Splendies September 2015

Kia Ora!

I've got a bit of a different subscription box to unbox today. It's one I've been looking at for just over a year now, and I decided to just go ahead and order it. It's an underwear subscription, Splendies. This subscription sends you 3 pairs of underwear every month, for $10USD. With the exchange rate (and international shipping of $9USD) I ended up paying $30NZD for a month, which isn't too bad as long as the underwear are high quality. Heck, even if they aren't, $10 for a pair of underwear is still pretty cheap.

The package arrived in a small bag, wrapped in tissue paper. I like that they just pop it in a bag, because fabric items don't require the same level of shipping care. They won't mind if the postie chucks them through a basketball hoop. Anyway ... on to the contents of the package!

The first pair is black with white spots, and pink elastic around the edges. I thought these were pretty neat when I first saw them, not too fancy but good for a reliable pair of underwear. Upon wearing them, one leg hole is smaller than the other (or I have one fatter thigh) so they were quite uncomfortable. I'll be passing these on to my sister.

This pair is my favourite! I love purple, the orange and pink flowers work really well with it, and the purple lace around the edges is very pretty. These ones are a winner!

This pair is a light peach colour, and very comfortable. They have no seams apart from attaching the lace/elastic around the edges, and are very soft.

Overall I'm really impressed with what I can get in this subscription. I've got 2 new pairs of underwear, and one going to my sister. I liked the designs of all three, and am happy with the price I paid.

You can sign up using my link if you are interested in this subscription (for every three referrals I get a free month), but this link is a non-affiliate link. Alternately please feel free to put 'Intrepid Forays' as the referral name if you are signing up. I would be super grateful for your use of the affiliate link, but no pressure at all if you aren't keen on that option. The coupon code SPLENDIES also gets you a discount of a few dollars on your first month.

What do you think of the subscription?

Until next time ...

Bonjour Jolie July 2015

Kia Ora!

I'm unboxing the July Bonjour Jolie box today, as the first time it got lost in the post (international shipping seems to be more likely to lose your parcels unfortunately). However, Bonjour Jolie has the absolute best customer service in the entire world, and resent this box (along with another I'd ordered and was shipped at the same time). So now I can bring a (very) late unboxing of July to you!

Bonjour Jolie is a period subscription service, with lots of options for feminine hygeine products, allowing you to choose between pads, tampons, and disposable menstrual cups depending on personal preference. You can mix and match, and change your choices month to month as well. This is $16USD. There is also an option simply to receive the pampering products, and I've opted for this option for $10USD per month + shipping. Shipping to New Zealand is $14.50.

The card! The theme is A Day at the Beach, which is appropriate for the summertime in the Northern Hemisphere and a nice reminder of what we can expect around Christmas time in the Southern Hemisphere.

Silver and Stone Starfish Necklace

I love this necklace. I think wearing dainty silver necklaces is perfect in summer (when necklines tend to be a little lower), and I'm really looking forward to wearing this over the next couple of months. The stone is immovable on the chain, and the starfish charm will move up and down the chain, so you can slightly customise this necklace to your own preferences (although I imagine gravity will mean that the charms are together most of the time).

RRP: $14

You can check out the Etsy shop for more jewellery! This was the same person who provided the necklace for the June Box (which I also adore and is one of my most-worn work necklaces).

Bonjour Jolie Organic Body Scrub - Pina Coloda

Have I mentioned recently that I'm obsessed with body scrubs? I've been using plenty, and loving it, so I'm quite excited to see this tub of it! The oil has separated from the scrub particles, but that's nothing a good stir won't fix. It smells divine, all pineapple and coconut, and I can't wait to start using it. I imagine it will be quite moisturising too considering the oil in there.

RRP: $12
Full size.

Brothers All Natural Fruit Crisps

Yum! I love seeing a slightly healthier snack in here (not that I don't love all the lollies and things), and can't wait to try it out. I'm hoping it will be the texture of chips (crisps for those who differentiate), but will delicious apple flavour. I think this will make a nice 3pm work snack.

Skittles - Dessert flavour

Who doesn't love Skittles? I haven't tried this set of flavours before, but it's the perfect thing to take to the movies, or eat during a movie night at home. I'm planning on watching the extended edition of The Two Towers tonight so I think these will be perfect for that.

Swedish Fish

These are fantastic. A bit like a cross between red liquorice and gummy bears, and I love them. There were more than this in the box, but I ate about half before it was photo taking time - sorry everyone!

Fruit Filled Sea Shell Candy

I haven't tried these ones yet, but they are hard lollies (most likely to have a fruit filling?). They look nice, and another new thing to try out is always welcome.

Lollipops

Honestly, I'm happy to see these, but not overly excited. I think it's a cool thing to have in the box, and I will eat them, but I don't generally gravitate towards lollipops as my sweet of choice. Although the last lollipops I had from Bonjour Jolie (back in April) were amazing, so these may surprise me too.

Margaritaville Drink Packets

These are a nice summery touch. I would be lying if I said I'm not disappointed - I really love tea bags - but these will be fun to try out in my drink bottle at work. Perfect summer drink by the looks!

Well there were a lot of great goodies in the July box! The usual sanitary wipes and ibuprofin (I can't remember the American brand name for it) were there too, but they don't really need their own photo and blurb. I truly do love getting the boxes from Bonjour Jolie - despite them being very expensive right now with the terrible exchange rate. The variety of snack items (usually ones I've never tried before) and the great pamper/jewellery items are truly top notch.

What do you think of the box?

Until next time ...

Butterfly Party Soap Shower and Body Box September 2015

Kia Ora!

If that isn't the longest blog post title I've had, I'll be damned. Phew! I have another month of goodies from the spectacular Butterfly Party Soap Subscription to show you today. I've been loving these products recently, and love getting lucky dip scents as then I will possibly find something to love that I wouldn't have chosen myself.

The theme for this box is Celebration, in honour of September being the one year anniversary of this box. I just wish I'd known about it earlier in 2015, so I could have had more boxes (moar I say, moar!).

The card. Apologies for the terrible angle on this one, I'm still figuring out some of the more complicated settings on my camera. 

Luxury Soap - Fairy Floss

This is a huge chunk of soap. It will last forever! It's got swirls of colour, and what looks like mini-pearls on the top. I haven't opened it to smell it as I'm going to give this away as a Christmas present (or possibly on the blog at a later date) but it's a great item to have in the box.

RRP: $6.50
Full size. 

Bath and Shower Whip - Candy Land

This product is fantastic. It's a the perfect medium between a bar of soap, and a bottle of shower gel. It's a soft mousse, that lathers wonderfully, and leaves you smelling great. I'm honestly addicted to this product. This scent straight up smells like lollies. It's almost a sickly sweet, but I like it!

RRP: $5
Sample size.  

Body Butter - Choc Mint Icecream

One can never have enough lotion (says the girl with several drawers full). I love that this is chocolate mint icecream flavoured! This isn't my favourite product as it is a bit rich for my skin, but I will use it and I'm happy it's in the box.  A tub this size will last for a couple of weeks at least, so it's a great addition to the box.

RRP: $5
Sample size.  

Foamy Scrub - Choc Berry Torte

These scrubs are currently the love of my life (sorry to my SO when he reads this). I can't get over how fantastic the scrubbing particles are (sugar I think), and that they also lather like soap, work well as a shaving cream, and leave my skin totally moisturised too. Best. Product. Ever!

RRP: $5
Sample size.  

Foamy Scrub - Sangria Punch

Another pottle of scrub! I'm a very happy girl right now! This scent is fast becoming one of my favourites too. It's fruity and sweet, and smells like sangria (obviously). I'm so excited to use this up, but will have to get my nose out of the container first.

RRP $5
Sample size.  

Lip Balm - Pina Coloda

The scent in this balm is the perfect mix of coconut and pineapple. It's great. I'm not a huge fan of the lip balm. It's a bit too much oil for me, but it is great for hydrating lips overnight, and the scents are wonderful (and don't taste half bad either). I'm happy with this, but not overly excited.


RRP: $3.50
Full size.

Total value of the box: $30.

This box isn't quite as great as the August box (even the value seems a bit low), but I'm really happy to have two tubs of scrub and that lolly-smelling shower whip. I still think that this is good value for money as the products are high quality, and hand-made, but August was better (for me). Each to their own though, and I can see how a lot of people would love this box completely.

What do you think?

Until next time ...

Butterfly Party Soap Shower and Body Box August 2015

Kia Ora!

Upon opening the door to the courier last week, I was given three months worth of the Bath and Body box from Butterfly Party Soap. One was August (unboxed below), and the other two are September and October (coming up in the next two weeks). I've been eagerly awaiting these boxes, as I've fallen completely in love with these delicious-smelling products. 

I paid $70 AUD for three months, and shipping was $5 per box to New Zealand. This was charged separately, but it was great that there was the flexibility to ship overseas on request. The website has remnants left on it, but she is only a few weeks away from an international move. I'm counting down until Aimee reopens in New Zealand (hopefully in January or February of 2016). 

A sheet of paper in included in each box, listing the types of products included and their price. The particular scents aren't mentioned on the card, but I love that this is included. It's clearly just a print-at-home job, which is fine when you don't have big budget for glossy picture cards like the bigger subscription boxes. Some of the smaller ones don't include information at all, so I really love that the time has been taken to create this information and it's popped in the box. 

 Luxury Foot Soak - Vanilla Bean

I've never used a foot soak before. This is a huge packet, so I think it will keep me going for awhile. Sounds like a nice relaxing way to make a mess of the carpet, but I'll happily give it a go. I'm always up to trying out new things.

RRP: $15
Full size.

 Luxury Soap - Anjou Pear Blossom

This soap smells divine. It smells like sweet pears, and it looks beautiful too. This is a small chunk, but I'm sure it will last for some time. I can't wait to use this, as the scent is wonderful.

RRP: $7 (according to the sheet)
Sample size (150g).

Bath Whip - Viva La Juicy

This is a mousse type soap, and I love it. It lathers up really well, and leaves you clean and moisturised. I think there must be some sort of oil in it as your skin feels wonderful after you've used this. I am obsessed with this scent too. It's very sweet and fruity. Yum!

RRP: $5
Samples size.  

Aloe Vera Lotion 

I have heard great things about this lotion from others who received this box earlier than I did. I'm excited to give it a go. I'll probably use it on my legs as going into hotter weather they will appreciate the extra moisture.

RRP: $18 (100g full size)
Sample size (25g): $4.50 

Exfoliating Face Mask

Everyone knows I'm obsessed with face masks, so it should come as no surprise that there were squeals of excitement when I discovered this in the box! I am truly excited about using this one, and will be doing so at the first opportunity. It's quite oily, and the oil leaked a tiny bit during shipping, but no worries, nothing a wet cloth couldn't sort out.

RRP: $16
Full size.  

Coffee Scrub - Caramel Latte

I'm also in love with all types of scrubs at the moment, so uncovering this underneath everything else has made me one happy blogger. Adding caramel simply makes it a more anticipatory experience for me, and I can't wait to try this one out. The sugar scrubs Aimee makes are the best I've ever tried, so I'm expecting good things from this.

RRP: $8
Full size.

Total value of the box: $48.50 (not including the soap sample as I'm not sure how big it is).

That's some fantastic value in the box, and for me this is one of the best boxes I've ever received. It has a full size coffee scrub, face mask, and foot soak, as well as a couple of delicious smelling samples. There is a wide variety of products, including a couple I wouldn't have bought for myself but I'm very excited to try out.

Which product in the box would you be most excited to see?

Until next time ...

Flora and Fauna Spring Box 2015

Kia Ora!

I've been anxiously waiting for this box. I love getting a box full of vegan, natural, and cruelty-free beauty goodies (to be honest I care less about the ethical things, and more about the goodies). I like that these boxes are seasonal because it means that the products in the box are perfect for that time of the year, and you're not overwhelmed by a monthly subscription. I've been dying to see what's in this box, so let's get to it!

Flora and Fauna is a quarterly (seasonal) subscription box dedicated to natural and cruelty-free beauty products. It is $35 a box, and shipping to New Zealand is around $10 extra. I bought a year's subscription (4 boxes) for $135 + shipping.

They've changed the tissue paper this month, from a natural brown to this lovely yellow colour. Very spring-like! It's a small thing, but the attention to detail is fantastic. 

There is a 10% off code for all of the products featured in this box, and the code is Spring10.

The card with extra details. 

Ecotools Spa Moisture Gloves

This is an awesome product to include. The instructions say to smooth on hand cream before wearing overnight. I moisturise my hands last thing before I turn out the light at night, so these are a good way of being able to overmoisturise and not worry about getting it everywhere. I'm looking forward to trying these out and seeing if they make a difference.

RPP: $8.99
Full size. 

Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream

I have so many rose sknicare products to start using. I love getting samples like this because I can try out some fancy brand (like this one!) but I also can't stand getting samples this size because they aren't big enough to test properly. So I'm excited, sort of, to have this one.

RRP: $58 (full size 30ml)
Sample size (1.5ml): $2.90

Weleda Sea Buckthorn Replenishing Hand Cream

I'm much more excited to see a sample of hand cream, as I don't have a strict testing schedule for my hands. I just slather on whatever I want. Although this is a ridiculously tiny sample for a non-crazy-expensive product. Surely a 5ml/10ml would be better with a product in this price range!? However, this sachet will also go really well with the gloves! I can't wait to try this out, check out my September Empties post at the end of the month to see what I thought about this one.

RRP: $16.95 (full size 50ml)
Sample size (1.5ml): $0.50

 Vanessa Megan Darling Perfume

I've been looking at this in the Flora and Fauna shop for months, and I'm really excited to see it in the box! It's made from essential oils and has a very strong scent of cloves/cinnamon. I really like the scent, although it's significantly closer to herbal than I would normally like. I love the size, it is perfect for testing scents out, or carrying around in my purse. Unfortunately the spritzer doesn't work particularly well on the one I got, but sometimes that happens (and it looks like Flora and Fauna will send me out a spritzer that does work which is awesome).

RRP: $5 trial size, $29.95 for 50ml
Trial size (15ml): $5

Kosmea Mositurising Lotion and Sunscreen SPF30

I've been meaning to test out some new day creams, and haven't managed to get there yet, so this has come at the perfect time. Spring is the best time to make sure that your day cream has SPF in it (or you're using a separate sunscreen) so I'm really excited to try this one out. It has cucumber extract, rosehip oil, and aloe vera which are all great for the skin. I'm hoping those ingredients will agree with my skin, and that this is the cream I've been looking for (har-har lame Star Wars reference).

RRP: $44.50
Full size.  

Adorn Cosmetics Natural Loose Illuminiser

This is a sample of a highlighter. I'm still not really a make-up user, but I can see that this is a great thing for those make-up obsessives who get the box. I do think it's a neat idea to get a sample of something a bit different, and it doesn't depend on skin colour (like foundation or BB cream that some boxes send out). I'll be passing this along, but it's a good product to include for a well-rounded curation of the box.

RRP: $12.95 (for 85g)
Sample size (5g): $0.76 (this seems a bit low ...)
On the website it has it listed as $40.25NZD for 5g, so something has gone a bit funky? I'm not sure exactly how this is priced, but I've gone off the information on the card. 

Tula Naturals Ultra Nourishing Facial Serum

This seems to be more of a blend of oils than a serum, but I'm excited to see it either way. It is for Dry or Mature skin types, which isn't me, but I've never really stuck to that sort of thing anyway. I love skincare, and have a very complex routine, so this should fit right in! I can't wait to give it a go, and see if it makes a difference. I've never used an oil before, so this might be my gateway drug. Great addition to the box, especially for springtime.

RRP: $12
Full size. 

Overall value of the box: $74.65.

I'm loving this box! Everything in it is perfect for spring time, and it has clearly been well thought out. The care that has gone into matching the products together is evident, and this more than makes up for my disappointment in the Winter box. The only thing I'm not particularly clear on is why a $0.50c packet of handcream has been included, when a 5ml or 10ml sample would be better, or even a full size product as it isn't too expensive. It's a minor gripe though, and I do love the pairing of a hand cream with those gloves. I'm excited to try just about everything else in the box, so it's an awesome box overall!

What do you think about this box? What is your favourite item in it?

Until next time ...

I'm joining in Fabulous and Fun Life Blog's Monday Madness Blogger link up!! Click right HERE! To read a bunch of awesome beauty blogs in one spot!

ReachMe Father's Day Pack 2015

Kia Ora!

ReachMe provide kids and family packs to families in New Zealand, and released a special Father's Day pack recently. I decided to grab one to unbox here, and then give the products to my Dad, or my SO.

There are still plenty of packs left if you wanted to grab one, simply go to this website and fill in the form. The packs are free, you just have to pay for shipping. The prices are :
Auckland - $ 17.95
Rural Auckland - $ 18.95
Rest of North Island - $ 20.00
Waiheke* - $ 22.95
South Island - $ 23.00
Rural South Island - $ 23.95
*The courier fee costs $5 on top of $17.95 for Waiheke delivery. Hence, the price.

 Let's get on with seeing what's in the pack!

It's a very heavy box, and filled to the brim!

On the top were a few vouchers. One was 15% off Clinic 42, and another for a free month of Fatso. The voucher code for that one is SUPERDAD. The last one is a voucher for free kids meal, but it expired on 31 August. Not the most useful voucher ever, even though I wouldn't have used it anyway.

Coffee! This is never a bad thing to receive in a box. These single use packets are quite useful for keeping in the cupboard, or in your desk at work. I know my Dad will appreciate these as he is a major addict. There are two packets, each with one Latte and one Cappuccino packet inside. There are also $1 off vouchers which will be quite handy!

Kit-Kats! Yum, I love chocolate, and can't think of anyone that wouldn't like to see it in this box! I'm especially excited to try out a new flavour. Needless to say, I'll be keeping these two for myself and not passing them on to my father (sorry Dad).

Some other things that I will be hoarding in my desk at work. An Up & Go (which I've always liked) and a couple of sample packets of Hubbards Muesli. These are great sizes for trying them out.

Two razors (which I'm informed are not cheap) are a great addition to this box. Hair never stops growing, so men - and women - will always need razors if they shave. Adding two to the box is a great idea, as it's handy to have a backup. These will go to my dad, but would be useful for anyone who bought the box.

Sample sizes (of decent size) are again always something useful to have. There are two bottles of Schick Clear Gel to go with the razors, and two bottles of L'Oreal Moisturiser for after shaving. I'm passing these on to my dad too.

Body Wash! This is useful for everyone, so a bottle would never go amiss. This has a very light grapefruit scent, and smells 'clean' more than anything else. I think it's a perfect choice for a Men's box. It's also $7 a bottle, so a bit of a splurge item to try out which is nice.

A sample of a Chux cloth - I honestly can't think of a use for this, but I guess if you have small children or grandchildren then there are plenty of uses after they have made a mess. 

The hairbrush is a decent one, with very strong bristles. It seems perfect for people who either a) brush their hair irregularly, or b) have curly hair that needs extra attention. Either way, probably an item men don't usually buy for themselves.

More food! Abe's Bagel Crisps have been around for awhile, and Marmite is a new flavour. I think this would find a good place in every Kiwi home. This might not make it to my dad either, as I don't think I can resist the temptations to try them out.

There was a magazine hiding in the bottom of the box. It's not something I'm interested in, and I don't know anyone currently renovating but it is a 'manly' magazine. It looks quite interesting none-the-less.

And the final product is a carry bag, which could easily be used as a lunch box, or carry bag for a concert/picnic/beach outing. It looks like good quality, and the design appealed to the male in my life so I assume it's a masculine appealing bag.

Overall, I think this is a great box. It is aimed at men, and this has been taken into account when it was curated. The beauty supplies are either directly for men, or have a neutral scent; the food is great for both men and women, so that was well done; and the other goodies work well in this box.

I paid $17.95 for the postage, and I truly think it was worth it. I'm keping some things for myself, but will pass on some of the others to my dad as a late Father's Day present. The razors, bag, and magazine are the bigger ticket items in the box, but nothing in here is sneer-worthy. These boxes are still available (although there may be small variations in items) if you're interested. This link will take you to the form to fill out, and a bank deposit is the payment method preferred.

Does anyone else like the look of this box?

Until next time ...