Sample Sunday - Dr Brandt - Pores No More Pore Refiner

Another product I have had hanging around waiting for me to review. 

This is for oily/combination skin and can be used under or over makeup. This is very similar to Benefit Porefessional Primer with a silicone feel. I mainly concentrated on the areas of my face where I suffer larger pores and oiliness so my forehead, nose and cheeks. 

I don't feel that this made much difference to the appearance of my pores or controlled how oily my t-zone was, but it did make my makeup sit better on my skin and last longer.

I didn't try over makeup as not convinced this would sit nicely on top, if you have tried this please let me know how you got on.

Silicone primers are not my favourite to be honest, I don't get all the hype. I know they are popular but I don't really like the feel on my skin and they don't seem to do much for my pores.

Considering how similar this is to the Benefit one I can't get over the fact that this is nearly £15 more expensive - if you like the Benefit one stick with that and save yourself the £14.50. If you don't like silicone primers skip this one completely.

If any of you have any primer recommendations let me know I am especially interested in trying some drugstore ones.

The full size of this is available from birchbox.co.uk for £39.

**This was a sample received in a Birchbox which was fully paid for as a gift from a family member**

Sample Sunday - Dior Miss Dior

I decided that instead of lugging a large bottle of fragrance with me on holiday I would take a sample. I opted for Miss Dior. I assumed it would be the Dior version of Coco Mademoiselle, which I will write a full ode to one day.

This apparently has been 'created for an elegant and spirited young woman in love' however I personally think it has quite a sophisticated and mature scent as its quite musky. Maybe I am not 'elegant and spirited' but I wouldn't describe this as a young scent.

It has notes of Italian Mandarin, Jasmine and Patchouli, and this definitely has staying power. Unlike my beloved Coco Mademoiselle I can smell this for hours.

I don't think that this is a very me scent and although my boyfriend said he liked it, he does prefer my trusty Chanel. That said as soon as I smell this I think of my holiday so quite tempted to get it. If I did repurchase I think I would save for nights out as I think it might be a bit much for everyday.

One last thing is that I did notice that when I wore this I got bitten by god knows what regardless of whether I had any anti mosquito stuff on, so be warned.

This is available from feelunique.com for £47 for 30ml

Sample Sunday - Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream

I got this with the August 2012 (yes 2012) Glamour magazine and only just got round to trying it out. I am not sure why I took so long to try this as heard so many great things about it. I was even more interested in trying this out after using Benefit's B.Right It's Potent Eye Cream which I reviewed here.

First up I hate the packaging. I know some people love these tubes but they drive me insane. You can't see how much of the product you have left and you can't get every last drop out. This is only a sample however, and it seems that the full size product is packaged differently, so I guess this point is moot. 

Now onto the product, this is fragranced.  It's kind of a floral potpourri smell which I am not that keen on. Unless you apply loads, which you don't need to, its ok though.  It's a light cream which absorbs quickly and feels very hydrating.

I must be honest I didn't notice the same results as I did with the Benefit. That said I don't think my circles have got worse, so maybe my eye area is as bright as it's ever going to get.

Would I purchase this - I don't know to be honest. I am definitely going to be buying the Benefit eye cream ,as I was blown away with the results. To me this just didn't compare, that said this is a nice product.

This is available from lookfantastic.com for £20 for 15ml

Sample Sunday - Clinique Repairwear Lift SPF 15

I don't remember when I got this but thought I would try this out as it is claims to help 'block and mend' the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. As I'm not getting any younger I wanted to see if this helped. I am really starting to notice my eleven lines between my brows so hoped that this might help.

This is for dry/combination skin and is quite a but thicker then creams I am used to. It also has a very interesting aroma, by interesting I mean kind of funky, almost a damp smell. It is safe to say the smell really put me off.

Due to the texture I did find that I didn't need to use a lot of this as it is so thick. I do prefer lighter formula's, I do think that this just sits on the skin instead of sinking in.

I didn't notice any difference in my fine lines perhaps because I don't think that this actually went into my skin. I am not sure whether this is targeted at older skin but it definitely didn't work on my skin.

I can't find this in stock anywhere online so thinking it may have been reformulated and repackaged, or maybe just discontinued. If it had been available I wouldn't have repurchased as it just did nothing for my skin.

Sample Sunday - Percy & Reed Smooth, Sealed & Sensational Volumising No Oil Oil for Fine Hair

I got this free with Glamour magazine earlier in the year, and was looking forward to trying this out. I have very fine hair and never found anything that I am truly happy with that gives it any lasting volume.

I had seen demonstrations of this on QVC and obviously the model ending up with lovely thick gorgeous hair. The first time I used this, I had just used Philip Kingsleys Elasticizer for the first time, and absolutely loved the results. My hair felt amazing not only soft but thicker too. I really felt that I had finally found my holy grail volumising product.

Unfortunately my love affair with this did not last. I think my hair looking thicker was more down to the Elasticizer then this. The more I have used this no oil oil, the more I dislike it, it seems my hair has got used to it and now really doesn't do anything. 

My other gripe with this product is that although it says no oil oil, I still have to be careful how much I use or my roots start looking greasy.

To be fair to this product my hair is driving me insane at the moment. My ends are mega dry and splitting all the time, my roots are lank and lifeless and some days I feel like I would be best just to shave it off and buy some wigs.

Is anyone else at their wits end with their hair. I have always had a problematic scalp and fine hair but right now it just seems whatever I do with my hair it looks the same - awful. I thought my Elasticizer would help but my hair just doesn't seem to respond to anything at the moment. If anyone has any suggestions on any products or blog posts that you feel might help, please let me know.

I wouldn't say this is a terrible product it just really didn't work for me. I think if my hair was more manageable then this would work a lot better. This is available from beautybay.com 

Sample Sunday - Benefit b.right It's Potent Eye Cream

I got this sample when I had my makeup done at a local Benefit counter months ago. After using up my No7 eye cream I decided to give this a go. It claims to 'fade dark circles & help smooth fine lines'. I wasn't expecting much as I have always suffered with dark circles. 

This is a light cream which I found was quickly absorbed. It wasn't refreshing or awakening, so can be used both day and night. When I did use twice a day I did really notice a difference.

As I said I have always suffered dark circles and I am pretty sure I will never get rid of them fully, regardless of how much I spend on an eye cream or how much sleep I get. Due to the stress of my exam I had not been sleeping well. I took herbal sleeping pills as a last ditch attempt to get a good nights sleep, but nothing really worked. I was having dreams about not getting my statement of financial position to balance and where to put a gain on a disposal.

Even with such broken sleep I noticed that my dark circles were looking better, I was putting on less concealer and my eye area looked brighter, and just generally better.

I was really impressed with this. I have never noticed such a difference in my eye area. I did really want to try the Clinique Dark Circle Corrector but I don't think I will now. I have got a couple of other samples to use up. One of which I am really interested to see how it compares  to this as have heard that it is amazing.

This is available from feelunique.com for £24.50 with free p+p for 14.2g

Sample Sunday - Avon Ideal Flawless Skin Loving Beauty Balm

I got a sample of Avon's Ideal Flawless BB cream with this months (June 13) Marie Claire and was interested to see how it compared to my Dr Jart+ BB cream which I reviewed here and have since bought and wear daily.

Unlike the Dr Jart there are six different shades available luckily I got Ivory and I was very impressed with the colour match. The second big difference I found was the texture, this is a lot thinner much more like a traditional foundation/tinted moisturiser.

In the interest of fairness I applied exactly the same as I do the Dr Jart. I used a primer first as I find that products sit better on my skin and applied with my fingers. I wasn't expecting much coverage wise but was really surprised at how this evened out my skin tone. I thought because the Dr Jart is so much thicker it wouldn't cover as well. In actual fact I think that this might be better as it is lighter in formulation, so is easier to build up without going cakey. I still needed concealer as I am suffering a couple of break outs on my chin and have circles under my eyes, but if my skin was in better nick would have happily skipped the concealer.

I have read some reviews that said that this had some sparkle to it but to be honest I didn't see any then again it was raining heavily all day so not sure I actually saw my face in direct sun light so can't really comment.

Unlike the Rimmel BB cream which is the only other one I have tried, which you can read a full post here, I liked the way this looked on my skin. It was very natural not cakey and didn't just sit on my skin. I also found the longevity impressive although this might be due to the primer but either way could definitely wear to work, it would need touching up if I was to go somewhere after but 8-9 hours is pretty damn good in my book. It also didn't wear patchy so if you couldn't touch up would not be the end of the world.

Wish I had a bigger sample of this to try but atlas I don't. Overall I was impressed with the product, and it is nearly half the price of the Dr Jart so think I might buy this instead of replacing my Dr Jart when the time comes.

You can buy this directly from avonshop.co.uk for £12 or through an your Avon Representative. If you don't know yours can search for one here

Sample Sunday - Rimmel BB Cream

After loving the Dr Jart+ BB Cream I decided to use the other BB sample I had before heading off to the shops.  I got a sample of the Rimmel BB Cream in a magazine a few months ago.

The first thing I noticed with this is that it had seemed to have separated,  I am not sure whether this is meant to be like this or I got a dodgy one or I had stashed away too long but it didn't fill me with confidence. The texture wasn't as thick as the Dr Jart and I did try and mix before slapping on my face.

There seems to only be two shades light and medium and I had light and this was way too orange for me, I do have fair skin but this was seriously orange no amount of blending was going to make it look ok.  I also know that I am no way near the palest of the pale so pale skin ladies beware.

Anyway colour aside I wanted to see how it lived up to its claims and whether cheaper BB creams could be as good as Dr Jart.  It says its primes, moisturises, minimisers pores, conceals, covers, smoothes, mattifies, brightens and helps protect.  First niggle about that claim aren't conceals and covers the same?

As with the Dr Jart I moisturised but did not prime just to make it fair.  This is not as easy to blend and you feel like you are using a lot of product as a result.  As for minimising pores this seemed to highlight every pore in my face and I am now paranoid about my pores on my cheeks.  I also didn't like the way this seemed to sit on my skin especially around my nose it just went a bit heavy and cakey. I still needed a concealer to cover some blemishes and the darkness around my eyes but did have more coverage then I was expecting.

This did have good staying power I wore for around 7-8 hours and it didn't go patchy or shiny but didn't really notice my skin looking brighter (apart from the orange)

Using this has made me even more desperate to buy the Dr Jart+ however I am trying to use up  my Benefit tinted moisturiser first as trying to stick to my New Years Resolutions

You can pick this up at boots.com for £4.99 at the moment usually £6.99

Sample Sunday - Dr. Jart+ Regenerating Beauty Balm

I requested a sample of the Dr. Jart+ Beauty Balm from their facebook page, unfortunately they no longer have any samples available.  I have never tried any BB creams before as to be honest didn't really see the point. I am not a massive fan of tinted moisturiser and thought they were just a hyped up tinted moisturisers.  I had read quite a few blog posts on the Dr. Jart+ versions and then heard that they were giving away samples so thought why not request one and give it ago. I was sent three of the Regenerating samples.

I was surprised at how thick the product was and thought that it would feel heavy on my skin.  Although the product says its moisturises  primes and conceals I did put on some moisturiser first as my skin has been very dry this winter.  I was really impressed with the coverage as I have a lot of redness which was pretty much gone with one application.  I still required concealer on my chin which has had a few breakouts recently and around my eyes but I was very impressed.  If I use tinted moisturiser I usually have to use so much concealer to achieve what this did in one layer.

I was dubious about the claim that it self-adjusts for a flawless coverage however with a bit of buffing it really did match my skin tone. The staying power of this is also very impressive even with a cold I went 8-9 hours without needing a touch up, and on my forehead which I usually need to use a primer on, as it is my problem error, looked better then it has for ages, smooth with no dry skin.

Overall I am very impressed with this product and am debating buying, I also have a sample of the Rimmel BB Cream which I want to try before heading to the shops.

You can pick this up at  boots.com for £21 for 50ml

Sample Sunday - Nivea Soft

I got these samples with my recent asos.com purchases and after loving Nivea Hand Duo I couldn't wait to give it a go.

As soon as I opened the cute little pot the first thing I noticed was the smell. It smells a lot like sunscreen which doesn't bother me at all, as makes me think of holiday's in the sun.

The cream itself is quite thick but sinks in very quickly and can be used on your hands, face and body.  I am not sure whether I would use on my face regularly as I think it might be a bit too rich, but for hands and body it is great especially as I do have dry skin.

It comes in three different sizes a 75ml tube and 200ml or 300ml pots. I will definitely pick up a 75ml tube for my handbag as always handy to have some moisturiser on you.


Also appears that all three sizes are half price at Sainsbury's at the moment.

Sample Sunday - The Body Shop Vitamin C Moisturiser SPF 30

I picked this sample up when I went into Norwich on my last pay day shopping trip. I was looking for a SPF for my face but didn't want another moisturiser. The Body Shop didn't have one but the lovely saleswoman gave me a couple of samples of moisturisers which have a SPF.

I wasn't given a massive sample but still can use for a good few days.

There is a citrus scent to the moisturiser which reminded me of sun screen. It is quite a bit thicker then what I would normally use.  I have combination skin, my forehead is very problematic and is currently quite oily whilst the rest of the face is dry.  I was concerned about putting this on my forehead as it is thick.

I was expecting this to turn my face white and take an age to sink in but it disappeared and absorbed quickly.   My cheeks were left soft and hydrated but I wasn't so keen on this on my forehead as my skin did start to get very greasy. If you have oily skin I wouldn't recommend this but if you have dry skin and looking for a high SPF I would definitely give this a go.

Would I purchase this - no but if I had dry skin all over I would.

You can buy this from thebodyshop.co.uk for £11.00 for 50ml

Sample Sunday - Avon Viva by Fergie Eau de Parfum

I was given a sample of Fergie's new perfume by my lovely Avon representative a couple of weeks ago so thought why not review on my blog.

 The first thing I must say is that I think that the size of the sample is quite generous and secure so you can really try it out before you decide to buy.

The fragrance is a blend of herbs, lavender and vetiver.  The scent is heavier than what I would usually wear and I am really not keen on lavender in general, however its not too strongly scented of lavender that would stop me wearing it.

Would I purchase this - probably not to be perfectly honest not because I don't like the scent, but mainly because I do have a lot of perfumes, and I am not sure I would wear this on a daily basis.  I will wear the sample again though probably on a night out.


You can buy direct from the website or through an Avon Representative for £15.00 for 50ml.

Sample Sunday - Rituals Face No 1 Cleanser

This was another sample I received in York along with Face Exfoliator Facial Scrub

The first thing I want to say is that when I was in the shop I said I had heard lots of great things about the brand but never tried any of it, so the lady gave me loads of samples when I bought some bath and body bits.  I decided today to try out the Face No. 1 Facial Cleanser and it wasn't until after I had used it, and looked for the link on their website, that I saw it was for men!!!  I did debate whether to write a post or not as I do feel like a right prat!

When I opened this I did think oh this smells quite unisex and a bit foodie with the ginger in it. The texture is quite thick but does lather up nicely.  I don't think my skin felt as clean or as soft as it does after I use my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish my skin also felt a little tight afterwards.


You can purchase this at johnlewis.com for £9.90 I did get two samples of this so have asked my boyfriend to use, I will let you know what he says.

Sample Sunday - Chanel Intense Radiance Lipgloss

I got given this sample when I was in York and purchased my beloved Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua.

I am quickly becoming a big Chanel fan so was excited to try this out.  I love the packaging and size of the sample, means you can really try this out before shelling out £21 for the full size.

The shade is 166 Amour which is a beautiful coral pink with gold shimmer.  On the swatch it is quite sheer but on the lips it really brightens my natural lip pigmentation and adds a lovely shimmer.  I love the shimmer as it really lasts on the lips and looks fabulous.

I think that this could be worn in the daytime but would also look great on a night out.  The consistency is also gorgeous not runny and not too sticky, there is no scent either.


Would I purchase this - I would love this but at £21 from boots.com its not cheap.  I think will keep using the generous sample and purchase if I decide I can't live without or put it on my Christmas list (only just over 6 months to go)  

Sample Sunday - Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup

I got a sample of Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup in a magazine and thought I would give it a go.  It has been compared to Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in many blogs and I have fallen in love with that so had high expectations.

The first thing I must say was that the shade I had a sample of was 2NW1 which is a tad too orange for my skin tone but not an awful match.  There are 16 shades available in total so might be something slightly less orange.

The texture is quite runny and a little goes a long way.  The coverage is quite sheer but can be easily built up on areas that require it, without looking like you are caking it on.  You also don't feel like you are wearing foundation your skin just looks better.


There are many similarities to Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, they both require shaking in the bottle have incredible similar textures and coverage. I would say that I do prefer my Chanel but I think that this may because the shade I have is a perfect match.  


Would I purchase this?  This is a hard question to answer in theory yes if one of the other shades suited me better but in all honestly probably not as this is so similar to the Chanel I wouldn't really see why I would need both.


Would I recommend this product? Yes I think that this a great foundation it is slightly cheaper then Chanel which is £32 at Boots whilst the Estee Lauder is £27 from Boots also. I would recommend that you try both and see which one has the best shade for you as I don't think you would be disappointed in either.

Sample Sunday - Rituals Awareness Face Exfoliator Facial Scrub

When I was in York the lovely saleswoman at Rituals gave me a few samples so I thought I would try out the Awareness Face Exfoliator Face Scrub as I do love exfoliating.

On the back of the sample it says 'Wet the face.  Exfoliate with fingertips until grains are dissolved.  Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.'  so this is how I used however their website it says it can be used on dry skin also.


The grains are small but still reassuringly exfoliating as they are natural and dissolve.  If you prefer products which have even spherical grains I would not recommend but I personally love the feeling of giving your skin a scrub.

The smell of this product is really nice and floral but not overpowering.


Although the product says it is a brightening face exfoliator I can't say that I noticed my skin looked any brighter but did feel very smooth and soft especially my forehead which has been a problem area of late.


There were two things I really liked about this product.  One was that it could be used in two ways depending on your skin type, dry if oily or combination and wet for dry and sensitive skin.  I think this will be great if like me your skin is drier in the winter and oilier in the summer.


I also really liked that when the grains start to dissolve you know to stop as I have been known to over do it with facial scrubs.  


I really liked this product and will definitely put this on my wish list it can be purchased in store or from houseoffraser.co.uk or johnlewis.com for £9.90 for 75ml 

Sample Sunday - Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint

I have collected quite a few samples since I started blogging so thought I would try and review one every Sunday.  I decided to start with Liz Earle Sheer Tint  as I was really excited to try this as I have fell in love with Cleanse and Polish.  

I was given the samples when I repurchased Cleanse and Polish and was given three of the four colours

01 Bare Fair Skin Tones

02 Beige Medium Skin Tones

03 Beach Medium to Dark Skin Tones

I was quite surprised by the texture as it was a lot thicker then I expected.  I did find the formula very heavy and left my skin which is normal/combination sticky.  I would have preferred the product if it had been lighter in formula as I found it quite heavy and sticky on my skin.  

I haven't seen a sample of the darkest shade but don't think the range of colours is very impressive.  The coverage is in between a tinted moisturiser and a foundation so not sure how easy it would be to find an exact colour match with such a limited colour range.

I used 01 Bare and did find that it evened out my skin tone but wasn't amazed by the finish.

Would I purchase this product no but I did like that it had an SPF as their Skin Repair Moisturiser does not.