I love subscription boxes and I feel very recently there has been a boom of subscription box companies - or maybe I just come across them more often. Some of the most popular UK boxes are not natural nor carry exclusively cruelty-free brands.

I have been following The Natural Beauty Box on Instagram for a while and thought the new subscription service box ticks a lot of my requirements - natural, cruelty-free, good "power of bargain". I have been tempted by the account's lovely photos and finally decided to take a plunge.



The Natural Beauty Box promises to send 4-6 skincare and beauty products using both well-established and small artisan brands. Each box costs £24.95 (including P&P) and new subscribers can get 10% off the 1st box by subscribing to the newsletter. There is also a small discount if you purchase 3 or 6 month subscription. 50p from each box will go to a charity with a different charity being supported each month (I am not sure which charity was supported with January boxes). The products with parabens, SLS and harsh ingredients will be avoided. All products have been tried and tested by the head of the company herself so the customers are getting only the most highly recommended and loved items.


The first box has a "Rise and Shine" theme.

FranChouliPom Facial Serum by Terre Verdi alone costs more than the whole box (RRP £27.00 for 30ml). I love Terre Verdi products for the phenomenal quality and love the heavy luxurious bottle made from violet glass (which keeps the oil fresh for longer). Founded by Alessandra de Gregorio, the products have been inspired by her native Sicily. The oil is aimed at dry and mature skin, however, I did not find it to be greasy on my oily skin. The serum is very nourishing so it is perfect for cold winter months and the smell of frankincense and neroli is just heavenly. The ingredients are made up of simple yet effective argan, camellia, pomegranate and jojoba oils designed to keep the skin soft and supple.

Vegan, made in the UK, 99% certified organic by COSMOS




Natural Deodorant by Earth Conscious is an excellent way to keep your pits free from questionable ingredients (RRP £5.00 for 60g). The range consists of 5 different smells plus 2 vegan-friendly options. I got in touch with The Natural Beauty Box who were so lovely to swap a vegan version into my box (brownie points for customer service!). This deodorant is made from anti-bacterial ingredients designed to keep your smell-free naturally, without blocking your sweat glands. The packaging is free from plastic and once all deodorant is used up, the tin can be recycled. 10p from each deodorant goes to Marine Conservation Society which works to protects UK seas and wildlife.


If you have ever used natural deodorant you would know one of the common ingredients is sodium bicarbonate which is very good as keeping you smelling fresh. The only problem is that a lot of people (me included) can be sensitive towards it. Some formulations caused my armpits to become red, angry and itchy so my main worry with this deodorant was to see if it irritated my skin. Be assured, this is very kind! Possibly because the top ingredient is coconut oil which is very nourishing and bicarb soda is quite low on the list, this kept my pits nice and happy. Now the main question is - does this actually work? I have been using this deo non-stop since I got it and I am pretty happy with its performance. It saved me from getting smelly on day-to-day basis however it is not 100% effective when it comes to my gym sessions (to be honest, I have not tried a natural deo which kept me very fresh in the gym because I do push myself).

Vegan version, made in UK, organic.


The Naked Soap by Crafting with Beth (RRP £4.50 for 95g) is very friendly for people with sensitive and dry skin because it contains no scents or colours which may cause irritation. I found this soap has a slight cocoa smell. It did not strip or over-dry my skin. I tend to have dry skin on my body (while my face is oily - go figure!) so I like products which do not make my skin feel tight or itchy. A fantastic product for anyone who loves handcrafted products! The company has a dedicated vegan-friendly line, which is also palm oil-free, with very pretty designs.

Vegan, made in the UK.


Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, *Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, *Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, *Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, *Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut, fractionated) Oil, *Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, *Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Kaolin Clay, Sodium Lactate.

African Orange Aromatic Wash (RRP £5.00 for 60ml) and Fresh Face Facial Wash (RRP £6.00 for 30ml) by Evolve. This is Hertfordshire based brand has been in the green beauty industry for a while now. The whole range is vegan and smells incredible, yay! I like the simple minimalistic packaging, hey sometimes less is more. Due to the travel size of these bottles, I will use them in the gym. The problem I have with these 2 is the ingredients. Personally, I do not like any 'sulphates' to be in the products I am using and I am not happy to use sodium coco-sulphate for prolonged periods of time. Also, I presume "Fragrance" in the facial wash comes from essential oils because of limonene and linalol at the end of the list. I do not claim to be a chemist so if you are happy with sodium coco-sulphate then I am happy for you.

Vegan, made in UK, organic.


Body wash Ingredients (INCI): Water (Aqua), Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder*, Piper Nigrum (Black Pepper) Fruit Oil*, Citrus aurantium (blood orange) dulcis oil*, Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) Fruit Extract*, Lauryl Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Coco-Glucoside, Citric Acid, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Benzoate,*ingredients from organic farming

Facial wash Ingredients (INCI): Aqua (water), Sodium Coco-Sulphate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Parfum (Fragrance), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder*, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract*, Lycium Barbarum (Goji Berry) Fruit Extract*, Lauryl Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Coco-Glucoside, Citric Acid, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Benzoate, d-Limonene, Linalol. *ingredients from organic farming


Cotton Muslin Facial Cloth by Greenfibres (RRP £2.50 for 25cmx25cm). This was a nice surprise because it was announced after the boxes have been shipped. While I do prefer knowing beforehand what is included in the box (the main reason why I do not subscribe to other boxes) however I still felt a tingle of excitement of this little extra. Plus who does not like a facial cloth! It is dual sided so one side is a muslin cloth which helps to naturally exfoliate the skin and the other side is lovely and soft cotton if your skin needs some TLC.

Vegan, organic.


This was not included in every box however because I had a problem with my order, lovely Emma (The Natural Beauty Box) included samples of foot soak and foot balm by Pinks Boutique. I have always wanted to try this company and I am so happy I got the chance. The foot soak smells absolutely divine (I am lately very much into bath soaks) and the foot balm is very moisturising so my dry patches. Another brownie point for excellent customer service!


One minor point worth mentioning is the website. It is very stylishly designed and user friendly. I found it easy to navigate and sleek in use. The 10% coupon code was applied immediately without a day or two lag and subscription management is controlled by the user from personal account i.e. you do not have to email anyone to cancel your box. These points seem like common sense however I have recently came across a number of subscription services which lack these features. The only point of critique would be to introduce some sort of 'head-up' before payment is taken for the next month box.

The overall value of the box is £50.00 which is a great "power of bargain". The next month theme is Kissed By The Ocean and the overall price of the box is £65. There are still some products to be announced but I am liking those I have seen so far. I cannot wait for my next box to arrive, it seems ideal for some pampering session!


Which subscription boxes have you tried and loved? I would love to get my hands on Petit Vour or Vegan Cuts box!