January Allure Box

January is that weird time where it seems like it’s both crawling by one sad day at a time and zooming by super fast. Either way. It’s January! Er, barely. This bag was highly delayed compared to normal. If there is one thing that I hate, it’s a lack of communication. The reason for the delay was never revealed, and I was billed for February before my January box showed up. The fact that there wasn’t any reason given to me as a subscriber made me deeply uncomfortable. I had to call customer service for something unrelated, and they were apologetic, but offered no explanation. Anyway. It’s here, and it better knock my socks off.

Inside my Box

The first two items in the box were from a brand that I like, but am not buying this year, Sunday Riley. They are both what they called “pre-releases”. They are not yet available which has made getting information about these tricky. The first is the C.E.O. Glow Vitamin C + Turmeric Face Oil in the 15mL size. This is full-sized and retails for $40. It is available in a 30mL size as well, for a lot of cash, I am sure. I very rarely meet an oil that I don’t like, and this is very, very dewy after it is applied. I wouldn’t use this is you have oily skin in any way, because it makes me look oily. I would not try to put makeup over this because of how dewy it is and how long it takes to sink in. I will be using this throughout the rest of the winter though because it is massively moisturizing and winter in Montana is killing my face.

The other is the A+ High Dose Retinoid Serum in the 8mL size. This is a sample size for about $22.67 in value. I like to use retinoids, but it can be really drying. I was excited to get the oil at the same time to layer them. It is great to layer this underneath that oil to help with skin texture. I’m pretty happy with my skin texture, but the week I’ve been using this has been great. No irritation, and it feels great.

For hair, this box has the Ouai Hair and Body Scrub (30mL, for $4.32-ish). I love the idea of hair scrubs, and have one I love from Christophe Robin, and I love that this one is a little less pricey. It’s a little rough on the skin, but doesn’t feel too greasy, so I’ve been mostly using it on my hair. It has a very distinct ocean-y smell, so if a lingering smell bothers you, this is not for you. It’s not a bad scent, but it is a distinct smell.

The next item, and the one I was probably the most excited about was the Mally Eyeshadow Stick in Burnished Bronze (full size, retailing for $25). Mally was all over the place a few years ago, but I haven’t heard from them in a while. This eyeshadow stick is delightful. It’s brown, but it’s wasy to wear and I’ve been loving just rubbing it across my eyelids when I’m in a rush. It’s the kind of thing that you can just thrown on and rush out the door.

I love a good lipstick, and am alwasy happy to get one. Unfortuantely, I don’t get along with Doucce. I haven’t found anything I like from them, unfortunately. I love the color of the Relentless Matte Lip Crayon in Winterberry this, but it doesn’t last as long or dry down in a way that I like. I don’t see myself reaching for this one much. This is a full-size, for $22.

My box has the Beauty Blender Micro.Mini ($9). I have the original beauty blender, and have used the minis in the past, and they’re lovely. I’ve never found a dupe that truly matches the real deal. I aready have some microminis, but I’m happy to have a few more. These are also the perfect size for concealer and cream highlighter.

The last item is an NCLA Nail Polish in the shade Call My Agent for $16. I don’t wear traditional nail color much because my nails just don’t tolerate it well, but this color is gorgeous. I love the red-pink color and its beautiful. I think it’s the perfect color for Valentine’s Day, and I’m going to be wearing it for that! I painted my nails with it today, so we’ll see how long it waits.

The overall total value of this box is a little less than $140. That is a crazy high value for money, considering that the box retails for $15. This is also the first box in a long time that I have been happy to use and try every single thing. Even though the lipstick wasn’t for me, it was a good idea, and I’m sure I can find it a home. If you want your own Allure Beauty Box ($10 to start, $15 each month after!) you can sign up here!