What was the last product you purchased after trying a sample of?
Le Labo The Noir 29 Eau de Parfum!
— Christine
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Tarte Paaarty Blush
UDPP but that was 4+ years ago! Got a sample with the Naked 2 pallet and loved it. Bought a full size and it didn’t work as well 🙁 It was dryer and I never bought another one.
Make up samples are usually not in a color I would use and the foundations always seem to have a completely different texture IRL
As far as samples for skin care, IMHO there’s never enough for me to base the rationalizing buying a full size so I just buy full sizes of things I read reviews about that are returnable.
Fragrance I’ve bought full bottles of maybe 4 of the hundreds I’ve gotten samples of! But they frag samples are the items I will always get a sample for and feel they are most representative of the full sizes.
Regarding foundations (and concealers), I also find that the texture (and even color) is different in the sample pouches (or those papers with 3-5 shades under `stickers` you get at Sephora, for example). But deluxe samples are usually quite representative of the texture.
Berdoues Assam of India Perfume. I bought the travel size spray after using up a little sample I received in a Sephora order many months ago.
The Tatcha silk canvas primer. I was set with the YSL primer as my go to, but I loved the sample and received so many compliments on my skin.
I recently got full sizes of Kora Cream Cleanser and Farmacy Green Clean after trying samples. I’m glad I did, they both work really well and are gentle.
Not sure about the most recent, but products I’ve bought due to a sample include:
– Clinique dramatically different moistuizing gel
– Clinique liquid facial soap for oily skin
– Laneige water sleeping mask
And I’m currently contemplating the Caudalie vinosource moisturizing sorbet… I had the sample and loved it, but based on price per ml it’s so much more expensive than my other moisturizers.
– Water sleeping mask: $0.47/ml
– Dramatically different moisturizing gel: $0.29/ml
– Vinosource moisturizing sorbet: $1.2/ml
I might get the Caudalie product with a gift card or in another sephora sale, but as of right now I’m still holding on to a mini 100 point perk and will use up before I take the plunge.
I purchased the Fresh Black Tea Kombucha Essence after getting a sample from Sephora! That stuff is lovely
I think the First Aid Beauty Coconut Smoothie Priming Moisturizer. It’s a little too rich for me during the summer, but very nice during the colder months!
Fresh tinted lip balms and Clinique Moisture Surge moisturizer
Charlotte Tilbury Goddess clay mask! I definitely didn’t need another clay mask but it’s so lovely and not drying AT ALL. and it smells like fresh roses!
Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet
Perfume for me too. — Modern Muse Le Rouge
Summer Friday-jet leg mask!
Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation.
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream! Also, at about the same time, Tata Harper Resurfacing Serum. These 2 products are actually working wonders without turning my face greasy and full of breakouts. I do hope to find a less expensive dupe for the Tata Harper, though!
I recently got a deluxe sample of Protini as a Sephora offer, can’t wait to try it once I finish my current moisturizer… but I somewhat wish I won’t like it 😆 . But I have yet to discover a Drunk Elephant products that I don’t like. They’re not holly grail status, but they do the job; still, I’m not convinced to buy full size from them as long as I usually grab deluxe sizes everytime one it’s on Sephora as a offer or perk. The only thing I ever bough from them full sized is the Shaba Complex eye cream, but I managed through the years to get deluxe sizes of most of their line.
I’ve used the Protini cream, and while I did really like it (and will be repurchasing at some point) it wasn’t a substitute for moisturizer, but rather a complement. We’re all different though, so maybe it’ll work as a standalone moisturizer for you.
Same here. I still have to try it during summer (we’ve had a hot and humid summer here in Montreal), but now when it’s fall, I use it as a serum (I have a mini size). I plan tu buy it next year during the spring sale.
I agree, it didn’t work as a stand alone moisturizer for me either but I do have very dry skin. I liked the consistency of the Protini but there didn’t seem to be much in the jar. I seemed to go through it pretty fast. I tried breaking into the jar to see if I could scrape some out but couldn’t do it and then recently someone mentioned that it can be done with the DE products but you have to get aggressive with the container. So, if I repurchase, which at this time I am not planning to, I will manage to break in and see how much product is left before tossing it out. The dispensing system for DE is really nice on most of their products but I think they should consider doing a “Back to DE” like MAC does because there is a lot of packaging with these types of dispensers.
I don’t remember the most recent purchase, most samples I tried lately convinced me not to try products full size. For make-up and skincare I don’t rely on tiny samples for opinion, maybe on deluxe samples.
Hair care wise, I’m planning on buying at some point Verb products (I loved every sample I got from them on Sephora) and skipping Briogeo (I wasn’t impressed by all the small and deluxe samples I tried).
But I discovered wonderful products through deluxe samples recently, like the Fenti eyeliner (which I’ll grab if I can as a mini/deluxe sample again, for me getting a full size eyeliner is not worth it), Hourglass Mineral Veil primer (which I plan to purchase sometimes in the future).
Perfume… I just don’t buy full sized bottles nowadays, I just live with Sephora samples (I give to my mother the ones I don’t like, but still I got a decent stash of favorites). My signature perfume at this point is Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium, which I managed to get 3 samples of this year (more than enough). My most recent love is Pinrose Secret Garden.
Tarte Ready, Set, Radiant skin mist. Love that stuff under and over makeup.
Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly. I like how soothing this feels on my face, and that it has no scent.
NYX Worth the Hype Mascara.
Yves St. Laurent The Shock Mascara. I had pretty much decided high end mascara wasn’t necessary given how well my L’Oreal performs, but I kinda fell for this stuff.
Honeymoon Glow from Farmacy-loved the sample I got, and it’s cheaper than the Sunday Riley Good Genes that I loved and ran out of, and the Tarte KnockOut didn’t work for me-had a reaction. The other things I’ve recently sampled and plan to purchase the full size is the new Glycolic mask from Biossance, and Jet Lag from Summer Fridays. Also want a full size mascara in both Kush from Milk and Smokey Eyes from Bobbi Brown!
I picked up the Farmacy Honeymoon Glow after seeing Renee at Gothamista on YT rave about it so I got a sample and loved it so picked it up. I haven’t received it yet so anxiously awaiting trying and seeing if it works over the long haul. I have been a Good Genes user forever and am anxious to see if this can replace it because it is so much cheaper. I am going to have to check out the Biossance. My skin seems to love both glycolic and lactic acid a lot. I have never heard of Jet Lag or the company Summer Fridays so another brand to check out. That is one of the things I love most about Temptalia as I learn about new products and how they are working. Such a great resource.
For me, it’s two primers: Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer and DHC Velvet Skin Coat. I never hear anyone mention the latter … it’s phenomenal.
Ooh I’ve been looking for a new primer! Would you say that these two are your favorites // which one would you recommend (drier skin)?
Thank you so much!
I use a lot of serum and the PTR Water Drench, then sunscreen and then the primer, so I’m really dewy before that point. I do all that because my skin is normal/dry. I think if you prep your skin, either will work. But just a little goes a long way.
Marc Jacobs Coconut Primer, & Armani LS foundation.
I just brought Sunday Riley UFO facial oil after loving a sample I got from Sephora.
By Terry Baume de Rose lip balm — never, ever thought I’d spend this kind of money on a lip balm but the sample proved lip-saving when nothing else would work (and I tried so many others it was already costing a lot!) With “winter coming,” I feel ready.
When I was in Mecca Cosmetica recently (our high end beauty shop similar to Sephora), I sprayed some of the 100 Bon perfume containing patchouli, amongst other fragrances and was completely blown away as to how beautiful it was. So I returned and picked up a bottle of it. Absolutely glorious.
Oh! I been looking for something like that. Thanks for mentioning it. Must check it out. Looking for a perfume I really like as I haven’t bought one in so long. I have many given as gifts that are not simply my taste and am planning to use as spray in bathrooms, laundry. Make use out if it some how. Or donate.
Probably Lanolips SuperBalm and for makeup, Diorskin Forever Foundation.
Angel Muse edp,
Angel Fruity Fair,
Dame Perfumery Minty Man,
Dame Perfumery Earth Mother rollerball,
Carolina Herrera Good Girl edp,
Narciso Rodriguez for Her edt.
First Aid Beauty – Hydrating Repair Serum.
Tata Harper – Regenerating Cleanser (mild exfoliating, fresh orange scent).
The Farmacy Honeymoon Glow. I had heard Renee at Gothamista recommend and then picked up a sample while in Missoula. I loved it, at least how it felt on my skin, and then ordered from Sephora. The morning after I ordered I received a notice from Sephora that they didn’t have the stock to send the product. I was in Kalispell, Montana and went to a Sephora in JC Penny’s and they were sold out but the SA told me she would order for me and have it sent to my home. I asked her if that would work when it is sold out on-line and she looked at me literally like I was crazy. I didn’t understand what I had asked that was a problem. She said, “Well if you don’t want me to order it for you that is fine” and she walked away!! I ordered from Farmacy directly and it is suppose to be here on Thursday so excited to try it.
Of course, there are a lot of perfumes that I have purchased after trying samples as those are mostly the samples I get from Sephora with my orders for the same reason others have mentioned, colour products, foundations samples, etc. don’t seem to perform the same as they do in the larger size.
Laneige multi cleanser
Josie Maran whipped argan oil body butter
MILK Lit cream highlighter
And most recently, keihls ultimate strength hand salve!! I live outside of southern Ontario, where we already have snow on the ground, and have since early October. And it’s already hit -10 degrees. And this hand cream is AMAZING! By far the best iv ever used!!
Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet. I love that stuff!!
Haven’t, but I’m strongly thinking of purchasing Clarins Extra-Firming Jour & Nuit creams after trying them last week. I’ve been having a longer than usual breakout period for my face (I rarely do, but am going thru what I believe is the beginning of menopause and have then ever now and then) and it seemed less oily than my usual Clinique Moisture Surge. I also liked the odor and texture (didn’t pull the skin like my ResultTime serum). It seems there, but not (and I like that). Anyone else use this Clarins product can share before I take the plunge because it’s a tad more expensive than what I’ve paid for such products in the past.