CalmBox October 2016 Unboxing

Ever since I gave Calmbox as a birthday gift to my sister-in-law last year, I've been wanting to follow suit an grab my own box.  Well, that time has come, and let me say, it's never too late to join!  The box itself is very cute!

Calmbox is a monthly subscription box that promises a box full of items to help you in your quest to be more mindful, zen and calm.  Every box includes items to help you unwind and calm down from everyday stress, such as soap, lotions, books, candles, herbal teas, crystals, etc.  It costs 35$ US + shipping (I think it's 10$ for Canadians).  Right now, you can also get 5$ off your first box.

This month's theme is The Winds of Autumn, which is appropriate for this time of year; and let me tell you, the scents that greeted me when I opened this box did remind me of exactly that!  While reading the description card, I became aware that Calmbox send a portion of proceeds from subscriptions to an organization of choice.  This month, it was water.org, an organization that helps  people around the world access safe and clean water.  Pretty awesome if you ask me!  I was also informed with another little card that the packaging is Eco-friendly in their effort to support sustainability.  Awesome!

First item is Grateful People Gratitude Journal (RV 16$).  "Experience a cute dose of mindfulness with the Grateful Peoples' beautifully designed gratitude journal, created to inspire positive thinking and change the way we think about health and happiness.  Gratitude is one of the most powerful happiness-evoking and stress-reducing habits there is - take a moment every day to write down a thought or two about something that you're grateful for - no matter how small and watch as positivity and peace enters your life more with every passing day".  So this is a great addition to this box, especially so close to Thanksgiving (for us Canadians).  Writing in a journal is a habit I wanted to start getting into ever since I started getting my iPenbox subscription.  This gratitude journal will be perfect for this.

Next item is The Grandpa Soap Co. in Witch Hazel and Lavender (RV 4.19$). "Gently rejuvenate your hands and face with The Grandpa Soap Co's delightfully scented Witch Hazel soap, crafted with pure organic relaxing lavender and witch hazel flowers and essential oils, softly working together to leave your skin feeling reinvigorated.  No sulfates, parabens, artificial fragrances or colors - just all-natural goodness".  Now this is one of the scents that wafted out of the box when I opened it and it smells awesome!  I'm a big fan of lavender scents lately and I find that it is just that much more lovely when blended with witch hazel flowers.  I also am a big fan of anything that doesn't have sulfates and parabens.  This will be appreciated by, both, myself and my hubby.

Next item is Shoyeido Kyoto Autumn Leaves Incense (RV 2.95$) & Triloka Lotus Incense Holder (RV 5.95$?)  I can't find the exact same Lotus Incense Holder but I linked one that was similar. "Meditate with Shoyeido's wonderfully fragrant Kyoto Autumn Leaves incense, created more than 30 years ago to evoke the autumn wonders of Kyoto, Japan's Arashiyama district.  A poetic blend of high-quality sandalwood and cinnamon perfectly captures the mood and feeling of a fall day and leaves you feeling calm.  We've included a pretty lotus flower incense holder from Triloka to help safely light and enjoy the Autumn Leaves incense."  This was the other scent that greeted me when I opened the box and let me tell you, this is very lovely!  It's too bad I'm allergic to smoke, so I can't actually burn these incense sticks.  That said, I will be giving these to my brother and sister-in-law, where I know they will be greatly enjoyed!

Next item is Badger Tea Tree and Lemon Balm Herbal Lip Care (RV 2.99$). "Soothe and protect your lips from the elements with Badger's nourishing lip balm, made with certified organic tea tree and lemon balm oils providing incredible herbal support, along with peppermint and menthol crystals leaving you feeling cooled and refreshed.  Rich in vitamin E, enzymes and antioxidants, and no parabens or unhealthy chemicals inside."  We can never go wrong with lip balm; I probably have a lip balm in every room in this house and I apply some regularly.  This one is very good and they definitely aren't kidding when they said it leaves your lips feeling cooled and refreshed.  I love this balm; in fact, I think it is my new favorite one!

Next item is GoOrganic Pomegranate Hard Candy (RV 3.19$).  "Enjoy the organic all-natural sweetness of GoOrganic's Pomegranate hard candies, hand-made and with no high fructose corn syrup, additives, or anything artificial.  A yummy snack, perfect for on-the-go."  I sampled one of these while writing this review and they taste great.  I've been having a scratchy throat lately and it is the time of the year for catching colds, so these will be great to soothe my throat.

Next item is Prince of Peace Ginger Pack - 1 Ginger Honey Crystals Packet (RV 0.45$) and 3 ginger candies (RV?)  I've no idea how many candies are in one bag, so I can't even calculate this.  "Take in the powerful health benefits of ginger with Prince of Peace's ginger honey crystals and candies, both tasty and loaded with nutrients and bioactive antioxidants and natural compounds supporting both your mind and your body." I've had these before and enjoyed them, and let's not forget that it's perfect timing for cold and flu season.  I actually will be sipping on the Ginger Honey tea after I finish this review.

And the last item is 5 packets of Yogi Honey Lavender Stress Relief Tea (RV 1.53$). "Brew a cup of Yogi's delightful Honey Lavender Stress Relief tea, with traditionally relaxing herbs lavender, chamomile and lemon balm combining in a delicious blend to soothe your mind and body through a stressful day or to help you unwind into a restful night."  Calmbox includes herbal tea in each box every month, and believe it or not, this is one of the major reasons I wanted to subscribe.  Herbal tea is just that great at helping me unwind.  And Yogi has the most amazing blends ever.  I'm super thrilled to give these a try.

This concludes this month's Calmbox review.  Total retail value for this month is 37.25$ which is slightly greater than the cost of the box.  This is one of these boxes that are more about the experience than the value though so even if it didn't meet the the cost of the box, I'd still enjoy it.  I love this first box and definitely looking forward to seeing what next box has in store for me.