January Bella Box Review

In December 2013, I signed up to Bella Box's monthly subscription service on a whim. For those of you unfamiliar with Bella Box, basically what it is, is that you pay $15 a month, and each month you receive a parcel in the mail containing 5-7 different samples of new and popular beauty items. The idea is that if you can try all these new and popular beauty items, so you get a good idea of what's currently available, without having to pay $$$$ to test an item out. Then, if you do really like the item, you can purchase it from the Bella Box website. You tend to get one full-sized product each month, along with five or six sample-sized products. The products range from makeup items (mascara, lip gloss, makeup brushes) to face masks to skin moisturisers and tanning products.
I was going to do a review for my December box, but I was a bit lazy and forgot about it. So I thought I'd start with my January box that I received last week.


Extra Info:

• Your Bella Box will generally arrive closer to the end of the month. I received my December box on December 24, and my January box on January 20.
• There's no subscription contract, so you can sign up or end your subscription whenever you like.
• I have found (and so have other users, according to reviews I've found on social media) that you tend to get a lot of moisturisers. 2 out of your 6 samples will generally be face/skin moisturisers. This might be an issue for some people. I, on the other hand, love moisturisers and I use them daily, so I can never have too many.
• Not everyone will receive the exact same box each month. Your items depend on stock availability, and sometimes they alternate products. So you and your best friend might get 3 or 4 of the same products for the month, but whilst she gets a nail polish, you might get a face mask.

Without further ado, here is my February review: 

February Box

Product One:  ModelCo Fat Lash Volumising Black Mascara

 

 

 

Love love love!

 So this mascara was this month's full-sized product. This is the first ModelCo product I've ever used, and let me just say, I LOVE it! It's a volumising and lengthening non-flaking/non-clumping black mascara, and it is amazing. It really does add a whole lot of length and volume to your lashes, and my favourite part is that it doesn't clump. There's nothing I hate more than mascaras that make you look like you have 3 giant clumpy eyelashes, rather that lots of lovely individual lashes. I definitely recommend this product if you're looking for a mascara that gives you that bigger, bolder look. They're retailed at $20 each, but thanks to Bella Box, I got mine for $15 with a whole lot of other samples, too.
My Rating: 8.5/10. I would've gone for 10/10, but unfortunately the mascara is not waterproof. I never wear non-waterproof mascaras, but I'm willing to make an exception for this one.


Product Two: Tuscan Tan, Wash Off Bronzing Mousse 

So this product is a tanning mousse that is perfect for if you want an instant tan to wear to a party or an event, and it washes off easily with a bit of soap. It was difficult for me to review this product, as I don't ever wear or use any kind of tanning product. Not ever. Honestly, I'm just too pale. It's incredibly difficult for me to use tanning products because of how pale I am, as the product almost always looks too dark and too fake. It doesn't matter how carefully or thoroughly I apply the product, you can always notice the slightest streak or imperfection in the tan against my naturally very very very white skin. So usually, I just don't bother with tanning or tanning products at all. I thought I'd give this product a go, but sadly it was no different. It made my skin look way too dark for my complexion, and honestly, I just look a bit silly with a dark tan. I think this product is more suited for those with bit of a natural tan already, as it would enhance your tan's appearance.
My Rating: 5/10. I couldn't really properly review this tan because tans and me do not mix. I did love the smell of the product though... mmm coconuts!


Product Three:  Aveda Dry Remedy for hair

So this product is a daily moisturising oil for dry and damaged hair. I was a bit cautious with this product, as the word "oil" just instantly made me think "oily and greasy". So I only used the tiniest little bit of product, and applied it mainly to the ends of my hair. It's a leave-in product, and you can use it daily. Now, I'm not trying to be nasty towards this product, but I really, really hated everything about this product. Even though I only used the tiniest amount, it made my hair so greasy and oily, and just left it with a greasy wet look for the entire day. My hair even felt wet to touch, several hours after applying the product. My hair is never greasy or oily, but it was a greasy oily mess thanks to Aveda Dry Remedy. I literally used the smallest spec of oil, too. If you've had a good experience with this product, please let me know. But yeah. Never again.
My Rating: 3/10, and that's being nice.

Product Four: Vaselin Total Moisture 

I really liked this product. It's a light daily skin moisturiser, that also has an SPF 15, which is also really handy. There isn't much else to say about this. It's really light and non-greasy, it smells wonderful, it can be used all over to give your skin a moisture kick and it aids in sun protection. It's that simple.
My Rating: 9/10. Easy, handy, wonderful.

Product Five: Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream

This product is an all-purpose skin cream. It can help dryness, sensitive skin and irritation. It's rather a thick cream, and doesn't have any smell. It claims to be a secret, magical cream... but yeah I'm not entirely convinced. I did really like it, as it wasn't oily, and it made my hands and feet nice and soft. I haven't really used it thoroughly enough or long enough to give you much more help than that, but yeah. It was a nice cream, and it did its job.
My Rating: 6/10. Decent cream, am yet to discover it's magical healing secrets.


Product 6: Sukin Facial Moisturiser

Yes, another moisturising product... see what I mean? I'm not going to write much about this product. It's a facial moisturiser, suitable for all skin types. My face can be quite sensitive sometimes, but I didn't have any issues using this. It was light and lovely and made my face nice and soft and helped ease dryness. Would I use it again? Yes. My only issue is the smell. I really do not like how this product smells at all. It almost has a lavender-type smell to it, and I hate lavender. But apart from the weird smell, it's a good product.
My Rating: 7/10.


There's a seventh product, it's a sensitive skin mask. I am yet to use it, as I'm currently already on a sensitive skin mask regime, and I don't really want to use a different product until I've finished using the one I'm currently on. It smells nice though. I'll probably give it a go next week.

  *  To find out more about Bella Box or to start a subscription, go to their website! www.bellabox.com.au



So until then,
be safe and happy!
Lucy Rose.
xo

Keeping with my "summer favourites" themed posts I've been having for the past few months, I thought I'd share with you a few pictures and a (rather brief) review of my summer holiday this year. We always try to go somewhere for a few days each year around the start of the New Year, and this year we stayed in Cairns, North Queensland for a few days. Perhaps this isn't interesting to you fellow North Queenslanders who've undoubtedly been to Cairns before, but I just really like Cairns and who knows, maybe it'll help you plan your next weekend getaway!
So firstly,
Where I stayed: Rydges Tradewinds, Cairns

 I really like Rydges Tradewinds. It's right on the esplanade, and literally a 30 second walk to the beach...so the view from the hotel grounds are amazing (especially at sunrise/sunset). There's a pool and spa, a restaurant and bar, underground valet parking, and an indoor day spa/massage area. The rooms are cosy and comfortable, each with a little balcony that looks out over the swimming pool and spa area. We were lucky enough to have an amazing room right on the top floor, and facing out over the ocean. The above photo was taken from our balcony, so as you can see, we had a pretty good view! The rooms have televisions, air conditioning, a bath... and pretty much everything else you need to have a wonderful time. Rooms are priced from $90 a night upwards, but we were lucky enough to get a cheap special deal through findaroom.com ... findaroom.com is my favourite website to book hotels through, it's super easy to use, and every now and then they have crazy sales on rooms at certain hotels. So if you plan on going away anytime soon, I'd keep an eye on that website for sure.  There were a few negative reviews on the findaroom website for Rydges Tradewinds, such as people saying that the hotel was a bit "old and outdated"... but honestly, I didn't have any issues with anything at all. My stay there was entirely positive, and I'd go back again. I mean, Rydges Tradewinds isn't a 5 star hotel or anything like that, but it is perfect for a weekend getaway.


What I did: 

Kuranda Markets:

 I love Kuranda. I've been there several times before, and every time I go, I seem to love it a little bit more. Kuranda is kind of like a small town/village  in the rainforest, located up in the hills about 30 mins out from Cairns. There's a market that runs during the day, every single day of the week, where they sell a wide range of jewellery and arts and crafts. I think the markets are more aimed at people that are new to Australia, as there are a lot of Australiana souvenirs and things, but I love it anyway. I'm especially a fan of all the handmade jewellery. There's also a bird zoo and a reptile zoo, which is perfect for children and tourists. If you've been to Cairns before but haven't seen Kuranda, I definitely recommend it next time you go.
 

The Lagoon on The Esplanade:
 

I also love the lagoon a lot. The water is always a perfect escape from the humid weather, and it's really nice if you go in the afternoon on a weekend, as they usually have bands playing. So you can pretty much just float around in the cool water and listen to some music and it is the perfect way to relax. The Lagoon is also very close to a whole heap of shops and restaurants, so everything you need is all in the one spot. The Lagoon is open til 9pm every night of the year.

What I ate: 

Fresh Seafood in a coconut broth from the Raw Prawn, located on the esplanade.

Fresh and locally-sourced seafood from Splash, located on the esplanade. Splash is probably my favourite Cairns restaurant. They specialise in seafood, and everything is fresh and from the local ocean and reefs. They also have amazing cocktails.

Burgers from Grill'd, located on the esplanade.

 
What I wore:

Playsuits are a summer must-have. Playsuit from Lucy in the Sky Store, shoes from Therapy, and hat from Cotton On.

Dress from Lucy in the Sky Store

Skirt from Tiger Mist, top from Supre

Dress from Boutique by Bel, flower headband from Lovisa.

That's all for now, hope you're all having a fantastic summer (or winter for my overseas friends!).
Peace,
Lucy.

My Favourites for Summer (Part Three)

I've been a bit slack lately, and for that I apologise. I haven't written a post since mid-December, and so I guess I should begin with: Happy New Year! I hope 2014 is an amazing year for all of you, and even if you don't stick to any of your resolutions, aim to have more fun and push yourself to do more exciting things this year. 2014 will be a big year for me. I'm entering my third year at uni (yay, past the halfway line!), working more, and will also be going to the USA in December. It'll be my second time visiting the USA, and I am already so excited and planning outfits.

I apologise in advance for the quality of the following images - I was silly enough to not take a proper camera with me on my holiday!

Anyway, without further ado, here is my favourites for summer (part three): bikinis!
Or more specifically, bikinis from Sheridyn Swim.

I actually bought two pairs of Sheridyn Swim bikinis on a whim during winter, and I haven't had a chance to wear them up until now. I just arrived home today from a (short but much-needed) holiday in Cairns, and I pretty much lived in my bikinis whilst I was away.

Now, I understand a lot of women don't particularly feel confident or at their best in a bikini, but this is why I love Sheridyn Swim's range. There are bikinis to suit every body shape, and there are endless styles to choose from. There's everything from your standard teenie tiny triangle bikini, to high-waisted, padded tops, tops to enhance or cover cleavage, one piece bikinis, as well as some accessories like wraps to wear over the top. It's all about finding your perfect style and fit. I've never truly felt comfortable strolling down the beach or poolside in just a bikini, but upon discovering Sheridyn Swim's "ATV RACER" (pictured above) my confidence and attitude has completely changed. I wore this bikini for most of my holiday, and not once did I even feel a slight urge to cover up with shorts or a shirt. I just felt happy and confident... what more could a person want?

"Kylie" Two Piece - Perfect two piece with that wonderful "vintage" feel. Top has removable padding, and the bottoms are perfect to create shape, or squeeze in your belly!

Also, I'm a bit in love with these bikinis for several other reasons -
1. I love the website. It's easy to use, and everything just looks so pretty and lovely and I want to buy it all.
2. The prices are pretty standard for swimwear (around $50-$100), but there are amazing sales, and quite frequently, too. If you follow Sheridyn Swim on instagram, you'll always be informed of the sales before they happen, so you won't miss out.
3. The material is really durable and long lasting.
4. Sheridyn Fisher (the wonderful woman behind the label) is actually a bit of an idol to me. She's a model, actress and ex-Playboy Bunny, and an avid advocate for healthy living and lifestyle. She's also super lovely. She personally communicates with her followers through instagram, and I really appreciate that.
5. Once again, there's styles to suit all shapes, needs and desires. I particularly love all the vintage-inspired high-waisted two piece sets. They're super unique and cute, and are perfect for either creating shape, or hiding any unflattering areas.

* Please note: all bikinis are true to size. If you're between sizes with bottoms (like I am), go for the smaller size, because there is nothing worse than having a bikini that is too big or baggy when you go in the water. It does explain sizing on the website if you're unsure of what size to pick!

Sheridyn Fisher - how could you not love her?

Anyway, whether you're an avid bikini/swimwear lover, or somebody who cringes at the thought of wearing a bikini, I really really urge you to take a look at Sheridyn Swim. I can confidently and honestly say I'll probably always buy my swimwear from there from now on.

Check out the website at: http://sheridynswim.com.au/
or alternatively, check out their instagram: sheridynswim

"ATV Racer" Bikini

I'm such a fan of the mesh detail on the ATV Racer bikini, plus the top can double as a cute crop top with a pair of shorts.

I'll probably post another blog soon-ish with all the goss on my tropical summer holiday. Also, I made a new banner/title thing for my blog, please let me know if you like it! I'm rather un-creative so it was the best I could do hahah

 Please follow me on instagram: perksofbeinglucyrose

Stay safe, and enjoy life!
Lucy Rose. xox.