REVIEW: Good Green Box - April Edition...

I feel blessed that the generous lovelies at GoodGreenBox have so kindly gifted me with the April edition of their deliciously natural (and mostly organic) collection - I was crazy about the March one (reviewed HERE), but I reckon this one is even better. Again the contents are worth over $60 (outlay of $25), but there are no less than 9 items in this haul - in fact so many goodies, the box was bulging lol ♥...

Kudos to whoever does the packing as all the treasures were crammed into the parcel, and yet nothing was damaged or even vaguely squished. I love the mix of brands and different types of products, and it's a relief to know that if I'm mad about any of them, most are purchasable from their website... 

Keeko Oil Activated Coconut Charcoal Powder...

Totally intrigued by this - on the card that comes in the box, it's listed as a mouth wash, but it multi-tasks as a teeth whitener and a face mask! Loving charcoal products as I do, I figured I had nothing to lose so I tipped a little of the powder into my hand - it's the most finely milled powdered anything I've ever come across, so whatever you do, don't sneeze! I wet my toothbrush and mixed a tiny amount of the powder into a paste, and started brushing my teeth. A word of warning - this stuff is blacker than black, and if you don't keep your mouth closed while you're brushing, you'll flick black blobs everywhere. No discernible taste, and I panicked a bit when I spat out and checked my teeth in the mirror - dark grey, so were my lips and my tongue was straight out of a horror movie! Anyways I rinsed with warm water, and that improved things considerably, although my gum line and tongue still looked grey. My teeth felt terrific though, super smooth and super clean....

Because of the grey around my gums, I brushed my teeth (and tongue) with normal toothpaste, after which everything was back to normal again, and you know what, I reckon my choppers didn't look quite as yellow as they did beforehand. But I'll have to get back to you on whether it does in fact whiten my teeth noticeably over time. Meanwhile I've put the pouch in the shower caddy ready to try it as a mask. As a rule I use all charcoal products in the shower because it's so darn messy, but the rewards are awesome ♥...

MooGoo Cow Lick Lip Balm...

How come I didn't know that MooGoo made lip balm?  Have already pampered my pout numerous times with this beauty - has a delicate (totally NOT overpowering) mandarin scent and taste, delightfully soothing and smoothing, and all the (edible) ingredients are listed on the cute-as box that's made from recycled cardboard - LOVE ♥...

Pukka Detox & Turmeric Gold Tea...

While I have one latte almost every morning, for the rest of the day I'm a devoted tea-drinker (from way back in my youth actually), so I'm looking forward to sampling these two yummies that are bursting with ethically sourced and organically grown ingredients...

Organyc Feminine Hygiene...

This sample pack contains a pad and panty shield made from 100% organically certified cotton, they're breathable and biodegradable, hypoallergenic, contain no plastic, and yet are waterproof. Thank goodness someone is thinking of us gals with sensitivities, and anyone concerned about what they keep so close to their precious girly bits. While my period days are long gone, I'm not at all comfortable unless I'm wearing a shield to keep me feeling fresh, and being allergic to most brands out there, this range is a very welcome discovery ♥...

RAW Body Skincare (Scrub)...

I'm SO getting into body scrubs lately, and this one sounds like it'll be a magical experience - organic coffee beans, organic virgin coconut oil, organic coconut sugar and natural Himalayan rock salt.  My skin is tingling with delight and anticipation just reading the ingredients ♥ I tried a little on my hand, it's quite gritty and grainy, smelled like there was a barista in the bathroom, and the result was ridiculously soft skin. Get ready legs!...

Nuori Vital Foaming Cleanser...

What a treat to find this full size cleanser in the box! I used it last night to take off my makeup, and it worked brilliantly. I took the cap off for the photo so you could see it's a foam dispenser - the bottle recommends one pump for regular cleansing, but I used two as I had long wear foundation to remove. It has a very very faint and pleasant fragrance, and as you massage it into your skin, it forms a white creamy smooth paste which eventually becomes invisible. You then rinse it off with warm water...

I judge the effectiveness of cleansers by a) the colour of the rinse water in my basin & b) whether second cleansing with micellar water reveals any discolouration on the cotton pad. Well, my sink water was tinted the hue of my foundation, and the micellar pad was clean as a whistle. Yay! Not only that, my skin felt super cleansed AND hydrated afterwards. Another winner ♥... 

Zuanna Cosmetics Smoothing Minerals Exfoliating Mask...

Made from Moroccan Rhassoul Clay & Marshmallow Root, rice powder, colloidal oatmeal, organic orange peel, hibiscus flower, sandalwood & licorice root powder. Oh stop! I don't want to put it on my face, I want to eat it ha ha ♥ I started my Sunday using this, and followed the instructions to mix the powder in my palm with some water. It's very pink, dries super quick and tight, and the beauty of this mask is that the whole exercise takes 5 minutes, so you can do it while you're cleaning your teeth ♥ Love that the sachet is resealable, and I reckon there's enough in the pack for 3 goes. The end result? Instantly refined pores, and becalmed baby soft skin. Hmmm...I wonder if they sell this by the kilo?... 

After sampling most of the box contents, I'm even more impressed with what this company offers - awesome value, and the introduction to mainly non-mainstream brands producing high quality products that are kind to the environment, animals and my bod. Their tagline "Better Beauty" is spot on ♥...

Heaps of thankyou's to Good Green Box, and Bloggers United Au for hooking me up with this fab source of beauty products. You can subscribe three ways to the Good Green Box. Also the promo is still on to receive the first box for $10 using the code TRYGOODGREENBOX10 ♥...

Are you familiar with any of these brands? Is there one product in particular that piques your interest?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

P.S. As I do every week (because it's so much fun!) I'm joining Ingrid's Monday Makeup Madness Link Up Party - it's a great way to find the best of the blogs all in the one place ♥...

REVIEW: March Good Green Box...

Oh yay - had a lovely surprise last week when the March edition of the Good Green Box arrived in the post for me to sample, thanks to Bloggers United AU. I'd read reviews by other bloggers in the past, but hadn't gotten around to investigating it any further - silly me! Anyways I'm really impressed with the value ($65 worth for an outlay of $25) and it's such a cute and compact presentation of a variety of products with a focus on natural and vegan formulas - I can tell it's been put together with a lot of care. And I do enjoy the fact that if I fall in love with any of these goodies, quite a few of them are purchasable from the website shop. So...on with the contents...

The box is expertly packed with seven products, and there's a card with all the details. What's not pictured on the insert is the glue for the false eyelashes, but more on that later...

I'm starting with the Bondi Wash Body Wash because you know how I love body washes ♥ This one is scented with Tasmanian Pepper and Lavender - oh yum! I haven't opened it yet as I'm riddled with a virus at the mo' and can't smell much at all, so saving this for a few days time when I can truly enjoy the fragrant experience. Also lists bergamot and cedarwood oils in the ingredients, plus it's anti-bacterial - absolutely busting to try it! ♥...

Next is an interesting one - a wipe infused with magnesium that you use for pain relief.  The formula is oil-based, and the recommendation is to wipe along the lower back or across sore muscles for instant results. Wow I almost wish I had something painful in my bod right now so I could try this out - definitely putting it in the medicine drawer for when I or anyone in the family have an injury ♥...

Well we all know how good Wotnot wipes are, and these are specifically for the face, and for normal/sensitive skin. Ingredients include organic aloe vera, rosehip & sweet almond oils, and the blurb says they will even remove waterproof mascara. I used one last night to cleanse my face after a day in bed - not much grime to remove, but it was a good test as my nose is red raw from tissue chafing, and yet there was no stinging sensation whatsoever. My skin felt soft and lightly moisturised afterwards - definitely getting myself a big pack of these and will report on the makeup removal effectiveness, probably in my April Empties post ♥...

For those of you with particular sensitivities, the reverse of the product listing card spells out the main ingredients of each of the items - now that's helpful ♥...

Next up is the MIOD Balancing Face Oil. Very happy to see a plastic seal around the top of the dropper, and what little I can smell of this is delicious. Started this last night as it's for all skin types, but especially for oily skinned gals and anyone dealing with pore congestion. That's me to a T - just about every time I try a new moisturising range, my pores react by getting all clogged up, so I'm delighted to have the opportunity to put this to the test...

Ahh yes, natural deodorants. What a challenge it is for companies to come up with a deodorant that's effective, but doesn't contain the usual array of harmful-to-good-health chemicals. I've tried this Earth Mumma Pit Paste once so far (love the name lol), and with reasonable success - a wee bit of wetness, but definitely no stinkies.  It's a paste made from all natural ingredients that you rub into your armpits like a moisturiser - recommendation is to use a pea sized amount, and its stain free. Even with my blocked nose, I can smell the delicious lemongrass oil. Haven't been game to wear it on a work day yet, but I'll test it out again over Easter ♥...

And lastly, the product I'm most excited about  - Sarah Jean False Lashes, and an adhesive that comes in a mascara style applicator. I'm hoping this will be a turning point for me as I've struggled in the past to get the glue part right. Also the lashes look so lovely and fine - last time I tried falsies they were a lot bolder than this, and despite giving myself a pat on the back for getting them stuck on reasonably well, the reaction from the fam was "what's wrong with your eyes?". Sigh... The glue is clear, water soluble, latex free, anti-allergenic, and made in Korea. Will give these a go shortly, so watch my Instagram page for an extra special EOTD piccie ♥...

Overall I think this is an inspiring variety of products, and excellent value. You can subscribe to the Good Green Box - there are three options, and a healthy discount if you sign up for 6 months. Also there's a current promo to receive the first box for $10 using the code TRYGOODGREENBOX10. Now that's an amazing deal - imagine receiving all of the above for a tenner?

Thank you again Bloggers United AU and Good Green Box for sending me this box to sample and review - I'm so looking forward to whatever surprises are in the April edition ♥...

What do you think of  the Good Green Box - is it something you'd be interested in?

Take care of you,
kats xxx

P.S. Happy Easter Lovelies!