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Allure Beauty Box: beauty samples, $15/month
I paid: $15
Box retail value: $53, My value: $30*
Allure Beauty Box is a box curated by the editors of Allure magazine. Every month, the box includes beauty samples with the occasional travel size or full size product thrown in. Until recently, this box was managed by BeautyBar.com and called “Allure Sample Society.” My one experience with that subscription was negative, as they knowingly excluded a promised item from my box and then refused to give me adequate compensation. Now, this box has been renamed and will be directly managed by Allure. I’m hoping this will mean there will be better customer service. This is the first box since Allure took over.
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This is how the box looks when you open it. The photo is a cover of a booklet which describes every product in the box and explains why they like it. They don’t, however, include a list of ingredients or information as to where the product was made. This is only an issue for the mascara, however, as the other items have it printed on the containers.
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And this is when you remove the booklet. Everything is nicely packaged and a couple of products come in their boxes.
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This month I subscribed to the box knowing what I was getting. They were all samples and included a dry shampoo, a hair oil and pony tail holders, in addition to a mascara, an eye serum and a sunscreen spray. The box had a total value of $53, a great deal for just $15. That said, I put my subscription on hold (you can easily suspend or cancel your subscription from their website) because I do have way too many beauty items.
This is what I got:
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Estee Lauder Sumptuous Infinite Daring Length plus Volume Mascara in black, 2.8 ml, sample value $5
What is it with subscription boxes and mascaras? And why don’t they send any waterproof ones? Still, Paula’s Choice gives it a good review, so I’ll either swap it for something I want more or keep it for later use. Made in the USA.
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum, 4ml– sample value $17
I have a bunch of eye creams but not an eye serum per se, though this one is creamy enough that you could consider it either. Still, it seems that there is little difference between this (and other) eye serums and serums that are not marketed just for the eyes. That actually makes me happy as it means I can just use it as an all face serum. While reviews for this serum are mixed, Paula’s Choice says it has good ingredients. It’s made in the UK.
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Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo Spray, 1.4 oz, sample value $7
I got a full version of this in my June Beauty Fix box (which, unlike the July box, was a great box). I like dry shampoo, I like this dry shampoo (even though it’s overpriced), so I’m happy to get this. Indeed, this shampoo is one of the reasons why I ordered this box after seeing the spoilers. Made in the USA
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Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer, 1 oz, $11 sample value
If there is one thing I’m sure of is that I don’t need any more hair oils, sprays, texturizers, anti-freeze products, etc. It does get great reviews, however. Still, I’ll try to swap it. Made in the USA.
Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist with Rosemary, .5 oz, sample value $6
Yes, Supergoop! again. I have a Supergoop! serum, an everyday sunscreen, an eye sunscreen (which puzzles me, the area around my eyes never tans, though I get it must absorb some UVA rays) and a CC cream. So of course I wanted to try this mist. I love mists, I love sunscreen and I love rosemary, this seems just made for me. It gets mixed reviews, mostly from people who complain it doesn’t do a good job of setting makeup (not an issue for me) or that it leaves your face too oily or too dry. I love it.
First, I should admit that I sweat too much to wear makeup in summer, so I’m not using this as a setting spray. Rather, I’ll be using it to reapply sunscreen. The mist is very refreshing, it smells very nice (though I think more like mint than rosemary) but it stung my face, though just for a few seconds. I was surprised just how small tjos sample is, and a bit disappointed because it takes several times to get enough to cover your whole face. As I wasn’t wearing makeup, I rubbed it to get full coverage – I’m not sure that I would have felt comfortable if I couldn’t do that. It left my face feeling dry and smooth, a good thing giving how much I sweat, but I can see how it can be drying on those with already dry skin. It’s made in the USA.
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Invisibobble Traceless Hair Ring and Bracelet, 3-pack, $7
This is the only full size product in the box, and not one that particularly interests me. For the last three decades I have worked hard to do away with any class prejudices, which included disavowing the concept of “tackiness”. Still, I cannot but recoil (pun intended) from these plastic pony tail holders. I can’t imagine a more appropriate word to describe them. As if that wasn’t enough, they get mixed reviews (people say they work for thick hair, but that they stretch and break after a few times) and these ones came in hot pink. They do match one of my daughters’ hair (that’s not tackiness, that’s self expression, you see, I’m not judgmental), but I’m still not giving her a chance to wear them. They’re going into the swap bin.
*”Retail value” refers to the total price for which the products in the box sell at major retailers or, when the product is an exclusive, by the manufacturer. In the case of samples, I arrive to this value by determining the per-unit price of a full size item, and then multiplying it by the units in the sample. “My value” refers to the combined value of the products in the box that my family and I will actually use. To be a good value, a beauty box should have a retail value that is at least twice that of the subscription price and my value for the box should be higher than its price.