The A-True starter kit is a great place to start for anyone on a budget looking for an introduction to A-True's high-end products. As the average cost (~35-40USD) is definitely beyond my budget to try casually, I was excited at the opportunity to try a wide variety of products at a high-end price point for relatively cheaply. In the interests of time and fairness, I won't review each product, but will note overall standouts.

The good:

- Lots of care taken in the packaging. The tea gives the aluminum tin a nice scent, and the tins themselves are sturdy and more suited to a tea company than a set of cosmetics samples, echoing the products' mission statement. I didn't run into a single product that was greasy, smelly, or aesthetically unpleasant.

- Moisturizers - All seemed to be about equal for my (very dry) skin, but the scent and packaging were pleasant, and I didn't have any adverse reactions or breakouts.

- Emulsions/Serums - depending on your feelings toward whitening creams, these were solid products that delivered nice results to my skin - but nothing beyond drug store north american products in the same price range.

- Toner - For me, at least, here is where A-True's products really shine. While I didn't notice massive results from the whitening toner, the rose petal toner definitely resulted in softer, smoother skin within 48 hours, while the velvet black tea toner instantly delivered amazingly soft, astonishingly poreless skin that had my partner compulsively petting my face and making a request that I add it to my personal regimen. (I have. He's very happy.)

- Toner (2) - 1 month later: if you know your skin type, and incorporate it into an existing regimen, A-True toner really is exceptional. My skin has never been softer, smoother, or more expensive to smell or to touch.

The bad:

- unless you've got money to burn, this is a lot to spend on 1-2 uses of products that you can't afford. If you're comfortable spending $20-50 USD/month on your beauty regimen, I'd recommend giving this a try, particularly if you're uncertain of your skin type and looking for a regular product to incorporate into your developing skin care routine.

- a great gift set

- a really nice introduction for anyone interested in high-end products who would like to try before buying
- standout toners are the highlight of this set, particularly for anyone who knows their skin type and wants to try a head-to-head comparison with their existing product.

 - if you're on a budget and trying to figure out which products (serum, emulsion, toner, essence, beautifier, night mask) to incorporate into your personal regimen, this is a great way to test out what will work for your skin and your lifestyle.