Posts Tagged ‘soaps’

Prospurly December 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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I can’t believe I’m a quarter behind already… next weekend kicks off our spring break! And here I am trying to close out the year’s reviews still. Let’s get to it!

Prospurly is just under $45 per box (with code for 10% off your subscription – use my referral links from this post) and comes with artisan foods, bath & body items, home products, and other sustainably crafted items. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you free boxes.

prospurly december 2016 box open with products showingprospurly december 2016 info card with product details

 

Nature’s Skin Nutrition ancient bath milk in Vanilla Noel – Ah, the sweet vanilla scent (with a hint of something medicinal perhaps?). This smells fabulous and I could absolutely bathe in it every day. I don’t like using the bath at my apartment, so this will have to wait until I move back to my own place.

Dr. Jacobs Naturals castile soap in peppermint and almond honey – Castile soap is so versatile! You can use these for cleaning your body, face, hair, or even clothes. I love how this soap is gentle enough for all uses and won’t strip skin of its natural oils.

The Brothers Apothecary Ancient Mulling Spices – Ooo this is the ideal winter drink. I need to get myself some cider and brew this next time I want something a bit more sweet or fragrant than tea.

Foxes & Ferns lavender room & body spray – Now I’ve got to say, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a room AND body spray in one before. Since this works as a toner, that’s the use I’d prefer to keep it for. I have plenty of other sprays and oils for the room, but I’m a sucker for toner.

Menagerie Tea & Earth cleanser – Ok, I was about to say this reminds me of the face wash I’m using right now… so I went to compare them and it turns out it’s the same thing! The formulas may be slightly different but it’s essentially the very face wash I got back in March 2016. I enjoy the scent and the soothing feeling of this cleanser. I do wish it was a little less runny and lathered up more though. This little bottle will be great for me to use in my travel bag.

Be ME Solutions Guardian Immunity oil – Behind that brown wrapper is the true label for this bottle. The outside wrap contains instructions on how to use this oil to prevent illness or help with healing. The consistency is a bit gooier than I expected and there’s a nice minty scent. It’s not too cooling, which I like since I’m very sensitive to that. I’m surprised it said to rub some on your feet too – is that a way to help with illness? And could it really be so powerful as to prevent me from getting sick? It’s the perfect time for me to try since I’ve been feeling juuust short of under the weather recently.

Dr. Jacobs Naturals Citrus Crush Cocktail loofah exfoliating castile soap – I love the delightful scent of this soap! It’s the perfect one to use in the shower to make me feel revitalized and fresh. I don’t really see where the loofah is though – I’m guessing they mean the small bits in the soap that help exfoliate? I was hoping to find a loofah in the middle of the soap, like some I made recently for my roommates!

I am going to enjoy every single item in this box. It’s full of all the kinds of things I enjoy trying! What do you think of this month’s box?

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Escape Monthly January: India Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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As soon as Blizzard 2016 was finally cleared enough for the mailman to return, I got this package! I wonder if it had been waiting at the post office the whole time.

Escape Monthly is just under $40 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – see end of post) and comes with a variety of food, home, skincare items themed around a city/region. Each box comes with a guide for that area. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral commission program.

escape monthly january india box products showing escape monthly january india box info card escape monthly january india box info card opened with fact sheet showing escape monthly january india box info card opened with details of products included(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

How cool! I’m already making good use of the sheesham box and I love the Diwali lamps. It’s great that this box has no overlap with the other one from India.

Here’s what came in the box:

Rudy Maxa’s World: India DVD – What a cool way to learn about India beyond a guide book. I’m glad they chose to go this route since seeing and hearing what India is like will be much more telling than reading about it.

Shelly Mehandi henna kit – How fun is this?! Don’t we all want to try doing our own henna tattoos? I know I certainly have. This cute kit includes the powder, which you mix with water and then squeeze in the provided cone (like those pastry ones people use for frosting). Mine came with a stencil of a gecko/lizard type creature, which will be fun to trace onto myself. I’m totally inviting someone over to have a little henna party.

EBM Brands Click cumin biscuits – Whoa, this is so interesting. These dry, crispy cookies have bits of cumin that give it an earthy flavor. It’s sweet yet not all at once and a totally unique flavor. Quite cool! My brain is still not sure what to make of it.

United King Soan Papdi pastry – This came in a container that made me think of someone’s lunch box in Asia. I thought there’d be squares in the box, but then I opened it and it seemed to be one giant chunk. I wasn’t quite sure how to get a piece out, so I just started scooping! This pastry is sooo delicious and yes, very very flaky. Like falls apart as I try to scoop it up. That kind of melting in your mouth is pretty sweet.

Song of India English Lavender soap – Is there a difference between English lavender and other lavender? This one smells more soapy than the lavender ones I’m used to. It’s clear and reminds me of this glycerin soap I have. Happy to add it to my queue of soaps to use!

Diwali lamps – Ok, these just look like a party. All you’ve got to do is put in tea lights and enjoy! I love the colorfulness and atmosphere they provide. Now I just need to bulk purchase tea lights…

Organic India Tulsi tea – I enjoy a tulsi tea when I want something sweeter and caffeine-free. This came at just the right time, since I’ve been sick and I could use a boost. I’ve probably had three of the tea bags brewed multiple times already.

Acanela Shashi India spice blend – We’ve been working to cook more, so spices will be a great thing to have to add to dishes. Sometimes salt and pepper get boring and just aren’t what you want. I’m going to keep these fresh and sealed until we’re ready to figure out what dishes to use them on.

handmade sheesham box – This is the perfect box to store some of my jewelry bedside. I now keep my rings and small earrings in here for safekeeping next to the bed. It’s so simple and looks great anywhere.

They haven’t announced the next location yet, so we’ll see what it is when it arrives. Which products from this India Escape Monthly box do you like most? If you want to sign up, be sure to sign up for their newsletter to get a code for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Prospurly October 2015 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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I saw this box from an email I got from Conscious Box and I couldn’t resist. From previous boxes, I saw fun things like a desktop garden kit and mule mugs that caught my attention in particular. I could hardly wait for the first box to come!

Prospurly is just under $45 per box (with code for 10% off your subscription – use my referral links from this post) and comes with artisan foods, bath & body items, home products, and other sustainably crafted items. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you free boxes.

orange prospurly box with white words

It came in an orange box stuffed quite full.

prospurly october 2015 box inner lid with info card

The info card is stuck to the lid, which you can then remove to read.

prospurly box inner lid with info card removed

Once the card’s removed a cute little graphic shows.

prospurly october 2015 box open with products showing prospurly october 2015 info card with product details

Honey Girls paleo chocolate chip cookie mix – You can’t quite tell from the picture, but the jar feels rather empty. It’s just a little over half full from the look of it and I’m not sure if that’s supposed to be the portion size, but it seems a bit small. Still, I look forward to trying this and comparing to all the other cookie mixes I’m used to using. It’s expensive for my taste though.

benescentials aromatherapy spray in Fall Into Winter – Ooo, this is a lovely scent of fall that is just wonderful. It’s very unique compared to most aromatherapy I’ve tried and so perfect for the season. I like how on their Etsy listing, they list how each ingredient is supposed to make you feel and what the intended benefits are. All aromatherapy is quite soothing to me but I like knowing if it’s more energizing or calming so I can plan to use them at different times.

Skin Nutrition from nature with love pumpkin lotion – I’ve never had a pumpkin lotion before and I love the warmth with a hint of spice that this one gives. I feel like I’m in a kitchen that’s making pumpkin-flavored everything. The lotion feels great and is really moisturizing. This little bottle will be perfect to keep at one of my various lotion spots: in the car, at my desk, by the bed…

Valentina’s Home-Brewed Protection Magickal Mineral Bath Salts – I have bath salts in another scent from this brand and I’m happy to try out a different variety! I like that these are basically single-use packs, though I’ll probably use just half at a time. Looks like I’m going to have to draw up a bath in the coming days, just so I can try this out.

The Suds Cafe pumpkin spice goat’s milk soap – First of all, this bar of soap is fun to look at. I love when they do layering with different textures and colors. I feel like it makes it more fun to use that way! I just recently opened up a bar of soap to use but I might swap that out for this one since this would be a great time of year to smell like pumpkins.

Bliss Pharm Harvest Moon hand sanitizer – You know, I don’t think I’ve really used hand sanitizer sprays. I’ve had wipes and those gel bottles, but I’m liking this misting action. Plus it smells so much better than those “clean” scents that just make me think of bathrooms. I’ll have to keep this bottle handy with me – I know I’m going to enjoy using it all the time.

Skin Nutrition from nature with love pumpkin spice lip balm – Cool, pumpkin spice lip balm! If it’s anything like the lotion from this brand then I’m in for a very sweet treat. I’m debating if I should open it up since I have so many lip balms in use already. For now I’ll keep it sealed and try to use up the ones I’ve had for longer.

Tin Pony Soap House Cinnamon Whiskey soy candle – Whoa, I wasn’t sure about the whiskey part but I do like the scent of this candle. Unfortunately, Panda does not and claims that the cats wouldn’t either (they didn’t seem to mind when I left it open). I might have to burn this in a room that he won’t be going to, or gift it to someone who can burn it in their home. I love the jar and I’m happy it’s a soy candle.

Cool, my first box from them and I’m quite pleased with the very seasonal products that fit “The Harvest” theme and definitely feel like locally crafted fare. I do hope for more unique home items in future boxes, since I’ve got plenty of candles. The upcoming theme is The Gift of Gratitude, which I’m sure will have some Thanksgiving-esque items. Maybe a small cornucopia? A desktop turkey? I hope it’s something that really impresses me. What do you think of these products?

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Escape Monthly September: Greece Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Yay for Greece! I love the wide variety of products, many of which feature olive oil, of course. Nothing looks familiar but it’s cool to see some Greek on the packaging.

Escape Monthly is just under $40 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – see end of post) and comes with a variety of food, home, skincare items themed around a city/region. Each box comes with a guide for that area. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral commission program.

escape monthly september greece box products showing escape monthly september greece box info card escape monthly september greece box info card opened with fact sheet showing escape monthly september greece box info card opened with details of products included(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

It shouldn’t be a surprise that there were plenty of awesome food items and I love that I’ll be able to make a dish or two to really get that sense of Greece.

Here’s what came in the box:

Mastic care body lotion – I can smell the plants in this as I rub it in. It is very smooth and instantly softens my hands. Feels great and I think I’ll use it for lotioning up after showers to lock in that moisture.

Iliada extra virgin olive oil in vanilla – Whoa, I had no idea olive oil comes in flavors! Love it. I like the vanilla one I got, which should offer a nice fragrance and a hint of sweetness to my food. I’ll try cooking with it as well as making a dressing to try.

Misko orzo – I’ve never cooked orzo and I’m excited to not only try the salad recipe (with some modifications for my taste), but also make some lemon orzo soup. I’m a fan of that soup at restaurants and I’d love to make my own version.

glass evil eye – Not much evil to ward off here, but I like trinkets like this so I’ll find a place to hang it for good luck. It reminds me of a bar in York called Evil Eye, which was a really fun quirky place.

Rick Steves’ Pocket Athens – I’m going on a Europe trip this year, but won’t be making it to Greece this time. I look forward to returning to Athens though, and perhaps being very well-prepped if I read this guide!

Elma gum in classic – Cool, gum inspired by ancient times in Greece. This is another product making use of mastic trees. I’ve never heard of them before!

Olivia olive oil soap – Olive oil should be good for the skin and hair, so I might just rub this on my head too. I’m not a huge fan of the scent, but it’s not too strong so that’s not a big deal.

Bingo Serenata milk chocolate wafers – What fun! These remind of Kit Kats and I’m glad we got two. I enjoy chocolate wafers for the combination of taste and crunch.

Ivi peach juice – No wonder this box was so heavy! This giant bottle of juice is nice and the packaging makes me think of Ribena and other squashes (which you’ll easily find in the UK). I love peach products and I’ve put this in the fridge to chill.

Greece was a great choice and I’m happy with the products. I look forward to where the next box will take us! What items from this Greece Escape Monthly box do you like most? If you want to sign up, be sure to sign up for their newsletter to get a code for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Yogi Surprise September 2015 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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Alright, first subscription box of the month. I’ve whittled it down to just four now, so I appreciate each one all the more.

Yogi Surprise is just under $36 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – use my referral links from this post) and comes with yoga gear, skincare, food, and other lifestyle products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you free boxes.

contents of yogi surprise september 2015 box with info card yogi surprise september 2015 info card with product details yogi surprise september 2015 promo card and yoga sequence card yogi surprise september 2015 back of promo card and yoga sequence card

Gaiam yoga mat sling – What a nice, simple tool to easily transport a yoga mat to and from class. I currently have a yoga bag that is quite well-ventilated and does the job, but this will be handy to have when I need to save on space.

Molly Muriel Butter Up soap – I feel pretty familiar with this brand now that I’ve received multiple samples and full size soaps of theirs. The other Butter Up bar I got was from Escape Monthly box this January. I like how gentle and foamy it is with just a mild scent. I wouldn’t have minded receiving one of their other soaps, but I’m happy with this.

All Good Coconut Sunstick – I find rubbing solid formulas like this a lot of fun. A little goes a long way and I end up smelling like a delicious snack! This will be perfect to bring along on travel without worrying about airline liquid limitations.

philosophie Berry Bliss vegan protein & superfood powder – Erm, I’m not really sure how to consume this. Can I just mix with water or would that taste awful? They have a smoothie recipe on the back, but I don’t really make those so perhaps I will try mixing this in with my morning yogurt.

Yogi Surprise Rooting Down yoga sequence series card – Here’s the second card of the series, with a focus on grounding and having a strong foundation. The instruction page has been updated for this month’s sequence so you can download the PDF and view the poses, but no video this time.

Urban Moonshine Joy Tonic – I first came across this brand in another Yogi Surprise box and this is one of their other products. This is supposed to help with anxiety and bring a sense of calm and peace.

Big Dipper Wax Works Citronella tea light candles – What timing! The Homegrown box just came with ingredients to make my very own citronella candle so these are perfect to have as well. I like to keep the porch door open for the cats, so I will try keeping a candle burning near that area to see if it prevents mosquitoes from making their way inside.

Caveman Cookies in Original – Wow, I tried just tasting one but it was surprisingly addictive and I ate the entire cookie. I like how it’s sort of like an oatmeal cookie combined with a soft energy bar in its texture. It’s very chewy and moist. Great little snack to pop in your bag for whenever you need extra energy or to stave off hunger.

I’ll get around to trying each of these and expand my horizons a bit. I like the mix of product types! What products do you want to try from this box?

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Homegrown Collective July 2015 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , ,
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Ooo, another soap box! Almost a year ago, we got a similar box, but the recipes are mostly different this time. I like that they used the same three base soaps, but came up with some more soap types to try out. The charcoal one is the same as last year, but that means I get to try it with both possible bases (white and clear). I want to try using some of the fun molds I’ve gotten, like stars or ducks.

The Homegrown Collective GREENBOX is $39 per box + $9 shipping (or as discounted as $429 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with fun and easy projects to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program you can apply to join.

inside of let us make soap!! homegrown collective 2015 box with the info sheets on the inner lid contents of the homegrown collective july 2015 box with let us make soap!! theme

Project #1, DIY charcoal soap: As mentioned, this soap is the only repeat from the last box. Since you can try it with two different soap bases, I look forward to being able to make both! Yeah, I still haven’t made the soap from the last round… I just have so many bars waiting to be used! I’ll make these when I finally work through some of the backlog I’ve managed to accumulate.

the homegrown collective july 2015 project diy charcoal soap info card the homegrown collective july 2015 products for diy charcoal soap

Project #2, DIY rosemary mint soap: I don’t think I’ve had a rosemary soap before, so this is a cool one to try. I certainly enjoy cooking with rosemary and I like the benefits that it is purported to have for the skin. Detoxifying soaps are my fav!

the homegrown collective july 2015 project diy rosemary mint soap info card the homegrown collective july 2015 products for diy rosemary mint soap

Project #3, DIY cacao chocolate soap: For me, this is the most likely candidate for the luffah and I can’t wait to try it. I will look for some extra ingredients to incorporate as well, just to make things more exciting. It’s so much fun to get full control over how your soap will be made! I wasn’t sure when the cinnamon sticks were supposed to be used, so I figure this one would be the perfect fit. I’ll probably shave off some and then break off some bits to mix in.

the homegrown collective july 2015 project diy cacao chocolate soap info card the homegrown collective july 2015 products for diy cacao chocolate soap

I prefer using soap over body wash, so I’m more than happy to get another box of them. With these pre-made bars, it’s super easy to customize them the way I like and have fun creating something unique. These ingredients should sit pretty well, so I will hold off on making them until I’m closer to using them. I’ve got a drawer that’s full of other soaps at the moment!

the homegrown collective july 2015 diy homegrown soap making info card

Want your own? Subscribe to the Homegrown Collective to start getting projects too!

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Escape Monthly May: Rocky Mountain Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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For the first time, there was no brochure/info card insert – instead it was sent digitally! I’ve embedded it below and also included a link to where you can view the PDF in detail if you’d like. I’m a fan of less paper waste and if this box is an indicator of the quality of future boxes sans paper insert, I’m totally happy.

Escape Monthly is just under $40 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – see end of post) and comes with a variety of food, home, skincare items themed around a city/region. Each box comes with a guide for that area. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral commission program.

escape monthly may rocky mountain box products showing escape monthly may rocky mountain box product info cards front escape monthly may rocky mountain box product info cards back and inside (click to enlarge and read full messaging)

escape-monthly-rocky-mountain-box-info-card-pdf

(view the file to read in detail)

When I first opened the box, I was totally impressed! Not only did it smell fantastic, but it had so many items that it truly felt like a treat. I’m all about more medium-sized (and value) items rather than a larger one that may have monetary value, but isn’t something I like as much. Or maybe I just really like what this theme meant in terms of curation! I could have done with digital versions of the info cards in addition to the already-digital brochure they always have.

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Montana & Wyoming – Well, this doesn’t quite match up to the listed handbook, but it looks like it covers more than that one would have so I don’t mind. I’ve been to Yellowstone before, but haven’t really explored the rest of the national parks or either state. I think it’d be fun to do a road trip in that area to admire all the nature. I love scenery and animals!

Rocky Mountain National Park commemorative keychain – This is a nice, quality keychain that is very well-crafted. It’s so nice that I’m going to have to store it rather than actually use it on my keychain. I don’t want to wear it down!

NAAWK EcoPack sunscreen – I love this packaging, which is so perfect for traveling through national parks and wilderness. Just clip it to your belt buckle or backpack and you can reapply sunscreen throughout the day. What a cool pack!

the Spirit Goat Goat’s Milk lotion in Bear Lake Raspberries – This is a rather unusual scent for me (in a good way). I’m not sure I’ve had a raspberry lotion before and I love it! There’s a mild sweetness that is really nice and not in your face. It’s such a fresh sort of feeling. My skin feels wonderfully soft after applying.

Rocky Mountain Root Beer – I heard something moving in the box as I was carrying it and it turned out to be this bottle. I opened it pretty much as soon as I took the picture and it was a nice treat to enjoy. I love the glass bottle and that it wasn’t super sweet. Sometimes sodas are just too much, so this is a nice alternative.

Kate’s Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Stash Bar – While I don’t really like bars or peanut butter, this one looks quite good. I will definitely make good use of it next time I need a boost, whether from travel or exercise.

Salus Bath Bomb in Mountain Mint – How perfect that I got shower bombs from Yuzen and now I have a bath bomb to try too! This strong mint scent is sure to be a nice cooling experience. I hope it helps soothe aches too.

Dirty Diana Preserves – I’m hesitant to try this due to the cherries. I typically only like fresh cherry flavor. I’m also not quite sure how to use this… as a spread? To cook with? We’ll see.

Sierra Nevada Soap Company Rosemary Lavender soap – Ah yes, this was emanating relaxation as soon as I opened the box. I love the scent and will add this to my soap queue near the front. It’s fun that there are chunks in there – I like a soap with some added texture.

Wild West Howdy chocolate bar – This bar has dark chocolate and almonds. It’s a very hard chocolate that is a perfectly balanced so it’s not bitter, but not crazy sweet either. The almond bits are smaller and don’t steal the show.

I’m thinking I need to move near the Rockies at some point in my life. I love eco-friendly stuff and the clean, fresh feeling these products give me. Which products from the Rocky Mountain Escape Monthly box would you want too? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): YOURESCAPE or ROCKY for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

Coming up is Vancouver for some Canadian goodness. I’m excited for that and I wonder if any packaging will change since I just noticed their new logo.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Escape Monthly February: Nashville Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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So I kept Escape Monthly because I was super intrigued by Nashville. Coincidentally, Panda and I were planning a trip there this weekend. I was hoping the box would arrive in time so I could bring the guide book and look out for more of any treats I particularly liked from the box. It did end up getting delivered just in time! Buuut due to the weather conditions, we decided to postpone our trip for another time. There just aren’t many places to go for a short vacation when it’s snowing so much. Luckily, that means I get more time to prepare when we do decide to go.

Escape Monthly is just under $40 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – see end of post) and comes with a variety of food, home, skincare items themed around a city/region. Each box comes with a guide for that area. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral commission program.

escape monthly february nashville box products showing escape monthly february nashville box info card

escape monthly february nashville box info card opened with fact sheet showing

They’ve always included facts, but I never photographed them. Figured I’d include them this time since the back is boring and no longer offers a preview of next month’s destination.

escape monthly february nashville box info card opened with details of products included (click to enlarge and read full messaging)

So the first thing I thought was, only five items outside of the guide book?! That was disappointing. So I scoured them for something that perhaps was a super high value item. Didn’t find that. For the price, I felt like they could have included at least one more thing. Just looking at what was included without thinking about value, I certainly did enjoy what they sent.

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Nashville – As I mentioned, the timing of this would have been perfect had we gone ahead with the trip this weekend. We can use this to help plan the trip when it actually happens.

Willa’s Wildflower Honey Shortbread – Oh my word these are delicious. If I didn’t stop myself, they’d be long gone. Instead I have maybe a third left and I probably won’t resist much longer. These are lightly sweet without being too much and a wonderful buttery, slightly crumbly texture. The bite sizes are just perfect too!

Little Seed Farm Farmstead Milk Soap Rosemary Mint Scrub Bar – This is a super soft bar of soap that I accidentally nicked with my nail. It smells so relaxing and is such a great blend of scents. It makes me think of Chivas, a company that also uses goat milk. I visited their farm in SoCal way back when and it was my first time seeing Square being used. I’ll add this to my arsenal of awesome soaps to use.

Brittle Brothers Peanut Brittle – I’ve had both their peanut brittle and their cashew brittle come in Treatsie boxes before! I definitely prefer the peanut one, which is strange since I am generally not into peanuts. But gosh, there’s something about their brittle that lets the peanuts stand out in a way that I am totally happy with. I’ve already eaten half of this!

Sweet Meat Beef Jerky – Oh gosh, I probably would have gobbled up another flavor, but I don’t like mango and I prefer my jerky sweet or salty, not spicy. Still, I did try a piece and it was an interesting burn with a hint of sweetness to mellow it out. I can definitely see people liking these flavors enjoying this jerky.

Soberdough Brew Bread Mix in Roasted Garlic – So I first saw this whole beer thing and I was like, is that the scent emanating from the box? But it’s just the dough and you can use beer or just carbonated water to make it (whew!). I’ve never made bread before, so this should be fun. Turns out the flavor I got is roasted garlic, so the smell must have been garlic. I’m pretty excited to try it!

I feel like I got a great intro to some of the snacks to be found in Nashville. I would have loved to have gotten some sort of trinket or tool as well. I’m pleased with the products but wish that either there were more or that their value was a bit higher. Which items in this Nashville Escape Monthly box do you want to try? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): AUSTRALIA or MYESCAPE for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

It seems like the new thing is to promote the chance to win a $1000 towards a trip, which they offer every month. It’s a FB photo contest and I have yet to enter, so maybe I should. I checked their Facebook page and found that next month it’s going to be Australia – who could resist that? So I’ll keep my subscription alive. Well played, Escape Monthly.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Yogi Surprise February 2015 review

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Alright, after a first box that I liked, I was really looking forward to the next one. It’s another one with a variety of items that I’m glad I get to try! I guess I’m really into the yoga lifestyle.

Yogi Surprise is just under $36 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – use my referral links from this post) and comes with yoga gear, skincare, food, and other lifestyle products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you free boxes.

contents of yogi surprise february 2015 box with info card yogi surprise february 2015 info card with product details

kaia naturals juicy bamboo facial cleansing cloths – What timing! I just bought a pack of these after months of waiting for a deal at a price I was ok with. I’d only used them a couple of days when this box arrived and I just had to laugh at that. I’m very pleased with receiving another one and I’ll certainly be using these once my first pack is gone.

Emma’s Organics sprouted granola – I’m not much into granola, but this chunky kind looks perfect with some Greek yogurt. I’ve been eating a lot healthier lately, so this will fit into my new habits quite nicely. My backup plan is to have Panda and my coworkers help me with it.

Keen-Wah Energy & Glow bars – Fascinating! I certainly enjoy quinoa so I’m excited to try these. I’ve seen them at the store before, so if I like them I’d get more. This is a nice change from the other bars out there. I want to save them for when I need a boost, so I haven’t tried them just yet.

organic yoga headband – This is fun! I put it on right away and it was wonderfully warming around my ears. The color is perfect and can certainly see myself using these for working out. I’m just not sure if the narrow part is supposed to go by my neck or forehead… does it matter?

Native Touch Rooting Bear Rub – If I didn’t already have some lotions I’m using for the winter, I’d dig into this right away. I like their plant-based philosophy and I’m excited to try it when my current body butter and oil run low.

sibu beauty sea buckthorn face and body bar – This is one of my favorite soaps EVER. It’s been two years since I first heard of them, through a Yuzen box. I used up my first bar like it was the only way to be clean, then saved my other one as I tried other samples in my stash. Now that I have this, I quickly opened the one I’d had sitting so I can enjoy it in the shower again. The scent is amazing, it foams just right, and I feel so clean but not stripped of my skin’s oils.

Kishu charcoal to go – You know, I saw these back at Green Conference 2012 and had it on my wishlist. I’m so happy to have one to try now! It’s definitely not what we’re used to when we think of water filter (having the filter sitting right in the water rather than the water flowing past it), but I love the idea. It’s a fun conversation piece too, if anyone asks why I have charcoal in my drink.

I’m so impressed with Yogi Surprise and this box is my favorite yet. I didn’t realize how well this lifestyle aligned with my personal preferences and values!

yogi surprise february 2015 product offer cards

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Escape Monthly October: London Box review

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Alright, London time! I can hardly believe it’s been a year since we went there, so I’m certainly happy to get products from there. I hope to learn some good spots to hit up next time we go there. In the mean time, products from across the pond are a welcome sight and I look forward to try them all.

Escape Monthly is just under $40 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – see end of post) and comes with a variety of food, home, skincare items themed around a city/region. Each box comes with a guide for that area. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral commission program.

escape monthly october london box products showingescape monthly october london box info card escape monthly october london box info card opened with details of products included(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

Everything here was new to me, so that was great for introducing me to different items. I like that some of them went full out with the British look while others are just products you might go for any day as you shop around.

Here’s what came in the box:

Rick Steves’ Pocket London – I’m sure Panda and I can make good use of this guide next time we venture to London. I’ve never looked at a guide for London, so it should be fun to read about some hidden gems and go find those. I wonder if they chose this brand because Moon Handbooks doesn’t offer a general guide to London (instead they appear to have the guide to living abroad there).

Walkers’ Nonsuch English Creamy Toffees – I love candy like this and the flavor of this was yummy. Nice and chewy without being so soft it gets stuck all over your teeth. It’s basically like eating a caramel candy and I’m a huge fan of those. I wonder if this is related to Walkers the brand that’s the British version of Lays.

Hill Biscuits Custard Creams – I’m saving these for a rainy day, when I want a sweet snack to go with my tea. It just seems like it’d be a good companion for that sort of thing. I did bring them with my on my travels in case I want to eat them on the plane. They’d make a nice snack in flight when I get hungry.

Orico Rush Hour Vibrant Dry Body Oil – Good thing they put these in plastic baggies, because one of them leaked in transit. Luckily, it was all contained in the pouch and was just enough to permeate the label, but not create much of a mess. This is excellent timing as the weather gets cold and my skin dries more quickly. I’ve switched my lotioning to body butters and oils, so this fits right in to my routine.

Soapsmith soap samples – I always enjoy a little bit of soap and I look forward to using these. For some reason it feels really satisfying to finish a bar of soap, so these will certainly offer me that satisfaction faster. The scents are pretty strong and I like how refreshing it is to get a whiff of them. I expect they’ll foam well, which is always entertaining.

English Tea Gifts London English Breakfast tea caddy – What a cute container! I’ll have to think of how to reuse it when I drink up the tea. I generally prefer green teas rather than the darker teas the Brits like. I never really learned to add milk and sugar to my tea, so these are rather bitter. I might just try to lightly brew them (or this would make an excellent gift for someone).

London Taxi diecast – Panda got all excited when he saw this. It’s right up his alley along with toys, trinkets, and random collectibles. I think we should get him a bookshelf to showcase his little collections and we can add this mini taxi! I remember my first impression of a taxi just like this when I arrived in Scotland. I marveled at how much space we had in there, luggage and all.

Corkers Pork Sausage and English Mustard crisps  – These made a good snack, though I’d definitely opt for another flavor. The meat flavor thing seems popular in the UK, but it’s a bit strong and salty for me. Or maybe it’s overwhelming with intense umami sensation. I did like the texture of these a lot so the whole sunflower oil thing works for me. I also happen to love Hula Hoops, which are snacks they cook with sunflower oil too. It gives a crisper, crunchier finish.

I’m a fan of all the food items provided as well as the body products. The miniature diecast is cool for display, but I don’t know what to do with it. I would have been interested in something like that that also can serve a purpose. Perhaps as a little container or pencil sharpener or something. What’s your favorite from this London Escape Monthly box? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): RICOESCAPE, CARIBBEAN, or LONDON for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

Next up is Hawaii (again). Funny since I’ll actually be in Hawaii right before this box is shipped. It’s been just over a year since they previously did a Hawaii box and this is the first repeat theme, so I expect a new set of items to show me even more of what the islands have to offer. Either way, I do believe I’ll enjoy the products. There’s all sorts of goodness in the middle of the Pacific!

escape monthly october london box info card back with preview of next month's box theme of hawaii

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

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