Sample Showdown #2

Kerastase Nectar Thermique

You know when you are out running errands and you’re dressed in yoga pants that have never seen a yoga studio, your RMIT University t-shirt complete with holes, hair in a bun that’s full of half a can of dry shampoo, no makeup but still have yesterdays mascara caked on your bottom lashes and Havaianas on your feet because nothing about your appearance makes sense? Then you’re walking down the street and you pass a woman who obviously has a respectable job that isn’t bartending until 2am at the local dive bar like you do. They are well dressed in expensive tailored clothes with perfect hair and makeup and shoes that haven’t been bitten by cats. Everything about them is just.. Grown up. You know they pay their bills before the due date and have cheese platters already pre-prepared waiting in their fridge at home. Well that is how I describe the smell of the Kerastase Nectar Thermique. This smells like adults who have their shit together and remember to heat protect their hair before going at it with a GHD. The smell is just so luxe and decadent that I just want to have this strapped under my nose like a donkey with a feedbag. This applies beautifully through the hair to keep it hydrated and protected against harsh heat styling tools without making the hair feel heavy, greasy or crunchy like some products. Oh so very nourishing. The only reason that I won’t be repurchasing this is because it’s tested on animals. My heart breaks for the animals and my strands of blonde. NOT Cruelty Free.

Aveda Intensive Hydrating Masque

The reviews online where so great for this face mask and I was so excited to use it, but it turned out to be quite the disappointment. This mask is completely clear and applies on like a thick type of glue. You keep it on for about 15 minutes and then rinse it off with water. It is meant to be extremely hydrating and soothing on the skin during winter months so I decided to give it a go on a particularly chilly night. During the process it didn’t feel like anything. Most masks feel cooling or warm or give some sort of sensation on the skin. This one just gave nothing and all seemed well until I washed it off my face and saw how irritated my skin looked. It was all red and blotchy and my skin didn’t even feel hydrated. It just looked REALLY pissed off. Considering this retails at $79.95 full sized this was another moment I was thanking my lucky stars that I was smart enough to subscribe to beauty boxes to try before I buy. Cruelty Free.

Aveda Tourmaline Charged Hydrating Crème

When I was getting ready to try this product I did not have high hopes due to my run in with the Aveda face mask five minutes ago. Even though the facemask massively sucked, the hydrating crème was AMAZING. When you apply this it feels as if you are putting your face in the ocean on a hot summers day. It was incredibly soothing, hydrating and just left my skin feeling amazing; everything I wanted the mask to be. This does smell very herbal which might put some people off but smell aside I cannot fault this product. Full size this retails at $89.95 and it is definitely worth the price. Out of the tiny sample tube I got three uses so the full size should last a long time. When reading reviews on this I read that some people have found this is a low cost dupe of the La Mer face cream, which was incredibly interesting. If I weren’t on a no buy right now I would definitely purchase this. Cruelty Free.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Genius

 Lash Genius by Anastasia Beverly Hills is a waterproof topcoat for mascara. It’s a cute little idea especially for people that really don’t like waterproof mascara everyday because of how hard it can be to remove. At first I was kind of like ‘Why not just buy waterproof mascara people?’ and then the more I thought about it, the more I realised how great this little product actually is. You can keep your regular non-waterproof mascara all year long and then also have the Lash Genius on hand for hot summer days or any other activity that might make mascara run (Watching Marley and Me maybe?). This is also a great alternative if you’ve found your dream mascara and the company doesn’t make a waterproof counterpart. It applies really easy over the top of existing mascara and this little tube lasted me over six months. A great little investment and I would definitely repurchase this. Cruelty Free. 

Nutrimetics Nutri-Rich Instant Radiance Beauty Balm

Most beauty balms these days are tinted in colours way too dark for my skin and even the lightest shades look either bright orange or streaky brown. So when I opened up this little sachet from Nutrimetics I was psyched! This balm makes the perfect primer for people that don’t like the heavy feel of some primers under their makeup. I applied this over my moisturiser and under my foundation and it gave it a beautiful and luminous glow and kept my makeup fresh and in place all night. It was also great at hiding the pores on my nose, even better than some other primers I’ve used. I didn’t notice any firming or lifting of the skin like it claims but my skin is still young so I don’t really need that. I did notice how hydrated and soft it left my skin and it did absorb any excess oil and stopped my makeup looking greasy by the end of the night.  I was really shocked to learn that Nutrimetics products are free from animal testing and animal derived ingredients, I've always believed they were down the same path that Avon were but now I know this I will definitely be purchasing a lot more of their products. When I was 18 I went to a Nutrimetics party held by a friends sister and purchased a few nail polishes and makeup products that were really great quality. So I think I’ll be jumping back on the Nutrimetics wagon for sure. Cruelty Free.

John Frieda Beach Blonde Smooth Seas Conditioner

This John Frieda conditioner for blonde hair smells like peppermint and also has detangling properties in it. I found it made my blonde hair brighter and smelt incredibly fresh thanks to the minty scent. It also worked like a dream with my Tangle Teezer at getting through some really stubborn knots at the front. I didn’t really like the accompanying shampoo that came with this (not pictured) as it didn’t really do much more than a standard shampoo would, but the conditioner was a little gem. The only thing I don’t like about John Frieda products is how hard it is to find out their animal testing practices. Many beauty bloggers and cruelty free websites find it hard to get a straight answer out of Kao Brands who owns John Frieda. They are featured on some cruelty free lists but do stock products in China and are rumored to have some testing labs over there. Due to all this confusion, I wouldn’t repurchase this conditioner. Animal Testing Unknown.

Bioderma Sebium Gel Moussant Cleanser

This is a great cleanser for oily skin that gives a really deep cleanse in seconds without being too stripping or harsh on the skin. The scent isn’t that great but it does leave skin feeling incredibly fresh and ready for moisturisers and serums and my skin didn’t break out at all using the sample. A little does go a long way because this tiny tube lasted me just under two weeks. While it was a great cleanser I feel there are a lot cheaper alternatives that do not test on animals so I wont be repurchasing this. NOT Cruelty Free.