I know that February has been a slow month here at Subscription Therapy. I’ve been dealing with work deadlines, a few illnesses and a wonky digital camera. But I have tons of new boxes to share with you so March should get us right back into our groove. The first new box is from New Beauty Test Tube who graciously sent me a box to review. (Follow my link for 30% off your subscription.)
I’d seen a lot of other bloggers talk about this box so I was very excited to try it out for myself.
“TestTube is an exclusive, one-of-a-kind sampling program enabling members the opportunity to try a variety of the latest breakthrough beauty products before investing in them, and then share their feedback about the products. Six times a year, for just $29.95 (plus shipping and handling), subscribers receive a TestTube filled with deluxe and full-size products from the hottest beauty brands. Members will also receive a subscription to NewBeauty magazine, delivered quarterly.”
So inside the cheerful pink box is an actual tube and a product insert.
Tell me I’m not alone in being a sucker for packaging? I love the pretty design on this and I know the colorful cardboard tube is going to be turned into something crafty.
But enough with my toddler like fascination for actual cardboard boxes, let’s see what’s inside this bad boy.
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (.45 oz)
(Deluxe Sample Value: approx.: $8.97 Full Size 2.6 fl oz: $52.00)
Description: “Rejuvenate your complexion with this gentle exfoliating powder that activates the second it touches water. Thanks to salicylic acid and rice enzymes, this top-selling microfoliant rids skin of dead cells and perfectly polishes any and all skin conditions.
Verdict: Like
Dermalogica is a high end skin care brand that I’ve actually tried out in a spa before. I know a ton of people that swear by it, especially those with skin allergies. I exfoliate regularly so this will definitely get used.
Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk (1 oz)
(Deluxe Sample Value: approx.: $5.94; Full Size 3.2 oz: $19.50)
Description: “Whether you have superthick or ultrafine hair, extend and refresh the life of your blowouts with this instant dry shampoo that revives lifeless, oil locks in less than two minutes.”
Verdict: Hit!
I have oily roots and when you couple that with constantly wearing knit hats (thank you Old Man Winter) my scalp is an oil slick. Klorane is one of the few dry shampoo brands that I have yet to try so I’m happy to find this item in the box.
Eraclea Ever-Moist Lip Balm (.35 fl oz)
(Full Size 4 oz: $16.00)
Description: “Thanks to a high concentration of emollient ingredients, dry, distressed lips don’t stand a chance against this moisturizing lip treatment.”
Verdict: Like
This winter you really can’t hoard enough lip balms. This brand is completely new to me so I’m interested to see how it stacks up against the other balms I’ve tried. This is listed as a full size product on the New Beauty insert, but a full size is listed as 4 oz while my tube says 3.5 oz. It does appear to be a quite large for a balm so I’ll consider this one as “full size”. The scent is sweet, almost like a fruity cotton candy and it goes on easily. It’s not at all goopy or sticky and the consistency was near perfect. I found that it hydrated my lips quite well. The only thing I don’t really like about this product is the look of the packaging. It feels a bit too clinical for my taste (which made the sweet fun scent all the more surprising). I’m not sure I’d pay $16 for this, but I really do like it.
Chi Argan Oil Plus Moringa Oil (3 oz)
(Full Size 3 oz: $22.00)
Description: “Create healthier hair with this lightweight moisturizing oil that also doubles as a protectant against thermal styling and UV rays.”
Verdict: Like
Hair oils have been on trend for a while now and they are a great way to combat dry hair due to things like heat styling. Chi is a well known brand for hair tools and products and this is a full size so the value is there. I don’t heat style my hair too frequently but I’ve been growing my hair out so I’ll use this on the tips to keep split ends at bay.
Balanced Guru No Frizz Oil (.5 oz)
(Deluxe Sample Value: approx.: $13.00; Full Size 1 oz: $25.00)
Description: “Reduce frizz and add shine for more manageable hair with just a couple of drops of this silicone-free oil. No matter the climate, you can finally fight frizz—for good.”
Verdict: Hmm, why another oil?
So this is an new brand for me, and according to their company blurb they are certified organic, cruelty-free and environmentally sustainable. Now this hair oil is used to fight frizz. The New Beauty folks must think we all have super dry hair, because this is our 2nd hair oil in the same box. The Chi is full sized and this product is actually pretty generously sized as well and sells for $13 on its own. The item is nice, but I think it would have been better to include something different and perhaps move one of the oils to another mailing.
Color Club Dry Ice Drops (.5 oz)
(Full Size .5 oz: $11.00)
Description: “These fast-drying formulas dry your polish faster than ever before for your shiniest nails yet. Whether used together or applied separately, your fingernails will thank you.”
Verdict: Love!
This is another full size item and while I’ve tried Color Club polish before I’ve never tried any of their standard manicure products like topcoats or drying drops. I think drying drops are a great addition to the box since I know a lot of women who aren’t familiar with them, but are amazed at how much easier their manicures go once they finally do try them.
Now these next two products weren’t listed on the insert, so I’m guessing they vary from subscriber to subscriber.
YBF Plum Noir Eye Liner
(Full Size: ???)
Description: “Your plum noir eye liner is the perfect deep plum hue! You will love the built in sharpener cap too!
Verdict: Miss
To start I couldn’t find this eyeliner available for sale on its own, so I have no idea how to estimate the value. The only place I could find it was inside YBF’s “sultry eyes & lips collection”. I have a highlighter from YBF that I use regularly so I’m familiar with the brand and I do like their products. The good points for this eyeliner were that it went on smoothly and didn’t smear. Unfortunately the color is not plum noir, this color is purplish red. As a pale redhead this will make me look like I’m possessed by a demon, or at the very least like I have pink eye. The only folks that I think could potentially pull off this shade would be those with a darker complexion, and even then I’m not convinced. I’m going to try to pass this along to a friend because it’s a nice formula with a built in sharpener, but I’m not sure anyone could pull off this color.
Algenist Firming & Lifting Cream (.5 oz)
(Deluxe Sample Value: approx.: $23.50; Full Size 2 oz: $94.00)
Description: “An ultra-firming and restructuring cream that tightens and lifts while reinforcing skin structure.”
Verdict: Love!
Algenist is a brand I’ve seen around and never tried because it’s pretty pricey. I can always use a little extra “firming and lifting” so I’m excited to try this one out. The deluxe sample is quite generous and I think there is definitely enough product for me to get an accurate idea of how it will work for my skin.
OVERALL
Verdict: Hit!
So I got this box for free, but it would normally cost $29.95 plus shipping. Not including the YBF liner that I couldn’t find a price for, we received $100.41 worth of product. The box included four full size items and four generously sized deluxe samples. Except for the liner in the crazy shade, all the items were super practical and something I think most women could use in their beauty regimes. This box feels a bit more mature and I think it will appeal to a lot of ladies in the 30+ group that maybe aren’t so keen on getting items like body glitter and neon polish in their beauty boxes. Beauty Test Tube seems to be focused more on the practical beauty finds rather then the uber trendy.
Besides the color of the liner and the fact that this one box included two hair oils, I had no other problems with it. Because I have so much volume in beauty products, I probably won’t subscribe to this regularly, however it’s definitely on my list if I opt to cancel some of my other beauty subs.
If you like Birchbox but maybe aren’t interested in super small samples or are overwhelmed with a monthly box, this might be a good option for you. While the cost is a bit higher than Birchbox or Ipsy, you are getting a lot more product and it’s arriving every 2 months, instead of monthly.
Have you ever tried New Beauty Test Tube? If so, what did you think?
NEWS!
I just got the scoop from New Test Tube Beauty that they are offering new subscribers 30% off! Just use my link to pay only $20.95 per tube!
THE BACKSTORY
Six times a year, subscribers receive a TestTube filled with deluxe and full-size products from the hottest beauty brands. Members will also receive a subscription to NewBeauty magazine, delivered quarterly. TestTube subscribers receive video emails, demonstrating how to achieve optimal results with the products. With 25,000 subscribers, TestTube has built an unprecedented community of beauty enthusiasts and informed women who sample and share their product favorites.
Cost: 29.95 plus shipping and handling per box
Special Deal! For a limited time use my link to pay only $20.95 per tube!
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Lisa Preziosi 