Allure Beauty Box| November 2018

"Masquerade! Paper

faces on parade, masquerade. Hide your face so the world will never find you...."

I am so pleased that my Allure box came at a reasonable time this month! I will be honest that when I saw that it was going to be mostly masks I was dreading it. It's not that I don't like masks, it's because I currently have an insane backlog of clay and paper masks that I am desperately trying to use up. Seriously, I've been trying to use at least two masks a week to try and get through some of them. Happily, this box includes some really interesting masks that I had never heard of or tried, and some aren't for your face which is so refreshing. In light of this knowledge I'm gladly making some room in my collection for these guys. **I promise I am not a hoarder...***

Before we get into the contents of the this months box lets go over the subscription details briefly. Allure Beauty Box is a subscription service which for $15 + tax will deliver to your door 5-6 deluxe to fill-sized items, ranging anywhere from makeup to skincare to beauty tools. Each box is curated by Allure magazine editors and will come with information on the products and coupon codes for subscribers to use if they should choose to purchase full-sized versions. I've been subscribed for a few years now and I can tell you from experience that they rarely disappoint. So with that out of the way, if you would like to see what was included in the November Allure Beauty Box then let's get started!

Invisibobble the Traceless Hair Ring in purple full-sized pack of 3 $7.95

Our first item is not itself a mask but

would come in handy for keeping hair out of the way when applying masks. Invisibobble reminds be very much of old school phone cords from the bygone days of home phones. This curly contraption is supposed to hold your hair without leaving any marks or causing any split ends. I am genuinely interested in seeing how these guys work even though I don't think I would ever wear these out in public unless I was going for a Kimmy Gibber look.

Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment sample-size .5oz $25

There was a time when this mask

was taking the beauty community by storm. Not a favorites video out there didn't feature this mask. It is still a very well loved mainstay in skincare for many people out there. I myself have had prior experience with this mask and while I don't hate it there are a few things that I don't love about it. Firstly, it smells kind of gross. This is because it contains Licorice which is great for skin brightening but in this product it is quite effective for bringing me back to my childhood Easter hunting days when I would get stuck with those dreaded black jellybeans. Secondly, this mask burns quite a bit on my skin. I am assuming this is because of the Peppermint in the formula. Peppermint is an antiseptic and can aid in controlling oils, but it can also cause a burning sensation on people with sensitive skin such as myself. Lastly, this mask leaves me feeling more dried out than I would prefer after using it. Because of this, if and when I do use this mask  I only apply it on my nose and chin which are more oily and less easily irritated than the rest of my face. Glamglow is not cruelty free if this is an area of concern when you select your products. I do have a recommendation for an alternative product which I feel works even better than Glamglow. My alternative pick is the Mask of Magnaminty from Lush. The smell is minty and refreshing and while it does tingle slightly, there is no burning sensation at all. My face feels refreshed and balanced but not dry and stripped after using it. I like to use Magnaminty about once a week on my entire face and I find it helps a lot with oil control and keeping away blemishes.

Patchology Flashpatch Rejuvinating Eye Gels  x1 $3

The Flashpatch Eye Gels are another

product I am familiar with and I can wholeheartedly say they are a favorite if mine. I first tried these when they came on sale in a 21 days of Beauty at Ulta for 50% off for 30 patches. I would use these guys once a week to rehydrate and soothe my under-eyes. I'd come home after staring at a computer screen all day, take off my makeup and slap one of these under my eyes and the weekend officially commenced. Just thinking about it makes me feel relaxed. These gels are biodegradable and oh so comfy on the delicate skin of the under eye. They contain Caffeine which can improve tone and reduce puffiness, Hydrolyzed collagen which can improve hydration & elasticity. Asiatic Pennywort provides amino & fatty acids, beta carotene and phytochemicals for anti-aging benefits. Purslane lends it's antioxidants to help prevents fine lines and wrinkles. This cruelty-free mask is a product I have and will buy again the next time I can snag it on sale. 

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Jelly Sheet Mask x1 $8

Of all the masks in the box this one

is the cutest in regards to packaging. No surprise there as this is a K-Beauty product and I am pretty sure it's against the rules not to bring your A-game on packaging. This mask is a gel sheet which is supposed to cling fast to the face for max absorption of the serum. The first two ingredients listed on this mask are Watermelon Fruit Extract & Watermelon Fruit so I'd say it's safe to say that the watermelon is in the spotlight here. Watermelon contains vitamins A, C , B6, Lycopene & Amino acids which all contribute to healthy skin. Other ingredients include Peony extract which has antioxidant and skin soothing properties, Cabbage extract which has been shown to be effective in healing skin issues such as psoriasis & acne, and Sweet Potato extract which is high in vitamins C & E as well as beta-carotene to further aid in skin health. Glow Recipe is a 100% vegan and cruelty free brand.

Kocostar Rose Lip Mask Revitalizing & Luscious x1 $4

I have never used a lip mask like

this before if I'm honest. I have used sleeping masks that apply like a thick balm, such as the Leneige Lip Sleeping mask which I do really enjoy. This mask from Kocostar is a hydrogel similar to the Glow Recipe Watermelon mask and can be worn whilst puttering around the house. Ideal for anyone desiring to impersonate Mick Jagger whilst folding laundry to some Rolling Stone hits. This mask contains Rosemary, Lavender & Peppermint which all have antiseptic properties and Mushroom extract which is anti-inflammatory and can help prevent wrinkles. This product is not vegan or cruelty- free.

Lapcos Pearl Brightening Metallic Sheet Mask x1 $2.80

Here we have our one and only

traditional sheet mask in the box. It is one in a series of Metallic masks, each color having a different skin benefit. Despite what the name implies, the mask itself is just your everyday sheet mask and does not look in anyway metallic. This Pearl mask brightens skin using ingredients including Peony, Pennywort, Gardenia and Pearl extracts. Coconut extract reduces the appearance of scars, Matricaria extract soothes & moisturizes the skin. According to the brand website their products are cruelty-free.

Starskin Magic Hour Exfoliating Double-Layer Foot Mask Socks x1 $16

I have been wanting to try one of

these foot peeling masks for ages! It holds a strange fascination for me similar to when I would apply Elmer's glue to my hand as a child just so I could slowly peel it off. ** Don't look at me like that.... I know I wasn't the only kid who did that.** So the way this particular mask works is from the Lactic acid included in the formula which acts as a chemical exfoliant. ** Insert horrified gasps from the audience at the use of the word "chemical".**  One must put on the magical exfoliating booties for 60-90 minutes and rinse well after. In 7-10 days one's feet should start to shed like a dandruff ridden lizard revealing the soft baby skin underneath. Other ingredients included in this foot mask are Sage extract for anti-aging, Grapefruit extract helps to even skin & fights free-radicals, Acerola fruit extract helps retain firmness & elasticity and Sugar Maple & Sugar Cane extracts further aid in cell turnover and reducing accumulation of dead cells. I am so looking forward to trying testing this product on my own feet. Starskin is certified cruelty-free brand.

November Box Value $66.75

I am seriously looking forward to trying these masks out and I hope you also enjoyed having a look at them as well. If you are new to Allure and would like to check it out you may do so here. Until the next box or bag, bye!