Product Review: Violet Box – January 2014

It is that time of month again – where the monthly beauty box subscription boxes start to arrive, and this morning I received the first beauty box for the year, so here are my thoughts on the *January edition of 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

http://www.violetbox.com.au/

What I Say:

This month’s Violet Box arrived in the now standard narrower sized black matte box, which closes with a magnetic closure and a purple ribbon, and this is what was in the December Violet Box…

Do you remember my review of the December Violet Box….well if not, you can see it here…

Anyway, in last month’s box there was a note with an apology saying that unfortunately the planned Jelly Pong Pong Wide Awake Palette that was supposed to have been included on the box, and which was mentioned on the product card, unfortunately had been damaged during the transit. Violet Box instead included two Sweetpea & Fay eyeshadows as a replacement in the December Box, and made a promise that the Jelly Pong Pong palette would be included in the January box.

And as promised, this box did indeed include the Jelly Pong Pong palette!

Jelly Pong Pong Wide Awake Palette – Full Size (RRP: $32.00)

The palette is not mentioned at all on the card with all the product descriptions, so you can truly call this a bonus product, and at $32.00 how amazing value is that! This month’s box has more than paid for itself there and then! The palette contains a highlighter and a concealer along with three brow sculpting shades, and a small brush, all presented in a pale pastel pink palette with a large mirror. This looks interesting, so I can’t wait to test this out!

So Susan Water-Based Pure Luminizer – Full Size (RRP: $49.00)

I have never before heard of this UK brand, but I love it when I read that the products contains no sulfates, mineral oils, phthalates, triclosan or animal by-products.

It is a water-based liquid illuminiser with micronized pearlescent pigments to add sheen to cheekbones, or brow bones . As this is a new brand to me, I cannot wait to trial this luminiser ,and even more so knowing that it doesn’t contain any chemical nasties. This is another full sized products with a massive value of $49 – Wow, this box is starting out well..

So Susan Nail Lacquer – Full Size (RRP:$10.00)

Another product from So Susan, and this nail polish is also free from all the chemical nasties, as well as it contains rosehip fruit oil to strengthen the nail and the skin around it.

I got the colour Pink Guava, which is a lovely cerise pink, absolutely perfect for tanned summer hands and feet, so this definitely won’t go to waste.

Lush Gorgeous Facial Moisturiser – Sample Size 10g (RRP: $74.95/45g)

This cream moistures, softens and nourishes, which provided it is not too rich for my combination skin sounds perfect. Truth is that I have only ever tried the bath products from Lush, and so long wanted to try the skincare products from Lush, but just never gotten around to it, so can’t wait to put this one to the test. It comes in a cute little tin – and the first challenge will be to work out how to open it, maybe it is me, or perhaps my clumsy little fingers, but I will need to enlist the help of my husband to open it up for me to I can put it to the test!

The box also included a card where if you spend $40 or more on Lush products online, you get free postage. Tempting…

MOR Essential Collection Hand Cream – 2 x sample sachets, 3ml each (RRP: 14.95/80ml)

I am very happy to receive not one, but two sachet samples of these hand creams. I got Basil & Grape, as well as Black Currant Iris. I am already familiar with the MOR hand creams, and love them, and as I don’t know these two scent, I am quite happy to be able to test them out too. The hand creams always smell gorgeous, - although sometimes so nice that I cannot stop smelling my hands, LOL!

Villainess Soaps in Dulces en Fuego – Sample – (RRP: $8.50/90g)

Another brand that I have never heard of before. This one contains black pepper and cinnamon sprinkled throughout, and consequently has a slightly spicy scent. It smells nice, and the spicy scent is a refreshing change from the always floral varieties. However, I must admit that I generally prefer to use liquid hand soap as I find them less messy in the bathroom, but still, I will definitely put it to the test, and actually, I could imagine that it would be right up my hubby’s alley, not being sweet and girly scented.

Acorelle Eau de Parfum – Sample vial 1.5ml (RRP: $$69.95/50ml)

I love perfumes, and I have more than I can count, and there is always room for another one. In my opinion there are simply too many gorgeous perfumes around to limit yourself to just one signature scent, so I like to swap and change every day depending on my mood, outfit and occasion. I have never heard of this brand before, so I am always excited to trial out a new one. And especially when I read that it contains mandarin and jasmine – and citrus scented products are on the absolute top of my favourite scents.

Overall I am extremely impressed with the contents of this months Violet Box, including the Jelly Pong Pong palette, it contains a whole three full sized products, with a combined value of $91 – how good is that when you only pay a maximum of $22.95 for the box –that is over four times the value. I am obviously aware that the Jelly Pong Pong Palette is bonus, but to quite honest, although Violet Box had promised that it would be included in this month’s box, I didn’t expect to be a bonus product, but that it would a part of the regularly included products! Very impressive and generous of Violet Box!

And in addition the box also contains a full five samples in the form of the soap, a facial cream, two hand creams and a perfume. Of course, it is only value for money if you intend to use every single one of the included products, and I definitely will, and am quite excited about them all.

If I have to be negative, it would be that there are two products included from the So Susan brand, and while I love discovering unknown brands, I would personally have preferred just one So Susan product and have the second product replaced with another brand that is new to me, if that makes sense. But really, that is just me nit-picking, as with the value of the contents of the box, Violet Box could easily have simply omitted say the nail polish from the box, and it would still have been extremely good value.

So all in all, I am very impressed with this month’s box – what a fantastic start to the New Year, 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 products of the January Violet Box? Did you get this months’ box too? What did you think? And if not, would you consider subscribing?

And of course, as always, if you’d like to see an in-depth review of any of products in the box, leave me a comment below..

Product Review: Violet Box – August Review

Finally, the August Violet Box has landed on my door step. Violet Box was only launched in June, so this is only the third box to hit the market, and I have been so impressed with the last two boxes, that I’ve been looking so forward to receiving it this month. If you’ve missed my reviews, you can see the June box here, and the July box here. And here are my thoughts on the August 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 

What I Say:

Some of the monthly beauty subscription boxes always seem to have a new theme, but like the previous two boxes, the August Violet Box does seem to be to a particular theme.

The 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, makes it makes it easy to re-use it to store small things such as jewellery or maybe lipsticks!!  

So what was in the August Violet Box…

Jelly Pong Pong 2-in-1 Shadow/Liner - Full-size (RRP $19.00)

This is a crayon that doubles as an eyeliner for thick precise lines as well as perfectly-blended eye shadow. It is made from Italian formulated waxes and pigments that allow you to build up the colour, smudge or create bold lines.

 

I got the colour bronze, which is a lovely colour, and as per claims, tests on my hand proves that it is easy to use for both lines and smudge out as an Eyeshadow – quickly and easily, just what a new mum needs, so I can’t wait to play with this one, and see how it performs. I’ve never heard of this UK brand before so don’t really know what to expect, but I am excited to see this full sized product and in a colour that I will actually use, so big bonus points from me!  

Jelly Pong Pong Lip Blush – Full Size (RRP $22.00)
 

This is another product from the UK brand. A lip stain in style with the Clinique Chubby Sticks. It is made with beeswax and ceresin was, for a sheer smooth application and it claims to be a moisturising lip stain that gives just the right amount of juicy colour while hydrating like a balm.
 

I got a nice red bright red colour, which in the tube looks really bright, and as you can see in the picture, it is very pigmented and once on the lips it still gives a good coverage in spite of claiming to be sheer. But it can be blotted with a tissue for a more sheer look, or built up for a more intense look. 

Again time will tell how this performs during the day, and over lunch, but regardless I’ll love wearing this as we head into summer. And again I am very excited to see another full sized product in the box, and again something that I will really use, so more bonus points from me!

Dr. Bragi Age Management Moisturiser – 5ml Sample (RRP: $179.00/60ml)
 

This is an anti-ageing moisturiser with hyaluronic acid and marine extracts which are to help reduce the signs of ageing by fighting the effects of environmental stress. Just what I need!!! However, at $179 for a full-sized tube of this, I am sadly not likely to get this in the near future, but I will enjoy trying this sample and at least get a feel for what such an expensive moisturiser will feel like on my skin. But with a sample only large enough for just a few days use, I doubt that I will see any results.  

ghd Style Heat Protection Spray – Full Size (RRP: $24.00/120ml)

 

I already have this heat protection spray and I’m loving it, so I am very happy to be receiving a full sized product of this. This spray helps put a protective barrier on the hair protecting it damage when heat styling. And unlike many other such products, it doesn’t make your hair feel stiff or weighs it down, but just makes the hair feel smoother and also reduce frizz. So that makes for the third full-sized product in this month’s box, and another one that I will truly use, so even more bonus points from me!

Goldwell dualsenses Rich Repair Cream Shampoo & Conditioner – Sachet samples, 10ml each (RRP: $24.95/300ml each)

 

This shampoo is for dry and damaged hair while the conditioner is an anti-breakage conditioner – just what my hair needs – and as I’ve never tried any for the products from Goldwell I am quite excited about trying these and seeing how they make my hair feel and look.

All in all I have to say that Violet Box has really really done it again. I have been impressed with the quality of the samples in the previous two box, and I have to say that Violet Box has out-performed itself this month with not just three full sized products, but three full sized products that I will actually use and which have a combined value of $65.00 – almost three times the cost of the box! Well done Violet Box, I am super impressed – and already looking forward to next month!!

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

What do you think of the contents of the August Violet Box? Did you get this months’ box too? What did you think? Have you tried any of these products?