Essentials Crate is a monthly subscription featuring healthy and eco-conscious lifestyle items for day-to-day life. The cost is $44 per month and includes 4-5 full-size home, personal care, beauty, and/or wellness products from local artisans, small businesses, and bigger household brands.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 15% off your first order!
CODE: MSA15
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.)
First Impressions
I liked that this month there was a beauty focus since last month it was all kitchen items - such a range in products is what gets me excited! The theme for this month's Essentials Crate is "Long Hair Don't Care". Here is a look at the digital info page with their listed values for each product:
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Let's dive in!
Codeage Amen Collagen Gummies - Retail Value $24.99
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Collagen is a great supplement for your hair, nails, joints, and skin, and I liked that they chose to include this for their hair-themed box. Not only are these heart-shaped gummies cute, but they were actually pretty yummy, too! They have a great orange flavor with a little bit of that dusted sugar on the outside. The texture reminds me of something, but I am having some trouble placing it, it's not as firm as a gummy bear nor is it super sticky. These have 96mg of bovine collagen per serving (which means some with different dietary needs may want to pass these along!) and include a little bit of Vitamin A as well. A serving size is two gummies and this bottle contains about 30 servings total. I personally use powdered collagen regularly, but this will be great on those days that I don't have time to make a drink or for traveling!
Essential Living Silicone Scalp Massager - Listed Value $18
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I had my eye on these silicone scalp massagers when they began popping up everywhere and I finally ordered one last year from another company and it ended up being a disappointment. The little spikes on mine were super firm which ended up being much too rough for my scalp. Fortunately, this one is much more gentle with flexible silicone spikes and it actually feels pretty great! I like that it's all one-piece too which means there is less chance for it getting gunky in the shower. It also has a tiny hole in the handle so you could easily add some string and hang it in your bathroom.
Habitat by Pela Shampoo Bar - Retail Value $14
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Shampoo bars are another item that seems to have popped up everywhere over the past few years and this handmade vegan bar is biodegradable, compostable, and fragrance-free. It says this little bar can replace up to three bottles of shampoo, which is impressive, if true! My only issue with these bars is that I feel like there is always some waste when it sits in the shower, so I may have to seek a solution for that problem. This sulfate-free formula lathered up nicely and was just a bit thicker feeling than my normal shampoo but it rinsed out cleanly.
Habitat by Pela Conditioner Bar - Retail Value $14
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This conditioner bar is similar to our shampoo, but this one can moisturize your hair and control frizz and it is in a square shape so you can tell them apart! Again, we have the unscented formula, but honestly, I kind of wish they had sent one of the scented options. I enjoy being able to smell my clean hair after a shower and I'm definitely intrigued by their peppermint & geranium combination! Since this one didn't lather, I ran the bar over my hair which was definitely a little bit of work, but my hair did feel silky smooth and detangled afterward. I let my hair air-dry and was pleased with how manageable it was so I'll definitely be giving this a few more weeks to see how my hair performs long-term.
The Verdict
I think this was a pretty decent Essentials Crate this month. I like that they addressed hair care, and while it sounds like they may have limited their audience with the box title of "Long hair, don't care," I still think all of the items would be useful for anyone no matter the length of their hair. The scalp massager feels wonderful and the gummies were tasty and addressed hair health through other means besides topically. As for the shampoo and conditioner bars, the fragrance-free made them feel a bit lackluster, but I was glad to try something new, and if they really can replace three bottles of shampoo, they may be worth the switch. So long as my hair continues to do well with long-term use! The total value of this box was about $71 which I think is pretty decent even if it doesn't quite feel like that much when you look at everything all together.
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To Wrap Up
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, your first box will be the October box.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 15% off your first order!
CODE: MSA15
Value Breakdown: This box costs $44, including free shipping which means each of the 4 items costs an average of $11.00.
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