Weekly Sample Selections #1

Because I am still trying to catch up on getting through all my product samples, I have decided to dedicate a weekly feature to the blog called "Weekly Sample Selections" that will showcase mini reviews of a few samples each week.

After doing reviews for each sample I realized that there really isn't enough material to dedicate a blog post to every single sample without adding tons of product information from the manufacturer. I feel that doing the reviews this way will better get across the points I am trying to make about each product and will be easier for the reader to take in the information. If you would like to know more about the product, such as product description and ingredients, there will be links to the manufacturer's website or a place where you can purchase this product that provides more information. So without further ado here are this weeks samples.

First is the Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Detoxifying Scrub which is a face wash designed to clear pores by gently exfoliating the skin. It uses microbeads for exfoliation which are not the most comfortable I have ever used; They are a little bit scratchy and almost remind me of the kind in St. Ives Apricot Scrub but smaller. However, they dissolve quickly so it's not really a problem.

The first thing I noticed about this product was that the fragrance was REALLY strong for a face wash. If you look at the ingredients list you will notice that "fragrance" is pretty high I would describe the fragrance as a mix of floral and woodsy. If you have fragrance sensitivities you will probably not like this product.

The first two days of using this product I had some breakouts, probably because my skin was adjusting to a new product. After about a week my skin normalized and this kept my face pretty clear for the rest of the month that I used it. I can be little bit drying, even on my oily skin, so I recommend using it with a moisturizer.

You can find out more about this product at drugstore.com.

I might have finally found my favorite moisturizer. I LOVE Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief! It's marked as safe for all skin types and it's oil-free which are both pluses in my book. This is a gel moisturizer which means it's light and you only need a pea sized amount to cover your whole face and neck. This did not make me break out at all and left my skin feeling silky and comfortable for hours, not greasy.

My only gripe is that the full sized product comes in a pot which means you have to either stick your fingers into it to remove the product or use an applicator. Neither of these are my preferred method and definitely not the most sanitary. Pots allow for more bacteria to enter a product, causing it to go bad more quickly. I prefer tubes, that are hermetically sealed of course, because you are not contaminating the product every time you use it. I just wish the full sized product came in a tube like the sample.

I could not find a website that lists the ingredients for this product and they are not listed on the sample. I do know that when you buy a Clinique product it usually comes in a box with the ingredients listed on the side. You can find out more about this product at clinique.com.

I normally use the Burt's Bees Naturally Ageless Skin Smoothing Hand Cream, which is awesome, so I was interested in this sample of their other hand cream Burt's Bees Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed with this hand cream because it did not make my hands feel moisturized; It just sat on my skin and felt oily and greasy and I couldn't touch anything because it came off onto anything I picked up. The other thing is that it STINKS! The smell reminds me of when you are harvesting a garden and you get plant juice mixed with dirt on you. It's quite pungent and not in a good way.

You can find more information on this product at burtsbees.com.

Rainwater Botanicals is an indie brand that makes all natural products. This is a sample of their Rainwater Botanicals Natural Deodorant in the scent Jasmine Wind. There are a few other scents available that look equally nice and the full size comes in stick form for easier application.

As you can see from the photo, this is a solid deodorant. Because the sample came in a pot I had to sort of dab it on my underarms with my fingers. It smells nice, has a silky texture and lasts for a few hours; Not as long as a drugstore antiperspirant deodorant would, but this is only a deodorant.

Deodorant covers the smell of body odor with fragrance. Some drugstore brands contain antiperspirant which helps prevent sweat with an active ingredient from aluminum-based compounds.  These aluminum-based compounds could be linked to Alzheimer's Disease and Cancer so many people seek aluminum-free products with natural ingredients.  For a natural deodorant this works really well.  As a person who does not like the feel of sweat and cannot stand even the tiniest amount of body odor I will be sticking with my antiperspirant deodorant.  I would consider this for nighttime use after my shower though.

You can learn more about this product at etsy.com/shop/rainwaterbotanicals.

You can learn more about antiperspirant deodorant at howstuffworks.com.

The last item is the Rainwater Botanicals Pumpkin Facial Masque. This mask is supposed to help reverse the signs of aging with antioxidants and enzymes. Plus it smells like pumpkin pie!

The consistency of this mask is pretty thin and I felt like I had to really pack it on my face (there were no instructions on how much to put on.)  There is also something grainy in it that feels like microbeads; I'm not sure what it is or its purpose in this mask (you can see the little black dots in the picture above.) This mask is supposed to act like alpha-hydroxy acids by exfoliating and moisturizing the skin thus helping to reverse the signs of aging.

There is a warning that this mask is not safe for sensitive skin or skin with open pores as it can cause irritation. I have large pores and had some breakouts before I tried this and the areas with the breakouts burned a little bit.  There is also a warning about allergies for people who may be allergic to pumpkin.  Overall, this mask did leave my skin feeling softer and a little bit firmer.  This product would be nice during the wintertime and especially for Thanksgiving.

You can learn more about this product at etsy.com/shop/rainwaterbotanicals.