Sephora VIB Sales: What Did I get?

The VIB sales is something I plan and save up for every year. I already did my shopping yesterday because I was afraid of stock-outs! I just wanted to show you a few things that I ordered online and bought in stores.

Repurchases

Caudalie Vinosource Duo

$48     $38.40

Soap & Glory The Righteous Body Butter

$20     $16

Ralph Lauren Romance Gift Set Duo

$35     $28

Boscia Balancing Facial Tonic

$24     $19.20

Clinique All About Eyes Rich

$30     $24

Nude Essential Skin Radiance Kit

$52     $41.60

Sephora Collection Daily Brush Cleaner

$15     $12

Ole Henriksen 3 Little Wonders Mini (Truth Serum + Invigorating Night Gel + Sheer Transformation Creme)

$22.50     $18

New Purchases

NARS And God Created The Woman Set

$59     $47.20

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Fiji

$44     $35.20

Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector Broad Spectrum SPF 42 for Face

$30     $24

REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask

$34     $27.20

YSL Glossy Stain in #29 Rose Forreau

$34     $27.20

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in #12 Coral Incandescent

$34     $27.20

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light

$45     $36

Dior Addict Lipstick in #643 Dioblotine

$31     $24.80

Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in Getaway Red

$22     $17.60

Glam Glow Gift Sexy (Super Mud + Youth Mud)

$69     $55.20

Clarisonic Mia 2 Sonic Cleansing Brush with Fresh (Soy Face Cleanser + Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream)

$150     $120

Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm

$28.50     $22.80

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup in 1W2 Sand

$37     $29.60     Available at select Sephora stores

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil in #2 Coffee

$22     $17.60     Available at select Sephora stores

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair II Set (1.7 oz + 0.24 oz)

$92     $73.60     Available at select Sephora Stores

Estee Lauder Nutritious Radiant Vitality 2-in-1 Foam Cleanser

$30     $24     Available at select Sephora stores

Discounts in cosmetics products are relatively rare so definitely take the advantage of the sales if you're a VIB or you have a VIB friend! I hope this list was helpful. The sales are going on currently until Monday, Nov. 11. Happy Shopping!

Most Loved 5 of October 2013

Nude ProGenius Treatment Oil & Cellular Renewal Moisturiser
I got these 2 products in a deluxe sample set. My skin has improved so much after using them. I use the set at night. I use the oil first and put the cream on top. My breakouts and irritation have calmed down and my skin has become super soft and smooth. They're very pricey products but they're worth every penny!

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
This little wonder has been hyped about for a long time. I just recently got mine from HauteLook. It's so worth the hype. I pop it on my acne spots at night and when I wake up they're not as red, bumpy, or irritated anymore. It's a miracle!

Korres Lip Butter in Pomegranate
I can't wear a lot of makeup at work so my beloved lipsticks are obviously out of the picture. I've been loving this lip butter because it gives nice pigmentation and hydration. I love that it's not as thick and sticky as a lip gloss, not as opaque as a lipstick, and not as sheer as a lip balm. It does dry out in 2-3 hours but it leaves a natural stain on the lips. It's very fool proof so I don't mind reapplying. You can also use the product left on the finger tip as a natural blush.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Natural Beauty
I've been wearing this blush almost every time I wear makeup for the past month. It's seriously a gorgeous blush. It mimic the natural blush perfectly and give your face a lit-from-within glow just with the beautiful color. The longevity is awesome. It truly lasts all day until you take it off. See my review for more details and pictures.

Tarte Natural Beauty | Korres Pomegranate

October was a good month. I discovered some of my holy grail products that have made a big impact on my skin and my makeup. Definitely try some of these products out if you haven't and I hope you enjoy it!

Antipodes Grapeseed Butter Cleanser

$47     2.5 oz/ 75 g

Ingredients: Olea europaea* (olive oil), butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), phormium tenax* (harekeke flax seed oil), cocos nucifera* (coconut oil), simmondsia chinensis* (jojoba oil), cera alba (beeswax), silica, theobroma cocao (cocoa butter), vitis viniferia (Vinanza Grape seed extract), sorbitan isostearate, matricaria chamomilla (blue chamomile), hibiscus sabdarifa (hibiscus flower), lavendula officinalis (lavender oil), naticide (fragrance & preservative), benzyl alcohol, Vitamin E (*Certified organic ingredient)

Availability: Antipodes, Feelunique.com

Before I discovered Caroline Hirons's blog, I loved foaming cleansers. My face doesn't feel clean unless I use a foaming cleanser. Even though it does cleanse the skin really well, it's very drying to the skin. So I was trying to switch to cleansing milk, balms, and in this case, a cleansing butter. I've tried it for a few weeks, I don't like it, and here's why.

The consistency is just what it's called: butter. But no it's not like your body butter. It's even thicker than that. I find it hard to smooth it all over my face because it doesn't really turn into an oil. I ended up using a lot of product and taking more time.

Also, it does not take makeup off well. If you have light face makeup, it might move it around a bit. If you have waterproof makeup, forget about it.

Lastly, the one thing that bothers me the most is that it's impossible to rinse this booger off! You have to take it off with a washcloth a few times. For that reason, I don't trust it for taking off makeup because I think it will leave residues combined with old makeup. I can see it works for a second cleanse if you have really dry skin.

I do find this cleansers a bit clogging. I tend to get blackheads afterwards and occasional breakouts. If you have acne prone, oily, or normal skin, this is a no-go. If you have dry skin, this might work for you if you're careful and gentle with using the washcloth.

Overall, I'm not happy with this cleanser. I will probably still use it on my very dry skin days but I will not repurchase this. I cannot recommend it to anyone because of its potential of clogging and/or breaking out the skin. :(

Worth the Hype? Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum

$48     1 oz

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Water*, Glycerin*, Butylene Glycol*, Ethylhexyl Palmitate*, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6,Polymethyl Methacrylate, Dimethicone, Palmitoyl Grape Seed Extract*, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum (Fragrance), Squalane*, Potassiumsorbate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice*, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum,Sorbitan Oleate*, Sodium Carboxymethyl Betaglucan, Citric Acid, Sorbitan Laurate*,Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Phytate*, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Myristyl Malate Phosphonic Acid. (*Plant Origin)

Availability: Sephora, Nordtrom, Dermstore.com

This serum isn't a new product but has been getting really good reviews from many well known beauty gurus. I've been a fan of several products from Caudalie so I thought I would give it a go.

The consistency of this serum is really light. It feels very comfortable on the skin and is absorbed quickly into the skin. Even though it's light, it hydrates very well. It contains hyaluronic acid, which is a great ingredient for hydration that my skin responds very well to.

My skin type changes a lot, almost on day to day basis. It ranges from oily to normal to dry. I've also been breaking out due to dehydration. This serum is perfect because I can use it no matter what skin type I have that day and it really soothes the irritation caused by dehydration.

I think it's definitely worth the hype. It's such a versatile product in the sense that it can be used on many different skin types/conditions. For oily and normal skin types, I use one pump for the entire face, followed with a light moisturizer. When my face is feeling dry, I apply two layers of the serum, followed with a richer moisturizer. If my skin is very irritated, I use it in the morning as well before my normal moisturizer.

I love this serum! It's been  featured in September Most Loved 5 and has made into my Hall of Fame. I recommend a product to all skin types, and that's pretty rare!

Most Loved 5 of September 2013

This month's Most Loved 5 is in video form! I'm gonna try to do it for every month because these posts tend to get too long and dull. Hope you enjoy it!

Most loved products:
Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm (reviewed here)
Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum
Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm
Almay Liquid Lip Balm in Apricot Pucker (reviewed here)
Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Powder in Candlelight

Other products mentioned:
Bare Minerals Luminizer in The Love Affair
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle

Hall of Fame: Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm

£34.00     3.4 oz / 100 ml

Ingredients: Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Beeswax, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Sorbitan Stearate, Palmitic/Stearic Triglycerides, Limonene, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Silica, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Aqua (Water), Lecithin, Linalool, Butylene Glycol, Octyldodecyl PCA, Menthyl PCA, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower Oil, Geraniol, Moringa Pterygosperma Seed Extract, Farnesol, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Disodium Phosphate, Citral, Citric Acid, Citronellol

Availability: Bath&Unwind.com, feelunique.com

This cleansing balm has received gazillion raves and hypes in UK beauty communities. Being highly recommended by Caroline Hirons (my go-to skincare guru) here, it's something I had been wanting to try out but unable to find in the US. Since we're on the topic of availability, let's talk about it first.

Availability

I haven't been able to find it on any US cosmetics retailer websites. Fortunately, I did find it in several UK websites that offer free worldwide shipping. The price in USD differs depending on the conversion rates the retailers use. I've seen it from around $55 to $60. There can also be a currency exchange fee charged by your bank per transaction. Mine was around $5. I got mine from feelunique.com when they ran a big sale for around $45.

Now onto the actual product...

Consistency

It's not a very solid balm because there is a good amount of good oils in it. It's just thick enough to be "scoopable." It melts into an oil at your body temperature. By the time it's all over your face, it's already turned into a cleansing oil.

Application

It's super easy to apply. Just scoop about a little bit less than a quarter size out of the jar and gently massage it on your face. If you have makeup on, gently massage it starting from your eyes because it needs some time to work with all the waterproof makeup, do your face, and then back to the eyes. If you don't have makeup on, just use it just how you would with other cleansers.

As with all my makeup removers, I like to do a second cleanse after removing my makeup just to be sure that every bit of makeup and dirt is off of my face. I can do it with either other cleansers or this cleansing balm.

The Impact

It works very well as a gentle cleanser as well as a makeup remover. I wasn't expecting it to remove makeup that well but it does remove super waterproof makeup (even the very stubborn CoverGirl LashBlast 24H). I was pleasantly surprised! It works just as well as my all time favorite DHC Cleansing Oil.

It's suggested to be used with a muslin cloth or washcloth. I'm not a big washcloth user so I usually rinse and then go over my face just once with a warm (not hot!) washcloth. This cleansing balm rinses off very easily and doesn't leave a heavy film on the skin. It's not going to leave you that squeaky clean feeling, but it's not going to leave your face dry or uncomfortable. It just feels like normal skin.

I'm absolutely IN LOVE with this cleansing balm. It makes removing makeup and cleansing a much more pleasant and relaxing experience. It feels nice on the skin, smells very luxurious and calming, and works very well. I love how my skin feels afterwards. No dryness or tightness.

I wouldn't use this to remove my waterproof makeup if I have to do it really fast. I would use my DHC Cleansing Oil instead. Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm just takes a little bit longer to dissolve the waterproof makeup than DHC Cleansing Oil. But it does take it off completely.

I highly recommend it to everyone, no matter what skin type you have. It's a great product. Definitely worth the hype and every penny!

Hall of Fame: DHC Cleansing Oil

$28     6.7 oz / 200 ml     |     $14     2.3 oz / 70 ml     |     $5.50     1 oz / 30 ml

Ingredients: Olea Europaea (olive) Fruit Oil, Caprylic/capric Triglyceride, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Rosmarinus Officinalis (rosemary) Leaf Oil

Availability: DHC.com, Dermstore.com

This product has been in many favorites and empties posts because it's something I've been using and repurchasing for as long as I've been wearing makeup. It definitely deserves a place in the Hall of Fame.

Consistency & Application
As the name suggest, it's a cleansing oil. One pump is plenty enough for the entire face, including waterproof makeup. Just pump the product onto your palm and smear it all over your face. Start gently massaging the eyes first to dissolve waterproof makeup, do your face, and then back to the eyes.

The Impact
It works very effectively and efficiently. It can be used as a cleanser as well as a makeup remover. It takes off stubborn makeup fast and completely. It's definitely a powerful makeup remover but at the same time gentle. The oil is great because it's emollient enough to eliminate any tugging on the skin.
It rinses off very well. It does not leave any film or residues whatsoever. With that being said, it can be a little drying afterwards. As with all my makeup removers, I do a second cleanse afterwards. You can use whatever cleanser you prefer. I like to use a cleansing milk to balance out the dryness. Of course you can just use this cleansing oil again for the second cleanse.

If I can only describe this cleansing oil in one word, it would be "simple." Even the ingredients list is short and simple! It does what it's supposed to do and does it well. There's absolutely no fuss. When I'm feeling tired or just don't want to spend too much time on my skincare routine, I go to this and take off my makeup in 1 minute (from pumping it out of the bottle to pad-drying my face).
I highly recommend it to everyone with any skin type. If you have dry skin, just adjust your routine with other products, such as cleansing milk or cleansing balm for second cleanse, and moisturizing toners, etc.

My Favorite Websites to Shop for Cosmetics

I love shopping online for a few reasons. First, I research a lot before purchase (ingredients, swatches, prices) and it's easier to shop and research online at the same time. Second, it's easier to compare products online. Third, I can shop multiple stores at once, which means less travel time and hassles!

However, there are two big downsides: you can't swatch or try out the products before you buy it, and shipping fees and return policies can be a huge turn off.

I absolutely hate paying for shipping and crappy return policies. With that being said, I'm going to recommend some of my favorite websites to shop and most of them have it all covered!

Nordstrom.com

Nordstrom offers the best shipping and return policies. The shipping is absolutely free, no minimum $. If you try the product and don't love it, you can return it for a full refund or exchange for something else. The return process is super easy. Did I mention that you don't pay for return shipping? They also have a lot of brands that Sephora doesn't carry.

Brands to check out: MAC, Burberry, Estee Lauder, Chanel, Kevyn Aucoin, Jouer, Giorgio Armani, Jo Malone, Diptyque, Lipstick Queen

ASOS

ASOS is a UK retailer. I love ASOS because they offer free shipping and free return shipping. They can also do full refund on returns within 28 days after placing the order. The shipping is relatively fast for international shipping to US. Unlike other UK websites, for some reason I've never been charged for a currency exchange fee. I love ASOS for both fashion and cosmetics products, especially UK cosmetics brands. They sometimes run really nice sales, too!
Brands to check out: Bourjois, Barry M, Daniel Sandler, Illamasqua, Lord & Berry, Models Own, Rimmel (for UK exclusive items)

Sephora.com
Sephora is great for their loyalty program (Beauty Insider). Earning points is easy and the points are basically your token to get free things (samples, minis). Beauty Insideres also get free birthday gifts! Beauty Insiders who spend $350 a year are qualified to be VIB. If you spend $1000 a year, you are a VIB Rouge! For benefits details, click this link. They offer free shipping on orders over $50 and free return shipping and refunds. You can also return the products in stores. I prefer Sephora.com when the products I want are available there and total over $50 because I can earn points and pick up some deluxe samples and use the promo codes to pick up even more samples! They also offer a lot of brands and keep expanding their product lines.
Brands to check out: Buxom, Becca, Bite Beauty, Boscia, Bumble and Bumble, Cover FX, Dr. Jart, Edward Bess, Josie Maran, Illamasqua, Hourglass, Kat Von D, Korres, Make Up For Ever, Marc Jacobs, NUDE, Nails Inc, Soap & Glory, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

Dermstore.com

Dermstore carries a ton of skincare brands and some makeup brands. They also offer free shipping on any orders. The return process isn't as easy as Nordstrom's, but the return shipping is free for an exchange or store credit. I love to come here for french pharmacy brands. It's a good place to go if you're looking for certain ingredients in your skincare because you can shop by ingredients. 

Brands to check out: Embryolisse, La Roche-Posay, Vichy, Juice Beauty, Dermalogica, Avene, Nuxe, DHC, It Cosmetics, Tarina Tarantino

feelunique.com

Feelunique is also a UK retailer. They offer free shipping, but no free return shipping and can only return if items are unused. I'm obviously not a fan of their return policies so I mainly shop here for products that are either hyped or highly recommended by my favorite bloggers. They sometimes offer really good prices on some European and Australian brands. I've been charged for currency exchange fees (about $5 per transaction, check with your bank). I know this website doesn't sound very appealing compared to other brands, but I do love it for brands I can't find anywhere else.
Brands to check out: Emma Hardie, Caudalie, Melvita, Antipodes, Daniel Sandler, Trilogy, Dr. Hauschka

     

Drugstore.com & Beauty.com

These two sites are 2 websites 1 bag and offer free shipping over $35 (both sites combined). They both offer really good sales. Drugstore.com often has 20% off or buy one get one 50% off. Beauty.com often offers $10 off $50 purchase; however, I've found the promo hard to work with sometimes because it doesn't combine with other promotions. So if you already have a promotion in your cart it's almost impossible to switch promos. But if it works, it's definitely a great deal, especially on high end brands like NARS, Tarte, Urban Decay, etc. In terms of return shipping, Beauty.com offers it for free but Drugstore.com doesn't.
Brands to check out: Malin & Goetz, Mally Beauty, Kevyn Aucoin, It Cosmetics, Lipstick Queen, Z Palette, theBalm, By Terry

Most Loved 5 of August 2013

I had been doing Most Loved 10 for the past a few months. The posts always ended up being super long and I understand that my readers can lose interest because I lost interest writing towards the end! Also I find a lot of things that I love and use a lot are from previous months' favorites. So I'm going to cut it in half and here we go: Most Loved 5!

MAC Eyeshadow in Soba
This is an eyeshadow that looks nothing special in the pan and swatched. This is an eyeshadow that you really have to try it on to love it. When it's applied on the lids it gives the eyes a subtle warmth. I normally don't put a color darker than my complexion on my hooded lids but this shade, surprisingly, opens up my eyes while giving definition at the same time.

MAC Eyeshadow in Brun
In last month's Most Loved I mentioned Crave in Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette was my favorite brow color. This month I've been using MAC Brun for my brows. I find that Crave is really close to my natural hair color, maybe a teeny tiny bit darker. Crave is pretty pigmented and buttery so it makes my brows look darker and pronounced. This month I've been wearing lighter eyeshadows and Brun is the perfect color for more natural eye looks. MAC describe it as satin muted blackish brown. To me it looks completely matte. It's a dark grey brown so it's just a little lighter than my natural hair color. It gives my brows definition without being dramatic. It's not as buttery as Crave so it's easier to work with as a brow color.

NARS Blush in Luster
I've been using this blush most days this month. It's a beautiful apricot color with shimmer. It's not overly shimmery, which allows me to use my highlighters. I don't use bronzers to give warmth to my skin because it can sometimes get too dark and look funky with my contour. This blush is light and almost doesn't have any pink in it so it gives a nice warmth to the cheeks without making my face look muddy.

Shiseido Eyelash Curler
I had always been afraid of eyelash curler because they tend to either break my lashes or pluck them. My lashes are very fine so they get nice natural curl just with mascaras. The curl that Shiseido Lash Curler gives is like the enhanced version of my natural curl. It's natural but opens up my eyes even more. It grabs almost all my lashes (only missing few front ones) so I don't have to worry about uneven curls. It has not broken my lashes or pluck them. It's definitely worth the money.

Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque
This is a Lisa Eldridge influenced purchase. I have been breaking out and my skin feels very irritated. Whenever I use it (at night) my skin feels much calmer and my pimples are not as red the next morning. It contains hyaluronic acid, which is very effective in hydrating the skin. My skin breaks out from hormone changes, allergic reactions, or dehydration. My skin isn't particular dry but it is definitely dehydrated. This mask has done magic in soothing the discomfort.
It comes out clear so it's perfect to use on the airplanes. The only thing I don't like is the smell. It smells kind of like fish. But it's quite easy to get used to.

Bonus: Favorite Blogger of the Month
Caroline Hirons
Her blog has changed my perspectives on skincare. I've made a lot of changes in my skincare routine, including using washcloths and pulling myself away from foaming cleansers. She provides a lot of tips on skincare, as well as product reviews. I love that she gets to the point and says it like it is. If you haven't, please check out her blog at http://www.beautymouth.com/. If I could only recommend one blog this year, it would definitely be hers!
If you don't know where to start, check out her cheat sheets first on the right navigation section (scroll down a bit).

Hall of Fame: Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre 24 Hour Miracle Cream

$16     1 oz / 30 ml

$28     2.6 oz / 80 ml

Ingredients: Aqua, Paraffinum Liquidum, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Triethanolamine, Cera Alba, Cetyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii, Steareth-10, Polyacrylamide C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Aloe Barbadensis, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, Parfum

Availability: Amazon.com, Dermstore.com

Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre is a makeup artist favorite. I purchase mine under the influence of Samantha Chapman and Lisa Eldridge. It's highly recommended as under makeup moisturizer. As you would assume by the title of this post, I love it!

In terms of skincare benefits, I'm not sure if it really delivers. Personally I don't believe day time skincare can improve the skin much because the skin is exposed to a lot more damages during the day than at night. So this is not for you if you're looking for something that would actually improve the skin.

A day cream serves a few purpose for me:

1. Release the tightness and any discomfort after cleansing.
2. Act as a barrier between my skin and makeup or potential external damages if I'm not wearing makeup.
3. Act as the "glue" if I'm wearing powder foundation.

Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre delivers all of the above. The best thing about this cream is that it's rich and moisturizing without being greasy. In other words, it's a hydrating matte moisturizer. It will not make your makeup look oily. It will help your powder foundation go on smoothly. It's also perfect for mixing in your foundation to create tinted moisturizers.

If I really have to pick a flaw, it would be that it's slightly fragranted. However, my sensitive skin reacts fine with it. It's not a bad smell but it's not something that I would die for, either.

The only people that I would not recommend it for is those who are extremely sensitive to fragrance or, of course, any specific ingredients in this cream. But other than that, I can recommend this to almost everyone because it's such a versatile product and everyone can use it for something. Here are my recommendation:

• For oily, normal, and combination-oily skin: day cream, night cream, making tinted moisturizer
• For dry, dehydrated, and combination-dry skin: day cream, making tinted moisturizer

Have you tried the Lait Creme Concentre? What's your favorite day cream? Please share!

Steal the Deal: $10 Sephora Gift Card for $5

Sephora is running a promotion of $10 gift card for $5 on Groupon. Click the the picture or this link for more details. Hurry because it ends tomorrow!

Empties #2

REN Micro Polish Cleanser (sample - 0.17 oz / 5 ml)
Full Size - $30   5.1 oz / 150 ml
I got this little sample size from Sephora and this only lasted a few washes for me. I like that it's a gentle physical exfoliant. The granules are fine and mixed in the foamy cleanser. I'm trying to steer away from foamy cleansers as it makes my face really dry. But I actually prefer it when it's in a scrub form because I want the granules to be rinsed off easily. Wiping it off with a washcloth might be a little too abrasive. I really like this cleanser, especially paired with chemical exfoliating products (masks, toners, moisturizers) because it gets off the residual dead skin without being too harsh. I don't use it everyday, only once or twice a week. If you have this sample or the full size, when you think you have run out of it, cut open the tube because there'll be much more than you think that's inside.
I recommend it and would definitely purchase the full size.

Melvita Rose Floral Water (sample - 0.96 oz / 28 ml)

Full size - $22   6.76 oz / 200 ml

I got this sample from a Birchbox long time ago. The thing that I love the most about it is the scent. It's lovely and natural without being overpowering. It's very gentle on my sensitive skin. The consistency is just like water. It's doesn't do much in terms of moisturizing. It will release some of the tightness after cleansing but not completely. But overall it's a lovely product and I would have purchased the full size if it was available. Apparently Melvita doesn't carry it anymore and a lot of other sites are listing it as out of stock. However, there is the Damask Rose Floral Water, which ingredients are just a bit different than the original rose water. But I would love to try it.

Caudalie Premier Cru Eye Cream (sample - 0.03 oz / 1 ml)

Full size - $98   0.5 oz / 15 ml

I remember when I got this sample from Sephora I was really disappointed because it's such a small sample. But after using it for the first time I was so glad that I picked it because it's such a nice eye cream. It's really rich and moisturizing without being greasy. I know a lot of people like the cooling eye gels or the ones with thinner consistencies like Origins Ginzing Eye Cream. I personally like my eye creams to be rich and almost balmy like Clinique All About Eyes Rich. I love that this Caudalie eye cream doesn't feel as greasy as the Clinique one and is perfectly fine worn under makeup.

I discovered the ridiculously high price when I was just thinking about purchasing the full size. I would definitely purchase the full size if $98 wasn't too much of a burden for me. Until then, I would just keep an eye out for the samples!

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil (travel size - $14   0.5 oz / 15 ml)

Full size - $48   1.7 oz / 50 ml

Jumbo size - $96   4 oz / 120 ml

This is one of my holy grail products that I've raved over and over again ever since I got it. It's definitely worth the hype and if you wonder why, see this post. I've been repurchasing the travel size and just recently picked up a full size. I definitely recommend getting the travel size because it's a really nice bottle that's perfect for both travelling and using at home. It's doesn't take up much space in your skincare routine and the smaller dropper is much easier to use. I've already filled this little bottle up from my full size one.

It's definitely worth the hype and the money and I will definitely keep repurchasing this!

L'Oreal Ever Curl Sulfate-Free Hydracharge Shampoo      $7.29   8.5 oz / 251 ml

I've been using the L'Oreal Sulfate-Free line nonstop for about a year and I love it. The thing about most sulfate-free shampoos is that they don't lather well and I end up running out much quicker. This line of shampoo lathers just like other normal shampoos. I've noticed that my scalp doesn't get itchy and irritated and my hair doesn't get greasy as fast. There are different kinds of shampoo in the Sulfate-Free line. I have perm in my hair and honestly I didn't notice this Ever Curl one made any difference in the curl department. I don't really mind the different "functions." To me the different kinds mean different scents.

I would recommend it to everyone and I'll forever repurchase the Sulfate-Free line!