NCOTB – New ‘Crate’ On The Block

OMG, so it’s been a long time since i dropped a few ramblings here, a good 8 months actually and it’s so, so good to be back. Being a PTWM ( that’s Part Time Working Mom) to 3 boisterous children takes up time, and I for one have found it very hard to juggle between, work, kids, home and a million other things i’ve taken on since the year came to a start. And sometimes, just sometimes though is does seem unfair, mom’s have to give up on things they enjoy most so the home stays balanced and happy.

But now that the year-end exams have finally come to an end, I can finally breathe easy for a couple of months. I love this time of the year, when it means more time on my hands to do what i enjoy most. Curling up with a good book, date night with my besties, back-to-back episodes of my current fav series with the hubster, time to get on my blog and pen a few words but most of all to write about new-found interests captures my eye.

As is with always, a big part of what interests me is what comes in the MAIL. Having started out my blogging journey reviewing beauty boxes, it should then come as no surprise, that the topic to write about after a long hiatus would also be a box…. actually in this case, crate would be a much better description.

Enter CubeCrate Malaysia, an answer to all those alike me loves the idea of receiving a box-full ‘crate-full’ of surprises every month. To be honest I had given up on our subscription box service here in Malaysia. What was once an exciting arena with lots of choices for us to choose from has pretty much dwindled to a handful of companies that have re-branded or moved on. So when i spied snippets on FB that there was a New Kid ‘Crate’ on The Block ( my apologies, I’m a 90’s teen – so if you have no idea what I’m talking about, do google them ) I thought lets see what they had to offer.

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As is with procrastinating, by the time I had got in touch with the folks at CubeCrate, they had all but sold out their debut box which made its appearance on September. Not one to give up easily, I got in touch with CubeCrate’s founder Jen Li and managed to secure myself one final box. So whilst this un-boxing and review may be a good couple of months old, i still had to do it… 😉

So how does Malaysia’s new entry in to the subscription box service fare.. ? Let’s check them out. Pictorial Description you say… I say Let’s Go!!

Now, there’s nothing fancy about the crate this comes in, it’s a cube, yes-it is but what i like about it is that there’s minimal waste of packaging. A great, sturdy box to reuse for other packing purposes perhaps. Have already re-used mine and will post pictures soon. Now let’s go ahead and check out the contents of this ‘ Mysterious Monthly Subscription Box’ ….

Like what you see? First impressions matter a lot to me ..especially in debut boxes as it sets the standard for future re-purchases as well as continuing a subscription. At one glance, i loved what was in the box.. now mind you I took the 6 month subscription package which was priced at RM 15 per month not inclusive of postage… add in RM 7 for postage and this box set me back RM 22. So at first look this looked like a lot of great new stuff to enjoy for RM22.

So how about we take a close of look at the individual items in the crate.

First up, one of my two favourite items in the box and something that appeals to my whole family, the kids loved this one. A jar of Almond Butter from Joey’s Homemade. When I said it appeals to the whole family, I really meant it. the kids, hubster have been asking for bread so that they can slather this. I like that it’s homemade, and it’s made with no preservatives. if you’ve been looking for homemade butters, they have peanut and cashew too, then do give Joey’s Homemade a look-see, they have FB presence here.

Next up is this lovely little vial from Claire’s. Inspire Perfume Oil is just the something every EO lover needs. For the longest of times I have shied away from over the counter perfumes as i get dizzy at fragrances that to me smell artificial and so began my foray into the world of Essential Oils. This little wonder is a great pick me up, just dab a little on your pulse points to feel instantly refreshed.

For those of you who may not have heard of Claire’s or who might have but rather fleetingly, then you’d be glad to know that all their products are chemical free and safe for use even on babies. For more info on Claire’s, do head on here.

Coming up next is another kid and mummy fav. These super realistic fried chicken and fries soap was quickly snatched up by the kids for their shower time. I’m just glad i managed to snag a couple of fries so i could sample them myself. The brainchild of Wunderbath, this brand is handmade, vegan, cruelty free, SLS free and all natural. They have such an array of cutesy designs I’ve been tempted to try them all. If you love soaps and  have been looking for something like this, then do give them a check out here.

Another little number that was featured in the debut box was a flower Keycover from the folks at CH ( Charmaine Handmade). CH is an ‘online handicraft store selling types of DIY products such as Key Covers, stones art, breast milk, etc with unique, special and cute designs’  if you’re into artsy craftsy, and love the idea of handmade gifts as presents to friends or just for your own collection, this may just be the thing for you… check them out here

 

One thing that did not make my box simply because i placed this backorder well past after they had already sold out was Wunderbath’s Stained Lip Balm. From the reviews i’ve read online this product too, gets a 5 out of 5 and i so wish I had not sat and dragged my subscription and ordered much earlier. Ah, well, as things goes the early bird gets the worm.

So ladies and gentleman, if you’ve been looking for a new box subscription, this is one option for you. Personally for me, i loved this box because it was so family friendly… there was something for everyone in the family and for once the kids didn’t feel left out as they usually they when I get one of my beauty box subscriptions. I also was thrilled to see so many organic and natural brands in the box. We’ve come a long was from harsh chemicals that do more damage in the long run to our skin and bodies and getting acquainted with these brands were a much-needed refresher. Do head on to cubecrate.com.my to check out their subscription options or head on down to their FB page here to find out what the buzz is all about.

On that note, this is it for now, stay tuned though, as now that I’m back in the swing, I’ll be posting more often. So until later.. Ciao!!

 

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