Green Grab Bag January 2013

Green Grab Bag used to be one of my all-time favorite subscription services. Without warning, it went from great to bad quickly. Instead of deluxe and full size samples, December’s bag was mostly full of small one-use only packet samples – so I unsubscribed. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t unsubscribe in time, and was charged for January’s bag.

I was a bit mad at myself for that – because this is one of the more pricey subscriptions I had, and I really need to free up some money. But at the same time, I thought “Okay, one last GGB might not be a bad thing.”

Oh but it was.

Here’s what I got this month:

1)  Dead Sea Warehouse Face and Body Bar: Of all the things in the bag, this made me the happiest. Why? Because I’ve seen this product at my local Whole Foods, and I wanted to try it. But, it’s a rather expensive soap – and I don’t normally use soap. However, I have this weird skin issue going on with my back, and noticed that when I bathe with sea-salts, it goes away… for a while. This soap is filled with minerals from the Dead Sea, and I thought it could be helpful – but for the full price of the soap (about $12 for a bar), I didn’t want to spend the money. I was so excited to see this soap in this month’s GGB that I’ve used it twice already – and it seems to really work at abating whatever is going on with my back. This product has a big thumbs up from me.
Retail price: $6.65 for a small bar, $11.95 for a big bar (at my local Whole Foods)

2)  Savvy Boheme Coconut and Shea Body Mousse in Breathe: I received this before, but in Summer in Spain – which I absolutely love! This one is peppermint, and so not as decadent or enticing. Still, it’s a good product and I know I’ll eventually use it all up.
Retail price: $14.50 for 4 oz.

3)  Golden Path Alchemy Cleansing Oil: This is a fairly small sample, but I should get about three uses out of it. The one thing I’m not happy about is that in order to know how to use it, I was instructed to go to their website. That’s a bit of a fail. Also, when I attempted to use it yesterday, the oil would not come out of the dispenser.
Retail price: $22 – size not mentioned on website

4)  Monimay Sun Shadz Dry Shampoo: First I have to say: this sample is super stingy. It’s so small, it’s not really worth fooling around with.
Retail price: Applicator, $29.95; Refill, $29.95

5)  Virga Botanicals Pumpkin and Carrot Mask: This is a fairly small sample as well. It looks to be a decent size from the outside (not deluxe… but not stingy), but upon opening the jar, it's a mix-it-your-damn-self kind of product - no thank you! For that kind of money, I want it pre-made! One thing in its favor: it's from an etsy shop!
Retail price: $18.95 for 4.5 oz.

6)  Brittanie’s Thyme Organic Everyday Moisturizer: You know what? I almost threw this away. I didn’t even know it was in the bag. It was adhered to the inside of a pamphlet – so if that doesn’t give the size of this sample away, let me spell it out for you: it’s a tiny foil packet! You know how much I love those (insert sarcastic smile here). Additionally, I did open it to try it - the contents had separated and smelled rancid. I tossed it, because I believe it had gone bad.
Retail price: $16 for 2 oz.

Nitpicks: My $15 basically bought me two tiny packets, one tiny cleansing oil, a decent size body mousse, and a rockin’ bar of soap. I know… I didn’t mention the mask – but probably because it’s a non-item to me, as I don’t use masks. A better use of that $15 would have been to just buy the freakin’ bar of soap the first time I saw it at Whole Foods!

Lasting Impression: I had hoped that this bag would be a sweet good-bye to GGB – in other words, that I would have felt sad to see it go when I received this last bag from them. But instead it was a reminder of why I ended up letting it go in the first place. I will keep an eye out on reviews for upcoming bags – when my financial situation improves, I might want to check this out again. After all, for the year I had it my only two disappointing bags were the last two. All the others rocked my mailbox.

Green Grab Bag December 2012

Remember when I said December's boxes fell into the categories of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly? Unfortunately - and it pains me to say it - this month's Green Grab Bag falls into The Bad category.

I've been a big fan of Green Grab Bag, ever since I received my first bag from them. They often have a full size product (or two).  December's bag was a huge disappointment, and I'm not sure it's entirely their fault. Let's face it: as subscribers, we're used to getting really good boxes/bags in December. So for a company to offer a sub par sampling in the month of December is almost like the kiss of death.

It could be that they had trouble getting good sized products for December. Or it could be that they were overwhelmed with their attempt to get the boxes out before Christmas. I certainly don't have a behind-the-scenes look - and I want to afford them ever benefit of the doubt. Still, the fact is the sample sizes were super small, and in the case of Elegant Minerals Eye Shadow, completely stingy.

Here's what was in the bag:

1) Zosimos Botanicals Face Mask: This is a one-use only sample. I'm also not a face mask kind of girl - don't get me wrong, I'll more than likely use it. But... it'll probably be quite some time before I do. I simply can't find the time to slap on a mask and sit still long enough for it to dry.
Retail price: $8-$28

2) Nature Balance Wellness Body Lotion: This is the strangest packaging for a body lotion ever - both samples came in little zip lock style bags, with a picture instructing the use of scissors to cut off a corner in order to apply. The samples are small - probably one use each. While the products are made with all kinds of good things and are paraben and petroleum free, the delivery system offered by a small zip lock bag leaves a lot to be desired.
Retail price: $16.99 for 7.8 fl. oz.

3) Pangea Organics Facial Toner: I know - people love Pangea products. I'm not a huge fan - and honestly, I'm a little sick and tired of getting Pangea samples. I get them everywhere... and that's not Green Grab Bag's fault. But, I guess by now I would hope that Green Grab Bag would sample products from companies not as well known as Pangea. This sample was the only one that could be considered "deluxe" size in December's bag.
Retail price: $12 for 1.8 fl. oz.

4) Elegant Minerals Eye Shadow in Poinsettia: This is the SMALLEST, stingiest eye shadow sample I have ever received. I'm sure it's not GGB's fault - it's what the company itself sent. Even though I do like the product, I wouldn't support them after sending such an itty bitty little sample. If you, though, are interested in buying the product, it does have an additional benefit of providing SPF 15 protection - which I think is a unique feature of an eye shadow. Note: The picture shows what looks to be a full size container, but the amount inside the container is super small and is really just a very small amount.
Retail price: $12

5) Purple Prairie Botanicals Soap: Oh... watch out, I'm going back into Grinch mode. I'm not a soap girl - I use liquid soaps. They leave less scum and are so much easier and cleaner to use. I've got enough soap samples now to stock our local Marriott the next time a convention comes into town.  That said, this sample smells great - and it's labeled as a "shampoo bar." Honestly, I would never use something like this on my hair. Never. But I'll stick it with the rest of my soaps and get around to using it... eventually (as a soap - not on my hair!).
Retail price: $3.99

6) Emily Skin Soothers Baby and Adult Skin Soother: Okay - now I simply want to scream. Look at all the lotions I got in this shipment - you'd never know that they also were giving out a lip balm and a charcoal facial cleanser this month. Why oh why did I not get one of those? I don't have kids - what am I going to do with diaper lotion? As you can tell, by this point I'm weary of this bag of so-called goodies.
Retail price: $13.99 for 1.8 oz.

Nitpicks: Oh man, I think that's all I have this month are nitpicks! Here goes:

1) The super stingy sample from Elegant Minerals. I've received such generous samples from other mineral cosmetic companies, so the size of this one is an absolute disappointment.

2) The lack of variety: Three lotions? That's a bit of overkill... especially since they were also giving out a super great lip tint this month. I would have loved one. Take a look.

3) The sample sizes themselves - small, with one deluxe sample. And I suppose my disappointment stems from the fact that normally we GGB subscribers get really great sample sizes - not this month, the month you would expect to receive the best samples ever!

Lasting Impression: Ah.... well... I canceled. I need to cut back on my expenses, so I was using the month of December to make my choices. Getting rid of GGB was easy after this bag. That's not to say I won't resubscribe if my financial situation gets better... it's just that for the same price, I received a much better box from Eco-Emi in December.

Now... don't go thinking I hate GGB. I've been a big fan for over a year. However, a few had to go and this one failed the December test.

GGB really is a great subscription service. They normally do a great job of curating wonderful products and sharing them with their subscribers. Not sure what happened with the December offering - but it was not up to their usual standards.

Good-bye GGB, I will miss you. Well, after January - turns out I didn't cancel in time, so I'll receive on more bag. Just my luck - it'll probably make me regret canceling. Or that's my hope, anyway.

Green Grab Bag October 2012

Green Grab Bag is an eco-friendly monthly subscription that arrives in a reusable decorative bag. I've been a subscriber for over six months - and I am almost never disappointed.

This month is an exception.

When I look at all the items individually, most give me the happies - so maybe it is the size of the products that is disappointing. You see, Green Grab Bag has been spoiling us with some full size products - so the expectation has been built with precedent. I wouldn't even say that most of this month's products are what some consider to be "deluxe" size. Most will only give one use. Additionally, as this was their one year anniversary package, I - for one - probably expected more bang for my buck.

That said, the products are really nice - and here they are:

1) Me & the Girls Lavandula Revive Foot Softening Creme: This smells heavenly - it's a mix of lavender and mint. My little piggies want me to try it tonight!
Retail price: $25 for 1.5 oz.

2) Beesline: This product is an all-natural alternative to petroleum jelly. Poor PJ - it certainly gets a bad rap. I admit to liking it - it works great on my feet. I must say, though - I'm pretty excited at trying a natural alternative. Although I'm a big proponent of buying products made in the USA, this one is made next door in Canada. I'm down with that - but I'd like it even better if it was made with bacon. Kidding. Or am I?
Retail price: $3.99 for .5 oz.

3) Angelina Organic Skincare Coconut Hazelnut Shea Butter Sugar Scrub: I was first introduced to Angelina products in the April 2012 Green Grab Bag - let me tell you, they're wonderful products. I am sold on them and can't say enough good things about them. I'm not big on sugar scrubs - I prefer salt scrubs myself - but this one is tantalizing me with its delicious scent!
Retail price: $6 for 1.7 oz.


4) Angelina Organic Skincare Dark Chocolate Body Butter: Another decadent product from Angelina - and is the perfect partner for the coconut hazelnut shea butter sugar scrub! I hope they don't run off and elope before I get a chance to use them.
Retail price: $6.95 for 1.7 fl. oz.


5) Ferro Cosmetics Eye Shadow Duo and Brush: This was the most exciting product in the bag - you know we girls all like cosmetics. The samples are generous - I don't know if subscribers  received different shades. I received Champagne (a light neutral - kind of beige in color) and Dirt (a dark brown color). Seriously happy about these shades, as they do suit me.
Retail price: $17 (size not given on site)

6) Kohana Skin Wild Ginger Alaea Salt Scrub: I'll admit it - I am very disappointed that this sample is so small, because salt scrub is my absolute favorite kind of scrub. I will only get one use out of it - if that. Let's call it a half of a use! This product is made with Hawaiian red salt - which excites me even more - I love products made in the USA!
Retail price: $18 for 8 oz.

7) Pangea Organics Facial Cleanser and Cream: These were the most disappointing samples of all - two little tiny tear-away packets that Pangea gives away free with every order. Plus, Pangea is everywhere - I've received samples of this product from every sample box I subscribe to - and I've received bigger samples than these.
Retail price: $16 and $28

Nitpicks: The size of the products! With the exception of the eye make-up and the Beesline, in which a little goes a long way, these products will all be gone after one use.

Lasting impression: Green Grab Bag does a fantastic job of curating products the average person can afford. I do so appreciate that. If I find I love a product, I can usually afford to purchase it - whereas that is not the case with many of the other subscription services.

On a personal note, I am very happy to try two more Angelina products - I am in love with them!

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Green Grab Bag September 2012

I am so late reviewing this... perhaps because I was slightly disappointed.

Green Grab Bag had been hyping this bag up for a couple of months. It was curated by Whole Body at Whole Foods. I expected lots of exciting products, and what I got was... eh.

The goods:

1) Giovanni Hair Products: 2 Chic Brazilian Keratin & Argan Oil Shampoo, Conditioner, and Leave-In Conditioning and Styling Elixir. There were two deluxe sample sizes, and a set of packets that came in a foldout with a coupon on the back.

Personally, I won't use the conditioner because it contains alcohol, and I don't use alcohol on my hair. I might use it as a giveaway in the future, so keep your eyes peeled!

2) EO Refresh Breath Spray: It's not in my pics, because it leaked. I put it on the sink to dry, and forgot to include it in the group photo. I hope it doesn't feel neglected.

I was introduced to EO Deodorant Spray in the July 2012 Green Grab Bag. I have to say I love it. So, receiving another EO product wasn't a surprise or new... but I will admit that I tried it and I like it. A lot.
Retail price: $2.99 for a tube.

3) Mineral Fusion Sparkle Bronzer: I guess bronzer is THE thing right now, because I'm getting it in almost every subscription box I belong to - and just about every other month! I have bronzer coming out of my ears - and I don't use it. It's not for me.

I would have preferred a mineral face powder or eye shadow from this company instead. But you might luck out - I just may put this in a future giveaway!
Retail price: $29

4) Hugo Naturals All Over Lotion (Vanilla & Sweet Orange): I like Hugo Naturals products, but again, this isn't a new product. Maybe I had it wrong, but I was under the impression that Whole Foods would be sampling "new" products - not tried and true favorites.
Retail price: $9.99 for 8 oz.

5) Nourish Organic Body Lotion - Almond Vanilla: The scent isn't really great. In fact, it smells a bit like plastic. The ingredients are USDA certified organic, and the product is made in the USA. Now, that's something I can get behind!
Retail price: $9.99 for 8 fl. oz.

6) Everyday Shea Moisturizing Body Wash - Lavender: This product smells absolutely lovely. There was some separation of ingredients, but a good shake took care of that.
Retail price: $13.99 for ? Alaffia doesn't state the size of the bottle.

Nitpicks: Two vanilla scented lotions was overkill - perhaps different scents should have been sent - instead, two similarly scented products of the same type went head-to-head in competition. This seemed especially shortsighted, since they both cost the same (Hugo and Nourish).

Additionally, Whole Foods has a ton of great health and beauty products. Perhaps instead of sending two lotions, they could have mixed it up a bit. Maybe a deodorant or a toothpaste or a lipstick or a toner... something instead of two similarly scented body lotions.

Lasting impression: I love that Green Grab Bag reached out to a store that many people have access to. For me, this meant that if I did find a product I loved, I could just get in my car and go get it - instead of hunting it down on the Internet!

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Whipped Sugar Scrub - Selma Valentine

In the August 2012 Green Grab Bag, I received a sample of Selma Valentine's Whipped Sugar Scrub in Summer Breeze.

I have to admit: I'm not a big fan of sugar scrubs. In fact, I'm not sure I understand the appeal. The way I understand it from many articles I've read in women's magazines, sugar can cause yeast infections if it comes in contact with that very special sensitive female area. Why would a woman WANT to use a product that could potentially cause an uncomfortable situation that would need to be remedied with medication?

Now I know what you're gonna say: You don't scrub THAT area, silly. Yes, that's true. But still, while rinsing the scrub off, it's bound to find its way down to that area. So yes, I am hesitant to use sugar scrubs because yeast infections ARE NOT fun.

But... throwing caution aside, I tried the scrub with mixed results. No, I didn't get an infection (you're saying "Of course you didn't, silly!"). While the scrub performed well and left my skin feeling clean and tight, I have to admit I was not a big fan of the scent.

The scent is what I call "perfumey" meaning that it smells more like perfume than an actual, identifiable and recognizable scent. It's strong. But after using the product, I did not feel as if I smelled of Summer Breeze. I simply felt clean and smelled... regular.

The product retails for $15 on the Selma Valentine site.  The price seems right for this product. Would I buy it? No. When buying a scrub, I turn to salt scrubs, like Bliss Hot Salt Scrub (my favorite - I can get lucky sometimes and find this at TJ Maxx!).

Nitpicks: The scent - it reminded me of something my grandmother would have loved.

Lasting impression: This product left my skin feeling great for hours after use!

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Clairvoyant Beauty

I had not heard of Clairvoyant Beauty until I received my March 2012 Goodebox. In that box, I received two samples from Clairvoyant Beauty: Depuffing Cucumber & Cranberry Eye Gel and Balancing Rosehip Oil & HibiscusFacial Serum. That particular box contained a lot of fabulous goodies, but the Clairvoyant products piqued my interest the most.

The next day during my morning routine, I tried both products and instantly fell in love. I felt the eye gel work almost immediately. The gel felt cool to my skin, and my under eye area seemed to tighten up after use.

The Balancing Rosehip Oil & Hibiscus Facial Serum smells wonderful, and I admit to wondering if the product would perform as well as it smelled. It does. I now use it regularly underneath my tinted moisturizer – and on non-make-up days, I use it alone. Using this product lends me a feeling of luxury – I admit it’s been very few times in my life that I can say I’ve used a facial product that boosted my mood. For about 15 minutes after using, I can smell the product (and I realize this may be a con for those who are scent-sensitive). It has an uplifting fragrance, and puts an immediate smile on my face.

The products themselves are out of my price range ($32 for .5 oz. and $69 for 1 oz., respectively), however I learned something really interesting when I signed up for their email list: The company offers some great product bundles, at an enormous reduction in price. Additionally, they sometimes have a fantastic sale: for Labor Day, they offered 65% off your whole order.

It was also through the email that I discovered their fragrance: Clairvoyant. They offered anyone interested a free sample vial. I sent away for it, and was first blown away by how it came to me. It was in a padded envelope, but when I opened it, I found the product to be carefully wrapped in bubble wrap. When I unpeeled the bubble wrap, I found the perfume sample wrapped up in tissue paper with a beautiful sticker on it. Inside was the vial of perfume, and a thank you note from Lexie Masterson, the founder of Clairvoyant Beauty.

When I tried the perfume, I instantly fell in love with it. The website describes the scent thusly: “Crisp floral-green top notes of bergamot and lime leads you into an exploration. Bulgarian rose middle notes blend with jasmine and ylang ylang to relax the senses and enhance your own natural harmony and beauty. Warm, lush, inviting base notes of tobacco, fir and green cognac suggest a subtle sexiness; the mystery and possibility of being a Clairvoyant woman.”

I describe it simply as “wonderful.”

I know that scent is subjective, so what I like you may not. I found this scent to be somewhat earthy yet provocative. It’s heady and summery at the same time. It reminds me of my youth: hippie stores, the then “new” natural scents, and a store my mom used to frequent called “Home and Garden.”  

I’ve found many natural scents do not last very long – but this one passed that test as well. When I took a sniff of my wrists about 6 hours after application, I could still smell the scent on me. That sold me - I wanted this fragrance pretty badly, but it was out of my price range – that is, until this weekend! I used the 65% off code, and got it at an immense discount!

Another Clairvoyant product I love is the Refreshing Cucumber Facial Toner. Thanks to the May 2012 Green Grab Bag, I received a full size bottle of this product. I use it almost daily – it’s gentle and effective and the scent is absolutely refreshing for summer use. I admit, the next one I want to try is the Simply Rosewater Toner. However, as I have a full size toner to still get through, it will be a while before I am able to try (and review) that product!

Are you interested in Clairvoyant products and don’t want to spend a bundle? I would suggest trying this great bundle they’re offering right now:  The End of Summer Collection. It includes:

• Fabulous Facial Cleanser (4 fl oz)
• Lavender and Sea Minerals Facial Toner (8 fl oz)
• Exfoliating AHA Scrub (4 fl oz)
• Skin Firming DMAE & MSM Cream (2 fl oz)
• Skin Firming DMAE & MSM Serum (1 fl oz)
• Gentle and Healing Rosewater Eye Cream (0.5 fl oz) -- all for just $30 (while supplies last)

See what I mean about savings? This company has great products, a founder who sends personal notes, AND offers their customers great savings.

I can’t say enough good things about Clairvoyant – I just know that I’m thankful to have discovered them, thanks to Goodebox and Green Grab Bag!

Brigit True Organics Magic Skin Balm

 

I received a sample of this product in my June 2012 Green Grab Bag, and I have to say, it has quickly become one of my "go to" products. 

What exactly is the Magic Stick?  Per the card that came with the product, "Use Magic Balm on any skin ailment that can benefit from moisture and healing." The site suggests it be applied to skin irritations, bites, burns, bruises, scars, eczema, psoriasis.

The day before I received this Magic Skin Balm, one of my cats "accidentally" scratched my arm while jumping from my lap. (Yeah, not sure how that happened, but it did!) The scratch was scabbed over, but it hurt and was swollen.

When I opened up Green Grab Bag and saw this product, I thought, "Ah HA! I know exactly what to use it for!" I opened it, rubbed it on the scratch, and went about playing with the rest of my products.

That night before going to bed, I applied some more. By morning, my scratch had healed immensely. The swelling had abated. I continued to use it, and it really helped the healing process along.

Now I use it on every scrape and bruise I get. At $9.50 it might seem a little pricey, but believe me, you will get your money's worth with this product - and then some!

Product details: 99.6% ORGANIC and per the site, "An excellent herbal healing salve crafted from organic olive oil with a very high content of healing herbs."

Ingredients: organic comfrey and calendula* and St. John's wort* infused extra virgin olive oils*, organic beeswax, natural vitamin E**
*certified organic

**certified kosher