Unboxing & Mini-Review: Pamper Me Pretty Collection by Total Beauty

Press Sample

As promised, today I'd like to show you the contents of the Pamper Me Pretty Collection by Total Beauty. Hopefully this post can help you determine whether this might be a worthy purchase for you (or perhaps as a holiday present for a friend or loved one).

The Pamper Me Pretty Collection by Total Beauty retails for $25 with free shipping on the Total Beauty website, but I've got an exclusive promo code for Nouveau Cheap readers, which will bring your total down to just $21.25(with free shipping)! More on that at the end of this post.

But first, let's take a closer look at the collection, which I received from Total Beauty:

 

 Pamper Me Pretty Collection by Total Beauty

(retail: $25 + free shipping; $21.25 + free shipping for Nouveau Cheap readers)

Let's take this item by item:

Astara Activated Antioxidant Infusion

(deluxe sample - $20 value)

The full-size 2 oz version of this product retails for $80 on the Astara website. This is a "repair cream" that you apply before your normal moisturizer. I have only used this product twice so far, but I can tell you that, several years ago, I purchased the Astara Blue Flame Oil Free Moisturizer and I absolutely loved it. So if you have been curious about Astara, this could be a nice way to try one of their products before committing to a full-size purchase. 

A little dab on my finger was all I need for my entire face so, considering that this is a generous sample pot, I'm guessing that you could get at least a dozen uses from this sample (probably more). This product has a light, gel-like consistency and it absorbs into the skin very quickly. It leaves my skin feeling very soft, with absolutely no greasy or sticky residue. By the way, this product smells wonderful--it has a light, herbal fragrance with hints of lavender.

 Elaina Badro Synthetic Angled Liner Brush

(full-size - $12 value)

Elaina Badro is a celebrity and high fashion makeup artist who also has her own line of makeup brushes. I received the full-size Synthetic Angled Liner brush which retails for $12, but please note that you may receive this brush OR the Angled Brow Brush ($13)  in your package.

The bristles on this brush are very soft, yet the brush itself is firm enough to create a precise line. I have only used this brush twice so far, but I didn't lose any bristles during washing, and I enjoyed using it. I felt like I had a lot of control when applying my gel liner--it's an easy-to-use brush.

Vapor Mini Vernissage 3-Free Nail Lacquer in Captive

(mini 0.25 oz bottle - $12 value)

The Vapor Vernissage mini polishes retail for $12 on the Vapor website. I received the shade Captive, but please note that you may receive Captive, Ether, Virtue or Scandal in your box. 

Captive is a very vampy, deep brownish-red:

Two coats of Captive, no top coat

Looking at these photos, I could have used a third coat since you can see some streaks after two coats. In real life, the streaks are not as noticeable (which is why I stopped at two coats). The formula on this jelly-creme is easy to work with--not too thick, not too thin. Dry time was great as well. By the time I was done applying this polish to my last finger, my first finger was completely dry. This polish dries to a nice, shiny finish (even shinier than my photo illustrates).

 100% Pure Purity Cleanser + Mask (deluxe sample - $3 value)

skiin Instant Skin Tightener & Line Filler (full size - $39.95 value)

 100% Pure Purity Cleanser + Mask 

I have not used the 100% Pure Purity Cleanser + Mask yet, but this can be used either has a facial cleanser OR as a facial mask. Judging by the size of the tube, I'm guessing you could get 2-3 uses if you only used it as a cleanser, and probably 1-2 uses if you used it as a facial mask.

I squeezed a tiny bit onto my hand and this product has an opaque olive-green color to it (it looks more like a traditional facial mask than a cleanser) and it's nice and thick. It has a mild, natural, minty fragrance.

 skiin Instant Skin Tightener & Line Filler

This is a full-size tube (0.5 oz). The Instant Skin Tightener & Line Filler retails for $39.95 on the skiin website. I have not tried this product on my face, but I squeeze a bit onto the back of my hand. This product is pink and has a light, gel-like consistency. When I smoothed it across the back of my hand, the little fine lines on my hand look significantly less noticeable within just a minute or two. This product made my skin feel extremely smooth. with a light, powdery feel. My skin also had a slight "tight" feeling to it.  The scent is very subtle with a "clean" note.

BONUS PRODUCT:

 St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub

(full size - $4 value)

This scrub retails for about $3.99 just about everywhere. As longtime readers know, I love St. Ives and my favorite facial scrub of all time is the St. Ives Green Tea Scrub. If you already use St. Ives Apricot Scrub, you'll be happy to have another back-up tube. I personally like to use this scrub on my hands and feet, since I prefer the St. Ives Green Tea Scrub for my face.

Is it worth it? I hope that this unboxing/mini-review can help you to determine that answer for yourself. For me personally, it is worth $21.25 + free shipping. I was already a fan of Astara and am happy to have a deluxe sample of something else from that brand, I've always wanted to try some skincare from 100% Pure, I think my mom will enjoy trying the skiin line filler, and I've always wanted to try a Vapor nail polish. Plus, the full-size liner brush has worked nicely for me so far and I can always use a good liner brush. The bonus full-size St. Ives Apricot Scrub is something I already use for my hands and feet, so that's truly a useful bonus. Considering that the Astara sample is basically the price of the entire set, I think this collection is a very nice value.

As I mentioned earlier, the Pamper Me Pretty Collection by Total Beauty retails $25 with FREE SHIPPING on the Total Beauty website, BUT Nouveau Cheap readers will pay even less:

Use Promo Code: NOUVEAUPAMPER for 15% OFF all in stock collections until 12/31/13

So instead of $25, you'll pay $21.25 + FREE SHIPPING for the Pamper Me Pretty Collection by Total Beauty. Click here for more info or to order.

One more thing: you can use the promo code above for any of the other collections in the Total Beauty Shops, in case anything catches your eye!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.Blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews. For more information, click here.