#boxofshadows

Here is the “Seeker’s Guide.” It is very focused on the various Eclipses that will be occurring around the world this summer. None of these Eclipses will be visible in North America, where most of the BoS’ customer base is, but since none of the items are very Eclipse-specific I think that’s fine. For the few customers that will be in the Eclipses’ paths, this box is extra special!

The BoS candle game has been expanded this month. Instead of a Modern Magix votive, we got a little set of tea candles. We also received a tin candle from Bee Lucia.

The Modern Magix Meadow Moon Tealights are made with Tomato Leaf and Citron & Mandarin fragrance oils, as well as Lemon Balm, Hyssop, and Jasmine herbs. They smell like a Bath & Body Works! Fresh and summery.

The Cinnamon & Citrine Wellness candle from Bee Lucia smells like cinnamon rolls and honey! It’s very sweet and sugary. I do like tin candles like this one, and even though this one has Cinnamon, which I don’t mix well with, I still find it pleasant.

We also got a tea sampler from Mystic Ginger Apothecary.

The MoonBeam tea is made with a blend of Damiana, Jasmine, and Lavender. The Solaris tea contains Calendula, Lemon Balm, Dandelion Leaf, and Lemon Verbena.

There is a lot of tea in each bag, so I’m sure they’ll last me awhile. I look forward to trying them!

Here are the last few items in the box, which are both the stars and the disappointments, depending on how you view it.

First off, that double-terminated Citrine point is gorgeous. I am very curious to know if it is natural or lab-altered Citrine, and if the shape is natural or polished. Because if this is an all-natural piece, it is very impressive and I am quite pleased. I’m leaning toward thinking it is polished, but it is pretty nonetheless.

The Florida water I am much more lukewarm on, though that could be personal preference. I have never much used sprays, but have mostly liked previous ones I’ve received in boxes. Unfortunately this one just smells very off-putting to me, likely due to the Cinnamon.

The “Sun Amulet” is the main item of hot debate. At first glance it is pretty, with the layered stars and the glimmery, Bornite-like center. However, once you actually get a look at it, it becomes clear that this is far from a quality item. The piece in the center looks like a glob of paint that missed the center a bit (pretty sure I can peel it off), and the pendant material is very lightweight and brittle. It’s something I think I would like and wear if I received it as an arcade reward, but definitely not the kind of quality I would expect from a subscription box like this. Regardless, I will probably find a situation to wear it in at some point.

I can definitely see why July’s Box of Shadows got such negative reviews. there aren’t many items, and there’s a lot of repetition that makes them feel fewer than they are--two candle brands, two large bags of tea. And on that front, and the arguments regarding the necklace, I have to say I agree. The necklace is cute from far away, but pretty crappy quality, and the box simply doesn’t feel like it has enough items in it.

On the other hand, I’m quite satisfied with the quality of some of the items. The Citrine crystal, Bee Lucia candle, and the tea samples are all nice surprises. We’ve come to expect Modern Magix, but they do make good candles, and the BoS team even switched it up this month instead of sending the same-old votive. 

Here’s the Seeker’s guide, for anyone interested.

The first thing I noticed when I released the box from the sealed priority mail envelope was an overwhelming scent of Blood Orange. The Barley Moon votive candle from Modern Magix contains Blood Orange and “Driftwood” (whatever that is) scents, and is topped with Chamomile, St. John’s Wort, and Rosemary. Since it’s the only thing in the box with Blood Orange in it, it must be what caused the heavy scent that clings to everything from the box. Weirdly, though, even though it contains Blood Orange scent, the candle itself doesn’t actually smell much like that--it has a very toasty, brown-sugar like scent with just the barest, distant hint of citrus. I really like it. I think it might be my favorite Modern Magix candle so far, and I can’t wait to burn it!

While we’re on the topic of smelly things, this box also contained an essential oil roll-on vial. The oil is Jojoba oil with little pieces of Lepidolite floating around in it. I’m not that familiar with Jojoba, but it smells fresh, bright, and a little bit spicy. It really gives off an autumn vibe, like spiced ciders.

The last of the scent-related thing would be the chunk of Palo Santo. I have another piece from a previous box that I honestly haven’t burned yet, so it seems like I’ve got a lot of this stuff in my future!

We did get a lovely crystal this month--a nice chunk of Selenite. It reflects light with a beautiful soft glow, and leaves little sparkles on my fingers when I handle it. It’s thicker, shorter, and heavier than my Selenite wand. I think this piece will be great to set out when making Moon Water, and for other Full Moon activities.

The last smaller items in the box are jewelry. The Tree of Life pendant perfectly fits the box’s theme, with the roots and branches both extending around the center of the pendant. So much of the jewelry, especially pendants, from subscription boxes are a neutral silvery color. It’s actually really nice to switch it up  with some brass, so that I have a few witchy pendants to coordinate with my warmer-toned outfits. And because it is made from brass, this pendant feels decently heavy and durable--I think it will last for a long time!

The lovely multi-colored Jasper bracelet is perfect for the end of Summer and early Autumn, mirroring the leaves just as they begin to turn. And here’s an interesting quote from EnergyMuse: “If Jasper has found its way onto your spiritual path, it could be a sign that you might be courting a case of existential burnout.” This is weirdly accurate to my life right now, as I navigate what is either a full-blown quarter-life crisis or some other form of massive burnout. I am going to keep this bracelet with me for a few days to see if it can help stabilize my feelings and bring me strength during this challenging time.

And last but not least, a book! I love receiving books, and this one seems like it could be useful to anyone who dabbles even a little bit in Witchcraft or Magic. Like many of the books BoS provides, it is published by Llewellyn. I know some people have issues with Llewellyn as a publisher, and I personally have found their books to be very hit or miss. But they do have some good ones out there, and I have a feeling this one will be a good one!

Here’s the Seeker’s Guide for those of you who like read ahead. I still don’t see any sources for the images, so that’s a bit disappointing. The image of Ra pops up pretty quickly from several sources with a Google image search, but I couldn’t find the other images very quickly and unfortunately don’t have the time to go digging for them this time around. Feel free to reply or reblog with links if you do stumble across them.

We got another paper product this month, too. This one is a “Scarab Invocation Poster.” I wouldn’t call it a poster--it’s a piece of paper--but I do like getting pages like this. I personally preferred the style of the Green Man page, but either way they’re a good addition.

If you like pages like this, you can find a bunch of them from Azure Green, which I’m pretty sure is where the Box of Shadows team is sourcing them from.

Here are some of the monthly staple items. Unfortunately, Cinnamon triggers migraines for me so I won’t be burning this incense myself, but it will make a good gift to one of my friends!

The oil they sent in this month’s box is Rue oil. They don’t specify which species it is from, but traditionally Rue has been used to induce abortions, so it is NOT safe around anyone who is pregnant or nursing, and it should never be used in aromatherapy as it is poisonous. Rue is also toxic to cats and other pets so keep it far out of reach!

The Litha votive is very pretty! It sort of smells like soap, but in a fresh and happy way. I like it. It contains Lavender essential oil and something called “meadow” fragrance oil. The herbs blended in the candle are Lavender, Thyme, Vervain, and Yarrow.

Ok, so, we did get an herb bundle and chime candles again his month. And you guys probably know by now how I feel about chime candles. But this time, I am okay with it. Even though I don’t really use chime candles, I don’t mind that they were included because it didn’t feel like they were replacing another item in the box--they felt like an extra add-on, which I think is exactly what they should be. So yay!

The herb bundle is cedar, which I’m also a fan of.

Tiger’s Eye seems to be the theme right now with crystals in subscription boxes. I guess it’s a very summery stone! Here we have a Tiger’s Eye bracelet and a wire-wrapped pendant, which looks like it could also work as a pendulum. They’re both pretty shimmery.

Believe it or not, we actually got two “bigger” items this month. This is a fabric tote bag. I’m not generally a fan of tote bags--I never use totes and usually they’re just cheap junk used as bad “giveaway” items that no one really wants. But this one is both pretty and lightweight enough to use as a wall hanging! I tucked the handles in and draped it up behind my altar. It looks great!

It also looks pretty dope under black light.

And then, a book! If there’s one thing that the Box of Shadows delivers on, it’s books. I like books. I’m almost done arranging my back deck space for the season, and I look forward to reading this in the shade, surrounded by my sweet little plants.

That’s all, folks! Definitely an improvement from previous boxes--I’m a fan. I think the combination of the book and the bag did it, and the fact that the herb bundle and chimes felt like they were added on rather than replacing other items. I look forward to seeing if the BoS team can keep it going!