July Violet Box 2014

Hiya All!

What a day, not just one but 3 subscription beauty boxes turned up yesterday. I think the postie has been hoarding them :P . I also had a busy day so I wasn’t even able to look at them till the afternoon, let alone write up my blog post. The second box in this list is my Violet Box.

This is my first Violet Box (YAY!), so I’m not that sure how it rates against past boxes. I have heard that the actual box is a new design and I LOVE it. This box is like a mini draw including a tab-handle. This is great is you use you sub boxes for storage since you can stack them and not have to lift up boxed to get into the bottom one. (The box also has shredded tissue packaging; this gives me the urge to make some thing crafty)

Violet Boxes is an Australian beauty subscription which costs $22.95 ($16.50 + $6.45p&h); for this price each month they mail you a box with 5 to 6 beauty products to sample. From what I’ve seen this box tends to include more high end and luxury products than Lust Have It or Bellabox. You can subscribe to violet box from their website.

Skin & Co Truffle Therapy Serum

RRP: 30ml for $75.95

Received: 5ml (approx. value $12.66)

I get that truffles are a luxurious item and they probably have amazing skin benefits, but has anyone thought about how this serum is effectively putting fungus on your face? See the picture below? That’s what the truffle this extract comes from looks like. Glamorous isn’t it?

Illustration of Fruiting body of Tuber melanosporum by Michel Royon

That aside this serum is gorgeous; it smells divine and a little bit goes a long way. On the down side my tube seems only half full/empty (choose your preference) and the box smells strongly of it, so I think that some may have leaked out (is this just me?).  Luckily there still enough to give it a fair trial which I’m looking forward to doing.

 

Sukin Skin Purifying Facial Mask

RRP: 100ml for $15.00

Received: 2 × 8ml (approx. value $2.40)

I love facial masks and tent to use them once or twice a week. AT the moment I have a box full that I’m working through but I’m always happy to add more. I like that we are given two sample sachets to try. I also feel that these seem to be a good size (often mask sachets are too small or too big)

Sukin is an Australian cosmetics company which focuses on natural ingredients and is readily available through Priceline. I quite like this brand so I’m happy to try this product.

KMS California Hair Play Molding paste

RRP: OR 150ml for $40.00 OR 100ml for $33.00

Received: 20ml (approx. value $6.60 | from 100ml price)

A past to provide texture and pliable hold. Unsurprisingly the past smells of coconut; why is it that so many hair pasts/ wax/ gels smell of coconut?

Even though I have medium length hair I often use pomade when styling it and I’m happy to give this product a go. However, it does have low shine when I would prefer high shine, but I suppose I could still use this. Or I could give it to my mother who has short hair and not that I’m likely to convince her to use product in her hair.

LAQA&Co Sheer Lip Lube Pencil

RRP: 2gm for $20.00

Received: Full Size possible in Stranger Danger (approx. value $20.00)

Oh, I just love the colour I got. I would have been happy with any of the five colours this came in, but I was hoping for this one.

Apparently this meant to be high gloss sheer colour lip pencil. However, I find that is gives more of a matt finish and love it more for this. The product has a light mint fragrance with a texture reminiscent to a dryer lip balm and is nicely moisturizing. The colour does build but I find that it is intense enough with just one coat.

The only downside is that my pencil cam broken off at the base, but I find it is still usable so I’m not really that upset by this.

Dr Hauschka Lavander Sandalwood calming body wash

RRP: 200ml for $26.00 OR 10ml for $6.00

Received: 10ml Full Size? (approx. value $6.00)

This sounds divine and I always loved sandalwood.  It claims to ‘mildly cleanse’, I’m not sure if this means that it doesn’t contain harsh soaps or if its saying to only use it if your mildly dirty.

I haven’t opened it yet since I don’t want to brake the seal. Which leads me to comment on the packaging; I have never before had a body wash in a foil tube, kind of makes it look like medical. I suppose it suggests that the product will be quite thick. I have seen that the full sized product comes in a can, leaving me wondering how it dispenses.

Depending on how well it works I believe I should get a couple of washes out of this which will give me a good idea about this product.

So Susan Flutter Mascara

RRP: 4g for $32.00

Received: Full (approx. value $32.00)

Just look at that tube, isn’t is beautiful? I’ve always thought that golden chrome packaging gives cosmetics a luxurious look (probably thanks to the high end brands that use such packaging). Even better this tube has a sweet little humming printed printed on the lid. I’m sold!

The brush is in a classic shape with shorter bristle wish are meant to give “voluminous, multi-dimensional lashes” (my lashes are three-dimensional, three is multi). This makes me happy as I much prefer volume to length since lengthening mascaras lead to mascara steaks on glasses.

Due to its short life, I generally only have a couple of mascaras going and wasn’t going to open this product. However, I realized today that that one of my current mascaras needs to go out. So I will probably give this a go tomorrow and report back.

 Bonus – Killer Queen by katy perry perfume sample

One use sample - Not included on card or value calculation

Meh, tiny sample a celebrity perfume. Probably won’t even use this.

BOX OVERVIEW

The box cost $12.95 with coupon (regular price $22.95) and the contents has an approximate value of $79.66

This included two full sized products and four samples.

I’m very impressed with my first violet box. There doesn’t seems to be any cheap filler products in this box, all the samples seem large enough to give a good trial and I’m sure I will get use out of them all. I also really like that everyone gets the same products, as this just seams fairer to me. I’m glad that I subscribed to this box and I look forward to future additions.

~ Annie.