Month's collection of mag freebies/swaps/samples

Red Magazine with Ren Trio

I was really looking forward to get my hands on this! Initially, I thought you had to choose One of the three but - in actual facts - you get a mini set... even better ;)

The trio contains: Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream, Vetiver v7 Hand and Body Cream, Active 7 Radiant Eye Gel.

I've already started using these as I've been waiting for somE time to try this brand... so far so good, I haven't seen any major improvment but I'm liking how they feel on the skin.

 Talika Lipocils Expert
I swapped this with Sandra from Beauty Balm - she is the sweetest gal ever! Look how pretty wrapped was the packaging. :)
At the moment, I have no beauty boxes subscription but still want to try some products... I've been using this every day, twice a day... hopefully, I'll see an improvement to my eyelashes.

She, also, sent me a Balance Me sample as she knew I wanted to try more from this brand... I told you, she is THE sweetest!!! :)

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in light

Again, another product I'm looking forward to try as I've seen some promising reviews online.

I got this through the post from Boots, I believe...

L'Oreal Youth Code Luminize Super Serum

Free sample that you can request on the L'Oreal website.

This is quite nice but I consider it more like a primer than a serum, honestly.

It has a pearlessence to it which helps illuminate but it appears to be only a temporary effect and not a long-term benefit.

L'Oreal Revitalift 10 Repair BB Cream in medium tinted

HATED HATED HATED!

This just makes you shine... all in the wrong places! Usually, I don't have these problems on my chin but I had to powder constantly while wearing this product.

Apart that the shade was totally wrong for me - my husband actually asked me if I'd been using fake tan - it, also, broke me out pretty badly!

Another swap arranged on Beauty Box Swappers on Facebook, including Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream and Avon Anew Clinical Lift and Tuck Professional Body Shaper; both a chance to discover Clinique & Avon body products that I have never tried before.

Finally, Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser that I'm really looking forward to try as I'm a fan of AHA exfoliant... also, another opportunity for Murad to wow me (which has always failed so far!).

Glamour with Balance Me

You can choose between 4 different items with August issue - I picked up a Pure Skin Face Wash and Rose Otto Intensive Lip Salve.

So far, not too sure about the lip salve - the smell is putting me off... you know, I really really want to like/love all these new brands with natural ethic but they really need to sort out the herbaly scents!

Enough with the lavender, rosemary and geranium!

Miscellaneous

I got the Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Ultra Softening Lotion through the post a few days ago. This is a new product and they send you 7 satchel to take the 'week challenge'; I think it's, definitely, a good body cream, absorbs fast and smells lovely but I didn't notice any serious improvement.

I swapped the Monu Rosewood Reviving Mist on the Facebook group, Beauty Box Swappers. I think this was sent in a recent GlossyBox but I'm not a sub anymore - still, I'm obsessed with Monu and really enjoying face spritzers/toners, lately.

The smell is a bit too strong for me - the sandalwood makes it quite musky - so I was glad to discover that it can also be used as a body refresher.

I go these candles samples on www.yankeecentral.co.uk ... they only took over TWO MONTHS to arrive!!! You had to pay for postage, that's what is annoying.

Anyway, they all smell really good and I can't wait to try them - Pink Dragonfruit is my favourite. :)

Definitely, I wouldn't recommend to order from this website - the customer care is appalling!

I got the Benefit PoreFessional with Glamour Magazine; I'm already using this product so I picked myself a backup (it's also sealed so It won't get spoiled).

Marie Claire, instead, was giving away a Ciate' nail polish - I chose Bon Bon.

I wished it was more on the pink side (like My Fair Lady) but it's a grower; as always, I love the black bow on the bottle and I'm liking the new skinny font, as well.

Unfortunately, it started chipping after 2 days - not good enough for me as I can't be bother to paint my nails more than once a week.

You can get your Avene samples, filling a profile on their website and then they send you some products to try, targeted to your skin type: Brilliant!

I got the Gentle Gel Cleanser and Hydrance Optimal UV Legere. 

I've very excited to use these - I love Avene as a brand and looking forward to try some new products.

Other swaps from BBS:

Liz Earle Clenase & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - well, I always need a back up of this product as I adore it. You can read what I think about it here.

Percy & Reed Dry Conditioner: I was so curious and intrigued when I heard about it. Dry conditioner? How is it working?

Do love the Totally TLC Hydrating Mask too.

UNE Skin-Glow Foundation: I received this sample from Boots.com - looking forward to try something from this brand... any recommendation? I like their minimalist packaging.

That's all folks! ;)

Samples/Freebies Time

The girl at the Nars counter in House of Fraser recognises me by now... hehe... in fact, she approached me and asked me if I wanted to try the new Pure Radiance Tinted Moisturiser SPF30 (first time EVER i was offered a sample, without asking!!!) - She did mention she remembered me. :)

They just had 1 light and 1 medium shade to try so she just gave me the best suitable for me and she told me to go back and get properly matched once the product goes on sale.

I quite liked it but I still prefer their sheer foundation. Don't get me wrong, it's still a winner product but the foundation is more dewy and that's the look that I go for.

It's perfect for when you're in a hurry and I, definitely, prefer it to the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer.

Debenhams Facebook' page sent out an invitation to go in store and collect a sample of Bare Minerals Original SPF15 Foundation.

When I got there, the sale assistant didn't know anything about it - well, surprise surprise, it happened before - so I showed the screenshot on my phone and then she was happy to give me a sample.

The colour I got is medium beige N20 - which is a tad dark for me.

I don't think this is giving me enough coverage: my main concern is pigmentation and I still prefer liquid foundation for uniforming my skin. I do like the finish it provides so I'm gonna use it more like a finishing powder on top.

It, also, comes with a tiny kabuki brush: although it's pretty small, it's very dense and it works fairly well.

She gave me the cleanser and moisturiser but I haven't tried these yet.

Finally, I got a copy of Glamour magazine with the Percy & Reed - I went for the Totally TLC Hydrating Mask.
I used it last night and this morning my hair felt bouncy and light.
The only thing I don't really like is the smell - it smells like an aftershave to me.
It's a pre-shampoo treatment to apply on dry hair from roots to ends. Then you need to wrap hair and leave on for a minimum of 10 minutes.
I reckon, now that my hair are short, the tube will last for 4 applications.
Have you picked up one of these products? Which one?

Lancome Visionnaire LR2412 4%
I got this in the post ages ago and I, finally, got around to try it.
I used it like a serum, layered with my night cream, at night but to be honest I didn't see any improvement. It looks more like a cream than a 'runny' consistency of a serum and I felt it left my skin a bit sticky.

Dove Nourishing Oil Care Express Treatment Conditioner

You could order this on their Facebook page. It's a big tube - more a travel size than a sample, I'd say so kudos for that but I didn't think it was anything special. 

It has to be used as a conditioner, after shampoo and then leave it for a minute and some kinda of miracle should happen... well, it didn't.

I think it's an average conditioner... but that's it.

Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm

I really like the masque and scrub from this line and I heard good review on youtube about this eye cream; supposedly, you can used it both day and night but I think this is more like a primer and not moisturising enough to become your only eye product. 

It feels like a balm and it takes ages to absorb... plus, it's supposed to fill in fine line and avoid creasing but I haven't noticed any difference, to be honest.

Anybody tried this product??

Estee Lauder Day Wear BB Cream

I ordered this on LatestinBeauty, as many others; it cost a couple of quid by txt - I know, paying for a sample... what was I thinking??!! ;)

The colour is 01 Light and it's perfect for me. It lasted well for 5+ hours without setting and I was never shiny. I'm not blown away and, in comparison with the Garnier one, I choose the Garnier - merely for the price point of view.  I find all these BB creams to be very similar in performance, to be honest.

Also, EL has a floral scent and - at first - it's lovely but It tends to linger on the skin all day.

Which samples have you been trying lately?
xx

Don't you love when you're off the day sales start :)

Retorical question but HELL YEAH!!!

This morning we woke up early and popped into Tesco where I also got a couple of mags: Glamour with a free Benefit Posie Tint - you can also get High Beam or Benetint (I already got them) but they are the smaaaalest of the bottle. Still cute and a little goes a long way.
Then InStyle which came with £5 Body Shop voucher (and I got the sweet lemon body scrub in the picture below, later in the afternoon).
It was good to do the food shopping in the morning 'cause it was so quiet and it was a sunny morning... Also, treated myself to breakfast in Costa with a flat white & ham and cheese toastie... I don't know, alltogether put me in a good mood straight away :

We were back home by noon and after relaxing for an hour or so, we decided to go to The Fort shopping centre 'cause both Richard and I had to buy vitamins from Boots but couldn't be bothered to go in town. Also got the following in the chemistry:
No7 Smokey Eyeliner Brush: I don't have any other brush which is similar to this and read this one is the best. Also at around 6quid is quiet economical.
Lanolips 101 Ointment: finally I found this! I could never find it in any other Boots and want to try it for a while for my lips. I got quiet problematic lips and this shouldn't provoke me any allergy, hopefully. Reminds me of La Roche-Posay Ceralip Lip Repair Cream which I used in Italy, brilliant product btw.
Dove visible effects hand cream: my hands and cuticles have been unbelievably dry in the last couple of months; vaseline hand cream didn't do any good so I wish to this one... Fingers crossed.

We were walking about when - what do you know!!! - i noticed all the shops had Sales sign on. ***big smiles***
From Topshop -----> long sleeve jersey top, love the colour straight away and it's also sooo comfortable and soft. £3 on sale.
Taupe Floral Print Bishop Sleeve Dress, very nice dress; floaty, like the sleeves, print and it's quite short, kinda of a sixties feel to it. I cant believe it was on sale, I would have expect for this to go sold out. £25 on sale.
Mini Strawberry Ditsy Bracelet, so cute, got the smallest charm. I wanted it for a while, glad I waited and got it £2.50 on sale.

+++ didn't use a penny as I still have some Christmas vouchers to use +++





LUCKY LUCKIEST DAY!!!! I thought I would never find that bag again and kinda of regretted few times I didn't buy when I first saw it but hey! It was £79.99 - Zara Small Fashion Bag with Studs


















LOVEITLOVEITLOVEIT - at the touch you can feel is a soft, good quality leather. It's just such a cool bag in so many aspects. Anyway, I got it for half price and the girl at the till also informed that they had just found it, lying in the stockroom... Forgotten... Sigh :( ... She was waiting for me. :D

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