Sample Sunday – L’Oréal Youth Code

The quest to use up by box of samples continues with this 8ml pot of moisturiser. I got a good 5 days worth of use out of this. No that isn’t long enough to see whether a moisturiser works (I typically like to be nearing the end of a full sized tub before I reach a verdict on a skin care product) however in this case it is long enough to know that I won’t be buying this. 

How adorable is that teeny tub? Unfortunately that is the only plus I can think of. Now I’m sure this is a great product for many people. There are a lot of positive reviews on the Boots website but sadly it did not work well for my skin. This is what they claim:

“Mature skin and young skin behave differently when exposed to external aggressions. As you age, skin takes longer to recover and responds more slowly. The complexion loses luminosity, facial features appear tired and wrinkles deepen. Youth Code Rejuvenating Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream leaves your skin hydrated, smoother and more radiant. Skin behaves more youthfully: luminosity is improved and facial features appear rested.”

Clearly I’m in the wrong age group for this (I’m 23) but I have very dry skin surrounding my oily nose during the winter and this left me feeling even drier. On the plus side my nose didn’t feel as oily but for me it wasn’t a good trade off. Also I have mentioned before that I do suffer from irritant dermatitis and occasionally my skin can react to perfumes in products. Oddly I have no problem with the floral scent in a L’Oréal foundation that I have but this does have a scent and by the 3^rd day my skin felt itchy after applying it. 

On the plus side it did absorb quickly into the skin and if you have very oily skin this may be the moisturiser for you. I won’t be buying it personally but if you want to it’s currently £9.99 at Boots instead of £14.99. I’m going to stick with my Simple Vital Vitamin night cream thanks! X

Sample Sunday: MAC Pro Long Wear Foundation

My mission to work my way through my box of samples continues with the latest foundation release from MAC. I was given this sample after explaining to the MUA that last time I’d been matched at MAC for a foundation I’d been given the Studio Fix powder in NC20 which had made me look that I had a severe liver problem. She gave me a sample of this in NW20 (apparently they only go down to 20 in the Pro Long Wear range) along with a sample of the Studio Fix Fluid in NW15. I was really hoping this colour would match me as I’ve been curious about this foundation since it came out. The little jar provided 3 days worth of product so I’ve been giving it a good trial run over the last few days. 

MAC say this is “A long-wear foundation that gives up to 15 hours of wear in any environmental condition. Lightweight and creamy, applies smoothly to provide sheer to medium coverage.  Even in hot and humid conditions, controls oil to keep skin fresh, natural and flawless. Provides everyday SPF protection.”

I would call it medium coverage but it is buildable. I added an extra layer on my cheeks with no caking today. The finish is really nice. It looks really natural. It sets to a satin finish so it doesn’t make me look oily though I always powder liquid foundation especially on my oily t-zone. It lasts a good four to five hours on me before I need to blot (which is very good going on my skin)but bear in mind that this is in the current weather. In warmer weather it wouldn’t last as long. 

The only thing I’m not sure off is the colour. The NW shade does seem to be better on me which is weird given how adamant the MUA was that either would do because I’m so neutral. In summer NW would be perfect but it’s maybe a fraction too dark right now. The MAC site shows NC15 so I have no idea why they don’t do an NW 15 too! 

Will I buy a full sie bottle? I’m quite tempted actually. I will wait until spring as I’m only going to get paler over the winter so this will end up being too dark. The online picture looks like it has a built in pump which wins it major brownie points. Over all I like it, I just wish they did it in NW15! x

Sample Sunday

I have been inspired by the gorgeous Anitacska over at Pleasureflush to tackle my growing pile of samples. It’s getting silly. There are more hidden under what you can see of this pile...

I just seem to accumulate them from magazines, counters etc. Then they sit there unloved. There are several foundations here, weeks worth of skin care, mascaras, bath products. Inspired by Anitacska’s ‘Project Skincare Samples’ I decided to have a look at that I actually have and to get my bum in gear and use them.

So here we have ‘Sample Sunday’ (catchy no?). Every Sunday I’ll fish out a sample of something, use it and say whether or not I’d purchase the full sized product on the basis of my experience with the sample. I’ll start off with one that I have actually been using for the last week. This is the Clinique Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream sample. 

As a hand cream it’s lovely. None greasy, easily absorbed and definitely moisturising. It claims to be fragrance free though and it just isn’t. To me it smells a bit like the Body Shop Hemp cream which I cannot stand. To me it’s the stench of a mouldy fruit bowel. Even a work colleague commented on the smell and not in a good way. You may of course find that is smells lovely or even doesn’t smell at all but for me it’s a no brainer. I won’t be buying this. If you’re interested though a full sized one costs £14.50 for 75ml x

Sample Sunday – Max Factor Second Skin Foundation

Yes it’s the return of Sample Sunday. I’m going to take a couple of weeks break from my Project 7 Day Palette and get rid of a couple more items from my sample box whilst I’m at it. For anyone who doesn’t remember my Sample Sunday posts the point of them is to try a sample and decide on the basis of it whether I would purchase a full sized product or not. That is after all the purpose of samples! 

This costs £12.99 for a bottle and the main selling point is that it is supposed to look like your skin with ‘undetectable coverage’ and ‘unique multi tonal pigments’. The formula is fairly liquid and blends well. I tried the shade 70 Natural which is much too dark for and incredibly pink. The coverage is medium buildable.

The finish is very glowy which doesn’t suit me at all. Within 45 minutes my oily nose was like an oil slick. This is definitely better suited to drier skin types. According to the Boots website there are only 5 shades to choose from which frankly is just stupid.  How people are supposed to find a match in that shade range I don’t know. Between the finish and the colour range this foundation is a no for me x

Sample Sunday – Rituals Magic Touch Body Cream

I go through body lotion like no tomorrow. The skin on my body tends to go all scaly and uncomfortable at the slightest provocation. That being said I don’t want to be standing around all cold and drafty waiting for a rich sticky lotion to sink in enough for me to get dressed. So I want an ultra rich lotion that is super moisturising but instantly disappears into the skin. And when you’re done on that miracle some water into wine would be just lovely. 

This is a very, very thick cream. So much so that I thought it was going to be a pain to spread over the skin but it melts very quickly with the heat of your hands and actually spreads pretty well. It has a faint fruity cherry scent which was inoffensive and not too obvious after a little while. I like this as I want to smell like my perfume, not my body lotion. 

It actually wasn’t sticky at all. After a minute or two it had completely sunk in leaving my skin infinitely less tight and scaly than it was before. There are only two down sides. For a start the full size 200ml pot is in, well, a pot. Not the best for hygiene. Secondly it costs £13.50 and given its limited availability in the UK (I know there is a counter in Edinburgh and I think John Lewis might stock it?) you might have to factor in postage too. 

Would I buy the full size? If I found myself at a counter and I was feel flush I would be very tempted. It is a lovely product. It’s just a little too pricey for me to actively go looking for it x

*Samples received as part of a gift with purchase*

Sample Sunday – Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild

I’ve been thinking about trying the Clinique three step skin care range for a while but I have resisted. This sample came free with a magazine a couple of months ago and I was thrilled to be able to try out the facial soap before having to buy the full sized bottles. Given that the full sized liquid facial soap is £13 for 200ml with the rest of the line on top of that this little freebie has just saved me a lot of money.

It’s a clear gel which foams well and does a decent job of cleaning my face. And... erm... that’s it? It’s perfectly ok but I’ve used plenty of face washes that are perfectly ok for £10 less. It doesn’t do anything to fight spots or control oil so it’s not right for my skin this summer so I won’t be bothering with the line just now. Yes I know that there is a version for oiler skin but I still have dry bits so I’m not convinced that would work either!

Sample Sunday - No7 Total Renewal Micro- Dermabrasion Exfoliator

As much as I enjoyed the sample of Clinique 7 day scrub this completely blows it out of the water. They say:

“No7 Total Renewal Micro-Dermabrasion Exfoliator works against fine lines, evens out skin tone and leaves skin softer, silky to touch and more refined. 
*Hypo-allergenic 
*Dermatologically tested

Boots are skincare experts and you can rely on us to give you trustworthy and expert advice. All of our No7 formulations are developed by Boots skincare scientific advisors.

No7 is the No1 skincare brand in the UK and Boots is respected in the industry for its rigorous approach to product testing.

How to Use

1. Squeeze a small amount onto your hand and dot around your face. Use just enough to very thinly cover it when spread out.

2. Next, begin in the centre of your forehead and massage in small circles out towards your temples

3. Using both hands at the same time, massage gently in small circles, moving from your chin up to your temples. Avoid your nostrils, lips and the area around your eyes.

4. Finish with a few smooth downward strokes over your nose and chin. Then, close your eyes, rinse your face thoroughly with plenty of warm water and gently pat dry.”

The cream is very thick and absolutely packed with exfoliating grains. They are smaller and denser than the Clinique scrub and in my opinion do a much better job. I used it every two days and experienced no irritation. My skin just looked brighter and less congested. 

A full sized bottle of 75ml costs £11 but don’t forget to wait until No7 is on 3 for 2 or the £5 vouchers are out! I’ll definitely be picking up the full size x

*Sample received as part of a gift with purchase*

Sample Sunday – TRESemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner

I’ve actually used up and entire bottle of the shampoo so I feel pretty confident about giving a review on that at least although I only got one use out of the conditioner. I’ll start with a brief comment on the conditioner. They say:

“Tresemme Naturals Professional Quality conditioner contains organic aloe vera and avocado extracts that moisturises your hair for protection against damage and breaking.
Our silicone free formula for lightweight conditioning infuses hair with moisture for hair that’s noticeably more manageable and moisturised. Discover 10 x stronger hair after just one use. Formulated without parabens and also hypoallergenic.
It is suitable for sensitive skin and gentle enough for use on colour treated hair.”

It’s a fairly thick consistency, smells nice and fresh but not too strong and did an ok job on my hair. It wasn’t BLOW YOUR MIND amazing but it was ok. A mahoosive 500ml bottle is a mere £3.99 so I wouldn’t mind purchasing the full size.

The shampoo is a different story. This is advertised as being “Lower sulphates” which is a bit of a con really. For those who don’t know SLS (sodium laurel sulphate) is often the foaming ingredient used in soaps, shampoos etc. I do suffer from irritant dermatitis and have found that SLS is one of the ingredients that doesn’t do my skin any favours. What TRESemme have done is take out the nasty SLS and replaced it with the different but still irritating ammonium laurel sulphate. Sneaky... They say:

“Tresemme Naturals Professional Quality shampoo contains organic aloe vera and avocado extracts that moisturises your hair for protection against damage and breaking.
Our silicone free formula for lightweight conditioning infuses hair with moisture for hair that’s noticeably more manageable and moisturised.
Discover 10 x stronger hair after just one use. Formulated without parabens and also hypoallergenic.
It is suitable for sensitive skin and gentle enough for use on colour treated hair.”

Again it’s lightly fragranced with a nice ‘clean’ hairdressers style scent. It was fine for my hair, it didn’t strip the colour though I can’t say I noticed any huge change in condition. My issue is that ALS appears to be even worse for my skin than SLS. Now everyone is different and maybe ALS is better for most peoples skin but I found my scalp dry, flaky and the skin around my hairline was extremely irritated. For this reason I won’t be repurchasing this (though if you want to a 500ml bottle is £4.07).

If you don’t have sensitive skin but like the idea of shampoo/ conditioner that’s free of nasties like parabens this is one of the few budget options out there and you might love this. It’s not for me though x

*I love magazine freebies I do, that’s where I got this from*

Sample Sunday – Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash

Don’t you love it when you go to a counter for something specific and rather than bullying you into buying the rest of the range the SA just hands out samples so you can try it out? Some counters are better than others at this. Origins is fan-bloody-tastic. This product is aimed at combination skin which I have. They say;

“When it comes to faces with dry and oily places, it takes a clever cleanser to balance the two. This gentle, frothy face wash carefully does both jobs without canceling each other out. Konjac Powder seeks out oil, soaks it up then keeps it well in-check, while Wheat Protein balances and protects dry prone zones. And Broadleaf Kelp breaks down dirt, disperses excess oil and sends dullness down the drain. There's also aromatic Bergamot , Spearmint and Lavender to add pleasure to the process. Skin feels comfortably refreshed after cleansing, never tight, pulled or parched.”

I love the strong spearmint scent. It’s definitely a good one for perking you up in the morning. The texture is a weird bouncy kind of mousse. It’s kind of like the Fluff marshmallow goop. You don’t need a lot to get a nice rich creamy lather  (ooh er). It doesn’t strip my skin at all or irritate it and it doesn’t leave it feeling dry either. 

Obviously this sample isn’t enough to tell whether it would really ‘balance’ my skin in the long term but it was pleasant enough for me to file this away in my to purchase list. At £15.32 it’s pretty pricey for a face wash but I suspect the 100ml tube would last a good long while. Personally I like it! x

Sample Sunday! Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex

Try saying that product name after a couple of glasses of vino! I’ve said before that I’m not really in the target age group for serums. I’m 23 so don’t really have anything in the way of wrinkles although my long sightedness (oh yeah, reading glasses at age 7. Beat that Granny!) has lead to a few fine lines under my eyes due to squinting. My acne prone younger sister swears by this stuff though. She claims that it calms down her skin and helps keep it under control and in fairness her skin has been looking a lot better recently. 

The serum is very thin and slippery so it spreads over the skin easily. It does add some moisture, this combined with my night cream have finally put an end to the flaky patches I developed during the winter. I have been having a little trouble with breakouts around my chin over the past few months and this doesn’t seem to have made them any better or worse. What I have noticed though is an overall erm.. ‘niceness’ to my skin. It looks that tiny bit more even, less tired. It’s really hard to put my finger on it. My under eye area is smoother too which was a surprise. 

This tiny sample has lasted me over three weeks which makes me feel a little better about the price. You can get 50ml for £51 or 30ml for £39 which is frankly a little bit mad even though I think it would take me months to reach the end of a bottle. I just can’t justify it at the moment even though I do think my skin has benefitted it. When my budget is looking a little better though I would seriously consider it x

*Received as part of a gift with purchase*

It’s Sample Sunday! L’Oreal Matte Morphose Foundation

I wasn’t expecting to like this sample as I’ve not had much luck with mousse foundations in the past. Honestly though? I kind of like this! The texture is very thick and weird to work with. I applied it with my ELF Studio Foundation brush but I think fingers might be the best way to go with it. The coverage is surprisingly high and I didn’t feel the need to add concealer. 

Once you’ve worked it into the skin which does take a little effort the finish is just what I like. It’s matte but not powdery and it sets pretty quickly. I didn’t even feel the need to powder though I probably would still powder my t-zone if I were wanting it to last all work day. I wasn’t wearing any primer but my giant crater pores looked somewhat disguised, probably due to the thick texture. I love how my skin feels with this on. It’s not tacky to the tough at all, rather velvety in fact! 

Of course the shine did start after a couple of hours and I’m afraid I didn’t keep it on long enough to see it it would manage a full work day (the shade I have is too dark as per usual) but I have reasonable expectations from it due to the matte nature of the formula. One thing I think will be an issue for many is the small colour range. I can only see 6 shades on the Boots website. 

This is a possible future purchase from me if they have a colour that matches. I’m intrigued by the weird texture and I really love the finish. If you have dry skin and prefer a dewy look this will definitely not be for you and I can imagine it would cling horrifically to any flaky spots. Personally though I like it! x