July Bellabox

well well well... who was a happy little camper yesterday? oh yes, that would be me! there was a little ray of sunshine in the form of a blue box delivered to me at work yesterday, in an otherwise dreary and unpleasant day.

i was so excited to receive the next instalment of my bellabox, in such speedy succession of the last (i must have just squeezed in on the june delivery when i subscribed, hence the reason i've received two boxes in as many weeks). i scurried from front reception to the staff room as quickly as my legs could take me, overcome with delight, with my pretty blue parcel in my hot little hands.

the unveiling:

the first thing i notice is that there is no "bellabox"! not sure if this is normal or not, as you know this is only my second box! obviously the first item i've identified is an e.l.f. Essentials foundation brush (rrp: $3.99)! it's a little smaller than others i've used, but very happy with this none the less, as it just so happens that i lost my foundation brush in recent weeks! score! i am unfamiliar with e.l.f. Essentials so am excited to trial a new brand and am hoping that the product is of a high quality, even though the price tag is minimal.

next i remove the little baby blue mesh bag from the top, to find more products waiting below.

as well as the foundation brush, i am delighted to discover two full size products, being You, Me & Everybody shady lady daily face milk (rrp: $9.99), and Neutrogena deep clean invigorating foaming cleanser (rrp: $12.99). the forth product pictured is a 100ml sample of Nutri-Synergy sensitive skin cleanser (the full size product is 500ml rrp: $15.95).

now i, like most teenage girls, dabbled here and there with the odd Neutrogena product back in the day, but of late (say the last 6 years) their only products that i've used are the make-up remover cleansing towelettes and the oil-free makeup remover (both of which i received as part of the trial team for beautyheaven, and loved so much that have purchased and repurchased). i am a little nervous to try out the deep clean invigorating cleanser as my skin has been unpredictably sensitive recently (so i've been using an Avene cleanser for very sensitive and irritated skin, rather than my regular cleanser). never the less i will give it a whirl and get back to you with a product review, as those of you with similar skin (dehydrated and sensitive) may be interested in the results.

that being said (sensitive skin in mind), i am positively thrilled to receive the Nutri-Synergy product. i haven't heard of this brand before, so thought i'd do a little research, and discovered that the line of products is specially designed for dry and very dry skins, and suitable for those who suffer from conditions such as eczema. the brand uses both natural and organic ingredients (no harsh chemicals) and is gentle enough for all ages, including infants. to top it all off, the brand was created by a aussie pharmacist John Plunkett 25 years ago, and remains Australian owned and manufactured. this sounds like a brand worth knowing about! i look forward to reviewing the Nutri-Synergy cleanser also and will get back to ya'll asap.

next i've unzipped up the baby blue mesh bag...to discover more products! what a treat this is, july's box is proving to be very generous indeed.

like the first box, this contains (what i would best describe as) a covering letter, titled "Essential Beauty Buys". after a quick read, i begin to sort through the bag's products. quite excited and impressed to discover another two full sized products: a Carmex lip balm squeeze tube which is the perfect product to shield your lips from the harsh winter winds (and all other weather conditions experienced in crazy melbourne) and dehydrating heaters (rrp: $5.99) and a Ulta3 nail polish in mulberry (rrp: $2.00), which is proving to be the colour of the season and perfectly compliments the high fashion berry stained lips (beauty fans, you will have noticed this look anywhere and everywhere). the additional products in the bag are samples of the Royal Moroccan shampoo, conditioner and treatment, Neutrogena deep clean exfoliator, and a Givenchy men's fragrance sample.

would love to hear feedback from any readers who are also bellabox subscribers on their thoughts on and previous experience with any of the products included this month.

will trial the full sized products for a couple of days each, and the post a review (samples generally don't contain enough product to allow a proper and conclusive judgement to be made, however if i'm able to get a few days use out of any of them, i will review those also).

hope you have a lovely weekend.

B xoxo

Bellabox

a couple of weeks ago (june 20^th to be precise) Vogue held their popular “Online Shopping Night”. this event is an ingenious initiative; sit at your computer/laptop/ipad/smartphone whilst at home/work/in-transit and view enticing special offers from your favourite brands and online shopping destinations. it is, of course, designed for the sole purpose to capture the attention of suckers like myself and encourage us to spend up big, and let’s be honest, it works!! now considering the fact that i am a proud new owner of a 30 year home loan, these money saving events are just what I need, right? maybe not, but I thought it rude to snub Vogue, so i figured a quick browse couldn’t hurt.

boy am i glad i sensibly (or perhaps irresponsibly) perused what the night had to offer me, because I found an absolute gem! i found a link on the Vogue site “Beauty Buys at Vogue Online Shopping Night”, it was practically screaming “CLICK ME!!" and who am i to ignore such a desperate plea?

may i now introduce to, “bellabox”.

bellabox was recommendation numero uno by Vogue beauty director Cleo Glyde, so obviously, i took note! here’s what Cleo had to say of bellabox “even though poring over beauty products oneself is pure heaven, I love the idea of a beauty surprise each month – there is probably not a woman out there that wouldn’t love this as a gift”. ok Cleo! if you say so! “where do i sign up for this glorious beauty suprise?!” i frantically yelled at my screen (well not actually yelled, i think it was in my head, but you understand what I’m getting at), i was intrigued and excited, all the while being a little disappointed that i hadn’t known of such a treasure box sooner! straight to the website I go!

bellabox.com.au is where the party's at. here is their pitch: “bellabox is the beauty sampling concept to revolutionize the way Australian’s discover, trial and purchase beauty and lifestyle products”

there was not a doubt in my mind that i needed this subscription in my life, and that receiving a little box each month filled with “a premium selection of beauty and lifestyle samples that the bellabox team has sourced, tried and approved” could only bring me joy and happiness.

fast forward just one week, and i received a courtesy email from the darlings at bellabox, to inform me that my first box was on it’s way to me. oh, the anticipation of it’s arrival! well...the anticipation was no match for the glee i felt when our trusty postman hand delivered my little parcel. now being a bellabox newbie, i wasn’t sure what to expect. here’s what i had the pleasure of receiving:

on opening this simple but attractive little box, i was welcomed with a covering letter titled “Winter Escape” which was a quick and casual overview of the contents which lay below, wrapped in a metallic charcoal crepe type paper. i really felt as though i was openly a perfectly wrapped gift… to me… from me!

 

as you can see, my bellabox was packed neatly with a varied selection products: sample tube of Benefit POREfessional Pro Balm, small pot of Pure Fiji Body Butter Coconut, Fan Di Fendi Frangrance, half a dozen Olea Olive Leaf Drops by Comvita, a full size Phytocare Pure Papaya Ointment with Calendula, a full size packet of Kiss Nail Dress and a sample tube of Gatineau Aquamemory Moisture Replenish Cream.

what I loved most about my bellabox, was that all the products inside were new to me, and were the perfect size for me to trial the product and then decide if it is something i would find appropriate for me and subsequently purchase. my favourite products in this box were the Olea Olive Leaf Drops by Comvita (i didn’t know what they were or anything of their existence, but after sampling i will definitely purchase and keep in my handbag to support my immune system - on the go), the Phytocare Papaya Ointment (another handbag must have) and the delicious coconut scented body butter by Pure Fiji, which smells good enough to eat!

i am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my july box, which can’t be too far off! the subscription which i purchased was a 12-month membership for $165.00, which works out to $13.75 per month...what a bargin! for those less enthusiastic than i (or commitment phobs), who would prefer to try out the bellabox, you can order it month to month for $15.00 a box. there are also three and six month subscriptions which would make a lovely (and reasonably priced) gift for a friend, sister or girlfriend!

bellabox.com.au is not only a subscription site, it is also an online store and has plenty of product information available which is great for curious beauty minds like mine!

i am fairly new to the idea of this beauty box subscription concept, however after doing a little research, i’ve discovered there are many sites which offer their own, with variation of cost and content.

if you are someone who is as passionate and obsessed with everything beauty like i am, you will love this – a purchase I’m sure you will not regret!

B xoxo