The Best of the Allure Best of Beauty Box

(Allure special projects editor and self-proclaimed creature of habit, Megan Salerno, challenges herself to snap out of her beauty rut with an Allure Beauty Box subscription. This week, she takes Allure's 2016 Best of Beauty Box for a test drive and ends up on an impromptu trip down memory lane).

In the early 90s, I started to amass an enviable collection of cosmetics. My Caboodle was a veritable treasure trove furnished with hand-me-downs and inexpensive drugstore scores. I took great pride in the tiered trays packed neatly with rows of iridescent lipsticks, imitation fragrances, and pastel eyeshadow palettes. By the time the first Allure Best of Beauty issue hit newsstands in 1996, I was just entering my freshman year of high school; and although I was finally old enough to flaunt my beauty finds outside of the house, I kept my morning beauty routine pared down to the bare essentials: a dab of strawberry-flavored gloss (Lip Smackers, of course), a coat of , and that’s it. (Fun fact: The mascara, in its iconic pink-and-green tube, has been awarded an Allure Best of Beauty or Reader’s Choice Award every single year for the past two decades, which is nothing short of amazing).

My mother was— and still is—a makeup minimalist, so I didn't have a mentor at home to provide guidance. It's also worth mentioning these were the days of dial-up internet, when YouTube makeup tutorials were still a glimmer in my modem's eye. I saw Allure as the end-all, be-all of beauty—and I still do. As my fascination with makeup pushed me to enhance my skills, I increasingly turned to the magazine, and of course, the annual Best of Beauty issue was a huge highlight. As I discussed in my original post, my current routine—from my foundation to my curling wand—is primarily compromised of Allure Best of Beauty winners. So you can imagine my excitement when the 2016 Allure Best of Beauty Box landed on my desk. Here’s how my current test round is panning out.

Charlotte Tilbury Rock ‘N’ Kohl Pencil in Black Magic and Amber Moon*

When I lifted the lid of the box, I was confronted with not one, but two smudgeable Charlotte Tilbury Rock ‘N’ Kohl Pencils—one in Black Magic (onyx with a bit of glitz) and Amber Moon (a burnished bronze).* A smoky eye is simply out of the question for me; I have deep-set eyes, so whenever I try to create dimension, the effect is more bar fight than beautiful. The rumor circulating the office, however, was that this versatile pencil could rival the definition and precision of a liquid liner, so I decided to see it I could replicate my signature cat-eye with in Black Magic. This pencil was not the intense pitch-black I was imagining. I’d describe it as a muted charcoal, which, by the way, is infused with flecks of emerald glitter. As I traced along my lashes, it handled well, but when it came time for the feline flick, this pencil did not quite cut it. The tip was not fine enough to pull off the tapered, calligraphic stroke that I typically strive for with a cat-eye. While I’m not putting a hex on Black Magic, it was almost completely eclipsed by its tawny counterpart, Amber Moon. Gliding on effortlessly, this shade left my lids glistening and accentuated my steely grayish-green eyes with its metallic shimmer.

Verdict: I’m sending Black Magic packing, but Amber Moon is currently tucked away in my makeup bag for days when I want a more subdued look.

*Your box will contain one of these two shades; I work here so I got to try both :).

Nars Dual-Intensity Blush in Adoration

At first blush, the powdery pink and matte magenta cheek palette made me cringe. Why? Because when I unsnapped the compact, I was flooded with deeply-repressed visions of '80s powerglam beauty—and not in a good way. In that decade of decadence, blush was brilliantly colored—the brighter, the better—and dramatically angled. And this seemed like a delivery straight from Marty McFly, which is why the healthy, youthful glow imparts was such a throughly modern surprise. May I suggest dipping a fluffy brush into both shades and dusting lightly across the apples of your cheeks?

Verdict: Now that I’ve gotten over the initial shock, I’m in absolute adoration of this blush. It’s temporarily replaced my tried-and-true Nars Orgasm and life is suddenly just a little bit rosier.

Living Proof No Frizz Nourishing Styling Cream

The weather outside is frightful and unpredictable, but hair's reaction to it is anything but delightful. When faced with even the slightest hint of moisture, my curls will completely unravel and my heat-styled tresses fall immediately flat. To keep my coif in check on a muggy or drizzly day, I’ll usually twist it into a low bun immediately after styling and take cover under a hood or a scarf for my commute. When the Allure Best of Beauty Box arrived, the five-day forecast called for rain and limp hair, so I had ideal conditions to see if the would live up to its expectations. The citrus-scented formula fulfilled its promise by tamping the frizz. But to test how well it would preserve my wand-created waves, I abandoned my bun for the week. While the curls were in tact by the end of each dreary day, they were not quite as bouncy as I would have liked.

Verdict: It is perfect for combatting frizz, but that’s not my mane—er, main—concern, so I think I’ll skip this extra step.

Get caught up on the Allure Beauty Box challenge:

1. An Editor Looks to the Allure Beauty Box to Break Out of Her Beauty Rut
2. The November 2016 Allure Beauty Box: One Editor's Brutally Honest Review
3. The 2016 Allure Best of Beauty Box

Clarins Multi-Active Jour

Between my oily skin and watery foundation, finding an a.m. moisturizer has been an exhausting endeavor to say the least. After trying countless products and shelling out way too much cash, my quest was starting to feel futile. Enter : this non-greasy formula absorbed quickly, kept my foundation in place, and has not (knock on wood!) caused any unwanted break-outs. With SPF 20, it works double-duty to fight wrinkles and provide an extra layer of protection from the sun’s damaging rays.

Verdict: Double thumbs-up! This one is the crème de la crème.

Clinique All About Eyes

The key ingredient in is caffeine, so after a night of tossing and turning, it is quite literally a jolt of java for your eyes. Aside from decreasing puffiness, reducing dark circles, and canceling out wrinkles, its unslippery formula promises to keep makeup in place. It sounded like a miracle moisturizer, but, ever the skeptic, I was only cautiously optimistic. After two weeks of twice daily application, the area around my eyes is noticeably plumper, makeup applies smoother and does not slide. As for my stubborn dark circles, they have not budged a bit.

Verdict: I’ll keep up my twice-a-day routine until the 0.5 oz. sample runs out (the itsy-bitsy tube has lasted way longer than I would have imagined). Whether or not it gets to stick around will depend on how well it diminishes the discoloration.

Julep Konjac Face Sponge

In the world of beauty, charcoal is the new black, popping up in everything from toothpaste to sheet masks. With so much hype, I was curious to see if it was just another passing fad—RIP goji berry—or if it deserved a permanent place in my routine. The is made from the fibrous root of the konjac plant. The charcoal absorbs toxins and pollutants, while the unique texture buffs away impurities. After sticking it to my shower wall and using it religiously for two weeks, I just had one complaint: It’s not quite as coarse as my usual cleansing pads, which means it's not as good at sloughing away the dry flakes along my chin and brow bones.

Verdict: I’m wishy-washy for myself, but it’s a perfect stocking stuffer for the beauty junkies on my holiday list.

St. Tropez Self Tan Express Bronzing Mousse

From swearing off sunscreen to swearing by questionable spray tans, I committed countless beauty blunders in my salad days. In my mid-20s, I finally threw in the sunless tanning towel, leaving behind only a lingering scent memory of that inimitable offensive odor. Which is all to say I was more than trepidatious about returning to the fake tan fray. But this bronzing whip had an almost floral scent and left my skin sun-kissed and not one bit streaky.

Verdict: My desire to be tan has completely faded. Now that I feel comfortable in my own pale skin, I don’t see myself incorporating into my routine. But for anyone who does aspire to have a year-round summery glow, it's a pleasantly-scented slam dunk.

Supergoop Forever Young Hand Cream SPF 40

SPF and hydration go hand-in-hand when it comes to defending against the signs of aging. does both, instantly restoring moisture while fending off crepey-making UV rays. The fresh eucalyptus scent encouraged application. On the other hand (har har), I found the formula to be more greasy, less creamy. It also didn't exactly absorb quickly, so I'd wait to apply at night once I completely unplugged for the day.

Verdict: As I’m unwinding in front of the TV before bed, sure! While I’m writing a 2,000-word article on a deadline, absolutely not!

FragranceLock

is a finishing spray that slows the evaporation of your fragrance and gives it up to twelve hours of staying power. I spritz myself with Lanvin Rumeur every morning; for two weeks I followed up with a mist of FragranceLock. This is a product that means business. By the end of a full work day, my perfume was still going strong. Thankfully, my husband likes my perfume, because he noticed too.

Verdict: Yes, please! If anyone is wondering what to get me for the holidays, this would definitely put a smile on my face on Christmas morning.

Here's how Allure does party makeup: