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Post in Beauty Confidential
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The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

A place to say thank you, provide reviews and first impressions, or follow up on gratis received after more use!

 

Many of us have been very lucky to receive gratis (thanks Sephora!), and Iโ€™ve been finding that while itโ€™s easy to initially post about receiving it and initial reviews, itโ€™s not as easy to follow up! 

 

I thought maybe we could have a dedicated thread to follow-ups and reviews with products weโ€™ve received after weโ€™ve been using them for a while, especially because itโ€™s sometimes hard to find the original thank you and first impressions threads.

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

Thank you @Indy701 โค๏ธ

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

I want to get in on this Amika action, too! I've tried the amika Reset Scalp Clarifying Gel Shampoo 6.7 oz/ 200 mL and AMIKA - Reset Cooling Gel Conditioner. I'm a huge fan of the scents! I'm not scent sensitive, so that might be why. The shampoo smells girly and floral and the conditioner smells minty to me. Maybe a little coconut as well? I honestly had a hard time telling at first. I need lessons from @2manyperfumes๐Ÿ˜‰  My hair feels VERY soft and my scalp doesn't feel flaky. I use a lot, a lot, a lot of dry shampoo so I'm sure the flakes are from buildup. I'd probably use this 2x monthly b/c it's very clarifying and I don't want to overdo that. Two thumps up from me! 

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

@CarolBT Oooooh, I love a minty conditioner - sounds lovely!

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

@Cyncynn  Iโ€™m with you on the mint!  It sounds fabulous!  

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

Amika is a very good brand @CarolBT โค๏ธ, because Iโ€™ve coloured, bleached and highlighted my hair and am always changing it I really want to not over fry it.  I use a anti brass shampoo and conditioner from my hair dresser but I do use the gift from Sephora olaplex oil (๐Ÿฅฐ) living proof anti brass mousse and IGK toning drops, their good behaviour spray and for volume when I want it the 30,000 feet IGK texture powder.  I havenโ€™t tried the banana shampoos because of my hair colour.  I agree donโ€™t over use the clarifying shampoos.  Peppermint oil and castor oils are good once in a while to add to your conditioner and leave it on a bit - I just use the oils on my scalp especially in the winter months.  

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

@2manyperfumes   The banana shampoos are fantasy color friendly.  ;). 

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

Ooh thank you @heartsmyface โค๏ธ That is good to know.  I was worried about them.

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

โค๏ธ @2manyperfumes  - I'm a huge fan of Olaplex too!

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

@CarolBT  Oh wow, that conditioner sounds so nice the way you describe it. 

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

@CarolBT ooo I love the scents on these as well! The conditioner feels so cooling and refreshing on the scalp

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

I have been a rouge for 10+ years and have never received anything gratis from Sephora in exchange of a review. Is there a list I have to get on or is it just random selection of folks?

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

@mybuttercup It has nothing to do with being Rouge. Itโ€™s more on being picked and how active you are on BIC

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

Trying out three completely new-to-me lip products has forced me to re-evaluate how I evaluate. The Dior Lip Glow Oil Rosewood was an immediate love, something I use daily. It gives my lips just a flush of color while adding a lustrous shine. It wears well, too, making for less than normal reapplication.

 

Other than gloss, MLBB is my preferred shade of lipstick. The IT COSMETICS - Pillow Lips Collagen-Infused Lipstick - Humble is well within my comfort zone, so I have been wearing it more often to get a feel for its performance and wear. The case feels weightier than it looks, and I found myself removing it from my purse while out just to admire it. It goes on quite smoothly, and has a nice, heavy feel to it, depositing a generous layer of color. After eating and drinking, a visible stain remained, so I top it with the Dior. It is a well-matched combo!

 

Glancing at the ingredients, I was surprised to see lanolin as the first on the list; something those averse to it might want to know. There are a few others further down the list that I prefer to limit, though not completely exclude. They wouldnโ€™t stop me from buying this product again. I love how the formula feels on my lips, and the just barely-there mint scent is a nice touch. Iโ€™m so happy I was able to try the cream formula, Iโ€™m not a big fan of mattes, so this was just perfect!

 

The Gucci Long Lasting Satin Lipstick 25* Goldie Red is easy to fall in love with for its beauty alone. I appreciate the subtle perfume scent (rather than being overwhelming) and using it makes me feel so special. I occasionally splurge on a special holiday look, and this year felt so fortunate to have this beauty for Christmas and New Years.

 

The amika Reset Scalp Clarifying Gel Shampoo 6.7 oz/ 200 mL and AMIKA - Reset Cooling Gel Conditionerhabe been a bit of a learning curve. I use a very limited amount of styling products, a heat protectant and the LP Bodybuilder (also gratis, ๐Ÿ’— it!) for the most part. I do not use dry shampoo, so the most my hair needs clarifying from is hard water. The LP Triple Detox was perfect for that (another gratis love). Even with only once a week use, my hair has become much drier than normal. My daughter on the other hand, has used it at the same rate as me with much better results, go figure. She doesnโ€™t style at all, but tends to over-condition her hair regularly. I think it is helping to restore some balance in her hair, and it looks much better as a result.

 

The YVES SAINT LAURENT - Black Opium Eau de Parfum Neon is beautiful; I still find it reminiscent of Poison, but slightly sweeter and more complex. I havenโ€™t figured out where this would fit - what season. Summer, maybe? A hot summer dinner on the patio of a late-night restaurant kind of scent, with some salsa playing in the background๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿป Not completely sure that I would purchase it, as much as I love the scent it is on the heavier side in my mind. I will absolutely finish the bottle over time, preserving it for those special occasions-to be paired with the Gucci!

 

The Virtue Labs I need to play around with more before I can give an honest review. The SMASHBOX - Mindful 5 Nourishing Primer Serum works great for me, no pilling, which is a major pet peeve of mine. My sister-in-law was over for NYE and was very, very interested in it. I shared my thoughts, mentioning the scent. I gave it to her to see for herself, and surprisingly she did not find it overbearing at all! I told her to take it home and play around with it, and to let me know what she thinks. I already know that despite how well it seems to work for me, I wouldnโ€™t purchase it due to the scent alone. I rotate between a few different primers, and they are all in their own way a special part of my routine. Some require a little bit of extra attention, some bring a subtle glow, some are fragrant. The one thing they all have in common is that they are a step I look forward to; on the other hand I had to brace myself for the scent when I used this. The funny thing is, many times I would open it and test it, just to see if it was really โ€˜that strong.โ€™ Solid performance, hoping it will be a hit for my SIL!

 

The GLOW RECIPE - Banana Soufflรฉ Moisture Cream is such an easy love, itโ€™s really not fair. My small pick with it is, where is the little spatula? The Watermelon mask has (had?) such a cool one. I am always interested to see what each brandโ€™s little spoon will look like. I noticed my last jar of YTTP was absent the standard addition, so maybe it is a cost-cutting measure. A little rabbit trail there, but I am just curious.

20 days of daily use, plays well with others20 days of daily use, plays well with others

Anyhow, it is a very versatile daytime product for my skin, which right now is normal. This is how much Iโ€™ve used since receiving it last month. Love everything about it and it will be a repurchase.  I love having a fruity alternative to my herby YTTP.

 

I am still in awe of this gratis, thanks again @TeamBIC!

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

Thanks for your reviews @eshoe ! Iโ€™m glad that you mentioned that the IT Cosmetics lipstick contains lanolin ( which is a no go for me ). I was also curious about the YSL Black Opium Neon, it sounds great! Love every variation of Opium fragrances! I would expect that the Glow Recipe Banana Soufflรฉ would come with a spatula ! 

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

I thought it was off-limits, @keana1. Hey at least you can try Bite lip masks again! If you like the other Opiums, you might love this one. And YES me too-I was most excited to try the scent first, and also see what kind of spatula was inside the box. Not a huge deal, but I love those little extra touches. 

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

Iโ€™ve noticed that Bite has 2 flavors of the Agave Lip Mask without lanolin @eshoe , which is great! I also love it when spatulas are included with skincare products that come in a jar! Dipping my fingers is something I avoid! If youโ€™re like me, you probably have some extra spatulas available! Enjoy the remainder of your gratis ! You deserve it! ๐Ÿฅฐ

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

@eshoe  I thought I was the only one obsessed with the little spoons ๐Ÿ˜‚

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

I have a family photo somewhere @ather โ˜บ๏ธ 

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

@eshoe Thatโ€™s the best!!! 

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

Thanks for the update @eshoe ! I smelled the banana cream in the store yesterday and it really smells so good! But I agree - all their products can be a bit difficult to get out - It's nice it's glass rather than plastic but maybe a square shape would be easier to use!

Re: The Gratis Thread ๐Ÿ›๐ŸŽ‰

@Kim888 curious if you decided to sample it or not. Iโ€™m crossing my fingers for a promo๐Ÿคž๐Ÿผ

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