Allure and Beautybar.com launch Sample Society

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Allure magazine and Beautybar.com just made it possible to peruse and try your favorite products, without the fear of getting showered with a heady perfume by the woman trailing you at the cosmetics counter.

In fact, much like most of our bricks and mortar shopping these days, you may not ever have to leave your couch again when wanting to sample a new eye cream or smell the latest perfume from your favorite fashion house. Sample Society, launched this week, is a members-only subscription service that gives shoppers access to samples of hair care, makeup, skin care and fragrance products as well as a ‘mini issue’ of Allure magazine each month.

The subscription ($15 a month) gets you five deluxe-size (translation: there’s enough in there for more than just one use) samples from brands like Frederic Fekkai, By Terry and Bond No.9. And each month there’s also a gift code for $15 to use toward the purchase of any product from the month’s featured brand.Tips and advice about the products from Allure editors is also included.

“Given the thousands of beauty products that are introduced each year, sampling just makes sense,� says Linda Wells, editor in chief of Allure. “Who can really buy all those products? Who has the time to try them all?

Hopefully smaller sized portions will make the process less overwhelming. At least you won’t come out of it smelling of a powdery, headache-inducing perfume.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

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