Makeup Withdrawal

Showing posts with label CLEAN. Show all posts

50 Words or Less Reviews, Vol. III: Samples

Monday, July 30, 2012

Time for another installment of 50 Words or Less Reviews! This time I'll feature things that I tried first as samples or minis and how they influenced me to buy the product (or in some cases, throw them away and vow to never waste my money).

1. Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Wheat. $24 for 0.18oz.
Wow. Didn't know a product could make my lids look weirdly peachy and patchy, eye shadow hard to blend, crease more easily and just generally make my eye makeup look pretty bad. But this product can. Toss!

2. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. $28 for 6oz.
Perfume SA gave me a sample to increase longevity of perfume. I applied it on my neck, broke me out in huge cystic acne. As a hand and body cream, doesn't do much for me. Really prefer Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion, much less costly for better results.

3. Clarisonic Gentle Hydro Cleanser. $25 for 6oz.
I was pleasantly surprised to how much I liked this when a sample came with my Mia brush. Non foaming, watery cream texture. Gently cleanses my face without stripping or leaving residue. Actually bought a full sized bottle!

4. CLEAN Skin Perfume. $69 for 2.14oz.
I've waxed poetic about this perfume before. My point is, a SA gave me a sample and I absolutely fell head over heels in love at first sniff. It took me less than three days (for both me and the BF) to decide that I absolutely needed this. Full bottle? Absolutely.

5. Laura Mercier Foundation Primer. $32 for 1.75oz.
I like that this primer feels like a lotion, but that makes me feel like I could simply use a light moisturizer and it'd work just as well. Not so great at oil control, but decent for beautiful foundation application. Kinda pricey, so insert 'meh' sound here.

I feel really fortunate that here in the United States we have Sephora stores that are more than happy to provide us with samples! Not only that, but with orders we get to chose even more samples. It's a great way to test something out without the commitment of paying full price for something you might not like/breaks you out/smells like wet dog on you without the hassle of having to return it. That being said, we're also pretty lucky that a lot of stores have such generous return policies!

Have you tried any of these five products? What samples have you used lately that convinced you that you needed that product/never would buy it?

Products featured were given to me as samples as a part of being a consumer or purchased by me for my own use. For additional information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

CLEAN Skin Perfume- Observations From An Olfactory Simpleton

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

image from Sephora.com

Today I have a joint review, as it incorporates both my experience, as well as my boyfriend, Morgan's. (He, being blunt and of not many words gave me a general rundown that I *ahem*, elongated and made more elegant. Since he has never looked at my blog, I don't think he'll object.) We tested out this perfume about a month ago, over a weekend together.

Oh, CLEAN Skin. This is perhaps, the most divine substance I have ever had the pleasure of inhaling.
A balanced and blended perfume, I had problems picking out the notes the first time I wore it. I didn't question it, I just closed my eyes and breathed it in deeper.

According to Sephora, the notes include:

Sheer Honeydew, Lotus Blossom, Fresh Air Accord, Dewy Petals, Aquatic Notes, Blue Rose, White Musks, Amber Wood, Creamy Vanilla.

When I spray this perfume on a tester strip, I smell absolutely nothing at all. It's amazing how body chemistry and heat transform a fragrance. I love the touch of aquatic that laces together the honeydew and lotus blossom. To be honest, the blue rose was lost on me but the warmth of the vanilla and musk was evident throughout and lingers like a soft caress.

We both found Skin to be a very intimate scent. One that lured him in, inviting him to move closer to me and find the source. He lifted up locks of my hair and nuzzled my neck, closing in on where I spritzed my perfume earlier.

After we parted ways, a few days later, he called and told me that he missed the scent of my perfume, I was a little surprised yet deeply satisfied. He said he loved how I smelled, that it was sensual and sexy.

This, coming from a man who I am not certain knows all the colors of the rainbow.

This, coming from a man who is baffled by makeup and polish. ("Why do you need more? You never finish what you have.")

So when this man decides to comment positively upon anything beauty related, it's worth taking note.

"I don't have a full bottle of this," I told him sadly.
"I think you need it," he replied simply.

A few weeks ago, I received a package from Sephora. He bought me a full bottle.

CLEAN Skin Eau de Parfum is $69 for 2.14oz. on Sephora's website. A 1 oz. size is also available on Amazon.

CLEAN Summer Escape Perfume- Observations From An Olfactory Simpleton

Saturday, December 3, 2011

image from Sephora

I want you to close your eyes. Ok, maybe not right this second since you're reading this post. Wait till you finish reading.

It's night time. You've just arrived at a tropical paradise, an island resort where the only thing expected of you is relaxation and the consumption of fruity mixed drinks. In fact, with your first step onto the island, someone slips a delicious citrus concoction into your hand.

It's not hot or humid, a gentle, fresh breeze dances over the ocean water and wraps itself around you, pleasant on your exposed skin.
Inside your bungalow, fresh flowers have been placed in your room. You fall asleep quickly, inhaling the night ocean air and the mixture of honeysuckle, water lily, summer peony and orange blossoms.

Hours later, you wake up happily refreshed. The sun is bright overhead, its bright rays make the water surrounding you sparkle and glisten. You spend the next few hours, with your toes in the sand, just enjoying the vast blue skies and white expanse of beach. Comfortable, warm and completely at ease.

Doesn't that sound marvelous? I enjoyed the place that CLEAN Summer Escape took me to with each spritz. I only wish that my vacation in a bottle could have lasted. Sadly, this scent only lingered for a mere 4 hours or so. Summer Escape definitely is more tropical and fresh than any of the other CLEAN scents I've experienced though it is far from being a striking and unique scent. The base is familiar and comforting, definitely in the CLEAN family.

Notes (from Sephora.com):
Crisp Bergamot, Beach Grass, Mandarin Orange, Water Lily, Summer Peony, Beach Honeysuckle, Orange Flower, Cotton Blossom, White Sand Accord, Driftwood, Coconut Water.

Summer Escape is a limited edition EDP. It can be found at Sephora for $49, but more importantly it has been found at TJMaxx/Marshalls locations for $10 for the full 2.14oz EDP.

Product featured was purchased by me, for my own use. For additional information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.