Shopping My Stash - Beauty Boxes Revisited ~ Part One

I absolutely love buying or receiving new skincare products! I love the thrill of receiving packages through the post and I love discovering new brands and new products.

But tempered with that joy also comes a degree of angst and guilt about having far too many products in my stash and finding the time to use and enjoy them.

Beauty Subscription boxes are the best way to discover new products. And because most of them are chosen for us, it's a great opportunity to try out new brands and products that you might not have otherwise known about, or decided to purchase. Although in some boxes, items chosen for us can mean items that don't suit us, are doubles or just not products we'd use.

Over the years I've subscribed to quite a few different beauty boxes, but I've rarely lasted the course with many of them (usually when the picks just don't suit me or my skincare tastes).

Amongst the boxes that I still love and receive regularly are the Latest in Beauty monthly picks, the Love Lula box, the Naturisimo Discovery boxes and of course, my favourite ever beauty box - the Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box.

January 2019

Back in January 2019, the only box I received was the Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box. 

The Skin Organics box is usually a complete surprise as to what's inside (but sometimes a sneak peek is offered). In other boxes, this can be a down-side. But in all the time I've been subscribing to Skin Organics Clean Beauty there's only been one item I couldn't use (due to the inclusion of Aloe Vera, which is a no-no for my skin) and maybe a couple of items that haven't really wowed me. Other than that, I always love the products and many of them have turned into firm favourites.

 The January 2019 box had the theme 'Regenerate' and included five items and three extra sample sachets.

Let's see how/if/when I used these products:

* Clockface Beauty - Hand & Cuticle Roll On - Frankincense & Rose Otto: 

I kept this on my desk for a while when I first received it and loved this gorgeous smelling cuticle oil. However, because I had several older products to use up first, I ended up popping this away to take it's place in the 'queue'. I'm quite shocked to realise that this is still in the queue waiting to be used. I'm very near the end of my current cuticle and nail balm and now I've realised that this oil is a year old so I'm moving it up the queue and will endeavour to use it next!

Still about!

* Pure Lakes - Grapefruit & Lemongrass Shower Gel:

This shower gel had a lovely, citrus zingy scent but I remember it not being hugely foamy. I kept this in my swimming bag and used it in the shower at the pool. I think the lack of lather kept me from re-purchasing it.

Used up!

* Cacti Cosmetics - Regeneration Facial Oil:

Okay, so this is why revisiting past beauty box products is a good idea for me personally as it's made me realise that I have so many products waiting to be used that some are over a year old.

I obviously tried this out when I received it so I could get a good 'first impression' but then it got popped into my stash queue. This is not good as it's now a year old and has been opened! I have three more oils that are older than this one even, so will be using those up first (two of those are nearly empty).

Still about!

* Cacti Cosmetics- Avocado Lip Balm:

Again, I tried this when I first received it and yet again, put it away to use up later. I hope it's still usable a year later.

Still about!

* Okko- Foot Balm with Organic Calendula & Eucalyptus:

Now this, at least, I know I used up very quickly. In fact, I remember that was one of the down-sides about this product - I only managed to get a couple of uses from it. I always make my own foot balm so this isn't a product that I would repurchase. But I remember liking it while it lasted.

Used up!

* Northburn - Relax Aromatherapy Candle:

This turned out to be my favourite item from the 'Regeneration' box. It's also reminded me that another Northburn candle needs to go on my wish list! I loved everything about this candle - the scent, the way it burned evenly and it's burn time. One of the best candles I've ever tried.

Used up!

After revisiting this box, I can see that I used up three items and still have three items - none of the items were passed on or disliked.

Favourite item: Northburn Candle

Would Repurchase? : Northburn Candle

February 2019

In February, I received the Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box and made two separate picks from Latest in Beauty.

The February 2019 Skin Organics Clean Beauty box had the theme of ' Pure Bliss'. It included five products plus a face cloth.

I think this was one of my most favourite edits to date and included several products which have become firm favourites.

* Farryn Amber ~ Rose Facial Mask:

This was my first introduction to the brand and has become one of my favourite brands. This was a big pot of product and I seem to have used it so many times that I'm surprised I still have any remaining (I could possibly squeeze a couple more uses out of it).

Still about!

* Belenos Skin Botanique - Repair Serum: 

One of the best oil-based serums that I've ever used! I remember being the most excited by this product when I saw it in the box as Belenos was a brand that I was already well-acquainted with, having already bought and loved several of their products. I've finished this in January but the Repair Serum is on my repurchase list as a must-have product!

Used up!

* Micheline Arcier - Harmonie Bath Oil:

Considering this is such a small sample it's amazing that I still have some remaining. However, you only need just a tiny capful of this concentrated bath oil per use. I very rarely bath, preferring instead to shower, so this hasn't been used as often as I'd like.

Still about!

* CocoRosa Beauty - Egyptian Neroli Cleansing Oil, Superfruit 3 in 1 Cleansing Powder and Double-Sided Cleansing Cloth:

Another brand introduction that has since become another favourite brand. I used these samples up really quickly and went back to repurchase a full size of the Egyptian Neroli Cleansing Oil straight away!

Used up and repurchased!

Two items are still about from the Pure Bliss box and three were used up. 

Will or have already repurchased: Belenos Repair Serum and Cocorosa Egyptian Neroli Cleansing Oil.

Favourite product: I Actually can't choose just one favourite from this box. They were all fantastic.

Latest in Beauty - February Picks

I bought two boxes from Latest in Beauty in February - choosing three products per time.
I've stuck with Latest in Beauty for so long because I'm able to choose which products I would like. However, some products can sell out very quickly, so In 2019 I decided to just opt for three items per box - buying another box later in the month if there were more picks I wanted. It does work out more expensive this way, but ensures that I'm not just picking products for the hell of it!

* Malin + Goetz - Eucalyptus Deodorant:

When I looked this up I saw that it's quite expensive. Certainly more than I'd pay for a deodorant! I usually make my own cream deodorant but this is fabulous, so I keep it in my bathroom and it's still currently In use.

* Marc Jacobs - Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara:

I thought that this mini mascara would be fabulous because it was from Marc Jacobs but it was really quite disappointing! It smudges and flakes and doesn't really give me the strong, lengthened lash look that I aspire to. It's still opened and in my stash, which has shocked me as it's now a year old. I'm going to have to sadly get rid of this one!

De-cluttered

* Argentum - La Potion Infinie:

I picked this because it's a brand who I was interested in but is so incredibly expensive that I never would have bought it at full price. A full size of this would set me back £158!!

Another product that I realise is still opened and hardly touched and a year old! It takes me an age to get through night creams and so that's probably the category in my stash where the products are the oldest. I need to move this to the front of the queue and use it up before it expires (if it hasn't already).

Still about

* Aromatherapy Associates - Revive Bath & Shower Oil:

This was an extra gift in the box, and not one of my picks. I've picked up a couple of these in boxes before and have enjoyed using them while I have them but they're not something I'd choose to repurchase.

Used up

* Emulsion - Clay Mask Base:  Passed on
* Emulsion - Matte Maker Essential Blend:  Passed on
* Emulsion - Kind Karma Extract:  Passed on
* Sanctuary Spa - Body Moisture Spray:  Passed on

The second box came about as I was interested in the brand Emulsion. 
The Sanctuary Spa body spray was a free gift - but although I don't mind the Sanctuary Spa signature scent in their products (once in a while), I find it too overpowering and artificial as a body spray.
But...I actually ended up giving all of these away!
I kept these in my stash for so long and realised that I just wasn't going to use them, so passed them to a friend.


Although re-visiting these past beauty boxes gave me a bit of a kick up the bum, that can only be a good thing. It's definitely made me realise that I have opened products that are a year old and I need to check if they are still usable. It's also made me push some products to the front of the 'to-use queue', which will shake up my routines and my stash.

What about you? Are you guilty of hoarding too many beauty box products?!