Thursday, January 23, 2014

The Beauty of Beauty Samples



apologies for the less than glamorous condition of these little pots but it's what's inside that counts. i recently discovered beingcontent.com and their amazing sample service. basically you can pick any four products on their website and request samples of them for only £3 (about $5.50AUD) with free worldwide shipping. it's perfect for trying out a product in case you don't like the smell or texture, if you have sensitive skin or are allergy prone, or like me if you're just curious and want to give products a try before parting with your cash.



given that BeingContent makes a point of only stocking natural, organic makeup and skincare, they don't sell everything under the sun but they do have a decent selection including brands like REN, pai & oskia, and it's perfect if using products with organic ingredients is important to you. you can request samples of makeup but i was naturally drawn to the skincare and chose a few products that have had a lot of hype in the beauty world. masks and serums are two of the most expensive areas to invest in but they have also become my favourites because they make such a big difference to my complexion. i thought it might be helpful if i offered my first impressions and whether or not i would buy the full size product after using the sample, so here's what i picked:

oskia renaissance mask (£48.50 / about $90.00 AUD for 50ml)
you know i almost wish i never tried this mask because i love it so much i'm seriously considering spending close to $100 on the full size. this mask uses lactic acid and AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) derived from fruit to boost cell regeneration and brighten and resurface the skin. the sample i got contained enough product for two uses which makes me think the full size would last forever. after the first use my complexion was so much smoother and more radiant that i'm saving the rest to use before a special occasion. i can definitely see why this mask has won so many awards, its praise is well deserved. and as for the less important details, it's a pretty pale grapefruit colour and smells of chamomile and roses. i'm in love.

REN no.1 purity cleansing balm (£23.00 / about $43.00 AUD for 100ml)
again this sample came with enough product for two uses and i really enjoyed it. it's very smooth and melts away your makeup so easily, doesn't irritate the eyes and has a vaguely floral but mostly neutral scent. i actually don't need a new cleansing balm at the moment but when i use up what i've got this will probably be next in line. and i believe it used to come in a tub but they've repackaged it into a tube now, which is much more travel friendly.

REN radiance perfection serum (£35.00 / about $65.00 AUD for 30ml)
if fading acne scarring or generally evening out your skintone is a concern for you i definitely recommend getting a sample of this. if i had the full size i would probably be using it all over my face, but since i don't i've been using it as a spot treatment around my chin where i have some scars from old blemishes. the little pot was by no means full when it arrived, but it contains enough product that i've been able to use this serum morning and night for weeks (and will continue to be able to for several more weeks) which i think is really important when trying out a product like this because you'll only start to see a difference after continued use. my scars haven't disappeared completely but this serum has definitely noticeably reduced them. i'd also really like to try the REN resurfacing AHA concentrate which BeingContent doesn't seem to have right now, but once my sample runs out i'll be looking at buying one of the two.

REN invisible pores detox mask (£18.00 / about $33.50 AUD for 50ml)
this much talked about cleansing mask uses french clay and lavender to decongest the skin, draw out impurities and leave it looking clear. the consistency of this mask is so smooth, i only got one use out of the sample but it was enough to convince me to buy the full size. it feels lovely on the skin, smells of lavender and most importantly, like all the REN skincare i've tried so far, it works.

14 comments:

  1. That is sooo seriously cool! Oh, I just want to hug you for introducing me to this site. I'm always on a tight budget and am often leery of investing in new cosmetics, especially higher end ones, before I know if my rather sensitive skin can tolerate them. Problem solved (at least when it comes to products that they carry). Thank you!!!

    Oodles of hugs,
    ♥ Jessica

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  2. Wow thanks for introducing us to this website. That's a great service, especially for people who may come from countries that don't tend to offer samples with every purchase.
    I'm dying to get my hands on REN products. They sound incredible!
    xx
    Celina | The Celution | Bloglovin’

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  3. That's SUCH a good idea, I'm looking now at which samples I'd like to try! I'd definitely have a go of the Oskia mask and some other brands that are really pricey but that I'm interested in. Might be difficult editing it down to just four though!

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  4. Oh, this is so cool! I think with a lot of popular and hyped up products, I've never been really disappointed by any that I've bought (they have a cult following for that reason!), but it is really handy to be able to try before you buy as sometimes you just never know. I have a friend who works at Kit and she gives me a lot of free samples and while I don't need the full size versions just yet, I kind of want to buy them just to blog about them! Sample pots aren't that pretty to look at, are they? :p

    I've actually never heard of that Oskia mask, but it sounds incredible! I do love my rose scented products. I have the REN Radiance Perfecting Serum and it really is lovely. I love using it in the mornings if I'm feeling tired and my skin is looking dull as I find it really helps to brighten my skin and look a bit more alive and fresh! I'm really curious about the Resurfacing AHA Concentrate, but as I own the Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask too, I'm not sure if I just justify buying it. May have to buy a sample!

    I recently just bought the REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask and it's been on my wishlist for ages! I haven't used it yet, but I'm really excited to finally have my hands on this. I have a hydration mask and a radiance mask, so a cleansing mask was next on my list and I settled for REN after tossing up between this and the Aesop Parsley Seed Masque. I think I'm good on the mask front for now, but I have used the Aesop one, which is just amazing and now this Oskia one is tempting!

    http://likeneonlove.com

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  5. Oh wow, I hadn't heard of this website before, but what an awesome service! I'll definitely be giving it a go x

    lamourjosie.com

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  6. Sounds like a brill service! When you order from the Ren website they always give you two free amples of your choice, which I love. It always feels like an extra gift!

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  7. Thanks so much for this post...I had no idea they did this!

    http://champagnelambinibudget.blogspot.co.uk/

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  8. Oh dammit, the oskia renaissance mask sounds bloody brilliant. I really don't like samples just because of these kinds of things, I might like the product so much that I want to buy it. Genius marketing.

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  9. ooh that is a brilliant service! i'm in the market for a natural/organic concealer but i've always been worried about ordering online and getting the wrong match/texture, etc. this looks like a great way to experiment. thanks for sharing! xx

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  10. Lush does great samples too.
    You just have to ask.
    Make sure to check out my blog:
    majotron.blogspot.com

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  11. I have always liked REN, they do a great eye-cream. I am not a big fan on the cleansing balm though.

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  12. Thanks for letting us know about this website. It's such a cool idea, I'll have to check it out. By the way, if you're ever in my area (I don't know why) or want to come out for some samples from us, let me know and I'll stock you up ;)

    By the way, how did you find the REN cleansing balm went on your eyes? I looked into this one when I was tossing up whether to buy the Emma Hardie or not and found a lot of people saying it stung their eyes really badly.

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  13. Thanks for posting about this, so useful! I reckon I'd like to try the REN radiance perfection serum to try and fade some old scars.

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  14. Thanks for sharing this! a definitely good idea for trying those things you are unsure to buy!

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