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 by MSA readers in the 2020 Subscription Box Awards.)
This is a review of a one-time purchase limited edition box: The Allure Award Winners Limited Edition Box.
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 Award Winners Limited Edition Box
The Cost: $40 for Allure Beauty Box subscribers or $60 for non-members + free shipping.
The Products:
The goal of Allure’s Best of Beauty and Readers’ Choice Awards has always been to help you identify what’s worth your time (and money!). The Award Winners Limited Edition Box brings you 11 products who’ve made the cut over the years – including some of editor-in-chief Michelle Lee’s personal favorites. Limited quantities – get yours before they’re gone ($205+ value for only $60)!
Ships to: The U.S. and Puerto Rico for free
The Allure Award Winners Limited Edition Box Review
1 of 2
This handy booklet has all the product info inside.
1 of 4
1 of 3
Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, 25 mL – Retail Value $10.00
I am not shocked that this cult-fave cream was chosen for this box. It's so soft and hydrating on my hands – and that scent! I swoon. Admittedly, it took me a little bit of time to actually like this fragrance and its strong sexy notes of vanilla, caramel, florals, pistachios, and sandalwood. I ended up giving my first few pots to my mom but then the scent was stuck in my head so I have been keeping them ever since (sorry mom). It's not just a pretty scent though! This formula has tightening caffeine and nourishing brazil nut oil, both of which work together to soften and firm wherever you apply this magical stuff!
1 of 3
Moroccanoil Treatment Original, 10 mL - Estimated Value $6.80 (buy 50 mL for $34.00)
This is another product I know and love and I think it's a great product for anyone with dull hair or flyaways. I already use this hair oil (among others) pretty regularly, and the best way I have found to use it on my longer tresses is to dispense a few drops into my palms, rub my hands together, then simply smooth and comb it through my hair. It adds a great shine, dreamy scent, and a nice smoothness to my hair without weighing it down. If you are worried this might be too heavy or you have finer hair, they do make a lighter formula with the same great benefits and scent. The fragrance of amber and florals is almost strong enough to be a perfume on its own!
1 of 4
Natasha Denona Eye Shadow Single in 'Aubade', 2.5 g - Retail Value $27.00 (shop singles here!)
FYI: This product will arrive in 1 of 3 shades: Bronzage, Aubade, Morgana.
Who doesn't love seeing a Natasha Denona shadow show up in a box? It feels like a real treat. As expected, the formula was smooth and the pigment was off the charts. It worked well with a brush, even better with a damp brush, and brilliantly with fingertips. The soft golden bronze shade is perfect for glam and glitzy holiday looks but still reserved enough for daily wear if you apply with a lighter hand.
Great pigment and a wonderful color.
1 of 2
benefit They’re Real! Lengthening Mascara, 3 g - Estimated Value $8.82 (Buy a full-size 8.5 g for $25.00)
This is in my top three mascaras of all time and though it is not uncommon in subscription boxes, I am always totally ok with receiving one more so I can just keep getting a product I love replenished without ever actually buying it. This mascara is the perfect balance of long-wear, volume, and length. I prefer a more natural look with defined and dark lashes and the silicone bristle brush applies a dark coating to my lashes flawlessly every time.
1 of 3
Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow Face and Body Gloss in 'Prism Rose', 1 fl oz - Full Size! Retail Value $32.00
I was super curious about this product because while it looked like a liquid highlighter to me, the word "gloss" in the name made me think it might be a little different than some of my previous highlighters. My hunch was correct and this texture feels a lot closer to Glossier Future Dew than the creamier liquid highlighters I have tried. It has a slicker finish and never totally absorbs in, creating a look that is far more dew than shimmer. That being said, there is some shimmer in here too but it is subtle. This 'Prism Rose' shade is slightly pink with a golden finish. This sort of formula might be better for more natural looks since it's hard to apply makeup on top of and if you try to apply it on a finished face, it can shift makeup. Since I am not wearing much makeup these days, I like the effect tapped onto my cheeks to add radiance to my drier (aka dull) skin.
A nice glisten
1 of 3
EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46, 1.7 oz - Full Size! Retail Value $36.00
I know some readers won't be thrilled with sunscreen arriving in a box that arrives in the fall. But, if I could get on my soapbox for a second, this is a great thing! Sunscreen is important year-round. Sun damage is the number one cause of skin aging, so if fine lines and wrinkles are a concern for you, you need to be wearing some sort of SPF daily to protect your skin. I get it, most sunscreens feel dreadful on the face. But I promise there are incredible ones out there that actually feel pretty good! Like this one! In addition to boasting an impressive SPF 46 level of protection, it doesn't really feel like anything on my face at all. Which is something I can totally get behind. No film, shine, or residue will be ruining your makeup here and that high level of sun protection will be something that will benefit you for the rest of your life.
1 of 3
e.l.f. Gentle Peeling Exfoliant, 3.04 fl oz - Full Size! Retail Value $10.00
I know there are a lot of e.l.f. fans out there, but I am just not one of them. This formula does that thing where you massage it in and it creates little pills of dead skin and dirt that I actually suspect is mostly product. I applied this to a clean and dry face and slowly massaged it in small circles, creating these little pills. Then I rinsed my face. I just didn't notice a huge difference here, but I will admit that I am used to more aggressive peels and exfoliation treatments. The fruit enzymes inside this bottle are totally useful for exfoliation, don't get me wrong, but I found this whole product lacking.
1 of 3
OLEHENRIKSEN Banana Bright Eye Crème, 0.5 oz - Full Size! Retail Value $39.00
I really liked this eye cream. The packaging is adorable and the texture of the cheery peach-colored cream is thick but bouncy. A few taps of this under my eyes provided instant hydration. Because this formula has vitamin C, it is a great formula for anyone experiencing hyperpigmentation around their eyes and who might like to work on evening out their skin tone. Another ingredient I really like inside is vegetable collagen which is great for making sure the delicate skin around your eyes stays hydrated. This is a cream I like to use before bed because it is thicker and doesn't really layer well with my oil-based foundation.
1 of 3
Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask, 15 mL - Retail Value $15.00
I use heavy-duty sleep masks every night in the cold months. I find that in addition to keeping my hydration levels up it also goes a long way to improve texture and heal up spots that I have been messing with more than I should have. This mask has a lot going for it: sunflower seed oil, vitamin C, squalane, hyaluronic acid, and panthenol. Delightful! I will give a heads up to my friends who have oilier or more congested skin that this also does have isopropyl myristate in the formula which makes it feel lighter and smoother, but it also is pretty comedogenic. Just keep that in mind if you are acne-prone. I have only been breaking out along my jaw-line so I just applied this on my face while avoiding that area and loved it. It gave me a dewy radiance in the morning and left my skin feeling like velvet.
1 of 5
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in 'Zero', 0.8 g - Estimated Value $14.67 (Buy 1.2 g for $22.00)
Our last item is a black eyeliner from Urban Decay. I have tried this liner and like it quite a lot. It is a much softer look than a liquid liner but it has a lot more staying power than many pencil liners out there. I do wish one of the more exciting colors had been included, but black is a classic for a reason.
Yep, it looks like black eyeliner!
Verdict: This Allure box has a total value of around $205.79 which is a nice total for a $40 and even a $60 box if you paid the non-member price. Let's break this down really simply: The OLEHENRIKSEN eye cream essentially paid for the entire box if you are already an Allure subscriber. That means everything else is just a bonus, which is great! I really enjoyed this assortment because it included some of my personal favorite items (hello there scrunchie, Bum Bum, and benefit mascara!) mixed in with some stellar skincare and makeup fun. I am obsessed with the SPF and the Glass Glow is a really cool product that I like more and more as I use it. Sure, not everything was a winner (e.l.f.) and not everything was over-the-top exciting (looking at you, black eyeliner!) but this was a box where the value is obvious and the products are curated beautifully.
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.
Value Breakdown: At $40 (for members) for this box, here is what you are paying approximately per item:
- SLIP Scrunchie $1.26
- Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream $1.94
- Moroccanoil Treatment $1.32
- Natasha Denona Eye Shadow $5.25
- benefit They’re Real! Mascara $1.71
- Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow $6.22
- EltaMD UV SPF $7.00
- e.l.f. Peeling Exfoliant $1.94
- OLEHENRIKSEN Eye Crème $7.58
- Youth To The People Mask $2.92
- Urban Decay Pencil $2.85
Alternatively, each of the 11 products has an average cost of $3.64
At $60 for this box, here is what you are paying approximately per item:
- SLIP Scrunchie $1.90
- Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream $2.92
- Moroccanoil Treatment $1.98
- Natasha Denona Eye Shadow $7.87
- benefit They’re Real! Mascara $2.57
- Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow $9.33
- EltaMD UV SPF $10.50
- e.l.f. Peeling Exfoliant $2.92
- OLEHENRIKSEN Eye Crème $11.37
- Youth To The People Mask $4.37
- Urban Decay Pencil $4.28
Alternatively, each of the 11 products has an average cost of $5.45
Check out all of our Allure Beauty Box reviews and some more of our other favorite beauty subscriptions.
What do you think of the Allure Award Winners Limited Edition Box? What was your favorite product in the box?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.