So my sister got a bunch of samples from Sephora last time she ordered something, and she gave me some and told me to review them. I honestly have no idea what to say about them, especially as I don't think using something once will necessarily give you noticeable results? But I said I would, so here goes.
[Edit: Okay, so apparently she didn't want me to "review" them necessarily, she just wanted me to use/try them and see if there were any I liked.]
NUDE - "ProGenius Treatment Oil"
Official Product: 1 oz bottle for 78$
Pros: light scent, a little woody?
Cons: literally an oil
Comments: On the Sephora website, this stuff is marketed as "vegan and gluten free" which amused me. I like the smell and it goes on easily. A few drops goes a long way. I washed my hands afterwards and the oil came off fine. It feels light on your skin, almost not there, but then if you touch your face it's like OIL. Felt good after the ExfoliKate though.
Final Ruling: Surprisingly, Maybe Yes
Kate Somerville: ExfoliKate - "Intensive Exfoliating Treatment"
Official Product: 2 oz tube for 85$ (also comes in 0.5 oz and 5 oz)
Pros: it's green and you leave it on for ~2 minutes, so you feel like you're getting a mini spa facial
Cons: kind of burns the last second "circular motions", makes your skin feel slightly raw the rest of the day?
Comments: Used the entire 0.1 oz sample in one use. Smells like cinnamon a bit when you open it, and then just like general spices (like you're making gingerbread cookies?). It does scrape while you're rubbing it on, so I can understand why people say they see results after one use. I guess yeah, my face feels pretty smooth. Cool. Random note: my friend says she loves EradiKate, which is an acne spot treatment.
Final Ruling: Maybe
Korres - "Wild Rose + Vitamin C Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial"
Official Product: 1.35 oz jar for 48$
Pros: goes on (and absorbs) like a lotion, unlike the "Algenist" overnight cream (below)
Cons: cloying scent
Comments: This stuff smells really strong all night, but when you wake up in the morning it's really light and quite pleasant. I'd pass just because of the scent, but it did make my face feel pretty soft.
Final Ruling: Probably Not
AmorePacific - "FUTURE RESPONSE Age Defense Creme"
Official Product: 1.7 oz for 195$
Pros: nice consistency
Cons: lingering scent, PRICE POINT
Comments: This is made in Korea and definitely smells like it, meaning it's got this "girly" scent that I associate with Asian cosmetic counters. I cannot justify a 195$ face cream for any reason, especially one that does not at the very least double as a moisturizer/sunscreen.
Final Ruling: No
Boscia - "Detoxifying Black Cleanser"
Official Product: 5 oz pump bottle for 28$
Pros: a gel cleanser you're supposed to put directly on your face (as opposed to lathering in your palms first)
Cons: the smell reminds me a bit of Chinese medicine? but it doesn't linger so it's not really a con
Comments: Since I "dampened" my face with warm water, I actually didn't feel the "warming effect" that much, but I don't think that's really a functional detail anyway so. The cleanser really is black, which is interesting, although again, I'm not sure that adds to its ability to clean. I would not have described it as a "gel" but again, doesn't affect its function. Made my face squeak a bit when I rinsed it off. The sample amount was good for two uses, so the pump bottle would probably last about ~4 months if used once daily. All the claims on the package seem pretty exciting, but as you probably expect, it doesn't magically make all your pores invisible in one use. As far as cleansers go, it seems to work, and I'll admit it didn't dry out my skin as much as my current daily acne wash. I didn't try using it as a dual face wash/make-up remover (which it claims to be able to do), but that would be an interesting feature if it worked well.
Final Ruling: Probably Not
Ole Henriksen - "truth is in the eyes"
Official Product: 0.5 oz tube for 42$
Pros: very light, virtually fragrance free, absorbs (dries?) quickly
Cons: slightly tacky even after it's no longer damp (but not enough to really bother me)
Comments: The package says "an eye peel concentrate that's a natural antidote for fatigued and wrinkled eye tissue" and I'm not sure if I qualify for that. But the official tube also says it's good for dark circles, of which I saw no visible improvement. The sample packet was 0.1 oz and lasted me about a week before I decided to just move on. Questions I had: Why is it called a peel if nothing is peeled? If it's a gel but it exfoliates, is it chemical exfoliation? I actually would use a product that could "heal" dark circles, but if there's no change after using a product for a week then I might as well just use concealer.
Final Ruling: No
Algenist with Alguronic Acid - "Overnight Restorative Cream"
Official Product: 2 oz jar for 90$
Pros: virtually fragrance free, not oily
Cons: doesn't absorb into the skin really, so your face feels a bit sticky for a long while
Comments: Apparently this is supposed to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, restore elasticity and firmness to the skin, and leave it renewed by morning. If this is true, it's probably wasted on me at this point in my life. 90$ for sticky skin and that feeling in the back of my mind that I'm going to have to wash my pillowcase more often? No thanks. -.-; Although, I only used about half the 0.05 oz sample to cover my whole face, so the jar is like, 80 uses. Still not worth it for me personally.
Final Ruling: No
Recent Comments