I admit to being what Jenna Marbles calls a 'goo hoarder'. In an attempt to empty out my basket (yes, an entire basket) of samples of all sorts along with the multiples of products that all do the same thing, I am going to be starting a new project of using things up before I allow myself to buy anymore.
I started this attempt in about January and will be continuing until I get down to my ideal number of each. Anyway, let's jump right in!
This Bioderma gentle shower gel for dry and sensitive skin doesn't smell like anything great, doesn't look like any thing great, but hell does it make a difference. You never realize how much scented and harsh shower gels are really bad for your body, but once I started using this I instantly knew that I needed more. It did run out fast, but I probably just use too much of it. This is a definite repurchase for me. As soon as I use up all the back up B&BW sweet pea soaps I have, this is coming back into my life.
The next few pictures are deluxe samples. The first is a Radical Hydrating Cleanser, which I did enjoy, but found it was too creamy to the point where it didn't lather. It really didn't do all that much for me, I wouldn't recommend it. The Clairins Gentle Foaming Cleanser was a huge hit, I am currently mid-way through my Philosophy Purity Cleanser, so don't have a need for a new one, but I will definitely be keeping this in mind when looking for a new cleanser.
Though you can't tell in this horrible picture, the next deluxe sample is the Radical Firming Neck and Decollate Gel which I didn't find a difference in whatsoever. Now, I am only 22 so its not like I need firming gels in my routine, so this could be a holy grail product to some, but at this stage in my life it didn't make too much of a difference. I have a lot of these in my sample stash, so am trying to use these up. Unless the opinion changes or I find a new use for it, I am going to just list them rather than go into detail. Lush - Turkish Delight is something I just didn't know how to use. It did leave my skin feeling more hydrated than if I didn't use it in the shower, but I still did need to moisturize afterwards. Again, this could be something I used incorrectly, but I had two of the regular Lush-sized samples and just couldn't figure it out.
In this next image there is another Lush - Turkish Delight, a Maybeline Age Rewind Concealer in Brightening, fresh Sugar Rosé Lip Treatment with SPF 15, Dollywink Liquid Eyeliner Pen, Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum, and a Maybeline Define-a-Line Eyeliner in Blackest Black. Firstly, the concealer - this is something that everyone in the beauty community raves about and I just didn't get. The colour and the consistency were both beautiful, but I found that the formula clung to my dry patches and made it look un-natural. I wouldn't repurchase this, but I recommend anyone to try it at least once. It has such a low price point that it's hard to turn down. Next, the lip balm - it smells great, feels great, tastes great. The only thing I didn't like is that this isn't the full size, so the thinness of the actual product felt like it was weak and could break at any moment. Of course, this did end up happening so I tried refrigerating it to put it back together. It kind of worked, but it was just a hassle. I am sure the full-sized product would be better, though.
The twist-up pencil liner from Maybeline is a great liner, not revolutionary, but I would definitely repurchase it. I found it didn't smudge (especially compared to the one I am using now that will hopefully be in my next 'used up' blog post) and it was a good shade of black, plus it's cheap! It lasted and I loved the built in sharpener, which I don't really use to be honest because I only ever use this to tight line. On to the two liquid liner pens. The Physicians Formula liner is my all time, holy grail, will never purchase another liner again type of liner. The only fault I can give it is that, towards the end of its life, the black starts to look faded and it isn't waterproof so if you're a winged liner kinda person like I am, you will have to touch up on windy days. I heard from Hollyannaeree (YouTube her now if you don't know who this goddess is) that this was even better than the Physicians Formula one. I have to admit that it was a really close dupe, but it is a) harder to find and b) a bit shiny, as opposed to the matte look that the Physicians Formula gives. I would definitely repurchase this, but I find that it is a completely different makeup product to the PF one. It is like comparing a frost lipstick finish to a retro matte, it's just not comparable.
To the left you can see the NYX - The Curve Liner - this was a big huge flop for me. I knew it was a gimmicky product to begin with, so didn't have huge expectations, but as a loyal liquid liner fan, I always want to test things out. It was actually an easy to use product, though I am not sure the shape had anything to do with that. The felt tip was a bit stiff for my liking, making it tug on my eyelid a bit, but I find this is the same with all felt tip liners (hence my LOVE for the brush tip liner of the Physicians Formula one). Anyway, the packaging broke (you can see the chip in the lid if you look closely enough), the product ran out in literally 2 - 3 weeks, and when the packaging broke completely open after doing nothing but sit on my vanity for a while, i noticed that the actual product is actually a tiny little bottle inside that huge, bulky packaging. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone looking for a good liner, but if you like experimenting with new products like I do, I would just try it once to get it out of your system. The next product is the Maybeline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer in Buff - this is another holy grail item. I've tried other products with similar intentions and other shades of this same concealer and nothing compares (bar my MAC Mineralize concealer in NW20). It is cheap, great quality and a perfect match. Right down to the packaging, I love everything about it! I will say I find that it runs out quicker than other concealers, but I won't fault the product, but rather myself for perhaps overusing it.
This Av end Extremely Gentle Cleanser (no rinse formula) is something that I tried to love, but it didn't work as well as other cleansing balms I've tried, to the point where by the end I used it to shave my legs with. I wouldn't recommend this, as I have tried other products by this brand and have liked them a lot. The Rodial GLAMTOX Cleansing Balm is another that I was disappointed in. It did the job amazingly, but it burned my eyes so bad that I couldn't use it on my eyes. This is another I ended up using to shave with just because of the eye burning!
Next, two sets of face wipes, the one that's front and centre is a cheap local brand I got from Carrefour, the packaging refused to close after a while, so the wipes dried out, ruling it off of my 'repurchase' list. The live clean Refreshing Facial Wipes however, are something that I loved! The consistency of the cloth had the perfect texture to really get your make-up off. The brand is all vegan and uses ingredients that are great for the skin. These are definitely going to be repurchased when I go back to Canada in the summer. I am really sad that they don't sell this brand here in Dubai!
The SACHAJUAN Normal Hair Shampoo is a product I was shocked to love. The smell was amazing, it lathered up beautifully, leaving my hair feeling so clean. Even the packaging of the sample was amazing. I have never really seen anything like it, but it was the first sample package that actually let me use everything in it. I got this sample courtesy of the lovely BasharaCare and will definitely be logging on and purchasing this when I need a new shampoo. Onto the next SACHAJUAN product, the body lotion. It smelled amazing and really did feel great on the skin. I have a million lotions (samples and full size) to use up, but this will be on my list of products to remember when I need a new one. For those of you who don't know what BasharaCare is, it is just the most amazing site that allows you access to products that aren't always sold in store here in the Middle East. To all my Dubai friends, definitely go browse through it, there is so much amazing stuff to offer! The Philip B. Shampoo, Body Wash and Conditioner are more deluxe samples from BasharaCare and are more products that pleasantly surprised me. They really did clean my hair and moisturize my dry ends, but I just couldn't stand the honey, all-natural smell that they had. This is just a personal preference, though, so definitely try them out if you had a chance. 
The Number 7 Lift & Luminate Day and Night Serums and the Radical Peptide Infused Anti-Oxidant Serum were great products, but I have yet to find a serum that really makes a difference in my skincare routine.
If anyone has any serum recommendations for someone with dry skin, let me know!
The Clarins HydraQuench Cream for normal to dry skin is an amazing daytime moisturizer and I recommend it to everyone! If you don't have dry skin, try out the version made for you, as they have different grades of moisturizing and different formulas for other skin types. The Clarins HydraQuench Cream Mask specially designed for dehydrated skin is another hit that I will be repurchasing when I use up some of my face mask collection. The Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Usage Dry Oil is a great product, but I just can't use oils, I find them messy and I just don't enjoy them too much. I have a lot of samples of this, though, so I am going to continue using these and try to find a way that works for me. If anyone has used this product and has any suggestions let me know! The Cholley face lotion (apologies for not knowing which one this is) was actually given to me when I was having skin problems with severe dryness. It smelled horrible and it didn't change my life or anything, so not sure if I really have any feelings towards this. On to the three Bioderma products - the moisturizer is great, I have more samples and a full-size bottle, so will do a larger review on this afterwards. The Sebium H20 Micelle Solution was an amazing toner and I would repurchase it if I wasn't loving my current Vichy one that I am using now. The Bioderma Sebium Purifying and Foaming Cleansing Gel is a great product but the smell made me sick to the point where I almost couldn't use it. My sister loves it, though, and her acne prone skin adores it, so it is worth considering if you have a similar skin type.
On to some make-up products, lets take the Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Show Off Mascara was something I hated at first, but as I used it I realized that it lengthens my lashes like no other mascara out there! Volume isn't it's strength, but when combined with other mascaras, this is a killer! Definitely will repurchase this one. The Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume is just as amazing as other people lead on. It gives your lashes amazing volume! I used up my EOS Mint Lip Balm, which is my favourite flavour that they offer alongside Honeysuckle. I have almost every flavour in the book, and have so far used up my Honeysuckle, Mint and Orange flavours, so once I use these up I will only repurchase Mint and Honeysuckle. They are good lip balms, but those are the only two flavours that I really enjoy using. The L'Oréal Colour Riche Lip Balm in Caring Coral was one of those products that I thought I would love, bought 4 different colours, and ended up not really wanting. I've used up This one so far and am hoping to have the other three finished up very soon. The Revlon PhotoReady Concealer was a bit thick for my liking, but I just prefer liquid concealers. It did offer great coverage but I will stick to liquid in the future. I have one more cream concealer to use up and then after that I don't think I will be buying anymore. Lastly, the Revlon Lip Butter in a colour that I forget. I do love the Lip Butters, but bought too many at first and now have about 4 colours that I want to use up just so I don't waste them.
Anyway, at the rate I'm going, I think I will have another one of these posts up soon, but for now I will leave it at that. Let me know if you love or hate any of these products, and definitely share some suggestions with me on how to better use them!
<3 B
