Hi All!

So today was an exciting moment for me as I received my first ever beauty subscription box! Sample Bar has started the only New Zealand beauty subscription service and this is the starting box that they have sent out to the first 400 people who were on the waiting list. The service is $25 each month to receive a pack of 5 products. So I thought I would show you guys the products that are in this first box and give you some of my first impressions. Firstly I think the way it is packaged is really elegant! I love the black and white simple design and have many ideas for what I can use these boxes for in the future… (okay not that many, but I’m still thinking!)

Ok so first off there is this extra voucher thing for a month of Yoga TV sessions with Miranda Kerr’s yoga instructor. I know it’s not that exciting but I have been meaning to get back into Yoga so if I can figure out how the whole scheduled TV sessions work this should be very fun!

Next up there is an Aloe Vera treatment mask. I love love love face masks ! This is a cloth facial mask which should be interesting… I have pretty dry skin that is easily irritated and red so a calming aloe vera mask sounds perfect.  It doesn’t say anywhere that I can see but I think this is a single use mask. Sounds like the effects are like a proper facial (which I have never had) so that’s exciting for me! Normal price for a pack of these (unsure of how many) is $15.95-$24.95. Pretty pricey but possible worth it if the effects are as good as they sound.

Probably the least exciting product for me is this single sample of a wine wipe which is supposed to remove red wine stains from your mouth and teeth without ruining the taste of what you are drinking or eating. Cool idea and I will definitely still use this as I have a weakness for red wine . A compact of 20 wipes costs $24.95

I thought this was a face mask until I read the info properly! This product from evo is a hair mask that should help with hydration and conditioning. Apply like a conditioner and leave in for 5 minutes before rinsing. I have super crazy, frizzy, tangly, dry hair (sounds great right?) so I can’t wait to give this a go! This product is full size (50mL) so I’m not sure if you are supposed to just get one use out of it… The price is $12 from a hair salon which might be a bit pricey in my opinion for a single use hair mask but perhaps a little goes a long way. We shall see!

One of my favorite items! This is an all natural and organic balm from the Moa brand (which I have never previously heard of). This can be used any areas on the body that are dry and also as a cleanser and shave balm apparently. I have dry skin, especially on hands and elbows and I used this as soon as I saw it! I love these kinds of multi-purpose moisturising products and this one is crammed full of  organic oils and tea tree extracts. The smell is like a soft, subtle tea tree scent which I love!
So this is $10.95 for the 15mL product in the box or a bigger size can be purchased for $32.95 (50mL).

I have never had enough spare money to try the dermalogica range but have heard lots of good things about it. This is a 13g sample size of their daily microfoliant. I was surprised when I opened it to have a peek as I was expecting a wet exfoliant but instead its a loose powder made up of rice bran and natural enzymes that, when mixed with a little water in wet hands, forms a paste that can be used to buff the face without irritating the skin. I have high hopes for this product!
Unfortunately for me dermalogica doesn’t come cheap and for a full size (75g) the cost is a whopping $134…Ok this might not seem much to some people but I have never paid that much for a daily cleanser/exfoliant in my life.

Lastly we have the most exciting and most expensive product which is a Model Co Turbo Lash Wand. I am a bit slow and a bit of a newcomer to beauty stuff so took me a while to figure this one out :P. This is a battery powered, heated lash curler that gives a much better curl that lasts longer than a normal eye lash curler would achieve. I admit, I have an eyelash curler but I rarely use it as I don’t find it lasts very long at all on my lashes or achieves very much so I am looking forward to giving this a go.
This is the best value product in the box as it is obviously a full size and normally retails for $44.95 So that was enough to remove any guilt I had for subscribing to the box in the first place yay!

So there are all the products in case you are interested. Let me know if anybody wants a specific review of anything.

Overall I am impressed with this box and my favorite products would be the lash wand (although it does terrify me slightly) and the Green Balm however there isn’t a single product that I won’t use. I am wary of the fact that this being their first beauty box is probably of a higher value and standard than subsequent ones. Another thing I am unsure about is whether the next boxes will be more tailored. On the website, once you sign up, you can fill in a lot of details about your skin type and makeup preferences so although this box was  a general starter that was identical for everyone I hope the next ones take into account some personal preferences.

Here is the website for any New Zealander’s who are interested in signing up for the November Glam Pack: http://www.samplebar.co.nz/

Like I said before, each monthly box is $25 and you can cancel your subscription any time. Postage is free

Hope everyone is having a great week! I handed in my last undergraduate assignment so feeling a bit more relaxed and back to normal.

Xx