Beauty Bar Sample Society Box September 2012

Hello Everyone,

It's time to show you my Beauty Bar Sample Society Box for September.  I've been a subscriber to this box for seven months now and I have really enjoyed every box.  If you are thinking about a monthly subscription to try, I suggest this one.  

So....on with the show.  Here are my products for September.  

Beauty Bar Sample Society Box - September 2012

Stila Cosmetics Smudge Crayon in Smoke– Full size, $22.00

A three-in-one gel-based eye primer, shadow, and liner that glides on with ease and stays in place until you say when.

Stila Cosmetics Smudge Crayon in Smoke

What it does:  This advanced, creamy, multi-pearl formula is infused with emollients for smooth, comfortable application. It provides rich, bold color and more than six hours of continuous wear that won't fade or crease over time.

I did a swatch of this on my arm.  It went only smoothly and has a very intense, rich color.  I’m looking forward to using it.  I haven't used it yet so I can't attest to the six hours of continuous wear.

Diptyque Eau de Toilette Fragrance – Full size, $120

Diptyque Eau de Toilette Fragrance

This is a spicy scent with notes of vanilla and cinnamon.  I read that this scent is good for both men and women.  I would say that’s true…when I first put it on, I thought it was a men’s cologne.  It softened on my skin after a few minutes and then completely disappeared after a few hours. 

Borghese B Gloss in Fiore – Full size $18.50

This gloss contains vitamins A and E with aloe vera and oils of avocado and jojoba to heal damage and protect lips for optimal lusciousness.  

Borghese B Gloss in Fiore

 It glides on smoothly and is a shimmering shade of purple-mauve.  Nice color for autumn.  It says it has all day staying power. I haven’t used it yet, so I can say if it does or not.  I just know that I’ve never found a gloss that lasts all day.

AHAVA Purifying Mud Mask – Full Size $30

AHAVA Purifying Mud Mask

I received a sample of this mask in a previous Birchbox, so this is my second sample. I've used is several times.  It’s a nice, deep cleanser that left my skin soft and smooth.  It has “soothing, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties with the benefits of Horsetail Extract”.  Yikes…what the heck is that???

Cellceuticals Extremely Gentle Skin Cleanser – Full size $35

This cleanser is a mild cleansing agent without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).  It has Wheat Amino Acids that provides skin moisture and soothing properties. 

Cellceuticals Extremely Gentle Skin Cleanser

This is, in fact, a gentle skin cleanser.  When I wash my face with my regular face wash, the water in my sink turns very cloudy from all the makeup.  When I washed my face with the Cellceuticals my water remained almost clear.  I didn’t think it took much of my makeup off at all but when I used my toner there was no makeup on the cotton pad.  So, it worked much better than I thought it did.  It didn’t remove the eye makeup as easily.  It did not irritate my skin and didn’t leave it feeling extremely dry.  The scent of it is horrible!  It smells too medicinal.  The consistency of it is clear and very runny so it’s easy for more product to come out then necessary.

Overall, I'm really happy with all the products I received.  Please let me know if you've tried any of these products and what you think about them.  

Hope you are having a fabulous day!

Take care,

Kat

Beauty Bar Sample Society August 2012

I'm so sorry that I am late in getting this post up.  I honestly do have a long list of reviews to put up on this site, but I just can't seem to find the time to do it. 

That being said, here is the August Beauty Bar Sample Society Box.

Phyto - Phytonectar Treatment Oil

Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer - Private Dancer

Jane Iredale - Longest Lash Mascara

Elemental Herbology Skin Care - Facial Glow Radiance Peel

Arcona - Cranberry Toner

Malin+Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturizer

The first thing that caught my eye was the Deborah Lippman Nail Lacquer.  Love the color!  It's a mirrored chrome purple color that is absolutely gorgeous.  I immediately put it on my nails.  It wore well, just starting to chip after seven days.  I was thrilled about that.  Plus, I got numerous comments on how pretty the color was.  This is my first Deborah Lippman Nail Lacquer.  As you know, I'm a loyal Zoya nail polish fan but I might have to splurge a bit and buy another polish by Deborah Lippman.  They are a bit expensive - $18.00 vs $8.00 with Zoya.  (Please excuse my dry hands and bad cuticles - I didn't have time to fix them before I painted my nails).

The second item I tried was the Elemental Herbology Skin Care Facial Glow Radiance Peel. This is a skin-correcting facial peel that protects, brightens, smooths and tones the skin.   I love face peels and masks so I was excited to try this.  This product has a fresh citrus scent and is smooth and creamy with a bit larger than usual granules in it.  I left the product on for four minutes as directed, and washed it off with a warm wet cloth.  It left my face incredibly soft, with a subtle glow.  I don't think I've used it enough to see a difference in my pores but I have my fingers crossed.  I really enjoyed this product and will be purchasing a full size.

I used the Phytonectar Treatment Oil yesterday when I washed my hair.  I was confused by the directions - it says 'apply before washing'.  I didn't know if I needed to applied it to wet hair or dry hair so I looked it up online.  You apply it to dry hair and leave on for 15 minutes.  Then wash and condition hair as usual.  The directions recommend using once a week.  I really like Phyto hair products and this treatment oil was nice.  I did notice a difference when combing out my wet hair.  I didn't have as many tangles and my hair is very soft and smooth.  I don't think it would purchase this product but I am enjoying the sample.

Next up is the Jane Iredale Longest Lash Mascara in Icy Black.  I have not used this yet but am looking forward to.  I'm always looking for a great mascara.  I'll let you know what I think.

Lastly, the Arcona Cranberry Toner.  I have never heard of this brand or toner before so I am excited to try it.  The description says "this three-in-one cranberry milk toner cleanses, tones and hydrates, infusing skin with protective antioxidants to leave it glowing and refreshed. Removes dirt, oil and makeup".  It's got five stars on www.skinstore.com so I'm looking forward to trying it. 

So that is it my friends.  That is my August Beauty Bar Sample Society box.  I hope you enjoyed reading about the products and if you have any questions about any of them, please ask. 

I hope you all are having a beautiful day!!

Take care,
Kat

Beauty Bar Sample Society July 2012

Hello Everyone,

I received my Beauty Bar Sample Society July 2012 box on Thursday.  I really enjoy getting the Sample Society box as I almost always enjoy the products they send.  I am just as happy with this month’s box.

Borghese Tono Body Cream - Borghese is an Italian brand and I’ve used other products of this brand.  The Tono Body Cream ingredients include:  Fennel, Witch Hazel, Matricaria, Horse Chestnut and Ivy Extracts and Rosemary and Lavender Extracts.  The description on the website says “treat the senses to aromatherapy”.  I think this body cream smells like plastic.  I don’t even get the slightest hint of lavender.  I do like how smooth is makes my skin.  I’ve had it on all day and my skin is still soft and smooth.

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint in Pearl – I received a sample of this product in a Birchbox several months ago.  It was a very tiny sample and this is a much larger sample size.  I love, love, love Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint.  It is SPF 20, oil free, hypoallergenic, fragrance free, water resistant is buildable for a more full coverage.  I have oily skin and this is the only moisture tint that does not make my face look like an oil slick.  I have a full size of this in the color Golden.  It does have some shimmer in it so I top it off with a light matte powder.  I wear it every weekend when I am running errands or just hanging around the house.  LOVE IT!!

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint in Pearl

Sisley Hydra-Global Hydration Intense Anti-Age – I’ve never heard of this brand before.  I did a little research on it and it is from Paris.  The website says the following:

“Specially developed to provide an all-round solution to the problem of skin dehydration — whether occasional or chronic - Hydra-Global helps reactivate the hydration mechanisms deep-down in the skin, by encouraging the circulation of water as well as its retention.”

I’m looking forward to using it, but I will not be buying it even if I love it.  The full size product costs $250.00 for 1.4 fl. oz.  Sigh….

vbeauté Eye Never Nourishing Repair Eye Créme – This is another brand I’ve never heard of.  The website says:

“VBeaute Eye Never is an age-defining, line concealing eye cream that immediately smoothes and silkens the delicate skin around the eyes, minimizing the appearance of puffiness, lines and wrinkles. Formulated with the brand's powerful age-defying complexes, this eye cream boosts collagen production while protecting against free radical damage. At the same time, it helps increase moisture and relax muscle contractions to help prevent future signs of aging.”

I’m looking forward to trying this.  I don’t think there is much of the product in my sample though, when I tried to squeeze some onto my finger, the little tube seemed mostly full of air.  That’s disappointing.

Vincent Longo Duo Lip Pencil in Sangria and White Glimmer – This is a brand from Italy.  The Sangria color is a deep wine color and the White Glimmer is exactly that….white.  I’m not sure what I’m going to do with a white lip liner but the Sangria liner will be nice in the fall and winter.

Vincent Longo Duo Lip Pencil - Sangria / White Glimmer

Overall, I’m thrilled with this month’s box.  I love being introduced to brands I’ve never heard of or tried before and except for the Eye Never Nourishing Repair Eye Cream, the sample sizes are very nice.

Stay tuned for product review’s J.

Take care,
Kat

BeautyBar Sample Society with Allure Box - March 2012

Hello, Everyone,

I subscribed to a new cosmetic/skin care monthly subscription service and I just received my first box. This is the very first box from Beauty Bar's Sample Society with Allure.  BeautyBar Sample Society is similar to Birchbox or GlamBag except it costs $15.00 (includes shipping) a month instead of $10.00 like Birchbox or GlamBag.

Membership to the BeautyBar Sample Society includes:

• 5 deluxe-sized samples from "luxury" beauty brands.
• $15 gift code to redeem on a $50 purchase - when any product from the brands you've sampled is included in your order.
• Expert beauty advice to accompany your samples from the editors of Allure (Mini Mag).
• A bonus one-year subscription to Allure magazine ($12 value).

Sample Society is not customized at this time and members do not have the ability to choose their samples. However, customization is something they hope to provide in the future according to their website.  Also, my credit card was charged the day my box shipped and I received it within 7 days, just like it promises on their website. I like that they charge my credit card on the actual ship date, rather than a month in advance like the GlamBag.

Contents included:

• Fekkai Advanced Glossing Cream - 1.6 oz
• Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant Deluxe Sample - 0.45 oz
• SKYN Iceland Icelandic Eye Relief Pen - 0.14 oz (which is a full size product worth $20.00)
• REN Glycolactic Radience Renewal Peel Mask Deluxe Sample - 0.5 fl oz
• Oscar De La Renta Expirit d'Oscar Deluxe Mini-Rollerball - .1 fl oz
• Mini Mag

 Mini Mag

Cover

Page 1 & 2

Page 3 & 4

Page 5 & 6

Back

Unfortunately, due to high demand Sample Society is unable to accept new subscriptions at this time. However, you can sign up to be notified when they start accepting new members.

I think the value of this box is fantastic. The full size SKYN Iceland Icelandic Eye Relief Pen is worth $20 alone!! I haven't used any of my products yet since I just received the box yesterday, so stay tuned for a proper review of all the products.

Did you subscribe to the Sample Society?  If you did, what are your thoughts about it?

Take care,

Kat