Ok, so I may have had a bit of a breakdown last week and decided to do some pretty hefty retail therapy. I’ve been mystery shopping for the past few months and realized I really enjoy being required to purchase something I wouldn’t normally buy. I found the mystery of “what will I buy this month” literally the best part, so instead of buying random things I don’t need, I decided to buy the experience of mystery boxes. I’ve found some really cool products mystery shopping, so mystery boxes should be just as good if not better.
While on The Maple Box’s site, I saw that they had some cost-effective bundles available for purchase of items from previous boxes. Thinking that the Summer box went out in June, I assumed that I would not be getting a summer box and wouldn’t get a box till the fall. Because of this, I decided to purchase two of the bundles to tide me over until one of the other mystery boxes would arrive. I was very surprised when the summer box arrived along with the bundles.
The first thing I noticed was the heftiness of the boxes. Psychologically, something that feels heavier often seems to have more value, and it’s true that that was the feeling it gave me. It’s a good thing I’m fairly strong though, as the walk from the mailbox is about 600 meters.
Although I feign not caring about aesthetics, I really do appreciate when things look nice. This lovely card thanking me for my order was a nice touch. The colours and textures are a visually-pleasing combination and actually surprised me. Presentation gets bonus points for sure.
Speaking of presentation, I know it would be a lot to ask to get the products to all be facing the same way when the box is opened, but it sure would be useful for pictures.
First item to exit the box is a generously-sized bar of soap from Deep in the Trees Soap Company. I have never seen a bar of soap this large, and I’m all for it. I’ve been buying natural soap bars for the past few years, and unfortunately they don’t last very long between two people. It’s nice to see a bar of soap that will hopefully last more than a week. It smells great, and I’m intrigued by the fact that they’ve used filtered rain water. Very excited to try it.
Next out was the two Five + Pines cloths. They’re a nicely soft recycled fleece made in my home province of British Columbia. Apparently they are “eco-safe” and antibacterial, though I can’t find anything to substantiate those claims. I’m not a fan of the plastic packaging even if it is 100% biodegradable. I had roommates 12 years ago that put “biodegradable” chip bags in my composter, and when I emptied it last year they were still completely intact.
I used to sell Norwex, so I’m happy to have an alternative to those cloths and look forward to trying these out.
I love candles if they’re made with natural wax and lacking an artificial scent. I have a candle that was gifted to me years ago and it upsets my stomach every time I light it. Unfortunately it’s a huge candle, so it’ll be a while till I can get rid of it. No chemically candles please.
This berries-scented “Happy Hour” candle reminds me of something, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. It’s like Christmas but with a fruity alcoholic drink mixed in. I do have a ridiculous amount of candles in my house, so I won’t be burning this one any time soon.
This may be the item I was most excited for. Not because they’re vegan and free of many food allergens, but because I like pumpkin seeds and I like chocolate. I know I’d seen these Dwarf Stars ads before, but am pretty good at resisting impulse purchasing.
After a taste:
My partner is a big fan, and I’m having a mixed reaction. I don’t like the licorice notes (I’m sensitive to that entire plant family), and honestly, I now just really want peanut butter. I’m very lucky to not have any food-related allergies. I would only buy these for my nut-allergic friends.
I had never heard of KOOSHOO before, and their company seems pretty cool. They took their dreams in their 20s and made it a reality, whereas I just watched my life go by, hoping that other people would make an effort to care about the environment more. I’m delighted that I now know of an alternative to regular scrunchies that are not only friendlier for the natural environment, but also use ethical manufacturing. I am very passionate about people not being exploited.
I have one in my hair right now and it’s quite comfortable. They have a “Happy Hair Guarantee” that allows you to return for a refund or exchange within 90 days at no charge.
I absolutely love natural skincare. I’ve been trying to use more natural stuff for over a decade, but most of it has been American. Some of it has been nice and some of it not so much. I am really delighted that I’m being exposed to more Canadian options. Although it won’t be for a while, I am excited to try The Cedar Nook’s goldenrod cleanser. It doesn’t seem to have any sort of scent, which can be a blessing for some, though it doesn’t bother me either way. The instructions say to rub on the face for 3+ minutes, but I’m not sure I have the patience to do that. We shall see.
I do love taking baths, and scented baths are even better. Bath salts/soaks are not something I normally buy despite enjoying them. I find them expensive for what they are and just can’t bring myself to spend the money on them. I do, however, like being gifted them, or in this case, being “forced” to buy them as part of a bundle.
This Bathorium’s bath soak smells quite strongly of pine and sage, but I will welcome the scent when we get another cold summer day that requires me to clean out the tub and have a nice soak.
I don’t know what I did to deserve two bottles of this wondrous product. Thank you so much to The Maple Box for gifting me (whether intentionally or not) an extra bottle of the warming body oil; I’m not sending it back. My partner is studying to become an RMT, and this will definitely come in handy. No longer will he complain about how quickly my skin absorbs lotion. I’ll have to convince him to massage me sooner rather than later. Thank you By the Sea Apothecary for creating such a lovely product; it feels great on my skin and the scent is fabulous.
The box that this Somerset Moss facial mist came in is utterly luxurious. I’m not sure how I feel about the actual mist though. I don’t like the smell of baby powder, and that is the strongest scent. When sprayed on the face there is a hint of jasmine but then I’m just left with baby powder. I’ll try a few more times, but I might end up giving this one away.
I’m a bit ignorant about beauty things, and I honestly have no idea what a vital serum is, beyond what the name literally means. I know vitamin E is pretty good for the skin, but the rest of them, I can just assume they’re good. This serum from East 29th is by far the most expensive item in the box at $88 a bottle. I almost hope it doesn’t work very well so that I don’t want to buy another one.
Last, and possibly least, are the jade gua sha facial lifting tools. The second one is not a bonus, the bundle actually comes with two. I have to show my ignorance again because I do not know exactly what these are or how to use them. I get that they’re used on the face to somehow massage and give a “face lift”, but how this is accomplished, I haven’t a clue. I’m assuming the seasonal box these would have come in would have instructions, but I am at a loss. I also can’t find any brand information, or what store these came from. More research for me, I suppose!
Overall I’ve enjoyed the selection of products that arrived in the bundles. I think The Maple Box makes excellent selections, and I’m very much looking forward to see what the Summer 2022 box has in store!
wanderingfawn 