Boxwalla April Beauty Box Review: Spring in Spain Featuring Twelve Beauty

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Boxwalla's eco-luxe beauty boxes are an extraordinary value, and the products themselves are nothing short of spectacular. Their carefully curated cruelty-free green beauty boxes are a tremendous value, with steep discounts, and they feature truly covet-worthy luxurious, and sustainably crafted beauty products. 

The April Beauty Box: Spring in Spain | $49.95: A Beauty Box for the luxury loving skincare nerd, this box lets you experience the most effective and exquisite beauty products that harness the potency of plant-based ingredients. 

- Bi-Monthly Delivery

- Free U.S. Shipping

- Effective Plant-based Ingredients

- Always Cruelty-Free

The Boxwalla April Beauty Box is themed: Spring in Spain. The box contains two full-sized products from Twelve Beauty, with a retail value of $287.00.

1) Twelve Beauty's Intelligent Frontier Facial Oil ($215.00 value)

2) Twelve Beauty's Nutritive Repair Emulsion ($72.00 value)

About Twelve Beauty,

Twelve Beauty was founded by Pedro Catalá in 2012. In addition to degrees in Botany and Pharmacy, Pedro has a Masters in Cosmetic Science and a Ph.D. in Natural Formulation Technologies. He also teaches Natural Formulation twice a year at the University of Siena, in Italy. He is very passionate about sustainability and conservation, not only by sourcing only sustainable ingredients but also by donating his time and money to conservation efforts.

His general approach to skincare tends to focus on barrier repair and preserving a healthy skin barrier, and he advocates a very conservative approach to exfoliation. His view is that mature skin cells aka corneocytes are necessary for proper barrier function and that we shouldn't be in a rush to get rid of them. 

Twelve Beauty's Intelligent Frontier Facial Oil ($215.00): This is an extraordinarily lightweight and fast absorbing oil that has the soft and luscious texture of velvet when it contacts the skin. It harnesses the power of unsaponifiable oils that are "a fraction of plant oils that are a concentrated source of nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants and are really great for repairing the skin barrier in a short about of time." 

This oil is formulated for most skin types. For oilier skin types its employment of  linoleic acid, helps to reduce the amount of sebum that tends to settle in the pores, but for dry skin it bolsters moisture retention, and people with sensitive skin will note that it strengthens the skin barrier to protest the upper layers of skin.

For my normal/combination skin, this gorgeous oil reduces the production of sebum in my t-zone, deeply nourishes and fortifies my skin, softens the appearance of fine lines and leaves it refreshed, hydrated, silky-smooth and luminous. This oil has the most faint herbal aroma, but it very pleasant and it fades away once it has been absorbed.

According to Twelve Beauty,

A unique lightweight facial oil based on nature’s best-kept secret: Unsaponifiable oils. This special fraction of the purest and most expensive plant oils is naturally brimming with active ingredients, which have been hand-blended to preserve their potency and integrity. Hugely soothing, deeply hydrating and proven to repair the skin’s barrier function, this regenerating oil helps to restructure the epidermis – Boosting radiance, deeply hydrating and restoring youthful vitality and healthy suppleness.

About Unsaponifiable Oils,

Unsaponifiables are very different from the original oils that they are extracted from - they do not have the triglycerides and oleic acid that may be present in the oil. So for example, Olive oil unsaponifiables are not heavy like olive oil, wheatgerm unsaponifiables contain no gluten, and so on. 

Pedro notes that Unsaponifiables are not new in the Beauty industry He mentioned that in a 1950s Dermatology conference in Switzerland, they spoke about Unsaponifiables and their benefits. However, they are not often used in commercial skincare because they are very complicated and expensive to extract. Moreover, they are difficult to manipulate and can become rancid if not used in a well-formulated product by somebody with extensive knowledge about them. 

According to Pedro, he does the following: 

1) He calculates the precise amount of antioxidants to stabilize the unsaponifiables. 

2) The Unspaoinifiables have to be worked with and manipulated in a vacuum and a dark environment. 

3) It is also important to note which oils these are blended with to ensure that they remain stable. Over a period of about 18 months, Pedro also measured the Peroxide index to ensure that his calculations were right and that there was no oxidation of the formula (he also tested the unsaponifiables with random oils and noted that they went rancid- so choosing the right oils to blend with these is paramount to ensuring that the unsaponifiables remain stable, effective and beneficial).

Filaggrin is a protein that is present in mature skin cells in the upper layers of the skin (which is one of the reasons Pedro believes in minimal and gentle exfoliation). Once Filaggrin finishes its life cycle, it releases Amino acids that are part of the Natural Moisturing Factor (NMF) of the skin that maintains an optimal level of epidermal moisturization.

Directions: Massage a small amount into clean skin, morning and/or night. Customize by mixing 2-3 drops with your serum or moisturizer.

Select Ingredients and Their Attributes:

Pollen: Rich in amino acids, enzymes, sugars, magnesium, zinc and vitamins, and acts a skin revitaliser

Glycine (Soybean) Oil Unsaponifiables: from a wholly sustainable source: potent unsaponifiables: which act as a soothing skin conditioner

Olive Oil Unsaponifiables: Contains verbascoside which is a potent radical scavenger – ideal for counteracting oxidation and preventing premature ageing

Wheatgerm Oil Unsaponifiables: restructures the skin by protecting some key proteins in the upper layers of the skin which then increases production of molecules essential for the formation of the skin’s own Natural Moisturising Factor (NMF).

Sunflower Seed Oil Unsaponifiables: is the ultimate moisturising agent due to its lipid-replenishing ability, which deeply soothes the skin. It also stimulates the synthesis of epidermal key lipids.

Ingredients: Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil*, Squalane, Pollen Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil Unsaponifiables, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Unsaponifiables*, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil Unsaponifiables, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil*, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil Unsaponifiables, Dicaprylyl Ether, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter*, Sodium Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder, Tocopherol*, Trihydroxystearin, Mentha Spicata Leaf Oil*, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil , Salvia Sclarea Leaf Oil*, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil*, Coriandrum Sativum Seed Oil*, Anthemis Nobilis Leaf Oil*, Eletaria Cardamomum Fruit Oil*, Geraniol*, Nerol*, Aniba Rosaedora Stem Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Bark Oil*, Citrus Limon Peel Oil*, Linalool*

Twelve Beauty's Nutritive Repair Emulsion ($72.00): This creamy and emollient lotion has a luxurious silky texture that indescribably melts into the skin without leaving behind any residue whatsoever. Best described as an emulsion, which contains lipid and hydric components, it is a complete moisturizer. It boasts an antioxidant-rich formula that protects the skin against free radical damage, and it soothes, calms and hydrates the skin. The nourishing selection of nutrient-rich ingredients heal and nourish the skin while you sleep. When I wake up my skin is noticeably more vibrant, hydrated and rejuvenated.

According to Twelve Beauty,

A real hero product, this rich yet fast absorbing cream repairs and restores skin while you sleep. With a powerful combination of ingredients rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid and phytosterols, this cream helps to regenerate and strengthen the epidermal barrier.

Skin Type: Sensitive – Normal – Dry

Directions: Use morning and night to feed your skin the nourishing hydration it craves around the clock. Or, supercharge with a few drops of the Intelligent Frontier Facial Oil to create the ultimate skin barrier boosting remedy. NOTE: Can also be used as a rejuvenating night cream for combination or blemish-prone skins.

Select Ingredients and Their Attributes:

Theobroma grandiflorum seed butter: restores moisture and elasticity, as a result, the skin is left soft and comfortable. It is packed with polyphenols.

Spent grain wax: consists mainly of linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid required for regeneration of the epidermal permeability barrier. This is excellent for dry, irritated and sensitive skin.

Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter extract: improves skin softness and protects skin while easing irritation.

Buddleja davidii leaf extract: offers protection against uv. It is also an effective anti-oxidant.

Ingredients: Aqua, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin*, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter*, Glyceryl Laurate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil*, Spent Grain Wax*, Butyrospermum Parkii Extract*, Glyceryl Laurate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil*, Artemisia Umbeliformis Extract*, Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract*, Buddleja Davidii Leaf Extract*, Peucedanum Ostruti-Iium Leaf Extract*, Tocopherol*, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Parfum*, Geraniol*, Limonene*, Linalool*.

Overall Assessment: The value of this beautifully curated box is staggering, and these two Twelve Beauty products are utterly extraordinary. A+

*THIS IS A SUBSCRIPTION* You will be charged immediately when you purchase. Automatic renewal occurs every two months until you cancel. Make sure to cancel before the 20th of the preceding month. The April Box will ship in April. 

To order your Boxwalla April Beauty Box visit: www.theboxwalla.com  

$49.95 (a $287.00 value) from Boxwalla (Affiliate Links).

Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own.

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