little white truths

This month's Violet Box was a bit late so I didn't receive it before we went away. I don't mind an occasional late box and Violet Box normally keeps us informed about delivery schedules, so I wasn't too concerned about its late arrival - plus it was a nice surprise to come home to.


I have a feeling that a lot of people won't be that happy with this month's box because it contains two sample body lotions (both of which turned up in Lust Have It boxes first), and there's no makeup or skincare for the face. Happily I'm ok with the contents because I need body products and makeup brushes, and this box is useful on that front.


Having said that, this box didn't blow my socks off; however it's one that contains products I'll use and nothing will get sent to a better home. Those boxes (the ones that contain useful stuff) can be just as good as those that contain super exciting products, since you know that you've got your money's worth.

Anyhoo. The box.

Note: as always I'll give you my initial thoughts first and then I'll update this post once I've used everything and can comment properly on the contents.


Mitsura Kabuki Brush (RRP $14.95)

This was the sneak peek item and I was happy to see it. It's true that you can never have too many brushes, and I certainly don't have too many.

According to the card, this is made of ultra-luxurious and densely packed synthetic bristles that provide moderate to full coverage. Because it has no handle, it's apparently easy to hold in the palm of your hand and helps you create contours on the face.

First, this isn't a contour brush - I guess 'contour' is a buzz word right now so companies are throwing the term about. If you tried contouring with this you'd struggle I reckon. Second, I've no idea how you'd hold this in the palm of your hand: what an awkward way to use a brush! I suspect everyone uses their fingers to hold this, as they would for any other brush.

That aside, this is a lovely soft brush and I'm loving it. I just used it to apply some powder and it worked well and I liked the feel of it on my face: some brushes are too hard and I don't enjoy using them, but this one feels really nice. It's gone straight to the bathroom cabinet and I can see myself using it every day. Win!

UPDATE: Full review here. As mentioned above, this is a nice brush and I'm getting lots of use from it. I reckon some people might have issues with how soft it is (meaning it can pick up far too much powder, especially when it comes to loose powders), but I use it for my sheerer, harder powders and it's great for those. It feels lovely on the face and I'm reaching for it every day at the moment.


Hair & Me Hair Rejuvenation Treatment (RRP $19.95)

This was the sneak peek item for last month but it turned up too late so VB decided to send out April's boxes with another item and save this one for May.

According to the card, it's a 100% organic oil-based product that uses coconut, macadamia, jojoba and almond oils, and it's designed to help repair, moisturise and strengthen your hair and scalp. It's also meant to help rejuvenate and restore hair.

I can't wait to try this one: I've heard a lot of people say good things about it, and the product is definitely something I need. My hair is dry and I'm about to run out of the hair treatment I'm using, so this is a timely inclusion.

UPDATE: I've used this a few times now and I'll write a full review at some point. For now, it's enough to say that I'm not a fan. Somehow this product makes all my hair greasy and dull, except for the ends, which end up crackly dry - even though I focus putting this product there because that's where I need hydration most. Boo hoo.


Soak Skin Booster Body Lotion (RRP $29.95 for 500ml)

I've seen that this product was included in a recent Lust Have It box, so anyone who's receiving both might be a bit annoyed about the double-up. My LHI subscription finished months ago however, so I'm happy to receive this: I hadn't heard of this brand until recently and I'm always up for a new body cream.

According to the card, this lotion is infused with chia seeds, the ancient Aztec superfood that's packed with nutrients (including calcium, vitamin B3 and magnesium). Apparently the nutrients in chia seeds encourage optimal hydration and boost barrier function to promote healthy looking skin.

Sounds good. Looking forward to giving this a crack.

UPDATE: Full review here. I do like this because it's hydrating and absorbs well, but I wouldn't buy it because I'm not prepared to pay thirty bucks for a body cream. Yes, you get a lot of product for your money, but I'd be seriously bored of it about halfway through the 500ml bottle. Plus it doesn't smell wonderful, and I prefer body creams that smell divine.


Meraki by Design Body Scrub (RRP $15.95 for 220g)

Now this looks interesting. I'm a big fan of scrubs for both the face and body, and I've recently finished off a couple of body scrubs so I'm happy to see this.

As per the card, Meraki is a free-spirited brand that is bold, beautiful and unique. Unfortunately the description goes on about the brand but says nothing about the product itself, so I'll have to look into it when it comes to using it and writing my full review.

UPDATE: Full review here. While I do like this body scrub, it smells too sweet for me so it's not something I would buy. It does scrub well and also hydrates the skin at the same time (I guess that's from the oils), although like most dry scrubs it's a little fiddly to use and I think it's better-suited to using in the bath (unfortunately we don't have one). I'd be up for trying this in another scent, but it's not something I would seek out.


Urban Skincare Co Backstreet Collection Infuse Body Balm (RRP $12.95 for 100ml)

Been there, done that - full review here. I do love this body cream but I'm always a little disappointed to see repeat products from one box to the next, but at least this is a good one. This product showed up in a Lust Have It box a few months ago and it's a nicely rich body cream that my dry skin loves. It smells quite strongly of ginger so some people mightn't like that, but I quite like the scent.

This will definitely get used, but it's the one product in the box that I'm not excited to see. Four out of five ain't bad, though!

In sum

As mentioned above, I have a feeling that quite a few people won't love this box since it has three body products and no makeup, but I'm happy with it. I hadn't heard of four out of the five brands until recently (and I hadn't seen Meraki before), and I love trying products from brands I don't know.

I'll check back in soon with an update and let you know what I think of everything.