New Beauty Test Tube is
a subscription box that used to be just a twice-a-year service, but now arrives every other month. For $29.95 plus shipping, you get a box with a big pink tube
(and often an extra bag of stuff that didn't fit in the tube) filled
with deluxe samples and a few full sized items as well as a copy of the
New Beauty magazine. It appears now that they're sending the magazine separately, so that you get
something from them monthly. Sadly, this may be my last month (for now at least) with NBTT due to holiday budgeting. Technically, I wouldn't be billed again till January, but I cancelled just in case so I can decide then.
 |
| Opening the box |
So, like always, I started with the little bonus bag. In my bonus bag, I had:
- A foil packet of
Eraclea Pure Hydration Serum/Zinc (<$1). This is supposed to be good to calm and hydrate irritated skin. A single foil packet won't tell me much, but my skin doesn't get irritated often anyway, so I probably won't get to try this soon.
- A foil packet of
Rodial Stem Cell Superfood Facial Oil (<$1). I almost see the name of this and think they're just using words that are "hot" now to get people to buy it. It contains antioxidants, vitamins A, B5, C, and E, and Phytocell Alp Rose designed to nourish, hydrate, protect, and reduce wrinkles in skin. I may give this a try. My biggest problem with it is that they advise using 2-3 drops for your whole face and that's kind of hard to accomplish with a FOIL PACKET!
- A good size sample bottle (1 oz vs the full size 3.5 oz) of
John Frieda Frizz Ease 3 Day Straight ($2.53). This uses keratin to keep your hair frizz free and straight. I do love to straighten my hair, so this is great for me! Yay!
 |
| Bonus bag products - Eraclea serum, John Frieda 3 Day Straight, and Rodial Face Oil |
My first real product didn't fit in the tube and was a pretty good size
Votivo Aromatic Travel Tin candle in the scent
Icy Blue Pine ($12). Not sure why they don't seem to be selling the travel tins in the scent I got. Anyway, it'd definitely piney smelling and it reminds me of Christmas, which I like, but I generally like my pine scents mixed with something else, otherwise it's just a bit too strong. The site does say it's a mix of "a potent powerful punch of prickly pine pleasure with the
underpinnings of sweet and spicy stripped cedar bark topped with merry
crumbles of crystallized, ice cubes", but really all I smell is pine. What are ice cubes suppose to smell like anyway? I may try this out in our family room when we put the tree up, since we use a fake tree and it's always nice to have a little bit of pine scent. Hopefully since our family room has a raised ceiling and is open to the kitchen (more room to fill with scent), it won't be too overpowering, but just right!
 |
| Votivo Icy Blue Pine Travel Tin |
Onto the tube!
 |
| Totally full! |
Unlike last month's tube, this month's tube was chock full. We got:
- A deluxe size sample of StriVectin-EV Get Even Brightening Serum ($52.35!!). When I say deluxe size, I mean 1 oz vs the full size 1.7 oz. This is a good size tube! And super expensive! As something I'd probably never buy on my own simply due to price, I'm super happy to get this in NBTT! This one thing is well over the price of the tube. Anyway, this is designed to combat uneven skin tone and age spots. I don't really have many/any (?) of those yet, but maybe it will brighten a regular skin tone as well?
 |
| StriVectin-EV Get Even Brightening Serum |
- Full size Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips ($2.50). This is new and doesn't appear to be on the US site yet, but is shown in a different tube on Amazon and the UK site (linked above). This is something I can definitely use. I like nice, simple lip stuff like this. It really didn't seem to have much of a color at all, but that's ok for me. Perhaps a little disappointing for someone who bought it so that it could give them a tint as advertised, though. I have to admit, I kind of wish I had gotten one of the special edition blinged out ones ($45) NBTT showed in their video and said 20 lucky subscribers would get!
 |
| Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips |
 |
| Blinged out special edition! |
- Deluxe size sample of Glo-Therapeutics Refresh Facial Polish ($14.12) - This is an exfoliator that is supposed to work without irritating your skin and contains mint oil to leave your face tingly. Sure, I'll try it!
 |
| Glo-Therapeutics Refresh Facial Polish |
- Sample tube of John Frieda Frizz-Ease Straight Fixation Smoothing Creme ($1.34). While not nearly full size like the other samples I've talked about so far, it's still a good enough size to try it out for more than one hair drying. Like the 3 Day Straight, this is designed to help reduce frizz and keep your hair straight. This also blocks humidity, which is big where I live! Thankfully, it isn't so bad this time of year, so I'm getting to straighten my hair more, but I think this would help even more to keep it straight even when it's still warm out (it was 85 degrees on Sunday. 85.).
 |
| John Frieda Frizz-Ease Straight Fixation Smoothing Creme |
- Full size Lumene Time Freeze Anti-Age CC Cream ($11.24 on Ulta's website). Everywhere I looked the packaging was different, so I'm not sure if this is very new or they just changed the packaging recently. Either way, this is a color correcting cream. According to Ulta's website, "it protects against the signs of aging with arctic Lingonberry, nourishes,
hydrates, covers imperfections, evens skin tone and illuminates all
while providing Broad Spectrum SPF 20 coverage from the sun.". I got the color Light and it seems to be a pretty good match. I may try this one out to see if it beats my Loreal BB cream.
 |
| Lumene Time Freeze Anti-Age CC Cream |
 |
| Molton Brown Pink Pepperpod Nourishing Body Lotion |
- Full size Camille Beckman Morelia Monarch Glycerine Hand Therapy ($4.99). I'm a bit unsure of the description of the scent of this - "Mandarin Green Tea, Sensuous Amber and Vanilla Orchid". Green tea and amber aren't really my go to scents and I'm not sure if vanilla orchid smells floral or vanilla (I do like vanilla). I'm just not sure I want to open this when I'm not sure I'll like the scent. It does sound moisturizing though. I do think a few different varieties went out - I've seen Midnight Monarch (Jasmine Tea, Bergamot, Orange Orchid Nectar, Damask Rose, Midnight Patchouli and Vanilla Amber) as well as French Vanilla (no big long scent list here). I really would've preferred the French Vanilla.
 |
| Camille Beckman Morelia Monarch Glycerine Hand Therapy |
- A duo of travel size Dove Daily Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner ($0.73 for the set based on Amazon prices). Not the most expensive set of samples, but useful nonetheless. I'll definitely stick these in my travel bag. As useful as they are, I do sort of wish they had not included this set. I'd rather see a new brand I'm unfamiliar with. Even at the same value.
 |
| Dove Daily Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner (they came in that little organza baggie) |
 |
| November 2013 New Beauty Test Tube (bonus bag not pictured, whoops) |
I'm pretty happy with this tube. Lots of new stuff to try, and a great value at $116.66! I'm a little sad to let this sub go...It was one of the pricier ones though and if I have to choose, I'd rather keep the ones that have more makeup and polish. Maybe I'll resubscribe next year though - my birthday is in early January (when the next tube is out!) after all! :) What did you think of this month's products? Did you get anything different?
(And just a disclaimer: I bought this box myself and was not compensated for this review in any way. All opinions are my own.)
No comments:
Post a Comment