Mintd box – Staycation Edit – May 2020

Where I got it

This is my 3rd Mintd box already as I have signed up for their monthly subscription. Each month, the products are different and the total worth is different. Mintd curates these boxes around a theme and this month it is Staycation because the entire world is pretty much in lockdown. Everyone is staying at home, looking after themselves, and saving lives while doing so. I’m not sure why I didn’t seem to have received and email from Mintd telling me the box has been sent out because they usually do. It is now pretty much the end of June and it had only arrived today (25th June). On one hand, I don’t blame them because I am sure there must be some whip-lash effect from the Covid-19 lockdown, but I did contact them about a week ago and this morning and they have not got back to me at all.

Anyway, the total charge to my bank account was NZD$161.60 at the current exchange rate, which makes this box the most expensive one yet (from the exchange rate).

What I got

This month’s theme is called The Staycation Edit. It comes with a standard-sized Bamboo Toothbrush by Grums Aarhus, a full-sized Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream, a super deluxe sized Rodial Vit C Glow Tonic, a full size (5 pk) Patchology Flashpatch Illuminating Eye Gels, a full-sized Magicstripes Dry Hair Shampoo To Go, a super deluxe sized Lebon Le White Green Tea & Sweet Mint Toothpaste, and a Mintd Skincare Travel Bag. Total box worth over £160.

MINTD has curated the perfect accompaniment to assist you on your journey of rediscovery and of finding escapism closer to home. Relax, rejuvenate and restore skin with replenishing ingredients and escape Awaken your skin to the power of vitamin C and essential acids – this sought after treatment exfoliates to leave you with a brighter complexion; goodbye dull and tired-looking skin. Soothe your delicate eye area with boosting and brightening green tea extract.

Quench thirsty skin with a gorgeous concoction of hydrating hyaluronic acid and papaya enzymes. In between hair washes? These rice paper blotting sheets quickly absorb excess oil from the hair to instantly freshen up locks. Build sustainability into your smile with organic green tea and aloe vera toothpaste and an eco-friendly toothbrush. All of this will fit perfectly into your MINTD travel bag.

How I find it

Grums Aarhus Bamboo Toothbrush (RRP£3.00). White eco-friendly bamboo toothbrush with soft, BPA-free bristles. Bamboo is a type of grass that grows really fast compared to a tree, which makes it an environmentally-friendly alternative to both wooden, and especially, plastic materials. Replacing your toothbrush regularly is important to maintain good oral health, and by using eco-friendly materials, the environmental impact can be kept at a minimum. Wrapped in a biodegradable packaging with a ‘Scrub Smile Repeat’-print on the box.

This is not my first time using a bamboo toothbrush and I actually don’t find it a lot different to plastic ones except maybe for the ergonomic design of the plastic toothbrushes. These are so much better for the environment because I usually aim to change out my toothbrush every 3 months so the impact on the environment by using these are reduced. I wish someone would come up with a replaceable head just with the bristles.

Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream (50g, RRP£60.00). Quench thirsty skin and revitalize your look with Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream. This advanced skin-hydrating formula delivers a healthy hydration boost to the face using a combination of hyaluronic acids and botanical extracts to help skin absorb and hold vital moisture. Enriched with tamarind extract and papaya enzyme, the cream couples intense hydration with gentle exfoliation to brighten dull skin, while the addition of alpha-arbutin works to lessen the effects of hyperpigmentation and dark spots on the skin.

Ingredients: Water, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Tamarindus Indica (Tamarind) Seed Gum, Ethyl Macadamiate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer (and) Lecithin, Isododecane, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol Crosspolymer, Lauryl Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Strelitzia Nicolai (Bird of Paradise flower) Seed Aril Extract, Alpha-Arbutin, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) seed extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, Papain and Carbome 1, 2-Hexanediol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (and) Algin, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Extract, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Leaf Extract (and) Melia Azadirachta Flower (Neem) Extract (and) Amino Esters-1 (and) Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract (and) Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract (and) Lawsonia Inermis Extract (and) Ocimum Sanctum Leaf (Holy Basil) Extract, Pearl Powder, Fragrance, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Titanium Dioxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.

I have been waiting for this box mainly for this product. When this came out, I have wanted to try it, but I didn’t buy it because I wasn’t sure of the reviews yet. A few months later, I subscribed to Mintd and this is the 3rd box I receive and here it is. During this time, I have watched and heard so many bad reviews of Sunday Riley, the brand itself. Fake reviews, bad customer service, over-pricing their products, etc. I don’t even know anymore. I mean they do make some good products that work, there is really no need to do fake reviews. However, I am still interested to trying out this product, but at the same time, I will be more conscious of buying their products.

This Water Cream does look pretty hydrating and cooling from the jar and it also comes with its only little applicator. The creamy is nice and fresh…

Rodial Vit C Glow Tonic (100ml, RRP£22.00). Wake up and smell the vitamin C with Rodial Vitamin C Tonic, an innovative skincare treatment designed to exfoliate and brighten the skin. It features a 5% acid complex formula alongside vitamin C to help bring tired-looking skin back to life. Rodial Vitamin C Tonic uses a combination of essential acids to help keep skin looking younger, brighter, smoother, and more radiant. The combination of acids and vitamin C effectively stimulates and exfoliates the skin to remove dead cells and help improve skin tone and clarity.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Citrus Sinensis (Orange) Fruit Water, Sodium Benzoate, Vaccinium Myrtillus (Bilberry) Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, 1- Methylhydantoin-2-Imide, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Sodium Sulfite, Parfum (Fragrance), Limonene, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Sodium Lactate, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linalool, Geraniol, Citral.

This is much like the Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic which is a vitamin C toner with AHA and BHA to exfoliate the skin. The intensity of this toner should be able to be used daily, but if you have sensitive skin, I would suggest only use this 1-2 times a week or build up the frequency if you have not used an AHA or BHA acid product before.

Patchology Flashpatch Illuminating Eye Gels (5pk, RRP£14.00). Give the eyes a chance to twinkle with the Patchology Flashpatch Illuminating Eye Gels, a pack of five skin care treatments designed to soothe the delicate eye area. When eyes need a little extra TLC, these nourishing vitamin C-infused patches work to refresh and brighten the skin for a healthy-looking glow. Green tea extract helps to diminish the look of dark circles, mulberry extract acts as a natural brightness booster and pearlescent minerals support a more radiant finish.

Ingredients: Water (Aqua/Eau), Glycerin, Caffeine, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Morus nigra fruit extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Extract, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract, Ceratonia Siliqua (Carob) Gum, Sucrose, Carrageenan, Potassium chloride, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Hexanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Gellan gum, Cellulose Gum, Calcium Lactate, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Betaine, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Polyglutamate, Acetyl Glucosamine, CI 77491, Fragrance (Parfum).

I am not a fan of lip gel patches, but I do like a good eye gel patch from time to time. These don’t take up much time and you can go about most activities at home without looking obnoxious because these are thin and they stick on the skin well. Just 5 minutes and then remove before they dry out. I have seen people use it before makeup to hydrate the eye area, I might try that next.

Magicstripes Dry Hair Shampoo To Go (50 sheets, RRP£24.00). Our MAGICSTRIPES rice paper blotting sheets are covered with a specifically formulated powder that absorbs excess oil from the hair to instantly freshen up the look on the go. Produced without aerosol and aluminum salt our DRY HAIR SHAMPOO TO GO is as good for the hair as it’s good for the environment. Perfect to use after a power workout, a tough day at the office, a long flight, or a short night, our DRY HAIR SHAMPOO TO GO will bring one of our favourite beauty shelf products directly into our handbag and take the magic to the next level, anytime, anywhere.

Ingredients: Rice paper, rice starch, calcium carbonate, organic perfume. May contain iron oxides. 

These dry shampoo sheets are really interesting and they look exactly like face blotting paper but with more powder on the sheets, I guess. If it does not contain perfume, I would definitely use it on my face too. This little packet contains 50 sheets which are quite a lot and it is really handy in the car, at your office desk, in your handbag, etc. to quickly freshen up your hair when you don’t have access to a bottle of dry shampoo. I like these because they don’t have a strong fragrance.

Lebon Le White Green Team & Sweet Mint Toothpaste (RRP£10.50). Brighten up your smile and your day with this tea-inspired healthy toothpaste. The delicate balance of Green Tea rich in anti-oxidants and delicious Sweet Mint from Morocco is the perfect remedy to enjoying your cup of tea. Enriched with Papaya Extracts, the natural papain enzymes gently eat away at bad bacteria and whiten the teeth naturally while respecting the tooth enamel. Free from parabens, fluoride, dyes, and artificial sweeteners.

Ingredients: Dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, glycerin, water (aqua), lauryl glucoside, hydrated silica, cellulose gum, citric acid, potassium sorbate, aroma, sodium benzoate, stevia rebaudiana extract, camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf water, linalool*, limonene*, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, carica papaya (papaya) fruit extract. * from natural essential oils.

Mintd Skincare Travel Bag. We know that our MINTD family are a resourceful bunch and make double use of their little white box of treats to store a multitude of belongings once the contents have been used up. Whilst it might be a great addition to the dressing table, it’s not so good for when you’re on the go! So this month pack your must-haves for the weekend into this delightful MINTD travel bag. It comes complete with zipping to keep your things safe and is the perfect size for stowing in your handbag. Measuring 21cm x 12cm x 7.5cm with a zip fastening, this bag is the perfect size for stowing away all the essentials in one convenient location.

Overall

I was surprised to see that this “box” didn’t come in the standard Mintd box, but in the beautiful rosegold travel case. The case is quite good quality with a clear section at the top. The products, however, were a little disappointing because besides the Sunday Riley Water Cream and Rodial Glow Tonic that were proper skincare. I wasn’t particularly excited about toothbrushes or toothpaste, nor was I too thrilled about dry shampoo sheets. But the Tidal Water Cream is around NZD$116 on Revolve.com, and they are still not available on Mecca yet. So that was kind of worth it, I guess. We don’t get the brand Rodial here in New Zealand as well, so that is something nice to receive.

My MintdxMZSkin box review is due to be published and that one has a value of over £400! If you have never tried or never heard of MZ SKIN, check out my blog post on it once it’s up! Follow me on IG (@kittiemui) to get the latest updates!