THIS WAS THE LAST BOX FROM INNER CIRCLE.
Read more about the cancellation of this program here.
Hi everyone!
It feels like it has been forever since my last Inner Circle review. It's going to take some time, but I'm slowly going to catch up with all of my reviews. Thanks for bearing with me!
I received my July Inner Circle package two days ago (July 17) and I'm pretty happy with everything that was in it. This month there were more foil packets than there usually are, but I think some leeway is allowed for a sampling service that is consistently providing deluxe-sized and full-sized products.
Check out the full review 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:
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Other than the products, one of my favourite things about Inner Circle is seeing how the samples are packaged/wrapped up every month. This month the samples were put into a transparent green pouch:
I don't seem to have a picture of the product brochure for you this month, but the graphics are lovely as usual and the descriptions are helpful. I noticed that Saffron Rouge has started to include the values of each sample throughout the brochure, which is pretty convenient if you want to get a sense of what kind of value your samples have. I'll get to the overall value at the end of this post. In the meantime, let's take a look at this month's products!
*Please note that all of the prices are in Canadian dollars.*
1 || Aiyana Body Oil (Tallulah Jane)
(Sample size: $3 for 1.0 mL/0.033 fl oz | Full size: $43.75 for 125 mL/4.3 fl.oz)
(Link to product)
(Sample size: $3 for 1.0 mL/0.033 fl oz | Full size: $43.75 for 125 mL/4.3 fl.oz)
(Link to product)
After receiving a Tallulah Jane product in the past, I can't say that I'm completely used to fragrances that are 100% organic. However, the rose/citrus scent of this body oil is pleasant enough. The directions indicate to "massage gently into skin directly after the bath or shower," so I'm going to try it out and see how it goes.
The vial is really small (think of perfume samples), so I'm thinking that there will only be enough for maybe one use. At best - two.
2 || Millet Nourishing Shampoo (Weleda)
(Sample size: $3 for 18 mL/0.61 fl oz | Full size: $16.42 for 190 ml)
(Link to product)
(Sample size: $3 for 18 mL/0.61 fl oz | Full size: $16.42 for 190 ml)
(Link to product)
This smells like limes. As always, shampoo samples are totally welcome. I'm not sure how much use I'll get out of this as this is a fairly small sample. I'll try to stretch it to maybe 3 uses.
3 || Mineral Blush in Surfer Girl (Lily Lolo)
(FULL SIZE: $22 for 0.1 oz/3 g)
(Link to product: Saffron Rouge | Lily Lolo)
(FULL SIZE: $22 for 0.1 oz/3 g)
(Link to product: Saffron Rouge | Lily Lolo)
My last experience with a Lily Lolo product ended up with me having to contact customer service due to a broken tube of lip gloss. I'll discuss that more in my May Inner Circle review.
I have to say that I really like the packaging of this blush. It looks elegant and professional.
Surfer Girl is a matte baby pink shade that I unfortunately don't have a swatch of right now. I've got quite a few other blushes to use, so I'm thinking that I'll probably just open this up at a later date and update this post when I do. In the meantime, I do have this picture off of the Lily Lolo website that can give you a sense of how Surfer Girl compares to three other shades:
4 || Tapioca Beads (Kaia Naturals)
(Sample size: $4.00 for 0.20 oz /5.6 g| Full size: $30 for 1.5 oz/43 g)
(Link to product)
(Sample size: $4.00 for 0.20 oz /5.6 g| Full size: $30 for 1.5 oz/43 g)
(Link to product)
Kaia is a new brand to Saffron Rouge that Inner Circle members get to try this month.
I'm pretty intrigued by this product - especially after watching the video of how to use it. This is a powder that with the addition of water serves as a cleanser, exfoliator and also a mask (if you choose for it to be so). The product page includes a wealth of information if you're interested in learning more.
The video says that you don't need to use a lot of this product to get the full effect, so I'm hoping I can make this sample last. I'll let you know how it goes!
5 || Juicy Bamboo Cleansing Cloth (Kaia Naturals)
(Sample size: $1.03 for 2 cloths| Full size: $15.50 for 30 cloths)
(Link to product)
(Sample size: $1.03 for 2 cloths| Full size: $15.50 for 30 cloths)
(Link to product)
Even though there are only two cloths, I was pretty excited to receive them because what caught my eye was the promise that they would "naturally remove waterproof mascara without the torture." So I though: "Great! If these cloths can remove waterproof mascara then they must be excellent at removing stubborn makeup as well!"
Just before I went off to volunteer last night, I put on some waterproof mascara and a very stubborn eyeliner that I recently received. When it came time to take my makeup off, I have to say that I was kind of disappointed in these cloths. I only used one and it wasn't as moist as I would've liked, which led me to spend about 5 minutes trying to get my makeup off. It did well with the eyeliner - sort of. Instead of removing it, I ended up having the residue from the eyeliner slide down my face. In the end, just as I was giving up on the whole process due to the frustration, I had about 5-10% of makeup still left. I think that if the cloths were more moist, the whole process wouldn't take as long and would be much more effective.
I'll give these another try tonight and I'll let you know how it went when I write up my empties post for July.
6 || Revitalizing Serum (Primavera)
(Sample size: $4.60 for 1.5 mL/0.05 fl oz (x2) | Full size: $92.00 for 30 mL/1 fl.oz)
(Link to product)
(Sample size: $4.60 for 1.5 mL/0.05 fl oz (x2) | Full size: $92.00 for 30 mL/1 fl.oz)
(Link to product)
"The satiny gel is certified natural by NaTrue and helps skin preserve
its natural radiance and wards off damage caused by environmental
influences. Organic rose essential oil helps heal broken capillaries and
promotes cell renewal. Full of antioxidants, organic pomegranate seed
oil and silver tip white tea prevent free radical damage, which
contributes to the look of aged skin. Organic licorice extract calms and
brightens skin while creating a more even toned appearance. Organic
rose water restores suppleness while toning and balancing. The high
quality holistic herbs and oils are ethically gathered from Primavera's
worldwide community of sustainable organic and biodynamic farms and then
expertly blended into this unique formula." (Saffron Rouge)
7 || Elixir Plumping Lip Gloss in Vivid (Vapour)
(FULL SIZE: $25.25 for 0.13 oz/4 g)
(Link to product)
(FULL SIZE: $25.25 for 0.13 oz/4 g)
(Link to product)
Ever since I was introduced to Vapour through Inner Circle, I've fallen in love with the brand, so I'm pretty excited to see yet another Vapour product this month.
There are currently 12 shades that this lip gloss comes in. The colour I received - Vivid - is a kind of cranberry/dark raspberry with tons of shimmer in it.
 |
| L - natural lighting | R - artificial lighting |
All in all, I'm happy with this lip gloss. The only thing I don't seem to notice is any kind of "plumping" effect.
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|| Total Value: ~$62.88 (CAD) ||
I think that the values that are denoted in the Inner Circle brochure are a bit misleading. Although I used those values as a guidelines, I did make my own estimates as well that I think reflect the samples much better.
In terms of everything else - there is a wide variety of products that I know for sure I'll be getting use out of, and the value is pretty high for a box that I paid $28 CAD for. As always, I'm looking forward to next month, and make sure you keep an eye out for the reviews of the past two months coming soon!
If you would like to subscribe to Saffron Rouge's Inner Circle and begin enjoying natural & organic products, you can do so here.
Cheers! -A.~
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