March’s Benevolent Beauty Box has arrived with some pretty spring colors! I have to admit that this month didn’t really wow me as a whole like prior boxes, but I’m in love with the two Au Naturale products, so it still works out okay in my book.
- Manna Kadar Lash Extending Primer – .28 oz / $24 – (Product is full size) The second ingredient on this is Mineral Oil, a petroleum-based ingredient. I’m REALLY careful about what I put on my eyelashes and around my eyes since I tend to have some pretty bad reactions, so anything with mineral oil (liquid paraffin) is a no go. I don’t really have a need for a lash primer – most mascaras do the job just fine on their own anyway – so this is going to the trade/give-away pile since I don’t want to take the risk of having my eyes itchy and red for days.
- Meow Meow Tweet Deodorant Cream – 2.4 oz / $14 – (Product is full size) I received the Lavender scent. I’ve tried this brand in the regular version, but this one is baking soda free. I’m.. I’m just not into natural deodorants and this is the second one I’ve gotten this month, plus it’s in a pot, so you have to get your hands messy to apply it on your pits (gross – stick deodorant only please!). Natural deodorants don’t work to stop you from sweating (they’re not antiperspirants), rarely deodorize for longer than four hours, and they just never work for me. It’s the one big thing that I turn in my natural-hippie-organic-nut card for and man, if I never saw another deodorant in a subscription box, I would be a happy, happy gal. Don’t get me wrong, for people who love natural deodorants, I’ve heard this is a good one, and the ingredients are awesome and natural, but like most personal care items, they’re just not going to work for everyone.
- Au Naturale Creme Eye Shadow – 3 g / $20 – (Product is full size) The color I received is, “Bora Bora,” described as a bright, aquamarine blue. This was one of the products shown as a spoiler with two color variations, the other being, “Bliss,” which was a warm neutral-ish pink. I have to admit that I was secretly wishing for this color to show up in my box, so I’m SUPER pleased with this! The color goes on as a stunning metallic blue that’s easy to build from a pale shade to a brilliant blue, so it’s pretty versatile. The formula is fairly solid in the pot, but warms up enough with the heat of your fingers to apply smoothly and blend easily. I cannot wait to wear this!
- Au Naturale Eyeliner Pencil – .5 g / $18 – (Product is full size) The color I received is, “Deep Sea,” described as a subtle ocean blue. I have hazel eyes, so I’ve come to love blue eyeliner and mascara to bring out the green in my eyes, so this is another winner in my book! It’s ever so slightly metallic, and the ingredients are all natural waxes and oils (no petroleum-based ingredients), and this is honestly just perfect for me.
- Jersey Shore Cosmetics My Lash Secret Eyelash Curler – 1 curler / $30 – (Product is full size) Also included is one replacement pad. I have to admit that I never really curl my lashes since I don’t have a lot of lash to begin with and mascara tends to give them a good enough curl anyway. I think this is my third eyelash curler that I’ve received in subscription boxes, so I didn’t necessarily need another, but now that I have another one (and it’s not buried in the bottom of the bathroom cabinet), I’ll have to remember to start using it. The company is committed to natural and organic beauty which I’m totally down with.
The total value this month comes to $106 which is great for a box that costs $29.95 for a month-to-month subscription! Even if I’m really only interested in the eye shadow and eye liner, the cost of the box is still covered by the value of just those two products. I’ll probably still use the eyelash curler, but it’s not really something I’ll use on a daily basis since I find it really difficult to curl my short eyelashes in the first place. So, mixed feelings on this one. I LOVE the two products from Au Naturale, but the rest of the box just wasn’t a good fit this month. But hey, the overall value is incredible, my cost is covered by the two products I really like, and all the products are cruelty free so that works out for me!