Yuzen Box Review: November 2012

Yuzen is the first new subscription box I received since cancelling Birchbox, Sample Society, New Beauty Test Tube and Beauty Fix. I decided to cancel the ones I have already been subscribed to for a while to give new subs a chance without straining my bank account too much. All of the new subs I’m trying out are on the pricier end, and I basically want to see for myself if any of them are worth it.

One of the subscriptions I was really curious about was Yuzen because of their promise to deliver a little bit of zen to our doorsteps each month. Every package is carefully curated and a lot of attention is paid to small details that just make you smile when you notice them: like a lovely ribbon wrapped box, a gorgeous hand-made sheet of chiyogami paper, or cute bows on sample sachets.


About Yuzen Box:
Yuzen is a monthly subscription service that costs $26/month. In your box you will receive a mix of eco-friendly, cruelty-free, natural and organic lifestyle and beauty products plus a sheet of authentic hand-crafted Yuzen paper (new paper each month, I thought it was a pretty cool touch). All products are either very generously deluxe-sized or full-sized. They ship USPS Priority mail so you only have to wait for a couple days after receiving the shipping notification. Each month’s box value is always $60 or above.
Click here to sign up.

1. Savane Certified Organic Purifying Toner
I rarely use toners because I felt like they don’t do anything for me. I do use L’Occitane Angelica toner when my skin needs extra moisture [which is rare because I have combination skin], or Lush Tea Tree toner when it’s way too oily [that also doesn’t happen very often]. This particular toner is meant for everyday use after the face is clean and dry and before applying the moisturizer. From what I could read on the label, this toner is 100% natural, and 79.93% of that is certified organic by Ecocert. It does contain a small amount of alcohol which is fine with me but could be a problem for some people. I plan to introduce this toner to my daily beauty routine and see if it works out.

2. Shea Radiance Kalahari Melon Whipped Shea Butter 
I recently fell in love with whipped shea butter body creams [thanks to Shea Terra] so I was very happy to receive a similar product from a different brand to compare them. Compared to Shea Terra whipped body butter, this one has more air in it and I think it’s easier to spread on your skin. It’s very rich and moisturizing so I doubt it’s meant for oily skin, but it felt just right on my combination skin. A little goes a long way, just a small dab was enough to cover my whole arm with it. I didn’t care much for the scent, it’s slightly warm, spicy and buttery and I usually prefer either completely unscented products or something fruity or in-your-face “vanillified”. This will be a nice treat for my skin to use at night, mainly because of the scent and the richness.
3. Keeki Lip Shimmer in Sophisticated 
I went to check out the company website after reading that their mission is to provide “only the healthiest and safest cosmetics and body products”. I actually have too many lip products open right now so I want to at least partially finish those before I open any new ones, which means I won’t be able to review it at this time. From what I’ve read, everybody seems to agree that these lip shimmer sticks nourish the lips well and provide just the right amount of shimmer. Keeki also makes non-toxic nail polish which would be great for your little girls that want to be pretty like their mommies and use “grown up” products 🙂
4. Zents Bath Salts in EARTH and MANDARIN
I enjoy taking occasional baths so these salt soaks will be perfect for my next SPA-day occasion. The Mandarin one smells heavenly, it scented my entire box! The Earth one is a bit more toned down but it’s still a really nice and pleasant fragrance. I predict my skin will smell just like that after using them in my bath. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that this company doesn’t test on animals, and all of their products are free of parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl/eth sulfate, propylene glycol, and dyes.
The snack bar was a delicious treat and I’m glad it didn’t have peanuts in it. I don’t have peanut allergies, I just don’t like peanuts in general. One bar is enough to feel satisfied, it’s perfect for a snack and it’s big enough so you get more than two bites out of it.

Promo codes
  • Keeki: 20% online store discount – use the code YUZEN20
  • Simple Squares: 10% online store discount – use the code GFD
  • Shea Radiance: 20% online store discount – use the code LOHAS2012
  • Zaega: 25% off purchase over $100 – use the code YUZEN

Product Retail Value
Savane Certified Organic Purifying Toner $44.00
Shea Radiance Kalahari Melon Whipped Shea Butter $8.50
Keeki Lip Shimmer in Sophisticated $6.99
Zents Bath Salts in EARTH and MANDARIN $11.00
Simple Squares Cinnamon Clove Whole Food Snack Bar $2.49
Box Retail Value $72.98

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