NEW Calvin Klein Downtown EDP

Calvin Klein has launched a new fragrance called Downtown and the stunning Rooney Mara is the new face of this chic, sophisticated and enigmatic scent. Rooney Mara's edgy and cool style is hands down in sync with the feminine floral woody scent of Downtown!

Calvin Klein Downtown - 'It's a mindset, urban and original. My own world, no rules. It's just me.' 

CK's Downtown scent contains top notes of Italian Cedrat, Bergamot, Tunisian Neroli, Green Pear and Watery Plum; middle notes of Pink Peppercorn, Violet Leaf and Gardenia Petals; and base notes of Texan Cedarwood, Incense, Vetiver and Velvet Musk.

The minimalistic rounded bottom of Downtown is simply sleek and sophisticated! The perfectly round hollow cap gives a bright pop of fuschia which adds to the modern edge of this scent. 

Soft floral scents with hints of musk are my signature scents and Downtown fits perfectly in this category with a few more delicate hints. So, when I was getting acquainted with my new found love, I've been wearing this scent almost everyday! A spritz to my neck and hair and I'm ready to go! The Downtown scent is quite soft and subtle for an eau de parfum, though surprisingly, this beautiful scent lasted through the entire day. I quite like soft and subtle scents and the excellent longevity of this scent on me is an absolute bonus!

Calvin Klein Downtown  (A$60/30ml, A$90/50ml, A$120/90ml) is available at Myer and David Jones nationally.

What are your thoughts on Rooney Mara being the face of Downtown Calvin Klein?

Are you in love with floral and woody scents like Downtown Calvin Klein?

What is your signature scent?

xx Rose

 Product was provided for consideration only. This review is 100% based on my own thoughts and opinions. I am not affiliated with Calvin Klein and did not receive remuneration to post this product review. 

The First Violet Box (June 2013)

This morning, I received the very first edition of Violet Box, which is the latest monthly beauty subscription box to launch in Australia! Violet Box gives you the opportunity to discover new products by receiving a curated box each month containing 4-6 high-end and luxury beauty and lifestyle samples. As a beauty enthusiast, I could never ever have enough of any one beauty product!

Violet Box costs A$22.95/month and there are options to subscribe for:

• 3 months (A$66, 4.3% off discount)
• 6 months (A$130, 5.6% off discount)
• 12 months (A$250, 9.2% off discount)

I received a white glossy cardboard box in a postal satchel which had the Violet Box logo imprinted on one side.

The actual Violet Box was found inside the white cardboard packaging and it's a matte black box that is made from simple card paper with the Violet Box logo printed in one corner. I think it's a great size and will be perfect to re-use as a gift box or storage.

Upon opening the lid of the box there were three cards found sitting atop the goodies wrapped neatly in violet tissue paper.

The contents of the June Violet Box

My Violet Box was completely filled to the brim with a total of 6 products! There were 3 full-size and 3 deluxe travel-sized products ranging from makeup to skincare to haircare and to perfume!

John Plunkett Glyco Peel (A$28.95/15ml - full size received)

John Plunkett Glyco Peel is a night time exfoliator which is to be applied to the face before applying your regular night cream. This Glyco Peel works to exfoliate the outermost layer of your skin cells to reduce the appearance of fine lines and skin discolouration. The formula contains Glycolic Acid, Lactokine and Aloe Vera, and is suitable for ALL skin types, however, since the formula is of clinical strength, frequency of application is dependent on whether you have dry, oily, normal or sensitive skin.

I have never ever used a glycol peel before and I did feel a little hesitant at first when I read the name of this product. So, I will do a patch test first to be on the safe side and ensure that my skin does not react negatively.

CK One Color Cosmetics Gloss Eyecolor (A$25/4g - full size received)

I was so excited to see that Violet Box included a CK One Color Gloss Eyecolor! I recently discovered this new beauty brand a couple of months ago and I am head-over-heels with their Brow Pencil and Eye Brow Duo! See my CK One Color haul and review here.

There are five different shades of CK One Color Gloss Eyecolors available and beauty bloggers who have recently received their Violet Box have received either of the shades #400 Vivid (blue), #500 Pop (green), #600 Spin (gold/yellow) or #800 Ultra (silver). The shade Vivid is a really pretty and vibrant blue and it's a shade that I don't have in my collection. I think this shade would really make my hazel eyes pop!

Swatches of each shade can be seen in the photo below. Unfortunately, the photo doesn't do it justice as these Gloss Eyecolors look absolutely stunning! The emollient formula of these chunky eye pencils glide on smoothing and effortlessly without tugging the eye area, just like applying lip gloss to the lips. The finish is metallic and the gorgeous miniscule silver shimmers are noticeable from each shade. The lightweight formula is highly pigmented and can be smudged and blended with other shades easily.

Swatches of CK One Color Gloss Eyecolor in Pop, Ultra and Vivid

LashControl Clear Coat Control Mascara and Brow Fix (A$25/8.87ml - full size received) 

LashControl Clear Coat Mascara and Brow Fix originated in NYC and it is a multi-purpose eye brow/lash product which tames unruly brows and seals in mascara as a top coat. Now this is exactly what every girl needs in her make-up bag! I love multi-purpose products and especially love the idea of this beauty product!

Calvin Klein Sheer Beauty EDT (A$80/50ml - 1.2ml sample received) 

CK Sheer Beauty EDT is the new edition of the popular CK Beauty fragrance launched awhile ago. Sheer Beauty is a floral-fruity blend with core floral notes of Peony, Pink Lily and Jasmine, fruity notes of Bergamot, Red Berries and Peach Bellini and base notes of Sandalwood, Musk and Vanilla Blossom. This scent is very feminine, soft and very likeable!

Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser (A$23.95/200ml - 50ml sample received)

Eau Thermale Avene are always generous with their deluxe travel-sized samples! I've tried samples of their skin care products (Gentle Milk Cleanser, Ystheal+ Emulsion and Eluage Eye Contour Cream) that I received in my previous Bellabox and Glossybox, so I was glad I received a sample of something I haven't tried before. 

This cute little travel sized bottle of Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser is a great travel accompaniment that is suitable for normal to combination sensitive skin. My combination/oily skin always agree with gel-type cleansers, so I'm really looking forward to trying this product! The formula is soap-free and hypoallergenic, which is a great plus!

Argania Hair Oil Travel Cuties (A$34.95/100ml - 5ml sample received) 

Argania Hair Oil is a hair treatment made with certified organic Moroccan Argan Oil. Argan Oil is such a popular ingredient in most hair nourishing treatment products, that I was quite happy to receive a travel sized product that I could take along with me on my travels.  The formula is rich in Vitamins and Antioxidants, so it's packed full with goodness to keep the hair looking shiny and healthy.

All-in-all, I am very impressed with the launch box of Violet Box and glad to see that a variety of skincare, makeup, haircare and perfume products were included! The total value (~A$85) of the contents in the launch box surpassed the cost of the monthly Violet Box (A$22.95) subscription, so you are definitely getting you money's worth!

For further information on Violet Box please click here.

Have you jumped on the Violet Box Bandwagon? 

What did you receive in your Violet Box?

xx Rose

*Products were provided for consideration only. These reviews are 100% based on my own thoughts and opinions. I am not affiliated with Violet Box and did not receive remuneration to post these product reviews. 

My Christmas Edition Glossybox Australia

I was expecting my Christmas Glossybox after coming back from interstate and look what arrived at my doorstep...

December Glossybox

It's the December Glossybox with the contents all wrapped up so delicately and looking gorgeous! This is my second Glossybox (to see my November Glossybox click here) and I'm so excited about the products I received!

Contents in the December Glossybox

Here is a list of the products I received in the December Glossybox:

Clinique Turnaround Overnight Radiance Moisturiser
sample 7ml worth $12.60 (full size 50ml rrpA$90)

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Controlled Lightening Spray
sample 29ml worth $5 (full size 103ml rrpA$17.99)  

Calvin Klein Forbidden Euphoria Fragrance
sample ~1ml worth ~$2, (rrpA$60 for 30ml, $90 for 50ml, $120 for 100ml)

Gorgeous Cosmetics Lip Pencil in Scarlette
full size rrpA$25

Tigi Haircare Manipulator by Bed Head
full size 57ml rrpA$23.95

December Glossybox Total worth ~$69

All in all, the contents I received in the December Glossybox well exeeded the subscription fee of $14.95. I'm happy that I received a Gorgeous cosmetics lip liner as I've been lemming for a crimson red lip liner since a few weeks ago. Clinique moisturisers are kind to my skin and I'm excited to try the Turnaround Overnight Radiance moisturiser. I've got so many hair products at home that it takes forever to finish it! The Tigi Bed Head Manipulator looks interesting so I'll probably try it out soon to see if it suits the rainy weather here in Brisbane. I also like the CK purse spray vial as I find these handy for my handbag. The fruity floral scent isn't too overpowering and there are notes of raspberry, peach blossom, jasmine and musk just to name a few.

 

 I was quite surprised to receive a hair product for people with blonde hair as I didn't mention that I have blonde hair in my beauty profile. So, it doesn't seem like Glossybox has yet to provide members with tailored boxes. I posed this small issue to Glossybox customer service and received a reply the same day. I was told that the beauty profile I provided in my Glossybox account will be used to customise the boxes in future. I was also told that a replacement product has been sent to me to make up for the Sheer Blonde product. This is the first time I had to approach customer service and so far I'm satisfied with their prompt reply and understanding.

From what I have heard, there has been an influx of complaints regarding the Sheer Blonde product as most people received this product in their box and they do not have blonde hair. Despite only one product in my box was obviously not suitable for me, I am still pleased about the remaining full size and deluxe sized products I received. 

~
**update**
I received my replacement product from Glossybox and here it is!

~

What did you receive in your December Glossybox?

Are you happy with the customer service and contents in the box? 

 xx Rose

October Beauty Box

I was a little disappointed when I saw the contents in my October Beauty Box. To be honest, I was not impressed with the size of some of the samples received and the type of products included was not entirely personalised based on the details I provided in my profile. I only liked two of the five brands included in this month's Beauty Box.

I guess that's the downfall with Beauty Box as the brands are high-end and so expensive that the samples come in very small quantities.

I love the majority of high end brands associated with Beauty Box. I'm usually indecisive when it comes to purchasing high end products, which is the major reason why I subscribed to Beauty Box so that I could get the chance to try before I buy.

If you haven't heard about Beauty Box you could read about it here.

If you're interested to see what was in the September Beauty Box, see my post here.

Without further ado, here are the contents of my October Beauty Box:

This month's Beauty Box features products of the Best Basic Beauty Essentials. 

October Beauty Box

CK One Shock for her and for him, 1.2 mL vials each. 

I really like the CK One Shock for her perfume vials as it's so convenient to slip one vial in my purse and spray myself during the day. CK One Shock for her is a fierce floral fragrance which smells beautiful! It's a nice surprise that there were two samples of each CK One Shock for him and for her. My partner likes the for him scent and I quite like this scent on him too.

Biotherm Aquasource Moisturiser, 15 mL jar.

I love Biotherm's Aquasource skincare range, especially this Aquasource moisturiser. It's a gel based moisturiser and it smells refreshing and beautiful. It's very hydrating and great for the weather change from cool to warm. This moisturiser is suitable for normal and combination skin which is perfect for me. Though seeing that everyone else had received the same moisturiser, it's a little disappointing to see that these boxes are not personalised based on our profiles. The size of this jar is very generous and based on the rrp of the full sized 50 mL jar (A$59), this deluxe sample is worth ~$17, so more than the cost of Beauty Box itself (A$14.95).

John Frieda Full Repair Full Body Shampoo & Conditioner, 44 mL each.

Travel sized  samples of John Frieda Full Repair Full Body shampoo and conditioner was included as the Full Body collection is the latest edition to John Frieda.

Shiseido Sheer Matifying compact foundation, 1g.

  I was excited to see a sample of Shiseido Sheer Matifying compact foundation in my Beauty Box, but was disappointed to see that the shade of this powder foundation was way too dark for my light skintone, even though it says the shade is natural fair ivory on the packaging. Again, this just shows that Beauty Box doesn't seem to personalise their boxes.

Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days satchets.

These Garnier Body Intensive lotions packaged in satchets were probably the most disappointing of all samples I've received thus far.

All in all, the CK One Shock perfume vials and the huge jar of Biotherm Aquasource moisturiser were clearly the winners in the October Beauty Box.

So far, I've received samples from 10 brands associated with Beauty Box (September and October) and there are now 6 other brands which are yet to showcase in the November Beauty Box. I wonder which of the following brands will be featured next: Essie, Bobbi Brown, Jurlique, Bio-Oil, Clinique or Thalgo?

I am definitely looking forward to my next Beauty Box!

To browse the range of brands who have joined Beauty Box, click here.

Did you get your October Beauty Box?
Which products in October's Beauty Box did you find interesting?


Rose

Australia's First Ever Beauty Box: Exclusive Inivitations NOW OPEN!

Following the trend of Birchbox in the US, Luxe Box by Loose Button in Canada and GlossyBox in the UK, Australia has finally jumped on the bandwagon and have just started introducing this new concept. 

Introducing.... B E A U T Y  B O X!

Gorgeous Beauty Box!

Beauty Box is a monthly subscription in which a selection of up to 5 of the latest and best luxury beauty products on the market are beautifully gift wrapt, packaged in a 'Beauty Box' and sent to your door on the 10th of each month. Beauty products will include a selection of skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care. 

The beauty products associated with Beauty Box are HIGH END deluxe/miniature sample sizes, so that you could get a decent experience using the product before making that wise decision and purchase the full size if you are happy with the product. 

When I say HIGH END products I mean products from the following brands:

Biotherm

Bobbi Brown
CK Fragrances 
Clinique

Garnier

John Frieda

Jurlique

Marc Jacobs

Playboy (Fragrances for women)

Sally Hansen

Shiseido

Shu Uemura
Yves Saint Laurent
Essie
Thalgo
Bio-Oil

How amazing are the above beauty brands?! As you all know I am a huge fan of Bobbi Brown, Jurlique and Shu Uemura just to name a few! I love the idea of receiving surprises in the mail and that the total value of the contents always end up being above the purchase price. This scheme is also a convenient way to introduce new products on shelf and even the chance to try luxury brands that you've never ever thought about purchasing.

Inivitations to subscribe has started today, so if you'd like to receive an invite, sign up at the Beauty Box website.

The monthly subscription costs $14.95 per month and you can cancel anytime.
There is also a prepaid 6 month subscription (with a discount), however, this is currently not available.

Have you subscribed to Beauty Box?

What do you think about the concept of purchasing deluxe sample sized beauty products?

Rose