Yuzen Box- January 2013

It finally came! I felt like I was the last one to receive my box LOL. I was so disappointed to get the news that Yuzen will be a seasonal box from now on. From what I have read on their website, there will be 5 boxes this year. One box for January, and then one box per season to be sent out in February, May, August, and November. This quickly became one of my favorite boxes, and while I am glad I was able to add another monthly box to my rotation, I was sad this one would be coming less frequently.

I love the purple flower theme! I am still trying to think of ways to use the pieces of yuzen paper that come in each box. This month's theme was "new beginnings and inspired awakenings" and it was cute to see that the items in the box mostly had the same purple coloring!

I am a lip balm/gloss junkie so of course this Lavender & Lemon Hydrating Lip Balm from TilVee was the first item I tried. This balm is formulated with cocoa butter, avocado oil, rosehip seed oil, and coconut butter. That must be the secret to its smooth consistency. With the first use, my lips were more hydrated, softer, and less chapped. The more I used it, the better they felt. It comes in a large tube which I think is fantastic! This goes for $6.99 on their website, www.tilvee.com, where they sell 3 other flavors.

Cacao nibs? I will try anything chocolate! My mom and I tried some of these Dark Chocolate Covered Cacao Nibs from Sweet Riot and were pleasantly surprised. Just a few of these were enough to sate our craving for chocolate and they had a nice texture. Each one of these nibs is 1-2 calories and I am digging the tin that they come in. Check out their other cacao products on their website, www.sweetriot.com.

After a nice bath, I popped open this Pangea Organics Facial Cream Italian Red Mandarin with Rose. I could smell the rose right of the bat, the texture of the cream was not too heavy which was nice, it spread nicely on my skin and absorbed quickly so my face was not sticky. These products are made with organic, fair trade ingredients, are cruelty free, and have no preservatives, artificial colors or fragrances. This 1 fl oz tube goes for $16 on their website, www.pangeaorganics.com.

Acure Shampoo and Conditioner with Moroccan Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cell. These are made with 100% plant-derived natural and organic ingredients. These smell deliciously like almond extract and these bottles are large enough that I can get at least 10 uses from them. After the first use, my hair felt great! It was softer and shinier and did not get as tangled as it ususally does at the ends. I am anxious to see if it gets better the more I use it. You can see all their products on their website,  www.acureorganics.com

AromaFloria Stress Less Bubble Bath. Lavender and chamomile, eco-friendly , no parabens, formaldehyde, or chlorine. I can not wait to take a nice long bath after my first day of work with this. It smells very organic and the lavender scent smells very spa-like.  This full sized 9 fl oz bottle goes for $16 on their website, www.aromafloria.com

This might be the product I was looking forward to trying the most. This Sleep Bed Time Ritual Oil from Essence of Vali was the smallest of the items, but packs a big punch. The directions say to add just one drop of this oil to the corner of your pillow so the essences of lavender, marjoram, cedarwood, and ylang ylang can help "ease you into sleep and comfort you during times of stress". Boy, don't I need that right now! These drops are 100% natural and made with pure essential oils. I accidentally spilled more than just a drop on my pillow case, but I did notice that I got a much deeper sleep and fell asleep earlier in the night.  A small 5mL blue bottle of this oil goes for $18 on their website, essenceofvali.com.

I think I may never have to buy another Argan oil ever again, as I get one dropper bottle in at least 1 of my boxes every month. This sample from SheaTerra is 100% pure and from a women's cooperative in Morocco. It smelled "natural" (read: gross), as they have not added fragrance or alcohol to the oil. I soaked my hands in this and put on some spa gloves to let it soak in all night. My hands felt great the next day! But they did not smell so good LOL. They offer a wide variety of products on their website, www.sheaterraorganics.com

Included with the oil dropper was this list of uses for Moroccan Argan Oil. I did not know that you could use the oil for your face as a make up remover or for wrinkles, for stretch marks or for your dry lips! It looks like I will be trying some of these ideas soon.

I am not big into watching "wellness videos". Sometimes its hard for me to get through a yoga DVD, but I think my mom might like this "I AM" DVD from GaiamTV.com. It is supposed to have tips for wellness and health. Who knows,
I may learn something useful!














That is everything from this years first Yuzen box! I am looking forward to the Spring box in February and I hope it is fantastic.

Jenn