3rd Anniversary/Birthday Giveaway: 3 Prizes!

Hello my dearies, have I got a wonderful surprise for you…Yes, it’s another Beauty Box giveaway but this time we’ll have not one, not two, but THREE prizes to be won. I put together these beauty “hampers” of all the favourite things I love in Japan beauty-wise. This is a big ARIGATOU to my readers who have supported me for the short while Beauty Box has been on the Internet. I know there have been past giveaways and not everyone got to win but since there will be three winners, the chances are higher this time.

I’ll also talk about Beauty Box’s history in detail later on in the post but for those of you who just want to see the goodies to be won, here they are…

Grand Prize

+ Hada Labo es range trial kit (sensitive skin): foaming facial wash, lotion, cleansing oil, and moisturizer
+ Hada Labo BB Cream SPF 32 PA+++ (shade will depend on your preference; Natural Beige or Natural Ochre)
+ Mandom Barrier Repair Facial Mask HA Super Moist
+ Oshima Tsubaki Oil 40ml
+ Kikiyu Clay Bath Salts Bottle (for smooth skin)
+ Canmake nude nail polish 31
+ Chasty travel-sized perfume bottle with transfer pump

2nd Prize

+ Hada Labo BB Cream SPF 32 PA+++ (shade will depend on your preference; Natural Beige or Natural Ochre)
+ Mandom Barrier Repair Facial Mask HA
+ Kikiyu Clay Bath Salts sample (for smooth skin)
+ Mutenka Cow Brand Facial Wash (Normal Skin)
+ Mutenka Cow Brand Cleansing Milk
+ Foam net
+ Canmake nude nail polish 31
+ Chasty travel-sized perfume bottle with transfer pump

3rd Prize

+ Hada Labo BB Emulsion SPF 50 PA+++ (shade will depend on your preference; Natural Beige or Natural Ochre)
+ Mandom Barrier Repair Facial Mask HA
+ Geruma Bath Salts sample (for sweating)
+ Mutenka Cow Brand Cleansing Oil
+ Canmake pinkish nude nail polish 104
+ Chasty travel-sized perfume bottle with transfer pump

Giveaway Rules:

♥ Must be a follower on Twitter and Facebook. If you are also a follower on Youtube, that would be a bonus. Please let me know where you are following me in the comments section.

♥ Tell me why you like Beauty Box and what you would like to see more in future (videos, hauls, reviews etc) in the comments section of this blog post.

♥ Share this on Twitter or Facebook:

“Come join Beauty Box’s 3rd Anniversary Giveaway: 3 beauty hampers full of Japanese beauty products to be won! htpp://www.beauty-box-online.com/3rd-anniversary-birthday-giveaway-3-prizes”

- please let me know the link where you have shared this. If it is on Facebook, add me!

♥ The deadline is Aug 31 2011 midnight Tokyo time

♥ I will draw the winners based on their comments (look at #2). Make it interesting for me (and everyone) to read!

….And onto how Beauty Box started three years ago right here in my home….

The number “3″ is a bit of a theme…. It’s not only Beauty Box’s third blogversary this August, but it’s also my birthday month and I’ll be turning….33! I already had this idea in mind so I went back to check my blog archives and would you believe it that my first-ever post was on 13th August 2008? I would’ve linked it here but I’m very very very embarrassed and I have already hidden it from view. It was actually a post on a bunch of Clarins eyeshadows I was trying to hawk.

Why the heck was I doing that? I never spoke in great detail about Beauty Box’s inception so now’s a good time as any. Basically, I was working for my fiance’s Aussie company based in Tokyo at the time when it flopped. Both of us got retrenched and we actually stopped going to the office by June or July in 2008. I think our salaries were stopped in Sept 2008 so I was frankly desperate to earn some cash while looking for my next gig.

I’ve actually written about being retrenched on my personal blog (it’s here if you are interested) and it’s honestly not quite like the sky had fallen down. We were given a couple of months’ notice and our salaries didn’t cease immediately so we were thankful for that at least. During this time, I had nothing to do. I stopped teaching English to work for this company just eight months earlier so I found myself horribly idle (we stayed home a lot because we were anticipating a long period of being on a tight budget), bored to tears, and depressed. Our retrenchment story was not so dismal that we became homeless and cashless — we had enough to pay the rent for six months and to continue a fairly decent standard of living but all the frills (shopping, travelling, having splashy nights out at gaijin bars etc) were a definite no-no.

I thought I would move from away from Tokyo because my fiance had several job opportunities outside of Japan so I dug around my beauty stash (and a friend’s stash – she didn’t want some of it) and started selling unused, unopened beauty products to Singaporeans (and a few Malaysians). At the time, Singapore’s blog shop scene was thriving and mind you the average blog shop just three years ago had no shopping cart system and some people didn’t even use Paypal. I guess between Singaporeans, you could just transfer the money via ATM or internet banking, and some even met up in person (still boggles me because that defeats the purpose of shopping online — you shouldn’t have to move from your computer!).

Surprisingly, I cobbled together a few hundred dollars in my first month or two. It was not much obviously but I felt better channeling my mind and energy to my new online business. I had been blogging for several years at that point already so I was not scared of building yet another website or fiddling with html. Seeing how easily I could cop a few dollars by selling stuff on the Internet, I thought of selling more products and I seriously had no real idea about what was really popular or not in Japan, but I knew this collagen supplement was all the rage in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. So I sold it. That shows you the power of a tiny home business — there is zero bureaucratic BS and anything I wanted to do, I did it just like that.

Around Oct 2008, I had a slew of orders from the US (all thanks to this video on Oprah) and that got my fiance quite excited. Up until that point, he just entertained my little blog shop as just that — small and temporary, but the number of orders were quite significant and people were knocking on my door asking to be distributors and could they please buy XYZ number of tins? The fiance suggested being an Amazon merchant and by the end of Dec 2008, we split 50-50 on the shares of our company and truly became partners in business, not just in love.

Fast forward to today…we are still thriving as a business and we have plans to expand but I can’t say anymore on that till everything is 110% confirmed. We faced some ups and downs but mainly I think we could pull through because we just kept at it, despite a terrible earthquake, currency fluctuations, a floundering world economy (US, our target market, and Japan are both struggling), increasing number of competitors…but the fiance is really good at business (like, really good) so I’m a lucky beauty junkie, I suppose…

Hope you enjoyed reading about Beauty Box’s history and please join this giveaway and spread the word to your friends. I’m looking forward to reading your comments!

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31 Comments so far
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I like BB because of the nice blog owner who is fighting the same skin trouble I am (>.<) and gives me inspiration for new products, and also for the nice haul pics and swatches. <3
I love how you are not holier-than-thou like some other bloggers who tell you you must love the same products as them or must use item XY etc. (Like you MUST use cleansing oil no matter what your skin type is etc.)

I am following you on Facebook btw. and will share the link right after I typed this.

I like all of your posts on BB creams but also Japanese skincare items. Its harder for me to get these things for cheap now that I am living in LA, so reading your posts keeps me in touch with Japan and all of the things I miss!

I follow you on FB and twitter and I am just about to tweet about this.(sungirldotorg)

Aww thank you, Julia, that’s really nice to know. I’m just learning as I go and there’s no point being fixated on a certain type of regime/product(s) because I believe our skin keeps changing as with other parts of our lifestyle, health, body…etc…Thank you for joining the giveaway!!

Hi Briana, thanks for the feedback. Aww I would miss Japanese beauty products if I moved away. Hope you are settling in well in LA. Thanks for the retweet!

I have been a follower of BB on Twitter (D_B_Paralegal) and on Facebook since last year, after discovering the Amino Collagen supplement. I enjoy your posts because you’re honest about the products you try, and most of them are products I’m interested in, so it’s win-win for me.

I will be tweeting out your giveaway on my Twitter today.

Hi DarC, thank you — glad to know honesty is a winning factor for this blog. I think that’s why blogs in general are so great, they let the consumer have a “real” view from regular folks.

i am following you on twitter: pandaxaly
i liked your acebook: alyssa f

i like beauty box because of the reviews on products that are hard to find here in the us! And BB cremes! i wanted to try some but i never had the chance so i have never tried bb creams before! I also love that you have the biggest mindset and you have achieves so much the past years and your story really touched me emotionally! Its crazy how one can start at almost nothing and then gradually get better! Tiny home business’s can really flourish and i am so happy that yours did! My goal in life is to become a makeup artist and to do that i first have to start at nothing and i hope a few years after my process i grow as an artist but also a buisness person! (: I also am really happy you have DIY solutions it has helped me a lot, many bloggers do not have that and that is something unique that i really like about your blog! (: Something i would love to see more of would be maybe some daily life blogging (: i really hope you keep on striving with your buisness! thanks so much for this giveaway! i really hope i can win!

i mentioned this giveaway on my facebook 9: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=200803829976722&id=100001413198135

wow another giveaway, thank you so much!!hoping i would win this! hohoho! ^_^

(i first found your blog when its the lioness in japan and what first attracted to me is that you are a singaporean living in Japan! so i followed you haha!*patriotic*)then slowly ur blog evolved into a beauty blog with the beautybox blog!)i love to read Beautybox as it features cosmetics and skincare, although there are alot of blogs out there are on beauty also(and i read them too!) but because you show what is living in Japan like from a foreign perspective and i love your videos on making healthy drinks which i like to try out as they are simple and easy!
retweeted your giveaway! XD

Hi I shared your giveaway on my facebook http://www.facebook.com/beautyboxonline#!/romelyndiaz.

I first found you on Youtube, and now following you on twitter and facebook. I love beautybox online because of all the skincare/makeup reviews especially from asia. I’ve always wanted to travel to japan, watching your videos and reading your blogs are a fun way for me to “get away”, lol. I would love to see more hauls and reviews on asian beauty products, and more vlogs like your singapore vlog! Shopping and restaurant/eating/travel vlogs. I look forward to more of beauty box

Wow you do spoil your readers!

I won’t be participating but I would love to see more FOTD ^^

I do love your healthy lifestyle tips and vids and review – keep up the great job!!

Wow! What great prizes! <3
I just discovered Beauty Box recently and I already love it! I have been following you through your "Raw Bento" blog, which I stumbled upon when searching through vegan blogs. As a vegan who is very interested in Japan, I was curious as to what foods are available there and all of your recipes are great! Hopefully I will have a chance to visit Japan someday!

Anyway, I am also interested in beauty and skincare, so Beauty Box is great for information. I currently don't own any Japanese beauty products, but I plan on purchasing some soon! I would love to see more reviews on Beauty Box ~ ingredients are important to me and I would rather not use any harmful products on my face. It seems that a lot of Japanese brands do not use parabens, mineral oil, and other additives!

I follow you on twitter (chibimangaka) and facebook (Nana Mami) and I shared your giveaway link on my facebook. ^_^ Thanks so much for having this giveaway, I'm so excited!

Following on facebook, twitter and youtube

Although one night you did keep me up until 3am I throughly enjoy both the beauty box blog and the lioness in japan one. I was looking for some Japanese shampoo I bought from Singapore and came across this! I have been interested in Asia for a very long time and as I have grown it has turned into many hours of asian beauty blog reading! I adore Singapore and Japan and beauty box provides a little escapism from my life and I can dream of being back in Singapore mooching in Watsons or Japan where I hope one day I can visit. It will have to be with a very large suitcase however now to bring tons of beauty products home ;p. I like how you show recipes in conjunction with products as this provides a very balanced (and sensible!) outlook on life. You are also quite inspiring to me the way you have set up a business in another country and keeping together a transnational family .

What I think there should be more of is perhaps videos of products and maybe food recipes like you beauty soup . The video where you put your daily munchies was really good!

shared on facebook http://www.facebook.com/helenlouisejohnson

arigato! xx

I’ve been reading your two blogs for a while, and I like both of them. I don’t want to participate, just want to say hello and how I love reading your posts about Japan, Japanese cosmetics, everything.
Sandy

1st of all, happy birthday to you and happy blog-versary too.
You are always spoiling your readers with such wonderful giveaways.

I stumbled upon your personal blog 1st when I was surfing around for more information about living in Japan from a foreigners perspective. It was even better when it comes from a fellow Singaporean. The I started reading BB and raw bento. love the information you share about the new products you spot in Jp and writing your reviews on them. Really helps for someone who loves Jp products and don’t know much Japanese (it doesn’t help to show it to Sushi as he will prob translate everything in less than 2 sentences.)

All the best with your home biz and continue to share your wonderful hauls. If you ever make any home made facial recipes, would be nice to share it too.

Following you on twitter (sheyx) and would be re-tweeting this shortly.

I love the eastern way of beauty and would like to be entered in the giveaway. Keep up the great videos.

Follow you on twitter and youtube

♥ Am a follower on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube, using the moniker BijinBlair.

♥ Beauty Box is about mostly beauty related stuff, which I love. Your reviews are really helpful! I’m usually so enabled that I rush out to the nearest drugstores/e-tailer for them or lem them from afar and hope that they’ll eventually be brought into Malaysia. You also share some bits of your everyday life and I find that really interesting and makes me want to know the person behind the blog more.

I would like to see more recipes from you. I have downloaded both e-recipe books and have started drinking a concoction of vegetable and fruit juice almost daily! They are very nutritious and delicious. Please do share the other tricks you have up your sleeve to keep yourself eating healthy and happy.

♥ Shared your giveaway on Facebook and have added you as a friend: http://www.facebook.com/bijinblair/posts/156135181134575
I didn’t have a Facebook account previously, can’t believe I missed out on such a great social media tool! I am very addicted to Facebook and have been neglecting Twitter haha.

well first things first! the twitter phrase has a small error on it the (htpp) should be (http)-or did you do it purposely so that it woulnt become a link?- and that by changing that we are able to post the whole thing on to twitter since twitter will automatically shrink the links text size/count!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am a follower on twitter and facebook under the name forevrstarz.
Twitter proof:http://twitter.com/#!/forevrstarz/statuses/105149841713278977
also used the # to make it easier for you to find maybe?maybe not depends~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I won’t lie im not much of a blog reader but when i have time to i love to read your blog! its very interesting with types of products i have never seen before! Also i think it would be great if you posted along with the picture of the product,a picture of its ingredients if available! i think its very helpful to know how many different ingredients are in a product. and more more more pictures! well i know you already post a lot of them but well i can’t lie i love to look at the pictures! especially when you review products! only thing that sucks is that i can’t always find the products! oh! and if you use any other kinds of bath products to share about them? your recent posts about them have me veryyy intrigued!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
happy birthday and congratulations on beautybox’s 3rd anniversary!

@Kimby: thanks for your entry. Yes if you just cut and paste my tweet, the link will be automatically shortened.

I’m a big beauty blog addict. I have seen it all, from swatches to tricks. What I really really really like about beautybox is your SKIN TONE! Yes! you’re skin tone!

My skin tone is kinda yellowish. It’s hard to find in another beauty blogs where Asians is mostly considered either Japanese/Korean’s pale white or South East Asian’s warm tan. I’m Chinese Indonesian and I am stuck with The Simpson’s yellowish tone. I look at you and I screamed “FINALLY!”. I’m also not a decent cook, but looking at your recipes made me think I can succeed in the kitchen as well! in a healthy way! No more instant noodle for me!

ps. Your English is very nice too! Not “Sing-lish” for sure!

I”m following you on FB, Twitter, and a youtube subscriber. Also mention you on twitter. https://twitter.com/#!/babalisme/status/105503107772977152

First off many congrats on 3rd blog anniversary!

I’m a follower through GFC, Twitter and FB
GFC name: spider girl
Twitter name: @techspidergirl
FB name: Ana Sarah

I like BB because it has awesome reviews! I’m myself an Asian and quite warmer, so I love how helpful this blog is for me x

I’ve shared it on FB
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=199572150106793&id=100000546735410

Love,
Ana
techiespidergurl at gmail dot com

And yes I would love to see more reviews in the future!! x

Follower on Facebook and Twitter .

I first found your blog after I moved to Japan last July. I was googling for information on Japanese products (came knowing 0 japanese) since that is what I was now surrounded by….eeek. My skin has also had issues in adjusting to the change in climate, weather, water, new products…. something. I am still trying to figure that out. But your blog has been so helpful, and has given me the courage to try out what you model but also other products. And I am seeing some improvement. THANK YOU THANK YOU.
I would love to continue to see more on Japanese skincare products. And the videos are great. You give so much detail and cover any questions I come up with.
Even though I live in Japan, I live on a rural island… so I don’t have all the products readily available as in Tokyo. I really hope I can win and try these.

Thanks.

♥ Followed on Twitter and Facebook, will tweet from my public account (sakura__lovely) as well as my regular one (asiyakei) when I get home and can C&P easier!

I like seeing you feature new products that you’ve added to your store, especially as you usually try them first and can give an honest review about what the product is like! I’m still trying to map out a purchase (too many choices) but it’s very convenient to have your blog for reference while I look at the store, especially as I can’t read Japanese ingredient lists or instructions.

I also really love your food and travel posts (I’m beginning to think that most beauty bloggers are also not-so-secret foodies), especially the foreign-country haul posts! I came back with a TONNE of stuff when I was in Japan last and despite my best efforts also come home with makeup and knick-knacks even when I travel to a city that is close (Vancouver!). So I like to see what other people tend to buy on vacation .

Thank you for hosting the giveaway! I’m browsing the store right now… looking for a BB cream to fit my NC37-40 self!

I forgot in my first message . I shared on facebook and tagged you. Thanks.

I’m following you on Twitter (sljslk), Facebook (Slj Slk) and Youtube (sljslk1).

I like Beauty Box because it is:
Beautifully-written,
Engaging,
Addictive,
Useful,
Tried-and-tested,
Yay,
Broad-based,
Organised and
Xtraordinary.
I would like to see more reviews, DIY solutions and haul posts in future.

I’ve also shared your giveaway on twitter.

Happy Belated Birthday and 3rd Blogversary!
Chanced upon Beauty Box recently while I was searching for Mutenka Cow Brand stuff because apparently, it’s not very popular here. That was also when I first saw your video on ‘The Green Drink’ and got a shock by the amount of greens that you put in your drink! GAH!
Still, I’m really glad to have found your blog!
Since ‘3’ is a theme for this giveaway. I shall list the…
TOP 3 Reasons why I like Beauty Box:
1. Informative. Very informative! With reviews of different products, beauty recipes, Japan, and etc!
2. You come across as a really sincere person who only sells products that don’t irritate the skin. Moreover, you try most of the products that you sell, and share your first-hand experience with us. That sets Beauty Box apart from many other blog shops.
3. Your holistic approach to beauty! Thank you for generously sharing with us what your beauty recipes, exercise regime, and inspiring us to work towards inner and outer wellness.
Indeed, beauty is more than skin deep.
I’m looking forward to subsequent parts of your ‘Food & Fitness Journal’. I’ll love to see more ‘DIY solutions’, and on ‘Inner Beauty’!
Once again, thank you for this wonderful giveaway!
Stay Beautiful! )

I’ve followed you on Twitter (@caramelpretzels), on Facebook (Liz Ang), and also tweeted about your giveaway!

Hi,
i hv follow you ion FB: Jess Ng
Twitter: jessng1
YT: JESSIETANNG
I twitted: http://twitter.com/#!/jessng1
i like the it because it help me become more understanding the products without buying tat and it really help me alot in choosing the products and indirectly help me save some expenses too!!Besides that, the video have taught me a lot in how to make my skin look prettier and healthier…Now im more confident due to my perfection~~So, i just wanna say thanks to you and it really make my day after watching the video~~

Thx

Jess

I’ve been really contemplating whether to join your giveaway or not–’cause I already won last time! Don’t want to be too greedy! LOL! Anyway, regardless of whether I win again or not, here I go again.

I think Beauty Box is very aptly named–because it’s really like that dream magical box where every girl can find everything she needs to be truly beautiful:

Health > You inspired me to start doing smoothies again and I’ve never felt better!

Good skincare > You review so many skincare products. It gives me an idea of all the skincare goodies out there which I need to get my hands on soon!

Hardwork and commitment > Proves the saying “There are no ugly women, just lazy ones.” My god, your exercise routine puts my morning stretches to shame! lol!

Beautiful Experiences > I also read your other blog, “Lioness in Japan” and enjoy your travelogues. I also believe that our experiences and the people we meet somehow shape the way we carry ourselves.

Good Grooming > I’m no makeup junkie but when I see you looking so fair and flawless, I’m motivated to at least apply eye concealer and bb cream before leaving the house. Haha!

Self Love & Acceptance > I appreciate how you share your challenges in losing weight and at the same time, knowing that you won’t let things like these bring you down.

A Supportive and Loving Man> LOL, sounds cheesy if I expound on this but I think you know best what I mean

Congratulations to you & your blog. You’ve touched and changed another beauty questor’s life Happy B!

Btw I’m an FB and Twitter follower already.

Tweeted about your giveaway, too. Kindly check my profile link as I’m not sure how to get the actual tweet link :S
http://twitter.com/#!/EcoBeautySecret

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