Deleting the naughty...with Conscious Box December

Happy Holidays! The boxes are arriving in full swing. This month's Conscious Box is packed full of interesting goodies.

The box is technically $12/month, but they charge a hefty $7.95 shipping fee. I pay less in shipping on most things I order online, so this s&h price bugs me. Conscious Box is actually on my chopping block, mostly because of shipping, but it hasn't been consistent for me either, even though this month was pretty good. I am undecided right now on another month.

 
18 Rabbits Gracious Granola:
I received a single serving size bag in Pecan, Almond and Maple. I am going to enjoy it for breakfast with skim milk tomorrow morning. 

Conscious Ink Manifestation Tattoo:
When I think of temporary tattoos, I think of cartoons or super heroes haphazardly applied to Monkey and Peanuts wrists and forearms. But the one I got, Gratitude, got my wheels turning. I am going to save this for a special night with the hubby, and make it fun, wink wink, and let the gratitude speak for itself.

Beanfields Bean & Rice Chips:
These are corn free, gluten free, non GMO and a great source of protein. Just the right amount of flavor and crunchiness. You can taste the bean for sure. My six year old said "Mmm, tastes like hummus."  First, I love that he knows what hummus is and second, love that he loves it.




Divine Milk Chocolate Bar with Heavenly Spiced Cookies:
This limited edition flavor was certainly heavenly. The chocolate was creamy and the cookie was like a little bite of gingerbread, very appropriate for the holidays. What I like about a richer, heavier flavored chocolate bar is the fact that I eat them much slower, savoring a square at a time. The chocolate is made from fair trade cocoa beans from Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana and their story is printed on the inside of the wrapper.

The GoodOnYa Bar in Peanut Butter Chocolate: 
I am sorry to say, but this was not good at all, in my opinion. It was bitter, gooey and just not for me. 

St. Claire's Organics Ginger Pastilles:
I don't know about you, but ginger candies are spicy to me. But, I love the properties ginger has as a digestif and tummy soother, and I would actually eat one of these after a really heavy or greasy meal. I used ginger tea when I had horrible morning sickness and a lemon ginger tea when I get the flu.

7th Heaven Moroccan Clay Gentle Exfoliating Masque:
Crushed apricot seed and argan shells added to Rhassoul Clay (Moroccan lava clay) gently exfoliates away dead cells to brighten and smooth your facial skin. Just rinse, exfoliate and wash.

Nurturme Dried Organic Baby Food in Sweet Banana:
One packet of this dried baby food mix is equal to a 2.5 oz jar. For older than 6 months it is recommended  mixing 2-3 packets. I didn't know about this stuff when I had babies. It would be convenient for traveling especially.  Since I don't have babies anymore, I will mix it up and give it a taste, maybe for a mid-morning snack!

Yogi Tea:I got two packets of tea, both of which are 100% natural, organic and caffeine free. one tea was Egyptian Licorice, warming and naturally spicy-sweet, the other Ginger, to improve digestion. I don't get excited about drinking ginger tea, but I do it anyway because it really does work to help those tummy troubles. As stated in the ginger candy review, I used ginger tea for my morning sickness.

LemiShine Dishwasher Additive:
This is a detergent additive to remove hard water spots on dishes. I have a water softener, so I don't necessarily need this, but I am giving it a try, because you can never get your dishes too clean in my opinion.

Playful Wash:This little packet of baby cleanser has a cute illustration from Eric Carle of the Hungry Caterpillar. Made with organic calendula and oat extract.

E Boost Daily Health Booster in Orange:
This is a single service packet of an orange flavored drink you just add water to. This one was for energy and immunity with a huge supply of vitamins. 1667% of RDA in fact of vitamin C, 250% of vitamin D and a whopping 41,667% of the RDA of vitamin B12.  I don't know about this extreme of a vitamin intake, I would worry it would make my stomach just burn...I can't decide if I should try it, but if I do, it will be in the morning after a little bit to eat, lol.

Raspberry Chocolate Almond Truebar:
I don't always get excited about these soft, cereal type bars. I like cookie dough, don't get me wrong, but I just don't enjoy the texture and mealiness of these, if that makes sense. But I tend to like the flavor, so I don't know how to get past the other stuff. So, I tried it. It really wasn't that bad. It was more like a soft granola bar rather than a fiber bar, a pleasant surprise. The almonds were practically whole and the chocolate chips were clearly visible with a hint of raspberry that wasn't overpowering.  Pretty good!

Eden Allure Pure Argon Oil from Morocco:
Can be used on the hair and the skin. For the skin, just dab a little and gently rub in until absorbed. For the hair, apply a small amount to the palm of your hand and smooth through before styling for softness and smoothing. I have used this before, and it's nice to have on hand.

Avalon Organics Lipbalm:
I received Soothing Vanilla Rosemary made with essential oils.  I loved the scent and the flavor and i would have never put rosemary with vanilla. But it works together nicely, like summer and gardening in a little tube.



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Deleting the naughty...with Conscious Box November

My first actual Conscious Box, outside of the Super Magical Mystery Box, has finally arrived.

A monthly subscription to this is $12.00 plus $7.95 shipping for a total cost of $19.95.

The theme of this months box is "Express Appreciation, focusing on giving thanks for everything both big and small, and find way to express your appreciation..." Also, noted by posts on Facebook, it is Conscious Box's one year anniversary and the promise of an extra special box.

I was a little unsure of this one, mostly because the mystery box contained very few items that were of interest to me or my lifestyle. I am a mom of two kids, and a box full of workout energy boost sport drinks and protein shakes doesn't do a thing for me or my lifestyle, so I was disappointed. I was hoping this one would be a lot better. On to the products:

Lush Nuts:
This package was .8 oz of handcrafted, sweetly coated peanuts in Dark Cocoa Chili. With no preservatives or artificial flavors the ingredients were few and simple, peanuts, sugar, dark cocoa, chili and sea salt. I don't typically like chili flavors mixed with sweet, so this will be a taste adventure for me. Pretty tasty! They were crunchy on the outside, like a hard candy shell of cocoa, you could taste real cocoa. Th peanut inside was big, and lightly salted, and the chili spice lingered a little but wasn't painful or overpowering. I was thinking it would be an odd combination, but I get the appeal of mole, the Mexican flavor, now. Hubby, who loves all things crunch and spicy, ate the majority of these and loved them.

Justin's Organic Peanut Butter Cups:
This is the first thing I tried. I love peanut butter cups, so my husband and I were both anxious to try them. The package contained 2 cups. They were pretty good, the chocolate is harder than other name brand pb cups, and had a real cocoa taste. The peanut butter inside was very good too, it wasn't oily and more natural tasting. I buy peanut butter that is JUST peanut butter, with no added sugars, just peanuts so I like the flavor of the real stuff. I enjoyed them. My husband preferred the peanut butter more than the chocolate and the kids, of course, loved them, irregardless of what brand these were.

L'Ecuyer's Gourmet Caveman Rub
I am excited to try this product. Ingredients are ancho chili pepper, sea salt, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, oregano, white pepper and cayenne pepper. There is a recipe on the inside to give an idea for how to use this, but it is for potatoes. Frankly, I am not going to waste this mix on potatoes, and we are planning to rub a nice, fatty chuck eye steak with it and whip up some fresh pico de gallo and guacamole for fajitas of some sort. YUM! I wanted to get this review posted so I will update.
 
SweetLeaf Sweat Drops Sweetener:
I received the Vanilla Creme flavor. Sweet Drops is a sugar free stevia based sweetener. You add 5 drops to 8 oz of liquid, such as coffee, tea, smoothies, protein shakes or any recipe. I don't know how you would use this in recipes necessarily as a sugar substitute, but I can see it in quick breads and using it instead of vanilla sometimes. I am a purist, and don't sweeten any drinks. I like my ice tea plain and my coffee natural with a touch of cream, so I would never use this. But my husband is going to love it and so would my father-in-law. It's all theirs and I hope they enjoy it.

Simply Organic:
I received a jar of minced onions. I have used these before and they are great in a pinch. I sometimes throw it into a recipe that needs quick cooking. I usually chop up the organic onions I get from our CSA and freeze them raw in gallon size bags and tend to run out before I get fresh ones. It will come in handy for quick stuff like burgers and meatloaf, etc.

Bloomers:
I received a package of Organic Snow Peas. I love peas, and have grown them in my garden before with some success, as long as I can keep the rabbits away. My kids love going out to the garden and eating right from the vine, whether it be grape tomatoes, peas, strawberries or whatever I planted that year. This will be fun to do with the kids. Obviously, since it is November and nearly freezing here, we will not be planting til spring, so if I remember to update, I will. :)

Freekeh Grains:
The description on the package is really interesting. "Freekeh is a process which means to rub, in Arabic. Freekeh was created by accident nearly 2,000 years ago when a middle eastern village was attacked and their crop of young green wheat was set ablaze. The crafty villagers rubbed off the chaff and cooked it up."  Loaded with protein and fiber, this low-fat ancient grain is as easy to cook as rice. Use just like any grain - soups, pilafs, salads or just about anything else. I like quinoa, so I think this will be good stuff!

Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix:
A wheat-free, gluten-free pancake mix made from brown rice flour, white rice flour, buttermilk, almond meal and other starches. This is not a complete mix and needs egg, water and oil added to it, but not much so it is an easy enough recipe.


Organic India Tulsi Tea:
I have never heard of this brand and I am excited to try it. I had to look up what Tulsi is, because it is not referred to as tea leaves, so to speak, but it steeped like a tea. The Tulsi leaves are called holy basil in the west, and a principal herb of Ayurveda health. It is referred to as the incomparable one. It is supposed to reduce stress, support the immune system, balance metabolism, aid digestion and uplift mood. The first package is Original Caffeine-Free and the second is Tulsi Green tea, a blend of tulsi and green tea, and is caffeinated. It is ok to add sweetener but is best consumed without milk.
 
Teeccino:
Description: Non-acidic and containing the prebiotic inulin, Teeccino rebalances the negative effects of coffee. Made from organic carob, barley chicory, ramon seeds and natural coffee flavor, this product claims to deliver the same enjoyment of coffee without the caffeine and acidity. The large package I received is Maya Chocolate, a lush dark roast with velvet chocolate and a hint of chili heat. This one you can brew in your coffee pot, just like coffee. The other two packages were French Roast and Hazelnut, and these are in "tee bags", and you steep them in hot water just like tea. I have to say, I could not get into these. I opened one up and the smell alone turned me off. This isn't my thing. But kudos to those who like them, I am sure it is way healthier!

BONUS ITEM! Avalon Organics Lip Balm or Rare Hawaiian Organic White Honey:
I, for some reason, did not receive either one of these bonus items. I don't know what the rules were for the item, but I am disappointed, as I would have like one of these two products more than any item I got in the box this month.

I am going to see if customer service responds, and give this box one more month. I think 3 boxes is a fair shake. I know that some people say you shouldn't complain and that it's a mixed bag with these, but quite honestly, this box costs a little more. While it is only $12, you still pay shipping, and at $7.95, I expect all my items to be in the box if I am paying the same price for shipping as everyone else. These aren't just free samples, I am paying for them, so I don't think it is wrong to expect the same items and such as everyone else. That's all folks!

Update: Customer service got back to me and told me the people who got the bonus items were those who were active on their facebook, liked their page, etc.  I've written about them twice, free publicity on pinterest, etc. Oh well, I'm new. :)

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Deleting the naughty...with Yuzen November Box

I am in love with Yuzen. They truly have a way of making me feel a little bit special and even though I am aware I pay for this service, I feel like it's a gift. Being a graphic designer for the last 16 years, and working in public relations and marketing, I am a victim of my own profession. I fall hard for a great concept, beautiful packaging, intentionally designed pieces and customer service.

Again, the box arrived packaged with a pretty bow, and with the Yuzen paper, lovely gold and burgundy fall colors with a note. All the items were put together in a little brown mesh bag.

I am thrifty, and I will admit, these tissue papers, bags and ribbons are too pretty to throw away, so I carefully place them inside the mesh bag they come with, and I've stored them away to use for little birthday gifts, Christmas gifts and such. They will come in handy next month when I make little gift bags for teachers and our mail lady. I think reusing these little extras follows suit to the eco-friendly, natural philosophy Yuzen stands for.

I am excited about the products in this month's box.

Savane Organic Skincare Purifying Toner in Rooibus:
This product is made from certified natural and organic African botanicals that have been used to protect from harsh climates and anti-aging. It is made from Rooibos extract, ethanol, vanilla planifolia, patchouli oil, frankincense oil, rose geranium oil.  The first spray took me back a little bit, very strong and overwhelming. Once it dried a bit it the scent was very earthy, I could tell there was patchouli. I am not sure if I care for the scent, but I use toner regularly, so I will use it and update after a week how I liked the cosmetic use of it.

Keeki Organic Lip Shimmers:
This lip product is made from pure organic ingredients. Ingredients are beeswax, cocoa butter, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, peppermint oil, vanilla flavor and mica for shimmer. I got the Sophisticated color and I really liked it on me, I looked, for lack of better words, healthy. Like I had just a healthy color on my lips, and it brightened up my face a bit. No more pale nudes on me, this was a nice change of pace. I could feel the peppermint cooling on my lips but there was very little flavor to it.  Nice product!

Shea Radiance Whipped Shea Butter with Kalahari Melon:
Body butters speak for themselves. They are thicker than lotion and cream and last longer. It is very light and not melon, but some sort of fruity, nutty kind of scent. More of a natural shea. I didn't mind it. It lingers of a natural skin, soap scent.

Zents Bath Salts:
The description for these says they soothe everyday muscle strains, stress, promote circulation, remove toxins and keep skin soft. I don't typically use bath salts because I thought they were not good for women, but these are paraben, phthalate, sulfate and dye free, so I am going to give them a try. I have used Bert's Bees sore muscle stuff before, and survived. I would rather use something natural than say, Calgon. My box had 2 packages. The EARTH scent is for strengthening and grounding: sandalwood (love), siberian fir and frankincense. Very candle like. MANDARIN is for warming and invigorating: ginger, mandarin and cardamom. This reminds me of the orange spice herbal tea in scent. This product also comes in lotions, body oils, perfumes, body wash, soaps, shampoos and conditioners and has other lovely scents available: pear, water, fresh, petal, fig, ore, sun and oolong. I will be drawing a bath tonight and will update.

Simple Squares:
Made from organic ingredients: cashews, almonds, honey, coconut, vanilla, sea salt, cinnamon and cloves. This whole food snack contains no wheat, gluten, dairy or soy and is kosher. I got the cinnamon clove flavor. It's a soft square, not hard like those really crunchy granola bars, but raw and chewy. You can see the chunks of nuts, coconut and and taste heavy cinnamon and clove. It was pretty good. My 4 year old said she liked it but she didn't beg for bite after bite. The clove flavor might be too intense for little ones.

So, thank you again, Yuzen.  You delivered another box that I had a ton of fun exploring. I used every last bit of last month's products, and I am pretty sure I will use all of these too.


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Deleting the naughty...with Yuzen Box October

Woohoo!! The arrival of my first Yuzen box. I have been anticipating this one the most. It costs a little more but it promises an experience. "A little zen every month." I'm all about the experience and as far as I am concerned this first box has delivered.

Price: $26/month, cancel anytime or $78/3 months, Quarterly

The package arrived in an ugly old express mail bag. But, upon opening, the sensory experience begins. The box is wrapped in a lovely little bow that could easily be reused.  I take it off slowly and gently fold it.

Once the lid is opened, the package is prettily wrapped in tissue paper to match the theme of the box, which is Autumn, and the special piece of paper tucked around it called Yuzen, made by Japanese artisans. It is beautiful, and I neatly wrapped this and the tissue paper too!

You can tell immediately this box is a labor of love for this couple. You can feel it coming out of the box.

So, onto the contents. The outside of the note is a message about the box, and the inside lists the products, a description about each and why they chose that product.

Red Flower Yuzu Mimosa Sea Algae Wash:
This body wash is supposed to tighten pores, enhance elasticity and give skin a silky feel. It is the size of a hotel amenity wash. I like the smell, a citrusy orange smell that starts out strong but mellows. Definitely an aromatherapy energizer! It foamed up nice, rinsed off clean and didn't feel dry or squeaky, like soap. The scent as far as I can tell didn't stay with me all morning. I liked this product.

Red Flower Plum Blossom Silk Cream:
The lotion came in a tube the same size as the wash. It is very soft, floral and light. Reminds me of the smell of the blossoming crabapple tree we have that scents our entire yard every spring. Soft, didn't feel greasy to me. Absolutely lovely

HollyBeth Organics Rose Geranium Face Moisturizer:
For nourishing, hydrating and balancing skin. I am of the middle aged persuasion, so am in need of just a little extra help on my face, a little extra moisturizer would hopefully help with some of the wrinkles. The scent is a little overpowering for me, too much citrus something or other.

Eco-Armour Bergamot and Grapefruit Shaving Foam:
Meant for sensitive skin, the formula is supposed to help eliminate nicks, razor burn, bumps and hairs. All natural and botanical. I like the smell: clean, light, a little like fresh soap with a soft citrus scent. It didn't go on like a thick foam, though, which is what I was expecting. It was more like those foaming hand soaps. I was probably using it wrong, as I was in the shower and didn't shave dry.

Jamu Certified Organic Massage, Body & Hair Oils:
Made with blends of sunflower, coconut, jojoba and exotic essential oils. The scent I received is Coconilla. It smells like a vacation in a bottle, travel sized bottle anyway. It's scent for me was a cross of suntan lotion and pina colada. I love it. I want to go on a cruise right now. I want to lay on a beach in the Caribbean right now. Who needs Calgon when you can get massaged with this. The only thing I don't know is if these oils would stain the linens. I posted the question on their facebook page and their response came same day. "JAMU & Organic Spa Rituals wrote: "Hello Yuzen Friend! JAMU Organic Massage, Body & Hair Oils, like all massage oils, may leave residue on sheets ~ therefore, special care is suggested to soak sheets after massage use, then launder ( with some fresh lemon, Bali style, with the laundry cycle). Also, suggest to air dry, so oils do not set into linens ~ InJOY Coconilla, and consider JAMU Ginger Spice for winter wellness ~ Namaste ~."  I was lucky enough to talk my husband into giving me a back massage. I asked him what he thought about the massage oil...he said "Who cares about the oil, I got to rub my wife!" So, there you go.

Nova Monda Cacao Indio:
 This is a little jar of happiness. You can eat the ganache right out of the jar by the spoonful or you can melt it for topping. The sheet says you can even make hot chocolate with it...mmm mmm. I can't review this right now because that's what I am saving it for...a nice, hot cup of homemade cocoa on Christmas Eve.

Matt's Munchies Premium Fruit Snacks:
This package contains a 1oz serving of a fruit snack. The flavor I received is Mango, made from organic mango puree.  That's it. No other ingredients. I opened the package and thought I would see a bar type of thing, but it was more like a fruit roll-up. Except it was divided into bite size squares. I loved that! You didn't have to try and tear apart one large sheet, you just peel off a square and pop it into your mouth. At first the flavor put me off....don't eat this and then sip your coffee...nasty!  But on it's own, it was really tasty, very strong fruit flavor and I didn't notice any bad aftertaste. My 3 year old asked for more.  Pretty yummy!!

My verdict: All in all, this is a lovely little box, filled with things that were pampering, exotic and indulgent. I loved it and cannot wait for the next one. November can't come soon enough!

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Deleting the naughty...with Conscious Box Mystery Box

Got the first Conscious Box today, which was the Mystery Box. The quote they sent with the card inside said "The unknown often scares people. It takes courage to have faith in the things you are unsure about..."

Price: $12/month plus $7.95 s/h, total: $19.95/month, cancel anytime

So with that, let's dig in!

The Mystery box claimed it would arrive jam-packed with leftover items from their stock.  It contained 11 items, not sure about jam packed.

Happy Squeeze Coco Coconut Milk:
The flavor I got was Orange Mango. It was in a cute 3.5 oz pouch.

Pure Matters Protein Powder:
The flavor of the powder is chocolate pea protein. It was one single serve packet containing 25 grams of protein per serving. You mix it with 8 oz of water (or other cold beverage). Since I am not vegan, I am going to use milk.

Simply S'mores:
I have to be honest. At first glance I thought this product looked disgusting. Located in the bottom picture, inside the box on the left, it looks like 6 cocoa coated squares of marshmallow with a few shavings of chocolate on top. My husband and I both kind of looked at each other and said "Ok, let's try it." Well, I am glad I did. While I wouldn't sit down and eat a whole package myself, they were a nice, sweet little treat. Surprisingly good and tasted so much better than those chocolate covered marshmallows you get at Easter. They tasted just like a marshmallow, just delightfully less sweet. The cocoa powder on the outside tempered the sweetness even more. The kids loved them too!

Mighty Leaf Earl Grey Tea:

I love Earl Grey, so this was right up my alley. What made me sad was their was only 1 tea bag. The bag was an organic pouch of whole leaf black tea. The description on the packet says it is black tea leaves blended with a twist of deep, first press bergamot oil. Opening the packet was a pleasant little surprise. It had an adorable little sachet that contained all the tea. So pretty I had to take a picture. I used my Keurig to give me instant hot water and let it steep for the 4 minutes suggested. It was delicious. A classic earl grey taste but richer. I was able to use the sachet for 2 refills in my 16oz tumbler.

Eco Dent Gum and Daily Care Toothpowder:
Called Between, this dental gum came in a packet of 2 pieces of sugar free Natural Cool Mint. The package says it contains baking soda and antioxidant vitamins A, C and E.

The "naturally effervescent" baking soda toothpowder is in a package in Original Mint, enough for 2 brushings. It is flouride free and low abrasion, you apply a small dot to a moistened tooth brush.

Suntegrity Face Sunscreen Moisturizer and Primer:
This packet is probably enough for a single use. It has a broad spectrum SPF 30 and says it is non-greasy. The active ingredient is 20% Zinc Oxide, infused with antioxidants and astaxanthin. I don't know what that is, and I am not going to look it up right now. 

Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Itch Relief Pet Shampoo:
I won't be using this sample but am going to pass it along to a friend who has dogs and is a practicing vegetarian. I think she would love trying it.

VegaSport Pre-Workout Energizer:
Natural plant based energizer for increased energy, endurance and mental focus. The flavor I got is lemon lime. You mix it with 8 oz water 20 minutes before exercise. The package says it was formulated by Brendan Brazier, an Ironman triathlete.

Kelapo Virgin Coconut Oil:
This packet only contained 1 TBS of coconut oil, so I really don't have enough to bake the recipe I have that calls for it. I am going to look up a recipe that I can use for sauteeing a little bit, and i am going to try it as a spread on pumpkin bread. 

Go Greens Dietary Supplement:
My husband saw this and shoved it into his pocket, he's going to let me know what he thinks.

Dark Angell Organic Candy Bar:
An organic candy bar in dark chocolate (rich cocoa and almond center).  Need I say more? Not only is a decent size, it is also low sodium, no corn syrup and 0g trans fats. 

All in all, I am not sure yet what to make of this box.  In an effort to be more eco-conscious, I wanted to give it a try, and I will continue a little longer. 


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