I have a secret.
I’m a beauty product junkie. More specifically, I’m a beauty product sample junkie! I love trying new products, so when I read in an e-mail from Sephora that they had released their Holiday It Kits, I knew I wanted to get one. Luckily, I was also still browsing around for my bff’s Christmas present. I placed an order for her present and got me a bag of samples with it!
Hooray!
There are three bags to choose from: In the Glow, Best in Classic, and The Lasting Impression. I chose the In the Glow kit, since it had a couple products I’ve been wanting to try. Here are the pictures of my bag:
DKNY Be Delicious Eau So Intense
Perfume is not a staple-item for me, but I do like a spritz every now and then. This DKNY perfume smells delicious. It smells like a fresh apple, which is one of my favorite scents.
St. Tropez One Night Only Instant Body Glow Lotion
This is one of the products that made me want this kit. I’ve heard loads of great things about the St. Tropez brand. This lotion is a glow-y lotion that washes off, which is my kind of thing. I like to use fake tanners, but I hate the smell. Also, I don’t care to look tan-ish all the time, so this product is going to be great for me (I hope)!
Stila In the Light Palette Shadow Card
How awesome to try a whole palette before purchasing?! I’ve been on the lookout for another great neutral palette, so this was another product I’ve been wanting to try. We’ll see if Kitten lives up to the reviews!
Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara
Yup, another product I’ve been wanting to try! This is a volumizing mascara. The brush is crazy big! Expect a review of this one in the future.
Alterna Bamboo Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist
What a name! This dry oil mist spray is supposed to nourish your hair and act as a color protecting style primer. I color my hair and my ends could use all the nourishing they can get. Bring it on, Kendi Oil!
L’Occitane Cleansing and Soothing Shower Oil with Almond Oil
This shower oil smells amazing! I am already impressed. This is as brand that’s far too expensive for me to purchase on a whim, so I am more than happy to sample one of their best-selling items. The scent of the oil is refreshing and invigorating. It can be used for cleansing, hydrating, and shaving.
Especially Escada Eau de Parfum
My first impression: no, don’t like it. It might be a little strong for me. It is described as a luxurious and feminine scent, so I guess it’s the luxurious part I don’t like. 🙂 I’ll have to try it out for a day. Sometimes when perfumes dissipate during the day, I like them a little more. We’ll see!
bareMinerals Stroke of Light
This will be the first product I’ll try! I have genetically dark under eye areas, so I’m always on the lookout for the next best thing to reduce the appearance of dark circles. This product is an illuminating tint that conceals imperfections. I received the shade Luminous 1, which is described as being fair/pink.
Philosophy Take a Deep Breath
This is another product with a crazy long name. It is, technically, Philosophy Take a Deep Breath Oil-Free Energizing Oxygen Gel Cream Moisturizer. Really? Could they add anymore adjectives?? Anyways, this is a day time moisturizer that claims to diffuse oxygen to make your skin glow. Okay.. okay. That sounds a little weird, but I’ll try almost any beauty product once…
When you place a Sephora order, you can pick three samples and these are the ones I chose:
DERMAdoctor KP Duty Intensive Priming Serum and Dermatologist Moisturizing Therapy for Dry Skin
I don’t have dry skin, so I’m not sure why I chose this sample… It sounds interesting, but I’m pretty sure it’s not going to work for me. That being said, it’s been colder and drier lately, and sometimes during the winter months I get dry patches on my cheeks. I’ll have to save this for when that happens.
Murad Essential-C Day Moisture SPF 30
Nothing exciting here, just another moisturizer to try! Lately, I’ve been interested in finding a good moisturizer with a high SPF, which attracted me to this sample.
Ren Resurfacing AHA Concentrate
I’ve heard a lot of great things about the REN brand, specifically from essiebutton, and that was the only reason I chose this sample! Also, the AHA content was appealing to me. Exfoliation is an important part of skin care, and I have skin that easily gets clogged. I exfoliate at least once a day, and I find it helps my skin stay clear. AHA promotes cell turnover. I’ve had awesome results with a similar moisturizer from Caudalie.
So, there you have it! My insane sample mania. Tell me, tell me. Have you tried any of these products? Do you love them or hate them? What beauty products have you tried lately?
Rebecca has been writing about style, beauty, and lifestyle topics since 2011. Thank you so much for reading this post! Feel free to leave any questions or comments below. I love hearing from you!
