Subscription Box

Oui Please – Vol.2.3 Summer Escapade

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Yet another special curation, presentation, and execution by the people behind Oui Please subscription box. This edition is Vol.2.3 Summer Escapade. All essentials needed for summer artfully captured in one box.

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When this box landed on my desk, I knew it was going to be a joy ride for me to open and explore each product. I sat at my coffee table, sipping wine and going through each product in depth. Thirty minutes past and I’m still at the coffee table exploring…..The detail and care taken in packaging and presentation is unlike any subscription box on the market.

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As I opened the box, I discover this huge paper saying Rêve which means Dream. It certainly was like a beautiful dream, opening, and exploring the box.

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Number of skincare items surfaced from the box, brands like Pomone Paris and Saison D’Eden which were unknown to me have now entered my life and skincare stash.

POMONE PARIS created by a chemical engineer, Florence Selling. Pomone integrates the most recent discoveries of science and cosmetology in sensual formulas. Having met various visions of beauty, from France to South America, the founder is convinced that beauty is all encompassing. The conservatory of biodiversity, offered by the closed gardens of the Castle of Canon, inspires the choice of Pomone’s active ingredients. The Pomone formulas exclude parabens, phenoxyethanol, silicones and mineral oils.

Floral, fresh and green fragrance of Pomone skincare products evokes the gardens of the Castle and gives a feeling of bucolic escape. It has been conceived by a perfumer of the city of Grasse, with Ecocert and natural raw materials.

I received the Cream Mask, a smooth texture rich in efficient active ingredients. A mask intended to target the signs of age, firmness of the skin and provides immediate relaxation and visible benefit. The face recovers its serenity.

Inci list: apple polyphenols, powerful anti-oxidants – apple quercetin, activates sirtuins and fights against glication of proteins – malic acid extracted from the apple, firming and smoothing properties – apple seeds oil, nutritive and revitalizing – apple vegetal water or original extract, energizing and source of essential oils, oligo-elements and mineral salts.

(Source: Pomone Paris webite)

SAISONS D’EDEN is the story of a woman fascinated by plants and convinced that our bodies change with the different seasons. Our skin, which is the first organ to be confronted with these climatic changes, needs to be adequately prepared.

Johanna Fayolle decides to abandon her PowerPoint presentations and dry consultant files and to dedicate herself to the research of what nature can offer our skin, with the objective of reconciling Nature and Progress, Health and Refinement.

She creates her skin care line in collaboration with a state-of-the-art laboratory. Her priority being to recognize and integrate the influence of the changing seasons with the need for an ethical high performance. These standards are at the heart of Saisons D’Eden’s philosophy, along with respect for skin type and the use of organic ingredients, without compromise.

I received the Eye Contour Gel which claims to be highly concentrated, perfume-free, with a gel-cream texture, with eye lifting properties (Ginseng extract). An anti-fatigue  smoothened aimed to reduce bags and swollen eyes. Also claims to be hydrating to provide the indispensable ingredients for cell structure around eyes.

I also received the Spring Summer moisturizer strong on antioxidants and essential fatty acids (Raspberry and Sesame seed oils) intended to plump and hydrate skin while controlling sebum production. Smells very indulgent with discreet raspberry and white grapefruit fragrance.

(Source: Saison D’Eden website)

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Delphine Parent makes unique pieces of jewelry made from precious antiques, each patiently crafted like a canvas. Similarly jewelry is also made from gold-plated or 9 carat gold, developed in small series using personalized inscriptions, or on her favourite subjects like luck and a star filled sky on a summer’s night.

I received a necklace with an inscription of avec toi. I love its simplistic, delicate design. There is a lot more on her website, not sure if its shipped overseas, but hey….that’s why we have Oui Please boxes 😉

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Les Interchangeables has a wonderful story about a girl (founder) Audrey. As a girl, Audrey was always designing and creating on her sewing machine, with a deep-seated passion for the decorative arts. She launched her first endeavor in 2007 – an ingenious concept of interchangeable, decorative bra straps. Designed to be shown, rather than hidden, the idea was a huge success as it addressed an issue that all women could relate to.

Eventually, she approached Swarovski to partner with her to develop a new concept – the creation of a line of stretchable, adjustable bracelets decorated with crystals. Imaginative, playful and luxe, the line developed quickly and acquired “must have” status in the accessories category in France and throughout Europe.

By 2014, Les Interchangeables had become a juggernaut, with a full accessories collection and an international presence with over 2,000 points of sale all over the world, including Italy, Spain, Korea, Japan, China, Australia, Canada, United Arab Emirates, and the United States. Today, Audrey continues to innovate in the accessory space – she always has a new approach, a unique twist on accessible, luxurious and functional fashion.

I received a Swarovski crusted bracelet, excited to make it my arm candy.

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Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse does not need an introduction at all! A lush dry oil, that absorbs instantly and can be versatile in use over face, body, hair. This is beautiful travel friendly bottle.

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Nailmatic polishes have pleasantly surprised me. The opaque finish, rounded brush, smooth application and gorgeous shade selection. I’m still testing its lasting power without any chips or smudges. The brand offers a shade selection of 84 colors, and claims to be free of toluene, phthalate, formaldehyde, and camphor. I’ve been an OPI and Essie fan all my life, thanks to this box I get introduced to a new brand!!

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Atelier Cologne needs no introduction at all. I received the Vanille Intensee spray which is perfect for travel. The top notes are coriander, lime and citron; middle notes are vetiver, jasmine and oak moss; base notes are vanille, oak and amber (Source: Fragrantica).

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July of St. Barth founded in 1989 by Juliette Espinasse, the brand specializes in the creation of hats, bags, perfumes and beauty products, combining lifestyle and luxury in the French. For 20 years Juliet sews on her hats the shellfish found on Shell Beach, her favorite beach in St. Barts where she lived for several years.

As a part of this box, I received the Shell Beach body soap, which is made according to the traditional method of Marseille, with a base of coconut oil and olive oil. The formula is free of EDTA and parabens.

The most wonderful thing about this box is the discovery of new brands, innovative geniuses behind the brands. The box is wonderfully curated and presentation is impeccable. Oui Please also offer A’La Carte boxes if you don’t want to be strung by subscription box. Definitely worth exploring into however only downside is they ship only within USA and Canada. Hopefully one day they expand their realms and let people world over explore and experience these curations.

HHW.com

xx

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Mintd Box

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New in the Subscription box world is Mintd Box, which includes 5 full sized beauty products for the UK and 4 full/2 travel sized beauty products for the Rest of the World (Europe, USA, Canada and Australia). MINTD Box curators believe you should only be putting the best & most innovative ingredients on your skin so they bring you the highest quality of beauty products on the market.

Unboxing Experience

I was generously gifted this box by the Mintd Box peeps, packaged in a solid white box, not flimsy by a long shot, tissue paper wrapped and gorgeous white ribbon bow. Includes a card with details of products. The products were neatly packed, delicate travel sized bottles were bubble wrapped. All in all a snug fitting box with goodies.

Full Reveal

This month’s box had the Explore theme . The curators have included a combination of premium body care, nails, makeup & skincare products to bring full body pampering experience.

Value in Great Britain: With a combined value of over £110 this month’s box sold at £65, aka  savings of up to £45 !!!

Value in USA: With a combined value of over USD$127 (break up below) this month’s box sold at USD$85 (Conversion of £65), aka savings of up to USD$42!IMG_9938

The goodies in the box are:

✨Ameliorate Body Scrub (Full Size 150ml, USD$29)
✨Smith & Cult Lip Lacquer (Full Size, USD$22)
✨Kahina Fez Body Serum (Travel Size – 30ml, USD$32)
✨Anne Semonin The Daily Musts (Mini Coffret, $26)
✨Anne Semonin Botanical Cleansing Milk & Toner (Travel Size 40ml each, USD$18)

You can get 10% off the first box when you sign up with this promo code: 10OFF1STHH (Note: I get nothing from this, just sharing a code). They also ship to USA, Canada and Australia. P1040789

Full Size – Ameliorate Skin Smoothing Body Polish

A beautiful fine scrub, wonderful for arms, legs and back. I considered applying on face however upon glancing the inci list I strictly steered clear. Ingredients like synthetic wax, mineral oil are ok for my body not for my face. Anyway so back to body, left skin wonderfully soft and smooth.

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Full Size – Smith & Cult Lip Lacquer 

Gorgeous neutral peachy sheer lipgloss, not sticky schmicky, no taste. However on my pigmented lips it needs to be layered with a lipstick.

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Travel Size – Kahina Fez Body Serum 

Kahina says it is a mysterious, sensual and exotic, a complex blend of steam distilled essential oils evokes the sacred Imperial city of Fez, Morocco. So here’s the thing, the inci list is so lush that I’m using this on my face! Don’t believe me look at this list:

Ingredient Listing: argania spinosa (argan) oil*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil*, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cocos nucifera (coconut) nut oil, citrullus lanatus (watermelon) seed oil, rosa damascena (rose) flower oil, citrus aurantium amara (neroli) flower oil, citrus bergamia (bergamot) peel oil, citrus paradisi (pink grapefruit) peel oil, cananga odorata (ylang ylang) flower oil, pelargonium graveolens (geranium) leaf/flower oil, backhousia citriodora (lemon myrtle) leaf oil, santalum spicatum (sandalwood) wood oil, eugenia caryophyllus (clove) bud oil, cuminum cyminum (cumin) seed oil, pogostemon cablin (patchouli) leaf oil, vetiveria zizanioides (vetiver) root oil, bisabolol, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, phenethyl alcohol

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Mini Coffret – Anne Semonin The Daily Musts

Travel Size – Anne Semonin Botanical Milk & Toner

Cute, Mini’s of Cleanser, Toner and Masks perfect for travel. I haven’t used them all but sure know I will be preserving these for travel for the convenience. Lush brand of skincare from France.

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If you’re tired of seeing usual ‘deluxe sample’ subscription boxes, check out Mintd Box. As for me, I cannot wait to see what’s in the next box with such a lush lineup.

HHW.com

xx

 

LOLI Beauty

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The domain of Subscriptions Boxes is so excruciatingly mundane and boring, same old thing with a bunch of ‘deluxe sized samples’. Of which more than half the times I don’t like the products, I don’t like the brand, I don’t need the product and before I realize another month passes by and my $10-$15 down the deluxe sample sized drain!

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Few weeks ago, I was contacted with an interesting concept, which kinda tickled my DIY  soul! LOLI Beauty is a sub box service which packages natural products with high quality, ethically sourced organic ingredients, including blending recipes.

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Week later, my first package arrived with a Ghee cleanser (with mix of other oils), Matcha Latte Peel, Fruit Smoothie Peel, More Mojo and Peace Out Essential Oils, stirring spoon & bowl, pipette to dispense oils.

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Of course needless to mention, I couldn’t wait to get stuck in to. It also had a recipe card, which I did not refer to (honest confession). I started mixing my own thing, I had no idea what I was doing, but it was sooo much fun.

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Mixed it all, slathered and sat back. The peel powder was slightly gritty giving right level of exfoliation, the ghee cleanser moisturized skin so well and essential oils made it a relaxing experience. Days later my experiments continued till my inner wild creative beast wasn’t fulfilled.

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Month passed and then I received another box, with brand new ingredients. Of course it tickled my fancy and decided to refer to all cards this time (for sake of an informed blog post).

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Immediately as I glanced at the cards, I LOVED it. Not only full break down of ingredients but also details on its source and level of purity. In natural skincare world, these things are sooo crucial because poor quality ingredients basically equates to poor products with possible skin reactions.

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It also includes Tips on how to use each product in isolation or combinations with each other. However, I’ve also been mixing and matching ingredients from previous box, and the creations are endless.

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The possibilities and concoctions seem endless and your creative blending juices can flow and flow away! Have you tried this box? or tried any other box with a similar concept?

HHW.com

xx

Oui Please – France in a Box

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A subscription box with a regional French Edge curated by Parisian-born Jessica Barouche, would tickle any Francophile’s soul with joy. Oui Please releases 6 limited edition boxes per year and the contents (full size products) of each subscription box is a secret until it ships! The contents of the box include French apparel, beauty products, jewelry, home and epicure. They offer curated (from Online Shop) and à la Carte boxes. The boxes have a theme per region of France:

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Each box will include a copy of French lifestyle publication, OuiPlease Magazine. Oui Please kindly gifted me a special box with a variety of products from many of their previous boxes. I’d like to think as a special curation for me 😉

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Now onto exploring each item included in the box – each item is originated from France and has a lovely local artisan and story behind it. 

P1030428L’Attelier Guérande & Les Ladures

L’Attelier is a Brittany based bakery crafts all of their foods in an artisanal manner and uses only regional, organic ingredients. They work with traditional recipes approved by the French pastry and confectionary industry.

Les Ladures is in the heart of salt marshes of Guérande. They design and manufacture to the delight of gourmets exceptional products from organic agriculture.

P1030430Lebon toothpaste Cinnamon/Mint 

The luxury toothpaste is made in France. Lebon toothpastes have 100% natural fragrance, no parabens, no triclosan, no fluorine, no colorings and no saccharin. Not tested on animals. 

P1030432Sothy’s Deep Cleanser Desquacrem

In 1946, Sothys was a beauty institute in Paris, where a list of exclusive customers enjoyed fine French products created by Dr. Hotz, a medical biologist. Sothys is renowned for bringing advanced skin care and expertise to consumers worldwide. This deep cleanser helps to remove stubborn impurities from the skin. 

P1030433Nuxe Gentle Exfoliating Gel with Rose Petals

Most of us are very familiar with Nuxe, founded on the passion for the power of plants and everything they have to offer, Aliza Jabès poured her knowledge as a research pharmacist into a natural line of skin care products. 

P1030439Doux Me Rose Blossom Mist

Created in 2002, and based on the belief that we must take good care of our skin the way we pay attention to our diet by choosing the simplest, most natural and most gentle ingredients possible, in line with a global concept of a healthy and harmonious philosophy of life. The first Ecocert certified organic cosmetics brand, Doux me is responsible for breathing new life into the world of beauty with commonsense organic skin care certified products that are both sensory and feminine. 

P1030438Oliv’ La Claree Radiance Elixir

The olive leaves are harvested in Provence. In Manosque, Les Mees and the Valensole growers prune branches from March to May and form bundles in their driveway olive trees. All of the formulations and packaging take place in the golden heart of “locavore”. All in less than 160 km; Les Mees, Forcalquier, Digne-les-Bains, Prayer, Les Pennes-Mirabeau, La Fare les Oliviers. This anti-ageing dry oil with a delicious perfume of olive leaves, helps smoothing and revitalizing the skin.

P1030437oOlution Glow up Skin Care 

oOlution believes in the need to urgently leave behind the old ways of the XXth century, with its standardization, homogenization and mass phenomena. This brand loves to the question the accepted ways and improvise to make it better.

Harem Des Sens Fabulous Silk Milk

A designer at heart, enriched by her Franco-Algerian double culture and with a passion for Beauty, Nabila Boutrif decided to create what she could not find on the market: modern and upscale cosmetics with an Oriental inspiration, natural, sophisticated and effective all at once. 

P1030435Graine de Pastel Baume de Cocagne Face and Body Butter

Born in 2003, this skincare re-explored the pastel, this tinctorial plant whose leaves contain a precious blue pigment that marked the history of South West France region, Toulouse and the “Pays de Cocagne”. But above all, the ancestral medicinal plant, whose dermatological properties were forgotten!! With a rich and dense texture, this face and body balm intensely nourishes and regenerates the skin. SO far my fave product.

P1030436Pier Auge Body Balm Caresse Agrumes Essential oil of Grapefruit

Founded in 1961 in Monaco, and then settled in Chateauroux in 1967. Jules Pierre Augé gave a unique concept of care which is exists, even today. The Pier Auge products select best local ingredients and artisans to create the products.

P1030442Historiae Perfume Hameau de la Reine Spray 

With its unique fragrance with scents that are simultaneously green, fresh and floral, Hameau de la Reine will take you to the heart of the Queen Marie-Antoinette’s Hameau to live again these great moments of emotion. 

P1030470.jpgMirgiole Sorbonne Gold Plated Earrings

Mirgiole was conceived by designer Raphaëlle Mourey after her travels abroad in Belgium and Latin America. The bohemian collection, named after the designer’s mother, is known for its colorful and playful aesthetic. The designer hand makes her creations, weaving together materials including gold, enamel.

Its wonderful to read, learn and experience all these products of regional France which I would have never discovered from the comforts of my home in Chicago.

HHW.com

xx