#365 Days of Samples: Week 5

I'm plugging along with my #365 Days of Samples series, and these are the items I finished up lat week, minus one: the Lancome Nude Miracle foundation sample card that I must have inadvertently thrown away. Here are my thoughts on the six items.

I mixed 110 Ivoire with 320 Bisque to get the right shade for me. The Suede shade had dried up, or I would have tried using it as a contour. I did not care for the liquid-to-powder formula, as it did not flatter my skin and instead seemed a bit too matte/mask like. Coverage was decent and probably buildable, although I did not have enough in the sample card to test that out. I would not purchase.

I got about 3 uses out of the Minor Sin eye primer by Urban Decay before it dried up. It's less shimmery than the Sin eye primer, but definitely not flat, I'd say more of a satin finish. I liked it but not enough to purchase.

The Too Faced Primed and Poreless face primer reminded a lot of the Benefit's The Poreprofessional. It smooths out pores/texture and has that slick silicone feel. I could not tell that it helps my foundation wear any longer and I'm just not convinced face primers are a necessary step for me. I will use up samples, however.








This was the second Glamglow PowerMud DualCleanse Treatment I've randomly selected from my box of samples since the series began, and it's slowly growing on me. I'm not sure I used it correctly the first time, as I used it as more of a cleanser than a treatment. I still would not purchase, it's just too pricey.

The Shiseido White Lucent serum has a thin, milky consistency and a slight fragrance that was vaguely floral. This is a product that is supposed to treat all types of hyperpigmentation and it's quite pricey at $130 a bottle. I got about 3 uses from the foil, which is not enough to tell a difference, but this is definitely out of my price range.

The last sample I finished this week is the Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Luxury Lift hydro gel eye patches. These claim to lift and firm the appearance of the delicate eye are in just 10 minutes with their blend of pure 24K gold and colloidal gold.

The hydro gels felt rather dry but did hold nicely to my skin. I wore them for about 15 minutes and the skin around my eyes did seem lightly plumped and my lines were less obvious. I have that result with most eye gel masks that I've tried and I'm guessing the glycerin, sodium hyaluronate and caffeine are more responsible for the results than the gold.

Eye gels a nice option for when you have tired eyes or want that extra special touch for a special event, and these come in a jar of 60 pairs for $75, which is not a bad price considering. I have no plans to purchase.

Now, for the 7 samples I randomly selected for week 5 of the #365 Days of Samples series. Items 8 and following are samples I'm working on from previous weeks:

1. Nirvana Black perfume by Elizabeth & James (about half full)
2. DERMAdoctor Litmus Test AHA facial moisturizer (foil)
3. Arcona Magic White Ice gel facial moisturizer (deluxe sample)
4. Hourglass Mineral Veil Face Primer (deluxe sample)
5. CosRX Whitehead Power Liquid (foil sample)
6. Do Not Age by Dr. Brandt (foil sample)
7. DHC Eye Treatment Essence (foil sample)
8. Eve Lom Moisturizing Mask (foil sample)
9. Obliphica Seaberry Hair Serum (deluxe sample)
10. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment (large foil sample)
11. Milk Makeup Sunshine Oil (deluxe sample)
12. Guerlain Abeille Royale Face Treatment Oil

It's going to take me a while to use up the Milk Makeup Sunshine Oil, and while I like it, it's not something I reach for everyday.

March 26

March 12