Category: Subscription Boxes

The box arrived today, December 22nd, well before the end of the month! They’ve consolidated into one location, and shipping seems to be going much smoother. It’s wonderful to have the box so early this month!  This month’s box was curated by Vegan Beauty Review.  I know the folks at Petit Vour try really hard to create the best boxes along with their curators, but this one missed the mark for me.  It’s going to happen from time to time and it’s just a matter of people being different and having different likes and dislikes.  The only thing I can see myself using is the Blissoma serum which is kind of a disappointment.  Don’t get me wrong, the box still has a great variety and is well thought out, it just happens that I absolutely loathe pink, find natural deoderants don’t work for me, and the blush is way the wrong color for my skin.  If the nail polish had been any other color, the blush a different shade, this would’ve been SUCH a better box, personally.  I kind of feel bad saying all that, because it’s got to be hard to put together one box and have everyone be happy, but this was just not the box for me.  It makes me glad I got the Holiday Limited Edition box because that was amazing.  Anyway, on to the contents!

• Blissoma A+ Perfecting Serum – 1 oz / $26 – (Sample size is .5 oz, value of $13) This is pretty much the only product I’m really interested in out of the box, but it turns out to almost be worth the cost of the box, so it makes me feel better about not really liking the rest of the products!  I’m an ingredient-reader and the list on this is amazing.  Twenty active ingredients including thirteen herbs and it smells SO good.  The formula is for oily, acneic, irritated skin, and while my skin has tended to be dry lately, acneic and irritated definitely describe my face.  I’m thinking this will be great post-mask.
• Everyday Minerals Matte Blush – 4.8 g / $12 – (Sample size is 1.7 g, value of $4.25) The color, “All Smiles,” is apparently discontinued since it doesn’t show up on Everyday Minerals’ website.  For whatever reason, this shows up as brown on my face  –  I think the color is just too yellow to work with my skin tone, especially over already rosy cheeks.  It’s also caked together and doesn’t sift out of the pot very easily.  I don’t know, I’m not impressed at all.  Also, I just got a big blush duo in the Holiday LE box, so I didn’t need another one so soon.
• Meow Meow Tweet Deoderant Cream – 1 oz / $8 – (Sample Size is 1 oz, value of $8) The sample size is the “mini” size from the company’s website.  Full size is 2.4 oz for $13.  Yet again, a natural deoderant, and by now, you know how I feel about them – they don’t do the job.  I just got the Schmidt’s deoderant in October’s box, and getting another one so soon isn’t great.  It smells nice (lavendar scented), but man, as a photographer, sometimes I’m out on a job from 8am to 11pm (weddings!) and my deoderant needs to work THE WHOLE TIME, not run out after the first four hours.  None of these have ever managed to work that long and uggh it still grosses me out to apply deoderant with my hands.  It’s a personal hangup.    While I don’t like using regular deoderants, it’s the only thing that keeps me stink free.  You can’t smell like BO as a photographer at a wedding.  I’ll still give this a fair shake, but it’s got all the same ingredients as other natural deoderants, so it’s most likely not going to get the job done.
• Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish – 17 mL / $16 – (Sample size is full size, value of $16) Color is, “Money Buys Happiness,” and is a pale, shimmery pink.  I hate pink, hate hate hate pink.  I won’t wear pink at all, especially not on my nails, so this is a complete loss for me.  They have so many great colors, and we got a light  pink for a December box?  It just seems like an off choice for color given the season.  I saw other folks got, “Just Talk to My Lawyer,” which is a pretty deep burgundy red and beautiful in comparison to the icky pink.  Super disappointed in the color selection even if the polish seems great, I won’t use it.  One of my friends will though, and I’m happy to pass it off to someone who will enjoy it.

Total value of the box rings up to $41.25 which is one of the higher values for this box!  Unfortunately, my personal value for the box is $13 since I really have little interest in the other three items.  Someone else will enjoy the polish though, and I’ll give the deoderant a try on a non-work day to see how long it lasts.

I usually don’t splurge for limited edition boxes, but this one was just too good to pass up!  I’d been wanting to try the Gressa Lip Boost for a while, and false lashes with simple, vegan ingredients?  I’m sold!  Of course, I couldn’t resist giving the box photo a little holiday treatment.

• Aster & Bay Dandelion Face Grains – 4 oz / $30 – (Sample size is 1 oz, value of $7.50) Doesn’t have much of a scent other than a light earthy, woodsy sort of smell.  Works up to a nice, gentle exfoliating scrub and rinses away clean.  I enjoy a good face scrub, so this is a great sample for me especially during a stressful time of year.  Stress always shows up on my face (breakouts, puffiness, etc), so a product that says it helps soothe inflamed skin is just what I need.
• Georgie Beauty Style No. 8 Faux Lashes & Clear Adhesive – $18 and $8 – (Sample is full size, total value $26)  Can’t wait to have an excuse to wear these!  This was the biggest selling point of the box for me because I’ve never used fake eyelashes mostly because I’m worried about the adhesive causing my eyes to go red and puffy.  I tend to have really sensitive eyes, so an adhesive with 5 ingredients and no sulfates or formaldehyde is a big win in my book.
• Gressa Lip Boost – 5 mL / $26 – (Full size, value of $26) I keep seeing Petit Vour tweet about these and I’ve been itching to try one before buying a full size.  The color, “Aux Rouge,” is probably not a color I’d have picked out for myself since it’s a deep red and I tend to shy away from red-reds, sticking with lighter berry colors.  However, once I put this on, I saw that this is TOTALLY the red for me.  I love that I can layer up the color for a bold red or keep it lighter and go over it with a gloss for a bit of shine.  Really in love with this and it seems like that little pot will last a long, long time.
• Jing Ai Sierra Glow Duo & Brush – $28 / .53 oz, $22 – (Sample is full size, value of $50) My cheeks are usually pretty rosy so I tend not to need blush unless I’m doing a full-face of makeup from foundation on up (which is rare).  It’s still great to have a good blush on hand when I’m feeling pale to brighten up my cheeks, and the brush is a great thing to have too.  There’s even a little paper disc covering the blush that contains wildflower seeds with a little message to plant the paper for someone you love.  Cute!
• One Love Organics Vitamin C Body Oil – 4 oz / $58 – (Sample size is approx .4 oz, value of $5.80) This smells AMAZING.  The papaya definitely comes out as the main scent, and the oil sinks in to my skin so quickly and feels great, not greasy at all.  I’m thinking this is great for dry winter legs, post shower/shave.
• R.L. Linden & Co. Thousand Petal Beautifying Mist – 100 mL / $48 – (Sample size is 15 mL, value of $7.20)  I’m thinking this is going to be awesome for sun-toasted skin in the summer and wind-dried skin in the winter.  It smells like a field of wildflowers and is incredibly hydrating.

The box cost $45 and contains a value of somewhere around $132 as calculated by volume, but the blush and brush alone are worth more than the cost of the box!  Really a great deal and a bunch of neat products I’m psyched to be able to try for the first time.

Edit, 16 December 2014 – The Gressa Lip Boost is full size!  I originally posted that  it wasn’t since the label on the container said 5 mL and the Gressa website said 7 mL for volume.  Petit Vour has assured me the product received is indeed full size, so that’s an awesome value.  I can’t get over how great the Gressa Lip Boost is and how much I love that color!

The November box arrived on December 1st – a hair late, again.  The email said the lateness was a result of the snowfall last week delaying shipments which is fine, and I appreciate the communication!  I’m sure the Thanksgiving holiday had something to do with it too.  Anyway, the box this month was co-curated by Ashlee Piper at The Little Foxes, featuring the theme, “Natural Givers.”  I liked this box more than I thought I would after seeing some teaser early reviews on Twitter (seriously, how do people get their boxes two weeks before me?!).  I wasn’t so sure about the body oil, but it’s so rich and smells so good, I think it’s going to be my before-bedtime go-to for dry skin.  Now, on to the contents!

• Au Naturale Creme Eyeshadow – $20 / 5.5 mL – (sample size is approx .85 mL, value of $3.10) I received the color, “Palma,” which is a shimmery gold color.  Easy to apply, rich color, goes on buttery smooth.  Love the ingredients list and my sensitive eyes appreciate that!  This is going to be so fun to use over the next month.
• Au Naturale Creme Concealer – $24 / 5.5 mL – (sample size is approx 1.5 mL, value of $6.55) I received the color, “Buff,” and it’s just about the right  shade for my winter skin (maybe just a wee bit    too light).  Doesn’t feel too heavy on, but doesn’t cover very well either on its own.  Definitely needs a go-over with powder or something to really be effective.  The Au Naturale products came with a 25% off coupon inside the packaging which was really excessive.  So much wasted paper!  It looked nice and was a fantastic presentation for the products, but for a vegan beauty box, I was a little disappointed to see so much excess packaging.
• LA Fresh Waterproof Makeup Remover – 24 ct / $10 – (Sample size is two pieces, value of $.83) I wasn’t impressed with the nail polish remover from LA Fresh, so I’m already skeptical about the makeup remover.  The second ingredient is cyclopentasiloxane which is NOT biodegradable or compostable as the front of the packet indicates.  In fact, it’s suspected to be an environmental toxin that bioaccumulates particularly in waterways.  It’s a cheap alternative to better ingredients like vegetable glycerine.  I’m not sure I’d want to use this around my eyes since they tend to react badly to products with cyclopentasiloxane, and while the instructions say to, “gently press wipe onto eyes or lips,” it then cautions, “Avoid direct contact with eyes.”  Hmmm.  So, I think this is a pass for me, and I’ll hand it off  to  someone whose eyes aren’t as hyper-sensitive.
• Earthbody Sacred Skincare Dream Body Oil – 4 oz / $23 – (Sample size is 1 oz, value of $5.75) Oh man this smells SO amazing.  It starts out as fresh lavender and then develops into this woodsy, resiny scent on my skin.  It’s so rich and thick, and contains  only  oils, no carrier ingredients like silicones.  PERFECT.  I can see using this before bed like I mentioned above or right after a shower to super-hydrate elbows and knees.  Great time of the year to have this as a sample too for winter dry skin.
• French Girl Organics Lip Tint – .15 oz / $11 – (Sample is Full-Size) I received the color, “Cerise,” and I cannot begin to express my love for this product enough.  This is definitely the winner of the box for me.  The scent is like a peppermint herbal tea and was a really nice surprise.  Then, it goes on like butter with the color building up to a beautiful, rich cherry color that’s absolutely perfect for me!  I have a feeling this is going to disappear quickly, so it’s great that they’re affordable.

The total for the box comes to just about $28!  Between the Lip Tint and the Body Oil, the cost of the box is covered, so I’m happy with that!  Kinda bummed that I didn’t get the Caru serum since I would’ve enjoyed that much more than the makeup remover pads, but that’s just how things go with subscription boxes sometimes.  It’s still a great box, and I’m happy with what I’ve got.  The Holiday Limited Edition box looks fantastic though and I might have to treat  myself to a little holiday present!

This box didn’t wow me as much as the September one did, but let’s face it – there’s probably not another box that will ever top September’s for me!  It was simply perfect.  This one though isn’t bad.  I must’ve been at the tail end of the shipping window because this showed up at my doorstep on November 1st.  Oops.  The theme of the box this month is, “Beauty Thrillers.”  Anyway, on to the contents!

• Pacifica Deovean Natural Lipstick – .07 oz / $14  – (Full size sample, value is $14)  I really like the formula – it’s creamy without feeling sticky and thick like regular lipsticks and I can barely tell it’s there which is a total win.  Unfortunately, I’m not entirely sold on the color I received (Rebel Sol) since it’s coral-ish and way too yellow for my face.  I tend to do best with berry colors, but there doesn’t seem to be one in the line.  The bright red Firebird color is way too intense for me, and XOX might be a little too pale.  No happy medium!  If they expand their color selection, I’m totally in.  Really affordable too for a lipstick.
• Flo + Theo Body Butter – 4 oz / $28 – (Sample is 1.5 oz i think, value of $10.50) Oh man do I love this.  The body butter is really rich and thick  so while it’s not great for hands because it can be a touch greasy, it’s perfect for overnight on hands or elbows, knees, dry legs, etc.  The scent is out of this world!  I love lavender so much, and this one has a warm, botanical lavender scent instead of a sweeter lavender which is wonderful.  And, just FIVE ingredients!
• Forager Botanicals Natural Eau de Parfum – 2 oz / $98 – (Sample size is 1 mL, value of $1.66, also available as a four fragrance sampler for $25, so value between $2-$6) I received “Nectar” which isn’t really my sort of scent.  The citrus just seems off for me.  The scent is light and subtle, and a little goes a long way.  I do like the warmer notes in this scent though, and I may spring for the sampler to see if I like the other scents!
• Lavina Argan Oil – 60 mL / $35 – (Sample is approx 6 mL, sample is worth about $3.50)  The only full size I could find was on Lavina’s website for $35 as opposed to the $20 on the product card.  I’ve never used Argan oil before, so this is a real treat!  The ends of my hair have been SUPER dry since I’ve been dyeing them blue.  There’s no strong scent to the oil, and my hair did soak it up right away.  I’ll have to see how it works out on wet hair too since I could see this working best post-shower.
• Schmidt’s Natural Deoderant – 2 oz / $9 – (Sample size is .5 oz, value of $2.25) Oh man, just like November’s Goodebox, here I am with another natural deoderant sample.  I still haven’t found a natural deoderant that actually works, even if  the scent on this one is really great.  None of these manage to keep my pits dry because none of the ingredients actually stop perspiration which leads to the bacteria on your skin creating an odor.  Most natural deoderants only mask the odor and don’t effectively stop sweat or bacteria  for a full day.  It sucks, and I hate that none of these work for me because I’d love to switch to a natural deoderant, but it has to actually be effective and still working at 5pm without reapplication.  Also, I’m really grossed out by the idea of spreading deoderant on my pits with my hands.  Stick only, please!  I’m still going to try this, but on a day when I don’t have to worry about walking around in public smelling like I just left the gym.  For the meantime, you can hold on to my natural products fanclub card when it comes to deoderants.  They just don’t get the job done.

It was neat to see five samples in the box this month, adding up to around $35 which well covers the cost of the box.  Can’t wait to see what they put together for next month!