Last month I reviewed my first gift box from Citrus Lane with stellar results. I also promised that I would review my next box so that a fair evaluation could be made as to whether their subscription service is worth the price. As a reminder, I got my subscription on sale and only paid $16.50 per box. As part of my evaluation I will assess whether the subscription is worth this price, the standard 6 month price of $21 per box, or the 3 month price of $25 per box. Last month it would have been worth it at any of these, let’s see what this month has to offer!
January 2013 Box
Once again, the box was fun to get in the mail. I love getting packages, and having the element of surprise that comes with not knowing what’s inside only made it better. I imagine it would be even more fun if Baby Girl had been old enough to help me open it.
What was in the box:
Item 1: Night and Day Discovery Toy by Skip Hop
Retail Price: $14.00
Bought it Anyway? Yes
Notes: I adore Skip Hop brand items. We have two of their awesome diaper bags, and I am in love with several of their other items, including many of their toys. I’m pretty picky about baby toys, I think a lot of the “tried and true” brands make a lot of noise, look tacky, and aren’t actually very interesting for babies. Baby Girl likes toys that do things and have several different textures. This toy fits the bill. Funny story though, she had actually already received this toy in her Christmas stocking at her Great-Grandma’s house this year! I still got my money’s worth out of this item though, as I called a couple of department stores (I won’t say who, since it’s definitely cheating the system a bit) and found one that takes returns for store credit without a receipt and also regularly stocks this toy, and was able to get a full $14.00 in store credit that we used to purchase a Winkel, which we had been meaning to purchase for a few months (Best teething toy around, hands down). Awesome. If you’re looking to purchase the awesome Skip Hop toy though, use coupon code Citruslane25 for 25% off any purchase of $30 or more from the Skip Hop store through 2/15/13.
Item 2: Soothing Creme by Episencial
Retail Price: $11.00
Bought it Anyway? Maybe
Notes: I’m actually rather glad to find this stuff in the box. To be honest, we’re still working our way through the bottles and bottles of lotion that we got as gifts before and after Baby Girl was born, but it isn’t the nicest stuff, and now that it’s winter her skin is starting to show signs of irritation. She’s had some symptoms of baby eczema and dermatitis in the past, so I feel like if she has some flare ups, this is the stuff to use rather than the J&J we have hanging out in the closet. This stuff is especially great if you’re against any type of additives in your baby products, as it is missing any enzymes or fragrances that might cause a reaction in your baby’s skin. They also included a sample size packet of their “Playful Wash” baby wash and shampoo in one, which I’m sure we’ll use. After browsing through the Episencial website, I’m sort of eying their “Cheeky Salve” for treating and preventing chapped cheeks and lips in babies, as I think Baby Girl is starting to get some chapped cheeks, especially after we take the dog for a walk in the winter air. Good thing Citrus Lane included a coupon! If you’re eying anything on the Episencial site like I am, here’s a coupon for you! Use code EPICITRUS to receive $5 off all orders through 3/1/2013.
Item 3: Baby Laundry Detergent by Dropps
Retail Price: $1.00
Bought it Anyway? No
Notes: I’m kind of disappointed by this item. While I would probably use it anyway, since it’s an enzyme free detergent for sensitive skin, one of my two included pouches burst in shipping, and now the second pouch is all covered in ooey-gooey detergent. I’m tempted to just throw it out rather than try to fish out a single pouch. Blech. On top of that, I’m not really looking for a new baby detergent, since I already have a great all natural detergent that is also cloth diaper safe (a must in this cloth diaper household!). Not only that, but I have 3 1/2 huge boxes of it still, as it is most cost effective to buy it in the case. When I buy it in a case I get it for only 25 cents a load, which is half the price of the Dropps stuff. That said, I’m sure this is a great baby specific detergent if you are in need of that, so I won’t talk you out of it, it’s just not for me. If you are interested though, use code CITRUSLANE for 20% off any order through 6/1/2013 in the Dropps store.
Item 4:First Tastes Pouch by Ella’s Kitchen
Retail Price: $1.19
Bought it Anyway? No
Notes: I’m never really excited when I get baby food, I have to say. I love to cook, and I am really excited to save money by making Baby Girl homemade baby food. It’s so simple and easy, and most of it you can make for yourself as well (steam some vegetables for dinner, throw a few into the blender while you’re at it…tada!). That said, I’m glad that I’ve received a few jars and pouches of baby food as gifts, as I’ll be starting to feed Baby Girl solids soon, and since I have no idea how the first few weeks will go, I don’t want to waste time and fresh food on some ill fated food encounters. Better to start off with a tablespoon of organic baby food from the pantry and see how it goes. Might as well. So while I have absolutely no plans to ever purchase manufactured baby food, this ends up as a no. We got the mangoes, which is nice, as it just seems like something fun. That’s just me being silly…but I’m allowed to be. If you’d like to purchase some food pouches, use code CITRUSEK2013 for $5 off a purchase of $25 through 12/31/2013.
Item 5: Farmyard Rhymes from Barefoot Books
Retail Price: $6.99
Bought it Anyway? Maybe
Notes: We are a book family. I almost never get rid of books, and I like to own books. I like to love my books well, and I hate the self-conscious feeling that comes from reading someone else’s book and having to be its caretaker. As a kid, my parents were never stingy with the books, and my brother and I were huge fans of reading from an early age. I would love it if Baby Girl were the same way, and so would Hubby. As a result, she owns a lot of books. We made it clear to everyone we know that books were always a good gift, put books on Baby Girl’s amazon wishlist, and bought her a membership in a Dr. Seuss book club (they’re books we would want her to have anyway, and 3 for the price of 2 is always a good deal). This only gets a maybe because while I love the hand-stitched illustration style and whimsical nature of this board book, I’m a sucker for nursery rhymes and hate it when they appear incomplete in book after book. Because of this I probably wouldn’t have bought it myself, but it’s fun now that we have it, and I know it will be well loved, as none of our nursery rhyme books so far are quite as fun and baby friendly. Baby Girl likes to turn pages, so I’ve been relegated to reading mostly board books recently, and I’m sure we’ll be reading this one frequently.
As a bonus, Barefoot Books is a great little company to support. They are an independent press (which is almost always a good thing), and they support many charitable organizations that share their goals of global understanding, empowering children through art and story, and protecting and preserving the earth for future generations. They also have an “Ambassador Program” that allows stay at home moms to promote a great company and children’s literacy, while fundraising for causes they care about and making a little money on the side. All great stuff, in my humble opinion. Plus, they carry puppets in their online shop, and that’s always a selling point in my book.
If you’re looking for a great book for your child, use code CITRUSJAN13 at checkout for 25% off through 3/1/2013.
In Summary: Is It Worth It?
Items I would definitely have bought before the box: $14.00
Items I love now that I have them: $17.99
Total value of stuff I’m glad I got: $31.99
Answer: YES
Based on the parameters, yes, it was worth the subscription price for me. I paid $16.50, but even at $21.00 or $25.00, I still got more value out of my box of items this month than I put into it. This is starting to look like a pretty good deal here in month two, but who knows, one of these months might be a total bomb. As of right now, I can definitely recommend a subscription to Citrus Lane.
CLICK HERE TO GET $10 OFF YOUR CITRUS LANE ORDER OR SUBSCRIPTION!
Happiness is Now 
FYI…your last link is broken. Instead of the Citrus Lane coupon it takes you to Amazon’s site for knit your own zombie.
Haha, I did know that, I figured it out right after I posted it but didn’t have time to fix it until later. It’s fixed now! If you follow the link and subscribe, you’ll save $10. Thanks for the heads up!