It’s no surprise that I am a huge fan of subscription boxes. It’s like getting a Christmas present every second month. Who wouldn’t want that? But as Birchbox, Ipsy, Glossybox and others have saturated the market, it’s sometimes nice to subscribe to one that’s a little bit more unknown so you can truly try things you have never heard of before! After-all, that’s all part of the fun of subscription services!
The A-List Subscription Box is from Aloette, a skincare and beauty brand I have collaborated a few times in the past with (see post here and here). I’ve always been a huge fan of their skincare products (the Muddy Up Masque is one of my faves) so I was really excited to try more of their makeup via their new subscription service! But Aloette’s A-List subscription program has a few extras included with it that makes it quite different from your average beauty subscription box. First of all,by being an A-Lister, you receive a box loaded with full-sized beauty and skincare products and many of these are limited-edition products that A-Lister’s get to try before anyone else! Plus, you always get a surprise gift in the box! And, every time you get your A-List box, you “Get to Give” your support to programs that help empower women all over the globe through Heifer International. Lastly, A-Lister’s receive a 15% discount on all full-priced products on the Aloette website and exclusive support from an Aloette Beauty Consultant!
So what did I get in my box this month? First, was a FULL-SIZE eyeshadow palette with 12 shadows! This Little Black Book of Glam Palette is absolutely stunning with 7 mattes and 5 shimmer shades all in a neutral hue so they’re extremely versatile! Next, was a 5-piece brush collection that included an allover powder brush, a precision blush brush, a liquid foundation brush, an airbrush eyeshadow brush and a precision liner brush! I’m not gonna lie- these brushes _aren’t _the best quality and they do have a weird smell coming off of them, however, it’s always nice to have a set of brushes for travel or your makeup bag so I definitely ain’t mad about them being included. The last Aloette product is the Look Alive Eye Base that is essentially a light, matte shadow that you apply before any other eyeshadows to create an even, smooth base so your eyeshadows look even more pigmented! It includes light-reflective mica, sun shielding zinc oxide (AKA sunscreen) and green tea antioxidants to diminish the look of tired eyes! I did appreciate how each of the products go together and can be used in conjunction to create an entire look!And as mentioned before, every box includes a surprise gift! The gift this month was a beautiful bracelet from Luca+Danni. The silver feather bangle is so my style so it was so fun to see this in this month’s box!
However, we have to be real for a second. Like anything, price is always an extremely important factor in any subscription service. To join and be a member of Aloette’s A-List, you have to pay a one time enrolment fee of$19.95USD/$22.50CAD, which doesn’t seem outrageous. However, that does notcover the fee of the box. For the bimonthly subscription box, you will be charged$39.95USD/$44.95CAD, PLUS shipping and taxes. That is outrageous. That means for your very first subscription box, you would be paying a total of $68CAD plus shipping and taxes which would honestly probably be another $20 bucks. And if you cancel the subscription service but then want to enrol again, you have to pay the enrolment fee AGAIN. I don’t think this box is even worth close to this amount. I am used to subscription boxes being no more than $20 or $30. And when not knowing what items you’re going to be getting in the A-List Box, over $70 is a lotto pay for a“fun” surprise.
