Lipstick week is on hold (again) for an unboxing (AGAIN!)
Not that I'm complaining. I got both my SaladBox and Sample Room packages today, whoot whoot! I didn't know which one to write about first but I went with SaladBox because it fits more neatly into the subscription boxes category and what am I if not the subscription boxes queen?
The first thing I noticed about this box is that it felt a little sturdier. I was wondering if they changed anything about it and what for? Nerdy me read the curation letter, as I am wont to do, and found out that SaladBox has an environmental commitment. They're now chucking the boxes' plastic lamination and their curation cards will be matte boards (what did they use before?) The new box, in all its parts, is 100% recyclable.
Good on you, SaladBox! I appreciate it when a business venture has a broad enough vision to think about Earth and not just profit.
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| April SaladBox: Nature Beauty |
In line with all this Earth talk, theme of the month is Nature Beauty. The April box is packed with goodies infused with ingredients from Mother Nature. And packed it is. I am glad that SaladBox is keeping up with the full-size revolution. There's only 1 sample-sized sachet in this box of 5 goodies, yay!
Here's the usual box shot:
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| My April SaladBox |
Man, do I love a full box or what?! Read on for my impressions and additional product information.
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| Vivid Essentials Collagen Crystal Soft Mask, Php 150 / 50g |
Collagen has been an "it" ingredient for a few years now. It's supposed to aid in cell regeneration thus giving you that youthful glow. The mask claims to have: lifting, whitening, rejuvenating, nourishing and age-defying effects. Vegans out there will be happy to know that this collagen is sourced from algae instead of animals.
When I first held the packet, I was wondering it was so thick. Was it a multiple-sheet pack? The thought got my heart pumping really fast. I would looove a lot of masks. I was already fantasizing about my mask schedule when I read the label closely and figured it was a mud mask. You just have to add cold water and spread all over your face.
Tools aren't really necessary but I would love to have the ultimate experience with this sample so I'm planning to pick up this cheap-o mud mask set (rubber bowl, mixing spatula, soft face brush and measuring spoons) I keep seeing in Landmark, TriNoma. The thought that I'll be mixing up some mud mask and using a soft brush to spread it all over my face is exciting me almost as much as the product itself!
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| Vivid Essentials 24k Gold Mask, Php 150 / 50g |
There's another mud mask! As I've said before, I don't really believe in gold as a miracle beauty ingredient but at this price point, I will happily try it out and test the claims. I have nothing much to say about this other than how excited I am to get my hands on that mud mask set!
Funny, I just had a thought that gold is probably one of the most bizarre natural ingredients I've seen. It's a shiny nugget of rock from caves and rivers. I can't fathom how Cleopatra thought to use it on her face!
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| Beauty and Bright Skin Lightening Body Soap and Anti-Aging Serum Bar, Php 95 / 130g |
I've developed a taste for natural soap ever since my sister gave me Lush soaps last Christmas (thank you!) Without that experience, I can see myself getting really irritated about receiving this sample and would have most definitely included it to my Other Stuff in Here list.
Regardless of the cliche marketing (whitening and anti-aging,) I still find myself very eager to try this out! It smells like a very sweet grape or berry, even from outside the plastic wrap.
My scientific mind is ever on the prowl in observing the whole lather vs. moisture and natural vs. factory soap chemistry issues so I'll be taking lots of notes when I start road testing this bar.
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| Lioele Triple the Solution BB Cream ~3g, Php 1150 / 50ml |
I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be putting makeup at the very bottom of my Excited list. However, as it stands, Lioele doesn't ring a bell for me as a must-try brand and I'm not really able to make good use out of any of the BB samples I've received thus far. Still, it is makeup and I'm bumping this up my list just because of that.
Other Stuff in Here:
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| Feel Good Therapeutics Microwaveable Heat Pad / Cold Compress Php 200 / XS |
This compress has organic, therapeutic beads filling an inner pouch which you can pull out through the back of the outer case. The pouch is meant to be microwaved if you want to use it as a hot compress, or frozen overnight if you want to use it as a cold compress. My MO with dual-purpose compresses is to keep them frozen. That way, they'll be ready to use as a cold compress because anyway, you'd need to microwave them if you needed them warm.
The outer case is a 4" x 12" cotton sleeve, which I imagine will be a welcome barrier to the extreme temperatures of the actual filling. I've only ever used gel-packed compresses so I'm mildly curious about this one. Synthetic compresses come in sealed plastics and that often scalds or freezes on my skin. I usually have to fetch a separate towel to act as a barrier. With this product, my skin will be protected enough but I'll still feel enough of it to get to the muscles.
I just find it a little strange because when will I even use this? Am I going to pull my arm reaching out for my makeup? Harhar. I guess I could use it to play nurse to my very clumsy bf. I'll keep you guys posted on which one of us gets to use it first, though I bet it'd be my bf.
RECAP:
For the past few months, I've been feeling like SaladBox was a bus full of school kids, dangling off a cliff. Instead of trying to drive back up, they've put the kids at the wrong side of the bus and kept creeping that much closer to total ruin.
With the March box, SaladBox finally anchored all the kids on the grounded side of the bus. It was an improvement, but only by so much and I didn't feel like they've totally rebounded back into complete safety. This month, I feel like they've righted the bus and are so much closer to getting the other half of it off the edge.
All in all, yes I am happy with this month's box. Finally they are catching on to the full-size revolution. I also love that SaladBox is standing up for the earth and our country. I'm beginning to identify with its branding as pro-Earth and pro-Pinoy though I have to think long and hard about whether I would like to keep receiving off-beat samples such as linen spray, room fresheners and compresses.
For more info, you can check out their site here.