"Sample Killah'" Week 1 Update

This week has been a lot of fun participating in Kalyn Lord's Sample Killah!  It has been a challenge to reject my usual favourites in full sized packaging for piles of foil packets, but its been interesting!  So far I have found one new love that I am planing to buy at the end of the month.  To make Sample Killah's even harder I have decided that I am going to do "No Buy July".

I kept my samples in an old Sephora 500 point gift box.  Every time I was done with one I just put it in there because a) I did not want them to end up in the garbage (yet!) and b)I was looking forward to tracking my progress.

So here is an overview of what I was able to finish:

Keep in mind that it is near impossible to actually provide a thoughtful review on each product given how small the samples are.  I have given an overview and my impressions.  But I can't tell you how great/not great a shampoo is if I hardly get one use of it.  With that in mind...drum roll please!

Stuff That Goes On My Face

BB Creams and Powders and Primers

Make Up For Ever HD Pressed Powder - No Buy
This was such a small sample!  I didn't notice much of a difference other than it made my foundation look dull.  I love my Halo Powder and won't be switching.

Gurelain Super Aqua Serum BB Cream - No Buy
This was good.  Nothing special.  Not my favourite BB cream.  I prefer my go to Smashbox BB Cream or the new BB Cream from The Face Shop that I have been trying!

Face Shop Power Perfection BB Cream In Natural Beige x 4 - BUY
LOVE.  Love.  Love.  I had such low expectations for this product, which in retrospect is crazy because Korea is known for its BB Creams!  This made my skin so smooth and glowy! I can't wait to pick this up on August 1st.  Having a BB Cream is great for low-make up days (my version of a "no makeup day") and this one just makes me feel so pretty!

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer - Buy if I ever run out of samples
Look, this stuff is the golden standard of primers.  I have tried a fair number and while it is not the best at everything it is the best all round face primer I have tried to date.  I also have piles of deluxe sized samples of this stuff.  One day, in the far off future, if I get through all of my samples I would love to buy this stuff.  It makes my foundation apply effortlessly and makes my skin so soft.

Coloured Cosmetics

Lip stick and eyeshadows and all those fun things

Lancome Rouge in Love Lip Stick - Maybe Buy

This product was nice.  The format was hard to use though because the colours dried out before I could use them a few times.  I own a few Lancome lipsticks and am sure I will come to own another. The coral shade was my favourite.

Hand and Body Creams and Butters

Tokyomilk Everything and Nothing Hand Cream - No Buy
Who on earth buys expensive hand cream? This smelled nice but made my hands no nicer than any other cream I have used.

Soap and Glory Look Better Naked Body Butter - No Buy
This was nice.  Nothing special.  It smelled clean, and made my legs soft.  I am not opposed to owning this, but my cream and lotion collection is painfully large.

Sephora Supreme Body Butter - No Buy
This was nice.  Nothing special.  It smelled clean, and made my legs soft.  I am not opposed to owning this, but my cream and lotion collection is painfully large.

The Body Shop Shea Body Butter - No Buy

This was average so far as The Body Shop Body Butters go.  Not my favourite scent.  When I eventually need another one I will be going with the Honey scent.

Clarins Paris Body Lift Cellulite Control - No Buy

Not too sure how I ended up with this sample.  It doesn't really fill a need for me, and its expensive.  For those reasons alone I won't be buying it.  When I tried it it made my legs warm and tingly though!

Things to Use in The Bath or Shower

Lush Sexbomb Bath Bomb - Re-Buy
It smelled so sexy, and made my skin so silky and soft.  Next time I need a pick-me-up I will be picking this up!

Nexxus Color Assure Sulfate-Free System - No Buy
Shampoo, Conditioner, Primer

Ughghghghg I have super long hair and these tiny samples were no where near enough!  I'm still frustrated that Luxe Box put this in my box as a "deluxe sample".  I didn't get the chance to really try this product as I needed to add more of my standard shampoo to supplement it.  For the price point that they sell at I can't say I am too interested.  Also, this is for coloured hair.  I have never ever ever dyed my hair.  The Shampoo was passable.  The conditioner was moderately more useful.  As for the primer?  I enjoyed that.

Marc Anthony Repairing Macadamia Oil Conditioning Treatment - Re-Buy

This is a favourite of mine that I tend to use every week or two.  I love how soft it makes my hair.

Vitabath Body Wash Grapefruit and Vanilla x 2 - No Buy

First off, this body wash smells like fake plastic strawberries.  Gross.  Second, my body wash stock pile is embarrassingly large, so I will not be needing to get this. And even if I needed it, it smells gross.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Foam Wash Shampoo x 2 - No Buy
These samples were tiny!  It took two sample packs to actually do a half decent job.  It smells like summer ocean breeze and I really enjoyed that.  However the bottles are tiny and I would get, at best, 10 uses for about $30.  I buy jumbo things of shampoo and conditioner from Costco and that lasts months.  

Bumble and Bumble Surf Foam Wash Conditioner x 2 - No Buy
See above.  Only worse.  I go through conditioner like it is nobody's business.  Those little bottles wouldn't hold up to my crazy amounts of thick wavy hair.

Things that Wash My Face

Yes-- I am counting free Sephora samples.  I have waaaaaaay too many of those!

Eslor Soothing Refiner and Cleanser - No Buy

Still annoyed that this was counted as a "deluxe sample" in my Luxe Box.  It was nice. Nothing special.

Eslor Replenishing Scrub - No Buy

Still annoyed that this was counted as a "deluxe sample" in my Luxe Box.  It was nice. Nothing special. I liked the smell (likely walnuts).  It was a warming scrub which was neat.

Shu Uemura High Performance Cleansing Oil - No Buy

Look, and Shu Uemura oil is fantastic.  It really is.  But given the price it is hard to justify.  Also, given that Julep's Bare Face Oil seems to always be on sale, and does just as great of a job, I just can't justify the purchase.  I would love to own one of these oils, but I can't justify it when Julep's oil is just as good, and waaaaay less than half of the price.

Shu Uemura Ultim8 Cleansing Oil - No Buy

See above.  Also, I literally could not tell the difference between the two.  It did a great job, but so does Julep for a fraction of the price.  

Face Masks

Glam Glow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment - Buy

This smells like coconut and feels so amazingly soft.  I loved how it felt going on my skin and how it made my skin look.  Super bright and clean.  This mask is a bit expensive -- $76, so I might have to wait until the winter (when I will really need it!) to make this purchase.

Face Shop Real Nature Cucumber Mask - Buy

I really enjoyed wearing this cloth mask.  It made my skin feel soft and pretty.

Focused on The Nails

Face Shop Milk Calcium Nail Pack - Re-Buy

This was a really fun use of $2.  I liked using this and then cleaning my cuticles  This is a less expensive alternative to the Julep nail masks.  I found these stayed on my nails better too.

Cutex Quick and Gentle Nail Polish Remover - No Buy

This did the job.  I picked it up because it was small and on sale.  I have zero brand loyalty on nail polish remover.  If this is on sale next time I need nail polish remover I will pick it up but I mean the chance of me remembering this one is minimal.  No complaints though!

Other Beauty Treats

Klorane Extra Gentle Dry Shampoo - No Buy

As far as Dry Shampoo goes this gets the job done.  It was middle of the road, but not as good as the one I currently use.

Josie Maren Argan Oil - No Buy

I love a good oil as much as the next girl, but I have more than enough oil.  Face wash oil, face oil, pre-wash hair oil, general hair oil.  If I ran out though I would completely consider getting this one.  It was great!

Escada Born in Paradise Perfume - No Buy

Smelled nice, but I have more than enough perfume and a perfume wish list.  Sorry, but Viktor and Rolf Bon Bon is higher up on the list.  And a few Dior perfumes such as J'adore.

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-In-1 Styling Treatment - Maybe Buy
They have primers for everything these days.  I like this product.  I like it better than the Living Proof primer (which I have samples and full sized products to use up).  However I like my Alterna CC Cream better.  This all around does a good job, but I would hesitate to say "perfect".  My hair looked a bit frizzy, and I found it harder to style after I took it out of its pony tail. 

Favourite New Sample: Face Shop Power Perfection BB Cream
Honourable Mention: Thirstymud by Glam Glow Face Mask

Goal - 25

Achievement - 34

Net Samples +9

66 samples, 23 days to go!

I am pretty happy with how I did this week!  Looking forward to keeping up my efforts.  My goal was 25, I used 34 samples up.  I fell in love with something new.  I am on track to complete 100 samples by the end of the month.

What about you?  Are you taking part in this challenge?  Do you have any make-up/beauty challenges for me to try next month?