Sample Society Mystery Box Review

I bought one or two Sample Society Beauty Boxes a while ago, but I ended up cancelling my subscription because I was accumulating too many samples.  The service wasn't bad, it just didn't blow me away so let it go.  From time to time they offer mystery boxes at discounted prices, though, so I decided to pick one up out of curiosity.

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love!

I bought a box of five samples for $10.  Sample Society boxes normally contain five samples but cost $15 a month.  You can still buy a mystery box here, they also have ones with 10 (for $18) and 15 (for $25) samples.  I almost bought the 10 sample box, but like I said, I already have a ton of samples so I settled on only five to satisfy my curiosity.

Here's what was inside:

• PHYTO Phytonectar Ultra Nourishing Oil Treatment - This isn't for sale on the Beauty Bar site anymore, which is kind of weird to me.  Actually, I think it may have been discontinued because I can't find it for sale anywhere, so I have no idea what the retail value is.  You're supposed to apply it from roots to ends, leave it in for at least 15 minutes, then wash it out.  I probably won't use this because I'm not a fan of having to hop back into the shower to wash something out.
• IPKN Moist & Firm BB Cream SPF 45 ($8.75 for ~.10 mL) - I'm guessing on the size of this since it isn't listed on the bottle.  It's a BB cream that also says "brightening and wrinkle care" on it.  It's in the shade 02-Light, which is definitely going to be too light for me.  I don't use BB creams anyway, I need more coverage.
• Annick Goutal Eau d'Hadrien ($.55 for 1.75 mL) - This is a bright, citrus scent and it isn't my style.  I prefer darker, warmer scents.  The notes include Sicilian lemon, Mandarin grapefruit, bergamot, and some others.  It's nice, but not sweet or warm enough for me.
• Orlane Paris Hydro-Matifying Care ($7.12 for .11 oz) - I swapped for this once but don't remember much about it.  The actual sample tube is very small, so it's not enough for me to really judge how well it works with my skin (and I'll never spend $110 on a full-sized jar), but this sample is probably the most relevant to my needs out of the box.  It's for mixed/oily skins and is supposed to tighten pores.
• elemental herbology Facial Glow Radiance Peel ($19.42 for .5 fl oz) - I like this sample the best.  It's made "primarily of natural ingredients with minimal processing," according to the product page.  It purifies pores, exfoliates, and stimulates skin's metabolism.  The tube warns that it contains AHA, which may increase sun sensitivity, so I hope it isn't too harsh on my skin.

Bottom Line: Even though most of these samples were a bust, I'm still glad I bought this box.  I think mystery boxes can be fun, and I knew that there was a possibility that I wouldn't want or have a use for any of the samples.

Did you purchase a Sample Society mystery box?  What did you get in yours? 

March Sample Society By Beauty Bar Box

On a whim, I subscribed to Sample Society, a monthly sample service run by Beauty Bar and Allure magazine. I found out about it through Bailey of Making Up The Midwest (check out her blog--she has great beauty swatches and more!).  I decided to join during the pre-launch period because for $15, I got a box and a year's subscription to Allure.  My first (and last) box arrived a few days ago.

I liked the way the box was designed on the outside.  The black and gold looks somewhat classy.  I cancelled my subscription after this box, not because it was a terrible box, but when I signed up I only intended on purchasing one box.  I'm interested in trying as many subscription boxes as I can, but the only ones I'm sticking with for now are Eco-Emi and Conscious Box.  That is, unless one comes along that completely blows me away -- unfortunately for Sample Society, they were not that service.

This was basically a Birchbox to me, but $5 more expensive.  The other main reason why I keep cancelling these beauty boxes is because they're all the same -- they send way too many skin care items as opposed to cosmetics.  Here is what was included in the inaugural Sample Society box:

• Fekkai Advanced Glossing Cream
• Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
• Skyn Iceland Icelandic Eye Relief Pen
• Ren Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Peel Mask
• Oscar de la Renta Esprit d'Oscar Mini-Rollerball

Am I impressed by any of these items?  No.  The Fekkai Glossing Cream is probably my favorite of the bunch because it's the only one I'll actually use.  For $15, I wouldn't say this was worth it for me.  The brands are definitely good and the size of the samples are pretty big (bigger than Birchbox, and the Skyn Iceland pen is full-sized), but these just don't interest me.  Another perk of the membership is that with each box you get a $15 off code, but you have to spend at least $50 and one of the items from your box has to be included in the order.  It's useless for me this month, but if you'd like to give it a try the code is BBSOCIETYMAR.  Not sure if it will work for you or not, but it's worth a shot!  Just remember to add one of the items listed above to your order.

Bottom Line: I wouldn't recommend this service, but that is based off of only one box.  I guess it's kind of cool that I'm getting a subscription to Allure as well, even after cancelling.  I liked the size of the samples, but not the selection of the actual items themselves.  I would recommend just getting Birchbox for only $10 as opposed to Sample Society's $15.  Also, due to high demand subscriptions aren't currently open, but you can join the wait list and be alerted when they're available again.

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