Tag: Kloverbox

April’s Kloverbox arrived today (April 29th) just before the end of the month.  They had emailed about a week ago to let subscribers know the box would be a little late, and I appreciate that!  On the other side, I feel like this box is consistently late and misses being timely for the holidays or events they’re themed on – this month it was Earth Day themed which, Earth Day was last week, April 22nd.  Still, even with the lateness, it’s been a  great box, so I have a hard time faulting them for the lateness  when the contents are awesome (themed or not).

• Love Snack Pouch  – set of 2 / $11.95 – (Full sized product)  AHH!  I love it.  It’s like they knew I needed something  like this.  Sometimes I’m out for photography jobs all day and need to stash a snack in my bag.  I hate using plastic baggies, so this is the answer to my situation, and I love the color they gave me, a simple navy and white stripe pattern.  I know these will be used right away!  They say they’re dishwasher safe, but it looks like they’re easy enough to clean out with sponge or towel quickly too.
• Go Green Miracle Balm – 4 oz / $17.99 – (Full sized product)  We just had a very similar item in February, but balms like this are ones I use frequently (oh my poor dry skin), so I don’t mind to see the same product again so soon.  It doesn’t have much of a discernible scent, maybe faintly citrusy, which is fine!  It’s a rather solid balm, but it’s easy enough to scrape out a little with the top of my fingernail and smooth it on.  Just a wee pea sized amount covered my hands completely, so a little goes a long way, and it doesn’t feel greasy either.
• Kali Organic Tampons & Wipette – 1 set / $3 – (Sample sized product)  I really don’t like getting feminine hygiene products in subscription boxes.  Hate it, even.  They can’t possibly know whether or not I have a period and what my hygiene preferences are, if I even can use tampons, and that’s just SUCH a personal thing.. I don’t know.  I have absolutely no use for these.  They’re apparently part of a subscription box for tampons and wipettes, but again, no use for that, so.. *sigh*
• Goodnessknows Cranberry, Almond, & Dark Chocolate Snack Squares – 1 bar / $1 – (Full sized item) They’re delicious!  Looks like you can pick up an 18 count box for $21.50 on Amazon.com, which seems kind of expensive for a snack bar.  Still, the combination of ingredients is really delicious and I’m glad to have the chance to try them.
• Preserve Razor – 1 set / $8.50 – (Full Size Product)  This was listed on the product card as a Kloverbox Overstock item, so it’s a little bonus from their back stock of products.  I had received this razor in another color from another box, but man, you can never have too  many razors.  I was just lamenting too that I needed a new one since the blade was going dull on the old one, so this actually comes in at just the right time.

The total of the box this month comes to $42.44 which is coming out to about average to low for this box which costs between $25 and $22.50 depending on subscription length.  It’s also a 5 item box instead of the usual four.  I’m really happy with the balm and snack pouch set, so the cost of the box is definitely covered.

The Kloverbox for March 2016 just arrived today, March 21st!  The box arrived timely, and I’m really liking the contents this month.  There’s only one beauty item, but the other three items are lifestyle items that I’m definitely interested in, so all in all, it’s great and this is exactly the kind of box I was looking for from Kloverbox.

• Buckaroo Organics Soapberry Suds Laundry Detergent – 20 load pouch / $9.95 – (Full size product)  We’ve been using 7th Generation liquid laundry detergent because it’s better on the environment and contains only natural scents, not those harsh, overpowering scents other detergents contain.  I’ve never used powdered detergent before, but I’m willing to give this a try!  There’s a scoop inside the pouch too, and it’s a remarkably small amount needed to do a load of laundry, so that’s awesome too.  The price point is a lot higher than 7th Generation’s detergent, so it would have to really blow me away to be a regular staple in the laundry room.  I’ll have to do some laundry this week and report back!
• Bagito Bag – 1 bag / $7.50 – (Full size product)  Printed by Inkredible Image, the bag is made from 25 plastic bottles.  I LOVE having reusable bags on hand, especially smaller ones like this for those quick stops at a drug store or grocery store for a few items.  It saves me from bringing home tons of plastic bags, and this one in particular is really rather nice.  The fabric is softer than the usual recycled-plastics bag and the pouch  has a snap to attach it to the bag.  Additional image of the bag out of the pouch to the right.  A regular, non-printed Bagito bag costs $4.99, and a portion of the proceeds go to a non-profit that supports environmental education.  Inkredible Image did the printing on the bag with soy based inks.
• Vana Body Coconut Clay Mask – 1.2 oz / $21 – (Full size product)  It smells absolutely lovely.  The ingredient list is nice and simple with just four ingredients which is something I love to see.  As for the price point, it’s a sizeable jar, so I can see it lasting a good long while.  Of course, I had to try it right away!  I used plain old water with this, though I’m willing to bet that using yogurt as the liquid base would be just about perfect.  The powder dissolved quickly in water, but there’s also a chunkier powder in there that works to exfoliate if you scrub lightly while applying the mask.  It felt cooling  as it dried.  Washed it off and found the little exfoliator bits clogged up my washcloth, so this is something I could see using before a shower so it’s easier to wash off.  I did get the usual clay-mask-flush after washing it off which is no different than any other clay mask I’ve used.  My favorite part about this is absolutely the scent and the fact that it both exfoliates and works as a mask.
• Paddywax Candle – 2.5 oz / $5 – (Full size product)  I received the scent, “Fresh Meyer Lemon,” and it’s really delightful.  Sometimes lemon scented stuff goes over the edge into smelling like lemon dish detergent, but this one has a sweetness to it that keeps it on the pleasant side of the lemony spectrum.  I actually like getting little candle tins like this to burn while I’m working at the computer.  It’s a nice way to make my home work space just a little more pleasant.

Total value comes to $43.45 which may be on the lower end for this box, but it still more than covers the price of $25 or less per month depending on subscription length.  Personally, I think it’s a really great box and I’ll definitely use everything inside, so even if the dollar value isn’t super high, I really appreciate everything in the box and am super happy with this month!  In case you’re interested in subscribing, here’s my referral link for 15% off your subscription.

Alright, Kloverbox, you made up for last month!  A very Valentine’s Day themed box, even if it arrived today (Feb 19th), five days after Valentine’s day.  All of these products are things I’ll use, and the box has four full size items which is great.

• Small Keys Be My Valentine Soap – 1 bar / $5 – (Full size)  It smells amazing, and the ingredient list is really lovely –  oils, clay, and dark chocolate, no artificial colors, fragrances or other non-natural ingredients.  I’m not sure if I should save this for washing my face or use it in the shower!  Also included is a coupon code for 20% off at the Small Keys etsy store.
• Balanced Guru Hug Me Long-and-Sweet Body Butter – 4 oz / $19.99 – (Full size)  OH WOW.  Okay, not I’m not big on mint, but this smells a lot like chocolate mint  since there’s both cocoa butter and spearmint oil listed in the ingredients and I really like it.  The body butter isn’t smooth and creamy in the tub, it’s more of a harder, solid lotion bar consistency.  It  actually came out of the container in one solid lump when I opened it which I rather prefer!  It makes it easier to apply since you just grab the chunk and rub it on your skin instead of digging into a pot of cream and getting it all under your finger nails.  It’s probably due to the fact that the box came in from the cold and I tore right into it, so the consistency may change when warmer weather comes.  Either way (as a solid or butter type product), I’m loving this.  I believe this was the item that was supposed to be in December 2015’s box but didn’t make it on time.  Really well worth the wait!  This is a company I’m really growing to love – affordable body and beauty products that have simple, organic ingredient lists.  There’s also a coupon code for 25% off at Balanced Guru.
• QC Naturals Karan’s Cleanser – 4 oz / $16.50 – (Full size)  It smells completely amazing.  I’m a huge fan of musky/ambery type scents, so when I saw frankincense oil on the ingredient list, I knew this was going to be a winner.  For a cleanser, it doesn’t foam (on purpose), the consistency is more like a toner, and it basically uses the Oil Cleansing Method to clean by dissolving/suspending dirt in oils instead of stripping away every last bit of oil and moisture on your skin.  I gave it a try already and while I was surprised at the ick that came off on the cotton ball, I’m not sure I’d use this as  an everyday cleanser.  I can see using it for a quick clean before putting on makeup, but for the pre-bedtime face washing, I still like good ole soap and water.  It may be a mental thing, but it didn’t ‘feel’ like it was cleaning even though I could see that it definitely did.  Old habits can be so hard to change!  Still, it smells delightful and I’ll definitely be using it, maybe in combination with a scrub or before a mask.  There’s also a coupon code for 30% off at QC Naturals.
• Theo Chocolate Cinnamon Love Crunch – 1 bar / $2.50 – (Full size)  The product card lists the value as $3.99, but on the website for Theo Chocolate, it’s listed as $2.50.  Either way, what a pleasant surprise!  I’m a huge fan of dark chocolate, so this was perfect for me.  I was a little worried that the cinnamon would be that fake red-hot heart cinnamon and be way overpowering, but was happy to find that the cinnamon was rather subtle and complemented the chocolate nicely.  Not a bad price for a really good bar of chocolate too!

Overall value is $43.99.  The box costs between $25 and $22.50 depending on subscription length, so the value still well covers the cost of the box even if the value this month is on the lower end of the spectrum (understandable after last month’s big value box).  It was  nice to see this month’s box arrive mid-month instead of end-of-month, and I am genuinely happy with the contents, delivery time, and, well, everything!  In case you’re interested in subscribing, here’s my referral link for 15% off your subscription.

First Kloverbox of the new year!  It was late, arriving the first day of February, so the calendar included in the box was already 1/12th gone by the time it was received which was a little disappointing.  They might as well have started the calendar in February instead of January if it’s not going to arrive in January, or planned this for the December box instead.  Also there were only three items this month, mostly because the one item was worth $64.  I’m not sure I like the idea of throwing the majority of the budget for a single box into one product because if the big money item isn’t something you like, the other products won’t make up for it.  So, mixed feelings on this box, but I’ll go through the contents individually.

• Saylorwolf’s Watercolors 2016 Calendar – 1 set with easel / $10 – (Full size product)  It’s cute, small and desk sized, but let’s face it, the only calendar I actually use and look at daily is the one that syncs between me and the spousal unit on our cellphones.  I honestly don’t know where to put this (you should see the state of my computer desk), and while the watercolors are really beautiful, I’d probably have preferred a single print instead of a calendar set.
• Snapz Organic Apple Cheese Crisps – 1 pouch / $1 – (Full size product)  They’re.. okay?  Nothing to write home about and not  something  I’d actually purchase.  I like the crunch, and the ingredient list is phenomenally simple, but they taste SUPER bland.  Almonds cost less and are lots tastier, even the raw  ones, and contain more protein than this little snack bag.  The product made for a nice filler addition to the box, but it just didn’t wow me.
• Palmetto Derma Rejuvenating Antioxidant Mask – 1.75 oz / $64 – (Full size product)  It does smell nice – warm and sweet but not floral, hard to explain!  It’s a thick, white, cream which is very unlike most clay masks.  Almost immediately upon application, it feels cooling and tingly.  After 15 minutes, I rinsed it off easily with warm water.  It didn’t completely dry on my skin like a typical clay mask which was nice, and the cooling tingle stayed around after the mask was washed off.  Most clay masks make your skin feel hot from the increased blood circulation, but this was quite the opposite.  It also didn’t make my skin feel tight and dry like a typical clay mask.  Not bad!  Still not something I’d spend $64 on  though since while it’s nice, I’m not sure it’s sixty-four-dollars-nice.

Overall the total comes out to $75 which is pretty huge for this box!  It was kind of a meh sort of box for me, I guess.  I wasn’t incredibly interested in any of the products this month – they’re all okay, but nothing really knocked my socks off, and I’ll admit that I was a little disappointed to see only three products which is a little bit silly when the overall value is high.  I guess having more products in a box means I’m more likely to find one that really makes the month worth it which is where this one kind of left me hanging a little.  Don’t get me wrong, the mask is nice, but it’s not something I’d ever buy on my own because of the price.  It’s still nice to have the product since it isn’t something I’d buy on my own, but I do sort of use these boxes as a way to explore samples of products that may be better than ones I’m already using and that’s where this box  left me hanging.  In case you’re interested in subscribing, here’s my referral link for 15% off your subscription.

So, I’m pretty late in getting this post up since the December Kloverbox arrived on December 24th!  Overall, I’m pretty pleased, though I’m not a big fan of traditional perfume and I’m still not sure I like the scent either.  However, two of the producs are HUGE and the value of the box overall is really rather amazing.

• Balanced Guru Soothe Me – 4 oz / $19.99 – (Product is full size)  An amazing blend of oils perfect for winter dry skin!  The scent isn’t too strong, just natural and maybe even a little bit  citrusy.  It sinks in to my skin so quickly and is perfect to rub into dry legs just before bedtime.  It’s really just all oils, so you can’t go wrong.  The bottle also came with a pump top to screw on.
• Dermadeli Calm Chamomile Exfoliating Scrub – 160 g / $20.99 – (Product is full size)  My first thought was WOW, huge container, that’s amazing.  My second thought upon opening the container was WOW, smells amazing!  So, two wows in a row.  It’s got just enough coarseness to it that it scrubs well yet doesn’t feel like it’s stripping my face dry.  I used it for the first time today, so we’ll see if there are any longer-term effects!
• Harvey Prince Hello Eau de Parfum Spray – 8.8 mL / $28 – (Product is full size)  I’m not super huge on fancypants perfumes like this – my go-to’s are usually essential oil type fragrances and not alcohol based perfumes.  Just personal preference!  That out of the way, the scent is .. I’m really not sure.  I get the warm vanilla on top and really light hints of citrus and a wee bit of a floral character which isn’t bad, but it still smells fake in comparison to essential oil based fragrances.  I also don’t like floral fragrances, and this has enough floral to be disappointing.  The florals seem to come out more as time goes on too with the vanilla fading out.  Although this is the product with the highest value in the box, it’s also not my favorite by a long shot.
• Kiss Me Honey Lip Balm – 1 tube / $4.99 – (Product is full size)  ARGH MINT.  I love lip balm, but hate mint scented/flavored products.  I tried it anyway, and the mint is really only in the scent, so once it’s on, you can’t taste the mint.  There’s just a little tingle from the mint, that’s all, so it’s tolerable.  I saw on the company’s website that they also have a  coconut and strawberry flavored one, so I may have to give those a try since I do like the formula and go through lip balm like water in the winter!

Adding up a total value, we come to $73.97 which is a phenomenal value for this box!  Four full sized products made it a really incredible box for this month and even if I’m not entirely sold on the perfume, the rest of it is really great!  In case you’re interested in subscribing, here’s my referral link for 15% off your subscription.

This box arrived just before Thanksgiving, much earlier than the boxes arrive most months which was a really nice surprise!  Unfortunately the box just wasn’t “me” at all.  I’m not an inspirational quotes and flowers kind of gal, so this one missed the mark for me personally.  It’s still got a great value, but out of the whole box, I’ll probably only use the toner – all the other items will go to others as gifts which I guess, in a roundabout way, the recipients will  be thanksful for, so mission accomplished for the theme of the box in the long run.

• MudLove Thankful Bracelet – 1 bracelet / $8 – (Full sized item)  I like the idea and it fits the “Giving Thanks” theme of the box, but it’s just not me.  Like I mentioned above, I’m not an inspirational quotes sort of gal – I’m more of a realist, and I don’t feel it’s necessary to wear slogans like this in order to be thankful, as the bracelet says.  I do love the company’s commitment to clean water and definitely respect that they donate part of their proceeds to a valuable charity.
• Love Bottle – 1 bottle / $16-25 – (Full sized item)  Great idea, but again the design is SO not to my style.  Inspirational message and flowers?  No thanks!  The product card lists the value as $12, but I couldn’t find any $12 bottles on the site – the lowest price ones are $16 with the USA Bottles coming in at $25.  I do REALLY like the Honey design bottle since we’re beekeepers, so I may have to take advantage of the discount code and get one I like!
• Meraki Botanicals Sage Orange Deodorant – 2 oz / $10 – (Full sized product)  Oh boy, here we go again.  I’ve ranted enough about the ineffectiveness of natural deodorants, I really don’t feel like I need to go into it again.  Suffice to say, they don’t work for me and I have absolutely no use for them especially after I broke out into a spectacular rash the last time I tried one.  I’m over it and done with these.  So, this is a complete loss for me.  I have gotten items from Meraki Botanicals before and love their face oils, but I can’t at all use a natural deodorant – it’s only a wee smidge better than going out with no deodorant whatsoever, they’re just that useless against my body chemistry.
• q.c. naturals Timmy’s Toner – 4 oz / $16.50 – (Full sized product)  I’ll admit I was skeptical at first – vinegar in a toner?  But hey, no alcohol, so that’s a huge plus.  So, after trying it?  I actually really like this!  The toner does smell like vinegar and tea tree oil mostly, but the scent doesn’t stick around, and it made my face feel rather nice and soft.  Somehow my face feltfelt oil free, but not dried out like most toners.  I think  this might be the first toner I’ve actually liked enough to consider purchasing again!

The overall value of the box comes to $46.50 to $59.50 depending on how you count the water bottle.  The only thing I’m keeping is the toner which doesn’t quite cover the cost of the box this month.  There are always going to be hits and misses, and I’ll admit that I’m probably not their average customer since I list recycling AND heavy metal music among my likes.  Looking forward to see what December’s Kloverbox brings!

I actually like that Kloverbox is a mix of lifestyle, bath/body, and makeup items, so this box was a little bit of a disappointment.  Not totally, since there are some awesome products in there, but I honestly like the usual variety better than a 100% lifestyle box.  There are dozens of plain lifestyle item boxes  I could’ve subscribed to, but I specifically picked Kloverbox for the mix they usually have.  That said, I like all the items, so I’m calling it a win.  The box did arrive late (a week into November), but they communicated the delay early on, so I didn’t mind.

• Foxy & Winston Organic Kitchen Towel – 1 towel / $16 – (Product is full size)  I received the artichoke design which is super cute and I like green!  It’s awfully expensive though  for an organic cotton towel that’s made in India – if it were made in the USA, I’d be more able to justify the price and grab another one!  But, I’m glad to have this one and it’s going into immediate service in the kitchen.
• Bee’s Wrap – 1 wrap / $10 – (Product is full size)  This is a great idea for sandwiches.  The string is really long, so it fits a variety of bread/sandwich sizes.  Unfortunately, I’m not sure when/if I’ll have an occasion to use it since I work from home and don’t need to use any sort of wrap to keep my sandwiches fresh as they travel from the kitchen to the ‘office’ down the hall.  The beeswax scent is really pleasant too.  I may need to take myself out to a local park for lunch some nice afternoon just to get a chance to use this.
• Goodie Girl Cookies – 1 oz / $1 – (Product is full size)  I received the Quinoa Choco-Chip cookies and they were SO good.  If I didn’t know these were gluten free, I never would’ve guessed, they’re just that tasty!  I don’t need gluten free products since I’m not celiac or gluten sensitive, but who doesn’t love a tasty cookie?
• Red Flower Hand & Face Towelettes – 7 towelettes / $5.00 – (Two Towelettes, value of $1.43)  I had gotten the Wanderlust scented towelette in another box before, but had not tried the blood orange one before and it’s probably one of my favorite scents ever.  This one did not disappoint!  I really love these towelettes for a quick refresh after a long flight or hot day out, so I keep one stashed in my bag.

Total value for the box comes to $28.43 which is on the lower end for this box.  Over half of the value  is the kitchen towel, but I really like all the products, and the value covers the cost, so that works out just fine for me!  As usual, looking forward to next month.

Well, Kloverbox knocked it out of the park with this one!  Super happy with this box since it’s a good mix of products and physical goods (that bag!!) which is exactly what I was looking for with this box.  As the product card says, it is indeed a September to remember.

• Posh Skincare Bergamot Facial Oil – 1 oz / $20 – (Product is full size)  All my favorite oils in one little bottle.  I’ve really come to love the oil cleansing method so this is another great oil to use for cleaning my face.  The scent was a little off-putting at first, but it’s grown on me and isn’t too strong that even if I didn’t love it, it’s not a bother.
• One Love Organics Skin Savior – 1.8 oz / $49 – (Product is full size) Like the product card says, a little really does go a long way and it melts with the heat of your skin  into a great oil that moisturizes really well.  The scent is incredible too – it’s somewhat vanilla and citrusy, but again without being too overwhelming.  It’s a sweet, warm, light scent.  Really love this!
• Paddywax Soy Candle – 2 oz / $5 – (Product is travel size, full value) If someone could make a candle tailor made to fit me, this would probably be it.  I LOVE the warm, woodsy sort of smell this has and it will be wonderful for the house now that fall has been steadily creeping up on us.  I actually like the smaller tins too so that you can try out scents before committing to the full sized candle.
• Baggu – Baby Baggu / $7.00 – (Product is full size)  This may sound silly, but I think this is my favorite thing in the box!  I love the print and  that it folds up neatly into its own little wallet.  Now I really have no excuse to ever use a plastic bag again.  We’re big on those canvas bags for grocery shopping, but sometimes I forget to bring one for a quick stop into a drug store or something, but having this tucked in my bag will keep me from wasting a plastic bag.  Plus, that print is adorable – wee little elephants on a green background.

Overall the value comes to $81 which is PHENOMENAL.  Arguably the highest value for this box or any box I’ve ever seen.  What’s more is that I’ll use every single item in this box till they’re empty and can’t be happier with the contents.  On top of all that, three of the items came with coupon codes this month which makes the value even higher if you plan to purchase from the companies offering discounts.  Can’t wait to see what you come up with next month, Kloverbox!