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Laurel & Reed Subscription Box Review – September 2018

Marne Orenich
ByMarne OrenichSep 27, 2018 | 5 comments

Laurel + Reed Box

Laurel & Reed
4.3 overall rating
9 Ratings | 3 Reviews

Laurel & Reed is "a luxury-curated, cruelty-free and non-toxic beauty, wellness and lifestyle box. Every month we will delight your doorstep with a mix of 4-6 full-size products with a minimum total value of $100+. Enjoy a mix of makeup, hair care, body & skincare and wellness and lifestyle items."

This month's box is being reviewed thanks to an MSA reader request!

open Laurel + Reed Box

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

Contents of Laurel and Reed box

About Laurel & Reed

The Subscription Box: Laurel & Reed

The Cost: $49.95/month + $6.95 US shipping

The Products: A mix of 4-6 full-size makeup, hair care, body & skincare, wellness, and lifestyle products with a minimum total value of $100+

Ships to: US for $6.95, Canada for $18.00, International for $34.00

Laurel & Reed September 2018 Review

Note from Natalie at Laurel + Reed

The box opens to a handwritten welcome note from Natalie.

front of Laurel + Reed info card

Next is the front of the info card which is a lovely print of the phases of the moon.

Laurel + Reed info card

The four items are clearly listed out with retail prices and short descriptions.

This box immediately took my breath away upon seeing, so let's get to it!

Noto Hydra Highlighter with box back of Noto Hydra Highlighter open Noto Hydra Highlighter

NOTO Hydra Highlighter, 0.25 oz.- Retail Value $24.75

I actually received this in a different subscription recently but didn't fully unlock it's potential until now. This is virtually invisible as a swatch, so it wasn't worth photographing, but in real life, it gives the perfect amount of dewiness to my face with very little product. I love that NOTO has three simple words describing their products: Multi-Use, Minimal, and Uni-Sexy. This highlighter can be used in various places for various functions such as cheekbones, cupids bows, collarbones (what? game changer) and lips as a shimmery balm. This barely-there product is great for those who want the minimal makeup look without too much glitter, but I did notice that it is a bit on the oily side so after using for a few days I did get some small breakouts. I'm not sure whether I should try to acclimate my skin to it since I love the product or steer clear of it. I want to use it so bad but want to listen to my skin as well!

Pure Elements YOUTH Exfoliating Botanical Mask Directions + Ingredients for Pure Elements YOUTH Exfoliating Botanical Mask open Pure Elements YOUTH Exfoliating Botanical Mask

Pure Elements YOUTH Exfoliating Botanical Mask, 2 oz. - Retail Value $19.99

OMG do I love this mask! It starts as the palest pink powder but when mixed with water (or another liquid, like rosewater) it turns a gorgeous deep mauve color and then lightens again as it dries. Clay masks are hands down my favorite because I enjoy feeling them harden and get tighter as they dry and how wonderful my face feels once I rinse it off. This one includes white kaolin clay, matcha green tea powder, hibiscus flower powder, and rosehip powder. What a short ingredients list for a mask that makes me feel so luxe as if I'm at the facialist. I used such a small amount to get a sull mask out of this that I can tell it will last quite a long time so twenty bucks seems ultra-reasonable.

Dr. Lily Ros Organics 100% Natural Deodorant ingredients for Dr. Lily Ros Organics 100% Natural Deodorant info for Dr. Lily Ros Organics 100% Natural Deodorant open Dr. Lily Ros Organics 100% Natural Deodorant

Dr. Lily Ros Organics 100% Natural Deodorant in Bamboo and Japanese Cherry Blossom, 2.6 oz. - Retail Value $18.00

I'm sorry but this is the sexiest deodorant that I've ever seen. Has that sentence been written before? It sounds silly but it's TRUE. I am a sweaty beast all year round but I don't want to continue using big brand antiperspirant/deodorants that contain aluminum and other toxic junk. This packaging is gorgeous but more importantly, it smells divine and actually worked quite well. I feel like I've tried so many natural deodorants that won't help much with wetness, but this one contains tapioca starch which should help absorb a bit of that. I found myself smelling fresh when applying this and even though I was still a little damp under the ol' arms, it was manageable.

Rad Alchemist Sugar Scrub in Rose Garden back of Rad Alchemist Sugar Scrub in Rose Garden open Rad Alchemist Sugar Scrub in Rose Garden

Rad Alchemist 3-in-1 Sugar Scrub in Rose Garden - Retail Value $39.00

Look at how beautiful this scrub is! And guess what else? It's the most perfect consistency so that when you're in the shower, scrubbing it onto your skin, it's just moist enough that it sticks and doesn't just crumble all over the floor of the tub like a lot of drier scrubs. This has a great grit to it and has oils that are super moisturizing and left my skin feeling soft and hydrated. It also happens to smell much like its name- a rose garden. Another spa-like experience!

Verdict: This month's Laurel & Reed knocked it out of the park for me. It's essentially what I dream a natural beauty box to be. Full-size products, wonderful scents, clean beauty, gorgeous minimal packaging. Every product was on-point and I couldn't be happier.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Boxes ship immediately for first-time purchases (if current box is available) with subscriptions shipping between the 15-20th of the month.

Value Breakdown: For $56.90 ($49.95 + $6.95 shipping) I received four luxury products that have a value of $101.74. Here’s what you are paying approximately per item:

  • Highlighter: $13.84
  • Mask: $11.18
  • Deodorant: $10.07
  • Sugar Scrub: $21.81

Check out all of our beauty reviews via the Beauty Subscription Boxes directory!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What are your thoughts on September's Laurel & Reed box?

Starting at $43.95
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Laurel & Reed is a clean beauty subscription box that features only full-size, non-toxic and cruelty-free products. Consciously curated, each month you will receive 3+ products with a minimum value of $125. From indie and small batch brands to cult favorites, each month we will delight your d... read more.

Marne Orenich
Marne Orenich
Marne is a lipstick connoisseur, record collector, and twice over cat mom. She loves discovering new clean beauty brands and has quite the collection of beautifully packaged serums and moisturizers.

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5 comments

Anna

Coconut oil can cause breakouts but especially in anyone acne prone. It’s comedogenic and sits on top of the skin some people have no issues but dermatologist generally recommend against it because it can clog pores.

I really wish that companies would lay off the coconut oil it’s in so much now and I don’t need extra breakouts.

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Mamo

I have always wanted to love this box but that fact that they copied the Art of Organics packaging has kept me from trying it.

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AnninVA

Great review Marne! This box would appeal to me if I wasn’t so swamped with beauty products. I need to work through my stash before I can sub to another beauty box, though the Sephora luxe boxes and British advent calendars keep sucking me in. I like the clean, minimal packaging here too. Margot Elena items are beautiful to look at on their own or to use as gifts, but for a scrub or mask or deodorant I would see in my all white bathroom everyday I would prefer this clean look.

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Jt

Great review and thank you for detailed info! I switched to natural deodorant after a sample from target beauty box. So can’t wait to try these items! I was able to purchase as a one time past box.

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Luna

This looks like a pretty cool box I’ll be keeping my eye on. I like the curation & see the value in it, but for the price it doesn’t make me want to pounce on it quite yet. Maybe it’s the holidays approaching or something, so I’ll see how I feel in January (or unless I see a product featured in one of the Fall boxes that I just have to have!).

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