Sudsy Box Review: April 2015

As much as I have enjoyed several of my subscription boxes, there are things I don't like. In particular, I don't have very positive feelings about the way that people market their products. I especially am not a fan of sending out boxes early for review in order to get more customers. The greatest difference between just shopping and signing up for a subscription box is not convenience but surprise. I can buy brands I like that are ethical and natural for less, and I can also set up recurring orders on Amazon and elsewhere. It's much easier to manage than an account with a subscription box, especially since many of these companies make you email and hope they get it in time if you don't want to be charged. So essentially what I am paying for in these subscriptions is twofold - exposure to new brands that I may not have found on my own and the element of surprise. 

So with all that said, I was subscribing to Sudsy Box because I like natural soaps. It's not really a big surprise what's in the box, beyond the fourth item and the scents, but I figured I liked the enjoyment of the unexpected box every few months. I already subscribe to Wholly Hemp, who don't operate the same way with deliveries. You get your box the same time every month based on when you sign up and they're usually based on their current stock, so surprise is inevitable. Wholly Hemp also doesn't do a ton of marketing. 

I received my last Sudsy Box about a week ago. Sadly it's my last because certain people, and those who don't feel like they need to pay $20 every two months, got theirs almost a month earlier. I'm done with this as a customer. If you want my business, and you want my money, then you simply need to prioritize customers over marketing. Sudsy Box doesn't want to do that, so I will stick to the companies who do, I suppose. (To be clear, it's not that they send boxes out to reviewers. Bloggers get things for free and that's part of the deal, but it's the fact that the marketing strategy of revealing items well before the people who bought them get them - or even have boxes in the mail - feels so greedy.)

Wholly Hemp Review: April 2015

I love so many things about Wholly Hemp. The products are natural, they give back to help build stronger communities, the packaging is basic so it's easily recyclable, and it's an affordable way to get awesome bath and body products that are cruelty-free. Also they utilize hemp, which is a sustainable resource we desperately need to be using more. 

My box this month also had a jar of orange moisturizing cream, but Crafty was using it when the box arrived! Also included was a stick of Secret Falls deodorant. I have been using the Honest Company spray and I love it, but with summer coming up, a stick will be nice because it's a bit more certain to keep me smelling fresh. (Also I just tried the lavender vanilla deodorant from Honest Company and it smells exactly the same as my bergamot sage, so that's a bummer.)

Wholly Hemp Review: March 2015

I love Wholly Hemp. They make me very happy. I enjoy getting a box from them every month, even if I don't really need these products right now, because I know that I will have them on hand when I do. They offer three subscription sizes - two, four, or eight products a month - and I have now tried all three. I admit I am really in this for the soap, but I won't ever complain about extra products!

This month, I received deodorant, lip balm, and two bars of soap. The deodorant is in tea tree; I am currently using the deodorant from Honest, but I like having this as well because as it gets warmer, I know I will want options.

Wholly Hemp Review: February 2015

I was really impressed by Wholly Hemp last month and upgraded my box this month. I had to find a middle ground for next month, just to balance the heating bill and also my excessive soap surplus, but this is amazing soap!

Wholly Hemp is a really awesome company in general, and their product is fantastic so I can't recommend them enough! Recently, Wholly Hemp was also Benefit Corporation Certified, which is a testament to the great work they do.

There were eight items in this month's box. Four were bar soaps and I'm so excited to have a huge stock of these! I'm almost done with my patchouli bar from last month, so this is a great arrival. The scents this month were Euphoric Eucalyptus, Secret Falls, Calming Cyprus, and Pink Grapefruit.

Sudsy Box Review: February 2015

As I have said many times, I can never have enough soap, and I especially like natural soaps not made with weird chemicals I can't pronounce. Sudsy Box is a subscription box that sends you a bimonthly box with three bars of a soap and a random bath or beauty product.

All of the soaps are made with only olive oil, coconut oil, Shea butter, cocoa butter, and essential oils. They are handcrafted in small batches of 18 bars and are 100% natural, vegetarian, and gluten-free. Plus they smell AMAZING.

Little Miss Crafty Takes a Bath with Adovia's Dead Sea Bath Salts

Seriously, I bathe every day but I have this thing for baths. When we built our new house about five years ago, one of the deal breakers was that I had to have the tub I wanted. When I don't feel good or when I am really cold, or when I just want time away from everyone running around the house, I take a bath. So it seemed to only make sense that, when we were picking out our bathroom, the master bath would have a huge, as the kids call it, "bubble tub." Thankfully, Mr. Crafty was happy to oblige and give me the way too expensive tub. :) He's a good man.

Today, it is freezing here in our lovely state. I take more baths in the winter but, as any of you who live in the colder regions know, hot water + soaking + dry air = itchy, dry, and red skin. Combine all of that with extremely hard water and I usually end up putting a whole bottle of lotion on after the bath. When I was asked to do a review for Adovia's Dead Sea Bath Salt soak, it was obviously a no-brainer for me. I received my package earlier this week and was excited to try it out.

The bag of sea salts I received was HUGE and packed full. You can't tell in this picture but it was overflowing. This picture was taken after I had poured a bunch into the tub.

Wholly Hemp Review: January 2015

Wholly Hemp is a beauty product subscription box that you can purchase in three sizes, from basic to pamper. I subscribe to the basic, which includes two products each month. The products include soaps and lip balms mainly, all of which are cruelty free, handcrafted in small batches, and made with eco-friendly ingredients.

In addition, 25% of all purchases is given back as microloans to women in developing countries, so that these women can develop and manage sustainable businesses and get themselves out of poverty. The money goes directly to the women and allows them a greater role in their own lives, as well as their communities.