Allure Beauty Box Review March 2023

Allure Beauty Box is a $23 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 2023 Subscription Box Awards.)

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)

First Impressions

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The box arrives beautifully packaged in the classic Allure white and red box. There was also a helpful mini-magazine with more info on the products and a note from Allure's deputy beauty director Elizabeth Siegel.

New subscribers this month will also receive this Saturday Skin peeling gel- and, for a limited time, they'll also receive a second free gift of a deluxe sample-size of the Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb perfume!

What's Inside the March 2023 Allure Beauty Box

Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp and Hair Strengthening Oil, 2 oz – Retail Value $10.99

I am fully on board with seeing this full-size hair and scalp oil in our Allure Box- I was excited, actually. I feel like I've been hearing really good things about this product on social media (one of the T's... TikTok or Twitter or both), and I like that it's relatively affordable so if I end up falling in love with it repurchasing it won't break the bank. This is formulated with more than 30 essential oils, and you can use it a few different ways. As a scalp treatment, apply it to your scalp in sections and massage it in- you can do this before you go to bed and then wash in the morning if you're worried about having a greasy scalp, or if you're like me and your hair soaks up all of the moisture you can just proceed to style as usual. You can also use this as a more intense split end treatment by applying this to the ends of your hair, throwing it in a shower cap, and then washing it out after ten minutes. I really love using treatments like this and I feel like my hair is healthier because of it, and I really found the rosemary and mint smell to be quite pleasant.

MUDMASKY Vitamin-Infused Eye Serum, 1 oz – Retail Value $63

Mudmasky is one of those brands I am happy to use when the brand appears in boxes, but I always give a bit of the side eye to their retail price. $63 for an eye serum and it doesn't even come in glass (or plastic that feels nice in the hand) packaging with a pump? Of course, while packaging is always a nice plus, what matters is really what's on the inside. This formula has a potent blend of vitamin C along with vitamins A, B, D, E, F, and K along with rose water, Kakadu plum, and red seaweed extract. It has a lightweight texture that lends itself great for a morning routine where I like to apply thin, hydrating layers under my sunscreen (and save the heavier products for the evening, especially heading into summer), and if I feel like my eyes need some extra TLC I also like to apply eye serums before applying hydrogel eye patches on top of them.

tarte quick stick™ Shadow & Liner in Rose Gold Luster/Black – Retail Value $26

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Tarte has been around for a while, and their Amazonian clay-infused formulas have rarely let me down. I feel like I’ve received a version of this shadow stick in a subscription box before at some point in my life (at this point I’ve been a subscriber to one box or another for about a decade… ouch that made me feel a little old). I am more of a liquid liner fan than crayon, but I love the convenience of these two being packaged together- it's perfect for travel, and the rose gold shade has the perfect amount of shimmer.

Here it is swatched.

Dionis Hand & Body Goat Milk Cream, 1 oz – Retail Value $5

I’ve tried this hand cream before thanks to the GWP’s I frequently receive when I purchase from Ulta online- a few tubes have been included. It’s made with goat milk and glycerin, and I really quite like the formula. It feels thick enough to be nourishing to dry skin and cuticles, but not so heavy that it leaves my hands greasy. It has a light honey scent that I find enjoyable, too.

CoTZ Flawless Complexion SPF 50 Tinted, 0.35 oz – Estimated Value $3.85 (buy the 2.5 oz version for $27.50)

I get excited when the sunscreens that appear in subscription boxes are ones I can actually sample ever since discovering I have a (very weird) allergy to chemical sunscreen (while that is a broad group, once I realized that was the issue I stopped trying to test to figure out which specific chemical filters were the culprit because the migraines I would get from them were just too much). All of that is to say, I was really happy to test out this 20% zinc oxide formula from CoTZ. I did feel like it was a bit heavy on my skin as some mineral sunscreens can be, and the tinted formula wasn't a perfect match for my (super, super fair) skin. Once this had time to fully absorb, though, it felt nice. If you like the formula but have a deeper complexion, CoTZ does actually sell a “rich tint” version of this product for medium to deep complexions.

Belif Aqua Bomb Overnight Lip Mask, 3 g – Estimated Value $3.30 (buy the 20 g version for $22)

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I was SO happy to see this lip mask included in this month’s box- it’s one of my favorite lip masks that no one knows about, and I’ve never actually seen it in a smaller sample like this before. I’ve been working my way through a full-size jar since the very end of 2021 and I am just about to be empty (a little goes a long way, plus I like to mix up my products) so having this sample is fantastic. It’s nourishing without feeling waxy, and it’s incredibly soothing when I’m dealing with irritated skin or broken corners on my mouth. It has a lightweight gel texture and is formulated with centella asiatica, madecassoside, and shea butter while being free of mineral oil and sulfates. I personally prefer this to the much more popular Laneige sleeping mask, and I can’t wait to hear the thoughts of MSA readers now that more people are going to be able to try it through their Allure subscription.

Cetaphil Deep Hydration Skin Restoring Water Gel, 10 g – Estimated Value $5 (buy the 48 g version for $23.99)

I’m a fan of moisturizers with a water gel formula- they’re my texture of choice in my morning routine during the very hot, humid months we get in south Louisiana. This one by Cetaphil is formulated with glycerin, niacinamide, panthenol, allantoin, and a few different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid. It has the lightweight texture you expect from a water gel moisturizer, and it layered well with my other skincare products.

Value – Was This Box Worth It?

The Cost: $25 (save more with a longer subscription- 3 months prepaid is $60 and an annual subscription is $228)

Value Breakdown:

• Mielle Organics: $10.99 → $2.35
• Mudmasky: $63 → $13.45
• Tarte: $26 → $5.55
• Dionis: $5 → $1.07
• CoTZ: $3.85 → $0.82
• Belif: $3.30 → $0.70
• Cetaphil: $5 → $1.07

Key Takeaways

The March Allure Beauty Box was another success. My favorites this time around were the tarte eyeshadow/eyeliner stick, the Mielle Organics hair and scalp oil, and the sample of the Belif lip treatment- I am so excited that y'all are getting to try it and I can't wait to hear what others think. I thought this box had a little bit of everything- haircare, body care, skincare, makeup, and I appreciate the well-rounded curation. Value-wise, Allure promises a monthly value of at least $100 and everything in the box  added up to $117.14.

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

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? If you sign up in March, you should receive the March box.

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