Bellabox January: Lots of Skincare and Haircare Goodies!

After my last Bellabox review for the December box, where I mentioned that the box was slightly disappointing to me, it looks like Bellabox has rebounded for January! It is full of samples, and a few cute little freebies to boot!

Bellabox January: Look ma, so much stuff!

This January's Bellabox has a mix of better-known drugstore brands (like Biore), as well as some niche brands (like Medavita), and some popular-overseas-but-not-so-much-here things (like Mane 'n Tail). And while the products in the box are mostly skincare and haircare, I didn't feel like it was overly repetitive. Apparently some other boxes got fragrance samples too, but mine had no fragrance at all. Some boxes also had Inglot makeup samples (I'm so jealous!), so I guess I got the box for the skincare junkies!


Bellabox January: My box was primarily focused on skincare and haircare
Without further ado, let's move on to see what's in the box!

Bellabox December: Skincare and Haircare From Lesser-Known Niche Brands

So my Bellabox December review is totally going up after Christmas rather than before, but man, the holidays have seem to fly by so fast! Oh well, better late than never! I hope everyone had a great Christmas and are all ready for the new year!

Bellabox December: Skincare and Haircare from a range of lesser-known niche brands

Anyway, I'm sure you're wondering how December's Bellabox was, well here we are! It's mostly skincare and haircare from lesser-known brands this time, so if you're into these types of products, then that's great. Perhaps I've been living under a rock or something, but only two of these brands are brands I've actually heard of before, and I've actually only reviewed products from one of them! So this month's box is really all about exploring new, niche brands for me.


Bellabox December: If you're into finding out and trying new brands for yourself, the range of brands here might just pique your interest
Well, without further ado, let's get this review started!

Bellabox November: Sleek Makeup, Nuxe, Coastal Scents, and More

It's been awhile since I reviewed a beauty box, so it was with some interest that I rediscovered the beauty box! I've almost forgotten what it was like to receive these little cute boxes with tiny samples and miniature products to discover. This month's box had mostly skincare, but fortunately also had a good mix of popular and niche brands, with some fairly well known names like Sleek Makeup and Coastal Scents, as well as some niche brands like Skeyndor and Intercosmo.

Bellabox November: Features some well-known brands like Sleek, Nuxe, and Coastal Scents

Like most beauty boxes, Bellabox has a theme for every month, and this month's theme is Insta-Glam, although that has more to do with the contest that Bellabox is running with this one. Simply put, you snap a photo of your favourite product in this month's box, and upload it to instagram (with the hashtag #bellaboxasia) and you stand to win a bunch of prizes. So that'


Bellabox November: What's inside my box this month!
Anyway, chances of winning prizes aside, you're probably wondering what's in the boxes? Well, let's start now!

Bellabox August Review: National Day Box

Bellabox's August box has arrived, together with the National Day holidays. Of course, the box itself is themed for the occasion as well, and the tiny box itself is packed with beauty goodies!

August's Bellabox: makeup, skincare, handc cream, and tea. Yes, tea.

The first thing I noticed about the box was the very pretty Peranakan-inspired packaging. It is such a nice touch. Although, we're not just looking at the exterior of the box - we really also want the interior to have goodies, don't we? :)


The box is so pretty! Love the Peranakan-inspired print!
Inside is a good mix of products - there's makeup, skincare, hand cream, and tea! That's right, there's tea, too.

BellaBox October: Happy Birthday to Bella Box!

Happy Birthday Bellabox! October is the anniversary of Bellabox, and so I was holding my breath for this month's Bellabox - after all, a birthday beauty box should be a good one right? Well, let's get to it without further ado, and find out!

This month's Bellabox is perhaps smaller than what I'm used to (for the price, you seriously get some quite awesome products and samples with Bellabox), but given the price, I still think it's not too bad. I got a lot of Nuxe Skincare samples, so let's start with those:


I got sample sizes of the Nuxe Body 24hr Moisturizing Body Lotion, Nuxe Reve de Miela Face and Body Ultra-Rich Cleansing Gel, and Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse® Multi-Usage Dry Oil. Not too bad, right? THese are not packet samples (thank goodness), so although they are small tubes they are decent. I'm interested to see how the Dry Oil will work out, as I've never ever thought I'd need such a product (it is really hot, humid, and wet out here!), but I'd love to see what it can do.

Now, for the non-Nuxe stuff:


I got a sample of Bioderma Sensibio H2O, a micellar cleanser (these seem to be the all the rage recently), which really isn't too bad - I actually quite like it when I tried it. I also got a sample of Guerlain's La Petite Robe Noire, a very floral fragrance that is quite girly. For a Guerlain perfume (we're talking the makers of Jicky, Chamade, Shalimar and Samsara here), it's very sweet, and young-smelling, and a tad less of a classic compared to some of its forebears. It's still nice, though, and in my opinion Guerlain tends to be one of the better mainstream department store perfume brands. Man, I could go on about perfume and perfume notes all day. But you guys probably don't want to know about my perfume obsession that lasted for a few years until I found my signature scent. So let's move on.

Lastly, I also got the cute little Bellabox compact mirror. I like it - it's more useful than the previous Bellabox gift (a pen), and definitely something I could use while travelling or on the move.

So this month's Bellabox to me? Not its greatest, but it's not too shabby either. For the price, you could get worse.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)

Bellabox Event: I Made My Own BellaBox!

Edited to Add: Originally when I made the post below, I thought this was going to be the upcoming October Bellabox. Turns out it's not, and the October Bellabox is still a surprise. Nevertheless, I think it'll be great!

This month's Bellabox is going to be great, and all for a number of reasons - it's value for money (meaning you're not just going to get a bunch of teeny samples in packets), it's got some big brand names, and it's got a good mix of items! I was at the Bellabox blogger's event earlier last week, and I got a sneek peek at the upcoming box.

I know it looks a little puny like this, but that's because the box given to us at the event didn't have the usual packaging material (makes sense, right, since it wasn't being mailed over).

First up, I got a full-sized Savoir Faire Lipstick in Miss You, along with a small OPI mini (I'm not sure what colour this is - light sheer-looking pink with no shimmer whatsoever - anyone want to suggest a name?). I love this. I love makeup and nail polish, so I'm happy.


But what really impressed me was the addition of the Savoir Faire Lipstick. These things are S$64 a pop, so I guess if you get a colour you like, this box will be more than worth it for you! Miss You, the colour the bloggers got, is a light peachy pink with shimmer. I imagine it would be a great nude lip look on fair-to-medium skins. And man, look at the packaging! Sleek and very luxe-feeling.


Also, haircare. I also got an Aveda sample of some of their new ranges, the Invati, which is meant to help thinning hair. This isn't a large-sized sample - it's probably good for one or two uses. Not sure how helpful that is because I imagine you'd need to try shampoo/haircare for at least a week or two to determine how effective it is, right? So it's the least favourite of my samples, but I guess I can't complain, after the Savoir Faire lipstick.


Lastly, skincare. I got some Caudalie skincare samples, also from their latest Vinosource range. I got a Caudalie Vinosource serum and hydrating cream. I also got Lemongrass House Liquid Hand Soap. Lemongrass House has very aromatic products, so if you're into nice-smelling stuff (e.g. if you're a Lush fan), you should check out their stuff.


All in all, this box is really mostly samples, offset by the inclusion of the seriously awesome Savoir Faire lipstick. My verdict? If you want the lipstick, this is going to be a stellar buy. Else, it might not be your cup of tea (but seriously, getting a $64 lipstick for $20? Who wouldn't want that?).

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)

Bella Box August: Patriotic and Pretty!

Bella Box has landed again, and this month's August box is super exciting for me, because of the National Day theme! It's totally cool that we have a box in line with our celebration of Singapore's independence! Now, even if you're not Singporean, surely you can appreciate the festive feeling in the box? I mean, there's a bright happy red "I Heart SG" card staring you in the face the moment you open the box!


Inside the box, we have further proof of the festive spirit and pride in our country. See, a "I Heart SG" bag! This is seriously cute.


The Bella Box itself also has some good products this month. I'd say I'm actually quite happy with this month's box! You can see why from the photo below, can't you? It's the nail polish! Okay, but before I get excited, first things first. We gotta run through everything in the box.

First up, we have skincare samples. Skincare samples are like, de rigeur for beauty boxes, it seems, but these include some pretty good ones. There's Porefessional from Benefit, and a Exfoliance Gommage from Enavose, which is a pretty excellent brand. And there's a sample of a Pre-Serum (not too sure what that is) from L'Oreal's Youth Code range.


Next, we more skincare! Here we have a Facial Fresh Collagen Cloth Treatment Mask, which looks very intriguging, as well as some samples of skincare from Elizabeth Arden - a set of cleanser, toner, and serum.


Lastly, we have the nail polish! This totally makes this month's box worthwhile, for me anyway. You know I love nail polish, so I was all over this. I got a bottle of Purple Panic! Best part, it's a full size bottle! I love full-size items. They just make me so happy.


My thoughts on this month's August Bella Box? Well, overall I liked it - I liked the touches of National Day festivity, the full-sized China Glaze nail polish (I really, realy liked that!) and the general spread of samples. I guess there are less samples than in some other boxes, but I feel like having a full-sized product makes up for it. But maybe that's just my take on things. If you like the full-sized nail polish, and would use the samples, this month's Bella Box would probably be of interest to you.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)

Bellabox July: Spotlight on Asian Skincare Brands

Beauty boxes are all the rage now, and as with any product, there are pros and cons. The pros? If you're someone like me, who has waaay too much skincare and makeup (and I'm pretty sure my grandkids and great-grandkids can inherit my eyeshadows and blushes), but still want to try out the latest and greatest every month, then beauty boxes are a good way of getting your fix, without worrying about adding to your stash. After all, they're essentially mini and sample-sized products, so you can try them out, decide if you like them or not, and either buy the product, or move on. The cons? Well, they are essentially just mini or sample-sized products, and you can't pick and choose your samples. So if a box is not well-curated, there will be times where you feel like, "Oh man, I just spent all this money on a bunch of samples I'm not keen on." That's part and parcel of suscribing to beauty boxes - some months you like better, and some months you like less, but overall, it kind of evens out.

So, it is with that in mind when I say I wasn't that keen on this month's July Bellabox. It's not that it's bad - it's just that the samples in this box were interesting, but nothing really caught my eye and made me go "Wow", and the brands in the box were good, but not really to my interest. This month's box focuses heavily on skincare from various Asian brands, so while this month's box may not be my cup of tea, I'm certain someone else may like it.



First, we have some SKII samples. We have samples of Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser, Cellumination Deep Surge, Cellumination Mask-In Lotion, and Facial Treatment Essence. These are pretty small sizes, but I suppose SKII is an expensive brand. They'll be good to pack for an overnight or weekend trip, so these samples get stashed in my travel supplies. It's definitely easier to bring a few sample sizes for longer trips, as opposed to bringing full sized products.



Next, we have other skincare samples, not from SKII but also from other Asian brands. We have a sample of L'egere (a Korean brand with a pseudo-French name) White BB All-In-One Cream, and a one-time trial packet of Skinmiso's Pore Beauty Nose Pack. These aren't that bad, I think BB Cream is one of those things you absolutely have to sample before you buy or else you run the risk of being disappointed, and the Skinmiso product looks interesting - you basically use the first nose pack, which is a mask you stick on your nose, and it's supposed to draw out your blackheads, and then you manually exfoliate with the black Q-tip provided. And then after you've dredged out the oil from your pores, you use the second nose pack. I'm not sure how a mask you stick on your nose is supposed to draw out the blackheads enough for you to manually exfoliate them, but I hope to give this a try and let you know how it goes. (On a side note, I do happen to have lots of blackheads, so if it works on me, I'm sure it'll work on anyone...)



Lastly, we have the non-skincare products. This consists of a small cute bottle of Jimmy Choo perfume, a Twistband and a pen shaped like a lipstick. I like perfume, and I like cute tiny bottles of perfume, so this is alright with me. I've seen bloggers rave about the Twistbands but to me, it's just another hairtie. It looks really pretty though - I've begun using it, and so far it hasn't disappointed. I was just a bit surprised to receive a hairtie in a beauty box. But I guess if they can send shampoo samples, they can send hairties too.



For me, the highlight of this month's box was the SKII samples. Still, I liked the other skincare products, and the Skinmiso product piqued my curiousity, so although there wasn't anything in there this month that wowed me, I wouldn't say it's a waste of money.

I guess that's just all part and parcel of suscribing to a beauty box - there will be some months where you feel like you really got your money's worth from the box, and there will be some months where you feel like the box isn't that great. With that said, I suppose as long as the boxes are consistent from month to month, and there are no customer service issues, people will continue to suscribe. The surprise, after all, is part of the fun. If you like Korean and Japanese skincare brands, this month's box will be more to your taste.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)

Bella Box June and May: Double the Review

Bella Box is one of the Singapore-based beauty boxes making waves recently, as the beauty box trend has spread to Asia too! I was travelling around in May quite a bit, so I didn't manage to get to review the May box in time - oops! - but no worries, because this time, I'll be reviewing both the May AND June boxes together!

This time, the boxes are great, especially the June one. A lot of the samples are good stuff, with not many fillers. Here is the whole of the June box:



And here's the May box! This one didn't really come in a "box", but it came in a really cool looking cloth bag!



So, let's start with the May box, and then move on to the June one. First, let's start with the haircare. In the May box, we have a sample of Essential Shampoo and Conditioner. These are nicely-sized for travel, and perfect for a few days' use.



We also have a sample of Enavose Cellogist Youth Guard Cream, as well as a Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment. Enavose is a great skincare brand, so this is bound to be good. The Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment is a hair product meant to revitalize and treat hair, and it would be great for those with thick, dry, and frizzy hair.



Lastly, we also have a bunch of Candydoll samples. There's a few sample sachets in the plastic bag, but for me, this is mostly one-time use sachets and thus a little bit of a filler. The Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules are great, and there are two capsules - perfect for trying before you buy.



Now that we're done with May's box, let's showcase June's box! I'm really excited for June's box, it's really quite amazing for $15. First up, we have Lancome Genifique samples. This is one of Lancome's latest launches, so you really get to try the latest and greatest here.



Next, we have another latest and greatest product - Biotherm's BB Cream, their first ever, and a sample of body milk. The Body Milk sample is a little tiny, but I'm sure lots of people will be excited about the BB cream - it's always great to have a BB Cream sample to try before making a purchasing decision!



Then, we also have a sample of Kiehl's products - another little bit that makes the box this month really good. The Kiehl's Calendula Herbal Extract Toner is a nice healthy size, and this is the first toner I've seen with actual marigold flowers in the liquid! It' so cool. The Khiel's Midnight Recovery Concentrate is also one of those products that would be really expensive at full retail price, and it's great to have a sample of this in the Bellabox.



Lastly, we have a small sample of Shu Uemura's Skin Purifier, and Ralph Lauren's Romance Perfume. Both are small samples, but always a good addition.



So, if you're tired of your beauty boxes having random stuff like haircare and hair ties (in some boxes I've seen), then this month's Bella Box is a great one to try, especially if you're into high-end skincare. Virtually every sample is an expensive skincare product, so although I didn't do the math, I'm pretty sure the sum total of the products in the box is worth more than the $15 the box costs. So yes, while not all beauty boxes are value for money, this month's Bella Box is pretty great.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)

Bellabox April: Small, but Awesome

Bellabox is another beauty box subscription service - finally, we get these in Singapore too! I have April's Bellabox to show you, and I'm glad to say, you'll like it - it's full of things that are plesant and perform well.

Bellabox comes in a tiny, pink box with a "BB" logo on the frnot. It's very pretty, and looks very tiny and dainty.



Once opened however, you get a box that's chock full of goodies! It's all very nicely packed and nicely wrapped, too.

I liked what was in this month's Bellabox - I know it can vary quite a lot from month to month, and even within the same month's box options, so I guess I was fortunate this time. Without further ado, let's take a look at this month's box.

First up, the things that smell nice! I have a small sample size of Maison Francis Kurkdjian APOM Pour Femme. It's got orange flower inside (a favourite scent of mine), but layered with much darker, muskier notes, which makes it very interesting as a fragrance. The sample is a tiny little bottle (the kind department stores give out for free), but it will allow you to try out the fragrance at least a few times. I also have a small sample of Lemongrass House Shower Gel, which is in a convenient size for a short weekend travel. It's branded as a natural shower gel, and smells great, too. Very rose-y and floral.



Next up, makeup and skincare. Here we have a small Benefit Hello Flawless foundation sample. I haven't tried this yet, but I've been hearing good reviews about it. This is a very recently-launched foundation too (just last month, if I'm not wrong), so you are indeed trying out Benefit's latest product. Also, we have a decent-sized tube of Enavose Black Tea Quench Mask, which I've actually reviewed before. In my review, I said I liked the mask, and thought it worked well, so I know I'll like this, too.



Lastly, stuff you can eat! Collagen drinks (basically flavoured beverages infused with collagen molecules) are really popular over here in Asia, and every beauty box company seems to have one. This month's Bellabox contains the Kinohimitsu BB drink, which contains collagen, vitamin C, and other nutrients vital for skin.



So that's it for April's Bellabox! A good mix of skincare, bodycare, makeup, and edibles. If you're interested visit the Bellabox website to find out more. The Bellabox site also lets you purchase full sizes of any of the samples in your box, so that's another plus if you do like something in your Bellabox.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)