Saturday Samples #5

Phew its Saturday, it feels like it has been a long week!

I've only tried a couple of products from my samples box this week but they were both decent sized products which allowed me to test them out properly  

Bliss Lemon and Sage Soapy Suds

This is from their ever-popular lemon and sage range (I think I also have a body lotion with this scent in a draw somewhere..) and can be used either as a shower gel or as a bath foam.

I did rather enjoy using it as a shower gel, it woke me up in the morning and foamed nicely without leaving my skin too dry and tight afterwards.  I did feel that the scent of lemon could have been a little more prominent though as I could identify the sage much more readily and it reminded me of cooking - not what I really want to think about at 6.15 in the morning!!

I tried using it as a bath foam but was rather disappointed with its performance.  I had to use quite a bit to produce sufficient bubbles and the bubbles themselves only hung around for about half an hour before completely disappearing.  I like a long bath of an hour to totally relax and work my way through the week's Grazia, and I ended up just bathing in warm water as the scent didn't stick around for long either.

Quick Verdict

Useful as a shower gel but not ideal as a bath foam due to the disappointing amount of bubbles and their lack of longevity.  At over £15 for a full sized bottle, I won't be repurchasing.

Bare Minerals Original SPF15 Foundation in Medium Beige

I have to admit to being a total novice when it comes to mineral foundation but I've heard so many raves from friends about this foundation that I had to give it  a shot when I saw it languishing unloved in my samples box.

The sample comes with a small brush which you use to apply the foundation by buffing it onto your skin.  Now I don't have a lot of time in the morning, and certainly don't have more than about 10 minutes to do my whole makeup routine, so I always felt that mineral loose powder foundation was something which would require lots of time to do it properly, although I suspect you would become quicker over time as you got more practised.

When applying I did notice that some of the powder kicked up so I would probably recommend getting dressed afterwards to avoid covering yourself in powder like I did!!  I would say it provides light-medium coverage  - enough to cover any discolouration and redness in your skin but not enough to really cover any prominent blemishes.  It did feel very light on my skin, not mask-like at all, and my skin stayed fairly matte for the 5 hours I wore it.

Quick Verdict

If you only require a light coverage, you may like this foundation as it feels very soft and almost like you are not wearing any base at all.  If you are someone like me, who hurriedly dashes out the door in the morning and likes her products to multi-task and be super simple to apply, then this may not be for everyday use, as it does require a little extra time in your make-up routine.

Have a good weekend

Victoria

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