Whole Foods Weekender Bag, $7, one time bags (prices vary)
I paid: N/A
Retail/Market value $23.5, My value: $23.5
Enjoyment factor: ☺
Every so often, Whole Foods market issues a beauty bag with a bunch of beauty samples. They’ve done three so far (one in March, another in June and now this one). Bags are available in the store while supplies last. This one may still be available at your Whole Foods, though you may have to ask where they keep them. I don’t shop at Whole Foods myself, I don’t have one nearby, and I got this bag in a swap.
Whole Food Beauty bags vary both in price and number and size of samples. This one contained three travel-size products and three sample sized ones, but was only $7. The total value of the bag is $23.50 (Whole Foods claims it’s $40, but they must have been smoking some of the African mint from the soap to get to that value), not as good a deal as the similarly-priced Target box, but not bad, specially as I will use all items. More importantly, it gives me the opportunity to try some products I actually want to try.
In addition to the samples, the box came with three coupons for specific beauty items that can only be used at Whole Foods. They are of no use to me.
This is what I got:
Juice Beauty Nutrient Moisturizer, .5 oz, $9
I liked the Juice Beauty Age Defy moisturizer that I got on my Beauty Fix box last April and I’m sure I’ll like this one (despite the fact that it’s promoted by Gwyneth Paltrow, who must be the most clueless and entitled woman in the world). While it’s a small tube, I do like that it’s a tube – which means that it won’t get contaminated every time I use it, as the jar does. It’s comes with a seal so I’ll wait until I run out of my current moisturizer to try it.
Acure Oganics Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner, 1 oz each, $1.25/each
This shampoo and conditioner duo is actually made of natural ingredients and they get fairly good reviews. They are advertised as having moroccan argan stem cells, but we’ll have to see if that’s something other than a gimmick. I am looking forward to have my daughter with the damaged hair try them. They are made in the USA.
Update: My daughter tried these products and they actually left her hair soft. That’s quite an accomplishment and I’ll definitely be buying the full size of these ones.
Alaffia Authentic African Black Soap in tangerine citrus, 1 oz, 50-cents
This might be the cheapest sample in the bag, but it’s the one I was most excited to try. This all natural liquid soap is made from African mint aqueous extract and saponified shea butter and palm kennel oil. I’ve no idea what African mint is, but I did find out that its aqueous extract has been found to be effective to lower blood sugar levels, so now I need to find out how to get some in an ingestible form.
The black in the name comes from the ashes added to the oils to make the soap, but the end result is actually brownish. It’s scented with essential oils. I like the smell, but it actually reminds me more of food than a beauty product. Despite the name, it’s made in Washington state though some of its ingredients are fair trade certified, so presumably they come from Africa.
Alaffia advertises that their soap can be used as a soap, shampoo, facial cleanser and more -which is, of course, true of all soap. It has a runny but somehow stringy texture. I used it to wash my face, and left it feeling very clean and very soft. I’ll definitely use it for this purpose again. I also tried it as a shampoo, but it doesn’t lather well so I ended up using shampoo on top of it. It also seems to work well enough as a hand soap, though it doesn’t make suds so it’s a bit disconcerting.
I’m definitely planning to buy a full bottle of this.
Mineral Fusion Mini Nail Polish in blushing crystal, .25 oz, $6
I like but do not love this nail polish formula. It’s nice if you can apply a coat of the exact right thickness (it helps to shake the bottle). Apply too little, and it’s too runny and streamy. Apply too much, and you’ll get clots. I’m not very good at painting my nails, so this can be quite a challenge for me. On the other hand, if properly applied it dries quickly and it leaves you with a shiny, healthy looking coat.
Light pink is not really my color, but I guess it works for those of us who are not bold enough to wear white nail polish but might want to.
Tom’s of Maine Simply White Natural Fluoride Toothpaste in Clean Mint, .9 oz, $1
I’ll be honest. Nobody here likes the flavor of Tom’s toothpaste. However, I do like that it’s pretty natural and in my old age I’ve stopped really caring what something like a toothpaste takes like. This is a good size travel toothpaste, so we’ll definitely use it. Made in the USA.
ChicoBag Travel Zip pouch, quart-size, $4
This quart-size bag has a clear front and meets TSA requirements. It looks like a great alternative to a ziplock bag. ChicoBag offers branded bags and I have a bunch of their regular shopping bags and they’ve proved to be quite sturdy. I like that this one is made from recycled plastic bottles. I’m no doubt going to use it.