Bombay & Cedar is a luxury lifestyle subscription box for women that focuses on essential oils, diffusers, skincare, books, snacks, and other products. I always get excited about this box because it usually has such a crazy variety of things and they are always thoughtfully curated.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
This review is of the Premium $49.95 box.
About Bombay & Cedar Self-Care and Aromatherapy Subscription Box
The Box: Bombay & Cedar
The Cost: $49.95 per month + shipping, or save with longer subscriptions.
The Products: 2 essential oils and 6-7 full-size products such as diffusers, skincare, books, healthy snacks, and other surprises with a retail value of $100+.
Ships to: US for $6.95, Canada for $16.95, and internationally for $23.95
Good to know: They now offer a Mini Box that has 5-7 full and deluxe size samples with a retail value of $60+ for $29.95/month.
Bombay & Cedar "Expose" Review
The box comes with a booklet of information that lists out the products and highlights some of the brands. The theme this month is 'Expose'.
Radiate Essential Oil Blend, 10 ml - Listed Value $16.00
Cedarwood Essential Oil, 10 ml - Listed Value $14.00
This box usually sends along some really excellent blends and 'Radiate' is no exception. This blend of lavender, chamomile, and tea tree oil is somehow calming as well as stimulating. Because this trio of scents is blended into a carrier oil (jojoba), you can use a few drops directly on your skin or in your diffuser. The cedarwood is not in a carrier oil, so avoid using this directly on skin. It makes a woodsy compliment to lavender and sweet orange in a diffuser.
Jackpot Sweet & Salty Popcorn, 1 oz - Listed Value $1.00 (Buy 24 pouches for $9.99)
I never say no to popcorn and this bag contains a perfect blend of sweet and salty. At just 140 calories it makes a nice and mostly guilt-free afternoon snack.
APPEAL Cosmetics Bronze Highlighter Drops,0.5 fl oz- Retail Value $29.00
I can't tell if these drops are just thicker than I expected, or if they are a little dried out. The bottle mouth itself does have an issue with buildup, which is a little bit of a bummer. At first, I thought these drops were way too dark for me, but when used lightly they are a sheer bronze, slightly rosy wash of color that is quite pretty. I liked it enough to add a few drops of coconut oil to the bottle, which really helped thin out the formula. I feel like it would be really pretty if you added a few drops to your body lotion. Also included was a $20 gift code to use on the APPEAL Cosmetics site.
This is at essentially full coverage!
Grow Fragrance Fabric + Air Refresher, 5 fl oz - Retail Value $12.00
This 100% plant-based fabric and room spray smells really good. I enjoy both currants and rose scents, but together they make a sort of unexpected, almost perfumy scent. It isn't fruity, but it isn't over the top floral either. I am actually having a hard time describing it! Just a few sprays can freshen a room or use sparingly to freshen up your linens.
elizabethW Exfoliating Pouch in 'Magnolia' - Retail Value $7.00
This might randomly be my favorite item in the box this month. This pouch is made from cotton terry cloth and is filled with chunky bits of salt which soften the water as they dissolve inside while you exfoliate in the shower. For someone like myself, who shies away from regular exfoliation (due to the most sensitive leg skin in the world) this is a gentle alternative to rough sponges or body polishes. The magnolia scent is so girly and over the top floral. I love it!
Knock Knock Paint by Numbers Postcard Set - Retail Value $14.00 (currently on sale for $10.50)
I have a hard enough time getting letters and postcards into the mail without the extra step of painting them beforehand, but for a stationery enthusiast, I imagine this is a pretty exciting little kit. It contains 12 thick postcards and 6 different designs of vintage-inspired cocktails. Also included is a small paintbrush, a set of paints, and a mixing guide.
Wona Trading Packable Straw Visor - Listed Value $20.00
I really love this hat, so I am a little bummed that I have such a big noggin. It is just too small for my head! While it is a little adjustable, it would best fit a head with a circumference of closer to 20 inches, not my GIGANTIC *cough* 23 inch *cough* head. I can make it work, but the black velcro shows, meaning the search for the perfect fishing hat continues.
Glister Travel Flat Iron - Retail Value $45.00
Finally, our last item is the world's cutest mini hair straightener. This is perfect for traveling if you straighten your hair regularly, or use an iron to create flat iron waves (a technique that still eludes me). There were a few different iron colors and pouch designs offered and I am pretty pleased with the pretty metallic gold one I received. It only has one temp, but it gets HOT!
Verdict: This month's Bombay & Cedar box was a really good mixture of fun and practical products. Most subscribers would be hard-pressed to not find most of this selection useful! My faves were the exfoliating pouch and the flat iron. The hat would have been a home run, but my big head got in the way. I will gift it to someone who will love it like I wish I could! The highlighter drops are good for summer, though I am sure I will have tons of these floating around as summer progresses. Highlighters and bronzers are really easy to come across in boxes. The only 'meh' item for me was the postcard kit, though admittedly it just seems like a ton of extra work that I can't see myself indulging in just to send a postcard. While I couldn't find every item's retail value independently, based on the listed values, we are looking at a box with a value of around $158.00 (not including the $20 APPEAL Cosmetics code), which is good for a $50 box.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, but order by 7/12 to get the July box!
Value Breakdown: This box costs $49.95 + $6.95 shipping, which means that you are paying approximately the following per item:
- Radiate Oil $5.76
- Cedar Oil $5.04
- Popcorn $0.36
- Appeal Highlighter Drops $10.44
- Grow Fragrance Spray $4.32
- ElizabethW Exfoliating Pouch $2.52
- Knock Knock Postcard Kit $5.04
- Straw Visor $7.20
- Glister Mini Flat Iron $16.20
Alternatively, each of the 9 items in the box has an average cost of $6.32.
Check out all of our Bombay & Cedar reviews and the best women's subscription boxes of 2019!
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What do you think of the Bombay & Cedar "Expose" Box?
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