another cleanser, but this is the first product I've seen that actually suggested it on the pack.

The Organic Skin Co. Brightening Almond Seed Face Exfoliant (deluxe sample size)

I didn't like the smell of this, but it cleaned relatively well and was suprisingly gentle for an exfoliant.

De Lorenzo Elements Earth Mud Slide Styling Creme (full size)

My husband tried this as I have long hair and this is a styling product to "add texture and shape to short hair".  It also says it can be used to get a high shine finish on a classic up-do but I don't care for that kind of look as I think it makes the hair look greasy.  My husband, however, spikes his hair up every day with various styling products so this was a good fit for him to try.  This product sells for $24 so he was pretty pleased to get a full sized one from my box.

Earthly Body Hemp Seed Hand and Body Lotion (full size 3oz, they also sell an 8oz version)

Lovely and thick this was really hard to get out of the bottle.  Their 8oz version comes with a pump which would have been perfect.  The cream really did smell a bit crisp and fresh, they called the fragrance Cucumber Melon.  It's a nice change from my usual sweet smelling creams.  It was absorbed very quickly and left a slightly sticky film on my hands.  I appreciated the nice big size they sent, it should last me a while and I use hand creams multiple times a day so I go through quite a lot.

Dr Hauschka Melissa Day Cream (small sample size)

I really liked this.  I thought the sample size was too small to be any good, but when I tried it I realised that a tiny bit goes a long way so the tiny 5g sample will actually be enough for many days application.  It smelled AMAZING and was absorbed almost instantly so it was great to apply just before foundation application as there really wasn't any waiting time.  I also appreciated that this product was suitable for sensitive skin, which I have.  I'm finding that the Eco Box has a lot more face products that I can actually use, as opposed to the mainstream Lust Have It box which has less products suitable for sensitive skin.  This product is quite pricy for the full sized cream, but it's pretty tempting to purchase one when I've used all the sample.

Aphrodite Shimmer Powder in Orchid (full size)

So messy to apply, there was no sifter on the top of this loose powder so it was really hard to get only a little bit on my makeup brush.  They should look at the way Everyday Minerals packages their loose mineral powder eyeshadows which are much easier to use.  The shade "Orchid" doesn't appear on Aphrodite's website, but as my box came so late perhaps it has since been discontinued?  It's a really pretty highly shimmery light brown which looks lovely.  I quite liked it dotted with my finger in the tear duct area combined with a less shimmery brown on the rest of the lid, though I tried an all-over shimmer look which was quite pretty too.

I liked the jute bag this box came in by the way.  There's no logo on it so it's very reuseable.  I used this season's bag to store my kids snap cards.  Those cardboard boxes get ripped really easily.  I'd like to see them rip this!

Check out other bloggers reviews of this season's box:

The Beaute Buzz
Mitzi Sparkles
Sweetaholic Beauty
Matilly Rose's
Kitsch Snitch

Her Fashion Box

Photograph from www.herfashionbox.com.  Thanks.

Her Fashion Box is a brand new box that will ship its first box in March, 2013.  It costs $39.95 per month (reduced from $49.95 in response to consumer feedback).  You can use the code "FASHION" to receive your first box for $24.95.

There will be three box themes: trendy, classic and feminine.  Here's what they have to say about their new box:

"Every month, you’ll receive a beautifully packaged Her Fashion Box to your home or office! Inside will be an on-trend fashion accessory tailored to your style profile, as well as a number of carefully selected beauty products or deluxe size samples from high-end, boutique and cult brands from around the world. Each month will be a different mix of beauty products, ranging from makeup, skincare, fragrances, body, hair, and nail. In addition to your fashion accessory and beauty products or samples, Her Fashion Box will bring you products, samples or offers from premium lifestyle brands that could include things such as gorgeous stationery, luxury candles, beauty or spa services, hair and make-up tools, gourmet food or wine tasters, cute home wares, online products, entertainment and more. "

I'm going to be getting the classic box in March, so stay tuned to find out what's inside.

Lust Have It - February, 2013

The Lust Have It box for February arrived super late this month, but they made it just in time for it to still be February.  They did send an email earlier explaining why there are only four products (the missing product will be included in March's box) and why they have not used their new presentation box (the biggest sample wouldn't fit).  I did appreciate them sending the email explanation so I knew what was going on.

I have mixed reactions about it.  I have no problem with leaving out the presentation box to fit a bigger product in, though in this case the product in question is useless to me which you'll read about further below.  They said they left out the fifth product, which was to be Bioderma Atoderm Cream because the weight was too great for their postal arrangements.  Again, because I'm not interested in the big heavy full size product that was included and I am interested in the sample that was left out, this was a bit annoying.  Having said that, I am extremely happy with two of the four products included so it wasn't a bad box by any means. 

That's enough suspense about the mystery full sized heavy and useless product.  Here's what it was:

Summer Tan by Mancine (full size)

They sent a full size large and quite heavy 250ml bottle of dark self tanning lotion.  If I used tanning lotions I'd be over the moon about this.  However, I'm a very pale skinned girl and I like my skin that way.  I have absolutely no interest in this product and will not be trying it even for review purposes.  It did smell quite pleasant, a bit like a nice sunscreen but that's as far as I'm going to go with it.  It was a scary dark chocolate brown colour which I suppose is so you can see where you've applied it.  This was a wasted product for me and a big disappointment that this was the much hyped full sized product that the box was delayed and had altered to include.  The rest of the box is much better though.

Lon Vitalite C9 Moisturising Hand Mask (one application)

I'm constantly applying hand creams throughout the day but I've never come across a treatment mask for the hands.  This is the kind of new product I'm interested in seeing in sample boxes.  Something completely new to try is very appealing.  Using the mask required me to wear the provided gloves for 30 minutes so I had to wait until the kids were in bed so I could be sure to have a half hour to myself.  I ended up wearing them one at a time so I could still use my other hand.  My hands felt sticky afterwards but very soft and it left a nice fresh fragrance.

Styli-Style Timeless Lipstick in Spirit (full size)

This is the first of the two winning products for me - this full sized lipstick was lovely and creamy and was quite highly pigmented for a pale pink lipstick.  I don't have a lipstick colour like this in my collection, though I do have a Mirenesse lip gloss that will be the perfect colour to go over the top.  The case is pretty and feels solid and expensive and has the colour on the lid which makes it easy to find in your makeup drawer.

The Natural Source Camouflage Colour Nail Lacquer in Lilac (full size)

My nails are still wearing Mermaid's Tale from February's Bella Box which has proved to be very chip resistant and long lasting so I just swatched this one to see the colour.  I am quite excited to try it when it's time for a new manicure.  I haven't got a colour like this one and it's so pretty.  I thought I might layer Sally Hansen's Disco Ball over the top which is a pretty mini-glitter.

So it was a mixed bag this month, two great products, one interesting new product, and one complete waste of time.

Check out other bloggers reviews of this month's box:

The Beaute Buzz
The Made Up Maiden
Shrinking Wallet
Miss Sparkle Diva

Native Box

Photograph from www.nativebox.com.au.

Native Box is a monthly subscription box with a unique theme - they concentrate on Australian products that are also eco friendly.  It costs $20.95 per month and some of their brands include the hard to find Method cleaning products, Sanctum, Adorn Mineral Cosmetics and one of my favourite snacks: Vege chips.

They don't say how many products you will receive each month.  Their December 2012 box contained nine different products with the usual range of full size and sample size to try including the aforementioned Vege chips.  State of Green received that box and has photographs of the contents. My impression from reading around the web is that the contents are quite generous, and offer a good broad scope of products. 

I will be receiving the next Native Box so stay tuned for photographs and a review of the contents.

Notoxbox - February, 2013

 

My Notoxbox for February was super heavy which was pretty exciting.  Everything was packed inside the shipping box instead of inside a separate "presentation" box which fits well with their theme, doing away with unnecessary excess packaging.  I'm pretty happy with this month's box.  There was a good range of different kinds of products and the sizes were reasonably generous.  Inside was:

Blacktea Candle (deluxe sample size)

My favourite item from this box was this candle, closely followed by the cacao powder you'll see further below.  The packaging itself is lovely, it's made of glass with a lid and can be reused for (small) storage once you're finished burning the candle.  The smell was... unusual.  It smelled to me faintly of roses.  The candles are available in Cucumber & Green Tea, White Tea & Ginger, Frangipani, and Black Tea & Lychee.  Mine was White Tea & Ginger but it didn't really smell like that to me.

Olive Oil Soap with Manuka Honey (full size)

This was a really large substantial bar of soap that felt a bit grainy, so I was expecting there was oatmeal somewhere in there.  Actually, there wasn't.  It contains honey, goats milk and olive oil so I have no idea where the grainyness came from.  I really didn't care for the scent.  It was vaguely honey scented I guess, but not a pleasant honey scent if you know what I mean.  It lathered just fine but as I don't care for the smell I've given it to my husband who isn't so fussy about scents.

Spiral Foods Green Pea Chips (full size)

Talk about healthy - these contained just peas and salt so they would be a good option for people on a no-sugar diet.  My husband and I found them to be a bit bland.  They were nice and crunchy but with not much flavour.  I think they could be very good paired with a nice salsa.  Both my kids liked them and polished off the rest of the bag between them.  This was their favourite thing in the box.

Absolute Organic White Quinoa (full size)

This was what was making the box feel so heavy.  I don't actually cook a lot with Quinoa but it is quite expensive so I'm happy to have this on hand to use when a recipe calls for it.

Nutra Organics Super Greens & Reds (sachet)

It wasn't really clear from the packaging what this product is actually for, but they did include instructions to add one sachet to your favourite juice, smoothie or water.  I went with the water option as I wanted to see what the product tasted like on its own.  The powder was an unattractive brown colour but when mixed it turned into a reddish brown.  No matter how long I mixed there were still green floating "herby" bits.  It smelled "herby" as well.  I was skeptical but eventually I tasted it.  It tasted like... nothing.  Honestly it was just reddy brown water with green floating bits.  It looked unappetising and had no flavour at all.  Not a winner.

Power Superfoods Cacao Powder Gold (sachet)

I would have appreciated some instructions as to how to use this product.  I looked through the attached information sheet and the large included brochure but there were no actual recipes.  There wasn't enough in the sample to use in place of cocoa powder in a recipe, so I made a chocolate thickshake with vanilla icecream, a little milk and the powder.  I managed to get enough to make three thickshakes from the powder which the kids loved.  They usually turn their noses up at smoothies and milkshakes but this one they drained.  No suprise there, it was pretty much a dessert in a glass!  Regardless, it was super yummy.

Pukka Love Tea (sachet)

Beautiful packaging, especially on the full sized box which I checked out on their website.  This had a nice floral smell but it just smelled of liquorice root after I brewed it.  It tasted like a weak liquorice root tea too.

Check out other bloggers reviews of this month's box:

Willow Wellness

Eco Box

Photograph from www.lusthaveit.com.au. This was their Summer 2012 box, but not a photograph of the actual sizes included, this photograph is of the full sized products.

Eco Box is Lust Have It's quarterly eco friendly version of their beauty box.  Being a little more expensive and coming out quarterly it contains more products than the monthly Lust Have It box.  Boxes cost $29.95 and include 6 or more premium samples and they say each box will have a value in excess of $100.  Brands include Burt's Bees and my favourite Everyday Minerals.



Photograph from www.lusthaveit.com.au.  This was their September 2012 box, but not a photograph of the actual sizes included, this photograph is of the full sized products.

You can see what other bloggers thought of the summer box here including photographs of the actual products they received:

Sweetaholic Beauty
Kitsch Snitch
Matilly's This n That