Allure Beauty Box is a $25 monthly beauty subscription from Allure Magazine. Each month they send out a mix of deluxe and full-size samples from mostly high-end brands. (It was named one of the best beauty subscription boxes by MSA readers in the 2023 Subscription Box Awards.)
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
First Impressions
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The box arrives beautifully packaged in the classic Allure white and red box. There was also a helpful mini-magazine with more info on the products and a note from Allure's deputy beauty director Elizabeth Siegel.
New subscribers in the month of October will receive this full-size cleanser from First Aid Beauty!
What's Inside the October 2023 Allure Beauty Box
Style Edit Root Concealer Touch Up Sprays in Medium Brown, 0.75 oz - Estimated Value $11.25 (buy the 2 oz version for $29.99)
I like the concept of a spray you can apply to cover any grey roots, but I luckily still have my natural deep brown hair color with minimal change (knock wood). I normally would say I would pass this along to my mom who would get a ton of use out of it, but I think she’s actually rocking some blonde hair these days so the color wouldn’t match. I’m not upset about being sent a product that doesn’t personally work for me - it wasn’t one of the full-size products in the box, and it’s unique enough that the people who would benefit from using it may not know it exists.
Caudalíe Premier Cru Eye Cream, 5 mL - Estimated Value $28.33 (buy the 15 mL version for $85)
This eye cream costs a pretty penny so it was a treat to see it inside the box - especially since you only need a little bit for both eyes. It doesn’t have the signature metal applicator that the full-size does (which I think does add to the overall effect), but my skin does like this quite a bit. I love that it’s fragrance-free but still has a luxurious texture - sometimes those ~luxury~ products add fragrance to try to improve the user experience, but I don’t like using heavily fragranced products on the sensitive skin around my eyes. It does have a blend of “pearlizers” that makes the skin more luminous and look brighter, and I think it helps to make my tired eyes look more awake.
Teeez Cosmetics Suit Of Armor Don't Blush Me Blusher in Mauve - Retail Value $27
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I am not much of a blush gal, so I like that this mauve blush has a buildable formula and isn’t crazy pigmented. I feel like mauve is the standard blush color sent in subscription boxes and I always think it makes my cheeks look a little ruddy, but it’s a good shade for most people who enjoy using it.
Flânerie Vivifying Serum, 30 mL - Retail Value $79
This is listed as a full-size serum, but the tube packaging is different from the bottle packaging on Flanerie’s website - whether the packaging we received is old stock or just made specifically for Allure, I can’t say as I’m unfamiliar with the brand. It has some nice ingredients with jojoba oil, hyaluronic acid, and lotus seed extract, but fragrance is higher up on the ingredients list than I would like for my sensitive skin. It did smell good and had a nice lightweight texture that layered well under my moisturizer.
First Aid Beauty Anti-Chafe Stick With Shea Butter + Colloidal Oatmeal, 9.9 g - Estimated Value $4.13 (buy the 48 g version for $20)
I was able to try this out as soon as it was delivered - I have a walking pad in my living room that I try to get extra steps on without the pressure of changing into a ~workout~ outfit, so this anti-chafe stick was perfect for the dress I was wearing at the time. I like that it’s made with nourishing shea butter and soothing colloidal oatmeal, and it was easy to swipe on my inner thighs there would be no friction or chafing. It’s a handy little stick to have!
TPH by Taraji Maskin & Relaxin a moisturizing scalp mask, 4 oz - Retail Value $12.99
This scalp mask is made with just about everything - charcoal, kaolin, tea tree and peppermint oils, retinol (?), hyaluronic acid, probiotics, and aloe vera. I’m not sure how I feel about retinol being in a scalp mask considering I don’t make it a habit of applying sunscreen to my scalp and I always apply SPF after retinol use, but I love the tea tree and peppermint scent. This wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t do anything significant that make me see myself reaching for this again.
Kristen Ess Oversize Scrunchie in Rust - Retail Value $7
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I love a big scrunchie- they're fun to wear on my wrist and look cute in my hair. This rust color is a great neutral that's perfect for fall, and I really like the smooth satiny material of the scrunchie (it's more gentle on my hair!).
Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $25 (save more with a longer subscription - 3 months prepaid is $60 and an annual subscription is $228).
Value Breakdown:
- Style Edit: $11.25 → $1,68
- Caudalie: $28.33 → $4.17
- Teeez: $27 → $3.98
- Flanerie: $79 → $11.64
- First Aid Beauty: $4.13 → $0.61
- TPH by Taraji: $12.99 → $1.93
- Kristen Ess: $7 → $1.03
Key Takeaways
The October Allure Beauty Box was not my favorite box. My favorite items were the Kristen Ess scrunchie and Caudalie eye cream, but this didn't feel like a box that has a $170 value even though that's what the numbers add up to. I did enjoy trying out that anti-chafe stick from First Aid Beauty and the new scalp mask from THP, and Allure met their promise of sending 3 full-sized products. Value-wise, Allure promises a monthly value of at least $100, and everything in the box added up to $169.69.
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? If you sign up in October, you should receive the October box.
What do you think of the October Allure Beauty Box? What was your favorite product in the box?
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