Love Lula Beauty Box: October 2018

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It's that time of month again -- another Love Lula Beauty Box reveal!  The October collection features three familiar faces: Kathleen Natural, Madara, and Lyonsleaf.  I can happily report that there are no repeats this month, and there seems to be a weather appropriate theme running through the whole edit -- hydration, moisture boosting, and overall skin TLC!


Overall the October Love Lula Beauty Box contains two full size products, two deluxe trial sizes, and three sample sachets and is worth £54.  For a subscription that costs only £13.95 per month, that is an excellent savings!  Plus, everything included in the October collection is all natural and as always, cruelty free, and all the main items (minus the sachets) are vegan friendly.


Kathleen Natural Tranquil Fields Body and Massage Oil* (100ml):
This has to be one of the stars of the show in terms of the October Love Lula subscription -- worth £34 on its own, this full size product is seriously perfect to warm our hearts while the weather continues to cool.

The bottle has a traditional essential oil 'orifice reducer'.  This means that it has a little plastic cap designed to reduce the flow to a single drop.  This is great if you want a smaller amount of oil to use, but can be tricky to control, as sometimes the drops come out in quick succession.  However, once you get the hang of it the whole process is pretty simple and you never really end up with too much oil.

Tranquil Fields, though sharing a name with the gorgeous Bubble Bath and Shower Gel (a fast favourite in our house!), has a very different smell.  While the bath product carries primarily sensual vanilla notes, the oil favors calming lavender and heady frankincense essential oils.  The effect?  A product that is ideal for a much needed relaxation session.

The oil itself is the perfect balance between moisturizing and not too heavy -- it sinks in quickly and fully, and does not leave a slick residue on the skin.  I have used this post shower, and it is especially good for evening use.  I might even give this a run in the bath, blending a bit with its bubbly partner -- I imagine that will be a real treat!

Ingredients: Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil*, Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Fruit Oil*, Tocopherol (Vitamin E)***, Lavandula Angustifolia Herb oil**, Boswellia Serrata (Frankincense) Oil**, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract**, Linalool**, Limonene**, Coumarin**, Geraniol**. *certified organic by Soil Association **from essential oils ***natural plant origin


Lyonsleaf Beauty Balm* (30ml):
We were lucky enough to get a 30ml pot of the Calendula and Marshmallow Balm from Lyonsleaf in a previous Love Lula Beauty Box, and while I have not yet managed to finish it, I really love the smell and consistency of the formula.  So when I saw that the October collection included the original Beauty Balm, I was pretty excited.  There are quite a few big differences between these items (primarily in look and smell), but the texture and weight of each are similar making them comparable.

While the calendula and marshmallow variety is almost orange, has a salve-like feel, and has a a very light fragrance, the Beauty Balm is creamy in colour, relatively solid prior to application, and has an herbal scent with strong notes of rosemary.  This product is a multi-tasker, and can be used as a cleanser, moisturizer, or as a treatment balm depending on what your need is.  I'm not usually super keen on cleansing with balms, but I did give it a go as there is no coconut oil involved, and it was a lovely experience.  The scent is really soothing and enlivening, and it is the perfect thing to breathe in when doing your skincare routine.

Ingredients: (95% organic/wild harvest): orbignya oleifera [cold pressed babassu oil] • butyrospermum parkii [raw organic shea butter] • macadamia ternifolia [organic, cold pressed, macadamia nut oil] • simmondsia chinensis [organic, cold pressed, jojoba oil] • prunus amygdalus dulcis [cold pressed sweet almond oil] • tocopherol [natural vitamin E oil] • cymbopogon martinii [palmarosa essential oil]• salvia sclarea [clary sage essential oil] • styrax benzoin [benzoin resin] • pogostemon cablin [patchouli essential oil] • rosemarinus officinalis [organic rosemary essential oil] • calendula officinalis • [calendula flower extract] • note: the essential oils naturally contain: citral, geraniol, benzyl benzoate, benzyl cinnamate, farnesol, limonene, linolool




Lyonsleaf Muslin Face Cloth*:
Also included in the box was one of Lyonsleaf's 100% cotton muslin face cloths, something I really appreciated as I tend to use a muslin when oil cleansing (it helps remove excess product in my experience).  The cloth is a great size, isn't too scratchy or rough, and is two-ply.  I thought this was a thoughtful addition to the box, and my collection of face cloths welcomed it happily!


Madara SMART Anti-Pollution Charcoal & Mud Repair Mask* (12.5ml):
Madara is a very familiar face for the Love Lula Beauty Box family, and it seems we get a selection of skincare treats from them every few months.  The Anti-Pollution Charcoal and Mud Repair Mask is one of the few masks I have not tried from the brand, and I was happy to get this mini sized bottle to try out in the October box.  The formula has been designed to treat dull complexion, congested skin, clogged pores, and overall cell recovery.  Containing black northern mud, seventeen amino acids and essential minerals, and vitamin B3, the repair mask works to "reduce the first signs of ageing and recharge the skin with energy and glow."

My first observation was that this mask actually requires a fair amount of product to fully apply over the whole face.  Unlike other options that spread smoothly and evenly, this one starts to dry pretty quick and I found myself using a fair amount of product for just one use.  I was not keen on the smell at all, as the mud seemed to take on the scent of the plastic bottle.  However, the mask felt pretty nice on my skin, and despite an initial tingling sensation, it did not irritate my ordinarily semi-sensitive face.  There was minimal redness after washing off (I left it on for the lower time limit of five minutes), and my skin felt surprisingly soft afterwards.  A word of warning though -- as this is a detoxifying blend of ingredients, I suggest not applying prior to important events as a few spots had broken out around my nose the following day.

Ingredients: Aqua Sapropel Mud Diatomaceous Earth Cetearyl Alcohol Glycerin Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Charcoal Powder Glyceryl Stearate Citrate Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate Alchemilla Vulgaris (Lady's Mantle) Extract Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Sphagnum Magellanicum (Moss) Extract Cetraria Islandica Thallus (Lichen) Extract Polypodium Vulgare Rhizome (Fern) Extract Sodium levulinate Sodium anisate Glyceryl Caprylate Xylitylglucoside Xanthan Gum Sodium PCA Tocopherol Aroma Propanediol Anhydroxylitol Sodium phytate Citric acid Xylitol Lactic Acid Limonene


Madara Sachet Trio Sampler Pack (2ml x3):
This three pack includes items that offer "Complexion Protection" and contain broad spectrum UVA/UVB shielding that can help keep your face safe from the sun's harmful rays year round.  The sampler includes two shades of the Anti-Pollution CC Cream with SPF 15 (one in Light Beige* and one in Medium Beige*) plus one Plant Stem Cell Age-Defying Face Sunscreen* with SPF30.  Both sun protection products are created to shield against pollution and protect the skin microbiome, are full of antioxidants, and offer age prevention (a claim I am always dubious and skeptical about, but that's for another post entirely).

I haven't been leaving the house as much recently as it has been crunch time for PhD work, so I have not actually had a chance to try these sachets out quite yet.  I will be adding an update as soon as I've tested these Madara goodies out, and will weigh in on what shades worked (or didn't work) and whether or not the sunscreen is actually "self adjusting" to match skin tone.



Overall I was happy with the October edit of the Love Lula Beauty Box, and I thought it offered a great selection of skincare treats.  It was not as varied as the previous box, but I was pleased to see there were no repeats and that we got to try out another full size product from Kathleen Natural.  Everything I tried was effective and offered a real benefit to my skin, especially in light of this cooler weather we have had recently.  I have to say, this box was a real hit for me!

What did you think about the October edit of the Love Lula Beauty Box?  Is this a subscription collection you are happy with, and did you have any fast favourites from this selection of all natural and cruelty free skincare?  I would love to hear your opinions in the comments below!

And if you missed October'box, don't fret -- you can always grab next month's*!  Just be sure to subscribe before the end of the month, otherwise you will have to wait again.



Blogger Note: Every product mentioned in all of my posts are purchased with my own money, are gifts from friends or family, or were won in public competitions unless otherwise stated.  However, my posts may contain affiliate links. This will never change my approach to my reviews, nor will it influence how I represent the products I am writing about, as I only choose to represent or work with brands and companies that I 100% respect and trust.

4 comments

  1. The October box has some lovely items, I have not had a beauty box in such a long time.

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  2. That's such a great price for all the products that you get. I love cleansing balms and would love to try the Lyonsleaf one. The massage oil would be great as my skin is getting dry due to the weather. I might have to look into the subscription.

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  3. This looks like such a great box babe! Thanks for sharing 💗

    With love, Alisha Valerie x

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  4. This looks like a really nice box. I keep meaning to try some Lyonsleaf products, they sounds so lovely to use.

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