Repurchased: Benefit Dandelion

Benefit Dandelion

I first tried Benefit Dandelion when I received it as a deluxe sample along with Benefit Watt's Up. After using it for the first time, I immediately loved it. It's described as a "pressed highlighting powder in ballerina-pink." Basically, it's a light pink blush. The deluxe sample that I tried and loved was actually lighter than the full sized product when applied on the face. Sometimes the color is too strong on my cheeks so I like to blot to create a more natural looking flush.

Another downside is that Dandelion was pretty expensive, at $28.00. I felt that the brush was unnecessary as most of us have extra brushes lying around that we could have used. Personally, I would have rather paid less and not have gotten the brush. Overall, I loved the sample enough to purchase a full sized version but after this blush I think I'm going to try either one by Tarte or Nars.

Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask

Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask

I impulse bought this a month or two ago because I needed something under $10 to push the total in my shopping cart to $50 to quality for free shipping. The packaging was a lot cuter than I expected. I love how Clinique has the silver caps on all of its packaging.

I don't use the moisture surge overnight mask often. I usually only apply it after I use an exfoliator at night like any GlamGlow products. I've said this before but I still don't understand the difference between an overnight mask and a heavy night cream. To be honest, this seems to be more of a night cream than a mask to me. Regardless, it is a great travel size and good addition to my beauty shelf.

Beauty Empties: Tube Edition

1. Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream
Already on my second full sized tube on this cream! It's a miracle worker on eczema. Full review here.

2. Bliss Blood Orange and White Pepper Hand Cream
Received this deluxe sample as a present while waiting in line for a Mindy Kaling meet and greet at the Bliss Spa in New York.

3. Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer
This tube has lasted me FOREVER. A little really goes a long way. Even though its title says creaseless, it actually creases a lot for me. I mainly only use this to cover the bags under my eyes and some acne scars.

4. Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions
I've gone through I think around three tubes of this! Full post here.

5. L'occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
So glad to be finished with this hand cream, to be honest. I hated the smell. So happy I discovered the rose heart and vanilla bouquet scents which have the same texture and consistency but better scent.

6. bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer
This was the first primer I've ever tried. It gives my face a super smooth base for the rest of my makeup. The only downside is that it's a little greasy and I have oily skin. Overall, it's still one of my favorite primers that I've used so far.

Repurchased: Dr. Jart+ Premium BB Cream

Dr. Jart+ Premium BB Cream

When I saw that Sephora was offering this as a deluxe sample, I placed an order ASAP. I loved this BB cream after using the sample in this post here.

BB creams are one of my favorite beauty products. I previously wrote about the Tarte BB Cream. While I love both, I feel like the Tarte one is better for winter because it has a weaker SPF of 30 and is slightly lighter than the Dr. Jart one, which has a SFP of 45 and is more of my natural skin color.

I have seen the full sized product in person and I'm not a huge fan of the packaging. It's pretty heavy so it's not travel friendly and also hard to see how much of the product you have left. I like this tube version better so I will probably purchase the Dr. Jart+ Dynamic Duo in the future, which has a 0.5 oz Premium BB and 1.7 oz Dermaclear Micro Water.

Fresh Blue Box Adventures

Last month, my friend Arlina and I went to the Fresh Blue Box event in Flatiron. It was so much fun! We got to sample some sugar lip treatments and take silly pictures in the photo booth. When we left the event, we received a deluxe sample of their best selling soy face cleanser, which I've done a post on in the past. We also received a card that we could exchange for a special gift in the store.

This led us on our beauty store adventure. We first stopped by an Origins because it was on our way to the Fresh store. I received two cute sample containers of the Night-a-Mins renewal cream and the Plantscription serum. Then, we quickly visited the L'occitane that was next door and got a range of samples from their various lines. Then, we went to the Sephora where I picked up a Glam Glow YouthMud sample and Jurlique skin balancing face oil. Finally, we went to the Fresh store near Union Square to pick up our gift. We got to choose from a variety of deluxe samples and I chose the sugar lip treatment as a back-up for when I run out of the one I use now. We also got a sample for their new rose mask. All in all, super successful day. Beauty samples are my favorite things ever!