Summer Girl SaladBox Review (April 2017)

April is the start of summer so Saladbox came up with the Summer Girl theme. It's definitely not April now, but finaaallllyyyy, here's my review!

What is Saladbox, you ask? It is a subscription service for people wanting to try new stuff. Every month, subscribers will get a box full of goodies, usually based on a theme. Interested? Click here to know more about their subscription plans. Prices start at 1,800 PHP for the 3-month plan.

The Summer Girl Saladbox contains beauty essentials that are perfect for the season. The products included are meant to protect and care for the skin while we bask in the summer sun.

Without further ado, let's see what's inside!

What I Got

all the goods inside

Before we start, just look at the box. It's so bright and cheerful! Nakakasilaw!

This arrived on my doorstep during the first week of May. I have tried most of them already so I'll give some mini-reviews.

First of all, I got this Maxi-Peel Skin Renewal Kit and this Maxi-Peel Micro-Exfoliant Soap.

1) Maxi-Peel Skin Renewal Kit #2, approx 90 PHP
2) Maxi-Peel Micro-Exfoliant Soap 90g, approx 50 PHP

Both products are not new to me. Maxipeel is a popular brand and if you're from the Philippines, I'm sure you've heard or at least seen them in malls/grocery stores.

The Skin Renewal Kit that Saladbox sent me contained one 15ml bottle of the Maxi-Peel Exfoliant Solution #2, an 8g sachet of Maxi-Peel Sun Protection Cream and another 8g sachet of Maxi-Peel Moisturizing Cream.

The Exfoliant Solution #2 is made up of 0.025% tretinoin and 2% hydroquinone. I have tried #1 which has a lower dose of 0.010% tretinoin before and that was too strong for me! I still tried the kit anyway. :P

I experienced redness by the third day and my skin felt so sore and tender the next few days. I also started peeling and purging after a week and got tiny little pimples all over. You're supposed to use this and carry on for 60 days (see #BagongGandaBagongPagasa) but after two weeks,  I decided I'm out. I frankly don't have the patience for the purge. The creams are also quite greasy and I'm not a fan. Oh, well.

On a positive note, I think the Maxi-Peel Micro-Exfoliant Soap is good! Based on my past experience, I can definitely say the soap offers slow and steady whitening over the course of a few months. I will keep using it.

The next items I got are these products from Skin White.

3) Skin White PowerWhitening Lotion 100ml, 150 PHP
4) Skin White Whitening Deodorant 25ml, approx 50 PHP

Again, these products are not new to me. Skin White is also a mainstream brand here in the Philippines.

The SkinWhite PowerWhitening Lotion is thick and creamy. It moisturizes my skin well but it leaves some residue behind. It does not get completely absorbed. If mixed with sweat, it feels kinda sticky. I like the added SPF20 but sadly, it leaves white cast behind. Is that supposed to be the "instant-white"? Unfortunately, any white cast on my skin makes me look grayish. I'm not a fan so I only use this lotion at night. So far, I haven't seen long-term whitening effects.

The Skinwhite Deodorant is not just a plain deo. It is also an antiperspirant with whitening properties so that we can flaunt visibly whiter, smoother underarms in just 7 days! Hmmmm, I dunno about those claims. Like the lotion, I also haven't seen significant whitening effects so far. It does minimize sweating and odor but my pits still get moist. The deo is also heavily-scented.

The next items I got are products from Hygienix and Farmstay.

5) Hygienix Antibacterial Hand Spray 20ml, 25 PHP
6) Farmstay Snail Repair Cream 10ml sample, approx 115 PHP (345 PHP for 30 grams)

The Hygienix Hand Spray is the one I'm utilizing the most from this box. I like the handy size and the convenient spray form. It smells good and makes my hand clean and fresh. It is a life-saver.

I bought a snail cream recently and this Farmstay Snail Repair Cream was one of the products I'm seriously considering to buy. I chose another brand so I was really looking forward to getting this 10ml sample. I'm curious to see if I missed something and I mean, hello, we're talking snails here. SNAILS!!! Need I say more?!

I excitedly applied this at night all over my face. The cream's texture is rich but goopy, a good sign that there is actually snail mucus in there. It looks heavy but it is actually light and easy to apply. It is not greasy or sticky but it leaves a very slight tacky finish.

Now you guys may not believe me but I can definitely feel the difference even after just one use! My skin felt so soft and hydrated. I was ready to sing more praises except I BROKE OUT the next day. I am so sad. I tried this again the next three days because I was in denial but new CCs and tiny pimples keep popping up. This was the only new thing in my skincare so I'm sure this was the culprit. I am so sad. If this works for you, congrats! With its affordable price and lovely ingredients, I think it's a steal!

The last two things in my box is a Cebu Pacific GetGo Rewards Card and a Sunnies Studios 200 Php Discount Coupon if you buy a minimum of 500 PHP at their website.

Was This Box Worth It?

Minus the coupon and the rewards card, the value of the items inside adds up to only 480 PHP.

Ummmm. Oh. My. God? Price-wise, I think this is the worst Saladbox I have received. And trust me, I'm not being rude. I pay 500 PHP for the monthly subscription and Saladbox promised that subscribers will always get up to 3 times of what we've paid for. What happened here?

Another thing that I always bring up like a broken record - for me, the point of subscription boxes is to discover something new, something special or unique. Except for the snail cream from Farmstay, all the products in here are not new to me, and can be easily found in grocery stores. 

Final Verdict

I think this is one of Saladbox's weakest box in both value and satisfaction. All the stuff inside are functional and I will use them up eventually but meh, I probably won't buy most of the products myself. Honestly, if I go to the grocery store in the corner with 500 PHP in my hand, I would only pick the Hygienix Hand Spray and perhaps the Maxi-Peel Soap.

The May Saladbox is a VMV HypoAllergenics Exclusive so fingers crossed it's better than this!

Fellow Saladbox subscriber? What do you think of the April box?

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Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I paid for my own Saladbox subscription. This review is written based on my own experience. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa.