Laurel & Reed – August 2021 Clean Beauty & Skincare Box

Where I got it

This is my first Laurel & Reed subscription box, and you guessed it, I got this as a one-off box. I have been opting for this option for almost all of the skincare boxes I review at the moment (except for Mintd Box as it is PR and Beauty Heroes because I always forget to cancel, but they still impress me every month). I was influenced by a fellow skincare lover I met on IG (Jean at @peachyclearandglow) as she has posted the contents of the L&R August box and I have been wanting to try something from Osea and also features Nini Organics, which I really enjoyed. Solara is a brand I have heard of, but not eagerly want to try, but I’m glad I get to try it in this box.

It is now September, so I am unsure by the time I publish this review, if the box will still be available. In saying that, you are still able to purchase past boxes up up to May, so the August box should hang around for a while. If it doesn’t, check out their skincare shop as they might have them there. So the total value of this box is USD$145.00, and it cost me USD$54.95 + $23.95 for shipping to New Zealand. It came down to about NZD$115 including shipping. They start shipping on 15/8. and it got to me on 6/9.

**Quick story** When I filmed the unboxing of my first box, the Osea cleanser and the Nini Organics Detox oil had a bit of a leak. It wasn’t problematic at all, but you can see it in my unboxing reel. Right away after L&R has viewed by reel, they messaged me on the post and also DM me wanting to apologise for the leak and wish to send me replacement units. I mean, the customer service is impeccable right? I replied to let them know that I really appreciate the offer and I would still think the products are safe to use and would love to have a backup product because I have been loving them already. They will be sending me replacement units in due course.

What I got

This is the Laurel & Reed August 2021 Clean Beauty & Skincare box. The August box features 3 full-size products from Nini Organigcs, Solara Suncare and Osea.

Nini Organics Natura Detox Oil ($62 for 30ml). This specially formulated detoxifying facial oil is high in Linoleic acid that helps target overactive sebaceous glands to help regulate oil production & a potent herbal blend to soothe inflammation and tackle blemishes. A carefully selected blend of the world’s most incredible oils. This magical blend is infused with jojoba oil on a very controlled low heat to keep all the natural actives alive whilst they infuse gently into the jojoba oil, making this oil so unique & a true hero for anyone looking for an oil to use on acne prone skin.

A potent healing & detoxifying herbal blend consisting off: Neem – soothes inflammation & detoxifies impurities. Gotu Kola – improves circulation as well as the synthesis of collage. Nettle Leaf – have astringent properties. Burdock Root – anti-bacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Red Clover – alleviates inflammation, skin rashes and irritations. Milk Thistle – rich in antioxidants. Lavender – ancient skin healer

Ingredients: *Cannabis sativa seed oil (Hemp Oil), *Nigella sativa seed oil (Black Cumin Oil), *Simmondsia chinensis seed oil (Jojoba Oil), **Tocopherol (Vitamin E), *Tanacetum annuum flower oil (Blue Tansy)+, *Lavandula angustifolia oil (Lavender)+, *Melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil (Tea Tree)+, HERBAL BLEND -*Lavandula angustifolia flower (Lavender), *Azadirachta indica leaf extract (Neem), *Centella asiatica leaf/stem powder (Gotu Kola), *Urtica dioica leaf powder (Nettle Leaf), *Arctium lappa root powder (Burdock Root), *Trifolium pratense flower extract (Red Clover), *Silybum marianum seed extract (Milk Thistle).

*Organic **Natural + potential allergens from essential oils – D-Limonene, Linalol, Geraniol. + Unique NINI Blend.

Solara Suncare Clean Freak – Naturally scented ($28 for 90ml). A healthy skin barrier is your first line of defense! Clean Freak daily mineral SPF body moisturizer is like a multi-vitamin for your skin. Our proprietary PlantDFNS™ helps nourish, protect + infuse the skin with botanicals clinically shown to heal at the cellular level in important hours after exposure. Full spectrum defense from the sun, HEV/blue light + pollution, this ACTIVE WEAR sunscreen offers 40 minutes of water resistance for swimming and sweating. Perfect for the whole family. Dermatologist + Pediatrician Approved, Dermatologically Tested Safe for Sensitive Skin. Skin Finish: Sheer + Dewy.

Key ingredients: PlantDFNS™ – Proprietary blend of responsibly sourced botanicals rich in vitamins, antioxidants and omegas. Curated specifically to help defend, nourish + repair during and after exposure. Kakadu Plum – Pomegranate – Ashwagandha – Perilla Leaf – Raspberry Leaf Extract – Sunflower Oil : Promotes skin health + defense with vitamins C / D / E & omegas 3 / 6. Squalane – Oat Kernel – Shea Butter – Monoi de Tahiti: Powerhouse replenishers for a healthy skin barrier.

Ingredients: Non-Nano, Non-Coated Zinc Oxide: 20%. Water (Aqua), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, C13-14 Alkane, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Coco-Caprylate, Propanediol, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Magnesium Sulfate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Withania Somnifera (Ashwagandha) Root Extract, Perilla Frutescens Leaf Extract, Punica Granatum Flower Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Fruit Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Fruit Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Gardenia Taitensis (Tahitian Gardenia) Flower Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Impatiens Balsamina Flower Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis Fruit Extract, Dianthus Caryophyllus Flower Extract, Fragaria Ananassa (Strawberry) Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Fruit Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenylpropanol, Sorbitan Olivate, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Fructose, Benzyl Salicylate*, Amyl Cinnamal*, Hexyl Cinnamal*, Coumarin*, Linalool* (*0.004% or less, naturally occurring in plant extracts).

Osea Ocean Cleansing Milk ($54.00 for 150ml). Meet your most nourishing cleanser ever. This fragrance-free, pH balanced formula melts away everything from environmental pollutants to makeup and Gigartina seaweed restores natural hydration to your skin. This gentle cleanser visibly evens skin tone and soothes even sensitive skin. Osea’s Ocean Cleansing Milk is a creamy wash that quickly soothes inflammation and redness while moisturizing dry skin. Highly effective and calming for rosacea.  DPHP a plant-based amino acid compound is added to firm and restore elasticity.

Ingredients: Aqua, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Nymphaea Alba Flower (White Water Lily) Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Gigartina Skottsbergii Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Alkyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline (Amino Acid Compound), Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Capryloyl Glycine, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Acacia Farnesiana (Cassie) Flower Wax, Rosa Centifolia (Rose) Flower Wax, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract.

How I find it

Let’s start with the Osea Ocean Cleansing Milk. I havebeen wanting to try something from Osea and this is one of the products in this box that made me order it. I am looking forward to other subscription boxes offering more from this brand because I would love to try more aftering trying this one out. This is a milky cleanser for pretty much all skin types, mainly beneficial for dry or sensitive skin types. Personally, I love using a milky cleanser or a gentle cleanser for the morning and maybe when I have not been wearing makeup for the day. I have dedicated this cleanser as my morning cleanser in the mean time for review.

The frosted glass bottle has a pump mechanism and a twist-to-close nozzle. I use about 2 pumps of this cleansing milk to give myself a good slip and facial massage while I’m cleansing. I really enjoy massaging my face when I do my cleansing, whether it isn oil cleanser or a milky cleanser. It really does relax me. The texture is really smooth and easy to spread.

Next, let’s look at the Nini Organics Natura Detox Oil. My first experience with Nini Organics has been an enjoyable one, I tried the Rain Hydrating Essence, Crimsom Beauty Face Serum and the Halo Cleansing Elixir (sample), and loved both the Rain and Crimsom Beauty, but I did not prefer the Halo Cleansing Elixir because it is not an emulsifying oil cleanser. Anyway, the Natura Detox Oil has been on my wishlist because it sounded suitable for my skin type – acne prone and oily. It is a balancing facial oil rich in linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is the oil most recommended for acne-prone skin. This is because research has shown that acne sufferers have a lower concentration of linoleic acid on their skin’s surface, which could be contributing to their clogged pores. These oils tends to be more lightweight and mostly found in sunflower oil, safflower oil and corn.

After cleansing and a hydrating mist/essence, I would either use a serum and moisturiser or a serum and facial oil. I seldom use an oil AND a moisturiser unless both products are quite lightweight. Usually I prefer using oils at nighttime, but I have been trying this for both day and night for a few times. The oil looks really deep in the bottle, but once you dispense it from the dropper, you can see that it is a forest green. It also has a gentle tea tree scent which I love. It is so nostalgic for me as I used to use tea tree spot treatment, tea tree blemish mask from The Body Shop. If you know, you know. It is so soothing and the texture of the oil is very lightweight. I use about 5 drops of this oil after my water-based serums and then I just massage it onto my skin. It feels absorbed, but not super quickly. It doens’t feel thick and slippery after massaging into my face. My hands feel nourished, but not greasy. I can definitely use this in the morning, I just need to wiat for 1-2 minutes before applying my sunscreen.

Lastly, we have the Solara Suncare Clean Freak Sunscreen SPF30. This one here is naturally scented and they do come unscented if you prefer. This is a body sunscreen but obviously you can use this on your face if you have nothing else to use, but the texture and finish of this might not be what you want on your face. It does give a sheer white cast and can be a little thick to apply. The scent is also significant and would linger for a little while. As a body sunscreen this wouldn’t bother me so much, but for the face, I would prefer something less strong.

Usually I would be able to use a facial sunscreen on my body, but I wouldn’t use a body sunscreen on the face as some ingredients might be too occlusive or too heavy for my face. This one for example has coconut oil which is not something I would use on my face on a daily basis.

Overall

I think my first box from L&R was a success. I really enjoyed the Osea Ocean Cleansing Milk as well as the Nini Organics Natura Detox Oil as both the texture and formulation are enjoyable and effective. The Solara Suncare Sunscreen was alright, not something I would repurchase because the texture is a little on the thicker side and the scent is not my favourite. Regardless, I can still finish the product, no problem.

I actually quite like the amount of products in each box (3), which means I can catch up with using up my existing products. Sometimes a box of 5 full sized products can be overwhelming if you already have a lot of things going on already. Of course you can always go for one-time boxes and just purchase the boxes you want/need to replace a particular product.

If you are in the market for a new subscription box or interested in Laurel & Reed, use my referral link to get a $10 coupon for both of us (thank you!). Also, follow me on IG (@kittiemui) if you want to see more content!