Allure Beauty Box Review: Is It Worth It In 2025?

Did you know that nearly a quarter of subscription users in the US subscribe to receiving a beauty box each month?

But which ones are actually worth it, and more importantly, which one is best for you?

However, when you subscribe to a beauty box it can seem like a leap of faith.

To help you make a smart choice, we’ve prepared this Allure Beauty Box review for you, so you can take a look at pricing, products, user opinions, and a great alternative.

What is the Allure Beauty Box?

The Allure Beauty box is a monthly subscription that delivers a collection of premium beauty products, often viral and trendy ones, curated by Allure Magazine’s editors.

The idea behind it is that the editors hand-pick new products each month.

Each box offers three full-size products and some sample sizes. In the box you can find mostly popular brands, but also some indie and lesser-known beauty brands.

The subscription option most people sign up for is $26.33 per month, and it has free shipping.

What’s inside the October 2025 Allure Beauty Box?

Here’s what you can find in this month’s box as a new member:

• Anastasia Beverly Hills Choose a Shade: Brow Wiz® - Full Size ($25 value)
• NULASTIN LASH Follicle Fortifying Serum - Full Size ($84 value)
• Ofra Eyeliner Pencil in Black - Full Size ($13 value)
• RealHer Magic Black to Pink Watery Lip Stain - Full Size ($18 value)
• Color Wow Color Security Shampoo - 75ml ($11 value)
• Sephora Collection Super Brightening Serum - 8ml ($5.84 value)
• MySmile Teeth Whitening Strips - 2ct ($3 value)
• TOCCA Laila Eau de Parfum - 1.5ml ($4.50 value)
• 'Ôrəbella NEW MEMBER GIFT: NIGHTCAP Skin Parfum- 10ml ($35 value)

This month’s Allure box includes 4 full size products and 5 samples, with one of them being a free gift only for new members.

Previous Allure Beauty Boxes: What to Expect Each Month

Here’s a look back at what has been included in previous boxes, so you can get a feel for what you’d be getting in for.

September:

• Rodial Blush Drops in Apricot Sorbet, Frosted Pink, OR Sunset Kiss
• Benefit Cosmetics 24-HR Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel
• First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration 8oz
• Eva NYC Freshen Up Invisible Dry Shampoo 35ml
• Blossom Essentials Hydration Repair Honey Lip Balm 4ml
• bdy. by Tree Hut Mini Body Serum Mist 100ml
• NEW MEMBER GIFT: TULA Skincare Glow + Get It Cooling Eye Balm 0.35oz

August:

• Tower 28 JuiceBalm Vegan Tinted Lip Balm Treatment in ‘Drink’, ‘Squeeze’, OR ’Mix’
• Blume Blume Buds Power Patches for Acne 12 Pack
• Fresh Black Tea Advanced Age Renewal Eye Cream
• Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner
• Beauty for Certain Cream Highlighter #08 (Pearlescent Taupe)
• Innisfree Green Tea Enzyme PHA Toner OR Innisfree Green Tea Amino Acid Cleansing Foam OR Innisfree Green Tea Seed Hyaluronic Serum OR Innisfree Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Serum

July:

• Haus Labs by Lady Gaga Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick in Glassy Rosette, Glassy Pitaya, OR Glassy Lilac
• Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional Primer
• Paul Mitchell Bond Rx Reparative Oil OR Paul Mitchell Bond Rx Leave-In Treatment
• Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream
• Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Invisible+ 6ct
• Skin&Co Roma Truffle Therapy Morning Dew – 20ml

So let’s get an overview of what that means for a customer who has been subscribing for 4 months.

That’s at least 6 products per box for $29.99 a month, if you’re not a new member - great!

But it also means 2 scent sample products in one box, and another one the month before, 3 lip balms in a row, 2 pimple patch packets in a row and 2 pore-minimizing products in a row - not to mention the uneven ratio of skincare products to makeup - not so great!

In the October box, only 3/9 products are makeup, over the 4 months listed above only 8/28 are makeup products - it’s skincare overkill.

But, if you’re looking for a skincare-oriented subscription, this might be the right beauty box for you, compared to more makeup discovery focused beauty boxes.

However, skincare doesn’t always mean self-care, with certain brands still using substances that can do more harm to your skin than good…

Ingredient Standards: Is Allure Beauty Box Clean?

Unfortunately, all of the products in October’s beauty box contain at least one known harmful or ‘red-flag’ ingredient, including endocrine disruptors, petroleum derivatives or PEGs, synthetic fragrances, acrylates and microplastic-forming polymers.

Here’s a clear list showing where each of them fail to meet safe and healthy standards.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz	Contains Phenoxyethanol.
Sephora Collection Super Brightening Serum	Contains PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (Petroleum/PEG derivative).
Ofra Eyeliner Pencil	Contains Phenoxyethanol, Petroleum derivatives (Paraffin, Microcrystalline Wax).
MySmile Teeth Whitening Strips	Contains Sodium polyacrylate + PVP (synthetic polymers/acrylates).
RealHer Magic Black to Pink Lip Stain	Contains Fragrance / Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Synthetic polymers (Polysobutene, Copolymers).
Color Wow Color Security Shampoo	Contains Fragrance / Parfum, BHA (possible endocrine disruptor), PEG-150 Distearate, fragrance allergens.
TOCCA Laila Eau de Parfum	Entirely synthetic fragrance blend (multiple flagged allergens).
NULASTIN Lash Follicle Fortifying Serum	Contains (+)-Cloprostenol Isopropyl Ester (prostaglandin analog, hormone-active) + Phenoxyethanol.

So, if you care about whether your skin is absorbing hormone disruptors, petroleum derivatives or microplastics, you might want to veer away from a beauty box like this, because, when you get down into the nitty-gritty of the ingredients, it’s not so beautiful!

How Eco-Friendly is the Allure Beauty Box?

Apart from the fact that samples are too small to get a proper feel for the product and know whether you like it, sample sizes also mean a disproportionate amount of packaging for the amount of product you get - and nearly all of the products above come in non-recyclable packaging!

As well as being bad for your skin, microplastics are also bad for the environment as they contaminate ecosystems and don’t break down.

Because they are so small they spread far, usually through water, so wildlife (especially sea animals) ingest them, leading to an accumulation of microplastics in food chains.

This then comes full circle when you end up eating those foods (like your seafood boil or even just fruits and vegetables as they absorb microplastics from contaminated soil), so you’re not just lathering microplastics on your skin, but also ingesting them.

As for animal testing, Allure still carries brands that are not strictly cruelty-free, including some whose products are featured in the last 4 months, like Benefit and Sephora Collection.

Is the Allure Beauty Box Good Value for Money?

The total value of the products in their October box is $199 (the value rarely goes above $200), and their fall sale offers the first box for $10, with all subsequent boxes costing $29.99.

Other plans include their quarterly subscription, where you pay $79 for 3 months, equaling $26.33 per box - their most popular option - and they also have an annual subscription, costing $287 for a year’s worth of boxes - $23.92 per month.

Allure Beauty Box Reviews: What Real Users Say

There are many opinions and reviews on the Allure beauty box, some of them stood out to us.

Pros

Users on Reddit generally praise the Allure Beauty Box for its consistent value and quality. One long-term subscriber noted that, while not every box is perfect, over the 10 years, it has had "consistently good value with good products". Another fan has been getting boxes for over 5 years and simply loves them⁠⁠.

Several users acknowledge the skincare-heavy nature of the boxes but see it as a positive. One subscriber appreciated discovering "amazing products" and trying items they might have otherwise missed⁠⁠. Another found it perfect for building their skincare routine, especially since they're not a heavy makeup user⁠⁠.

Cons

Beauty blogger Steffanie from Brighter Darling had a disappointing experience with late shipping (over 2 weeks) and poor packaging that looked "cheap"⁠⁠.

She found most items to be small, useless samples rather than full-size products⁠⁠. In her detailed review, she found the Spongelle sponge made her feel like she wasn't "actually clean," the eyeshadow was so generic it "went straight in the trash," and the travel-size dry shampoo only lasted two uses⁠⁠. Despite technically being good value, she found it underwhelming overall⁠⁠.

Blogger Allie Barron echoed this sentiment, noting that while the box is "technically valuable”, getting a deal on products you won't use "doesn't really feel like a deal"⁠⁠. Many products simply didn't resonate with her⁠⁠, “disappointing [her] more often than not”.

Reddit users also consistently mention product overload as an issue. One subscriber explained that while the monetary value is undisputable, boxes often contain products they'd "never buy" or from "sketchy brands"⁠⁠. Another subscriber signed up hoping to discover new favorites but instead accumulated "tons of stuff" they won't use, finding the products to be just "different brands of similar products" rather than anything "new or novel"⁠⁠.

So, it might be a fun and easy way to get viral beauty products delivered straight to your door, and the number of items might be great value for money, but chances are you end up with lots of products you don’t want, don’t like or simply don’t know what to with, because your makeup drawer or skincare fridge is already full!

Allure Beauty Box vs. Beauty Heroes

If you don’t want an overload of products you will never get through, or small samples you’ll barely get to try, and you are passionate about healthy, natural, eco-conscious beauty - then here’s a suggestion for an alternative you might want to try.

Beauty Heroes is a luxury, clean beauty company, aiming to help people discover truly healthy makeup and self-care products that meet the highest ingredient, environmental, and ethical standards.

This means you won’t find endocrine disruptors, petroleum-based ingredients, synthetic fragrances, microplastics, acrylates, or other concerning ingredients in the products they carry.

What’s more:

• Their monthly subscription showcases a different Healthy Beauty brand every month, delivering new discoveries alongside in-depth education, to your doorstep.
• Each Discovery features two or more full-size products from a single brand, accompanied by expert insights, usage guidance, and ingredient education, with each box thoughtfully curated to highlight innovation, integrity, and performance in Healthy Beauty.
• The value of each Discovery box is always valued at between $125 and $300+, delivering a unique intersection of quality and value that sets Beauty Heroes apart.
• Another key differentiator: all products included in the Discovery are freshly made to arrive just in time for the launch date. They never include excess inventory or expiring product, ensuring that what their members receive is not only high-performing but also very fresh.
• Customers can subscribe to a 3-, 6-, or 12-month membership, unlocking exclusive perks, including 15% savings on nearly all products and services in-store. For those who prefer to try before committing, the current month’s Discovery is also available as a one-time purchase.

Here’s a clear and concise comparison table between Allure and Beauty Heroes, so you can make the right decision for you:

	Allure Beauty Box	Beauty Heroes
Overview	Monthly box curated by Allure Magazine editors featuring trendy mainstream + indie beauty products.	Luxury clean-beauty subscription highlighting one Healthy Beauty, eco-friendly brand per month.
Price	$26–$30/month	$58.95/stand-alone month (discounts for multi-month plans).
Box Value	Around $180–$200.	Around $125–$310.
Products	6–9 items (mix of full-size + samples).	2–3 full-size, freshly made products.
Focus	Skincare-heavy mix of popular, editor-picked items.	Ingredient-safe, sustainable, cruelty-free beauty.
Ingredient Policy	Includes PEGs, synthetic fragrance, microplastics, and petroleum derivatives.	100% clean formulations, no harmful synthetics or endocrine disruptors.
Sustainability	Non-recyclable packaging; some non-cruelty-free brands.	Low-waste, recyclable packaging; sustainable and ethical sourcing.
Customization	Minimal options; same box for all. Can also skip boxes - but no one-off purchases	No customization, but skip or buy one-off boxes.
Customer Feedback	Great value, fun surprises, but repetitive products and “skincare overload.”	Higher-end prices but exceptional quality, thoughtful curation, stellar customer service.
Best For	Beauty fans who love variety and trying trending products.	Conscious consumers who value clean, ethical luxury beauty.

Which Beauty Box is Best for You?

In short, the Allure Beauty Box is ideal for anyone who loves a monthly surprise of editor-approved, buzzworthy products and doesn’t mind a mix of mainstream products and ingredients. Beauty Heroes, on the other hand, is a premium option for those who prioritize clean formulations, sustainability, and mindful self-care - fewer items, but all thoughtfully chosen and high-performing.

If you’re simply after the thrill of trying what’s new and viral, Allure delivers that excitement each month. But if you’re ready to move toward beauty that’s better for your skin and the planet, Beauty Heroes stands out for its integrity, quality, and purpose. It’s less about quantity and more about discovering products you’ll genuinely want to use every day - and your skin will thank you!