CandleLit is a monthly subscription box that features books by authors of color, soy candles, organic tea, and handmade wellness products created by people of color. CandleLit simplifies scheduled self-care despite your busy life. We partner with POC-owned brands to support a holistic wellness lifestyle.
CandleLit offers monthly and quarterly subscription plans, as well as single box and gift box options. Subscribers have the option to receive an e-book (Kindle) or hardcover book.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About CandleLit
The Subscription Box: CandleLit Box
The Cost: $40 every month or $120 every 3 months + free shipping
The Products: A new hand-picked hardcover or e-book by an author of color, a soy candle, organic tea, and other handmade wellness products
Good to know: Boxes ship the first week of the month
Ships To: the US only
CandleLit November 2018 Review
Included in the box is a card that highlights this month's box. The front of the card reads:
This box is an ode to women who continue to light our flame. We are here to light yours.
The back of the card highlights the box partners and featured editor for the month as well as other useful information about the box.
Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves - Retail Value $20.00 (found here for $13.52)
A few reviews back, I professed my love for short stories! I love them because I can steal away to a quiet corner in my otherwise hectic house and finish a story before the kids find me. Short stories fit into my mini self-care sessions because they aren’t a big time commitment. So, of course, I was excited to receive this collection of essays!
Well-Read Black Girl is well organized in sections offering book suggestions in the following categories: recent literature, classics, black feminism, black girlhood and friendship, sci-fi and fantasy, plays, and poetry. Nestled in between each section are three curated essays representing a diversity of stories created by black women writers for black women. I am enamored!
Some of my favorite essays thus far are Dear Beloved by Nicole Dennis-Benn and Continue to Rise by Jacqueline Woodson. I am thoroughly enjoying these powerful stories!
Book summary from Amazon:
An inspiring collection of essays by black women writers, curated by the founder of the popular book club Well-Read Black Girl, on the importance of recognizing ourselves in literature.
Remember that moment when you first encountered a character who seemed to be written just for you? That feeling of belonging remains with readers the rest of their lives—but not everyone regularly sees themselves in the pages of a book. In this timely anthology, Glory Edim brings together original essays by some of our best black women writers to shine a light on how important it is that we all—regardless of gender, race, religion, or ability—have the opportunity to find ourselves in literature.
Whether it’s learning about the complexities of femalehood from Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison, finding a new type of love in The Color Purple, or using mythology to craft an alternative black future, the subjects of each essay remind us why we turn to books in times of both struggle and relaxation. As she has done with her book club–turned–online community Well-Read Black Girl, in this anthology Glory Edim has created a space in which black women’s writing and knowledge and life experiences are lifted up, to be shared with all readers who value the power of a story to help us understand the world and ourselves.
Lidded Tin Candle Bergamot Blossom, 4.1oz – Retail Value $5.99
This “Let Your Mind Wander” candle comes in a pretty tin and smells of bergamot, orange blossom, sandalwood and rose. The scent is pleasant, the candle burns quietly and it gives off a warm light. I admittedly like the Amor Mas candles better. Although this candle is slightly bigger, it isn’t soy, the scent doesn't carry as far and the packaging isn't as nice. My tin was slightly dented and labels, while pretty, were slightly askew. Though not my favorite from the recent boxes, this candle is still really nice and I’ll use it in the smaller spaces in my home.
Cuples Tea House ‘Tea Tube Testers' - Blueberry Passion Herbal, 1oz – Retail Value $6
Cuples Tea House ‘Tea Tube Testers' - Mango Green Tea, 1oz – Retail Value $6
Cuples Tea House is a family owned business offering loose leaf teas, tea sets, tea accessories and “urban tea experiences”. The blueberry passion herbal tea is fantastic! With blueberries, apples, rose hips and hibiscus, this tea tastes great unsweetened. The fruity notes feel more spring/ summer than our current fall/ winter but, it's a great way to bring brightness to an otherwise gloomy day.
Also included is the mango green tea featured in October’s box. Green tea has so many benefits including weight loss and aiding in cardiovascular health. Mango is a great source of vitamins A and C. This tea has a combination of these two super ingredients and I’m happy to have an extra batch.
Melaku Aromatherapy Handmade Lavender Bath Bomb – Retail Value $8.50
This large bath bomb is almost too cute to use! I was happy to find another Melaku Aromatherapy product in this month's box as I'm thoroughly enjoying the black soap from the October box. The fizzy vegan bath bomb contains bentonite clay, witch hazel, baking soda and Epsom salt alongside lavender and lavender oil. It smells amazing! I love a good muscle-relaxing Epsom salt bath so I can't wait to try this bath bomb.
Mint & Ocean Small White Sage Stick, 1.15oz – Retail Value $2.85
I like the pretty packaging of this handmade and organic smudge stick. Burning sage is a way to remove negative energy from your space. I especially like to smudge after having a party or after a long-time guest leaves our home. I believe people carry energy and that it’s possible to transfer energy – both good and bad. Smudging purifies our home so I can never have enough it.
CandleLit Affirmation Notes
This month’s box also included CandleLit affirmation notes. The sticky notes read: "I refuse to let anyone make me feel invisible”! I love using affirmations as a way to train my mind to believe, without a doubt, the stated message. I strongly believe that we are in control of our emotions and I try my best to not allow others to affect that way I feel about myself. While powerful, this affirmation doesn’t resonate with me.
Verdict: This is one of my favorite boxes and I love that this box highlights authors and partners that are people of color. Representation is so important! This month’s box selection was awesome. The book and bath bomb are my favorite items in the box. I’m enjoying the Cuples Tea and I’ll definitely use the sage to smudge my home. The candle and the affirmation notes were not my favorite this month but still really nice additions to the November box. I’m looking forward to the next month’s box and what CandleLit has in store for us! Each box seems to be getting better and better.
This CandleLit Box costs $40.00 and has a retail value of $49.34, not including the affirmation notes. This is the highest value and the largest number of items in recent boxes! I initially felt like the cost of this box was too expensive but considering that shipping is included, the cost then becomes comparable with other boxes of similar offerings and the retail value continues to rise. I think this is a good value for a newly released book, candle, tea, and wellness items featuring people of color.
To Wrap Up:
Can I get this box if I sign up today?: If you subscribed by the end of the month you will receive the November CandleLit box. You may also be able to purchase this box as a Single Box order from the CandleLit Shop.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $40 + free shipping, which means that each of the 7 items in the box has an average cost of $5.71.
Check out all of our CandleLit Box reviews and more self-care subscription boxes in the Women's Subscription Box List!
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What do you think of this CandleLit Box November box?
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