Hey Beauty Fans!

Today I will be reviewing the July 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 director’s honest representation of each product.

The Box:

The Goods:

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream: (Mini) Full Size Versions $170-$465.00

Few things will make you feel quite as luxurious as a smooth white jar stamped with the iconic, pink & green logo that is La Mer.  This is my first time trying ‘the soft cream’; which is a lighter version of the original,  ‘Creme De La Mer’, ideal for those with sensitive, combo or oily skin.   I’m thankful for this as I do not believe my hormonal, adult acne prone skin could tolerate the original formula any more… I currently use ‘La Mer, the concentrate and it has excellent repairing properties for specific skin conditions I endure that not much else has been able to repair quickly without breaking me out; so, I was anxious to give the ‘soft cream’ a go.  This cream is smooth and rich without feeling heavy or greasy and a small amount really does go a long way.  The scent is a light powdery one.  Now, I’m not going to claim this moisturizer is magic, but it’s pretty close.  If you have persistent dry/flaky areas and/or patches, skin that is dehydrated and just won’t seem to perk up; this cream is definitely one of the most quickly repairing and hydrating creams I’ve tried.  It works really fast, as in vast improvement over night fast.  As far as any anti-aging benefits?  It’s too soon to tell on that front, but the deep hydration definitely helps to plump and minimize fine lines that stand out due to dry skin conditions and the huge plus side?  Unlike other super rich anti-aging creams, this one did not break me out after several days of repeated use.  Nordstrom now has a .5 oz size available for $85.00

Luxe & Rich

Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment:  Deluxe Mini Tube.  Full Size $69.00

Glam Glow and I have sort of a love/hate relationship.  The brand came exploding on to the scene some time ago with a cool factor like nothing else and a price tag to match.  I bought everything they had to offer and I have a huge stash of all of it.. There are a couple Glam Glow products that I really do love…(the pout mud duo, the eye treatments and the gravity mud)  The rest all seemed to turn on me.  I’m certainly not claiming the products are no good; they just didn’t give me the miraculous results I’d expected and didn’t mingle all that well with my skin type.  The moisturizing products all broke me out & the clearing product immediately make my skin much too tight and dry.  Most of the products seemed to be simply ‘too much’ for my skin.  I found that as long as I use this particular product as only an area specific mask or spot treatment I can pull it off, but because the type of breakouts I get are not really the type that need ‘drying out’  I’m not sure that it has ever really helped much.  Because I have since found products that do eliminate my skin issues; I’ve essentially given up on the majority of the Glam Glow treatments I own; although I do keep this one around as an emergency, last resort option if I find myself with a particularly bad breakout in the area under my cheekbones and jaw area.  The product itself is a bit thin, blackish and I liken the strong eucalyptus scent to black licorice.  It dries tight and as it lightens you will see black specs throughout that supposedly indicate pores that are clogged.  If this truly is the case, then every single solitary pore on my face is clogged.  Super.  😉  After removal your pores should appear (temporarily) smaller and your skin smooth.  Definitely follow up with a moisturizer of some sort.  Regular use is supposed to further diminish pores and breakouts (1-2 times per week).

What it looks like…

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II:  Deluxe Mini.  Full Size Versions $62-$92.00

This is a lightweight serum designed to boost moisture, reduce wrinkles and brighten the skin.  I’ve not had this product long enough to see any anti-aging results…though the reviews for this product are pretty impressive.  It does seem to give a bit of moisture boost and due to its ultra light nature, it seems that it will work for all skin types, including those with oily and break-out prone skin.

Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Super Strawberry:  Deluxe Mini.  Full size $17.00

Clinique was always a brand that made me think of high school and one I had not given a thought in many years.  Last year they seemed to bring some fresh new approaches and products to their repertoire and due to Sephora sets and beauty subs I was able to become reacquainted with the brand.  I have a pretty big collection of their chubby sticks now; bronzers, highlighters, foundation & Lip color, and b/c I love products in stick form, I’m a pretty big fan.  The lip colour balms are glass smooth, feel really nice going on and produce a super sheer pop of color that I love.  The dose of moisture is a welcome factor for those with dry lips and this strawberry shade gives is really pretty dose of rose to your lips.

Various Swatches: Pretty, Moisturizing & Super Sheer

Smashbox Photo finish Foundation Primer:  Deluxe Mini.  Full Size $36.00

This weightless, clear, foundation primer is a popular award winning primer that doesn’t clog the pores.  This is one of the first primers I ever used and loved and it’s still a reliable primer I’ll grab to this day when my skin isn’t too dry.  I don’t think there are many out there that have yet to try this primer and as someone who has a box full of these samples I can’t say I’m too thrilled to receive yet another tube of it…It’s not even the first time I have received this product in this particular box.  Either way; good primer, easy to use, provides results.  If somehow you’ve yet to try this product, or are new to primer altogether;  this product is a good place to start.

What a great box!  I love my new Clinique chubby stick to add to my growing collection and you will never hear me complain about receiving a La Mer product!  Always excited to see what my monthly Allure box brings to me!  Thoughts?!

 

Interested?  Check it out!

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-Kelli xoxo