Sample Summary #13

1) Shiseido | Express Soothing Eye Mask and Wrinkle Resist 24 Eye Contour Cream

Full size: £59.00 for the eye mask / £54.00 for the eye cream

Rating: 2.5/5

This was a lovely little set of samples containing one application of a stick-on undereye mask, as well as a sachet of eye cream which lasted me a good week or so. The mask was an absolute pleasure to use and felt very cooling and hydrating while I let it work. Afterwards my eyes seemed a bit perkier and depuffed, but the effect had vanished the following morning. The eye cream was incredibly rich and left a greasy film under my eyes, so I could only use it at night. Otherwise my concealer would literally just slip straight off my skin. While they were both nice products, I don't think that the exorbitant price tag is by any means justified, hence the low rating.

2) Clarins | Moisture Rich Body Lotion

Full size: £30.00

Rating: 3/5

This was really lovely and moisturising without being sticky or greasy at all. While I personally prefer my body lotions to be scented, this might hold a certain appeal to those who don't like their body products to overpower their perfume - or those who simply have a sensitive nose. Just like with the Shiseido sample above, my only problem with this is the price tag. I just wouldn't be able to justify spending £30 on a tube of this when I can get great body lotions or butters for a tenth of the price.

3) Estee Lauder | Advanced Night Repair

Full size: £48.00

Rating: 5/5

Every time I get a sample of this somewhere my eyes immediately light up. This serum is simply magical. It never looks better than when I apply this before my moisturiser every night. It's smoother, softer and skintone is more even. I swear that one day I'll invest in a full size of this, but till then I will relish every last drop of my sample.

4) Neal & Wolf | Super Shine Spray

Full size: £9.50

Rating: 4/5

I wouldn't necessarily call this an essential, but it's a nice little product to have on special occasions. It's shiny without being glittery or sparkly and has an amazing fruity scent that lingers on the hair for a fair bit after application. It doesn't weigh hair down or make it greasy as long as you're not overly generous. I'm not sure I'd purchase the full size, as it's not a product that's missing from my beauty routine, but I'll thoroughly enjoy using up the sample I've got.

5) Redken | Colour Extend Conditioner

Full size: £13.75

Rating: 4.5/5

This was such a joy to use! It instantly restored my damaged, bleached hair and made it incredibly soft. I'd even say my hair felt stronger and a bit thicker after using this, I'm absolutely amazed. I'd say it's probably a touch too intense for daily application, but if used every other wash it works a treat. This is one I want to get my hands on for the full size.

6) Suti | Cleanse Balm, Purity Balm and Foot Balm

Full size: £28 for the Cleanse Balm, £23 for the Purity Balm and £16.50 for the Foot Balm

Rating: 4/5

I didn't expect to be quite as impressed with these little balms as I am, as the samples were quite small. The Cleanse Balm only lasted for four applications, but was coincidentally also my favourite out of the bunch. It dissolved make-up in a flash and left it feeling simultaneously cleansed, soothed and nourished. This is one I'll definitely be looking into purchasing a full size of! The Purity Balm works really great to deeply moisturise the skin. I apply it on my face at night and I'm not going to lie: It turns my face into an oil slick! Come morning, however, everything has been absorbed and my skin is wonderfully plumped and softened, but as it's so rich, one application every 2-3 days is usually enough.

The foot balm is my least favourite, as it takes a little bit of effort to work it in, but it's still a really, really lovely product!

Sample Summary #12

1) Calvin Klein | Downtown Body Lotion

Full size: £22.50

Rating: 2/5

I know I always complain about body lotions that are designed to go with a perfume, as they tend to do nothing to my skin other than leave a sticky film on my body - but recently I've kind of softened up a little bit and decided to change by outlook a little. I suppose that their aim is not primarily to moisturise, but instead to make sure a certain scent lingers on the skin just a bit longer than it would without. Having said that, at £22.50 a pop, I feel like it's not that outrageous to demand just a little bit more from a body lotion.

As for the scent, it's a mix of woody and floral notes which is quite young and easy to wear. I think you could safely say that if you like other CK fragrances, chances are you'll be a fan of this one, too.

2) Giorgio Armani | Si Perfumed Body Lotion

Full size: £35.50

Rating: 2/5

Another perfumed body lotion and again I could pretty much just repeat what I've already said above. The scent, however, is absolutely gorgeous and manages to be fruity, but somehow still sophisticated. I'm no good at describing scents and it's been a while since I used this up, so I'll spare you my pathetic attempts, but I'd certainly consider treating myself to the perfume after sampling this!

3) Maybelline | SuperStay Better Skin Foundation

Full size: £8.99

Rating: 4.5/5

As with most foundation samples the shade I had was too dark for my skin tone, but I was determined to try it out, as I'd heard quite a lot of bloggers rave about this foundation. So, with some serious neck and chest blending I gave it a go and was pretty damn impressed. The foundation gives good coverage with a semi-matte finish. You know the kind where your skin looks matte and even, but not dead? Yeah, that one. It felt really light on the skin which is always something I look out for and managed to stay on my face all throughout a sweaty underground rock gig! The only thing that lets it down a little is the very limited shade selection and I'm not sure I'd be able to find a decent match for my skin tone - otherwise I'd most certainly love to try a whole bottle of this!

4) La Claree | Ultra Melting Body Milk

Full size: £18

Rating: 3.5/5

On to a few beauty box samples that I've been using over the past few weeks. Unfortunately the packaging of this sample meant that I only managed to scrape out about half of the product, but what I did manage to use was simply divine. The cream has a light, almost mousse like texture, but feels deeply moisturising on the skin without leaving behind a greasy layer. You can see your skin soften almost instantly. The scent is quite delicate and reminds me a little bit of almond milk. It's pleasant but subtle. However, I just don't feel like the £18 price tag is justified, as there are a lot of really great body lotions out there that perform just as well and cost about half as much. I think this one would make a really great gift, though, as it just feels so luxurious to use.

5) Inner Me | Beautify Me Vitamin Complex

Full size: £15

Rating: 1/5

This isn't strictly speaking a sample, but rather a two week vitamin course, but as I received it in a beauty box and didn't feel like it deserved a post on its own, I thought I'd squeeze it in with these.

Now, I firmly believe that a lot of our appearance is based on what we put in our bodies, rather than just on what we slap on the outside. I took two of these supplements every day religiously for two weeks and, well... nothing changed. I tried to look for some sort of improvement in my skin, hair or nails, but it just wasn't there. Hey, maybe my diet is already so healthy that the vitamins didn't make a difference (... stress the "maybe"...), but I can't help but feel that rather than spend £15 on pills every two weeks, you'd be much better off cutting down on processed foods, alcohol and cigarettes and instead upping your water intake and eating more fresh fruit and veg.

6) Percy and Reed | Dry Conditioner

Full size: £12

Rating: 4/5

I honestly don't know what I would do with my life if it wasn't for dry shampoo. Not only does it mean more time in bed and healthier strands as I don't have to wash my hair every day, but there's also nothing quite like it to give a little bit of texture to my layered hair. Yet sometimes it can leave my hair literally a bit straw like and this is where this little gem comes in. It is literally like softness in a can and a quick spray leaves my hair refreshed but still glossy and smooth. The lid comes off the packaging all the time which is a bit annoying and obviously it doesn't replace washing your hair regularly, but for lazy days this is absolutely perfect.

7) Pureology | Colour Stylist Silk Bodifier

Full size: £17.85

Rating: 2/5

I was filled with dread when I got this sample. Memories of my teenage years came flooding back with images of crispy, mousse filled roots and frizzy curls. My hair was bad - really, really bad back then and I feel like my insistence on regularly using copious amounts of hair mousse was partly to blame. Sure enough, I completely OD'ed upon first application (hey, that nozzle is hard to control!) and was left with hair so sticky I was forced to rewash it. The mousse almost landed in the bin, but I decided to give it another chance, carefully eyeing up that rebellious nozzle. Used in moderation, it did give my hair just a tiny bit more body, but nothing that would really make me take note. I did use it up completely, but it's certainly not a product I'd look into purchasing.

Sample Summary #11

I've been rubbing, spreading and smothering my way through an array of samples again, so it's about time I gave you another run down of mini sample summaries to see what's gone straight on the wish list (or straight in the bin).

1) Kerastase | Elixir Ultime

Full size: £34.50

Rating: 4.5/5

The Kerastase Elixir Ultime is hailed as the mother of all hair oils, so I was expecting nothing short of miracles for my hair. After the first application, I have to admit that I do see where the hype is coming from. Despite being an oil, this doesn't really feel oily - it's more sticky in texture and my hair literally drank it up like there was no tomorrow. It did everything I look for in a good hair oil: It gave my hair a little extra kick of moisture, smoothed away flyaways, added a bit of shine, but without making the hair seem greasy and limp. It wasn't quite mindblowing enough for me to rush out and spend £30 on a full sized bottle, but if you're in the market for a hair oil and don't mind spending a bit extra, then you really can't go wrong with this.

2) Clarins | Hand and Nail Treatment Cream

Full size: £20

Rating: 4/5

I remember getting my Mum one of these as a present, as it was highly recommended to me by the shop assistant for somebody who uses their hands a lot. It's hailed to be a fast-acting hand cream that takes no time at all to sink into the skin, but at the same time repair some serious damage both from ageing and harsh environments. As far as sinking in goes, this is right up there with my favourites and one of the few hand creams I could apply during the day. As far as damage control goes, it did leave my hands nice and soft, but it didn't work quite as well as my beloved Yes! Nurse hand cream (which is also a lot cheaper). I don't think it's quite heavy duty enough for what my poor hands have to withstand in the winter.

3) Clinique | 7 Day Scrub

Full size: £18.50

Rating: 3/5

I'm a bit lost here with the 7 day claim on this scrub. What is it supposed to mean? Are you meant to use it every day for 7 days? Does it take 7 days to see results? Does an application last for 7 days? I don't know!! What I do know is that this performed like a pretty average facial exfoliator. The grains were a good size, the texture firm enough not to end up down the sink, but soft enough to not tug skin when you spread it. A decent product, but at that price point I would expect something to really wow me to justify spending that extra bit of money. As it stands, you can find pretty good drugstore alternatives at no more than half the price.

4) Weleda | Millet Nourishing Shampoo

Full size: £8.95

Rating: 1/5

Oh my.... is it possible for a shampoo to leave your hair even dirtier than it was before the wash? This is an all natural product free from SLS and other foaming agents, so I wasn't expecting a rich lather anyway, but this just left my hair heavy, tangled and slightly on the oily side. Such a shame, as it has a zesty scent that is simply to die for under the shower.

5) Shiseido | Ibuki Refining Moisturizer Enriched

Full size: £42

Rating: 4.5/5

Eugh, how I miss this little pot. This was pretty much the perfect moisturiser for me. It was rich, yet lightweight and an absolute pleasure to apply. Even from this little sample size I could tell the difference it was making to my skin, which seemed clearer and just a little bit more alive. Good enough, in fact, to run errands and go shopping completely make-up free. The only downside is the price. At £42 a pop, it really ain't cheap, but I'm still hovering over the buy button, as this might just be worth a little extra splurge.

6) Louis Widmer | Skin Appeal Peeling

Full size: £11.20

Rating: 4/5

I can't say I've ever heard of a brand called Louis Widmer, but judging from the writing on the sample it seems to be a Dutch brand. The Skin Appeal series in particular is targeted at young, breakout-prone skin and while that's not exactly me (my skin is more on the combination side and my teenage years are well and truly a thing of the past), I really enjoyed using this product. It's definitely one of the harsher products I've ever had the pleasure of using, so not one for those with sensitive skin. But on the plus side, it left my skin feeling really squeaky clean, as if it literally got into every single pore to get rid of all of the rubbish that has accumulated there over time.

7) Eucerin | Dermo Densifyer Day

Full size: £24.42

Rating: 3/5

Another name that leaves me a bit baffled. I've heard of many different skin concerns, but does anyone really want their skin to be... denser...? Opening this sample I didn't think I'd get on with it at all, as it's just the type of heavy, thick cream that usually leaves me looking like I've been in an oil wrestling match, but I thought I'd give it a go anyway. Turns out it wasn't quite as bad. As it's so thick a little goes a long way on my skin type and you can definitely feel that there's something on your skin, but it's been working pretty well in the cold winter months at creating a barrier on my skin that has kept the occasional redness or dry patches completely at bay. As far as samples go it's huge and even though I've been using it for 3 months I've only just started getting to the bottom of it. I feel that while it's good on my skin, it would perform absolutely exceptional on dry to very dry skin types.

8) Rodial | 5 Minute Facial

Full size: £35

Rating: 5/5

This stuff is flippin amazing! I'd never tried anything from Rodial before and I'd highly questioned their approach to beauty with names such as "Size Zero" cream and rather dodgy looking meal replacement sticks. But, I've got to give it to them, as far as face masks go, this might just be the best that I've ever tried. It applies as a smooth cream, then dries and hardens, just like a mud mask would. You're then meant to rub off the hardened product, but I found that only about half of it came off by rubbing and I had to rinse the remainder off with water. (It also made a right mess of my bathroom sink, let me tell you that!) What I was left with was skin that was (sorry, there is no other word for it) radiant and just... just, wow. Absolutely worth the £35 - although I found it £10 cheaper on Allbeauty (see link above) and will be purchasing a full sized tube soon!

Sample Summary #10

I've had the pleasure to sample lots of pretty awesome products lately, which unfortunately also means that my beauty wish list has expanded by about thirty feet. Oh well. You ready for it?

1) L'Oreal EverRiche Shampoo

Full size: £5.99

I had a feeling that my hair might like this shampoo and I wasn't wrong at all. My hair was always pretty dry, but ever since it's been bleached it needs a lot of intensive care and moisture. A lot of shampoos won't make a difference in the state of my hair - it's something I remedy with conditioners, oils and intensive masques - but this one genuinely made my hair a lot smoother and more manageable without weighing it down at all. And it's only about £6 per bottle, while there's usually some sort of 3 for 2 deal on at Boots or Superdrug, so it's definitely going to be something I plan on purchasing soon!

2) Lancome Teint Miracle Foundation

Full size: £27.50

The shade of my sample above is 03 and I knew before even squeezing anything out of the tube, that it wouldn't match my colouring one bit - and I was right. It looked disasterously orange on me, so I waited till I had a day off to try this one on. And it's such a shame that the colour is so far off, as the texture of this foundation is absolutely lovely. It's very runny out of the tube, but dries to a perfect matte finish on the skin, lasts all day and feels lightweight throughout. Unfortunately I gave this one more go trying to match it to my skin with some lighter powder, but eventually had to give up and just bin the sample.

3) Kerastase Elixir Ultime Masque

Full size: £23.95

I was going to treat myself to a pot of this a while ago, but eventually decided to go for a more budget friendly alternative and spend my money on... erhm... can't remember. Seems like that might have been a bad decision, because this stuff is AMAZING. Seriously. Best hair masque I've ever used in my life. My hair was soft, swishy, smooth but still voluminous - I'm running out of adjectives to describe this stuff, but it's just awesome and I've decided I need it in my life.

4) Dermalogica Ultracalming Relief Masque

Full size: £39.10

Next stop on the rave train! Dermalogica have never let me down in all fairness and I've loved every single product I've ever tried. This sachet couldn't have come at a better time - I've been battling a nasty cold for what seems like forever now and the area around my nose and my mouth is red raw from excessive tissue use. This applied smoothly, didn't sting even on the sore areas and soothed and calmed my skin instantly. Admittedly, the price tag on this is very steep, so if I ever did purchase the full size, it would be more of a special occasion treat rather than an everyday skincare staple.

5) Kerastase Homme Capital Force Shampoo

Full size: £12.24

Not much I can say on this one, really. I'm not a man, so I gave this sample to my boyfriend and his comments were as enlightening as "Well, it washed my hair". Thanks. This is aimed at densifying hair with everyday use, so there isn't really much to observe after just one use. Other than that it got my boyfriend's hair clean.

6) Melvita Rose Body Milk

Full size: £16

After so much excitement to finally sample something from Melvita, this body milk was a bit of a let down. The smell was very pleasant - rosy, but not too strong or obvious. The texture, however, was a bit too runny and thin for me, providing my skin with almost no moisture. Then again, it's no secret that I'm no fan of runny body lotions or milks, so maybe if you prefer something lighter on the skin than a heavy duty body butter, then this is for you.

7) S5 Purity Serum

Full size: £44

I was a tad worried originally that this might be a little too harsh for my skin, as I don't really suffer from any breakouts, just a bit of oiliness around my T-Zone. Turns out that my fears were unfounded and this has seriously transformed my skin. I'm trialling quite a lot of new skincare at the moment, so it's a bit tricky to be able to put my finger at which product is doing exactly what, but I'm pretty sure this has helped immensely in getting my skin to the state it's at right now. Ever since I started using this serum I've not had a single blackhead and the oiliness on my T-Zone has gone down significantly - all without irritating the more delicate skin on my cheeks. 

Sample Summary #9

I've been struck with a bit of blogger's block lately, hence the absence of blog post or any activity from me really. As a result, we've got loads and loads of goodies to get through with a few months' worth of beauty box and magazine samples, so let's get started!

1) Gerda Spillmann Renaissance Age Serum

Full size: £69

I've still never bought a full sized serum and only ever had a play around with various samples. The nice thing about serums though, is that you only ever need a small amount for it to work its magic, so even my samples always last me a long time.

This one had a gorgeous citrus scent to it and I used it at night time only before applying moisturiser. The one thing I did notice was that it sunk straight away into my drier cheeks, but slipped around for ages on my oilier T-Zone, without ever fully absorbing into the skin. Likewise, my cheeks would feel softer and smoother in the morning, while there was no visible effect on the rest of my face (neither positive nor negative). As a result I feel that it would be more suited to dry skin, though the results on half of my face didn't impress me enough to wholeheartedly recommend this product.

2) Green and Spring Relaxing Conditioner

Full size: £16

I wish people would stop making things in squeezy bottles. They slip around everywhere and you can never get the last bit out of the bottom - so frustrating! This conditioner had a gorgeous scent - like fresh meadows on a spring day - which lasted on the hair for ages and bagged me several compliments on how nice my hair smelt!

Unfortunately my hair is very dry and it just wasn't rich enough for me, resulting in coarse, frizzy hair. For normal to oily hair types, however, this would be a lovely little luxury treat.

3) Weleda Skin Food

Full size: £8.95

With all the hype surrounding this cult product, my hopes for it were very high. Unfortunately, I wasn't really sure how to use it. I don't really get dry skin in summer, only in winter, when the cold air outside and central heating indoors turns me into a scaly lizard.

Eventually I settled on using it as a substitute for my 8 Hour Cream, so on heels, little cuts and grazes and as an intensive hand moisturiser over night. While it's not as greasy and smelly as 8 Hour Cream, it also didn't quite match it on the hydration front. I can see why it's earned its spot in the beauty world, but personally, I've found a product that works better for me and I'm going to stick with that for now.

4) Murad Hydrodynamic Moisture for Eyes

Full size: £57

I've always suffered from dark circles under my eyes and the odd bit of puffiness thrown into the mix, which made me a firm believer in the miracles of a good eye cream. However, I've been going through so many duds lately - even my old time favourite Clinique cream stopped working on me - that I started to consider scrapping eye cream for good and just saving my money for something else instead.

Then this little gem came along. To be honest, I didn't even pay attention to any changes until it was time to review the sample and that's when I realised that the condition of the skin under my eyes has really got a lot better. It's incredibly smooth and pleasant to apply and leaves skin instantly revitalised. My dark circles decreased up to a point where I found myself applying a lot less concealer in the mornings. It's only the huge price tag that puts me off purchasing the full size.

5) Wei Chinese Rose Foaming Cleanser

Full size: £25

Unfortunately, this sample has been a little too tiny to make a fair judgment on product performance. It's a clear gel that turns into a milky foam when massaged into wet skin and it cleaned my skin effectively without any stinging or tight sensations. The scent is undoubtedly rosy, but not so strong to put anyone off who's not overly into rose smells. It did its job reasonably well and got me a little intrigued by Wei, a brand I've never come across before.

6) Wei Pomegranate Buffing Beads

Full size: £16

I feel like I should have tried this one along with my Wei cleanser sample, but I'd already run out of that one before it was bi-weekly exfoliating time. I do quite like the idea behind these - little granules that you mix with your favourite cleanser to make it as gritty or as smooth as you like, without the need to buy a separate exfoliator. It's more of a novelty item than a beauty staple in my honest option, though.

7) Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara

Full size: £22

I'm already quite the fan of the original Hypnose mascara, but this one is set apart by the curved wand, which I originally feared would make application tricky, but thankfully didn't. I'm a bit gutted that I forgot to take pictures of it on my lashes because my oh my, this stuff is amazing. It made my lashes long, thick and very, very defined - I honestly didn't know I actually had so many eye lashes. It did a great job at curling my lashes, too, meaning I could give my eye lash curlers a bit of a break (though keep in mind that my lashes are naturally very curly already). At the moment I don't have enough money flying around to warrant spending this much on a mascara which I'll have to replace within two or three months, but I still think the quality completely warrants the price tag. 

8) Scholl Dry Skin Instant Recovery Cream

Full size: £5.99

Shame I only got one application out of this foot cream, but the one time I used it I could instantly tell a difference on the dry skin on my feet - and that was after neglecting them for a while, so they were a bit of a tough case. The cream sank in instantly and immediately nourished and softened my skin, without leaving any slippy or greasy feeling. I'm quite impressed that a product with such a low price tag performed so well!

9) Nivea In-Shower Moisturiser

Full size: £3.56

Ever since I first heard about this I really wanted to give it a go. It's like a conditioner for your skin, which you smooth on while still in the shower and then rinse off and you're ready to go, without the need for body lotion! While it did soften my skin, it wasn't quite as hydrated as I would have liked.

I did however enjoy being able to just get out of the shower, dry off and be ready to go. On hot days in particular, I just hate creaming my skin after the shower when everything just gets sticky and horrible straight away. A good one maybe to pack for a holiday or to use in blistering heat - otherwise, it's just not quite rich enough for me.

10) Organic Surge Blissful Daily Moisturiser

Full size: £8.49

I was introduced to Organic Surge through my first Beauteco Box and I think I've fallen in love with the brand a little bit ever since. This came with an online order and I already can't wait for my moisturiser to run out so I can buy a full tub of this.

It sank into my skin immediately, smoothed out my drier cheeks and softly mattified my T-Zone, leaving me with silky peach skin throughout. Utterly, utterly gorgeous!

11) Durex Play Intimate Lube

Full size: £4.29

Haha, no I won't be giving any details on this one, but just thought I'd mention it. Fair play to Cosmo for giving out samples of this in their magazine!

12) BiOrganics Hair Perfecting Oil

Full size: £13

Oh, I'm really not a fan of this oil at all. The first problem is the way the sample is designed, with a very wide opening at the top which makes it difficult to dispense the perfect amount. As a result I ended up with too much oil a lot of the time and a greasy, slippy mess everywhere. On my hair it didn't really do anything to boost moisture or to smooth my strands. Even on my very dry hair it refused to sink into the hair shaft and just left my hair looking greasy. I've honestly never seen greasy frizz before I tried this product. Wouldn't buy it and wouldn't recommend it.

13) Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream

Full size: £20

Considering how excited I was to try out this cream I feel a little let down by the results. Don't get me wrong, it's a lovely eye cream that sinks into the skin nicely and applies very well - but that's about it. It did nothing for my dark circles and nothing for my puffiness. I may as well have been applying tomato sauce to my skin. But then, apart from the Murad cream I mentioned above, eye creams just really haven't been doing anything for me during the last couple of months.

14) Eve of St Agnes Body Balm

Full size: £6

I mistakenly thought at first that this would be a body butter sort of product, but it's much thicker and way too rich for application all over the body. It's a thick, waxy balm that can be used for any tough and dry spots and I used it on my hands over night to give a little bit of softness.

To be quite honest, I'm not overly impressed. I love the strong rose scent (though that might not be to everyone's taste), but the texture is really rather off-putting. The balm is quite hard in the tin, but rather than melting on the skin when you rub it in, it becomes kind of grainy and powdery. It also doesn't moisturise quite as much as I'd like, so it's one I'm going to give a miss I think.

15) Eve of St Agnes Refining Bamboo Exfoliating Polish

Full size: £18

Now this sample I like a lot more than the previous one. It's got a very soft and delicate scent which I can barely notice even when I'm rubbing it all over my nose. The grains are quite tough, but as they're suspended in a very light, soft cream, it makes for a very satisfying scrubbing experience. Strong enough to get all the rubbish off my face, but gentle enough to not cause any irritation.

16) Pukka Radiance Serum

Full size: £24

I'm really, really torn with this product. Upon application it's quite frankly disgusting. I dislike the herbal scent, the runny texture makes it difficult to apply without dripping and it leaves my skin extremely sticky. Eurgh! But, on the other hand, when I stuck with it, it really did improve my skin tone. Radiance is something that's a bit difficult to describe, but my skin tone seems more even and my skin looks a little more "healthy" than on days when I don't use it. Is it worth putting up with the disgusting feeling it leaves on my skin? I'm still not entirely sure.

Sample Summary #8

1) Clinique, Repairwear Uplifting Cream

Full size: £50 for 50ml

I love it when brands give you proper sized samples of their products that you can squeeze more than one and a half applications out of. Even more so when they’re tailored to my skin type. Hello, combination skin, that’s me! I have to admit that for a cream that’s aimed at combination skin, this was very thick and quite rich, though. And my usual tactic of using it as a night cream couldn’t be applied, as it’s a cream with SPF, so it would only be wasted on a night.

Apart from that it’s a lovely moisturiser which keeps my face nice and hydrated. The richness can be balanced out with the use of the right products, but it’s not something I’m raring to go out and buy.

2) La Sultane De Saba, Body Lotion With Argan Oil

Full size: £26.50 for 200ml

I knew I wouldn’t like this as soon as I saw it in my Birchbox and reality hasn’t been far off my expectations. The oriental scent of this body lotion is just not up my street at all. To top it off it comes out sticky and runny, though to be fair once I let the lotion absorb into my skin properly it made it wonderfully soft.

Nevertheless, I have no time for body lotions that make me dance about naked in the bathroom in the hopes that it will sink in sometime today. And try to squeeze out thick body lotion out of a tiny tub made of hard plastic while your hands are all greasy and oily. The sample went flying, bounced off every single wall leaving behind a sticky trail of destruction, before being thrown in the bin. So much for that.

3) RMK, Cleansing Balm

Full size: £29 for 100g

Can a beauty product ever be life changing? I believe this one can. Before this sample, I’d never tried a cleansing balm before, but boy am I smitten. The delicious rose scent sends me off into a heavenly dream land, the texture melts on my skin like silk and removes every last little scrap of dirt and make-up. I actually WANT to clean my skin, even after a late (/early) night out, which is something that’s never happened before.

Oh and my skin absolutely loves this. So much so that I can even skip the foundation most days. I’ve still got a few other cleansers on the go right now, but once they run out, this is a definite, DEFINITE repurchase.

4) Sanctuary, 30 Day Thermal Clay Mask

Full size: £27.50 for 75ml and 50ml respectively

The sachet size of this sample is fairly deceiving. I expected one or two applications out of these, but ended up with five. Not bad. The two-step process had me applying a serum all over my face first and then topping it off with the clay mask.

The mask heated up on my skin, which was a very pleasant sensation and came off easily and without any off the mess associated with clay masks. As for the dramatic skin transformation promised on the description card, I honestly have to say I didn’t see any of it. Yeah, my skin felt nice after it, but no better or worse than after just washing my face in the evenings. Maybe it would work better for other skin types, but for me it was something I’ll leave on the shelf.

5) Yu-Be, Moisturizing Skin Cream

Full size: £19.50 for 70g

Looks like we’re a bit Birchbox heavy with the sample reviews this time around, eh? I used this cream as a lip balm first, as I loved the instant hit of moisture that it gives, without leaving any sticky feeling, so that I could still apply lipstick over the top without sacrificing colour intensity. Turns out that it didn’t work that well in the long term, as after a week or so, it started giving my lips a scary white cast which made me look positively dead. I also found that my lips got sort of addicted to it and I had to slather it on more and more, or else they would dry out very fast.

Nevertheless, this cream really did come into its own when I caught a nasty cold and my entire nose went red, scaly and irritated. Heaven, I tell you, heaven! It soothed my chapped skin instantly without running or greasing my face up like some other creams do. There was no stinging or burning and it just felt like a god send. Would I repurchase? Maybe for the winter months, to calm skin that’s so dry it’s painful or when I tend to get the sniffles a lot more often. For the summer, however, I think I’ll just stick to regular moisturiser and lip balm.