August Target Beauty Box

The Target August Beauty Box is now available! Mine arrived just a few days ago. I always get excited to open a new box.

The August Target Beauty Box is $7.00 and is available online. It’s full of – some old, some new – all waiting for me to try. Yay!

This month’s theme is “Hot for Fall”. With this theme, I would have expected fall lipcolor or nail color and a heavier moisturizer. Not this month!

Regardless, there are some winning products in here. It is always nice to see a bottle of Aussie 3- minute Miracle Moist and I’ve been dying to try an activated charcoal toothpaste ever since I heard about them. The MyBite Vitamins are super yummy!

Here are the products in order:

MyBite Vitamins: Beauty Inside & Out

Included in the Target August Beauty Box is a pack of 5 bites – a 5 day supply. The little bites are like candy bar pieces with chocolate, caramel, peanuts, and whipped nougat. They are only 25 calories a dose and taste like a Snickers bar.

The formula is:

Gluten free
Vegetarian
Kosher
No artificial colors
No artificial flavors
No added preservatives

They pack a complete day’s supply of vitamins into each bite. For example, there is 150% of your daily value of B12, 200% of your daily value of vitamin D, and 50% of your daily value of vitamin E.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deep Conditioning Treatment

Perfect for dry hair. I find it is just-right for a hair refresh or a weekly treatment in winter. The fragrance is terrific and the formula is:

Paraben free
Aluminum free
Dye free

It is infused with avocado and jojoba oil. This sample is 1.7 fl oz.

hello activated charcoal + hemp fluoride free whitening toothpaste

For being a black toothpaste, this formula surprisingly has no taste of charcoal or lingering planty-ness from the hemp. It whitened my teeth after one use. I plan on purchasing the full size and buying one of the bamboo, black-bristled toothbrushes.

This formula is:

Phthalate free
Paraben free
Sulfate free
Cruelty free
Dye free
Vegan
Contains no artificial sweeteners

It is also peroxide free, SLS free, triclosan free, and gluten free. OMG! The activated charcoal is derived from sustainably grown bamboo. It removes surface stains really well. This 1 oz sized item retails for $2.49.

Oral B Interdental Picks

These interdental picks are flexible and strong. They are quite an upgrade from previous generations of interdental picks. They removes food and plaque while massaging and stimulating gums to promote gum health.

They are great for travel and work well with crowns and bridges. This sample is a 50 ct. pack and includes a travel container. A 20 pack alone retails for $5.29.

Herbal Essences Birch Bark Extract Sulfate-Free Shampoo / conditioner

Herbal Essences Birch Bark Extract Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Herbal Essences Birch Bark Extract Sulfate-Free Conditioner

This shampoo/conditioner formula is from the new Herbal Essences Bio collection which features environmentally-friendly botanical ingredients targeted for certain hair concerns. All of the Herbal Essences Bio collection is:

sulfate free
pH-balanced
silicone free
mineral oil free
dye free

This Birch Bark Extract formula is designed to protect color-treated hair. The shampoo is sourced with at least 87% natural-origin ingredients and the conditioner is sourced with at least 90% natural-origin ingredients.

The sample is 0.33 fl oz for the shampoo and 0.33 fl oz for the conditioner. It comes in a foil packet. I find that it is around 2 uses. I separate the shampoo from the conditioner by the perforation and then carefully fold down the used portion or tape down until I use it all up. The sample is enough to get a feel for the formula and if I like the scent.

Dove Men + Care Fresh and Clean 2-in-1

This is a 2-in-1 formula that works as a time- or space- saver. Perfect for throwing in your gym bag. The scent is nice like a light men’s cologne. I would not use this as a woman as it is not my taste but I would love to smell it on my husband.

The formula is designed for fine and thinning hair. It contains caffeine, menthol, and conditioning agents to help strengthen hair and make it feel thicker. The formula is paraben free.

This sample is a 3 fl oz bottle that is perfect for travel. There is enough in the sample to use several times. This size retails for $1.49.

Worth it?

Adding the retail values alone, the box is worth more than the $7.00 tag. Take a look at the items inside and see if they are worth trying. Personally, I always love getting my Target box and exploring the items inside. The best item this month is the hello charcoal + hemp toothpaste. What a whitener!

Sunday Rain

Taking a warm/hot bath before bed has been shown to help you sleep. Whatever your excuse, luxurious and beautiful bath products are part of a soothing self-care routine.

Sunday Rain is a vegan-friendly, cruelty-free bath line newly available in the United States and in-stores and online at Walgreens now. (Please note, prices may vary online and by store location than that in the photographs.) All of the product packaging is designed to have maximum visual impact in your bathroom.

The line features several key ingredients meant to enhance your bathing experience:

Charcoal to “purify and detox”: Activated charcoal helps pick up and absorb dirt and oil, leaving you clean without being dried out.
Watermelon to “energize and revitalize”: Watermelon is very moisturizing. The fruit is full of skin-loving ingredients like amino acid (a natural exfoliator), lycopene (anti-inflammatory), antioxidants that protect from free radicals (helps with treating signs of aging).
Acai to “brighten and glow”: The exotic berry is rich in vitamins A, B, C, and E which are moisturizing, anti-inflammatory antioxidants.

Exfoliating Cubes

Watermelon: Smooth + Brighten Exfoliating Cubes, 5.3 oz
Charcoal: Softening + Purify Exfoliating Cubes, 5.29 oz

These innovative little cubes offer pampering exfoliation. Rub one cube in a circular motion over your skin to gently slough off dead skin cells and reveal moisturized, smooth skin. The cubes are full of moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, almond & sunflower oils. It is available in Watermelon: Smooth + Brighten and Charcoal: Softening + Purify.

Bath Crystals

Acai Berry Extract: Unwind + Refresh Bath Crystals, 17.4 oz
Charcoal + Bamboo: Relax + Purify Bath Crystals, 17.4 oz

These bath crystals are infused sea salts. The formula is sulfate and gluten free. The crystals come in a beautiful jar with a cute little wooden scoop. Scoop 3-4 spoonfuls of crystals into water and stir until dissolved. They come in Acai Berry Extract: Unwind + Refresh and Charcoal + Bamboo: Relax + Purify.

Soap Gem

Charcoal: Cleanse + Purify Soap Gem, 3.2 oz
Watermelon & Acai Berry: Cleanse + Nourish, 3.2 oz (available in store only)

The soap gems are truly beautiful. The marbling in the bars of soap make them look just like stones. They come in two colors/scents: Charcoal: Cleanse + Purify which looks like grey marble and Watermelon & Acai Berry: Cleanse + Nourish which looks like a hunk of rose quartz.

Loofah Soap

Acai Berry: Polish + Cleanse Loofah Soap, 3.4 oz (available in store only)

The clear, gem-colored soap is truly beautiful and display-worthy. Loofah soaps are great two-in-one bath products. The soap cleanses while the little slice of loofah inside the soap exfoliates as you run the soap over your skin. Loofah is a 100% natural vegetable fiber that comes from a subtropical gourd. The soap comes in Acai Berry: Polish + Cleanse.

Massage Body Oil

White Jasmine: Hydrate + Illuminate Massage Body Oil, 1.5 oz

This luxurious massage body oil is botanically infused mineral & sunflower seed oil scented with soft white jasmine. Apply directly to skin or add a few drops to your bath for extra moisturized skin

Massage Ball

Massage Ball Himalayan Salts, 5.3 oz (available in store only)

This beautiful ball is made from Himalayan salts. Use it to massage your body. The ball shape fits into nooks and crannies like the back of the knee and the arch of the foot. Roll and relax!

Konjac Sponge

Konjac Sponge (available in store only)

Konjac sponges is a notoriously gentle exfoliator. Konjac is 100% natural and comes from the Konjac plant. The fibers exfoliate without scratching and are gentler than most scrubs so it is safe to use every day. Disposal is a breeze since they are biodegradable and can even be composted.

They can be stored in the unopened package indefinitely but once in use, sponges last approximately 4-6 weeks. Just sanitize the sponge in hot water.

Bubble Bath

Acai Berry: Cleans + Brighten Bubble Bath, 15.2 oz
Watermelon: Energize + Renew Bubble Bath, 15.2 oz (available in store only)

These pretty bubble baths fill the water with softness and scent. Add 2-3 capfuls under running water to fill your tub with bubbles. They come in Acai Berry: Cleans + Brighten and Watermelon: Energize + Renew.

Foot Soak

Watermelon: Revive + Energize Foot Soak, 13.9 oz (available in store only)
Bamboo + Charcoal: Detox + Refresh Foot Soak, 13.9 oz

This relaxing foot soak is sulfate and gluten free. Drop 2-3 spoonfuls into warm water and stir until dissolved. Soak your feet for 15 minutes for a pampering experience. The soaks are available in Watermelon: Revive + Energize and Bamboo + Charcoal: Detox + Refresh.

Peeling Foot Mask

Watermelon: Softening + Revitalizing, 2x 0.68 oz

The most popular foot peeling booties range from $10-$25. This peeling foot mask is a steal at around $8 (prices may vary by location). The watermelon mask is full of fruit extracts:

Watermelon
Lime
Lemon
Apple
Orange
Grape

The formula also boasts exfoliating glycolic & salicylic acids and moisturizing ingredients like glycerin and castor oil.

Availability

Sunday Rain is available in-stores at Walgreens in their permanent bath area. The products are also available online and for in-store pickup.

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Kaleidoscope by Bath & Body Works

Kaleidoscope has been a very elusive prey for me. I first received notice of the launch in Fall of 2018. For unknown reasons, the only Kaleidoscope item available in my area was a dry shampoo and I just could not tell what the perfume was going to smell like it. I knew Kaleidoscope featured iris and I wanted to smell this for myself. (More about the illustrious iris below.)

I spotted Kaleidoscope in stores for the first time this weekend. You should see the fragrance mist, perfume, body cream and lotion, and shower gel along with a rollerball fragrance all in stores now.

Fragrance Notes

A store associate told me a little about the Kaleidoscope. The scent is made with 7 natural fragrances. Get that, SEVEN! (I don’t know how they can do that at this price point!) The natural fragrances allow Kaleidoscope to develop differently on each wearer. Kaleidoscope is a chameleon.

Iris

Iris is a high-end note. When I say high-end, I mean expensive. One of the most notable iris scents is Iris Poudre by Frederic Malle. It is roughly $70 an ounce. I would also call iris high-end because it can be an acquired taste. Iris changes depending on the wearer’s chemistry and even the ambient temperature and humidity. She can be cold and metallic, powdery and soft, or earthy and rooty. The changes depend on the source material and the wearer.

Cedarwood

Cedarwood is an intriguing addition to the fragrance. Usually, cedarwood is featured only in men’s fragrances. The wood is warm and even a little spicy. It adds a cozy backdrop to a fragrance that makes you want to get your nose closer to it. It is exciting to find it in a women’s fragrance.

White Musk

Kaleidoscope also has white musk. BBW’s white musk is featured in other fragrances like their Fresh Gardenia. It is clean and airy like freshly laundered linen. It adds a sophistication to a blend while giving it depth and longevity.

Pink Pepper

Pink pepper is a very modern addition to a fragrance. The note has been in some of the best fruity and floral fragrances of the last two decades. Pink pepper veers towards rosy, not spicy. It can even smell a bit fruity. The most notable, and arguably best, use of pink pepper is in Estee Lauder Pleasures.

Product Packaging

Kaleidoscope beautiful iridescent packaging. The bright, metallic finish reflects the light into rainbows. This is a wonderful choice because it hints at the origin of the iris flower’s name. The name iris comes from the Greek Rainbow goddess Irida. This has to do with the way an iris’ petals play with the light, revealing many different tones of color. BBW’s packaging also hints at the chameleon way the fragrance changes with each person’s unique body chemistry. Well done, Bath & Body Works.

Try for Yourself

At the Woodfield store, the store associate had beautiful little blue and white BBW ribbons scented with Kaleidoscope. She tied one around my wrist so I could walk around the store, getting a feel for the fragrance. The ribbon warms up with your body heat and gives a good idea of what Kaleidoscope will smell like with your body’s chemistry. What a great idea!

I also sprayed some of the scent on my wrist so I could see how the notes changed as I wore them. For me, Kaleidoscope smells like a cedarwood hope chest, full of clean linen and hints of floral perfume. On other people, Kaleidoscope smells more fruity, sweet (probably the pink pepper) or powdery (probably the iris and white musk).

Check out this fragrance unicorn for yourself!

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