Moms + Babes is a quarterly subscription service that caters to both moms and their young kids. This subscription previously offered dedicated boxes for moms and infants, moms and toddlers, and just for moms, but last year they combined the boxes—now only one box is offered. Each box is promised to contain $150+ in retail value.
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.)
About this Box for Moms
The Subscription Box: Moms + Babes
The Cost: $59 per quarter. Past boxes are available for one-time purchase at a discounted cost.
The Products: At least six full-size, premium products for moms and their babies 4x a year. Every box is promised to contain $150+ in product.
Ships to: The US (free shipping) & International (for a $20 flat rate)
Moms + Babes Spring 2020 Review
Well, hello, there! The last time I reviewed the Moms + Babes box was in fall of last year, and my daughter Lorelai was about 13 months old. Now she's approaching 21 months old, and honestly in that 8 months it feels like an eternity has passed! Since that last box came Lorelai has developed into a true toddler, and Moms + Babes combined their infant and toddler boxes into one. This quarter's box didn't arrive with a pamphlet or info card of any kind, just a big ol' box of products to explore. I received 13 items this quarter, and I'll start by showing you the 3 things that are meant for the babes.
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Eli & Ali Tush Swiper - Retail Value $9.99
This diaper cream applicator is a clever little gadget. It screws onto the top of your diaper cream tube—the 14 brands it's compatible with are listed on the side of the box, and include common ones like Desitin, Bourdeaux's, Burt's Bees, and The Honest Co. We were really reliant on diaper cream when Lorelai was a wee one, as she had really sensitive skin, but we haven't had the need for it for quite some time now. My sister-in-law, however, has a one week old baby at home (we are over the moon!), so this will be passed along to her and I just know it will go to good use.
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Lou Lou Lollipop Silicone Pacifier Clip, Pink - Retail Value $15
The next item for babes is a silicone pacifier clip from the popular brand Loulou Lollipop. Seriously, I see these things all over Instagram! I bought one that had some wooden beads on it for Lorelai before she was even born, and when she arrived those beads seemed way too clunky and heavy to make much sense for us. This all-silicone one strikes me as being an improvement (though the silicone-and-wood ones are still available on their site if you're interested in checking them out).
In my last Moms + Babes review I mentioned that Lorelai had recently transitioned from wanting a pacifier throughout the day to only needing it as a sleep aid, and that's still applicable today. So this is another item we'll be passing along. That said, the tiny babies in our lives are all boys, and while there's nothing wrong with a baby boy using a pink paci clip, I'm surprised to see that pink is the color that was included, since the Moms + Babes box doesn't have a place to indicate your little one's sex. I couldn't find this exact all-pink clip on the Loulou Lollipop site, but I linked to all their other silicone paci clips, and there are a bunch in there that I think make great gender-neutral picks.
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Barefoot Scientist Rehab-Advanced Healing System Cream, 0.68 oz - Retail Value $16
The final for-babes item I received in my box is this antibiotic healing cream. This dermatologist-tested ointment is meant to disinfect, calm inflammation, and increase oxygen flow when applied to small cuts. It's hypoallergenic, vegan, cruelty-free, and free of phthalates and parabens—just about all the things I look for in skincare products! It does say to keep away from children on the package, which is odd to me for an item that you would use on a kid's skin, but I guess they mean don't let your kid play with it or consume it, which makes sense. Lorelai and her papa both get cracked heels and toes when walking around in sandals/barefoot in the summertime, so we'll tuck this away until that time comes.
That's it for the "babes" products in this quarter's box. Frankly, I'm a bit disappointed, both that the selection wasn't divided up a little more evenly and that the items themselves weren't more useful to us. I would've loved to have received one or two things I could've handed over to Lorelai while she watched me unpack this box. In past quarters, there have been snacks and small toys included, so I don't think I had unrealistic expectations.
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ReverseKarma Stay Lit Meditation Incense Sticks - Retail Value $5.55
Now, on to the mama goods! The first one is this set of 7 colorful incense sticks. We burn incense regularly in our house, but we really only keep to what works for us: Nag Champa, cedarwood, and Palo Santo. Each of the sticks in this pack has a different scent, which include jasmine, lavender, watermelon, gardenia, lemongrass, "harmony," and cherry. There are a few in there that I'm sure I'd like, but I know from experience (I received a sample size of this pack in a previous subscription box) that I'm really not into some of them, so I decided to keep the pack intact and save it as a gift for someone who might have fun exploring the variety.
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Skinesque 3-Step Charcoal Sheet Masks, Box of 5 - Retail Value $35 (currently on sale for $17.50)
Next up is a set of five brightening charcoal sheet masks. Each includes two attached pouches, providing you with the formulas you need to complete a three-step process. Step 1 is cleaning your face with a gentle foaming cleanser with papaya and apple extracts, Step 2 is applying a hydra essence with sodium hyaluronate (confession: they lost me here), and Step 3 is applying the charcoal sheet mask to your face. I'm sad to report that this is another miss for me—especially because if I loved this product, I would be so pumped to have 5 opportunities to use it—but after trying to get into sheet masks in fits and starts over the past couple of years, I finally had a moment of honesty with myself and decided they just aren't for me. Sitting with a wet thing on my face, worried it will drip, and not able to really smile or talk, just isn't my idea of relaxation. But I think I'm in the minority here! When socializing is allowed again, this could be a fun/funny thing to do with friends.
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DermaE Microdermabrasion Scrub, 2 oz - Retail Value $32.50
We have now arrived at my favorite item of this quarter's Moms + Babes box! Oh dear dear dear (for those of you familiar with the book "Square") do I love it. I wasn't sure what to expect of this facial scrub but it was already in my good graces just by virtue of being non-GMO, cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and in a nice glass jar. On the side of the box, as you can see in one of the above photos, it lists all the "bad stuff" this product is free of and gives a nod to the ethical commitments this company has made. As someone whose skincare and makeup routine is extremely simple, that's the stuff that catches my attention in beauty products. The exfoliant in this scrub is made from a "fine-textured crystal blend," plus Dead Sea salt, with citrus essential oils to help soothe. It smells beautifully citrusy! As I gently rubbed it on my face, I could feel some of the old dry, dead skin loosen, and as I rinsed it off, my face felt refreshed, and smoother than ever. This product is meant to be used up to 2 times per week, and I can absolutely see myself using it routinely!
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Sonage C Shield Smart Serum, 0.5 fl oz - Retail Value $48
This is the second of a series of beauty products meant for the face that were included in this quarter's box. It's a lightweight serum that's to be applied after washing, but before moisturizing your face. The serum is made with "revolutionary technology that protects skin from blue light from your smart phones and laptops." I sure would love to know the science behind that! It's not that I don't believe it, per se, but the promise wasn't compelling enough for me to add another step to my daily routine. The anti-aging and evenness qualities seemed like something my mum might be interested in, so I passed it along to her and she's really excited to try it.
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Queen V Bombshell Bath Bombs - Retail Value $9
Next up is a set of 3 bath bombs infused with sweet orange and rosemary oils to relieve menstrual discomfort and soothe your body. Sounds really relaxing! The last time I took a bath was the day I got home after my daughter was born almost 2 years ago, haha. Anytime I've had a free moment to do my own thing since then I've high-tailed it out of the house, because if I'm home, you best believe Lorelai's finding me and needing me. Any other mums out there have this experience? In many ways I love that she always wants to be near me, but it isn't the most conducive to unwinding. Now that she's a little older, though, maybe we could take a bath together! That sounds kind of fun, actually!
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Masquebar Coffee Hydro Gel Eye Patches - Retail Value $2.99
This pair of eye masks have caffeine extract (didn't know that was a thing!) to reduce puffiness under your eyes. Similar to how I feel about sheet masks, I'm not usually one to go for this type of product, but I thought, what the heck, let's see how it goes. The masks are really slippery and jiggly and hilarious to try to hold onto, and the serum they are soaked in has a very faint coffee scent. They felt very soothing on my face! I had to do everything I could think of not to smile or else they'd fall right off—as you can see from the last photo, I am in full ragged, unshowered mom mode attempting not to smile—but all was lost as soon as Lorelai noticed me wearing them and did a double take, then cautiously poked one. I didn't end up keeping them on for the full recommended 20 minutes, but it added some interest to our day, which is as much of a win as anything to me!
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Indigo Wild Sea Salt Zum Mist, 4 fl oz - Retail Value $12
Okay, I've tried what feels like a gazillion mists and sprays over the past few years of subscribing to various lifestyle boxes, and began to think of them sort of as fillers. That is so not the case with this one! It. Is. Awesome. The ingredients are simple: purified water, essential oils, and vegetable glycerin—and you can tell there are no emulsifiers in there, because it separates when you leave it sitting. I do find it odd that the specific essential oils used aren't listed on the bottle nor Indigo Wild website, because some folks are sensitive to certain plants and oils, but if I had to guess I'd say there's citrus oil and perhaps ginger. It smells so refreshing and uplifting, and the scent lingers in the air or on your body for a surprisingly long time. I have it in our bathroom, and it's working really well there!
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Spero-Hope LLC Pure Lato Mask, 2 oz - Retail Value $12
How cute is the little canvas pouch this clay mask came in? Despite being tickled by the pouch and the handmade vibe of this set, I was a little exhausted to have another mask to contend with. I can't say for sure, but I imagine that even if you are a mask person, three is a little much for one box. I decided to put my attitude aside and give this a try while my daughter was napping. You're supposed to scoop some into your palm, add droplets of water to make a paste, rub it on your face, and rinse it off once it's dried. It dried pretty quickly—the areas I applied earliest were dry before I was finished—and it had a very severe tightening effect. It was kind of cool, actually! Rather than making a mess of my sink I decided to take a shower and rinse it off there. Afterward my skin felt pretty good, but nothing crazy. The activated charcoal in this mud mask is said to detoxify and increase circulation, so those aren't really effects you'd necessarily notice after one use anyway. I think I'll hang onto this one and use it again at some point, but I don't love it enough to buy it again once it runs out.
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Merle Norman Cosmetics Skintelligent Eye Moisturizer, 0.5 oz - Retail Value $45
For the final face product, I received this eye moisturizer. It's my second favorite product in the box, after the microdermabrasion scrub! It's free from alcohol, colorants, dyes, fragrance, oil, and parabens, and it's gluten-free. I wish it were cruelty-free—that's its only mark against it in my book. The moisturizer is really smooth, smells nice in a spa-like kind of way, and just made my face feel brighter. Really nice experience!
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Saints & Sinners Velvet Divine Leave-In Conditioner, 4 fl oz — Retail Value $21
The last item in my Spring Moms + Babes box is this leave-in conditioner. My hair is really thin and light, and my hair stylist has told me "less is more" with hair products so I don't get weighed down, but I gave this product a try just to see what it's all about! I used it 2 days in a row and let my hair air dry. I'm not sure I saw a huge difference versus just letting it dry with no product, but it certainly wasn't a negative outcome. I think I'll keep using it for little while longer and see if more of my natural curl can be coaxed out. If leave-in conditioner was a product I used regularly, which I think many people do, I would be excited to have a backup lined up!
Verdict: After a long break, it was really nice to explore another Moms + Babes box—the contents seemed never-ending! I received 13 items that came to a total retail value of $243.03, or $225.53 using the sale price for the brightening charcoal sheet masks. That is a great value for a $59 quarterly box! While I found a good few items I was happy to be introduced to and will use (I counted 5), there were even more (8 products) that I moved along—the reasons being a combination of baby products that were too young for my daughter and an overwhelm of skincare products for my face. I would've loved a little more variety among the mom products and/or a few additional toddler-friendly things. That said, the 5 items I did like added up to over $100, so even after sharing most of what I received with others I still got a good value.
To Wrap Up
Can you still get this box if you subscribe today? Yes, as of publication, you'll receive their Spring box.
Value Breakdown: With a $225.53 value and a cost of $59/quarter, here's about what you're paying per item:
- Tush Swiper: $2.61
- Pacifier Clip: $3.92
- Antibiotic Cream: $4.19
- Incense: $1.45
- Charcoal Sheet Masks: $4.58 (calculated using the sale price)
- Microdermabrasion Scrub: $8.50
- C Shield Serum: $12.56
- Bath Bombs: $2.35
- Eye Masks: $0.78
- Zum Mist: $3.14
- Clay Mask: $3.14
- Eye Moisturizer: $11.77
- Leave-in Conditioner: $5.49
Alternatively, each item has an average cost of $4.54.
Check out our other Moms + Babes reviews, along with the best subscription boxes for moms and moms-to-be!
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