Worth It? FabFitFun

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Although I previously swore of subscription boxes, I subscribed to FabFitFun for five seasons. Unlike my previous subscription box experiences, FabFitFun doesn’t just flood you with a half dozen mini or sample size items on a quarterly basis; nay. You get full size product across a range of categories, a degree of customization, and sometimes other neat things that aren’t product (if you don’t opt out). The value of the items DOES exceed the price you’re paying for the box.

I’ve heard some feedback that people were offput due to the higher price ($50/box), but considering that it is quarterly, it ends up being right around $16.67 per month; not bad in the scheme of things.

Cool Features

When you subscribe, you complete a survey about your preferences. For example, I opted into necklaces, makeup, and skincare – but out of snacks and bracelets, and I rated fragrances as low interest. These preferences are ranked from a Love\Like\Neutral\Meh\DO NOT WANT perspective, so you can rank without being black-and-white.

Per box, there’s an element of customization available in each box for members. You keep an eye on your email for a message from FabFitFun on when your window is open, then go in and make your choices. If you don’t, you get what you get.

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Worth it? Frank Body Coffee Scrub

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Frank Body Coffee Scrub
Frank Body Coffee Scrub, $17

Last year, I opened a FabFitFun box only to be greeted by a cheeky, overly confident, millennial pink ziploc-style bag from Frank Body:

Guess what? You’ll be naked in one minute.

Frank Body

Well, I never!

So – turns out, the pink bag contained a body scrub. For some reason I haven’t yet psychoanalyzed, I hoard the living hell out of scrubs. I had just committed to doing the body scrub equivalent of, “Project Pan,” so I could oh, you know, stop being quite as stereotypical.

Obviously, the next thing to do is open the brand new package and use it rather than using the tub that needed to be used up. Obviously.

The Bag

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Chatter: Funny How That Works – An Update

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Two weeks ago after hulking out on some school obligations, I found the motivation to put some work back into the site and started posting again. The third item of business, in fact, was getting the Euphoria Makeup post OK to publish.

A few days after I started scheduling content, my state issued new guidelines requiring telework when possible. Frankly, it was already mandated, but the new order made it a bit more black-and-white. So, I have returned to working from home after two months back in the office (which itself was after two months of working from home).

This means that I can, “get away,” with wearing ridiculous bright colors if I find the inspiration to slap them on my face at 6AM. I only did it a few times before; but hey, it was fun so I might get to give my Electric palette something to do. In the dismal world we all find ourselves in at the moment, some frivolity is nice.

So – for fun (?) here’s some insight into what I’ve been up to:

School

In May 2019 I embarked on an adventure to earn a degree. I work in a field and role that conventionally requires one but it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been contrarian. It occurred to me that I have probably maxed out on how far I can go without one (unless I get entrepreneurial); since I desire further advancement, it is a necessity. At the start, I figured I’d be able to do this half-time at best and that it would take me about four years to get the first leg (an Associates) done. “That sucks,” I figured, “but it’s a necessary evil at this point.”

I sold myself short.

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Changed My Mind: Invisibobble

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Four years ago, I shared an incendiary opinion on the Invisibobble Traceless Hair Ring. I dismissed it as a gimmick. Since it came out, numerous other companies have adopted the concept in their own, similar telephone-cord-like ponytail holders.

Invisibobble

FabFitFun

I ended up receiving a pack of six Invisibobble in a FabFitFun box last year. It contained three clear and three light beige/light nude. Recalling my prior assessment, I sneered at them, like an ass.

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From the Draft Folder: Euphoria Makeup

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I have a slew of things in my drafts folder, stubs of pieces that didn’t pass my perfectionist B.S. I’m trying to get better about that, so here’s one from Octoberish 2019.

Have you seen HBO’s Euphoria?

If you haven’t (especially now in 2020), you’re wrong. The show is fantastic. Run, don’t walk.

Euphoria Makeup - Maddy

Beyond the show itself, the makeup in Euphoria is phenomenal. I haven’t felt particularly inspired to do anything, “fun,” or out of my norm in a while; my handful of daily, go-to looks make me feel professional, polished, and pretty.

Euphoria - Jules

But damn, Euphoria has me craving neon and rhinestones. As I am neither Gen Z nor extraordinarily fun, my existence doesn’t afford me occasions to do this ridiculous stuff.

But!

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Clarisonic Shutting Down; WTF L’Oreal

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Since 2004 (founded 2001), Clarisonic has been improving the cleansing game of countless people. Many of us suckers who bought into the sonic cleansing technology became devotees. The company was acquired by cosmetics giant L’Oreal in 2011. Since then, dozens of iterations of their cleansing devices have been designed and released. I’ve reviewed two of the devices – the Mia 2 and the Smart Profile.

Clarisonic Going out of Business
Clarisonic Shutting Down as of 9/30/2020

The End of an Era

When the news dropped last week that L’Oreal is shutting down the Clarisonic brand, however, many beauty consumers (myself included) were shocked. They are closing effective September 30 of this year and immediately marked down everything 50% on their own site with guidance for other retailers to do the same. Retailers may continue to offer product after that date, but items are not being manufactured or restocked.

Hey, cool, another thing I (and many others) really like getting discontinued. Sweeeet.

Why?

Parent company L’Oreal reports:

This difficult decision was made so that L’Oréal can focus its attention on its other core business offerings.

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