Did Sephora Samples Make me Want to Buy it or Skip it? (Part 3: Mascaras & Lip Products)

For part 3 of my Did Samples Make me Want to Buy it or Skip it? I’m reviewing mascara and lip product samples I received. These were some really good samples!

Plumberry Pop

Plumberry Pop

bareMinerals Pop of Passion Lip Oil-Balm ($20 CAD): I was totally excited to try this 100 point sample of the new tinted “lip oil-balm” from bareMinerals. I really like tinted lip balms. There are so many things I love about this, I don’t know where to begin! I love the packaging. Its super cute and the colour of the packaging matches the shade, which I always find handy. The Pop of Passion lip-oil balms come in 8 different shades. I’m really enjoying the shade I received, Plumberry Pop, a pinky-red, but I want to try out all of the other shades now! This oil-balm applies a wash of colour combined with the light, hydrating feel of a lip balm. It feels moisturizing on the lips, but also leaves behind a super long-lasting stain. It reminds me of the Benefit Hydrating Tinted Lip Balm (my beloved rose coloured Benebalm is in my empties) or the Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me (but without the sweet fruity scent). If you are into tinted lip balms, I think you’ll love this! Verdict: Buy it.

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask Samples in Champagne, Natural & Smashed

Actual packaging

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Masks ($30 CAD): How cute are these lip-shaped samples from Bite Beauty, right? I love that you get to sample the original plus two of the tinted shades. Each lip mask seems to contain slightly differing ingredients. This sample contained:

• Champagne – a rose gold pearl. An innovative lip mask that revives and rehydrates lips using a bio-active blend of healing antioxidants, including organic agave nectar, jojoba, and 15 mg of antioxidant resveratrol.
• Natural – This innovative, natural formula smooths, nourishes, and moisturizes lips with a bio-active blend of organic agave nectar, jojoba oil, vanilla CO2 extract, and triple the amount of antioxidant trans-resveratrol found in red wine.
• Smashed – imparts a universal red-wine tint while healing and softening lips with its blend of lanolin, vanilla extract, natural olive fruit, and jojoba oil. Its infusion of the powerful antioxidant resveratrol improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, banishes dryness, and lets you achieve irresistible lips.

I absolutely loved these! They feel, smell and taste amazing. My two favs were Natural and Smashed. I really liked the pinky-red tint of Smashed. I wasn’t quite as into the shimmery Champagne shade which didn’t do a lot for my fair skin. Even my bf liked these and allowed me to apply the untinted Natural one to his winter-chapped lips. They feel so thick and luxurious and really hydrated dry, chapped lips. Verdict: Buy it!

Lancôme CILS BOOSTER XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Base

Lancôme CILS BOOSTER XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Base ($31 CAD):  This “lash-conditioning, mascara primer” claims to create “even longer and more volumized lashes.” Its supposed to maximize the results of your favourite mascara with its “conditioning formula – infused with micro-fibers and Vitamin E – which adds extra length and thickness to lashes for added visible performance. White in color, it allows the black pigments to stand out from the clean base with more intensity than with traditional mascaras.” I tried this with my absolute fav mascara that I use everyday, Guerlain Maxi Lash. Unfortunately I have to admit that I didn’t notice any difference.  I even tried using the Lancome on one eye and not the other. Really couldn’t tell the difference. Oddly, Lancome says you can use it “as a ‘lash mask’ at night on clean lashes to nourish and rejuvenate” which I find bizarre; I don’t like the idea of leaving any mascara on overnight. I can’t see paying the extra money and taking time to do the extra step of applying this lash primer when I couldn’t see any visible benefits. Verdict: Skip it.

Love the traditional full bristly brush!

Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara ($33 CAD): I love trying new mascaras. The three things I enjoyed about this mascara were, 1. the traditional bristle brush, 2. the consistency (not too thin), and 3. its really black. I liked the formula. It really lengthened and volumized and I love a dramatic black mascara. The two things I really didn’t enjoy were 1. the brush was too big for me and 2. it flakes! I have hooded eyes and I need a smaller, narrower brush or else I get mascara all over my top lid when I’m applying it. Plus, this mascara flaked off  and left a lot of little black flecks under my eyes and on the top of my cheeks. This one does not rival my all-time fav Guerlain Maxi Lash. Verdict: Skip it.

I hope you enjoyed my latest Did Samples Make me Want to Buy it or Skip it?

Thanks for reading!
Love,
Nerdy Librarian Girl ❤