{In Review} The Fab Bag
I love a little beauty treat as much as the next girl, or perhaps a little more if you saw my collection of lipsticks. Which is why the idea of a box arriving at my doorstep each month, packed to the brim with surprise beauty goodies was one I couldn’t wait to try!
Beauty boxes have been doing their rounds for a while now, but I never got around to trying one. Which is why when I saw an ad for the Fab Bag splashed across my Facebook feed on a night when insomnia decided to get the better of me, I clicked my way through their website. And because I love a good bargain and was instantly drawn to the prices, I filled in the online questionnaire, pulled out my credit card and decided to give it a whirl.
The delivery took about ten days, which is a little long in my opinion considering companies are now shipping parcels to customers in 2-3 working days, but who am I to question logistics? Like a child on a sugar rush on Christmas morning, I tore through it’s packaging to be greeted with a bright red printed makeup pouch – a cute touch considering I have an unhealthy obsession with cosmetic cases and have a different one for almost every purse I own.
However, the contents of the pouch were a little disappointing. Four sample sized products along with printed literature explaining each one fell out, but weren’t particularly impressive. The ‘brands’ section on their website boasts of beauty bigwigs like Elizabeth Arden, Clinique, The Body Shop, Bath And Body Works, Clarins and Benefit to name a few. However, my bag produced three out of four brands I had never even heard of (and believe me, I’ve tried a lot of different beauty brands across the world). Which is okay I suppose, because this is a way of discovering new products and brands you’ve never tried before. But a little research showed that they were international drugstore beauty brands you would normally skip right past on the way to a L’Oreal / Rimmel counter. Think along the lines of Jordana or VOV.
I’m not even sure why this was in my bag. When I filled out their questionnaire online, I didn’t opt for any anti-ageing / wrinkle creams since I still have a good few years ahead of me before I need to be dragged kicking and screaming down the ‘ageing skin’ route. However, this still showed up in my bag. And if everyone gets the same bag each month, what’s the point in making us fill out the long, elaborate questionnaire?
Kama Lavender and Patchouli Hair Conditioner
Like all girls, I like my hair to smell fantastic. Which is why when I closed my eyes and took a whiff of this little number, expecting to be transported into a field of lightly scented lavender, I was in for a bit of a shock. Maybe it’s because the product is Ayurvedic (and let’s face it, those things never smell great!). All I know is, I don’t see myself using it on my tresses anytime soon for fear of the smell giving me a headache.
Beauty UK Blush And Brush
Another product that has confused me. Is this shade supposed to be one that goes with everyone’s skin tone? I honesty don’t see that happening. The pink is far too bright, to the point that it looks almost crayon-like. It has no subtle shimmer particles mixed in like most modern, good quality blushes do, but is completely matte and flat when applied to the face. It doesn’t particularly glide on smooth either, and looks a little chalky. Next!
I love…Strawberry Face Mask
Call me a skincare nazi, but this product didn’t seem particularly confidence invoking. I took to the web to research it a little before I tried it and their website had a range of fun products that didn’t look particularly harmful so I figured it was safe to give it a go. It didn’t do miracles for my face, but it didn’t have me erupting into hives either, which is great! Right?
By far, my favourite part of the experience was the little makeup pouch which has instantly been assimilated into my favourite handbag. If you ask me, they need to improve the brands they fill the bags with, quality of printed literature and provide more specific options based on the questionnaire, or just get rid of the it altogether. Because to spend twenty minutes filling it out, only to not have your requirements tailor-made is just a waste of time, and we all know how precious time is for a busy girl.
THE VERDICT: Will I be trying it again? Sure, but only because I believe in second chances.
Have you tried the Fab Bag? Tell me about your experience in the comments below.
