What Am I Bringing In Camping?

It's that time of the month again, when a couple of my friends and I head to our favorite camping, Camping Ô Cascades in Rawdon, for the week-end! Well in my case I will be staying one day because of work but that's OK because when you party so hard on day 1, you just feel like sleeping all day the next day!

I have seen a couple of those festivals posts on the blogosphere lately and I like to see what people bring with them in such events, so I thought, why not share with you what I'm bringing with me in camping? It's nothing much really, just a couple items just in case.

Let's start with the most important thing for me - sunscreen! I chose to bring these Beyond Coastal samples that I reviewed recently because they are a handy travel-size, they are natural and cruelty-free, and because they are moisturizing, I don't need to pack a separate body lotion. I also like hoiw the Face Stick is fuss-free, I can just smooth it on, put on my sunglasses and I'm ready for a day of lounging at the beach!

Another essential for me - lipbalm with SPF! I recently bought Carmex Cherry Flavoured Lip Ointment on sale for an unbelievable $1.99 because I loved the Original Carmex Jar so much. This one just smell yummy and to be honest, the fact that it has SPF in it is just my excuse to buy yet another lipbalm in my already overflowing collection.

Maybe I don't need to carry an extra body lotion with me thanks to my moisturizing sunscreen, but a face cream is something I can't go without. I chose to bring Elemis FreshSkin Softly Softly Daily Moisturiser and Elemis FreshSkin Dreamy Sleep Night-Time Moisturiser not because they are the most amazing moisturizers I have tried, but because of their handy travel size. My skin is a bit dry at the moment because I recently had a reaction to what I suspect to be ground up beetles AKA carmine in one of my eyeshadows and I'm not sure these moisturizers will do the job really well but I guess they will be OK for one days.

Least but not last, I call these items my "fresheners" because we all know what happen in camping - there are not always showers available so you have to count of a few products to keep you looking - and smelling - presentable.

Personally, I can't touch my face or food without cleaning my hands beforehand and last year, I absolutely forgot to pack a hand sanitizer and let me tell you, I was mortified. But have no fear, I have learned from my mistake and I have packed Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer with Moisturizers that I have found at a Dollar Tree when I was in Wildwoods some years ago.

I don't remember if I brought my toothbrush with me last year but I really doubt so, and I don't think it would have a been a good idea anyway so I decided to simply bring Scope Outlast Mouthwash instead, which must be one of my favorite mouthwash. Oh, and just look at that super cute travel-size bottle - awww!


I know I won't be gone for long but I figured out I would take Batiste Blush Dry Shampoo with me just in case - greasy hair is never acceptable, not even in camping! ...OK, the real reason is that I'm not a huge fan of its heavy floral scent and I want to use it up as fast as I can.

I was super lucky to receive a bottle of Evian Facial Spray in my GLOSSYBOX swag bag last week, and I thought that coupled with Kaia 100% Natural Bamboo Facial Cleansing Cloth, they would do an OK job at making me look fresh, and not ungover.

Finally, to help me smell relatively good, I found that I had this super cute sample of Lady Speed Stick Infusion Strawberry Splash* laying around and because it smells sooooo yummy, I figured it would be a shame not to take it with me! I'm also bringing Bath & Body Works Mini Fragrance Mist in the scent Sweet Pea (not pictured), which must be my absolute favorite Bath & Body Works fragrance.

Of course, I'm not forgetting headache pills and a few other essentials when you are heading in a week-end of party. I'm off for a 40-minute drive now so have a nice week-end ladies!

*Lady Speed Stick Infusion is NOT cruelty-free

August Luxe Box

Luxe Box is an exciting and new subscription service that allows members to try beauty products in the comfort of their own home before buying them full-sized. Members receive 3-5 hand-picked deluxe sized products in a chic box every month, delivered to an address of their choice. Members also get exclusive access to beauty tips and tutorials that teach them how to make the most out of their products.

I was happily surprised when I received an email from the very lovely Abigail with the opportunity to review a Luxe Box! I must say I'm very sceptical regarding these "boxes" and I'm not ready to buy a subscription yet, but I'm really glad to be able to try one for myself.

I received the August Luxe Box on August 22. I was a little surprised to see that it was delivered in a bubble envelope as these are hardly protective and reusable. I feel a box would have been more appropriate because the Luxe Box is made of a very light and not so sturdy cardboard and it was a little bent when I received it but it was nothing major though.

I think the box is very cute with the little ribbon!

Inside the box, there's a little card with the product descriptions and some tips explaining each of the samples I received.

The green silk paper is a nice touch!

Here's what the August Luxe Box contained:

Proclaim Cocoa Butter Hand & Body Lotion (received full-size)

Full-size retail price: $8.00 (32 oz) 

Proclaim Hand & Body lotion moisturizes dry, irritted skin while protecting from sun, wind and water. It restores lost moisture and soothes dry, tight skin. Leaves skin feeling smooth and soft without feeling greasy.

While I was happy to receive this full-size lotion because I have dry skin and I love coca butter, I was expecting a high-end full-size product, not a moisturizer I could have bought myself at the durgstore. Anyway, I just started using it and it seems to work well and I love the smell.

City Lips Lip Plumping Treatment (received sample)

Full-size retail price: $35 (5 ml)  

The award-winning formula in City Lips includes Oligopeptide technology to increase collagen production in your lips, resulting in greater lip volume and a drecrease in wrinkles and lines in and around the lips. Get extraordinary results and a luxury lip gloss all in one!

I have sensitive lips that tend to react badly to anything chemical, so I tend to shy away from harsh lip plumpers. I might give this one a try though even though I don't have high hopes for this kind of product (even the  popular DuWop Lip Venom didn't work for me). The formula looks very thick and sticky in the tube, not really interesting at first glance.

Kaia Bamboo Facial Cleansing Cloth (received samples) 

Full-size retail price: $18 (30 cloths) 

These bamboo facial cleansing cloths are soaked in vitamins, 100% biodegradable and feel like cashmere on your skin. No matter how late it is, or how tired you are before falling into bed, Kaia natural makeup remover keeps it simple - no rinsing, no water, no bathroom requires.

I think this is the most disappopinting product of the box in my opinion. If you take a look at the FAQ on the Loose Button website, here is their answer to the question "What makes your samples different from the ones I get for free?":

At a store, you are handed random samples that last one or two uses. In comparison, Loose Button delivers you deluxe-sized luxury samples, equivalent to travel sizes or products that you receive from “gifts with purchase” packages. In addition, we sift through hundreds of brands to curate a collection that we truly believe in.

Well, these cloths are surely not "deluxe-sized luxury samples"! I received two cloths that are one time use each. Yes they are great to keep in your handbag and for when you are on the go, yes they are 4 in 1, yes they are 100% biodegradable, etc, but this is really not what I would expect for $12.

Calvin Klein Forbidden Euphoria Fragrance (received roller ball sample)

Full-size reatil price: $78 (50 ml) $102 (100 ml) 

Mysteriously sophisticated. Innocently seductive. Coveted, yet forbidden, this fragrance is the younger interpretation of the iconic Euphoria fragrance. It evokes a modern, fresh sexiness with a mysterious twist.

This is not a fragrance I would have been immediately drawn too if had smelled it in the store, but I actually love it! I have never smelled the original Euphoria fragrance so I can't compare, but Forbidden Euphoria is aimed at young women (17-20) and is reportedly younger, sexier and easier to wear than the original. Forbidden Euphoria is a fruity floriental; notes include mandarin, peach blossom, raspberry, pink peony, tiger orchid, jasmine, cashmere woods, patchouli and skin musk. It's fruity, which I love, but nothing over the top. I'm also happy to have received this sample with a roller ball, which is great to keep in your handbag.

Pearl and Moonstones Earrings from Sheyna Jewelry

Retail price: $18 

Silver earrings with moonstone, pearl, and citrine. Exquisite and delicate earrings made from pearls, and moonstone and citrine rondelles.

These handmade earrings from Sheyna Jewelry are a bonus included in the August Luxe Box. These are asbolutely not my style and I will give them to my mother straight away! I also personally think they look a bit cheap...

Overall, based on my experience with the August Luxe Box, I would say the Luxe Box is a great and original concept, but it is not for everyone. Of course, the content of every box is a suprise, so if you don't like that concept, you could be disappointed. You can make nice discoveries, but you can also end up hating everything. Personally, I would prefer to be able to personalize my box each month to be sure my $12 is well invested. I think it's also a little disappointing that you only receive one full-size product in each box.

Luxe Box is available for $12 a month with free shipping for Canadian residents and features brands such as Dermalogica, Benefit, Stila, NARS and much more.

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for consideration to review. I was not paid for this review,  I am not affiliated with this company and the fact that the product was free absolutely does not influence my opinion.