Tag Archives: testtube

July TestTube

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Here’s the deal.  TestTube is a beauty subscription that only comes every three months as opposed to every month and instead of breaking up the payments of around $10/month, you are charged close to $40 every quarter.  To me, those things are cons, but the benefits far exceed them all.  They provide the most information about the products, the most samples and many of them full size.  I’m continually finding they introduce me to new brands and products I probably wouldn’t buy, but should because they are great quality.  I always do my reviews starting with my favorites and counting down to the one I liked the least, but I genuinely enjoyed each of these things as opposed to every other beauty subscription where I have at least one or two I don’t like at all.
July TestTube: (in order of my favorite to least favorite)

Mally High Shine Liquid Lipstick in Orchid $19/.12 fl oz (received full size):  I’m partial to lip color, and the fact that I don’t own many in the lilac family, I was thrilled to receive the full size of the Mally gloss.  Mally is a brand that’s kind of blowing up… and for good reason.  The company was started by celebrity makeup artist Mally Roncal.  This particular product claims to be a primer, gloss and liner in one tube and I have to say – it’s super long lasting, not sticky and the colors are amazing!  **Note: this is a subtle light purple/pink color.  Some of the other shades would be more dramatic depending on what you’re looking for.

Olay Pro-X-Clear Complexion Renewing Lotion $30.99/2.5 fl oz clarifying cleanser, 1.7 fl oz skin clearing treatment and 1.7 fl oz complexion renewing lotion (received .24 fl oz):  When you sign up for TestTube, you fill out a survey that personalizes your samples, so you get products to go with your hair color and skin type, but sometimes I swear they’re reading my mind.  Because this Summer has been particularly busy and has come with its share of stresses, my skin has felt the brunt of it.  I’m currently tackling some pesty zits that ironically tend to show up at the very worst times.  This was the only product I’ve tried over the last couple weeks that hasn’t burned, but seemed to have moisturize and tone down the redness.  I definitely would buy this full size!

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Serum $15.14/1 fl oz (received full size):  First of all, this product smells great.  I’m very particular about scents.  There’s nothing worse than something smelling artificial or overbearing, but I’m always pleasantly surprised when something is refreshing.  I’ve been using it under my moisturizer and it feels great going on.  I’m making an effort to take better care of my skin, preventative care included, so I enjoyed adding this product to my daily routine.

Lumene Time Freeze Firming Night Cream $21.99/1.7 fl oz (received .5 fl oz):  When it comes to a firming lotion or mask, I like to actually feel it working.  When I’m leaving something on for 20 minutes, I like it to stiffen up and really work on my pores, but when it’s a cream I leave on overnight, a happy medium between barely there and super charged tightening is key.  I like that this cream has a substantial weight, adds tons of moisture to my skin and doesn’t fade within minutes of applying it.

It’s a 10 Miracle Leave In Product $17.99/4 fl oz (received 2 fl oz):  I’ve used a few It’s a 10 products in the past and have not been overly impressed, I’m all for a good frizz fighting detangler.  It definitely helped with knots, but I’ve found other similar products are more effective in the frizz department.  I think this would be great for someone with hair that knotted easily, but didn’t have as thick hair as me.  I’m using this in my dream life – beachy waves and slight tangles because I just surfed all morning and need a quick comb through before I head to my successful studio… if that’s your life… this product is for you and also – please be my friend.

Neutrogena Brightening Eye Perfector in Light $11.19/4.9 g (received full size):  The color is a bit off on this one for my skin (maybe that’s why I didn’t absolutely love it), but the coverage is good.  I don’t have particularly dark eyes or circles, so it’s never been a really important product for me, but for someone that does, I think it would definitely help.  The key to this is to start with only a little of it – it’s easy to layer too much on and look cakey.

Hydroxatone Instant Effect 90 Second Wrinkle Reducer On The Go Singles $44.95/15 packets (received full size):  I’ll admit, part of the reason for the low rating is because the packages are practically child locked (or I’m just weak), but it’s a pet peeve of mine when packaging is hard to open… especially for daily singles!  It definitely does tighten, which is great, but it’s also a bit sticky.

 

May Beauty Box 5 Review

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This month’s Beauty Box 5 was not my favorite.  So far, Birchbox and Testtube are front runners in my opinion, but it was still fun to try out some new products.

Tree Hut Brazilian Nut Shea Body Butter in Hawaiian Kukui $15/3 7 oz bottles (received 2 oz):  This is ok.  It contains lot of beneficial vitamins and is a nice consistency, but the smell isn’t my favorite.  It’s a bit pungent.  It leaves skin feeling nourished, however, so I’ll probably keep use it a few times, but do not plan on buying the full size version.

Evie Evan Purity Masque $10/.5 oz (received full size):  I was really curious about this one because even though I don’t use mask’s regularly, I’ve been looking for a good one.  The problem is (and I know this sounds crazy) sometimes I get really claustrophobic with these things.  As it starts to tighten, I swear to you I begin to panic and have to talk myself out of jumping in the shower.  This product is TIGHT.  It literally pulls your face if you make any kind of expression.  On the other hand, after I made it through the required 10 minutes, I rinsed it off to find smooth skin with visibly reduced pore sizes.  It did make my face a little dry though.  Overall, not bad.  Not sure it’s exactly what I’m looking for.

Comodynes Self-Tanning Natural & Uniform Color Towelette $9.75/8 pack (received 1):  Very similar to Tan Towels, which I LOVE.  This one worked really well and was easy to use.  I would definitely buy this again.

It’s A 10 Miracle Hair Mask $23/8 oz (received 1 small packet):  I was pleasantly surprised with this one.  I tried it after shampooing and left it in for about five minutes.  It promises to detangle and it definitely delivers.  My hair felt fresh, smooth and shiny after one use.  Best of all – combing out my typical knotted mane was a breeze!  Good find.

It’s A 10 Miracle Styling Serum $18.70/4 oz (received 1 small packet):  I used this gel on both wet and dry hair.  The good part is that it didn’t come out crunchy or sticky, which is what I was worried about.  The bad part – it didn’t really do anything at all.  Nothing noticeable happened besides maybe minor frizz control.  It’s not something I’d buy.

Merlot Grape Seed Moisturizer $16/4 oz (received 3 1 time use packets):  The main benefit of this product is reducing the signs of aging.  I used it for a couple days and felt it was ok, but not great.  It wasn’t very nourishing as my skin still felt a bit dry after using it.  I think there are better anti-aging creams on the market.

April TestTube!

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My April TestTube arrived last week and I’m pleasantly surprised.  Unlike most beauty mailers, this one only comes once every three months and promises bigger and often times better products.

Photo left to right: TestTube box, the actual TestTube!

What came inside/reviews:

Top left: New Beauty Magazine – The Makeover Issue $5.50 or $29.95 for 4 issue subscription.  I like this magazine – good product reviews, but focuses a lot on Doctor’s and the medical side of beauty, which isn’t totally my thing…yet?  I would buy it for the product reviews though.

Top right: $50 giftcard, $25 giftcard and $10 giftcard to SpaLook.com!  UM, this pretty much made the purchase worth it.

Bottom left: Olay Regenerist Wrinkle Revolution Complex $10.88/1.7 fl oz (received .23 fl oz) – I found this product useful.  I really have no complaints, but also didn’t notice anything that noticeably changed after using it for about a week.  I probably would not buy this full size.

Bottom right: dr. brandt Signature Flexitone BB Cream $39/1 oz (received .25 fl oz) – I loved this.  It has SPF 30, provides mild coverage as it matches skin tones and prevents aging.  I like face creams that give me the option to go out after only applying the one product or can be easily layered with other foundations/makeup and this is just that.

Top left: Memoire Liquide Amour Liquide Eau de Parfum $95/1.7 fl oz (received .03 fl oz), Memoire Liquide Soleil Liquide Eau de Parfum $61.80/1.7 fl oz (received .03 fl oz), Memoire Liquide Encens Liquide Creme de la Creme $24/5.1 fl oz (received full size)  – I’m very picky when it comes to perfume.  The Amour is made with pure Madagascar vanilla, tonka bean and incense, but the vanilla overwhelmingly comes through, which was too strong for me.  The Soleil was a little sweet.  It’s made with fresh grapefruit, tangerine, blood orange and neroli flowers, which give it a loud scent.  I wouldn’t buy these.  The Encens Cream got great reviews among other TestTuber’s and while I have to admit the lotion feels great when you put it on, I’m not a fan of the smell on this one either.  Its scent is a bit oily and even a little old.  As someone who likes my products to smell fresh, I wouldn’t buy this again.

Top right: Perlier Lily of the Valley Body Cream $10.50/5.2 fl oz (received 1 fl oz) – I liked this, but was not blown away.  The smell is light, the cream feels good, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to find the full size.

Bottom left: Skinceuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 $32/1.7 fl oz – I only received a very little of this, but would definitely buy it for my face.  I wouldn’t use it every day, but definitely on vacations where I don’t want to wear makeup.  I like a little extra coverage on my face, so SPF 50 does the trick and it has a nice tint to make you look like effortless, but not completely bare.

Bottom right: NeoStrata Cellular Restoration $79/1.75 fl oz (received .5 fl oz) – I’m not sure I would spent close to $80 on another one of these, but I did like it.  I skin felt nourished after using this and although I didn’t see a drastic difference in my skin after use, it felt good and was easy to layer.

Top left: Skinceuticals C E Ferulic $146/1 fl oz – This is made for people with dry and sensitive skin, which is definitely me so I was excited to test it out.  Sun protection is also important to me, so once I learned about what this product is for – maximizing sun protection – I was definitely intrigued.  I REALLY like this serum.  It’s not something I every thought to use, but my skin felt protected, rejuvenated and awake.

Top right: Moroccan Oil Frizz Control $32/3.4 fl oz (received full size) – This may have been my favorite product in the TestTube.  As you may know by now, I have unruly curls and am constantly battling frizz.  I use this after I shower and brush out my hair, before I blowdry (if I’m even blowdrying at all!).  It definitely controls fly-aways and makes hair really shiny.

Bottom left: YBF Eyeliner in Plum Noir $8.99 on ebay (received full size) – This eyeliner has a sharpener as a cap, so that’s a plus, but the color is a bit odd.  It’s a bright plum that doesn’t flatter my skin tone.  I’ve actually been using it as lip liner!  It goes on nice and if used with primer, stays put!

Bottom right: Mally Eye Shadow Stick in Platinum $25 (received full size) – The shadow stick is an idea I like because it gives you a lot of control.  This one in particular is decent.  It goes on a pit sticky (I don’t like feeling like I have something on my eye) and I’m definitely not a fan of the color, which is a silver/blue.  I probably would use this if it were in the gold/brown family, but I don’t think I’d spend $25 to get one.

 

Beauty Buff’s Beware…

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…because you are about to add an expense to your monthly budget.  I have found something so exciting for Beauty lovers that if even 1 of you do not know about it, this post will be worth it.  I had heard of Beauty Subscriptions, but for whatever (insane) reason, I was frustrated that they are mostly popular/available abroad.  It was hard to find any I was interested in that shipped within the U.S.  The idea behind them is to pay roughly $10-15/month (normally) or $25-40 every three months and have 3-5 samples of a new product sent to your home once a month.

I love getting packages and when I see mail that is not a bill, it’s like a little thrill, so this for me is like a pint sized Christmas I get to experience every 30 days.  Not only is it great because you can try a huge variety of products (some of which you’d probably not try if you had to buy the full size), but also because I’ve found you can actually spend less money on hair/beauty supplies by subscribing to one or two.  So far, I have only tried BeautyBox 5 (most of the good providers either are still working on shipping to the U.S. or have a wait list, so sign up for as many as you are interested in and then pick the ones you want when they are able to accommodate your orders).  Although I am definitely still a fan, I initially didn’t customize my order (they have options to put in your hair/eye color, skin type, etc) to see what their standard shipment was, but I think this was a mistake.  My first shipment was very much geared towards “anyone’s” features and I think I’d prefer something more particular to me, so I’ve since changed my profile.  That being said, it’s still a really fun service and something I am really excited about for $12/month or $30/3 months.

My First BeautyBox 5 Shipment:

Left Picture (top, bottom): side of BeautyBox 5 shipment, box opened up with samples in a bag

Right Picture (top row left to right, bottom row left to right): Freeman Pink Grapefruit Facial Exfoliating Scrub ($3.99/bottle), Pur-Lisse Essential Daily Moisturizer ($55/1.7 oz), La Fresh Waterproof Makeup Remover Wipe ($9.99/24 wipes), BeautyBox 5 Card, Doctor T’s Supergoop! Sunscreen Swipe ($34/40 swipes), True Natural Advanced Lift and Firm Serum ($69/.5 fl oz)

Overall, I was hoping there would be more makeup samples, as opposed to this one, which was focused more on skin care, but I was surprised that I enjoyed these products more than I thought I would.  Also, now that I’ve customized my profile, I have a feeling the samples will get more diverse and there are certainly other subscribers that focus 100% on makeup/nails, etc.  I did a brief synopsis of each product below, but considering had I bought all these products at a store the total would be $171.89, I can see why people are so crazy about these monthly indulgences!

Freeman Pink Grapefruit Exfoliating Scrub:  Very vibrant fragrance!  I would definitely buy this to use for an early morning to wake me up.  The scrub is hearty enough to make me feel like it is getting rid of dead skin, but not too abrasive, which I like.

Pur-Lisse Essential Daily Moisturizer:  My skin feels really healthy after I apply it and it is extremely light, but you can definitely smell the SPF in it.  It has an SPF 30 (which is a total plus!) but it does appear a bit greasy like I’m putting on straight sun-tan lotion.  I would use this on vacation, but don’t see myself buying it for everyday.

La Fresh Waterproof Makeup Remover Wipe:  I love makeup remover wipes and use them all the time, but I normally buy the cheap grocery store brand or for a few extra dollars, Neutrogena.  They are ceratinly more effective than the store brand’s and leave my face feeling fresh.  I still have to rub my eye a few times to get all the makeup off, but can accomplish it with one wipe.  They’re pretty much on par with Neutrogena for me.

Doctor T’s Supergoop! Sunscreen Swipe:  I really liked this sample.  I’m fair skinned, so sun protection is important to me (even though it should be important to all of us!).  Personally, I would still use a lotion on my face, but would absolutely buy a pack of these for the Summer to protect my body from the Sun.  They’re easy to use, no fuss and I managed to get through a pool day without a burn while using the swipe.

True Natural Advanced Lift and Firm Serum:  This one was my favorite.  I’m starting to get into preventative tactics to keep my skin (especially my face) firm.  What I liked most about this product is that you can actually feel it working.  I applied a small amount and within 15 seconds I felt like I had put on a light mask.  It’s not too tight where you feel like you can’t make facial expressions, but more-so just a hint of resistance to make you feel it is effective.  It also made my skin really soft after I followed it with moisturizer.

Other Beauty Box Providers I’m Excited About:

BirchBox ($10/month, some brands include Nars, Stila, Kiehls, has a subscriber for Men, currently has a wait-list)

Julep ($19.99/month, formaldehyde free nail polish/products, available right now)

MyGlam ($10/month, some brands include Urban Decay, Tarte, NYX, currently has a wait-list)

GlossyBox ($?/month- not available yet, some brands include O.P.I., Bobbi Brown, Chloe, Shu Uemura, coming soon to the U.S.)

TestTube ($29.95 + shipping/quarter gets you four shipments of bigger products- usually 6 full size products + a magazine, some brands include Korres, Moroccan Oil, Smashbox, available right now)

Glymm ($?/month- not available yet, some brands include Butter, Anastasia, YSL, coming soon to the U.S.)

LooseButton ($12/month, some brands include Dermalogica, Benefit, Laura Mercier, currently has a wait-list)

BeautyArmy ($12/month, some brands include StriVectin, RapidLash, Joico, currently has a wait-list)

A Couple Gift Sets for Men:

HisKit ($12/month, has samples of grooming products, tech stuff, small wardrobe staples like socks, etc, currently has a wait-list)

MaleBox (coming soon, sign up to be notified when they are available to ship)

And One for Dog’s Too:

BarkBox ($25/month, usually comes with a toy, treats, fun product like printed doggie bags and shampoo, available right now)

*Know that there are many more of these (all kinds too) available to the public, but after doing a lot of research, I’ve found these work with the best products.  It is definitely worth keeping your eyes out though.

*Photos taken from websites