Time for the December Samples & Empties Post, quick thoughts about each starting above left to right.
OSKIA Renaissance Hand & Body Cream: This was nice, a little too powdery scented for me. Was better as a lotion than a hand cream as it wasn't quite moisturizing enough for my hands. This came in a set so I don't think you can buy it separately, but I prefer other hand creams right now like Omorovicza, Tata Harper.
Sunday Riley Skin Adrenaline: This is in my pile of skincare reviews to write. I liked the ingredients. I dislike the gel cream texture. It was way too sticky for me so I wouldn't buy it again for that reason alone. It was OK overall. More to come in a review. I originally touched on it here, but that post was before I really got into my skincare reviews.
R+Co Gemstone Conditioner: This was nice. It was a touch heavy for my newly non-dried out hair. My hair used to always be dry and no heavy conditioner weighed it down, but here in Houston with humidity it seems a ton of products weigh my hair down now. What hair I have left anyway after loosing a ton through post partum hair loss. So I'll be sticking with more lightweight conditioners, but if you have dry colored hair it's worth checking out.
Boots Botanics Micellar Cleansing Solution: This was nice. Cheap, used it for my neck here and there when I was lazy. I use these micellar waters now instead of wipes on lazy days. I didn't test it on my eyes. Right now I'm testing the Simple one I can get in a local store, this was online only so I would probably go with what I can get locally versus reorder this one again.
Omorovicza Radiance Renewal Serum: This will have a review coming as well. I bought this when my skin was more oily. Now it's more dry and this was almost too drying. I also didn't really notice that much from it. I usually love Omorovicza products but this one was not a hit for me and I wouldn't re buy it.
Zelens Triple Action Eye Cream: I loved this eye cream. Moisturizing without being too heavy. Has silicone so apply it last. I used it in the morning as the silicone helped my concealer go on nice. I have one more jar to use before I write a review. I was using this with so many other things and sporadically at first. I didn't really do good at using only this to see exactly what difference it made alone. So it's in the future test again pile.
Tata Harper Redefining Body Balm: Loved it. Finished second jar. It did help my post baby belly skin shrink back down and feel more supple again. I only had a little left to finish after baby. Read review here. It's expensive but I would buy it if I was pregnant again.
Radical Eye Revive Creme: This was OK. It wasn't hydrating enough for me alone so I had to add onto it. It lasted for maybe 2-3 weeks using it twice a day. Sadly, I didn't notice too much of a change in my dark circles or fine lines so I wouldn't buy a big one.
Only S. Trend Cosmetics C20 Serum: I got this in a subscription box. I couldn't read the ingredients label but I looked it up online. It seemed a decent day serum, similar to Skinceuticals CE Ferulic or my favorite Drunk Elephant C Firma. I still prefer the Drunk Elephant as I hate this dropper bottle. It was so messy plus it let air into the jar with the Vitamin C which I hate.
Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser: This was OK, warmed on application for a brief moment. Wish it was longer lasting then it might have been more fun to use, but it was an average product. I prefer Tata Harper's purifying cleanser more.
Radical Multi Brightening Serum: This was OK. Lasted maybe a week or two. Didn't notice much difference. I haven't really had good luck with Radical products wowing me as far as results yet.
Pacifica Dreamy Youth Face Cream: This was OK. Nice ingredients, no scent that I recall. It left me feeling really greasy though, even though it felt lightweight. Odd, like it never really sunk in fully.
Omorovicza Illuminating Moisturizer: Love this stuff. This is a heavier lotion than the Balancing Moisturizer. Great for day during the fall and spring when switching from summer to winter moisturizers. Not greasy, no breakouts, absorbs fast enough.
Kat Burki Rose Hip Intense Recovery Eye Serum: Eh, it was OK. Lasted 2-3 weeks. I didn't really notice anything helpful from it. Like Radical brand, I have yet to have Kat Burki wow me too.
Tata Harper Revitalizing Body Oil: Love this I have a full size. Smells heavenly. Talked about it here.
Living Proof Instant Texture Mist: I used to like this, it's good at adding texture. Can be a bit too sticky if you use too much. I stopped using it after this sample because I prefer salt sprays more. I touched on it here.
Sunday Riley Good Genes: I love this. It's lactic acid versus glycolic so good for pregnant women and if you want something other than glycolic or salicylic. It's a great bottle design, it's just so expensive. I touched on it here, and once I finish the full bottle I'll review it better.
3LAB "M" Cream: I liked this one. The last 3LAB cream I tried was way too heavy. This one was nice creamy and moisturizing. It was so small and lasted a week at most once a day, so hard to tell if it did anything.
Drybar Mai Tai Spritzer: I liked this one. Not too oily, not too dry. Not crunchy. I would get a full size once I go through a few more salt sprays. I have more than I can use right now.
Algenist Genius Bi-Phase Peel: This was OK. Like an oily acid toner that you leave on for two minutes then rinse. I prefer traditional acid masks to this, in particular my OSKIA Renaissance Mask or Omorovicza Blue Diamond Peel. I know I always talk about those two, but since I found them nothing else compares.
La Mer The Moisturizing Lotion: I used to use this for years as my main moisturizer. I love the texture, scent and overall feel of the lotion. Not too heavy or greasy, but moisturizes well. I prefer it above the cream. I just wouldn't pay the cost for the lotion anymore and found some other things I like more.
The Organic Pharmacy Enzyme Peel Mask: This was a nice fruit puree feeling mask. Tingled more than I thought it would. Was a medium strength peel. I probably wouldn't buy it but it was a nice sample to use.
Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Balm: I've used this many times. Love the balm, hate the bad aftertaste. For some reason this one has some weird taste that the regular SPF version doesn't. I talked about it here.
Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Eye Cream: This was OK. Moisturizing, not quite enough moisture for me. Small sample issue meaning not able to use it long enough to see if it made a real difference.
Sisley Express Flower Gel Mask: I like this. I have bigger sample versions that I've been going through for a year. It's a nice hydrating mask. I like it not being a cream and more of a gel style mask. It's one of those gel style types that actually does moisturize, not all of them do that well. I talked about it here.
Hurraw! Moon Balm: I love this balm. It's in my nightstand. It's meant to be a bit more moisturizing than the regular Hurraw! versions. I did just buy a new tube. I talked about it here.
Omorovicza Blue Diamond Concentrate: Review to come on this one. I love the scent, texture and moisture. I feel like it gave me an overall boost, not sure if that boost is worth $410. I doubt I would rebuy it for that reason. I do hate the dropper packaging. Easy for clumsy me to knock over and spill it and with that cost, I would be so mad. Plus for the cost I hate to have the ingredients exposed to air every time I open it. I would much prefer a pump like their regular serums. I went over the Blue Diamond line here, but have yet to fully review the serum.
OSEA Sea Vitamin Boost: This was OK. Nothing wrong with it, good ingredients. I prefer the Omorovicza more which has a finer mist and it's pump doesn't get stuck like this OSEA one did on occasion. I talked about it here and here.
La Mer Moisturizing Cream: I used to use this before I switched to their lotion version. It's way too rich for me and broke me out, even in dry Denver. I use it now on my nose when I have a cold. Great for that. Once I run out of samples I'll have to find something else for that purpose.
REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask: This was the second tube of this I used up. I actually have now decided to not buy a third. It's a mild peel that smells and looks more like a smoothie than any other skincare item I've used. I just prefer(again) the OSKIA and Omorovicza ones better.
Rituals Foaming Shower Oil: This was from the Barney's Love Yourself bag. It was nice. More moisturizing than regular body wash. Hardly foams so it was better in my hands than on a shower poof. I wouldn't buy it just because I like regular body wash better.
Goldfaden MD Fresh A Peel: This was OK. Very thin feeling liquid. This stung more than I thought it would. Once again I still prefer my other peels.
Odacite CaR Wild Carrot Serum Concentrate: This was in a Cultbeauty gift with purchase bag. It's quite an expensive oil for a 5ml bottle. I never would have bought it otherwise. It has a green cloudy appearance. It was a nice facial oil. I have way too many bottles right now to need to buy another one so I wouldn't rebuy it especially for the cost to size ratio, but if you like organic and all that you might check this brand out.
Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser: Love this. I just bought a full size bottle. Has a slight clay feel, yet smells like fruit. It's thin and melts off with water. I'll have to review it one day.
Sachajuan Hair Repair: Eh, this was the second sample I went through of this. It was OK. Made my hair too glossy and weighed down. It was too much for my hair.
Kat Burki Hibiscus Antioxidant Face Mask: This was OK. I was kind of underwhelmed by it and wouldn't buy it. I didn't feel that much difference from it.
Whish Body Butter Winterberry: This was more like a heavy lotion than a body cream. The scent was actually lighter than I expected it to be. Most Whish stuff I've tried, like Pomegranate, are way too strong for me. I wouldn't buy it, for the price I can find just as good cheaper. I'm terrible at spending money on my body care, I have a hard time with it yet for my face I'm OK with it.
Davines Energizing Shampoo: This was OK. Has a slight mint scent, I ended up using it everyday for the last half of the bottle, I didn't really feel that much from it as far as preventing hair loss. At the time my post partum hair loss had just kicked in. Nioxin really helped more than this did. But it's not too drying and it didn't weigh my hair down. It did feel a bit bouncy after use. Though it's supposed to help with thinning hair too which is what I didn't see. I think I will just stick with Nioxin for now until it calms down then go back to a variety of shampoos.
Oribe Signature Moisture Mask: This is OK. It's great if you have dry hair, I used to love it in Montana. Here, way too much for me. Made my hair greasy by the next morning. So onto Oribe's conditioners only now.
OSKIA Eye Wonder: I tried this once a year ago. It irritated my eyes bad. But now that I look back I had just found out I was pregnant right after that. So I wanted to try this again one day(not pregnant) and surprise no irritation this time. I'm always impressed with OSKIA's line so this is on my wishlist now to try a full bottle. There wasn't enough in the sample packet to use long term and see results but I definitely want to try it out one day.