#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)

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 in Light

I picked up the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Tinted Moisturizer in Light with a Sephora code in April, and I've got to say that it's worming it's way into my heart.  At first I thought it was going to be a bit too moisturizing/luminous for my taste, as my skins leans on the oily side. Then, there was the sheer coverage that lets all my various imperfections/dark spots peak through. But you know what?  I like it.

Here's some reasons why. It has a broad spectrum SPF of 30, and the warm temps and sun are back with a vengeance in Mobile so I'm spending more time outside. While I've finally embraced wearing a separate sunscreen every day (it took a few decades, but whatever), having more SPF in my base is welcome as well. This would also work well on days when you are not wearing any other makeup but just want to even out your skin tone or are going for a more "no-makeup" makeup look, while still giving sun protection.

The texture of the Ultra Repair Tinted Moisturizer is a mousse like gel, and it is playing nice with my skincare/SPF/primer thus far. The finish is natural and gives a soft glow due to "Finely milled minerals with light-reflecting properties that amplify skin’s natural radiance for a beautifully luminous effect". I do set it with a light coating of powder to help with shine/longevity, and have had no issues with it looking cakey.

I think my favorite thing about this tinted moisturizer, however, is that at the end of the day my skin still looks good.  Yes, my natural oils are peaking through but this seems to wear down evenly, with nary a sign of patchiness or breaking up in spite of the oil breakthrough. I also like the fragrance of this, which reminds me somewhat of orange blossoms. It's not overwhelming by any means, but it does register each time I apply and I find it a pleasant sensory experience.

I compared the Ultra Repair Tinted Moisturizer in Light to the bareMinerals Complexion Rescue in Natural 05, one of my favorite foundations with SPF.  They are both gel like but the Ultra Repair has a slightly more mousse texture, and leans lighter and more yellow in tone with a more luminous finish. I prefer the color of the Complexion Rescue, which makes me think I'd like to try the Ultra Repair in medium before making any decision on purchasing a full size, should I decide to go that route.

The full size of the Ultra Repair is $28 for 1 ounce versus $30 for the Complexion Rescue's 1.18 ounces, so essentially the same price.  I can't say I like the Ultra Tint more than the Complexion Rescue, but they could possibly run neck and neck!

Pretty Fly Super Shock Shadow Kit by ColourPop

Disclaimer: I purchased these.

I indulged in some of ColourPop's spring Super Shock shadows with the Pretty Fly kit ($25), and I've got to say they really knocked it out of the park when it comes to the packaging on these. So pretty!

I'm actually keeping the shadows in the box, I like it so much.  Fortunately, I really like the shadows in this collection as well.  Let's take a closer look.

First up is Force Behavior (light pinky beige with silver, gold and pink glitter) and Goodbye Butterfly (peachy pink with a gold sheen satin finish).  Goodbye Butterfly can also work as a blush, although it's not my favorite formula for that purpose.

Force Behavior

Goodbye Butterfly

Next is Three's a Cloud (ultra metallic rich amber gold) and Flux with You (light gold with silver glitter).

Three's a Cloud

Flux with You

Last up is Soul-cialize (pinky lavender with pink and sliver glitter) and Up in the Air (dirty plum satin).

Soul-cialize

Up in the Air

I've been using these for about two weeks now and I'm back on the super shock shadow formula bandwagon. I know some people are over this formula, but it works well for me. I don't mind using my fingers to apply shadow and I do find that a dense brush works well in applying these as well. I also recently watched a YouTube video that showed how you can revive these when they get too dry by mixing them with a silicone-based primer like the Smashbox Photo Finish primer (it's at 23:40 of this video by Sarah Hubler of the Beauty Hub, although there are other demos/techniques on YouTube). 

Hope your Spring is going well - I'm counting down to my upcoming vacation/staycation in May.

Agave Kisses Set by Bite Beauty

I have heard such good things about the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask, so decided to get this set to try the mask, lip balm, and sugar lip scrub.  I really like two out of the three, which did a great job of  keeping my lips moisturized and happy during the cold snaps we had in Mobile in January/February. 

The Agave Lip Mask is quite thick and was somewhat difficult to squeeze out of the tube. I had to apply so much force that I was afraid the tube might split, but it didn't. This lip salve was deeply hydrating and became my night time lip balm, replacing the Smith's Rosebud salve which I've been using for years. Layering the mask over the stick lip balm resulted in lips that were soft and hydrated in the morning, with lingering product still protecting my lips.

The stick balm is a harder, more waxy texture that wears for a long time. It's not one of those balms that you continually have to reapply, no doubt because it is a thicker consistency. I ran out of the balm before the mask, and considered repurchasing it but decided the mask was the true star of the show for me and where I wanted to spend my money. Cause these aren't cheap at $26 for the lip mask and $18 for the balm. Ultimately, I did repurchase the lip mask but chose the Champagne version for a bit of shimmer this time. Hopefully the formula is the same.

Now for the item that was sub par IMO - the sugar lip scrub. I don't think there is enough sugar in the mix to make it an effective scrub.  I could be biased as I do like the Fresh Sugar lip scrub, which is much more dense and less soupy than this one. It's not so bad that I'm going to trash it, but it's not a formula I'm sold on. Maybe I should add more sugar to it and see if that helps, although the only sugar I have on hand is brown sugar I use to top my oatmeal.

I don't see this set on Sephora at the moment, and I'm not sure if it's something they bring out periodically or if it's gone for good. The Agave lip mask has become something I don't want to be without though, so I guess this sampler served it's purpose :-)

Kakadu C Amethyst Clay Detox Mask by DERMAdoctor

Disclaimer: I received a sample as a GWP.

I've received and used about 3 of these DERMAdoctor Kakadu C Amethyst Clay Detox Mask samples from Ulta whenever they offer their GWP sample bags, so I think it's about time to give my impressions. First, let's discuss the benefits of magnesium for your skin, since this purple mask has it high on the list of ingredients.  Namely, it is supposed to have a calming effect, which is good for those with acne or rosacea.  It's also necessary for the enyzmes that regulate DNA replication and repair. Actually, there is quite the list of health and beauty benefits when it comes to magnesium, if you would like to delve more into that subject. I've taken magnesium supplements in the past, and this is reminding me I should probably restock.

"Magnesium rich amethyst clay absorbs impurities and detoxifies without removing natural oils. Provides gentle resurfacing exfoliation and helps leave skin feeling smoother, brighter, and softer. Enriched with stabilized vitamin C, Kakadu plum, Tasmanian pepper berry, lilly pilly and Muntari berry." (Source: Ulta)

I'm also a big fan of vitamin C in skincare, and this mask features a stabilized version from Kakadu plums that is supposed to be 55 times more potent than the vitamin C found in Florida oranges. Plus, I really like the purple color. My 3 uses is not really enough to tell any long term benefits and at $58 for a 1.7 ounce jar, this is a pricey mask. A group of twenty people who did use it 3x/week indicated a variety of skin improvements, including improved skin tone, clarity, brightness, and texture.  Bottom line, I like it and it's got a 5 star rating (38 reviews) on Ulta.  I may have to invest in a jar with my next Ulta 20% off coupon for prestige brands.

My Must Haves Palette by Essence

Disclaimer: I purchased these.

Hey, long time no see! I'm still playing with lots of makeup and skincare and today wanted to share my impressions of the Essence My Must Haves singles, which retail for a whopping $1.99 each at Ulta.  I picked up a bronzer, two blushes, and an eye shadow to go into the 4-pan palette ($3.49). I've been playing with these for over a month now, let's see if they are any good!

First of all, the palette arrived without any packaging and was scratched on top :-(  Not good, Ulta, especially considering the claims against you about reselling products that have been returned. Fortunately, each single comes securely packaged in it's own container and was in good condition, so no complaints there.  They are not magnetized but do fit nicely into the palette, which is a rather flimsy plastic.

The bronzer shade also works as an eyeshadow, and I've been using it as a crease shade as well.  It's best suited for fair complexions and I've reached for it quite a lot in the last month.  There are 3 blushes on Ulta's site and I purchased Rosy Glow and Coral Dream. 

Rosy Glow is the more pigmented of the two, but I like them both and find that they can be built up in color without getting cakey.  The single eye shadow I chose is Brownie Licious, which is a dark brown matte that applies smoothly and can also be built up in color. 

None of these are groundbreaking, but I do like them and would take them with me when traveling for a nice one and done natural look. I hate taking expensive makeup with me when traveling, as I've been known to lose items, plus things get broken. At this price point I wouldn't be heart broken and I do like them!