SAMPLE SUNDAY | Philosophy Time In A Bottle x Murad Essential-C Day Moisture SPF30

We're into our fourth edition of Sample Sunday! Woohoo! Let's check out another two skincare samples this week.

Philosophy Time In A Bottle Daily Age-Defying Serum |
My ears instantly perked up when I heard that this serum from Philosophy claimed to go beyond just improving signs of aging, and actually targets our skin's DNA. Say whaaat? It supposedly contains a DNA renewal complex (ooooh) and a high-potency vitamin C8 (ahhhh) that helps transform the skin and protect it from environmental stressors. Philosophy also claims that improved skin - in radiance, evenness and texture - should be noticeable in just one week! Well, besides the serum - which comes out as a pink, lightweight gel - feeling quite hydrating and soothing on the skin, I personally didn't see much a difference. Bummer. Maybe I needed to use this for longer - or have a larger sample - but based on my week-long experience, I don't think it's worth the hefty price tag ($75 USD) and will not be purchasing the full size.

Murad Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF30 PA+++ |
I have been on the hunt for a good face moisturizer that also has SPF, and had such high hopes for this one from Murad. Not only does this antioxidant-rich moisturizer protect the skin from UVA, UVB rays, and free radical damage, it also helps renew the skin and improve clarity, firmness and elasticity. Sounds totes amazing, and I really wanted to love this. But alas, it was just not meant to be. While the citrusy scent and lightweight feel of the moisturizer are certainly two pluses, this did not sink into my skin and made makeup application quite challenging. My foundation seemed to blend with the moisturizer and as the day went on, my face turned into a patchy, streaky nightmare, not to mention a greasy hot mess. I do believe that the insane humidity was this moisturizer's biggest downfall, so it might still be worth another shot during the colder months. Let's just shelve this as "Undecided" for now, and I'll keep you guys posted.

So there you go, another two products that just didn't really impress me. Sigh. Better luck next time!

REVIEW | Innisfree Special Care Foot Mask

Sandal weather is upon us! Which means putting extra effort into making sure our feet are soft, supple, and smooth as hell. But let's face it, we can always use some extra help fighting dry skin and cracked heels, which is why I'm giving the Innisfree Special Care Foot Mask a try before bed. Let's check it out, with help from my puppy, Riley!

Innisfree Special Care Foot Mask

$25 HKD at Innisfree (around $3 USD)

1 Pair

First order of business.. look how freakin' adorable my dog is. I just can't. Being the Curious George that she is (about absolutely everything), this crumply little packet really peaked her interest. Innisfree is a brand I've known about for quite some time - go read my review on the Innisfree Long Wear Cushion - and I've heard glowing reviews about their face masks. But only recently I became aware of their 'special care' mask range - including hand, neck, collarbone and even elbow masks - and at just $25 HKD a piece, this foot mask was too good of a deal to pass up.

The foot mask is folded neatly inside the packet, and you get one bootie for each foot. How cute! My feet are a US size 8 and they fit comfortably inside. It feels a bit strange at first, like you're stepping around in wet socks, but I found them very easy to use and to just lounge around in. I did end up slipping on a pair of socks over top since they slid around a bit. The mask smells floral and refreshing, but you only notice the scent if you're way down there like Riley is. The instructions say to wash and cleanse the feet, put on the foot masks, then remove them after 10-20 minutes and to massage the excess liquid into the skin. I left mine on for an hour. Shhhh. I just didn't see the harm in leaving them on a bit longer!

After removing the masks and massaging in the excess liquid as instructed, I could feel that the calluses on the balls of my feet had softened up considerably, and my feet looked smooth and moisturized. My heels, however, still felt a bit rough. By the next morning, my feet were back to normal and I could see some dry patches appearing again, which goes to show that this foot mask is probably best used for short-term results - one day or so - and perhaps before a special occasion when you need your feet to be pretty and presentable.

I would recommend exfoliating and scrubbing your feet prior to using the mask for better results. If you need serious help with dry, cracked, problematic feet, this wouldn't be of much help at all. But at just $3 USD, this foot mask is a good pick-me-up for tired, unattended feet and I will definitely be stocking up for some much needed pampering on the weekends.

PS. If you want more of Riley, I will be doing a post on her adoption story sometime soon, so stay tuned!

SAMPLE SUNDAY | Too Faced Born This Way x First Aid Beauty 5 in 1 Eye Cream

For this week's Sample Sunday, I'm trying a foundation that everyone has been raving about, and an eye cream that claims to do everything. Let's see how they both fared for me..

Too Faced Born This Way Absolute Perfection Foundation |
When a foundation claims to masterfully diffuse the line between makeup and skin and offer undetectable coverage, trust that my expectations will be soaring. This Too Faced foundation has been getting rave reviews all across the board, so needless to say I was super excited to get a sample with one of my online Sephora purchases. My shade is in Vanilla - catered to fair to light skin with neutral to pink undertones - and it's a bit too light on me but works fine after some good ol' bronzer. Although I am not a fan of the strange, almost synthetic scent this has - might just be mine - boy, am I impressed with its amazing coverage. With just one pump, my skin looked pretty darn flawless - no more redness or discoloration. However, the claim of offering undetectable coverage seemed to only ring true for me with indoor lighting. As soon as I walked outside, I could see the foundation emphasized dry patches on my chin and forehead. Not a cute look. And even though this is oil-free, I found it too rich for my oily skin - it's formulated with coconut water for hydration - and I looked uber greasy in the T-zone after just three hours. So unlike everyone else who seems to adore this foundation, I won't be purchasing the full size. Too bad, so sad.

First Aid Beauty 5 in 1 Eye Cream |
While it's already challenging in itself to find an eye cream that can do everything - hydrate, firm, combat fine lines, dark circles and puffiness - and still be comfortable and non-irritating under the eyes, I need an eye cream that also works well under makeup. 'Cos I don't got time (or money) for two separate eye creams for the AM and PM! For the past two years, I've been using Clinique's All About Eyes because it doesn't irritate my eyes and works wonderfully under makeup, but it's been quite ineffective in terms of combating those issues I just mentioned. So this multi-tasking, age-delaying eye cream from First Aid Beauty sounds like a dream come true. It has five claims -  to smooth, firm, brighten, and nourish the skin while combating free radicals -  and is paraben and sulfate-free. It's also supposed to be fragrance-free, but my sample definitely has an off-putting, almost sour smell to it - I'm just going to put that down as the sample being past its prime. It comes out as a gel and is tacky in texture on application, but dries down after a minute or so. My under eyes do feel moisturized and slightly tightened, and it doesn't irritate my eyes whatsoever. One week - and one small sample - is obviously not enough time to test out all those claims, but I can already say that I won't be purchasing the full size because this simply does not work under makeup. The moment you start applying foundation and concealer, the eye cream starts separating underneath and eventually pills up into little clumps. The hunt continues..

That's a wrap! Two samples that are must-haves for many, but just sadly did not work for me. Goes to show you can live without certain products that other people can't live without!