The 3B Box November 2015 Asian Beauty Subscription Box Review

The 3B Box sends boxes of beauty products from Japan, Korea and Taiwan right to your door. You'll get deluxe size samples and sometimes full size products. It's been a lot of fun and I've appreciated the brands they include a lot. It's also really reasonably priced so it's hard to let go of.

I think this is a great subscription for those who love Asian skincare. There are occasional makeup items but the emphasis is definitely on introducing you to the intricacies of the Asian skincare routine. Subscribe long enough and you'll have all ten steps and then some!

The Cost: $12/month

What You Get: 4-5 beauty samples with some full size items from the best and most popular Asian brands.

Hada Labo Tokyo Skin Plumping Gel Cream- This is a Japanese brand that is gaining good traction in the US. They have some really great moisturizers and tend to use effective ingredients. This is a "gel cream" which is not quite a gel and not quite a lotion. It's an  opaque gel with a thickish consistency. It uses their "Super Hyaluronic Acid" which is 3 different forms of Hyaluronic Acid (the HA molecule can be broken down to a very small size, increasing it's effectiveness at penetrating the deeper layers of the skin). It took some massaging to sink in but left my skin incredibly smooth. I actually like it a lot.

A'Pieu Nonco Tea Tree Spot Patch- This is something you use at night. It's for clearing up blemishes and is infused with tea tree oil. There are 12 patches in this little packet so you'll have plenty of chances to decide if it works or not!

RA & Gowoori Whitening UV Sun Cream- It's a little late for sunscreen (for me, anyway) but you should always be wearing an SPF, even if it's in your regular foundation or moisturizer. This uses titanium dioxide and you can wear it as a makeup base. The main takeaway is always wear your sunscreen no matter what time of year it is. The sun's rays on your skin is a HUGE (probably the number one) cause of wrinkles. You'll find sunscreen in pretty much all Asian foundations and BB creams because it is a big, big deal.

Etude House Real Art Cleansing Oil Moisture- This is made with coconut and argan oils. Which I think if you are acne prone, coconut oil is a trigger? I can't remember. I'm not acne prone but I am going through a phase of testing cleansing oils to find my favorite so I'll add this to my list.
Oil cleansers are to be used as a first step. It's for removing your makeup after a long day. You rub it onto your dry skin, massage a little, add a little water, massage a little more and rinse. Follow with a regular facial cleanser. Cleansing oils will get the most stubborn make up off. I like them a lot. Try it! I know it can be scary to use an oil on your face because it seems counter-intuitive but trust me.

Secret Key Starting Treatment Essence- I love this stuff! Have you heard of the super expensive SK-II and their "Pitera" essence? Well, this is the same thing but far more affordable. The Pitera is just another name for galactomyces ferment filtrate. That's fermented mushrooms. That ingredient is supposed to be super great for sensitive and troubled skin along with being a great hydrator. I don't have any right now because I used mine up and I'm trying a few new ones but this is something I use as a toner or after a toner but before my serums. Depends on how I feel. I like it, though, and not paying SK-II prices is a win.

VERDICT: I really thought this was a great month for 3B! This is a perfect box for a skincare beginner or someone whose just started dabbling in the world of kbeauty. It sends respected brands, all types of products and sometimes more obscure brands as well.

If you would like to sign up for 3B Box, you can do that here. They've been operating on a waitlist but it looks like the waitlist has been moving fairly quickly lately, which is good. Once you're off the waitlist, you'll be given the opportunity to sign up for real so don't delete the email!