CVS Beauty Day Givaway Summer 2016.

I nipped into my local CVS yesterday and they had their free Beauty Day Giveaway bags out. They used to hold Beauty Day events twice yearly and would send out emails about them and have reps from various brands on site. Now, I don't know if it is only my CVS  that this applies to, they no longer hold an event on a specific day or have anything special going on... Nowadays it's just a bunch of sample bags up for grabs.

These giveaway goody bags aren't all that exciting but if you see them it's still worth grabbing one as they contain a selection of mini drugstore items that are very handy to use when traveling, along with a few samples and coupons.

This time around the bags contained foil samples of four products from L'Oreal's Age Perfect range along with minis of Nexxus Therapy Shampoo, Nexxus Humectress Conditioner, CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, Aveeno Daily Moisturising Body Lotion, Aquaphor Healing Ointment and Garnier SkinActive Sunscreen SPF15. 

There's also a coupon to redeem for a 1oz St Ives Apricot Scrub which isn't something that I would use but many do.

Overall, I don't think that's a bad selection of products and it has a good part of your toiletry needs for a weekend trip covered. 

If you are passing by a CVS why not have a look to see if they have a bag for you?

Cult Beauty Summer Goody Bag 2016 GWP

I'm a little late with this - it arrived on the day I left for a work trip - but it was an extra nice perk to return home to. Anyway...

The Cult Beauty Summer Goody Bag, worth 175 GB Pounds, was free with any purchase of 110 GB Pounds (it is currently sold out). Worldwide shipping was free and as I live outside the E.U. I didn't have to pay British Sales Tax on my order which reduced the overall price by 20%. Couple this with the fact that I wanted some products from Oskia and Alpha H both of which aren't easy to find here this was a beauty offer that I simply couldn't refuse!

The last Cult Beauty Goody Bag that I received was last Summer and one of the products that in it was Alpha H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+ which I loved so much that I bought two more this time around. I'm super fussy about facial sunscreen and this one is very impressive - it has no white cast, layers well with make up, doesn't make me congested and hydrates without being greasy (it's also not too expensive at 29GBP for 50ml).

Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel was something that I bought last year for the first time and I liked it enough to repurchase it again this year. I use it in the morning (although it is perfect for both first and second cleanses also), it smells amazing and leaves my skin feeling not only fresh and clean but soft and with a little glow. All in all it's a joy!

 Because I'm a cleanser junkie I bought another couple! Bio Essence Miracle Bio Water Jelly Make Up Remover because I love the fresh feel of a jelly cleanser, they make makeup removal somewhat fun and also because I very much enjoyed BioEssence Hydra Tri Action Water Droplet Sleeping Mask which I loved when I received it in a Caroline Hirons Cult Beauty Box. 

I also wanted a creamy cleanser to replace the ones that I have recently finished so I bought Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cleanser (another product that I discovered in a Caroline Hirons Cult Beauty Box).

As for the gift bag itself it's packed full of all kinds of things that I am looking forward to playing with including an impressive selection of skincare...

There's a Tony Moly Rice Sheet Mask, two Mizon Vita Lemon Sparkling Powder Masks and a sample of Sonya Dakar Flash Facial Exfoliating Treatment. I can never have too many Caudalie products so I'm happy with the generously sized sample of Vinoperfect Serum and I'm excited to finally get my hands on an Emma Hardie product, her Amazing Facial Oil. I have loved everything that I have tried by Odacite so the fact that the bag includes a full sized Ba+S Eye Contour Serum makes me very happy and  and although it isn't my favourite acid toner the mini bottle of Pixi Glow Tonic is adorable and will be good for traveling with. Rounding out the skincare is a half sized jar of Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturiser.

Four make up samples are included: Becca Ever Matte Primer, Laura Geller Bronze and Brighten Powder, Well People Bio Brightener Invisible Powder and (another!) Kevyn Aucoin Navy Primatif Eye Pencil.

Finally, there is a mini Sachajuan Colour Save Shampoo, a jar of Kiki Heal+h Superfood which is a powdered supplement to add to smoothies etc and a smart black clutch/pouch/makeup bag.

I am so happy with my order. My summer SPF dilemma has been solved, I have a new wardrobe of cleansers and a whole host of goodies to play around with!

Space NK Summer Sale Splurge 2016.

I wasn't impressed with Space NK's winter sale, however, it seems that they had been saving all the good stuff for their Summer sale. When I first looked they had a lot of good things but they were mostly pricier brands - y'know the sort, ReVive, Natura Bisse - and although they were half price I managed to resist... Then a few days later they added more goodies from more brands and this time I stocked up on a few summer appropriate products (all of which were half price).

Caudalie Eau de Raisin is something that I almost always have in stock and now that it's hot I'm sure I will be reaching for this refreshing spritz regularly.

 Caudalie SOS Thirst Quenching Serum does exactly what it says on the box - it intensely hydrates and calms skin. It is perfect for summer as it is lightweight, non greasy, and smells lovely and fresh. It has been a while since I used this and I had forgotten how effective and comfortable it is. (This is great to hydrate your skin after flying BTW).

I have a bit of a thing for Darphin recently after having used some very nice samples and cracking open a jar of their Aromatic Cleansing Balm. I needed a basic moisturiser so I grabbed two Hydraskin Essential Hydration Emulsion which is another light weight product. Containing glycerine, shea butter and hyaluronic acid, there's nothing too radical in here and it is exactly what I need for layering over my night time serums. 

I also bought a bottle of Darphin Eye Make Up Remover because I always use a separate eye make up remover and am constantly on the lookout for ones that are gentle, effective, and non greasy.

The best thing... all the above cost $107.00... basically, a whole lot of fancy French skincare for drugstore prices!

The sale is still running and while all of the items I bought have sold out there are still lots of bargains to be had. If you need any skincare or make up items why not take a look at us.spacenk.com?

The Pier Falls.

I don't often read volumes of short stories and I have to admit that they are not one of my favourite genres of writing, so often they fail to draw me in and connect with the characters because of their length. But I have read all three of Mark Haddon's previous adult books and enjoyed them thoroughly - he is a skilled narrator and his stories are always somewhat unusual. With this in mind I picked up The Pier Falls, a volume of nine short stories, which I found myself enjoying as much, if not even more, than his full length novels. 

The nine tales in this volume are totally unconnected yet they are all oddly disturbing. They range in settings from an island in Ancient Greece to a distant space station in the future. (My personal favourite story in the book was Wodwo).  These tales are entertaining but they aren't an easy read as they are unsettling, even a little menacing, in their tone and content. (The Island  even gave me bad dreams...) 

Don't be put off though as each one is a perfectly crafted masterpiece. If like me you are an unbeliever in short stories do pick this up. It changed my mind and I am sure it will yours!

Recommended. 

The Bathroom Shelf S/S 2016

Time to check in and take a look at what is on my bathroom shelf at the moment. (I do this every six months or so as I find it interesting to see which products I have swapped out and which ones I have repurchased. I have extra skincare items in my bathroom cabinet but these tend to be unopened products or ones that I use infrequently - the ones on the shelf are the ones that I reach for on a regular basis.

As before the top shelf (starting from the left) has a scent diffuser and facial sprays. The two make up bags contain samples, one has face masks, lip balms and facial exfoliators and the other has hair care and bath and body products. Finally on this shelf are my hair care products: hair sprays, leave in conditioners, salt sprays and volumisers.

The middle shelf has my perfume collection, daily moisturisers, a vertical stack of eye creams then serums and facial oils and a couple of larger sized tubes of masks.

The bottom shelf has some empty candle holders with Muji cotton pads and cotton buds and dental flossers. Then the rest of my current skincare: facial sunscreen, exfoliating toners, Kiehl's  Ultra Facial Toner and the four cleansers that I am currently using.

Here's the shelf last December...

...I feel that although there are some staples there it has changed quite a bit.

 There are more hair products and a couple of new perfumes. 

Nude Radiant Day Moisturiser, Sunday Riley Good Genes and Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner are all newly repurchased bottles so I obviously really, really like these! 

I'm currently trying to use up Sunday Riley Artemis and Aurelia Cell Repair Night Oil - you use so little facial oil that a bottle lasts such a long time (I'm happy that I have used up two from last time). 

I invested in a more expensive retinol product, Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM that I have been using a couple of times a week.

Although it isn't pictured on the shelf I do have a bottle of eye make up remover that I am using but it is almost empty so I have it balancing upside down by my sink! 

Right now I have a lot of cleansers in stock but I am trying to use some up before cracking the new ones open hence I currently only have four in use, but I think they are a good selection that cover all my needs. 

I'm also currently trying to use up a lot of minis and samples (eye creams, serums, sun protection etc). Don't forget to check out my Empties posts to see how I'm doing with that and I will take another look at the shelf at the end of the year.

Spark Joy.

Spark Joy is the follow up/companion volume to Marie Kondo's best selling The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up which I read in April. I wasn't totally convinced by Marie Kondo's philosophy and thought that a lot of her methods were impractical and a little too kooky for my lifestyle yet I was intrigued enough to pick this second book up. 

Spark Joy is presented as being a more practical guide to tidying and organising your home than the first book. Whilst it does contain examples of how to do so I wouldn't categorise it as a traditional guide book or a instructional book, much of the book is anecdotal, and much of it revisits and rehashes the ideas that were presented in the first book to reinforce the KonMarie method and philosophy.     

The cartoonish illustrations in this book were charming and very Japanese in feel but I felt that they were cute drawings rather than instructive illustrations.

I was expecting to read this and come away with some great ideas for organising my cupboards and belongings but I found that I already do a lot of the things that she suggests. A lot of the suggestions in this guide are things that I think of as being rather basic common sense: get rid of bulky packaging; store like articles together; get rid of old paperwork and so on... Maybe I am simply much better organised than I thought although I am by no means a 'neat freak'...  And there are still some things that she suggests that I find downright odd (soaking the labels off detergent bottles and tying a colourful ribbon around the bottle to make it more pleasing anyone?!?).

Spark Joy suggests that you should first read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up in order to understand and use it's ideas accordingly, however, I felt that this book revisited the first one so often that it is unnecessary to read them both. If you want to be tidier and find out more about the KonMarie method then my suggestion would be that you read Spark Joy, I don't feel that there is a lot to be gained by reading both books and I found this one to be the more informative and interesting of the two.

Walmart Beauty Box Summer 2016.

Walmart Beauty Box is a subscription box that automatically ships four times a year once you have signed up for it. Containing an assortment of full sized products, samples and money saving coupons the box is 'free' but you pay $5.00 for shipping. 

Let's take a look inside...

Full Sized.

Incoco Coconut Nail Art Strips (set of 12) in the pattern 'Desert Rose'. Nail art strips aren't something that I use and in addition I'm not keen on the design of these ones. I will pass these onto someone.

Minis.

Arm and Hammer Truly Radiant Toothpaste (.9fl oz). Hmmm, I'm not thrilled at getting a mini tube of toothpaste like the ones that the hygienist gives you after a dental visit... I had toothpaste in my last box as well... Arm and Hammer isn't a brand that I like so this will also be passed onto someone else. 

St Ives Apricot Scrub (1oz) This is also going into my giveaway box. I know a lot of peeps use this but it is way too harsh and scrubby and can tear your skin. This is a repeat item from a previous box for me.

Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs (.75 fl oz) in the shade 'Medium'. And yet another giveaway item! (I'm not doing well with this box am I?) Not only do I not use leg make up and self tanners this is also another repeat item for me, grrrr....

Schwarzkopf Ultime Color & Radiance Shampoo (1.7fl oz) Finally a product I will use - hurrah! I had a sample of Ultime Repair & Moisture Shampoo in my Spring 2015 Walmart box and although it didn't impress me greatly it was OK. Mini products are good to pop in my travel bag so I will use this over the summer.

Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Repair Body Lotion (2fl oz) Fragrance free. Another item that I will use. Fragrance free body lotion isn't the most exciting thing out there but this travel sized tube will come in handy.

Samples.

Lady Gaga Fame EDP (.04 fl oz). Another repeat item from Spring 2015. I haven't used the previous sample so I'm not overly excited to get another one. I find it to be one of those 'head-ache-y'

fragrances...

Overall.

This box felt rather slapdash to me - there's not usually a theme to Walmart boxes and their contents aren't even always seasonally appropriate - but this felt as if someone had grabbed a bunch of products, thrown them in a box and mailed it out. I don't think that the box introduced me to any new products especially as I received several repeat items. 

There are only two items this time that I will use and they are both rather basic and the box didn't contain any money off coupons or make up items.

Walmart boxes tend to be a bit hit and miss and this one was pretty grim for me. (I feel bad complaining as the box is 'free'  but the $10.00 Target box that I received last week was simply so much better.) I will continue with my subscription however and have my fingers crossed that the next box will be more enticing.  

If you would like to sign up for Walmart Beauty Boxes you can do so at walmart.com (The details and sign up link can be found under 'special offers' in the online beauty department. 

The Mare.

Velvet is a young Dominican girl from Brooklyn who enters the Fresh Air Fund program and is sent to upstate New York to holiday with Ginger and Paul, a white middle class couple. Whilst staying with them Velvet visits a local stable where she is discovered to be a naturally skilled horsewoman and forms a special bond with a damaged mare called Fugly Girl.

In essence The Mare is a standard coming of age tale as we see Velvet transform from a girl into a young woman and the difference that the connection with 'her horse' makes to her life, but in reality it is so much more. It tells the story of Ginger who struggles with her sobriety and life in a small town after living in NYC; the story of Ginger and Paul who become distant and argumentative as Ginger aligns herself with Velvet; the story Silvia and her jealousy of her daughter, Velvet. These are but a few threads in a richly woven tale.

Mary Gaitskill is one of my very favourite authors and she skillfully recounts the story in a burst of short chapters voiced by different characters in the novel.

There's a lot of difficult material here that the author handles with great care (race, poverty, teenage sexuality etc) and she authentically voices characters from a great diversity of backgrounds without overdoing the stereotypes associated with them.

Velvet is charming but she is also a difficult and willful child but I was so much on her side. I'm not a 'horsey' person but I found this book to be totally captivating.

I have only two criticisms: the book could have been somewhat shorter and I felt that the ending was left a little too open nevertheless I found it to be entrancing.

Recommended.

Target Beauty Box June 2016.

Each month Target releases a Beauty Box with a range of full sized, mini and sample products as well as money off coupons. The price of the box tends to vary from month to month but they are usually $10.00 or under. Unlike a lot of other boxes you don't sign up and get a recurring subscription you simply purchase them when they are released at target.com 

These boxes sell out very fast so I signed up for email alerts about them at mysubscriptionaddiction.com and ordered mine as soon as I recieved the alert.

June's box was themed 'Sun Kissed' and cost $10.70 with tax, shipping was free. 

There is a card included in the box with product details and whilst it doesn't give the value of the items in the box I read that this month's box has a value of $38.00 which seems about right.

The box itself is Glossybox sized and sturdy enough to be reusable. It contained one full sized item, ten minis and samples, as well as three money off coupons.

Full Sized.

The full sized product was an e.l.f. Lip Kiss Balm in the shade 'Bare Kiss'. 

My lips get very dry and sore so I am always eager to try out new lip products. This one is quite heavily pigmented (it is a coral/nude) so that for me it is more of a lipstick than a balm.

It smells pleasently minty and contains grapeseed and Jojoba oils to moisturise lips.

Mini Sized.

Yes to Cucumber Facial Wipes. A pack of ten face wipes that will be good to use as a refreshing wipe when travelling. (I no longer use wipes to remove make up but I have used these before and they were pretty good).

Pantene Expert Intense Hydration Shampoo (3.9 fl oz). I have used this range before and I was pretty impressed considering they are a drugstore brand. This smells like a more expensive shampoo and the bottle is a generous size.

Shea Motion Weightless Creme Rinse (3.2 fl oz). This hair conditioner is organic and free of parabens, phthalates, sulphates and mineral oils. It has a very summery fruity fragrance of apples and coconut. I look forward to trying this one out.

L'Oreal Revitalift Volume Filler Moisturizer (.5 oz). This is an intensely hydrating moisturiser for both day and nighttime use. It feels quite light and absorbs quickly but I dislike it's chemical scent that is quite strong on application.

Pixi Mesmerizing Mineral Duo Eye Shadow (2 x .03 oz). How adorable is this mini eyeshadow duo? These have a little shimmer but they feel buttery and are perfect shades to go with a tan. Very summery!

Samples.

Laneige Water Bank Serum. This is a generously sized .3fl oz serum. I've used this before, it is a gel formula serum that feels light, refreshing and hydrating.

CoTZ Face Sunscreen, SPF 40, Natural Tinted. This is a little too dark for me and it feels heavy and silicone like on my skin. I won't use this as I am very fussy about the feel of sunscreens. It's good to try it out though.

L'Oreal Paris True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation. I received the shade W3 which is a nude beige. Although this isn't something I will ever purchase I have to admit to being curious about cushion foundations so I will enjoy playing with this.

SW Basics Exfoliant is a powder exfoliant that you mix with water to form a paste. It is made from oat flour, almond flour and sea salt which sounds interesting. It is another product that I don't ever see myself buying but will be fun to try out!

Soap & Glory Righteous Butter Body Butter. Who doesn't like a bit of Soap & Glory? This is 'Britain's favourite body butter' after all! Now that Sephora don't carry this I look forward to seeing it in Target.

Coupons.

$2.00 off Pantene Expert, $2.00 off L'Oreal True Match Cosmetics and $3.00 off any Target Beauty purchase of more than $15.00. I most likely won't use the first two but will use the Target one for something by Boots or Soap & Glory (I'm so English lol).

Overall.

This is a great box don't you think? The products in it were relevant to the 'Sun kissed" theme and there are some fun items to explore in it. The only disappointing product for me is the CoTZ sunscreen.

It is an inexpensive box, (if you redeemed all the coupons it would be less than $3.00!) and although you need to be quick off the mark ordering these I think it's great that you can purchase a one off box without any of the hassles of being tied into a subscription. Full spoilers are released in advance so that you know exactly what you are getting and can purchase or not accordingly. 

I have so much stuff in my stash that I can't see myself picking these up each month but now and again when the boxes look promising why not?

Target, I'm impressed!  

The Expatriates.

Set in Hong Kong The Expatriates tells the story of three American woman whose different lives interact in the tight knit expatriate community there. Margaret is suffering from a great loss, Hilary is coming to terms with both her own infertility and her husband's mid life crisis and twenty five year old Mercy is trying to find her way in a life besieged by bad luck. Alone and away from their real friends the three women form an unlikely trio yet the story works.

A certain amount of the book reflects cultural differences between the women's world and that of the local workers but overall I would say that it highlights the differences in class and wealth to a far greater extent and because of this the story could be retold in almost any global setting. Personally, I would have liked a little more in depth local details to make it more Hong Kong specific.

Having said that the book offers an intriguing glimpse at wealthy expat wives and their  'Real Housewives of Hong Kong (or anywhere else)' style of living and it was an easy and enjoyable read.

I liked the author's style of writing and there was enough happening to keep me entertained and interested.

If you are after an absorbing beachy type read I recommend you pick this up.

Warm Weather Beauty Refresh.

The weather affects almost every aspect of our lifestyle - from our activities to the foods we eat, the clothes that we wear and, of course, our choices of beauty products.

As the weather warms up I find myself reaching for things that I haven't picked up so much during the winter months. Here's a quick peek at some of my swapped up products...

Fragrance wise I'm inclined towards warm spicy scents but they can feel a little oppressive on hotter days so I feel the need for something fresher, fruitier or even a little floral. My go to 'it's a really hot day perfume' is Philosykos by Diptyque. It smells fig like (of course) but there is a little woody-ness that makes it fresh and green and stops it from being too sweet or girly. Diptyque currently have it on sale in a smaller travel sized edition (diptyqueparis.com).
I've also been reaching for Cologne by Etat Libre d'Orange on hotter days. It has the refreshing Neroli notes of a traditional cologne along with the addition of a little musk and bergamot which round it out very nicely, preventing it from being too astringent and lemony. (min.com).

Needless to say the warm enveloping scented shower gels have also been pushed aside for the moment and I have really been enjoying Penhaligon Juniper Sling Bath and Shower Gel (this is definitely something of a luxury bathroom item that is a real treat to use). It has a very unique scent based on the notes of dry London Gin that is zesty and uplifting with a slightly citrus edge that makes it a perfect choice for warmer months. (penhaligons.com)

I like to use a cleanser with a little clay in it during the warmer weather. I find they make my face feel very clean without feeling stripped and they help balance my skin (by which I mean they keep the oily/grease slick at bay...) I am currently using Sarah Chapman Skinesis Rapid Radiance Cleanse but I also love Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip.

I tend towards neutral tones in my make up so there not much change here and although
I use Chantecaille Just Skin every darn day I do switch the colour of it up for Summer, replacing the paler cooler toned 'Bliss' for 'Nude' which is warmer and slightly darker.
And to keep it from sliding off my face I make sure to slather on Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer which makes my make up stay in place for the best part of the day no matter what.

Summertime weather in NYC always comes with a big side serving of humidity which means hair turns into a giant frizz. R+Co Foil Frizz &Static Control Spray delivers a fine mist of Argan Oil and contains a thermal polymer to seal moisture inside the hair.  The tin dispenses a very fine spray of oil and it smells lovely. I need to try this out some more before saying how effective it is as I've a feeling it isn't going to wow me...

  (All of these items can be found at us.spacenk.com).

I love spritzes and sprays year round but I use them throughout the day in the Summer, rather than solely as a part of my cleansing routine.
Vichy Eau Thermal is about as basic as you can get (I mean, it's mineral water in a can...) but it's cheap enough that you can spray it with abandon and it's size and packaging make it ideal to pop in your handbag and use anywhere. (cvs.com)

Finally...
Of course it goes without saying that you need to up your SPF in the warmer months. I'm extremely fussy about sun screens so am trying out a few. When I find one that ticks all my sun protection boxes I will let you know!

  

Paris Nocturne.

Paris Nocturne is another short book by Patrick Mondiano. (I recently read After the Circus by the same author and was enchanted by it.) 

Set in 1960's Paris this book opens with a young man being struck by a car at twilight. He is taken to a hotel along with the car's female driver and there follows a dreamlike ethereal tale where both the young man and reader find themselves befuddled and left wondering what is reality and what is imagined.  

Then, after a short stay in hospital the young man is given a considerable sum of money by a sinister gangster type. The tale continues as the young man spends his days ambling around Paris trying to find the car's driver in the hope that she will shed light on what happened.

This book is very similar in feel to After the Circus. The protagonist and his lifestyle are once against based on that of the author and the characters from both books are so similar as to be interchangeable. Similairly there is a blurring of what is real and what is imagined and once again the prose is impeccable. (The translation is also to be praised).

Of the two books (that I feel I have to compare as they are so similar) I preferred After The Circus as I found that story to be more interesting and the characters more defined, but Paris Nocturne is also a great book, excellently written and very atmospheric.
I will certainly pick up more works by this author. 

Empties May 2016.

I was expecting to use up a few more things than I did during May. There aren't as many empties as usual but even so I did use up eight full sized items (that includes a couple of mini bag sized hand creams) and twelve samples.

Body and Perfume.

I didn't finish any hair products this month and the only body item I used up was a Rituals T'ai Chi Foaming Shower Gel which was very nice - it had a light green tea type fragrance so it felt very clean and fresh - perfect for this warmer weather.

I did use up two hand creams however: another Crabtree and Evelyn Hand Therapy in 'Lavender 'and a Burt's Bees Hand Salve which was also lavender scented. The Burt's Bees Salve is very good but also very oily so I could only use it last thing at night as it takes time to sink in.

I used two perfume vials. I loved the smell of Jo Malone Mimosa and Cardamom but it was another Jo Malone scent that had no longevity for me I'm afraid.

Make Up.

I managed to finish four make up items, four, I know! 

Another Hourglass Mini Film Noir Mascara and yet another Chantecaille Just Skin. 

I liked Sunday Riley Effortless Tinted Primer a lot. It is a little oily but it made a lovely even base for make up and felt moisturising. I will certainly get this again after the Summer. 

I wasn't a huge fan of Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Lip Gloss that came as part of a Blue Mercury GWP. The formula was sticky and seemed to dry my lips and the tube became messy after a few uses... but it was an easy one to throw in my bag and use on the go.

Skincare.

Oskia Perfect Cleanser is a thick balm. It is very effective, it does an excellent job of dissolving make up and rinses off very nicely but I don't think that I would get it again as I found it a little too stiff and heavy feeling when I massaged it on my face.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner is a staple for me I love it so much! But I wasn't overly impressed with the other toner I used up, Pixi Glow Tonic. The huge bottle did last a long time but there are plenty of other exfoliating toners and pads that I prefer. Maybe this is a product that suffers from being over promoted and I had unrealistic expectations but it was just OK for me and left my skin feeling a little bumpy.

From the skincare samples I used I loved Radical Eye Revive Cream. It managed to be rich but not greasy, didn't irritate my eyes at all and it did an awesome job of hydrating my under eye area.

I also enjoyed Mila Moursi The Firming Cream and Evan Healy Lavender HydroSoul Tonic.

Finally, whilst I liked both of the products the samples of Caudalie Resveratrol Serum and 111Skin Bright Eye Lift Gel were both packaged terribly with, respectively, a useless pipette and pump. 

I feel bad complaining about free things but as samples are the introduction to a product or range I think that they should be perfectly packaged...