Press Samples and Purchase by Me (Unaffiliated Links)
I had a truly wretched bug during the first half of October, and as a result I sought to use up samples and mostly empty products in an effort to avoid infecting anything else. Product testing came to a screeching halt, and I didn't wear any makeup for the duration of my flu. Therefore, what you see was either nearly gone to begin with, or that I wasn't likely to infect. When it came to washing my face I used samples in order to keep my germy fingers out of my regular sized products.
Red Flower Moisturizing Body Lotion Blood Orange: I love this lotion so much because it imparts the perfect amount of moisture to the skin and the Blood Orange scent is intoxicatingly delicious!
Rituals Magic Touch Cherry Blossom & Rice Milk Whipped Body Cream: This is an utterly amazing body cream! The whipped texture feels amazing to the touch, and this baby really nourishes the skin leaving it unbelievably soft, supple and silky. The scent is sweet and very pleasing.
Rituals Zensation Organic Rice Milk & Cherry Blossom Foaming Shower Gel (Reviewed here): Rituals makes truly amazing body products, and their Foaming Shower Gels are absolutely wonderful! Not only does this cleanse the skin beautiful, and leave it silky smooth and moisturized, but it also doubles as an amazing shaving cream!
Caress Aqua Sparkle Body Wash (Reviewed here): I really liked this body wash because it smells delicious and does a nice job cleaning the skin without stripping it. I already have a replacement!
Caress Aqua Emerald Rush Body Wash (Reviewed here): I loved the smell! Like the Sparkle Body Wash, I already have a replacement!
Udderly Smooth Body Cream (Reviewed here): This is a very rich moisturizing cream, and my husband used it up!
Udderly Smooth Shea Butter Foot Cream (Reviewed here): I love slathering this on my feet at night and wearing cozy socks, and when I wake up my feet are so soft!
Christine Reconstructive Conditioner (Reviewed here): This is such a nourishing conditioner! It leaves my hair silky smooth, detangled, and shiny!
DermOrganic Texture Taffy (Reviewed here): DermOrganic makes amazing haircare products, and their Texture Taffy holds hair in place beautifully!
Philip B. Forever Shine Shampoo: I love Philip B. haircare products, and have used many of them. This definitely seems like a very nice shampoo. My favorite shampoo from the line is their White Truffle Ultra-Rich Moisturizing Shampoo-- it is so luxurious and decadent, and works wonders on my naturally curly hair!
Kiss My Face Cucumber Green Tea Natural Active Life Deodorant: I have repurchased this deodorant so many times, and need to pick up another next time I go to Whole Foods. I love this stuff!
Natural Style Moisture Shine Deep Conditioner & Co-wash packets: This seems nice, but sample packets don't tend to give me enough time with a product to be able to tell whether or not it will work for me.
Molton Brown Orange and Bergamot Body Wash: Simply delectable. I need a big bottle of this in my life!
Moroccanoil Hand Cream and Body Souffle Samples: Very nice products, but the samples didn't allow me to use them long enough to really see their effects. I definitely want to investigate their new line of body products further.
Sponge Ladi Avokanto (Reviewed here): This is a gorgeous olive oil and avocado based beauty oil that feels amazing on the skin, and it leaves it nourished, hydrated and glowing!
The Organic Pharmacy Virgin Cold Pressed Rose Hip Oil (Reviewed here): The Organic Pharmacy remains one of my very favorite lines, and their beauty oils are amazing! If you are looking for a great cold pressed Rose Hip oil-- this is definitely one to consider!
Caudalie Makeup Remover Cleansing Water: This is a nice cleansing water, but I do wish that it contained less fragrance.
Radical Skincare Anti-Aging Replenishing Extreme Moisture (Reviewed here): This is definitely one of my favorite face creams, and it will definitely be getting plenty of use now that the weather is cooling down!
Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask: This is a really nice exfoliating mask, but the sample only allowed for a single use, and therefore I didn't use it long enough to say more than that.
Arcona Overnight Cellular Repair Complex: I didn't use this long enough to review it, since it is a deluxe sample, but I used it long enough to see that it is an excellent overnight repair cream! I want a full sized jar now!
Kate Somerville Exfolikate (Reviewed here): Seriously amazing scrub, and I can't imagine ever being without a tube!
Lab Sample from Painted Earth Cosmetics: Absolutely amazing beauty oil, and I can't wait to try the finalized version!
TATCHA POLISHED Classic Rice Enzyme Powder (14 packets!) (Reviewed here): A Classic, indeed. This amazing powder leaves skin baby's bottom soft, and effectively whisks away dead skin cells! I will buy this over and over again! This is one of the only things that made me feel semi-human when I had the flu, and I used up my travel packets to keep my germy hands off of my full-size jar!
Reviva Labs Microdermabrasion Pomegranate Scrub (Reviewed here): This is a highly effective, and also very affordable, scrub that really transforms the skin from dull to luminescent in no time at all. It is also wonderful when used on the body!
Tweezerman Eyenhance Brow Definer and Highlighter Duo (Reviewed here): This was a really nice definer and highlighter, and once I run out of what I have I will likely seek this one out again!
What did you finish up, throw away, give away, or return in September? Did you make any new skincare or makeup discoveries that have you smitten? Any duds never again to be repurchased?
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I always feel so connected with you, Helen, whenever I read your empties post, lol. :-) Sorry that you had the bug but at least you went through a decent amount of samples, impressive accomplishment! Sometimes it happens that I had a lot of the same sample and I'm like, ugh, I don't need anymore of that....but then I run out of it and am shocked by the fact that I now have to actually purchase it, lol. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are such a sweetie, Kimmy! <3 Thank you-- I am feeling much better now, and am back in the swing of things! I promptly went out and got my annual flu shot as soon as the bug was gone-- I just wish that I had gotten it before!
DeleteI know what you mean about samples overload, but you are quite right when you like them and finish them you have to either move on or buy it! I did manage to get through quite a few despite my bug, or maybe because of it. Somehow psychologically it made me feel better doing an abbreviated form of my skincare routine!
WOW, you have used up a lot!!! I feel like I haven't used up anything compared to you or anyone, but then again I don't keep track! Wait, I did finish my Whole Foods Shampoo and conditioner and a couple a bars of soap. Nothing exciting as your stuff!
ReplyDeleteHi Olivia,
DeleteI'm actually surprised that I finished up as much as I did-- especially since I have virtually no energy while I had that bug. Though I have to say it was kind of fulfilling seeing that I could recycle this many containers!
There's something rather cathartic about seeing what you use in the span of a month. I sort of learn a bit about my consumption and use habits.
Nice job finishing your Whole Food's Shampoo & Conditioner-- I like the 365 brand. Have you tried their new lusciously scented soaps that they sell unwrapped (in a big display-- they seem to be French Milled soaps in lots of yummy flavors). Speaking of soaps-- nice job finishing up a couple of bars. It usually takes me quite a while to get through bar soaps! :-)
err wow. you're still religious with your routine when sick? my face barely gets washed and moisturized if it's lucky! i caught a different bug than you that hit hard for a couple of days then pretty much went away yet refuses to be fully healed. the first day it hit, i couldn't even make it upstairs to my bedroom! on the bright side, i've learned exactly how my makeup lasts after 24hours and being slept in. the results were very surprising. most of it it held up quite admirably!
ReplyDeleteWell, I certainly did this time around-- it actually made me feel somewhat human. However, if I had been afflicted with something like a violent stomach flu I'm sure that I wouldn't have bothered! I'm sorry to hear that you caught such a nasty bug! I know what you mean abut it lingering though. Even though we may not have had the same exact bug-- it does sound as though both were quite lingerers! My doctor said that they have been seeing lots of bugs that just hang on for a very long time! OMG, you poor baby-- to learn of the longevity of your makeup in this way is awful! Feel better!! :-)
Deleteit wasn't that bad. i didn't feel as sick when i woke up and i was actually just a little bit thrilled to see that my makeup held up so well! even my bf commented on how well it held up and that i was quite pretty the next day!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing that you r makeup held up that well! That says quite a lot about the longevity of the products that you were wearing!! Holding up is one thing, but actually looking pretty the following day is a whole different thing!
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