HFB - January 2014

CONTENTS:

• 1x Cantik Swimwear Canitk Palms Notebook
• 1x Pocket Manicure Kit
• 1x Something In The Water Scarf
• 1x Her Fashion Box Pebble Purse
• 1 x Her Fashion Box Ripple Necklace
• 1x Urban Rituelle Guava Lip Balm
• 1x Babe Scrub Green Tea Scrub
• 2x Green Smoothie Co Green Is Good Sachets
• 3x J Bronze Samples
• 1x Muesli For Me Sample
• 1x Ulta3 Lipstick (free gift for completing the survey)

 

CANTIK SWIMWEAR PALMS NOTEBOOK ($19.95AUD VALUE)

POCKET MANICURE KIT ($7.95AUD VALUE)

 

    

 

SOMETHING IN THE WATER SCARF ($24.95AUD)

This little scarf can also be used as a sarong/wrap to wear whilst you're at the beach.

 

HER FASHION BOX PEBBLE PURSE ($7.95AUD)

 

HER FASHION BOX RIPPLE NECKLACE ($24.95AUD)

 

URBAN RITUELLE LIP BALM 'GUAVA' ($9.95AUD)

This lip balm comes in seven different flavours: Cherry, Coconut, Guava, Lime Splice, Mango, Milkshake and Passionfruit. I wish I had received a different flavour because out of all of these Guava is my least liked fruit.

The lip balm feels nice enough but I'm not a fan of balms that come in tubs as I find they're a little messy. I would definitely choose a stick over pot any day.

 

BABESCRUB 'GREEN TEA' SAMPLE ($21.95AUD)

 

GREEN SMOOTHIE CO SAMPLE X2 ($15.00AUD FOR 5X10G SACHETS)

 

 

J BRONZE SAMPLE SACHETS
(FACE TAN 30ML $24.95AUD; ILLUMINISER 100ML $24.95AUD)

 

 

MUESLI FOR ME 45G SAMPLE

 

ULTA3 LIPSTICK

I'm assuming I got this for filling out the survey as it wasn't listed in the HFB Magazine.

The first box for 2014 was jam packed with stuff but for me there weren't many items that I felt were amazing. The two outstanding items for me this month were the necklace and the notebook so I feel a little let down.

I ended up cancelling my Violetbox subscription as I felt that every month the items they sent were just not worth it and became a waste of money and now I'm starting to feel the same way about Her Fashion Box.

Here's hoping that the next box is better otherwise I may end up cancelling this one too.

Violet Box October 2013

 CONTENTS:

• 1x Bodyography Every Finish Powder (Full Size)
• 2x APIVITA Face Mask (Sample)
• 1x Savoir Faire Lipgloss (Full Size)
• 1x John Plunkett Cosmeceuticals Super Wrinkle Cream (Sample)
• 1x Be A Bombshell Eye Shadow (Full Size)
  
  

   

  BODYOGRAPHY EVERY FINISH POWDER ($59.95AUD RRP)

   

 I was super excited to open up this month's Violet Box to three full size makeup products and was especially excited about the Bodyography powder. However, my excitement was short lived as when I opened up the box, powder spilled out everywhere.

I contacted Violetbox via their support team on October 30 (the day I received it) and they advised that they would send out a replacement to me on November 4th. Up until now I still haven't received a replacement, hence why this blog post is so late because I was waiting on them to send a new one before doing this review. 

This is a point where I have to say that Her Fashion Box are far more superior in their Customer Service skills. I find that Her Fashion Box respond to you immediately and send items out to you via Express Mail if you should have a problem with one of the products in your box or if an item is missing. I feel that waiting almost two weeks for a replacement is a little ridiculous.....

 The product itself isn't too bad, pigmented enough but doesn't apply too heavily, but I'd be careful of where you apply this as it is super orange. I'd most likely only use this as a highlight and very minimally. Also, since this did not travel in the post well, I wouldn't chuck this in my hand bag as I could imagine this breaking and spilling everywhere.

I don't think I would ever buy this product as I can get nicer highlight colours for much less than the $59.95 price tag and the fact that it broke so easily is something else to consider. I had such high hopes for this brand so to say that I was disappointed is an understatement.

If you received this from Violetbox in your subscription box I'd love to know your thoughts on the product and the brand itself.

 

APIVITA FACE MASK (TWO DOSE SACHET $7.90RRP)

 

This is the type of face mask I prefer, good old creamy masks that you lather on your face and wash off.

APIVITA is a Greek cult brand of face masks based on ingredients found in a Mediterranean diet. The sample I received was an 'instant lifting' mask with red wine and seaweed extract.

While I couldn't tell much of a difference in my skin appearance I did feel that I was still pampering myself and it felt nice on my skin.

Still, this sample size was not enough to sway me to buy this product again but it's definitely one of the better ones I have received in a sample box thus far.

 

SAVOIR FAIRE LIPGLOSS ($25.00AUD RRP)

Macro shot

The Savoir Faire lipgloss comes in five different shades with a signature scent and flavour for each shade. I received the clear one in Dazzling which has a vanilla scent/flavour.

Upon opening the gloss the smell isn't too overpowering BUT when you apply it you can taste the super sweet vanilla immediately which automatically makes me not like this product as it's just too sweet.

The gloss doesn't appear as shimmery on the lips as it does in the bottle, which was quite disappointing and wasn't worthy of a picture as it looked like I just licked my lips and had slobber all over my mouth.

 For something made in China (listed as Made in PRC), I feel that a $25.00RRP price point is over the top and unwarranted. Combine the fact that this gloss is super sweet and not thick enough, this is definitely one item that I can go without.

Certainly, there are products that are Made in China that are quality items but their pricing point reflects that, for example NYX and Sleek to name a few, and I just feel for $25.00 for this gloss is just too expensive for what you get.

 

 

 

 

 

JOHN PLUNKETT COSMECEUTICALS
SUPER WRINKLE CREAM (50g $28.95AUD RRP)

 

This Super Wrinkle Cream is incompatible with my skin type. I found it was a little too rich for my liking so this definitely wasn't a winner for me. Even though it wasn't good for my face I found it really nice for my legs as they were super dry from being out in the sun. Needless to say, I won't be repurchasing this once I run out.

 

BE A BOMBSHELL EYE SHADOW ($18.00AUD RRP)

 

 Be A Bombshell was started in 2011 by a woman named Tonya Thompson and has garnered 'cult' status with lots of people raving about their products on various forums so it's no surprise that the brand has made its way to Australia.  They stock a full range of cosmetics to do your whole face and also have a beauty club where one of their consultants will create a monthly look based on your profile and will recommend products for you to purchase at special prices.

On first inspection, the packaging of the product is quite nice and looks professional (although I'm really not a fan of their logo and text) and has a similar feel to MAC eyeshadow packaging. Despite the Bodyography powder arriving smashed to pieces, this eyeshadow was still intact which is great as I hate it when you spend money on products and they don't hold well with travel.

Macro shot: Money Money

 The colour I received was Money Money which is a smokey green shimmer eyeshadow with specks of gold throughout. This is a colour that I would DEFINITELY wear especially once I start getting darker in the summer as this shade looks amazing against tanned skin.

On application this shadow is quite pigmented and silky smooth. The eyeshadow also blends really easily and has great longevity but I find the colour holds/appears better with a primer.

This eyeshadow actually exceeded my expectations and I actually really like the product, however, I don't think that I would buy from them as I currently use Inglot Cosmetics Freedom System which has a collection of over 200 colours in various finishes for only $10AUD per eyeshadow pan and that's something that just can't be beat where as Be A Bombshell only has 22 colours available, not to mention that their product price point for something made in China is too high. I'd much rather buy an eyeshadow from NYX/Sleek that is much cheaper and has the same amount of pigmentation in their product.

The other thing I wanted to address was something I came across on the Be A Bombshell About Us section on their website:

"I realized that I could use the same manufacturers that produce high end cosmetics with the same quality and pass fabulous products on to you at a lower cost!" - Tonya Thompson (Founder)

I'd LOVE to know which high end brands manufacture and produce their cosmetics in China. I feel that this is just PR spin to make their cosmetics seem more high end than they really are.

Overall this month's Violet Box was good but I really felt let down by their customer service skills and am really quite disappointed with them. I've seen a preview of December's box (although we haven't received November's box yet) so here's hoping they have better and exciting brands to come!

Preview of what's to arrive in the December Violet Box as posted on their Facebook page.

Her Fashion Box October 2013

CONTENTS:

• 1x Great Southern Land Necklace 
• 1x The Eternal Ring
• 1x Trail Blazer Ring
• 2x Revitanail Triple Strength in Graphite & Marshmallow
• 1x Skin Bright Tea with Benefits (sample)
• 1x Tea Strainer (free gift)
• 1x Lonvitalite Collagen Crystal Eye Mask 
• 1x Ulta3 Lipstick

In the October box we also received two vouchers. One was for a website that I had never heard of but the jewellery looks AMAZING! If only I had more money - lol! Click here to visit their site and drool over all the jewellery.

This one is my favourite! <3

 The other voucher we received was for Hello Fresh. I had heard about them only a week ago when a friend of mine had placed an order with them and talked about it on facebook. I had a look at the website and it seems like a really good idea.

At Hello Fresh you can choose a three meal box, five meal box, vegetarian box or fruit box. They create a weekly menu so that you don't have to think about what's for dinner as each meal box comes with a recipe and all ingredients to recreate them. I'm really looking forward to placing my first order at Hello Fresh once they have items on the menu that I think that both my husband and I would like to eat. Will update you on once I place an order.

 

GREAT SOUTHERN LAND NECKLACE ($29.95RRP)

 This necklace is nicely made and for once I actually didn't notice any defects in it, unlike most pieces I have received in former boxes (like the rusted one in July). I'll definitely be wearing this piece this spring/summer.

 

THE ETERNAL RING ($7.95RRP)

 This cute little ring is SOOOOOO tiny I thought that it was a toe ring but alas it is a normal ring which only made me have more of a complex about my man hands.

The design of this ring is cute and also quite fitting for me as I have JUST started watching Revenge (which heavily features the infinity symbol) so it makes me like it that much more. I'll just have to use it as a stacked ring feature or a toe ring for the upcoming summer months as it DEFINITELY does not fit my fingers.

 

TRAIL BLAZER RING ($14.95RRP)

 This ring goes perfectly with the Great Southern Land necklace and also features an expandable band so that made me happy so I can actually wear it. The stone is fake but it's nice enough for a costume piece.

 

REVITANAIL TRIPLE STRENGTH NAIL POLISH IN
GRAPHITE & MARSHMALLOW ($14.95RRP)

I was expecting BIG things from these nail polishes as I had heard a lot of great things about Revitanail and I also absolutely LOVED their Conditioning  Remover Wipes that were included in the June box. 

The point of difference for these polishes is that it contains Bamboo to assist in preventing weak, splitting and peeling nails; Keratin Peptide which is clinically proven to strengthen, protect and hydrate your nails by repairing the nail plate; Calcium to strengthen weak nails as well as promoting growth. 

Graphite is a dark grey polish that in the bottle looks more taupe than grey. I applied two coats as per my usual routine and noted that it was very pigmented and dried smooth. The polish longevity was quite good and had minimal chipping by the time I changed my nails (almost one week later).

Marshmallow is a pale pink polish with an opaque finish. I had applied two coats (although I feel like I should have only applied one coat) and the end result was not a good one. This polish didn't dry nicely at all and it looked uneven and really brought out the ridges in my nail beds. As with Graphite, longevity was quite good with minimal chipping but this colour is definitely a MISS for me as I can't stand polishes that bring out uneven finishes.  However, if you were to use this in a french manicure or over the top of acrylics Marshmallow could look quite nice.

As I already have strong nails I cannot comment on whether or not these polishes actually help with strengthening them and therefore can only comment on the colour and finish.

Revitanail currently only have five shades to choose from, and as a consumer, there is not enough of a colour range to entice me to buy these again. I was really unimpressed with the Marshmallow shade in particular due to how it dried.

I think these would be worth a look at if you needed something to help with building nail strength as I have heard that Revitanail is one of the best strength builders but this is definitely not a range for me unless they released more enticing colours.

 

 

TEA WITH BENEFITS SKIN BRIGHT (14 DAYS $33.95RRP)

When I opened this packet and took a smell I was immediately put off and didn't even want to try it. Now don't get me wrong, I love tea! I especially love Arctic Fire from Adore Tea but the smell just wasn't that pleasant and smell is a big thing for me as I'm a fan of fruitier, sweeter black teas. Despite the smell I still gave it a try.

 

The tea didn't taste as bad as I thought it would just by smell alone. It definitely has a strong cardamom flavour to it which reminds me of Indian Chai tea that I had while I was visiting my husband's extended family in Canada, all that is missing is the condensed milk and this tea would taste like a weakened version of it.

The tea was okay but I don't think it's something I'll add to my daily life. It's the strength of the cardamom that really makes me not want to drink this. I didn't drink it long enough to find out whether it would help with brightening my skin or with my sleeping. However, I really like the free tea strainer which I know will definitely get more use but more so with my Adore Tea collection.

 

LONVITALITE COLLAGEN CRYSTAL EYE MASK
(6 MASKS FOR $24.00RRP)

I don't really have dark circles under my eyes at this stage so I didn't see any difference after using this eye mask. Once again only one sample was supplied so not enough to see a long term effect. I certainly felt like I was pampering myself while using this but I wasn't convinced enough to buy these.

 

ULTA3 LIPSTICK SAHARA ROSE ($3.95RRP)

When I read the Her Fashion Magazine that came with the box I was excited to see that a matte lipstick was included this month as all lipsticks that I have gotten in every box so far was a glossy one (and by the way always in some shade of red, what's up with that?). Upon opening it and using it I was laughing to myself thinking, there is no way in HELL that this is matte and if this is Ulta3's version of matte they need some correcting! lol

After some researching I found the names of their 10 matte shades and discovered that the lipstick included in my box was definitely NOT a matte one which was good cos I was starting to think that I was losing the plot. I also found out that Ulta3 are also a part of the Heat Group which also look after Covergirl, Bourjois and Max Factor to name a few.

The ten matte lipsticks are:

• Warm Pink 
• Orange Crush
• Misty Mauve
• Sandalwood
• Pink Pout
• Brown Sugar
• Plum Velvet
• Rose Bloom
• Hot Pink Kisses
• Deep Red Rose

 Sahara Rose is what I would describe as a spiced pink/brown colour with quite a bit of shimmer. I found that the colour did not distribute evenly but it felt quite moist and comfortable to wear.

At $3.95 each I cannot expect much from this lipstick but it's definitely worth another look at if you're strapped for cash and want to add a certain lip colour to your collection or for a special event. Just be prepared to reapply constantly. I really wish I had received a matte lipstick to try as I may have held a different opinion.

Overall I think this month's box was more than worth it due to the vouchers that were included and due to the fact that I will ACTUALLY use the Hello Fresh voucher (wish I could say the same for the Style Rocks one but I ain't loaded). Her Fashion Box, you've done it again! I'm really happy with your service!