I was very exited when some fellow fire wives were talking about this new subscription box marketed to fire wives and girlfriends. After chatting with the owner, Ren Samuelson, I was very excited to receive one of the first boxes her company mailed out.
Wildfire Strong is a fire wife owned and operated company. Ren is a mother to three young children. Prior to starting her business, Ren was a Wildland firefighter, Fire & Medical Dispatcher and a Forestry Logistics Officer. She started Wildfire Strong so that Wildland Firefighter Wives would have something specifically for them; it’s a lifestyle that is impossible to understand unless you live it. With all we go through while our husbands are gone, this subscription box is designed to be something to look forward to each month that acknowledges that we are Important, Brave, and Strong.
Gifts included in the subscription box are from other Fire Wife small businesses. This allows subscribers to discover some great products while also supporting other fire families. Each month they feature new fire wife business(s). Ren included a great page highlighting the featured fire wives along with their business information.
What is a subscription box and how does it work?
1. Reserve your box. Just fill out your information. (Questions also include whether you are a fire wife/girlfriend/other)
2. Delivery. Your box will be shipped on the 15th of each month.
3. Discover & Enjoy. Discover Fire Wife businesses and enjoy other goodies.
I have never had a subscription box and I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened the package. My 4 year old daughter was very excited to see what she got! It killed her that I didn’t rip it open and dump out the contents, but instead, slowly pulled things out and took photos. Included was a description of each item.
Below is a photo of each item. Under the photo I will include some of the descriptions Ren included in “italics” and my personal Pros & Cons.
Spaced Out Eye Mask: Sometimes blocking out the worry and stress of the day can be difficult. Use this fun sleep mask to at least block out the light and attempt to get some Zzzzzz’s.
I wasn’t sure if this would be useful for at this stage in my life because I’m either watching a baby monitor or napping by accident! But this morning my 4 year old woke up before the sun so I took the opportunity to include her and I in my 1 year olds afternoon nap! It was nice to have the eye mask to help me shut off my brain and out the light.
Pros:
- It is adjustable and the material was cool on my face.
- It helped me tune out the revolving to do list in my head.
- My kids like it and aren’t afraid of it!!
Cons:
- I was thrown off by the galaxy theme
Vogue Water Bottle: It’s Hot ladies! Stay on top of hydration with this flashy and fun water bottle. Double walled and vacuum insulated keeps drinks cold 24 hours.
We try to only use stainless steel and glass drinkware at our home. We have a lot of HydroFlask containers with different lids. I prefer straw lids or sport lids that can be used with one hand since my other is often driving or holding a child. However, I don’t trust them not to leak everywhere when my kids get ahold of them or when in my purse/diaper bag. I always take a 32oz bottle of water when I leave the house but find it too heavy to take in stores in my already heavy bag. I bought a 20oz hydro flask with sport lid to be lighter to carry in a bag, but it leaks when upside down. This week I took this new 17oz Vogue Water Bottle in my diaper bag/purse since it is leak-proof. And left my 32 oz in the car. It didn’t leak in my purse!!!
Pros:
- Stainless steel
- Leak-proof. It’s s been in my bag for 7 days no leaks.
- Fits in my purse (and matches the inside of my Lily Jade!)
- My small kids can’t open it
Cons:
- Only 17 ounces which is just a few sips for this pregnant momma in the summer
- You have to use two hands to open/close the lid.
Tiny Love Cards: These Tiny Love Cards are the perfect size to stash in his pocket, wallet, toiletry kit, or randomly in his Out of County Bag. The uncoated back is perfect to write or draw on and make them as unique as you and your relationship.
Pros:
- Cute & Clever! Occasionally I use a post-it or a torn piece of paper, that might be soggy by the time he gets to it!
- Useful for a fire wife or fire girlfriend
Cons:
- There is no information where to purchase more or where the best place to order from if I want more
FEATURED FIRE WIFE: Patti Massingale
Wild Land Love Decal: Show your pride in being a Wildland Firefighter wife or girlfriend with this Wild Land Love Decal from Rocky Pines Designs. These high quality decals are great for cars, windows, laptops, water bottles and so much more.
Pros:
- Cool design to show- off your love and support of your firefighter
- High Quality outdoor weather Decal
Cons:
- None (I have not used it yet, still trying to decide where to put it!)
Magnets: Use these magnets to brighten up your day and show you support the Thin Red Line
Pros:
- It’s a fire related gift with the Thin Red Line
- Cute & useful for anyone
Cons:
- There is no information where to purchase more or where the best place to order from if I want more.
Facial Mask: Squeeze in 20 minutes of self care and kick back and relax with this Pacifica facial mask.
I have several awesome face mask options in my bathroom, but I can never find the time or motivation to use them. This was appealing because it didn’t require any mixing or washing my face afterwards. I am thankful I used it after my two small children went to bed because they would have both been terrified of the white cloth stuck to my face with eye/nose/mouth! My skin felt hydrated afterwards.
Pros:
- It was very simple to use. It doesn’t even require washing your face afterwards.
- 100% Vegan. Cruelty-Free
Cons:
- It was really big and felt like I was wearing a baby wipe with holes cut out!
- There is no information where to purchase more or where the best place to order from if I want more.
FEATURED FIRE WIFE: Allison Starr
Starr Co. Candles: This lovely candle by Starr Co. Candles is made of 100% soy wax and essential oils. Light one and kick back as it fills your house with a gorgeous scent.
I will admit, I haven’t used a candle in over 3 years. I purged all products with synthetic fragrances listed as an ingredient. Instead, we use Essential Oils and diffusers in our home. I went to the company’s website to see the ingredients used and they use Essential Oils so I felt comfortable lighting the candle. My kids are intrigued! I have lit it a few times at our dining table while kids color. I’d love to buy this in another scent.
Pros:
- Clean ingredients
- Super cute mason jar matches my home
- Handmade by a fire family
- Not overwhelming fragrant
- Company donates 10% to Veteran Non-Profits
Cons:
- The ingredients aren’t listed on the product
- I’m honestly not a fan of the smell of lavender! (However, I still use Lavender EO regularly for my kids and I will still light the candle)
Wildfire Strong Subscription Box: Overall, I think the subscription box was excellent. It was just as described and really gave me something to look forward to while my husband has been away. This shouldn’t just be a gift you buy for yourself, this would be a wonderful surprise and very thoughtful gift to send anyone in a relationship with a firefighter. Even if you just sent a one-time gift to them, I could only imagine how loved it would make them feel. Most of us are really missing our husbands or boyfriends while they are away for days/weeks/months and we are often burning both ends of the candle while running the household, raising children, and trying to maintain a healthy relationship with minimal communication. If you know someone whos significant other is away at Academy, training or just stuck on shift, you could really cheer them up with this Wildfire Strong Subscription Box.
Pros:
- The box had a great variety of products to appeal to many different tastes
- The packaging and presentation were excellent
- Great information included on the fire-wife owned companies along with their business cards
- Receiving a box exclusively for a fire wife was extra special and made me feel connected to other wives
- It was obvious a lot of time was spent putting these packages together
- You won’t feel guilty purchasing a subscription because you know you are supporting other fire families
Cons:
- The website said each month would feature a theme for additional boxed products. I feel like the theme was maybe Relaxing, but it wasn’t written anywhere that I could find.
- Two 2 of the 7 items were from a firefighter owned company
Please visit Wildfire Strong to see if this subscription is right for you or someone you know. Please like Wildfire Strong on Facebook and Follow Wildfire Strong on Instagram
Disclaimer: Wildfire Strong provided me with a complementary subscription box so I could write a review. All opinions and statements are my own.
Be Wild. Live Naturally. Love Genuinely,
The Homeacre