5th Anniversary! fabfitfun Spring Box (2018)

(Disclaimer: this blog may contain referral/affiliate links that would benefit me if you clicked on them.)

How does FabFitFun work?

Type of subscription: wellness, beauty, fashion, and fitness

Frequency: seasonal (4x/yr. March, June, September, and December)

Amount of products received: differs, but over $200 worth in value

Cost: $49.99/season or $179.99/annual (that’s $20 in savings!)

You have two choices when subscribing: seasonal or annual. Perks of being an annual subscriber include being the first to be able to purchase add-ons for your box as well as being offered additional customization and choices (such as colors or phrases on items). Annual members also have the perk of earlier shipping times.

To be clear, EVERYONE eventually gets access to the add-ons. And EVERYONE gets to customize some of their seasonal boxes. Annual members just have early access and more options. Just so you know what you’re paying for 🙂

Visit their site and sign up -> fabfitfun (this is my referral link. It gets you $10 off of your first box, and nets me $15 in credit)

I pay for this subscription.

Spring 2018 Box

The box comes with a magazine that details the boxes items and gives some insider information on some of it’s designers. Each season FabFitFun features a charity and gives it’s subscribers the option of donating towards it while they are picking out their add ons. This season the charity was Girl Rising, a global campaign for girls’ education and empowerment. The article in the magazine written by Chief Creative Officer, Martha Adams, is especially touching and rings home for those of us who are female and are working to break down our own barriers.

This box also came with a coupon for Hello Fresh, which I’m thinking of giving a whirl some time soon!

Add ons

You guys spoke up in my latest poll and told me that you want to continue to see my add ons, so hold on to your hats because this will be a long post!

This box came with a little leaflet about endometriosis awareness. I had no idea that March was endometriosis awareness month!

Vital Proteins Collagen Beauty Water in Lavender Lemon and Melon Mint – $58/box retail

I was really excited about this product, but there are a few things that are keeping me from enjoying it as much as I thought that I would. The first is the terrible color that it gave the drink and the fact that it never fully dissolves, so it makes your drink a bit gritty. The tastes were very subtle, but I think that I enjoyed the lavender lemon a bit more. After finding out that the collagen came from fish though, I couldn’t help myself from thinking that it tasted a bit fishy. I didn’t finish either box yet, although I plan to. This beauty water claims to enhance hair, skin and nails (something a desperately need), improve energy (again.. desperation!), and boost joint health. You can all tell me when I start to look more beautiful 😉

Zoë Ayla Revolutionary Electronic Makeup Brush Cleaner and Dryer – $99.99 retail

I am the epitome of lazy when it comes to cleaning my brushes. To put it in perspective, I’ve been doing my own makeup for about a year and a half now and I’ve only cleaned my brushes once. Makeup experts say that you should clean your brushes every few weeks. I’m a gross person. So it only makes sense that I would jump at the chance to buy a small device that makes cleaning quick and easy. It takes a total of 25 – 30 seconds to wash and dry a single brush. I found that smaller brushes cleaned better than larger brushes, and even with the ease of using this machine it was still a three hour ordeal to clean all of my brushes (I didn’t think they would ever end!). I also went through two sets of batteries during this time, so that was a little annoying, but not the fault of the product.

Spongellé Boxed Flower in Honey Blossom and Boxed Duo in Beach Grass – $16/$28 retail

Of course I was going to buy up all of the Spongellé. If you’ve never tried one before, do yourself a favor and buy one. They will change your life forever. I’m a fan of both of these scents and the boxed duo scrubs are gigantic so they last even longer than the average scrub which is still amazingly long (the duo are about 30 uses a piece while the flower is about 14). Two thumbs up!

Kensie Three Pack Premium Beauty Blenders – unable to find retail value online

These blenders are so cute. I love the colors and they’re very firm. They expand a lot when wet and are perfect from applying liquid foundation or concealer. I really needed some new blenders, because as you all know by now, I don’t clean mine so they’re disgusting.

Living Proof Restore Shampoo and Conditioner – $59/piece retail for 24 oz

This is quite the expensive shampoo and conditioner duo. I’m pretty happy with the duo that I’m using now, but I couldn’t stop myself from grabbing this pair up at the amazing price they were offering. The Restore line was created for people with dry and damaged hair. Not only does it help retain moisture, but it also protects from future damage. As an added bonus it smells AMAZING.

Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray – $29

I really love that add ons are full size products. I just have to say that. I’m a sucker for a good leave in conditioner. Again, this line is created for dry and damaged hair, although this particular item can be used on all hair types. This product provides UV and heat protection, as well as strengthens, smooths, and detangles.

Marrakësh Wave Sea Salt Spray – $13.99 retail

I think I had really high, extravagant hopes for this item. Like, three sprays and I’d suddenly have beautiful, wavy beach hair. Realistically, you’re still supposed to style your hair as you normally would after using this product, and for someone who takes joy in not doing any hair maintenance at all it’s really not for me. The salt sort of made my hair feel sticky.

Baublerella Bling Brush – $19 retail

Despite not being able to wear my rings four out of seven days a week, they still end up looking cloudy between cleanings. So, naturally, for a cheap price I bought this cute little pen. It’s super convenient and fast working. I was a little skeptical at first, but it’s like night and day!

Zoë Ayla Brilliant Eyelash and Eyebrow Serum – $49.99 retail

I’m not so concerned about my brows, but I’m always looking for ways to boost my lashes. I have lighter hair, which means lighter lashes, but in two months I saw a visible difference in the length of my lashes with mascara on. The best part about this serum is that it’s made with natural ingredients, so when you inevitably get it in your eye on accident it won’t burn or harm you. It also doesn’t irritate your eyelid or waterline, making them red like some other products do. I wish I’d thought to take before and after pictures. Even without using religiously (twice a day) as the product says to, I still see results.

So what do you think? Were those add ons dope or nope? I enjoyed most of them, but there were a few that didn’t work out. The value of all of these products was approximately $370 (I couldn’t find the price of the Kensie sponges online), and I got them all at an incredibly discounted rate. Definitely a win in my book!

Box items

Rachel Pally Reversible Clutch in Paradise – $60 value

As an annual subscriber I got to choose the color/print that I wanted for my clutch. All three of them were beautiful, but I really love this color combination. This clutch is reversible, with the teal side being vegan leather and the printed side being canvas, so you can really mix and match with your outfits. The inside lining is polyester and there is a single pocket. This bag is seriously BIG at almost 12″ when unfolded. So if you’re like myself, and you’re not a huge fan of clutches, it’s okay because this is the perfect bag to hold makeup or other miscellaneous items inside of a bigger purse.

Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion – $40 value

I’m so happy to see a Murad product in one of these boxes! I tried their spot corrector last year and I totally fell in love with this brand. This lotion is oil free and absorbs super quickly, so you aren’t left with that gross sticky or greasy feeling that some moisturizers give you. It is designed to reduce the look of pores and prevent blemishes as well as soothe any redness and irritation. It’s easy on my sensitive skin and overall I think it makes my face feel softer after using. I love it!

Anderson Lilley Sunset Collection Candle in Manhattan Beach – $45 value

This copper candle is probably one of the coolest, most chic looking candles I’ve ever seen (but take that with a grain of salt, because I also own 0 candles). I’m over stainless steal and silver. This candle is a pop of color that just feels warm to me, and I plan to reuse the copper when my candle finally burns out. As an annual subscriber I was able to choose which scent I wanted and it was a super hard decision to make, but I’m glad I chose Manhattan Beach. It smells like sunshine and waves, and it’s really going to help me get through some of the more dreary spring days in upstate NY.

ISH Lip Statement Palette – $42 value

First note upon opening, the shell of this palette is sleek and gorgeous. This palette offers 1 balm (really thoughtful) and 11 pigmented and totally wearable shades from nudes to reds and even some purples. The best part about lip palettes is that you can mix and match until you find the shade that makes your heart happy. This palette comes with a brush, or if you’re in a hurry and not looking for anything too bold, your finger works as well. These lip colors are comfortable to wear and last on your lips. The possibilities are endless!

The faces I make when I swatch lip products do not necessarily reflect my feelings about said products, haha.

These shades don’t have individual names, but if they did I would list them here for you!

Physique 57 Massage Roller – $20 value

Okay, now I know I can’t be the only subscriber that pulled this item out of their box and immediately thought “WTF!?” But upon opening my magazine and actually reading a little bit it makes a lot more sense, haha. This massage roller is for use on sore and tight muscles. After long days or intense workouts it’s recommended that this product be used to alleviate any muscular aches and pains. Other uses of this product are to break up scar tissue and improve flexibility. As someone who doesn’t work out, but still carries a lot of tension in her lower back, this product still works for me! There were four colors of this product that were randomly sent out. I received purple, but other subscribers may have gotten blue, red or grey.

Free People x Understated Leather Starry Eyed Travel Eye Mask – $40 value

This product speaks to my night shift soul. This eye mask comes with an adjustable strap, making it perfect for blocking out any light when you’re trying to get a good night (or day) of rest. Not to mention, it’s super cute. This mask comes in three colors and they were randomly distributed to subscribers. I received pink, but others may have gotten blue or grey. It’s made of vegan leather and comes with a removable insert that can be put in the fridge for a cooling and refreshing slumber (also great for puffy eyes).

KNC Beauty All Natural Collagen Infused Lip Mask (5) – $24.99 value

For my choice product in the beauty category I was able to choose between these lip masks and a body butter. I don’t really use lip masks or body butter ever, but I chose these because I have been experiencing a lot of dryness in my lips lately and I thought that maybe these could help me out a little bit. These masks are supposed to hydrate and plump your lips, as well as the surrounding skin (these are pretty big). They’re super simple to use, just apply to clean lips for 15 – 20 minutes and that’s it! The one thing that I didn’t like about this mask is the slit in the middle. It made it really hard to position on my lips, and I’m not really sure what the purpose of it was.

Ettika Day Dreamer Tassel Earrings in Black – $58 value

For my choice product in the jewelry category I was able to choose between these earrings and a bracelet. I’m not really a fan of the appearance of these earrings (not big on tassels), but I also never ever wear bracelets. Since I recently got my ears pierced and I’m trying to branch out with my earring collection I decided to go with these. They’re very lightweight and they add something to my very sad amount of statement earrings. I was able to choose between black or pink and I chose black because I thought that it might go with more of my outfits.

Dermelect Cosmeceuticals Makeover Concealing Ridge Filler – $18 value

Okay, I went a little out of order by putting this after the choice items, but oh well. This product was made to be a filler, applied as a base or top coat, but I really like wearing it alone for a “no polish, fresh manicure” kind of look. It has a slight pink sheen to it, to hide any yellowing, and a little bit of shimmer. This polish conceals imperfections while treating them with protein, moisture, and vitamins. It’s supposed to strengthen weak nails and make them more resistant to splitting and breaks, which is a huge problem of mine after last wedding season!

Dove Exfoliating Body Polish – sponsored sample item

Every season FabFitFun chooses one sample sized sponsored item to place in the box along with all of it’s full sized goodies. This month was a body exfoliator from Dove. It’s no secret, I was super excited to dig into this. It came in the variety crushed macadamia and rice milk, and it smelt amazing. Not only was this a great product to use, but it left my skin feeling really nice afterwards. I’m 100% buying a full size of this, so thank you FFF for introducing me to it!

The total value of this box was $347.99 (taking the choice items into consideration). That’s just $38.01 less than the previous box (Winter), which I loved! That value vastly exceeds the cost for my annual membership, which just makes it that much more worth it. Although I really liked all of the items, some of my absolute favorite were the moisturizer, the body exfoliant, and the lip palette.