august box review: sample society by allure and beauty bar (box c)

I have an embarrassing secret to share… every time one of my subscription boxes ships, I get night-before-christmas excited.  Even worse: I anxiously await the “Your Box Has Shipped!” email, just so I can track my package to figure out when it will be delivered, and adjust my plans to ensure that I’ll be home that night.  I love new products that much.  I was particularly excited about this box when I saw two brands I’m very familiar with, and one I had yet to try.

This is going to be a fairly long post, so if you just want the quick and dirty, here it is:

Korres Cherry Oil Lip Gloss: a subtle-hued gloss with mega moisture power and no stickiness.  Lots of shine, zero glitter.

Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey Eau de Toilette: Sophisticated and playful; reminded me of a lighter Chance (Chanel).  Floral and spicy (but not too spicy).

Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream:  The smell was a challenge for me but my skin was soft, supple, and moisturized after using this cleansing cream.

Jane Iredale Lash Conditioner: Didn’t love the brush but I’m betting the full size comes with a better one.  This one left my lashes feeling a little drier than my regular lash conditioner, but it applied beautifully.

Supergoop City Serum: Sunscreen benefits aside, this product is terrific.  My pores looked smaller and my foundation sat more smoothly.  What more can you ask for?

sample society august 13Korres Cherry Oil Lipgloss (far left): I have been hearing about and seeing advertisements for Korres for quite some time now, but had not taken the time to do some brand and product research.  Here’s what I discovered: Korres is extremely dedicated to using natural ingredients and green manufacturing.  On reading that, I immediately thought, “alright, I like where this is headed.”  One of the most popular products right now is their Greek Yoghurt night cream…my favorite all-purpose fridge staple.  I knew it had to have more to it than protein!  I was also surprised to learn that the brand actually boasts a fairly diverse product line for such a young company (they’re only 16 years old!), with products ranging from bath & body, to skincare, and a full range of cosmetics.

Okay, okay, on to the product review: I’m not usually a lip gloss person, as I tend to find them too sticky and sparkly, but I actually really loved this product.  The color, while bright and opaque in the tube, gave my lips a very subtle and natural sheen.  Get this – my hair NEVER stuck to my mouth; I wanted to jump for joy.  Another big pro?  My lips actually felt moisturized by this gloss.  This was a first for me, as my lips usually dry out beneath the glassy sheen of the few glosses in my cosmetics case. 

Issey Miyake L’Eau D’Issey Eau de Toilette (top left): Issey Miyake is a Japanese clothing line with – in my opinion – a very urban edginess to it.  Yet somehow, the attitude communicated through the site’s fall campaign carries a very straightforward playfulness.  Having visited the website after the first spritz of fragrance, I found myself stunned that the images on the page embodied exactly the words I jotted in my notebook to describe L’Eau D’Issey. 

It’s a light, playful fragrance with a sophisticated spiciness.  The first notes I caught were predominately spice, but as the fragrance settled on my skin, the floral and citrus components wafted up to my nose.  This scent is a strong investment (which I absolutely plan to make).  The fragrance will wear from summer through the fall, and possibly through winter, though I’d want to smell it in the rain to confirm.

Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream (far right):  My mom actually introduced me to Dr. Hauschka a few years ago when I was looking for an eye cream to add to my beauty regimen, but I never took the time to explore the brand further (it’s pricey!).  Dr Hauschka is an all natural and organic skin care and cosmetic line – you can actually purchase products in Whole Foods!

I did struggle with the scent of the cleanser, as I mentioned in my snippet earlier in this post.  I actually found myself holding my breath; however… I would absolutely be willing to endure the strong scent to reap the benefits of this product. While most exfoliating cleansers leave my skin feeling squeaky-clean (a term that should really only be used when describing non-porous surfaces), this one left my skin feeling soft, supple, and moisturized.  I noticed that my makeup sat more evenly on my face the following morning, and that I needed less of it to achieve my daily look.  I highly recommend giving this cleanser a try.

Jane Iredale Lash Conditioner (top left): Okay, mind = blown.  Did you know that Jane Iredale (yes, she’s a real person and the president and founder of the company) introduced mineral makeup to the industry in 1944?!  Or that she developed the line after seeing women struggle with the common repercussions of putting harsh substances on their faces?!  I had no idea.

I am a huge advocate of lash conditioner.  I just had to get that out there; I’ll save my opinions for a later, more targeted post.  Anyway, I loved the definition this lash conditioner provided. Each lash was primed, thickened, and elongated before my first coat of mascara… which meant: I only used one coat of mascara!  The one thing I didn’t love was the chalkiness my lashes carried after a few hours.  While my mascara certainly did not flake off, I found my lashline to be very itchy, and when I gently – and carefully! – rubbed it, my lashes were drier to the touch than the usually are.  That said, it’s important to note that I did not use a mascara within the same product line, and it is not uncommon for ingredients in different product lines to interact in a way that would not occur if both products were of the same manufacturer.  If I get my hands on a tube of Jane Iredale mascara, I’ll be sure to update this post with the results!

Dr T’s Supergoop City Sunscreen Serum (bottom): I feel like I don’t have enough time to tell you all the things I love about Supergoop.  To be perfectly honest, I discovered the brand through Birchbox, but have been ecstatic to receive samples from both Birchbox and Sample Society.  Every product in the line is loaded with sunscreen and powerful antioxidants, which means every product is skincare first, and a cosmetic second.  I’ve yet to encounter a product I don’t love, and I’m excited to share my review of the serum with you!

This serum gives “lightweight” a whole new meaning.  It absorbed seamlessly into my skin with no oily residue and no “wait ten minutes for product to sink in before applying foundation” notice on the label.  I must admit that because I use Supergoop CC cream, I cannot attest to how well the serum works with other product lines, but I really have no reason to believe it would not be fantastic based on the fact that it literally disappeared into my skin.  I needed only a pea size amount of the serum to cover my forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin (definitely a good thing, because this stuff ain’t cheap), and it distributed easily over my face – meaning, I didn’t have to meticulously dot the formula into regions and blend precisely.  I carelessly rubbed it between my (clean) hands, and spread it all over my face.  I look forward to running out of my current primer so I can justify replacing it with this serum.  And while $42 may sound like be a big splurge for a mere 1.7 oz of liquid… where else can you find a nourishing, anti-aging, stay-all-day primer with SPF 30?  Seriously.  Just buy it.

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