June Bellabox // Update + Review
As promised in my June Bellabox post, here is my review of the products I received from the June Bellabox.
I'll start off with my least favourite product, the Nivea Creme Mini Tin. This may be biased, but I associate this cream with my childhood. It sounds strange because wouldn't that make me nostalgic? Not really because it has a very strong lingering scent, which isn't too bad, but it isn't good either.
[ Bellabox description: "Winter is coming and so is dry skin. Luckily this month every bellabox member will be treated to a cute and compact tin of Nivea Creme - so you can keep your skin moisturised on the go." ]
As mentioned before, this product seemed like a gap filler. It isn't a new product, and for me it isn't revolutionary. But I promised to give it a second chance.
The cream is very thick and oily, but it did manage to moisturise my hands very well! The only issue I have with this product is again; the scent! Upon looking at the ingredients at the back, the last ingredient is 'parfum' and my other guess is that 'linalool' is also making up for the strong scent.
I am glad that the product is a sample size of 10ml. But I think for someone who does not care about scents, and is looking for a good, thick moisturiser, I would pick up a small size of this to try it out. Would I personally repurchase it? Nope.
However, if you are concerned about animal ethics, I would not pick this up as it includes the ingredient 'lanolin' which is grease that comes from wool. I also read on this blog that Nivea sell in China, which mandates animal testing. However, people get confused with this. Yes, the company is trying to make more sales by selling in China, and yes it is wrong that they will allow animal testing to take place, HOWEVER shouldn't we be targeting China to make changes instead of shunning on companies? We should be targeting the source of the problem instead of the connections.
A lot of people cry and complain about animal testing, but are not aware of ingredients in products that are derived from animals; such as lanolin. This is not considered as animal testing, and is being easily avoided. Also, most people that are against animal testing may be boycotting it, but are not aware of other ways to make changes. There are many petitions on change.org that do not reach their goals. I am subscribed to their mailing list, and I would highly recommend becoming a subscriber because they bring forward many issues. Clearly not enough people are taking action when this Victoria Secret campaign failed to reach its 300,000 goal. It only takes a few seconds to fill out a petition. Luckily in Australia, a petition is passing in July to ban animal testing. It is about time!
Continuing on, the Galderma Nutraplus 10% Lotion surprised me. The day I tried it, my nose was very dry and flaky so I applied this and voila it just went away! The formula is very runny and it reminds me of milk, but as you work it into your skin it provides a layer of moisture that feels natural as it resembles the look of oily skin. This may sound off-putting, but for those who have dry skin this is a miracle. I have used moisturisers in the past that have failed to provide moisture to my skin, defeating the whole purpose of a moisturiser. But this product brings me a very nourished base, perfect for the application of makeup as my foundation tends to stick to dry patches.
[ Bellabox description: "Save your skin from harsh winds and dry air with this handy tube of Intensive Anti Dryness Lotion that will target dehydrated skin patches and help restore the skin's natural barrier." ]
I am big on smell, and judging from the packaging I knew that this product would be unscented. And I was right! I would rather a product have no smell and I would probably have a changed my opinion on the Nivea Creme if it had no scent or a lighter scent. And often, companies put in fragrances to mask a bad smell, which I could imagine being the 'lanolin'.
The product is made in Switzerland which I though was interesting. This is probably why the product is so good, because their winters I can imagine are very unforgiving for the skin. I am very impressed by this product! It does what it promises on the tube: "Helps restore moisture and suppleness to dry, rough and flaking skin." Would I repurchase this? Hell yeah! As soon as I run out of my current moisturiser :)
The Goldwell Just Smooth 6 Effects Serum is a product that I was actually in search of recently. After bleaching my hair for the thousandth time, my ends are very prone to breaking so any hair treatment is right up my alley. And it is fair to say that this product does
I only just noticed that the product states "Colour Protection" on the front which is awesome. I personally do not need colour protection because my hair is bleached (which means that my hair colour was stripped, dying it darker adds a pigment). The product on the back also states "Exclusive Salon Product" which is a good sign, because salon exclusive products are always better than the ones you would find in your supermarket. The product is made in Germany which is also interesting. I currently use Fanola products, and they are made in Italy. I swear there is something with Europe and hair products.
[ Bellabox description: "The cold air and frequently needed blow-dries that come with Winter can wreak havoc on your locks. Banish flyaways and smooth unmanageable hair with Goldwell's leave-in-treatment. Work 2 pumps through towel-dried lengths and ends for smooth, luminous locks." ]
Would I repurchase this product? Maybe. If it was available in stores I think I would pick it up more easily, but I would rather try out other hair serums because I actually haven't tried too many out before. I feel like it is appropriate for me to try other hair serums out anyway because that means I can then form a solid opinion on what is good or not. I actually forgot that I purchased a leave-in hair serum not too long ago, so maybe when I run out of that one, I will purchase this one! We'll see. The only minor problem with this product is finding a stockist. I searched the current website that I buy my hair products from, and they do stock Goldwell, just not this product in particular. However, you can find stockists for Goldwell here.
I did a little search for you guys in case you're lazy like me and I found two websites that stock it at a decent price, and one even offers Afterpay which I currently use. (Afterpay is a service in which you pay for your orders in 4 split payments, awesome for students like me!):
The recommended retail price is $25.45AUD, and these sites offer it for cheaper! (as of 12/7/17)
- Afterpay it here!
- Another website
I actually really enjoyed the Rimmel London Kate Moss lipstick. I hate over-fragranced items but this hits a very sweet spot. Given that your lips are sitting under your nose, scent becomes very important!
The shade at times accentuates my fine lines and occasionally some cracks in my lips, but if you exfoliate before hand it is usually fine. I currently just exfoliate with a toothbrush, it is the best and quickest method. Just grab a toothbrush, some water and scrub away at your lips. I swear by this!
[ Bellabox description: "The first ever lipstick collection created by UK supermodel Kate Moss, Rimmel's Lasting Finish lipsticks are loved by beauty gurus around the globe. Available in satin and matte, there is a colour and finish to suit every personality." ]
This product is also very affordable. I was surprised with the pigment, formula and smell. You can't even get such a nice scent with a high end lipstick at times! Would I repurchase? Not exactly this shade because lipsticks last forever! But I would definitely have a go at their matte formula because I prefer matte over satin.
That being said, this satin formula surprised me because it didn't have too much of a sheen and sat very nicely on the lips. Also, my boyfriend complimented my lips when I wore this shade so I'd say that is another plus! Too bad it isn't kiss proof ;)
Finally last but definitely not least was the Sukin Nourishing Chia Seed Oil. I love this product! I've only ever used one facial oil before but based on my experience this product stood out in the box. Not only was it the biggest product (very generous Bellabox!) but in my opinion it was probably the best.
Sukin is a brand that I was previously familiar with and I personally love their products. Receiving this in the Bellabox reminded me of how good (and underrated) this brand is with providing really cheap natural skincare.
[ Bellabox description: "Brighten your skin in just a few drops with this nutrient rich facial oil. The nourishing blend includes Hemp Seed, Olive Fruit and Baobab Oils to promote intense skin hydration." ]
However, when I first used this product I was put off by the smell a tiny bit. Upon further use, I got used to the scent, but the difference between the Nivea creme and this oil is that the scent is naturally derived instead of artificial; which I can handle. Nevertheless, because this product really nourished my dry skin I was happy to deal with the scent. That being said, the smell isn't horrible but it isn't great either.
If you are after an oil that you can pick up easily from Priceline or Chemist Warehouse then I would definitely pick this one up. I used this for my face, but you can definitely use it on scars or on your body. The thing I love about oils is that it is a very versatile product. When I apply it to my face, I work it into my eyebrow and eyelashes too and I notice that they become softer after doing so. Would I repurchase this? Yes! Unless I wanted to try out another oil I would definitely come back to this one because of its price. And considering I love this product, I will expect it to be used up sometime soon haha.
Are any of you guys subscribed to the Bellabox? And if you are, what did you think of these products? Or if anyone is non-Australian, what subscription service are you subscribed to currently? I'd love to read your comments!
Thanks so much for reading!
Amanda.S
I'll start off with my least favourite product, the Nivea Creme Mini Tin. This may be biased, but I associate this cream with my childhood. It sounds strange because wouldn't that make me nostalgic? Not really because it has a very strong lingering scent, which isn't too bad, but it isn't good either.
[ Bellabox description: "Winter is coming and so is dry skin. Luckily this month every bellabox member will be treated to a cute and compact tin of Nivea Creme - so you can keep your skin moisturised on the go." ]
As mentioned before, this product seemed like a gap filler. It isn't a new product, and for me it isn't revolutionary. But I promised to give it a second chance.The cream is very thick and oily, but it did manage to moisturise my hands very well! The only issue I have with this product is again; the scent! Upon looking at the ingredients at the back, the last ingredient is 'parfum' and my other guess is that 'linalool' is also making up for the strong scent.
I am glad that the product is a sample size of 10ml. But I think for someone who does not care about scents, and is looking for a good, thick moisturiser, I would pick up a small size of this to try it out. Would I personally repurchase it? Nope.
However, if you are concerned about animal ethics, I would not pick this up as it includes the ingredient 'lanolin' which is grease that comes from wool. I also read on this blog that Nivea sell in China, which mandates animal testing. However, people get confused with this. Yes, the company is trying to make more sales by selling in China, and yes it is wrong that they will allow animal testing to take place, HOWEVER shouldn't we be targeting China to make changes instead of shunning on companies? We should be targeting the source of the problem instead of the connections.A lot of people cry and complain about animal testing, but are not aware of ingredients in products that are derived from animals; such as lanolin. This is not considered as animal testing, and is being easily avoided. Also, most people that are against animal testing may be boycotting it, but are not aware of other ways to make changes. There are many petitions on change.org that do not reach their goals. I am subscribed to their mailing list, and I would highly recommend becoming a subscriber because they bring forward many issues. Clearly not enough people are taking action when this Victoria Secret campaign failed to reach its 300,000 goal. It only takes a few seconds to fill out a petition. Luckily in Australia, a petition is passing in July to ban animal testing. It is about time!
Continuing on, the Galderma Nutraplus 10% Lotion surprised me. The day I tried it, my nose was very dry and flaky so I applied this and voila it just went away! The formula is very runny and it reminds me of milk, but as you work it into your skin it provides a layer of moisture that feels natural as it resembles the look of oily skin. This may sound off-putting, but for those who have dry skin this is a miracle. I have used moisturisers in the past that have failed to provide moisture to my skin, defeating the whole purpose of a moisturiser. But this product brings me a very nourished base, perfect for the application of makeup as my foundation tends to stick to dry patches.[ Bellabox description: "Save your skin from harsh winds and dry air with this handy tube of Intensive Anti Dryness Lotion that will target dehydrated skin patches and help restore the skin's natural barrier." ]
I am big on smell, and judging from the packaging I knew that this product would be unscented. And I was right! I would rather a product have no smell and I would probably have a changed my opinion on the Nivea Creme if it had no scent or a lighter scent. And often, companies put in fragrances to mask a bad smell, which I could imagine being the 'lanolin'.The product is made in Switzerland which I though was interesting. This is probably why the product is so good, because their winters I can imagine are very unforgiving for the skin. I am very impressed by this product! It does what it promises on the tube: "Helps restore moisture and suppleness to dry, rough and flaking skin." Would I repurchase this? Hell yeah! As soon as I run out of my current moisturiser :)
The Goldwell Just Smooth 6 Effects Serum is a product that I was actually in search of recently. After bleaching my hair for the thousandth time, my ends are very prone to breaking so any hair treatment is right up my alley. And it is fair to say that this product does
I only just noticed that the product states "Colour Protection" on the front which is awesome. I personally do not need colour protection because my hair is bleached (which means that my hair colour was stripped, dying it darker adds a pigment). The product on the back also states "Exclusive Salon Product" which is a good sign, because salon exclusive products are always better than the ones you would find in your supermarket. The product is made in Germany which is also interesting. I currently use Fanola products, and they are made in Italy. I swear there is something with Europe and hair products.[ Bellabox description: "The cold air and frequently needed blow-dries that come with Winter can wreak havoc on your locks. Banish flyaways and smooth unmanageable hair with Goldwell's leave-in-treatment. Work 2 pumps through towel-dried lengths and ends for smooth, luminous locks." ]
Would I repurchase this product? Maybe. If it was available in stores I think I would pick it up more easily, but I would rather try out other hair serums because I actually haven't tried too many out before. I feel like it is appropriate for me to try other hair serums out anyway because that means I can then form a solid opinion on what is good or not. I actually forgot that I purchased a leave-in hair serum not too long ago, so maybe when I run out of that one, I will purchase this one! We'll see. The only minor problem with this product is finding a stockist. I searched the current website that I buy my hair products from, and they do stock Goldwell, just not this product in particular. However, you can find stockists for Goldwell here.
I did a little search for you guys in case you're lazy like me and I found two websites that stock it at a decent price, and one even offers Afterpay which I currently use. (Afterpay is a service in which you pay for your orders in 4 split payments, awesome for students like me!):
The recommended retail price is $25.45AUD, and these sites offer it for cheaper! (as of 12/7/17)
- Afterpay it here!
- Another website
I actually really enjoyed the Rimmel London Kate Moss lipstick. I hate over-fragranced items but this hits a very sweet spot. Given that your lips are sitting under your nose, scent becomes very important!The shade at times accentuates my fine lines and occasionally some cracks in my lips, but if you exfoliate before hand it is usually fine. I currently just exfoliate with a toothbrush, it is the best and quickest method. Just grab a toothbrush, some water and scrub away at your lips. I swear by this!
[ Bellabox description: "The first ever lipstick collection created by UK supermodel Kate Moss, Rimmel's Lasting Finish lipsticks are loved by beauty gurus around the globe. Available in satin and matte, there is a colour and finish to suit every personality." ]
This product is also very affordable. I was surprised with the pigment, formula and smell. You can't even get such a nice scent with a high end lipstick at times! Would I repurchase? Not exactly this shade because lipsticks last forever! But I would definitely have a go at their matte formula because I prefer matte over satin.
That being said, this satin formula surprised me because it didn't have too much of a sheen and sat very nicely on the lips. Also, my boyfriend complimented my lips when I wore this shade so I'd say that is another plus! Too bad it isn't kiss proof ;)
Finally last but definitely not least was the Sukin Nourishing Chia Seed Oil. I love this product! I've only ever used one facial oil before but based on my experience this product stood out in the box. Not only was it the biggest product (very generous Bellabox!) but in my opinion it was probably the best.Sukin is a brand that I was previously familiar with and I personally love their products. Receiving this in the Bellabox reminded me of how good (and underrated) this brand is with providing really cheap natural skincare.
[ Bellabox description: "Brighten your skin in just a few drops with this nutrient rich facial oil. The nourishing blend includes Hemp Seed, Olive Fruit and Baobab Oils to promote intense skin hydration." ]
However, when I first used this product I was put off by the smell a tiny bit. Upon further use, I got used to the scent, but the difference between the Nivea creme and this oil is that the scent is naturally derived instead of artificial; which I can handle. Nevertheless, because this product really nourished my dry skin I was happy to deal with the scent. That being said, the smell isn't horrible but it isn't great either.If you are after an oil that you can pick up easily from Priceline or Chemist Warehouse then I would definitely pick this one up. I used this for my face, but you can definitely use it on scars or on your body. The thing I love about oils is that it is a very versatile product. When I apply it to my face, I work it into my eyebrow and eyelashes too and I notice that they become softer after doing so. Would I repurchase this? Yes! Unless I wanted to try out another oil I would definitely come back to this one because of its price. And considering I love this product, I will expect it to be used up sometime soon haha.
Are any of you guys subscribed to the Bellabox? And if you are, what did you think of these products? Or if anyone is non-Australian, what subscription service are you subscribed to currently? I'd love to read your comments!
Thanks so much for reading!
Amanda.S
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