Love At First Sample!!! 🥰

[heartsmyface]

I know you’ve tried a sample (or ten) of something and it was so magical it made you stop everything and buy a product cause it was love at first sample!  What was it and did the full sized version live up to your initial heart-melted impression? Or is it still on your shopping list to pick up at your earliest convenience?  

The first time I can recall this happening to me was when Sephora still carried Dermadoctor.  I had a sample of their KP Duty Body Scrub.  I used it just to push it through my stash and was absolutely blown away by how immediately soft and exfoliated my skin was!  Instant purchase!   It’s been six years and I have yet to find any body scrub that compares -and I’ve tried!

A more recent love-at-first-sample is the Dior Backstage Face and Body Primer!  It’s a slightly peach tinted,creamy gel consistency and is mega hydrating while blurring subtle imperfections on its own but making foundation apply so smoothly!!!  Plus it has a beautiful floral fragrance which may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s very pleasing to me. 🙂  

DIOR BACKSTAGE Face & Body Primer 1.6 oz/ 50 mL 

 

 

[CynthieLu]

Thank you for that @itsfi I don't exfoliate often, it's hit and miss what is too much for me.  I'm always curious about what works for other sensitive skin- ers. I appreciate the product mentions 💖

[itsfi]

@CynthieLu, yeah, exfoliating products are hugely hit or miss and sadly, it’s something you often have to try out to find out where it falls on the hit or miss continuum.

Mind if I ask what’s your preference (if you have one) when it comes to exfoliating products?

• chemical or manual 
• AHA or BHA or PHA? 
• As a standalone product (toner, peel pads) or included in another product (cleanser, mask)?

What exfoliating products have you tried that’s been too much for your skin? 

[CynthieLu]

@itsfi My skin does not enjoy manual exfoliation, like a wash with hard bits in it? I can use it once and my skin starts to say nooooooo pretty quickly.

I was okay with the Juice Beauty Stem Cellular® Exfoliating Peel Spray 1.7 oz/ 50 mL  once a week while I had a sample ( it lasted a long time to 😁 )

And the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner 5.07 oz/ 150 mL a few times a week. If I use this everyday my skin will start to complain. But a few times a week my skin likes it allot.

But everything else I try usually ends in redness  or ezcema flare ups.

I am to afraid to try anything else lol like those Dr Gross Peel pads I think would be way too overwhelming for my skin. 

[makeitup305]

@CynthieLu my skin is the same. I can tolerate retinol and vitamin c just fine but aha/BHA my skin revolts.

[heavyhedon]

@itsfi -- I used the older cleanser too, very nice even on my dry skin. Someone in my family passed on a trial sized kit of Tula products and I enjoyed all of them except the chemical peel serum, it was just too intense for me.

[itsfi]

@heavyhedon, that's good to know. Thank you! I'll probably stay away from their peel - I've been sticking to some tried-and-true peels / exfoliating products and I've been doing better with products that are more gentle on my skin - less intense peels / exfoliating products work better for me.

[heavyhedon]

@itsfi , me too. I can't use anything that exfoliates too often, either. 

[itsfi]

Yeah, I'm at 1-2x per week @heavyhedon; maybe up to 3x in the summer months when my skin is oilier. I can use something like the enzyme powder cleansers (like amorepacific or tatcha) with more frequency, but I try not to, for fear of compromising my skin barrier. It's so easy to do that and yet takes a long time to heal when it is compromised. lol.

[Cissy63]

@heartsmyface I had been on the lookout for a facial sunscreen that did not make me a ghost, worked well with my foundation and was not greasy on my skin.   I received a sample of Supergoop! Mineral Mattescreen SPF 40 Mineral Sunscreen 1.5 oz / 45 mL .  I was so pleased with this sunscreen.  It played well with my skin and my foundation. In fact, I can use it also as a primer.  I bought a full size of it in late spring and have used it daily since it arrived.  🌞

[CynthieLu]

Supergoop is very nice and easy to wear @Cissy63 my main lookout for sunscreen is that I don't hate wearing it lol

I wonder if this one is like the Supergoop! Mini Unseen Sunscreen Invisible Broad Spectrum SPF 40 PA +++ 20 mL , I thought it was primer like also

[Cissy63]

@CynthieLu   Yes the Supergoop! Mini Unseen Sunscreen Invisible Broad Spectrum SPF 40 PA +++ 20 mL will also act as a primer.  We have a 2 story home and I keep a small skincare and makeup supply downstairs.  Including sunscreen.  I have this mini with that supply.  I never used to wear it daily.  But then I thought, I am doing all of this skincare to reduce dark spots.  If I don’t wear sunscreen I am just wasting my time and money. 

[CynthieLu]

💯 percent yes to that @Cissy63 

Spf everyday is my goal too.

You got that right, we spend our good money on creams, serums etc.. but spf is a hugely important step. 

I just used to hate how most sunscreens felt or reacted on my skin.  But now I have a few excellent ones that I don't mind wearing at all 😄 Super goop is a great line in my opinion

[heartsmyface]

@Cissy63   That one is a real HG for so many people!  I’m curious to try the cream to see if my opinion on supergoop will change.

My notes say it was filmy but I believe it was the sheer spray.   Your description of its performance sounds so good!  

[Cissy63]

Thank you.  It’s more like the texture of Smashbox original primer.  My foundation laid on top nicely @heartsmyface  !

[spedteacher74]

Moroccanoil - hooked after my first sample many years ago.  Nothing makes my hair more beautiful. 

[heartsmyface]

@spedteacher74  Their serum really is lovely especially for the ends!  Plus the scent! 😍

[itsfi]

My first introduction to the Nest perfume oils was this sample vial I picked up as a promo gwp. I enjoyed the scent enough to purchase the NEST New York Seville Orange Perfume Oil Rollerball 0.20 oz / 6 mL . The citrusy orange and grapefruit scent is fresh and light with a clean, green, and slightly sweet-floral touch that adds a pleasant softness to the citrus notes. It wears close to the skin and is best when layered with another fragrance. 

Fragrances are definitely one of those beauty items that I like to sample before picking up a full size (not that I haven't made may share of blind purchases, lol). I've been slowly making my way through some discovery sets so I'm sure this will not be the last or only fragrance I post to this thread @heartsmyface!

[eleby]

 I need the nest perfume oil’s in my collection😩 I’ve always hesitated tho.. didn’t know if it’s worth it Great buy! 😍

[heartsmyface]

@eleby   They’re worth it!!! The bottles look small but you don’t need a lot and the fragrances last!  

[heartsmyface]

@itsfi  Oh gosh this oil is WONDERFUL!!!  I bought a sampler of their oils and it’s what I call the ‘adult ’version of Body Shop Satsuma oil!  
Turkish Rose is the fragrance that really grabbed me from the sampler set!  

[itsfi]

@heartsmyface, oh that is a great description for it - it does remind me of TBS Satsuma but softer and gentler. I've been layering it with Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine so I can make that latter one last as long as I can. I do want to try the Turkish Rose oil. I think I need to pick up the sampler set at some point - I know, another sampler set! 🤣 Maybe during the holiday sale, if I can get through 2 of the 4, or maybe its 5, fragrance sampler sets I have waiting for me. That'll be my motivation! Ha!