PRODUCT REVIEW: BURT'S BEES TIPS AND TOES KIT

PRODUCT REVIEW: BURTS BEES CLEANSING OIL, FACIAL WATER, HAND REPAIR CREAM, CUTICLE CREAM AND DARK SPOT CORRECTOR

If you regularly tune visit BLH, you'll know that one of those brands that I really love is Burt's Bees. Simply because their products are not only super efficient, and very budget friendly too, but they are also close to being 100% natural and of course free from all the chemical nasties, including parabens, phthalates, petrolatum or SLS, and the only the only fragrance comes from the natural ingredients. I have put a handful of the Burt's Bees products to the test..

The Burt's Bee's Cleansing Oil is enriched with coconut that acts as a natural moisturiser to help keep the skin soft and smooth, as well as argan oil which is rich in antioxidants to nourish the skin. The cleanser gently removes my long-wearing makeup, and without irritating my skin. I admit to not using it on my eyes, where I prefer to use a specific eye makeup remover, but I do like that it can be used on the eyes too. And as for the rest of the makeup on my face, it gently removes absolutely everything - and without leaving my skin feeling sticky or tacky, something that I with my combination skin prone to breakouts always worry about when using cleansing oils. That said, I usually double cleanse my skin, as it helps keep breakout prone skin more blemish free, and have been using the Burt's Bees Cleansing Oil as the first cleanse to remove my makeup. The cleanser is also very gentle, so suitable for all skin types, including those that are dry. I really like this Cleansing Oil and can see myself repurchasing it again and again.

The Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Nourishing Facial Water with Clary Sage is a nutrient-infused drink for your skin to help it restore lost hydration and prepare the skin for moisturisation. It contains among others clary Sage, kiwi fruit water and willow bark extract, and .is used by soaking a cotton pad and smoothing it over the face morning and night after cleansing, and before moisturising. The Facial Water absorbs quickly into the skin and without leaving behind a greasy residue, and it not only helps improve the skin's texture and balance the skin skin’s pH level, it helps it look softer and smoother and fresher too. My skin is combination, so generally not lacking moisture, but coming into the colder months where my skin tends to become drier, it will be a welcome addition to my skincare regimen.

Now that the weather is getting colder, my hands are already starting to feel drier and it has been time to reach for more intensive skincare products, including the Burt's Bees Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream. This intense cream contains among others shea butter, bees wax, cocoa butter and sesame and sunflower oil to help keep hands soft and moisturised. And thanks to the added essential botanical oils such as macadamia nut, rosehip, lavender, neroli and borage, it has a light lovely natural scent, which does linger for a while.

The cream is rich and creamy, yet it immediately absorbs into my skin without leaving the hands feeling greasy, so I can get on with things without leaving greasy fingerprints everywhere. And already after the first use, I can tell that it still so intense that it keeps any dryness at bay, but rather leaves my hands softer and smoother. A must try product!

Then there's the Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream is a longtime favourite of mine and I've actually lost count of how many of these cute little tins I've used up. The cuticle cream has the most amazing zesty lemon scent – my favourite scent, but it is also so effective at keeping your cuticles soft and hence your nails looking nicer. Yes, it is a little greasy, but I love massaging it into my nails at night when I sit on the couch watching TV as it makes such a huge difference for healthier nails. The small tin looks tiny, but it is so concentrated, that it will last you forever, and the small size is perfect for popping into your handbag too when you're on the go.

Finally, there's the Burt's Bees Brightening Dark Spot Corrector. This skin corrector promises to visibly diminish the apperance of dark spots, evening out the skin tone, and create a righter and more luminous complexion. This treatment contains among others aloe leaf juice, mallow leaf, peppermint and lemon and orange extract, as well as daisy extract, and it has a slightly odd scent coming from these natural ingredients. The treatment comes in a pump bottle and it is rather thin, so you do have to be cautious not to spill it. It is to be used morning and night, after cleansing, and prior to serum and moisturiser. The treatment is quite light too, and absorbs into the skin quickly without any greasiness, after using it for a few weeks my skin is definitely looking more even. Darker patches of pigmentation are still noticeable, but the smaller ones, including redness and marks from recent breakouts have faded. This is a great treatment, and I really like that it is so gentle that it is suitable for all skin types, and also my combination skin prone to breakouts. I also love that it is made from 99% natural ingredients and compared to other pigmentation treatments, very budget friendly too.


So there you go, a selection of products from Burt's Bees which I've been enjoying lately. Favourites will continue to be the Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream and the Shea Butter Hand Repair along with the Cleansing Oil.

Have you tried any of these, or recommend other products from the brand.


Burt's Bees Cleansing Oil - RRP: $34.95 / 177ml
Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Nourishing Facial Water - $24.95 / 118ml
Burt's Bees Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream - RRP: $29.95 / 90g
Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream - RRP: $14.95 / 17g
Burt's Bees Brightening Dark Spot Corrector - RRP: $34.95 / 29.5ml

Available from Priceline, David Jones, RY, select pharmacies and Burt's Bees Online

* Products have been kindly provided for consideration, and have reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy. 


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Brand Focus: Burt’s Bees

As a fanatic beauty blogger I love it when I get the opportunity to trial new products, and I get excited and am very appreciative when products arrive at my doorstep, no matter if they are expensive or cheap – I do admit to having loving luxurious products, but in my everyday routine, I use just as many budget products! But every so often a parcel arrives that really takes my breath away, one where a lot of attention and thought have gone into – and last week I received one of the best put together parcels that I’ve received in a very very long time, this one from Burt’s Bees.

What was so amazing about this package was that the products arrived in a replica cardboard house of were Burt’s Bees started. The inside the box was full of detailed information about the products. The box also contained a booklet – well actually a little more than a booklet, as when I opened it, a video about Burt and how the company started, started playing inside the booklet. Amazing! Previously working as a marketing and brand manager, and being used to putting point-of-sale material together, I can only imagine the work, and not to mention cost, that has gone into producing this. I’m impressed.

The package also contained a USB cord, so you could connect the booklet so you computer and watch the video from there – or as I’ve done, put it into this post, so you can enjoy it too..

 

The box also contained some of Burt’s Bees classic products we well information cards about all the products. But before I start running you through the products, let me first quickly introduce you to Burt’s Bees;

 

Burt’s Bees was founded almost 30 years ago when a beekeeper was selling honey from the back of his truck, and he decided to use the leftover beeswax from the honey bees to make candles, and since then more products were quickly added to the product range.

All the products from Burt’s Bees are developed with the idea that ‘Nature knows best’ in mind, and consequently the ingredients used are all natural – 100% natural – which means that they of course are free from all the chemical nasties including phthalates, parabens, petrolatum, or SLS.

Now let me get onto the classic Burt’s Bees products which were included in the box:
 

 

 

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

I honestly don’t know why I haven’t posted about this cuticle cream before. I have gone through several of these jars. I love it, so no complaints from me now having a backup! It not only has the most amazing zesty lemon scent – my favourite scent, but it is also so effective at keeping your cuticles soft and hence your nails looking nicer. The small tin looks tiny, but it is so concentrated, that it will last you forever. No wonder this product has won so many awards! RRP: $14.95 (17g)

 

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm - Tube and Tin

I have previously declared my love for Burt’s Bees Lip Balm in my Top 5 Favourite Lip Balms, but this tube with Vitamin E and Peppermint is new to me, and I already love it. And the tin is absolutely perfect for keep keeping at the bedside table. Can you believe it, but the tube of lip balm is so popular that a tube is sold every 2 seconds!! RRP: Tube: $7.95 (8.5g), Tube: $6.95 (4.25g)
 

 

Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Crème

This foot crème is very thick, and does leave the feet feeling a little sticky, so it is definitely one of those products that are best used at night with a pair of old socks on top.  But it is totally worth it, as the next morning you wake with the softest feet ever. I am not the greatest fan of coconut scented products, but on my feet I can certainly accept it, especially when the results are this good. And the added peppermint has a nice cooling effect so perfect for tired legs too. RRP: $24.95 (123g)

 

 

 

 

Burt's Bees Hand Salve

This Hand Salve is thick and quite greasy, so it really is perfect for super dry and damaged hands, including after a day in the garden. It contains sweet almond oil, beeswax, vitamins and botanical oils to help deeply nourish the skin. It has a nice herbal scent, which lingers for quite a while, which I like as it is so natural. As it is greasy, it is not ideal for use during the day, but absolutely perfect just before going to bed. RRP: $24.95 (85g)

 

Burt's Bees Shea Butter Hand Cream

This hand cream is so much lighter than the Hand Salve, so it is better suited for use during the day as it absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave the hands feeling greasy. It contains shea butter, cocoa butter and sesame oil to help keep hands soft and moisturised. And thanks to the added essential oils, it has a light lovely natural scent, which does linger for a while. RRP: $29.95 (90g).

Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Crème

This hand cream is slightly thicker than the Shea Butter Hand Cream, but not as thick as the Hand Salve. The concentrated cream takes a little bit to absorb into the skin, but once it has, you can feel the goodness of the ingredients immediately. It contains among others beeswax, almond milk, and glycerin to soothe and relieve dry and cracked hands. Thanks to the almond milk, it has a really strong and sweet scent of almonds, which some may find a little sickening, but personally I think it is quite lovely. It comes in a super cute old style glass jar. RRP: $19.95 (57g)

 

Burt’s Bees products are available for purchase from David Jones, Myer, Priceline, Target, Selected Pharmacies and from Burt’s Bees Online

So there you have it, a selection of Time-tested Burt’s Bees Classics! If you haven’t already tried these products, I highly recommend that you do!

* Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has been reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

Have you ever tried any of the products from Burt’s Bees? Any you are keen on trying? Or maybe you’ve tried others you can recommend?

Product Review: The Beauty EDIT Beauty Box – April 2014

One of the latest and newest beauty subscription boxes to hit the Australian market is the *Beauty EDIT, and here are my thoughts on the April box;

What They Say:

"Beauty EDIT is yours. A little parcel of beauty surprises to look forward to, experience and enjoy. 

We want to get to know you and match beauty to you. At Beauty EDIT, we’re passionate about discovering the latest in beauty, sharing our knowledge, then editing a selection of products which are suited to your needs. 

Beauty EDIT adds a touch of inspiration to your individual beauty experience. Our personalised approach allows you to “Subscribe, Try and Buy” make up, skincare and hair care products in line with your unique beauty preferences. 

Every two months, we'll deliver a tailored Beauty EDIT parcel straight to your door (plus the occasional extra surprise)."

RRP: $20 per box, or 5 boxes for $100 – Available from Beauty Edit

 

What I Say:

The Beauty EDIT is a bi-monthly box, which promises that you on each box will receive “five premium beauty samples from a diverse range of brands - high end, boutique, cult, new and also emerging brands varying across a different mix of products across varying beauty categories”. They also promise to “always try to get samples that allow you to properly try and experience each product. However in some instances some brands may only have less generous sizes available. If a sachet size sample is sent it shall always be in addition to your sample issue and would have to be an exceptionally good product. Most of all though the beauty samples you receive from Beauty EDIT shall be edited to match your beauty profile.”

Speaking of Beauty Profile, when you sign up to the Beauty EDIT, you have to log-on to the Beauty Edit website, and answer a selection of questions, regarding your skin type & tone, any skin concerns you may have, make up, hair type & condition and samples you are interested in to allow the Beauty Edit to set out and get beauty samples that are best suited for you. As they say, “Beauty is, above all, personal and at Beauty EDIT we want to make sure we always present samples to you fit your beauty profile.”

Here’s what my beauty profile looks like:  

And these are the goodies that I found in this month’s Beauty EDIT;

Tea Tonic complexon Tea – for beautiful radiant glowing skin – 1 tea bag

 

I admit that my preferred hot drink is coffee, but I do drink herbal teas to try to limit my intake of caffeine – and not having as glowing skin as I’d like, this does sound very interesting, I do believe in the saying that you are what you eat, so why shouldn’t you be able to get nicer skin by drinking tea. This cleansing tea is organic and caffeine free and contains red clover, nettle, dandelion leaf, calendula and burdock in it. 

Sasy n Savy citrus soufflé body crème – sample, 10ml

 

I love love love citus scented products, so just the name of this body cream has my interest. And it smells so nice and refreshing, so I cannot wait to put this cream to the test. I’ve never heard of Sasy n Savy before, so I liked when I discovered that it is in fact an Australian brand.

eye majic Beauty instant eye shadow  – three applicators – Full sized pack + one additional applicator

 

I am one of those who is absolutely hopeless at applying a professional looking eye makeup using three shades, plus these days, with a baby I simply haven’t got the time to play with my makeup like I once had – so these instant eye shadows could be the perfect solution for me. I got a box with two applicators in pearl shades, as well as a loose one in pink/brown shades. These claim that you can achieve the perfect blended eye shadow in just 10 second!! I am not sure of the cost of these, but each applicator is only good for one use, so I could imagine that it would work out to be a little too expensive for frequent use.

GKMBJ shampoo and conditioner - Samples,30g each

 

It took me forever to work out what these products were, until I finally, on the back of the bottles in the tiniest writing saw that it was shampoo and conditioner. I struggled seeing this wearing my glasses, so I don’t know how I will go in the shower, and how I will pick the right product, seeing both bottles are identical!!

Anyway, I have heard of GKMBJ before, but never had an opportunity to trial their products, so I do look forward to seeing how they perform.

Illume essencia by Hawley Manicure cuticle conditioner – sample, 3.7ml

Apart from frequent use of hand cream, I am so guilty of neglecting my cuticles, they are always so dry looking, so this is coming at a very convenient time, also seeing it now sadly getting colder with autumn setting in, and my nails and cuticles are always taking a turn for the worse, so I cannot wait to put this one to the test.

Monteil Paris Acti-vita Gold ProCGen Softening Lotion – Sample, 10ml

 

I have never heard of Monteil Paris so that instantly excites me. It is called a lotion, but is really a toner to be used prior to your moisturiser. It contains 24K gold leaf particle, which claims to help make the skin velvety soft  to the touch and give the skin a radiant look while hydrating the skin and restoring its natural balance. Not sure on the price of this, but just the contents of the 24K gold leaf particles, which you can actually see in the liquid, makes this sound a little expensive. Hopefully it will last long enough to get some idea of how it performs.

So there you have it, this is the contents in the April Beauty EDIT box.

Overall I am generally happy with the contents in the box, but I would have liked the inclusion of a card to tell what the products are, their RRPs and where you can purchase them, as without it, it also makes it impossible to comment on the value of the box, and if it justifies the $20 spend. I would of course also have liked more full sized products in the box, but at least there are no useless sachet samples!

However, I did like that the products were very varied, and included both haircare, skincare, makeup and nails, and that they were all from brands that I’d never tried, let along heard of before, and I really like that – that is exactly how beauty subscription boxes should be!

As for the customisation – I did get both a body product and a hand/nail product, even though had not ticked the box of preferring such samples, so needless to say that I would have preferred more skincare or makeup instead – however, in this case, I really love the citrus body lotion and my nails are in dire need of some TLC, so these samples won’t go astray. But I do hope that the Beauty EDIT in the future will be very mindful of only providing products according to personal preferences, as that is something that is currently lacking in Australian beauty subscription boxes, and that would really set the Beauty EDIT apart from the rest!

* Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has been reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

Have you ever heard of the Beauty EDIT? Tried any of the products in this month’s box? Considering subscribing?

 

Product Review: Violet Box – September Review

Monthly beauty box subscriptions are very popular at the moment, and new ones seem to be popping up frequently. When Violet Box launched a few months ago and asked me if I wanted to trial one, I naturally happily accepted, and so far I have been more than impressed with the contents of the boxes, and have been so tempted to subscribe, but pushed doing so as I had a few samples I really wanted and needed to use up first – when to my surprise, out of the blue, I have just received the September box for review as well – thanks so much Violet Box for your generosity! If you missed my reviews of the previous months’ boxes, you can see them here (June, July, August).

So as you can see, the contents of the boxes has so far been so impressive, so if you are not yet a subscriber, read on as Violet Box currently has a great offer on your  first box.

Anyway, here are thoughts on the September edition of the *The Violet Box;

What They Say:
"Violet Box brands promises to every month include 4-6 premium beauty and lifestyle samples from well-known and trusted Australian beauty brands as well as exciting new International brands, one in particular is a revolutionary product currently trending in New York and has been featured in Vogue and on the Today Show!"

RRP: You can subscribe to Violet Box for:

1 month – $22.95
3 months - $66.00
6 months - $130
12 months - $250

But right now you can get $10 off your first box, simply go Violet Box and enter VIOLETBOX10 at the checkout, and you will get your first box for just $12.95 - BARGAIN!! 

 

What I Say:

As previous months, the September Violet Box comes in a stylish matte black box, which is closed with a magnetised flip lid and a purple ribbon, and it has the purple Violet Box logo in the corner of the box. And inside, the samples were wrapped in violet tissue paper. The actual box is of a sturdy design, and the fact that it closes completely with the magnet, as well as it has a violet ribbon to tie it with, and as it is black and stylish looking, I love reuse these to store small things such as jewellery and other little knickknacks!  

So what was in the September Violet Box…

 

The Vintage Cosmetic Company Floral Slanted Tweezers - Full-size (RRP $14.95)

 

I have never heard of the Vintage Cosmetic Company before, but these slanted tweezers look so cute. They have a cute floral pattern on one side, and a cream colour on the other side. I always misplace my tweezers, and I recently dropped my favourite ones on the bathroom floor, so they are now the tiniest bit bent, and no longer very good, so these new ones come at just the perfect time for me.

The Vintage Cosmetic Company Emery Board – Full Size (RRP $4.95)

 

 

Another full-sized product from the Vintage Cosmetic Company, this emery board is so cute too, with the signature cute floral design on one side of the board and a dotted design on the other. In my opinion, a girl can never have to many emery boards, and I keep them everywhere, from my handbags, the study drawer and in the car, so a new one will come in very handy.

 

NS-5 Cuticle & Nail Complex – Full-Size (RRP: $9.95/15g)

I have previously tried the foot balm from the Nutri Synergy, and it is so amazing at fixing cracked heels, that I am quite excited to be trying this cuticle and nail complex treatment too. It promises to help restore dry, ragged cuticles, hangnails and split fingers, as well as strengthen nails, and restore elasticity, to prevent nails from flaking and breaking. And while my nails are in a pretty good condition at the moment, growing like crazy (I have to cut them at least twice a week to keep them at a reasonable length!), my cuticles and definitely dry and ragged, no doubt no liking that I constantly wash my hands, so I look forward to trying this out.

 

Sinful Nail Polish - Full Size (RRP: $4.95/15ml)

 

 

I have heard a lot of the Sinful nail polishes but in spite of the bargain price, never gotten around to trying them, so I am very excited to see the inclusion of one in this months’ box. I got the colour Timbleberry, which is a gorgeous pinky-red colour, perfect for spring and summer. I cant wait to try it out – and in fact, seeing it will be a nice sunny 27 degrees in Melbourne today, it is time to put away the winter boots, and bring out the sandals, so time to add some colour to the toes!!

Eleven Australia Miracle Hair Treatment – 6ml sample (RRP: $24.95/125ml)

 

 

I have already tried this hair treatment (you can see my full review here), and as I really like this product, I am excited to see it included in the box – Eleven Australia is a new brand, and everyone should now experience how great their products are – and besides, this cute little tube will be perfect for travelling or weekends away!

Timeless Truth Stem Cell Extract Mask – Full Size ($5.00/30ml)

 

 

This is another brand that is new to me, and as I love cloth masks I am excited to be trialling this out. It promises to help reduce fine lines, skin tightening and help with pigmentation – exactly what my skin needs.

Finally, the box also contains a offer of purchasing a 100ml Swissdent Whitening Toothpaste, and you will receive a bonus Swissdent Pure Toothpaste 50ml, worth $15. Go to Violet Box Online to claim this offer.  

 

All in all, another impressive box from Violet Box with the inclusion of 5 full sized products, which have a combined value of almost $40, almost twice the value of the box! And there there’s a bit for the feet, nails, face and also hair too, so there is a nice variety of product, and something to please everyone.

Again I think its an amazing box and definitely worth its value, and while I was not in desperate need of the tweezers and the emery board, they are both ‘stable’ items that are so handy to have. And as for the rest of the products, they are all products that I will look forward to trying and know I will enjoy, so yet again – well done Violet Box.

*Product was kindly provided for consideration, and has reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

 

What do you think of the contents of the September Violet Box? Did you get this months’ box too? What did you think? And if not, would you consider subscribing?

And have you heard of the Vintage Cosmetic Company or Timeless Truth? Or any of the other brand that are new to you too?