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Being an esthetician for 15 years, you’d think I know everything about every skincare line and have all the products, but I don’t. Having solely focused on lashes for the past six years, I kind of lost touch with a lot of products on the market. Even as an esthetician, I get overwhelmed walking into a place like Sephora with 10,000 options for a vitamin C serum, the newest way to dry brush, and which retinoid I should use when. I don’t want to take the time to figure out what I need, which product is the best, and is it actually going to work?
Enter the subscription box.
I know I’m way late to the game, like nine years late, but I’m here now. It actually started with food, not beauty products. As I’ve stated in other posts I’m not great at cooking, the skill just skipped me in my family. That being said, I was spending a LOT of time at the grocery store, and then a lot of time fumbling in the kitchen and then wasting a lot of money on food I didn’t eat. So I gave in and decided to try a food delivery. I thought it would a be an expensive luxury but it SAVES ME MONEY AND TIME. I’m currently using Sun Basket, which I love because they have a lean menu option and if given the chance, I’ll eat like a slob. Food delivery made my life so much easier and then my friend Kathalina told me about the FabFitFun starter box she just received in the mail. She paid $5 for shipping – that’s all – and received this little box of FULL SIZE products. Kath was so sweet, she got a Starter Box invite for me as well. Again it saved me money, I received things I needed, but was never going to take the time to purchase. For example, the Spongelle body wash-infused buffer.
Never in my life have I thought I needed a body sponge that has bodywash inside it. However, since I started my own business I go to the gym at different times of the day (as opposed to go after work like I used to) and sometimes only have 3 minutes to shower before a client arrives. That little sponge makes my life so much easier because it’s ready to go! Three minute showers and I’m squeaky clean. It also came with a full-size body moisturizer, a beach bag and a box of Blaq under eye masks. Fun fact: as you get older, it takes more work to stay youthful and in shape; those Blaq eye masks help with that because they have hyaluronic acid in them and that’s the good stuff y’all – it’s like adding water to a dry little crumpled sponge – it immediately expands, puffs up and becomes supple again, like a baby with a bouncy face. That link up there saves you $6 by the way.
So you know, the boxes are $50 each, and you get four boxes a year, so $200 total.
Let me just go down the list of my personalized box and tell you what I picked up and I why I love it.
1. Tula Probiotic Face Wash $28 If you’ve read my other skincare posts, you know I love a foaming cleanser – especially in dirty Los Angeles (currently squeaky clean and full of butterflies thanks to the rain). Well this bottle of cleanser is ENORMOUS, it foams, it’s hydrating and it really cleans my face. There are also probiotics in it. Those are good for everything.
2. OUAI Leave-In Conditioner $26 Full disclosure, that link says $43.50. Is there a shortage? Did everyone find out how great this stuff is and now the supply and demand is all messed up and I have a bottle and people are going to come after me? I never thought I would ever put a leave-in conditioner in my hair ever again. Too heavy. But this stuff makes my hair feel more voluminous, thicker, smoother and it doesn’t weigh down my strands. How’d she do that? This product is so good, I’m considering buying some other items.
Now just in case y’all were not paying attention, we’re at $54. If I had just gone out and purchased JUST those two items, I would have already spent what I spent on my spring box – not including sales tax. Let’s continue.
3. Manna Kadar Champagne Charcoal body scrub $31.95. I literally bought a body scrub the DAY before my spring box arrived. Manifest. Anyways, I love body brushing and I love body scrubbing so this was a no brainer. 2019 is the year that I begin to take extra good care of my body, and body brushing and body scrubbing are certainly extra.
4. Korres Wild Rose moisturizer $48. I hope you’re thinking what I’m thinking: “she basically bought an amazing moisturizer and got a TON of other great stuff!” Because that’s how I feel. I needed a moisturizer. Seriously, I was using some argan oil from Trader Joe’s and some crazy African Magic stuff, which is actually pretty great but I wanted something better. Also I love everything rose. All of it. My skin feels exactly how I want it to feel in the morning: hydrated and dewy.
Here are the items I am somewhat indifferent about, but still enjoying.
Show Me Your Mumu bathrobe $80. This robe is pretty, and it’s nice for spring so that’s great. I just never would have bought it on my own.
Lavido Body Lotion $19. Ok so they sent a very spring-y scent and it’s great but it’s not really me. However when I went to find this link, I saw they have several other amazing scents which I probably would have like a bit more. Rethinking this one.
Dr. Brandt eye depuffing gel $24.98. I’ll give this to you if you want it. It is so drying, and sure it has some sort of shrinkage affect, but I feel like all of the hydration was sucked out of my eye area. If you have puffy eyes, you may really like this.
Ciate Translucent Powder $40.50. I just haven’t used this yet. It’s supposed to set my makeup I think? I’m interested in that because I saw a girl on youtube do it. If you really want to know, message me in a few days and I tell you how I feel about it.
There you have it! My review of my first subscription box. And men, just so you know, they have a men’s FabFitFun box as well. So don’t feel left out! Also, the day I started writing this post, I decided to go ahead and sign up for Birchbox to get a monthly variety on skincare and makeup so I can stay more in-the-know about those products and pass that knowledge on to you!
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