Saladbox August 2016 Pretty Fixes Review

For the month of August, the folks at Saladbox came out with a box called "Pretty Fixes" - a box showcasing a few of the innovations of the beauty industry. All the products in this box is meant to help us solve some of our beauty concerns.



They also unveiled Saladbox VIP - a program where VIP subscribers will receive additional samples and/or tickets in their monthly boxes from time to time. Last August, Saladbox promised that VIP members will get an additional full-size Sleek MakeUP lipstick along with the box items. That's awesome! So how do you become a VIP member? Do you need to pay more pesoses? Well, to be VIP member, you only need to sign up or upgrade your current plan to their one-year subscription service!

It sounds awesome but I got qualms upgrading because a one-year subscription sounds risky. Some months you get lucky, other months you may get duds. You never know what you're gonna get. But that's the appeal of subscription boxes... amirite? Anyway, the 6-month plan is available at 3,300 PHP with shipping (550 PHP per box) while their 1-year subscription is priced at 5,500 PHP (each box will be only 458.33 PHP + you get a VIP item!!!). Guess who got the upgrade?

Pretty Fixes info sheet

Items Inside the August Box

box full of goodies

I received my box on the third week of August, Monday morning. That's the earliest I ever got from Saladbox so thumbs up. They forgot to include the Sleek MakeUP lipstick so of course I bothered them through email and Facebook. Haha! They sent it to me after a few days so that's nice and prompt of them. 

I'm kinda skeptical when I got the box since I don't know most of the brands except for Tresemme and Rraw but don't knock it til you try it, right? It's been over a month since I got the items so I had the chance to try most of them. Let's check each of these babies out!

Glamglow Youthmud Treatment Mask (Tinglexfoliate Treatment)

"Aging skin? Here's the prefect (tightening) fix! Apply to face and leave for ten minutes, and wash off.
Full size, Php 3,300; Sample value, Php 380"

Such a tiny sample. When I opened the box, I remember thinking "Saladbox should have at least included 2 samples of this mud mask *eyeroll*" and then I saw the sample price. OMG! Php 380 for a 5-gram, one-use mask? Yikes. This mask better be really, really, really good to justify that high a price.

Glamglow Tinglexfoliate claims to (a) leave skin noticeably radiant and glowing (b) provide gentle resurfacing exfoliation and (c) helps to leave skin smoother, brighter and softer. The main ingredients are Volcanic Rock, French Sea Clay & Active Green Tea Leaf. Directions for use: (1) Apply a thin layer to clean face (2) Expect a tingle-tastic tightening effect in 10 minutes or less (3) Remove mask with water in circular motions to exfoliate.

I need to learn how to take better selfies haha. The mask has some tiny bits of herbs in it - I think it's the tea leaves.
Had to try not to cry when taking the selfies - lol. When it dried, it made my face rigid!

I decided to use this after a long shower because the skin is softer and I thought the mask will be absorbed better by my skin. That turned out to be a bad decision! Immediately after putting this on, my face started to tingle and it escalated to a burning feeling. If you use kojic soaps, you know that feeling if you leave the soap in for more than 5 minutes? That is similar to what I felt but it's more painful. I was tearing up while I tried to take a selfie. Thankfully, the sensation stopped when the mask started drying. The mask got tighter and completely dried up in 10 minutes. I then washed it off with water in circular motions as directed.

My before and after pics somehow look the same to me but I can feel that my skin is so much smoother, softer and brighter than before! During the time I tested this, I had some breakouts from trying some new face stuff. Those breakouts dried up the next 2 days after using the mask. I also had a big, red, painful bump forming on my nose but it got drawn out and ripened the next day. It usually takes at least 2 weeks to surface. I have some milia under my eyes and they just kinda fell off (???) the next day. That is top-notch exfoliation if you can make milia just go away. Is it too much to attribute all those as effects of the mask? Maybe, but except for facial wash, I ceased using all other products because of the breakout. So yeah, I believe it is because the mask.

Will I buy this in full size? Yes, I'm sold. The hefty price is honestly such a huge deterrent but the benefits I reaped from a single use impressed me very much! I'm putting this on my splurge list!
  

Check out Glamglow: Facebook, Twitter, Website, Instagram

Tresemme Split Repair Serum

"Prone to split ends? This serum reduces them in just 3 uses! Apply to damp hair, concentrating on the ends.
Full size 97 ml, Php 400. Sample value, Php 400"

Saladbox included a full-size for this item, yay! I love Tresemme for my hair. I haven't tried Tresemme's Split Repair line but I do use their Keratin Smooth line and seriously, it keeps my hair straight, frizz-free, softer, and smoother compared to other local brands.

This Split Repair Serum bottle comes with a pump so points for that. Sadly, I have very thin hair, so I feel like it dispenses too much product per pump. The serum itself is a cloudy-ish, runny gel that has a mild floral scent.  I don't have split ends but I do have dry tips so I just used this as a regular hair serum. After a week of usage, the ends of my hair felt moisturized and overall healthier. I was worried the first time I used this because I thought it would be greasy after applying. My fears were unfounded because my hair fully absorbed the serum after a few minutes. It was not greasy at all and feels very light. Unlike other serums, it didn't weigh down my hair with gunk after being out in the sun so props!

Will I buy this if I ran out of the item? Probably not because I don't have the problem it targets. I can't vouch for its effectiveness against split ends but it works great as a hair serum. However, at it's price of 400 PHP, would you really buy this product just to use it as a hair serum? You better have split ends girl! Haha #justsayin

Our bathroom stash - I'm not kidding when I say I love Tresemme lol
The big pumps are mine while my sis use the other bottles. We don't share - lol

Check out Tresemme: Facebook, Twitter, Website, Instagram

Body Fantasies Signature Fragrance Spray 

Body Fantasies Signature Japanese Cherry Blossom + Fresh White Mask Body Spray
Full size, 29 ml, Php 66 each. Sample value, Php 132 (2x)

Confession: I don't really use perfume when I go out; I just put it on when I do remember. Still, I could use a little variety in my perfume choices. Perfume description from the leaflet included:

Japanese Cherry Blossom. Swirling petals from the Japanese Cherry Blossom tree inspire a fragrance full of romance, desire and charm. A long-lasting blend of warm oriental notes transform an incredibly feminine dry down of fresh cherry blossom, succulent rose and seductive amber.

Fresh White Musk. Blends the clean fresh natural scents of bright white florals with a mix of soft musks. Our best selling fragrance!

I tried the fragrances by spritzing a scent per arm. When I spritzed it on, the alcohol smell was really overpowering. Thank goodness it went away after a minute or so. That aside, the fragrances smell very nice. Japanese Cherry Blossom smells like flowers, very feminine. This is how I imagine sweet-looking dainty delicate girls smell. Fresh White Musk is more my type. It also smells very floral but the musk somehow balances it off. It doesn't smell girly. I don't know how to describe it but it just smells so clean and so refreshing! No wonder it is their best-selling fragrance!

I'd like it more if the scents last longer though. I timed myself when I went out and did a sniff test every thirty minutes. After 4 hours, the fragrance lingers but the scents have almost completely faded away. At 5 hours in, I have to re-spritz again. I have used perfumes that last more than 12 hours (some last until the next day) so I usually just leave my perfume bottles at home. Re-spraying after 4-6 hours and the extra weight in my bag is a hassle for me. If you don't mind those, then go for it! Body Fantasies spray is available in other sizes - Php 179 for a 94ml bottle and Php 409 for 236ml. The prices are very affordable and I think that wins over its staying power.

Will I buy this again? Yes, Fresh White Musk will be repurchase for me. My sis has already swiped my sample!

Check out Body Fantasies: Facebook, Instagram

Rraw Bath Fizz Foat Soak

"This bath soak is made to give you the complete spa foot treatment, in the comforts of your own home.
Full size, Php 130. Sample Value, Php 130"

I wanted to try rraw's lip scrub and chose it in the Sample Select but I guess the samples ran out. Anyway, this bath soak smells great! I took a sniff and it reminds me of cinnamon. I could be wrong about that but I love the aroma. My feet recently underwent an extreme peeling treatment (read more about it here) and I'm looking for more ways to pamper my feet. This foot soak seems very promising! I found a relaxing corner, prepared some books, dumped this bath soak in a small basin and submerged my feet. This has little herbs floating in it. I lowkey wanted it to fizz but it didn't lol.

Anyway, I only soaked my feet for 30 minutes and rinsed it off. This bath soak must have some oils in it - my feet got so soft! I can't stop touching my feet because it's so smooth. I wish there's an ingredient list. I tried looking for more information about this bath soak at rraw's website but I can't find this item. :(

Check out Rraw PH: Facebook, Website, Instagram

The Beauty Bask Himalayan Renegade Soap Block

"Draw out deep impurities, brighten skin despite the unavoidable dose of sun, stress and pollution. 
Full size, Php 228. Sample value, Php 70"

And lastly, the star of the night! When I first opened Saladbox, it was this soap's scent that greeted me. Very fragrant, I swear! The sample size initially disappointed me. As you can see, it is a very thin sliver of soap. The Beauty Bask made up for it by including a 20% discount coupon along with a drawstring bag.

I'll keep repeating this - it smells so good! I'm not a fan of perfumed soaps but this one is an exception. According to the Beauty Bask's website, Himalayan Renegade is made up of  Freshwater Silt Mud, Himalayan Red Rice, Plankton Extract, Matsutake Mushrooms, Paper Mulberry and Morus Alba Bark in a pure vegetable glycerin base. I can't believe it - why does it smell so good? Where is that addictive smell coming from?

Himalayan Renegade claims to "target flaws and help your skin overcome free radicals ... to restore and repair your skin from oxidative stress". You can use this daily or as a bi-weekly habit to regularly draw out deep impurities, brighten skin and preserve youth.

Left - creamy suds appear after lathering
Right - the glycerin base separating from the other ingredients?

I was initially disappointed because I thought this tiny piece wouldn't last a week. I'm happy to be proven wrong. This lasted for ten days and I even used it twice a day! It doesn't melt fast. The soap lathers easily and the suds feel very creamy and luxurious. After rinsing it off, I feel so clean but I didn't get that squeaky feeling compared to using other soaps. I didn't experience any breakouts when using this item so thumbs up! In fact, it helped brighten up face! I think the soap is as good as it claims to be.

Minor issue: during the second day of use, the soap kinda separated? I am not sure but it's probably because of our bathroom's humidity. In the second pic above, you can see an oil-like gel forming on the surface. It isn't oily but it felt very moisturizing. Is that the glycerin? It didn't affect the soap's performance so whatever.

Will I purchase this product in full size? Yes, this soap is a big hit for me! This soap is quite pricey at Php 228 for a 100g bar but considering its all-natural ingredients, melting power and its benefits, I think it's worth it!

Check out The Beauty Bask: Website, Instagram

VIP Treat - Sleek MakeUP True Colour Lipstick

Yay, freebie! I haven't tried any Sleek MakeUP products at all so I'm glad I got to have one. I'm currently panning my older lipsticks so I'll review this one fully in the near future. But I have to say this right now, the packaging is gorgeous. It's made of plastic but the velvet finishing looks very classy. I'm digging the size of this lipstick. It's so small and compact. The lipstick shade in Barely There looks very promising!

Check out Sleek MakeUP PH: Facebook, Instagram

Saladbox also included a Sleek MakeUP Workshop Ticket worth Php 1,000 and a Resorts World Skin Perfection Salon Gift Certificate worth Php 500 in this box. I won't be able to use these certificates at all so... *sigh* :(

August 2016 Pretty Fixes Saladbox - Yay or Nay?

The August Saladbox is worth Php 2,612 (if you count the ticket and gift certificate), and that's over 5 times the worth I paid for. However since I won't be using the ticket and the gift certificate, the value falls down to Php 1,112 - and that is still over 2 times worth the price I paid for! PLUS I got a free Sleek lipstick! 

In my opinion, Saladbox did well in curating this box. They introduced a lot of new brands to me and included a variety of items for almost every type of concern - for the face, for the hair, for the skin, for smelling good. I am satisfied and I think this box is deserving of its name "Pretty Fixes".

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Have you tried any of the products above? What's your fave from the products above and why? I'd love to hear from you!

Check out Saladbox: Facebook, Twitter, Website, Instagram
Check me out on social media: Twitter, Instagram

Disclaimer: Some products that worked for me may not work for you and vice versa. Any judgment given is entirely my own honest and unbiased opinion. The featured products in this post is not sponsored in any way. All links take you directly to the brand's social pages.