Native Box Unboxing - Winter 2014

Go Aussie Go!

I am completely pumped for this post today because my long awaited Native Box has arrived! Native Box is a subscription box that focuses on Australian brands. They have a Classic box, Vegan box, Super size box and the box I chose, The Beauty Box. The Beauty Box comes out for $24.95 a quarter. I had high expectations for this box because I had seen previous unboxings on Youtube when I was contemplating subscribing and I was impressed. So will my expectations be met?

I just opened the box and already my heart leapt with excitement when I spotted this Konjac Bamboo Charcoal Sponge by My Eco Sponge. I have seen these eco sponges drifting around other eco beauty blogs and I kinda wanted one. Just to try and see what all the fuss was about. To use just add water and give your face a gentle massage with the sponge and then let the sponge dry naturally. The Bamboo sponge is suppose to cleanse, exfoliate, shrink pores, eliminate blemishes, relive sunburn and moisturise the skin. One drawback is that this sponge in particular is made for oily and acne prone skin (which I don't have) but I am so curious about trying it I might ignore the label.

This massive bottle of moisturiser is a very nice find because I have been wanting a new moisturiser for some time now. At the moment I am using the Yes To Carrots Body Butter which I really like but I have had the hankering to slather on a bit of a floral scent. The Seraphina Happy Go Lovely Body Custard smells amazing, like natural roses. There is nothing artificial smelling about this cream. I even like the name. Body Custard mmmmm. Custard... anyway getting back to it. This cream is super thick -I have to really make an effort to squeeze it out the tube- kind of thick. It's full of Shea and Cocoa butters, aloe vera, Vitamin E and rose. I have a feeling that I am really going to enjoy this moisturiser during Winter.

I got two lovely little samples of tea from Byron Bay Tea Company. These tea combinations were created by a naturopath and herbalist to make a healthier body. The first is Skin Light and Refreshing, this contains lemongrass, ginger and peppermint. It's meant to give the drinker a healthy glow and sustain internal vigour. The second tea sample is a light detoxing blend made with Fennel, Nettle, Calendula, Ginger and Licorice. I'll be saving these for when I want to try something new.

La Mav is a brand that I have heard about a lot but have never tried anything from their range. Even though these are tiny samples of Antioxidant Rich Nightly Repair Nectar I am really keen to start incorporating these into my daily skincare routine. I only need one or two drops for my face and neck so I think these will last a little while. Rose, ylang ylang and neroli  are some of the ingredients in this oil and are great for locking in moisture on dry skin.

I used to work in a pharmacy that sold these Refreshed Lemon Myrtle Soaps and I have always enjoyed the wonderful fresh lemony scent. I had never bought one so I am eager to use this sample size. This soap contains moisturising Macadamia nut oil which makes it perfect for sensitive skin. I also enjoy a soap with an added gentle exfoliator.

I have seen the Australian Bush Flower Essences been advertised in a magazine and it looked really good, so I am pleased to have received this. I use hands creams regularly and apply them in the evenings when I am watching a movie on T.V and drinking my evening chamomile tea. It's  like a bedtime routine I got going on. This cream doesn't leave that dreaded greasy feeling on my skin and it smells of a really nice rose.

There seems to be a bit of a Rose theme going on in this Native Box and I don't mind at all. As soon as I took a picture of these Essentially Natural Therapeutic Rose Bath Salts I ran a bath and popped them in. I love bath salts but It's not often I use them, for me they are a special treat. These bath salts only have six lovely ingredients in them and I know what each ingredient is ( a big tick of approval) Epson salts, sea salts,white clay, Organic rose petals, sunflower oil and Rose essential oil. All good stuff for the skin. What I loved most about these bath salts were the dried rose petals that floated around in the bath. They made the water smell beautiful.

I also got a few of sachets. The Sanctum Hydrating Gel Mask sachets will go in my travel bag for holidays. These are the perfect size for one application without taking up any room in a suitcase. I have a full size Sanctum Hydrating Gel mask in my bathroom cabinet that I use about once a fortnight and it is brilliant at cleansing any excess oil around my nose and forehead as well as being really moisturising. The Care You Love Persian Rose Face Moisturiser is an interesting one; I haven't heard of the brand and again Roses are an ingredient added to help keep skin soft. I think I may be smelling a bit rosey during the Winter.

Last but certainly not least is the Rainforest Remedies Lemon Myrtle Lip Balm. This all natural lip balm gives a slight shine and is really moisturising on the lips. The balm just glides on and leaves a very subtle Lemon scent that I love. Already I can tell that I will use this lip balm down to the stub because it is soothing, doesn't have an over powering scent and it has organic ingredients. All things that I love in a lip balm.

Native Box Verdict: Bloomin' Heck! I love this box. Not only am I pleasantly surprised at the amount on contents in the box, all items are cruelty free which is so so important to me and it's not common to find a subscription beauty box that is all cruelty free in Australia.  I also really enjoyed that this season there was only skin care items ( and tea). I don't wear a lot of makeup and even though I love a cosmetic sample box, I find that I never wear all the makeup and It ends up being a bit of a waste of money. I can say without a doubt that I will use all of these skincare items. Having said that, a couple of makeup items would be nice for the Spring box. Organic and cruelty free of course. 

Is there anything in this Native box that sparks your interest?

Have Fun!

Renee x