On their website Maple states that their winter boxes are to be shipped out mid January. I didn’t get mine until February 17, which is nearing the time when most companies are thinking of sending their spring boxes. I sent them an e-mail about it, but they just said that they are a small team. I thought it was odd, but what can you do. I got two magazines from them this box. Hmmm…
The Maple Box Overview
Cost: $119 + shipping + tax
My Cost: $501.76 for 4
Value: $230~
Frequency: Quarterly
Cancellation Policy: Cancel by writing them at least 5 days before your next billing cycle.
Payment: Quarterly or prepay for a discount.
Focus: “We source from socially and environmentally conscious, small and medium sized businesses primarily in Canada and the USA.”
Ships From: Coquitlam, BC
Established In: 2018
Not one, but two magazines this box. They feature recipes, suggestions for combating fever, raising children and the sauna culture of the north.
These are quite good, but I’m not a huge fan of ginger, which has a not fun aftertaste. I’d love to try their original and chocolate flavours.
Cha’s Organics is a fair trade company based in Montreal that imports this product from Sri Lanka.
A silk sleep mask! Huzzah! It is very soft and slightly puffy. I can’t wait to try it out. I’ve been using sleep masks for the past year or so and love them. I’m very light sensitive, so they help me to stay asleep. That is as long as it stays on my head. I move around a lot so it usually falls off a few times throughout the night. I have a 100% peace silk one that Tony got me as a gift, and a satin one that I got for free while mystery shopping.
I feel like this is quite a small bar of soap, but it does smell quite lovely at times. Both Tony and I love receiving natural soap because it’s obviously something we use, and it saves us from having to remember to buy more!
Mellow is a company based in Ontario focusing on natural self-care products.
As much as I’m looking forward to trying this, I prefer the ingredients of Allo Simone’s chocolate & hazelnut spread. This, however, uses Stevia instead of sugar, so that is a bit interesting. This one is also cheaper than Allo Simone’s and comes in a plastic container. I haven’t tried it yet because they recommend consuming within 3 months of opening, and I haven’t finished Allo Simone’s spread yet.
Good Good is a Belgian brand.
I took a herbal medicine course about a decade ago and learning about propolis has had the most significant impact on my life. We collected cottonwood buds and made our own salves. I have been purchasing salves for the past few years because I keep missing bud season, but I was able to collect quite a few buds after a windstorm this past fall. I just haven’t gotten around to making another salve.
All that to say that I love propolis. It has changed my life and is something I recommend everyone become familiar with. It is a natural antibiotic that is produced by certain trees. Bees collect it and use it to line their hives to keep it sanitary and free of disease. I’ve even gotten Tony excited about it. I’ve used the salve to heal many cuts, both infected and not, on horses, cats, dogs, and humans. In fact, I was silly and let a cut of mine get infected recently, so I started putting propolis on it yesterday. It has already brought the infection to the surface, lessened the pain, and I suspect it will be fully healed within 3 days.
This throat spray is meant for daily health support. It contains vegetable glycerin so is nicely sweet, unlike straight propolis, which has an offensive taste. It smells wonderful though and is very distinctive.
Beekeeper’s Naturals is from Toronto.
I don’t think this will ever relax me. I cannot stand anything in the licorice family. It’s too bad, because I could use some help relaxing!
A. Vogel is based in the Netherlands, which makes sense with this intense licorice flavour! No dropjes for me. (TIL how to spell that word)
Marula oil appears to be something that is good at hydrating (aren’t all oils?). This might be good for softening up my cuticles that like to go rogue and stab me on occasion. I probably won’t remember to use it.
Now Foods is a company based in the good ol’ US of A.
I recognized the Graydon name but couldn’t place where I’d previously received it. Turns out it was in the Clove Pink Deluxe Holiday Box. It is an expensive brand, and I haven’t tried that lotion yet. I’m finding that things are piling up and I can’t use them up fast enough.
When the bottle says it contains “blue majik” they’re not kidding. The cream is a lovely colour of blue. Unfortunately for me, it smells like the antibiotic drops I used as a child to cure my recurrent ear infections. I’m sure I’ll get used to it, like the nauseating face cream I’ve been trying to use up from DBH. The first few weeks, since it’s on my face, every few minutes I’d catch a whiff and not feel well. Now I don’t notice it most of the time, so there’s hope for this one. I’m such a pansy when it comes to smells.
Graydon is based in Toronto.
Overall Impression
This box has an estimated value of $208 before tax. I’m very happy with the sleep mask, but I’m surprised that there are two sprays and an oil on top of the soap and face cream. It’s a lot of one type of product. The coconut rolls were a great addition, just wish they weren’t ginger, and we have a great Canadian alternative to Good Good’s choco hazelnut spread, granted our canuck version contains sugar. I still like Maple overall, but am debating whether or not I will continue after this subscription is up. It is on the pricey side, and some of the items I don’t appreciate their supposed value or won’t use. I’m looking at you giant toothbrush in the summer box. In the future I’d like to see a more thematic box based on the season.
wanderingfawn 