Lust Have It! Eco Autumn 2013

Yay! Another box of eco goodies to play with. Loving the Lust Have It! Eco boxes right now. Let's have a look at what I got to play with! 

1) McArthur Complete Skincare Cream RRP $54.95 for 250ml. Sample size: 250ml.

I saw this stuff advertised on a news program a few months ago where people were using this cream for conditions such as chronic wounds, cellulitis and arthritis with great results and relief for their conditions. It has 60% paw paw extract which is full of things skin love like vitamins & antioxidants. I gotta admit, I am not a huge fan of this cream. I don't like the smell and even though it is quite rich and nourishing there are much nicer smelling products out there that moisturise just as well. If I had an ailment like a wound or arthritis pain I guess I would try it for that but I don't, I would only use it as a moisturiser which I probably wont. I rate this product a 2/5 based on the use of a general moisturiser. 

2) Alfaparf Milano Precious Oil Tradition Sample pack:

- Absolute Oil RRP $39 for 100ml. Sample size: 13ml

- Anti-Frizz Oil Shampoo RRP $26 for 250ml. Sample size: 10ml

- Anti-Frizz Oil Mask RRP $30 for 200gm. Sample size: 10ml

A new range with prickly pear oil and pequi oil to help frizzy manes. The sample sizes were only just enough for one try for me as I have very long & thick hair. I didn't think too much of them while I was using them but when I straightened my hair I did find it was less frizzy then usual so they live up to their name. I rate these products a 4/5. 

3) Pretty Serious Nail Polish RRP $9.95 for 11ml. Sample size: 11ml

An Australian made brand, 100% vegan and highly pigmented. I got the TUX shade which is a pretty dark blue which looks more like a dark grey when applied with a hint of shimmer. Pretty decent price as well. I rate this product a 4/5. 

4) Wotnot Facial Wipes RRP $15 for 25wipes. Sample size: 25 wipes

This product won the best facial wipes award from beautyhaven.com for being the only facial wipes with completely natural ingredients. I did really like these wipes, I find facial wipes always tend to be a bit stingy but these wipes were very gentle. I like having wipes on hand for cleaning off my make-up after a long night out when I'm too tired (or drunk) to cleanse properly. They are fairly reasonably priced as well. I rate this product a 4/5. 

5) Elf Cosmetics Mineral Eyeshadow RRP $5.99 each. Sample size: 1

I was very surprised by this product. I received the Natural shade which is a gorgeous copper colour. The shadow is very highly pigmented and are beautiful to wear. I was even more surprised by the price which is a bargain for such a great product. I want all the colours! I rate this product a 5/5. 

* I had a little look over at their website and wow they have some awesome looking products at crazy cheap prices! I am going to buy a whole bunch of stuff to try, at those prices why not! 

6) Savi Body Cream RRP $49.95 for 220ml. Sample size: 20ml

Certified organic luxury body cream. I really liked this cream, it feels very deluxe and has a beautiful scent which reminds me of a day spa I went to in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. My skin felt very smooth after using it and it is absorbed super quick with no oily residue. Divine! I rate this product a 5/5. 

Overall I am very happy with this season's Lust Have It! Eco box. My favourite product would be a tie between the Elf eye-shadow & the Savi body cream, 2 products I will definitely buy in the future. The total value of the samples came to $98.05 which is great value. The Lust Have It! Eco boxes are $29.95 and are delivered per quarter. 

Mirenesse Glamm Box Make-Up March 2013

Mirenesse is one of those brands that really took me awhile to warm up to but I am glad I did. I would often get samples of their products in other beauty subscription boxes and they never really thrilled me then but I think it was because I was getting samples of make-up I wouldn't use no matter what the brand (like bright blue eyeliner and bright purple gel liner). Then one day I got a really nice sample of one of their pearl crush eyeshadows and I loved it. So I decided to sign up for one of their make-up sample 'Glamm' boxes. The great thing I liked about their boxes is that you can choose how often you get the boxes. I signed up for one every 2 months. So what did I get for my first Glamm box?

1) 24Hr Brow Lift and Shape Mascara RRP $35 (full-sized)

I have to admit I have never used a brow filler before, I have never had to. But I was interested to give this a go. It only comes in the one shade (a bronze/brown shade) which is fine for my skin colour but I'm not sure how it would hold up on people with fairer complexions. Anyway, I applied it and was really pleasantly surprised at the results. It gave my brows a nice shape & very subtle colour which looked awesome. At first I was worried it would look glittery but it doesn't. I am now a brow mascara convert and rate this product a 4/5. 

2) Sexy Secret Eye Primer RRP $10.95 (mini sized)

I love eye primers and was very happy to receive this mini-sized wand. I notice a huge difference in the overall look of my eye make-up when I use a primer and when you work 12 hour shifts like I do you want something that is going to make your make-up stay put! I am always a bit nervous selecting my skin tone for make-up for products online that I have never seen or used before but I got a perfect match. The great thing about this product is that you can even wear it on it's own for an instant lift. It smooths and brightens the whole eye area to either wear as is or as a blank canvas for eyeshadows. I loved it and rate this product a 5/5. 

3) Boutique M Seamless Velvet Shadow RRP $24.95 (full-sized) 

I got the Greek Goddess duo which is a dark grey/blackish and a blue shade. I dont normally pick blue shadows as I have blue eyes and I don't pull off bright shadows very well. But I love the dark grey shade and can definitely rock a smoky eye with this. This shadows have a genius designed little container where the lid slides down and there is a little brush built in to the back (the silver part in the photo) so your brush doesnt roll around with the product like so many compacts do. At first I was worried these shadows might be a little too glittery for my liking but I was surprised to find they are fairly matte when applied and are perfect for creating  a smoky eye. I rate this product a 3.5/5. 

The Glamm boxes cost $15 plus $9.75 for postage, so $24.75 in total. The contents are valued at $70.90 so I think that is awesome value! Cant wait for the next one! Mireneese also do the Glamm boxes in skin-care or a mixture of make-up and skincare. 

Her Fashion Box March 2013

The very first Her Fashion Box has arrived! Beauty box subscribers have been waiting patiently for this new box which is a cool fusion of make-up, lifestyle and fashion all in the one package. Her Fashion Box is a subscription service delivered to your door for $39.95 per month. There are 3 different boxes you can choose from depending on your style - Trendy, Feminine or Classic. I ordered the Classic box. Lets see what we have for their debut box. 

Firstly we have a little ' Fashion Magazine' which is an 18 page booklet full of information on the contents of the box. There is features on how to wear your fashion accessory with different styles and 1-2 page articles about the beauty products. I think this is a fantastic idea to include a little booklet. Every other beauty subscription box I have seen just includes a little card with 1-2 sentences about the products but this magazine has some great tips and ways to use the contents of your box. Big thumbs up from me on that one! 

Next we have 2 accessories. The first is a gold hair elastic/ponytail holder. I wear my long hair in a ponytail for work most days so I loved this accessory! Very classy. My only criticism for this would be that it might not suit a lot of subscribers who have short hair so I can imagine they wouldn't be too happy. But I like it! The next accessory is a black & gold necklace which comes in a little black velvet drawstring bag. I do like the necklace, it's not something I would ever pick out for myself but that's the fun of subscription boxes - trying out new things. Having a look through the magazine at what the Trendy & Feminine boxes accessories were, I think my style is definitely more Feminine as I loved that boxes ponytail holder & necklace so I will change my box to a Feminine one for next month. 

Right, onto the samples.

1) Redken Shampoo RRP $22.95 for 300ml. Sample size: 50ml

Redken Conditioner RRP $22.95 for 250ml. Sample size: 30ml

Redken Deep Facets RRP $35.50 for 250ml. Sample size: 30ml

My first thought on these is wow, what a great sample size. A lot of other hair products samples I have received have been only enough for 1 or 2 washes and not really enough to fully test out the product. I estimate I would get about 5 washes out of these samples and I have very long, thick hair. I really enjoyed trying these products out. I am yet to see any noticeable difference in my hair after 1 use but I look forward to seeing how it looks after using it for a week and seeing if I can get some shine! Based on the one use so far though I rate this product a 4/5. I think the price is quite reasonable as well. 

2) Circa Home Everyday Soap in Lilac & Orchid RRP $9.95 for 125g. Sample size: 125g. 

This smells DIVINE!!!! It is the first thing I picked up when I opened up my box. The packaging is just so pretty I didn't want to open it!. Lots of yummy ingredients like sweet almond oil and cocoa butter it has a very luxury feel and feels nice to use. It left my skin feeling very soft and smelling sweet. They are a pretty reasonable price as well. I rate this product a 4/5. 

3) Master Make-up by Dean Nixon Blending Brush RRP $30.00. 1 full sized brush. 

I LOVE make-up brushes and was thrilled to get this, especially the blending brush as I would use this brush the most. The brush feels super soft and is a nice little tool to add to my collection of brushes. I personally probably wouldn't spend $30 on a brush like that and I do think they are slightly overpriced compared to a lot of good quality brushes out there that are cheaper. I rate this product a 2.5/5. 

4) Maybelline New York Colour Sensational High Shine Lip Gloss RRP $15.95 for 5ml. Sample size: 5ml.

I got the Glisten Up Pink shade which is a very pretty glittery pink and is a shade I would definitely pick for myself. It has a very silky texture and feels awesome. I absolutely love this lip gloss and am thrilled to have received it in my box. I rate this product a 5/5. 

5) Moxie Feminine Hygiene Sample Collection RRP $4.47. Sample size: 2 tampons, 1 liner and 2 pads.

Really??? Tampons in a subscription box?? The first thought that comes to mind when I see this is 'wow this reminds me of grade 7 sex education class'. I do not think these sorts of products have a place in subscription boxes. I just hope HFB have got that out of their system now and can concentrate on delivering more fabulous samples like everything else in their first box. This product doesn't deserve a rating. 

Overall I am very impressed with the first Her Fashion Box and am willing to let slip that last product to say it is a great box and I will definitely be continuing my subscription with them. The total value of the products came to $71.15 (yes I did the math) and I paid $24.95 as I had a discount code, but normally the boxes will cost $39.95 which is pretty good. I am looking forward to next month's box! 

Lust Have It! Eco Summer Box

Very excited to get my Lust Have It! Eco Summer Box today. I have had a bit of a break from the subscription beauty boxes lately, mainly because I felt I wasn't really enjoying what most of them were offering. After much contemplation I decided to sign up to two subscription boxes again, with Lust Have It! Eco as one of those. I have always been interested in more organic and eco-friendly beauty products and I think this is a fantastic subscription box idea for the eco girl. So what do we have in our little hemp bag? 

1) Kuu Konjac Deep Cleansing Knojac Sponge RRP $9.95 per sponge. Sample size: 1 sponge. 

This thing is cool! It's a red clay infused konjac vegetable sponge which is 100% natural fibre's and stated as suitable for all skin types. It can be used for face or body either alone or with some product (using this with product will give you lots of bubbles!) and lasts up to 3 months of daily use. When you want to dispose of it you can add it to your compost or use it in the bottom of pot plants. I love a product that doesn't contribute to more landfill! I used mine on my face with some cleanser and I really liked it. It's very soft and squishy and unlike anything I have used before. A great, natural alternative to a face exfoliant. And at that price its a total bargain! I rate this product a 5/5. 

2) Dr. Hauschka Mellissa Day Cream RRP $52 for 30ml. Sample size: 5ml.

I have tried a few Dr. Hauschka skin care samples before and I gotta admit I have never really been impressed by them. This day cream however is a lot better then many of their other products I have tried and I am intrigued again by this range. The day cream has witch hazel and daisy extracts to calm, balance & manage shine to leave skin refined, soft and even. I really liked the scent of this cream, it has a zesty citrus smell and the texture feels very lux. I did find my skin felt a tiny bit oily after applying which wasn't too bad considering its potency, but was just enough to make me not love it. It is also just a little expensive for my liking. I did find my skin felt a lot softer using this though which helped give it a few points. I rate this product a 3.5/5.  

3) World Organic Juniper Berry Cleansing Face Wash RRP $27.99 for 80ml. Sample size: 15ml. 

AND

4) World Organic Almond Seed Face Exfoliant RRP $23.87 for 50ml. Sample size: 15ml.

These products are certified organic and vegan and suitable for all skin types (yes, even the exfoliant!). I was absolutely blown away by these two products! The exfoliant is such a nice texture, it's nowhere near as gritty as a lot of exfoliants are and it doesnt feel like you are scrubbing down to your epidermis when you use it yet it left my skin very smooth. The face wash also has a nice texture, it feels rich and cleanses beautifully. Also, a little goes a long way with these 2 products and they both smell divine. I would estimate the 15ml sample size is enough for about 2 weeks worth of daily use so the price for the full-sized range is very good for such a wonderful product. I rate these 2 products a 5/5. I will definitely be buying these, and look forward to trying other products from this brand. 

5) Earthly Body Hemp Seed Hand & Body Lotion RRP $10 for 236ml. Sample size: 88ml.

If you have never tried a hemp seed oil product before then get out of the rock you have been living under and give this stuff a try! I have loved hemp seed oil products for years now and was stoked to try this. This hand & body lotion has a lovely scent, is absorbed very fast when applied and left my skin feeling very moisturized with no oiliness at all. I go through hand creams like there is no tomorrow because of my job (I am a nurse and I wash my hands a million times a day which equals dryness!) and this will definitely be going in my bag to keep my hands in top notch. The price of this product is also a real steal. I rate this product a 5/5. 

6) De Lorenzo Elements Earth Mud Slide Styling Creme RRP $23.95 for 100ml. Sample size: 100ml. 

At first I was a little hesitant as to how I would even use this product being a strong hold cream and me having long poker straight hair. But being a winner of the 2011 Australian Beauty Awards and a brand I love I wanted to give it a good shot. I straightened my hair and then used a little bit to run through the lengths and tips and styled into a ponytail. Normally a few hours later the end of my ponytail starts to curl but with this the ends stayed straight so I was really pleased with that result. Any other suggestions on how to use it would be most welcome! I rate this product a 3.5/5. 

7) Aphrodite Make Your Eyes Pop! RRP $24.95 per pot. Sample size: 1 pot. 

I got the Copper Cocoa shade which is a beautiful glistening earthy brown/copper shade which is just made for my skin-tone! The shimmer of this shadow is quite deceiving when it is just sitting in the pot, but once you apply it it is VERY shimmery and just gorgeous! The texture of the powder is so light and refined but it holds on great (I used an eyelid primer pre application). Made from 100% natural ingrediants and comes in over 100 shades. I rate this product a 4.5/5. 

Total value of box: $85.55 (based on RRP price per ml of full-sized product x actual sample size). 

Subscription price: $29.95

Overall I am very happy with this season's Lust Have It! Eco Box and its contents. Over $85 worth of product for $29.95 is pretty darn good in my opinion and if you are after a great value subscription beauty box then here is the proof you can get one! Very impressed LHI! Eco.