Bellabox June 2012 Review

Last month I received my very first Bellabox. Bellabox is a monthly subscription sample box where for $15 a month you receive samples consisting of beauty products and other goodies. I wasn't expecting to get a June box as I signed up pretty late in the month, but I was pleasantly surprised when it turned up. I had a pretty good idea what would be in the box, as I'd already seen a few reviews on youtube. It was a pretty good mix of products. Some products were a hit, some were a miss and some were things I'd never try if they hadn't been in my Bellabox.

(Please forgive the iphone and instagram pic!)

Inside the cute little box is a card with an introduction and it talks about the theme of the box, June being a Winter Escape theme. On the reverse is a list of the products you receive, their use and their recommended retail price. I should also add that when you sign you for Bellabox you fill out a small survey so each month the box is tailored to suit your skin tone and type plus your personality and preferences.

In my June box I received - 

• Benefit Porefessional Pro Balm 7.5ml sample (full size - 22ml, RRP $58). - For me, this was a meh. Yes it covered up my pores and helped disguise them. But would I buy this? Probably not. The price is just a bit too steep for me. (I'm cheap and I love my pharmacy/drug store make up and beauty products)

• Pure Fiji Body Butter in passonflower sample pot I'd say around 30ml or 40ml (full size 235ml - RRP $29.95) - I really liked this. It surprised me as at first sniff, the scent was not what I was expecting. I was expecting a heavily floral nearly sweet scent but this was a clean, fresh scent. And I loved the way it sank into my skin. I'm not normally a fan of body butters. I find them heavy and greasy but this was perfect. Will I buy this? Yes!

• Kiss Dress Nails (I recieved the full size product RRP $13.99) - This is a product that I'd never buy for myself. When I see nail stickers I think of the press and stick nails I had as a child. I'm not really into nail art and it's only in the last few months that I've started wearing nail polish for the first time since my wedding which was four years ago! But I gave them ago, I was surprised at how easy they were to put on. They were a little fiddly when it came to trimming the excess sticker but if I can do it, anyone can! I'm not sure how long they'll last. So far they've made it 24hrs without any peeling and the package states they'll last up to 10 days. I usually get about 4 days out of my nail polish so we'll see if they last that long. Will I buy this? Yes. It seems like something fun I might do for a party or over summer as a lot of the prints seem summery to me.

• Gatineau Aqua Memory Moisture Replenish Cream 15ml sample (full size 50ml RRP $104) - I didn't like this product. It left a film on my fingers and face. It was odd and hard to explain. It made my fingers feel slimy but super dry all at the same time, they nearly squeaked when I rubbed my fingers and thumb together. I tried it twice before giving up on it. My husband tried it once and while it was moisturising he didn't like it either. Will I buy this? No.

• Phyotocare Pure Papaya Ointment (I received the full size product 25g RRP $6.60) I really wanted to like this product as a lip balm, I've used and loved other pawpaw ointments as lip blams. But this just didn't feel right on my lips. The minute I licked my lips or got some in my mouth the texture changed and it went grainy. I have been using it on my cuticles at night before bed and it's working well as a cuticle treatment. Will I buy this? Probably not. I do like that it has no petrochemicals but the texture isn't right for me.

• Olea Olive Leaf Drops 6 drops (12 drops RRP $6) I've taken Olive Leaf Extract before so knew to expect that bitter after taste. These drops had Manuka honey as an ingredient so I thought that the honey might lesson the after taste but it didn't. Will I buy this? Probably not. I did eat all the drops as I came down with a cold but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy them.

• Fan Di Fendi Fragance Fun Loving. (30ml RRP $95) I hated this sample. First of all the packaging. It was in a little square sample which you tear open. The way you sometimes get moisturiser samples. But perfume is a lot thinner than moisturiser so once you open it the product just drips and runs everywhere. It's meant to have warm floral notes but all I could smell was the leather and patchouli which reminds me of my uni days in Far North NSW. Will I buy this? Definitely not. 

Over all I was impressed with my first Bellabox. Two full sized products and five sample sized products. I definitely received products worth more than the subscription fee of $15 a month. I got to try a few products that I would otherwise have never tried. The main reason I subscribed to Bellabox was exactly that, to try and find new products I love, or workout what products I don't like without having to buy the full size versions.

Now that I'm 30 I've found my skin has changed, it's a lot dryer (especially in the cooler months) and it's more sensitive than when I was a teenager. Cleansers that I've used in the past now many my skin react flushing red or with breakouts where in the past if I ran out of cleanser could use soap and water without a breakout or bump. I can't even think of doing that now! Nor would I!

I'm going to stick with my monthly subscription Bellabox for a few more months and see what other products turn up for me to try. My July box came in the mail a few days ago and I've already started trying a whole new batch of samples!