Lalaaluu Big Kid Trial Box Review

Lalaaluu recently offered a one-month trial subscription box for the cost of shipping ($15.95...pretty pricey for "shipping & handling"), so I ordered the "Big Kid" version, which is for kids 4-6.  They touted it as an honest representation of the kinds of things you would find in a Lalaaluu subscription box (which are pretty pricey at $35 per box...one of the priciest kid subscription boxes I've run into).  I will say that they have fantastic customer service -- their response times to the e-mails I sent them (including the one where I asked to cancel the subscription going forward) were SUPER fast & they were always very polite.

That said, the box itself really was not that great (OK, that's an understatement.  It was pretty bad).  I mean, I feel like I did get at least $16 worth of products, but many of them are things we won't use at all (and I suspect I'm not alone in this), and if I had paid $35 for this box...I would have been MAD.  The box did not look like it had been assembled with any kind of care...things were just kind of haphazardly thrown in there (unlike the Yuzen or Citrus Lane boxes I receive, which are clearly packed with love & care).

Their logo is cute, I'll give them that, and the box shipped to me very fast (within a few days of ordering it, actually...quite impressive shipping speed!)

The first product I pulled out of the box was Licelogic Daily Lice Repellent Spray (Rosemary).  REALLY?!?  They say this was included in the box because these boxes are targeted at NYC kids who might run into issues with lice because they live in a big city.  You know what?  I live in a big city too (near Boston), and lice really aren't that much of an issue here.  This just seems like a really odd & somewhat useless item to include in the box...I feel like this is the kind of thing you'd buy if, say, the kids in your kid's class had been experiencing lice...but you probably wouldn't just have it lying around the house just in case.  Two thumbs down.

Next was Pons Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Kids, which says that it's less acidic & a milder flavor to develop a taste for olive oil in young kids.  I think that sounds lovely in theory, and we'll definitely use this up for cooking, but honestly, my kid already eats things cooked in olive oil & has since he was little, so this isn't really a product that we'd ever buy again.  I'm kind of neutral on this one since we'll at least use it up.

The next thing I pulled out was a camera sticker by Box Play (meant to be stuck on a mac 'n' cheese box).  This was the only "toy" in the box, and man, what a bummer.

We also got two boxes of Oscillococcinum.  This would have been an awesome thing to get in a box in the winter when flu season was in full swing, but in April?...kind of useless.  On the up side, the boxes we got don't expire for several more years so we will save this for next winter & use it then...but honestly, when I get a subscription box I want to receive things I can use right then or soon, not 9 months from now.  Bummer.  

This was the one product in the box I was actually excited about.  We like the GoGo Squeeze pouches, and we've never tried the apple peach flavor, so this was the star of the box by far (which really doesn't say much for the rest of the box!)

Finally, they included a box of 40 Yum-V's Probiotic Bears (white chocolate flavor).  I like these in theory, but they taste kind of icky (like fake chocolate), so this was not a winner for us either.

Overall, not a good box (at all), and if this is representative of the kind of stuff they usually send, we are definitely not interested in getting future boxes from them.  If this kind of stuff is up your alley though, you can subscribe at the link below.

https://www.lalaalu.com/

April 2013 Citrus Lane Box Review (19 Month Old Boy)

This month's Citrus Lane box arrived a little late, which is not usual for our Citrus Lane boxes (we usually get them very promptly when they're shipped!).  Citrus Lane posted to their Facebook page about this and let their subscribers know that they had an issue with their shipping partner this month -- hopefully that will be sorted out next month as quite a lot of subscribers seemed to be very cranky about it.  Anyway, I usually LOVE my Citrus Lane boxes and look forward to getting them every month with great anticipation...sadly, this month's was not really as fantastic as they usually are (still a decent box, just didn't blow me out of the water).  The box described below was received for a 19 month old boy (they tailor the boxes to the age & gender of your child).

The usual cheerful packaging, which makes me want to dig right in!

Citrus Lane always includes a nice insert explaining what they've put in the box and why.  

                            

This was the contents of the box this month...a little sparser looking than usual, and sadly, nothing that I could get particularly excited about.  Like I said before, that's not normal...usually there are at least 3 things in the box that I'm very excited to try/give to my kiddo!

This Keepa drink holder is a good idea (keeps little ones from squeezing juice pouches/milks so much that they squirt everywhere), but we don't really do juice at all in our house (and pretty much never juice boxes), so this one wasn't a big winner for us.  They included a promo code for 15% off online orders at innobaby.com.  

I was very excited to see that they'd finally included an Honest Company product in the boxes...I love Honest Company stuff!  Unfortunately, they happened to include the *one* Honest Company product that I'm not a huge fan of (the Shampoo & Body Wash).  I love the smell but it doesn't lather as nicely as I want in a shampoo.  This was a full-sized item, though, and worth a fair bit.  They included a 20% off promo code for your first purchase at honest.com.

This was the most exciting thing in the box for us -- my son is starting to figure out painting, but I don't always love giving him paints because he tends to get them, well, everywhere, so this is a nice way for him to paint (with just water) without making a gigantic mess every time!  I may save this for a plane ride we're taking soon as a diversion!  

I wasn't particularly excited about the Oogaa placemat they included in the box, but it is a very functional/useful item.  It rolls up quite small, so it could be tucked in a diaper bag or purse for when you eat out (it's much less bulky than the one we currently have, which is the Summer Infant Tiny Diner...which is massive when rolled up).  They included a 30% off code for orders at oogaa.com.

Lastly, we received a Plum Tots Banana Mish Mash pouch.  It looks a little squished here because my 19 month old saw it and immediately demanded to eat it, so I couldn't even get a picture of it full!  We love these in our house, but I would rather have seen a different type of snack in the box as Citrus Lane has included these in our boxes several times in the past (usually different flavors & brands, though).  There were two coupons included -- one for 50 cents off a Plum Organics Baby or Tots product, and one for 50 cents off a Plum Organics Kids product.  

If you would like to sign up for your very own Citrus Lane box, use one of the following promo codes & the link below to get a discount!
"TAKEHALF" and "FIRSTBOX" should both work to get you 50% your first box in a month-to-month subscription.  

"BREAK10" should work to get you 10% off a 3, 6, or 12 month subscription. 

https://www.citruslane.com/invitedby/Jennifer.Sagotsky

April 2013 Ecocentric Mom "Mom Discovery Box" Review

I am pretty impressed with the April 2013 Ecocentric Mom "Mom Discovery Box," although this month's "Baby Discovery Box" was definitely the better of the two.

Pretty packaging!  Can't wait to dig in...

My favorite item in the whole box was the two packs of Nature's Kick Honeystix.  There were 7 in each pack (so 14 in all) and they are very tasty!  I love honey sticks but they are usually not something I can find at my local grocery store, so it was nice to get them in this box and indulge.  Also included was a promo code for 15% off online orders.

I must admit, I was extremely excited to get the Kelapo Extra Virgin Coconut Oil samples in this box.  I have been wanting to try out coconut oil in our cooking for a while because I've heard a lot about the health benefits of using it, but didn't want to buy a big container of it since we might not end up liking it in the end...and now we can try these out and see if we like them!  Great box addition!  They also included a promo code for 10% off online orders, which we may end up using if we like them.

Next was six packs of various Linwoods Super Food Blends, which included flavors like "Shelled Hemp" and "Milled Organic Flaxseed."  These were by far my least favorite item in the box - we got some of these as samples previously from our local grocery store, and they are pretty flavorless and grainy-textured.   Though they say you can just toss them in things like yogurt and oatmeal, I would not recommend it (yuck!)  I suspect I will try to use them in baking instead so that we can eat them (they are very good for you, after all) without actually having to taste them.

Next up was one Good Greens apple crumb wellness bar (full size bar).  Tasty, but a bit sweeter than I usually like for my snacks.  I am incredibly impressed, however, that it includes 100% of your daily fruit and vegetables for only 190 calories (70 from fat).  We may pick some more of these up to feed to my little guy, who does NOT like eating veggies, at all, ever (he tried & enjoyed eating this bar during dinner tonight).  They included a promo code for 40% off your order (nice!). 

I was not particularly excited about the Wexy Lunch & Munch Bags that came in the box (4 included, each with a different monster picture on it).  Though they are BPA free & biodegradable, I still think I'd rather go with reusable cloth bags for my snacks & meals out of the house.  We also got these in our "Baby Discovery Box," so now I have eight of them that I have to figure out what to do with...any suggestions?  Promo code for 30% off online orders included. 

Next up we have a sample size of Boring Goats "Non-Scents" Goat Milk Soap in very pretty packaging! It's about the size of a bar of soap you'd get in a hotel, so this might be best for use as a hand soap for visitors in the bathroom (I feel like it's way to small to use in the shower).  10% off promo code included.

I was very excited to find a full-size bottle of Nature's Gate Rice Bran Facial Moisturizer in the box.  It's a very light moisturizer which slides on silky-smooth.  It will be great to use as we get closer to summer & no longer need thick, heavy-duty lotions! It has almost no discernible smell, which I like in a lotion since I'd rather wear perfume than be stuck with whatever my lotion smells like.  A $1 retail coupon was included, as well as a $2 coupon for any Nature's Gate Facial Care product.

They also included three small samples of Nature's Gate shampoo, conditioner, and body wash so we can try more of the Nature's Gate line.

Also included were two Fyrefly Organic herbal teas ("Serenity" flavor -- my husband commented that they missed the obvious pun here by not calling it Sereni-tea) -- making 2-4 cups each bag. They taste like what I imagine lavender would taste like in liquid form, which *sounds* gross, I know, but is actually really soothing & nice.  My husband also pointed out that it's the kind of tea that doesn't need sugar added because it has such a nice distinctive flavor all on its own, which I really like.  Big thumbs up on this one (I like this flavor much better than the one they included in the "Baby Discovery Box," which was the "Baby at Breast" tea).  We will definitely be ordering more of this particular flavor.  They included a promo code for 15% off your order. 

Finally for products we have a 7th Heaven Moroccan Clay mask (rhassoul clay & organic apricot).  I haven't used this yet so I can't speak to how it feels/works, but I do like face masks, so I think I will enjoy this one.  A 20% off online promo code was included.

We also received a $10 off any product Bamboo Bailey promo code (http://www.bamboobailey.com/) and a $5 promo code for Frego (http://www.fregoliving.com/).

Overall, a great box this month! 

If you would like to get your very own Ecocentric Mom subscription box, please use my link (below) and the promo code ECOMOM10 for 10% off any subscription plan!  They have three types of box (Mom-to-Be Discovery Box, Mom Discovery Box, and Baby Discovery Box). 

https://ecocentricmom.com/af/kalliejenn81

April 2013 Ecocentric Mom "Baby Discovery Box" Review

The first thing I noticed when I received the April 2013 Ecocentric Mom "Baby Discovery Box" was the weight - it was so heavy for such a little box, and I knew it had to be packed full of goodies!  This is my second box with them and I've been very impressed with both of them thus far...enough so that I also recently subscribed to their Mom Box as well (which I will review later today).  Without further ado, here is this month's box.

Such pretty packaging!  I love the hot pink.

The first thing I noticed in the box was a MASSIVE bottle of Nature's Gate Shampoo & Wash for baby.  I like that it's sulfate free (less icky chemicals on baby's skin!) and the smell is very light & not cloying at all like some baby shampoos/washes can be.  I'm not kidding when I say this is a big bottle -- 18 oz., which will last us a long time! They also included a retail coupon for $1 off any Nature's Gate product and a promo code for free shipping on online orders of $30+.

The next thing I noticed was a bottle of Tummy Tickler for Tots apple juice.  They sell refill packs of the juice so you can reuse the cute little top, and I like that the juice is 100% apple juice and organic to boot.  Unfortunately, my little guy (19 months) had a lot of trouble figuring out how to drink from this even with instruction, but I'm sure this would be a bit hit with slightly older babes.   He did have a great time running around the house waving this around, though.

We also received one Little Green Pouch reusable food pouch.  We've used these in the past and filled them with (mostly) applesauce for our little guy instead of buying the more expensive pouches like Plum Organics or Happy Baby.  Sadly, I don't love these pouches because the zippered portion at the top tends to come apart if it's handled with anything except kid gloves, and then becomes totally useless.  We'll use this as a replacement for one we ripped just this week, but I wouldn't buy these again.  They included a 15% off promo code as well.

Next up was one Good Greens apple crumb wellness bar (full size bar).  Tasty, but a bit sweeter than I usually like for my snacks.  I am incredibly impressed, however, that it includes 100% of your daily fruit and vegetables for only 190 calories (70 from fat).  We may pick some more of these up to feed to my little guy, who does NOT like eating veggies, at all, ever.  They included a promo code for 40% off your order (nice!).

Also included were three Fyrefly Organic herbal teas (all "Baby At Breast Tea" kind) -- making 2-4 cups each bag.  They smell and taste sort of chamomile-ish, only a tiny bit tangier.  I'm not breastfeeding anymore, but I do love tea, so these will definitely get used.  They also included a promo code for 15% off your order.

We also got a little sample size of Mama Willow Tree's Little Tree's Trinity Creamy Body Oil.  I have used (and LOVELOVELOVE) their Green Tea Herbal Eye Balm before, so I am excited to try this as well.  I also love that 5% of their proceeds are donated to a non-profit supporting women & children!  The insert said there was a discount included on the packaging for their products, but for the life of me, I could not find it.

Next we have 2 small Cocomo Joe Baby Bars.  I personally did not like these, though those who like coconut more than I do might.  They also almost tasted a tad stale to me.  A promo code was included for 10% off BabyBar orders.

My least favorite thing in the box was the Wexy Lunch & Munch Bags (4 included, each with a different monster picture on it).  Though they are BPA free & biodegradable, I still think I'd rather go with reusable cloth bags for my little guy's snacks & meals out of the house.  Promo code for 30% off online orders included.

Next were two small samples of True Natural baby & family sunscreen.  Each sample is probably just about enough to cover one small kiddo (toddler or smaller) - they're just the right size to toss into your purse or diaper bag (which I love instead of having to carry around a massive tube of sunscreen!).  They say that they are gluten free, which I find strange since you're not actually ingesting these (is that really an issue for those that have gluten sensitivities? I have no idea).  Promo code included for 10% off.

I am intrigued by the sample of Baby Bits wipes solution (sample is large enough to wet 100 wipes, according to the package).  We don't cloth diaper/use reusable wipes, so I will probably pass these on to a friend who does, but I think the product is a great idea.  Promo code included for 20% off an order.

The last non-paper item in the box were two small samples of Novena Organic Bearberry Skin Brightening Moisturizer (a mom gift).  They are touted as "safe maternity skin care."  A promo code was included for 10% off your order.

Finally, we also got a $10 off any product Bamboo Bailey promo code (http://www.bamboobailey.com/), a $5 promo code for Frego (http://www.fregoliving.com/), and a $30 promo code for Ubbi diaper pails (http://www.ubbiworld.com/).

Overall, a really fantastic box this month!  Special thanks to my husband, who took my toddler to the playground to get some energy out while I typed up this review!

If you would like to get your very own Ecocentric Mom subscription box, please use my link (below) and the promo code ECOMOM10 for 10% off any subscription plan!  They have three types of box (Mom-to-Be Discovery Box, Mom Discovery Box, and Baby Discovery Box).

https://ecocentricmom.com/af/kalliejenn81