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The Box by Fashionsta Review – December 2019

Marne Orenich
ByMarne OrenichJan 21, 2020 | 97 comments

The Box By Fashionsta Review - December 2019

The Box By Fashionsta
4.1 overall rating
11 Ratings | 11 Reviews

The Box By Fashionsta is a monthly beauty box brought to you by online beauty store, Fashionsta, for $24.99/month with free shipping. Each box will include 5-7 full-size makeup, skincare, and other self-care products. They seem to focus on smaller indie brands that may be new to you, so it's a great way to discover companies that haven't blown up in popularity yet. They also have The Box For Men ($29.99/month) as well as a mystery box that costs $40 as an add-on with a subscription or $50 as a one-time purchase.

Reviewed by popular demand!

The Box by Fashionsta, open

My Subscription Addiction paid for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

beauty products surrounding The Box by Fashionsta

About this Indie Brand-Focused Beauty Box

The Subscription Box: The Box By Fashionsta

The Cost: $24.99/month w/ free U.S. shipping (Internationally for $65.00 USD/month w/ free shipping)

The Products: 5-7 full-size makeup and skincare products.

Ships to: The U.S. and worldwide for free

Good to Know: They just increased their monthly price from $19.99 to $24.99 starting in January 2020. If you subscribed before January, you are locked into the old price.

Also Good to Know: With each purchase, Fashionsta donates makeup, beauty, and self-care items to 1736 Family Crisis Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving vulnerable community members in the greater Los Angeles area.

The Box By Fashionsta December 2019 Review

The Box By Fashionsta has sort of an over-complicated process to subscribe to their beauty box. There is a window of time when you are able to subscribe and if you try to sub when the current box is sold out, they have a waitlist you need to sign up for to be notified when the next one opens.

When first subscribing to The Box By Fashionsta, if their current month is sold out, you'll first need to "join the waitlist" by giving them your email address. Once you sign up to be on the list, you'll need to confirm your spot via email and "subscribe" to it (we signed up on Dec 12th).

You'll get another email confirming your spot on the waitlist.

And another welcoming you to the list.

Finally, you'll get an email when the list is "open", allowing you to subscribe to The Box (we got this email Dec 16th). Their Instagram account will also let you know when the waitlist is open to join by posting a date and time that you can begin ordering the current box. We received a total of 4 emails on the 16th reminding us to sign up before we finally got 'er done. That's alotta emails for one day! I would assume you can skip the emails altogether and just keep your eyes on their Instagram account if you so desire.

Once we signed up with our billing and shipping info, we got a confirmation email the same day. We were lucky enough to start our subscription in December and get locked in the old $19.99 price. Beginning in January, the monthly price goes up to $24.99.

At checkout, they also offered a $50 one-time mystery box containing five items as an add-on to your normal subscription box OR it costs $40 if you subscribe to the mystery box monthly as well.

On Dec 21st, we got the shipping notification and our box was on its way. Wanna see? Let's dig in!

 

The Box By Fashionsta comes with a simple info card that gives a short description of each included product with their retail value. The other side of the card has a 20% coupon code to use in their shop.

 

teami Soothe Tea Infused Facial Oil, 2 oz. - Retail Value $39.99

Upon seeing the brand name for this soothe oil I thought "why is this familiar to me?" It's because I just got some matcha powder from teami in December's Organic Bunny Box! I didn't know they made beauty products too, but I suppose it's not that strange since they seem to overall be a wellness brand. This blue tansy oil is infused with lavender and sage looks and smells fantastic as well as looks cool on a bathroom shelf. There are not many ingredients in this oil which I appreciate and they're all ones I can understand. The lavender and sage really elevate the blue tansy and make this one a bit more unique than others I've tried. The oil itself is super light and absorbs quickly leaving behind brighter supple skin and a lovely scent. I may actually try this on my body more than my face.

 

Kara Beauty Glow Getter Highlighter Palette - Retail Value $14.45

These highlighter colors are so pretty! For $14.45, I think these six pans are quite generous and they all have a lovely glow that brushes easily on to my cheeks, brows, and nose. I am partial to the bottom right soft pink color, or the white at the top left, and even the orange which I thought could look bad just gave me a warm peachy glow. The more bronze, tan, and rose colors are all beautiful too and I think these can be used on a range of skin colors to highlight.

 

Cas Cosmetics Crescent Moon Eyeshadow Quad - Retail Value $44.99

I'm quite impressed with the pigment of this super glittery eye shadow palette. There are four colors: Calypso, New Moon, Zenith, and Ophelia. Unfortunately, Ophelia seemed very loosely packed upon arrival, with a small piece missing from the bottom right area. While swatching these shadows, I turned the palette upside down while open and Ophelia decided to show her way out, right onto the floor in a blaze of pink and blue glitter. After contacting customer care (which I found on my emails from them as well as their Instagram page) I was assured by them less than 24 hours later that a replacement would be sent in my next box. That satisfies me since I still have the other 3 colors and I was able to smoosh some of the broken color back into the palette and use gently. All of the colors looked quite good on and even the dark grey/black color (which I normally have trouble with) blended out easily. There was a ton of sparkle that stayed throughout each pan and I thought it was fun to experiment with. The only downside is that the color didn't seem to stick to my skin well without any help but I didn't use a primer or a setting spray which I think would remedy that. When removing, some glitter stayed behind but it was much easier to get off than I would expect from a glitter.

 

Naturally Vain Rosey Cheeks Facial Scrub, 2 oz. - Retail Value $10.76

I noticed some negative comments on Instagram about this product because it didn't come in a box or have a seal on it once the lid was removed. I'll admit that it threw me off a bit too, but I do recognize that smaller DIY brands don't always have access to or money for such things, especially if producing a larger amount like I assume they had to do for Fashionsta. The product itself didn't actually grab me though. This is a scrub in which I didn't find all that much scrub. While it has some grit to it that you can see in the photo, it simply wasn't enough for me. The base was moisturizing but reminded me of a Dove Beauty Bar mixed with rose which isn't necessarily a bad thing but was interesting.

 

Fresh Bombs CBD Pain Relief Bath Bomb in Eucalyptus & Peppermint, 2 oz. - Retail Value $11.95

I haven't been taking as many baths as I've wanted lately because I just don't have the time to give my tub a deep scrub. I opened up this mini 2-ounce size bath bomb anyway to get an idea of how it fizzed and what it smelled like. I loved the bright blue color it turned the water and the absence of glitter is a plus in my book, but there was hardly any eucalyptus or peppermint to be inhaled, sadly. I've also never been able to really feel the effects of CBD products so this one may have been a little lost on me.

 

15Twenty Brightening Sheet Mask - Retail Value $7.00

I used this the other morning before work as I like to do. There was nothing really unique or exciting about it and it felt like a pretty basic sheet mask with serum on it. I liked that it wasn't overly soaked in the serum and it stayed put on my face really well. After 10 minutes I removed the brightening sheet made with honey, propolis, royal jelly, and B vitamins to reveal skin that didn't look all that different but didn't feel goopy or sticky. It was easy to massage the remaining serum into my skin without having too much product left which allowed me to skip a serum that day.

Verdict: The Box By Fashionsta surprised me. To be honest, I was a little unsure what this box would be like since I'm not really familiar with the name, and the influencer boutiques on their site made me a little wary. But after reviewing their FAQ and seeing how responsive they are on Instagram, I felt a lot better about their service. Although I don't recognize almost all of the brand names, it seems like they lean towards smaller indie brands that don't have a huge following yet. I'm all for trying out new stuff and this box gives me a Ricky's Cult Crushes (RIP) vibe that I miss. I quite liked the shadow palettes and blue tansy oil which are well worth the whole box! I am definitely interested to see what else they send in the future since they have bigger brands I recognize for sale in their online shop. Since the total retail value of this box is $129.14, I think it's worth the $24.99 cost even though I got the old price of $19.99.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Your box will ship within 1-3 weeks from the payment processing date, so you'll likely start with the February box. It's best to reach out to customer service and ask!

Value Breakdown: At $19.99 for the box (January-on will be $24.99 for new subscribers), here's what you are paying per item:

  • Facial Oil: $6.19
  • Highlighter Palette: $2.24
  • Eyeshadow Palette: $6.96
  • Facial Scrub: $1.67
  • Bath Bomb: $1.85
  • Sheet Mask: $1.08

Keep track of your subscriptions by adding this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What is your experience with The Box By Fashionsta?

Starting at $24.99
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THE BOX By Fashionsta is a predominately vegan and cruelty free indie-brand focused monthly box. Delivering 5-7 full-size items, intentionally curated with a useful array of skincare, beauty, makeup and unique products to explore and enjoy. This box is also a subscription with a positive mission and... read more.
Marne Orenich
Marne Orenich
Marne is a lipstick connoisseur, record collector, and twice over cat mom. She loves discovering new clean beauty brands and has quite the collection of beautifully packaged serums and moisturizers.

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97 comments

Laura

The company is having financial problems with the box. I see a ton of red flags. The shipping has become ridiculous. They give the same excuse everytime. They will sometimes charge you before the last months box has ship. That indicates to me that they are running out of money. To many ignorant ladies in their FB group.

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Tara W

Received my January Fashionsta The Box today. It was worth the wait! I am grandfathered in at the $20 per month price. But since I have a one year subscription it is even less than that! I had to avoid spoilers for a day or two. It was difficult but I managed to do it. 🙂 The Box included seven items, six of which I know I will use. I’m looking for some insight from other The Box subscribers on the Blackhead Pore thing. My skin tends to be dry/sensitive. Is that item even useful for me? This was my second box and I’ve really enjoyed the included contents on both of them so far! I hope that MSA can review the January The Box soon. 🙂

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Jamey

So if someone is “grandfather in” at 19.99 a month…is that only good for a year and then it goes up?!? Or it stays 19.99 as long as you dont cancel?!

Where are January box and now February box?!

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Tara W

I don’t know if the price is $19.99 (actually less since I bought the annual subscription) for me forever or just until my one year is up. I have seen other people comment who purchase monthly who are still able to get it at $19.99 per month. I’ll figure that out in November when my current subscription will be about to run out.

I received my January box on January 31st. They have already forecast February to be late as well. I have really enjoyed the contents of the boxes so far. That Teami Soothe facial oil is something special that I am using almost daily. The palette colors in the January box looks like they will be a really good fit for me.

I know some people like to know exactly what they are getting every month and I can understand that. But…there is something to be said for most of the items being a complete surprise. It is bringing some extra amount of “fun” to the opening.

In the end I can only speak for myself and my experience with the December and January boxes. I’m very pleased and enjoying the subscription so far. 🙂

Elizabeth

Marnie, thank you so much for finally reviewing this box, I’ve been waiting so long! I’ve been on the fence on a few products, but usually find at least a couple of items that I love each month. Being grandfathered into $20 a month, I will be staying. I love that Fashionsta has less well known brands, up and coming but not in Boxy or Ipsy. I’m looking at you, Lime Crime, best lips EVER! I also prefer skincare heavy subs, so this balances out my one other sub very well. But the most important reason I’m staying is the philanthropic effort. I think, give it a chance, if you don’t love the products, gift them for birthdays or whatever (maybe not the V spray, unless it’s your BFF and she’ll get a kick out of it). But stick with it and help them grow, you have no idea how amazing they could be in a year.

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Amarie

You can get the Teami facial oil for $13 at TJMAXX.com. I just saw it this morning.

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Jenny

There is ABH and UD in TJ maxx as well 😉

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Zoe A

I totally agree with all warnings regarding FB Group of the Box. It reminded me a toxic fraternity feeling to be honest. Some of the ladies apparently were subscribers since the beginning and they constantly bully other members voicing their opinions. I cancelled my membership and deleted the Fb group after 2 months. I dont know if the owner saw those comments or not, but he didnt react. And those ladies constantly complain that their Fb group was great before new subscribers. ( I believe it was a terrible marketing strategy for a box trying to attract new subscribers)
The box itself was actually interesting, a lot of indie brands that I wouldnt go and purchase but I enjoyed trying them. The customer service was great, always helpful and very responsive.
If I didnt participate Fb group, I would probably still a subscriber. I might still try later on! 🙂

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Judith Acosta

I don’t care for the FB group, no need of being into ir, but i don’t like the box, subscribed for 2 months and cancelled ir, too dissappoiting, everybody says the box is amazing and i realized most of the products are made un Popular Republic of China. I’m done with it

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Beverly Ellisly

Agree completely!! The OGs…lmao…have ruined his chance at success

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Paula

That’s exactly how I felt. I cancelled and deleted the FB group. I would probably have stayed subscribed if I had never joined the FB group.

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Casey

I personally love TheBox. It introduced me to so many new brands and products- and i can’t wait to see what other surprises are coming in The Box.
I cancelled most of my other subs because i was so sick and tired of getting the same brands, same highlighters, same endless mascaras and it was becoming boring and my house was getting cluttered.
I also see people complaining here about the FB group – not sure why, but to be honest i don’t know what that has to do with subscribing to TheBox. You don’t need to be a member of the group to get the box, so that’s a personal decision for everyone.

Kristin

I’ve been subbed since September, and while everything might not have been a hit, I’ve never once felt like I wasn’t getting my money’s worth out of The Box. And I don’t mean the price I paid vs. retail value. I like the discovery of The Box and that it introduces me to brands that I wouldn’t have otherwise known about. My last couple months of Boxycharm sat untouched because there was nothing that excited me and I was tired of getting the same “well-known” brands over and over. I actually look forward to see what we get. And as for those who canceled because of the Facebook page, that’s ridiculous. It’s not a requirement for being a subscriber. 😂 It has nothing to do with the contents of The Box.

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Sarah

Um, really it’s not “ridiculous ” to need to sub to this box. 1. They have people log on and vote on what products to add into the box in the upcoming months, as well as if you want to see what’s going to be recieved that month. Even now, this review is from December, and I dont see anything about January and it’s almost February….so most people would appreciate to be apart of these things.

Also, I’ve been with this box for about 7 months and. Not thrilled. It seems like a lot of cheap ali Express items (some have had mold or something on it, and I’ve had 2 pallettes broken, 1 face mask the first month missing) plus its January 30th and I still have not got my January box. I dont like this.

The products themselves seem cheap and odd. Like I dont want a va jay jay cream to possibly get an infection…nope, no thanks. The booty cream had mold or something in it.. you always get excuses about they are “waiting on a product” and that’s why shipping is late. I feel like sometimes if I didnt email toward the end of the month, I wouldnt receive my box which is annoying.

I was super excited to get a sigma brush. But I dont like “made in China ” or “pcr” Ali Express /ali babba type items. They get so excited because it’s in a glass bottle and so fancy. …I’d rather have a few name brands because the cheap “indie brands” they send i would never order again or invest in. I invest in my makeup and skincare and look for quality items to try and brands i recognize, or at the very least “indie brands” I’ve heard of.

I dont know. They keep saying “we only have 4/5 workers” them they add mystery boxes and mens boxes when they haven’t worked out the kinks for the regular box. But I did hear they operate in the red and are losing money supposedly rather than making it, and now claiming they are not a sub box company, but wanting to be a store. So who knows.

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Samara Marie

The Fashionsta Customer Service is FANTASTIC! Literally the best I have ever seen. Once you have a subscription, they sell other singular items on their page from Lime Crime, Baer Minerals, Beauty Blender, Becca, Lime Crime. Olaplex, Smash Box, Tarte and drug store brands too. Too many to list.

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TNTriathlete

Everyone is talking about how wonderful the customer service is, but I am a new subscriber and am having a problem getting in to manage my account. I sent customer service an email a couple of days ago and have had no response. It’s disappointing.

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Julie B

I am also a new subscriber and had a problem logging in to my account. I emailed and someone responded pretty quickly (could have been the same day) and solved the problem.

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Paula

The only way to get good CS is to message the owner thru the FB page. I was subscribed for a couple of months and never got any replies to emails

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Amarie

I emailed and I got a response immediately. My situation was a bit more serious than the random customer inquiry I suppose. I logged in to my account, and someone else’s NAME and ADDRESS were listed! My shipping information was still correct, but my master profile showed a completely different person’s information. At first, I thought my account was hacked. Whoever responded told me they couldn’t figure it out and guessed a member of their customer service team accidentally used my account when attempting to update another customer’s information. That didn’t sit well. Because of this breach, I canceled before I received my first box. They sent it anyway, and I was pleased with it, but I still question how secure my account information is with their site.

Bonnie

I actually really enjoy this box. I sub to Boxy, Ipsy, Allure and Sephora as well, but this is a refreshing change. My favorite thing in here is always the palette. I really like trying indie brands. I already loved Rude and we got one of their palettes. I have since also tried Glamlite and Beauty Crop through this box and went on to purchase more from both. While I love my other subs, I often get palettes or other items I already have. That’s only happened once with this box. For me, this one is the true “discovery” box.

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Nicole

This looks like a nice box – but they are basically charging $40 to ship to Canada – so hard pass for me.

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BrooklynB

This is my hands down favorite sub box. After years of Ipsy and Boxy got really tired of the same old and repeats of the not so good products. What I like about it is the Indy and up and coming brands. When Barney’s NYC was around they always had these type of products years before Sephora and Ulta. Always up to try something new and exciting. Everything in the box is always quality if I know the brands or not. Love that everyone gets the same box so there isn’t box envy. Also love that there’s no bogus beauty profile. I can’t tell you how many times Ipsy and Boxy gave me the exact opposite of my profile. CS is the best and always answers all your questions and concerns. All in on this box for me. Well worth the price each month.

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Shelly

I’ve been subscribed for a few months now. I will say for me it’s hit and miss. Personally, I have not been a big fan of the more recent palettes with the exception of this last eyeshadow palette. I do agree that the fb group can be pretty biased and very loyal almost to a fault. I also think that we have been spoiled by other boxes that include name brands in every box. So far for the $20 price I’ll stick with them for a while longer . I do enjoy receiving new products and have received a few that I would definitely buy again.

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Paula

I was pretty happy with the box and the items. I don’t think these last few months have been near as good as when the subscription first came out. I’m gonna see how these next couple of boxes are before I decide if I want to resubscribe. I definitely will not join the FB group again thou. That really is the main reason I cancelled. I know alot of ppl did because of it as well. I can understand being loyal but I saw alot of bullying by the OG women in the group!

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Pam

Seems like the owner is making a lot of comments.

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Misha

I’m on the fence with the Box. Being grandfather in at 19.99 makes it harder to cancel. Hoping will get a bit better. Jan looks that way. I just prefer they make an effort to get the boxes out by mid month instead of the end.

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Roxanne

There is a saying “building a plane on the way down” The company is way different from others in that they sent a V serum. Which threw almost everyone off. Shortly after this company started they wanted to give back and do so in Los Angeles. There are many subscription boxes out there and I feel were quick to compare. But what if we gave it a year? Remember boxycharm in the beginning wasn’t the best subscription box out there. The price of their box goes up and no one complains. The CEO not only communicates with his subscribers but makes the boxes they want. The Facebook group is different in that it’s become not only a family but a safe zone for many. If you ever owned and ran your own company you know it takes approximately 2 years to make any kind of profit.

The Box
Innovative: V serum
Subscribers suggested: CBD products: CBD bath bomb
Must try product: teami green tea mask aka hulk mask

See unlike other boxes this box engages you, challenges and helps you take skin care to the next level.

I’m a subscriber who is not only invested in the company but in the family I’ve grown to know and appreciate.

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Paula

I agree with the alot of this but for me the FB was not a safe zone. After first maybe but then its actually what pushed me into cancelling. Alot of drama and bullying by the OG subscribers…..especially, if you voiced an opinion or suggestion about the products they didn’t agree with. I saw alot of bullying especially towards new subscribers. I think the owner needs to run the FB page not the OG women. Members should feel free to discuss the products good or bad without getting any backlash for their personal opinions

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SquirrelyGirl

If you are someone who only likes well known brands or wants almost all makeup, don’t get this box, as you will never be happy with it. This box is about indie brands and carries a lot of skin, body and hair care.

Things I like about this box after 5 months of being a member:

-I have never gotten a product that has been tested on animals.
-Ingredient conscious brands
-They donate to a women’s domestic abuse shelter every month. Seriously, it makes my heart happy that they give back in this way.
– Great customer service and a CEO that is very responsive to his members
-Very little in the way of repeats. They feature such a wide variety of products that you aren’t getting a liquid lip and mascara every single month.

Cons:

-No profiles yet
-The website isn’t great and borders on early 2000’s style.
-No ability to pause or skip a box

I enjoy supporting the little guys, especially when they go out of their way to provide you great customer service and it is clear that the CEO has put his heart and soul into this. The Box is new and I think will only get better with time. I am willing to give them the chance. They have to start somewhere and I can guaran freaking tee you that Boxy didn’t start out with Natasha Denona and Glow Recipe in their boxes. December wasn’t my favorite box, but the oil and rosey cheeks made it worth the money and the pigment on the CAS palette is insane. I’m sure if I wasn’t overloaded on highlighters I would be thrilled with a 6 pan highlighter palette, especially since Kara Beauty (which has quite the cult following in indie beauty circles) palettes have been good to me in the past.

In short, it is a great box, for a specific clientele. If you are like me, you will most likely enjoy opening your box every month.

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April JK

Hmmm…maybe I’ll dump ipsy ultimate for this. Sounds like my kind of guy.

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SquirrelyGirl

It’s a completely different sub from Ipsy Ultimate. There are lots of unboxings on YouTube. I’d take a look at them and see if it seems like a good fit for you! It’s not a perfect box, but I really enjoy receiving it each month

Ashley Harrison

I could NOT agree with you more! Those are my exact thought towards this box. Also the Blue Tansy Oil & Rosey Cheeks were my fav too. I can tell are they’re definitely quality over quantity and a lot of thought goes into their choices for our curation. Also their customer service is amazing, especially whoever runs their Instagram. She literally has responded to every DM and comment I’ve ever sent and is a joy to talk to.

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SquirrelyGirl

I agree with C.S. They literally answer every single person… A lot of boxes could learn a thing or 2 about C.S. from them!

Ashley Harrison

Excuse my typos. Didn’t proof read

Tanya

There is an app you can use to make things easier. And you can pause or skip by contacting them ☺️ Very easy and they have wonderful customer service. And I don’t like the idea of having choices like Ipsy it seems to cause too many issues but would be nice if we could let them know what shade of foundation or concealer we would use. They’re Facebook group has lots of various polls to see what we would like it upcoming boxes and the owner is very good at listening.

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SquirrelyGirl

Yes, I am in the group, mostly to vote and give feedback. Their C.S. is really great. Good to know about emailing in to skip a month. I probably won’t use the app. I don’t like having a lot of apps on my phone (I know I am weird but I find phones to be highly annoying)

Bethany

This is my favorite sub box! Ive loved everything I’ve received so much that I’ve ended up purchasing extras of the products from the manufacturers. I decided to purchase a duplicate subscription so I’ll have backups of the products I know I’m going to love. I did the men’s box for 2 months but I ended up cancelling. Not because he didn’t like the products but because his avocado allergy made it not worth it with how many products contained it. There is only one variation at the moment but I actually like that because then I don’t get envious of what others receive 🙂

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Stephie G

I’ve been getting this box for about 5 months now. I like it a lot so far and I was excited to see MSA review it. I get quite a few sub boxes and what I like about this one most is that it’s not the same old stuff I’ve been seeing/getting. I like that it sometimes includes some cleaner products (ex. Teami) and indy brands that I have (and haven’t) heard of, but interested to try. Popular name brands are great, but how many times have companies made “special” for Boxy or Ipsy, that don’t quite match the stuff we get at retail price anyway. Fashionsta has a mix, but if you don’t want indy, do not get this!
So far, I’ve been keeping most of what comes in The Box. My giveaway pile is heavy with other boxes, so that’s refreshing.
I heard about drama from social media, but I’ve managed to stay away from that. I think one has to decide carefully if this is right for you, but if you’re tired of other sub boxes, you may like it. Just keep in mind that it comes later in the month and they take the $ out at the same time of the month as you orginally subscribe, which I don’t mind, but some do. It’s definitely one of my favs so far. I think it’s a great value, but not for everybody. Too many compare it to Boxy and Ipsy. BTW, they have a mystery and men’s box too, from what I’ve seen they look good, but I haven’t tried yet. I won’t purchase a long term sub of this until I know for sure for at least a year, that I like it as much as I do now.

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Julie B

This was my first box with them, and I was very impressed with the eyeshadow palette. The 3 colors work very well, and that glitter shade you mentioned seems to have been loose for everyone. In fact, I’ve been using Calypso and New Moon every day. Everything else in the box was kinda meh for me, but for 20 bucks I’m willing to give it a couple more months. It’s nice to try indie brands instead of the same old ones we keep seeing.

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Julie

I loved loved LOVED that eyeshadow quad! Its pigmented and super glittery but it was so much fun and I’ve gotten numerous compliments when I wear them. The naturally vain brand has a bath bomb box that Jessica used to review on MSA. They are based out of canada and are pretty great.

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Paula

This is the second time I’ve tried to post a comment. Maybe because I don’t agree! I finally cancelled this box. It wasn’t worth it at $19.99 much less $25. No well known brands and homemade products just don’t cut it. Don’t even get me started on their FB group full of Catty women waiting to pounce anytime you say anything negative toward the box!! The Drama on their FB is what pushed me over the edge at the end

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Rox

Please accept my apologies if anyone made you feel your opinion was unwelcome. That isn’t ok and it isn’t the general way most of the women are. We are passionate sometimes and that may come off as catty. Again, please accept my apologies.

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Shakti Gartlan

I’m sorry that you felt that way about your subscription. A lot of us subscribers who have been customers since the beginning are diehard fans due to the personal attention, customer service and the fact that the owner does so many live Facebook streams to get our feedback and box item requests. As far as the box not having mainstream brands I have noticed that the mystery box tends to have the more mainstream brands. The regular box has always been indie brands.

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Paula

I love Shadi! He is an awesome CEO and the customer service is top notch. The FB to me is ran by the OG subscribers and it’s just to much drama. I’ve seen so many members get bullied. My suggestion if you subscribe to this subscription..don’t join their FB group. One of my favorite groups is the FFF community. There you can talk freely about products in the boxes/sales without getting bashed for not liking an item. That group feels like family

Nicole

Hey Paula! I agree, especially on the homemade products end of things. I don’t want homemade products from unrecognizable brands in my beauty boxes. How do I know it wasn’t made in someone’s kitchen?

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Rebecca

Naturally Vain is a very well known brand with 2 different subscription boxes. They are always high quality products and not made in a kitchen.
They been reviewed on MSA for many years

Tanya

How is a company supposed to start out? It was hand packed and I loved it. It is almost as great as my Paris Hilton face wash I can’t get enough of. This was my second box and will be loyal to them as they are truly the best. And there Facebook group is amazing.

Liz Cadman

Hi Paula. Sorry for any confusion on your comment not showing up immediately. Because this was your first time commenting from a different IP address, the comments had to be approved by admin. All comments should be visible now. Sorry again!

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Dea

My comment wasn’t posted. In a nutshell: I said that it was my first box and I wasn’t impressed. For their hype and hoopla and $19.99, I expected more. I get better value from an Allure beauty box. I’ll see if I like this month better (maybe December was a rare dud), but I’m guessing that I’ll cancel. The rose scrub looked like an Etsy effort that was made and packed at someone’s kitchen table.

Maybe my comment wasn’t posted because I disagreed with the reviewer’s comparison with Ricky’s NYC. Ricky’s was edgy, hip, and only $14. No hip or edgy or even other vibes (sophisticated? Hollywoodish? Upscale? On-trend?) from this December box.

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Paula

Mine didn’t either! I cancelled this box so. It worth it

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Emmy Lou

I subscribed to the regular box and the large mystery box for several months, and they did not disappoint. I learned about the box through a reader’s comment in a MSA reply post. I received a lot of great British brands that you’d find in Bloomingdale’s Apothecary Shop, brands you’d find in the Pearlesque box, and brands you’d see in Ipsy boxes. I unsubscribed because when Boxy and Ipsy started sending me the a Premium, Luxe, and a Glam Ultra boxes, it was too much product and expense. However, I just unsubscribed to the Boxy Premium (too many acne products for this senior) and Ipsy’s Ultra box (keep getting repeat products from my earlier Ipsy boxes), I just might go back to Fashionsta.

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Tara W

I received the December box and I absolutely love it! The eyeshadow palette is beautiful. That Teami Soothing facial oil is amazing. Even if none of you ever get THE BOX, I hope you have chance to try the face oil. The smell is captivating. The glass bottle and dropper are beautiful. I’ve had chronic insomnia for the last nine years. For the first four weeks of using the oil nightly, I have no idea why, but I slept better than I had in those nine years! Trust me, that extra sleep was, for me, worth the entire subscription. I’m so happy to have tried this subscription but even more happy for my new HG facial oil. Now, unfortunately, I am back to chronic insomnia but those four weeks were…just…worth every penny.

By the way, I’ve lurked this forum since around Black Friday. I’ve only received December’s BOX so far, but I just had to speak up in defense of it. Even to blow my lurking under the radar cover. 🙂

P.S. I have a (happy?) problem in that I have not been able to even try any other nighttime facial oil. One is only supposed to use 2-5 drops per night (I’ve settled on 4 at the moment). It seems like that Teami might last me for a year! (The bottle does say that it can be used morning and night but since it had helped me to sleep I decided on nighttime only for me.)

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Julie B

Thanks for posting about the facial oil! I automatically set it aside since I always feel putting oil on my oily face is an extra step I find unpleasant. But as a fellow insomniac, I’m going to try it for sure!

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Tara W

Thank you Luna, for letting me know about that. 🙂

Hi Julie. I had NO idea it would help my sleep like it did for four weeks. Of course AFTER I, for the first time in nine years, started sleeping so well, it dawned on me that maybe it was the lavender? However, I’ve used that It Works Pillow Spray in the past (it was in a BirchBox a few years ago) and I had come to the conclusion that the pillow spray probably had not helped my sleep. My skin is (unfortunately) naturally dry. If your skin is naturally oily I would suggest to start with just 2-3 drops. Please let us know if it helps your sleep even a little or if I am just an odd person who was unusually affected. 🙂

Luna

I just noticed both face oils & serum are on sale right now 🙂

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Luna

Ulta sells Teami 🙂 Although, they don’t sell the specific oil in this box, but they do sell two other facial oils (plus a serum… along with other products). Just thought I’d mention in case you’d like to try out their other face oils for comparison. 🙂

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Samara Marie

This is a good box. i received a Teami mask ine month and Teami Vit-C serum another month (both sold at Saks) and a huge Sigma brush another month. You can see the past boxes on Instagram.

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Luna

That vitamin c serum is now on sale at Ulta for $31.50. Just thought I’d mention in case you were interested. 🙂

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