With so much good stuff coming from these bags why have I never done any reviews?
Simply put I give most of the samples away. I keep the ones I like and the ones I wouldn't use end up in a box that I either pass around to friends or throw in as random freebies to my auctions.
However with this recent bag I find myself loving most of items in the bag. So, in an attempt to actually use the contents of my bag of awesome samples, I decided I would try out each skincare item for a week. For those samples that are mainly monodoses or are too small to last a week I will give my initial impression.
Because honestly what's the point of getting a bag of high end samples if you're just going to let them sit there? Don't wait for a special occasion to use them. You never know, your skin might have a horrible reaction to it and you don't want that to happen on a special occasion right? RIGHT!
So this past week I tried the following items from my gift bag: La Mer Illuminating Eye Gel, Sunday Riley Good Genes and Sisley Ecological Compound.
La Mer Illuminating Eye Gel
First off I was impressed with the size of the sample from La Mer. Usually they are tiny but this one contained 5ml of product. For something that just goes on your eyes, this is sure to last a long time. The consistency is lightweight and somewhat creamy for a gel. I'm not sure if it has silicones in it to make it feel that way but it's very nice. You only need a small amount and it absorbs into the skin without leaving a residue like how some gel products do.
I found no eye irritation or any irritation whatsoever. I also noticed very little change in my fine lines however, I did only use it for a week so it would be too early to tell.
A long long time ago I purchased La Mer eye balm before it was reformulated to "intense" and came with an applicator that looks like a weird metal microphone. I didn't like it at all. It felt heavy, it irritated my eyes and I found no difference in fine lines, puffiness or dark circles. After that I swore I would never get another La Mer eye cream because I felt it wasn't worth the price. While this hasn't totally changed my view on their eye creams, I am not hating them as much as I did before I tried this eye gel.
Sunday Riley Good Genes
***Off on a tangent***There's a lot of hype around this product. While I am kind of a fan of Sunday Riley products, I do admit I have been weary in trying their skincare. Past gift bags almost always included a tiny dropper bottle of Artemis Oil. I did not like that oil at all. Not only did it smell off to me, but I found that it wasn't very shelf stable. In fact the sample that was in last Fall's bag had already turned into something that looked very much like crystallized honey and I had never even opened it.
Many years ago I got a sample of their Juno Body Oil and I loved it despite it's tiny sample size and savory smell that always got me hungry. At the time I couldn't fathom buying a body oil for that price but as time goes on, I find myself buying things now that I would never had considered in my youth. I also find that what I spent my money on when I was young, I would not consider worth it now.***Back on track***
So you're given a good amount of Good Genes at 10ml per tube. This tube is basically a third of a full sized bottle and in all honestly should last you two weeks to a month depending on how often you use it. The scent is of lemongrass and is very refreshing. The texture is very light and kind of reminds me of something between a soft meringue and partially whipped cream. It contains lactic acid so it might irritate sensitive skin. I surprisingly found no irritation when using this. It absorbed well into my skin and left it feeling soft and supple. I only used it for a week so I didn't notice any difference in lines or dark spots, but my skin texture did feel smoother. A plus is that this product also didn't make me breakout. Overall I'm initially very impressed and just might have to add this to my list next time.
Sisley Ecological Compound
This sample came in a 4ml tube. A good size to try out on your face and neck, but considering that the full sized product is 4.2 oz (125ml) it makes me wonder exactly how much you're suppose to use.
It's said to revitalize and hydrate skin while protecting it from pollutants and also helping your treatments work better. I suppose this is similar to One Essential from Dior. While it has an impressive list of ingredient, my initial reaction was to the smell. It is heavily fragranced and smells herbal, kind of like a men's cologne. The consistency was that of a light lotion and it absorbed into the skin well leaving no residue. As far as benefits? Again I didn't use it long enough to see any long term benefits. It did not cause any breakouts or irritation on my skin and did make my skin feel softer after application. If you can get past the smell this could be a very promising (albeit expensive) addition to your skincare line. As for me, I think I'll stick with Dior's One Essential.
That's it for me. I'm testing out other products this week as well and will give you my initial thoughts on them very soon. Hope this was helpful and if you have any questions please feel free to ask in the comments below.
Live Happy!
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