Little Black Bag - June 2013

In my Little Black Bag shipment from June, I got the Penny Sue Antwerp Shopper bag in black, All the Rage Stone bracelet in purple, and First Aid Beauty products (daily face cream, face cleanser, Dual Repair Power Serum).

I'm actually glad the review on this ended up being late, because there's a very annoying flaw about the Penny Sue bag that didn't immediately show itself. See the fake jewels down the straps? The prongs on their settings are super bendable, which means it's really easy for them to come open and lose the jewels inside, which aren't held in by anything else. I've already lost 4 or 5 of them, all but one I didn't know were missing until later. The bag itself is ok, but empty settings look really ugly! In August when I get my next VIP $10 credit, I'm going to try a different designer's bag.

The dud of my package is the All the Rage bracelet, which I gave up trying to trade for anything good. I'd rather have it than the ugly wristlet I started out with, though. The "stone" is actually plastic (not that they were deceptive about it), and it's really bulky for my taste.

As for the First Aid Beauty items (they were the "special" items that month), they're not bad. They're not particularly notable or awesome, but decent. Nothing I'd go out of my way to purchase with all of the other options I've been introduced to from subscription boxes.

I'm hoping that I get a better quality bag next time (not getting a Penny Sue again), but otherwise LBB is a very fun experience! Trading is addictive, and you get really good discounts (and they do offer plenty of high-quality brands).

Little Black Bag (May 2013), Pixi

I recently got my first Little Black Bag shipment! Obviously it was heavy on the Pixi products. I'm a fan of eyeshadow pens in general, so I've gotten two more of theirs.

Out of my original bag (after trading):

- Pixi Lid Last eyeshadow pen in Graphite Glint - retails for $18

-Pixi Lid Last eyeshadow pen in Peach Pave - retails for $18

-Pixi Fairy Light Solo eyeshadow in Gilded Olive - retails for $15

Add-ons:

-Pixi Lip Blush in Youth - retails for $18

-skyn ICELAND Icelandic Relief Eye Pen - retails for $20

Total Value: $89
Total Spent: $50.78

So...not a bad deal! I had a lot of fun with the trading too, although I've heard that the trading was better before they changed.

Bag Score: 5 on 1-5 scale

Read more about LLB here!

Now I want to talk about Pixi =)

Like I said, I love eyeshadow pens anyway, and these were no exception. ...Then the day came when I wore down the point and needed to get more product out. Since they're plastic, I assumed that you would twist the bottom to make more come out, like other plastic eyeshadow pens. Well, that didn't work, but luckily before I broke it in my attempt to twist it, I did a little research online. Apparently you have to sharpen them. That sounds weird to sharpen plastic, but that's what you do. Now, the rather crappy thing is that the Lid Last pens are too fat to go in most makeup pencil sharpeners (even the ones for "big" pencils). I think I'd read online that there may be a few non-Pixi sharpeners that some people got to work, but that's the exception. Otherwise your only choice is to buy the Pixi brand sharpener. Target carries Pixi products, but neither of the two Target stores I checked in NW OKC carries the sharpener. Online I found it available on the Pixi website and on Birchbox. I like to order things off Birchbox on a regular basis anyway, so I ordered it from them. I just find it kind of irritating that Pixi made it so that you have to buy their sharpener. (If anyone knows specifically which other brands/kinds out there that can sharpen these things, please let me know!) But, well, I still like the pens (plus I have three of them now so I might as well get the stupid sharpener, heheh).

I like the Fairy Light Solo eyeshadow, too. It goes on easily and I really like the Gilded Olive shade I went with =)

The Lip Blush is ok, but not my favorite lip product. It's felt tip, so it feels like I'm coloring my lips with a magic marker (which I guess I kinda am)! The color doesn't go on very bold, but that's not necessarily a bad thing depending on what you're going for. I might try a different lip product from them in the future, but probably not another Lip Blush.

Little Black Bag

Little Black Bag

Information out of date? Please contact me at reverse.will.cg@gmail.com!

This is the general review page for Little Black Bag. Each time I review one of their bags, it can affect its total score. I will award a score of 1 (awful) through 5 (awesomeness) on each of the following: content, value, uniqueness, shipping, customer service, and perks.

Service Type: LBB is actually a pretty unique service - continue down to "About"!

About: LBB just went through a major rehaul just before I opened my first bag, so my only experience is with the "new" LBB. My first bag is in the process of being sent to me, so as I learn more about the service I'll update my information. Basically you pick an item to open your "bag" - they mainly have handbags/clutches, shoes, makeup, body care, and accessories. Then LBB will give you more items (I think usually two) that are in the same price range as your chosen item. You don't get to see what your other items are until you check out (except for their general category, like "jewelry"). If your mystery items turn out to be duds or uglies, don't worry, that's where the fun part begins! You can trade your unwanted items with other LBB members, and it's actually pretty addicting. You have seven days to trade, but you can tell LBB to ship your items whenever you're ready. You can also add other items from the gallery to your open bag, but you have to pay additional shipping (depending on what you're wanting to get, it may be more cost-effective to just start another bag after you finish with your current one).

Cost (in USD): It depends on how much and what items you buy. Shipping for the contiguous US is $5.95, but you can upgrade shipping if you want. For Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and APO/FPO addresses it is $11.95. For Canada, $15.95.

Shipping From: Not for sure; they have addresses in Los Angeles and NYC. I'll update when I find out.

Shipping Schedule: N/A - They ship shortly after you close your bag.

Countries They Ship To: The US (including APO/FPO), Puerto Rico, and Canada

Bonuses: They have a VIP program where they charge you $9.95 on the 1st of each month, and in return you get $10 credit (woohoo, you gain a whole nickel in credit every time). You can either use it as soon as you get it, or let it add up for a while. VIPs are also supposed to get better discounts and gifts with purchases. There's also a referral program where you can get a free item worth up to $25 in your next bag whenever one of your referrals open their first bags.

Customer Service: N/A - I haven't had to contact customer service.

Individual Bag Reviews: May 2013

Total HM! Score:

Content: 5 So far items are high quality. Value: 5 You can get pretty significant discounts on products, although it's possible to get stuck with things you don't really want. Uniqueness: 5 I've never run into another site like LBB (if you have, let me know!! Or maybe you shouldn't for my own sake =) ). Shipping: 5 Items arrive as expected with the shipping speed you choose. Customer Service: N/A - I haven't had to contact customer service.  Perks: 5 You can get further discounts and free gifts if you join their VIP program, plus they have a decent referral system.

Total Score: 5