Natural Goodness Straight from the Beehive, Burt’s Bees from Sample Room

 Burt’s Bees has been known for its lip balms. However, this time around, there are new products to try thanks to Sample Room.

This has got to be one of the best lotions I've tried. For two weeks, I've noticed that my skin has become smoother especially around the elbows where it is usually rough. It is fast absorbing and leaves a subtle, minty scent behind. I've used it at a time that my wrists had rashes and yet it completely soothed and calmed down the reaction. The lotion glides on very well and I'll be sad to see it empty.

For a small, compact size, the hand salve can calm me with its scent. I like that it has a lemon, fresh scent unlike other rubbing balms and it's quite solid. However, I can only pick up limited product and rub it on my hands, but the application is always so smooth and it's a good product to apply on the hands after heavy tasks around the house.

I'm just grateful that I got to try out Burt's Bees products and they are very useful for me. The scents are calming and they make great pre-bed time buddies.  I'm also going to look forward to Burt's Buzz when it's released soon.

Have a great weekend and I'll update you with all that's been happening. I know it's been a while but I do strive to keep things in line.

Would You Want To Guess Which Colour Collection Lip Perfection Shade I Grabbed?

  

Sample Room has introduced quite some interesting products lately, some of which went out of stock immediately just minutes after posting and announcements. I was lucky to have sampled two shades of the latest Colour Collection Lip Perfection lipsticks with Argan Oil by Sample Room.

On the left is a peach and nude shade, Crema, that goes well with formal looks and conservative work environments. I find that it takes at least two coats to give my lips good colour and it has a somewhat sheer finish. As for the shade on the right called Bella, it's a bright pink that packs a punch and will look great in the evenings. It's also for those who want attention-grabbing lips apart from red. It has a generous amount of colour and has a semi-matte finish.

As for lasting power, it can easily come off after having had food. I prefer to use lip balm before swiping lipstick back on because it seems like the consistency is the same as that of the Colour Collection lipsticks I've tried from Sample Room.

I like the white and gold packaging, it gives a fresh appeal to lipstick junkies out there. However, I would like to see how the brand can design a sleek and slim lipstick, after all, space savers are a plus. Something tells me that I'll be reaching out for Crema in the weeks to come until I've abused it enough.

Did you get a chance to experience Colour Collection's Lip Perfection? Which shades did you get? Have a fab weekend!

Product Spotlight: Skin White Power Whitening Body Wash

Skin White Whitening Body Wash from Sample Room

Shortly after The Cream Factory bid adieu, I found its replacement in one of Sample Room's features.

I am a self-confessed bar soap hoarder and have just become a body wash convert this year. Finding a back-up was fairly easy and this not-so little game player seems promising. I've also noticed that some brands have jumped into the body wash bandwagon. 

For a 200 ml bottle, it's very affordable at Php 99. That's like the amount of two bar soaps and this bottle can surely  last for more than a month! For someone who enjoys fresh showers in the morning to start the day right, I find the scent a bit too overwhelming and the sweet fragrance just fills the whole bathroom. 

It is gentle on the skin though and I like that there is no need to apply lotion afterward. It has a gentle cleansing effect and it also softens my skin. I'm not quite sure about gauging its moisturizing effect but I do like that the formulation is not as runny. It lathers very well and does not leave any residue.

As for whitening, I'm not exactly keen on its whitening properties and I don't see any visible effects, not my primary goal is to whiten my skin with this wash. So I think this is a good cleansing wash but not necessarily a whitening wash especially if you want to have two tones lighter. 

I find that this is a fair body wash in general and can last a long time with regulated use giving you good money's worth. I believe this is the brand's first in the market and have high hopes that it will work well with its body lotions.

Have you tried this one too? What are your thoughts? Have a good weekend!

On Fragrances: Zen Zest Cabinet Deodorizer and Anti-Mosquito Room Fragrances

Whoa it's May! I didn't even notice... May is quite a special month for me. It means new beginnings and I can't wait to do my religious ritual on the 13th. But I'll elaborate on that later. In the meantime, let me introduce you to new spritzes and new lovable scents. 

Whoever thought of this is brilliant! In this case, it's fragrance connoisseur Zen Zest. I’ve been searching for ideas for my monthly On Fragrances feature and Sample Room lays it right on my lap.

Fragrances for your room? Why not? It’s your personal space in your home and it’s one place where you should feel revitalized and refreshed. 

Zen Zest brings forth two rejuvenating scents for one’s personal spaces. For only 20 points each, I got to try the Cabinet Deodorizer and Anti-Mosquito Room Fragrance. It’s just the perfect end-notes to spring clean!

The Cabinet Deodorizer in Iris Peony and Fresia Blossom is just lovely. It's an all-around deodorizer and every time I open my closet, the fragrance is so refreshing. It lasts for at least three days.I'm impressed with the way it neutralizes bad odors, I feel calm too knowing that because of the sweet, light scent from the Iris Peony in this mixture.

 

For the Anti-Mosquito Spray, it's a mixture of Citronella, Lemongrass and Eucalyptus. Unlike the other insect repellants making use of the Citronella and Lemongrass combination that I've tried, the addition of Eucalyptus in this concoction adds just the right minty fragrance. It's just the right balance and the Eucalyptus floats above the other two scents making it more of a minty insect repellant. Looking for added bonus? You don't have to apply it onto the skin. I like that it's safe to spray in most corners of the house as well.

The only downside? I wish the full-sized bottles were made available, because this is such a luxury item at a very affordable price! I think I'm lucky to be able to have availed of the Limited Edition scents. 

For now, I'll be spritzing away until my next post.

What are your discoveries for the month of May? Any resolutions you would want to share with me?

I Want To Be A Part of Sample Room’s Bloggers Circle (2014 Edition)

 

Just typing that title makes me feel like I’m in a reality show for bloggers. But in the blogosphere, things are done a bit unorthodox, and it’s what makes being on the plane a whole lot of fun and the whole blogging experience is rather innovative. 

I’ve been a Roomie since 2012 and have been looking out for new samples to try in Sample Room since started my blog and have been rewarded with the initial 100 points when the platform first launched. Being a Roomie means keeping an eye out for new samples, making sure there are enough points in the account to purchase new samples (especially the full-sized ones), paying the shipping fee and practicing extreme patience while waiting for the order to arrive. Of course, once I’ve had my fill and decided on a yes or no for the products, I write down my review and get rewarded my points back. There are also fun contests being held across social media sites and occasional goodie bags. 

Now let’s tackle why I want to be a part of Sample Room’s Bloggers Circle for this year. Most of those in the beauty blogging world would agree that being a Roomie is pretty convenient and addictive. It gives its members the chance to try out new products for free. I feel that being a Partner Blogger would be quite the privilege, and being a blogger from the south, I can introduce the concept of trying before buying to interested women especially among small town bloggers like myself. 

I keep coming back to Sample Room to find new products that can help me with my skin problems like discoloration, acne, sun care and protection and just about anything else that’s creating waves in the beauty world. The site also introduces useful tools for beauty enthusiasts of various degrees and it’s just about time that more women get to discover for themselves the clever system of Sample Room. 

Sample Room opens doors for women who want to discover what’s out there that deserve the slice of their budget. Women owe it to themselves to decide first if the products that they encounter are worth it, saving time and money in the process.

So do I deserve to be a part of the Bloggers Circle for this year? If it were a reality show, will I make the cut? Only the beautiful people at the SR team get to decide. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

On Fragrances: Let’s Love Woman by United Colors of Benetton

A new month means that it’s the time for another feature on a new fragrance! I daresay that it’s a new fragrance at least for me. I hope your pranks yesterday were pretty effective.  I did pull a prank yesterday, being April Fool's Day but that was it. I think I'm losing my touch.  >___<

Valentine’s Day came and went and Let’s Love Woman by United Colors of Benetton was one of the featured samples in Sample Room but to my disappointment, I didn’t have enough points to secure a 30ml bottle. I guess it was my lucky day when I became one of the 25 recipients of the Sample Room #Inspire bag.

“The feminine equivalent of earlier launched masculine fragrance Let's Move is named Let's Love. It is designed for the young, modern and romantic woman who still dreams of love affairs. The dominant note is the note of passion flower, floral - fruity composition optimistically opens with bamboo sap, pineapple and lily of the valley. Middle notes are ruled by passion flower, with star jasmine and raspberry. Musk, cedar wood and cashmere wood form the perfume’s background.”

In a small silver box, the print on it already gives perfume collectors a hint of what to expect. It’s simple and sends the message across- Let’s Love. If love were to be embodied in a fragrance, what would its scent be? How would one capture the moment and the actions of love?

 

There will be thrilling moments, and then there will be those seconds when you feel just content and happy-not wanting to be anywhere else except there. There will be that light, airy feeling and with eyes closed, it will be sweet and fluttery and you will be one with the cool wind. It’s like taking the plunge and trusting yourself, pretty much like how the sweet and floral scent is. It can be a little overpowering, but after all, it’s the pull that no one can ignore. 

It’s a suitable scent for spring and summer, especially when one is to spend the day outdoors under shady trees and blue skies. The more prominent notes can last up to eight hours, it blends as the hours pass by. The trail is delicate, and the hint of fruity and floral scents makes this tiny bottle just the right companion for the breezy, summery days ahead.

Product Spotlight: The Cream Factory in Witch Hazel

I’ve got to be one of the last (if not already the last) persons to discuss The Cream Factory’s brilliant liquid soap that makes use of... (yep, you guessed it) goat’s milk. 

The thing is, I’m a self-confessed bar soap hoarder. I like bar soaps especially if they’re organic. When it comes to liquid soap, I usually just keep mum about them because there was this international brand that I tried but it didn’t quite meet my expectations (it sort of left some residue dye on my bath foam) and I stuck to citrusy bath bars from then on.

 

With the introduction (and rage) that Sample Room introduced with The Cream Factory’s arrival here, I got to test it out for myself. Having tried out the Witch Hazel variant (without having any idea as to what witch hazel actually is,) I have one option but to Google it and find out what makes witch hazel an important ingredient for a bath cream.

According to our good friend Wiki, witch hazel is an astringent and is sometimes called winter bloom. Witch hazel is loaded with antioxidants and is usually used as a skin care ingredient in many beauty washes and skin treatments. It's quite a clever move for witch hazel to be the star of this particular variant of The Cream Factory. I feel nothing short of fresh and rejuvenated after a good time in the shower because of it!

 

 

I'm rather pleased that regulator is small to be able to control the fluid that passes through. I've been using this for over a month and I still have about a quarter left in it. Talk about thrifty. It's just that The Cream Factory's products are not readily available in Zamboanga City just yet and it would take time for me if I wanted to restock, to make a purchase in the online shops and wait for them to arrive. That's not neglecting the fact that if I were to satisfy the shipping fee, I'd be forced to throw in some additional purchases too.

I particularly enjoy the rich, creamy lather and it comes with a mild scent. It's moisturizing on the skin and for this one, there's no need to apply a scented lotion. It's gentle and can be used on kids too. This is one treat that's undeniably refreshing, no wonder they call it Dessert For The Skin.