I got a surprise package in the mail today from ILoveThisBox.
No, it wasn't the May box, but it was a replacement candle and Chikii bronzer!
If you remember, I had contacted ILoveThisBox after receiving a smashed candle and Chikii bronzer all through my box. They asked me if I'd like a refund or to wait and receive replacement items. I asked for a refund and I got my full $14.95 back in my account that same afternoon. Now they have also sent me replacement items!
I have to say, the customer service from ILoveThisBox has been really great. I cannot fault their service at all.
Sadly, my poor replacement candle was also smashed... despite careful packaging. Damn you Australia Post, you bastards!!! The Chikii bronzer packet was folded over and taped shut so there was no leakage.
Despite another smashed candle, I really cannot complain. They handled my initial complaint well and even went one step further by sending out replacement items as well as the refund. To me, it's more about the gesture. I really appreciate it.
Thank you ILoveThisBox! I hope the month of May will be a fresh start!
Hi guys,
After my emotional rant last week over the disappointing April box, I calmed down enough to write an email to the ILoveThisBox support team.
I have to admit, at best I expected a replacement item, maybe just an apology.
Instead they offered to refund the FULL COST of the box. That's $14.95, the ENTIRE COST of the box refunded to me. It was a choice between this or waiting for a replacement (of the candle). I sent them a reply this morning asking for the refund. By 4.30pm they had refunded the $14.95 back to me.
Wow. I'm overwhelmed. I really wasn't expecting an offer of a full refund and I certainly didn't expect it to happen so quickly.
So, although I still strongly disliked the April ILoveThisBox, their customer service cannot be faulted.
Thank you ILoveThisBox!
Let's start fresh this month!
I received my ILoveThisBox today, only one business day after the Lust Have It! box.
After reading all about the products in this months Lust Have It! box, I wanted to keep this one as a surprise. Boy, was I surprised.
After opening the shipping box, I found a lovely, sturdy box inside with the ILoveThisBox logo inside. The card included talked about this months box focusing on "natural ingredients". To me that sounds like it's going to be a box full of boring crap. I was right about that. I took of the lid and ripped open the pretty purple tissue paper to find....
... a few products, mostly tiny ones, drowning in a sea of shredded paper. :-/
Kinda sad looking isn't it?
First thing I noticed was the Just D'Lish 15 hour burn time soy wax candle. I noticed it first because the glass container that it was in was smashed and there were pieces of glass throughout the box. Also, I live in an apartment block where I'm not allowed to burn candles for fear of setting off the fire alarm.
So, I can't use it and because it's smashed, I can't even regift it.
The candle smells like all those other generic candles you can buy from anywhere. Is it just me or are candles a useless addition to a BEAUTY SAMPLE box? Anyway, this piece of crap is going straight in the bin.
Next thing I noticed was the full size Avado Sensitives Organic Gel Exfoliant. I noticed it for two reasons:
a) it's full size and
b) it was fucking dirty! It had brown shit smeared all over it, more on that next!
The exfoliant smells okay and is Australian made and certified organic. I'll leave it in my shower and use it next time I'm in there. It's nothing to get excited over though.
This product retails for $14.99.
The next thing I pulled out was the brown stuff that had been making a mess of the Avado. It was a badly packaged sample of Chikii Natural Salon Quality Mineral Cosmetics - mineral bronzer.
It came in a little plastic bag with just the word "Chikii" on it. I had to read the card to find out what it was. I initially thought it was a little bag of that synthetic hash you can buy from those hippy shops. (If only!) Seriously, who packages bronzer like this? How the hell is anyone supposed to use this without making an absolute fucking mess?
I hate bronzers anyway, so this went straight in the bin along with the smashed candle.
This product retails for $50.00 (I hope for that price it comes better packaged!)
What followed the messy Chikii bronzer was an equally shitty packaged Haf Mineral Make Up Mineral Eyeshadow. At least this eyeshadow came in a sturdy plastic container with a lid, but that being said, once the outer plastic protection was removed there was loads of loose eyeshadow that went all over my hands, bed and ILoveThisBox box. Nice.
The colour I received was called Eclipse. It's pitch black so I'm a bit unsure how to use this as an eyeshadow without looking like a filthy whore. Perhaps I can blend it with water to use as a eyeliner? Perhaps I should just throw it in the bin? I've kept it for now, but if ILoveThisBox doesn't post a tutorial on how to use this particular shade than I'll ditch it for sure. Lame.
This item retails for 16.99.
Last of all was a full size Maybelline lipstick. As I was peeling the purple tissue paper back I momentarily got excited thinking it was a Revlon Lip Butter, but quickly realised it wasn't. Damn, that would have made up for the rest of the box. Never mind!
What I did get was a lipstick in the shade On The Mauve. It's a dark purple colour. Think the colour your dead auntie would have worn in the 80's and that pretty much sums up this shade. Eek, if I wore this it would instantly add 20 years!
I'm going to offer this to my mum, she might like it. If not, it'll just go in the bin too.
The lipstick retails for $16.95.
(I can't help but feel that Maybelline were overstocked of all this ugly, underselling lipstick and thats how they ended up in our boxes. Especially since heaps of people said they look used or have damaged packaging, eek!)
So that was everything in April's ILoveThisBox. I got one out of five items that I will use, one regift, one to put away for a rainy day (or for the bin if I don't figure out how to use it) and the two for the bin.
Did I love this box this month? Definitely not. I'm actually really disappointed in my first box.
I was even more disappointed upon checking out other reviews and unboxing videos on YouTube and finding that others received nicer products, in better shades, and their stuff hadn't broken or leaked out. I feel kind of cheated. :(
The very best part of this months ILoveThisBox is the actual box it came in. It came with some little cardboard dividers to add to it so it can be reused for organising tiny things (which is actually perfect for me!)
So which beauty sample box wins The Beauty Sample Box War for the month of April?
Lust Have It! do, hands down!
Sorry ILoveThisBox, you didn't even have a chance!
What did you think of this months boxes?
Here's all the ILoveThisBox crap to be thrown out.
In order of arrival... Lust Have It!
I was so excited about receiving my first beauty sample box that I was checking their Facebook page everyday. Once the first people had received their boxes, I couldn't stop myself from reading their reviews and finding out what was in this months box!
Upon opening my smaller than expected cardboard shipping box, I found a blue satiny make up bag with the Lust Have It! logo on the front:
When I opened the bag, the first thing I pulled out was the full size bottle of De Lorenzo Elements Ocean Mist Sea Salt Styling Spray.
As someone with fine, oily hair I love sea salt spray. I had been using a spray bottle filled with homemade salt spray so I was really happy to receive this!
It smells divine, it's Australian made, cruelty free and is certified organic so that's a bonus.
The spray is worth $23.95 so I've already got great value in the Lust Have It! pack this month.
The next thing I pulled out of the bag was a sample size box of True Solutions All Day Moisture tinted moisturiser.
It's a 20ml sample which is a really decent size and it comes in a nice little container which won't get all messy like a sachet would. The colour matches my skin tone and I will definitely be trying this out as I love tinted moisturisers. The moisturiser is also Australian made and has 30+ SPF protection.
The full size moisturiser retails for $60.00 for 100ml.
Next up is the Marie Adele Spa Fresh Blends Romantic Discovery Bathing Ritual. It's a Ziploc bag filled rose scented bath salt, powder stuff. There is no size details on the packaging, but I'm assuming this is a sample size. Not a very exciting product and it smells pretty grannyish, but I love baths so I'll give it a go!
It retails for $15.95 for 250ml.
Next was the item that had received the most hype on the Lust Have It! Facebook page. The full size I Nuovi Glitteratti face and body glitter. I love glittery things so this is pretty good, especially as it retails for $19.95 - who would have thought a little plastic container of glitter could be so expensive!
Not sure how mere mortals are supposed to use this on anywhere but the fingernails without looking like a five year old from the 90's. Fuck it, I'll wear a little bit of it on my eyes to a gig sometime.
The glitter I received is made up of round glitter pieces in two sizes. To look at in the packaging, the glitter looks white but on closer inspection it's actually a duo toned colour that flashes from green to orange. Pretty.
Last but not least are three little samples by EmerginC Scientific Organics. There is one Phytocell Detox Mask, a Phytocell Cream and a Kombucha Cleanser. I've never heard of this brand before and I have no idea what the fuck "phytocell" or "kombucha" is. Typical of organic products.
Haven't tried these yet so don't know what they'll be like.
They retail for $65.00, $105.00 and $44.00 respectively. So even if I did like them, there's no way I'd be buying the full size products.
And that's the Lust Have It! box for April. Every product in this months pack will be used by myself, including the make up bag.
$70 worth of value in this months box for only $14.95. Excellent value Lust Have It!
Hi!
Let me start by saying that I'm not a blogger.
While I like to dabble with make up and nail polish, I wouldn't even call myself a beauty enthusiast.
That being said, I did sign up to a couple of the Australian beauty sample boxes after hearing a friend on Facebook had signed up. As I love gimmicks and mail, I couldn't resist! So it's because of these sample boxes (and one box being particularly crap) that I decided to start this blog and compare the two each month. Now, don't go expecting my blog to be all fancy and nice to look at. My only objective is to review and compare each box each month!
So here's where it all started...
I'd initially signed up to ILoveThisBox after reading some positive reviews on beauty blogs and on YouTube. Because I'd signed up in late March, I'd have to wait a few weeks for the box to arrive.
After becoming really obsessed with the whole Australian beauty box thing, I also decided to sign up to Lust Have It!
Now I have received both boxes for the month of April, I want to write a little review and compare the two boxes, awarding one box the winner each month. What fun!!
So without further ado, lets get The Sample Box Wars started!!
Annie-Leigh
