Hey Beauty Fans!

Today I will be reviewing the February Allure Beauty Box.

For $15.00 per month you will receive a box containing 5 or more deluxe sized beauty products from today’s most luxurious brands.

One of my favorite things about the Allure Beauty Box is how carefully it is curated and the awesome little mini mag that is included in each box.  It gives excellent descriptions and tips for each item in the box with a descriptive and down to earth introduction to the boxes content.  I love the beauty directors honest representation of each product.

The Beauty Box:

The Goods:

Kevin Murphy Hydrate Me Wash & Rinse: Deluxe Sample Duo, Full size products $27.50 ea.

This is a trial size sulfate-free shampoo & Conditioner duo.  Typically Shampoo and/or conditioner samples are my least favorite products to receive and to review.  Having very long, thick, course, dry & wavy hair my routine is complicated enough without straying to try something new…not to mention the sample sizes often contain barely enough product for one use…sometimes not even that.  These bottles were just simply adorable and bigger in size then most so I chose to take the risk.  I could tell it was likely a good brand and they had me at ‘hydrate’. 🙂 The shampoo had a delightful and invigorating citrus scent that I loved, worked through my massive pile of hair well and foamed just to my liking.  The conditioner was ultra thick and rich, more so than any others I have tried and I loved that about it.  It had a totally different scent than the shampoo which I found a bit surprising, kind of a floral-herbal something…I liked it pretty well though.  It really coated my strands and rinsed easily enough.  I could tell instantly that this conditioner was a great fit for me b/c I could already finger comb my hair sans tangles.  My hair appeared less damaged, had more bounce, less frizz and even a hint of shine following a blow-out; which for me is quite impressive.  I definitely think I will invest in this conditioner.  I only (wet) wash my hair once a week though and each time I do I use a purple shampoo to reduce brassiness so I’ve no need for the shampoo.  I would however consider switching to this brand if I find they have their own ‘purple’ shampoo version.

Bulgari Omnia Paraiba: Deluxe Sample, Full size $65.00 for 1.35 oz.

This fragrance is one in a long line of Omnia scents by Bulgari.  I own the original, (which is a bit more my speed.) This scent is bright, perky and a bit more sweet than what I prefer but after the ‘dry down’ it grew on me some.  It’s described as a floral citrus but I detect a sweeter-fruit at first whiff.  It contains notes of Passion Fruit (aha, there it is) bittersweet orange, passion flower, gardenia, cocoa beans & Vetiver.  Because I own a full size version of this bottle I kept trying to spray this, despite its small size as it looks identical.  I finally saw the faint line through the middle and realized I needed to pop off the top.  It was still pretty tricky to open and it’s a dabber so be careful or you may find yourself wearing the entire bottle. 😉

Skinfix Ultra Rich Hand Cream: 1 oz tube, full size $9.99 for 3 oz.

This is a mega hand cream formulated without parabens, phthalates or fragrance and lots of good, natural oils, extracts and vitamins.  This is an excellent, no frills brand that works extremely well for people (like myself) who suffer from excessively dry, sensitive skin and other issues such as eczema.  This hand cream is no exception.  I love slathering it on just prior to bed.  Thanks to numerous beauty-subs I came to know this brand and try many of their products and learned that it is perfect for me. Prior to finding this brand I went through 6 oz tub after tub of First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream at $30.00 a pop.  I still love FAB but at a lesser cost and being readily available at both Target and Ulta, (which has frequent sales plus my rewards points); It saves me a trip to Sephora for something un-fun.  You simply can’t beat it.

Pūr~lisse Daily Lip Nourisher: Product is full size and $16.00

This is a nourishing lip balm designed for chapped, cracked lips sans parabens & petroleum.  Because this is precisely the description of my own lips; I had to immediately swipe this product across mine. It is, as it claims, immediately soothing.  The balm feels similar to an ointment with the faintest hint of citrus but melts in to your lips on contact almost like coconut oil.  It does not end up quite as liquid as coconut oil but still remains pretty wet.  It didn’t take too terribly long for my parched pout to soak it all up and then apply a thicker coat.  It seems to penetrate well and while it has not healed my lips in the few days I’ve been using it, it has certainly improved them some.  I think the product just may not be powerful enough for my lips.  I plan to continue using this seeking further improvement by day with a thicker, more intensive formula by night.  I currently love the Malin & Goetz Mojito lip balm and the Skinfix lip repair balm.

Hello Breath Spray in: Product is full size and is $3.79

This was a fun little product to receive.  The product is available in 3 flavors: Mojito Mint, Grapefruit Mint & Super Mint.  Though I would have preferred either of the other two; I received the Super Mint. (the others just sound tastier and more fun) The flavor of this is pleasant enough and the formula is thicker than the breath sprays of times past (think binaca, haha) b/c of this I feel like it kind of coats the area you spray and lasts a bit longer.  Great little product to keep in your bag post coffee or pungent foods.  It’s also a nice little pick-me-up.

Lancôme Visionnaire Nuit Beauty Sleep Perfector Advanced Multi-Correcting Gel-In-Oil: Deluxe Sample, Full size is $88.00

This is an over-night facial moisturizer designed to fight inflammation, soften & smooth the skin, minimize pores and simply give your skin a bouncier appearance that absolutely glows.  It is supposedly suitable for oily skin and will not clog the pores.  Product is said to be a thin gel that melts in to an oil when rubbed in to your skin.  After reading this description, it felt different than I expected.  It definitely was a gel like consistency when dispensed but upon rubbing in to skin it felt a bit thicker, still, than I expected; like a cleanser.  I cannot lie though, my skin was significantly improved come morning; soft, smooth, supple.  Impressive.  My dry patches nearly vanished in one evening.  As of late I have been using the Sisley Paris Black Rose cream mask as an overnight sleeping mask and while it works really well; this worked better and I think the latter does clog my pores some while this product, created for overnight use has not seemed to thus far.  Amazing product.  I may invest in this depending on my results and the absence of any breakouts after using it a few more times.

This was an excellent box with a wide variety of products.  Allure consistently pleases me with their boxes.  I’ve found many great skin care products through Allure and look forward to its arrival each month.  What did everyone else think of this month’s stash? If you are interested in a subscription you can check it out here

Thanks for Reading!

Until Next Time…

-Kelli xoxo