Well look at this! Melissa came back to do another guest blog for us! Which is perfect, since it is Guest Blogger Weekend, after all. Melissa wrote her first post about 21 Bundles last month… click here to read it! And here she is for the December box!
After last month’s soap fiasco I wasn’t sure if I should really be looking forward to my 21 Bundles box this month. I got an email detailing the contents of the box a few hours before the box arrived—this is a part of their being green initiative—they send an email instead of a paper list in the box. They seemed a bit more promising than last month’s housewife in a box, so I was cautiously optimistic.
Dapple – 25ct. Natural Laundry Detergent Pods – $9.99 on Amazon
So, the first thing that we should get out of the way is… MORE SOAP! This is actually something they forgot to put in last month’s box, and probably the one thing other than the baby laundry stain remover that I will actually use. I already use Tide Pods for my regular wash and I love them, so these will be perfect for washing all the disgusting things Baby G does from his/her little clothes.
Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics – 16 ct. Peaceful Mama Tea – $5.82 on Amazon
Now into the new stuff. First off, we have some herbal tea. For those of you who have been pregnant before, you know that most herbal tea is generally on the list of things we cannot have because it could contain herbs that have unknown effects on the fetus. That said, I was surprised to see herbal tea in the box. However, it seems to be made specifically for pregnant ladies and sounds pretty yummy – citrus chamomile. I am a tea drinker and now that it’s getting quite frigid in the northeast, this will be a welcome way to end a chilly day.
Acure – 30pk. Argan Oil Cleansing Towelettes – $10 on Amazon
I tried these cleansing towelettes out on my face and they seemed to get some dirt off, but it also left my skin feeling dried out. Of course, this time of year my skin is always dry, so I may not be the best judge. They say they are for face and body though, so I may just put them in my purse to wipe my hands when I am out and about. They also say unscented, but there is definitely some sort of smell from whatever the ingredients are. Not good or bad, but not entirely scent-free.
100% Pure – Creamy Nail Polish in Juice – $12 on 100percentpure.com
I am definitely a nail polish nut, so I was excited to see I would be getting nail polish in my box. I am a Julep Maven, so I get pretty good deals on high quality polish that is 4-free (doesn’t contain 4 most toxic chemicals that most nail polishes contain). This polish is supposed to be 10-free, which makes me wonder how it’s not just water and beet juice. It still smells just as terrible as all polish, though so there are at least some chemicals in there. I know that this box is based on what month of pregnancy I am in instead of what month of the year it is, but I am little disappointed in the color I received. It’s a pretty hot pink that I would definitely wear in the summer, but it’s not really appropriate for this time of year. That said, I did try it out just to test the quality of application and I was pretty pleased. It was a little watery, but it gave decent coverage with just one coat. A second coat would definitely be needed when I get around to wearing this in the summer.
Reviva Labs – HypoAllergenic Mascara – $4.98 on Amazon
Mascara is a pretty personal thing to any gal who is even semi-serious about makeup. It’s one of those few products that the cheap brands can do just as well or even better than the pricey ones. Once I find a mascara that I like (currently L’Oreal Voluminous), I hoard it and only use that. I tried out the Reviva Labs mascara and I don’t think I will be hoarding this one. It was fine. Made my lashes darker and longer and a mascara should, but I wasn’t blown away by the results. The brush seemed very hard and the lashes were a little clumpy. This one can go into the reserves for when I run out of my staple.
100% Pure – Fruit Pigmented 100% Natural Juicy Lip Gloss – Pink Caramel – $15 on 100percentpure.com
Lip gloss that is pigmented with blackberries is just as yummy as it sounds. The Pink Caramel is a nice neutral gloss that matches nearly every other gloss I own, so it will most definitely be used. It goes on smooth and has a nice taste and fragrance as well as a high shine. This is probably one thing in this box that I might be tempted to buy again. Although, with a baby on the way, $15 lip gloss might not be in the budget anymore.
Acure – Advanced Triple Moisture System Body Lotion – Mandarin Orange and Moroccan Argan Stem Cell – Sample Size
That is seriously the name of the fragrance—I kid you not. This is the most pretentiously named lotion outside of the stuff with crushed diamonds in it. Moroccan Argan Stem cells? For real? Despite the name, I am in love with this fragrance. It smells like a slightly spicy orange grove and it incredibly moisturizing on my poor dry hands. The full size is $10 on drugstore.com, and I am tempted to buy this one. Mostly so I can tell people that I moisturize with stem cells.
This box is leaps and bounds better than month 5, so I will give it a B. I still don’t get what this stuff has to do with pregnancy outside of the tea. I do love makeup, but I prefer to buy the brands and colors that I like. I also got better value out of this box—about $48 worth of product for my $40. Sadly, I do not like this box $40 worth, so I am planning to cancel. The offerings are random, and while I will use most of the things in this box I would have preferred to spend my money on other things.