I feel like I’ve been waiting for this summer box FOREVER and it is finally here. This is my last box on my current annual FabFitFun subscription, so this will help me make my decision on whether I keep my subscription for another year or go head and hit the cancel button.
Before we get into the goodies, here is a quick overview of FabFitFun:
- Boxes come on a quarterly basis and cost $49.99 each. To upgrade to a ‘select member’ you just pay for a year at once (rather than quarterly), it’s usually a little cheaper and it gives you the chance to make some choices on options.
- You can find links to all of my previous FabFitFun box reviews here.
Here’s my Summer 2019 box:
This box had a bunch of customizable options where annual members could pick and choose what they wanted, so most of this box reflects my choices. Unfortunately, in a few of the choice options all the possibilities were kinda bad… so I went with the one I disliked the least.
Choice Item 1: Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream & Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Gel, retail $45
For this choice, I picked between a travel blow dryer, beach towel, kimono and the creams I picked. I thought the choices were very diverse, but also kind of boring as we have received a similar beach towel and kimono in previous boxes. I went with the Bum Bum cream because I’ve heard a ton of people raving about it over the years.
This all-over body cream is supposed to “help tighten and smooth all over” so we’ll see. I’ve heard that people either love or hate the scent and I gave it a sniff and luckily loved it. Unfortunately, while it smells amazing its not actually very moisturizing — it just kind of goes on super thin and then soaks right in without making of my bits or pieces any softer. Or smoother. Lame.
Choice Item 2: West Elm Tie Dye Bowls, retail $39
Options for choice #2 were: 111Skin Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment masks, a Summer & Rose cotton tote, a felt letter board or the West Elm bowls. Really not impressed with these choices and the bowls were pretty, so I went with them. The bowls are dishwasher, microwave and food safe, so I’ll be adding them to my cabinets to use as ice cream, dip, soup or snack bowls. They may not be exciting, but at least they are useful and pretty!
Choice Item 3: Burn 60 Resistance Bands, retail $34
For choice #3, I picked between the resistance bands, a star double necklace, or silicone wine glasses. Considering both the necklace and wine glasses looked super cheap, I went with the resistance band. If I could have picked nothing, I would have gone with that option. I’ve never used resistance bands before, so I’ll stick them with my home hand weights and basically never bother to open the box.
Choice 4: Eyeko London Eye Do Black Liquid Liner, retail $22
For this choice, I picked between the liquid eye liner and a hair styling cream. I went with the liner because I do currently use a liquid liner. However, I use a smoky brown and this is black… so I’m not sure if it will end up working for me. I have a better chance at trying it than the styling cream though… but my overall feeling on choice 4 is “eh”.
Choice 5: Doctor Rogers Restore Healing Balm, retail $30
For choice #5 my options were: the healing balm, Coola SPF, or micro polish exfoliate. I previously used and really disliked the Coola SPF and have plenty of exfoliators, so I went with the healing balm. It is supposed to sooth and heal dry or damaged skin and you can use it on burns, scrapes, post-procedure skin and more. It basically feels like a super thick Vaseline or Aquifer. I’ll keep this around for any ouchies.
Item 6: Invisibobble Original Duo Pack, retail $16
All box subscribers received these ponytail holders in their Summer box and I have to say… ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! These are absolute crap that I wouldn’t buy at the dollar store and they put the retail value at $16… I get that 80’s and 90’s fashion is having a comeback, but I’m a grown woman and won’t be putting plastic telephone cords in my hair. Blegh. I’m also snickering that the booklet describes these as “a revolutionary hair tool”. Yeah, really revolutionary.
Item 7: Generation Clay Ultra Violet Brightening Purple Clay Mask, retail $39
I love a good face mask and this one claims to rejuvenate dull skin and boost hydration. I’m very happy with this item and will be adding it to my mask stash.
Item 8: Grace & Stela Spray All Day Rose Facial Spray, retail $25.95
I’m a little confused by this spray. It says to use it as a mid-day refresher for your face either over or under makeup. So, you’re just supposed to spray this water on your face? Is this a rich people thing?
I gave it a try and honestly it smells like a grandma. And not a cool Mimi kind of grandma, more like a stinky grandma that pinches your cheeks and doesn’t share her butterscotch candies. Also the water comes out of the sprayer a little aggressively, so it certainly isn’t giving me much of a mist effect. It’s more like a WAKE UP AND HELP ME FIGURE OUT THIS CONFUSING TELEVISION REMOTE squirt to the face. This one will be going into the pass-it-on box.
Item 9: Whish Exfoliating Foot Mask, retail $32
Normally I would scoff at a foot mask, but to be honest I got a glimpse of my heels yesterday and this is actually going to be used ASAP on my feet. It is supposed to exfoliate and polish for your softest feet ever. The directions say to spread it on your feet at bed time, let it dry, (probably put some socks on) and then in the morning you will have softer feet. Guess I know what I’ll be doing tonight.
Overall Thoughts
This box was pretty terrible. Sorry, was that too honest? The claimed retail value totaled at $283 and I don’t feel like anything was worth near the retail value. I like the West Elm bowls and will be trying the face mask and the foot exfoliate. But that’s about it. There is no excitement and nothing that great in the box at all. Such a bummer. However, it DOES make it really easy for me to make the decision to cancel my FabFitFun subscription. I’ll be sticking with Causebox and letting this subscription go.
Boy, you really got a stinker of a box! I was trying to imagine someone using those hair “tools,” face mask, bad spray – all of it at the same time. Topping it off with ice cream out of the bowls, which were actually cute. You have had trouble with this thing. I think you made the right decision.
Haha, that is quite the visual!
Haha okay but I have to defend those hair ties. I LOVE them! They don’t leave creases and hold pretty tightly. I work from home so no one can see what my hair is up on, but I use them daily. I also sleep with wet hair on the top of my head (so I don’t smush my waves) and they are great for that. Just saying – give them a shot. Clearly, I feel strongly about how great they are!
But totally agree, the rest of the box and its options sound like a bummer, especially when they are higher dollar things to try. Like I love rose spray when I get off a plane or come in from a hot day but mine was $6, not $26. Love your reviews of these but I don’t blame you for ending the subscription!
Would you like mine? I can mail them to you! Email me at pocketfulofjoules@gmail.com and they are all yours!
I love them too! Great for curly hair.
I’m glad I am not the only one who was disappointed in this box. This was the last one in my current subscription, and it was very easy to hit that cancel button. It seems like they are running out of ideas of new things to send.
Your review makes me glad I cancelled my subscription after the last box. They’d been pretty “meh” for me and this one sounds awful.
I agree 100% with you and your comments. I had canceled my fabfitfun box several months ago and still received the summer 2019 box. I feel as if the items I received were leftovers in their closet and they decided to send it to me most of the stuff will be in the trash and or Goodwill the Komodo they sent me is a small and definitely doesn’t fit the I don’t use facial masks everything in the box makes no sense to me it’s all facial or feet stuff I have caused boxes another subscription which I thoroughly enjoy so to fabfitfun please honor my cancellation and do not send me any more junk thank you