NNR (Not Nail Related!) - Carmine Beauty Box - January 2012

In a complete break from nail related items I wanted to blog about my new Carmine Beauty Box that arrived today.  If you don't know what a Beauty Box is basically its a subscription service where you pay a set amount and every month a new box arrives at your door.  In this box are five deluxe samples of make up and beauty related items that you may not have tried before (or heard of!).  The idea is for you to try out new products and new companies and then maybe you might want to try more of their products or spread the word about them.

The concept of the Beauty Box has been around for nearly a year now and there are various companies that do it (to varying degrees of cost).  The Carmine Beauty Box has only been around for a few months so is a relative newcomer to the market.  I have been impressed with the few boxes I have seen and at £12.95 a month it seems like a good deal.

This is what the box looks like when it first arrives.

Opened up you get a black box full of goodies

 Inside:

Unwrapped:

The goodies:

The products in January's box are:

• Wild Rose 24 hour Moisturising & Brightening Cream from Korres
• Eldora False Eyelashes
• Radiance Face Oil by Balance Me
• Himalayan Pink Salt from Westlab
• Fat Eye Stick from Eyeko in Satin Taupe

I am most excited about the Fat Eye Stick.  Its a beautiful colour and seems to be so versatile to be used as an all over lid colour or as a liner.  To buy this is £10 so this product alone almost covers the cost of the box.

I am least excited about the bath salt.  I don't normally take baths (I do wash honest!) as I prefer showers.  But I am willing to give it a try and see what its like.  To buy this is £2.85 for 500g and the sample I have is 100g so its really only worth around £0.60.

The other prices of the products if I bought them would be:

Wild Rose 24 hour Moisturising & Brightening Cream from Korres - this is £19 for 40ml and the sample I have is 10ml so is worth £4.75.

Eldora False Eyelashes - these synthetic and are worth £3.90.  I've never worn false lashes and I'm not sure when I would ever get the chance.  But now I have a pair just in case I ever should need them!

Radiance Face Oil by Balance Me - this is the most expensive item - it would be £30 for 30ml and the sample I have is 5ml so would cost £6.

Overall the cost of all the items in the box would be around £25 and I paid £12.95 so not bad.  I am looking forward to trying everything - not sure I will purchase the full size version of these products even if I liked them, but its fun to try new things.  I was slightly disappointed only to get one item of makeup as I prefer make up items to skin products but we'll see what comes in the next box.

Do you subscribe to a Beauty Box?

I'll be back with a NOTD soon!
Until then,
Lealea x