FabFitFun OVERVIEW

For some people, beauty subscription boxes are an ideal way to find new products. They only require a small investment of time and money and, in exchange, you get exposure to diverse products handpicked by experts.

But if you've ever subscribed to one, you might find that you accrue tiny sample bottles faster than you can use them. I've personally found that monthly arrivals are too frequent for my lifestyle; they always seem to grow into a small sample store under my bathroom counter, like a miniature travel-sized shopping mall.

If you like the idea of subscription boxes but would prefer to get full-sized products, you might want to look into FabFitFun, the subscription service that delivers members a box every three months.

For $49.99 per shipment, FabFitFun boxes feature over $200 worth of full-sized beauty products and a seasonal collection of goodies, gadgets, and accessories.

A few of the products in my FabFitFun box. Not pictured: The Original Makeup Eraser and LXMII Balm-to-Oil. Crystal Cox/Business Insider

Here's how FabFitFun works:

1. Order the box. For $49.99, you'll get a box filled with over $200 worth of full-sized products hand-picked by the FabFitFun team. This signs you up for a seasonal membership, so you'll be charged $49.99 and sent a box of goodies four times a year.
2. Customize it. Choose products and add-ons each season that you want in your box. Or, keep it all a surprise.
3. Check out the perks of membership. FabFitFun members can save up to 70% on box add-ons, capsule sales, and exclusive offers from their brand partners. You'll also get access to its workout videos platform, FABFITFUNTV.

FabFitFun will also send you small gadgets, like this shower speaker. Crystal Cox/Business Insider

Here's what you can expect to be in a box:

The majority of each box consists of full-sized beauty products, but you can also always expect a few gadgets and seasonal accessories.

I was recently sent the summer FabFitFun box, and while I wasn't involved in any kind of customization process, I liked the contents even as a total surprise. It had a good mix of new products — like a MakeUp Eraser that removes makeup with just water — and popular items I'd wanted to try, like Frank Body Original Coffee Scrub and Prep Rally Prime & Prep Detangler from Drybar. The diversity helped me expand my horizons, and get around to trying some new products I'd been eyeing anyway.

The subscription also includes buzzy products like Frank Body Coffee Scrub, which retails at Revolve for $17. Crystal Cox/Business Insider

Bought separately, the products in my FabFitFun box would likely total more than $50. I did some research and found that the Makeup Eraser is $20 on Amazon and Sephora, the Frank Body Coffee Scrub is $17 on Revolve, and the Karuna Face For All set is $42 on Revolve. So, if you like the products you end up with, you'll probably have saved a bit on each one. And, if you wind up with something you'll likely never use, like the UnHide blanket for me, you can re-gift or donate.