The Seasonal Subscription Box from Margot Elena is a quarterly subscription box featuring full-size beauty and lifestyle items. (If you aren't familiar with this brand, it's carried in stores like Anthropologie.)
For $59.99 a quarter + $6.95 shipping (to the contiguous US only), you'll discover the world of All Things Beautiful—this box is filled with over $200 worth of full-sized products curated by the Margot Elena team.
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.)
Opening The Box
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I still have the feeling of summer in my bones, but I am so ready for the afternoons to cool down like the mornings and evenings have. While I wait, I'm more than happy to have the fall Margot Elena Discovery Box carry the torch toward the most delightfully moody season, when not only the colors become richer all around me, but the changes in the feeling of the air and atmosphere bring a depth to my days. If there's one brand that knows how to capture depth in a bottle, it's Margot Elena. Let's explore how they've painted the upcoming fall season together.
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Before we jump in, here's a look at the folded info card for this quarter. You can see there are products included from Archive (this is a new one to me!), The Cottage Greenhouse, Infinite She, and Tokyo Milk. The floral illustrations on the card do an amazing job of setting the tone of the scents to come.
Here's What's Inside
Exclusive! Archive Mini Journey Within Body Lotion, 10 oz — Listed Value $24 (Buy the 16.5 oz version for $34)
Margot Elena recently introduced a new line, Archive. Their description of the line as a whole is:
Exquisitely tailored & carefully crafted. Take an incredible journey to parts unknown, where past and present blend in this collection of inspired essences.
The label alone is "tailored;" the refined counterpart to the wild designs on TokyoMilk products. The glass bottle that contains this lotion is gorgeous on a countertop or shelf. The scent is simultaneously familiar and fresh, it's floral and powdery without being too bright. The image that comes to mind for me is a really inviting boutique furniture store. Margot Elena carries so many thick, deeply moisturizing creams, but this is a lighter consistency, definitely more in line with a lotion (as the name suggests). Of course, its perfumey fragrance is just as lasting as always. This is really a beautiful scent. To call the bottle "mini" is surprising, but it's a smaller edition of what's available to purchase on their site.
The Cottage Greenhouse Japanese Plum & White Tea Handcreme, 4 oz — Listed Value $26 (Buy the 2 oz travel size for $14)
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The Cottage Greenhouse is a line that I've often claimed to have more straightforward scents than other Margot Elena lines, and that's certainly true of this Japanese Plum & White Tea cream. To me this is a true floral scent, and one I already know thanks to the jar of whipped body butter that was sent in this box last fall. To be honest, these first two products I've explored in this autumn box are lighter than I was expecting, but as far as floral scents go, this Japanese Plum & White tea is on the richer side. These full-size tubes of handcreme never get old—they're just as wonderful for gifting (I love seeing eyes widen as they're received) as they are keeping in every bag I own.
The Cottage Greenhouse Cucumber & Honey Dry Body Oil, 4 fl oz — Retail Value $28
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Margot Elena does body oils really well. To reference last fall's box again, they sent a Lollia scent in oil form, and it's the only scented product I've found that works well to hydrate my legs after shaving without burning. I've used it regularly (maybe 1-2 times per week) since then, and I still have a good 2/3 of the bottle left. So I'll have to decide whether I want to gift this new bottle or store it to open next. This one is cucumber-forward with floral notes. It comes off as highly scented when you open the lid, stick your nose up to it, and sniff, but in use it's much lighter.
Infinite She Inspired Lip Balm — Retail Value $10
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I love a good, fat stick of lip balm. That full-lip coverage with one swipe feels so nice going on. With a scent name like Rose Hip and Hibiscus, I was obviously expecting a floral explosion, but in reality this lip balm is so squarely berry-scented to me. I keep coming back to it wondering if this is the time I'll sense the rose or hibiscus, but I am just not catching it. We all know that scents can bring up some serious nostalgia, and I'm transported to the Lip Smacker days—what, 20 years ago? Incredible. This is obviously a classier version of that old lip balm, and with natural ingredients, but I continue to think of Infinite She as being more catered to a younger crowd.
TokyoMilk Black Widow Eau de Parfum, 1.6 fl oz — Retail Value $48
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I'm so into the spooky black widow spider on the side of this TokyoMilk perfume—what a statement! It's from their TokyoMilk Dark line, which I had yet to explore until now. Here's what they say about Dark:
TokyoMilk Dark is a world where elegant design meets irresistibly daring fragrance & formulas for a provocative collection unlike any other. An intoxicating exploration into the alchemy of allure.
So, how does it smell? Very musky, surprisingly traditional; like a cologne but with a hint of femininity to it. After wearing it for a day, I noticed it maintains its original scent, rather than divulging layers with wear like other TokyoMilk perfumes do. Frankly, I was hoping for something a little more unique, having come to expect weirder things from TokyoMilk—but maybe this perfume is TokyoMilk counterculture in its air of the ordinary. My critique doesn't in any way mean I don't like it. I actually really do, and as with all perfumes from Margot Elena, this one has some great staying power.
TokyoMilk Gin & Rosewater Parfum Crema Délice, 2.5 oz — Retail Value $24
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Here's another scent I know and love, and despite the grit that might be suggested by the "gin" of Gin & Rosewater, it's actually pretty bright and citrusy. I don't pick up on much floral in this one, but I know it's in there somewhere, making the greater scent the lovely presentation that it is. Remember that Parfum Crema isn't handcreme, and things can get intense if it's used that way!
New! TokyoMilk Follow Your Dreams Candle — Listed Value $24
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I was so thrilled to find this candle in my box, firstly because candles are always a treat to receive, and this one is a nice, ample size. But also because my four-year-old daughter has incredible enthusiasm over pink and unicorns. The scent is a beautiful blend of mandarin, rose, and more, with a bit of a sugary vibe to it, but very pleasant, and it throws nicely.
TokyoMilk Big Thank You, Bear Hug, and Oh Snap Signature Stationery Greeting Cards — Retail Value $16.50 (sold separately at $5.50 each)
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This quarter's spread of greeting cards stock my stationery drawer up with a thank you card, a "bear hug" card that could be used for sympathy or just because, and a birthday card. The hippo thank you card and the alligator birthday card are both accented with some glitter. These TokyoMilk cards are cute, but a little mild—I send a lot of mail and like to go a bit bigger with the personality, so I'm hoping we are sent some Infinite She cards in future boxes.
Value - Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $59.99 + $6.95 shipping to the contiguous United States.
Value Breakdown: Fall 2022 in the world of the Margot Elena Discovery Box was a mix of products that are new (not yet on the site!), exclusive (sizes you won't find elsewhere), and available for purchase. Due to this mix, I've used a combination of retail values and listed values to determine that everything adds up to $200.50, as indicated in the info card. That's a fantastic value, and higher than last season. There were 8 products in this quarter's box (considering the 3 cards as one), which breaks down to $8.37 per item. That's a huge discount for a spread of products that are of amazing quality. And, the joy that comes from unboxing day is priceless.
Key Takeaways
Margot Elena Discovery Box was delightful as always. I was expecting the spread for fall to be deeper, bolder, and richer, which isn't exactly how I would characterize the overall curation here, but I'm still in love with what they offered. My top picks for this quarter are the Archive lotion and the TokyoMilk Follow Your Dreams Candle. While I was a little underwhelmed by the Black Widow perfume, I'm still glad to have it in my collection to wear when the mood is right.
Keep track of your subscriptions by adding this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
Other Things You Should Know
When is this box available? This box is seasonal, shipping out 4 times a year.
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? Yes, as of the publication of this review, Fall 2022 is still in stock. Order ASAP to receive it, or look forward to the Winter 2022 box, which is estimated to start shipping on December 1.
Check out all of our Margot Elena Discovery Box reviews!
What do you think of the Margot Elena Discovery Box?
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