Boxwalla Beauty Subscription Box Review-April 2015

Disclosure: I purchased this box with my own dough (Even though my husband says I have way too many beauty products)

Boxwalla Beauty Box: 
What: Green Cruelty-free Beauty Products
Cost: $49.95
Ships: Bi-monthly and for free!

There is a saying in Hawaii and it goes like this ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick’. Well that is exactly what Boxwalla Beauty is doing. They are relatively new to the sub box scene and yet they are quietly and confidently sending out some amazing green beauty products. I say quietly because they are sending a mixture of well-known brands as well as new/upcoming/reasonably priced/independent/mom and pop shop brands that no one has ever heard of. And I mention a big stick because well….the stuff they are sending out is amazing.

Let’s get it started!

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The box itself is beautifully crafted. Here is their explanation from their Instagram account:

“Did you know our boxes are hand crafted from tree-free paper? A small company in India makes the paper for us, from cotton scraps, using the traditional art of paper-making that involves 9 steps and takes several weeks. The handmade paper is then meticulously fashioned into the boxes that you see in the pictures. The whole process is completely child labor free and employs 63 local villagers and 20 skilled artisans whose families have been making paper for generations”

A way to a sub-box junkie’s heart? Beautiful packaging!

Here is the info letter that came with the box. The theme for April is FACEts of Spring with a focus on Renewal, Hydration, Scent and Glow!

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They sign their letters ‘The Drunken Boxwallas’….I am pretty sure they would fit right in here at Subscriptionista.com….

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Axiology Vegan and Cruelty free Lipstick in Attitude (Full Size)

This was their box spoiler and….wait for it……yep, it is true. They let you chose the shade you wanted from four different offerings! The options were attitude, noble, reflection and elusive. I chose attitude because it was just the right amount of hot pink with a coral base (see my pic below). Right off the bat, my favorite part of the lipstick is that castor oil is not the 1st ingredient. Castor oil has a distinct taste and I find that it is almost always the 1st ingredient in natural lip products making them extremely viscous. It does contain castor oil (3rd ingredient) but you can’t taste it and the lipstick stays put. As far as the formula goes, it is hydrating, smooth, and contains rich pigments. It is long lasting for a natural lipstick.

Lets get real, I chose the shade attitude because I was hoping it would put me in control and my worries would be few (maybe tidy up my point of view?). “Cuz, I got a new attitude…tu tu tu tude….”

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Wonderland Organics Soothe Serum (15 ml)

This is a combination product of face oil and aromatherapy. The highlight for me is that it contains Kukui nut oil. The kukui nut grows here in Hawaii and has a ton of benefits for skin and body. It also contains my favorite seabuckhorn oil (I imagine the little seabuckhorns frolicking at the seaside munching on kukui nuts). They also sneak some pomegranate oil in there that helps rejuvenate skin.  It smells softly of lavender making it perfect to add to a prior bedtime routine. The bottle instructs that it is for normal, mature or dry skin and I would agree. The oil is rich and hydrating but I can see it being heavy for someone with oily skin. Boxwalla offers a tip for oily skin to mix this with a few drops of the Garden of Wisdom serum (Pictured below)

I am tempted to rub this on my toddler when his energy level is at 10 and mine is at 1!

 

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Garden of Wisdom Pineapple Red Wine Exfoliating Gel (1.3 oz)

I was a little intrigued to see this brand in the box as it is new to me. I headed over to research their website. These are made by a small family run business. Their website is simple and their product offerings are vast. They focus on clean and effective ingredients based from nature. I was super excited to try this mask as it smells like you want to scoop it out and eat it. The mask goes on for 15 minutes and actually tightens as you wear it similar to a clay mask. Check out how they list their ingredients for this mask and all their products on the website:

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Are you wondering why this blog isn’t named Garden of Wisdom? Me too!

Garden of Wisdom Blue mallow Hyaluronic Acid Serum (1 oz)

This is a water based serum designed to fight inflammation and hydrate skin. I applied it after the mask but prior to the soothe serum. It glides on smooth with no scent. I have only tried it a few times so no major results yet.

Hyaluronic acid is known for its ability to hold 1,000 times its weight in water. Sounds like me after a plate of nachos and margaritas!

Garden of Wisdom Healing lip Balm (Sample)

This healing balm contains manuka honey, almond oil, coconut cream and avocado oil just to name a few (check their website for the awesome description of ingredients). It goes on smooth with no weird waxing taste/smell. You can also get it in a dark chocolate flavor!

Here are the serums side by side:
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And here is the lipstick shade (And of course I had to rock festival style….it being coachella and all):

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Survey Says:

When I first opened this box, I was a little overwhelmed by all the new brands/products that I saw. But I followed the intro card progression to experiencing the products. First I researched and wore the mask. Then I applied the hyaluronic acid serum followed by the soothe serum. Lastly, out came the lipstick! My skin felt pretty fantastic post treatment. Plus this lipstick is just….sigh…amazing.

This box is doing so many things right. First, customization! Can we just do a high five for a box allowing you to pick something that works best for you instead of sending out one shade?! Next, they are truly curating their boxes with a mix of new brands that we are not seeing in subscription boxes. I will be using these products for the next few months so check back in June to get an update.

Are you getting Boxwalla Beauty? Have you tried any of these brands? Did you go to Coachella?

 

 

 

 

 

  20 comments for “Boxwalla Beauty Subscription Box Review-April 2015

  1. April 17, 2016 at 3:45 pm

    Squeee! So thrilled that you loved it. And that lipstick looks so pretty on you! (you are glowing!). Oh and I’m glad you like the Garden of Wisdom stuff – I’ve been using their stuff for around nine years now and there is still so much on their website that I haven’t tried! They have a sort of cult following (sort of like Cocoapink) but don’t seem to be have much visibility in the green beauty community.

    • April 17, 2016 at 5:34 pm

      So the first time I went on the GoW website I spent an hour and a half reading everything from their about/forums/reviews/ and etc! I am amazed by how many products they offer and how affordable they are! I read a review from an 82 year old woman who was raving about their stuff giving her a new glow! Plus I love that they flat out say-hey we don’t spend money on the packaging instead we focus on making our stuff awesome (paraphrase).

      • April 17, 2016 at 6:43 pm

        I agree!! And they are very helpful in figuring which products are best for your skin – on the forums and via email. I also love their oils ( camellia, hazelnut and their argan oil is lovely as well) and their clays and muds. Their products are so lovely and effective.

        And I never realized Kukui nut is from Hawaii!

        I’m thrilled that you are ‘getting’ what our box is all about. We want to showcase the best products regardless of price: so products at all price ranges that work the best. I feel a lot of times, less expensive brands are overlooked even when their products perform better than their expensive counterparts. And there are brands that make products which are absolutely worth paying that extra bit for. We don’t want our subscribers to miss out on either!

        Phew!! That was a loong comment – oops!!

  2. Erin
    April 17, 2016 at 4:29 pm

    LOVE that lipstick shade on you!

    And no, I don’t attend Coachella…but I live where it’s held and every year we have to battle the hordes of festival goers for the 2 weeks. Crowding the aisles at my local pharmacy, clogging the streets with camping vehicles. But I’m not bitter or anything…

    • April 17, 2016 at 5:38 pm

      Thanks for reading!
      Hahahah….As a gal who lives in a tourist driven location I feel your pain. They show up smelling of patchouli and practically causing car accidents every 5 minutes…… We don’t have coachella on Maui but we have whale season!
      The lipstick is probably my favorite ever. The color and the formula are just outstanding. Since I started sub boxes I have never bought a lip anything but I am pretty sure I will be buying more of this lipstick!!

  3. AngelaR
    April 17, 2016 at 4:50 pm

    Oooooo I love what you got in this month’s box. You look great in the picture.

    • April 17, 2016 at 5:28 pm

      Yes loving this box! There may have been some photo shop involved in the picture!!!

  4. April 17, 2016 at 5:56 pm

    Oooh I love Garden of Wisdom. They’re the best place to get basic oils at a great price. People pay out the butt for Tarte’s Maracuja oil…but it’s really just passion fruit oil and GoW has a great price on it.

    I checked out the lipsticks and my pick would have been Elusive, but I like your choice of Attitude too!

    • April 17, 2016 at 6:05 pm

      I know! I can’t believe how reasonable their prices are! I just tried the Tat Harper resurfacing mask that came in the Birchbox LE box today and I actually loved this GoW mask way more (and it is like 1/3 the price). I had a tough time deciding on the lipstick color. The other color I am stalking is fundamental

  5. April 18, 2016 at 11:43 am

    I 18th it! Your lipstick is lovely, and I really like the picture of you with the headband! #nochella

    There are a lot of different festivals around here… Bumbershoot, Decibel Festival, Capitol Hill Block Party, Folklife, Sasquatch, Paradiso, Hempfest… I actually found an awesome list that I’m glad I looked at because it’s restaurant week! That’s when fancy restaurants do pre-fixe menus and you can go try awesome food for $30ish. Also, there’s a Hawaiian festie at some point.
    http://www.visitseattle.org/things-to-do/events/festivals/

    • April 18, 2016 at 1:58 pm

      I call this photo, “Waiting in the beer line is no reason your lipstick shouldn’t be fab….”

      • April 18, 2016 at 2:37 pm

        I am a sucker for beer festivals… I like to volunteer at them because then I get free drinks!! I missed the most recent one because Vegas, but that one is beer and scotch, and for 3.5 hours of volunteering you get a $35 entrance waived with 7 tokens for 2oz tastings, and if you pay 2 tokens you can get a full Stella or Hoegaarden with a keepable glass! I used my glass from a few years ago in my most recent LITup post =D

        Now I have to wait till summer for a beer festie… Is there a beer festival look I should start working on? Perhaps the ol’ drinking bra I was trying to get Subista to invest in, topped with a fringy tank that gives off a “I definitely didn’t spill my beer” look, and some gladiator sandals.

        • April 18, 2016 at 3:54 pm

          Ah there is nothing better than being the one with all the power and control of the beer spout at a beer festival! Gladiator sandals are in order for sure!

  6. April 18, 2016 at 3:19 pm

    Oh my, the packaging of the Axiology lipstick is so pretty and it sounds like a good product too. Btw, I like your disclosure about husband :).

    • April 18, 2016 at 3:52 pm

      Thanks for reading! Yes the lipstick has a neat packaging too because you essentially pop it out of the top part so you don’t have to worry about it nicking the top!

  7. April 18, 2016 at 8:33 pm

    Peace (and go forth with great lippy)!
    That little wee lipbalm is cute! And you too you look great 🙂

  8. April 24, 2016 at 6:38 pm

    Marie, thank you so much for your sweet review! I’m so glad to hear that you’re loving The Boxwalla & the Soothe Serum 🙂

    • April 28, 2016 at 6:50 am

      I will Sooo let you know once I crack that puppy open… Now I sorta am getting even more curious !!!

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