Samples of The Week

Hey Friends. It’s been a while since I featured some samples to test here in the blog. I do have several minis I’ve been dying to try and I’ll review them in batches for the weeks to come. For this post, I tested some Bobbi Brown lipsticks, some winter-ready scents, as well as a skincare from Dior and glow-enhancing products from Charlotte Tilbury and Cover Fx.

Here are my first impressions.

Bobbi Brown

Crushed Lip Color in Babe (0.17 oz: $29) – This is a hybrid lipstick and balm type and the Babe shade is a beautiful mid-tone salmon pink. I love how hydrating this is and the pigment is long-wearing. The finish of this looks pretty much like a balm yet it feels and applies like a lipstick. I think this is quite similar to the Dior Lip Glow (reviewed HERE), but the Dior ones feel even more like a true balm.

Art Stick Liquid Lip in English Rose (0.17 oz: $21.75) – This is a nude terracotta-ish rose. I love this a lot right from the moment I applied this on my lips. Apart from falling in love with the English Rose shade, I love how this liquid lip color wears and looks on my lips. It has a satiny sort of semi-matte finish with a creamy moisturizing feel and the pigment is totally long-wearing and staining, even if this feels a bit heavy. Sadly, this seems to be phasing out soon, I guess because the packaging is just not practical. You can still find the English Rose shade in mini size at Sephora, and there are still some other shades in full-sizes at bobbibrown.com

Lip Color in Sandwash Pink (0.12 oz: $29) – This is a nude beige pink with a full coverage semi-matte finish that feels creamy, comfy, and light. The pigment is very rich and it doesn’t dry the lips. I find this lipstick to be long-wearing and it’s a true Bobbi Brown classic.

Luxe Lipstick in Neutral Rose (0.13 oz: $37) – Mid-tone rose pink. A full coverage and highly pigmented moisturizing lipstick with a creamy finish. I love how vivid and beautiful this Neutral Rose shade is and this does last for several hours. I do feel like this is so close to the Bobbi Brown Lip Color above in terms of the finish and feel, but only with a slightly more pigmented formulation.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss in St. Tropez (0.16 oz: $16) – This is probably one of the best lip glosses I’ve ever tried, and I love the scent of this, which is kinda vanilla fruity. The St. Tropez shade is shimmery and metallic but it’s not over the top and it actually feels light. This looks pretty on the lips especially as a topper, and I find the formula to be long-lasting.

Hermès Twilly d’Hermès Eau de Parfum (1 oz: $79, 1.6 oz: $100, 2.8 oz: $130) – A powdery floral scent that will remind you of cashmere and cozy fireplaces. This is a sexy irresistible feminine scent but it’s the kind that needs to work with some body chemistries, or it could take some getting used to. Take it from me, I didn’t like this scent much before, but I find this to be alluring and irresistible now.

Kilian Good Girl Gone Bad Eau de Parfum (mini 4 x 0.25 oz: $195, 1.7 oz: $295) – This is supposed to be a floral scent, but it smells kinda fruity floral on me especially at first spritz. I find this fragrance to be classic and somewhat musky. It’s a little too strong for my taste, but I can see the appeal.

BVLGARI Omnia Pink Sapphire Eau de Toilette (1.35 oz: $68, 2.2 oz: $84) – If you’re familiar with most Bvlgari Omnia scents, then this particular fragrance is really not that different, except that this has a more fruity hint. I especially love the Omnia Coral and Crystalline scents, and if you have those already, you could either skip this one or you’d probably like this fragrance even more. I do notice that this doesn’t last as much as the other Bvlgari Omnia fragrances.

Berdoues Somei Yoshino Eau de Parfum (0.34 oz/travel size: $25, 3.4 oz: $88) – This is a delightful fruity floral fragrance that is feminine and light with a hint of cherry blossom, reminiscent of a stroll in the Japanese Garden during the early Spring. As much as I find the scent to be captivating, I feel like I’ve smelled this scent before, I just couldn’t pinpoint what it is. So I think this is kinda dupeable somehow.

Cover Fx Custom Enhancer Drops in Moonlight (0.5 oz: $42) – This illuminating drop is just epic. It imparts a customizable glow that is versatile for any use, be it as a highlighter or as an add-on to the foundation for soft or blinding glow. The Moonlight shade may look golden on the outside, but it’s actually silvery. You can get lots of glow with this, so try not to put a lot. A little bit goes a long way.

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Face Primer (1.35 oz: $55) – This primer has a subtle glow for those who want to achieve that lit from within look. Also, if you want a bit more glow, you can add a drop of this on the cheeks as a highlight. On my skin, I could barely see the effect when used as a primer, since my foundation seems to overpower it. I prefer to use this mixed with my foundation.

Dior Hydra Life Fresh Hydration Sorbet Crème (1.7 oz: $69) – Love the fresh fruity scent of this light-green cream and it’s super hydrating with a lightweight gel feel. It’s great for normal to oily skin and perfect for any dry or rough patches on the face that needs moisturization.

Korres Pomegranate AHA & Enzymes Resurfacing Mask (2.54 oz: $34) – This is a gentle exfoliant that goes deep into the pores. I love its resurfacing ingredients and its fruity bubblegum scent which is really good, though it can be too strong for some. I like how my skin looks after using this a couple of times, it just looks glowy, smooth, and my pores look less pronounced and thoroughly cleaned. Will be purchasing this in its regular size.