Allure Sample Society November 2014

I had seen some spoilers for the Allure Sample Society November 2014 box and while I wasn't thrilled, I was okay with it.  But now that it's here, I'm not sure how I feel.  I'm used to *loving* my Sample Society boxes.  Before the rebranding, it was packed with skincare that I loved.  After the rebranding there was glorious makeup.  But these last two boxes have left me sort of floundering over what to think.

The Cost: $15

What You Get: Five deluxe-size beauty samples from a curated mix of skin, hair, and makeup products, as well as fragrance. You'll also receive $10 BeautyBar.com gift card to redeem on any $50 Beauty Bar purchase every month.

Here's my main issue right now.  No more perfume.  Please.  I don't want perfume as a sample every single month. No.  Those aren't even worth it, you can get them at the department store counter.  And if you do that, you'll get to pick a spritzer of the kind you like, not some random whatever kind.

Sure I've found a couple perfumes I like in my boxes.  Make that two.  So of all the perfumes I've received in the last year, I've discovered two that I like out of... well, way more than that. Hah!  So, Sample Society... Please stop sending perfumes and counting it as a sample.  Even Birchbox doesn't force this many perfume samples on me!

Malin + Goetz Bergamot Body Wash-  This is my favorite thing in the box.  I love the scent of bergamot and I like the Malin + Goetz brand. It smells like Earl Grey tea, as it should since Earl Grey is made with oil from the rinds of bergamot oranges.  It's a pretty citrusy scent.  Mm!

MD SolarSciences Creme Mineral Beauty Balm- An oil-free mineral based BB cream with a matte finish and SPF 50.  Oh, now this I can try.  I'm looking for the perfect BB cream.  So far I've found a couple Korean BB creams that I like but I'm willing to try one I don't have to order from another country!

Calvin Klein Reveal- Ugh.  Well, you already know how I feel about this but here's the description. A warm, sexy scent with raw salt, pepper, orris, ambergris, sandalwood, vetiver, and cashmeran (a synthetic fragrance with notes of musk, wood and wet concrete).
Yeah.  Too musky for me.  I mean... I kind of like it but it gives me a headache.

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Omega+ Nourishing Oil-  A hair oil that moisturizes, softens and strengthens overprocessed hair.  Contains caviar extract, vitamin C and Omega-3 fatty acids.  It got a light floral smell.  On the info card it says people with fine hair shouldn't use it.  Well, that's me.  I have extremely fine and thin hair soo... Not gonna try it.  Plus it smells like flowers which I don't like. Wow... Am I in a bad mood today or something?  This review is coming out so negative!

Lorac Cobra Mascara- This is for lengthening.  It's got a funny shaped, curved brush that when held up, looks like a mantled cobra.  Fat in the middle and skinny on the top and bottom, in other words. If you like long, lean glossy lashes, this is the mascara for you.  Well!  That's the kind of lashes, I like, so I'm going to have to try this when my current mascara that I'm hopelessly in love with runs out.

VERDICT:  This was a dud of a box.  The samples were tiny, I'm sick of perfume and while I love the body wash, it just can't pull this box out of it's gutter of boring.  After getting fabulous full size products, this box and the last one have been total let downs.  I'm not cancelling just yet.  December could be great. Haha!  That's always the trouble.  But I don't see myself keeping this sub for long if they don't step it up.  For $15, I think they can do better than four tiny samples and perfume freebie.  I appear to be very grouchy about this box.  Part of it is that I've been loving these boxes for so long, it's hard to let them go.  One more box and I'm done, I think.

If you would like to sign up for Sample Society and try them out, they do have better brands that Birchbox.  I've been impressed with earlier boxes, though the last two have been disappointing.  I hope that's not the trend.  You can sign up on BeautyBar's website.

If you use Ebates, you'll get cashback on your purchase!  If you don't use Ebates and you shop online, you absolutely should be using it.  No question.  You can sign up here.  The website is so hokey but the cashback is real and the customer service is excellent.  Download the button and you'll know every time you hit a website Ebates rewards you for shopping at.  I'm super skeptical but this is the real deal.  I've already earned (and received) almost $150 in cashback just for buying things I was already going to buy! Worth it for sure.

*referral links were used in this post