June Conscious Box review

    Thanks to my dear friend Haley (who knows I've become a subscription box junkie), I was gifted a Conscious box this month for my birthday. It arrived exactly on my birthday. I had so much fun digging through the box when it arrived and I'm still working on trying out all the free samples included inside. Unlike most sample subscription boxes that come with only 5-6 samples, Conscious Box comes packed!
    For those of you who don't know, Conscious Box is a monthly subscription service designed to introduce consumers to "ethical, sustainable, and honest businesses that create the purest products available." The samples include everything from organic food to vegan beauty products. Conscious Box costs $12 a month plus shipping and handling.  

   The theme of this month's box was "Leap into Summer." The box was described on a small card enclosed: "Summer days linger long as the light slides gently through the trees and away into night. Early summer eves awaken our spirits as warm air drifts over our skin and nature coaxes us to join it. Allow the bounty of June's essence to wash over you, reinvigorating your soul with this season's abundance of energy. Embrace this season's simple gifts and revel in what they bring."

      This month's box included the following samples (flavors and scents vary by box):

Vega One Nutritional Shake ( Vanilla Chai flavor) - This is a plant-based powder that you mix into water to make a shake that contains 50 percent of your daily vitamins and minerals, 15 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, and assorted probiotics and antioxidants. The shake was actually pretty good. I really liked the vanilla chai flavor. 
Artisana Sattva Cashew Butter - This organic cashew butter was really tasty. I love cashews and the flavor really came through. It wasn't as sweet as peanut butter, which was nice. It was smooth and creamy, and not too sticky or thick. Owen and I shared this spread on bread for lunch yesterday. He seemed to like it a bunch too. 
KO Denmark Lotion (Jasmine, Neroli, and Rose) - This vegan lotion is fragrance-free, sulfate-free, glycol-free, phthalates-free, silicone-free, and paraben-free. It is designed for all skin types and features ingredients like Indian Jasmine, Tunisian Neroli, and Bulgarian Rose. This lotion was unlike any other lotion I've tried before. It had a thinner, more watery texture than your normal thick, almost greasy lotion. I really like how it soaked into my skin and the scent was really nice too. My skin felt super soft hours later. I'm actually pretty sad that my sample is all used up.
Nuti-Masu Life Ocean Salt - This 100 percent pure and natural salt from Okinawa, Japan, can be mixed with water to make an economical, eco-friendly, sugar free sports drink. This does not taste anything like a conventional sports drink, so don't expect lemon-lime or glacier freeze. It definitely tastes mainly like slightly salty water. It's not really bad, but I would maybe rather drink it mixed in with juice. 
Lara Bar (Peanut Butter and Jelly flavor) - This is a nutritional energy bar with simple ingredients. Owen ate half of my bar yesterday for a snack. I have had Lara Bars before and I really like how moist they are. I am not a huge fan of peanut butter and jelly flavor, but I know Lara Bar has many other delicious flavors.

Mighty Leaf Tea (Organic Spring Jasmine and Organic Earl Grey) - This handpicked whole leaf organic tea comes in a biodegradable pouch free of glue and staples. Mighty Leaf is a member of Good Partner Initiatives in places like Sri Lanka and Morocco. I tried the Earl Grey tea last night and was very happy with it. It was a nice, bold black tea with the very distinctive flavor of earl grey. I'd forgotten how soothing it is to relax with a hot cup of tea and a good book. 
Natural Vitality Energy 28 (Berry flavor) -This energy shot comes from powerful whole-food sources and contains Golden Chlorella, Bioenergy Ribose, organic Maca, Rhodiola, and 24 organic fruits and veggies. The directions say to either drink it straight or add it to juice. I decided just to take the shot. It wasn't especially tasty, but I did feel like I had more energy during the day. Even without my usual morning cup o' joe. And, you know, I really did need more golden chlorella in my diet. :)
Savvy Boheme Allons-Y Natural Deoderant ( Lavender and Grapefruit) -  This deodorant is free of GMO, artificial fragrance, aluminum, and propylene gycol. Luckily I read the packaging before I tried this because it came in a tube that looked like lip balm. That would have been embarrassing! It smells really good. 
Vita Rocks (Cherry Blast and Lemon Burst flavors) - These are fun, innovative vitamins just like Pop Rocks candy. The flavor was a little medicine-y at first, but then the sweetness from the cane juice and brown rice syrup came through. These are packed full of vitamins, including 50 percent of your daily value of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, and minerals like iodine, calcium, zinc, and magnesium. They were super fun to eat and I bet they would be a major hit with kids and teens. 
The Natural Newborn Bug Stopper Soap - This natural soap repels bugs without the use of harsh chemicals or toxins. I haven't used this soap yet, but it smells nice. I will definitely put it on Owen before we go outside to play next time. 
Kelp Krunch Sesame Seaweed Energy Bar -  This organic, gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free vegan energy bar uses sustainably-harvested kelp. Proceeds from the sale of each bar supports Allied Whale, one of the oldest whale conservation organizations in the country. And honestly, believe it or not, it was tasty. Really tasty. And it has just four ingredients: sesame seeds, brown rice syrup, maple syrup and kelp. 
     
    The box also included coupon codes to buy full-sizes of many of the products. A $5 gift certificate for Soap Hope was also included. 
    Based on this box, it would seem the Conscious Box is a really great deal compared to a lot of other sample boxes. There were at least 12 different samples in the box, practically double most other sample boxes. I'm not really a "green" person and I'm for sure not a vegetarian, much less a vegan, but I really enjoy trying out some more eco-conscious products. I have consistently bought organic food for Owen and I love brands like Seventh Generation. Every little bit helps, right? I definitely recommend Conscious Box if you are interested in trying products from businesses that are working to make a healthier and happier planet. Click here if you want more information about Conscious Box or if you want to subscribe.