Five years ago, subscription boxes were the thing.  Birchbox was the first, then Rachel Zoe’s box, soon everyone had a curated monthly box.  But over time, all of the boxes started to look identical (how many bottles of Juice Beauty moisturizer did you end up with?). So when a reader asked me to review the seasonal FabFitFun box, I thought, “Why not?”

If you haven’t heard of FabFitFun, then I need to know what you’re Facebook settings look like.  Every day, my Insta, Pinterest, and Facebook have at least one FFF ad featuring some D-listed celebrity.  The boxes purport to contain 200+ dollars worth of product for just $49.99.  Pay for the year up front, and each season you can customize your box by choosing “add-on” items.

Here are the two boxes I received, one in fall and one in spring.

Like most subscriptions, you get some things you want and some you don’t.  The Gym & Juice bag, super cute and great for carrying my pool gear (#fridayfitclub, #Iusedtoswim5400nowIcan’tdo50).  The apple cider vinegar hair rinse and cuticle oil were appreciated.  And I can always use another jewelry tray.  But while the lipstick, the belt and the “cozy” knit scarf were the stars of the show, they weren’t for me.

The spring box ran about the same.  I liked the Slay All Day pouch; I never have enough of those.  The vitamins became my favorite multi-vitamin (they had collagen for hair and skin).  And the lipsticks were a versatile nude shade that worked for me.  But the skincare, the earrings, and that giant round beach blanket thing weren’t for me.  As for the nail polish, I already owned both colors.

Bottom line, is it worth $49?  That depends.  You get several things you’ll use and that you like, but nothing that you can’t live without.  I never felt like it was a complete waste of money, but since I’ve been purging our home of excess stuff, having more delivered to the house makes no sense.  If I were to do it again, I’d split the subscription with a friend and just rotate who got first pick each time the box came.

Also, if you’re looking for a better seasonal box, you’re looking for the Rachel Zoe Box of Style.  It’s $99, but this fall it came with a Gigi NY convertible bag that’s $195 all on its own.  In my experience, the summer box is always a nightmare.  So I buy them individually by visiting the site a month before delivery.  That way you can also use one of the many promo codes on offer.