Allure Beauty Box (May 2016)

Allure Beauty Box is one of my favorite subscription services. A little background:

"Allure editors uncover the most noteworthy beauty products on the market, from hair and makeup to skin care, fragrance, and more. Then, they personally try and review each product, hand-selecting the ones they love — and know you'll love, too. And finally, here comes the fun: a glossy red box is delivered directly to your doorstep filled with the expert-approved products that are sure to become your new favorites."

Here's what's included:

• Five to seven deluxe-size beauty samples—so you can use each one more than once
• Curated mix of skin, hair, and makeup products, as well as fragrance
• Allure mini-mag, packed with in-depth beauty sample product reviews written by Allure editors

I really dig the mini-mag. Very professional and so much information on the products! Definitely the best, most descriptive tool I've seen in any box. Each page has a "What It Is," "How It Looks/Feels," "Why We Like It" and the retail price of the full-sized item. Some products have a "What It Does," as well as a "Key Ingredients" list. A lot of people have allergies or find certain ingredients affect their skin in negative ways, so I think this bonus information is great.

Here's what I received:

FOREO Day Cleanser (0.5oz, ~$7.49) - A gentle face wash that cleanses without leaving skin tight and dry. Key ingredients are mandarin and bergamot extracts (antioxidants) and apricot seed oil (moisturizes). The citrus-scented cream transforms to an airy foam when you massage it onto damp skin.

FOREO Night Cleanser (0.5oz, ~$8.99) - A deep-cleaning face wash that cleanses and removed makeup. Key ingredients include sweet almond oil and coco-caprylate/carpate, a derivative of coconut oil to moisturize. Once wet, the gel turns to lotion and rinses away every last bit of makeup, leaving skin fresh and soft.

I don't plan to use these because of my k-beauty obsession, but I did smell them. They both have a sunscreen-type scent to them. These products seem to be full of wonderful, and lacking badness, so someone I know will love them.

COTZ Flawless Complexion SPF50 (0.18oz, ~$1.44) - A noncomedogenic that protects skin from UVA and UVB rays without clogging pores. You could mistake this sunscreen for a makeup primer. It has the same silky texture that makes it easy to spread on skin.

EQUITANCE Brightening Serum + Spot Corrector (0.2oz, $25.00) - A dark-spot-brightening serum that minimizes the appearance of spots caused by acne, hormonal changes, and sun exposure. Key ingredients include linoleic acid and vitamin C (brightens), and olive oil and glycerin (moisturizes).

I really have no use for these. I have tons of SPF lotions, but I will say, CoTZ is one of the greats. I love the light tinge of color and the way my face feels after applying. Again, I have a lot of serums and spot correctors from my k-beauty collection, so although the price is right, I won't be trying this serum. A note, Equitance is no longer in business, so snagging a high quality skin product like this is a win for somebody.

MAKE UP FOR EVER Smoky Extravagant Mascara (0.13oz, ~$13.57) - A volumizing, lengthening, and curling mascara in an ultra black shade. Packed with 580 bristles, the brush is shaped like a cone. The idea is that the fine tip targets small inner-corner lashes, while the fat center loads up your lashes with the inky pigment to volumize and lift with one swipe.

PIXI BY PETRA Mattelustre Lipstick in Rose Naturelle (0.04oz, ~$3.69) - A semi-matte tawny-pink lipstick. The creamy bullet applies with no drag or dryness and it delivers rich coverage. Also includes a $2 off $10 purchase of Pixi by Petra product at Target.

I have a s**t ton of these mascaras. I think they're in every beauty subscription box. In fact, I think they just toss them around like confetti at Sephora! But really, it is a great product. I'm probably not keeping this lipstick either. If it looked more the shade in the mini mag, I would, but it's a little too pink for me. My teeth are not white enough for pinks. My bad.

LAUREN B. Nail Polish in Santa Barbara Surf (0.5oz FULL-SIZE, $18.00) - A glossy green-blue polish that's free of formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin and camphor.

FOREO Luna Play ($39.00) - A golf ball sized facial cleansing brush that removes gunk with gentle vibrations. This brush - a pint-size version of the original - is gentle enough to use on even sensitive skin. It easily maneuvers around your nose, where bigger brushes tend to struggle, leaving skin smooth. It comes pre-juiced with 100 uses' worth of battery power. The silicone inhibits bacterial growth.

Oh, oh, oh... the nail polish is the seventh item in this amazing box that I won't use. I have polishes falling out of every crevasse of my house. However, GOOD GOLLY, MISS MOLLY... I am super duper excited about the Luna Play!!! I have been so jealous of everybody having this when I can't throw around $39 for a cleansing brush. And despite the already high value, this item alone far out-weighs the cost for the month.

I calculate this May 2016 box to have a value of $117.18. WOW! That's a massively incredible value for a box that only costs $15. There was also a LOT of diversity in the product selection. There is nothing in this box that I cannot say is great. 

Also included was a subscription offer for Allure magazine, $1 a month. And it comes with a free gift, which looks to be a set of makeup pouches. Altogether this is a fantastic month for Allure Beauty Box. I can't wait to see what's next!