The Natural Beauty Box April 2017
08:56
I think one of my favourite times of the month is receiving this subscription box. Honestly, I think it is one of best available on the natural market. I enjoy many things about it - it is all vegan (apart from 1 item in the first box released in January), it is all safe, it introduces to well known and indie brands, you get good sized products (none of those 1ml samples) and so on and so forth. I am truly in awe how Emma (the founder of the Natural Beauty Box) puts so much effort into each box, creating a theme and carefully selects each item. I think this box, with the theme Gold and Delicious, is probably my favourite out of all.
Myroo Superfood Balm Raspberry and Cucumber RRP £25 for 40ml
I have oily skin on my face but the body is a different story. I have dry hands and dry patches on my legs. Recently, I came on the quest to find the best deodorant for myself (spoiler alert, I am still not there yet). Some of the deodorants I am using contain a high proportion of bicarbonate of soda to which I am sensitive. To protect my skin, I apply a layer of balm to my armpits before layering with a deodorant. So where was I? Oh yes, balms! This balm excited my eyes with its star ingredients - raspberry and cucumber seed oils which are anti-inflammatory, nourishing and strengthening. When I opened the box I was pleasantly surprised by the generous size of the tub. For some reason I was under the impression we will get a small travel sized version, however, it is full sized 40ml version.
First, look at this colour. Isn't it gorgeous? So rich and even. The smell was actually a lot less powerful than I expected but I do not like overly scented products because it is always a potential for irritation. The smell is very light and gives a fruity vibe. The best is the texture. As soon as you touch the balm this soft goodness melts, so you do not need to dig in with a spatula (or nails) and then warm it up between your hands. The balm glides nicely on my skin, leaving it soft and nourished. I love everything about this balm and more people do need to try it!
Ingredients: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Carica (Papaya) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Butter, Hydrogenated Vegetable (Olive) Oil - Olea Europea - Tocopherol, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Seed Oil, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Seed Oil, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil, Olive Squalane, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Beta-Carotene, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin) Peel Oil, Coriandrum Sativum (Coriander) Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, *Linalool, *d-Limonene, *Geraniol
*Naturally occurring in essential oils
Vegan, organic, made in the UK
Fitzjohn Golden Body Oil RRP unknown for 50ml
This travel sized version was exclusively available to the subscribers of the box, it was not even launched! There is one way to make you feel special. What surprised me the most is how rich the colour was. Deep orange, immediately making me think "Sea Buckthorn". Sea Buckthorn is one of my favourite ingredients because it has an endless amount of beneficial properties and full of fatty acids, amino acids and vitamins. And the most convincing argument? My granny used it and what can be a better trust test than granny's approval? If you are not sold on the sea buckthorn, the body oil also features nourishing coconut, macadamia and moringa oils. I think the slight sediment like seen in the bottle is due to coconut oil solidifying in cold temperature. This does not make a difference during the application, the oil glides and nourishes my skin.
Let's go back to grannies because the smell of this body oil brings me back to my childhood, when I am, as a little nosey girl, going through the makeup bag of my granny. I open up the powder compact and the powerful floral powdery smell hits me. This flashed in front on my eyes when I took the bottle to my nose. Such a sentimental detail to me about a forgotten memory. I love how this smell stays on my pyjamas and keeps bringing me back to my childhood again and again.
Ingredients: Prunus Armeniaca seed oil (Apricot Kernel oil), Macadamia Ternifolia Seed oil (Macadamia Nut oil), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut Butter), Moringa Oleifera seed oil (Moringa oil), Passiflora edulis seed oil (Passionflower oil), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Hippophae rhamnoides Fruit Extract (Sea Buckthorn), Parfum (essential oils), Citronellol*, D-Limonen*, Geraniol*, Linalool*
Vegan, made in the UK
Isla Apothecary Lemongrass + Rosemary Renew Foot Scrub RRP £14 for 120g
The majority of you do not know but, for some peculiar coincidence, Emma features many products that are on my mental wishlist. I do not know how she does it but so many times, during a product reveal, I was left speechless at this nearly magic ability. Isla is the brand I wanted to try for a while now and the luxurious copper packaging is just mesmerising.
I have very tickly feet so feet exfoliation is not my favourite part but this step in body care is still important. The ground pumice and Epsom salts can help to buff away the dead skin, while baobab and sweet almond oils will hydrate and nourish. The blend can also be used as a soak after a tiring day on the feet. Plus, the travel size means the tub can be taken on holidays to pamper the feet after a long day of exploring.
Ingredients: Magnesium Sulphate (Epsom Salt) + Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Sweet Almond) oil + Adansonia digitata (Baobab) oil + Ground Pumice Powder + Tocopherol (Vitamin E) oil + Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) oil + Cymbopogon flexuosus (Lemongrass) oil. Naturally occurring allergens found in these essential oils: Citral, Eugenol, Geraniol, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool.
Vegan, made in the UK
Fruu Mango Lip Balm RRP £2.99 for 4g
Lip balms and hand creams are 2 products that I go through like they are going out of fashion. I had an eye for a Fruu lippie for a while now so I was pretty happy to see one being featured in the box. Lip balms come in a variety of flavours such as pomegranate, watermelon and lime, however, this box contained mango flavour. When I first saw the shape, I became very excited because it resembles the oval shape of my favourite Hurraw! balms. These lippies are also cheaper and locally made so I was curious to see if these can become a suitable alternative.
The consistency of the balm is very hard and it does not melt easily into lips. The smell is very faint and the taste is not offensive. What I did not like is how it feels on the lips. It is hard to describe but feels like a cheap lipstick, giving you the constant awareness of its presence on your lips. After 4 days of using it, I decided to get in touch with the company to see if they had any tips or suggestions. I sent my email on Sunday (during a long weekend) and received a reply within just a few hours. Indeed, my observations were not singular. The formulation is designed to provide more hydration than a conventional lip balm, hence the banana extract is added, which can give a tacky sensation on the lips. Due to such feedback, the company is working to provide the same benefit with a more pleasant finish. I was offered a replacement, however, I did not take it because it did not seem like there will be a difference in texture and I wanted to see if I can make my lip balm work. By Sod's Law, the same day I sent my email, I decided to apply the lippie after having a hot cup of tea. And guess what? It glided like butter and felt soft like velvet! It seems that warmer temperatures work better for this lip balm and since the summer is coming, I should be able to make a good use out of this balm. In the past couple of days the weather was very good and I have been frequently using Fruu lip balm without any problems. I am not sure if the issue was with cold weather or the top layers of the balm.
I really wanted to fall in love with this lip balm because the brand is local and supportive of small businesses and charity bake sales. Also, the products are vegan and affordable. Unfortunately, the decent competitor for my favourite lip balm is still to be discovered.
Ingredients: Euphorbia cerifera cera (Candelilla wax), Cocos nucifera (Coconut) oil, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) seed oil, Theobroma cacao seed (Cocoa) butter, Mangifera indica (Mango) seed butter, Persea gratissima (Avocado) oil, Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera) leaf extract, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea) butter, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Xylitol, Aroma (flavour), Musa sapientum (Banana) fruit extract, Stevia rebaudiana leaf/stem extract, Linalol.
Vegan, made in the UK
Dreamybath Ylang-Ylang Bath Bomb RRP £1.80
I am not a huge fan of bath bombs or bath melts because these are really single-use products and are more aesthetically appealing rather than functionally. Plus, in a case of bath melts, oils will be floating above the water so only a small part of skin will be in contact versus scrubbing the whole bathtub as the aftermath. Despite that, I can see their appeal and they can be a fun addition to the pampering session. I really like the small rose petals detail in this bath bomb.
Vegan, organic, made in the UK.
The overall value of this box is £56.50 plus you receive two discount codes for Myroo and Fitzjohn brands.
Disclaimer - products are bought by me with my own money. Please check the official website for up to date information regarding every product. All information presented in this article is the opinion of the author and cannot be taken as a fact.
Agave Bun x
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