June 1, 2018 Ally Aldridge Beauty, Body Care, Makeup, Pip Box, Uncategorized

Review: The Pip Box (May)

What is The Pip Box?

It’s a cruelty free beauty subscription box and contains a selection of five products – skincare, body care, makeup and occasionally a sweet treat too. Plus, a 50p donation from the sale of each box goes to an animal friendly charity (Animal Free Research). In addition, you earn loyalty points for each purchase which can then be used for money off future boxes.

Cost: £13.50 (+£3.95 P&P) subscription, UK

Refer a friend scheme: Every time you refer three friends, you get a free The Pip Box. If you’d like to sign up, use my friend link: https://www.thepipbox.co.uk/refer/Aliso-SJFXKEDD

What was in my box?

The box came with an information card to tell me all about the products inside and their value.

Conscious Skincare: Shampoo (sheet lists price as £3.99)

Conscious Skincare: Conditioner (sheet lists price as £3.99)

I can’t find either the shampoo or the conditioner on their website so I am assuming that they are new products (there are other scents available though).

The product clearly states that if you are pregnant you should consult your doctor before use! This is a bit alarming but at least they are clear about this rather that hide the information away. As I am currently pregnant, I won’t be trying this product this month. Instead, I plan to put it in my hospital bag to use after delivery as they are both a handy travel size.

MoYou: Nail Plate, Stamp & Scraper (sheet lists price as £9.99)

I am really excited to give this a go. I feel need to buy another colour polish like white or gold to be the print as all my current polishes are very ‘samey’. After pay day, I guess I’ll have to treat myself to a new nail polish.

Bloomtown: Roll on infused oil (sheet lists price as £4.80)

I already have a few products by this brand. They donate 10% of their profits to environmental and social causes. The brand is from Cornwall, UK and started in 2016 and already winning awards for their products.

I had quick sniff and it smells lovely. It reminds me of my favourite Rose perfume by Acorelle (I don’t recommend them for their sun-care products). I love how affordable Bloomtown make their products and how ethical the brand is. I can’t wait to start using this product.

Glo By Glory: Semi Matte Liquid Lipstick (website & sheet lists price as £16.99)

The brand is from America and all the prices are in dollars. One of the first things they say is ‘We are feminine’ but they also say their products are for men. They are vegan and cruelty the free.

The lipstick is available in 4 shades, the shade I have is Sugar Dumpling (described as a dusty rose nude). I’ve tried it on and it is a very dark brown against my pale skin and a bit messy and unforgiving. I’ll keep trying it to see if I get better with practice and looks better with a full face of makeup. I’ll also test how well it stays on.

Reflect on previous box

This is how I got on using the products from my April box:

The Konjac Sponge Co: Body Sponge (website RRP £29.00, Sheet lists price as £11.99)

I never would have though to buy a sponge or that I would love it so much but this is the best sponge I have ever used. Even my 4 year old could tell the quality and insist on using this in the shower over his fun character flannels. I plan on buying the whole family one each.

Weleda: Evening Primrose Body Oil (website RRP £24.95 full size, Sheet lists price as £3.99 sample size)

I haven’t used it. I have do have a lot of body oils on the go at the moment and really appreciate the travel size of this sample. I am putting it in my maternity bag for use after my shower in hospital.

FRUU: Colour Balm in Strawberry (website & sheet lists price as £4.99)

I’ve been using this almost every day. It is moisturising and fun to have a pop of colour. The pink-coral shade is a little bright for me but the colour doesn’t last long. I will use it up but if I rebuy, I will try a different shade (there is 8 to choose from).

Balade En Provence: Apple Hand Cream (website & sheet lists price as £9.99)

This smells so good. I haven’t used it much as I neglect caring for my hands. I’m sure that once the baby is here and I’m cleaning my hands after nappy changes, this will be in regular use. I also love the cute apple design of the pot and decided that it would make a lovely gift for my sons key workers at nursery as he graduates this summer and my little boy will start school in September.

Peony Cosmetics: Pink Glow Luminizing Stick (website RRP $22.00, sheet lists price as £16.99)

This product is fine but I have really pale skin and the colour just doesn’t show up on me. I’ve had this problem with other highlighters. I’ve used it a few times as it has a very subtle shimmer on my skin but isn’t light enough to highlight for me. It is friendly to my skin – no irritation or doing weird stuff like flaking – so I think if you have darker skin then this could be great for you.

Would I recommend?

I continue to subscribe to The Pip Box and really like the reward scheme, supporting a charity and discovering more cruelty free brands.

I am disappointed that I cannot use the shampoo and conditioner because I am pregnant but I’ll stick them in my hospital bag as they are a good travel size. I’m most excited this month about trying trying the nail art as I never give my hands any attention – I’ll try to take some pics on how I get on.

May 4, 2018 Ally Aldridge Beauty, Body Care, Makeup, Pip Box, Uncategorized

Review: The Pip Box (April)

What is The Pip Box?

It is a beauty subscription box with a selection of cruelty free products. The box contains a selection of five products – skincare, body care, makeup and occasionally a sweet treat too.A donation from the cost of the box goes to an animal friendly charity (This month is Animal Free Research). In addition, you earn loyalty points for each purchase which can then be used for money off future boxes.

Cost: £13.50 (+£3.95 P&P) subscription, UK

View this post on Instagram
April’s The Pip Box unboxing ?
A post shared by Author Ally Aldridge (@redfae) on Apr 24, 2018 at 1:51pm PDT

What was in my box?

The box came with an information card to tell me all about the products inside and their value.

The Konjac Sponge Co: Body Sponge (website RRP £29.00, Sheet lists price as £11.99)

This wasn’t an easy product to photograph. It’s also a product you would not expect to have won so many awards but this sponge has!

It 100% natural, biodegradable and despite being gentle it is able to deliver a deep cleanse and boost circulation.

This sounds amazing and I’m putting it in my shower right away.

Weleda: Evening Primrose Body Oil (website RRP £24.95 full size, Sheet lists price as £3.99 sample size)

I really like this brand as they’ve been creating natural products for a long time now.

It’s described as being ideal for dry/mature skin. I’m hoping that it’s going to prove beneficial for a growing pregnant tummy. I don’t suffer with stretch marks but I am living oils at the moment as a precaution.

FRUU: Colour Balm in Strawberry (website & sheet lists price as £4.99)

Wow, I wasn’t expecting the balm to be so pigmented. It’s like a lipstick but really soothing, nourishing and smells delicious.

I love the colour but saw there are more shades to try on their site! This is a brand I’ve not heard of before and pleased to discover.

Balade En Provence: Apple Hand Cream (website & sheet lists price as £9.99)

This is another new brand to me. That produce vegan skincare with natural ingredients. I think they are relatively new as there is currently only two products.

I love the cute ’apple’ shaped jar the hand cream comes in. The other product they do is a pear hand cream in a pear jar. I’m excited to try this product to see if it is as good as not looks and I want to leave it out somewhere so I can show it off to guests.

Peony Cosmetics: Pink Glow Luminizing Stick (website RRP $22.00, sheet lists price as £16.99)

It uses natural ingredients (92%), gluten free, paraben free and cruelty free.

The product had fallen out the tube when I first got it out the box. I pushed it back in the shaft and it fixed it. *phew*

The only highlighter I currently have is my RMS one and it’s almost run out. This will be a useful addition to my makeup. I’ll let you know how I get on.

Reflect on previous box

This is how I got on using the products from my March box:

Dr Botanicals: Tropical Invigorating Cream (website RRP £29.00, Sheet lists price as £44.00)

This really light moisturizer has been a joy to use on those really hot days. I do find I have to be ever so careful squeezing the tube as the gentlest touch will release a generous amount – either that or I am very heavy handed. I still can’t get over how beautiful it is. I love seeing this tube in bathroom cabinet.

Saturated Colour: Make Me Matt (website and sheet RRP £8.00) and Moisturising Lipstick – Naked Pink (website and sheet RRP £7.00)

I’ve found the ‘Make Me Matt’ quite dry so I haven’t really used it much. It is a useful product to hang onto for any occasion when I need to make a lipstick have a matt lip. However, I have been wearing the lipstick on its own, most days. I really like the colour. It is a strong pink and very pretty.

Okko Skincare: ‘Try me’ Natural foot balm stick (£21.00 RRP for 50g on the website, £3 on the sheet for 4.5g ‘try me’ size)

I don’t really suffer with cracked heels so I haven’t felt the need to use this product much but it was a lovely treat. I still think I have another use left in the ‘try me’ size, I will use it again.

Raw-Ganic: Refreshing Aloe and Green Tea Facial Wipes (£2.99 on the sheet and website)

I was planning to save these for my maternity bag but I really like it. Especially, when I am tired at the long day and can’t be bothered to spend ages in the bathroom – I just want to go to bed. These are so quick and easy and have a nice gentle smell. I will be buying this product again.

Would I recommend?

I am a regular subscriber to The Pip Box and never been disappointed by the contents. I really like the new reward scheme, supporting a charity and discovering more cruelty free brands.

The hand cream looks really cute. I’ve tried the highlighter and lip balm and they are beautiful universal colours that would suit most people. I can see myself using all these products. I am really happy with what I got.

April 26, 2018 Ally Aldridge Beauty, Body Care, Skin Organics Box, Skincare, Uncategorized

Review: Skin Organics Beauty Box

What is it?

Skin Organics Clean Beauty is a subscription box with a selection of non-toxic, cruelty-free, organic and natural products. These may be skincare, body care or beauty products. Their aim is to help you discover clean, green and cruelty-free products and brands. They dispatch on 20th of the month.

Cost: £19.00 (+£3.95 P&P) subscription, UK

This is my second subscription to this box.

I have created a video to go with this post but it’s my first attempt and I think it needs a little edit before putting on YouTube. My plan is to figure out ‘how’ this weekend and update my post then. Sorry for the delay. Here is my written first impressions:

What was in my box?

Radiance

This months theme is Radiance. Inside the box was seven products!

The card has details about all the products and discount codes if you decide to buy.

Mono Naturoils

There were two products by this brand. Their products are cruelty free, vegan, zero waste, and the purest ingredients from the earth. The ingredients are botanical and infused with energy from crystals. For customers they have a loyalty program and free shipping.

Rose & Cucumber Cleansing Oil (website & sheet lists price as £20.00)

I’ve always wanted to try a cleansing oil as I’ve heard that contrary to logic that it can be good for acne prone skin. However, I’ve never got around to putting the theory to the test.

Since receiving the oil I’ve switched to give it a try and so far I like it.

Facial Steam (This trial size is a gift from the founder of Mono. No price is given.)

I haven’t tried this yet but I do get clogged skin so I think a steam will be really good for my face. I’m looking forward to giving this a go soon.

Wildsource Apothecary

Built on an understanding of aromatherapy, these botanical products use natural ingredients. The website hosted a number of interesting looking products that are very tempting.

Radiance Mask (website RRP £24.00 & sheet lists price as £15.00)

I almost tried this after my bath but I must confess, I am not great at mixing my own masks. I tend to get inpatient with adding water and then make them too runny. I will try and do it this month and share my thoughts.

Naissance

This brand provides ingredients to make your own organic beauty products (and sets to get your started). These oils come with a card with three uses and one is a serum recipe.

Certified Organic Rosehip Oil (website & sheet list price as £8.99)

I already have an Oil by this brand and found it to be of good quality. It smells just like an oil so I think they honestly don’t add anything to it – you really are getting what you pay for.

Green People

For a long time I’ve wanted to try this brand but never got around to buying it. They are all organic and worked with soil association to create a recognised standard for other brands to aspire to. They are ethical and support charities. Cruelty free.

Quinoa & Calendula Shower Gel (website RRP £9.99 (100ml), 4.00 on the sheet for sample size)

I haven’t yet used this as I wanted to get some nice pics before jumping in the shower with it. It is SLS free (as are all their products), paraben free and a whole list of free from synthetic ingredients. The natural ingredients are all added for a reason such as Quinoa to lock in moisture.

Anita Grant

There were two generous sample size products in this box. The brand is….

Vanilla Cocoa Body Butter Sample (website & sheet RRP £3.45 for 15g sample size)

This body butter is sensitive enough to use on babies and suitable for pregnant women to treat stretch marks.

It has a very strong rich chocolate smell. The body butter is very moisturising and becomes oil like when it warms up. I really liked the texture but found the smell a little much for me. I’d be interested in trying it again with another scent.

Coconut Rosewood Dry Oil (website & sheet RRP £2.99 for 15ml)

The dried rose floating inside makes it feel special and pretty. This is suitable for combination and dry skin. It also can be used on your hair. I really like the smell. It’s early days but so far I’m very fond of this product and have been using it on my face to treat problem areas.

Would I recommend?

Once again this is another great box, introducing the sort of brands I want to know and use. Everything feels like good quality and was beautifully wrapped.

All the products meet the promise of clean, green and cruelty-free – so if that’s something you desire, this is a great box for you.

Reflect on previous box

I’m going to include a new part to my article where I look back at the previous months box to see how I got on with the contents. I hope you find it useful.

This is how I got on using the products from my March box:

Apothaka: Rejuvenating face oil – normal/combination skin (website RRP £19.50, Sheet lists price as £19.95)

I haven’t used this as much as I though I would. It’s been so hot, I’ve wanted something lighter than an oil.

NKnaturals London: Delicate – Healing Cleansing Balm (website RRP £25.00 for 60ml, Sheet lists price as £15.00 for 30ml)

This was being used every day and my skin loves it. I only stopped when it got so hot and I desired a lighter cleanser (a gel one). I am still using it to remove eye makeup as it is so gentle on my skin. I like the strong honey and lemon smell.

The Salt Parlour: Calm – Salt and Sulphur Scrub (Rose and Shea Butter) (£15.00 RRP for 200g on the website, £5.90 on the sheet for 60g tin)

I keep forgetting I have this but when I did use it I was really impressed. I don’t usually like scrubs but this is the best one I’ve ever used.

North-burN: Revive – Luxury Bathing Salts (Orange, Lavender and Palmarosa (£4.00 on the sheet)

I still have not used this product as I am saving it for after I have my baby (in August) as salt baths are a great way of healing after labour.

Beauty Kubes – Organic shampoo for normal to dry hair (£1.00 on the sheet)

They now have a video on their website showing you how to use these kubes. I think they are a really affordable and eco-friendly way of shampooing your hair and will think about repurchasing them in future.

April 6, 2018 Ally Aldridge Beauty, Body Care, Makeup, Pip Box, Skincare

Review: The Pip Box (March)

What is it?

The Pip Box is a beauty subscription box with a selection of cruelty free products. A donation from the cost of the box goes to an animal friendly charity (This month is Animal Free Research). The box contains a selection of five products – skincare, body care, makeup and occasionally a sweet treat too.

Cost: £13.50 (+£3.95 P&P) subscription, UK

View this post on Instagram
The Pip Box (March) Unboxing ?
A post shared by Author Ally Aldridge (@redfae) on Mar 28, 2018 at 12:38pm PDT

How to get a free box?

In each box is a card encouraging consumers to share their pictures on social media. They then choose a winner to get their next box free. Last month, they chose my February pictures and I got my March box free.

View this post on Instagram
Thank you @thepipbox, I’m so pleased you liked my pics & I’m so excited to use the contents of this box!
A post shared by Author Ally Aldridge (@redfae) on Mar 24, 2018 at 5:02am PDT

What was in my box?

The box came with an information card to tell me all about the products inside and their value.

Dr Botanicals: Tropical Invigorating Cream (website RRP £29.00, Sheet lists price as £44.00)

Dr Botanicals is a London based vegan skincare brand and made from pure natural ingredients, paraben-free and no harmful preservatives. They pride themselves on their products being kind to your skin and animals.

The cream is really light but moisturising and sinks in fast. The tropical smell isn’t strong and reminds me of grapefruit but that’s not listed as an active ingredient. These are:

Elderflower: to protect the skin from free radical damage
Chamomile Flower Extract: to heal and soothe irritated and damaged skin
Tiara Flower Extract: to deeply nourish and purify the skin

I’m still really enjoying their day cream from last months edit too – click here to read.

Saturated Colour: Make Me Matt (website and sheet RRP £8.00) and Moisturising Lipstick – Naked Pink (website and sheet RRP £7.00)

This month I got two products by Saturated Colour. This is a UK brand (Essex), cruelty free and vegan friendly. The brand is affordable and they products have great colour and some clever ideas.

The Naked Pink lipstick is a gorgeous colour that would suit almost anyone. It is a daytime pink and you could wear it to work. The ‘make me matt’ is a clever product that can turn any lipstick matt. If you have an old favourite that is the perfect shade but want it to be matt, then this is for you. I think it is genius.

Her are some pics and swatches of the lipstick, Make It Matt and Lip Lock (another Saturated Colour product for longer lasting lip colour).

Top pic: Make it Matt (over lipstick)

Middle pic (L to R): swatch of lipstick alone, lipstick with Make it Matt, lipstick with Lip Lock, lipstick with Make it Matt & Lip Lock

Bottom pic: Naked Pink Lipstick

Okko Skincare: ‘Try me’ Natural foot balm stick (£21.00 RRP for 50g on the website, £3 on the sheet for 4.5g ‘try me’ size)

Okko Skincare use natural and organic ingredients in their products. They are proud of their balms in a stick format as this enables you to throw it in your bag without the risk of spills.

I was impressed go easily the stick was to apply to my foot. It instantly turned into an oil. I used it straight out my morning shower but think this would be better before bed to allow the oil more time to penetrate. It has a nice smell and I’d be interested in trying more of their sticks.

Raw-Ganic: Refreshing Aloe and Green Tea Facial Wipes (£2.99 on the sheet and website)

Raw-Ganic is an English brand (Oxford). The brand uses natural and organic ingredients that are environmentally sustainable and affordable. It is vegan and cruelty free.

I like these wipes. I’ve used them to remove Make-up before bed and in the morning. I also tested them on removing the searches from my arm and it came off easily, even the swatches with Lip Lock. I’m thinking of putting them away in my overnight bag or next to my bed for when I’m too tired to take my makeup off with a full cleanse.

Would I recommend?

I am a regular subscriber to The Pip Box and never been disappointed by the contents. It was really rewarding to get my box for free and goes to show that the company really do care about their customers.

I’m starting to grow a nice collection of Saturated Colour and Dr Botanics products and I am interested in buying more. I like being introduced to new brands I may not have discovered otherwise like Okko Skincare and Raw-Ganic both organic brands with great ethics.

March 28, 2018 Ally Aldridge Beauty, Body Care, Skin Organics Box, Skincare

Review: Skin Organics Beauty Box (March)

What is it?

Cost: £19.00 (+£3.95 P&P) subscription, UK

I decided to try them out since the products that they are promoting are by the sort of brands I really want to use more of.

View this post on Instagram
Unboxing my first Skin Organic Box ?
A post shared by Author Ally Aldridge (@redfae) on Mar 26, 2018 at 12:36pm PDT

What was in my box?

The box came with a piece of paper with ‘Rebalance’ on it. I’m wondering if this is the theme of the box but as I’ve not had one before I’m not sure if there is always a sheet of paper with ‘Rebalance’ written on it. On the other side, it has details about the products inside and discount codes.

Apothaka: Rejuvenating face oil – normal/combination skin (website RRP £19.50, Sheet lists price as £19.95)

This oil has been shortlisted for the Beauty Awards 2017 and featured in Vogue. It arrived in a blue organza bag and a personalized card from the owner of Apothaka. I have normal to combination skin so this oil is perfect for me. It is very moisturizing and I’ve only tried it before bed – I’m not sure my make up will stay on it. It reminds me of Antipodes Divine Face Oil – which is one of the best face oils I have ever used. I really like this oil. I’m going to continue to use it and see how my skin gets on.

NKnaturals London: Delicate – Healing Cleansing Balm (website RRP £25.00 for 60ml, Sheet lists price as £15.00 for 30ml)

This balm arrived in a black box but as soon as I saw it I was excited to use it. It reminded me of my Moa Balm and has a similar texture and colour. However, this seems more ‘delicate’. I have used it for removing my eye makeup and it is so gentle it hasn’t irritated my eyes at all. My skin has never felt so soft after cleansing. I’m going to see how my skin reacts to this as I use the pot up but on first impressions, I’m won over!

It smells like honey and lemon.

The Salt Parlour: Calm – Salt and Sulphur Scrub (Rose and Shea Butter) (£15.00 RRP for 200g on the website, £5.90 on the sheet for 60g tin)

This tin looks lovely but as I am not a fan of scrubs I thought about giving it to my husband’s best friend who loves scrub and the anchor theme makes it a little more masculine as you think of the marines and sailors but… I don’t think he’s going to get this one.

As soon as I opened the box, the delicious scent of this scrub caught. I had to sniff everything in the box to figure out what smelt so good. I decided to give it a go and found that it doesn’t scratch the skin, it scrubs and melts. It’s full of nourishing ingredient so my skin didn’t feel dry. This scrub is for keeps!

It’s a beauty shortlist winner and the wooden spoon that came with the box is for scooping it out so you don’t need to use your fingers. It also has tiny rose petals in it and you can see all the natural ingredients. I’m not sure my photo has captured how beautiful this product is.

North-burN: Revive – Luxury Bathing Salts (Orange, Lavender and Palmarosa (£4.00 on the sheet)

I thought the wooden spoon was for the bath salts but it was for the scrub. I haven’t had a chance to use the bath salts yet but I was looking to buy some so I am really pleased this was in my package and I will keep it ready to try in my cupboard for a special occasion.

Beauty Kubes – Organic shampoo for normal to dry hair (£1.00 on the sheet)

The ‘Kubes’ are about the size of a sugar cube. You crumble them in your hand to make a powder, add water to make a paste and then rub it into your hair to form a lather.

I’m not a massive fan of products that I have to make up myself – I’m lazy. So, I never would have bought it myself. However, I actually found it incredibly simple, fun and it lathered up quickly. At first, it felt a little crumbly on my head so perhaps I didn’t get the paste quite right but it soon worked into a lather and didn’t matter.

Would I recommend?

I am really pleased with the contents of the box. I can see myself using up all the products. I am considering repurchasing the cleansing balm, facial oil and even the scrub! The Kube was fun but I’m not sure it is my thing and I’ve not yet tried the bath salts.

All the products meet the promise of clean, green and cruelty-free – so if that’s something you desire, this is a great box for you. I’m going to continue my subscription; I think that says it all.

March 5, 2018 Ally Aldridge Beauty, Makeup, Pip Box, Skincare, Uncategorized

Review: The Pip Box (February)

What is The Pip Box

It is a monthly subscription box full of cruelty free beauty products. If that’s not enough to make you feel good, they also donate a portion of their profit to Animal Free Research UK from each box sold.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfrEEVRhrH3/?taken-by=redfae

What did I get?

Here are my first impressions of the products that I’ve been testing out since I received the box about a fortnight ago.

Dr Botanicals: Kale Superfood Nourishing Day Cream

Vegan
Cruelty free
UK (London based)

This product claims to improve the appearance of skin whilst providing nourishment. The main active ingredients are Kale (vitamin C & E) and Cocoa Butter.

Review: I’ve found this cream to be light. It doesn’t have a scent. It dries fast so I can put makeup on immediately afterwards. It is a small tube so I’m not sure how long this will last but the product cost is the price of the subscription fee so I’ve already got my money back with this one item.

RRP £14.90

Johnny Concert: Amplified eyeshadow (Tainted Cupcake)

Natural
Vegan
Cruelty free

This brand prides themselves on being diverse and creating a brand everyone can use to express themselves (reminded me of Illamasqca). The shade Tainted Cupcake is a champagne pink with rose gold. It can be applied dry or wet for a more intense pop of colour.

Review: The eyeshadow has a shimmer to it so if you are not into that this then the shade is not for you. The shade chosen is a safe choice for most people but if you fancy something more daring they have some bolder colours on their website. It also came with a free brush which I really like.

RRP $15.00 (about £10.86 by exchange rate on 4 March 2018)

Akamuti: Face Mask (Chocolate Marshmallow)

Natural
Sustainable ingredients (and Fair Trade)
Recyclable
Charity (support The Orangutan Land Trust )
Handmade
No preservatives
Cruelty free

Above is just a snippet of all the goodness this brand delivers. One of the first The Pip Boxes I received contained the ‘Green Clay’ face mask, I then went on to buy more products by the brand (a body oil and their petroleum free jelly).

Review: I haven’t had a chance to test this yet but I have previously used their green clay version. It is a power mask and you have to mix it with water to create a paste. If you enjoy making your masks then you will love this.

I prefer my masks already made so I wouldn’t have chosen this for myself but I am looking forward to trying it out because I know this brand always delivers and the mask will be effective. You mix up what you need and there is enough that you will get plenty of uses out of the pot making it very cost effective.

RRP £4.95

Naissance Journal: Argan Oil

Soil Association Certification
Natural
Vegan
Cruelty free

I struggled to find the product on their website but other oils in the same packaging were the organic certified oils. I expect they have just not updated the product images yet on the site and this is new packaging. There was a wide range of products on their site and gift sets for people who like making beauty products like bath bombs etc.

Review: My skin really does love organic oils. Since receiving this, I have been putting it on before bed. You only need a little bit to cover your face and it dries quick. There were also instructions on how you can use the oil for your hair or mix it to make a serum. I’m not keen on the smell of the product – it smells like cooking oil.

I will use it up but not sure I’ll re-buy. I am interested in trying their bath salts…

RRP £4.99

Medusa’s Makeup: Lip Paint (Cowgirl)

Vegan
Cruelty free

This brand is difficult to get in the UK but not impossible, however, I had trouble finding a supplier that sells all the shades of lip paint yet so this is possibly a new line. The product is a liquid lipstick with a matt finish and stays on all day.

Review: The shade Cowgirl is not for me. I put it on and it is a pale nude colour that made my lips look like they had no colour and I am a red lip girl. However, I couldn’t get it off and realised I was stuck with the shade all day unless I wanted to start my make-up over. I went out in it. It did last all day.

I am very tempted to get this matt lip paint in another colour because I love the fact you can put it on and forget about it and as a busy mum, doing my makeup once is about all the time I’ve got.

RRP $12.00 (about £8.69 by exchange rate on 4 March 2018)

JOM Organic: Organic Candy (Fizzy Caramel)

Vegan
Organic
No palm oil
Free from: Gluten, GMO and Nuts

JOM stands for ‘Just One More’ and the brand is appropriately named.

Review: So, I opened the packet to show the sweets and tried one. Before I had even uploaded the pic to Instagram, the contents was gone. Honestly, I meant to share them with my husband and son but they really were moreish. I highly recommend!

I can’t wait to order some more of these and try other flavours.

RRP £1.25

Share to social media

Currently, boxes contain a card encouraging consumers to share pics of their box and contents on social media and how to tag to enter the monthly raffle. If your pic is chosen, you win your next box free. It’s rewarding that this support and loyalty is recognised by The Pip Box.

I take pics every month because I love my The Pip Box. I then use my images on my blog. This month, I won! So, my March box will be free and the contents will be worth £65!

I’m no professional photographer. I just took pics with my mobile. This shows anyone can win. So, if you buy The Pip Box, don’t hesitate to share your joy with pics. Do it, tag it, and you may just win it.

January 1, 2018 Ally Aldridge Beauty, Pip Box

Review: December’s Pip Box

Unboxing

Here is a little video of me opening my December Pip Box under the Christmas tree. It arrived on 18 December 2017.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc2j1N7BREI/?taken-by=redfae

Review

I’ve now had the products two weeks and had a chance to try all but one of them them. Here is my review:

Benecos – natural eyeshadow (rose gold): As always Pip are brilliant at picking colours – I don’t know how they do it! They sent me the shade Rose Gold which is a really pretty shade. This is a great eye shadow. It will become a staple in my make-up bag. I would recommend it and I would buy it again.
- This product was from from Pravera Direct. This is the first time I have seen Pip recommend a store (rather than the brand directly). I love discovering new ethical beauty shops so I’m really pleased.
- It costs only£4.95.
Tisserand Aromatheraphy – bath soak (rose & geranium leaf): This is the second time Pip has sent me a Tisserand product (last time I got a hand cream). I prefer the smell of this product. It has an earthy rose smell to it. It alsogffelt really rich and moisturizing in the bath, almost like an oil. I really enjoyed this and I’m certain it will get all used up in no time.
- It costs £10.95.
Bloomtown -100% Natural & Vegan Lip Balm (red & berried): This is a winter life saver. It had prevented cracked lips and kept them hydrated whilst in out in the cold. An added bonus is that it has a subtle red tint to it and smells delicious.
- It costs £4.80.
Raven Chocolate – Mini Coconut Milk Bar: This is the first time I got something to eat in my Pip box and I generously offered to share it with my 4 year old. OMG, I wish I had recorded our reactions. We DID NOT like this! We are clearly not ready for vegan, dairy free, sugar free chocolate. YUCK! I’m glad we got to try it as it enabled me to learn this is not for me.
- A 25g bar costs £1.95

Still to try

Freyaluna Skincare – nourishing face steam (fennel & rose): When opening my box I had a stuffy nose so I was most excited to use this product. I had dreams of resolving my nasal congestion and getting a facial at the same time. Sadly, I got sick and then was rushed by Christmas and visiting family and I’ve just not had any time – aghhh! I am still super keen to review this product properly soon.
- You can get a small 5g packet to try for £2.00 or buy a 30g jar for £11.00

The Pip Box Review

I love my Pip Box so much that I’ve decided to cancel my Birch Box subscription. I prefer the products I get and I end up using them all up (no waste). It’s great value and I’ve discovered some brilliant new products and brands to love. I highly recommend subscribing.

Cruelty free beauty box – £14.99 (monthly), £40.50 (3 x months), +P&P
Vegan friendly beauty box – £14.99 (monthly), £40.50 (3 x months), +P&P
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