Allure Sample Society: March 2015

OK. I’m going to be real with y’all because that’s what I do. I can’t stop talking about Allure’s Sample Society. When people ask me about which box to get (and I definitely get this question a lot because of Boxy Ladies) I always tell people to start with this one. People always talk about Birchbox or ipsy but for only $5 more than those ($15/month) you can get Allure’s Sample Society which is so much more awesome. While I obviously like my Birchbox, I love that Sample Society sends a mini Allure magazine which gives a detailed breakdown of the products and how to use them. I also like that the products they send are almost always from high end, reputable brands that I’ve heard of and they give big enough samples where I can really see if I like them or not before I invest.

This month’s theme was “Lighten Up” in celebration of Almost Spring. I like that. Let’s see what products they think correlate with Lighten Up!

• Oscar Blandi Pronto Texture & Volume Spray ($24): I only received this box the day before this blog is scheduled to post so I haven’t had a chance to test this particular product yet. I’m going to come back in a few days and update with my full review. I just got my hair dyed and done tonight so I do not want to tousle it all up with a texturizing spray right this second. However, I LOVE this type of product and I’m fairly new to the texturizing spray game. Right now I am using Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray so I’m interested to see how this one compares.
• Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Moisturizer ($45): This is a really nice thick moisturizer that I think would be perfect for winter skin. I think it’s a little to thick for day (and doesn’t contain SPF anyway) but it would be perfect for night. It took a little while to absorb completely but for a night cream that’s not so much of a big deal. This contains Vitamin C (for its brightening properties), alpha hydroxy acids (for exfoliating), coenzyme, Q10 and vitamin A (to smooth fine lines) and shea butter and jojoba (for moisturizing.) I’m looking forward to using this for a week or so to see how my skin reacts. I love that Sample Society sends big enough samples where you can do that!

• Cargo Essential Lip Gloss ($16): I was excited to get a lipgloss from Cargo as this is a high end brand but the color just does not work for me. They sent me the color Stockholm which is sort of a lilac-pink-y color. When I first applied it, it looked a little crazy but once I rubbed it in a bit, it looked a bit more normal and pretty. However, these lighter shades just tend to clash with my naturally more pigmented lips which is a bummer. I can, however, comment on the formula which is great! It was moisturizing and shiny without being sticky which is important in a lip gloss. If I didn’t have more lip products than a person could use in a lifetime, I would look into getting this in a different color.
• Malin+Goetz Mojito Lip Balm ($12): This is a duplicate product for me, as I received this lip balm in my ipsy. Of course, ipsy never includes a card to describe its products so I had no idea it was a $12 lip balm. Hey high roller! Baller over here with my $12 lip balm! I’ve been having issues with my lips lately with different products because I realized that my lips have an issue with castor oil. And then some of the lip balms I bought to repair my damaged lips contained castor oil themselves. THIS product does NOT contain castor oil. So you are safe! This isn’t sticky but it’s glossier than your average chapstick. Allure raves about its mojito scent but this isn’t something that I am super crazy about, actually. I mean, I certainly don’t hate it, but it is sort of strange to me. Every time I put it on, I’m reminded that I find the scent strange. Like, somehow I forget until I smell it again. But it feels so good on that I keep reaching for it.

• Benefit Roller Lash Mascara ($24): Benefit is REALLY pushing this Roller Lash Mascara right now and they are dropping $$$ on packaging. Just look at this! I have been hearing about this mascara for months and I think I am getting a couple of these in various boxes. You can always tell a Benefit product with their vintage-y but still modern aesthetic. Bloggers and magazines have been raving about this product so I was excited to try it for myself!

But who cares about the packaging and the OTHER bloggers and beauty editors out there. What do I think? Well. Color me impressed.  Prior to applying to the Roller Lash mascara, I washed my face and did nothing else. I didn’t even curl my lashes. The eye on the left has the Roller Lash mascara and the eye on the right is bare. I usually tend to think that drugstore mascaras are just as good but I don’t think I have one in my arsenal that make my lashes look this great. I’m not sure my lashes have looked this awesome since my lash extensions. (RIP.) You win, Benefit. I love this stuff.

Final Grade: A

Sample Society has yet to disappoint me. I love all the brands they send and they tend to knock it out of the park every month. While the lip gloss isn’t a great fit to me, I like the brand they sent and was pleased I had a chance to sample the formula. I’m excited to try the Oscar Blandi texturizing spray to see how it compares to one twice the price and that mascara is just out of this world. (Can’t wait to get my POPSUGAR Must Have box because I saw a spoiler that the Benefit Roller Lash would be there also!)

 Sample Society does not offer a typical referral link (gosh I wish they did!) but they do give out a unique code I can give people: LAUR324430

I have no idea what that code does or how to even put it in so if you try to subscribe and you can figure out how to put that in, please let me know. Seriously, I have no idea what I get. There’s something on the site about the American Red Cross. Does a donation to the Red Cross get made in my name? I have no idea!!! Maybe someday I will find out.

Oh, I forgot to mention this– as a bonus with your subscription, you receive a $10 credit to BeautyBar.com every month for purchases over $50. I have never needed to use this but BeautyBar.com also uses ebates so someday I might make a bigger purchase and take advantage of those things.