One Radiant Unboxing and Review: July 2013

July marks the second month of my One Radiant subscription. In this box I received a couple products I’ve wanted to try for a while, but never got a chance to. However, it’s clearly not a perfect service for me because some of the samples they send contain ingredients I try to avoid. I believe that there are much better and safer alternatives these days, and the products cost about the same. We’ll see what I get in August, but if I receive more products with questionable ingredients I most likely will not renew my subscription for another 3-month term.

About One Radiant:
For just $12/month + FREE S&H (must commit to 3 months) you can get expert tips, receive skincare samples handpicked for your skin type, and earn rewards for your purchases when you find something you love. We have a skincare collection we’re proud of: all our samples and products are dermatologist-reviewed – and we’ve personally tried every product before putting it in our store.
If you want to use my referral link, please click here to subscribe.

CellCeuticals Extreme Defense Anti-Cell Damage Skin Treatment 
This reminds me of the moisturizer I got in this month’s From The Lab box, it’s also considered to be a preventative treatment. It helps the skin resist oxidation and fights off the free radicals, and just like the FTL moisturizer, it also doesn’t contain any SPF, which would have been nice. I received about 7 days worth of product, and from that amount of time all I can say is that it didn’t break me out, which is already a good thing. It feels nice and comfortable on the skin, but I didn’t notice any improvements to my skin’s appearance or texture, so even if it does work, the changes are very subtle.
Overall: 4/5
Purchase: No

Clearogen Acne Lotion 
I used a shimmery body lotion a couple weeks ago and my skin went crazy! I never had chest and back acne, so I had no clue how to get rid of them. I started with a salicylic acid spray and spread this lotion all over my chest and back in hopes that it would help. And it did! My skin is getting better every day and maybe I’ll be able to wear open back dresses again before the summer is over.
Overall: 5/5
Purchase: Yes

DoshaCare Sakala Firming Eye Gel
This eye cream was hard to find online, and not a lot of stores sell it so I wasn’t sure if I should risk putting an unknown product on my eyes. I ran the ingredient list through COSDNA to see if it’s safe enough to try, and based on the results I decided to give it a shot after all. It looks a little strange: a clumpy beige-brown jelly goo with a light herbal fragrance. After I applied it on my lids, my under-eye area instantly felt cool, which slightly depuffed it. After the gel finally got absorbed, my skin felt smooth and not sticky, and that’s especially nice for summer. This is a very generously-sized sample that will last me about a month, and I look forward to seeing long-term improvements.
Overall: 4.5/5
Purchase: Yes

derma e Vitamin A Glycolic Cleanser
I really wanted to try this cleanser, so I’m very glad I got this particular sample. Just as I thought, it was wonderful! It foams well and cleans the skin very gently, and I’m a fan of the powdery fragrance, too.
Overall: 5/5
Purchase: Yes

pH Advantage AM Multi-Complex Moisturizer SPF 20
And last… and unfortunately least, the sample I decided not to try. If you read my sunscreen post you know that I avoid oxybenzone in skin care products. I appreciate that One Radiant sent four samples so we can get a better idea whether we like it or not after several uses, but I already know that I won’t like this one.
Overall: 1/5
Purchase: No

The verdict: First of all, as you might have already noticed, the retail value of these samples is very high. We are sampling pretty expensive products in this box, and I appreciate that One Radiant provides us with at least a week’s worth of each sample. I’m thinking about purchasing that derma e cleanser when I use up my current one, since it’s inexpensive and very effective.

Are you a One Radiant subscriber? What do you think about this box?