Review: September Goddess Provisions Box – Good Vibes Only

By: Ariana Palmieri

This month’s Goddess Provisions box was filled with so many spiritual goodies. From smudge spray to blue sage, the whole box was filled with tools to help me renew my energy (out with the old, in with the new sort of thing). Not spiritual? No worries, there were other goodies perfect for anyone simply dedicated to living a greener, more natural lifestyle too. Check this Instagram video out to see me show you these goodies up close and personal (no, not in that way, silly).

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Chic Chouli – Reinvent + Transform Body Oil

Dancing Love Organics

Why you want it: This soothing body oil is specifically designed to celebrate the journey that is life (plus it comes with a gorgeous malachite stone!).

Its value:$23.95

My review: Normally, Goddess Provisions only includes one crystal per box, but this one has two! Along with the fluorite wand I got, I also received a malachite stone – why you ask? To enhance the effect of this calming body oil. Unlike most body oils, this one is designed to connect you to your mind, not just your body (ironic, ain’t it?). It comes with a card that has an affirmation inscribed on the back of it that you can say as you meditate. According to Dancing Love Organics, you’re supposed to “take a moment to acknowledge what you have accomplished in this journey” as you apply the body oil onto your skin. Then, you must “give yourself love for this and imagine the infinite possibilities that await you.” The malachite stone can be used in this moment of meditative body oil application – you can keep it near you, then hold it when you’re done applying the oil. Or, feel free to carry the malachite stone wherever you go. The card also suggests repeating the affirmation (not included in this review – too long) 5 times with your eyes closed. I must admit, I didn’t do anything the card suggested. Yet. I have a feeling I will soon, just to give it a try, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t tried this oil. In fact, I love it. It’s very fragrant and I never need much in order to be put into a calm, blissful state. I like to apply it before bed because it’s so soothing to me. It also doubles as a great massage oil (wink, wink) – but it won’t leave your skin feeling slippery and/or looking like a piece of plastic. It actually absorbs very well into the skin. Unfortunately, the label doesn’t say which essential oils they used to make this, but fear not. It’s completely vegan, cruelty free, and “handcrafted with love”. The scent kind of reminds me of something you might catch a whiff of in church – it reminds me of something sacred, holy, and uplifting. I truly recommend this blend – not to mention the stone is a gorgeous addition to any collection. After all, malachite is known for its protective qualities and ability to absorb negative energy from the atmosphere and body. 

Ingredients 

Certified Organic, Non GMO, Kosher Sunflower Oil, Cold Pressed Organic Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E, and a proprietary blend of essential oils.

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Positive Vibes Only

Enemy to Fashion

Why you want it: If you love quirky pins (or Enemy to Fashion), this will surely make you happy.

Its value: $10

My review: Sometimes, we all need a reminder to stay positive. It can be hard to do that in a world filled with negativity. This pin gets that – but it encourages you to be better than what you see. To be the change you want to see in the world. Fitting exactly into the theme of this box, the ‘positive vibes only’ pin is the perfect new pin to add to anyone’s pin collection. While I must admit I’m not a pin person, I do think this one is rather cute. I like the unique triangle shape and golden lettering. It’s also enabled, so that means no accidental pricks to the finger (sorry, but you’re not Sleeping Beauty). I’ll probably be adding this pin to one of my bags in the future ( I have plenty of bags, trust me), to remind myself to stay upbeat no matter what happens. I recommend this pin to anyone who could use a reminder to stay optimistic (or just really likes knick-knacks).

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Towards the Within – Smudge Spray

Momoko Therapeutics

Why you want it: For busy-spiritual people who don’t have time to burn sage, this spray will clear your sacred space in no time at all.

Its value: $14

My review: Ever heard of smudging? If not, a smudge ritual is used to cleanse the energy in a home, office, room, person, or object. It’s typically done using a sage bundle of some sort (which I also received in this box). While that’s all well and good, a smudge spray can do the same job in twice the time (and without the safety hazard burning sage creates). This particular smudge spray is cruelty free, recyclable, and the label is printed on compostable material made from plants. Impressed yet? That’s not all: While smudge bundles typically only focus on sage, this spray contains a variety of  other scents such as cedarwood, frankincense, and scotch pine. It’s specially crafted using organic and vegan ingredients to help raise your vibration (or whatever you’re smudging’s vibration). It’s also a lot lighter smelling than smoldering sage and its scent doesn’t get as deeply absorbed into objects (meaning it won’t linger as long). This is good for me, since my nose is extremely sensitive to every little scent I introduce it to. Plus, I definitely felt a little bit more awake and present after each use of this spray. The spraying function also make it easier to smudge things (no fire required), So while I’ll never abandon good old fashioned sage (what? It’s really fun to light), I can definitely recommend this spray to those strapped on time (or just don’t want to accidentally set something on fire).

Ingredients 

(Organic & vegan) Aqua, alcohol, and: Bursera graveolens (Palo Santo), Salvia officinalis (sage), Litsea cubeba (may chang), Pinus sylvestris (scotch pine), Myroxylon balsamum (peru balsam), Cedrus atlantica (atlas cedarwood), Boswellia carterii (frankincense) essential oils, polysorbate 20 (from coconut source).

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Pink Grapefruit Scented Crystal Point Soap

Moon Souls

Why you want it: This grapefruit scented soap is super cute and uniquely shaped (perfect for a crystal lover, such as myself!)

Its value: $10.95 (make sure you choose the pink color if you want it to look like the one I got – but there are other colors available too!)

My review: I thought this soap looked so cool as soon as I saw it. It kind of reminds me of a rose quartz point (which I totally want to get one day). The smell was really nice too, not too invasive or overpowering – just a subtle grapefruit scent. The list of ingredients is great too: It’s filled with nourishing coconut oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil. The only thing I didn’t like seeing in the ingredient list was lye. I didn’t know what that ingredient was right away (it was the only one I wasn’t too sure about on the label), so I did a little digging. Turns out it’s used in a lot of homemade soaps and if too much is used, it can be very harsh on skin. However, when combining lye with healthy fats, such as coconut oil and olive oil (which are present in this soap), lye is neutralized and turned into glycerin. This is a process called saponification (you can read more about it here). This makes using lye completely safe, and since this ingredient list also has vegetable glycerin in it, I suspect saponification occurred (making this soap safe to use). Despite this, I tend to avoid soaps with any questionable ingredients (so I probably won’t be repurchasing this). However, I’m happy to say the soap didn’t irritate my skin (so I’m sure it’s safe to continue use).

Ingredients 

Coconut oil, coconut milk, water, citric acid, olive oil, lye, vegetable glycerin, palm oil (responsible sources), sunflower oil, mica power blend, grapefruit essential oil, lemon essential oil, orange essential oil

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Golden Masala Chai

Blue Lotus Chai

Why you want it: This warming tea blend is vegan, gluten-free, and perfect for the fall days rapidly approaching – it’ll keep you nice and cozy without hurting your tummy!

Its value: $8.50 – $396 (Depends on the size you want – mine is the $8.50 one!)

My review: Typically speaking, I prefer sweeter teas to spicier ones. However, I must admit, this tea impressed me. It’s far from being finished, but I’m determined to savor it. It’s unlike any other tea I’ve tried before – want to know why? Well, besides one of the ingredients being tumeric, this blend immediately dissolves into water! You don’t need to steep it or wait long at all for it to be ready. Plus the packet I got makes 17 cups (that’s a great deal if you ask me). I already made 2 cups (one for me, one for my father – he also loved it) and I can happily say it tasted delicious. While it had just a little bit of a kick to it, I’d say it was more warming than anything else. It relaxed me and made me feel all cozy inside (kind of like I was sitting near a nice bonfire). I drank it on a day that was fairly cool too (so I needed the coziness). I can picture this tea coming in handy throughout the fall, for sure. While it’s a chai tea, it wasn’t overbearing at all. I only added one scoop of raw honey and was fine without any other added sweeteners. However, I would like to try it without any honey, just to see what it would be like. This tea features turmeric, as I mentioned earlier, which makes it extremely healthy (after all, turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory properties). But turmeric isn’t the only super star – maca is in it too, which is known for its mood and energy boosting qualities. In other words, you can’t feel sad while drinking this tea. It left me feeling very satisfied and very pleased overall. I can’t wait to try another cup! Oh – did I mention it also came with an adorable mini wooden spoon? Too cute!

Ingredients 

Naturally brewed and flash-dried black tea powder; 100% Certified Organic powdered spices: ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, maca.

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Blue Sage Smudge Stick

Goddess Provisions

Why you want it: If you love sage smudge sticks, but don’t like how intense the smell is, this blue sage is a lot lighter on the nose (and slightly sweeter smelling).

Its value: $5

My review: I already have a sage smudge stick, but I’ve never tried blue sage. For anyone curious about it, it’s got a sweeter, lighter scent, and the leaves are smaller and thinner than regular sage. Sage  isn’t for everyone, so I would advise people who aren’t fans of incense to steer clear of this because it tends to be strong. Sage doesn’t have to burn long in order to fill a room. To use, all you have to do is light a match and light one end of the sage bundle. You can use a match, a lighter, a candle, or even the stove top to light your sage. You have to be careful because you don’t want the sage to burn up – You’re supposed to put the flame out. Here’s a good video that shows how to light sage (the safe way), especially for beginners. You can blow the flame out or shake it out (as the woman in the video does), whichever works for you. Once I had my blue sage stick smoldering (and not burning), I walked around my room with it to clear the space. After all, blue sage is good for clearing negative energies and purifying thoughts. According to Goddess Provisions, it can be “used in a ritual ceremony, house cleaning, or simply for [its aromatic benefits]”. Whatever your purpose, I don’t suggest leaving it smoking for too long. The only reason is because its got a very powerful scent and it’ll absorb nicely into your space without much effort. I like to leave it smoking for at least 3 minutes for the full benefit, but feel free to do as you please. Personally, I thought the blue sage’s scent was even nicer  and lighter than regular sage. It really lifted my spirits and, in some ways, reminded me of maple syrup. Not the kind that’s loaded with sugar and artificial mind you – the kind that’s all-natural, robust, and dark. Unlike regular sage, if I left it burning longer, I don’t think it would’ve irritated my nose as much. When I was finished, it was very easy to put out. I like to just run it under some cold water and it instantly stops smoldering. There were a few times it went out by itself (it didn’t seem to catch fire the same way regular sage did), but I just re-lit it to circumvent this problem. 

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Fluorite Wand

Goddess Provisions

Why you want it: No it’s not a magic wand – (unless you want it to be), but it is a double pointed fluorite crystal (and it’s stunning).

Its value: ~$20 (pricing varies – most wands on Etsy are around $20 though!)

My review: I’ve never had this many crystals in my life before and I think I’m becoming obsessed (thanks Goddess Provisions – no seriously, thank you). I can’t help but look forward to every gem I get in these amazing packages! This time around, I had the chance to receive either a fluorite wand or a sodalite wand. I was super excited to see which I got because I didn’t have either. The universe clearly wanted me to have fluorite though, which is fine by me. According to Goddess Provisions, “fluorite is said to boost your mental clarity and expand your psychic and spiritual awareness.” That sounds really cool, if you ask me. I can feel the energy radiating off this wand too. Have you ever felt that from a crystal? Each one seems to have its own chi, or prana, if you will. If you’ve never experience that feeling before, I suggest going to a crystal store (not online – I mean physically) and walking over to any crystal you feel most drawn to (maybe you just like how it looks or maybe something deeper is occurring – just let yourself feel what your intuition wants you to feel) and pick it up. You’re bound to feel something if you let it sit in your hand. Most crystals, this stone included, have a pulse. They literally come to life in your palm just by holding them. It’s as if they are each fragments of the Earth’s heartbeat. My fluorite wand in particular is fantastic at directing energy too, simply because of the pointy edges. For example, if I direct it at a specific chakra, I can feel it’s energy infusing with it, cleansing it, opening it. If nothing else, it helps me become more aware of my chakras, which are easy to forget about while dealing with the mundane. Despite that, I really do love this fluorite wand and can’t wait to continue working with it. The best part? I can cleanse it any time using the smudge spray or the blue sage stick that came with this Goddess Provisions box (or any other crystals I have, for that matter). That’s why I love Goddess Provisions – they always find a way to tie everything together. 

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