Hi! A lot of times when I get new things to review, they're pretty small samples, which I don't believe provide enough material to warrant full individual reviews. I don't often know what to do with them, so they just sit until I either finish them or throw them out. Most of these samples are from former SBS companies that I gave my initial thoughts on but never followed up with, and others are samples that I ordered or was given. I decided to start a new series called Sample Roundup instead, where I get to give my thoughts on those samples and whether or not I'd purchase a full-size of the products based on my experience with the sample. I'm going to do this periodically so that I have enough time to collect a good amount of products and try them all out. This first Sample Roundup has quite a few on the list courtesy of a care package my Twinsie sent me a couple of weeks ago, so let's get started!
1. Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme, $9.00/4oz.
I've never used a Burt's Bees product before but a good place to start was this coconut foot creme. I believe this is a full-size product, so I was able to get a better idea of what the foot creme does. I'm loving it so far. It's a very thick consistency since it's supposed to be worn with socks overnight but it makes my feet feel incredibly soft whether I wear it overnight or not. It does leave a bit of a greasy sheen behind so if you wear sandals, this isn't the product to apply before putting them on. lol This would probably be best when applied fresh out of the shower because it'll help keep any dry skin softened. I usually use the Carapex foot cream I reviewed last summer, but this is right up there.
2. Obliphica Professional Seaberry Hair Serum for Normal to Coarse Hair, $38.00/2oz.
I used this the last time that I washed my hair because it's meant to nourish, repair and protect it, which I thought would be a good follow-up to the conditioning mask I'd just used on it (#10 on this list). This seems to work best when I apply it to damp hair. For those with different hair textures than I do, this would probably boast a few more benefits. Per usual with me and hair products, the scent is probably my favorite part of this product. I like it, but it doesn't seem to be doing anything life-changing to my hair so I can live without it.
3. Briogeo Curl Charisma Finishing Creme for Curly to Wavy Hair, $20.00/6oz.
I used this after washing my hair a couple of weeks ago and I guess this creme is supposed to help define curls and hydrate the hair. You can air or diffuse-dry after applying it and since I only heat treat my hair when I'm straightening it, I opted to let it air dry. Unlike the Curl Keeper, which is #16 on the list, this didn't leave my hair frizzy, crunchy or hard. The Curl Charisma left my hair a little harder than usual, but a lot curlier. My hair, which is transitioning from chemical relaxers, has been struggling to find its way a little bit and this creme brought a little consistency to the uneven curl pattern I've been dealing with. The curls are still figuring out their lives so I'm still having issues, but this creme brought out what I believe to be my true curl pattern, which I liked. I'm about five months post-chop so because it's so short, I didn't need a lot of product. A full size of this product would be worth the $20.
4. Nuxe Multi-Purpose Dry Oil for Face, Body and Hair, $45.00/3oz.
This product is quickly becoming a holy grail when I apply my foundation. I haven't used it on my hair or body yet because the sample size is too small, but it's been great on my face. The fragrance is a bit strong, but the potency doesn't linger and mellows out rather quickly. Because I wear matte foundation, my face sometimes looks a little ashy or dried out. Ever since I've been adding a drop of this oil to the foundation, my skin has a bit of a glow, the foundation applies easier and blends out faster, and my skin doesn't look ashy anymore. I'm really enjoying this dry oil so far. But would I pay $45 for it? Probably not. lol
5. Nourishing Argan Oil of Morocco 3-Day Smooth Perfect Blow Dry Smoothing Cream, $8.99/6oz.
I usually air dry my hair because I 1-don't like applying heat to my hair if I don't have to; and 2-don't own a blow dryer so I don't have a choice. LOL Because the effects of the product depend on blow drying the hair, I didn't expect to receive the optimum results by substituting the blow dryer for air drying. My hair was much softer while it was drying and now that it has completely dried, it's a bit softer than normal but isn't behaving any differently. It smells great though. For those with hair textures that aren't as coarse, this would probably work really well.
6. Supergoop! City Sunscreen Serum Broad Spectrum SPF30, $42.00/2oz.
I've never used a Burt's Bees product before but a good place to start was this coconut foot creme. I believe this is a full-size product, so I was able to get a better idea of what the foot creme does. I'm loving it so far. It's a very thick consistency since it's supposed to be worn with socks overnight but it makes my feet feel incredibly soft whether I wear it overnight or not. It does leave a bit of a greasy sheen behind so if you wear sandals, this isn't the product to apply before putting them on. lol This would probably be best when applied fresh out of the shower because it'll help keep any dry skin softened. I usually use the Carapex foot cream I reviewed last summer, but this is right up there.
Full-size purchase: Yes!
I used this the last time that I washed my hair because it's meant to nourish, repair and protect it, which I thought would be a good follow-up to the conditioning mask I'd just used on it (#10 on this list). This seems to work best when I apply it to damp hair. For those with different hair textures than I do, this would probably boast a few more benefits. Per usual with me and hair products, the scent is probably my favorite part of this product. I like it, but it doesn't seem to be doing anything life-changing to my hair so I can live without it.
Full-size purchase: No
I used this after washing my hair a couple of weeks ago and I guess this creme is supposed to help define curls and hydrate the hair. You can air or diffuse-dry after applying it and since I only heat treat my hair when I'm straightening it, I opted to let it air dry. Unlike the Curl Keeper, which is #16 on the list, this didn't leave my hair frizzy, crunchy or hard. The Curl Charisma left my hair a little harder than usual, but a lot curlier. My hair, which is transitioning from chemical relaxers, has been struggling to find its way a little bit and this creme brought a little consistency to the uneven curl pattern I've been dealing with. The curls are still figuring out their lives so I'm still having issues, but this creme brought out what I believe to be my true curl pattern, which I liked. I'm about five months post-chop so because it's so short, I didn't need a lot of product. A full size of this product would be worth the $20.
Full-size purchase: Yes!
This product is quickly becoming a holy grail when I apply my foundation. I haven't used it on my hair or body yet because the sample size is too small, but it's been great on my face. The fragrance is a bit strong, but the potency doesn't linger and mellows out rather quickly. Because I wear matte foundation, my face sometimes looks a little ashy or dried out. Ever since I've been adding a drop of this oil to the foundation, my skin has a bit of a glow, the foundation applies easier and blends out faster, and my skin doesn't look ashy anymore. I'm really enjoying this dry oil so far. But would I pay $45 for it? Probably not. lol
Full-size purchase: I love it..but no.
I usually air dry my hair because I 1-don't like applying heat to my hair if I don't have to; and 2-don't own a blow dryer so I don't have a choice. LOL Because the effects of the product depend on blow drying the hair, I didn't expect to receive the optimum results by substituting the blow dryer for air drying. My hair was much softer while it was drying and now that it has completely dried, it's a bit softer than normal but isn't behaving any differently. It smells great though. For those with hair textures that aren't as coarse, this would probably work really well.
Full-size purchase: Yes!
Supergoop is an accurate descriptor for this sunscreen, which was quite goopy and messy because the formula is a bit watery. It smells a bit like beach sunscreen (which is what I call the typical sunscreen smell) but thankfully it doesn't linger. It wore pretty well underneath my makeup and didn't leave a greasy sheen on my face, which I liked. Other than that, there wasn't anything particularly notable about it for me. For $42, I'd rather stick to one of my other favorites; I'd get much more product for a cheaper price.
Full-size purchase: No
7. Eucerin In-Shower Moisturizer Body Lotion for Dry Skin, $12.99/13oz.
I tried a sample of Nivea's In-Shower Moisturizer when it first came out, and I wasn't super impressed with it. I kept reading all of these rave reviews and while the Nivea wasn't a bad product, it didn't live up to its hype for me. I don't have many expectations for in-shower moisturizers; I just don't want them to leave my skin greasy. This one didn't leave my skin greasy, but it confirmed that I don't see the hype behind in-shower moisturizers. This one worked well enough; the formula wasn't watery, my skin wasn't greasy, and it felt moisturized for awhile after my shower. I still don't really get the hype with these though, so I'll pass.
8. Shea Moisture Sensitive Skin Mud Mask, $14.99/6oz.
I don't think I've ever tried a Shea Moisture product before but I'm familiar with and have heard good things about the hair care line, so I was ready to try this out. It looks a little like cement paste and applies like a thick lotion, but it burned the skin between my nose and mouth for the first few minutes. I like the scent; the rose is strong but not overwhelming. The mask doesn't take long to dry but isn't super stiff once it dries completely. It had a slight cooling effect on my skin, which I liked. The mask is supposed to make the face feel smooth and moisturized afterward but my face felt a bit stripped. My skin is more dry than oily, but summertime is usually when the surface is the oiliest so I was hoping this would strip the excess oils and I'd get the full benefits of the mask. I'd recommend this for people with sensitive + oily skin, because for sensitive + dry skin like I have, it felt pretty dry afterward, not moisturized.
9. ZzzQuil Nighttime Sleep Aid, $6.99/6oz.
I bought some ZzzQuil a couple of years ago to combat my ever-present insomnia, but because of how bad my asthma was, I never took it. I've tried melatonin pills and they worked eventually, but eh. I'm actually not sure why I included these; I struggle with taking large pills that I can't crush so the minute I saw these I should have known I wouldn't be taking them. So this one was a fail on my part. LOL
10. Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask, $9.00/1oz.
I'm not super familiar with the Briogeo line but from what I understand, this particular product is meant to reduce breakage, enhance shine and repair dead ends. I've used this a couple of times now and I'm enjoying it so far. I haven't noticed a significant difference in the texture of my hair after it dries and I haven't noticed a difference in the shine or dead ends, but the shedding has significantly improved. Usually when I comb my hair, my shoulders are covered by the time I'm finished but after using this a couple of times, the shedding has almost completely stopped. No complaints.
11. Number 4 Fluoro5 Elixer Restore & Repair Oil, $26.00/1.5oz.
I tried the Number 4 non-aerosol hairspray during a subscription to either Birchbox or ipsy and I'm still raving about it to this day because I liked it so much. Okay, I've been raving about how good it smelled. It was also a really good hairspray but if I'm being honest, the scent is what comes to mind first when I think about it. With that in mind, I had positive expectations about my experience with this oil. And it totally delivered. The smell isn't as fragrant as the hairspray, I actually didn't detect much of a fragrance at all, but it did exactly what it said it would do. It's supposed to protect color while restoring smoothness and shine, and it did both. My curls softened, were much easier to manage, and my hair didn't feel crunchy or hard once it dried (you're supposed to apply the oil to damp hair first, then sparingly once it dries). After my hair dried, it wasn't really greasy or oily; the softer texture remained and made my curls much easier to comb. I can't justify the price for such a small size, but I'd buy it if it was a bit cheaper.
12. Jersey Shore Spa Anti-Aging Lip and Hand Polish in Vanilla Bean, $25.00/2 1oz. containers
This is an exfoliant for the hands and lips and while I haven't used it for my hands yet, I've used it on my lips a few times and it works great. Even though it says it's vanilla bean scented, I got a brown sugar and cinnamon oatmeal scent from it instead. It kinda looks like the brown sugar and cinnamon filling for cinnamon rolls too. lol The consistency of this exfoliant is thick but not goopy and the beads aren't too rough on the skin, so it does its job but is gentle enough for both the lips and hands. It's easy to use, easy to clean off when finished, and leaves the skin soft and moisturized.
13. Whish Revitalizing Cleansing Oil, $30.00/3oz.
This is another product that's quickly become a holy grail product for me. Like I've said in other beauty reviews, the majority of my makeup is on my eyes so I need makeup removal products that are too legit to quit on my ass. I know removal oils and micellar water products are a thing now, but I didn't really expect a product that doesn't require water to work for me because of the amount of warpaint on my eyes. But lemme tell you how wrong I was. Within 30 seconds, a good 85% of my eye makeup was completely gone. It's a bit messy so have your makeup remover wipes on hand, but otherwise this product is a godsend. If you wear light makeup, this will likely be all you need, followed by a good rinse. I love it. My decision not to purchase a full-size is entirely because of the price and my inability to justify it for my budget, not at all because of how well it works. Because this cleansing oil is boss.
14. Not Soap Radio Liquid Freud in Coconut Milk Mango + Vanilla, $18.00/12oz.
I'm not really into aromatherapy products; I've tried a few of the aromatherapy/calming-based lotions and washes before with no effect. This "liquid Freud" is supposed to help promote emotional well-being via the shower. I don't know if that was the marketing scheme behind the product or if it's really supposed to help you relax, but it didn't work for me. lol I'm not crazy about the lather payoff (I like bubbly shower gels) but I like the scent. It does remind me a little of the fancy soap in doctor's offices, though. lol I guess I wouldn't mind using this as a hand soap but I didn't have a notable enough experience to want to purchase a full sized product.
15. Arrow Boost Color Enhancing Lip Balm, $14.00
This lip balm is purely meant to enhance existing color or natural lip color; it is not meant to be a substitute for regular Chapstick at all. I tried this alone when I couldn't find my Chapstick and while it did enhance the natural color of my lips, it's a bit waxy by itself and dried completely within an hour of applying it. When I apply it on top of colors, there is quite a bit of transfer from whatever lip color I'm wearing onto the balm but I don't notice a massive difference in the pigmentation. It does help revitalize the color when colored balms or stains are starting to wear off, but otherwise it's not a life-changing product for me. Gloss does the same thing, so meh.
16. Curl Keeper Original Total Control for Frizzy Hair, $9.99/3oz.
I don't like giving negative reviews because I always feel bad, but I really did not like this product. This product is geared to tame frizzy hair, but it didn't work for me. I tried it after getting out of the shower a few days ago and it made my hair tangle so badly. I will say, if you're looking to make the texture of your hair more coarse or are actively trying to rock a fro, this is good. For me though, it tangled my hair something serious. Every ten minutes I had to go back through and comb my hair back out, which I don't normally have to do. The texture of my hair was much more stiff and felt a lot rougher to the touch in addition to the constant tangling. It actually looked a bit frizzier despite being made specifically to combat it, so for me this was a nope.
17. LeeAnni Eco Go Away Gloomy Day Serum, $29.98/1oz.
The first thing I noticed about this product was how watery it was. It's almost like skim milk, in both color and consistency. If you don't read the instructions properly, like yours truly here, you may initially try to treat this as a face wash and spill a bit. After reading the directions and applying a toner, I tapped this on and applied lotion afterward, but didn't notice a significant change to my face. My skin felt like it does when it's humid outside; I felt like there was a bit of a film on my face and my cheeks were a bit sticky to the touch (I'm an immature perv and I'd like to apologize for finding this sentence so funny). I didn't notice anything about it that would make me want to purchase it.
18. The Beauty Crop PBJ Smoothie Stick Creamy Lip Crayon, $14.95
This is a very pretty magenta shade that applies really smoothly and leaves a velvety finish on the lips. It's buildable and would work well if you were going for a stain effect. I would not advise this for shades darker than mine as even on mine, too many layers make the color too bright and start to clash with my skin. This would also be a good base for deeper colors that you can wear on top but for those who don't wear a lot of makeup, this lip crayon is sufficient by itself. I really like it for low-maintenance makeup days, but a stain or colored gloss would do the same thing for a cheaper price.
19. Malin + Goetz Clarifying Clay Mask, $48.00/3oz.
I tried a sample of Nivea's In-Shower Moisturizer when it first came out, and I wasn't super impressed with it. I kept reading all of these rave reviews and while the Nivea wasn't a bad product, it didn't live up to its hype for me. I don't have many expectations for in-shower moisturizers; I just don't want them to leave my skin greasy. This one didn't leave my skin greasy, but it confirmed that I don't see the hype behind in-shower moisturizers. This one worked well enough; the formula wasn't watery, my skin wasn't greasy, and it felt moisturized for awhile after my shower. I still don't really get the hype with these though, so I'll pass.
Full-size purchase: No
I don't think I've ever tried a Shea Moisture product before but I'm familiar with and have heard good things about the hair care line, so I was ready to try this out. It looks a little like cement paste and applies like a thick lotion, but it burned the skin between my nose and mouth for the first few minutes. I like the scent; the rose is strong but not overwhelming. The mask doesn't take long to dry but isn't super stiff once it dries completely. It had a slight cooling effect on my skin, which I liked. The mask is supposed to make the face feel smooth and moisturized afterward but my face felt a bit stripped. My skin is more dry than oily, but summertime is usually when the surface is the oiliest so I was hoping this would strip the excess oils and I'd get the full benefits of the mask. I'd recommend this for people with sensitive + oily skin, because for sensitive + dry skin like I have, it felt pretty dry afterward, not moisturized.
Full-size purchase: No
I bought some ZzzQuil a couple of years ago to combat my ever-present insomnia, but because of how bad my asthma was, I never took it. I've tried melatonin pills and they worked eventually, but eh. I'm actually not sure why I included these; I struggle with taking large pills that I can't crush so the minute I saw these I should have known I wouldn't be taking them. So this one was a fail on my part. LOL
I'm not super familiar with the Briogeo line but from what I understand, this particular product is meant to reduce breakage, enhance shine and repair dead ends. I've used this a couple of times now and I'm enjoying it so far. I haven't noticed a significant difference in the texture of my hair after it dries and I haven't noticed a difference in the shine or dead ends, but the shedding has significantly improved. Usually when I comb my hair, my shoulders are covered by the time I'm finished but after using this a couple of times, the shedding has almost completely stopped. No complaints.
Full-size purchase: Yes!
I tried the Number 4 non-aerosol hairspray during a subscription to either Birchbox or ipsy and I'm still raving about it to this day because I liked it so much. Okay, I've been raving about how good it smelled. It was also a really good hairspray but if I'm being honest, the scent is what comes to mind first when I think about it. With that in mind, I had positive expectations about my experience with this oil. And it totally delivered. The smell isn't as fragrant as the hairspray, I actually didn't detect much of a fragrance at all, but it did exactly what it said it would do. It's supposed to protect color while restoring smoothness and shine, and it did both. My curls softened, were much easier to manage, and my hair didn't feel crunchy or hard once it dried (you're supposed to apply the oil to damp hair first, then sparingly once it dries). After my hair dried, it wasn't really greasy or oily; the softer texture remained and made my curls much easier to comb. I can't justify the price for such a small size, but I'd buy it if it was a bit cheaper.
Full-size purchase: For the size...no.
This is an exfoliant for the hands and lips and while I haven't used it for my hands yet, I've used it on my lips a few times and it works great. Even though it says it's vanilla bean scented, I got a brown sugar and cinnamon oatmeal scent from it instead. It kinda looks like the brown sugar and cinnamon filling for cinnamon rolls too. lol The consistency of this exfoliant is thick but not goopy and the beads aren't too rough on the skin, so it does its job but is gentle enough for both the lips and hands. It's easy to use, easy to clean off when finished, and leaves the skin soft and moisturized.
Full-size purchase: Ehh.
This is another product that's quickly become a holy grail product for me. Like I've said in other beauty reviews, the majority of my makeup is on my eyes so I need makeup removal products that are too legit to quit on my ass. I know removal oils and micellar water products are a thing now, but I didn't really expect a product that doesn't require water to work for me because of the amount of warpaint on my eyes. But lemme tell you how wrong I was. Within 30 seconds, a good 85% of my eye makeup was completely gone. It's a bit messy so have your makeup remover wipes on hand, but otherwise this product is a godsend. If you wear light makeup, this will likely be all you need, followed by a good rinse. I love it. My decision not to purchase a full-size is entirely because of the price and my inability to justify it for my budget, not at all because of how well it works. Because this cleansing oil is boss.
Full-size purchase: Ehh...probably not for that price.
I'm not really into aromatherapy products; I've tried a few of the aromatherapy/calming-based lotions and washes before with no effect. This "liquid Freud" is supposed to help promote emotional well-being via the shower. I don't know if that was the marketing scheme behind the product or if it's really supposed to help you relax, but it didn't work for me. lol I'm not crazy about the lather payoff (I like bubbly shower gels) but I like the scent. It does remind me a little of the fancy soap in doctor's offices, though. lol I guess I wouldn't mind using this as a hand soap but I didn't have a notable enough experience to want to purchase a full sized product.
Full-size purchase: No
This lip balm is purely meant to enhance existing color or natural lip color; it is not meant to be a substitute for regular Chapstick at all. I tried this alone when I couldn't find my Chapstick and while it did enhance the natural color of my lips, it's a bit waxy by itself and dried completely within an hour of applying it. When I apply it on top of colors, there is quite a bit of transfer from whatever lip color I'm wearing onto the balm but I don't notice a massive difference in the pigmentation. It does help revitalize the color when colored balms or stains are starting to wear off, but otherwise it's not a life-changing product for me. Gloss does the same thing, so meh.
Full-size purchase: No
I don't like giving negative reviews because I always feel bad, but I really did not like this product. This product is geared to tame frizzy hair, but it didn't work for me. I tried it after getting out of the shower a few days ago and it made my hair tangle so badly. I will say, if you're looking to make the texture of your hair more coarse or are actively trying to rock a fro, this is good. For me though, it tangled my hair something serious. Every ten minutes I had to go back through and comb my hair back out, which I don't normally have to do. The texture of my hair was much more stiff and felt a lot rougher to the touch in addition to the constant tangling. It actually looked a bit frizzier despite being made specifically to combat it, so for me this was a nope.
Full-size purchase: No!
The first thing I noticed about this product was how watery it was. It's almost like skim milk, in both color and consistency. If you don't read the instructions properly, like yours truly here, you may initially try to treat this as a face wash and spill a bit. After reading the directions and applying a toner, I tapped this on and applied lotion afterward, but didn't notice a significant change to my face. My skin felt like it does when it's humid outside; I felt like there was a bit of a film on my face and my cheeks were a bit sticky to the touch (I'm an immature perv and I'd like to apologize for finding this sentence so funny). I didn't notice anything about it that would make me want to purchase it.
Full-size purchase: No
This is a very pretty magenta shade that applies really smoothly and leaves a velvety finish on the lips. It's buildable and would work well if you were going for a stain effect. I would not advise this for shades darker than mine as even on mine, too many layers make the color too bright and start to clash with my skin. This would also be a good base for deeper colors that you can wear on top but for those who don't wear a lot of makeup, this lip crayon is sufficient by itself. I really like it for low-maintenance makeup days, but a stain or colored gloss would do the same thing for a cheaper price.
Full-size purchase: No
This mask is also an exfoliant for the skin, with much more abrasiveness and larger granules than the Jersey Spa exfoliant I reviewed above. It actually hurt my skin a little bit but I only had burning between my nose and mouth while it was drying. It doesn't take very long to dry and what I thought was cool was even though the exfoliant had large granules in it, once the mask dried the granules stayed on the skin. I guess I expected them to fall off because they were larger pieces and weren't being held down by the mask once they dried. The problem with that is that while I was rinsing off the mask, I noticed that said granules were the hardest to remove. I had to do a couple of extra rinses to get the rest of them off. After I was done, my skin felt very sensitive and irritated. It wasn't red or itchy, but my face felt stripped and kind of raw. I could tell it probably wasn't a good fit for my skin.
Full-size purchase: No
This was a mixed bag, but I had a lot of fun trying everything out. Big thanks to my main trick (lol) for sending me all of these products; even though she sent them because she knows I love samples, she also gave me the motivation to start this series. The next edition of this series includes samples from former SBS companies that I never gave a follow-up review on. As always, I hope you enjoyed this post and I'll see you soon!
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