Tuesday, May 20, 2014

- - Saffron Rouge Inner Circle | April 2014 Review - -


Hi friends!

As everyone is starting to receive their May Inner Circle boxes, I thought this would be a good time to look back at what the contents of the April package were like..

Let's look at those products right after the jump...

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What is Saffron Rouge?
Saffron Rouge is an online eco-friendly & organic retailer (that ships from Canada) whose monthly subscription, Inner Circle, provides deluxe samples of products from organic beauty brands around the world. 

Frequency: monthly 
Cost: $24.99 + tax (in total, I am typically charged ~$28 CAD) 
Ships To: Canada, U.S., internationally 
Bonus: A discount code comes with every box

Unlike many subscription services out there, Inner Circle products are not curated for each individual. Instead, the products are curated around a theme. Although everyone gets the same products, the colours may vary and the items are pretty versatile in their use.

Rewards Program: Saffron Rouge has a rewards program that is conveniently available to all of its customers. As you order from Saffron Rouge, an account is automatically created for you that is associated with your email. For every 2,750 points you earn, you are able to redeem a $50 gift certificate that is transferable and never expires. I'm not sure how many points you earn with regular purchases (some items will offer bonus points), but you do get 75 points for every Inner Circle package you receive.
 
Previous Inner Circle reviews:
March 2014
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The first peek into the box shows a spring-like product card.


Looking further, the products are wrapped up beautifully as always:



*Please note that all of the prices are in Canadian dollars and all of the full-size bottle prices reflect the 15% promotion that Saffron Rouge is currently having.*

1 || Wild Rose Body Oil (Weleda)
        (Sample size: $2.75 for 10 mL/0.34 oz | Full size: $27.50 $23.38 for 100 mL/3.4 oz)
        (Link to product)

 
Suitable for all skin types, this nurturing blend of safflower, macadamia seed oil, rose extract, jojoba seed oil, calendula extract, and other botanical ingredients help to provide balance and synchronization for the body and the mind. Its rose-scented aroma is perfect for a romantic massage while its fast-absorbing formula nourishes the skin without making it feel greasy or sticky.
 
I haven't had a chance to try this product yet, but I was reading through the product description and what caught my eye was that this oil can be used for massages. Hmm! I'm really curious to see if this body oil is as fast-absorbing as the description promises it is. The product has a fairly pleasant scent, but I'll have to try it out to see how it will work with my body chemistry.

2 || Ocean Body Lotion (Red Flower)
        (Sample size: ~$9.73 for 3 oz | Full size: $25.95 $22.06 for 226 g/8 oz)
        (Link to product)


This is a really good sized sample! The first thing that stuck me about this product was the design of the tube. It's simple and attractive. I also really liked the fact that there was a safety seal, which means that no one has used this product and it hasn't been opened.


Here's what I don't like about this body lotion - the scent. I initially liked it when I smelled it in the bottle. After putting it on my legs though, I immediately wasn't a fan. The fragrance is unique in that it is specifically fomulated to remind you of the ocean. I wish I could remember what the scent was like of the Spa Sea Lotus Body Wash (H2O+) from January's Beauty Box 5 because I feel like it was similar; however, I liked the scent of the latter much more. Maybe I'll get used to it?


Scent aside, this lotion does a great job of moisturizing. I put it on more than two hours ago and my legs still feel really soft!

3 || Lavender Blotting Papier (Mai Couture)
        (FULL SIZE: $15.00 $12.75 for 100 sheets)
        (Link to product)


Able to absorb excess oil from the face without disturbing makeup, these luxurious papiers have been infused with lavender oil to quickly and hygienically get skin back to a fresh, mattified, luminous finish.

I love how majestic this product looks!

Here's a look inside:
 

What's great is that these sheets can be used over makeup. Unfortunately, I have no use for them. I have normal/borderline dry skin, so I rarely get into a situation where I would have to blot out excess oil off my face. I'll keep them around for now though.

4 || Mesmerize Eyeliner in Viper (Vapour)
        (FULL SIZE: $20.00 $17.00 for 0.8 g/0.028 oz)
        (Link to product)
 

Made with 70% Certified Organic ingredients. Mesmerize eyeliner is designed to moisturize and condition the eye area without the harsh chemicals and skin-aging adhesives found in most eye cosmetics.
  • Glides on without skipping, dragging or tugging the skin
  • Beautifully blendable
  • Contains none of the harsh adhesives in traditional eyeliners
  • Moisturizing to delicate eye area
  • Eye definition that's good for your eyes
Ever since I stepped out of my comfort zone in March and started occasionally using a blue eyeliner I received from Ipsy, I've become more open to newer colours of eyeliner.


At one end of the eyeliner there is a small sponge for smudging. I haven't been brave enough to venture out and experiment with this tool yet.


I initially though that the colour "Viper" was brown (the little colour swatch on the pencil is totally misleading), but I ended up discovering that the colour is actually a muted plum. I feel like this is still debatable, so it may be better for you to just judge for yourself:

L: artificial lighting | R: natural lighting
 
I briefly tried this colour a couple of days ago and it came out really light and weird-looking, so I'm going to have to play around with it some more to see if the colour is a good match for me. Maybe I just don't know how to use pencil eyeliners?
 
There are two other available colours: Ink & Truffle.
 
5 || Crème Eyeshadow in Champagne (Inika)
        (FULL SIZE: ~$30.00 for 7 mL / 0.26 oz)
        (Link to product)
 

Champagne – a radiant and illuminating shade that helps to brighten and highlight eyes. Perfect for adding a subtle pop of colour.

Crème Colour for Eyes Champagne (7ml) offers a flush of colour, amazing stay-ability and is crease-proof! Our breakthrough formula fuses Aloe Vera, Shea Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil and Sweet Almond Oil to hydrate, soothe and moisturize the eye area.
In addition, Aloe Vera ensures the Crème Eye Shadow glides smoothly onto the skin, leaving an eye flattering and enhancing sheen.

Benefits
Skin-friendly, organic and natural ingredients
Hydrating formula to nourish eye area
Lovely natural shimmer and highlighting sparkle
Also great for highlighting brow bones


This is hands down my favourite product from April! This eyeshadow is the perfect starting point for someone who is on a journey to mastering eyeshadows and who is afraid to experiment with bold colours (aka me!).


What I really like about this eyeshadow is that no matter how much you put on the colour comes out very sheer and shimmery. For some this may be a bad thing, but for me this means that there is a lot of room for experimentation and error. If you're used to using colour, you can actually use this eyshadow as a primer to build colours on top of.
 
L: natural lighting | R: artificial lighting
 
I used to only wear eyeliner and mascara with an occasional light eyshadow, but now I've been adding this eyeshadow into the mix and it makes me feel confident enough to continue experimenting.
 
6 || Mists in Joy Juice and Inner Peace (Lotus Wei)
        (Sample size: 2 vials at ~$4.00 each | Full size: $50.00 $42.50 for 6 pieces/vials)
        (Link to product)
 
 
Floral mists are infused with hand-collected flowers and botantical essences blended to inspire a specific mood or energy.
 
I'll be very honest here - I dislike the way these smell. Joy Juice actually smells really pleasant in the bottle, but once I sprayed it on the scent lost its attractiveness. I'm at a loss here - I don't understand why I don't like organic/natural perfumes/scents. Perhaps they just don't work well with my body chemistry?
I find the idea that these mists are supposed to inspire a certain mood really intriguing. One reviewer mentioned that you have to believe in the concept of this product for it to have an effect. How interesting! I guess I'll give these mists another try soon.

Each vial in the set of 6 that I've linked above seems to be twice the size of these sample vials, so that is where I am getting my estimated price from.
 
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 || Total Value: $85.48 (CAD) ||
 
I'm writing this review at a time when Saffron Rouge is having an awesome 15% off store-wide promotion, which applies to all of the products above. However, I'm not going to factor that into the value of this box since the promotion is temporary and it certainly wasn't in effect when I received these products. Just know that if you would like to puchase any of the products above, you can currently do so at a cheaper price.

Like always, the Inner Circle products do not disappoint in terms of content and value! Although I haven't had a chance to try out the majority of the products, I'm sure I will find use for them soon. In fact, all of the products aside, I think that this package was worth getting just for the cream eyeshadow alone!

Saffron Rouge's Inner Circle is quickly becoming a popular subscription, so if you would like to sign up in time for the June box, you can do so here.

Have you heard of any of the brands or products above?

Thanks for reading! -A.~

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