Dis-Chem Shea butter facial mask

I sometimes spend long days in the wind and sun and like to spoil my skin afterwards with a moisturising mask.  I bought this Dis-Chem branded mask because it was cheap and it said Shea Butter (one of my favourite moisturising ingredients).  It is a thick, fairly creamy mask, but I did not like it much.  It sat on top of my skin, did not penetrate and did not provide much moisturisation.  Not to be recommended.

 

On the label:  Dis-Chem Shea butter facial mask naturally contains vitamins A, E and F.  Formulated to penetrate deep into the skin, removing impurities. 

Crabtree and Evelyn La Source Shampoo

I do not write these reviews because I like to say bad things about beauty products. I do this because I love great products and like talking about it. Every once in a while a product is so bad you really cannot say anything good about it.

 

This shampoo has nothing to recommend it. I am sure the cheapest thing you buy in the local supermarket would work as well. The shampoo did not lather well, it was not soapy but runny and watery and it did nothing special for my hair. It was a bit drying. A big disappointment.

Crabtree and Evelyn is a very upscale brand and one would expect more. Plus the shampoo is really expensive. A big thumbs down.   You can read another review here.

Inside the January Rubybox

I have mixed feelings about the box this month.  For the last two months the boxes were really not as nice as they used to be and I hoped this box would be better.

Most of the things in this box are products I am excited to use, but the box is not worth that much in monetary value.

 

Alila Professional Make-up Fix that Makeup Spray

According to the card:  A few spritzes ofver your makeup in the morning (and thrughut the day) will ensure your nakeup remains smudge-proof and in palce despite the heat.
This is a fairly expensive product (R130 for 150 ml) that I would never have bought.  It would be fun to try.  I wonder whether you can use this over your eye makeup?  Or should you not spritz close to your eyes.  I do not wear much makeup other than around my eyes.

Aussie 3 minute miracle frizz remedy deep treatment
According to the card: Dont let frizz or flyaways get the better of you this summer.  After shampooing apply for one to three minutes before rinsing.
I do not have particularly frizzy hair, but I live in Durban and anything to keep your hair manageable would be appreciated.  The sample is also relatively large (2 sachets of 20 ml each).  This one I like and look forward to trying.

L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Total Repair 10 SPF20
A cute little pot of moisturiser.  I love receiving moisturisers in the boxes and would love trying this.  I also like the fact that it comes in a little pot and not in a fiddly, messy sachet.  I vowed to only use moisturisers with an SPF built in from now on, so this is a good one to try.

Schwarzkopf Gliss Marrakesh Oil and Coconut shampoo and Conditioner
Two small sachets, one shampoo and one conditioner.  This shampoo seems very affordable, so I might be able to replace my current shampoo with this .  The shampoo was enough for one wash only and it is a bit hard to judge on just one use.  I liked it, my hair was soft and managable all day.  Unfortunately I went swimming in the afternoon, so did not have the benefit of the shampoo for long.  I am happy with what I am currently using, but trying something new can't hurt.  I might buy the full bottle. 

Rubybox Tools Make-up Removal Tools
Rubybox sells a toolkit.  With the exception of the eye lash curler, I have now received everything in the tool kit.  (Hi Rubybox, if you read this, I would love to receive an eye lash curler, please.)  I use these sponges, and do not have one at the moment.  I will definitely use this.  The sponges are very soft and work really well.  Good !

A voucher
I have never been excited about the vouchers in the boxes, but this one is nice and I might actually use it.  R20 discount on a Piz Buin product at Clicks. 

Why am I torn about this box?
When I signed up for Rubybox they promised a box to the value of R250 every month on the website where I signed up.  There are always things in the box I do not use or would not have spent money on so I think the box needs to be worth more than R100 before it makes sense to spend money on it.  I calculate this box to be worth R91 (and if I end up using the voucher, R111).  I am not sure whether that makes Rubybox a worthwhile spend. 

Sure, I get to try things I have not tried before and if any of the products are great surpises and change my routine, this might be a reason to continue.  Previous Rubyboxes have introduced me to liquid eye liners, a hair protector spray, Kiehls and Palmers coco butter cream that I love and use a lot and have bought since.  If Rubybox keeps doing that it might be worth continuing just for the fun, not for the value of the products.  But I could just use the R100 per month and spoil myself with something I really want.  None of the products in this month's box is so expensive that I would not be able to have bought it and tried it in stead of getting the box.  However, if they gave small samples of really expensive products it would be different, because I would get to try the expensive products without wasting money on something I would not like. 

Anti-aging: Antarctilyne Plump 3: A promise to remove all wrinkles

I am getting old.  It is a recent thing.  I just turned 40 and for the first time ever I am seeing wrinkles.  For the first time ever I am also interested in anti-wrinkle creams.  But I am also very, very sceptical.  Can a cream really remove a wrinkle?

I was really keen to try Antarctilyne Plump3 by Skin doctors.  Look at their claims.   It promises wrinkle removal after 7 days of use. Antarctilyne Plump3 - the triple action skin plumping treatment that works in just 7 days! Antarctilyne Plump3 contains the breakthrough skin plumper, Trylagen. Scientifically proven to almost triple the appearance of collagen in just 7 days! The triple action helps boost the appearance of collagen, keep collagen looking uniform and helps protect collagen from degenerating. The result? Skin appears firmer, smoother and wrinkles appear to 'fill out' becoming less and less visible. 

The packaging promised that you look younger without the need of needles or surgery. The whole pamflet looked very medical and seemed to promise results equal to plastic surgery.  Even the company name sounded so very medical.  I think I can be forgven for having expected miracles.   

I have used it religiously for two weeks and I do not see any difference.  In fact, my wrinkles could even be worse!  (Not attributed to the cream, I just keep getting older and have been through a busy time recently with some late night.  Not good for skin.)

It made me wonder.  Do anti aging creams actually work?   I came across this website:  Truth in aging (www.truthinaging.com) where they discuss the claims made by anti-aging creams.  I searched for some of the anti-aging creams I have came across and this website seems to regard most of these as not effective.  They seem to look at the active ingredients and then judge based on what is in the cream whether it should work.  Does the very, very expensive creams work better than the really cheap ones?

You can read what Truth in aging says about Antarctilyne Plump3 here.  They give a fairly interesting description of the miracle ingredient in this product, but do not really judge whether or not this product does reduce lines. 

Here are some reviews I managed to find.

The product is Australian and is expensive.  I would not pay this price unless I knew it would reduce lines.

A great mask: Skin logic caviar + COQ10

I discovered the skin logic mask through rubybox and thought it was just amazing.  The one I tried was the Caviar and COQ10 mask, which is supposed to be “repairing and restoring”.   It is a single use mask that comes in a fairly large packet.  Inside you find a piece of soft fabric soaked in a see through liquid.  You apply the face-formed fabric or mask over your face.  It is amazing.  My skin felt silky soft after use.  I sealed the mask in the container and got two uses out of it.  I am not wild about the idea of using the fabric mask.  I wish I could just buy that amazing gel in a tube and apply that directly to my face.

 

It can be ordered through rubybox and is on sale in Red Square for R40.  I guess for a single use mask it is a little bit expensive, but definitely worth the money if your face is in need of a pick you up or before a special night out.  I have ordered three other masks from the same range and look forward to trying them out as well.

 
You can read more about it here on the Rubybox website.  

The below is copied directly from the skin logic website:

Ingredients rich in Vitamins, micro-elements and amino acids repair and nourish your skin and enhance its elasticity. Witch Hazel is an astringent and antioxidant that helps protect the skin and reduces redness, maintaining a youthful appearance.

1               Caviar

Is rich in Vitamins A, D, B1, B2, B6 and micro-elements Co, Cu, P, Si, Zn as well as amino acids like glycine, lysine, histidine, arginine and asparagine. These ingredients intensify the processes inside the skin cells and at the same time slow down the aging process by moisturizing the skin. Caviar extract is an abundant source of Vitamins, nucleic acids, phospholipids and proteins. They are in themselves a source of marine DNA, a key element in skin cell regeneration.

Researchers say the Caviar is loaded with protein, vitamins and minerals, and they have a cell format similar to human skin. "It helps to speed up the natural production of collagen, and in time it helps to plump up and thicken the skin and thus give a younger, firmer appearance.

2               CoQ10:

CoQ10 is a naturally occurring enzyme found in every living cell of the body. It is essential to good health, and plays a particularly important role in vibrant, youthful-looking skin. As we age, our CoQ10 levels diminish, abetting the aging process of the skin. By bolstering levels of this important enzyme within our skin, topical applications of CoQ10 have been shown to reduce the signs of aging.

3               Vitamin E

Is a potent antioxidant with anti aging properties helping to reduce sun damage to the skin. Vitamin E is a superior skin moisturiser. It is known to help reduce skin inflammation, increase firmness, improve the tone and texture of the skin.

4               Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel is one of the oldest cosmetic ingredients, but still offers benefits to the skin in various ways. It not only helps with controlling water loss, but is also a good astringent. It also helps to stabilise the barrier function of the skin, reducing skin redness and has antioxidant properties.

 

New Year's Nails

This is what my nails looked like for our New Year's Eve Party!

 

The bottom colour is "Sinful Colors; Let's Talk" and the top is "Tip Top Rocky Road Glitter".

Yes, it is over the top glittery, but it looks like a New Year's Party should look.

The Tip Top Glitter is lovely, mostly silver, with multicoloured flecks - there is a bit of red, yellow and blue depending on the light. 

Inside the December Rubybox

I have never done a Beauty box review, mostly because there used to be so many reviews.  However, lately there seems to be less, so here I go with mine.  

If you do not know what a Rubybox is, you should first read this post. 

I received one of the ‘normal’ December Rubyboxes, not the Tanqueray one.

Inside were:

A Rubybox branded foundation brush

It is valued at R149.99.  Rubybox has been adding quite a bit of tools lately.  I wish I could get a lash curler, then I would have the complete set of Rubybox tools, all received in the monthly boxes.  I am not sure whether I like the brush.  I apply foundation with my fingers, which works just fine.  Might give it a try.  The brush is large and really, really soft.  (Updated:  I did try the brush and still think I prefer my fingers.  The brush is great for getting the BB cream out of the sachet, though!)

Garnier BB cream

Included were 7 sachets of the BB cream, nicely tied up in an organza bag.  Two colours were included, light and medium, which is nice, since I get to try both.  I have been itching to give a BB cream a try since I have read so much about it.   I am not sure that I am a fan of this BB cream.  It gave lovely coverage, but was a bit thick and oily.  It is really hot in Durban lately.  I will give it a second chance when it is a bit less hot.  In this heat everything feels oily.  (Updated:  I like the BB cream more and more as I use it more.)

Elizabeth Arden red door perfume sample and Issey Miyake perfume

This is a really old fragrance, but it smells wonderful.  I might even get myself a bottle.  I love the perfume samples in Rubybox and would be really sad if I received a box without a perfume sample.  There was also a tiny one use swipe of Issey Miyake men’s perfume.  Really small. 

Decleor eye and lip cream

I always like it when I receive serums, eye creams or any other anti-aging potions.  These are so expensive to buy and I never know what to get.  Being introduced to various options via Rubybox is perfect.  I have not used this one yet, but am looking forward to giving it a try.

The box came with a Beauty Bulletin, a small fold-up broshure advertising various beauty products.  It was done well, but looked a lot like any advertisement insert you would received in a newspaper.  The usual card describing the various products was absent, something I missed.

All in all this box was OK.  I estimated the value at R203, however most of this is because the foundation brush costs R150.  The actual products inside were only worth about R50.  I am not sure whether I appreciate tools in the beauty boxes.  I never buy tools and feel I do not need it.  However, I covet an eye lash curler and I really use the cheap looking make-up brushes I received in a Glambox a lot; so maybe I need tools more than I realise, and this is a great way for me to get it.