California Found Review December 2019
California Found is a monthly collection of expertly curated, beautifully crafted small batch and handmade goods from California’s most talented artisans. They kindly set us this box for review.
Each month you’ll receive a beautifully packaged box valued at over $90 that’s filled to the brim with natural spa & beauty products, locally sourced gourmet treats, beautifully crafted home goods, infinitely wearable jewelry and more. Every item introduces you to a new maker, each from different parts of the state with unique stories to tell.
They’ve recently become members of the 1% of the Planet and have committed to donating at least 1% of their gross revenues to the organization to help in their mission to build, support and activate an alliance of individuals and businesses committed to creating a healthy planet.
As a fun bonus, each month one subscriber’s California Found box contains a golden ticket (it is the Golden State after all!) that entitles the recipient to one FREE box!
Subscription Details
California Found is $49 per month with the option of three-month subscription costing $144.00. Shipping is $7.95 in the US, $16.95 CAD and $23.95 everywhere else. Current month’s subscriptions close on the 30th of each month. New boxes are shipped between the 20th & 30th of each month and will arrive to subscribers within 5 business days after shipping.
December Box Details ($120 total value)
“We’re excited to bring you this month’s collection of gorgeous California artisan-made products! Every item is perfect for last-minute gifting – but we have a feeling you’ll want to keep it all for yourself! Look inside and discover a little sparkle for your holiday outfit, a welcome relief from dry winter skin, the perfect home fragrance for the season, and more!”
This selection truly is perfect for gift giving, but I’m definitely keeping it all to myself! Each item would not only make great gifts but give off subtle winter cozy vibes too. The perfect selection for this time of year!
Here’s a look at what’s in this month’s California Found box:
Box Insert
The inserts included in California Found are so thoughtful and informative. There’s an individual card for each product giving the item it’s own spotlight. They include a little background about the makers and the company as well as include a product photo and additional related pictures. They also all contain discount codes for future purchase from each company so you can buy more of the same product if you fall in love, or even try something new if the company inspired intrigue. I’ve included a few bullet points from each card below.
Jesse and Co Two-Row Satellite Bracelet in Silver ($38)
“Jesse and Co is a collection of leather and jewelry accessories designed and handcrafted by Felice Jacobson in her design studio in Southern California. Felice embraces simplicity and her designs come together as a blend of contemporary style, organic influences and a touch of raw inspiration. Her vision for Jesse and Co has always been to stay true to traditional handcrafted techniques and to preserve our environment for our children by using recycled metals and reclaimed leather whenever possible.”
I have been really in to subtle and simple jewelry lately so this bracelet is perfect! It’s so dainty with a hint of glam since the little tiny beads add a bit of sparkle. It does not have an adjustable length, but fits just fine on my tiny wrists. I love that this jewelry brand utilizes recycled metals, this one is sterling silver.
MidiQueen Handbags The Girl Friday or The Large Wallet ($43)
“For those of you that are new to MidiQueen, in 2003, Kristina Clark made a purse for a friend and planted the seeds for her line of unique handbags. She hand selects all MidiQueen fabrics, designs every handbag style, and keeps her business relations close to her small town origins. A firm believer in giving back to the community, she donates to many functions and fundraisers.”
There were two options to receive from this artisan in this months box and I got the “Large Wallet” that came in a charcoal grey color. It’s made of buttery soft leather and is approximately 9 inches long by 5 inches wide. It’s bigger than the normal purse I carry around so I could see using this as more of a clutch. It has a snap closure, a divider inside so you can separate cash from other papers or cards and it even has a convenient ID holder slot. I love the neutral color and versatile use of this one. I can tell it’s thoughtfully and well crafted too.
Fiddlefish Chamomile Goat’s Milk Soap ($9)
“Fiddle Fish is the creation of Los Angeles based chandler Jessica Aiello. They are a home + body line consisting of hand poured soy candles made exclusively in recycled containers, hand made goat’s milk soap and soothing bath soaks ranging from dead sea salt to Himalayan pink salt. They strive for purity and simplicity using the finest ingredients including essential oils and organic herbs in all of their products.”
I love, love, love handcrafted soaps so this item is perfect! This soap has a soft and calming scent that I can’t stop smelling – it’s so nice! The bar is a creamy formula that contains all kinds of vitamins like D, C, B1, B6, B12, & E. It’s formulated with chamomile and goat’s milk to calm irritated skin, alleviate rashes, and soothe dry skin. So perfect for all the dry winter air my skin is being exposed to right now. I’ll be using this one so soon!
Lauren Beckett Coconut Wax Candle in Old Fashioned ($18)
“Founder Lexi Ruth created Lauren Beckett to develop products that are both easier on the body, and better for the environment. We love that they think about wellness and sustainability at every step of their process, from renewably sourced, vegan coconut wax: free from gluten, toxins, parabens, and phthalates; to wicks made from eco-friendly, ethically sourced wood; to vessels made from recycled glass. They even include a seeded paper tag with each candle. When you’re finished burning your candle, use the vessel to sprout Wildflowers!”
This candle smells so good! It’s the perfect winter scent. It’s a combo of clove, dark red fruit & citrus notes so it smells a bit spicy, a bit sweet and very warm and cozy. I love that these candles are made so eco-consciously from the wax all the way to the container that can be reused once the candle is burned up.
Yes Cocktail Co Blackberry Pomegranate Cocktail Mixer ($12)
“Yes Cocktail Company was founded by travelers and cocktail lovers Lauren Butler and Brandon Alpert. On the road, they would seek out local flavor, be it Bourbon in Kentucky or Aquavit in Denmark. They began crafting their own blends, with flavors inspired by their travels and using locally sourced, entirely natural ingredients!”
I don’t generally drink cocktails but this is still a fun product to receive. I’d more likely use this in a sparkly water beverage, but I think it would be just as delicious that way too. It says you can mix with lemonade or tea or used in a salad dressing so it’s very versatile. The flavor of this one is blackberry pomegranate and is literally flavored with fruit purees from just those two fruits. The flavor profile is inspired by down home berry picking with berry stained hands and a warm summer breeze. The ingredient list is simple and natural with no junk included. Can’t wait to try this one.
California Found Review December 2019 – Final Thoughts
I love the variety of items California Found always delivers. It keeps things exciting and unexpected. I like how this month they suggest the items could be great for gifting but I like each item too much to part with any of them! I will definitely be using these as inspiration for future gift giving though. I especially think the candle and cocktail mixer would be fun gifts ideas. I’ll be keeping them in mind for my gift guides next year! And of course this box itself will be include too, it in itself makes a fantastic gift!
The Botanic Gal – http://www.botanicgal.com