Showing posts with label Good Medicine Beauty Lab. Show all posts

Sample Stash #20: Deluxe Mini Edition

It’s been a long time since my last sample stash post, but I’ve been using a fair number of minis recently, so it seemed like a good time to bring the series back.  There’s only so much information you can gain from a small sample sachet, but deluxe samples and trial size minis can give you a great impression of a product without a big commitment.  


When I first received the Purity Skin Tonic (in my October Goodbeing Box), I disliked the scent enough that I could barely bring myself to try it, but six months later, either the scent has mellowed or my nose has, as it’s no longer an issue.  I still get a hint of pool water, but it’s not acrid or offensive, and the product now smells mainly fresh and a little herbal/minty. It works incredibly well on my skin too! The tonic combines soothing, anti-inflammatory, and clarifying ingredients and I notice my skin is smoother and my pores look a little more refined since using it regularly.  It’s safe to say that Good Medicine Beauty Lab is firmly back on my wishlist and I’ll certainly consider a full size of Purity once I’m done with the mini.

Andalou Naturals Probiotic + C Renewal Cream
I’ve written about how disappointing some of Andalou’s reformulations have been for me, and unfortunately this is another product to add to that list.  The old version of the Probiotic + C Renewal Cream was one of my favorite moisturizers -- I’ve gone through at least two or three full pots of it -- so when I needed a new moisturizer, I thought I’d give the new incarnation a try.  In terms of scent and feel, the two are very similar, however the ingredients have changed considerably and so has the effect of the new cream on my skin. One of the most significant changes is that sunflower oil, which used to be the second ingredient, is now lumped in at the end, amongst small percent ingredients like hyaluronic acid and calendula extract.  The new formula uses a higher amount of glycerin and lists its first oil, jojoba, as the fifth ingredient. Ultimately, the new version left me with minor congestion on my cheeks and seemed to have my skin producing more oil throughout the day. Definitely not something I’ll be purchasing again.

October Goodbeing Box Recap + Review




Long overdue, but I'm here with my thought on the October Goodbeing box. Right off the bat, I'll say that I was considerably less excited about the contents of this one, compared to my August box. It's no secret that I can be sensitive and particular about scents and several of this month's items just didn't agree with my nose.

Here's what came in my October box....



Yarok Feed Your Ends ($13.20)
Feed Your Ends is the exception. It's not a new product for me, nor is it one that bothers my nose. I like Yarok and I've gone through at least a couple bottles of this leave in conditioner/detangler/heat protector in the past. I mainly use it as a second day curl refresher, as it works great to revive curls and tame frizz. The spray is lightweight, lightly lemon scented, and even the small bottles have a nice fine mist.

Modicum #3 Essential Serum ($25.00)
The #3 Essential Serum is an oil-based formula made with squalane, argan, rosehip, sea buckthorn, black cumin seed, and other great oils, in combination with helichrysum and rose essential oils and boosted with antioxidant superstar astaxanthin extract. I'm curious about the astaxanthin, which isn't something I've seen in a lot of skincare, but I struggle with many floral/rose scents, and just sniffing this in the bottle, I'm fairly sure it's not something I'd be able to tolerate on my face. For that reason, I'll be passing it on to someone else.

Good Medicine Beauty Lab Purity Perfectly Clear Skin Tonic ($20)
I've wanted to try Good Medicine Beauty Lab for quite some time and this was one of my two product picks in this box. This Purity mist is packed with great clarifying and anti-inflammatory ingredients -- aloe, dandelion leaf, honey, and trace minerals, to name just a few -- and the product description highlights lime, peppermint, and sage, but sadly, to my nose, it smells a lot like pool water, which clearly isn't the elegant skincare experience I'm after. I've used it a couple times, but not enough to really comment on performance.

Isa's Restoratives Immortelle Beauty Balm ($8.00)
My second pick! I liked the Blue Beauty Balm from the last box so much that I immediately jumped on this guy when I saw it as an option. It's a nice product, but I'm not as enamored with it as the Blue Beauty. The Immortelle Balm, whose ingredients include helichrysum (immortelle), rose, and carrot seed essential oils, as well as sea buckthorn, red raspberry seed, and jojoba oils, and cupuacu and murumuru butters, is mainly targeted at anti-aging and skin regeneration. The scent, as you could probably guess from the essential oils, is quite floral, but it's not overpoweringly, in-your-face rose. The balm feels just slightly weightier than the Blue Beauty, though it also melts into the skin nicely and without the waxy residue that some other balms leave behind.

AfterSpa Eye Mask ($12.00)
This eye mask is supposed to block light while keeping your eye makeup intact, which admittedly sounds pretty neat, but I just don't use eye masks, so this is another one that will be passed onto someone that will appreciate it more.




The Bottom Line
I can't really complain -- great customer service, impressive brands, and money-wise, the value is there -- but I was, nonetheless, a lot less excited about this box than my last. I like the Yarok mist and I'm happy to have tried the Isa's Restoratives balm and Good Medicine Beauty Lab mist, but I also ended up with two products that I'm unlikely to ever use. That's just the nature of subscription boxes, but given the extra cost to ship to Canada, plus the exchange and potential tax/duty on delivery, I did ultimately decide to cancel my subscription for the time being. I still think Goodbeing is one of the better boxes out there, I'm just happier right now putting my money towards products that I know I want versus rolling the dice with a surprise box.


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