Relax & Radiate Crate was a quarterly collection of thoughtfully curated products chosen by The Girlfriend, an AARP-sponsored website specifically for Gen X women over 40, and CultureFly. Each box was $50 per quarter, and contained 7-12 unique and custom-designed home, beauty, and wellness items with a value of over $200. The items support mind, body, and soul. This is a review of the Winter 2023 Crate.
NOTE: Relax and Radiate announced that this is the last box they will send so if you are owed future boxes check for an email from them or contact them ASAP.
Stitch-Your-Own Tote Bag Kit There were minimal instructions included with this craft kit, and I have no idea how to do embroidery, so I can’t say whether there’s enough thread to finish the craft or not. My daughter is willing to learn so I am giving this to her and she can check out YouTube or Google for help but I can’t believe this didn’t come with better instructions. There’s not even a picture of the bag when completed, like which color goes where?
Kenneth Jay Lane CZ Tennis Bracelet is simple yet elegant and came with a helpful extender already attached. There was a coupon code included but I couldn’t find much info on this bracelet at that site.
Festive Greeting Card Set A set of eight cards and envelopes are rather big so maybe go ahead and put two stamps on the envelope to ensure delivery. They measure 7.5″ x 6″ and are blank on the inside. There are two each of each color: black, brown, maroon, and red.
Reusable Fabric Gift Wrap While I agree that it’s good to have a reusable wrap for gifts, I’m not sure how one would go about securing the present. Tape, ribbon, staples? It measures 25″ x 25″ and is made of polyester.
Saratoga Olive Oil Company Gourmet Olive Oils ($8) To go with the item below, we received one of four different flavors of olive oil. This version had an earthy, herby scent and while I haven’t tried it yet, I think it would work well as a dipping oil or in certain savory recipes.
Olive Oil Dipper Plate This is such a cute idea! It’s a serving plate with a bowl attached (permanently) to the middle. You place olive oil in the middle and then place bread around the edges of the plate and it would look wonderful on a serving table. I would suggest putting a different dip inside and other dippers around the edges but the bowl doesn’t hold much, although guacamole and chips might work.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah ($13.49) I’ve read several books by Kristen Hannah, including this one, so I guess I could wrap it in the giving scarf/reusable gift wrap shown above and give it to someone who hasn’t read it yet. If you aren’t familiar with Kristen Hannah then just know that the worst things that can possibly happen to a person will happen, and in this case they happen during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. I would suggest reading The Nightingale by this author, I keep hoping it will be made into a movie.
Alsama Studios Embroidered Book End Alsama Studios sells products that are made by refugee women from Syria and is located in Beirut. I didn’t see this item in their shop but they sell bags, bookmarks, toys, and more. I think it’s for holding your place in a book and my daughter asked if she could have it, she must be familiar with this type of bookmark.
Long Sleeve Bamboo Cotton Sleep Shirt Our last item is similar to an item we received in a past box – it’s a sleep shirt, except it’s in a different color and has long sleeves. It has a V-neck and is made with “bamboo cotton” and I’m sure it would pair well with leggings or yoga pants.
That’s a wrap on the Winter 2023 Relax & Radiate Crate, and on the subscription as a whole. The idea was to send a box of items that would appeal to those from Generation X, but then it seemed to expand to include women of any age served by AARP and that may have been a problem, as my mom, sister, and I (The Silent Generation, The Baby Boomer, and the Gen Xer) probably have different ways to define “Relax & Radiate”. Each box included a book, but they tended to be older releases or a random book 3 of a series of 5 or something like that. The DIY projects would have benefitted from some directions. Most of the items coordinated with each other and came from CultureFly, but later boxes had other brands (like the olive oil or the bracelet in this box). The only personalization was clothing size for things like sleep shirts or robes. As for the promised $200 value, with most of the items coming from CutureFly, it’s hard to find a value for all of the items since they aren’t available in stores, but I think the box was good for the most part and like with most subscription boxes, not everything will be a fit with everyone. It was unique in the fact that it catered to a certain age group and I know many were sad to learn that their quarterly “surprise” boxes would no longer be coming. Perhaps The Girlfriend will reassess and come up with a new subscription box in the future!
Below are more box opening pictures, plus you will find the product info card and pamphlet that was included in the box.
Relax & Radiate Crate was a quarterly subscription box filled with a collection of unique and custom-designed products selected to bring you comfort while nourishing your mind, body, and soul. Each seasonal box included 7 to 12 items hand-picked by members of The Girlfriend team and community, averaging $200 or more in retail value. Each box also included a copy of an all-new Girlfriend Mini-Magazine produced exclusively for Relax & Radiate Crate subscribers.
Relax & Radiate Crate subscribers also get access to an exclusive online community where you can connect with others, access special giveaways and offers, and provide input on upcoming crates.
Get a collection of thoughtfully curated products that’ll keep you radiating your best self all year round. Each crate comes with a seasonal selection of unique and custom-designed home, beauty, and wellness items.
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