Vitacost Be Pretty Box Unboxing and Review: June 2013

I recently found out that Vitacost where I shop quite often has their own subscription program. Actually, they make several sample boxes, and the Be Pretty box is just one of them. Trying random supplements is not really my thing, so I decided to stick with the beauty one, but in case anyone is interested click here for the list of all “Be Box” varieties.

The boxes are all $13.99 per item with free S&H, and there is no recurring subscription membership involved, you buy as many as you want as often as you want, as long as they are in stock.

St. Dalfour Golden Mango Green Tea and Organic Classic Breakfast Tea
I do like tea, a lot, and I’ve never heard about this brand before, so on one hand I was really happy to get a new product to try, on another hand this is just too much tea in what’s supposed to be a beauty box. Both teas are actually delicious, and I will be purchasing more of the Green Mango tea with my 10% Vitacost discount code that came in the box.
Overall: 5/5
Purchase: Yes

Earthpaste in Lemon Twist, Cinnamon, Wintergreen and Peppermint
That’s another product that kind of baffled me, I mean I guess they want us to “Be Pretty” on the inside by having nice skin (tea) and having a “pretty” smile? I’m totally reaching here, trying to justify Vitacost’s choices for this box. Anyhow, these are samples of a natural fluoride-free, non-foaming toothpaste, that you’re supposed to rub into your teeth and gums as you brush. It kind of feels weird at first, but you end up with a squeaky clean mouth after you’re done!
Overall: 4/5
Purchase: Yes

Atopalm Intensive Moisturizing Cream
I have already received this sample in my One Radiant box, and I thought it was a but on the heavy side, so my only option was to use it at night. It has a lot of really nice ingredients, but I feel like it’s not a good match for my skin after all.
Overall: 4/5
Purchase: No

Supersmile Quikee Whitening Breath Freshening On-The-Go
I actually loved this sample! Whenever I get invited out it’s very convenient to have something like that to flush my mouth with if I ever need it, so people around me don’t know what I had for dinner 🙂
Overall: 5/5
Purchase: Yes

Hugo Naturals All Over Face & Body Lotion in Vanilla and Sweet Orange
I loved everything about this lightweight lotion: the creaminess, the light and fresh fragrance, and the way it makes my skin feel extremely soft to touch. It also contains some amazing ingredients, in fact, most of the ingredient list is filled with various natural oils and extracts, many of which are organic. The brand is Leaping Bunny certified, which is always nice, too.
Overall: 5/5
Purchase: Yes

Acure Organics 100% Organic Moroccan Argan Oil
I received this sample in my Yuzen box and loved it! I use pure argan oil in place of the moisturizer or as a hair treatment, and it always works wonderfully.
Overall: 5/5
Purchase: Yes

SparkleHearts Sweet Hearts Sparkly Body Lotion and Shine Shampoo
I figured that I might as well try these, because if they are safe for the children, they should be safe for me, too. The body lotion says that it contains shimmer, but it’s basically very fine glitter that ended up looking a bit tacky on me. The shampoo smells like bubble gum, and for some reason it didn’t seem to cleanse my hair all that well. I guess the kids normally have much finer hair, so maybe that’s why it didn’t work.
Overall: 3.5/5
Purchase: No

White Egret Ear Candles
I didn’t even realize that these candles were supposed to be a part of the box, because they were just thrown in outside and listed separately on the packaging slip. This is yet another odd choice for the Be Pretty box, and I honestly have no idea what to use them for. I guess they’re meant to relieve ear pain?
Overall: n/a
Purchase: No

The verdict: I’m kind of torn in my opinion about this box. On one end, this is a sampling service and its purpose is to introduce me to great new products, which this box succeeded at. On another end, I feel like I didn’t get a good value for my money, and I expected slightly different types of products in a beauty-themed box, so I’m feeling a little bummed. I probably won’t be purchasing the July box after this.