Merkaela is a seasonal subscription box focused on promoting your spiritual wellness and connection to nature. With each box, Merkaela sends a curated bundle of natural body and home items centered on a seasonal theme. According to the Merkaela site, the company uses alchemy to "activate" their products, meaning you might get additional, intangible benefits from these pretty potions!
This is a review of the Deluxe Subscription Box for $80/quarter.
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 Natural Self-Care & Spirituality Subscription Box
The Subscription Box: Merkaela (Deluxe Subscription)
The Cost: $80.00 per quarterly box + shipping which varies! (Shipping to PA is $9.52.) Save with an annual subscription.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first box!
CODE: SOLSTICE
The Products: 5-8 natural, handcrafted, cruelty-free self-care products for home and body. Each box also gives you access to a monthly playlist and content around the seasonal theme.
Ships to: The U.S. and Canada
Merkaela "Peace" Box Winter 2020 Review
1 of 3
This season's theme is "Peace." Since becoming a mother nearly 3 years ago I have had some epiphanies (with the help of others who are far wiser than me) about peace—peace is not something you achieve once you've finally cleared away all the pain and discomfort in your life; it's a space you create among it. In that spirit, I am so pleased to explore how the aromatherapeutic scents, herbal ingredients, and gentle energy in my first Merkaela box might contribute to my living in a place of peace.
1 of 5
Sacred Black Sage Bundle - Retail Value $6.50
Burning sage is a sacred practice that originates from the ceremonies of Native American peoples. While Merkaela doesn't acknowledge that history specifically, they do include a card (see photos below) that instructs those using this bundle to handle it with respect and care. They suggest:
Use to enhance your meditation practice or before bedtime to aid with a deep, restful sleep throughout the night and encourage pleasant dreams.
1 of 2
I've certainly encountered sage bundles in subscriptions (since closed) that call themselves boho and proceed to toss in a bunch of culturally appropriated items in a box, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. I am pleased that Merkaela is setting some foundational guidelines for the use of this plant and would be even happier if they were to tip their hats to its history going forward!
1 of 3
Matcha Soap Bar, 3.5 oz - Retail Value $9.50
Is this soap magical? It's got that incredible green color that makes it feel so of the Earth, but its aroma is what makes it next level. Its peppermint scent seeps into the air, offering an aromatherapeutic lift, and also into your skin, offering a bright cooling sensation. With organic matcha green tea and rosemary extract in the mix, the peppermint experience is balanced out with the earthiness implied by its appearance. This bar is so soothing I wish it would never end.
1 of 3
Purity Salt Bath, 8 oz - Retail Value $18.00
This clear glass bottle of bath salts is such a treat. It's one you definitely want to leave out on your bathroom counter, or otherwise within reach of your tub somewhere visible. And while a beautiful vessel & label aren't a must for me, they really elevate the experience of regularly used products like this. This Purity scent incorporates various healing salts and minerals for muscle soothing. While there is no mention of what contributes to the fragrance, it has that notable menthol aroma that is known for alleviating muscular pain and clearing up the breathing passageways. All that while soaking in the tub? Sign me up.
1 of 3
Cooling Herbal Tea Potion, 2 oz - Retail Value $8.50
Continuing on with the cooling theme, this herbal tea's most prominent scent is organic spearmint. It's joined by rosemary, lemon balm, linden, eucalyptus, wood betony, blackberry leaf, and eleuthero root. The label seems to have a misprint—it says "caffeine high," though it's noted as caffeine-free online (which is what the term "herbal" implies). This tea smells so refreshing, but I haven't given it a try—I'm pregnant and tea is on the long list of food and drink items to be careful with. I'll save it in my tea cabinet for later use!
1 of 2
Ardor Meditation Elixir, 2 oz - Retail Value $18.50
This mist is a departure from the minty scents I've explored so far. The ingredients only go so far as to list a "rosemary essential oil blend" in terms of fragrance but I think I'm picking up on some cinnamon and ylang-ylang. They also list "moon energy" among the ingredients—color me intrigued! This formula is intended to attune your energy and deepen your meditation practice. The spray is in an amber glass bottle with a sprayer that offers a really fine mist with a wide reach. It's a quality misting experience.
1 of 3
Rosemary Herbal Body Butter, 4 oz - Retail Value $30.00
If you've experienced pregnancy you know that the extra weight you carry tends to wear on the body. So I've made it a regular practice to ask my husband for short massages, and to massage myself! This jar of body butter came just as another ran out, and I'm so pleased with the quality. The jar itself is sturdy and beautiful, but the contents are also really soothing with its blend of oils (organic shea butter, hemp oil, olive oil, and more) and unique scent. It rests in a hardened state but softens easily with the warmth of my hands. It does leave a little oiliness behind until it's been given a few minutes to absorb, but that's just an invitation to keep relaxing a little longer. The aroma is called simply "rosemary," but the secondary ingredients like St. John's Wort extract and licorice extract make a notable appearance. They aren't scents I'm used to rubbing on my body, which I find makes me more tuned in and focused while it's being worked into my skin. In other words, the interesting fragrance helps keep me present to the massage. What a gift!
1 of 2
Affirmation Card
This quarter's affirmation card offers a refrain for finding a mindset of peace.
I am at peace with myself and the world around me. I choose to feel and think positive about the situations I am faced with. My breath is calmed and relaxed and I am at peace.
As is the case for most affirmations, these words strike me as most useful when paired with other emotional wellness practices. Affirmations are not meant to trick ourselves out of addressing the challenges we face, but as balance and grounding alongside the tough work we do to better ourselves.
Our box also arrived with a card leading to a meditation playlist. I just opened my iPhone camera and pointed it at the QR code, and was prompted to open the playlist in Spotify right away. The playlist is 10 songs, 57 minutes long, and filled with calming sounds both acoustic and electronic. It put my two-year-old daughter right to sleep in the car!
The Verdict: My first experience with Merkaela has me feeling so fulfilled, nourished, and excited for more! Each item has such thoughtful ingredients, beautiful simplistic packaging, and distinct air of intention to it. My favorite offering in this box is the matcha soap because of how it fully immerses me in an aromatic and sensation-filled experience each time I used it in the shower. Next in line is the body butter with its complex aroma and the bath salts for their healing and soothing properties. My only wish for these items is that essential oils would be fully listed out rather than noted as "blends," but that's just one small wish that's overshadowed by how happy I am with these natural products.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. Your first box will likely be the Spring box!
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first box!
CODE: SOLSTICE
Value Breakdown: The box costs $81.52 ($72 + 9.52 shipping to PA), which means the average cost per item via the box is $13.58. I did not include the mantra card or the playlist in this calculation.
Check out all of our Merkaela reviews and the best subscription boxes for women, as recommended by MSA readers like you!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What do you think of the Merkaela box?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.