The Gratis Thread 🛍🎉

[cianni]

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 I’ve been finding that while it’s easy to initially post about receiving it and initial reviews, it’s not as easy to follow up! 

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

[veronika23]

Thanks so much @eshoe! Yeah I love the scent so much!!!! 🙂

[lmaster]

Beautiful photo!! @veronika23 congratulations

[veronika23]

Aww thank you @lmaster!!! 🙂

[keana1]

Congratulations @veronika23 ! ❤️ your photo! 

[veronika23]

Thanks so much @keana1!!!

[CookieGirl1]

Congrats, @veronika23.  And I love the flatlay!

[veronika23]

Thank you @CookieGirl1 🙂

[curlychiquita]

Congratulations, @veronika23! 💕

[veronika23]

Thank you @curlychiquita!!!

[PrettyPaint]

Congratulations @veronika23. I love your photo. Your post also made me realize I don't own a pearl necklace. Do you wear it a lot? I've always admired them on others but I've not been sure whether I'd get use out of one or make it fit my wardrobe. 

[veronika23]

Aww thanks @PrettyPaint!!!  I haven't worn it in a while... but I like to have it. It's not real though... I like to have some costume jewelry pieces (I think that's what they call it)... so I can switch it up and won't break the bank you know... but I also love silver jewelry so I invest when I really love a piece. 😄

[PrettyPaint]

@veronika23  To my untrained eyes, I don't think I could probably tell the difference between costume pearls and the real thing anyhow. 🙂 I like my silver pieces too - just not the tarnishing that always seems to happen. Those tarnish wipe things seem to work pretty decently at least. 

[veronika23]

@PrettyPaintsame here! 😉  Yeah I feel you on the tarnishing. But those cloths do work pretty well.

[Loretta55]

Funny story about receiving my first set of pearls @veronika23 @PrettyPaint , an ex boyfriend worked in a major department store and he gifted me some jewelry. One of the items was a pearl necklace. I was too young to appreciate them so I gave them to my mom. Fast forward 10 years, I asked my mom if she still had the pearl necklace and she returned it to me. I brought them to a local jeweler to be cleaned and restrung. I asked the jeweler if they were authentic and he told me that the pearls were most definitely authentic.

[PrettyPaint]

@Loretta55  Oh wow, that's so cool! I have never priced what a set of authentic pearls would be, but I imagine they are fairly pricey. That's nice that your mom let you have them back and fortunate that she still had them after 10 years!

[veronika23]

Oh nice!!! @Loretta55 

[greeneyedgirl107]

What a nice story @Loretta55 !  Would love to see a pic!

When I was in high school, I had mentioned to a good friend of mine that I hoped to one day own a genuine pearl necklace.  She remembered that, and gave me a very good quality pearl necklace (the size/shape of the pearls weren't perfectly uniform, but it was still very, very good).  She worked at a jewelry store, and hand-strung and knotted the pearls herself.  I kept it at my parents' home in my jewelry drawer for safe keeping.  Imagine my rage when I came home years and years later and found it missing.  Many items my mother and sister seem to have pilfered, but that one was the most treasured.  The thing is, I don't even know why they took the necklace -- my mom had the most amazing set of faux pearls you'd ever want to see.

[Loretta55]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your pearls @greeneyedgirl107. Unfortunately I am not allowed to wear necklaces to work but next formal occasion I will be wearing those pearls.

[greeneyedgirl107]

Glad you can get some wear out of them @Loretta55 !  I miss the days when I could wear a lot of jewelry to work.

[drrragon]

Congrats @veronika23! such a lovely photo!

[veronika23]

Aww thanks so much @drrragon!!! 🙂