September Samples & Empties Post

Once again I’m terribly late on this post. Time for the September Samples & Empties Post. Quick thoughts about each starting above left to right.

bareMinerals Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusion: This is a nice light serum. Moisturizing, light scent. It’s too small of a sample to really know how good it is at anti aging. No bad reactions though.

OSKIA Restoration Oil: I loved this. No strong scent, great ingredients. Light texture that absorbs fast. Not greasy. I would buy a full size.

Zelens Intense Defense Serum: Love this. Review here.

Zelens Triple-Action Advanced Eye Cream: This was my second jar. I love it. It has a silicone texture which makes it great for day as eye makeup glides on easy after. Review to come.

Ilsci Sour Cherry & Blackthorn Gel Mask: I liked this. Very natural, smells and looks like mashed cherries. Like you could eat it. It was tightening and made my skin feel fresh. I loved the glass jar.

BLITHE Pressed Serum Tundra Chaga: This is fabulous. Review here.

Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub Brazilian Nut: I like this, it’s cheap. It used to be my staple until I discovered Herbivore Botanicals Coco Rose. Review here.

eos Shave Cream Vanilla Bliss: Staple. Review here.

Skin Script Cucumber Toner: This was OK. Very average and had an extremely powdery scent. Odd for a cucumber toner. I would not buy.

Rahua Shampoo: Love this. Fabulous warm nutty scent. Moisturizing without weighing my hair down. No sulfates. I will rebuy.


NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint Groenland: Love the tinted moisturizer style and it’s a matte version which I don’t know of any other similar. Good coverage for this type of foundation. A little drying though. This shade in particular was too light for me. I would definitely look into a darker version for next summer.

Skyn Iceland Blemish Dots: Love these, reviewed here.

SUQQU Enrich Foaming Wash: This was OK. Average foaming wash. Dried my skin out like most foaming washes.

MUFE Ultra HD Foundation 127=Y335: Matte full coverage foundation. A little drying which is typical of heavy matte foundations for me. A nice one if you like matte full coverage. This shade was too dark for me a touch.

Paula’s Choice Resist Weightless Advanced Repairing Toner: For normal/oily/combo skin, liquid style toner, not bad.

Paula’s Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner: For normal/dry/very dry, heavier style toner. Was OK. I prefer a liquid versus the thicker style toners.

Paula’s Choice Calm Toner Normal to Dry: This was a thicker toner. It was OK. I preferred the Resist versions above. The Resist version just felt more moisturizing, soothing and clean.

Paula’s Choice Calm Toner Normal to Oily: This was a thin style toner that was OK. Again, I preferred the Resist version.

Su-man Velvet Skin Brightening Serum: This was the last one of multiple sample sizes. Review coming.

Erborian Yuza Double Lotion: I love this one. Light citrus scent. It’s a milky, moisturizing toner. It leaves my skin with a fresh feeling and moisturized. I would rebuy.

amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo: This was too white in my hair, didn’t like it.

Herbivore Coco Rose Body Polish: How I love thee… Reviewed here. Will buy over and over again.

Alterna Caviar Moisture Mask: This is nice. Good for really dry hair. This is too much for me now since I’ve moved.

Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Shampoo: I love Ojon. This is a nice moisturizing shampoo. I love the warm nutty scent. Seems to be discontinued when I look it up I can’t find an active link.

Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Conditioner: This was too heavy for me. I loved their old version of this, it got reformulated and now it’s heavier. Too bad I loved the old version.

Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment: Smells like strong cat pee, but it’s quite good. It’s a lactic acid serum exfoliator, which is pregnancy safe. Review coming once done with full size bottle.

bareMinerals Skinlongevity: See above.

Hurraw! Coffee Bean Lip Balm:  I love Hurraw! It’s natural. This one is like a coffee bean. It’s supposed to have some caffeine in it, but I feel that’s not really all relevant to give you a buzz.

REN V-Cense Youth Vitality Day Cream: This is OK. Nice average moisturizing cream.

Ellis Faas Skin Veil S104: This is a demi matte medium to full coverage foundation. This shade was a bit dark S103 was better for me. I like it, I just don’t use these high coverage foundations that often.

Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask: I’ve used this many times. It’s a mask that cools in addition to refreshing skin. I don’t like the cooling effect, otherwise this would be an item I use heavily.


Renee Rouleau Aloe Cleansing Milk: This was an average milky cleanser. Moisturizing. I like oil followed by gel of some sort versus milky. But this is great for dry skin. Not too good at removing makeup fully.

CHICCA Flawless Solid Glow Foundation: I couldn’t get the product off the sample card it was too hard. So epic fail.

Omorovicza Gold Eye Lift: Love it. Hydrating. Working on full size bottle now. Review one day.

Omorovicza Gold Night Drops: Love these. Hydrating serum with retinol. Working on full size now. Review one day.

Skyn Iceland Blemish Dots: See above.

Fresh Rose Face Mask: I like this. It’s nice. I talked about it here. I wish it didn’t irritate my nose sometimes.

Omorovicza Reviving Eye Cream: I’m almost done with a full size bottle. Will review once done. Thin light eye cream. Smells like cucumbers.

Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Creme: This was OK. Average cream. Small sample so hard to tell if it really works, you need weeks of regular use for that.

Lancome Visionnaire Nuit Beauty Sleep Perfector: This was OK. Lighter than I thought it would be. Average feeling product.

COOLA Face Mineral Sunscreen Unscented Matte Tint Natural BB Cream: This was terrible. It pills bad.

Charlotte Tilbury Multi-Miracle Glow: This is OK. Balm style cleanser or mask. I prefer other things more, it’s not my favorite Charlotte Tilbury skin product.

Susanne Kaufmann Nutrient Concentrate: This was OK. Nice hydrating serum. Too small of a sample to see if it did anything. It wasn’t enough to make me want to make the pricey splurge.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance: This is OK. A sticky primer. Not a big deal different than my usual Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion.

COVER FX Correct Yellow, Enhance Bubbly & Golden Peach, Cover N40: These were OK. Creamy average thicker product. This was the right shade concealer for me. It was too thick for what I prefer. The shimmer shades were thinner, like an average shimmer cream stick.

0 Comments

  1. Loved that Ilcsi mask! Cult Beauty was out of stock of the cherry when I tried to buy the full size so I got the apricot and it's also a winner. Super refreshing, I keep it in the fridge and it always perks my skin when I'm looking dull.

    Curious to know your thoughts on the Su-Man serum. I got the sample box and sort of went back and forth on it for a while until it grew on me enough to buy the full size. Still haven't really decided if I love it.

    Omorovicza products are always so good. I bought the Instant Perfection Serum recently and still debating whether to get the Oxygen Booster. Have you tried it yet by any chance? The only thing I haven't loved from Omorovicza has been the Omoressence. Pretty meh imo – I like the Su-Man Toning essence better. It feels more hydrating.

    Have you tried any of the new Surratt eyeshadows by any chance? I have my eye on a few of them (ok, probably half) and there aren't many reviews online yet. I love his eyeshadows. Best formula out there for me hands down.

  2. I agree on the Ilcsi. I went back and forth on the Su-man serum as well. Omorovicza is always good. The Omoroessence is coming up soon for me to start using so we'll see. I have been using the Oxygen Booster for a month maybe. I love it. Instant pick me up. Tingles a bit too. I have the Instant Perfection Serum to start trying, it's just not in rotation yet. Soon. The Su-man essence is good. Super hydrating.

    Funny you ask about the Surratt. I did buy 4 eyeshadows and 2 blushes at the Sephora sale and will be swatching them tomorrow. I had to work this weekend and it was very hard to not touch them since I got them in Friday. Stay Tuned 🙂

  3. Ooh thanks for the info on the Omorovicza booster. Looks like I'm going to have to buy it! Speaking of Omorovicza, I'm worried that they're going to discontinue the Elemental Emulsion. It was out of stock for months on their website, Cult Beauty, etc. It's back now but idk, I'd be really sad if that got discontinued. Another one of your recs that I ended up loving btw.

    Super excited to see your Surratt swatches! I'm impatiently waiting for them to be released on Net-a-Porter, Cult Beauty, anywhere that ships outside the States basically. It seems like they're exclusive to US Sephora right now! The new matte and satin shades look gorgeous. I'm such a sucker for neutrals and no one does them better than Surratt. Burberry is pretty good too but the bulky packaging is a turn off for me.

  4. Wait until Black Friday for Omorovicza. That's the best day of the year to buy from them. I'm working on that review this week. I'll ask on the Elemental Emulsion. I want to ask on the Complexion Enhancer as well, same thing happened with that one.

    I have all my pics done for Surratt. Just need to pick he right ones this week.

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