The SAM & LANCE Empower-Her Box is a Canadian-based quarterly box featuring sustainable and ethical products made by and supporting women-owned small businesses (50% are BIPOC-owned businesses). Useful and usable items are carefully chosen to contribute to your life in an intentional way! For $59.95 CAD (approx. $48 USD + shipping) per season, each box includes 6-7 full-size products.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
Inside the Spring 2022 Box
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I've never been as ready for spring as I am this year, and so all the scents and colors and experiences that go along with it have me feeling extra festive for the warming weather. This quarter's Sam & Lance Empower Her Box keeps my parade going with its spread of products from small businesses that are women-owned and intentional in one way or another (or many ways). Let's explore it here.
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Each quarterly box comes with a simple card that lists what you'll have received, and provides a short paragraph with info about both the brands and the items.
Taurah Yoga Mat Cleanser – Retail Value $20.21 USD
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First up is this beautiful yoga mat spray from a natural beauty and wellness brand owned by two women called Taurah. Their products are vegan, cruelty-free, natural, and alcohol-free, including this yoga mat cleansing spray. The ingredients consist of water, witch hazel (which is mildly antibacterial), and a blend of essential oils—the most noticeable among them being the brightly citrusy lemongrass and orange. After waking up the body with yoga, the lively scent of this spray awesomely awakens the senses.
Simkah Biocosmetiques Herbal Facial Steam, 200g – Buy a 120g jar here for approx. $30 USD
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These dried herbs are visually so beautiful, like potpourri, which is so nostalgic for me. The directions say to add some or all of the herbs to a bowl, cover them with boiling water, then lean over it with a towel covering your head and the bowl (to create a "steam tent") for 5-15 minutes. It suggests to take that time to breathe deeply and clear the mind. If you wanted, you could add these herbs to boiling water and then pour them into a bath. After I had my first baby, my doula did this with a special herbal blend prepared especially for postpartum healing, and it was most magnificent. Of course, she did all the prep and the cleanup—you don't want to wash the herbs down your drain!—and not having to do any of that prep or cleanup work made it all the more relaxing.
The herbs here come from a vegan, woman-owned Canadian brand that offers products for different skin types and different skin conditions. The info card offers that a facial steam is a great way to prepare for a face mask, serum, or even moisturizer. It's also an effective way to clear your nasal passages if you have a cold!
Pixie Mood Phoebe Crossbody Bag in Pink Mock Croc – Retail Value $69 USD
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Finding this circular bag in my Sam & Lance box took me by surprise! I'm still new to this subscription (this is only my 2nd quarter with it), but I wasn't expecting something so fashion-y in here! Had I not had the subscription's info card here next to me I might not have known just from visiting the Pixie Mood site that this company uses recycled materials, biodegradable packaging, and they're an eco-conscious vegan brand that is climate-positive.
I love the round silhouette of this bag, and while I would've chosen a different colorway had I been shopping for this bag myself, my three-year-old daughter lit up the moment she saw it, and it made me like it more. If I'm not carrying a diaper bag, I'm carrying a modestly sized crossbody bag, so this is right in my wheelhouse in terms of shape and size. Plus, three compartments and a small front pocket? Amazing. The more compartments the better!
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Here's my girl wearing the bag, with its buckled strap adjusted to the smallest setting and also knotted at the shoulder. Since it's faux leather and therefore easier to clean, I think we may share it.
Plant Life Home & Beauty Sisal Soap Saver – Retail Value $3.00 USD
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In my recent Love Goodly review I lamented that while I would love to transition over to all bar bath products, it requires a lot of maintenance to keep things organized and keep the soap scum at bay. This drawstring soap bag might help with that effort! It's made from dried agave plant fibers and the intention is to put the soap inside and use it while it's in this bag. The texture of the bag exfoliates. The point isn't to keep things tidy, but I can only imagine it will help. The wooden bead is a sweet touch that makes it feel a little more special. And while you can find these bags in bulk on Amazon, I appreciate that this one was sourced from a small woman-owned business in Virginia. It didn't come with a bar of soap, but I have tons, so that's no problem for me!
Three Ships Piña Colada Lip Exfoliator, 0.5 oz – Retail Value $13 USD
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Speaking of exfoliating, here's another item to help slough off dry skin! I generally think of dry lips as being an issue for me all through the winter, but a combination of some lingering chilly weather and getting a cold has completely dried me out. So, this lip exfoliant from vegan, woman-owned, natural beauty brand Three Ships came right on time! The scrub is firm and thick, but softens right away when you rub your finger in it, as coconut oil does. The piña colada flavor is really delicious to taste hints of, and since it's a sugar scrub, it's almost like drinking from a sugared rim of a glass! I don't actually like piña coladas to drink because they're a bit too flavorful for me, but in lip exfoliant form, it's really nice, and the scent and flavor lingers a little. I've found this product to be really effective after just a few uses. Love it!
Sequoia Sweetgrass Travel Candle, 15 hour – Retail Value $10 USD
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Finally, we are sent this small candle in a tin. It's from Indigenous brand Sequoia, which is woman-owned and uses ethical ingredients and sourcing practices. I had never heard of a combo-soywax-and-beeswax candle before, but apparently it burns cooler. This is great for such a small candle, especially if you plan to take it on the go—I have burnt my hand on the tin jar of a candle before, and you wouldn't want to pack it up still hot. The scent is courtesy of their proprietary blend of phthalate-free fragrance oils and essential oils, and the candle is topped with a sprinkle of sweetgrass. It's an aroma I've never smelled before, but there are hints of familiarity, like maybe almond oil and some earthy florals. It's very nice.
Verdict
My second quarter of the Sam & Lance Empower Her box was just as feel-good as the first—I have a feeling that's going to be the norm for this subscription. There's nothing quite as satisfying as sprinkling intentional, ethical, natural products throughout my life and home, especially knowing that incredible women had a hand in making them all happen. My top items in this box were the lip exfoliant and the sisal soap bag, but I also really love the yoga mat spray and will have fun sharing the purse with my daughter. But really, not one was a miss for me, and that's rare!
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To Wrap Up
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, as of the publish date of this review, the Spring box is still available.
Value Breakdown: At an approximate cost of $51 USD for this box with 6 items, you are paying approximately $9 per item. This does not include shipping costs. I estimate that I received about $145.21 USD worth of items. That's more than twice the cost of the subscription—can't complain about that!
What did you think of this quarter's SAM & LANCE Sustainable Subscription box?
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