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Every so often, I get tempted to try a new subscription box for a few months. I’ve tried Birchbox (still a favorite), Ipsy (not as impressed), and most recently PLAY by Sephora (reviews here) but I decided to check out the slightly more expensive Allure Beauty Box. For $15 a month, you get a handful (5-8ish) editor-picked products that seem to be slightly more coveted and valuable than what you typically find in the other beauty subscription boxes since they’ve been curated by the editors of Allure. I got my first box a couple of weeks ago and will continue to review the box for a minimum of three months before I form a solid opinion. Continue reading to see what I thought of the first one in my Allure Beauty Box August 2016 review…
The Allure Beauty Box came in a small cardboard box by mail and then I opened it up to find this glossy red package inside. Seemingly smaller than the Play by Sephora boxes, this box was packed efficiently and full of products without the filler fluff. Within the box came a letter from one of the editors involved in the selection process. In the accompanying booklet explaining the products, Patricia Tortolani (contributing editorial projects director) explains that the items in this August box are meant to give an “Olivia Palermo“-esque bright and healthy glow.
*Included as an extra/bonus
I was most excited about the Pixi Glow Tonic because I’ve seen so many raving reviews about this item. As someone who currently LOVES and swears by AHA/BHA exfoliating toner/liquids (still currently using all of my Paula’s Choice stuff from this post in May), I want to see how this budget-buy stacks up. The mini Wet Brush is also a favorite because I use my full-size Wet Brush every time I wash my hair. If you don’t currently have one of these, GET ONE! It blows those wide-tooth combs out of the water and is so gentle. I get especially knotty hair because I don’t shampoo it daily (or honestly even brush it daily lol), so this is a heaven-sent addition. You can never go wrong with a black/brown waterproof eyeliner and I miss CARGO being sold at Sephora/Ulta, so thumbs up for that.
As for the other items (mostly skin care and the Garnier duo), I’m still debating. The Freeze 24-7 eye serum is hella expensive; so even if it’s a miracle worker, I don’t see myself buying the full size for a good ten more years. The PurLisse moisturizer is targeted for normal/dry skin – which we know I do NOT have – so I may give it a shot at night. The Supergoop Setting Spray may be a great travel item when I head to Vegas soon since it has the extra SPF. Plus, I’m oily so anything to help mattify is totally welcome. The Garnier repairing shampoo/conditioner duo didn’t seem part of the original box (it’s not listed in the booklet at all), so it’s just a bonus.
What I loved the most about the Allure Beauty Box was actually within the booklet. Written exactly as any beauty-obsessed mad scientist would, I appreciate how Allure clearly bulleted WHAT the product is, WHAT it does, KEY INGREDIENTS to explain what’s making the magic happen, HOW it looks/feels/smells, WHY they like it, the full-size PRICE and WHERE to pick it up. Super to the point and hit the main questions anyone would need to ask. LOVE that.
*Additional Garnier shampoo/conditioner adds approx. $5 to the sample value
I paid $10.83 (including tax+shipping) for this first Allure Beauty Box as a promotional special. Typically, the box is $15+tax. This first box was an excellent value! Without the eye serum, it would be iffy. The Sephora boxes were averaging around $40ish in value for $10/month, so I’ll have to see how the next couple of months go with Allure before noticing any trends in value.
What do you think of my first Allure Beauty Box? If you’ve tried the Allure box, let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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Happy Unboxing,
-Steffanie
