Because I was out of town for the past few weeks for rotations, I didn't have a chance to review my box until now. I came back this past weekend to both the Allure and Sephora April beauty boxes and I'm definitely liking the contents of the latter better.  I'm holding out on next month's boxes to make my final decision but I'm finding most of Allure's products to be things I could do without.  What really turned me off, though, was their customer service when I reached out about my broken perfume bottle.


Anyways, the theme of this month's box was "Up Close and Personal", and I felt like the items were pretty appropriate (a primer, anti-frizz serum, non-feathering lipliner, and body oil, which...I guess smells good for anyone that comes close to you?)

1) DDF Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer Moisturizing Serum

I'll admit - I've been known to try a few ridiculous beauty products in the past but I just can't get myself to get behind this whole anti-wrinkle, magic potion stuff.  Definitely not when it costs close to a $100 for less than 2 ounces (well, $85, but close enough). The product claims to "fill in pores...[and] diminish fine lines over time." I haven't used it long enough to speak to that, but if you're trying to find cheaper/equally effective moisturizers and retinol for hyperpigmentation, there's plenty of options. I highly highly recommend this Belif Aqua Bomb moisturizer, as well as the fairly affordable Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer and CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion (AM) (which is on sale right now at Target!). I've used all three and have seen a noticeable difference in my skin.  For hyperpigmentation and scarring, I would check out Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pads (Sephora tends to have a few samples you can try out when you make a purchase online).
Needless to say, this moisturizing serum is sitting untouched on my dresser at the moment.

2) Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Styling Creme

Moving to the South has wreaked havoc on my hair.  Especially in the summer, the humidity makes my hair incredibly difficult to style and nine times out of ten I give up and just keep it in a bun.  To make matters worse, I've continuously been dyeing my hair so that's just added to the frizziness. As such, I was excited to try out this styling creme and was not disappointed. It smells great (I received the "olive oil" scent) and I definitely noticed a difference when I applied it to my hair and went out immediately after.  I avoid most styling products because I hate how heavy and greasy they make my hair feel, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this product didn't have that.  The size of the sample isn't very big but a little goes a long way and I still have a reasonable amount left even with (near) daily use. If you're suffering from constant bad hair days courtesy of this weather, I would give this a try.

3) L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil



Speaking of amazing scents, I loved this! I was initially a little hesitant because I've tried shower oils in the past and I hated how greasy they left me feeling.  I didn't experience that at all with this, however.  It leaves skin feeling soft and adequately moisturized; I didn't feel like I had to run out of the shower and immediately lather myself up in lotion.  The one thing I will say (because I "wasted" quite a bit of product before I realized...whoops!) is, don't expect it to lather as much as your typical body washes; there's just a "subtle lather" (as Allure explains it).

4) Mally Evercolor Shaping Lip Pencil in "Frisky Fuchsia"



Lip pencils especially in any shade of pink is something I could do without.  Between all my other lip liners, lipsticks, lip stains, and lip glosses, I have the entire pink spectrum covered.  Regardless, I tried this lip pencil to see how I liked it.  I ended up using it all over my lip as a subtle pink lipcolor instead of as a traditional lip liner and it was alright.  I agree that it doesn't feather, but I didn't find it to be all that "long-wearing".  A few hours of studying and a cup of coffee later, and there wasn't a hint of pink left on my lips.
Another thing: I cannot find this product anywhere online so I'm not able to find very many specifics and I'm not sure how someone would even order this if they ended up loving it. Allure states that the liners are priced at $26 for a 3 piece set and that there are eight shades of pink and red, but like I said, I can't verify that.

With that pricing and limitation of shades (oh yeah, and the general inability to find this product at all), I would skip this and stick with Nyx and Colourpop Cosmetics for lip liners.

5) L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara


This was a full-sized product in the April box.  According to its packaging, the mascara claims to make lashes "5x fuller" which I didn't notice.  Longer, yes.  Fuller, no.  I've always heard that drug store mascara is highly underrated but the sheer number of options gives me anxiety so I stick to my deluxe samples from Sephora.  I was hoping this mascara would be "The One" but, nope. Also, this is definitely not water-proof, which I learned the hard way when I proceeded to splash water on my face and immediately looked like a raccoon.

6) Bvlgari Goldea


I really don't have much to say about this besides the fact that I can attest to the fact that it smells good (though slightly overwhelming) even when it's leaked all over the box the products all arrived in.  The packaging, you would think, would hold up well because it definitely isn't the flimsiest bottle I've seen. I was wrong. 

When I found out Sephora was coming out with a monthly subscription box, I was ecstatic. I had pretty much given up on them entirely after trying out Ipsy for a few months (and a trial of Birchbox along the way, also) but I figured, since almost all my beauty purchases were made at Sephora, their box would be perfect. Of course, I went on to the website, realized that there was a waitlist, promptly signed myself up...and then forgot about it.

So imagine my surprise when more than six months later, I got an email saying I was finally off the waitlist (conveniently the day after I had signed up for the Allure Beauty Box -- which I reviewed here)!

The shipping schedule for the box is pretty annoying, because it wasn't sent out until the end of the third week and I received it about a week ago.  Hopefully, that's just an early kink that will be worked out.



First things first - the packaging. It comes in a box with the usual black and white Sephora design elements. Along with the usual beauty items, each box comes with a pamphlet that talks about the products and a "play pass" that allows you to get a complimentary "one on one session" in store along with 50 Beauty Insider points with any purchase.

Each month has a specific theme for all the products, with the March 2016 box named "The Perfection Collection".

The products:

1) Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30 (1.0 fl oz: $65)

I have tried a few other Murad products in the past and, to be honest, I just do not understand all the hype.  I haven't found the hefty price-tag worth it so I wasn't too excited to try this out. It's supposed to be a SPF + moisturizer + basically a built in "instagram filter" for your face all in one. I'm not so sure about the last part. I'm sure it moisturized and protected my skin, but I most definitely still had to use concealer and makeup.  I think I'll stick with my cheaper Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer that costs me a fraction of the price.

2) Fresh Soy Face Cleanser (1.7 fl oz: $15)

Every time I've tried to get my hands on the Fresh cleanser deluxe samples from Sephora, they've been out of stock and with all the other face cleansers I have, I didn't feel the need to purchase it without trying it out first. Fresh's other products have always been phenomenal (still managed to hold out on buying the full sized Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment) so I wanted to try this cleanser out as soon as possible. The product claims that the soy helps refresh skin and the cleanser removes makeup, and my face did feel noticeably cleaner after I used it but it was definitely not completely makeup-free. This is another one of those items that feels good on my skin, but not enough to necessarily justify the cost, especially if you already have a go-to cleanser.

3) Sephora Collection - The Perfectionist Airbrush Sponge ($12)

Perfect timing! My beauty blender had to be thrown out and I was going to purchase another one so I was glad I received this in my box this month.  Most of the time, when you're reading reviews for the Beauty Blender, there seems to be the opinion that anything beside the original Beauty Blender sponge is inferior in quality.  Because of that, I was willing to spend the $20 dollars every few months to replace my old, beat up sponge.  Last year, I decided to try out the Sephora Collection dupe and I found that I actually preferred those to the original I had.

The shape for these sponges is different than the traditional Beauty Blender, but I find that that's an improvement and makes it easier to handle when applying makeup.  Also, these sponges last a whole lot longer and I haven't had problems with mold, discoloration, and all the other complaints associated with the original Beauty Blender.

If you haven't tried using a sponge for makeup application/blending and were hesitant because of the price tag, I would recommend checking these out. I was skeptical about using sponges initially, but I really think that they do a far better job of giving a more natural, flawless appearance.

(The sponge that came with the Play! by Sephora box is currently sold out but here are similar products that you can try out: Sephora Sponge, black'Up Contouring Sponge, Blending Sponge)

4) Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil (1 oz: $42)

I only use primer under my foundation, which I wear rarely (only for special occasions). I had used the original Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer for many years and then moved on to the more lotion-like Nars Pore-Refining Primer because it felt a lot better on my skin. I wasn't aware that Smashbox had come out with an oil version of their primer and tried it out since I've been having trouble with some dry areas on my face recently. I generally don't like working with oil because I just feel shiny/greasy the whole time and this kind of left me with the same feeling.  My face didn't look like I was sweaty or anything like that, but I felt as if my makeup wasn't as matte as I would like it.

Again, this is not a cheap investment so I would recommend trying out something a little easier to work with if this is your first foray into primers.  And, obviously, avoid this if you have any problems with oily skin.  I'm probably going to stick with my Nars primer from here on out, but I can see this being useful for applying to those specific dry patches on your skin, if you have those.  If you really don't like the feel of the original primer (I admit, the silicone makes it difficult to work with at times) and want an alternative that also isn't oily, I would try out the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water. The best part is that it comes in a more affordable size so you can try it out with less regret.

5) Kat Von D Tattoo Liner - "Trooper" ($19)

I think I've mentioned this eye liner multiple times already, so I'll spare you the details.  This has been my holy grail eyeliner since I first tried it out and I try to keep myself stocked up for when I run out. It truly is waterproof, smudge-proof (good for people like me that are constantly rubbing their eyes...oops), and very pigmented.  I'm terrible at working with liquid eyeliner but I really think that liquid gives the most vibrant color so this was a God-send.  One or two swipes is all you need to get the color pay-off and the pen is easy to control so you can make the line as thick or thin as you want.

6) Maison Martin Margiela - "Replica" Beach Walk

Along with the five deluxe samples in the box, Sephora also sends a small fragrance sample, which is nice because the size is useful for travel.  This month's perfume was different from what I usually use (I'm more into the muskier scents) but I liked it; "Beach Walk" is appropriate for the Spring - fresh, clean, and a much lighter scent.

Verdict: 
Though this first month's beauty box had items that I wouldn't necessarily purchase, it was nice to try out different formulations, brands, and products that were outside of my comfort zone.  The biggest perk with the Sephora box, for me at least, is the fact that I make most of my beauty purchases there and this allows me to try out mid/high range items before I commit.  As you can see from the pricing for the full-sized products, the items tend to be pricier than the Allure box and that may be a benefit or flaw, depending on the individual.

Given that I felt pretty much the same way about both boxes this month, I'll probably give it another month or so before I decide which one to keep!