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Allure Beauty Box Review – August 2020

Megan K.
ByMegan K.Aug 25, 2020 | 35 comments

Allure August 2020 unboxing and review

Allure Beauty Box
3.6 overall rating
721 Ratings | 155 Reviews

Allure Beauty Box is a monthly beauty subscription from Allure Magazine. Each month they send out a mix of deluxe and full-size samples from mostly high-end brands. (It was named one of the best beauty subscription boxes and one of the best subscription boxes under $15 by MSA readers in the 2020 Subscription Box Awards.)

FYI: on October 1st, the cost of this box is increasing to $23.00. This change does come with perks though! Read more here

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

About this Box

The Subscription Box: Allure Beauty Box

The Cost: $15 a month + free shipping. Save with a yearly subscription.

FYI: on October 1st, the cost of this box is increasing to $23.00. This change does come with perks though! Read more here

The Products: Deluxe and full-size beauty and makeup samples. Ordering through Allure also means you receive a newsletter with tips, tricks & exclusive promotions like limited-edition boxes, access to members-only virtual events, promo codes, and more!

Ships to: The US and Puerto Rico for free

Allure Beauty Box August 2020 Review

 

This handy booklet has all the product info inside.

 

 

Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum, 8 mL – Estimated Value $11.20 (Buy 60 mL for $84.00)

Sulwhasoo is a fave brand of mine to see in boxes because it is the sister brand of my much beloved (and incredibly expensive) Amorepacific. This serum also arrived in the cutest mini bottle EVER. Seriously, so presh. Inside this adorable little bottle is a blend of Korean herbs, honey, green tea extract, and more. I really liked how this felt on my skin. It absorbed easily and gave a little radiance boost from the instant hydration boost. I did see alcohol listed as number three on the ingredient list, so those with dry and sensitive skin might want to try this out with that in mind. I imagine this would probably be a better fit for oilier skin, but I will say I noticed nothing but good things on my own dry face.

 

Erno Lazlo Exfoliate & Detox Face Bar, 50 g - Estimated Value $19.00 (Buy a full 100 g bar for $38.00)

This is probably the product most folks think about when they think of the Erno Lazlo brand. This black soap is pretty iconic! It is also fantastic for oilier skin or a face with pores in need of a deep detox. This bar contains Dead Sea mud which is deep cleansing and nutrient-rich, as well as charcoal which gives it that black color and provides further pore cleansing. This is the sort of bar I would use once or twice a week since I have dry skin, while someone like Will would use daily because he is very oily. It has a nice scent and leaves skin feeling smooth and really soft. I love that this is a really generous sample that is half the size of this rather pricy bar. It means we can use it for quite some time!

 

Floss Quartz Pressed Highlighter in 'Sunlit', 4 g - Full Size! Retail Value $20.00

Floss makes one of my favorite highlighters so I am SO excited to add this 'Sunlit' shade to my makeup bag. In addition to being super radiant but somehow still very natural looking, this formula also has this very unique powder/cream hybrid texture that allows you to apply it with fingertips for a really easy glow-up. This is quickly becoming my go-to cheat to look alive over a Zoom meeting as well as add a little glow to my face for a minimal look over a nice picnic lunch.

Highlighters are so hard to capture with pictures! This stuff is actually much more dimensional, with the tiniest shimmers in gold, pearl, and pink shades.

 

H2O+ Hydration Sensitive Gel Cream Moisturizer, 0.34 fl oz - Estimated Value $7.56 (Buy a full-size 1.7 fl oz for $37.80)

I immediately liked this alcohol-free gel/cream hybrid moisturizer. First off, it is the palest shade of pink! Sorry, I like cute things! Secondly, the ingredient list is pretty stellar: calming chamomile extract, glycerine, squalane, rosemary, and a host of different amino acids. It also just feels immediately great as you rub it onto your skin, absorbing with ease and leaving a velvet soft finish. This is a really great evening cream choice for normal and oily skin but drier faces could totally enjoy this during the day.

 

WHISH Botanical Primer, 0.75 fl oz - Estimated Value $16.50 (Buy 2 fl oz for $44.00)

I have mixed feelings about WHISH. I really like their shave products but their skincare has been much more of a mixed bag for me. This primer seems promising though! It feels a little more on the skincare end of things than makeup because it contains lactic acid, argan oil, aloe, a gentle retinol alternative called bakuchiol, and seabuckthorn, among other goodies. Be sure to shake this stuff before you open it. There was some very minor separation in my tube, but this was easily remedied! I did find myself really liking this product, even when used on a face on which I had no intention of wearing foundation. It still smoothed my skin and minimized my pores. It also did look very nice when I finally did end up wearing some light foundation. All in all, I am pleasantly impressed with this one. Side note: Allure has a fun and informative little page on primers that I enjoyed. Admittedly, I don't always follow all of this advice, but you got to know the rules to break 'em!

 

Looks & Meii Brightening Lift Up Perfect Fit Mask - Retail Value $3.00

Finally, my last item was a truly artsy sheet mask! I love this fun illustration on the front of this one and I loved the mask itself even more. It came on a sheer pink sheet that you remove. The mask itself was super stretchy and fit my face very well. It was drenched in a milky serum with niacinamide, vitamin C, and tons of botanical extracts. I loved that this mask felt very cooling and soothing on, and left ZERO film or tackiness behind when I removed it. My face looked pretty darn great too!

Verdict: This Allure box has a total value of around $101.26 which is huge for a $15 box. The brands inside were also pretty freaking great this month and covered a nice range of price points while still feeling luxe and well-curated. There actually isn't anything in here not to love for me personally, so I will just try to come up with a favorite: The Floss highlighter! It wasn't an easy choice in such a well-rounded box, but if you twisted my arm that would be it. I do plan on pampering myself thoroughly with the rose oil and H2O cream, as well as faking a polished look with the primer. The black soap will probably be mostly used by Will, but I don't mind sharing. All in all, what a solid box.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes! Scroll down this page to see what items you will get when you first sign up.

FYI: on October 1st, the cost of this box is increasing to $23.00. This change does come with perks though! Read more here

Value Breakdown: At $15 for this box, here is what you are paying approximately per item:

  • Pixi Oil $3.56
  • Sulwhasoo Serum $1.66
  • Erno Lazlo Soap $2.81
  • Floss Highlighter $2.96
  • H2O+ Moisturizer $1.12
  • WHISH Primer $2.44
  • Looks & Meii Mask $0.44

Alternatively, each of the 7 items has an average cost of $2.14.

Check out all of our Allure Beauty Box reviews and some more of our other favorite beauty subscriptions. 

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What do you think of the August Allure Beauty Box? What was your favorite product in the box?

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Megan K.
Megan K.
I love natural/vegan beauty products, Korean skincare, unique jewelry, and weird candies from far away places. When I am not waiting for my next exciting box you can find me painting or taking photographs of interesting people. I never leave home without pug hair somewhere on my shirt and a bold lipstick on my smile.

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35 comments

Elle

Are you planning to continue doing reviews for the Allure beauty box or will you be dropping it because of the price change?

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Katherine

Ok, so I am going to admit something. I am 43 and have no clue what most of this stuff is and how to use it. In my 20’s I would use the 3 steps from Clinique but in my 30’s that sort of feel by the way side and I just started to use the Olay facial wipes and the SPF 15 Olay lotion. Recently I was looking at Zenni for new glasses and after taking my selfie I realized that my skin looks bad. I could see the hyperpigmentation under/around my glasses but the dermatologist said that it was not dangerous so I let it go. Those areas have gotten larger and it is now showing on my forehead as well. I have decided I need to do something. I signed up for the Allure sub but other than reading the booklet that comes each month I don’t know what this stuff is for or when you use it. Due to health issues I cannot do a 20 step cleaning daily but I want an easy 2-5 step program. Can anyone recommend a site to read or video to watch that explains all of the serums and oils and cleaners and etc. that now seem to be needed?

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Luna

A good place to start is to check out Caroline Hirons blog (it’s just her name .com). She’s a very well-know & highly respected skincare guru from the U.K. In her blog she has loads of information on various topics relating to skincare and she has a Cheat Sheet section where one of the topics is Routines. All of our skin is different and our needs in terms of products & how many steps our skin needs are different too, but I think her post could be a good start at determining what could work for you. 🙂

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Dawn

I love the Sulawahsoo serum. I purchase the sheet masks through Korean sellers on eBay. The mask actually holds an entire small bottle of the serum. This is my favorite masks of dozens which I have used.

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Dawn

I love the Sulawahsoo serum. I purchase the sheet masks through Korean sellers on eBay. The mask actually holds an entire small bottle of the serum. This is my favorite masks of dozens which I have used.

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Dawn

I chose that mascara for one of my Plus bag choices. The BFR mascara is one of the WORST mascaras I have ever used. Maybe the very worst. I actually really like the 111 skin serum. It feels so nice for about 60 seconds. I will never purchase it due to the $$$$, but it was nice to try.

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Carol

I cancelled right before this box and now I am regretting it a little. I just have so much skincare right now.

I use the Pixi Rose Toner and love it and someone below mentioned using the oil in the bath, which sounds lovely. I wasn’t sure about the primer either since I don’t wear foundation and I prefer the silicone-y primers for smoothing everything out, but this one seems to have nice ingredients. Oh well, I need to shop my stash. It was nice reading the review though.

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Cat

I really though this month was great! I’m hoping none of the products break me out though, so we’ll see.

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Sharon in SE TX

What does everyone think of the Erno Lazlo Exfoliate & Detox Face Bar? I used it for 3 days and my pores did look smaller, however it is a little drying without moisturizer. I had to discontinue use though because I maybe allergic to one of the ingredients. After each use, my head hurt and my eyes burned a little. I thought it was sinus, but when I stopped using the soap the symptoms went away.

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Amy

Sharon, the Erno Laszlo also cleared my pores, and caused dryness after 3 days. It will continue in my rotation as a treatment rather than a daily cleanser.

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Sharon in SE TX

That’s a good idea, Amy! I’m going to save it and try it again at another time. If I have another reaction, I’ll know for sure it is the soap.

Charlotte

Great review, Meghan! As someone with reactive skin, I appreciate the call out of sensitizing ingredients like alcohol and fragrances, as well as the ingredients list shots. I ultimately skipped this month because I knew the skincare items weren’t going to work for me, although your descriptions of the Whish primer and Floss highlighter kind of make me wish I hadn’t.

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Phyllis

I just called (8/25)and was told that if I signed up for the yearly membership I would get the 17 piece gift. It would run from September to September. I signed up. Hope the new boxes will be worth it.

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SBR

Did you place your order for yearly on the phone to get the 17 piece? Trying to figure out if I have to cancel my current sub and order online to get 17 piece….

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Phyllis

I did not have to cancel my membership. It was changed to yearly from September to September and I was told I would receive the 17 piece gift.

AmyM

I LOVE this box! I used the Whish primer twice and ordered the full size. I’m primarily barefaced these days, and this just sort of blurs and smooths and makes my skin look overall better with very little effort. I have no doubt it will be great if and when I end up using foundation again at some point.

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Errmmm

Great review, as always! I just received my box yesterday and absolutely LOVE IT. Allure really does it right. Every single product is a win for me. I used the mask last night and can I just say I *adore* when masks have lots of extra serum in the sleeve that you can slather on your face and neck after the 20-30 minutes are up? It was like a never-ending well of serum, so moisturizing and soothing!

I’m still vacillating on the year-long subscription deal, I really don’t know what to do. Such a good deal but no pausing allowed…..is that a deal breaker? Aagghhh!

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Svetlana7e

I am in internal struggle as well if I should go with annual. I really want it, but I do not want second September box (I just canceled my sub). I think I will sign up for it on October 1.

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Luna

Hi Pink5, out of curiosity where did you see that? I saw in a screenshot of a message directly from Allure that an annual must be purchased before October 1st to get in at the $165 price. Hopefully, they’re not giving two different dates.

Amy

Svetlana, I signed up for the annual last week and asked to have it start September, so I wouldn’t have a duplicate August box. Done and done!

Pink5

From what I’ve seen, the lower annual price expires on September 18.

Luna

Hi Svetlana, do you think you could sign up for an annual toward (or at) the very end of September? Do you think if you signed up close, or on, 9/30 that you’d still get a 2nd September box? I’m not sure of how the timing of their boxes work, but just thought I’d mention that maybe re-subbing at the end of the month might prevent you from getting a 2nd September box. 🙂

I’m locked into a 3-month gift sub through October, and my plan was to purchase an annual gift sub around 9/28-9/30, knowing it’d be a possibility I’d get duplicate September boxes (and for sure duplicate October boxes), but now that I think about it, I don’t think that’s going to work since they don’t allow two subs to the same address, right? I was wondering though if that counts for gift subs too. I’ll still try and see what happens. 🙂

Svetlana7e

Doreen, you are correct. I actually was thinking about August box. I will sign up on September 1. Staying home my dates screwed up, I often dont even know what day of the week it is.

Doreen

Even though you don’t want another Sept box, if you sign up on Oct 1, you miss out on the reduced price and don’t get whatever is in the megabundle!

Pink5

Thank you for all the good information.

I haven’t tried anything yet, but now I know who’s what.

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Zo

I haven’t subbed to Allure in a few years and hadn’t really missed it but I still signed up for the yearly membership this month since I couldn’t resist $13 a month for a box that will be $23 shortly (plus the $200+ bonus box). I wasn’t looking forward to this month’s box but I am after this review. The highlighter looks so cheesy in that little clear plastic shell that I would have written it off without trying it but I love creamy powder formulas and I like how the swatch looks on you.
The only thing I won’t use is the pixi oil so it has turned out to be a great box for me after all.

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Phyllis

I don’t like strong smells but the Pixie scent is very mild. It is not at all greasy. I like it.

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Svetlana7e

I agree with Megan, highlighter is really good. I have all kind of highlighters, but this one impressed me. It is creamy but still can be applied with brush, and it makes just a natural glow. Totally love it.

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Megan K.

I think you are going to love the highlighter! At least, I hope so! 😊

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Izzie

Great review, as always, thank you! I do have mixed feelings with wish too, I had some of their products in my subscription boxes and unfortunately they just don’t work for me.
Do you think the pixi oil can be used on hair?

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Megan K.

It might be a little heavier for finer hair, but I tried it out on my ends and liked it! Of course, I have thicker dry hair. But I don’t see why not!

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Izzie

Thank you!

Julia

I agree that it was a solid box, as Allure almost always is. I was not happy with the soap because if you don’t look around and wash off the “splatters” immediately, you have dark stains on your shower curtains and walls. As for the Pixi product: I love rose scent, but I do not agree with the recommendation to put this oil everywhere. Instead of just sitting on my face and staining everything my face touches, like phone and pillow, I should let it stain everything my arms and legs touch, too? Because the scent is nice, I’m keeping it to put a few drops in warm baths.

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Megan K.

I love the bath idea! My skin is so dry that I can use oils wherever and I don’t have issues with leaving any behind. My calves tend to break out with many more lotions than oils too, so they are something I use a lot.

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Gabriella

Wow thanks for the tip megan! My thighs tend to break out bad (so bad that my derm has me trying several prescriptions for it), and I use lotion everyday. I’m going to see if switching to oil makes it any better. You’re the best!