Escape Monthly-Deluxe India Box

Escape Monthly is a destination-inspired monthly delivery of luxury products to help you relax, renew and escape! Indulge in experiences inspired by luxurious spas, tropical getaways, cultures of the world and more! - See more at: http://escapemonthly.com. If I can't take a real vacation every month, at least I can pretend with a vacation in a box. One monthly box includes a trip to the destination. If you just can't live without any extras of items in the box, you can buy them at escapemonthly.com/offers for a discount. All you have to do is enter your email address and they will send you a coupon code for the discount. They are now offering a less expensive (but no discounts) on a mini-box. It has fewer items (4-5 instead of 8, and no travel guide), but still full-size products and costs $24.95. This month they offered a deluxe box from India for $69.99 and promoted they had 25 boxes. I bought one. I wanted to see what was in the deluxe box to see what might be different. When the box arrived, it had some weight to it. It was a square gold box instead of the usual blue chevron. There was a scarf that didn't fit into the tightly packed box. 

As usual, but on different type of paper, the box arrived with a card detailing the items inside. There has been some disappointment on the Internet because the picture used promoting the box showed a few different items including a cute little snow-globe with an elephant. That wasn't included in the box. Also, some people thought the box wouldn't have ANY items that were in the regular box and there is one duplicate item, but a larger size. This wasn't really something to really get upset about, in my mind. I have to admit though, I would have liked something with an elephant, and the snow-globe looked cute.  I looked up prices of the items on-line to get an estimate of the value.

Authentic Indian Pashmina Scarf by Peach Coutoure. I usually don't wear yellow, but is a deep golden color that I think I can wear. It is 100% viscose rayon and really soft. I like that it is fair trade, eco-conscious, and handcrafted by women in India. I found it on-line for regular price $29.99, but currently on-sale for $9.99.

There were several items by Auromere. I liked that all the products are made in India and distributed by a U.S. Company. The Aromatherapy Incense 8-Fragrance Sampler contains 8 packets of 3 mini-sticks of Amber, Jasmine, Cedar, Lavender, Lily, Patchouli, Rose, And Sandal. It smells great still in the package. I like a bath with scented candles. I think I can relax with these. Retail $8.50. Conveniently, these came with a handmade Mother's Symbol (Lotus flower) Teak Incense Burner. It's pretty. Retail $2.00. And to round out the collection, Ayurvedic Himalayan Rose Soap. I'm not a huge fan of a heavy rose scent, but I won't turn it down. It feels moisturizing, so we will see. Retail $2.95. 

Included in the regular July box was the 5-mL version of the Nemat International Amber Oil. The deluxe box had the 10-mL version. I will probably gift one of them because I don't need both. The scented oil could be used on the skin or I plan to use it in a diffuser. You have to like the scent of amber, which I do. It's light and not too floral. Some people aren't a fan. Made in Fremont, California. Retail $15.50. 

Similar to the regular July box was Masala Pop Chai Masala Popcorn. This was better packaged than a similar item in the regular box, with a reclosable bag (not that I need to close it because I ate it at once). I couldn't keep my husband's hands out of them. I received Savory Masala with Papadums and Lentil Chips. I love non-GMO and Vegan. OMIGOD!!! This was really good. The packaging kept it fresh and the flavor pops. Really spicy. You can buy them on-line from their Portland, OR manufacturer for $15 for 3 2.0 oz bags, so the value of the single bag is $5.00.

There were some flavors for cooking included. First was Urban Accents Tandoori Gotta Cook Tonight Mix. I's a product of the USA for $3.99. And the other seasoning was Rub With Love Bengal Masala Rub. It's great on vegetables. Out of Seattle, WA for $6.50. I really like Indian food and Indian seasonings. I won't use the recipe suggestions because I don't eat meat, but I can definitely find ways to use these in my kitchen. 

The next item was quite a pleasant surprise for me. One day, I spent hours looking for Black Salt to make vegan deviled eggs. I finally found some, but it wasn't easy in Texas. I was happy to see Artisan Salt Kala Namak in a 7 ounce jar of fine salt. I will admit, not everyone will like this product of India. It has a very sulfuric smell and flavor. I personally love it, so I'm pretty happy. A little goes a long way, so I won't have to hunt all over town for quite a while. Retail $10.99. 

India wouldn't be complete without Chai. The box included Tao of Tea 500-mile Chai Tea Tin. The black leaves smell incredible. I don't have a tea pot and strainer, but I have a good friend who does. She can share with me. We can relax and sip after adding some plant-based milk and sugar. Of course, I could just smell it all night and feel pretty relaxed. I found a 4-oz tin or you could purchase by the ounce on-line for $2.25/ounce. The 2-ounce tin, which will brew 30-35 cups, is valued at $4.50. Of course, you can't sip tea without a cup, so the box included Earthen Light Brown Handmade Teacup. I found these on-line in sets of 4 for $12.15 (currently on-sale for $10.95), so the value for the 1 cup is ~$3.00. They appear to be made in China.

And the final item in the box is kind of fun. I'm not sure when I will play with the EarthHennna Classic Kit  of henna tattoos, but I can probably find some fun excuse. There is enough henna for about 15 designs and the kit comes with 16 stencil transfers to play with. Each tattoo should last 7-10 days on the skin and the paste for 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator. Maybe I'll have a little henna party with some girlfriends when we're feeling a little wild and crazy. Retail $16.95 (but currently on sale for $10.95). Made in the USA.




 I am glad to see that there were more items FROM India in the deluxe box than in the regular box. I do really like the collection, so I'm not going to get really upset that the box didn't match the marketing picture. Sure, I would have liked a cute elephant snow-globe, but it's not the end of the world. It would have collected dust. I will actually find use for everything in the box.

I calculated the value to be about $109.87 at full price, but with current sales, closer to $85. Like the regular monthly boxes, I really would like to see a higher value that exceeds the price ($69.99 for the deluxe box) a little more. The marketing advertised a >$150 value, but I didn't see it. I feel like Escape Monthly could get some good bargains because they buy in bulk and could up the ante a bit. I will admit, that I remain on the fence about continuing since I do have some other subscription boxes that make me feel like I'm getting greater value for the expense. But, darn it, they keep tempting me with exciting new locations for the upcoming months, so I keep thinking "let's see what [Paris in August] has and then I'll decide."

(This post contains affiliate links. These opinions are my own and are unsolicited. I have not received any compensation for my comments.)