Thursday, June 21, 2012

Citrus Lane review

     I got my first Citrus Lane box last week and I was beyond impressed. It is definitely one of my favorite subscription boxes. (I've also tried Bluum box, but it hardly compares to Citrus Lane because they contain mainly samples and they don't tailor the boxes based on age so Owen was starting to get stuff more for infants). Citrus Lane sends parents of babies and toddlers from newborns to 3 years olds four to five full-size items per month tailored specifically to their child's age and gender. Each month the box is organized around a theme like "Fun in the Sun" and "Bed and Bathtime Fun." The boxes cost $25 a month, though I used a promotional code and got mine for less. 
     My first box was the June box with the "Little Artists" theme. It was full of fun music and art-themed products. Owen enjoyed opening his own box and pulling out the pretty yellow tissue paper. (The fact that the box made jingling noises was pretty exciting too.) 



     Every box includes a flyer that gives you an overview of the theme of the month and then a detailed description of what products are included in that month's box, including regular price for the items and sometimes even special promotional codes and discounts for subscribers. 
     Here is what I got in my box this month:


1.  Wee Can Too Veggie Art Kit - $19.99
Eco-friendly, organic, and safe-to-eat fingerpaints and veggie crayons (we got two of each in greens, yellows, and an orangey-red). The fingerpaints are made from organic fruit and vegetable powders and are a little grainy when mixed with water. The consistency is weird and they don't look like normal paints when applied to paper, but I was more interested in using them for the experience, not the finished product. (Though Owen's first masterpiece is hanging on the fridge.) We used ours outside just in case, but I didn't have any problems with the paints staining. And after we painting, I just picked Owen up and took him in for a bath, though the paint would easily wipe off with a wet washcloth. Owen just seemed to paint himself more than he did the paper. The box also included a code for 20 percent off a purchase at Wee Can Too Art. 


2. Putamayo 2012 Playground Sampler CD - $5.00
I am in love with this CD. It features eight songs from seven of Putamayo Kids' popular children's music CDs, including "Cowboy Playground" and "Kids World Party." The songs are so cute and way better than listening to Barney or the Wiggles or some other equally annoying music. A few of the songs are even sung in different languages. Watching Owen bob up and down to the music is so cute. I can definitely see myself buying their CDs when Owen is a bit older or for when we take a road trip. 


3. Hohner Kids Musical Instrument (a tambourine) - $7.00-$11.00
These musical instruments are BPA and phthalate-free and used to help introduce children to making music. They are perfectly sized for little hands to shake, rattle, and roll. Other kids from Citrus Lane received maracas or a dog-shaped whistle. Owen doesn't love this right now, but as he cycles through favorite toys, I'm sure at some point this one will be fun for him.
4. Pop and Lolli decal (1) - $67 for set of 16
Pop and Lolli decals are made from real fabric and are reusable and recyclable. And with each purchase made, Pop and Lolli donate educational materials and resources to a South African child. These decals are oh-so-cute. Owen received a really cute owl wearing a top hat. We are currently painting his room, but I've already begun trying to decide where to place this on the wall. I'm thinking about "perching" him on top of Owen's bookcase. Citrus Lane also included a promotional code for 15 percent off at Pop and Lilli.
5. BabyGanics Toy & Table Cleaner - $3.99
This non-toxic spray has no parabens, no sulfates, and no phthalates, yet is effective at cleaning splats and spills off tables. It's even great for cleaning off toys after they've been chewed and drooled on. I have used it so far to wipe up where Owen smears his lunch on the table and it worked fantastically. I 
6. A $35 voucher for Minted.com - $35
Minted offers stationary, birth announcements, invitations, and more in fun modern, graphic styles. They are pretty pricey so I most likely wouldn't order from them normally, but I was able to find some stationary for $35. So all I had to do was pay for shipping. I got some really cute cards for Owen so that I can write thank you notes whenever someone buys him a gift. If you use a referral link to join Minted, you can get a $25 credit to add onto the $35 credit from Citrus Lane. Unfortunately I didn't know that before I used my promo card, but if you're interested in doing it, you can use my referral link and get $60 worth of merchandise for free! 


      So for $25 you get $78.98 worth of product (or more if you use the referral link for Minted). That's a great deal! And watching Owen paint and play has been so much fun this month. I really hope that Citrus Lane continues to give me things that I can use with Owen to expose him to new things and entertain him. 
      If you're interesting in trying Citrus Lane, you can get 10 percent off your subscription by using the code SPRINGFUN. You'll save $7.50 on three months, $12.50 on six months, or $25 on twelve months. Click here if you want to check it out. I'd love it if you used my link so that I can get credit towards a free box at some point. 
     I think what I love most about this box is being introduced to products that I might not have thought to buy or discovered myself. I loved being able to fingerpaint with Owen for the first time. And watching him dance to his music CD. Once again, I am so impressed with the items in my first box. And with that, I'll leave you with some pictures of Owen using his new fingerpaints. 


5 comments:

  1. This looks so cool! I am thinking I need to order this up!

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  2. It is very cool. I like it a ton more than Bluum box. It's more expensive, sure, but it has full-size items and so much more inside. I love it! If you want to try it out, please use my link because I think I get points toward a free box or something like that. Let me know if you decide to try it. It would be interesting to see what they give your sweetie since he's a bit younger.

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  3. Completely agree that Citrus Lane is a MILLION times better than Bluum. I canceled my subscription to Bluum because the samples were super small and useless.

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  4. Thanks for reviewing this. I'm looking into signing up and this is great information.

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  5. Awesome! Thanks for the review...do you know if they ship Internationally?

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