Laid Back Sample Project - Update 5



Feels quite good to have finished some larger sample sized products for the fifth instalment of my Laid Back Sample Challenge - sachets are nice to use up but getting to toss a larger product always brings a bigger sense of satisfaction for me!

Marc Jacobs Oh Lola!
I have this in a solid ring form and love it, but for some reason the actual perfume disappears on me almost immediately! Such a shame as the scent is seriously lovely, and the bottle is stunning.

Thierry Mugler Angel EDT (travel size)
This reinvention of the classic Angel fragrance sat so well on me that I'm lusting over a large bottle of this one, perhaps as a Christmas gift? It's gourmand and has an edge to it that I adore, and the fact that it lasts on my skin is a rare treat for me.

Benefit Foamingly Clean Facial Wash
I went in expecting to hate the foaming aspect of this, but it actually puffs up and lathers rather than foaming, and it feels so decadent on my skin that I actually enjoyed using this! It wasn't as gentle as a milk or balm cleanser but I felt like it really cleansed my skin well.

Kiehl's Orange Flower & Lychee Skin Softening Lotion
I mentioned in my empties post that this was one of the nicest lotions I'd ever used, and I stand by that! I can't seem to find this particular scent on the website though, which alarms me slightly...has this been discontinued?!

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A few future purchases were noted from this round of samples, but I'm content to have a running list of quality products to lust over while I continue to churn through my collection, donating or using up products I no longer need in my stash. I know it may seem like decluttering is a bit of a trend at the moment but I think learning to love (and use!) what you have is always a good thing, trend or not, so I'm all up on that wagon and riding it towards a neater house and neater mind!

 

Previous updates!
Original Project Post
Update 1ft. Versace, Lush, Dior and LaGaia
Update 2 ft. Balenciaga, Biore, Mario Badescu and Missha
Update 3 ft. Benefit, L'Oreal, L'Occitane and Smashbox

Update 3 ft. Aveda, Lush, Estee Lauder and YSL

 

Emma x

Wasted Beauty

We all do it, so just admit it.


There are certain things you ‘save’ for a special occasion, one such occasion that takes a damn long time to come. Whether it be a beautifully embossed eyeshadow palette or an expensive perfume that was a gift from that someone special, these beauties sit alongside the staples waiting for their turn to shine and be wholly loved. If they do manage to get a look in, they are quickly popped back on the shelf for fear of running out (the dilemma of the limited edition item, you see) Whilst I have a long list of things I’m sort of hoarding (Thierry Mugler Angel EDT, travel bottle of Bioderma, Rimmel Match Perfection Crème Gel foundation…the list goes on!) this beautiful perfume set is the one that has made me rethink my ways.

I can’t seem to put my finger on the occasion that this marked (it was a few years ago now, this was released early 2010) but I remember Chris handing it over, impeccably wrapped with a big ol’ grin on his face. I was elated as I always spritzed myself with Tresor in Love whenever I passed a Lancome counter, and now I was free to wallow in the stuff. Fast forward to last Christmas, I mentioned a perfume I had my eye on to the boy… his response was a firm no, followed by a stern word about the wasted gift set that still sat upon my shelf, unopened and pristine.

“Saving things for a special occasion is stupid. Put it on and let’s order Dominos.”

With that, I took it down and since then have been enjoying the fruity sweet rose scent and the love that it was given with. I want to enjoy the things in life that make me smile, the taupe shadows and the discontinued highlighters, the limited edition blushes and the hard to find lipsticks. Life is short, and I am going to enjoy the beautiful things (material or otherwise) while I can.

What are you saving for a special occasion?