Vellvette is now fab bag and I received the January bag on Saturday. Yes!!! That late. What I have started doing is... I order the bag once I read the reviews... and if I like the products being sent. I paid for it on 31st Jan and received it 15 days later.

It came in a tacky pink colored bad quality bag. I am going to throw it away.

The products:

- Nyassa Alphonso Body butter: 50 gm. Rs 300 approx. Price of full size (100 ml) is Rs 600.
- Naked potion lotion: Rs 310 for 30 gm. Price of full size (200 gm) is Rs 1300.  Shelf life is only 3 months
- I love... Strawberry face mask 2 sachets 15 ml each: Price of full size (3 sachets of 15 ml each) is Rs 450
- NYX diamond sparkling red lipstick full size: Rs 600

My current body moisturiser is not suitable for winter and I wanted to buy a body butter. I am happy with this product. It smells fabulous... just like Alphonso mangoes... and is very moisturising. But it is expensive... Body Shop body butter costs around 1000 bucks for 200 ml and this is Rs 600 for 100 ml.

I was excited to receive the mask and used 1 sachet today. It is very thick and difficult to apply. It is very sticky too. It took a lot of time to dry. Well, atleast I got to try something new.

Naked is a brand launched by supermodel Lisa Haydon. I am looking forward to trying this out... even though it is expensive. This product does not have any preservatives. The only problem is I need to store it in the fridge... and the shelf life is only 3 months.

I hate this product. I love NYX and its products. But why has the team sent a full size of a shimmery shade??? What a shame!!! I cannot use this. It is plain tacky.

Overall, I like January bag. The current strategy of reading the reviews and then ordering the bag is working for me. 

I have been gone a long time but it has been busy... with my gym/jogging/dance sessions, work and family, I rarely get time. There are a few empties I have been saving up for reviews and finally I am going to blog about them.
I have stopped buying the Vellvette/Fab bag. Instead, I read reviews of the bags and then decide if I want to buy one.
Last month I received a mail from fab bag team with an offer- I could pick a shade of nail paint of LA Splash in the bag. There were some nice glitter shades and I decided to buy the bag. I ordered for sparkling rose which is a pink glitter shade. The bag arrived with another shade altogether... and I was pissed. The only reason I ordered the bag was the nail paint. On complaining the correct shade was sent but it took its own sweet time and the response from the team was not serious. I am surprised that IIM grads can screw so bad. The quality of service has definitely fallen.
Anyway, here is the bag and the products:

A lot of bloggers have liked this bag. I don't know why... the quality is bag. The previous bags were of a softer material while this one is very rough.

And this is what the bag contained. I received the glitter nail paint later ...

Kama Ayurveda Lavender hair conditioner: I have been using this for the last 2 weeks and I like it. It does its job... and smells quite nice.

Anna Andre nail polish remover: This was the bonus product in my bag. It is ok... nothing great. The Colorbar nail polish remover is so much better. Why is the team sending products worth Rs 79 is beyond me. They might as well send across Lakme nail polish remover.

LA Splash nail paint Blowfish Violet and Sparkling Rose: The nail paints are ok kinds. They take a lot of time to dry and chip within 2-3 days.

MUA lipstick and gloss: I have not yet opened this.

I am not too happy with the bag and its contents. I am not sure it is worth the 500 bucks I spent. 

I just received my Vellvette box and am very happy with their delivery timeline this month.

It is a navy blue bag this time which contains the following:
- Full size products of Vantiv lemon shower gel- MRP Rs 214 for 180 ml
- Full size Vantiv moisturising shampoo- MRP Rs 187 for 250 ml
- Florelle wet and dry blush - MRP Rs 750
- Origins make a difference rejuvenating treatment lotion - MRP Rs 2000 for 150 ml

I have mixed feelings about the bag. I like the navy blue bag which will come handy. The shampoo and body lotion are manufactured by some company in Dehradun. Isn't the bag supposed to contain only 'premium' products?
I could not find any reviews for the Florelle blush online.
Thankfully, for Origins I did find reviews but the it is just a sample size. Don't know how long it will last.

I am wondering if the bag is worth the 500 bucks I am paying.

I don't understand how other bloggers can rave and appreciate these products. It has become a fad without actually evaluating anything.

Where have the Clarins, Clinique, Dior products gone? 

The August Vellvette Box reached me yesterday (after a lot of follow up). I am not going to post the details this time coz I am super pissed.
This is what happened. I had paid for 3 months subscription (August being the last month). Since I moved from Mumbai to Gurgaon, I mailed their customer care on 26th with the updated address. There was no response. I left a message on facebook complaining on the lack of response. Some female- Shruty mailed me asking for the address. I sent it across. On 4th Sept, I received a mail apologizing for the delay in sending the boxes. I called them 2 days later to check if it has been shipped. They had sent it to the Mumbai address. The lady on the phone promised to ask blue dart to divert it to Gurgaon address. I called 3 days later to check on the status. Another lady was completely clueless and confirmed that the box had been delivered to the Mumbai address. She then promised to get the box picked up from the Mumbai address and send it to Gurgaon address. WTF!!! I lost my temper at this stage. I asked her to refund my money since they are such morons. I sent them a stinker on mail and posted it on facebook. Another lady called me after an hour... apologized and promised to ship the box next day itself. The next day she called again to confirm the address (by this time I had given my address 4 times). I received the box next day. The description of the product on the flyer and the product itself do not match. E.g- The flyer mentions H2O gel moisturizer but I have received the under eye cream. They sent me an extra sample of Mary Kay pencil eye liner and lip liner. The samples are very tiny and sufficient for one time use only.
I am pissed off. They had a good business model but the service levels have gone down in the last few months. It is obvious they do not have enough people and the first thing affected is the service. Following up so much for a box which costs 400 bucks is too much effort. I don't know if I will continue any further or not. If I do, it will be with a pinch of salt. 

The much awaited box is finally here. My colleague received it on Friday but I didn't. I was so disappointed. And then it arrived on Tuesday. Weird!!! Wouldn't it have saved money if we both would have received it on the same day?

Anyway, I was very excited on seeing her box.

The products in my box:
- Sally Hansen Miracle Cure: Full size product. MRP Rs 675. I am so happy to receive this product. My nails are in bad shape- brittle, chipping, yellow. This product claims to strengthen nails by 50% in 3 days.

- Nyassa Passion Burst Body Mist: sample size. Normally, I would be happy to receive a body mist but this one smells like a very cheap perfume. Hate it.

- LA Splash glitter masacara: Full size. MRP Rs 895. I am happy to receive a full size mascara which is also smudge proof... just what I need during monsoons. Love it. I wish I could have received a funky colour like blue or purple... but I will make do with a glitter mascara... my first.

- Bling nail appliques: Full size. MRP Rs 150. I am happy to receive these since I do experiment with nails. They are very delicate and need to be carefully applied. Unlike the other nail stickers, a top coat also needs to be applied. Love the net and flower design.

I got my Vellvette box today... or should I call it bag?
This is my favourite box. Absolute favourite. The products fit me to a 'T'.

The products are packed in a fuchsia pink pouch. I love the funky pouch and will be carrying my daily make up in it.

Unveiling the products:
- LA Splash eye liner. It is black with small blue glitter
- Toni and Guy curl smoothing shampoo: I have permed my hair recently and this product is much appreciated for my curly hair
- Just Herbs Acne treatment kit: There is a face wash and 2 different face packs. My skin is going through major trauma due to the rains and I face a new pimple everyday... mostly, in the most obvious places.

Love this one. 

I received below coupon with my Vellvette Box last month. I had forgotten all about it until they sent me a reminder mail that it will expire on 31st August.

I could walk into any Natures Co store and buy a product for 15% discount and get a spa free. It was the lure of the spa that dragged me in.

Last weekend I walked into the store at R City Mall, Ghatkopar. Finding a product was difficult. I have enough and more and do not want to buy more till I have finished it off. What I really needed was a face wash and picked up Peppermint face wash for Rs 325 (Rs 275 after 15% off).
I wanted to pick up 1 or 2 more products but then decided against it. I am using this face wash currently.
It is an ok product... the reason I bought it was the peppermint smell. Weirdly, it smells like spirit now... Spirit is the product used to disinfect the area before giving an injection in hospitals. Thats the only reason I will not re-purchase it.

(Pic taken from web).

Coming to the spa, I had decided to get a foot spa since I got a facial clean up the same day. I could choose between facial spa, foot spa or head massage. There is a small space in the store covered by a curtain where customers can get a spa. But, here is the catch. Anyone can walk into the store and get the spa. They do not need to purchase anything. I got to know AFTER buying the face wash. What a bummer!!! I got conned into buying something. Humph!!!

I was at My My store in A'bad yesterday and ended up buying some products (apart from Lingerie).

Left to Right:

• Victoria's Secret Coconut Passion body Lotion: MRP Rs 680 for 250 ml. It is pricey but I have used it earlier. It was part of my Vellvette box in Oct'12. Link here. I loved the body lotion then and decided to buy it.
• Victoria's Secret Coconut Passion body mist: What I liked about the lotion was that the fragrance lasted so long... that is what made me buy the body mist. Rs 620 for 250 ml.
• Olay Regenerist eye lifting serum: I have been on the lookout for a good eye care product. I hate the lines and darkness under my eyes. Hope this works. Rs 899
• TRESemme curl hydration shampoo: I have been looking for a shampoo for curly/permed hair. Kerastase is too expensive and I cannot afford to buy it since I prefer to wash my hair everyday. I picked up this product. MRP is Rs 1400 for 946 ml. This is not available in India. It is through the grey market. I wish I had picked up the conditioner too. 

I was disappointed with the April Vellvette box and did not post the details here. Everytime they send me a lipstick it is this odd colour. I love bright colours and here they were, sending me boring silver (who wears silver?)... shimmery pink ... etc.

I love May'13 box... it is my favourite.

This month's theme is "organic".
The products:
- Clinique foundation
- Flormar lipstick
- Brocato shampoo
-Brocato treatment

Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Foundation
It has 4 sachets of the foundation which is awesome. I will be able to use it 4 times atleast. I have received shade 3 which should match well.
The foundation has SPF 15, fights sun damage and repairs it from within.
I am going to try this tomorrow itself.

Flormar lipstick:
This is a full size product priced at Rs 700. I am so happy with the colour. Finally... something bright. It is very moisturizing and glossy. It feels like butter... and is softer than the Revlon lip butter. I may need to store it in the fridge.

Brocato Shampoo and treatment:
The shampoo and treatment are priced at Rs 375 (sample size) each.
They are sulphates and parabens free.
I am looking forward to trying this tomorrow itself.

Also, I have received a coupon for 15% discount at Nature's Co and and a complimentary spa. I am going to redeem it over the weekend.

I have taken Saturday off and will not be in office from Wednesday to Sunday. I was hoping that the Vellvette box would arrive before then 'coz I didn't want to wait till April'13 for it.

And it arrived. Anyone who has subscribed for 3/6/12 months gets an extra product. I subscribed to 3 months.. wanted to go for 6 months but forgot.

Anyway-



It contains:

- Clinique face wash

- Nyassa dry fruit soap

- NYX lip gloss

- Bonus products: Ofra acne treatment mask

Meji amino collagen

Meji amino collagen. Priced at Rs 1000 (approx), it has 7 sachets (one for each day of the week). They have to be added to any food/beverage and taken everyday. It will build collagen which help skin rejuvenate and glow. I will try it this week. If it works, I will review it. I checked reviews online and apparently it works... it is a huge deal in Japan... also, it was featured on Oprah. But it tastes yuck.







Nyassa vanilla dry fruit soap: Full size priced at Rs 400. It smells amazing. Will try it today.







Clinique foaming cleanser: Full size priced at Rs 1200. It is creamy.. a little goes a long way. It also removes make up. Last night I applied make up and removed it with this face wash... all of it was washed off conveniently. Excellent.







NYX lip gloss: I think it is a full sized pack. It is candy pink... it looks a little gaudy in the bottle (even for me) but it looks good when applied. I am happy to receive a make up product.







Ofra acne treatment mask: Another product from Ofra... last time it was a toner. All toners feel the same to me. Now, a mask can definitely be reviewed. I tried it on last night... it is very, very thick and smells of Vicks vaporub. Hate the smell. It feels heavy on my skin. A thumbs down.







On ok box, overall.... Someone received a Lush product. Why don't I get Lush ever??? When I met the Vellvette box team my suggestion was that the brands should be the same for everyone... the products can change. Someone else received a Mary Kay foundation.

I like the NXY gloss and Clinique face wash.

I had an awesome time today. I received a mail yesterday from Vellvette.com for a skin care session at Clarins at Palladium Mall, Lower Parel. LP is quite a distance away from where I stay. But the idea of free goodies and products from Clarins and Vellvette made me eager to attend. I just had to pay refundable Rs 500.

I reached the store at 4.30 pm and realized there are 4 other women. There are 4 batches of 5 women each on Sat and Sun. There were 3 people for Vellvette and 2 from Clarins apart from the SAs. I was used as a model. The trainer did the whole session on my face while the other 4 women did on themselves. There were SAs to help them and show them the correct method.

Before starting we filled out a questionnaire about our skin type and then a SA did my skin analysis. My skin is dehydrated. Weird, right? I cleanse, tone and moisturize everyday and yet my skin is dehydrated. Reason? I do not scrub every week and am not regular with my sun block

- It started with cleaning make up. Everyday I use the make up remover on my eyes and end up rubbing them. The trainer showed us the correct method to use the remover on eyes. Put the remover on the cotton pad, keep it on the eyes for 10 seconds. Wipe the top of the eyes gently inward to outward and then bottom of the eyes.

- Next was cleaning with appropriate cleanser

- Scrubbing. A non granular clay scrub was used. It has to be rubbed off after drying instead of washing off. I will definitely buy it once I finish the scrubs I already have. I did not know that you should always clean the face before using the scrub.

- A face mask was applied which can be part of the weekly routine. It was very hydrating and smooth and brought a glow to my face.

- An eye mask was applied. I purchased this one.

- Toning. Did you know that a cotton is not required to use a toner? I did not know that. Instead, you can take a few drops on your hand... rub them (all products must be rubbed in the palms to bring them to room temperature) and then dab it on the face. Btw, alcoholic toners are not good for the skin. I have preferred alcoholic toners till now. Time to change? Maybe.

- Clarins new (and expensive) launch- Double serum was applied. This is supposed to be all in one product. But priced at Rs 4900.

- Final step was a moisturizer and sun block. The sun block is the lightest I have ever applied

All of us had a glow on our faces like we just got a facial done. Awesome!!!

We bought 1 product each at 10% discount. Apparently, Clarins never offers discounts. We were given gift bags from Clarins and Vellvette.

After the session we had bagel sandwiches and chocolate tarts at Moshe's and interacted with the team of Vellvette- Harleen, Kaushik and Rima. There are awesome... I was so J... 'coz their job is so exciting. I would love to do something like this. I am going to attend future workshops as well.

The goodies

The Vellvette goodies

A perfumed candle

Chocolates

A perfume- Tous H2O- Smells good

Nail Art- so cool

Clarins Goodies

Cleanser, Moisturizer, Beauty Balm