Hey everyone!
So I'm back with another unboxing, this time from Saladbox. It's been improving the past few months and that has convinced me to resubscribe. I know I keep going back and forth, but what is the use of blogging if I'll hide my indecisiveness from everyone?
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| May 2014 Saladbox Unboxing: Impressions |
In my college barkada (clique), I was the decision-maker. Don't know where to eat? I'll make the decision for everyone. Long break? I can think of something fun to do. It's not that my friends were sheeple, and I'm hardly a queen bee; I just hate blocking the hallways while we stand around and take 45 minutes to decide where to eat.
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| Promo extension |
Personally though, I take sooo long to make makeup decisions and agonize sooo much about every little detail. Anyone who's hung around me while makeup shopping can attest to that. I guess when you love something so much you tend to overthink, huh?
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| May 2014 Saladbox: Curation Card |
I pick up this month's Saladbox and it feels quite heavy. I'm patting myself on the back thinking heeey Saladbox is finally coming 'round *snaps for all*. Then I open it and am felt confused. Somehow this month's box feels full and empty at the same time.
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| May 2014 Saladbox: Unboxing |
Here's What's Inside (Sorted by Favorites):
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| Tresemme Smooth and Shine Shampoo and Conditioner, Php 365 / 600ml (?), 90ml samples provided. |
I don't know why Tresemme is suddenly upping their presence in the market but it's nice to finally get a sample. I think their team is a staple in either America's Next Top Model or Project Runway (maybe both? I haven't watched in ages!) This year, they're also doing something big for Philippine Fashion Week, I just don't know what.
I discovered Vidal Sassoon's soft amazingness from Sample Room. I used to write it off as a non-performing, professionally labelled brand. When I do finally give it a chance, I am pleasantly surprised.
I have the same unjustified judgments about Tresemme, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I experience the same turnaround.
Other Stuff Inside:
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| Dentiste Toothpaste Php 289 / full size, ~10ml sample provided. |
I've never tried, but I'm not really excited to have a crack at Dentiste. It's great that it prevents morning breath (a honeymoon scenario immediately comes to mind) but it's not like I expect much after sleeping? I've never really attempted, nor wanted to, walk out of the house without brushing my teeth.
I accept my mortality by embracing my stank morning breath. I can't lie to myself and prance around like a perfect little peach making people believe that it's not that bad. I used to get my dad off my back by breathing morning breath in his face for crying out loud! It's okay. We can't be perfect pretty little things. Fart, burp and release those stink clouds.
It's nothing a small breakfast and a good brushing won't fix. (Sometimes you need a bit of breakfast because sometimes people's breaths smell like poo and I'm guessing it's 'cause the stomach gets so empty and you start to digest your own poop.)
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| Yuka Acetone-Free Nail Polish Remover in Grape, Php 65 / 35 sheets. |
Yuka and Dentiste were already sampled off by BDJ way back in November 2012 (unboxing here.) Saladbox can't not-know that. I guess the repeat or "un-fresh" sample contributes to the box feeling empty, despite the stuff being premium to full-sized.
These are okay, if not a little thin. I reviewed them here though my last tub dried out before I consumed it all. I don't regularly do my own nails so I didn't notice how quickly it dried out. I just opened the tub one day and there was just such dryness... Dryness everywhere! I kept the cotton to use with acetone but it's pretty frustrating how thin the sheets are.
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| Regatta Fresh Sunshine Body Spray, Php 245 / 100ml |
The biggest item in the box is also my least favorite. The anniversary fragrance from Regatta was a huge bomb: it smelled really "thin" and simple while I expected it to be more luxe.
Fresh comes in a more quality-appropriate packaging (acrylic canister) so expectations were sort of managed. I just have a terrible impression of Regatta fragrances now and can't even begin to take this seriously. This fragrance seems like a botched combination of floral and musk notes. I am a fan of The Body Shop's White Musk, and in theory, musk-florals have had a lot of success. This one however, lacks a certain freshness. It's overdosed on musk in an offending way that makes it smell like a very cheap woman whose slight BO is seeping through her over-applied teeny-bopper floral spritz.
RECAP:
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| May 2014 Saladbox: Curation Card |
Box Value: Php 310, for a Php 500 regular subscription (Php 333 promo rate for me)
Earlier I said this box feels empty and full at the same time, and I finally figured out why. This box feels full because the samples are full or deluxe-sized. I think they promise a minimum of four samples and they have five this time, none of which are measly vouchers nor one-piece sachets. I guess it feels empty because I'm not personally prepared to accept such a bare box. Technically, they delivered on their promise... but I'm left wanting and perhaps the promise was insufficient to begin with.
Also, I don't like the cheap trick of separating a combo-sample just to have more listings on the curation card. The Tresemme sample is packaged in one box by the manufacturer, so it makes no sense to separate the conditioner from the shampoo in the listing. The way I see it, there are four samples and Saladbox should be comfy enough with that because that still satisfies their minimum promise.
However, this is not enough to get me to sign up again, and I'm not planning to resubscribe 'til I see a good box. Thankfully, Saladbox subbies don't fill up quite easily and I'm much more relaxed with this subscription (as opposed to Glamourbox, which gives me anxiety diarrhea when subs open... and opposed to BDJ, which keeps me up at night worrying about pre-subbing.) I feel like I can be a passive Saladbox appreciator, subscribing to interesting editions here and there, but one thing's for sure: I'm not pre-subbing anymore.
You may visit Saladbox at www.SaladBox.com.ph
and their Facebook page, SaladBox