#365 Days of Samples: Week 12

I managed to finish 6 samples during week 11 of my #365 Days of Samples, which isn't bad. If you are not familiar with this series, I learned about the concept from Elle S on Youtube. It's where you randomly select samples with the goal of working through your stash. Let's take a closer look!

Shea Moisture has a really nice and growing selection of products, and the Fruit Fusion Coconut Water Weightless Shampoo ($10.99) and Conditioner ($8.99) were pleasing on several levels. The ingredient list is intriguing with organic shea butter and coconut water plus lychee, dragon and apple fruit extract, apricot seed and Imbe oils, just to name a few. My hair did feel soft, light, and I would definitely consider purchasing. Good stuff, plus what pretty packaging for a sample!

The DHC Light & Smooth Conditioner ($19.50) was a very pleasant surprise. I don't know why I was surprised though, as I've been a fan of lots of DHC products. This one is supposed to deeply hydrate and promote full-bodied hair with nano-sized particles of nutrive 18MEA (Methyl Eicosanoic Acid), which is a primary lipid found on hair's surface. I had no problem combing out my color treated hair afterwards, which is usually not the case unless I use some type of leave-in hair treatment/detangler. Next time DHC runs a sale I may indeed purchase this.

Vitamin C serums have been my bae lately, as a good one definitely makes a difference in the clarity and smoothness of my skin. So, I was interested to see what the Kate Somerville Mega-C Dual Radiance Serum was like.  According to the Kate Somerville site, it is a two-phase system divided into dual-chambers in order to preserve the purity and potency of the ingredients until released. High-potency Vitamin C brightens skin while Omedgas 3,6, 9 +7 and Vitamin E help replenish essential lipids and lock in moisture.  Specifically:

• Micronized 10% Vitamin C, L-Ascorbic Acid, maintains potency and stability until activated. This powerful Antioxidant improves skin firmness, brightens and evens skin tone.
• Encapsulated Sea Buckthorn Pulp Oil, a “superfruit” loaded with Omegas 3,6,9+7, replenishes essential lipids, helps reinforce the skin’s natural barrier and locks in moisture.
• Natural Vitamin E, works synergistically with Vitamin C to achieve optimum antioxidant efficacy, and provides moisturizing benefits.
•  Nourishing Vitamin B-Complex, B3, B5 & B6, defends skin against environmental aggressors that can cause the visible signs of aging.

I got 3 days worth of applications from the sample, and from that I can say I liked the way the formula applied and wore under my makeup. I can't speak to long-term results, but initial impressions were positive. It's expensive ($90), but comparable to other high-end vitamin C serums in price. My favorite vitamin C serum thus far has been the Algenist Genuis Ultimate Anti-Aging Vitamin C+ Serum, which is a whopping $118 a bottle. So, I don't know - I may consider this one in the future. I'm getting a pop-up at the Kate Somerville site telling me they are about to have a F&F sale with 20% off, FWIW.

The Pure Deepsea Hydrating Mask by Skin Inc. ($45) is a sleep mask, meaning you put it on as the last step of your night time skincare regime. Per Sephora, this clear gel :

"moisturizes, clarifies, and brightens the complexion. This triple-treat mask contains nutrient-rich Okinawa deepsea water, soya bean extracts, and hyaluronic acid for an easy-to-use, luxurious daily treatment for your skin. Great for use while traveling or on the go, it seals in nutrients from other skin care products for maximum results."

 It was nice and I enjoyed it, but there are comparable Korean sleeping masks at much more reasonable prices, so I would not purchase.

Pep-Start by Clinique ($29.50) is an oil-free moisturizer that blurs and mattifies skin, which makes it ideal as a primer. You can even use it over makeup as a touch up later in the day. It does indeed noticeably mattify and blur the skin (no doubt due to the 'cones in the ingredient list) and my makeup applied nicely over it. There are some interesting ingredients in the mix (shea butter, mango seed butter, algae extract, St. Paul's Wort extract, squalane, caffeine) and I'm intrigued. I'll keep this on a possible "to purchase" list.

Last up of the samples I finished last week is the Urban Decay Anti-Aging Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($24). I like the idea of having skincare benefits in my eye primer, as my eyelids have definitely hit the "crepey" stage of life. I'm not wild about this primer though and have others that I prefer over it, such as the uber inexpensive Wet 'n Wild Photo Focus Eyeshadow Primer ($4.99). I'll continue to use samples that come my way though! Now, on to the samples I randomly selected from my overflowing sample box for week 12. I'll list the new samples first, followed by those I'm still working on.

1. Skin Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Face Gels for Forehead (1 application)
2. Farmhouse Fresh Agave Nectar Ageless Body Oil (foil)
3. Farmhouse Fresh Fluffy Bunny Shea Butter for Body (foil)
4. BECCA Backlight Priming Filter (deluxe sample)
5. Angel for Women eau de parfume by Thierry Mugler (spray vial)
6. DHC Pore Cleansing Oil (foil)
7. Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Concealer in Beige 6 (foil)
8. Sephora Green Tea Sleeping Mask (I guess this is actually a full-sized item)
9. DHC Scalp Massage Pack (deluxe sample)
10. butterLondon MatteR Lipstick (card sample)
11. Farmhouse Fresh Crow Catcher Eye Transforming Serum (foil)
12. Dr. D. Schwab Flawless Skin Fluid (deluxe sample)
13. Ouidad Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel (foil)
14. Marcelle BB Cream in Golden Glow (deluxe sample)
15. Sunshine Oil by Milk Makeup (deluxe sample)
16. Obliphica Seaberry Hair Serum (deluxe sample)