SAMPLE SUNDAY | Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream SPF 30 Complexion Corrector x Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Soothing Treatment Lotion

Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream SPF 30 Complexion Corrector |
After my first (failed) attempt with Clinique's CC cream, featured in my first Sample Sunday, I was convinced CC creams wouldn't be for me. But this sample from Peter Thomas Roth caught my interest - it claims to be everything in one - sunscreen, complexion corrector, moisturizer, tint as well as anti-aging treatment. The formulation contains camu camu berry, which is an Amazonian superfruit that provides 30 times more vitamin C than an orange, which "evens out the skintone and supports natural collagen, creating the appearance of firmer, brighter, younger-looking skin over time". The sample included three shades - Light To Medium, Medium To Tan, and Deep - and just like the Clinique CC cream, the consistency is much thicker than most foundations, and I personally found it a tad too stiff to blend out nicely. Although it provides good, medium coverage, it felt heavy on the face and emphasized texture and flaws on my face I didn't even know I had! And perhaps the worst part is that the shades oxidized like crazy! Within minutes of applying the lightest shade to my face, it turned orange and two shades darker - I looked like a freakin' oompa loompa. So I'm going to keep this short and sweet - this made me look, straight up, like a hot, orange mess, so no thank you! I guess I was right - CC creams just aren't for me!

Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Soothing Treatment Lotion |
The Origins Super Spot Remover has been my long-time beauty essential for treating pesky blemishes, but I haven't ventured too far out in terms of Origins' other skincare products and ranges. I received this sample as a birthday perk last year, and I was instantly intrigued by the main ingredient - mushrooms! I love eating them, but slathering them on my face was certainly a weird notion. I wrongly assumed this lotion would have a gel-cream consistency ('cos, lotion) and spilled the toner-like liquid all over my couch and floor, and Riley had an absolute field day sniffing and lapping it up. I'm not the biggest fan of the scent - fresh, earthy mushrooms with an herbal note - but it dissipates soon after going on the face, and I was pleasantly surprised at the cooling sensation upon application and how soothed and refreshed my skin felt almost instantly. It's very lightweight and absorbed quickly, leaving my skin slightly tacky to the touch. I tried this out at night, and the very next morning my cheeks, which occasionally can get red and slightly flushed, had zero redness. It also didn't break me out, which is always a relief. Although I thoroughly enjoyed this sample (and recommend anyone with sensitive, easily irritable skin to give it a try), I just can't say that I have a place for this in my normal skincare routine, since my skin isn't overly sensitive, so I'll have to take a pass.

SAMPLE SUNDAY | Fresh Black Tea Firming Corset Cream x Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Firming Serum

New product alert! Last week, I managed to get my hands on a sample of the newest product from Fresh, the Black Tea Firming Corset Cream, and was instructed to try it in conjunction with the Black Tea Age-Delay Firming Serum to achieve a defined, contoured complexion. I had to be put on a waiting list just for a sample of this new cream, so let's put these to the test!

Fresh Black Tea Firming Corset Cream |
My current holy grail toner is the Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Instant Infusion, so I was super excited to hear about a new product launching from the same range. And the words firming and corset sure got my hopes way up! This new cream is "a firming formula for the face and neck that provides a corset-like effect for a more lifted and defined appearance", with a thick, buttery consistency that melts into the skin - my face just drank it up! It has a soothing tea scent, just like the toner, but with more of a sweet, fruity note with the addition of goji fruit extract. Long story short, my skin seemed to really get along with the cream - plumper, bouncier - but in terms of firmness and a corset-like effect, I'm still not convinced. At most, I will say my skin felt a bit more taut, but I was disappointed to say the least that there was no visible improvement in definition and lift. Like, where my cheekbones at? Fine, maybe asking for a visible change from a face cream was asking too much. This product probably isn't targeted to those of us with younger, firmer skin to begin with, so as much as I loved how it felt on my face, I don't have the need for this as of yet. It is a pricey purchase at $95USD for 50ml, so perhaps I'll try it again in ten years or so when I need the extra help and have some extra cash!

Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Firming Serum |
To truly maximize the results of the Black Tea Firming Corset Cream, I was told to lather this Black Tea Age-Delay Firming Serum on beforehand and after my Black Tea Age-Delay Instant Infusion. Fresh claims that this serum "smoothes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while providing a firmer, luminous look", and that it has a fast-absorbing formula with a corset-like effect on the skin. It has a lovely tea scent with a hint of floral with its addition of honeysuckle leaf extract. The serum is quite tacky upon application, and I have to disagree with it's fast-absorbing claims as it took a good while - almost half an hour - to absorb into my skin. Even then, it left a gooey film on my face, which leads me to believe this might be much better suited for dryer skin types. I'm sad to report that I am just not a fan of this serum, as it was just too sticky for my taste and I didn't feel any improvement in firmness - it just felt like an extra layer of skincare with no intended purpose. Perhaps it's a good solution for fine lines and wrinkles, but thankfully I can't test out those claims just yet. At $90USD for 50ml, I just don't find this at all necessary as part of my current skincare routine. I still love you, Fresh!