The phenomenological theory of ref lectance anisotropy (RA) from the low-index faces of cubic media is revised. This revision is necessary as the result of recent studies of Svirko and Zheludev [Opt. Lett. 20, 1809 (1995)], who showed that the interaction of an electromagnetic wave with a noncentrosymmetric medium does not have to obey time-reversal symmetry. For noncentrosymmetric media a hitherto neglected bulk quadrupolar RA contribution therefore exists that typically can be expected to be comparable with the surface RA response. This contribution complicates the interpretation of RA data from all faces of cubic noncentrosymmetric media and can be measured in isolation on the (111) face.