Magical Free Things - June 2014

Kia Ora!

I've been signing up to a lot of free trials or getting samples in the mail recently and I thought it might be nice to share it with anyone who ends up reading this. I'm loving getting free stuff (mostly because I try to be frugal with money), and I get to try new and different products.  

Below are a bunch of things I got in June, along with details of how to get them yourself (if applicable). Enjoy!!

Black Box - Female Pampering Box

I received this from Sample Co and it had lots of different goodies in it. For a full report please see the full blog post I wrote on it. 

Garnier BB Cream - Oily skin, light.

I got this product for review from Beauty Review. This is a site where users review products and occasionally are sent trials of full-size products by the company. There were about 2500 of the Garnier BB Cream's sent out for this trial. 

I do have a referral link if anyone is interested in joining (and helping me out as well), or click here for a basic link to the website. 

I really enjoyed trying out the BB cream, as I don't really like using foundations and so the coverage from BB's is perfect for me. The cream was thicker than I first expected, and I wasn't sure if it would match my skin tone at first. However it blended out quite well and looked very natural. The coverage was quite good, much better than another BB cream I've been using. However I did notice that the BB cream wouldn't go matte (as the bottle proclaims), and I had to apply powder over the top in order to get rid of the shininess. I have noticed that the product is very runny, and I'm having issues with the mess around the opening of the bottle, but otherwise I like it. 

Garnier BB Cream - Normal skin, light.

I won this bottle on the Garnier Facebook page, where they were having a 'Happy BB Day' competition. I think I played for about 3 weeks before I managed to win. 

This BB cream is also very good. I think I like it better than the Oily skin one. The cream is a thicker formulation, and it has a lingering scent which weirds me out a little. However the coverage is perfect and it doesn't apply as shiny as the oily version. I really like the SPF 15 which is included in it so no need to apply sunblock. 

The reason I've used both is that sometimes my skin is quite oily, and other times it is normal/combination (I think). 

Oasis Beauty - 3 sample products

I can't remember how I discovered this brand, but I'm glad I did. They let you order 3 samples of any of their products for free. You can find them here if interested. They are a New Zealand brand, based in Oxford and are cruelty free. They also adopt hedgehogs, which is adorable!

I'm especially impressed by the containers that the products came in. Hooray no foil packets!

Oasis Beauty

Lips and Lashes

This is a cute little moisturiser for your eyes, lips and also encourages lash growth. I've only tried it a couple of times so far, but it is lovely! I'm hoping it will help my poor pathetic lashes become thicker and stronger. The bottle looks like it doesn't have much in it, but the teeny amount used each time guarantees that the little bottle will last for probably 2-3 weeks! Plenty of time to test it out properly. 

Beauty Sleep

This one is a night cream, and I haven't used it yet so I can't really comment at all. I just got a new night cream in my most recent Violet Box so I'll probably take awhile to try it out. It looks lovely and thick though. 

Berry Brightening Tonic

This tonic (which I've been using as a toner) is literally the most amazing skin care product that I've ever used. I've heard people use the term holy grail and now I understand. It immediately tightened up my pores and made my face feel fantastic. It also cleared up a breakout in 2 days. TWO DAYS. That's superb! I can't get enough of this product.

I've been using it daily and I love it. I'm waiting till payday and then will be purchasing the full size. It smells like berries and the scent lingers for about half an hour after use (which I like but I know some people don't). I'm in love with this product and think everyone should try it. 

Dedicated to Nature - Cleanser and Moisturiser samples
I haven't tried these as yet. They look quite nice but I'm probably going to save them for a holiday trip. I was disappointed that one of the samples exploded in the post and it got everywhere. That kinda sucked. But there was a $10 off the first order voucher (valid until 30 June) in the envelope too. The samples are available here and the voucher code is S870.
There is also a code on their website for 20% off and free delivery on your first order. The code is F712.

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion
This one I found on a website that collates free sample offers. I'm pretty sure it's still open, so just go here to get a sample.
Aveeno is a good basic moisturiser, but nothing flash. I'm gonna have these ready for if I go on holiday or anything since it is easier to take a foil packet than a big bottle.
They also came with a $5 off coupon to use when buying a big bottle.

Eco store Shampoo and Conditioner
This was a deal that eco store was running for May (?) and I managed to snag a free sample. After filling in the survey they sent as a follow up, I won a full size set! I was really happy with that, as I hardly ever win anything. I mostly just filled in the survey because I like doing surveys and giving feedback.

The full-size versions appeared in the post last night, and I'm excited to add them to my haircare routine. Woohoo!!

Estee Lauder 10 day trial sample
These are available at any Estee Lauder counter (from my understanding). There wasn't any of the BB cream left when I went in, so I was given a trial of the Double Wear Light Foundation in shade #1. It's quite nice, not too heavy which is good. I think it will probably last me ages since I don't really wear makeup every day. I probably won't end up buying it (because budget and stuff) but it's fun to try new things.

Well, that's it. Phew. I didn't realise how much I had gotten this month. I hope some of the links are helpful if anyone wants to try the products themselves!
Until next time ...