Hi Beauties,
April has been quite the month for beauty boxes! The Raw Beauty Box Edition by Look Fantastic was irresistible to me so I had to get it. Last week I had The Cruelty Free Beauty Box review and next week I have yet another fab organic and natural beauty box on the way!!! So excited, I love subscription boxes. They are a lovely gift to yourself for some self care and who doesn’t love getting a gift-wrapped pressie full of gorgeous goodies in the post?
I think I am becoming a bit of a subscription box addict now. That is 4 this month, I can’t believe it. I won’t divulge what the next two are but they are all great value and full of natural, organic skincare and makeup. The “Raw” Beauty Box Edition by Look Fantastic is a one-off special edition since they don’t normally do a 100% pure/natural box. They do often feature natural products but this is a real treat so I had to grab one!
Just to mention, this post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase via my link, I make a small commission. Helps keep the blog running! Thanks.
The Raw Beauty Box focuses on botanical beauty, with organic and natural skincare and makeup. I immediately recognised a couple of the brands when I inspected further. Ok, so I had a glance at the spoilers online because I wanted to make sure I would enjoy the contents. I was happy to see a Bella Pierre lipstick in there. Bella Pierre are a well known and respected natural makeup brand. I received and tried their Banana setting powder in my CFB Box last week and I adore that so I was chuffed to try the lipstick.
I also recognised the Balance Me product as they are a brand I am familiar with too. I tried their facial wash and have been seeing plenty of positive reviews online via the various natural beauty blogs I follow. Emma Hardie is another brand from the well-known celebrity facialist. I have tried the range in the past, having experimented with the famous beauty balm from her signature facial range. I must post review on that soon!
Righteo, so here is what I got and I must say the box is really nice, I will be keeping that for storage as it is so pretty and robust. Great that there is no wastage there for a start! The inside of the box reads “There is beauty in simplicity”. Check it out! It only costs 20 euro for a one-off box so I thought this was well worth it since the Bella Pierre lipstick is with £16 alone…
First product that stood out to me was a lovely full size pack of Ahava Natural Dead Sea Bath Salts (RRP £6.49). This skin softening bath soak is enriched with Dead Sea bath salts and over 21 essential skin nourishing minerals. Including magnesium, calcium and potassium, this is more than just a bath soak, it is a relaxing and detoxifying spa in a packet! It claims to relieve muscle tension and inflammation and help you sleep better. I cannot wait to try this! We are moving house in a few weeks and we will have a bath for the first time in years. We only have a shower in this house so I am sooo looking forward to that. I will be enjoying lovely long soaks with my gorgeous bath treats. Ahhhhh bliss…
Next up, the Grow Gorgeous Back Into the Roots scalp treatment sample (worth £6). I have been seeing the brand cropping up everywhere lately so I was intrigued and delighted to be trying it. It has a higher price tag so it isn’t something I would splurge on myself normally. Really cool to see a generous sized sample in the Raw Beauty Box so I feel very pamperish now indeed. I tried it the other day and it smells ahh-mazing. It feels lovely and cool on your scalp and has this amazing texture like something between a cream and a serum.
The applicator makes it very easy to apply. I think it is the ideal product for anyone with scalp issues as it feels really soothing and refreshing. You leave it on for 10 mins before rinsing out. Massage it into dry hair and enjoy the uplifting peppermint aroma. It is infused with Burdock Root, Hyaluronic Acid, vitamins and caffeine. It is paraben and sulphate free. It gives a nice lift and volume and hair feels thoroughly clean after. A lovely pick-me-up. Not sure if I would fork out for the full size version but lovely to have on hand.
The Balance Me Vitamin C Repair serum (worth £11). This is an anti-ageing vitamin C serum which contains a product called Melavoid. This reduces skin pigmentation and helps calm inflamed skin. Apparently, if you are using retinol as part of your regimen you should avoid applying this serum at the same time. The two products can react together so I have been using this in the AM and my retinol at night. I’m not mad about the smell of this serum but I had the same issue with their face wash when I tried that. I will say that the serum is a lovely texture and it glides on effortlessly. So far so good, apart from the smell haha. Only time will tell if the results show.
I was delighted to see a nice new brand that I hadn’t heard of thus far. The NAOBAY Recovery Mask (worth £4.95). The brand was apparently created for sensitive skin so suitable for all skin types, however it does contain bentonite clay so if you have dry skin, moisturise well after use. The mask contains orange flower water, rice, vitamin E, poppy and Tigernut oils which help hydrate and soften while restoring fatty acid levels. It contains zinc oxide for enhancing the skins natural barrier and reducing redness. I tried it the other morning and really liked it. It smells lovely and it is nice and light in texture so no mess involved.
The Emma Hardie Midas Touch Revitalising Cream sample, 15ml (worth £13.50). This is an intensive moisturiser containing Hyaluronic acid and locks in moisture. For this reason it is probably best for non-oily skin types. It claims to lift, smooth and improve firmness and elasticity. It is a luxurious texture and you warm the product between your fingers and smooth it over the face and neck. It feels really lovely and hydrating. I have used it a couple of nights during the week and it definitely hydrates well. I have combination skin and I found my skin to be a little oily in the morning after so I would only use this at night for that reason.
Last but not least is the Bella Pierre Mineral Lipstick in Envy. It is a rich red with a pinkish tone and it is deep. I was amazed by the high quality of this lipstick. It glides on smoothly and leaves a silky and sumptuous colour. It is one of the best lipsticks I have ever used. Even though the colour is a bit OTT for me I am seriously impressed by the formulation.
I kind of expected it to wear off easily being a mineral based product but it lasts very well and doesn’t smudge. It is up there with the high-end makeup brands and Bella Pierre are my new fave mineral makeup brand now. My lips didn’t feel dry afterwards at all. I am really glad to find a top quality lipstick that is mineral and non-drying. I would advise using a lip-liner for this one.
All in all, I really loved the Raw Beauty Box Edition by Look Fantastic. I hope they bring out these boxes regularly and I would definitely repurchase. It is a brilliant way to try new products before buying and a great way to discover new brands. The box was great value and you can just pay for a one off box if you are unsure about subscribing. You will need to go back into your account and click on the option to remove the Auto-Renew if you don’t want to continue receiving boxes, before the 25th of the month. Just a little heads-up. OH and you receive a free mini Elle magazine too!
So I will be back next week with another clean green organic beauty subscription box!
Chat then,
Ciara x