Well here we are, at week four! I will have a mini post on the 31st for the last few days of products. I think the moving forward I will select 10 or 20 samples to use up per month to help keep my stash small. It has been really enjoyable to discover new products hiding in my drawers disguised as single use junk packs.
Let's take a look at what I managed to use up this week!
For My Hair
Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Restoring Repair Shampoo - No Buy
Nothing really to report on this shampoo. Nothing wrong with it, but I didn't love anything either. I can't wait to get back to my usual shampoo!
Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Restoring Repair Conditioner - No Buy
Perfectly adequate. I don't have much to report on. It...conditioned?
The Body Shop Olive Body Wash - No Buy
I was dreading using this because I am not exactly a fan of olives. In any context. However this smell was much more gentle than expected. Still prefer their honey scent!
Ahava Mineral Botanic Body Wash - Buy When I Run Out
Oh. My. Gosh. This was amazing. I am a huge fan of Ahava, and have been since I was in Israel visiting the Dead Sea. Their products are so good for you! This was no exception. It had a beautiful, soft, gentle floral scent and lathered up like a dream.
Pantene Curly Shampoo - No Buy
It made my hair slightly more curly? Noting exciting to report.
Pantene Curly Conditioner - No Buy
Again, this was fine. I miss my Marc Anthony shampoo and conditioner. I can't wait to wash my hair on August 1!
Pantene Medium-Thick Shampoo - No Buy
You guessed it! This was fine. It did the job. It didn't suck.
Fekkai Reparatives Argan Oil Shampoo - Buy When I Run Out
It was SUCH a treat to use something with Argan oil in it again! I love love love this formula but it is so expensive. I will pick up a bottle as a hair treat one day...until then I will cherish my bottle of conditioner.
Peter Thomas Roth Mega Rich Shampoo - No Buy
Other than the Fekkai shampoo this was my favourite. I would buy it if I didn't already have such a great hair product combo going for me. It irked me that the shampoo was larger than the conditioner though.
Peter Thomas Roth Mega Rich Conditioner - No Buy
See above. Loved it, but I love my usual even more.
Keeping Me Soft
St. Tropez Everyday Body Moisturizer Gradual Tan - No Buy
Over all this is a solid product. However I found it made me streaky and that this was too dark for my complexion. Guess I will be staying pale!
Nivea Skin Conditioner - Purchase
I really enjoyed this! I loved how soft it made my body. I would consider buying this if I saw it on sale or with a points promo. Not a necessity, but really, really nice.
L'Occitane Ultra Rich Body Cream - No Buy
Great product. But I have enough body butter for my entire family to use daily for the next thousand years.
Random Little Goodies
Bite Whipped Cherry Scrub- No Buy
I love with the smell. Buuuuut, there's always a but, the scrubbing part just was a huge meh. I didn't find it exfoliated at all. I'll stick (sadly) to my Lush scrub. I wanted so so so badly to love this.
Flower By Kenzo- No Buy
It smelled nice, but I have 100000 other perfumes on my list that I would rather have. And one lucky perfume will be coming home with me from the Sephora points promotion.
Julep Freedom Polymer Top Coat - Re-Purchased
Great topcoat. I love the gel look it gives my nails. I actually have two more on stock pile. I prefer Julep's new top coat, but this one is still a rockstar!
La Petite Robe Noire - Purchased
I seriously have the best boyfriend in the world. He picked me up the full size one last month. It looks so pretty on my vanity, I don't want to ruin it. The full size, of course, atomizes much better than the sample. I wish I could bathe in this rich, spicy, sexy perfume.
Ojon Hair Oil - Purchased
Bar none, the best hair oil I have ever used. It smells delicious, and works like a dream. It manages to tame my stands, protect them, keep them shiny, and not weigh them down.
For My Pretty Face
Shu Umera Cleansing Oil in Brightening - No Buy
This is a fantastic product. But so is Julep's Bare Face which retails for 2/3 the price.
Ole Henriksen Youth Activating Oil - Re-Purchased
This is a cornerstone to my night time skincare routine. My face has never been brighter, softer, smoother, or generally happier. I highly recommend this.
Nivea Mattifying Moisturizer - No Buy
Eh.
Nivea Mattifying Scrub - No Buy
Move along, nothing to see here.
Glam Glow Under Eye Treatment - Buy One Day
Ugh. SUCH a fantastic product. Such a painful price ($76). I want it so badly. Seriously, it actually fights bags and under eye fatigue. To stretch out your use of the product use one half of the pod for both eyes. I might *might* pick this up during the points promo. Maybe if I win Sample Killah?
Clarins Super Restorative Day - No Buy
Nothing special to report. It did the job, but there are other products I would recommend first.
Bioderma Cleansing Water - Purchased In Bulk
I totally fell in love with this product with first use. Now I have a whole entire stock pile. Two normal sized bottles and a massive bottle. Oops? It takes of make-up like a dream.
Ahava Clear Scrub - Buy One Day
I'm not surprised that I love this product. I wouldn't mind picking it up to use twice a week. It is stronger than my daily scrub. I know its for sale at The Bay. Maybe in the fall!
Make-up
Benefit PoreFessional- No Buy
I've reviewed this before. Perfectly fine but I prefer my Hourglass primer.
NARS Orgasm Illuminator- No Buy
Love the colour, but I think the formula can be finicky. I am going to buy the standard powder blush in Orgasm though. Super flattering shade!
NARS Super Orgasm Illuminator- No Buy
Same opinions as above, however I find the gold flecks a bit much. This would be great for a night out, but I don't go out much.
NARS Copacabana Illuminator - Buy One Day
I own something similar by NARS called Hot Sand (limited edition colour). This would be a great winter shade. I love this formula for highlighting. I will probably pick this up in the winter.
Make Up Forever HD Primer (Original)- No Buy
I like it, but I don't love it.
Face Shop CC Cream- No Buy
This colour was way off on me! I swatched it and promptly kept it far far away from my face.
Make Up Forever Pressed Powder - Buy One Day
I really enjoyed using this sample. I have two of the loose powder minis from this brand to use before I can, in good faith, consider buying this product.
Dior C-Total Base - Buy One Day
One day when I have lots of money I am going to buy this. However it is really expensive, and that day is not today. This does a great job though. Love the finish it creates when used as a primer. Very...velvety? Matte but radiant?
Dior Hydralife BB Cream- No Buy
I like this, but I prefer Dior's Nudeskin BB Cream. They Hydralife BB Cream just doesn't come in the right colour for me.
NARS Face Primer- No Buy
This product is perfectly fine, but I already have a favourite.
YSL Gloss Volpé Trio - Purchase
LOVE the unique non-doe foot applicator. Its more so kiss shaped. I love the pink (19) and magenta (49) shades of this lip gloss, and have them in my buying plan for when I use my 95,000 points at Murale.
Bioderma Moisturizer - No Buy
Oops. Wrong section. I used this on my feet and didn't notice much of a difference.
Total Samples - 140
Three days to go and I have surpassed my goal by 40 samples. Let's see if I can use up 10 more by the 31st! For me the gem of this week was the YSL glosses. Seriously cannot wait to add those to my (slightly oversized) collection.
How has sample using been going for you this week?