Bellabox July 2015

This month the theme for Bellabox was ‘Beauty Wanderer’ and this meant that all products are travel size friendly and great to chuck in your carry on in a hurry. Though personally I believe a better name for it could have been ‘Beauty DeJa Vu’ instead because 99% of the products (besides from the ModelCo eyeshadow stick) had been used throughout other beauty boxes. Just because it was a tad repetitive this month doesn’t mean the products weren’t great, so lets jump in shall we?

ModelCo Shadow Stick

We received a sneak peek preview of these, so when it arrived I was surprised by how tiny it is. But this tube seriously packs a punch. Just a light application of this gives the most intense colour and it applies so smoothly. I swatched it on the back of my hand and it is still there after many hours and hand washings, so its extremely long lasting. I received the purple shade but when I took off the packaging it was broken in half, which is so disappointing. These come in a pack of four for $39 and are a great cruelty free alternative to the Clinique Chubby Sticks for eyes. They would be even more amazing in different colours and with the ability to purchase them individually. Deluxe Sample. Cruelty Free. 

Essenzza Fuss Free Naturals Facial Treatment Mask

I’ve only tried cloth masks from Lonvitalite and Neutrogena before so it’s exciting to try a different brand. I’ve tried their makeup removing wipes before which I really enjoyed so I had high hopes on the masks. The Japanese silk mask is infused with citrus and pineapple enzymes and contains three layers. Once you remove it from the packet, you remove the white protective layer and apply clear side down and smooth across your face into place. I had to customize mine and cut extra slits around the eye and mouth areas because they were ridiculously tiny. The nose hole fit my schnoz perfectly, which was surprising because my big nose usually never fits properly with cloth facemasks, so this was a lovely bonus. Once all smoothed into place you peel off the blue layer so you are left with a fine film to cover your face for 20-30 minutes. I find a lot of cloth masks to be quite heavy and slide slightly off your face, meaning that you have to lie perfectly still during the duration while it works its magic. But this mask was so thin and clung to the face that made it easier to move around. Once the 30 minutes was up I removed the mask and let the formula dry. My skin didn’t feel or look any different but it did feel quite soothed and hydrated. Essenzza claim these are fuss free masks unlike traditional ones from a tube, which I do not agree with. It took far longer to fiddle around with the 3 layers and find the nail scissors to cut larger holes than it would take to smooth some mask from a tube onto my face in five seconds. Because of this, I why would probably not repurchase these but it was something new and fun to try. Deluxe Sample. Cruelty Free.

Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub

I’ve received this scrub before in a different box and while it does its job, it isn’t a total WOW product. It is gentle enough to use daily and leaves skin feeling a tiny bit softer, but I would say it isn’t really worth the money compared to some other amazing exfoliators that are out there on the market for a similar price and are a bit more ethical. Though it does contain salicylic acid that is great for us gals and guys with problem skin, it also contains plastic microbeads, which are an absolute no no. These beads don’t break down when they wash down the drain and can cause damage to sea life when they enter the ocean. Neutrogena also test on animals so this scrub isn’t the greatest thing to use if you love our furry or ocean friends. Sample Size. TESTS ON ANIMALS.

Neutrogena Make-Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes

I think this is the third time I’ve received these cleansing towelettes before, but like shampoo and conditioner, you can’t go wrong with popping some makeup wipes in a beauty box. It’s an essential that we all need and get frustrated when we run out of them and only realise at 3am and these ones are super gentle and get the job done without irritating skin. Deluxe Sample. TESTS ON ANIMALS.

Palmolive Body Polish Shower Gel in Strawberry

This range of shower gel contains real fruit seeds and makes me want spring to hurry up to my doorstep so I can pick berries and wear sun hats and floral dresses. This also smells IDENTICAL to The Body Shop Strawberry shower gel, so if you are looking for an affordable alternative this may be it. Though Palmolive does test on animals so that should be something to keep in mind. This smells amazing and feels great so I will use up the bottle but won’t repurchase it since it is not bunny friendly. Deluxe Sample. TESTS ON ANIMALS.

BONUS

Marc Daniels Blue Cypress Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner

I’m always extremely chuffed when I get products for blonde hair in beauty boxes, as blonde hair maintenance can be super pricey, so anything to help is a total A+ to me! Marc Daniels is a great Aussie owned and made brand that are super affordable and don’t test on animals. I tried a full size treatment that was in a previous Bellabox and really enjoyed it, so I had high hopes before I washed my hair with this last night and it did not disappoint. It is bright purple and contained enough for a double shampoo and a generous conditioning. It left my hair feeling fresh, bright and not weighed down with product. A great product for blonde gals. Sample Size. Cruelty Free.

Coral Colour Lip Liner in Espresso

Oh gee wiz. This is probably the most unappealing lip liner I have ever seen in my life. The consistency is dry which means it drags across skin and means you’re less likely to get lovely stable lines. The colour is so brown that I originally thought this was an eyeliner but there is no way that it would look even close to okay on my skin tone. Total dud. Full Size $5.95. Animal testing policy unknown.