My first foray into monthly subscription boxes was Ipsy over a year ago.  A few months in, and I quickly found myself knee deep in makeup that I never planned to use.  Although it was difficult to hit the 'unsubscribe' button because the whole idea of receiving a package in the mail was enticing (ok, yeah, judge me), I finally parted ways and decided to stay away from any more subscription boxes until I found one that actually fit my needs. I'm fairly comfortable with makeup and have some "holy grail" products and companies I tend to use, so I was looking for something that would allow me to experiment and try out new brands/items. I'm also not very wild with nail polish or hair styling products so I was specifically looking for a service that catered more to someone interested in beauty/skin care.

...and then came Allure's Beauty Box (and the "Play! by Sephora"box).  I had been on Sephora's waitlist for their box for months and after researching the Allure box, decided to go ahead and try it out. Of course, the day after I signed up for Allure, I got taken off the Sephora waitlist, and should be receiving their March 2016 box in the next few days.

I received my first box a week ago, and I was pleasantly surprised. Though I don't recognize all the companies, they seem to be good quality products and, best of all, a decent size.


1) dpHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse (8.5fl oz: $35)


I have never tried (nor have I been very interested) in trying a rinse. I'm perfectly happy with my shampoo/conditioner routine and why change something that works, right? I decided to give it a try, because, well, why not, and I'm glad I did. I usually avoid going out anywhere after I wash my hair because the humidity in the South turns me into a frizz-ball but that was not an issue with this.  My hair felt clean, but not like all the moisture and oils had been sucked out of it (which is how I feel typically). I've used this a few times since I got it, and it's been a time-saver for when I need to shower and get out of the house fast. The only thing I wasn't particularly fond of was the smell--hot shower + vinegar is not a pleasant smell (at least not to me) and the first time I used it, it was almost overwhelming. But, my hair didn't smell like it afterwards, so if you can manage to get through the shower, it should be fine (of course, if you like the smell of vinegar, then this isn't a problem).


2) Macademia Professional Ultra Rich Moisture Cleansing Conditioner (10 oz: $26)

I know, another hair product. After I said I wasn't interested in a box that primarily sent out hair/nail items. I have seen this at Ulta and a few other websites but the thought of just using conditioner (even if it's a "cleansing" conditioner) seemed odd.  It definitely applies exactly like a conditioner, which also made me wary. But, once again, my hair felt like it hadn't been stripped of all the moisture so I'm a fan. What helps is that it also smells amazing (the description claims it's "brown sugar" but I thought it smelled more like coconut) so if you can't handle washing your hair with something vinegar scented, check this out.

3) Julep Konjac Cleansing Face Sponge ($12; trio for $24 at QVC)


Stress, poor diet, and lack of sleep since I started school has really done a number on my skin and I recently changed up my skin care routine to try to get everything under control.  I had no idea what this was when I first received it but after reading about it I decided to try it out.  I'm not sure how beneficial the sponge's "charcoal infusion" is but it helps remove all my makeup and leaves my skin truly feel clean. The nicest part is that it's extremely soft and doesn't feel very abrasive.  This was one of the items I liked the most from this month's box.

4) Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder ($34)

I don't use powder. It's the one thing that kind of overwhelms me whenever I try to purchase one because everything sounds exactly the same and usually just makes me look super dry and flaky. Make Up For Ever's HD Foundation ($43 here) is my holy grail foundation that survived sweating, crying, hugs, and everything else at my wedding so I was curious how the powder was. It was extremely messy (partly because the container is so small and my powder brush is too large) but once I applied it (lightly), it was not noticeable at all.  My face doesn't get very oily, especially during the winter months, so I can't speak to that but I liked that I didn't have a powdery feel/look when I used it.

5) Nunzio Saviano Anti-Frizz Sheets ($18)

I had no idea such a thing existed until I received two of these in my box this month. Because the weather here was terribly humid recently and my hair was constantly frizzy, I had a chance to try these anti-frizz sheets almost immediately. Maybe I didn't use them right (all it said to do was run them through my hair...which I did) but I didn't see a noticeable change. I still looked like a chia pet with my hair tied up so I eventually gave up and accepted defeat. Let me know if you've had any luck with these because it sounds like such a great idea.

6) Cargo Blush (in "Catalina"; $26) and Cargo Bronzer (in "Medium"; $29)



Cargo! I've been wanting to try Cargo products forever so I was really excited to get their blush/bronzer duo. They hype is well deserved. The blush initially looked very light when I swatched it on my hand, but it was the perfect bright "baby doll" color for Spring. It isn't too overwhelming so it's great for layering depending on how dramatic/subtle you want it. The bronzer was great and pretty pigemented, as well and I loved the fact that there was no glitter or shimmer mixed in. The worst thing about some of the other makeup subscription boxes is that some of the shades that you receive can be completely wrong for your skin, but I truly thing that both this blush and bronzer are universally flattering.

7) L'Oreal Pro-Last Infallible Lip Color in "115: Timeless Rose" (on sale at Target here)



This was the "extra" item in the box and I really could've done without it.  It's a typical neutral pink that's appropriate for the workplace and good for something subtle, but it's similar to a lot of the other pink lipsticks I currently own.  On top of that, I found the formula to be somewhat uncomfortable on my lips, though the "condition pro-seal balm" (it's the second part of the two step process with this) fixed that. I don't see the point of applying a really tacky gloss and then taking more time to apply an additional sealer to achieve the same feel that my other higher end lipsticks have. The color payoff was decent but any trace of lipstick was gone after a couple hours (once I ate).

Overall, the value of items for this box was great and I loved that it allowed me to try new products, brands, and formulations that I hadn't before. I was pretty dead set on cancelling either this or the Sephora box after the first month but now I'm tempted to hold off on Allure for another month.

I'll post a review of the Sephora box soon!