I recently decided that it was time to break up with Ipsy and move on to a different beauty subscription service. Well actually, I decided a couple of months ago but kept forgetting to unsubscribe. Suffice it so say that September will be my last Ipsy Glam Bag for the time being but I've moved on to greener pastures. A few months ago Allure revamped their beauty subscription service, formerly known as Sample Society, into the new and improved Allure Beauty Box. I've been keeping my eye on their recent boxes and when I saw the spoilers for September's box, I knew I had to have it. Here's a look at what came in the box and what I thought:



Tangle Teezer
This brush was shown as one of the spoilers Allure posted back in August and was the main reason I decided to sign up for this box. I've owned a Tangle Teezer for a few years now and I absolutely love it for detangling and brushing my hair. It glides through hair without pulling or making it puff out like some other brushes. This is really the only thing I used to brush my hair and since my old one was looking a bit worse for wear I figured I could use a replacement. The Tangle Teezer on its own retails for $15, which is the total cost of the box, so it's almost like I got the rest of the products in this box as a free gift. Win.

Pixi Glow Tonic
Yet another product I'm already a huge fan of! I actually just ran out of Glow Tonic and when I saw this as one of the spoilers I was excited to get some more. This tonic is my absolute favorite toner because whenever my skin is misbehaving and I'm suffering from breakouts, this somehow helps clear it up in just a few days. Though the bottle in this box is a small sample size, I think it's the perfect amount for people new to the product to see what it can do for their skin. As a bonus, they also included a $2 off coupon for any Pixi product at Target, and I've actually already used it to get myself a new lipstick!





Alterna Replenishing Moisture Milk
My experience with Alterna in the past has always been great and their Replenishing Moisture Milk has the same amazing scent as their CC cream for hair, which I loved. Though the product is a bit thinner and more light-weight than their CC cream, I wouldn't describe the texture as a milk. Though I think this would be great for people who just need a bit of extra moisture or conditioning in their hair, I honestly prefer Alterna's CC cream because of the smoothing, conditioning, shine and hold it gives my hair. Still a nice product and a great sized sample.

Kaplan MD Cellular Rejuvenating Concentrate
This stuff usually retails for $170 per ounce, so it's definitely the big-ticket item of the bunch. Although the bottle that comes in the box is a tiny sample size, a few drops of this serum go a long way. I wouldn't be surprised to get at least a whole month's use out of it. It definitely isn't a very hydrating serum so I would still recommend using a moisturizer in conjunction with it. I honestly haven't seen a huge improvement in my skin from using it for a couple of weeks, which is disappointing because you kind of expect something that costs this much to be life-changing.

Erno Laszlo Firmarine Bar Soap
I'm not really a big fan of bar soap, especially for washing my face. I think it's usually pretty drying and a hassle to use and store. This bar actually left my skin feeling pretty soft and smooth. I actually expected more of a pronounced beachy scent based on Allure's description of the soap but in actuality it just smelled like your typical, generic soap with the barest hint of sea water. This bar is pretty darn cute to look at and there's nothing awful about it, but it's just not really for me.

Jane Iredale Smooth Affair Facial Primer & Brightener
I'm usually more of a mattifying primer kind of girl, but this primer is much more hydrating and glowy. When I apply it my face feels shiny but that's probably because I'm not used to a more illuminating primer. I like to give it a minute or two to soak in before moving on to my foundation. I think it would probably work better on my skin in the colder months when my skin needs a bit more moisture. It almost feels like putting a moisturizer on your skin rather than a primer but I did find that my foundation wore well throughout the day although I did need to blot. If you have dry skin this primer might be just the thing to add that extra moisture to your face to ensure that your makeup applies evenly.

Soap & Glory Pillow Plump XXL Lip Gloss in Pinkwell
This gloss has a lot of good things going for it. It's a pretty, subtle pink shade that is the perfect balance of sheer and pigmented to make it suit a variety of skin tones. The texture is thick and a bit creamy but not at all sticky. It smells like chocolate. But if you don't like products that make your lips tingle this is definitely one to steer clear of because the sensation is quite prominent. As as per the claims, you can indeed feel it for over half an hour after you apply the gloss. At times it can be subtle but then it ramps up to the buzzing vibration you feel from an electric current. It's not for everyone but I actually kind of enjoy the sensation because it makes me feel like it's doing something. Do my lips actually look plumper? Maybe a tiny bit but it's possible I'm just imagining it. I like to think that that tingling feeling is causing my lips to swell just a little. With a name like Sexy Mother Pucker, I'd still wear it anyway because it makes me feel a like a bad-ass and confidence is always the best accessory.

In case you weren't keeping count, September's box featured a total of 7 beauty products. SEVEN. That's impressive on its own, but the quality of the products is what really makes this box a cut above other beauty subscriptions. I feel like Allure really put together a wide variety of products that would work for a ton of different people. Even though some of the products didn't necessarily work for my needs or skin/hair type, I think there's something in here for everyone. I was even pleasantly surprised with the quality of the box the items came in. The glossy red Allure box is really thick and sturdy and impressed me all on its own. Though the Allure box is $5 more than Ipsy, I think where this subscription box really dominates is in the quality and value of the products. I was an Ipsy subscriber for 2 full years and I don't know if Allure will be able to inspire that kind of devotion in me, but I'm going to hold on to my subscription for another month and am excited to see what they've cooked up for October.

What do you think of the products in this box? Have you tried any of them? Are you subscribed to any beauty boxes? Any recommendations for me? Let me know in the comments below.