Auromere: Hand & Body Lotion

I'd been eyeing a small packet of Auromere for a while. They sent a few tiny, one-use packets, so I cracked open the Hand & Body Lotion. I'd been pleasantly surprised in the past by some of the body lotions, such as Hempz, so I squeezed some onto my hands.

The product was very light and creamy. There was no oiliness whatsoever! I applied it to my right leg and was very satisfied with the results. It soaked in almost instantly, but was wet long enough to allow me to apply it all over my legs. The second I stopped rubbing it in, it dried. The same happened on my second leg! There wasn't much of a scent, but they provided the perfect amount of product for a one time use.

I would highly consider this product in my next body lotion purchase. There are a few other lotions in the running, however, so it may be a while before this actually becomes a part of my repertoire. If you're in the market for a new lotion, though, I'd highly recommend giving Auromere a try!

Sea Flora: Sea Kelp Softening Facial Moisturizer

I moved onto a new moisturizer and decided to go for a new company. Sea Flora really stood out for me, so their Sea Kelp Softening Facial Moisturizer seemed like a great place to start. I'd read a few good reviews about the company and the package mentioned this product is great for all skin types.

When I first felt the product it was a bit oily. It had a gross color, reminiscent of a brown/yellow combination. I applied it to my face and immediately felt a slight burning sensation. It wasn't crazy intense, but it was something that I definitely noticed. The smell was horrendous--it reminded me of a rotten pile of seaweed. It was nearly unbearable, but I stuck it out because I wanted to try the product. The first day that I used it, my skin stayed moisturized, but became quite oily towards the end of the day. The second day, I saw a drastic regression in the state of my skin. I'd used the Sisley Cleansing Milk prior to moisturizing and my face had been fine. Once I applied the moisturizer, my face looked like an angry, red mess. I gave it a few minutes to calm down and it did, but I was less than pleased.

Needless to say, this is not a product that I will be using in the future. I will definitely try Sea Flora's other lines, but the Softening Facial Moisturizer is just not for me. If you have dry skin, it may be a go, but don't use it if you're oily!

Sisley: Cleansing Milk with Sage

I just finished up a cleanser by Sisley, called Cleansing Milk With Sage. The last few cleansers I used didn't really impress me, so I was stoked to try out a new cleanser. Sisley is a Parisian company with a history of great skincare.

The cleanser was creamy when it came out of the foil. It wasn't oily and it didn't have a gross smell. In fact, it was a rather pleasant scent that reminded me of baby powder. I wet my face and applied the product. It went on very smoothly and didn't have any weird tingling sensations--it's shocking how many products have that. I let it set for a moment and then rinsed my face. It came off very easily and didn't leave any residue. My face felt very fresh afterwards!

I would seriously consider purchasing this product if it wasn't $110 per bottle. I really liked how it felt on my skin and it took away all of the excess oil. If I ever have a spare Franklin laying around, this would be something I'd seriously consider purchasing!

Hempz: Age Defying Herbal Body Moisturizer

I loved the last Hempz product so much, that I wanted to try another one. I decided that another body lotion would be idea. I cracked open an Age Defying Herbal Body Moisturizer. On the packet it said that it will hydrate and firm and is enriched with natural hemp seed oil.

It really didn't have much of a scent, other than "clean." It came out smoothly and it wasn't too thick of a cream, just like the last Hempz lotion. There was no oiliness and the dry time was pretty fast. My legs stayed moisturized all day and I didn't have to reapply.

Overall, I was very pleased with the product. A second great body lotion came out of my Hempz supply. This really makes me lean towards purchasing something from them! I highly recommend the Hempz line!

Trilogy: Line Smoothing Day Cream

I want to prevent lines from forming on my face from the intense dryness. Line Smoothing Day Cream by Trilogy caught my eye in my bag of moisturizers. Not only would it hydrate my skin, it would also reduce any lines that could potentially be forming!

I opened the packet and pushed out some product. It was a light, creamy substance. It didn't have much of a smell, which I was happy with. It wasn't too oily, either! I applied the day cream all over my face--including where crows feet form. In less than 2 minutes, it had completely dried into my skin. I was actually pretty excited! My face remained moisturized throughout the day.

I actually really liked this product! I'm not sure that I'd purchase it, but I would consider it in the future. I would definitely recommend it to a friend. I'm stoked to see what other products Trilogy has to offer!

Eve Lom: Intense Hydration Serum

I actually had no idea what serums were used for prior to sending off for samples. In fact, I actually called my Mom and had her explain their use. I basically learned that they're a primer for moisturizers, which sounded super up my alley. She also mentioned that in general, the lightest products go on first and progressively get heavier. That night, I opened an Intense Hydration Serum by Eve Lom.

I wasn't really sure what to expect, other than a light textured product. It came out clear and had a watery consistency. I put a small bit onto the tips of my fingers and started applying it to my forehead and worked my way down. Before I even reached my cheeks the serum had already dried on both my forehand and fingers. It dried so fast that I actually had to squirt out more of the product onto my fingers. I was able to get about 3 uses from the foil and each time the serum dried before I was able to finish applying it. I really liked how it felt on my face and it did a great job priming for the moisturizer, but let me freaking get it all on my face before drying!

I probably won't be purchasing this product. I 100% would if it took a hair longer to dry. That sounds kind of goofy, as I normally can't stand things that take too long to dry, but I need to get it all on my face first. So far Eve Lom isn't winning the product game.

EO: Everyone Moisturizer

After finishing my first moisturizer, I opened a large foil from EO. It's called the Everyone moisturizer. I knew that I'd have quite a few days worth of the product. In the morning, I cracked open the packet and squirted a dollop onto my fingers.

The first thing I noticed pertained to the thickness. It was a relatively thick cream, which generally means it takes a long time to dry. True to form, it took more than 10 minutes to fully dry. Needless to say, that didn't thrill me. Each subsequent use I attempted to use a smaller amount to mitigate the long drying time, but alas, I was unsuccessful. Regardless of how little I used the product, it took an eternity to dry. The smell wasn't great, either, but it was not nearly as bad as the Eve Lom facial cleanser. It did, however, keep my face moisturized all day.

It's pretty obvious that I'm not going to be purchasing this product in the future. There were far too many things that I disliked about it. Hopefully there are a few other products by EO that I'll enjoy more in the future!

Hempz: Vanilla Plum Herbal Body Moisturizer

I'd heard of the company Hempz before I started requesting samples. I received a pretty nice size package from them and couldn't wait to use the products. The first foil packet that I opened was a Vanilla Plum Herbal Body Moisturizer.

Holy cow did this stuff smell delicious! It was a very light, airy, fabulous mixture of vanilla and plum (obviously). It was light to the touch and went on smoothly. It wasn't too oily or creamy and dried within a decently short amount of time. The packet lasted me two days worth of application and I was a little sad to see it run out.

I would definitely consider purchasing this product from Hempz. I really enjoyed the smell and liked the whole experience! I currently have a body lotion that works well, but I would seriously think about switching!

Eve Lom: Morning Time Cleanser

One of the first cleansers that I used was by Eve Lom. They sent me a pretty decently sized package of samples, so I was itching to dig in. The Morning Time Cleanser was the first one I grabbed. I prepared my face to be cleansed, opened the foil packet and squirted out some of the cream.

It was somewhat thick to the touch, but dear god did it have an awful smell. I literally held my breath it was so terrible. On the plus side, it did an incredible job of cleaning my face. It kept my skin balanced all day! I just couldn't get over that smell, though. The foil had about 4 washes in it, so I used the cleanser 4 separate times. The smell didn't get any better with each subsequent use.

I would have to say that this is definitely not on my list of products I'd purchase. Sure it did a great job, but I just couldn't get over the smell. For how expensive it is, I would want an all-around great cleanser. I'm moving onto different and better smelling cleansers.

Mane 'n Tail: Shampoo & Conditioner

I've been using the same hair products for years. They just work for me. I have super thin hair that can be frizzy and wavy/curly. Since I received a few shampoo and conditioner samples, I decided to try a few. Mane 'n Tail has always been on my radar. In fact, my Mom said she used it years ago and said she loved it. I was pretty stoked when it came in the mail.

It came in a pretty huge foil packet, so I was able to get 2 washes out of each packet. I received 3 samples each of a shampoo and conditioner. Boy oh boy did I love it! My hair was smooth and silky and it didn't get frizzy! It dried without any knots, either, which is a god dang miracle. I had 6 full days of hair care with the 2 products and I am very impressed.

This will absolutely be on my list of products to purchase. I currently have shampoo and conditioner that work just fine, but when the time comes I am seriously considering purchasing Mane 'n Tail!

Amore Pacific: Moisture Bound Sleeping Recovery Masque

To get a head start on moisturizing my skin, I realized that a mask would be a great addition to my routine. My Mom visited her favorite lady at the Amore Pacific counter in Nordstrom and she told her to send me a bunch of sample packets. I received a box full of Moisture Bound Sleeping Recovery Masques!

I washed my face and opened the foil. It came out very clear and soaked into my skin almost instantly! It was so light it didn't feel like I had anything on. I put it on mid-evening, so it was on my face for about 3.5 hours. When I went to wash it off, it was easy and didn't make my face oily. It did an incredible job of moisturizing my dry areas and balancing my oily ones.

I would absolutely recommend this mask. It did an incredible job on my skin and I'm highly considering purchasing it. This is probably my #1 product desire, but it will be purchased at a later date after I get my other skin care needs covered.

Sabon: Delicate Jasmine Body Lotion with Avocado Oil

After moisturizing my face, I usually butter up the bod. Me legs get so itchy if I don't! Luckily, I received a sizable amount of body lotions. The first one I cracked open was Delicate Jasmine Body Lotion of Sabon.

It had a light jasmine scent--as if that wasn't obvious--but it was very pleasant. The lotion contains avocado oil, which was pretty obvious. The lotion was pretty light, but very oily. It took forever to soak into my skin. As I previously stated, dry time is very important to me. It did an okay job of keeping my skin hydrated through the end of the day. My legs were generally good until I came home from work, which is around 6 PM, so my legs stayed moisturized for about 9.5 hours. At that point, my legs became very itchy because I'd been in dry air all day.

I probably wouldn't purchase this lotion. It did its job, but it didn't do an incredible job. I didn't feel like my legs were moisturized all day. So I'd say this was will not be joining my skin care arsenal.

Paula's Choice: Hydrating Treatment Cream

My first product was Hydrating Treatment Cream from Paula's Choice. The packet was relatively generous, so I was able to get about 4 uses from the packet. So for 2 days, day and night I used the cream. The cream felt very light and didn't have much of a scent. It went on my face very easily and didn't feel goopy or gross. I have really weird texture issues, so the way something feels on my face is extremely important.

It was relatively clear in color and light to the touch. It didn't take long to soak in at all! In fact, I was able to apply my makeup about a minute after I put on the cream, which made me very happy. I leave the minimum amount of time to get ready in the morning, so a fast-soaking-in time is extremely important to me.

Overall, I really liked the Hydrating Treatment Cream. It kept a great balance for my combination skin and more importantly made me feel like my face was protected and moisturized all day! This is definitely a top contender in my product line-up!

A Sample a Day Keeps the Dryness Away

I recently moved from a humid climate to an extremely dry one. I quickly realized that I could not continue my current skin care regimen. My skin became so dry it practically started to crack, even though I'd been constantly slathering on moisturizer! Needless to say, I had to find new products and fast!

I've seen quite a few women in town who are young, but have old and weathered skin. This is exactly what I wanted to avoid. Unfortunately, buying loads of new beauty products can be very expensive. On top of that, I can't head to my local Sephora or Nordstrom to get some samples because I live in a small mountain town. The nearest beauty store is more than 2.5 hours away! I felt like I was stuck in a bind. I'd normally go shopping with my Mom and she'd help find the best products for my skin, but I don't have that luxury.

I needed a way to obtain samples without driving a decent amount of time. Bam! It hit me like a sucker punch. I decided to write to a bunch of skincare/cosmetic companies and see if they'd send samples. I was shocked at how many of them responded with a resounding yes! Many asked what my skincare concerns were and a surprising amount inquired about which products I wanted to try. I got a fair amount of nos, but not too many!

Boxes starting arriving on my doorstep by the dozens. Some companies sent a single sample foil, while others sent 3 lb. packages. In order to keep track of my thoughts on each product, I could either write it in a notebook (handwritten...too much) or I could start a blog. Well here I am in the mighty world of blogging.

My review of each product will be recorded in a separate post. My skin is very oily everywhere except around my mouth and nose, which are very dry. I've had problems trying to balance this in the past, but Olay moisturizer did a great job until now. I don't have large pores or problems with acne, so I won't be trying products geared towards these issues. I will, however, be including some hair-related products, as I've received quite a few. Please enjoy a sample a day!