Buddy Box Review | A Hug In A Box

I had never heard or known of The Blurt Foundation until they approached me about their monthly Buddy Box. The Blurt Foundation focus on raising awareness and understanding of depression and its affect on daily life, that's where Buddy Box comes in. Buddy Box is a monthly care package/subscription box designed to pick up your spirit when times are tough. 

On the top of the pile first was a handwritten card from the Blurt Foundation team, and four postcards. The most intriguing postcard (and also most profound) was one that had a task on it to complete. You had to 'Write something nice to someone you've never met...' Of course, this excited me greatly. I wrote a tip that really helps me when I am feeling my lowest. When I am feeling hurt or upset, I put on any song that I love and can dance to and I dance in my room as if I were at a party. It fills you with happiness, confidence and helps increase blood flow. Even if the song lasts 4 minutes and you're back to feeling rubbish, those 4 minutes will still have been absolute bliss. Repeat as necessary. I left this tip in the very appropriate 'The Joy of Music' by Bernstein, in Manchester Central Library in the Henry Watson Library (the music library). I hope whomever picked up this read, was inspired by my little note. 

I like to think the box was split into two themes. Items that help bring calmness and clarity, and items that help you sleep. These products I think would really aid in creating a calm mindfulness. Included was a box of Chamomile tea by Clipper which I brought to work to help keep the stress at bay and also this mindfulness colouring book with these gorgeous multicoloured colouring pencils in a cardboard geometrical print tube. This book is a godsend at keeping wandering thoughts and worries at bay, as you're too busy concentrating on staying within the lines and choosing the most complimenting colour to go with the section you've just shaded in...! 

These products I would say were to help the aid of sleep. First there is a lovely Sleep Balm from Anatomicals that you rub on your pulse points to help soothe you to sleep. I've been meaning to try Anatomicals for a long time so this was a delight to receive, not to mention lovely in scent. Included was also this lavender sachet by Grace & Favour. I keep this on my cake stand on my bedside table. When I need help soothing to sleep, I will crunch it to sort of activate the scents from the dried flowers and leave the sachet on my pillow in front of me. This powerful duo will help even the insomniacs fall asleep!

As a whole, this box is by far the most profound and useful I have come across during my time reviewing subscription boxes. For someone who battles depression (I like to think successfully), boxes like these hold so much more value than people perceive. I think more boxes like these should enter circulation because while the simplest product might seem like nothing to a beauty junkie subscribed to Birchbox, it could potentially be life-saving for someone suffering with a mental illness who struggles with crippling anxiety and therefore cannot sleep, which may in turn affect their working day and social life. The smallest aid may prove to be a lifeline out of a dangerous spiral of emotions. Boxes like these are particularly useful for those who suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) around this time of year.