Hi friends,
I don't know what's going on with Eco Emi, maybe they are running out of innovative suppliers or their switch to a fully functional website has been overwhelming, but THIS was not a good box!
For those of you who are new to either my blog or Eco Emi, this is a sample subscription box you receive every month for a mere $15/month. I personally think this is a very worthy deal considering the amount of money I used to spend on cosmetics and skin care. The best thing about Eco Emi is that the owner, Christine, focuses on organic, environment friendly, cruelty free products. There is also a combination of skincare, cosmetics, household and food items in each box. Generally there are up to 7 (sometimes more) items and always a full size.
What I like best about Eco Emi is the focus on mom and pop and Etsy shops and I rarely receive an item that is not made in the USA.
That being said, and having been a subscriber since late 2012, I dare say that 2014 has been disappointing, thus far.
1. Kitts Kernel - Red Popcorn - $6.25/ 1.5 lb bag. This popping corn is "non GMO and grown naturally". I was eager to try this since I never had red corn popcorn before. If you check out my coordinating video, you can see the result (and tasting) of this original popcorn. Quite frankly I did not think it tasted anything different from regular popcorn, the kids found it to be very blend and needed sugar added to it. It's just popcorn. Maybe it's healthier since it is non GMO and totally natural, but I was not wowed by this item. C+
2. The Lano Company - 2IN1 Lip Therapy and Cuticle Treatment - $5/tube.
I am not a big fan of multiple use products and I think I mentioned that before. To me the idea of using something on my lips, then my cheeks or in this case either on my hands or my lips is just gross (sorry). This treatment is "infused with jojoba, coconut and sweet almond oils". As a lip treatment, I felt it was too thick and tacky, very similar to a very condensed version of Vaseline. But, as a cuticle treatment...OMG! This is just outstanding! I love the fact that it has a slanted applicator, it goes on well around your nail base and does a great job on those stubborn dry skin patches on my thumbs. Overall I would rate it as a B+, but as cuticle treatment alone, definitely A.
3. La Fresh - Eco Beauty Waterproof Makeup Remover + Nail Polish Remover -
I mentioned in the past that I do not care for eye makeup removers that leave a greasy residue around my lids. I feel that the product (whether mineral or other oil) lodges itself inside my wrinkles and interferes with whatever eye cream I apply afterwards. So I was very excited about trying these Makeup Remover wipes since they are oil free and infused with lavender. Overall, they did a great job on my stubborn eyeliner, one or two swipes and gone. I did not think the texture was smooth enough, it's not gritty or anything like that, but they are not cotton pads either. The price ($9.99 / pouch of 24 wipes) makes it a good option for travel rather than everyday use. B.
I thought the Nail Polish Remover wipes were a great concept. These days I have been suffering with very brittle nails, probably a combination of poor nutrition and too much nail polish and chemicals like Formaldehyde. The company boasts that one wipe will take care of all 10 nails, and it did, but not without some serious elbow grease. By the time my left hand was done, the tiny wipe was soaked in with color from the nail polish I had just removed and it was hard to find a clean spot. The wipe itself is very soft and there is no harsh scent (a plus), but it was not as effective on my second hand because of the saturation from the polish I had just removed. These are also very pricey ($10.99 / 20 wipes) when considering you would be better off using one wipe per hand. Another great option for travel or at the office, but I would not use them on a regular basis. The wipes need to be bigger - just my opinion. B.
4. Purely You Minerals - Lip Gloss in Dawn - $8 / tube. I have received other Purely You Minerals products with my Eco Emi subscription and as far as I can recall, I have been satisfied with their products. This lip gloss to me is more like a balm or sheer tinted lipstick. There was not much "gloss" to it. I am not sure if it was the actual tube I received or whether the formula is just the way I received it, but I felt this was a bit dry. I do love the color (Dawn), it is a brick/coral that works well with my fair complexion. Just not a fan of the formula even though it is "vegan, and all natural vitamins, oils and minerals". B.
5. Kuli kuli - Almond Bar - $2.89/bar. Why is it that Nutritious can't also be Delicious! This Almond bar is loaded with vitamins and medicinal plants like Moringa (which I never heard of before). It is also Gluten-Free and Vegan.
I was super excited about this product, having skipped breakfast on the day I filmed the video for it and really could not wait to eat it. Turns out this is just awful. I don't even know where to begin so let's start with the texture: it is a very dense/solid yet feeling moist type bar that is nothing like other cereal bars. To me it looks like macerated plants packed into a bar with nuts stuck in between (maybe the picture below helps with the description).
It smells weird, a mix of bitter almond and other nuts but quite frankly not appetizing, it's not like you prepare yourself to take a bite into something that is about to be very satisfying. To me, health food needs to be enticing too, if I feel like I am about to be grossed out, it cuts the fun out of eating, and that is what this bar did to me. So of course I had to have other people in the house try it (just in case I am too biased in my weirdness). Well, the kids passed on sight (I can't say I blame them), my husband tried it and said "what is THAT?" promptly giving it back to me, he did not want a second bite. One of my friends was starving too and only took two bites, shaking his head, feeling he's just been had into eating something good for him and asked for something to rinse his mouth with. Well, to make a long story short, it looks weird, it tastes weird - not sure how to describe the taste here and it's unbelievably expensive too ($2.89 / bar). D-. Almost a complete fail, the fact that it is nutritious redeems it and I may have to consider other flavors should I ever decide to eat healthy again, but at this price, does not look like it's happening anytime soon!
6 - Karitex - 100 % Shea Butter - $10/200 gm pouch. If you tally up the price of all the products I received in the March box, it was way over the price of the subscription itself, making it a great buy.
H-O-W-E-V-E-R...This was by far the worst product I have received from Eco Emi and I will go as far as saying that it was the worst product I have ever tried, EVER!
Shea Butter is supposed to be one of the best moisturizers for your skin, alongside coconut oil. This was a huge supply too, so imagine my excitement. I even had plans on transferring it to a nice looking jar and lather myself every night with the stuff. Well, that was until I opened the pouch!
Let me start with the texture. It feels like solidified coconut oil, and that's ok since the product melts with your skin temperature and it is a great moisturizer, you can also use it as a shaving cream. But, it stinks! It smells like rancid butter or putrid water, whatever olfactory insult comes at you first. It not only horrible as a scent, you also can't get rid of it as it fills up the room with its "natural scent". I had no idea Shea Butter smelled so bad. Of course I could have emulsified it with some aromatherapy oil but did not feel like going through the trouble. I don't even know what to say about this product outside of DON'T BUY NATURAL 100% SHEA BUTTER - it STINKS! F.
Well, that was my review for the March 2014 Eco Emi box, there were some products that were nice to try, but nothing here really caught my attention as a winner (or repurchase). Quite disappointing to say the least.
Thank you for reading and sharing my blog - Here is the YouTube version (Open Box Review).
*My blog contains affiliate advertising for which I receive a small commission when you purchase from the links provided. I am never solicited to provide a review for a product, and all opinions are strictly my own. I am a subscriber of Eco Emi Subscription box and purchased my monthly subscription with my own funds.
I don't know what's going on with Eco Emi, maybe they are running out of innovative suppliers or their switch to a fully functional website has been overwhelming, but THIS was not a good box!
For those of you who are new to either my blog or Eco Emi, this is a sample subscription box you receive every month for a mere $15/month. I personally think this is a very worthy deal considering the amount of money I used to spend on cosmetics and skin care. The best thing about Eco Emi is that the owner, Christine, focuses on organic, environment friendly, cruelty free products. There is also a combination of skincare, cosmetics, household and food items in each box. Generally there are up to 7 (sometimes more) items and always a full size.
What I like best about Eco Emi is the focus on mom and pop and Etsy shops and I rarely receive an item that is not made in the USA.
That being said, and having been a subscriber since late 2012, I dare say that 2014 has been disappointing, thus far.
 |
| March 2014 - Eco Emi Box |
 |
| Kitts Kernels - Red Popcorn |
2. The Lano Company - 2IN1 Lip Therapy and Cuticle Treatment - $5/tube.
I am not a big fan of multiple use products and I think I mentioned that before. To me the idea of using something on my lips, then my cheeks or in this case either on my hands or my lips is just gross (sorry). This treatment is "infused with jojoba, coconut and sweet almond oils". As a lip treatment, I felt it was too thick and tacky, very similar to a very condensed version of Vaseline. But, as a cuticle treatment...OMG! This is just outstanding! I love the fact that it has a slanted applicator, it goes on well around your nail base and does a great job on those stubborn dry skin patches on my thumbs. Overall I would rate it as a B+, but as cuticle treatment alone, definitely A.
 |
| 2IN1 Lip and Cuticle Treatment by The Lano Company |
3. La Fresh - Eco Beauty Waterproof Makeup Remover + Nail Polish Remover -
I mentioned in the past that I do not care for eye makeup removers that leave a greasy residue around my lids. I feel that the product (whether mineral or other oil) lodges itself inside my wrinkles and interferes with whatever eye cream I apply afterwards. So I was very excited about trying these Makeup Remover wipes since they are oil free and infused with lavender. Overall, they did a great job on my stubborn eyeliner, one or two swipes and gone. I did not think the texture was smooth enough, it's not gritty or anything like that, but they are not cotton pads either. The price ($9.99 / pouch of 24 wipes) makes it a good option for travel rather than everyday use. B.
 |
| La Fresh Nail Polish and Eye Makeup Remover Wipes |
I thought the Nail Polish Remover wipes were a great concept. These days I have been suffering with very brittle nails, probably a combination of poor nutrition and too much nail polish and chemicals like Formaldehyde. The company boasts that one wipe will take care of all 10 nails, and it did, but not without some serious elbow grease. By the time my left hand was done, the tiny wipe was soaked in with color from the nail polish I had just removed and it was hard to find a clean spot. The wipe itself is very soft and there is no harsh scent (a plus), but it was not as effective on my second hand because of the saturation from the polish I had just removed. These are also very pricey ($10.99 / 20 wipes) when considering you would be better off using one wipe per hand. Another great option for travel or at the office, but I would not use them on a regular basis. The wipes need to be bigger - just my opinion. B.
4. Purely You Minerals - Lip Gloss in Dawn - $8 / tube. I have received other Purely You Minerals products with my Eco Emi subscription and as far as I can recall, I have been satisfied with their products. This lip gloss to me is more like a balm or sheer tinted lipstick. There was not much "gloss" to it. I am not sure if it was the actual tube I received or whether the formula is just the way I received it, but I felt this was a bit dry. I do love the color (Dawn), it is a brick/coral that works well with my fair complexion. Just not a fan of the formula even though it is "vegan, and all natural vitamins, oils and minerals". B.
 |
| Purely You Minerals - lip Balm in Dawn |
5. Kuli kuli - Almond Bar - $2.89/bar. Why is it that Nutritious can't also be Delicious! This Almond bar is loaded with vitamins and medicinal plants like Moringa (which I never heard of before). It is also Gluten-Free and Vegan.
 |
| Picture Source |
 |
| Kuli Kuli - Almond Bar |
It smells weird, a mix of bitter almond and other nuts but quite frankly not appetizing, it's not like you prepare yourself to take a bite into something that is about to be very satisfying. To me, health food needs to be enticing too, if I feel like I am about to be grossed out, it cuts the fun out of eating, and that is what this bar did to me. So of course I had to have other people in the house try it (just in case I am too biased in my weirdness). Well, the kids passed on sight (I can't say I blame them), my husband tried it and said "what is THAT?" promptly giving it back to me, he did not want a second bite. One of my friends was starving too and only took two bites, shaking his head, feeling he's just been had into eating something good for him and asked for something to rinse his mouth with. Well, to make a long story short, it looks weird, it tastes weird - not sure how to describe the taste here and it's unbelievably expensive too ($2.89 / bar). D-. Almost a complete fail, the fact that it is nutritious redeems it and I may have to consider other flavors should I ever decide to eat healthy again, but at this price, does not look like it's happening anytime soon!
6 - Karitex - 100 % Shea Butter - $10/200 gm pouch. If you tally up the price of all the products I received in the March box, it was way over the price of the subscription itself, making it a great buy.
H-O-W-E-V-E-R...This was by far the worst product I have received from Eco Emi and I will go as far as saying that it was the worst product I have ever tried, EVER!
Shea Butter is supposed to be one of the best moisturizers for your skin, alongside coconut oil. This was a huge supply too, so imagine my excitement. I even had plans on transferring it to a nice looking jar and lather myself every night with the stuff. Well, that was until I opened the pouch!
 |
| Karitex - 100 % Shea Butter |
Let me start with the texture. It feels like solidified coconut oil, and that's ok since the product melts with your skin temperature and it is a great moisturizer, you can also use it as a shaving cream. But, it stinks! It smells like rancid butter or putrid water, whatever olfactory insult comes at you first. It not only horrible as a scent, you also can't get rid of it as it fills up the room with its "natural scent". I had no idea Shea Butter smelled so bad. Of course I could have emulsified it with some aromatherapy oil but did not feel like going through the trouble. I don't even know what to say about this product outside of DON'T BUY NATURAL 100% SHEA BUTTER - it STINKS! F.
Well, that was my review for the March 2014 Eco Emi box, there were some products that were nice to try, but nothing here really caught my attention as a winner (or repurchase). Quite disappointing to say the least.
Thank you for reading and sharing my blog - Here is the YouTube version (Open Box Review).
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*My blog contains affiliate advertising for which I receive a small commission when you purchase from the links provided. I am never solicited to provide a review for a product, and all opinions are strictly my own. I am a subscriber of Eco Emi Subscription box and purchased my monthly subscription with my own funds.
3 Researches REVEAL How Coconut Oil Kills Waist Fat.
ReplyDeleteThis means that you actually burn fat by consuming coconut fats (including coconut milk, coconut cream and coconut oil).
These 3 studies from big medical magazines are sure to turn the conventional nutrition world around!