Goodebox, My First Beauty Box Delivery

In case you missed it, one of the beauty trends that has been on the rise is beauty box subscription services.  These companies ask you to complete a questionnaire about your beauty preferences and then hand pick and mail out beauty products for you to try.  If you end up loving any of the products you've received, you can often buy them directly from the company's website or be redirected to the specific brand's website.  Some of these companies include Goodebox, Birchbox, and Glossybox, to name a few.

I have a skincare and beauty routine that works great for me.  But I also wanted to be able to discover new products without spending a ton of money on a full-sized item.  I also wanted to discover new products that are more environmentally friendly than the average drug store or super market carries.  So I was thrilled when I found Goodebox.

Goodebox describes themselves as "a trial & discovery subscription box service providing expertly curated, healthy beauty products, non-toxic cosmetics, natural cosmetics and personal care products, along with occasional samples of natural & organic health and wellness products."  Their questionnaire is pretty thorough and you get to choose to which level you want to receive certain types of products.  For example, through the questionnaire I let them know that I was interested in receiving sun care products, but that I wasn't so interested in receiving supplements.

I signed up for their bimonthly subscription service instead of monthly since, at $19/month, they're a bit more on the pricier side of beauty boxes.  However, keep in mind that you're paying for more environmentally and healthier products overall, which tend to be a little bit more expensive.  I received my first beauty box in the mail last week and was pretty excited to find out what they'd sent me.  Because who doesn't like to receive fun mail?!

In my Goodebox was one wellness product and four trial-sized beauty products.  The Preserve triple razor has a handle made out of 100% recycled yogurt cups, which is pretty ingenious if you ask me.  Why produce more plastic when there's so much already lying around to reuse?  I've been using disposable, generic razors for years now, so it was quite a treat to use a razor with Vitamin E and aloe lubrication strips.  (Those generic razors often don't have moisturizing strips around the blade.)  My legs were pretty soft afterwards.  I'll get some good use out of this product, especially considering it came with two replacement blades.

Goodebox also sent me some Suntegrity "5 in 1" Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen (Tinted),  Portland Bee Balm in "Oregon Mint," Gressa Renewing Polish, and Modern Minerals Eyeshadow in "Libra and Lola."  See below for my reviews of these products, the prices of which are for the full sizes.

1. Suntegrity "5 in 1" Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen ($45.00)
I'm a big fan of moisturizers that contain sun protection.  This Suntegrity product is tinted and contains a broad spectrum SPF 30.  The tube I got in my Goodebox is in "Light" tint, but there are five total shades from which to choose.  It might not look like the same shade as my hand, but it blended really well when I applied it to my face.  Some other pluses are that this product is vegan, non-greasy, and non-toxic.  The only thing I didn't like so much about this product was that it had a faint metallic smell that, after I applied it, I could detect for the rest of the day.  However, I do have a very keen sense of smell, so it's entirely possible this wouldn't be an issue for others.  Senses aside, overall I think this is a great product for those who want some light coverage with a tinted moisturizer and don't want to compromise on sun protection. 

2. Portland Bee Balm ($2.99)
At just under $3.00, this is a very affordable product.  It has a very gentle mint scent that doesn't overpower that natural beeswax smell; they even offer it in an unscented version.  I absolutely love that this product is hand made, that the beeswax is locally sourced from Oregon, and that the lip balm ingredients are easily understood.  Who knew that the combination of beeswax, coconut oil, olive oil, and peppermint essential oil could make such a great lip balm!  Out of everything that was sent to me, this was my favorite product. 

3.  Gressa Renewing Polish ($38.00)
This product serves as an all-in-one "brightening, clarifying, exfoliating, and moisturizing facial treatment."  After reading the directions I was very intrigued that a polish, or a gentle scrub, could also act as a mask.  You're supposed to scrub a small amount onto your face in a circular motion and then leave it on for 5-15 minutes before rinsing with warm water.  I left it on my face between 5-10 minutes and wow, did it make my face feel soft (must be the raw honey and olive oil in it)!  It has a very therapeutic lavender scent, which is very comforting, and almost all of the ingredients are organic.  I did experience some light burning under my eyes about an hour afterwards, but it wasn't enough to really bother me.  Taking a sneak peak at their other products, I'm really interested in their mask, though unfortunately it's sold out. 

4. Modern Minerals Eyeshadow ($12.50)
For someone who doesn't use eyeshadow everyday I have quite a bunch of mineral eyeshadows from bareMinerals, so I wasn't as interested in this product as the others in my Goodebox.  However, that doesn't detract from the fact that this is a great product.  I loved the shimmery copper color of the eyeshadow, which complemented my green eyes very nicely.  It's $1.50 cheaper than BareMinerals eyeshadow pots at a very comparable quality and with quite a lot of color options; I'd confidently buy from either brand and be just as happy.

Any questions about the Goodebox items I received?  Feel free to ask.  What did you get in yours?