As an avid makeup wearer always on the hunt for hot new products, I was naturally tempted when I first heard of Allure magazine‘s Beauty Box subscription. $100+ worth of elite beauty items delivered each month? It seemed too good to be true for only $23!
Intrigued, I signed up for a 3-month subscription to see if the reality would live up to the hype. Below I‘ll share my genuine experience as an average beauty consumer – including detailed unboxings, ratings analysis, and how Allure stacks up to alternatives.
Overview: What Exactly is the Allure Beauty Box?
The Allure Beauty Box is a monthly subscription service catering to makeup, skincare and hair care "junkies" who crave trying the latest coveted products. Available on a month-to-month basis or discounted for 3, 6 or 12 month commitments, each box contains 4-8 deluxe samples and full sized items across popular beauty categories.
Allure promises each box will contain products valued at over $100 in retail price. However, as we‘ll explore throughout this review, that might be a bit misleading…
Pros:
- Chance to sample luxury & niche beauty brands
- At least 3 guaranteed full-size items per month
- Retail value of $100+ advertised
- Pre-pay for subscriptions & save up to $26/year
- New member gifts & exclusive member perks
Cons:
- Only half the items full-size on average
- Sample sizes limit actual uses
- You don‘t choose products received
- Hit & miss customer service reputation
Monthly Cost Breakdown:
* Month-to-month - $23
* 3-month prepay - $65 ($4 savings)
* 6-month prepay - $130 ($8 savings)
* 12-month prepay - $250 ($26 savings)I signed up for the quarterly plan, paying $65 upfront for my first 3 boxes. Little did I know the tiny samples inside wouldn‘t even provide a week‘s use! And I certainly wasn‘t expecting repeat items across my short subscription.
Let‘s look at what I actually received…
My Allure Beauty Box Experience: The Proof is in the Products
When that exciting red Allure box first arrived on my doorstep, I gleefully tore open the packaging in anticipation. But lifting out tissue paper to find just two full-size items and five miniature packets was an immediate letdown.
Below I‘ll share a peek inside my boxes from February to April 2023, along with an approximation of true sample value. Was the $100+ promise just beauty industry smoke & mirrors? Judge the proof for yourself.
February 2023 Unboxing
Full Size:
- LiQ Lip Oil in "Dawn" ($11 retail value)
- BeautyBlender Foundation Sponge ($20 retail value)
Deluxe Samples:
- Drunk Elephant Eye Cream (5ml – $17 retail for 15ml jar)
- OUAI Texturizing Spray (1oz – $12 retail for full 5.2oz)
- Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask (5g – $5 retail for full 20g)
February Box Total Retail Value: ~$65
My Cost: $23This first month showed some promise. I was happy to receive the famous BeautyBlender, and thought I scored big with the drunk elephant cream – a coveted brand.
Until I went to use each tiny sample the next day. The lip oil gave me 4 days‘ use at 1 application per day. The primers and creams? Literally 2 tries each before empty.
I expected sample sizes but was shocked at how limited uses actually were. Still, the brands were on point and I looked forward to March‘s delivery.
March 2023 Unboxing
Full Size:
- Benefit Brow Pencil ($29 retail value)
- YSL Volupte Lipstick ($39 retail value)
Deluxe Samples:
- Sunday Riley Good Genes packet (8ml – $20 retail for 1oz bottle)
- Anastasia Liquid Eyeliner (1.5ml – $7 retail for full 5ml)
- Briogeo Gel to Oil hair mask (1oz – $10 retail for 8oz tub)
March Box Total Retail Value: ~$105
My Cost: $23My second Allure box followed a similar trend with miniature sampler packets. But receiving the same brand (Briogeo) across February and March was a letdown. Where were the dozens of coveted brands promised?
And while I love lip products, receiving two felt repetitive. Couldn‘t they include more variety? A face mask instead of that tiny vial?
April 2023 Unboxing
Full Size:
- Sunday Riley CEO Cream ($22 retail value)
- Tarte Sea Hydroflex Serum ($52 retail value)
Deluxe Samples:
- Percy & Reed Reassuringly Firm Session Hold Hairspray (1.4 oz – $5 retail for 5.4oz)
- Dermologica Resurfacing Peel (10ml – $12 retail for 30ml)
- Nars Climax Mascara (5g – $13 retail for full 10g tube)
April Box Total Retail Value: ~$94
My Cost: $23 When I saw Sunday Riley hero product CEO Cream for the second month in a row, I nearly lost it! Weren‘t subscribers guaranteed never to receive the same item twice??
And while the Nars mascara felt like a win, everything else fell into "sample purgatory" – barely enough for a few uses before hitting empty.
Frankly the Dermologica peel packet held just 1-2 masks worth of product. So I still can‘t tell you if it actually worked well or not!
Total 3 Month Value Received: ~$264 retail value
I paid: $65 for 3 boxes
Avg Box Value: $88Adding together everything received across 3 months shows the $100+ value claim clearly over-inflates things. Tiny samples I can hardly evaluate do not equal full retail cost!
And out of 21 total items, only 6 were actually full-size. That‘s barely over a quarter of products, not the "minimum of 3" touted.
The reality: Paying $65 total left me trying 12 mediocre samples, some repeats, with limited ability to re-purchase favorites at just 4-5 uses each.
Allure Beauty Box Reviews: What Do Customers Really Think?
My experience exposed some of the disparities between Allure‘s claims versus reality. But am I alone in feeling short-changed by sample sizes, repeat brands and lack of personalization?
Analyzing ratings across consumer sites shows many share my grievances – especially once that new box smell wears off.
Key Review Site Ratings:
Influenster - 4.2 stars across 5,640+ reviews
Consumer Affairs - 3.1 stars based on 144 reviews
Trustpilot - 4 stars out of over 700 reviews
Site Jabber - 3 stars based on 100+ reviews
Pros Reported:
- Discovering new brands
- Trying luxury makeup
Top Complaints:
- Tiny samples
- Repeat products
- Billing issues
- Poor customer serviceThe initial thrill of surprise novelty earned high starts around product variety and indulgent brand names.
But over time, critical consumers felt short-changed on value, customization and product amount. Poor handling of damaged items and subscription charges caused further brand distrust.
I took to consumer posts on Facebook groups to better understand people‘s perspectives:
"After over a year with Allure Beauty Box, I think the novelty has worn off. While I still enjoy discovering new items, the sample sizes make it impossible to determine if I actually like a product enough to buy a full size. And getting repeat brands crossed the line for me when Sunday Riley CEO serum showed up twice! For $23 a month, customers deserve better."
"I finally canceled BoxyCharm because I want to love my subscription but keep having damaged items show up! When I try emailing support they take weeks to respond, if ever. Then they expect me to pay return shipping on their mistakes. Not worth the hassle!"
"I literally loathe Allure customer service! I emailed to cancel my 6 month subscription 2 weeks before next billing and they claimed it was too late. Then charged me anyway! Now they refuse to refund my money and won‘t let me log into my account. Shady business alert!"
Frankly, I sympathize with every one of these consumer complaints. Allure Beauty Box looks enticing on the surface. Yet from poor customer handling to limited tiny samples, the magic fades quickly for savvy beauty buyers.
So how do leading competitors like Ipsy and BoxyCharm compare?
Beauty Box Battle: Allure vs. Ipsy and Boxycharm
Given less-than-stellar reflections on the Allure Beauty Box so far, you may wonder if competitors could better satisfy your cosmetics cravings without associated subscription headaches.
Ipsy and BoxyCharm stand as two industry leaders claiming to offer personalized beauty, makeup and skincare discoveries through subscription plans. But which comes out on top for value, customization and overall experience?
Here‘s an overview of how core features shake out across brands:
| Beauty Box | Monthly Price | Full Size Items? | Some Personalization? |
| ---------------------- | ------------- | ---------------- | ---------------------- |
| **Allure** | $23 | 3 minimum | No - Preset box |
| **Ipsy** | $13-25 | 1+ guaranteed | Quiz matches |
| **Boxycharm** | $28-49 | 4+ guaranteed | Choice 1 product |
Additional Perks:
* Allure - Exclusive member discounts
* Ipsy - Add on extras each month
* Boxycharm - Access to pop up salesThe data shows clear advantages competitors have over Allure Beauty Box:
Price – With monthly rates starting at just $13, Ipsy nearly halves Allure‘s $23 base cost. And Boxycharm guarantees 4+ full-size items for a consistent $28.
Customization – Unlike Allure‘s set box, Ipsy subscribers take a quiz to receive products matched to beauty preferences. Boxycharm lets you choose 1 item in your box.
Sample Sizes – Ipsy promises at least one full-size item starting at their $25 upgrade. Boxycharm guarantees four full-size valuations at all subscription levels.
Perks – From add-on Shopper deals to access high value sales, Ipsy and Boxy go beyond Allure‘s member discounts to provide additional box value.
Given stats showing 2x more full size products for the same $23 with better matching and perks, I canceled my Allure subscription and won‘t be going back!
Key Takeaways: Who Should (Or Shouldn‘t) Invest in the Beauty Box
By now it‘s clear my experience with Allure left much to be desired. Tiny samples, repeat brands I can‘t personally vet, zero customization and poor customer service just don‘t add up to a worthwhile box.
I suggest avoiding Allure‘s subscription box if you want:
- Full size products to properly trial
- Guarantee of no repeat items
- Some control over box contents
- Responsive account management
- Seamless subscription changes or cancellation
The Beauty Box could still hold appeal if you:
- Are new to cosmetics subscriptions
- Crave that unboxing rush
- Love travel/trial sizes already
Just prepare for diminishing returns over time. The initial novelty of luxury lipsticks and unicorn serums loses its sheen when products only last 3-4 uses at best.
Personally, I‘m sticking with BoxyCharm where I‘m guaranteed mostly full-size makeup and skincare without repeat letdowns. And for those wanting even more control, Beauty Pie‘s a la carte model ticks every box.
Have you ever tried the Allure Beauty Box subscription? I‘d love to hear your thoughts and questions below!
