Unboxing Beauty

My May Herbal Bliss Co Box is here and I am always curious about what my box of herbal treats will contain.   This is a sub that I really love and look forward to getting every month.   Herbal Bliss is a unique eco-friendly subscription service, as their whole theme is around providing herbal products ~ samples, full sized ~  from artisan crafted companies around the USA.   Their monthly lifestyle box will contain 5 items that could be culinary, health, beauty, aromatherapy and more.

What is Herbal Bliss Co?

Herbal Bliss enjoys reaching out to the diverse herbal suppliers throughout the USA to bring you five unique samples each month. Our sample categories are Aromatherapy, Blissful Body, Culinary, Well Being and a Spotlight product. Each of our suppliers thoughtfully grows, harvest, and packages to bring you delightful experiences into your home. Herbal Bliss is thrilled to introduce you to a multi-faceted experience each month.

• Passionate About Small Batches ~ Our suppliers are often growing their herbs, creating their recipes, and building their shop fronts on their family farm. You are receiving special, handcrafted gifts from nature without bias to one supplier over another.
• Discover Herbs ~ Herbal products are one of the fastest growing consumer products. Why is that? People are wary of chemical, laboratory products that have who knows what effect on our body systems. We want to put natural products in our bodies and on our skin & hair. We want to read a label and not only be able to pronounce the ingredients, but know what they are
• Education ~ Herbs can be intimidating. Herb shops are usually very helpful, but sometimes you may be afraid to ask questions because other customers seem so well informed. Most people know that you should not ingest herbs for ailments without speaking to your doctor first, but there are many other questions about the use of herbs. Herbs are from the earth and have uses beyond what you think of everyday and we are here to help introduce those uses and the makers of these gifts. We bring education for each category.  (source)

Herbal Bliss offers (per box) a month-to-month sub at $25.00, 3 month sub at $22.00, 6 month sub at $20.00 and a yearly sub at $18.00 per box.

Contents Revealed!

 

 

Yaupon Mercantile Loving Your Skin Sugar Scrub  Ahh, you cannot purchase this online 😦  Yaupon is a holly plant that is full of antioxidants and is it the only natural source of caffeine in North America ~ it has been used by Native Americans for centuries as an energizing tea.   This scrub is made with honey that comes from the Yaupon plant ~ honey is full of antioxidants, great moisturizer and because it is an antiseptic and anti-bacterial, it helps reduce skin problems like rashes and blemishes.  It also helps in reducing swelling and redness, as it is also an anti-inflammatory. 

Turmeric is a deep yellow-orange colored spice, which explains the color of this scrub! It is an antiseptic and antibacterial, that helps reduce inflammation and clears up skin problems, as well as a brightening agent.  This scrub is made of all natural ingredients and it does need a quick stir when I open it up ~ it had clumped a bit during its travels to me. It smells beautiful ~ a lovely sweet citrus scent and its texture is moist, not dry.  This small little scrub sample will be savored, as I cannot purchase it at this time.  Sample Size 1.5 oz RV $5.00

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Ingredients: pure cane sugar, floral infused olive oil, Yaupon honey, therapeutic grade essential oil of sweet orange, organic turmeric

Ecogardens Botanicals Herbal Dream Pillow in “Inspire”   Ecogardens Botanicals is an etsy shop and you know how much I love etsy shops!  I have never heard of dream pillows before and the idea is that certain herbal blends can trigger vivid and lucid dreams that may give us answers to issues that we are currently experiencing, relieve stress, reduce nightmares and unlock our creative side, while ~ this sounds like an oxymoron if our brains are this active ~ restore sleep.  Ecogardens also sells this with a journal, so that you can jot down your dreams to establish patterns that will help your conscious mind communicate your subconscious mind.

Description: Our dream pillows contain a variety of very mild aromatic herbs that through constant inhalation during the night stimulate specific functions of the brain to encourage special dreams and promote certain types of sleep and healing.  “Inspire” is a special blend of Mugwort, Angelica, Mint and Bay Laurel to encourage vivid, lucid, dreams inspiring vision, creativity, an confidence. We recommend using the pillow for two week intervals, then storing it in plastic bag for at least a week, otherwise your body will become accustomed to the fragrance and it will loose it’s effectiveness. 

My dream pillow came in a nice print in red and peach with cream and light grey flowers in 100% cotton.  The herbal pouch inside my pillow does have a very mild scent, so it will not disrupt my sleep with a strong presence.  At any rate, I hope that by tucking this little 7×7 inch pillow in my bigger pillow at night will give me a good night’s sleep!  If the pillow gets dirty, just remove the herbal insert before washing.  Ecogardens has other dream pillows in different herbal combinations as well, to help focus on other specific needs.   RV $10.00

Olbas Herbal Bath Wash   This is a multi-purpose therapeutic, herbal bath wash in a fantastic brisk minty scent! Olbas is a Swiss brand that uses aromatic oils to help soothe, invigorate and offer relief to your body.  This herbal bath wash contains no SLS or SLES and is cruelty free.   This wash can be used in the tub when you need to relax and wind down, as a footbath to help relieve tired and sore feed.  If you have a whirlpool bath, you can create a spa experience!  I can really smell the mints and pine-y scents in this product and sure enough, this herbal bath can be used to help open up your sinuses and help offer relief from cold symptoms.  Olbas has been making their products for over 100 years using an essential oil mix that includes peppermint, eucalyptus, clove, wintergreen, juniper and cajuput.  I am familiar with all of these oils (you can read more here) except one ~ cajuput.

The essential oil of Cajeput is distilled from the fresh leaves and twigs of the Cajeput tree. It has a slightly medicinal aroma that is reminiscent of camphor and eucalyptus oils.  In Southeast Asia, the Cajeput tree grows abundantly. The people of Vietnam and surrounding countries highly regard Cajeput as a traditional remedy. It is known in their healing culture primarily for its use for muscular and joint discomforts. It is also used for promoting healthy skin, as well as for its benefits to the throat, sinus and respiratory tract. As an aromatherapy agent, Cajeput oil stimulates the mind and promotes clear thinking.

Cajeput sounds like a perfect match with the other brisk herbal scents in this mix.  I cannot wait to use this!  I love a good liquid herbal soap.    Travel Size 4 oz RV $9.50

Directions: Tub: Add 2-4 tablespoonfuls to hot tub of water. If foam is desired, add to running water. Shampoo or Shower:  Use as a shampoo or as a liquid soap on a wash cloth, sponge or brush (avoid contact with eyes). Foot or Sponge Bath: Add 1-2 tablespoonfuls to each gallon of hot water. Whirlpool: To begin, add 1 teaspoonful. Then add sparingly to adjust for size of tub, foam and degree of stimulation desired. Household Use: Try it for a variety of cleaning needs – pleasant aroma, safe, effective and deodorizing.

Ingredients: Water, cocamidopropyl betaine (coconut based foaming agent), sodium coceth sulfate and PEG-40 glycerol cocoate (coconut fatty esters & hydrogenated castor oil), PEG-6 caprylic/capric glycerides (coconut and palm oil based), peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, decyl polyglucoside (from glucose), cajuput oil, wintergreen oil, juniper oil, chlorophyll, clove oil.

 

Redolynnce Organics Natural Solid Lotion Bar in Honey  I  wish you could smell this ~ it really smells like sweet honey!  This rich lotion bar is embossed with a cute honey bee in a little silver tin.  This is what it would look like if it hadn’t melted slightly (photo from Redolynnce Etsy Shop)

Redolynnce makes these lovely lotion bars in other scents, such as tea tree, lavender, orange, peppermint and more!  The are scented with essential oils and are free from alcohol, chemicals and GMO’s ~ all natural and organic ingredients and artisan crafted.  I did try this out and I took a bit of this bar and applied it to my skin ~ it is very moisturizing and you would think with all of the shea and mango butters and jojoba oil, this would be greasy on my skin. However, it absorbs quickly and my skin feels very smooth and silky and I can feel out nourishing this on my skin as it is supple as well. This is a GREAT product and I will be purchasing from this shop for more!   Full Size 1.5 oz RV $6.50

Description: These Amazing Bars contain the moisturizing and healing properties of Unrefined Fair Trade Ghana Shea Butter and locally sourced, raw unfiltered beeswax from my local farmer’s market, accommodated with Organic Moisturizing Base Oils. Helping to relieve dry skin, eczema, psoriasis and other skin problems. These bars melt with your own body heat and absorb quickly and completely without leaving any greasy residue, re-hydrating and moisturizing the skin, creating radiant skin. Just rub the lotion bar between your hands or apply to body, and let your body temperature melt it into your skin.

Ingredients: An infusion of Organic Raw Unrefined Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii), Unrefined Mango butter (Mangifera indica), Organic Jojoba oil (Simmondsia chinensis) , Rosemary Extract (Rosmarinus officinalis) Raw unfiltered local beeswax, Organic Vitamin E oil (tocopherols)m pure honey fragrance oil (skin safe)

 

 

Potting Shed Creations Garden-In-A-Bag Cilantro   I have a black thumb and I also have lots of city squirrels and raccoons who love to come up on my balcony and eat my plants.  I also do not have a  lot of sunlight in my home, so growing plants is always a challenge for me.  I REALLY want to grow some cilantro as I LOVE this herb ~ perfect for salsas, herb butters, soups, adding in salads and so much more.  Not everyone loves this herb, but I do! 

The idea behind growing this bag of herbs is to just open up the leak-proof  bag and remove the packets of soil and seeds.  You will leave the coco chips at the bottom of the bag. Add soil and fill with enough water to meet the soil line and then over the sink, work the water thru the soil, by mushing the bag between your hands.  Then, over the sink, poke some holes at the bottom of the bag and gently squeeze the water from the bag thru the holes.  Open up seed packet and sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil and then cover lightly with soil.  Place a plastic bag over the top and then store the bag in a warm area (75 to 80°F), out of direct sunlight and let sprout, which will be about 7 to 10 days. 

After the seeds sprout, remove plastic bag and place in direct sunlight ~ do not let the soil dry out ~ its consistency should be like a damp sponge.  Fertilize every 3 to 4 weeks and within 4 to 6 weeks after initial spouts, your plant should look like this and you can pluck off the leaves for an herbal treat! 

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As I stated, I have a black thumb, so I will probably get a couple of yellowish leaves that I will gush and baby over and refuse to harvest!  If the squirrels don’t eat them first.  ahahaha  Full Kit RV $10.00

Description: Organic Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) Also known as coriander, cilantro is common in Asian, Indian, Mediterranean, Mexican, African and even Scandinavian cuisine. Fresh leaves and dried seeds are most commonly used in cooking and have very different flavors. Add leaves at the end of the cooking process to insure the most intense flavor. Each leak-proof bag (which doubles as your pot) contains certified organic seeds, growing medium, and coco chips for drainage. Bag 7″ high x 6″ wide

 

I really loved this month’s box! I wish the sugar scrub was larger, but a little goes a long way!  The dream pillow is so interesting and I totally love a brisk herbal bath wash ~ it reminds me of Dr Bronner’s Magic Soap 🙂   The honey lotion bar smells wonderful and I will be getting some different scents from Redolynnce in the future.  I will also try (no try, there is only do) to grow my cilantro, but no promises that I will be successful ~ I’ve killed cactus before, that is how bad I am with plants!   I paid $17.00 for my box, as I am on a 6 month subscription with one of their promo codes and received  a $41.00 value ~ this is a great deal for this type of box as  I don’t believe there are any other subs out there that focus on herbal ingredients like this one does.  Oh, this reminds me ~ I will have to renew in for July!  My 6 months will be up in June, so I will have to see if Herbal Bliss will have a promo code soon.

Do you subscribe to Herbal Bliss?  Are you interested in this subscription and what products do you want to try out?

 

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