Weekly Sample Selections #14

For those new to the Weekly Sample Selections, each week I feature reviews of a handful of samples obtained from various sources.

Biggs & Featherbelle Polar Bar

Sample from Eco Emi Subscription Box

Ahhhh....there's nothing better than a nice hot bath on a freezing cold night.  The main ingredients in this face and body soap include olive oil, lavender, and eucalyptus to moisturize and soothe.  The scent is really light and I could just barely detect the main ingredients.  This soap has a surprisingly light lather and does not feel greasy like other olive oil soaps that I have used.  I used it from head to toe (excluding my hair) and found it to be both cleansing and moisturizing at the same time.  Plus, a little bit goes a long way, as I said I used it from head to toe and it looks untouched;  This sample size bar should last me through the rest of the month.

Pros: moisturizing; safe for all skin types

Cons: none that I can think of

This product retails for $5.49 USD

You can find out more about this product at www.biggsandfeather.com

Deep Steep Candy Mint Foot Stick

Sample from Eco Emi Subscription Box

This product smells soooo yummy!  It smells like peppermint bark and I was very tempted to take a bite out of it.  This stick is like chapstick for your feet and uses moisturizing ingredients like Shea and Cocoa butters to treat the foot and cuticle area.  It was easy to smooth the stick over my feet and they felt moisturized and smelled good too.  I did as recommended and covered my feet with cotton socks overnight to lock in the moisture.  This product would be great for travel too.

Pros: moisturizing; smells good

Cons: the stick is soft so be careful not to apply too much pressure when applying or it might break off

This product retails for $5.95 USD

You can find out more about this product at www.deepsteep.com

Kiehl's Rosa Arctica Anti-Aging Eye Cream

Sample from Birchbox subscription service

This eye cream is supposed to "re-energize skin" for visibly younger looking eyes.  Natural brighteners instantly smooth and illuminate the area around the eyes."  It is thick and moisturizing which is nice during the dry winter months.  I suppose I would have to use it for a while before seeing wrinkle reducing results, even though I don't have any wrinkles, only very fine lines around my eyes.  I did notice smoother and brighter skin around the eye area.

Pros: moisturizing; skin smoothing; illuminating

Cons: a bit thick for the eye area; comes in a pot

This product retails for $46.00 USD

You can find out more about this product at www.kiehls.com

Trish McEvoy No.3 Snowdrop & Crystal Flowers Eau de Toilette

Sample with purchase from trishmcevoy.com

"Graceful. Discover No. 3 Snowdrop & Crystal Flowers, an indescribably soft, elegant and indulgent scent that combines snowdrop flowers, sensuous crystal musk and precious jasmine with clementine blossoms and sheer freesia."

This sounds like such a nice, clean, crisp winter scent, but all I can smell is the musk.  I don't particularly care for musky scents because they remind me of that "old lady" smell.  This scent is quite strong for me as well and I found that I could not spritz it on my arm without giving myself a headache.  One spritz behind the knee works to scent my whole body.  Overall, this scent is not my cup of tea, but others might like it.  Fragrance is very personal after all.

A 1.7 oz bottle of this product retails for $85.00 USD

You can find out more about this product at www.trishmcevoy.com

The Republic of Tea Peppermint Cuppa Chocolate Tea

Free sample with mail order catalog

Another one of the Republic's yummy specialty teas, this one is perfect for the holidays.  It really tastes like chocolate with mint.  This is a blend of Rooibos which is a red tea and is caffeine free.  I was very worried when brewing this tea into one of my mother's crystal glasses because I feared that it would crack, but thankfully it was fine ha ha

Pros: smells and tastes good

Cons: none that I can think of

A 36 tea bag tin retails for $10.00 USD

You can find out more about this product at www.republicoftea.com