Based on the number of pageviews generated by my last Sample Society box review, I decided to re-subscribe to this box, since you guys are clearly interested in this one. After seeing the spoilers, I thought January would be as good of a month as any to join. In case you don’t know, the spoilers featured stila Color Balm lipstick mini and full-sized Butter London nail treatments – cuticle oil and nail strengthener.
HOW IT WORKS
For $15/month Sample Society will send its members 5 deluxe-sized samples from beauty brands like stila, Murad, Sisley, Alterna, Butter London, and Borghese and a $15 off $50 monthly discount code. As a bonus all new members receive a complimentary one-year subscription to Allure magazine (a $12.00 value).
Click here to join Sample Society.
Butter London Handbag Holiday Cuticle Oil – This was the star of the box for me! Usually my cuticle oils smell like sweet almond, lemon oil, or plain nothing, so that’s kind of what I was expecting. I was surprised to find out that it actually smells like pineapples and coconuts! My wand was slightly slanted, which is not intended, but it’s not a big deal. I placed this bottle on my nightstand so I won’t forget to moisturize my cuticles before going to bed.
StriVectin Present Perfect Antioxidant Defense Lotion – I don’t recall seeing this StriVectin product before, is it new? Either way, I thought it’s a good one to try, because it targets the first signs of aging, which is exactly what I need right now. I’m not sure if the size of this sample will be enough for me to evaluate its effectiveness, but at least I will know how my skin will react to it.
Nicole Richie Eau de Parfum – When it comes to celebrity fragrances, I try not to associate the scent with the person’s name stamped on it, and in this case, I found the blend too heavy for my liking. With prominent notes of patchouli, sandalwood and amber, this perfume is better suited for people who like rich, sensual fragrances.
philosophy hope in a jar – If you read my December empties post, you’ll notice that I threw away that very same sample. This product just does not work for me, and I can’t stand the scent. It’s supposed to smell like lavender, but to me it smells like dirty socks; and last time I tried it my face broke out in hives. I know many ladies that swear by this moisturizer, but I guess hope in a jar and I are just not meant to be.
jane iredale Forever Pink Just Kissed Lip & Cheek Stain – So far this is my third time receiving this sample, so I already had a chance to try it, and at first I thought I liked it, but now I think it doesn’t look all that good with my complexion after all. I will probably give it to my sister to try, maybe she will like it more than I did.
THE VERDICT
Even though the January box had more misses than hits for me personally, I still got my money’s worth – Butter London cuticle oil pretty much paid for the box. The good thing about Sample Society is that even though there are several box variations the samples are mostly the same, so there’s not a whole lot of “box envy” going on among the subscribers. Despite being dissatisfied this month, I’m looking forward to February in hopes of getting better products 🙂
Are you a Sample Society subscriber? What do you think of this month’s box?
| Product | Retail value |
|---|---|
| Butter London Handbag Holiday Cuticle Oil | $19.00 |
| StriVectin Present Perfect Antioxidant Defense Lotion | $8.67 |
| Nicole Richie Eau de Parfum | $1.61 |
| philosophy hope in a jar | $7.80 |
| jane iredale Forever Pink Just Kissed Lip & Cheek Stain | $6.25 |
| Box Retail Value | $43.33 |
