Beauty Samples Review Round-Up

Today I’m sharing my reviews on beauty and skin care product samples I’ve tried over the past two weeks. I didn’t care for a few of the samples I tried, but there were a few winners in the bunch!

I’ve listed my reviews below in order of my favorite to my least favorite.

1. Laneige Water Bank Serum 5/5

Deluxe sample from Target beauty box

This was a great product to be sampled. It has no scent and has a soft gel-like serum consistency which left my skin feeling soft and wonderful.

2. Algenist Sublime Defense – anti-aging blurring moisturizer SPF 30 4/5

Deluxe sample from the Sephora Favorites Sun Safety Kit

I liked this product. It has a fun whipped consistency that went on soft and smooth. I mainly used it on my neck, and it felt good but I don’t know if it really had anti-aging effect for me. I liked that it had no scent though, and overall I liked this product.

3. Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser with orange extract; 4/5

Deluxe sample from Ulta online gift with purchase

This product had a good consistency & results for an exfoliator. It left my skin feeling clean. It didn’t foam well though, and I didn’t love the orange scent. Not something I would buy, but if you like orange, you might love this one.

4. Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel 4/5

Single use sample from Sephora

I liked this sample. It had a gentle scent, a decent lather, and left my skin feeling soft and clean. Is there anything else that you need from a cleanser? Great everyday option.

5. Living Proof ~~Frizz~~ Shampoo & Conditioner 3/5

Single use samples from recent Birchbox

This was a bit of a disappointment for me because I’ve heard so many good things about this brand. I didn’t particularly care for this product at all. The shampoo lathered well and I liked the scent and it didn’t leave that bad rubbery clean feeling but it also didn’t leave it fully fresh and clean either. The conditioner smelled good but didn’t work well on detangling my hair. I suppose you could say I’m indifferent on this set; I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it. I don’t think it did much for giving my hair a smooth anti-frizz look though, so I’d have to say the results were just fair.

6. Caudalie – Premier Cru- La Creme 3/5

Deluxe sample from Sephora VIB Rouge gift with purchase

The first thing I noticed about this product was that I didn’t like the scent. It smells like something an older woman might wear, classy, but similar to a French perfume, which I don’t care for. I liked the consistency and feel of the product, but the scent made me ditch this one. I put it aside to give my mom because she doesn’t mind various scents the way I do. She also didn’t love the scent, but she did like the consistency of the product.

7. Mario Badescu skincare – enzyme cleansing gel; 2/5

Deluxe sample from Ulta online gift with purchase

Not a fan of this product and since it’s the first product that I’ve tried from this brand, I can’t tell you if all their products are just okay, or if it was just this one in particular. It didn’t leave my skin feeling very clean. It had no scent, so that was good. Unless it’s supposed to be a soap-free cleanser, I don’t like when facial cleansers don’t lather well.

8. Fresh – soy face cleanser; 2/5

Single use sample from Sephora

Not a fan of this one. I didn’t like the scent, it didn’t lather well and it didn’t leave my skin feeling clean. Although I wouldn’t recommend this particular product, I do tend to love most of the products by this brand. As you can see, the sample also came with a sample of the soy conditioning eye makeup remover. I also tried that sample but forgot to include it here, so you’ll see my review of that one in my next samples review round-up. (Hint, I liked that one)

9. The Estee Edit – Dissolve the Drama 3 in 1 Makeup Remover + Cleanser 2/5

Single use sample from Sephora

This product mostly got off my makeup but it was oily and super messy to use. I liked that it had no scent, so that was good, but overall I’m not a fan. Again, this one was a disappointment because I’ve heard such fantastic things about this line of skincare and beauty products. Right now on Sephora.com this item has 118 reviews averging 4/5 stars. Maybe it’s better when used from the regular size bottle than the small single-use packet? Perhaps it would’ve gotten a 4 from me if it wasn’t so messy to use.

10. Ouai hair care – wave spray 1/5

Deluxe sample in July Sephora Play!

I strongly disliked the scent, which for me is a huge determining factor when I use and purchase a product. If I love the scent of something, I often don’t care much if it works super well or not. If I don’t like the scent, it doesn’t matter how well it works. For me, this was a total loss because it smells like an old French perfume and it actually gave me bit of a headache.