Sample Society

A few days ago, I got the first Sample Society box from Beauty Bar, and I have to say I'm impressed! If you haven't heard of Sample Society, it's another monthly subscription service. This one is affiliated with Allure magazine and is run by Beauty Bar. This service offers 5 deluxe sized samples per month and costs $15. They also offer a free year of Allure magazine!  Each box also contains a coupon for $15 off a $50 order if you buy any of the brands in your box. Subscriptions are closed right now, but if this sounds good to you, you can sign up for the waiting list by going here.

The box arrives nicely packaged in a sleek black box with silver tissue paper. One nice thing about this service is that it is delivered via UPS, so shipping times are quick! The box is sturdy, and similar in size to Birchbox. I have kept the box to organize some of my beauty products.

Here's what I got this month after removing the packaging. As you can see, the sample sizes are great and I will be able to get many uses out of each one! This was great, because I hate the tiny one use sample packets. For most products, they just don't allow you to truly TRY the product.

The first sample is Fekkai Advanced Brilliant Glossing Cream.

From the site: "Having the kind of hair that makes heads turn ranks high on your list of must-haves. The kind that is actually as soft, smooth and supple as it looks. With Fekkai Advanced's Brilliant Glossing Cream and its tress-perfecting properties, you'll have hair that's the envy of everyone."

I have actually tried this before and it is excellent. You need only a tiny amount to have shiny, smooth hair. It doesn't look greasy or weigh your hair down, and tames frizzes and flyaways. It has a nice subtle scent to it. This sample is big enough to last months! The full size is 4 oz. and costs $22.

This was a product that is new to me! The Ren Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask.

From the site: "A potent bio active peel mask designed to renew the complexion, reduce the appearance of fine lines and dramatically improve skin tone. It also combats congestion, blackheads, and blemishes.
Removes dead skin cells to renew the complexion."

I tried this mask a couple of days ago, and I was really impressed with it. I have never used any sort of peel or peel mask, so I didn't know what to expect. It left my skin so satiny smooth, and the next day, it had a glow to it. It has a neutral citrusy scent and a slight tingle to it. This sample is definitely enough for several applications! The full size is 1.7 oz and costs $55.

This Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant is a sample that I was really wanting to try.

From the site: "Take your skin from blah to ahh with Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. This truly unique rice-based enzyme powder micro-exfoliates dulling debris and instantly leaves your skin noticeably smoother and brighter. The powder formula activates upon contact with water, releasing important properties to smooth your skin and accelerate cell renewal. Daily Microfoliant is formulated with a unique skin-brightening complex of elements to help balance uneven skin pigmentation. It's a supreme tool to calm inflammation, leaving your skin extraordinarily clear and refreshed."

I tried this for the first time this morning, and it's great. It was fun to use - it comes out as a powder, and you mix it with a little water in your hand and rub it into your skin. My skin feels smooth and clean, but it was gentle. The sample is big enough for quite a few uses. The full sized product is 2.6 ounces and costs $40.

This is at the Skyn Iceland Icelandic Relief Eye Pen.

From the site: "Icelandic relief eye cream's lightweight yet powerful formula, in a portable pen, delivers immediate relief to delicate under-eye skin that's most vulnerable to the effects of stress. The look of puffiness and dark circles is minimized while fine lines appear softer. The result? Your eye area is brightened for a refreshed and wide-awake look."

I have used this several times since I received it to battle my dark circles and sleep deprivation. While I can't tell for sure if it is helping the dark circles yet, it is very cooling and soothing to tired, puffy eyes and it does seem to lessen the puffiness. This is a full sized product, and it retails for $20.

Finally we got Esprit d'Oscar Eau de Parfum by Oscar De La Renta.

From the site: Esprit d'Oscar is a modern interpretation of Oscar de la Renta’s signature scent. Inspired by the chic and sophisticated women of today, Esprit d’Oscar is the spirit of femininity re-imagined in a timeless floral-oriental fragrance that is exceptionally feminine and sparkling in spirit.

When it comes to perfumes and fragrances, I generally prefer scents that are sweet or fruity or gourmand. This is a very clean floral scent. It's not my style, but it is a high quality fragrance and smells very sophisticated. I'll be using it once in a while to change things up. I was excited to get a mini rollerball instead of the teeny tiny vials you usually get with perfume samples. The full size of this is $78.

This is Sample Society's first box, and I think they did a great job of providing a variety of great sized deluxe samples. I'm enjoying everything I got this month, I got to try four new products I'd never tried, and I'm really looking forward to what they send out in the future.