It’s their first box! – Beauty Box (Australia) September 2011 review

I first read about beauty sample boxes via Celeste’s Becoming Beautiful and Anita’s Love Vulcanella blogs. It has been a rage in the UK and USA, but Australia has only just caught on. I love experimenting with new products, but since I rarely buy magazines (that’s what the iPad is for), beauty samples are hard to come by.

So I signed up for Beauty Box, who advertise themselves as…

A subscription service that delivers 4-5 deluxe beauty samples to your door every month. $14.95 / Month

Review of the Beauty Box Service Experience

Their registration was easy and payment system painless – all good points when it comes to online retail. As advertised, there are no hidden fees or costs, so you really do pay just $14.95. Every month, they will deduct this amount from your nominated credit card until you notify them you wish to cancel.

I particularly liked how they provided an idea of which companies’ products to expect and with their Facebook page, they kept members informed about when the first boxes were going to be shipped out – a big thumbs up for communication.

The box arrived in a pink exterior box, which protected the inner black box. I think the pink ribbon embellishment is adorable and is a nice contrast to the clear embossed Beauty Box logo. The contents are nestled in black tissue and 2 cards greet you the moment you peel them back.

However Beauty Box‘s review system leaves a bit to be desired. A number of their fields make assumptions and does not offer an alternative answer (eg. ‘do not know’ or ‘none of the above’). Or if it’s a ‘yes/no’ question with a ‘if yes, select one of the drop down selections’, there is no option to leave the selection blank if I wish to answer ‘no’.

But perhaps what irked me the most about the Beauty Box‘s review system is the last field – the comments box. It is stated to be optional, but when I try to submit the feedback with that field blank, I get an error message telling me I need to complete the comments field. Guess comments are not that optional.
 

Review of the Beauty Samples

Here’s a look at the contents of Beauty Box‘s September 2011 box and some thoughts on the samples.

Shu Uemura High performance balancing cleansing oil advanced formula

I already use Shu Uemura‘s cleansing oils and I love them! The sample is 20ml – large enough for 4 cleansings, making it a great little addition to the travel beauty kit.

The cardboard card packaging includes details on how the cleansing oil works, how to use it, the other formulations in the cleansing oil range and an exclusive offer to Beauty Box members: a complimentary make-over and lash application with the presentation of the card (on condition stocks last and that “bookings are essential to avoid disappointment”). This unfortunately means anyone in the Northern Territory, Tasmania and Adelaide misses out on this offer, as Shu Uemura does not have stores in those areas.
 

Playboy Play It Spicy Body Spray

The product comes in a 75ml black aerosol can (15.5cm tall) and while I love how small the can is, I expect a deodorant to last all day without the need for reapplication and would rather not have to carry it in my handbag.

The scent also reminds me of some of the male deodorants the SO makes me smell when we are shopping at the local supermarket, so it’s definitely not my style. I am not quite sure what to do with it, since I would not use it.
 

OH, LOLA! Marc Jacobs

Ordinarily you’d expect companies to distribute one perfume sample per person. And let’s be honest – scratch-&-sniff perfume samples never smell like the real deal. This arrived as 3 imp-sized sprays (good for at least 10 spritzes), which is fantastic for stashing one at home, another at the office and throwing the last in the handbag.

Marc Jacobs‘s OH, LOLA! is very different from what I’d normally wear – I’d describe it as a warm, floral fresh sweet (though thankfully not syrupy) perfume that brings to mind those days between spring and summer. It’s girly (not childish), flirty (not slutty) and gets warmer on the drydown. I probably would not wear it everyday, but it is lovely.
 

Sally Hansen Everyday Strength Medium Nail File

I have used the same tiny metal nail file forever, so I was thrilled this box included a brand new nail file from Sally Hansen.

I love how large and sturdy it feels in my hand, making it easy to handle. The rounded edge also ensures the file won’t jam itself into my fingers (or under the nailbed, as I’ve done in the past) if it slips from my hand.

The medium coarseness is perfect for quick shaping – it took me an average of 2-3 strokes to round out hard edges, but I still prefer buffing nail edges after.

Yves Saint Laurent Beauty Sleep

Yves Saint Laurent Beauty Sleep came wrapped in its own pink tissue and the sample is only 5ml – the smallest sample in quantity.

It claims to gently resurface and retexture the skin’s micro-texture, plump it for a radiant complexion. Since I already use an AHA skincare regime, I personally would have liked to more product to be able to test it for at least 2-3 week to assess its claims. Since I don’t, I can only say:

• The fragrance is lovely! It’s mature and quite womanly.
• It’s absorbed by the skin rather quickly, but doesn’t leave it feeling greasy or dry.
• It hasn’t caused my skin to break out after 3 applications. Bad products can cause breakouts after one use for me, so I’m quite weary.

Beauty Box is also offering members a chance to win 1 of 10 YSL Touché Éclat (RRP: AUD$55) by describing in 25 words or less what lights up their day in the morning with the review the Yves Saint Laurent Beauty Sleep.

All in all, I am pleased with the first Beauty Box and reading the company lineup for the next one has me waiting in eager anticipation.

• Share