I work from home as a medical language specialist and, as awesome as that sounds, being interrupted when I’m working (one would be amazed at how many people think working from home actually entails no work at all) normally irks me above all.
Unless, of course, it’s the UPS delivery man bearing gifts. Such as today, when the ringing doorbell rudely interrupted my work, only to find the UPS man ready to place my much-anticipated Allure Sample Society November box into my outstretched little hands. He’s forgiven. Immediately. For this type of interruption, I’m quick to forgive. Delivery people bearing packages are always a welcome interruption.
Now, you’ll remember my not-so-subtle snark last month regarding ponytail holders and, more specifically, L’Oreal shampoo and conditioner in a box touted to contain “high-end, luxury samples.” My first and almost last box. However, bearing in mind that all subscription boxes seem to have a “slump month,” I decided to give them another month, just to be fair.
So let’s see…Will November make up for that extremely lackluster October box?
Yep, there it is, that familiar pretty little red box with ALLURE emblazoned on its top.
I have to admit, I really am impressed with the descriptor pamphlet they send in each box. It’s really well done and the pictures are lovely, with great, easy-to-read descriptions of each product.
Nice touch, Allure. Last month I was so taken aback by the sight of the L’Oreal products that I think the quality of this pamphlet escaped me.
Okay, now let’s see what we’ve got in store for November. High-end luxury samples…Or more Walmart travel aisle products? Let’s find out.
Looks pretty awesome at first glance. Not a ponytail holder nor a drugstore product in sight.
Let’s dive in, looks like the proverbial coast (or the drugstore aisle, in this case) is clear.
First up is a welcome addition to my hair care samples. By Alterna (a line full of awesomeness, by the way), this is a sample of their Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Omega+ Nourishing Oil. Allure gives it their seal of approval for medium to thick hair; apparently this does not play well with fine hair and flattens it (never a good look). Fortunately for the me, I possess very thick, naturally wavy hair…And I’m going to enjoy every last dropper-full of this pricey little gem.
RETAIL VALUE: $38/full sized product (this is a small sample vial).
Off to a very nice start, Allure…Let’s see if you can maintain that.
The second item to jump into my skeptical little hands is a 1-ounce sample size of Malin + Goetz Bergamot Body Wash. I’ve heard great things about this line and I’ve never had the opportunity to try one of their products. Although small, this sample should last for 2-3 showers…And it smells amazing, like freshly-cut oranges on a Sunday morning.
RETAIL VALUE: $32 for full-sized 16-ounce product.
Two for two, Allure, doing great here…
Next up, I spy with my mascara’d eyes a small sample tube of MD Solar Sciences MD Crème Mineral Beauty Balm. Lucky for me, my sample is in Light/Medium, which should be a perfect shade for me in fall and winter, and I’m really loving that it’s a BB crème that dries matte and has an SPF of 50. Allure professes that it falls short in coverage but makes up for it with its ability to blur imperfections and produce a matte finish even on oily complexions. Truth be told, I don’t need a lot of coverage and my skin is basically combination, not too oily but not too dry, either, so I’m thinking this could very well by my “holy grail” of BB crèmes. And blurring of imperfections is never a bad thing, right? Can’t wait to try this one out.
RETAIL VALUE: $39 for full-sized product.
We’re halfway through the box and I’m not disappointed yet. Let’s keep going.
A trial vial of Calvin Klein’s new fragrance, Reveal. Okay, full disclosure: I adore Calvin Klein fragrances, so I know I’m going to be totally biased and love this one even before that first intoxicating spritz. And, yes, it smells lovely…Somewhere between clean, freshly-showered skin, powdery, and lightly peppery at the same time. I would definitely purchase this on my own.
RETAIL VALUE: $70 for full-sized bottle.
Allure, you’re now officially 4 for 4…Can you actually manage for a 5 for 5 with this box???
Ah, yet another mascara sample from a subscription box. But you know what? I really love the Lorac line and I did want to try this mascara. I was somewhat disappointed with UD Perversion and the Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye mascara didn’t float my boat, but I’m hoping this Lorac Cobra Mascara will be as fantastic as it sounds. I found the brush (which was thankfully glossy and shiny and jet black, no sign of it being a “dry” mascara) on this is really intriguing, and I definitely plan to try this one out tomorrow. Here are a couple of pictures of the brush (which probably suck because I’m definitely not a photographer but hopefully you’ll see what I mean):
Hopefully the jet black against the red background make the unique-appearing shape of this brush stand out.
RETAIL VALUE: $20 for full-sized product (this is a pretty generous sample size)
And there we have it, the November Allure Sample Society box.
So, what’s the verdict? Did Allure redeem themselves from last month’s shenanigans with the L’Oreal and ponytail holders?
Why, yes…Yes, they did, and quite nicely. This is much more of what I was expecting from Allure Sample Society when I signed up. Not full-sized products, but samples of products for which a full-sized version might be out of my budget, samples of products I might not normally find on my own, or samples of products so spendy that I might be hesitant to purchase them without trying them. This box delivered just that.
Allure, I promise if you keep up this quality, I will refrain from referring to you as Sample Suck-ciety.
We’ll be signing back up for this box for December and give them another month or two to see if the quality of this box holds or if they revert back to drugstore product samples.
As of right now, I’m absolutely loving my Allure Sample Society November box and will enjoy trying every single product in here.
Allure, you have indeed redeemed yourself in my eyes (which admittedly are blurry from working but I assure you they’re loving these contents!).
If you’re as impressed with this month’s box as much as I was and would like to explore Allure Sample Society for yourself, here are a couple of links to get you started.
WEBSITE WITH REFERRAL LINK: http://www.beautybar.com (USE CODE SAMO3924 IF YOU’D LIKE TO USE ME AS A REFERRAL)
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/beautybar.com
As always, feel free to follow what I’m up to on the following social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Beholding-Eye/683364698413511
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Until next time, stay beautiful…And stay tuned! Next week brings The French Box, Wantables Intimates, Ipsy, Lip Monthly, Lip Factory, and possibly more. XoXo
TheBeholdingEye 