Empties: Samples Edition

CLARINS Instant Eye Make-Up Remover

I like this a lot. You may be aware that I wear waterproof mascara to keep my lashes curled all day, so I need a good oil-based remover to get it off. I've been using two pretty rubbish ones for the past several months (they just won't run out!) and using this for the first time was like a choir of angels came singing under a double rainbow with a unicorn flying over it (too much?). It's a duo-phase product as most oil-based removers and it smells really lovely, like roasted chestnuts and linden tea. Unlike most other cheap ones I've tried, when I shake this so the two parts mix, the lighter part actually stays suspended and both fluids are mixed meaning they don't just separate after a second as most do. This removes my eye makeup with such ease and what I really, really appreciate is that it doesn't make my vision foggy like every other duo-phase remover does and it doesn't leave my skin quite as greasy as the others. I'd definitely purchase a full size if it weren't so expensive, though I find I need to use a lot less that other removers. It's on my wishlist.

CLARINS Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover 

Another remover I liked, this one for sensitive eyes. Though I wear contact lenses, my eyes are far from sensitive, so I can't report whether it irritates the eyes of those who are more sensitive to some skin care. However, I can say that it takes of makeup with ease (regular mascara plus eyeliner) and that it smells like a hospital. It doesn't leave a greasy residue behind, but it's not as light as micellar waters. Nice stuff.

CLARINS Multi-Active Day 

Early wrinkle correcting lotion

SPF 15

This is a lotion targeted at young women and it promises to guard against UV damage and visibly correct early signs of ageing. It's a light day moisturiser that smells like a man (I'm just getting weirder by the minute, aren't I?). Despite the SPF it doesn't feel greasy on the skin, but it does need a bit of time to completely sink it. It's a lovely moisturiser, just the way I like them, but I can't say much about its "anti-ageing"/repairing properties, since I only had a sample. The full size comes with a pump.

CLARINS Tonic Body Treatment

Apparently this is Clarins' #1 selling body oil. It promises to help firm, tone and improve elasticity of the skin as well as reduce the appearance stretch marks. I don't any have any of those, but I can say that it's quite a thick oil, in fact, it reminds me of the L'Occitane Almond Supple skin oil, so it's intensely moisturising, but it due to being a dry oil, it sinks in quite fast. A little goes a long way, so this small vial lasted me a lot of applications. The only thing I wasn't a fan of, is the strong herbal scent (most prominent I think is rosemary), but that is a completely subjective thing. 

CLARINS BB Skin Perfecting Cream

I received samples of the lightest shade called Fair. Again it's like someone is having a laugh at pale people's expense. This is not by any definition fair. Why is it so bloody hard to comprehend what fair means?! I looked orange with this and that makes me angry more than it should. I'm guessing the shade is close to NC30 or Healthy Mix 54.

Venting and shade aside, it's a classic tinted moisturiser or BB if you want to call it that way. The consistency is like a medium-thick moisturiser and it has light coverage that can be layered to light to medium coverage. On my normal skin the finish is just regular skin-like with a bit of healthy dewiness and you can't tell that you're wearing anything, provided the shade fits you. I love how it doesn't settle into and emphasize pores as most foundations started to do that on me recently. It has an SPF 25 (titanium dioxide). In short: the texture and finish are lovely, this will appeal to those who want to just even out the skin a bit, but the shade is a complete fail.

L'ORÉAL Paris Revitalift Magic Blur 

Instant Lift Smoother

Blurring + Anti-Age Moisturiser

I really like this. It's more on the thicker side, however, feels super light on the skin. There is a huge amount of silicones in it, so it leaves a matte satin-velvet finish and it's immediately dry to the touch. It's a primer-meets-moisturiser type of product making it an excellent base for makeup, though it's not particularly moisturising (neither drying, of course). It's similar to L'Occitane Angelica Ultra Matte Fluid, but less moisturising and cheaper. I don't find it all that blurring, at least it doesn't disguise my pores, though so far I haven't found a primer that would. I think this is a great product for those with oily skin, as it might help keep oil at bay quite well. I might buy full size, I actually just saw it in a local super market for 15 €.

CAUDALIE Polyphenol C15 Overnight Detox Oil 

I love using oils on my face, actually I've been using Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse for three years now. First off this Caudalie one smells terrible and it's so strong. It's a weird earthy-herbal scent, I really dislike it, but it's the type of smell that I know some people will really like. This dry oil promises to help tired skin regenerate itself overnight and to detoxify the skin. It's quite a thick oil, so those 6 recommended drops feel a bit to much for me. I've been using it a few days and my skin turned for the worse and when I switched back to Nuxe, it was ok again. I'm afraid my skin doesn't like this very much and neither does my nose, but I have heard some raves about it.

That Beauty Flash Balm and the lip gloss in the first picture will have separate reviews.

 Izdelki Clarins so na voljo v Müller drogerijah, Maximarketu, Nami, Beautique drogerijah in Kompass shop-ih.

Have a great day!

*Clarins samples were gifted to me.