Bombay & Cedar is a luxury lifestyle subscription box for women that focuses on essential oils, diffusers, skincare, books, snacks, and other products. In addition to the Lifestyle box, they also offer a Beauty Box that includes 5-6 full and/or deluxe size products for $31.95 a month (retail value of at least $100). Check out our Beauty reviews here.
FYI, COVID-19 Update: Bombay & Cedar is experiencing shipping delays. Keep up to date on progress and estimated timelines here.
This review is of the monthly Lifestyle Box for $44.95/month.
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 Premium Self-Care and Aromatherapy Subscription Box
The Subscription Box: Bombay & Cedar
The Cost: $44.95 per month + shipping, or save with longer subscriptions.
The Products: 2 essential oils and 6-8 full-size products such as diffusers, skincare, books, healthy snacks, and other surprises with a retail value of $120+.
Ships to: The US for free, Canada for $10.95, and internationally for $17.95
Good to Know: Bombay & Cedar also offers a seasonal Lifestyle Box that includes 6-9 full-size products and a value of $200+ for $74.95/quarter.
Bombay & Cedar "Cheerful" July 2020 Review
1 of 5
The box comes with a booklet of information that lists out the products and highlights some of the brands. The theme this month is “Cheerful.”
1 of 9
Lavender Essential Oil by Bombay & Cedar, 10 mL - Listed Value $14.00
Lemon Essential Oil Blend by Bombay & Cedar, 10 mL - Listed Value $14.00
Lavender is my favorite scent, but an oil blend that I don't already own so I was excited to receive this! I find lavender to be so relaxing and just a beautiful smell to fill my house with. I put this in my diffuser in my powder room and it filled the space beautifully. The lemon blend is knowing for fighting exhaustion, uplifting your mood, and clearing skin. I put a few drops in my diffuser of both the lavender and lemon and they blended so well together! Such a fresh and bright smell! This was perfect to have to diffuse early in the morning to help wake me up!
1 of 5
Tanning Drops by Cougar Beauty, 1.05 fl oz. - Listed Value $29.00 (Retail Value £24.99)
These drops were really interesting! I don't typically use self-tanner or anything tinted, but I was excited to give these drops a try! The box says that you can use 1 to 4 drops mixed in with your facial oil or moisturizer. They also recommend washing your hands right away after applying. In the first photo above, I used only one drop and didn't notice a huge difference, then the second photo I used three drops. I really love how these drops mixed so well with my daily facial oil, I didn't feel streaky or orange at all. You can really build to get a light glow or go a little darker. I wasn't sure about this product at first, but I really love how they gave me a subtle natural glow that will keep me feeling sunkissed even after I lose my tan from the summer.
1 of 3
Mandarin Orange Enhancing Day Cream by Organic & Botanic, 2.11 fl oz. - Retail Value $14.90, Listed Value $19
Organic & Botanic is a brand that I am becoming more familiar with! Their products are cruelty-free, vegan, and paraben-free. This month, I received the Mandarin Orange Day Cream that focuses on protecting, nourishing, and replenishing your skin to leave you smooth and hydrated. I found this cream to be super lightweight and absorbed into my skin quickly, perfect for a daytime moisturizer. I think the thing that stood out to me the most after using this for a few days was how incredibly smooth this left my skin! I mean, it felt like butter, which is what you want before applying your makeup in the am. The only concern I have with this is that it makes my skin burn slightly right after I first apply it, which is an issue that I tend to have with other Mandarin Orange products from Organic & Botanic. So it might just be something that my skin doesn't love. I am going to keep trying it though and see how it goes because I do love the results I see so far! Some of the top ingredients in this day cream include Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Coconut Oil, Isoceteth-20, Polysorbate 20, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) Fruit Oil, Snail Secretion Filtrate, and Shea Butter Extract.
1 of 3
Popcorn Cob by Amish Country - Retail Value $2.99
This was a super fun treat to find! We are big popcorn lovers in my house, but usually make it on the stove and add our own seasoning. This is a really fun and fresh take on microwave popcorn, straight off the cob! The directions say to place the cob in the bag and pop for around 1 to 4 minutes. A few key points were to not stop and restarting the microwave when popping and to stop the microwave once you hear the kernels have stopped popping (that means they are done). I made sure to read the instructions a few times and even watched a quick video on how to pop cob popcorn because I was really nervous I was going to burn it. Even though I could still hear the kernels popping, I could smell that the popcorn was burning. Much to my surprise, the cob still had a good amount of kernels on it, the popped popcorn was burnt, and the back of the back was dark brown from burn spots. We were all so bummed that this cob didn't work out for us! I still tried a few pieces that weren't too burnt, but they were just pretty chewy and bland tasting. I would love to try this again though so maybe we will see about ordering more!
1 of 5
Individual Wipes by Tailfeathers, 20 wipes - Listed Value $10.00
These wipes are amazing! They are super soft and have a wonderful clean scent to them of honeysuckle, chamomile, and aloe. The box comes with individually wrapped wipes that you can take with you on the go or you can keep in your bathroom at home to give yourself that extra clean feeling. They are also great to use to freshen up after a long day, after working out or getting sweaty at the park.
1 of 4
Tote Bag by Shiraleah - Listed Value $20.00
This is the perfect summertime bag! I only wish I had received it earlier in the summer to use on our many pool days. The black and white stripe is glamorous while having a nautical nod. The wooden circular handles scream summer and make it easy to hold. The inside has a snap closure to keep your inside goods safe, but there isn't any storage so you might want to add an insert for any valuables if you are using this for a night out. I am going to save this bag for next summer, it will be perfect for pool days or to pack snacks and a blanket for a day at the park!
1 of 11
Foot Files Set by Grace & Stella - Retail Value $14.00 (currently out of stock)
I was just talking to my Mom about how I wanted to get a foot file set for myself since my feet tend to get really dry and cracked. She couldn't believe that I didn't own at least one file already, but now I finally do! This 3-piece set includes 1 coarse callus grater rasp and two fine foot files. My feet aren't horrible right now but could use some love so I was super excited to use the fine foot file. I let my feet soak a bit in warm water along with some bath salts that I received in a different box, then used the file to remove dead skin. Honestly, it worked wonders! I felt so much better and excited that I can care for my feet right at home now!
From Grace & Stella:
COARSE CALLUS GRATER RASP: For severely callused, dry feet.
On clean, dry feet, carefully pass the blade side across callused areas and increase pressure as needed. Use the with caution.
FINE FOOT FILES: Removes minor calluses and dry skin from feet. Can be used wet or dry.
With gentle pressure, scrub away at your dry areas to reveal softer looking feet. Use the fine foot file every 5-7 days, or as needed.
1 of 14
Paint by Numbers Kit by Elle Cree - Retail Value $35, Listed Value $34
How amazing is this kit?! The detail of each item in this kit makes it feel so special and high-quality. The kit comes with your painting that is on thick glossy paper that would perfect to frame and display once you are done painting. There are two brushes to use that are very sturdy, small enough to use in the delicate areas of the painting, and look like they could be used again and again if you are a painting fan! You also receive all of the paints that you need to complete your painting. What I love the most is that this comes with detailed instructions on how to complete your painting and what you will need. This painting will require two coats of paint. My son actually has paint-by-numbers games on his iPad that he loves so I thought it would be fun for us to complete this painting together. We don't have a ton of free time together without his baby sister around, so this will be a fun project for us to do together, but it will most likely take us a while to complete. I am ready for the challenge and can't wait to see our finished result!
Verdict: This month's box was so much fun! It was bright and, like the month's theme, very cheerful! I was so excited to get the foot file set and can't wait to keep my feet looking and feeling good right at home! The day cream is working wonders on my skin, but I'm still not sold on how my skin feels right after application. I am hoping I can continue using it to make my skin hydrated and smooth but will be happy to share with a friend if I find that my skin continues to not react well to the Mandarin Orange. This month's oils were my favorite that I have received in a while, I just know they won't last long since I am using them in all of my diffusers! I was surprised by how much I liked the tanning drops, they were so subtle and left me feeling sunkissed without looking orange. The painting kit was this really lovely surprise that really rounded out the box for me! I was really bummed about the popcorn but that was probably user error on my part, hahaha. I wish this bag had arrived sooner because then I could have used the amazing tote at the pool, but I am excited to put it away to use next year. (More information about their shipping delays and estimated timelines here.)
The estimated retail value is $153.89, well above the $44.95 monthly cost including free shipping. This month's box felt perfectly curated, leaving me happy and cheerful! I was really impressed with the overall product quality as well, making this box a favorite of mine to recommend to friends who are looking to gift themselves a monthly subscription box or for anyone looking to pamper a friend or wife!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? August boxes are shipping through September 15th due to a vendor delay. Your first box should be September which is expected to ship by 9/27.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $44.95 + free shipping, which means that each of the 9 items in the box has an average cost of $4.99.
Check out all of our Bombay & Cedar reviews and the best women's subscription boxes of 2020!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What do you think of the Bombay & Cedar July "Cheerful" 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.