9 April 2012

The Big Sample Survival Experiment Week one

Hello,
Hooray for Monday being out of the way, and having a few hours to relax this evening.
At the beginning of April I set myself the challenge of using up all of the samples that have been littering up the bathroom (If you saw the original post, you will know that there are a lot!) and so far, so good...ish. Let me tell you a bit about my progress.

This week I have managed to use up nine samples which sounds like quite a few, yet they don't seem to have made much of a dent in the box somehow. I have been using:

Magic Touch Whipped Body Cream
Sisley Hydra-flash
Clinique Even Better Foundation
Erno Laszlo Instant Eye Repair
The Comfort Zone Vital Leg Cream
Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Lotion
Erno Laszlo Moisture Infusion
Body Shop Day Cream
OXI Triple Action Wipe

So a bit of a mixed selection really in regards to both product and quality but heres a little bit about each product I tried.

Magic Touch Whipped Body Cream: At first I was very happy with this cream. I used it on my eczema prone legs to test it as the skin here takes quite a lot to make it smooth. This cream was a silky smooth consistency and applied and sunk into the skin well. There was a little shimmer to the cream but this wasn't visible once rubbed in. Whilst this made my legs feel a lot more hydrated, it made them feel a little itchy and I think that has something to do with the heavily perfumed formula. I seriously did not like the smell, it was completely over powering and when I used it one night while feeling a little under the weather, the smell was enough to turn my stomach completely, it also lingers for a long time which I didn't like. Rated: 2/5

Sisley Hydra-flash: I completely fell in love with this product 100%. I used this on my face in place of my usual Neals Yard moisturiser and found myself instantly wishing I hadn't as it retails at a whopping £108 so I will never be able to afford to replace it, despite the instant love I felt. The formula is wonderful; an indulgent thick and creamy consistency that melts beautifully into the skin with little effort leaving skin feeling really soft and hydrated. The smell was also nice, very faint as I think a face product should be, and very slightly herby and fresh. Rated 5/5

Clinique Even Better Foundation: I was excited to try this because I'm a fan of high end foundations, they are nearly always worth the money because they just make skin look so much better than drugstore brands. The Even Better foundation did not disappoint on this front. Whilst the shade I had to sample was slightly too dark for my very fair skin tone, it adapted well with a bit of buffing. Although the coverage says to be light to medium, it worked well to smooth the look of blemishes and lasted a nice long time on my face without wearing off or looking shiny. Rated 4/5

Erno Laszlo Instant Eye Repair: This is a tricky one for my to write as my initial impressions were fairly good, yet I am pretty sure this is the product which caused such a traumatic allergic reaction (I still have swollen, dry eyes now!) so I am going to simply tell you what I first thought and not rate this out of 5. When using this, my eyes felt instantly refreshed, soothed and instantly hydrated after a long hard day. The creamy consistency was easy to work into such a small area and a little went a long way which is always a good thing. Even though I initially liked this product, I would never buy it because the price tag is extortionate and there are so many cheaper brands that are equally as effective.

The Comfort Zone Vital Leg Cream Gel: This is my definite favourite of the week and felt like a real treat on my legs. The idea of this product is to nourish, tone and protect legs as well as refreshing and relaxing the muscles after long periods on your feet. I really think this lives up to its claims; when I use it my legs feel relaxed, refreshed and fairly well moisturised at the same time. The smell will not be for everyone as it is herb based and smells almost medicinal  but I personally love it. Rated 5/5

Palmers Cocoa Formula Lotion: I know that most people absolutely rave about this body lotion but I'm personally not a fan, and I don't think it is anywhere near as nice as my beloved Chocomania body butter from The Body Shop (reviewed here). The formula itself is a bit too runny for my liking and I find that you need quite a lot to properly coat legs to the level I like to, I also find it a little greasy on my legs which isn't something I'm used to with such dry leggies. But what I can't stand at all is the smell. I find it way too sickly sweet to the point that its almost artificial which isn't my cup of tea. What I will say though, is that if you're looking for a quick burst of hydration, this is a great product which works well even if it isn't something I like. Rated 3/5

Erno Laszlo Moisture Infusion: Again, I find it hard to write about this product so I will keep it short and sweet. The first thing I noticed when opening this cream is the lovely smell which is nice without being over powering or offensive. Like the eye cream, this has a soft and creamy formula which feels indulgent on the skin. I do think this is best suited to very dry skin however and it is very likely you will find a product just as good with a much smaller price tag.

Body Shop Day Cream: This is definitely the biggest disappointment I faced this week. I was really excited to try this cream out but when I did I found it to be wayyy too greasy to contemplate wearing and it looked like an oil slick on my face. I have little more to say about the product really. Rated 1/5

OXI Triple Use Wipe: I was intrigued by this product because it claims so much. The wipe itself felt just as soft and gentle on the skin as a face wipe yet it worked so much better at removing dirt and make-up than a normal wipe does. I think I will be buying these again because I was so impressed. Rated 4/5

Goodness, what a wordy post, maybe I'll try and find a shorter, easier way to tell you about next weeks samples. I'm not going to be starting vlogging because I'm too shy, but I will see what I can do :) If you'd like a full review on any of these products then just let me know and I'll pop one up for you :)

Have you tried any of these? What did you think?

Annie x

2 comments:

  1. Great post :) Shame that the Hydra Flash is so expensive :(

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    1. Thanks love :) I know, I really can't justify over £100 no matter how lovely the Hydra Flash is :( I guess this girl will just have to dream :) xx

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