October 2012 Conscious Box Review! (Regular and Vegan)

Hello my eco-friendly friends!

So I finally got my vegan box from Conscious Box in today. I had gotten my regular Conscious Box in already, but I actually splurged a little last month and decided to just go for the vegan box because I had read on Facebook that they were going to feature some goodies for dogs (and everyone who knows me knows I am a sucker when I come to spoiling my dogs or any dogs). I'm definitely an omnivore though. The reason why my review is a little late because it's been not just a hectic week for me, but also because I wanted to wait for both boxes to come in before doing it. So why didn't I get them both at the same time?

I had actually signed up for the Vegan Box first, but forgot to update my very old address in Paypal. After signing up for the regular conscious box also, I caught this mistake and shot them an email asking if they could make sure that the shipping address was changed to my new one, but I guess it slipped through the cracks since it got sent to my old Hawaii address anyway. No harm, no foul though, since my vegan box was totally worth the wait! Jesse from Conscious Box was actually very helpful and responded to my emails very quickly.

Surprise!! So instead of getting just my vegan box in the mail, they also sent me another regular Conscious Box! Thank you Conscious Box staff! That was really awesome and kind of you! So instead of being greedy and keeping it all to myself, I wanted to pay it forward and give it to someone else so they can experience the joy of what a subscription box is like. I decided that there would be no one better to receive a Conscious  Box than my dear friend, mentor, and old professor, Rachel Smith. She started the environmental club back at my old community college and was a huge part of my getting admitted to pharmacy school so I am forever going to be grateful for all the ways she helped me since I moved to AZ. Love you, Rachel!

Let's start off with a little about Conscious Box, since this is my first time reviewing it. They are a subscription box company that focuses on introducing their subscribers to eco-friendly products. They create themed boxes like most subscription boxes do, but also reward those with a bonus product in their next box if they've left a comment about the box on Facebook or Twitter. One of the unique things I like about Conscious Box is that they really encourage people to reuse their boxes in a creative way and post it on Facebook. If you like their page, they usually share the best ones. The most interesting one I saw was someone who reused theirs as a little nook for their ferret to play in, haha.  It's about $20 a month with shipping included, so it's one of the higher priced ones.

My boyfriend graduated as a mechanical engineer with a specialization in Energy and Environment so I figured he would appreciate this box. We're admittedly not that eco-conscious although we do recycle and try our best not to harm the environment by not littering and such. The great part about conscious box is not only do they introduce you to awesome sustainable products, they also educate you on why it's important to be eco-friendly and give background about the companies they support. You can tell that they put a lot of time and thought into researching their products and honestly care about the satisfaction of their customers and I love that.

So to the unboxing! Everyone's favorite part. :) Sorry if the pictures are blurry! I have to take them with my smart phone (plus, it's really convenient since it auto-uploads to my google+ account), but I'll be sure to ask Henry for a better camera this Christmas.

First: The regular Conscious Box

This was the theme for October's box.

A beautiful photo that was sitting on top of everything.

It's a postcard!

In an email, they'll send you the packing list of all the things that are in your box. They usually try to send it about the time you would probably get it in the mail so it doesn't spoil the surprise, but if you don't get it in the mail by that time, just have some self control and don't open it. :P Didn't work for me though!

Conscious Box packing list:

RW Garcia Dippers – 3 Seed Curry & Mango Dipping Chips
These. Chips. Are. Delicious. Combining tantalizing curry spice with a touch of sweet mango, just one bite will leave your taste buds reeling and you'll see what we mean. Both Gluten-Free and Non-GMO certified, these tasty chips are perfectly paired with organic avacados. Dippers are the perfect centerpiece for festival dips for the whole family!

GeoDeo – Natural Deodorant + Detox 
Coming in Unscented, Ocean, and Island scents, GeoDeo is a great new staple for your underarms. No parabens, harmful aluminums, sulfates, dyes, or petrochemicals. Instead, get a deodorant that is infused with volcanic minerals, odor neutralizing enzymes and vitamin E. Detox while you deodorize.

Bumble Bar Organic Sesame Bar
Gluten-Free, ethically-sourced, kid-approved, delicious, and nutritious? Yup. Bumble Bar has got it all! The perfect Halloween candy alternative, this tasty bar is a much needed change of pace. It has already made its way into our hearts—one sweet little seed at a time! Use coupon code GLUTENFREE for 30% off from September 17th through December 17th at bumlebar.com

Clandestino – Banana Bar 
The banana is a powerful fruit. Packed full of potassium, it provides us with a source of serious energy and fuel for continued exercise and performance. Clandestino artfully combines the power of the banana with the convenience of a delicious treat. 100% recycled packaging, verified non-GMO ingredients, and with a taste to die for, you won't want to miss grabbing a box of these before your next outing. 

TeaTulia 
A staple in our cupboard is the most delicious tea on the planet, and this month, we're excited to introduce Teatulia—an incredible mastery of organic tea blends. From Earl of Bengal to White Tea to Neem Nectar, your sure to find your favorite flavor! Make sure to stock up for the cold season ahead :)

Yummy Earth Organic
Created by lollipop-fans turned new-dads, Yummy Earth Organic creates some of the most delicious organic candy around. If you're looking for a lolly to replace the standard sugar fix in your Halloween basket, Yummy Earth is the best place to start!

Larabar 
Still trying to find a snack bar worth replacing the "usual"? Larabar's got your gluten-free, non-GMO solution, and it doesn't stop with delicious flavors like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough—wait till you get your hands on Carrot Cake, Blueberry Muffin, or Peanut Butter & Jelly! Energizing, delicious, and from a company built with a purpose, we love Larabar :) 

GoodLight Natural Candles 
GoodLight Candles is rooted with a simple, yet very true principle: you breathe what you burn. The candles in your home have big effect on the air you're breathing—that's why they created these clean-burning, non-toxic, lead-free, and paraffin-free candles. GoodLight does more than just "good" with 100% palm wax candles, an active membership with 1% for the Planet, and their involvement with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and Greenpalm, ensuring their palm source is of the highest and most sustainble quality. Let's always fill our home (and pumpkins!) with candles a bit more principled—starting today!

Zarbees 
With the cold season right around the corner, equip yourself with a more natural solution. Gluten-free, dye-free, and free of harmful drugs and alcohol, Zarbees comes pediatrician recommended. But hey... that's not to say it can't help your sore throat even if you're all grown up!

VitaRocks 
We've discovered the funnest way to take your vitamins—and it goes pop! Vitarocks are a healthy, delicious alternative to normal vitamins, or even to normal candy! No artificial colors, flavors, or ingredients, and with just a bit of sweetening. What are you waiting for? Rip 'em open! Use coupon code CBOX20 for 20% off the entire line at vitarocks.com

Crum Creek – Certified Organic Soy Nut Mix
Finding a delicious trail mix is like taking a breathe of fresh air. The best mixes aren't too sweet—or too salty. Crum Creek has mastered the balance in a wholesome, organic blend of non-GMO soy nuts, chocolate chips, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and raisins. Add a pinch of sea salt and there you have it. Healthy, wholesome, and there to help you conquer that last stretch of switch backs!

My overall take on the box:

Unfortunately, the downfall of my subscription box reviews will be that I am a sample hoarder and I love saving samples for vacations. So I don't always try everything out right away! I know that it's kind of annoying reading this whole thing from a person that hasn't tried everything in the box yet, but I will definitely let you know what I think of the things that I have tried and haven't. And I will be sure to update as I try all the things in my boxes. Just cut me some slack for now and think of this as more of a "What is this subscription box like?" kind of review for now, please. :)

We got our box right before we were heading to Vegas, so I was excited to have some things to try on the car ride over there. My first impressions of the box were that it was awesome seeing some full sized items, like the Goodlight candles (6 tealights) and the Geodeo deodorant. The box was mostly edibles though, I believe.

RW Garcia Dippers – 3 Seed Curry & Mango Dipping Chips: Haven't tried these yet because I haven't been able to get my hands on any dips/salsa! They sound delicious though. I love curry but don't really care for mango that much (very picky eater, I would drive you nuts), so we'll see. I'll update once I try.

Update: Henry and I tried it after we had some leftover salsa from taco night! Glad to say, this one was good. I've never tried a "curry chip" before, but being as I don't like mango, I was pleasantly pleased by this sample. Unsure if we would purchase a bag to replace regular tortilla chips though, as it takes away from the taste of the salsa. I would perhaps use it with a yogurt based dip that was blander to give it a kick. :)

GeoDeo – Natural Deodorant + Detox: I was actually really psyched about this one because it was a full size bar and my scent was "Island". It smells so good. Kind of reminds me of one of those import car air fresheners in "squash" actually lol. Unfortunately, after using it during Vegas, I really should have given it to someone else to try because I realized that I don't regularly use deodorant. Ok, I know you're thinking "Gross", but I actually don't have body odor. Must be in my family genes or something because no one in my family actually needs to use deodorant. Not even the men lol. So... I've asked Henry to start using it and tell me what he thinks.

Update: Henry is using the deodorant, and happy *really happy* to say that it's been working! And he's very picky about deodorant. He usually buys the gel because it doesn't leave residue, but he really likes this solid. I love the smell of it, and he loves that it's not sticky and doesn't leave that residue. The scent isn't as strong as regular deodorants, but it's fine with me since it takes care of the BO. Good job, GeoDeo!

Bumble Bar Organic Sesame Bar:

This is so delicious! At first, the "natural-ness" of it throws you off. I think my taste buds were confused because I'm usually used to fake synthetic sugar tastes, but once I had the first few bites, the rest were so good. It kind of reminded me of the sesame sugar snacks that people eat during Chinese New Year, except healthier, since it wasn't covered in sugar. It has a soft, chewy texture, and a light honey flavor along with the roasted sesame flavor. I really liked this and if I was richer, I would definitely buy some to pass out for Halloween.

Clandestino – Banana Bar:

So I hate bananas. I know. Wth, right? Don't ask me why... it's something about the aftertaste or the smell... my taste buds just do NOT like banana. Fortunately though, my boyfriend LOVES bananas! He said that it kind of reminded him of an Almond Joy but instead of having coconut in the middle, there was shreds of banana and chocolate, same texture though. He really liked it. When I asked him about the balance, like if there was too much banana and not enough chocolate, he said that it was just right. Chocolate, with the essence of banana. I tried a bit just to see if it would change my mind, but alas,  it did not. Still hate banana.

TeaTulia:

I haven't tried this one yet! But I love tea. I'm trying to save it for the holidays though when I really appreciate some hot tea. The flavor I got was Earl of Bengal, which I guessed was an Earl Grey type of tea. I actually switched mine out for the one in Rachel's box (she got peppermint), since she's British and I thought she'd enjoy it more. I know, stereotype much? But I actually also have a thing for peppermint tea/mochas/anything, so I might just be doing it for myself too. Can't wait to try this one.

Yummy Earth Organic Lollipop:

Haha, for my flavor, I got mango tango. Again, not a huge fan of mango, but I actually tried a lick or two and it was nice! Like, an orangey, mango flavor... Henry really liked it. We agreed that it would probably go well with some Lucas.

Larabar:

I haven't tried this one yet. I keep forgetting to put it in my bag for school, but I've tried a Larabar before (I don't remember which flavor) and I don't think I liked it very much. I've seen a few of my classmates eat it and I know that it's got really great ingredients. I've heard awesome things about it, but I will update on the taste once I remember to bring it to school with me. The flavor I got was chocolate chip cookie dough.

Update: Unfortunately, I don't like the taste of Larabars. But my friend Phil thought it was good. If it tastes good to you, I would recommend buying them since they are very healthy. And you can get them cheaper in bulk at Costco, if you have a membership.

GoodLight Natural Candles:

I haven't tried these yet, but that's mostly because I'm waiting to use them during the holidays. I also have those aroma warmer things on my wishlist, where you put a scent in a pot and light a tea candle underneath and it makes the room smell awesome. I think I like the idea behind this that they're non-toxic and paraffin-free, and they are not much more in terms of cost than regular tea light candles. If I had babies in the house and enjoyed lighting candles for holiday centerpieces, I would definitely invest in some.

Update: We figured out a perfect way to put these candles to use. :)

Henry's "Barf Face" pumpkin.

His first pumpkin carving ever!

Zarbees:

So this was an interesting sample for me, since I'm in pharmacy school. This is a "more natural" cold remedy product that is dye-free, gluten-free, and free of harmful drugs. The ingredients were as listed: Proprietary blend of buckwheat and other dark honeys, water, ascorbic acid, natural flavors, tartaric acid, zinc gluconate, malic acid, mesg-pg (plant extract to preserve freshness. I am kind of biased in that I never like it when people mix natural over-the-counter supplements when they are taking prescription medications. It's very hard to keep track of drug interactions this way, and these natural supplements don't always have hard proven evidence that they're beneficial in some populations of people. I like the idea of this all-natural children's cough syrup because it doesn't have a lot of chances for toxicity like acetaminophen, or things like that do. According to some studies, if you administer zinc 24-hours before symptom onset, it should actually help reduce the severity and duration of cold. It claims to sooth sore throat (from the honey), and boost the immune system (zinc gluconate). How effective it is at it's claim? I'm not sure until I try it. So I'm praying that I won't have to use this any time soon, but if I do, I'll let you know if I thought it helped or not. The dosing guide says it shouldn't be used for anyone under 12 months (1 year), 12 months to 5 years old - 1 packet, and 5 years old and over - 2 packets. They only included one packet in the box, so I wish I had another one just so I could have the right dosage when I do use it. Or I'll just give it to one of my friends who have a baby that fit the criteria. :) The flavor I got was in "Grape". 

Update: Tried it cause I was feeling like I was going to get sick, but since I only had 1 packet and the dosing was 2 packets for an adult, I just took some extra multivitamin gummy bears to make up for the missing zinc. The taste was waaay better than the traditional Tylenol, so it would probably go down better for kids who hate that really bitter taste. And also, I didn't get worse, so that's a plus. If it was because of the Zarbees? Who knows. But it's worth a try if you can catch the symptoms early enough. :)

VitaRocks:

This is a vitamin in the form of pop rocks. In terms of taste, it's very "vitaminey", as in you can definitely tell it's not regular ol' candy pop rocks. But I would imagine this would be an awesome way for your kids to take their vitamins everyday if they've never tried regular pop-rocks before, because then it'll probably taste better since they have nothing to compare it to. Of course, I would advise hiding them on the top shelf somewhere, since you probably don't want your kids to be overdosing on vitamins, in case they're little pop-rock monsters! Mine came in "Lemon Burst". 

Crum Creek – Certified Organic Soy Nut Mix:

This I really loved. It kind of reminded me of trail mix, but instead of peanuts and cashews, you get crispy soy nuts. The taste and crunch actually takes a little while to get used to, but once you get going, it's pretty delicious. There were raisins, chocolate chips, sunflower and pumpkin seeds present in the mix and it was a perfect size snack. I would definitely buy these.

Overall, good box! I wish that I had loved more things in it, but since I am such a picky eater and since I don't need deodorant, I didn't get the full excitement as someone else possibly could have, I'm sure. But that's not Conscious Box's fault. That's the thing about a subscription box, sometimes you'll get things you absolutely love and sometimes you don't. If I had to buy this particular box over again for $20 though, I wouldn't, but that's just me personally.

Second unboxing: The Vegan Conscious Box

For their vegan boxes, it seems as though they are picking people who can help them figure out some good products. I didn't know who you were Eco-Vegan gal, but I do now!

Another beautiful postcard.

My favorite brand of shampoo and wipes! (For dogs)

Sample of vegan dog food!

And... a video of my dogs enjoying it.

So cute. Conscious Box actually apologized for scaring some vegans since the tea says "honey", but they double checked and it's just honey flavoring with no actual honey in there. But it was nice that they addressed the issue and tried to correct it.

These two products were actually not on the packing list, and I think I got these instead of the sugar scrub.

Coupon I'm definitely getting use out of.

Everything in the box together. It's insane how much they fit in there.

Vegan Packing List:

Green Tara Kale Chips – Super Green
Loaded with the health benefits of Kale (high iron, vitamin K, and tons of antioxidants), these tasty chips are the perfect companion for your lunchbox. 100% natural, vegan, and GMO free, these chips are your new best friend on the road to healthier snacking. 

Tea Forté
Tea Forté produces some of the most delectable teas around. With a commitment to organic ingredients, fair trade teas, recyclable packing, and minimal carbon impact,  Tea Forté makes enjoying tea something both delicious and sustainable. Please note: One of the teas in this month's box, Honey Yuzen, sort of slipped by our resident vegan (he was found hiding in the closet gorging himself on Angell bars :) However, we have confirmed that there is no honey in this product, only a natural honey flavoring. Nonetheless, we know the shock of seeing the word HONEY! and we're extremely sorry that this passed by us—we're doubling our efforts to stop our resident vegan's chocolate bar addiction and get him back to focusing on his job :)

Bambooee
Made from certified organic bamboo, Bambooee is the perfect alternative to your standard kitchen towel. One Bambooee towel stays tough longer than 3 ordinary paper towels. Machine washable, reusable,  biodegradable, and soft to the touch... Say hello to bamboo!

Barre
Formulated by dancers, Barre is a unique real food bar perfect for either snacking or energy before a workout. Get exceptional nutritional fortification blended into wholesome, delicious bars. And don't forget to redeem coupon code "conscious1" when ordering your box of Barre bars at realfoodbarre.com!

Suntegrity
Sunscreen doesn't have to be all bad. Suntegrity provides a natural, antioxidant-infused facial sunscreen and primer. Non-greasy, non-toxic, and cruelty-free, this makes the perfect addition to your daily routine or that spontaneous trip to the beach. Protect your skin, naturally!

Eco-Dent
One of the best replacements for your home starts in your medicine cabinet with your toothpaste. We're excited to introduce Eco-Dent, a natural, safe alternative for toothcare. Try their Original Mint dental care, a natural baking soda—or their naturally flavored Dental Gum! Freshen your breath, strengthen your teeth, and improve gum health!

Bodycare Café
Sometimes the best things in life are made from the most simple ingredients. This Maple Brown Sugar Scrub is exactly what we have in mind—made from only 4 ingredients: brown sugar, maple syrup, olive oil, and cinnamon! It goes on tingly and leaves your skin soft to the touch, without compromising your health!

Pure Matters
It's important to get a complete nutritional profile, especially when it comes to protein in your vegan diet. Try this 100% vegan, non-GMO plant based protein that's got a taste as good as it gets. Mix it up in your next smoothie and find out what we mean!

V-Dog
Even your dog needs a healthy vegan option! 100% vegan, GMO free, soy free, gluten free, and oh so much more, V-Dog is the best option when it comes to healthy vegan pet food options. Endorsed by organizations like PETA, your furry little friend will be rolling over for more!

Earth Balance – Grooming Wipes and Shampoo
Bathing your pets can be a real mess—but it definitely doesn't need to be a toxic one! Here's a safe, natural solution that won't sting their sensitive skin or harm the environment. The wipes have a clean green-tea scent, and the shampoo softens while freshening with an oatmeal and aloe blend. Your four-legged buddies will love it!

Overall, I LOVED the things I got in this box. I literally just opened it today so I haven't tried anything yet besides the Bambooee reusable towel (and yes, it really does wipe things up nicely), but I'm excited to. I especially loved that there were Earthbath products, since I use that brand currently for my pups. Except I use the puppy version of the shampoo and grooming wipes, which smell like cherries. I'm happy to have the opportunity to try new scents and a new shampoo formulation though. I will probably be saving them for my Thanksgiving trip to San Diego, so I don't have to lug a big bottle of shampoo with me. I actually didn't get the kale chips (which I'm sad about since I love kale chips), and the body sugar scrub (which I also enjoy!), but I'm okay with it because I think they gave me the Dark Angell chocolate bar, laundry detergent, a Vega Sport pre-workout energizer, and coconut oil to try instead. We're probably going to save the coconut oil for a coconut shrimp recipe one day, but I'll definitely let you know how it is! I completely thought this was worth $20, as I got 17 different samples to try! I love full size products, but I would rather have a variety of things to try because it's no use having a full size of something if you don't even like it. I usually want to try to estimate the cost of subscription box items to see if it was a good value but since these types come with samples of a lot of things, it's more difficult to do. That being said though, with the amount of samples in this box and how difficult it is to get these types of samples on your own, I thought it definitely was worth its' cost.

Update: Tried the honey yuzu Tea Forte tea! Was feeling a little under the weather, so I figured it would be comforting, which it was. Had a very light citrus and honey taste to it. Made me feel better just drinking it.

Next month's box is going to be curated by the culinary artist Jason Wrobel, so that makes me really want to continue my subscription for both boxes next month, but I actually don't think I will be able to afford it. So if you don't see a November review for Conscious Box, that's probably why! (Sad face)

I really love Conscious Box though, even if only experiencing it for a month. I feel like they have excellent customer service, and try to give you the best value they possibly can for your money. To me, I think those are the two most important things for a subscription box. And Conscious Box, you do it well. You will definitely be missed dearly.

If you're thinking about purchasing a subscription box, and want to try eco-friendly products, I would highly recommend going with Conscious Box! You get a great value for the amount of money you pay, and a variety of items ranging from things for you, to your dog, to your kids. In fact, Pure Citizen is offering 3 months of Conscious Boxes all at once for $30, which is 1/2 off! It's a great deal, and they are saying that you would get a different variety of items even though you're already a subscriber, and the boxes all won't be the same. I might actually indulge myself since I won't be able to get next month's boxes (just don't tell the BF). .:Update - So Henry gave me the okay to purchase the 3 box halloween special on Pure Citizen! But I'm probably most likely not going to be able to renew for next month. No matter, more boxes, yay! Make sure you do it by October 21st (Sunday), and that after you purchase from Pure Citizen, that you go to http://www.consciousbox.com/purehalloween to input your order! If you want to try Conscious Box, this is the time to do it.:.

In other news!

I was able to score 1/2 off a 6-month subscription to Love With Food through Groupon, got 1/2 off my first month of PawBox through Coupaw, and got my invitation to Birchbox recently! So my subscription box addiction is fully satiated at the moment. I also got my Glam Bag from Ipsy in the mail recently, but I was missing a lip bomb, so I had to get that shipped to me, which is why I'm holding off on my review for that. Henry's Loot Crate is on its' way very soon, so that review will be coming up! So all in all, for next month, you should be seeing a review for the following boxes: PawBox, Love With Food, My Glam Bag by Ipsy, Birchbox, Barkbox, and Loot Crate. The only reason I get to have these next month are either because I bought them for 1/2 off and paid for  3 or 6 months ahead of time, or because they are cheap ($10 with shipping) and you have to be on a waiting list for them (ie, Ipsy and Birchbox). I was pre-qualified to receive a Beauty Blogger Voxbox from Influenster, but unfortunately, I didn't make the cut in the end. But I'm looking forward to another invitation for another Voxbox soon!

I started a twitter just for my reviewing stuff, so add me if you'd like (not that I'm even positive I know how to use Twitter properly yet)! TheRxNina's Twitter-ma-bob. And if anyone wants to know why I don't do unboxing videos and save myself hours of typing, copying, pasting, and inserting... it's because I hate my voice. And people need to practice reading more anyway nowadays. :P

Anyway, I'm really excited to receive my upcoming boxes and write about them for you! Hope you enjoyed.

Thanks for reading!

TheRxNina