#365 Days of Samples Vol. 23

Disclaimer: All of these came with purchase.

After a 2 month respite from posting about the samples I've used up (and there has a been a lot, despite the lack of posts), I'm restarting my #365 Days of Samples series. Here are the items chosen for v. 23, and the progress I've made on this batch:

1. L'Occitane Almond Milk Concentrate body lotion (foil)
2. Erno Laszlo Sensitive Skin Oil Cleanser and Cleansing Bar travel duo (deluxe samples)
3. Sol de Janiaro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (deluxe sample)
4. Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkleresist24 Intensive Eye Contour Cream (foil)
5. Lancome Advance Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate (foil)
6. Matrix Heat Resist Blow Out Tamer (foil)
7. Dr. Jart+ Premium BB Cream in Light/Medium (foil)
8. Biolage Color Last Aqua Gel conditioner (deluxe sample)
9. Chloe Eu de Parfum (vial)

Love the smell of this Almond Milk Concentrate body lotion from L'Occitane, and paired with the body oil from the same line, my skin smelled and felt wonderful all day.  Despite the pleasant experience, I do not plan on purchasing, as I'm flush with body lotions/creams right now.  Plus, I think $50 for a body lotion is a bit excessive.

I was interested to see how this travel duo ($28) from Erno Laszlo performed, as this is a luxury brand I don't have much experience with.  The instructions say to massage a generous amount of oil on dry skin, do not rinse off, and then dampen the cleansing bar and massage the wet bar over your face, using the rounded corners to stimulate circulation.  Weirdly specific, no?  

Bottom line, the duo worked well in removing makeup and cleansing my skin and does have some interesting ingredients, but it does not make me want to replace my holy grail DHC Deep Cleansing Oil.  Plus, did I mention it's expensive?  Like $58 for the full size oil and $38 for the full size cleansing bar.  

I know the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream is wildly popular, but.....I don't like it. I find the fragrance just too aggressive, and considering fragrance is 6th on the list of ingredients, I get why it's so in my face.

The cream itself was nice and did a good job of hydrating my skin, and if it was a bit lighter in scent, I could get on board. Obviously, I will not be purchasing and I didn't even want to finish the sample.

I was surprised at how rich/borderline oily the Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Intensive Eye Contour Cream (gosh, that's a long name) was until I read the ingredient list, which has mineral oil, glycerin, petrolatum, paraffin and squalane in the first 10 ingredients. Yeah, I'm having a hard time getting on board with some of these ingredients (excluding squalane, which I quite like).  Factoring in the $60 price, I would not consider purchasing this one. 

The Lancome Advanced Genifique is another super expensive ($142 for 2.5 ounces) skincare item that I obviously could not get a real feel for from this small sample.  The main ingredient is Bifida Ferment Lysate (also in Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair), which is supposed to sooth/smooth rough skin. The Genifique does have a 5 star rating on Sephora, but there are plenty of less expensive Korean brands that feature Bifida Ferment Lysate. I can't say I've experienced much of an impact from the products containing Bifida, however, but YMMV.

Th Matrix Total Results Heat Resist Blowout Tamer Shape Enhancing Gel does indeed help hair retain the shape you mold it into, as I found out to my detriment one morning while wearing a headband while putting on my makeup.  I had to re-wet my hair to get the headband dents and weird angles out.  Now I know to use the gel and blow dry immediately.  Good, but not something I feel the need to purchase. 

Chloe's Eau de Parfum is quite appropriate for spring with it's notes of rose, peony, lychee, and freesia.  I found the initial burst of scent to be fresh, followed by a powderiness that my nose translates as soapy. Ultimately, not my kind of scent, but I did make it through 2/3 of the vial (my policy is to try a fragrance sampler a minimum of 3 times before tossing if it's not something I really like). 

The Dr. Jart+ Premium BB Cream in Light to Medium ($39 for 1.5 oz) features an impressive SPF45 and skincare ingredients such as a bio-peptide complex, adenosine, and arbutin.  It gives light to medium coverage and a moderately luminous finish that looked pretty natural. 
Overall, a nice BB cream but I'm happy with my lighter foundation options in the bareMineral's Complexion Rescue and First Aid Beauty's Tinted Moisturizer (reviewed here).

I'm still working on the Matrix Biolage Color Last Aqua Gel conditioner, so will include that with the items selected for the next installment of #365 Days of Samples. Credit for the creation of this series goes to Youtuber Elle S!  Now, for the items I'll be focusing on for the next two weeks:

1. Biolage Color Last Aqua Gel conditioner (deluxe sample)
2. Redken Frizz Dismiss Smooth Force (deluxe sample)
3. DHC Quick Film Smoother (foil)
4. Kate Sommerville Wrinkle Warrior Plumping Moisturizer and Serum (foil)
5. Ahava Hydration Cream Mask (foil)
6. Amore Pacific The Essential Creme Fluid (deluxe sample)
7. Phyto Express Conditioner (foil)
8. Tom Ford Black Orchid (deluxe sample)
9. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal (card sample)
10. The Body Shop Tea Tree Facial Wash (foil)
11. DERMAdoctor KP duty High Potency Daily Body Peel (foil duo)

#365 Days of Samples: Vol. 22

Time to get back to my #365 Days of Samples series, where I randomly select from my overflowing sample box 7-10 items to use up in the next few weeks. I learned about this series from Elle S on YouTube, and find that it's a great way to steadily work through all those foil and deluxe samples I've accumulated. 

Items included in this go-around::

1. Green Tea Milk Wash Cream Cleanser by Farmhouse Fresh (foil)
2. Face Wash Powder by DHC (foil)
3. Daily Exfoliating Towelette by Blum Naturals (1 towelette)
4. Si Eau de Parfume by Giorgio Armani Beauty (spray vial)
5. Prep-n-Glow Cleanse+Exfoliate+Hydrate by Nuface (1 towelette)
6. Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer by Ole Henriksen (deluxe sample)
7. Sweet Cream Body Milk by Farmhouse Fresh (foil)
8. Fluffy Bunny Shea Butter for Body by Farmhouse Fresh (foil)
9. Marula Oil by John Paul Selects (vial)
10. Coconut Milk and Honey Nourishing Exotic Oil by Pure Fiji (deluxe sample)

I do want to update you on a few of the items from previous volumes, as I either decluttered or used them up:

• L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream (deluxe sample): finished, mainly by using it at night before bed time.  Not something I would purchase, as I have other hand creams I like better.
• fresh Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy Boosting Face Mask (foil sample):  I liked this!  It is supposed to boost the vibrancy of skin with it's proprietary vitamin fruit complex of vitamins, citrus fruit extracts, and minerals.  One use was not enough to see results and the $62 a jar price tag will keep me from purchasing, but I enjoyed the sample!
• Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave In Conditioner (foil sample):  Did a good job of detangling and smoothing my hair.  I've got an abundance of these foil samples so am in no hurry to purchase.
• boscia Purifying White Charcoal Mattifying Treatment Primer (deluxe sample):  still working on this one.
• DHC Facial Scrub (foil sample):  a micro-bead free gentle facial scrub that uses apricot seeds.  It was nice, but not especially memorable.
• Double Take Baked Powder Foundation by Laura Geller (deluxe sample): I used to love this stuff, but find it looks too powdery/cakey on my skin now.  Ah, the joys of aging skin.
• bareMinerals Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusion Serum (deluxe sample):  a nice serum, but I'm swimming in serums/skincare at the moment.
• Japonesque Pro Performance Makeup Wipes (foil, 1 wipe): got the job done, but not something I feel compelled to seek out.
• Sonoma Scent Studio's Fig Tree (vial sample):  not my favorite of the Sonoma Scent Studio samples I acquired a while back, but not an offensive fragrance either.  Just not for me.
• Ulta Beauty Mattifying Balm (deluxe sample):  Threw it out after a few tries, never going to use it.

#365 Days of Samples: Volume 21

Time for another update on my #365 Days of Samples series, where I'm trying to work my way through the surplus of foil and deluxe samples I've collected. This is a series I learned about from YouTuber Elle S. I managed to finish 6 items and am discarding two that I did not like enough to finish. So, let's take a closer look!

I remember Frownies from several years back, which makes me wonder if they were one of the first eye gels on the market. These feature an all natural formula with aloe vera, cactus juice, and niacinamide. I wore them while applying my makeup and they actually worked pretty well as an eye shadow guard, which is not their intended use. I know these can be reused if you spritz them with a hydrating toner, but since they had eye shadow on them I decided one use was plenty. Bottom line, they worked well and I do find that most eye gels will give a temporary plumping action to my under eye area.  A set if three of these reusable eye gels are $29.95, and they are supposed to give you enough uses for 5-7 weeks. I have no plans to purchase.

Um, this is actually a body cream but because the sample is so small and the instructions are in Japanese, I thought it was a face cream and used it as such. Considering I have oily skin, I'm happy to say it actually worked fine on my face in that one time use. I'm currently swimming in body creams so would not purchase, but it does sound intriguing with it's 14 essential oils and phytolipid compound Gripin, which is derived from maitake mushrooms and supports the skin's natural moisture barrier. A full size (2.7 oz.) is $20.

The NuFace Prep N Glow are fancy makeup removing sheets that also exfoliate and hydrate. One side is smooth and the other has polishing micro-dots to help exfoliate your skin. The formula is interesting and features multiple anti-aging ingredients. A box of five is $10, so these are definitely on the pricey side. I rarely use makeup removing sheets to actually remove my makeup and can't see investing in these. Enjoyed trying one though!

I've tried several of these conditioner hair cleansers now, and I just can't get on board with them. The Unwash Bio-Cleaning Conditioner is sulfate and paraben free and is supposed to gently cleanse hair while locking in natural oils and color. It was okay for one shampoo, but if I use it consecutively my hair feels limp and, well, unwashed. So, after 2 uses I instead used it as a shave cream for my legs. At $29 a bottle, that would be an expensive shave cream. Just not for me.

The Estee Edit Pink Peony Overnight Water Pack has been discontinued (the whole Estee Edit line was discontinued, and this item is currently on sale for $25 on the Estee Lauder site), and I did not like this sleeping mask enough to finish it up. The gel formula would frequently ball up on me and I did not feel like it was doing anything, so even though it's been on this list for weeks, I was just not motivated to use it. There are plenty of reasonably priced Korean sleeping mask moisturizers out there if the concept appeals to you.

The Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Make Up Primer in Champagne was a pleasant surprise, and I'm pretty particular about my face primers.  Targeted at lackluster skin, this version of Spackle is supposed to brighten and contains skin nourishing ingredients such as licorice root, aloe leaf extract, witch hazel, calendula, and gingko leaf extract. It is a dimethicone based primer, but did not feel too smooth/powdery nor did it ball up on me. It's pricey at $32 and I have no plans to purchase, but overall I liked it.

In general I've had good experiences with amika hair products, and this Nourishing Mask was no exception. My hair felt conditioned and I liked the fragrance, but I cannot say it stood out enough to motivate me to purchase at $28 a jar. I am considering purchasing the amika dry shampoo, however, even though I'm generally opposed to higher end dry shampoos because I can go through a bottle so quickly. But I just may have to bite the bullet in this case, as it was pretty special. Perhaps during the upcoming Sephora 20% off sale, whenever that is.

The last item in this batch of samples is the Miu Miu perfume sample. I used it a good 4-5 times, which was enough to know that it's not for me. It's a floral with lily of the valley, jasmine, rose, and citrus notes. It's not awful, but I did not like it enough to finish the sample.

Okay, time for the 7 new items I randomly pulled from my overflowing box of samples! I'll list the newer items first, followed by those I'm still working on.

1. L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream (deluxe sample)
2. fresh Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy Boosting Face Mask (foil sample)
3. Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave In Conditioner (foil sample)
4. boscia Purifying White Charcoal Mattifying Treatment Primer (deluxe sample)
5. DHC Facial Scrub (foil sample)
6. Marula Oil by John Paul Selects (vial sample)
7. Gucci Bamboo (vial sample)
8. Double Take Baked Powder Foundation by Laura Geller (deluxe sample)
9. bareMinerals Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusion Serum (deluxe sample)
10. Japonesque Pro Performance Makeup Wipes (foil, 1 wipe)
11. Sonoma Scent Studio's Fig Tree (vial sample)
12. Ulta Beauty Mattifying Balm (deluxe sample)

#365 Days of Samples: Week 20

I'm a bit behind in posting the samples I've used up in my #365 Days of Samples series (a concept I discovered from Elle S on YouTube), but hey, better late than never! There were some highs and lows in this batch of samples, so let's take a closer look.

Let's start with the low: the Oribe Restorative Body Cream. I don't like how it smells. I imagine I'm in the minority on that, but I've always found Oribe products to be overly fragranced and I'm not a fan of their signature Cote d'Azur scent, plus I think they are over priced. If you are not familiar with the notes for Cote d'Azur, here is what is listed on the Oribe web site:

"Developed in collaboration with one of the oldest French fragrance houses, tracing its roots back to the 1800s, Cote d’Azur was conceived to be beautiful and bright yet calming and composed—the perfect morning wake-up call, afternoon pick-me-up and evening mood-setter. The signature scent awakens with hints of citrus-soaked Italian bergamot, pink lemons, white peach, cassis and muguet, balanced with Aomori apples and leafy greens. Cedarwood, white amber and musk lend their soft woody notes, while Cuba’s national flower, la mariposa blanca, creates a sensual and invigorating experience throughout the day."

On the plus side, the cream felt nice on the skin and has some interesting ingredients, but this is just not for me, especially at $65 a jar.

I do like the scent and feel of the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse dry oil, but the brand has pulled out of the US market, so oh well. I almost bought a bottle before they closed up shop (online), but did not pull the trigger for some reason.

I've got to admit that while I love the concept/story of the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, I can't really tell that it does anything for my skin. Plus, I'm shocked at how much it costs: 2.5 oz. will set you back $99, or you can invest in the value size and get 7.8 oz. for $229. So what makes this facial essence so special?  Well, it's composed of 90% Pitera (Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate), which is rich in vitamins, organic acids, minerals, and amino acids that are supposed to work together to support natural skin cell renewal. There are less expensive products out there that feature Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, and I'm about halfway through a full size bottle of CosRX's Galactomyces 95 Whitening Power Essence, but I can't really tell that it does much for my skin either. Maybe the results are just too subtle for me to tell, I dunno. But, if you want to read more about possible dupes for this famous K-beauty facial essence, here is a great post that dives deeper into the options available.  

Another K-beauty product finished up was the Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Cream. There is nothing wrong with this moisturizer, but I didn't find myself drawn to it and actually kept forgetting to use it. That can't be a good sign, can it? On the plus side, it's reasonably priced at $19 for a 1.7 oz. jar, and there are some hydrating ingredients in the mix such as glycerin, shea and cocoa butters, plus a variety of extracts such as green tea, bergamot, orchid, citrus unshiu peel, orange, grapefruit, and tangerine. I'd use another sample but do not feel compelled to purchase.   

I've gone through at least one full size bottle of Julep's Love Your Bare Face Hydrating Cleansing Oil ($28) and I like it. It's not my holy grail cleansing oil (DHC's Deep Cleansing Oil holds that spot), but Julep's is in my top three. I think I've got a bottle stashed somewhere, and I'd purchase again.

The Cane Austin Miracle Pad is a potent little thing, in that I could definitely feel it tingling/stinging once I applied it to my skin.  I've used samples of this before and was intrigued, but find the price ($88) is keeping me from investing in a jar, although you do get 60 pads. I'm currently testing out a Retin-A product so I probably should not also use a heavy duty peel like this right now anyhow.

Vitamin C is an ingredient that I can tell makes a difference on my skin, and this peel pad made an impression. It definitely felt "active", in that there was a strong tingle/stinging when I applied it. Considering there are 7 different AHA/BHA ingredients in the formula, the tingling makes sense and may actually be too strong for daily use, IMO.  At $78 for 30 pads this is pricey and more than I want to invest.

Last up from this batch of samples is the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani lipstick blister pack.  I did not finish these, but did sample each and overall enjoyed the formulas. Firebird is not a color I would wear, but the others worked pretty well for me.

Ex-Girlfriend

714

Firebird (sheered out)

Rock Steady

Now, time for the new samples I randomly selected for week 20 of the #365 Days of Samples:

I'll list the newest samples first, followed by those that are still in the mix from previous weeks:

1. Unwash Bio-Cleansing Conditioner (deluxe sample)
2. Spackle Tinted Under Makeup Primer in Champagne by Laura Geller (foil)
3. Double Take Baked Powder Foundation by Laura Geller (deluxe sample)
4. Amika Nourishing Hair Mask (deluxe sample)
5. Nuface by Carole Cole Prep-N-Glow  (1 dual sided cloth)
6. bareMinerals Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusion Serum (deluxe sample)
7. Frownies Eye Gels (1 pair)
8. Japonesque Pro Performance Makeup Wipes (foil, 1 wipe)
9. Sonoma Scent Studio's Fig Tree (vial sample)
10. DHC Dry Skin Care Cream (foil sample)
11. Miu Miu perfume (vial)
12. Ulta Beauty Mattifying Balm (deluxe sample)
13. Estee Edit Pink Peony Overnight Water Pack (deluxe sample, discontinued)